Mexico's "Dolphin Program," a study that focuses on the use of earthworms to break down pollutants, has become a major focus of international study thanks to the tenacious work of founding scientists. (Delfín)
What was once a small program allowing Mexican undergrads and graduate students to do extra research during summer vacation has blossomed in ways its founders never dreamed of.
The official name of the program is the Inter-Institutional Program for Strengthening of Research and Graduate Studies in the Pacific. Fortunately, everyone calls it the Programa Delfín — the Dolphin Program — thanks to its logo: a leaping dolphin.
One of 1091 students participating in the Dolphin Program at the Autonomous University of Puebla. (Delfín)
The program began in the states of Sinaloa and Nayarit nearly 30 years ago and since then has brought close to a hundred thousand young researchers into contact with more experienced scientists, often in far-off universities.
The students spend seven weeks at the host institution while working on a research project of their choice under the guidance of a local faculty member.
Two young people who signed up for the Dolphin Program this summer are Carolina Ortíz and Paulina Blanco, both students at the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes (UAA).
The lure of ecotoxicology
I asked Ortíz what inspired her and Blanco to go off to another university to do research in the middle of the summer.
Aguascalientes student Carolina Ortíz working at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara. (JL Zavala)
“We are both starting our seventh semester and thinking about our theses,” she told me, “and we came across a Dolphin Program project at the Autonomous University of Guadalajara (UAG), listed under the heading of ‘ecotoxicology,’ which involves studying the effects of pollution on the ecological environment. This appealed to me because I like projects that innovate by using living systems to solve pollution issues.”
“I also found this line of research interesting,” Blanco chimed in. “I like organisms that tell you about the environment, as opposed to chemical or physical analyses.”
Coffee pollution
The author of this ecotoxicology project at UAG is Dr. José Luís Zavala, whose specialty is earthworms. I asked him what sort of pollution issue he was trying to solve with worms —and his answer surprised me.
“Coffee pollution!” he exclaimed with a smile. “Do you know what the second most consumed product in the world is after petroleum? It’s coffee! Yes, coffee is, in fact, a bigger seller than corn, rice or wheat. But there is a problem related to the world consumption of coffee.”
The project uses worms to mitigate the coffee industry’s pollution. (JL Zavala)
“We are interested only in the seed, but what about the fruit of the coffee tree: the coffee cherry? Most coffee growers have no use for it and to make things worse, this fruit cannot be composted easily. Perhaps it’s due to its acidity, but we also know that caffeine can kill organisms in the soil. As a result, there is a great accumulation of coffee bean byproducts all around the world.”
Worms to the rescue
Zavala has been experimenting with coffee pulp. “And then I ask my earthworms, ‘What do you think of it?’ Well, worms do have the ability to speak,” he says, “if you can learn to read their language. Sad to say, my worms immediately die when placed in contact with this organic material. The more pulp that is added to the soil, the higher the death rate of my beloved worms.”
Zavala happily accepted the help of Dolphin Program students to try different treatments to the coffee pulp, followed by trials with the worms. Interestingly, as time went on, the researchers began expanding the treatments to include exposure both to horse and goat manure as well as to the Rhizopus fungus, which typically appears on tomatoes that have gone bad.
At the end of the seven weeks, the problem of coffee pollution had not been solved, but all three researchers had become excited about new approaches to the problem that they had come upon while working together.
A new supply of worms is brought in for the projects. They will be used to test soil acidity. (JL Zavala)
An international success story
The Dolphin Program is celebrating its 29th birthday this year. One of the people who were involved in its very inception is the program’s current Coordinator General, Carlos Jiménez González.
Jíménez told me that the Dolphin Program started out in 1995 as the summer research program of the Mexican Academy of Sciences (AMC).
“It was so popular,” said Jiménez, “that it was transformed into a program for Mexican institutions of learning along the Pacific Coast. But that, too, surpassed all expectations and today it has become an international network of 301 institutions which, over the years, has reached more than 88,000 young people.”
Program Coordinator Carlos Jiménez González recently celebrated Dolphin’s 29th birthday. (Delfín)
“It is still a Mexican program, but we now share it with Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the U.S., Nicaragua and Peru, and we have other countries such as Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil waiting on the sidelines. I feel we are not only training good researchers but also good people, good citizens, which our society desperately needs. Just this summer alone, we affected over 10,200 students.”
The Dolphin Program makes it possible for young people to do what could be called research for the fun of it. The concept, thousands of participants in this program seem to be telling us, is as irresistible as dolphins themselves.
John Pint has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area and co-author of Outdoors in Western Mexico. More of his writing can be found on his website.
Industrial parks across Mexico are seeing record low levels of vacancy, Siemens CEO Alejandro Preinfalk said. (OCV Saltillo)
Industrial real estate in northern Mexico continued its upward trend during the first six months of the year, according to a study by real estate services and investment firm CBRE.
The cities that have recorded the most growth include Monterrey, Ciudad Juárez and Saltillo. Overall, Mexico saw an increase over 30% in the commercialization of industrial spaces.
Nuevo Leon Gov. Samuel García greeting workers last month at the site of a planned Volvo plant just outside of Monterrey. (Samuel García/Twitter)
Monterrey: Q2 saw the highest space increase on record
The northern city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, saw an annual growth of 14.1% in its industrial inventory in the first half of the year, totaling 15.3 million square meters.
During Q2, the city added 539,000 square meters to its inventory, marking the highest increase on record. Notably, 74.4% of this addition was for preleased inventory — properties that had a tenant in place before construction — meaning that there were only 137,000 square meters for new speculative offerings.
The diversified manufacturing sector — companies that manufacture a wide range of often unrelated products — remains the primary driver of industrial demand in Monterrey, occupying more than 378,000 square meters, or 53% of the total square meters available.
The logistics and transportation sector came in second, accounting for 24% of all square meters of industrial space rented or subletted in Monterrey. The automotive industry came in third, accounting for 18%.
United States companies accounted for 53% of the occupied industrial space, followed by Mexican companies with 13% and Chinese firms with 10%.
In its study, CBRE said that Monterrey’s outlook for the rest of the year “remains positive given the completion of the electoral processes in Mexico and the pipeline of industrial projects under development.”
Saltillo: demand outpacing construction
Saltillo, Coahuila, saw a 27% increase in industrial warehouse leasing in the first half of the year. It ended the first semester with a total inventory of 4.69 million square meters.
However, of the 292,000 square meters of newly built industrial space delivered in the first semester, nearly all of it was taken before construction by preleasing and build-to-suit customers, meaning only about 10,000 square meters was available for new customers, a minuscule increase of 0.03%. That indicated, according to CBRE’s report, “a market where the pace of demand and absorption has outpaced that of speculative construction.”
The diverse manufacturing and automotive sectors were the main drivers of industrial leasing activity in Saltillo’s metropolitan area, adding over 92,000 square meters of inventory during Q2. The Ramos Arizpe area remains the city’s most dynamic submarket, amounting to 60% of the demand.
The United States accounted for 43% of Saltillo’s occupied industrial space, followed by Canada with 20% and China with 19%.
The populous border city of Ciudad Juárez is an important transport hub for its connectivity with El Paso, an attractive lure for manufacturers wishing to sell to the U.S. and Canada. (Wikimedia Commons)
Ciudad Juárez: more new space but in the wrong place?
Q2 ended in the Chihuahua border city’s industrial real estate sector with a quarter-on-quarter growth of 15,000 square meters and a year-on-year growth of 226,700 square meters, the second-largest midyear year-on-year growth ever recorded.
The majority of that growth resulted from custom-built projects and speculative preleasing.
CBRE reported that despite the delivery of new vacant inventory and ongoing construction, the market remains tight, with most leasing occurring as part of new construction agreements.
One expert interviewed by the newspaper El Financiero pointed out what he foresees as a further major issue for Ciudad Juárez’s industrial real estate market: a geographical one.
“Ciudad Juárez has more than enough capacity to develop industrial parks, but in [its] center … The parks are being developed in the north,” Giovanni D’Agostino, Mexico president and regional director for Latin America of Newmark, told El Financiero.
“The problem is [power] transmission,” he said. “There is no [energy] where the development is taking place, so it has to be transported, and that is a very large investment that CFE [Mexico’s state-owned Federal Electricity Commission] has to make.”
“I think we’re falling behind on that,” D’Agostino said.
Trump and Harris touched on Mexico in relation to border security, fentanyl and Chinese cars in the Tuesday night debate. (Screen capture)
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had no complaints about Tuesday night’s debate between United States presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.
“I was very pleased that Kamala and president Trump – both of them – treated Mexico with respect,” López Obrador told reporters at his Wednesday morning press conference.
President López Obrador said he was satisfied with the U.S. presidential debate at his Wednesday morning press conference (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
“We respect other peoples, other governments and they should respect us an independent, free and sovereign country,” he added.
Tuesday night’s debate was the first, and perhaps only, debate between Vice President Harris, candidate for the Democratic Party, and former president Trump, who is contesting his third successive presidential election as the nominee for the Republican Party.
The Nov. 5 presidential election is now just 55 days away.
Mexico wasn’t a dominant issue in the debate, but both candidates did make some remarks related to the country with which the United States shares a 3,145-kilometer-long border.
AMLO with Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House in 2021. (White House/X)
“I watched an hour. I don’t speak English, I don’t understand that very important language. I was watching on a hispanic channel I think. … I didn’t feel there was the intention to offend Mexico,” said AMLO, who maintained a cordial relationship with Trump while he was president and welcomed Vice President Harris to the National Palace in Mexico City in 2021.
“… I listened to the first part, the thing about the cats, the pets, but migrants were spoken about in general, not [those] from Mexico in particular,” he said.
“I think that Mexico was spoken about just once in the [first] hour, when president Trump spoke about cars, automobiles made in Mexico and sold there, but they’re of Chinese origin,” López Obrador said.
“Both showed tact, and I thank them a lot for not offending us,” he said.
What Mexico-related comments did Harris and Trump make?
Border security
Illegal crossings of the Mexico-United States border reached record highs during the administration of U.S. Joe Biden.
However, numbers have declined significantly since Biden issued an executive order in early June that prevents migrants from making asylum claims at the Mexico-U.S. border at times when crossings between legal ports of entry surge.
Kamala Harris:
“The United States Congress, including some of the most conservative members of the United States Senate, came up with a border security bill which I supported. And that bill would have put 1,500 more border agents on the border. … It would have allowed us to stem the flow of fentanyl coming into the United States.”
Harris mentioned a border security bill that she supported which she said would have put an additional 1,500 agents on the U.S.-Mexico border. (Cuartoscuro)
“… That bill would have put more resources to allow us to prosecute transnational criminal organizations for trafficking in guns, drugs and human beings. But you know what happened to that bill? Donald Trump got on the phone, called up some folks in Congress, and said kill the bill. And you know why? Because he preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.”
Donald Trump:
“[The Biden-Harris administration] allowed criminals [into the United States]. Many, many, millions of criminals. They allowed terrorists. They allowed common street criminals. They allowed people to come in, drug dealers, to come into our country, and they’re now in the United States.”
Donald Trump with AMLO during a visit to Mexico in 2020. The two maintained a cordial relationship. (Cuartoscuro)
“… I think they probably did it because they think they’re going to get votes. But it’s not worth it. Because they’re destroying the fabric of our country by what they’ve done. There’s never been anything done like this at all. They’ve destroyed the fabric of our country. Millions of people let in. And all over the world crime is down. All over the world except here. Crime here is up and through the roof.”
Chinese-owned auto plants in Mexico
Chinese automakers including BYD and Chery have announced plans to open manufacturing plants in Mexico.
“They lost 10,000 manufacturing jobs this last month. It’s going – they’re all leaving. They’re building big auto plants in Mexico. In many cases owned by China. They’re building these massive plants, and they think they’re going to sell their cars into the United States because of these people.”
“What they have given to China is unbelievable. … We’ll put tariffs on those cars so they can’t come into our country. Because they will kill the United Auto Workers and any auto worker, whether it’s in Detroit or South Carolina or any other place.”
18,000 tortilla shops in Mexico City are piloting a new fintech banking app that allows their customers to pay for their tortillas electronically and even pay a light bill or reload cell phone minutes. (Finsus)
Tortilla shops in Mexico have long been the epitome of a small, cash-only business, with tortillerías that take electronic payments only a recent phenomenon that’s still few and far between.
However, a new collaboration between the National Tortilla Council (CNT), one of Mexico’s major tortilla vendor associations, and the fintech digital banking institution Finsus hopes to change that with a new app being promoted to CNT’s members that will allow tortilla vendors to offer customers payments via debit or credit card and other electronic transfer methods.
Finsus says that tortilla shops that use the app to take electronic payments can expect to see an increase in income ranging from US $302 to US $1,912 per month. (Finsus)
The app, called CNT x Finsus Digital Platform, allows CNT’s members to not only accept electronic payments but also serve as a payment center for utility bills and the recharging of cell phone plans — transactions Mexicans have been used to conducting at major convenience stores and supermarkets for years.
The app, currently being piloted in CNT’s Mexico City tortilla shops, has allowed some 18,000 tortillerías in the capital to accept payments with CoDi, Dimo transfers and contactless debit and credit cards.
CoDi is a payment method accomplished through QR codes, while Dimo — a service offered by banks that is similar to Zelle in the United States — uses cell phone numbers rather than account numbers for money transfers.
The app, say its creators, gives tortilla shops a way to capture more income — by being able to offer customers more ways to pay, as well as a tool for managing their business’ income.
According to Finsus, CNT tortilla shops that join the program can expect to earn an additional monthly income ranging from 6,000 to 38,000 pesos (US $302 to $1,912). Dealing in electronic payments also provides tortilla vendors with a greater sense of security, the institutions said in a joint statement, since, in theory, the vendor would carry less cash in their shop.
The program also offers participants access to Finsus small-business loans, to low-cost health and life insurance coverage and to preferential discounts from suppliers and allied businesses.
National Tortilla Council head Homero López García, left, and Finsus CEO Carlos Marmolejo, center, announce the launching of their app for tortilla shops in Mexico. (Finsus)
Finsus is one of the country’s largest People’s Financial Society (Sofipo) institutions. A Sofipo is a Mexican microfinance entity founded as a public limited company that promotes savings and credit-building.
For Finsus, the collaboration is a win not only because it introduces the still-young digital banking institution (founded in 2022) to CNT’s members but also because Finsua hopes to spread the word among the wide swath of Mexican society that frequents tortillerías. According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mexicans annually eat 85 kilograms of tortillas per person.
“Consumers will find a connection point with Finsus in the tortillerías,” the company said in a statement. “There, they’ll be able to learn about and download the application, open their accounts and enjoy the benefits that over 250,000 clients already receive.”
Finsus recently launched a similar program for 11,000 indigenous artisans in Mexico — another economic sector that’s frequently cash only — in collaboration with the online artisan shop Mexiutopic. The program makes it possible for the artisans to accept electronic payments and provides free education on financial management.
According to Finsus’ website, banking customers can open interest-bearing accounts with as little as 100 pesos. It also offers loans to small businesses and individuals.
Homero López García, president of the CNT, has said that previously, the financial inclusion of tortillerías has been basically nonexistent in Mexico. He hopes 40% of tortilla shops will adopt the app within a year, and 90% within three years.
“The banks don’t believe in the industry,” he told the newspaper La Jornada. “Whenever I try to pitch [the application], 90% of the banks tell me to go to hell.” However, López said, the new app is “revolutionizing the industry.”
“We are turning the tables,” he said. “They [the CNT members] are saying ‘I like it, I understand it, and we’re going all in.’”
During his 135 hours on the lam, the tiger reportedly attacked a pig farm, causing injuries to several pigs, and was sighted chasing sheep. (@yennigandiaga/X)
Five days after breaking out of his cage at a zoo in Reynosa, Tamaulipas — and causing high anxiety among the local population — a Bengal tiger has been captured safe and sound, state authorities reported Tuesday.
During his 135 hours on the lam, the tiger reportedly attacked a pig farm, causing injuries to several pigs, and was sighted chasing sheep — but otherwise caused no known damage.
He was captured Monday night around 11 p.m. in a trap cage baited with chicken that was set up by the state’s Wildlife Department.
Drones, helicopters and motion-detection cameras were also used in the search. On Saturday, the tiger’s footprints and excrement were found.
Officials didn’t provide the exact location of the capture, except to say it was in the vicinity of Los Longoria, a communal agricultural area (ejido) that abuts the United States-Mexico border. Quinta La Fauna, the private zoo from which he escaped, is in that area.
“Tony” — the tiger’s name according to newspaper accounts but no official sources — weighs about 100 kg and is approximately three years old, officials said. In the wild, Bengal tigers generally live 13-14 years, while in captivity they can live up to age 20.
His species (Panthera tigris) is classified as endangered, with an estimated 2,000 to 2,500 left in the wild as of last year, mainly in protected areas of India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal.
In a press release issued Tuesday, Mexico’s federal Environmental Protection Agency (Profepa) noted, “The Quinta La Fauna Zoo in Reynosa can no longer shelter the specimen that escaped from its facilities, so it will be transferred to the Tamatán Zoo in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas.”
Tamatán “has the facilities and the appropriate personnel to safeguard this type of specimen,” Profepa added. At least initially, the tiger will be under observation and not displayed to the public.
Profepa and personnel from a variety of local, state and national agencies carried out the search to find the feline, aiming every step of the way to avoid risks to the public.
To that end, several trap cages were set up in and around the Los Longoria area of Reynosa, which is just 500 meters from the U.S.-Mexico border.
Additionally, officials in the United States were told to be on the lookout in case the tiger were to seek out the banks of the Rio Grande, which separates the two countries in that region.
Wild Bengal tigers typically live in tropical forests, swamps, grasslands and rocky areas. In addition to their distinctive orange and black-striped fur, they are known for their tremendous strength and agility as predators.
The Quinta La Fauna Zoo reported that its other tigers remained in their cage. Shortly after last week’s escape, the zoo posted on social media that it was closed “until further notice.” As of early Wednesday afternoon, it had not reopened.
COMCE's president described Mexico as a globally important country and expressed confidence that its trade relationships and dynamic business environment won't be diminished by the enactment of the judicial reform. (@ComceOficial/X)
The federal government’s judicial reform, approved by the Senate on Wednesday morning, will not affect investors’ confidence in Mexico, according to the president of the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment and Technology (COMCE).
“The certainty of the business sector is real, we’re not shooting ourselves in the foot,” Sergio Cardenas said on Tuesday, referring to the government’s plan to allow citizens to directly elect Supreme Court justices and thousands of other judges.
“We’re still growing and we will continue growing,” he added.
CEO de COMCE, de los exportadores más importantes del país, asegura que México ya es indispensable para EU. Para dimensionar los hechos. Sergio Contreras en entrevista con @RevistaFortuna y Economía Social pic.twitter.com/Jdnymbl9F5
Critics of the reform claim that Mexico will lose its attractiveness as a destination for investment if the judiciary is politicized as a result of the election of judges from candidates nominated by a Congress controlled by the ruling Morena party and a president of the same political persuasion – i.e. Claudia Sheinbaum.
But Contreras believes that foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico will continue to grow in the coming years.
Contreras predicted that FDI in Mexico will exceed US $40 billion in 2024, and average $48 billion annually in the next three years.
Numerous foreign companies, including electric vehicle behemoths Tesla and BYD, are yet to act on investment announcements they have made, indicating that Mexico’s nearshoring zenith — provided most firms follow through with their plans — is still to come.
In August, BYD said it was considering locations in three Mexican states for its new plant. Bloomberg reported shortly after that BYD has stopped actively looking. (BYD)
Contreras described Mexico as a globally important country and expressed confidence that its trade relationships and dynamic business environment won’t be diminished by the enactment of the judicial reform.
He called on people to “believe in the country,” highlighting that Mexico is the world’s ninth largest exporter, ninth biggest recipient of FDI and one of the top 15 economies (Mexico ranked 12th in 2023).
Contreras also said that any challenges to the judicial reform or other constitutional reforms under the terms of trade agreements to which Mexico is party, including the USMCA, would not be a big deal.
With “a trade agreement you’re always checking, proposing, reviewing [things],” he said.
“In other words [a trade pact] is a living, breathing, agreement,” Contreras said.
A trilateral review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, is scheduled for 2026.
Mexico’s main investment draw
Contreas asserted that Mexico’s No. 1 draw for foreign investors is not its proximity to the United States — the world’s largest economy — or its various trade agreements, among which are the USMCA and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP.
Rather, its “export quality” is the biggest attraction, he said, offering a glowing endorsement of Mexico’s vast manufacturing sector.
Contreras cited the confidence of Italian tire manufacturer Pirelli in Mexican labor, noting that the company, which opened a plant in Silao, Guanajuato, more than a decade ago, has invested some US $1.2 billion in the country.
Susana Duque, COMCE’s general director, told the same press conference that COMCE will closely monitor the “new investment” component of FDI, which represented just 13% of total FDI last year and even less in the first six months of 2024.
However, Contreras stressed that the reinvestment of profits by companies that already have a presence here, such as Pirelli, also creates jobs and benefits the Mexican economy.
How do Mexican attitudes to sex differ from those abroad? MND interviews psychologist Jenna Mayhew to answer your burning questions. (Charles Deluvio/Unsplash)
Jenna Mayhew has been working as a psychologist in Mexico for eight years. At her practice, Hola Therapy, she has made it her mission to help foreigners living in Mexico, Mexicans with a foreign partner, foreigners with links to Mexico and Mexicans with links to foreigners or foreign countries. Cross-cultural therapy focused on sex, relationships, mental health and navigating change is a major part of her daily practice.
In addition to individual, couples and family therapy, Hola Therapy works with a number of corporate, non-profit and government-funded organizations. For example, they provide in-depth psychological evaluations and therapy to veterans from English-speaking countries who fall under foreign medical programs and provide employee assistance program counseling support to professionals who are based in Mexico with multinational corporations. Hola Therapy also provides clinical and financial support to the Misión México Foundation in Chiapas.
Psychologist Jenna Mayhew is here to answer reader questions. (Hola Therapy)
Sex and shame in Mexico
In Mexico, a unique cultural paradox emerges where conservative views on sexuality coexist with sexual mischievousness, even sexual deviance. This duality reveals itself in everyday life, where public norms enforce modesty and discussions about sex remain largely taboo, not just with family but often even in therapy.
At the same time, many who live here would balk at the idea of Mexico being anything other than full of sex and eroticism. This contrast often perplexes locals and outsiders alike, revealing a society caught between deep-seated traditions and subcultures of hypersexuality.
The conservative fabric of Mexican sexuality
Mexican sexual attitudes are deeply influenced by the country’s strong Catholic heritage and traditional gender roles. The concept of “machismo” demands that men be sexually assertive and pleasure-seeking, while “marianismo” dictates that women be demure, passive, committed, submissive and virginal. This creates a double standard wherein attitudes and societal expectations for men and women are starkly different.
Mexican men, for example, often view casual sex as a source of pleasure, while women are more likely to see it as irresponsible. In Veracruz, a 2016 study found that around 33% of women express anxiety about their sexuality. Similarly, a study produced in Oaxaca in the same year found that women often link sex with feelings of shame and passivity.
However, this is shifting. The Mexican education system is insufficient due to sexual taboos, says Karla Urriola, a member of the Mexican Federation of Education and Sexology (FEMESS). Young people find information elsewhere and absorb it in their own views. Overall, college students tend to have a more permissive and egalitarian view of sex when compared to older generations.
Let’s jump in and take a brief look at what’s happening between the sheets in Mexico as compared to its counterparts in Latin America and Spain.
Lower prevalence of certain sexual practices
When it comes to masturbation, Mexico shows comparatively lower rates. Data indicates that 52% of Mexican men and 45% of women engage in solo or mutual masturbation. This contrasts sharply with higher rates in Puerto Rico – which rise up to 96% — and Spain, ranging from 68% to 90%.
Similarly, Mexican participation in online sex chats is lower than in Spain, with only 28.5% of Mexicans engaging in this activity compared to 84% in Spain. This disparity also extends to online masturbation practices.
Mexico has relatively low rates of masturbation, surveys suggest. (Charles Deluvio/Unsplash)
In a survey of six countries, Mexico reported the lowest incidence of anal sex at 18%, with Puerto Rico reporting the highest at 39%. This variation underscores differing cultural attitudes towards various sexual practices.
Low sexual satisfaction
Mexican levels of sexual satisfaction are relatively low compared to other Latin American countries. Approximately 43% of Mexican men and 40% of women report satisfaction, while Chile shows higher rates of 64% for men and 84% for women.
Overall, Mexico shows more inhibition, higher sexual shame and lower sexual satisfaction when compared to its Spanish-speaking counterparts. Religion has a high impact on sexuality, including sexual shame for anything outside of the heteronormative, production-focused sex. Due to the prevalence of traditional gender roles and machismo, women are more severely impacted by religiosity and sexual shame than men.
Mexican couples tend to demonstrate more shame towards sexual practices compared to other cultures. (Julia Taubitz/Unsplash)
What is the impact of sexual shame?
Shame is a powerful and painful emotion that makes us feel deeply humiliated, distressed and unworthy. It’s different from guilt, which can actually be constructive. Guilt helps us recognize when we’ve acted against our values and often motivates us to make amends or change our behavior.
In contrast, shame has a more damaging effect. It tells us we’re not deserving of good things like love and connection. Instead of helping us grow, shame makes us feel fundamentally flawed. When people act out of shame, their behavior is often disconnected, destructive and harmful to themselves and others around them.
Shame about our sexuality is no different. Sexual shame includes shame for having sexual desires, beliefs of sexual inferiority and shame in our sexual relationships. Sexual shame is not straightforward. It doesn’t just lead to less sex. It’s been found to contribute to issues including hypersexuality, sexual addiction, sexual dysfunctions like erectile issues, hostility and self-disgust, increased aggression, body shame and feelings of inferiority.
People are sexual beings. When someone believes sexuality is inherently wrong, that can manifest in many damaging ways towards themselves and others, fueling the sex-shame cycle. To transform levels of sexual shame and foster healthier relationships, individuals can start by engaging in open, non-judgmental conversations about their sexual feelings, self-educate about sexuality and challenge any internalized stigmas.
Creating a safe environment for self-exploration and acceptance, whether within a partnership or independently, is crucial for overcoming shame and embracing a more positive and fulfilling sexual existence. While deeply rooted norms still shape attitudes, changing perspectives and increased openness about sexuality could pave the way for a more accepting and satisfying sexual culture.
Jenna Mayhew is an Australian psychologist based in Mexico, with over 20 years of experience in Australia, England and Mexico. She is the founder of Hola Therapy, a bilingual practice dedicated to supporting the immigrant and cross-cultural communities in Mexico and provides therapy in-person and online across Mexico and worldwide. Jenna’s work combines her extensive expertise with a deep commitment to addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals in diverse cultural settings.
Check your medicine's batch number below. (Pina Messina/Unsplash)
The national health regulator Cofepris issued warnings to the public about counterfeit lots of six painkillers and flu medicines produced by the pharmaceutical company Bayer on Monday.
The Cofepris’ alert concerns batches of the following brand-name drugs: Cafiaspirina, Aspirina, Aspirina Protec, Desenfriol D, Desenfriol-Ito Plus and Tabcin Noche. According to Cofepris, it received notice of the counterfeit medications from Bayer. Cofrepis previously warned about the falsification of Aspirina Protec in 2023.
The counterfeit medications pose risks to public health due to the lack of information about their manufacturing conditions, handling and storage. Thus, their safety, quality and effectiveness are not guaranteed, the health regulator said.
Irregularities in medications affect the following batches:
Cafiaspirina: Batch X24PJT containing 24 and 100 tablets, and with the expiration date DIC/24. The batch does not contain the active ingredient and both the batch number and the expiration date were intended for other products.
Batch X24JF6 containing 100 tablets was originally assigned to another product.
Aspirina: Batch X24PJTcontaining 100 tablets, with the expiration date DIC/24, and batch X23SGA, which shows two expiration dates (FEB/24 and FEB/26). The correct expiration date is FEB/22.
Aspirina Protec: Batch BTAGXAG containing 28 tablets, with the expiration date DIC 2024. It does not contain the active ingredient, and its batch number is not recognized by the company.
Batch BT17US3 containing 28 tablets with expiration date 08/31/2024. This expiration date corresponds to another product.
Desenfriol D: Batch X293F0 containing 30 pills with the expiration date DIC/25 does not contain the active ingredient and does not appear in Bayer’s system.
Desenfriol-Ito Plus: Batch X293F0 with the expiration date DIC/25 does not contain the active ingredient.
Batch X25198, with the expiration date DIC/24 containing 24 capsules, is not recognized by the company.
Batch X255FP with the expiration date DIC/26. The correct expiration date is MAR/24.
Tabcin Noche:Batch X24TLD, with the expiration date 21/ABR/26 containing 12 capsules, was not recognized by Bayer.
Cofepris called on consumers to carefully check lot numbers and expiration dates before purchasing these painkillers and flu medicines. It also urged residents against buying medicines from informal vendors.
Despite attempts by the opposition to dissuade the Senate, the judicial reform passed 86 to 41 on Wednesday, paving the way for its ratification. (Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican Senate approved the federal government’s controversial judicial reform proposal on Wednesday morning, delivering a major victory to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador less than three weeks before he leaves office.
The constitutional bill — whose most controversial aspect is the article allowing citizens to directly elect Supreme Court justices and thousands of other judges — will now be considered by Mexico’s 32 state legislatures. It was approved by the lower house of Congress last week.
In a vote held on Sept. 10, 86 senators voted in favor, 41 opposed the reform and one opposition senator was absent. (Cuartoscuro)
If a majority of state legislatures ratify the bill — essentially a fait accompli given that the ruling Morena party controls more than 20 Congresses — the president can sign the reform into law.
In a marathon “double session” that began on Tuesday in the Senate and continued into the night and the early hours of Wednesday morning in an alternative venue, 86 senators voted in favor of the reform, 41 opposed it and one opposition senator was absent.
Morena and its allies thus achieved the supermajority required to pass the bill, which was approved en lo general, or in a general, broad sense, and en lo particular — i.e. after consideration of individual articles, none of which were modified.
All 85 Morena, Labor Party (PT) and Green Party (PVEM) senators voted in favor of the judicial reform, while the additional vote came from National Action Party (PAN) Senator Miguel Ángel Yunes Márquez, who was accused of being a “traitor.”
Several sources suspect that Yunes Márquez and his father, former Veracruz governor Miguel Ángel Yunes Linares, reached a deal with Morena that would result in the withdrawal of criminal charges against the two men and Yunes Márquez’s brother Fernando. Yunes Linares, a “substitute senator” for the PAN, stood in for his son for a period on Tuesday, but Yunes Márequez, who had requested leave to attend to health issues, returned in time to participate in the historic vote.
The legislative session was relocated to the old Senate building in the historic center of Mexico City after protesters broke into the current Senate building, located on the Paseo de la Reforma boulevard.
Critics of the judicial reform, including United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, contend that the direct election of judges will lead to the politicization of the judiciary and eliminate a vital check on executive power.
They argue that Supreme Court justices and other judges sympathetic to Morena will come to dominate the judiciary as the president and the Congress — which the ruling party controls — will nominate candidates.
Morena party members argue that the reform is needed to stamp out corruption in the judicial branch of government. (Cuartoscuro)
There are also concerns that the enactment of the judicial reform will have a negative impact on foreign investment and Mexico’s trade relations, including those with its key regional partners, the United States and Canada. Thousands of court workers have gone on strike to protest the plan, while the Mexican peso has taken a hit due to concern over the reform’s impact on the rule of law and the Mexican economy.
López Obrador and President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum reject claims that the election of judges will result in a loss of independence for the judiciary and argue that an overhaul is needed to stamp out corruption in the judicial branch of government.
Among the other changes in the judicial reform bill are:
The reduction of the number of Supreme Court justices to 9 from 11.
The reduction of justices’ terms to 12 years from 15.
The reduction of the experience required to serve as a justice and judge.
The adjustment of salaries so that no judge earns more than the president.
The elimination of the Federal Judiciary Council.
The creation of a Tribunal of Judicial Discipline that could sanction and fire judges found to have acted improperly or illegally.
The use of “faceless,” or unidentified judges, to preside over organized crime cases.
An expansion of the crimes for which pre-trial detention can be enforced.
Given the approval of the reform bill in the Senate, it now appears almost certain that Mexico will hold its first judicial elections in 2025. All Supreme Court positions and thousands of other judgeships, including federal ones, will be up for grabs.
Senators express views and trade barbs
Morena Senator Lucía Trasviña accused opposition senators of being a “bunch of traitors” for voting against the judicial reform, seen as the biggest overhaul to Mexico’s judiciary in 30 years.
She asserted that the judiciary “has been at the service of the oligarchy” and foreign interests for decades.
While Morena defends the interests of the Mexican people, the opposition defends “the illegitimate interests of thugs and white-collar criminals,” Trasviña said.
The senator labeled Supreme Court Chief Justice Norma Piña “a traitor to the homeland,” accusing her of failing to hold the perpetrators of various crimes to account.
“Norma Piña protects the interests of foreigners who have come to loot our resources,” Trasviña said.
Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Senator Claudia Anaya called on Morena, PT and PVEM senators to stop their insults, demonstrate “restraint” and engage in “frank” but “respectful” dialogue.
A large group of protesters burst into the Senate on Tuesday evening, causing damage to the legislative chamber. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Senator Alejandro Moreno, national president of the PRI, declared that it was a “sad day for our Mexico.”
He said that the reform “was approved in the Senate via the worst tricks and under unimaginable pressures and coercions.”
Yunes Márquez, who cast the defining vote, signaled his intention to support the reform in a speech to his colleagues.
“I know that the reform to the judicial power … is not the best. I also know that we will have the opportunity to perfect it in the secondary laws,” he said.
“That’s why, in the most difficult decision of my life, I’ve decided to give my vote in favor of the bill in order to create a new model for the delivery of justice,” Yunes Márquez said.
He said that he hadn’t faced pressure from Morena to vote in favor of the reform, but was pressured to vote against it by his own party.
“I had never seen in the PAN such a crude attempt at imposition and subjugation,” Yunes Márquez said.
He said he was subjected to “threats and aggression” from those who “wanted to force me” to vote against the reform “without analyzing it or debating it.”
Senator Marko Cortés, the national president of the PAN, expressed his discontentment with Senator Yunes Márquez, saying he should have let his party know he was going to “betray them.” (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Senator Marko Cortés, the national president of the PAN, accused his colleague of betraying the party.
“You should have been more decent, my dear friend. You should have taken our call and told us: ‘I’m going to betray you,'” he said.
Cortés also accused the government of reaching an “impunity pact” with the Yunes family.
Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña, a Morena senator, accused opposition parties of letting protesters into the Senate building.
A large group of protesters burst into the Senate on Tuesday evening, caused damage to the legislative chamber and shouted chants in support of opposition senators.
“The judicial power will not fall,” they said. “You are not alone,” they told opposition senators.
AMLO: ‘Nothing’ was negotiated with the Yunes family
At his morning press conference on Wednesday, López Obrador said that it is public knowledge that he has “differences” with members of the politically powerful Yunes family, but denied that the government reached a deal that resulted in Yunes Márquez’s vote in favor of the judicial reform proposal he sent to Congress in February.
“Absolutely nothing” was negotiated, he said. “… I can tell you I didn’t speak with Mr. Yunes or his son.”
López Obrador said that Morena’s leader in the Senate, Adán Augusto López, “possibly” spoke with them, but asserted “that is his job” as a legislator.
“I sent the initiative and it’s the lawmakers who have to do their work,” he said, before advising “oligarchs” and opposition politicians to “look for another interpretation” of why Yunes Márquez voted in favor of the judicial reform.”
“The oligarchs who felt they were the owners of Mexico and their spokespeople should look for another interpretation that is not as simplistic as give and take, that of the bargaining chip, the mafioso relationship,” López Obrador said.
“… What must be thought is that this reform is needed. … [Yunes] is a politician who considered it a good idea to act in this way and it wasn’t necessarily in exchange for an amount of money or [due] to a threat,” he said.
López Obrador also said that he is “very happy” with the approval of the judicial reform, and declared that Mexico “will provide an example to the world.”
Mexico will become one of a small group of countries where judges are elected by citizens.
The New York Times recently reported that “the closest parallel to what Mexico’s president is proposing is Bolivia’s experience with electing judges after enacting a new constitution in 2009.”
“But even in Bolivia’s case, the changes didn’t apply to the entire judiciary, focused instead on how some of the most powerful judges can be elected by popular vote instead of being selected by Congress.”
Yunes Márquez (at right) said that he hadn’t faced pressure from Morena to vote in favor of the reform, but was pressured to vote against it by his own party (the PAN). (Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum: The election of judges will ‘strengthen’ Mexico’s justice system
In a post to social media on Wednesday morning, President-elect Sheinbaum congratulated the senators “of our movement” for approving the judicial reform.
“With the election of judges, justices and magistrates, the delivery of justice in our country will be strengthened,” she wrote.
“The regime of corruption and privileges is increasingly being left in the past and a true democracy and true rule of law is being built,” said Sheinbaum, who will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president on Oct. 1.
“Demos means people, kratos: power. The power of the people,” she wrote.
In a social media post last week, Sheinbaum asserted that the judicial reform won’t “affect our trade relationships or private national and foreign investment.”
“In contrast, there will be an improved rule of law and more democracy for everyone,” she said.
“… Our interest is nothing more than a more democratic and fairer Mexico. That was the popular mandate.”
Feeling adventurous? Why not try this cheesy, doughy goodness that represents the best of two very distinct cultures. (Famartin/CC-BY-SA 4.0)
Naan is hands down my go-to bread to make at home. Endlessly versatile, it’s a blank, fluffy canvas to experiment with. Today I want to share my version of naan stuffed with queso Oaxaca. This surprisingly easy to make naan would work well for a giant taco — just pick your favorite filling.
One of the first mentions of naan can be found in the “Ain-i-Akbari,” a record of the reign of Mughal emperor Akbar the Great, which refers to naan being eaten with kebabs or kheema — kheema being a mix of minced meat, spices and veg. Think of it as an ancient Indian bolognese.
Originally from India, naan spread first across Asia and then the globe. (Shisma/CC-BY-SA 4.0)
The word “naan” simply means “bread” in Persian. Cooked in a tandoor oven, naan became a staple in Indian cuisine, especially in northern India. Over time — as delicious things do — it spread across the world, evolving with regional variations. Today, naan is typically leavened with yeast or yogurt and served as an accompaniment to curries and kebabs. It has also found its rightful place in fusion recipes — and, in some ways, is the perfect dish to describe Mexico News Daily. The yogurt in the naan dough adds moisture and a slight tang, making the bread soft and flavorful. The yeast creates lightness, ensuring the naan puffs up when cooked, giving it the iconic texture that I crave on a weekly basis. Queso Oaxaca’s mild, buttery flavor and excellent melting qualities make it ideal for the hidden surprise, as it stretches and oozes just like mozzarella, but with a distinct Mexican flair.
Cooking the naan on a cast iron skillet replicates the high heat of a tandoor oven, ensuring a crisp exterior while keeping the inside soft and gooey. Brushing the naan with butter adds richness and brings the entire dish together. The combination of these two distinct culinary traditions results in a comforting, cheesy bread that feels familiar yet excitingly new, making it an ideal fusion dish for any occasion.
Queso Oaxaca-stuffed naan
Ingredients
For the naan
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp active dry yeast
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
For the filling
1 cup shredded queso Oaxaca
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (optional)
1/2 tsp chili flakes (optional, if you like a bit of heat)
For cooking
2 tbsp melted butter or ghee for brushing
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
Queso Oaxaca is Mexico’s most famous (and delicious) cheese and it works well as a replacement for Indian paneer. (Flor de Alfalfa/Facebook)
Instructions
1. Make the naan dough
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until it gets frothy.
In a larger bowl, combine the flour, salt and yogurt. Slowly add the yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead everything together for about 8-10 minutes until you get a soft, smooth dough.
Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 1-2 hours or until it has doubled in size.
2. Prepare the filling
Shred the queso Oaxaca and mix with cilantro and chili flakes, if using. Set aside.
3. Stuff and shape the naan
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 4-6 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a small ball, then flatten it into a disc. Add a generous amount of queso Oaxaca in the center of each disc.
Pull the edges of the dough together to seal the filling inside, creating a stuffed dough ball. Gently flatten the stuffed ball into a thick oval or round shape, taking care not to break through the dough.
4. Cook the naan
Heat a cast iron skillet on medium heat for at least 10 minutes.
Roll out the stuffed dough balls to about 1/4-inch thickness.
Place the naan on the hot skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes until bubbles form on the surface. Flip and cook the other side for 2-3 more minutes until golden and cooked through.
Brush each naan with melted butter or ghee. Sprinkle with garlic powder for extra flavor if desired.
5. Serve
Serve your queso Oaxaca-stuffed naan warm, perfect for dipping in salsa, guacamole or your favorite curry.
Pro tip: toss these on the grill for a smokier flavor!
What did you think of this cheesy, doughy goodness? Did you do anything different that worked out well? Let us know in the comments.
Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.
