The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, was present at the Mercado Libre Warehousing and Distribution Center in Chile for the announcement of an investment that will create 900 new jobs.
Mercado Libre Vice-President for the Andean Countries, Alan Meyer, announced an investment of over US$550 million in Chile this year, meaning more than 900 new jobs as the company strives to strengthen key areas of the digital ecosystem.
The announcement came as part of a visit to Mercado Libre’s Warehousing and Distribution Center by President Gabriel Boric and other government authorities, according to Emol.
The announcement comes a few days after the Argentine multinational consolidated its regional growth plans by announcing investments of US$5.8 billion in Brazil and US$470 million in Colombia.
Investment in Chile
Regarding Chile, Meyer remarked that the company’s commitment reflects a long-term relationship with the country. The US$550 million investment represents an 18% increase over 2024 figures, though Mercado Libre has injected more than US$1.5 billion into Chile over the last five years.
«We are here to launch a new phase, renew our commitment and take another step in the direction we have been heading for so many years. Mercado Libre will inject over US$550 million into the Chilean economy this year. The very significant investment fills us with pride as we continue working to expand and strengthen the virtuous ecosystem we have been building,» he said.
By comparison, Meyer noted that the figure announced «is over 20 times what we invested just before the pandemic in 2019, which reaffirms our ongoing, steadfast commitment to Chile.» The investment’s multiple focuses will include enhancing technological platforms.
«We have more than 1,000 software developers in Chile, and we will keep contributing,» Meyer said. Another core focus will be strengthening the logistics network.
«We aim to optimize the logistics network that connects Chile from Arica to Punta Arenas. We already reach 98% of the population,» the executive emphasized, adding that the company also aims to «expand financial services in Mercado Pago» and «increase marketing investments to bring more people on board with digitalization. We are currently at 15%. Countries like China are reaching 50%,» he compared.
«Through a tremendous investment in protected purchasing, Mercado Libre offers satisfaction guarantees for 30 days after purchase. We are also able to continue offering interest-free installments. Since 2015, without interruption, 100% of Mercado Libre purchases have had the option to pay in six or more interest-free installments with any credit card. This has revolutionized retail and purchasing dynamics,» he said.
New job creation
The announcement also involves a boost in employment. «Above all, this investment focuses particularly on continuing to attract and develop local, sovereign, technological talent,» Meyer emphasized.
According to the company, more than 900 formal jobs will be added to the more than 2,600 current employees in the areas of logistics, fintech, technology, commerce, products, finance and marketing.
«By the end of the year, we will have over 3,500 employees,» he projected. Beyond the internal impact on the company, Meyer emphasized the platform’s impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
«What is most relevant is what is happening around us: The more than 30,000 Chilean SMEs currently selling on Mercado Libre, the more than 40,000 Mercado Pago loans to over 23,000 SMEs and all the possibilities that this brings.»
Concluding his comments, Mercado Libre’s Vice-President expressed confidence in Chile’s economic future.
“Mr. President (Boric), I want to take this moment, a unique moment for the world and us, to tell you that Mercado Libre is confident Chile will return to sustained growth. It has been embraced with a sense of urgency to develop the digital economy, which is what we’ve been doing all these years,» he said.
«To fully integrate into this new economy, Chile cannot lag in workforce development. As a company, we want to be part of that effort, and the announcement we are sharing today is a clear signal. We are reaffirming the commitment we have already expressed through the more than US$1.5 billion injected into the national economy in the last five years,» he said.
President Gabriel Boric expressed appreciation for the announcement and emphasized the relevance of digital commerce in Chile’s development, noting that «Democratizing and decentralizing commerce, which is also a way of coming together, is truly valuable. What’s more, Mercado Libre is doing so with an investment that is very significant for the national economy.»
The President also highlighted the impact on employment, remarking, «The fact that Mercado Libre will inject more than US$550 million into the Chilean economy this year, creating more than 900 formal jobs, is great news. It shows that Chile can grow even more.»
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