US Consul General Reflects on His 1st Year at Mérida’s New Consulate

Justen Thomas oversees US$211 million diplomatic complex while embracing local customs

On his second day in Mérida, Consul General Justen Thomas received a diplomatic briefing that had nothing to do with foreign policy. A colleague took him guayabera shopping.

“All I wear now,” Thomas said with a laugh, gesturing to his crisp white shirt with narrow pleats and vertical decorative patterns down the front. The Wisconsin native has been gifted many guayaberas since arriving, quickly adapting to Yucatecan style while marking his first anniversary on August 1 of what will be a three-year term leading the new US Consulate in Mérida.

The 45-year-old diplomat oversees operations at the US$211 million facility. The new Mérida consulate represents the largest American diplomatic investment in the Yucatán Peninsula’s history. The state-of-the-art complex, located behind Harbor Mall in the quickly rising Via Montejo development, opened to the public in spring 2025 and replaced a much more modest facility on Calle 60, which had served the region since 2006. 

“This is really the first time where I feel responsible for the building and the people,” Thomas said during a recent tour of the 6,000-square-meter (64,583-square-foot) facility. “It’s a great feeling, but it kind of hits you.”

1 Merida Consulate for 3 States

The new consulate serves as the regional hub for three states—Yucatán, Campeche, and Quintana Roo—conducting hundreds of visa interviews daily during morning hours. The building houses 100-plus employees, including American diplomats and local staff. They anticipate more employees once hiring resumes at the State Department.

Thomas, who arrived in August 2024, brings experience from previous postings in Spain, Austria, Cuba, Brazil, and France. This marks his first role as a principal officer and his first assignment in Mexico. He shares the experience with his husband Ricardo, who is originally from Brazil.

His time in Cuba proved particularly formative. Thomas worked there with Courtney Beale, who later became his predecessor as consul general in Mérida. “She was my boss and absolute role model and mentor,” Thomas said. Cuba marked the first time he worked in a country where collaboration was difficult, and the government put up obstacles to diplomatic work.

Thomas was present during the mysterious “anomalous health incidents” that affected US diplomatic personnel in Havana, though he was unaffected. The posting ended abruptly when they evacuated due to a hurricane and subsequent diplomatic tensions, although Thomas was eventually able to return to Cuba to complete his tour of duty.

The diplomat has clearly adapted to tropical living. “When I was a kid, I could play outside in negative temperatures all day long,” Thomas said, referring to his Wisconsin childhood. “Now if I experience snow, I just can’t adjust.”

His free-spirited parents were creative from the start. Originally planning to name him Matthew or Justin, they changed course when he was born on the 10th of the month. His father decided to incorporate the “10” into his name, spelling it Justen. He says that today, they enjoy following their son’s adventures around the world, visiting him when possible.

“When I was a kid in Wisconsin, I thought you could be a doctor or a lawyer. I didn’t know anything about diplomacy,” Thomas recalled. His path to foreign service began during a high school exchange year in Argentina, where his host mother called him a natural diplomat for mediating family disputes among his host siblings.

“I think that was truly the first time I had heard that word, and from that point on, it kind of faded into the background. But then, when I was in college, looking seriously at what I wanted to do post-studies, I thought, ‘What was that thing that my host mom said I was really good at?’ ” Thomas said.

Sustainable Design

Seattle-based Miller Hull Partnership designed the facility with sustainability as a key priority. The building is up for LEED Silver certification for its environmental features, including solar panels, advanced water efficiency systems, and native landscaping — even a small henequen patch in the rear. Wells on the property inject storm water back into the ground, referencing the cenotes found throughout the region.

The architectural design draws inspiration from Maya archaeological sites. Glass-clad upper floors floating above a limestone base, a ceremonial staircase connecting communal spaces within the building represents the cenotes considered sacred by the Maya.

“The design implements building performance optimization that advances US sustainability and climate resilience goals,” according to the State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, which oversaw the project.

Diplomatic Priorities

Thomas says his main role involves implementing foreign policy directives locally. The consulate’s biggest priority centers on helping efforts to stem the flow of fentanyl into the United States through information sharing and training programs with regional security forces.

The facility also liaises with American companies making regional investments and assists US citizens during emergencies. Thomas maintains regular contact with the governors of all three states the consulate serves.

Recent challenges include monitoring anti-gentrification sentiment that has emerged in other parts of Mexico. Thomas has convened meetings with local officials, NGOs, and business leaders to ensure positive relationships between American residents and the broader community.

“We want to make sure that conversation doesn’t get off the rails here,” Thomas said, noting that most Americans in Mérida have contributed positively.

Clearing Up Misconceptions

Thomas acknowledges that many people don’t understand what the consulate actually does. A common misperception involves Americans seeking help with Mexican bureaucracy.

“I’ll often say, ‘Oh, I work at the US Consulate.’ ‘Oh, good. I’m trying to get my Mexican residency card,'” Thomas said. “Well, that’s great. But I have nothing to do with that.”

The consulate processes visa applications by foreigners who wish to visit the United States and helps U.S. citizens with routine and emergency U.S. passport services, and assistance in the case of medical emergencies, deaths, arrests and disasters. The consulate advises U.S. citizens to follow Mexico’s entry and exit requirements, review local laws, and other travel guidance. The consulate does not get U.S. citizens out of jail, provide legal advice, serve as an official interpreter, or pay legal, medical, or other fees.   

Another misconception concerns emergency response during natural disasters. While the consulate provides information and assistance, Thomas said it is not equipped to directly provide rescue operations.

But during hurricane season, they focus on sharing safety information and helping people make wise decisions before reaching crisis situations.

Building Security and Services

The new facility offers enhanced security features and improved processing capabilities compared to the previous location. While visa interviews often take only a few minutes, they are just one aspect of the Mérida consulate’s overall efforts to secure America’s borders and enforce immigration law.

“The interview is an opportunity to confirm, are you who you say you are? Do I believe the story you told in your application?” Thomas explained. “It’s often about assessing people’s credibility.”

American citizens needing emergency services can access the consulate through a separate entrance, with consular agents in Cancún, Cozumel, and Playa del Carmen handle emergencies and routine matters to reduce travel to Mérida.

The Mérida consulate project employed over 2,300 workers during construction and forms part of a broader $2 billion US investment in five major diplomatic facilities across Mexico. The new facility’s opening marked a significant milestone for US-Mexico diplomatic relations in the region.

Construction was completed by Birmingham-based BL Harbert International, with the project breaking ground in December 2020. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program, administered by the US Green Building Council, recognizes buildings that meet rigorous environmental standards across categories including energy efficiency, water conservation, and indoor environmental quality.

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