Deputy Health Minister López-Gatell speaks to reporters Tuesday morning.
Mexico has entered a third wave of the pandemic, the federal government’s coronavirus point man acknowledged on Tuesday.
“We have a situation where there is a spike [in case numbers], the third of the pandemic and second of the year,” Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell told reporters at President López Obador’s morning press conference.
“But fortunately, and for a known reason, which is vaccination, deaths are not increasing at the same speed,” he said.
However, Covid-19 fatalities did increase significantly in June compared to May. The Health Ministry reported 9,479 deaths last month, a 42% spike compared to 6,661 in May. Confirmed case numbers increased 53% in June to 105,527 from 68,987 in May.
An additional 642 deaths and 22,604 cases were reported in the first five days of July for daily averages of 128 fatalities and 4,521 new infections. The accumulated case tally currently stands at 2.54 million, while the official Covid-19 death toll is 233,689.
López-Gatell said that vaccination is preventing severe Covid-19 disease but also acknowledged that hospitalization rates have recently increased. He noted that some states have seen “very significant” increases in case numbers and hospitalizations.
Baja California Sur, one of just five high risk orange light states, recorded the biggest jump in case numbers in June, with new infections surging 366% to 1,721 from 369 in May.
Many of the new cases recently detected in Mexico were among young people, most of whom have not yet been vaccinated against Covid-19. The highly infectious Delta strain of the virus is now circulating in at least a third of Mexico’s states, but it has not yet become the dominant variant here, as has occurred in some countries.
Some studies have indicated that some vaccines don’t offer robust protection against the Delta strain but López-Gatell said recently that such a finding was “still controversial.”
Laurie Ximénez-Fyvie, a professor of molecular genetics at the National Autonomous University, told Reuters that if the Delta variant does spread widely in Mexico – where less effective Chinese vaccines have been widely used – the nation’s coronavirus situation could deteriorate further.
Coronavirus cases and deaths in Mexico as reported by day. milenio
She said that a new rebound in case numbers was “definitely” underway and warned that the current vaccination rate in Mexico – where about a quarter of the entire population and approximately 40% of adults have received at least one shot – may be insufficient to blunt the third wave.
“If Uruguay and Chile, which have vaccinated around 60% of their population, cannot stop the rebound, why could we with 20%?” Ximénez-Fyvie said.
Both South American countries have relied heavily on Chinese-made vaccines to inoculate their populations.
The SinoVac and CanSino vaccines, which Mexico has used to vaccinate millions of people including large numbers of seniors and teachers, are only 51% and 65% effective, respectively, in preventing the symptomatic disease, whereas studies show the Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Sputnik shots – which have also been used here – have significantly higher efficacy rates. It was recently reported that at least four people in Oaxaca vaccinated with CanSino were seriously ill with Covid-19. The protection the Chinese vaccines offer against the Delta strain is unclear.
More than 47 million vaccine doses have been administered since the national vaccination rollout began on December 24 but tens of millions of Mexicans, mainly young adults, have not yet been inoculated.
However, the government has opened up the vaccination registration process to people aged 18 and above across Mexico – even as some people in their 40s are yet to receive their first shot.
A protesting cyclist took a direct route when she found a car parked in a bike path in the historic center of Querétaro: she decided to walk straight over it.
In a video that has been viewed more than 12,300 times the female cyclist wearing a food delivery backpack carries her bike over the vehicle and stomps on the back window before jumping off the trunk. Fellow protesters can be heard shouting to drivers: “It’s a bike path, don’t you understand?”
The Union of Cyclists in Querétaro (UCIQ) organized the march on June 30 to demand safer conditions for bicycle riders, primarily to prevent further deaths on the road. During the march a UCIQ member was hit by a public bus.
The bold act of the female cyclist sparked debate on social media. “If the vehicle was obstructing the bike lane, which is only for cyclists … I support the cyclist,” wrote one user.
“These streets do not have enough space for a bike lane … [they] are not big enough to have cars, bikes, spaces to park and wide sidewalks,” argued another.
Una ciclista repartidora de DIDI pasó por encima de un vehículo, debido a que el automovilista no respetó la ciclovía en el centro histórico de #Querétaro; el auto resulto dañado. pic.twitter.com/sM9EMUzttL
UCIQ member José Antonio Morán said a change in thinking was essential. “When there is a lack of road culture … and authorities stay silent and speeding, recklessness and non-compliance with traffic rules are not adequately sanctioned we fall into the chaos,” he said.
The city’s transportation director, Saúl Obregón, argued that authorities had worked to create a safe environment for cyclists. He said the municipality had invested more than 43 million pesos (US $2.15 million) to build 80,000 square meters of bike lanes and had spent 10 million pesos on over 8,000 street signs.
According to the news portal Infobae, Querétaro has seen 43 accidents so far this year involving drivers and cyclists, resulting in three deaths.
Cárdenas is charged with torturing kidnapping suspects.
A former Federal Police commander considered the right-hand man of imprisoned ex-security minister Genaro García Luna was arrested in México state on Monday on charges of torturing kidnapping suspects in 2012, federal authorities said.
The federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) said Luis Cárdenas Palominio was arrested early Monday at a property in Naucalpan, a México state municipality that borders Mexico City. The navy supported an FGR operation to execute an arrest warrant against the suspect.
Cárdenas, who served as a high-ranking law enforcement official during several federal governments, is linked to “probable acts of torture that occurred in 2012 against alleged kidnappers,” the FGR said.
He was transferred to México state’s Altiplano maximum security prison on Monday afternoon.
Cárdenas has also been accused by United States prosecutors of accepting multi-million-dollar bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel.
García Luna was detained in Texas in December 2019 on charges he allowed the Sinaloa Cartel to operate in exchange for large bribes. Former president Felipe Calderón’s security minister has denied the allegations and is awaiting trial in New York.
It was unclear whether federal authorities would consider extraditing Cárdenas – a regional security chief for the Federal Police during the 2006-2012 Calderón administration – to the United States.
President López Obrador said Monday that he didn’t know whether extradition would occur. He said the former official’s arrest was evidence that corruption and impunity is no longer tolerated in Mexico.
“He was detained because there is no longer impunity, and that helps a lot,” López Obrador said.
The president, who pointed to widespread corruption and abuses in the Federal Police as a significant factor in his decision to disband the force in 2019, has said previously that evidence against García Luna revealed by U.S. authorities showed that Mexico was a narco-state during Calderón’s 2006-12 administration.
Cárdenas was perhaps best known by many Mexicans for his involvement in a staged, televised arrest in 2005 of two kidnapping suspects who had actually been detained the day before.
Prior to his arrest, he was apparently living a comfortable life in Paseo del Bosque, an upper middle class residential estate in Naucalpan. He grew a beard in an apparent attempt to conceal his identity but had not gone into hiding, as federal authorities had suspected.
“He liked cars, I saw him in a Porsche; a car like that doesn’t attract attention here in the estate because there are several. … He said hello when we saw each other and was friendly. … We didn’t know who he was until we saw his photo [in the media] this morning,” one resident told the newspaper Reforma.
“It seemed that his life was normal. He used to go out in a SUV with a woman I believe was his wife and a few kids. He had a very big dog, almost the size of a St. Bernard. Sometimes they arrived with supermarket bags and once we saw him and his family leave with suitcases, I think they were going on vacation. He didn’t bother anyone and no one bothered him.”
Jorge Ramos and President López Obrador engaged in an exchange that could have been mistaken for a Monty Python skit.
President López Obrador and United States-based Mexican journalist Jorge Ramos engaged in a robust verbal duel on Monday morning as the latter challenged the former on his record in reducing violent crime and managing the coronavirus pandemic.
Ramos, a reporter for the U.S.-based Spanish language television network Univision, appeared at López Obrador’s morning press conference — the mañanera — at the National Palace in Mexico City, and didn’t hold back when given the opportunity to probe the president.
“I was here at the mañanera in January of 2020 to ask you about the terrible wave of violence here in the country and you told me the following, and I’m quoting: ‘There will be results this year,’” Ramos said.
“Well, more than a year later, there are results but very negative ones, Mr. President. Your government is on track to become the most violent in the modern history of Mexico – more than 86,000 [violent] deaths up to now since you were sworn in, according to official figures. If things stay the same, there will be more deaths than … [during the governments of former presidents] Peña Nieto and Calderón,” he said.
“Femicides continue to increase with respect to last year – you know it, you said it last week – and outside the bubble of the National Palace, the country is not in peace and tranquility, [as you claimed] Mr. President. They’re killing almost 100 Mexicans a day, in Aguililla, in Zacatecas, in Reynosa. … You’re almost halfway through your government and you’re still blaming ex-presidents for what you haven’t been able to do. So, my question is, do you believe that your [security] strategy of ‘hugs, not bullets’ has been a complete failure … and are you going to ask for help, because up to now you haven’t been able [to stem the violence].”
With a wry smile creeping across his face, López Obrador told Ramos that he didn’t agree with him, asserting that his administration has in fact made progress in improving the country’s security situation.
“… I have other information,” said AMLO, as the president is commonly, known, reverting to his favorite catchphrase when confronted with information which portrays him and his government in a negative light.
“… We’re having difficulty in reducing the crime of homicide as we would like but, this is important, we’ve managed to contain the growth in homicides that was occurring; there is even a reduction since we arrived, … of 3%,” he said.
Ramos pounced, acknowledging that homicide rates have stabilized but pointing out that the government has contained them at near record high levels.
“… [Violence levels] have stabilized at a high level – at the worst time of the war, in other words. … What I’m saying is that you can’t say there are 100 murders a day and that’s a success,” he said.
“Of course it’s not an easy issue,” the president responded. “I already explained – we inherited a rotten fruit. I’m not blaming former presidents without reason, you know well, and it’s in the public domain that [organized crime] was practically in charge of the management of security …” AMLO said.
The president presents ‘other information’ regarding homicide figures.
“I understand but there are no results. … There is no change,” countered Ramos before an exchange ensued that could almost be mistaken for a Monty Python skit, were the subject matter not so critical for the well-being of the country.
AMLO: “There is a change. I’m going to give you another piece of information.
Ramos: “But that’s the problem; you’re presenting [the information] as something positive and it’s not positive.
AMLO: “I’m going to give you the information from 2018 …”
Ramos: “There are massacres, there are murders.”
AMLO: “Yes, but it’s not the same.”
Ramos: “Three thousand a month.”
AMLO: “There are no longer massacres in the country.”
Ramos: “But what about Zacatecas, Aguililla and Reynosa?”
AMLO: Those are confrontations between [criminal] groups but it’s not the state, which was previously the main violator of human rights.”
Ramos: “… One of the main problems of the country is violence and that’s your responsibility now, Mr. President.”
AMLO: “Yes, yes, and I work [on the problem] every day.”
Ramos: “But there are no results.”
AMLO: “Of course there are. I respect your point of view but I don’t share it.”
Ramos: “They’re statistics from your own government, I got the figures from your own government.
AMLO: “I believe they gave you the wrong figures, I have other information.”
Ramos: “But there can’t be other information because it came from your government’s website, from the … National Public Security System.”
AMLO: “We’ll give you the information. … There has been a minimal reduction, I repeat, of 3% in the case of homicides. But in the case of vehicle theft … we have a reduction of 40%.”
Ramos: “But not in femicides, for example.”
AMLO: “Allow me, allow me [to continue], we’re going by parts. Kidnappings, down 40%, robberies in general, down, 26%. You say ‘femicide’ to me. Do you know when homicides of women were first classified as femicides? When we got into government.”
Ramos: “There were figures before, as well.”
AMLO: “Before, yes, [but] very few, [femicides] were recorded. Now there are more complaints and we’re acknowledging that there has been an increase but it must be taken into account that the murders of women during previous governments weren’t considered femicides. So we’re going to continue working to guarantee peace and tranquility, we have no doubt, Jorge.”
Ramos: “That’s why I’m talking about the bubble, because you speak of peace and tranquility, [but] leave the National Palace and there is no peace and tranquility.”
AMLO: “… There were elections [on June 6]. Of 160,000 voting booths, only 30 couldn’t be installed. There is governability in this country …”
Ante ola de violencia en México, el periodista Jorge Ramos increpa a AMLO
Journalist Jorge Ramos questions the president at Monday’s press conference.
Ramos: “And how many candidates were killed, Mr. President?”
AMLO: “Yes, unfortunately.”
Ramos: “It’s a tragedy.”
AMLO: “But in all cases, in the majority of cases, the culprits have been punished.”
Ramos: “The impunity in this country is more than 90%.”
AMLO: “No, in what corresponds to us, it’s zero impunity, there are no longer privileged people.”
Ramos: “I’m referring to the murders in this country, the majority of these murder cases are not resolved.”
The journalist and the president also clashed over Mexico’s Covid-19 death toll. Ramos asked López Obrador whether he accepted responsibility for the “the poor management of the pandemic” and received a perhaps predictable response:
“I don’t agree with you,” AMLO responded. Ramos noted that there is a discrepancy between the official Covid-19 death toll – currently more than 233,000 – and fatalities that the Health Ministry has acknowledged are associated with the disease. The discordant figures appear on the same government website, he said.
“I don’t understand why there are two figures, Mr. President,” Ramos said, citing a death toll of 351,00, although the Health Ministry said last week that 447,000 fatalities were attributable to Covid-19.
“Why not tell the truth, that there have been many more pandemic deaths in Mexico?”
In turn, the president accused the journalists of being “misinformed” and proceeded to present Covid-19 mortality data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
“I’m giving you statistics from your government,” said Ramos, who questioned why Mexico had the fourth highest death toll in the world when it ranks 10th in terms of population.
“No, my government’s figures are these, look,” AMLO responded before accusing Ramos of “slander” and presenting a table that showed that Mexico ranked sixth in Latin America for per capita Covid deaths – behind Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina and Paraguay – and 19th in the world.
“This doesn’t change the enormous number of deaths here in Mexico, Mr. President,” Ramos argued.
“Ah, no? Because we have 126 million residents,” López Obrador said.
“… But there are countries that have a higher population and they have fewer people who died from Covid,” Ramos retorted.
“This is the updated [Covid deaths/population] relation, Jorge …,” AMLO replied dismissively.
“What you want to tell me is that you’ve managed the pandemic well?” Ramos asked.
“… You’re saying we’re doing well when in reality there are so many deaths. How can you say this to the families of the victims? You can’t, Mr. President, you can’t,” Ramos said.
“I don’t agree with you,” López Obrador declared once again. “With respect to what you say, I don’t agree and I feel that there’s an interest [behind] your questioning of our government, a bias. There is no problem because we have a calm conscience,” the president said before Ramos denied that he had any bias against him or his administration and was just doing his job.
The Univision journalist, who also works for the president’s least favorite newspaper, Reforma, has been asking tough questions of the president since early in his six-year term. AMLO was clearly annoyed at times as he was grilled today, providing more evidence for government critics who say that he is intolerant of press scrutiny and critical coverage – an accusation he denies.
The fire at the dump in Rincón de Guayabitos has been burning for more than three weeks.
A 24-day fire at a garbage dump at the Jaltemba Bay, Nayarit, is posing health risks to locals and firefighters and damaging crops in the area.
Authorities have been unable to extinguish the blaze at the La Colmena disposal site in Rincón de Guayabitos despite resident protests, official complaints and partial closures on the coastal highway.
The fire is emitting gases and rotten odors that are reaching the beach and hotel zone two kilometers away, which receive up to 90,000 tourists on long weekends, according to the newspaper Reforma.
Raúl Millán, a consultant at private security company CRS, warned locals not to consume pineapples grown in the surrounding areas and said that firefighters are tackling the blaze without adequate protection.
He added that even when the present situation is resolved, the site would require a biogas pipeline, a retaining wall and fencing to avoid longer term health effects.
State lawmaker Rosa Mirna Mora also voiced her concern for firefighters, who she said had reported symptoms of respiratory illness, shaking and physical weakness, and added that corruption and public mishandling were at the root of the problem.
Another state legislator Jorge Ortiz, said that when he went to examine the site there were only two firefighters fighting the almost two-hectare fire, armed with two firehoses, a shovel and a pickaxe.
The use of local resources is also part of the problem. Cristóbal Fernández, spokesman for a Jaltemba Bay environmental group, said there was another dump in the municipality which had not been put into operation, despite being completed in 2015 for a cost of 26 million pesos (about US $1.3 million).
The Mexican government has awarded control of one of the country’s biggest oil discoveries to state-owned Pemex after months of deliberation, dealing a blow to private investment and raising the prospect of international litigation.
A consortium made up of the U.S.’s Talos Energy, the U.K.’s Premier Oil and Germany’s Wintershall DEA discovered the nearly 700-million-barrel Zama field in 2017 and have invested US $325 million in the project to date.
But some of the project spills over on to acreage owned by Pemex, which prompted a battle over who should be in charge. The energy ministry has now ruled in favor of the state company, which President López Obrador sees as a national champion.
In the letter posted on Twitter by energy consultant Gonzalo Monroy, Energy Minister Rocío Nahle named Pemex operator of the discovery and said the companies should present a development plan within 30 days.
Talos said in a statement: “After six years of significant investments in Zama and the Mexican economy, as well as the delivery of a Zama development plan that is credible and in line with the objectives of Mexico, Talos is very disappointed with [the energy ministry’s] sudden decision to award operatorship to Pemex.”
Neither the government nor Pemex had any immediate reaction to the news, which was made public on Monday. The announcement came days after a Pemex pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico caught fire, prompting a blaze in the sea.
Lourdes Melgar, a former hydrocarbons deputy minister, said Pemex had not wanted the field when the sector was opened to private investment under Mexico’s 2013 energy reform. “It’s not exactly an expropriation, but it’s close,” she said.
Nahle said her decision was based on a study by the National Hydrocarbons Commission, which concluded that Pemex has “favourable technical and operational conditions and characteristics” to develop the field.
She cited Pemex chief executive Octavio Romero as saying the company had “sufficient financial capacity.” Pemex posted a first-quarter loss of nearly $2 billion.
Pemex said it owns 50.43% of the field, located 60 kilometers off the Gulf coast of the state of Tabasco, while the consortium claims to own 60%.
However, the consortium said such percentages typically change as wells are drilled. Pemex has not drilled any wells on its acreage whereas the consortium has drilled one exploratory and three appraisal wells.
“This is a direct signal to the market in terms of how this government views private sector investment in the Mexican energy industry,” said Emily Medina, a fellow at the Energy Policy Research Foundation. “It seems that the government is definitely favouring Pemex over Talos.”
“We can’t let them be at the helm, given the state of their operations and their business,” said one senior official in the consortium, who was not authorized to be named. He said a review of possible litigation under the USMCA free-trade treaty was likely.
The official cited concerns over Pemex’s finances and its technical expertise given the field’s depth and geological conditions, as well as safety concerns, including a lack of provision to prevent wells collapsing.
Analysts say Zama’s oil is located at a depth of some 168 meters. The deepest Pemex has drilled to date is some 110 meters.
Since taking office in 2018, López Obrador has halted oil auctions and joint ventures with the private sector. On Monday, he cited Nahle, an ardent energy nationalist, as one of a group of a potential successors for the presidency when his term ends in 2024.
Authorities in a municipality that is part of the Mixe district in Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte region have demanded for a second time that a United States fashion brand stop selling shorts they claim are plagiarized from an indigenous design.
“The community of Santa María Tlahuitoltepec is once again raising its voice against the company Anthropologie, which for purposes of profit is appropriating elements of our culture, identity and worldview,” the municipal government said in a statement.
“The authorities of Santa María Tlahuitoltepec demand that Anthropologie immediately suspend the sale of its Marka embroidered shorts,” it added.
They also called for the company to acknowledge that its shorts were inspired by a Santa María Tlahuitoltepec design and issue “a public apology to our community.”
The design of the shorts incorporates patterns that were “undeniably” copied from the Xaam nïxuy blouse, the government said, adding that the garment was plagiarized five times between 2009 and 2019 “by fashion brands within Mexico and internationally.”
“In all of Mexico, 39 cases of plagiarism were recorded between 2012 and 2019 by 23 fashion brands such as Zara and Carolina Herrera, who appropriated designs from indigenous communities of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Hidalgo,” the statement said.
The federal Culture Ministry announced in late May that it had sent letters to Anthropologie as well as Zara and Patowl in which it laid out its opposition to “improper cultural appropriation” and called on each company to provide a public explanation detailing “on what basis it could privatize collective property, making use of cultural elements whose origin is identified in several communities of Oaxaca.”
Despite Santa María Tlahuitoltepec’s repeated demands that Anthropologie cease selling its Marka shorts, the item remains available on the company’s website. A pair sells for 1,676 pesos, or US $84.
Drones are the latest tool being employed by authorities to enforce Covid-19 measures in Mazatlán, Sinaloa.
In tourist areas of the city such as the beaches and the boardwalk the remote control aircraft circle overhead from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. playing prerecorded messages to remind visitors to keep a safe distance from one another and to wear face masks.
The deployment was driven by a rise in Covid-19 cases over the past three weeks, which has seen a number of municipalities including Mazatlán go red on the coronavirus stoplight risk map just before the holiday season comes into full swing.
Eloy Ruíz Gastelum, head of Civil Protection in Mazatlán, said the drones are a great help, since in the summer holiday season a large influx of local, regional, national and foreign visitors is expected.
He added that the new technology would be used to watch over swimmers and provide a faster response to emergencies in the water. Sanitary checkpoints to conduct temperature checks are being installed on weekends in the busiest tourist areas.
A key spice in the kitchen for adding a memorable pungent-yet-sweet warmth to dishes, fresh ginger is readily available and easily flash-frozen to keep on hand.
Fresh ginger is one of those key ingredients I try to always have in the fridge. I will admit, though, the little gnarled knobs do sometimes get buried in my crisper and forgotten, only to be discovered dried up, shriveled and sometimes (ack!) moldy.
Recently, I read about two ways to freeze fresh ginger so that you always have it on hand. While I’ve yet to try it out myself, it sounded good, and I’ve included instructions below.
I’ve always used a small, sharp knife to peel ginger, but some people swear by a vegetable peeler. Always look for ginger that’s plump and fresh-looking, with no dry or shriveled parts and a taut skin.
The fresher it is, the more juice there is — and the more flavor. Stringy fibers run lengthwise through each “finger” of ginger, so you want to cut across the grain like you would with a steak.
My experience in Mazatlán is that certain vendors in the mercado will always have great-looking fresh ginger, as opposed to the chain grocery stores, where perhaps it doesn’t sell so fast. One stand here that sells dried chiles, beans and grains, piloncillo and honeys also has turmeric root and fresh ginger.
Basting with a ginger-infused barbecue sauce is a great way to add flavor excitement to just about anything you might grill.
In fact, turmeric and ginger are all in the same family — and also quite easy to grow. Like potatoes, fresh, plump pieces of ginger can be planted. Bright-green sprouts grow out of each eye (again, like a potato); the plant looks like bamboo.
The rhizomes form clumps underground and take seven to nine months until they’re ready for harvest. Pull up the whole plant, shake off the dirt, keep what you want, then separate the eyes and replant the rest.
In Mexico, fresh ginger is used mostly for medicinal teas and in some molés, birrias and enchilada sauces. Cochinitos, those cute pig cookies, have powdered ginger to give them their distinctive taste. The warm, spicy flavor of fresh ginger is essential in things like Asian stirfries and sauces, a host of desserts and pastries and a veritable smorgasbord of hot and cold drinks.
To freeze fresh ginger: Choose the freshest, plumpest ginger root you can find with no shriveled ends.
Method #1: Purée
No need to peel! Thinly slice it against the grain. In a blender, process with just enough water that it can blend into a thick, smooth-ish paste. Scoop into a zip-top bag and freeze it in a thin, flat square. To use, simply break off a piece.
Method #2: Whole
Keep ginger in as big a knob as possible but peel it well. Wrap tightly in plastic and keep in freezer. Use a grater or microplane to grate flakes for using in your recipe.
Ginger Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar (any kind)
¾ cup water
1 cup sliced fresh ginger root, peeled
In a saucepan on medium heat, combine sugar and water. Stir constantly until sugar dissolves, add ginger and bring syrup to a light boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Steep in the covered pan for 1 hour or until it reaches your preferred taste. Strain out ginger; store in a tightly sealed bottle.
Options: Add 1 tsp. vanilla extract or a whole vanilla bean. Or add a jalapeño or serrano pepper to the simmering syrup for a few minutes, being careful to remove it before it gets too spicy.
Pineapple Ginger Margarita
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. Ginger Simple Syrup (see above)
1 ½ oz. tequila
1 oz. pineapple juice
Garnish: Lime wedge
In a cocktail shaker, muddle lime juice and simple syrup. Add tequila and pineapple juice; fill shaker with ice. Shake well. Pour into glass filled with ice. Garnish with lime wedge.
Beer, Lemongrass and Ginger Marinade for Steak
1 (12-oz.) bottle lager beer
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 (6-inch) length fresh lemongrass, lightly bruised with the blunt side of a knife
2-inch strip fresh lime zest
1-inch knob peeled fresh ginger, sliced
1 tsp. toasted coriander seed
4 sprigs fresh thyme, if available
1 tsp. salt
2-3 pounds steak of your choice
In a large zip-top bag, combine beer, oil, lemongrass, zest, ginger, coriander, thyme and salt. Swish until salt dissolves. Add steak, press out air and seal. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. When ready to cook, remove steak from marinade, blot dry with paper towels and grill as desired.
Dress salad up with an Asian flair with this Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette and add some flavor accents such as edamame and sesame seeds.
Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
3½ Tbsp. honey
¼ cup sesame oil
1/3 cup peanut or mild vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, minced
2 tsp. sesame seeds
Mix everything together, shake well.
Pumpkin Spice Blend
Who needs Starbucks when you can make your own?!
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground cloves
Mix all ingredients together and store in a well-sealed jar for up to 2 weeks.
Ginger Banana Smoothie
1 frozen banana
8 oz plain yogurt
2 pitted dates
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
¼ cup milk, coconut water or plain water
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
Pinch salt
In blender, process everything until completely smooth.
Asian BBQ Sauce
Great on grilled chicken, steak or veggies.
2 cups ketchup
½ cup Dijon mustard
½ cup brown sugar or grated piloncillo
½ cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. fresh, minced ginger
½ cup minced green onions
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
Whisk together all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally; remove from heat. Let cool.
Use as a basting sauce towards the end of cooking or brush on after barbecuing.
An industrial park in Derramadero, which would be linked by train with Ramos Arizpe.
The federal government is considering establishing a passenger train service in the metropolitan area of Saltillo, Coahuila.
The Ministry of Communications and Transportation (SCT) has requested funding of 36.1 million pesos (US $1.8 million) from the Finance Ministry (SHCP) to carry out six pre-investment studies related to the development of a suburban train line that would run 54 kilometers between the Derramadero industrial area south of Saltillo and Ramos Arzipe, a municipality that adjoins the capital to the north.
The passenger service would make use of existing tracks on which freight trains currently run. It would mainly serve workers employed in factories in the Derramadero industrial zone and have an initial capacity to transport almost 144,000 passengers per day, according to the SCT.
The ministry said that establishment of a suburban train line would generate a range of benefits, including reduced travel times for people and goods, less congestion on roads and fewer car accidents.
The SCT cited heavy traffic as one of the “greatest deficiencies” in Derramadero, explaining that vehicles traveling to and from manufacturing plants in the area are reduced to speeds as slow as 10 kilometers per hour in peak times, which “last for approximately six hours a day.”
The congestion slows down traffic on “the main trade arteries between the United States and Mexico (highways 40 and 54),” the ministry added.
The SCT said the pre-investment studies would be carried out in 2022 but it intends to prepare tendering processes to find companies to do them as soon as it receives funding from the SHCP.
The six studies would cover the areas of basic engineering and the project blueprint; demand and technical evaluation; legal analysis; environmental analysis; financing and contracting; and cost-benefit analysis.
The federal government is aiming to significantly increase Mexico’s rail infrastructure before President López Obrador leaves office in 2024.
