Here’s volume 5 of Glenn Hamer’s wrap-up of a historic bipartisan legislative delegation visit to Mexico.
From our meetings and my conversations throughout the trip, I can report that it’s recognized that the Arizona political and business leadership is deeply vested in an even stronger relationship with Mexico.
The relationship between Gov. Doug Ducey and Sonora Gov. Claudia Pavlovich is seen as the best cross-border relationship among the two nations. As a board member of the Arizona Mexico Commission, it is obvious that the leadership of its executive director, Juan Ciscomani, and AMC President Jessica Pacheco, is making a big difference. Credit to the governor’s chief of staff, Kirk Adams, and Arizona Commerce Authority CEO Sandra Watson for doing lots of work to build strengthen this binational economic relationship.
In terms of NAFTA, I can proudly say that our two US senators, John McCain and Jeff Flake, are held up as the gold standard of trade advocates. No two senators better understand the value of breaking down barriers to the export of US-made goods.
The work of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton to deepen cross-border ties is held as a model at the city level of government. In addition to the MOU with Mexico City, the mayor has overseen several additional agreements between Phoenix and other Mexican cities, which has led to such tangible benefits as increased air service between Sky Harbor and Mexican destinations.
There is a desire by the leadership in Mexico City to establish an even deeper relationship with Arizona. Mexico City has recently strengthened its relationship with Massachusetts and the state of Washington, models that could be replicated here.
