El Tercer Pais

Two of the most important cities in North America are so physically close they would touch were they not separated by a wall at the US-Mexico border. That border has been a flashpoint of contention for centuries. And yet, the untold reality in San Diego and Tijuana is that tens of thousands of people cross through that wall in both directions—lawfully—each day, to work, go to school, socialize, and visit “the other side of town.” While fights over undocumented immigration and drug trafficking continue in their respective countries, the citizens of these two cities have built a separate peace unmatched anywhere else in the world.

El Tercer País tells the story of Tijuana and San Diego for the first time—an unforgettable tale of war and peaceful cooperation, dependency and shared destiny, exploitation and amity. Most of all, it tells the stories of forward-thinking individuals on both sides of the border who have brought the cities together for their mutual benefit. Th is enthralling narrative gives hope for a universal solution to one of this century’s most pressing challenges and offers valuable lessons to nations everywhere about creating cross-border, binational partnerships.