As the North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations reach a conclusion it is important to remember what Octavio Paz said, “the precedent of European integration is very important for the future of our region.” Much as been debated about the erosion of cultural identity as three north American countries begin to look forward to closer economic ties. One of the biggest pools of labor live next to the biggest consumer market in the world. It is easy to believe that the free trade agreement is between countries when it is about people. Paz added that México and the United States are “condemned to live together, the past and the future side by side.” The obvious next step is bridging the gap between cultures in the hopes that some day we me reach across the border and offer each other an abrazo, instead of a hesitant handshake between friends.
Paper No.1: The North American Free Trade Agreement: A Hesitant Handshake Between Neighbors (May 1, 1991) Position Paper
By Martin Paredes
Martín Paredes is a Mexican immigrant who built his business on the U.S.-Mexican border. As an immigrant, Martín brings the perspective of someone who sees México as a native through the experience of living abroad. As an immigrant, Martín sees America through an immigrant’s eyes. Straddling the U.S.-México border for many years, Martín understands that the imaginary line separating two countries on a map creates two cultural identities that merge creating a culture that is unique to the borderland. But as an outsider, Martín sees an El Paso devoid of the tribalism that divides El Paso but unites it at the same time, leaving many El Pasoans ignoring the underlining corruption that permeates throughout the city. Martín has lived and experienced the growth of the Mexican drug cartels throughout his life, first as a child and when building a business in a city that was once labeled the “most dangerous city in the world.” Through it all, Martín sees what many ignore about El Paso - both its uniqueness and the many fine individuals that call El Paso home, but not ignorant to the undercurrent of political intrigue and corruption that underlines the city. Since 2000, Martín has been reporting on the border politics, the corruption and the public policy of one of the most unique communities in the world by exposing the secrets few dare to. An engineer and a creator, Martín creates multimedia projects, including writing, about topics that few explore while making his living in the exciting world of internet-driven technology.