Mazatlán says no to carnival, though only 1,576 people voted

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December 8, 2020

carnaval — Mazatlán Carnival parade in 2019.

While only 0.44% of registered voters showed up to cast a ballot at a referendum Sunday, the few Mazatlán citizens who did vote decided overwhelmingly that the city will not hold its world-famous carnival celebration in February.

Local officials stood ready to collect votes with 33,000 ballots at six polling stations. But in the end, only 1,576 people voted on whether the city should hold the festival next year in light of the coronavirus. Of that number, 1,417 — or 90% — voted no.

The number of eligible voters totaled 350,510 in the 2018 elections.

The municipality held the referendum after Mayor Guillermo Benítez Torres said municipal officials could not come to a decision about holding the event, scheduled for February 11–16, due to concerns about crowding and Covid-19 spread.

“This is to say that citizens decide and not the authorities,” Benítez said upon announcing the referendum. “If you want it to happen, we are all going to share responsibility for what may happen at Carnaval.”

Mazatlán’s 2020 carnival celebration broke records with 1.6 million people attending the seven-day festival. The parade alone had an estimated attendance of 680,000. Forbes magazine has called the carnival — a 122-year-old tradition that features concerts, parades, fireworks displays and other large public events — one of the three most important carnival celebrations worldwide.

Mazatlán currently has 72 active Covid-19 cases, in second place statewide under Culiacán, which has 247.

Source: El Universal (sp)

Day at the beach turns to tragedy as 3 children swept away by waves

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Michelle Aguilar

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December 8, 2020

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The Veracruz beach where strong currents claimed the lives of three young boys.

Emergency personnel on Monday recovered the body of the last of three brothers swept away and drowned Saturday in strong currents at a Veracruz beach.

The body of 13-year-old Brayan was found washed up on a beach in the community of Las Barrancas, some distance away from where he and his two brothers disappeared in the waters off Antón Lizardo. Both are vacation towns in the municipality of Alvarado, located within the metropolitan area of the city of Veracruz.

The boys had been swimming with their family Saturday around noon near a breakwater when strong currents began pulling the boys, their father and an adult sister. Alvarado Civil Protection personnel enlisted the help of lifeguards and fishermen in the area to save the father and the sister, but the three boys disappeared in the waves.

The father was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

With the continued help of fishermen, officials located 10-year-old Alexander’s body in the vicinity the same day around 4 p.m, and 15-year-old Uriel’s body on Sunday by a breakwater near the Antón Lizardo Naval School.

The family, from Tlaxcala, were swimming despite red flags posted at the beach warning of the dangerous conditions. Waves at the beach this weekend were bigger than usual due to the combination of northern winds and a cold front passing through the area.

Sources: Milenio (sp), ADN40 (sp)

Healthcare workers then seniors are first in line in 5-stage Covid vaccination plan

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MND Staff

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December 8, 2020

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The first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine is expected this month.

Healthcare workers will be the first people in Mexico to be immunized against Covid-19 under a five-stage national vaccination plan presented Tuesday by the federal government.

Second in line are people aged 80 and over followed by those in the 70-79 age bracket.

Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell, the government’s coronavirus point man, told President López Obrador’s morning news conference that the intention is to administer Covid-19 vaccines to about 75% of the population aged 16 and over by the end of next year.

According to the vaccination plan, the immunization of frontline healthcare workers using the Pfizer vaccine will begin this month and conclude in February 2021.

Health Minister Jorge Alcocer said Monday that people considered particularly vulnerable to a serious Covid-19 illness due to existing health conditions will also have early access to immunization.

The Pfizer vaccine is expected to be approved by the health regulator Cofepris this month and a first shipment of 250,000 doses is to arrive soon after. That number of doses will allow 125,000 healthcare workers to be inoculated as each person requires two shots given 21 days apart.

Mexico struck a deal with Pfizer last week to buy 34.4 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine, which was shown to be 95% effective in phase 3 trials. One million doses are slated to arrive in Mexico in each of January, February and March and a shipment of 12 million doses is expected in April.

In stage 2 of the vaccination plan, which will run from February to April, the government intends to immunize non-frontline health workers and people aged over 60, starting with those 80 or older. Immunization of people aged 50-59 will occur in stage 3 in April and May while those between 40 and 49 are to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in stage 4 next May and June.

In stage 5, the rest of the population will be immunized between June 2021 and March 2022.

López-Gatell said the vaccination schedule creates “new horizons of hope” for Mexico and the world.

“We’ll be working throughout 2021 as the different vaccines appear,” he said, adding that the government already has agreements to purchase three.

Foreign Minister Ebrard: having early access to vaccine is ‘a great achievement’ for Mexico.

The deputy health minister predicted that more vaccines will be approved in 2021, providing the opportunity to purchase additional shipments from different suppliers.

Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard noted that the government has an agreement to purchase 77.4 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine, adding that it will sign a deal this week to buy 35 million doses of China’s CanSino Biologics vaccine.

Phase 3 trials of the CanSino vaccine and four other Covid-19 vaccines are currently taking place in Mexico, he said.

“In a nutshell, we have access to the vaccine,” the foreign minister said. “It will be up to us to approve [each one] or not. We have guaranteed and signed access.”

Cofepris’ approval of the Pfizer vaccine is expected to be facilitated by its likely imminent authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. The rollout of the vaccine began in the United Kingdom on Tuesday.

In Mexico, the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine could be administered to health workers in Mexico City and Coahuila as soon as next week. That Mexico will be one of the first countries in the world to inoculate people against Covid-19 is “a great achievement,” Ebrard said.

Mexico has been one of the worst affected countries by the coronavirus pandemic, currently ranking 12th for confirmed cases and fourth for Covid-19 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The accumulated case tally increased to 1,182,249 on Monday with 6,399 new cases reported while the official death toll rose to 110,074 with 357 additional fatalities.

Source: Infobae (sp), Milenio (sp)

Judge grants Maya Train suspension order on environmental grounds

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MND Staff

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December 8, 2020

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An artist's rendition of a Maya Train station in Tenosique, Tabasco.

A district judge in Campeche has granted a suspension order against a 222-kilometer stretch of the federal government’s Maya Train project, ruling that its construction could cause irreparable damage to the environment.

The ruling halts construction of section 2 of the US $8-billion Yucatán Peninsula tourist train. The section is slated to run from Escárcega, Campeche, to Calkiní in the same state.

The decision was handed down in response to an injunction request filed in July by more than 100 environmental and indigenous organizations that argued that construction of the section would cause deforestation and soil degradation and contaminate the Yucatán Peninsula aquifer.

The environmental damage would violate the rights of the indigenous Mayan people who live along the route, they said.

“This train will displace us, it will drastically change our way of life,” indigenous organization representatives told a press conference, asserting that the project was being imposed on them without prior consultation.

Xavier Martínez Esponda, operations director at the Mexican Center for Environmental Law, said that work on section 2 of the project can’t proceed unless a legal challenge overturns the judge’s suspension order.

Several suspension orders have been granted against construction of the train, the government’s signature infrastructure project, but a federal court revoked one in May after it was challenged by the National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur), which is managing the 1,500-kilometer rail project. Fonatur is likely to also launch legal action against the latest ruling.

A consortium controlled by billionaire businessman Carlos Slim was awarded an 18.55-billion-peso (US $937.9 million) contract in April to build section 2 of the project, which will link cities and towns in the states of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Chiapas.

The project is divided into seven sections including two to be built by the army. President López Obrador officially inaugurated construction in June, pledging that the project will be completed by October 2022.

He said that construction of the railroad, which will also make use of existing tracks, would create more than 200,000 jobs by the end of next year. The president says that its operation will spur social and economic development in Mexico’s neglected southeast.

Experts have warned that its construction and operation poses a range of environmental risks among which are threats to the region’s underground water networks and the long-term survival of the jaguar. But the government denies that the project will have a negative impact on the environment.

Source: El Economista (sp), Milenio (sp)

Homemade seasonings spice up holiday gift giving

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Janet Blaser

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December 7, 2020

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Homemade seasonings, like this pumpkin pie mix, trump store-bought.

While I can’t be near most of my friends and family this holiday season, I’m finding that making gifts in the kitchen helps me feel connected even though we’re far away from each other.

Cookies are the classic homemade gift (more about those next week!), but these spice blends will be just as appreciated and are easier to give to folks who may have dietary restrictions that you’re unaware of. While putting together spice and seasoning blends may sound simple, there are some tips that will make your finished products really shine.

First and foremost, start with the freshest spices you can find. That means don’t go to any sort of discount outlet to get them. Go to a busy mercado (properly masked and socially distanced, of course) where spices can be found in bulk or freshly ground while you wait. You can also go to a bigger store that has sealed, packaged and dated jars of the spices you need. This is a good excuse to buy a box of kosher salt too.

As much as possible, you also want to grind, grate or crush the spices yourself. Fresh-grated nutmeg, for instance, imparts a brilliant burst of flavor unlike what you get in a jar. A mortar and pestle or molcajete can be used to prepare ground oregano or thyme or to crush the coriander, mustard or cumin seeds. And always grind black, red or other peppercorns yourself for the brightest flavor.

What you can find at places like Waldo’s are small decorative jars in which to put your spice blends. These can also be found at kitchen supply shops, where I always find fascinating things I didn’t know I needed. Tie some red or green ribbon around the tops of the jars and they’re good to go. Feliz Navidad, my friends!

This taco seasoning can also be used in red enchilada sauce.

Jenn’s Taco Seasoning

I tend not to make tacos at home as they seem so much better at my favorite stands, but Jenn swears by this spice mix.

¼ cup ancho chili powder
3 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. cornstarch or 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

Mix everything well and store in an airtight container. Two tablespoons of this is equivalent to one store-bought packet.

To make tacos, use 2 Tbsp. per pound of ground beef. Add ¼ cup of water along with taco seasoning. Makes ¾ cup, enough to season six pounds of ground beef.

For Red Enchilada Sauce: Add 1 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix per 1 cup of tomato puree, plus a bit of vinegar to taste.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Add to cupcakes, quick bread or make your own Pumpkin Spice Latte!

4 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
½ tsp. ground nutmeg

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place up to six months.

Salt-Free Herb Blend

A sprinkle of this perks up chicken, fish, shrimp and vegetable dishes.

4 tsp. sesame seeds
2 tsp. EACH celery seed, dried marjoram, poppy seeds and ground black pepper
1½ tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. each onion powder and dried thyme
½ tsp. each garlic powder and paprika

Store in an airtight container up to 6 months. Yield: 1/3 cup

Flavorful spice mixes are a great way to reduce your salt intake

BC’s Italian Dressing Mix

Also great as a rub for chicken or in soup or tuna salad.

1 Tbsp. dried garlic flakes or powder
1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes or powder
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
! Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. celery seed
At least 1 Tbsp. salt, or to taste

Mix all spices together. Store in an airtight jar.

To make dressing: In a shaker jar, add 2 Tbsp. of spice mix to ¼ cup vinegar (any kind), 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp. water. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice or a minced fresh garlic clove, if you like. Shake well.

Seasoned Salt

Delicious on everything!

1/3 cup salt
1½ tsp. garlic powder
1½ tsp. celery seed
1½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. ground mustard

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year. Makes about ½ cup.

BC’s Poultry Seasoning

2 tsp. ground sage
1½ tsp. ground thyme
1 tsp. ground marjoram
¾ tsp. ground rosemary
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. fine ground black pepper

“Everything Bagel” Popcorn Seasoning

2 Tbsp. EACH white and black sesame seeds,
1 Tbsp. EACH caraway seeds, granulated onion and granulated garlic
1½ tsp. salt

Toss seasonings with 6 Tbsp. melted butter and 12 cups freshly made popcorn.

Discount stores are an economical place to find attractive spice jars.

Garam Masala

This classic mixture of spices makes the magic in Indian foods.

4 tsp. ground cumin
1½ tsp. EACH ground coriander, cardamom and black pepper
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cloves
¼ tsp. EACH ground nutmeg and dried chili flakes

Store in an airtight container.

Ranch Seasoning Blend

Sprinkle on top of baked or scalloped potatoes, on garlic bread, popcorn or even fish tacos.

2 ½ Tbsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. EACH dried dill and dried minced onion
2½ tsp. EACH garlic powder and onion powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1½ tsp. salt

Add 1 Tbsp. of seasoning and 1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice to 1/3 cup mayonnaise.

Chinese Five Spice Blend

Add sweetness and warmth to Asian-inspired dishes.

2 Tbsp. anise seed
2 Tbsp. fennel seed
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. whole cloves
2 Tbsp. whole peppercorns

Grind with a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle until mixture becomes a fine powder. Store in an airtight container. Makes about ½ cup.

Janet Blaser has been a writer, editor and storyteller her entire life and feels fortunate to be able to write about great food, amazing places, fascinating people and unique events. Her first book, Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats, is available on Amazon. Contact Janet or read her blog at whyweleftamerica.com.

Pemex rescinds contracts awarded to president’s cousin

By

MND Staff

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December 7, 2020

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López Obrador's cousin was not named on three of the contracts.

The state oil company Pemex has rescinded four contracts awarded to a company owned by President López Obrador’s first cousin.

Litoral Laboratorios Industriales (LLI), a company owned by Felipa Guadalupe Obrador Olán that provides chemical and microbiological testing of oil products, won four Pemex contracts last year. Three of them were awarded after Pemex became aware of Obrador Olán’s relationship to the president and ordered her to abstain from participating in its tendering processes.

The state oil company said Sunday that in addition to canceling the contracts it would carry out an exhaustive investigation into the tendering processes in which LLI participated.

The aim will be to determine who was responsible for awarding the contracts and decide the consequences for not following the company’s regulatory processes and López Obrador’s instructions not to do business with any of his relatives.

Journalist Carlos Loret de Mola revealed last Thursday that Obrador Olán’s company had been awarded government contracts worth 365 million pesos (US $18.3 million) over the past two years.

The president, who has made combatting corruption the central aim of his administration, said Friday that he wasn’t aware of the arrangements.

However, he said Monday that his cousin, whose company has been awarded government contracts as far back as 2013, had entered a consortium with other firms and was not listed as a legal representative on bids submitted to Pemex.

“In Pemex they did not realize or there was omission and they delivered the contract,” López Obrador said, adding that he told Pemex CEO Octavio Romero to act in accordance with the law. “Even when it comes to family, there will be no corruption,” he said.

According to a Pemex statement, LLI participated in one tendering process in October 2019 with a company called Services Inter Lab de México.

A public servant responsible for reviewing the bids noticed that Obrador Olán was listed as one of the interested parties, the state-owned company said.

“The above was reported to the president by the general director of Pemex; the response was categorical in the sense that under no circumstances was the awarding of contracts to any relatives allowed,” Pemex said.

“In response to the presidential instruction, Felipe Guadalupe Obrador Olán was verbally advised that she wouldn’t be awarded the contract and she was ordered not to continue getting involved in Pemex tendering processes.”

Obrador Olán didn’t receive that contract but her company, as part of a consortium with two other firms, was awarded one earlier in October 2019, the newspaper El Universal reported.

Another consortium LLI was part of with six other companies won three additional contracts with Pemex in November 2019. The state oil company said that when she was ordered not to participate in Pemex tendering processes, Obrador Olán didn’t reveal that LLI had already submitted bids as part of another consortium.

It’s not the first time that López Obrador has been placed in a difficult position by members of his family. Two videos showing the president’s brother receiving large amounts of cash in 2015 from a man who became Civil Protection chief in the current government surfaced in August.

López Obrador denied that the payments his brother received were corrupt, saying that the money was “contributions to strengthen the [Morena] movement” and came from ordinary people who supported the party, which he founded in 2014.

However, he said the Attorney General’s Office should investigate.

Pío López Obrador filed a complaint in October against the journalist who brought the videos to light – Carlos Loret de Mola, an outspoken critic of the federal government who has also sought to expose corruption linked to Federal Electricity Commission director Manuel Bartlett and Public Administration Minister Irma Sandoval.

Source: El Universal (sp), Bloomberg (en)

Faith trumps Covid: fear of coronavirus doesn’t stop pilgrims to Guadalupe

By

Michelle Aguilar

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December 7, 2020

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Luis and his family at the basilica in Mexico City.

For 20 years, Luis, a devout Catholic, has organized a pilgrimage to Mexico City’s Basilica of Guadalupe in December with his extended family to give thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe for yet another year of life.

It’s a tradition that not even the coronavirus can stop.

“Faith matters more than fear of the virus,” he said as he and his wife, their young children and his mother left the basilica together, where the family had two images of the Virgin blessed.

Normally, the family would visit closer to the Virgin of Guadalupe feast day on December 12, making a pilgrimage to the church on foot. But the Covid-19 pandemic has forced changes upon them this year: to avoid crowds, they came by public transit and they came earlier than usual.

But they never once considered not coming at all, despite the cancellation of all religious activities at the basilica this year on December 11 and 12 to discourage crowds. Church officials have urged the faithful to stay home.

Pilgrims practice social distancing at the Basilica of Guadalupe.

“This isn’t the usual way, but it was never an option not to come,” Luis said. “It’s a tradition. The pandemic doesn’t matter. We had to come celebrate [the virgin].”

The celebrations at the basilica are Mexico’s most popular religious celebration of the year, annually attracting between 8 and 10 million people to the basilica in the days leading up to December 12. About 20 million people in total visit throughout the year.

This year, church officials have encouraged the faithful to visit in November or January instead to avoid overcrowding. People are not allowed to linger once they have had their moment before the holy relic, a cloak said to have been divinely imprinted with the virgin’s image in 1531.

But Luis’s family, which carries on a tradition started by his grandmother, is an example of the difficult road devout Catholics in Mexico are navigating this year as they debate between avoiding Covid-19 and maintaining traditions that demonstrate faith at a time when they say they need divine intervention more than ever.

“There is no December without a celebration for the virgin,” says Luis’s mother Patricia. “I always get excited to see her and to ask her to protect us, now even more with all that is happening,”

Celebrating the virgin’s holy day is also an act of family togetherness. According to Luis’s wife Viridiana, the family begins its festivities at 12:01 a.m. on December 12, singing the Mañanitas (typically sung to religious figures on their feast day and at birthday parties) to the virgin at an altar they have decorated with flowers.

“We stay awake until midnight. We all sing together … and light the candles for the favors received during the year,” she said. “In the afternoon, we make a meal and spend time together.”

The family said they understand the risk in coming this year and emphasized that they obeyed all the safety rules enforced by the cadre of health officials stationed around the basilica’s perimeter.

“Of course we are afraid,” said Luis. “But it is exactly for that reason that we are here asking the virgencita to help us, to be with us.”

Source: El Universal (sp), Infobae (sp)

As hospitals fill, people with Covid symptoms urged to call ahead to see if there’s a bed

By

MND Staff

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December 7, 2020

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80 hospitals around the country are currently full.

The federal Health Ministry has advised people with Covid-19 symptoms to call 911 to confirm the availability of hospital beds before seeking treatment to avoid facilities that are already full.

As the health systems of some states come under increased pressure due to a recent increase in hospitalizations of coronavirus patients, the Health Ministry issued two statements urging people with Covid-19 symptoms to seek medical care promptly but to check with hospitals first.

In a statement released last Wednesday, the ministry said that the 911 emergency number has a service that allows people to find out which hospitals in the area where they live have beds available for coronavirus patients.

“The person who calls, regardless of the place he or she is, will receive guidance about available hospitals in their location. That will avoid the loss of valuable time in order to ensure prompt medical care,” the ministry said.

It also said that people can access information about “self-care measures” and coronavirus symptoms as well as a list of healthcare facilities and the services they offer on the mobile app COVD-19MX, which is available in both Spanish and English.

The Health Ministry said that a diagnosis in the first 48 hours after the onset of coronavirus-like symptoms such as fever, a cough, a headache or lack of oxygen is essential to avoid complications and the risk of death.

The ministry issued a similar statement on Sunday directed at people with existing health problems that make them particularly vulnerable to a serious Covid-19 illness.

People with Covid-19 symptoms who smoke, have high blood pressure, HIV, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease or any other illness that suppresses the immune system should call 911 to find out which hospitals have availability in order to avoid losing time, the statement said.

The ministry said that seeking medical care in the first 48 hours after the onset of symptoms is crucial to reduce the risk of Covid-19 complications and deaths among people aged over 60 and those with chronic diseases.

A person who seeks care five days after the onset of symptoms has double the risk of dying from Covid-19 compared to those who seek care in a more timely manner, it said.

“In some cases, the SARS-CoV-2 virus can make [a person’s] health status worse in a matter of hours,” the ministry said.

According to data presented at Sunday night’s coronavirus press conference, only 39% of general care hospital beds set aside for coronavirus patients are currently occupied while 33% of those with ventilators are in use.

But federal data publicly available online shows that 80 hospitals are currently at 100% capacity. The completely full facilities are located in numerous states including Michoacán, México state, Guanajuato, Veracruz, Mexico City, Zacatecas, Chihuahua, Aguascalientes, Nayarit, Durango, Hidalgo, Nuevo León, Baja California, Jalisco, San Luis Potosí, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, Guerrero, Sonora, Sinaloa and Colima.

Seventeen other hospitals currently have an occupancy level above 90%.

Ten of the hospitals with 100% occupancy are in Mexico City, where 600 additional hospital beds for coronavirus patients are to be installed this week.

Authorities in the capital also announced that rapid Covid-19 testing will be available at 29 city-run public hospitals as of this week. The Mexico City government is aiming to carry out 20,000 tests per day — double the current number — to identify and isolate a greater number of positive cases and thus limit the spread of the coronavirus. People found to have the virus will receive financial and food support to ensure that they can isolate at home if their symptoms don’t warrant hospitalization.

There are now more than 200 places to get tested in the capital including medical centers, hospitals and health kiosks that have been set up in hotspot neighborhoods and in busy public places, such as Metro stations. Close to 100,000 rapid tests had been performed at the health kiosks as of Sunday and just under 21% of tests came back positive.

A map of the medical centers and health kiosks performing Covid-19 tests free of charge is available here.

The 29 hospitals where free rapid tests are available are located across 15 of the capital’s 16 boroughs. The full list of participating hospitals is available here.

Mexico City has been the country’s coronavirus epicenter since the beginning of the pandemic with more than 232,000 confirmed cases and 18,171 Covid-19 deaths.

The former figure accounts for about one in five of all cases detected in Mexico. Many of the more than 117,000 confirmed cases in neighboring México state correspond to municipalities that are part of the greater Mexico City metropolitan area.

The capital’s death toll represents 16.5% of all fatalities officially attributed to Covid-19 in Mexico.

The nationwide accumulated case tally increased to 1,175,850 on Sunday with 7,455 new cases reported while an additional 261 fatalities pushed the death toll to 109,717.

The coronavirus risk in two of Mexico’s 32 states, Baja California and Zacatecas, is currently red light “maximum” on the federal government’s stoplight system. The risk in 24 states including Mexico City is orange light “high,” three states are at the yellow light “medium” risk level while three others – Campeche, Chiapas and Veracruz – are painted “low” risk green.

Source: Animal Político (sp), Milenio (sp), El Sol de México (sp)

Yucatán cenote cleanup yields a mysterious find: 112 electric meters

By

Michelle Aguilar

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December 7, 2020

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A diver with one of the meters found in a Yucatán cenote.

A routine environmental cleanup of a Yucatán cenote yielded an unusual surprise embedded in the underwater cave’s debris: 112 discarded and corroded electricity meters.

Archaeologist Sergio Grosjean Abimerhi, an expert on Yucatán cenotes who was working on cleaning up the Chen há cenote in Kopomá, said that crews found the meters — some with marine animals’ jaws attached to them — mixed in with 700 kilos of sediment.

He said the meters contain “highly contaminating components” such as copper, lead and magnets which represent a risk not only to animals using the cenote as habitat but also to local residents who extract its water for human and animal consumption and irrigation. Even bleaching, a common practice to make the water safe for human consumption, does not eliminate the heavy metals, Grosjean said.

Metal detectors were used to detect the meters, which were buried deep due to their weight and due to the fact that Chen há, an open cenote, is subject to frequent precipitation with organic matter. The divers also found well-preserved dead fish at the cenote’s bottom depths and three crocodile skulls.

“The question we want to solve is whether these heavy metals caused the death of the fish,” Grosjean said.

Some of the meters that were buried in sediment in a cenote.

In recent years, scientific studies have determined that Yucatán’s waters are contaminated with carcinogenic particulates. The dumping of items such as the meters is likely contributing to the problem, Grosjean said.

“We are calling upon authorities at the local, state, and federal level to take note of this matter since the person dumping these electricity meters and their reason for doing so is unknown,” he said. “[And] we call on the public to take responsibility for the cenotes in the Yucatán Peninsula, since the water that they contain in one form or another arrives at our homes.”

Source: Diario de Yucatán (sp)

Soaring peso inconvenient to some but a quadruple whammy for economy

By

Carlisle Johnson

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December 7, 2020

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Mike might be saying to his San Diego pals on their annual fishing trip to Ensenada, “Geez guys, the Corona’s gotten a lot more expensive this year.”

Sally might be saying to Harry in their Ajijic pied a terre, “Jeez, our pensions don’t seem to go as far now as they used to.”

Mike and Sally are both correct.

On or about April 1, 2020, generally reckoned as the start date for the pandemic, the interbank dollar exchange rate stood at just under 24:1, having flirted with the round number of 25:1 only a few weeks earlier. As this is written the rate has dropped to less than 20.

It may be the invisible hand of Adam Smith in the free market. It may be, as currency traders say, a dirty float, with a policy finger on the scale from Mexico’s central bank. It may be a Faustian bargain with the U.S. to reduce emigration from zero population growth Mexico. It may be a nutrition police op to reduce Mexico’s waistline.

Or it may be all of the above.

Mike, Sally and Harry are annoyed, even inconvenienced by the 20% erosion in the value of their dollars. But the recipients of remittances from sacrificing Mexicans working in the U.S., Canada and Europe may be devastated by the roughly four-peso-per-dollar plunge in the purchasing power of the money sent back home.

It’s a triple or even quadruple whammy to an economy already struggling with loss of employment, a disappeared tourism sector, and low oil prices.

To reduce the situation to Exchange Rates for Dummies: a higher value for a country’s currency stimulates imports, penalizes exporters, hastens capital outflows, and with an expected $36 billion a year in remittances, a four-peso difference puts billions of kilos’ worth of fewer tortillas on the tables of Mexico’s hungriest.

Where are exchange rates headed? Even Don Quixote wouldn’t tilt at that windmill. But he would certainly pay attention to wind speeds.

The author, a former bank CEO, has an MBA from Harvard and has worked in Ecuador, Peru, Guatemala, Venezuela, Argentina and Mexico.