2026 Legislative Delegation Visit to Oaxaca City
July 2026
In July 2026, the California Border Issues Project convened its annual legislative delegation visit to Oaxaca in partnership with the Assembly Select Committee on California-Mexico Bi-National Affairs. Ten California state legislators participated, joined by representatives from business, science, K-12 education and higher education.
The visit brought California policymakers together with Oaxacan government officials, educators, industry leaders and conservation partners to explore cooperation in education, economic development, cultural preservation and environmental protection. Meetings in Oaxaca City and Santa María Huatulco offered perspectives on municipal administration, Indigenous governance and the management of coastal resources.
These connections have direct relevance to California. An estimated 350,000 Oaxacans live in the state, maintaining family, cultural and commercial ties across the border. Those relationships support businesses and supply chains connecting Oaxacan producers of goods such as mole, mezcal and quesillo with California consumers.
Day 1: Cultural Heritage and Economic Connections
The delegation began with a preview performance of the Guelaguetza, Oaxaca’s signature annual cultural celebration, followed by a dinner with leaders from the local mezcal industry. The evening introduced delegates to the relationship between cultural heritage and economic opportunity. Oaxaca’s culinary traditions and artisanal industries provided context for considering how trade, tourism and small-business development can sustain local livelihoods while preserving regional identity.
Day 2: Historic Preservation and Municipal Cooperation
A visit to Monte Albán provided historical context for the delegation’s discussions of government and community life. Once a major center of Zapotec civilization, the mountaintop site contains monumental plazas, temples and evidence of sophisticated urban planning. Monte Albán and Oaxaca’s historic city center were jointly inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1987, underscoring the importance of coordinated stewardship of archaeological resources and living urban communities.
The delegation then met with Oaxaca de Juárez Mayor Raymundo Chagoya Villanueva and municipal leaders, including:
- Arturo Martínez Núñez, Secretary of Arts and Culture.
- Alicia Bueno Velasco, Secretary of Culture, Education and Reading Promotion.
- Frida Y. Lyle García, City Councilmember for Shared Prosperity and Tourism.
Discussions explored opportunities to strengthen institutional relationships, exchange experience and develop partnerships supporting economic development, tourism and Oaxaca’s international visibility.
Mayor Chagoya emphasized that cooperation with California legislators could help build agreements and create opportunities benefiting local residents. He also expressed interest in a sister-city relationship, providing a potential framework for continued collaboration among municipal governments, educational institutions and community organizations.
Day 3: Indigenous Governance and Educational Partnerships
San Diego State University hosted the delegation at its Oaxaca Center for Mesoamerican Studies, established in 2022 as a hub for student and faculty research and engagement in one of Mexico’s most culturally and linguistically diverse Indigenous regions.
The center gives California-Mexico educational cooperation a permanent institutional home. SDSU offers 13 study-abroad opportunities in Oaxaca, including eight faculty-led programs spanning engineering, education, public health, anthropology, Indigenous languages and the arts. These programs connect academic instruction with field research and collaboration with local educators, professionals and communities.
Several programs have direct relevance to the delegation’s policy interests. Engineering students study water treatment and geotechnical engineering, examining how local and Indigenous practices inform engineering solutions. Future bilingual teachers study multilingual education, while health programs introduce students to healthcare delivery, preventive medicine and the relationships between economic conditions and health. Mixtec and Zapotec language programs offer knowledge relevant to serving Indigenous communities with ties to both Oaxaca and California.
The educational program included Dr. Cristina Alfaro of SDSU and professors María del Pilar Camargo Juárez, Rolando Fernando Martínez Sánchez and Marco Antonio González Florián.
Professor Erick Adrian López Cristóbal, a native of Villa Díaz Ordaz who previously served as municipal treasurer, presented on usos y costumbres, the community traditions and practices that inform Indigenous governance. His experience in municipal administration and community service added a local perspective on how communities select authorities, organize public responsibilities and sustain civic participation.
The briefing offered California legislators a comparative perspective on local decision-making, community autonomy and the protection of individual rights, including women’s equal rights to vote and hold office. The university’s work demonstrates how California’s public institutions can sustain binational cooperation through teaching, research and community engagement.
Day 4: Guelaguetza and the Public Role of Culture
The delegation attended the Guelaguetza as guests of Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara Cruz. Bringing together communities from the state’s eight regions, the celebration showcases music, dance, dress and traditions that remain integral to Oaxacan identity.
The festival also serves as a setting for engagement among government leaders and international representatives. For our California delegates, the celebration offered a perspective on how government supports cultural preservation, recognizes Indigenous communities and connects regional identity with tourism and economic development. These traditions also provide an enduring link to Oaxacan communities in California, where local Guelaguetza celebrations maintain connections across generations and borders.
Day 5: Artisan Training and Community Economic Development
In San Martín Tilcajete, the delegation met with master artisans known for their brightly painted, carved wooden alebrijes. Delegates learned about the training programs developed over decades to prepare new generations of artists.
The visit offered a community-based example of workforce development in which technical skill, mentorship and cultural knowledge are passed from experienced practitioners to younger artists. It also demonstrated how specialized local industries can create economic opportunities while maintaining distinctive traditions.
A subsequent visit to San Bartolo Coyotepec, renowned for its barro negro, or black pottery, further illustrated the connection between cultural preservation, artisan enterprise and community identity. Together, the visits highlighted the importance of traditional skills and local enterprises within broader economic development efforts.
Days 6-7: Coastal Communities, Water Management and Environmental Cooperation
The delegation continued to Santa María Huatulco, where it met with Mayor Julio César Cárdenas Ortega for discussions on tourism, sustainability, education and the development of coastal communities.
The meeting addressed environmental protection, water management, educational exchanges and joint tourism promotion. Participants also advanced discussions about a potential sister-city relationship with Seaside, California. These subjects provided a practical agenda for continued municipal dialogue, particularly on managing coastal resources and supporting tourism alongside community needs.
The following day, delegates visited Huatulco National Park with representatives of Governor Jara’s administration. Established by federal decree in 1998, the park protects approximately 29,400 acres, including 13,600 acres of marine habitat. Its protected landscapes encompass tropical dry forest and coastal ecosystems, while its marine waters contain coral communities and habitat for sea turtles, dolphins and numerous fish species.
Delegates learned about cooperation among park authorities, conservation organizations and local communities to protect coral reefs and marine biodiversity while supporting responsible tourism. Together, the municipal meeting and park visit highlighted interconnected responsibilities familiar to California policymakers: protecting coastal ecosystems, managing water resources and sustaining the communities and economies that depend on them.
Through meetings with government leaders and engagement with educational, cultural and environmental institutions, the delegation strengthened relationships that can support future cooperation between California and Oaxaca. Continued work can turn those connections into practical partnerships with lasting benefits for communities in both states.
SDSU Oaxaca Center for Mesoamerican Studies
San Diego State University honors the deep connections between Oaxaca and California through academic engagement and research. SDSU's Oaxaca Center for Mesoamerican Studies serves as a base camp for teaching, research and collaborative community engagement.
2026 California-Mexico Day Dinner
California–Mexico Day is an annual event that emphasizes the significance of California-Mexico relationships and the collaboration between California and Mexico. This event gathers business, community, and government leaders from both regions to showcase ongoing projects that enhance cross-border collaboration.
The 2026 California-Mexico Day dinner served as an important occasion to highlight this year's progress while exploring new avenues to advance the partnership. The California Border Issues Project proudly hosted this year’s concluding dinner on April 8, which brought together California lawmakers, state business leaders, nonprofit stakeholders, and Mexican government officials, reinforcing the commitment to furthering the legislative delegation visit agenda.
2025 Legislative Delegation Visit to Mexico City
At the end of October 2025, the California Border Issues Project held its annual Legislative Delegation Visit to Mexico, this year returning to Mexico City. The delegation consisted of seven state legislators, accompanied by representatives from various sectors including business, organized labor, agriculture, public safety, and local government. This visit highlighted the importance of California–Mexico relationships at a time when there is heightened attention on the state's deep economic ties with Mexico and the strategic significance of fostering cross-border collaboration.
California’s economic relationship with Mexico remains central to the state’s long-term competitiveness and has significant implications for California border issues. In 2024, California exported approximately US $33.5 billion in goods to Mexico—nearly 18% of all California exports—while total two-way goods trade reached US $91.3 billion. These figures exemplify the importance of California Mexico relationships, as U.S.–Mexico trade surpassed US $800 billion in recent years, with Mexico becoming the United States’ largest trading partner in 2023. This strong economic connection underscores the high level of cross-border collaboration and highlights strategic policy opportunities for California—particularly in nearshoring, supply-chain resilience, and workforce collaboration. Events like the California Mexico Day Dinner foster dialogue around these issues and enhance regional infrastructure initiatives, further strengthening ties. Additionally, the Legislative Delegation Visit will play a key role in addressing these collaborative efforts and ensuring a healthy, predictable U.S.–Mexico relationship.
On the delegation’s first full day, members engaged in a crucial joint session addressing California border issues alongside Mexico’s Senate Commission on Northern Border Affairs, the Commission on Foreign Relations for North America, and the Mexico–California Binational Affairs Committee.
Convened by Senator Juan Carlos Loera de la Rosa, this legislative delegation visit aimed to enhance long-term collaboration and foster California Mexico relationships, particularly with California, the U.S. state that has the largest population of Mexican-born residents.
Senate President Laura Itzel Castillo praised the initiative and condemned recent incidents targeting Mexican migrant workers in the United States, reaffirming the importance of cross-border collaboration during the upcoming California Mexico Day Dinner.
The joint session featured two in-depth working meetings that addressed key California border issues. The first focused on expanding economic ties and modernizing cross-border commerce, which is essential for California Mexico relationships. Senator Karina Ruiz highlighted the Senate’s outreach in Los Angeles, including hearings on reducing remittance-tax burdens—an issue with major financial implications for California’s Mexican diaspora. In line with enhancing cross-border collaboration, Senator Alejandro Murat proposed assembling a joint technical team to identify new opportunities under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA/T-MEC) and to coordinate legislative approaches that better align regulatory frameworks across borders. Senator Emmanuel Reyes Carmona emphasized California’s global economic significance and called for deeper binational partnerships to strengthen shared prosperity, positioning North America as a more competitive region in the wake of the California Mexico Day Dinner discussions.
The second day opened with a policy briefing at the U.S. Embassy, led by U.S. Economic Counselor Hilary Renner and senior officials from the Foreign Commercial Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Commerce, and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. Embassy staff outlined ongoing efforts to support U.S. citizens and businesses in Mexico, which are crucial for California-Mexico relationships, including facilitating overdue VAT refunds and providing guidance for companies expanding production under nearshoring trends. Members of the California delegation raised opportunities for closer federal-state coordination to address California border issues, particularly persistent pollution in the Tijuana River, including potential pathways for binational infrastructure financing and enforcement cooperation. This collaborative effort sets the stage for the upcoming California Mexico Day Dinner, celebrating cross-border collaboration and progress.
Later that day, the legislative delegation visit included a high-level briefing from Guillermo Bernal of the American Chamber of Commerce in Mexico. Bernal warned of the accelerating challenge posed by China’s dominance in global manufacturing and emphasized the strategic imperative of a unified North American production ecosystem. With Mexico now the United States’ top trading partner, and nearshoring accelerating, he noted that manufacturing job growth in Mexico correlates strongly with job creation in the United States, illustrating the co-production model that increasingly defines regional supply chains. He further highlighted the importance of California-Mexico relationships, noting that USMCA remains the foundation for the fair-trade norms the U.S. seeks to advance globally. Following the presentation, members participated in discussions during the California Mexico Day Dinner with leaders from U.S.-based companies operating in Mexico—including Cargill, Kenworth, Meta, Sempra, Uber, and Valero—to explore market opportunities, address California border issues, and devise strategies to ensure California remains a competitive gateway for North American trade and investment through cross-border collaboration.
The legislative delegation visit concluded with an insightful exploration of Mexico City’s Día de los Muertos celebrations. This experience enriched their understanding of the cultural significance behind a holiday that not only honors ancestors but also emphasizes Mexico’s enduring values of family, memory, and community. These cherished traditions inspire cross-border collaboration and play a vital role in fostering California-Mexico relationships, as evidenced by events like the California Mexico Day Dinner, which highlights the importance of cultural festivities across borders.
Several policy considerations and recommendations that emerged from the Legislative Delegation Visit include:
Establishing a California–Mexico Nearshoring Task Force
Modeled on Senator Murat’s proposal, California could convene state, federal, and Mexican counterparts—alongside industry and labor stakeholders—to identify regulatory reforms, infrastructure needs, and workforce partnerships that maximize nearshoring opportunities and address California border issues.
Expanding binational environmental infrastructure investment
Persistent cross-border pollution issues—especially in the Tijuana River watershed—necessitate formalized cooperation with U.S. federal agencies, the Mexican government, and the North American Development Bank (NADBank). California could lead a dedicated funding compact or multi-year remediation plan to enhance California Mexico relationships through environmental initiatives.
Strengthening migrant-worker protections and support systems
Given ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of Mexican nationals in the U.S., California can advance state-level protections, enforcement of labor rights, and binational information-sharing to support migrant communities and ensure compliance with labor standards, promoting cross-border collaboration.
Creating a California–Mexico Innovation and Workforce Exchange
Recognizing the interdependence of manufacturing growth in both countries, California could establish an exchange program involving community colleges, industry training centers, and Mexican technical institutes. This initiative would prepare a binational workforce aligned with advanced manufacturing and clean-energy production—a key component of celebrating the future during events like the California Mexico Day Dinner.
2024 Legislative Delegation Visit to Guadalajara
Guadalajara, Jalisco
Day 2: Inauguration of Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro
Day 1: Semiconductor Industry
The California Border Issues Project recently undertook a successful Legislative Delegation Visit to Guadalajara in December 2024. This delegation included state legislators, business officials, agricultural envoys, labor leaders, and CBIP volunteers, all focused on understanding Mexico's growing technology sector. Their objective was to
The California Border Issues Project recently undertook a successful Legislative Delegation Visit to Guadalajara in December 2024. This delegation included state legislators, business officials, agricultural envoys, labor leaders, and CBIP volunteers, all focused on understanding Mexico's growing technology sector. Their objective was to explore cross-border collaboration opportunities and strengthen California-Mexico relationships, especially with the new leadership of the State of Jalisco.
Day 1: Semiconductor Industry
Day 2: Inauguration of Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro
Day 1: Semiconductor Industry
On the first day of our visit as part of the Legislative Delegation Visit, the delegation met with U.S. Consul General Amy Scanlon, Secretary of Economic Development Cindy Blanco from Governor-elect Pablo Lemus's administration, and representatives from business organizations and Mexican universities. Discussions focused on enhancing Cali
On the first day of our visit as part of the Legislative Delegation Visit, the delegation met with U.S. Consul General Amy Scanlon, Secretary of Economic Development Cindy Blanco from Governor-elect Pablo Lemus's administration, and representatives from business organizations and Mexican universities. Discussions focused on enhancing California Mexico relationships and addressing California Border Issues, particularly in the semiconductor sector. Before touring Intel's Zapopan plant, CBIP’s delegation engaged in a roundtable discussion emphasizing cross-border collaboration, innovation, and investment in North America's high-tech manufacturing sector. Notably, computer and electronic products represent one of California's largest export categories to Mexico. Recognized as Mexico's Silicon Valley, Guadalajara features a vibrant startup ecosystem, a strong pool of engineering talent, and a notable presence of multinational tech companies, including Intel, IBM, HP, Oracle, and Siemens. The city is home to over 1,000 tech companies.
Day 2: Inauguration of Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro
Day 2: Inauguration of Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro
Day 2: Inauguration of Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro
The following day, the legislative delegation visit attended the inauguration of Pablo Lemus Navarro as Governor of Jalisco, hosted by the State of Jalisco. In his address, former Governor Lemus focused on his vision for strengthening California Mexico relationships and emphasized a collaborative approach across borders. He promised advan
The following day, the legislative delegation visit attended the inauguration of Pablo Lemus Navarro as Governor of Jalisco, hosted by the State of Jalisco. In his address, former Governor Lemus focused on his vision for strengthening California Mexico relationships and emphasized a collaborative approach across borders. He promised advancements in various sectors, particularly highlighting the importance of education. Lemus pledged to equip schools with technology and modernize educational facilities statewide, which aligns with ongoing discussions regarding California border issues. Additionally, he announced the expansion of state health insurance coverage, ensuring no-cost treatment for children with cancer, diabetes, and kidney failure, showcasing the benefits of cross-border collaboration, especially when it comes to health and education initiatives. This event coincided with the California Mexico Day Dinner, further reinforcing the partnership between the two regions.
Day 3: Agriculture
Day 2: Inauguration of Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro
Day 2: Inauguration of Gov. Pablo Lemus Navarro
On the final day of CBIP's 2024 Legislative Delegation Visit to Mexico, the delegation traveled to the rural northwest of Guadalajara to gain insights into Jalisco's agricultural industry, its workforce, and leading exports. This visit highlights the importance of California Mexico relationships, as Mexico has long been California's large
On the final day of CBIP's 2024 Legislative Delegation Visit to Mexico, the delegation traveled to the rural northwest of Guadalajara to gain insights into Jalisco's agricultural industry, its workforce, and leading exports. This visit highlights the importance of California Mexico relationships, as Mexico has long been California's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade estimated at $100 billion in 2024. Additionally, discussions about California Border Issues and cross-border collaboration were prominent topics leading up to the California Mexico Day Dinner.
2023 Legislative Delegation Visit to Mexico City
The California Border Issues Project (CBIP) successfully organized a legislative delegation visit to Mexico City in the fall of 2023. This important trip brought together state legislators, civic leaders, business officials, organized labor, and CBIP volunteers to explore educational and investigative opportunities focused on California Mexico relationships and key policy issues affecting both regions.
Prior to embarking on the trip, participants had the opportunity to hear from Ambassador Nathan Wolf Lustbader, the general director of the Mexican Council on International Affairs (COMEXI). With over 20 years of experience as a career diplomat, Ambassador Lustbader provided insights into the current political dynamics between the United States, particularly California, and Mexico. He emphasized several potential policy flashpoints that could impact cross-border collaboration, including renewable energy, immigration, and trade. This visit set the stage for ongoing dialogue, which will also be further explored at the upcoming California Mexico Day Dinner.
Upon arriving in Mexico City, participants of our Legislative Delegation Visit were greeted by Dr. Hector Cardenas, an esteemed member of Mexico’s Foreign Relations Council and a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy. During the California Mexico Day Dinner, Dr. Cardenas provided an insightful discussion on the historical California Mexico relationships and explored the current political dynamics in Mexico, especially in the context of the upcoming presidential election and the pressing California border issues. He emphasized the importance of cross-border collaboration in addressing these challenges.
A highlight of CBIP’s event was spending time at Alianza MX, a University of California center dedicated to engaging with the private and public sectors and other stakeholders on both sides of the border to address California border issues and build resilient public policies that enhance US-Mexico cooperation. During our visit, which was part of a larger Legislative Delegation Visit, our group heard from influential speakers including Dr. Francisco Estrada (UNAM/PINCC), Angélica Vesga (World Resources Institute), Diana Alarcón (chief advisor to the mayor and foreign affairs coordinator for Mexico City), and Odon de Buen (Comisión Nacional para el Uso Eficiente de la Energía, México). This esteemed group shared their insights on the potential for cross-border collaboration between California and Mexico on key policy issues such as climate change, the clean energy transition, and environmental quality. These discussions also laid the groundwork for future initiatives that could be highlighted at events like the California Mexico Day Dinner, reinforcing the strong California Mexico relationships that are vital for addressing mutual concerns.
Following that, our group participated in the California Mexico Day Dinner, where we had the opportunity to meet with over two dozen distinguished guests of Alianza MX. This included representatives from the Universidad Politécnica Santa Rosa Jáuregui, the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, the Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciónes y Estudios sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo, the Center for Research on North America at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, the Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography of Mexico, OCA Reputación, World Vision Mexico, Iniciativa Climática de México, World Resources Institute México, Cámara Nacional de Manufacturas Eléctricas, Gobierno de la Ciudad de México – Jefatura de Gobierno, AMEXCID, the United States Embassy, and Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This gathering underscored the importance of California Mexico relationships and the need for cross-border collaboration, particularly in addressing California border issues during our Legislative Delegation Visit.
Later during the trip, our group visited the Palacio Nacional, the seat of the federal branch of the Mexican government and home to the offices of the president of Mexico and the US Embassy in Mexico City. There, we engaged with the deputy chief of mission and several subject area staff from the USDA Foreign Agriculture Service’s Agricultural Trade Office. The group discussed critical bilateral issues with the State Department staff, including California border issues such as trade, fentanyl trafficking, counterfeit goods, family reunification policies, and backlogs in processing naturalization applications.
On another day, the legislative delegation visit included a tour of a new, state-of-the-art energy storage facility outside Mexico City, where our group learned about the interdependence of Mexico, California, and the United States in energy production and refining. According to the California Energy Commission, Mexico supplies approximately 5% of California’s petroleum. Conversely, US facilities refine a significant percentage of Mexico’s petroleum, highlighting the importance of California Mexico relationships and the need for cross-border collaboration.
Finally, the CBIP delegation spent time at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México’s Ciudad Universitaria (UNAM), one of Mexico’s premier public research universities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At UNAM’s Institute of Engineering, the group engaged in meaningful discussions about water, coastal resilience, climate change, and agriculture with key experts including Director Rosa María Ramírez, Faculty member Dr. Christian Appendini from UNAM-Sisal Yucatan, Dr. Ramón Domínguez, former Director of the National Water Council (CONAGUA) Dr. Fernando González, and Professor María del Rocío Cassaigne, who is the Director of Stakeholder Engagement. The insights gained during this Legislative Delegation Visit are invaluable for addressing California border issues. The CBIP board is grateful to all participants in this event, including the volunteers who helped organize it, as they believe this collaboration strengthens California-Mexico relationships and promotes cross-border collaboration. This event has undoubtedly enriched our understanding of the pressing issues that impact both California and Mexico, setting the stage for more informed and effective policy discussions in the future.