Morelos Faces Nissan’s Departure

Industrial activity in Morelos declined by 16% annually during the first half of 2026, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), due to the closure of the Nissan plant in Civac, located in the municipality of Juitepec, “is a significant factor that must be taken into account, although it cannot be held solely responsible for the entire decline,” explained economic analyst Héctor Magaña.

Following the announcement of a restructuring at Nissan, in which the company will transfer production from Argentina and Morelos to the Aguascalientes plant—with operations at Civac set to end in March—this move reflects a period under review in which manufacturing activity has contracted by 25.3% year-over-year.

“This correlation supports the possibility of a significant impact, but the indicator does not allow us to determine how much of that impact is specifically attributable to Nissan,” he added, noting that the severity of the impact on the local economy will depend on “how much each business depended on Nissan and its ability to find other customers.”

When a plant ceases operations, orders to suppliers, carriers, and maintenance companies may decline. “If wages are also lost, households have less money to spend at local businesses and on local services.”

Now, the state of Morelos faces the challenge of replacing that economic activity and streamlining the process of placing workers in other companies, the analyst reported. Despite the recent opening of the Mayekawa plant in Civac, the closure of Nissan resulted in the loss of nearly 2,500 direct jobs—a figure that has risen to 4,000 or 5,000 when indirect jobs are taken into account.