Jose M. Muria
AND
ra Consulate General
and played an important role in promoting economic and cultural relations between Mexico and Barcelona. There was even a brilliant management that provided the office with a splendid residence, even listed as cultural heritage of the city of Barcelona, which gives great prestige to our country.
But over time a group of characters of similar affiliation were enthroned in this representation. blue and white that they were lowering their guard and leaving it at its minimum, not so much because the staff was reduced, but because it was limited to what was essential.
The contraction reached such an extreme that many Barcelona residents came to assume that the consulate had closed its doors altogether.
The change began to take place when Adrian Michel arrived to take charge of political affairs. The man had one characteristic that set him apart from all the other employees: he liked to work. The difference was immediately noticeable and, of course, his fossilized colleagues began to express their dislike for him.
Fortunately, another person of singular worth soon appeared to head the office. Firstly, without being one, he managed to be given the status of a consulate general and his presence was immediately felt both in the public and private spheres.
It was Claudia Pavlovich, with a history of having governed the state of Sonora with great efficiency…
Several times I have heard the comment among the natives of How good that they reopened the consulate!
It can be said that the famous estate has become, in addition to serving very well for Mexican affairs in Barcelona, a sort of house of Mexican culture: frequent conferences, various books on Mexico that have enjoyed splendid presentations, celebrations of national holidays, among which stand out –with some intention– those of September in celebration of independence from Spain, which always has the support of many Catalans…
In short, to put it in a slightly sentimental way, which often comes across well, unlike what happened a few years ago, the Mexican consulate in Barcelona, despite Mexican detractors, puts the name of our country on high, in addition to motivating the growth of visitors from that country to ours, both for commercial and cultural purposes as well as for tourism.
I cannot deny it: on my frequent trips to Barcelona, for academic and health purposes, I am astonished when I hear Catalans comment that now Mexico has a worthy representative, who opens its heart and its doors to so many Catalans who have more than enough reasons to be grateful for our country.
It was not for nothing that almost 20,000 natives of that nation found safe refuge in ours and quite a few stayed here forever, which was the envy of many of those who did not manage to escape Francoism, which seems to be endemic among the Spanish.
I can’t do it any other way: every time I enter the Mexican consulate in Barcelona I can’t help but stop for a moment to look up and contemplate the three colours of our flag waving with singular elegance looking at the sky from the upper part of Barcelona.
I know I’m being cheesy, but I still yearn for what I am: a citizen who proudly carries in his pocket the passport with the eagle and snake emblem.
