Mexico Governor, City Discuss Relations
Posted on: Saturday, 3 May 2008, 03:00 CDT
By Christina M. Woods, The Wichita Eagle, Kan.
May 3--A handshake Friday night between Mayor Carl Brewer and Mexican Gov. Ismael Hernandez Deras sealed a notion to begin examining ways Wichita and Durango, Mexico, can build economic ties.
The governor and his family and other elected officials from Mexico stopped in Wichita to greet the local Durango community at Frida's Mexican Grill, 1580 W. 21st St.
About 100 people from Durango filled the large banquet room to witness the visit.
"It's a reunion of people who lived in Mexico but who work in the United States," said Benito Ruiz, who is from Durango but has lived in Wichita for about eight years.
Llaneros Unidos, a local group working to formalize ties between Wichita's Durango community and their home state, organized the visit.
"I'm just really happy to see all of these important people here in this place," said Mario Quiroz, president of the group and local restaurateur. "I hope this meeting gets some good results for the governor and all the people from Durango, and, at the same time, better our communities."
It's unclear how many Mexicans in Wichita are from Durango, but Quiroz said there are plenty.
Wichita, he said, is similar to Durango in its flat landscape and its farming background.
"We want to create a cultural exchange," Quiroz said.
Steve Cisneros, executive director of the Topeka-based Kansas Hispanic and Latino Affairs Commission, which serves as an advisory group to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius' office, also attended and discussed ways to broaden a partnership between Durango and Kansas.
"A number of folks in your state live here and have made it a better city and state by contributing economically," Cisneros said to Deras through translator Jorge De Latorre of Wichita. "We want that to continue."
The governor responded, "the people of Durango are very powerful and very hardworking."
Deras said he'd like to see the cities cooperate on issues such as technical education, for example.
Brewer said this is the second meeting the two cities have had, and talks could continue about the idea of establishing a sister-city connection, which allows cities to promote cultural exchanges.
Brewer noted that Wichita already has two sister-city relationships with Mexican towns -- Tlalnepantla and Cancun. Other cities include Orleans, France, and Kaifeng, China.
Still, Brewer said, meetings with the governor help him better understand the community he serves.
"I look forward to every opportunity to engage people of other countries," Brewer said, noting how the visit coincided with the opening days of the local Cinco de Mayo Festival coordinated by the National Latino Peace Officers Association. "It's our duty as elected officials to build upon these relationships and find economic opportunities within them."
Reach Christina M. Woods at 316-269-6791 or cwoods@wichitaeagle.com.
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Source: The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kan.)
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