This year’s entries for the 2023 Expo Quilt México Internacional leaned very heavily into “art quilts”. The baby image on the far left is not painted but painstakingly created through appliqué by Ánges Tamés Pidal. (Leigh Thelmadatter)
Most English speakers from North America are quite familiar with patchwork quilts; it is one of the few native handcrafts we still have north of the border, and it remains a part of Anglo-American identity. Although not documented, when American and Canadians began retiring to Mexico in large numbers after World War II, the hobby likely accompanied them south.
Avid Canadian quilter Wendy Wilton was pleasantly surprised to learn of active quilting “guilds,” or clubs, in places like San Miguel de Allende and Ajijic. Like their counterparts up north, these clubs provide quilters an outlet to socialize and get technical help. They also do community outreach, donating quilts to organizations such as orphanages, veterans and hospitals. Recently, the Ajijic guild sent a batch of handmade quilts to Ukraine.
Members of the Ajijic Quilt Guild and the quilts they made to be sent to Ukraine (courtesy Ajijic Quilt Guild)
Quilting’s social-service side may best be reflected in the tireless work of Mazatlán-based Linda Hannawalt. She had already been a force in the quilting world as the founder of the California non-profit San Francisco Sewing & Quilting Collaborative. In the mid 2010s, she moved to Mazatlán. Thinking she was the first quilter in the country, Linda quickly founded the San Francisco Quilt Shop in a building close to where cruise ship passengers arrive. Then, she recruited local sewers looking to learn a new craft that would appeal to a new and lucrative market.
The Mazatlán store is indeed a business, selling finished products, quilting supplies, and classes to foreign winter residents and tourists. Hannawalt’s passion, however, is sharing the success she has had with Mazatlán women.
After finding out that there are indeed other quilters in Mexico, she began to network, finding opportunities to support fledgling groups, including one for deaf women in Zihuatanejo. During the pandemic, Linda helped Mexican quilt businesses stay afloat by helping them import needed supplies while Mexican nationals were barred from entering the U.S. Her store’s income provides much of the support for this outreach.
But it is not just foreign women promoting quilting in Mexico. Although the Ajijic guild is English-speaking and geared towards retirees, it has attracted Mexican hobbyists from as far as Guadalajara. Quilt business owners Silvia Barba Alhadro and Teresa Gurria of the Mexico City metropolitan area are two of over a dozen businesses that cater almost exclusively to Mexican women who, as Gurria says, “get hooked” on quilts.
Beatriz Juarez Arroyo from the Mundo Mágico de Sofy of Morelia demonstrates cutting a piece of cloth for patchwork (courtesy Mundo Mágico)
By 2019, Mexico was hosting expos, guilds and more in areas such as Monterrey, Mérida, León and Veracruz. Expo Quilt México Internacional is the largest of these, founded and run by Silvia Barba Alhadro, proprietor of The Quilting Studio in the fashionable San Ángel neighborhood of Mexico City.
Events like these, Silvia says, are a lot of work, but they are important because of the networking opportunities among quilters and with the general public. Not only do these events have booths featuring quilt shops, fabrics and sewing machines, they have exhibitions and competitions of some of the finest quilts being produced in Mexico.
Most expos and events took a hiatus during the pandemic, and some have yet to come back, but there is optimism that it is only a matter of time.
Barba Alhadro, an early pioneer, quilting by chance while working at an international school. She began quilting as a hobby, but when more and more friends and family wanted to learn, she started a quilting “school” in her home. It grew big enough that 12 years ago, she moved The Quilt Shop classes to its current location in the San Ángel neighborhood. Quilting classes have been the introduction to the craft for many Mexican women, not only because it provides a creative outlet, but perhaps more importantly, it provides a social one for many upper-class Mexican stay-at-home moms and retirees.
Developed quilt businesses in Mexico often have services like sewing the patchwork tops onto the lower layers to finish the quilts using special sewing (courtesy San Francisco Quilt Shop)
Gathering regularly at the The Quilt Shop or any other of over a dozen quilt “schools” in the Mexico City area may be even more important than the quilting itself.
“What is said in quilting class, stays in quilting class,” says Teresa Gurria, a former student of Barba Alhadro’s who runs her own quilt business in the northwestern Mexico City suburb of Atizapan. Even if the quilt shop looks like one north-of-the-border, the center of activity is always the classes, not necessarily the fabric for sale.
Most quilters in Mexico, like those in the U.S. and Canada, strongly prefer to quilt with fine, 100% cotton fabrics made specifically for the hobby. These fabrics can be pricey and while they mimic what was used to quilt a century ago, there is one main difference: today’s quilts are rarely made with leftover scraps the way they were back then.
Quilting classes like those at The Quilting Studio in Mexico City provide an important social outlet for homebound women. (courtesy The Quilting Studio)
One exception to this may be the quilting that is developing in Morelia, which had its first quilting expo last March at the city’s convention center, called Amistad Creativa (meaning “creative friendship”). The event attracted over 500 people, receiving support from city and state authorities, which see the economic possibilities of quilting for poor women and other marginalized groups. The expo also promoted “scrap” quilting as a way to recycle fabric. The use of modern commercial fabrics can be tricky in quilted products, but they are a resource that is more readily available in Mexico.
Wilton has “no doubt” that quilting has a bright and growing future in Mexico. All of the women interviewed agree, whether their purpose for quilting is purely therapeutic or they hope to find economic progress. Though Mexican quilters are still working with traditional Anglo designs for the most part, but given this country’s creativity, I expect that to eventually evolve.
If you are interested in finding a quilting group, here is a list of contacts to start with:
Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico over 20 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture in particular its handcrafts and art. She is the author of Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta (Schiffer 2019). Her culture column appears regularly on Mexico News Daily.
Wow! Before we get to all the “but…but…but…”s, can we just take a minute to talk about how amazing this is?
There we go. Thank you.
Though many will claim that feminism and various women’s movements have more than done their duty in the world, the actual numbers of women who gain any positions of power on a societal level tell a different story.
So say what you will about Morena (the party of the current president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador), but since coming to power in such a major way in 2018, political gender parity has taken great leaps and bounds in Mexico, from a woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to my local friend who travels all over the state assisting in emergencies while her partner stays home as the primary caregiver.
And by the way, Mexico’s Supreme Court also just decriminalized abortion, meaning the states that have yet to do so will need to change their criminal codes. For now, it’s in the kind of legal limbo that marijuana possession is…not exactly legal (in most states), but also not punishable with jail time since a landmark 2021 Supreme Court ruling. It’s an important start.
I know that having a woman president probably won’t be earth-shattering. After all, we can’t expect it to solve Mexico’s problem with sexism any more than having a black president solved the United States’ problem with racism.
It also won’t prevent people from trotting out, as they did during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, their own disclaimers to prove they’re both non-sexist and Smart Discerning People: “Look, I’m all for a woman president, but these particular women are very flawed.”
Sigh.
Still though, representation matters, and for millions of girls and women in Mexico – indeed, all over the world – seeing another woman head of state, especially in a country as important on a global scale as Mexico, is going to be a Very Big Deal.
So, what about these candidates?
Claudia, we mostly know. And Claudia will almost certainly be the winner of the presidency, as the Morena party has shown no signs of losing enough popularity to not win in a landslide. The people (mostly) love AMLO (as the current president is known), and Claudia is his protégé.
What kind of leader would she be? She’s been a wisely careful Morena politician, always careful not to contradict the current much-loved president. Unlike many women in power, she’s mostly avoided the usual labels of “hysterical” and “incompetent.” She’s smart. She knows not to place herself as an alternative to AMLO, but rather as a prettier, younger, emotionally steadier extension of his most popular policies and programs who will continue la cuarta transformación (“the fourth transformation”, often written shorthand as “4T”) of Mexico.
Even so, my hopes for her saying “Anyway, let’s set ourselves to the business of making things right,” especially in terms of the environment, are high. I also have high hopes for a more on-the-ground approach to women’s rights. I certainly wouldn’t expect her to accuse women protesting for their rights as “conservative feminists,” which is an oxymoron if I ever heard one.
Xóchitl Gálvez, from what little I know of her, seems like an admirable person. Her joke a while back that the current president, who couldn’t seem to stop talking (negatively) about her, was her campaign manager gave me a good chuckle. But how would she govern? We’ve got a bit of information, and I’ll be very curious to get to know her better as a candidate as the campaigns gear up.
So far, the main argument of the “Broad Front for Mexico” (the FAM) coalition is that they’re not Morena. But standing against something is hardly a platform. As Kate Bohné, our editor asked recently in her excellent Substack The Mexpatriate, what exactly do they stand for? Ideologically, this is a coalition made up of radically clashing beliefs, so it’s hard to say what direction actual policies would take in the country. The PAN (the party she belongs to) and the PRI, too, have fairly tarnished reputations.
I’m a little wary of Gálvez too because of her party’s association with the conservative movement in Mexico. (“March for the Family” anyone?) Her biggest job during the campaign will be to show us who she is, what she stands for, and what kinds of policies she would fight for as president. Will she take a page from the U.S. Republican party and fan the culture wars at the expense of “the real issues”? What does she think of the textbooks? What does she think of abortion rights? What are her views on poverty? Is she one of those, “if I could do it, anyone can” type of people?
AMLO’s big selling point, much like Obama’s, was hope. Will she be able to make people hopeful about their future?
Much remains to be seen. But right now, Mexico is continuing to show the world what human female leadership looks like.
For now, let’s just celebrate.
Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mexico News Daily, its owner or its employees.
This week President López Obrador addressed a potential rupture in his party after the selection of Claudia Sheinbaum, and ended the week with a ceremony before setting off for a South American tour. (GALO CAÑAS/CUARTOSCURO.COM)
It was a big week for the ruling Morena party, which announced Wednesday that Claudia Sheinbaum would be its candidate at the 2024 presidential election.
A day later, President López Obrador – who founded Morena and led the party to a comprehensive victory at the 2018 general election – handed over a “baton of command” to the former Mexico City mayor, officially designating her as the “new national coordinator of the defense of the transformation.”
President López Obrador hands over the “baton of command” to Claudia Sheinbaum. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
AMLO initiated what he calls the fourth transformation of Mexico when he took office in late 2018. The term, abbreviated as 4T, quickly became an epithet for the current federal government, and is used by both supporters and detractors of the López Obrador administration.
The president claims that the change he is bringing to Mexico via things such as the eradication of corruption and the implementation of social programs to address the root causes of crime is as monumental as societal transformations brought about by independence from Spain, 19th century liberal reforms and the Mexican Revolution.
At his morning press conferences, or mañaneras, this week, he staunchly defended the “transformation” process he initiated almost five years ago and expressed confidence that it will continue under the leadership of Sheinbaum, who will face off against Senator Xóchitl Gálvez at the presidential election next June.
Monday
“As you confirmed on the weekend, Mr. President, the Maya Train is operational and traversed the tracks from Campeche to Cancún,” Javier May, director of the National Tourism Promotion Fund (Fonatur), said early in the first press conference of the week.
“This shows that in the fourth transformation, commitments are fulfilled. Without a doubt, the Maya Train [railroad] will be inaugurated in December of this year,” he said.
López Obrador, who completed “supervision” trips on the new railroad last Friday and Saturday, said that the project, “through tourism,” will spur economic growth in Mexico’s southeast, a region he described as “almost paradise.”
The railway will connect destinations in a region with tropical jungle, “exceptional” and “unique” animals such as jaguars, deer and armadillos, “the most beautiful beaches in the world” and the most abundant “archaeological, cultural and artistic heritage” on the planet, he said.
President López Obrador gives an update on the Maya Train at the Monday morning press conference. (Gob MX)
“We’re talking about a 2,000-year flourishing of the Maya culture, 2,000 years! [The pre-Hispanic settlements] are beautiful cities, full of splendor, with a lot of art, it’s a great civilization. The Maya Train is all that and it will allow there to be progress with justice,” AMLO said.
He acknowledged that the military will assume responsibility for the 1,554-kilometer-long railroad once it is completed.
“Why are we going to leave this project in the custody of the Ministry of Defense? Because this project, like others, is being financed with public investment, … money of the people,” López Obrador said.
Public infrastructure projects belong to the nation and people, “so we want to look after them” and avoid their privatization, as occurred when “corrupt, neoliberal” governments were in office, he said.
“How do we guarantee good, honest management of the Maya Train, avoid the squandering of money and … [prevent] its future handover to private interests? Well, we have to leave it to a serious, responsible institution that represents the nation, that represents Mexico – the Ministry of National Defense in this case,” AMLO said.
The president later revealed that May will resign as chief of Fonatur – which has managed the Maya Train project – and return to his home state of Tabasco for a possible tilt at the governorship of the Gulf coast state.
The governor of México state Alfredo del Mazo at his sixth annual report. (Alfredo Del Mazo/X)
He’s thinking about seeking the governorship (presumably on a ticket supported by the ruling Morena party) and he “has the right” to do so, López Obrador said.
A short time later, the president told reporters that he would be cutting his presser short, not because he didn’t want to answer their questions but because he was heading to Toluca to attend an event at which México State Governor Alfredo del Mazo Maza of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) presented his sixth and final state government informe (report).
AMLO said he was going to the event because México state is a “very important” state and the most populous state in the country. In addition, the Del Mazo government and the federal government have “worked together,” he said.
“We have different political origins but we’ve understood each other. Projects in benefit of the people of the state of México have been completed, which is the most important thing,” López Obrador said.
“We may have different party origins, but as leaders we must always think of the people,” said AMLO, who was affiliated with the PRI for over a decade in the 1970s and 80s before switching his allegiances to the Democratic Revolution Party for more than 20 years and later forming the Morena party that rules Mexico today.
“There can’t be partisan biases, we have to work together and we’ve achieved that because Alfredo del Mazo has been very respectful, hasn’t complicated things, hasn’t engaged in politicking and has never made a declaration against the federal government. He has been very respectful and we thank him,” he said.
Tuesday
During his fortnightly “Zero Impunity” report, Deputy Security Minister Luis Rodríguez Bucio took aim at eight judges “whose rulings favor presumed criminals.”
One of those he criticized was a Tamaulipas-based judge who ruled in favor of government bodyguards being reassigned to the former governor of the northern border state, Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca, who has been accused by federal authorities of ties to organized crime and other offenses.
“It’s worth pointing out that Judge [Faustino] Gutiérrez Pérez, in October 2022, also issued a provisional suspension against the arrest warrant [for García] for organized crime,” Rodríguez said.
“… It would seem that the judge … acts … on orders in matters involving the ex-governor of Tamaulipas,” he said.
Rodríguez also spoke about arrests in a case involving a 35-year-old Indian man who was murdered in Mexico City on Aug. 19. The deputy minister noted that Ketan Shah was shot 11 times on the Viaducto freeway shortly after changing US $10,000 at a currency exchange business at the Mexico City airport.
The car in which Shah was traveling with another person was intercepted at around 11:30 a.m. by four men on two motorbikes who apparently followed him from the airport, he said. The Indian citizen didn’t understand the men’s demand to hand over the cash as he didn’t know Spanish, Rodríguez said.
“This caused confusion and in the end one of the assailants shot him 11 times,” he said, before explaining the modus operandi of a criminal gang that has targeted people who exchange money at the Mexico City airport.
During his engagement with reporters, López Obrador confirmed that a 20-kilometer section of the Mexico City-Toluca passenger train line will begin operations on Sept. 15.
The Mexico City-Toluca commuter train is to begin first phase operations in September. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar / Cuartoscuro.com)
The entire railroad – a project that has been plagued by problems and delays since construction began during the term of the previous government – will be completed in December and open in March 2024, AMLO said. He noted that the rail link between central Mexico City and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport is also scheduled to begin operations early next year.
Later in his presser, López Obrador reiterated his intention to send a constitutional bill to Congress that proposes the election of judges by citizens.
“The people have good judgement and sound instinct and will know how to choose them well,” he said.
“… The members of the legislative power and the members of the executive power are elected, but the members of the judicial power aren’t,” AMLO noted.
“… So, the constitutional reform is very important and I’m going to send the bill,” he said before acknowledging that it will need support from two-thirds of lawmakers to pass Congress.
“If I send it now, the conservative bloc, which is involved in funny business with the judicial power, will reject the bill. I’m going to wait for the result of the [2024] election and if there is a [qualified] majority [of pro-government lawmakers], a majority of those who want the transformation, it will be made easier,” said López Obrador, a frequent critic of Supreme Court justices and other judges.
Among other remarks, AMLO noted that the 2024 presidential candidate for Morena and its allies will be announced on Wednesday.
“I’m going to support he or she who wins the survey as the leading member of the transformation movement,” he said.
“… And I’m going to give him or her the baton of command – not the presidential sash – the baton of command for the leadership of the transformation movement and I’ll remain governing for another year to continue helping the people, consolidating the transformation and finishing [government infrastructure] projects,” López Obrador said.
Wednesday
Shortly after the beginning of his Q & A session with journalists, AMLO was asked why he had decided to hand over a “baton of command” to Morena’s new standard bearer when such an object is a “representation of the entire citizenry, not one political party.”
“Look, it’s a way of passing on a responsibility that I’ve had to attend to as the leader of a movement of transformation. That’s what the baton symbolizes. Above all, it’s a symbol of indigenous communities, the poorest people of this country, and it’s about handing over that symbol to he or she who must lead the transformation, provide continuity to what for us is essential – helping the poor and helping the Indigenous people,” he said.
Claudia Sheinbaum (center) with Alfonso Durazo (left) and Mario Delgado (right) at the announcement of the Morena poll result. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
“That makes us different. The oligarchy doesn’t … have love for the people,” López Obrador said, referring to politicians and other citizens affiliated with parties that have previously held power in Mexico.
“The oligarchs are classists and racists. I’m not making anything up. We have great love for the people and a lot of admiration and respect, and we have a commitment to the Indigenous communities of Mexico,” he said.
AMLO said that it hadn’t yet been decided whether he would hand over the baton in a public or private ceremony.
López Obrador also told reporters that he was preparing for his upcoming trip to South America.
“I’m writing my texts for the tour because I’m leaving on Friday for Colombia and [after that] we’re going to Chile,” he said.
President López Obrador with Colombian president Gustavo Petro. (Gustavo Petro/X)
AMLO said that his foreign affairs minister, his defense minister and his navy minister would accompany him on the trip, during which he will meet with Colombian President Gustavo Petro and Chilean President Gabriel Boric and attend a ceremony on Sept. 11 marking the 50th anniversary of the death of former Chilean president Salvador Allende during the military coup led by general Augusto Pinochet.
“We’re going on an Air Force plane, it’s a small entourage,” he said, adding that the aircraft won’t pass through Peruvian air space to get to Chile.
“As it is public and well-known, we don’t have good relations with the government of Peru,” said López Obrador, who condemned the Peruvian Congress’s removal of former president Pedro Castillo in late 2022 and has rejected the legitimacy of President Dina Boluarte’s rule.
“[Consequently] we’re not going to ask to go through [Peruvian] air space. We’re going to make a detour to get to Santiago de Chile,” he said.
During his Wednesday mañanera, AMLO also advocated – as he has done many times previously – for the economic integration of all the countries of the Americas.
“The ideal of [Simón] Bolívar was the integration of Latin America and the Caribbean. We think that we must be united in our America, like [Cuban independence hero José] Martí said,” he remarked.
Toward the end of the presser, the president ruled out any possibility of a “rupture” in Morena following a candidate selection process that was marked by moments of acrimony.
“There won’t be any problem, … they’re responsible people,” he said in reference to the six people who sought to represent Morena and its allies at the upcoming presidential election.
Thursday
“I believe it was an example of a democratic exercise, something unprecedented,” López Obrador said when asked about the ruling Morena’s candidate selection process that culminated Wednesday night with the announcement that Claudia Sheinbaum would represent the party at the 2024 presidential election.
“The custom for decades, centuries, was imposition, eldedazo [big finger]. The incumbent president chose his successor,” he said.
AMLO confirmed that he would hand over the “baton of command” to Sheinbaum on Thursday evening.
Marcelo Ebrard at a press conference where he called on his party, Morena, to repeat the polling process ahead of the announcement of results. (Cuartoscuro)
Turning his focus to Marcelo Ebrard – who denounced “irregularities” in Morena’s polling process hours before it was announced he had finished second – the president said his former foreign minister was “a very good person, a good leader, a good public servant … [and] my friend.”
“I hope that he decides to support the transformation, continue with the transformation, put the greater interest, the general interest first,” López Obrador said of Ebrard, who told a radio station Thursday morning that there was no longer a “space” for him in Morena.
“We have to wait and see what Marcelo Ebrard decides. … We respect him a lot, he’s our colleague, our friend, but he’s free to take the decision that he considers most appropriate,” he said.
“… Above all, the position [one holds] is not the important thing but rather the assignment, the project,” AMLO said.
He added that he didn’t agree with Ebrard’s assertion that Morena’s polling process “must be redone” because it was “completely transparent” and “there was no tipping the scales in anyone’s favor.”
López Obrador subsequently reiterated that his leadership of the “movement of transformation” would end when he handed over the “baton of command” to Sheinbaum later in the day.
“I’ll no longer intervene in any decision that has to do with the movement of transformation. Now, I’ll completely dedicate the time I have left [in office] to consolidating the programs in benefit of the people, … finishing the [government infrastructure] projects, governing for all, looking after everyone, listening to everyone, respecting everyone, even our adversaries,” said AMLO, who frequently acknowledges that he sounds like a broken record given the frequency with which he repeats some of his messages.
“… I’m very happy because there is generational change. I know Claudia very well and I’m very relaxed because I know there’s going to be continuity with change. … In addition, she’s an honest woman, with principles, with ideals, very prepared and experienced because she’s held important positions and was mayor of Mexico City,” he said.
Near the end of a presser dominated by questions relating to Morena’s candidate selection process and Ebrard’s dissatisfaction with it, López Obrador was asked about the Supreme Court’s decriminalization of abortion at the federal level.
Women marching in favor of decriminalizing abortion in September in Chiapas, one of 21 states in Mexico with laws making abortion a crime. The Supreme Court ruling paves the way for these laws to be changed. (Isabel Mateos Hinjosa/Cuartoscuro)
“I don’t have good information about that,” AMLO said. “I don’t know [the detail of] the ruling,” he added when asked whether public health care providers would be obliged to offer abortion services.
Among other remarks, the outgoing “movement of transformation” chief thanked United States authorities for filing a lawsuit that resulted in a federal judge ordering the state of Texas to remove the floating border barriers it placed in the Rio Grande to discourage migrants from crossing the river from Mexico into the U.S.
After describing the installation of the buoys as an “arrogant act,” López Obrador personally thanked President Joe Biden, explaining that he, “at our request,” took the decision to challenge Texas’ anti-migration measure.
“Yesterday this was resolved and it’s good news for the people of Mexico,” he said.
Friday
Early in his final presser of the week, López Obrador acknowledged that Texas Governor Greg Abbott had appealed the order to remove the floating barriers from the Rio Grande.
“He went to a judicial authority so that they would allow him to keep the buoys, but the case is continuing and we’re going to win, the government of Biden is going to win,” he said.
“… What the government of Texas is doing is completely reckless and inhumane as well,” AMLO said.
President López Obrador met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in June. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
He said that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg informed Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena of the decision.
“It’s good news, they’re going to formalize it next week. We’re very grateful to the United States Secretary of Transportation and we thank President Biden,” López Obrador said.
“I have now finished my term as leader of the movement of transformation, the leader of the movement of transformation that millions of Mexicans initiated is now … Claudia Sheinbaum,” AMLO said.
“… Yesterday I really liked that she repeated our oath: don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t betray the people,” he said.
He reiterated that Marcelo Ebrard is free to take any decision he likes with regard to his political future, but echoed Sheinbaum’s remark that Morena’s doors are open. López Obrador said that he still considered Ebrard his “brother,” and asserted that he has millions of brothers and sisters throughout the country.
AMLO stands between ex-Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum (left) and ex-Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard (right). (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
He also said that his former foreign minister was a great help for him in the management of the bilateral relationship with the United States during “very difficult times” with former U.S. president Donald Trump, who in 2019 pressured Mexico to do more to stem illegal migration to the U.S. and threatened to impose blanket tariffs on Mexican imports if it didn’t.
Toward the end of his mañanera, AMLO touted the “political stability, social peace and governability” that he believes have prevailed during his time in government.
“Do you think that foreign investment would be arriving if there wasn’t political stability? Would our currency be strong?” he asked.
“No. Investors have very good information, they know very well – perfectly well – what the macroeconomic situation is like. In other words, [they know] what’s happening with variables such as [public] debt, the performance of the currency, what’s happening with inflation, productive activity, employment, consumption,” López Obrador said.
Airlines pressured the government to postpone the starting date because they have already sold tickets for flights in late 2023, AMLO said. He said he agreed to the change, but added that he wants airlines to move more flights to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport north of the capital.
Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro with India’s Prime Minister Modi at the G20 summit. (SRE/X)
“There is space, and there’s no excuse [not to use the new airport]. On the contrary, the airport use tariff is lower,” López Obrador said, adding that airlines could lower their ticket prices as a result.
Among other remarks, AMLO noted that Economy Minister Raquel Buenrostro is representing Mexico at the G20 summit taking place this weekend in New Delhi, India.
López Obrador, who hasn’t attended a single G20 summit since assuming the presidency, also said that Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena would attend an upcoming multilateral meeting in Cuba.
“We’re becoming internationalists because I’m going to Colombia and Chile,” he said shortly before ending his press conference ahead of his departure to Cali, where he was scheduled to discuss the fight against drug trafficking and other issues with President Petro.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])
Basil - or albahaca as it is known in Mexico - is a versatile, fragrant herb that improves food and cocktails alike. (Emily Murphy/Passthepistil)
Albahaca was one of the first Spanish words I learned when I moved to Mexico; I guess that says something about its importance in my life. As a cook – and an Italian cook at that – I’ve always loved basil and usually have some growing in a garden or flowerpot somewhere.
It’s an easy plant to grow, and in Mexico (as in India), it’s not uncommon to see leafy albahaca (pronounced al-BAH-ka) bushes or potted plants outside shops or homes. For thousands of years in cultures around the world, this humble herb was thought to bring good luck and to have magical powers. The ancient Greeks and Egyptians believed basil guaranteed a safe journey to heaven, and sprigs were placed in the hands of those who had passed away. To this day, in traditional Greek Orthodox churches, branches of basil are used to sprinkle holy water, and pots of the herb can often be found inside churches. Some say basil also works as a mosquito repellent.
There are many varieties of basil—purple basil, lemon basil, holy basil, and cinnamon basil, to name a few—but the most familiar kind is sweet or Genovese basil. (Freepik)
There are many varieties of basil—purple basil, lemon basil, holy basil and cinnamon basil, to name a few—but the most familiar kind is sweet or Genovese basil. (These are not exactly the same but for ease of understanding we’ll lump them together.) This is what’s usually found fresh in grocery stores or dried in jars; its soft, gently rounded and rumpled dark green leaves are what give many Italian foods their distinctive taste and aroma.
In Asian cooking, Thai basil, with smaller, firmer and more pointy, flat leaves, has a stronger, spicier flavor which it retains at higher heat better than other varieties. Opal or purple basil, while pretty in the garden, doesn’t have as much flavor when used in cooking. One of my favorites (although I’ve yet to find it here) is lemon basil, lighter in color with a pronounced sweet citrus aroma and flavor that you can smell if you crush a leaf with your fingers. It’s great to use in salad dressings, teas and other hot or cold drinks, chicken or fish marinades, sauces, and desserts.
And then there’s holy basil, also known by its Hindi name, tulsi. Once in a while, I see it here, growing in a big pot or outside a small neighborhood shop, with its long distinctive flower spikes in gentle pinks and lavender. In India and other Southeast Asian countries, tulsi has medicinal, culinary and ceremonial uses. Most notably, in a compress or tea to relieve headaches, earaches and toothaches, to reduce inflammation and to alleviate stress. It is not as sweet as other types of basil, and the leaves are small, defined, and bright green.
I’ve never found the classic sweet basil where I live in Mexico except at the seasonal farmers’ market or from friends’ gardens. What’s sold in grocery stores or as seeds looks like some sort of hybrid, with smooth, pointy leaves and a barely perceptible basil aroma and flavor. At Home Depot, I’ve found plants of what might be Spicy Globe Basil—small, compact and roundish, with tiny pointy folded green leaves—with a fairly strong, spicy basil flavor. Friends in other parts of Mexico have better luck in finding the classic sweet basil used in cooking; meanwhile, I’ll continue to bring seeds from up north and grow it myself. Basil sprigs will also reliably root in water and can then be planted in soil. The plant belongs to the mint family, as do sage, lavender and rosemary, disparate as they seem.
Fish in Tomato-Basil Broth, a light but delicious meal. (The Healthy Foodie)
Fish in Tomato-Basil Broth
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
4 (6-oz.) fillets of white-fleshed fish, such as dorado or striped bass
Warm olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or similar heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet. Add tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes; add wine, 2 cups water and about 12 large basil leaves. (Reserve some for garnish.)
Simmer for 10 minutes more, then carefully purée the mixture in a food processor or blender or with an immersion blender. Taste and adjust seasoning. The broth should be well-seasoned and not too thick. Thin with a bit of water if necessary to make about 6 cups of broth.
Over medium heat, bring broth to a simmer. Lay fish fillets in a pan in a single layer. Cover with broth and cook for about 3 minutes. Carefully turn over the fillets, cover the pan and turn off the heat, allowing the fish to steam until it flakes easily when probed, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning. To serve, place fillets in soup plates and ladle broth around each. Garnish with basil leaves and drizzle with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil.
Combine basil with another Mexican classic – avocado – for a delicious vegetable dip. (A Saucy Kitchen)
Basil-Avocado Dip
Great on burgers or sandwiches or thinned and used as a salad dressing.
½ to 1 cup Greek or full-fat regular yogurt
1 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled
1-2 tsp. fresh lime juice, to taste
¼ cup minced fresh basil
1 big garlic clove, minced or grated
1Tbsp. olive oil
Salt to taste
Optional: ½ tsp. honey
Process all ingredients in a blender or food processor till smooth or mix and mash everything in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning.
Basil is a quick ingredient for a more refreshing Daiquiri (April Golightly)
Basil Daiquiri
10 large basil leaves
1½ oz. simple syrup (see note)
2 oz. fresh lime juice
4 oz. white rum
Pinch salt
Garnish: Thinly sliced cucumber
In a blender, mix everything until smooth. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, pour the blended mixture into the shaker, and shake well. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into two cocktail glasses. Garnish with cucumber slices.
Note: To make simple syrup: combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan; heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Cool before using. Store refrigerated in a closed container for up to 5 days.
Basil Parmesan Mayo can prove a delicious addition to burgers. (The Flour Handprint)
Basil Parmesan Mayo
1 large egg yolk
¼ cup packed fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 anchovy fillets
1 Tbsp. water
4 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon/lime juice
1 tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
Salt to taste
In a food processor or blender, mix everything except olive oil until basil is finely chopped and all ingredients are thoroughly combined. With the motor or blender running, drizzle in oil. Season to taste with salt. Store, refrigerated, up to 5 days.
Chevron is one of several foreign companies planning to halt exploration efforts in the Gulf of Mexico after finding the area unfavorable. (Shutterstock)
The oil company Chevron is pulling out of oil and gas exploration in Mexico due to disappointing results, just seven years after entering the market.
Mexico’s National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) gave approval on September 7 for Chevron Energía de México, the company’s Mexican subsidiary, to return the Block 22 exploration area located in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a Bloomberg report.
Chevron found that there was “no favorable prospectivity” in the Block 22 exploration area, which they shared with Japan’s INPEX and Mexico’s Pemex. (Chevron)
“While Chevron and our partners have decided not to continue exploratory work on Block 22, Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico business will maintain an office in Mexico City and will continue to monitor industry developments in the country,” Deena McMullen, Chevron’s head of external affairs in North America, told Bloomberg.
Chevron won the contract in 2016, following an energy reform by former President Enrique Peña Nieto that opened Mexican oil exploration to private companies. But the company has concluded that “there is no favorable prospectivity in the block,” according to CNH representative Oliver Antonio Mayo Cruz.
Chevron is also returning area 3 of the Lost Fold Belt, while its partner Shell is returning blocks 20, 21 and 23. The Spanish company Repsol will also return a block in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Several other foreign oil companies are also in the process of returning concessions to the Mexican government, including BP, Equinor and Total Energies, according to documents seen by Reuters.
Exploratory oil contracts awarded during former president Enrique Peña Nieto’s government have not met the production targets set by the current administration. (@Chevron/X)
Only a handful of foreign companies have seen success from exploratory oil contracts won under Peña Nieto’s energy policy, including Italy’s CNI, Mexico’s Hokchi Energy and the United States’ Talos Energy. Repsol also maintains one deepwater block.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador suspended oil auctions when he took office in 2018, and set a production target of 280,000 barrels of oil per day for contract-holding companies by the end of his presidential term in 2024. However, most companies have failed to meet their forecasts.
Last week, the Mexican Association of Hydrocarbons Companies (Amexhi) admitted that, in light of these disappointing results, private oil companies in Mexico will not have anew production target for 2024.
Amexhi sought to explain the poor performance by stressing that even successful exploratory oil contracts can take up to 15 years to give results, and recalled that the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected oil production.
Crude processing in Pemex-operated facilities such as Quesqui, in Tabasco, dropped in July to the lowest rate in the year. (@Pemex/X)
President López Obrador has often expressed doubts about private investment in Mexico’s oil industry, seeking instead to strengthen the finances and boost the production of state oil company Pemex. But Pemex is also struggling, with crude production dropping to its lowest point this year, at just under1.6 million barrels per day in July.
Mexico’s total oil production is currently at 1.9 million barrels per day – far below the 2.6 million barrels per day predicted at the beginning of López Obrador’s term.
The trails around Guadalajara, where Mexico's different biomes all converge, are a paradise for hikers and climbers of all abilities. (All photos by John Pint)
Over the past months—with the collaboration of outdoor enthusiasts living in different parts of Mexico—I’ve listed some excellent hikes you can do from San Miguel de Allende, Monterrey, and Queretaro, not to mention several really spectacular ones you can do inside Mexico City, without ever leaving town. This time around, I want to describe some delightful places you can visit from the city of Guadalajara.
This is an easy task because Guadalajara is literally surrounded by captivating canyons, waterfalls, forests, hot springs, jungles, volcanoes, and much more. I’ve described 90 such sites in a series of books called Outdoors in Western Mexico plus another 10 great places you will find in my Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area.
A picturesque amate tree (strangler fig) on the Salty River section of Río Caliente.
Why are there so many attractive outdoor sites within easy reach of Guadalajara?
Guadalajara happens to lie at a spot where all five of Mexico’s ecosystems come together. So, whichever direction you leave the city, you’ll soon find yourself in a different environment with its own flora, fauna, and geology. It’s so extraordinary that I decided to call the area within a day’s drive of Guadalajara, “The Magic Circle.”
Here are a few examples of great places you can easily visit from Mexico’s second-largest city.
Río Caliente
Taking a selfie at boiling hot Emerald Falls, Río Caliente. (John Pint)
This hot river is the number one attraction of the vast Primavera Forest which lies directly west of Guadalajara. Studies show that the water is chock full of minerals, including organic lithium, and for years people from all over the world flocked to the Río Caliente Spa (now closed) to soak in its healing waters.
Today most people come here to take a dip in the rustic pools, constructed at a point where the river is really hot, right next to a large parking lot easily reachable by any sort of vehicle. This place is always open!
From this parking area, hikers may choose to follow a trail paralleling the river, eventually leading to the cooled-down section of Río Caliente known as Rio Salado (Salty River) where bathers can enjoy a soothing Jacuzzi effect caused by water swirling around rocks. Search Google Maps for “MCMF+34 La Primavera, Jalisco” to reach the Río Caliente parking area. It’s a 35-minute drive from the west end of Guadalajara.
La Barranca de Huentitán
Drenched with sweat, a hiker reaches the top of the steep trail down Huentitán Canyon.
This hike takes you 500 meters down to the bottom of the spectacular canyon which forms the northern boundary of Guadalajara. The view is breathtaking and so is the steep, zigzagging trail. Once you’ve reached the Santiago River at the bottom, a short walk downstream will bring you to the picturesque Arcediano Suspension Bridge, the historic gateway to all points north of Guadalajara in bygone days. Would you believe that the record for running down and back up this steep path is 43 minutes?
To reach the trailhead, ask Google Maps to take you to “Barranca de Huentitán-Capilla y Camino Empedrado.”
El Diente
Climbers on El Diente: solitude only six kilometers from Guadalajara’s noisy Periférico (Ring Road).
Here is a beautiful location six kilometers north of town, filled with huge rocks 30 million years old, including a few that look like giant teeth. It’s the favorite hangout of Guadalajara’s rock-climbing community. On any weekend you can spend hours watching them inch their way up impossible-looking surfaces set at crazy angles. If you wish, you can do a most interesting six-kilometer loop hike around the monolith-topped peak. Look for “El Diente Zapopan, Jalisco” to get you to this unique site.
Rio Seco
The north-central part of the Primavera Forest is characterized by slot canyons typically varying in width from two to ten meters, with sheer walls rising as high as 50 meters. From your access point near the town of La Venta del Astillero (ten kilometers west of Guadalajara), you can follow the Rio Seco for 3 kilometers, frequently walking among huge boulders of pumice, a rock so light it actually floats. Erosion is forever sculpting these soft volcanic walls, creating bizarre shapes and scenes that look different every time you visit the place.
Climbers, intent on topping Tequila Volcano’s spike, make their way across the picturesque crater.
To reach the trailhead, ask Google Maps for “PFC6+78J La Venta del Astillero, Jalisco.” The hike begins near the lip of a high cliff at the south end of La Venta del Astillero. Park far from the cliff edge and follow an old cobblestone road that takes you south, down into the canyon. From here the Rio Seco takes you east for two kilometers and then goes south for another three kilometers. When you’re tired of walking, head back the way you came. Shortcuts are not recommended in an area crisscrossed by slot canyons!
Tequila Volcano
This volcano is 2920 meters (9580 feet) high and is completely dormant. During its last gasp of activity 200,000 years ago, a spike rose straight up out of the crater. The view from the top of this spike is spectacular… and deceptive. At first, you see lakes everywhere, but a second look reveals that they are fields of blue-green agaves: countless gallons of tequila in the making!
The spike of Tequila Volcano, known as La Tetilla, rises to a height of 2920 meters above sea level.
Hiking along the trail that crosses the crater is an unforgettable experience because the scenery is gorgeous during both the dry and the rainy seasons. Yes, unlike many other volcanic craters, this one is as pretty as a picture, though only experienced climbers should try to scale the spike.
To reach the trailhead for the cross-crater hike, ask Google Maps to take you to “Q5Q2+RP3 Tequila, Jalisco.” You may also want to consult the map on Wikiloc. Note that you’ll need a high-clearance vehicle to drive up to the top of the volcano.
Just think, once you’ve finished these five hikes, you still have 95 more to go before you’ve visited all the places in western Mexico I’ve been writing about for the last 38 years!
The writer has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, since 1985. His most recent book is Outdoors in Western Mexico, Volume Three. More of his writing can be found on his blog.
The president handed over the baton - literally - of his "Fourth Transformation" to Morena 2024 candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, on Thursday night. (MARIO JASSO/CUARTOSCURO.COM)
President López Obrador on Thursday formally ceded the leadership of the “fourth transformation” political project he initiated by handing over a symbolic “baton of command” to Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be the ruling Morena party’s candidate at next year’s presidential election.
Sheinbaum, mayor of Mexico City between December 2018 and last June, came out on top in polling to determine who would represent Morena and its allies at the June 2, 2024 election. Her victory was announced Wednesday night.
Sheinbaum and the president stand together with the baton overlooking the Templo Mayor ruins in the Zócalo. (Andrés Manuel López Obrador/X)
López Obrador handed over the bastón de mando to Sheinbaum at a ceremony held at a restaurant in the historic center of Mexico City. The president received a “baton of command” from an Indigenous leader shortly after he was sworn in on Dec. 1, 2018, but what he handed to the ex-mayor on Thursday was a different one.
According to a statement posted to López Obrador’s personal website on Thursday night, Sheinbaum is now the “new national coordinator of the defense of the transformation.”
The president claims that his government is carrying out a transformation as significant as those that occurred as a result of independence from Spain in the early 19th century, liberal reforms enacted in the 1850s and the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century.
Among the central features of the “fourth transformation” – a term that is also the current government’s self-anointed nickname – are a stated attitude of zero tolerance toward corruption and impunity, government austerity and support for Mexico’s most disadvantaged citizens.
The president speaking at an event commemorating his 2018 election in Mexico City’s Zócalo in July. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
After receiving the baton at an event attended by four of her five rivals for the Morena nomination as well as Morena governors and other party officials, Sheinbaum pledged to continue the “transformation” initiated by “President AMLO.”
Conforming to López Obrador’s oft-repeated philosophy, the ruling party’s new standard-bearer also pledged to never lie, steal or betray the people of Mexico.
As president, Sheinbaum said she would continue building a “fairer, more fraternal” Mexico that is “sovereign, free and democratic.”
“… Mexico belongs to everyone, but above all it belongs to the more than 8 million seniors who receive their pension every two months, to the hundreds of thousands of people who receive disability support payments, to the millions of young people that write and build the future, to the engineers and laborers who build trains, airports, refineries, solar plants, ports, dams and highways, to the teachers who teach with the new textbooks, … [and] to the health workers,” she said.
Sheinbaum has promised she will continue with the “fourth transformation” of President López Obrador. (Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum also took the opportunity to attack Mexico’s opposition parties, three of which – the PAN, the PRI and the PRD – have banded together to form an alliance that will back a common candidate at next year’s presidential election. Those now in opposition never fulfilled their promises when they were in government and are “the living image of corruption,” she said.
Morena and the FAM are not currently referring to their presidential contenders as candidates to avoid falling foul of electoral laws that stipulate when that designation can occur.
Gálvez, who defeated Senator Beatriz Paredes in polling to determine the FAM’s presumptive nominee, asserted that López Obrador was acting more like an “emperor” than a president by giving Sheinbaum the “baton of command.”
“Today is a historic day. Today is the day on which Andrés Manuel López Obrador, as if he were an emperor and not the president of a republic, will hand over the imperial scepter to Sheinbaum,” she said in a video posted to social media.
“It’s a circus, … an act of authoritarianism typical of the Mexico we want to leave behind,” Gálvez said.
Xóchitl Gálvez was officially designated the opposition candidate for 2024 at the Ángel de la Independencia in Mexico City on Sunday. (Xóchitl Gálvez/X)
When he leaves office, López Obrador will leave behind a country marked by “fear and violence,” she said.
“… The presidential sash is not a scepter that is inherited,” Gálvez added. “It’s the will and the hope of the entire country. That hope already changed hands and now belongs to us.”
López Obrador was asked earlier this week why he had decided to hand over a “baton of command” to Morena’s new standard bearer when such an object is a “representation of the entire citizenry, not one political party.”
“Look, it’s a way of passing on a responsibility that I’ve had to attend to as the leader of a movement of transformation. That’s what the baton symbolizes,” he responded.
“Above all, it’s a symbol of Indigenous communities, the poorest people of this country and it’s about handing over that symbol to he or she who must lead the transformation, provide continuity to what for us is essential – helping the poor and helping the Indigenous people.”
Mexico's drinking culture may be best known for agave distillates, but they aren't the only options.(Stanislav Ivanitskiy/Unsplash)
Agave is at the heart of Mexican drinking culture. Without this lustrous plant, we’d be denied many a uniquely Mexican moment. A weekend in Jalisco without tequila? A festival in Oaxaca without mezcal? A random Tuesday lunch with friends without a light, fresh margarita?
No, thank you.
What would one do here in Mexico with, say, an aversion to agave? I’ve done some research, and I’ve got some answers. Each of the following six spirits is produced right here in Mexico and none is a product of the agave plant.
Maize vodka
What’s it made of? Organic corn.
Maize vodka has a milder, sweeter profile than potato-based varieties. (Casa Zea)
Where is it from? Puebla, Tlaxcala
Tell me more
Vodka was my preferred spirit in my late teens and early 20s. Not because I wanted to elegantly sip on an extra dirty vodka martini. Rather, it was the quickest way to lose my inhibitions and act like every other shameful college student in the U.S. Needless to say, by my mid-20s, I had had my fill and never touched the stuff again. That is, until recently, when I was offered a taste of ZEA Spirits’ premier creation, ZEA Vodka. The multicolored maize from which it is derived is grown in the Puebla-Tlaxcala valley, where it has been cultivated for 3,000 years. Its pleasant, smooth taste is light yet grainy, making for a unique cocktail base. I’ve never tasted anything quite like it, and I really enjoyed the flavor. What’s more, it’s still in its marketing infancy, meaning it’s only available for purchase at the sexy, artsy Casa Zea tasting house hidden on the outskirts of Puebla’s historical center.
What’s the best way to drink it? Neat, on ice, or as a cocktail with ginger kombucha, fresh lemon juice, and agave.
Sotol
What’s it made of? Dasilyrion wheeler, a desert spoon plant, which has long been identified incorrectly as part of the agave family.
Sotol grows mainly on rocky, well-drained slopes with thin calcareous soils and tends to form dense stands. (Unsplash)
Where is it from? Durango, Chihuahua, Coahuila
Tell me more
It’s herbal and dense, with a yellowish hue. It’s got a metallic side to it, and if mezcal were silver, sotol would be bronze. It took me 3 full weeks to try sotol, otherwise this article would have been out already. I went to my corner bar, Pata Negra, to inquire if they carried it. They did not, and the manager, Pablo, was nice enough to invite me back once he could procure a bottle. I returned days later, zenned out from a yoga class, with expectations of a quick shot and a side of peanuts. What I got was a full-blown tasting and a detailed explanation of its 15-year distillation process. The spirit is intense and I don’t know that I could drink more than one, but that one feels sophisticated and fulfilling and great for a special occasion.
What’s the best way to drink it? Straight.
Pox
What’s it made of? Corn, wheat bran, sugarcane
Pox was commonly used in religious ceremonies and festivals in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas. (Fundación Tortilla)
Where is it from? Chiapas
Tell me more
Invented by the Tzotzil Mayas, pox (pronounced posh) was used in religious ceremonies as a gateway to the underworld. It’s got a slightly smoky, sweet flavor and is often used as a replacement for rum in cocktails. Pox is fairly new to the spirit scene due to strict regulations that previously prevented its distribution outside of Chiapas. In 2012, however, the restrictions were lifted and pox quickly became a bartender favorite. I recently tried a friend’s pox for the first time at Destilado Urbano in Puebla’s Historic Center and was surprised by its sweetness, which was in sharp contrast with the mezcal I had ordered for myself. It is best served with a side of pineapple to highlight its fruity notes.
What’s the best way to drink it? Neat with a side of fruit, or as the base of fruity cocktails with citrus or pineapple notes.
Xtabentún
What’s it made of? Honey, anisette, and rum
The word xtabentún means “vines growing on stone” in the Mayan language. (Merida Elite)
Where is it from? Yucatán
Tell me more
If you’re looking for love, this might be the ticket. According to the ancient Maya who created it, drinking Xtabentún increases your chances of meeting your mate. If you’re not in the market, its digestive properties are still a perk. Its light aftertaste pairs well with the thick heat often found in the Yucatan.
What’s the best way to drink it? On the rocks or as a refreshing cocktail with tequila and lime. It’s also common to add this liquor to coffee.
Kahlua
What’s it made of? Coffee, rum, vanilla bean.
Kahlua can be used when baking desserts, and/or as a topping for ice cream, and cakes. (Unsplash)
Where is it from? Veracruz
Tell me more
In 1936, Kahlúa was born in the hot and humid state of Veracruz and quickly became a fan favorite, spreading to the USA just 4 years later. According to its website, it takes 7 years to produce one bottle of Kahlua. The Arabica coffee beans are grown in the shade instead of the sun, meaning they don’t reach maturity for a full six years. Once harvested, they sit another 6 months in burlap bags before they’re roasted and combined with rum. Four weeks later, the liquor is ready for consumption.
What’s the best way to drink it? As a White or Black Russian, an Espresso Martini, or added to coffee.
Ancho Reyes
What’s it made of? Sugarcane and either chile poblano or chile ancho.
Carajillo prepared with Ancho Reyes Original. (Ancho Reyes)
Where is it from? Puebla
Tell me more
Don’t be misled – while it might strike you as filler liquor, this sweet, spicy spirit has a 40% alcohol content and a generous kick. Made in Puebla with regional chiles and sugarcane from Veracruz, chiles are soaked for 6 months to extract maximum flavor. There are two types: the Original is made with chile ancho, and the Verde is made with chile poblano. I had often seen and noticed the bottles at various bars, but it wasn’t until my aforementioned Sotol tasting that I actually sipped it. It’s fun and flirty, the flavor briefly whisking me away to my fantastic solo getaway to San Agustinillo, where I spent days on the beach sipping margaritas in the sun. A punch of picante is just the thing a citrusy cocktail needs to go from good to great.
What’s the best way to drink it? Ancho Reyes Verde is ideal in a spicy margarita. Ancho Reyes Chile Ancho is often found added to a Carajillo, or simply enjoyed with lemon juice.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga, and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters in your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
With almost 1.9 million visitors this summer, Quintana Roo has seen a strong recovery in the tourism sector. (Cuartoscuro)
Quintana Roo maintained its position as one of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations with a reported 1.87 million overnight visitors during summer vacation, a figure up 3.9% from last year.
Cancún was by far the most popular destination, receiving 613,193 of the state’s 1,877,546 summer visitors – a 6.1% increase from 2022 – according to data from the state Tourism Ministry (Sedetur).
Tourists flocked to Quintana Roo for its popular beaches and world-class tourism facilities. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
Other key destinations included the Riviera Maya with 397,384 visitors (up 0.3%), including Playa del Carmen with 172,259 (up 3.4%) and Tulum with 167,055 (up 0.8%).
Notable increases were also seen in Costa Mujeres (up 6.1% to 102,997 visitors), state capital Chetumal (up 9.7% to 101,236), Puerto Morelos (up 5.6% to 92,611), Holbox (up 5.3% to 49,832), Isla Mujeres (up 4.9% to 27,085) and Bacalar (up 7.7% to 22,899).
“We are growing and what we seek is to generate shared prosperity and that tourism success is reflected in well-being for the people of Quintana Roo,” said state Governor Mara Lezama, who stressed that tourists are drawn to the state’s sun, beaches, ecology, gastronomy and high-quality services.
Quintana Roo is also Mexico’s leading cruise ship destination, with over 2.7 million cruise passengers visiting the state in the first eight months of the year. The majority arrived in the Caribbean island of Cozumel, which saw a74% jump in arrivals between the first half of 2022 and the same period of 2023.
The new Maya Train will also help drive further tourism to Quintana Roo when it begins operation later this year. (Cuartoscuro)
The rise in visitors shows that Quintana Roo is playing an important role in the recovery of Mexico’s tourism industry after the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco predicted that Mexico would receive up to40 million tourists in 2023, up 2.7% from 2022, although still 12.6% short of the 45 million record set in 2019.
International tourism in Mexico dropped by nearly half in the pandemic year of 2020, but hasrecovered steadily since then. Cancún airport accounts for the vast majority of international tourist arrivals – 1.64 million in the first two months of 2023, compared to just 670,000 in Mexico City.
Quintana Roo’s tourism industry is also set to benefit from the Maya Train – the new 1,554-kilometer railroad loop on the Yucatán Peninsula, set toopen on Dec. 1 – and the opening of a new international airport in Tulum, also anticipated to begin operations at the end of this year.
The Atzlán Parque Urbano's Ferris wheel lights up a view of the city from Chapultepec Park. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Parque Aztlán, the new amusement park on the site of the former Chapultepec Fair in Mexico City, was scheduled to open on Aug. 30. However, Mexico City Mayor Martí Batres Guadarrama said on Wednesday night that there’s still no confirmed date for the park’s inauguration.
During the lighting ceremony for Aztlán 360, the park’s giant new ferris wheel, Batres added that installation and testing of various rides still need to be performed before the park is ready to open.
The site of the old Chapultepec Fair, with the Quimera rollercoaster, has been replaced with Parque Aztlán. (Cuartoscuro)
At 84 meters tall, Aztlán 360 already lights up Chapultepec Park with more than 218,000 light bulbs. According to Batres, the lights will never turn off.
“With this, we are starting a story that is not going to stop,” Batres said after turning on the ferris wheel’s lights with a crowbar. “[The lights] are going to stay on permanently,” he added.
Aztlán 360 will be an icon of Mexico City, just like the Azteca Stadium or the Torre Latinoamericana, Batres said. It will be “a symbol of culture, recreation and the [park],” he added.
According to José Miguel Bejos, head of Mota-Engil Mexico, the company developing the amusement park, the ferris wheel will serve a double purpose. Aztlán 360 is meant to entertain as an urban icon and to accompany the city during “important celebrations for chilangos” he said, as it will light up with different colors depending on the occasion.
The opening of the new park is highly anticipated by city residents. (Cuartoscuro)
The ferris wheel will have 40 air-conditioned cabins, heating and Bluetooth for listening to music.
During his speech, Batres mentioned another icon that used to stand on the same premises: the Chapultepec Fair roller coaster Quimera, which was in the park for over 50 years.
Built in 1964, the rollercoaster derailed in 2019, causing the deaths of two people and severe injuries in others. Mexico City’s Attorney General’s Office ordered the park’s eviction, and when investigations revealed lack of maintenance to the roller coaster, the city government revoked the concession granted to the fair’s managing company and shuttered the fair.
Two years later, construction of the new amusement park began in the second section of Chapultepec Park. With an investment close to 4 billion pesos (US $227 million), the park will be part of the cultural and recreational corridor of the four sections of Chapultepec Park.
The park, named after the mythical place where the Mexica and other Nahua peoples are said to have come from, will be able to welcome 15,000 people at a time. Unlike the former Chapultepec Fair, entrance will be free of charge, though visitors will have to pay to go on the rides of their choice.
