A: First, we are neighbors. Both Q: Tell us about your perspective
countries have worked hard to over-
come our differences and reach
agreements to find common solu-
tions for our shared challenges. Just
consider the trade between Texas and
Mexico; we are talking about more
than 187 billion dollars just in 2017.
We have to work very hard to im-
prove our relationship even further
and to increase trade because it will
be for the benefit of both countries.
Some critics in Mexico say today,
‘you are selling your oil cheap to the
United States and you buy gasoline
very expensive’. That is not true. You
can see it from another point of view.
For us it is a very good market, a se-
cure market, because they have been
buying our oil for many years at a
good price and then they can refine
it for a cheaper price. Houston re-
fines almost 40% of the gasoline that
we buy in Mexico. So we get the best
of the market, to sell our oil at a good
price and buy gasoline for cheaper.
Sometimes critics do not understand
that producing gasoline in Mexico
is more expensive than buying the
gasoline here in Houston.
Another example, what would hap-
pen years 20 ago if Ford or Chev-
rolet didn’t move some factories to
Mexico, they could not survive the
ambition of the Asian car companies
like, Toyota, Honda and all of those
manufacturers that produce very
cheap cars. What would happen to
Ford, it would have disappeared! It
almost happened with Chrysler. It al-
most disappeared because they could
not compete against the cheaper
Asian cars. Some of those companies
moved to Mexico as part of the pro-
cess, to reduce their production costs,
and then they were able to sell their
cars for better prices in the United
States and compete with the other
manufacturers.
28 iF Magazine | September 2018
A: I think the drug violence is
Mexico’s biggest issue nowadays. I
also think it is the most complicated
because drugs in Mexico are not so-
cially accepted. We also do not see
anything wrong with alcohol. Here
in the United States, people accept
drugs and some states have even le-
galized marihuana. There is a high
demand for drugs in the United
States and supply from Mexico and
other countries. So, we are deal-
ing with an issue in which we are
In the southern part of Mexico, we neighbors to the biggest market for
do not have problem with criminals. drugs and the drug cartels are well
You see kids in the streets, in the equipped with arms. I
parks, you can drive by at night with
your family and nothing happens.
Q: What type of support do you of-
fer your nationals in this country?
First of all Mexican immigration has
been negative for last three years. A: We help individuals with the
Many Mexicans are going back and main document that I think is the
it is not because of Trump, this trend best and that is the consular ID. If you
started 3 years ago. Certain areas of are driving your car and you pass a
Mexico are growing at a very good red light and you do not have a valid
rate, particularly in the central and license but you have this ID, that is
northern parts of Mexico, states like accepted by the police, they just give
Nuevo León, San Luis Potosi, Gua- you a ticket. If you do not have an
najuato or Queretaro. They have ID then the police needs to take you
been working in these areas of Mex- into custody.
ico, their numbers are very attractive
and people have been investing in Q: How does the Mexican consul-
the area. There is a huge demand of ate support tourists while traveling to
work and many people are choosing Mexico?
to go back to Mexico. The border
area with the United States is quite A: We have an office called the
different from the rest of the country. Mexico Tourism Board, which al-
What you see at the border is another though is an independent organi-
world.
zation its offices are located here at
the Consulate, whose job is to pro-
I always make jokes about that say I mote Mexico for tourists. Mexico is
am a ‘Fake Mexican’, because I don’t a beautiful country that you can visit
like soccer. We don’t drink Tequilla without any issues. What you see in
and we don’t listen to mariachis be- the news doesn’t help.
cause in the southern part of Mexico,
we don’t have that. In the Chiapas Let me give you an example, New
there is a soccer team. That is the last Orleans is a city that everyone wants
one but Tabasco, Yucatan and we are to visit. However, New Orleans is
more like the Koreans, we play base- the 2nd or 3rd most dangerous city
ball.
in the United States, even though
you have a lot of tourism in the city.
Q: What are some of the biggest
I think that when you see the real
issues facing Mexico today?
numbers of the crime of Mexico’s
tourist cities, they are quite lower
than the American cities.
on ways that Mexico-United States
cooperation may be improved.
A: Let me give you an example on
security. The Gulf of Mexico is al-
most closed like a lake, so whatever
you do around this lake affects every-
body, even Cuba. You have a crop of
rice in New Orleans and you put fer-
tilizer, all of the fertilizers go through
the Gulf of Mexico and it affects ev-
erything.
Q: What efforts are you making
processing at the consulate quicker?
A: We have been working very hard
‘ ‘
I always make jokes
about that say I am
a ‘Fake Mexican’,
because I don’t like
soccer. We don’t drink
Tequilla and we don’t
listen to mariachis
’ ’
to get the process moving quicker.
Nowadays people are in and out of
the Consulate in around 45 min-
utes. If there is an issue, we find out
quickly where exactly where the de-
lays lie in our system, we review what
is going on and address it. We train
our officers to be more friendly with
the costumers to create a better at-
mosphere.
We want everyone to know they can
count on Mexico. We have one of the
biggest Consulates in the world. We
want to remove the idea that people
can trust in the Consulate’s office to
handle almost any situation.
VOTED
“The Most Luxurious
Fleet in Houston!”
713.818.7739
www.excltexas.com
Luxury & Safety
Exceptional Customer Service
Sophisticated Discretion
EXCELLENCE IN TRANSPORTATION
22503 Katy Freeway, Suite 23
Katy, Texas 77450
iF Magazine | www.iFMagazine.net
29