INE calculates Morena coalition will have supermajority in the lower house of Congress

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August 21, 2024

AMLO stands with a chart of Congress showing the Morena coalition's supermajority — Did the electoral institute to give Morena and its allies an unconstitutional number of "plurinominal" seats in Congress? (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

The National Electoral Institute (INE) has calculated the allocation of proportional representations seats in Congress, delivering favorable results — including a supermajority — for the ruling Morena party and its coalition allies.

According to the as-yet-unratified INE calculations, the Morena-led coalition will have a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies, allowing it to approve constitutional reform proposals without opposition support. It will also have a strong majority in the Senate.

The INE determined that Morena and its allies, the Labor Party (PT) and the Ecological Green Party of Mexico (PVEM), won 364 of the 500 seats in the lower house, or 73% of the total.

Three hundred of those seats are allocated directly to candidates who won elections in the same number of districts, while 200 go to plurinominal, or proportional representation, candidates based on the percentage of votes won by each party.

Morena, the PT and the PVEM won 256 of the 300 districts, or 85% of the total.

The INE determined that Morena and its allies won 83 of the 128 Senate seats, including 32 allocated via proportional representation. That’s three seats short of a two-thirds majority, meaning that the Morena-led coalition will need the votes of a few opposition senators to pass constitutional reform proposals such as the controversial judicial reform bill.

Juntos Hacemos Historia PT-PVEM-Morena coalition — The Juntos Hacemos Historia coalition led by Morena received 73% of seats in the lower house of Congress, including seats awarded based on proportional representation. (Partido del Trabajo Estado de México)

The INE’s General Council will hold a ratification vote on the results this Friday. A split vote is expected as there is contention over whether seats in Congress were allocated in accordance with the Constitution.

The recently elected lawmakers will assume their positions on Sept. 1, one month before Claudia Sheinbaum takes the oath of office as Mexico’s first female president.

The makeup of the Chamber of Deputies

Based on the INE calculations, the 500 seats in the lower house of Congress will be allocated as follows:

Morena: 236 seats
PVEM: 77 seats
PT: 51 seats

The three allied parties will thus have 364 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, 30 more than the number required to reach a supermajority.

National Action Party (PAN): 72 seats
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI): 35 seats
Democratic Revolution Party (PRD): 1 seat

Those three parties, which together formed the Strength and Heart for Mexico coalition, will have 108 seats in the lower house of Congress.

Citizens Movement (MC): 27 seats
Independent candidates: 1 seat

The composition of the Senate

Based on the INE calculations, the 128 seats in the Senate will be allocated as follows:

Morena: 60 seats
PVEM: 14 seats
PT: 9 seats

The three allied parties will thus have 83 of the 128 Senate seats.

PAN: 22 seats
PRI: 16 seats
MC: 5 seats
PRD: 2 seats

Controversy over the Morena-led coalition’s supermajority

INE reportedly received a total of 69 complaints from civil society organizations, former electoral councilors and judges, academics and regular citizens about the alleged “overrepresentation” of Morena and its allies in Congress.

They have questioned how the Morena-led coalition can have a supermajority in the lower house of Congress when the three parties only won 55% of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies election.

The 73% of seats allocated to the three parties is 18 points higher than the collective vote they received. That is 10 points higher than the eight-point discrepancy allowed by the constitution.

However, the INE document outlining the allocation of Congress seats says that the eight-point rule applies to individual political parties, rather than a coalition of parties.

President López Obrador shows a slide — López Obrador at his Wednesday morning press conference spoke about the allocation of seats in Congress. (Cuartoscuro)

In other words, its view is that each of Morena, the PT and the PVEM may hold a percentage of seats eight points above the percentage of votes they received. The INE has made the same determination in the past, including after the 2012, 2015 and 2018 elections.

However, some electoral councilors reportedly don’t agree with the interpretation.

Citing unnamed sources, the Reforma newspaper reported that a group of electoral councilors will present an alternative proposal this Friday in “a final attempt” to stop Morena and its allies from getting a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies.

The INE’s allocation of seats could also face challenges in the Federal Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF).

What does the Constitution say?

According to an English-language version of the Mexican Constitution posted to the TEPJF website, “The political parties shall never have a number of representatives whose percentage of the House exceeds by eight points the percentage they have obtained in the vote.”

“This restriction shall not be applied to the political party that, due to its electoral victories at uninominal districts, obtains a percentage of seats greater than the addition of the percentage obtained in national vote plus eight percent.”

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has asserted that the eight-point rule applies to individual parties rather than a coalition, and called on the INE and the TEPJF to respect the Constitution.

‘The word party refers to political force’

Among those who believe that a coalition should not be allowed to hold a percentage of seats in Congress that exceeds the percentage of votes it won by more than eight points is political scientist José Antonio Crespo.

In a column in the El Universal newspaper, he wrote that the use of the word “party” in the Constitution applies both to an individual party and a coalition.

“In the exposición de motivos [constitutional document] it is clear that the word ‘party’ refers to ‘political force,’ whether it is a single party or a coalition,” Crespo said.

En esta gráfica se puede apreciar a simple vista como fue el paso del autoritarismo a la democracia, y el regreso de la democracia al autoritarismo.
La última vez que un presidente tuvo mayoría calificada fue De la Madrid, en 1982. Un retroceso de cuatro décadas. pic.twitter.com/ogU0ZdYUq5

— José Antonio Crespo (@JACrespo1) August 21, 2024

On the social media platform X, political scientist José Antonio Crespo shared a graphic showing that the last Mexican president to have a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies was Miguel de la Madrid in 1982.

Consequently, a coalition cannot be “overrepresented” by more than eight points, he added.

The dispute over whether the Morena-led coalition should be allowed to hold 73% of the seats in the lower house of Congress comes as López Obrador attempts to win approval for a range of constitutional reform proposals before he leaves office.

Among the proposals he sent to Congress in February are controversial bills that aim to allow citizens to directly elect Supreme Court justices; disband a number of autonomous government agencies; and incorporate the National Guard into the military.

The judicial reform proposal is generating major concern among investors, and has contributed to a significant depreciation of the Mexican peso since the June 2 elections.

With reports from Reforma, La Jornada and El País

Report: More Mexican women in the workforce could boost Mexico’s GDP by hundreds of billions of dollars

By

MND Staff

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August 21, 2024

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A female engineer at work — Sheinbaum highlighted the . (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

Increasing participation of Mexican women in the country’s workforce has the potential to add hundreds of billions of dollars annually to Mexico’s economy, according to a new report.

If Mexican women participated in the workforce at the same rate as Mexican men, Mexico’s annual economic activity would increase by 26.6% or US $390.5 billion, the Milken Institute said.

A woman sells drinks and snacks at a street stall — Less than half of working-age Mexican women are employed. (Alice Moritz Nigro/Cuartoscuro)

Lifting the female labor force participation (LFP) rate to levels comparable to Nordic countries would add over $200 billion per year to the Mexican economy, while reaching the U.S. rate would increase GDP by well over $100 billion, the California-based think tank found.

The numbers are part of the report “Women Powering Growth: The Potential of Female Workers in Latin America,” published on Tuesday by the Milken Institute.

The think tank also outlined a range of strategies that could help increase the number of women in the workplace in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

What is Mexico’s female labor force participation rate?

According to World Bank Data cited in the report, 46.5% of all working-age Mexican women worked in the formal or informal sectors in Mexico at the end of 2023.

The figure for men was more than 30 points higher at 77.5%.

The Milken Institute noted that Mexico has the lowest female LFP of Latin America’s five biggest economies: Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Chile.

It also said that Mexico has the third lowest rate across Latin America.

Two women scientists look into microscopes — More women in the workforce could add billions of dollars to Mexico’s GDP. (Cuartoscuro)

The think tank highlighted that 21 million working-age Mexican women, or 40.1% of the total, have completed intermediate or higher education. However, 8.9 million of “these highly skilled women remain outside the labor force,” the Milken Institute said.

“This is despite a large demand for human capital in Mexico,” it added.

“The vast pool of untapped highly skilled female labor, combined with the size of its economy and growing demand for workers, makes Mexico a perfect example of the latent income gains within Latin America’s female population.”

The potential gains from increasing Mexican women’s workforce participation

The Milken institute used methodology outlined in a 2017 International Monetary Fund working paper to calculate potential economic gains from increasing the number of women in the Mexican workforce.

If female LFP increased by just over 16 points to the 62.6% average of Nordic countries, the annual gain for the Mexican economy would be US $208.2 billion, according to the think tank’s analysis.

The new report was produced by the Milken Institute, an economic think tank based in California. (Milken Institute)

That amount would increase per capita GDP by $1,633, or 14.2%, the Milken Institute said.

Mexico’s per capita GDP was $13,926 last year, according to the World Bank.

Increasing female LFP to the United States level of 56.5% would add $132 billion annually to the Mexican Economy, the Milken Institute found.

The $390.5 billion estimated gain from gender parity in the Mexican workplace would increase per capita GDP by around $3,000.

The Milken Institute noted that its economic gain estimates “do not account for the effects of increasing female employment on men’s work.”

“Two offsetting effects might arise. On the one hand, male workers might be displaced by the entry of female workers. This might be especially true among high-income households where men can afford to increase leisure time due to additional income, which in turn might decrease the supply of highly skilled male workers (who tend to earn higher wages),” the think tank said.

A Mexican woman works on a computer — The majority of Mexican women would like to have paid work, but less than half actually do. (Milken Institute)

“On the other hand, male and female labor are complementary, and the new skills that women bring into the workforce can boost the productivity of male workers. Therefore, productivity gains could offset the decrease in the labor supply of highly skilled men.”

How can Mexico get more women in the workforce?

The report states that “Latin American women who are not currently in the workforce consistently express a desire to work, suggesting that the low LFP rates throughout the region are the result of constraints on women’s paid employment.”

“… In every one of Latin America’s five major economies, an overwhelming majority (64% or more) of women express a preference for paid work, either exclusively or in tandem with housekeeping duties,” the Milken Institute said.

Maggie Switek, a senior director at the think tank and lead author of the report, said that “the number one thing that keeps women out of the workforce is infant care and childcare.”

The report says that “strategies that have successfully increased female LFP include public provision of childcare services, investments in female education, and policies aimed at narrowing gender pay differentials and promoting inclusive hiring.”

Maggie Switek, lead author of a report on the economic power of Mexican women in the workforce — The Milken Institute’s senior research director, Maggie Switek, was the lead author of the report. (Milken Institute/Instagram)

However, it adds that “the relative effectiveness” of the strategies “depends on the context in which they are implemented.”

The Milken Institute detailed the prevailing situation in Mexico and the four other major Latin America economies, and offered recommendations to increase female LFP under the three subheadings that appear below.

1. Increase availability of high-quality and low-cost childcare

The report states that Mexico has “the most severe child penalties” among Latin America’s major economies.

Child penalties, also known as motherhood penalties, “are defined as the average effect of the first child on the male-to-female employment ratio, with positive child penalties implying an amplification in the gender gap in LFP,” the report says.

The Milken Institute said that “the obstacle represented by childcare can be effectively overcome.”

“Policies such as childcare subsidies, public preschools, and other cost remedies that result in access to free or low-cost childcare have been consistently identified as successful in increasing the levels of women’s work,” it said.

Switek said that “the expansion of high-quality, low-cost childcare remains a clear public policy in which Mexico needs to invest.”

The report states that childcare enrollment rates in Mexico are less than 10% of the eligible population.

A Mexican woman and her daughter — Increased availability of high-quality childcare could allow more women to enter the labor force in Mexico. (Jhon David/Unsplash)

That could change during the term of the next federal government, as President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has pledged to bring back public “early education centers.”

As part of austerity measures, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ended a government-subsidized childcare program early in his six-year term.

2. Decrease gender pay gaps by combating workplace discrimination

The Milken Institute said that “gender-based social inequities” can prevent women from advancing to more senior, higher paid positions.

It also said that the opportunities for women to remain at work are “particularly low in Mexico.”

“… Gender pay gaps and workplace discrimination are closely linked. Stereotypes impact employers’ hiring decisions and wages, which in turn affect the incentives for women to seek employment and remain in the workplace,” the think tank said.

A woman working as a cleaner — Gender pay gaps and workplace discrimination affect women’s employment choices. (Cuartoscuro)

“… While shifting social norms is a lengthy and complex process, policies such as enforcing flexible working conditions help to drive change in the right direction,” the Milken Institute said.

“… Overall, narrowing the gender pay gap and fighting gender biases that lead to workplace discrimination could promote female LFP, and thereby increase family wealth, across Latin America’s major economies,” the think tank added.

3. Increase formal employment opportunities for highly educated women

The report notes that more than 50% of both male and female workers in Mexico have jobs in the country’s vast informal economy. As a result they don’t have access to benefits such as health care, sick pay and paid vacations.

“Female workers are especially exposed to the vulnerabilities of unregulated work because informal employment often serves as a fallback for women otherwise excluded from paid work due to household duties,” the Milken Institute said.

It said that policies promoting formal employment “should strike a balance between creating formal job opportunities and structuring incentives to make these jobs attractive to women.”

“Because [economic] growth fosters job creation, policies that promote growth play a crucial role in reducing informality,” the think tank said.

“Measures to streamline registration of businesses and improvements in oversight also tend to increase formal job creation. To ensure that women can access these newly created formal jobs, such policies need to be accompanied by measures that support women’s ability to work,” the Milken Institute added.

Those measures include the provision of low-cost childcare as well as policies aimed at closing the gender pay gap and reducing workplace discrimination.

Mexico News Daily

* Read more about Mexican women in the workplace and the challenges they face in this MND report published earlier this year.

After 20 years, a wanted fugitive has been found — working as a cop in Oaxaca

By

MND Staff

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August 21, 2024

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riano — The U.S. now has Antonio Riaño in custody, almost 20 years after he fled to Mexico. (U.S. Marshals Service)

Plenty of fugitives have fled to Mexico from the United States. Their aim is to evade the law, but one accused murderer who escaped south of the border decided to enforce it as well.

That man is Antonio “El Diablo” Riaño, a fugitive who authorities extradited to the United States earlier this month after they found him working as a police officer in Oaxaca.

He had avoided capture for almost 20 years after allegedly killing a man in Ohio.

In a statement released on Aug. 1, the United States Marshal’s Service (USMS) announced that Riaño, 72, was in U.S. custody.

“The U.S. Marshals Service and Butler County Prosecutor’s Office are pleased to announce the arrest of Antonio Riaño in his hometown of Zapotitlán Palmas, State of Oaxaca, Mexico,” USMS said.

“Antonio Riaño was wanted by the Butler County Sheriff’s Office for Homicide,” USMS said, noting that he was charged for the shooting death of 25-year-old man Benjamin Becerra in December 2004.

Riaño in police uniform in a Facebook video screenshot — In November 2023, Riaño appeared in uniform in a video on his Facebook page. (Antonio Riaño/Facebook)

“After the shooting, Riaño allegedly fled the United States to avoid prosecution,” the statement said.

USMS said that “when Riaño was arrested in Mexico he was found to be working as a local police officer.”

It said that Deputy U.S. Marshals took custody of the suspect from Mexican authorities in Mexico City on Aug. 1.

“He was flown to Cincinnati and then transported to the Butler County Jail where he remains pending court proceedings,” USMS said.

An argument — and a murder — in Hamilton, Ohio

According to Cincinnati’s Fox 19 Now, police in Hamilton determined that Riaño shot Becerra in the face after a brief argument inside and then outside a bar in the city.

Paul Newton, the prosecutor’s chief investigator, said that Becerra was involved in a brawl at the same bar a few weeks before he was murdered. Consequently, when he showed up at the bar on Dec. 19, the bartender asked him to leave, Newton said.

A photo of the bar where the fugitive allegedly committed murder before fleeing to Oaxaca. — Riaño is a suspect in the murder of Benjamin Becerra at the Round House bar in Hamilton, Ohio. (Google Maps)

He said that Riaño stepped in to help the bartender and subsequently became involved in an argument with Becerra. The bartender told the two men to take their argument outside and “minutes later gunshots rang out,” Fox 19 reported.

“The victim was found lying face down on the sidewalk. Riaño got into his van and took off, according to surveillance camera footage. … Local authorities used the surveillance video to identify Riaño as their suspect,” the news outlet said.

Investigators later found the alleged murder weapon hidden beneath the kitchen floor in Riaño’s apartment in Hamilton, but they were unable to locate the alleged murderer.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that when police searched his home, “they learned he used several fake names and had papers to create false documentation to obtain different identifications.”

“Prosecutors said Riaño was in the country unlawfully at the time of the shooting,” the newspaper added.

SDP Noticias reported that Riaño emigrated to the United States during adolescence.

Witnesses to the alleged murder told investigators that he was known as “El Diablo,” or The Devil.

A new beginning in Mexico

Riaño reportedly first traveled to New Jersey from Ohio before leaving the United States for his native Mexico.

The suspect’s wife told police that a friend drove him to Mexico.

According to the mayor of Zapotitlán Palmas, it wasn’t until 2020 that the wanted fugitive joined the police force of the town, found in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca.

U.S. authorities say they don’t know what Riaño was doing in Mexico before he became a cop.

A sign for Zapotitlán Palmas, Oaxaca, the town where the fugitive was found. — Riaño was found in his hometown of Zapotitlán Palmas, Oaxaca. (Zapotitlán Palmas)

Mayor Inés Martínez Reyes said that there hadn’t been any complaints about Riaño, and she even described him as “an irreproachable person.”

She said that none of the 10 police officers in Zapotitlán Palmas is certified, and explained that the municipality doesn’t have “sufficient filters” to determine whether applicants to police positions are suitable or not.

A reporter for Local 12, a television station in Cincinnati, asked Riaño earlier this month whether he killed Becerra and why he decided to become a police officer.

According to the reporter, his response to the first question was “no, I did not” and his answer to the second one was “because I wanted to help the people of Mexico.”

A fugitive on the lam — and on Facebook

Newton, the chief investigator in the Becerra murder case, recently began a new job at the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office and recommenced the search for Riaño.

“In January of this year, we started actively looking for Mr. Riaño again,” he told Local 12.

Newton soon found him online, not lurking somewhere on the deep web, but on the popular social media site Facebook — which eventually led him to the fugitive cop’s hometown in Oaxaca.

“I’m like, ‘My God, there he is!'” said Newton. “A little bit grayer, a little bit older, but it was him,” he said.

Though his face is obscured in this current Facebook profile picture, investigators managed to identify Riaño based on the social media profile. (Antonio Riaño/Facebook)

“… At first, I was speechless. Then, I think the second thing that came to mind was, ‘I got you!'”

The suspect’s Facebook page remains active. One reel posted last November shows him dressed in his municipal police uniform. A song called “Ese loco soy yo” (I’m that crazy guy) accompanies the video.

Crazy to open a Facebook page while trying to evade the law? The answer would appear to be yes.

Riaño’s previous appearances in legacy media failed to lead to his arrest.

USMS noted that Riaño appeared on the America’s Most Wanted television series in 2005. How many people watched that program in the Mixteca region of Oaxaca is unclear.

USMS also said that Riaño was listed as one of the Butler County Sheriff’s Office “Most Wanted.”

Riaño’s past catches up with him

USMS said that the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office teamed up with the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, which worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Riaño.

Local 12 reported that authorities in the United States and Mexico collaborated for three months before police found and arrested the fugitive in Oaxaca in April. Riaño was detained outside the police station in Zapotitlán Palmas wearing his police uniform.

Antonio Riaño in police uniform, in the back of a police car. — Riaño was arrested in his uniform outside the Zapotitlán Palmas police station. (Courtesy photo via WKRC)

Newton asserted that anyone can be located “if you dig hard enough.”

“They found Bin Laden. So, if they can find Bin Laden, I can find Antonio Riaño,” he said.

Michael Black, U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Ohio, said that law enforcement authorities wanted to “bring closure to this case and give that family some peace.”

A family reunion?

Local 12 reported that Riaño has a wife and three children in the Hamilton area. The news outlet didn’t say whether he had had any contact with him over the past 20 years.

For the time being at least, any family reunion will occur while Riaño remains in custody.

His lawyer, Kara Blackney, filed a motion asking the court to allow her client to bond out of jail because he had no criminal history, according to The Washington Post.

But Butler County Common Pleas Judge Michael A. Oster Jr. denied bond for Riaño on Monday, according to court filings posted online.

Riaño is set to return to court on Sept. 16 for a plea or trial setting, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. El policía prófugo, or fugitive cop, faces a charge of first-degree murder.

With reports from Fox 19, Local 12, NVI Noticias, SDP Noticias, The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Washington Post

Government reinforces security in Michoacán to protect lime producers

By

MND Staff

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August 21, 2024

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Lime producers went on strike on August 12, halting cutting, packaging and distribution in the Tierra Caliente region, known for its significant citrus production. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

The lime industry in Michoacán’s Apatzingán Valley has resumed operations this week following an eight-day strike that was prompted by extortion demands and threats of violence from organized crime.

The strike and repeated pleas from growers, packers and distributors prompted authorities at both the federal and state level to send additional security forces to the region.

On August 12, farmers stopped harvesting limes on more than 23,000 hectares in the Apatzingán, Buenavista and Tepalcatepec regions. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

Extra police have been sent to the area, and there is also more support from the Civil Guard, Defense Ministry (Sedena) and National Guard, according to Mexico’s Security and Citizen Protection Ministry (SSPC).

The strike halted cutting, packaging and distribution in the Tierra Caliente region, known for its significant citrus production.

It also caused the price of limes to soar, reaching up to 60 pesos per kilogram in some areas — double the usual price. While painful for consumers, the increased price encouraged some producers to restart their activities last week despite the risks.

The strike began on Aug. 12 with 34 citrus packing plants fully or partially shutting down. Farmers stopped harvesting limes on more than 23,000 hectares in the Apatzingán, Buenavista and Tepalcatepec regions.

Michoacán is Mexico’s No. 2 producer of limes, and approximately 80% of the state’s annual production is concentrated in those three municipalities.

The crisis began when criminal groups — including Los Viagra, Cárteles Unidos and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), according to officials — intensified their extortion efforts, demanding payments at multiple stages of the supply chain.

According to reports, the groups had doubled their previous demands of one peso per kilo from the grower and one peso per kilo from the packer.

Farmers get paid between seven and eight pesos per kilo, which is already a low figure, according to the newspaper La Jornada, so the new extortion demands amounted to a big hit.

Limes are currently selling for double their usual price in some areas due to the strike by producers. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador acknowledged the severity of the situation late last week, emphasizing that federal and state security forces were already in the area to address the growers’ complaints and provide free movement of trucks loaded with limes.

The economic losses caused by the strike are enormous and still unquantified, Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla said at a Monday press conference. He also stressed that lime production remained unaffected in more than 21 municipalities.

Growers and packers continue to express concerns about the effectiveness of the measures, with many demanding more robust action against the criminal groups.

According to the newspaper El Universal, the leader of the Los Viagras Cartel was caught on tape calling for actions of retribution after security measures were increased. César “El Bótox” Arellano Sepúlveda gave orders on Saturday to block roads, place tire spikes on roads and possibly kill state and federal security forces.

Michoacán is no stranger to agricultural-related violence. The region also saw a major security incident in June involving U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors, leading to a temporary suspension of avocado and mango inspections.

As the lime industry struggles to move forward, the broader issue of extortion in Mexico’s agricultural sector remains unresolved, threatening both local economies and global markets.

With reports from El Universal, El Financiero and La Jornada

Chow down on some healthy crunch with this chicken tinga lettuce recipe

By

Stephen Randall

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August 21, 2024

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Chicken tinga lettuce wraps — Crispy crunch meets healthy eating with this delicious (and nutritious) chicken tinga lettuce wrap recipe. (Fitia)

As a small town Kentucky boy visiting a slightly less small town down the road, eating at PF Chang’s was a culinary revelation. The dishes came in sharable sizes and were placed in the middle of the table like some type of medieval Asian feast. Of course the kung pao was great but the biggest surprise was the chicken lettuce wraps.

Ordered as an afterthought, this appetizer became everyone’s favorite, and for good reason. Crispy, chewy and creamy, it had all the textures a boy could ask for, and it was a MSG-fueled explosion of flavor to boot. I want to recapture some of this magic in a Mexican version of the dish with chicken tinga.

Inspired by P.F. Changs. but perfected by Stephen Randall, the lettuce wrap pairs perfectly with Mexican food. (Terry Jaskiw/Unsplash)

Chicken tinga lettuce wraps with spicy peanuts

Ingredients

For the chicken tinga:

1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped (add more for extra heat)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes (fire roasted are even better)
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

For the spicy peanuts:

1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to your spice preference)
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp olive oil

For the lettuce wraps:

Butter lettuce or romaine leaves, washed and patted dry
1 avocado, sliced
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Lime wedges, for serving

Chicken tinga is a quintessential Mexican recipe. (YouTube)

Instructions

Make the chicken tinga:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Stir in the chipotle pepper, smoked paprika, cumin and oregano. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices.
Add the chicken thighs to the skillet and brown them on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side.
Pour in the diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Stir to combine, ensuring the chicken is submerged.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Once cooked, shred the chicken using two forks directly in the skillet. Let it simmer uncovered for an additional 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare the spicy peanuts:

In a small bowl, toss the peanuts with chili powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder and salt.
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned peanuts and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly toasted.
Drizzle with honey, stir well to coat and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and let them cool slightly.

Assemble the lettuce wraps:

Lay the lettuce leaves on a plate or serving platter.
Spoon a generous amount of the chicken tinga onto each leaf.
Top with slices of avocado, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro and a handful of spicy peanuts.
Serve with lime wedges on the side and dig in.

This chicken tinga lettuce wrap recipe combines smoky, spicy chicken with crisp lettuce, offering a flavorful, actually somewhat healthy meal. The spicy peanuts add crunch and the avocado provides creaminess while the lime finish ties it all together, making for a balanced, refreshing and satisfying dish that’s perfect as the appetizer or the main star of the meal.

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.

Blues in the Bajío: The San Miguel Jazz Festival is back

By

Sandra Gancz Kahan

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August 21, 2024

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San Miguel de Allende jazz festival — Some of the biggest names in jazz have arrived in San Miguel de Allende for a celebration of the artwork unlike any other. (All photos by Lozoya)

Have you wondered why a picturesque colonial town in central Mexico has been attracting some of the world’s most celebrated musicians for decades? That’s the magic of the San Miguel de Allende International Jazz & Blues Festival.

Created in 1994, the Jazz & Blues Festival has grown to attract an estimated 5,000 attendees yearly. The festival brings together top-tier talent from around the globe in concerts, educational workshops, and films anchored in celebrating jazz and blues.

At the heart of this festival’s success is its director, Antonio Lozoya. Now marking his 20th year steering the ship, Lozoya’s journey from a classical guitarist to a jazz and bass musician with a degree in Jazz has contributed to evolving the festival into an internationally acclaimed celebration. His vision has created a space where cultural exchange and musical excellence thrive.

“The festival started in 1994,” Lozoya tells me. “A year before I arrived in San Miguel de Allende from Mexico City. I began by getting involved in the educational area, then in production, and became director in 2004.” Lozoya’s long-standing dedication to music and the Jazz & Blues Festival has played a significant role in shaping the festival into what it is today.

The main event is held in mid-November, aligning with the Revolution Day holiday weekend and Thanksgiving, attracting both national and international visitors. The festival also hosts monthly programs that feature a range of artists, providing opportunities for those who cannot attend in November. This approach keeps the festival active year-round.

A star-studded lineup

The Jazz & Blues Festival has hosted a constellation of musical legends over the years. Special guests have included Tino Contreras in 1995 and six-time Grammy nominee clarinetist Eddie Daniels in 1997. In 1999, the powerful vocals of Etta Jones graced the festival’s stage.

David “Fathead” Newman, celebrated for his work with Ray Charles, brought his soulful saxophone to San Miguel in 2002 and 2004. Antonio Sánchez, the innovative Mexican drummer and four-time Grammy Award winner, electrified the festival in 2008 and 2009 with his dynamic and expressive drumming. Eric Alexander, renowned for his rich, warm saxophone tunes, became a festival favorite during his performance in 2014, as did virtuoso guitarist Peter Bernstein.

Other notable guests have included Tuck & Patti, Marcia Ball, Oscar Castro-Neves, Joey Calderazzo, Enrique Nery, Karrin Allyson, Alex Mercado, Sara Reich and Dave Pike.

These artists, along with many others from France, Italy, Japan, the United States, Canada, Haiti, Brazil and beyond, have enriched the festival as a premier destination for music lovers.

Engaging workshops and enchanting venues

The festival places a strong emphasis on education. Free workshops are offered by guest artists to provide a detailed insight into the world of jazz and blues. These sessions provide interactive experiences where participants can directly engage with musicians. This approach helps demystify jazz and blues for newcomers and deepens the appreciation for these genres among seasoned fans.

Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz Tribute . @sanmigueljazzfest

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The rich history of these genres is also brought to life through film. As the festival’s director explains, “We screen award-winning films and insightful documentaries about instruments and the history of jazz and blues.” These films are primarily shown during the main event in November, but there are plans to extend film screenings throughout the year.

The San Miguel de Allende International Jazz and Blues Festival is not just about the music but also the stunning venues that enhance the experience. Some recurring favorites are St. Paul’s Church, the Hotel Real de Minas, Teatro Ángela Peralta and Casa Europa. These locations provide an intimate and memorable atmosphere for both performers and audiences.

Looking to the future

As the San Miguel de Allende International Jazz and Blues Festival continues to grow, its future looks bright. Plans are underway to expand its reach and impact, with more events and educational programs on the horizon.

On Aug. 31, the festival will host a special homage to the late Astrud Gilberto, highlighting the legendary singer’s contributions to Brazilian samba and bossa nova. This concert will showcase the lasting impact of the iconic performer of “The Girl from Ipanema” in the intimate setting of Casa Europa.

Whether you’re a die-hard enthusiast or a curious newcomer, the San Miguel de Allende International Jazz and Blues Festival offers an unforgettable way to experience world-class music in one of Mexico’s most charming destinations. Visit the festival’s website for more information, and subscribe to the newsletter to learn about upcoming events.

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]

Morgan Stanley elevates risk profile for Mexico in face of judicial reform

By

MND Staff

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August 21, 2024

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New York-based investment bank Morgan Stanley has downgraded its investment outlook for Mexico, issuing an “underweight” warning on Mexican shares due to concern over the federal government’s proposed judicial reform.

In a “Latin America Model Portfolio” report published on Tuesday, the bank said it was downgrading Mexico to underweight “following the judicial reform proposal the executive sent to Congress.”

La reforma al Poder Judicial lleva a Morgan Stanley a recomendar reducir su exposición a México así como los cuellos de botella que tiene el “near shoring”. pic.twitter.com/Yl33HHStvn

— Rodrigo Pacheco (@Rodpac) August 20, 2024

The underweight investment outlook is an effective “sell” recommendation for Mexican stocks, Reuters reported.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent the judicial reform proposal to Congress in February, while the ruling Morena party submitted a modified version of the bill to the Constitutional Points Committee of the lower house last Friday.

If the proposed constitutional reform is approved, Mexicans will be able to directly elect judges, including Supreme Court justices, starting next year. The sitting president, the Congress and the judiciary itself would nominate candidates.

Opponents of the proposal argue that it would jeopardize the independence of the judiciary and reduce checks and balances on executive power. Judicial elections would coincide in some cases with political elections, a situation that Morgan Stanley and others believe could lead to politicization of the judiciary.

In its report, Morgan Stanley said it believes “replacing the judicial system should increase risk, Mexico’s risk premia and limit capex,” or capital expenditure.

“That’s a problem as nearshoring is reaching key bottlenecks,” the bank said, referring to constraints on foreign investment in Mexico due to factors such as insufficient infrastructure or inputs (water, gas, electricity etc).

Morgan Stanley also said that the judicial reform “presents risks” to Mexico’s “investment narrative.”

Late last year, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Thor Equities founder and Chairman Joseph Sitt lauded Mexico as an investment destination. Dimon said that Mexico “might be” the number one investment opportunity in the world, while Sitt asserted that the country had become the “alternative” to China and represents a “golden” opportunity for investment.

For her part, president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum said in June that “investors in Mexico have “nothing to worry about.”

Mexico's president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum standing at a podium saying "Claudia Sheinbaum, Presidenta," She has a grim expression — Sheinbaum supports the constitutional reforms that are causing concern among investors. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

However, there is no doubt that the judicial reform proposal and other constitutional bills that López Obrador sent to Congress in February — and which Sheinbaum supports — are causing concern among investors.

The Mexican peso has been a prominent casualty of the concern. It was trading at around 19.20 to the US dollar at 9:30 a.m. Mexico City time Wednesday, compared to 17.01 on the Friday before the comprehensive victories of Sheinbaum and Morena in the elections held on the first Sunday in June.

Morgan Stanley’s recommended portfolio changes

Morgan Stanley recommended reducing exposure to some Mexican stocks and eliminating others from investment portfolios altogether.

“We lower the weight of key holdings in the country such as Walmex [Walmart de México], Femsa and Coca-Cola Femsa, and delete Kimberly Clark México, Laureate and Quálitas,” the bank said.

Morgan Stanley made no changes to its recommendations for a number of Mexican companies including América Móvil, Cemex, Fibra Prologis, Grupo México, Banorte and Cuervo.

Judicial reform proposal weighs on the peso

The peso depreciated to as low as 19.31 to the US dollar early Wednesday before strengthening slightly. That rate represented a depreciation of around 1.6% compared to the peso’s closing position on Tuesday.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, said on X that the depreciation of the currency is “directly related to greater risk aversion about Mexico due to the possible overrepresentation of Morena and allied parties [in Congress] and the possibility of the approval of the reform to the judicial power.”

The lower house of Congress in session on Thursday. — Morena and its allies will have a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies, allowing them to approve constitutional reform proposals without the support of opposition lawmakers. (Cámara de Diputados)

Lawmakers elected on June 2 will assume their positions on Sept. 1, exactly one month before Sheinbaum will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president.

Morena and its allies, the Labor Party and the Ecological Green Party of Mexico, will have a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies, allowing them to approve constitutional reform proposals without the support of opposition lawmakers.

Other reform proposals put forth by López Obrador have also generated concern, including one that aims to disband a number of government autonomous agencies and another that seeks to incorporate the National Guard into the military.

The Morena-led coalition will need to find a few extra votes to get constitutional reform proposals through the Senate, as its numbers in the upper house will be just short of a supermajority.

Siller also commented on the judicial reform proposal on Tuesday.

“The judicial strike will have an impact,” she wrote on X in reference to the decision by court workers and judges to stop work to protest the reform proposal.

“However, the approval of the reform to the judicial power will have a much greater impact on the economy by slowing down fixed investment [and] the hiring of personnel, and moving Mexico away from the nearshoring opportunity,” Siller said.

With reports from El Economista and Reuters

Sheinbaum creates new Ministry of Women

By

MND Staff

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August 20, 2024

2

Not only will Mexico get its first female president on Oct. 1, but its first Ministry of Women as well.

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Monday the creation of a Ministry of Women to be headed up by Citlalli Hernández Mora, a federal senator and general secretary of the ruling Morena party.

Citlalli Hernandez M — Citlalli Hernández worked as a Morena senator from 2018 to 2021 and then as secretary general of the party. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

The new ministry will replace the National Institute for Women (Inmujeres), which was created in 2001 during the presidency of Vicente Fox.

“After a deep analysis of opinions of colleagues and the head of the institute I took the decision to make the Institute for Women a ministry,” Sheinbaum said.

“… We want women’s rights to reach every corner of the country,” the president-elect added.

Hérnandez, a 34-year-old native of Mexico City, will be part of Sheinbaum’s cabinet as minister of women.

Sheinbaum said that the Morena government has already worked hard to improve conditions for women in Mexico. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

In an address on Monday, she said that the creation of Mexico’s first Ministry of Women paves the way for the realization of “our grandmothers’ dream” for a more equitable country.

The goal of the incoming government will be for girls and women to have greater equality and to live lives free of discrimination, Hernández said.

The suffering, frustrations, injustices, inequality and “closed doors” faced by “our grandmothers” should remain in the past, she said.

Hernández pledged to “not leave any women defenseless in the face of inequality, justice and violence.”

Among those she specifically promised to help were women who work in agriculture and in factories in northern Mexico. She added that the ministry she leads will distribute women’s rights pamphlets across Mexico and work to combat gender violence “from below.”

She said that the current government has done a lot to help women, citing poverty reduction as one positive. But the soon-to-be minister predicted that even “better times for women” are coming.

The Sheinbaum government, however, will face a range of challenges related to women’s issues. Gender-based violence is a major problem in Mexico, with almost 3,600 women murdered in 2023.

Among the other challenges the incoming government will face is closing the gender pay gap, which was recently reported to be 15%.

From feminist activist to minister of women

Hernández, a Mexico City deputy before becoming a senator, is a founder of the leftist feminist group Internacional Feminista. She studied journalism at the National Autonomous University (UNAM) and is a founder of Morena, whose foremost originator is President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Sheinbaum highlighted that Hernández “is, and has been, a feminist activist,” and that she was part of the Yo Soy 132 student protest movement in the lead-up to the 2012 presidential election.

As a deputy and senator, Hernández has focused on issues including the defense of human rights and gender equality, the president-elect said.

Among the bills she has presented are ones aimed at reducing gender violence and banning sexual conversion therapy, Sheinbaum said.

Women across Mexico have reacted positively to the election of the country’s first female president. (Clara Brugada/X)

“It’s time for women”

The election of the 62-year-old climate scientist and former Mexico City mayor is a watershed for women in Mexico.

But some women, including members of feminist organizations, have expressed doubts that the arrival of Mexico’s first female president will bring any substantive improvements to women’s lives.

For her part, Sheinbaum has declared on various occasions that “it’s time for women” in Mexico.

In an address last Thursday after receiving official documentation confirming her majority victory in the June 2 presidential election, she reiterated her view that her election isn’t “an individual triumph” but represents the arrival of all women to the highest political office in the land.

“… I arrive nourished and full of the strength that comes from our ancestors — our grandmothers, our mothers, our daughters, our granddaughters. Today all of us arrive and … I commit to fighting to continue building equality and freedom for all Mexican women, especially the most vulnerable,” Sheinbaum said.

With reports from El Economista, Infobae, López-Dóriga Digital, El País and El Financiero

Sheinbaum shares infrastructure plans to support investment in Nuevo León

By

MND Staff

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August 20, 2024

2

Sheinbaum in Nuevo León — President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum unveiled a raft of new investments for the border state of Nuevo León. (Presidencia)

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum promised to fund and support major infrastructure projects in the northern industrial state of Nuevo León on Sunday, completing her weekend tours of all 32 states six weeks ahead of her Oct. 1 inauguration.

Sheinbaum spoke in Monterrey, the capital of Nuevo León, accompanied by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Governor Samuel García — a member of the opposition Citizens Movement (MC) party.

Sheinbaum, García and AMLO — Sheinbaum (second from left) and Nuevo León Governor Samuel García (third from left) announced the investments together on Monday. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

The three were attending the annual report presented by the federally funded Youth Building for the Future (Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro) program, which provides job training for young people between 18 and 29 years old.

During her comments at the Explanada de los Heróes, outside the state Government Palace, Sheinbaum told García that the public good will outweigh politics in her administration.

“We will continue to support Nuevo León,” she said. “We’ll help Samuel build roads and fund indispensable public works that will benefit the state.”

For his part, García, whose term ends in October 2027, expressed confidence in Sheinbaum. “These next three years are going to be fantastic for Nuevo León,” he said. “The president-elect has promised to focus on four key issues: water, jobs, housing and infrastructure.”

Sheinbaum also committed to restoring passenger train service from Monterrey to the border city of Nuevo Laredo.

“We’re going to build three new passenger lines: Pachuca-to-AIFA; Mexico City-Querétaro-Guadalajara and San Luis Potosí-Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo,” said the president-elect.

Sheinbaum gave a nod to López Obrador, as well, crediting him with restoring passenger train service two decades after such trains had been relegated to holding yards.

Since taking office in 2018, López Obrador has funded the construction of the Maya Train on the Yucatán Peninsula and the Interoceanic Train, which crosses the Isthmus of Tehuantepec from Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz to Salina Cruz, Oaxaca.

With reports from El Economista, Sin Embargo, Infobae and Forbes México

1 in 3 Mexicans vulnerable to natural disasters, warn business leaders

By

MND Staff

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August 20, 2024

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Earthquake dog searching the rubble — Business chiefs have warned the Mexican government that the country is not ready to face significant natural disasters in coming years. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

Roughly one third of Mexican residents and 30% of the country’s economy are vulnerable to at least three kinds of natural disasters and more must be done to be prepared, a powerful business council is warning.

The Business Coordinating Council (CCE), the country’s largest private sector organization, celebrated World Humanitarian Day on Monday by signing an agreement with Cenaced — an NGO which promotes natural disaster and pandemic relief — to promote and support emergency readiness.

Flooding, earthquakes and hurricanes are among the disasters threatening much of Mexico. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

“Mexico is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters,” said Francisco Cervantes, president of the CCE, which represents about 80% of private sector GDP. The CCE estimates that 40% of national territory and one-third of the population is at risk, and roughly 30% of national GDP is vulnerable to three or more natural disasters, according to Cervantes.

The percentage of the economy at risk of suffering two natural disasters is 71%, he told newspaper El Economista in an interview.

Cervantes said the agreement with Cenaced reflects the urgent need for action, citing the government’s 2021 decision to shutter the Natural Disasters Fund (Fonden) on the grounds of corruption. This year, the Finance Ministry (SHCP) cut the national disaster relief budget from 18.2 billion to 13.5 billion pesos (US $711 million).

The threat of more and stronger weather events due to climate change is also a concern, Cervantes said, recalling that Hurricane Otis hit Acapulco last October as the Pacific Ocean’s most intense tropical storm ever to make landfall. The hurricane caused an estimated US $15 billion worth of damage.

Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 hurricane, struck Acapulco in October 2023, causing extensive damage to the resort city. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Roberto Delgado, former Cenaced president, said Mexico has experienced 300 natural disasters since the turn of the century, citing a few of the hurricanes, extreme weather events, floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that have stricken the country since 2000.

More than 40 million people have been impacted by these disasters, Delgado asserted after the signing ceremony. Already this year, there have been two hurricanes and a series of forest fires, he added.

“The objective of this agreement is to build a more resilient Mexico, to put in place a more efficient and more coordinated emergency response system.”

Finally, Cervantes encouraged state governments to step up and accept responsibility.

“I think states should establish disaster funds because their constituents are the ones that pay the price,” he told El Economista, while pledging support from the business community.

With reports from El Economista, Forbes México and El Universal