Sonora River turned reddish-orange after a mining company owned by Grupo México spilled hazardous waste into the river. (Cuartoscuro / Rashide Frias)
Mexico’s Environment Ministry (Semarnat) has filed a criminal complaint against mining consortium Grupo México for a devastating 2014 spill of hazardous waste into the Sonora River, Semarnat confirmed on Thursday.
In a statement, Semarnat reiterated that the spill of 40,000 cubic meters of an acidic copper sulfate solution into a tributary of the Sonora River on Aug. 6, 2014, was directly caused by Grupo México’s poorly-designed dam system.
“It was not an accident, it was negligence,” Environment Minister María Luisa Albores said at a press conference.
Semarnat filed a criminal complaint on Aug. 17 this year against three companies of Grupo México — Mexicana de Cananea, Buenavista del Cobre and Operadora de Minas e Instalaciones Mineras — for failing to address the environmental and health damage caused by the spill.
An estimated 22,000 people in at least eight municipalities were affected, making it the worst environmental disaster in Mexican mining history.
Albores explained that Grupo México had agreed following the spill to contribute at least 2 billion pesos (US $110 million) to environmental remediation via the Sonora River Trust. However, only half of these funds were ever delivered, and multiple irregularities were found in their distribution, including nine water treatment plants that closed after one month due to lack of resources, and another that closed after two years. Since 2020, Grupo México has ignored court orders to reactivate the fund.
A resident of the Sonora River basin displays the results of her home’s water toxicity test, which indicate the presence of heavy metals. (Project PODER)
In a report published earlier this month, Semarnat concluded that the remediation paid by the company “in no way covered the [spill’s] direct, indirect and cumulative effects on the population, ecosystems and economy.”
Many of these effects are ongoing, including above-recommended levels of mercury in the air, heavy metals in the water and acidity in the soil.
Grupo México responded with a statement dismissing the report’s findings and insisting that “the remediation of the Sonora River was successful.”
At Thursday’s press conference, Albores said that the company has been ordered to present a new remediation program, which must be approved by the affected communities and authorized by Semarnat.
The affected communities, represented by the Sonora River Basin Committees (CCRS), have put forward their own list of demands. These include 36 operational water treatment plants, in line with Grupo México’s original commitment; a poison center to monitor and treat the effects of heavy metals exposure; and guarantees for the health of local children.
The CCRS also call for urgent attention to issues found in Grupo México’s new tailings dam, which they say represents a latent risk, and an early warning system to alert communities of hazards related to mining companies in the region.
The 2023 Architectural Work of the Year was awarded to Jardín Cuauhtémoc in Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo, by Estudio MMX. (Estudio MMX)
The 20th edition of “Obras por Expansión,” an award granted by the Mexican newspaper Expansión, recognized the year’s most influential and innovative projects in Mexican architecture in a ceremony held on Wednesday.
This year’s Architectural Work of the Year was awarded to Jardín Cuauhtémoc from Estudio MMX, a project in the municipality of Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo, that revived the town’s community center and kiosk.
Four Seasons Tamarindo in Jalisco was also recognized at the awards. (Four Seasons)
The project was part of an urban improvement program by the federal government to reconstruct the areas affected by a gas pipeline explosion in January 2019 that killed 137 people.
The award’s jury consisted of a specialized panel in the areas of construction and infrastructure, urban finishings and restoration/rehabilitation, interior design and housing.
Over 29% of the jury selected Jardín Cuauhtémoc as the favorite project among 24 finalists.
The awards ceremony also recognized 11 other projects including the Four Seasons Tamarindo on Jalisco’s Pacific coast (winner in the construction category), Mexico City and Mexico state’s Line 2 of the Mexicable (winner in the infrastructure category), and the private luxury home Casa Pakaal in Mérida, Yucatán (winner in the restoration category).
Mexico state’s cable bus transportation system won the infrastructure category. (@alfredodelmazo/X)
“Architectural, infrastructure and urban development works are not only created to show techniques, styles and technological tools. They are also created to meet specific needs of society,” Expansión said. “Being able to combine that objective with creativity and make it a unique project can be a great challenge.”
In a run-through of past awards, Expansión shared some of the architecture works that have won the Architectural Work of the Year recognition.
Garden Santa Fe in Mexico City won the 2014 award for rescuing an abandoned park and transforming it into a recreational and commercial space for the neighboring residents.
Mérida’s Palace of Music in Yucatán was recognized as the best architectural work of 2019. It revitalized an urban space and turned it into a national music center. The building’s predominant material is stone, one of the fundamental elements of Yucatecan architecture.
The 2019 Architectural Work of the Year was Mérida’s Palace of Music, by Muñoz Architects, Alejandro Medina Architecture, Quesnel Architects and Reyes Ríos + Larrain Architects, in coordination with INAH. (yucatan.gob.mx)
Last year’s coveted award went to the Arena GNP Seguros in Acapulco, Guerrero, host to the Mexican tennis open. It can hold up to 3,000 people and has three playoff courts. Some of the events the Arena has hosted include the Tianguis Turístico Acapulco, concerts, and cultural and sporting events.
This year’s Honorary Mentions include:
Urban furnishing: Ágora Barranca San Marcos, Taller de Arquitectura Miguel Montor, Tultepec, México state.
Restoration: Centro Gastronómico de Oaxaca, RootStudio, Oaxaca, Oaxaca.
Public interior design: Kerena, MYT+GLVDK, Celaya, Guanajuato.
Construction: Vestíbulo Villa Flamingo, Taller de Arquitectura Contextual, Quintana Roo.
Special Award to a Housing Project of Impact: Residencias Tec, Perkins & Will, Santiago de Querétaro, Querétaro.
The project, financed by the British and Mexican governments, could be used to improve personalized medicine and other scientific advances for well-being in the future. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
Seven years in the making, the Mexican Biobank has finally been unveiled. The biobank is a collection of 1.8 million genetic markers belonging to 6,057 inhabitants of Mexico from 898 rural and urban locations in every state.
“Latin America continues to be severely underrepresented in genomics research,” the creators of the biobank wrote in the scientific journal Nature. But thanks to this project, Mexico has made moves “to fill this gap.”
For the sake of the project, Mexico was divided into seven regions, including northern Mesoamerica, the Gulf of Mexico and the cultural region of Oaxaca. (nature.com)
A biobank is a repository of biological samples, such as blood, tissue, DNA and other bodily fluids, along with associated data, collected for scientific and medical research purposes. Samples and data are typically collected from a very wide spectrum of individuals.
“In the future, when Mexico and its population have access to biomedical services, personalized medicine and other scientific advances for well-being,” the hard work that went into this project “should be remembered,” the newspaper Crónica wrote.
Scientists and researchers organized by the Center for Research and Advanced Studies (Cinvestav) were the main force behind the project, which began in 2017. Funding of more than 1 million pounds (US $1.2 million) came from the British and Mexican governments.
Academics in the past had published research and genetic profiles of Indigenous peoples, but this project is the most complete representation of populations all across Mexico. Like a subway map, it shows a panorama of how ancestry is structured by regions and states. The biobank provides information on the genetic histories of individuals in Mexico and analyzes their complex trait architectures, which could lead to breakthroughs in preventive and corrective medicines not only in Mexico but also worldwide.
The Mexican Biobank seeks to diversify genetic association studies, for which more than 95% of available data comes from participants of European ancestry. (Shutterstock)
“Currently, more than 95% of the participants in genetic medical association studies worldwide are of European ancestry, which limits knowledge of the human genome of other populations in the world,” said Andrés Moreno Estrada of Cinvestav. “It is urgent to correct this bias so that the promises of genomic and precision medicine are more equitable throughout the world, including Mexico.”
Cinvestav led the study with help from American and British research institutions, along with Mexican researchers from the National Polytechnic Institute (IPN), the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), the Salvador Zubirán Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition (INCMNSZ) and the National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH).
Among other things, the study analyzed ancient DNA recovered from human remains at eight pre-Columbian archaeological sites. For the sake of the project, Mexico was divided into seven regions, including northern Mesoamerica, the Gulf of Mexico and the cultural region of Oaxaca. Emphasis in data collection was placed on Indigenous and rural populations.
One of the major findings is that in Veracruz, Afro-Mexicans represent 8.4% of the population. Also, a higher presence of Asian genes was found in the areas of Guerrero and Baja California.Data related to health shows that populations with greater Indigenous ancestry have less genetic variation.
“Our results will inform the design of future genetic and complex trait studies in Mexico and Latin America and will hopefully motivate additional efforts to strengthen local research capacity in Latin America and benefit underserved groups globally,” the report stated.
Heavy rainfall in Puerto Vallarta on Thursday caused causeways to overflow and sweep away vehicles. (Social media screen captures)
Heavy rain caused waterways in Puerto Vallarta to overflow on Thursday evening, flooding the streets of the resort city just two days after Hurricane Lidia made landfall on the Pacific coast.
Videos posted to social media showed vehicles submerged in muddy water in commercial and residential areas of Puerto Vallarta, the leading tourist destination in the state of Jalisco.
Vehicles are swept away by flood due to intense rains in Puerto Vallarta of Jalisco, Mexico 🇲🇽
One showed a car floating down a street as the occupants attempted to climb out via the front windows. Another showed a man clinging to the side of his car as floodwaters gushed past him. Yet another showed passengers disembarking a bus and wading through water while holding onto a rope.
Despite the precarious situations some people found themselves in, no lives were lost in Thursday evening’s flooding, according to Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro.
“The intense rain that lashed Puerto Vallarta yesterday affected several cars and caused minor damage in some homes due to overflowing canals and flooding at various points. However, the damage is only material,” he wrote on the X social media site on Friday morning.
The governor said that a man died Thursday morning while “trying to remove water from the Cuale River,” which flows into the ocean in Puerto Vallarta, “but this had no relation to yesterday’s rain or the hurricane.”
Hurricane Lidia made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Tuesday and caused damage in coastal Jalisco. (Enrique Alfaro/X)
A storm started in Puerto Vallarta at 6 p.m. Thursday, according to a Reforma newspaper report. Rivers, canals and streams already swollen with rain brought by Lidia overflowed, flooding streets including Avenida Francisco Medina Ascencio, the main road that crosses the resort city. Reforma reported that water levels exceeded 80 centimeters on some streets.
The drainage system in the city was already at its “maximum capacity” as a result of the rain brought by Lidia, according to a report by the Infobae news website.
The newspaper Informador said that the flooding had eased by 10 p.m. and traffic was flowing along previously affected roads.
Hydrology expert Josué Sánchez Tapetillo said on X that Hurricane Lidia, which made landfall south of Puerto Vallarta as a Category 4 storm, “left a lot of water in its wake,” saturating the ground in the city.
That situation, together with a “severe storm” and water “basins with considerable breadth,” created the “perfect combination to produce these distressing scenes [in Puerto Vallarta]” he wrote.
There can be few soccer players, if any, who have ever been like Jorge Campos. In the long annals of the world’s most popular sport, the flamboyance, fashion and sheer brilliance of the three-time World Cup shot-stopper is hard to beat.
Diminutive in stature — a mere 5”7, in a position that usually sees an average of 6”5 at the professional level —but enormous in character, Campos was the epitome of Mexico. An indomitable, versatile player, he led his teams at the club and international levels.
Jorge Campos. (Instagram)
The Acapulco native has been regarded as a hero of the modern game, a revolutionary icon, a maverick able to play at both ends of the pitch, and a man who refused to conform to expectations. For those unacquainted with professional soccer in the modern era, this is unheard of: it would be like Tom Brady playing as both a quarterback and a linebacker or Shohei Ohtani both pitching and batting in alternate innings.
Today, Campos is remembered mainly for his collection of hand-designed goalkeeper jerseys, adorned with Indigenous patterns and colors inspired by his childhood in Guerrero. To reduce him to a simple fashion icon, however, is to overlook his place as perhaps the most unique player of the modern era.
A golden generation of Latino acrobats
Campos was part of a generation of acrobatic and showy Latin American goalkeepers, Colombia’s mythical Rene Higuita and Paraguay’s dependable Jose Luis Chilavert being the other standouts. But while the gymnastic feats of Higuita grace several all-time best save lists – especially his magnificent “scorpion kick” against England in 1998 – Campos has mostly made his mark for his sense of style, sought after by the top sporting brands at the height of his career.
In his first season at Pumas in 1988, Campos smashed 14 goals, making him one of the top scorers that season – all while being registered as a goalkeeper! By 1989, he had made the number 1 shirt his own and helped Pumas to the continental Champions Cup title. His exploits then helped the team to the domestic league in the 1990-91 season, defeating bitter rivals America in the final.
His skill at both ends of the pitch meant that when Pumas were losing, Campos would start the second half as a striker and do the hard work of scoring. Refusing to be bound by traditional sporting conventions, the diminutive Acapulcan was a whirlwind, charging down opposing players in front of goal and running into position to receive cross-field kicks from his midfield.
Campos won third place for the 1993 IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper award, behind only European Champion Peter Schmeichel and 1990 World Cup finalist Sergio Goycochea of Argentina.
A global fashion icon
Despite his heroics on the pitch, Campos is best remembered for his contributions to jersey design, with his designs echoing decades later and replica kits continuing to be in high demand.
As the only player allowed to handle the ball, a goalkeeper will always wear a different jersey from his teammates out of simple necessity, but Campos brought his flair to this aspect of his game, too. By 1994, he was comfortably ensconced as the first-choice goalie for Pumas and Mexico and celebrated that fact by designing his iridescent shirts.
The results were instantly iconic: Yellows, greens, reds, and blues, all in the traditional designs of Guerrero folk art and Indigenous Mixtec patterns. Designed in his native Acapulco, Campos and his childhood friends drew up their designs for their shirts as surfers first and as sportswear designers second. The oversized shirts made the small Campos appear bigger and more intimidating in front of the goal.
Produced under his own ACA label – an homage to Acapulco, of course – Campos managed to sell the rights to significant manufacturers Nike and Umbro, a football kit industry juggernaut at the time. He even became a global ambassador for Nike alongside bona fide legends of the sport like Eric Cantona, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Paolo Maldini.
While some at the time criticized him for his abundant shirts, Campos’ patterns, colors and even experimentation with text – many of his shirts had “J. Campos” displayed in alternative fonts in unusual places – have been mirrored in design work by leading international fashion houses some 30 years later.
FIFA banned his 1998 World Cup kit, forcing the Mexican to wear a more traditional number in goal – although Mexico’s legendary Aztec calendar-themed home kit at the tournament more than made up for the ban.
The legacy
To this day, Campos is still fondly remembered by fans of the sport, often appearing as a “hero” card on the FIFA Ultimate Team video game. He is arguably the most outstanding Mexican player of all time despite playing nearly all of his career in Mexico in an age before internet highlights allowed players to shine worldwide.
For his work as a designer, he was honored in France this September, winning an award for his “contribution to the world of fashion in sports” from the Paris Museum of Decorative Arts.
There have been countless goalkeeping legends in football history, from the Soviet Union’s Lev Yashin to England’s Gordon Banks to Italian stalwart Gianluigi Buffon. Few can say that they have left such an enduring – and quintessentially Mexican – mark as Jorge Campos.
A Mexican military Bell 412 helicopter crashed in northwestern Durango state, killing all three people on board. (Wikimedia Commons)
Three members of the Mexican military were killed Thursday when an Air Force helicopter crashed in the northern state of Durango.
The Defense Ministry (Sedena) said that the Bell 412 helicopter came down in the municipality of Topia, located in northwestern Durango on the border with Chihuahua.
The crash occurred in Topia, Durango near the border with Chihuahua state. (Wikimedia Commons)
“In this unfortunate accident the three members of the crew on board lost their lives,” Sedena said.
Two pilots and a soldier were killed, according to Civil Protection authorities in Durango.
Culiacán-based military personnel aboard two Black Hawk helicopters responded to the accident, which occurred at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Civilian rescue personnel arrived by road.
The cause of the accident hasn’t been established, but some media reports said the helicopter’s propeller may have come into contact with electricity transmission lines. According to a Latinus report, witnesses said the aircraft wasn’t flying at a “great height” prior to the accident.
The president said at the Friday morning press conference that the crash appeared to be an accident. (ROGELIO MORALES /CUARTOSCURO.COM)
President López Obrador said Friday morning that it “appears” that the helicopter struck a high voltage line.
Sedena said that military authorities were investigating to determine “the possible causes” of the crash.
The ministry said the helicopter was relocating to Canelas, Durango, from San José del Llano, Sinaloa, when the crash occurred. It said that the accident happened after the helicopter refueled in San José del Llano, located in the municipality of Badiraguato – perhaps best known as the birthplace of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Topia is part of the mountainous drug-producing region known as the Golden Triangle, located around the point where the Sinaloa, Durango and Chihuahua borders meet. The military often carries out anti-narcotics operations in the area.
There have been several accidents involving military helicopters in Mexico in recent years.
Car production in Mexico has recovered to pre-pandemic levels, both in terms of exports and domestic sales. (Shutterstock)
Mexico’s automotive sector continues to boom, with September exports reaching their highest level since June 2019.
Automakers with factories in Mexico exported 301,341 new vehicles last month, 16% more than in September 2022, according to data from the national statistics agency (INEGI).
Mexico’s automotive industry contributes nearly 4% to the national GDP and 20.5% of manufacturing GDP. (Shutterstock)
It was the first month that exports surpassed 300,000 since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent supply chain disruptions devastated the global automotive industry. The last month to reach this level was June 2019, when 327,454 units were exported.
“September exports have now fully recovered from pre-pandemic levels and are 5.07% above those observed in the same month of 2019,” said Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Grupo BASE.
Mexico’s car production has also recovered from the disruptions following the pandemic. Mexican factories produced 338,899 cars in September, the highest figure since October 2020 and up 4.29% from September 2019.
Total vehicle exports in the first nine months of the year are up 14% from the same period of 2022, to reach 2.4 million units, while production is up 13.5%, to reach 2.85 million units.
With a 17.2% rise in domestic sales, data suggests that the Mexican auto industry has made a successful recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Lenny Kuhne/Unsplash)
Domestic sales are also strong, showing a 35% annual increase in September to reach their highest level for that month since 2016.
“Despite the challenges at customs, we keep on triumphing,” the Mexican Association of the Automotive Industry (AMIA)wrote on social media platform X in reference to theU.S.-Mexico border shutdowns that have left large amounts of cargo in limbo during September.
The U.S. is the main destination for cars made in Mexico, and the country became thetop exporter of cars to the U.S. last year.
Mexico’s strong September performance coincided with the United Auto Workers strike in the U.S., which paralyzed production at several factories and auto parts centers operated by the Ford, General Motors and Stellantis brands.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) strike continues in the United States, but it appears to be having only a minimal impact on production in Mexico. (@UAW/X)
The strike’s impact on Mexico’s performance appears to be minimal so far, though exports from General Motors factories in Mexico were down 0.49% year-on-year in September.
Mexico’s booming car exports accompany a surge of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico’s automotive sector. This reached ahistoric high of over US $5 billion during the first half of 2023, as the nearshoring trend has brought companies relocating their manufacturing operations from Asia to Mexico.
The president defended his stance on former defense minister Salvador Cienfuegos following a military event held to honor him. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais/Cuartoscuro)
President López Obrador on Thursday once again accused the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of fabricating charges against former defense minister Salvador Cienfuegos and asserted that there is nothing to link the ex-army chief to the abduction and presumed murder of 43 students in Guerrero in 2014.
Cienfuegos, defense minister during the 2012-18 presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto, was arrested at Los Angeles airport in October 2020 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges.
In October 2020, the U.S. arrested former defense minister Salvador Cienfuegos on charges of money laundering and drug trafficking. (Photo: Archive)
Under pressure from the Mexican government, the United States later dropped the charges against Cienfuegos and granted Mexico its wish to conduct its own investigation. The Federal Attorney General’s Office exonerated the retired general in January 2021, less than two months after he returned to Mexico from the U.S.
Speaking at his morning press conference on Thursday, López Obrador said that it was “proven” that the DEA fabricated charges against Cienfuegos.
“… We were able to verify that it was an act of revenge and there was no evidence,” he said.
López Obrador asserted that Mexico’s exoneration of Cienfuegos made DEA representatives “very angry.”
The Mexican government conducted an investigation into Cienfuegos in 2021 and determined that there was no evidence to justify the DEA’s case against him. (Cuartoscuro)
“They wanted to have a weakened Mexican army, weakened armed forces of Mexico, [with a former defense minister] seated in the dock [of a court] so that they could do whatever they wanted in Mexico as [former president] Calderón allowed them,” he said.
The president’s remarks came a day after he presented Cienfuegos with an honorary military decoration at an event in Perote, Veracruz, marking the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Heroic Military College. The former defense minister was director of the Mexico City military academy between 1997 and 2000.
The awarding of the “Heroico Colegio Militar Bicentenary medal” to Cienfuegos sparked criticism in Mexico and the United States.
“For me, it’s an insult, not only for justice in the United States but also for justice in Mexico,” Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the DEA, told the news website Infobae.
Cienfuegos was awarded an honorary military decoration on Wednesday, which prompted AMLO’s remarks on Thursday. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
“This shows that high-ranking people can operate with complete impunity,” he said.
Vigil said that accusations in the United States aren’t made unless there is “convincing evidence,” especially in a case involving a former defense minister.
Some of the criticism in Mexico was based on the fact that Cienfuegos was army chief when 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College were abducted in Iguala, Guerrero, on Sept. 26, 2014. The army is accused of involvement in the crime, and more than a dozen of its former members including two ex-generals are currently detained in connection with the case.
López Obrador said there is “nothing” in the Ayotzinapa investigation against Cienfuegos, and declared that journalists with “other information” should disclose it.
The real reason for the discontent with the government’s decision to recognize the former defense minister for his service to the Heroic Military College is that “we intervened in the face of an action that we considered to be a violation of our sovereignty by the DEA,” the president said.
Shortly after Cienfuegos’ arrest, then-foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard said that Mexico had expressed its “profound discontent” to the United States over not being informed about the plan to arrest the former defense minister.
Cienfuegos, left, was defense minister during the 2014 Ayotzinapa mass kidnapping and massacre perpetrated by the army. (Photo: Archive)
As it pressured the U.S. to return Cienfuegos to Mexico, the federal government implicitly threatened to restrict the activities of U.S. agents working in Mexican territory, and even after the ex-defense minister was sent home, there were significant delays in processing visas for DEA agents.
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that “more than ever before” in his 30 years of experience in foreign policy, “the United States and Mexico are working together as partners in common purpose.”
“… Two years ago, United States and Mexico launched the Bicentennial Framework for Security, Public Health, and Safe Communities. And in doing this, we acknowledged a shared responsibility, a shared responsibility as neighbors to enhance the safety, the security, the well-being of our people,” he said at the conclusion of high-level security talks in Mexico City.
Ever wondered what the president does all day? AMLO gave a summary of his routine to reporters on Tuesday. (AMLO/X)
Have you ever wondered what world leaders actually do all day?
Get up before 5 a.m and keep working until after sundown. At least that’s what President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) – who often boasts that he works 16-hour days – says he does.
The president’s morning press conference lasts 2 to 3 hours every weekday and on Tuesday, a reporter asked what his “normal” day looks like. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
President López Obrador offered an insight into his daily activities after a reporter asked him at his morning press conference on Tuesday what a “normal day” in his life looks like.
“I am busy all day until night,” he responded, noting that he gets up in his National Palace apartment at a quarter to five.
“I have the advantage of living here, I don’t have to commute. If I lived in our home in [the Mexico City borough of] Tlalpan, I’d have to get up a quarter of an hour earlier. So I get an extra 15 minutes of sleep,” AMLO said.
After he rises, the 69-year-old Tabasco native told reporters that he gets ready – “exactly what you do before coming here” – and then meets with his personal assistant, who gives him any documents that require signing as well as fresh data on things such as employment and tax revenue.
The president (seen here with Senator Ricardo Monreal) often tells reporters what’s on his breakfast menu at the daily morning press conference. (Andrés Manuel López Obrador/X)
Before his 6 a.m. security meeting, AMLO, who has now entered the final 12 months of his presidency, said he also checks “how the peso woke up,” i.e. the prevailing USD:MXN exchange rate, and reviews “urgent matters” – on Tuesday it was preparations for the arrival of Hurricane Lidia on the Pacific coast.
“And then I go to the security meeting,” he said, explaining that a report on crime and violence in the previous 24 hours is presented.
“They’re generally very disturbing things, very heavy things,” López Obrador said.
“Everything that has to do with violence in the country is reviewed. Sensitive cases are reported. Now with the Israel-Palestine thing, the minister of foreign affairs informs us,” he said.
The president (left) often spends his weekends touring various infrastructure projects around the country, like the Maya Train. (AMLO/X)
“I come here with you to report to you and … [afterwards], like you, I have breakfast,” said AMLO, who often tells reporters what Mexican specialty he will be eating for his first meal of the day.
“And then I have a schedule for the whole day, I generally don’t leave [the National Palace] to have lunch outside,” said López Obrador, who regularly posts photos to social media of his meetings with Mexican and foreign officials, businessmen and women, and people from a wide range of other fields.
“Before, at about one or two, I escaped to practice baseball and to walk, but now I have a problem with my heel and I’m recovering. I’m fine now, I need to go again,” he said.
The period after lunch in the afternoon is set aside to dealing with “issues,” López Obrador said.
“Yesterday I had a meeting with the finance minister … to see how we’re doing with the closure of this year’s budget,” he said.
AMLO is an ardent baseball fan. (AMLO/X)
After a “health meeting that we have on Mondays every 15 days from 6-7 or 7:30 p.m. ” AMLO said he met with Energy Minister Rocío Nahle on Monday night before ending his day by spending time with his wife, academic Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, and teenage son Jesús.
“And [my son] Gonzalo arrived to visit me and we chatted. And then sleep. I set the alarm clock so as not to oversleep, although my body is now used to it and I wake up [naturally],” he said.
“That’s it basically. And on weekends, the tours,” López Obrador said, referring to his travel around the country to inspect infrastructure projects and check up on the implementation of welfare and social programs.
“… It’s a job like yours,” AMLO told reporters. “It produces a lot of satisfaction in the sense that one is there to serve others, public service is a calling,” he said.
The performance promises an immersive experience that combines piano music with choreography, shadow puppetry, narration, and an ofrenda centered around the rich cultural tapestry of Día de Muertos. (Photo: Shervin Lainez)
In the world of music, where genres and styles continually blend, one artist stands out for his commitment to celebrating his diverse heritage through the universal language of music. Mexico News Daily had the privilege of speaking with Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, a remarkable Mexican-American artist whose multifaceted background has shaped his journey as a musician, composer and advocate for the healing power of music.
Born into a rich tapestry of cultural influences, Llewellyn’s story begins with his mixed heritage, a true reflection of the American melting pot. “I have a very mixed heritage; my mom was born in Guadalajara. She moved to the U.S. when she was seven with her big family. My dad was born in the U.S. His background is Welsh, German, Polish, and Jewish.I was born in California and moved when I was nine to New York. So I have such a wonderful big family who gave me a rich experience growing up.”
Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner is a remarkable Mexican-American artist. (Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner)
This diverse upbringing laid the foundation for a unique artistic journey. As a musician, conductor and composer, Llewellyn has traversed five continents with his performances, connecting people from different backgrounds through the healing power of music. His passion for music as a bridge between cultures is palpable. “I care a lot about arts advocacy and what can be done to bridge different people with different ideas through the healing power of music,” he emphasizes.
But how does his mixed heritage influence his music, you might wonder? His response is as enlightening as it is inspiring. “I think that music serves as a wonderful ambassador. I think that when people look at not just music but the arts, when people look at murals, Diego Rivera and Siqueiros, or when they read wonderful literature when they hear vibrant music, they can’t help but just understand better a culture that otherwise might feel too foreign or too exotic to them.”
Embracing his classical musician roots, he draws inspiration from legendary Mexican composers like Manuel Ponce and Carlos Chávez, who skillfully wove together Mexican folk traditions, Indigenous influences and classical elements. “Incorporating some of that music in my performing makes me happy. I put it next to other composers from around the world and take it with me worldwide. I’m taking Mexico with me wherever I go.”
His efforts to showcase this fusion of cultural elements have been warmly received worldwide. “I like to look at humanity at its best because it’s so easy sometimes to look at it at its worst. So, I think at its best, people are curious, imaginative and empathetic. And as long as it’s presented correctly, I think people always appreciate it very much,” he shares.
(Photo: Shervin Lainez)
His musical journey began at the tender age of two, thanks to his mother’s encouragement and his own unwavering fascination with the piano. “I started playing when I was two. So I owe it to my mom,” he recalls. “I was obsessed with it. I wanted to know more. So she wanted to get me lessons, but nobody wanted to teach a two-year-old, right?”
Determined to nurture his talent, she found a teacher willing to teach her. Then, she would teach Llewellyn herself. Llewellyn began to feel a more profound commitment to music as his life’s calling during his early teenage years. “I think along the way, especially in my early teens, I began to feel a deeper commitment; this is how I wanted to contribute to society. This is really what I wanted to do for my whole life until I’m 100 years old,” he reflects.
Llewellyn’s commitment to music has led him to create breathtaking multidisciplinary shows, such as the upcoming Día de Muertos celebration in Brooklyn. “It’s going to be at the Brooklyn Art House. And the idea is to celebrate the Día de Muertos,” he excitedly shares. The performance promises an immersive experience that combines piano music with choreography, shadow puppetry, narration, and an “ofrenda” (altar) centered around the rich cultural tapestry of Día de Muertos. The goal is to offer audiences a deeper understanding of the holiday beyond its macabre associations. “It will be one hour of this action-packed music from beginning to end. A lot of energy, excitement and a fair bit of tenderness as well,” he adds.
Creating this kind of multidisciplinary show presents unique challenges, he acknowledges, but he approaches them with enthusiasm and “cautious arranging.” “But the thing is, the piano, with its 88 keys and many voices, there’s so much that can be done. We really can create the sound of an orchestra with just this instrument. It’s very deep, light, rich, colorful and so much can be done.”
(Photo: Shervin Lainez)
His commitment to these projects extends beyond the realm of art. Llewellyn views music as a powerful tool for bridging divides and fostering unity: he draws inspiration from stories like Israelis and Palestinians playing together in an orchestra or Leonard Bernstein’s historic performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in Berlin. “I care a lot about projects like this because there’s enough music literature to last two or three lifetimes,” he passionately states. “I’m thrilled performing it and reaching people. But the thing is, I’m inspired by certain stories that I’ve heard from the past. Like Barenboim, having Israelis and Palestinians playing the same orchestra with the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra or the idea that Leonard Bernstein conducted Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with all of its themes of brotherhood and unity on both sides of the Berlin Wall right before it came down.”
As our interview ends, his enthusiasm for music, culture and the power of art to unite shines through. He looks forward to returning to Mexico, where his roots run deep and sharing his passion for music with the world. “I very much hope to play there more in the next season. Absolutely,” he says, emphasizing his desire to bring people closer to Mexican culture and challenge biases.
In an ever-diverse world, artists like Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner remind us of music’s profound impact in fostering understanding, empathy and unity among people from all walks of life. As he continues to share his music and heritage, his journey inspires us all – a testament to the enduring power of art to transcend borders and bring people together.
Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer, and cultural promoter and is Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine and Features Editor of Mexico News Daily.
