Tony Garza: Why The U.S., Mexico Need Each Other

By Zach Gonzalez & Arthur D. Soto-Vásquez

Addressing the question of why the U.S. and Mexico need each other, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza opened his remarks this morning at the Texas Tribune Festival by addressing how Mexico will profoundly shape the U.S. more than any other country over the next few decades.

The Q&A segment, however, turned to the issues typically associated with the relationship between the two countries. Audience questions focused on immigration and drug issues — topics not explicitly on Garza’s agenda.

Garza said that he would like to believe the debate in the U.S. was moving from an emotion to reason. In a short interview afterwards, NewsTaco asked how students could inspire a new and positive tone in the debate about the future of the relationship.

NewsTaco: With respect that there may be divides in class, language, gender, and other cultural practices between both the United States and Mexico, how do we inspire businessmen, politicians, students, and kids to think about how to work together with the issues that are presented to the affairs and relationship between both countries, especially when our economies are so heavily dependent?

Tony Garza: The truth of the matter is that I’ve seldom seen language stand in the way of two parties that wanted to get something done. They’ve most always found a way to deal with the obstacles. Whether it’s economic, there has been a shared prospect for profit. With culture, there has been a shared prospect for a project. So, where people of good faith are committed to good faith on both sides of the border, I’ve seldom seen language be an obstacle of this.

NewsTaco: How was learning Spanish? Was this something you picked up in Mexico?

Tony Garza: I’ve spoken Spanish on and off most of my life. All my Spanish learning was in the States. All my friends argue and tell me that my Spanish needs polishing, and I’ll argue with them that their English needs polishing. I definitely speak Spanglish though [laughs].

NewsTaco: Immersing yourself in the culture is a big jump for a lot of students or leaders that go and live or do work in different countries, especially where you don’t know the language. Would you push students to get involved in doing this?

Tony Garza: Oh, I’d definitely encourage them! My dad encouraged me in 1982 to spend a summer in Guadalajara and I took a bunch of law school courses and language courses. I loved it too! It was a great opportunity to not only be immersed in the language, but I spent three or four days in Mexico traveling by bus every week, and that was a great way to immerse myself in the culture. It wasn’t just the beaches that were important; it was this immersion in to Mexican culture. I wouldn’t just encourage our students to do it either; I would push for everyone in different countries to do that.

NewsTaco: What is your favorite thing about Mexico?

Tony Garza: People, easily. Food as well. The people I live with are wonderful and there is nothing more enjoyable than sitting down to a good meal with descent friends and spending hours during the “sobremesa” and to me that without a doubt extremely important to me.