Arizona immigration law thwarts trade talk

by Chris Hawley and Sergio Solache - Aug. 27, 2010 12:00 AM
Republic Mexico City Bureau

MEXICO CITY - A Mexican business association said Thursday that it is protesting Senate Bill 1070 by refusing to meet with Arizona officials who are visiting the Mexican capital this week in an effort to drum up trade.

The Mexico City chapter of the Mexican Employers' Association said it had rejected an Aug. 18 meeting request by the Arizona delegation because it believes the state's new immigration law discriminates against Hispanics.

"We wanted to show the representatives of Phoenix and the businessmen of Arizona the economic consequences of these political decisions," said Juan de Dios Barba Nava, the chapter president.

Some of Mexico's biggest companies are members of the local chapter of the employers' association, which is better known in Mexico as Coparmex. They include the Oxxo convenience-store chain; Grupo Bimbo, one of the world's largest bakery companies; and Tequila Cuervo La Lojeña, maker of José Cuervo Tequila. It was unclear Thursday whether those firms support the association's stance.

Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos downplayed Coparmex's rebuff, saying the delegation had received a warm reception from government officials, the Mexican Manufacturer's Association, lawmakers and companies.

"We have received very positive responses from everyone we have met," Cavazos said in an e-mail to The Republic. "No one has mentioned the issue (of SB 1070) at our meetings."

Along with Cavazos, the delegation included Vice Mayor Michael Nowakowski; Victor Flores, the head of the Arizona-Mexico Commission board; and Todd Sanders, chief executive of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce.

Officials from Sky Harbor International Airport, the Arizona Office of Tourism and the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitor's Bureau were also among the group, Cavazos said.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/ ... n-law.html