AGP Executive Report

Trade Policy Shock: The U.S. proposes new forced-labor tariffs—10% on 16 partners (including Mexico) and 12.5% on 44 others—plus a separate push for 25% tariffs on Brazil, raising new cost and compliance pressure for importers and cross-border SMEs. Cross-Border Payments: XTransfer and BBVA signed an MoU to deepen cross-border payment infrastructure across Latin America and Europe, aiming to streamline FX, local payments, and faster onboarding for small and medium traders. SME Growth via Procurement: Nigeria’s BPP says affirmative procurement reforms are boosting SME participation in public contracts, designed to lower barriers for smaller firms. Local Business Impact: In Tucson, a vandalism suspect damaged cameras, lights, and vehicles at a Mexican restaurant—owners say it’s a major hit when business is already down. Argentina Construction Crunch: A report says Argentina’s construction sector is in deep crisis, dragging down jobs and suppliers and rippling into small businesses tied to housing demand. Tourism Toolkit for SMBs: Queens Chamber of Commerce launched a World Cup marketing toolkit so small shops can quickly customize posters and social promos to attract fans. Latin America Startup Funding: Uncover raised $16M to expand its marketing measurement platform across Latin America and the U.S., targeting brands and agencies with ongoing measurement needs. Mexico Retail Mobility: SOUEAST launched its S08 DM hybrid SUV in Mexico, using localized testing and tuning—another sign of continued investment in consumer-facing growth markets.

Procurement & SME Growth: Nigeria’s Bureau of Public Procurement says its affirmative procurement push is boosting SME participation in public contracts, aiming to cut barriers for youth, women, and other vulnerable entrepreneurs. Trade Pressure on Business: The U.S. proposes new import tariffs (10%-12.5%) on about 60 trading partners over forced-labor concerns, and separately seeks 25% tariffs on Brazil, while also appealing a refund ruling tied to earlier tariff actions. Cross-Border Payments for SMEs: XTransfer and BBVA sign an MOU to improve FX conversion and cross-border payment infrastructure across Latin America and Europe, targeting faster onboarding and fewer settlement hurdles for trading SMEs. Fintech Expansion: OwlTing’s OwlPay gets an Ohio money transmitter license, extending its cross-border settlement network to 42 U.S. states. Tourism Measurement for Local Economies: The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association calls for a broader tourism value framework, including “domestic capture” to track how much visitor spending stays in local businesses and jobs. Disaster Recovery for Small Firms: AshBritt highlights pre-positioned contracts and supplier engagement to help small businesses plug into disaster response and recovery work. Identity & Fraud Risk: Regula warns identity fraud is shifting toward deepfakes and AI agents that mimic trusted behavior, raising new risks for businesses. Business Growth in Latin America: Uncover raises $16M to expand its marketing measurement platform across Latin America and the U.S., backing always-on analytics for brands.

Peru Security Crunch for SMBs: AP reports extortion and killings are surging in Trujillo, with gangs increasingly targeting small businesses, market vendors and transport workers—fueling fear ahead of the presidential runoff. Brazil Productivity Push: Brazil’s “Brasil Mais Produtivo” could expand, with talks about adding repayable loans after the program’s non-reimbursable digitalization support for micro, small and midsize firms. Trade Tariff Shock for Regional Trade: The U.S. proposes new tariffs tied to forced-labor enforcement, naming economies including Mexico and Argentina—raising cost risks for import-dependent SMEs. Digital Payments & SME Cross-Border Rails: XTransfer and BBVA sign an MoU to improve cross-border payments across Latin America and Europe, aiming to reduce FX and onboarding friction for trading SMEs. Bolivia Political Turmoil: Reuters says Bolivia’s defense minister resigned amid intensifying anti-government protests and austerity backlash—an unstable backdrop for local commerce. Peru Crime in the Spotlight: A second AP piece details how extortion payments can be routine for small market sellers, with little protection from authorities.

Peru Crime Crunch: Ahead of Sunday’s presidential runoff, AP reports extortion and killings are surging in Trujillo and nationwide, with extortion complaints up fivefold over five years (nearly 29,000 in 2025) and murders more than doubling (2,226 in 2025), hitting small markets, transport workers, and vendors as gangs demand “protection” payments. Cross-Border Payments for SMEs: XTransfer and BBVA signed an MoU to deepen cross-border payment infrastructure across Latin America and Europe, aiming to speed FX conversion and settlement for trade-focused SMEs. Peru Business Tech Rollout: Nanox named Top Med as its exclusive distributor for Peru, planning an initial capex deployment of six Nanox.ARC systems for diagnostic imaging, with a pilot phase first. Digital Finance Push: Mixx and Hisense launched a Zanzibar campaign tied to FIFA excitement, rewarding customers for digital transactions with daily cash prizes and bigger draws. Local Growth in Fire Safety: Lakeland Fire + Safety announced follow-on orders across Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Guyana, and Panama for fire protection gear via competitive tenders.

Payments & Fintech: Clear Junction teamed with Coins.ph to expand European payment corridors, adding EUR/GBP rails and named virtual IBANs for cross-border remittances. SME & Local Markets: Dominica’s IICA is set to host an agricultural accountability seminar focused on how micro, small and medium agribusinesses can strengthen food security and rural jobs. Retail Tech for SMBs: Zoho launched Zoho POS aimed at independent retailers, with inventory, payments, and multi-location management plus integrations across Zoho’s business tools. Business Closures: Peter Chang Kitchen & Bar shut its College Park location after under a year, citing rising site costs. SMB Health & Food: Nevis’ Medical Benefits Scheme ran a pop-up health market promoting local food as “medicine,” featuring local vendors and a month-long “Eat Smart, Live Better” challenge. Latin America Business Growth: Ticketplus filed for a U.S. IPO, pitching its live-entertainment ticketing platform across 11 Latin American countries. Labor & Costs: Vale workers in Canada ratified a new deal with large wage gains and improved benefits—an indirect signal for operating cost pressures in the region.

Securities Watch (Globant): Shareholder-rights firms are pushing Globant S.A. investors to act ahead of a June 23, 2026 lead-plaintiff deadline, after the company’s Latin America pivot drew sharp losses (shares down about 68%) tied to alleged misstatements by top executives. SME & Food Security (Caribbean): Dominica’s IICA will host a national seminar on strengthening food security through trade, agricultural MSMEs, and accountability, spotlighting how small farms and rural businesses can drive jobs and growth. SME Finance (Central Florida): Zacosta Bookkeeping is taking new clients for flat-rate monthly bookkeeping and advisory, including sales tax filing, payroll setup, and fractional CFO support. Local Business Reality Check: A long-running Mexican restaurant in Pennsylvania abruptly closed after nearly two decades, underscoring how rising costs and tougher conditions are forcing closures. Startup/Scale-Up (Chile): Ticketplus filed for a U.S. IPO, aiming to list on Nasdaq, with a platform that powers live entertainment across Latin America. SME Lending (Guyana): The Guyana Development Bank is set to launch soft loans plus coaching for hinterland and Amerindian communities to fund small enterprises. Labor & Operations (Mexico/Region): A steelworkers organizing win highlights how SMB-adjacent supply chains can be reshaped by workplace bargaining and health-and-safety demands.

Rare-Earth Supply Push (France): USA Rare Earth says it plans to expand its France “mine-to-magnet” investments, potentially topping €175M through 2030 and creating 300+ jobs, as it builds local processing and magnet-making capacity. AI Manufacturing Deal (Europe): Bull and Foxconn announced a strategic collaboration to scale AI and cloud infrastructure manufacturing in France and the Czech Republic, with an initial investment above EUR 120M. Digital Payments Pressure (Jamaica): Jamaica’s industry minister warned MSMEs that staying cash-only and unformalized could leave them behind as consumers shift to digital payments and financing access tightens. Extortion Crackdown (Baja California): Authorities in Baja California say they dismantled 40 extortion-linked groups, targeting threats against merchants and family businesses and arresting 80 people tied to cases. Local Business & Tourism Signals (Caribbean): Jamaica’s SANA mixed-use plaza and tower broke ground, while Saint Vincent announced emergency measures to cushion rising prices—both with knock-on effects for small operators. SME Energy Upgrade (Cuba): A Holguín “solinera” solar EV charging station is under construction by a local mipyme, aiming to ease critical energy constraints. Market Watch (Latin America): A fund increased its MercadoLibre stake despite a 35% stock drop, underscoring continued investor interest in the region’s e-commerce and payments ecosystem.

SME Financing & Growth: Trinidad and Tobago’s WITL (West Indian Traders Ltd.) kicked off an IPO to raise about $9.4M, aiming to strengthen its balance sheet, repay debt, and fund expansion including a new warehouse plus chilled and frozen goods. Digital Payments Push: Jamaica’s Industry Minister Delano Seiveright warned MSMEs that failing to formalise and adopt digital payments can leave them behind as consumers shift online and financing increasingly favors connected businesses. Local Security & Business Survival: Baja California says it dismantled 40 extortion-linked criminal groups, targeting threats against merchants, taxi operators, and small family businesses—highlighting how organized crime directly hits everyday commerce. Tourism & Jobs Pressure: Saint Vincent’s tourism momentum is under scrutiny as past airport-led growth and incentive schemes face new headwinds, raising questions for small operators. Entrepreneurship & Recognition: A Yuma, Arizona taco shop owner was named Woman-Owned Business of the Year, spotlighting how long-running family restaurants keep scaling despite fierce competition. Energy Innovation for SMEs: Holguín, Cuba’s first “solinera” solar EV charging station is under construction by a local mipyme, framed as a practical response to worsening electricity constraints. Housing Reality Check: Jamaica’s “room-by-room” house building culture is portrayed as a survival strategy tied to remittances, risk, and gradual permanence—not just poverty. Governance & Trust: A Brazil report revisits a deadly Rio police raid that left scenes unsecured, raising concerns about evidence handling and accountability—an issue that affects small business owners caught in the fallout.

Jamaica Real Estate & Retail: Ground broken for the US$25M SANA plaza and tower in Kingston, a mixed-use project bundling premium retail, dining, Class A office space and luxury residences—aimed at boosting investment and business activity along South Avenue. SME Labor Policy: Jamaica’s Montego Bay Chamber president Jason Russell wants tiered labor rules so micro and small businesses aren’t forced to meet the same termination and redundancy requirements as larger firms. Remittances Boost Local Business: El Salvador remittances rose 6.8% in Jan–Apr 2026 to $3.29B, with most inflows from the U.S., supporting household spending and small business activity. Payments & Merchant Growth: MaxiSend highlights long-running agent networks—thousands of small local shops and payment points—supporting diaspora money transfers across 47 states. Digital Customer Service: Latin American life insurer unit selected SalesCloser to deploy conversational AI for onboarding and customer engagement, targeting faster support beyond business hours. Trade & Access: Philadelphia’s trade-focused push argues global markets should be built around access for small and underrepresented businesses, not just big exporters.

Small-Business Support in LA: Los Angeles County finished facade upgrades for two small businesses on Firestone Boulevard in Florence-Firestone, funded by the Renovate Facade Improvement Program with $336,730 in county and CDBG resources. Labor Rules for Micro Firms (Jamaica): Montego Bay Chamber president Jason Russell wants Jamaica’s labor laws “tiered” by business size, saying micro businesses can’t realistically meet current termination and redundancy requirements. Remittances Boost (El Salvador): El Salvador’s remittances rose 6.8% in Jan–Apr 2026 to $3.29B, with most inflows from the U.S., supporting household spending and small business activity. AI for Customer Onboarding (Latin America): SalesCloser says a Latin American life insurer will use its conversational AI to handle inbound inquiries and policy onboarding at scale. World Cup Mobility Test (Mexico): A study with Uber estimates Mexico’s 2026 host cities could generate $2.57B in under a month, with transport and app-based mobility driving short-term jobs and spillover. Property Tax Confusion (Florida): DeSantis’ property tax amendment rollout is drawing backlash and confusion over what homeowners would actually get.

World Cup-driven local spending: Mexico’s three host cities could generate about $2.57B in under a month, with transport, team camps, airport rules, tourism, and fan mobility shaping the business upside during 2026. Local business access to public space: Boston’s Open Streets returns with car-free routes that let neighborhood businesses expand onto the street, with dates set for Jamaica Plain, Mattapan, Allston-Brighton, and Roslindale. SME pressure from labor rules: Jamaica’s small-business leaders are pushing for tiered labor-law requirements, saying current rules are too rigid and costly for micro and small operators. Cuba propane workaround hits small sellers: In Havana, a digital marketplace is offering propane cylinders in dollars, highlighting how shortages and delays in the regulated system are pushing informal, customer-facing workarounds. Tourism jobs push: South Africa’s tourism ministry targets 15M international arrivals by 2030, citing tourism’s 4.9% GDP contribution and nearly 954,000 direct jobs. Capital markets watch: New investor-rights class actions target Globant over its “Latin American pivot,” while separate filings target Gossamer Bio ahead of June deadlines.

SME Access to Energy in Cuba: A new online propane marketplace in Cuba is selling 10-kilogram cylinders for $24 in dollars, using the same “balitas” system customers recognize from ration distribution—highlighting how delays and blackouts are pushing households toward parallel, cash-based supply. Local Business Enablement in Mexico: Yucatán tourism operators are urging authorities to resolve the temporary closure of Chichén Itzá, warning that cancellations are hitting small tour businesses and hotel bookings ahead of the 2026 World Cup. City Policy for Micro-Entrepreneurs (US): Long Beach has legalized Micro-Enterprise Home Kitchen Operations (MEHKOs), letting renters run home food businesses—an economic lifeline for cost-burdened renters. Investment Climate Watch (Argentina): OECD-based data shows Argentina received the lowest regional FDI in 2025 (US$3.134B), underscoring ongoing challenges for long-term capital and productive investment. Financing for Small Firms (Caribbean): St. Vincent and the Grenadines announced emergency measures to cut customs charges and taxes on diesel for electricity and LPG, aiming to ease pressure on households and small businesses facing higher fuel and shipping costs. Payments & Merchant Growth (Latin America): Alipay+ expands mobile payments across Latin America, while Miracle Pay and Bitso partner to support merchant onboarding and settlement.

SME Market Boost: The African Caribbean Centre of Central Alberta is launching the Mosaic Cultural Market in downtown Red Deer every Thursday from June 4 to Oct. 15, with live entertainment and local vendors—an easy way for small businesses to reach new customers. Local Dining Deals: Queens’ College Point Restaurant Week returns June 1–15 with 20% off dine-in and pickup at 21–22 participating restaurants, organized by the Queens Chamber of Commerce. Digital Payments Pressure: Brazil’s meal-voucher leader Alelo says it’s shifting strategy as new rules cap merchant fees and shorten settlement times, pushing the sector to diversify beyond vouchers. Workweek Transition Support: Brazil’s finance minister signaled help for small businesses facing a proposed six-day workweek change, pointing to productivity-focused credit lines like Pronampe and Procred. Caribbean Tech Push: Huawei Cloud is rolling out “Model as a Service” in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica, aiming to help local firms access AI without building it themselves. Tourism/SME Connectivity: Air Canada launched free, streaming-quality Wi‑Fi on flights to Caribbean and Mexico for Aeroplan members, a perk that can support travel-linked small operators.

IMF Pressure on Argentina: The IMF says Argentina must deliver a “comprehensive tax reform” before year-end after missing debt-program targets, pushing for a broader Income Tax base and a “fiscal anchor” to stabilize public finances. Cost-of-Living Shield in St. Vincent: Prime Minister Godwin Friday announced a 90-day emergency package to protect consumers and businesses from higher global fuel, electricity, freight, and commodity prices, including temporary fuel tax reductions and weekly price monitoring. SME Support Upgrade in Curaçao: The government launched the new “Curaçao SME Platform” to replace “Mi NEGOSHI,” aiming to better coordinate financing, entrepreneurship, and innovation support for local SMEs. Digital Payments Push in South Africa: The Reserve Bank outlined plans to shift cash-heavy daily spending toward digital payments, targeting street vendors and small businesses with cheaper, faster acceptance tools and interoperability. Labor Rights Spotlight in Mexico: A Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade panel found severe labor-rights violations at the Canadian-owned Camino Rojo mine, including alleged union-busting and a “climate of fear,” raising calls for criminal charges. Business Growth via AI in the Region: Meta begins charging for its AI chatbot with paid tiers rolling out in places including Guatemala and Bolivia, while Salesforce reported AI-driven demand boosting results.

SME Support Upgrade (Caribbean): Curaçao’s Ministry of Economic Development launched the new “Curaçao SME Platform,” replacing “Mi NEGOSHI,” to better coordinate public and private help for entrepreneurs, financing, and innovation, with a wider roster of partners including the Chamber of Commerce, CITI, Qredits, and local funds. Digital Inclusion Push (Jamaica): Jamaica’s small merchants still face major gaps in payment acceptance: a MasterCard study says only 8% of small merchants have point-of-sale systems, prompting calls for low-cost acceptance tools like tap-on-phone plus easier digital onboarding. LATAM Business Tech (Colombia): Command Alkon is expanding Spanish-language customer learning and webinars across Latin America to boost adoption of its heavy-materials software, adding more localized self-service and community engagement. Local Economy Boost (Caribbean): Anguilla’s Summer Festival runs July 10–Aug. 9, expected to drive demand for hotels, restaurants, taxis, tour operators, and vendors. SME Workforce & Skills (General): Denny’s awarded $85,000 in scholarships through its Hungry for Education program, backing student-led community impact projects.

Digital Currency Push in Jamaica: Outgoing BOJ governor Richard Byles says Jam-Dex adoption has been his biggest frustration, but the central bank now expects Jamaica National Bank to retrofit POS machines for Jam-Dex by July—while other deposit-taking institutions have shared timelines and costs, just not fast enough. Competition Watch in Chile: Pluxee says Chile’s competition authority has filed a claim over alleged anticompetitive conduct in the employee benefits sector from 2013–2021, with the case now moving through the tribunal process. Local Content Boost in Guyana: Georgetown’s GCCI head calls Guyana’s local content law an “economic game-changer,” pointing to micro firms growing into larger businesses and backing the push for a Guyana Development Bank. Small-Business Growth via Tech: Remarcate expands into the U.S. to help Hispanic clinics with AI-driven patient acquisition systems, building on work with 600+ clinics across Latin America and Europe. Tourism Jobs Spotlight (South Africa): Minister Patricia de Lille says tourism supports 954,000 direct jobs and is targeting 1 million by 2030, framing it as an inclusion and small-business engine.