Boycott to Arizona's products. Is that useful?

Mexican legislators and civil organizations are desperately calling for a boycott against Arizona’s products.

They are asking Mexicans not to buy any products originated in Arizona and to avoid travel to the state.

The Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME), a decentralized agency of the Foreign Ministry proposed a boycott to any sports events involving the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Sun Devils teams. They are also asking Mexicans to avoid traveling with US Airways, which is based in Phoenix, and also to cancel any tourist activity in the state.

These are just a few of the ways that Mexicans are expressing their rejection to the new Arizona immigration law.

Every time we hear about a boycott, the question that immediately arises concerns its real impact.  Let’s take a glance at the numbers.

According to an Arizona Republic article, 80 percent of Arizona trade in Mexico is with its border state, Sonora.   Arizona exported $5.9 billions in goods and services to Mexico in 2008. However, much of that was parts that are assembled in Mexico and then sold back again to the U.S., as finished products. Those exports accounted for 2.4 percent of state’s economic output.

If we talk about Mexican tourism to this state the situation is not much different. A study done by the Arizona Office of Tourism for the years 2007-2008 showed that 99 percent of the Mexicans that visited Arizona in that period were from Sonora. The majority of them crossed to shop in the malls.

However those visits were important to Arizona’s economy because close to 23,400 wage and salary jobs in Arizona were directly attributable to Mexican visitor spending.

“Through local purchases of supplies by businesses and the spending of income derived from visitor-related jobs, these visitors generated almost 7,000 additional jobs in Arizona in 2007-08. These jobs account for a total income of $837.24 million and $3.61 billion in sales”, the report indicates.

The report also states that each day, an average of 65,000 Mexican residents go to Arizona to work, visit friends and relatives. “They spend over $7,350,000 in Arizona’s stores, restaurants, hotels and other businesses, and thus contribute substantially to Arizona’s export trade with Mexico”.

Reading these numbers, it is clear that Arizona’s and Sonora’s economies are as tied as El Paso’s and Ciudad Juárez’s economies. So if the calls for a boycott reach the ears of the people from Sonora, Arizona could feel the pinch.

However, the boycott is not going to generate a reversal of the law. In the end it is just a political statement from Mexicans worried about the consequences of the law.

In the meantime, President Felipe Calderon will meet with President Barack Obama May 19. The Arizona immigration law is expected to be in the agenda.

 

Comments

[Michael Ejercito]

Maybe Mexico should take the log out of its own eye before removing the speck in its neighbor's eye.

[Kerry]

Well done! I don't agree with illegal immigration but this is way too much I'm a third generation american citizen and been in Mexico lots of times I just think this will just make things worst secure our borders instead of doing something like this...let's see how Arizona's bussiness get hurt we americans are cheap and don't spend lots of money in our state but mexicans come and spent 265,000 million dollars just last year!!

[MaeBeNot]

Maybe the state of Arizona should stop giving Mexicans welfare and WIC...!

[April]

I don't believe the protests of the local offices of these companies is going to change anything. Besides these companies are not the ones who made the law, that lays on the lawmakers of AZ. The only thing that may be accomplished is the local offices may close and the people working there will lose their jobs in this tough economy.

[The Obvious]

I agree with MaeBeNot! I am way more comfortable with the slave labor tactics our corporations use in Indonisia, China, and India. That way we can have our really cool Nike shoes and not have to pay those dogs anything! How dare our southern neighbors ask for human dignity.

[alvinyork]

Surely you jest. Try the word "stupid" instead of "useful" your headline.

[Ole Dog]

HA what a joke.
Think about it, why bocot Arizona products?
The boycot should be against Mexico. Why should we be the only ones to have to enforce the border? The majority of this burden needs to be thrown back on the Mexican governement.
It's time that we start holding them responsible.
The US has placed sanctions on countries all over the world, because of national security. Wake up this is a breach of our American security.

[Panchopesos]

Surely boycotts work, look at what the American Gov. did to Cuba. What is required is far more than that. El Mexicano has to stop beging at the whitemans table waiting for the crumbs that fall and build his own table. We must stop looking to the Norte and look to the south and the 1 billion plus people in Latino America and the Caribe. Also, the other billions of people that are better neighbors. Everything we buy from the gringos we can make for ourselves. The technology is available, look at what India is doing! Just stop being a malinchista and buy whats says 'Hecho en Mexico' but lets kick the Maquiladoras out. We must Do-for-self and Kind 1st. Study history.

Those of us that have been in the US of ethnic mexican roots since 1847, specially in Texas and New Mexico should take some pride and invest our money south of border. Just because a cat lays down and lives with dogs does not make the cat a dog.

In regards to borders/immigration,Ethnic mexicans are really aboriginal/indigenous inhabitants of the continents with blood & genetic ties to all the nations of aboriginals.

Its time to exit the economic dependancy we have in the USA and build our economy independant of it not only outside the USA but also inside.
How would one do that? Look up 'Recycling Black dollars'.

[Mari]

Oh look, Uncle Tom has a Vagina........well, who'da thunk it?..........

[RIchard Hardiwood]

I say all mexicans should move to Arizona, quickly. Heck I will buy them all bus tickets just to get rid of them. They have become the bigeest, most non-prodcutive nationality in the US. I say take away there welfare, WIC, CHIP, low income housing, Medicare/Medicaid and disability checks and what are they? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Please do us law abiding, hard working, English Speaking, Tax Paying US Citizens a favor. MOVE TO ARIZONA!!!!!!!!!

[Liz]

I love Arizona, but most of all I love the United States of America! If someone wants to come to America because America IS the best country in the world, well they should do it the legal and correct way. I'm Spanish and I may get stopped while in Arizona and guess what, I don't care! I'd rather have America safe and have to go through all that extra crap. I'm going to ask all my friends and fellow National Guard members to buy Arizona products!!!!