Dying Tradition?

The 27th annual Conference of Border Governors has lost some luster this year, with only half of the Mexican leaders and none of the Americans attending. Indeed, it is more than anything a conference of northeastern Mexican governors, with only Coahuila, Tamaulipas, and Nuevo León represented by their top official. I wonder if this has to do with the federalization of the border (i.e. the appointment of Alan Bersin as border czar) taking some of the air out of the governors' role in the region.