Reuters: Mexico yields to US pressure on incentives for Chinese car makers

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April 18, 2024

BYD electric vehicle on display — BYD is one of the Chinese EV manufacturers looking to build a plant in Mexico. (Shutterstock)

Pressure from United States authorities has led the Mexican government to refuse to offer incentives to Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers planning to invest in Mexico, according to Mexican officials who spoke with Reuters.

Three officials said to be “familiar with the matter” told Reuters that the government is not offering Chinese EV makers incentives such as low-cost public land or tax cuts.

The sources said that the move was the result of pressure from the United States government, in particular the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

The United States government is determined to protect the U.S. EV industry from comparatively cheap imports, and reportedly has concerns about the capacity of Chinese “smart cars” to collect data and thus compromise national security.

On Wednesday, Trade Representative Katherine Tai said that the United States must take “decisive” action to protect U.S.-made EVs from subsidized Chinese car makers.

A bipartisan group of United States lawmakers wrote to Tai last November in part to request that the U.S. government be ready to “address the coming wave of [Chinese] vehicles that will be exported from our other trading partners, such as Mexico.”

Katherine Tai and Raquel Buenrostro — U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai in a meeting with Mexico’s Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro in 2023. (Katherine Tai/X)

In December, Mexico and the United States reached an agreement to cooperate on foreign investment screening as a measure to better protect the national security of both countries. The agreement was widely interpreted as a means to stop problematic Chinese investment in Mexico.

A White House spokesperson told Reuters that United States President Joe Biden will not allow Chinese car makers to flood the U.S. market with vehicles that pose a threat to national security.

Incentives for foreign car makers have been generous in the past

Francisco Bautista, a partner at professional services firm EY in Mexico, told Reuters that the Mexican government has previously offered generous incentives to automakers, including free land, water and energy facilities and assistance to hire workers.

He said that such incentives have declined during the government led by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who took office in late 2018, although they have been offered to large investors such as Audi.

Several Chinese car makers have announced plans to manufacture in Mexico

No Chinese car maker currently has a plant in Mexico, but several have announced plans to make vehicles here. They include BYD — the world’s leading EV company by sales — Jaecoo and Jetour.

BYD Americas CEO Stella Li said in February that Mexican officials had been receptive to the company’s plan to open a plant in Mexico, despite the concerns of the United States government and U.S. automakers. She said that BYD’s plan was “to build the facility for the Mexican market, not for the export market,” but there is skepticism about that remark.

Reuters’ Mexican government sources said that the last time top officials met with a Chinese automaker was in January when they spoke with BYD executives. The same month, U.S. officials asked their Mexican counterparts to “hinder Chinese automakers,” Reuters said.

A automated care production line inside a factory — Chinese manufacturer BYD was the world’s top electric vehicle manufacturer as of the end of 2023. Pictured: a BYD plant in Hungary. (BYD)

The news agency’s sources, who asked to remain anonymous, said that Mexican officials made it clear to BYD that the government would not offer incentives such as those provided in the past. In addition, the sources said that the officials told the BYD executives that future meetings with Chinese automakers would be put on pause.

Reuters said that López Obrador’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the issue, while the Economy Ministry declined to comment.

After Donald Trump said last month that he would impose a 100% tariff on cars manufactured in Mexico by Chinese companies if he wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election, López Obrador said that Chinese investment in Mexico is “safe” and will continue.

One Mexican official told Reuters that in the absence of federal incentives, BYD would seek state government ones, although they are typically not as generous.

Reuters said that states including Durango, Jalisco, Nuevo León and México state are all attempting to lure Chinese automakers and are consequently offering a range of incentives.

More on the United States’ concerns

A USTR official told Reuters that the USMCA, the North America free trade pact that superseded NAFTA in 2020, was not meant to “provide a back door to China and others who may be seeking to access our market without paying … tariffs.”

The U.S. automotive industry, including unions, and the U.S. government are concerned that Chinese car makers could export vehicles made in Mexico to the U.S. without paying the 27.5% tariff that is currently applicable to Chinese cars.

“Chinese automakers can get around U.S. tariffs by setting up shop in Mexico, as long as they meet rules for how much of a vehicle must be produced locally,” Reuters reported.

Tesla gigafactory rendering — Mexican state governments have offered incentives to EV manufacturers like Tesla, which is going to build a plant in Nuevo León. (Tesla/X)

Dozens of Chinese auto-parts manufacturers already operate in Mexico. Chinese car makers could source inputs from them and other Mexico-based companies to ensure that they comply with the USMCA requirement of having at least 75% of core vehicle parts originating in North America.

Reuters reported that Mexico “is caught in the crossfire between the world’s two biggest economies and car markets.”

There is certainly the potential for Mexico’s trade and investment relationship with China to cause problems in Mexico’s bilateral relationship with the United States.

But López Obrador appears to believe that Mexico under his leadership is managing its relationships with both countries successfully. He said in late March that Mexico has “very good” trade relationships with both China and the United States when commenting on steel-related issues that have concerned the U.S.

Mexico has imposed tariffs on some Chinese steel products amid concerns in the United States about an increase in steel exports from Mexico, a move that was possibly the result of U.S. pressure, although Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro asserted that Mexico is not receiving exports from China only to ship them north of the border.

Meanwhile, Chinese investment in Mexico is on the rise, and is almost certain to increase in coming years.

AMLO meets with Xi Jinping — President López Obrador met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for the first time in November, as Chinese investment in Mexico grows. (Andrés Manuel López Obrador/X)

Reuters’ sources said that while Chinese investment benefits the Mexican economy, the federal government is worried about upsetting its U.S. counterpart ahead of the scheduled review of the USMCA in 2026, when the three parties will decide whether to extend the agreement for an additional 16 years.

S&P Global said in a recent report that “Chinese investment and exports to Mexico are highly likely to become a headline issue ahead of the 2026 scheduled review of the USMCA.”

One source told Reuters that Mexican officials are afraid that the U.S. government could seek to overhaul the pact to Mexico’s detriment.

Mexico will have a new president when the review takes place, while either Biden or Trump — barring a circumstance that precludes them from holding office — will be in the White House.

With reports from Reuters

Is Acapulco ‘on its feet’ or a ‘grim scene’ 6 months after Hurricane Otis?

By

MND Staff

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April 18, 2024

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Acapulco beachgoer in front of ocean with damaged buildings in coastline view — Tourists are returning to Acapulco's beaches, but the city still bears visible scars of Hurricane Otis, as seen in the damaged buildings in the skyline of this photo, taken on March 23. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal/Cuartoscuro)

Almost six months after Hurricane Otis, the recovery in Acapulco is still far from complete.

The Category 5 storm — the strongest ever to hit Mexico’s Pacific coast — devastated the resort city on Oct. 25 and claimed at least 50 lives.

Damage in Acapulco after the hurricane — Hurricane Otis was the strongest to ever hit Mexico’s Pacific coast, devastating the city and killing at least 50 people. (Cuartoscuro)

Major events have since returned to Acapulco: a professional tennis tournament in late February and March; Latin America’s largest tourism fair last week; Mexico’s annual Banking Convention this week; and regular sol y playa (sun and beach) tourism has made something of a comeback.

But a report published by the Bloomberg news agency on Wednesday paints a rather depressing picture of the situation in the destination that once welcomed Hollywood’s brightest stars. The Expansión news website said in another report that “the port of Acapulco is still fighting to recover” from the devastation caused by Otis late last year.

What’s the current situation in Acapulco?

Bloomberg described “a grim scene” in the city, reporting that most hotels and condo buildings along Acapulco’s beaches are “abandoned, with missing facades and swimming pools full of muck.”

However, plenty of Acapulco hotels have, in fact, reopened: Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco reported in mid-February that the port city had 7,110 rooms available in 167 hotels, and more than 2,000 additional rooms have reopened since then.

Still, the capacity of Acapulco hotels is less than 50% what it was previously, noted Cancún-based tourism academic Francisco Madrid, who was quoted in Bloomberg’s report.

Bloomberg also reported that “more than half the city’s traffic lights aren’t working, streets are cluttered with trash and washed-out roads have left some areas inaccessible.”

Acapulco beach with stranded boats — Nearly six months after the hurricane devastated the Pacific port, there are still boats washed up on beaches. (Cuartoscuro)

In addition, the news agency said that “many upscale restaurants are shut, and the marina is still filled with half-sunk yachts and other debris.”

Expansión reported Wednesday that “signs of destruction” from Otis are still visible in Acapulco and that “the accumulation of trash in the streets and the slowness of the recovery” are testament to the “long road” ahead.

The news website also noted that Otis dealt a heavy blow to the local economy. Citing official data, Expansión said that Acapulco’s contribution to Guerrero’s tourism revenue has declined to 23% from 65% before the hurricane.

Crime and dengue

Looting was a major problem in the days after Otis hit Acapulco. Now, gangs involved in that looting “remain in control of large parts of the city, mostly outside tourist areas,” Bloomberg reported.

Extortion is a major problem in the city, according to the president of a local business association, and homicides are quite common as well. In one attack last week, the head of the Acapulco traffic police was murdered.

Acapulco has also suffered from a dengue outbreak this year with thousands of cases in the city and other parts of Guerrero. Bloomberg reported that destruction caused by Otis curtailed mosquito fumigation efforts in the city.

The reconstruction efforts

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced a 61.3-billion-peso (US $3.6 billion) recovery plan for Acapulco and the neighboring municipality of Coyuca de Benítez a week after Otis slammed into the Guerrero coast.

Four months later in February, Tourism Minister Torruco said that the recovery was going faster than expected.

However, only 9,500 of 21,000 hotel rooms that were open before Otis are currently able to receive guests. In other words, 55% of rooms remain closed.

Citing government figures, Bloomberg reported that insurance companies have only paid out 9 billion pesos (about US $530 million) to property owners, even though the cost of damage was estimated at US $15 billion or higher. Insurers are eventually expected to pay out around US $2 billion, according to the Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions.

Police and National Guard at a crime scene in Acapulco — The local traffic police chief was murdered last week. (Cuartoscuro)

Meanwhile, private investment “has so far fallen well short of what’s needed to revitalize the city,” Bloomberg said.

Carlos Slim, Mexico’s richest person, is completing work on his Calinda Beach Hotel and has attempted to get “others to invest in Acapulco,” the news agency said before noting that he has “had little luck so far.”

However, the hotel sector is not without optimism. The CEO of Mundo Imperial, which owns and operates three five-star hotels in Acapulco, told Bloomberg that “Acapulco is going to come back better than ever.”

“We will have a sustainable Acapulco, with better facilities for all the hotels,” said Seyed Rezvani.

But if a “better than ever” Acapulco is possible, it’s clear that its creation is yet some ways off.

In addition to hotels, several other commercial establishments and homes — tens of thousands of which were damaged by Otis – are still awaiting repairs. In many cases, it is unclear when repair work will begin, let alone end.

A hurricane-damaged hotel in Acapulco — Many iconic hotels in Acapulco suffered major devastation from Hurricane Otis and have yet to reopen. (Cuartoscuro)

Expansión noted that there are abandoned residential complexes for which no dates for repair work have been set.

While many existing properties await repair, some new ones are being built, including five projects of the Mexican real estate development company Ayya.

“With all the buildings that were destroyed, the demand for new apartments is going to be much higher,” Manuel Athie, a real estate agent with the company, told Bloomberg.

“If we are one of the few companies offering apartments, we will have a great advantage,” he said.

**How are tourism-dependent acapulqueños coping?**

Bloomberg spoke to a number of acapulqueños, as Acapulco residents are known, including Ofe Quiros, a silver jewelry vendor in the city’s main square.

“We depend on tourism, and people are not coming back,” she said.

Vendor on Acapulco beach carrying tray of food items for sale — After finally recovering from beach shutdowns and diminished travel during the COVID-19 epidemic, Hurricane Otis dealt another hard blow to Acapulco’s vendors, who depend on tourists for their income. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal)

Quiros said she received a 35,000-peso (about US $2,000) grant from the government but noted that it was insufficient to repair the roof and a wall of her home that were damaged in the powerful hurricane.

Life is also tough for Grisanta Sánchez, a 65-year-old hat vendor who on a recent day spent more than six hours on mostly empty beaches. She didn’t make a single sale, according to Bloomberg’s report.

Rosa, a woman in her 50s who braids tourists’ hair and offers massages on the beach, told Expansión she was confident that tourists would begin to return to Acapulco in greater numbers. She said that visitor numbers have increased gradually but that demand for her services — and her earnings — are still well below pre-hurricane levels.

A unidentified grill chef at a local buffet restaurant told Expansión that many tourism and hospitality workers have relocated to other destinations due to the lack of tourists in Acapulco.

“A lot have gone to Los Cabos or Cancún so as not to lose their source of income because work is limited here,” he said. “… I want to go as well, but my wife is sick and just had surgery, so we first have to wait for her to recover,” the chef said.

Expansión reported that tourism sector workers expect it will take around two years for Acapulco to recover from the impact of Hurricane Otis.

Tourism Minister at the tourism fair in Acapulco — Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco at Mexico’s national tourism fair held in Acapulco. (Sectur/X)

However, the Guerrero branch of the Mexican Association of Travel Agencies (AMAV) says that all 21,000 hotel rooms in Acapulco will be ready to receive guests six months from now. Filling them, however, could be a challenge, and local AMAV chief Leví Williams Manzanares predicts that it will take hoteliers an average of three years to recoup their investment in reconstruction work, even as they raise room rates by an expected 10–30%.

A local taxi driver told Expansión he was hopeful that the reopening of nightclubs would help to attract more visitors.

“Currently not even Baby’O is open,” he said, referring to the iconic nightclub that was destroyed by fire in 2021. The club did, however, open during last week’s Tianguis Turístico, when attendees from around Mexico and more than 40 countries descended on Acapulco.

Torruco: tourism fair showed that Acapulco is “being reborn”

There is no doubt that last week’s Tianguis Turístico gave a significant boost to the tourism sector in Acapulco — and the city more broadly.

The Tourism Ministry (Sectur) reported that the hotel occupancy rate during the event was 79.6%, a figure based on the availability of 9,500 rooms. Spending on accommodation and tourism services exceeded 1 billion pesos (US $58.9 million) during the week, according to Sectur.

In a speech at the event’s conclusion, Torruco declared that with the staging of the annual Tianguis Turístico, authorities achieved their “objective” of “showing that Acapulco is on its feet and being reborn in order to once again be a great national and international destination.”

The city will also get a boost from the National Banking Convention, which will take place this Thursday and Friday. Mexico’s three presidential candidates, Claudia Sheinbaum, Xóchitl Gálvez and Jorge Álvarez Máynez, will all speak at the event, which will be held at the Palacio Mundo Imperial hotel.

With reports from Bloomberg, Expansión and El Financiero

Huauzontle: Mexico’s secret superfood that nourishes the nation

By

Sandra Gancz Kahan

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April 18, 2024

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huaunzontle — Huauzontle is the original Mexican superfood, providing nutrition to Indigenous diets throughout history. (Guajillo studio/Shutterstock)

A delicious dish featuring the little known huauzontle inspired me to delve deeper into this intriguing quelite, and led to a greater appreciation for the timeless wisdom of Mexican cuisine. Huauzontle, a highly nutritious pigweed native to Mexico, has been treasured since ancient times. While sharing similarities with amaranth and quinoa, huauzontle is consumed as a green and has an herbal, slightly bitter taste.

Huauzontle can be considered a superfood due to its rich nutritional profile, providing essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, calcium, iron, phosphorus and many vitamins, including A, C, E and B. Additionally, its abundant flavonoid content imparts potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, bolstering the immune system.

Despite being banned by the Spanish crown, huauzontle has remained a staple Mexican crop. (Cocina Vital)

I was surprised to discover that the existence of huauzontle today is nothing short of a miracle, considering its tumultuous history as a forbidden food commonly mistaken for amaranth. Amaranth held a significant role as a staple food crop for the Aztecs, ranking alongside corn and beans in importance. As a tribute, Aztec farmers annually presented King Montezuma with over 20,000 tons of amaranth grain.

In addition to its nutritional value, amaranth held profound supernatural significance and played a prominent role in Aztec religious ceremonies, even those involving human sacrifices. Amaranth seeds were also mixed with honey and molded into idols of various gods, then eaten by participants after worship.

Huauzontle, visually similar to amaranth with small flower clusters, fell victim to the Spaniards’ unfamiliarity with Indigenous plants and was consequently forbidden. Hernán Cortez went so far as to threaten to personally chop off the hands of anyone found growing it. Despite its ban, huauzontle miraculously persevered due to its exceptional resilience in dry climates, even thriving in poor soils.

The delicious huauzontle dish that has become my favorite was crafted by chef Pablo Nicasio Soto. Pablo embarked on his culinary journey twelve years ago in Mexico City, working at a restaurant led by renowned chef Enrique Olvera, known for elevating street food to gourmet levels and showcasing a profound respect for the origin of each ingredient.

Huauzontle, flor de calabaza, quelites and huitlacoche can be planted in a milpa, a traditional style of farming. (Wikimedia Commons)

Growing up among his grandparents’ agricultural fields in Michoacán, Pablo gained firsthand knowledge of the milpa. This ancient Mesoamerican farming method revolves around a deep understanding of the symbiotic relationships between various plant species. Maize serves as the primary crop, interplanted with beans, squash, quelites, tomatoes, chiles and herbs to foster nitrogen fixation, promote biodiversity, enrich soil fertility and develop resistance to pests.

Pablo relocated to San Miguel de Allende seven years ago and opened the Merken Restaurant with his partner Yaya, a talented musician from Chile. Pablo noticed the scarcity of huauzontle dishes in local restaurants, and believes this is due to the labor-intensive process of removing the edible clusters from the thick stems.

Drawing inspiration from his grandmother’s delicious recipes featuring quelites from the milpa, Pablo concocted an extraordinary huauzontle dish that immediately captivated me and my friends, turning us into frequent customers. He chose chile ancho for the flavor profile because he admires its transformative journey — from fresh green poblano to dried red ancho.

When I reached out to inquire about the dish for this article, I was pleasantly surprised by the generosity of Pablo and Yaya, as they shared the full recipe for everyone to enjoy!

A traditional salsa con huauzontle. (Wikimedia Commons)

Chile ancho stuffed with huauzontle (3 servings)

Ingredients

3 ancho chiles
7 ounces of goat cheese
6 ounces of huauzontle (edible clusters only)
2 hoja santa leaves
1 white onion
1 clove of garlic
1 ounce of piloncillo
10 tomatoes
1/2 ounce of butter

While cleaning huauzontle can be a bit laborious, the effort is well rewarded. Begin by taking one branch from the bunch. Delicately pinch and slide your fingers along each slender stem to detach the edible clusters.

To ensure that the vibrant flavors and health benefits of huauzontle are preserved, Pablo recommends briefly blanching the florets in boiling salted water for only 30 seconds. He uses 20 grams of salt for every liter of water. After transferring to ice water, pat dry.

Devein the chiles and soak them in hot water with the piloncillo for approximately 3 minutes until softened.

Finely chop half an onion and one clove of garlic and sauté in a frying pan with butter.

In a bowl, mix the sauteed onion and garlic with the goat cheese and huauzontle. Stuff the chiles with this mixture.

For the sauce, sauté the 10 chopped tomatoes, half an onion and one clove of garlic. Once cooked, transfer to a blender, add the two hoja santa leaves, and puree. Strain this back into the pan and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

To serve, place half a cup of sauce on a plate, then place the stuffed chile on top and garnish with huauzontle.

As you savor each bite of this delicious dish or consider adding huauzontle to your menu, reflect on the journey that brought it to your table. Although Pablo and Yaya closed Merken to focus on their successful catering business, they remain committed to their mission of familiarizing everyone with the cherished flavors and nutritional value of ancestral superfoods.

Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: [email protected]

The 7 trending Mexican spirits you need to try

By

Lydia Carey

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April 18, 2024

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369975153_17990262797190816_116998153876680677_n — Tequila and mezcal are great, but there's so much more to Mexican spirits. Expert Lydia Carey shares her list of trending spirits you should be ordering. (Cuatro Volcanes/Facebook)

Riding the coattails of a decades-long mezcal and tequila boom, an array of new and newly popular Mexican spirits are exciting aficionados and compensating for years of hard work on the part of promoters and producers. Both ancestral concoctions like pox or sotol as well as distillation experiments in gin and whiskey are suddenly front and center in bars across Mexico as well as north of the border.

You can’t be faulted if you haven’t heard of some of these, but you will be left behind if you don’t get into the mix. So here are a few Mexican spirits you should know and some places to try them for the first time.

Pox: Ancestral drink of the Tzotzil

Pox has deep roots in Mexico’s mystical Chiapas state and is only now beginning to emerge into the mainstream alcohol market. (Isabel Mateos/Cuartoscuro)

Hailing from the southern state of Chiapas, pox – pronounced posh – is believed to descend from a drink the Tzotzil Maya people made from fermented corn over a century ago. Potent and alcoholic, today’s pox is made from a blend of corn, wheat and sugar cane, with good pox including a dominant percentage of corn and an AVB of 40 or above. In a good pox you will notice the sweetness of the piloncillo sugar and the strong flavor of the endemic corn used to make it. Pox is one of the least publicized spirits in this list, used for generations in religious rituals of the area’s Indigenous people and as a homebrew medicine. Only recently has pox started to make its way out of the rural mountain regions of Chiapas and into local bars committed to showcasing the vast array of Mexico’s regional spirits.

If you’re seeking a taste of this time-honored elixir try San Cristobal de las Casas restaurants La Tarumba or Tierra y Cielo, where you can find cocktails with local pox, or a bar like Rayo in Mexico City where pox is blended with Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila, purple sweet potato, lime and palo santo as one of their 10 signature cocktails. To buy your own bottle, try woman-owned and operated Poxna, a brand out of Chiapas sold at the Sabrá Dios liquor store in Mexico City and their San Cristobal tasting room La Espirituosa.

Charanda: Not your average Cuba Libre

Charanda, which comes from the state of Michoacán, has an official appellation of origin, meaning that its methods of production and distillation are both regulated and protected as intellectual property — nothing can be called charanda that doesn’t meet certain parameters. Often compared to rum, Michoacan’s charanda has special attributes: the high-altitude sugar cane varieties it’s made from have greater sugar levels than its lowland cousins and the area’s mountain spring water gives the region’s spirit a distinctive flavor.

When producing charanda, additional sugar or piloncillo is added to the fermenting sugar cane juice, distinguishing this process from that of traditional rum. Charanda can be divided into three categories, the unaged blanca, the medium-aged dorado, and the darkest and most mellow, añejo, which is often aged in bourbon or sherry barrels that provide it with additional flavor complexity. Charanda can be enjoyed similarly to rum — Cuba Libre, anyone? — but for something a little more elevated, El Gallo Altanero in Guadalajara serves up the Duranzo Mojado with two types of charanda, peach, falernum syrup, grapefruit, sweet lime juice, orange liqueur and black pepper. Uruapan, the birthplace of charanda, is home to La Charanderia, where you’ll find one of the widest selections of quality charanda in the country.

Raicilla: The underground mezcal making a comeback

Makers of raicilla will let you know right away that this liquor is a type of mezcal — much in the same way that tequila is a type of mezcal — but that raicilla is made from specific types of agave in a handful of municipalities in Jalisco and Nayarit states.

An offshoot of mezcal, raicilla is an artisanal spirit from Jalisco and Nayarit. (Instituto de Información Estadística y Geográfica de Jalisco)

As opposed to mezcal production, in which only the hearts of agaves are cooked and mashed for fermentation, in some raicilla production, every part of the agave is included. This gives those varieties a more fibrous flavor, often less sweet and more woody than mezcal. During the colonial era, the Spanish outlawed the production of this kind of mezcal, so local producers “renamed” it raicilla and production went underground. Its big comeback moment came in the 2010s, when the consumption and sale of raicilla catapulted it onto the national stage.

Most raicilla is still produced 100% artisanally using hand mashers and only basic implements like copper stills in the distillation process. Raicilla has grown in popularity with the rise of mezcal and has its own appellation of origin for its region and production. For a taste at the source, try the La Taberna, which is the bar run by the Mexican Council to Promote Raicilla (CMPR) in Mascota, Jalisco, or try the El Cucumber cocktail at De La O in Guadalajara which is a blend of Raicilla Japo, lime, green chartreuse and orange bitters.

Sotol: Jewel of the desert

The corpse reviver at Cafe de Nadie in Mexico City blends Flor de Desierto Sierra sotol with “chinampa vermouth” (an infusion of vermouth, white wine, and herbs grown in the city’s southern canals), as well as Peychuad bitters and citrus oil for a taste that is refreshingly bitter and alcoholic. Sotol is often confused for mezcal, but its flavor profile tends to be a bit pinier and is often described as more herbal or citrusy. Made from the desert spoon cactus, sotol production is centered in the northern desert states of Chihuahua, Durango and Coahuila, but can also be found across the border in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, though it is generally thought of as a Mexican spirit.

Its history dates back to the Indigenous people of the region, who made a fermented beverage with the desert spoon cactus plant, albeit minus the distillation process that arrived with European colonizers. The process of making sotol is similar to that of mezcal: the piñas, or hearts of the plant, are cooked in stone or earthen pits in the ground, then mashed and allowed to ferment for several days until being distilled — often more than once, depending on the profile sought by the sotol makers.

Like so many of Mexico’s spirits, Sotol has roots in Indigenous communities.(Casa Lumbre Spirits/Instagram)

Bacanora: The outlaw that rose again

Bacanora is another style of mezcal produced in a cluster of southeastern municipalities of the state of Sonora that hug the border with neighboring Chihuahua. Made from a single plant – the Pacifica agave – bacanora is generally less smoky than mezcals from Oaxaca, has a greater minerality and a certain woodiness to it. Bacanora can also be distinguished by its yellow and golden hues in-bottle.

Bacanora’s history also dates back several hundred years, when the native peoples of the region made an alcoholic drink from the same type of agave. Its production was briefly outlawed in 1915 when the state’s governor, future president Plutarco Elías Calles, decided to crack down on illegal production of alcohol. The decision was reversed in the 1960s when the production of bacanora was reinstated and regulated and named a beloved regional spirit. Two excellent options for bacanora are Batuq and Los Amavizca. If you are in Mexico City stop by Tlecan bar and try a vampiro with bacanora, orange juice, a blend of chilis and salt.

Whiskey: Foreign and endemic come together

Whiskey is on the rise in Mexico, and while not a type of alcohol production endemic to this country, today’s producers are combining the unique characteristics of the 59 heritage corn varieties available across Mexico with the long-honored tradition of whiskey making born in Europe and brought to the Americas during the colonial period.

Some of the best Mexican whiskey I’ve tried is in Tlaxcala at the Cuatro Volcanes distillery, which has been making liquor with locally-sourced, small-production corn harvests since 2019. Their tiny distillery and cocktail bar is located in a residential area of Tlaxcala city, and, along with whiskey, they are experimenting with gin, absinthe, fruit brandies and other liqueurs made from local plants and fruits. In Mexico City, you can try many of their spirits at Fuego, which has a selection of all of the spirits in this article. If you want to branch out, a few other good options for Mexican whiskey are Juan del Campo, Origen 35 and Gran Tunal.

While less famous than its Caledonian or American cousins, Mexican whiskey still deserves a taste. (Cuatro Volcanes/Facebook)

Fruit Brandies: Mexico’s newest trend

Mexican fruit brandies and liqueurs have just started to sneak onto bar shelves and cocktail menus. Many are made in regions where other spirits or wine are produced and used as a way to make efficient use of leftover fruit production or as an alternative to making mezcal when a harvest is bad or producers don’t have the money to purchase the quantities of agave they need. In these cases, they might turn to an over-abundant mango harvest, or in the case of Vinos Barrigones, a pandemic happenstance that found their mezcal distillery (located in the middle of a vineyard) with no mezcalero to lead it. They decided to make a pivot that resulted in the birth of their first brandy.

Brandies and liqueurs offer a wide range of flavor profiles depending on the producer and are an excellent showcase of Mexico’s expansive domesticated and wild fruit varieties, with tejocote (Mexican hawthorn), nance and prickly pear flavors as a few of the wilder experiments.

If there was ever a zeitgeist moment for Mexican distilled spirits, it’s right now. Greater visibility for all these liquors has made this an incredible time to start branching out into the wide variety of spirits, and a growing national cocktail culture has meant incorporating them into drink menus in new and inventive ways. For flavors that truly represent the land and people of Mexico, a regional spirit can offer you a taste that nothing else can.

Lydia Carey is a freelance writer and translator based out of Mexico City. She has been published widely both online and in print, writing about Mexico for over a decade. She lives a double life as a local tour guide and is the author of Mexico City Streets: La Roma. Follow her urban adventures on Instagram and see more of her work at www.mexicocitystreets.com.

A film buff’s feast: Sundance CDMX brings festival favorites to the capital

By

MND Staff

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April 17, 2024

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Actors Katy O'Brian and Kristen Stewart in a still from "Love Lies Bleeding" — Actors Katy O'Brian and Kristen Stewart in "Love Lies Bleeding," one of the films to be screened at Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 happening in Mexico City April 25–28. (Sundance Institute)

For film buffs who don’t live in Mexico City, there’s still time to make arrangements to attend the first-ever Sundance Film Festival CDMX, which will feature a selection of films screened at this year’s festival from April 25 to 28 in the capital.

Tickets went on sale Monday on the Cinépolis website, on the Cinépolis app, and at the box offices of Cinépolis Diana on Paseo de la Reforma and Cinépolis VIP Miyana in Polanco.

The first-ever Sundance Festival held in Mexico will bring 12 feature-length films and six short Mexican films to Cinépolis-owned cinemas on Mexico City’s Reforma Avenue and in the Polanco neighborhood. (Sundance Institute)

The renowned Sundance festival, founded in 1978 by actor and director Robert Redford, is known for its celebration of independent cinema and emerging filmmakers. Its 40th edition took place in January in Park City, Utah.

The announcement of Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024 came in early March and was met with much excitement, marking a significant milestone for the city’s vibrant film scene.

Over four days, 12 feature-length films (with an emphasis on documentaries) and six Mexican short films will be screened at the two theaters mentioned above, along with selected showings at three additional Cinépolis VIP cinemas: Perisur, Mitikah and Satélite.

The festival “goes beyond a showcase of films,” Alejandro Ramírez, Cinépolis CEO, said in a press release. “It is a gathering point for creativity, innovation and exploration in the world of independent cinema.”

The opening-night film, at 7:30 p.m. April 25 at Cinépolis VIP Mítikah, will be the lyrical and beautifully animated “Frida,” directed by Carla Gutiérrez, who won a 2024 Sundance award for editing.

The 88-minute U.S. film is touted by Sundance officials as an intimate, raw and magical journey through the life, mind and heart of iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. It’s the first film told “through her own words,” drawing from her illustrated diary, letters, essays and media interviews.

A man in military combat uniform crouched down with hands on the shoulders of a boy — The 2024 Oscar winner for Best Documentary, “20 Days in Mariupol,” is one of the films scheduled to be screened at the CDMX festival. (Sundance Institute/AP)

Among the feature films are “In The Summers,” which won the Grand Jury Prize for a U.S. drama at Sundance in January, and “Daughters,” which won the Audience Award for U.S. documentary.

Other films include the Sundance crowd-pleasers “Your Monster” and “Love Lies Bleeding.” There will also be a screening of the 2024 Academy Award winner for best documentary feature, “20 Days in Mariupol” and “Going Varsity in Mariachi,” a documentary that tells the story of competitive high school mariachi by focusing on a South Texas school striving for a state championship.

The lineup of six Mexican shorts includes films that have previously screened at Sundance over the years. They will have English subtitles.

One of the highlights is “Al Motociclista no le Cabe la Felicidad en su Traje” (“Motorcyclist’s Happiness Won’t Fit Into His Suit”), a 10-minute film that’s a fictional re-enactment of a motorcycle lover’s journey in the jungle.

Other highlights include “La Odisea Espeleológica de Sócrates” (“Socrates’ Adventures in the Under Ground”), a 7-minute animated film from 2021 filled with talking animals, and “Chica de Fábrica” (“Sweatshop Girl”), a 16-minute drama from 2022 about a seamstress who toils in an underground sweatshop.

Eugene Hernandez, Sundance’s director of programming, said in a press release, “We know that Mexico City audiences will be moved, inspired and entertained by the originality and creativity coming from a visionary group of new filmmakers.”

To see short film summaries, visit the Sundance website. Ticket prices range from 105 pesos (US $6.20) for regular screenings to 210 pesos (US $12.40) for VIP screenings, and officials are urging people to buy in advance.

Unfortunately, the Cinépolis website doesn’t lay out the schedule in an easy-to-view format. The only way to see films, locations and dates is to select a region of Mexico City, a theater and a date from April 25-28 and hit “Ver Cartelera,” or “See Billboard.” At that point, you can start your purchase by clicking the showtime.

In other news for film buffs, the 19th Ambulante film festival has launched with 120 screenings at various theaters in Mexico City from April 10-21. The documentary tour of nearly 90 works from more than 20 countries will continue in Veracruz (May 2-12), Michoacán (May 8-19) and Querétaro (May 15-26).

Many of the films are in Spanish without English subtitles. For details, visit ambulante.org.

Mexico News Daily

Why Lake Chapala is my happy place

By

Greg Custer

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April 17, 2024

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Lake Chapala viewed from Ajijic — Greg Custer has lived lakeside for nine years and explains why it's his favorite place to be. (Greg Custer)

As a reader of Mexico News Daily, you likely have a passing interest in what it’s like to live in Mexico. Foreign-born residents likely live in all 32 of Mexico’s states. But some places come closer to satisfying the needs of aging baby boomers than others.

My happy place is in Jalisco state, home to many of Mexico’s emblematic destinations, attractions and cultural touchstones. It’s the place that gave the world tequila, mariachis, Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Jalisco also launched the Mexico-for-overseas-living movement and is home to the iconic Lake Chapala.

Chapala is both a town and the name of Mexico’s largest lake. Tucked between shoreline and sierra (mountains) is a string of colorful colonial-era villages. A ribbon of lake-facing settlements and gated real estate communities has been hosting foreign-born residents for nearly 100 years, while also drawing throngs of weekend visitors from Mexico’s second-largest metropolitan area, Guadalajara.

What’s the attraction? The folks living here (a culturally diverse bunch from over 30 countries) will immediately point to the splendid weather (comfortable year-round temperatures and very low humidity), proximity to an international airport and a bonanza of ways for active baby boomers to embrace the one question to seriously consider when moving to a foreign country: how will I spend my time?

The region is a fascinating laboratory of multiculturalism — home to thousands of foreign-born year-round residents who fall into one of two groups: the baby boomer “do-gooders,” who stay active by volunteering, interfacing as best they can with their Mexican neighbors and frequenting spaces like the Lake Chapala Society’s downtown Ajijic “campus,” weekly markets, performing arts venues and more. The restaurant scene is robust, if not first rate. Another group lives here primarily for the good weather (homes here do not generally need air conditioning nor heating) and affordability, and the opportunity to casually connect with their Mexico surroundings.

Mural in Ajijic — There is a lively and colorful art scene in Ajijic. Greg Custer)

The epicenter of staying busy is Ajijic, with a population of 12,000. This number doesn’t include the estimated 4,000 foreign-born year-round residents and thousands more seasonal visitors. Founded in 1531 and wedged between steep mountains and the Lake, Ajijic’s kilometer-long lakeside malecón (pier) is a delight at all hours. The lake faces numerous challenges, however, mostly resulting from pressures upstream and the Rio Lerma watershed. It’s a magnificent body of water, but rarely do humans disrupt its calm surface or explore its shallow depth.

Ajijic’s prosperous central plaza is dominated by a gazebo adorned with lake-inspired cement motifs, an 18th-century chapel, a cultural center and mural art. Its murals are a legacy with ties to a children’s art program, launched by American Neill James in the 1950s and still in operation today. James arrived in Ajijic in 1943 and stayed for 50 years, opening the first Spanish-language library, sponsoring silkworm looms that employed village women and spearheading various philanthropic initiatives.

Calle Colón bisects the villages from north to south and connects the plaza with the lakefront. Colón is lined with art galleries displaying works by Mexican and foreign-born artists, real estate offices and clothing boutiques. There are surprisingly few museums or colonial-era structures here, reflecting the village’s historic isolation (the first roads connecting the village to the outside world came as late as the early 1950s) and fishing village heritage.

There are hiking trails crisscrossing the lake-facing mountains, a 30-kilometer protected bike path and morning kayaking from the Ajijic waterfront. Thermal swimming pools (balnearios) are just a short drive west of Ajijic, in the village of San Juan Cosalá.

Musicians at a show in Ajijic — There are lots of cultural and entertainment options in the area. (Greg Custer)

Many of us living here enjoy the three live theater companies, symphony orchestra, 50-member choir, and Jalisco state performing arts center, in addition to the numerous secular and religious cultural traditions. As for where to stay, you won’t find any sprawling resorts or large hotels here in Ajijic.

Visitors typically stay in Airbnb rentals or small inns sprinkled along central Ajijic’s crumbling cobblestone streets. Gated communities and dozens of residential developments mix foreign buyers with affluent tapatíos (people from Jalisco), who generally occupy their homes on weekends and holidays.

The foreign “invasion” is not without impact, however. Gentrification has brought changes in ways good and bad. Rising prices for real estate and rentals weigh heavily across the entire northwest Lakeshore region, impacting Mexican residents particularly. Residential water wells are being tapped out; traffic congestion through Ajijic and into Chapala is worsening.

A partial positive counterweight is the economic impact of foreign spending that goes into the hands of residents and business owners. Dozens of social services, animal rescues and educational efforts strive to mitigate some of these externalities, offering residents volunteer opportunities that are having positive impacts.

Take in the world’s best weather and international intermingling in the town of Chapala and the villages of San Antonio Tlayacapan, Ajijic (now a Pueblo Mágico), San Juan Cosalá and Jocotepec. All this and more begins a short 30-minute drive from the Guadalajara International Airport.

Of all the “happy places” you may consider parachuting into, I’ve found mine along the northwest shore of Mexico’s largest natural lake.

Greg Custer has lived lakeside since 2015, operates Ajijic Walking Tours and consults with folks exploring Mexico for overseas living. He is a regular contributor reporting on the Lake Chapala/Ajijic region for Mexico News Daily.

Why did the IMF lower its economic growth forecast for Mexico?

By

MND Staff

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April 17, 2024

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A long perspective view of Reforma Avenue in Mexico City — The International Monetary Fund released updated global economic growth forecasts Tuesday. An optimistic forecast of 2.7% growth for Mexico that the IMF made in January was revised down to 2.4%. (Diego Grandi/Shutterstock)

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revised down its economic growth forecast for Mexico in 2024 to 2.4% from 2.7%, citing “weaker-than-expected” outcomes early in the year.

The updated forecast came in the organization’s latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) report, which was published on Tuesday.

Four members of the IMF sitting at a conference table during a press briefing — The IMF said it revised its forecast for Mexico due to “contraction” in the manufacturing sector and slowdowns in the economies of Mexico’s larger trade partners. (IMF)

The IMF, a financial agency of the United Nations, also cut its 2025 growth projection for Mexico, lowering it to 1.4% from 1.5% in January.

“In Mexico, growth is projected at 2.4 percent in 2024, supported by a fiscal expansion, before declining to 1.4 percent in 2025 as the government is expected to tighten the fiscal stance,” the Washington D.C.-based organization said.

“The forecast for Mexico is revised downward on account of weaker-than-expected outcomes for end-2023 and early 2024, with a contraction in manufacturing.”

The lowering of the 2024 GDP forecast for Mexico — the world’s 12th largest economy — comes after the IMF in January raised its prediction for 2024 to 2.7% from 2.1% in October last year.

In its WEO Update in January, the IMF said that its 0.6 percentage point upgrade for Mexico was “largely due to carryover effects from stronger-than-expected domestic demand and higher-than-expected growth in large trading-partner economies in 2023.”

The economy of the United States — easily Mexico’s largest trading partner — grew 2.5% last year and is forecast by the IMF to expand by 2.7% in 2024.

IMF table with growth results for 2023 for several countries, and growth predictions for 2024 & 2025 — Mexico’s economy is heavily dependent on potentially volatile outside factors such as remittances and geopolitical events affecting its export market, which accounts for 35% of GDP. (IMF/X)

However, the IMF said Tuesday that its 0.6 percentage point upward revision for the U.S. economy since the January WEO Update “reflects largely statistical carryover effects from a stronger-than-expected growth outcome” in 2023’s fourth quarter.

“Some of the stronger momentum” is “expected to persist into 2024,” it added.

In its latest WEO report, the IMF also revised up its forecast for overall global growth this year, lifting its projection from 3.1% previously to the current 3.2%.

Its forecast of 3.2% global growth in 2025 remained unchanged.

The lower growth forecasts for Mexico indicate that domestic consumption in Mexico and revenue from Mexican exports — a major contributor to GDP — will not be as high as previously expected.

The inflow of remittances supports internal spending, but some analysts believe that the dollar value of transfers from abroad will decline this year, although they remained strong in the first two months of 2024.

Speaking after national statistics agency INEGI reported in late February that the Mexican economy grew 3.2% in 2023, but just 2.5% in the final quarter of the year, Andrés Abadia, chief Latin America economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said it was “probable that growth will continue to be weak in the short term due to stricter financial conditions and less favorable remittances from abroad.”

For its part, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas said last week that “as job growth slows and unemployment ticks up in the U.S,” remittances to Mexico — whose real value has fallen recently due to the strength of the peso and inflation — could decline, “curtailing consumption growth in Mexico.”

“In addition, trade flows between U.S. and Mexico could be impacted, as demand for intermediate goods declines, causing manufacturing production and exports to decelerate,” the bank said.

It should be stressed that the remarks made by Abadia and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas were made before the IMF upgraded its outlook for the U.S. economy in 2024.

IMF Graphic showing economic growth projections by regions of world — According to the IMF, Mexico’s growth in 2024 will surpass predictions for the Latin America and the Caribbean region but will fall far behind in 2025. (IMF/X)

On Monday, Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O expressed another concern, saying that Mexico’s economy is “extremely sensitive” to global problems such as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Speaking at an Atlantic Council event in Washington, Ramírez said that the sensitivity comes from Mexico being one of the most open economies of Latin America and having exports that account for 35% of GDP.

However, at a Council of the Americas event on Tuesday after the IMF published its updated growth forecasts for Mexico, the finance minister was more optimistic.

According to a Finance Ministry (SHCP) statement, Ramírez asserted that “the Mexican economy will continue growing next year, mainly due to the dynamism of its labor market, the strength of the internal market, the changes in global trade and the nearshoring momentum.”

In a document submitted to the federal Congress in late March, the SHCP forecast that the Mexican economy will grow between 2.5% and 3.5% in 2024 and 2%–3% next year.

In the United States on Tuesday, Ramírez asserted that the Mexican economy has “solid foundations to promote the positive nearshoring trend” and that “there is a dynamism” in the country “that is not just benefiting consolidated sectors, but also new industries that are beginning to grow.”

He also said that the government has carried out a range of “actions” to encourage companies to relocate to Mexico, including the development of industrial parks, “the expansion of commercial chains and the modernization and expansion of infrastructure.”

With reports from El Economista, El Financiero and EFE

Nubank to invest US $100M in Mexico, its ‘priority’ market in 2024

By

MND Staff

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April 17, 2024

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Nubank, the largest fintech bank in Latin America, announced on Tuesday that it would inject another US $100 million into its operations in Mexico.

Iván Canales, director of Nu México, the digital bank’s Mexican arm, told El País newspaper that the new investment makes Nu México the largest financial services company of its kind in the country.

Iván Canales has served as director of Nu México since 2022. (Iván Canales/LinkedIn)

“This [investment] reflects our long-term commitment to Mexico and dovetails with our strategy to make Mexico a fundamental priority for 2024,” Canales said in a press release.

The new funds boost Nubank’s total investments in the country to more than US $1.4 billion.

“With this investment, Nu México reaffirms its position as the best capitalized financial institution in Mexico,” Nubank co-founder Cristina Junqueira said in the same press release.

How long has Nubank operated in Mexico?

Nubank savings accounts were first made available in Mexico nearly a year ago and within the first month more than 1 million accounts had been opened. Total deposits at that time reached 1 billion pesos (US $58.8 million).

Another savings account that offered 15% annual interest was launched late last year, adding another 1 million people to the Nu México client list.

The company’s success in Mexico dates back further. Nu México launched an international credit card with no yearly fee in 2020. By September 2021, the company was the second largest issuer of credit cards in Mexico.

However, Nubank’s default rates in Mexico through February were higher than average, attributed to the large number of first-time card customers.

“We’ve realized that in Mexico there’s a great need for our clients to learn how to use credit cards and fix their credit history,” Canales told El País, indicating that future Nu México products will focus on this area.

How will it continue to grow in the Mexican market?

The news of the latest investment comes a day before Mexico’s National Banking Convention begins in Acapulco. Ahead of the convention, Nu Holdings CEO David Vélez told El País that the company will continue to target Mexico’s sizable unbanked population.

Nubank, headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is enjoying a remarkable turnaround, swinging from a net loss in 2022 to a US $1 billion net profit in 2023, according to the trade magazine Finance Feeds. The digital bank’s revenues have soared past US $8 billion, marking a major milestone in its financial performance.

This growth is fueled by an aggressive customer acquisition strategy, with nearly 20 million customers added in 2023 alone. Nu México is constituted as a Financial Cooperative Association (Sofipo) in Mexico, and its total equity as of March comprised more than 51% of the entire sector.

Sofipos are similar to banks but have certain limitations, and Nu México recently filed a petition with the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) for a banking license.

“If we get the banking license, we will not change the way we operate,” Canales told El País. “Our essence, our DNA, is a company that’s 100% devoted to its customers and that uses digital tools to simplify complex products.”

With reports from El País and Axis Negocios

Mexico’s Health Ministry issues measles alert

By

MND Staff

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April 17, 2024

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A young girl receives a vaccine from a nurse — Health authorities have urged the population to complete their measles immunizations. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s Health Ministry (SSa) has issued a public health alert amid a rise in measles cases in the country, recommending that families take children to health centers to get the measles vaccine.

“(To) prevent local-origin cases of measles … the National Center for Child and Adolescent Health (Censia) of the Ministry of Health recommends that parents or guardians take children and adolescents to health units to get vaccinated, in case they lack any doses to complete their immunization program,” the alert says.

A nurse administering a measles vaccination — The Health Ministry announced that they have made over 111,000 measles vaccinations available. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais/Cuartoscuro)

Likewise, authorities urged both public and private medical institutions to ensure that they comply with epidemiological surveillance measures and carry out laboratory diagnoses in suspected cases of measles or rubella.

As of the 13th week of the year, Mexico has reported 859 probable cases of measles or rubella which are still being analyzed. Out of these, four cases of measles have been confirmed. Three of these are suspected to have originated outside of Mexico, while one is confirmed to have originated abroad.

The General Directorate of Epidemiology (DGE) reported that the latter case involved a four-year-old child who arrived at the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) from London.

Rosa María Wong, head of the Clinical Research subdivision of the Faculty of Medicine at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), said that measles was considered eradicated in the Americas in 2003 due to a lack of endemic cases.

However, since 2017, more cases of measles infections have appeared. Worldwide, 541,000 cases were reported in 2019 and 93,840 in 2020.

“We saw worldwide that in 2019, we had a significant number of cases, but since SARS-CoV-2 arrived, many respiratory and exanthematous viruses stopped circulating, including measles,” Wong explained.

Between 2022 and 2023, however, measles cases worldwide increased 64% — from 171,000 infections to 315,000. This year, dozens of countries are already registering new infections. Guadalupe Miranda, an academic at the Faculty of Medicine at UNAM, warned that the real number of infections may be higher, as some countries fail to identify them in a timely manner.

The last measles outbreak in Mexico took place in 2020, with a total of 196 cases.

Measles is a highly infectious viral disease which mostly affects children. It spreads through nose and throat secretions and is transmitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes, releasing droplets containing the virus into the air.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the initial symptoms of measles include a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash three to five days later. Measles can cause serious complications, especially in children under age 5.

With reports from Animal Político, Expansión and El Universal

38 migrants rescued from a property north of Mexico City

By

MND Staff

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April 17, 2024

0

GLU7_45awAAjRz_ — The migrants had presumably been kidnapped. (@FiscaliaEdomex/X)

A group of 38 foreigners who had apparently been abducted were rescued from a property in the Mexico City metropolitan area, the México state Attorney General’s Office (FGJ) said Tuesday.

In a statement posted to social media, the FGJ said that 38 migrants from Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, Nepal and India were found at a property in the San Pedro Barrientos neighborhood of Tlalnepantla, a México state municipality that borders northern Mexico City.

A firearm discovered at a property where migrants were being held in Mexico state — One “original” firearm and one “replica” firearm as well as two vehicles and two motorcycles were seized from the Tlalnepantla property. (@FiscaliaEdomex/X)

The migrants had “presumably” been abducted, the FGJ said.

The National Immigration Institute (INM) and the FGJ located the foreigners, and the operation to rescue them was carried out in coordination with the National Guard and state and municipal police, according to the statement posted to X.

The FGJ also said that one “original” firearm and one “replica” firearm as well as two vehicles and two motorcycles were seized from the Tlalnepantla property, which was secured by authorities.

The rescued persons were placed in the custody of the INM, the FGJ said. No arrests were reported.

Migrants frequently become victims of crime while traveling through Mexico toward the northern border with the United States. Men are sometimes forcibly recruited by organized crime groups, while many female migrants are sexually assaulted.

Rescues of migrants are also frequently reported by authorities, in many cases after groups of foreigners are detected traveling in trucks toward the Mexico-U.S. border. Stories of migrants being abducted in Mexico are also quite common.

In January, federal authorities rescued more than 700 mostly Central American abducted migrants from an abandoned warehouse in Tlaxcala, while 61 Central and South American migrants were rescued in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, earlier the same month.

The presence of undocumented migrants in Mexico rose significantly last year, surpassing by 77% the numbers recorded in 2022, according to the International Organization for Migration. Most enter the country via Mexico’s southern border with Guatemala.

Mexico News Daily