Relatives carry the coffin of Gisela Gaytán, a Morena candidate for mayor of Celaya, Guanajuato, assassinated in April. (Diego Costa Costa/Cuartoscuro)
Against a backdrop of at least 15 murders of hopefuls for political office during Mexico’s current election cycle, the federal government on Tuesday offered assurances that candidates seeking protection are now getting it immediately.
Rosa Icela Rodríguez, head of Mexico’s Security and Citizen Protection Ministry (SSPC), told reporters at President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Tuesday morning press conference that the number of national-level candidates who have requested protection from the federal government rose to 273, by her bureau’s most recent count.
Federal civilian security head Rosa Icela Rodríguez told reporters Tuesday that candidates are now getting protection “faster and faster.” (Rosa Icela Rodríguez/X)
All requests are now processed “without pretext and without bureaucracy” on order of López Obrador, she said.
In Mexico, presidential, gubernatorial and congressional candidates receive federal protection from the Army and National Guard, while state governments are responsible for safeguarding aspirants for state and local positions.
This process could be seen as skewed, wrote the online news source Animal Político, because “applicants for municipal positions are the most vulnerable.”
Rodríguez said Tuesday that the streamlined 2024 Candidate Protection Plan eliminates risk analysis and ensures swift protection. As of Monday, 250 candidates had received the security they requested, Rodríguez said.Twenty-three declined the offered protection, she added.
“We are making the procedure faster and faster to provide the necessary security immediately,” the Security Minister said.
Rodríguez acknowledged the murders of one candidate, five pre-candidates and nine aspiring candidates who hadn’t yet registered formally. Investigations into these killings are underway by the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and local prosecutors, she said.
From left to right: Miguel Ángel Zavala and Armando Pérez Luna, rival candidates for mayor of the Michoacán municipality Maravatío, were killed in March within 12 hours of each other. (Vive Maravatío)
However, according to the news site La-Lista, the consulting firm Data Int puts the number of murdered candidates at 28, while the data analysis nongovernmental organization Data Cívica reported 11 in the second half of 2023 and 15 in the first quarter of 2024.
In one of the year’s most high-profile cases, Gisela Gaytán — a 38-year-old Morena party candidate for mayor of Celaya, Guanajuato — was shot to death on her first day of public campaigning. Just hours before her April 1 murder, she said she had previously asked the state’s electoral authority for protection.
Animal Político reported that her request was caught up in red tape for over three weeks.
“The citizens are with us. They look after us, but, of course, we’re going to have security protocols… Let’s see whether they have an answer for us today,” she said at that time, according to the newspaper El Pais.
The surge in violence underscores the challenges Mexico faces in conducting safe elections. Voters will go to the polls on June 2 to elect a new president, all 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies and all 128 Senators, eight governors, 31 state legislatures and many other representatives in what will be the largest elections in Mexico’s history.
"The Christmas holidays have always attracted people to Mexico,” said SiteMinder regional manager Alfredo Rodríguez. (Mara Lezama/X)
A new direct Copa Airlines flight has been announced from Panama City to Tulum.
Beginning on June 26, Copa will operate four weekly flights to the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport from Panama City on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Panama’s Copa Airlines currently flies to Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
“The new route to Tulum, Mexico, consolidates the airline’s presence in Mexico with five destinations, providing a faster and more convenient alternative for traveling to this renowned tourist destination in the Riviera Maya,” Panama-based Copa Airlines said in a statement.
The new flight will become the fifth destination for the airline in Mexico, joining Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Tulum is also the third international destination announced by Copa this year, along with Florianopolis, Brazil, and Raleigh-Durham, United States.
Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, said that “this strategic expansion […] promotes cultural exchange in the region but also encourages and deepens tourism and business ties in the United States, Mexico and Brazil.”
Tulum, Quintana Roo, is one of Mexico’s most popular beach destinations. Before the Tulum airport opened in December 2023, travelers had to make a 1.5-hour drive from the airport in Cancún. The new airport has made international travel to the Riviera Maya hotspot more accessible for tourists.
Windmills dot the skyline in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the state of Oaxaca. If elected president on June 2, Claudia Sheinbaum says she'll invest US $13.57 billion in renewables during her term. (Shutterstock)
Leading presidential aspirant Claudia Sheinbaum pledged Monday to invest US $13.57 billion in a renewables-focused energy plan if she wins the June 2 election.
“We’re going to accelerate the energy transition,” the Morena party candidate said at an event with business leaders in Mexico City, explaining that a government she leads would invest in solar, wind, hydro and geothermal projects during its six-year term.
Sheinbaum, center, seen here with Mexican business leaders Monday, outlined an energy plan that differs greatly from the current government’s strategy of increasing Mexico’s fossil fuel production, although it still supports moving ahead with planned and existing fossil-fuel projects. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum intends to ramp up the generation of wind and solar energy, undertake new projects at five hydroelectric plants, add around 3,850 kilometers of transmission lines and support families and businesses in installing solar panels on their homes and commercial establishments.
The plan she outlined represents a significant shift away from the current government’s fossil fuel-focused strategy, but Sheinbaum also committed to moving ahead with state-owned gas-burning power plant projects that are already under construction or have been planned.
Energy projects already in the pipeline, including solar ones, are expected to add about 3.3 gigawatts to Mexico’s national grid this year, Bloomberg reported.
Sheinbaum, a 61-year-old physicist, environmental scientist and former Mexico City mayor, said that the new projects to be undertaken during a government she leads would add 13.66 gigawatts of energy to the national grid by 2030, the year her six-year term will end if she succeeds in becoming Mexico’s first female president.
Bloomberg reported that one gigawatt can power approximately 750,000 homes in the United States.
Sheinbaum, who has a commanding lead in the polls over opposition bloc candidate Xóchitl Gálvez and minor party contender Jorge Álvarez, told leaders of organizations including the Business Coordinating Council and the Mexican Employers Federation that her team is “working on this energy plan not just with an eye on 2030, but also through 2050 to align with international commitments on climate change.”
The government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is seen here posing with Pemex workers in Cadareyta, Nuevo León, was ironically awarded second place in Climate Action Network’s “Fossil of the Day” contest in 2021. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
In an interview with the El Financiero newspaper last week, the Morena candidate cited her commitment to renewable energy as a key difference between her and current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, her political mentor.
Sheinbaum has pledged to continue the so-called “transformation” of Mexico initiated by López Obrador and is campaigning heavily on her closeness and loyalty to the president, best known as AMLO. She intends to maintain the current government’s popular welfare and employment programs and has expressed support for the constitutional reforms AMLO sent to Congress in February.
She has also pledged to continue support for the debt-ridden state oil company Pemex, which has received significant tax relief and cash injections from the current government. López Obrador has also invested heavily in increasing Pemex’s capacity to produce fuel, including by building a new refinery on the Tabasco coast and purchasing Shell’s share in a refinery that Shell jointly owned with Pemex in Texas.
Sheinbaum appears determined to make Mexico a more responsible global citizen in the area of climate change mitigation, but if she wins on June 2, she will face difficult decisions on government spending: she will inherit “the largest budget deficit in Mexico since the 1980s,” Bloomberg reported.
The news agency said that the deficit “may complicate plans to speed up Mexico’s clean-energy transition.”
Nevertheless, the candidate maintained an upbeat tone on Monday.
“We have the possibility and potential to develop Mexico in a way that generates investment with well-being,” Sheinbaum said.
“At the same time, that development does not have to negatively impact the environment,” she added.
The peso had a strong beginning of the month performance against the US dollar, but has weakened as of Tuesday. (Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican peso weakened to as low as 17.08 to the US dollar on Tuesday morning, a depreciation of around 4.6% compared to the 16.30 level it reached just over a week ago.
Bloomberg data shows that the peso was trading at 17.08 to the greenback just before 9 a.m. Mexico City time before appreciating to reach 17.00 at midday.
The low point represented a depreciation of 2.1% compared to the peso’s closing position on Monday of 16.72 to the dollar.
Janneth Quiroz, director of analysis at the Monex financial group, said on the X social media platform that the peso was affected by “an increase in aversion to international risk.”
The DXY index, which measures the value of the US dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, was up slightly at midday.
When will the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates? Based on comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, it’s unlikely “anytime soon.” (Wikimedia Commons)
On Tuesday morning, investors were also waiting for further clues about the United States Federal Reserve’s monetary policy intentions ahead of a speech by the central bank’s Chair Jerome Powell.
Speaking at a policy forum, Powell noted that the U.S. economy was strong, but inflation hadn’t receded to the Fed’s 2% goal.
Until inflation shows progress in moving toward that target, “we can maintain the current level of restriction for as long as needed,” he said.
His remarks pointed to “the further unlikelihood that interest rate cuts [in the U.S.] are in the offing anytime soon,” CNBC reported.
The peso has benefited for an extended period from the broad gap between the Bank of Mexico’s key interest rate — currently 11% after a 25-basis-point cut last month — and that of the Fed, set at a range of 5.25%-5.5%.
The peso has also benefited from strong inflows of remittances and foreign investment. The currency began the year at just over 17 to the dollar before appreciating to reach its strongest position in almost nine years on April 8.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexican bank Banco Base, noted on X on Friday morning that the USD:MXN exchange rate was once again above 17, adding that “with this, the peso erases its gain this year.”
The collapse occurred early on Tuesday morning due to a gas explosion. (Tlalpan Vecinos/X)
A house collapsed following a gas explosion in the southern Mexico City borough of Tlalpan on Tuesday morning, injuring at least 15 people, four of whom are being treated for serious injuries.
Emergency personnel on the scene told reporters the cause of the blast — which occurred around 8 a.m. — was an accumulation of gas. A gas tank inside the house was initially identified as the source of the explosion, though what caused the gas leak has yet to be determined.
The explosion destroyed the house. (@i_alaniis/X)
The news broadcaster TV Azteca reported that 15 people were treated for injuries at the scene of the gas explosion, and four were considered serious.
Two of the victims suffered serious burns and another suffered crush injuries. One of the burn victims and the crush victim were quickly transported to the nearby Six Flags México amusement park where helicopters were waiting to transport them to the Xoco General Hospital in the borough of Coyoacán.
Firemen, paramedics and other emergency personnel were on the scene within minutes, as neighbors searched among the wreckage for trapped family members.
Mexico City police and Civil Protection officials established a perimeter and assisted with the rescue operation. Shortly thereafter, city officials were on site with heavy machinery to clear the debris. The smell of gas was still detectable 30 minutes after the explosion.
En seguimiento a la explosión registrada en Calle Benito Juarez, colonia San Miguel Hidalgo, en @AlcTlalpan, informamos que se colapso una construcción, 4 personas son atendidas por paramédicos, continuamos laborando en el lugar. pic.twitter.com/lTwdgbpsy1
— Bomberos Ciudad de México Oficial (@Bomberos_CDMX) April 16, 2024
A Conalep technical college nearby was unaffected but authorities momentarily evacuated the school grounds before giving the all-clear. Four nearby houses were damaged by the blast and the newspaper El Economista reported that one of these buildings appeared to be on the verge of collapse.
Humberto González Arroyo, tactical director of Mexico City’s Risk Assessment and Civil Protection Ministry, was on hand to coordinate the evacuations and lead the damage assessment operation as the clean-up continued.
Tlalpan borough officials issued an update via social media at 9:45 a.m., informing the public that firemen were still in the neighborhood and monitoring the situation.
The borough also released the names of the hospitalized: Minerva Martínez (62), Miguel Reséndiz (68), Feliciana Hernández Reséndiz (66), José Luis Zedillo Rosas (65) and Leticia Sánchez (58).
The newspaper El Universal reported that a child was also taken to hospital for treatment, but borough officials did not confirm that information.
Tlalpan — the third-largest of Mexico City’s 16 boroughs — extends southwest beyond the urban sprawl toward the Ajusco mountain range. The Miguel Hidalgo neighborhood where the explosion occurred is immediately south of the Pedregal Forest National Park, about 25 kilometers south of the National Palace in the Historic Center of the capital.
Cancún is Mexico's biggest holiday destination. You could own a slice of the party. (Destinationless Travel)
Nestled along the shores of the Mexican Caribbean, Cancún is the most popular vacation spot for foreigners in Mexico. Visitors are captivated by its tropical splendor, turquoise waters, white sand beaches and vibrant culture. Most big cities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe have direct flights to the International Airport in Cancún, giving this city incomparable accessibility to most other vacation spots in Mexico and making it a great place to invest in real estate.
With its strategic location and favorable climate, Cancún has quickly become a magnet for both leisure travelers and property investors alike. Additionally, situated close to the heart of the Riviera Maya, Cancún is no more than a couple hours away from other renowned destinations like Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Mérida, further enhancing its allure as a prime location for real estate investment. As the demand for second homes, vacation rentals, and investment properties continues to rise, now is the moment to delve into the dynamic world of real estate in Cancun.
Cancún remains Mexico’s top holiday destination, and a great real estate investment opportunity. (Cuartoscuro)
Because of its high tourism influx, the investment in this region is constant and large. According to the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals (AMPI), the real estate industry in Cancun registered an investment of 7.5 billion pesos (US $440 million) last year, with around 30 hotel projects underway. Capital gains have increased 30% in the last year and a half, and the return on investment ranges from 8% to 11%. Additionally, because Mexico is a country that remains in constant growth and has a stable economy, investing in real estate here is a safe bet and a great opportunity. Its laws also provide easy access and ensure safety and protection for investors.
What are the best neighborhoods to invest in real estate in Cancun?
Zona Hotelera
Zona Hotelera is the most popular part of Cancún, as it’s located all along the beachfront. It’s where you will see the highest concentration of hotels and resorts, whose services make it a very attractive place for travelers. It’s also an area for a lot of entertainment and restaurants and with the most access to the turquoise blue beach that gives Cancún its allure. Departments and houses in this area range from US $210,000 to US $5 million.
For example, at the very end of that range, you can find a luxury beachfront home, listed for US $5.8 million on Point2Homes.
Super Luxury Beachfront Villa, Point2Homes. (Point2Homes)
This area is a combination of old and new and the city’s commercial and cultural hub. Downtown Cancún is very close to schools, banks and supermarkets, and has a mix of residential and commercial properties. This is an area that has more of a “real city” feel, as opposed to the resort and hotel vibe. Additionally, since it is older than most places in Cancún, you will find buildings with more history and a more traditional style. Because of all of this, investing in this area provides opportunities for rental income from not only tourists, but locals as well.
Zona Sur
Zona Sur is rapidly emerging as Cancún’s hot new neighborhood. (Point2Homes)
This is the new best area to be in Cancún. It’s like a small city in of itself, where everything you need is at your reach — parks, tourist attractions, bus stops, hospitals, etc. The Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals have said that the Zona Sur is an area of high capital gains thanks to the construction of private condos surrounded by ample green areas. Because Zona Sur is still in its development stage, it’s just the right time to think about investing here.
Real estate in this area varies from 1 million to 6 million pesos (US $60,000 to $360,000).
Puerto Cancún
Puerto Cancún offers all the luxury of the Zona Hotelera, but at a more affordable price. (Remax)
One of the most residential areas of Cancún. The main benefit of Puerto Cancún is that, similarly to the Zona Hotelera, it is located by the ocean, but with the added benefit of being in close proximity to the downtown. This is an area that has many private residential condos, golf courses and luxury apartments. It also has the biggest commercial mall in Cancún.
For US $1.2 million, you can purchase a four-bedroom, four-bath condo with amenities including a pool, lounge, spa, business center and a dock. Other properties range from US $750,000 to US $1.5 million.
Other things to consider:
Some people find Cancún a bit overwhelming and maybe overly touristy. Because of the high influx of people and investors looking for good real estate opportunities, it might be more time consuming to find the perfect place for you. Given how many opportunities are available at any given time, however, there is sure to be something for almost every taste.
Because of its size, Cancún is not the most walkable or easy-to-get-around place if you’re looking to vacation outside of the all-inclusive resort or hotel package.
While the genre is most associated with the 1930s, jazz music is alive and well in Mexico City. (Dolo Iglesias/Unsplash)
While the rest of Latin America moves and grooves on the daily, Mexico City bounces to the beat of its own drum. Or lack thereof. Yes, you’ll hear Luis Miguel blasting from the tiny speaker at the corner taco stand. You will listen to plenty of marching bands parading down Avenida Reforma. There is also the occasional saxophone player or mariachi group that will inevitably show up, uninvited, to serenade you awkwardly on your first dinner date with that cute guy you’d been eyeing for months at the coffee shop.
But when it comes to live music, the pickings are slim. However, thanks to the Tío brothers, Jelly Roll Morton, and even good ol’ Porfirio Diaz, Mexico City’s jazz scene rumbles with seduction. Before you make your Saturday night reservation at Parker & Lenox, read on to find out how Mexico discovered jazz and jazz, Mexico.
Jazz in Mexico dates as far back as 1884. (Jens Thekkeveettil/Unsplash)
A history of Mexican jazz
Alain Derbez, author of Jazz en México, chronicles the birth of Mexico’s relationship to jazz in 1884. New Orleans hosted the World Industrial & Cotton Exposition and Porfirio Diaz sent the Mexican Eighth Cavalry Regiment band to perform. The group of nearly 100 musicians were such a hit that they were featured in Century [music] Magazine and according to TripodNola, the local paper at the time, Daily Picayune, had this to say:
“There has never been a band which has taken such hold on the affections of the people of New Orleans, not only on account of its artistic ability, but the individual and social qualifications of its members.”
Several members of the Cavalry Regiment stayed north, including Lorenzo Tío of the famous Tío brothers, who would go on to introduce Americans to the clarinet. To be clear, the Tío clan was Catalan by origin, but spent several decades living in Tampico, Mexico.
Mexico’s melodic influence continued to taint the early American jazz and blues scene. Pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton, who would record alongside Lorenzo Tio Jr., once said “If you can’t manage to put tinges of Spanish in your tunes, you will never be able to get the right seasoning, I call it, for jazz.”
The legendary Jazzatlán, home of Mexico City’s modern-day jazz scene. (Jazzatlán)
The golden age of Mexican jazz
Which brings us to jazz’s journey to Mexico. The USA’s Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded the first official jazz album in 1917, but jazz didn’t truly thrive until the 1920s. Its rise coincided with Prohibition, the nation’s 13-year ban on alcohol.
It is speculated that a wave of musicians, as well as drinkers, fled across the border looking for work or whisky. Even Morton himself is said to have performed in Mexico in 1921 and composed “The Pearls” in Sonora. By the 1930s, Mexican big band music exploded in popularity. This would later encourage greats like Duke Ellington to perform locally [Ellington held a concert at Palacio de Bellas Artes in 1968].
Juventino Rosas’ waltz “Over The Waves” had formed an integral part of jazz music in New Orleans. But it wasn’t until 1954 that ¡La Orquesta de las Estrellas! released the first jazz album in Mexico. Years later, clubs started surfacing in the capital in neighborhoods like Juarez, Roma, and Centro and a handful remain to this day. I spoke with Maurice Orlando Montoya, Mexican-American owner of MM Music Agency in Los Angeles and expert on all things jazz, about his thoughts on Mexico City’s music scene. “I was happily surprised to find a jazz scene in [CDMX]. I was even happier to see that the audience was young and enthusiastic and ready to party.”
Is Mexican jazz having a comeback?
Montoya, whose agency represents the finest Jazz, Afro-Caribbean, Brazilian, and Contemporary Music artists, thinks the expat community might have something to do with it. “Like France in the 50’s, expats make for a good audience. However, the twist here is young people do not listen to jazz Stateside as they did in the middle of the 20th Century.” Does that mean jazz is making a comeback? Or are Mexico City’s jazz clubs more enticing to younger generations than they are in the States? Maybe it’s because, as Montoya says, “mezcal and jazz mix well.”
Is jazz having a moment in Mexico City? Get down to a jazz bar and find out for yourself. (Mónica García)
Multi-day festivals celebrating jazz and blues have also popped up as of late. MJazz, a family-friendly outdoor music jubilee, takes place every February at Parque Bicentenario. The Polanco Jazz Festival is a series of outside concerts in April that showcases talent from Cuba to France, Mexico to Spain. Neuma is a Mexico City-based jazz school that offers classes, workshops, and concerts throughout the year.
All of which makes for an excellent alternative to your usual night out. When you’ve tired of the predictable date night in a restaurant or chisme and cocktails with friends, change it up with some live music. Mexican musicians are often featured, giving you the chance to dive into the local creative culture. Plus, there’s really no better way to refine your listening skills than trying to understand your server speaking Spanish over an enthusiastic trumpet set.
Feeling jazzed up? Here are four cool clubs in Mexico City to scratch the itch.
Jazzatlan Capital: Guanajuato 239, Roma Norte
An intimate, bilevel space with a full menu. Downstairs sees a rotation of multiple artists that change each month, and entry is free. Upstairs is reserved for resident musicians and international players. Tickets are required, open daily. There is a second location in Cholula.
Casa Franca: Merida 109, Roma Norte
Charming and eclectic spot with pizzas, tapas, and drinks. There is a cover charge before midnight and live music Tuesdays — Saturdays. Reservations are suggested and can be made on Facebook or Instagram.
Parker & Lenox: Calle Gral. Prim 100, Juárez
The legendary Parker & Lenox offers a diverse range of sounds for listeners with a discerning ear. (Mónica García)
Very vibey and spacious club known for its eclectic music scene and live music Tuesdays — Saturdays. Reservations are required and talent is sourced from Mexico and beyond. There is a full menu of food and drink.
Zinco Jazz Club: Calle de Motolinia 20, Centro Histórico
The most iconic jazz club in Mexico City can, and should, be found in the Historic center. It’s where you go for a sexy, dancey night out in your date-worthy attire. Reservations are absolutely necessary and musicians come from all over the world to perform on Zinco’s stage.
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.
Mexico exported more than US $1 billion worth of beer in the first two months of the year. (Shutterstock)
Mexico’s agricultural exports increased almost 9% in the first two months of 2024, helping the country to register a record-high agricultural trade surplus.
Citing data from the Bank of Mexico, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) reported Sunday that agricultural and agro-industrial exports were worth US $9.06 billion in January and February, an increase of 8.85% compared to the first two months of 2023 — Mexico’s best ever year for ag exports.
An avocado packer sorts produce destined for export in Michoacán. (Cuartoscuro)
Agricultural imports increased by a modest 2.3% to reach $7.57 billion in the first two months of 2024.
Mexico thus recorded an agricultural trade surplus of $1.49 billion in January and February, a record for the period. The surplus increased 60.95% compared to the first two months of 2023, SADER said.
What were Mexico’s top agricultural/agro-industrial exports?
“Un chingo de cerveza, por favor.” (A shitload of beer, please.)
That is apparently the order the rest of the world placed with Mexico as Mexican beer exports were worth just over $1 billion in the first two months of the year, a 33.8% increase compared to the same period of 2023.
Mexican-grown tomatoes were also in high demand abroad. They brought in revenue of $630 million in the first two months of the year, making the fruit Mexico’s second highest-earning agricultural export, according to SADER.
Rounding out Mexico’s top 5 agricultural exports in January and February were tequila and mezcal ($621 million); avocados ($594 million); and fresh strawberries and raspberries ($531 million).
The majority of Mexico’s agricultural and agro-industrial exports go to the United States, but Mexican products also reach many other countries around the world, including markets in Asia and Europe.
Tomatoes were Mexico’s second-highest-earning agricultural exports in January and February. (Cuartoscuro)
Which agricultural products recorded the strongest export growth?
SADER said that exports of chocolate and other products containing cacao increased 71.7% in annual terms in the first two months of the year, while the value of tea, coffee and yerba mate shipments rose 64.5%.
The agricultural products that recorded the next highest export growth were orange juice (62.4%); guavas, mangos and mangosteens (48.6%): grapes and raisins (38%); and cattle (35.9%).
Migrants ride above a freight train in northern Mexico. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro.com)
The presence of undocumented migrants in Mexico rose significantly last year, surpassing by 77% the numbers recorded in 2022, says the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Jerry MacGillivray, deputy head of mission at IOM Mexico, said the report “highlighted the record of irregular migration in Mexico in 2023.”
The IOM found 782,176 encounters with undocumented migrants in Mexico last year, whereas in 2022 only 441,409 such encounters were recorded. MacGillivray explained that the IOM uses the terminology “encounters” because the same migrant may be detained more than once while traversing the country.
The numbers indicate a sharp increase since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. (The IOM database reveals only 82,379 encounters occurred in 2020.)
The report also recognized that greater numbers of children were detained in Mexico last year. Although the percentage of children among immigrants was roughly the same (15% in 2022 versus 16% in 2023), the year-on-year increase overall explains the high number of children — 133,660 in 2023.
Mexican immigration authorities detained more children last year than in 2022. (Cuartoscuro)
The IOM did acknowledge that Mexico’s immigration controls appear to be effective as evidenced by a decrease in incidents of violence toward migrants. And this even as there has been a reduction in deportations of Central Americans to their home countries — 56% fewer in 2023 than in 2022, newspaper Animal Político reported.
At the same time, the expiration of the U.S. Title 42 regulation in May 2023 impacted the numbers. Title 42 — part of the Public Health Service Act of 1944 — allows the U.S. government to immediately expel undocumented migrants, which resulted in the deportation to Mexico of considerable numbers of migrants. Overall, the number of deportations from the United States to Mexico in 2023 were down 17% compared to 2022.
MacGillivray speculated that CBP One, the U.S. government’s new visa application, has also contributed to the more orderly patterns of migration here. “The [migrants] know they must use a digital tool to make an appointment and it’s best to try from Mexico City or [non-border] states,” he said, according to La Jornada.
That means fewer people are clustered at Mexico’s border with the United States where overcrowded migrant shelters had become a safety hazard. “In the middle of 2023, most of those shelters were at above 100% occupancy, some even hitting 200%,” he said.
The reduction in numbers of migrants at the border with the United States was further reflected in the IOM’s January data.
There have also been important developments in Mexico this year related to immigration.
According to one expert, the CBP One application, which allows migrants to schedule immigration appointments online, has helped ease crowding at shelters along the Mexico-U.S. border. (File photo)
MacGillivray concluded by saying more could be done to improve the situation for migrants while calling on Mexico’s presidential candidates to open a dialogue with the IOM with respect to migration policy.
Mexican voters living abroad were able to vote online in the 2023 state-level elections, but the 2024 elections will be the first time they can vote electronically for federal-level positions. (INE)
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Monday that the federal government is working to ensure that Mexicans abroad can vote in the June 2 elections after almost 40,000 citizens were removed from Mexico’s foreign electoral roll due to what the National Electoral Institute (INE) called “irregularities” or “inconsistencies” in their voter registration applications.
After a reporter asserted that the INE committed a “great fraud” in rejecting the applications of more than 39,000 Mexicans, López Obrador acknowledged that there is “discontent among our compatriots who were removed from the [electoral] roll.”
He added that the government is “dealing with the issue with INE to find the way in which they can vote.”
López Obrador said he would ask Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena and Interior Minister Luisa María Alcalde to “seek information” and meet with INE President Guadalupe Taddei Zavala and electoral councilors to “look at the issue.”
He was critical of the electoral agency for “always putting obstacles” in the way of migrants that prevent them from participating in elections in Mexico.
“That’s why very few vote,” López Obrador said, adding that Bárcena and Alcalde would provide an update on the situation on Wednesday.
President López Obrador said the federal government is working with the National Electoral Institute to facilitate the voting process for Mexicans living abroad. (Cuartoscuro)
The three candidates vying to become Mexico’s next president — Claudia Sheinbaum, Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez — all criticized the INE for its removal of tens of thousands of Mexicans abroad from the foreign electoral roll.
The INE advised the almost 40,000 Mexican about the problems with their registrations just over seven weeks before citizens will go to the polls to elect a new president as well as state governors, mayors and thousands of federal, state and municipal officials.
Mexicans abroad advised that their applications to vote were “inadmissible”
A significant number of Mexicans living abroad reported last week that they had received emails from INE advising them that their applications to be registered as overseas voters had been rejected.
Exijo mi derecho a votar desde el extranjero, me registre en tiempo y forma, me indicaron que fue procedente mi registro.. dos meses después me notifican qué es improcedemte… es muestra de ineficacia del INE. espero me den una solución @NTelevisa@julioastillero@SinEmbargoMXpic.twitter.com/LkMtpL3Xjx
Recipients of the emails from INE have shared them on social media
Emails received by would-be voters — copies of which were published in news reports and on social media — said that the status of their “individual request” to be included on the foreign electoral roll had been changed to “inadmissible” due to “inconsistencies and/or an invalid registration situation.”
Those emails did not tell individuals what inconsistencies had been detected in their applications, but the INE on Saturday published a statement in which it broadly explained the reasons why the requests to vote from abroad on the internet, by mail or in person were denied.
Many recipients of the emails said that they were previously informed that their applications to vote had been accepted.
Fernanda Morales-Calva, a Mexican woman studying in Texas, is one such person. She said on the X social media platform that she had been informed of her “successful inclusion” on the electoral roll “months ago.”
What were the reasons for the rejection of voter registration applications?
INE said that it carried out a “meticulous revision” of 42,436 voter registration applications and determined that 39,724 — or almost 94% of those reviewed — were inadmissible due to “irregularities” or “inconsistencies” in supporting documents. It highlighted that the number of people whose applications were rejected is equivalent to just 0.04% of the number of citizens on the national electoral roll.
The electoral authority said that the irregularities and inconsistencies it detected in voter registration applications fell into four categories.
More than 18,000 applications were rejected due to “signature irregularities,” including that the signatures were illegible or didn’t match those on voter IDs.
Over 12,500 applications were deemed invalid due to “non-compliance” with INE requirements.
More than 8,000 applications had “multiple irregularities,” such as the inclusion of “fake documents” and “non-existent addresses.”
Over 800 applications had “irregularities” in documents that were provided as proof of address.
After the revision process, INE said that 187,388 people remained on the foreign electoral roll. In other words, 17.5% — or one in six — of those who were previously on the roll were removed.
Affected Mexicans advised to contact INE
INE said in another statement that Mexicans who were told that their application to vote from abroad was rejected could contact INE to “clarify the situation with their registration.”
The statement said that those affected should call INE on one of the numbers provided or write to a specified email address by May 5 to “make the necessary clarifications and ratify their registration on the foreign electoral roll in the specific method they chose.”
The president said he has asked the foreign affairs minister and interior minister to work with Guadalupe Taddei, the president of INE, to resolve the issue. (Cuartoscuro)
One person left a comment beneath the statement, saying that it was pointless to call INE as “the person” who answers “doesn’t know exactly what happened with your process.”
“They just ask you to fill out a complaint form, send papers to Mexico and see what they respond,” wrote Cecilia Tejeda.
Other Mexicans claimed that there wouldn’t be enough time for INE to re-register all affected voters before the elections are held.
INE: Mexicans excluded from foreign electoral roll can still vote — but not online or by mail
INE said that Mexicans abroad who were advised that their application to vote by their chosen method was deemed invalid could still vote even if they don’t make the “necessary clarifications” to “ratify their registration” on Mexico’s foreign electoral roll.
However, to do so they must vote in person at one of 23 Mexican consulates with a “voting reception module.”
In other words, they can’t vote online or by mail, the other two “methods” Mexicans abroad were given the option of choosing when registering to vote. This is the first federal election in which Mexicans living abroad can vote electronically, although they were able to vote online in state-level elections in 2021 and 2023.
“It’s important to specify that Mexicans whose registration was found to be inadmissible … and who don’t make said clarification … will, with [their voter] ID processed in Mexico or abroad, be able to vote in special booths that will be installed in 23 consular offices,” INE said.
Getting to a voting location may be difficult if not impossible for some Mexicans abroad, especially if they don’t live in the United States.
The three candidates for Mexico’s presidential election, which will take place on June 2, from left to right: Xóchitl Gálvez of the Strength and Heart for Mexico coalition; Claudia Sheinbaum of the Morena party; and Jorge Álvarez Máynez of the Citizens Movement party. (X/MND)
Twenty of the locations are in the U.S., including in the cities of Los Angeles, New York and Houston, while one is in Montreal, Canada. The other two are in Madrid, Spain, and Paris, France.
The electoral authority also noted that Mexicans who live abroad could vote in Mexico on June 2 as they will still be on the national electoral role. Their ability to cast a ballot in Mexico “guarantees at all times their right to vote,” INE said.
However, returning to Mexico to vote is unlikely to be a viable option for many Mexicans who live abroad.
While the majority of Mexico’s diaspora is in the United States, Mexicans live all over the world, including in scores of countries where they won’t have the option to vote in person.
Many of the almost 40,000 Mexicans whose suffrage was suddenly jeopardized will no doubt be waiting anxiously for the update from the government on Wednesday.
