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Border Summit Highlights US-Mexico Relations
Photo by Mónica Ortiz Uribe
Cars travel from El Paso, Texas toward the international bridge that crosses into Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Leaders from the United States and Mexico are gathered in the border cities of El Paso and Juárez to discuss strengthening the relationship between the two countries.
Business leaders and politicians praised projects like the nearly completed bridge that will connect San Diego to the Tijuana airport. But they said outdated infrastructure and traffic delays across the southern border continue to impede economic growth between the two countries.
Others, like Mexican Sen. Gabriela Cuevas Barrón, said commerce shouldn't be the only priority.
"When it comes to interchanging goods and services our relationship is solid," Barrón said. "But when it comes to immigration we are failing."
The two-day conference was organized by El Paso Congressman Beto O'Rourke and the University of Texas at El Paso. Guests include New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, U.S. Customs and Border Comissioner Gil Kerlikowske and Ildefonso Guajardo Villareal, Mexico's Secretary of Economy.
The summit will conclude Saturday with a 10K in which runners will cross the border into Mexico.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect the length of the Saturday running event.
Updated 8/7/2015 at 5:00 p.m.