MOUNTAIN MAIL: Salida Colorado - MEXICAN CONSULATE VISITING U.S. COMMUNITIES

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6/5/2008 8:56:00 AM Email this article • Print this article

Salida Mayor Chuck Rose hands Mexican Consulate General Eduardo Arnal a gift Wednesday afternoon before a meeting introducing the consulate. Arnal’s visit to Salida included talking with Rose, Chaffee County Sheriff Tim Walker and Salida Police Chief Terry Clark. Photo by Jennifer Denevan

Mexican Consulate visits Salida
The new Mexican Consulate General, Eduardo Arnal, introduced himself to a variety of Salida and Chaffee County officials Wednesday and explained Mexican government efforts regarding drug traffic and immigration.

Local officials included Salida Mayor Chuck Rose, Heart of the Rockies Chamber of Commerce director John Engelbrecht and Salida Steam Plant Theater and Event Center Director Michael Varnum.

Discussions focused on changes the Mexican government is working toward including immigration, the drug traffic and building bridges with neighbors.

In addition, he wanted to introduce himself within the region in which he will be working including Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Omaha, Neb.

Arnal was appointed to the consulate in Denver by President Felipe Calderon and ratified by the Mexican congress in August. He took office in September.

He explained his background and goals before talking about efforts of the Mexican government to fix problems shared with the United States. Arnal said the government recognizes the U.S. economy is a "magnet" for Mexican immigrants in terms of salary.

He said the number of jobs available in Mexico has increased significantly, but the problem remains wages. The U.S. pays better. Mexican officials are working to correct the problem, he said.

Arnal reported if immigration and economic growth continues as they have, by 2040 Mexico will need to import workers to fill jobs.

Mexico is a free country, Arnal said, and people come and go as they please, but his government wants to find a way to keep workers in the country. Fair distribution of wealth is part of helping the economy, he said.

"It's an embarrassment to me that we have the richest man in the world, but aren't the richest country."

Within the last year, he reported, 20,000 drug related arrests were made in Mexico and of those, 25 were some of the biggest drug dealers.

He referred to the process as a "war on crime" and explained it is costly in terms of money and lives. Part of the problem is weapons.

Often drug dealers legally buy weapons in the U.S. and transport them to Mexico. Some weapons are illegally bought - not always from the U.S. - and taken into Mexico, he said.

Arnal said it would be beneficial if the U.S. and Mexico could find a way to work together addressing the weapons part of the issue.

To better illustrate the magnitude of the lack of resources and how powerful drug lords have become, Arnal said in one drug bust, law officers discovered $206 million in 100 dollar bills in one man's home.

Arnal said those issues and creating better communications and relations with neighbors of Mexico are priorities. He talked about sharing several values with the U.S. such as democracy and freedom.

He and his accompanying staff members visited other Colorado locations including Alamosa and Center. He planned to later meet with Chaffee County Sheriff Tim Walker and police chief Terry Clark.

Arnal earlier was on the Western Slope and plans, eventually, to visit all 63 Colorado counties. His Salida visit was planned around the fact there are more seasonal immigrant workers in the San Luis Valley and neighboring areas.