Harris County's Judge Hidalgo Lands in Paris on Trade Mission

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo arrived in Paris Monday ahead of her scheduled appearance at Viva Tech 2025 , according to an announcement made by Houston's senior French diplomat.

Valerie Barbaran, consul general of France to Houston, welcomed Hidalgo in a post made to X around 6:30 p.m. Barbaran shared a photo of Hidalgo at a reception hosted at the Rice Global Paris Center, which serves as the hub for Rice University's presence in Europe.

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Hidalgo's arrival to the French capitol heralded the beginning of a week-long trade mission culminating in an appearance at Viva Tech, Europe's largest technology and startup conference. The Greater Houston Partnership and Rice University co-sponsored the mission, according to a June 2 news release .

According to Viva Tech's website, Hidalgo is leading a delegation of Houston-area startups and industry representatives in a bid to market the region as a hub for cutting-edge technology development.

"Spearheaded by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, this initiative aims to elevate Houston's profile as a global innovation hub, with a special focus on artificial intelligence and emerging technologies," Viva Tech wrote on its website . "Throughout the week, participants will connect with top French executives, explore high-growth ventures, and foster international partnerships that drive economic growth and technological advancement."

Although emails secured by the Houston Chronicle indicated Hidalgo planned to speak at the conference, she was not listed on Viva Tech's speaker page by around 8 p.m. Monday.

Hidalgo initially requested the county pay for several of her staff members to join her on the mission, which sparked controversy among residents and fellow officials alike. Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey labeled the mission a "junket" in a post made to X May 20.

Commissioners voted 3-2 against two separate proposals, including a reduced request to bring only her security detail, which cut the cost of the mission by around half. Hidalgo said bringing security was a necessary precaution following alleged threats made against her by  "conspiracy theorists."

She also pointed to a 2024 request filed by the Harris County Toll Road Authority to send its director to Belgium for a bicycle conference, which was approved by commissioners.

"My caveat is that this court approved last year in May, international travel for the HCTRA director at a cost of $13,000 for one employee," Hidalgo said. "This request costs $1,350 less than HCTRA's, and would cover ... a security detail in a place that this body has already leaked to my conspiracy theorists."

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Hidalgo's request came just as county officials revealed a projected $270 million budget gap for fiscal year 2026. But Nancy Sims, a political science lecturer at the University of Houston, previously said that while trade missions to cities like Paris are often politically fraught, they can result in a significant return on investment for local jurisdictions.

"That is economic development 101, Harris County can't grow if we don't attract new business," Sims said.

While travel to fancy-sounding places like Paris and London can serve as fodder for political opponents,  global conferences and industry gatherings are often held in major cities, Sims said.

Although Hidalgo was unable to win over enough of her fellow commissioners to secure approval to take her security detail, she said she planned to pay for the trade mission with her campaign funds. It was not immediately clear when she would be returning or if she will attend Thursday's scheduled Commissioners Court meeting.

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