Having played a significant role in the development of small businesses in the city, particularly in the Italian Market area, the Pueblan community has established strong roots and an ongoing cultural and economic relationship between Puebla (Mexico) and Philadelphia.

Mayor Michael Nutter will travel to Mexico on Monday as part of a three-day visit aimed at establishing closer ties with Mexico and its fourth largest city, Puebla, capital of the State of Puebla, located in eastern Central Mexico.

“Philadelphia is a global city built by generations of people who immigrated to this country and to this city,” Nutter said. “In recent years, we’ve had valuable conversations with Mexican officials about creating a more formalized relationship with Mexico.”

Nutter will meet with Puebla State Governor Rafael Moreno-Valle; City of Puebla Mayor Jose Antonio Gali-Fayad, and business leaders. Later in the week in Mexico City, Nutter will meet with Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Jose Antonio Meade; U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Anthony Wayne; Mexican Economic Secretary Ildefonso Guajado, and Mexico City Mayor Miguel A. Mancera.

According to Nutter, with the potential of becoming an “excellent” economic partner, the city of Puebla has been chosen as a direct partner for future cooperation. During his visit, he is set to sign a declaration with Mayor Gali-Fayad to set in place the framework to develop future collaboration between the two cities. 

“The future growth of Philadelphia’s economy will be directly correlated to our ability to create ties with cities around the world,” Nutter said. “With a bilateral Pennsylvania-Mexico trade of about $6.7 billion last year, Mexico is one of Pennsylvania’s main trade partners, and we are confident that we can develop an important relationship for the city of Philadelphia.”

According to the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia, more than 18,000 people from the Puebla-region received passports or consular ID’s between 2008 and 2014, and came to Philadelphia.

“We gladly welcome his visit because he has been a good friend of Mexico and a reliable partner for the Mexican community living in Philadelphia,” said Carlos Giralt-Cabrales, Mexican Consul in Philadelphia. “The visit of Mayor Nutter will help to consolidate the political, social and economic ties between Philadelphia and Mexico.”

Beginning his visit on Monday, Nutter will also meet with Miguel Fernandez Felix, the director of the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. They will discuss plans for a 2016 exhibition with the Philadelphia Museum of Art titled “Mexican Modernism, 1910-1950”. 

Later in the day, he will meet with Guajardo, who did his doctoral work in economics at the University of Pennsylvania.