Peso falls after Morena congressional leader announces reform approval plans

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June 6, 2024

Press conference with Morena congressional leader — Morena leaders from the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate held a press conference on Thursday. Soon after, the peso depreciated 2.7%. (Cuartoscuro)

The Mexican peso took a nosedive on Thursday afternoon after the leader of the ruling Morena party in the lower house of Congress indicated that recently-elected lawmakers would seek to approve a raft of constitutional reforms proposed earlier this year by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

The peso was trading at just above 17.5 to the US dollar in the early afternoon, but quickly fell more than 2.7% to 18 to the greenback after Deputy Ignacio Mier Velazco’s announcement on proposals that López Obrador sent to Congress in February.

The USD:MXN exchange rate was 17.90 at 5 p.m. Mexico City time, according to Bloomberg.

Mier told a press conference that Morena will seek to hold a vote on López Obrador’s proposal to overhaul the judiciary once lawmakers elected last Sunday assume their positions in September. He also said that 17 other constitutional reform proposals — including one to eliminate numerous autonomous government agencies — remain “current,” indicating that lawmakers could seek to approve those in September as well.

López Obrador will leave office a month after the new Congress is sworn in, handing the presidential sash to Claudia Sheinbaum, who has expressed support for the proposed reforms.

Morena and its allies will have a two-thirds majority in the Chamber of Deputies once the new lawmakers take their seats, and will almost have a supermajority in the Senate. They will thus be able to pass constitutional changes with the support of just a few opposition senators.

Mexican stock exchange building in Mexico City — The Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) tumbled on Monday and had recovered by early Thursday, but also dropped in reaction to the congressional leader’s press conference. (Cuartoscuro)

The election results caused the peso and the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) to fall sharply on Monday.

During trading on Thursday, the BMV’s benchmark index rose above its pre-election level, but fell after Mier’s announcement. At the close of the BMV on Thursday, the index was 1.3% below its level at the close of markets last Friday.

The peso depreciated on Monday and Tuesday, but appreciated on Wednesday to close at 17.52 to the dollar. It was trading around that level on Thursday until the sudden drop.

Brad Bechtel, global head of foreign exchange at Jefferies Group investment bank, said that “volatility is going to be here to stay,” adding that “it could be a wild time” for the peso “for a while.”

Claudia Sheinbaum — Sheinbaum has responded to the market jitters by saying her government will act with “a lot of responsibility” and has endorsed a set of economic commitments from the Finance Minister, Rogelio Ramírez de la O. (Cuartoscuro)

The currency has depreciated about 5% this week.

Bloomberg reported Thursday that the results in the congressional elections “sent shockwaves across Mexican assets, with money managers rushing to cut their exposure to the peso.”

Citing strategists with the Macquarie financial group, the news agency added that “the post-vote reaction was likely exacerbated by a wave of stop-losses, given the currency was over-owned by speculative traders.”

Juan Perez, director of trading at Monex USA, said that the push by Morena to approve López Obrador’s proposed reforms has led to concerns that the ruling party could seek to make even more radical changes.

“The desire to go hard at reforms this way is a sign that perhaps Morena will push for items, enjoying the lack of checks and balances from opposition, to deviate from business interests that have helped in propping up what was the ‘super peso’ effect,” he said.

Miguel Iturribarria, a strategist at BBVA Mexico, said that among the reforms investors are most worried about are ones that seek to allow citizens to directly elect Supreme Court justices, change electoral laws and get rid of a number of autonomous agencies.

President-elect Sheinbaum sought to calm markets earlier this week by endorsing a set of economic commitments outlined by Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O, who has agreed to stay in his position after López Obrador leaves office.

She also pledged that her government would “act with dialogue, harmony and a lot of responsibility.”

Mier said that lawmakers would discuss the proposed reforms with Sheinbaum, adding that the outgoing government would participate in the talks as well.

With reports from Bloomberg, El Economista, Forbes México, Reforma and Milenio

Who are Mexico’s Olympic athletes going to Paris this summer?

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MND Staff

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June 6, 2024

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Mexican Olympic team member of the rhythmic gymnastic team performing with hoops — Mexico's Olympic athletes for the 2024 Paris Summer Games received a sendoff from Mexico's Olympic Committee that included inspirational speeches, and a performance by the Mexican Olympic team for rhythmic gymnastics. (Mexican Olympic Committee)

Mexico’s Olympic athletes for the 2024 Paris Games were announced this week, and, for the first time, the majority will be women.

Fifty-two female athletes are on the Mexican Olympic team headed to France in July, and they’ll be joined by 36 male athletes. The 88 competitors in total will compete under the green, white and red flag in 27 events this summer, eager to best Mexico’s haul of just four bronze medals at the previous Tokyo Summer Olympics.

poster of Mexican diver Ale Orozco draped in the Mexican flag behind life-sized image of the Eiffel Tower — The Mexican Olympic Committee also announced which members of Mexico’s Olympic team would be their male and female standard bearers at the Olympic ceremonies. Diver Alejandra Orozco will be Mexico’s female standard bearer. (Mexican Olympic Committee)

Although the Mexican Olympic Committee is hopeful that a few additional athletes will qualify before the June 15 deadline, to boost the total number of competitors to 95, the number on this summer’s team pales in comparison to Mexico’s recent rosters.

Mexico sent 162 athletes to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 125 to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

This year’s squad of athletes will be the smallest Mexico sends to the Summer Olympics since 2008, when 85 competitors (43 men and 42 women) qualified for the Beijing Games. The main reason for the slim numbers is that Mexico’s men’s and women’s soccer teams failed to qualify.

Overall, Mexico’s athletes have won 73 medals at the Summer Olympics since participating in the 1900 Paris Games. Mexico did not send a team to the Olympics again until 1924 and has participated in every Summer Olympics since then.

Mexico didn’t send women to the Olympics until the 1932 Games in Los Angeles.

Mexico’s Olympic athletes in the 2024 Paris Games

Artistic Gymnastics: Alexa Moreno (in her third Olympic Games), Ahtziri Sandoval and Natalia Escalera

Natalia Escalera (MEX) - Vault - 2023 Pan American Games Women's Gymnastics Event Finals

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Mexican gymnast Natalia Escalera will be part of Mexico’s Artistic Gymnastics team at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Here she competes on the vault at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile.

Diving: Gabriela Agúndez (bronze medal winner at the 2022 Tokyo Games), Alejandra Orozco (silver medalist at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games and in her fourth Olympics) and Aranza Vázquez, also a second-time Olympic athlete for Mexico.

Rhythmic Gymnastics (team): Julia Gutiérrez, Ana Flores, Kimberly Salazar, Adirem Tejeda y Dalia Alcocer

Cycling Track (team and individual): Jessica Salazar, Luz Daniela Gaxiola and Yuli Verdugo (in her second Olympic Games)

Cycling Road: Andrea Ramírez Fregoso (in her second Olympic Games)

Track & Field: Citlali Moscote, Alegna González (a second-time Olympic athlete) Laura Galván and Margarita Hernández (also in her second Olympic Games)

Canoeing: Sofía Reinoso (in the individual kayak competition)

Weightlifting: Janeth Gómez (in the 59 kilogram weight category)

Rowing: Kenia Lechuga (in the single scull event; Lechuga’s is a third-time Olympic athlete for Mexico).

Taekwondo: Daniela Souza (in the 49 kilogram weight category)

The archery team poses for a photo — From left to right: Aida Román, Alejandra Valencia and Angela Ruiz will be on Mexico’s archery team. (@AlfonsoDuranzo/Twitter)

Table Tennis: Arantxa Cossío (the first table tennis player born in Mexico to represent Mexico at the Olympics)

Archery (team and individual): Aída Román (silver medalist at the 2012 London Games), Alejandra Valencia (bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Games) and Ángela Ruiz, a 17-year-old who with Valencia and Román won the gold medal at Stage 1 of the 2023 World Archery Cup in Antalya, Turkey.

Valencia has continued to bring home medals at the 2024 World Archery Cup during Stage 2 last month in Yecheon, South Korea: she took the women’s bronze medal for the recurve bow and won gold in the mixed-team recurve event.

Artistic Swimming (duet): Nuria Diosdado (competing in her third Olympic Games) and Joana Jiménez

Marathon Swimming: Martha Sandoval (an open-water, 10-kilometer swimming event)

Triathlon: Rosa Tapia and Lizeth Rueda (in individual triathlon and team triathlon)

Sailing: Mariana Aguilar Chávez Peón and Elena Oetling

Shooting: Gabriela Rodríguez and Alejandra Zavala

With reports from Aristegui Noticias and TV Azteca

How many restaurants in Mexico are on The World’s 50 Best list?

By

MND Staff

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June 6, 2024

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Dish at Quintonil restaurant — Quintonil restaurant in Mexico City was ranked seventh on the list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. (The World's 50 Best)

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 ranking is out, and Mexico has three restaurants on the list.

In a ceremony held in Las Vegas, Nevada, 1,080 international restaurant industry experts recognized three restaurants in Mexico City among the 50 Best in the world: Quintonil (No. 7), Pujol (No. 33) and Rosetta (No. 34). The three honorees secured a spot on the ranking just weeks after receiving some of the first Michelin stars ever awarded in Mexico.

The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2024

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For a second year in a row, Quintonil ranked in the Top 10, escalating two positions from the 2023 ranking.

Founded by chef Alejandro Vallejo and his wife Alejandra Flores, the World’s 50 Best praised Quintonil as “a go-to for those looking for fresh, local ingredients and traditional Mexican flavors.” Some of the dishes the panel of experts highlighted include duck pibil tamales with elote cream, braised oxtail in traditional black recado sauce, crème fraîche with melipona honey, cape gooseberry and caviar or prickly pear sorbet. Quintonil opened its doors in 2012.

In his acceptance speech, chef Vallejo highlighted the role and hard work of his entire team, underlining the value of Mexico’s culinary tradition.

Pujol was the next restaurant in the ranking. A staple on The World’s 50 Best for several years, it went down 20 positions from 2023.

Pujol restaurant dish — Pujol, which has long been a top-ranking restaurant and was awarded two Michelin stars recently, slipped on The World’s 50 Best list this year. (The World’s 50 Best)

Founded by acclaimed Mexican chef Enrique Olvera in 2000, “Pujol presents an innovative proposal rooted in high-quality indigenous ingredients and diverse techniques, adding a modern twist to traditional Mexican recipes,” the list said. The World’s 50 Best praised the restaurant’s colored and elegant dishes, as well as its sustainability efforts. Pujol’s staple dish is its mole madre.

Pujol and Quintonil are the only Mexican restaurants with two Michelin stars.

Finally, Rosetta, which debuted on the list at No. 49 last year, climbed 15 spots in this edition.

Founded by Elena Reygadas, who studied English literature as an undergraduate, the restaurant has evolved from an Italian-inspired cuisine to a Mexican restaurant “with a reinterpretation of traditional dishes.” Reygadas was recognized as the world’s best female chef by World’s 50 Best in 2023.

Rosetta restaurant in Roma Norte — When Elena Reygadas began her signature restaurant Rosetta in 2010, she was inspired by Italian cuisine, although she’s also come to champion Mexican traditional foods that are not as well-known outside the country.

In addition to these restaurants, the Mexican chef Santiago Lastra’s restaurant Kol, located in London, ranked No. 17 on the list. The World’s 50 Best recognized Kol for its creativity to produce Mexican dishes using British ingredients, a task it defined as “challenging.”

The 22nd edition of the annual ranking spans 26 countries and territories and five continents. The list has been published every year since 2022, with the exception of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on the restaurant industry.

This year’s best restaurant accolade went to Disfrutar in Barcelona, Spain, run by Chefs Oriol Castro, Eduard Xatruch and Mateu Casañas.

Mexico News Daily

April was Mexico’s best month ever for US export revenue as bilateral trade booms

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MND Staff

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June 6, 2024

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Shipping containers at Manzanillo port — From January to April, Mexico's exports to the U.S. were worth US $162.91 billion, up 6.2% over the same period last year. (Lloyds)

Mexico continues to consolidate its position as the world’s top exporter to the United States, shipping products worth more than US $162 billion to its northern neighbor in the first four months of the year, according to U.S. government data.

Data published by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis on Thursday also shows that Mexico earned more revenue from its exports to the U.S. in April than in any previous month.

Cars to be exported — The automotive industry is responsible for a significant amount of Mexico’s exports. (Shutterstock)

Mexico’s exports to the U.S. in April were worth $43.06 billion, a 13.2% increase compared to the same month of 2023.

Export revenue in the first four months of the year was $162.91 billion, a 6.2% increase compared to the same period of last year.

Most of Mexico’s export income comes from manufactured goods including cars, computers and machinery, but it is also a significant exporter of oil and agricultural products to the U.S.

Mexico’s total share of the U.S. market for imports in the first four months of 2024 was 15.9%, up from 15.4% last year and 14% in 2022.

cinco de mayo avocados in mexico — A packing house prepares avocados for export in Peribán, Michoacán. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

Canada and China ranked second and third, respectively, for exports to the U.S.

Canada’s revenue from exports to the U.S. fell 0.8% annually in the first four months of the year, while China’s income declined 2.5%.

In 2023, Mexico surpassed China to become the top exporter of goods to the United States.

Mexico has benefited from a “decoupling” of the world’s two largest economies amid the ongoing China-United States trade war, as well as the relocation of foreign companies here as part of the nearshoring trend.

Imports from the U.S. also increased between Jan. and April

The U.S. data also shows that Mexico spent $29.39 billion on imports from the United States in April and $109.56 billion in the first four months of the year.

Imports to Mexico from the U.S. increased 18.2% in annual terms in April and 3.4% in the January-April period.

The strength of the Mexican peso is a factor that contributed to the increase in spending on imports in the first four months of the year, the El Economista newspaper reported.

Mexico remains the United States’ top trade partner

Two-way trade between Mexico and the United States was worth $272.47 billion between January and April, a 5% increase compared to the same period of last year.

Trade with Mexico accounted for 16% of the United States’ total trade in the first four months of the year. Canada was the United States’ second largest trade partner with a 14.8% share of total trade, while China ranked third with a 10.4% share.

Mexico recorded a trade surplus of $53.5 billion with the U.S. between January and April.

Other ‘need-to-know’ economic data

The USD:MXN exchange rate was 18:00 at 3 p.m. Mexico City time on Thursday, according to Bloomberg.
The national statistics agency INEGI reported in late May that Mexico’s economy grew 1.9% in annual terms in the first quarter of 2024.
The annual headline inflation rate was 4.78% in the first half of May.
Mexico’s unemployment rate was 2.6% in April.
The Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest rate is set at 11%. The central bank’s board will hold its next monetary policy meeting on June 27.

With reports from El Economista and El Financiero

It’s been a mild sargassum season so far for Riviera Maya beaches

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MND Staff

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June 6, 2024

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Beach loungers with parasols lying empty on a Playa del Carmen beach with palm trees and small amounts of seaweed in the background on the shore. — Tulum, Playa del Carmen, and other beach destinations on the Riviera Maya have managed to keep their beaches mostly sargassum free in 2024, but experts believe there is more coming before the season ends. (Arkadij Schnell/Shutterstock)

The Riviera Maya tourism industry has been pleasantly surprised by the lower amounts of sargassum arriving on Mexico’s Caribbean beaches this year, but lingering high temperatures mean the battle isn’t over yet.

The first Level 2 sargassum alert of the season was issued by Mexico’s Navy (Semar) back in mid-April when a gigantic sargassum mass sighted weeks earlier seemed headed for Mexico’s shores.

Bucket loader carries a load of sargassum steps away from a woman in a bathing suit standing in ankle-deep water on a Playa del Carmen beach with her phone in hand. — According to Tulum Hotel Association Director Carla Patricia Andrade Piedras, a big part of the equation in keeping Riviera Maya beaches sargassum free this year has been better-coordinated mitigation efforts than in the past. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

However, coordinated mitigation efforts have staved off the worst of Mexico’s sargassum invasion, reported the newspaper La Jornada Maya.

Carla Patricia Andrade Piedras, the director of the Tulum Hotel Association (AHT), told La Jornada Maya late last month that cleanup, temporary storage and disposal efforts have been organized more effectively this season, keeping the area’s beaches white and its Caribbean waters turquoise blue.

Andrade said the AHT would continue cooperating with local, state and federal authorities to be prepared for the inevitable arrival of the floating brown algae as the summer progresses.

The most recent update issued by the Quintana Roo Sargassum Monitoring System on May 17 indicated moderate-to-low amounts of sargassum along Riviera Maya beaches.

On May 31, the newspaper Riviera Maya News reported that sargassum arrivals along Playa del Carmen beaches were down considerably. A week later, La Jornada Maya reported that sargassum collection in Tulum this year was 75% lower than during the same January–May period in 2023.

According to records kept by the Tulum offices of the federal Environmental Ministry, 646 tonnes of sargassum were collected from Tulum beaches during the first five months of 2024, significantly lower than the 2,448 tonnes gathered during the same period a year ago, good news for tourists seeking the beach hotspots of Caribbean Mexico.

Latest map showing sargassum levels on the Quintana Roo coast, including the Riviera Maya by the Sargassum Monitoring Network, dated May 17, 2024. It shows that levels of sargassum on the coast range from low, the second lowest level possible, to abundant, the second highest possible. The majority of beaches on the map are listed as at the low level. — Latest map showing sargassum levels on the Quintana Roo coast, including the Riviera Maya, by the Sargassum Monitoring Network. (Sargassum Monitoring Network)

Still, Sustainable Environment and Climate Change Minister Lourdes Várguez Ocampo, says the Riviera Maya can expect additional sargassum arrivals this season.

Várguez told Riviera Maya News that the amount of sargassum that arrives on shores is related to an increase in temperature and the maritime currents from the southeast Caribbean Sea and that both conditions were evident.

However, Várguez was hopeful that the sargassum season would end early again this year, given that arrivals stopped in September last year.

Sargassum provides food, protection and habitat for many marine species but can adversely impact coastal ecosystems, tourism and public health when it reaches shorelines, a phenomenon known as an inundation event.

Massive inundation events can form brown tides along the shore, smothering fauna and flora — including coral reefs.

With reports from Riviera Maya News and La Jornada Maya

Beyond Chichén Itzá: Discovering Mexico’s lesser-known pyramids

By

Montserrat Castro

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June 6, 2024

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Guachimontones archaeological site — Jalisco's Guachimontones are a short trip from Guadalajara, and a criminally underrated day trip. (Esteban Tucci/Wikimedia Commons)

Mexico is a cultural giant, one that keeps its history reflected all around, like living, breathing museum. Tulum, Monte Albán, Chichén Itzá, Palenque and Uxmal are all names that you have heard before and places you might have even visited. But a lot of people don’t know that there are over one hundred archeological sites and pyramids in Mexico, many of which are unknown.

For example, you most certainly have heard of Teotihuacán. Its majestic pyramids of the Sun and Moon are just a 40-minute drive from Mexico City. However, most tourists — and even some locals — don’t know that there are nineteen archeological sites in México state alone, with 193 sites spread across the country.

Becan archaeological site — Becán is a Maya city with a unique irrigation system. Located in the middle of the Calakmul reserve, the city is one of Campeche’s lesser known sites. (Lugares INAH)

187 of these sites are open to the public. That’s 187 opportunities to visit some of the most interesting and beautiful rooms of the museum that is Mexico.

Here is a list of five archeological sites you probably haven’t heard of, located in Guanajuato, Jalisco, Campeche, Oaxaca and México state.

Cañada de la Virgen

This site is located only 16 kilometers southeast of the ever popular city of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.

The main monuments in Cañada de la Virgen were utilized to study and observe the sky. The site itself was structurally planned to reflect the cosmic cycles of the lives of its Otomi inhabitants.

Cañada de la Virgen pyramid — Cañada de la Virgen was an Otomi research and religious center. (Lugares INAH)

The site is interesting as it was not a residential area but instead a place of research and rituals. It has impressive acoustics which lets you communicate from any section of a structure to another without raising your voice.

A museum in the visitors’ center provides ample information about the activities that took place in Cañada de la Virgen.

You can visit from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last tour at 4 p.m. Tours last approximately two hours and cost 70 pesos per person and 20 for children under 12 years old. Children under five enter free.

Tenayuca

Tenayuca, in Tlanepantla, México state, is believed to have been founded in 1250 as the first Chichimeca capital in the Valley of Mexico. This site, whose name means “walled place” in Nahuatl, is home to an extraordinary pyramid crowned by twin temples built for the gods Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, surrounded by a wall of snakes. These features make the Tenayuca site the earliest example of the Mexica double pyramid, and it had strong links to the Mexicas of Tenochtitlán until the arrival of the Spanish.

Historical records say that the Spanish named Tenayuca the “town of snakes” due to the many sculptured snakes adorning the walls of the pyramids and temples. One of the site’s temples is reported to have had around 600 snake heads adorning its walls.

Tenayuca is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is conveniently located a short walk from the northern terminus of Line 3 of the Mexico City Metrobus. It has an entry fee of 70 pesos, with free entry for children under 13, students, teachers and senior citizens. It is also free for Mexicans on Sundays.

Becán

Becán is located in southeastern Campeche, within the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve. In Yucatec Maya, its name means “ravine formed by water.” This site was first settled between 600 and 300 BC, and by 300 – 250 b.C. it was transformed into a villa with a dense population. Its strategic location between the Gulf and the Caribbean gave it control over local commercial routes.

Becán’s buildings distinguish themselves from others by their unique layout and monumental heights. Additionally, they encompass a pit in the middle of the city that was part of an innovative watering system, used to draw the limits of the ceremonial area of Becán.

Structure X at Becan site in Campeche — The towering Structure IX at the ancient Maya archaeological site of Becán in Campeche. (Lugares INAH)

Around AD 1000, the city started to disintegrate and was occupied by other communities of greater economic and political strength. It was slowly forgotten and overrun by jungle, creating the remarkable site we see today.

You can visit this Becán any day of the week. The site is open from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Entry costs 80 pesos.

Huamelulpan

Some of Oaxaca’s ruins are also widely known, with Monte Albán and Mitla receiving a wide flow of visitors every year. However, the state has over ten archeological sites open for tourism, many of which are much less known.

The Huamelulpan ruins are located by the town of San Martín Huamelúlpam, around two hours west of Oaxaca City. This pre-Hispanic city dates to 400 BC and was an important urban center until 800 AD. It was principally populated by Mixtec groups, who had ever-changing and complicated relationships with Monte Albán and the tribes of the Oaxaca Valley.

Huamelulpan archaeological site — Huamelulpan doesn’t offer much in the way of facilities, but is still available for the public to visit. (Lugares INAH)

This site is not officially open to the public, meaning it doesn’t have any infrastructure or services. You can still visit it on your own though, every day of the week between 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Teuchtitlán (Guachimontones)

An hour and a half away from Guadalajara lies one of the most important sites in Western Mesoamerica, and a Unesco World Heritage site. It is also one of the most architecturally original sites in the country — and according to historians, Mesoamerica as a whole, with round and conic shapes as opposed to rectangular and pyramidal.

This site is 20 acres wide, and was one of the first big populated centers in the west. Its exact chronology is unknown, but it is estimated that it was populated by 40,000 people of the Teuchtitlán tradition during its peak. It was discovered only 50 years ago, in 1975.

You can visit this highly unique site for a fee of $50 pesos.

Information about all 193 archeological sites in Mexico can be found on the government’s cultural website:

Montserrat Castro Gómez is a freelance writer and translator from Querétaro, México.

What to eat in Oaxaca (and where to eat it)

By

Ian Ostroff

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June 6, 2024

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Chefs at Los Danzantes. — Oaxaca is Mexico's most essential foodie mecca, but where are the 'must-eat' spots in the city? (Los Danzantes/Instagram)

For those who love Mexican food, Oaxaca is arguably the best place in the country to explore for a dash of culinary magic. When you’re visiting though, the wealth of options can be overwhelming. This all leads to one, vital question: How do you find the best food in Oaxaca?

I’ve found the only way to get to know Oaxaca is through enjoying their food and embracing their cultural traditions. Whether you prefer eating through Oaxaca via its street food stalls, markets, guided food tours, or at one of its many restaurants, every dish will make you feel like you’re in your grandmother’s home kitchen.

Ingredients to prepare Oaxacan mole — While many regions of Mexico produce mole, Oaxaca probably has the most famous iterations of the sauce. (Los Danzantes/Facebook)

But the start of every flavorful journey begins with the first bite. If you plan to discover this special part of Mexico, here’s your guide to indulge in the Oaxacan magic!

What food to try when in Oaxaca?

If you’re like me and began learning about Oaxaca’s culinary tradition in shows like Street Food: Latin America, it’s easy to buy into the hype.

But the three main dishes to get you started on this food journey are the following:

Memelas

Not to sound biased here, but this is my favorite Mexican street food. It’s a heavenly combination of an oval-shaped tortilla, refried beans, Oaxacan cheese, a little salt, and a choice of chicken, beef, or vegetables. You also can’t forget the salsa.

Different states have their take on this antojito (snack food), but Oaxaca has the most delicious ones.

Tlayudas

Known as the “Oaxacan pizza”, this is the most well-known dish in the region. Not only will you find these in markets and street food stalls, but also in fancy restaurants.

Naturally, it has many variations. I’ve had some innovative tlayuda dishes at modern restaurants in Oaxaca, as well as traditional versions at Mercado 20 De Noviembre.

Tlayudas — A delicious tlayuda, a local speciality that has to be tried at least once during a trip to Oaxaca. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

But in general, it comes in a big tortilla with refried beans, and a healthy balance of Oaxacan cheese (what else, right?), sliced meats, lettuce, tomatoes, and more.

Yellow Mole

This is something you need to try at least once while in Oaxaca. I found a street food stall from the Netflix show Street Food: Latin America that specialized in it and was pleased with the result since it came wrapped in a world-class tortilla.

I was one of many people who came to that stall just for the yellow mole. Made with a loving combination of chiles, spices, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and more, this dinner-quality meal is as authentic as it gets.

Mezcal & Tejate

Mezcal is an acquired taste of liquor and isn’t produced anywhere outside Mexico. The spirit has become synonymous with the state and it’s a “welcome to Oaxaca” moment all visitors should try. You can find mezcal anywhere, especially if you’re staying downtown. You can also take a day trip to El Rey de Matatlán and see how the drink is traditionally is made at the source.

If you’re not big on alcohol, tejate is another fantastic choice. Considered the “drink of the Gods” in Oaxaca, it has a sweet taste that can be enjoyed by all age groups. The most intriguing thing about tejate is its history, tracing back 300 years before the Spanish arrived on Mexican soil.

Where to find restaurants, markets, and tours

Mexican woman serving tejate — (Max Núñez/Cuartoscuro)

Not that you need to try hard once you’re in Oaxaca to find good breakfast, lunch, and dinner spots, but there are some places you’d be crazy to ignore.

If you’re a traveler who loves to explore food markets, the two main ones are Mercado 20 De Noviembre and Benito Juarez. Both places boast so many amazing food and drink options that you could spend hours sampling everything.

The amount of restaurants here is endless if that’s more your thing. Here’s a quick list of wonderful options I can vouch for:

Los Danzantes

Los Danzantes is the winner of a Michelin star, and is considered by many to be Oaxaca’s best eatery (although that’s a very bold claim to make in a city like Oaxaca).

Address: C. Macedonio Alcalá 403-interior 4, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico.

Catedral Restaurante

Huevos charros — Huevos Charros (Restaurante Catedral/Instagram)

Address: C. de Manuel García Vigil 105, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico.

Casa Oaxaca

Address: Constitución 104-A, RUTA INDEPENDENCIA, Centro, 68000 Oaxaca de Juárez, Oax., Mexico.

If you’re too indecisive on where to eat, don’t fear! Food tours like this one are your best friend. You’ll be introduced to all the best spots and feel more comfortable navigating your surroundings for the rest of your holiday.

Tamale with Mixe meat and yellow mole with Pitiona. (Casa Oaxaca/Instagram)

Next stop, Oaxaca!

I could easily write an article double the size of this about the food options you’ll find in Oaxaca. Along with the restaurants, markets, and street food stalls listed here, there’s so much variety that I wouldn’t be surprised if your foodie journey differs from mine.

Anywhere I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments!

Ian Ostroff is an indie author, journalist, and copywriter from Montreal, Canada. You can find his work in various outlets, including Map Happy and The Suburban. When he’s not writing, you can find Ian at the gym, a café, or anywhere within Mexico visiting family and friends.

US approves 3 new Mexico-US international bridge projects

By

MND Staff

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June 5, 2024

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Hundreds of tractor trailers in stopped traffic, waiting to cross an international bridge on the Mexico-U.S. border in Laredo, Texas — The projects — two new bridges in Texas and the expansion of the World Trade International Bridge in Laredo — aim to improve the flow of Mexico-U.S. commercial traffic. Mexico is the U.S.'s largest trade partner. (City of Laredo, TX)

United States President Joe Biden has approved three international bridge projects linking Texas to the Mexican states of Tamaulipas and Coahuila.

Biden told President Andrés Manuel López Obrador about his approval of presidential permits for the international bridge projects in a call on Wednesday, just hours after he issued an executive order that prevents migrants from making asylum claims at the U.S.-Mexico border when crossings between legal ports of entry surge.

Mexico's President Lopez Obrador in a suit standing at a podium at a press conference in the national palace discussing Mexico-U.S. international bridge projects that were approved Tuesday. — President López Obrador told U.S. President Biden in a phone call Wednesday that the new Mexico-U.S. international bridge projects meant that Biden “would go down in history as the president who builds bridges, not walls.” (lopezobrador.org)

The U.S. president “informed President López Obrador that he has approved three new permits for international bridge projects in Texas that will benefit local communities and strengthen the U.S.-Mexico economic relationship by building infrastructure that promotes increased trade travel,” the White House said in a readout of the call between the two leaders.

López Obrador told Biden that he would “go down in history as the president who builds bridges, not walls,” according to a statement from Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE).

At his morning press conference on Wednesday, AMLO provided additional details about the three announced Mexico-U.S. bridge projects.

One is the “expansion” of the World Trade International Bridge between Laredo, Texas, in the U.S. and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, in Mexico — across which goods accounting for 40% of Mexico-U.S trade pass.

The other two projects involve the construction of new international bridges between Eagle Pass, Texas, in the U.S. and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, in Mexico and between Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas.

López Obrador said that the three projects will “greatly help the economic and commercial development of the entire region.”

President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and U.S. President Joe Biden sitting side by side in a formal room in the National Palace. Both are smiling. — Mexico-U.S. collaboration on migration in the region will continue despite a new U.S. policy limiting migrants’ right to seek asylum at the Mexico-U.S. border. President López Obrador told reporters Wednesday that he’s negotiating for a U.S. policy to deport migrants to their home countries, not to Mexico, as happens frequently. (File photo/U.S. Department of State)

Close Mexico-U.S. collaboration on migration continues

According to the SRE statement, López Obrador and Biden “agreed to continue the close collaboration between the two countries to manage migration in the region and to increase their actions to address the structural causes of migration in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

AMLO confirmed on Wednesday that he had discussed the United States’ new asylum restrictions with Biden.

According to a White House fact sheet, the Biden administration’s new actions “will make it easier for immigration officers to remove those without a lawful basis to remain [in the U.S] and reduce the burden on our Border Patrol agents.”

The New York Times described the U.S. president’s executive order as “the most restrictive border policy instituted by Mr. Biden, or any other modern Democrat.”

Asked whether Mexico would be placed in a difficult situation due to an increase in deportations from the U.S. caused by the new executive order, López Obrador dismissed that possibility.

He said that Mexico was seeking an agreement to have the United States deport non-Mexican migrants directly to their country of origin rather than returning them to Mexico.

“We don’t have a problem [receiving migrants]; we treat migrants very well, all of them, but why use an intermediary?” López Obrador said.

Biden congratulates AMLO on “free and fair” elections

The White House statement said that Biden called López Obrador “to congratulate him and the Mexican people on their free and fair electoral process that resulted in the historic election of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum.”

AMLO himself described the elections as “the cleanest” in history after opposition presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez and National Action Party leader Marko Cortés denounced them as being completely unfair.

The White House also said that “the two leaders pledged to maintain their strong cooperation through the completion of President López Obrador’s term in office and to ensure a stable, productive bilateral relationship during the transition to the administration of President-elect Sheinbaum,” who will take office on Oct. 1.

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum standing with her arms in the air and in front a group of Morena party figures in Mexico City's zocalo main square, saluting crowds of her supporters. — On President Biden’s phone call to inform President López Obrador about the approval of the international bridge projects, Biden also congratulated his Mexican counterpart on the election of President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum on June 2. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Mexican officials to promote Isthmus trade corridor in US

The SRE noted in its statement that López Obrador and Biden came to an agreement during their call “that a high-level Mexican delegation would travel to Washington, D.C. this week to present the Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and existing investment opportunities to U.S. officials and business executives.”

The trans-isthmus trade corridor, which includes a modernized train line between Mexico’s Pacific and Gulf coasts, has been touted by Mexico as an alternative to the Panama Canal. It will also include a chain of industrial parks.

Mexican officials said a year ago that the government had received 52 letters of intent to invest in the corridor from Mexican and foreign companies, representing US $4.5 billion.

The SRE said that a Mexican delegation headed by Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena and Navy Minister José Rafael Ojeda Durán would discuss with U.S. officials and business executives “opportunities to expand the corridor toward Guatemala.”

Mexico News Daily

WHO confirms first fatal human case of avian H5 flu strain in Mexico

By

MND Staff

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June 5, 2024

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Test tube marked influenza — The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a man from México state who was hospitalized and died in April in Mexico City had the first human case of this influenza subtype. (Shutterstock)

A man died in Mexico City earlier this year after becoming ill with a strain of avian flu virus that had never previously been confirmed in humans anywhere in the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday.

The WHO said in a statement that Mexican authorities reported “a confirmed fatal case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N2) virus” on May 23.

The infection was detected in a México state resident who was hospitalized in Mexico City, the WHO said.

“This is the first laboratory-confirmed human case of infection with an influenza A(H5N2) virus reported globally and the first avian H5 virus infection in a person reported in Mexico,” the agency said.

“Although the source of exposure to the virus in this case is currently unknown, A(H5N2) viruses have been reported in poultry in Mexico,” it added.

The WHO said that it had assessed the current risk to the general population from the virus as “low.”

The source of the virus in this fatality case has yet to be determined, but avian influenza outbreaks often occur in poultry farms. (Cuartoscuro)The man who died was 59 years old and had “multiple underlying medical conditions,” the WHO said.

He “had no history of exposure to poultry or other animals,” the WHO said, and “had already been bedridden for three weeks, for other reasons, prior to the onset of acute symptoms,” according to the case’s relatives.

“On 17 April, the case developed fever, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea and general malaise. On 24 April, the case sought medical attention, was hospitalized at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases … and died the same day due to complications of his condition,” the WHO said.

It said that no further cases of the same bird flu strain were detected during an epidemiological investigation.

“Of the 17 contacts identified and monitored at the hospital where the case died, one reported a runny nose between 28 and 29 April,” the WHO said.

The agency noted that a “high pathogenicity avian influenza A(H5N2) outbreak was detected in a backyard poultry farm in the state of Michoacán,” which borders México state, in March.

It also noted that two “low pathogenicity” A(H5N2) bird flu outbreaks occurred this year in México state, one in Texcoco in March and another in Temascalapa in April.

“Thus far, it has not been possible to establish if this human case is related to the recent poultry outbreaks,” the WHO said.

United States media noted that the avian flu strain that caused the fatality in Mexico is different from the one currently circulating in cattle in the U.S. that has infected three dairy workers there. That strain is H5N1.

The WHO noted in its statement that “sporadic human cases” of infection with avian influenza viruses “are not unexpected.”

The risk comes from “exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments,” the agency said, explaining that “the current likelihood of sustained human-to-human spread is low.”

The WHO also noted that “there are no specific vaccines for preventing influenza A(H5) virus infection in humans” but “candidate vaccines to prevent A(H5) infection in humans have been developed for pandemic preparedness purposes.”

Mexico News Daily

Mexico City Mayor-elect Clara Brugada has a plan for her ‘election trash’

By

MND Staff

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June 5, 2024

0

Mayor-Elect of Mexico City Clara Brugada at a podium holding an example of a construction brick made of recycled material. Four people next to her hold an example of recycled roofing material — Mayor-Elect of Mexico City Clara Brugada, left, shows reporters examples of green building materials that could be made out of her recycled campaign banners and signs. She urged supporters around the city on Tuesday to collect the "election trash" for her. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico City’s mayor-elect Clara Brugada has urged her supporters to join a massive cleanup to remove her campaign’s “election trash” — i.e., her no-longer-needed electoral campaign materials — from the city’s streets.

The Morena-party winner said on her social media channels that her plan is to recycle the signs and banners into eco-friendly construction materials — which she referred to in Spanish as “tabiques verdes” or “green bricks.” Brugada said they’ll be used to build the 100 community centers throughout Mexico City that she promised in her campaign.

Mexican activists standing with a pile of plastic election campaign banners and posters in front of Mexico's National Action Party headquarters in Mexico City — Brugada’s announcement was likely influenced by a protest last month by Mexico City Greenpeace activists, who tore down campaign banners and signs around the city and brought what they called “election trash,” to the headquarters of the parties that had created them. (Gustavo Graf/Greenpeace México)

“Today we start with this call to all our supporters to take to the streets and remove the campaign materials from public spaces…” Brugada said in a press conference on Tuesday. “We are going to process all the banners and all the propaganda and remove it.”

The recovered materials would also be used to construct public furniture and other city infrastructure, Brugada said.

In May, just weeks before Mexico City’s elections took place on June 2, Greenpeace activists in the capital protested against these sorts of campaign materials posted by candidates for the city’s various local, state and federal elections each election cycle, calling them environmentally unfriendly “election trash” that’s rarely recovered by campaigns post-election, adding to the city’s refuse burden and often becoming street litter.

Brugada’s election trash cleanup campaign began on Tuesday morning, as the mayor-elect took to the streets in the Anzures neighborhood of the city’s Miguel Hidalgo borough.

News outlet Animal Político contacted Brugada’s communication team twice to request more details about the recycling plan and the technology she would use to re-purpose her campaign materials but reported that Brugada’s team didn’t respond. However, one of the 12 community centers she built in the city’s Iztapalapa borough — the Utopia Libertad center — is constructed with recycled PET plastic and other repurposed materials, according to the Utopia Program website.

Brugada was the borough mayor of Iztapalapa until September 2023, when she resigned to run for Mexico City mayor.

Brugada hasn’t explained how she will collaborate with the local government in collecting the election trash. According to the Mexico City regulations, the General Directorate of Urban Services collects, manages and recycles the city’s solid waste.

A Mexican boy in swim trunks landing head first in a swimming pool at the end of a blue plastic water slide — A young Iztapalapa resident enjoys the Holy Week vacation period in April with a trip down a water slide at the Utopía Tezontli community center in Iztapalapa. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

What are Clara Brugada’s Utopias?

During her mayoral campaign, Brugada promised to build 100 community centers modeled after the 12 she created during her time as borough mayor of Iztapalapa.

Called Utopias, the Iztapalapa community centers offer recreational and educational classes and cultural activities to residents in a wide array of areas, ranging from art, digital design and theater to reading circles and film debate groups, therapeutic swimming and team sports.

Some Utopias also host flagship institutions open to the public such as a climate change museum, an aquarium and refuges for turtles and axolotls.

According to Brugada, each capital borough will host one Utopia, which would function “as a model of well-being and transformation of public space,” said the candidate. Each community center’s thematic focus would be different, including ones with environmental and rural themes and a women’s Utopia.

According to Brugada, each Utopia will cost 100 million pesos (US $5.6 million) to build.

With reports from CNN en Español, Animal Político and El Financiero