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By Antonio O. Garza, Jr.
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
English version of text published in daily El Universal on
As long as I can remember, Mexico has been a part of my life. It is the country of my grandparents, one I visited often as a child, young man, attorney, and Texas official. I had traveled widely in Mexico and knew how warm and welcoming the Mexican people would be. Nothing, however, could prepare me for the exhilarating experience of representing my country, especially during a time of such profound change in Mexico.
The year 2003 began with huge challenges. Saddam Hussein was ignoring the resolutions of the United Nations. The U.S. economy, as well as most of the world economy, was facing prospects of little or no growth. Yet as we close the year it’s clear that President Bush’s commitment to liberty and economic growth has borne fruit. The Iraqi people are tasting freedom for the first time, their former dictator captured. The U.S.’s determination to hold dictators accountable for their actions has forced Libya’s Qaddafi to step forward and begin to give up his weapons of mass destruction. And the U.S. economy is recovering and growing at historically high rates, boosting other economies, including that of Mexico. To what can we attribute this turnaround? To leadership.
President Bush did not flinch from doing what he knew must be done. Despite the criticism and second-guessing of many, his foreign policy and economic leadership fomented real progress. In addition to Bush’s commitment to growth and liberty, we’ve also seen his strong commitment to Mexico and Latin America.
President Bush ended 2003 with statements demonstrating his dedication to real immigration reform and making clear that congress should take up this critical issue. I've known this man for more than fifteen years. I've worked with him on many issues related to U.S./Mexico relations. And when it comes to immigration, I know he is committed to reform that is safe, legal, orderly and humane. For our own security, and more importantly for reasons tied to our identity as a country of immigrants, we cannot continue to marginalize decent, hardworking people leaving them undocumented and vulnerable to exploitation. As a nation that values and depends on immigrants, we should have a system that works, that is true to our best ideals, and that’s not the case today. As we have seen, those within the U.S. who lack President Bush’s vision may challenge him, but he will move with resolve and purpose. On December 15 he stated, “I have constantly said that we need an immigration policy that helps match any willing employer with any willing employee.” What could be clearer? If there is anything the world has learned about President Bush, it is that he’s a man who believes and means exactly what he says.
As I look toward my second year as U.S. Ambassador in Mexico, I see opportunities we must seize together. Increased trade and investment under NAFTA have brought economic growth to the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Now it’s time for all the Americas to trade freely. But to do so, we must put a human face on trade, show who has benefited and why, and recognize that some have not benefited and help them better utilize the opportunities presented by a globalized world. We must prepare our people to be ready for the opportunities that present themselves. We must take advantage of new technologies and new international linkages to provide better education to all our people so that they might realize their dreams in the countries they love and call home, countries they have too often had to leave to seek a better life.
And we must also continue to deal with transnational threats to our security and well being: international terrorism, narcotics trafficking, and environmental degradation. Presidents Fox and Bush worked closely in dealing with these issues in 2003. The U.S. government’s raising the threat advisory to Orange Threat shows how serious we are about our security, and highlights our ability to work together to provide security for Mexicans and Americans across the busiest land border in the world. Our two countries have developed unprecedented levels of cooperation in combating these threats and people on both sides of the border are the beneficiaries of these efforts.
These challenges and opportunities will be addressed in the upcoming Special Summit of the Americas to be held a few short days from now in Monterrey. There, Mexico will host the hemisphere’s heads of state as they assemble to addreess the region’s future. Ambitious, to be sure, but critical at a time when our economic and security interests are increasingly intertwined.
On a more personal note, I'm often asked how I feel about being in Mexico. I must say that while I’ve had some difficult days, mostly I’ve had the satisfaction of knowing that there’s no place in the world I’d rather be than in Mexico. While I have traveled widely, there is still so much more of this beautiful country I want to visit. While I've met Mexicans from all walks of life, I know there are so many more who have equally fascinating experiences to share. While our two countries have grasped opportunities to work together to improve the lives of our people, I know there is so much more we can do together. Many of you know that I’m fond of closing my speeches with a simple toast. So I raise my glass to you, Mexico, in gratitude for the welcome you have given me and, as we start the New Year, ask that God may bless our two nations and the world in which we live.
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