The mayor-elect of Tijuana, Ismael Burgueño Ruiz, met separately with ambassador Alicia Kerber Palma, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego, and the mayor of Imperial Beach, Paloma Aguirre, to discuss together strategies and strengthen the relation between both border cities during his administration.

At this meeting, priority issues such as the reduction of crossing times for Tijuana students that cross daily into the United States, with an affordable cost for families, were addressed.

The Consul General highlighted project "Puente México" whose goal is to help tourists discover the retreats of Mexico and San Diego and promote the region.

In addition, the Consul General expressed her interest in working together with the municipal government to carry out training between police officers to improve emergency responses and coordinate daily actions.

The mayor-elect Ismael Burgueño highlighted the importance of security and education to boost tourism and improve the quality of life in Tijuana.

He also claimed that his goal is to make Tijuana a clean and attractive city for tourists and residents, which is why he will focus his attention on cleaning and maintaining the city.

"In Tijuana, the motherland begins and doesn't end," Burgueño said, speaking about how his government will have as a priority taking care of the city’s cultural and natural heritage.

On the other hand, the mayor of Imperial Beach, Paloma Aguirre, also highlighted Tijuana's economic boost regarding gastronomy, culture, and art, and made a proposal of working together to take advantage of this potential.

Burgueño stressed that he had a historic vote in the last elections and that security will be one of his administration's main priorities.

The mayor of Imperial Beach expressed her gratitude to the mayor-elect and agreed that security and art are essential to create a community with a high quality of life.

She also spoke about the issue of the Tijuana-San Diego river that has been closed for more than 900 consecutive days due to pollution and ecological problems. "It is a delicate issue, but there is hope that we can address this with support of the government of both countries," she said.

Both political leaders expressed their commitment with coordinating and cooperating on bilateral issues and agreed that it is essential to maintain close communication to address common challenges and promote sustainable development in both border cities.

RELATED VIDEO: Ismael Burgueño meets with the Consul of Mexico in San Diego and the mayor of Imperial Beach