Mexican foreign secretary visits McAllen, stresses U.S.-Mexico collaboration

McALLEN — Mexico and the United States must work together on the challenges the two nations face, said Mexico's foreign secretary, Patricia Espinosa, during a stop here.

Espinosa, who is Mexico's equivalent of the U.S. secretary of state, visited McAllen to talk about arms trafficking and battling Mexico's powerful drug cartels with Ronald Vitello, chief of the U.S. Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley sector, according to a Mexican government statement.

During her speech at the re-dedication of the Mexican consular office in McAllen, Espinosa said it was important that the United States help its southern neighbor with its ongoing battle against the powerful drug cartels.

"Let's move forward and we will win this battle against organized crime," Espinosa said in Spanish.

The countries have often worked well together — most recently on the H1N1 swine flu outbreak, she said.

"This great collaboration by the United States is what took us to an adequate position when we didn't exactly know how this virus was behaving," Espinosa said in Spanish.

Mexico's death toll from the swine flu outbreak stands at 83 — more than any other country. Three more deaths of flu patients were announced by the government on Tuesday, The Associated Press reported.

Espinosa's visit to the Rio Grande Valley capped a three-day tour that began Sunday in New Mexico, officials said.

Erasmo Martinez, Mexico's consul in McAllen, said in a speech that finding solutions to immigration issues, the swine flu and other cross-border concerns would be achieved only through cooperation.

"Everyone in the region understands the promised development and quality of life will only be reached through cooperation and also friendship," Martinez said.

During a similar speech in Brownsville, Espinosa said the presidents of the two nations have already met twice, which indicates how important the two countries are to each other.

She voiced Mexico's opposition to the border fence between the United States and Mexico and said that Mexico would continue to insist on other alternatives.

She also expressed confidence that U.S. leaders would advance an equitable immigration policy.

Emma Perez-Treviño of The Brownsville Herald contributed to this report.

Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.