MCALLEN, Texas - During his 2025 State of the City Address, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos said he is often asked why he spends so much time in Mexico.
“Simple,” Villalobos said, answering the question. “Mexico believes in McAllen. Mexico embraces McAllen. Mexico invests in McAllen. Quiero que sepan mis amigos Mexicanos. Que McAllen entra alla a Mexico. And we depend on each other for trade and commerce, and tourism. And many times, we are just family. A todos mis amigos Mexicanos. To all my Mexican friends, please stand and be recognized.”
In his remarks, Villalobos spoke about the networking opportunities presented at McAllen’s annual MxLAN Summit. He said the 2024 event welcomed over 40 businesses and 90 participants from Mexican states such as Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Durango, Jalisco, Tamaulipas and more. “The summit helped build more than 37 emerging business partnerships and new opportunities for McAllen,” he said.
Villalobos also pointed to McAllen’s decision to set up a Department of International Relations. “It has had an immediate impact,” the mayor said, running through some of the cities and countries that have sent representatives to McAllen thanks to the outreach of the new department. He said diplomats from Ireland and France have visited the city, along with the governor of San Luis Potosí, and sister city delegations from Apodaca, Puerto Vallarta, Reynosa and Monterey.
He said they also welcomed delegations from the departments of state in Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Durango, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Rio, Tabasco, Veracruz, and Zacatecas.
“In Mexico City we hosted McAllen Day, and in Monterrey we secured agreements with World Trade Center Monterrey, with the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León, and with COMCE Noreste, the Mexican council for foreign aid,” Villalobos said.
“And we just signed a trade agreement with a state of San Luis Potosi and a reaffirmation of sister city agreements with the San Luis capital. And McAllen’s first friendship partnership agreement with Tampico.
“McAllen’s agreements will push economic growth, help develop new businesses, build cultural connections, and bring our nation and people closer.”
Villalobos also spoke about McAllen’s two international bridges in his State of the City Address, He said the possibilities for McAllen are limitless, stressing that the spirit of an international city is always connected with its friends abroad.
“The McAllen-Hidalgo and Anzalduas International Bridges are a shining example of McAllen’s global connectivity. Our bridges connect us to broader economic development, cultural exchanges and diplomatic ties between our countries,” Villalobos said.
“Last year, we connected more than 19.3 million vehicles and pedestrians northbound to McAllen’s retail and hospitality businesses and to our award-winning destination events.”
Villalobos said commercial truck empties reported a 100 percent increase year-over-year.
“McAllen’s international bridges position us as an international city where commerce, trade and tourism thrive,” Villalobos said. “And I’m proud to announce that we will be opening our new $88 million and Anzalduas expansion later this year.”
City Commissioner Rudy Castillo provided more information on the expansion of Anzalduas International Bridge via a video.
“This $88 million commercial cargo expansion project will open this year to process around 2,000 commercial trucks a day. This projected growth inspired McAllen to build a new international relations department, and to build more international partnerships with our city. Partnerships are crucial to McAllen’s long-term success - like our ten-year sister city relationship with San Luis Potosí, which we reaffirmed this year,” Castillo said.
“San Luis Potosí Governor Ricardo Gallardo Cardona and a Mexican delegation also toured the Anzalduas International Bridge expansion project. Later, McAllen officials led talks on cross border mobility at San Luis Potosi’s prestigious Industria con Sentidos economic forum. Governor Gallardo Cardona and Mexico’s secretary of economic development hosted the forum to discuss key economic topics. There, they approved Anzalduas International Bridge as a preferred crossing point for San Luis Potosi’s automotive cluster. When we share our ideas with the world, our potential is limitless, and so is our future.”
Editor's Note: Here is an audio recording of the part of Mayor Villalobos' remarks at his State of the City Address that focused on international trade and his city's ports of entry:
