A maquiladora (Spanish: [makilaˈðoɾa]), or maquila (IPA: [maˈkila]), is a word that refers to factories that are largely duty free and tariff-free. These factories take raw materials and assemble, manufacture, or process them and export the finished product. These factories and systems are present throughout Latin America, including Mexico, Paraguay, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Maquiladoras date back to 1964, when the Mexican government introduced the Programa de Industrialización Fronteriza ('Border Industrialization Program').[1] Specific programs and laws have made Mexico's maquila industry grow rapidly.[2]
- ^ Caves, R. W. (2004). Encyclopedia of the City. Routledge. p. 450. ISBN 9780415252256.
- ^ Sklair, L. (1993). Assembling For Development: The Maquila Industry in Mexico and the United States. San Diego: The Center for U.S.–Mexican Studies University of California. p. 10.