The USDA has suspended inspections of avocados and mangoes grown in Michoacán until further notice. (Rajendra Biswal/Unsplash)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume inspections of avocados and mangoes from the Mexican state of Michoacán as “quickly as possible,” according to a USDA spokesperson quoted by Reuters. However, the anonymous source said last week’s ban would remain in effect until “protocols and safeguards are established.”
A suspension of inspections — and thus a halt to exports — was imposed on June 14, following an incident in which two USDA employees were attacked and detained in a rural part of Michoacán, according to a statement from U.S. Ambassador Ken Salazar. The Mexican avocado export association APEAM confirmed that the USDA had also halted exports of avocados that already passed inspection.
Even avocados that have already been inspected are stuck in Mexico until further notice. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
Salazar made clear that no other Mexican exports were blocked and the pause would not affect avocados and mangoes already in transit.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador addressed the issue at his Wednesday morning press conference, saying that Mexico would not file a complaint under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), and that Mexico’s Foreign Relations Minister Alicia Bárcena is holding consultations with Salazar.
Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla told reporters on Monday that Mexican authorities were working with U.S. officials to resolve the situation. Ramírez is scheduled to meet with Salazar on Monday.
Meanwhile, farmers from the state are lobbying U.S. officials to allow avocados that had already been inspected to be exported, according to the newspaper La Voz de Michoacán.
U.S. ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar’s office told farmers that no exports would be permitted until new security protocols were established. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez / Cuartoscuro.com)
The association representing the farmers met with Salazar on Thursday, but the ambassador and his team told them no action would be taken until new security protocols were established. U.S. officials told the farmers that the safeguards established in a 2022 agreement have not been met.
The state of Michoacán produces the majority of Mexico’s avocados and is one of Mexico’s primary avocado exporters. However, the state has suffered from cartel violence and widespread extortion, as organized crime groups fight for control of the state’s agricultural production and drug-trafficking routes.
Heat-related deaths in Mexico have increased rapidly this month, more than doubling between the end of May and this week. (File photo)
The number of heat-related deaths in Mexico this year has more than doubled in just three weeks.
The federal Health Ministry reported Thursday that 155 heat-related deaths had been recorded to June 18, an increase of 154% compared to the 61 fatalities registered to May 28.
In the most recent “epidemiological week,” an additional 30 people succumbed to heat-related illnesses, the Health Ministry reported.
Around nine in every 10 heat-related deaths since the commencement of this year’s “hot season” on March 17 were attributed to heat stroke. All told 138 people have succumbed to that illness in the past three months.
The other 17 heat-related fatalities were attributed to dehydration.
A total of 2,567 cases of heat-related illnesses have been reported this year, resulting in a case-fatality rate of 6%.
The National Meteorological Service (SMN) forecast there will be five heat waves in Mexico this year. (CONAGUA)
Mexico has had three heat waves so far this year. The first lasted nine days between April 13 and 21, while the second lasted 10 days between May 3 and 13.
The most recent heat wave lasted 16 days between May 20 and June 4.
Almost half of all heat-related deaths occurred in just 2 states
Veracruz has recorded 56 heat-related fatalities this year, while 18 occurred in the neighboring state of Tabasco. The combined 74 deaths in those two states account for 48% of all heat-related fatalities in Mexico so far this year.
The only other states with double-digit heat-related death tolls this year are Tamaulipas (17); Nuevo León (12); and San Luis Potosí (11).
Fifteen other states including Oaxaca (9), Yucatán (8) and Hidalgo (6) have recorded at least one-heat related death this year.
In a separate report also published on Thursday, the Health Ministry said that dengue had caused 26 deaths in Mexico to June 18.
Public health authorities have stepped up their campaigns to reduce mosquito populations across the country. (Damián Sanchez/Cuartoscuro)
That number hasn’t risen in the past two weeks, but is more than five times higher than that recorded in the first 24 weeks of last year.
Mexico has recorded a total of 17,106 confirmed dengue cases this year, an increase of 388% compared to the same time last year.
Guerrero ranks first for both cases of dengue and deaths caused by the mosquito-borne tropical disease. The southern state has recorded 3,483 confirmed cases of dengue and 8 deaths.
Five other states have recorded at least 1,000 dengue cases this year: Tabasco, Veracruz, Michoacán, Chiapas and Colima.
Morelos ranks second for deaths with five, followed by Quintana Roo with four and Tabasco with three.
Tropical Storm Alberto brought heavy rains in the northern states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, helping to refill dams that were at low capacity just a week ago. Pictured is El Cuchillo reservoir in Nuevo León, which Governor Samuel García reported on Friday midday is now at over 50% capacity. (Samuel García/X)
Tropical Storm Alberto was a godsend for water supply in Mexico’s northern states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas, bringing rain that caused dam levels to rise significantly this week.
The Santa Catarina river in Monterrey is overflowing after the rains from Tropical Storm Alberto. (Cuartoscuro)
The three reservoirs that supply water to the city of Monterrey were among those that benefited from the much-needed precipitation.
In a post to X on Monday morning, the National Water Commission’s general director for the Rio Grande Basin reported that the La Boca Dam was at 36.95% of capacity, while the El Cuchillo Dam was at 31.67% and the Cerro Prieto Dam was at just 4.96%.
“Good morning, cheer up! We’re relying on a cyclone,” Luis Carlos Alatorre wrote at the top of his post, referring to the storm that was flagged as a potential tropical cyclone as it moved through the Gulf of Mexico earlier this week.
At 9 a.m. Friday morning, about 28 hours after Alberto made landfall, Alatorre said that La Boca was at 104.19% of capacity, while El Cuchillo was at 49.21% and Cerro Prieto was at 29.83%.
Como medida preventiva, ante las #Lluvias que sigue generando #Alberto, ahora como #BajaPresión remanente, a las 19:40 h, se incrementó la extracción de 139 m³/s a 211 m³/s, por vertedor controlado, en la presa La Boca.
Floodgates at La Boca Dam, where water levels rose to over 100% capacity, were opened on Thursday.
Thus, water levels in La Boca have increased by more than 67 percentage points since Monday morning, while those in El Cuchillo and Cerro Prieto have risen by 17.5 points and 25 points, respectively.
Floodgates were opened at La Boca on Thursday, allowing water to run to the El Cuchillo Dam.
Alatorre also reported on Friday that the recently-built La Libertad Dam in Nuevo León was at 12% of capacity.
“The new Libertad Dam is now a reality,” Nuevo León Governor Samuel García said in a video message during a visit to the dam on Thursday.
He noted that Alberto had brought “a tremendous downpour” to Nuevo León, which went through a water crisis in 2022.
In the neighboring state of Tamaulipas, Governor Américo Villareal also took to social media to comment on the “great benefits” brought by Tropical Storm Alberto.
“In different municipalities between 200 and 350 millimeters of rain has been recorded. Some streams and rivers continue to fill up, which is beneficial to increase the [water level] percentages of our reservoirs and lagoon systems, which is so needed at this time,” he wrote on X on Thursday afternoon.
Governor Américo Villarreal of Tamaulipas wrote on X on Thursday night that it was continuing to rain in the state, and shared photos of the swelling Corona and Purificación rivers. (Américo Villarreal/X)
Reservoirs in Veracruz, San Luis Potosí and Coahuila also received significant amounts of rain brought by Alberto.
Villareal reported that the torrential rain had caused flooding in some parts of Tamaulipas, which has recently suffered from water supply shortages. He noted that the Corona River had broken its banks and that some families in the municipality of Güémez were being evacuated.
Four deaths in Nuevo León have been attributed to the tropical storm. Three of the victims were children.
A 16-year-old in Monterrey died in a river, trapped by the currents when he attempted to retrieve a soccer ball, and two 12-year-olds in the state were electrocuted in the municipality of Allende when they rode their bikes through a large puddle that was in contact with a live wire.
Learning to connect with the world and people around us was a mainstay of Toltec wisdom. Author Miguel Ruiz has laid out the way to find happiness in our every day lives with his four simple rules. (Everton Vila/Unsplash)
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz is one of my favorite books. Each chapter has a relatable situation, followed by a fresh perspective on how to see the world. These powerful guidelines reduce everyday stress by encouraging a shift in focus, giving clear and practical advice that helps us navigate our lives with more calm and clarity.
Written by Miguel Ruiz in 1997, quickly became a best-seller available in 52 languages. Tijuana born Ruiz grew up in rural Mexico and worked as a neurosurgeon until 1986, when a near-fatal car crash made him question his path. He quit his medical practice and moved to San Diego, California.
Author Miguel Ruiz was inspired to write the book after a near-death experience. (miguelruiz.com)
His family of Toltec healers helped him heal from the accident and inspired him to share their philosophy. In The Four Agreements, and many of his later books, Ruiz combines old wisdom with new insights to create a code that is easy to understand and use in everyday life.
The Toltecs were an ancient civilization that flourished in central Mexico around the 10th century. Their teachings emphasize personal freedom and living in harmony. The Spanish conquest and misuse led to the need to protect this knowledge and so various lineages of naguals preserved and transmitted this wisdom. Ruiz himself is a nagual from the Eagle Knight lineage. He has brought these powerful teachings to the modern world, brining guidance to those seeking a better life in the modern era.
The Four Agreements teaches us that we shape our lives through a series of agreements we make with others, with God, and with life itself. However, the most crucial agreements are those we make with ourselves. Our agreements can limit our potential and create unnecessary suffering or lead us to joy and fulfillment.
In this book, we learn about the “domestication” of humans. We adopted our family’s rules and values through a punishment and reward system and as a result, learned to judge everything, including ourselves. We reward or punish in return. True freedom is in the human spirit, where you are free to trust yourself instead of external opinions. When you see that your struggles come from your beliefs, you are free to choose differently.
The book is also available in English for non-Spanish speaking audiences. (Audible)
I (of course) recommend you read the whole book, but here’s a summary:
The First Agreement
Be impeccable with your words. Words are your power to communicate, to think, and to create your life. Words are the most powerful tool you have as a human being. Words are your magic wand. Words are a double-edged sword used to create the most beautiful dream or destroy everything around you. Depending on how you use them, words can either free or enslave you. All your magic is based on your words. Use your words appropriately. Use them to share love, starting with yourself.
The Second Agreement
Do not take anything personally. You expose yourself to needless suffering when you think everything is about you. Nothing others do is because of you. They do it because of themselves. We all live in our own mind. Even when a situation seems very personal, as when someone insults you, it’s unrelated to you. What they say, what they do, and their opinions are based on the agreements in their mind. Their point of view comes from all the programming they received during their domestication.
The Third Agreement
Do not make assumptions. The problem comes when we believe that what we assume is true. We make assumptions about what others do or think, take it personally, blame them, react, and create a drama over nothing. This agreement calls us to break away from our imagination and get in touch with reality.
By following these four agreements, the Toltecs believed it would be easier to achieve inner peace. (Jared Rice/Unsplash)
The Fourth Agreement
Always do your best, no more and no less. Your best will vary depending on your daily moods and from one day to another. Regardless of the outcome, always do your best, no more and no less. If you try too hard to do more than you can, your performance will be insufficient. If you do less than you can, you subject yourself to guilt and regrets. The best way to appreciate life is to let go of the past and not worry about the future; keep your attention on today and stay in the present moment. When you allow yourself to be fully present, you don’t miss anything because you are truly alive.
When we’ve realized that social programming controls our minds, we can declare our war of independence. Choosing this path gives us, at the least, the dignity of rebellion. It also ensures we will not be helpless victims of toxic emotions. “The Four Agreements” teaches us a way to transform our perspective on life, guiding us to create a more heavenly existence. By adopting these principles, we can break free from limiting beliefs and live with greater freedom, joy, and authenticity.
Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: [email protected]
It's a breakfast so iconic, they've even nicknamed Mexico City residents after it. But what if we tried something daring? (Fernando Andrade/Unsplash)
Normally, I’d preface the recipe with a long story about the history of the dish we’re about to make, but I was inspired by Google’s daily doodle to write this particular piece. So, instead of a history lesson, I just want to share my favorite, alternative recipe for the powerhouse of a dish that is chilaquiles.
Chilaquiles is a top tier breakfast/brunch dish in which you, on purpose, make your tortilla chips soggy with salsa in the pan before adding the finishing touches. Chilaquiles are such a ubiquitous dish in Mexico yet often misunderstood in other parts of the world. I’m very happy to see this dish finally gaining some steam. Let’s get soggy!
Sometimes, you just need a bowl soggy chips for breakfast. Here’s how you make them delicious soggy chips. (Roberto Carlos Roman/Unsplash)
Bonus recipe for my favorite plate-finisher, candied jalapenos, otherwise known as cowboy candy. Trust me, you’re going to want this in your cooking arsenal.
Alternative chilaquiles recipes:
1: Jamón Serrano and Cowboy Candy
Ingredients:
Tortilla Chips:
6 cups store-bought tortilla chips
Sauce:
6-7 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, chopped
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Juice of one lime
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings:
100g Jamón Serrano, thinly sliced and rolled up tightly to make this dish seem less sloppy
1/2 cup candied jalapeños (recipe below)
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup lime crema (2 parts sour cream, 1 part lime juice)
One of two fried eggs (optional)
Fuse Mexico and Spain by adding a little Jamón Serrano as a topping to your chilaquiles. (Wiley Shaw/Unsplash)
Instructions:
Make the Sauce:
In a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion, lime juice, garlic, jalapeño, and chicken broth. Blend until smooth.
Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Pour the blended sauce into the skillet and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and deepens in color. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Chilaquiles:
Add the tortilla chips to the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently to coat the chips evenly with the sauce. Depending on how soggy you prefer chilaquiles, cook for an additional 1-3 minutes to let your chips become the saucy mess they were destined to be.
Transfer the sauced chips to a serving platter or individual plates.
Add Toppings:
Top the chilaquiles with rolled up slices of Jamón Serrano, candied jalapeños, crumbled queso fresco, chopped cilantro, and thinly sliced red onion.
Add slices of avocado circling the edge of the plate and drizzle with lime crema. Add the fried egg if using on the very top.
2. Candied Jalapeños (Cowboy Candy)
Ingredients:
1-pound fresh jalapeños, sliced into rings
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Xalapeño pro tip: The secret is to get fresh jalapeños, for flavor and spice. (Philip Larking/Unsplash)
Instructions:
Prepare the Jalapeños:
Wear gloves to protect your hands from the jalapeño heat.
Slice the jalapeños into 1/4-inch thick rings. Set aside.
Make the Syrup:
In a large pot, combine the granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, cumin, mustard seed, and ground ginger.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Candy the Jalapeños:
Add the sliced jalapeños to the pot, then stir to coat them in the syrup.
Bring the mixture back to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the jalapeños have just begun to soften and turn a darker green.
Jar the Candied Jalapeños:
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the jalapeño rings to clean, sterilized jars, packing them in tightly.
Pour the hot syrup over the jalapeños, ensuring they are fully submerged and leaving about 1/4-inch headspace at the top of the jar.
Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth and seal with sterilized lids and bands.
Candied jalapeños are not just perfect for these chilaquiles but add a sweet and spicy kick to burgers, sandwiches, nachos, or even as a topping for spicy tuna crispy rice (my version of spicy tuna crispy rice coming soon!).
Did you enjoy these alternative chilaquiles recipes? Did you try changing the recipe? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.
A relatively strong dollar in June likely helped make for a record-setting month.(Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican peso remains significantly weaker than it was before the June 2 elections, but it improved slightly against the US dollar on Thursday after President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced her first cabinet picks.
The El País newspaper reported that the peso gained 0.3% against the greenback moments after Sheinbaum announced that former foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard will be her economy minister once she is sworn in as president on Oct. 1.
Ex-foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard, who ran against Sheinbaum for the Morena 2024 nomination, is perceived by many as having close ties to business, and his pick as Sheinbaum’s Economy Minister seems to have reassured foreign investors. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
The peso was trading at 18.31 to the dollar at around midday Mexico City time, not long after the president-elect named Ebrard and other members of her cabinet:
Alicia Bárcena (environment)
Juan Ramón de la Fuente (foreign affairs)
Rosaura Ruiz (science)
Julio Berdegué (agriculture)
Ernestina Godoy (legal advisor)
CI Banco said in a note that “the market’s interpretation seems to be that Sheinbaum’s cabinet are officials who have extensive technical and political capabilities.”
The USD:MXN rate was 18.36 at 4:30 p.m., according to Bloomberg. The closing rate on Wednesday was 18.42.
Based on the 18.36 rate, the peso has depreciated more than 7% against the U.S. dollar since Sheinbaum and the ruling Morena party’s comprehensive victory in the federal elections on June 2.
Morena and its allies won a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies and a strong majority in the Senate. That places the Morena-led coalition in a strong position to approve a raft of constitutional reform proposals submitted to Congress by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador earlier this year.
The peso’s tumble downward has been partly credited to foreign markets’ nervousness about how friendly Sheinbaum’s administration will be to foreign business interests, given her close political ties with current President López Obrador, who’s frequently been seen as hostile to foreign investment and unfairly favoring government-owned entities. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
The likelihood of the proposed reforms being approved — particularly ones that seek to overhaul the judiciary, make changes to Mexico’s electoral system and eliminate various autonomous government agencies — has caused major concern in markets and led the peso to depreciate.
Shortly after the elections, Sheinbaum sought to calm markets by announcing that current Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O would remain in his position when she takes office, and endorsing a set of economic commitments he outlined.
The peso had recovered somewhat from that position when it got an apparent boost by the announcement that Ebrard will be Mexico’s next economy minister.
Reuters reported that the former foreign minister — who was an initial competitor with Sheinbaum for the Morena presidential candidate nomination — is “widely considered a business-friendly [cabinet] pick,” adding that he “successfully managed relations with the United States” during his almost five-year tenure as the nation’s top diplomat.
El País reported that Ebrard is “perceived by markets as a politician with better ties to the private sector” than current Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro.
As economy minister, he will be in charge of Mexico’s future trade negotiations.
In a short speech after his appointment, Ebrard said that the world today has become “more protectionist” and “to some extent more unstable” than it was previously.
“The assignment [we have] is to navigate those stormy waters with everything we’ve learned in our lives,” he said.
Ebrard later told reporters that the 2026 scheduled review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, will be a top priority for him, along with the pending ratification of a new trade pact between Mexico and the European Union.
He also noted that the Economy Ministry has been tasked with attracting more foreign investment to Mexico, including investment related to the growing nearshoring trend.
Another responsibility for Sheinbaum’s economy minister pick will be the development of a chain of industrial parks in the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, located between Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, on Mexico’s Pacific coast and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, on the Gulf coast.
Wine sampling at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2024 red and white wines competition in León, Guanajuato. The León event, held earlier this month, was the first time that the prestigious wine competition has ever been held in the Americas. (Concours Mondial de Bruxelles)
Mexican wines sparkled at the 31st Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, one of the world’s most prestigious wine competitions, held in León, Guanajuato, earlier this month.
A special Mexican edition of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles competition called the Mexico Selection has taken place before in various Mexican states, but this was the first time that the main competition was ever held in the Americas.
Guanajuato state Governor Diego Sinhue Rodríguez spoke at the event, a testament to how important the Guanajuato government viewed Concours Mondial de Bruxelles’ decision to bring its competition to their state. (Concours Mondial de Bruxelles)
The León event, which took place June 7–9, was a competition for red and white wines. The 2024 event’s three other competitions — one for rosé, one for sparkling wine and one for sweet and fortified wines — are taking place in European locations.
Nearly 7,500 red and white wines from 42 countries took part in the blind-tasting contest judged by experts from around the world.
Of the 663 wines presented by Mexican producers, 152 won medals (including nine Grand Gold Medals), a record, according to the newspaper El Economista.
That outcome allowed Mexico to break into the list of top five countries in terms of numbers of medals won, according to journalist Liz Palmer. Only 30% of all the wines presented in the competition took home medals.
The top-performing Mexican entrant at this year’s event was Zeus Tinto 2020, an oaked red wine from the Valle de Guadalupe wine region of Baja California by the Baja winemaker El Cielo. Made from zinfandel grapes, Zeus Tinto was recognized with the Mexico Revelation distinction and earned a Grand Gold Medal.
Less than 1% of competing wines at the event earn Grand Gold Medal recognition, the top award at the Concours Mondiale de Bruxelles.
A Grand Gold Medal winner, Zeus Tinto 2020 is a red from the Valle de Guadalupe region of Baja California. It’s produced by El Cielo winery. (El Cielo)
The Mexican Grand Gold Medal Winners
The other Mexican wines that earned Grand Gold Medals were:
a López Rosso Cavas Viognier 2023 from Zacatecas
two winners from Guanajuato wineries: Dos Buhos’ Grenache Gran Reserva 2019 and a 2020 red blend from Pájaro Azul
G&G by Ginasommelier Gran Reserva Malbec 2019, from Baja California
Another Gran Reserva Malbec, this one a 2020 from Coahuila’s Casa Madero
a Nebbiolo-Merlot-Syrah 2017 from Inspiración winery in Baja California
a Merlot Reserva 2020 from Baja California’s Bajalupano winery
A 2022 Syrah from Solar Fortun winery in Baja California.
Sixty-nine Mexican wines won a Gold Medal while 75 won Silver Medals.
Spain was recognized as the top producer in the competition, collecting 31% of the awards, while Uruguay and Romania swept the top two medals.
Uruguay’s Balasto 2017 (produced by Bodega Garzón) won the International Red Wine Revelation award while Romania’s Issa Chardonnay Barrique 2022 (produced by Crama La Salina) was awarded the International White Wine Revelation.
Guanajuato was selected as host in recognition of its growth as one of the top players in the Mexican wine industry, in part because of the state’s ideal climate for grape cultivation. The state is in fifth place among Mexico’s states in the building of vineyards, with 485 planted hectares and more than 100 planned hectares, representing 4.5% of land in Mexico used for the production of quality wines, according to Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
In 2021, the state’s Tourism Ministry launched Guanajuato, Tierra de Vinos, (Guanajuato, Land of Wines), a new initiative to create tourism opportunities using the state’s vineyards.
The state is also the fifth-largest grape producer in Mexico and ranks fourth in overall wine production (more than 1,240,000 liters of wine annually).
Guanajuato boasts 46 wine businesses and 25 wine tourism businesses, while the Guanajuato Grape and Wine Association is comprised of 34 wineries. It is also home to one of only two wine museums in Mexico.
Thanks to Wayback Machine, we can see a snapshot from Mexico News Daily on June 20, 2014. (Wayback Machine screen capture)
To mark the occasion, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at 10 ways in which Mexico has changed since MND published its first article in June 2014. I’ll do that in this listicle.
This Saturday, look out for Mexico News Daily CEO and publisher Travis Bembenek’s column, in which he will continue the 10-year anniversary celebrations and look ahead at what’s in store for MND in the next decade.
MEXICO: THEN VS NOW
Political power
In 2014, Enrique Peña Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, was Mexico’s president, while the current president is Andrés Manuel López Obrador of the National Regeneration Movement, or Morena.
A remarkable transformation in Mexico’s political landscape has occurred over the past decade. It can be summarized in just 10 words: the rise of Morena and the fall of the PRI.
Enrique Peña Nieto (PRI) was president in 2014 (left), while Andrés Manuel López Obrador (Morena) is president today in 2024. (Gob MX/MND)
In 2014, the PRI was in office in 20 of the country’s 32 federal entities, while the National Action Party (PAN) governed six and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) held power in four, including Mexico City.
The Citizens Movement (MC) party and the Ecological Green Party of Mexico (PVEM) governed one state each, while Morena — which was registered as a political party in 2014 — was not in power anywhere.
Fast forward a decade and Morena is Mexico’s most dominant political force by far. The party governs 22 federal entities, including Mexico City, while the PRI is now in office in just two states.
The number of states with PAN governments has declined to five, while MC now rules two states. The PVEM — now a Morena ally — is in office in one state.
After new governors are sworn in later this year, the number of Morena state governments will increase to 23, as the party triumphed in Yucatán in the June 2 elections and will take power there for the first time ever.
Women governors and members of President López Obrador’s cabinet are seen here celebrating International Women’s Day in March 2023. Gender quotas have brought women into all levels of Mexican politics. (ANDREA MURCIA/ CUARTOSCURO.COM)
Mexico now has gender parity in Congress, while there are higher numbers of female governors and federal ministers compared to 2014.
Peña Nieto had just three women in his cabinet in 2014, while López Obrador currently has nine women in his cabinet.
There are currently nine female governors, while in 2014 there were none.
And on Oct. 1, Claudia Sheinbaum will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president.
The Mexican peso
There has been a lot of talk about the “super peso” lately (well, before its very recent depreciation), especially when it reached an almost nine-year high of 16.30 to the US dollar in April.
However, a decade ago, the peso was significantly stronger against the greenback. In 2014, the average USD:MXN exchange rate was 13.31.
Compared to its current position — 18.40 to the dollar on Thursday morning — the peso has depreciated almost 28% against the greenback over the past 10 years. In turn, the US dollar has appreciated 38% against the peso.
The minimum wage
There has also been a significant change in Mexico’s minimum wage over the past 10 years.
In 2014, the daily minimum wage was 63.77 to 67.29 pesos, with the higher rate applying in Mexico City, Baja California, Baja California Sur, and a number of large Mexican cities including Guadalajara and Monterrey.
Based on the average exchange rate in 2014, the higher minimum wage rate was equivalent to US $5.05 per day.
Adjusted for cost of living, the minimum wage decreased over the course of the 1990s then plateaued in the early 2000s. (LopezObrador.org.mx)
Compared to the higher minimum wage rate in 2014, Mexico’s sueldo mínimo has increased 270% in most of the country in peso terms and 457% in the north.
In dollar terms, the minimum wage has increased 167% in most of the country and 304% in the north.
Prices, of course, have also risen over the past 10 years, but the minimum wage has increased more.
Another metric indicating that Mexico has become less conservative over the past decade is the number of federal entities where abortion has been decriminalized.
In 2014, Mexico City was the only entity where first-trimester abortion was legal regardless of the circumstances, whereas the termination of an early pregnancy is now permitted in 12 entities. Jalisco looks set to become the 13th state to allow first-trimester abortion.
The first phase of the Maya Train was inaugurated on Dec. 15, 2023. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
One project that was announced in 2014 but never completed is the previous government’s international airport project in Texcoco, México state, which López Obrador canceled in 2018.
* Of course, the list above is not an exhaustive one. Mexico has changed in many other ways over the past 10 years.
What would you add to the list? And what hasn’t changed in Mexico since 2014 that you would like to see change, or which you hope never changes.
On Thursday morning, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum presented her first six cabinet appointments, three women and three men. (Cuartoscuro)
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has made her first cabinet appointments, announcing on Thursday a selection of three men and three women who will serve in her administration.
Sheinbaum, who will take office on Oct. 1, announced that former foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard will be her economy minister, while current Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena will be her environment and natural resources minister.
Sheinbaum held a press conference on Thursday morning to present six members of her cabinet. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
Juan Ramón de la Fuente, Mexico’s former permanent representative to the United Nations and head of Sheinbaum’s transition team, will succeed Bárcena as foreign affairs minister.
The other three appointments to Sheinbaum’s cabinet include Rosaura Ruiz as minister for science, humanities, technology and innovation; Julio Berdegué as agriculture and rural development minister; and Ernestina Godoy as legal counsel to the president.
Ruiz will lead a new ministry that will incorporate the National Council of Humanities, Science and Technology.
Rogelio Ramírez de la O will stay on as Finance Minister “indefinitely” and has laid out a list of economic commitments endorsed by President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
She said Thursday that the six additional cabinet members who will be sworn in with her on Oct. 1 are “first-class men and women with experience” who will “help us a lot to achieve our objectives in the next six years.”
Two of the appointees, Ruiz and Godoy, were members of Sheinbaum’s government when she was mayor of Mexico City between 2018 and 2023.
Among the key appointments still to be announced are the interior minister, security minister, defense minister and energy minister roles.
What are the backgrounds of the cabinet appointees?
Marcelo Ebrard
The soon-to-be economy minister served as foreign affairs minister in the current federal government between December 2018 and June 2023, when he stepped down to pursue the ruling Morena party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential election.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard thanked President-elect Sheinbaum for her “trust” in appointing him as economy minister. (Cuartoscuro)
Ebrard was mayor of Mexico City between 2006 and 2012 and served as a minister in the capital during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s 2000-05 mayorship. He has also served as a federal deputy.
Ebrard will succeed Raquel Buenrostro as economy minister.
Alicia Bárcena
Mexico’s next environment minister has been foreign affairs minister for almost a year, succeeding Ebrard last July.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena will become the environment minister in Sheinbaum’s administration. (SRE/X)
She was Mexico’s ambassador to Chile between September 2022 and June 2023 after serving almost 14 years as executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Bárcena will succeed María Luisa Albores as environment minister.
Juan Ramón de la Fuente
The soon-to-be foreign affairs minster was Mexico’s permanent representative to the UN between 2018 and 2023.
Juan Ramón de la Fuente will take over from Alicia Bárcena when Sheinbaum takes office in October as foreign affairs minister. (Cuartoscuro)
A psychiatrist by profession, de la Fuente was rector of the National Autonomous University (UNAM) between 1999 and 2007 and federal health minister during the presidency of Ernesto Zedillo (1994-2000).
He will replace Bárcena as foreign affairs minister.
Rosaura Ruiz
The future science minister headed up the Mexico City Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation for four years during Sheinbaum’s 2018-23 mayorship in the capital.
Rosaura Ruiz will be the minister for science, humanities, technology and innovation, a new cabinet-level position.(Cuartoscuro)
Ruiz, who has a PhD in biology, was head of UNAM’s Faculty of Science between 2010 and 2018.
When she becomes minister for science, humanities, technology and innovation she will effectively succeed María Elena Álvarez-Buylla, the current director of the National Council of Humanities, Science and Technology.
Julio Berdegué
Mexico’s next agriculture minister was assistant director-general for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations between 2017 and 2022. He also served as the organization’s regional representative for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Julio Berdegué will succeed Victor Villalobos as the Mexico’s next agriculture minister. (Cuartoscuro)
Originally from Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Berdegué has worked for and with a number of other international organizations, including the International Institute for Environment and Development.
The agronomist will succeed Víctor Villalobos as agriculture minister.
Ernestina Godoy
The woman set to be Sheinbaum’s chief legal advisor was Mexico City attorney general between 2018 and 2024. She previously served as a federal and Mexico City lawmaker.
Ernestina Godoy was most recently the attorney general of Mexico City, and will next be the chief legal advisor to the president. (Cuartoscuro)
Godoy, who completed her law degree at UNAM in 1979, has held a range of other government positions in Mexico City.
She will succeed María Estela Ríos as legal counsel of the federal executive.
Satellite imagery showing Tropical Storm Alberto as it made landfall near Tampico, Tamaulipas on Thursday morning. (NOAA)
Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of what is expected to be a busy Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall in the state of Tamaulipas and quickly weakened into a tropical depression Thursday morning.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that heavy rains and flash flooding were expected to continue as Alberto moved west at 30 km/h. Storm warnings and coastal watches were discontinued, however, even though wind and rain extend far from the storm’s center.
#Entérate | En Ramos Arizpe, #Coahuila pasajeros que viajaban en un autobús tuvieron que ser rescatados al quedarse en medio de una inundación. La tormenta tropical #Alberto los dejó atrapados en el Parque Industrial Santa María. pic.twitter.com/pSyUNSo6C4
Stranded passengers being rescued from a bus in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, Thursday morning after flash flooding caused by Tropical Storm Alberto filled the Santa María Industrial Park.
On Thursday morning, the most intense rains were occurring in the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Nuevo León and San Luis Potosí, according to Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN). Rain totals of 13 to 25 centimeters were expected at higher elevations, which could lead to reduced visibility, landslides, flooding and rising rivers and streams.
Very heavy rains (75 to 150 millimeters) are expected in Durango, Zacatecas, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas.
In Chiapas, four portions of roadway were rendered impassable Thursday due to landslides and flooding, with emergency services unable to immediately reach the affected areas due to heavy rains. In Veracruz, a landslide dropped huge boulders onto one stretch of roadway, and a sinkhole developed in the capital city of Xalapa.
Many other states across Mexico will experience some amount of Alberto-related rain on Thursday, ranging from heavy rains to occasional showers.
Alberto was named a tropical storm on Wednesday, leading to the suspension of classes in several regions and the implementation of other safety preparations.
🚨 #RíoSantaCatarina, #NuevoLeón, al momento. Recuerda ☝️⛑ evita cruzar vados, arroyos y ríos.
No expongas tu vida.
— Webcams de México (@webcamsdemexico) June 20, 2024
Footage of the Santa Catarina river in Monterrey, Nuevo León, around 1 p.m. Thursday, being lashed by heavy rains from Alberto. (Webcams de México)
But it weakened rapidly after making landfall early Thursday morning. By 9 a.m., it was downgraded to a tropical depression when it was located 155 kilometers west of Tampico, Tamaulipas.
Maximum sustained winds were 75 km/h when Alberto made landfall, but then they slowed to 55 km/h.
Initially, there was some chagrin in Tampico that the amount of rainfall was low and wouldn’t put much of a dent in Mexico’s ongoing drought, reported the Associated Press (AP).
“We had hoped that it would come because water is so needed here, but at far as I can tell, it went somewhere else,” Tampico resident Marta Alicia Hernández told AP.
However, the outer bands of the system will likely bring the heavier rains that other areas experienced Thursday morning.
In Nuevo León, civil protection authorities have linked three deaths to Alberto’s heavy rains. A 16-year-old in Monterrey died in a river, trapped by the currents when he attempted to retrieve a soccer ball, and two 12-year-olds in the state were electrocuted in the municipality of Allende when they rode their bikes through a large puddle that was in contact with a live wire.
Nuevo León Governor Samuel García wrote on the social media platform X that metro and public transportation services would be suspended in Monterrey from Wednesday night until midday Thursday.
In Tamaulipas and Veracruz, officials closed all schools on Thursday (and some on Friday), and shelters were prepared in case residents would need to flee high waters.
Areas at higher elevations could see as much as 50 cm of rain, which could result in mudslides and flash flooding, especially Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León.
Raúl Quiroga Álvarez, the Tamaulipas state minister of hydrological resources, said at a press conference Wednesday night that because the wind speeds were not “a risk,” his drought-ravaged state was actually looking forward to all the rain.
“This is what we’ve been waiting for for eight years in all of Tamaulipas,” he said. “This is a win-win event.”
In Veracruz, Alberto brought winds and heavy rains that took down trees, power lines and even created a sinkhole in the city of Xalapa. (Escuadrón Nacional de Rescate)
In his Thursday morning press conference, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that members of the armed forces had been deployed in the storm areas to address possible damage.
Forecasters have predicted that the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be much more active than usual, with 17 to 25 predicted named storms this year. On average, there are 14 named storms per season.
The U.S. Hurricane Center currently is monitoring a broad area of low pressure that’s forming in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.
As it moves over southeastern Mexico on Friday and over the Bay of Campeche on Saturday, it could develop into a tropical depression that will likely move slowly to the north and west.
