Mexican Consul Reflects on Seven-Year Tenure in El Paso

Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de Leon has been the longest-serving Mexican consul general in El Paso since at least the 1990s.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 12:56am

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A warm, nostalgic painting of the exterior of a government building, with diagonal sunlight casting deep shadows across the facade, conceptually representing the consulate's role in the community.The Mexican consulate in El Paso has served as a bridge between the border city and its southern neighbor during times of crisis and change.El Paso Today

Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de Leon, the Mexican consul general in El Paso, has served in the role for seven years, navigating the community through major crises like the 2019 mass shooting, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the influx of migrants. Ibarra has worked to strengthen ties between Mexico and the border city, coordinating responses to these events and providing support and resources to Mexican citizens.

Why it matters

As the longest-serving Mexican consul in El Paso in recent decades, Ibarra has played a crucial role in representing Mexico's interests and supporting its citizens during challenging times for the border community. His tenure highlights the importance of binational cooperation and the consulate's efforts to protect and assist Mexican immigrants.

The details

Ibarra arrived in El Paso just months before the 2019 mass shooting at a Walmart that killed 23 people, many of them Mexican. In the aftermath, the consulate worked closely with local authorities and provided support to the victims' families. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ibarra helped coordinate the vaccination of over 33,000 maquiladora workers who commute from Mexico. The consulate has also been active in supporting Mexican immigrants, visiting detention centers, providing know-your-rights workshops, and connecting people to resources.

  • Ibarra became the Mexican consul general in El Paso in 2019.
  • The mass shooting in El Paso occurred on August 3, 2019.
  • The COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

The players

Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de Leon

The Mexican consul general in El Paso, who has served in the role since 2019 and is the longest-serving consul in the city since at least the 1990s.

Dee Margo

The mayor of El Paso.

Armando Cabada

The mayor of Juárez, Mexico.

Roberto Velasco

The Mexican Foreign Ministry Director for North America.

Mark J. Seitz

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of El Paso.

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What they’re saying

“In those days, San Diego had a pilot program to vaccinate maquiladora workers. I approached the mayor and different officials (in El Paso) that we needed to take action as well. We vaccinated 33,000 maquiladora (workers) with no passports or visas. The city, the county provided vaccines and maquiladoras paid for buses to take them to the Tornillo (Texas) port of entry – to get a vaccine and return to Mexico.”

— Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de Leon, Mexican Consul General in El Paso

“We will always have migration; we will always have security issues on the border. The most important thing is coordination, communication and collaboration so that issues don't become crises.”

— Mauricio Ibarra Ponce de Leon, Mexican Consul General in El Paso

What’s next

Ibarra is expected to continue serving as the Mexican consul general in El Paso for the foreseeable future, as he has expressed fondness for the region and a desire to remain in the role.

The takeaway

Ibarra's tenure as the Mexican consul general in El Paso has demonstrated the importance of strong binational cooperation and the consulate's role in supporting Mexican citizens and protecting their interests during challenging times for the border community.