June 9, 2006

Dear Friends and Colleagues:

Once again, I have the pleasure of writing to you about our Mission activities over the past month. I’m sure you will conclude, as I have, that May was a positive month for U.S.-Mexico relations.

During the past month, the U.S. government has given much-needed support to worthy organizations here in Mexico. We also have seen excellent law enforcement cooperation between our two countries. Mexico destroyed a record amount of seized cocaine and opium. A joint U.S.-Mexican law enforcement operation prevented criminals from selling an infant over the Internet. And recently, I presided over an awards ceremony to honor many of Mexico’s most hard-working and brave law enforcement officials.

In the news lately, we have heard much about the debate over immigration reform in the United States. Last month, President Bush provided strong leadership on the issue of comprehensive reform and visited the border region to see first-hand the challenges our Border Patrol agents face in securing our border. On May 23-26, President Fox traveled to the United States and talked to Americans about the commitment of the Mexican government to promote the legal entry by all Mexican citizens into the U.S. and job creation here in Mexico.

Immigration Reform and Leadership

On May 15, President Bush delivered a major address to the American people about the need to reform U.S. immigration law, to secure our common border, and to create a program that matches immigrants who want to work legally in the United States with the employers who need them. As I said on the day of its delivery, the President’s speech has important and positive implications for U.S.-Mexico relations. The immigration debate both in the United States and in Mexico has been subject to many distortions and misstatements, made by media and public officials alike. Much work remains to be done in the long process to immigration reform in our country. In the coming month, a committee will consider how to reconcile the two different bills passed by our House and by our Senate. The President must then sign that reconciled bill into law. To understand what the American leadership thinks about immigration reform, I urge you to read President Bush’s very reasoned proposals for positive change.

Click here to read President Bush’s May 15 address on immigration

Confronting Criminals through Joint U.S.-Mexico Cooperation

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy reported on May 3 that Mexico destroyed 21,600 hectares of opium poppy and 30,840 hectares of marijuana, the largest such destruction of narco-fields since 1998. The lives of many law enforcement officers are put at great risk to keep drugs off the streets of Mexico and the United States and to attack narcotics at their source.

For more information on U.S.-Mexico efforts to fight illegal drugs, click here

In a highly publicized case, U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officers worked with brave journalists working undercover to stop criminals from selling a baby and smuggling the infant over the border using the Internet. I encourage you to click on the below links to learn more about people smuggling and our efforts to stop the horrible practice of trafficking in persons.

Click here for link to Ambassador Garza's statement of May 11 and for a link to the State Department’s TIP page

At a ceremony held at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City on June 1, 2006, I applauded the joint efforts of Mexican and U.S. law enforcement officials to fight crime in both the United States and Mexico. The ceremony honored over 90 law enforcement officials for their work in detecting currency smugglers and money launderers. By investigating and preventing these forms of commercial fraud and smuggling, U.S. and Mexican law enforcement officers are hitting criminals where it hurts the most—the money they earn by harming others.

Click here to read more about the ceremony and our anti-currency smuggling efforts

Supporting Communities, Protecting the Environment, and Bolstering Mexico’s Historical Patrimony

I had the pleasure of attending the Third Regional Forum on Monarch Butterflies in Temascalcingo on May 22 to learn about U.S., Mexican, and Canadian efforts to save the Monarch butterfly and its important sanctuary. At this event, the United States announced its donation of $163,000 to promote sustainable tourism in this region and spur economic development, so that future generations of Mexicans and Americans can enjoy the beauty of this treasure of nature.

Click here to see Ambassador Garza's statement on U.S. efforts to save the Monarch Butterfly

Victor Carrera, an American lawyer and historian from Texas, long ago purchased a letter that Mexican President Benito Juarez sent to his wife, Margarita Maza de Juárez, on September 15, 1865, shortly after their young son, Antonio, passed away. Mr. Carrera decided to donate this important document to the Mexican people, and the U.S. Embassy cultural office worked with Mexico’s museum authorities to bring the Juarez letter to the National History Museum at Chapultepec Castle permanently so that future generations can enjoy and learn from it.

Click here to read more about how the Juarez letter became part of Mexico’s historical patrimony

Protecting Journalists

May 3 was World Press Freedom Day. Everyday, journalists around the world risk their lives to tell us what we need to know to make the important decisions that affect us all. I wrote an op-ed, which the Mexico City daily Millenio published, in which I urged all of us to view freedom of the press as a pillar of democracy and to protect the safety and integrity of our journalists who provide such an important service to us all.

Click here to read the Ambassador's Press Freedom Day Op-ed

Memorial Day

Last Monday, I attended a commemorative ceremony for America’s fallen soldiers at the U.S. Cemetery here in Mexico City. Several members of the diplomatic corps in Mexico and many honored guests from Mexico joined us as we remembered the soldiers and civilians who have made the ultimate sacrifice to carry out the foreign policy of the United States and defend democracy.

Click here to read Ambassador's Memorial Day remarks

“Hook ‘Em Horns!”

Finally, on May 20, I had the honor of addressing the 123rd Spring Commencement at the University of Texas at Austin. I was delighted to return home and share such a special occasion with the hard-working graduates of the Class of 2006.

Click here to read the text of the Ambassador's Commencement Address

As always, I thank you for the opportunity to share with you the activities of our Mission in Mexico. May God bless Mexico and the United States.

With best wishes, I am,

Sincerely,

Antonio O. Garza, Jr.

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