Take a visual tour of Mexico — from a butterfly release in Chiapas to marches for International Women’s Day in Mexico City — with this selection of pictures from the week.
They say you need a little bit of insanity to do great things.
You may have followed recent news about accelerating layoffs in both the print and TV news business. Just in the past few weeks, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Time Magazine, and National Geographic all announced significant layoffs. Making it more troubling, both the L.A. Times and Washington Post are owned by billionaires (who arguably did not have to do it for financial reasons). Facebook (now Meta) has also announced that it would be pulling back on its news coverage, and other social media platforms are doing the same.
Mary Louise Kelly, who hosts National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” recently wrote: “If you care about journalism — local news, national news, international news — every warning light should be blinking red.”
Those are not exactly words and developments that help us sleep well at night as we continue to invest significantly in Mexico News Daily.
But we knew about these industry trends when we purchased the company, and also that this would not be easy. What makes us think that we will be successful when so many others are failing?
To begin with, we feel that the “failure” of many news organizations is to a large extent their own fault for three important reasons:
We have all seen this happening. Many media outlets now feel like a mouthpiece of either the right or the left. Most people find that to be tiring, frustrating, and often insulting to their intelligence. News seems to have been replaced with opinions. We at Mexico News Daily take very seriously the importance of impartiality, and the importance of analysis to help you connect the dots on the issues. We will bring you the facts of the news as best as we can, via an array of sources. We will have respected writers from Mexico and other countries share their analysis and opinions on important issues. And then we will leave it up to you, the reader, to form your own conclusions on the issues.
A profit-generating business is naturally always looking for ways to maximize revenue. Unfortunately for the digital media industry, that has far too often meant a hyper focus on “chasing clicks.”
Clicks that bring more eyeballs, eyeballs that bring more ad revenue, etc. The problem is that this strategy logically leads to news coverage becoming ever-increasingly sensationalized and shallow. Violence, car accidents, weather events, death, death, and more death…as the industry saying goes “if it bleeds, it leads.”
We at Mexico News Daily are trying very hard to not fall into this trap. The temptation to “go there” happens every day, but we will do everything we can to continue to bring you balanced, relevant, and important news that impacts Mexico — not just the stories that will give you a quick dopamine hit. We are striving to educate and inform the reader, not just provide sensationalist stories.
Many news publications have become too reliant on ads that have diminished the user experience. Along with the strategy of sensationalist stories, many news publications have filled their sites with “pop-up” and “crawler ads” that must be navigated through in order to be able to read the article. Although this generates ad revenue, we think it makes for a terrible reader experience. We at MND have cut back significantly on the amount and type of ads, despite the loss in revenue, to make for a better reader experience.
Which brings us back to the original question of “are we crazy?”
My wife Tamanna and I strongly believe Mexico’s importance in the world is becoming increasingly more apparent. We believe that it is a historically important time for Mexico and its relationship with the United States and the world. We believe that Mexico has an economic opportunity to seize that could dramatically reduce poverty and improve living standards nationwide. And we believe that there is a need for an English-language news outlet like Mexico News Daily to provide balanced and unbiased news and information about the country.
These beliefs lead us to think that operating MND is important work that will help our readers learn about and better understand Mexico.
If you want a front row seat to the changes Mexico is undergoing, Mexico News Daily is the platform.
We are very much aware that it will not be an easy task. This vision and business model requires our paid subscriber model to be successful.
Despite a doubling of our total unique viewers to over 1 million per month over the past year, we still have a very low percentage of our readers becoming paid subscribers.
As a result, MND continues to lose money each month.
Although we might be a little bit crazy, we truly believe that we can bring trust and optimism back to the world of journalism — at least for Mexico — at a time when so much trust has been lost. We sincerely believe that by doing that, we will be successful. But we need your support!
We are honored to bring you news, information, analysis, and opinions about this great country. We are working hard to get better each and every day. If you are a paid subscriber, we thank you!
And if you are not yet a paid subscriber, why not become one today? Click here to subscribe.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.
Why did you move to Mexico?
I imagine there are a variety of reasons. Weather, culture, family, the ability to live comfortably on less. As an expat you’re likely hyper-aware of the talk around gentrification. You may hear that we, as gringos, are single-handedly affecting prices by overpaying for services because they’re so expensive back home.
This is another topic entirely and one that I will steer clear of in this article. Whatever your or your neighbor’s thoughts might be on the rapidly changing economic situation that has arisen post-pandemic in nearly every city in the world, you chose to live in Mexico because you’re seeking a better quality of life.
And now you have it. Enjoy it! Take advantage of items and activities that are now affordable and accessible. From indoor plants to Swedish massages, Mexico offers you the creative, relaxed and happy life you have always dreamed of.
The following examples are based on Mexico City costs. If you’re living in San Miguel de Allende, Mérida or Los Cabos, prices will vary.
In Miami, I once bought a basic rubber plant with a blue ceramic pot for US $75, and that was before inflation hit. To determine the current price difference, I looked at the cost of a 12.5 to 17-inch white ceramic pot at Home Depot and a plant to fill it in a boutique plant shop in the Historic Center. Then I asked friends who currently live in New York City, Los Angeles and Toronto how much the same things cost in their cities.
In New York, a pot that size ranged from US $66 to $139. In Los Angeles, it went for anywhere from $66 to $148, while the same pot in Toronto cost from CAD $87.41 to $140. In Mexico City, it costs about 350 pesos (US $21).
As far as the plant itself, a 10-inch majesty palm ranges from US $21 to $60 in my friends’ cities. In Mexico City? It’ll cost you between 100 and 400 pesos (US $6-24) — if you’re quoted 400 pesos, go somewhere else!
That’s a drastic difference in cost, even with the peso’s current strength against the U.S. dollar. For what it’s worth, I now live in an indoor garden.
From teaching to partaking, exercise has always been a huge part of my life. Even though I’ve always known the importance of body work to counterbalance things like weight lifting and high intensity cardio, I’ve never been able to justify the cost.
In the United States, a one-hour private massage — and let’s be real, who wants to sign up for one measly hour? — hovered around US $150, and fancier spas could charge as much as $300. In Toronto, expect to pay at least CAD $130 for a 60-minute massage.
I don’t even have to consider the cost of a 60-minute massage in Mexico City. I immediately seek out pricing for a 90-minute deep tissue, and with a freelance masseuse you can expect prices between 900 and 1,300 pesos (US $54-78).
I had always wanted to take painting classes. In Miami it just wasn’t a possibility — not only was the cost high, but I simply didn’t have the time. It felt like maintaining an average lifestyle in the U.S. impeded pursuing any hobbies.
Here in Mexico, I have the time and the extra money, and let me tell you, it’s one of my favorite activities.
If painting isn’t for you, consider lessons in:
I could go on and on. The point is, if you have an interest in something and never had the chance to pursue it, now is the time!
For private painting lessons, I pay 600 pesos (US $35) for two hours. Group classes cost me 1,800 pesos (US $108) per month which includes one three-hour class per week. Prices will differ depending on the activity, but I’m confident it’s more affordable than anything you’re used to in Canada or the U.S.
Speaking of personal, this one is personal to me. I taught yoga in Miami Beach for 10 years and charged anywhere from US $100 to $150 for a private, at-home, hour-and-a-half lesson.
I knew personal fitness trainers who charged upwards of US $200 per hour, even for repeat clients!
Personal training in Mexico City runs between 200 and 600 pesos (US $11-35), depending on the experience of the instructor and the location of the session. For private yoga classes, you’re looking at between 850 and 1,000 pesos (US $50-60) for an hour.
I’m all about natural healing — give me all the herbs and all the reiki. Despite that, I never tried acupuncture until I moved to Mexico. I couldn’t afford it.
Consultations in New York and Los Angeles range from US $75 to $300, with subsequent sessions of 30 minutes running anywhere from $50 to $150. In Toronto, the consultation fee is CAD $150 and follow-up sessions are CAD $80. Since acupuncture is not a one-time experience, you’re looking at a minimum spend of US $275 or CAD $470.
In Mexico City, a consultation costs 600 pesos (US $35) with follow up sessions ranging from 400 to 550 pesos (US $24-32), or a minimum of 2,200 pesos (US $130) for a consultation and five 30-minute sessions.
I don’t even want to tell you how long it had been since I’d seen a dentist before moving to Mexico for the sheer fact that a simple cleaning in the U.S. was hundreds of dollars before the upsell — and, in my experience, there was always an upsell.
A routine dental cleaning in New York or Los Angeles can run between US $127 and $150 when paying out of pocket. You might be thinking “no way, it’s double that,” but keep in mind that this is the lightest cleaning available. Deep cleanings can exceed US $1,200. In Toronto, dental cleanings start at CAD $200.
A cleaning in Mexico City ranges between 450 to 900 (US $26-54) pesos with a reputable, highly-rated clinic.
What you pay domestic workers can be a contentious topic. I suggest keeping the rate to yourself or within the boundaries of a trusted group of friends.
Cleaning services in Miami weren’t outrageous by U.S. standards, but they weren’t cheap either. Pre-pandemic, I paid US $100 for a four-hour cleaning in a one-bedroom apartment. According to personal and internet sources, prices in New York and Los Angeles run from about US $200 to $300 for the same service.
In Mexico City, a four-hour cleaning for a one-bedroom apartment, which might also include cooking and laundry, falls somewhere between 300 and 600 pesos (US $17-35). Pro tip: always let the cleaner set the rate.
Concerned about contributing to prices rising? To avoid this as best you can, speak candidly with Mexican friends about what they pay for certain services. Not everyone will be willing to talk about pricing, but most will be happy to guide you in the right direction so you don’t overpay or push prices higher.
Remember: you moved here to enjoy life more. Things that were out of reach in your previous country don’t carry a hefty price tag here, so if what you want is better biceps or whiter teeth, rejoice in the fact that you can now have it.
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.
On March 9, 2020, women all over Mexico did not go to work, stayed home, made no purchases and urged all their female friends and family to do the same. This strike, referred to as “Un Día Sin Nosotras” (A Day Without Us), was organized in response to the rise in femicide rates in 2019, a year that saw between 10 and 15 women killed in gender-based hate crimes every day.
International Women’s Day, celebrated a day earlier, was marked by extra fervor that year: the march in Mexico City gathered over 80,000 people and lasted around 8 hours. There was collective anger in the air, targeted specifically at authorities’ lack of action concerning justice for victims of femicide.
For Latin American feminists, International Women’s Day represents solidarity and resistance. It also goes by a shorter, simpler name: 8M, pronounced “ocho eme.” The month of March is all purple and green, and every day leading up to the 8th is a buzz of anticipation. The color purple has symbolized the feminist fight since the English suffragettes of the Women’s Social and Political Union used it in the 1900s, next to a green and white color scheme. In Latin America, green also represents the “marea verde” (green tide), a common name for the regional abortion-rights movement that originated in Argentina. In recent years, some feminists have added pink to signify solidarity with trans women.
In Mexico, the strike of 2020 had an economic impact of 30 million pesos (US $1.8 million), despite the fact that only 10% of women participated in it. However, the social and psychological impact it had on women of all socioeconomic levels in Mexico was unprecedented.
For many, especially those from more conservative and privileged backgrounds, the strike was hard to understand. For them, a day like International Women’s Day is considered a celebration, rather than a politicized event. Why should they stop going to work? How come they had to give their female employees the day off? Why are feminists so upset, so incendiary, and why are they graffitiing national monuments? For some, it seemed like the first time they confronted the harsh reality that women in underserved and underprivileged communities face every single day. Some started to understand why we don’t “celebrate” 8M. Whether they participated in the 2020 strike or not, many later joined the march the following year, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
The feminist movement has quickly become one of the most active political forces in Mexico. This means that political parties, corporations and special interest groups have taken it upon themselves to try and represent it. This is an impossible feat, of course, since the only people who can truly represent a movement like feminism are those who have nothing to gain from it but a better world and a more just society.
Putting political and corporate interests aside, the strike of 2020 and the four 8Ms that followed since have undoubtedly paved the way for more inclusive, cooperative and community-oriented relationships between women.
The Women’s Day marches of 2022 and 2023 in Mexico City had over 10,000 more attendees than the prior years, close to 90,000 people. Ateneas — female officers of the Mexico City police deployed at protests in the capital — wore purple vests instead of blue to honor the cause of the march. This March marks another year where women and allies will unite to form organized marching blocs to protest safely together. Social media is filled with listings for different marches, events and other opportunities allowing women and their allies to get together throughout the week, and the days after International Women’s Day.
Additionally, there has been an important material change in Mexico: for the first time ever, half of all federal ministries are governed by women, according to the Mexico City-based think tank IMCO. Moreover, the fact that both presidential candidates in the upcoming elections are women is undeniably linked to the efforts made by the feminist movement to shine the spotlight on women.
Of course, the idea that having more women in positions of power immediately equals full parity is an illusion. As much as these appointments represent meaningful progress, they still have to deal with the wage gap, gender-based discrimination and unequal working conditions.
For the past five years in Mexico, however, women have been striving for the same thing: and end to femicide and the end to impunity for men who kill women. The difference between 2020 and today is that more and more women are seeing the positive ramifications of fighting for justice in the purest form of the phrase. If the strike was organized today, I’m convinced of a couple of things. Firstly, the percentage of Mexican women participating would be much higher than the 10 percent seen in 2020, and secondly the politicians and corporations using gender equality as a marketing tool would start to consider it a real and necessary value.
Montserrat Castro Gómez is a freelance writer and translator from Querétaro, México.
What are the funniest memes making the rounds in Mexico? Honestly, we don’t know.
But hey – we do have some good ones!
So welcome, one and all, to this week’s installment of “What Does It Meme?”, Mexico News Daily’s bimonthly collection of humorous memes in Spanish, complete with Spanish to English translations and explanations.
So take a load off, learn some Spanish, and have a good laugh!
Meme Translation: “Alexa, whistle at the corn guy.”
What does it meme? Most of us are now familiar with Alexa, the smart home AI assistant. She’s starting to catch on (albeit slowly) in some Mexican homes, too!
Alas, there are some things Alexa can’t do, like stick her head out the front door and whistle to get someone’s attention.
That’s too bad, because the elote guy’s attention is something you want. If you don’t make it out of your house on time, he might just pass you by! Who is “al de los elotes”? He’s a guy who pushes around a cart of delicious corn on the cob (usually steamed), as well as kernelled corn for cups (in that presentation it’s called “esquite.”) An “elote” is corn on the cob with all the fixings, which in Mexico includes mayonnaise, lime, cheese, and picante (powdered spice; you can also ask for “el que no pica” – the one that’s not as spicy). Until Alexa grows legs, flagging down the elotes is up to you!
Meme Translation: “When I’m old I’m going to be super cool, not some bitter old man.” “Me, old: ‘Assholes.’” (“Al chile,” the symbol in the upper corner, means something like “for real” or “seriously”, by the way…don’t ask me what it’s doing there).
What does it meme? My partner sent me this one after an extended laugh; he’s not yet 40, but has often said he already feels like an old man in a young person’s body.
I’ve got to admit, I sympathize with the dude in the meme…my goodness is it easy to get frustrated with random people, especially when they’re driving terribly! I’m working on relaxing my face from a permanent scowl when I’m on the road, but only Botox could hide it at this point, I fear.
Meme Translation: “Humans around a campfire…it’s cold and I’m starving, I could ask for something to eat. What’s the worst that could happen?” “10,000 years later”
What does it meme? This is one of my favorite memes, like, ever; I’ve seen it in English as well (lots of memes actually get translated and republished these days, which to me is the internet working the way it’s supposed to: spreading good laughs). The pictures might change, but there’s always a wolf on top and an assortment of derpy-looking dogs on the bottom.
I think of it every time the temperature dips below 70 degrees Fahrenheit and all the dogs in my neighborhood are immediately outfitted with sweaters. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!
Meme Translation: “Lesbian: a woman who likes another woman.” “Gay: a man who likes another man.” “Puto: the one who’s reading this.”
What does it meme? Well, we’ve got to have at least one kind of offensive meme in the stack! The last line is a very old joke, similar to the “For a good time, call…” messages seen on US bathroom walls for decades. “Puto” is a derogatory term used for gay men, which is why I didn’t translate it to that above; it also connotes prostitution (“puta,” its female equivalent, means “whore”).
I don’t recommend that anyone use either of those words to insult someone, but I am proud to have introduced you to one of Mexico’s oldest vulgar jokes. You’re welcome!
Meme Translation: 🎶 “My first jooooob…” 🎶
What does it meme? Now let’s swim back up through the decades to arrive at a much more recent meme, usually shown in video fmemeorm; here’s a compilation of typical examples.
Here’s how it goes: there’s a kind of silly song called “Mi Primera Chamba” (My First Job), and it’s always set to videos of people failing spectacularly and hilariously at their jobs.
Cynicism about humanity and the state of the world right now seems to know no bounds, so God creating humans (unfortunately) seems to fit the genre just fine.
Meme Translation: “Good herb – yerba buena.” “The band – lavanda.”
What does it meme? In Mexico, we like to play around with terrible translations as much as anyone, and they can be extra funny when they’re literal.
“Yerba buena” is the Spanish name for the spearmint plant, which I find adorable – the person who named it must have either really liked it, or just not known much about botany (“yerba mala,” for the record, is what they call weeds). But “good herb” is indeed the literal translation and a good example of why you shouldn’t trust literal translations.
“Lavanda” is the word for lavender; “la banda” (pronounced the same, as there’s hardly a distinction in the way “v” and “b” are pronounced here) is a kind of funny and super casual way to say “the guys” or “the group,” in addition to, of course, an actual band…people even sometimes kind of narrow their eyes and slow their speech to say it, doing their best imitation of a hippie high on pot.
Meme Translation: “Tlaloc likes it when you offer your recently washed clothes to him in sacrifice.”
What does it meme? When it comes to hanging your laundry out to dry around here, Murphy’s Law seems to kick in every time. There might not be a cloud in the sky when you hang it, then an hour later, boom: it’s drizzling and the sky is threatening more.
But here’s a more fun way to look at it: a sacrifice to the old Aztec god Tlaloc, god of rain! Hopefully, all those freshly washed clothes please him and he’ll bless us by warding off drought and water shortages. Keep those sacrifices coming, people!
Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.
It was a ribbiting and infuriating heist, but one that fortunately has a hoppy ending.
Acapulco’s famous “mariachi frogs” withstood Hurricane Otis last October, but they were no match for opportunistic thieves who pilfered them from their natural habitat.
But the emblematic mascots of the Señor Frog’s chain of restaurants should be on their way back to the Pacific coast resort city soon as they were found by police hundreds of kilometers inland in México state.
The México state Attorney General’s Office (FGJ) announced Friday that two “frog figures” that were allegedly stolen from the Señor Frog’s restaurant in Acapulco were located at a property in Nezahualcóyotl, a municipality that borders Mexico City.
Police also found “presumed narcotics” at the same property — marijuana and a bag filled with blue pills.
In a statement posted to the X social media platform, the FGJ also announced that the owner of the property, Manuel “N,” was arrested on extortion charges. He is allegedly the leader of a group that calls itself Resistencia Civil Pacífica, or Pacific Civic Resistance.
Two dozen members of the same group were arrested in Nezahualcóyotl earlier this week on charges including the possession of illegal firearms.
So why did Manuel have two “ranas mariachi” at his home? Is he a massive Señor Frog’s fan? Did he hope to sell them? Did he like to get high on drugs in their presence?
Unfortunately, the FGJ didn’t provide any answers. What we do know is that the two frogs disappeared from Acapulco shortly after Hurricane Otis made landfall in the resort city on Oct. 25.
Residents were initially surprised that the frogs hadn’t toppled over in the strong winds that accompanied the Category 5 hurricane. But their surprise turned to anger when they became aware that the hurricane survivors had been stolen — frognapped, if you will.
Video footage shows the frogs in the back of a green and white pickup truck being driven by one young man in the company of another young man. They apparently stole the smartly-dressed frogs at a time when law and order was minimal at best in the wake of the battering Otis unleashed on Acapulco. Widespread looting was reported in the days after the hurricane devastated the city.
Señor Frog’s confirmed the theft in a statement, announcing with “great sadness” that the frogs “were unfortunately taken without our permission.”
“We are sure that they will soon return to be part of this beautiful tourism destination, because Acapulco will come back stronger,” the chain said.
Those words appear to have been prescient, as the ranas mariachi should be back having a croaking good time on the Guerrero coast soon, making for a very hoppy ending indeed — especially considering the amount of beer that flows inside the frogs’ namesake restaurant.
The participation of women in the workforce in Mexico is on the rise, but a range of gender disparities remain, including in the areas of pay and representation in positions of leadership.
This International Women’s Day, Mexico News Daily has compiled a range of statistics that provide an overview of the presence of women in the Mexican workforce and illustrate a range of inequalities that persist in the national labor market.
The data mainly comes from recent surveys conducted by the national statistics agency INEGI and a study by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), which published its findings earlier this week.
In the final section of the article, a range of proposals aimed at reducing inequality in the workplace and increasing the workforce participation rate for women are outlined.
At the end of 2023, 46.5% of all working-age Mexican women were employed in the formal and informal sectors in Mexico. Excluding a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s workforce participation has increased gradually since 2005, when 41% of Mexican women had paid jobs.
However, the percentage of women in the workforce still lags the participation rate for men by more than 30 points.
At the pace that women’s workforce participation has increased over the past two decades, it will take 119 years to close the gap between the sexes, according to IMCO, a Mexico City-based think tank
In a recent report, Citibanamex highlighted that the labor force participation rate for women in Mexico is currently well below the 53.3% average across Latin America. IMCO said that Mexico has the fourth lowest rate in the region and stressed that the entry of more women into the Mexican workforce would not only benefit women personally but also increase Mexico’s competitiveness as a nation.
One positive is that of almost 630,000 new formal sector jobs created in Mexico in the first two months of 2024, 51.2% went to women. Labor Ministry data shows that an impressive 92.4% of new formal sector jobs in Tamaulipas went to women, while the percentage was above 70% in Sinaloa and above 60% in Baja California Sur, Sonora, Jalisco and Michoacán.
However, women filled just 27.9% of newly created jobs in Hidalgo, and the percentages were also low in several other states including Guerrero (30.5%); Campeche (31.5%); Quintana Roo (39.7%); Chiapas (39.8%); and Mexico City (40.6%).
Some 24.2 million women are in paid employment in Mexico, and they account for around four in ten of all workers in the country.
An INEGI survey in 2022 found that women on average earned 6,360 pesos (US $378 at today’s exchange rate) per month, while men had average monthly salaries that were over 50% higher at 9,762 pesos.
Average salaries for women (and men) have risen since then, in large part due to annual increases in the minimum wage.
While in 2022, women only earned 65 pesos for every 100 pesos paid to men, the income gap between genders has declined to 15%, the El Economista newspaper reported.
It said that half of all working women now earn the minimum wage or less — just under 7,500 pesos (US $446) per month in most of the country — while the other half earn more than that.
Women working in the formal sector must be paid at least the minimum salary, but 54% of working women in Mexico are employed in the vast informal sector and thus don’t pay taxes, but also don’t have access to social security benefits and don’t have any guaranteeing of earning the minimum daily wage, which since Jan. 1 has been just under 250 pesos (about US $15).
Around eight in ten Mexican women work in the commerce (retail/wholesale) and services sectors, data shows. Among the women in those categories are informal workers, including those who sell food or consumer goods in markets, on the street and in other public places such as the Mexico City metro system.
One services sub-sector that is dominated by women is domestic, or household, services. Around 90% of domestic workers — including cleaners and maids commonly known as muchachas — are women. Very few of those workers have access to social security benefits, even though the Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that employers must make them available and a law to that end was approved by Congress in 2022.
In Mexico, only 13% of the positions on the boards of companies listed on the stock exchange are occupied by women, according to IMCO. That figure is 17 points below the global average, IMCO said.
To change the situation “the will” of both board members and company owners is required, according to Irene Espinosa, a deputy governor of the Bank of Mexico and member of its governing board.
One in four companies in Mexico have boards made up exclusively of men, El Economista said.
Women are well represented in federal cabinet, occupying key positions including interior minister (usually considered the second most powerful position in the Mexican government), foreign affairs minister, economy minister and security minister. However, IMCO said that only 33% of high-ranking positions within ministries are occupied by women.
Close to one-third of Mexico’s 32 states have female governors, while the country is almost certain to get its first female president this year, as ruling party candidate Claudia Sheinbaum is the heavy favorite to win the June 2 election and her main rival is Xóchitl Gálvez, who will represent a three-party opposition alliance.
IMCO said in a report that three of 10 Mexican women have experienced workplace violence during their working life.
“The kind of violence that women report with the greatest frequency is discrimination due to reasons of gender,” the think tank said.
Fewer than one in 10 women — 8% — who have suffered violence or discrimination in the workplace reported it, according to IMCO.
On average, women spend 40 hours per week on household chores, including looking after children or elderly family members, whereas the figure for men is significantly lower at 16 hours, according to IMCO.
More than 17 million Mexican women dedicate themselves exclusively to such work, while only 992,000 men do the same, the think tank said.
“Unpaid work has an economic value for the country, which INEGI estimates is more than 7.2 trillion pesos [per year],” IMCO said, adding that “women contribute 2.6 times more economic value than men” as a result of the uncompensated labor they perform.
IMCO highlighted that many women take leave from their careers when they become mothers and noted that women’s progression toward high-ranking positions can be “limited” both due to motherhood and other care responsibilities that disproportionately fall on their shoulders.
“The choice to interrupt a professional career is not just a personal decision, but also one that is often motivated by an absence of policies of inclusion and care alternatives,” the think tank said.
It said that it is “crucial” for both the public and private sector to “invest and collaborate in an inter-sectorial way in order to establish favorable conditions that allow women to progress in their careers and reach leadership positions.”
The promotion of more women to high-ranking positions within organizations will inevitably lead to a reduction in the gender pay gap.
IMCO advocated the “redistribution of care work” through the establishment of a “national care system,” which it described as “a system of coordination between public institutions that attends to the country’s care needs.”
“The Ministry of Finance and Public Credit estimates that it would require an annual public investment equivalent to about 1.4% of national GDP, which could be financed by a tripartite system … [including] the state, companies and collaborators,” it said.
“To achieve it, a constitutional reform that recognizes that every person has the right to decent care is needed,” IMCO said.
To distribute care duties more equitably between new parents, the think tank said that the length of paternity leave should be similar to that of maternity leave. By law, women are entitled to 84 days of maternity leave, but men only have access to five days paid leave upon the birth of a daughter or son.
IMCO also said that employers can do a range of things to create more equitable workplaces, and directed them to resources such as the United Nations’ Women’s Empowerment Principles.
Those principles include to “promote education, training and professional development for women” and to “implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women.”
The World Bank last year published a range of “interventions” that could help to increase labor force participation for women and close gender pay gaps. The measures it outlined were placed in three categories: effective; emerging/promising; and less promising.
Among the interventions classified as “effective” were:
With reports from El Economista and La Jornada
The chance capture of three men found carrying a total of more than 4 million pesos (more than US $250,000) has Mexico City authorities looking for answers.
In all three separate cases, the suspects were pulled over for driving erratically and not wearing their seat belts and, upon inspection, found to be in possession of large sums of cash. None of the men were able to provide a reasonable explanation for the money.
The first incident occurred on Feb. 21 in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood in western Mexico City. When asked for his license, the driver exited his vehicle, claiming it was in the back seat, whereupon the policeman saw two boxes that were filled with cash.
Questioned about the money, the suspect contradicted himself repeatedly, offering incoherent explanations. The man, identified as Luis Ángeles Cano, 39, was apprehended and taken to the Mexico City District Attorney’s Office for further questioning.
On March 6, El Universal reported that another man was stopped in the same Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood under similar circumstances — changing lanes erratically and not wearing a seat belt.
During the traffic stop, police noticed a gray duffel bag in the front passenger seat stuffed with cash. The unidentified suspect could not satisfactorily explain the origin of the 1.1 million pesos (US $68,000) and was taken into custody.
Two days later, an El Universal report described a nearly identical episode, again in Lomas de Chapultepec. This time the driver reacted nervously upon spotting a police cruiser and when the officer noticed he was not wearing his seat belt, the car was pulled over.
When the driver reached into his backpack to retrieve his license, the policeman noticed a large amount of cash — 700,000 pesos (nearly US $42,000). The suspect was unable to produce any documentation authenticating the source of the money and was arrested.
The authorities have so far declined to verify the status of the three individuals involved.
The incidents had El Universal speculating the illicit cash might be related to the upcoming elections.
With reports from El Universal and Infobae
As Mexico City’s worsening water crisis and continued drought across the country garner escalating national — and international — attention, some are also raising the alarm about the quality of the nation’s groundwater.
Sixty percent of Mexico City’s water comes from an over-exploited aquifer and about 28% is derived from the aging Cutzamala water system. Experts say the capital’s aquifer could be depleted in 40 years, if certain actions are not taken by authorities within the next 15.
The National Water Commission (Conagua) has dug increasingly deep wells (over 600 meters deep) in efforts to meet demand, according to a report by Infobae news outlet, but this can lead to a contaminated water supply.
Conagua has implemented a well and groundwater analysis program to determine the quality of water using a color-coding system. Its most recent study from 2022 found that only 42.5% of groundwater nationwide could be categorized as “green” (fit for human consumption), whereas 39% was categorized as “red.” The latter category means excess fluoride, coliform bacteria, nitrates or heavy metals were detected in the water.
Meanwhile, Conagua is working with the Mexico City and México state governments to increase the flow of water from the Cutzamala system.
This system, built between the late 1970s and early 1990s, is an inter-basin water transfer project that requires coordination among federal, state and municipal authorities. However, there is no autonomous agency authorized to make decisions for the entire Valley of México. Instead, Conagua, the Mexico City Water System (Sacmex) and the Mexico State Water Ministry each have their own policies and priorities, creating major gaps in management.
Last week, 20 researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) also presented a proposal to address the valley’s water crisis. Their water security plan includes intensive water capture, increased use of treated residual waters in agriculture and artificially recharging the aquifer by injecting surface water directly into the ground.
The UNAM study also found that in the Valley of México, only 75% of irrigated lands utilize treated water and less than 12% of that water is reused. If more agricultural lands used residual waters, potable water would be freed up for consumers.
The UNAM plan requires an investment of 97 billion pesos (approximately US $5.8 billion), part of which would be used for much-needed maintenance on the aging Cutzamala system, originally designed to provide service for 20 years. Additional spending is required for maintenance on water pipes as a stunning 40% of water is estimated to be lost to leaks.
The urgency of Mexico City’s water crisis has led to media reports of an imminent “Day Zero” — cited as June 26, 2024 — when the Cutzamala system might not have enough water to supply the city.
A student from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College in Guerrero was killed in a confrontation with state police in Chilpancingo on Thursday, authorities said.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed the death at his Friday morning press conference in Morelia, saying that it was “very regrettable” that “this situation” occurred “a day after a protest was carried out at the National Palace.”
On Wednesday morning, Ayotzinapa students used a pickup truck to break open wooden doors at the National Palace during a protest related to the disappearance and presumed murder in 2014 of 43 young men who were studying to become teachers at the Ayotzinapa school.
On Thursday night, Yanqui Kothan Gómez Peralta, 23, was killed when police shot at the occupants of a vehicle reported as stolen.
According to a statement from the Guerrero Ministry of Public Security (SSP), police used live security camera footage to locate the pickup truck and came under fire when they approached it near a hotel in Chilpancingo. The officers returned fire and one of the aggressors was injured, according to the SSP statement.
The Guerrero Attorney General’s Office later said that it had initiated a homicide investigation in connection with the incident. López Obrador said Friday that in addition to the death of one student, another young man was wounded.
According to the SSP, police found a pistol in the stolen pickup as well as cartridges, three small bags of “a crystalline substance” — presumably methamphetamine — and beer.
Speaking at his morning press conference, López Obrador said that the second victim was not seriously injured. He conveyed his condolences to the family of the man who was killed and said he would ask the Federal Attorney General’s Office to take charge of the case.
“We’re going to respectfully ask that it investigate well and announce what happened,” he said.
“… It wasn’t a clash between police and protesters,” stressed the president, who frequently speaks out in support of people’s right to demonstrate peacefully. “… We don’t want anyone to lose their life.”
State government officials also asserted that there was no concerted effort on the part of Guerrero police to go after students from the Ayotzinapa school, who frequently participate in protests that sometimes turn violent.
Ayotzinapa students responded to the death of their fellow future teacher by seizing and setting on fire two state police vehicles in Chilpancingo, local media reported. The Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College is located around 15 kilometers east of the state capital in the municipality of Tixtla.
The death of the young man raises tension at a time when the families of the 43 abducted students, current Ayotzinapa students and others are already angry about the government’s failure to deliver justice in the almost 10-year-old case that occurred during the president of Enrique Peña Nieto.
Well over 100 people — including military personnel and police officers — have been arrested in connection with the students’ disappearance, but no one has faced trial or been convicted of the crime. The remains of just three students have been found.
The current government initiated a new investigation soon after taking office and pledged to definitively determine what happened to the young men. But just seven months before the end of López Obrador’s six-year term, it still hasn’t delivered on its promise, although it did publish a new report last September that outlines three “possible reasons” for the abduction of the students.
The president this week said that the government is “making progress in the investigation,” and reiterated that it would uncover the truth and “find the young men,” whose abduction and presumed murder is one of the most notorious criminal cases in Mexican history.
With reports from López-Dóriga Digital, Quadratín, El Universal and Milenio
