Lázaro Cárdenas Batel will be chief of staff as the Sheinbaum administration takes office. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday introduced Lázaro Cárdenas Batel as her chief of staff, signaling the return of the son of revered leftist icon Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas to the inner circle of the National Palace.
With the announcement, Sheinbaum revived the key cabinet position that was first created by former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988–1994). Entrepreneur Alfonso Romo nominally filled the role at the outset of the current administration, but he resigned just two years into the term and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador did not designate a successor.
In making the presentation, Sheinbaum declared that she has complete confidence in Cárdenas and that as chief of staff, he would be in charge of coordinating the new cabinet.
“His job will be to help me stay on top of strategic issues while also maintaining relations with key sectors of society,” Sheinbaum said during the ceremony at her transition headquarters in the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa.
When asked if his job would include meeting with members of the opposition, Cárdenas said he would do so.
“Whatever she asks and whenever she needs me to, [I will meet with opposition party leaders],” he said. “My tasks will correspond to the [political] moment. The president [-elect] has made it very clear what she expects, and [my office] will not intrude on other secretaries’ authority. The government has a very clear structure.”
Lázaro Cárdenas Batel, at left, is the son of famous left-wing politician Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, at right. (File photo)
Cárdenas was a founding member of the defunct Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and served as governor of Michoacán from 2002 to 2008.
He returns to the National Palace after resigning from his position as chief advisor to the president in March 2023. Cárdenas stepped down after López Obrador made derogatory comments about his father. López Obrador accused the elder Cárdenas, a three-time presidential candidate, of betraying his movement by joining forces with the conservative opposition.
In response to a question from a reporter, Lázaro Cárdenas said that his resignation did not indicate a break with the ruling party or the “Fourth Transformation” movement soon to be led by Sheinbaum.
“I did not break with the party,” he said. “My cycle as lead advisor had run its course, and I saw an opportunity elsewhere.”
Sheinbaum had planned to introduce three other cabinet selections — Labor, Tourism and Culture — but told reporters she will present them at a later date. The president-elect had earlier said that she would reveal her choices to lead the Defense Ministry and the Naval Ministry in September.
The president-elect also said that her agenda for the remainder of the transition period would feature Monday and Wednesday press conferences, cabinet and policy meetings on Tuesday and weekend tours of the country alongside López Obrador.
Thursday marked the seventh consecutive day of the peso gaining against the U.S. dollar, making it the peso’s longest winning streak since mid-March.
The Mexican peso continued its upward streak against the US dollar on Thursday morning, strengthening yet again after the U.S. published encouraging inflation data that could mean a Federal Reserve rate cut is on the horizon.
According to Bloomberg data, the peso was trading at 17.73 to the U.S. dollar early on Thursday morning. By 6:40 p.m. EDT, however, Bloomberg reported that it had weakened slightly to 17.75 to the dollar.
The U.S. Consumer Price Index has been either falling or not increasing for four straight months, which supports US investor speculation that a Federal Reserve rate cut is imminent, said Janeth Quiroz, director of economic analysis at Monex. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
This upward trend shows Mexico’s peso appearing to recover after the currency’s volatility in the aftermath of the June 2 presidential elections. The peso’s strengthening this week puts it at its best performance against the U.S. dollar since June 5, when it traded at 17.53.
Thursday marked the seventh consecutive day of gains against the U.S. dollar, making it the peso’s longest winning streak since mid-March.
U.S. inflation in June continues downward trend
U.S. consumer prices fell more than expected in June, according to government data published on Thursday.
Last month, the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) decreased by 0.1% after remaining unaltered in May. Over the 12 months leading up to June, the CPI increased to 3%. Economists surveyed by Reuters had anticipated a 0.1% increase and a 3.1% year-on-year rise.
According to Bloomberg, these figures show U.S. inflation has resumed its downward trend after a rebound at the beginning of 2024. While U.S. inflation has been overall declining, the annual headline inflation rate in Mexico has been rising for four straight months.
Janneth Quiroz, director of economic analysis at Monex, explained that inflation data in the U.S. supports investors’ bets on a continuing downward trend toward the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%. However, in his most recent appearance before Congress, the head of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell refrained from giving further details as to when any rate cuts would take place.
Victoria Rodriguez Ceja, the head of the Bank of Mexico board of governors. (File photo/Mexican government)
Bank of Mexico policy meeting indicates a divided board
The minutes from the most recent monetary policy meeting of Mexico’s central bank were also published on Thursday, revealing a split board vote on lowering the interest rate. Three members of the governing board are open to resuming the discussion of interest rate cuts in upcoming monetary policy meetings.
The current interest rate is 11%, the rate it has been since March, when the board voted to cut the rate from a record-high rate of 11.25%.
The Banxico minutes reveal that central bankers discussed the post-election volatility in the local market as being due to idiosyncratic factors. Bloomberg said these factors, which the bank does not mention, include Morena’s supermajority in Congress after Claudia Sheinbaum won the presidential election.
Under the new policy, Mexican steel and aluminum products imported to the U.S. are subject to a "melted and poured in Mexico" rule in order to avoid a U.S. 25% tariff, despite U.S. and Mexico being members in the USMCA trade pact. (Yasin Hemmati/Unsplash)
The United States and Mexico have announced a series of steps aimed at curbing the circumvention of U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum — particularly targeting products from China shipped through Mexico.
The measures — which also seek to strengthen steel and aluminum trade between Mexico and the U.S. — were announced on Wednesday. They include a new North American “melted and poured” standard for steel.
Under the new policy, U.S. importers of steel and aluminum products will be required to provide certificates of analysis to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, verifying the country of origin for those metals. (Shutterstock)
Under the new policy, steel product imports from Mexico will be subject to 25% tariffs under Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act — unless the steel is documented to have been melted and poured in Mexico, the U.S. or Canada, who are the members of the USMCA trade pact.
Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act authorizes the president to adjust tariffs on imports when the circumstances surrounding those imports are deemed to threaten national security.
For aluminum imports, in order to escape a 10% tariff, the product must not contain primary aluminum that was smelted or cast in China, Russia, Belarus or Iran. U.S. importers of steel and aluminum will be required to provide certificates of analysis to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, verifying the country of origin for those metals.
Also, Mexico has agreed to require companies that import steel into Mexico to provide more information on the metal’s country of origin.
“Both countries will implement policies to jointly prevent tariff evasion on steel and aluminum and strengthen North American steel and aluminum supply chains,” said a joint statement from U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
President López Obrador with Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2022. López Obrador told reporters Thursday that he had successfully convinced the U.S. to make Mexican steel product imports with steel of Brazilian origin an exception to the 25% tariff. (lopezobrador.org)
U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said that the new action “addresses a gap that the previous administration and its isolated trade policies left unaddressed.”
According to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement titled “Mexico works to strengthen the national steel industry,” the measures include an agreement with the U.S. “to design a mechanism so that Brazilian steel processed in Mexico is not subject to tariffs.”
“We have a very good relationship with Brazil,” López Obrador said in his Thursday morning press conference, “and it was agreed that Brazil will have special treatment in the case of imports of steel from Brazil to Mexico, and of steel and aluminum that may have components originating in Brazil.”
Despite the small volume of steel imports into the U.S. from Mexico that originated elsewhere — only about 13% of the 3.8 million tonnes imported in 2023 — U.S. officials said the new measures will prevent a potential surge in imports from China, where domestic demand remains weak.
Eduardo Cárdenas, CEO of Beermex, brings Canadian malt to Mexico that is now used in many craft beers around the country. (Courtesy)
Canadian malt. American hops. Mexican water and ingenuity. All four are used in Mexico’s brewing industry, providing another example of North American economic integration — USMCA in action!
One company that plays an important role in Mexico’s dynamic craft brewing ecosystem by getting the first two of those ingredients to Mexican brewers is Beermex, which sells a range of beer inputs, but is perhaps best known as a supplier of high-quality Canadian malt.
Beermex has expanded its operations since 2018 to multiple warehouses across Mexico. (Beermex)
Founded in Mérida, Yucatán, in 2018 by Eduardo Cárdenas, Beermex today has hundreds of customers, among which are some of Mexico’s most innovative and best known craft breweries.
One factor that has been crucial to the company’s success is its partnership with Canada Malting Co., a Calgary-based company that is one of Canada’s largest malting businesses.
To learn more about Beermex and its relationship with Canada Malting, I recently visited the company’s bodega, or warehouse, on the outskirts of Mérida. There, I met up with Cárdenas, an affable CEO who I soon found out is very passionate about his products and the Mexican craft beer industry.
As a home brewer, Eduardo discovered that brewing essentials such as malt and hops weren’t readily available in Mexico’s southeast. He consequently spotted a business opportunity and set out in earnest to establish his very own brewing supplies company.
Canada Malting is one of Canada’s largest malting businesses, and is based in Calgary. (Canda Malting)
As we sipped a Nebulosa 630 New England Style IPA made by Guadalajara’s Cerveza Loba and Tijuana’s Kaminari Brewing in collaboration with Beermex and State of Washington company Yakima Chief Hops, Eduardo explained that in his early days as a brewing industry entrepreneur he contacted a number of companies as he was seeking to source malt. He found Canada Malting to be the most responsive, and the best fit for his then fledgling business.
Working also with the Country Malt Group, a distributor for Canada Malting Co., Beermex imported its first batch of Canadian malt to Mexico in 2018.
In the six years since then “Canada Malting has been an amazing partner for us,” Eduardo told Mexico News Daily. “We’re really proud to sell their products in Mexico.”
Once he had “very good quality” Canadian malt in the country — as well as a range of other brewing supplies including U.S.-grown hops in pellet form and brewer’s yeast — Eduardo set about doing what many up-and-coming salespeople have to do: knock on doors and make calls.
Beermex has expanded to warehouses in Zapopan, Jalisco (pictured) and in Tiijuana. (Courtesy)
To expand the potential market for his products, he broadened his focus beyond the southeast, and soon enough orders started to come in from the center of the country, especially from Querétaro and Mexico City, where craft breweries such as Falling Piano, Morenos and Cyprez are located.
With business on the up-and-up, Eduardo struck an alliance with United Malt — the Australia-based parent company of Canada Malting Co. — that allowed Beermex to open two additional bodegas, one in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara and another in Tijuana, Mexico’s craft beer pioneer.
With the opening of the additional warehouses, the Beermex team grew quickly to reach a total of 16 people.
Eduardo told MND that his Canadian malt shipments come into the country by train, arriving in the Jalisco municipality of Zapopan, where the Guadalajara bodega is located. He said he has found importation by rail to be very reliable, providing a first-hand account that freight transport through North America — a vital aspect of successful economic integration — is working as it should be.
He noted that he is in regular contact with Canada Malting Co., and highlighted that the company helped him come up with a solution to combat higher malt prices he had been forced to pass on to his customers. The solution was the creation of Beermex’s own malt brand, Maltima, which is produced by Canada Malting Co. but shipped in bulk to Mexico, where it is bagged.
Maltima is now Beermex’s leading malt brand, Eduardo said, explaining that it accounts for 30% of total malt sales by his company, which in addition to Canadian malt also sells malt from the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany.
Maltima, which is produced in Canada but bagged in Mexico, is now Beermex’s best-selling malt. (Beermex)
Elaborating on his relationship with Canada Malting, he noted that he attended the company’s malting course in 2019.
The annual course, the company says on its website, “allows Canada Malting to bring brewers, distillers and other industry people out to the barley fields, grain elevators, our malting plant and more to showcase all aspects of malting.”
Eduardo described the week he spent attending the course in Calgary as “an incredible experience.”
He also said that Beermex has big plans to further promote Canadian malt in Mexico, revealing that that he hopes to collaborate with other organizations — perhaps even the Canadian Embassy in Mexico — to help Mexican brewers attend the Canada Malting course in 2025 so they can fully understand “why Canadian malt is so good.”
Beermex’s relationship with Canada Malting, and other North American companies such as Yakima Chief Hops, provides a positive example of the kind of regional integration that Mexican, Canadian and U.S. political leaders often say is crucial to both present and future economic prosperity.
Next time you have a Mexican beer — whether it’s one of the many great craft lagers or ales or one of the country’s best known mass-produced cervezas — take a moment to think about where the individual ingredients come from, and the many people who made your enjoyment of it possible: the hop growers, the hop pickers — many of whom are Mexican in Washington’s Yakima Valley — the barley producers, the distributors such as Eduardo, the rain God Tláloc and, of course, the brewers.
And remember: the beer in your bottle or glass just might be a refreshing, effervescent embodiment of North American integration. ¡Salud!
Even for short visits, Mérida is a great place to find yourself. Here's everything you need to know to survive your layover, from airport taxis to where to snack. (Elzbieta Sekowska/Shutterstock)
Ask the average person what a holiday in Mexico looks like to them. They may bring up Cancun, Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, or other beachy destinations. If they’re more on a cultural beat, places like Oaxaca will likely come to mind.
The Paseo Montejo is Merida’s must-see promenade. During La Noche Blanca, the French-inspired boulevard comes alive with performances and concerts. (Wikimedia)
Voted the safest city in all of Mexico, you can get to know Mérida within 24-36 hours since it’s smaller than Mexico City and less touristy as Cancun.
How to get from point A to point B
Mérida has a very small airport compared to other parts of the country. Once you reach the arrival gate, you’ll see booths for taxis, rental cars, and other transport services, all on one floor.
I recommend taking the public bus into the downtown center if you want the cheapest option. Be aware though, it might not drop you off at the exact location you want so plan accordingly.
But you’re on a layover and don’t have time to stress over the little things.
If you want to utilize your time effectively, I’d opt for a taxi. The downtown center is only 25 minutes from the airport, so you’ll get there quickly. Depending on where you want to go, it shouldn’t cost more than 300-400 pesos.
Did anyone say wanderlust?
A layover in Mérida offers the chance for nature lovers to enjoy the Celestún nature reserve. (Virginie Fialon/Unsplash)
If you love going on adventures, Mérida is the perfect base for day trips. Granted, you won’t have time to do all these excursions. But the quality of experiences you can partake in here is amazing.
Celestún
If you ever wanted to see a flamingo in person, going on this day trip to Celestún is totally worth it! You can book a guided tour here that’ll show you where thousands of flamingos live while learning about their natural habitat. A little more than an hour away, Celestún is a perfect option for those on a longer layover.
Progreso
If you’re beach inclined, hit up Progreso for your dose of beauty goodness, taking in the sun, sea and several margaritas. The seaside town is just half an hour from central Mérida, meaning you can easily fit in some tanning time while on your layover.
Hunucmá
The small town of Hunucmá, just a 30 minute drive away, offers stunning colonial architecture. Famed for its convents, built early in the Spanish conquest of Mexico, the architecturally (or religiously) inclined are guaranteed a fascinating trip. Local cantina “La Maya” also serves sopes of note.
Restaurants & food culture
Cochinita pibil is the crowning glory of Yucatecan cuisine and should not be missed when in town. (Museo de la Gastronomía Yucateca)
Let’s say you’re not in the mood for a long day trip. Or, perhaps you worked up a big appetite once you returned from a memorable guided tour.
No matter the case, you have to try Yucatecan cuisine while you’re in Mérida.
The artisans and chefs in this part of Mexico blend Maya and Spanish influences in every dish. So, you’ll find chicken and pork in a lot of the food here. But you’ll most often find it in a corn tortilla alongside beans, chile, avocados and cheese.
If you want to balance incredible culinary experience with a museum at the same time, I urge you to check out the Museum of Yucatecan Gastronomy.
That’s where I tried cochinita pibil for the first time — served with refried beans, pork, pickled onions, and wrapped in a fried tortilla. In the back of the restaurant, an exhibit walks you through the history of Yucatan cuisine and tradition.
Other tacos you need to try in Mérida include salbutes and panuchos. I tried both at a gem called Mercado San Benito. It’s a fantastic local market my good backpacking friend introduced me to last time I was in Mérida.
But if you want to be sure you try everything this part of Mexico has to offer, I’d suggest going on a food tour like this one.
Museum of Yucateca Gastronomy: C. 62 466 x 55-y 57, Parque Santa Lucia, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., Mexico.
Mérida’s Anthropology and History Museum is every bit as good as it’s more famous Mexico City sibiling. (Wikipedia)
A great museum or gallery can inspire anyone to see the beauty in their own lives. Mérida has incredible ones you can access.
Anthropology & History Museum
This museum holds many archaeological findings that’ll help you understand the unique Yucatan culture and history. It traces Mérida and the surrounding areas from its colonial past to the modern day. You’ll see artwork, sculptures, and other artifacts that illustrate a world that was once far different from our own.
Address: C. 43 481, Zona Paseo Montejo, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., Mexico.
Museo Palacio de la Música
Here, you’ll learn about the history of music in Mexican and Latin American culture. There are countless videos and photos that demonstrate certain rhymes, sounds, and dances in this exhibit, which is a love for expression that still holds up in the hearts and souls of residents all over Mexico today.
Address: C. 58, Parque Santa Lucia, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., Mexico
Mérida Walking Tour
The streets of Mérida have a story to tell just as fascinating as any museum. And what better way to decode that narrative than by going on a walking tour with a local guide? You’ll also get to connect with like-minded people. That’s a win-win situation.
Meeting point: C. 63 506, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., Mexico.
Where to find accommodation for your Mérida layover
The Hotel Boutique La Misión de Fray Diego is colonial, comfortable and located close to the airport. (Booking.com)
Since you don’t want to get caught up in traffic or stress about your flight time, booking a hotel close to the airport is ideal. That way, you’ll get a good night’s sleep before returning home or starting the next chapter of your vacation.
If I were you, I’d choose from one of these hotels located a very short distance from Mérida International Airport:
Hotel Hacienda Inn Aeropuerto
Address: Aviación 709, Nueva Sambulá, 97259 Mérida, Yuc., Mexico
Hotel Boutique La Misión de Fray Diego
Address: C. 61 #524, entre 64 y 66, Parque Santiago, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., México.
Gran Hotel de Mérida
Address: C. 60 496, Centro, 97000 Mérida, Yuc., Mexico.
Even if you didn’t originally have Mérida on your Mexican bucket list, I hope it’s worth adding now you’ve learned about what the city has to offer. At the very least, you’ve got an exhaustive list of things to keep you busy on a Mérida layover.
Ian Ostroff is an indie author, journalist, and copywriter from Montreal, Canada. You can find his work in various outlets, including Map Happy and The Suburban. When he’s not writing, you can find Ian at the gym, a café, or anywhere within Mexico visiting family and friends.
The "Kolombianos" of Monterrey are defined by their music, a slow genre of cumbia that was born after an accident at a party. (Fuera de Foco/Facebook)
Last month, we delved into theAvanzada Regia, Monterrey’s greatest contribution to Latin American rock. Now, it’s time to explore another musical gift from the Sultana of the North: cumbia rebajada.
Characterized by its unmistakable rhythm, cumbia originated as an Afro-Colombian genre but has spread out across Latin America, creating hundreds of local varieties and becoming the “musical backbone of the continent.” Cumbia rebajada is known for its slow pace, deep and drawn-out vocals, evocative accordions and lyrics about the significance of home.
Colonia Independencia, Monterrey (Reddit)
Migration and displacement are central themes in both its origin and content. To understand cumbia rebajada, we have to look at the presence of Colombian immigrants in one of Monterrey’s most underserved neighborhoods: the Colonia Independencia.
The accidental birth of rebajada
The 1960s saw significant cultural and demographic changes in Monterrey. Colombian immigrants to the city brought with them cumbia and vallenato records which were quickly embraced by regiomontanos. In the Colonia Independencia, home to many of these migrants, neighborhood parties featured a sonidero, a type of master of ceremonies who played this music for friends and families, fostering a vibrant community spirit. This was the environment that gave rise to Monterrey’s first great cumbia artists, like the legendary Celso Piña.
It wasn’t until the 1990s, though, that cumbia rebajada was born. One night, sonidero Gabriel Dueñez experienced an issue with his Rapson sound system. The Rapson “had been playing for six or seven hours non-stop,” he told the BBC in 2021. “The motor overheated and started lagging, and that’s when the rebajado sound came out.” The music slowed down dramatically: the voice in the track deepened like in a slow motion scene, the accordion notes stretched out and there was more space between each scrape of the guiro. People kept dancing, captivated by this new sound.
The term rebajada can be translated several different ways — slowed down, brought down, lowered — which reflect the subgenre’s origin. Regular cumbias can be subjected to a “rebaja” by a sonidero, if that’s the sound you’re craving.
Noticing how people enjoyed the music, Dueñez recorded hundreds of cassettes of rebajada that were then sold on the iconic Puente del Papa (Pope’s Bridge), which connects Independencia with downtown Monterrey. As often happens with musical movements, the appearance of the new genre gave birth to an entire subculture: the Kolombianos.
The Kolombianos
Los KomboLokos - La Cumbia Rebajada ( Video Oficial )
Inspired by Californian cholo fashion and local influences, Kolombianos — also called Cholombianos or simply “los Colombia” — emerged in Independencia in the 2000s. The Kolombiano look is striking: baggy shorts and button-up shirts, high-top sneakers, gel-packed hairstyles with sideburns longer than your favorite country music star’s, and a blend of Catholic and Indigenous symbols like the Virgin of Guadalupe and rosary beads.
They created a style of dance that’s hard to imitate, often flashing a star symbol with their hands to signify their association with Kolombiano culture. Several Kolombiano groups began to form with the sole purpose of getting together to dance cumbia rebajada.
As local journalist David Marcial Pérez explained, the Kolombianos were the opposite of the white cowboy, the traditional figure of Monterrey. Mostly men and women of color from marginalized backgrounds, Kolombianos were aware of their otherness in their city’s socioeconomic context, a fact constantly reinforced by local authorities. Kolombianos were stigmatized for their appearance and sometimes arbitrarily targeted by police. “It took us a long time to realize as a society that these were just young men and women expressing that they felt marginalized,” Monterrey Cumbia Fest organizer Ivonne Azpeytia told the BBC.
The early 2000s, particularly from 2006 to 2014, were difficult years for Monterrey. The War on Drugs had a devastating impact on underserved communities, unleashing waves of violence. This context suppressed Kolombiano culture and forced many of its members to repeat the story of the people who had brought them cumbia in the first place: migrating north.
La Colombia Chiquita
Satanás
Kolombiano culture has dwindled over the years, but Colombian cumbia and cumbia rebajada are still going strong. Colonia Independencia locals call their neighborhood “La Colombia Chiquita”. Bands like Los Socios de Colombia, Los Niños Vallenatos, Pasión Vallenata, La Universidad de la Cumbia and La Tropa Colombiana, to name a few, continue to honor Colombian cumbia in their own way.
Gabriel Dueñez remains in his neighborhood home, surrounded by his collection of cumbia records and the same Rapson sound system that first gifted Monterrey rich and flavorful cumbias rebajadas. Nowadays, although people make rebajada digitally — slowing cumbia tracks down on their computers and uploading them on YouTube — we’re still enjoying it like we have since day one.
“We’re going to die someday, but cumbia will live on,” musician Rubén Piña, Celso’s brother, told the BBC in 2021. “Others will come, more will come, and many more will come.”
Ceci is a lawyer who grew up in Monterrey and has lived in Mexico City since 2013. She is passionate about the Mexican culinary and music scene, taking great pride in her country’s cultural contributions to the world.
Minerva Pérez Castro was ambushed and murdered Monday night in Ensenada, Baja California, according to reports. (Canainpesca)
A top official in Mexico’s fishing industrywas murdered in Baja Californiaon Monday, apparently for her history of speaking out against the illegal fishing and extortion that is hurting the state’s fishing business.
Minerva Pérez Castro, president of the Baja California delegation of the National Chamber of Fishing and Aquaculture Industries (Canainpesca), was gunned down in Ensenada just hours after declaring that the illegal fishing of lobster, abalone and other marine animals was harming business owners in the sector.
Condeno y lamento profundamente los hechos violentos ocurridos esta tarde en el puerto de Ensenada, que cobardemente le arrebataron la vida a Minerva Pérez Castro, Presidenta de la Cámara Nacional de la Industria Pesquera (CANAINPESCA).
Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar condemned Perez’s murder in what she termed a “cowardly” attack.
“Illegal fishing reaches the same market as legal products but without all the production costs [and taxes paid by a] legally constituted company,” Pérez said in an interview in Tijuana recorded by Imagen Televisión.
Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar, condemned what was reportedly a commando-style attack and said that the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) is investigating.
“I send my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Minerva Pérez Castro,” del Pilar said. “I am committed to working tirelessly so that what happened does not go unpunished.”
Pérez, 53, was the first woman president of fishing industry organization in Baja California, taking office in June 2023.
Pérez was reportedly shot multiple times on Monday night by armed assailants shortly after getting into her pickup truck outside of her company, Atenea del Mar (Athena of the Sea). Her vehicle then continued moving and collided with a cargo truck.
Canainpesca’s national president, Miller Alexander Longoria, described the “execution” as a direct attack against the fishing industry.
Illegal fishing in Baja California for the endangered totoaba fish, seen here, is often driven by organized crime groups. While that problem is well-documented, Pérez had been working in recent months to publicize the effects of cartel-backed illegal fishing and extortion on the state’s commercial fishermen. (Photo: G.K. Silber)
“It is not isolated. It is not unique. It has nothing to do with Minerva personally,” he said. “It is a general issue for the industry.”
For months, Pérez had been denouncing the illegal fishing and extortion suffered by the fishing industry in Baja California, particularly in Ensenada. She had recently launched a campaign to bring attention to the situation.
After her murder, reports surfaced that Pérez had received threats before, but Longoria said that that’s not out of the ordinary.
“Many of us have received threats in one way or another,” he said.
Canainpesca’s president since 2022 said Pérez’s murder was the result of the “disorder and insecurity” in the Mexican fishing industry, a “very serious” situation that has even drawn ire outside Mexico.
He noted that members of the Latin American Alliance for Sustainable Fisheries (ALPESCAS), a body of 11 fishing industry chambers and associations from 10 countries, “are expressing their concern and saying, ‘What is happening in Mexico with this?’”
In a statement on its website condemning the murder, ALPESCAS noted: “The alliance is concerned about these acts, which may be linked to cartels or mafias that operate in illegal fishing, and is therefore urging governments and authorities to focus on combating and eradicating this scourge.”
“After drug and arms trafficking,” it added, “illegal fishing is the third most lucrative illicit activity in the world. It is estimated that around 26 million tons of fish and other marine resources are caught illegally every year to supply a black market worth up to US $23 billion.”
DHL ranks third in the largest investment announcements in Mexico so far this year. The company is making a push to expand its reach in Latin America via hubs in Mexico, like this one at Felipe Angeles International Airport in México state. In its annual Global Connectedness Report for 2024, DHL highlighted Mexico as a major hub for Latin American logistics. (Octavio Hoyos/Shutterstock)
In the first six months of 2024, private companies announced plans for more than US $45 billion in investment in Mexico, according to the federal Economy Ministry (SE).
The SE said in a report that private — mainly foreign — companies made 143 investment announcements for Mexico between Jan. 1 and June 30.
A look at which countries were responsible for the largest total value of announced investments in Mexico between January and June 2024 and which states will benefit. (Economy Ministry)
In those announcements, companies outlined plans to invest a total of $45.46 billion in Mexico, with just over half of the money earmarked for manufacturing projects.
The SE said it expects the money to flow into Mexico in the next two or three years.
The amount private companies have committed to invest in Mexico so far this year exceeds the total foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico in 2023, by more than $10 billion.
Where will Mexico’s new investment come from, and where will it go?
The SE said that United States companies made investment announcements for Mexico totaling $21.94 billion in the first six months of the year. That amount accounts for 48% of the total investment announced from January to June.
German companies committed to investing $6.79 billion in the country, or 15% of the total, while Argentine firms announced plans to invest $4.39 billion, or almost 10% of the total.
Germany was the country with the second highest amount of investment between January and June of 2024, after the United States. An example is Volkswagen, which recently announced an investment of nearly US $2 billion into its Puebla plant. (Volkswagen AG)
U.S., German and Argentine companies together accounted for just under three-quarters (73%) of the more than US $45 billion total investment announced for Mexico between Jan. 1 and June 30.
The SE said that 53% of the $45.46 billion is destined for the manufacturing sector.
Projects to build beverage, automotive, auto parts, and iron and steel plants accounted for 85% of the $24.23 billion in manufacturing investment announced to June 30.
Based on the investment announcements made so far this year, the next biggest recipients of capital inflows will be the following sectors:
Commerce: earmarked to receive $6.87 billion, or 15% of the total
Transport: $5.13 billion, or 11% of the total
Mass Media: $4.96 billion, or 11% of the total
Construction: $2.08 billion, or 5% of the total
Energy: $1.33 billion, or 3% of the total
Among Mexico’s 32 federal entities, Querétaro is set to be the biggest recipient of investment announced by companies in the first six months of 2024. Just over $6.35 billion, or 14% of the total investment, is destined for the Bajío-region state.
The next biggest recipients will be:
México state: $4.68 billion, or 10% of the total
Nuevo León: $4.12 billion, or 9% of the total
Puebla: $2.64 billion, or 6% of the total
Coahuila: $2.1 billion, or 5% of the total
Over half of the investment (52%) is earmarked for just seven states — the five listed above plus Sinaloa and Aguascalientes.
Three-quarters of the investment announced so far this year will go to 15 federal entities, while the other 17 will share the remaining 25%.
Incoming economy minister Marcelo Ebrard noted that 2024’s foreign investment figures had good news for Mexico’s historically disadvantaged southern states. An example of these southern states is Chiapas, probably known more for its agriculture and cultural exports than for attracting manufacturing or technology investment. (Alan de la Cruz/Unsplash)
How many jobs will the new investments create?
The SE said that 62,940 new jobs are expected to be created as a result of the $45.46 billion in investment announced so far this year.
Just over 45% of that number — more than 28,400 jobs — are expected to be concentrated in the automotive sector, Mexico’s top earner of export revenue.
More than 8,000 new jobs are expected to be created in Coahuila, more than any other state. The northern border state is set to receive just 5% of the total investment announced between January and June, but 13% of the jobs created from that investment will be concentrated there, according to the SE.
San Luis Potosí and Nuevo León are slated to be the next biggest beneficiaries in terms of job creation, with 8,048 and 5,757 positions, respectively, expected to be added.
What were the largest Mexico investment announcements between January and June?
The largest investment announcements for Mexico in the first five months of 2024 were those made by:
Coca-Cola bottler and convenience store owner FEMSA: $9.96 billion.
Incoming economy minister: investment climate in Mexico is “very good”
Marcelo Ebrard, who will be the nation’s economy minister in the incoming administration to be led by Claudia Sheinbaum, noted on Tuesday that between January and June, private companies committed to invest “around $46 billion” in Mexico.
“It’s a very high figure if it’s compared with what has historically been the rate of foreign investment in Mexico,” he said, adding that the investment announced is not just for projects in the north and center of the country but for the south as well.
Mexico’s southern states have been historically ignored by investors in comparison to the nation’s other regions.
“… The investment climate we have is very good, perhaps the most optimistic we’ve seen so far this century,” Ebrard said.
Even if you think you might not fit in with Mexican life, this country can always surprise you, says Louisa Rogers. (Louisa Rogers)
Is Mexico a good place for everybody? Sometimes I find myself wondering, “Do I really belong in Mexico?.” Loud music, crowds, nationalistic parades, and sunshine most days are not my thing. Unlike the Mexican indirect communication style, I much prefer to ir al grano (get to the point) and am usually in bed by 9:00 pm. Mexican food is ok, but I prefer Asian.
So how did an outlier like myself fall in love with Mexico?
Soldiers parading through the streets can sometimes feel like an overt display of nationalism and a stark reminder that you are out of your comfort zone. (Maxwell)
A few months ago, I had an experience that answered my question. I was on my way to a friend’s home in Guanajuato, the UNESCO World Heritage site in central Mexico where my husband Barry and I live part of the year. Strolling along one of the city’s maze-like callejones (alleys), I passed several kids kicking a ball. It hit a corner next to me, and to my amazement, I kicked it back. They shrieked; I grinned. They weren’t expecting a woman the age of their abuelitas to play ball, a gringa no less. The ball bounced near me again. I kicked it hard, and we all raced after it, laughing. “Fun!” I thought. Divertido.Still laughing, I waved goodbye and headed on my way.
I don’t often find myself kicking balls around with kids like a goofy eight-year-old. That evening when I told my husband about it, Barry said, “You laugh more in Mexico. You’re lighter and friendlier.” After living in Guanajuato part-time for twenty years, I wonder if I’m, well, a nicer person. I’m certainly less argumentative and defensive. More playful.
Is it being around Mexicans, or is it Spanish? Studies suggest that speaking in another language brings out different qualities in a person. Novelist Isabel Allende thinks so: “I live in California — in English — but I can only write in Spanish. In fact, all the fundamental things in my life happen in Spanish, like scolding my grandchildren, cooking, and making love.”
I never thought learning a language would bring out dormant parts of me, but with Spanish, I get to be someone else for a change, instead of my same old English-language brand, the one I’ve been living with for so many years. Photos of myself as a kid show me laughing and being silly, but that gradually lessened as an adult. I enjoyed my work as a training consultant, but owning a business in Silicon Valley was highly competitive, and in order to succeed even moderately, I had to be focused and serious. I constantly worried about my persona and how I came across. While leading the seminars themselves was great fun, marketing my business was very stressful.
As a relatively quiet Californian, the bustle of Mexico’s streets can be overwhelming sometimes – but somehow it’s perfect. (Dania Robles/Cuartoscuro)
When I began learning Spanish in Mexico, something about the vocabulary and the sounds lightened my spirit. Spanish has certain words I love to use that I simply can’t express in English. Rincón literally means a corner, but it could be a nook, a niche, or a feature — like the altars of Guadalupe, Guanajuato’s patron saint, which turn up every so often on callejones. Or ojalá, a word of Arabic origin, meaning “if it be God’s will,” and more commonly, “hopefully.” I can’t imagine saying “if it be God’s will” in English.
As for the subjunctive, the Spanish learner’s curse, I now enjoy it so much that I seek opportunities to use it. The subjunctive expresses uncertainty, doubt, and the unknown. In English, I diligently trained myself to be the complete opposite: assertive, direct, and “certain-sure,” as we used to say as kids. Don’t mess with me; I am woman, hear me roar! But in Spanish, it’s a different story, a place where I willingly surrender to unpredictability and mystery.
I once asked a Spanish teacher if the subjunctive was used more by women than men. He was surprised by the question, but after considering it, said yes. I wasn’t surprised. Traditionally, women are conditioned to speak in a placating way, using an upward inclination at the end of a sentence and asking questions like “Could you…” “Would you mind if…” and “If it’s not too much trouble…” While my English-language self would run like hell from the uncertain subjunctive, my Spanish self courts it.
Meanwhile, the rhythm and sounds of Spanish are sheer music. When I hear Spanish vowels spilling out of me like a cascade, I feel lyrical, mellifluous. Other times I sound like a rolling train whose wheels clackety-clack on the tracks of Spanish consonants.
I’ll always be loyal to English. I love its richness, its Euclidean bluntness, its fusion of Germanic and Latin. English is the language of my birth, my family, my roots. But I have space in my heart for more than one language, and Mexican Spanish is the gift that transports me not just to new worlds, but to a new self.
Louisa Rogers and her husband Barry Evans divide their lives between Guanajuato and Eureka, on California’s North Coast. Louisa writes articles and essays about expat life, Mexico, travel, physical and psychological health, retirement and spirituality. Her recent articles are on her website, https://authory.com/LouisaRogers
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, center, announced yesterday that her administration will create a special business advisory council that will better connect her government to Mexican and international business interests. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has announced the creation of a business advisory council for her presidency that will focus on regional development and Mexico’s nearshoring opportunity.
The Advisory Council for Regional Development and the Relocation of Companies will be headed up by businesswoman Altagracia Gómez Sierra and function as a link between the private sector and the incoming government led by Sheinbaum, who will take office on Oct. 1.
Sheinbaum’s new business advisory council will be headed up by businesswoman Altagracia Gómez Sierra, seen here on June 19 with Eduardo Osuna, director general of BBVA bank’s business and government banking division, at the annual meeting of Mexico’s Business Coordinating Council. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
“It’s a council of businesspeople that Altagracia will coordinate and which will be in contact with” government ministers, Sheinbaum said Tuesday after meeting with foreign and Mexican financial industry executives at the annual meeting of the International Monetary Conference, which — for the first time ever — was held in Mexico City.
Sheinbaum said that incoming economy minister Marcelo Ebrard, current and future finance minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O and soon-to-be energy minister Luz Elena González will be among the government officials that will collaborate with the advisory council.
Sheinbaum also said that the council will provide a forum for her to engage with Mexican businesspeople.
Gómez, chairwoman of corn flour company Grupo Minsa, will lead “a council linked to the private sector, to encourage private investment associated with regional development and the relocation of companies,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum didn’t reveal who else will be on the council Gómez will lead, only saying that the members will be “various businessmen and businesswomen.”
Sheinbaum’s administration has pledged to identify 10 specialized regions across Mexico. In each, investment by certain business and industrial sectors would be prioritized. (Claudia Sheinbaum/Cuartoscuro)
After meeting with CEOs of major banks including BBVA, Scotiabank México and the Bank for International Settlements, Sheinbaum also told reporters that “there is a lot of interest in investing in Mexico,” where foreign direct investment is on the rise as companies expand their existing operations or relocate here as they seek to shorten supply chains and in some cases reduce their reliance on Asian countries, especially China.
“We have a lot of enthusiasm for the next six years,” Sheinbaum said, adding that her government’s aim will not just be to attract business investment but to ensure that money flowing into Mexico leads to development across the country and generates “well-being” for all Mexican people.
“We spoke [to the bank executives] about shared prosperity, which is the central axis of what our government will be in the next six years,” she said.
“… We spoke about our development project for the country … and the infrastructure we’re going to develop,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the construction of new highways and railroads, among other plans.
“We have a lot of enthusiasm about the role Mexico will play in the coming years,” the president-elect said Tuesday, noting that the USMCA trade pact and “other international agreements our country has” make Mexico an attractive place to invest.
Ebrard, who also met with the bank CEOs, said that the reception to the incoming government’s regional development and investment plan was “very positive because it’s very definite, very specific.”
“… The investment climate we have is very good, perhaps the most optimistic we’ve seen so far this century,” he added, noting that companies made investment announcements for Mexico in the first half of 2024 that together totaled more than US $45 billion.
The availability of water and electricity in Mexico is among the top concerns of foreign and Mexican investors. Other concerns include insecurity, potential disrespect for the rule of law and lack of infrastructure.
Sheinbaum’s incoming economy minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said that the IMC’s members responded well to Sheinbaum’s regional development and investment plan. Mexico’s current investment climate is “perhaps the most optimistic we’ve seen so far this century,” he said. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Seeking to calm concerns over a proposed judicial reform that Congress will consider later this year, Sheinbaum said last month that investors in Mexico have “nothing to worry about,” and that “their investments in Mexico are safe, obviously within the framework of our laws.”
