Dear Members,
We are commemorating in 2004 the ten year anniversary of the coming into effect of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The assessment, judgment and discussion of the benefits and drawbacks that NAFTA has brought to the United States, Mexico and Canada, are constantly approached subjects in the business, economic, academic and governmental sectors. Certainly NAFTA has represented a great success for all three countries in terms of trade-related matters, and it has gone even far beyond. NAFTA has been a centerpiece on the market integration of North America and the building and strengthening of economic, political, social and cultural liaisons among our countries.

The great challenge for our North America are the years ahead, not only for the further development of the market and trade integration already achieved through NAFTA, but for a deeper and more comprehensive integration encompassing political cooperation, social development, security, environmental issues, migration and education, among other important topics.

We, the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Northeast Chapter, are fully committed with the construction of a more solid and integrated North America and with the consolidation of a true partnership relationship among our countries. Our agenda for this year comprises several initiatives and events aimed to directly contribute to this goal. We began this year with the inauguration of our "NAFTA 10 Years Anniversary Series: A New Vision for North America", where Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Former President of Mexico, was our guest speaker. Along this year we will continue this series with the participation of former and current government officials of Mexico, as well as other distinguished personalities that have played key roles on the development of NAFTA.

Several other parallel events to the NAFTA series will also be held this year to address topics such as the challenges that China is imposing to our economies; besides our traditional networking receptions including the upcoming Cinco de Mayo Celebration and the Mexican Independence Day Gala Dinner.

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that Rodrigo Amaré from Zephyr Management LP and Rosemary Werrett from Medley Global Advisors, have become part of our Management Committee. Their extensive experience and high level of commitment will undoubtedly contribute to the Northeast Chapter’s mission and goals. Please join me in welcoming them.

I personally invite all our Members to continue with their active and enthusiastic participation in our initiatives and events. Likewise, I would like to express our gratitude to those who have kindly sponsored our events. We look forward to the opportunity of you and your organization becoming one of our sponsors during this intense-event year.

Best regards,

Eduardo Ramos-Gómez
President

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Foreign Investment in Mexico reached 10.7 billion last year, according to information of the Ministry of Economy of Mexico. Mexico remains the main receptor of foreign direct investment in Latin America above Brazil and Argentina. Most of this investment came from the U.S., Canada and the European Union. The manufacturing industry attracted the largest foreign investment in 2003, gaining over 48 percent, while financial services came in a distant second place with just over 19 percent.

Remittances to Mexico reached a record amount of 13.2 billion dollars for the year 2003, 35% more than those received in the year 2002 when they totaled 9.8 billion dollars. It is worth mentioning that the amount of 2003 has surpassed the foreign direct investment for the same year.

BBVA Authorized to Acquire Bancomer Stock. Madrid's Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA is to acquire the 41 percent of Mexico's BBVA Bancomer that it did not already own. This will be an all-cash deal of $4.12 billion and will give BBVA 100 percent ownership of Mexico based Bancomer. In this transaction BBVA offered its shareholders the same amount, regardless of their share class. This illustrates the improvements that have taken place in Mexico in relation to the shareholders rights as a result of changes in the securities law in the year 2001.

New Flights between Boston and Mexico City; New Route will Increase Trade and Tourism. AeroMexico, Mexico’s largest airline, is the first carrier to offer non-stop service between Boston and Mexico City, which started operating daily between the two cities since February 13, 2004.

The new service is operated with AeroMexico’s new Boeing 737-700 Next Generation aircraft in a two-class configuration.

For more information, visit www.aeromexico.com or call 1-800-237-6639.

Continental announces new service to more destinations in Mexico: Houston-Monclova begins April 4th; Houston-Puebla begins May 2nd; Houston-Toluca and Houston Oaxaca both begin June 10th.  Continental is the 2nd largest U.S. airline to Latin America and the Caribbean in passengers and destinations and serves 27 Mexican destinations_ more than any other U.S. airline_ with 365 flights a week to Mexico.

Community in Mexico to sell sustainably harvested wood. Ejido Pueblo Nuevo in Durango recently became the first community in Mexico to sell sustainably harvested wood to a major international furniture company, by providing wood for sofa parts to Sitwell, supplier of IKEA. The Rainforest Alliance, member of the USMCOC-NE, has been working with the Ejido to help it meet rigorous standards for protecting workers and wildlife through its forest management. Read more about it at http://rainforestalliance.org/news/IKEA.html

Business Opportunities of the Trade Commission of Mexico. The Trade Commission of Mexico in its ongoing effort to generate trade an investment between Mexico and the U.S, is constantly looking for business opportunities. If you are considering representing Mexican companies to distribute their products or to simply lower your production costs by manufacturing in Mexico, one of following companies may represent a great business opportunity for you:

• Company: Convertex
  Products Nylon, Polyester, Acrylic and Cover Yarn
  Advantage: Reputable company with presence in the U.S. market with a wide variety of yarns at a competitive prices with adaptability to your needs.
• Company: Javax Inc.
  Products: Wrought Iron Furniture and decorative items as well as metal containers (pregalvanized, lacquered, painted, etc).
  Advantage This company offers a mixture of tradition and new fresh designs.
• Company: Intermex, large and well known industrial developer in Mexico
  Service: Shelter turnkey programme for manufacturing in Mexico, which provides space, labor, customs, logistics and administration.
  Advantage: A low risk approach to manufacturing in Mexico
• Company: Empacadora de Aguacates San Lorenzo
  Products: Fresh Avocado Hass, Mangoes and Frozen and Pressurized Guacamole
  Advantage: Empacadora is developing the pressurized guacamole, a product new in the market. The products have high quality and competitive prices.

For more information contact: Edmundo González, Susana Alvarez Eberhardt, Gabriela Yzunza or Raul González.

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New frequent flyer agreement between American Airlines & Mexicana Airlines
Effective April 1, 2004, customers will benefit from new code sharing agreement between American Airlines and Mexicana. The two airlines offer more than 130 years of combined experience serving trans-border markets. New frequent flyer agreement offers AAdvantage and Frecuenta members even more mileage accrual and redemption opportunities. The Mexicana Airlines New York Sales Office announces its new Sales Team: Carolina Atai, Regional Sales Office, Alan Salas, Sales Account Executive and Ximena Petti, Executive Secretary.

Aeromexico announces New JFK Location at Terminal 1 Since March 9th, 2004, Aeromexico has been conducting its ticketing & check-in operations from its new location at terminal 1. Among other amenities of the new Aeromexico’s ticket counter location are that there are no security filters to access it and that the VIP lounge is located near to gate 1, a very short walk from gate 2 & 3, which are Aeromexico’s departing gates most of the time.

Rebeca Vargas was recently promoted to Director of Hispanic Markets, Global Marketing, Global Consumer Group for Citigroup. She is responsible for implementing Citigroup's strategy to better serve the growing U.S. Hispanic Market.

Citigroup has had a specific group focused on the Hispanic Market segment since the Banamex acquisition. Banamex's presence in Mexico in addition to the acquisition of CalFed in California placed Citibank in a better position to serve the U.S. Hispanic market.  Among other initiatives, in November of last year Citibank launched the new Citibank Access Account and Citibank Global Transfers. Under Rebeca's coordination, Citigroup's U.S. businesses are working with Banamex operations in Mexico to leverage cross-sell and cross-border opportunities.

Rebeca holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Tulane University and a Bachelor degree in Accounting from Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). Rebeca is founding Co-Chair of the Citigroup Hispanic Employee Network and board member of the Committee for Hispanic Children and Families.

Rosemary Werrett and Rodrigo Amaré, recently joined the USMCOC-NE Managing Committee. Mrs. Werrett is the Latin American specialist in Medley Global Advisors' Emerging Markets group. She has more than twenty years experience following & analyzing Latin America's political and financial landscape. Prior to joining MGA, Ms. Werrett was Senior Director, Corporate Relations at the Council of the Americas, and the founding partner of Latin American Information Services, the consulting firm dedicated to keeping the senior leadership of multinational corporations and financial firms apprised of changing macro economic developments through publications, special reports, conferences, and tailored research. She is a widely respected authority on Latin America, having published in leading publications such as Fortune, Institutional Investor, Euromoney, Development Business, and The New York Times. Throughout her career, Ms. Werrett has been recognized for her commitment to the economic empowerment of women in Latin America. She is a Board Member and past President of Pro Mujer, a micro credit organization serving over 80,000 women in Latin America. She holds an MA in international economics from the University of California at Berkeley and certificates of advanced study from the Institut de Science Politique de Paris and the Institut des Hautes Etudes de l’ Amerique Latine.

Rodrigo Amaré, is a Principal of the ZN Mexico Funds and is currently a New York-based member of the investment team. Prior to joining ZN Mexico, Mr. Amaré worked for TCW/Latin America Partners, a New York-based private equity fund focused on making investments in Latin America. He previously worked for Goldman Sachs & Co. in its Investment Banking - Latin America Group covering Mexico. At Goldman, Mr. Amaré worked in transactions such as the sale of Banacci to Citigroup for US$12.5 billion and the raid defense of CANTV in Venezuela. Previously, he worked for Banco Nacional de Mexico (Banamex) and for Arthur Anderson in its Business Consulting Division in Mexico City. Mr. Amaré holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and received two undergraduate degrees in Mexico: a B.A. in Business Administration and a B.S. in Public Accounting; both from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de Mexico (ITAM).

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Welcomes its NEW MEMBERS:

Binational Level

• Computer Associates

Corporate Level

• Connecticut Metal Components
• Massat Consulting Group
• Medley Advisors
• Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
• Center for Economic Forcasting of Mexico
• Hipotecaria Mexicana

Associate Level

• Industrial Develpoment Commission of Mexicali

Individual Level

• Steven M. Laduzinski
• Juan A. Lebrija
• Stephen P. Younger

The U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Thanks its Following Members for Renewing their Commitment with us:

Regional Level

• Goya Foods
• The Atlantic
• Epstein, Becker & Green, P.C.
• New York Life Insurance Company

Corporate Level

• Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton
• Consist International
• EVG, Inc.
• Grant, Herrmann, Schwartz & Klinger LLP
• Grupo Nacional Provincial
• Grupo Posadas
• Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz, Silverman & Klestadt LLP
• Guanajuato World Trade Commission
• HSBC
• Lexcorp Abogados
• Marcraft Clothes, Inc.
• Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP
• Mexicana Airlines
• Mine Safety Appliances Co.
• Nafinsa Securities
• Tiffany & Co.
• Sol Melia Hotels & Resorts
• Vectormex Inc.
• Zephyr Management LP

Associate Level

• Greater Jamaica Development Corporation
• Spaniport
• World Trade Institute of Pace University
• Council For International Tax Education
• World Affairs Forum

Individual Level

• William J. Farrell
• Alfonso Venegas

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December 4, 2003
Presentation and Breakfast with Guillermo Ortíz, Governor, Central Bank of Mexico. In association with the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society.

December 5, 2003
Immigrants and Schooling in New York Conference
Keynote Speaker: Diana Lam, Deputy Chancellor for Instruction at the New York City Department of Education. In association with The Steinhardt School of Education and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at NYU.

December 11, 2003
Holiday Season Reception and Silent Auction at Café Frida.
Special thanks to our donors: Aeromexico, Continental Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, Krystal Cancún, NH Ixtapa, NH Puerto Vallarta, NH Mexico and NH Vercaruz, InterContinental Central Park South Hotel-NYC, Fiesta Americana Condesa Acapulco, Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts, Richard Schultz Design, The New York Palace Hotel, Daniel Espinosa Jewelry and Guanajuato Trade Office. In kind contribution courtesy of Café Frida.

View photos   

January 6, 2004
Presentation and Breakfast with Roger Noriega, Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State. U.S. Administration Policy on the Western Hemisphere and the Special Summit of the Americas.

January 29, 2004
The Fifth Annual Meet Your International Business Partners. A Networking Reception for New York’s International Business Community. Corporate Sponsors: JPMorgan Chase, The Journal of Commerce, New York City Economic Development Corporation, American Express, New York Shipping Association, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In association with The Weissman Center for International Business Zicklin School of Business/Baruch College/CUNY, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce and NEXCO.

January 30, 2004

Presentation "NAFTA: The Next 10 years" with Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Former President of Mexico (1988-1994) as part of the "NAFTA 10 Years Anniversary Series: A new Vision for North America". In association with the Council of the Americas, the Americas Society and the Mid-Atlantic Club of New York City. View Photos  

On January 30, 2004, the United States-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Northeast Chapter (USMCOC-NE), inaugurated the series "NAFTA 10 Years Anniversary Series: A new Vision for North America" at the Plaza Hotel in New York City. The purpose of the series is to discuss the results of the North America Free Trade Agreement in the past 10 years and analyze its future developments and challenges.

For the first conference of the series, the guest speaker was the Former President of Mexico Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988-1994) who presented the lecture "NAFTA: The Next 10 years." The conference was imparted to a large audience formed mostly by Americans, Canadians and Mexicans from different contexts such as the academia, the private sector, the press and the diplomatic milieu.

Former President of Mexico Salinas de Gortari began his participation by presenting a strong argument about the beneficial outcomes that the trilateral agreement brought to the countries involved. With a special reference to Mexico, President Salinas de Gortari affirmed that the significant increase in trade between the countries is in itself a success of the agreement. Then the speaker left the past and turned to the future of the agreement. Looking ahead, the most important challenge for Mexico for the former head of government is to recover the competitiveness and to continue the agenda for integration. The free movement of labor seems to be inevitable in the years to come. Therefore a migration agreement must be a priority today and any step toward this direction must be welcome. Another important point in the future of the agenda for the negotiator of NAFTA is to strengthen the linkages that go beyond government decisions such as grassroots organizations and the private sector. The Former President of Mexico ended his speech by saying that now is the time to see into the future and introduce a strong case in favor of free trade, not because it automatically creates a better world but because it can help to improve it.

To close the event, the President of the USMCOC-NE, Eduardo Ramos-Gómez, thank the audience and reminded everybody that together it is possible to be the driving force of NAFTA and shape for the better the direction of the treaty and its future outcomes.

The series of conferences regarding NAFTA will continue during 2004 with the visit of officials and businessmen related to the creation of the free trade agreement and other experts on the topic.

February 18, 2004
Luncheon and Presentation "U.S. Priorities at the IDB for Development in the Americas" with Jose A. Fourquet, United States Executive Director, Inter-American Development Bank.

In association with the Colombian American Association, the Ecuadorean American Association, the Venezuelan American Association of the U.S., the Bolivian-American Chamber of Commerce and the North American-Chilean Chamber of Commerce. Sponsored by Chadbourne & Parke LLP.

March 1, 2004
Presentation and Reception with Manuel Angel Núñez, Governor, State of Hidalgo, Mexico. In association with the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society.

March 4, 2004
Private Breakfast with Arturo Sarukhan, Consul General of Mexico in New York to discuss "New U.S. Government Immigration Proposal". Sponsored by Citigroup. Exclusive event for Binational and Regional members.

March 10, 2004
Presentation of the Book: "America as Empire: Global Leader or Rogue Power?" by Jim Garrison, President, State of the World Forum. In association with the Council of the Americas, the Americas Society and the Mid-Atlantic Club of New York City.

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Centro Entérate www.centro-enterate.org (USMCOC-NE Member) is an independent organization whose mission is to provide the growing, yet very underserved, community of Mexican with the educational, health and legal resources that will help them improve their quality of life in the United States and to build a better future for them and their children. They provide information that will guide and refer Mexican immigrants to health, education and legal services available to them. They are constantly looking for volunteers interested in working with them. For anyone interested please contact Eréndira Matzumura.

Save the Afternoon!: June 27, 2004 Celebrate the arrival from Mexico of America’s Butterfly, the Mariposa Monarca with Mano a Mano at the Center for Traditional Music (USMCOC-NE Member), Channel Thirteen/WNET and the Central Park Conservancy. Explore Mexican cultural expressions and healthy lifestyle practices through performances and workshops in music, dance, foodways and crafts. For more information call (212) 5711555, ext. 35 or contact Emily Socolov.

The Centro Educativo Ixtliyollotl is in the process of developing a video documentary about the work that over the last 20 years the organization is doing on the education and development of the indigenous communities of Puebla. To complete the project, $6,000 is needed. If you are interested in collaborating, please contact Maria Isabel Turban at (212) 307 5098 or Carola Saba at (212) 228 9780. Your support will be truly appreciated.

On June 10th, 2004, the New York State Justice for Farmworkers Campaign is hosting The Sowing Seeds for Justice Dinner at the banquet center of Trinity Church on Wall Street, with guest speaker, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, granddaughter of Cesar Chavez. The mission of this event is to strengthen the Justice for Farmworker Campaignís ability to stand with farmworkers as they seek to remove exclusions that prohibit equal opportunities and justice for all. For more information on table and journal sponsorship and ticket sales, please contact Susan Agoglia at (212) 319 2027.

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Featured Mexican Exhibits and Cultural Events along the Northeast:

Made in Mexico- Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston) Exhibiting January 21, 2004- May 9, 2004

Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya- National Gallery of Art (Washington, D.C.) Exhibiting as of April 4, 2004

Aztecs- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York City) Exhibiting October 14, 2004- January 13, 2005

Mexico Now- Several venues around New York City Throughout November 2004

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For events sponsorship opportunities, contact Maria J. Fernández at (212) 912 7711.

Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Luncheon presentation on the newly passed Mexican Legislation: "Tasa Cero- Value Added Tax Exemption for International Meetings and Exhibitions." In association with the Mexico Tourism Board. From 12:00 pm - 2:00pm at Pámpano Restaurant located at 209 East 49th Street (Between 2nd & 3rd Ave), New York City.

As of January 2004, Mexico has begun to exempt foreign companies from the value added tax for international meetings and exhibitions. The Mexico Tourism Board will provide an informative presentation on the new legislation and specifics of how it will be applied. Learn more about the Tax Exemption for International Meetings.

Space is limited. Kindly click here to RSVP or call (212) 308 2110, ext. 105. See invitation.

Saturday April 3, 2004
International Chambers Of Commerce Soccer Tournament.
In association with the Belgian, Brazilian, British, English, French, Italian and Spanish Chambers of Commerce. Sponsored by: Chronospost International. Mexico Team Sponsored by: Thacher, Proffitt & Wood. Special Donation by: Tecate and Good Food in a Basket. In kind contributions courtesy of: Bass, Brasserie Les Halles, Churrascaria Plataforma, D'Artagnan, La Bonne Soupe, Peroni, Sambazon, Stella Artois & Walkers Shortbread. Come And Support Your Team!

Tournament: Including Snacks & Beverages, from 2 pm to 7.30 pm at the Field House, Chelsea Piers, Pier 62 at 22nd Street, New York, 10011

Evening Reception: Open Bar (Beer/Wine/Soda) & Buffet, from 8 pm to 10 pm at Chelsea Brewing Company, Pier 59, New York, 10011

Members & Non-members: $60.00 / Children under 21 $25.00

For more information call Mercedes Caso at (212) 912 7712 or click here to register

Friday April 16, 2004
The New Normal: Ensuring the New Security Conscious Border does not disrupt your business objectives Breakfast Briefing.

The New York University Club, From 8:00 am to 9:15 am, located at 1 West 54th Street, New York City. No cost. Space is limited. RSVP with Melissa Howard or (212) 218 2995. Co-Sponsored by: American Chemical Society - New York Section, Association of Corporate Counsel-Greater New York Chapter, Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, New York State Bar Association International Law and Practice Section, The Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, United States -China Chamber of Commerce.

As Border Enforcement Transitions to Security Concerns Rather than Revenue Generation, how can you be sure that these new measures will not affect the flow of goods (e.g. chemicals, electronics, perishables and etc) and persons across borders.Learn about the new initiatives undertaken by the NAFTA partners to ensure that trade continues to flow freely throughout North America while simultaneously identifying potential pitfalls in the new barriers that are being erected to ensure that you, your employees, or your goods are not unnecessarily hindered by these new measures. Speakers Dalton Albrecht, Fraser Milner Casgrain, LLP and Matthew Nolan, Miller & Chevalier Chartered.

Monday, April 19, 2004
"Getting To Know Your Business Operations in Latin America" Seminar and Reception at the Union League Club, 38 East 37th Street, New York, 10016. For more information or to register call (212) 912 7713 or contact northeast@usmcoc.org.

In the aftermath of the Enron-triggered wave of corporate scandals in the U.S. and the current crisis at Parmalat in Europe, companies must be knowledgeable and vigilant of all their operations and the regulatory and legal environments that apply in the different countries that they do business in. Latin America is no exception to this new environment. U.S. based managers need to have a better understanding of how their businesses are operating in Latin America, and legal departments need to develop a thorough approach to risk management. At this event, you will hear from financial and legal experts who will discuss key risks involved with business operations in Latin America, and the impact of Sarbanes-Oxley and the new legal and regulatory frameworks emerging in many Latin American countries. Keynote Speaker: José Claudio Treviño, ACFE, Director of the Financial Services Group of Kroll, Inc.; moderator: Andres Antonius, PhD, Managing Director, Latin American Desk, Kroll Inc. Sponsored by Kroll, Inc.

Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Spring Networking Reception in association with the Venezuelan American Association of the U.S., the Colombian American Association, the Ecuadorean American Association, the North American-Chilean Chamber of Commerce and the Argentine-American Chamber of Commerce. At Banco Mercantil 11 East 51 Street, from: 5:30 to 8:00 pm., New York City. Co-Sponsored by: Banco Mercantil, Commerce Bank, Edward Jones Investment, Hudson United Bank and Law Debentures. Admission fees: $10 members and $15 non-members. For more information or to register call (212) 233 7776 or contact andean@nyct.net

Wednesday, May 5, 2004
Cinco de Mayo Annual Luncheon. Guest of Honor: Arturo Sarukhan, Consul General of Mexico in New York. Zona Rosa Restaurant located at 40 West 56th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues) in New York City. Due to space limitations, advance registration and payment are required. To reserve your place, call (212) 912 7713. Special Donation by: Cervecería Cuahutémoc Moctezuma.

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