The week with President López Obrador

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November 4, 2023

President López Obrador presided over just four morning press conferences this week instead of the usual five as he took Thursday off for Day of the Dead.

The response to Hurricane Otis remained a dominant topic at the four mañaneras, but AMLO also addressed a range of other issues and events, including a court ruling in favor of a former official imprisoned in connection with the 2014 disappearance of 43 students in Guerrero.

Acapulco hotel after Otis — An estimated 80% of Acapulco’s hotels have been damaged by Hurricane Otis, and the industry anticipates they may not reopen until 2025. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

Acapulco hotels to reopen “as soon as possible”

After noting that the president of the Acapulco Hotel Association said that hotels in the resort city might not reopen until 2025 due to the damage Hurricane Otis inflicted on them last week, a reporter asked the president what date the government was aiming for.

“As soon as possible, as soon as possible,” López Obrador responded.

“We know how to work in order to get things done correctly and quickly, and we have the support of the armed forces and very responsible public servants,” said AMLO, who has relied on the military for a wide range of non-traditional tasks including infrastructure construction.

AMLO at morning press conference — The president discusses recovery efforts in Acapulco. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)

“… Didn’t we build the Felipe Ángeles airport in two years? Are we not going to build the Maya Train in five years? Are we not going to be able to rebuild Acapulco in a very short time? Of course we are,” he said.

The president declined to specify exactly when Acapulco hotels would start reopening, but emphasized his commitment to rebuilding the city.

“We’re going to get Acapulco back on its feet. Me canso ganso,” he said, using a colloquial phrase to indicate he was certain of achieving his goal.

AMLO advocates electronic voting for Mexicans abroad

Mexico's President Lopez Obrador with councilors of the National Electoral Institute — At a meeting with the National Electoral Institute councilors in mid-June, President Lopez Obrador was told clearly what he must not say publicly in order to avoid running afoul of election law, said Electoral Councilor Claudia Zavala. (Presidencia)

Later on Monday, López Obrador told reporters that he had asked National Electoral Institute (INE) counselors to guarantee voting rights for Mexicans abroad by allowing them to cast ballots electronically.

AMLO – who met with INE officials in June and subsequently declared that the government had begun a “new stage” in its relationship with the electoral authority – said that he was told that implementing an e-voting (or online voting) system was “very difficult,” but he asserted that it could be done.

“I, respectfully, would still call on the INE council … to establish an electronic voting system so that our compatriots [abroad] can vote,” he said before calling on lawmakers to assist the electoral authority.

“The majority [of Mexicans abroad] have their Mexican voter ID,” López Obrador added

“… You know what? If they want to [implement e-voting], they can. The problem is they haven’t wanted to,” AMLO said, referring to INE officials. “They always put obstacles in the way.”

López Obrador evidently believes that the ruling Morena party stands to benefit from allowing Mexicans abroad to vote electronically. Following in the president’s footsteps, presumptive Morena presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum recently held a rally in Los Angeles, which has a huge Mexican population.

Claudia Sheinbaum in Los Angeles — Claudia Sheinbaum (right) met with officials on tour in Los Angeles in October. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)

Monday mention

AMLO expressed his appreciation for billionaire businessman Olegario Vázque Aldir, saying that the media, healthcare and hotel baron has “behaved very well” by cooperating with the government, including during the coronavirus pandemic when his chain of private hospitals accepted public patients.

AMLO emphasizes the reach of the government’s welfare programs

“There are 35 million households in Mexico … and we’re now delivering support … to 30 million,” López Obrador said Tuesday morning, referring to the government’s provision of pension payments, educational scholarships and other benefits as well as the employment of citizens in programs such as the Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) reforestation initiative and the Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro (Youths Building the Future) apprenticeship scheme.

“Even if it’s just a little bit of assistance, [government welfare] reaches 30 million households. That didn’t happen before,” he said.

Seniors, students, young people and farmers are among those who benefit, AMLO said.

AMLO at a press conference — The president has highlighted social welfare programs as one of his administration’s most important achievements. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)

One of the president’s favorite phrases is “for the good of all, the poor come first,” and he has made the provision of welfare one of his administration’s central purposes.

Presidential candidates’ future plans for welfare are almost certain to be a feature of the campaign in the lead-up to the June 2, 2024 election.

López Obrador has attempted to portray opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez as being anti-welfare, but the National Action Party senator has asserted that social programs won’t disappear if she becomes president.

A self-inflicted headache

Near the end of another press conference dominated by reports on the impact of Hurricane Otis and the progress of recovery efforts, AMLO noted that the book he is currently writing – his 19th – “is directed to young people” and “for young people,” in whom he said he has “a lot of confidence.”

“It’s giving me a bit of a headache because I’m writing it in my free time and intellectual work also wears you out, it’s quite exhausting,” he said.

López Obrador said in June that “the book isn’t autobiographical,” but “has … to do with political experience.”

Its aim is to help young people who want to dedicate their lives to “the noble trade of politics,” he said June 16.

The new book is a follow-up to A La Mitad del Camino, which was published (and reviewed by Mexico News Daily) in 2021.

Tuesday tidbit

“We have a lot in common,” AMLO said in reference to Mexico and Guatemala. “We are peoples that inherited a great reserve of cultural, moral and spiritual values that the great Maya civilization left us.”

Recovery plan for Acapulco

Much of AMLO’s Wednesday presser was taken up by the presentation of a Hurricane Otis recovery plan for Acapulco and the neighboring municipality of Coyuca de Benítez.

López Obrador outlined details of the 61.3-billion-peso, 20-point plan, which includes monetary support and tax relief for Hurricane Otis victims, interest-free loans for businesses and funds for public works.

“It’s important to say … that we have the budget to fund all these needs, these programs and we don’t consider the allocation of these resources an expense but rather an investment,” he said.

“We fortunately have healthy public finances and when it comes to providing benefits to the people we have unlimited resources,” he said, adding that the 61-billion-peso cost of the recovery plan is “an estimate” and that if more money is needed, “we’ll increase the budget.”

Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado said earlier in the press conference that guerrerenses – natives and residents of the state – are “a brave people” and “a people who know how to rise up in the face of any adversity.”

With the help of Mexican authorities, the Mexican people “and even international assistance,” Acapulco “will sparkle once again,” she said.

Two Mexicans leave Gaza

Later on Wednesday, López Obrador read aloud a message from Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena announcing that a Mexican woman, Michelle Ravel, had left the Gaza Strip and was on her way to Cairo, Egypt.

Asked whether she was a doctor who had been working for Doctors Without Borders, AMLO said she was, but appeared to be mistaking Ravel for another woman in Gaza, Bárbara Lango.

Barbara Lango — Mexican citizen Bárbara Lango (center) was stranded in Gaza when the war began. (SRE_mx/X)

He subsequently said that authorities were seeking to obtain information about when Lango – an anesthesiologist from Sinaloa who has been in Gaza since 2022 – would be included on “the exit list,” allowing her to enter Egypt via the Rafah Border Crossing.

“They weren’t hostages, but they were in the Gaza Strip,” López Obrador said of Ravel, who is also reportedly a doctor, and Lango, who subsequently did manage to get to Egypt with her husband.

Two other Mexicans, Ilana Gritzewsky and Orión Hernández, are presumably still being held hostage in the Gaza Strip after they were abducted by Hamas members during the militant group’s attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Wednesday wisdom

Governor Salgado read aloud (in Spanish) a Náhuatl poem at the conclusion of her remarks on the hurricane response efforts.

“They tore down our fruit, cut our branches and burned our trunk, but nothing can kill our roots.”

Ayotzinapa update

López Obrador acknowledged on Friday morning that a judge had ruled that former attorney general Jesús Murillo Karam – who is in prison in connection with the disappearance and presumed murder of 43 students in Guerrero in 2014 – could be transferred to house arrest as he awaits trial due to ill health and his advanced age (75).

“The [former] attorney general couldn’t leave [prison] because there is another case [against him], but [the judge] argued in favor of his release,” AMLO said.

Former attorney general Jesús Murillo Karam in 2016. (Cuartoscuro)

The president asserted that there was something “very strange” about the ruling, saying that a hearing was scheduled just 2 1/2 hours before it was held when there is “always” at least 48 hours notice.

“And the judge, according to the report I have, acted on orders because he spoke ill of me, … said that the judicial power is above the executive, … that they had more power than anyone, that he could do what he liked and that furthermore we weren’t fulfilling the commitment we made to clear up the Ayotzinapa case,” López Obrador said.

Asked whether the government would appeal the ruling, he said that was a decision for the Federal Attorney General’s Office.

Murillo Karam, who has been in the medical wing of a Mexico City prison for months, is accused of forced disappearance, torture and obstruction of justice in connection with the abduction of the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College students

López Obrador, whose government released a new report on the case in late September, was also asked about the government’s attempt to have Tomás Zeron extradited from Israel. The former head of the now-defunct Criminal Investigation Agency is accused of abduction, torture and tampering with evidence in connection with the Ayotzinapa case.

The extradition process is “advancing very slowly, even more slowly now due to the situation in Israel and Gaza,” AMLO said.

Protesters outside the Israeli embassy in Mexico City in September last year, demanding Zerón’s extradition. (ROGELIO MORALES /CUARTOSCURO.COM)

“It’s becoming more complicated, but we’re going to continue insisting on the extradition being carried out,” he said.

“I’ve written to two Israeli [government] ministers about the issue. There has been a response that they’re going to cooperate, that they’re going to help, but up until now [the extradition] hasn’t been achieved,” López Obrador said.

AIFA on the rise, but Interjet still “in trouble”

AMLO welcomed recent announcements from Viva Aerobus and new state-owned airline Mexicana that they will operate a combined total of 37 new flights from the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), the army-built airport just north of Mexico City.

“It’s very good that these companies are moving [to AIFA],” he said, although Mexicana hasn’t yet started flying.

The number of flights at AIFA is increasing because the Mexico City airport (AICM) is “saturated,” López Obrador added.

Interjet office AICM — Interjet stopped flights in 2020 and is in debt to both the government and to private companies, according to AMLO.(Cuartoscuro)

“Additional operations cannot be allowed [at AICM], … that’s why … [airlines] are going to move [more flights] to the Felipe Ángeles Airport. We’re pleased with this decision that the airlines are taking,” he said.

Turning his focus to Interjet, which stopped flying in late 2020 due to a lack of funds, AMLO said the situation the airline faces is “quite complex.”

It not only owes money to the federal tax service SAT, state-owned airport corporation ASA and other government institutions but also to private companies, he said.

“So, yes, that company is in quite a lot of trouble,” López Obrador said.

He said that the government made “proposals” to help Interjet settle its debts, but “they didn’t accept or they weren’t interested.”

If the airline wants to fly out of AIFA, that’s “all good,” but it first has to “get up to date” with its debts, AMLO said.

AMLO at Friday press conference — The president emphasized the strengthening of the peso against the US dollar this week on Friday. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)

Friday fragment

“Look how [the peso] is doing,” AMLO said as a USD:MXN exchange rate of 17.39 was displayed on the screen behind him.

“Super peso, very strong. This helps us. There are some disadvantages, but there are more advantages,” he said.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

Take your chilaquiles from good to great with this simple step

By

Janet Blaser

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November 4, 2023

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mary-west-1j8h-qIlbAw-unsplash (1) — Traditional chilaquiles can be red or green, but you can try them with different salsas, like guajillo chili or mole. (Unsplash)

Chilaquiles—or “breakfast nachos,” as I like to call them—seem like such a simple thing to make. Grab a handful of chips, add a protein (a couple of fried eggs, leftover grilled chicken, or a spoonful of refried or whole beans), some melty cheese, pour some salsa on top, and stick the whole thing in the toaster oven for a few minutes. Voila!

At least, that’s what I’d planned to do the other day, but as I was rummaging around in the fridge I came across a small, sad bag of leftover corn tortillas. Hmmm, I thought, why not make my own chips?

My friends, let me tell you: It was a game-changer.

The word “chilaquiles” is a Náhuatl word meaning “submerged in chili sauce.” Some folks like the chips to be drenched or soaked in salsa; others (myself included) like ‘em crisp. Either way, they’re delicious.

Making your own tortilla chips is one of those little steps that takes any dish from basic to supreme, common to memorable, ho-hum to wow. It’s why you can’t resist ordering them at certain restaurants even though your rational mind is screaming that it’s too much money for a pile of tortilla chips on a plate. It’s a professional chef’s secret that’s easy to incorporate into your home kitchen repertoire and will make your friends and family talk about your chilaquiles (or nachos, tortilla soup, or guacamole and chips) like they were really something special.

And they will be.

Chilaquiles are the perfect traditional Mexican breakfast. (Unsplash)

I’m not saying that a great salsa, creamy guacamole, charred poblano strips, spicy crumbled chorizo, or any number of fantastic add-on ingredients won’t also up your chilaquiles game; they will. (The recipe below includes a delectable smoky guajillo chile salsa.) But the chips are the foundation, and you want them to be the best they can be.

I’d always assumed tortilla chips had to be deep-fried to be any good. Well, that’s not true. If you want to make ‘em that way—in a deep pot with 2-4 inches of hot oil at just the right temperature—go right ahead. But it’s not necessary. Sautéed in just enough hot oil or fat to cover, your corn chips will be fantastic in a way you never knew was possible.

Here’s how to do it: Cut corn tortillas into the shape you want, either strips or triangles. Old, stale ones are OK and in fact, some say they work the best. You want the pieces to be flat, so don’t use any tortillas with curled edges or that have gotten bent. (If you were deep-frying the tortilla pieces this wouldn’t matter.)

Pour about ¼ -inch of oil into whatever size non-stick frying pan you’re using. Heat the oil on medium-high until it’s hot: shimmering but not smoking. Carefully place the tortilla strips or pieces into the oil, being careful not to crowd them or the oil will lose too much heat too fast and they won’t cook properly.

Over high heat, cook for a few minutes, watching carefully, until the edges begin to brown a little. Carefully flip the pieces and cook the other side. They will continue to cook after you remove them from the oil so don’t let them get too dark. Lift out with a slotted spatula and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.

Quick ‘n’ Easy Chilaquiles for One

Making your own tortilla chips will make a huge difference. (Unsplash)

About 2 cups of fresh-made tortilla chips (see above)
Salsa of choice
Cooked or refried beans
Protein of choice: fried eggs, chorizo, grilled chicken
1 cup shredded Chihuahua, Jack or other meltable cheese
Toppings: crumbled queso fresco, minced cilantro, sliced avocados or guacamole, crema, pickled jalapeños

Mound chips on small baking tray. Add salsa, beans, chorizo or chicken and melting cheese. Broil in toaster oven for 5-8 minutes till cheese melts and salsa bubbles. Remove, add eggs or toppings, and serve.

Sheet-Pan Chilaquiles with Guajillo Salsa

6 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 small yellow onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise
1 jalapeño, stemmed, halved lengthwise
1¼ cups chicken broth
5 dried Guajillo chile peppers, stemmed, seeded and torn into large pieces
¼ cup canola oil
2 tsp. salt
½ tsp. ground coriander
8 oz. corn tortilla chips (about 4-5 cups)
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1 whole chicken)
Toppings: Chopped onion, avocado or guacamole, crumbled queso fresco, crema, chopped cilantro and pickled jalapeños

On a sheet pan, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, and jalapeño; broil (at about six inches from heat source) until lightly charred around the edges, turning occasionally, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer to blender.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine broth and dried chiles. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. To the blender add the rehydrated chiles with broth, oil, salt, and coriander; purée until smooth.

Heat oven to 425F (220C). On the same sheet pan (no need to wash), toss chips with 2 cups of salsa and then spread in an even layer. Toss chicken with remaining salsa and arrange on top of chips. Roast until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Garnish with preferred toppings and serve

Janet Blaser is the author of the best-selling book, Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats, featured on CNBC and MarketWatch. She has lived in Mexico since 2006. You can find her on Facebook.

What does it meme? The Mexican memes making the rounds

By

Sarah DeVries

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November 4, 2023

3

Captura de pantalla 2023-11-04 a la(s) 10.33.29 (1) — When it comes to learning about a culture, humor is often the last frontier.

If you’re on a quest to understand Mexican humor – or at least to find the best Mexican memes to share with your friends – we’ve got you covered! Here’s this week’s curated collection with a translation, background, any relevance to current events, and hopefully, a good chuckle.

Meme Translation: I mean, none needed, right?

What does it meme?: When it starts getting cold outside, Mexican tamal season is upon us. Actually, it’s never absent!

From the magic of AI – I’m assuming – comes this work of true art! The iconic scene from the blissful but short pre-ghost time in the movie Ghost has been adapted for even steamier levels of tender romance (tamales are cooked by steaming, after all): the clay vase has been replaced with the ingredients of tamales – masa (dough), carne de puerco en salsa verde y salsa roja (pork in green and red sauce). Hopefully the tamales they’re making make out better than that vase in the movie did!

And since we’re talking about tamales:

Meme Translation: (Announcement) “Pigs for Sale” → (first comment) “Are they good for tamales?” → (second comment) “Well I haven’t taught them yet, it would just be a question of patience!”

What does it meme?: Want to know how to make Mexican tamales? Well, one of the most common meat ingredients is, sadly for the future chefs above, pork. Here’s hoping these ones are fast learners! While they’re probably smart enough, their lack of opposable thumbs for scooping out the masa, distributing the ingredients, and folding the corn husk over it will probably work against them.

Meme Translation: “Look at me, I’m paying my rent with the honor of managing Eugenio Derbez’s social media accounts!”

What does it meme?: This one will take some explaining. Eugenio Derbez is a famous comedic actor in Mexico (you’d probably recognize him) who had the misfortune of saying something dumb and tone-deaf on camera. The internet never forgets, people!

In an interview from 2018 – I’m unsure why there are suddenly so many memes about it making the rounds now – he seemed to take offense to the fact that a young person had asked him, after being offered the job of managing his social media accounts, how much he would be paid for doing so. He went on to say that he would have done it for free simply for the honor and opportunity that working with such a famous person would bring.

How quickly those with plenty forget (or perhaps never knew) what it’s like to worry about meeting one’s monthly expenses!

Meme Translation: “Why so dressed up, Mr. Cloud?” → “There’s a solar eclipse today, boy.”

What does it meme?: Xalapeños were pretty sad about their inability to view the solar eclipse that took place on a cloudy and overcast morning…especially after a full week of unusually sunny and hot weather. We weren’t the only ones in Mexico that missed a good view of it though, and as always, the memes poured in.

This is one of my favorites, along with this other close contender shared locally by my friend who works in the civil protection department:

“Aviso importante a los xalapeños* A fin de proteger la vista y dado la imprudencia de querer ver el eclipse directamente sin protección hemos decidido mantener nublado el cielo mientras dura el fenómeno. Gracias por su comprensión, Protección civil a su servicio.

(Translation: “Important announcement for xalapeños: To protect the sight of our citizens in light of their intentions to watch the eclipse directly without protections, we have decided to keep the sky cloudy throughout the event. Thank you for your understanding. Civil Protection, at your service.”)

Meme Translation: “Plants on the street: I don’t care, I’ll break the cement to keep growing.” → “Plants at home: Oh no, the pH of the water is too high.”

What does it meme?: The struggle is real! I’ve got plants on my mind since the article on native plants, and am just constantly amazed at how impossible it seems to get rid of some and how easy it is for the ones you actually want to grow inside to die. Alas, plants prefer the ground to a maceta (pot) just like fish prefer the sea to a fishbowl.

Also, this meme format of the giant muscle dog next to the wimpy dog, popular in Mexico at the moment, cracks me up.

Meme Translation: “When a man cooks, washes his clothes, and cleans the house.” → “I hereby name you: Functional Adult.”

What does it meme?: Feminism in Mexico has taken a while to catch on, admittedly, and the struggles this movement faces are one of my favorite topics to write about. But with younger and more educated generations especially, the idea that women must forever be the handservants of the men in their lives is losing popularity (finally).

Child-rearing is still widely seen as the realm of the mother. However, an area where it’s hard to win (like everywhere, I suppose): women are both ultimately held responsible in a “buck stops here” sort of way and also blamed for raising what turn out to be spoiled men. (Here’s an article I wrote about child-rearing attitudes in Mexico if you’re interested).

Meme Translation: ”I can’t lift the car…” → ”Did you try using the jack?” (in Spanish the word for “jack” and “cat” are the same: “gato”) → “Yeah, he tried, too.”

Most of these memes are found in the normal way: in chat groups, on Instagram, and on Facebook. If you’ve got a suggestion about one to include, feel free to send it my way! Now, without further ado…

I hope you all are enjoying these and that you have a fantastic week!

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

The famous María doll sparks a new line of Mexican handcrafts – and identity

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

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November 4, 2023

1

Captura de pantalla 2023-11-04 a la(s) 11.07.05 — Wixárika (Huichol) rag dolls made by the Las Rosetas cooperative in Nayarit.

Mexico’s handcraft traditions remain vibrant today because they are both conservative and innovative at the same time. They maintain a link to the past, often through form and or generations of artisans in the same family, but these same forms and artisans evolve to respond to their changing markets.

This fusion works best when artisans find ways to reinterpret culture on their own terms. One example of this is the humble cloth doll.

The María/Lele doll is recognized primarily by its unique face shape, allowing for this Catrina version by Clauda Blas Juan of Amealco, Querétaro. (Alejandro Linares García)

Mexico is not particularly well-known for its doll-making, although there is evidence of this from both the Mesoamerican and colonial periods. Like everywhere else in the world, these dolls’ purpose is to pass down an image of society to those who will raise the next generation.

Dolls, like many toys, have always been made with whatever is available, though cloth did not fit the bill for most Mexicans economically, at least until the past century.

The María doll

In fact, the first example of an “indigenous” cloth doll handmade for commercial purposes is the María. She emerged in the 1970s when many Mazahua and Otomi women were eking out a living on the streets of Mexico City. Part of a program to improve their lives, the dolls are a rough approximation of a traditional Otomi and/or Mazahua woman, modified to be quick and easy to produce.

Cloth dolls are not traditional for Nativity scenes, but this one in Mexico City shows artisans’ ability to integrate new ideas on their own terms (Thelmadatter/Linares García)

The doll became a very successful street item for some time, although today, they are somewhat harder to find in the capital.

The town of Amealco, Querétaro “took over” production of the María and is now seen as the center of the trade. Artisans living there learned to make the dolls from family in the city and over the past decades, these wide-faced dolls have become almost entirely associated with the Otomí community there – with some even claiming that the doll was invented in the town. With the doll image now internationally famous, María (or Leles as they are also known) has become a major industry for the municipality and the basis of its tourism.

Visiting this Pueblo Mágico, it looks like the dolls rule. With their signature wide faces, you can now find Leles dressed in all kinds of ways, especially during the town’s annual doll fair in November. Interestingly, there is a cloth doll with a longer history in the same area, still found just outside Amealco in San Ildefonso Tultepec. Its body is made of two rolls of fabric in a cross pattern, with hair, face, and clothing added.

Tlanezi dolls

Otomi Genoveva Pérez Pascual is a vital force in Amealco’s doll industry. Here she is holding a rolled rag doll, which has a longer history in this area than the María/Lele. (Alejandro Linares García)

The success of the Marías has inspired a number of Indigenous (and other traditional communities) to try their hand at making them, especially in communities with a textile-making tradition. The main advantage of dolls is that they are quicker and easier to make and able to be sold for less than an intricately woven or embroidered full-sized garment. Dolls can bring in some money while artisans wait for special customers able and willing to pay thousands of pesos for something that took months to make.

One such community is the tiny Nahua community of San Juan Totolcintla, which lies along the banks of the Balsas River in Guerrero in the shadow of a giant suspension bridge that links Mexico City and Acapulco. Deep in this hot valley, life is very traditional and very difficult, with residents traditionally making a living from tomato farming. José Luis Juárez Baltazar wanted to provide the women here (almost all of whom are housewives) a way both to help support their families and maintain pride in their traditional identity. The result is Tlanezi which makes cloth dolls that can be found in both everyday and special festive wear. I met Júarez Baltazar initially at a craft fair and was more impressed with the dress than the doll itself. Three years later, I had the opportunity to visit the pueblo and was impressed by how much their doll-making skills had improved in such a short time.

Mixtecas dolls

Dolls can also tell a story of migration. At another fair, I was surprised to find dolls dressed in Mixtec clothing at a booth representing Baja California. The women who made them are indeed Mixtecs from Oaxaca and Puebla but now live in the desert north because there has been migration to work the large commercial fields in this state –so much so that the Mixtecs are now the largest Mexican indigenous group in Baja California. At this fair, Magdalena Ramirez Huerta of Creaciones Mixtecas Nuumi told me that they began by making Marias but soon shifted to a doll design that reflects their culture.

Zapatista dolls

Not all forms of doll-making are new, and at least one is in danger of disappearing. The Pastitstan family in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas is one of the few who are still making Zapatista dolls. In 1994, the Zapatista movement erupted out of the Chiapan highlands and into international media, with its charismatic leader Subcomandante Marcos making the case that globalization threatened indigenous communities. This brought reporters and other foreigners to then-unknown Chiapas, and local artisans quickly learned that by dressing local dolls like the rebels, there was money to be made. As late as 2010, these Zapatista dolls were easy to find.

Not so today. Memories have faded and other things grab international attention, but this family in this highly traditional town continues to make both wood and cloth versions of Zapatistas, as well as depictions of traditional dress. But buy one if you can; it is not likely to survive another generation.

As a recent innovation, for many communities, variance in style and quality is quite wide. One common element is that the doll itself is always made with commercial cloth (handwoven would be too expensive for this), and often with less attention paid to whether the skin tone reflects that of the community.

However, the dress is always impeccable. Making a cloth doll may be new, but the clothing is just miniature versions of the garments that artisans have stitched their entire lives.

Magdalena Ramirez Huerta shows off dolls made by Mixtec women made by migrant Mixtec women in Baja California (LeighThelmadatter)

And it is this clothing that makes the dolls valuable in most cases. For handcraft and Indigenous culture aficionados, buying the dolls offers an affordable way to support artisans. Most artisans can (and do) sell traditional garments, but some of us outsiders may not feel comfortable wearing something like a full Tarahumara or Wirikuta ensemble. With a doll, you can appreciate the clothing’s impact in its entirety without concerns of cultural appropriation.

But how to find and buy them?

Like other authentic and quality handcrafts, it is necessary to know where to look. With the exception of Amealco, there are no communities that specialize in doll making, although many do still offer them alongside their traditional wares. Your best bet is to keep an eye out for them at cultural fairs and folk art galleries and shops.

Whether dolls are an extension of tradition or innovation, they appeal to “kids of all ages” as a kind of reflection of those who make, play with and yes, collect them. They are truly folk art.

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.

Does Mexico set clocks back this weekend? Only in these cities

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MND Staff

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November 3, 2023

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A clock casts a long shadow on a white wall. — While most of Mexico has abandoned Daylight Saving Time, some regions have chosen to keep it to stay in harmony with the U.S. (Renel Wackett/Unsplash)

A vast majority of people who live in the United States and Canada will “fall back” this weekend when daylight saving time ends. But what will happen in Mexico, whose Senate voted last year to eliminate the mostly North American and European practice?

Mexico ended Daylight Saving Time for the last time in October 2022 across the majority of the country, meaning most Mexicans will not set their clocks back one hour this fall.

A person wearing a smartwatch checks the time. — A year ago, the Mexican legislature approved a law eliminating daylight saving time for most of the country. (Luke Chesser/Unsplash)

Why did Mexico stop observing daylight saving time?

The new law, which was pushed by President López Obrador, means they didn’t “spring forward” an hour last March, and therefore, won’t have to set their clocks back this weekend.

Thus, it won’t be getting darker an hour earlier. For example, in Mexico City on Sunday, sunset will be at 6:01 p.m., the same time as the evening before.

However, a number of Mexican locales do observe daylight savings time — mainly in areas close to the U.S. border.

People in the entire state of Baja California, plus those in more than 25 municipalities in five other northern states, will be setting their clocks back an hour this weekend to stay in sync with their U.S. neighbors, so as to not lose the economic and administrative relations they maintain.

Which cities still observe daylight saving time?

This list includes cities such as Tijuana, Mexicali and Ensenada (Baja California), Ciudad Juárez (Chihuahua), Piedras Negras and Acuña (Coahuila), and Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Río Bravo and Matamoros (Tamaulipas). No big cities in Nuevo León use daylight saving time anymore.

The northern state of Sonora discontinued the observance of daylight saving time in 1999 to match most of neighboring Arizona.

The Mexico-US border wall runs through the desert with mountains behind it. — Certain areas of Mexico near the U.S. border continue to use daylight savings time.

Quintana Roo is also a bit of an anomaly among Mexico’s four time zones. In 2015, the state, which includes Cancún, Tulum and Playa del Carmen made a tourist-related decision to shift into the Eastern time zone (and to stop observing daylight saving time).

After Saturday night, people in Quintana Roo will thus be back at the same time as New York City in Eastern Standard Time (EST), after spending the summer months one hour earlier in Central Daylight Time (CDT).

Eschewing daylight saving time led to some confusion throughout Mexico over the summer. Because much of the country remained on Central Standard Time (CST), it no longer matched up with Chicago when the Windy City shifted in March to CDT, but instead was on the same time as cities such as Denver in Mountain Daylight Time (MDT).

After Saturday night, most of Mexico will be back in sync with Chicago again.

With reports from El País and Reuters

Business leaders say government recovery plan in Acapulco falls short

By

MND Staff

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November 3, 2023

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Acapulco hotel zone after Otis — Leading private sector group Coparmex has said it intends to raise private capital to assist the reconstruction of Acapulco. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

A leading private sector group is seeking to secure funds from international organizations for the response to Hurricane Otis after determining that the federal government’s 61.3-billion-peso (US $3.5 billion) recovery plan falls short of what is required to rebuild Acapulco and other affected areas of Guerrero.

The Mexican Employers Federation (Coparmex) supports the government’s plan, which President López Obrador announced Wednesday, but believes that as much as 300 billion pesos (US $17.2 billion) will be needed for the reconstruction of Acapulco and other municipalities in Guerrero, 47 of which were declared disaster zones.

“We’re pleased that there is support from the federal government, they announced 61 billion pesos, [but] we believe that between 200 and 300 billion pesos will be required,” Coparmex president José Medina Mora said at the organization’s national meeting in Nayarit.

“For that reason we’re already in contact with international organizations that have funds that are precisely for natural disasters,” he said, adding that such resources could be used for “the reconstruction of the coast of Guerrero.”

Coparmex’s estimate that 200-300 billion pesos will be needed to rebuild from the devastation caused by Otis on Oct. 25 is in line with an assessment from Fitch ratings, which said this week that “preliminary economic and insured catastrophic loss estimates for Otis, a category 5 storm, are up to USD16 billion.”

A significant portion of the funds allocated to the government’s plan are to support residents of Acapulco and the neighboring municipality of Coyuca de Benítez. The government is offering loans to businesses, including hotels, but López Obrador has acknowledged that the reconstruction of hotels – 80% of which were damaged – will depend on private investment. Insurance payouts will presumably cover part of the reconstruction expenses.

José Medina Mora, Coparmex president said the group was “pleased” by federal construction funding, but that the group estimated true costs would be several times higher. (Coparmex)

After acknowledging that 80% of hotels in Acapulco sustained damage, Medina announced that Coparmex will assist tourism sector workers to find temporary jobs in “other beach destinations such as Cancún, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos” as well as in “city tourism destinations.”

Coparmex represents over 36,000 employers across Mexico, according to its website.

Some businesses affiliated with the organization will donate building materials, according to Medina, while others will be directly involved in the construction work.

The Coparmex chief stressed the importance of collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society on the recovery and reconstruction efforts in Guerrero.

The work to repair the city has begun, though it will take up to 5 years to fully restore the city. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

“The reconstruction of Acapulco and the coast of Guerrero will take a long time. We’re making progress but right now we need to attend to the emergency … [and] get water, food and cleaning supplies [to residents],” Medina said.

Among the other business groups seeking to assist the recovery and reconstruction efforts in Guerrero are those that belong to the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur).

Concanaco Servytur president Héctor Tejada said in a statement earlier this week that the organization he leads, “in coordination with other business leaders,” will present a proposal to President López Obrador that incudes “work, tax, housing and general measures” aimed at “revitalizing the economy of the region and helping those affected” by Hurricane Otis, the most powerful hurricane to have made landfall on Mexico’s Pacific coast.

With reports from El Financiero and El Universal

The week in Mexico in photos: From Tapachula to Mexico City

By

MND Staff

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November 3, 2023

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A fancily dressed man and women with their face painted as skulls kiss in front of a cathedral. — Nov. 2: Saltillo, Coahuila. A catrín and a catrina kiss near the Museo de la Catrina. (Alejandro Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)

Take a visual tour of the week in Mexico – from migrants in Tapachula to the aftermath of Hurricane Otis in Acapulco to Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City – with our selection of pictures from around the country.

Oct. 29: Tapachula, Chiapas

Migrants in the southern city of Tapachula display a placard in support of those affected by Hurricane Otis in Acapulco. The group also held a prayer service to remember those who lost their lives in the storm. (Damián Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)

Oct. 30: Huachinango, Puebla

Flower grower José Pérez Ahuacatitla and his family collect marigolds from the fields to sell on the roadside for use on traditional Day of the Dead altars. (Estrella Josento/Cuartoscuro)

Nov. 1: Acapulco, Guerrero

Despite the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Otis, residents of Acapulco collected flowers for traditional Day of the Dead altars in their homes. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

Nov. 1: Cancún, Quintana Roo

Devotees of Santa Muerte (“Saint Death”) pray for protection at sea. Santa Muerte is followed by many on the margins of Mexican society, including fishermen, taxi drivers and sex workers. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

Nov. 1: Mexico City

Hundreds of people visited the monumental “ofrenda” in Mexico City’s Zócalo. This year’s altar was dedicated to the memory of Revolutionary hero Pancho Villa. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Nov. 2: Mexico City

Visitors to the Zócalo square in central Mexico City dressed as ghosts. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)

Nov. 2: Huitziltepec, Guerrero

On Day of the Dead, this Indigenous town, where just over 90% of its population continues to speak Náhuatl, people of all ages leave their homes at dusk to go to the cemetery and place paraffin candles on the graves of loved ones. (Dassaev Téllez/Cuartoscuro)

Freezing temperatures in the forecast across Mexico

By

Cat Rainsford

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November 3, 2023

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915289_Frío Capital-3_impreso_850 — Freezing conditions are forecast for much of the north of Mexico, with temperatures dropping as far as -10 degrees Celsius. (Especial/Cuartoscuro)

It feels like winter is here in Mexico, with temperatures plunging below freezing across the north of the country and the arrival of heavy rains in the south.

The National Water Commission (Conagua) predicted that by dawn on Saturday, temperatures could drop to -10 degrees Celsius in the mountains of Baja California, Chihuahua and Durango, and to -5 in Sonora, Coahuila, México State, Tlaxcala, Puebla, Hidalgo and Veracruz.

Cold front Nov 2023 — Cold Front Number 8 is blamed for the freezing conditions and heavy rains. (Conagua/X)

Temperatures between 0 and 5 degrees Celsius were forecast across the rest of the center and north of the country, including in the capital, Mexico City.

Meanwhile, there is a probable cyclonic development in the southwest Caribbean, leading to very heavy rains in Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche and Yucatán. Intense rains are forecast in Quintana Roo, with potential risks of landslides and flooding.

Southern Mexico is forecast to see wind gusts of up to 60 kilometers per hour, while gusts of up to 100 kilometers per hour could hit the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region of Oaxaca and Veracruz.

Tropical Storm Pilar – currently 700 kilometers south of the Guerrero coast – is expected to move westwards over the Pacific, and will no longer affect Mexico.

Toluca rains — The south of Mexico should prepare for heavy rain, with the possibility of landslides and flooding in Quintana Roo. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/X)

Conagua said the freezing conditions were caused by cold front number 8 – a mass of cold air that moved down from Canada and the United States at the end of October.

Mexico has seen three such cold fronts in September and a further five in October. Five more are forecast for November and eight for December. In 2024, Mexico is predicted to see ten cold fronts in January, nine in February, seven in March, six in April and three in May – making a total of 56 across the winter season –a similar figure to last winter, which saw 55 cold fronts. This year, however, the “El Niño” weather phenomenon is expected to cause more intense rainfall.

With reports from El Financiero

Taquiza for Acapulco: CDMX taco stand brings thousands of free tacos after hurricane

By

MND Staff

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November 3, 2023

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Taquería Don Rey employees prepare tacos al pastor. (Taquería Don Rey/Facebook)

After Hurricane Otis wrought devastation in Acapulco, damage to roads and infrastructure has slowed the arrival of aid. That’s why a number of individuals and businesses have taken it upon themselves to help get basic supplies to the disaster zone. One such business is Taquería Don Rey in Mexico City, which delivered more than 2,500 tacos to affected Acapulqueños.

Staff from the Taquería Don Rey in the Cuauhtémoc borough prepared and transported 120 kilograms of meat — enough to feed around 1,000 people. A team of chefs began to prepare the food on Tuesday, before delivering it two days later.

Imagen Noticias interviews residents at Taquería Don Rey’s makeshift taco stand in Acapulco.

The port city of Acapulco is suffering from a lack of basic necessities more than a week after the hurricane, which has caused billions of dollars of damage to the region.

Thanks to the tireless work of the staff of Don Rey, residents were treated not only to tacos and handmade tortillas but also to pineapple, guacamole, salsa and a full array of traditional condiments.

The taquería posted a message on their social media, explaining that they decided to help “our brothers in Acapulco, since they do not have food available in the region.” The restaurant also asked followers to make a contribution in order to deliver more food to those who need it most.

Staff from the Mexico City Don Rey taquería fed around 1,000 Acapulcan residents. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

This is not the first time that Don Rey has given away tacos to charity. The restaurant has previously operated a taco stand outside Mexico City’s General Hospital, providing free food to families of hospitalized patients.

With reports by Aristegui Noticias and Infobae

President López Obrador hails the return of the ‘super peso’

By

MND Staff

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November 3, 2023

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high value peso notes — The peso has maintained strength against the US dollar as January begins, but could weaken later this year, experts say. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

The Mexican peso extended its winning streak to seven days in Friday morning trading, appreciating to 17.28 to the US dollar before weakening slightly.

Bloomberg data shows that the peso closed at 18.32 to the dollar on Oct. 25 before strengthening every weekday since then.

Line goes up — After weakening to over 18 pesos to the US dollar last week, the “super peso” has returned with a seven-day 6% appreciation. (Chris Liverani/Unsplash)

Shortly after 1 p.m. on Friday, the USD:MXN exchange rate was 17.44.

The peso’s appreciation to 17.28 represented a gain of 1.3% compared to its closing position on Thursday and an advance of 4.8% this week. The cumulative appreciation from the seven-day winning streak was about 6%.

The peso’s strengthening on Friday morning came after data out of the United States showed that job growth slowed more than expected in October. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that U.S. employers added 150,000 jobs last month, 30,000 fewer than the number expected by economists. The figure for September was 297,000.

The latest data increases the likelihood that the U.S. Federal Reserve will leave interest rates unchanged after its December monetary policy meeting.

AMLO hailed the return of the so-called “super peso,” as it has been dubbed after its strong performance against the U.S. dollar in 2023. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

The peso has benefited this year from the broad gap between the Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest rate – currently 11.25% – and the Fed’s federal funds rate, which is set at a range of 5.25%-5.5%.

The peso made gains earlier this week due to a reduced aversion to risk and after the Fed announced on Wednesday that it was holding its funds rate steady. The peso has appreciated by around 12% this year after starting 2023 at about 19.5 to the dollar.

At his Friday morning press conference, President López Obrador described the currency as a “super peso” and “very strong.”

“This helps us. There are some disadvantages but there are more advantages,” he said.

Peso coins — Banxico’s consistent interest policies have helped the peso to record an excellent 2023. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

“… The [state of the] economy has a lot to do with confidence so when a country has good macroeconomic numbers it’s a country with advantages because it attracts investment,” López Obrador said.

“It helps a lot if there is no devaluation, inflation is under control, there is no over-indebtedness and there is [economic] growth,” he said.

“And Mexico now has a very good reputation for public investment and a lot of foreign investment is coming in,” López Obrador added.

With reports from Reuters