What would Xóchitl Gálvez do as president?

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August 31, 2023

With Xóchitl Gálvez now confirmed as the presidential candidate for the Broad Front for Mexico (FAM) opposition coalition, it’s an opportune time to look at what a Gálvez presidency might look like.

The National Action Party (PAN) senator was recently interviewed by Expansión Política, the politics site of the Expansión news organization, and expressed views on a range of issues she will face if elected as Mexico’s first female president on June 2, 2024.

In an interview with Expansión, Gálvez answered a series of policy questions. (Yerania Rolón/Cuartoscuro)

Let’s start with her brief answers to a series of rapid fire questions before delving into her more elaborate responses. As a reminder, the FAM is the three-party alliance made up of the PAN, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, and the Democratic Revolution Party, or PRD.

Yes or no to tax reform?

“Not at this time.”

Yes or no to the army in the streets?

“No to the army in the streets.”

Yes or no to help from the United States to combat narcos and crime groups?

“Yes, with limits.”

Yes or no to jail for ex-presidents?

“If it’s necessary yes, [but] no persecution [of former presidents].”

Would you live in the National Palace (as President López Obrador does)?

“No.”

Yes or no to the legalization of marijuana?

“Yes to the legalization of marijuana.”

The best president of Mexico is …?

“For me it continues to be Benito Juárez.”

The biggest mistake of former president Vicente Fox (2000-06) was …?

“Not combating the corruption of the past.”

The biggest mistake of former president Felipe Calderón (2006-12) was …?

“Taking the army out to the streets [to combat organized crime] without a strategy.”

The biggest mistake of former president Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-18) was …?

“Having a cabinet [full] of criminals.”

The biggest mistake of President López Obrador is …?

“His hate,” said Gálvez, who has been verbally attacked and portrayed as a tool of Mexico’s business elite by the president.

The senator – a company owner, former mayor of a Mexico City borough and head of the government’s Indigenous affairs institute during the Fox administration – offered more detailed responses to questions on a range of issues including renewable energy, the opportunity presented by the growing nearshoring phenomenon and the role the business sector would play in a government she leads.

Gálvez on the use of the military for public security tasks

The presumptive FAM nominee told Expansión Política that the military can play a “controlled” support role in public security, but there should be limits to its involvement and it shouldn’t lead the effort to combat crime.

A member of the National Guard patrols a beach in Acapulco, Guerrero. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal / Cuartoscuro.com)

The federal security minister must be a civilian, rather than a military leader, and the National Guard – the security force created by the current government and subsequently put under the control of the military – must be a civilian force, Gálvez said.

(The Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that the transfer of control over the National Guard from the civilian Security Ministry to the Defense Ministry was unconstitutional.)

On what she would do in her first days as president

Gálvez said her first objective as president would be to “recover confidence in the country with the rule of law.”

(López Obrador’s term as president has been the most violent on record with over 164,000 homicides to date, although the homicide rate declined 10% in 2022.)

On public companies that are under military control

Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval at a press conference giving updates on the Maya Train. (Gob MX)

“The efficiency and effectiveness of each of them would have to be reviewed,” said Gálvez, referring to firms managing government projects such as the Maya Train railroad.

“I don’t like losses, I’m used to having profits so I believe that … [a company] that loses public money has to be reviewed,” she said.

On the future of state oil company Pemex

Asked whether she would “rescue Pemex” (an objective López Obrador says he is pursuing) or create a new state-owned renewable energy company, Gálvez said she would establish Emex, or Energías Mexicanas (Mexican Energy).

The company wouldn’t solely be focused on oil, she said. “There are other sources of energy, we can’t leave them out and [including them] would give much more financial viability to Pemex,” Gálvez said.

“Mexico is a world power in green hydrogen. We’re leaving new energies out [of current plans]. Investment won’t come to Mexico if there isn’t clean energy [here]. We don’t have a future if there’s no clean energy. Europe already put tariffs on products made with fossil fuels,” she said.

On tax reform and the use of pubic money

Gálvez criticized the current government because the cost of building both the Olmeca Refinery on the Tabasco coast and the Maya Train railroad in Mexico’s southeast has vastly exceeded the projects’ original budgets.

“There’s money [but] we’ve thrown it away. Why carry out a tax reform if we’ve thrown public money into the trash?” she said.

The Pemex Olmeca Refinery under construction in Tabasco, Mexico — AMLO signature infrastructure projects include the Olmeca Refinery in Tabasco, the Felipe Angeles Airport in México state and the Maya Train in the Yucatán peninsula. (Presidencia)

Before any changes to tax policy are made, public resources need to be managed well, Gálvez said. The government also needs to “generate confidence” by implementing “clear public policies” so that new investment arrives, she said.

On what she would do to help attract foreign companies to Mexico

The growing nearshoring phenomenon – in which companies relocate to Mexico to be close to the U.S. market – is “the country’s best opportunity” for growth, Gálvez said.

“We can’t waste it,” she said, adding that the presence of more foreign firms in Mexico will spur economic growth and more revenue will flow into government coffers as a result.

“What do we need [to do]? Improve human capital, give young people English [skills], digital skills, workplace skills,” Gálvez said.

The nearshoring “dream” – in which Mexico takes full advantage of the current opportunity – is possible, but it won’t happen “as Mexico [currently] is,” she said.

Tesla gigafactory rendering for Nuevo Leon, Mexico — Rendering of the planned Tesla gigafactory in Nuevo León, one of the most significant nearshoring investment announcements this year. (Tesla)

Issues related to water, energy, legal certainty, security and infrastructure need to be resolved or foreign “companies will go to other countries,” Gálvez said.

The issues can be resolved if “we get to work” and “stop fighting,” she added.

On fracking

Gálvez said she supports fracking if it’s carried out while “respecting the environment.”

“Pemex does fracking every day to extract oil. It’s nonsense to say that fracking doesn’t occur in Mexico,” she said, referring to claims made by López Obrador.

“So yes [to fracking], done well, not violating the law like they’re doing with the Maya Train in the southeast,” Gálvez said.

On the United States

Asked to choose between the United States and China, Gálvez opted for the former, saying that it is Mexico’s “logical ally.”

“… We have to understand that our main trade partners are the United States and Canada. A lot of jobs come from there, she said.

Gálvez stressed that Mexico shouldn’t fight with China or other countries, a view she shares with the current president.

On judicial reform

Gálvez said she supported judicial reform, explaining that “we need to stop punishing he who steals bread from a store.”

“We need a judicial reform that solves [problems with] everyday justice, what people are interested in. … We need a reform for true justice,” she said.

(Impunity is a major problem in Mexico, where the perpetrators of the vast majority of homicides in recent years have gone unpunished.)

On the role of business in government

Gálvez, who owns two firms that specialize in “intelligent buildings,” said that business sector representatives would play “an important role” in a government she leads as “they’re the ones who create wealth and jobs.”

Xóchitl Gálvez at an event — Gálvez at a meeting with Cancún business leaders earlier this month. (ELIZABETH RUIZ/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

In discussions with such people, the senator said she would advocate for better paid jobs and ask them to pay their taxes.

“What would I give them in exchange? Legal certainty and I wouldn’t be harassing them, stigmatizing them or hating them,” Gálvez said, adding that she would seek to support and attract companies that specialize in things such as robotics and artificial intelligence.

On why the Mexican people should believe what she says

Without specifying what they were, Gálvez pointed to her past results when asked why people should believe her when most politicians “deceive” or don’t do what they promised.

“And because I come from where people suffer,” she said, alluding to her upbringing in Tepatepec, Hidalgo.

“… Everyone has to be part of the government,” Gálvez added.

“We have to create a great project of citizens’ participation. It’s not just me, I can’t do it on my own. I need the support of all Mexicans,” she said.

Gálvez, who has gone from being a relatively obscure senator to a household name in the space of just a couple of months, will be officially designated as the “coordinator” of the Broad Front for Mexico at an event at the Angel of Independence monument in Mexico City on Sunday.

She will become the FAM’s presidential candidate when the 2024 electoral period officially commences, and find out who her Morena party rival will be next Wednesday.

With reports from Expansión

Framing Mexico: master mezcaleros of Oaxaca

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Mirja Vogel and Gordon Cole-Schmidt

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August 31, 2023

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IMG_1322 2_850 — Rodrigo Martínez Méndez and his grandfather, Juan Martínez Garcia make mezcal in the mountains of Oaxaca. (All photos by Mirja Vogel/text by Gordon Cole-Schmidt)

The sticky air is thick with the smell of chopped and charred agave plants at Palenque Don Goyo in San Baltazar Guelavila. Rain falls heavily on the rustic, family-run distillery that has been producing artisanal mezcal for 30 years. Droplets coat the leaves of 30,000 agave plants spread across this hidden valley in the Oaxaca hills.

The paved road connecting San Baltazar Guelavila to larger towns around Oaxaca city does not reach Palenque Don Goyo. The only route is a muddy track laden with footprints of horses, donkeys and goats.

“If the rain continues like this, it won’t be possible to drive back today,” Rodrigo Martinez Mendez, grandson and heir to the family’s mezcal business, tells us as he unlocks two arched doors to a large barn-like building.

Gray hazy sunlight showers the remarkable contents of the space inside. Four huge wooden vats, or ‘tinas,’ with a capacity of 1,200 liters cast huge shadows across wooden walls. In the darkest depths sits a large circular wooden mill or ‘tahona’ which resembles a clock face the size of London’s Big Ben, but built into the stone floor. With three bottles in hand, Rodrigo jokingly remarks:

“At least we won’t run out of things to drink.”

The wild landscapes surrounding Palenque Don Goyo befit the type of mezcal made here.

Mezcal palenque — The circular mill or “tahona”.

The Mexican spirit is produced as an artisanal distillation, meaning each step of production is carried out by hand under the supervision of a maestro mezcalero, and more importantly, without machinery. Agave plants – once ripe, chopped up and roasted – are crushed by a horse-drawn wheel prior to fermentation and distillation.

Under the palenque’s flagship brand, Revelador, four different types of agave varieties, espadín, tepeztate, tobalá and cuixe, are made into mezcal, but only the maestro Gregorio Martinez Garcia and his close family know the specifics. The recipe remains a secret.

Today is a quieter day at the palenque, but Juan Martinez Garcia, the oldest member of the family and father of maestro Gregorio, is working the fields. He’s now 89, but his grandson Rodrigo tells me he starts promptly every day at 7 a.m. He’s hard of hearing, walks with a cane and breathes heavily. The sparkle in his eye when he introduces himself however, is as youthful as ever.

The family has had a busy month. Six hundred liters were made and then packed on pallets destined for New York in July. The batch constitutes their first-ever order from the United States, where the market for mezcal is booming.

The palenque’s maestro, Gregorio, checks on his precious agaves.

Standing amongst endless rows of agave plants, we watch and listen as three generations of mezcal producers discuss the next commercial order in their native Zapotec language.

Much like the recipes for the artisanal mezcal produced here, the Zapotec language has been passed on through generations. The language, in which all three men learned about mezcal as young boys, faces possible extinction. Rodrigo, the youngest member of the family, tells us, “Whenever I am home with the family, we speak and work in Zapotec. But other than that, I don’t use it.”

As migration and travel become more possible and technological processes advance, there is a risk that Indigenous languages and artisanal processes will die with the older generations. Efforts are being made to keep them alive, but a cloud of uncertainty looms.

Juan Martínez García will work the fields from dawn until dusk.

These traditional processes are some of the most-loved and admired aspects of life here, but whether they will become a remnant of times past is still to be determined.

Protest blocking access to Terminal 1 at Mexico City International Airport ends

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MND Staff

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August 31, 2023

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FICREA protests — Protesters angry about a fraudulent investment scheme closed the main entrance to Mexico City International Airport for several hours on Thursday. (SSC/X)

Dozens of protesters demanding the return of their money from a defunct financial institution blocked access to Terminal 1 at Benito Juarez International Airport (AICM) in Mexico City on Thursday.

The protest began at 9:30 a.m. and the blockages bled over into the afternoon, according to the traffic bureau of Mexico’s Public Security Ministry.

Travelers had to walk to the terminal as vehicular access was blocked. (ROGELIO MORALES/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Finally, at 2 p.m., transit authority OVIAL announced the end of the blockade via social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. “Circulation is restored on Av. Capitán Carlos León from the Interior Circuit at the height of Terminal 1 of the AICM [though] protesters remain on the sidewalk area.”

Calling themselves “Savers Defrauded by Ficrea,” the protesters demanded that the federal government get their money back from Sociedad Financiera Popular Ficrea SA de CV, a company that offered investment, savings and credit services.

Launched in 2008, Ficrea was authorized and regulated by the federal government through the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV). In 2014, it was decertified and has since filed for bankruptcy and its owner, Rafael Antonio Olvera Amezcua, stands accused of involvement in organized crime and operations with resources of illicit origin.

The fraud reportedly affected 6,848 people, and the protest would indicate that at least some of those affected have been left high and dry.

Ficrea protests 2014 — The collapse of Ficrea in 2014 affected thousands of Mexican savers, who were left without access to their money. (Rodolfo Angulo/Cuartoscuro)

The protesters were shouting and holding up banners demanding the full return of their money, which in many cases was savings from their paychecks. Public financial institutions (SOFIPO) are for-profit companies that focus their business in rural areas, though Ficrea had many customers in Mexico City.

With most access roads to Terminal 1 blocked between 10:30 a.m., and 1:30 p.m., many travelers exited their vehicles and walked to the airport. Later, airport vehicles began to offer rides, although people could still be seen walking with their suitcases.

“Fortunately, we arrived early enough to catch our plane,” said Gerardo González, who was heading for a flight home to Monterrey, Nuevo León. “We were able to walk without a problem. But for those who just arrived [at the height of the road blockages], well, that’s where I think they will be affected.”

With reports from El Universal, El Heraldo de México and Expansión Política

‘What the jaguar told her’: a novel that crosses cultures and eras

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Rich Tenorio

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August 31, 2023

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On a walking trail near her home, middle schooler Jade encounters a creature that seems out of place in Atlanta – a jaguar. But this is no ordinary big cat. It’s actually a 500-year-old Indigenous Mexican man named Itztli who has the power to manifest as a jaguar. A friendship develops between the two: as Itztli shares stories in paintings of life under the Mexica Empire, Jade connects more deeply with her own Mexican heritage on a journey toward greater self-discovery.

This is the premise of “What the Jaguar Told Her,” a young adult novel by Mexican-American author Alexandra V. Méndez. Set in 2001, the multilayered plot covers subjects from the Spanish conquest of Mexico to the 9/11 terror attacks. Influenced by Mexican primary sources such as the Florentine Codex, the book was originally published in English, but a Spanish translation by Ariadna Molinari will be released on Oct. 10.

What the jaguar told her book cover — “What the jaguar told her” book cover art. (Courtesy)

“It’s almost exactly to the day, one year, that the English [version] originally came out,” Méndez told me. “I’m very excited about this.” She’s likewise excited about Molly Mendoza’s cover art, which shows Jade’s emerging artistic talent bringing a jaguar to life.

“What the Jaguar Told Her” is informed by its author’s own family background: like Jade, Méndez has one Mexican and one white American parent.. While an undergraduate at Harvard College, Méndez interned at Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, DC, getting to see the museum’s pre-Columbian section. Later, as a doctoral student at Columbia University, she worked with Mesoamerican archaeology dating back to the 16th century.

“I wanted to make sure every story Itztli told had some basis in a primary source document,” Méndez said. “It doesn’t mean straight recreation, but primary sources are still important.”

In the novel, Jade’s connection to Mexico is further highlighted by such aspects as food and language, including both Spanish and Indigenous languages of Mexico.

“I definitely feel like I couldn’t tell the story without using words in Mexican languages,” Méndez said, mentioning scenes with Jade’s family as well as with Itztli. She notes that there is no English equivalent for Itztli’s role as a tlacuilo – the Nahuatl term for “a person who writes, and also paints, one and the same.” “It’s such a very specific thing,” Méndez said.

Itztli’s stories resonate for Jade, who fears she is losing touch with the Mexican side of her family. Her horticulturalist father is an Irish-American from Nebraska, while her CNN reporter mother has family roots in Mexico and in Chicago’s Mexican-American community. In addition to feeling uprooted by her family’s move from Chicago to Atlanta, Jade is grieving the loss of her beloved Abuelo and the void he leaves in terms of family knowledge. It’s that grief that makes her miss her Abuela, who’s still in Chicago, and to listen to Itztli’s stories.

“Part of what Jade wrestles with is that her Abuelo told her all these stories, but she can’t remember them,” Méndez said. “She needs to get in touch with her family and Abuela.” She added, “Itzli has a certain wisdom on that. He can get to Jade because he has 500 years of knowledge about what happened in those early days of encounters between Spaniards and Indigenous Mexicans.”

The narrative aims to present that encounter in a way that Méndez describes as more nuanced than previous portrayals. Itztli, for example, comes from a background that includes both the Mexica and the Purépecha, one of the peoples they fought against.

“There were many Indigenous groups with lots of reasons for wanting to overthrow the Aztecs,” Méndez said. “They were very resentful of them. It’s part of the reason, in fact, why Cortés and the Spaniards were successful in overthrowing the Aztec Empire or Mexica Empire … I think it’s important to kind of complicate some of the simplistic narratives we have.”

As the author incorporated history into the novel, she also worked with the theme of magical realism, notably with the scenes involving Itztli.

“Part of the challenge is having something that seems fantastical, like a jaguar turning into an old man who’s also a storyteller and an amazing painter,” Méndez told me. “Of course, Jade is surprised the first time. She quickly subsumes that into the rest of her existence.”

“A big part of my challenge was writing those scenes. How can it be part and parcel of Jade’s regular existence as a middle-school kid trying to make friends, trying to get on the cross country team?”

As it turns out, magic is deeply embedded in Jade’s family. One way she realizes this is through a special heirloom: an obsidian mirror.

“Obsidian mirrors were used, were associated with the god Tezcatlipoca, who turns into a jaguar at a certain point in one of the stories,” Méndez explained. “I use the magic, in some way, linking Jade to things that are bigger than herself – to her family, to her family lineage, that family connection to Mexico.”

Reflecting on the primary source documents and artifacts that she drew upon, the author said, “I think teachers can do a lot with them, think of this book as a way to engage with students, young readers, to think about Mexican colonial history, Mexican art.”

“It is a story about stories,” Méndez said. “It’s also the real stone objects and books, things that we have a lot of historical and archaeological evidence about – as well as the living stories people tell to this day.”

Rich Tenorio is a frequent contributor to Mexico News Daily.

Frontier Airlines, WestJet announce more winter routes to Mexico

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MND Staff

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August 31, 2023

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Two major airlines in the United States and Canada will expand their schedules to increase flights to popular Mexican beach destinations this winter.

In the United States, low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines has added Cancún to its expanded winter schedule, with direct flights from three cities in the U.S. starting Nov. 16. Detroit, Minneapolis and Chicago will benefit from one daily non-stop flight to the Cancún International Airport, pending government approval.

“As we head into winter, now is the time to start planning those tropical getaways,” Daniel Shurz, Vice President at Frontier Airlines said. “Getting there is easier and more convenient than ever.”

Canadian airline WestJet will increase capacity to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco by 19%, with flights from Abbotsford, Calgary, Comox, Kelowna, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg, offering travelers across Canada a diverse range of options to plan a winter vacation in Mexico. The carrier also announced a new weekly route between Prince George and Puerto Vallarta in July, as well as the return of services to both Mazatlán and Los Cabos.

WestJet currently offers the largest number of routes to Puerto Vallarta in Canada. According to website Aviación 21, it operated up to 183 flights per month during the monthly operations last winter season and is planning to carry out 212 per month in the autumn-winter season 2023-24.

The increase in capacity comes as the airline switches to using larger Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft and the acquisition of low-cost rivals Sunwing.

The U.S. and Canada are the largest sources of tourists to Mexico.

With reports by Simple Flying, Travel Pulse and Aviación 21.

Heat, humidity and history beckon in the port city of Veracruz

By

Bethany Platanella

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August 31, 2023

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Port of Veracruz — The old Caribbean port city is full of fun and flavor, not to be missed in your travels around Mexico. (Shutterstock)

It’s the year 1519. A dirty, weary group of Spanish explorers led by Hernán Cortés land on a small island, now known as San Juan De Ulúa. The weather is hot and humid, and the nearby coastal region is inhabited by long-established Indigenous peoples.

Not one to be deterred from his goals, Cortés quickly gains control of the coastal territory, using it as the primary base he needs to conquer the mighty Mexica (or Aztec) empire. He names the town Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz.

Ciudad de Veracruz and San Juan de Ulúa — A 1615 drawing of the city of Veracruz. (Wikimedia Commons)

The colonial period saw Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz become the central link between Spain and Mexico, thanks to its eastward-facing port. Over centuries, the city experienced foreign plunderers, savage hurricanes, the slave trade and epidemics. Still, Veracruz stands strong, and is a prosperous and bustling commercial center today.

I visited the historic center of Veracruz as part of a road trip from CDMX to Oaxaca in July, and I loved it.

I lived in Miami for 11 years before moving to Mexico City and I miss four things – high heat, thick humidity, excessive sun and easy access to open water. Veracruz offers all those things and I effectively fell in lust as soon as I exited the car. To my delight, my time spent in Veracruz showed me that there was even more to love.

What to do:

Veracruz beach — The Caribbean coast lends Veracruz an intense, tropical charm as well as delicious fresh seafood. (Bethany Platanella)

Start your day with a famous café lechero at Gran Café de la Parroquia which has been serving authentic veracruzano coffee since 1808. Enjoy live music, perhaps a housemade pan dulce, and what’s sure to be excellent people watching. There are several locations; I went to the Gran Café on the malecón, next to my hotel.

Adjacent to the café is the Mercado de Artesanías, and if you’re like me, you’d never pass up a good market. It’s fantastically full of regional treats, including:

Vanilla (the state of Veracruz is the cradle of vanilla cultivation)
Coffee
Candy
Sweet liquors made of almonds, fruit, or coffee
Handcrafted bags and clothes

Take a short walk to the historic center, where you can visit the Museo de la Ciudad de Veracruz, the Mexico Naval Museum, the fortress at San Juan de Ulúa, or all three. It’s beautiful, and its architecture contrasts from haunting, Havana-style dilapidation to freshly painted reconstructed facades.

Since you’re likely hungry by now, might I suggest a seafood feast at Mariscos Villa Rica? There are a handful of locations and I chose the one situated directly on the town square. It showcased that old school, coastal town elegance that I’d been searching for and the food was excellent.

The author found Veracruz reminiscent of Miami and old Havana in its ambience. (Bethany Platanella)

I was lucky enough to travel with a friend with whom I could share huachinango a la Veracruzana, a local red snapper dish with garlic, capers, and onions – with a side of tortillas, always. In addition, we ordered fresh ceviche, cazuela (a tomato-based soup overflowing with chunky seafood, to die for), and a bottle of crisp white wine from Valle de Guadalupe.

If you’re up for it, consider a (hopefully) breezy stroll along the malecón toward the beach. No, Veracruz beaches aren’t the nicest, but they’re a great spot to watch a spectacular sunset. Especially if you walk toward the fisherman’s pier, where there are also options to rent boats, go snorkeling, and engage in other water-sport activities.

From this positioning, you can admire the sleek skyline of Boca del Rio. I did not go to Boca, but promise to return and explore further for a future article. If you’re not up for that, the Aquarium of Veracruz is considered one of Mexico’s best.

In a country of unique traditions and culture, Veracruz has a distinctive feel all of its own. (Rubén Espinoza/Cuartoscuro)

By now, you’re likely pretty hot. If you choose to take my advice to book a room at the Hotel Emporio, it’s an ideal time for a late afternoon dip in the pool. Keep in mind, however, that locals will soon gather in droves to watch Veracruz’s “best” dancers take part in a danzón, and it should not be missed.

At 7:00 p.m. sharp, a live orchestra will kick off this unmissable dance party in the zócalo. It lasts just one hour, at which point the crowd scatters for the ultimate nightcap – ice cream. If the line at the ¡Pásele Güero Güera! ice cream truck on the malecón is any indicator of its quality, I’d advise you to beeline there as soon as possible.

At night, the malecón comes to life with vendors, families, games, and music. Veracruzanos are noticeably friendly and smiley, which is very evident during their evening paseo along the water. It’s fun to observe before your real nightcap at the Great Lounge in Hotel Emporio.

The next day, I’d suggest an early day trip to El Taíin. It’s about 2 hours away but if striking Mesoamerican ruins without the crowds is your thing, don’t skip this. From here, you can opt for casual lunch on a restaurant terrace in nearby pueblo mágico Papantla, home of the famous voladores.

Where to stay:

Hotel Emporio is a time capsule, taking you back to Miami in its mafia heyday. On the weekends, the chic restaurant Restaurante Condimento offers a locally-famous Mar y Tierra buffet. The rooms are clean, cool, and comfortable. It’s worth splurging for a wrap around balcony with a view of the ship-lined port.

Overall, my visit to Veracruz was a memorable one. In fact, I think about returning every day. Its location makes it a bit lengthy to arrive by bus from Mexico City, but I’m willing to suffer the seven hours to revisit. Unless someone wants to drive me?

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 to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.

US requests review of workers’ rights at Mexican cargo airline

By

Cat Rainsford

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August 31, 2023

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Humberto Gual speaks at Aeromar strike — ASPA Secretary General Humberto Gual speaks at an Aeromar workers' strike in Feurary 2023. (ROGELIO MORALES / CUARTOSCURO.COM)

The United States has asked Mexico to review whether the small cargo airline MasAir is infringing workers’ rights to free association and collective bargaining.

The petition was made in response to a complaint filed on July 31 by the Trade Union Association of Airline Pilots of Mexico (ASPA) which alleges that the airline is coercing workers to favor the rival Workers’ Union of the Aeronautic, Communications, Similar and Related Industries of the Mexican Republic (STIA).

“This action demonstrates America’s commitment to safeguarding labor rights and our willingness to address issues in all industries, including services,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement. (Stephanie Chasez)

“This request for review encompasses all actions taken by the company to support or exercise control over STIA, including jointly holding meetings with STIA at the facility, incentivizing worker support for STIA, and otherwise coercing or encouraging worker support for the union and discouraging worker support for ASPA,” the U.S. petition reads.

It also requests investigation of “all actions taken by the company to retaliate against individuals based on union activity,” as well as alleged interference in May 9th vote to legitimize the workers’ collective bargaining agreement.

The petition is the 13th time the U.S. has asked Mexico to review alleged workers’ rights violations through the Labor Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM) of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This is the first time the RRM has been applied in the services sector.

“This action demonstrates America’s commitment to safeguarding labor rights and our willingness to address issues in all industries, including services,” U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in a statement. “We look forward to working closely with the Government of Mexico to resolve the issues identified in this case.”

San Martin mine in Sombrerete, Zacatecas, Mexico — The Grupo México San Martín mine in Sombrerete, Zacatecas is the first place where the labor rapid response mechanism of the USMCA has led to invoking a dispute panel. (Mining Mexico)

“We are demonstrating that every Mexican pilot can and must freely choose their own union representation, without reprisals or corporate interference,” ASPA Secretary General Humberto Gual said in a union press release.

Mexico now has ten days to agree to conduct the review, and then a further 45 days to complete the investigation if it determines that workers’ rights were indeed violated.

The RRM, which is intended to help enforce protections of workers’ collective bargaining rights in Mexico’s 2019 Labor Reform, was a condition for U.S. ratification of the USMCA.

On receiving a complaint under this mechanism, the U.S. Interagency Labor Committee on Monitoring and Compliance evaluates whether there is sufficient credible evidence of labor rights violations and if so, requests a formal review.

Other recent cases where the RRM has been applied include the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company plant in San Luis Potosí, where a remediation plan was announced in July after an RRM investigation, and the San Martín mine in Zacatecas, where the U.S. last week requested an RRM panel to resolve disagreements between the two countries over whether abuses had occurred. The latter case represents the first time that an RRM proceeding has gone all the way to a dispute panel.

With reports from Reuters and El Financiero

More flight reductions ordered at Mexico City International Airport

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MND Staff

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August 31, 2023

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Passengers in the AICM — The government says the saturation of the airport requires further reductions, while the airline industry is concerned the decree will result in "mass cancellations". (GALO CAÑAS/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

The Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation Ministry (SICT) has ordered a reduction from 52 to 43 flights per hour at the Benito Juárez Mexico City International Airport (AICM) – a 20% reduction – effective Oct. 29.

In response to the airport’s saturation, the federal government had already enacted a “temporary” plan to reduce the number of flights arriving and departing, from 61 to 52 per hour, in 2022.

AICM T2 — Airport infrastructure is struggling to deal with the high numbers of flights and passengers – even after authorities reduced the number of flights per hour in 2022. (Another Believer/Wikimedia)

In its Thursday statement, the SICT said “this measure will be temporary and will remain in place as long as the saturation conditions at AICM persist” and that it is necessary to “safeguard the security” of the airport’s users and operating staff. According to a study carried out by the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC), the maximum number of passengers per hour that can be attended in an “optimal manner” in each terminal had been exceeded over 25 times this year.

However, the National Chamber of Air Transport (Canaero) has said such an adjustment will bring about “a massive cancellation of flights” and “put the country in an unfavorable situation” at an international level – a reference to Mexico’s quest to shed its hindering Category 2 aviation safety rating and return to a more favorable Category 1.

“The basic problem at AICM is not the capacity of [flights] per hour, but the age of the infrastructure and [its state of] deterioration,” Canaero said in its statement.

Part of the problem is that plane sizes have increased during the past 10 years, which means more passengers are crammed into the airport at any given time.“The airport is congested not only in the air but on the ground, mainly with the saturation of the buildings,” said Isidoro Pastor Román, the director of the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) north of Mexico City. “[AICM officials] are doing a study to see how to do [necessary] remodeling and adaptation work in Terminal 1.”

AICM busy — Mexico City International Airport (AICM) may prohibit landings in unauthorized slots, which would mean diverting aircraft to another airport if delayed. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

If flight traffic at AICM is reduced further, airlines might choose to move flights to AIFA, Pastor added. “In the Valley of México, the only space for growth in passenger demand — to meet excess demand and future growth — is AIFA,” he said.

In September 2022, AICM and airlines agreed to reduce the number of authorized landing and takeoff times (or slots) per hour, which reportedly led to Aeroméxico losing hundreds of slots per week. However, while unauthorized takeoffs were successfully halted, other airlines, such as Volaris and Viva Aerobus, continued to land at unauthorized times, often after hours.

New measures being evaluated by AICM would prohibit landings in unauthorized slots, meaning that an incoming aircraft could be diverted to another airport if they have been delayed by circumstances attributable to the airline, said Carlos Ignacio Velázquez Tiscareño, director of AICM. Canaero is asking that any scheduling adjustments not be made unilaterally.

“We respectfully request that the authorities include experts from the [airlines in a working group] to build a strategy that allows solving the needs of present and future demand, for the benefit of the economic and social development of the country,” Canaero said in its release.

A presidential decree went into effect to move cargo flights from AICM to the new Felipe Ángeles airport (AIFA) earlier this year. A report in Milenio in early August noted that 15 of 24 dedicated cargo companies operating at AICM have already moved their flights to AIFA, and that the total should be 100% by Sept. 1.

With reports from Reforma, Expansión, El Economista and Milenio

Xóchitl Gálvez will be the opposition candidate in 2024

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MND Staff

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August 31, 2023

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Xóchitl Gálvez, Broad Front for Mexico candidate — The PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) announced on Wednesday that it will back Xóchitl Gálvez as the 2024 presidential candidate for the Broad Front for Mexico coalition. (GRACIELA LÓPEZ /CUARTOSCURO.COM)

National Action Party (PAN) Senator Xóchitl Gálvez will represent the Broad Front for Mexico (FAM) opposition alliance at next year’s presidential election after her sole remaining rival for the candidacy effectively withdrew from the contest ahead of a vote scheduled for this Sunday.

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Senator Beatriz Paredes acknowledged Wednesday that the results of polling that was part of the FAM’s candidate selection process didn’t “favor” her and declared that Gálvez’s victory was guaranteed.

Speaking at a PRI meeting in Mexico City, Paredes noted that she had committed to participating in the selection process until its conclusion before remarking that, “for me, the end is when they released the [poll] results that revealed that the triumph of the other candidate was irreversible.”

“… How the process ends is a matter for the organizing committee” of the FAM, she added.

A vote in which registered citizens could cast a ballot for either Gálvez or Paredes is scheduled for Sunday. However, it appears likely that it will be canceled given that Paredes has effectively withdrawn due to what she sees as the inevitable victory of Gálvez, who came out on top in polling by 15 points.

The results of polling and the vote were slated to be given equal weighting in the determination of the presidential candidate for the FAM, a three-party bloc that also includes the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD).

Broad Front for Mexico polling results — A Broad Front for Mexico vote tally sheet, which may not be used considering Paredes’ withdrawal in favor of Gálvez. (Frente Amplio por México/X)

After Paredes acknowledged that Gálvez’s victory was assured, the national president of the PRI, Alejandro Moreno, announced that the party he leads will provide its complete support to the PAN senator.

“We’ve taken the decision to support the single candidacy … of Xóchitl Gálvez to lead the Broad Front for Mexico,” Moreno said.

The announcement came five days after the PRD also threw its weight behind Gálvez, an indigenous Otomí woman from Hidalgo whose modest background could help her win support among the tens of millions of Mexicans who live below or near the poverty line.

Moreno said that the PRI “always wants to promote one of our own” as candidate for president, but “a decision in favor of our country” must come first.

Alejandro Moreno, leader of the PRI — Alejandro Moreno, national leader of the PRI, at the Wednesday press conference announcing his party’s backing of Xóchitl Gálvez. (ANDREA MURCIA /CUARTOSCURO.COM)

He asserted that the PRI has always placed the interests of the nation above all else, even though the party – which ruled Mexico uninterruptedly for more than 70 years until 2000 – has been closely associated with corruption and as a consequence was largely rejected by voters at the 2018 election, held shortly before the conclusion of Enrique Peña Nieto’s scandal-ridden presidency.

“We’re intelligent and clear, … we have to go … with the most competitive option. I’ve said it before and I say it now with a lot of pride, Beatriz Paredes is a great colleague and our friend,” Moreno said.

“… We’re seeking to favor unity … and prepare a project for all Mexicans. We aspire to the consolidation of the Broad Front for Mexico, we aspire to making it the strongest political option in the lead-up to next year’s electoral process,” he said.

Gálvez, Moreno continued, gives the FAM “the strength” to remove the ruling Morena party from office and “correct the course of the nation.”

The presumptive FAM nominee – one of 13 aspirants registered by the FAM in early July – said on the X social media platform that she valued Moreno’s leadership and the support of the PRI.

“We have before us a great opportunity to work together for a better Mexico,” Gálvez wrote, adding that what citizens are demanding is “work, security, efficiency and honesty.”

Senator Beatriz Paredes is a “badass”, according to Xóchitl Gálvez. (Beatriz Paredes/X)

She told reporters that Paredes is a “chingona,” or badass, and expressed her admiration and respect for her Senate colleague. On X, Gálvez wrote that “the talent and capacity” of the PRI senator “will be extremely important for the Broad Front for Mexico.”

Moreno also said that Paredes has an important role to play in the future of the FAM, which polls indicate faces an uphill battle to beat Morena at the June 2, 2024 presidential election.

The PRI senator said that her ongoing support for the FAM “will depend on the coalition’s program for government,” the “consistency of its proposals” and “the evolution of its democratic framework.”

Meanwhile, polling is underway to determine who will represent Morena and its allies at next year’s presidential election. Former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum is the frontrunner, according to polls, and her main rival is ex-foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard.

If Sheinbaum is announced as the Morena candidate on Sept. 6, Mexico will almost certainly elect its first female president next June given that she and Gálvez will be representing Mexico’s largest political parties.

The Citizens Movement party could also put forward a candidate, while one or more independents might join the race. The new president will take office on Oct. 1, 2024.

President López Obrador, who is constitutionally prohibited from seeking reelection, has said he will completely withdraw from politics once his six-year term ends.

With reports from El Universal, Reforma and Expansión

Trion ultra deepwater oil field development gets green light

By

MND Staff

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August 30, 2023

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shenzi-dusk---edited — Once operational, the deepwater rig is expected to improve estimates of the scale and potential of Mexico's deep-sea oil reserves. (Woodside)

Eleven years after it was discovered some 2,500 meters below the surface of the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tamaulipas, the Trion oil and gas field is one step closer to production after the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) approved its development plan on Tuesday.

The ultra deepwater field is a joint venture of Australian company Woodside Energy, which has a 60% stake, and Mexico’s state oil company Pemex, which discovered Trion in 2012.

Shenzi oil drilling platform off coast of Louisiana — An oil drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana owned by Woodside Energy, who will partner with Pemex to exploit the Trion deepwater oil field in the Gulf in Mexico. (Woodside)

Located about 180 kilometers off the Gulf of Mexico coast and 30 kilometers south of the Mexico-United States maritime border, the field is estimated to contain well over 400 million barrels of oil. Extraction is slated to commence in 2028 and continue until 2052.

The CNH said in a statement that its governing body approved the development plan for extraction during a meeting on Tuesday.

It said that the development strategy presented by Woodside and Pemex was determined to be “adequate for the characteristics of the Trion field” and that exploitation will increase knowledge of reserves in the area.

The CNH noted that it is the first development plan it has approved for an ultra deepwater field.

Octavio Romero and Meg O'Neill — Pemex director Octavio Romero with Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill. (Pemex/X)

“This milestone allows us to fully progress into execution phase activities with our contractors,” said Woodside CEO Meg O’Neil.

“We look forward to working with Pemex and our other stakeholders in Mexico to deliver this important project.”

Pemex noted in a statement that it is participating in the project as a “non-operating partner.”

“… With this project, proven and probable reserves of 478.7 million barrels of crude oil equivalent will be exploited with an investment of US $7.2 billion,” the state oil company said.

The announced development is the first ultra deepwater oil drilling project in Mexican waters. (Woodside)

“According to the development plan, the production of hydrocarbons is estimated to begin in 2028.”

The Trion development plan, according to the CNH statement, estimates a total cost of $10.43 billion including investment and operating expenses. A total of 12 wells are set to be drilled in the field.

Production is expected to peak in December 2028 with the daily extraction of 110,000 barrels of oil and 101 million cubic feet of gas. Citing the development plan, the CNH said that total production during the life of the contract is expected to be 434 million barrels of oil and 219 billion cubic feet of gas.

“By investment size, the Trion project occupies fifth place, above the Zama project, whose development plan was approved by the CNH in June with a total investment of $9.08 billion,” the commission said.

Woodside said in June that “the expected returns from the development exceed Woodside’s capital allocation framework targets and deliver enduring shareholder value.”

It also said that development is expected to deliver “economic and social benefits to Mexico.”

Privately held petroleum production remains limited but is increasing in Mexico. (U.S. Energy Information Administration)

The Perth-based company said it was “aligned” with Mexico’s ambition to increase oil production and that over US $10 billion in cumulative taxes and royalties would flow into Mexican government coffers.

Trion is expected to yield returns of over 19%, or more than 16% when including $460 million that Woodside will pay on behalf of Pemex, the news agency Reuters reported.

Woodside said Wednesday that it has “executed key contracts relating to the development” of Trion.

They include the floating production unit (FPU) engineering, procurement and construction contract with HD Hyundai Heavy Industries; the rig contract with Transocean; the FPU and floating storage offloading installation contract with SBM Offshore; and the subsea trees contract with OneSubsea UK, the company said.

Woodside, Australia’s largest oil and gas producer, acquired its 60% stake in Trion last year when it merged with the petroleum division of the Melbourne-based company BHP Group. BHP acquired the stake in Trion in 2017 during the presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto, whose government opened up Mexico’s energy sector to private and foreign companies.

The CNH’s announcement that it has approved the field’s development plan comes after Pemex’s processing of crude dropped to 768,732 barrels per day (bpd) in July, well below President López Obrador’s target of 1 million bpd in order to achieve self sufficiency for fuel by 2024.

With reports from Forbes México and Reuters