The reliefs were located to the west of Ball Game II, a space where the city’s inhabitants would have played a ceremonial ball game. (Gibrán Huerta/INAH)
Mexico’s archaeologists continue to uncover treasures in the lush forests of the Yucatán Peninsula.
In the Dzibanché Archaeological Zone in Quintana Roo, archaeologists have unearthed two platforms with stucco reliefs that reveal new details about the Kaanu’l dynasty, which ruled over the territories that today comprise Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.
The ancient vestiges feature representations of ancestors, mythical animals and other figures of power. (INAH)
In a statement, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said the discovery offers “new insight” into the workings and worldviews of this powerful Maya dynasty, which ruled during the Early and Late Classic periods, between 250 and 650 AD.
What do the reliefs in Dzibanché represent?
Archaeologists believe their most recent findings date back to the Early Classic period (500-600 AD), coinciding with the rise of the Maya city of Dzibanché.
“This is a great finding for us,” archaeologist Sandra Balanzario Granados, head of the Archaeological Site Improvement Program (Promeza) in Dzibanché, said. “Although we had [found] stucco reliefs on larger buildings, we would never have thought of finding such decorated façades on a ball court with such profound meanings as these ones apparently have.”
The findings consist of two platforms located west of Ball Game II, a space where the city’s inhabitants would have played a ceremonial ball game. The stucco reliefs feature three scenes. The first depicts two guardians flanking a pedestal that, in pre-Columbian times, would have supported a sculpture. The glyphs on this pedestal reference a ruler of the Kaanu’l dynasty.
Of the reliefs, archaeologist Sandra Balanzario said, “We would never have thought of finding such decorated façades on a ball court with such profound meanings.”(INAH)
The second scene depicts figures that allude to ancestors who seem to inhabit the night sky, surrounded by stars and snakes. Epigrapher Alexander Tokovinine said these are elements characteristic of both Maya and Teotihuacán iconography.
Archaeologists think that the absence of a central sculpture on the relief suggests that it may have been removed by the city’s inhabitants centuries ago.
The third scene depicts a group of mythological animals associated with constellations.
“One feature shared by all three scenes is the representation of intertwined snakes, which indicates that we are looking at images with which the rulers of Dzibanché sought to reaffirm their ancestry or lineage,” the INAH said, adding that in pre-Columbian Maya societies, the hierarchs were seen as representatives of the gods on Earth.
The reliefs were found in the Dzibanché Archaeological Zone in Quintana Roo. (INAH)
The Kaanu’l dynasty eventually disintegrated and split into two groups — one remained in the Dzibanché settlement while the other settled in Calakmul, a city located in today’s state of Campeche.
Sedena said that the soldiers returned fire "in defense of their physical safety" and killed 19 aggressors. The other gunmen managed to escape, the ministry said. (José Batanzos/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican soldiers killed 19 suspected members of the Sinaloa Cartel after they were attacked by more than 30 gunmen near Culiacán on Tuesday, the Defense Ministry (Sedena) said.
Sedena said in a statement that the troops came under fire in a rural area 11 kilometers east of Culiacán while arresting “alleged criminal cell boss,” Edwin Antonio Rubio López, who was identified as being a member of a Sinaloa Cartel faction loyal to Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who was arrested in the United States in July.
The army seized 27 firearms, ammunition, bulletproof vests and helmets and seven vehicles after the shootout. (José Batanzos/Cuartoscuro)
“During the event, an attack against military personnel by more than 30 individuals occurred,” the Defense Ministry said, identifying the aggressors as members of the “Los Mayos” faction and bodyguards of Rubio López, known as “El Max” and “El Oso” (The Bear).
Sedena said that the soldiers returned fire “in defense of their physical safety” and killed 19 aggressors. The other gunmen managed to escape, the ministry said.
“In this incident, the military personnel acted in strict accordance with the rule of law and with full respect for human rights and the National Law on the Use of Force,” Sedena said.
The army seized 27 firearms, ammunition, bulletproof vests and helmets and seven vehicles after the shootout, according to the Sedena statement. Soldiers also took possession of a property in Plan de Oriente, the community where the confrontation took place.
Por segunda vez en un mes, han sido lanzados volantes en #Culiacán que vinculan al gobernador Rubén Rocha con ‘Los Chapitos’. Los volantes incluyen nombre y logo de ‘La Mayiza’. pic.twitter.com/AVLI0YSqTI
Cartel faction “La Mayiza,” which is presumably operated by one of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada’s sons, issued a warning in Culiacán on Tuesday stating that they will “not rest” until they “put an end to every abuse committed by ‘Los Chapos’ for which they must take down the government that is supporting them.”
Sedena said that Rubio López — who has previously spent time in prison on murder and weapons charges — was turned over to the Federal Attorney General’s Office in Culiacán, which will determine his “legal situation.”
The Defense Ministry said that the suspect “actively participated” in the recent wave of violence in Culiacán as the “Los Mayos” and “Los Chapitos” factions of the Sinaloa Cartel engaged in a fierce war.
Guzmán López, who flew with Zambada to the United States and is now also in U.S. custody, is a son of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and one of the leaders, or ex-leaders, of “Los Chapitos.”
The Sinaloa Cartel infighting has claimed scores of lives in Culiacán and other municipalities of Sinaloa in recent months, and generated significant fear among residents of the northern state.
Like her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, President Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to avoid violent confrontations with criminals wherever possible.
Shortly before she was sworn in as president, she said that responding to the high levels of violence in Sinaloa with “firepower” would only trigger a “war” in the northern state.
Former President López Obrador banned the use of GM corn for human consumption in a 2023 decree. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s Agriculture Minister announced Tuesday that his agency has a plan to reduce the consumer price of corn tortillas by 10%.
“We are going to invite [producers] to come to a national agreement on corn and tortillas, with a very ambitious goal of reducing the cost of tortillas by 10% in real terms throughout the duration of this government’s term in office,” Julio Berdegué, head of the ministry known as SADER, told reporters at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily presidential press conference.
The plan was announced on Tuesday by Julio Berdegué, head of the Agriculture Ministry. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
The price of tortillas rose by 61.7% during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s term (2018–2024), making today’s average price of corn tortillas per kilogram 23.17 pesos (US $1.16).
Berdegué’s stated commitment to reduce the price of one of Mexico’s most popular staple foods — dubbed by officials as the National Plan for Corn and Tortillas — is just one part of a new comprehensive federal plan announced at Tuesday’s press conference to advance Mexico’s self-sufficiency in food crops, support Mexican farmers, guarantee food security for citizens and promote nutritious diets.
Another part of the plan announced Tuesday, the Production for Well-Being program, has as a core tenet the support of 2.02 million small and medium-scale farmers, chiefly in the production of staple crops such as corn, beans, sugar cane, coffee, cocoa and honey.
Another initiative in the plan is the Harvesting Sovereignty program, an initiative to boost the production of corn, beans, rice, milk, sorghum, onions, tomatoes and chiles in Mexico.
Mexicans consume around 1 million metric tons of beans a year, 300,000 of which are imported. Sheinbaum’s government would like to change that by helping farmers cultivate almost 1.9 million acres of land with certified high-quality legume seeds. It also aims to increase rice production in Mexico by 250,000 metric tons a year by supporting the development of 148,263 acres of land.
Sader has identified 1,200 low-income municipalities where small and medium-sized commercial farming is prevalent to participate in the project. To support these priority areas, the ministry will offer a combination of credit facilities, commercial assistance and social programs as incentives.
Berdegué emphasized that while the government’s plan aims to encourage more staple crop production, it also is committed to doing so with a lower environmental impact, acknowledging that 75% of the country’s water is currently used for agriculture.
Day of the Dead is almost here - so perfect your Pan de Muerto recipes now! (Adolfo Vladimir/Cuartoscuro)
Pan de muerto, or “bread of the dead,” isn’t your everyday loaf; it’s a sweet offering that embodies the tradition of honoring the dearly departed. Its origins trace back to the Aztecs: they made a flatbread made from amaranth seeds, offered various foods to the dead, much like our Day of the Dead altars have today. Ancient civilizations were not squeamish when it came to the dead, what with all the human sacrifices and such. The Romans, for instance, turned death into a full-blown spectacle with their gladiator combats, all while spectators chomped down on their Roman version of hot dogs and popcorn. The Aztecs, also known to sacrifice a few folks here and there, would sometimes perform these rituals on top of their pyramids with large obsidian knifes.
The reasons behind these sacrifices, as described by Spanish accounts, need to be taken with a grain of salt. The Spanish didn’t speak the local language fluently, and it served them well to paint the locals as “murderous savages” to justify conquest. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived, the Aztec Empire was at its peak, and they had a lot of war captives. The mass sacrifices that the Spanish witnessed may have been more a practical means of dealing with enemies than purely a religious ritual to appease gods.
It is that time of the year and Pan de muerto is everywhere! (Unsplash)
Back to the bread! The Spanish brought over wheat, and it was slowly adapted by the locals. Pan de muerto also gets its signature flavor from orange zest, which is meant to symbolize the zest of life — yes, even after you’re long gone, there’s still room for a little citrus kick. The sugar on top is a reminder of the sweetness of life and death. If you’re going to the afterlife, you might as well go with a sugary grin.
During Dia de Muertos, Pan de Muerto is placed on ofrendas (altars) alongside candles, marigolds and tequila, because even the dead deserve a good time. As you munch on this rich, sweet bread, just remember: it’s a delicious nod to the past, where offering a snack was preferable to, say, offering your neighbor. Enjoy it — life, death and bread have never tasted this good.
Pan de muerto
Ingredients
For the bread
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp orange zest
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm milk (110 F / 45 C)
1/4 cup warm water (110 F / 45 C)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
For the topping
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
Activate the yeast: In a small bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and orange zest.
Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, and then add the warm milk and the activated yeast mixture.
Form the dough: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour in the wet ingredients. Add the softened butter a little at a time, mixing until the dough comes together.
Knead the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
First rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Shape the bread: Punch down the dough, then divide it into two pieces—one large for the base, and a smaller portion to create the decorations. Shape the larger piece into a round loaf. With the smaller piece, roll out dough strips pressing down in the shape of a peace symbol to get two skinnier parts and three fatter parts. Boom, you have made bone shaped dough. Place them decoratively over the top.
Second rise: Place the shaped loaf on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover lightly with plastic wrap or a cloth, and let it rise again for about 40 minutes to 1 hour.
Bake: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Once the dough has finished its second rise, bake it for 30-35 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
Add topping: Let the bread cool slightly, then brush it with the melted butter. Sprinkle the granulated sugar (mixed with cinnamon, if using) generously over the top.
Enjoy Your pan de muerto: Serve your pan de muerto with hot chocolate or café de olla as part of your Día de Muertos celebrations. Enjoy this treat while honoring your loved ones!
StephenRandall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean. His recipes can also be found on YouTube.
What do you do when your child needs to talk to a professional, but is concerned about attending therapy? (Talkspace)
When your children look like they need a little help but won’t accept it, what do you do? Can you make your son go to therapy if he doesn’t want to? Jenna Mayhew has been working as a psychologist in Mexico for eight years. At her practice, Hola Therapy, she has made it her mission to help foreigners living in Mexico, Mexicans with a foreign partner, foreigners with links to Mexico and Mexicans with links to foreigners or foreign countries.
Jenna Mayhew (center) and the team at Hola Therapy. (Jenna Mayhew)
Dear Jenna,
I’m a 45-year-old single Dad living in the south of Mexico. My son is 11 years old and lives with me. He’s had a couple of really rough years. His school has recommended that he go to therapy and I agree, but he’s told me doesn’t want to. I tried talking to him about how it can make him feel better. He told me doesn’t want to talk to a stranger and doesn’t believe it can help him. How can I get him to go?
Concerned Dad
Dear Concerned Dad,
It’s great to see your dedication to your son’s well-being. Navigating the world of mental health can be challenging, especially for children who may feel hesitant about therapy. Many parents struggle with this step — it’s like there’s a speed hump to get over before the therapy even starts.
Here are some evidence-based strategies to help you encourage your son towards therapy:
Providing parental support is the most important part of helping your children deal with their problems. (Talkspace)
Understand his concerns: Children often fear the unknown. I see you’re already talking to him about his feelings towards therapy and that’s great. Keep the conversation going. Ask open-ended questions to explore his reservations, like “What do you think could go wrong?” According to research from the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), understanding a child’s perspective is crucial for addressing their anxieties about seeking help.
Normalize therapy: Let him know that therapy is a common practice, and many people benefit from it. Sometimes focusing on what happened, rather than on them as a person reduces the stigma. Instead of “I see you’re not doing well at school and therapy could help”, shift the focus onto “You’ve been through a lot. When people experience things like that, therapy can really help them.”
Reassure and support: Remind him that it’s okay to feel nervous about talking to someone new. He doesn’t have to share everything right away, such as “You don’t have to share anything you’re not ready to share, you can wait until you trust them, it’s at your pace.”
Be a role model: Share your own experiences with stress and coping mechanisms, and talk about any support you’ve sought. This can reinforce the idea that everyone, including adults, sometimes needs help. “I really struggled too. But I’m so glad I’ve got someone to talk to.”
Empower him in the process: Involve him in the selection of a therapist. According to a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, children are more likely to engage in therapy if they feel they have some control over the process.
Introduce the therapist: Have a brief meet-and-greet to see if it’s a good fit. This can demystify the experience and make it less intimidating.
Consider family therapy: Sometimes, participating in therapy together can help bridge the gap. Family therapy can create a shared space for discussing feelings, which might make him more receptive to the idea of individual therapy afterwards.
For my most controversial recommendation — consider a reward for going the first one or two times. Many people take issue with rewards and punishments, but when intrinsic motivation is low, a little external motivation can give the push that’s needed. For many kids (and adults!) the first appointment is the hardest. Once they’re through the door and have had a session or two, they quickly realise how much they enjoy it and engage happily in the process.
Finally, you can also consider “parenting therapy” just for yourself. You’d be amazed at how effective therapy can be for a child even when it’s done only with the parent! You learn skills to create a ‘therapeutic environment’ for your child, and the therapeutic benefit trickles down to them through you.
Good luck and I wish you both the best on this journey.
Jenna
Ask your questions
To submit your question to Jenna, leave a comment on this article with the heading “QUESTION”. Please include as much detail as you would like to about yourself (age, location etc) and why you are interested in the question.
Jenna Mayhew is an Australian psychologist based in Mexico and is the founder of Hola Therapy, a bilingual practice dedicated to supporting the immigrant and cross-cultural communities in Mexico. Hola Therapy provides therapy in-person and online across Mexico and worldwide.
Hola Therapy aims to give back to the community and one way they achieve this is by providing by clinical and financial support to the Misión México Foundation. Misión México Foundation is a charity in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico. They provide a stable, therapeutic environment for some of the state’s most vulnerable children, with a focus on safety, emotional recovery and education.
If you have enjoyed the “Ask Jenna” column, please consider giving back by making a small donation to the Misión México Foundation (you will see a “donate now” button at the top of their webpage).
President Sheinbaum holds up a copy of Mexico's Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on Tuesday, where newly approved federal legislation is published upon being promulgated by presidential decree. (Galo Cañas Rodriguez/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum asserted Tuesday that the recently enacted judicial reform — which allows citizens to directly elect all judges in Mexico — will be an “example to the world” in how to create a robust judiciary.
“If [there is] something we’re doing in Mexico that is going to be an example to the world — even though they say otherwise at Harvard — [it is] the election of the judicial power. It will be an example because it’s the people choosing their judges, magistrates and Supreme Court justices,” Sheinbaum told her morning press conference.
Sheinbaum insisted at her daily press conference Tuesday that she is in compliance with federal law by refusing to follow a federal judge’s order. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
Her reference to Harvard came in response to remarks made by Mexican Supreme Court Justice Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena at a Harvard Law School forum on Oct. 10.
“This is a very dramatic change,” Gutiérrez said at that forum. “At the very least, we will have an enormous period where the courts will not be predictable because all district court judges and all circuit court judges will have to be elected.”
“Now the requirements to be elected … are — and I kid you not — having a 3.0 grade point average — our constitution says that now — and five letters of recommendation from your neighbors. If you meet those requirements, you can be proposed to the Supreme Court, provided you win an election,” he said.
Gutiérrez’s mention of the requirement for judicial candidates to have letters of recommendation from their neighbors elicited laughter from the audience — and his fellow panelists.
Asked on Tuesday what her response to the laughter was, Sheinbaum gave a frank response.
“Nobody should make fun of Mexican men and women,” she said.
Desató risas en Harvard la explicación del ministro Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena que, para la elección de jueces, es requisito presentar 5 cartas de recomendación de vecinos.https://t.co/Nfva0XzDo1
— 3ra Región Asociación Magistrados y Jueces del PJF (@asocmj) October 22, 2024
Mexican Supreme Court Justice Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena speaking about Mexico’s judicial reform to fellow panelists at an event hosted by the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School.
“… It’s up to me to defend my people, my country and my homeland, and all Mexicans as well,” Sheinbaum added.
“The Harvard [Law] School might be very well-known, but it would be good if the Harvard [Law] School did an investigation about the corruption in the Mexican judicial [system],” she said.
The president pointed out that some judges are elected in the United States and emphasized that in some U.S. states, they are even elected “by political party,” a reference to partisan judicial elections.
“We’re going to provide an example to the world with the reform to the judicial power, I’m certain,” Sheinbaum reiterated.
Those elected will be “good, qualified judges,” she said, stressing that there will be an “open, transparent” selection process for judicial candidates.
“… The election of judges is responsible,” said Sheinbaum, who like former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has argued that a judicial overhaul is necessary to rid Mexico’s judiciary of corruption and other ills, and to ensure that it is at the service of the majority of Mexican people, rather than an elite minority.
“… We’re building a true rule of law in our country,” she said.
Criticisms of the judicial reform
The main criticism of the judicial reform provision that allows the direct election of judges and Supreme Court justices — from candidates put forward by the president, the Congress and the judiciary itself — is that choosing judges by popular vote will erode the independence of Mexico’s courts and remove a vital check on government power.
Critics of the reform argue that courts could come to be dominated by judges sympathetic to the agenda of the ruling Morena party, which is immensely popular in Mexico, as demonstrated by the June 2 election results. They also contend that investment in Mexico will decline due to a lack of certainty about whether the rule of law will be upheld.
Sheinbaum’s initial response late last week prompted judicial workers to protest at the Senate in Mexico City in support of Nancy Juarez Salas, the Veracruz judge who issued the order, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Norma Piña. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
López Obrador submitted the judicial reform proposal to Congress in February, and Sheinbaum expressed full support for it before she was elected in a landslide on the first Sunday in June, allowing her to make the case that the reform is what the majority of Mexicans wanted.
“The people of Mexico took a decision, which was [in favor of] the reform to the judicial power,” the president said Tuesday.
The first round of judicial elections is slated to take place next year, with a second round to be held at the same time as Mexico’s midterm congressional elections in 2027.
Before the judicial reform was approved, the New York Times reported that “the closest parallel to what Mexico’s [ex-] president is proposing is Bolivia’s experience with electing judges after enacting a new constitution in 2009.”
“But even in Bolivia’s case, the changes didn’t apply to the entire judiciary, focused instead on how some of the most powerful judges can be elected by popular vote instead of being selected by Congress,” the Times said.
A man votes in the national elections in June in México state. Sheinbaum, who won the presidential election by a landslide, supported the judicial reform before becoming president, allowing her to say that the majority of Mexicans support the reform measure. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
“… The experiment in Bolivia has drawn widespread criticism both at home and abroad. Political leaders were able to get judges sympathetic to their views elected to such powerful positions in the judiciary, then used the courts to go after their opponents,” the Times said.
Sheinbaum: Judge who ordered withdrawal of judicial reform decree is ‘breaking the law’
At her morning press conference on Tuesday, Sheinbaum once again spoke about a federal judge’s order to remove from the nation’s Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) the decree signed by López Obrador last month to promulgate the judicial reform bill.
“For there to be a constitutional reform, it has to be approved by two-thirds of the Chamber of Deputies, two-thirds of the Senate, the majority of state legislatures … and once that occurs, the constitutional change comes. And the Amparo [Injunction] Law says [the court order against the judicial reform decree] is inadmissible,” Sheinbaum said.
“In other words, the Amparo Law can’t be applied against … reforms to the political constitution of the United Mexican States. The judge knows that,” she said.
“… It’s she who is breaking the law. It’s she who is compromising the rule of law. We’re following the constitution. And the constitutional reform was approved as it is,” Sheinbaum said.
“… Look, this is the Official Gazette of the Federation,” the president said as she held up a physical copy of the government bulletin.
“This is how it is — printed. … It’s also published on the internet. … The judge … says remove [the decree]. What does ‘remove’ mean? Do we have to tear out pages from the constitution? Is that what the judge is asking? Mutilate a [copy of the] official gazette?” Sheinbaum asked.
She asserted that “there is no precedent for a judge asking to eliminate” a constitutional reform decree from the DOF.
“What does ‘eliminate’ mean?” Sheinbaum asked. “Do they want us to return to fascism? Burn and break books?”
Sheinbaum said Monday that she hasn’t yet received official notification of the judge’s order and has used the apparent lack of notification to further support her assertion that she is not in contempt of court.
Although she has said that she will not withdraw, remove or “eliminate” the judicial reform decree from the DOF, the president told reporters that she will seek an opinion from the (Morena-dominated) Congress on how to respond to the ruling.
Sheinbaum also said last week that the government would file a complaint against Judge Juárez with the Federal Judiciary Council, while the legal department of the president’s office asked the chief justice of the Supreme Court to direct other federal judges to abstain from issuing any other rulings against the controversial judicial reform.
Veracruz federal judge Nancy Juárez Salas, who ordered the decree to be removed, says that her decision was one against the legislative process around the reform, not the reform itself. (Twitter)
Judge Juárez defends her ruling
Nancy Juárez Salas, a federal district judge based in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, asserted in a radio interview on Monday that — contrary to the government’s view — she does have the right to order the removal of the judicial reform decree from the DOF.
“The argument [Sheinbaum] is using is completely false in terms of saying I don’t have authority and … that a judge can’t be above the people. Here in Mexico, there are three federal powers, each with different authorities,” she said.
“The judicial power is who defends the people from the arbitrary acts of another authority,” Juárez said.
The judge asserted that her ruling is legal because it doesn’t strike down a constitutional reform but is rather a decision against a legislative process.
Juárez issued her order for the judicial reform decree to be removed from the DOF — and thus cancel promulgation — on the basis that the previous government breached a provisional suspension order against its publication.
Indeed, López Obrador promulgated the reform despite a court in Colima ruling against its publication in the government’s gazette.
Juárez said that she was “relaxed” about the ruling she handed down because it was within Mexico’s “legal framework.”
She also said that if the Mexican government doesn’t comply with court orders, there will be “anarchy, where everyone does what he or she wants.”
The judge questioned why the government hasn’t launched a legal challenge against her ruling.
“What really catches my attention is that … the responsible authorities haven’t brought any legal recourse [against it]. … What they should have done due to their nonconformity is exactly that — filed [legal] recourses,” Juárez said.
For her part, Supreme Court Chief Justice Norma Piña said that democracy in Mexico is currently “going through very delicate and very difficult times” as a result of the conflict between the government and the judiciary.
“Human rights are at risk when a power, of any kind, cannot be contained, held back and controlled,” she said.
A constitutional crisis?
Some observers, including legal experts, even claim that Mexico runs the risk of entering a constitutional crisis if Sheinbaum doesn’t comply with Juárez’s order — or future court rulings against the government.
“What [the government] is signaling is that if there is an adverse ruling from the Supreme Court, they won’t comply with that decision. That puts us in a constitutional crisis or on the verge of a constitutional crisis,” said Javier Martín Reyes, a constitutional lawyer and legal academic at the National Autonomous University (UNAM).
“It is not an action in keeping with a democratic government,” he said.
“… I’m only going to comply when I like your ruling, when I believe that it is issued correctly. That’s the message they’re sending,” Martín said.
Juan Jesús Garza Onofre, another UNAM legal academic, said that the president has sent the message that “politics is above the law.”
Tony Payan, executive director of the Center for the U.S. and Mexico at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, asserted last Friday that Mexico is already “entering a constitutional crisis.”
Payan wrote on X that Sheinbaum “said she’ll willfully fall in contempt of court after a federal judge orders congressional approval of the dismantling of the judicial branch halted due to legislative procedural violations.”
Mexico City's 2024 Day of the Dead parade will take place Nov. 2, according to city officials. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico City has released the date of one of its most anticipated cultural events each year: the Day of the Dead parade.
Scheduled for Nov. 2, at 2 p.m., the parade will depart from Mexico City’s Puerta de los Leones — the main gate to Chapultepec Park — and travel along major city streets, including Paseo de la Reforma, Avenida Juárez and 5 de Mayo, before finally arriving at the capital’s main square, the Zócalo.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced the date of the Day of the Dead parade and associated festivities surrounded by colorful decor and people in traditional costumes. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
At least 5,800 people will participate, divided into 37 groups — featuring seven floats and 16 musical groups. Three floats will pay tribute to prominent Mexicans, including writer and journalist Rosario Castellanos, singer Lucha Reyes and painter David Alfaro Siqueiros.
Throughout the parade route, attendees will be able to admire monumental alebrijes — artisanal sculptures of fanciful creatures — on public display along Paseo de la Reforma, from the Angel of Independence to the Estela de Luz monument. The sculptures will remain on display until Nov. 3.
A gigantic Day of the Dead altar, known in Mexico as an ofrenda, will also be showcased at the Zócalo esplanade from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3. The altar will stand an impressive 17 meters tall and feature a pool covering over 200 square meters.
The altar will also feature 21 cardboard figures, ranging between 6 to 10 meters tall; two monumental trajineras (the traditional decorated boats that the Xochimilco borough is known for), and a chinampa (a pond covered with soil). It will also feature a garden of 10,000 cempasúchil, or Mexican marigold, flowers sourced from Xochimilco farmers.
According to CDMX’s Minister of Culture Ana Francis López, 2005 was the first year there was a larger-than-life ofrenda (often referred to as a megaofrenda) displayed at the Zócalo. Since then, traditional Mexican cartonería (papier-mâché) artists have participated every year in the altar’s design. Last year, the megaofrenda drew over 1 million spectators to the Zócalo.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said that Day of the Dead parade and other related festivities in the capital are expected to draw 7 million people and earn over 2 billion pesos (US $100 million) in consumer spending. Mexico City Tourism Minster Alejandra Frausto said that, so far, hotel occupancy for Day of the Dead weekend is at 80% capacity – 10% more than in 2023.
Day of the Dead, or Día de Muertos (not Día de los Muertos), follows the pre-Columbian Indigenous belief that the dead temporarily return to Earth between Nov. 1 and 2. Preparations for this holiday begin in October with the placement of an altar to dead loved ones in people’s homes. The altar is decorated with flowers, fruit, the seasonal pan de muerto bread, salt, cempasúchil flowers, colorful confetti and the deceased’s favorite treats and dishes.
In 2003, UNESCO placed Day of the Dead on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which recognizes traditional cultural practices around the world as important to preserve.
The Santa Catarina II Industrial Park in Nuevo León, a state where demand for industrial real estate is nearly overtaking supply. (Finsa)
Construction of new industrial parks in Mexico is on the rise, sector leaders noted this week — with the expansion due primarily to nearshoring.
Speaking at Monday’s annual Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) assembly, Jorge Avalos said 93 new industrial parks are being built, bringing the total in Mexico to 460.
At the annual meeting, held this year in Monterrey, panelists spoke about the optimism of Mexican investors in funding new industrial parks to meet nearshoring demands from foreign companies. (Samuel Garcia/Twitter)
Avalos, president of the Mexican Association of Private Industrial Parks (AMPIP), said there is great optimism in the sector as demonstrated by the 33% increase in investment. He attributed the growth to the growing nearshoring phenomenon in Mexico.
“Never in the 25 years of AMPIP’s existence have we experienced such enthusiasm,” Avalos said. “With US $4 billion in investment this year, we’ve easily surpassed last year’s US $3 billion total.”
Even more impressive, added Avalos — cofounder of the Fibra Mty investment fund, which focuses on long-term real estate investment — is that much of the funding is coming from Mexican investors. Among them is Thor Urbana which recently purchased nine industrial parks in the northern state of Coahuila.
In addition, there is still considerable optimism from abroad with 80 U.S. investment funds participating in the construction projects, Avalos said.
Avalos then shared a conversation he had with Fred Smith, CEO of FedEx, who had asked Avalos how confident he was about investing.
When Avalos told him that his company Fibra Monterrey had invested US $1.5 billion in industrial parks over the past two years, Smith was impressed, Avalos said, remarking that FedEx’s growth rate in the United States was only 3.9%.
Panelist Jorge Avalos, president of the Mexican Association of Private Industrial Parks and CEO of the FibraMTY investment fund, said that investment in Mexico’s industrial real estate sector has already surpassed 2023’s amount by US $1 billion. (T21)
Other speakers at the assembly admitted that there is still work to do in Mexico, however, especially regarding the transmission and distribution of energy, of particular concern because industry and manufacturing already consume nearly 60% of power generated in Mexico.
Residential consumption is at about 24%.
In addition, the rise of nearshoring has prompted an increase in demand for industrial real estate space. This, in turn, will produce greater demand for electricity, said assembly panelist Salvador Portillo, president of the National Chamber of Electrical Manufacturers (Caname).
Portillo said public-private investment projects are the way to proceed because power-generation infrastructure projects could cost upward of US $82 billion by 2038. Projects addressing energy transmission and distribution could cost an additional US $6.4 billion by 2030.
Another factor to consider is the necessity for renewable energy since many manufacturers increasingly require clean energy sources to meet U.S. customer demand for clean energy components in imported goods.
Jeffrey Lichtman, one of the lawyers who represented El Chapo in 2019, is now representing his sons Ovidio and Joaquín Guzmán López. (Social Media)
Convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera is seeking a new trial in the United States, while two of his sons are negotiating for a plea deal with the U.S. government.
Guzmán Loera’s request for a retrial came to light on Monday, while a lawyer for Ovidio Guzmán López and Joaquín Guzmán López confirmed that the brothers are in talks for a possible plea bargain with the United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago.
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán was sentenced to life in prison in July 2019, and subsequently transferred to the Florence Supermax prison in Colorado. (DEA)
El Chapo, a co-founder and former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, was found guilty of drug trafficking in a U.S. federal court in Brooklyn, New York, in February 2019. He was sentenced to life in prison in July 2019, and subsequently transferred to the Florence Supermax prison in Colorado.
Ovidio Guzmán, one of the alleged leaders of the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, was extradited to the United States on drug trafficking charges in September 2023, eight months after his capture in Culiacán, Sinaloa.
Joaquín Guzmán, another alleged leader of the “Los Chapitos” who also faces trafficking charges in the United States, was arrested in the U.S. in late July after he flew into the country on a private plane in the company of accused Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.
El Chapo cites ‘illegal’ extradition and ‘ineffective’ representation in request for a new trial
Guzmán Loera submitted a handwritten motion to U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan in which he asked for a new trial, a request that appears unlikely to be granted.
In a submission completed in September, El Chapo said that his extradition from Mexico to the Eastern District of New York in 2017 was “illegal” as he should have been sent to a judicial district in Texas or California.
He also said that the “assistance” of his legal counsel at his 2018-19 trial was “ineffective.”
El Chapo accused his lawyers of failing to adequately cross-examine witnesses and failing to object to certain evidence he considered inadmissible.
NEW: Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán just submitted a handwritten letter to ask Judge Cogan for a new trial alleging he had a bad defense team. pic.twitter.com/UI6vuyAmmI
Guzmán Loera didn’t cite new evidence as a basis for his request for a new trial, and acknowledged that he had previously submitted a motion to ask for a retrial.
One of the lawyers who represented El Chapo in what was described in some quarters as the “trial of the century” was Jeffrey Lichtman, who is now representing Ovidio and Joaquín Guzmán López.
Lichtman: ‘Plea negotiations are going on’
In a hearing in federal court in Chicago on Monday, Lichtman said that the two Guzmán López brothers are negotiating with the United States Attorney’s Office in Chicago for a possible plea deal.
“Today we simply discussed the status of the case, we disclosed that plea negotiations are going on, which isn’t all that shocking because plea negotiations go on in every case, including many that eventually end up in trial,” the lawyer said in an interview with Noticias Telemundo.
“There are a myriad of possibilities in a situation like this,” Lichtman told reporters in separate remarks.
“… Although I represent both brothers it doesn’t change the fact they individually have their own cases,” he said.
“So this isn’t a package deal. … I’d like them to do the same thing, have the same result, but the government views them differently,” Lichtman said.
The newspaper Milenio first reported in August that Ovidio and Joaquín Guzmán were negotiating a deal with U.S. authorities under which they would plead guilty to some of the crimes they are accused of in exchange for more lenient sentences.
However, as Lichtman indicated, there is no certainty that a deal will be reached.
The United States government prosecutor told Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman on Monday that the talks between the two sides are preliminary and that he hoped to have more information about a possible plea deal at a hearing early next year.
Ovidio, who was in court in Chicago on Monday, and Joaquín have been summoned to appear in court together on Jan. 7. However, it has not been established that the two brothers will be prosecuted together.
Both Ovidio, 34, and Joaquín, 38, are accused of drug trafficking as well as financial crimes and weapons violations. They have pleaded not guilty to all charges they face, although that could change if they reach a plea bargain.
Lichtman has stressed that Joaquín (right) did not reach any prior agreement with the U.S. government in the case against “El Mayo” Zambada (left). (Archive)
Joaquín Guzmán’s alleged kidnapping of El Mayo — long one of Mexico’s most wanted drug lords — and his delivery to U.S. authorities appears to have been a ploy to obtain more favorable outcomes for himself and his brother.
On Monday, the lawyer “did not say whether … [the Guzmán López brothers] may, or may not, cooperate in the government’s case against El Mayo,” The Guardian reported.
At a hearing in Zambada’s case last week, it was revealed that U.S. prosecutors were considering seeking the death penalty for the 76-year-old accused trafficker.
The next hearing in Zambada’s case is scheduled for Jan. 15. Like his Sinaloa Cartel co-founder El Chapo, El Mayo case is facing U.S. justice in the Eastern District of New York.
The Mexican government will ban the sale of junk food — such as chips and sodas — in schools across the country beginning in March 2025. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican government will ban the sale of junk food — such as chips and sodas — in schools across the country beginning in March 2025, according to the Public Education Ministry (SEP).
This decision, which is part of a reform to the General Education Law, seeks to eradicate childhood obesity and promote healthier eating habits among students.
On Monday, Sheinbaum presented new regulations published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on Sept. 30, aimed at ensuring nutrition and health for students in Mexico. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
“We know that some sectors of the industry, especially those who produce this food with low nutritional value and high levels of calories — junk food as we know it — will not like [the ban],” Education Minister Mario Delgado told reporters at a press conference in Tabasco on Friday. “We are one of the countries with the world’s highest levels of childhood obesity and we can’t continue like this anymore,” he stressed.
According to the National Health Survey, 98% of schools sell junk food; 95% sell sugary drinks; 79% offer soda; 77% offer junk food for sale in the vicinity of the school and 25% allow junk food advertising.
What are the new rules for food in schools?
During her Monday morning press conference, Sheinbaum presented new regulations that were published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) on Sept. 30, aimed at ensuring nutrition and health for students in Mexico.
The foods offered at schools must comply with the following requirements:
Foods must be of natural origin or minimally processed
Seasonal fruits and vegetables must be offered
For foods of animal origin, only poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is allowed and must be prepared without fat and skin
These foods should be cooked using minimal sugar and oil
Access to drinking water must be guaranteed, free of charge
Caffeinated drinks are prohibited
The new rules will become effective on March 29, 2025, and will be mandatory throughout the National Education System. Schools that do not comply will be subject to fines of between 545 and 5,450 pesos.
This is the third time that the federal government has attempted to ban junk food in schools. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
The reform also seeks to shift children’s eating habits away from unhealthy Mexican staples, including chilaquiles, tacos de canasta and quesadillas. School cafeterias are advised not to serve these types of meals to students.
Delgado also said that the ministry would carry out an educational campaign for all parties involved, including school principals, parents and teachers, among others.
This is the third time that the federal government has attempted to ban junk food in schools.
In May 2014, the government published a set of guidelines for the sale and distribution of prepared and processed foods and beverages in schools in the DOF. While some schools have tried to enforce the guidelines in the past decade, the most recent results of the SEP’s nationwide survey suggest that they have been unsuccessful.
Childhood obesity statistics in Mexico
According to the latest results from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT, 2023), it is estimated that between 7 and 8% of infants (1-5 years old), 37.3% of school-age children (5–11 years old) and over 40% of adolescents (12–19 years old) are overweight or obese in Mexico. Meanwhile, 12% of children under five years of age show signs of malnutrition.
If this pattern continues, by 2030, it is estimated that 45% of adults in Mexico will be obese.
