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.
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.”
Writer Rich Tenorio interviews author Alexandra V. Méndez about her acclaimed young adult novel set in 2001 Atlanta, that follows a story of a Mexican-American girl and her encounters with a mysterious shape-shifting jaguar. (Courtesy)
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 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 will connect Chicago and Cancún this winter. (Raymond Wambsgans/Wikimedia)
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.
Canada’s WestJet will use larger aircraft to increase capacity to Puerto Vallarta. (Taylor Beach/Unsplash)
“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.
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.
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 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:
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.
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,” theU.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.”
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 aremediation plan was announced in July after an RRM investigation, and the San Martín mine in Zacatecas, where the U.S. last weekrequested 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.
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.
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.”
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.
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.
Xóchitl Gálvez celebrates her victory with gelatinas, which she used to sell with her mother. (EDGAR NEGRETE LIRA/CUARTOSCURO.COM)
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).
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, 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.
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.
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.
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.
The churro has an ancient history, but is a food enjoyed today around the world. (Foodie Flavours/Unsplash)
The ubiquitous churro is a favorite snack in both Mexico and Spain. Sticks of fried dough rolled in sugar and cinnamon are eaten throughout both countries. One bite of this deliciousness and you will also be a fan of the delectable treat. Traditionally, Spaniards and Mexicans dip churros in their cup of hot chocolate, but they can also be dipped in the chocolate-based atole called champurrado, dulce de leche or café con leche.
Given its popularity in Mexico, many believe that the churro originated here. In fact, though its origins are controversial, we know that neither churros nor fried dough were invented in Mexico. One theory holds that fried dough first appeared in Ming dynasty China (1368- 1644) as youtiao and was brought back to the Iberian Peninsula by Portuguese traders.
A churro stand in Murcia, Spain. (Keith Mapeki/ Unsplash)
Spanish chef Jose Antonio Navarro, who has worked in both Hong Kong and Spain, believes churros were influenced by the fried dough made in China. “The Portuguese likely brought the concept to Spain and through the centuries we mastered the technique to make them. I think we mastered a recipe originating in China,” he told the South China Morning Post in 2021.
Another theory however is that churros were invented by Spanish shepherds as a substitute for fresh baked bread. Shepherds spent most of their time in the mountains and churros were convenient to make as they could be fried over an open fire. This theory is bolstered by the fact that churros resemble the horns of the Spanish Churra sheep, and their descendants, the Navajo-Churro sheep.
Many scholars believe churros and Chinese fried dough sticks had a common ancestor: the Middle Eastern zulabiya. They say fried dough was known throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. Food historian Michael Krondl told the BBC in June that “today’s churro is not that different from a recipe for a flour and water fritter you find in ‘Apicius’, a Roman cookbook dating from the 1st century AD.”
“The trouble is that fried dough strips and frybread are almost impossible not to invent, if you have dough and oil,” anthropologist Gene Anderson told the SCMP. “They are thus pretty widespread.” He believes that fried dough may be even older than that, based on recipes from the ancient Greeks.
The popular “El Moro”chain of churrerías was founded by Spanish immigrant Francisco Iriate when he arrived in Mexico in the 1930s. (Churrería El Moro)
Despite the controversy over their origins, one fact that is not in dispute is that the Spanish conquistadores brought churros to Mexico in the 16th century. The addition of hot chocolate came from Mexico. Already consumed for thousands of years when the Spanish arrived, cacao had religious and social significance across Mesoamerica. The letters of Hernán Cortés claim that the Mexica emperor Moctezuma II consumed 500 bowls of the drink xocolatl each day.
Churros are sold in churrerías, pastry shops and from stalls or carts. Madrid’s most famous churrería is Chocolatería San Ginés which opened its doors in 1894 and turns out 80,000 to 90,000 churros a day! They serve churros and hot chocolate to two million customers a year.
When Spanish immigrant Francisco Iriate came to Mexico City in the 1930s, he was dismayed to discover there were no churrerías in the city. He started selling his favorite treat from a cart downtown, naming it El Moro (The Moor) after the nickname of a churro vendor from his hometown. They were a big hit and in 1935, he established the first branch of El Moro a few blocks from the historic Zócalo, making it the oldest churrería in Mexico City. The popular family-owned churrería now has 15 locations in Mexico.
My favorite way to eat churros is from a churro cart, where I can watch the whole process. The batter for churros is very basic, just flour, water and a pinch of salt mixed together to get a pale, sticky, unappetizing blob of dough. The magic happens in the frying.
Churreros develop a practiced technique to make the perfect churro. (Churrería El Moro)
Being a churrero requires skill and practice. There is a technique to prepare the perfect churros. While you wait in line the churrero carefully watches the oil to make sure it reaches the right temperature. They know when it is ready by the ripples and shimmering on the surface. When the oil is hot enough, they pipe the dough from a churrera which resembles a canister or large syringe with a crank, cutting each stick of dough into the same length with a knife or scissors. If the oil is not hot enough, the churros will absorb the oil; too hot and the churros will burn. In the shimmering hot oil they slowly rise to the surface and bob around in a fury of bubbles and steam.
As your mouth waters in anticipation, the churrero uses a strainer to move the churros around, making sure they brown evenly. When they reach the right color, the churros are removed with the strainer and rolled in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Served in small paper bags, they are best eaten while still warm and should be crispy and sweet on the outside and fluffy on the inside.
Churros are so popular that they have their own holiday – National Churro Day – on June 6. But, as any Mexican will tell you, any day is a good day to eat churros.
Sheryl Losser is a former public relations executive and professional researcher. She spent 45 years in national politics in the United States. She moved to Mazatlán in 2021 and works part-time doing freelance research and writing.
Executives across the tourism and business industries voted Quintana Roo a top regional and national destination for its beaches, resorts and adventure offerings. (Unsplash)
Quintana Roo won a total of 21 awards at the 30th edition of the World Travel Awards, known as the “Tourism Oscars.” Seven awards were won in the Mexico and Central America category and 14 additional awards were won in competition with other destinations within the country, state Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto Riestra reported.
“The tourism development model that we are implementing within the new well-being and development plan for Quintana Roo establishes a collective commitment to creating sustainable, inclusive destinations that bring greater prosperity for all of Quintana Roo’s residents,” Cueto Riestra said.
Quintana Roo Tourism Secretary Bernardo Cueto Riestra says that Tulum is part of an overall “well-being and development plan” that aims to make the state’s tourist destinations more sustainable and inclusive. (Tulum Paradise/Facebook)
The Mexico and Central America awards category named Tulum a leading beach destination, a recognition it has won six times, in 2009, 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2022.
“This, of course, is an achievement for all of us from Tulum who are dedicated to the service of tourism, and we are very happy that this award builds prestige for Mexico and of course of Tulum,” president of the Tulum Tourism Promotion Council Mario Cruz Rodríguez said ahead of the official awards ceremony.
The top beach resort award went to the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancún, while the award for best new hotel went to the Kempinski Hotel Cancún. The St. Regis Kanai Resort, Riviera Maya, won best new top resort and the Cancún Office of Visitors and Conventions was awarded best tourist board of a leading city.
At the national level, the top beach resort award went to the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach Cancún, a five-star resort. (Grand Fiesta Americana)
In the Mexico category, Cancún was recognized as the leading beach destination.
In the same category, the company Xcaret was named best leading adventure tour operator, Puerto Morelos, the #1 destination in adventure tourism and Cancún Aventuras Extremas,s the best adventure tourist attraction.
Meanwhile, the Hilton Tulum Riviera Maya hotel was recognized as the top all-inclusive resort and the Hyatt Ziva, Cancún was named the leading beach resort. Our Habitas, Tulum, was awarded best boutique resort and Atelier Playa Mujeres was recognized as the leading conference hotel in the continental area of Isla Mujeres. The top family resort award went to Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa and Natural Park.
Hotel Xcaret Arte won the recognition for top hotel overall with Grand Residencias Riviera Cancún winning the award for best hotel residences in Mexico. Hyatt Ziva Cancun won leading resort, while Hotel Secreto was voted best boutique hotel.
Riviera Maya’s Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa and Natural Park won best family resort in Mexico at the awards. (Sunset World Resorts)
Finally, México Kan Tours, in Tulum, won Mexico’s leading tour operator.
