The discovery in Chumpón, Quintana Roo, comes as one of hundreds made during Maya Train excavations. (INAH)
Archaeologists have uncovered 83 atypical wall-like structures in the southeastern state of Quintana Roo that are being described as akin to a pre-Columbian Google Maps.
The walls — a dry-laid limestone construction known as “albarrada” that’s typical across the Yucatán Peninsula — are located in the municipality of Chumpón within a section of Maya ruins uncovered in September 2022 during the construction of Section 6 of the Maya Train, which links Chetumal to Tulum.
Archaeologists excavating the site in the municipality of Chumpón, Quintana Roo. (Fabián Gutiérrez/INAH)
Fabián Gutiérrez Gómez, the archaeologist heading the dig, says that the walls’ unusual L-shaped design and atypical location have led his team to develop “a hypothesis that, perhaps, in this specific case, [the walls] were used as a kind of pre-Columbian ‘Google Maps’ that allowed inhabitants to determine their position in the region.”
This hypothesis is bolstered by the fact that the walls do not appear to serve any structural purpose other than delimiting areas such as cropland and residential zones.
Gutiérrez said in a National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) press statementthat initial discoveries at the site included more than 200 archaeological monuments, including two terraces, two cisterns and 53 foundations, as well as the walls.
INAH has dated the walls — roughly 1 meter (3.3 feet) in width and 70 centimeters (2.3 inches) in height — to the Early Classic period of the Maya (A.D. 250–600). The walls range from 5 meters to 400 meters (16.4 to 1,312 feet) in length.
INAH noted that demarcation walls are not a feature previously identified with Maya settlements. However, they are so simple and effective that they are still used in contemporary rural architecture in Mexico.
A few of the walls were discovered near foundations, requiring more theoretical analysis to dismiss the notion that they — or at least some of them — were not simple property boundaries. The idea that the walls are demarcation points — the “Google Maps” theory — is also supported by the fact that most of the 83 walls were found nowhere near archaeological ruins.
An example of a contemporary albarrada, this one located on the Yucatán Peninsula. (Hotel MedioMundo/Flickr)
The discovery has allowed archaeologists to theorize about the lifestyle of the Classic Maya with regard to space use, communal activities and social organization, Gutiérrez said.
INAH also reported additional findings at the Chumpón site, including 218 bags of ceramics, three metates (grinding stones) and two flint knives.
The Chumpón location is among 29 archaeological sites that have been uncovered during the Maya Train’s construction. According to INAH head Diego Prieto, the rescue work conducted as a result of the railway project has yielded more than 1.4 million ceramic fragments and over 50,000 movable and immovable objects, including palaces and architectural structures.
Xavier Cormier said he was trying to fly back from Cancún to Montreal when he needed to take a taxi to get from one terminal to another. (Screenshot/TikTok)
The National Guard (GN) has arrested a taxi driver in Quintana Roo who allegedly charged a Canadian tourist over CAD $1000 (around US $730) for a five-minute ride through Cancún International Airport.
According to the tourist, Xavier Cormier, the alleged scam was for a ride from one of the airport terminals to another — roughly a five-minute journey — which Cormier said in the summary to one of his videos he was told would cost five dollars. Cormier said that two minutes after paying with his credit card, he realized that his card had registered a payment of over CAD $1,000.
@calisthenixproPART 4 – Exposing the scammer that work at the Cancun Airport⚠️🇲🇽 Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am EXPOSING the SCAMMERS that work at the CANCUN AIRPORT🇲🇽⚠️ FULL STORY BELOW Airport Taxi driver : Eduardo Galicia Guadarrama Airport Taxi Plate number: 67-HB-1R Security Agent 1 : Cristian Pollo – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am Security Agent 2 : Alejandro Choch – working at Terminal 3 Thursday April 18th 2024 at 2am ! I was traveling to the airport going back to Montreal Canada at 2am Wednesday night / Thursday Morning the 18th of April 2024 when I got set up by the taxi company from the airport and the security at Terminal 3. They told me I could not stay there and need to pay another taxi ( from the airport! ) to go to Terminal 4 for 5$ which I did. I was alone with the 2 security and the only taxi available when they start pressuring me to pay via Credit card. I did not want to but I had no other choice and could walk between terminal they told me. After paying with my card and getting back in the Taxi for only 2 minute I Realized the payment that went on my card was over 1000$ . I was still in the car and the situation escalated at the Terminal 4 where I managed to get the attention of the touriste and traveler waiting for they flights. When the taxi saw the security he tried to escape with me and my luggage in the car but I manage to jump in the front of the car and shift the transmission on Park which almost result in a car accident. The airport security arrived just in time before situation got even more crazy. I filled a report number against the driver and the taxi airport , I believe some of the cops and security agent over there where also in the scam because they wanted me to go the police station to press charge against the driver but to only get rid of my story and all the proof I have against the scam system at the airport including Security and the Airport Taxi Company. I believe if I would stop the car in time something even worst was waiting for me. Are these scammers still working at the Cancun Airport?! If yes help stop this corrupted system and DO NOT TRAVEL TO MEXICO!🇲🇽⚠️♬ original sound – Xavier Cormier
The report triggered a rapid response from authorities at the airport, and at some point, Cormier got his money back, according to Quintana Roo authorities.
“I understand that as soon as the tourist made the complaint to the [taxi driver], support arrived from the National Guard and the [federal] Security Ministry, and they managed to have the charge returned to the user,” said Cristina Torres, secretary of the Quintana Roo government.
The Cancún airport is in an area under federal jurisdiction.
State and federal officials quickly initiated an investigation with the stated aim of preventing future scams like this against tourists — which apparently are numerous, according to comments on social media.
Cormier is a competitive calisthenics athlete, according to his social media pages. (Calisthenixpro/Instagram)
The detainee, identified by officials as 30-year-old Eduardo “G,” faces charges of extortion against a foreign person. He was arrested Tuesday night, and his taxi was towed away.
In one of his videos, Cormier says the driver charged him “1,050 [Canadian] dollars.” In the first video he posted on the incident, he yelled at the accused driver.
“I want police right now! Call the police. You know how to call the police; I know that,” he said.
In another video, he claimed that the driver tried to abscond.
“While I was calling the security, he ran away with my luggage in the car,” he says. “I luckily jumped in the car and almost broke my leg to get my luggage back.”
In a video taken while Cormier stood outside the cab and called for police, the driver appeared to be trying to appease him in broken English, saying, “Just the driver, just the driver.” Cormier swore at him, at which point, the driver told him in Spanish to “get out of here” and appeared to push Cormier.
“Full thanks for the security that is helping me right now because I don’t know what would have happened,” Cormier said in another video.
Comments on social media told of similar incidents, calling taxi drivers in Cancún “thugs.” Some people said they don’t plan on returning to Mexico because of such incidents.
One Mexican citizen wrote, “It makes me sick to think that this is the image we leave to foreigners who are willing to experience what the country offers them.”
“My only goal,” he wrote, “was to spread awareness about the current scam going on in Mexico and prevent this situation from happening again. Many of you shared your bad experiences with me on social media, and I never thought that so many victims of the same scam occurred so often.”
Acapulco's fire season usually starts in March, but the flammable debris left behind by Hurricane Otis and higher-than-average temperatures
created conditions for an early and destructive start. (Jacob Morant/X)
The beleaguered Pacific port city of Acapulco is again threatened by wildfires, just over a month after five fires ripped through the El Veladero National Park in the municipality.
Neighborhoods in the hills above Acapulco in the state of Guerrero are being threatened by approaching fires, with residents of Santa Cecilia, María de la O and Simón Bolívar issuing requests for assistance on Wednesday.
Dense smoke from the blazes has filtered down from the mountains and has settled above Acapulco Bay, reported newspaper Quadratín Guerrero. Sparks and ashes from the fires have also caused alarm in several neighborhoods above the city.
As smokejumpers and local firefighters built fire lines to protect endangered houses, newspaper El Financiero reported that authorities warned residents to stay inside, keep away from doors, use towels or carpets to block the gaps at the bottom of doors and use masks as necessary. The state educational authorities also canceled classes at schools in Acapulco and state capital Chilpancingo on Thursday.
The Guerrero Civil Protection Ministry (SGRIPC) issued a statement on X early Thursday reporting on the battle against the blaze in the El Veladero National Park. The agency said firefighters would be assisted Thursday by helicopter water tanks from the Naval Ministry (SEMAR).
El Veladero, a 3,160-hectare ecological reserve due north of the port, is the scene of two of the four wildfires currently active in the Acapulco area.
The Navy has sent in helicopters with water tanks to help control the blaze. (SEMAR/X)
Acapulco Fire Department chief Raúl Noyola told El Sol de Acapulco newspaper that he expects an increase in fires through the end of May. Officials say a major reason for the increase in fires in the area — there have been more than 400 since December — is the damage done by Hurricane Otis when it slammed into Acapulco last October.
The Category 5 hurricane destroyed large sections of the city and wreaked havoc in the mountains above Acapulco, leaving behind large quantities of flammable materials. Whereas the typical fire season begins in March, Noyola explained, the combination of unseasonably high temperatures and enormous amounts of kindling saw Acapulco’s fire season begin in December.
The Guerrero state capital of Chilpancingo is also under threat from two forest fires. The National Forestry Commission (Conafor) on Wednesday reported that there were 80 active wildfires in 17 states across Mexico. The agency also reported 2,270 combatants were fighting the blazes, which covered 77,323 hectares. Sixteen of these conflagrations are in Natural Protected Areas (ANP).
The jaguar is making a comeback in Sonora as conservationists teach ranchers how to protect their cattle while preserving local wildcat populations. (USFWS) Big Cat Facts
While studying mineral deposits and rock formations in Sonora, geologist Chris Lloyd and his companions found themselves on a lonely road near the headwaters of the Yaqui River. Eventually, the road dead-ended, apparently in the middle of nowhere. But here Lloyd and his team came upon a campground.
“The campers were hunters,” Lloyd told me, “which I might expect, but the surprising thing was that the hunters were biologists and veterinarians and their rifles contained not bullets but darts.”
Ranchers and jaguars are learning to live peacefully together in the 24,400-hectare Northern Jaguar Reserve. (John Pint)
Still more surprising was what the men were hunting: jaguars.
“Every year,” Lloyd told me, “these hunters tranquilize the jaguars, weigh them, measure them and see how they are doing.”
That lonely campsite, it turned out, was located inside the Reserva Jaguar del Norte ( Northern Jaguar Reserve), a most unusual jaguar sanctuary: 24,400 hectares in size, with no surrounding fences around it.The biologists told the geologists that they worked regularly with cattle ranchers outside the Reserve, showing them better ways to manage their livestock.
“They’ve convinced them,” says Lloyd, “to create new water holes on their ranch land and not send all the cows off to one common hole where it would be easy for the jaguar just to sit and wait for dinner to arrive. They also reintroduced peccaries and explained to the ranchers: ‘Look, these peccaries are not for you to hunt, they’re for the jaguars to hunt — and then they’ll leave your cows alone.’”
The Río Cuchujaqui runs through a Biosphere Reserve, which hosts key species like pumas, jaguars, ocelots and kinkajous.
Other strategies suggested to the ranchers include moving cattle to better-guarded pastures and keeping pregnant cows near the ranch instead of out in the middle of nowhere. In some cases the simple construction of scarecrows or the use of cowbells can make a big difference.
Viviendo con Felinos (Living with Felines) is the name of another successful program initiated by conservationists in the area.
Cats caught by camera trap
Ranchers sign a contract not to hunt, trap or molest the great cats in their area, as well as the peccaries and deer that they prey on. Camera traps are then placed on their propertiesand the owners receive monthly payments — monetary or in the form of ranch goods — for photos of jaguars, ocelots, bobcats and mountain lions. In some cases this could add up to as much as 20,000 pesos per month, allowing some ranchers to stay in Mexico instead of being forced to seek work in the United States.
The photos of cats, taken on ranchers’ own properties, have impacted participants in this program. Some have named the feline visitors after their own children. Some have given them honorifics: Doña Eduarda, Don Julio and Don Pablo, for example. Thanks to the photographs, unknown potential threats have been transformed into welcome new members of the family.
Biologist Saúl Amador sets a camera trap. Mexican ranchers are paid for photos of big cats on their properties. (Naturalia)
Birth of the Sonora jaguar sanctuary
After years of pioneering work in Sonora by researchers like Carlos López and David Brown, authors of the book “Borderland Jaguars,” the Northern Jaguar Reserve became a reality in 2003, when Mexican NGO Naturalia purchased Rancho Los Pavos, which is 4,000 hectares in size.
Naturalia was founded in 1990 under the leadership of Dr. Bernardo Villa, a researcher at the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), to protect and conserve wild species and ecosystems in Mexico.
I asked Naturalia wildlife biologist Saúl Amador how they managed to raise the money to buy their first ranch land.
A little help from African Safari and Leonardo
“To purchase Rancho Los Pavos,” says Amador, “we held a campaign in Mexico City and other places, asking for donations. It was a big success! We received help from everywhere, including organizations like African Safari. On top of that, the Bank of Mexico created commemorative silver coins, whose sales really helped this project. Today this kind of support continues, as we expand the Protected Area. For example, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation is helping us buy and register our most recent properties: 1,800 hectares, which will become the Babizalito and Carrizal reserves.”
Ranchers discuss jaguars at an exhibit of photos taken by camera traps on their properties. (Naturalia)
Once Naturalia had bought the land and removed the cattle, the biologists initiated measures for conservation.
“Using camera traps,” Amador told me, “we observed not only jaguars but ocelots and pumas, as well as these animals’ prey, such as the collared peccary, whitetail deer and wild turkey.”
From desert tortoises to military macaws
Today, the species protected inside the Northern Jaguar Reserve include the neotropical river otter, badger, coyote, rattlesnake and desert tortoises, not to mention native bird species like the bald eagle, elegant trogon and military macaw. On top of that, the reserve is a stopover for migratory birds like the Cooper’s hawk and the willow flycatcher.
In other parts of Sonora, Naturalia works in the enchanting Sierra de Álamos-Río Cuchujaqui Biosphere Reserve, which covers almost 93,000 hectares and hosts a wealth of key species like puma, jaguar, ocelot and kinkajous.
The organization has also been working for seven years with Yaqui people in the Sierra del Bacatete reserve, helping them carry out big cat monitoring on their land and showing the community how to use camera traps.
Jaguars and ranchers walking together
“What are your plans for the future?” I asked Amador.
“Our new project,” replied the biologist, “is called Operation Jaguar. We want to replicate our Sonora successes in other parts of Mexico, starting in Nayarit and the Yucatán Peninsula. It’s the same idea. We want to talk to ranchers, not about eliminating cattle ranching but modifying some of their practices, which will also benefit their work.”
One Sonoran rancher summed up this unusual conservation project nicely:“We can achieve a balance between ranching and the preservation of native species. Jaguars and ranchers will walk together.”
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.
President López Obrador has accused those who oppose the controversial reform bill of being in the pockets of the banks who manage the current pension system. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s battle against neoliberalism continues as the June elections approach and his days as president dwindle. The most recent effort entails a significant proposed reform to Mexico’s pension system — one that he hopes will take effect on May 1, International Workers’ Day.
The reform bill aligns with AMLO’s increased public spending and extension of social programs but carries serious long-term implications. The president’s most well-known, and perhaps most efficacious, policy approach has been that of increasing public spending to strengthen the social safety net for Mexico’s most vulnerable populations — groups which have historically been underrepresented and overlooked in the Mexican political sphere.
From Jóvenes Construyendo El Futuro (Youth Building the Future) to a standard universal pension, AMLO and his government have raised the stakes in support of these groups, tripling welfare spending from US $8 billion at the start of the AMLO administration to $24 billion in 2024.
AMLO has doubled down further, promising a 25% increase in social spending for 2024, totaling US $30 billion during the election year. A coincidence? Probably not.
The support from the highest levels of Mexico’s government for these historically marginalized groups has reaped significant benefits for AMLO himself and for his party’s electoral success. Though Morena became an official political party only in 2014, it won Mexico’s highest elected office just four years later with AMLO’s presidential victory in 2018.
Today, 22 state governments out of Mexico’s 32 states are ruled by Morena. It’s hard to imagine Morena’s skyrocketing success without AMLO’s strategic use of social programs to get out the vote, especially among these underrepresented groups.
AMLO’s first mention of the pension reform occurred in 2020, but it was not formally announced until February 2024, alongside 20 additional reforms varying in terms of scope and significance. The topic of pension reform came to the forefront last week as the Chamber of Deputies’ Committee on Social Security voted on the proposal.
Put simply, the proposed reform seeks to amend Article 123 of the Mexican Constitution so that workers aged 65 and over who have contributed to the current retirement pension system (which went into effect in 1997) can receive a pension upon retiring that is equal to the employee’s most recent monthly salary but no higher than the average monthly salary of a Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) worker (around 16,777 Mexican pesos or US $983).
These pensions are for workers in the formal sector, meaning that retired workers must have some form of social security coverage — either from IMSS or from the Social Services and Security for State Employees Institute (ISSTE).
It’s important to note that only workers in the formal economy are eligible to receive pension funds, thus excluding a significant swath of Mexico’s population. According to data published in January, 53.6% of the economically active population nationwide is employed in the informal sector. However, in states in south and southeast Mexico, the rates of informal employment are substantially higher than the national average, such as in Oaxaca (73.7%), Guerrero (73.2%) and Tlaxcala (69.8%).
Mexico’s retirement savings system has undergone a significant shift in the past 30 years, in part due to the reform put forth in 1997 during Ernesto Zedillo’s term as president and into the subsequent presidential term of Felipe Calderón.
According to Interior Minister Luisa María Alcalde, prior to 1997, retirees received a monthly pension equal to their average salary for the previous five years before retiring. For example, if a formal worker averaged a 10,000-peso salary per month, their retirement pension equaled 10,000 pesos monthly. Presently, however, with the implementation of the 1997 reforms, a worker who earns 10,000 pesos per month will only receive a $2,700-peso monthly pension.
To fund this new pension scheme, AMLO’s administration has proposed the creation of a new public fund, the Fondo de Pensiones del Bienestar (Well-Being Pension Fund). The controversy is over where its money will come from.
These pension funds will be paid from accounts that have remained untouched for at least three years — meaning no withdrawals or deposits — and that belong to retirees aged 70 and over. These funds are currently held by the Administradora de Fondos para el Retiro (Retirement Funds Administration), more commonly referred to as Afore, and total around 40 billion Mexican pesos, equivalent to US $2.3 billion.
According to Alcalde, 0.4% of these accounts have been untouched for more than 10 years. AMLO did note, however, that protections will be in place so that workers or dependents who later claim their retirement funds after they have been seized will still be able to access them.
The Well-Being Pension Fund will also be funded by money saved by the government from reductions to expenses, the sale of unused government real estate and the collection of debts. The approval of this reform requires a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of Congress.
The opposition in Mexico has argued that the direct transfer of money into a new fideicomiso (trust) without judicial approval violates Article 14 of the Constitution.
AMLO contends that the current pension system is a monopoly, with 10 or so banks serving as the primary administrators of the funds. AMLO went so far as to say that these financial corporations are so powerful that they control Mexican media and are leading smear campaigns against the implementation of the reform, equating it to theft.
According to the president, these criticisms arise because the reform would harm the banks themselves, not the pension beneficiaries. The AMLO administration said that those opposing this reform and creating a “campaign of lies” against it are the same people who approved the “neoliberal reforms of Zedillo and Calderón.”
The reform was approved in committee on April 15, with 19 votes in favor and 10 votes against. The legislation was then sent to Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies for a vote two days later, when it was discovered that the legislation received differed substantially from the original legislation’s text.
For example, the legislation presented on April 17 stipulated that all individual accounts with Afore could be transferred to the new pension fund — not just those that have been inactive — a significant departure from the original legislation. The AMLO administration has significantly downplayed the error.
It is undeniable that Mexico’s pension system needs updating, but the reform must strike a balance “between social responsibility and fiscal sustainability,” must account for restrictions in the Mexican economy and must promote a structure that “supports macro stability and financial market development in Mexico.” AMLO is rushing to complete a campaign promise of reforming the pension system without fully considering the long-term implications and challenges that this reform will pose.
According to national statistics agency INEGI, in 2020, there were nearly 10 million people aged 65 and older in Mexico, constituting 7.7% of the country’s population. This number is expected to more than double by 2050 to 16.5% — which presents a significant challenge in providing retirement pensions, especially given the proposed reform.
AMLO’s priority seems to be on the short-term benefit: increasing the pension for the population of retirement age and thus securing their vote in the upcoming elections without adequately addressing the fact that this demographic will continue to grow substantially. The proposed reform is rushed, with some analysts arguing that it is a final push to ensure Morena’s victory come June.
But perhaps the real reason for the rush is to limit public discussion and scrutiny. Only a few weeks remain to determine the success of AMLO’s most recent effort at dismantling the neoliberal reforms of his predecessors and the consequences left in its wake.
Alexandra Helfgott works in the Office of Strategies at the Wilson Center, researching and writing about supply chains and energy. She also leads the Mexico Institute’s Elections Guide. Prior to joining the Wilson Center, Alexandra was a Fulbright García-Robles grantee in Mexico.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mexico News Daily, its owner or its employees.
This article was originally published by the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center.
A Hong Kong ship waits to unload Asian goods in Mexico. (SSA México)
The federal government has implemented new tariffs on hundreds of imports from countries with which it doesn’t have trade agreements, a move that appears mainly directed at China.
In a decree published on Monday, the government said that 5-50% tariffs would apply to 544 products across a range of categories including steel, aluminum, textiles, wood, footwear, plastics, chemicals, paper and cardboard, ceramics, glass, electrical material, transport material, musical instruments and furniture.
President López Obrador, right, met as recently with April 15 with representatives of the Chinese government. (Economy Ministry)
The tariffs — which took effect on Tuesday — will apply for two years, according to the decree, which was issued by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O and Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro.
Products from countries with which Mexico has trade agreements — including the United States, Canada, European Union nations and CTPPP signatories such as Australia, Chile, Japan and Vietnam — will not be affected by the new tariffs.
Buenrostro said Tuesday that the government’s aim is to “prevent unfair competition.”
“We have seen a lot of products coming [into the country] … at a very low price and displacing our national producers,” she said at a Council of the Americas event in Mexico City.
“… The prices for the public don’t go down, but [cheap imports] are displacing textile makers, footwear makers [and other manufacturers],” Buenrostro said.
The economy minister said that the imports of concern come from countries with which Mexico doesn’t have trade agreements. She didn’t specifically mention China but did say that the “undervalued” imports mainly come from Asia.
Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro, seen here Tuesday at an event organized by the Americas Society/Council of the Americas, said Wednesday that Mexico imposed the tariffs to “prevent unfair competition.” She did not specifically mention China. (Economy Ministry/X)
The government’s decree said that the decision to implement the tariffs — most of which were set between 25% and 35% — was made in consideration of a range of things, including the need to “provide certainty and fair-market conditions to all sectors that face situations of vulnerability, in order to allow the recovery of national industry, promote its development and support the internal market.”
It also said that the federal government has an “obligation to implement the necessary mechanisms that generate stability in national industry sectors and that allow trade distortions to be eliminated.”
In addition, the decree said that “due to the growing implementation of new trade models at the global level, such as the case of relocation (nearshoring), … it is necessary to implement concrete actions that allow a balanced interaction in the market, to avoid economic distortions that could affect the relocation of productive sectors that are considered strategic for the country.”
The government also said that the tariffs were aimed at “maintaining the competitiveness of the most sensitive industrial sectors, such as the electric, electronics, automotive and auto parts” industries.
López Obrador said in late March that steel-related issues were not weighing on Mexico’s trade relationships with the United States and China, and asserted that the government didn’t want to get involved in any kind of “war, not even a trade one.”
“In the marriage between Mexico and the United States, there is no place for a Chinese lover,” the economist and journalist began his column, published Wednesday.
“With a magnifying glass, Uncle Sam is reviewing Mexico’s relationship with the dragon. Our main trade partner has become increasingly possessive. It asks us for ‘proof of love’ over and over again. It offers us nearshoring as a prize,” González wrote.
In December, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, left, seen here with Mexico’s Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O, hammered out a deal with Mexico that the two countries would collaboratively review foreign investment in Mexico. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
He wrote that the United States has become “very demanding,” noting that U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen earlier this year “asked Mexico to create an authority to review foreign investment that arrives to Mexico.”
González also pointed out that U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai raised concerns about the possible entry to the United States of Chinese steel “disguised” as Mexican steel, and that Donald Trump “threatened to impede the entry of Chinese cars [to the U.S.] if they’re made in Mexico.”
“The demands don’t stop, and the Mexican government doesn’t want to place its marriage at risk. It’s doing the right thing. In that sense, we can understand the Economy Ministry’s recent decision to impose tariffs on 544 products, among which are footwear, plastic, electric material, musical instruments, furniture … and steel,” he wrote.
González noted that the Economy Ministry has been “careful” in its use of language by not specifically mentioning China, saying only that the tariffs would apply to imports from countries with which Mexico doesn’t have trade agreements.
“Why do we know that the measure refers to China? A clue … is that the majority of affected products … [are] considerable imports from China. … The highest tariff, of 50%, corresponds to products made with steel,” he wrote.
The El Economista managing editor noted that the new tariffs’ implementation was applauded by Mexico’s Confederation of Industrial Chambers, which said in a statement that the move “doesn’t constitute a protectionist measure but rather a necessary action to create a ‘level playing field'” by combating “unfair practices like dumping and subsidies.”
Imports waiting in shipping containers at the Port of Manzanillo in Colima.
In closing, González questioned whether the U.S. will be satisfied with the “proof of love” Mexico is offering.
A partial answer will arrive “in the coming weeks,” he wrote without elaborating on that prediction.
“It’s not a matter of Republicans or Democrats. Biden and Trump can be like water and oil on many issues, but on trade, they’re both protectionists, and on … China they share the diagnosis [that] it is Uncle Sam’s main competitor for global economic hegemony,” González said.
He noted that former Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo, now a member of presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez’s campaign team, has predicted that China will be “the main issue” when Mexico, the United States and Canada review their free trade agreement, the USMCA, in 2026.
“Continuing the amasiato [concubinage or partnership] with the dragon appears difficult,” González wrote. “Are we prepared to uncouple ourselves from China, even just a little bit?”
Few things in life are greater than Mexican food, a fact which the U.K. is currently discovering. (All photos by Bethany Platanella)
Leaving Mexico, whether for one day or ten, is always hard for me. It doesn’t matter what my destination is, I always want to return before I’ve even left.
So when the assistant to Rachel Brazier, the Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Mexico City, asked me to join their team on a food tour of Mexico City the day before I had to spend a long weekend in the U.S., I scrambled at the chance. No better way to say hasta luego to my favorite country than with curated bites of the capital’s secret culinary gems, am I right?
Rachel Brazier (left) sat down with Bethany Platanella, to eat tacos and talk about the U.K.
(For the record: I was right.)
Everything about the tour was superb, from the scheduling to the company to the smart selection of dishes. I now know where the best torta stand is located, where to get veggie tacos in my neighborhood, and my preferred flavors at Nevería La Michoacana.
What’s more, a burgeoning culinary relationship between Mexico and Britain was unveiled right before my very eyes.
I know what you’re thinking. There is no way I can possibly compare the cuisines of these two drastically different countries. But I’m here to tell you I can, and I will. Not by unsuccessfully attempting to link the flavor of fish and chips to tacos al pastor, but rather through the experience of a select few foodies who fell in love with Mexican food and are working to bring it to Good Old Blighty.
Let’s start our journey in London, where Mexican cuisine finally started making a significant splash with MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers’ first installment of her ever-growing chain Wahaca. This might come as a surprise, but the coveted menu was inspired by the year she spent cooking and living in Oaxaca. Forbes described the sustainably-focused creative cook’s eateries as the first “mainstream, authentic Mexican restaurants on the London scene.”
Around the same time, Mexico saw a spike in British tourism and a rise in demand for all things Mexican followed close behind. In 2017, Mexican celebrity chef Martha Ortíz opened her high-end Ella Canta in the buzzing British capital. English cook Fergus Chamberlain started a line of “real Mexican products” called Gran Luchito after an inspiring trip to Oaxaca. When I asked Wahaca’s Head of Food Jenny Idle if she thought the demand for Mexican food was still growing in the UK, her response was enthusiastic. “Completely! When Wahaca first started 15 years ago there was a big educational piece to do as customers had a very “Tex Mex” skewed view of Mexican food, thinking all tacos were hard shells (if they even knew what a taco was)! We see a lot more customers now who know, understand and love Mexican food, and its popularity continues to grow with the British population.”
She’s not wrong. At the time of writing, London’s biggest food and drink magazine Foodism had a feature article about dining in Los Cabos. Deputy editor Molly Codyre highlighted London’s “modern-Mexican” Zapotein a 2023 list of her favorite meals — in the world. In February of this year, Mexican-American actor Danny Trejo opened his vibey, casual taco shop Trejo’s Tacos in Notting Hill.
Needless to say, Mexico’s moment in the U.K. doesn’t seem to be losing steam.
But where did it start to sizzle?
Some say it was in the kitchen of English cookbook author Diana Kennedy.
Diana Kennedy is often touted as the English-language authority on Mexican cuisine. In order to complete her 9 books about the craft, she hopped in an old, white pickup truck and conquered dirt roads, potholes, hail storms and oppressive heat waves to discover the best dishes in Mexico’s most remote villages. She worked as an apprentice in local bakeries, scoured street markets, and even wrangled invitations to family dinners with strangers, all in the name of food.
It was through these intimate experiences that Kennedy learned the intricacies of Mexican cooking, along with her self-described tenacity and love of eating. She believed in tradition and immersion, which is why she moved to Michoacán from New York City after the death of her husband in 1967. She lived here in an adobe house, growing her own vegetables and grinding her own corn. She continued cooking and learning and teaching others how to master the art of Mexican cuisine until she passed at the ripe old age of 99.
“I would have loved to meet her,” says Rachel as we sink our teeth into our very first torta. The soft, chewy bread and lightly battered Oaxacan cheese stuffed poblano pepper fire up my taste buds. I immediately dive in for another bite before I’ve even swallowed the first. It’s nothing short of heaven. Rachel has been living in Mexico City with her family for just over a year after multiple postings in Latin America, the UK and the USA.
“It’s an amazing place for teens, my kids love it,” she informs me in between chews. Rachel’s experience as an expat in Mexico feels similar to mine, despite our vastly different professions. It’s happy, it’s easy, and it’s full of things to do. “I can get a coffee, go shopping, or see a movie within a few blocks of my place,” she beams. Like me, the lush greenery and expansive parks often cause her to forget that she’s in one of the world’s biggest cities.
This is a big statement from a woman with such an interesting life. Her father is a retired mapmaker and her mother a school teacher, meaning Rachel has been traveling extensively since she could walk. While her father measured his way around countries like Kenya and Botswana, the family got up close and personal with the wildlife. “I remember (in my young mind) living in the bush. Dad and all the guys jumped out of their tents in the middle of night and into Land Rovers to flash the lights and beep the horns to get rid of a pack of lions!”
With a childhood as exciting as Rachel’s, it comes as no surprise that her professional life would follow suit. In 2001 she landed a job with the British Embassy and her life in Latin America began. “My first gig was in Ecuador. I couldn’t believe how beautiful the landscape was. I loved the adventure of it — riding, mountain climbing, diving, white water rafting. And I loved the friendliness of the people.”
Her expertise in Latin America grew along with her command of Spanish, and she continued on to posts in Uruguay, New York, Colombia, and the UK, respectively. In 2023, Rachel and her family moved to Mexico.
As I try to enjoy the final chunk of my torta, comforted only by the fact that there is another stop for tacos after this, I wonder out loud “So, having lived in all these places and now in Mexico, what do you think of the food?” Her eclectic upbringing no doubt has introduced her to a variety of tastes and dishes and I’ve just got to know how Mexico ranks on her palette scale. Her facial expression says it all. “With the flavors, the spices, the creativity, you can’t get bored in Mexico.”
I lingered on that statement for a while before I decided not to clarify it. Maybe she’s talking about the food, or maybe she’s talking about life here. It doesn’t actually matter. However you dice it, Rachel is right. You simply can’t get bored in Mexico.
This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “UK in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.
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.
Susan Chapman MBE has spent her career championing British culture in Mexico. (Photos by Susan Chapman)
Susan Chapman arrived in Mexico City in late 1977 as a young mother of two small children and with a plan to stay for three years. She ended up staying for four decades, building bridges in the arts between Mexico and the English-speaking world and impacting countless people’s lives — culminating in the great accolade of becoming an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), bestowed upon Chapman by Her Majesty the Queen in 2005 for services towards the strengthening of cultural relations between Mexico and the United Kingdom.
Having now returned to live in the U.K., I ask Susan what she misses about Mexico, knowing the question is too large to answer. She starts small: the sound of the Mexican street callers, such as the knife sharpeners and ice cream vendors, widening out to the warmth and welcome she received when she arrived, and how it gradually thawed that classic British reserve and allowed her to create a life of meaning. Simply put, she says Mexico completed her and that she misses it tremendously.
From left to right: Mario Espinosa (theatre director), with Susan Chapman and actor Diego Luna.
Susan, the daughter of an academic clergyman of the Anglican Church and a ballet dancer, grew up immersed in music and performance from a young age. Once in Mexico City, she found community in musical groups, singing a classical oratorio repertoire in halls such as the UNAM’s Sala Nezahualcóyotl and the Palacio de Bellas Artes. In 1983, she founded a group of singers, instrumentalists and Renaissance dancers, Il Piacere, which was talent spotted by a French impresario who invited them to tour in France in the summer of 1989.
The catch was that he wanted them to perform Latin American 16th and 17th-century music, which no one had any experience with. Their director bowed out and they scrambled around for someone to take his place before clicking with a Peruvian musicologist. This was just a preview of what would become a lifelong theme of service to the arts and to the countries Susan called home.
Over the years, often on a shoestring budget and by pure force of will, Susan has arranged for artists to travel and perform, created scholarships for promising musicians and writers to gain access to the best training and brought performing artists together from different countries to play and learn from each other. She brought poet laureates, musicians, actors, dancers and prestigious choral groups to Mexico and assisted with education projects between visiting musicians and underprivileged children. Susan refused to ask artists to work for nothing, so, like so many other producers, would frequently have to brave the white-knuckle financial risk of filling a theater.
One of the organizations that enabled Susan to create such bilateral cultural projects, and for which she is deeply grateful, was the Anglo Mexican Cultural Institute (now the Anglo Mexican Foundation), founded in 1943 by the British government to provide English language teaching in Mexico. In the mid-1990s, Susan was asked by the board of the institute to design a cultural activities program, and when it turned out there was no one to run the program, she took over as a one-person department, which later became Anglo Arts.
Susan (right) has brought a wealth of British artistic talent to Mexico, including musician Brian Eno. (Misael Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
Susan worked out of the Anglo’s headquarters in the Colonia San Rafael, which had a small theater designed by actor Diego Luna’s father, Alejandro Luna. In the beginning, it was just Susan, her old typewriter and a desk, sitting in a corner of the library there. Twenty years later, they were a team of five people running a bilateral cultural program that saw constant activity and high-caliber talent.
As with so much of Susan’s story, her next steps could be described as surprising and in hindsight, self-evident. She began to bring actors and directors from the U.K. to perform in Mexico and in 2002, in collaboration with the British actor Stuart Cox, founded a Shakespeare Competition for English language schools. Students performed Shakespeare’s plays for a chance to visit and perform on the stage at Shakespeare’s original theater, The Globe, in London.
I mention to Susan that I remember attending the season of plays at The Globe to celebrate Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary and watching a brilliant Mexican troupe perform through a freak May hailstorm. Not only did she tell me which play it was — Henry the IV Part I — but also that she helped bring the troupe over in collaboration with Mexico’s National Theater Company and that she was also there in the audience. It seemed a fantastic coincidence that we were both standing there watching a Mexican Falstaff prance around the stage while the brass band played and the heavens opened up.
Such was its success that when the troupe returned to Mexico, with the support of the National Institute of Fine Arts (INBA), Susan helped organize the construction of a replica Globe theater to be built in the Zócalo, so those in Mexico City could enjoy the performance. In collaboration with the international program of the Royal Court Theater in London, Susan also paved the way for a Mexican play, “A Soldier in Every Son,” by the actor and dramaturge Luis Mario Moncada, to be translated, directed and produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford.
Winner and runners up of the Anglo Shakespeare Competition.
It seems like wherever there was an opportunity to provide a platform for the arts, Susan was right there, getting it built by whatever means necessary. When the room in Frida Kahlo’s Blue House was unlocked to reveal her fantastical wardrobe, Susan was part of the team that ensured the world would see it.
Diego Rivera had decreed that Frida’s wardrobe stay locked up for 20 years, though it ended up being far longer than that because the room was simply forgotten about. Inside were delicate dresses, accessories and corsets that were unique to Frida Kahlo, and Susan became deeply involved with the dream that the collection might one day be loaned to the V&A Museum in London. What seemed like a straightforward plan ended up taking years of negotiating and countless diplomatic dinner parties, but her love of the arts eventually prevailed and the exhibition continues to tour the world.
As I speak to Susan from her study in England, she looks down at her extensive list of collaborations and accomplishments, of which we’ve only touched on here, with a sense of bafflement at how it all came together. It seems clear that her love of artistic expression opened the doors for her and so many others, and she is full of gratitude for having had the chance to work with such amazing artists.
Susan is currently in the process of arranging for a young group of musicians by the name of The Paddington Trio to perform in Mexico in October 2024. Where they will play has yet to be confirmed, but no doubt Susan will make it happen.
This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “UK in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.
Sasha Frost is a writer, illustrator, and animator. He can currently be found exploring the art and food scenes of Mexico City. When not out in the world, he’s telling stories online at www.sashafrost.com and on IG @sashafrost_art.
Fruit and vegetable prices are up 18.22% compared to the same period of April 2023.
(Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
The headline inflation rate in Mexico was higher than expected in the first half of April, rising to an annual rate of 4.63% from 4.42% in March, official data showed.
However, the closely watched core rate, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, continued its downward trend, falling to 4.39% from 4.55% in March. The core rate of inflation has declined for 14 consecutive months and is now at its lowest level since May 2021.
The higher-than-expected headline inflation reading increases the probability that the Bank of Mexico board will vote to maintain the bank’s benchmark interest rate at 11%. (Cuartoscuro)
As reported by the national statistics agency INEGI on Wednesday morning, the annual headline inflation rate in the first half of the month was 0.16 percentage points above the consensus forecast of analysts polled by Citibanamex. The 4.63% reading is the highest since January when the headline inflation rate rose for a third consecutive month to reach 4.88%.
Inflation increased 0.09% in the first 15 days of April compared to the second half of March. Analysts had predicted that the rate would decline 0.06%.
The higher-than-expected headline inflation reading increases the probability that the Bank of Mexico board will vote to maintain the bank’s benchmark interest rate at 11% at its next monetary policy meeting on May 9. Last month, the board voted to cut the key interest rate by 25 basis points, making the first reduction to borrowing costs in over three years.
Bank of Mexico Deputy Governor Jonathan Health told Reuters last week that the benchmark rate would likely remain unchanged at 11% for longer than expected by markets.
The central bank targets an annual headline inflation rate of 3% with tolerance for one percentage point in either direction.
What categories have the highest rates of inflation in Mexico?
INEGI data showed that services were 5.21% more expensive in the first half of April as compared to a year earlier. Within that category, housing costs rose 3.73% annually, tuition jumped 6.36% and “other services,” including restaurants, doctors’ fees and mobile phone costs, were 6.18% more expensive.
Meanwhile, prices for agricultural products rose 6.98% compared to the first half of April 2023. Higher prices for fruits and vegetables were responsible for the increase. They cost 18.22% more than a year earlier and almost 3.4% more than in the second half of March.
An annual 1.5% decline in meat prices kept inflation in the agricultural products category below 7%.
INEGI also reported that goods in general were 3.72% more expensive in the first half of the month compared to 12 months ago. Prices for processed food, beverages and tobacco rose 4.85% while the cost of non-food goods increased 2.38%.
Energy prices, including those for gasoline and electricity, increased 4.01% annually.
It can be hard to reconcile having a pool and helping the environment, but don't worry, there are plenty of companies in Mexico who can help you do so in an eco friendly manner.(Biopiscinas México).
When picturing eco-friendly pools, you may envision a natural or “bio” pool, free from chemicals and beneficial to the environment. These stylish and beautiful water features are undeniably one of the most popular emerging trends in sustainable architecture today. However, eco-friendly pools can take various forms and aren’t always as easy to install and operate as we might like.
A truly eco-friendly pool should be efficient in terms of water efficiency, energy usage, water recycling, materials, and reducing carbon footprint. Managing to do all this can be quite the challenge, however.
Keeping your pool eco friendly is more than a matter of which chemicals are used in cleaning. (CC)
But what are the factors that truly make a pool green?
Water efficiency: An eco-friendly pool will significantly reduce water consumption through the use of filtration and recirculation technologies, water treatment, and disinfection systems. One of the most notable benefits of eco-friendly pools in terms of water efficiency is their ability to conserve water, reducing the need for frequent water changes, which is vital in a drought stricken country like Mexico. Additionally, these pools minimize water loss through techniques such as covering the pool when not in use to reduce evaporation, utilizing rainwater harvesting systems for filling or topping off the pool, and implementing advanced filtration systems that require less maintenance.
Electricity: Lighting, filtration, water recirculation, water treatment, disinfection and heating and cooling a pool require energy. When it comes to lighting, LED lamps are a great option as they can reduce energy consumption by up to 97% compared to halogen bulbs. Using variable speed pumps for water recirculation can save up to 65% of electricity usage by adjusting the pump speed based on the pool’s actual needs. For water treatment, methods like neolysis, which combines salt electrolysis with ultraviolet radiation for efficient and sustainable water treatment, are effective ways to reduce chemical usage. Additionally, using sand or glass as filter media can provide greater efficiency and savings.
Recycling and materials: Options such as container pools, made from large rectangular transport containers, are a trending choice for functional pools. Prefabricated modular panels and stainless steel pools are also good choices due to their reusability and recyclability.
Modern technology has made it easier than ever to clean your pool. (Piscinas ecológicas México).
Green Carbon: Opt for using local companies and materials and inquire about the carbon footprint of the supply chain behind the construction of your pool.
Ways to ensure an eco-friendly pool in Mexico
Before sharing some options for creating your eco-friendly pool in Mexico, we want to introduce the main types of green pools available in the market so that you can choose the best one for your space.
Type 1
High-tech water treatment pools:
These pools utilize advanced technology in various aspects, particularly for water treatment. They often incorporate UV technology processes, nanocrystals and free radicals, according to sustainable construction company Arquitectura Verde. Additionally, modern technology is much more energy efficient, meaning that less power is needed to operate.
Type 2
Bio pools:
Bio pools are essentially natural pools that utilize plants to purify the water. This option is extremely environmentally friendly as it requires minimal cleaning, typically a few times a year, and has almost zero maintenance; you will only need to remove leaves, which can be done once a week. The need for separate areas for swimming and the natural cleaning system does necessitate a space of at least 40 square meters, making it unsuitable for smaller spaces.
No matter where you are in Mexico, there are plenty of businesses that can help you get the perfect eco pool. (CP Hoffman)
If an eco friendly pool interests you, there are a number of Mexican companies who can help make your dreams a reality:
With distributors in places like Mexico City (CDMX), Nuevo León, Oaxaca, San Luis Potosí, and Quintana Roo, Alsec has over 45 years of experience and has been creating eco pools for decades.
Based in Mérida, Yucatán, Arq Cast offers construction services for conventional pools, with a focus on resource efficiency, as well as natural pools with beautiful designs.
This Cancún based firm offers both types of pools: eco friendly pools and bio pools. They have the expertise to design the best solution for your spaces with maximum efficiency. Run by an architect, Piscinas Ecológicas Cancún put a lot of focus on landscaping.
Biopiscinas Ameyalli are built under the Austrian patent registered in 1987, and applied in thousands of bio pools in Europe. Founded as Biopiscinas Tepoztlán, they now offer their products all over Mexico, thanks to a dedicated team of professionals.
Considering the environment and your budget, eco-friendly pools are a great option that offers comfort and beauty. They provide various benefits, such as regulating the temperature in your space and enhancing your daily life.
Which type of pool do you prefer?
Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator for various outlets including Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.
