A few balloons and some cheers, if you please, to celebrate the state’s opening of a trade office in Mexico City. It’s great news and the result of state and local collaboration as well as public-private partnerships.

The new office will put Arizona in a better position to grow trade with Mexico and compete for direct foreign investment. So yippee.

But, alas, there’s a shadow over the celebration that’s serious enough to attract the attention of Sen. John McCain.

Just as Arizona starts to get serious about courting trade with Mexico, banks are closing branches along the border.

via Cheers and tears on trade with Mexico.