Mérida, Yucatán — Responding to a growing American presence in the city, a new U.S. Consulate facility was announced Thursday during a press conference in the city’s north.
The new facility will be on an 8,000-square-meter parcel near the Harbor commercial plaza, near the Periférico and alongside new high-rises.
It will replace a smaller building on Calle 60, north of the Centro and near the new convention center. The current property was reportedly sold to a hotel developer.
The event, held on the vacant lot where the new consulate will be built, was attended by the Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal, Mayor Renán Barrera Concha and the U.S. Consul, Courtney Beale.
The project is still in the design phase. No renderings of the new building were offered and a construction start date was not announced.
“This work is very important for us, because there are more and more American citizens living here. It is estimated that there are approximately 10,000 Americans living in Mérida,” said Beale.
Beale said that the new consulate is joined by others recently built in Mexico, including in Matamoros, Guadalajara, Mexico City and Nuevo Leon. They are satellites of the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
Consulates provide help and advice to U.S. citizens who are living or traveling overseas. They aid with travel documents and share advice and support in the case of an accident, serious illness or death. The United States has maintained a consulate here since 1843.
Source: Desde El Balcón
