In this issue
A note from Ambassasdor Garza
An education model that's truly local
In the news
Five questions with Texas Gov. Rick Perry

A note from Ambassador Garza
Mexico's mid-term elections saw a resurgence of the PRI and new challenges for President Felipe Calderón as he reaches the midpoint in his administration and presses forward in his war with the drug cartels. At ViaNovo, within 24 hours of President Calderon's Sept. 2 address to the nation, our clients and friends had this Snapshot assessment of the speech in their hands. That's what ViaNovo does: keeps you informed and helps inform your decisions about Mexico.

As 2009 begins to wind down, clearly there's still plenty of reason to be concerned about the global economy. I do however remain optimistic about opportunity for U.S.-Mexico economic partnership and investment on both sides of the border.

In addition to my U.S.-based work with ViaNovo, I serve as Counsel to the law firm White & Case here in Mexico City. I'm sure many of you are well aware of the firm's long track record of success in structuring emerging market financings. However, I'd like to emphasize the firm's practice on complex cross-border transactions in the infrastructure and energy areas.

So if it's these sectors you're following, click here for the firm's infrastructure report and for opportunities in the energy sector, click here. These reports will be updated shortly to reflect Mexico's most recent activity and their last quarter prioritization of projects. If you would like these reports or sectoral alerts as soon as they are available, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In my last "Five Questions," I visited with Cisco CEO John Chambers on the heels of that company's historic investment in Mexico. This month, we'll hear from Texas Governor Rick Perry to gain his perspective not only on my home state, but also on the unique dynamics of the Texas-Mexico relationship.

For the latest news, I hope you'll follow me on Twitter @aogarza. I also encourage you to visit my Web site. Whether you are looking north or south, you ought to consider making White & Case or ViaNovo part of your team.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Perspectives.

With best wishes, I am,

Sincerely,

Tony Garza

An education model that's truly local
Ambassador Garza's recent Op-ed column, published in the Dallas Morning News and other Texas daily newspapers, highlights the challenges brought on by a public education system that's not graduating enough students and is failing to ensure Texas and U.S. students are workforce ready and globally competitive. Part of his solution lies in a rethinking of local control and a new form of open-source based governance. Read the full Op-ed here.

In the news
Tony Garza was recently named to the Advisory Board of FameCast, the leading digital marketing and entertainment platform with a growing presence not only in the U.S. but across Latin America. Readers of Perspectives might be interested in learning what the FameCast platform has to offer businesses looking to launch and drive participatory, multimedia grassroots campaigns. To learn more about FameCast capabilities, visit them online.

Five questions with Texas Gov. Rick Perry
Texas has been called the best place for business in the U.S., and Ambassador Garza's home state has certainly weathered the economic recession better than most. Much of the credit for the strong state economy and pro-business climate can go to Texas Gov. Rick Perry. He's also a border governor with a great appreciation for a strong and secure Texas and a strong and secure Mexico.

Here, Ambassador Garza brings back his "Five Questions" column with an interview with Gov. Perry.

Ambassador Garza (AOG): Leading news and business publications, most recently the Wall Street Journal, the Economist and the National Review, hail Texas as the best place for business in the U.S. The state is weathering the economic recession better than most. You've said one secret to that success is "Don't spend all the money." Is it really that simple, or is there more to it?

Governor Perry (RP): More and more people are realizing that Texas is the best state in the country to live, raise a family and do business, especially during this time of national economic turmoil. A large part of our success is strong leadership that has made tough decisions and maintained a focus on conservative fiscal principles. In 2003, when Texas faced a $10 billion shortfall we closed the budget gap by cutting spending. It's that commitment to low taxes, limited government and fiscally conservative approaches that put Texas on the path to economic prosperity. Fast forward to 2009, and the national economic downturn, Texas was able to cut taxes for more than 40,000 small businesses while other states are raising taxes. Here in the Lone Star State we are maintaining a fair and predictable regulatory climate, and providing incentives to innovative and expanding companies that are looking to do business in the state. Texas is also the number one exporting state in the nation, home of the most Fortune 500 companies in the U.S. and the leading energy producer in the country. We also have a diverse and educated workforce, and we continue to educate and prepare our children to be competitive on not just a national, but a global scale. I believe these factors, paired with reasonable housing prices; a diverse, exciting culture and a high standard of living have attracted not only hundreds of companies, but more than 1,000 people a day to the Lone Star State, while propelling us to the forefront of the national economy.

Read more of "Five Questions" here.