When most people in our area (Nashville, TN) think of the US-Mexican border, they envision a long, desolate scene with immigrants running to get across. Some think of narcotics traffic northward, and still others think about booming cities and Cinco de Mayo.
However, most don’t know about the border and the potential for growth between the two nations. Did you know that along the almost 12 thousand miles of border between the US and Mexico, there are approximately 12 million residents? Did you know that the aerospace and technological industries have approximately 1 million people working in them in Mexico alone? Did you know that Mexico is the United States’ second largest trading partner? Did you know that the United States is Mexico’s largest trading partner? Did you know that approximately $1 Billion per day is being traded across the border? Yes, ONE BILLION DOLLARS
With such a huge trade occurring between the two countries, one might be incredulous that it could be taking place. But Deputy Consul of Mexico in Tucson, Arizona Bernardo Mendez-Lugo explains how President Bush and President Calderon are focusing on security a top issue.
“Not only the migration and other issues of security,” Mendez said during a radio interview last week, “there are problems with Narcotics and the drug trafficking, but also Mexico is very worried about the arms traffic into Mexico, and I think this is one of the issues that President Calderon was pointing out in this recent meeting of the Tri-National prosperity and security partnership in New Orleans with President Bush and Prime-Minister Harper.”
Mendez-Lugo acknowledges that traffic of illegal drugs and people is an issue, but at the same time, he believes that there needs to be better control at ports of commerce and at Customs stations.
“We can do more in industry and international trade and the facilitation of trade with better ports of entry and better technology for the border system for customs,” Mendez-Lugo told host Mike Orshan.
So why are we, as Americans sending Billions of dollars overseas to China when Mexico is a closer and equally available trading partner?
Thanks for your comments and the great work you are doing for dissemination of information on US Mexico border issues. i dont want to give the impression that security is the main issue in the US Mexico Border, I surely think is very relevant but if we are able to increase and multiply wealth through more economic development, more trade and business partnerships in the border, we will have a more secure border. the two countries population in the border is reaching 15 million people and if we are able to provide better schools, better health, housing and better paid jobs, for sure we can avoid many social problems such as drug traficking, people smuggling, prostitution, gangs activity and other issues that affect social and economic interactions in the border. Both countries have a great responsability for mutual cooperation. El Paso-Ciudad Juarez is a good example of this multi-task cooperation but we have to increase this example to Tijuana-San Diego, the two Nogales, Laredo and Nuevo Laredo, Brownsville-Matamoros, MacAllen-Reynosa and many more border twin cities.