Mexican Consul Adjusts to New Job

On her first day as Mexican consul in Oxnard, Luz Elena Bueno spent her time settling in and getting accustomed to the number of Oxnard residents who use the consul’s services.

“Oxnard is a great place,” Bueno said. “There are a lot of people who need documentation and in need of our services. Since I came from a place where there were less people, it is nice to see so many people.”

Bueno is replacing Luis Humberto Ramirez, longtime consul at the Oxnard office. Bueno studied literature in Mexico City’s National Autonomous University and has been in the diplomatic corps for 14 years. She arrived in Oxnard after serving terms in Honduras, Venezuela and Nogales, Ariz., where she was deputy consul.

The consul office in Oxnard, which opened in 1987, arranges immigration documentation, and advises on legal issues and travel questions for Mexican citizens in Oxnard.

Bueno’s husband, Enrique Basaguren, is a publicist and writer, and their stay in Oxnard marks the first time they have lived in California. The couple have three daughters and a son. Bueno is one of the few women to hold a position as consul general within the Mexican diplomatic ranks.

“There are not that many [women],” Bueno said. “Now we are seeing more, and they are very intelligent and prepared. Soon we will achieve some parity.”