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.
As of Thursday morning, all trucks have to be inspected crossing the Solidarity-Colombia Bridge in Laredo. (Webb County Sheriff)
The Texas government has begun inspecting all cargo trucks entering the United States via Nuevo León’s sole crossing into the Lone State State, according to business groups.
The Laredo, Texas, chapter of the COMCE Noreste foreign trade council and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) reported that inspections of trucks by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) started at the Laredo-Colombia Solidarity International Bridge at 8 a.m. Thursday.
Trucks on the Mexican side of the border at the Colombia bridge crossing on Thursday morning. (City of Laredo)
The DPS is already conducting stringent inspections of trucks entering Texas at border crossings between Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and El Paso.
The NCBFAA said in a message to its members that it had been notified that Governor Greg Abbott had ordered inspections of 100% of trucks entering Texas via the crossing in Colombia, a border town in Anáhuac, the only Nuevo León municipality that borders the U.S.
The newspaper El Financiero reported that United States Customs and Border Protection confirmed that information via email.
The number of migrants attempting to cross at various entry points along the Mexico-U.S. border has escalated in recent weeks. (Cuartoscuro)
Eduardo Garza, president of the COMCE Noreste chapter in Laredo, said that the inspections will “saturate” the border crossing. He indicated that the measure isn’t necessary, saying that “neither the Colombia bridge nor Nuevo León has problems with migrants.”
COMCE Noreste said in a statement that “considerable delays” were expected.
Zelina Fernández, director of the Nuevo León chapter of the National Maquiladora Industry Council, said she had spoken to officials with Codefront – the Corporation for the Development of the Border Area of Nuevo León – and was told that the inspections would last until Sunday. She also said there was no “issue” with migrants at the Colombia-Laredo bridge and nearby crossings.
Texas has previously conducted inspections of northbound freight trucks, including in May as the United States pandemic-era Title 42 migration expulsion policy was ending.
Governor Greg Abbott said on Thursday that Texas will continue to build miles of border wall, “until Joe Biden secures the border.” (Greg Abbott/X)
Governor Abbott frequently accuses United States President Joe Biden of failing to secure the southern border with Mexico, and his government – which as of early Thursday afternoon hadn’t commented on the truck inspections at the Colombia-Laredo crossing – has implemented its own anti-migration measures.
“Texas has built miles of border wall to stop illegal entry into our state and our nation. We will continue to do so until Joe Biden secures the border,” he wrote on the X social media platform on Wednesday.
On Monday, President López Obrador accused Abbott of acting irresponsibly and “trying to get a political advantage with these [anti-migration] measures.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently said that the federal government had sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. government urging it it to lobby the Texas government “to stop the exhaustive inspections” of cargo trucks at crossings in the El Paso area as well as that between Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila, and Del Rio, Texas.
The official welcome center of Las Coloradas was opened in 2021, with local guides on hand to give tours that explained the process of salt production and harvest. (Lydia Carey)
A cottony puff of a cloud sits just above the horizon. Its reflection in the soft pink water of the Las Coloradas salt flats below creates one of the most Instagrammable shots in the entire Yucatán peninsula. All that’s needed to complete the shot is one of the hot pink American flamingos that feed there, standing one-legged in the distance.
What was once a mere industrial salt farm has become somewhat of a sensation since 2016 when mentions of the “pink beaches” of Las Coloradas where you could swim with the flamingos flooded the internet. None of those things were true, but tourists came in droves anyway to a place that used only to receive travelers who took a wrong turn on their way to Rio Largartos.
What was once a mere industrial salt farm has become somewhat of a sensation. (Lydia Carey)
When the visitors started to wander into the salt ponds on their own, contaminating months worth of work for the Industria Salinera de Yucatán salt company, the company decided something must be done to protect their product and to allow visitors to gawk at this little natural wonder and get their shot for the Gram. So in 2021, the official welcome center of Las Coloradas was opened, and local guides were on hand to give tours that explained the process of salt production and harvest, why some of the ponds are pink (a little family of bacteria called halobacteria), and why local flamingos are so fond of this enclosed little ecosystem.
The salt flats sit in the middle of the Rio Lagartos bio reserve, designated as such in 1999. The Industria Salinera de Yucatán had already been producing salt there since 1946. When the area became federally protected, salt production was deemed a suitable and sustainable commercial activity allowed to continue there. The 10 to 12 month process of producing salt from seawater starts with water pumped directly from the saltwater lagoon between the ocean and the salt farm. After that initial water is pumped in, it passes from pond to pond by gravity, increasing its salinity concentration as it evaporates to a greater degree in each pond until it reaches such saltiness that only the halobacteria can survive, and the water or brine turns pink.
Those elegant aviators I mentioned earlier are fondest of the medium-salty ponds where their favorite food, brine shrimp – what we often refer to as “sea monkeys” – thrives. The flamingos and the other migratory and sea birds that nest in Las Coloradas are protected from their main predators by the geography and the closeness of humans, from larger mammals that eat their eggs to the local crocodiles that eat them.
But birds aren’t the only animals that live under the protection of the Industria Salinera de Yucatán. The company has also been working with the administration of the Rio Lagartos bio reserve for the past 30 years to protect the three species of sea turtles that nest along the shore. This includes rescuing turtles that nest on the ridge of coastal dunes and sometimes tumble to the other side, getting trapped on the road or in the salt ponds on the property.
Las Coloradas is the closest place to Tulum and Cancún to see flamingos. (Lydia Carey)
They are also involved in the reforestation and rebuilding of coastal dunes and the natural vegetation to improve the coast’s resistance to intensified hurricanes and cold fronts, affecting the local flora and fauna and the company’s salt production. In the last five years, they have researched the area’s adaptability and resiliency to climate change alongside the Worldwide Wildlife Fund to develop mitigation strategies to strengthen the local ecosystem at its weakest points.
Scientists on the team monitor yearly precipitation, grow endemic vegetation in the nursery for replanting on the dunes, and install geo-membranes filled with sand and water to help rebuild parts of the dunes that are swept away. Because of the company’s long history here, they can provide valuable information about long-term weather patterns and the changing climate.
There’s even a local birders club that workers started on the farm. Many migratory and local birds build their nests on the islands and land bridges of the salt flats because of the protection from predators, so the plant’s workers mark the nests when they come across them and try to avoid those paths when they can so as not to disturb the eggs. All this is done to protect a fragile and necessary environment for the region and salt production.
Since Las Coloradas is the closest place from Tulum and Cancún to see flamingos, you are bound to see at least one or two buses of visitors each day from those locations. But you don’t need to pile on a bus with dozens of other people if you don’t want to because it’s easy to drive to Las Coloradas from Mérida, Valladolid, or even Cancún (about 4 hours away) and visit the salt flats on your own. There’s not much to do in Las Coloradas, built around salt production and only has about 1,000 residents. It’s better to stay in nearby Rio Largartos, which has the charming Yuum Ha boutique hotel run by a British-Mexican couple. From Rio Lagartos, you can take birding and other nature tours with local boat captains, head over to the beaches just outside of Rio Lagartos by boat, or visit Cancúncito beach near Las Coloradas by car for a picturesque day under the sun. However, staying in both Valladolid (2 hours away) or Mérida (3 hours away) will provide ample choices for food, drink, and other cultural activities.
From Rio Lagartos, you can take birding and other nature tours with local boat captains. (Lydia Carey)
For group tours from Riviera Maya, check out Ekinox tours for a more private experience EcoColors tours. If you go on your own, I recommend taking the safari jeep tour around the property as you will get more information, see more of the salt ponds (including ones with flamingos), and have some much-needed shade as the salt ponds are entirely exposed and the best time to see them (during the windy afternoons) is also the hottest. If you want something super exclusive, contact the park manager ([email protected]) to set up lunch in the bio reserve for some beautiful views of salt ponds you won’t see at the welcome center.
Lydia Carey is a freelance writer and translator based out of Mexico City. She has been published widely both online and in print, writing about Mexico for over a decade. She lives a double life as a local tour guide and is the author of Mexico City Streets: La Roma. Follow her urban adventures on Instagram and see more of her work at www.mexicocitystreets.com.
VU Manufacturing is a Michigan-based company. Its Piedras Negras, Coahuila, plant manufactured interior upholstered and plastic parts for car interiors. (VU Manufacturing/Facebook)
United States authorities have urged Mexico to prevent retaliation against workers after U.S.-based company VU Manufacturing closed its factory in Coahuila rather than comply with a remediation plan to address violations of workers’ rights.
VU Manufacturing, a Troy, Michigan-based company that owns the car upholstery factory in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, has been investigated twice under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for interfering with workers’ rights to free association and collective bargaining.
Both the United States and Mexico had found VU Manufacturing guilty of interfering with the collective bargaining process at its Coahuila plant. (@Frankzocalo/X)
In themost recent case, the Interagency Labor Committee (ILC) asked Mexico to review the facility after receiving complaints from two Mexican labor organizations in December that workers at VU Manufacturing had been intimidated into voting for the minority company union.
Mexico conducted the review and concluded that ongoing denials of rights were happening at the factory. On March 31, the United States and Mexico announced a remediation plan to address these violations through the USMCA’s Rapid Response Labor Mechanism (RRM).
But rather than comply with the plan, the company has closed its doors, leaving more than 400 workers unemployed.
“We note with disappointment VU’s decision to close its facility without adhering to the agreed remediation course,” said Thea Lee, U.S. Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs. “We urge the government of Mexico to seek remedies for the affected workers and strategies to prevent retaliation against former VU workers at other facilities.”
U.S. Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs Thea Lee expressed her “disappointment” that U.S. company VU Manufacturing decided to shut down its factory in Coahuila. (@NCTO/X)
Lee stressed the RRM’s good track record since the USMCA came into force in 2020, which she said “has resulted in employers taking significant actions to improve labor practices, benefiting workers’ rights in both countries.”
It is the first time the U.S. has criticized a company for failing to comply with a USCMA labor review, after instigating similar investigations in 13 other workplaces and negotiating remediation plans at six.
Pablo Franco, a spokesperson for Mexico’s section of the International Lawyers Assisting Workers (ILAW) Network, called VU Manufacturing’s decision to close its plant “a serious precedent which calls into question the effectiveness of the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism. Especially because in this case we’re talking about a company with U.S. capital.”
Ina statement, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai assured that the U.S. would continue to work closely with Mexico to protect the affected workers and to enforce the collective bargaining protections enshrined in the USCMA.
“The U.S. will continue to monitor the situation regarding VU Manufacturing to verify that the rights of workers previously employed by the company are respected, that outstanding wages are paid, and that neither the company nor any potential successors violate the terms of the USMCA,” she said.
The "Catrinas" are already beginning to show their skulls ahead of Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
With the Day of the Dead approaching (Nov. 1 and 2), it’s time to plan what to do and where to go to join the celebrations.
From food, to parades, to exhibitions, here are some Mexico City events you won’t want to miss.
The Popular Art Museum’s (MAP) Alebrije Parade will take place on Saturday, Oct. 21. Afterwards, the alebrijes will be on view along Paseo de la Reforma until Nov. 5. (@Latitud21mx/X)
Parades
Alebrije Parade
The Popular Art Museum’s (MAP) Alebrije Parade will take place on Saturday, Oct. 21, starting at 12 noon. It will depart from the Zócalo and pass through 5 de Mayo Avenue, Juárez Avenue and Paseo de la Reforma until it reaches the Ángel de la Independencia.
“Alebrijes” are brightly-colored fantastical creatures and are usually the size of a small trinket – which makes the MAP’s collection of car-sized sculptures all the more impressive. If you can’t make it to the parade, you can see the alebrijes along Paseo de la Reforma in a temporary exhibition from Oct. 21 to Nov. 5, between the Ángel de la Independencia and the Diana Cazadora roundabout.
Parade of the “Catrinas”
Inspired by the early 20th-century satirical cartoon of “La Catrina,” an elegantly dressed skeleton, by José Guadalupe Posada, the popular Parade of the “Catrinas” will take place on Sunday, Oct. 22 this year.
Starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Ángel de la Independencia, the parade will move down Paseo de la Reforma and end at Juárez Avenue.
Anyone can take part in the themed Catrina parade. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
Participants must dress as one of several themed “catrinas.” This year’s themes include Brides and Grooms, Quinceañeras, Carnival, Doctors and Nurses, Batucada and K-Pop, among others.
To march in the parade, contact event leaders here.
Entrance is free.
Day of the Dead Parade
The annual “Día de Muertos” parade – inspired by the opening scene of the 2015 James Bond movie “Spectre” – will take place on Saturday, Nov. 4. It will start at Chapultepec Park, go down Paseo de la Reforma and end at the Zócalo.
Entrance is free. The start time is yet to be announced.
The world renowned Day of the Dead Parade will take place on Saturday, Nov. 4. (Gobierno de la Ciudad de México/Cuartoscuro)
Food & Drink
Pan de Muerto Fest 2023
On Saturday, Oct. 21, the Balcón del Zócalo will host the Pan de Muerto Fest, offering over 20 varieties of bread from different bakeries in Mexico City.
Running from 4 to 8 p.m., the event includes pan de muertotastings, as well as hot chocolate and coffee.
Entrance fee is 324 pesos. Children under five are free.
Festival de Pan de Muerto y Chocolate
From Nov. 3 to 5, the Palacio de la Autonomía museum of the Autonomous National University of Mexico (UNAM) will host an event for attendees to try a wide variety of pan de muerto with fillings including strawberry, blackberry, whipped cream, dulce-de-leche-like cajeta, fruit and chocolate.
The event will also offer traditional dishes from across Mexico, hot chocolate and a handicraft market.
Entrance fee is 20 pesos.
This year, there are two festivals dedicated to pan de muerto in Mexico City. (Adolfo Vladimir/Cuartoscuro)
Art & Culture
UNAM Mega Ofrenda
Also at UNAM, find the university’s mega “ofrenda” or altar, an annual Day of the Dead display that takes over the University Olympic Stadium on Nov. 1 and 2. Each year, the university community contributes their best ideas to form a giant collage of altars on a specific theme.
This year, the mega altar will honor women in the sciences, humanities and arts.
Entrance is free.
Calavera Art Experience
From now until Nov. 14, an immersive and interactive exhibition in the Metropolitan Palace will tell the story of the “calaveras” (skulls), their role in Mexican culture and Day of the Dead. The experience includes an interactive traditional altar and a showroom dedicated to Catrina skeletons.
Entrance starts at 99 pesos.
“Coco: A Festival to Remember” will come to Mexico City on Nov. 3 and 4. (disneyland.disney.go.com)
Disney’s Coco Festival
“Coco: A Festival to Remember” by Disney and Pixar, is coming to Mexico City for the first time on Nov. 3 and 4, at the Plaza de Toros México.
Starting at 7 p.m., it will include a screening of the movie and a live performance by artists like Natalia Jiménez, Pedro Fernández and the Folkloric Ballet of Mexico.
The event will also feature an interactive altar and a glow-in-the-dark alebrije and calavera parade.
Entrance starts at 600 pesos.
On weekends from now through Nov. 19, you can watch a spooky performance of La Llorona from a boat in Xochimilco. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
La Llorona in Xochimilco
The story of La Llorona is a classic of Mexican culture, and is often associated with Day of the Dead. As legend has it, La Llorona (the weeping woman) is a spirit who wanders riverbeds in search of her dead children.
There is no better place to enjoy a performance of La Llorona than near water, which is what makes this annual event in Xochimilco so sought after.
On weekends from now through Nov. 19, you can watch a spooky performance of La Llorona from a “trajinera”, or small canoe, as actors play out the famous legend on the canals of southern Mexico City.
The night tour and show depart from the Cuemanco boat launch, and tickets can be purchased online here.
In addition to the weekly functions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, there will be special shows on Tuesday, Oct. 31, Wednesday, Nov. 1 and Thursday, Nov. 2.
The semiconductor industry was one of the 10 key economic sectors that the will benefit from the government tax incentives. (Intel Guadalajara)
As it seeks to capitalize on the nearshoring opportunity, the federal government on Wednesday announced tax incentives aimed at boosting investment in Mexico.
The incentives and the sectors that will benefit were outlined in a decree published in the government’s official gazette. Let’s take a closer look at the decree.
Automotive manufacturing is one of the industries benefiting from nearshoring, as manufacturers relocate operations closer to the U.S. market. (Wikimedia Commons)
What are the tax incentives?
Deputy Finance Minister Gabriel Yorio explained in a post on the X social media site that accelerated depreciation will apply to assets purchased by companies that operate in 10 export-focused sectors.
Accelerated depreciation is “any method of depreciation used for accounting or income tax purposes that allows greater depreciation expenses in the early years of the life of an asset,” according to Investopedia.
The permitted depreciation percentages range from 56% to 89% in 2023 and 2024, Yorio said.
Deputy Finance Minister Gabriel Yorio outlined the incentives for companies looking to relocate operations to Mexico. (ANDREA MURCIA /CUARTOSCURO.COM)
An 89% depreciation rate applies to “machinery and equipment directly used for new product research or the development of technology in the country” as well as to manufacturing equipment including dies and molds, according to the decree.
An 86% depreciation rate applies to a range of electric vehicles as well as “planes dedicated to agricultural fumigation,” while an 88% rate applies to computers, printers and other electronic products.
The full list of depreciation rates is available in the decree (Spanish).
Yorio noted that an “additional deduction” of 25% is guaranteed for a period of three years for “worker training expenses.”
An 89% depreciation rate applies to some machinery and manufacturing equipment under the decree. (Shutterstock)
Who will benefit from the incentives?
Yorio said that the decree “establishes tax incentives for companies that wish to relocate to any part of Mexico and applies to 10 key sectors of the Mexican economy.”
The incentives are also accessible to companies currently located in Mexico “that belong to the sectors identified as key in the export industry,” according to the decree.
The 10 sectors, as summarized by Yorio, are:
Electronic components
Semiconductors
Batteries
Engines, including hybrid ones and those that run on “alternative fuels”
Electric and electronic equipment
Fertilizers
Pharmaceuticals
Agro-industry
Medical equipment
Cinematography
To qualify for the incentives, companies must prove that at least 50% of their revenue from their operations in Mexico comes from exports in 2023 and 2024.
More on the government’s motivation
In its decree, the government said that Mexico is in a “favorable” position “to be considered an attractive destination for foreign direct investment” given that “with the aim of avoiding interruptions in supply chains and their operations, it’s feasible that companies will consider relocating part of their production to destinations close to the markets with which they” do business.
Exporters of electronic components and engines were among the 10 key sectors highlighted in the government’s tax incentive decree. (Gobierno de Guanajuato)
It said that the objective of the tax incentives is to “maximize the competitive advantages that our country offers in order to promote greater productive investment.”
The key sectors were selected because of their significant contribution to GDP growth and their “export vocation,” among other factors.
When does the decree take effect?
The decree enters into force this Thursday Oct. 12.
Are the tax incentives available all over Mexico?
Yes.
“These incentives are available in all states and municipalities of the country,” Yorio said, adding that “the window of opportunity” for interested companies is one year.
Is Mexico already benefiting from the nearshoring phenomenon?
Nuevo León Governor Samuel García (center) has been actively pursuing nearshoring opportunities for his state, which is one of the biggest destinations for FDI. (Gobierno de Nuevo León)
However, just 7% of the FDI total between January and June was new investment, with the lion’s share coming from the reinvestment of profits. That looks set to change in coming years as companies act on their relocation announcements.
President López Obrador has frequently described investment conditions in Mexico as “unbeatable,” but some observers believe that several policy changes (beyond the provision of tax incentives) are needed to ensure that the country doesn’t miss out on its nearshoring opportunity.
