Ricardo Santana Velázquez, the new Mexican consul to the Central Coast, met with Santa Barbara city officials at City Hall before their weekly City Council meeting on Tuesday, July 25, holding a discussion about the crucial services his consulate offers.
“I’m ready to get to work,” Velázquez said. “I’m here to offer a helpful and working hand to the Mexican community of California.”
From his offices in Oxnard, Velázquez represents Mexico’s citizens living, working, and visiting the counties of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura. He told city officials the services are for the most part designed to address the needs of the Mexican field workers and other laborers.
In a conversation with the Independent, Velázquez said he was looking forward to building on the strong relationship between Mexico and the United States and supporting the mutual economic interests of the two countries. He continued that much of his day-to-day work will be helping Mexican migrants find and maintain stable work and assisting them with civil, immigration, criminal, and family issues.
When asked about immigration from Mexico over the border, Velázquez responded, “Immigration strengthens the economy of California. … I am here to assist the over 500,000 Mexican field laborers who work and live in this state and are seeking individual enterprise.”
Velázquez’s appointment lasts at least three years, and he told the Independent he is eager and ready to get to work serving the Mexican community in this area and building lasting connections to the people he serves.
From City Hall, Velázquez was invited to the home of former councilmember Gil Garcia and his wife, Marti, where they were joined by Santa Barbara Rotarians as well as members of the Sister City Committee for Puerto Vallarta. The gathering at Garcia’s home discussed the values of sisterhood, hard work, and a shared love for their communities of Santa Barbara and Puerto Vallarta.
The offices of the Mexican Consulate are in Oxnard at 3151 West 5th Street, Suite 100, and are open weekdays from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.
