The new program is designed to help young adults find affordable housing in some areas of Mexico City where rents have increased recently.(Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
In a bid to assist young adults struggling to find affordable housing in Mexico City, the capital’s interim mayor, Martí Batres, this week introduced a pilot program to provide low-rent apartments in popular neighborhoods that have been impacted by gentrification.
The announcement comes one month after Mayor-elect Clara Brugada unveiled her ambitious social housing program which she described as the broadest in Mexico City history.
Batres announced that the pilot program will start with 150 units and will target university students and young professionals. (Gobierno de la Ciudad/Cuartoscuro)
For his part, Batres announced that the pilot program will start with 150 units and will target university students and young professionals. Each apartment will measure at least 40 square meters in size, will feature basic services and will be close to public transportation.
The program will be administered by the city’s Urban Development and Housing Ministry (Seduvi). Ínti Muñoz Santini, Seduvi director, said the initial apartments set aside for the program are located in the Doctores neighborhood, just east of the popular Roma neighborhood and south of the Centro Histórico.
Once approved by Seduvi, recipients of the apartments will receive a five-year lease with the option of a single two-year extension. Rents will range from 2,500 to 5,000 pesos/month (US $136 to $273), considerably lower than the 10,000 to 30,000 pesos (US $545 to $1,636) that rents can reach in the Roma neighborhood.
To participate in the program citizens:
Must be between 18 and 29 years old
Must have a job or be attending university
Earn a salary no more than twice the minimum wage, or 591 pesos/day (US $32)
Must not own property elsewhere
Batres, whose term ends on Oct. 5, did not say when the program would be launched though he expects it to be under way within a year.
Brugada announced her city-wide plan during the mayoral campaign to formalize and register deeds so as to provide juridical certainty to Mexico City homeowners, especially in low-income neighborhoods.
During a meeting with notaries public on May 20, Brugada said the goal is to regulate informal housing developments that have sprung up over the past several decades. Brugada’s administration will begin by carrying out a survey to evaluate the situation with regard to deeds and the registration of buildings and homes across the entire city.
The Ninth Notary Services Survey found that in 2022, only 51% of Mexico City property owners had a deed to their home.
My Mexico is a country of racial diversity, where members of any minority should be able to aspire to the highest offices in the land, and I am glad that our future president reflects that.
Agustín Barrios Gómez, former Mexican Congressman. (Courtesy)
However, as a firm believer in both economic and political freedoms afforded by liberal democracy, as well as a staunch advocate for strong and independent institutions, I am worried by her party’s legislative agenda.
As of 1997, Mexico built what became the most sophisticated electoral system in the world, which gave the country free (if not always fair) elections, for nearly thirty years. I think we run the risk of losing those very real democratic gains.
I also think that we run the risk of squandering the immense opportunities afforded by the nearshoring phenomenon. Simply put, if Mexico were to liberalize its energy industry and quickly shore up at least some of its serious public security issues, the country could join the ranks of the developed world within a decade.
With a much stronger economy and some political will, the rule of law would be within reach and Mexico could finally fulfill the dreams of so many of its people in ways that it hasn’t been able to until now. As an added benefit, this would also mean that Mexico would no longer export its people, meaning that one of the main drivers of the dangerous radicalization of the U.S. electorate would be gone. It is no stretch to say that a prosperous Mexico would improve the chances of a prosperous and more peaceful world.
But it looks like this is not to be; at least not in the short term. Instead, Mexico joins in the worldwide zeitgeist, entering a period of — you guessed it — increased uncertainty.
What used to be shared values of equality of opportunity in the context of economic and political freedom are no longer in vogue for majority voting blocs around the world and Mexico is no exception.
In what is proving to be an uncanny repeat of the 1930s, xenophobic authoritarianism is on the march pretty much everywhere, even in those countries where freedom and democracy were formerly a given. Whether you believe in the theory of 80-year historical cycles and the overproduction of elites, or in the powers of the planets to mold our fate, this is a world that has stopped making sense. Particularly for people who, like me, came of age during what was supposed to be “the end of history.” Our optimism regarding markets, democracy and enlightened self-interest, the pillars of Pax Americana which were to lead us into a new Golden Age, is over.
For those of us who care about Mexico’s future, this leads to a number of recommendations. The first is to love Mexico for what it is, and not for what we want it to be. As the son of a Mexican diplomat who grew up in several countries (including Switzerland), I have heard versions of Mexico’s obituary for as long as I can remember. And, yet, the country remains one of the most attractive places in the world to invest and to live in, hosting (by far) the largest community of U.S. expatriates in the world.
While it is true that we could well be seeing the end of an independent judiciary, the basic ingredients that make living in Mexico attractive, its destinations, culture, people — and its food — look to endure. In fact, if the latest international rankings are to be believed, there is even an argument to be made that they will improve.
Second, it’s important not to have expectations based on our biases. Mexico is guaranteed to break your heart, but it will also make you fall in love with it. Sometimes these two things will happen on the same day. Just like everywhere else, this country has important challenges, but the world doesn’t need more Mexico catastrophizing. Observations and constructive criticisms are welcome, but no one benefits by propagating the old “Mexico is doomed” trope.
That goes double for expatriate Mexicans who, despite owing their family and fortune to Mexico, speak ill of their country from their perch in the Woodlands, or Miami. Harmful words are never a good look.
As the world enters a period of increased volatility, perspective is more important than ever. Europeans peer over Poland’s eastern border (which is also the border of NATO and the European Union) and see war being waged by an expansionist Russia. In Asia, China is also engaged in a frenzy of saber-rattling hostility.
Here in North America, we have many challenges, including a dangerous concentration of political power and organized crime in Mexico, as well as alarming political polarization in the United States. Add to that, the “polycrisis,” which is a bizarre metastasis of existential threats that include, but are not limited to, nuclear war, bioweapons, accelerated global warming and artificial intelligence.
In this context, the results of Mexico’s election, for good, or ill, are a footnote. I do not believe that the basic ingredients of what makes Mexico one of the top international destinations will change. And for those of us who want to contribute, we can always do so as individuals, through being positive and productive members of our communities.
In sum, it behooves us to appreciate everything that Mexico offers, even if circumstances are forcing us to also be mindful of a world that is more dangerous and less predictable than it should be.
Agustín Barrios Gómez is the founder of International Capital Partners, a former Mexican Congressman, and a member of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (COMEXI).
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mexico News Daily, its owner or its employees.
Edzná was a powerful regional capital from 400 to 1000 A.D.
(Shutterstock)
The archaeological site of Edzná, excavated over the course of the past 65 years, now features a museum housing archaeological pieces and vestiges recovered from the former regional Maya capital.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the new museum on Friday, highlighting the project’s aim to provide greater context and understanding of the rich Maya cultural heritage.
The new museum showcases archaeological pieces and vestiges recovered from the former regional Maya capital. (@INAHmx/X)
Edzná, located 55 kilometers southeast of the city of Campeche, was inhabited as early as 400 B.C., evolving into a major city by 200 A.D. The diverse architectural styles located in the area around the main plaza indicate that it was a powerful regional capital from 400 to 1000 A.D.
The most remarkable structure at Edzná is the 40-meter-high temple in the main plaza, but the site also features groupings such as the Grand Acropolis and structures including a ball court and a 31-meter-high structure known as Cinco Pisos.
Due to its low-lying location, inhabitants of Edzná built a complex hydraulic system to direct surface water into a lake. The system featured a dam and irrigation canals.
While delivering an update on INAH activities, INAH Director Diego Prieto said that the Edzná Site Museum will not only serve as a space for the exhibition of recovered artifacts, but also as a living testimony of the cultural and archaeological wealth of the Maya civilization.
Promeza provided funding for the exploration of the territory and the verification of photogrammetric and LiDAR images, as well as for the prospecting, excavation and registration of archaeological materials.
After analysis and classification, some of the recent finds will be displayed at the new Edzná museum and other museums that are part of the network of recently created sites in ancient Maya cities in southeastern Mexico, including new facilities at Palenque, Moral-Reforma, Kabah, Dzibilchaltún, Tulum and Calakmul.
Author Jennifer Clement discusses her latest book "The Promised Party" and what it means to remember Mexico, with Mexico News Daily. (Facebook)
Award-winning author Jennifer Clement is deeply influenced by her life experiences in Mexico and New York. Her new book, “La Fiesta Prometida” (The Promised Party), is an intimate and nostalgic reflection on her past, social and cultural changes and the Mexican identity. Speaking to Mexico News Daily, Clement shared her inspirations, the central themes of her book and the importance of memory.
Through our conversation, we explored how these fragmented memories and personal experiences intertwine to form a rich and complex tapestry that reflects the reality of two distinct cities and eras.
“Growing up in Mexico, I knew the end of love was everywhere.”
The Promised Party by Jennifer Clement (Facebook)
From her childhood in Mexico City, Clement felt the omnipresence of the end of love. In “The Promised Party,” this feeling is expressed through the losses and heartbreaks that are a fundamental part of the narrative and the author’s life.
The work also reflects a kind of personal odyssey. In the last chapter, Clement explores her return to Mexico after spending much of her adult life in the United States. She describes Mexico as having “a particular anarchy, where we know that all is lost.” This fatalistic perspective is something deeply rooted in Mexican identity and resonates with legendary Mexican poet Sor Juana’s sonnets against hope.
“Those were other times. Art was above anything else at that time.”
Clement also delves into common family dynamics of the era and the central figure of Chona, her nanny, who played a more significant maternal role than her own mother: “Chona was really, in profound terms, my mom, much more than my mom,” she explained. At a time when parents were often absent and art was above all things, her relationship with Chona became an emotional pillar. This parental absence, was a characteristic of Clement’s generation, contrasting with the current generation’s greater concern and attention to their children. “If one looks at the history of Mexican intellectuals and artists, notably many, they have stories with their children that are tragic and very sad.”
The author also discusses how the unusual permissiveness of the past provided her with unusual experiences, such as her visit to the public baths with Chona: “How did they allow it? I was like some kind of strange creature there, inside the steam bath where the poorest people in Mexico went because they didn’t have bathrooms.”
The Mexico City of the 1970s was a very different place to the capital of today. (Internet Archive)
These memories are part of a larger mosaic that reflects the extreme poverty and illiteracy of the time. Clement uses these fragments to create a collective memory that encompasses her personal life and the capital’s history. “Yes, it’s my story, my memory; it’s how I became a writer, the path I took; but it’s also a book about times: that time in Mexico, that time in New York.”
The city as a character
In Jennifer Clement’s literature, the city is not only a setting but a character in itself. Thus, Clement constructs the narrative of The Promised Party in fragments, reflective of the way in which human memory works.
The book is divided into two parts: Mexico City and New York City, covering the first 27 years of Clement’s life. This non-linear structure allows for a deeper exploration of the chance experiences and influences that shaped her life and writing career. “The book also has a lot to do with luck, chance, and fate. It starts with Burroughs and ends with Burroughs, with this very strong scene where he tells that all is lost.”
Clement’s life has been eventful. From her chance meeting with Basquiat’s girlfriend while they were working as waitresses in New York at a Mexican restaurant, to the stories told by notable figures such as Ana Maria Xirau and Elena Poniatowska, each fragment contributes to a narrative rich in context and meaning.
Elena Poniatowska, Guillermo Arreola and Braulio Peralta with the author (Facebook)
“I had such an exceptional childhood and youth. I met and was influenced by so many people. And there is chance, when my parents arrived in Mexico, of all the thousands of streets they could have chosen to live on, they chose the same street where Frida and Diego lived. I would bathe in Frida’s now famous bathtub, but at that time, she wasn’t famous; there was no recognition on my part that I was in Frida Kahlo’s bathtub; it was my friend’s house and my second home. The same with Basquiat. Nobody was famous; the only famous person in New York was Andy Warhol,” she muses.
“And I talk about it in the book: the amount of Basquiat’s work, Suzanne and I threw away. We would be multimillionaires now, but it wasn’t important to us. It was the crap the ex left behind.”
“This book, deeply, is an act of love for Mexico.”
One of the most powerful themes in The Promised Party is Clement’s unconditional love for Mexico. “It doesn’t matter if you are rich or poor, a Mexican outside of Mexico will only think about Mexico.” This love manifests itself in her constant desire to return to her country despite having lived in places like New York. Clement describes this feeling as a Mexican inevitability, a need to be in Mexico despite the difficulties. This love is also reflected in Mexico’s cultural richness, something the author proudly highlights, mentioning the painters, architects, musicians, sculptors and writers who have put Mexico in a prominent place in the global art scene.
Despite the challenges that might be involved in publishing Mexican-themed books in English and abroad, Clement has managed to capture the interest of publishers worldwide. The Promised Party has already been sold to be published in several countries, including Mexico, the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey and Sweden. This global interest underscores the relevance and universal appeal of the stories and experiences she tells in her work.
The Promised Party is more than just an autobiography; it is a celebration of memory, an exploration of identity and a testament to Jennifer Clement’s undying love for Mexico. Through her narrative fragments, Clement manages to weave a story that resonates with the nostalgia and complexity of a life lived between two worlds. This book preserves not only her personal memories, but also the stories and historical context that could be lost in the passage of time.
The book is now available in England and the United States. The Promised Party will debut in Mexico in July. In addition, the rights have already been sold to an English filmmaker to make the movie. And Spielberg bought The Widow Basquiat. “There will be two projects about these books and this era coming soon.”
Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer, and cultural promoter and is Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine.
Schneider Electric's "Smart Factory" in Monterrey, one of four plants forecast to reach net-zero status in 2025. (se.com)
Two weeks after Schneider Electric inaugurated a US $29.4 million plant in Monterrey, the CEO of the French multinational’s Mexican and Central American operations declared his faith in nearshoring.
Jesús Carmona, CEO of Schneider Mexico and Central America, recently told the newspaper El Economista that he is bullish on nearshoring, insisting that the impact in Mexico over the next 30 years will be enormous.
Jesús Carmona, CEO of Schneider Mexico and Central America. (se.com)
“I believe in nearshoring because I see [its impacts] every day,” he said. “The first place to feel its impact was Monterrey, but we see it in other northern cities and in the Bajío [region]. I have no doubt it will reach southern Mexico as well.”
Describing how Schneider’s presence in Mexico doubled between 2021 and 2023, Carmona said there are three reasons for his company’s accelerated growth here: “nearshoring, increasing demand for efficient solutions to electrical energy needs, and the great abilities of Mexican labor.”
Schneider employs 1,600 people across Mexico in 10 plants, with 1,000 of those workers hired in the past four years. Last year, Schneider invested US $72.5 million in its Mexican energy automation services.
At the June 13 inauguration of the new plant known as Monterrey 4, Schneider’s director of operations in North America, Agustín López, said that the new plant in Monterrey — its fourth facility in the northern Mexico city — would strengthen its local economic ecosystem by 17%–20% over the next two to three years.
“We are always trying to optimize our technological capital via the development of a campus,” he said. “That’s why we build these production centers.”
Monterrey 4 will eventually create 460 jobs (257 people are on the payroll at present) and will be focused on the manufacture of specialized products, such as low-voltage electrical distribution boards — essential for hospitals, data centers; digital companies and organizations with high energy consumption.
Schneider Electric recently inaugurated Monterrey 4, an Engineer to Order (ETO) facility. (@SchneiderMX/X)
Schneider Electric, which has been operating in Mexico since 1945, specializes in digital automation and energy management by combining energy technologies, real-time automation, software, and services.
The 183,000-square-foot plant will boost the company’s production in North America as it will be an Engineer to Order (ETO) facility, which manufactures products to customer specifications and engineering designs.
López said that by next year, its four plants in Monterrey will reach net-zero status (a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere). The new plant is also the first in the world in which it will be possible to reutilize scrap metal.
In addition to the new Monterrey plant, Schneider is also building an 11th plant in the state of Tlaxcala.
¡No manches! It's time to learn another new Mexican slang expression! (Kraken Images/Unsplash)
In Mexico, it’s quite common to replace a vulgar expression with a more acceptable, similar-sounding word. This is akin to how Americans might say “shoot!” instead of “sh*t” or “what the heck” instead of “what the f*ck.” The expression “no manches” illustrates this well. It can mean “no way,” “oh my god,” “really?” “Darn,” “Are you kidding” or “come on.” It can also be used as an expression to show that you are following the conversation, much like the more vulgar “no mames.”
By substituting “manches” for “mames,” (which translates to “suck”) the intention is to soften the expression and make it more socially acceptable. The phrase originates from the verb “manchar,” which means “to stain”. However, in this case, it is not used literally.
“No manches” can also be a great way to emphasize excitement. (Thomas Park/Unsplash)
It can be used in various contexts to express surprise, disbelief, frustration, or to emphasize a statement. Its versatility makes it a staple in Mexican slang. Here are some common ways this expression is used:
Expressing surprise or disbelief:
A: ¡No manches! ¿De verdad te ganaste la lotería? (No way! Did you really win the lottery?)
B: ¡No manches! Obvio no. (Come on! Of course not.)
Emphasizing a statement:
A: Acabo de regresar de Bora Bora. (I just came back from Bora Bora.)
B: ¡No manches, ese lugar está increíble! (Oh my god, that place is amazing!)
Expressing frustration or annoyance:
A: ¡El tráfico está terrible! (Traffic is terrible)
B: No manches vamos a llegar super tarde! (Darn, we are going to be really late)
A: No manches, ¿cómo es posible que hayas perdido las llaves otra vez? (No way, how is it possible that you lost the keys again?)
To follow the conversation:
A: Fue un viaje difícil la verdad, no pudimos llegar porque ya no había vuelos disponibles… (It was tough, to be honest; we couldn’t get there because there weren’t any available flights.)
B: No manches… (Oh gosh)
A: Ya sé… (I know…)
There you have some examples of how to use this expression. Bear in mind that the context, the tone and the intention will determine its meaning and that you can use it in informal situations and with people of all ages as long as you are in a friendly, casual environment.
Paulina Gerez is a translator-interpreter, content creator, and founder of Crack The Code, a series of online courses focused on languages. Through her social media, she helps people see learning a language from another perspective through her fun experiences. Instagram: paulinagerezm / Tiktok: paugerez3 / YT: paulina gerez
The Bank of Mexico decision to cut benchmark interest rates to 10.75% despite high headline inflation shocked some analysts. (Wikimedia Commons)
The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) maintained its key interest rate at 11% on Thursday, but signaled that “the inflationary environment” may be conducive to cuts in the not-too-distant future.
Four of five Banxico board members including Governor Victoria Rodríguez voted in favor of leaving the benchmark interest rate unchanged. Omar Mejía, the board’s newest member, voted in favor of a 25-basis-point cut.
It was the second consecutive monetary policy meeting at which the Banxico board decided to maintain the 11% rate. The bank cut its key rate by 25 basis points from a record high 11.25% in March.
The latest decision came after the national statistics agency INEGI published data on Monday that showed that the annual headline inflation rate increased to 4.78% in the first half of June, up from 4.69% across May. That’s well above Banxico’s 3% target.
Banxico said in a statement on Thursday that its governing board “assessed the behavior of inflation and its determinants, as well as of inflation expectations” before the majority vote in favor of leaving the key interest rate at 11%.
The prices of fruits and vegetables have driven an uptick in the annual headline inflation rate in Mexico. (Shutterstock)
The central bank said that the recent depreciation of the Mexican peso “impacts the inflation forecast upwards,” but added that “its effects are partly offset by those associated with the greater weakness exhibited by economic activity.”
Banxico said that headline inflation is “still expected to converge to the target in the fourth quarter of 2025,” but noted that that forecast is subject to a range of upside risks, including “greater foreign exchange depreciation” and “the intensification of geopolitical conflicts.”
The bank said that its board concluded that “the challenges and risks in both sides of the balance” call for a continuation of prudent monetary policy.
“Looking ahead, the board foresees that the inflationary environment may allow for discussing reference rate adjustments,” Banxico added.
However, it stressed that “actions will be implemented in such a way that the reference rate remains consistent at all times with the trajectory needed to enable an orderly and sustained convergence of headline inflation to the 3% target during the forecast period.”
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexico’s Banco Base, said earlier this week that her team expected two additional interest rate cuts this year, “but toward the end of the year, when conditions are better.”
How did the peso react to Banxico’s rates decision?
Neither the interest rate decision nor President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum’s announcement earlier on Thursday of five additional appointments to her cabinet had a major impact on the USD:MXN exchange rate.
The peso depreciated around 8% to the US dollar since Sheinbaum’s landslide win on June 2, which also brought her Morena party and its allies majorities in Mexico’s Congress. (Cuartoscuro)
The peso closed at 18.33 to the dollar on Wednesday, and had depreciated to 18.46 just before the Banxico announcement, the El Economista newspaper reported. At 5 p.m. Mexico City time, the peso was trading at 18.47 to the greenback, according to Bloomberg.
The peso has depreciated almost 8% against the dollar since the June 2 elections due to concerns that the ruling Morena party and its allies will be able to get a range of controversial constitutional reform proposals through Congress.
The Morena-led coalition won a two-thirds majority in the lower house and fell just short of a supermajority in the Senate, putting it within reach of the numbers it needs to approve the proposed reforms.
The Bank of Mexico didn’t mention the election results in its statement, but did say that “the presence of idiosyncratic factors generated high volatility in Mexico’s financial markets.”
The Miguel Alemán reservoir in Valle de Bravo, Mexico state, is one of the Cutzalama system's three main reservoirs. According to Conagua, it's currently at 26.5% capacity, even after rains from Tropical Storm Alberto. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Day Zero has come and gone, and although the Cutzamala system is still delivering water to Mexico City — albeit at a reduced rate — its reservoirs are at historic lows.
Lingering drought and extreme heat prompted pundits to proclaim June 26 as potential Day Zero — when Mexico City’s reservoirs would be so reduced that the complex interbasin transfer could stop functioning, leaving Mexico’s capital without water.
The Cutzamala water system must have a certain minimum amount of water or the pumps that send water up 1,100 meters to Mexico City will no longer function. (ObservaValle/Twitter)
Though the projection was overwrought — the Cutzamala supplies only 28% of Mexico City’s water — the shrinking water supply in the system’s seven reservoirs is a legitimate concern.
It was hoped that rain from Tropical Storm Alberto — which slammed into Mexico’s east coast on June 19 and greatly replenished some of northern Mexico’s drastically depleted reservoirs — would replenish the Cutzamala’s reservoirs somewhat. However, accumulated rainfall in greater Mexico City from Alberto was negligible.
The Mexican National Meteorological Service (SMN) forecast heavy rains across the nation this week, but as the newspaper El Financiero reported on Wednesday, Mexico City’s three main reservoirs remain at critically low levels.
Those three reservoirs — in México state’s Valle de Bravo and Villa Victoria and in El Bosque, Michoacán, — are currently at an average 26.18% capacity, a slight increase over their 26.09% average level before Alberto. However, these numbers represent historic lows for Mexico City’s nearly 50-year-old reservoir system.
To give an idea of how drought and heat have impacted the system, the reservoir levels’ average capacity was 39.5% in January.
Many residents of the greater metropolitan area of Mexico City regularly have limited access to running water and must rely on deliveries from water trucks provided by the city government. (Crisanta Espinsa Aguilar /Cuartoscuro)
Conagua said the reduction is necessary to guarantee water over the medium-term because if water in the reservoirs dips below a certain point, the pumps that send the water up 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) to Mexico City will no longer function.
While rain in greater Mexico City has mildly mitigated the Valley of Mexico’s drought conditions, the reservoirs remain in need of replenishment.
Although Mexico City’s rainy season is expected to last into September, several studies suggest a genuine Day Zero for the Cutzamala is a real possibility.
A joint investigation conducted by the United Nations and the Autonomous Metropolitan University in Mexico City (UAM) projected that a genuine Day Zero is possible in 2028.
The Instituto Belisario Domínguez (IBD) — a state-funded research institute — wrote a report indicating that Day Zero talk should go beyond setting a date and instead prompt a discussion about creating a sustainable reservoir system for Mexico City.
The IBD proposed promoting a culture of respect for water (especially via water capture), investing in infrastructure and establishing penalties for wasting water.
President-elect Sheinbaum met with Canada's Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly on Wednesday. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
The USMCA trade pact, which is up for review in 2026, was a key focus of a meeting on Wednesday between President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum and Canada’s Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly.
Sheinbaum, who will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president on Oct. 1, received Joly at her “transition headquarters” in the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa. Mexico’s future foreign affairs minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente also attended the meeting.
Sheinbaum was joined by her future foreign affairs minister, Juan Ramón de la Fuente (left). Canadian Ambassador to Mexico Graeme C. Clark also attended. (Mélanie Joly/X)
Sheinbaum revealed on X that she spoke about “the future” of the Mexico-Canada relationship with Joly and the “importance” of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the free trade pact that superseded NAFTA in 2020.
“The foreign minister’s main interest is to know our position on USMCA,” she told a press conference on Wednesday.
“We agree with her and the idea of strengthening the agreement,” Sheinbaum said.
The USMCA, the product of trilateral negotiations that began in 2017, is scheduled to be reviewed in 2026. While expressing support for a strengthening of the pact, Sheinbaum said she believed the review would be “minor.”
Former presidents Peña Nieto and Trump and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signed the USMCA in 2018. (Ron Przysucha/U.S. Department of State)
The president-elect also said she and Joly discussed “the possibility of maintaining and increasing [the number] of work visas for Mexicans” interested in working in Canada.
The two countries collaborate on the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, in which tens of thousands of Mexicans travel to Canada to work every year.
Sheinbaum also told reporters that she and Joly discussed Canadian investment in Mexico, and Julian Assange’s release from prison after the Wikileaks founder accepted a plea deal from the United States.
“We acknowledged his fight for freedom of speech and the right to information. We were very pleased that he was finally released,” she said.
For her part, Joly said on X that she and Sheinbaum discussed “how we can continue to strengthen the Canada-Mexico relationship and advance our shared priorities as North American partners.”
The Canadian government said in a statement that the foreign minister congratulated Sheinbaum on “her historic electoral victory that will see her become the first woman president of Mexico.”
The statement also said that Joly, Sheinbaum and other officials “reflected on 80 years of friendship and robust relations between Canada and Mexico.”
“… While highlighting the 50th anniversary of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and its successes, Minister Joly and her counterparts underscored the importance of regular migration pathways for both countries’ economies,” the Canadian government said.
“They agreed to continue to regularly review the broad range of issues affecting mobility, including visa processes, to support safe and orderly migration.”
Among other issues, the Canadian government statement said that Joly and Sheinbaum “discussed the importance of collaborating to advance North American economic competitiveness” and “the need to work together to combat climate change.”
Joly also met with soon-to-be economy minister Marcelo Ebrard during her visit to Mexico City. (Marcelo Ebrard/X)
Joly also met with Mexico’s incoming economy minister Marcelo Ebrard, with the former saying on X that they discussed the “importance of working together to advance North American economic competitiveness and how our counties can collaborate to expand trade and investment.”
The proposed reform — which if approved would allow citizens to directly elect Supreme Court justices and other judges — is a decision for the Mexican government, “but at the same time we hope that a country like Mexico respects the rule of law,” Joly said.
She emphasized the need for stability and predictability in Mexico because “it’s difficult to invest in a business environment where there are too many risks.”
Among other remarks, Joly said that Canada, Mexico and the United States have the opportunity to establish a “fully integrated” supply chain and to be “one of the most successful [economic] partnerships in the world.”
With that comes an opportunity “to bring lots of Mexicans out of poverty, increase the middle class in Canada and Mexico, and fundamentally be a hub for talent and innovation,” she said.
“I’m really optimistic, but at the same time we need to do the work. So that’s why I’m here,” Joly said.
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced five more cabinet appointments on Thursday, including health minister, public administration minister and energy minister. (Cuartoscuro)
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced five additional appointments to her cabinet on Thursday, including new ministers for energy, health and public administration.
Sheinbaum, who will take office on Oct. 1, announced that Luz Elena González Escobar, a former finance minister in the Mexico City government, will be her energy minister, and David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz, ex-director of the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition, will be her health minister.
Sheinbaum announced her new picks at a press conference on Thursday morning, a week after presenting six initial appointments. (Cuartoscuro)
Raquel Buenrostro Sánchez, the current federal economy minister, will become public administration minister, a role in which she will have responsibility for the ongoing government fight against corruption.
Sheinbaum also announced that Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, the current public works and services minister in the Mexico City government, will be her infrastructure, communications and transport minister.
The fifth and final cabinet appointment the president-elect announced Thursday was Edna Elena Vega Rangel as minister of agrarian, land and urban development. Vega is currently a deputy agrarian, land and urban development minister.
Sheinbaum described her new appointees as a “great team,” and noted that Buenrostro, Esteva and Vega will remain in their current government roles for the time being.
“They have double duty because they’ll be participating in all the transition processes,” she said.
Two of the appointees, González and Esteva, were members of Sheinbaum’s government when she was mayor of Mexico City between 2018 and 2023.
The president-elect has now named 12 members of her cabinet.
Sheinbaum named an initial six cabinet appointments on June 20, which included Alicia Bárcena as environment minister, Juan Ramón de la Fuente as foreign affairs minister and Marcelo Ebrard as economy minister. (Cuartoscuro)
Among the key appointments still to be announced are the interior minister, security minister, defense minister and welfare minister roles.
Based on the announcements made to date, Sheinabum’s cabinet — made up of six men and six women — is as follows:
Economy minister: Marcelo Ebrard
Environment and natural resources minister: Alicia Bárcena
Finance Minister: Rogelio Ramírez de la O
Minister for science, humanities, technology and innovation: Rosaura Ruiz
Foreign Affairs Minister: Juan Ramón de la Fuente
Legal counsel to the president: Ernestina Godoy
Agriculture and rural development minister: Julio Berdegué
Energy minister: Luz Elena González Escobar
Health Minister: David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz
Public administration minister: Raquel Buenrostro
Infrastructure, communications and transport minister: Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina
Agrarian, land and urban development minister: Edna Elena Vega Rangel
What are the backgrounds of the new cabinet appointees?
Luz Elena González Escobar
The soon-to-be energy minister served as administration and finance minister during Sheinbaum’s 2018-2023 mayorship in Mexico. She has degrees in economics, law and urban management.
Luz Elena González Escobar will serve as Mexico’s next energy minister. (Cuartoscuro)
González has held a number of other positions in the Mexico City government, including the directorship of the capital’s Passenger Transportation Network in the early 2000s.
She will succeed Miguel Ángel Maciel Torres as energy minister.
Mexico’s next health minister is a veteran medical doctor and surgeon with more than 50 years’ experience in the field. The octogenarian has also worked as a professor of medicine at the National Autonomous University (UNAM).
Kershenobich was general director of the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition between 2012 and 2022.
The next health minister will be David Kershenobich, succeeding Jorge Alcocer. (Cuartoscuro)
She has served in a range of other government roles, including as a high-ranking official in the federal Finance Ministry. She has degrees in mathematics and economics.
Raquel Buenrostro will be the public administration minister in the next term. (Cuartoscuro)
Buenrostro will succeed Roberto Salcedo Aquino as public administration minister.
Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina
The future infrastructure, communications and transport minister has been the minister of public works and services in Mexico City since 2018, when Sheinbaum became mayor.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Esteva was the Mexico City government’s director of infrastructure projects and subsequently worked as UNAM’s director of planning and infrastructure evaluation.
The next infrastructure, communications and transport minister will be Jesús Esteva Medina. (Cuartoscuro)
He has an undergraduate degree in civil engineering and a master’s in structural engineering.
Esteva will succeed Jorge Nuño Lara as infrastructure, communications and transport minister.
Edna Elena Vega Rangel
Mexico’s next agrarian, land and urban development minister was general director of the National Housing Commission for almost four years before becoming a deputy minister in the ministry she will soon lead in 2022.
Edna Elena Vega Rangel will take over as agrarian, land and urban development minister in Sheinbaum’s administration. (Cuartoscuro)
Vega has also held a range of public roles in Mexico City, including head of the capital’s Housing Institute.
She has undergraduate and doctorate degrees in sociology, and a master’s in urban planning.
Vega will succeed Román Meyer Falcón as agrarian, land and urban development minister.
