Mexican president meets with MALDEF
Tuesday, February 19, 2008

This press release came today from MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund:

MALDEF Meets with Mexican President Felipe Calderón in His First U.S. Visit as President

FEBRUARY 19, 2008 - Last week, President Felipe Calderón of Mexico visited the United States for the first time since being elected in 2006. In meetings in Boston, New York, Chicago, Sacramento and Los Angeles, he made a case for broad bilateral partnerships that will improve the standard of living and protection of rights of Mexicans in the United States and in Mexico.

Along with Los Angeles Federation of Labor leader Maria Elena Durazo and Los Angeles Neighborhood Legal Services Executive Director Yvonne Maria Jimenez, MALDEF President and General Counsel John Trasviña was the only U.S.-based Latino organization lead to be asked to present to President Calderón during his visit to Los Angeles on Wednesday. Trasviña addressed President Calderón, First Lady Margarita Zavala, cabinet ministers, consular officials and community leaders about MALDEF’s work challenging local and state anti-immigrant ordinances and our role in protecting the civil and constitutional rights of all Latino immigrants. MALDEF’s Sara Zapata Mijares also spoke about the LIDER program and MALDEF’s other initiatives to develop leadership, civic engagement and financial literacy skills in the Mexican immigrant community.

“The people and governments of Mexico and the United States must come together around shared interests in providing a stable economy, employment, education and opportunity. Our shared ideals will be easier to achieve when Americans see Mexico as an equal partner working toward mutual solutions to the issues that otherwise divide us. The Mexican government’s recent efforts and achievements in law enforcement demonstrate the seriousness and sincerity Mexico has toward this partnership,â€