4 regions represented in Mexico City’s ‘altar of altars’

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November 4, 2019

The 12-meter-tall mega-altar in Mexico City.

The Day of the Dead mega-altar currently on display in the Mexico City zócalo was designed to represent the diversity of Day of the Dead celebrations in the north, south, east and west of the country.

This year’s “Altar of Altars” was designed by local artist Vladimir Maislin Topete, whose idea won in a vote among five other themes: “sacred diversity,” “the weavers,” “forest of life,” “uirucumani: lie in silence” and “land and liberty.”

Comprised of four 12-meter-tall wooden structures that extend out toward the four cardinal points, the altar pays homage to four distinct regional Day of the Dead celebrations.

The north branch features a raised mesquite platform that the Yaqui people of Sonora use to place their offerings of food and water. It is believed to evoke the funeral pyres used in the region before the Spanish conquest.

The altar to the south stands in honor of the Yucatán observance of Hanal Pixán, which means “food of the souls” in Mayan. It includes offerings of seasonal fruits and traditional foods like mucbipollo, a type of tamal that is cooked in an earthen oven.

The 'altar of altars' in the zócalo of the capital. — The ‘altar of altars’ in the zócalo of the capital.

The Huasteca region of San Luis Potosí, Veracruz and Tamaulipas is represented by the east arm of the altar, decorated by marigolds and copal smoke. An arch of Xantolo (name of the Day of the Dead holiday in the region) symbolizes the portal leading from the terrestrial world to the afterlife.

Opposite stands the altar representing the traditions of Cuanajo, Michoacán, reflected in an altar adorned with flowers, fruits and corn. The custom in Cuanajo is to place the offerings on small wooden horses, which take the spirits of the dead back to their earthly homes.

The altar also tells the story of the afterlife as conceived by the cosmology of the Aztecs, or Mexica, as they called themselves, who were the dominant indigenous group at the time of the arrival of the Spanish in 1519.

Their underworld consists of four worlds to which souls travel upon death: Mictlán, for those who died a natural death; Tonatiuhichan, for warriors who died in battle; Tlalocan, for those who died drowning, struck by lightning or by skin conditions; and Chichihuacuauhco, reserved for the souls of children.

The altar was inaugurated on Friday by President López Obrador, his wife Beatriz Gutiérrez, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and federal Culture Secretary Alejandra Frausto. It will be on display until November 10.

It may call itself mega, but Mexico City’s altar is dwarfed by the display in the Plaza Juárez in Pachuca, Hidalgo, which has broken its own record as the world’s largest Day of the Dead altar.

day of the dead altar pachuca — Pachuca’s altar has been confirmed the biggest in the world.

Covering an area of 1,044 square meters, the record was officially recognized by Guinness World Records representative Carlos Chiapa Rojas.

Hidalgo previously achieved the record with its 2017 altar, which measured 846.48 square meters.

Sources: El Financiero (sp), El Sol de México (sp), Reforma (sp)

Transportation services suspended in Zihuatanejo after vehicles burned

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MND Staff

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November 4, 2019

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A bus burns on Friday in Petatlán, Guerrero.

Transportation services were suspended on Saturday and Sunday in the Guerrero municipalities of Zihuatanejo and Petatlán after three passenger vans and several other vehicles were set alight on Friday.

Zihuatanejo drivers who provide transportation to local neighborhoods and the hotel zone said they wouldn’t resume services until authorities can guarantee their safety.

After a meeting between transportation leaders and local authorities on Sunday, the latter said that an agreement was struck to reestablish services.

The Zihuatanejo drivers and their counterparts in neighboring Petatlán say they are being threatened by criminal groups that demand extortion payments.

Three Nissan vans used as public transit were burned on Friday night in three separate incidents in Zihuatanejo.

The first occurred on the Paseo de Zihuatanejo boulevard at about 6:00pm. Armed men stopped the van and forced the driver and passengers to get out before setting it on fire. As it burned, the vehicle rolled down a hill until it crashed into a compact car that also caught fire.

A second van was set alight on Colegio Militar avenue an hour later after which another van was burned in the neighborhood of Fragatas, the newspaper El Universal reported.

Earlier on Friday, a group of about 300 people blocked the Acapulco-Zihuatanejo highway in Petatlán to demand that state police – who they claimed have committed abuses – withdraw from their communities.

According to the state government, the people were forced to participate in the blockade by the criminal gang Guardia Guerrerense, which authorities say operates in both Zihuatanejo and Petatlán.

After federal and state police moved the people on, seven vehicles were set on fire on the highway, including three buses, a trailer and a delivery truck.

Zihuatanejo business owners are urging the federal government to intervene and end the violence that plagues the municipality as well as neighboring Petatlán, La Unión and Coahuayutla.

“What we’re experiencing in Zihuatanejo and neighboring municipalities is nothing new, it’s entirely the fault of authorities that do nothing,” the head of a local company who asked not to be identified told the newspaper Reforma.

He said that business was slow in Zihuatanejo over the weekend because a lot of Day of the Dead tourists canceled their hotel reservations after hearing about the violence on Friday.

The businessman added that restaurant and hotel owners could join public transportation workers and stop work in order to pressure authorities to act.

“We can’t put up with it anymore; it’s urgent for the federal government to turn around now and look at us because the state and municipal governments are completely overwhelmed by crime,” he said.

“In the case that they ignore us, we’ll join . . . the work stoppage because this [situation] is now unsustainable.”

Business owners in the Costa Grande region stopped work for several days in November 2016 to demand greater security but extortion, threats, kidnappings and murders have continued, the business owner said. The son of a well-known businessman was shot dead on October 21 after leaving a gym in central Zihuatanejo.

The violence in and around Zihuatanejo could also pose a threat to international tourism. More than 150,000 Canadian tourists visit the area annually, many to escape cold winters at home, according to local tourism official Pedro Castelán Reina.

The winter holiday period for foreign visitors begins in November with the arrival of the first seasonal flights at the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo International Airport, he said.

Castelán said there are now direct flights to the airport from nine Canadian cities and seven in the United States.

Before the violent events of Friday, he predicted that the winter period would be a successful one for local businesses that benefit from the influx of foreign visitors.

Source: El Universal (sp), Reforma (sp), Diario ABC (sp)

Over 200 balloons rise with the sun, entertaining thousands at famous festival

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Mark Locki

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November 2, 2019

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Balloons rise at dawn in León, Guanajuato.

It is still well before dawn and thousands of people have packed into Parque Metropolitano in the central Mexican city of Léon.

If you thought they had been here all night partying, you would be mistaken. Families, youths and adults of all ages crowd the pathways as they make their way to the fairgrounds to watch the launch of hundreds of brightly coloured, uniquely shaped hot air balloons into the morning sky.

The Festival Internacional del Globo, or International Hot Air Balloon Festival, is the largest festival of its kind in Latin America, and one of the most important in the world. Every year in mid-November, around 200 balloons from 15 countries as far away as Spain, Turkey and India gather in the Guanajuato city to entertain up to 400,000 visitors who attend the four-day festival.

It’s not just the traditionally shaped oval balloons appearing at the festival, either. From frogs to owls, Van Gogh to Darth Vader, the creativity of the designs knows no bounds. No matter the shape, the balloons work the same way; by filling the “envelope” portion of the vessel with hot air fueled by the propane burner below, the aircraft becomes lighter than the surrounding environment, allowing it to take off from the ground.

In addition to the hot air balloons, the festival packs together several of Mexico’s top musicians, bands and DJs, a wide variety of foods and beverages, and plenty of entertainment for the entire family.

Creativity abounds in the balloons at León's famous festival. — Creativity abounds in the balloons at the León festival.

Now in its 17th year, the 2019 festival takes place between November 15 and 18. Musical acts set to perform include the popular Mexican band Banda MS, María José and Yahir, and Dutch DJ sensation Martin Garrix.

With the gates opening at 5:00am, the crowds arrive early to grab the best viewing spots around the Presa. Most people head right to the launch area in the northern section of the park, where visitors can also find the main stage, food and beverage stands, and the numerous vendor booths that are set up for the event.

For a more secluded spot to witness the launch, find a location along the seven-kilometer stretch of paths that surround the Presa, and venture down to the edge of the water.

Just before the first rays of the sun illuminate the morning, the balloons launch. One by one, they rise until the azure blue sky is full of vibrant balloons. The vessels use the wind channels at various heights, seemingly floating through the atmosphere with ease, despite weighing over 700 kilograms.

The roar of the propane heaters reverberates on the lake, accompanied by the pleasant chirp of the more than 200 species of birds found in the park. Gradually the sun peaks over the mountaintops, exposing a bright yellow hue to the morning sky. Like being in a Disney movie, the scene unfolding in the air is breathtaking.

Around 8:00am, the balloons make their way back to the landing area, carefully navigating through the crowds of people and other pilots as they descend expertly back to terra firma. The skill and expertise of the pilots are incredible, as they delicately touch down to bring their morning journey to an end.

Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh at a previous festival in Guanajuato.

Following the morning show, spectators can get up close and personal with the balloons, chat with the pilots and wander the grounds. The opening acts of music start to play, as the daily activities for the whole family continue.

As the balloons deflate, the energy in the crowd wanes. The spectators spread out and relax while waiting for the main event of each evening.

While the last light of day fades away, the intense blaze of the propane-fired flames replaces the golden glow of the setting sun, and hot air envelopes the balloons once again. This time, however, the balloons stay grounded, and a dazzling show of light and sound takes place as the giant vessels work together in a coordinated manner to entertain the audience.

Throngs of onlookers watch in amazement as the power of the burners contrasts against the blackened sky.

Through the night, the party at the main stage continues long after the light show wraps up. Bands and DJ’s take the stage, keeping the night owls happy while the rest of the city heads home in anticipation of another pre-dawn start the next morning.

If you go: camping is available on site to make your early mornings a little easier. From downtown Léon, it takes about 30 minutes by car, taxi or Uber or one hour by transit to reach the festival grounds.

Although there are plenty of accommodations in Léon, it is recommended to book early as hotels book up quickly for the festival.

While in Léon, be sure to check out the Zona Piel, where you can browse and shop for a wide selection of locally made leather goods, for which Léon is famous.

Mark Locki is a Canadian writer and a frequent contributor to Mexico News Daily.

First colonies of monarch butterflies arrive in Michoacán

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MND Staff

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November 2, 2019

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Monarch butterflies have begun arriving in the forests of Michoacán, where they will overwinter before returning to the United States and Canada in early spring.

Butterflies began arriving at five sanctuaries in the east of the state on Thursday afternoon, said Homero Gómez González, former head of the El Rosario ejido, where the Campanario sanctuary is located.

After a journey of more than 4,000 kilometers, more than 180 million monarchs are expected to arrive at Campanario, Michoacán’s largest sanctuary, and the Altamirano, El Chivati-Huacal, Sierra Chincua and Cerro Pelón sanctuaries.

Michoacán sanctuaries won’t officially open to the public until November 16 but Gómez said that people who wish to observe the arrival of the monarchs will be admitted to Campanario starting next week.

State Tourism Secretary Claudia Chávez said that access to the sanctuaries will cost 50 pesos for adults and 40 pesos for children and that visiting hours will be between 9:00am and 5:00pm.

Thousands of Mexican and foreign tourists travel to Michoacán and México state every year to observe the monarchs, which spend about five months clustered in Oyamel fir trees.

Because the first arrivals of monarch butterflies often coincide with Day of the Dead celebrations, the Mazahua and Otomí people of eastern Michoacán have traditionally believed that the orange and black insects are the souls of deceased children.

Pesticides, climate change, habitat loss and disease have all contributed to a decline in monarch butterfly populations but the number of the insects that spent the 2018-19 winter in Mexican forests was the highest in 12 years.

Source: La Jornada (sp), Milenio (sp)

Ambassador ignores travel alert to visit Michoacán avocado orchard

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MND Staff

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November 2, 2019

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Ambassador Landau and his family visit an avocado orchard. — Ambassador Landau and his family at an avocado orchard.

United States Ambassador Christopher Landau defied his own government’s travel advice to visit an avocado orchard and participate in Day of the Dead celebrations in Michoacán on Friday.

The Uruapan-based Mexican Avocado Producers and Packers Association said that Landau visited an orchard to learn about the production chain of avocados, millions of which are shipped annually from Michoacán to the United States.

He traveled later to Pátzcuaro to join Day of the Dead celebrations.

The U.S. Department of State warns Americans not to travel to Michoacán due to crime. The Level 4 advisory — highest on the scale — only applies to Michoacán and four other states: Colima, Guerrero, Sinaloa and Tamaulipas.

For U.S. government employees, travel is limited to federal Highway 15D – in order to transit Michoacán between Mexico City and Guadalajara, to Morelia and Lázaro Cárdenas.

The governor, right, presents the ambassador with a traditional Day of the Dead figurine.

To reach Morelia, the State Department says government employees may travel by air or by land using Highways 43 or 48D from Highway 15D. Travel to Lázaro Cárdenas must be by air only and government employees must limit their activities to the city center or port areas.

Violence has spiked recently in Michoacán and the presence of criminal organizations in avocado-producing regions of the state has led some growers to take up arms to protect their crops and livelihood.

The United States Department of Agriculture threatened in September to suspend its avocado certification program after threats and violence against inspectors in the state.

But Landau was apparently undeterred by the U.S. government’s travel advisory and news of violence in the state. A photo shows the ambassador grinning while holding up an avocado at the orchard, whose location was not disclosed.

Landau, who has been the United States’ top diplomat in Mexico for less than three months, traveled to Morelia on Thursday with his wife, daughter and a friend of his daughter.

He met the same day with government officials including Governor Silvano Aureoles as well as business leaders, academics and members of civil society.

Landau said on Twitter that his visit to Michoacán was motivated by the advice of his followers, including Aureoles, on the social media platform. On October 5, he asked his followers where in Mexico he should go to celebrate Day of the Dead.

Aureoles responded: “The magic of the Night of the Dead is only experienced here, especially in the Pátzcuaro lake area. This is one of our most important traditions, rooted in the heart of the Michoacán people, and it fills us with joy to share it.”

In a post on Thursday, Landau wrote:

“You suggested it to me and I took notice! On the invitation of Governor Silvano Aureoles (via Twitter) I’m here in the great state of Michoacán to share the Day of the Dead celebrations. [There is] great economic potential [in Michoacán] as well as cultural and historical wealth.”

At his meeting with the governor, Landau heard about Michoacán’s tourist destinations, the annual arrival of the monarch butterfly and investment in the port of Lázaro Cárdenas.

Aureoles presented the ambassador with a typical Day of the Dead figurine made by Michoacán artisans.

“I expressed our gratitude to the ambassador for his openness, warmth and interest in getting to know more of Michoacán . . .” the governor said.

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

Senate says no to huge increase in tourist taxes after industry objections

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MND Staff

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November 2, 2019

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Tourists will not have to pay higher taxes after all.

The Senate has put the brakes on hefty hikes to two tourist taxes that were approved by the lower house of Congress.

The Chamber of Deputies last week approved a 388% increase to the DSM immigration services tax and a 58% hike to the DNR non-resident tax.

To enter the country by air, tourists would have been required to pay a total of 1,265 pesos (US $66), 98% more than they currently pay.

However, the Senate voted against the proposal following strong criticism of the increases by the tourist industry and business groups.

Senators with the ruling Morena party, which leads a coalition with majorities in both houses of Congress, said that approving the tax hikes would cause Mexico to lose competitiveness as a tourism destination.

They claimed that migrants who use air transportation to return to their countries of origin to visit their families would have been the most affected by the higher taxes.

Luis Alegre Salazar, a Morena deputy and president of the lower house tourism commission, said that experts weren’t consulted before the Chamber of Deputies passed the increases. He voted against the hikes.

One-fifth of all DSM and DNR tax revenue will go the National Immigration Institute in 2020 while the remainder will be used for investment in infrastructure.

Revenue from the DNR tax, approximately 6 billion pesos (US $314.6 million) annually, was previously allocated to tourism promotion.

But the federal government disbanded the Tourism Promotion Council and said that DNR revenue would help finance construction of the Maya Train on the Yucatán peninsula.

A record 41.4 million international tourists came to Mexico last year, 5.5% more than in 2017. Mexico is the seventh most visited country in the world.

Source: Infobae (sp)

Foreign visitors will pay 350-peso tourist tax in Baja California Sur

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MND Staff

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November 2, 2019

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Baja california sur beach — Foreigners will pay an extra US $18.50 to enjoy this beach.

Foreign visitors to Baja California Sur will pay a 350-peso (US $18.50) tourist tax effective November 9, the state government said on Friday.

The tax will apply to all foreign tourists who stay in the state for more than 24 hours.

Foreigners who fly into Baja California Sur will be able to pay the tax at kiosks in airports while the state’s port authority will be responsible for collecting the tax from travelers who arrive by sea. Hotels and other accommodation providers will charge foreign visitors who enter via land.

Governor Carlos Mendoza Davis said that visitors will also be able to pay the tax on a website and mobile app.

The Baja California Sur government expects to raise at least 490 million pesos (US $25.6 million) annually from the tax, which was approved by the state Congress in 2016 but not enacted by Mendoza until now.

“The charge of 350 pesos per visitor will form the Baja California Sur Sustainability Fund with which public security, healthcare, education, housing, employment, sports, culture, agriculture, fishing and tourism and social infrastructure will be strengthened,” he said on Twitter on Friday.

The governor has previously justified the imposition of the tax by pointing to the poor quality of life of many people who live in tourism-oriented parts of Baja California Sur such as Los Cabos.

The decision to enact the tax was made despite a recommendation by the Senate that it not be introduced on the basis that it could frighten off tourists and cause a loss of jobs.

The state’s announcement came a week after the lower house of the federal Congress approved steep hikes to two taxes that foreigners pay to enter Mexico: the DSM immigration services tax and the DNR non-resident tax.

But the Senate voted against the proposal following strong criticism of the increases by the tourist industry and business groups.

Source: Reforma (sp)

Fonatur seeks 1,000 hectares for Maya Train in Bacalar

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MND Staff

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November 1, 2019

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Landowners in Bacalar want more details before climbing aboard the Maya Train.

The National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur) is seeking 1,000 hectares of community land in Bacalar, Quintana Roo, for a real estate project that will complement the Maya Train. But landowners are holding out for more information.

The tourism fund, which is in charge of the rail project that will link locations in five southeastern states, also wants another six hectares of Bacalar ejido land for the construction of a Maya Train station in the southern Quintana Roo town.

Ejido commissioner Luis Chimal Balam said that negotiations between Fonatur chief Rogelio Jiménez Pons and communal landowners have gone nowhere since the last meeting more than a month ago.

The ejido assembly has been clear that it will not authorize the use of such a large parcel of land without being certain that the community will be adequately compensated.

“They want to do business with our land but it’s not clear how we will benefit,” Chimal said. “They talk about being partners but they haven’t shown us a concrete proposal.”

He also said there is no formal agreement with Fonatur for the land where construction of the station is proposed although the landowners are willing to provide the six hectares.

“The last thing was that the assembly asked Rogelio Jiménez to show where the station will be, where the land they need is. We showed him three places, he liked one and said they were going to do studies to present to the assembly, but he later said that they want 1,000 hectares next to it . . .” Chimal said.

“Rogelio Jiménez came to me twice to tell me that they’ve planned a population center next to the station but my people also need resources . . .” he added.

Jiménez confirmed in an interview with the newspaper El Economista that Fonatur wants the large piece of land for a real estate project but stressed that the government would not expropriate the land.

He said the communal landowners will have the opportunity to partner with Fonatur and rent the land to the real estate investors. Fonatur will provide its expertise in attracting investment for the project, Jiménez said.

The tourism fund chief said in May that the Maya Train project will trigger real estate investment of at least 150 billion pesos (US $7.9 billion).

Real estate prices have already begun to soar in southern Quintana Roo as investors seek to secure land near the proposed route of the railroad.

The almost 1,500-kilometer-long railroad, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2023, will run through five states: Chiapas, Tabasco, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Campeche.

Source: El Economista (sp)

Critics slam government for identifying official in charge of Culiacán

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MND Staff

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November 1, 2019

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The government once again defended its actions in Culiacán at Thursday's press conference.

Security experts have slammed the government for revealing the name of a defense official in charge of the operation to capture a son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in Culiacán, Sinaloa, last month, claiming that the official’s life has been placed at risk.

Acting on an instruction from President López Obrador, Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval told reporters at the presidential press conference on Thursday that Juan José Verde Montes, director of the Drug Trafficking Information Analysis Group (GAIN), led the operation to arrest Ovidio Guzmán López on October 17.

However, López Obrador said on Friday that a different military leader was actually in charge of the security forces that arrested the 28-year-old suspected Sinaloa Cartel leader. He said that Verde Montes was in charge of the operation at “a national level.”

Sandoval said that Verde Montes was in fact leading a team in Mexico City that coordinated the Culiacán operation. The name of the commander who led the operation in the Sinaloa capital can’t be revealed because an investigation into the events in Culiacán is currently taking place, he said.

The decision to disclose the name of the GAIN director was heavily criticized by experts on national security and the Mexican military.

“It’s regrettable that they’ve provided the name of the colonel . . . because apart from ruining his military career, they’re placing his life in real risk,” said César Gutiérrez Priego, a lawyer who represents members of the military.

He said that Cresencio should have assumed operation for the failed operation in Culiacán but had instead “sacrificed one of his soldiers.”

The defense secretary and López Obrador “washed their hands” of responsibility, Gutiérrez said.

“This is unprecedented. I’d never heard a defense secretary blame one of his subordinates in order to excuse himself,” he added.

Jorge Luis Sierra, an expert on Mexico’s armed forces, said it was “not common” for the Secretariat of National Defense to reveal the names of the chiefs of military operations.

He pointed out that soldiers, military commanders and government officials have been murdered in the past after participating in operations against drug cartels, asserting that the life of Verde Montes has been placed at risk.

Defense Secretary Cresencio: 'sacrificed a soldier.' — Defense Secretary Cresencio: ‘sacrificed a soldier.’

National security expert Javier Oliva Posada said that López Obrador’s lack of familiarity with the armed forces and its protocols was a factor in his instruction to Cresencio to reveal the GAIN chief’s name.

“The president made a mistake. He doesn’t know the armed forces, he doesn’t know the protocols and he’s the commander. He’s obliged to look after the integrity of his subordinates. This could diminish the morale of military personnel and affect the operating capacity and effectiveness of GAIN,” he said.

“. . . If something happens to [Verde Montes] or his family, the president will be responsible, he’s his boss and he’s the commander [of the armed forces].”

Security analyst Alejandro Hope claimed on Twitter that Verde Montes had been “crucified” by the government.

“If an official of the armed forces or police makes a mistake or commits a crime, he deserves a sanction after a process that adheres to the law. What he doesn’t deserve is it be crucified and to have his life placed at risk by an unprecedented revelation at a morning press conference,” he wrote.

In addition to asserting that Verde Montes was not in fact leading the Culiacán operation on the ground, López Obrador said today that the GAIN director will continue to have the same protection already afforded to him as a senior government official.

“He will have the protection that we all have,” the president said in response to a question asking whether he would be given special protection.

López Obrador said that all public servants face risks before adding, “he who owes nothing fears nothing.”

Verde Montes is “not alone, we’re a team and we all act with responsibility,” he said.

Source: El Universal (sp), El Financiero (sp), Reforma (sp)

Cars, watches and boats on the block in next auction

By

MND Staff

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November 1, 2019

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This 55-meter cargo vessel might be a steal. — This 55-meter cargo vessel is probably suitable for transporting fuel—legal or otherwise.

Cars, real estate, watches and boats will go on the block on November 10 at the federal government’s fifth auction of assets seized from criminal organizations.

The director of the Institute to Return Stolen Goods to the People announced on Friday that 45 lots with a combined starting price of 32.5 million pesos (US $1.7 million) will be on offer at the Mexico City auction at Los Pinos, the former presidential residence that the government has converted into a cultural center.

Ricardo Rodríguez Vargas said the funds raised will be used to buy musical instruments for children in Oaxaca who play in bands.

A Mustang, Corvette and cars made by Jaguar and Mercedes will be among 24 vehicles up for grabs, Rodríguez said, as will a Volkswagen beetle with a starting price of just 2,000 pesos (US $105).

Of nine properties to go under the hammer, seven are in Sinaloa and will have starting prices between 1.2 million and 11 million pesos, he said.

The official said that bidding for 10 luxury watches will begin at prices 50% below their real value and that for the first time, the government will offer boats for sale. Two cargo vessels that also have the capacity to transport fuel will be on the block, Rodríguez said.

Tickets for the auction costs 100 pesos and can be purchased at convenience stores and supermarkets. Bids will also be accepted via telephone.

The full list of lots can be found at the auction website.

“Those who participate help because these resources go to noble causes, just causes . . .” President López Obrador said at his morning press conference.

Proceeds from previous government auctions were to go to disadvantaged communities, addiction centers and road work.

However, the earnings have not been as high as the government had hoped: a June auction sold just nine of 27 properties confiscated from drug traffickers and raised 110 million pesos less than projected, while a jewelry auction in July netted only half what was expected.

A sixth auction will be held in December but the government has not yet announced what will be on offer.

Source: Notimex (sp), Sin Embargo (sp)