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 Cรฉsar Chรกvez Sr.
โI feel honored and proud to be recognized with this award,โ Chรกvez said in Spanish. โIf 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 donโt deserve it but here I am.โ
Chรกvez 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 โEl Campeรณn de Campeones,โ was born in Culiacรกn, Sinaloa, Mexico in 1962 and became a world lightweight champion and national sports hero in his country.
โI won many fights but the most important battle that Iโm fighting is my recovery,โ he said.
The retired boxer was accompanied by his wife Myriam Escobar de Chรกvez on stage as he talked about his addiction and how he is now 11 years sober.
โI quickly developed an addiction and Iโm not ashamed to talk about it because I believe that this has helped me save many lives,โ 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 Lรณpez Hernรกndez to exchange gifts.
Mendez gave the Matamoros mayor a black cowboy hat as a symbol of friendship between the two cities and Lรณpez Hernรกndez gifted the Brownsville mayor a ceremonial plate, mug and tie. The Matamoros mayorโs wife, Marsella Huerta de Lรณpez, presented a brown cowboy hat to the wife of Mr. Amigo 2019.
ย โI think we have a responsibility to tell others what itโs like to live by the border and have the culture that we have,โ Mendez said. โI think itโs 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.โ
Mexican actress and singer Edith Mรกrquez, the Matamoros Huรฉsped Distinguido, or distinguished guest, received a traditionalย cuera Tamaulipecaย jacket from the Matamoros mayor.
ย YouTuber Rosy McMichael and actor Noรฉ de la Garza, the Orgullos Matamorense, or prides of Matamoros, were also gifted with traditional cuera Tamaulipecaย jackets from Lรณpez Hernรกndez.
In an interview with The Rider after the ceremony, de la Graza said it is important to celebrate the unity of these two cities โbecause we only have each other; there are no other humans, thereโs nothing, itโs 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.โ
Chรกvez received multiple gifts, including an honorary Mr. Amigo medal from Alvarez. The retired boxer also received a traditionalย cuera Tamaulipecaย 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 Chรกvezโs 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.
Camila Alejandra Rego (left) and Leonardo Granados Ariceaga hug on stage after exchanging a United States and Mexican flag last Friday during the Hands Across the Border ceremony at the Gateway International Bridge.
