By Mauricio D. Aceves
The bond between Mexico and the Middle East was born centuries ago with the first arrivals of the Ottomans and Arabs to the port of Veracruz in the Gulf of Mexico and the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Ottoman Imperium and the Persian Imperium in 1864. The “Ottoman Clock” in Mexico City’s downtown, the traces of Middle Eastern architecture found in the streets in Mérida, and the bronze-made “Lebanese Immigrant” in Veracruz are symbols of this cultural legacy. The Arab heritage in literature, arts, gastronomy and tradition is scattered across the Mexican landscape and society. In those years, diplomatic relations evolved with a calm rhythm, but the last decades have witnessed a different tempo.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 represented a prospect for cooperation between governments and agencies in Mexico and the Middle East, especially regarding tourism, trade, and connectivity, considering the commitment to border security and combatting transnational crime. The event saw the most remarkable temporary migration of Mexican nationals to the Middle East in history, with over 120,000 Mexicans visiting Doha and other cities in the region.
A year later, on February 6, 2023, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Türkiye and Syria was another milestone in this engagement through reinforced diplomacy and humanitarian cooperation where specialized Mexican rescue teams and aid donations were deployed to the affected areas. The Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Mexico City, begun in 2019, has become Mexico’s gateway to the Middle East for tourism and economic diplomacy. Trade and investment exchanges between Mexico, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries have also blossomed. In March 2024, the value of trade with the region, in general, was almost 85% higher than in January of 2018.[1] [2]
Mexico shares a similar position as the Middle East, which has been a vital crossroads of the world, allowing the........