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Newsletter from the Ambassador of the United
States of America |
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On Tuesday, I
was asked to speak to a group hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce
bringing key decision makers from Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office together
with leaders of U.S. businesses who are committed to protecting their
companies’ intellectual property rights (IPR) here in Mexico. Protection of IPR in Mexico holds
particular significance for both of our countries because of the enormous
volume of trade that takes place between us.
I appreciate the considerable efforts Mexico has made to improve IPR
protection. I also recognize that a
lot of hard work remains. In fact,
this is a difficult challenge for each of our globalized economies, and one
that we must confront together if we are to be successful. Click here to
read my remarks: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/eA050622IPR.html On Friday I witnessed the launch of a new alliance
between Medical Missions for Children and the Centro Rehabilitación Infantil
Teletón (CRIT). This new alliance
will provide critically ill children access to medical knowledge and
expertise beyond what is available in their communities. An agreement was signed by both
organizations allowing physicians at CRIT hospitals to consult with medical
specialists in the United States using sophisticated satellite technology
that facilitates discussion, diagnosis, and treatment of severely ill Mexican
children. Click here for the press release and my remarks on
the occasion: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/ep050617illchildren.html Late last week, my travels
took me to the beautiful state of Oaxaca.
With a full agenda for the day, I started with a tour of the magical
Monte Alban ruins. Perched upon a
mountaintop high above the surrounding valleys, it is easy to see why this
site was the center of political authority in the Valley of Oaxaca for more
than a thousand years. After Monte Alban, I
visited the Cultural Institute of Oaxaca where I attended a ceremony to
congratulate 21 indigenous teachers selected to study in the United States as
part of the TIES (Training, Internships, Exchanges and Scholarships)
initiative announced by Presidents Bush and Fox in 2001 to advance the
objectives of the U.S.- Mexico Partnership for Prosperity. The program targets rural, indigenous poor in
Mexico, providing them with scholarships to study in the U.S. in programs
designed to improve their technical skills so that they can better address
development problems. To
further recognize and discuss our productive partnership with Oaxaca, I met
with Oaxaca Governor Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.
His government’s cooperation and that of former Governor José Murat on
issues such as renewable energy, environmental conservation, education, rural
development and most recently, justice reform, are crucial to Mexico’s
future. Governor Ruiz’s leadership at
the forefront of criminal justice reform, as well as his inclusion of other parts of the government, court
leaders, community representatives, and indigenous peoples in the process,
will be vital to success in building consensus for a reliable transparent
justice system that protects human rights and puts criminals behind
bars. After our meeting,
Governor Ruiz accompanied me to announce the Rural Prosperity Fund, a newly established, flexible small grants program to
support productive projects (processing and marketing), focusing primarily in
Natural Protected Areas and their buffer zones. The total available funding for these grants will be
approximately US$1 million over three years.
We
also announced the first two award candidates, the UCFAS (Unidad Comunal Forestal
Agropecuaria y de Servicios) and COTAS (Comité Técnico de Aguas Subterráneas
de los Valles Centrales de Oaxaca, A.C.). Click here to view the press
release on my trip to Oaxaca: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/ep050616oaxaca.html Earlier in the week, I
held two different events at the Residence to highlight two groups each
taking truly innovative approaches to increase understanding, communication
and cooperation between the United States and Mexico. First, I hosted the Advisory Board of the
Woodrow Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute for lunch. This
prestigious Institute is the only Congressionally funded organization that
promotes research and dialogue on strategies to improve the partnership
between our two countries; explores the role of perceptions and media in the
bilateral relationship; organizes public events on Mexican politics and
society; and sponsors a visiting scholars program with the Consejo Mexicano
de Asuntos Internacionales. Later
that evening, I had the honor to recognize a pioneering company in the area
of corporate social responsibility, Ashoka.
Ashoka is a global association
that supports more than 1500 social entrepreneurial fellows in over 53
countries. Ashoka funds projects that
result in sustained positive change whether in the environment, in education
or in many other large-scale social problems. The reception I hosted on their behalf brought together these
social entrepreneurs with leading and dynamic members of the Mexican business
community. That same day, I visited
Ashoka fellow and social entrepreneur, Hector Castillo Berthier at the Centro
de Arte y Cultura Circo Volador. He
began this center in 1994 for neighborhood youth, believing that providing a
safe and creative environment for disadvantaged youth and gang members would
promote communication and expression leading to better understanding. After seeing the good work that Hector is
doing, I truly believe that a visionary idea can become a new pattern for
society. Click here to view the
press release on Ashoka and my visit to Circo Volador: Press release: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/ep050614Ashoka.html Photo feature in
English: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/eAF050613Ashoka.html Finally, on a more serious
note, as most of you know, a few weeks ago I asked the State Department to re-issue
a public announcement about the on-going violence in the border region. This
violence, including the recent murder of Nuevo Laredo Public Safety Director
Alejandro Domínguez Coello and other events involving U.S. citizens, remains
a priority concern for state and municipal leaders on both sides of the
border. While we are encouraged by
efforts such as Operation Secure Mexico, we also know that the eradication of
drug trafficking and the corruption that comes with it will not happen
overnight. I have assured Mexican
government officials that we are ready and willing to share the
responsibility for safety in the region whether through information sharing
or assistance to Mexican law enforcement agencies. These last few weeks show
that with participation and active engagement from all sides--governmental,
private sector, and civil society— the U.S.-Mexico bilateral relationship has
tremendous possibilities. As always,
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 If you would like more
information about the events mentioned in this letter and other Embassy
initiatives, please visit the Public Affairs section of our website located
at: http://mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/epress05.html Please feel free to email me with your comments. And please let me know if you are not interested in receiving future updates. * * * * * |
