Cruise tourism creates significant economic spillover for small businesses in the state. (Cuartoscuro)
The port towns of Quintana Roo continue to lead the way in cruise ship tourism to Mexico, with cruise visitors to the Caribbean resorts of Cozumel and Mahahual increasing by around 50% over the last year.
According to the federal Tourism Ministry (Sectur), Cozumel received 3.23 million cruise passengers between January and October 2023, 48.5% more than in 2022. Mahahual received 1.38 million, a year-on-year increase of 55 percent.
The world’s new largest cruise ship, The Icon of the Seas, will stop at the Caribbean ports of Cozumel and Mahahual in 2024. (Royal Caribbean)
Over the same period, the number of ships visiting Cozumel increased from 864 to 905, while Mahahual saw a drop from 363 to 348, but received larger and fuller cruise vessels.
This put Quintana Roo’s ports at the top of the list of Mexico’s most popular cruise destinations, which also included Ensenada, Baja California; Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur; and Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. Between them, these five ports accounted for 97.2% of Mexico’s total cruise tourism over the period.
Luis González, director of tourism in Othón P. Blanco, the municipality in which Mahahual is located, told the newspaper La Jornada Maya that the increase largely reflected the recovery of the cruise industry since the pandemic. Nevertheless, he predicted that the upward trajectory would continue at least through 2024.
“In November in Mahahual we received 49 cruises, now in December there are 77, and the best months for the sector are May, June and July,” he said. “We want to believe that next year we will [see] an increase of between 35 and 45 percent from what was achieved this year.”
The increase also corresponds to newly inaugurated cruise routes that are bringing larger ships to the Mexican Caribbean. In December, for instance, Cozumel received the 3,200-capacity luxury shipNorwegian Viva for the first time. In 2024, Quintana Roo is expected to receive Royal Caribbean International’s new shipIcon of the Seas. With capacity for 5,610 passengers and 2,350 crew members, Icon of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world.
Although environmentalists havepushed back against the expansion of cruise terminals in Cozumel, González stressed that cruise visitors create an important economic spillover in the region, estimated at between 1,600 and 1,800 pesos (US $94-$106) per visitor per day. He said that much of this revenue goes to small businesses, such as companies giving tours of archaeological sites.
Cruise tourism is also recovering steadily in Mexico’s Pacific ports, although total numbers in 2022 remained lower than in the Caribbean.Puerto Vallarta, for instance, received 456,435 cruise passengers during the first ten months of the year – 50% more than in the same period of 2022.
Revered expert in psychedelic medicine, Amanda Feilding of The Beckley Foundation, and writer for MND, Henrietta Weekes. (Henrietta Weekes)
Why are people taking psychedelics for mental health?
Psychedelics (serotonergic hallucinogens) are any substance or specimen containing psychoactive compounds, altering perception or mood and affecting numerous cognitive processes; for example, psilocybin – found in the ‘magic mushroom,’ or lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) – which Swiss scientist Albert Hoffman synthesized in 1938 from the ergot fungus.
In the last decade, we have witnessed a psychedelic renaissance; science has shown the remarkable effectiveness of these compounds for what Lady Amanda Feilding, founder of the Beckley Foundation, calls “cerebral enhancement.” The findings demonstrate powerful results for treatment-resistant depressive disorders and trauma, and Amanda’s more recent studies will look at neurodegenerative disease and autism. Studies conducted at John Hopkins University, the Beckley/Imperial Psychedelic Research Programme, Cornell and other prestigious academic institutions around the world yield hope for mental and physical illness.
The Beckley Foundation, Oxford, UK – childhood home of Amanda Feilding, founder and visionary. (Photo courtesy of Henrietta Weekes)
As the legalization of these substances for therapeutic usage unfolds slowly across the globe (mostly in the United States and Europe), the public at large is partaking in settings ranging from the doctor’s office to spiritual retreats. To improve safe access, Amanda co-founded Beckley Retreats in 2021, with one of her sons and other long term supporters of the psychedelics field. Beckley Retreats now hosts legal psychedelic healing retreats in the Netherlands and Jamaica and was awarded 2023 Retreat of the Year by Microdose Magazine.
Psychedelics: when spirituality meets cutting-edge neuroscience
“I have a lot of faith in the potential of these compounds, and in the bigger picture, they offer a new way of life. Psychedelics are really a gift of life – or a “God”-given gift, depending on your stance,” says Amanda. Her Foundation, in affiliation with scientists and universities, has conducted 40 years of research, and next year will see the most ambitious studies with LSD – a pure, non-toxic and non-addictive substance – yet conducted; the Double-Headed Research Program – which will examine how LSD may aid longevity, creativity, cognitive and physical health. She’s doubly thrilled to be working with the latest fMRI technology – the neuroimaging devices MRI 7 Tesla and MEG.
“Before he died, Albert Hoffman implored me to ‘bring back his problem child’ for his 100th birthday – that would have been in 2006,” Amanda tells me: “The gods, sadly, don’t tell the time! But we’re only a few years off, and I’m ready to hit next year with these pioneering studies using Albert’s brainchild, LSD.”
Hoffman vigorously advocated for LSD’s responsible usage since its creation. “Anything that interacts powerfully with our consciousness, such as the internet, for example, can be used beneficially or completely misused,” Amanda stresses. Although more a thinker and an artist, her Foundation’s affiliation with science has been imperative for her work to gain traction, legally and in public opinion. Amanda has worked tirelessly since the 1970s to raise the profile of psychedelics, but it was only in the last several years that the taboo around the topic started to lift: “I had to speak about [psychedelics] in the language of science, and so I gathered the best scientists and organizations around me.”
According to Statista, Forbes and Healthcare Drive data, government spending on mental health in the US has increased by over 50% in the last four years, suggesting an escalating mental health crisis. “Psychedelic medicine and my projected studies with King’s College and UCL in London next year offer a far more affordable and effective way forward,” Amanda affirms.
Amanda Feilding believes her psychedelic studies can help save humanity
Though it may sound like a tall order, Amanda believes at the core of new science is the search to heal society. She mentions a growing pantheon of activists and initiatives implementing good in the world and adds, “I just want to play my part. Ever since I ‘took a trip to the heavenly funfair’ with LSD in the ’60s, I’ve devoted my life to studying the potential positive effects of psychedelics.”
“We are at the foothills of the mountains!” she remarks. “It feels like a critical time for human evolution. One hopes that the clever little monkey (us), with the help of these compounds, might change the way we act for better alternatives.”
At a time when we are witnessing the birth of Artificial Intelligence, it makes sense that we embark on a quest to better understand our own! For those who believe Artificial Intelligence forebodes the demise of our Natural Intelligence, psychedelics might be the keystone game-changer. An entire field of modern medicine (Larry Dossey, MD’s work, for example) is examining the role of consciousness in health and illness, and Amanda is certainly playing her part. This sprightly, sharp-minded and enthusiastic 80-year-old works 15 hours a day, and has multiple studies taking place at any time.
Tracing a thread through a century of psychedelics: from Maria Sabina to science
In the past century, anthropologists have discovered that many societies, including those of Mexico, used psychedelic substances for healing. Scientific and public interest began to form in 1957, when R. Gordon Wasson, a banker at JP Morgan and amateur mycologist (someone who studies fungi), published an article in LIFE magazine raving about his experience with Maria Sabina, la sabia (wise woman). Maria Sabina’s veladas (spiritual ceremonies) involved using magic mushrooms harvested in Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca. Tourists and celebrities like Bob Dylan and John Lennon then flocked to see la sabia, seeking mystical experiences for healing.
Maria Sabina, a poet, also known as ‘priestess of the mushrooms’ and a gifted sabia, ‘one who knows’, from Oaxaca. (Beto Vargas)
Forty years after Maria Sabina’s influence in the West, we have the technological advancements and hard science to observe the brain in real-time, beyond magical speculation. We can observe how the brain can rewire and repair itself when experiencing what Sabina and Feilding call ‘the mystical state.’ The cutting-edge hardware of fMRI graphs – which model the brain as a complex network – reveals that neuroplasticity is no hoax and that the brain reaches its greatest plasticity when in the altered state of a psychedelic experience. “We plan to look more deeply into the underlying mechanism of how consciousness and the brain works”, says Amanda.
Where might the Beckley Foundation’s psychedelic studies take us in the future?
2019 saw seminal results with the Beckley Foundation’s vast experimental microdosing platform in collaboration with Maastricht University in the Netherlands. 2024 promises to be another breakthrough year for the Beckley Foundation, with Amanda’s spreading mycelium of cutting edge studies – which she carries out in collaboration with scientists at the world’s leading institutions. Her current studies focus on LSD, in macro- and micro- doses, which hopefully will help provide supporting evidence for the creation of new psychedelic medicine. Amanda’s previous explorations of LSD have proved that it can successfully stimulate a range of cognitive processes, from mood to pain relief and the increasing of neuroplasticity. Amanda is looking forward to working with Karl Friston, the world’s leading expert in the creation of fMRI algorithms, using the latest MRI technology with full doses of LSD.
Psychedelics for palliative care and neurodegenerative disease
She is currently curating her roster of scientists to further the studies. “I dream of incorporating the positive results for neurodegenerative illnesses, such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as a palliative care project.” She has already made progress and is in conversation with some of the most important care homes in Europe. Dementia is a great expense to society, and many who suffer from the disease have few care options. “This is an area in fantastic need,” Amanda implores.
“We’ve seen from our work that microdoses of LSD can improve quality of life, cognitive process, happiness and the sense of Self,” she explains. “My desire is to help transform the process of how we age and die. We have also witnessed LSD’s effectiveness for vascular disorders and cerebral circulation,” Amanda continues, “Interestingly, these are ignored areas in modern science.”
Psychedelics: a woman’s domain?
Spending an afternoon with Amanda felt a bit like observing a modern day Maria Sabina, except this ‘medicine woman’ is protected by the almighty mantle of science, and the context of this historical moment. “I might have been burned at the stake a century ago”, she remarks. She presents more like an artist, and the Beckley Foundation, her childhood home, and an ancient, rambling pile in the Oxfordshire countryside certainly has the sense of a conceptual art project rather than a science park -the offices are housed in the old cow shed of her father’s farm. “I don’t have any letters after my name – my father was a bit of an iconoclast – so in order for my work to be taken seriously, I have gathered the best scientists around me and joined hands with the academic institutions that know we are onto something.”
One might imagine Maria Sabina, the Mexican Indigenous healer, whispering through the mists of this century’s time and space continuum, and egging on Amanda, affectionately known as Lady Mindbender.
Amanda muses, “As a child, I dreamt of watering the desert.”
Her tireless work over the last half of a century is a fulfillment of that childhood dream.
As the Foundation celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year, she adds enthusiastically, “After decades of using art and political campaigns, I had come to realize that science was the best way to overcome the taboo and break through the oppressive wall of the War on Drugs. For several years, our work at the Beckley Foundation was thought of as fringe and dangerous, not to be taken seriously. But in time, the data we produced spoke for itself. We have also witnessed significant strides in drug policy reform across multiple continents, including decriminalization, legalization, and medicalisation. Just recently, the UN officially shifted its stance towards harm reduction and human rights-based drug policies, and away from prohibitionist criminalisation”.
As she riffs about consciousness, evolution, mental health and the betterment of society, her words seem to echo back to the beginnings of the 20th century, when Mexican sabia, Maria Sabina, made the choice to share the secrets of mystical communion and healing with an American banker.
“We’re lucky to be at this stage of civilization,” Amanda concludes. “We can bring the usage and wisdom of these compounds into the heart of medicine. I’ve been working with the taboos around altered states my whole life, and finally, we might just be getting somewhere, as society finally begins to recognise and respects the highly important role of psychedelics for our health and happiness.”
If readers are interested in supporting the work of the Beckley Foundation, please visit thewebsite.
Henrietta Weekes is a writer, editor, actor and narrator. She divides her time between San Miguel de Allende, New York and Oxford, UK.
The Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) announced a "caravan of caravans" from Mexico City to Chiapas to commemorate the 1994 uprising. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN) has announced a “caravan of caravans” traveling from Mexico City to Chiapas, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Zapatista uprising.
At apress conference in Mexico City, members of the EZLN and the National Indigenous Congress (CNI) said that 600 people from 19 Mexican states, as well as 20 countries, had registered to participate in the caravan, which departs the capital on Dec. 25.
The march will conclude in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, in the heart of the EZLN communities. (Isabel Mateos/Cuartoscuro)
The caravan will pass through Hidalgo, México State, Puebla and Veracruz before arriving in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, where the Zapatista Indigenous movement launched an armed uprising on Jan. 1, 1994.
The uprising, which fought back against the impacts of globalization on Chiapas’ Indigenous communities, was timed to coincide with the day the North American Free Trade Agreement took effect. It took Mexican authorities completely by surprise.
Although the fighting lasted only two weeks, the movement seized control of seven towns and garnered a wave of support from international leftist organizations, eventually leading the government to sign the San Andrés Peace Accords in 1996. The EZLN went on to create an “autonomous zone” of governance across parts of Chiapas, although these areas were never officially recognized as such by the Mexican government.
In recent years, however, the EZLN communities have been threatened by the disputes between the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), vying for control of human smuggling and drug trafficking routes in the Guatemalan border region. This conflict has led to a wave of forced displacements, disappearances and murders in Chiapas.On Nov. 6, the EZLN announced that it had decided to dissolve 59 centers, as well as the governance structures known as Zapatista Rebel Autonomous Municipalities (MAREZ) and Good Government Juntas, andrestructure the movement to face this new struggle.
A week later, the EZLN spokesman known as Subcomandante Moisésreleased a statement explaining that the MAREZ were being replaced with a three-tier form of autonomous government known as Local Autonomous Government (GAL) and an increased militia presence.
In this context, the EZLN took the unusual measure of advising its members and supportersnot to attend the celebration for the 30th anniversary of the uprising, warning that “unlike other years, it is not safe.” However, they did confirm that an event would still take place.
The EZLN has called upon Mexican authorities and police forces to allow the caravan free passage, particularly once it arrives in Chiapas. The group also stressed that members of the Fray Bartolomé de las Casas Human Rights Center would accompany the caravan, to monitor human rights and security measures.
The Maya Train is one major public investment project that has contributed to GDP growth in the country's southeast region.(ELIZABETH RUIZ/CUARTOSCURO.COM)
Mexico is now the 12th largest economy in the world, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) GDP projections for 2023, an improvement of two positions compared to last year.
The IMF updated its nominal GDP forecasts earlier this month, and is now predicting that Mexico’s economic output will be US $1.81 trillion this year.
Mexico’s strong exports this year have contributed to GDP growth. (Cuartoscuro)
Based on that projection, Mexico is the 12th largest economy in 2023 behind the United States (No. 1), China, Germany, Japan, India, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Brazil, Canada and Russia.
Mexico’s nominal GDP was $1.47 trillion last year, making it the 14th largest economy in the world. This year, it passed South Korea and Australia to become the 12th largest economy, according to the IMF data.
The federal government highlighted the improvement in a post to its official account on the X social media platform on Thursday.
“Mexico is among the 20 largest economies in the world. We are ranked 12th and moved up two places with respect to last year,” the post said.
Mexico’s manufacturing sector has seen strong FDI and export revenue this year. (Deacero Ramos Arizpe)
Contradicting that comment, the post included a graph that said that Mexico had moved up four places compared to 2022, as was widely, albeit erroneously, reported.
The Mexican economy has had a better than expected year in 2023. The national statistics agency INEGI reported Friday that the economy grew 3.5% in annual terms between January and October.
The OECD predicted in November 2022 that the Mexican economy would grow by just 1.6% this year, but is now forecasting that GDP will expand 3.4% in 2023.
Foreign investment, which totaled almost $33 billion in the first nine months of the year, is expected to increase in coming years as more companies move into the country as part of the nearshoring phenomenon. Foreign companies announced investments in Mexico totaling US $106 billion in the first 11 months of the year, with that money expected to flow into the country in the next two to three years.
The publication of the IMF data showing that Mexico had become the 12th largest economy in the world came five months after President López Obrador noted that the country was forecast to become one of the world’s top 10 economies in the coming decades.
The Washington D.C.-based financial agency is forecasting that Mexico will pass Russia to become the 11th largest economy next year and remain in that position in 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Mexico’s nominal GDP is projected to reach $1.99 trillion in 2024, $2.08 trillion in 2025, $2.17 trillion in 2026, $2.26 trillion in 2027 and $2.36 trillion in 2028.
Xiomara Zetina, a holistic and energetic therapist reads your astrological sign’s tarot for 2024.
Hello, I am Xiomara Zetina, a professional therapist specializing in holistic and energetic tools born and raised in Mexico City, living in San Miguel de Allende. For over 15 years, I’ve helped people reach their goals by illuminating their unconscious.
With the help of my tarot deck, I will be sharing the horoscopes with you monthly!
I studied psychology at the Universidad Latinoamericana in Mexico City and have been certified in energy tools like Reiki, Access Bars and Family Constellations.
Tarot is one of my favorite methods. It supports self-knowledge and helps me guide and support people through their healing process by unearthing their unconscious memories to better understand their patterns to be able to change them.
By giving people back their internal power, they can live in harmony with themselves, their environment and their history. By letting go of the conditioning and limiting memories of pain, shock and childhood trauma, I help people work with energy for their highest benefit.
I wish you a wonderful 2024!
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Capricorn
December 22 – January 19
2024 is the time to look at your body and your physical needs.
How have you been nourishing yourself? I’m not only talking about food, I’m talking about your mind, your emotions, your energy and your soul. Our body is a vehicle to achieve all that we want, so it’s time to take care of your body, your health and your habits. You have changed. You can’t continue doing what you did when you were a child or teenager as your needs have changed. What is your body asking for? It could be massage, dance, exercise or just a hug, only you know.
Whatever you can give yourself, the universe will give it back to you. Choose wisely.
Life has been asking you to keep going and move on from grief. For many years, pain and lack were your fuel, but this year be motivated by what you deserve. What kind of people do you want to share your life with? What kind of experiences do you want to experience? What kind of places do you want to be in? How do you want to feel?
There are some rules about the universe. Do you know the rules I’m talking about? Life is just a projection of our mind, what you see on the outside comes from the inside. Do you like what you see?
More rest will increase your productivity this year. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve learned to be a hard worker. Please respect your bedtime, and create a routine to teach your brain to turn off and rest. Take care of your nervous system.
New places, new hobbies, new music, new food, and new people are waiting for you to allow yourself to explore!
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Aquarius
February 19 – March 20
Innovation is a talent you were born with. 2024 is a year to define your own life rules. Creativity is another gift you have, so build a creative life.
Let expectations fall, both those that others put on your shoulders and those that were self-imposed. Look for what you want for the future.
This is a year of revelations for you. You’re going to experience so much clarity and ‘aha’ moments which will help you find solutions for the challenges that are coming. Your growth will impact everyone around you.
Time to heal your past. Leave your judgments behind and re-meet people who are still part of your present, but who you were hurt by in the past. If they are still in your present, that means there is still a lesson to be learned from them, and this lesson may be related to forgiveness.
A life cycle has expired. You have become a master in your life, and you need to practice what you’ve learned. Be humble and share to get all of the benefits from this mastery.
Change is not an option for you this new year.
Time has so much to teach you, and know that there’s no rush. Time is just a measure, so practice patience, especially when you are building something new. Don’t overthink the future. You can explore tools to keep yourself in the present moment, like mindfulness or breathwork to reduce anxiety levels. In Mexico, we say “No por mucho madrugar, amanece mas temprano.” It means that it doesn’t matter how early you wake up in the morning, the sunrise always has its own time. I say this because a process, a goal or a dream always has its own timing, and it’s almost always different to your timing.
Allow yourself to be vulnerable; there’s so much power in there.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Pisces
February 19 – March 20
This is an expansive year for you. You need to know you have all the resources you need for this. Resources are not just money but also people, experiences and knowledge. You can manage them well.
Know you are ready for this growth. Commit to yourself, and ask, “What does expansion look like for me this year?” Expanding your business, studying for a master’s degree, or something new? Perhaps it will show up as a life project, like getting married or growing a family.
Energy is another resource you can use to create the life you want, so please be aware of where you are putting your energy… is it in drama, pain, sadness and trouble… or in harmony, joy and love?
This year, you have to decide between other people’s dreams or your own. Be faithful to yourself, be real, be honest and choose yourself. This is a way to love yourself.
In 2024, people are going to talk about you – and you will most likely be criticized – but stay true to yourself. Remember that this year you are meant to break paradigms in your family and society, and not everyone will agree with you. Especially if by doing so, you show others their limitations.
You will have a very active social life. Everyone wants you to be part of their celebrations! A sweet lesson for you to learn is when to leave the party. This applies to jobs, romantic relationships, business and friend groups. Stay away from excess and also from people who trigger you.
Who are you at this moment of your life?
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Aries
March 21 – April 19
Aries, this year, you have to discover new ways of being and acting, finding the balance between your desires and the common good. What would happen if you started putting your heart into everything you do? You may notice a change in attitude in those around you.
This year represents self-mastery, which includes self-control and self-knowledge. 2024 is a year of great power for you – use it wisely. Remember that he who dominates others is strong, he who dominates himself is powerful.
This year you can materialize those plans that you had previously postponed. Alliances will also be important, allowing expansion to come into your life, and letting other people share their resources with you. May “win-win” be a part of the agreements and negotiations you make this year.
Listen well to what people can contribute to your life, dreams and projects. Take what you need, always finding a way to repay the support or participation of others.
In 2024, you must cultivate the gift of patience. We are used to doing a lot to achieve our goals, but know that many different elements are part of that plan, so let things happen with the least effort and learn to pause when necessary because the pause is part of productivity. Start seeing yourself as one with others. Building a community is part of your 2024 challenge.
Take care of your relationships (personal, professional and family) and allow those who are no longer aligned with your values to leave. Do not force anything. Let those who truly contribute something good stay, and thank all the gifts and lessons they have left you.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Taurus
April 20 – May 20
2024 opens up remarkable professional growth and great possibilities for promotion, expansion or entrepreneurship. For this to happen, however, it will be important for you to be clear about your material goals and also your emotional goals. How do you want to feel? This will be how you materialize your desire for expansion and material growth. It will be a year of many opportunities, so you must weigh each option that is presented to you.
In Mexico we say, “El que mucho abarca poco aprieta.” It means that if you try to do everything at the same time, you are probably going to fail because you have to divide your energy, attention and effort into different things simultaneously. Choose the option that brings more happiness and harmony to your life.
Also, you could begin a new personal project, especially if you want to explore a new subject, hobby or sport, or learn something new to expand your consciousness and gain a new view of life.
In the middle of the year, you could feel overwhelmed because you are putting so much attention on matters of your mind. Know it’s not true if you feel trapped. You always have many options to succeed. Try to look at things from another angle and remember you have been training for 2024 to unfold in this way. You can only be trapped and stuck in past ways, old ideas, past dreams and past beliefs.
New ways and opportunities to make money will appear to you. Open yourself to receive. Abundance increases more easily when we find the balance between give and receive.
Discipline is your best partner this year to achieve your goals and dreams. I know you love pleasure, but this year, discipline comes before pleasure.
Be open to the changes and challenges that are coming for you to grow.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Gemini
May 21 – June 21
2024 will challenge you to learn that control doesn’t exist. Control is just an illusion, and you will also learn how to deal with uncertainty. This year you’re going to experience many shifts, and the real challenge for you is to learn how to feel comfortable in the unknown. It is easier than you think, even if your inner talk says the opposite. There are many laws in this universe for you to discover or remember. Especially the principle of rhythm: “Everything flows, out and in; everything has its tides; all things rise and fall; the pendulum swing manifests in everything; the measure of the swing to the right is the measure of the swing to the left; rhythm compensates.”
Impermanence will be your best teacher this year. From this moment you can start connecting with gratitude. Be thankful for the things you can’t yet see – this will bring you harmony and peace, and regulate your nervous system.
Keep developing your intuition, and let your spirit be your guide.
This year is open for you to double-check your values, your beliefs and your dreams. Are they still aligned with the person you are and the life you are living now? Do they belong to you? Are they truly yours? An awakening is coming for you in 2024.
Let yourself explore all the possibilities between one extreme and another. Change and speed this year are part of the new you.
After the second half of the year, people from your past may return. Remember the dreams you used to build in your mind as a child, and probably forgot as an adult. Reconnect with your inner child. How do you honor that little kid who is still alive in your heart?
Remember to see life with innocence, curiosity and joy.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Cancer
June 22 – July 22
The old structures on which you built your life in the past are falling away and have expired. They helped you get to this present moment in your life, but they won’t get you where you want to be. Old structures need to be removed so that new ones can emerge.
What does success mean for you? Are you still looking to be “successful” as you thought of it when you were a child? As your parents taught you? Or does success have a more current meaning to you? If you want to be successful quickly, work by yourself. If you want to go farther and hold on to that success for longer, work in a team. Success tastes better when you share it. Remember to celebrate.
You can expect a job promotion, business growth or a wedding! Get ready for this in 2024.
Be careful with your words. Try to be assertive and clear in your communication, so others don’t need to interpret how you feel, what you want or what are you thinking. Speak up, speak clearly, but don’t speak too much.
Be coherent between your thoughts, your words, your feelings and your actions.
It’s good to express your feelings, but it’s better if you can also understand where your feelings are coming from.
This is a year to be productive, work hard and find the best work methods. Remember that being productive also means focusing your attention and energy on things that need to get done, but also respecting your time for rest. Take care of yourself to prevent disease.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Leo
July 23 – August 22
You are finishing 2023 and beginning 2024 full of satisfaction. That’s why this is the best moment to practice gratitude. If you don’t feel grateful, look carefully at where you were a year ago and where you are now. Sometimes our ego doesn’t let us celebrate our real soul achievements because we are comparing ourselves to others.
Each challenging experience you overcome helps bring out your true self, and this is a really powerful process. One of the most challenging things in life is to recognize who we are and be open to sharing our true selves with the world.
It’s time to take responsibility for your success and also your failures. This is the best way to get your power back.
Sometimes you can become obsessed with the material world, money and status; this is a year to buy a house or invest in real estate. But remember it is important to also find a way to share your blessings with your community, the collective.
You are magnetic. What have you attracted in 2023? What do you want to attract in 2024? This is a good year to do inner work, especially shadow work.
Leo, this year is going to bring back old friends, old coworkers or maybe old loves, to heal any memories or disagreements that have bothered you for years. After this, you will be ready to connect differently with everyone around you. This is what miracle courses call “perception change.” Once you heal, you will see everyone differently. This is an opportunity to start connecting soul to soul.
After the second half of the year, you may see yourself moving physically or internally after going on a trip. When we travel we also transform ourselves.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Virgo
August 23 – September 22
2024 is a manifestation year for you. In recent years, you have gone through a lot of challenges and complications, but that’s how you discovered your inner resources. Your strength was tested, and you have experienced darkness to bring out your light. Get ready to let your light shine bright.
It is important to trust that you are always safe and that you are protected. This is a year to open your heart, and let down all the walls you have built to protect yourself. Don’t be afraid. No one can hurt you if you spread your love and your intentions are honest and coming from your heart.
A new cycle is beginning. People are leaving your life and new people are coming in. Take a moment to stop and realize how much you’ve been changing to create new routines and new habits, try new hairstyles, new colors and new places. Keep stepping out of your comfort zone.
The wheel of fortune is part of this reading, which means that though there is no such thing as certainty, trust that all the things happening are happening for your highest well-being. Destiny is knocking on your door. Life will be full of surprises to learn from.
If you find extra money to invest, please carefully research where you are investing; what’s behind the scenes, the company, the people, the energy. Put your money in places where it can have the highest value. I’m not talking only about financial performance. Put your money in places where you feel joy, healthy pleasure, satisfaction and expansion.
Last but not least, 2024 is a good year to heal your masculine energy, especially the bond with your father. If you want to break old patterns, see your father as a human being and try to learn more about his life story. To get the best from him.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Libra
September 23 – October 22
This 2024 is a refreshing new year. May you feel younger and full of energy, with so many new ideas, dreams and goals in your head. You are looking to discover new lands, new places and new groups of people. You have so much curiosity inside – let that curiosity guide you and let joy be part of your routine.
You have been in a transformational process for the last seven or eight years, and that process took so much energy from you. Healing requires an expense of energy, but all that energy is coming back to you in 2024.
This is a good year for you to launch a new project, brand or business. People want you to be part of their team, too. This is a year to work on your community. Two, three or more heads think better than one. Ask for help if you need it.
Don’t forget to celebrate the small achievements even if your mind is telling you that they are not a big deal. Don’t believe that talk! Celebration is a reward. Remember that sometimes passion and enthusiasm are not enough and you need to find discipline, too.
You are going to inspire people around you. People want to be as free as they think you are. Just be sure that your feelings of freedom are real. Don’t get trapped in your mind: on your fears, on your past or your old wounds.
New projects are showing up. Choose the ones that make you feel excited, that challenge your creativity and that offer you a space where you can practice all your skills and gifts that have nothing to do with your profession or current job. Getting paid is important, but it’s important to choose projects that are aligned with your values and feed your soul, not only your bank account.
In 2024, say goodbye to being a people pleaser. Your needs, dreams and desires will come first. When you choose yourself, you are loving yourself. When you set healthy boundaries, you are practicing self-love. If you want to receive love, share love and love yourself first.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Scorpio
October 23 – November 21
In 2024, you finally break away from toxic relationships, toxic partnerships, attachments, toxic patterns, unhealthy habits and old ideas about who you are and who you should be. Many people are leaving your life who were important to you in the past, but at this point of your evolution process, you may notice that you have started to feel like strangers. That’s fine, because newness needs space to arrive.
You are freeing yourself from your mind and thoughts, and you have learned to deal with your emotions better. All this work will bring you a reward. If you keep going with your healing process in 2024, even your physical body could be transformed. When we heal our minds, our cells heal too.
Be open to receiving all the love that gravitates towards you; open your arms to hug; open your heart to love. You have changed, Scorpio.
You could feel déjà vu in 2024. (Déjà vu” is a term derived from the French word for “already seen.” It occurs when someone perceives that they have already experienced a situation before, and their body experiences familiarity and confusion.) Recognize this feeling as an opportunity to make different choices. Don’t let your past ruin your present.
2024 is a harvest year for you. Receive from all your sowing, karma and dharma, and don’t be rude to yourself. If you need it, spend some time on your own. Don’t be afraid to listen to your soul instead of your mind.
Your soul has messages for you that deserve to be heard.
You need to pause to keep going strong and in harmony with yourself, your family and your community.
Your light illuminates those around you.
(Photo courtesy by Xiomara Zetina)
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
Can’t see a clear path for 2024? One of your lessons this year is to build trust. It’s very possible some of your plans will change or they won’t turn out as you expected, but it will be part of a bigger plan you can’t see right now.
Be open to learning and teaching from the heart, not the ego.
There are childhood goals and dreams you feel you need to achieve. Remember that all the resources you need are inside of you, you just need to trust you have them and turn them on.
Don’t overreact when things work out differently – or respond from fear, anger or your old wounds. Always choose to respond with love.
Slow down. There’s no need to rush if you know where you want your path to lead. And if you don’t know, take plenty of time to choose the path that feels most right for you.
You have a divine connection, you are gifted, and those gifts are there to be shared with the world. If you can be open, this year you will discover more gifts in yourself. Don’t feel afraid to ask for help, and do some research to grow those gifts. Again, you need to develop your ability to trust. I’m sorry to put so much emphasis on trust, but this is the information I received from this reading.
I know you have a beautiful heart, but this year you will learn that you can’t trust everyone. Don’t put yourself, your finances, your career, your material goods or your investments at risk while you are learning.
Setting boundaries is important for you in 2024.
Xiomara Zetina is a Mexican professional therapist specializing in holistic and energetic tools based in San Miguel de Allende. She studied psychology at the Universidad Latinoamericana in Mexico City and is certified in many energy tools including Reiki, Access Bars, and Family Constellations. You can work with her in person at Florsser in San Miguel de Allendeand connect with her on Instagram @xiomarazetina.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice.
Mexico has said it will not cooperate with any efforts by Texas state authorities to deport migrants. (Cuartoscuro)
More than 100,000 migrants have entered Mexico between the beginning of November and early December, according to figures given this week by the head of the country’s National Migration Institute (INM).
Many of the migrants are from Africa, INM Commissioner Francisco Garduño said, part of the escalating flow of foreigners seeking to reach the United States.
National Migration Institute director Francisco Garduño has promised vehicles and aircraft will patrol border areas to attempt to reduce the number of migrant crossings into Texas. (Gob MX)
“We are facing a global phenomenon of an anthropological and morphological nature,” Garduño said at a Wednesday night meeting in Coahuila.
The northern state shares approximately 560 kilometers (348 miles) of border with Texas, including the heavily trafficked international crossings between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, and Eagle Pass, Texas.
Earlier this week, a railroad bridge between the two locations was shut down by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), who are redeploying personnel to assist in the detention of migrants.
In September, CBP halted crossings at one of the area’s vehicle bridges for the same reason.
Such closures, combined with other factors, such as the INM suspending deportations of undocumented migrants due to a lack of resources, mean more migrants are now staying longer on Mexican soil — an issue addressed at the meeting that included Garduño, Coahuila Governor Manolo Jiménez Salinas and officials from the National Defense Ministry (Sedena).
Currently, there are more than 121,000 migrants gathered in Piedras Negras waiting to cross into the United States, said Oscar Pimentel González, interior minister for Coahuila. He said migrants have come to prefer Piedras Negras over other places for crossing into the U.S.
Garduño stated that there has been a considerable increase in the number of migrants coming into Mexico in recent months. In September, 96,542 new migrants were counted (more than double the 43,329 reported for September 2022) and October’s total was 92,908 (compared to 52,218 in October 2022).
The 100,000 number cited for November-December of this year includes only the first few days of December, he added.
Concentrations of migrants in cities such as Piedras Negras are also being preyed upon by criminal organizations. (Cuartoscuro)
For the period of January through October, the Ministry of the Interior noted the number of migrants in the country increased 71% over the same period in 2022, and statistics registered since then will push it even higher.
Garduño promised increased surveillance and a greater allocation of personnel, vehicles and aircraft to assist in transferring migrants out of Coahuila or returning them to their home countries, as needed.
He also said the INM has begun working with train operator Ferromex to reinforce operations aimed at preventing migrants from traveling on freight trains, especially in southern and central Mexico.
General Eufemio Alberto Ibarra Flores, commander of Mexico’s 11th military zone, headquartered in Torreón, Coahuila, emphasized the need to halt criminal activities associated with the exploitation of migrants in border-crossing towns such as Piedras Negras.
“We are committed to doing what is necessary and more,” Flores asserted.
The meeting in Coahuila occurred the day before a telephone call between President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and President Joe Biden in which they agreed to “additional enforcement actions” at the U.S.-Mexico border to slow attempted migrant crossings into the United States.
The peso is back below 17 against the US dollar for the first time since Aug. 30. (Isabel Mateos/Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican peso appreciated to below 17 to the US dollar for the first time since August on Friday morning.
Bloomberg data showed that the USD:MXN exchange rate was 16.93 at 9:20 a.m. Mexico City time. By 10:30 a.m., the peso had weakened slightly to trade at 16.96 to the dollar.
The peso has appreciated significantly against the US dollar this year, in a phenomenon dubbed by commentators as the “superpeso”. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The last time the peso was stronger than 16.93 was Aug. 30, when it reached 16.74 to the greenback.
The currency has appreciated on four of five trading days this week after closing at 17.20 to the dollar last Friday.
According to the Monex financial group, the peso benefited on Friday morning from data that showed that inflation in the United States was lower than expected in November.
The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, the preferred inflation gauge of the United States Federal Reserve, showed that annual headline inflation in the U.S. declined to 2.6% in November from 2.9% in October, while core inflation fell to 3.2% from 3.4%.
The U.S. Federal Reserve has kept relatively low rates of inflation – which may be cut even further – but has seen the peso strengthen after beginning the year around at a rate of around 19.5 to the dollar. (Shutterstock)
Reuters reported that the data boosted “financial market expectations of an interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve next March.”
The wide difference between the Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest of 11.25% and the Fed’s 5.25%-5.5% range is one factor that has helped the peso strengthen this year after it started 2023 at around 19.5 to the dollar.
At its final monetary policy meeting of 2023, the Bank of Mexico board last week voted to keep the key rate at the record high 11.25% level, and the bank said in a statement that the board believes the reference rate “must be maintained at its current level for some time.”
Data published on Thursday showed that Mexico’s annual headline inflation rate was 4.46% in the first half of December, up from 4.32% in November, while the core rate was 5.19%, down from 5.3% in November. The central bank targets 3% inflation.
Another factor that contributed to the appreciation of the peso on Friday, according to Monex, was data that showed that the Mexican economy grew 4.2% in real terms in October compared to the same month of 2022, and 3.5% annually between January and October.
The peso also benefited from a global weakening of the dollar, the El Economista newspaper reported. The DXY index, which measures the value of the dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, was down slightly shortly after 10 a.m.
James Salazar, deputy director of economic analysis at CIBanco, told El Financiero that favorable inflation data out of the U.S. could help keep the peso below 17 to the dollar for the remainder of the year.
However, Monex’s director of analysis Janneth Quiroz told El Financiero that she expects a USD:MXN exchange rate of 17.35 at the end of 2023.
Santa took a ride along Mexico City's Metro Line 2, spreading holiday cheer and collecting letters.(Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Christmas is still a few days away, but Santa Claus has already arrived in Mexico.
And on Wednesday, he eschewed his sleigh and took a ride on the Mexico City metro, stopping off along the way at the Chabacano, Pino Suárez and Hidalgo stations.
Santa Claus llegó a la Ciudad de México y lo hizo directamente en el Metro, en donde convivió con usuarias y usuarios de diferentes edades quienes no dudaron en tomarse una fotografía con él. "Santa Iluminado" viajó por diversas estaciones de la red, sorprendiendo a todos, ahora… pic.twitter.com/Pwmbbww8t3
At each station, the metro said in a statement, “Father Christmas, as this magical character is also known, remained motionless in the form of a statue, and when passengers approached he asked them what their wish was this Christmas.”
“At that moment, Santa’s suit lit up as he raised his hand to the area of his heart, which upon being touched also glowed to show he would keep [the passengers] there for ever,” the statement continued.
“… Young and old, alone, in a couple or in groups, the metro passengers agreed that [seeing] Santa Iluminado [Illuminated Santa] was a pleasant surprise,” the metro said, adding that “Santa also received letters from those who decided to personally deliver them, hoping that once in his sleigh, the white-bearded man will give them a gift this Dec. 25.”
Apparently assuming that young children wouldn’t read the entire statement, the metro revealed in the third last paragraph that Santa was in fact José Miguel Moctezuma González, an “urban artist” who has performed as a “living statue” for the past 12 years.
On Wednesday, a long beard, white gloves and spectacles – rather than a railroad lantern and a kerchief – were among the accessories Moctezuma used to depict his character of choice beneath the bustling streets of Mexico City.
Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas! Just a few more sleeps and you might catch a glimpse of Santa yourself!
The two leaders held a phone call on Thursday to discuss the border crossings on the U.S. side, which is causing significant disruption to trade on both sides of the border. (Cuartoscuro)
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and United States President Joe Biden agreed on Thursday that “additional enforcement actions” to stem the flow of migrants are needed before currently closed border crossings can reopen, according to White House spokesman John Kirby.
Migrants ride above a freight train near the El Paso/Ciudad Juárez border crossing. Entry to the U.S. via railroad has become a concern for politicians in neighbouring Texas. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro.com)
Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, told reporters that the “two leaders agreed that additional enforcement actions are urgently needed so that key ports of entry can be reopened across our shared border.”
He also said that a delegation of U.S. officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Homeland Security adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall would travel to Mexico in the coming days to discuss the migration issue with López Obrador.
“Their visit will really be about getting at the migratory flows and talking to President López Obrador and his team about what more we can do together,” Kirby said. “There’s probably more we can be doing.”
Rail freight operator Union Pacific cited a figure of US $200 million per day, and asserted that “during this massive [migration] surge only 5 people have attempted to come into the U.S. on Union Pacific trains in the last 5 weeks.”
For its part, the CBP said it had observed “a recent resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains” and announced it was “taking additional actions to surge personnel and address this concerning development, including in partnership with Mexican authorities.”
The Associated Press reported that “migrants often ride freight trains through Mexico, hopping off just before entering the U.S.”
AMLO has been an outspoken critic of what he calls an “inhumane” Texas law criminalizing illegal migration. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
The CBP’s decision to suspend operations at the two rail bridges came after a period during which large numbers of migrants had crossed into Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott signed into law on Monday what his government called “a transformative package of border security legislation.”
One law set to take effect in March “creates a criminal offense for illegal entry into this state from a foreign nation,” according to a Texas government statement.
At the time, López Obrador said that further progress needs to be made on the migration issue, but noted that the two countries were working together on the issue.
He also thanked Biden for the legal migration pathways his administration has opened up for citizens of certain Western Hemisphere countries and acknowledged that his administration hadn’t built any additional wall on the Mexico-U.S border – at least not yet.
Biden thanked López Obrador for his “cooperation” and “leadership” on the migration “challenge,” telling his counterpart that he knew such work was not easy.
“We’re taking a balanced approach that lies at the heart of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection. … It includes enforcing our borders … and opening a historic number of legal pathways for migrants,” he said.
Migration is a key focus of the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States, and the amount of attention the issue gets is only going to increase as both nations head into an election year, and large numbers of people continue to seek a better life in the U.S.
Members of the Defence Ministry and Attorney General's Office conducted the raid on the illicit stash, which was spotted when a lookout fled the scene. (FGR/X)
Members of the Mexican Army and Attorney General’s Office (FGR) have seized an arsenal of weapons and explosives in Jalisco in one of the largest arms seizures in recent months.
The seizure was made on Dec. 18 at a property in the Cuitzeo neighborhood of Poncitlán, on the shores of Lake Chapala. The military was first alerted to the property after seeing an individual near the building fleeing at the sight of soldiers conducting a surveillance mission. Various weapons were visible on the floor inside.
The hefty weapons haul included 53,852 rounds of ammunition. (FGR/X)
After obtaining a warrant, authorities raided the building and found 34 firearms, 417 magazines for different weapons, 53,852 ammunition cartridges, 40 grenades and 45 improvised explosive devices, according to a statement by theDefense Ministry (Sedena).
Astatement by the FGR counts only 30 improvised explosive devices, but adds that two grenade launchers, 28 helmets and 10 bullet-proof vests were also found. The weapons were handed over to the federal prosecutor’s office to continue the investigation.
It is not clear whether anyone was arrested in connection with the seizure.
Authorities have not indicated which criminal group the arsenal belonged to, although the area is known to be controlled by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The ongoing drug war in Mexico has spurred a huge illegal arms build-up in the region, which has also been revealed in previous seizures. In October, FGR agents seized 104 firearms on two farms in Zapopan and San Pedro Tlaquepaque, and more than 100 explosive devices were seized in Mazamitla in March.
