Despite that the controversial 2010 anti-immigrant law initiative known as SB-1070 is practically void, Arizona is still considered by many to be the most "anti-Mexican" state in the United States.
But besides this negative image which has been strongly forged among Latinos, both in the US and the rest of the world, Arizona is now known for being a region with little tolerance for sexual diversity, owing to another controversial law that, just like SB-1070, was voided after a business boycott which threatened to paralyze the state's economy, according to Business Week.
Despite this negative load weighing on Arizona, state leaders could be carrying out great efforts to change public opinion on the state, a very difficult task which is well worth it.
According to The Washington Post, during the last year, numerous official delegations from Arizona have visited Mexico to incentivize commerce and tourism in what they claim is already a strong relationship that could be stronger.
Companies based in Phoenix and factories in Mexico, wine tasting tours on both sides of the border and even the first Super Bowl with Mexican sponsors when Phoenix becomes the location for the great sports event are just some of the binational relationships that Arizona seeks to forge with Mexico.
What is the official reason for this sudden veering regarding what Mexicans can offer Arizona? According to the AP, one of Arizona's main objectives is to show Mexican investors that the state is a good place, even better than Los Angeles or Austin.
"We've changed our economic policies and now we can prove that any investor here in Mexico City... will find that Arizona is a better place to invest in than Los Angeles or Austin," said Andy Tobin, president of the Arizona House of Representatives, who was criticized in the past for voting in favor of SB-1070.
This is not a minor interest as currently, Mexicans are already Arizona's biggest foreign commerce partners, exporting $7 billion dollars in good last year alone. However, this sum is much lower compared to Texas' $100 billion or California's $24 billion.
Arizona's still shaky economy, which is slowly recovering from a recession, might benefit greatly from a country seeking foreign investment and which plans to open its oil industry to the world.
But the political scenario will determine if these intentions can solidify. According to the AP, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, who seeks to double exports from his city to Mexico in the next 5 years, has sent a clear message to Mexican investors:
"My message is that law 1070 does not reflect the values of the people of Phoenix. In the next 20 or 30 years, Mexico will be one of the greatest economies in the planet, over Brazil. If we can't get a good relationship, we will lose a great opportunity," he said.