Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Mexico City Hash House Harriers: ‘The drinking club with a running problem’

By
Bob Pateman
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Lima Hash House Harriers
Ever wanted to get into running, but didn't want to give up those trips to the bar? The Hash House Harriers would like to have a word with you. (Jair Zuta La Rosa/Wikimedia)

Ever wanted to meet new people, have a great time and get fit doing it? Look no further than the Mexico City Hash House Harriers. 

“Hashing” is a non-competitive fun run in which two or three runners (the hares) lay a trail in paper, flour, or chalk for the rest of the runners (the pack) to follow. The course is usually somewhere between seven and twelve kilometers in length, but there will be shortcuts and ‘checks’.  A check is where the trail suddenly stops and the runners have to search for the next mark. This offers the fitter “athletes” a chance to go dashing off looking for the new trail, while the walkers can take a break. If they search in the wrong direction, the fastest runners can suddenly find themselves behind everybody else and will have to work hard to catch up. A good hash is one where the fastest and slowest runners get to the finish within a few minutes of each other.

Two chalk arrows
Chalk arrows are often used to direct hashers down a series of complex trails. (Russell Street/Wikimedia)

Unlike many running clubs, however, the Hash House Harriers has a strong social focus, with runs ending at local bars. Here hashers will often spend the rest of the afternoon (and in some cases, evening), celebrating their achievements and reviewing the run that day. This has given rise to the nickname “The drinking club with a running problem.” While alcohol is optional (of course), hashers often enjoy a well-earned drink or three at the end of every hash.

When did all this start?

‘Hares and Hounds’ paper chases started in English public schools in the early 19th century. Rather than employing tutors, sending rich young boys to posh boarding schools became fashionable, with Rugby and Eton being the most famous. Many of these boys were keen hunters, but that was impossible in school. Instead, they would send a couple of their better runners off with a large bag of paper to set a trail across the local countryside. After giving these ‘hares’  a head start, the rest of the boys (the hounds) would set off in pursuit. These school races played an important role in the development of modern cross-country running. These hare and hounds paper chases were taken overseas by British officials and became particularly popular in Malaysia, where there were several clubs in the 1930s. Hashing dates back to 1938 when a group of expatriates working in Kuala Lumpur established a paper chase club called the “Hash House Harriers.”

During the 1960s, a dozen other hashes opened up around Malaysia, but it was the 1970s that brought real growth. The jogging craze had begun, and the expatriate community had become far more mobile. Suddenly, hash groups started to spring up all around the world and today, you can find a hash just about anywhere, from Tokyo to Buenos Aires. 

Is it true hashers all use secret names?

Most of us do have a hash name, or a “handle” as we call it. This started in Jakarta in the early seventies. It could get pretty wild after a run, with the boys going on to the local discos after the run. As a report of events was published in a newsletter, “hash names” were adopted to keep activities secret from wives and bosses. It didn’t work, of course. In communities such as Jakarta or Bangkok, you were more likely to be addressed by your hash name than your real name!

Hash House Harriers Mexico City
“Hashers” come in all shapes and sizes, and the focus of every run is on camaraderie, not fitness. (Bob Pateman)

What about hashing here in Mexico?

You don’t need to travel to some exotic Asian jungle to find a hash group, there are three groups (or kennels as they call themselves) in Mexico including Mexico City H3 who meet every other Saturday. The venue changes every run, but Polanco, Roma, and Coyoacán are regular meeting places. Hashers gather at 2:00 p.m. and are called around by the leader of the group – the Grand Master. They will welcome newcomers and invite the two hares, who have set today’s trail, to warn everybody what they might expect.

If there are newcomers to hashing or visitors from another hash, the hares will explain the marks. Chalk arrows drawn on the ground or on posts tell where you are in which direction you should be heading. A circle signifies a break in the trail, where the faster runners spread out to find the next arrow, which can be anywhere within 100 to 150 meters in any direction.

There are a few marks unique to Mexico. DGK means Don’t Get Killed, and it is written at busy road junctions that need to be crossed. Then there is BS – which brings a cheer from those listening because it stands for Beer Stop and means a pub has been selected for an early beer close to the end of the run.

With the marks explained, the Grand Master will shout On On and the pack set off following the first of the arrows that will mark the path around today’s 5-7 km trail. Some hashers will already be racing down the road, others will have settled into a walking pack at the back. Hashing caters for everybody!

Beer Stop is a special mark, native to the Mexico City hash. Runners will stop halfway through the trail for a pint of beer, before continuing on. (Bob Pateman)

There has been a hash in Mexico City since October 1983. Many of the founders worked in the oil industry and had hashed in other places around the world. Embassy staff also played a key role in setting up the group. Mexican colleagues from work were encouraged to join and while most of the ex-pats have moved on, a few of the Mexican pioneers are still running with us today. 

Mexico City H3 hash every other week, but we are now back in full swing after COVID-19, and always welcome new hashers!

The post-COVID era started around October 2021 and numbers are climbing. Traffic makes getting out of town a problem, so we often run in the city. Even then we can still find interesting places. A few weeks ago, a run in the south of the town went alongside the canals of Xochimilco. The group gets a very good write-up from visiting hashers. Hazukashii, a hash legend and the first man to hash in over 100 different countries, recently visited. In his blog he wrote, “the whole pack was very friendly, and welcoming.  If you ever get the chance to visit Mexico City, make sure to check the hash calendar and attend a hash trail.”

One memorable trip in the 1990s was to Tequisquiapan. One of the hashers lived out in the village and the visitors from Mexico City gathered at the local campsite for a long (we were all younger in those days) run through the beautiful fields surrounding the town. There was a barbecue and then the group sat under the stars telling stories. 

Xochimilco canals and chinampas
Recent hashes have seen runners chase the hare through the canals of Xochimilco. (Regeneration International)

The organizer woke in the morning to find all the tents empty and the campsite looking like a ghost town. Around 9:00 a.m., the hashers started returning. It had become so cold in the night that they had all bundled into cars and driven into town to sit in the local hotel bar until the sun came up. Despite that, the Tequisquiapan hash had a major impact on several lives, and one of the runners came back and bought a house in the village where he still lives! Although the hare that day moved on (to hash somewhere in Africa), for many years Mexico City H3 made Tequisquiapan an annual trip.

Hashing is, we can not emphasize enough, all about fun. A few weeks ago the walkers got fed up with a long trail and went down into the metro system. Having cut out a big part of the run they were happily sitting in the bar when the surprised runners arrived.

Come and join the Mexico City Hash; we will make you feel very welcome! Find us on Meetup. 

There are also small but active hash groups in Mérida and Puerto Vallarta.

Bob Pateman is a Mexico-based historian, librarian and a life term hasher. He is editor of On On Magazine, the international history magazine of hashing. 

The creamy, caramelized bliss of Mexico’s ‘Neapolitan’ flan

By
Sandra Gancz Kahan
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Flan napolitana
Dating back to the Roman empire, flan has become a staple Mexican dessert. (Matheus Ferrero/Unsplash)

Indulgent, creamy, and beloved, flan napolitano, or Neapolitan flan, proudly holds a lofty spot among Mexico’s favorite desserts. Its velvety texture and luscious caramel sauce are rooted in Spanish influence yet uniquely Mexican in adaptation. In this article, we delve into the history and recipe of this delicacy that is both perfect for celebrations and as a comfort food.

There are many ways to enjoy this flan in Mexico, ranging from homemade recipes to upscale gourmet versions, and it can even be purchased in small cups from street vendors. You can craft flan from scratch in your kitchen, opt for the convenience of instant mixes that only require adding milk or purchase elaborate versions from bakeries.

The humble flan appears in many forms, some of which are quite elaborate (and delicious). (Ronald Vargas/Unsplash)

The history of Neapolitan flan

The origins of flan can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was known as “tyropatina.” Initially prepared as a savory dish, Marcus Gavio Apicius, a renowned Roman epicurean of the 1st century, is credited with providing the earliest description of this recipe, which featured honey, eggs, milk and black pepper.

Over time, as the Roman Empire expanded and interacted with other cultures, culinary influences spread, and the concept of flan evolved. As the Roman Empire declined and gave way to the Middle Ages, sugar was added to the recipe for making flan in various forms throughout Europe, eventually becoming popular in Spain. 

Flan has undergone evolutionary changes as it traveled across the globe, giving rise to regional variations. In the 16th century, upon the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in the Americas, they brought along their rich culinary heritage, thus influencing the development of flan in the New World.

Despite the name suggesting an Italian origin, the Neapolitan flan was created in Mexico during the Spanish colonial period. It is presumed that the name intends to infer a foreign flair because, at that time, anything associated with European culture was held in high regard.

Despite the pretense of being Italian, the ‘Neapolitan’ flan is actually a Mexican creation. (Imad/Unsplash)

Neapolitan flan adds cream cheese and different types of milk to the original recipe, which are then cooked in a water bath and chilled before serving. The caramel topping is made by melting sugar, which is then poured into the mold before adding the flan mixture. To mitigate the risk of undercooked centers or overly browned exteriors, flan is frequently prepared and served in individual ramekins, while the bain-marie cooking method helps prevent the caramel from burning.

If you want to impress your guests with this creamy dessert, just follow this simple recipe.

Ingredients

For the caramel:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

For the custard:

  • 4 eggs
  • 8 oz of cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to prepare Neapolitan flan:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

To make the caramel:

In a saucepan, spread the granulated sugar evenly over medium heat. Allow the sugar to melt without stirring. Swirl the pan occasionally to ensure even melting. Once the sugar turns into a golden-brown liquid, remove the pan from the heat immediately to prevent burning. Quickly pour the caramel into a round mold, swirling it around to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside to cool and harden.

To make the custard:

In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream cheese and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and creamy. 

Pour the custard mixture over the cooled caramel in the mold.

Place the mold into a larger baking dish and add hot water to the outer dish, creating a water bath that reaches about halfway up the sides of the mold.

Carefully transfer the baking dish with the mold into the preheated oven.

Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until the flan is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.

Once baked, remove the flan from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Once cooled, refrigerate the flan for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to chill and set completely.

To serve, run a knife around the edge of the mold to loosen the flan. Place a serving plate on top of the mold and quickly invert it to release the flan onto the plate, allowing the caramel to drizzle over the top.

Slice, serve and enjoy!

As the smooth, creamy custard melts in your mouth, you’ll understand why Mexicans love their Neapolitan flan. Whether enjoyed as a midday treat or a refreshing dessert after a spicy meal, its sweet silkiness evokes celebrations and family ties.

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]

Got 1 min? From feral to federal: Palace cats guaranteed food and care furever

By
MND Staff
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Nineteen clever cats won over Mexico's president, who ordered they be provided food and care in perpetuity. (Screenshot)

Cats are said to be connoisseurs of comfort and there may be no better example of this than the band of Mexico City felines that took up residence in an 18th-century palace, and sweet-meowed their way into free food and care in perpetuity.

Last week, by order of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the resident cats of Mexico City’s National Palace were named “living fixed assets,” the first animals in Mexico to receive the title. By definition, this means the government must provide them food and care for the rest of their lives.

“The cats are now a symbol of the National Palace,” said Adriana Castillo Román, general director of the National Palace and Cultural Heritage Conservancy, in an interview with the newspaper El Universal. 

Today, a total of 19 cats roam the grounds of the National Palace, the seat of the federal government and the residency of López Obrador. It is not clear when the cats first moved in.

Their names are Panza (tummy), Ruffino, Topacio (topaz), Yema (yolk), Nube (cloud), Leona (lioness), Ollin, Bowie, Balam, Coco (coconut), Roja (red), Bellof, Princesa (princess), Esponjoso (fluffy), Ikal, Monita (little cutie), Scar, Tigre (tiger) and Bombón (candy). 

The president and his team first took interest in the cats in 2018, seeing that they were living in unsanitary conditions.

In August 2023, veterinarians from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) sterilized, vaccinated and micro-chipped the cats. All 19 received an “ID card” including  name, approximate age and favorite place for a nap in the palace.

On several occasions, Mexico’s headline-making michis (a Spanish term of endearment for cats) have wandered into official ceremonies and events, even crashing the president’s daily morning press conference.

At the palace, the cats each have their own personal shelter with plenty of water, kibble and treats to go around. Their budget for their care comes directly from the Finance Ministry (SHCP).

“We are the first public institution where animals are part of the inventory… a living fixed asset of the Finance Ministry, in such a way that, even when we are no longer here … and the president is no longer the president, the kitties will be cared for,” Román said.

With reports from El Universal and Proceso

Water contamination confirmed in Benito Juárez borough of CDMX; authorities rule out gasoline

By
MND Staff
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0
Woman looks at water in a test tube
City authorities say they are continuing to sample and test the water in various neighborhoods in the Benito Juárez borough. (Sistema de Aguas de la Ciudad de México/X)

After more than a week of complaints, Mexico City officials finally acknowledged that there was a problem with the drinking water in several neighborhoods of the Benito Juárez borough on Monday. But solutions were not so forthcoming.

Mexico City Mayor Martí Batres confirmed that the city water in the borough of Benito Juárez has been contaminated in a press conference on Monday. He also said authorities had ruled out the presence of gasoline in the water, which locals had suspected, and insisted there is no risk of explosion. According to Milenio newspaper, the neighborhoods affected are Nonoalco, Nochebuena, Del Valle and Tlacoquemécatl.

Martí Batres at a press conference
Mexico City Mayor Martí Batres at a press conference on Monday afternoon. (Martí Batres/X)

The complaints began on March 31 when inhabitants reported a foul smell coming from their water taps. 

Mexico City’s water authority Sacmex initially dismissed the notion that there was anything wrong, newspaper SDP Noticias reported. 

The digital news site La Silla Rota reported last week that, in response to official indifference, locals organized to raise money to have their own water tests conducted, even though officials had told them it was safe.

It was not until April 4 — after reports of people falling ill — that officials began surveying the affected areas and taking water samples. One person told La Jornada newspaper that officials were insinuating that residents may have contaminated the water themselves.

By the weekend, officials confirmed the water had indeed been adulterated with industrial oils and lubricants but not gasoline, pinpointing the alleged source in the western part of the borough, though without offering details.

Even as the authorities claimed to have identified the elements that had polluted the water, there was still no official word on the cause, SDP Noticias reported.

The lack of information was compounded by the failure to provide clear instructions on which precautions should be followed by residents. 

La Silla Rota published a recording on Tuesday in which an unidentified government official tells a Benito Juárez resident to avoid drinking or bathing in the water. The agent reportedly said the water could be used to water plants, to clean cisterns, and even to wash dishes, while stipulating that the dishes should not be dried with a cloth afterward.

On Monday, SDP reported on the bureaucratic maze that those affected had to navigate in order to get their water tested. The government set up a command center in a local park in the San Lorenzo neighborhood, where locals can file complaints. Then an agent is dispatched to the person’s home to take samples and turn them over to Pemex, Sacmex and the National Water Commission (Conagua).

Residents have been told the results of the analysis would be ready in four to five days.

With reports from SDP Noticias, La Silla Rota and La Jornada

Inflation rate reverses course, rises to 4.42% in March

By
MND Staff
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1
Fruit and vegetable prices are the most impacted by current inflation. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

Annual headline inflation in Mexico ticked up in March, reaching 4.42% from 4.4% in February, the national statistics agency INEGI reported Tuesday.

However, the rate came in below the 4.5% median estimate of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg, and is 0.06 percentage points below the 4.48% reading for the first half of last month.

Hands holding 50 peso notes
The annual headline inflation rate in January was the highest recorded since June 2023. (Cuartoscuro)

Still, inflation last month resumed the upward trend seen between November and January, after the headline rate declined for nine consecutive months between February and October last year. The nine-month-long downward trend came after headline inflation increased to almost 8% in January 2023.

Inflation has now been above the Bank of Mexico’s target of 3%, with tolerance for one percentage point in either direction, for 37 months. Deutsche Bank said that the resilience of domestic demand and a tight labor market are among the factors keeping inflation above the central bank’s target.

Meanwhile, the closely watched core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, declined to 4.55% in March from 4.64% in February. It was the 14th consecutive month that the annual core rate fell. Analysts polled by Bloomberg had predicted a 4.63% rate.

INEGI also reported that month-over-month inflation was 0.29% in March.

March’s inflation data in detail 

Inegi’s latest data shows that fruit and vegetable prices were 12.25% higher in March than in the same month a year earlier, while services were 5.37% more expensive on an annual basis.

The cost of processed food, beverages and tobacco rose 5.01% compared to March 2023, energy prices including those for gasoline and electricity increased 3.29% and non-food goods were 2.53% dearer.

Meat for sale at a market
Meat prices have continued their downward trend. (Cuartoscuro)

The only category in which prices declined compared to 12 months earlier was meat, which was 0.78% cheaper, according to INEGI.

The statistics agency also reported month-over-month price changes for a range of individual products.

Air travel was just over 28% more expensive in March, which included Semana Santa (Holy Week), while lettuce and cabbage prices surged 18.7%.

Among the other products that were significantly more expensive in March than in February were serrano peppers (+13.5%), chicken (+8.45%), limes (+8.45%) and tourism packages (+7.23%).

Among the products that were cheaper were nopales (-26.86%), onions (-19.89%) and tomatoes (-12.46%).

What does the inflation data mean for interest rates?

Bloomberg reported that the fact that headline inflation increased less than expected in March bolstered “economists’ bets that the central bank could deliver another interest cut as soon as May.”

The Bank of Mexico board voted in favor of a 25-basis-point cut last month, reducing the benchmark rate from a record high of 11.25% to 11%.

Board members including Governor Victoria Rodríguez Ceja have indicated that rates will come down slowly, but the latest inflation data “puts a May cut back on the table,” according to Marco Oviedo, a strategist at the Brazil-based financial company XP Investimentos.

The central bank will hold its next monetary policy meeting on May 9.

Oviedo said that the inflation data as well as “the fact that the [Mexican] economy is weakening” and that “the peso is too strong” add impetus to the case for another interest rate cut next month.

However, Felipe Hernández, a Latin America economist for Bloomberg, is not confident that the Bank of Mexico will make another interest rate cut in the near term.

“Persistent high core services inflation and increasing upward pressure on energy prices rein in the relief from slower-than-expected March headline inflation in Mexico. And with less favorable base effects in coming months, there’s limited room for additional interest-rate cuts,” he said.

With reports from El Financiero and El Economista 

Acapulco hosts delegates from 42 countries for national tourism fair

By
MND Staff
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Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco unveils a lottery ticket commemorating the "Rebirth of Acapulco" on April 8. (Tianguis Turístico/Facebook)

On Wednesday, the 48th edition of Latin America’s largest tourism fair will open in Acapulco, six months after Hurricane Otis devastated the coastal city. 

The Tianguis Turístico, which gathers businesses from across the tourism industry, will take place at the Expo Mundo Imperial convention center from April 10 to 12. 

Government officials and tourism industry executives gather for the Captains of Industry Dinner, a traditional part of the fair. (Tianguis Turístico/X)

The fair promotes and markets various tourist products and services from around the country — including sunny beach destinations, culture, luxury, business and adventure — to national and international participants.

According to Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco Marqués, despite not being at full capacity due to damage caused by Hurricane Otis, Acapulco currently has 46.3% of its 21,000 hotel rooms available.

During an event on Sunday at Expo Mundo Imperial, Minister Torruco revealed that the original goal was to provide 5,000 hotel rooms for the fair. However, the demand by the fair’s participants exceeded expectations, so more rooms were made available to accommodate them.

“When the private sector unites with the local population and the three levels of government, there is no obstacle for Mexicans,” Torruco said. “Many said that it was impossible to rebuild Acapulco in five months. I, myself, said that we were only going to have 5,000 rooms ready, but today we have more,” he added.

The First Meeting of Tourism Chambers and Associations took place Tuesday as part of the Tianguis Turístico. (Tianguis Turístico/X)

According to the Tianguis Turístico’s website, as of April 2, the fair had confirmed the attendance of 43 countries including Mexico, 1,337 buyers from 787 companies and 1,441 exhibitors from 852 companies.

Torruco Marqués stated that the newly revived state-run airline Mexicana de Aviación will participate in the event for the first time as one of its sponsors. The other airlines sponsoring the event include Aeroméxico, Volaris and Viva Aerobús. 

The fair’s origin dates to 1975, when former Mexican president Miguel Alemán Valdés, who at the time was president of the National Tourism Council (CNT), managed it under the name of the International Fair of Hotels and Tourist Agencies of Acapulco (HATA), to market Acapulco as an international destination.  

In 1976, the event changed its name to the one it bears today: Tianguis Turístico. 

Since 2011, the event has taken place in different destinations besides its original host city. The 2023 and 2021 editions were held in Mexico City, while the 2018 edition took place in Mazatlán, Sinaloa.

With reports from El Financiero and El Economista

Yucatán seizes nearshoring opportunities in auto parts industry

By
MND Staff
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0
Yucatán is Mexico's rising nearshoring star, particularly within the auto parts industry. (Martín Zetina/Cuartoscuro)

Thanks to nearshoring, Mexican states that did not figure prominently in the automotive industry are now finding success in the auto parts sector, with the state of Yucatán a prime example.

The National Autoparts Industry Association (INA) this week revealed a new top ten in the sector. Although states near the northern border, the industrial center and the Bajío region still predominate, Yucatán saw auto parts production spike by nearly 118%.

Yucatán saw auto parts production spike by nearly 118%. (INA/Facebook)

Citing INA data, Forbes México reported that the Gulf state saw auto parts production soar to US $23 million in January of this year, up from $11 million in January 2023, making Yucatán the state with the greatest growth in auto parts production in the country.

Zacatecas was second with a 31.5% increase, which rose from US $88 million to $115 million, followed by Durango, up 18.8%, and San Luis Potosí, up 18.3%.

INA Director Armando Cortés Galicia told the newspaper Forbes México that dynamic growth in Mexico’s auto parts sector was consolidating nicely as the new year began. Cortés attributed the production growth in new regions to an increase in companies relocating to the country.

“One important thing about the relocation of chains of production, about nearshoring, is that there are opportunities for every state to get involved,” he said. “Obviously, initial growth is seen in the traditional states where manufacturing operations already exist, but eventually, all these elements start producing greater benefits in other regions.”

Governor of Yucatán Mauricio Vila Dosal said in March that investment in infrastructure has helped Yucatán become a top 3 state for nearshoring in Mexico. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

Yucatán has become a pioneer in attracting new investment stimulated by nearshoring, the magazine Líder Empresarial reported.

At the International Nearshoring Conference held in mid-March in Aguascalientes, Governor Mauricio Vila Dosal claimed that Yucatán’s investment in critical infrastructure — more power stations, new natural gas lines, improvements to the port of Progreso and connections to the Maya Train — have helped the southeastern state climb to the third-place spot among states receiving new nearshoring investments in Mexico.

Vila Dosal also spoke of his government’s efforts to promote local talent as well as public-private sector initiatives.

Across Mexico, total auto parts production in January exceeded US $10 billion, the highest total since 2018. 

At the same time, auto parts exports to the United States rose in the January-February period, exceeding $13.5 billion, an increase of more than 40% since before the COVID-19 pandemic. The newspaper El Economista attributed the improvement to the ratification of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which went into effect on July 1, 2020.

Overall, Mexican-produced auto parts now dominate the U.S. market. El Economista reported that auto parts from Mexico comprise 42.5% of all auto parts imports — significantly more than second-place Canada, which supplies 10.5% of imports.

With reports from Forbes México, El Economista and Líder Empresarial

200 Ayotzinapa students attack seat of government in Guerrero

By
MND Staff
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Ayotzinapa students started a fire at the state government complex in Chilpancingo, Guerrero
The attack occurred Monday morning and started a fire in the Montaña building of the state government complex. (Dassaev Téllez Adame/Cuartoscuro)

A month after one of their classmates was shot dead by state police, students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College carried out an attack on the Government Palace complex in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, that caused a fire on the second floor of one building.

At around 8:30 a.m. on Monday, a group of some 200 students arrived at the government offices in the state capital and launched an attack with firecrackers and Molotov cocktails.

Firefighters put out a fire at the Montaña building of the state government complex in Chilpancingo on Monday
The students launched firecrackers and Molotov cocktails at the Montaña building, causing a fire. (Dassaev Téllez/Cuartoscuro)

The assault caused a large fire in the Montaña building, which stands adjacent to the Government Palace.

The students also set vehicles alight, including 12 in the parking lot of the Government Palace, located south of downtown Chilpancingo. The attack continued for around 25 minutes, provoking fear and panic among state government employees.

“We ran out when the firecrackers started going off,” said one bureaucrat.

The students reportedly fled the scene on buses headed to their school, located in the adjoining municipality of Tixtla. Local firefighters extinguished the flames that engulfed the government building and vehicles. A Government Palace flag-raising ceremony scheduled for 9 a.m. that Governor Evelyn Salgado planned to attend was canceled.

The attack came after Yanqui Kothan Gómez Peralta was killed by state police on March 7 while traveling in a vehicle in Chilpancingo with two other students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College, the school attended by 43 young men who were abducted and presumably killed in September 2014.

Guerrero authorities initially claimed that the police came under fire, but President Andrés Manuel López Obrador subsequently said that the students “did not shoot,” and therefore “there was an abuse of authority.”

Calcinated cars in Chilpancingo
The students also burned cars parked in the parking lot. (Dassaev Téllez/Cuartoscuro)

Ayotzinapa students are demanding justice for their slain classmate, who was aged 23 at the time of his death, and have rejected state government appointments that have been made, or allegedly made, since his alleged murder.

Two of three police officers accused of involvement in the killing of Gómez are in custody awaiting trial, but the third officer escaped state government facilities on March 11 — allegedly with the assistance of authorities. The fugitive suspect, identified as David “N,” is accused of firing the shots that killed the trainee teacher.

“The murderer of my son remains on the loose because he was released to hide the truth,” the victim’s mother Lilia Vianey Gómez said Monday.

Ayotzinapa students have protested on numerous occasions since the death of Gómez, and have attacked other state government offices in recent weeks.

A day before the alleged murder, students protesting the abduction and presumed murder of the 43 Ayotzinapa students in 2014 used a pickup truck to break open wooden doors at the National Palace in Mexico City while López Obrador spoke at a press conference inside the historic building.

The Guerrero government responds to Monday’s attack

The state government condemned “the violent actions” that occurred and asserted that it has attended to “all the demands” presented by the Ayotzinapa students.

Francisco Rodríguez Cisneros talks to an Ayotzinapa student
Following the murder, Francisco Rodríguez Cisneros, at center in glasses, was appointed deputy minister of political and social development to lead the dialogue with Normalistas. (Revista del sur/Facebook)

It said that former state interior minister Ludwig Marcial Reynoso Núñez — who resigned after Gómez’s death amid claims he was involved in the formulation of a fabricated version of events — has not been appointed to another government position and stressed that the ex-official has “no kind of work or professional link” to state authorities or Governor Salgado.

In a statement, the government also said that Francisco Rodríguez Cisneros was appointed deputy minister of political and social development to “maintain the path of understanding and dialogue with social groups.”

“… The state government has contributed at all times to the clarification of the events on March 7,” it added.

“We reiterate our call for any demand or dissent to be set out via officially established channels and in a peaceful way, maintaining at all times dialogue and understanding as the mechanism for the resolution of any social conflict.”

With reports from Reforma, El País, El Financiero and La Jornada 

When does the rainy season start this year in Mexico?

By
MND Staff
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Will the rainy season start early this year? (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Millions of Mexicans eagerly await the rainy season after months of persistent drought in most parts of Mexico.

Although the rainy season starts on different days depending on the region, the season typically starts in early May, with more consistent rainfall by June.

Rain on a Oaxaca street
Summertime in Mexico means sun, but also a lot of rain. (Arturo Pérez Alfonso/Cuartoscuro)

What states have a rainy season?

Most of Mexico sees more rain over the summer months. States in the center, south and southeast of the country experience a more obvious rainy “season,” which means rain falls on most days for anywhere from four to seven months. 

When does the rainy season start in Mexico?

This year, consistent rain is expected as early as mid-April for Chiapas, Veracruz, Hidalgo, Quintana Roo, Mexico City and Tlaxcala. Rainfall is forecast to arrive in May for Yucatán, Tabasco and Campeche. 

The rainy season for the rest of Mexico will start in June.

When does hurricane season begin? 

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), the rainy and tropical cyclone season begins on May 15 in the Northeast Pacific Ocean and June 1 in the Atlantic Ocean.

Both seasons officially end on November 30.

Will Mexico see more rain or less rain in 2024?

In 2024, the southeast, center, west, east and northeast regions will see above-average rainfall, while the northwest region will experience below-average rainfall.

Meanwhile, the states most affected by rainfall during 2024 will be Veracruz, Tabasco, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero, Nayarit and Jalisco. 

This year, the National Water Commission (Conagua) announced that Tabasco will experience more rain than usual. According to Conagua, rainfall may surpass the 3,400 accumulated millimeters that broke records in 2020.

Northwest Mexico will see below-average rainfall this summer, compounding existing drought conditions in the region. (Conagua)

What’s this week’s forecast?

According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), heavy rainfall, sleet or snow is predicted in Sonora and Chihuahua over the next 24 hours.

Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas may experience lightning storms, hail and gusts of wind, which could give way to whirlwinds or tornadoes. Dust devils may occur in Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosí.

Heavy rainfall is forecast for Chiapas, while scattered rain and showers are expected in Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Oaxaca, Sonora, Chihuahua, Puebla, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

Meanwhile, a large part of the country will experience a warm to hot afternoon with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some areas of Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí and Nayarit. 

With reports from Expansión, Diario de Tabasco, E-Veracruz, Diario de Tabasco, and Heraldo de México

Promote learning by reading to your child in Spanish

By
Camila Sánchez Bolaño
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Falling in love with reading starts at a young age, and you can play an important part in that process - while teaching them to speak Spanish too. (Picsea/Unsplash)

In the digital age and a world saturated with visual stimuli, reading remains a fundamental part of children’s development. Books are not only the doors of knowledge but also fuel imagination, strengthen language and foster concentration and communication.

Reading books in a foreign language can help kids adopt a second language more easily. According to the Montessori Academy, there are many benefits to learning a second language as a child. These include “better memory skills, improved ability to focus, increased vocabulary and more. Developing these skills will help your child overcome their school challenges and allow them to grow into confident learners.”

Reading books in a foreign language can help your child adopt a second language more easily. (Jonathan Borba/Unsplash)

To achieve this, you must teach your child a new language early. Enrolling them in classes or keeping them in a bilingual school is also recommended.

According to a May 2021 report from the aprende.mx General Directorate — the agency that produces the Education Ministry’s educational broadcast programs — reading is an indispensable resource for growing minds. However, despite its importance, experts note a growing lack of interest in reading among new generations.

How can we create a love for reading in children?

The first step is to change their perception of reading. Children and young people must understand that reading is not a boring task but a rewarding experience that can provide excitement and escape from routine. They must see their parents and family members enjoying reading, setting an example to follow.

It’s important to allow young people to choose books according to their interests and preferences. Reading should not be imposed by a school curriculum but encouraged as a pleasurable and enriching activity. Creating a routine and setting a specific time of day for reading can turn it into a habit.

Likewise, adults should get involved in young people’s reading process by asking them about the books they’re reading or would like to read. This shows interest on the part of adults and can encourage discussion and exchange of ideas.

Books must be accessible, attractive and of appropriate length for a child’s age and ability to ensure that they enjoy reading. Often, disinterest arises when the vocabulary is complicated or the narrative is too complex, or, conversely, too easy for them.

It is crucial to change teenagers’ perceptions that reading is an obligation. Introducing them to books that deal with their hobbies and interests is recommended, allowing them to explore different genres and themes. As the world is experiencing a big boom of teenage novels and publications, it’s a perfect time for teenagers to get familiar with reading. Options are everywhere and for everyone. 

The benefits of reading are numerous. It improves language, strengthens concentration, stimulates imagination, enhances memory, facilitates communication, exercises the brain, improves spelling, and expands vocabulary. In summary, reading is an investment in the holistic development of young people.

Below are some children’s books and the specific benefits they can offer. Spanish-language versions of all of them are available in Mexico and can also offer the benefit of helping your kids become bilingual: 

Cognitive Development

“The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle

This classic picture book follows the journey of a caterpillar as it eats its way through various foods before transforming into a beautiful butterfly. Through vibrant illustrations and simple storytelling, it teaches children about the days of the week, counting and the life cycle of a butterfly.

Language acquisition

“Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown

A bedtime classic, “Goodnight Moon” takes readers through a bunny’s nighttime ritual of saying goodnight to everything in his room, from the moon to the stars to the mittens. Its soothing rhythm and repetitive language make it an excellent tool for language development and bedtime routines.

Learning Spanish

Con Pollo: A Bilingual Playtime Adventure by Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Fallon

The book is loaded with humor and helps young readers learn Spanish vocabulary through a feathered friend named Pollo.

Cultural understanding

“Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak

In this beloved story, Max, a young boy dressed in a wolf costume, is sent to bed without dinner and imagines sailing away to a land where wild creatures roam. Through his adventure, Max learns about the power of imagination, the importance of self-expression and the comfort of home.

Understanding emotions

“The Angry Book”, Cédric Ramadier

Its simple story and simple illustrations play with the symbolism of the color red to make the story more understandable. Interactively, readers or listeners, accompanied by a little mouse, can learn and practice strategies and tools to deal with anger, which in this book is represented by the book itself.

In addition to physical books, digital platforms also play an important role in promoting reading. Wattpad, Kindle, Goodreads and other online communities allow young people to share reviews, participate in writing contests and discover new stories.

That’s also true of Leoteca, a Spanish-language platform that promotes reading in children and adolescents up to 16. Here, children can comment on the books they read. To do so, they can access an extensive catalog of over 55,000 children’s and young adult literature titles from almost 400 publishers. Each book is accompanied by all the necessary information: the subject matter, the recommended reading level according to age, the opinions of other readers and even the first pages to browse through the book. The goal is for children and teenagers to have a place to share their opinions about the books they read with their friends while making recommendations for their favorite titles. 

Ultimately, reading is an essential life skill. Without it, access to information would be limited and navigating the current world would be more difficult. Therefore, we must foster the habit of reading in our kids, cultivating a generation of curious, creative and well-informed minds. Share your children’s favorite books with us, and let’s continue to foster a love of reading in the next generation.

Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer and cultural promoter and is Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine.

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