A semi-trailer hauling cargo from New Mexico enters Mexico through the Santa Teresa Port of Entry. The U.S. is by far the No. 1 supplier of imported goods to Mexico. (Journal File)
Annual trade between the U.S. and Mexico topped $506 billion in 2013, the highest level ever.
During the 20 years that the North American Free Trade Agreement has been in place, trade between the two North American countries has grown by 10 percent annually. Industrial bases have been created in Mexico to serve the automotive, electronics, and consumer products markets in the U.S.
Likewise, new industries have been created and old industries have grown in the U.S. to satisfy increasing demand from Mexico. The U.S. is Mexico’s number one supplier of imports. Mexico buys more from the U.S. than China and countries in Europe do.
Millions of jobs in both countries rely on the healthy trade relationship that has been developed between the two neighbors. This makes our countries grow closer and stronger when competing in the global market.
In spite of the beneficial economic ties between the two nations, there are misperceptions on both sides, bordering on xenophobia or downright disrespect. With each country so important to the other, why do we seem to tolerate rather than embrace each other?
A prominent American political donor recently offered to set up free abortion clinics in Mexico, because he stated that he believed Hispanic immigrants had a lack of respect for democracy and social order. These comments did not come from an uneducated man, but rather a wealthy person who has a string of prominent investments throughout the western U.S.
It is not uncommon for me to receive feedback from readers after I publish articles pertaining to Mexico. Many are genuinely concerned about issues such as immigration, border security and vulnerable industrial sectors, and the writers make valid points about their concerns. However, I receive a substantial amount of mail from readers whose concerns are obviously steeped in a general distrust or outright disdain of Mexico.
Several letters share the same theme of “the U.S. should build a wall at the border to keep all Mexicans out so that they don’t come here to destroy our country as they’ve destroyed theirs.” I even have had a couple of more extreme letters advocating that the U.S. invade Mexico, kill the drug lords and rid corruption in that country.
The extreme viewpoints are easy to deal with and the standpoint of the writers is clear in their view of Mexico – I am used to a certain portion of the population expressing these types of views. The feedback that does bother me is of a less-extreme nature, but nevertheless reveals a general misunderstanding or historical distrust of our southern neighbor. These letters often refer to Mexico as a “backward” or “Third World” nation in which vice and corruption seem to be imbedded in the culture. These people don’t take into consideration that Mexico is comprised of cultures, societies and governments that have a much longer history than those of the U.S. And while vice and corruption do indeed exist in Mexico, the U.S. also has its share.
The distrust and misunderstanding pertaining to the U.S.-Mexico relationship are not only prevalent in the U.S., but also in Mexico. In a conversation with one young Mexican professional, I was told, “If Mexico would ever get smart, it would stop the flow of drugs to your country because your entire government and society would collapse.” This individual firmly believed that every aspect of U.S. society was dependent on the consumption of drugs. I wondered if he thought he was talking to a drug addict during our conversation.
Most recently, I have been peppered with feedback by several Mexicans about the controversy in Albuquerque pertaining to the number of people who recently have been shot and killed by police officers.
Several people have smugly pointed out to me that Americans routinely accuse Mexican police of corruption and yet a major southwestern U.S. city has police problems of its own. Other people have told me that they will not be traveling to New Mexico because of the police crisis in Albuquerque.
More and more I find myself explaining to contacts in Mexico that I don’t feel any danger when I am in Albuquerque, and on the contrary, it is a very pleasant city.
The bad sentiments that many Americans and Mexicans often share of each other’s countries are surprising when one considers how intertwined the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship is and how much we depend on each other.
It’s time that we move away from viewing each other with suspicion and focus on becoming neighbors who understand that we have a great stake in helping and pulling for each other.
Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com.
During the 20 years that the North American Free Trade Agreement has been in place, trade between the two North American countries has grown by 10 percent annually. Industrial bases have been created in Mexico to serve the automotive, electronics, and consumer products markets in the U.S.
Likewise, new industries have been created and old industries have grown in the U.S. to satisfy increasing demand from Mexico. The U.S. is Mexico’s number one supplier of imports. Mexico buys more from the U.S. than China and countries in Europe do.
Millions of jobs in both countries rely on the healthy trade relationship that has been developed between the two neighbors. This makes our countries grow closer and stronger when competing in the global market.
In spite of the beneficial economic ties between the two nations, there are misperceptions on both sides, bordering on xenophobia or downright disrespect. With each country so important to the other, why do we seem to tolerate rather than embrace each other?
A prominent American political donor recently offered to set up free abortion clinics in Mexico, because he stated that he believed Hispanic immigrants had a lack of respect for democracy and social order. These comments did not come from an uneducated man, but rather a wealthy person who has a string of prominent investments throughout the western U.S.
It is not uncommon for me to receive feedback from readers after I publish articles pertaining to Mexico. Many are genuinely concerned about issues such as immigration, border security and vulnerable industrial sectors, and the writers make valid points about their concerns. However, I receive a substantial amount of mail from readers whose concerns are obviously steeped in a general distrust or outright disdain of Mexico.
Several letters share the same theme of “the U.S. should build a wall at the border to keep all Mexicans out so that they don’t come here to destroy our country as they’ve destroyed theirs.” I even have had a couple of more extreme letters advocating that the U.S. invade Mexico, kill the drug lords and rid corruption in that country.
The extreme viewpoints are easy to deal with and the standpoint of the writers is clear in their view of Mexico – I am used to a certain portion of the population expressing these types of views. The feedback that does bother me is of a less-extreme nature, but nevertheless reveals a general misunderstanding or historical distrust of our southern neighbor. These letters often refer to Mexico as a “backward” or “Third World” nation in which vice and corruption seem to be imbedded in the culture. These people don’t take into consideration that Mexico is comprised of cultures, societies and governments that have a much longer history than those of the U.S. And while vice and corruption do indeed exist in Mexico, the U.S. also has its share.
The distrust and misunderstanding pertaining to the U.S.-Mexico relationship are not only prevalent in the U.S., but also in Mexico. In a conversation with one young Mexican professional, I was told, “If Mexico would ever get smart, it would stop the flow of drugs to your country because your entire government and society would collapse.” This individual firmly believed that every aspect of U.S. society was dependent on the consumption of drugs. I wondered if he thought he was talking to a drug addict during our conversation.
Most recently, I have been peppered with feedback by several Mexicans about the controversy in Albuquerque pertaining to the number of people who recently have been shot and killed by police officers.
Several people have smugly pointed out to me that Americans routinely accuse Mexican police of corruption and yet a major southwestern U.S. city has police problems of its own. Other people have told me that they will not be traveling to New Mexico because of the police crisis in Albuquerque.
More and more I find myself explaining to contacts in Mexico that I don’t feel any danger when I am in Albuquerque, and on the contrary, it is a very pleasant city.
The bad sentiments that many Americans and Mexicans often share of each other’s countries are surprising when one considers how intertwined the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship is and how much we depend on each other.
It’s time that we move away from viewing each other with suspicion and focus on becoming neighbors who understand that we have a great stake in helping and pulling for each other.
Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com.
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