Storms over Yucatán Peninsula bring flooding, power outages to Mérida

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June 25, 2024

Car with water nearly up to its wheel well in severe flooding on a street in Merida, Yucatan — Some streets of Mérida were knee-deep in water by Monday. (@Planoinforma/X)

Several neighborhoods in Mérida were underwater on Tuesday after intense storms battered the northern part of the Yucatán Peninsula for two days, causing severe flooding in the capital.

The storms, starting on Sunday, knocked out electricity in parts of Mérida, but the accumulation of rain was proving to be the bigger problem on Tuesday.

Reportan calles inundadas en Paseo de Montejo tras las recientes lluvias del día de hoy en #Mérida, #Yucatán. pic.twitter.com/InNE6S6p29

— José Díaz (@JJDiazMachuca) June 25, 2024

Municipal officials are assessing drainage systems and providing relief services to victims of the intense flooding, particularly in the historic center, where water high water levels have forced commuters to find alternate routes.

Many left their cars and splashed home on foot through the flooded streets. Just north of the historic center, several commuters, unable to cross the Itzimná borough, abandoned their stalled cars.

José Collado Soberanis, director of Mérida’s Municipal Public Services, said teams were unclogging drains, drilling wells to help water flow and cleaning up the muddy mess. Special attention was being given to areas around hospitals, schools and shelters in order to ensure roads were passable, he said.

Municipal Public Services also was delivering 78 water tankers to residents after the loss of electricity shut down Mérida’s water distribution system on Sunday.

Outside the capital, about 15 kilometers to the northeast, the municipality of Conkal was inundated by 238 millimeters of rainwater.

Today’s forecast will not bring any relief: cloudy skies over the Yucatán Peninsula are predicted to bring more intense storms through Wednesday morning in the states of Campeche, and Yucatán. The state of Quintana Roo, on the eastern side of the peninsula, is expecting scattered storms.

The inclement weather forecast is due to the arrival of Tropical Storm No. 4 over southern Campeche, which is coming into contact with a band of low pressure over the Yucatán Peninsula.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued an advisory on Tuesday morning that another storm with the potential to cause more intense flooding in the region, called a tropical wave, is approaching the Gulf of Mexico. As of midday Tuesday, the wave — currently located in the southeastern Caribbean — was headed west at 25 mph and bringing heavy rain and electrical storms.

There is a low chance that the tropical wave will reach the southwestern Gulf of Mexico this weekend.

With reports from Diario de Yucatán, Península de Yucatán and La Jornada

Is Mexico’s economy losing steam?

By

MND Staff

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June 25, 2024

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Mexico City's Angel of Independence appears behind scaffolding — The Mexican economy grew 3.2% in 2023, but the pace of growth is forecast to slow this year, partly due to a slowing in the United States' economy. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

Economic growth in Mexico slowed markedly in annual terms in April compared to March, while the economy contracted on a month-over-month basis, according to official data.

The national statistics agency INEGI reported that the economy grew 0.9% in April compared to the same month of 2023.

Vehicle manufacturing in Mexico makes up a big part of the secondary sector — Mexico’s manufacturing industry, part of the secondary sector of the economy, declined 1.5% in April compared to the previous month. (Cuartoscuro)

Annual growth in March was a much higher 3.3%, while the economy expanded 1.9% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period of last year.

INEGI data also shows that the Mexican economy contracted 0.6% in April compared to the previous month.

The newspaper Reforma reported that the month-over-month contraction, as measured by INEGI’s Global Indicator of Economic Activity (IGAE), was the worst result for the Mexican economy in 32 months.

On an annual basis, the primary sector of the economy contracted 1% in April, while the secondary and tertiary sectors grew by 0.6% and 1.3%, respectively.

On a month-over-month basis, Mexico’s primary, secondary and tertiary sectors all went backward. The primary sector contracted 2.5%; the secondary sector declined 0.5%; and the tertiary sector — which contributes to more than 60% of Mexico’s GDP — shrank by 0.6%.

Mexico’s manufacturing industry — part of the secondary sector of the economy, an export powerhouse and a major recipient of foreign investment — declined 1.5% in April compared to the previous month.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexico’s Banco Base, described the IGAE data for June as “very bad.”

The Mexican economy grew 3.2% in 2023, but the pace of growth is forecast to slow this year, in part due to a slowdown in the United States economy.

The International Monetary Fund is currently predicting a 2.4% expansion this year, while the consensus forecast of more than 30 banks, brokerages and research organizations recently surveyed by Citibanamex is that the Mexican economy will expand 2.1% in 2024.

In another post to the X social media platform, Siller said that economic growth in Mexico “can increase” if the country takes advantage of the nearshoring opportunity.

For that to occur, Mexico needs to be promoted as a nearshoring destination; water, electricity and highway infrastructure needs to be built; and the country needs “certainty in internal economic policy,” the analyst wrote.

With reports from El Economista and Reforma

How to experience the best of Oaxaca’s street food scene

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Anna Bruce

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June 25, 2024

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Tlayudas — They don't call Oaxaca the street food capital of Mexico for nothing. Here's where to get the best of everything. (Photos by Anna Bruce/Instagram)

The smell of fresh corn tortillas permeates the streets of Oaxaca city, as people hustle to get tacos from their favorite stall before it runs out. Known as the cradle of corn, the state is renowned for its cuisine because of its history of domesticating this staple, Oaxaca gastronomy has developed from deep ancestral knowledge with a blend of Indigenous, Spanish, and other international influences. Visitors to this great city all have one question though: Where is the best street food in Oaxaca, and how do they find it?

A great place to start exploring Oaxacan street food is in the city’s markets. Most are open every day from dawn ‘till dusk, although I recommend going in the mornings. Dive in and you can find a rainbow of fresh produce and beautiful artisan goods.

Memelas Doña Vale has become something of an international sensation thanks to her appearance on the Netflix show “Street Food Latin America.” (Anna Bruce)

Which Oaxaca street food markets are best to visit?

My favorite market spot is the food court at the Mercado Merced, off Calle Murguía. The first tables you come to are catered by Fonda Rosita. The family makes amazing chilaquiles that come still bubbling in a casserole dish: layers of tortilla chips, herbs and cheese in spicy red or green sauce. I usually get my chilaquiles with a couple of fried eggs on top.

The largest market in Oaxaca is the Central de Abastos. It’s home to a huge expanse of stalls, more or less organized into different sections such as fruit, flowers, clothes and carpentry. There are also some great spots to get classic street food. The sprawling market can be a little difficult to navigate at times, so it’s helpful to explore with a guide who can help you start out picking from the wealth of different options available.

Recently Netflix shows such Street Food Latin America have highlighted the food of Doña Vale. She makes delicious memelas, a perfect morning snack. Memelas are a small, soft corn base spread with refried beans topped with crumbled queso fresco or stringy quesillo. One from Doña Vale will run you between 20 and 30 pesos each.

Tlayudas

Tlayudas are an iconic Oaxacan street food. My favorite tlayuda spot, Dos Cielos, makes an awesome one with ribs, folded and grilled over a flame. You can also pick up tlayudas in the markets, but these are usually open faced and can be a little dry or chewy to my taste.

A Oaxacan tlayuda — A mouth watering Oaxacan tlayuda with cecina, tasajo and chorizo.

A famous place to be immersed in the smell of barbecue is the Pasillo de Humo, or Smoke Corridor, on Calle 20 de Noviembre. Walking through this area, you can immediately see where the name comes from. The air is full of smoke and the smell of cooking meat is all around as each vendor tries to entice you to their spot.

A treat to have after a big plate from the Pasillo de Humo is a cup of cold tejate from La Flor de Huayapam. Tejate is a pre-Columbian drink made from maize, cacao, mamey pits and cacao flower, served in a beautifully painted jicara gourd for 20 pesos.

Tamales

Tamales are made from masa, a dough of nixtamalized corn, usually with some kind of filling such as mole. A great way to try Oaxacan mole on the move!

One of the best places to get tamales is the Sanchez Pascuas market. Nestled close to the entrance, steam pours from a big cooking pot. You can grab a stool and squeeze up alongside the pot to eat them there and then, piping hot, or have them bundled up in paper to take away. The chicken amarillo tamales served inside a corn husk are delicious, as are the rich black mole ones served inside a fresh banana leaf.

Mercado 20 de noviembre, Oaxaca — The Mercado 20 de Noviembre in Oaxaca city is THE destination for street food adventurers. (Facebook)

Other popular tamale fillings include Rajas which are roasted poblano peppers, beans and a Oaxacan herb called chipil.

Tacos

The street tacos you typically find in Oaxaca are rolled in soft tortillas sometimes referred to as blandas. Find the best in front of Carmen Alta church on the corner of García Vigil and Jesús Carranza.

Tacos del Carmen is a Oaxaca institution. They have been serving tacos and quesadillas of chicken tinga, chorizo with potato, squash blossom and mushroom since 1977. You can get a glass of agua de jamaica to go with your tacos, or grab a mezcal margarita from La Popular next door. These tacos run out, so don’t go too late.

If you’re looking for a fix later in the day, Tacos Roy or La Flamita Mixe offer great al pastor tacos. Carving the meat straight off the ‘doner’ like trompo, this style stemming from Lebanese roots.

In business for almost 50 years, Tacos del Carmen sells out fast. Get there early to guarantee a chance to try them. (Tacos del Carmen/Instagram)

Late night tacos at Lechoncito del Oro are essential. These are tacos filled with succulent slow-roasted suckling pig. The loaded tostadas are also amazing, if a little difficult to eat after a few drinks.

Desserts

Once you have filled up, you might be looking for dessert. The streets of Oaxaca, of course, have plenty to offer.

During the day it’s well worth visiting the Plaza de las Nieves in front of the Basilica de la Soledad. Nieves are ice cream and can be either water or milk based. The flavor options are endless: some are to be expected, such as fruit, cacao or even mezcal. Others require a bit more thought, such as quesillo, tuna or the mysterious “Beso de Oaxaca.”

Grabbing a box of fruit with lime and chili, or a roasted banana slathered in condensed milk from roving vendors are also great ways to get a sugar fix. You’ll hear them coming by the sound of the steam whistle.

Chefs and foodies have long been making the pilgrimage to Oaxaca City to experience the profound flavors. Michelin has awarded stars to Oaxacan restaurants and chefs. However, there is more than just fine dining to enjoy in Oaxaca. Quite simply, the street and market food here is some of the best in the world!

Anna Bruce is an award-winning British photojournalist based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Just some of the media outlets she has worked with include Vice, The Financial Times, Time Out, Huffington Post, The Times of London, the BBC and Sony TV. Find out more about her work at her website or visit her on social media on Instagram or on Facebook.

When Mexico makes you grumpy

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Sarah DeVries

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June 25, 2024

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annoying things in Mexico make this cat upset. — It's surprisngly easy to turn into this grumpy cat when you're having a bad day. Take a second, breathe and embrace the chaos of life in Mexico. (Niranjan/Unsplash)

Life in Mexico can be pretty great, but sometimes little, nagging, annoying things can get on top of you. A couple of weeks ago, I went to eat with a friend of mine, a fellow foreigner. It had been a while, and we were looking forward to catching up.

But the circumstances were bumpy, Mexico-style.

First, there was the question of parking: all tiny, hard-to-get-to spaces. The valet was available, but, my friend explained he was very against someone else driving his car. Successfully parked at last, we finally went in.

Mexico: The land of minorly annoying things

A tiny valet parking in Guanajuato city — Parking in Mexico — especially in Guanajuato city — can be a challenge at times. (ISSEG)

In the cafe at last, the the chairs we were led to wound up being too small for comfort. No matter — we moved to a booth. Then the lunch special was not valid that day. After that, it turned out we needed silverware. By the time the waiter brought out my friend’s soup with his main dish, he’d had it.

“Don’t you think it’s silly to bring out both of these dishes at the same time when the soup should clearly come first?” he snapped.

The waiter didn’t know how to respond, and was almost certainly not paid enough to mount a defense, anyway.

When the grouchy bug bites

Here’s one thing the lifestyle guides don’t always tell you: it’s easy to get grouchy in Mexico.

Oh, let me count the ways!

Pipa distributing drinking water in Toluca — Sometimes, your water will go out. Sometimes it might be your power. Learn to roll with the punches and life will go so much smoother. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro))

The electricity, and/or water, and/or internet go out (or all three at once, if you’re particularly unlucky). That happens, of course, but here they keep charging you as if there’d been no break in service at all.

You get excited about trying something on the menu, but the restaurant doesn’t actually have it right then (this happens a lot). Then they don’t have the next thing you want to try, either.

Nobody has change, even for relatively small bills, pretty much ever. Good luck breaking that 500, my friend.

The bathrooms are super tiny and the toilets don’t always flush.

No matter how much you prepare, you’re going to need other documents for your trámite. You’ll definitely have to leave to get them and return another day.

And when you’re grouchy, it’s extra easy to be…not the nicest person. Where does that get us? Grouchy and scowled at, that’s where. “What’s that guy’s problem?” people might think.

Learning to take it easy (for real)

A few weeks ago, Travis Bembenek (Mexico News Daily’s co-owner) wrote about the “Mexican stress test.” In it, he detailed some of the many ways that, if you’re already having a kind of frustrating day, can get you even more frustrated. This particular case had to do with the loss of power. But it can be anything, really.

Most of these opportunities for exasperation result from unmet expectations. Why won’t things or people simply work the way they’re supposed to? We could get mad every hour of every day if we wanted to.

Anyone can be an asshole. But boy, does it stick out when you’re in a country where most people fall over themselves to be polite and accommodating.

So the most urgent question for us is this: how can we adjust our expectations instead of freaking out like we love to do?

Most people tend to describe themselves as easygoing, go-with-the-flow kinds of people. “Walking the walk,” of course, is a different story.

Even though they’re pay-to-use, public toilets sometimes leave something (a lot) to be desired. (Mario Nulo/Cuartoscuro)

The first step, I believe, is to prepare yourself. People are not going to do things the way you think they should be done. They’re just not.

So keep that in mind, and see how others respond to the same types of setbacks; you might pick up some good tips.

Remember, too, that getting all worked up doesn’t usually accomplish anything, especially here. Mexicans will often say, “He who angers, loses.” In a lot of ways that’s true. You not only “lose” your own cool, but people who could help you are much less likely to help you if you’re rude and huffy about it.

Expressing your anger to strangers is like trying to ram into someone with your parking break on. It’s not going to happen, and it will frustrate you even more.

When we finished our meal, a trickster god had another surprise in store for us: there was a car blocking our exit. A Mexican driver would have pulled out front and made their escape. But my friend didn’t feel confident about avoiding a bump with another car in the tiny space.

So, after a derisive “of course” laugh, I got out and politely asked the valet to move it. After a few minutes, he did, and we dislodged ourselves.

No doubt you’ve experienced some annoying things in Mexico too — have I missed any?

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

Government says construction on Jaguar Park in Tulum will be done in 2 months

By

MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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An overhead view of buildings in Jaguar Park in Tulum — Officials announced that if the project proceeds on schedule, construction will be completed within two months. (Román Meyer Falcón/Facebook)

Construction of the 2.5-billion-peso (US $140 million) Jaguar National Park in Tulum, Quintana Roo, should be complete within two months, government officials said, despite delayed environmental permits for a military-built luxury hotel in the park.

After a recent visit to the new park, Román Meyer Falcón, the head of the Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development Ministry (Sedatu), said the development of the site located in northeastern Tulum is 92% complete, the newspaper La Jornada Maya reported on Sunday.

On June 16, however, the tourism website Reportur revealed that the failure to carry out an environmental impact report for a US $38 million hotel project in the park was drawing criticism.

The Defense Ministry (Sedena) began building the luxury hotel last year on a site adjacent to an old Navy aerodrome. Critics immediately expressed concern that construction was moving ahead rapidly before an environmental impact review had been released. The review, known as an MIA, is a federally mandated procedure.

As a result of rising criticism, Sedena recently formally petitioned the Environment Ministry (Semarnat) to conduct an MIA.

Over the weekend, Meyer said the park project is presently focused on the museum, which is being built on the grounds of the old aerodrome that was incorporated into the park grounds after a lengthy process of reforestation. The reconstruction of the old aerodrome will also include the park’s administrative buildings.

An aerial view of Jaguar Park facilities in Tulum, Quintana Roo. — The majority of the park facilities have been built. (Sedatu)

The museum area will also feature six “windows to the sea,” access to footpaths and bicycle paths, and a nearby lighthouse will be restored.

Park infrastructure has largely been modernized to improve the experience for visitors to both the park and Maya archaeological sites in and around Tulum, as well as to facilitate connectivity to the Maya Train.

Jaguar Park comprises nearly 2,250 hectares encompassing numerous protected natural areas such as beaches, forests, the Tulum Archaeological Zone and the Tulum National Park. The area is home to at least 966 species of flora and fauna, including 60 endemic species that can’t be found elsewhere. Construction on the project began in 2022 and the park was originally scheduled to be operational by February.

With reports from La Jornada Maya and Reportur

Canada opens 3 new visa application centers in Mexico

By

MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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The flags of Canada and Mexico — In the first six months of the year, Mexico exported over US $9 billion worth of goods to Canada. (Shutterstock)

The government of Canada has opened three new visa application centers (VACs) in Mexico to help relieve the high volume of applications at the current facility in Mexico’s capital.

The new VACs will be in Monterrey, Nuevo León, and Guadalajara, Jalisco. Canada will also open a second visa center in Mexico City.

“With these new centres, Mexico will have four VACs located in the country’s three largest metropolitan areas,” the Canadian government said in a statement. “This will make it easier for Mexican nationals to provide biometrics to come to Canada if required, and support travel and people-to-people ties between the two countries, while also preserving the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.”

This decision comes four months after the Canadian government announced it would tighten its entry requirements for Mexican visitors. Before, Mexicans only needed an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter the country.

With the updated guidelines, those who hold a valid visa for the United States or who have had a Canadian visa in the last 10 years can enter the country by air with an eTA.

At the time, the Canadian government said this move responds to the increasing number of asylum applications from Mexican citizens.

A closeup of a Canadian visa. — The recent rule change requires most Mexicans to obtain a visa before entering Canada. (Shutterstock)

Unlike the eTA, obtaining a visa involves a longer process. Reportedly, the current estimated processing time at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico is approximately 40 days.

In most cases, applicants in Mexico must now undergo biometric data collection — an additional step that contributes to the overall wait time. This data is collected at the VACs, which Canadian officials said are run by private companies that have contracts with the government of Canada.

The Canadian visa application fee is 100 Canadian dollars (US $73), with an additional 85 Canadian dollar (US $62) fee for biometric data collection.

With reports from Infobae

Woman returns US $4 thrift store vase to Mexico after realizing it’s an ancient Maya artifact

By

MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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Closeup of an ancient Maya vase with red figures painted on clay — The vase that Anna Lee Dozier bought for US $3.99 at a Maryland thrift store turned out to be worth far more than she ever suspected. (Estebán Moctezuma Barragán/X)

An ancient Maya vase, bought for US $3.99 at a thrift store in Maryland, is among 20 archaeological artifacts being repatriated to Mexico, thanks to a U.S. woman who discovered its true value years after purchasing it.

Anna Lee Dozier stumbled upon the ceramic vase on a clearance shelf by the checkout at a thrift store about 10 minutes from her Washington, D.C., home. “In my work, I travel a lot to Mexico, and this item caught my eye because it looked different than the things on the shelf, but it also was recognizably from Mexico,” Dozier recounted on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio show “As It Happens.”

A woman and two men pose with a table filled with a Maya vase and other artifacts that are being returned to Mexico. — Dozier poses with Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Esteban Moctezuma Barragán (right) at a ceremony to return the vase. (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores)

“Since it’s a country that I work [in] and it’s really important to me, I thought it would be just a nice little thing to take home and put on the shelf and to remind me of Mexico,” she added on the National Public Radio (NPR) show “All Things Considered.”

Believing it was a 20- or 30-year-old tourist souvenir, she displayed the piece in her home library.

Dozier works for the human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide and is often in Mexico. On a visit earlier this year to Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology, Dozier began to suspect the vase’s true age and significance.

“As I was walking through, it just occurred to me that some of the things that I was looking at looked very similar to what I had at home,” she said.

Following advice from museum staff, she contacted the Mexican embassy upon her return to the United States.

After an authentication process, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico confirmed that the vase was indeed an ancient artifact from the Maya Classic period.

Experts dated it between 200 and 800 A.D. — a period that historians widely regard as the height of the Maya civilization, which declined after drought, infighting and eventually European conquest, among other factors.

A Maya vase along with other clay pottery and stone masks made by ancient Indigenous people in Mexico. — The archaeological relics returned to Mexico included more than a dozen pieces from a variety of pre-Colombian cultures. (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores)

“Congratulations, it is real. And we would like it back,” read the email from the embassy.

The vessel was handed over to Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S., at a ceremony last week at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C.

In recent years, the Mexican government has intensified efforts to recover its cultural heritage, resulting in the retrieval of over 13,500 objects from abroad — including 35 artifacts from the Seattle area two weeks ago and 22 items from a Philadelphia family last month.

Along with the vase, the other 19 archaeological pieces coming back to Mexico this time are from various anonymous sources. They span multiple periods and pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Mexica, Teotihuacán and Totonac.

For Dozier, returning the vase was never about monetary gain.

“Giving it back feels so much better than it would if I put it on eBay and got a bunch of money,” she said.

In Mexico, the vase will undergo further examination to determine its specific use and significance before potentially being displayed in a museum.

With reports from NPR, CBC and The Guardian

Heavy rain is in the forecast across Mexico this week

By

MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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People shelter from the rain under umbrellas and ponchos in Mexico City — Mexico City pedestrians take shelter under umbrellas and ponchos during Sunday's rain, which is expected to continue through the week. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais/Cuartoscuro)

After Tropical Storm Alberto brought respite from the sweltering heat waves, the Mexican National Meteorological Service (SMN) has forecast a week of heavy rain across Mexico.

Torrential rainfall (150 to 250 millimeters) is expected on Monday in the western states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán, and the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental.

Chiapas, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Morelos, Nayarit, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Oaxaca, Puebla and Veracruz will experience heavy rain (75 to 150 mm) along with Chihuahua, the state of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Sonora and Yucatán, according to the forecast.

The rest of the country may experience isolated showers and rain that will continue until the week’s end.

Towards the weekend, a highly active tropical wave is anticipated to approach the southeast, east, center and south of the country, possibly evolving into a tropical cyclone and causing substantial rainfall.

The National Meteorological Service (SMN) warns that the heaviest rains may be accompanied by lightning, strong winds and hail, and could cause flooding in low-lying areas. Residents should remain alert to instructions from Civil Protection.

A mist of rain covers a cityscape of the capital of Cuernavaca. — A rainy Sunday in Cuernavaca. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

Despite the rain, some states in the northwest, north, northeast and southeast of Mexico will continue to experience hot weather with temperatures ranging between 32 and 40 degrees Celsius. The SMN forecast scorching temperatures of 45 C for the border of Sonora and Baja California with Arizona.

On the other hand, strong to very strong winds are expected in the northwest, with potential whirlwinds forming in Chihuahua, Sonora, and Tamaulipas. Waterspouts may also form on the coast of Michoacán.

Factors influencing the weather conditions include low pressure systems over most of the country, upper-level divergence, moisture flow from both coasts, the monsoon trough near the Mexican South Pacific coasts and a new tropical wave south of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Alberto brings relief to parched northern Mexico

Alberto, which made landfall in Tamaulipas early Thursday morning and quickly downgraded to a tropical depression, has helped to somewhat alleviate the water crisis in the northeast.

In Tamaulipas, the heavy rainfall has helped replenish its main reservoirs, with the Vicente Guerrero dam seeing the most significant recovery compared to the levels before the storm. On Sunday, the National Water Commission (Conagua) reported that Vicente Guerrero dam was 18.1% full, while Marte R. Gómez dam reported the highest water levels at 37.7%.

In Nuevo León, a state heavily affected by drought, Conagua reported on Monday that three of its dams were over 50% full: La Boca reservoir at 95.06%, Cerro Prieto at 51.55%, and El Cuchillo at 80.16%.

With reports from Infobae, Milenio and Meteored

Chinese EV maker BYD says planned Mexico plant will create 10,000 jobs

By

MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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BYD car in production — According to the Chinese company's Mexico director, the proposed BYD EV plant would generate 10,000 jobs. (BYD México)

BYD’s proposed operations in Mexico will create around 10,000 jobs, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer’s local chief told Bloomberg.

Jorge Vallejo, the general director of BYD México, told the news agency last week that the company is in final negotiations over the location of its planned EV plant in Mexico.

Jorge Vallejo, director of BYD México, speaks at a press event — Jorge Vallejo, the general director of BYD México, told Bloomberg that the planned BYD EV plant in Mexico would create 10,000 jobs. (BYD México)

He said that an official announcement on the facility is expected in the coming months.

Bloomberg reported that Vallejo didn’t say how many of the approximately 10,000 workers would be directly employed by the BYD plant in Mexico and how many would work for the automaker’s contractors and suppliers.

It noted that a plant with 10,000 workers would employ more people than the facilities of some automakers with an established presence in Mexico.

The country’s largest automotive plant — Volkswagen’s facility in Puebla — employs 6,100 assembly line workers, 5,000 supervisory employees and thousands of other people who handle parts assembly, according to Bloomberg.

Puebla's Volkswagen manufacturing plant — Puebla’s Volkswagen manufacturing plant, which has been in operation for 55 years. (Volkswagen México)

Vallejo said that 23 of Mexico’s 32 states have attempted to lure BYD with proposals to host the company’s plant. He said the company has narrowed its options to three states.

Federal officials told Reuters in April that pressure from United States authorities had led the Mexican government to refuse to offer incentives such as low-cost public land and tax cuts to Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers planning to invest in Mexico.

In February, when BYD confirmed it would open a plant in Mexico, Vallejo said that the company was looking at parts of the country where there is already an established automotive sector. He said the automaker was seeking the location with the “best conditions,” taking things such as local infrastructure and the availability of labor into account.

BYD Americas CEO Stella Li told Reuters in February that the Shenzhen-based company would make 150,000 vehicles per year for the Mexican market at its proposed plant.

BYD Shark model hybrid pickup — BYD launched its first hybrid pickup truck model (Shark) in Mexico last month. (BYD México)

“Our plan is to build the facility for the Mexican market, not for the export market,” she said.

Sales of Chinese vehicles increased significantly in Mexico last year, but two of five Chinese automakers for which national statistics agency INEGI provides data saw their sales decline on an annual basis in the first five months of the year.

Vallejo told Bloomberg that BYD is on track to sell 50,000 vehicles in Mexico this year. In the last quarter of 2023, BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s largest EV manufacturer by sales, but most of its customers are in China.

As the company seeks to increase its sales in other countries, it launched its first-ever pickup truck model — the BYD Shark — in Mexico last month.

With reports from Bloomberg

President-elect Sheinbaum confirms she will support military control of National Guard

By

MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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National Guard members salute during the inauguration of new facilities in Oaxaca on Sunday. — President-elect Sheinbaum confirmed her support for military control of the country's top civilian security force during the inauguration of new National Guard facilities in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca.(lopezobrador.org.mx)

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has reiterated her view that the National Guard should be part of Mexico’s military.

In February, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) sent a constitutional reform proposal to Congress that aims to reincorporate the National Guard (GN) into the Defense Ministry (Sedena).

López Obrador, who inaugurated the National Guard as a civilian security force on July 1, 2019, placed the guard under Sedena’s control in 2022. The Supreme Court ruled in April 2023 that the transfer of responsibility from the civilian Security Ministry after the modification of secondary laws was unconstitutional.

At an event with the president on Sunday to inaugurate new National Guard facilities in Oaxaca, Sheinbaum said that starting Oct. 1, it was up to her government to “continue strengthening and consolidating the National Guard as part of the Defense Ministry with the constitutional reform that is before the Congress.”

She will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president on Oct. 1, while the new Congress — in which the ruling Morena party and its allies will be in a strong position to pass a range of constitutional reforms proposed by AMLO — will commence on Sept. 1.

Therefore, it is possible that recently-elected lawmakers will have approved the proposal to put the National Guard under military command by the time Sheinbaum takes office. To do so, the Morena-led coalition will require the support of a few opposition senators as it fell just short of a two-thirds majority in the Senate.

President-elect Sheinbaum stands in a row with President López Obrador and military and National Guard officials — President-elect Sheinbaum accompanied President López Obrador and military officials at the event Sunday in Oaxaca. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

Sheinbaum said Sunday that the National Guard, “in just five years, already has the recognition of the people of Mexico,” although insecurity remains a problem in various parts of the country and homicide numbers, while declining, are still very high.

She also said that the National Guard, which has more than 130,000 members, “has the objective of … looking after the people of Mexico with discipline, honesty and dedication, [while] providing justice and peace.”

“… Thank you to everyone who is part of this noble institution. Long live the National Guard,” Sheinbaum said during her address at the event held just south of Oaxaca city.

The president-elect, who has previously indicated support for all of the constitutional reform proposals AMLO sent to Congress in February, is committed to maintaining the current government’s security strategy, under which employment and welfare programs seek to address poverty, lack of opportunity and other root causes of crime.

Marines and National Guard on a beach in Cancún — Though the National Guard is not currently under military command, the two security forces regularly work hand-in-hand. (Cuartoscuro)

López Obrador, who has argued that the National Guard needs to be under the control of the military to prevent corruption and guarantee the force’s professionalism, said Sunday that he was very pleased to hear Sheinbaum’s commitment vis-à-vis the security institution his government created.

“You can imagine the pleasure it gave me to hear … the president-elect of Mexico, the soon-to-be constitutional president and commander of the armed forces, announcing a moment ago that the National Guard is going to form part of the structure of the Ministry of National Defense, as it should,” he said.

“It’s very good news,” added the president, who has relied on the military for a broad range of tasks including public security, infrastructure construction and the management of customs, ports and airports.

Amnesty International warned before the National Guard was put under military control in 2022 that doing so would lead to more human rights violations. Opposition parties also opposed the move.

The National Guard, which effectively replaced the now-defunct Federal Police, has been criticized for lacking the capacity to investigate crimes, and the conduct of some of its members has been the subject of criminal investigations. Guardsmen have been accused of a range of crimes including sexual assault, kidnapping and murder.

With reports from La Jornada and Reforma