When Mexico makes you grumpy

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June 25, 2024

annoying things in Mexico make this cat upset. — It's surprisngly easy to turn into this grumpy cat when you're having a bad day. Take a second, breathe and embrace the chaos of life in Mexico. (Niranjan/Unsplash)

Life in Mexico can be pretty great, but sometimes little, nagging, annoying things can get on top of you. A couple of weeks ago, I went to eat with a friend of mine, a fellow foreigner. It had been a while, and we were looking forward to catching up.

But the circumstances were bumpy, Mexico-style.

First, there was the question of parking: all tiny, hard-to-get-to spaces. The valet was available, but, my friend explained he was very against someone else driving his car. Successfully parked at last, we finally went in.

Mexico: The land of minorly annoying things

A tiny valet parking in Guanajuato city — Parking in Mexico — especially in Guanajuato city — can be a challenge at times. (ISSEG)

In the cafe at last, the the chairs we were led to wound up being too small for comfort. No matter — we moved to a booth. Then the lunch special was not valid that day. After that, it turned out we needed silverware. By the time the waiter brought out my friend’s soup with his main dish, he’d had it.

“Don’t you think it’s silly to bring out both of these dishes at the same time when the soup should clearly come first?” he snapped.

The waiter didn’t know how to respond, and was almost certainly not paid enough to mount a defense, anyway.

When the grouchy bug bites

Here’s one thing the lifestyle guides don’t always tell you: it’s easy to get grouchy in Mexico.

Oh, let me count the ways!

Pipa distributing drinking water in Toluca — Sometimes, your water will go out. Sometimes it might be your power. Learn to roll with the punches and life will go so much smoother. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro))

The electricity, and/or water, and/or internet go out (or all three at once, if you’re particularly unlucky). That happens, of course, but here they keep charging you as if there’d been no break in service at all.

You get excited about trying something on the menu, but the restaurant doesn’t actually have it right then (this happens a lot). Then they don’t have the next thing you want to try, either.

Nobody has change, even for relatively small bills, pretty much ever. Good luck breaking that 500, my friend.

The bathrooms are super tiny and the toilets don’t always flush.

No matter how much you prepare, you’re going to need other documents for your trámite. You’ll definitely have to leave to get them and return another day.

And when you’re grouchy, it’s extra easy to be…not the nicest person. Where does that get us? Grouchy and scowled at, that’s where. “What’s that guy’s problem?” people might think.

Learning to take it easy (for real)

A few weeks ago, Travis Bembenek (Mexico News Daily’s co-owner) wrote about the “Mexican stress test.” In it, he detailed some of the many ways that, if you’re already having a kind of frustrating day, can get you even more frustrated. This particular case had to do with the loss of power. But it can be anything, really.

Most of these opportunities for exasperation result from unmet expectations. Why won’t things or people simply work the way they’re supposed to? We could get mad every hour of every day if we wanted to.

Anyone can be an asshole. But boy, does it stick out when you’re in a country where most people fall over themselves to be polite and accommodating.

So the most urgent question for us is this: how can we adjust our expectations instead of freaking out like we love to do?

Most people tend to describe themselves as easygoing, go-with-the-flow kinds of people. “Walking the walk,” of course, is a different story.

Even though they’re pay-to-use, public toilets sometimes leave something (a lot) to be desired. (Mario Nulo/Cuartoscuro)

The first step, I believe, is to prepare yourself. People are not going to do things the way you think they should be done. They’re just not.

So keep that in mind, and see how others respond to the same types of setbacks; you might pick up some good tips.

Remember, too, that getting all worked up doesn’t usually accomplish anything, especially here. Mexicans will often say, “He who angers, loses.” In a lot of ways that’s true. You not only “lose” your own cool, but people who could help you are much less likely to help you if you’re rude and huffy about it.

Expressing your anger to strangers is like trying to ram into someone with your parking break on. It’s not going to happen, and it will frustrate you even more.

When we finished our meal, a trickster god had another surprise in store for us: there was a car blocking our exit. A Mexican driver would have pulled out front and made their escape. But my friend didn’t feel confident about avoiding a bump with another car in the tiny space.

So, after a derisive “of course” laugh, I got out and politely asked the valet to move it. After a few minutes, he did, and we dislodged ourselves.

No doubt you’ve experienced some annoying things in Mexico too — have I missed any?

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

Government says construction on Jaguar Park in Tulum will be done in 2 months

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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An overhead view of buildings in Jaguar Park in Tulum — Officials announced that if the project proceeds on schedule, construction will be completed within two months. (Román Meyer Falcón/Facebook)

Construction of the 2.5-billion-peso (US $140 million) Jaguar National Park in Tulum, Quintana Roo, should be complete within two months, government officials said, despite delayed environmental permits for a military-built luxury hotel in the park.

After a recent visit to the new park, Román Meyer Falcón, the head of the Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development Ministry (Sedatu), said the development of the site located in northeastern Tulum is 92% complete, the newspaper La Jornada Maya reported on Sunday.

On June 16, however, the tourism website Reportur revealed that the failure to carry out an environmental impact report for a US $38 million hotel project in the park was drawing criticism.

The Defense Ministry (Sedena) began building the luxury hotel last year on a site adjacent to an old Navy aerodrome. Critics immediately expressed concern that construction was moving ahead rapidly before an environmental impact review had been released. The review, known as an MIA, is a federally mandated procedure.

As a result of rising criticism, Sedena recently formally petitioned the Environment Ministry (Semarnat) to conduct an MIA.

Over the weekend, Meyer said the park project is presently focused on the museum, which is being built on the grounds of the old aerodrome that was incorporated into the park grounds after a lengthy process of reforestation. The reconstruction of the old aerodrome will also include the park’s administrative buildings.

An aerial view of Jaguar Park facilities in Tulum, Quintana Roo. — The majority of the park facilities have been built. (Sedatu)

The museum area will also feature six “windows to the sea,” access to footpaths and bicycle paths, and a nearby lighthouse will be restored.

Park infrastructure has largely been modernized to improve the experience for visitors to both the park and Maya archaeological sites in and around Tulum, as well as to facilitate connectivity to the Maya Train.

Jaguar Park comprises nearly 2,250 hectares encompassing numerous protected natural areas such as beaches, forests, the Tulum Archaeological Zone and the Tulum National Park. The area is home to at least 966 species of flora and fauna, including 60 endemic species that can’t be found elsewhere. Construction on the project began in 2022 and the park was originally scheduled to be operational by February.

With reports from La Jornada Maya and Reportur

Canada opens 3 new visa application centers in Mexico

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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The flags of Canada and Mexico — In the first six months of the year, Mexico exported over US $9 billion worth of goods to Canada. (Shutterstock)

The government of Canada has opened three new visa application centers (VACs) in Mexico to help relieve the high volume of applications at the current facility in Mexico’s capital.

The new VACs will be in Monterrey, Nuevo León, and Guadalajara, Jalisco. Canada will also open a second visa center in Mexico City.

“With these new centres, Mexico will have four VACs located in the country’s three largest metropolitan areas,” the Canadian government said in a statement. “This will make it easier for Mexican nationals to provide biometrics to come to Canada if required, and support travel and people-to-people ties between the two countries, while also preserving the integrity of Canada’s immigration system.”

This decision comes four months after the Canadian government announced it would tighten its entry requirements for Mexican visitors. Before, Mexicans only needed an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter the country.

With the updated guidelines, those who hold a valid visa for the United States or who have had a Canadian visa in the last 10 years can enter the country by air with an eTA.

At the time, the Canadian government said this move responds to the increasing number of asylum applications from Mexican citizens.

A closeup of a Canadian visa. — The recent rule change requires most Mexicans to obtain a visa before entering Canada. (Shutterstock)

Unlike the eTA, obtaining a visa involves a longer process. Reportedly, the current estimated processing time at the Canadian Embassy in Mexico is approximately 40 days.

In most cases, applicants in Mexico must now undergo biometric data collection — an additional step that contributes to the overall wait time. This data is collected at the VACs, which Canadian officials said are run by private companies that have contracts with the government of Canada.

The Canadian visa application fee is 100 Canadian dollars (US $73), with an additional 85 Canadian dollar (US $62) fee for biometric data collection.

With reports from Infobae

Woman returns US $4 thrift store vase to Mexico after realizing it’s an ancient Maya artifact

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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Closeup of an ancient Maya vase with red figures painted on clay — The vase that Anna Lee Dozier bought for US $3.99 at a Maryland thrift store turned out to be worth far more than she ever suspected. (Estebán Moctezuma Barragán/X)

An ancient Maya vase, bought for US $3.99 at a thrift store in Maryland, is among 20 archaeological artifacts being repatriated to Mexico, thanks to a U.S. woman who discovered its true value years after purchasing it.

Anna Lee Dozier stumbled upon the ceramic vase on a clearance shelf by the checkout at a thrift store about 10 minutes from her Washington, D.C., home. “In my work, I travel a lot to Mexico, and this item caught my eye because it looked different than the things on the shelf, but it also was recognizably from Mexico,” Dozier recounted on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) radio show “As It Happens.”

A woman and two men pose with a table filled with a Maya vase and other artifacts that are being returned to Mexico. — Dozier poses with Mexican Ambassador to the U.S. Esteban Moctezuma Barragán (right) at a ceremony to return the vase. (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores)

“Since it’s a country that I work [in] and it’s really important to me, I thought it would be just a nice little thing to take home and put on the shelf and to remind me of Mexico,” she added on the National Public Radio (NPR) show “All Things Considered.”

Believing it was a 20- or 30-year-old tourist souvenir, she displayed the piece in her home library.

Dozier works for the human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide and is often in Mexico. On a visit earlier this year to Mexico City’s National Museum of Anthropology, Dozier began to suspect the vase’s true age and significance.

“As I was walking through, it just occurred to me that some of the things that I was looking at looked very similar to what I had at home,” she said.

Following advice from museum staff, she contacted the Mexican embassy upon her return to the United States.

After an authentication process, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico confirmed that the vase was indeed an ancient artifact from the Maya Classic period.

Experts dated it between 200 and 800 A.D. — a period that historians widely regard as the height of the Maya civilization, which declined after drought, infighting and eventually European conquest, among other factors.

A Maya vase along with other clay pottery and stone masks made by ancient Indigenous people in Mexico. — The archaeological relics returned to Mexico included more than a dozen pieces from a variety of pre-Colombian cultures. (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores)

“Congratulations, it is real. And we would like it back,” read the email from the embassy.

The vessel was handed over to Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S., at a ceremony last week at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C.

In recent years, the Mexican government has intensified efforts to recover its cultural heritage, resulting in the retrieval of over 13,500 objects from abroad — including 35 artifacts from the Seattle area two weeks ago and 22 items from a Philadelphia family last month.

Along with the vase, the other 19 archaeological pieces coming back to Mexico this time are from various anonymous sources. They span multiple periods and pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Mexica, Teotihuacán and Totonac.

For Dozier, returning the vase was never about monetary gain.

“Giving it back feels so much better than it would if I put it on eBay and got a bunch of money,” she said.

In Mexico, the vase will undergo further examination to determine its specific use and significance before potentially being displayed in a museum.

With reports from NPR, CBC and The Guardian

Heavy rain is in the forecast across Mexico this week

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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People shelter from the rain under umbrellas and ponchos in Mexico City — Mexico City pedestrians take shelter under umbrellas and ponchos during Sunday's rain, which is expected to continue through the week. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais/Cuartoscuro)

After Tropical Storm Alberto brought respite from the sweltering heat waves, the Mexican National Meteorological Service (SMN) has forecast a week of heavy rain across Mexico.

Torrential rainfall (150 to 250 millimeters) is expected on Monday in the western states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán, and the mountains of the Sierra Madre Occidental.

Chiapas, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Morelos, Nayarit, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Oaxaca, Puebla and Veracruz will experience heavy rain (75 to 150 mm) along with Chihuahua, the state of Mexico, Hidalgo, Querétaro, Tabasco, Tamaulipas, Sonora and Yucatán, according to the forecast.

The rest of the country may experience isolated showers and rain that will continue until the week’s end.

Towards the weekend, a highly active tropical wave is anticipated to approach the southeast, east, center and south of the country, possibly evolving into a tropical cyclone and causing substantial rainfall.

The National Meteorological Service (SMN) warns that the heaviest rains may be accompanied by lightning, strong winds and hail, and could cause flooding in low-lying areas. Residents should remain alert to instructions from Civil Protection.

A mist of rain covers a cityscape of the capital of Cuernavaca. — A rainy Sunday in Cuernavaca. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

Despite the rain, some states in the northwest, north, northeast and southeast of Mexico will continue to experience hot weather with temperatures ranging between 32 and 40 degrees Celsius. The SMN forecast scorching temperatures of 45 C for the border of Sonora and Baja California with Arizona.

On the other hand, strong to very strong winds are expected in the northwest, with potential whirlwinds forming in Chihuahua, Sonora, and Tamaulipas. Waterspouts may also form on the coast of Michoacán.

Factors influencing the weather conditions include low pressure systems over most of the country, upper-level divergence, moisture flow from both coasts, the monsoon trough near the Mexican South Pacific coasts and a new tropical wave south of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Alberto brings relief to parched northern Mexico

Alberto, which made landfall in Tamaulipas early Thursday morning and quickly downgraded to a tropical depression, has helped to somewhat alleviate the water crisis in the northeast.

In Tamaulipas, the heavy rainfall has helped replenish its main reservoirs, with the Vicente Guerrero dam seeing the most significant recovery compared to the levels before the storm. On Sunday, the National Water Commission (Conagua) reported that Vicente Guerrero dam was 18.1% full, while Marte R. Gómez dam reported the highest water levels at 37.7%.

In Nuevo León, a state heavily affected by drought, Conagua reported on Monday that three of its dams were over 50% full: La Boca reservoir at 95.06%, Cerro Prieto at 51.55%, and El Cuchillo at 80.16%.

With reports from Infobae, Milenio and Meteored

Chinese EV maker BYD says planned Mexico plant will create 10,000 jobs

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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BYD car in production — According to the Chinese company's Mexico director, the proposed BYD EV plant would generate 10,000 jobs. (BYD México)

BYD’s proposed operations in Mexico will create around 10,000 jobs, the Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer’s local chief told Bloomberg.

Jorge Vallejo, the general director of BYD México, told the news agency last week that the company is in final negotiations over the location of its planned EV plant in Mexico.

Jorge Vallejo, director of BYD México, speaks at a press event — Jorge Vallejo, the general director of BYD México, told Bloomberg that the planned BYD EV plant in Mexico would create 10,000 jobs. (BYD México)

He said that an official announcement on the facility is expected in the coming months.

Bloomberg reported that Vallejo didn’t say how many of the approximately 10,000 workers would be directly employed by the BYD plant in Mexico and how many would work for the automaker’s contractors and suppliers.

It noted that a plant with 10,000 workers would employ more people than the facilities of some automakers with an established presence in Mexico.

The country’s largest automotive plant — Volkswagen’s facility in Puebla — employs 6,100 assembly line workers, 5,000 supervisory employees and thousands of other people who handle parts assembly, according to Bloomberg.

Puebla's Volkswagen manufacturing plant — Puebla’s Volkswagen manufacturing plant, which has been in operation for 55 years. (Volkswagen México)

Vallejo said that 23 of Mexico’s 32 states have attempted to lure BYD with proposals to host the company’s plant. He said the company has narrowed its options to three states.

Federal officials told Reuters in April that pressure from United States authorities had led the Mexican government to refuse to offer incentives such as low-cost public land and tax cuts to Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers planning to invest in Mexico.

In February, when BYD confirmed it would open a plant in Mexico, Vallejo said that the company was looking at parts of the country where there is already an established automotive sector. He said the automaker was seeking the location with the “best conditions,” taking things such as local infrastructure and the availability of labor into account.

BYD Americas CEO Stella Li told Reuters in February that the Shenzhen-based company would make 150,000 vehicles per year for the Mexican market at its proposed plant.

BYD Shark model hybrid pickup — BYD launched its first hybrid pickup truck model (Shark) in Mexico last month. (BYD México)

“Our plan is to build the facility for the Mexican market, not for the export market,” she said.

Sales of Chinese vehicles increased significantly in Mexico last year, but two of five Chinese automakers for which national statistics agency INEGI provides data saw their sales decline on an annual basis in the first five months of the year.

Vallejo told Bloomberg that BYD is on track to sell 50,000 vehicles in Mexico this year. In the last quarter of 2023, BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s largest EV manufacturer by sales, but most of its customers are in China.

As the company seeks to increase its sales in other countries, it launched its first-ever pickup truck model — the BYD Shark — in Mexico last month.

With reports from Bloomberg

President-elect Sheinbaum confirms she will support military control of National Guard

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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National Guard members salute during the inauguration of new facilities in Oaxaca on Sunday. — President-elect Sheinbaum confirmed her support for military control of the country's top civilian security force during the inauguration of new National Guard facilities in Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca.(lopezobrador.org.mx)

President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has reiterated her view that the National Guard should be part of Mexico’s military.

In February, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) sent a constitutional reform proposal to Congress that aims to reincorporate the National Guard (GN) into the Defense Ministry (Sedena).

López Obrador, who inaugurated the National Guard as a civilian security force on July 1, 2019, placed the guard under Sedena’s control in 2022. The Supreme Court ruled in April 2023 that the transfer of responsibility from the civilian Security Ministry after the modification of secondary laws was unconstitutional.

At an event with the president on Sunday to inaugurate new National Guard facilities in Oaxaca, Sheinbaum said that starting Oct. 1, it was up to her government to “continue strengthening and consolidating the National Guard as part of the Defense Ministry with the constitutional reform that is before the Congress.”

She will be sworn in as Mexico’s first female president on Oct. 1, while the new Congress — in which the ruling Morena party and its allies will be in a strong position to pass a range of constitutional reforms proposed by AMLO — will commence on Sept. 1.

Therefore, it is possible that recently-elected lawmakers will have approved the proposal to put the National Guard under military command by the time Sheinbaum takes office. To do so, the Morena-led coalition will require the support of a few opposition senators as it fell just short of a two-thirds majority in the Senate.

President-elect Sheinbaum stands in a row with President López Obrador and military and National Guard officials — President-elect Sheinbaum accompanied President López Obrador and military officials at the event Sunday in Oaxaca. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

Sheinbaum said Sunday that the National Guard, “in just five years, already has the recognition of the people of Mexico,” although insecurity remains a problem in various parts of the country and homicide numbers, while declining, are still very high.

She also said that the National Guard, which has more than 130,000 members, “has the objective of … looking after the people of Mexico with discipline, honesty and dedication, [while] providing justice and peace.”

“… Thank you to everyone who is part of this noble institution. Long live the National Guard,” Sheinbaum said during her address at the event held just south of Oaxaca city.

The president-elect, who has previously indicated support for all of the constitutional reform proposals AMLO sent to Congress in February, is committed to maintaining the current government’s security strategy, under which employment and welfare programs seek to address poverty, lack of opportunity and other root causes of crime.

Marines and National Guard on a beach in Cancún — Though the National Guard is not currently under military command, the two security forces regularly work hand-in-hand. (Cuartoscuro)

López Obrador, who has argued that the National Guard needs to be under the control of the military to prevent corruption and guarantee the force’s professionalism, said Sunday that he was very pleased to hear Sheinbaum’s commitment vis-à-vis the security institution his government created.

“You can imagine the pleasure it gave me to hear … the president-elect of Mexico, the soon-to-be constitutional president and commander of the armed forces, announcing a moment ago that the National Guard is going to form part of the structure of the Ministry of National Defense, as it should,” he said.

“It’s very good news,” added the president, who has relied on the military for a broad range of tasks including public security, infrastructure construction and the management of customs, ports and airports.

Amnesty International warned before the National Guard was put under military control in 2022 that doing so would lead to more human rights violations. Opposition parties also opposed the move.

The National Guard, which effectively replaced the now-defunct Federal Police, has been criticized for lacking the capacity to investigate crimes, and the conduct of some of its members has been the subject of criminal investigations. Guardsmen have been accused of a range of crimes including sexual assault, kidnapping and murder.

With reports from La Jornada and Reforma

Peso stronger, prices higher as June comes to a close

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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Mexican pesos and US dollars — The peso began to recover this week from its value dipped following Trump's tariff threats. (Shutterstock)

The Mexican peso appreciated to below 18 to the US dollar on Monday morning after data showed that inflation was higher than expected in the first half of June.

Bloomberg data shows that the peso reached 17.88 to the greenback at 11:45 a.m. Mexico City time just hours after the national statistics agency INEGI reported that annual headline inflation in Mexico was 4.78% in the first 15 days of June, up from 4.59% in the previous two-week period and 4.69% across May.

Vendor and customers at a fruit and vegetable market stall — A stubbornly high inflation rate helped boost the peso, as it seems likely the Bank of Mexico will maintain its 11% key rate. (Cuartoscuro)

The currency, which closed at 18.11 to the greenback on Friday, also benefited from a slight general weakening of the dollar.

The inflation rate in the first half of the month is 0.05 percentage points higher than the 4.73% median forecast of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

The higher-than-expected reading increases the probability that the Bank of Mexico board — which is targeting 3% inflation — will vote to maintain the central bank’s official interest rate at 11% at its monetary policy meeting this Thursday.

Such a decision would benefit the peso as it would not narrow the differential between the Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest rate and that of the United States Federal Reserve, currently set at a 5.25%-5.5% range.

Posted currency exchange rates outside of a bank — The peso has been trending stronger since Sheinbaum announced her cabinet picks last week. (Cuartoscuro)

The peso has benefited for an extended period from the wide gap between official interest rates in the two countries, but it took a hit after the results of the June 2 elections in Mexico put the ruling Morena party in a strong position to approve a package of constitutional reform proposals President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sent to Congress earlier this year.

The currency strengthened late last week after President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced her first cabinet picks, including Marcelo Ebrard as economy minister. Even with the additional appreciation on Monday morning, however, the peso remains over 5% weaker than it was before the elections.

High prices for fresh produce and services fuel inflation

INEGI data shows that inflation for fruit and vegetables, and services, remains stubbornly high.

Fruit and vegetables were 17.28% more expensive in the first 15 days of the month than in the first half of June 2023.

Annual inflation for agricultural products more broadly was 8.99%. That figure was tempered by the comparatively low 2.46% inflation rate for meat.

The price of some fresh produce increased significantly compared to the previous two-week period, as drought continues to have an impact on food prices.

Chayotes, for example, were 79% more expensive than in the second half of May, while prices for oranges increased 19% and lettuce and cabbage were 15% dearer. Banana prices spiked 11%, while avocados were almost 8% more expensive.

Meanwhile, annual inflation for services was 5.19% in the first half of June, while processed food, beverages and tobacco were 4.28% more expensive.

Electricity prices including gasoline increased 4.74%, while non-food goods were 2.18% more expensive.

The closely-watched annual core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, was 4.17% in the first half of June, up from 4.11% in the second half of May, but down from 4.21% across last month.

Hand squeezing lime juice on plate of tacos — Some taco stands are now serving tacos “sin cilantro” due to inflation pushing up the cost of the herb. (Cuartoscuro)

The rate was slightly lower than the 4.18% median forecast of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Jessica Roldán, chief economist at the Finamex brokerage, said that the headline inflation rate was “worse than expected because the reported increase in the fruits and vegetables component was much greater than anticipated.”

The impact of those prices on inflation could “last for longer not only because of the prolonged period of dry weather that we’ve seen, but because in the future other factors — such as stronger rains in parts of the country — could also affect crops,” she said.

Recent depreciation of the peso will also influence Banxico’s rate decision

In addition to inflation — which has been on the rise since March — the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) “must now also consider the upside risks to inflation from the peso’s depreciation,” Bloomberg reported.

Kimberley Sperrfechter, an emerging markets economist at London-based Capital Economics, wrote in a note that “the continued strength in core services inflation in Mexico in the first half of June, combined with the post-election slump in the peso and heightened political uncertainty, means that Banxico is unlikely to restart its easing cycle at Thursday’s Board meeting.”

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexico’s Banco Base, believes that a majority of the central bank’s board will vote to maintain the 11% interest rate due to factors including the recent depreciation of the peso.

“The quick depreciation of the peso could generate inflationary pressures, but they’re not always of the same magnitude, so it would be prudent to wait and see,” she said.

“Going forward, we think … [the Banxico board is] going to cut twice more in the year, but toward the end of the year, when conditions are better,” Siller said.

The bank made an initial cut to what was a record-high 11.25% interest rate in March.

Another consideration for the central bank’s board this Thursday will be data that shows that the Mexican economy grew just 0.9% in annual terms in April, down from 3.3% in March.

With reports from El Economista, Bloomberg and El Financiero

US resumes avocado and mango inspections in Michoacán

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MND Staff

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June 24, 2024

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A packing house prepares avocados for export in Peribán, Michoacán. — An incident involving USDA employees on June 14 prompted inspections to be paused in Michoacán. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

The governor of Michoacán Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla and U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar confirmed on Monday that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume inspections of avocado and mangos in the state after a ten-day suspension following an incident that threatened two USDA employees.

Governor Ramírez also said that officials from both governments had agreed on a new security model for the avocado export sector.

Employees in an avocado processing plant in Michoacan move around large carts of avocados — The suspension cost local avocado growers approximately US $52 million. (Juan José Estrada/Cuartoscuro)

Why did the USDA suspend avocado and mango inspections?

Two USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) inspectors were reportedly detained and/or attacked during a road blockade in Aranza, a town in the municipality of Paracho, Michoacán on June 14. In response, the USDA paused avocado and mango inspections and the State Department reissued its Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for the state.

When will inspections resume?

On Friday, Salazar issued a statement saying APHIS employees would gradually return to packing plants in Michoacán.

“It’s still necessary to make progress to guarantee the safety (of the health safety inspectors) before we can achieve full functioning,” Salazar said in his Friday statement.

Salazar traveled to the state capital of Morelia on Monday to meet with Governor Ramírez Bedolla and private sector representatives to discuss the security issues, concluding with a press conference announcing the lifting of the suspension.

Michoacan Gov. Alfredo Ramirez Bedolla standing at a podium — Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla downplayed the incident cited by the U.S. government, in its decision to pause avocado inspections, saying that the two inspectors were caught up in a civil demonstration and were never in real danger. (Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla/Twitter)

Mexico’s Agriculture Minister Victor Villalobos thanked Salazar in a post on X, saying that “this reflects what can be achieved working together for a common goal: the well-being of producers, workers and inspectors, their families and communities; as well as the environment and its natural resources.”

AMLO weighs in on the suspension

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador criticized the suspension during his Monday morning press conference.

“We’d prefer that the U.S. government avoid unilateral actions. We’re on good terms … that’s not the way to handle things,” López Obrador said. “Why such high-handedness? We could have talked this through instead of halting exports.”

The president dismissed the alleged attack as a minor incident but said he respects the way the U.S. government works. Despite complaining that “this sets a poor precedent,” he did express gratitude toward Ambassador Salazar for working to resolve the issue quickly.

How much have avocado and mango producers been affected?

Representatives of the avocado export industry said the suspension — which didn’t affect fruit exports already in transit, but did halt other exports — cost growers approximately US $52 million, according to the newspaper La Jornada.

Exporters claim that the damage was particularly severe since demand for avocados increases ahead of the July 4 U.S. Independence Day celebrations, even more so than for the annual NFL Super Bowl game in February.

Avocados are a top Mexican agricultural export to its northern neighbor worth billions of dollars each year. The state of Michoacán is Mexico’s No. 1 avocado producer and exporter.

Mango producers say they lost roughly US $30 million, claiming that about 5,000 tonnes of mango were affected.

Producers in Michoacán say the security concerns are not limited to U.S. inspectors. Farmers in the state have long dealt with extortion rackets perpetrated by powerful organized crime groups seeking to profit from the lucrative trade.

With reports from La Jornada, El Universal and Reuters

Why Mexico is the perfect place for dental treatment

By

Ana Paula De la Torre

-

June 24, 2024

8

dental clinic — Is Mexico now the obvious choice for anyone considering dental work? Two industry professionals spoke with Mexico News Daily to share their views on orthodontics in the country. (Pexels)

Tatiana Rivera Kubert resides in Tijuana, Baja California. For the past 22 years, she has dedicated her career to working as an odontologist specializing in Restorative Dentistry. She describes her profession as her passion. “I really care about my patients, about making them feel happy and comfortable, about giving them back their self-confidence, making them smile again: making them feel that we are going to solve their problem together,” she says. Riviera currently works at the Smile Forever clinic in Tijuana, Baja California.

Javier Muñiz Pérez is also a dentist, located in nearby Los Algodones, Mexicali, a region known for having one of the highest concentration of dentists per square meter. “You can find up to 300 dental clinics within 2 blocks,” Muñiz told Mexico News Daily.

With 16 years of experience in dentistry, Muñiz’s journey began with a degree from California State University. Presently, he serves as the director of Sani Dental Group in Los Algodones.

Both Rivera and Muñiz spoke with Mexico News Daily to delve deeper into why Mexico is an ideal destination for dentistry and how it offers high quality, service, technology, and more.

Why Mexico is an ideal destination for dentistry

Dental treatment — Mexico has become a top destination for patients looking for high quality, affordable dental care. (Caroline Lm/Unsplash)

As reported by the Mexican newspaper El Economista in 2023, Mexico secured the second position in global dental tourism due to its competitive pricing and quality services. The cost of treatment in Mexico is between 50% and 70% lower than that in the United States, Canada or Europe. In 2019 alone, Americans spent over US $5 billion on dental procedures abroad, a number that continues to rise.

The proximity of Mexico to the United States and Canada is not the only reason for this upsurge. The quality and technology utilized by Mexican dentists is globally recognized, and service in the country is often perceived as more friendly and personal.

“The quality is on par, if not better [than in the United States] with prices sometimes three times lower than in the U.S. The warmth of the care provided is notably different compared to the U.S.,” explains Rivera.

She continues: “In the USA, you are greeted by multiple staff members who attend to various tasks at different times, with the dentist only spending about 5 minutes with you. There is limited direct communication with the dentist, whereas, in Mexico, we have much more interaction. I believe the care is more human and comprehensive right from the start; it is a more individualized approach.”

Muñiz agrees. “In Mexico, we offer a comprehensive range of dental services with consistent technical excellence. We have access to all necessary supplies, and our dentists are highly skilled due to the exceptional academic standards,” he adds.

When it comes to technology and education, Mexico’s dentists “receive excellent training and Mexico’s universities uphold high academic standards. We have access to cutting-edge materials and modern technology that can rival any in the world,” Rivera says. “Our educational quality, materials, and resources are on par with international standards; many materials are sourced from Europe and Japan. The dental sector remains current with numerous conferences, courses, and certification programs available in Mexico.”

Recommendations for choosing your dentist or clinic

Javier Muñiz Pérez — Javier Muñiz believes that in Mexico, educational quality, materials, and resources are on par with international. standards (Sani Dental Group)

It is always important to ensure you select a location that prioritizes quality. It is also crucial to verify references. “Online reviews are highly valuable as they offer objective insights that can guide your decision making process,” Rivera emphasizes.

Muñiz underscores the significance of confirming that the clinic possesses the necessary documentation. “Ensure that they have their accreditations, including the general dentistry and specialist certificates. Each clinic should prominently display its operation notice and have a designated health officer. Additionally, professionals need to stay current with ongoing education and certifications, which are typically renewed every four years and can be requested by patients.”

Regarding professionalism and honesty, both professionals emphasize the importance of conveying seriousness and confidence. “It is crucial that the proposed treatment plan is not just what you want to hear but what you genuinely need. A good dentist will always prioritize what is best for your health. You should feel confident that the recommended solution is truly the best for you, not necessarily the most expensive or extensive option. They should communicate effectively, explaining the procedures, reasons behind them, the root cause of your dental issues, and presenting treatment plan options,” Rivera explains.

Both agree that Mexico provides a level of personalized attention that is highly valued by foreign patients. “Here, we dedicate ample time to each patient, ensuring a detailed explanation of their needs and associated costs,” Riviera proudly states.

Have you had a positive experience with dental treatment in Mexico? Let us know in the comments!

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.