In collaboration with the Society of Foreign Affairs at Sacramento State, the Consul General of Mexico in Sacramento, Christian Tonatiuh González Jiménez, brought his expertise as a diplomat to campus in a discussion on Tuesday.
During the discussion, moderated by SFASS director of Global English at Aryanna Chico, González fielded questions about foreign affairs for students. He discussed the historical impact of diplomacy, how students can foster relationships with other countries and advice for students who look to work in public service.
The forum was designed to give foreign affairs and political science students a deeper look into public service and global diplomacy. SFASS said they aim to make space for students to engage in foreign affairs simulations and work alongside community and global partners, such as the Consul General.
To begin, González said that Mexico’s diplomacy with foreign countries relies on three pillars: defense of sovereignty, noninterventionalism and peaceful settlement of disputes. He said these tenets remain constant regardless of political changes in Mexico.
“Our diplomacy in terms of history has been conducted by those three principles,” González said. “That helps us to put the human at the center of everything.”
Throughout the evening, González emphasized the importance of a strong governmental partnership between Mexico and California. He said that in contemporary history, Mexico and the U.S. have had a friendly relationship built on collaboration.
He also addressed the current state of the U.S. and Mexico’s relationship, adding that the countries’ partnership has resisted political tensions. In response to recent increased U.S. military surveillance of Mexican drug cartels, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has maintained diplomatic and civil relations with President Trump, according to Politico.
“We are neighbors. We are allies. We need each other,” González said. “We will be more than happy to coordinate and work together and cooperate, but no subordination.”
Audience questions focused on diplomatic tensions surrounding migration, border policy and U.S. discussions about intervention against Mexican cartels. Renewed immigration crackdowns and deportation under the Trump administration have caused uncertainty for undocumented and mixed-status families across California campuses.
When asked whether he foresaw diplomatic solutions to the growing strain between the U.S. and Mexico, González said the two nations have sought peaceful solutions.
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González’s advice for students pursuing public service was to remain authentic and unafraid of making mistakes. He said students should not look for inspiration in others’ paths, but instead carve their own philosophies and definitions of success from their personal experience.
Reflecting on his own path, González said he was 21 when he began working as a diplomat from Mexico at the United Nations. After spending 17 years at the U.N., González was named Consul General of Mexico by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2023.
“Age doesn’t determine necessarily who we are. It’s our experiences, our learnings, our context,” González said.
During his time at the UN, he said he discovered the impact social media could have on Mexico’s image and countries like it. He described using social platforms to increase transparency and connect people to real global issues, saying that social media is key to making the world more sensitive and aware.
For Melissa Arrezola, a psychology major at Sac State, the discussion about social media’s influence stood out.
“I had no idea that social media and what’s in reality can be so different because we need to see all sides of an issue,” Arrezola said.
As Consul General, González described himself as the representative of the government of Mexico to the government of California. He previously worked with the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on human rights, cultural and social affairs.
The discussion was the first held by SFASS at Sac State, which was started this past summer, according to Chico. She said the planning with the consul’s team began in August, and they hope to hold similar discussions in the future with a variety of diplomats.
“It was very important to put on for our community. It’s very important right now in this climate,” Chico said.