Jalisco governor greets AV

This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press May 20, 2001.

By DENNIS ANDERSON
Valley Press Editor

LANCASTER - The governor of one of Mexico's largest states ar-rived Saturday in the Antelope Valley, spreading a message of cross-border cooperation in eco-nomic development and friendly relations.

Gov. Francisco Ramirez Acuna, constitutional head of the state of Jalisco, greeted local political and community leaders and conferred with membership of the Antelope Valley Hispanic Chamber of Com-merce, which arranged the digni-tary's visit.

"It's a very important day, a very big deal," said Isaac Barcelo-na, past Hispanic chamber presi-dent.

The Jalisco governor put out the message that his home state does a lot of business with Califor-nia - with Los Angeles County - and that his territory is open to creating business opportunities with Antelope Valley business leaders, particularly those who have knowledge of Mexico, its problems and its potential for helping in the creation of free trade and cross-border wealth.

To put the visit in perspective, imagine the governor of Califor-nia, or New York, arriving in a mid-sized city of a couple hundred thousand in the state of Jalisco.

For that matter, imagine the governor of California visiting the Antelope Valley.

Jalisco - whose capital is the city of Guadalajara - represents Mexico's third-largest economy. Its economy, which exports $14.7 bil-lion a year, ranges from high tech-nology to agriculture.

"We are developing an electron-ics industry, not unlike your own Silicon Valley," Ramirez Acuna told reporters.

Because of the advent of the North American Free Trade Agreement, more goods and ser-vices are flowing between the United States and Mexico, Rami-rez Acuna said.

"We seek opportunities - for example, of the export of mangos, tomatoes and artisan gifts," Rami-rez Acuna said, speaking through an interpreter.

Miguel Gonzalez, president of the Community Club of Jamay, Jalisco in Palmdale, sat alongside the governor. A director of the His-panic chamber, Gonzalez escorted Ramirez Acuna and represented the many Jalisco state residents who also live and work in the United States.

The state of Jalisco has about six million residents, with four million of them living and working in Guadalajara. But the governor estimates that as many as three million Jalisco natives live and work in the United States.

He acknowledged that many Jalisco natives send funds to rela-tives in their homeland.

Some of this tide of immigra-tion flows from Mexico's many complex problems, including a roller coaster Mexican economy hobbled by periodic inflation, poli-tical corruption from drug traffick-ing and the nation's attempt to transform itself into a 21st cen-tury, developed nation.

"It is too bad that so many peo-ple of Jalisco have to abandon their home to look for a better life," Ramirez Acuna related dur-ing his news conference.

He appealed for natives of Jalis-co living outside their home state to maintain ties to their home communities that will benefit peo-ple on both sides of the border.

At one time or another during the Saturday visit, most of the Valley's political leadership paid their respects, including state Sen. William J. "Pete" Knight, R-Palm-dale, who sat at the head table. Lancaster Mayor Frank Roberts turned up, as well as Assembly-man George Runner, R-Lancaster. Former Palmdale Mayor Pro Tem Joe Davies presented greetings for Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford.

It was Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon who delighted the Jalisco governor with brief greetings in Spanish, and the two elected offi-cials exchanged a warm "abrazo," the embrace that is the traditional Mexican demonstration of public affection.

At a formal luncheon, Barcelo-na presented greetings from coun-ty Supervisor Michael D. Antono-vich, who represents the Los Ange-les County portion of the Antelope Valley.

The spirited mariachi band of the Estrellas de Mexico, led by so-loist Elizabeth Gonzalez, provided traditional music through the luncheon. Gonzalez sang "The Star Spangled Banner," and her accom-panists played the national an-them of Mexico.

The visit capped months of planning by Hispanic chamber of-ficials. Also on hand Saturday was Manuel Gonzalez, mayor of the Jalisco city of Jamay, to exchange sister city greetings with Palm-dale.

The planning reached a cre-scendo during the past week, with Hispanic chamber officials such as Sandy Corrales, Helen Costa, Os-car Aleman and chamber Presi-dent Mario A. Guzman tightening the last-minute details.