Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) issued a statement on Twitter urging Mexico and the United States to include security in discussions for the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Security for cross-border commerce and tourism remains a major concern for Congressman Gonzalez as Mexican highways are vulnerable to crime.
“The single greatest threat to trade and prosperity with Mexico is not the environment, labor, agriculture, or prescription drug pricing. It’s insecurity!” said Congressman Gonzalez in the tweet. “It’s time to wake up and do something about it – together!”
Congressman Gonzalez tagged President Donald Trump, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Mexican Ambassador to the United States Martha Bårcena in his tweet.
Congressman Gonzalez’s concerns about growing violence and insecurity are not unsubstantiated. Violence in Mexico has spiked significantly with 2018 reported as the deadliest in the country’s history according to a report released by Mexico’s Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection recorded 33,341 homicides, a 15% increase from 2017.
Additionally, the State Department recently issued a travel advisory for people traveling to Mexico to exercise extreme caution due to crime, kidnapping, violence, and robbery in every Mexican state bordering the United States. U.S. officials are increasingly worried about the economic impact of violence along the United States-Mexico border specifically the border state of Tamaulipas, across the South Texas region.
“Congress is expected to ratify this trade pact whose primary intent is to break down barriers to trade while at the same time we are witnessing repeated incidents of violence along the border which threatens commerce, and we have no plan to address this insecurity,” added Congressman Gonzalez. “Security needs to be a guarantee for all countries and parties and we must take action to ensure the safe passage of goods or risk standing in the way of our own economic interests.”
Congressman Gonzalez has frequently pushed U.S. and Mexico leaders to incorporate security guarantees with proper timelines and implementation like the Safe Highway program before considering a vote on the USMCA and has even threatened to vote ‘no’ on the trade deal if these requirements are not met. The Safe Highway program is a pilot program proposed by Mexico that seeks to secure six highways throughout Mexico, including Highway 40D, which connects to international bridges along the U.S. – Mexico border.
In a recent hearing, Congressman Gonzalez questioned State Department officials and asked them to address concerns for insecurity between the United States and Mexico between Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, and McAllen, Texas.
 issued a statement on Twitter urging Mexico and the United States to include security in discussions for the passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).){kind=link}