Opposing legislators voted against the reform, arguing that it violates the individual freedom and rights of property owners. (Shutterstock)
Mexico City’s Congress approved a reform to the Tourism and Housing Law imposing limits on real estate rentals through apps and online platforms such as Airbnb.
The reform is part of several recent initiatives to promote balance in the temporary rental market, curb gentrification and support the hotel industry in the capital.
The initiative, presented by interim mayor Martí Batres — and current director of the State Workers’ Social Security Institute (ISSSTE) — also prohibits government-built social housing from being rented to tourists via online rental platforms. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
The initiative, presented by interim mayor Martí Batres a few weeks before his term ended on Oct. 5, establishes a 180-day-per-year limit on online vacation rentals, including Airbnb. It also prohibits government-built social housing from being rented to tourists via online rental platforms.
Opposing legislators voted against the reform, arguing that it violates the individual freedom and rights of property owners, according to Bloomberg.
Deputy César Emilio Guijosa, a member of the ruling party Morena, defended the measure arguing that the growth of digital tourism has generated problems such as gentrification, as some neighborhoods have seen real estate prices rise upon becoming saturated by housing destined exclusively for tourists.
Morena insists the transformation — largely caused by the post-pandemic increase in “digital nomads” — has negatively affected capital residents and unfairly impacted the traditional hotel industry.
By limiting the occupancy of properties to 50% annually, Guijosa said the reform will help mitigate these externalities and regulate the temporary rental market by balancing the competition between temporary accommodations and traditional hotels.
National Action Party (PAN) lawmakers criticized the reform, insisting that it violates the freedom of owners over the use of their property and might encourage a black market for unregulated rentals.
They also pointed out that the law does not clarify how compliance will be verified in one-room lodgings, where applying the 50% rule is likely to be more complicated.
Now a law, the April reform also requires hosts to submit two reports per year specifying property occupancy, with removal from the registry as a penalty for supplying false information. In September, the city congress established fines of up to 21,000 pesos (US $1,120) for violating registry rules.
Querétaro Gov. Mauricio Kuri, center, attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 30 for the new technology innovation center to be built by the Makino corporation. (Mauricio Kuri/Facebook)
Makino, one of the world’s leading companies in advanced manufacturing technology, has broken ground on a new tech innovation center in Querétaro.
“The talent and capacity of the people of Querétaro continue to attract key investments for technological development!” Governor Mauricio Kuri wrote on Sept. 30 on his official X account after leading an inauguration ceremony earlier that day.
Kuri, second from left, listens as details of the Makino company’s planned tech innovation center are explained to him. (Mauricio Kuri/Facebook)
With an investment of 400 million pesos (US $21 million), the new plant will supply production machinery to the automotive, medical, and aerospace industries, the tractor-trailer manufacturing sector, and the household goods and electronics manufacturers. The plant is expected to start operations next year, creating over 200 jobs in the state.
Once the plant begins operations, the company expects engineering projects to be conducted for five machining centers within the first year, each with a capacity of 20 to 25 machines integrated with advanced engineering systems and robots.
The facility will have LEED Gold certification (signaling a project’s comprehensive adoption of best sustainability practices). It will harness sunlight, rain and wind and will have thermally insulated walls.
Head of Makino México, Eduardo Medrano, told El Economista magazine that they believe this project will spearhead engineering services in Mexico and will establish the center as a benchmark in the production of complete manufacturing solutions.
“We manufacture machinery in Japan, Singapore, and China. Makino wants Mexico to create engineering projects to use this machinery technology, generate it with inventiveness, and use Mexican creativity to assemble it with automation,” Medrano said, stressing that it will be an “iconic” project for the state and for the North American region in general.
Makino, Inc. CEO Peter Hoecklin explained that the company’s decision to expand in Mexico results from an exhaustive analysis of global opportunities. Mexico offers competitive costs, a young population, an open economy, and a privileged location, Medrano said..
Meanwhile, Makino’s global president, Shotaro Miyazaki, stressed that Mexico is key to the company’s strategy in emerging markets, with Querétaro standing out for its infrastructure, education, and highly qualified workforce.
Some fishing boats off the coast of Campeche sunk due to the storm surge from Hurricane Milton on Monday. (Michael Balam/Cuartoscuro)
Authorities in Campeche reported one death following the passage of Hurricane Milton, which grazed the northwestern Yucatán Peninsula as a Category 5 storm on Monday.
After intensifying rapidly from a Category 3 to a Category 5 hurricane, Milton dumped considerable rain on Campeche city and caused flooding as far inland as Mérida, the capital of Yucatán.
Así amaneció #Mérida tras los efectos del huracán #Milton. ⚠🌧
En un recorrido se observó algunas calles anegadas, encharcamientos “comunes” que en su mayoría no afectan ni a la circulación de los pocos vehículos que hay en las calles, ni causan perjuicios a las viviendas. pic.twitter.com/bl1d7ZJ7Em
At midnight on Monday, Milton was roughly 100 kilometers north of Mérida but advanced northeast before being downgraded to a Category 4 hurricane.
Civil Protection authorities in Yucatán urged residents to not let their guard down, warning that even though the hurricane had weakened slightly, its volatility suggested it could strengthen again.
Yucatán Governor Joaquín Díaz reported that thousands of residents in several eastern Yucatán cities had sought refuge in shelters on Monday. A hurricane warning remains in effect for Celestún to Rio Lagartos, Yucatán; the area from Rio Lagartos to Cabo Catoche is under a hurricane watch.
Officials exhorted the public to obey official warnings as authorities sought to restore electricity in places where power had been knocked out by the storm. Meanwhile, schools remain closed in Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, and inland archaeological sites such as Chichén Itzá are closed until further notice.
Update 1100 #MILTON FORECAST TO RETAIN MAJOR #HURRICANE STATUS AND EXPAND IN
SIZE WHILE IT APPROACHES THE WEST COAST OF #FLORIDA…
…TODAY IS THE LAST FULL DAY FOR FLORIDA RESIDENTS TO GET THEIR
FAMILIES AND HOMES READY AND EVACUATE IF TOLD TO DO SO BY LOCAL
OFFICIALS #FLpic.twitter.com/aewkYUOM8g
At 8:20 a.m. on Tuesday, Conagua reported that Hurricane Milton was still drenching the Yucatán Peninsula with intense rain and whipping the northern coast with 180-200 km/h winds while producing dangerous six to eight-meter-high waves.
Conagua also warned about waterspouts off the northern coast of Quintana Roo on the eastern side of the peninsula.
Milton is expected to continue its path northeast toward Florida, where it is expected to make landfall near Tampa Bay before midnight Wednesday. Florida authorities have issued an evacuation order in the face of what is being called a “once-in-a-century” storm.
President Sheinbaum, center, and members of her cabinet were in Tizayuca, Hidalgo, on Sunday to inaugurate construction on the Mexico City-Pachuca train. It's expected to begin operation in 2027. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum was in Hidalgo this weekend to ceremonially inaugurate construction on the planned Mexico City-Pachuca passenger train.
Located about 106 kilometers north of Mexico City, Pachuca is a city in central Mexico and the state capital of Hidalgo. The passenger rail service would connect three states and include a stop at the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in México state.
The project is just one part of the government’s bigger plans to bring passenger rail service back to Mexico, which hasn’t been available for years. (Presidencia)
The train will depart from Buenavista, north of Mexico City, and will stop at AIFA, Huitzila, Téllez and Pachuca. It will be electric with double electrified tracks along all 106 kilometers of the route.
The AIFA-Pachuca route, like Buenavista-AIFA, will require new tracks to be laid.
With an estimated speed of 120 kilometers per hour and a capacity of 718 passengers per train, the journey between AIFA and Pachuca will take only 20 minutes, half the time it currently takes by car.
Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena said that the project will include green walkways. Air, soil and water quality near the route will also be monitored as part of efforts to make the train an ecologically sustainable travel option, she said.
The commuter railway line seeks to improve access to AIFA while facilitating connectivity for commuters between Mexico City and Pachuca. It is expected to benefit the inhabitants of Zumpango, Tecámac, Nextlalpan, Temascalapa — all municipalities in México state — and Tizayuca, Zapotlán, Zempoala, Villa de Tezontepec, Jaltocán and Pachuca, all located in Hidalgo.
Preliminary studies by the Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation Ministry (SICT) show the commuter train will require an initial investment of 50 billion pesos (US $2.5 billion). As with the Maya Train, the Defense Ministry (Sedena) will be responsible for the project.
Sheinbaum said during the inauguration that she will soon be in the state of Querétaro to inaugurate construction on other commuter train routes. The goal, she said, is to create passenger train routes that extend to the border city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.
During her presidential campaign, Sheinbaum unveiled plans to build three new train routes based on the model of the Maya Train. In addition to the Mexico City–Pachuca line, plans include a train to connect Mexico City with Nuevo Laredo and Mexico City with Guadalajara.
Her plans also include the expansion of the Maya Train and the Interoceanic to Guatemala.
Sheinbaum’s plan builds on former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s commitment to revive the use of passenger trains across the country. In the past, the Mexican government eliminated passenger train service, but now it is seeking to revitalize it as a viable option to improve mobility.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch stressed that national security is a "shared responsibility" among all federal entities. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The new federal government on Tuesday presented its national security strategy, based on four key pillars including the consolidation of the National Guard and the strengthening of intelligence gathering.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch told President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference that “under the leadership of the president of Mexico, … we’ve designed a national security strategy based on four core tenets.”
García said on Tuesday that the priority “pillar” of the national security strategy will be to attend to the root causes of crime. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The four “ejes” — axes or core tenets — of the strategy designed to reduce crime in a country with major security problems are:
Attention to the root causes of crime.
Consolidation of the National Guard.
Strengthening of intelligence and investigation practices.
“Absolute” coordination within the federal government’s security cabinet, and with state authorities.
“The first axis is attention to the causes,” said García, who served as security minister in Mexico City between 2019 and 2023 while Sheinbaum was mayor of the capital.
“We will continue with the strategy that began during the government of president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the strategy of attending to the most vulnerable families as a priority, reducing poverty, closing gaps, [combating] inequality and creating opportunities so that young people have access to a better quality of life,” he said.
“This will allow us to move away from crime and the recruitment [of young people] by crime groups,” García said.
Organized crime in Mexico has produced an epidemic of forced disappearance, particularly impacting adolescent boys. (José Betanzos/Cuartoscuro)
One program launched by the previous federal government that seeks to provide work opportunities for young Mexicans and steer them away from a life of crime is the “Youths Building the Future” apprenticeship scheme.
The provision of social and welfare programs is the central aspect of the first part of the so-called “hugs, not bullets” security strategy pursued by the López Obrador administration.
The second part of the strategy’s nickname is a reference to the desire to avoid violent confrontations with crime groups wherever possible.
García said that “the consolidation of the National Guard, within the National Defense Ministry [Sedena], is extremely important.”
The National Guard, a 133,000-member force created during López Obrador’s six-year term, was placed under the control of Sedena last week after both houses of Congress approved a constitutional bill last month aimed at reestablishing military control of the agency.
While highlighting the importance of strengthening the security force, García acknowledged the precarious security situations that prevail in “some communities in our country” as well as the immense “firepower” of organized crime groups.
“We absolutely need a force like the National Guard to provide support … to hundreds of thousands of families in Mexico,” he said, adding that the security force will also support the country’s investigators and intelligence agents.
Although the National Guard is now under army control, García stressed that it is a “police institution,” albeit one with a “military doctrine” and “military discipline.”
García said that the consolidation of the National Guard within Sedena is necessary for the agency to be used to its full advantage. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
“… There are families that today don’t have access to trustworthy municipal police or state police that are completely equipped [to do their job]. That’s where the National Guard will play an important role,” he said.
García rejected claims that putting the National Guard under the control of the army amounted to increased militarization of public security in Mexico.
“It’s false that there is militarization. What we’re doing is taking advantage of the capacities of the National Defense Ministry,” he said.
With regard to “the third axis — the strengthening of intelligence and investigation — the security minister said that the aim is to not just “react” to crimes but to “anticipate” them as well.
The government will use “intelligence” and “the most advanced technological resources to analyze data, identify [criminal] patterns and understand the dynamics in the areas with the highest incidences [of crime],” García said.
“That’s how we can develop the most effective strategies to combat criminal organizations,” he said.
To increase intelligence capacities, an intelligence and police investigation division will be created within the federal Security Ministry, García said.
The division will be supported by forensic experts including analysts, field researchers and intelligence agents, he said.
Speaking about “the fourth axis” — coordination between authorities — García said that insecurity is a problem that is a “shared responsibility” and which requires a “unified response.”
“That’s why we’re going to have absolute coordination between the institutions of the security cabinet,” he said, referring to the president’s office, the Security Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the army and the navy.
García also said that the federal government will coordinate closely with state authorities “when necessary.”
3 objectives for the construction of ‘lasting peace’
The security minister said that the government has also “established three main objectives for the construction of lasting peace in the country.”
Speaking of her administration’s security strategy, Sheinbaum emphasized “prevention, intelligence and presence [of security forces].” (gob.mx)They are:
The reduction of the crime rate, “particularly homicides and high-impact crimes such as extortion.”
The strengthening of “prevention capacities and social proximity of local police.”
To achieve the objectives, “different lines of action” have been developed, García said.
Among them: the strengthening of the national intelligence system and the strengthening of the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System.
García also said there will be a “comprehensive” focus on combating high-impact crimes that starts with law enforcement authorities and is continued by prosecutor’s offices, the country’s courts and the prison system.
In addition, he said that a specific “strategy of intervention” has been developed to combat high-impact crimes in the states of Guanajuato, Baja California, Chihuahua, Guerrero, Jalisco and Sinaloa, all of which have significant security problems.
“From the security cabinet of the government of Mexico, we’re going to work with all the federal entities because we’re convinced that to achieve lasting peace in the country, we must accept that security is a shared responsibility,” García stressed.
“I’ll take the opportunity to give special thanks to the federal attorney general Dr. Alejandro Gertz Manero, for his resolute collaboration … and for providing the operational and investigative capacities of the Attorney General’s Office for the success of this strategy,” he said.
Sheinbaum: the ‘war against narcos’ won’t return
One week after she was sworn in, President Sheinbaum reiterated that her government won’t pursue the kind of militarized “war” against drug cartels that former president Felipe Calderón launched shortly after he took office in December 2006.
Sheinbaum’s presidency is off to a violent start, as organized crime threatens law and order throughout Mexico’s southwest. (Cuartoscuro)
“The first thing, which is very important, is that Calderón’s war against narcos won’t return,” said Sheinbaum, who nevertheless will continue to use the military for public security tasks.
Homicide numbers increased significantly during Calderón’s government before continuing to rise during the 2012-18 term of Enrique Peña Nieto. Murders increased even more in the first half of López Obrador’s presidency, before declining somewhat in the second half of his six-year term.
Seeking to further differentiate her government from that of Calderón, Sheinbaum declared that “we’re not looking [to carry out] extrajudicial executions.”
“What are we going to use [to combat crime]? Prevention, intelligence and presence [of security forces],” she said.
She said that there is also a serious addiction problem in the state, and told reporters that León “is the city with the highest number of poor people.”
“Guanajuato is a state with an average salary below the minimum. Clearly there is a model of development that failed,” she said of a state that has been governed by the conservative National Action Party (PAN) for more than three decades.
During her mayorship, Sheinbaum managed to reduce homicides and other serious crimes significantly in Mexico City.
She, García, other federal officials — and millions of Mexicans fed up with violence and insecurity — will be hoping that the same kind of success can be replicated on a national scale via the implementation of the security strategy outlined on Tuesday morning.
Even if you're thinking of living in Mexico long-term, don't give up your home cellphone number! (Priscilla du Preez/Unsplash)
I have an ambivalent relationship with my cell phone.
It seems I depend on it for everything these days: communication, entertainment, organization. At times I decide — in disgust, always — that I’m going to designate cell phone-free periods.
Look at all these people in the 12th century: living in the moment, not a cell phone in sight. (Wikimedia)
Obviously, that never happens.
For better or worse, we now live in a world in which we must keep our cell phones closer than even our darkest secrets, lest we cease to function. We dutifully do so, but if you’re like me, don’t feel fantastic about it. If we don’t, how will we get our messages? How will we get our news? How will we know what time that one meeting, also on a cell phone, is scheduled?
Your cell phone is you
Like everyone else, I have a smartphone. I even just upgraded! Unlike everyone else — at least when it comes to my paisanos — my cell phone and cell phone number are Mexican.
Cell phones are ubiquitous, including in the process of migrating to the U.S. which requires migrants to use the much-maligned CBP One app. (@AgendaMigrante/X)
For quite a long time, this wasn’t a problem. Mexican cell phone plans tend to be pretty good and are fairly economical. Most phones for sale are “unlocked” and fit a physical SIM card inside, making it easy to change the hardware. Telcel is the most common provider, and Movistar and AT&T can also be found easily. Abandoning one for another is not hard.
For years, I’ve been perfectly happy with this system. My Mexican number is essential for certain app-based services, like my local bank. I send and receive messages through WhatsApp, as most people here do, and can share my number easily.
Did you know that people here give their phone numbers in pairs rather than a three-three-four pattern, by the way? So 219-345-1234 would be said like this: 21-93-45-12-34. It’s been over 20 years and I’m still not used to it. Anyway!
In many ways, my Mexican cell phone is my identifier here.
Unfortunately, my U.S. cell phone number is my identifier there. Oh no!
Revenge of the pick-a-side people
Increasingly, not having a U.S. cell phone as a U.S. citizen is making it impossible to do business in the U.S.
Why? Because one’s U.S. cell phone — and it has to be a U.S. cell phone — is now the preferred and only method of two-factor identification. “Okay, just to make sure it’s you, we’ll send you a code! What’s your cell phone number again? No room for ‘country code,’ by the way.”
So much for my inalienable rights?! (Freepik)
Legally, as a U.S. citizen and tax-payer, I am entitled to U.S. services and products — I think. In my case, it’s quite a gray area: I can be out of the country, but I need to have certain markers of not being out of the country to access certain services. This includes a permanent address and a U.S. cell phone. You’re all here, or you’re all there. Pick a side.
The permanent address is easy enough. My sister is my U.S. home, and therefore lives at my U.S. address. Done.
The cell phone is trickier. As I said, I haven’t had a U.S. number because I haven’t been in the U.S. long enough to justify getting a plan there. Plus, they’re so much more expensive than down here. Why would I?
To get access to my bank and credit card accounts, that’s why.
Sorry, who are you?
My troubles have made me realize that my problem is unique. Few U.S. citizens who still want to use U.S. services have been here as long as I have. And spoiler alert: neither Skype nor Google Voice numbers work for getting codes. Providers know they’re not real, and will not send texts there. My sister’s number works for most other things, but it depends, of course, on her being available. Certain places, though, won’t even send them there; the phone number doesn’t have my exact name tied to it, and they know.
When my Capital One account stopped sending verification codes to my email instead of a phone, I lost online access. To pay my bill now, I have to call.
Unfortunately, that is no longer enough, either. When my card was blocked recently — it happens once in a while — I called to reassure them that yes, it was me, in Mexico.
What my bank thinks I look like without a U.S. cell number, apparently. (Brad Helmink/Unsplash)
This time, though, it happened: in order to confirm it was really me, I had to read back to them the code they sent… to my U.S. phone.
Uh-oh.
What did this mean? It means that my card is still blocked. I had to send them a copy of a state-issued ID that wasn’t a passport. It’s been in review for a week now, with no end in sight. They literally do not know what to do with me.
The lesson for you
So folks, whatever you do: don’t give up your home-country cell phone number. Switch to a cheaper plan, fine. Get a Mexican number, yes. Maybe get a phone with a dual-SIM card space. But don’t, I repeat, do not, be caught trying to use home-country services without a home-country phone.
As for me, I’ll likely be making a trip to the U.S. soon just to get a blasted phone and a number. Because nuance isn’t a thing when it comes to verification codes.
San Miguel de Allende is one of the most exciting cities in the world — what can visitors and residents look forward to in the coming month? MND Local has collected the very best of the best city in the world, so you never need to miss a minute.
Without further ado, here’s what’s on in San Miguel de Allende this October:
Festival Cervantino: October 11 to 27
(OSM/Facebook)
The 2024 Festival Cervantino in Guanajuato is a cultural explosion wrapped in a fiesta. Picture this: colonial streets packed with everything from mariachi bands to weird, artsy theater performances that’ll make you question reality. Street parades? Check. Outdoor concerts? Everywhere. Whether you’re into highbrow or lowbrow, there’s something for everyone, and the whole city is a party. Grab a michelada, wander the cobblestone alleys and soak up the global craziness that is the Cervantino! Some events may require tickets or advance reservations. More information is available at www.festivalcervantino.gob.mx.
The Best of Blues – October 12
Get ready to dive into the soul of blues at this upcoming performance put on by the International Jazz & Blues Festival of San Miguel de Allende. On Oct. 12 at 5 p.m., Hotel de la Casona will be buzzing with the smooth, gritty sounds of legendary blues icons like BB King, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and Howlin’ Wolf. Expect a killer lineup, with Alfredo Vega, Jerome Phillips, Bill Belasco and Antonio Lozoya taking the stage. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just want to dip your toe into some of the greatest blues music ever written, this show is sure to have you tapping your feet. Plus, your 600-peso ticket comes with a complimentary margarita! Tickets available at www.sanmigueljazz.com.mx
Fall Harvest at Rancho Via Organica – October 12
(Vía Orgánica)
Ready for a day of fresh air and fall vibes? Come join us at Fiesta en el Campo on Oct. 12 at 11 a.m. to celebrate the fall harvest! Meet local farmers, support the regional economy and enjoy a great day filled with outdoor action. From informative talks to a vibrant farmer’s market, kids’ activities and guided tours, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a foodie, a family or just looking for a fun day out, this event is all about connecting with nature, the community and some delicious local produce. Tickets cost 100 pesos, with free entry for kids. Make reservations via WhatsApp at 4151514978.
World Tour for Inner Peace – October 16 to November 3
San Miguel de Allende is honored to host Tibetan monks from the Gaden Shartse Monastery as part of their World Tour for Inner Peace. With the blessings of the Dalai Lama, the monks will perform rituals, purifications and initiation ceremonies to promote universal compassion and inner peace. They aim to create a bridge of light and transformation, awakening the deep spirituality within us all. The tour offers free events such as the Welcome Talk on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. at Privada de Pila Seca 5 and the Environmental Healing Ceremony on Oct. 20 at 10 a.m. at El Charco del Ingenio. To see the full schedule of free and paid events, visit www.tibetanmonkssma.com and RSVP via WhatsApp 415 151 1164 or email [email protected].
Romeo et Juliette by Operísima Mexico – October 23-26
Experience the timeless tragedy of Romeo and Juliette at Casa Europa, as Operísima Mexico brings this iconic love story to life through a spectacular opera production. Directed by Rogelio Riojas Nolasco, the performance will captivate you with the powerful tale of passion and fate. Shows start at 6:30 PM, and tickets are $500 pesos. Don’t miss this chance to relive the timeless tale of love and loss. Tickets are available at Casa Europa. Call 415 181 2464 for reservations.
México Sinfónico – October 24
Prepare for an unforgettable evening that will stir your soul at the enchanting St. Paul’s Church. On Oct. 24 at 7 p.m., experience Mexico Sinfónico, featuring the talented young musicians of the Orquesta Sinfónica Infantil y Juvenil de San Miguel de Allende and Mariachi Sonidos de México. Under the direction of Victor Hugo Ramos Fonseca, the soaring orchestral arrangements combined with the soulful sounds of mariachi will create a deeply moving concert. A donation of 450 pesos secures your seat for this special night. To make reservations, text via WhatsApp at 415 566 3644 or email [email protected].
Carnaval de los Muertos Festival at Villa Pajaritos – from October 26 to October 27
(Carnaval de los Muertos)
Get ready to jump into a two-day fiesta where the only thing scarier than death is missing out! Trino Restaurante at Villa Pajaritos is hosting a celebration filled with vibrant costumes, hands-on creative workshops and yummy ancestral foods. The event, which runs from 10 a.m. on the 26 to 6 p.m. the next day, will feature a fantastic lineup of live music, including indie and mariachi bands plus DJ PhoenixFire guiding deeply transformative dance journeys and a catchy twist on cumbia classics by The Cumbia Freaks. We gotta live while we’re alive, and this event is guaranteed to move your booty. Get your tickets and learn all the details atcarnavaldelosmuertos.com.mx.
Mictlán: Camino hacia el Descanso Eterno – October 28
Prepare for a profound journey into the mystical realm of Mictlán at the Day of the Dead Festival at Hacienda El Santuario on Aldama 41. Kick things off at 5 p.m. with “Copilli, Plumaje Ancestral,” you’ll dive into the fascinating history of the ancient feather headdresses and get hands-on crafting your own in a fun workshop. Then, at 6 p.m., watch as the Espíritus Danzantes del Mictlán take the stage in a mesmerizing Mexica dance ritual to honor the ofrenda. This event invites you to experience a colorful path to eternal rest because in Mexico, death is just another reason to party. To make reservations, call 415 980 0192.
Art of the Story 2024 – October 29-31
The Art of the Story offers three days of transformative experiences at La Casona Convention Center. A diverse lineup of international artists, performers, and writers narrate their personal journeys through art. Highlights include former athlete Ivy Pochoda exploring sports and storytelling, audiobook legend Edoardo Ballerini on the power of the spoken word and former NYC Ballet principal Harrison Ball discussing the spirituality of dance. Don’t miss other special events, including the live audio drama “Invasion Earthship.” For more details, visit the Art of the Story website.
Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: [email protected]
Hernán Cortés Hernández was sworn in as the new interim commander of the National Guard on Saturday. (Sedena/Cuartoscuro)
More than 500 years ago, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés led the expedition that overthrew the Aztec Empire. Now his namesake is leading the National Guard (GN).
Hernán Cortés Hernández, a 60-year-old Guadalajara native, was sworn in as the interim commander of the GN on Saturday.
“From the conquest to the 4T?” asked a headline in the El Financiero newspaper, referring to the so-called “fourth transformation” political project initiated by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and now led by President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Social media users were also quick to offer commentary on the appointment of the conquistador’s tocayo (namesake in Spanish).
“The general in command of the National Guard — the militarized arm of the [López] Obrador regime … — is called, listen carefully: Hernán Cortés,” journalist Pablo Majluf wrote on X.
The other Hernán Cortés led the Spanish troops that conquered Mexico in 1521. (Museo Nacional de Historia Castillo de Chapultepec)
Such a thing could not even have occurred to Mexican writers such as satirical novelist and playwright Jorge Ibargüengoitia, he added.
“I wonder if he asked for forgiveness before he was sworn in. You can’t make this shit up,” Salvador Mejía, another journalist, wrote on X.
Although he shares his name and first surname with the famous (or infamous) Spanish conquistador, Cortés Hernández is not a descendant of Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano. At least he doesn’t appear to be.
Born in Guadalajara on Oct. 4, 1964, the new National Guard commander joined the military in September 1981 when he was just 16, according to the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena).
Cortés previously served as an army commander in various states including Querétaro, Veracruz and Campeche. Among other positions, he was a military attaché for the Mexican Embassies in Germany and France, and director of the Center for Research and Development of the Mexican Army and Air Force.
National Guard members salute their new captain after his swearing-in. (Sedena/X)
An initial security strategy will be announced next week, but some details of the plan are already coming to light. (Claudia Sheinbaum/Facebook)
In the first 100 days of the new federal government, President Claudia Sheinbaum’s security strategy will focus on combating violence in Mexico’s 10 deadliest cities, according to a plan seen by media outlets.
Ahead of that presentation, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Mexican news website Animal Político reported separately on the government’s security plan for its first 100 days in office, a period that extends until Jan. 8, 2025.
Animal Político reported that the main “emerging strategy” to be implemented by the federal government will focus on reducing crime and violence in the 10 municipalities with the highest homicide rates in the country.
According to official data, those municipalities are Colima city, Tijuana, Acapulco, Celaya, Cajeme, Ciudad Juárez, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, León and Benito Juárez (Cancún). One-quarter of all murders in Mexico linked to organized crime occur in those cities, where the government will “push to slash killings,” according to the WSJ.
The new security strategy will first be rolled out in six cities in five states: Tijuana (Baja California); León and Celaya (Guanajuato); Acapulco (Guerrero); Benito Juárez (Quintana Roo); and Colima city (Colima).
One of the first cities on the list for security measures is Acapulco, which President Sheinbaum visited last week. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
The Wall Street Journal, which saw a “presentation” outlining the federal government’s security strategy, said that Sheinbaum “is using her first 100 days in office to try to lower homicides and loosen the grip of organized crime groups that control swaths of the country, extort businesses, smuggle drugs and kill with impunity.”
The Journal also reported that the new president is “planning new efforts to combat the smuggling of the deadly drug fentanyl.”
Drug cartels in Mexico manufacture fentanyl with precursor chemicals sourced from China before shipping large quantities of the powerful synthetic opioid to the United States, where tens of thousands of people die from drug overdoses every year.
Sheinbaum revealed last week that combating crime in Mexico’s most violent cities would be a priority, saying that her government was “developing a program for the municipalities that at this moment have the largest number of homicides.”
She has also said that federal and state prosecutors and security forces will increase their coordination in Mexico’s most violent areas.
John Creamer, a former senior U.S. diplomat in Mexico, told the WSJ that “the identification of 10 priority municipalities is very good.”
However, it remains to be seen whether the government will provide adequate funding and security personnel to the task of reducing violence in those municipalities, he said.
Sheinbaum plans to use her first 100 days in office to weaken the grip that organized crime has over large areas of Mexico, according to the Wall Street Journal. (Cuartoscuro)
The government’s security strategy will be led by Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, who served as Mexico City security minister while Sheinbaum was mayor of the capital.
Homicide numbers almost halved during Sheinbaum’s mayorship, according to official data.
President inherits a complicated security situation
Homicide numbers declined in the latter half of Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s six-year term as president, but remain very high. According to data published by the national statistics agency INEGI in August, there were 31,062 homicides in 2023, a 6.7% decline compared to the previous year.
Mexico’s five most violent states in 2023 in terms of total homicides were Guanajuato, México state, Baja California, Chihuahua and Michoacán. The sixth most violent state last year was Guerrero, where the mayor of Chilpancingo, the capital, was murdered on Sunday just six days after he was sworn in.
The WSJ said that Sheinbaum’s security plan includes a focus on Guanajuato, “which has the highest rate of organized-crime killings of any Mexican state.”
“Located in central Mexico, the state is a battleground for the lucrative black-market fuel controlled by the Jalisco cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful organized crime groups, and the local Santa Rosa de Lima gang,” the Journal said.
Animal Político, which reported on a document entitled “Security Strategy for the First 100 Days,” and The WSJ said that Chiapas is also a focus of the government’s plan.
Sheinbaum said there will be a focus on security measures for the Sinaloan capital of Culiacán, which has seen a surge in cartel violence over the past month. (Cuartoscuro)
The WSJ said that “another city getting the new government’s attention is Culiacán,” the capital of Sinaloa.
However, the Journal didn’t detail any specific security plans for the city where the fighting between the rival Sinaloa Cartel factions has been centered.
In Michoacán, “Sheinbaum’s plan calls for the government to end the extortion in the lime industry,” the newspaper said, noting that “a dozen gangs prey on growers, packers and distributors.”
Animal Político said that the government’s efforts in the state will focus on the municipalities of Nueva Italia, Antúnez, Buenavista, Tepalcatepec, Aguililla and Apatzingán.
‘Intensive’ use of intelligence key to security plan
The WSJ reported that Sheinbaum’s security strategy “calls for the intensive use of intelligence to assess the structure of criminal groups, and finding ways to use police intelligence to make cases at trial.”
For its part, Animal Político said that the new government will aim to “strengthen the intelligence work of the country’s main intelligence institutions.”
An ‘alternative’ security cabinet to be created
Animal Político also reported that the federal government will create an “alternative” security cabinet made up of officials from the Finance Ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit, the Federal Tax Prosecutor’s Office, the state oil company Pemex, the federal tax agency SAT, and other government entities focused on combating the illicit financing of crime and money laundering.
The government’s primary security cabinet is made up of the president, the security minister, the interior minister and other officials. It meets daily at 6 a.m. to assess the prevailing security situation across Mexico and determine what specific strategies and resources are required to remedy problems.
The security plan, scheduled to be announced next week, includes measures to increase highway security across the country according to Animal Político. (Dassaev Téllez Adame/Cuartoscuro)
The WSJ said that Sheinbaum’s security plan “envisions a greater role for the federal government, with its national-security cabinet vetting state security chiefs appointed by governors.”
“The federal government would also establish nationwide standards for Mexico’s 32 state-police forces, state prosecutors and prison systems,” the Journal said.
Will Sheinbaum’s security strategy be a success?
While the answer to that question won’t come immediately, history suggests that curtailing violence in any significant way will be no easy feat.
López Obrador’s six-year term in office was the most violent on record in terms of homicides, with close to 200,000 murders.
Homicides increased sharply in Mexico after former president Felipe Calderón (2006-12) launched a militarized war on drug cartels. They continued to go up during the six-year term of Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-18).
The WSJ reported that “for decades, every Mexican president has made targeting the country’s transnational criminal organizations a priority, but these gangs have proved resilient to efforts to dislodge them from lucrative drug smuggling amid endemic corruption.”
Neither Calderón’s drug war nor AMLO’s “hugs not bullets” strategy has managed to eradicate narco-trafficking organizations. (FGR/Cuartoscuro)
“… Conservative president Felipe Calderón declared war on the cartels, ushering in a period of violent conflict between gangs and government forces, while Sheinbaum’s mentor, former nationalist president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, tried a softer approach dubbed ‘hugs not bullets.’ Neither worked,” the newspaper said.
Sheinbaum, who was mayor of Mexico City between late 2018 and mid 2023, is committed to continuing López Obrador’s strategy, which favored addressing the root causes of crime through government welfare and social programs over combating criminals with force.
García, the WSJ reported, “worked closely with U.S. law-enforcement agencies and boosted intelligence gathering, police training and salaries,” during his tenure as security minister in Mexico City.
“U.S. officials say they expect security cooperation to increase in a Sheinbaum presidency,” the newspaper added.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada took the oath of office on Saturday. (Clara Brugada/X)
Clara Brugada Molina was sworn in as mayor of Mexico City on Saturday, becoming just the second popularly-elected female leader of the national capital.
The 61-year-old former mayor of the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa will serve a six-year term.
Morena, the party founded by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, first came to power in Mexico City after the election of Claudia Sheinbaum as mayor in the 2018 election.
Martí Batres replaced Sheinbaum in June 2023 after she stepped down to pursue the Morena nomination for the presidential election.
President Sheinbaum was in attendance at Brugada’s inauguration on Saturday. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
In her first speech as mayor, Brugada pledged to work with the president to “build the second story of the transformation” of Mexico.
That was a reference to the so-called “fourth transformation” initiated by López Obrador, who asserted that the change he was bringing to Mexico was on a par with events such as independence from Spain and the Mexican Revolution.
“We will continue honoring the legacy that Andrés Manuel López Obrador has left us,” Brugada said.
The new mayor said that she wouldn’t “fail” or “disappoint” the people of Mexico City.
“I assume the great responsibility of governing for the well-being and prosperity of this city and its residents,” she said.
The mayor also pledged to “govern for everyone” and to “attend to the big challenges of the metropolis, such as water, security, poverty, air [quality], transport and gender equality.”
“… Mexico City voted for a progressive and democratic [political] project, for a leftist project that is openly feminist, anti-classist and anti-racist. It voted for a project that is determined to change social, territorial, economic and gender inequalities,” she said.
Brugada promsied to build the “second story” of the Fourth Transformation, as López Obrador calls the movement he founded. (Clara Brugada/X)
Brugada will lead a city of 9.2 million people spread across 16 boroughs. She promised to work with the mayors of all the boroughs on the problems “that affect the citizens” of Mexico’s largest city.
“We’re going to co-govern this city … without worrying about the party origin [of the borough mayors],” she said.
In addition to Sheinbaum, the new mayor will have an ally in Morena party Governor Delfina Gómez of México state, where more than half of greater Mexico City’s 22.5 million residents live.
She said she would allocate “billions of pesos” to water projects in the capital, where many residents don’t have running water in their homes and depend on deliveries from trucks known as pipas.
The mayor is perhaps best known for her “utopía” community center projects in Iztapalapa, which provide free athletic, recreation and education opportunities in the disadvantaged borough.
During her campaign, she promised to establish 100 additional utopías across the capital’s 15 other boroughs if she succeeded in becoming mayor.
![Speaking of her administration's security strategy, Sheinbaum emphasized "prevention, intelligence and presence [of security forces]."](https://mexiconewsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/WhatsApp_Image_2024-10-08_at_9.57.09_AM.jpeg)
