De Camino a México

I depart today from St. Louis to Mexico, a country with a rich history, an amalgam of the indigenous and the colonial, of faith and fractiousness, of tradition and modernity. There is much to be learned here, and I go on this journey with a searcher's heart.

In both Mexico and the U.S., there are people in poverty, people in need.  It breaks my heart, because I know that it is a lack of will, not ability, that allows this to be true.

When it comes to health, both countries have made some strides in recent years.  In the U.S., there was the enactment of the Affordable Care Act.  Mexico has gone farther.  Despite its economic struggles and the ongoing strife and violence that emanate from the drug cartels, the nation declared that healthcare is a human right and set itself upon a path to make that right a reality, even among the poorest.

Our two nations share a common border, an intertwined history, and an inextricably linked future.  We are emblematic of a core principle of Eisenhower Fellowships, that the future of a peaceful and prosperous world lies with international cooperation, that we make the most progress when we work together for the common good.  So I go to Mexico to listen, learn, share ideas, and seek opportunities to make a better life for our respective peoples.