The Foreign Service Journal, October 2007

American tourist. “The people are friendly and the fish tacos are the best in the world.” But the presumption that “anything goes” in Mexico has gotten countless tourists into trouble or even landed them behind bars. More than 20 percent of all Americans arrested outside the United States are incarcerated in Tijuana, making the consulate’s American Citizen Services Section one of the busiest in the world. Unlucky tourists are arrested for a wide range of vio- lations, from drunk and disorderly conduct to child pornography. On average, ACS handles at least one death (usually a victim of a violent crime, such as a gunshot wound or stabbing) and one welfare/where- abouts case each day. Some visitors may simply find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. Drug-related violence, often involving the police, has plagu- ed the city for decades; the number of execution-style assassinations reached a record high in 2006. Earlier this year, Mexican President Felipe Calderon sent approximately 3,300 soldiers and federal police offi- cers to the border city in “Operation Tijuana,” part of an ongoing national effort to stem narco-violence. On the campaign’s inaugural day, federal agents not only conducted a surprise inspection and inventory of municipal police weapons, but also set up random patrols and conducted helicopter over- flights. The federal government ordered all municipal police to surrender their guns (2,135 firearms of vari- ous calibers) and patrol the streets weaponless. In protest, the police filled their empty gun holsters with slingshots and rocks until their weapons were returned to them after approximately one month of ballistics testing by the military. To date, the Mexican govern- ment has not publicly reported any arrest or indict- ments stemming from the aforementioned testing, and the region continues to be marred by drug and gang violence. Tijuana is experiencing explosive growth, due both to tourism and to NAFTA-induced industrial development of the maquiladora (manufacturing) sector. Over 900 maquiladoras, employing approximately 250,000 work- ers, have been set up in several areas along the border. The government of Mexico has successfully targeted the financial services, automotive and electronics sectors to increase investment, and has streamlined the process to attract even more investors. Maquiladoras account for approximately 35 percent of Mexico’s total imports and nearly 50 percent of total exports. The residential housing explosion along the Pacific coast of Baja California is continuing to attract thou- sands of Americans to live in Mexico, even though non- Mexican citizens cannot constitutionally own property within 50 kilometers (about 31 miles) of the coast. American retirees, students and professionals are among those who are moving to Baja in search of affordable ocean-view, majestic residences. Donald Trump is even getting into the act: he recently announced the construc- tion of the Trump Ocean Resort in Baja, a 525-suite lux- ury condominium. Cross-Border Cooperation Cooperation between U.S. and Mexican border com- F O C U S O C T O B E R 2 0 0 7 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 27 Trucks crossing the Otay Mesa Port of Entry. Tijuana PAO Charles S. Smith