Celebrating bonds on the border

Friday morning, the unity of two border cities, Brownsville and Matamoros, celebrated their friendship in the annual Hands Across the Border event, which featured 2019 Mr. Amigo Julio César Chávez Sr.

“I feel honored and proud to be recognized with this award,” Chávez said in Spanish. “If I can be honest and sincere, at the beginning, when [Mr. Amigo Association President] Artemio [Alvarez] came to see me, with all due respect, honestly, I told him no, I do not want to be Mr. Amigo because this event and this recognition is for important people. Thank you, Artemio, for noticing me. I know I don’t deserve it but here I am.”

Chávez said he does not regret agreeing to be Mr. Amigo and is using the platform to talk about the realities of his addiction.

The 2019 Mr. Amigo, also known as “El Campeón de Campeones,” was born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico in 1962 and became a world lightweight champion and national sports hero in his country.

“I won many fights but the most important battle that I’m fighting is my recovery,” he said.

The retired boxer was accompanied by his wife Myriam Escobar de Chávez on stage as he talked about his addiction and how he is now 11 years sober.

“I quickly developed an addiction and I’m not ashamed to talk about it because I believe that this has helped me save many lives,” he said.

During the ceremony, officials from both cities were recognized on stage, followed by the traditional exchanging of the flags by children from Brownsville and Matamoros.

Later in the ceremony, Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez met at the center of the stage with Matamoros Mayor Mario Alberto López Hernández to exchange gifts.

Mendez gave the Matamoros mayor a black cowboy hat as a symbol of friendship between the two cities and López Hernández gifted the Brownsville mayor a ceremonial plate, mug and tie. The Matamoros mayor’s wife, Marsella Huerta de López, presented a brown cowboy hat to the wife of Mr. Amigo 2019.

 “I think we have a responsibility to tell others what it’s like to live by the border and have the culture that we have,” Mendez said. “I think it’s something that should be respected and for 150 years, we have lived together like neighbors and I want to clarify that we will continue living as neighbors forever.”

Mexican actress and singer Edith Márquez, the Matamoros Huésped Distinguido, or distinguished guest, received a traditional cuera Tamaulipeca jacket from the Matamoros mayor.

 YouTuber Rosy McMichael and actor Noé de la Garza, the Orgullos Matamorense, or prides of Matamoros, were also gifted with traditional cuera Tamaulipeca jackets from López Hernández.

In an interview with The Rider after the ceremony, de la Graza said it is important to celebrate the unity of these two cities “because we only have each other; there are no other humans, there’s nothing, it’s us. The barriers, the walls, the columns, whatever it is that divides people, it should not necessarily divide. Protect, possibly, but divide, the love, the affection, the people, the empathy, no, not that.”

Chávez received multiple gifts, including an honorary Mr. Amigo medal from Alvarez. The retired boxer also received a traditional cuera Tamaulipeca jacket from the Matamoros mayor and a tan cowboy hat from Mendez.

Maricela Cortez spoke on behalf of U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas) and gave a brief history of the event and of Chávez’s career. She then presented the champion boxer with a folded United States flag.

To conclude the ceremony, all officials, celebrities and children met on stage to release white doves as a symbol of peace between the two nations.