Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on Wednesday announced a plan to promote trade and cultural exchange with Mexico, calling the relationship the "most important international alliance" the state has.
The governor announced the plan during a trip to Mexico City, where he met with Mexican officials to discuss the Joint Utah Mexico Partnership, an initiative proposed by the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity and the Mexican Consulate in Salt Lake City.
"Our relationship with Mexico is the most important international alliance Utah has," Cox said. "We have long enjoyed economic and diplomatic connections that have been mutually beneficial and this plan will only strengthen our ties."
"Utah's future with Mexico is very bright," he added.
Trade between Mexico and the Beehive State has increased about 50% between 2018 and 2022, totaling $5.6 billion in imports and exports, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Mexico is also the state's largest import partner and third-largest export partner.
The Joint Utah Mexico Partnership proposal, also called JUMP, focuses on trade between the two partners, as well as sharing workforce, culture and promoting foreign language learning in Utah schools.
Eduardo Baca, the consul of Mexico in Salt Lake City, noted the centurylong connection with Utah, which "has resulted in a strong and unique relationship that has stolid economic, cultural, trade and people-to-people components."
Trade with Mexico already supports 51,000 jobs in Utah, the Governor's Office estimates, with further commitment expected to continue to grow the economy and create jobs in both Utah and Mexico.
Mexican Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alicia Bárcena said she's supportive of the plan, saying it's "important that we make the most of the excellent state of Mexico-U.S. relations to deepen our economic ties and build a true binational and regional community that increases trade, social inclusion and job creation."
Our relationship with Mexico is the most important international alliance Utah has.
– Utah Gov. Spencer Cox
In addition to the economic goals of the partnership, JUMP is focused on strengthening cultural ties between Utah and Mexico. There are nearly 500,000 Utahns of Hispanic or Latino descent, and the plan recommends that cities and state agencies promote existing cultural festivals and other events.
It also recommends partnerships with cultural institutions in Mexico to create cultural exchanges, including artist residencies and student exchange programs.
Tourism is another recommended avenue for cultural exchange, which would also be a boon to both economies, according to the proposal. Mexicans spent more than $10 million on the Utah economy in 2021, making them one of the top sources of tourism in the state.
Salt Lake City International Airport already has direct flights to Cancun, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. The JUMP partnership proposes collaborating with the airport to expand flight options between Salt Lake City and Mexico.
