happy election day (it's a post about Halo)

Three months ago, despite the warnings and news stories, I took a trip to our manufacturing facility in Cuidad Juarez. Let me tell you, it was a surreal experience. Mexico is very much a developing country, and it doesn’t look much different from India (with fewer people, more paved roads, and no random animals walking the streets). Border towns in Mexico are regularly patrolled by armed National Police standing in the backs of jeeps. As one of my friends described it, the border security in Mexico is like seeing a live game of Halo.

Zaragoza land bridge in El Paso, Texas/Juarez, Mexico. (feel free to use, with credit)

Over the weekend, two Americans were killed on the land border bridge we crossed to get back into the States – the Zaragoza International Bridge. A third was killed in the city itself.

It’s sad to see a city, and really, a country, be consumed by this kind of violence. We don’t often think of Mexico as a developing country, but it’s not that far off. Juarez is one of a string of maquiladoras that’s been affected by drug violence. I have to wonder how long American companies can continue their operations in Mexico (which offers significantly lower labor costs for labor-intensive manufacturing operations). Many have already left. For the 1.3 million Mexicans that are employed by these maquila factories, a plant closure has a devastating effect on their well-being and empowerment.

A lack of empowerment, and still, voter turnout remains lower in the United States than in Mexico.

The American flag, as seen from the Zaragoza bridge.

It’s an election day to count our blessings.