Susan Abeyta, the U.S. consul general in Guadalajara, packed her bags and left town with her husband Victor this week after a three-year stint in the city. Reflecting on her stay in an interview with the Reporter last week, she made an immediate point of praising the dedication of her staff, both U.S. and Mexican, whom she referred to as “the backbone of the organization.” Abeyta went on to talk about the richness of Mexican culture, the rewarding programs that the consulate has initiated, the security situation here, the American expatriate community, the rise of women in Mexico and the huge task the Consulate has in issuing thousands of visas to travelers to the United States.
Obviously you are in a privileged position and have mixed a lot with high-level officials, business executives and other important people usually from the middle classes, but have you also been able to experience Mexico at a working-class level?
I can’t say I’ve seen everything. But some of things we cover include aspects of Mexico that most people don’t see. In our Access Program we give scholarships to children from the lower-middle class, who wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn English in the public schools. In getting to know these kids you see another way of life here. People who can’t afford to shop at Costco for example, but whose parents are doing everything they can to give them a better life. We also have a program called Jovenes en Accion, where the idea is to provide kids with some leadership training, and in developing community projects. We send them to the States to live with a family for a couple of weeks, and for the next year they work on projects in their communities mentored by officers from the consulate.
What have you found in Mexico that the United Sates can learn from?
One of the things I admire about Mexico is just how much they value their own culture. They have a very strong cultural identity. I don’t think we have that same kind of strength of identity in the United States. This is one thing we can learn from Mexico.
What was the consulate’s reaction to the recent narco-blockades in various parts of Jalisco?
If there’s violence on the streets or if there’s any immediate danger to citizens, first of all we have to assess that. We have an excellent team of diplomatic security and law enforcement agents who have good relations with authorities in the district. If there are blockades on the street we will probably tell our staff to ‘shelter in place.’ So if we tell our employees to stay put while we determine what’s going on, then we also have to put out a message to American citizens that these are measures we are taking.
Were any of your staff caught up in the blockades?
They were not involved per se but some found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. May 1 was a big holiday time, so we had people out on the road going to Puerto Vallarta, Tequila and other places. There were some people who saw the blockades but no one was targeted.
Do you believe U.S. citizens are specifically targetted by criminals in Mexico?
From everything we can see generally they are not targets. There are some cases of citizens who might be part of a criminal organization and they might be targeted, but not because they are American citizens. I wouldn’t be able to say (U.S. residents at lakeside) are more likely targets than the well-to-do Mexicans who have beautiful homes there. I think U.S. citizens have been very welcomed in that community. That’s been my experience.
Despite the regular State Department travel advisories on Mexico, would you consider this country safe to travel in?
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