2017 Abrazo Ceremony dedicated to building bridges, not walls on U.S.-Mexico Border

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017

The 2017 Abrazo Ceremony celebrated its 55th Anniversary on Friday, March 24, 2017, at mid-point of the City of Eagle Pass International Bridge No. 1 kicking-off the International Friendship Festival between the sister cities of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico with a theme dedicated to building bridges, not walls on the United States-Mexico border.

Named as Mr. Amigos for the 2017 Abrazo Ceremony were Roger Perez of Eagle Pass and Carlos Coral of Piedras Negras, Coahuila by the Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras International Good Neighbor Council.  Perez and Coral exchanged the symbolic abrazo to signify the friendship and social, cultural, and economic interdependence between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, as well as the United States and Mexico.

Eagle Pass Mayor Ramsey English Cantu and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico Mayor Fernando Puron also exchanged an abrazo to mark the unique relationship and interdependence between both communities who share the United States-Mexico border as one community, emphasizing the need to continue building bridges, not walls among the two countries.

Over 250 Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras public dignitaries, entrepreneurs, federal and state representatives, and citizens participated in the 2017 Abrazo Ceremony held on March 24th, including Mexican Consul Ismael Naveja Macias, State Representative Poncho Nevarez, Maverick County Judge David R. Saucedo, and Eagle Pass Port of Entry Director John Brandt.

The Abrazo Ceremony inaugurated the 2017 International Friendship Festival which will run from March 24th through April 2nd between the cities of Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico with many activities planned during this period, including the historic and traditional International Friendship Festival Parade on Saturday, April 1st, in downtown Eagle Pass at 11 A.M. with over 100 parade entries and fun for the entire family.