- "With this new Mexican representation in the United States, we want to be a part of your lives, to support you in everything you need. We will provide you with a Foreign Ministry that is close to the people, because you are our best ambassadors abroad": Alicia Bárcena.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to provide diplomacy that is inclusive, and close to and at the service of the people. With this goal in mind, this afternoon Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena formally inaugurated the Consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Mexico’s 53rd consular office in the United States.
The new Mexican consulate is designed to assist up to 50,000 people a year, and will offer more than 40 services to the more than 230,000 Mexicans living in the 13 counties of central and northern New Jersey.
Secretary Bárcena thanked those present at the inauguration—leaders of the Mexican community in New Jersey, Foreign Ministry officials, and local and state U.S. authorities—for all their effort, dedication and work in opening the consulate. "This is your home, it belongs to the Mexican people. The consulate will be a place to meet, to touch base with your country, where you will find not only documentary services, but also services related to health, sports, culture, financial education and more," said Secretary Barcena.
The Secretary highlighted the presence at the inauguration of Senate President Ana Lilia Rivera, and several legislators from the Mexican Senate and Chamber of Deputies, who will "bring the voice of the Mexican community in New Jersey to the Mexican legislature."
She also thanked New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill for his support, saying he was instrumental to the consulate’s inauguration. Lastly, Secretary Bárcena reaffirmed President López Obrador’s commitment to making the Mexican community around the world a foreign policy priority. She concluded her remarks by saying, "A dream that we dream alone, is only a dream. A dream that we dream together, becomes a reality."
Consul Mariana Díaz, who will head the new consulate, applauded the deep significance of having a female foreign secretary inaugurate a consulate headed by another woman. "This is the face of my country's feminist foreign policy," she said.
Mexico's ambassador to the United States, Esteban Moctezuma, said the consulate would help increase trade between New Brunswick, New Jersey and Mexico and that, in addition to boosting both economies, the consulate would show that both countries can do more to create the most competitive but also the most humane region in the world.
Chief Officer for North America Roberto Velasco said that Mexico was finally settling a debt with the growing Mexican community in New Jersey. "This consulate is here for you…We sincerely appreciate all that you do every day and your great contributions to Mexico and to the United States. We will defend you wholeheartedly at all times."
The inauguration was attended by Foreign Secretary Alicia Bárcena; New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill; Chief Officer for North America Roberto Velasco; Mexico’s Ambassador to the U.S., Esteban Moctezuma; the Mexican Consul in New Brunswick, Mariana Díaz Nagore; the Directors General of Consular Protection and Strategic Planning, Vanessa Calva, and Consular Services, Jaime Vázquez Bracho; the head of the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, Luis Gutiérrez Reyes; and community leaders Jaime Lucero and Josephine Navarro.
To conclude the event, Foreign Secretary Bárcena delivered the first consular documents issued by the new representation to the Mexican community: a power of attorney, a birth certificate registration and a passport to a four-year-old child with a Mexican father and U.S. mother, a consular ID to a non-binary individual, and a consular ID to a senior citizen from Oaxaca who is now a cook in New Brunswick.
The inaugural event also included a roundtable discussion between 24 members of the Mexican community in Boston, Philadelphia, New Jersey and New York and the Foreign Secretary on the future of the Mexican diaspora in the United States.
The new consulate is located at 390 George Street, Suite 100, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901. Appointments for passports, consular IDs and voter registration cards are now available on the MiConsulado platform via Whatsapp and by phone at +1(424) 309 0009 or on the website https://miconsulado.sre.gob.mx.
