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 News from Around the Americas | December 2007 
US - Mexico News from Ambassador Garza
 PVNN
| | Ambassador Antonio O. Garza, Jr. |
December 7, 2007
Dear Friends and Colleagues:
Today, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico hosted 70 students from around Mexico City for a lively discussion of human rights issues with prominent human rights experts from the Mexican government and civil society. This event gave these students a new perspective on human rights activism, civil society, and the role of young people in protecting human rights in Mexico and around the world.
Next week, on December 10, as we mark International Human Rights Day and celebrate the gains for human dignity and democracy around the globe, we are sobered by the fact that, from Burma to Zimbabwe, China to Uzbekistan, Iran to North Korea, human rights defenders still face intimidation, beatings, imprisonment and in some cases even death. The United States will continue to support them and all those who work to defend human dignity and overcome oppression and injustice.
To read more about the Commemoration of the 59th Anniversary of the UN Declaration of Human Rights click HERE.
Last week, a bipartisan delegation of U.S. Senators led by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid visited Mexico on November 28 and 29 to discuss our bilateral relationship. They had a very positive meeting with President Calderon that lasted twice as long as they had originally scheduled.
Additionally, the Mexican Senate President Santiago Creel gave them a warm welcome and hosted a discussion along with over twenty Mexican Senators. The time they dedicated to meet with government officials and also Mexican small business people and farmers from Tabasco, further underscores the close ties that bind our people. On both an official and personal level this visit was a great success, which I hope will be the first of many such exchanges over the coming year.
To read more about this visit, click HERE.
On November 28-29, an interagency delegation came to Mexico City, led by State Department Assistant Secretary for Economic Affairs Dan Sullivan and Treasury Department Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, to meet with their Mexican counterparts in the Ministries of Finance and Economy, as well as Mayor of Mexico city Marcelo Ebrard and several key economic opinion leaders in Mexico. This delegation came to discuss a U. S. initiative to consolidate and maintain the momentum of the historic achievements we have with regard to free trade in the Western Hemisphere.
The Calderon Administration has been actively working to expand the benefits of free trade with its trading partners, the International Development Bank and others. So, it is no surprise that Mexican government and private sector officials gave the U.S. visitors a wealth of concrete suggestions where the U.S., Mexican and other governments in the region can work together to achieve this goal. The visitors left highly impressed, and looking forward to continuing working with Mexico.
On December 1, World AIDS Day, we took the opportunity to remember the more than 25 million people who have died from AIDS and to support the nearly 33 million people who are currently living with HIV around the world. The 2007 theme for World AIDS Day was “The Power of Partnerships,” which highlighted the successes and future promise of joint collaborations in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The cooperative relationships between the U.S. and Mexico are founded upon a profound sense of dignity and worth of every human life, and in trust and mutual respect between the peoples of our nations. Working together to unleash the power of partnerships, Mexico and the United States can and will achieve much more to prevent and combat against HIV/AIDS.
Click HERE to read my Op-ed printed on World Aids Day.
I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Embassy, Consulate General Monterrey, and the U.S. Department of Justice hosted a three-day workshop in Monterrey from December 3-5 to raise awareness about the dangers of counterfeit products and increase Mexican-U.S. cooperation in protecting intellectual property rights.
The workshop, Effective Cooperation for Fighting Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Crime, provided key government leaders from Northern Mexico with greater information about the economic and security benefits of effective IPR protection. The workshop in Monterrey followed the successful five-day training session on IPR held in Veracruz in July. The United States will continue to build on it successful relationship with Mexico to advance the protection of intellectual property rights on both sides of the border.
To read more about this workshop, click HERE.
To read more about protecting Intellectual Property Rights, click HERE.
On December 4, I inaugurated, together with the Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan, Administrator General Juan Jose Moises Bravo of the Mexican Customs Agency, Nuevo Leon Governor José Natividad González Parás, and Thomas Winkowski, Assistant Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, two new lanes to expedite the travel of pre-cleared people and shipping of goods across the busy Mexico-U.S. border.
The Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection lane, known by the initials SENTRI, in Hidalgo, Texas and the Free and Secure Trade lane, known as a FAST lane, on the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge between Nuevo Leon and Laredo/Webb County will both help expedite tourism and commerce, the lifeblood of our border region, while enhancing security for our citizens on both sides.
Click HERE to read more about the new SENTRI and FAST lanes.
On Wednesday, December 4, Mexico extradited Marco Antonio Mendoza to the United States to face charges in Los Angeles for murder and kidnapping. Mendoza is the 80th fugitive extradited by Mexico to face justice in the U.S. this year, far surpassing last year’s record of 63 and almost doubling the 2005 total. The cooperation and coordination between the Calderon administration and U.S. law enforcement is clearly demonstrating to criminals that Mexico will not allow itself to be used as a refuge or safe-haven.
Mexican law enforcement has aggressively confronted the scourge of transnational crime, and is removing potentially dangerous criminal fugitives from Mexico’s streets. President Bush has requested Congressional funding of the Merida Initiative that would enable communities on both sides of the border to increase the fight against criminality and give the streets back to the people. I am hopeful that Congress will move quickly on this funding, to provide support to the brave men and women on the front lines of the fight against the narco-traffickers and others that threaten the security of our two nations.
To read more about this historic 80th extradition click HERE.
On December 5, a native of Ghana naturalized Mexican citizen was arrested in Mexico City on charges of conspiracy and alien smuggling in connection with an alien-smuggling organization based in Mexico City that had been moving aliens, primarily East Africans, to the United States through Mexico since at least 2005. This is the second arrest in this case, following the detention of an American citizen in Miami November 5. The arrests were the result of an international investigation into an alleged alien-smuggling network suspected of moving unauthorized aliens from North Africa to the United States. These arrests are yet one more example of the strong partnerships both within the U.S. and the international law enforcement community to fortify our borders.
Click HERE to read the official Department of Justice press release on these arrests.
To kick-off the holiday season, my wife Mariasun and I opened the residence to children from the Casa Hogar el Niño Felíz and the Casa Hogar Adulam. This past Monday, December 3, seventy children brought laughter and smiles to the house, while playing on bouncy castles and teacup rides, enjoying chocolate fountains, breaking piñatas and receiving toys from Santa. The toys these children received were donated by the Embassy community which shows the true spirit of giving to others during the holidays. For Mariasun and I, seeing the sparkle in these children’s eyes while they were enjoying themselves at the residence is one of the most special gifts that we could receive.
Click HERE to view pictures of the event.
As always, I appreciate the opportunity to share with you information about the important bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States. Mariasun and I wish you a holiday season filled with peace, joy and prosperity in the New Year. May God bless both our great nations.
Sincerely,
Antonio O. Garza, Jr. |
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