Aurora adopts Sister City relationship with Chihuahua, Mexico
The city of Aurora will enter a sister city relationship with Chihuahua, Mexico. The city of Aurora will enter a sister city relationship with Chihuahua, Mexico. Most Coloradans of Mexican descent trace their roots to Chihuahua.
Aurora currently has sister and friendship cities in South Korea, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Poland and Costa Rica.
Industries in Chihuahua include manufacturing, construction, and transportation.
A sister partnership encourages cultural and economic exchange between cities with similarities, but the benefits are often overshadowed by violence.
U.S. travels warnings have been issued due to crime and the presence of cartels.
"Reconsider travel due to crime and kidnapping," the department states. "Violent crime and gang activity are common. Most homicides are targeted assassinations against members of criminal organizations."
During a council meeting earlier this month, Councilwoman Danielle Jurinsky said the idea of becoming sister cities with Chihuahua was "alarming."
"If you're willing to overlook the crime rate there, and you want to make us a sister city, are you willing to overlook our crime rate here?" Jurinsky said.
Despite earlier concerns, the council voted unanimously on the partnership Monday.
Councilman Juan Marcano, who sponsored the resolution, says Chihuahua's not perfect – but neither is Aurora.
"We shouldn't be throwing stones out of a glass house," Marcano said. "We should be supportive and focus on the positives and build off of that, as opposed to giving in to these ugly stereotypes that folks have about other parts of the world, or frankly, that folks have about Aurora."
Marcano says both cities are working to address their issues.
He sees the partnership as a way to strengthen ties with an area many Aurorans called home.
"I think it's important for people to know that these aren't Council decisions. We don't wake up one day and say, let's make a sister city relationship," Marcano said. "This is brought to us by our community. It's up to them to get organized and form a committee to do a certain level of fundraising and then to make that connection."
The relationship is formalized when both mayors or city leaders sign a memorandum of understanding establishing a sister city relationship.
