Mexican ambassador Leonora Rueda will be among dozens of her compatriots in Dunedin next week to cheer on their team in the Fifa U-20 World Cup. Getting Kiwis to engage with the real Mexico, not just the stereotypes of violence and drugs, would help her country meet its challenges, Mrs Rueda tells Bruce Munro.
Tomorrow, when 11 talented, young footballers in green jerseys run on to the field at the temporarily renamed Otago Stadium, one of the most exuberant chants of ''Vamos Mexico'' will come from their country's ambassador.
Leonora Rueda will barely have enough time to get off the plane from Wellington and to Dunedin before the referee's whistle blows time-on for the 1pm start of Mexico's 2015 Fifa Under-20 World Cup tournament.
It is a much-anticipated moment for Mrs Rueda, who views the youth football World Cup as not only a great celebration of the beautiful game but also an excellent opportunity to shatter some misconceptions about Mexico here in the tournament's host country.
Barring an emergency taking her back to Wellington, Mrs Rueda is spending the week in the South, taking in all three of the under-20 team's first-round matches, against Mali, Uruguay and Serbia, as well as meeting civic and university representatives.
She rates her team's chances; even though the TAB is putting its money on Argentina and has ranked Mexico 11th of the 24 teams competing, two places higher than New Zealand.
''I am optimistic that they are going to do well,'' Mrs Rueda says effusively.
Her clear English clips and rolls with a characteristic Mexican accent, casting familiar words and phrases in a new light.
''They have a very experienced technical team and all the conditions to go forward to achieve a good result. I hope they make it to the final.''
They have managed that once before - when they came second in the inaugural Fifa U-20 championship in Tunisia in 1977 - and came close when they finished third in Colombia in 2011.
That was the year Mrs Rueda, who is in her 50s, became Mexico's ambassador to New Zealand.
She had joined the Mexican Foreign Service in 1990, rising from consul in New Orleans, to chargé d'affaires in Vietnam, and then ambassador to Jamaica and the Bahamas, before moving to Wellington almost four years ago.
As well as New Zealand, Mrs Rueda is responsible for Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands and Niue.
She recalls being surprised by the sense of safety she found here.
''I didn't see police on the streets. Just the ones in the cars ... the traffic police.
''I love that security you feel, even walking at night without having that fear you are going to be attacked or robbed.''
She was also struck by the ''easy way in which you manage yourselves in this country''.
There is a comparative lack of bureaucracy when dealing with government and politicians.
''Together with this ...'' She pauses.
''... people are kind of informal, let's say. You don't have to use too much protocol ... People are very friendly and you can have confidence in them. I like that very much.''
What was and still is difficult, however, is getting a good meal at the ''right'' time of day.
New Zealand restaurants often close between 2pm and 5pm and bars tend to stop serving food after 8pm.
It is problematic when your normal routine is a hearty breakfast, working until mid-afternoon, then a three-course two-hour sit-down meal, back to work until early evening and then a light supper sometime after 8pm.
The ambassador has resolved the cultural conundrum by hiring a Colombian housekeeper who prepares a 2.30pm el almuerzo (lunch).
With up to 50 Mexican media representatives and dozens of family members and team supporters expected in Dunedin for the World Cup, Mrs Rueda suggests a local restaurant and bar could do very nicely by adopting South American hours.
New Zealand's official relationship with Mexico is relatively recent.
The diplomatic hook-up was not until 1973.
Since then, and especially in the past five years, political and business liaisons have deepened.
In 2013, Prime Minister John Key visited Mexico accompanied by Minister of Primary Industries Nathan Guy.
''His encounter with President Enrique Peña Nieto was the beginning of a new era in bilateral relations,'' Mrs Rueda says.
Trips by senior officials to each other's countries have also strengthend the bonds.
The Mexican Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Antonio Meade, for example, visited Auckland in November last year.
And Tim Groser, who is Minister of Trade and Climate Change Issues, is now a ''connoisseur of Mexico''.
Now, New Zealand exports $320 million worth of mainly dairy, sheep and cheese products to Mexico each year.
In return, we import $309 million worth of goods such as vehicles ($33m), telephones ($28m) and beer ($22m).
There is now a small but growing Mexican population in New Zealand.
According to Statistics New Zealand, 223 Mexicans arrived in New Zealand last year with the intention of staying 12 months or longer.
That brought the resident population up to 711, a quarter of whom were born in this country.
About half live in Auckland.
But there are Mexicans scattered throughout the country, Mrs Rueda says.
They include ''extremely highly regarded Mexican academic Rogelio Guedea'' who is a professor in the University of Otago languages and cultures department.
New Zealand and Mexico have several interests, attitudes and concerns in common, the ambassador says.
Both countries are mad keen on sports.
''Football for Mexicans is like rugby for New Zealanders,'' she says.
''What I can say for sure is that of the 120 million Mexicans, around 60% will watch the [Fifa U-20] matches live on TV no matter what time the games are played.''
And knowledge of each other's national game is growing.
In fact, Tamaha MacDonald, a former Dunedin club and Counties Manukau provincial rugby player, is now assistant coach of Mexico's fledgling rugby team.
And then there is the shared attitude of what Mrs Rueda calls ''solidarity'' - the inclination to stand with and help neighbours, domestically and overseas, in time of need.
She points to her country's Los Topos (The Moles) - physically short men specialising in post-earthquake urban rescue - who helped in Christchurch and have most recently been in Nepal.
Our two countries are also working together at an international level on free trade, nuclear non-proliferation and climate change.
But despite the high-flying co-operation on global issues and the grassroots interest in salsa dancing and Corona beer, there is still widespread misinformation and misunderstanding about Mexico in New Zealand, Mrs Rueda says.
For many Kiwis, Mexico is that distant land of drugs, illegal border crossings and low-paid factory workers which is home to the world's second-richest man, $US77.1 billion net worth telecom tycoon Carlos Slim.
It also seems to have replaced Ireland as the butt of schoolyard jokes.
Negative perceptions grow, fed by media representations that focus on the sensational and the shocking.
This has repercussions for Mexicans living in New Zealand.
Normally they ''fully enjoy the warmth of the people''.
But ''ignorance sometimes nurtures prejudice'', Mrs Rueda says.
New Zealanders regularly tell Mrs Rueda that what they know of her homeland makes them afraid to visit.
''They think it is a very dangerous country.''
In part, it is true.
But only in small part, she says.
''Yes, we have security problems. But only in certain areas of the country if you get involved with those people; the drug dealers. The problems we have are mainly between the drug dealers trying to get into the US because there is the market.''
The picture of Mexico she would like New Zealanders to lay hold of, is that of a vibrant, emergent nation which was among the top 10 most visited countries last year.
It has a wealth of culture, history and biodiversity.
''Mexico has 56 indigenous ethnic groups,'' she enthuses.
And forget about Berlin or New York.
Mexico City is ''the new capital of modern and contemporary art''.
It has the 14th-largest economy in the world, more free-trade agreements than any other country and ''one of the most attractive investment markets worldwide'', she says, salesman's hat firmly in place.
''As I mentioned before, Mexico is ... the first economy amongst Spanish-speaking countries, with a world-class automotive industry, a booming aerospace industry and a sophisticated electrical, electronic, textile, domestic and medical appliances industry.''
That is not to say Mexico does not have its challenges, she admits with surprising candour.
Its aspirations to become a more egalitarian society; to consolidate the rule of law and democratic processes; to implement the president's structural reforms, particularly in energy and education; and to fight social ills such as international organised crime, all will require determination and stamina.
''We still have that gap between the haves and the have nots. But we are consolidating a middle class,'' she says.
A bigger middle-class means more consumption, leading to greater productivity, requiring increased employment, providing higher wages ... so the theory goes.
''We want to try to close that gap a little bit. Or at least to ensure it is not so deep. Because we still have 10 million people living in poverty.
''The president has promoted a series of economic reforms towards this end. But you have to convince many sectors of society to enforce the reforms. Sometimes the difficult thing is to enforce the policies.
''So we are working on it every day. Probably, you will see the results in five to 10 years.''
Drugs are not just a Mexican problem but a serious global threat, Mrs Rueda says''There is no country in the world more committed to fighting drug traffickers and organised crime. Unfortunately, the growing drug consumption in developed countries in no way contributes to finding global solutions.''
New Zealanders' awareness of the bigger picture can help shape global opinion.
Kiwis acting on a more insightful understanding of Mexico and its people can help in another way too.
Engaging with Mexico would contribute to the economic growth that could help it realise its social goals.
It is why Mexico's ambassador is so keen to see New Zealanders make her country their next holiday destination - ''Visit Mexico. Live it to believe it.'' - and to see the Fifa U-20 World Cup come here.
''Professionally and personally, this is one of the best things that can happen to me,'' Mrs Rueda says.
''[It] represents a unique opportunity to enhance people-to-people relations for both countries, the backbone of any relationship.
''It gives true knowledge beyond preconceived ideas or prejudices. This type of participation makes my work much easier.''
