Mexico is becoming a vibrant middle-class nation, and by 2050, it is projected to become the world’s fifth largest economy. Already, it is California, Texas, and Arizona’s largest trading partner; each year, Arizona alone exports over $7 billion in products to Mexico. Our Southern neighbor is responsible for hundreds of thousands of jobs across the Southwest. While Mexico continues to battle corruption and violence at home, the country is also investing billions of dollars in infrastructure and transportation improvements near the border. Likewise, Arizona is working to increase tourism from Mexico and to speed up cross-border trade and travel. What will closer ties with Mexico mean for the Southwest–economically, socially, and culturally? Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, who recently opened a trade office in Mexico City, Signum Research CEO Héctor Romero, and former Arizona-Mexico Commission executive director Margie A. Emmermann (now vice president of Molera Alvarez LLC) visit Zócalo to discuss whether the Southwest is entering a new era in its relationship with Mexico.

Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Josue Gonzalez.