Violence Affecting Companies’ Willingness To Move To EP
EL PASO, Texas — With the violence in Juarez now attracting worldwide attention, El Paso economic leaders admit they are struggling to convince companies that it’s safe to relocate to the Borderland.
“You can still operate very safely in Mexico,” said Bob Cook, president of the Regional Economic Development Corporation. Cook points out that El Paso and Juarez are linked in many ways economically, including $51 billion in U.S.-Mexico trade crossing annually, 340 maquila plants in Juarez and more than 50,000 jobs in El Paso tied to Juarez.
“We are working with over 40 companies that are looking at Juarez right now … All of them, all of them, are doing in-depth risk assessment as to what the violence means to them,” Cook said.
He says just a couple of businesses have decided not to locate in Juarez after inquiring about the violence there.
But city Rep. Beto O’Rourke says hundreds of busineses have closed their doors in Juarez due to the violence.
O’Rourke says it is important despite the fact that it could hurt business prospects in the area, to tell the truth about the situation.
“Nothing will help us better than honesty and soberly talking about this situation and all the facts … The good the bad and the ugly,” he said.
Cook said it is getting harder and harder to convince companies it’s safe here and in Juarez. “Personally, I don’t think it’s sustainable over the long term … I’m actually amazed we’ve been able to still see deals closed in the midst of this environment.”
City economic leaders said they have scheduled a meeting for later this month with the county, foreign trade officials, the police chief and others to address how the violence is affecting the attraction of business to the Borderland.