Over 236,000 people have been affected by the aftermath of Hurricane John in Guerrero, and World Central Kitchen is again providing food to residents after spending two months in the area last year following Hurricane Otis. (World Central Kitchen/X)
The World Central Kitchen (WCK) global food relief organization has stepped up again to provide food for communities in the state of Guerrero, this time for those devastated by the impact of Hurricane John, nearly a year after Hurricane Otis wreaked havoc in the region.
For the past two weeks, the non-governmental organization founded by Spanish-American chef and restaurateur José Andrés has been distributing 35,000 meals per day to beleaguered Guerrero residents.
World Central Kitchen volunteers in Guerrero are almost all local, most coming from Acapulco. (World Central Kitchen/X)
The NGO has enlisted more than 24 restaurants in Acapulco, the state capital of Chilpancingo and Ometepec in the eastern area of the state to help prepare food for the impacted communities.
Juan Camilo Jiménez — WCK’s outreach manager in Mexico — told the news agency EFE that the operation is entirely local, with 98% of the volunteers hailing from Acapulco.
“The most important thing for us is to contribute to a quick recovery,” Jiménez said.
WCK provided similar assistance last year after Hurricane Otis, which made landfall as a Category 5 storm near Acapulco on Oct. 25, 2023. For nearly two months, the NGO supplied over 300,000 gallons of water, delivered roughly 5.3 million meals and distributed 750 tonnes of dry goods to families in the region.
Efforts to repair the damage in Acapulco caused by Hurricane John are ongoing. (Cuartoscuro)
Otis caused at least 52 deaths and total damage was estimated to be between US $12 billion and $16 billion.
John came ashore in eastern Guerrero on Sept. 24 and lingered over the region’s coastal mountains for several days, causing deadly flooding across Guerrero and the adjacent states of Oaxaca and Michoacán.
John caused at least 29 deaths and damage assessment is ongoing — on Friday, the government reported that 236,636 people in Guerrero alone have been affected. President Claudia Sheinbaum visited Acapulco on Oct. 2, the day after her inauguration, and was besieged by local demands for aid.
WCK today has more than 200 people working in kitchens to prepare food and has 80 trucks delivering the meals across the state.
In Acapulco, WCK’s Juan Camilo takes us inside what is about to be a kitchen capable of producing thousands of meals each day. What a difference one day makes—the team will be prepping food by day’s end. Follow us here to see this exciting transformation that will bring… pic.twitter.com/0pGlklBgqV
The meals — consisting of 150 grams of carbs, 150 grams of protein and 125 grams of vegetables, according to chef Diego Cruz — are being prepared at a university in Acapulco and delivered to five distribution sites in the city.
The WKC is not just concentrating its efforts in the resort town, but trying to reach more remote communities as well, such as El Embarcadero, a lakeside community northwest of Acapulco that escaped major damage from Otis last year but this year was hit hard by John.
The Greenwich Village of Mexico City, San Miguel Chapultepec is equal parts urban artsy and quiet residential. Residents are a truly eclectic mix of middle-class singles and families, with a healthy dose of international expats.
UAM’s Casa del Tiempo stands at a main entrance to San Miguel Chapultepec and hosts frequent cultural events. (Casa del Tiempo)
Inhabitants, many in their thirties and forties, push baby carriages past neighbors as they walk their trendy dogs, en route to the organic market or the latest art gallery opening. The famous artist Rufino Tamayo once lived in San Miguel, contributing to the area’s rich cultural heritage.
A brief history of San Miguel Chapultepec
San Miguel Chapultepec has a storied history that dates back to the Mexica, who used the area as a water source for Tenochtitlan. After the Spanish conquest of central Mexico, it was established as a settlement and a chapel dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel was built. The area at this time was part of the village of Tacubaya and characterized by its fertile land and humble living.
As Mexico City expanded through the early 20th century, San Miguel Chapultepec began to urbanize. In 1913, in response to changing social dynamics of the Mexican Revolution, San Miguel Chapultepec became an official neighborhood. As a result, its large estates could be divided and new homes constructed. The zone developed rapidly through modern times, yet a sizable chunk of its original layout still remains intact and acts are in place to protect it.
A guide to San Miguel Chapultepec today
Shady and lovely San Miguel Chapultepec is divided into Sections I and II, together forming the shape of a triangle. It’s hugged by Avenida Constituyentes to the north, Avenida Parque Lira to the west and Circuito Bicentenario and Avenida Jalisco to the east. The zone is known for a blend of historic architecture and creative culture, with galleries and museums in droves. Casa Gilardi and Kurimanzutto have put San Miguel Chapultepec on the map for art lovers, while its relatively sheltered location and community vibe make it attractive to families with young children. Not to mention, the neighborhood brushes up against Mexico City’s largest park, which is conveniently situated just across Avenida Constituyentes.
The neighborhood is home to some of the city’s most impressive architecture. (Luis Barragan Foundation)
San Miguel Chapultepec is great if you love: Sundays, because that’s what this neighborhood reminds me of. It’s lazy strolls under leafy streets, unplanned pops into art galleries, brunches with friends and friendly, blue-eyed Australian shepherds. Top it off by purchasing a new kitchen item before a late afternoon glass of wine and bed at 9 p.m.
What to do in San Miguel Chapultepec
Galería de Arte Mexicano (GAM): Founded in 1940, the Galería de Arte Mexicano (GAM) was the first gallery in Mexico dedicated exclusively to Mexican art, showcasing works from renowned artists like Rufino Tamayo and Frida Kahlo. Today, it’s an important promoter of emerging talent.
Kurimanzutto: A contemporary art gallery known for innovative exhibitions featuring both national and international artists, as well as its fashionable crowd of onlookers. Explore its ever-changing collection of modern art showcased through diverse mediums like painting, sculpture, and large-scale installations.
Galería RGR: There’s always something catchy going on inside the whitewashed, laidback art space. Like its neighbors, RGR is focused exclusively on contemporary art. Expect to see work from an eclectic range of artists, both established and emerging, local and international.
Centro Cultural Casa Del Tiempo: Some say the Autonomous Metropolitan University’s cultural center is the most beautiful house on the block. The mansion, which was once home to the widow of Miguel Miramón — the general who rebelled against Benito Juárez and was court-martialed alongside Maximilian I — regularly hosts free events promoting humanities and the arts. Check out a film screening or creative exhibition, making sure to pop into the charming bookshop on the ground floor before you go.
Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen: Perhaps the defining monument of San Miguel Chapultepec’s skyline, the massive-domed church locals affectionately call La Sabatina is relatively new to the scene. It was originally meant for the private garden chapel in a 19th-century home. When that home was later destroyed, the little chapel was converted to a medical dispensary, which it remains to this day. A newer, flashier La Sabatina was built in 1941 and is known for a slightly modern interior dripping in stained glass.
The Parroquía de San Miguel Arcangel is a centerpoint of the neighborhood. (vladimix/CC BY-SA 2.0)
Parroquia San Miguel Arcángel: Even though planning for San Miguel Chapultepec’s most important parish church started in 1891, it took decades to build, largely due to interruptions related to the Mexican Revolution. In 1948 it took the form we see today and while it’s often overlooked in favor of La Sabatina, it remains the religious core of not just the neighborhood, but also 99 churches spread throughout Miguel Hidalgo, Cuajimalpa and Cuauhtémoc.
Casa Gilardi: If a swimming pool in your living room is next on your list of home improvements, don’t break ground until you check out Luis Barragán’s design masterpiece. As expected, his flirtations with light and texture make for an inspiring house tour full of color and expertly-measured lines. Reservations are required and must be made well in advance.
Patricia Conde Galería: Photography nuts are sure to enjoy a spin through Patricia Conde’s minimalist gallery. At present, it is the “only Mexican gallery currently promoting photographic practices” and showcases stunning photo exhibits from both international and Mexican creatives.
Pisotres: The lively shop that sits atop Le Laboratoire art gallery houses a curated selection of artisanal products and contemporary design items. Emphasis is on local craftsmanship, and its range of products reflect the neighborhood’s artistic personality.
Las Canastas: A neighborhood like San Miguel Chapultepec wouldn’t be complete without a cozy little organic supermarket for the health-conscious. In here you can find a variety of items, from candles to soaps to pesticide-free peppers and grass-fed beef. It’s also a nice place to pick up small, but thoughtful, gifts en route to your next dinner party.
Where to eat in San Miguel Chapultepec
Marne Panadería: Does the aroma of freshly baked artisanal breads and pastries captivate you as much as me? If so, this local gem is a place to park, boasting the added benefit of dog watching while sipping on a freshly filtered Oaxacan coffee.
Galería RGR opened its doors in 2018. (Galería RGR)
Mari Gold: Mexican-Indian fusion? Yes, please. Chefs Norma Listman and Saqib Keval crafted a unique menu of seasonal scones, seekh kebabs, and pancakes with passion fruit butter that brunch enthusiasts gobble up with fervor. The space itself is small but bright, inviting both locals from around the corner and visitors from international destinations.
Barrón: This daytime establishment is stylish and vibrant, serving up a mouthwatering fusion of regional flavors in plates that are as tasty as they are pretty. An energetic atmosphere attracts an upbeat, local crowd in search of the neighborhood’s best breakfast.
Casa Rebollar: Casa Rebollar’s colorful dishes are touted as healthy, though with pizza on the menu, I’m not so sure. Regardless, the restaurant is cute and the outdoor dining is charming, as are its Instagram-worthy culinary designs that look almost too delicate to eat.
Madereros: Both an art gallery and culinary adventure, Madereros is the place to go when only steak will do. Enjoy the creative-yet-hearty dishes that chef Mario Espinosa injects with a Mexican flair. The interior alone is worth a visit, its red walls adorned with snappy artwork combine nicely with dark wooden floors and arched brick ceilings.
Brutal Vinata de Barrio: This just might be the perfect wine bar. The crowd is fashionable but chill, the food is creative but recognizable, and the wine list is beyond extensive. From the music to the design, everything about this place is seductive and ideal for a date or some drinks with friends.
One hidden gem
The dreamy garden patio and very Mexican decor inside The Green Park boutique hotel is a perfect floral oasis. Relax over a fresh orange juice in the morning sun after a Sunday bike ride on Paseo de la Reforma.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
The refinery in Deer Park, Texas was acquired by Pemex in 2021. (Cuartoscuro)
A gas leak at Pemex’s refinery in Texas claimed the lives of two workers and hospitalized 13 more, the state oil company’s CEO said Friday.
Víctor Rodríguez Padilla, the newly appointed Pemex boss, told President Claudia Sheinbaum’s press conference that a hydrogen sulfide leak occurred Thursday at the Deer Park refinery near Houston.
Víctor Rodríguez Padilla is the newly appointed CEO of Pemex. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
“It’s completely harmful to [human] health,” he said, noting that a total of 35 people — excluding the deceased — were affected.
“It is extremely flammable and highly toxic,” the agency says on its website, noting that the gas is used in a number of industries including oil refining and mining.
Rodríguez told reporters that the hospitalized refinery workers are in “good health,” but will remain under medical care for 24 hours as a precaution.
Emergency services on the scene after the leak was reported at the Deer Park refinery. (Screen capture/KHOU News)
The Pemex CEO said that the bodies of the two deceased workers couldn’t be recovered until Friday morning because the part of the refinery where they died remained contaminated “for some hours.”
“After the gas dissipated we were able to go into the area. … Those who died aren’t Pemex workers,” he said, explaining that they worked for a maintenance company that provides an “external service” to the refinery.
Pemex said in a statement on Thursday that the gas leak occurred at 4:40 p.m. on Thursday in one of the refinery’s processing units.
“Emergency protocols were immediately activated,” the state company said, adding that local authorities were notified of the leak.
The City of Deer Park issued a shelter in place order to residents at 7 p.m. Thursday that was lifted at 9:30 p.m.
“The lift was issued due to air monitoring reports from Harris County Pollution Control … that have revealed no hazardous pollutants within the community,” the City of Deer Park said in a press release.
Rodríguez said that investigations are being carried out to determine the cause of the hydrogen sulfide leak.
The refinery was acquired by Pemex in 2021 and is the company’s only refinery located outside of Mexico. (Pemex Deer Park/Facebook)
“We can’t speculate about the reasons for what happened,” he said.
Rodríguez said that the refinery was only operating at a minimal capacity after Thursday’s accident, but indicated that it was expected to ramp up production soon.
Accidents at Pemex’s refineries in Mexico are fairly common. Just last month, two workers died and another suffered burns in an explosion and fire at the company’s refinery in Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.
While shooting his upcoming move "Frankenstein," Guillermo del Toro, the Mexican auteur discovered a cold and windswept paradise quite unlike his own. (RealGDT/X)
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, celebrated as one of Mexico’s “Three Amigos” alongside directors Alfonso Cuarón and Alejandro Iñárritu, spent his summer in Scotland filming his long-awaited adaptation of “Frankenstein.” Although del Toro has “no direct blood ties” to the country, he took to social media platform X to express feeling a “deep connection” to Scotland’s gloomy glens and gothic nature.
Posting selfies in graveyards and second-hand bookshops in “Embra” — as he nicknamed Edinburgh, the country’s capital — what most captured my imagination was del Toro’s stream of posts about a haunted hotel room in my birthplace of Aberdeenshire.
From left to right: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro and Emmanuel Lubezki (RealGDT/X)
Guillermo takes Scotland
Del Toro, who claims he “always stays in the most haunted room,” revealed that despite “high hopes”, he has never yet encountered anything supernatural. This time, however, the 19th-century castle where he was staying — already abandoned by one producer for its “oppressive vibe” — seemed promising.
Whilst del Toro fed his monster-loving audience with promises of discovering the “something’” lurking in the room, locals focused on catching a glimpse of “Frankenstein”’s star-studded cast, including Jacob Elordi, Oscar Isaac and the appropriately named Mia Goth. Trish, the manager of the local Post Office, became a minor social media sensation in her own right after demanding to see the sultry actor Charles Dance, saying: “I’ve asked for him to be sent here immediately!”
In the hypothetical Venn diagram comparing Mexico and Scotland, it seems right that a healthy slice of the crossover should be reserved for Guillermo del Toro’s Netflix adaptation of “Frankenstein.” While Mary Shelley’s iconic novel is set largely in Switzerland, its themes of resurrection and hubris feel at home in Scotland, where science and the macabre have long gone hand-in-hand.
Ancestral callings may also be at play in this merging of influences: del Toro hinted that his sudden passion for Gaelic life could stem from Irish lineage on his mother’s side, and between two cultures that share important ‘threshold’ festivals — Mexico’s Día de los Muertos and Samhain, the Celtic precursor to Halloween — there’s fertile ground for the tale of a creature pacing the liminal space between this life and the next.
Del Toro is the Oscar-winning director behind films like “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “The Shape of Water” and “Pinocchio.”
Del Toro, who has described himself as a “death groupie” and spent over a decade trying to get this project off the ground, called “Frankenstein”a film he would “kill to make. The high priest of the ostracized, his supernatural societal rejects often remain as deeply human, as their ‘real’ counterparts.
In “Pan’s Labyrinth,” eleven-year-old Ofelia escapes the brutal reality of 1930s Francoist Spain through a sprawling kingdom under her house. In “The Shape of Water,” mute janitor Elisa Esposito begins a romance with an amphibious creature imprisoned by the U.S. government in a Cold War-era Baltimore laboratory.
Set against Mussolini’s interwar Italy, the idols we revere are brought down to scale in “Pinocchio”as del Toro pushes the point that we should be ourselves to be recognized as valid for who we are. At one point the ostracized puppet, looking up at an effigy of Christ in a church, asks “He’s made of wood too. Why do they like him and not me?”.
In del Toro’s uncanny modern-day worlds, overshadowed by authoritarian rule, the Other leaks into and swamps long-held rationale and institutional beliefs. His villains are often those who worship at the altar of man-made power structures, such as “The Shape of Water”’s Strickland, a square-jawed everyman who drives a Cadillac, or the Franco loyalists in “The Devil’s Backbone,” who are more concerned with finding a stash of gold hidden on the grounds of their orphanage rather than the ghost of a boy haunting the premises.
The Frankenstein crew hard at work.
Victor Frankenstein, a scientist blinded by ego, constructs a creature who, like many of del Toro’s antiheroes, exists outside society’s understanding of what a real person should be. Del Toro views imperfection as “one of the most beautiful things,” and is said by his friend Alfonso Cuaron to bring his beloved characters close to the afterlife as a way of “bringing them peace”.
For a filmmaker brought up under the sweltering sun of Guadalajara, del Toro has a chilled Celtic sensibility that, in “Frankenstein,” might fuse Mexico and Scotland’s twinned links with the afterlife. Like Victor Frankenstein, the director is a master of soaking up ideas from the undergrowth and breathing new life into them, resurrecting and reconstructing the outsider to be a distorted but no less realistic reflection of ourselves.
Bettine is from the Highlands of Scotland and now lives in Mexico City, working in film development at The Lift, Mexico’s leading independent audiovisual production company.
MND writer Peter Davies samples Fonda Margarita's tried-and-true take on the Mexican fonda, a humble mom-and-pop eatery offering traditional Mexican dishes. (photos by Peter Davies)
I’m a big fan of Anthony Bourdain, so if I get a chance to eat somewhere he ate and/or drank I’ll take it.
I’ve ticked off a few of those places in Mexico City: Los Cocuyos, a hole-in-the-wall taco joint in the historic center; Cantina La Mascota, a downtown drinking (and eating) den; El Huequito, famous for its tacos al pastor.
Fonda Margarita, located in Mexico City’s Del Valle neighborhood, has been feeding generations of satisfied residents. One taste and you’ll know why.
I recently returned to another of Bourdain’s CDMX haunts: Fonda Margarita, a humble but beloved old-school breakfast-only diner in the Del Valle neighborhood that opens — and closes — early.
My niece, who was visiting from Australia; my wife, a Mexico City native; and I arrived fairly early on a weekday morning, but the place was already packed — a good sign for any eating establishment.
While we waited, we scanned the menu, and we had more or less decided what we’d order by the time we took our seats on a communal table between a pair of men in suits and two casually dressed chilangos.
As two elderly gents strummed their guitars and sang from one corner of the fonda, a waiter appeared to take our order.
Soon enough, we had in front of us the following to share: cerdo en salsa verde (pork in green sauce); bistec en salsa pasilla (beef in pasilla chile sauce); chicharrón en salsa verde (pork rinds in green sauce); frijoles con huevo (beans with egg); tortillas, of course; café de olla (coffee sweetened with unrefined cane sugar and spiced with cinammon); and jugo de naranja (orange juice).
The meat dishes — served straight from giant earthenware pots called cazuelas — were all great. Tender meat, a good amount of heat in the salsas — this is homestyle Mexican cooking done extremely well. Make your taco, take a bite and enjoy the bliss.
It pays to arrive early at Fonda Margarita, or you might find a line out the door.
There are also daily specials — carnero (mutton) en salsa verde and manitas de cerdo en jitomate (pigs’ feet in a tomato-based sauce) on Thursdays, for example.
For the less adventurous, there are egg dishes every day, chicken breasts, beef ribs and the classic and hearty Mexican breakfast that is chilaquiles. Yes, most of this is not light breakfast food.
Still, after savoring everything we initially ordered, we found room for a churro each, edging our satisfaction up an additional notch.
“I cannot explain that,” responds Martín, one of Bourdain’s two Mexican dining companions and a regular at Fonda Margarita since childhood.
“Probably that it’s normal, ordinary Mexican food that your mother [makes],” Martín concludes.
If you don’t have a Mexican mother, or grandmother, to cook for you (or even if you do), and if you’re in Mexico City, I’d certainly recommend sitting down to breakfast at Fonda Margarita.
* Fonda Margarita is located at Adolfo Prieto 1364 B, Colonia Tlacoquemécatl Del Valle. See the location on Google Maps here. The closest metro station is Hospital 20 de Noviembre, a 12-minute walk away, according to Google Maps.
Fonda Margarita opens at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday to Sunday and closes at midday. You can check the full menu (in Spanish, with prices) here.
Senators approved the constitutional reform on Wednesday, with some supporters displaying signs touting the minimum wage increases made under former President López Obrador. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais/Cuartoscuro)
The Senate on Wednesday approved a constitutional reform bill aimed at ensuring that annual increases to Mexico’s minimum wage are higher than the prevailing inflation rate.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the proposal last month. To be signed into law, the bill must be ratified by at least 17 of Mexico’s 32 state legislatures, a requirement that will easily be met.
The bill also establishes that the salaries earned by teachers, police officers, members of the National Guard and armed forces, as well as doctors and nurses cannot be below the average wage of workers registered with the Mexican Social Security Institute.
That will ensure that the aforementioned workers earn at least 16,777 pesos (US $862) per month. Some workers, including teachers and police officers, will receive significant raises after the bill is promulgated.
The minimum wage nearly tripled during the administration led by former President López Obrador. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
President Claudia Sheinbaum said last week that she would like to see annual increases of around 12% during her period in government. Increases are set by the National Minimum Wage Commission after consultation with employers and unions.
Morena party Senator Óscar Cantón Zetina said Wednesday that it was a “historic” day for the nation’s workers because their wages “will no longer fall victim to inflation.”
Workers’ wages previously lost their purchasing power because they were affected by “pernicious inflation,” he said.
According to the national statistics agency INEGI, around 40% of Mexico’s workforce earns the minimum wage or less. Many Mexicans work in the country’s vast informal sector, which doesn’t guarantee the minimum or provide any benefits to workers.
While opposition senators supported the bill, some said that additional reforms are required to support workers who aren’t even guaranteed the minimum, namely those who work in the informal sector.
Some legislators noted that many Mexicans work in the informal sector and will not benefit from minimum wage increases. (Magdalena Montiel/Cuartoscuro)
Institutional Revolutionary Party Senator Claudia Anaya noted that informal sector workers don’t have access to employment benefits either, and declared that the Congress should do something to help them as well.
Morena and its allies have a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies and a virtual supermajority in the Senate, putting them in a strong position to approve a raft of constitutional reform proposals López Obrador sent to Congress in early 2024.
The ex-president promulgated the judicial reform and the GN reform before he left office last week.
In the Mexico City borough of Xochimilco, which has many cempasúchil farmers, recent intense rains left 80% of crops temporarily under water. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
The yellow-orange cempasúchil, or marigold flower, that adorns Day of the Dead altars in Mexico could be in short supply this year as heavy rains have flooded fields and greenhouses in various growing regions, including the Xochimilco borough in Mexico City.
Growers in Xochimilco say they could lose up to 50% of their cempasúchil crop after intense rains left about 80% of their flowers under water. One grower told the newspaper El Universal that he’d lost 20,000 of his 25,000 plants.
The crop damage couldn’t come at a worse time, just as Mexico is gearing up for Day of the Dead celebrations. The Mexican marigold is a must-have adornment at family gravesites and altars. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
El Universal reported that the total cash value of the lost cempasúchil crop — the primary income for many families in Xochimilco — comes to about 500,000 pesos (approximately US $25,600).
The Mexico City growers were not the only ones hard-hit by heavy rains. According to newspaper El Financiero, the states of Guerrero, Michoacán, Oaxaca and Puebla have also seen damage to their cempasúchil crops.
This will mean higher prices for the flowers this season.
Last year, the flowers cost approximately 4 or 5 pesos each, but this year consumers might have to pay up to 7 pesos per flower, according to Cuauhtémoc Rivera, a representative of the National Small Business Alliance (ANPEC) who spoke to El Financiero.
The weather agency Meteored warned of the impact of climate change on the flower crop back in June just as cempasúchil planting season was getting underway.
“Variations in temperature and precipitation patterns could alter cultivation cycles and affect the quality of the flowers,” Meteored reported, warning that climate change could endanger the profitability of cempasúchil production and gradually reduce suitable areas for cultivation.
The weather agency Meteored issued a warning in June that climate change was likely to harm this year’s cempasúchil crop, and could continue to be an annual problem. (Screen capture)
Mexico is one of the world’s primary producers of the flower, known taxonomically as tagetes erecta with Puebla, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán, Morelos and Oaxaca among the top growing states.
Last year, growers in Mexico dedicated about 2,448 hectares to cempasúchil cultivation, a portion of which is exported to the United States and Europe.
Farmers in Mexico have been taking steps to address the challenges presented by climate change, Meteored said by adapting new, more resilient cultivation techniques and working to create more resistant varieties.
Still, some farmers have been forced to sell off parcels of land, as they face increases in costs of production and labor.
During the early months of the Sheinbaum administration, federal authorities have raided stores selling counterfeit and illegally imported Chinese goods. (Shutterstock)
The path to the United States goes through Mexico for a growing number of Chinese citizens.
United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents encountered 35,093 Chinese citizens at the U.S.-Mexico border between October 1, 2023 — when the current U.S. fiscal year began — and July 2024.
An article published in the migration-focused digital magazine of Mexico’s Interior Ministry (Segob) highlighted that the figure represents an increase of more than 1,600% compared to the 1,970 Chinese citizens detected crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2022.
In fiscal year 2023, the number of CBP encounters at the U.S. southern border with Chinese citizens increased 1,121% to 24,048, before increasing 46% in the current fiscal year (excluding data for August and September).
Mexican data on Chinese migrants who entered Mexico irregularly also shows an increase of over 1,000% between 2022 and 2023. Between 2019 and 2023, the increase was a whopping 42,367%.
The article published in Segob’s magazine said that the objective of most Chinese people who enter Mexico without going through official immigration channels — mainly via the country’s border with Guatemala — is to get to the United States.
Many irregular Chinese migrants enter Mexico on their way to the U.S. (Shutterstock)
An article published by the Wilson Center in March said that many Chinese who arrive at the United States southern border “claim political asylum, citing fears of President Xi Jinping’s authoritarian rule and the experience of draconian zero-COVID policies.”
“Many also express skepticism of the Chinese economy and fears of eventually being cast into poverty,” it added.
The article in the Segob magazine, written by Juan Bermúdez Lobera and María de los Ángeles Calderón San Martín, also noted that the number of irregular migrants in Mexico from other Asian countries, including India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, increased significantly between 2022 and 2023, although not to the extent that Chinese migration increased.
Mexico’s Chinese-born population has surged this century
Regular Chinese migration to Mexico has also increased significantly in recent years.
Federal government data shows that 5,070 Chinese citizens received temporary or permanent resident status in Mexico last year.
That figure represents an increase of 101% compared to the 2,517 residency cards issued to Chinese people in 2022.
According to an estimate in the article in Segob’s magazine, 5,872 residency cards will be issued to Chinese citizens this year. That would represent a 16% increase compared to 2023.
Segob estimates that close to 5,900 Chinese citizens will receive Mexican residency this year. (Shutterstock)
So far this year, the only countries whose citizens have been issued more temporary residence permits than Chinese people are the United States and Colombia.
The aforementioned article attributed the increase in Chinese residents in Mexico to growing trade and investment ties between China and Mexico as well as cultural and family reasons. Mexico is benefiting — and hopes to benefit a lot more — from the relocation of companies from China as part of the nearshoring trend.
In 2000, just 1,847 Chinese-born people were legal residents of Mexico, according to the census conducted that year. By the time the 2020 census was carried out, that number had risen 471% to 10,547. Close to 40% of that number were living in Mexico City.
Based on data pertaining to the issuance of residency cards between 2021 and 2024, the number of Chinese residents in Mexico is now around double the 2020 number.
In their article, Bermúdez and Calderón highlighted that there are more Chinese people living in Mexico than citizens of any other Asian country.
A search for freedom and opportunity
The Associated Press reported last month that many Chinese immigrants to Mexico “have hopes to start businesses, … taking advantage of Mexico’s proximity to the U.S.”
Others work for Chinese multinational companies that have a growing presence here.
AP also said that “others are leaving China in search of greater freedoms.”
One such person is 50-year-old Tan, who came to Mexico City from the Chinese province of Guangdong this year and found work at a Sam’s Club store.
In China, he said he could feel “the political regression, the retreat of freedom and democracy.”
“The implications of that truly make people feel twisted and sick. So, life is very painful,” Tan told AP.
In Mexico City, “what caught his attention … were the the protests that often pack the city’s main avenues,” the Associated Press reported. “Proof, he said, that the freedom of expression he longs for exists in this country.”
* Mexico News Daily regularly reports on growing ties between Mexico and China, with a particular emphasis on trade and investment. Here are some of our previous articles.
Royal Caribbean promised that its investment in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, will bring a total of 3,000 jobs to the area, between construction and long-term operations positions. (Mara Lezama/X)
Royal Caribbean announced it will invest over US $600 million to bring its Perfect Day concept for its cruise ship guests to the port of Mahahual, in southern Quintana Roo.
Dubbed Perfect Day Mexico, the project will involve an expansion of Mahahual’s port dock and the construction of amenities exclusive to Royal Caribbean guests who disembark in Mahahual for the day. The amenities will range from slides, international restaurants, infinity pools, beaches, and adults-only areas.
Among Mahahual’s attractions is the Mahuahual Reef, the world’s second largest barrier reef and part of the Mesoamerican Reef system. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
The experience will be similar to that at Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day CocoCay site, which the company already operates on a private, uninhabited island in the Bahamas.
“We are very excited that Royal Caribbean has decided to invest in Mahahual, a land of opportunity and hard-working people,” Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama said during the announcement ceremony in the state. “I am sure that guests will be marveled by the beauties that southern Quintana Roo has to offer, but, most importantly, the kindness of our people.”
According to official data, Mahahual received the second highest number of cruise ship tourists in Mexico in the first quarter of the year, after Cozumel. The former saw 207 cruise ship arrivals and 844,087 tourists while the latter saw 520 cruise ships and 1.81 million passengers.
One of the cruise ships that arrived in Mahahual this year was the Icon of the Seas — recently named the world’s biggest cruise ship — and also owned by Royal Caribbean.
Perfect Day Mexico will join the Royal Beach Club Cozumel, set to begin operations in 2026. The company said in a statement that Perfect Day Mexico “will be a hallmark of Royal Caribbean vacations,” introducing new adventures in the western Caribbean.
“With travelers prioritizing unique experiences and destinations driving their booking decisions, we’re excited to expand our Perfect Day Collection by creating Perfect Day Mexico to super serve guests who want to explore the Western Caribbean,” said Jason Liberty, CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group.
Quintana Roo Gov. Mara Lezama, sixth from left, announced the Mahahual investment with Michael Bayley, CEO of Royal Caribbean International, center, on Tuesday. (Mara Lezama/X)
With a daily capacity of 21,000 guests, the region is expected to grow from 2.6 million visitors in the first year, to over 5 million by 2033. Plans also include linking the site to the Maya Train route and cultural attractions.
To ensure the project’s positive social impact, Quintana Roo’s Agency for Strategic Projects, as well as the University of Quintana Roo, will collaborate on the project. Royal Caribbean has promised environmentally sustainable facilities, including a dedicated water treatment plant and a reverse-osmosis system to provide a self-sustaining drinking water supply.
Jay Schneider, head of product innovation for Royal Caribbean International, said the entire complex will create 3,000 jobs, of which at least 1,000 will be in the construction phase. The rest will be jobs tied to the complex’s operation.
A new study out of Barcelona posits that Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who suffered from severe chronic pain much of her life, was a victim of the rare condition known as Cauda Equina Syndrome. (fridakahlo.org)
Researchers at the Guttmann Institute in Barcelona have posthumously diagnosed the medical condition that Mexican artist and icon Frida Kahlo suffered from, a rare neurological condition called Cauda Equina Syndrome(CES), which the researchers say was caused by traumatic injury.
“The diagnosis of cauda equina syndrome, particularly in historical patients like Kahlo, can shed light on their experiences and the effects on their lives,” said Dr. Hatice Kumru, a neurologist at the Guttmann Institute and lead author of the study, which was published in the Journal of Neurology in September.
Researchers at the Guttmann Institute in Barcelona, Spain, believe the severe injuries she suffered in a bus accident at age 18 caused the syndrome, also known as CES. (Institut Guttman)
Kahlo is regarded as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century, and in 2021, one of her paintings sold for US $34.88 million at auction, a record at the time for any Latin American artist. Her experience of illness and suffering was a pervasive theme in her often autobiographical works of art.
When Kahlo (1907–1954) was six years old, she was diagnosed with polio, which left her with permanent damage — her right leg was shorter and weaker than her left.
When she was 18, she survived a severe bus accident that left her disabled — a long metal rod tore through her midsection when her bus slammed into a trolley car. She suffered multiple fractures in her pelvis, ribs, shoulders and spine.
Due to the accident, she endured chronic pain and fragile health for the rest of her life. Her injuries and paralysis at times left her confined to bed, and she often wore an orthopedic corset.
Medical documents from that time speculated Kahlo’s pain was the result of fractures, immobilization, postpolio syndrome or spina bifida. But this new research suggests a more specific cause behind her symptoms.
CES is a syndrome caused by an injury to the nerve roots in the lower part of the spinal cord.The cauda equina nerves communicate with the legs and bladder, and CES can cause back pain, weakness and incontinence. If not properly treated, it can lead to permanent damage, including paralysis.
Despite eight surgeries after her accident, Kahlo was bedridden at various times in her life and often wore an orthopedic corset, the latter of which may have worsened her condition, according to the study. (fridakahlo.org)
Kahlo’s medical documents show she suffered severe back pain, fatigue and genital discomfort. Between 1946 and 1950, she underwent eight surgeries, but her chronic pain persisted. She was also unable to bear children, which was a recurring theme in her paintings.
Kahlo’s personal physician, Dr. Leo Eloesser, documented her ongoing symptoms, including diminished sensitivity in the lower part of her body and worsening pain in her right leg. According to the researchers, this loss of feeling, coupled with the intense neuropathic pain she endured, matches the pattern of symptoms associated with CES.
The Guttmann Institute also concluded that Kahlo’s use of orthopedic corsets may have worsened her condition, as they can lead to muscle atrophy by impairing movement.
