KDAVID RAMÍREZ / @KdavidRmz
In recent weeks, the participation in public life of Mexicans residing abroad has been a topic of debate after the electoral reform proposed by President Claudia Sheinbaum was not approved by Mexican legislators.
In this context, SOMOS MIGRANTES had the opportunity to question the federal representative, José Narro Cespedes, who has been a promoter of the Mexican vote abroad and questioned about the progress that could be achieved with an electoral reform.
“It is a slight advance in which there will have to be some deputies for migrants, I think it is important that these spaces be opened and we seek to have a Congress where migrants are represented and participate, we currently have about 8 migrant federal deputies. We are seeking to strengthen this link between the Mexican community that is in the US, seek a better articulation between them and us since they can convert their remittances into capital for productive investment to generate employment, development and well-being for the people.”
What are the major pending issues regarding links with the Mexican migrant community in the US?
“The integration of the Mexican community in the United States into national political life remains pending, to seek that migrants are represented in the Congress of the Union, to seek that they are also represented in the state Congresses, especially where the migrant population is very important, and also to seek municipal spaces such as in the councils so that the migrants also have spaces in the municipalities and thus the municipalities strengthen their relationship with Mexicans who are in the United States, seek investment by supporting us with the Mexicans who are living in “USA”.
Narro acknowledged that currently it is more complicated for Mexican migrants in the US, “and unfortunately work visas have not been regularized either, there had been some progress when Obama was in the US government and with Biden, but now there is a closure,” said the federal legislator.
What can be done from Mexico to improve the situation of migrants in the US?
“We must see migrants not only as people who send remittances, but also seek to ensure that their political, economic and social rights are recognized in our country and seek their integration into national public life.”
The deputy assured that “the issue of the FINABIEN card is very important so that some banks and some brokerage houses do not get rich through remittances and that in the end they take away a very important percentage from Mexicans living in the United States. So today it is important to strengthen FINABIEN and strengthen the articulation projects between Mexicans who are in the United States,” Narro concluded.
