NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ- Neither rain nor wind stopped the opening of the Mexican consulate in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where dozens of Mexican immigrants gathered last Saturday and even managed to enjoy some snacks, such as fruit cocktails, chilaquiles, pastries , pozole, among others.
The consul, Mariana Díaz, highlighted that, even if “it rained, thundered or lightning struck,” the official inauguration of the consular office would take place. So it was.
The event was led by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs (SRE), Alicia Bárcena, who took advantage of her participation in the UN General Assembly, in New York, to lead the event in New Jersey, where dance groups, mariachi and a choir that sang the anthems of Mexico and the United States.
“This dream has been achieved, which for the Foreign Ministry has really come true today, and the truth fills me with emotion, because notice that I was in the General Assembly of the United Nations, where all the countries were represented…and Suddenly, what really counts is what we do here, in the communities, with you, with the Mexicans in the United States,” defended Bárcena.
Consul Díaz was recognized on several occasions with applause from attendees, who expressed particular affection for her, due to the kindness with which she leads services for Mexican immigrants. Several people consulted by this journalist confirmed it. “She is very kind and she takes good care of us,” said Beatriz, one of the attendees.
In a tent in front of the building marked 390 George Street, attendees waited for more than an hour and a half for the event to start, in the midst of intense wind and rain, but the smiles and jokes confirmed that people were happy, not bothered by the wait.
In January of this year, the Mexican Foreign Ministry confirmed that it already had the building for the new consulate in New Jersey, where more than 230,000 Mexican immigrants live, with a high presence of people from Oaxaca in the city of New Brunswick, just over one hour from the Big Apple. Consul Díaz explained the process for the new service office.
“This included everything from identifying the ideal building, one that would be easy and convenient for the community to access, to designing functional and dignified spaces for the services we provide, a place where the community would feel at home,” Díaz said to the guests. .
The mayor of New Brunswick, James Cahill, attended the opening ceremony, highlighting the “great contributions” of the Mexican community in the city.
The state governor, Phil Murphy, was a guest on the original program, as well as Democratic Senator Bob Menéndez, but whose participation was canceled after the revelation of bribery accusations by the latter.
A promise from 15 years ago
In 2008, former Mexican president Felipe Calderón promised Mexican immigrants living in New Jersey the opening of a consulate, but he failed to deliver.
The dream of the immigrants did not advance with the government of Enrique Peña Nieto until Andrés Manuel López Obrador arrived at the government and presented the opening of the office as a priority.
Teresa Vivar, from the Lazos América Unida organization – which has been operating for 30 years – told part of that story.
“It has been a long process and when Calderón finally came to New Jersey in 2008, he announced that he was going to give us a consulate, it could not be carried out. […] and now we are celebrating,” he said. “[El consulado] It is important because it represents our Mexican community, the link between Mexico and the United States, it is our house, it is our home, the way to connect with our roots, with our native peoples.”
The president of the Fuerza Migrante group, Jaime Lucero, who was on the panel of special guests, also celebrated the opening of the consulate.
“For Mexicans in this area, it is definitely a great achievement to finally have it here, immigrants asked for it many years ago,” he said. “The problem for these immigrants was traveling to Manhattan, the time and the conditions, because they are not very appropriate.”
Culinary heritage in New Brunswick
Mexican immigrants, as the mayor of New Brunswick recognized, contribute to the “social fabric” and contribute to cultural wealth, including through food.
“Whenever you like, we prepare food for parties, we have tlayudas, mole, tamales, homemade bread,” said the person in charge of the Chencha Kitchen, of food with recipes from Oaxaca.
Abigail Bernardino, owner of Tacos Basilio, said she was lucky to be invited to the food fair, in addition to celebrating the opening of the consular office. She has lived in New Brunswick for 17 years and doing consular procedures required her to miss a day of work.
“We are offering Guerrero-style green pozole, at Tacos Basilio, we have a variety of Mexican food, tacos al pastor, steak, suadero, carnita… we have special dishes, handmade tortillas,” he said smiling about his restaurant’s menu.