President Sheinbaum asks reporters on Thursday for calm after expressing her opinion on a controversial reform that passed Congress the day before. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Thursday Oct. 31 is the 31st day of Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo’s presidency and the final day of her first month as Mexico’s first female president.
Claudia Sheinbaum made history on Oct. 1 when she took office as Mexico’s first female president. A protege of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Sheinbaum has kept his tradition of daily press conferences. (Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum’s morning press conference, or mañanera, on Thursday was her 22nd as president. Here is a brief summary of some key parts of this morning’s presser, a return of sorts to a previous Mexico News Daily series where we documented the former president’s press conferences.
A new medication procurement model
Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Clark García outlined the government’s new model for purchasing medications for Mexico’s public health system (read MND’s report here).
Sheinbaum said that the government will spend some 130 billion pesos (US $6.5 billion) annually on medications and medical supplies.
There will be “transparency” and “zero corruption” in the medication procurement process, Sheinbaum pledged.
López Obrador’s legacy is several constitutional amendments he pushed through Congress and a few he left for Sheinbaum to shepherd through. They have sparked fierce opposition, with critics saying López Obrador and Sheinbaum are eroding Mexico’s democracy. (Cuartoscuro)
The president expressed her support for the “constitutional supremacy” reform that was approved by the Senate last week and the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday (read MND’s report here) and has already been ratified by enough states to become law.
The constitutional reform will prevent legal challenges against constitutional amendments that have been approved by Congress and ratified by a majority of state legislatures.
“The opposition has been talking about this constitutional supremacy issue as if it were something new or something bad,” Sheinbaum said at her press conference Thursday.
“All of us who study, even if we haven’t studied law, know that the constitution is the maximum law,” she said.
The “constitutional supremacy” reform, Sheinbaum argued, is simply reinforcing the fact that the constitution is the supreme law of the land.
‘We’re going to support Cuba for humanitarian reasons’
“We’re going to support Cuba for humanitarian reasons. And, in addition, Mexico has never been in favor of the blockade,” she said, referring to the United States embargo against the Caribbean island nation that has been ruled by the Communist Party of Cuba for around six decades.
“Just to provide perspective,” Sheinbaum said, 400,000 barrels of oil “is not even the production of one day,” given that “Mexico produces 1.6 to 1.8 million barrels per day.”
“… Even though there is criticism, we’re going to be supportive [of Cuba] and for humanitarian reasons,” she said.
Sheinbaum proudly announced Thursday that Mexico’s third-quarter growth, at 1.5% on an annual basis, had surpassed all expectations. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
Third-quarter economic growth
“It beat all expectations,” Sheinbaum said of the Mexican economy’s 1.5% annual growth rate in the third quarter of 2024 (read MND’s report here).
“… They said GDP wasn’t going to grow in that quarter. Well, it did grow, 1.5%,” she said.
Sheinbaum to attend G20 Summit in Brazil
The president told reporters Thursday morning that she will attend the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, which takes place Nov. 18–19.
It will be Sheinbaum’s first overseas trip as president.
* This is MND’s first “Sheinbaum mañanera brief,” but look out for more in this series soon. (The president won’t hold a morning press conference on Friday due to the annual Day of the Dead holiday.)
Dedicated altars and cremations for pets are becoming more popular. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
As Day of the Dead nears, altars around the country bear photos of beloved former pets next to mementos of dearly departed family members. And while including animals in Día de Muertos celebrations is not new, more and more people in Mexico now also appear to be using mortuary services like cremation for dead pets.
Manuel Ramírez, head of the J. García López funeral group and its pet division Bye Bye Friends, told newspaper El Financiero that sales of prepaid mortuary plans for pets increased by 48% compared to 2023.
For his part, Juan Rodríguez, CEO of funeral group Gayosso, and vice president of the Confederation of Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism of Mexico (Concanaco), predicted that the pet funeral sector will grow by double digits in the next 15 years, driven by greater awareness of the role of pets in Mexican families.
According to a study by the University of the Valley of Mexico, around 43% of Mexicans have a positive view on the idea of treating pets like children. Furthermore, roughly 70% of Mexican homes have at least one pet, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) found in its latest survey. INEGI estimates there are around 80 million pets in Mexico, including 43.8 million dogs, 16.2 million cats and 20 million other animals.
“We firmly believe that this sector will have a very positive evolution,” Rodríguez emphasized.
There are not enough funeral centers to meet the expected demand according to Rodríguez, and many of the existing ones operate in the informal market. At least in Mexico City, 85% operate informally, Ivan Pérez, operations manager of Funeral Pet, told El Universal.
Juan Rodríguez, CEO of funeral group Gayosso and Concanaco vice president expects demand for pet mortuary services to boom in coming years. (Joe Caione/Unsplash)
According to Pérez, these companies offer affordable prices ranging between 400 (US $20) and 450 pesos (US $22) — a figure that Pérez deems suspicious.
“At Funeral Pet, we use between 30 and 60 liters of LP gas per cremation procedure. Adding up all the supplies and salaries, it’s impossible to carry out a cremation process at such prices.”
Pérez said Funeral Pet charges between 3,500 pesos (US $175) and 4,000 pesos (US $200) depending on the size of the animal.
Using a mortuary service like cremation can also help prevent health risks. In the past, pet remains were often discarded in the trash or buried in family gardens. However, this may lead to bad smells and health risks for animals and humans.
If an animal dies from a disease like parvovirus, toxoplasmosis or salmonellosis, it could spread to other animals and even humans. Furthermore, pentobarbital, a drug used in euthanasia, can remain in the body of the deceased pet for up to a year. This poses a danger to other animals that might dig in the burial site, as they could be poisoned.
Commemorating deceased pets
Just as pet mortuary services are increasing in popularity, so are special Day of the Dead altars dedicated to pets.
These altars are not part of Mexico’s original tradition around Day of the Dead. However, they became popular in 2019 after Funeral Pet proposed commemorating Mexico’s deceased pets on Oct. 27, according to El Universal.
Though pets have often had a place on home Day of the Dead altars, some families are beginning to celebrate deceased pets their own altars on Oct. 27. (X)
The altar for a deceased pet includes the same elements of a traditional altar, including a picture of the pet and its favorite treats and foods.
Mexico's new government says it's betting on more consolidated, transparent purchasing practices to end the nation's continual issue with medication shortages in government-run facilities. (Nalidsa/Shutterstock)
Mexico’s federal government on Thursday presented a new medication purchasing model aimed at ensuring the availability of medications in the nation’s public health system.
Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Clark García outlined the new model at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference, saying that the new system would manage the acquisition of pharmaceuticals in an efficient and cost-effective way.
Mexico’s Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Clark García outlines a new medications purchasing system for the nation’s government-run medical facilities. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
He explained that:
The Health Ministry will be in charge of the entire process.
Public health care providers, including IMSS and ISSSTE, will submit their medication and medical supplies requirements to the Health Ministry.
The Health Ministry will review and “validate” their requests.
State-owned medical company Birmex will make a “consolidated purchase” of required medications and medical supplies after asking suppliers to submit bids.
Birmex will seek the “best conditions” for its purchases in terms of “quality, efficiency and price.”
The medications and supplies will be delivered to public hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
“Digital systems” will be used in all stages of the medication procurement process.
“We’re seeking to guarantee maximum transparency and maximum participation [of pharmaceutical companies], both national and international, in order to promote competition and guarantee …[medication] quality … [at a good] price,” Clark said.
Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador tried to solve Mexico’s recurring problem with medication shortages by introducing “megapharmacies,” like this one he inaugurated in 2023 in México state. (Presidencia)
On Thursday, Clark said the government was “evaluating different ways” to distribute medications “more efficiently.”
“… We’re also optimizing and digitalizing the delivery and reception processes at each delivery point, ensuring that there is not excessive bureaucracy or abundant paperwork,” he said.
Sheinbaum told reporters that the “so-called mega pharmacy” — located in México state, about 70 kilometers north of central Mexico City — will continue to be used. She noted that its processes will also be fully digitalized.
The president said that the government will spend some 130 billion pesos (US $6.5 billion) annually on medications and medical supplies and expressed confidence that her administration “will get even better prices” than those obtained by its predecessor.
There will be “transparency” and “zero corruption” in the medication procurement process, Sheinbaum pledged.
Health Minister David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz noted that the acquisition of medications and medical supplies is a “fundamental aspect in the realm of public health and that a reliable supply of medications “guarantees access to preventative treatments, primary care and treatment of illnesses.”
“We shouldn’t just think about curing illnesses, but also about prevention and primary care,” Kershenobich said.
President of the Chamber of Deputies governing board Sergio Gutiérrez Luna listens to debate on a constitutional reform to prevent the Supreme Court from reviewing constitutional amendments passed by Congress. It ultimately passed on Wednesday. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The lower house of Congress approved a bill on Wednesday that will prevent legal challenges against constitutional reforms, such as the recently enacted judicial reform.
The so-called “constitutional supremacy” bill was backed by the ruling Morena party and its allies, which have a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies that allow them to approve constitutional reform proposals without the support of opposition lawmakers.
Opponents in the Chamber of Deputies protested the legislation with a seasonal flair, holding up a mock book of the Mexican constitution with the title “The Political Constitution of the United Mexican States,” alluding to concerns that the government’s overall judicial reform plans are an attack on democracy in Mexico. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
A total of 340 deputies voted in favor of the bill, 133 opposed it and there was one abstention. The lower house’s approval of the reform came six days after the Senate passed it.
A majority of Mexico’s 32 state legislatures – most of which are controlled by Morena – have already ratified the reform, meaning that President Claudia Sheinbaum can sign it into law.
Once the reform is promulgated, not even the Supreme Court will be able to review or make rulings on constitutional amendments.
Congress’ approval of the bill came just five days before the Supreme Court is scheduled to consider a proposal to strike down the part of the judicial reform that allows all judges in Mexico to be directly elected by citizens. Under the proposal of Justice Juan Luis González Alcántara Carrancá, only Supreme Court justices would be elected and all other judges would continue to be appointed.
If the reform is promulgated before next Tuesday – as appears almost certain – the Supreme Court won’t be able to review the judicial reform as scheduled.
Mexico City’s legislature ratified the bill within hours of it passing the Chamber of Deputies. (Mexico City Congress)
‘The Supreme Court cannot modify the constitutional text’
Morena Deputy Leonel Godoy, president of the lower house’s Constitutional Points Committee, said during Wednesday’s congressional debate that the reform’s aim is to provide certainty and clarity regarding the inadmissibility of legal challenges against constitutional reforms.
The Supreme Court – the country’s ultimate legal authority – “cannot modify the constitutional text,” he said.
“There is no provision in the text that allows that to happen,” Godoy said.
President Sheinbaum made similar remarks on Tuesday.
“The Supreme Court cannot be a legislator,” she said.
The Supreme Court doesn’t have the authority to legislate or to strike down a constitutional reform that “followed all the [legislative] processes that the constitution establishes,” Sheinbaum said.
Godoy said that Justice González’s proposal to strike down an essential part of the judicial reform was an attempt to “arrogate,” or usurp, “legislative powers.”
Morena Deputy Olga Sánchez, a former Supreme Court justice and interior minister, said that the reform would “rescue” the “sovereign power” of the Congress to legislate without having its constitutional amendments subject to legal review.
The reform “supports the capacity of the people to define their future” and is in no way “contrary to the defense and promotion of human rights,” she said.
Ernestina Godoy, legal counsel to the president, said earlier this month that in her opinion, approved constitutional reforms are not subject to judicial revision. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
At her morning press conference on Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that the “majority of Mexicans agree with electing judges, magistrates and Supreme Court justices.”
“If they didn’t they wouldn’t have voted as they voted,” she said, referring to the June 2 elections at which she and Morena won comprehensive victories.
The first judicial elections are scheduled to be held on June 1, 2025.
The president, like her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, argues that a judicial overhaul is necessary to ensure that Mexico’s courts are free of corruption and serve the interests of the majority of Mexican people, rather than an elite minority.
Critics of the reform argue that the direct election of judges will erode the independence of the Mexican judiciary and thus weaken or remove a vital check on government power.
PAN accuses Morena of ‘killing’ the judicial power, democracy and the rule of law
Monterrey Deputy Annía Gómez said that the passage of the reform is a “historical regression” for Mexico “|that will take years to reverse.” (Annía Gómez/Facebook)
National Action Party (PAN) deputies dressed in black, clutched candles and held up mock tombstones inside the Chamber of Deputies to demonstrate their opposition to the “constitutional supremacy” reform.
In a somewhat theatrical display, they “mourned” the “deaths” of the judicial power, democracy, autonomous organizations and the rule of law.
“Rest in peace judicial power. It died a victim of the authoritarianism of Morena,” said the epitaph on one of the mock tombstones.
“Democracy,” “autonomous organizations” and “rule of law” replaced “judicial power” on the other tombstones.
The “constitutional supremacy” reform will ensure that none of the reforms already passed by the new Congress, as well as those that will likely be approved soon, can be challenged.
PAN Deputy Annia Gómez asserted that Morena’s intention is to “end the rights of citizens by mutilating the Constitution,” copies of which she said should be placed on Day of the Dead altars.
“It is a historical regression that will take years to reverse and marks a before and after in the real balance of powers,” she said during a testy debate in the Chamber of Deputies.
MC, PRI parties also slam the reform
Before Wednesday’s vote took place, Citizens Movement (MC) Deputy Sergio Gil asserted that if the “constitutional supremacy” bill is approved, “constitutional reforms could even allow the reelection of a president or the establishment of a centralist government.”
There would be “no legal means to reverse them,” the MC lawmaker said.
The Mexican Constitution states that a president can only serve a single six-year term.
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Deputy César Domínguez asserted that Morena, in putting forward and supporting the reform, is going even further than former president and Porfirio Díaz – a virtual dictator for more than three decades – “dared” to go.
The PRI lawmaker said the reform was aimed at “perpetuating” Morena in power and “sending the institutions [of Mexico] to hell.”
Kawasaki President Yasuhiko Hashimoto and Nuevo León Governor Samuel García at the inauguration of the new plant in Salinas Victoria. (Samuel García/X)
Kawasaki Motors this week formally inaugurated a new US $200 million factory in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo León where it will produce all-terrain vehicles and personal watercraft.
The new factory is located in Salinas Victoria, about 7 km north of Monterrey, the state capital. The plant, which began operations in April and is expected to generate 1,500 jobs by 2026, will have an annual production capacity of up to 30,000 off-road four-wheelers.
After the ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony, Nuevo León Governor Samuel García and Kawasaki executives toured the production lines that are making Jet Ski, Mule and Mule Pro vehicles.
“We are confident in telling you that the best is yet to come for Kawasaki Motores de México,” García said, according to a government press release. “They are arriving at the best time, to one of the most prosperous municipalities, the best place to do business and invest.”
García also said Nuevo León has been the recipient of US $68 billion of investment since he took office in October 2021, and that the 287 new projects have produced 220,000 new jobs.
Among those present at the inauguration were Yasuhiko Hashimoto, president of Kawasaki Heavy Industries LTD, Hiroshi Ito, president of Kawasaki Motors Corporation and Nashi Kato, president of Kawasaki Motores de México.
The new plant manufactures three top Kawasaki models: Jet Ski, Mule and Mule Pro. (Kawasaki Mexico/Facebook)
Kawasaki has previously said the facility is a response to booming demand and is intended to bolster its production capacity for off-road vehicles.
In an April 2024 press release, Kawasaki explained that its goal “is to enable flexible production to meet fluctuating demand by fully integrated production, from material processing through to the assembly of complete vehicles as well as automating the production line.”
Kawasaki added that the Salinas Victoria plant will play a large part in strengthening its business base in the North American market, allowing the company “to provide better products and services as [it strives] to further promote the Kawasaki brand and deliver customers even more satisfaction.”
The project was first green-lighted in early 2021 and the original plan was for the plant to come on line in the first quarter of 2023. But Garcia did not finalize the deal until October 2023 after meeting with Kawasaki executives while visiting Japan on state business.
The Salinas Victoria facility is not the first Kawasaki plant in Mexico. The manufacturer’s Mexican subsidiary, Kawasaki Motores de México, also operates an engine factory in Monterrey.
Strong demand in the domestic market boosted Mexico's economic growth in Q3. (Unsplash/Oscar Reygo)
The Mexican economy grew more than expected in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024, expanding 1.5% in annual terms and 1% compared to the second quarter, according to official preliminary data.
The primary sector, which includes agriculture and livestock, showed the strongest growth in Q3. (Government of Mexico)
The annual economic growth rate for Mexico in Q3 was 0.2 percentage points above the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The quarter-over-quarter rate also came in slightly higher than the 0.65% consensus forecast of economists polled by Bloomberg.
The 1% growth compared to the April-June quarter was the best result for the Mexican economy since the second quarter of 2023. Quarter-over-quarter growth in Q2 of 2024 was just 0.2%.
All three sectors of the economy grew in both annual and quarter-over-quarter terms in Q3, but the primary sector easily recorded the best results.
Bloomberg reported that domestic demand has been “a boon” for the Mexican economy “as consumers continued to spend even while weakness in the US, Mexico’s largest trading partner, affected exports.”
Domestic demand was key to Mexico’s Q3 economic growth as weakness in the U.S. economy impacted Mexico’s exports. (Cuartoscuro)
“A tight labor market, rising wages and remittance flows running at record highs have helped to support brisk household demand,” the news agency said.
Ag sector grows almost 5% in Q3 compared to Q2
INEGI’s preliminary data shows that the primary or agriculture sector grew 4.6% between July and September compared to the previous three-month period.
In annual seasonally-adjusted terms, primary sector GDP increased 3.8%.
Strong rainfall in the third quarter assisted the recovery of the agriculture sector after it contracted in both Q1 and Q2.
Much-needed rains revived the agricultural sector after a dry summer. (Secretaría de Trabajo)
Compared to the first nine months of last year, the sector contracted 0.2% in seasonally adjusted terms.
Secondary and tertiary sectors grow 0.9% compared to Q2
The secondary or manufacturing sector grew 0.9% in Q3 compared to the previous quarter and 0.5% in annual seasonally adjusted terms.
In the first nine months of the year, the sector grew 0.8% in annual terms.
The tertiary or services sector also expanded 0.9% between July and September compared to Q2. In annual seasonally adjusted terms, the sector grew 1.9% in both the third quarter and the first nine months of 2024.
Analysts’ views on the growth data
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, acknowledged that Mexico’s GDP increased more than expected in Q3. However, the growth rate is still “low,” she said on X, noting that the Mexican economy in 2024 is on track to grow at less than half the pace it grew last year.
Buen resultado del PIB mexicano en el 3er trimestre.
Se expandió 1.0% a tasa *trimestral* para dejar atrás tres trimestres de bajo crecimiento.
La política monetaria ultrarrestrictiva y la menor demanda de importaciones en EEUU (aunque México gane participación), además de la… pic.twitter.com/HPw05uMUmn
Alberto Ramos, chief Latin America economist at Goldman Sachs, said that the third quarter economic data showed a solid, broad based increase in economic activity.
Mario Campa, an economist, said that the growth rate in Q3 was a “good result.”
He noted on X that the 1% quarter-over-quarter growth was an improvement on “low growth” rates in previous quarters.
“The ultra-restrictive monetary policy [in Mexico] and lower demand for imports in the United States … as well as electoral uncertainty in the U.S. and [Donald Trump’s] protectionist threats limit [Mexico’s growth] possibilities in the short term,” Campa added.
The World Bank anticipates 1.5% growth in Mexico in 2025.
The International Monetary Fund also recently cut its 2024 growth forecast for Mexico, lowering its prediction to 1.5%. The IMF is forecasting 1.3% growth in 2025.
Felipe Hernández, a Latin America economist for Bloomberg, also predicts that economic growth will slow in 2025.
The IMF and World Bank have both lowered their forecasts for Mexico’s economic growth in 2025. (Jezael Melgoza/Unsplash)
“Nationalist government policies and waning public-sector investment are headwinds,” he said.
“Falling interest rates provide some relief, but monetary conditions remain tight. Uncertainty about the U.S. election is a drag,” Hernández said.
There are also concerns that the recently-enacted judicial reform could have a negative impact on foreign investment levels in Mexico as the country attempts to capitalize on its nearshoring opportunity. Such an eventuality could also weigh on growth.
November in Oaxaca kicks off with a Day of the Dead bang and keeps the energy high all month. What will you discover? (Gobierno de Oaxaca)
Dia de Muertos takes place on the first and second of November, although there are celebrations that continue into the month. During the days there are altar making workshops and face painting available. Given how important Day of the Dead is here, this month’s activities in Oaxaca city and around the state are front-loaded, but don’t worry: from celebrations of mezcal and jazz to an annual festival honoring Oaxaca’s third culture, there’s fun to last the whole month. Follow along to see what’s on this month in Oaxaca.
Día de Muertos – November 1-2
(Gobierno de Oaxaca)
There are Day of the Dead-related activities all over the state for those interested in taking part in this tradition. Try a cemetery visit: after dusk on either day, visiting a cemetery in downtown Oaxaca city like the Panteón Genera or the Xochimilco cemetery, or one further out, like those in San Felipe or Xoxo. There is often live music and intimate performances. Visitors are welcome to walk through the cemeteries.
For something more lively, stay in the city, where the streets are bursting with comparsas, or parade troupes. To find them, just listen for the drums, but you can also try Jalatlaco at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 1 or Xochimilco at 7 p.m. the next day.
In Etla, you can dance until dawn in a haze of wild costumes and brass band music in the muerteadas, or visit homes where doors are open to the parade to share memories of the departed while sipping mezcal.
Mercado Atemporal – November 1-2
(Mercado Temporal/Edwin Torres)
This beautifully curated market presents products by contemporary Mexican designers. Hosted at Casa Murguía, which you may recognize from its usual use as a venue in Oaxaca’s wedding destination scene. They have amazing decorations, great food, mezcal and music from local DJs. Free entry from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Calle Murguía 103.
Mezcal Fest Mexico – November 1-3
(Mezcal Fest México)
The tenth edition of this meeting between art, gastronomy and fine spirits. Mezcal Fest México is a tribute to culture and sharing traditions through drinks. Runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Entry is 200 pesos.
Full Moon and Mezcal – November 15
(Mezcal Casa Ancestral)
On every full moon, distillery Casa Ancestral hosts an evening event where they invite guests for a three course meal designed by a celebrated chef. Then guests have the opportunity to learn about the mezcal process and see an agave cook by the light of the full moon. Be sure to book in advance.
Vela de las Intrépidas – November 15-17
(Octavio Murillo Alvarez de la Cadena)
The Zapotec communities of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec are famous for the muxe, a third gender in their culture. Assigned male at birth, muxes assume female social roles, such as taking care of elderly people. They are celebrated every year during a festival known as the Vela de las Intrépidas. The first day includes a parade with floats and muxes riding horses, showering the crowd with gifts. Later comes the main celebration, where the Queen is crowned. Everyone is welcome, but remember to dress for the occasion!
Mazunte Jazz Festival – November 15-16
(Gobierno de Oaxaca)
For over a decade, the Mazunte International Jazz Festival has been held in this small beach community, with pure and fusion jazz and rhythms such as trova, reggae and rock. There are opportunities to taste Oaxacan food and purchase local crafts, as well as participate in a turtle release and other eco-friendly events. There are also other activities such as yoga classes, art exhibitions and pre-Columbian dance performances.
Guelaguetza del Mar – November 1-30
(Gobierno de Oaxaca)
This seaside Guelaguetza’s artistic, gastronomic, cultural, sporting and musical activities are projected to attract thousands of local, national and international visitors. The celebrations will be in various locations along the Oaxacan coast and will include events such as the Coastal Dance Festival in San Pedro Mixtepec on Nov. 16 and 17 and International Surfing Tournament and the Zicatela Mexican Pro 2024 International Surf Tournament.
Patricia Belli at Parallel Gallery – Through December 15
(Patricia Belli/Parallel Gallery)
Parallel Gallery presents “Osuario,” an exhibition of two new pieces by Nicaraguan sculptor Patricia Belli. This installation evokes a range of meanings about the idea of death as a confluence that subsists beyond pain, sadness and rage, and as a presence that persists.
Anna Bruce is an award-winning British photojournalist based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Just some of the media outlets she has worked with include Vice, The Financial Times, Time Out, Huffington Post, The Times of London, the BBC and Sony TV. Find out more about her work at her website or visit her on social media on Instagram or on Facebook.
Teacher. Distiller. Designer. Zayury Jiménez seems to have done it all. (All photos by Alex Deruette)
Rarely one person can successfully combine the triple career of fashion designer, teacher and mezcalera, but Zayury Jiménez Torres, from the small town of Mochitlán in the mountains of Chilpancingo, proves she can.
A third-generation mezcalera, her first foray into the intricate nuances of making mezcal began at the age of three at the knee of her grandfather, Serefin Jiménez. Serefin bottled small batches to sell to family, friends and the town where they lived. Over the years, he taught his granddaughter everything about how to create a quality mezcal. Although her immediate family moved to Zihuatanejo, they returned frequently to visit, and her grandfather continued to educate her.
At just 17 years old, Jiménez moved to Seattle to study the production of Mezcal.
At the tender age of 17, Jiménez’s path led her to Seattle, Washington, where she lived for the next 12 and a half years. She enrolled at the University of Washington, where she did her thesis on the sustainability and production of mezcal. To support herself, she worked menial jobs from cleaning houses to working in retail until, upon graduating, she worked her way into stores such as Macy’s and Nordstrom as a shoe buyer. Jiménez became a U.S. citizen, married and divorced during this time. It was also when her beloved grandfather passed away. Five years later, Jiménez decided it was time to return to Zihuatanejo.
Jiménez began teaching at local public schools in the area. When they realized she was fluent in English, she became the first official English teacher in the system. The pay was bad, however, and she knew she would have to support herself in other ways to survive.
She looked to her experience in fashion.
Now remarried and with a young son in tow, Jiménez started designing her fashion line, Cultura Tropical, a beach accessories and clothing brand grown from a combination of Mexican tradition, fashion and environmentally responsible pieces. She opened her store in downtown Zihuatanejo, carrying not only her fashions and accessories but also those of other Mexican women. Her three seamstresses are all local.
An addition to her other careers, Jiménez also works as a fashion designer.
“CT was created for and by women, encouraging the warrior within us all to come out, embrace our womanhood, and boldly take on our surrounding world,” she says. “As women, we must believe in ourselves and find and pursue our purpose here. To conquer and reach our dreams, we’ve got to unite and support one another. We are warriors. We are chingonas!”
Jiménez had not forgotten her love for mezcal during this time. After her grandfather’s passing, she felt the one way she could keep his spirit alive was to continue his tradition. She had approached his business associates and asked to join, but they refused. “They gave me many reasons, but the bottom line was that I was a woman, and mezcal making is a traditionally male venture,” she says. “They told me to go find my dreams, which, in hindsight, was the best advice they could have given me.”
Disappointed but undeterred, Jiménez set about creating a quality mezcal of her own. From the beginning, Jiménez’s goal was to make a great mezcal, empower women, and preserve nature and tradition – “a mezcal shared with those you love.”
Luckily, Jiménez found a business partner, Keith Forsay, an Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy award-winning English record producer. They met at a mezcal tasting event and bonded over their love of mezcal, music and dancing, vowing to create a mezcal that would bring people together to celebrate life. Together, they created Mano y Corazon, an artisanal mezcal crafted by families in Zoquitlan, Oaxaca.
Mano y Corazon is a female-led mezcal brand founded and promoted by Jiménez.
Mano Y Corazon’s co-founder has made it her mission to establish a female-led team behind her mezcals, from cultivation to distillation, production, and promotion. “Every bottle of mezcal has an author. With Mano y Corazon, that signature is female.”
But Jiménez was not one to rest on her laurels yet. Remarried and with a young son, Jiménez wanted to host fashion shows to promote her designs and showcase other local designers and artisans in Mexico. The first, Tropifashion, was held in 2017 in Ixtapa. Jiménez says she was quite surprised by the response. “We decided to hold the show, and if people came, they came,” she said. “We had no idea how well people would accept it.” The event has had several editions since.
What’s next for this enterprising entrepreneur?
“Next, I want to continue fomenting culture in my village. I am getting certified this year as a yoga teacher and would like to hold yoga and wellness festivals — the same as I do with Tropifashion. I am also starting to study interior design. I have a couple of properties that I would like to fix up and rent for the season. I just want to continue learning and enjoying life with my family.”
Lofty goals? If anyone can do it, this inspirational woman can.
The writer divides her time between Canada and Zihuatanejo.
San Carlos, Sonora, is tucked away on the Gulf of California. (Gaby Solís)
Secluded in a serene corner of the northern Mexican state of Sonora, lies San Carlos, a small, peaceful beach town that boasts dramatic desert landscapes, deep-blue waters, a mouthwatering seafood scene, and thrilling outdoor adventures.
Sitting ashore in the magnificent Gulf of California, San Carlos offers an alternative to more popular destinations like La Paz or Los Cabos — without the crowds. With a limited selection of beach resorts favoring boutique hotels, condos and short-term rental apartments, San Carlos remains one of Mexico’s best-kept secret beach destinations.
The coastline of San Carlos is punctuated by cliffside villas.
I had the privilege of visiting this quaint resort town over the summer. Here are my best tips and recommendations for your next trip to San Carlos.
How to get there?
There’s no airport in San Carlos, which is part of the reason it gets so few visitors. To get there, visitors must fly to Hermosillo, the state capital, and drive for 90 minutes through the cacti-dotted desert. They can either rent a car or hire a transfer service at the Hermosillo International Airport.
What to do in San Carlos?
The Gulf of California is one of the world’s most diverse marine environments. Explorer Jacques Cousteau dubbed it “the world’s aquarium,” and UNESCO recognized its islands and protected areas as a Natural World Heritage Site. Thus, there’s plenty to explore in the seas that bathe San Carlos. Travelers can spend days diving, kayaking, sailing, kite surfing, fishing, and sunbathing.
For those who are not into watersports, an alternative is to rent a yacht for a few hours to navigate to nearby natural attractions, including deserted beaches and small desert islands, and swim in the refreshing waters of the Sea of Cortez. I recommend renting a yacht at Gabbys Yacht Rental (no relation).
The waters of the Gulf of California are much cleaner and clearer than in more popular parts of Mexico.
In addition to its marine attractions, the region’s distinctive lunar landscape also offers a great terrain to go hiking, biking, and camping.
For stunning vistas and unforgettable sunsets, head to the Mirador Escénico of San Carlos, which National Geographic listed among the Top 10 ocean views in the world. The viewpoint offers spectacular views of the Sea of Cortez and its rugged canyons and islands, including the Tetakawi, a volcanic hill jutting out of the sea. It is also a great spot for whale and other wildlife watching.
Admiring the wild contrast between water and rocky desert is one of the best gifts the mirador offers.
Where to eat?
The cuisine of northern Mexico may not be as recognizable to international travelers as the central and southern cuisines of mole, chiles en nogada or tacos al pastor. But we Mexicans know Sonora offers some of the best seafood in the country. Since it is located on the Pacific coast, which is richer in marine biodiversity than the Atlantic coast, Sonora’s seafood scene includes a wide variety of dishes made from fish, prawns, rays, octopus, oysters, and more. Unlike the rest of Mexico, dishes here are dominated by flour tortillas.
Here are my recommendations for places to eat in San Carlos:
Mesa Cortez:
(Gaby Solís)
We loved the food here so much that we had lunch there two times. The aguachile, made from fresh prawns with avocado slices, pickled onions and a reddish hot sauce, was spectacular. While I didn’t try it, I’ve heard the quesabirrias (quesadilla dipped in birria) are a staple there.
Mesa Cortez is also a beach club, offering sunbeds and shades. However, you must bring your own towels.
Embarcadero Cocina + Mar:
Located at the MarinaTerra hotel facing the San Carlos Marina, Embarcadero offers an authentic Mexican buffet experience — of the kind in which food seems to never end. From fresh fruits, fresh juices, chilaquiles, machaca (a traditional beef stew from northern Mexico), refried beans, hand-made corn tortillas, quesadillas, eggs your way, waffles and beyond, it’s no wonder people queue up to eat here.
Tortuga’s Restaurant and Bar:
(Tortugas Restaurant and Bar/Facebook)
For casual drinks and dinner, head to Tortuga’s Restaurant and Bar in the heart of San Carlos. The outdoor terrace offers a relaxed and romantic ambience with dimly lit bulbs hanging from the surrounding trees and live music every night.
The pizza, made in a brick oven at the terrace, is hands down one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had.
Barracuda Bob’s:
(Barracuda Bob’s)
On our last day, we had breakfast at Barracuda Bob’s, a place whose interiors are reminiscent of a U.S. diner. Its menu offers Mexican dishes such as huevos divorciados and chilaquiles, as well as American staples like muffins, waffles and scones.
When is the best time to visit?
The best time to visit San Carlos is from September to October and from March to May, when the weather is just right — not too hot like in the summer and not too cold like in the winter.
However, summer and winter are also good months to travel to San Carlos. Even though summer months can get really hot, the waters of the Gulf of California remain cool and refreshing, bringing much needed relief from the heat.
Meanwhile, the cooler winter months are ideal for whale-watching and outdoor activities, as temperatures remain around 20 degrees Celsius during the day.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
Among opponents to the ruling Morena party, outspoken Chief Justice Norma Piña — one of the eight justices who turned in resignations Wednesday — has become an avatar in the fight against several constitutional reforms. (SCJN/Cuartoscuro)
The Senate on Wednesday received resignation letters from eight of Mexico’s 11 Supreme Court (SCJN) justices, Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña said.
Eight of the justices of the current Supreme Court resigned Wednesday. With the exception of one of the eight, whose term ends in November, the justices’ resignations do not take effect until after judicial elections are held to replace them. (SCJN)
The first judicial elections are scheduled to be held next year.
In most cases, the justices’ resignations won’t take effect until August 31, 2025. Justices elected next year will subsequently assume their positions as Mexico’s highest-ranking judges.
Among the eight justices who tendered their resignations is Chief Justice Norma Piña.
She and six of her colleagues have decided not to contest the judicial elections scheduled to be held on June 1, 2025. The 15-year term of Justice Luis María Aguilar, one of the justices who sent a resignation letter to the Senate, concludes on Nov. 30. His resignation is largely symbolic given that it takes effect the day his term ends.
Piña indicated in her resignation letter that she doesn’t want to leave her position, but decided to resign in an “act of congruence and respect of the constitutional text that governs us today.”
Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, left, signed into law the judicial reform bill requiring the election of judges. Current President Claudia Sheinbaum, right, supports the law and has resisted recent last-ditch legal attempts to dismantle it. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
“We should have an authentic, true rule of law, not a crooked one,” López Obrador said at the time.
In addition to Piña, who was appointed to the SCJN in 2015 during the presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto, the justices who will resign from Mexico’s highest court are:
Luis María Aguilar (appointed in 2009 during the presidency of Felipe Calderón)
Jorge María Pardo (appointed in 2011 during Calderón’s presidency)
Alberto Pérez Dayán (nominated by Calderón but assumed his position in 2012 during Peña Nieto’s presidency)
Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena (nominated by Calderón but assumed his position in 2012 during Peña Nieto’s presidency)
Javier Laynez (appointed in 2015 during Peña Nieto’s presidency)
Juan Luis González Alcántara Carrancá (appointed in 2018 during López Obrador’s presidency)
Ana Margarita Ríos Farjat (appointed in 2019 during López Obrador’s presidency)
It was widely reported earlier this week that the justices listed above would resign. In effect, their decision is a protest against the judicial reform, which critics argue will lead to an erosion of the independence of Mexico’s judiciary.
“While my career and abilities qualify me for the judiciary, in that job – in which I feel more than capable – the role is not to validate the will of the majority but rather to protect the rights of those who need them most,” he said.
Gutiérrez also said in his letter that “it is necessary to underscore that this resignation does not imply an implicit acceptance of the [judicial] reform’s constitutionality.”
Just three of the current Supreme Court justices, Lenia Batres, Yasmín Esquivel Mossa and Loretta Ortiz Ahlf, intend to contest the 2025 judicial elections.
Batres, Esquivel and Ortiz were all appointed during López Obrador’s 2018-2024 presidency, and, unlike the two other justices appointed in the previous term of government, are widely regarded as sympathetic to the ruling Morena party and its agenda.
Mexican Supreme Court Justice Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena, who has been a vocal critic of judicial elections, said in his resignation letter that he wasn’t an “appropriate candidate for a position that depends on popular support.” (Wikidata)
The former president argued that a judicial overhaul was necessary to ensure that Mexico’s courts are free of corruption and serve the interests of the majority of Mexican people, rather than an elite minority.
President Claudia Sheinbaum fully supports the reform, and shares López Obrador’s view that it is needed to rid the judiciary of corruption and other ills.
Fernández and Sheinbaum assert that justices’ motivation for resigning is money
Fernández Noroña, a Morena party senator, said Tuesday that the justices were resigning because they want to leave their positions with their “saddlebags full.”
They want to ensure that they receive all the retirement benefits, he said, referring to benefits that justices would normally only get if they completed their designated 15-year terms.
President Claudia Sheinbaum says that the reason the justices resigned en masse on Wednesday was to ensure that they received their pensions in full, which required their resignations by today. Milenio newspaper, citing unnamed court sources, backed up that assertion. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
“The current constitution … establishes that if they don’t … [resign by Oct. 30], they won’t have the [full] retirement pension that is valid at this time,” Fernández said.
President Claudia Sheinbaum made the same argument on Tuesday.
“If they don’t present their resignation now, they won’t have the [same] retirement benefits. … It’s a lot of money,” she said.
Justice Margarita Ríos said Wednesday that she either wouldn’t accept the generous retirement benefits referred to by Fernández and Sheinbaum or donate the money to disadvantaged children.
The Milenio newspaper, citing unnamed Supreme Court sources, reported that the justices who submitted resignation letters to the Senate negotiated their departures with Senator Adán Augusto López, Morena’s leader in the upper house. They reportedly made the payment of their full retirement benefits a condition for tendering their resignations.
If the judges who resigned (excluding Aguilar) had chosen to compete in next year’s judicial elections, they would not only run the risk of not being elected – a distinct possibility given Morena’s popularity in Mexico – but also be worse off in their retirement.
The Senate passed the judicial reform by a healthy margin of 86 to 41 on September 11, thanks to Morena’s majority coalition in Congress. But Morena Senator Fernández left the question open as to whether the Senate would accept the eight justices’ resignations. (Cuartoscuro)
Could the Senate refuse to accept the resignations?
Senator Fernández said Tuesday that the Senate – which is dominated by Morena and its allies – might not accept the justices’ resignations.
“It’s our right to accept them or not. … We’ll wait and see what we’ll do,” he said.
Fernández indicated that a decision would be taken after the Supreme Court makes a ruling on a proposal from Justice González Alcántara Carrancá to invalidate the provision in the judicial reform that allows all Mexican judges and magistrates to be elected. Despite the Senate president’s remarks, it would appear unlikely that the Senate won’t accept the resignations.
Under González’s proposal – which will be considered by the SCJN next Tuesday – only Supreme Court justices would be elected at judicial elections.
Morena has succeeded in getting a so-called “constitutional supremacy” bill through Congress that would prevent legal challenges against constitutional reforms that have already been approved by federal lawmakers and ratified by state legislatures. The bill was approved by the Senate last week and passed by the Chamber of Deputies today.
Supreme Court Justice Juan Luis González Alcántara Carrancá has proposed to invalidate the provision in the judicial reform that allows all Mexican judges and magistrates to be elected. (Screen Capture)
Sheinbaum didn’t comply with the order, arguing that the judge didn’t have the authority to issue it.
The president – who in her first month in office has shown herself to be at least equally as fierce as López Obrador in her criticism of Mexico’s current judiciary – asserted last week that the judicial reform will be an “example to the world” in how to create a robust judiciary.
“If [there is] something we’re doing in Mexico that is going to be an example to the world, … [it is] the election of the judicial power. It will be an example because it’s the people choosing their judges, magistrates and Supreme Court justices,” Sheinbaum said.
Among the critics of the reform is United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar.
“I believe popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy,” he said in August, earning himself rebukes from both López Obrador and Sheinbaum.
