Mexican President meets with Belizean Prime Minister

As part of the International Conference to pledge Support for the Central America Security Strategy, held today in Guatemalan City, the President of Mexico, Felipe Calderon met with the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. Dean Barrow.

During the meeting, both leaders reiterated their commitment to advance bilateral cooperation in combating drug trafficking and organized crime. They expressed their intention to achieve greater synergies with the process of regional collaboration in this field.

The leaders discussed major bilateral issues of mutual interest, specially their concern to strengthen security along the common border and improve border infrastructure. Therefore, they agreed on the need to soon put into operation the new border crossing at the junction of “Subteniente Lopez 2” on the Mexican side and Santa Elena, Belize. The new border facilities will allow both countries to have greater control over the movement of people and goods in the Mexico-Belize border.

As per the energy power supplied by Mexico to Belize through the Federal Commission of Electricity (Comision Federal de Electricidad, CFE), President Calderon reiterated Prime Minister Barrow the Mexican Government’s commitment to identify options that will maintain the electricity supply, taking into consideration the current situation in Belize.

Lastly, both President Calderon and Prime Minister Barrow congratulated the President of Guatemala, Alvaro Colom for the fruitful Conference on Security in Central America, and the significant results achieved during the event in order to contribute to security in the region. President Calderon was accompanied by Mexican Foreign Secretary, Patricia Espinosa.

New immigration law takes effect in Mexico

MAY 25, 2011

A new immigration law took effect in Mexico on Tuesday aimed at better protection of undocumented migrants passing through Mexican territory on their way to the United States.
The new law will permit undocumented migrants to obtain a special visa when entering Mexico from either Guatemala or Belize and tries to enact reforms in the country's immigration ministry, which has been implicated as complicit in criminal acts such as kidnapping migrants.

"Today, Mexico is doing its part to improve the immigration system in North America," President Felipe Calderon said during a ceremony in which he signed the law. "This, without doubt, is advanced legislation, bold legislation, immigration legislation with few precedents in the world," he said.

Migrants have been attacked and kidnapped in increasing numbers in Mexico. The National Human Rights Commission has reported that 11,333 migrants were abducted by criminal groups, including Los Zetas, during a six-month survey period in 2010.

Argentine and Mexican Presidents inaugurate a Mexican painter mural

-Press Release - December 3, 2010 - Embassy of Mexico - Accompanied by her Mexican colleague Felipe Calderón, President Cristina Fernández inaugurated on Friday a mural of Mexican painter David Alfaro Sigueiros, at the underground remains of the old Taylor Customs House close to the Government House, now recovered as a museum, as informed by Télam.

Siqueiros, who belonged to the famous group of Mexican muralists of which Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco were part, painted the mural in Buenos Aires, in the early thirties. It was placed in the basement of a suburban residence owned by Natalio Botana, the owner of the newspaper Crítica.

The mural remained stored during many years and was about to be sent abroad, when former Argentine President Néstor Kirchner signed a decree to incorporate it to Argentina´s cultural patrimony. “I am complying with an obligation of the Government and the people of Argentina”, Cristina said, when she conveyed her appreciation for the generous asylum granted by México to thousands of Argentines who went into exile during the military dictatorship installed in 1976.

The President reminded that Siqueiros, as well as many of his fellow muralists, was a Communist militant who combined his art with active political participation. “I have always been keenly interested in the history of my country related to culture”, she said, adding that she had wanted “my friend Calderón” to be present at the inauguration ceremony of Siqueiros´mural.