Consul General of Mexico Roberto Rodriguez on the Importance of Hispanic Holiday Traditions

By: Cindy G. Castillo 

Roberto Rodriguez, Consulate General of Mexico, has vivid memories of what it was like to celebrate the holidays surrounded by classic Latino traditions.

“The memories from my childhood are very clear to me,” Rodriguez said. “I grew up with the posadas, the pinatas, the fruit and the candy.”

More than anything, he said he completely understands how the holidays can feel nostalgic for immigrants when they find themselves away from home.

For that same reason, he said it’s important that Latinos in the U.S. continue to keep these traditions alive for generations to follow, regardless of where the holidays might take them.

“Traditions are part of our culture, it’s part of our Latin essence,” he said.

Coincidentally, a big part of Latin culture is food. Rodriguez says some of his favorite dishes for the season include bacalao, romeritos, turkey, and fruit punch.

Consulate General of Mexico Roberto Rodríguez Hernández celebrating the holidays in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico, Rodriguez serves as Consul General of Mexico, representing the country internationally and providing different services to Mexican immigrants. The three main areas that the consulate focuses on include documentation, citizen services and promotion of culture, education, commerce, and investments.

In their efforts to promote Mexican culture, Rodriguez says the most important thing to remember for those who migrate from Mexico into the U.S. is the preservation of tradition, while still adapting to the American culture.

“[The U.S.] will be a new place where your children are going to grow up,” he said, “and it doesn’t matter how far away you are from your country, you should be able to maintain the same traditions, while still participating in this new society because Hispanics will be the future of development in this country.”

The Consulate General of Mexico provides an array of services to the community, including aid with visas, documentation, money and legal trouble. For more information on how you can take advantage of these services, head to their official website here.