Four-star power: intimate AMCHAM/MEXICO address by Powell highlights 21st Binational Conference.

Amid an atmosphere charged with anti-American sentiment, a four-star general flew into town--that town being the world's second-largest city--and had them laughing in the aisles.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell gave AMCHAM/MEXICO a rare honor when he delivered an exclusive address to select Chamber members. Every major media outlet in the country attended the speech by the former chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and giants of industry lined the first rows. Newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza also sat in on the event, which served as a kickoff of sorts to the 2lst Binational Conference.

After keeping the assembled waiting in a cordoned-off section of the Hotel Sheraton Maria Isabel across from the U.S. Embassy for 15 minutes, Powell broke the silence by saying, "Never keep the troops waiting. It's an old habit that has been reinforced during my time in the Bush administration."

The charismatic Bronx, New York, native would later crack up the crowd again in response to a somewhat technical fiscal question, "I'm not an economist. I'm an infantry officer."

Despite his at times cocktail-hour tone, Powell was unmistakably serious when pressed on the touchier issues--namely migration, agriculture and the Middle East.

Although he recognized U.S. Geoge W. President Bush has made it clear "there is no relationship more important to us than our own neighborhood," he nevertheless talked of the need of "managing" migration and said that any moves toward a more open border must be done "in light of 9-11."

"We will find the right balance between protecting ourselves and remaining open and welcoming," he said.

Powell's comments on migration were viewed by many attendees as simply de riguer, as other issues were the real talk of the day, according to Reforma daily and TV Azteca columnist Sergio Sarmiento.

A slightly starstruck Sarmiento, who said he had never heard a U.S. secretary of state address in such a small setting, told BUSINESS MEXICO he anticipated "possibly a breakthrough in the agriculture sector" given Powell's comments.

This breakthrough would never come, however. Powell recognized that tense relations between the two neighbors on agriculture, "are going to become more difficult in 2003." His remarks proved somewhat prophetic, as farmers' protests and agro-jingoistic speeches by lawmakers escalated markedly in the weeks that followed.

Despite Powell's efforts to inject his address with amistad and warmth--from the podium he wished outgoing AMCHAM/MEXCO Vice President John Bruton good luck--the wartime security measures taken to protect the Cabinet member lent a tense air to the whole meeting.

Bomb-sniffing dogs reviewed the bags of even the most delicate female reporters. Secret Service agents lined the walls of the conference room, keeping a watchful eye on the seated guests, as the 35-year army veteran addressed the Middle East situation tersely, "We know that there is a problem with Iraq that we have to deal with."

Throughout his address, though, Powell's straight talk and tough words were tempered by a fundamental optimism and faith that has characterized his political trajectory and transformation from an architect of Operation Desert Storm into an internationally respected diplomat of the highest caliber.

"I make it a point every day to lean back a little, lean back and look at the good things," he said.

Matthew Brayman is editor of BUSINESS MEXICO.