Carlos Alberto Monsiváis Treviño is believed to be the head or second in command of the notoriously violent Northeast Cartel (CDN), which operates in northern Mexico. (Twitter)
Carlos Alberto Monsiváis “Bola” Treviño, reported by some news outlets as the No. 1 man in the powerful Northeast Cartel, has been arrested in Tamaulipas in a joint operation of the Mexican Army and National Guard.
According to the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), the Monday afternoon arrest took place without incident due to the operation’s secrecy. It reportedly occurred in a neighborhood of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, 2 kilometers from the U.S.-Mexico border.
The news site Infobae reported that Mexican authorities arrested Treviño on Monday in this Nuevo Laredo neighborhood, known as Pedregal Residencial. (Google Maps)
As of Wednesday afternoon, the suspect was in FGR custody in Mexico City, where he was presented before a public prosecutor at the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime (FEMDO).
At the time of publication, it is unknown what specifically led to his arrest, but it is speculated he could be charged with crimes such as homicides, kidnappings and extortion.
Meanwhile, U.S. Border Patrol agents in Laredo, Texas, have been bracing for violence following the capture.
A safety alert from the Laredo Sector Intelligence Unit (part of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office) said the arrest “may increase the risk of cross-border violence in the form of retaliatory attacks.” An image of the alert was shared on the X account of journalist Ali Bradley.
Border Patrol agents were warned to use caution when encountering “undocumented persons of military age along the border since Cartel del Noreste [Northeast Cartel, or CDN] fighters could try to flee to the United States.”
Nicknamed “Bola Treviño” and “Comandante Bola,” Treviño has been identified by various investigations and journalistic reports as one of the main leaders of the CDN.
NEW: The arrest of a high-ranking member of the Cartel del Noreste (CDN) prompts Border Patrol to alert agents of the potential for an increase in “cross-border violence in the form of retaliatory attacks.”
Journalist Ali Bradley of the media outlet NewsNation posted on her X account an image of what she said was an alert sent to U.S. Border Patrol agents in Laredo, Texas, warning them of possible retaliatory violence along the Mexico-U.S. border due to Laredo’s proximity to Nuevo Laredo and the possibility of Northeast Cartel members fleeing into the U.S.
The newspaper El Universal called him “the second most important man” in the cartel, but Reforma said “he became the leader” after the 2022 arrest of his cousin, Juan Jesús “El Huevo” Treviño Chávez.
The cartel is known for drug trafficking and human trafficking and for the violent tactics it uses to control territory, smuggling routes and operations in its sphere of influence. Over the past two years, CDN has been involved in a violent war with the Gulf Cartel (CDG), which also has influence in the region.
CDN is said to operate in Nuevo León, Coahuila and Zacatecas in addition to Tamaulipas and is allegedly in an alliance with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
According to Reforma and reports published elsewhere, Treviño gained a level of notoriety when he was identified as the mastermind behind a video in which his cartel (Los Zetas at that time) denied financing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s first presidential run in 2006.
Treviño was imprisoned in México state from 2010 to 2022; however, a judge ordered his release because of irregularities during his arrest.
Cars with graffiti stating the abbreviation for the Northeast Cartel. The notoriously violent organized crime group controls cartel territory in four northern Mexico states. (@loma__indomable/X)
Treviño belongs to a lineage with many connections to organized crime. He is the nephew of the brothers Miguel Ángel Morales (alias “Z-40”) and Omar Treviño Morales (alias “Z-42”), two former leaders of the Los Zetas cartel currently imprisoned and with extradition proceedings pending.
CDN is reportedly a splinter group of Los Zetas, which itself originated as the enforcement arm of the Gulf Cartel in the late 1990s. Originally, Los Zetas was said to be composed primarily of former Mexican Army special forces members, and the group became known for its ruthlessly violent tactics.
The split between CDN and Los Zetas reportedly occurred in 2010 after the arrest of key Los Zetas leaders, including the man who was nabbed again this week, Carlos Monsiváis Treviño.
To mark Mexico's upcoming Independence Day, the city government unveiled a huge display of several light mosaics Tuesday, featuring patriotic images. The centerpiece is arguably this image of an eagle with a serpent in its beak, Mexico's national symbol. (Government of Mexico City)
Mexico City is set to celebrate the 214th anniversary of Mexico’s independence on Sept. 16 with a series of enormous lighting displays installed at the capital’s Zócalo.
Mexico City’s Public Works and Services Minister Jesús Esteva explained that the light mosaics for the 2024 national holidays pay tribute to Mexico’s historical memory.
The display also features illuminated images of major figures in Mexico’s independence and revolutionary history. (Government of Mexico City)
“This year, we have 12 luminous mosaics on tricolor bands,” he said.
The light displays include images of leading historical figures, including key figures of Mexico’s independence movement such as Miguel Hidalgo and Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapata and Latin America’s first Indigenous president, Benito Juárez, among others. The Mexica god Quetzalcóatl is also represented.
But the centerpiece of the light show is a three-dimensional, 16-meter-tall figure of an eagle devouring a snake — one of Mexico’s three national symbols.
“Remembering our past reaffirms our national identity and sovereignty,” Mexico City’s mayor Martí Batres said on X along with a video showing clips from the display’s inauguration.
President López Obrador performing “El Grito” or “The Cry for Independence” during Independence Day festivities in Mexico City’s Zócalo in 2023. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
Buildings in and around the Zócalo have also been decorated with the luminous images, including the Edificio de Gobierno (the capital’s city hall), the Museo Virreinal (the city’s historic city hall), and the Portal de Mercaderes (a space for merchant businesses that has existed since the Spanish colonial era).
Furthermore, lighting displays have been placed at other iconic locations in Mexico City, including Reforma Avenue, Insurgentes Avenue, 20 de Noviembre Avenue and the side street that connects with the nearby Plaza de la República.
The Public Works and Services Ministry (Sobse) said that for this year’s display, they used 32,000 colored LED lights. Powering the display requires 20,000 meters of power cables, the ministry said.
To mark the occasion, Sinaloa’s Banda MS will perform a free concert in the Zócalo after President Andrés Manuel López Obrador performs the traditional Independence Day ceremony, the Grito de Independenciaor “cry for independence” — frequently referred to as “El Grito” — on the night of Sept. 15. In addition, a Mixe band from Oaxaca will also perform. The whole event will be broadcast on Mexico’s major television stations.
The Grito commemorates the call to Mexicans to take up arms against their colonial Spanish rulers, which was issued in a speech by revolutionary figure and Catholic priest Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla on Sept. 16, 1810 in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato.
One of Mexico’s Independence Day traditions is that the nation’s sitting president publicly recreates Hidalgo y Costilla’s historic speech from the balcony of the National Palace in the Zócalo, ringing a bell like Father Hidalgo did to gather Mexicans. The president also leads citizens gathered in the Zócalo in exuberant proclamations featuring the names of Mexico’s independence leaders, ending with “¡Viva Mexico!”
This year’s Grito will be President López Obrador’s last, as President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum takes office in October.
Earlier this year, the president announced that his last public political act before handing over the presidential sash on Oct. 1 to President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum would be his performance of the Grito. López Obrador has vowed to retire from political life to his home in Chiapas after his presidency ends.
He will present the presidential sash — and the reins of power — to Sheinbaum in a traditional inauguration ceremony at the Palacio de San Lázaro, the seat of the federal Congress.
If the deal were to close, Liverpool and the Nordstrom family would own 49.9% and 50.1% of Nordstrom’s capital stock, respectively. (Shutterstock)
Mexican retail giant El Puerto de Liverpool (Liverpool) has offered a buyout bid to U.S. retailer Nordstrom, seeking to increase its stake in the company to 49.9% with an investment of at least US $1.23 billion.
El Puerto de Liverpool, owner of the department store brands Liverpool and Suburbia, already owns about 9.9% of Nordstrom’s stock. In September 2022, it acquired the company’s shares as part of a geographic diversification strategy.
The move prompted Nordstrom to activate what is known as a “poison pill” in an effort to protect its shareholders from a hostile takeover.
Two years later, Liverpool is now part of a “win-win” plot that would make it a part owner of the U.S. retail chain. Members of the Nordstrom family are teaming up with Liverpool to buy 100% of Nordstrom and take the company – which was taken public in 1971 – private.
Liverpool’s part of the buyout would require an investment of at least US $1.23 billion. (El Puerto de Liverpool)
On Tuesday, CEO Erik B. Nordstrom published a letter to the board of directors stating that the Nordstrom family members own about 33.4% of the company’s outstanding common stock and are willing to offer investors US $23 for each share they own. With around 163.65 million shares outstanding, the buyout bid values Nordstrom at US $3.76 billion.
In a statement to the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV), Liverpool said, “The transaction is subject to Nordstrom and the negotiating parties reaching a definitive merger agreement.” If the deal were to close, Liverpool and the Nordstrom family would own 49.9% and 50.1% of Nordstrom’s capital stock, respectively.
The offer represents a nearly 35% premium to Nordstrom’s share price since March 18, when media reports of the proposed transaction first emerged. The retailer’s stock has rallied this year and was trading at just over US $23 on Wednesday.
“That the Nordstrom family have made an offer to buy the department store chain comes as no surprise,” Neil Saunders, managing director of the analytics and consulting company GlobalData, told the Associated Press. Nordstrom family members previously bid to buy out the brand in June 2017 for $50 a share.
The buyout would be financed through rollover equity and cash commitments by the Nordstrom family and Liverpool, as well as US $250 million in new bank financing.
“The lack of any real premium would, under normal circumstances, make the offer unattractive,” Saunders continued. “However, as a family-run firm the dynamics are slightly different, and it will be up to an independent committee to determine whether this is in the best interests of the company and its investors.”
As per the details shared by Liverpool, the Mexican company appointed a special committee of independent directors to assess the proposal, which involves a merger between Nordstrom and a U.S. subsidiary of a newly established entity owned by Liverpool and the Nordstrom family.
This isn’t the first time Liverpool has been involved in a commercial operation with a U.S. company. In 2023, Toys “R” Us parent company WHP Global announced it would launch the U.S. toy brand in Mexico for the first time in alliance with Liverpool.
Salazar also said there is "very strong cooperation" between U.S. and Mexican authorities regarding the case of Israel Zambada and "Los Chapitos." (X)
United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar reaffirmed on Tuesday that alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader Ovidio Guzmán López — one of the sons of convicted drug baron Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera — remains in prison in the United States.
Two of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s four sons — collectively nicknamed “Los Chapitos” — are in United States custody. Ivan Guzmán Salazar (far left) and Alfredo Guzmán Salazar (second to right) remain at large.
Publicly available records of the U.S. Federal Bureau of Prisons show that he was released on that date, but Salazar said on July 26 that he was able to “confirm that Ovidio Guzmán López remains in custody in the United States.”
The newspaper Milenio, citing unnamed security sources, said in a report on Tuesday that “a person” — in this case, an accused criminal — can only enter a witness protection program after their criminal case concludes, and after they have been sentenced and served the sentence they were given.
However, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), “prisoners in a state or federal institution are eligible for participation in the Witness Security Program provided all other criteria are met.”
Thus, Ovidio, who is accused of drug trafficking, money laundering and other charges, could conceivably be in prison — and in the United States Federal Witness Protection Program.
The DOJ says that “a witness may be considered for acceptance into the Witness Security Program if they are an essential witness” in a range of cases, including drug trafficking ones.
Ovidio, and his brother Joaquín, could testify against Zambada, who founded the Sinaloa Cartel with their father, El Chapo, in the 1980s.
El Universal reports that Ovidio is a ‘collaborating witness’ – and in US custody
An updated version of El Universal’s report states that upon becoming a “collaborating witness,” Ovidio “ceased to appear in the prison’s [computer] system but remains under the custody of a United States justice.”
Salazar didn’t confirm or deny the claim that the 34-year-old suspect had entered witness protection.
In Mexico, Joaquín is accused of kidnapping Zambada and forcing him onto the plane that touched down at the Doña Ana County International Jetport in New Mexico. (Rosa Icela Rodríguez/X)
Her remarks suggested that they both planned to collaborate with U.S. authorities.
However, after Joaquín pleaded not guilty to all charges in a Chicago court on July 30, lawyer Jeffrey Lichtman said his client did not have any prior agreement with U.S. authorities.
In Mexico, Joaquín is accused of kidnapping Zambada and forcing him onto the plane that touched down at the Doña Ana County International Jetport in New Mexico.
Will Ovidio appear in court next month?
El Universal initially reported that Ovidio’s case was classified and that he wouldn’t make any public appearances. However, the newspaper’s updated report noted that he is scheduled to appear in court in Chicago on Oct. 1.
Salazar said Tuesday that investigations into the case involving Zambada, Joaquín Guzmán López (and potentially Ovidio as well) are continuing both in the United States and Mexico.
“We have to respect these investigations, but what I can say is that as ambassador I have had very close knowledge of all the dialogue that [the United States] has had with the [Mexican] Federal Attorney General’s Office,” he said.
Salazar noted that he went to El Paso with FGR officials, who inspected the plane that transported Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López to the U.S.
There is “very strong cooperation” between U.S. and Mexican authorities, he said.
Zambada and the two Guzmán López brothers have all pleaded not guilty to the charges they face in the United States. It appears likely that Zambada will face trial in New York, while Los Chapitos are answering charges in the state of Illinois.
The lower house of Congress approved the judicial reform bill on Wednesday, with 359 votes in favor and 135 votes against. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Lawmakers in Mexico’s lower house of Congress approved a controversial constitutional bill on Wednesday morning that seeks to allow Mexican citizens to elect Supreme Court justices and other judges directly.
Deputies with the ruling Morena party and its allies voted in favor of the judicial reform proposal during a marathon session that started on Tuesday afternoon.
López Obrador’s judicial reform proposal has led to protests around Mexico in recent weeks. (Cuartoscuro)
Opposition lawmakers opposed the constitutional bill, which critics argue poses a threat to the independence of Mexico’s judiciary.
The final tally was 359 votes in favor of the reform — just above the two-thirds threshold needed to approve constitutional bills — and 135 votes against.
The bill wasn’t immediately sent to the Senate as lawmakers first approved the bill en lo general, or in a general, broad sense.
However, approval en lo particular — after consideration of individual articles in the reform bill and proposals for modifications — came later on Wednesday morning.
If both houses of Congress approve the reform, and a majority of state legislatures ratify it, Mexicans will elect thousands of judges including all Supreme Court justices next year.
Candidates for the positions will be nominated by the president, the Morena-dominated Congress and the judiciary.
Among other changes the reform bill proposes are:
The reduction of the number of Supreme Court justices to 9 from 11.
The reduction of justices’ terms to 12 years from 15.
The reduction of the experience required to serve as a justice.
The adjustment of salaries so that no judge earns more than the president.
The elimination of the Federal Judiciary Council.
The creation of a Tribunal of Judicial Discipline that could sanction and even fire judges.
Federal court workers on strike Monday in Mexico City. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent the reform proposal to Congress in February, arguing that an overhaul of the judiciary is required to eliminate entrenched corruption. He is a frequent critic of Mexico’s judges, asserting that they serve the interests of Mexico’s elite and “conservative” political parties rather than ordinary people.
Some opposition lawmakers agree that judicial reform is necessary, but are opposed to the direct election of judges. The biggest problem with Mexico’s justice system, many argue, is that police departments and prosecutor’s offices are not functioning as they should.
They, like other judges in Mexico, are currently appointed based on qualifications and experience.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that “although a few countries do allow the election of some judges by popular vote — including the United States, Switzerland and Japan — experts say none of them do it in such a sweeping way as the proposed changes [in Mexico] would.”
‘Mexico is building a justice system that will be an example for the world’
Morena’s leader in the lower house, Ricardo Monreal, asserted Tuesday that the election of Supreme Court justices will give them “the greatest independence imaginable.”
“How can it be asserted that electing judges, magistrates and justices is anti-democratic?” he said during an address in the sports center-cum-legislative chamber.
Monreal also claimed that “Mexico is building a justice system that will be an example for the world.”
Mary Carmen Bernal, a deputy with the Labor Party, a Morena ally, said that the current justice system was inherited from past neoliberal governments and is “expensive, elitist, humiliating, slow, misogynistic, classist, racist and corrupt.”
Morena Deputy Claudia Rivera said “it’s time to write our history” and “honor the popular mandate that demands better justice.”
Morena’s leader in the lower house, Ricardo Monreal, claimed that “Mexico is building a justice system that will be an example for the world.” (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Mariana Benítez, another Morena deputy, said that the aim of the reform is to have impartiality and transparency in the judiciary and to eradicate corruption.
She argued that the replacement of the Federal Judiciary Council is necessary because “this body has not been capable of combating the corruption of judges and magistrates.”
“We told the people that if they voted for us we would approve the reforms of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador,” Monreal said. “… We didn’t fool anyone.”
‘It’s not true that all judges are corrupt’
Deputy Germán Martínez Cázares of the National Action Party (PAN) argued that the reform would unnecessarily impose “a sentence” on the entire judicial power.
“It’s not true that all judges are corrupt,” he said.
“Where are the complaints? The judges haven’t released criminals,” Martínez said.
He also charged that Morena and its allies “don’t deserve to touch the constitution in this way.”
Deputy Pablo Vázquez Ahued of the Citizens Movement (MC) party claimed that Morena is attempting to seize control of the judiciary power with its reform.
He and others argue that the election of judges poses a threat to the separation of powers.
Deputy Pablo Vázquez Ahued of the Citizens Movement (MC) party said the reform opens the door to organized crime in the judiciary. (@VeroDelgadilloG/X)
“What this reform does is replace one oligarchy with another. It also opens the door to organized crime,” Vázquez said, suggesting that cartels and other criminal organizations will be able to hold sway over judicial elections and popularly elected judges.
Juan Zavala, another MC deputy, asserted that the judicial reform is “superficial and capricious,” and the product of a desire for “revenge.”
PAN Deputy Paulina Rubio also claimed that revenge was the motivation for the reform, given that the judiciary during the current term of government “didn’t succumb or bend” to the will of the president.
During López Obrador’s six-year term, the Supreme Court and other courts have handed down numerous decisions against government policies and programs, angering the president.
Opposition lawmakers also opposed the transfer of the legislative session to the Magdalena Mixhuca community recreational center, and argued that its occurrence violated recently-issued court rulings.
Approval of reform ‘very good news,’ says AMLO
AMLO celebrated the Chamber of Deputies’ approval of the judicial reform bill at his Wednesday morning press conference.
“It’s very good news, very good news. It’s now going to the Senate,” he told reporters.
López Obrador, who would like the judicial overhaul to be approved before he leaves office at the end of the month, asserted that there is nothing to worry about as the reform seeks to eliminate corruption in the judiciary and give citizens the opportunity to elect judges, just as they elect their political representatives.
Large numbers of court employees have gone on strike to protest the reform, but AMLO rejects claims that ordinary workers will be adversely affected by his proposal.
The president has defended the reform proposal amid widespread criticism, including from United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, and a negative reaction from financial markets.
AMLO characterized Ambassador Salazar’s criticism of his judicial reform bill as “imprudent” and disrespectful. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
The ambassador also said he believed that “the debate over the direct election of judges … as well as the fierce politics if the elections for judges in 2025 and 2027 were to be approved, will threaten the historic trade relationship we have built, which relies on investors’ confidence in Mexico’s legal framework.”
In a post to the X social media site on Tuesday, President-elect Sheinbaum pointed out that “the people” elect the president and lawmakers.
“If judges, magistrates and justices are elected by the people, where is the authoritarianism?” she asked.
Sheinbaum, who has pledged to build the “second story” of the “transformation” of Mexico that López Obrador claims to have initiated, asserted that the reform will lead to “more democracy, more justice [and] more freedom” in Mexico.
“The reform to the judicial power doesn’t affect our trade relationships or private national and foreign investment,” she said.
“In contrast, there will be an improved rule of law and more democracy for everyone,” Sheinbaum said.
“… Our interest is nothing more than a more democratic and fairer Mexico. That was the popular mandate,” she said.
A Hibiscus margarita looks great on social media - but it tastes even better. (Minimalist Baker)
The Hibiscus-infused Margarita cocktail is the perfect way to show off your refined palate and love for floral flavors, along with a bonus of getting tipsy.
Tequila, lime juice, and triple sec make up the holy trinity of margaritas, but let’s be honest, sometimes you just want more. Enter hibiscus syrup, the trendy third wheel that spices things up with a tart twist. It’s like the cocktail equivalent of wearing an oversized belt buckle — unnecessary but totally making the outfit.
Hibiscus flowers, known in Mexico as Flor de Jamaica, are a Mexican drink classic. (Ikon Aromatics)
The secret ingredient that takes your margarita from “meh” to “magnificent,” hibiscus syrup is made by simmering dried flowers in water, orange peels, and sugar. The syrup works in this recipe because the floral notes pair perfectly with the citric/herbal notes in tequila which you then reinforce with the citric notes of the orange peel. Plus, the stunning ruby-red color it gives your drink. It’s a sweet and tart concoction that proves even your drinks can have a personality complex.
Hibiscus syrup gives your cocktail that “I spent way too much time making this” vibe, but really, it’s just boiling flowers in water and sugar. Congratulations, you’re a mixology genius now!
Hibiscus Infused Margarita
Ingredients:
For the Hibiscus Syrup:
1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers (also known as flor de Jamaica)
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Orange peel of one orange
For the Margarita:
2 oz tequila (preferably blanco)
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz hibiscus syrup
1/2 oz triple sec (or another orange liqueur)
Ice
Salt or sugar for rimming (optional)
Lime wedge and hibiscus flower for garnish
Instructions:
Prepare the Hibiscus Syrup:
In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the dried hibiscus flowers, orange peel, and sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Reduce heat and let it simmer for about 5-10 minutes until the mixture is vibrantly colored and slightly thickened.
Remove from heat and let it cool. Strain out the hibiscus flowers and transfer the syrup to a bottle or jar. Store in the refrigerator.
Make the Margarita:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tequila, fresh lime juice, hibiscus syrup, and triple sec.
Shake like your life depended on it until well chilled.
Serve:
Strain the margarita into a glass filled with ice. You can use a rocks glass or a margarita glass, depending on your preference.
Garnish with a lime wedge and a hibiscus flower.
For those who like their drinks with a side of “I’m tough,” add a salt rim. If you’re feeling sweet, a sugar rim will allow you to pretend this is somehow dessert. Garnish with a lime wedge and a hibiscus flower to make it Instagram-worthy, because, after all, if you didn’t post it, did you even drink it?
Enjoy your intensely colored and tantalizingly tart Hibiscus Infused Margarita and let me know what you think. Salud!
Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.
A new chocolate bar, Lucid Mind, seeks to boost kids' mental health in a form they'll appreciate. (Paola Verde/Tecnológico de Monterrey)
Among our rich variety of animal and plant-based products, Mexico is home to cacao, the key ingredient in chocolate. A beloved treat for children and adults alike, cacao has been used in different products — edible and otherwise — for hundreds of years. Biotechnologist Paulina Faccinetto Beltrán was building on this legacy when she developed Lucid Mind, a chocolate bar designed to enhance children’s cognitive abilities and protect their brain health.
The idea for Lucid Mind originated during Faccinetto’s master’s studies at the Guadalajara campus of the Tecnológico de Monterrey. “My goal was to create a functional food that promotes health,” she shares. “After researching contemporary health issues, I chose to focus on children,” she shares in an interview. The challenge was to create a product that would be good for and liked by children.
The pioneer of Lucid Mind, Paulina Faccineto is a PhD student in Biotechnology at the Tecnológico de Monterrey. (Paola Verde/Tecnológico de Monterrey)
The science behind Lucid Mind
Scientific evidence supports the benefits of chocolate for children, and Faccineto explains that including probiotic compounds in Lucid Mind aims to further enhance these effects. The chocolate bar is also enriched with omega-3 and vitamin D3, which are proven to support mental health. They help improve concentration, boost memory, and reduce attention problems in children.
By choosing milk chocolate as the delivery vehicle, Faccinetto and her team ensure the product is both effective and appealing. What kid wouldn’t love to have a bar of chocolate a day? It’s no coincidence that a bar a day is exactly the recommended dose for this product.
Prioritizing mental health from a young age
When asked why it is so important to safeguard children’s cognitive health from an early age, and if Lucid Mind is an attempt to make children “smarter,” Faccinetto emphasizes that today’s children may face higher risks of depression and dementia as they grow if their memory is not nurtured. Lucid Mind aims to prevent cognitive decline and memory issues later in life by addressing these concerns during childhood.
While it’s natural for memory to decline with age, Faccinetto advocates for early intervention. “We need to address these issues much earlier,” she states. “The goal is not to create child prodigies but to ensure mental well-being. But we will have smarter children and less learning difficulties,” particularly as modern lifestyles — marked by fast-paced, hyper-connected environments — increase stress statistics on younger generations.
Mexico ranks sixth in the world for the number of children who suffer from diabetes, so the idea of supporting children’s health with chocolate is bound to raise eyebrows. When questioned about the potential impact of sugar in Lucid Mind, Faccinetto says that the product is formulated with active probiotic compounds, which not only mitigate any negative effects of sugar but also serve as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective agents for the brain. Combining these elements with catechins and chocolate’s natural antioxidants makes Lucid Mind a potent ally in promoting children’s cognitive health.
From concept to reality
Lucid Mind is currently in the patent process with the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI). The product is also part of De la Ciencia al Mercado (From Science to the Market), a program of the government of Jalisco aimed at fostering technology-based startups using university research.
During the testing phase, Faccinetto confirmed that consuming a daily portion of Lucid Mind does not lead to harmful effects like obesity. However, she advises that children’s health, including conditions like diabetes, must be considered before consumption. A child with diabetes would not be a candidate for this preventive treatment.
As Lucid Mind prepares to enter the market, it has undergone various market studies to identify potential suppliers. In the coming months, clinical trials will be conducted in a school, where children will consume the chocolate daily for three months. These trials will assess the Lucid Mind’s impact on their memory and monitor other factors, such as the children’s weight.
Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer, and cultural promoter and is Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine.
An official with the Chinese electric car manufacturer says that it is still committed to building a manufacturing plant in Mexico and plans to discuss its plans with President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum (Shutterstock)
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has rejected a Bloomberg News report Tuesday that said the company has postponed a final decision about its proposed plant in Mexico until after the United States presidential election.
“BYD hasn’t postponed any decision about a Mexico plant,” the company’s Americas CEO Stella Li said in a statement, according to Reuters.
BYD officials have said that the proposed plant would build cars for the Mexican market. (BYD)
Indeed, BYD’s general director for Mexico Jorge Vallejo said last month that the company is aiming to settle on a location for its proposed plant by the end of the year. A plant decision after the Nov. 5 election is in line with that timetable.
In the BYD statement — which was apparently sent to Reuters and does not appear to be publicly available — Li described Mexico as a “very relevant” market for the company. She reiterated that the plant here will make electric vehicles solely for the Mexican market and not for export to the U.S. or anywhere else.
Reuters didn’t say that Li refuted other aspects of Bloomberg’s reporting, including that a decision on BYD’s proposed plant could be affected by the result of the U.S. presidential election and that the company has paused its search for a suitable location in Mexico.
In reporting that BYD wouldn’t announce a major plant investment in Mexico until at least after the U.S. presidential election, Bloomberg cited unnamed people it said were familiar with the automaker’s plans.
Vallejo said last month that the Shenzhen-based company was considering locations in three Mexican states for its proposed plant. However, several of Bloomberg’s sources said that BYD has stopped actively looking for now.
The sources told Bloomberg that BYD postponed its plant decision largely because the electric car company first wants to see who wins the U.S. presidential contest between former president Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
If BYD is indeed pausing its decision on a Mexico plant until after the U.S. election, it could be that the Chinese automaker is worried about possible future impacts of the election on the terms of the USMCA free-trade pact, of which Mexico is a member. (Kamala Harris/X)
They told Bloomberg that “BYD’s paused factory plans” could be revived or may change. No final decision has been made, they said.
Bloomberg’s reporting comes six weeks after Elon Musk said that Tesla’s planned “gigafactory” project in Nuevo León was “paused” because of the possibility that Trump will impose tariffs on vehicles made in Mexico if he wins the U.S. presidential election.
The explanation for the decision appears strange, given that Trump has made no such threat, and because under the USMCA free trade pact, electric vehicles (EVs) made in Mexico by Tesla — a U.S. company — would not be subject to tariffs when exported to the U.S., provided that they comply with the USMCA’s rules of origin for content.
In May, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said “stay tuned” when asked whether the U.S. would introduce any protectionist measures aimed at EVs made in Mexico by Chinese companies. The U.S. government has already announced 100% tariffs on EVs made in China.
BYD’s general director for Mexico Jorge Vallejo said last month that BYD plans to finalize a location for a Mexico plant by the end of 2024. (Jorge Vallejo/LinkedIn)
BYD, which has been selling some of its EV models in Mexico since 2023, has dealerships in major Mexican cities, including Mexico City, Querétaro and Guadalajara. It has also licensed sales of its cars to seven regional automotive sellers in Mexico, as well as the nationwide department store chain Liverpool.
“Our plan is to build the facility for the Mexican market, not for the export market,” she said in February.
In an interview with Reuters last month, Vallejo didn’t reveal which three states BYD was considering for its proposed plant.
But Bloomberg reported Tuesday that one area under consideration is near Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco. BYD representatives visited the state in March.
A BYD Mexico showroom in Guadalajara, opened in 2023. (BYD)
Bloomberg also said a plant in Mexico “could be one of BYD’s key overseas production sites, along with plants that it’s currently building or already operating in Brazil, Hungary, Turkey and Thailand.”
Li told Bloomberg in late August that she planned to meet with Claudia Sheinbaum at some stage to discuss BYD’s plans. The president-elect will take office on Oct. 1.
The Mexican government is keen to attract foreign investment, announcing tax incentives late last year to encourage nearshoring to Mexico.
But Chinese-owned automotive plants don’t appear to be at the top of its wish list.
The jobs of 9 Supreme Court justices will be up for grabs in the 2025 udicial elections. (SCJN)
Supreme Court (SCJN) justices will stop work to protest the federal government’s judicial reform proposal, joining employees of Mexico’s highest court who have already gone on strike.
The SCJN said in a statement on Tuesday that eight justices voted in favor of suspending activities, while three opposed the move.
Out of over 3,600 workers employed by the Supreme Court, 1,072 participated in a vote on Monday and the majority were in favor of a strike. (Cuartoscuro)
Court sessions scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday have been suspended, the statement said, adding that the justices “will assess the prevailing situation” next Monday.
The statement also said that the justices agreed to attend to “urgent matters” during their suspension of activities. Nevertheless, their decision to stop work will cause an “operational paralysis” in the SCJN, the Milenio newspaper reported.
The three justices who voted against stopping work — Yasmín Esquivel Mossa, Loretta Ortiz Ahlf and Lenia Batres Guadarrama — were all appointed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who sent the judicial reform proposal to Congress in February and argues that the country’s judiciary is corrupt and needs renewal.
On Monday, the vast majority of more than 1,000 SCJN employees present at a meeting voted in favor of job action. The court employs a total of 3,647 workers.
Critics of the constitutional bill — which would allow citizens to directly elect Supreme Court justices and other judges — assert that its approval would undermine the independence of the judiciary.
U.S. Ambassador Salazar again made remarks criticizing the government’s judicial reform proposal at a press conference on Tuesday. (Cuartoscuro)
United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar earned a rebuke from López Obrador late last month after asserting that the “popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy.”
Salazar also claimed that “the debate over the direct election of judges … as well as the fierce politics if the elections for judges in 2025 and 2027 were to be approved, will threaten the historic trade relationship we have built, which relies on investors’ confidence in Mexico’s legal framework.”
He made similar remarks at a press conference on Tuesday, saying that the reform could cause “a lot of damage” to the Mexico-U.S. relationship “if it’s not done well.”
“… I’m saying this because of all the concerns that are reaching me from people who truly want the best for Mexico and the United States. What I can say is that there is a great deal of concern,” Salazar said.
Deputy Ricardo Monreal at the alternative venue selected by Morena to hold a legislative session on the judicial reform on Tuesday. (Cuartoscuro)
However, the ruling Morena party organized the transfer of the legislative session to a recreational center in the Iztacalco borough of Mexico City. The session was scheduled to commence at 4 p.m. Mexico City time, with a vote on the constitutional bill expected sometime in the late afternoon or on Tuesday night.
As of Sept. 1, Morena and its allies have a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies, allowing them to approve constitutional reforms without support from opposition lawmakers.
Though many of Canirac's 2024 awards went to chefs and restaurants in Mexico City, the nation's biggest restaurant association also recognized winners outside the capital. Here, Rosalba Morales Bartolo, chef and owner of Quiroga, Michoacán's Casa de Rosalba restaurant, poses with her award for 2024's Traditional Cook of the Year. (Government of Michoacán)
Mexico’s national restaurant association Canirac has named Pepe Salinas — of the contemporary Mexican eatery Balcón del Zócalo in Mexico City — as Chef of the Year in its 2024 Restaurant Merit Awards.
The results of the 33rd edition of the annual awards — for people and restaurants that elevate Mexico’s restaurant industry — were announced last week in a ceremony at the Ex-Convento de San Hipólito in Mexico City.
Canirac’s Chef of the Year 2024 winner Pepe Salinas, center, celebrates his win with staff at Balcón del Zócalo in Mexico City. (Pepe Salinas/Instagram)
Canirac’s voting committee included insiders and experts from Mexico’s tourism, gastronomy and academic fields.
Canirac is arguably Mexico’s most prestigious restaurant trade association, representing more than 670,000 gastronomy establishments nationwide, according to its website.
The association’s award for Restaurant/Business of the Year went to Grupo Dinar and its founder and CEO, Javier Romo Aramburo.
Mexico City–based Grupo Dinar’s restaurants include Ling Ling by Hakkasan (Asian-inspired cuisine in a sky-high setting); the STK steakhouse; the restaurant chain El Cardenal (a 55-year-old favorite serving traditional foods) and Restaurante Diana, which offers regional favorites in the capital’s luxurious St. Regis hotel on Paseo de la Reforma.
Grupo Dinar, winner of the Business of the Year award, owns several restaurants around Mexico City, including the historic El Cardenal chain of restaurants, housed in historic and architecturally unique buildings around the capital. This one, in the San Ángel neighborhood, is a former mansion featuring expansive stained-glass windows, an elegant staircase and an open kitchen. (El Cardenal)
At stylish and noise-balanced Balcón del Zócalo, Salinas exudes a “nonconformist and creative character [that] has led to the development of a cuisine that takes risks,” according to the restaurant’s website. Salinas aims to create dishes and tasting menus that “surprise and excite diners in search of new experiences,” the site adds.
For example, there is an “experience menu” that changes with the seasons. The current one, which lasts through Sept. 21, is called “Day Zero.” Its offerings relate to a time in the future when water shortages will be commonplace, if not catastrophic.
The experience begins with a glass of water served from a jug in the shape of Tlaloc, the Mexica god of rain, and then a paleta (popsicle) made with sangrita, tequila and lemon and served on a rock meant to represent a meteorite (some of which have water inside).
Salinas’ latest “menu experience” creation, “Day Zero,” at Balcón del Zócalo restaurant in Mexico City, evokes the diner to contemplate a day in the future where Mexico City runs out of water. Click on the image to see a video presentation of the “Día Cero” menu experience by the restaurant.
There is also a dish inspired by Michoacan’s drought-stricken Lake Pátzcuaro: a melon aguachile on a corn tostada and freeze-dried strawberry, served on a porcelain plate that mimics a dried, cracked, exposed lake bed.
Each of the winners received a sculpture designed by Mexican artist Miguel Michel.
“This industry is made up of a large family willing to satisfy the needs of customers with the recipe that only Mexican gastronomy has: quality and warmth in service,” said Daniela Mijares, Canirac’s executive president. “Customers are the basis of what we are today: one of the most important industries for the growth of Mexico.”
This year’s winners
Restaurant/Business of the Year: Javier Romo Aramburo, Grupo Dinar (Mexico City)
Chef of the Year: Pepe Salinas, Balcón del Zócalo (Mexico City)
Young Chef of the Year: Thalía Barrios García, Levadura de Olla (Oaxaca)
Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Braulio D. Cárdenas Abedrop (Saltillo, Coahuila)
Outstanding Mexican Chef Abroad: Indra Carrillo Perea, La Condesa (Paris, France)
Pastry Chef of the Year: Marisa Lazo Corvera, Pastelería Marisa (Guadalajara)
Traditional Cook of the Year: Rosalba Morales Bartolo, La Cocina de Rosalba (Quiroga, Michoacán)
Director of the Year: Hugo Antonio Magaña Iñiguez, Santas Alitas (Guadalajara)
Best Mexican Kitchen: Nixtamal, Cooking with Fire and Ash (Bacalar, Quintana Roo)
Best Preservation, Knowledge and Promotion of Mexican Gastronomy: Itanoní (Oaxaca)
Best Foreign Specialty Food: Zeru (Mexico City)
Best Restaurant Innovation: Mezcal Cultural Center (Oaxaca)
Best Hotel Restaurant: Ramona, NIZUC Resort & Spa (Cancún)
Mixologist of the Year: Claudia Cabrera, Kaito del Valle (Mexico City)
Barista of the Year: Matías G. Durán Quintanar, The Quantum Crack Coffee Roasters (Querétaro)
Sommelier of the Year: Priscila Frausto Torres, Pangea Group (Nuevo León)
Best Commitment to Sustainability and a Green Mexico: Green Me (Puebla)
In addition, awards were handed to honor those with a long record of dedication and commitment.
The list of 12 people with more than 20 years of experience at the same restaurant or in the same restaurant group was headed by Victoria Saldaña Silis (64 years with the Sanborns national chain of restaurants) and Juan Segura Segura (53 years at Restaurant Estoril in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City).
Also honored was Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, a chef-turned-researcher who has been a pioneer in examining and raising awareness of Mexico’s regional cuisines. Going forward, the Young Chef of the Year award will be named for him.
Earlier this year, the Michelin Guide announced its first star ratings for Mexico. Two restaurants received two stars and 16 got one star. Levadura de Olla in Oaxaca was the only restaurant on both the Michelin list (one star) and the Canirac list (an award for young chef Thalía Barrios García, who also won Michelin’s young chef award earlier this year).
