Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times

The Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles has become an almost de facto public agency in recent years, forming partnerships with government officials and nonprofits here to provide healthcare, offer mental health counseling, fight labor violations and hold literacy classes.

The consulate took another step earlier this year to meet the needs of Mexicans living in L.A. County by teaming up with the Superior Court and the county’s Department of Children and Family Services to regularly assist Mexican nationals in dependency proceedings.

Harry Pachon, director of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at USC, said the consulate has long served as a bridge between the U.S. and Mexico but has become increasingly active in Los Angeles in recent years.

“It reflects the recognition by Mexico that a significant portion of its people are living in the United States,” he said. “This is one of a series of steps helping the Mexican consulate be a relevant factor in the community.”

To read the full Los Angeles Times article, click here.

The Travelocity Roaming Gnome “Summer of Possibilities Tour” continues featuring Cancun as a possibility for the Gnome’s next stop! Your vote will allow Travelocity Roaming Gnome to experience the magnificently exciting destination of Cancun placing it alongside other destinations visited within the past five weeks.

Voting for Cancun began on Wednesday, July 22 so vote now at www.votetravelocity.com.

Volkswagen is set to produce a new model at its plant in Mexico next year as it invests $1 billion to expand the site.

The investment at its key Mexico plant, which produces Jettas, Boras and New Beetles, comes as carmakers around the world face slumping demand due to the economic downturn. Volkswagen’s investment is a vote of confidence about the future of Mexico’s auto industry, which accounts for a fifth of the country’s total manufactured exports.

To read the full Reuters article, click here.

The Mexican tourism industry is beginning to bounce back from a hard hit in the recent year. After a month of May that say 13 inns with 5,200 rooms shut down in the city of Cancun alone, the industry is getting a much needed boost with reduced fairs to and from Mexico.

While tourists are returning to some of their favorite destinations, they are spending less and less when they do go, largely as a result of the unstable global economy.  The $3.62 billion (USD) that foreign visitors spent in the first quarter is almost nine percent less than the first quarter of last year.

However, Rodrigo de la Pena, president of the Cancun Hotel Association, remains optimistic.

“We’re recovering quicker than we thought… The hotels have almost all their work force back, and tourists are arriving.” Only time will tell if the tourists that are arriving are effectively stimulating the Mexican economy.

To read the full San Diego Union Tribune article, click here.