Ismael Tirado, president of the local chapter of the Mexican Association of Realtors, said that 196 new buildings are currently under construction in Mazatlán. (Shutterstock)
The construction boom in the Pacific resort town of Mazatlán will continue after the state of Sinaloa’s zoning and urban development regulations were tweaked to specify the height allowances on new buildings.
The decision to update the state’s building codes will unfreeze US $300 million in funding for construction projects in Mazatlán that had been paused awaiting clarification on building height limits.
Among the construction projects scheduled to restart under the new code are a complex of Stelarhe condominiums, the Hotel Hyde and the Aguamarina Talismán condos. (Wikimedia Commons)
The new regulations will allow structures of up to 30 floors, according to the local newspaper Debate.
Among the construction projects poised to restart are a complex of Stelarhe condominiums, the Hotel Hyde, built by the French hospitality multinational Grupo Accor, and the Aguamarina Talismán condos. Once completed, these projects are expected to create 1,000 new jobs in Mazatlán.
These three projects, all under construction since 2023, slowed building activities in May while awaiting confirmation that they’d be able to carry out their designs.
The pause was prompted by the publication of new building codes that included unclear wording regarding height allowances.
Among the new real estate projects coming to Mazatlán are 17 condo towers, five neighborhood developments, two shopping plazas, two convenience stores, one golf course and 10 hotels by international chains. Some of them include new hotels under the Fiesta Americana, Holiday Inn and Windham brands.
Ismael Tirado, president of the local chapter of the Mexican Association of Realtors, told the newspaper Meganoticias that 196 new buildings were under construction in Mazatlán as of early September.
In a separate interview, Tirado told the news outlet Riodoce that he anticipates an upsurge in the realty business in the final quarter of 2024, saying that clients will be trying to close deals on condos ahead of the new year.
Tirado added that buyers claim not to be overly concerned about the cartel violence raging in Sinaloa, convinced that it is just temporary.
“They say they want to continue investing,” Tirado said. “They prefer betting that Mazatlán real estate will continue to be profitable, and see the violence as a short-term (concern).”
Nadia Zenteno Pérez, 28, is one of the founders of MatXSpace, an organization dedicated to promoting aerospace research. (X)
Nadia Zenteno Pérez, a 28-year-old Mexican scientist originally from Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, is hoping to help revolutionize satellite construction and infrastructure with a material science project that NASA will send to space on Monday.
The potentially groundbreaking project — part of 2,700 kilograms of cargo aboard a SpaceX rocket scheduled to take off at 7:29 p.m. Mexico City time on Monday — uses an advanced alloy designed to withstand the extreme conditions of space.
The project will undergo six months of trials aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in its Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) module, following its launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Cape Canaveral, Florida.
“This is not only my success, but a victory for all young people in Chihuahua and Mexico,” Zenteno said, expressing gratitude for the state’s support and the international recognition her project has received.
Chihuahua Governor María Eugenia Campos is scheduled to attend the NASA launch with Zenteno, who reportedly made a discovery while working with Jonathan Cruz at MatXSpace, a team of tech-savvy students and material scientists throughout Mexico.
Their discovery was an alloy that can be adapted to outer space, and could eventually be used to build satellite infrastructure and space exploration equipment. MatXSpace — which develops such projects and also promotes tech and science throughout Latin America — developed a mechanism using the alloy. It will be headed for the International Space Station on Monday, assuming launch conditions are favorable.
Zenteno discovered an alloy that is highly resistant to heat and radiation, making it a candidate for aerospace applications. (via Net Noticias)
The alloy can stand up to intense radiation and temperature fluctuations, according to MatXSpace, which stands for “Materials for Space.” According to her LinkedIn page, Zenteno, who now resides in Puebla city, founded MatXSpace.
Campos in a press release described Zenteno and her findings as a source of pride for the state of Chihuahua. The governor not only facilitated the trip to the launch, but also a trip to Milan, Italy, where Zenteno presented her research at an international aerospace forum.
According to a recent report from Aviación 21, a Mexican online news platform dedicated to the aviation and aerospace industries, Mexico is now the 12th largest exporter worldwide in the aerospace sector.
The same report said Mexico has shot up to sixth among all countries in terms of aerospace exports to the United States.
Óscar Rodríguez Yañez, president of the Bajío Aerospace Cluster, said that aerospace manufacturing accounts for approximately 1.4% of Mexico’s GDP — with exports exceeding US $9.8 billion in 2022.
Claudia Cristina Villaseñor, head of the economic ministry for Guanajuato state, predicted significant growth in Mexico’s aerospace industry, pointing to solid collaborations between “academic institutions and the government.”
Another factor is Mexico’s appeal as a nearshoring hub, with global aerospace companies increasingly interested in establishing or expanding operations in Mexico. The Mexican Federation of the Aerospace Industry (FEMIA) reported that the sector grew by over 18% in 2022 compared to 2021.
Sonora and Chihuahua could see snow and sleet as cold front No. 7 moves southeast across Mexico. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
The season’s seventh cold front has brought a mass of polar air to northern Mexico, where temperatures may drop below freezing in the early part of this week.
The abrupt atmospheric changes will produce whipping winds and thunderstorms in the northwest, and Sonora and Chihuahua could see snow and sleet as the front moves southeast.
Near-freezing temperatures will be felt primarily at high altitudes in the states of Baja California, Durango, Sonora, Chihuahua and Zacatecas.
By Wednesday, the cold front is expected to reach northern Veracruz, where it will dissipate.
Warm temperatures are expected in the lowlands and along the coasts on Monday. Areas of Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas will experience temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius.
San Luis Potosí, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche and Yucatán can expect temperatures between 30 and 35 C.
The Mexico City suburb of Tlalnepantla experienced flooding due to intense rainfall this weekend. (Cuartoscuro/Margarito Pérez Retana)
The weather agency Meteored projects that cold front No. 7 could mark the beginning of more frequent and more intense cold fronts throughout Mexico. Its forecast models suggest the second half of November could see several intense cold snaps and December could be unusually cold this year.
Today’s rain forecast
After a rainy weekend in several regions of Mexico, intense precipitation remains in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday.
Low-pressure systems over eastern and southeastern Mexico are mixing with humidity drifting inland from the Pacific, the Gulf and the Caribbean, according to the National Meteorological Service (SMN).
This will produce heavy rains in the southeastern states of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero, as well as rain storms in the Yucatán Peninsula and across central Mexico from coast to coast, including the Valley of Mexico.
The rains will continue on Tuesday, with intense storms forecast for Veracruz, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Oaxaca, Hidalgo, México state, Guerrero, Morelos and Mexico City.
The rains will diminish as cold front No. 7 dissipates on Wednesday.
The Tulum International Airport opened in December 2023. (@MaraLezama/X)
Tulum International Airport has celebrated the arrival of its one-millionth passenger, almost one year after it opened.
“We’re celebrating a historic achievement for Quintana Roo!” Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa wrote on her official X account. “Tulum International Airport ‘Felipe Carrillo Puerto’ welcomed its one-millionth passenger, exceeding all expectations since its opening.”
Estamos felices de recibir y dar la bienvenida a #Tulum, Gerardo Treviño Zúñiga ✈️🙌🏽, nuestro pasajero 1 millón, que llega al Aeropuerto Internacional “Felipe Carrillo Puerto” desde Monterrey. Seguimos rompiendo todos los récords y expectativas en esta puerta de entrada al… pic.twitter.com/sCrlxm34Op
Gerardo Treviño Zúñiga, from Laredo, Tamaulipas, was the millionth passenger to arrive in Tulum after traveling on a flight from Monterrey with VivaAerobus on Sunday. He was also among the first passengers at the airport when it opened in December 2023.
The milestone is “a significant event that reflects the confidence the world has in Mexico,” Lezama continued.
The Quintana Roo governor pointed out that when the airport opened, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimated it would receive 700,000 passengers and operate 4,500 flights in its first year. However, it has exceeded expectations, having accumulated over 7,790 operations and one million passengers in 11 months.
“With this growth rate, we expect the airport to close 2024 with 10,100 total operations and 1,300,000 passengers, consolidating itself as a hub of connectivity for the Mexican Caribbean,” Lezama said, adding that there has been a steady increase in passenger traffic at all of the state’s airports.
#Turismo | El joven Gerardo Treviño Zúñiga se convirtió el fin de semana en el pasajero un millón del Aeropuerto Internacional “Felipe Carrillo Puerto” de #Tulum. pic.twitter.com/73yBIHvSCe
Quintana Roo is the only state in Mexico with four international airports, including airports in Cancún, Cozumel, Tulum and Chetumal.
After the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), Cancún is the second most-visited airport in the country and the primary airport for incoming international travelers. Tulum, on the other hand, is the eighth most-visited airport by international travelers.
Lezama said that her government is committed “to ensuring that this growth translates into tourism that promotes social justice and benefits every corner of the Mexican Caribbean.”
A family embrace at the 2023 edition of Hugs Not Walls in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua. (Juan Ortega/Cuartoscuro)
Families separated by the Mexico-United States border briefly reunited on Saturday during the annual Hugs Not Walls event held on a stretch of the Rio Grande in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.
Members of almost 200 families — some of whom hadn’t seen each other for years — shared hugs, kisses and time together during the event organized by the Border Network for Human Rights.
The Border Center for Human Rights has been organizing Hugs Not Walls since 2016. (Nacho Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
The gathering on a makeshift bridge across the Rio Grande allowed Mexicans who live in Mexico to meet with family members who reside in the United States, some of whom may not have legal status in the U.S. and therefore cannot easily return home after a visit to Mexico.
Shortly before Saturday’s reunion commenced, one Ciudad Juárez resident told the Associated Press that he was looking forward to seeing his United States-based sister.
“I haven’t seen her for a year, and trust me, even though it has only been one year, I feel it has been an eternity because we were always together,” said Samuel Sandoval.
“We ate together, we spent time together. … That’s why I’m looking forward to seeing my sister. I really want to see her and hug her,” he said.
Separated families embrace in reunion at US-Mexico border | REUTERS
A Reuters video showed a U.S.-based mother embracing her Mexico-based son, who was clearly overcome with emotion.
Brenda Gómez took part in another parent-child reunion on the Mexico-U.S. border.
“It was a beautiful experience to see my father, to embrace him, to feel the love of a father” said Gómez, who lives in Mexico.
“I hope God’s will is fulfilled with the upcoming elections [in the United States]. I hope God’s will is done during the election. That the right person will allow them to keep on doing this event,” she said.
“This allows many people to meet with relatives who they can’t see.”
This year, Hugs Not Walls took place just three days before Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election, in which immigration and border security are key battle lines in the contest between Democratic Party candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican Party nominee and former president Donald Trump.
Fernando García, executive director and founder of the Border Network for Human Rights, said that security at the border was notably greater this year than when previous editions of the event were held.
The presence of soldiers and barbed wire was less noticeable at past events, like this one in 2021, than this year, according to border network director Fernando García. (Nacho Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
“We did not have barbed wire, we did not have so many soldiers deployed in our community,” he said, referring to past family reunions on the border between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, Texas.
He predicted that migration into the United States will continue no matter who wins the U.S. presidential election. Family reunions on the border will continue as well, García said.
“The border, deportation and immigration policies are separating families,” he said at Saturday’s event.
“You will see children and parents separated, spouses not living together,” García said.
In an article published in July, the Washington D.C.-based Pew Research Institute said that an estimated 4 million unauthorized immigrants from Mexico were living in the United States.
That figure “was the lowest number since the 1990s,” the think tank said, adding that “in 2022, Mexico accounted for 37% of the nation’s unauthorized immigrants, by far the smallest share on record.”
The new data shows that the overall 5.8% growth in tourism GDP results from a 7% year-on-year increase in tourism services provided and a 1% rise in tourism goods sold. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
New data from the national statistics agency (INEGI) shows Mexico’s tourism sector continues to grow in 2024, a trend that has been unabated since the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2021.
The data reveals that second-quarter economic growth in the tourism sector reached 5.8% compared to last year.
The data indicates that spending by Mexican tourists rose 2.6% while spending by foreign tourists in Mexico dipped by 2.5%. (Cuartoscuro)
The new data shows that the overall 5.8% growth in tourism GDP results from a 7% year-on-year increase in tourism services provided and a 1% rise in tourism goods sold, the news site Aristegui Noticias reported.
Though foreign visitors in Mexico often drive tourism spending, overall tourism consumption in Q2 rose 1.9% primarily because of spending by domestic tourists, INEGI found.
The data indicates that spending by Mexican tourists rose 2.6%, while spending by foreign tourists dipped by 2.5% in the second quarter of 2024 compared to Q2 of 2023.
The number of people employed in Mexico’s tourism sector during Q2 of 2024 rose to over 4.8 million, constituting 9% of Mexico’s employed population. (Cuartoscuro)
Compared to the first trimester of the year, the numbers were less positive.
Impacting the calculations this year was the fact that the Easter Week (Semana Santa) holiday — popular in Mexico for domestic travelers — fell in the first quarter of the year for the first time since 2018. As a result, tourism-related growth in the first quarter was unusually strong.
INEGI data for Q2 of 2024 bore this out as tourism-related GDP was down slightly — 0.4% — when compared to Q1 of this year. Meanwhile, tourism spending in Q2 this year contracted by 1% as compared to Q1.
Tourism jobs in Mexico on the rise
In addition to the solid revenue numbers, employment in Mexico’s tourism sector also rose considerably in the second quarter.
In September, Mexico’s then-Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco announced that the number of people employed in the tourism sector during Q2 of 2024 rose to over 4.8 million, a number which could include temporary and contract workers.
This boosted tourism employment to constitute 9% of Mexico’s employed population, according to the website Travel 2 LatAm, and represented a 0.6% increase over employment in the tourism goods and services production sector during the first quarter of 2024.
It also represented a 3.1% year-on-year increase, with 148,058 more people employed in the tourism sector during Q2 2024 than were employed in Q2 2023.
Total tourism employment during 2024’s second quarter was also significantly above the record figure in the first quarter of 2020, when approximately 4.5 million people were employed in the sector.
In raw numbers, the tourism sector employed 373,496 more people by the end of 2024’s second quarter than it did before the pandemic hit.
Capirotada holds a
special significant for devout Mexicans - which makes it the perfect choice coming into the holiday season. (Canva)
Bread pudding has been around for a very long time, dating back to around the 11th century, when it first emerged in England. It didn’t take long for the dish to spread to other regions, with savory versions becoming popular in Spain. In fact, that’s where the capirotada hales, though it took about four centuries for a recipe to evolve. In fact, it was influenced by earlier Roman fare like sala cattabia, which soaked stale bread with various ingredients. The Spanish, however, embellished the concept, changed it, and brought the dish with them when they colonized Mexico, in the early 16th century.
The Mexicans took the Spanish capirotada and infused it with local ingredients and flavors to make it their own. They used bolillo (a type of bread) and piloncillo (unrefined sugar) as well as raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and even cheese. Depending upon regional adaptations, they even incorporated dried or tropical fruits and nuts (our recipe, for example, includes bananas). But the main difference is the moisture.
A traditional Mexican capirotada. (Canva)
Unlike European bread puddings, traditional Mexican capirotada gain moisture and flavor because of the syrup they are baked in (a combo of piloncillo dissolved in water or milk with added spices). It therefore has more of a “layered texture” than its custard counterpart and is less mushy. Whereas European bread puddings will virtually all taste the same, Mexican capirotada will taste very different depending upon the area of Mexico in which it is created and the ingredients which are added.
But let’s not forget its cultural impact. Capirotada is most traditionally associated with Lent and Easter, with each ingredient having deep religious symbolism. The bread represents the body of Christ; piloncillo syrup represents His blood; cinnamon sticks represent the wood of the cross; while whole cloves symbolize the nails used to pierce His hands and feet.
This bread pudding is not only a culinary delight, but also expresses the faith and tradition of the Mexican people and their culture. I think it would make a wonderful dessert for any festive occasion, and with the holidays coming up, what better time is there to dig in?
Capirotada:
Recipe adapted from Isabeleats.com. (Siete Foods)
Ingredients:
Oil or butter, for greasing baking dish
4 large bolillo bread rolls, cut into 1-inch-thick pieces (about 10-12 cups)
Piloncillo is made when sugar cane juice is boiled into a thick syrup and poured into cone-shaped molds to harden and is in fact, named after its conical shape. Like brown sugar, there are two types: blanco (light) and oscuro (dark). We will use oscuro for this recipe. Available in Mexican markets and supermarkets.
3 cinnamon sticks (canela en rama)
2 whole cloves (clavo entero)
3 large bananas (plátano), sliced into rounds
1 cup (200 g) raisins (pasas)
1/2 cup (55 g) sliced almonds (almendras en rodajas) (Some recipes use peanuts [cacahuetes], your choice.)
2 cups (224 g) shredded Oaxaca cheese (or any white cheese like Monterey Jack, Provolone, or Mozzarella)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175C.
Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with oil or butter. Set aside.
Place the cubed bolillo bread onto a large baking sheet.
Bake for 5 minutes so that bread becomes slightly toasted and dried.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Put the milk, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks, and cloves into a large pot, and over medium-high heat, whisk, and bring to a gentle boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered, whisking occasionally.
Remove from heat and discard cinnamon sticks and cloves.
Assemble the capirotada:
Spread half of the toasted bread in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Top with all the banana slices, half the raisins, half the sliced almonds (or peanuts) and half the shredded cheese.
Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to make one more layer.
Carefully pour the sweetened milk over the capirotada, paying close attention to soak the bread on the edges.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes longer.
Remove from the oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and serve warm. Or let it cool completely, cover and refrigerate, and serve cold.
Disfruta!
Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of mainstream, bridal-reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits. She is the founder of CakeChatter™ on FaceBook and X (Twitter), and the author of four baking books for “Dough Punchers” via CakeChatter (available @amazon.com). She is also the president of The American Academy of Wedding Professionals™ (aa-wp.com).
What makes this particular bottle so magical? Mexico News Daily columnist and self-confessed wine aficionado Bel Woodhouse has the details. (Viñedos Los Arcángeles/Photos by Bel Woodhouse)
I’m a wine lover. And Viñedos Los Arcángeles wines in the Guanajuato wine region were hands down the best Mexican wine I’ve had. Love goes into the vines and you can taste it.
When I say I’m a wine lover, I mean it. I look forward to wine o’clock each day and enjoying a glass of red with dinner. Or watching the Caribbean sunset from my balcony with a glass in hand. It’s my favorite thing to do, and in my house, wine time is sacred.
The standout vineyard was Viñedo Los Arcángeles in Guanajuato.
So, for me, a trip to explore the wineries of Querétaro and Guanajuato was a trip. Of course, enjoying tastings at each winery was included in the budget. After all, what kind of a wine lover would I be if I didn’t try all the wines? And when I say all the wines, I mean all the wines.
The highlight of my trip was Viñedo Los Arcángeles, near Dolores Hidalgo. This vineyard in Guanajuato produces all-natural wines. And the cherry on top: owner Ulises Ruiz and talented winemaker Paola Bermudez gave me a tour.
Viñedo Los Arcángeles
This wasn’t your average wine tasting. As luck would have it, the harvest had just finished. I found Ulises and Paola in the workshop, pressing the grapes after harvest. They were gracious enough to welcome me with open arms, sharing the entire process. From harvest to pressing to the fermentation tank, barrel aging and finally the bottle. We tried them all.
Guanajuato is famed for it’s wineries.
Tasting thirteen different wines, I liked — even loved — every single one. Seven of these, both red and white, were straight from the fermentation tank. Something I had never tried before. Smoother than expected, there was a mellow sweetness to them. It was fascinating listening to Ulises share his expertise. Having studied in France, Germany and the United States, he knows his way around wine.
Honestly, I can say that it’s the first time in my life that I have enjoyed every single wine. Usually, I love my reds; the bolder the better, and white wines don’t appeal to my palate. But the Sauvignon Blanc was divine all three times I tried it — from the fermentation tank, the barrel and the bottle. What can I say? I’m nothing if not thorough.
Is all Mexican wine good?
Okay, I just said that Los Arcángeles wines are outstanding, but is all Mexican wine good? In my experience, many have been great.
A selection of Viñedo Los Arcángeles wines that were sampled.
But let’s look at the bigger picture: Mexican winemakers are creating delicious wines that are ranking at the top globally. Mexican wines are winning gold and grand gold medals in major competitions like Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. These golds come as Mexico competes with iconic wine-producing countries like Italy, Spain, and France.
How can you choose a good bottle of Mexican wine, you may ask? I suggest visiting a good wine region and trying them. If that’s not on your agenda or something that doesn’t interest you, then choosing wine from a good region helps.
Luckily, Mexico has several good wine regions.
Where is Mexico’s wine country?
Mexican wine country is more extensive than you may have realized. Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California and Valle de Parras in Coahuilia are ranked number one. But there are 14wine-producing states.
A map showing Mexico’s primary wine destinations.(Sectur)
Remember, Mexico is large and has many different climates. Many of the country’s regions are mountainous, with ideal climates and soil for producing high-quality wines. Wine has been produced in Mexico since the colonial period, and the industry’s growth is helping boost Mexico’s reputation as awine travel destination.
The four most important wine grape-producing regions of Mexico are Baja California, Coahuila, Querétaro and Guanajuato. At least that’s what Jorge, the sommelier at the Cuna de Tierra winery in Dolores Hidalgo, told me. And he’s a smart cookie who’s passionate about wine, so I believe every word.
Which was my favorite wine?
Viñdos Los Arcángeles’ 2019 Cabernet Franc was heaven.
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
Mexico's groundwater is heavily contaminated in parts of the country, with long-term exposure proving dangerous to health. What's causing this crisis? (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico has experienced a water crisis for the last decade due to a combination of factors. Drought, overexploitation, inadequate infrastructure, mismanagement of water supplies and contamination have all stolen the headlines at one point or another.
Despite record dryness, however, poor rainfall and overexploitation of aquifers are far from the only issues facing the Mexican water supply.
A 2022 Conagua study found that less than half of Mexican groundwater was fit for human consumption due to the presence of fluoride, coliform bacteria, nitrates and/or heavy metals. (Shutterstock)
What issues are facing Mexico’s water supply?
One particularly pressing issue is exposure to fluoride and arsenic, which the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO) has cited as the two chemical contaminants believed to have the greatest effect on public health globally. Long-term exposure to high levels of fluoride has been shown to cause neurological problems, while prolonged exposure to arsenic has been linked to a range of health compliations affecting the cardiovascular and endocrine systems.
The damage caused to health has been recorded worldwide in countries such as Argentina, Bangladesh, Chile, China, Hungary, India, Iran, Romania, Taiwan, the United States and Vietnam.
In Mexico, this type of pollution is being referred to as “[a] new class of water contamination” by some researchers and experts. This concern is shared by Dylan Terrell, founder and executive director of Caminos de Agua, a small nonprofit in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, that works with NGOs and community leaders on projects in rural areas impacted by the water crisis across Mexico.
“We used to be worried about pathogens and bacteria that were easy to deal with, but these two chemicals cannot be removed easily…not even by standard water filtration systems,” Terrell noted in an interview with Mexico News Daily.
Research has pointed to a natural explanation for the presence of arsenic and fluoride in Mexico. A 2020 study published in the scientific journal Science of the Total Environment notes that the origin of these contaminants in water “is mostly geological” but can be exacerbated by human activities such as mining and pesticide use.
Fishermen at the Zimapán Dam on the Hidalgo-Querétaro border are struggling with fish shortages due to past overfishing. Despite efforts to restock, demand has dropped after studies revealed arsenic in the water linked to a nearby hydroelectric plant. (Demian Chavez/Cuartoscuro)
The study’s authors found that the highest concentrations of the chemicals appear in alluvial aquifers in northern Mexico, “where high-silica volcanic rock likely releases both arsenic and fluoride into the groundwater.” In the nearby Comarca Lagunera region, a hotspot for arsenic contamination, studies have likewise determined that the concentration of arsenic is attributable to geological activity millions of years ago.
Researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) explain that as arsenic flows through rock formations, it contaminates underground aquifers and rivers. These aquifers and rivers provide approximately 39% of all drinking water in Mexico, according to a 2017 study by the National Water Commission (Conagua).
The Science of the Total Environment study concludes that 56% of the Mexican population lives within five kilometers of at least one of the areas sampled in the study and that over 3 million people are exposed to fluoride above the maximum acceptable dose of 0.06milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day. Moreover, 8.8 million people in Mexico are exposed to arsenic above the WHO-recommended daily limit of ten micrograms per liter. The study’s authors project an additional 13,070 cases of cancer expected from this arsenic exposure alone, primarily concentrated in north-central Mexico.
Despite contamination from industrial sources, much of Mexico’s groundwater is actually contaminated via natural causes. (Saúl López/Cuartoscuro)
How is Mexico solving this issue?
Researchers and experts in the field have been forced to explore new mechanisms to remove arsenic and chemicals similar to this one as there is no special technology to remove them nor sufficient help from government entities.
Nonprofits like Caminos de Agua work alongside the National Water Quality Inventory (INCA) a non-governmental initiative created by a team of international researchers to monitor arsenic and fluoride in low-income communities. The NGOs also offer technical advice and sometimes funding to allow affected families to purchase the materials needed for water filters.
Jaime Hoogesteger, an associate professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands has extensively studied issues of water governance in Mexico as part of his post-doctoral studies. Hoogesteger has worked with both Caminos de Agua and INCA to educate and protect populations in vulnerable regions of Guanajuato state.
“I have sent some of my students and researchers to these communities to test water, and the best solution in this particular region is to get clean water through rainwater harvesting,” Hoogesteger told Mexico News Daily.
Caminos de Agua initiatives include developing and distributing affordable water filtration systems, rainwater harvesting solutions and conducting community education on water safety. (Caminos de Agua/Facebook)
The researcher believes this is the best alternative as aquifer levels are declining and water quality is receding. Conagua currently lacks the ability to regulate water usage in general, meaning significant quantities are siphoned off for commercial and agricultural use.
“It’s a problem that you have in a lot of arid and semi-arid areas where you have a large storage of groundwater that has been stored over hundreds or maybe thousands of years…if you start pumping, it’s not replenished and then basically what you are doing is mining water, Hoogesteger added.
Caminos de Agua has worked since 2010 in rural communities to supply clean water through water treatment plants developed by academics. These plants are not yet commercially available but remove contaminants at the community level.
Another project, at UNAM, is focusing on separating arsenic in groundwater through the implementation of electrodeionization (EDI). Dr. Francisca Alicia Rodríguez Pérez, an academic and researcher at UNAM’s FES Cuautitlán campus, proposed this project as an alternative to current methods.
UAM students developing techniques to remove metals from wastewater through electrodeionization. (UAM)
“Detecting and quantifying the presence of contaminants in groundwater is a major challenge,” Rodríguez told the FES Cuautitlán gazette in June. “The problems are only detected once the contaminants have reached a spring, river or well that supplies local communities, since the impurities usually go unnoticed until the inhabitants are affected,” she said.
Rodríguez also specified that EDI is a chemical-free process used to demineralize water. It uses a water treatment tool that uses electricity, resins and membranes to remove ionized species from water including salts and organic acids. As a result, water is purified.
Bottled water or water filtration systems?
Many of us would think that another alternative to obtain potable water is simply to drink bottled water, but Terrell says otherwise. The Caminos de Agua CEO adds that bottled water is not necessarily trustworthy. “It may be free of bacteriological pathogens, but [can still contain] excessive levels of arsenic and fluoride,” he told Mexico News Daily.
He also explained that after the 2019 scandal in which beverage maker Grupo Peñafiel confirmed that it found elevated levels of arsenic in beverages produced at two of its plants in Puebla and Jalisco, more researchers have focused on studying the presence of these chemicals in bottled waters.
Recent studies across a number of journals have found concentrations of fluoride and arsenic in bottled drinking water in Durango and Chihuahua.
“Instead of giving water to these producers, it’s safer to install water systems and more affordable than buying bottles of water in the long run,” Terrell added.
Originally from Texas, Nancy Moya has two degrees from New Mexico State University and the University of Texas at El Paso. With 15 years of experience in print and broadcast journalism, she’s worked with well-known outlets like Univision, The Associated Press, El Diario de El Paso, Mexico’s Norteamérica and Mundo Ejecutivo, Germany’s Deutsche Welle and the Spanish-language El Ibérico of London, among others.
Move over Oaxaca, it's time to profile the rest of Mexico's incredible culinary offerings. We begin with birria estilo Aguascalientes, an alternative take on a taco classic. (Canva)
My friend Ignacio Padilla Rivas is not a man much given to poetry. But he comes very close to it when the topic is birria, particularly birria as it is made in Aguascalientes, where he grew up. “When you have one of those hangovers that make you feel as if you’re close to death, birria will save you. A few beers, a few tacos de birria at Los Toriles (a birrieria in Aguascalientes, the capital city in the state of the same name) and you can feel yourself, as David Gilmour would say, ‘Coming Back to Life.’”
Of course, this classic Mexican stew was not invented in Aguascalientes (where, by the way, it’s typically not served as a stew). Its roots are in neighboring Jalisco. After the Spanish conquest of Mexico in the 16th century, livestock animals like goats, cattle, and sheep were introduced to the country. All three would later be used to make birria. Cattle-sourced beef, for example, remains the meat of choice used by residents of La Barca, one of two towns in Jalisco that claim to have invented the dish.
Los Toriles, an unassuming eatery, serves perfection on a plate. (Gastranking)
However, most sources credit this delicious creation to the pueblo mágico of Cocula, where goat meat and ground chilies were originally wrapped in maguey leaves and cooked pit-style in underground ovens. Legend has it that goats eventually became so abundant that Spanish conquistadors gave them to the Indigenous inhabitants of the Sayula municipality, who made the strange meat even more palatable with the addition of an adobo salsa rub.
How birria is made in Aguascalientes
Over time, as the dish evolved in Jalisco, it was most often served in a broth with the goat accompanied by chilies and tomatoes with onion and cilantro garnishes. In Aguascalientes, where birria has also been made since the 16th century, the broth is typically served on the side as a consomé. This consomé, as with barbacoa, is collected from the meat drippings produced during birria’s lengthy preparation process.
But that’s not the only difference from the Jalisco version. In Aguascalientes, lamb is the preferred meat. No, it’s not used exclusively. “Some restaurants use goat or beef,” says Manuel Serna, owner of Birria Los Toriles. “But the principal ingredient at our restaurant is lamb meat, with tomato and spices like chile de árbol for the sauce, and onions added to give it more flavor.”
Slow cooked overnight in a steam bath, the lamb in birria estilo Aguascalientes is a tender treat for the tastebuds. (Cocina Casera)
Lamb for birria estilo Aguascalientes is usually wrapped in maguey leaves and steamed overnight rather than cooked in an oven. When ready, it’s served on a plate or in a shallow bowl to corral any remaining drippings, with the onions on top of the meat. This arrangement makes it easier to spoon the birria into corn tortillas for tacos along with the chile-seasoned salsa. Small bowls of serrano peppers are often provided for those seeking a more pronounced level of spiciness.
Meccas for birria estilo Aguascalientes
Birria Los Toriles is one of the premier destinations for those interested in tasting traditional birria estilo Aguascalientes. The restaurant’s interior is instantly recognizable thanks to the walls covered in bullfighting posters and memorabilia. Aguascalientes, of course, is notable for its bullfighting history and has produced several famous toreros, including Joselito Adame and Miguel Espinosa, nicknamed “Armallita” like his legendary father Fermín Espinosa, who retired to Aguascalientes after establishing himself as one of the greatest matadors in Mexican history. Corridas de toros are still a traditional part of the annual Feria Nacional de San Marcos, the largest fair in Mexico.
However, the most iconic destination for birria in Aguascalientes is Mercado Juárez (also known as El Mercado de la Birra), which hosts about two dozen small birrierias and a few huarache vendors, just in case visitors want to buy a new pair of sandals between samples of birria from the specialists in the dish housed in its many stalls. Some, like the acclaimed El Lago Azul and Birrieria Los Vazquez, have been open for over sixty-eight years. That is to say, slightly longer than Mercado Juárez itself, which opened its doors on Calle General Guadalupe Victoria in the city center of Aguascalientes in 1957.
MERCADO DE LA BIRRIA EL MERCADO JUÁREZ AGUASCALIENTES
El Lago Azul and Birrieria Los Vazquez, like Birria Los Torriles, serve lamb that has been steamed overnight in the signature Aguascalientes style, one of the reasons this market is considered a representative purveyor of the city’s (and state’s) quintessential dish. It’s open until 8 p.m., an early closing that may not seem conducive to dinnertime visits. That’s because most locals prefer their birria for breakfast or lunch.
The best time to visit Aguascalientes to try its signature dish
There’s never a bad time to visit Aguascalientes or to sample its wonderful birria. But some times are better than others. Each September, for example, in conjunction with the fiestas patrias surrounding Mexican Independence Day, a Festival Nacional de la Birria is held in Rincón de Romos, a municipality with a population of less than 100,000 in the northern part of the state. During the festival’s fifth edition this year, 32 local birria makers gathered to showcase their versions, along with visiting exhibitors from other noteworthy birria-producing states like Jalisco and Zacatecas.
But the best time, bar none is during the Feria Nacional de San Marcos, an event as singularly unforgettable as Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Held yearly since 1828 around the feast day of St. Mark (April 25), the fair offers many attractions for visitors to Aguascalientes (the city), from rodeos, casino gambling, and concerts featuring a who’s who of Latin American music stars to more controversial yet culturally embedded activities like bullfighting and cockfighting. Regional gastronomy, naturally, also takes center stage during the fair’s extended three to four-week run time, with birrias galore available from vendor stands and restaurants.
Of course, those who attend for the full nearly monthlong slate of festivities run the risk of coming down with their fair share of hangovers. But this risk is always mitigated in Aguascalientes by the proliferation of birrierias, where cures for the condition are dished out daily.
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook, and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
