Border & Immigration

Service Held For Father Of Tijuana's Mayor

By Jose Luis Jiménez / Social Media/Web Editor

Published January 21, 2011 at 12:33 PM PST

This story was published more than 13 years ago.

Alfonso Bustamante, considered one of the architects of modern Tijuana, died at his home on Wednesday. He was 95.

Mourners attended a memorial service at a Tijuana church Friday afternoon for Alfonso Bustamante, who died Wednesday. He was the father of Tijuana's mayor, Carlos Bustamante.

Alfonso Bustamante was a businessman and developer, responsible for building two icons of Tijuana's skyline: two tall, glass buildings that house the Grand Hotel Tijuana and upscale offices.

Bustamante also established the local gas company and developed one of the first industrial parks to the east of the city that helped usher in Tijuana’s “maquiladora” or manufacturing industry.

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James Clark works on Mexican business issues with the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. He says the elder Bustamante’s has been retired for years. His four sons now run his businesses and are also deeply involved in politics south of the border.

“The great impact, of course, of Alfonso Bustamante Sr. was particularly helping to turn Tijuana from just a small border town to the economic powerhouse it is now," Clark said. "Our condolences go out to the family. He will me missed."

Bustmante also invested in San Diego businesses and various charities. He was 95.

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Border & Immigration Tijuana

Jose Luis Jiménez

Jose Luis Jiménez joined KPBS in August 2010 as the Social Media/Web Editor for Fronteras: The Changing America Desk. His duties include using social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, to distribute print stories, audio tales and videos produced by Fronteras reporters to as wide an audience as possible. He also uses these platforms to identify communities on the Internet to engage in a conversation about what is happening along the U.S.-Mexico border and in the Southwest. The social media platforms are also used to help reporters find sources and ideas for stories. Jose has been a journalist since 1993, starting his career at media outlets in Florida before moving to California in 2000. Prior to joining KPBS, he worked at the San Diego Union-Tribune covering numerous beats, including the border region and Mexico. His last assignment at the Union-Tribune was as an editor for both the daily newspaper and the website. When not working, he volunteers with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and serves as treasurer for the local chapter of CCNMA: Latino Journalists of California. One of the group’s main projects is to host an annual media workshop that teaches high school students about journalism and encourages them to enter the field. Jose was born and raised on the island of St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands and graduated from Florida International University with a double major in journalism and political science.

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