The PRI-PAN-PRD candidate Alfredo Cabrera (seen here campaigning earlier this month) was shot point-blank shortly before giving his final campaign speech. (Cuartoscuro)
A Guerrero mayoral candidate was killed at a campaign event on Wednesday, becoming the latest political aspirant to be murdered during an electoral period marred by violence.
Alfredo Cabrera Barrientos, PRI-PAN-PRD candidate for mayor in the municipality of Coyuca de Benítez, was shot at point-blank range at his final campaign event.
The aggressor was shot dead by the National Guard, which had been deployed to protect the candidate.
Video footage showed that Cabrera, 40, was shot in the head as he was about to take the stage to make the final speech of his campaign.
The event was held in the community of Las Lomas in Coyuca de Benítez, a coastal municipality that borders Acapulco to the west.
Videos and photos of the brazen murder quickly went viral on Thursday. (CUARTOSCURO.COM)
It noted that the “presumed aggressor” was killed. The FGE didn’t mention a possible motive for the attack, but organized crime groups are known to target politicians and candidates they see as unwilling to accommodate, or at least tolerate, their activities.
Cabrera was previously targeted in a 2023 armed attack, according to Alejandro Bravo Abarca, leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, in Guerrero.
Earlier this month, a PRI-PAN-PRD candidate for councilor in Coyuca de Benítez, Aníbal Zúñiga Cortés, and her husband, Rubí Bravo Solís, were found dead. Their bodies had been dismembered.
A municipal security secretary and 12 police officers were killed in an ambush in Coyuca de Benítez last October.
Cabrera, who in video footage is seen smiling and greeting his supporters just before he was killed, became the 35th candidate or political aspirant to be murdered during the 2023-24 electoral period, according to a count by the Mexico City-based consultancy firm Integralia.
Based on the number of candidates and aspirants killed, this electoral cycle, which began last September, is the most violent in Mexican history.
Japanese ambassador to Mexico Noriteru Fukushima shares his thoughts on the business and cultural ties between the two countries in an interview with Mexico News Daily. (Cuartoscuro)
It’s easy to look at Mexico through the lens of the United States and Canada, and lose sight of many other important relationships.
Mexico News Daily’s “Global Mexico” series is dedicated to highlighting the political, economic and cultural relationships between Mexico and other countries around the world.
Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek (right) with co-owner Tamanna Bembenek in the interview with Ambassador Fukushima. (Courtesy)
Recently I had the opportunity to sit down for a one-on-one meeting with the Japanese ambassador to Mexico, Noriteru Fukushima as part of our “Japan in focus” week. Below I share some highlights and takeaways from our 90-minute conversation about Mexico and Japan, and the future of their relationship.
Ambassador Fukushima was born in Mexico City (in Polanco) and has lived in Mexico multiple times throughout his life. However, Fukushima actually had to give up his Mexican citizenship in order to become Japan’s ambassador.
Mexicans love to travel to Japan. Mexico is the country with the highest percentage increase in tourists to Japan since the pandemic. Currently there are direct flights between Japan and Mexico operated by two airlines, Aeroméxico and All Nippon Airways (ANA).
There are more than 7,000 Japanese restaurants in Mexico, ranking fifth among countries with the most Japanese eateries in the world.
The beautiful jacaranda trees that we enjoy every spring in many parts of the country were introduced in the 20th century by two Japanese expats — Tatsugoro Matsumoto and his son Sanshiro — who started a gardening business in the Roma neighborhood of Mexico City.
The Japanese are huge fans of Mexican lucha libre wrestling. In fact, there is currently a Japanese luchador wrestling in Mexico named Shigeo Okumura.
Mexicans are some of the biggest fans of Japanese anime anywhere in the world — and have been now for many years. On a very personal note, my first job out of college nearly 30 years ago was creating and selling billions (that number is not a typo!) of Tazos to Mexicans of all ages working with the Sabritas company. At one point we were selling over 100 million Tazos per week in Mexico alone. By far the most popular characters were those of Japanese anime.
There are currently about 1,500 Japanese companies across many industries with operations in Mexico. This number has increased by over 200 companies in just the past few years. Over 50% of the companies are in the manufacturing sector, including the automotive industry.
There are nearly 10,000 Japanese citizens currently living in Mexico (the 3rd largestpopulation in Latin America after Brazil and Argentina) and around 79,000 Nikkei (people of Japanese descent) who call Mexico home.
The first people-to-people exchange between Mexico and Japan began over 400 years ago — with the first diplomatic relations dating back over 130 years. The first Japanese to arrive in Mexico came to the southern state of Chiapas over 100 years ago to work in the coffee plantations. The next waves came to the states of Coahuila for mining and Baja California for fishing.
This year Japan and Mexico celebrate the 50thanniversary of the Japan-Mexico Training Program for the Strategic Global Partnership. Over 5,000 students and young engineers from Mexico and Japan have exchanged through and benefited from this unique government-to-government scholarship program. Many business, academic and government leaders furthered their studies through this program.
Since 1999, Japan has ranked fourth in terms of foreign direct investment in Mexico. Ambassador Fukushima sees huge potential for further investment by Japanese companies in important industries including in the automotive sector.
Ambassador Fukushima has seen a lot in both countries over the years. He ended our conversation with an optimistic tone and expectations. Optimistic due to the opportunities that lie ahead, the strong historical foundation, and the deep ties of the relationship between the two countries. Mexico has potential and prospects due to its geographic importance in relation to nearshoring.
On a personal level, I have a deep respect for Japanese culture and companies. As a resident of Mexico and a big proponent of a strong Japan-Mexico relationship, I am excited to see what is to come for these two countries.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.
This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “Japan in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.
In March 2023, Tesla announced that it would build its first gigafactory in Mexico — similar to this one in the U.S. state of Nevada. However, 14 months later, the Monterrey, Nuevo León, site has only seen construction by state public works crews, not Tesla. (Tesla)
Nuevo León Economy Minister Iván Rivas insists that Tesla is still planning to build its highly-anticipated gigafactory in Mexico, despite the project being slow to start and amid the company’s ongoing layoffs worldwide.
“We have not had any signal change,” said Rivas at a press conference announcing Nuevo León’s upcoming International Mobility of the Future Summit (IMOF). “We are working hand in hand [with Tesla] on the incentive contract,” he assured.
Nuevo León Economy Minister Iván Rivas, seen here in 2022, recently assured inquiring reporters this week that the Tesla gigafactory in his state is a sure thing. (File photo)
Since Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced the plans for an electric vehicle (EV) factory in northern Mexico in March last year, the start date for construction has been postponed and a lack of information has fueled speculation about the project’s viability. According to Nuevo León’s governor Samuel García, the project will generate US $15 billion in investment.
While Rivas admitted that there’s not an agreed date to break ground, he stressed there’s no doubt that the Tesla gigafactory in Mexico is happening.
“Tesla is coming, it is coming,” Rivas said.
Incentives for Tesla to build their latest factory in Mexico were confirmed last year, and include widening the Monterrey-Saltillo highway (from two to three lanes), building road infrastructure to enter and exit the factory and constructing water treatment infrastructure, as well as tax benefits.
When asked by reporters whether the recent worldwide layoffs at Tesla might have had an effect on the project, Rivas said that layoffs in Mexico were in the commercial area, not those positions related to the development and construction of the Nuevo León plant.
“The engineers working on the plant development … come from abroad and have visited the plant many times,” he said.
Back in March 2023, when Elon Musk announced the plans for the factory, President López Obrador met with Tesla officials in the National Palace. (Cuartoscuro)
Eduardo Aguilar, a professor at the University of Monterrey (Udem), told the newspaper El País that infrastructure construction by Nuevo León public works officials to accommodate the plant is ongoing at the planned gigafactory site in Santa Catarina — located about 15 kilometers from Monterrey.
“The land remains the same as it was a year ago, that is undoubtedly true, but all the government works related to the plant’s construction have already begun,” Aguilar said. “The machinery and signage indicate that the promised expansions to access and stormwater infrastructure by the state have already begun.”
Musk himself said last October that while the Nuevo León factory was confirmed, he was not ready to “go full tilt” given global economic conditions. At the time, he said the first phase of construction would begin in early 2024.
Despite the speculation about the gigafactory’s fate, Rivas said that the announcement of the Tesla plant has boosted Nuevo León as an electromobility hub since Tesla has invited its suppliers to relocate to Mexico.
“Around 30 [Tesla] suppliers are already here in Nuevo León,” Rivas said.
Under the direction of Maestro Rogelio Riojas-Nolasco, an exciting new opera studio, Operísima México, is off to an impressive start.
I recently had the very enjoyable opportunity to meet Maestro Rogelio Riojas-Nolasco, director and founder of San Miguel de Allende’s inspiring new opera studio, Operísima México. We discussed the maestro’s illustrious career, the remarkable potential of his 22 current students, his vision for the organization, and the considerable challenges of establishing an opera studio.
“For over three decades,” Riojas-Nolasco explained, “I worked as a pianist, vocal coach, and assistant conductor in some of the most important opera houses around the world, mostly in Europe. In those elite venues, I played 30 to 35 operas a year, often with daily performances.”
A performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in León featured two soloists from Operísima México.
Riojas-Nolasco’s international experience in the preparation and perfection of artists in the operatic field is certainly extensive. He has performed in nearly 30 countries, including at such venues as the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Russia and the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall in the United States, and collaborated with many of the greatest singers and conductors in the world, such as Plácido Domingo, Javier Camarena, Rolando Villazón, Roberto Alagna, José Carreras, Neil Schikof, Francisco Araiza, Ramón Vargas, Edita Gruberova, Elina Garança, Cecilia Bartoli, Mirella Freni, and Renata Scotto.
In 2014, Ramón Vargas, the famed Mexican tenor, was named director of the Opera de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. Vargas invited Riojas-Nolasco to come home to Mexico to develop the Fine Arts Opera Studio there.
“Of course I said yes,” explained Riojas-Nolasco. “For five years, I was the director and primary coach. It was a very successful program: my students won 14 international prizes.”
In 2022, Riojas-Nolasco felt inspired to move to San Miguel de Allende to launch his own studio. “Some of my students came with me,” he noted. “Olymar Salinas, for example, an incredible young tenor, has been studying with me for almost seven years now, since he was 18 years old, and he’s doing very well.”
Operísima México performed at Casa Europa in San Miguel de Allende.
Salinas himself explained: “Many young singers are looking for a place like Operísima México to train in voice, movement, languages, and more, to build our repertoires and gain experience. In my case, performing in Europe and the United States has been invaluable.”
The Covid-19 pandemic interrupted the careers of many young singers. “In the moment when they should have started to do something important, their careers were blocked by the pandemic,” said Riojas-Nolasco. “I want to help these talented young people succeed now, to make up for lost time.”
When Riojas-Nolasco arrived in San Miguel de Allende, “The first institution to throw open their doors to us was Casa Europa. We performed five complete operas there, and I used a rotating cast to give all my students a chance to perform. They rotated between soloist and choir positions. It is important to me that young singers gain experience performing complete operas in order to be hired at leading opera houses. The directors need to see proof of the stamina and vocal maturity to finish a three-hour opera.”
Two of the maestro’s students, Salinas and Karla Pineda, went to the finals for the Vienna Opera last year, a huge honor for any young singer in the world. Salinas also made it to the semifinals for the Metropolitan Opera in New York, an impressive accomplishment.
An Operísima México performance at beautiful Villa Puccini MusikHaus in San Miguel de Allende.
“For me, as a Costa Rican singer, joining Operísima México has been an incredible experience,” Pineda explained. “I have learned so much from our amazing maestro and gained access to important competitions and auditions in Europe as well as here in the Americas. I am so thankful.”
The next phase for Operísima México is one of institutional development. The organization is in the process of obtaining official nonprofit status, at which point donations will become tax-deductible. Riojas-Nolasco credits Jack Kelly, executive director, for his exhaustive fundraising efforts. For example, Kelly organized a private event at beautiful Casa Proserpina in San Miguel de Allende to raise funds for Salinas and Pineda’s travel to Vienna and New York.
Riojas-Nolasco acknowledges that fundraising goals will remain significant for the foreseeable future. “As our studio grows, I hope to hire a variety of specialists. Right now, I am the director, pianist, acting coach, and language teacher. I speak German, French, Italian, Spanish, and English.”
“Eventually,” he continued, “we intend to have our own physical space, our own performing arts center. We have been welcomed at venues throughout San Miguel de Allende, such as Casa Europa, Villa Puccini MusikHaus, and now Foro Obraje, but it will be wonderful to have our own permanent venue, as well as dedicated housing and living stipends for the students — the kind of benefits my students in Mexico City received. We want them to be able to focus entirely on their music and not have to work other jobs to survive. Currently, kind donors are paying the rent for a house for five of the girls. We are so grateful for every bit of support we receive along the way.”
Operísima México is proud to offer residents of San Miguel the opportunity to enjoy opera throughout the year. Not only will the group perform a number of complete operas every year, but they also plan to offer an evening of opera highlights every other Thursday, beginning in July. Riojas-Nolasco hopes “Thursday night at the Opera” will become a regular part of many Sanmigelenses’ routines.
Further, he noted, “We are delighted by the growing opera community in San Miguel de Allende and proud to be part of it. For example, some of our students have participated, quite successfully, in competitions sponsored byOpera de San Miguel and the San Miguel MetOpera Trust.”
A performance of Parsifal in León featuring Operísima México singers.
Operísima México will next present “Opera Scenes, Program 2” featuring works by Verdi, Puccini, Bizet, Strauss, Gounod, Mozart, and Donizetti at Arthur Murray San Miguel on May 31 and June 1 at 7:00. Tickets are available online for MXN$500 and at the El Petit Four café.
Currently, the best way to connect with Maestro Rogelio Riojas-Nolasco to support this exciting new opera studio in San Miguel de Allende is through the group’s Facebook page.
Based in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson is a writer and NGO leader who previously worked for the U.S. Department of State. Her award-winning novel “The Broken Hummingbird,” which is set in San Miguel de Allende, came out in October 2023. Ann Marie can be reached through her website, annmariejacksonauthor.com.
There may be no bigger music star for Mexicans than the one and only Luis Miguel. (All photos by Luis Miguel Oficial/Facebook)
Luis Miguel’s music evokes childhood road trips in my grandparents’ car listening to boleros like “El Reloj” or “No Se Tú.” High energy pop songs like “Ahora Te Puedes Marchar” take me back to late-night parties or the dance floor at Mexican weddings. Now in my mid-30s and living abroad, his mariachi songs make me appreciate Mexican regional music even more.
No matter the setting and no matter the audience, Luis Miguel has stayed relevant to every Latin generation — and in many music genres — since he began his career in 1982. From pop to jazz to boleros and, of course, mariachi, Luis Miguel, 54, has secured hits in every single genre.
I mean, is there anything he can’t sing?
A young(ish) Luis Miguel in the 1990s, at the height of his powers.
A versatile and prolific career
With a voice that spans three octaves (comparable to Freddie Mercury), Billboard has named him “one of the top voices of our generation.”
On tour since last year (including the United States) despite not having released a single album in seven years, Luis Miguel kicked off 2024 with the No.3 spot on the first LIVE75 chart of the year. By the second issue, Luis Miguel moved to No. 1 based on a 17-show ticket average of 20,808 per night.
With those numbers, “El Sol de México,” (The Mexican Sun) surpassed singers like Madonna (13,880) and U2 (16,585). Moreover, Luis Miguel’s México Por Siempre Tour (2018-19) was the highest-grossing Latin tour in Boxscore history until Bad Bunny and Daddy Yankee in 2022.
He became the youngest artist ever to win a Grammy at age 14, for his duet “Me Gustas Tal y Como Eres” with Sheena Easton. He maintained this record until 1997 when LeAnn Rimes won the Grammy for Best New Artist (also aged 14).
1988’s “Busca un Mujer,” complete with the sort of haircut that mercifully stayed in the 1980s where it belonged.
He has since won 5 more Grammys and over 100 national and international awards. He was also the only Hispanic artist invited to perform at Frank Sinatra’s 80th birthday celebration.
Furthermore, Luis Miguel has consistently made the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart since his debut in 1987 with the hit “Ahora Te Puedes Marchar.” Since then, he’s scored 15 more No. 1s, including “Tengo Todo Excepto a Ti” and “La Media Vuelta.” He’s also the artist with the most entries among Latin pop acts on Hot Latin Songs, with 58.
But despite his massive fame, “LuisMi” is incredibly reclusive.
A tumultuous personal life
Over his career, he has granted only a handful of interviews, always being careful around sensitive subjects like his paternity of model Michelle Salas, 35 – which he only acknowledged when she turned 18, the disappearance of his mother, or his true birthplace, which turns out, is not Mexico (although has since naturalized as a Mexican).
Luis Miguel and his mother during the 1980s. The singer has been notoriously secretive about his private life.
Born in 1970 in Puerto Rico to Spanish singer Luisito Rey and Italian mother Marcela Basteri, the family moved to Mexico City in the late 70s due to Luisito’s music career. But when Luisito discovered his son’s talent, he set aside his career to focus on Luis Miguel.
This is vividly portrayed in the first episode of Luis Miguel La Serie, a three-part Netflix biopic released in 2018. Reportedly, deeply private Luis Miguel only agreed to the series to settle a multi-million-dollar debt.
Showing his many romances (including his relationship with Mariah Carey) and a highly vulnerable LuisMi amidst a dramatic family life and a controlling and dominant father, the series satisfied Mexican fans’ curiosity over Luis Miguel’s life — and made them (us) love him even more.
It also brought the Sun back to the center of the universe.
A resounding success, the series revived Luis Miguel’s dormant career after years of absence and questionable concerts during which he appeared drunk or unable to properly sing (something that the series helped us all forgive him for). With the release of Season 1, Spotify reported that “Culpable O No” was the second most played song in Mexico. Moreover, plays of Luis Miguel’s music soared by 200% in the weeks after the series premiered.
LuisMi live in concert, Guatemala 2019. His popularity is enormous throughout all of Latin America, even if he is primarily identified with Mexico.
But with 34 albums in total, we must acknowledge the hidden heroes behind Luis Miguel’s successful career. After all, he sings songs other people write.
A revival of romantic Latin music
Not much of a songwriter himself, Luis Miguel has collaborated with many talented Latin songwriters and musicians. One of the most famous collaborations was with Mexican Armando Manzanero, who died aged 85 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Composers of some of the most iconic songs of Latin America, Manzanero and Luis Miguel worked together on four albums. These were: “Romance” (LuisMi’s first Gold Album in the US) “Segundo Romance,” “Romances” and “Mis Romances.” Each album included songs written by Manzanero, including “Somos Novios” or “No Sé Tú.”
Thanks to these albums, Luis Miguel turned the world’s attention to Latin romantic music, including the world-wide famous “Bésame Mucho.”
Luis Miguel - "No Sé Tú" (Video Oficial)
Bésame Mucho is indisputably one of Latin America’s most famous songs, written by Mexican songwriter Consuelito Velásquez in 1932. Luis Miguel’s interpretation of the song is one of the most recognized worldwide.
Another blast from the past was “Solamente Una Vez,” by one of Mexico’s most famous songwriters, Agustín Lara.
Thanks to the Netflix series, we learned that Dominican bachata songwriter and superstar Juan Luis Guerra wrote the romantic ballad “Hasta Que Me Olvides.” This song has even become a trend on TikTok, where users pick Luis Miguel as their ultimate favorite singer with the song as the soundtrack.
Other songwriters included Francisco Céspedes, Jorge Alfredo Jiménez, María Grever and Roberto Cantoral, amongst others.
As for musicians, one that stands out is Kiko Gibrán, Luis Miguel’s loyal guitarist and Mexican music producer who has collaborated with the artist since the ‘90s.
With an array of Hispanic and Latin collaborators and never having ventured into the US market to increase sales, Luis Miguel is one of the best-selling and most loved Latin singers of all time — and, as you could probably tell, my favorite.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
Yucatan gubernatorial candidate Joaquín "Huacho" Díaz initially said on social media today that he was unhurt in the accident, but later posted updates in which he said that he was being hospitalized. (SSP Yucatán)
A Yucatán gubernatorial candidate and supporters of presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum were injured in separate highway accidents on Wednesday morning.
Joaquín Díaz Mena, the Morena party’s candidate for governor of Yucatán, said on social media that he was involved in a car accident while traveling to Mérida on the highway after a rally on Tuesday in Chemax, a municipality that borders Quintana Roo.
Díaz was campaigning in Chemax and Mérida in the final push of his campaign for governor of Yucatán. Voters will decide the candidate’s political fate on Sunday. (Joaquín Díaz/X)
In a post to X, Díaz said that some members of his team were injured, but he was fine.
However, in a subsequent voice message posted to X, the candidate revealed that he sustained “some knocks” in the accident in the municipality of Seyé and would spend “a few days” in hospital.
In another post, he said he had a “small fracture” and an injury to his eyelid as the result of a “knock to the face.”
Díaz, widely known as “Huacho,” added that he would later undergo surgery due to injuries sustained in the highway accident.
Citing preliminary reports, the El Financiero newspaper said that the driver of the vehicle the gubernatorial candidate was traveling in became distracted before the highway accident occurred.
The SUV reportedly crashed into a stationary heavy vehicle. A photo posted to social media showed that the vehicle, a Ford Explorer, sustained significant damage.
A bus of supporters on their way to a Claudia Sheinbaum campaign rally in Mexico City crashed on a highway in southern Veracruz. The overturned bus can be seen on the right. (Veracruz SSP)
Díaz, the driver and one other person were taken to a hospital in Mérida. It was unclear what injuries the driver and the other person sustained, but they apparently weren’t life-threatening.
Díaz is aiming to become the first Morena party governor of Yucatán. A recent El Universal newspaper poll showed he trailed PAN-PRI candidate Renán Barrera by more than 12 points.
Claudia Sheinbaum supporters injured en route to CDMX campaign rally
The Veracruz Ministry of Civil Protection reported on X that 18 people were injured when a bus veered off the road and overturned on the La Tinaja-Cosoleacaque highway in the Gulf coast state.
The injured passengers were taken to local hospitals. The severity of their injuries was unclear, but according to a Morena Senate candidate in Veracruz, they are not life-threatening. Manuel Huerta Ladrón de Guevara said that the injured people were in stable condition in hospital.
Rocío Nahle, Morena’s gubernatorial candidate in Veracruz, said that the bus involved in the accident was transporting Morena members and supporters to Mexico City for Claudia Sheinbaum’s “close of campaign” event in the Zócalo, the capital’s central square.
“I’m in contact with Veracruz authorities to attend to the colleagues from [the municipality of] Oluta, who suffered a highway accident,” Nahle wrote on X.
The accident occurred in the municipality of Cosamaloapan, located in southern Veracruz on that state’s border with Oaxaca. Authorities haven’t commented publicly on the cause of the crash.
According to polls published this week, with days to go until the election, Claudia Sheinbaum (Morena-PT-PVEM) has a minimum 20-point lead over her closest rival, Xóchitl Gálvez (PAN-PRI-PRD). (Cuartoscuro)
If the polls are right, there is little doubt that Mexicans will elect Claudia Sheinbaum as the country’s first female president this Sunday.
Separate poll results published by major newspapers this week all showed the ruling Morena party candidate with a commanding lead over Xóchitl Gálvez of the Strength and Heart for Mexico (PAN-PRI-PRD) opposition bloc and Jorge Álvarez Máynez of the Citizens Movement (MC) party.
The three presidential candidates close their campaigns today and polls show Claudia Sheinbaum (left) has a commanding lead over both Xóchitl Gálvez (right) and Jorge Álvarez Máynez (center). (Cuartoscuro)
Excluding undecided voters, El Universal found that Sheinbaum has a 20-point (54%-34%) lead over Gálvez, while Reforma also detected a 20-point advantage (55%-35%) for the Morena candidate, who is also backed by the Labor Party (PT) and the Ecological Green Party of Mexico (PVEM)
Eligible voters polled by El País and El Economista expressed support for Sheinbaum in even greater numbers.
El País found that the former Mexico City mayor has a 23-point lead (56-33%) over Gálvez, a former National Action Party (PAN) senator, while El Economista detected an even bigger 25.7-point (56.9%-31.2%) lead for the Morena candidate.
Support for Álvarez Máynez in the four polls ranged from 10% to 12%.
Nearly 100 million Mexican citizens are eligible to vote in the June 2 elections. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
While there have been some fluctuations in poll numbers during the three-month-long campaign period, one constant has been Sheinbaum’s clear advantage over Gálvez in all the major polls.
Even more evidence of the Morena party candidate’s status as the clear frontrunner is provided by Expansión Política’s “Poll of Polls,” which shows Sheinbaum 19 points (53%-34%) ahead of Gálvez, and Bloomberg’s “Electoral Barometer,” which has Sheinbaum 24.8 points (57%-32-2%) points clear of her main rival.
According to Expansión Política, Sheinbaum has a 98% probability of winning the presidential election this Sunday.
The congressional contest
Mexicans will also vote on Sunday to renew both house of federal Congress. Up for grabs are 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 128 positions in the Senate.
A two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress is coveted, as it enables the approval of constitutional reform proposals without the need to negotiate with opposition parties.
If Morena and its allies were to win supermajorities, Sheinbaum — if elected president — would be able to enact constitutional reform proposals she supports, a package of which has already been submitted to Congress by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
In its poll, Reforma asked 1,000 eligible voters across the country which party they intended to vote for in the Chamber of Deputies election.
On Feb. 5, the president announced a suite of sweeping constitutional reform proposals that, according to some observers, severely downgrade Mexican democracy. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
Morena, which was founded by López Obrador, was nominated by 44% of respondents, more than double the number of people who expressed support for the second most popular party, the PAN.
An additional 6% of respondents said they would vote for PVEM candidates, while 5% indicated they would support PT aspirants.
Thus Morena and its allies — which together make up the Let’s Keep Making History coalition — had combined support of 55%.
Just over one in five respondents — 21% — said they would vote for the PAN, 10% expressed support for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and 2% indicated a preference for the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD).
Thus the PAN-PRI-PRD alliance had combined support of 33%.
MC attracted the support of 10% of those polled, while the remaining 2% said they would cast their votes for independent candidates in the lower house election.
Other poll findings
Detailed below are some of the other findings of the recent polls conducted by or for the major newspapers listed above.
Sheinbaum more popular among men than women
Support for Sheinbaum is higher among men than among women, the El Universal poll found.
The Morena candidate attracted the support of 47% of male respondents but just 40% of female respondents.
Sheinbaum (right) had more support among men than women according to the El Universal poll, with Xóchtil Gálvez (center) having a slight advantage with women over men, and Máynez as well. (Screen capture)
Just over one quarter of men polled — 27% — said they would vote for Gálvez, while the figure among women was one point higher at 28%.
One in 10 women — 10% — said they would vote for Álvarez Máynez, while the MC candidate attracted 9% support among men.
Around one in five male and female respondents didn’t indicate a preference among the three candidates. A total of 2,000 people were surveyed for the El Universal poll.
Sheinbaum seen as the best option to attract investment, combat corruption and reduce insecurity
Respondents to the Reforma poll were asked the following questions. “Out of Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez, who do you think…”
would attract more investment to the country?
would improve the (existing) social programs?
would promote renewable energy more?
would improve the quality of education?
would respect (Mexico’s public) institutions more?
would improve health care services?
is more honest?
would do a better job combating corruption?
would reduce insecurity?
A majority of those polled opted for Sheinbaum in response to every question.
The percentage of respondents who chose Sheinbaum ranged from a high of 64% (in response to who would attract more investment to Mexico) to a low of 53% (in response to who would do a better job on reducing insecurity).
The percentage of those polled who opted for Gálvez ranged from a high of 29% (in response to who would improve health services) to a low of 22% (in response to who would attract more investment and who would improve the social programs).
Insecurity considered Mexico’s biggest problem
In the El País poll, 1,210 eligible voters were asked whether insecurity, corruption or “economic problems” was Mexico’s “main problem” at the moment.
Just over half of those polled — 51% — nominated insecurity.
Mexicans ranked insecurity as the country’s top concern in an El País poll, above corruption or economic issues. (Cuartoscuro)
Homicide numbers in Mexico have declined in recent years, according to official data, but remain very high.
Three in 10 respondents to the El País poll cited corruption as Mexico’s “main problem,” while the remaining 19% said economic problems were the biggest concern.
Bethany Platanella highlights six pillars of society shared by both Mexico and Japan. (Unsplash)
If you’ve ever ventured to the eastern side of Avenida Reforma near the Angel of Independence, you might have noticed an abundance of Japanese outposts.
In the residential part of Cuauhtémoc borough, you’ll encounter some of the city’s best sushi and ramen restaurants, not to mention a ryokan hotel that is all but hidden by a lively Spanish tapas bar next door. The area is unofficially known as Mexico City’s Little Tokyo District thanks to Edo Kobayashi, the Tijuana-born founder of Nippon hits like Rokai and Tokyo Music Bar. But wait a minute – Japan? Tijuana? Mexico City?
The restaurant Rokai in Mexico City’s “little Tokyo.” (OpenTable)
To make it make sense, we need to take it back to 1609, when the Spanish galleon San Francisco was making its way from Manila (the Philippines was part of New Spain at the time) to Acapulco.
The vessel was likely carrying silks and spices in exchange for silver and other precious medals, but it wrecked off the coast of Japan. The crew was rescued by Japanese fishermen, and a few months later, they sailed again to Acapulco, but this time on a Japanese ship with representatives from the land of the rising sun. This marked the moment of “first contact” between the two nations.
With the 19th century came Mexico’s independence and the Meiji Restoration in Japan, a tumultuous time when centuries of societal structure was reconfigured to make way for more Western-style policies. This led to the first wave of Japanese immigrants to Mexico in Chiapas in 1897.
Over the years, Japanese communities in Mexico flourished and by the 1920s they expanded north to regions like Baja California, Sonora and Sinaloa. There are records indicating that approximately 1,000 Japanese nationals resided in Mexico City at this time.
Both Mexico and Japan are known for their rich and distinctive culinary traditions. (Unsplash)
There are at least 10,000 Japanese living in Mexico today, the majority working in the auto industry and residing in Querétaro, Guanajuato, and León.
I had the pleasure of meeting Marie Sato, deputy director of Mexico City’s Fundación de Japón en México and Japan native. I noted her excellent command of Spanish and asked about her experience learning the language. She explained to me that vocal similarities in pronunciation has made articulation quite easy.
Mexicans too seem to find the Japanese language intriguing — according to Ana Solis, Activities Coordinator at the foundation, their free online language classes have more Mexicans enrolled than any other nationality worldwide.
On a more personal note, I recently took advantage of the direct flight from Mexico’s Benito Juárez International Airport to Narita International in Tokyo. Mexico is always on my mind and it’s hard to shut off my internal comparison mechanism.
The Mexican luchadores Mil Mascaras and Dos Caras in Japan in 1983. (The Club Lucha Libre/Facebook)
While exploring different parts of Japan, I was pleasantly surprised by a few noteworthy similarities:
Rich and distinctive cuisines. Different ingredients, equally ancient, same reverence. There is so much love and pride behind their cuisines, it’s hard to ignore the similarity.
Wrestling. Professional wrestling in Japan is a big deal. In the 1970s, Mexican Lucha Libre fighter Mil Mascaras debuted in the island nation. The Japanese were so taken by his acrobatic combat style and mask that wrestlers began traveling to Mexico to train in the Lucharesu style. Soon after came Tiger Mask, the popular comic book character that lived the life of a masked wrestling superhero. In 2003, pro wrestler The Great Sasuke was elected as an Iwate Prefectural Assembly legislator and often donned his mask along with a suit and tie to legislative sessions.
Public displays of devotion. Shinto and ancient Mesoamerican religions revere many gods and devotees are at liberty to practice elements from multiple religions. Each country is brimming with unexpected altars or other small areas of worship on the street or in parks.
Ancient grains. Corn in Mexico and rice in Japan are much more than just a source of calories. These grains have shaped each country’s cultural identity, harboring deep historical significance.
Work ethic. According to the World Economic Forum, Mexicans work more hours per year than any other country. The Japanese are also known to abide by a “live to work, not work to live” mentality — to the point of fatally overworking themselves. Both Mexicans and Japanese see work as virtue, and staying late is seen as a gesture of loyalty and commitment.
Family as a pillar of society. In both Mexico and Japan, family comes before all else. Japan’s official registry regards the household to be the basic unit of society (koseki), rather than the individual. This is similar to Mexican society, where parents, siblings and elders are seen as contributing greatly to one’s identity, and whose needs are often prioritized before those of the individual.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “Japan in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.
Another factor that could affect the value f the peso this week is the upcoming U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate announcement. (Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican peso was trading at just above 16.5 to the US dollar early last week, but on Wednesday morning, it flirted with going above the 17-to-the-dollar mark for the first time this month — a depreciation of the peso that indicates market caution as Mexico’s presidential election approaches Sunday, some economists said.
Bloomberg data shows that the peso depreciated to a low of 16.98 to the greenback on Wednesday morning before strengthening slightly. The depreciation compared to Tuesday’s closing rate of 16.79 pesos to the dollar was 1.1%.
Citibanamex attributes the peso’s stability this electoral season to the expectation that Morena candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, center foreground, will win the June 2 election and continue the current government’s agenda. But an upset victory could lead to temporary volatility in the Mexican peso. (Fernando Carranza García/Cuartoscuro)
At 2 p.m. Mexico City time, the USD:MXN exchange rate was 16.93.
The Wednesday morning low represents a 2.5% peso depreciation compared to the currency’s strongest level this month — 16.55 to the dollar on May 20. It was the Mexican peso’s weakest position since April 30, when it closed at 17.14 to the dollar, according to Bloomberg.
Mexican bank Banco Base said it was “probable” that “positions in favor of the peso” would decline ahead of the elections due to the risk of “volatility” after preliminary results are announced Sunday night.
“Even though the exchange rate has shown stability during the electoral period, an increase in volatility at the end of the elections cannot be ruled out,” the bank said, adding that the situation will be influenced by “the first statement from the winner.”
On Wednesday, Gabriela Siller, Banco Base’s director of economic analysis, said on the X social media platform that “the impact of the elections on the exchange rate will depend on” five things.
Among the factors that will determine the peso’s value immediately after the election is how exiting President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reacts to the outcome. (Lopezobrador.org)
The winner of the presidential election and her/his “initial speech.”
The makeup of the Congress (a “majority of one party will be conducive to fear about Mexico”).
The position of the other [losing] candidates about the election result.
The reaction of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“Possible changes in societal stability.”
Siller didn’t offer specific predictions about what will happen to the USD:MXN exchange rate if Claudia Sheinbaum wins — as polls indicate will happen — or if her main rival, Xóchitl Gálvez, scores an upset victory.
Citibanamex recently attributed the stability of the peso to the expectation that Sheinbaum will win and thus continue the current government’s agenda — the so-called “fourth transformation” — after she is sworn in as president on Oct. 1.
The peso has benefited for an extended period from the large gap between the Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest rate (11%) and that of the U.S. Federal Reserve (5.25% – 5.5%). It has also received a boost from strong incoming flows of remittances and foreign investment.
The board of Mexico’s central bank will hold its next monetary policy meeting on June 27.
Mobile monkey care units have so far been deployed in Tabasco and Campeche. (Xevt 104.1 fm/Facebook)
One hundred and fifty-seven howler monkeys have died in the southern states of Chiapas and Tabasco as of May 22, according to Mexico’s Environment Ministry (Semarnat). Of those, 125 were in Tabasco, while 32 deaths were reported in Chiapas.
Reports of wild howler monkeys falling dead from trees in Mexico’s tropical forests began at the onset of the season’s second heat wave, at the beginning of May. While initial reports came from Tabasco and Chiapas, cases of animals suffering from heat exhaustion are also being reported in Veracruz and Campeche.
The Natural Protected Areas Commission (Conanp) also activated an emergency fund that will be used for community and academic initiatives in support of the monkeys. (Comunicación Asertiva – Campeche/Facebook)
Semarnat stressed that actions are being taken to prevent more animal deaths. In the municipalities of Hueyapan and Catemaco in the state of Veracruz, the ministry said officials are installing water fountains for monkeys. It also noted that assistance in Tabasco includes mobile care units made up of volunteers from civil society and wildlife experts. The Juárez Autonomous University of Tabasco (UJAT) reported that it would enable an additional mobile unit on its campus in Comalcalco to extend care in the region.
The Natural Protected Areas Commission (Conanp) also activated an emergency fund that will be used for community and academic initiatives in support of the monkeys.
As for Campeche, authorities established two aid brigades in the towns of Miguel Colorado and Felipe Carrillo Puerto.
High temperatures are causing monkey deaths
On Sunday, Semarnat reported that it conducted an emergency operation to determine the cause of the monkey deaths occurring in Mexico’s southern jungles.
In addition, the United States-Mexico Commission for the Prevention of Foot and Mouth Disease and Other Exotic Animal Diseases (CPA) conducted a clinical inspection of sick specimens, including some that had recently died. After taking biological samples and sending them to various laboratories for analysis, scientists ruled out emerging diseases or toxicological elements to be the cause.
Semarnat confirmed that the monkeys in Tabasco and Chiapas are dying due to heat stroke caused by the scorching temperatures suffocating Mexico. A lack of rainfall has also led to water shortages in streams and springs, the main sources of water where Mexico’s monkeys live.
How many monkeys have been rescued?
Specialists and members of various communities in Tabasco, with help from the Federal Attorney General for Environmental Protection (Profepa), assisted seven monkeys in critical condition. They have since been reintroduced to their natural habitat after returning to good health.
