Could construction of Mexico City’s canceled airport be restarted?

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March 15, 2024

Xóchitl Gálvez speaks into a microphone — Presidential candidates Xóchitl Gálvez and Claudia Sheinbaum traded sharp words over Gálvez's suggestion that she would consider resuming construction on the canceled airport. (Xóchitl Gálvez/X)

Could the new Mexico City International Airport (NAICM), which was partially built by the previous government and canceled by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, be completed?

Presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez believes so, although she stressed on Thursday that she hasn’t yet decided whether a government she leads would seek to reactivate the multi-billion-dollar project.

Claudia Sheinbaum, the ruling Morena party’s presidential candidate and clear favorite to win the June 2 election, ridiculed the idea first aired by Gálvez last week, asserting that any move to resume construction of NAICM would be an “ecological absurdity.”

The construction of an airport on an ancient lakebed in Texcoco east of Mexico City was the signature infrastructure project of former president Enrique Peña Nieto.

López Obrador canceled the project — at significant expense — after a legally-questionable referendum held before he took office in December 2018. He had long argued that the project was corrupt, too expensive and being built on land that was sinking.

His government instead converted an Air Force base north of Mexico City into the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), which opened in March 2022. Passenger numbers have gradually increased at AIFA, but the new airport still hasn’t eased pressure in any significant way on the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), which, according to the federal government, reached saturation point two years ago.

AIFA Tower — The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) opened in March 2022 and is one of President López Obrador’s flagship projects. (Gobierno de México)

Meanwhile, an ecological park on the site of what was to be NAICM is slated to open at the end of April.

What has Gálvez said about the abandoned airport project?

The candidate for a three-party opposition alliance and Sheinbaum’s main rival for the presidency said late last week that if she wins the June 2 election she will consider reviving the NAICM project with 100% private investment, as public money is needed for things such as medicines and schools.

“I believe there could be honest, transparent private participation [in the project]. I don’t know why the [current] government thinks that working with the private sector means corruption,” Gálvez said at a Citibanamex event on March 7.

She said that the cancellation of the airport is “an issue that continues to pain us” and that she was “studying” the possibility of reactivating the project.

“I don’t want to take a decision lightly. Three hundred billion pesos [US $18 billion] was already spent [on the airport]” Gálvez said, adding that the money was effectively “thrown in the trash.”

As president, the former senator said she would also consider the option of expanding the army-built AIFA, as the current government anticipated would occur in future years in order to increase capacity from the current level of 20 million passengers per year to as many as 80 million.

Texcoco Airport design — The Texcoco airport, as seen in this model, would have eventually had the capacity for 125 million passengers annually, one expert said. (Lizette de la Garza/Wikimedia)

“We’ll have to see if six runways fit [at AIFA], we’ll have to see if new terminals fit because it has to be an airport for at least 100 million passengers,” Gálvez said.

Responding to Sheinbaum’s criticism, the PAN-PRI-PRD candidate said Thursday that it is “false that I’ve made a decision” about the NAICM project.

“We’re studying [the issue] because, among other things, Texcoco Lake could be a water storage lake. … We have to study the issue comprehensively,” Gálvez said.

Water supply in Mexico City, and many other parts of the country, is a major concern.

Sheinbaum declares that completing NAICM is out of the question

On the campaign trail in Cuernavaca on Tuesday, the former Mexico City mayor and close ally of López Obrador asserted that there is no possibility of reviving the canceled airport project and that any attempt to do so would be an “ecological absurdity.”

Speaking at an event with scientists from the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos, Sheinbaum noted that the NAICM site has already been declared a Natural Protected Area and asserted that her rival’s idea had not been well thought out.

“The lakes [on the site] have recovered to a large extent, and diversity has returned to the area in a significant way [since the airport was canceled] and this was achieved through science,” she said.

Sheinbaum acknowledged that the “connectivity” between Mexico City and AIFA needs to improve to encourage more people to use the new airport, and suggested a government she leads would look at additional ways to do that.

Felipe Ángeles International Airport — New roads leading to Felipe Ángeles airport in Mexico City could make it more accessible to prospective passengers. (Gobierno de México)

A rail link between the Buenavista suburban train station in central Mexico City and AIFA — located about 40 kilometers north of the capital’s central square — is scheduled to open in June.

Reviving NAICM project not economically viable, academic says

Salvador Rosas Barrera, an academic in the postgraduate economics program at the National Autonomous University, told the infrastructure news website Obras por Expansión that completing the airport is not an economically viable option, although Gálvez said the money would have to come from the private sector.

“What is the problem? That we would have spent [billions] on the cancellation of the airport [just] to build it again,” he said.

In early 2022, the Federal Auditor’s Office estimated that the cost of canceling the NAICM project was 184.55 billion pesos (US $11 billion at today’s exchange rate).

Gálvez didn’t mention any estimated cost for completing the project, but the figure would presumably be in the billions of dollars.

Rosas said that NAICM would have offered significant “advantages” to Mexico, particularly as a result of its slated size. It was expected to eventually have a capacity to handle 125 million passengers annually.

“It was going to compete with the large airports in Europe,” Rosas said.

Othón Pérez, infrastructure director at construction company Bovis, told Obras por Expansión that it wouldn’t be an easy task to “recover” the structures that were built on the NAICM site and continue the project.

Texcoco park — The federal government created a natural protected area on part of the site of former Lake Texcoco, the site of the canceled Texcoco airport. (Gobierno de México)

What is needed, he said, is to invest in the existing Mexico City airport and build new roads to AIFA.

Considering that Sheinbaum is the hot favorite to become Mexico’s next president, that the NAICM site is now a Natural Protected Area and that a new airport opened in the Mexico City metropolitan area just two years ago, it appears extremely unlikely that planes will one day take off and land in Texcoco.

While Gálvez’s idea to have the private sector complete NAICM may never become a reality, the opposition presidential candidate has succeeded in reigniting a debate about the cancellation of the previous government’s airport project, and what needs to be done in Mexico to ensure that the country’s future aviation needs are met.

With reports from El Economista, Infobae, Proceso, Aristegui Noticias and Obras por Expansión

India vs Mexico in Numbers

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MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

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India and Mexico in satellite images — India and Mexico both have diverse populations and topography, as well as burgeoning economies. (NASA/MND)

We have continued our “Global Mexico” series at Mexico News Daily this week, publishing a number of “India in Focus” articles, including a history of bilateral relations and an interview with India’s ambassador to Mexico.

In this article, we’ll take a look at a variety of data on India and Mexico that allows objective comparisons to be made between the two countries in a range of different areas.

Did you know that India and Mexico are the world’s top two recipients of remittances?

Did you know that India’s population is more than 10 times larger than Mexico’s?

Read on to discover many other facts about India and Mexico in this latest addition to our data journalism series “Mexico in Numbers.”

Population and demographics

On April 24, 2023, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) released a policy brief that noted that the latest population estimates and projections indicated that China would soon cede to India “its long-held status as the world’s most populous country.”

“In April 2023, India’s population is expected to reach 1,425,775,850 people, matching and then surpassing the population of mainland China,” DESA said.

India’s current population of around 1.43 billion people — equivalent to approximately one-sixth of the global population of 8.1 billion — is more than 11 times the size of Mexico’s population, which was just over 126 million at the time of the last census in 2020 and is now about 129.1 million, according to Worldometer, a real-time statistics website.

India’s population has increased by more than 1 billion people since 1950, growing by more than 300% from 353 million in the middle of last century. Mexico has added more than 100 million people in the same period — 25.8 million to 129 million — and its population growth in percentage terms, at around 400%, is in fact even higher than that of India.

Meanwhile, the median ages of Indians and Mexicans are remarkably similar. In 2023, the median age of Indians was 29.5, according to a CIA World Factbook estimate, while the figure for Mexicans was just over a year higher at 30.6.

Out of 227 countries, India has the 89th youngest population, while Mexico has the 100th youngest, according to the CIA Factbook.

According to the World Health Organization, the life expectancy of Indians at birth was 70.8 years in 2019, up from 62.1 years in 2000. In Mexico, life expectancy is about 6% higher at just over 75.

Area and other geographical data

With an area of 3.28 million square kilometers, India is the seventh largest country in the world.

Mexico’s territory covers 1.96 million square kilometers, making it the 13th largest country in the world.

Therefore, India is around 1.7 times bigger than Mexico.

The entirety of Mexico’s territory could fit into India along with five additional “Chihuahuas” (Chihuahua is Mexico’s largest state by area) and 20 extra “Tlaxcalas” (Tlaxcala is the smallest state by area).

India is divided into 28 states and eight union territories including the National Capital Territory of Delhi, whereas Mexico has 31 states and a 32nd state-like entity in Mexico City, the national capital.

Kangchenjunga peak in India — India’s formidable Kangchenjunga peak is the third highest in the world; nearly 3,000 meters higher than Mexico’s tallest peak, Pico de Orizaba. (Wikimedia Commons)

The third highest mountain in the world, Kangchenjunga, is located in the Himalayas on the India-Nepal border. At 8,586 meters, its summit is almost 3,000 meters higher than that of the 5,636-meter-high Pico de Orizaba, an active stratovolcano on the Veracruz-Puebla border that is Mexico’s highest peak.

Indians in Mexico, Mexicans in India

Mexico’s 2020 census found that 1,825 Indian immigrants were living in Mexico, while the Indian Embassy in Mexico said in late 2023 that the Indian community in Mexico, including non-resident Indians and people of Indian origin, was about 8,000.

According to the embassy, about one-third of that number live in Mexico City, while the remainder of Mexico-based Indians are spread across numerous cities including Guadalajara, Monterrey, Querétaro and Cuernavaca. The IT sector is the largest employer of Indians in Mexico, the embassy said.

According to the Mexican government, just 71 Mexicans lived in India in 2022, down from 182 five years earlier.

Economy

In 2023, India was the world’s fifth largest economy with a GDP of US $3.73 trillion, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Indian economy last year was just over two times bigger than the Mexican economy, where GDP was $1.81 trillion in 2023, according to IMF projections. Mexico is currently the 12th largest economy in the world.

While India’s economy is large and growing, the wealth of its people as measured in per capita GDP is low as a result of its vast population. India’s GDP per capita was just US $2,411 in 2022, according to the World Bank, almost five times lower than that in Mexico, which was $11,496 the same year.

Data shows that the India’s economy is currently growing much faster than Mexico’s. GDP in India is projected to grow 7.7% in fiscal year 2023-24, which ends March 31, while Mexico’s economy expanded 3.2% in annual terms last year.

Wealth and poverty

The World Bank currently classifies India as a lower middle-income economy, while Mexico is classed as an upper middle-income country.

There is significant income inequality in both countries, epitomized by the stark contrast in living standards between the nations’ wealthiest and poorest people.

According to an Oxfam report published in early 2023, India’s richest 1% own more than 40% of the country’s wealth and the top 10% own more than 80%.

According to a 2021 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), “Mexico has one of highest levels of inequality in the OECD (as measured by the Gini index and the share of income going to the richest 10% of people).”

The World Inequality Report 2022 said that the top 10% of income earners in Mexico earn over 30 times more than the bottom 50%.

The report, completed by the World Inequality Lab, said that just over 57% of all income goes to the top 10% of Mexican wage earners, while only 9.2% ends up in the pockets of the bottom 50%.

Two Indians, Mukesh Ambani and Guatam Andani, are among the 20 richest people in the world, according to Forbes, while one Mexican, Carlos Slim, makes the list.

With regard to poverty, a report published this year by an Indian government think tank and reviewed by Deutsche Welle said that the percentage of Indians living in “multidimensional poverty” has declined to 11% from 29% nine years ago.

Skyline of Mumbai — This Mumbai cityscape could easily be mistaken for a Mexican urban center, where stark contrasts between rich and poor are seen in close proximity. (Shutterstock)

“The numbers would appear to show strong progress towards the government’s goal of reducing multidimensional poverty to below 1%, but some economists have raised some serious doubts over the use of the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) to make these claims, pointing out that the report does not paint the full picture,” DW reported.

In Mexico, data published by the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval) last year showed that 46.8 million Mexicans were living in a “situation of poverty” in 2022, down from 55.7 million in 2020.

The percentage of the population living in poverty in 2022 was 36.3%, down from 43.9% two years earlier, Coneval said.

“In 2022, 36 of every 100 people in Mexico had at least one deprivation of their social rights and had a [monthly] income … that was insufficient to purchase a [basic] food basket and necessary goods and services,” the council said.

Religion

Hinduism and Catholicism are the dominant religions in India and Mexico, respectively.

According to a 2021 Pew Research Center report, Hindus make up 79.8% of India’s population, while Muslims account for 14.2%.

“Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains account for most of the remaining 6%,” the U.S.-based think tank said.

The 2020 census in Mexico found that 77.7% of the population identified as Catholics, while 11.2% identified as Protestant or Evangelical. Thus, 88.9% of Mexicans consider themselves Christians. Just over 8% of the population said in 2020 they didn’t have a religion.

Diwali and Day of the Dead celebrations — Mexico and India both have dominant religions practiced by a majority of the population. In Mexico, most identify as Catholics while in India, most identify as Hindu. (MND)

Other religions are practiced in Mexico, including Judaism and Islam, but the number of adherents is low.

Remittances and the Indian and Mexican diasporas

India and Mexico are the world’s two largest recipients of remittances sent home be their nationals working abroad.

The World Bank said in December that “the top five remittance recipient countries in 2023 are India ($125 billion), Mexico ($67 billion), China ($50 billion), the Philippines ($40 billion), and Egypt ($24 billion).”

In February, the Bank of Mexico reported a lower 2023 remittances figure for Mexico, US $63.31 billion, but that amount was still a record high.

There are large numbers of Indians and Mexicans living outside their country of origin.

According to the United Nations, India has the world’s largest diaspora, with 17.9 million Indian-born people living abroad in 2020. Mexico ranks second, with a diaspora of 11.2 million people, the majority of whom live in the United States.

Popularity of leaders

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador frequently boasts at his morning press conferences that he is the second most popular world leader after Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi.

Chart by Visual Capitalist/Morning Consult — Prime Minister Modi and President López Obrador are the winners in the global leader popularity contest. (Visual Capitalist/Morning Consult)

In support of his claim, he presents data from the Global Leader Approval Rating Tracker, an initiative of United States business intelligence company Morning Consult.

The latest data, derived from polls conducted in 25 countries around the world, shows that López Obrador is once again the second most popular of 25 world leaders, with an approval rating of 63%.

Modi, as is invariably the case, is No. 1 with an approval rating of 78%.

López Obrador, who took office in December 2018, will hand over the presidential sash to his successor on Oct. 1. He is constitutionally barred from seeking reelection.

Modi has been prime minister since May 2014 and will seek reelection in a general election to be held later this year. In India, the world’s largest democracy, there are no term limits for prime ministers.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “India in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.

Yaxchilán archaeological site reopens after closing due to insecurity

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

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An aerial view of the Southern Acropolis, an area in the Yaxchilán Archaeological Zone. — An aerial view of Acrópolis Sur, an area in the Yaxchilán Archaeological Zone. (INAH)

After being closed since October due to cartel violence in the region, the Yaxchilán Archaeological Zone in the southern state of Chiapas reopened this week for tourism.

Local tour guide Silvano López Gómez called it “five months of paralyzing tourist activity,” but said now there is “a great opportunity to visit, learn about, enjoy and contribute to the conservation of the Lacandon Jungle.”

Located near Mexico’s border with Guatemala, Yaxchilán and other archaeological sites in the border region had been cited as risky places to visit by Diego Prieto, director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

“At INAH, we suggest that you don’t go … so you don’t have an unfortunate experience,” Prieto said in Janurary.

In turn, at least three travel agencies from Europe stopped including visits to the Lacandón Jungle — home to several important Maya ruins — on their travel itineraries. Cancellations poured in, refunds had to be issued and tourism in Chiapas came to a virtual standstill.

The reason why: The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the Sinaloa Cartel and local affiliates of those criminal organizations have been engaged in a turf war in the area for over three years. At stake are routes along which narcotics, weapons and migrants are transported north from Guatemala.

The Labyrinth, a complex building in the Gran Plaza area of Yaxchilán. (INAH)

Esquivel Cruz González, commissioner for peace in the border community of Frontera Corozal, was excited about the reopening of Yaxchilán, noting that dozens of families that make a living from tourism have been hurting.

“This will give the region an economic respite,” he said, also noting that security protocols have been deployed to guarantee safe visits.

Cruz said Yaxchilán and the Bonampak Archaeological Zone were closed not only due to cartel violence, but also because locals deemed it necessary to arm themselves in response. The sites were closed “in order to contain and control the actions that were against the town.”

The decision to reopen came during a communal assembly on March 9. In turn, the ecotourism agencies Nueva Alianza and Escudo Jaguar also reopened.

This week, boats with tourists began leaving Frontera Corozal to ply the Usumacinta River and enter Yaxchilán by water. That’s how most tourists reach it; the other way is by flying in on a light aircraft and using a landing strip.

“We are going to rise back up, little by little, but every beginning is difficult,” said María Jiménez, a receptionist at Yaxchilán and a member of the Ch’ol people, who are Indigenous to the region and number about 9,000.

Aurelio Álvaro Jiménez, secretary of the Yaxkin Lacandonia society, said tourists should have no fears. “At the Corozal border, at this time, it is the best place in terms of security, because we have community guards, both at the entrance of the town and on the border with Guatemala,” he assured.

“We have a firm commitment to be able to rise to the occasion,” added Cruz González.

With reports from Proceso and El Financiero

Meet India-born Tarun Sharma, captain of Mexico’s cricket team

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

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Tarun Sharma, captain of Mexico's national cricket team. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

Cricket is often described as a “religion” in India, a cricket-mad country where millions of children harbor the dream of at least playing for the Indian national team, if not actually captaining it.

Like the vast majority of boys (and increasingly girls) who grow up playing cricket on the streets and sports grounds of India, Tarun Sharma didn’t achieve either of those things, but he did accomplish a somewhat similar feat, albeit one that few, if any, kids in major cricket-playing nations have ever envisioned.

Tarun Sharma playing cricket. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

He became a national-level cricket player and captain in Mexico, of all places, where the top cricketers play for the love of the game rather than the large sums of money that are on offer in some countries, most notably India, which is home to the world’s most lucrative cricket competition, the Indian Premier League or IPL.

Sharma — a talented batsman who started playing cricket on the streets of the northern Indian city of Sonipat as a boy — debuted for the Mexican cricket team at the Central American Cricket Championships in Belize in 2006, and just over a decade later, was appointed national captain by the Mexico Cricket Association committee.

In just his second year as captain in 2018, he led Mexico to victory in the South American Cricket Championship, with the team remaining undefeated throughout the entire tournament in Colombia. The following year, Mexico lost to Argentina in the final of the same championship, but all in all, it was another successful campaign for a team led by a man who had long dreamed of playing cricket — his self-declared “passion” — at a high level.

“They all feel very proud of me,” Tarun told Mexico News Daily this week when I asked him what his family and friends back in India think of his impressive cricket achievements — so far from his original home.

“I myself am very proud, leading this team and playing for Mexico,” he said, adding that his parents and siblings, among others, take a keen interest in his cricketing exploits.

Sharma moved to Mexico for work 20 years ago and is now a dual Indian-Mexican citizen, which allows him to play for the Mexican national team.

During an interview on Monday, he gave me an overview of his unique cricketing story, which began in the most common of ways in India, but took an unexpected turn after he relocated to Mexico.

Tarum Sharma playing cricket in England. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

The journey to becoming Mexican cricket captain — via Maharashtra, Worcester and Milan

Sharma pointed out that field hockey, rather than cricket, is the national sport of India, and explained that the game is particularly popular in his home state of Haryana, which borders the National Capital Territory of Delhi and several states in the republic’s north.

He played hockey at school and didn’t become interested in organized, competitive cricket until India won the 1983 Cricket World Cup in England and Wales. Sharma was 11 at the time, and, inspired by Indian players such as cricket legend Kapil Dev, decided to “get serious” about the sport he had previously only played after school with friends “for fun.”

He went on to play organized cricket through his teenage years and represented Sonipat at a district level at the age of 16 before moving to the state of Maharashtra to study engineering at university.

Sharma continued to play cricket, including at a high local level in Maharashtra, where he played with and against outstanding cricketers such as national representative Vinod Kambli. Later in the 1990s, he enjoyed stints playing cricket during summer in Worcester, England, the country where cricket originated more than 400 years ago.

In early 2004, having completed a Master’s degree in International Business in the U.K. and having started working for a Danish rubber production company, Sharma transferred with that firm to Mexico City, where his Mexican cricket adventure began.

Shortly after arriving in the capital, he began playing alongside other Indians in a team called Los Tigres de Bengala, or The Bengal Tigers.

The Mexican national cricket team. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

Matches were played at Mexico’s home of cricket, the Reforma Athletic Club in Naucalpan, where cricket has been played since the late 19th century and continues to be played to this day. After a couple of highly successful seasons with the Tigres, and having met the residency-requirement to play for Mexico, Sharma was drafted into the national side for the inaugural Central American Championships in Belize, at which Mexico ending up losing the final to the host nation.

Thus, at the still young but not-so-tender age of 33, the international career of the stylish Indian-born bateador mexicano (Mexican batsman) was underway.

But just as it was getting started, Sharma’s international cricket career was interrupted as his work took him to Italy, where he kept up his skills by turning out for a cricket club in Milan.

However, his stay in Italy wasn’t a particularly long one, and by 2008 he was back living in Mexico.

Sharma returned to the national team soon after, and went on to play matches at home and abroad against countries including Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador and Chile, and even teams from the Falkland Islands and one representing the fabled Marylebone Cricket Club in London.

Playing in the Mexican team that won the 2014 South American Cricket Championship in Peru during the country’s inaugural participation in the tournament was a highlight.

Three years later, Sharma captained Mexico at the same tournament for the first time, and would go on to do so again at the 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 editions. At last year’s championship in Argentina, he became, at the age of 51, the oldest ever international captain in T20 cricket, the shortest — and according to many people — most exciting form of the sport.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the list of the oldest captains, as displayed on the preeminent cricket website espncricinfo.com, is dominated by representatives of countries considered cricket “minnows” such as Luxembourg, Croatia and Cambodia. Tarun finds it somewhat amusing to find himself at the top of the list.

Having made his debut in international cricket almost two decades ago, and having led the Mexican team on numerous occasions over a period of six years, Sharma decided earlier this year to step down from the captaincy. But despite now being in the sixth decade of life, he is likely to play at least a few more international matches yet.

Tarun with a national teammate — Tarun and Luis Hermida, another member of the Mexican national team. (Courtesy of Tarun Sharma)

The mission to grow cricket in Mexico

“We want to see kids born in Mexico playing for the national side. That’s our objective, that’s our vision,” Tarun told MND, noting that most players who have represented the team relocated to Mexico from cricket-playing countries such as India and England, although one Mexican-born player, Australia-based Luis Hermida, has played for Mexico.

Sharma acknowledged that achieving the objective will be a “challenge” and asserted that to overcome it “we have to promote cricket in schools.”

With the support of the Mexico Cricket Association (MCA), cricket has been introduced in a small number of Mexican schools, but there’s still plenty of work to do in a country where football (or soccer) is easily the most popular sport, and cricket is virtually unknown.

Over the years, Sharma has dedicated countless hours of his spare time to coaching children and women, including many Mexicans, helping them hone their techniques and understand the sometimes confusing and complex rules of cricket.

He noted that one product of the junior cricket development program in Mexico, a Mexican 15-year-old boy, will travel to Costa Rica next month as part of the national team that will compete in this year’s Central American Cricket Championship.

Sharma also mentioned that Mexico sent a kids’ team to the Street Child Cricket World Cup in India last year, while junior national teams have participated in other international tournaments in recent years. The Mexican women’s team has also participated in recent international tournaments.

Sharma has also made significant contributions to growing cricket beyond metropolitan Mexico City, including in Querétaro, where he now lives. After becoming Mexican captain, he visited Guadalajara and Monterrey to meet with players and donate equipment provided by the MCA, and he played a key role in establishing an annual national cricket championship, at which teams from different parts of Mexico compete for the right to be known as the country’s best.

“I felt the need to have other regions [of Mexico] involved in the MCA. The idea is to grow cricket in other states,” he said, adding that his fellow Indians and other Mexico-based foreigners have helped to do that in various parts of the country.

Four decades after he first got serious about cricket in Sonipat, Sharma told MND his passion for the sport “is not dying,” explaining with those words words what motivates him to continue working to increase the popularity of cricket in Mexico, and to keep on coaching and mentoring new players while also playing the sport he loves himself, even if it’s just at the local level in Querétaro.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “India in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.

Mexico rejects new ‘Product of USA’ labeling rule

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

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Package of Tyson chicken — According to updated U.S. regulation, meat, egg and poultry products with the voluntary "product of USA" label will need to be derived from animals raised and processed entirely in the United States. (Shutterstock)

At first glance it seems rather innocuous — the United States has finalized a new “Product of USA” rule for the labeling of meat, poultry and egg products.

But Mexico isn’t at all happy, and has warned it could challenge the rule under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) or at the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) noted in a statement on Monday that Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack had announced “the finalization of a rule to align the voluntary ‘Product of USA’ label claim with consumer understanding of what the claim means.”

The department said that “USDA’s final ‘Product of USA’ rule allows the voluntary ‘Product of USA’ or ‘Made in the USA’ label claim to be used on meat, poultry and egg products only when they are derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the United States.”

The Canadian Press reported that the final rule “is a sharp change from current [U.S.] policy, which allows voluntary use of … [‘Product of USA’] labels on products from animals that have been imported from a foreign country and slaughtered in the U.S., as well as on meat that’s been imported and repackaged or further processed.”

The USDA said that “the rule will prohibit misleading U.S. origin labeling in the [U.S.] market, and help ensure that the information that consumers receive about where their food comes from is truthful.”

Cattle at a fair in Yucatán — Mexico’s cattle and beef exports to the U.S. were worth nearly US $3 billion last year. (Cuartoscuro)

The department noted that the new rule “is supported by petitions, thousands of comments from stakeholders, and data from a nationwide consumer survey.”

For its part, the Mexican Economy Ministry says the rule violates “the principles of economic integration” on which the USMCA free trade pact is based. Canada is also unhappy.

The Mexican government clearly believes that sales of Mexican meat in the U.S. — and exports of such products — will decline as a result of the implementation of the final rule, and consequently is steadfastly opposed to it.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) fired the first shot in Mexico’s firm response to Vilsack’s announcement.

Agriculture Minister Victor Villalobos with cattle farmers at an event in 2023. (Cuartoscuro)

In a statement on Monday, SADER said it was “disappointed and concerned” about the announcement on the final rule on voluntary “Product of USA” labeling.

“This measure does not take into consideration the deep integration of the livestock and meat industries of North America,” the ministry said, adding that it and Mexico’s main agricultural trade associations had asked the USDA to “reconsider the rule and allow consultations between both countries.”

SADER said it had wanted to “jointly revise alternatives and mechanisms that acknowledge the dynamism and complexity of the trade integration of the industry, and avoid distorting regional supply chains via unnecessary trade barriers.”

The ministry also highlighted that Mexican cattle and beef exports to the U.S. were worth almost US $3 billion last year, and noted that “Mexico continues to be one of the [United States’] main suppliers of beef and beef products”

“… The final rule on voluntary ‘Product of USA’ claim is a setback, allowing inconsistencies with the U.S. obligations to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to fulfill the final determination of the mandatory country of origin labeling (mCOOL) dispute, and Mexico reserves the rights accordingly,” SADER said, adding that it is ready to collaborate with other Mexican ministries “to defend the interests of Mexico’s agricultural and livestock sectors.”

The SE followed up with a statement of its own on Thursday, saying that it “rejects” the USDA’s announcement on the final labeling rule.

Mexican corn farmer — Mexico’s plan to phase out imports of GM corn has also caused friction in the USMCA. (Government of Mexico)

“The restriction on the use of the label “Product of USA” to products derived from animals born, raised, slaughtered and processed exclusively in the United States is discriminatory to Mexican products and could create barriers in binational production chains,” the ministry said.

The SE said that the measure “threatens to generate disruptive effects on food [supply] chains as well as logistical complications and additional costs” that Mexican producers and “especially United States consumers” will end up paying.

In addition to saying that the new rule contravenes the principles that underpin the USMCA, the ministry said that it is “counterproductive” at a time when production chains between the three nations of North America “have intensified like never before.”

“The Economy Ministry urges United States authorities to reconsider this rule and intensify dialogue with their Mexican counterparts to avoid negative repercussions on bilateral trade,” the statement said.

The SE said that Mexico — the United States top trade partner last year — has a “firm commitment to constructive dialogue as the preferred way to resolve differences with its largest trade partner.”

“However, in the interests of protecting the rights of our producers and maintaining trade flows that are fair and free of discrimination, [the federal government] is carefully analyzing the possibility of using mechanisms available both in the USMCA and in the WTO with the objective of ensuring that the United States complies with its commitments regarding technical barriers to trade,” the ministry said.

A formal dispute could add to lingering tensions between Mexico and the United States, as the two countries are already engaged in long-running feuds over the Mexican government’s nationalistic energy policies and its plan to phase out all genetically modified corn imports.

Mexico News Daily

Puerto Vallarta restaurants you don’t want to miss

By

Meagan Drillinger

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March 15, 2024

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Screenshot 2024-03-15 at 12.31.17 — Puerto Vallarta has some outstanding restaurants. We sent Meagan Drillinger to review them all. (La Capella)

Puerto Vallarta’s foodie scene has come a long way in the last 10 years. What started as a humble fishing community known for its local delicacies and fresh seafood has blossomed into an international dining destination. It’s a city where you can just as easily find Japanese-grade sushi as you can a plump birria taco and everything in between.

The beach capital of the Pacific Coast, and one of the major destinations in the state of Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta’s dining scene began on staples from the sea, as well as from the state. Dishes like ceviche, aguachile, barbacoa, and birria dominate the menus at local restaurants and holes-in-the-wall, while expats from all over the world have elevated the dining scene to include everything from Italian to Thai, Korean, Japanese, and beyond.

Thai, Mexican, sushi, steak – if you want it, Puerto Vallarta probably has it. (La Capella)

With so many fabulous restaurants all over the city, it can be nearly impossible to decide where to begin. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite and best restaurants in Puerto Vallarta, from beachfront dining to under-the-radar taco trucks and locals-only favorites. We’ve even mapped it out for you so you can know which restaurant is in what neighborhood.

Ready to dig in? Read on to discover the best restaurants in Puerto Vallarta.

Best Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone

Tuna Azul

Days in Puerto Vallarta should be spent savoring the seafood that arrives by boat daily, direct from sea to table. Tostadas, ceviches, and whole grilled fish are daily staples all along the Pacific Coast. Tuna Azul, a second-floor restaurant in the heart of the Zona Romantica, is known for its heaping chunks of fresh, bright red tuna served atop crunchy tostadas and mixed up with avocado in citrusy ceviches.

Panchos Takos

Don’t be put off by the line that snakes around the block. You can believe the hype — Panchos Takos is one of the best taquerias in Puerto Vallarta, known for the succulent tacos al pastor. Open in the late afternoon until the wee hours of the morning, you’ll find visitors come from far and wide for a chance to snag a table at the popular al pastor shop. Order the tacos al pastor, of course, or mix it up with the quesadilla al pastor.

Taqueria El Moreno

Taco carts are a dime a dozen in Puerto Vallarta, so narrowing down the search can be a bit of a task. Allow me to introduce you to Taqueria El Moreno, a corner taco stall in Puerto Vallarta’s Zona Romantica. Always surrounded by locals (an excellent sign when it comes to choosing a taco stand), Taqueria El Moreno is known for its asada and pork tacos, heaped high with onions and cilantro. Douse with your choice of salsas, grab a plastic stool and enjoy.

Tintoque

At the other end of the spectrum is the fine dining experience at Tintoque. Overlooking the Rio Cuale, Tintoque is known for its rotating menu of hearty, decadent dishes — think marinated bluefin tuna with herbed labneh, crab with butter pear and artichokes, octopus and yellow mole with a side of focaccia, and so many more mouth-watering menu items. Pair with a creative cocktail from the resident mixologist or a bottle of Mexican wine.

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Marisma Fish Taco

Fish tacos are a way of life along the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The best spot to grab crispy, battered fish wrapped in fluffy tortillas is Marisma Fish Taco. This Zona Romantica taco truck serves epic fish tacos, seafood tostadas, and aguas frescas.

Balam Balam

Of course, you’re going to find lots of competition for fish tacos in Puerto Vallarta. Balam Balam is another contender for best in town. Crispy, flaky fish is wrapped up in a soft tortilla and heaped high with pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, and a squeeze of lime. Balam Balam also serves ceviche, aguachile, and tostadas.

Tacos de Birria Chanfay

Birria is one of the regional dishes in the state of Jalisco, and a must when visiting Puerto Vallarta. It’s a type of stew made with marinated, slow-cooked meat and typically served in tacos or a consomé. At Tacos de Birria Chanfay they serve beef birria tacos, either in a crisp, fried tortilla or in a soft one.

La Fina Cocina de Barrio

A brightly colored patio in a less-trafficked area of the Zona Romantica sets the scene for La Fina. This fantastic Mexican fusion restaurant serves up delectable dishes, from duck flats to octopus smothered in guajillo chili and beans. It’s elevated, fine dining-level dishes in a casual, laid-back setting bursting with color and good energy.

Pollo Feliz

You’ll find a few Pollo Feliz chicken shops scattered around Puerto Vallarta. This is the best spot to get your rotisserie chicken fix — a staple in Mexico. The succulent, savory chicken comes with a stack of freshly made tortillas and a fresh tomato salsa. Order extras like quesadillas, rice and beans, or macaroni salad.

Best Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta with a View

La Palapa

An oceanfront institution, La Palapa is one of the best restaurants in Puerto Vallarta for beachfront dining. Overlooking the famous Los Muertos pier, diners at La Palapa are treated to fresh, creative seafood and tropical cuisine with their toes in the sand underneath strings of twinkle lights and a blanket of stars. The menu changes seasonally, but expect everything from fresh salads and soups to seafood, beef, and lobster.

La Cappella

There are few places more elegant or romantic than La Cappella restaurant. Set back up above Centro, this fine-dining Italian restaurant has a picture-perfect view of the golden crown and steeple of the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe. Dine on fresh cheese and tuna tartare, handfuls of frutti di mare, or thick cuts of fresh fish all underneath glittering chandeliers and an opulent ceiling fresco, with the view of the Bay of Banderas straight out front.

La Traviata

For excellent Italian cuisine at a much more reasonable price point (and equally spectacular views), La Traviata is perched atop the Hotel Paloma del Mar in the Cinco de Diciembre neighborhood. Fabulous pizzas and pasta await, along with spectacular views of the scruffy rooftops of downtown Puerto Vallarta and the setting sun behind the Bay of Banderas.

Fresh octopus? Yes please! (Balam Balam/Facebook)

El Solar/Barracuda

This local watering hole and seafood restaurant is a staple among locals and expat residents. With prime real estate on the beach in the Cinco de Diciembre neighborhood, beach club-restaurant combo El Solar/Barracuda serves fantastically fresh fish, ceviche, and tacos, alongside great cocktails and wines. Grab a table on the beach just in time for sunset. It’s the perfect place to end the day in Puerto Vallarta.

Hidden Gem Restaurants in Puerto Vallarta

Masame

Overlooking one of the main thoroughfares of Puerto Vallarta’s Versalles neighborhood, Masame is a cozy breakfast spot with a dizzying menu. Masame draws its inspiration from masa, a dough made from ground corn, through its dishes like huaraches, enchiladas, chilaquiles, and much more. The shop is also known for its birria ramen, a fresh and funky take on Japanese and Mexican fusion.

El Puerco de Oro

The menu here is simple — but it’s everything you need for a perfect meal. El Puerco de Oro makes one thing: pork belly tacos. But they will be the best pork belly tacos you’ve ever had in your life. Crispy skin contrasts perfectly with the melt-in-your-mouth meat, all piled onto a blue corn tortilla. A selection of salsas and pickled onions are laid out for diners to drizzle. The best part? Each taco is only 28 pesos. Get there early, too. Once they’re out of pork they close up shop for the day.

Abulón, Antojería del Mar

In a shady courtyard on the edge of Versalles, Abulón, Antojería del Mar is a family-friendly seafood restaurant serving creative tacos, tostadas, and ceviches. Their claim to fame is their shrimp tacos al pastor, as well as the La Mulata tostada, piled high with fresh tuna. Octopus tacos will also send seafood lovers spinning. Try the passion fruit mezcalita for a sweet and smoky punch.

Abulón offers beautiful simplicity in its menu, with their tuna offerings an absolute must. (Abulón Antojería del mar/Facebook)

Barbacow

Casual street tacos are served in an open-air sit-down setting at Barbacow. Their main menu item is the homemade barbacoa, but they also serve tacos with plump shrimp adobada, lengua, tripe, chicharron, and more. Each taco order comes with a selection of eight different salsas to try. You can even order a queso taco, where the meat is enveloped in a caramelized and crispy coat of cheese.

Sendo

Sushi restaurants are springing up all over Puerto Vallarta, but the best and most refined experience is in Centro at Sendo. Stepping into Sendo is like disappearing into a pocket-sized restaurant in Tokyo. The all-wood aesthetic sets the scene for delectable, silky sushi and sashimi. Not a cheap experience by any means, you get what you pay for in this haute seaside sushi experience.

Siam Cocina Thai

Take a trip to Thailand without ever leaving Puerto Vallarta with a visit to Siam Cocina Thai. With two locations in Puerto Vallarta, Siam’s menu provides a bit of a break from tacos and seafood. Think Thai mussels in a broth of lemongrass, kaffir, and coconut milk, or fresh lettuce wraps stuffed with diced chicken. You can also find curries, stir fry, and hearty noodle dishes.

Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.

CFE to build 5 new power stations, connecting Baja California to national grid

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2024

0

Power lines in Baja California — The energy generated at the new plants will also be shared with the rest of the country. (Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) announced Thursday that it will build five new power plants in the state of Baja California with an investment of US $1.3 billion. All five plants will be built in the city of Mexicali, located near the border with the United States.

The CFE project will connect the northwestern state to the national power grid, and will install power line connections that share the electricity generated in Baja with the rest of the country.

The president visited Baja California on Thursday to announce the project alongside Governor Marina del Pilar and CFE Director Manuel Bartlett. (@MarinadelPilar/X)

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and CFE Director Manuel Bartlett were in Baja California on Thursday to announce the project alongside Governor Marina del Pilar.

“Mexicali will become a very important center of electricity distribution,” said Bartlett of the project.

Bartlett said three of the five power plants will be combined-cycle operations, another will be an aero-derivative gas turbine and the fifth will be an internal combustion plant.

A combined-cycle power plant uses both a gas and a steam turbine together to produce from the same fuel up to 50% more electricity than a single-cycle plant. The waste heat from the gas turbine is routed to the nearby steam turbine, which generates extra power.

Del Pilar thanked President López Obrador in a social media post:

“Each time our president visits Baja California he brings good news … Today’s news is about connecting our state to the national power grid …an unprecedented investment to address our state’s energy demands.”

Baja California’s energy structure is different from the rest of Mexico, as it runs off of an independent electric power grid, separate from the country’s main grid system. Despite significant solar and wind potential, the state continues to rely heavily on the importation of natural gas from the United States.

The construction project will also include a high-tension line that will connect the Mexicali plants with Hermosillo Solar Park, a ground-mounted 21.56MW solar photovoltaic power project that is spread over an area of 50 hectares in the adjoining state of Sonora. This solar park is said to be among the largest solar PV power plants in Latin America.

The investment in Baja California is a step toward fulfilling López Obrador’s promise to “rescue” the CFE, which recently reported its greatest profits in 10 years.

In January, the president claimed that since his term began in December 2018, his administration has invested nearly US $9.2 billion to build and renovate 35 power stations. These projects now generate 54% of the country’s electricity.

With reports from Aristegui Noticias and Forbes México

Mark the spring equinox at Mexico’s iconic ruins

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

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March 15, 2024

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922836_Chichén Itzá Equinoccio-5_impreso — Mexico's ancient ruins - many of them built to mark the equinox - are the perfect place to experience some magic. (Martín Zetina/Cuartoscuro)

In school, we learn that the spring and fall equinoxes mark equal night and daylight hours as well as the official change of seasons. In northern climes, it is a signal that the cold is ending. In Mexico, it is eagerly anticipated more as a sign of the impending rainy season, the defining phenomenon of agriculture here.

Modern technology marks this year’s spring equinox for March 19 at exactly 9:06 p.m. Mexico City time. However, in Mexico’s Mesoamerican archeological sites, the more important celestial event is the sun’s position on March 20 or 21.

The equinox was observed by many of Mexico’s indigenous cultures, as it marks the arrival of the first rains. (Martín Zetina/Cuartoscuro)

Past and present come together as thousands of people flock to see the sun interact with monumental structures and continue honoring each site’s ancient spiritual significance.

Chichén Itzá

The most famous archaeological site for watching the equinox is Chichén Itzá in Yucatán state, in no small part because of the particular light and shadow show created by El Castillo, the pyramid that stands in the center of the site. The pyramid, built between the 8th and 12th centuries A.D., is itself a gigantic calendar.

Its four sides each have 91 steps, meaning that if we count its crowning platform as a step, the pyramid has 365 steps: one for each day of the year on the Maya Haab’ solar calendar. Each side has 18 terraces, reflecting the number of “uinal,” or 20-day months of the Haab’ — like the ancient Egyptians, the ancient Maya believed that the five leftover days at the end of the year were unlucky, calling them the Wayeb’, or “nameless days.” Each of El Castillo’s facades contains 52 carved panels — the same number of years in the Maya calendar round.

Visitors gather at the Temple of Kukulcán in Chichén Itzá to witness the phenomenon of the spring equinox. — Visitors gather at the Temple of Kukulcán in Chichén Itzá to witness the phenomenon of the spring equinox in 2023. (Martín Zetina/Cuarotscuro.com)

This year at exactly 3:24 p.m. on March 21, a series of triangular shadows will appear on the pyramid’s northwest stairs, and descend towards the serpent head at the base of the structure, creating the shape of a giant snake crawling down the pyramid. This event, called the Descent of Kulkulcan — the Plumed Serpent, a deity found across Mesoamerican cultures — was understood as the arrival of Kukulcan in his role as a fertility god, letting the ancient Itzás know that it was time to prepare the earth for the coming rains.

The public nature of this light show means that many people can gather in the plaza to witness it. In 2023, it drew over 20,000 visitors, a figure anticipated to rise significantly with the inauguration of the Maya Train.

Teotihuacán

One of the most visited places during the change of season is the Archaeological Zone of Teotihuacan, in Mexico state. (Isaac Esquivel/Cuartoscuro)

In second place is Teotihuacán, both because of its international fame and proximity to Mexico City. As early as the 1960s, observers noted that the light of the spring sun hitting certain buildings created effects that could not be accidental. This was not only confirmed in detail at the site’s Palace of Quetzalpapálotl — or Palace of the Butterflies, for the many butterfly-shaped reliefs that adorn it — but at most Mesoamerican archeological sites since.

Built between A.D. 400 and 600, the palace is a complex structure in which light from the rising equinox sun hits the building’s crenels and casts a stepped shadow that strikes certain red and mica-incrusted figures on the interior west wall as it moves. However, due to the nature of the building, seeing this show live is nearly impossible. For most visitors on this day, the important thing is to be here at dawn to “absorb the energy” marked by the turning of the season, often performing ceremonies dressed in white. In the past, these ceremonies included climbing the pyramids, but that has been prohibited in the past decade or so. This does not discourage thousands of people from being at the site very early in the morning.

Going to either of these sites for the event is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but be aware that they are very crowded. Going as part of a tour is recommended, not only for the information a guide can provide about what to see, but to make sure practical concerns, like transportation and lunch are taken care of.

Alternative sites

Growing knowledge about Mesoamerican sites means that there are more than two options to be awed by how much Mexico’s ancient cultures understood the workings of heaven and earth.

Recently, magazines like Mexico Desconocido have begun to promote other sites including Monte Albán in Oaxaca and Palenque in Chiapas. Both have noted solar observatories and have long been major cultural attractions.

Dzibichaltun equinox — Dzibichaaltún, a Maya archeological site 10 km from Mérida, is another great place to observe the equinox. (Martín Zetina/Cuartoscuro)

In the Mexico City area alone, there are quite a few options other than Teotihuacan. In the city proper, the Templo Mayor in the Zócalo, Cuicuilco, Cerro de la Estrella and the Mixcoac archaeological site, all accessible via public transport, welcome visitors for the event Day trips from the capital include Cholula in Puebla, Tula in Hidalgo and Tenango del Valle in México state.

Other noted archeological sites with equinox activities include El Tajín in Veracruz, Guachimontones in Jalisco, Yagul in Oaxaca, Cañada de la Virgin in Guanajuato, La Quemada in Zacatecas and Tulum in Quintana Roo. These locations are likely to be less crowded but no less awe-inspiring, as each has its own story and local traditions that can come onto full display with dances, special guided tours and ceremonies.

It is important to note that not all of Mexico’s archeological sites open for the equinox. Some smaller ones specifically close due to lack of resources available to handle crowds. This year, the National Institute of Archeology and History (INAH) has expressed particular concern about several sites in Hidalgo state, including Tula, which suffered vandalism in past years. While these might seem to be punitive restrictions, the presence alone of a large number of people at the same time can cause damage to archaeological sites.

But growing interest does present an opportunity for smaller sites. Las Labradas in Sinaloa has begun scheduling special events to draw crowds to the site and educate the public of this northwestern state’s role in the Mesoamerican world with dances, rituals, food, presentations and much more.

Such offerings are growing and if properly managed, are not necessarily a bad thing. The equinox offers the opportunity to see Mesoamerican sites as something more than just static buildings. It can even remind us that the world is not really all that different than it was 1000 years ago.

Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico over 20 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture in particular its handcrafts and art. She is the author of Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta (Schiffer 2019). Her culture column appears regularly on Mexico News Daily.

‘Pipas’ and protests: Mexico City’s water theft problem

By

MND Staff

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March 14, 2024

0

A young man in Mexico City neighborhood holding several large buckets in front of a city potable water distribution truck — In many Mexico City neighborhoods, residents have become accustomed to lining up at delivery points where municipal tankers bring them potable water. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

As if drought and high temperatures weren’t bad enough, Mexico City’s water crisis is being further exacerbated by thieves tapping pipelines, a practice that sees criminals make off with tens of thousands of liters of water that they sell illegally each day.

In January, Mexico City Mayor Martí Batres announced that water distribution would be reduced in 13 of the city’s 16 boroughs, citing the need to conserve supplies.

Mexico City residents demonstrating for the city to provide them with reliable potable water supplies. — Fed-up residents in the Coyoacan borough taking to the streets in January to demand that the city provide reliable supplies of potable water. There are such demonstrations occurring monthly in the capital. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

Fed up with the faulty water system and angered that they have to get up at dawn to receive the day’s ration of water from delivery trucks, residents in southern Mexico City decided to show their displeasure last week.

On the morning of March 7, about 300 people from the village of San Lorenzo Huipulco in the borough of Tlalpan blocked the avenue leading north into central Mexico City, snarling commuter traffic.

“There are five wells in Huipulco,” Lucy, a protester, told the news outlet Expansión. “It doesn’t make sense that there are five wells underneath us that we as residents don’t have access to but that the water trucks are doing a booming business with.”

While Lucy and her neighbors have to carry water from a truck to their homes, dozens of water tanker trucks, known in Spanish as pipas are illegally siphoning water and selling it or delivering it to other boroughs.

Local officials are not ignorant of the situation. In January, Batres told reporters that putting an end to the practice of stealing water was “a top priority of the Mexico City government.”

It’s easy to see why he’d feel the need to say that: since 2018, the Mexico City water agency (Sacmex), which oversees water distribution in the capital in conjunction with borough governments, has received nearly 1,400 reports of illegal tapping operations. Only 153, however, were confirmed and closed down by officials.

Mexico City Mayor Marti Batres standing at a podium gesturing with one hand in front of him. — Mexico City Mayor Martí Batres, seen here in January in an unrelated event, has promised that water theft has become the city government’s “top priority.”

The Mexico City Congress is considering legislating stiffer penalties for water theft. A proposed bill would increase fines for domestic theft — installing a connection from city pipes to one’s home — from 10,857 pesos (US $650) to up to 37,000 pesos (US $2,216). Fines for commercial theft — stealing water to sell it clandestinely for profit — would rise from 108,570 pesos (US $6,502) to 290,624 pesos (US $17,405).

Legal authorities are also taking action: an illegal tap on a water pipe in Tlalpan that was siphoning water from an aquifer was shut down by local police and federal Interior Secretary (Segob) agents in January.

Stealing water to sell illegally — known as huachicoleo, a word that more commonly refers to fuel theft — has become more profitable as the capital’s delivery system has become increasingly unreliable. Old, leaky pipes lose up to 40% of their water and the supply is being further depleted by drought, high temperatures and poor management that has caused the extraction rate of the city’s aquifer — which supplies 65% of the city’s water — to surge to 2.5 times the natural recharge rate.

A recent National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) study suggested that an investment of 97 billion pesos (US $5.8 billion) is required for much-needed maintenance on the aging Cutzamala aqueduct system, which supplies about 28% of Mexico City’s water. Another report by a public policy think tank confirmed this month that “severe, extreme and exceptional droughts” were affecting more than 1,600 municipalities around the nation and the densely populated Valley of México is no exception.

With reports from Expansión, Proceso and Infobae

2 arrested, 2 resign in the aftermath of Ayotzinapa student death

By

MND Staff

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March 14, 2024

0

A memorial wreath for dead student Yanqui Kothan Gómez — The mother of the 23-year-old student who was killed last Thursday spoke about her son at a memorial event in Chilpancingo, describing him as her "right hand." (Cuartsocuro)

Two of three state police officers allegedly involved in the murder of a student in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, last Thursday are now in custody.

A third officer escaped state government facilities on Monday — allegedly with the assistance of authorities. The fugitive suspect, identified as David “N,” is accused of shooting and killing Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College student Yanqui Khotan Gómez Peralta in the state capital.

The Guerrero Public Security Ministry (SSP) said Wednesday night that two other officers “involved in the events” had been handed over to the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR), which is investigating the death of Gómez, who was a student at the school attended by 43 young men who were abducted and presumably murdered in 2014.

The officers handed themselves into authorities, according to Filiberto Velázquez, a priest and director of a human rights center in Chilpancingo. The SSP said that a search for the third suspect is ongoing.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Monday that Gómez and another student with him at the time of his death “did not shoot” at police — as the SSP said in a statement last week — and therefore “there was an abuse of authority” on the part of officers.

Meanwhile, Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado announced Thursday that state Interior Minister Ludwig Marcial Reynoso and Security Minister Rolando Solano Rivera had resigned.

AMLO at morning press conference — The president told reporters on Monday that there had been an “abuse of authority” in the shooting of Gómez. (Cuartoscuro)

Gómez’s mother and Ayotzinapa students had called for the dismissal of the two men for allegedly fabricating the SSP’s version of events that Gómez and the other student were armed and had drugs in the vehicle in which they were traveling when police shot at them.

Pressure on the two ministers, and the governor, only grew after the police officer vanished on Monday. They have also faced criticism for a recent spike in violence in Guerrero.

Salgado said Thursday that she would ask state Attorney General Sandra Luz Valdovinos to resign.

Valdovinos has been accused of “irresponsibility as a public servant for not calling on the state police officers who abused their power to give evidence,” the El Universal newspaper reported.

Police patrol truck on fire in Chilpancingo — A police patrol vehicle was set on fire by protesters in Chilpancingo after the death of the student. (Cuartoscuro)

Gómez’s death occurred a day after Ayotzinapa students used a pickup truck to break open wooden doors at the National Palace while protesting the abduction and presumed murder of the 43 students in 2014.

López Obrador has pledged since the beginning of his government that the case would be resolved before he leaves office, but it appears probable that will not be the case as he now has just 6 1/2 months left in his six-year term.

Almost a decade after the students disappeared no one has been convicted of the crime and the case remains shrouded in mystery, although a government report published last September outlines three “possible reasons” for the abduction of the young men.

With reports from El Sol de Acapulco and El Universal