Taking a fresh look at Mexico-U.S. ties
Official hopes to stress trade, business between nations’ energy sectors as she takes helm at Mexico Consulate
Alicia KerberPalma, the recently appointed consul general of Mexico in Houston, hopes to emphasize trade relations and business between the energy sectors of the two nations.
Kerber-Palma left her position as the head of the Mexican consulate in Philadelphia in March after being appointed to the Houston position by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López. A diplomat since 1991, Kerber-Palma
was also previously the head of the Mexican consulate in Kansas City, Mo., and has spent 28 years in the Mexico Foreign Service.
A women’s rights advocate throughout her career, as consul in Kansas City and Philadelphia, she expanded legal and civil services for women who experience domestic violence, a program that Mexico is now extending to each of the 50 U.S. consulates.
Now, she brings her decades of diplomatic experience to Houston, where she said she will emphasize the important trading relationship Mexico has with the city — Mexico is Houston’s No. 1 trading partner. In an exclusive interview with the Houston Chronicle, KerberPalma spoke about tariffs, energy and the many business relationships between Houston and Mexico.
Q: Can you talk about your priorities?
A: We want to increase relationships between Mexico and the U.S. in energy and innovation. There are lots of Mexican companies here. They are giving like
20,000 jobs to people in Houston, so that means a lot.
Q: There was some concern that your president was going to pull back on some of the privatization in the energy industry. That hasn’t happened, and clearly, the energy industry in Mexico needs investment.
A: That’s true. He has been very clear that all the contracts that have been signed are going to be respected. I don’t know why people are having doubts about that. We respect our agreements, we respect our commitments. We see a very strong opportunity in this area in energy.
Also, we want to finish with this rhetoric that Mexico is taking the jobs of the people of North America because that’s not true. Yes, jobs have been lost, but production (in the U.S.) has increased, so what's the answer? Robotics are taking the place of the workers, not the Mexicans.
Q: Can you talk about the energy reforms?
A: I have yet to receive instructions from the minister of energy, but we will establish communications with the energy sector.
Q: What have you seen in terms of impact from the tariffs? Are the suppliers taking the brunt of it?
A. Tariffs are always something that will impact the consumer. That’s why we have to have more open dialogue about trade, and the benefits of trade, and let people know how it works. This is not just talking about products made in Mexico or the U.S. We’re talking about a chain of production. If you buy from Mexico, you buy from the U.S., so we are partners. That is something that people need to understand, the value of the chain of production, in this globalized world.
Q: That’s most evident in auto manufacturing?
A: That is a clear example. The auto products cross the border eight times to have it here in the U.S. at the prices that you like. Otherwise, if it’s made just in the U.S., it would increase the price three times. We need to be more educated about the importance of these details. Sometimes we leave them to the economists, and they make it very complicated, but once you explain it to the members of a family, they say, “Oh OK, maybe chain productions are good.”
Q: What have you heard on auto tariffs, as that’s been a looming threat?
A: If you put tariffs on the automobile industry, the only ones that are going to suffer the consequences are the consumers.
Q: The threat from Trump earlier this month to place tariffs on Mexican goods, did that change business’ confidence in Mexico?
A: Of course it’s the concern of any business that does trade with U.S. No one wants to see their products punished with tariffs. Voices from both sides of the border were raised from not only Mexican entrepreneurs, but also U.S. entrepreneurs, letting people know this is not good for the economy of both countries. So, let’s work together.
Q: Our president and some Americans argue that undocumented immigrants are a burden on society and taxpayers here. Do you view Americans crossing the border for cheaper medical care to be a burden?
A: No, we don’t see it like that. American people go to private doctors (in Mexico) that are not as expensive as it is (in the U.S.). We have never seen American people coming to Mexico — even just to have a party — as a burden. The new generations, especially with NAFTA, they began to feel like they were from three countries, not just this idea of one country.
Those who live on the border move from one side or another. For them, it’s very common and they don’t feel like they belong to the U.S. or Mexico. They have a special nationality — they are like citizens of the world.
Q: There’s a large number of Mexican products sold in the U.S., can you talk about the retail business?
A: There are a lot of companies that need to work more on how to reach the Latino community, because it’s not just putting a chihuahua dog or a sombrero or mariachi (in an advertisement). Understanding the Latino community — think about what we really represent. Our main concern in Mexico is our families. There’s a huge market that can be reached if the companies make the proper advertising for the products.
Q: What do you think we, as a Houston news organization, should pay attention to?
A: Trying to let people know about the importance of the trade with Mexico. Everybody talks about trade with China and trade with the European Union, but the first partner in trade (for Houston) is Mexico, and nobody understands that.