Residents attack police in Playa del Carmen, claiming they shot innocent man

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August 7, 2018

A man removes seaweed from a Quintana Roo beach. — A worker removes seaweed from a Quintana Roo beach.

The government of Quintana Roo is installing a system of containment booms to keep sargassum off the beaches.

But any proposal to address the invasion of the seaweed can’t come too soon: much more is on the way, a researcher warns.

The state will place offshore floating barriers — much like those used to contain oil spills — to prevent the sargassum from collecting on beaches, where it piles up in a stinky and unsightly mess.

July was a particularly bad month for accumulations of the seaweed, according to a study by the International University of Florida in collaboration with the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The month saw the largest amount of sargassum in the Caribbean Sea since the last record was set in July 2015. This year accumulations were 33.3% higher. The total coverage of the weed in the Atlantic Ocean was greater than 2,800 square kilometers.

In Quintana Roo, however, accumulations have doubled this year over 2015 with more to come.

“. . . in the coming months much more sargassum will be arriving,” said Rosa Rodríguez Martínez, a researcher at the National Autonomous University.

She also urged caution in disposing of the seaweed. Burying it on the beach or near the coastline, as is being done in some areas, could cause ecological damage, turning beaches of sand into a slime-like dirt.

Burying the sargassum will change the composition of the sand, Rodríguez explained, turning it into a slime or silt, leaving a beach looking more like a mangrove swamp.

She noted that there is more vegetation appearing on beaches because the weed comes loaded with nitrogen and phosphorous. As it decays it fertilizes that vegetation.

Another factor in the sargassum invasion is that those nutrients are also carried back out to sea, where they fertilize yet more sargassum.

She also warned authorities that containment booms could bring their own environmental problems, depending on the type of construction used and their depth.

Two other researchers warned last week that the weed’s invasion could present a natural environmental disaster for Caribbean beaches.

State Environment Secretary Alfredo Arellano said yesterday the first such boom will be installed this week at Punta Nizuc, near Cancún. Further barriers will be placed at strategic locations at Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Mahahual and Puerto Morelos.

Those locations were chosen at a meeting of officials from the Environment Secretariat, the Natural Protected Areas Commission and the company that is installing the booms. Current, cross-currents and winds were considered in choosing the locations.

“By returning the macro alga to the currents through the barriers, we will avoid the excessive arrival of this vegetation which, when it makes contact with the sand of the beach and the passage of time, can cause changes in the balance of the exposed ecosystems,” Arellano said.

Quintana Roo Governor Carlos Joaquín González said on Friday that 300 million pesos (US $16.2 million) will be allocated to sargassum removal in the next 15 days. That’s on top of the 80 million pesos already spent.

Source: Reforma (sp), El Universal (sp), Riviera Maya News (en)

New evidence indicates drought led to the collapse of the Mayan civilization

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August 7, 2018

Lake Chichankanab, the site of the study. The name means 'Little Sea' in Yucatec Maya, reflecting its relatively salty water composed dominantly of calcium and sulfate. Mark Brenner

Did drought lead to the collapse of the Maya civilization more than 1,000 years ago?

New, quantitative data that shows the severity of the drought at the time of the civilization’s demise provides further evidence that it did.

Since the 1990s, when researchers were able to piece together climate records for the period, drought has been considered a likely cause for the Maya civilization’s downfall during the terminal Classic period between 800 and 1,000 AD.

Invasion, war, environmental degradation and collapsing trade routes have also been considered as possible reasons why the Maya people abandoned their limestone cities in the ninth century and their dynasties ended, marking a major political collapse.

But now, researchers from the University of Cambridge and the University of Florida have quantified rainfall, relative humidity and evaporation at the time by developing a method to measure the different isotopes of water trapped in gypsum, a mineral that forms during times of drought, when water levels in lakes and rivers drop.

They used the method at Laguna Chichankanab, a lake in the northeast of Quintana Roo on the Yucatán peninsula where the Maya civilization was based.

Consequently, the researchers found that annual rainfall decreased between 41% and 54% relative to today during the time of the civilization’s collapse.

During peak drought conditions, there were periods with up to 70% less rain while relative humidity decreased by 2% to 7% compared to today, according to the results published in the journal Science.

Nick Evans, a PhD student in Cambridge’s Department of Earth Sciences and the paper’s first author, explained that this study is the first to quantify the drought conditions that the Maya people experienced at that time.

“The role of climate change in the collapse of Classic Maya civilization is somewhat controversial, partly because previous records are limited to qualitative reconstructions, for example whether conditions were wetter or drier,” he said.

“Our study represents a substantial advance as it provides statistically robust estimates of rainfall and humidity levels during the Maya downfall.”

In fact, the researchers built a complete model of hydrological conditions during the time of the collapse by measuring three oxygen and two hydrogen isotopes trapped within the gypsum they collected.

When gypsum forms, water molecules are incorporated directly into its structure and the water records the different types of isotopes that were present at the time of its formation.

“This method is highly accurate and is almost like measuring the water itself,” Evans said.

In addition to providing another piece of evidence that points to drought being behind the downfall of one of the world’s great civilizations, the quantitative climate data can be used to better predict how the drought conditions may have affected agriculture, including staple crops grown by the Mayan people such as maize.

Mexico News Daily

Los Zetas cartel finance chief gets 36 years

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August 7, 2018

Zamudio at the time of his arrest in 2013.

The man suspected of having managed the financial operations of the Zetas cartel was sentenced to 36 years in jail yesterday.

Alfonso Zamudio Quijada, also known as “El Samurai,” was convicted of organized crime, using funds derived from illegal sources and drugs and weapons offenses.

He was arrested in June 2013 in Monclova, Coahuila, by armed forces personnel, who found an AK-47 assault rifle, ammunition and 500 plastic bags of cocaine in a suitcase Zamudio was carrying.

Federal officials said the gangster attempted unsuccessfully to bribe the arresting officers.

He was captured after officials received an anonymous tip.

Source: La Prensa de Monclova (sp)

López Obrador presents plans to engineers; has warm words for Carlos Slim

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August 6, 2018

President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that Mexico’s richest man is an example for the country while speaking at an engineers’ summit in Mexico City today, where he outlined a 25-point strategic development plan.

Despite a clash during the presidential campaign over the construction of the new Mexico City airport, López Obrador took time to recognize Carlos Slim.

“. . . With his effort, imagination and talent, he [Slim] is an example for Mexico and for the world because he is one of the most successful businessmen,” he said.

Slim is a staunch proponent of the airport project, in which his companies have an 8% investment interest, while López Obrador had threatened to scrap it, charging that it is corrupt, too expensive and not needed.

The president-elect has since softened his stance, saying that his administration will review the project while insisting that it will ultimately be up to the public to decide if it goes ahead.

An expert report on the project commissioned by the incoming government will be presented on August 15.

López Obrador today asked Mexico’s engineers to review the report and offer their point of view about the project.

The airport was one of 25 projects that the president-elect said will be prioritized after he is sworn in on December 1.

He said the initiatives are aimed at developing Mexico both socially and economically and that the next government will also finish infrastructure projects that are already under way, specifically citing 56 incomplete hospitals and the Toluca-Mexico City train project.

“We have to finish these projects in the six-year period. It’s not a commitment to finish them next year but we are going to plan to finish them in [my] six-year term,” López Obrador said.

He said they will generate employment thereby reducing migration and counteracting threats from the United States to build a wall between the two countries and militarize the border.

All 25 priority programs for the next Mexican government are listed here.

The Mexico City International Airport.
Development of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region.
Construction of the Cancún to Palenque train.
The pavement of rural roads.
Connecting the whole country to the internet.
Earthquake reconstruction.
Urban development for marginalized neighborhoods.
Increasing pensions for the elderly.
Offering pensions to disabled persons living in conditions of poverty.
Planting one million hectares with timber-yielding and fruit trees.
An apprenticeship scheme for young people.
Scholarships for all high school students.
Construction of 100 public universities.
Support for the cultivation of crops such as corn, rice and beans to avoid the need to purchase from abroad.
Revitalization of fertilizer companies.
Provision of a canasta básica [a basic selection of foodstuffs] to those living in food poverty.
Credits for ranchers.
Establishment of a duty-free zone in the northern border region.
Development of the mining sector.
Support for small and medium-sized businesses.
Increasing production of petroleum and gas.
Upgrading existing oil refineries.
Construction of a new refinery at Dos Bocas, Tabasco.
Development of alternative energy sources.
Improving medical services and access to free medication.

Source: El Economista (sp), El Financiero (sp)

January-to-June exports to US rise 9% to reach record high

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August 6, 2018

mexico us trade balance — In blue, Mexican exports to the US; in red, the reverse. el financiero

Trade between Mexico and the United States reached record highs in both directions in the first six months of 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Mexico’s exports to the United States increased by 9.1% in the January to June period while it spent 10.2% more on American products in the same period than it did in the first half of last year.

In total, Mexican products worth just over US $169.3 billion crossed the border in the six-month period while almost US $131.3 billion worth of American products entered Mexico.

United States imports from China and Canada were also up — by 8.6% and 6.5% respectively — compared to the same period last year, the department said.

The news comes as uncertainty surrounding the future of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) still remains.

Nevertheless, Mexico’s participation in the import market of its northern neighbor has remained unchanged in the first half of each year from 2016 to 2018 at 13.7%.

Mexico’s main exports to the United States between January and June were vehicles, auto parts, machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, agricultural products, fossil fuels, optical instruments and medical devices.

The data shows that the economic ties between the two countries have become stronger despite a straining in the broader relationship, largely due to the hardline attitude United States President Donald Trump has adopted towards Mexico on issues such as migration, border security — including his proposed wall — and trade.

The surplus of just over US $38 billion Mexico recorded with the United States in the first half of this year will likely serve to further irk Trump, who has railed against deficits, arguing that they are indicative of unfair trade although many economists argue that they are not the best way to gauge the health of a trade relationship.

The United States also recorded deficits of US $185.7 billion with China and US $8 billion with Canada in the same period.

Earlier today, Trump tweeted “fixing our terrible trade deals is a priority — and going very well” while yesterday he wrote “tariffs are working big time” without specifically stating which ones he was referring to.

The United States introduced steel and aluminum tariffs on both Mexico and Canada from June 1, further complicating the already strained NAFTA renegotiation process and triggering the imposition of retaliatory measures by both U.S. neighbors.

While Trump has floated the idea that the United States could seek separate trade deals with its two neighbors, Mexico and Canada have remained committed to maintaining the 24-year-old agreement as a thee-way pact.

Last week, Mexico publicly accepted for the first time the United States proposal to include set minimum wages for the automotive industry as part of a modernized NAFTA.

Mexican and Canadian officials also said that Mexico and the U.S. were getting closer to reaching a deal on rules of origin for the auto sector.

Source: El Economista (sp)

Wind and rain in six states due to tropical storm, hurricane off Pacific coast

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August 6, 2018

Hurricane John's forecast path. accuweather

Some windy and wet weather is forecast for parts of six states due to a tropical storm and a hurricane in the eastern north Pacific Ocean. But neither is forecast to make landfall.

Most of the adverse weather will be caused by Tropical Storm Ileana, but the United States National Hurricane Center forecast today that it would likely dissipate by late Tuesday due to the influence of Hurricane John to its southwest.

As of 4:00pm CDT, Ileana was situated about 245 kilometers south-southeast of Manzanillo, Colima, and generating sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for Tecpan de Galeana, Guerrero, to Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco.

The National Meteorological System forecasts intense storms in areas of Colima, Michoacán, Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz and Oaxaca. Winds will gust to 60 kilometers an hour in Guerrero and Oaxaca, where two to four-meter waves can be expected.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said there were no coastal watches or warnings in effect due to Hurricane John, but suggested that its progress should be monitored by residents of the southern portion of the Baja peninsula.

As of 4:00pm CDT, John was about 515 kilometers southwest of Manzanillo and 790 kilometers south-southeast of the southern tip of Baja.

Winds were 120 kilometers per hour and the storm was moving northwest at 13 kilometers an hour. The NHC said it will strengthen and should become a major hurricane by late tomorrow.

It will produce large swells that will affect the coasts of southwestern Mexico and the southern portion of the Baja peninsula.

Mexico News Daily

Attackers on motorcycles assassinate Guanajuato journalist

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August 6, 2018

García was killed yesterday in Valle de Santiago.

The body of a Guanajuato photojournalist was found yesterday in Valle de Santiago. He had been shot to death.

Rodolfo García González, 45, was shot several times after unsuccessfully attempting to flee four attackers riding on two motorcycles near a sports center in La Loma, police said.

García was also on a motorcycle, which was found parked near his body.

He was a photographer of social events and a correspondent for several regional newspapers.

He is the ninth journalist to be assassinated in Mexico this year.

Source: AM (sp)

López Obrador revisits Chiapas to refine tree-planting project

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August 6, 2018

López Obrador, in center at back, with staff at Agromod in Chiapas.

President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Saturday that 400,000 jobs will be generated during his six-year administration through a plan to plant trees on one million hectares of land.

In Tapachula, Chiapas, where he visited the laboratories of agri-food tech company Agromod, López Obrador predicted that trees would be planted on 500,000 hectares of land next year and on another 500,000 hectares of land in 2020.

“We will continue with the field work to begin, from December 1, the program to plant one million hectares of timber-yielding and fruit trees,” he said, explaining that the initiative will provide much-needed employment and thus reduce the need for rural residents to migrate out of economic necessity.

“This program to plant a million hectares [of trees] is going to give work to 400,000 rural people who are going to be able to work where they were born,” the president-elect said.

López Obrador visited the Lacandon jungle rainforest late last month where the reforestation project is slated to begin.

At the time, he said that 80,000 “permanent, not temporary, jobs” could be created and that the people of Chiapas will be able to “put down roots, work and be happy in the place they were born.”

The president-elect charged that during “this neoliberal period the countryside was abandoned” and pledged to place new emphasis on rural Mexico.

Mahogany, cedar, rubber and cacao trees are among the saplings expected to be planted.

López Obrador also posted a photo to his Twitter account Saturday in which he appears decked out in a lab coat and hair net alongside employees of Agromod, which is owned by his prospective chief of staff, Alfonso Romo.

The company is “the biggest papaya producer in Mexico and worldwide,” according to the Agromod website, with 900 acres of crops on the Chiapas coast and in Yucatán.

Agromod also produces millions of agave plants annually for use in the tequila industry and exports millions of ornamental plants to markets including Holland and the United States.

The incoming president did not say if Agromod would be a supplier of the millions of trees that will be required for his planting project, a move that would raise concerns over a potential conflict of interest.

Other potential suppliers are Conafor, the National Forestry Commission, and the Secretariat of National Defense, both of which have greenhouses producing trees for timber production and the cultivation of fruit, according to a report by Chiapas Paralelo.

Source: El Universal (sp), Chiapas Paralelo (sp)

5 houses on a hill in Tijuana deemed at risk of collapse

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César Hernández

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August 6, 2018