Mexico and Utah are on the verge of a thriving exchange of goods and services in the coming year as the Mexican economy continues to mend and as people in this country gain a greater understanding of their southern neighbor.
That upbeat prognosis belongs to Anacelia Perez de Meyer, the new consul general of Mexico.She will meet with a number of Utah business leaders at a Wednesday reception hosted by the law firm of Holland & Hart.
Perez de Meyer, who is heartened by the interest Utah has shown toward trade with Mexico, would like to determine which Mexican states would be good trading partners and invite one or more governors here to visit. She thinks state-to-state cooperation makes more sense than relying on the two federal governments to work things out.
"I think it is a more pragmatic point of view," she said. "And the private sector - that's the important thing. The political dialogue is not complete if it is not parallel with the private sector."
Currently, there are more efforts under way to export Utah goods to Mexico than the other way around, a situation that Perez de Meyer would like to see balanced more evenly.
However, unlike a number of other areas, Utah is quite receptive to the idea of closer relations with Mexico. "I find people here are open and interested in Mexico," Perez de Meyer said.
A key stumbling block to improved trade is the fact that many Mexicans distrust their government's financial stability. "What we need now is a climate of confidence," Perez de Meyer said.
Mexico has seen its share of turbulence lately, but Perez de Meyer said several factors point toward welcome economic, political and social reforms that are so sweeping they can only be described as "revolutionary."
Mexico has dealt with its financial problems and currently is working to curb inflation, decentralize the federal government and shore up social services, she said.
Perez de Meyer said Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo will unveil a 1996 budget today that calls for no federal tax increases and a tax restructuring that will give more money and responsibility to the states. An example of this, she said, can be seen in his recent visit to Yucatan where he announced that the state would now have all the revenue and complete control over six ports formerly run by the federal government.
"It's a very recent example that he means what he says," she said. "President Zedillo is going to continue the saving measures but will increase sensibly the social contract: education, Social Security and the promotion of employment."
On this side of the border, it would help trade if many people discarded stereotyped views of Mexico. "One of my biggest challenges is to bring to the average American the vision of this new Mexico. It is a country fighting to enter the level of the First World," she said. "I hope people would have a more diversified image of Mexico."