San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, has been named Mexico’s best destination by Food & Travel Mexico magazine for the second year in a row.
The magazine’s annual Reader Awards allow readers to vote for their favorite destinations, hotels, resorts, spas, airlines, cruise lines, tourism operators, restaurants and more.
They also selected the state of Oaxaca as Mexico’s best gourmet destination.
San Miguel won the award last year and in 2016, winning out over other popular tourist destinations such as the cities of Mérida, Cancún, Campeche and Oaxaca.
It also earned the title of being home to the best chef in the country — owner and head chef at Antonia Bistro, Alejandro Cuatepotzo.
However, it was Oaxaca that stood out among readers for its gastronomy, winning the best gourmet destination for the second year in a row.
San Miguel was also nominated in the category, as were Puebla and Mérida.
Oaxaca’s Secretariat of Tourism promotes its gastronomy both inside Mexico and internationally, attracting visitors from all over the world.
In his annual report in which he praised the state’s 3.9% growth, Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat said his administration expects the state to have welcomed over one million visitors by the end of 2019, which would be a first for Oaxaca.
Oaxaca City’s stylish Hotel Casa Oaxaca also won a Reader Award, taking home the distinction of Best Hotel in a Pueblo Mágico or Colonial City.
AMLO defended pension policy at Monday's press conference.
President López Obrador on Monday defended his government’s policy of paying retirement pensions to indigenous people at a younger age than the rest of the population.
He described claims that he is racist because of the policy as “shameful.”
Speaking at his morning press conference, López Obrador addressed the use of the hashtag #LopezRacista on social media in response to his government’s preferential policy.
“It’s shameful that special treatment isn’t accepted for the poorest people, for indigenous people, and they think that it’s racism, it’s truly surprising,” he said.
“In the case of indigenous people, the senior citizens’ pension is granted at the age of 65 and to non-indigenous people at 68 because, due to their situation of poverty and marginalization, indigenous people age quickly . . . they suffer a lot,” the president said.
“I would like those who question this decision to visit indigenous communities and compare [the difference in the aging process] themselves. It’s a painful matter that a 65-year-old senior citizen who lives in the city is better off than a 65-year-old indigenous person. How could we not give them special attention?” López Obrador added.
“If that bothers them, if giving preferential treatment to indigenous people is being racist, then put me on the list.”
The president said the right of all senior citizens to receive a pension – and the age at which they will receive it – will be enshrined in the constitution during his six-year term in office.
“. . . It’s a universal right . . . the pension is for the rich and the poor because in the end it’s a reward for those who worked for a long time and at the end of their life they deserve . . . recognition because they contributed to the development of the nation,” López Obrador said.
“They’re getting more and more worked-up and descending into the ridiculous. It’s like they’re deranged,” López Obrador said.
He added that his opponents will have the opportunity to vote him out of office just three years into his six-year term.
“I tell them to calm down . . . and get organized. The consultation for the revocation of mandate will soon come and people will decide if they want the regime of shame, of corruption, of injustice, to return so that indigenous people are not given preference or [even] taken into account . . .”
Mexico City traffic police motorcycle acrobatic team gives a demonstration on Sunday.
A Mexico City firefighter won a silver medal on the first day of competition at the seventh edition of the Latin American Police and Firefighters’ Games by climbing 50 flights of stairs in just 11 minutes and 51 seconds.
Kitted out in his full firefighter’s uniform, 24-year-old Martín Arenas Valencia was one of two firemen to reach the top floor of the BBVA Tower on Mexico City’s Reforma avenue in a time that beat the previous record of 12 minutes and 20 seconds.
The gold medal was won by César Augusto Sánchez, who completed Sunday’s vertical race in 11 minutes and 19 seconds.
Arenas, a fireman at the Tacuba station in Mexico City, finished in front of competitors from countries including Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil.
His impressive performance wasn’t the culmination of a long period of specific training to ascend the skyscraper’s 1,300 stairs: one of his colleagues roped him into participating just six days before Sunday’s race.
A firefighter completes the 50-story stair climb at the BBVA Tower in Mexico City.
“He didn’t know about the event, another colleague recommended him for it and the guy threw himself into it. He’s brave like all firefighters and police,” said Remigio Martínez, a fireman who met Arenas on the 50th floor at the end of the race.
The silver medal winner described the ascent to the top of the tower as “cabrón,” or very difficult.
“I practiced two days ago and that helped me but with the pressure [of the race] and all the equipment . . . it became more complicated,” Arenas said.
“. . . All firefighters are brave, true warriors. We work with what we have, going up and down stairs . . . [there are] complicated situations every day,” he added.
Many of the foreign firefighters who took part in the race said that Mexico City’s altitude (it is 2,250 meters above sea level) made climbing the 50 floors even more challenging.
“. . . We train, we practice but in the end the altitude kills you, it suffocates you,” said a Colombian firefighter identified only as Jairo.
La acrobacia en motocicleta de la policía de tránsito de la Ciudad de México es una actividad que tiene más de 50 años. Fue recuperada en la película #ATodaMaquina con Pedro Infante y Luis Agular. Hoy nos hicieron una exhibición. Por primera vez participaron mujeres 👮♀️ 👩🏼✈️ 🏍 pic.twitter.com/2spP9XP271
“. . . Your legs don’t respond and you feel like your lungs can’t take in air. Where the battle really begins is on the 45th floor.”
The stair climbing race is one of 26 sports in which 1,500 firefighters and police from 29 countries are participating in this week’s Latin American games.
Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the event at a ceremony in the capital’s central square, the zócalo, on Sunday.
“The security secretary [Omar García Harfuch] has said several times at morning security cabinet meetings that a fundamental part of getting citizens to believe in our police is for the police themselves to increase their pride . . .” she said.
“Being part of these games means a lot to them and they’ll have the complete support of the government. It’s about raising the image of the city police, that’s very important for us and obviously very important for citizens as well.”
Police Chief García said it filled him with pride to welcome the participants, among whom are firefighters and police from across Latin America as well as the United States, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, France, the Bahamas and India.
He described the athletes as “tireless heroes” and said that strength, courage and determination will be among the qualities on display during the seven days of competition.
The male and female competitors will vie for medals in sports including boxing, cycling, judo, tennis, basketball, swimming, chess and arm wrestling at five venues across Mexico City. The games conclude on Saturday.
A celebration of artisanal cheese will take place in Querétaro at the end of the month.
The best of Mexico’s artisanal aged cheeses and other food products will be celebrated at a cheese festival in Querétaro later this month.
The state produces the widest variety of aged cheeses in the country, and is Mexico’s biggest producer of sheep milk cheese.
The first annual Festival Viva El Queso at the Cava Bocanegra cheese cellar in Tequisquiapan will host 25 artisanal cheesemakers, 11 from Querétaro and the others from Morelos, Puebla, Guanajuato, Chiapas and México state.
Festival visitors will be able to sample a wide variety of aged cheeses and learn about how they are made at the numerous conferences and workshops on the festival agenda.
There will also be tastings focused on pairing the cheeses with regional wines, artisanal beers, mezcal and chocolate.
In addition to cheeses, visitors can also shop for other products such as serrano ham, cold cuts, honey and chocolate.
A panel of over 22 chef judges will determine the best artisanal cheeses from Querétaro.
The festival will take place on November 30 and December 1. Pre-sale tickets cost 350 pesos (US $18) per day, and can be bought on the Cava Bocanegra website. The price goes up to 400 pesos on the day of the festival.
Original designs in the top row and their alleged copies by clothing brands underneath.
The Senate is considering a measure that would impose fines for the unauthorized use of indigenous designs on clothing and other products.
The proposal being discussed by the Senate culture commission would penalize the theft of indigenous cultural elements with fines up to 4.2 million pesos (US $218,000).
It also proposes that the state grant indigenous communities the collective right to ownership of their culture and identity.
Brands such as Carolina Herrera, Dior, Isabel Marant, Nestlé, Madewell, Mango, Zara, Desigual and Intropia have used indigenous designs without the consent of the communities from which they originate.
From 2012 to 2019, at least 23 national and international clothing brands have appropriated indigenous designs from Oaxaca, Chiapas and Hidalgo, according to the nonprofit organization Impacto.
The organization has identified 39 cases of alleged cultural plagiarism, according to the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), which informed the federal and state governments in January of the necessity to safeguard artistic rights.
The proposed initiative will provide a legal framework by which indigenous communities can solicit the intervention of government institutions in cases in which they feel their designs, knowledge or cultural expression have been used without their consent.
They will be able to seek compensation, reparations, removal of the cultural goods from the market and guarantees that the theft will not be repeated.
The proposal stipulates that indigenous communities have the right to reserve access to their ritualistic, religious, healing and other cultural expressions, or whatever they deem appropriate for the survival of their cultures and identities.
It also suggests the creation of a national inter-institutional safeguard system that will register, catalog and document expressions of indigenous and Afro-Mexican culture and identity.
When I moved to Mexico 13 years ago, I felt like I was well prepared. I’d done what I thought was a lot of research, talked to many people and immersed myself obsessively with expat groups online.
Yet it was still a bumpy (though often amusing) ride until I really felt comfortable in my new home.
I do believe that ultimately there’s a lot to be said for just following your heart, trusting that all the material concerns will somehow or other fall into place (which they usually do).
With that in mind, here are some suggestions that just might make the transition easier.
• Visit more than once, in different seasons, for at least a month. That beautiful Mexican beach town may become your own personal spa-that-never-ends in August and September; those cool mountain breezes might warrant space heaters and wool sweaters in January.
Get to know a place before you settle down.
Don’t rely completely on what other people or publications say, no matter how reputable it seems; only your experience can tell you exactly what you personally need to know.
• Explore the options. Once you’ve decided on a “where,” try to explore different neighborhoods and types of housing. You may be used to a sprawling ranch-style house but discover you love being 12 floors up in an oceanfront condo. Maybe you’ll like living in the middle of a city, with cafés, shops and theaters within walking distance, or prefer the noisy, culturally immersive experience of a small Mexican neighborhood.
That colonial house looks amazing, but the maintenance might just be too much to deal with. What you think you want may be very different than what you discover in this new phase of your life.
• Healthcare. For most of us, this is a biggie. You’ll want to investigate thoroughly what medical service infrastructures exist in the town or area where you’re going. What kind and how many doctors, labs and dentists are there? Do they speak English, take insurance, work with which local hospital(s)?
Is there ambulance service, and how exactly does each company work? Try to take the time to visit hospitals or clinics, doctors and dentists, and check out prices and available services. In this case, asking on local forums and reading any local English publications can be really helpful to finding the answers to these important concerns.
• Do some shopping. It seems like every day more “things” are available through Amazon.com (both the U.S.-based site and the Mexican one), and I’ve found delivery to be dependable, quick and reliable. This is really a game-changer.
Explore the options once you’ve decided where to settle.
That said, not everything you’re used to, want or need is going to be available, either through Amazon or in local stores. You want to be able to be comfortable and not dependent on too many things from north of the border. So, do your research: can you find the shampoo, laundry soap and medicines you regularly use?
What about things like lamps, cotton sheets and towels, appliances and tools? Walk through the grocery stores and see what’s available. And don’t assume a big-box store in Mexico (think Costco, Home Depot, Walmart) has the same items it does in the U.S.A. or Canada.
• Check out the expat community. One of the most difficult lessons I’ve learned living in Mexico is that just because expats speak the same language doesn’t mean we’re going to relate to each other or even get along. Another is that while my idea was to learn to speak Spanish fluently and make lots of local friends, that hasn’t happened.
Whatever your situation, chances are the expat community is going to play a big part in your new life in Mexico, so take some time to study it, online and in-person. (This may mean many hours of pleasant people-watching somewhere, but hey!)
Things to consider: how many expats live there, full- and part-time? Who are they and where are they from? What age bracket? Are the expat events and activities things you’re interested in? What parts of town do they live in – and why?
• Figure out a phone plan. Staying in touch with your loved ones and friends becomes even more important when you’re in a totally new culture. Yes, there are services like Skype, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger – when and if you have internet. Consider if it’s important to be able to give a familiar-looking number to your aging parents, business associates, the social security office, your bank or accountant, etc. And of course, whichever way you go, always read the fine print carefully.
Get your papers in order.
• Get your personal papers in order. When you’re a foreigner, birth, marriage and divorce certificates are required for many, many things. Update or renew your passport and driver’s licenses, then make copies to keep in a safe place, and also to leave with a relative or trusted friend in your home country.
Tell banks or financial institutions and credit card companies you’ll be out of the country indefinitely. Bringing a pet? Find out what they’ll need to cross the border and any useful vaccinations for the area you’re moving to.
• Learn the language. Even the basics, like pronunciation of the alphabet, will help you settle into your new community. If you can, take some classes before you move, or find a TV show with subtitles and watch it regularly to familiarize your ear to what it sounds like.
Do consider taking classes or going to a weekly “conversation club” once you’ve arrived in Mexico. Many people enjoy (and learn!) with online classes – some of which are free, like Duolingo.
• Money matters. Figure out how and where you’ll do your banking. Some banks charge hefty international fees; others refund fees or don’t charge at all. If you’re retired, you may be able to take care of your banking needs online and with your ATM card. Thinking of opening a bank account in Mexico? Find out if that’s even possible – or necessary — and what the requirements are.
• Keep some sentimental items. When you’re thousands of miles away, these sort of things take on special meaning. That scarf your mother gave you, Junior’s refrigerator magnet from second grade, those handmade Mother’s Day cards from your kids – put ’em all in a box and take ’em with you. Allow yourself this small luxury — you’ll be happy you did.
Janet Blaser of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, has been a writer, editor and storyteller her entire life, and feels fortunate to write about great food, amazing places, fascinating people and unique events. Her work has appeared in numerous travel and expat publications as well as newspapers and magazines. 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.
A semitrailer after it was blown over by strong winds in Oaxaca.
Strong winds in Oaxaca’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec caused a semitrailer to roll over on the La Ventosa-La Venta highway on Friday, the first such accident of the region’s windy season.
The truck was carrying a load of (empty) coffins from Chiapas to Mexico City when gusts from Cold Front No. 13 knocked it over at 5:00pm. The driver was unharmed.
Federal Police and Civil Protection officers temporarily closed the highway to traffic while the truck was removed. State police officers assisted in order to prevent looting.
Civil Protection suspended the transit of empty semitrailers in the area in order to avoid more rollovers.
“We’re stopping vehicles with empty trailers coming from Chiapas or coming from Veracruz. They will not be allowed to pass,” said Jesús González Pérez, Civil Protection delegate.
Many drivers also stopped on their own volition in order to wait out winds of up to 120 km/h before continuing on their way.
The Isthmus of Tehuantepec will continue to see strong winds for a few months, as the cold front season will last until April. Rollovers are common during this period. In January alone there were eight involving tractor-trailers.
Governor Murat presents his annual report on Friday.
Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat said this week in his annual report that the state’s annual economic growth has reached a record 3.9%.
Speaking at a conference on Friday, Murat said the numbers translate into an advance in the fight against poverty.
“For the first time in history, Oaxaca grew 3.9%. The challenge is to maintain [the growth] in a sustained manner,” he said, adding that the state is ready “to be the new motor of growth in Mexico.”
He also heralded the coming of natural gas through a new pipeline project that was announced last week.
“. . . with the interoceanic project, Oaxaca will have natural gas, which is cheap energy,” he said.
He said the Isthmus of Tehuantepec interoceanic corridor railway project is expected to be the “logistics project of the hemisphere,” and that its first stage will be ready in 2022.
Murat expects that by the end of 2019, Oaxaca will have welcomed over one million tourists for the first time in the state’s history. On top of this, he underlined the importance of the state’s support for businesses both big and small, creating “an ecosystem” for all.
The state has received 66 billion pesos (US $3.4 billion) in private investment during the three years of Murat’s administration.
Oaxaca is located in a high-priority region for the federal government. In August, President López Obrador signed the Oaxaca Pact, which aims to create a strategic association of sates to drive development.
The 44-year-old Murat is half-way through his six-year term as governor.
A burned vehicle blocks a highway in Nuevo Laredo Friday.
The United States Consulate in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, has issued a travel alert due to a wave of violence that has rocked the border town since Thursday.
In a Facebook post late Friday night, the consulate urged its personnel and United States citizens to take shelter or abstain from visiting Mexico.
Presumed members of the Northeast Cartel attacked military patrols and set up roadblocks with burned vehicles at different points in the city. One group of gangsters entered a commercial center, causing panic among shoppers and workers.
One suspected gangster was killed in the shooting.
“The consulate has received reports of multiple gunfights and blockades throughout the city of Nuevo Laredo. U.S. government personnel are advised to shelter in place,” the post read.
The consulate posted on Saturday that it had restricted the movement of personnel and enforced an evening curfew until further notice.
“The consulate continues to monitor the security situation in the city of Nuevo Laredo following violence between Mexican authorities and criminal organizations . . .” the office posted.
Consulate personnel were advised to notify friends and family of their safety and monitor local media to stay updated.
The posts provide phone numbers for emergency assistance and the consular affairs office of the State Department, and also suggest that personnel enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive updates on the situation.
Security centers are gathering numbers used by extortionists to create a database.
Extortionists used nearly 12,000 telephone numbers to make an estimated 18,000 calls in the first six months of 2019, according to the National Information Center (CNI).
CNI director David Pérez Esparza said the calls are only suspected to be extortion-related at this point but when they are determined to be genuine the Attorney General’s Offie will request a trace.
He added that combating extortion calls is a priority of the federal government, since the crime increased 29.6% in September over the same month last year.
His department is creating a database of extortion phone numbers, which will be fed by anonymous reports from calls made to the number 089 operated by C4 and C5 security centers across the country. There is currently no national database of this type.
The CNI will also promote at the national level the use of technologies that alert citizens to possible extortion numbers, as is done in states like Guanajuato and Hidalgo.
Federal Security Secretary Alfonso Durazo said that extortion calls are a public security priority that requires immediate action.
Federal authorities report that organized crime is turning to methods that pose less risk of being detected by authorities. Extortion is seen by many as a safe, easy way to make fast money.
National Public Security System (SESNSP) data reveal that 6,355 extortion cases have been opened so far this year. August was the month with the most cases at 787.
Authorities have identified at least six different extortion methods used in Mexico. A virtual kidnapping involves convincing someone to pay a ransom for a supposedly kidnapped family member. In another ruse, the caller pretends to be the kidnapped family member. A similar shakedown involves convincing someone to pay the bail of an allegedly arrested relative.
Some extortionists threaten their victims by claiming to be from a local criminal organization and request money in exchange for protection. Some claim that the victim has won a prize and only needs to make a small deposit to claim it.
The sixth type of extortion call comes from someone pretending to be a domestic employee, claiming that the victim’s relative — their boss — is in trouble and needs urgent financial help.
According to the CNI report, the states with the highest rates of extortion calls in the country are Puebla, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Quintana Roo, Veracruz, Chihuahua and Tabasco.
