Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico Celebrate 56th Anniversary of The Abrazo De La Amistad Ceremony

By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2018

The United States-Mexico border sister cities of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico celebrated the 56th Anniversary of The Abrazo De La Amistad Ceremony on Friday, March 16, 2018, at 5:30 P.M. at the US-Mexico border International Boundary Line atop the elevated Eagle Pass International Bridge No. 1 amidst over 500 persons in attendance, kicking-off the 2018 Eagle Pass International Friendship Festival.

Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras celebrate The Abrazo De La Amistad annually as a symbolic gesture of the two sister cities friendship, unity, peace, collaboration, and harmony between their residents and two countries.  The annual Abrazo De La Amistad Ceremony is sponsored by the Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras International Good Neighbor Council, which selects each year a person from both cities as Mr. Amigo to formally conduct a friendship hug to symbolize the friendship and unity of the Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras communities.

Selected as the 2018 Mr. Amigos were former Eagle Pass City Manager and Eagle Pass Water Works System General Manager Roberto Gonzalez representing Eagle Pass and historian Ramon Carrillo representing Piedras Negras.

Presenting the colors of the United States was the Eagle Pass Police Department and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Color Guard while the Mexican National Army Color Guard accompanied by the Piedras Negras student “Banda Militar De Oro” presented the colors of the United Mexican States (Mexico) to officially start the Abrazo De La Amistad Ceremony.

Masters of Ceremonies at the bicultural and bilingual Abrazo De La Amistad Ceremony were Juan Cuellar on behalf of Eagle Pass and Fabian Acevedo on behalf of Piedras Negras. They welcomed the guests and introduced the United States and Mexico public dignitaries at the presidium at the ceremony.

Representing the United States were Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu, U.S. Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo Phillip Linderman, Texas State Representative Poncho Nevarez’s representative, U.S. House of Representative Will Hurd’s representative Stacey Arteaga, Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo, Eagle Pass Port Director Paul Del Rincon (CBP), Mr. Amigo Roberto Gonzalez, and Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Good Neighbor Council President Rene L. Martinez.

Representing Mexico were Piedras Negras Mayor Sonia Villarreal Perez, Mexican Consulate General in Eagle Pass Ismael Naveja Macias, CPA Oscar Fernando Lopez Elizondo on behalf of the State of Coahuila Governor Miguel Angel Riquelme Solis, Dr. Monica Magana on behalf of Mexican Congresswoman Esperanza Chapa, Major Alejandro Barrera Leal on behalf of the Mexian National Army, Arquitect Carlos Lopez Moncada as President of the International Good Neighbor Council, Mr. Amigo Ramon Humberto Carrillo Garcia, and Ana Isabel Sada Castelazo on behalf of the Economic Development and Tourism Department.

Presenting the United States National Anthem was Eagle Pass artist and singer Jessica Kowalski Cavazos, who presented a beautiful and solemn rendition of the national anthem. Presenting Mexico’s national anthem was Piedras Negras singer Vivian Luna Cordova, who presented a beautiful and bold rendition of the national anthem.

Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu stated that the citizens of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras have enjoyed a historic friendship built upon dignity and respect for each other and should continue working together to build bridges between the United States and Mexico instead of creating divisions among themselves. Mayor Cantu quoted from Mexican Poet Octavio Paz and former Mexican Benito Juarez’s universal quote that “the path to peace is the respect of the rights of others.”  Mayor Cantu vowed to continue working with Piedras Negras Mayor Sonia Villarreal Perez in making the Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras communities the best among the Texas-Mexico border.

Piedras Negras Mayor Sonia Villarreal Perez applauded the citizens of Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass for their friendship and unity since their founding, but most importantly stated that there will never be a wall large enough nor strong enough to divide the dreams of the people of two great nations who unite for the best interests and common good of their citizens. Mayor Villarreal Perez added that the citizens of both communities and countries pursue their dreams and unity to develop a global community in the best interests of all citizens without the fear of any walls and prejudices against friendship.

Also speaking at the Abrazo De La Amistad Ceremony were U.S. Consulate General Phillip Linderman, Mexican Consulate General Ismael Naveja Macias, U.S. House of Representative Will Hurd’s representative Stacey Arteaga, Coahuila Governor representative CPA Oscar Fernando Lopez Elizondo, and Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Good Neighbor Council President Rene L. Martinez.

Presenting the honorary 2018 Mr. Amigo sash on Roberto Gonzalez were Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu and Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Good Neighbor Council President Rene L. Martinez, while Piedras Negras Mayor Sonia Villarreal Perez and International Good Neighbor Council President Carlos Lopez Moncada presented the honorary 2018 Mr. Amigo sash upon Ramon Carrillo.

Following the official presentation of the honorary Mr. Amigo sashes, both Mr. Amigos Roberto Gonzalez and Ramon Carrillo participated in the exchange of the traditional Abrazo De La Amistad (Friendship Hug) symbolizing the historic and longstanding friendship between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras as well as between the United States and Mexico amid a standing ovation and applause from over 500 people in attendance.

After Mr. Amigos Roberto Gonzalez and Ramon Carrillo exhanged their Abrazo De La Amistad (Friendship Hug), the remaining public dignitaries on the presidium exchanged a symbolic Abrazo to commemorate the friendship between the communities of Piedras Negras and Eagle Pass and the two great nations of Mexico and United States.

Following the traditional Abrazo De La Amistad ceremony, guests and public dignitaries were hosted to the traditional Abrazo De La Amistad Dinner at the historic remains of Fort Duncan in Eagle Pass sponsored by Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu.