Historic buildings wait for attention after the 2017 earthquakes

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November 11, 2023

AtzitzinuacanPueblaOnline only now being repaired — Work did not begin on this church Atzitzinuacanin 2023 (PueblaOnline )

President López Obrador has promised that all of the nearly 1,000 historical buildings in Mexico damaged in 2017 still awaiting final restoration will be finished by the end of this year. That will likely not happen and may not even be desirable to make it so.

The quakes of 2017

Six years ago, Mexico was rocked by two nearly back-to-back earthquakes on September 7th and 19th. One-third of its territory was affected from central Mexico into Chiapas and Oaxaca, a region that has the country’s largest concentration of people and historic monuments.

Damage was widespread and in many cases, severe. Understandably, infrastructure such as hospitals, roads and schools took priority. However, the quake damaged thousands of historical buildings and sites. The long task of repairing these monuments sheds light on the massive human heritage that Mexico is custodian of.

What was damaged?

The number of damaged historical buildings is over 2,340, located in 11 states (Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero, Tabasco, Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, México state, Veracruz, and Mexico City). The most severe damage was in Oaxaca (affected strongly by both quakes) and near the epicenter of the September 19th quake on the Puebla/Morelos border. Many of the affected buildings are located in World Heritage sites such as the historic centers of Puebla and Mexico City. In Morelos, 90% of the damage was in early colonial-era parish churches, still the centers of community life.

Partially collapsed cupola of the Nuestra Señora de los Angeles Church in Mexico City. This is a difficult case because of the original’s Talavera tile and wrought iron cross. (Secretaría de Cultura)

In response to the massive damage, Mexico’s Culture Ministry through the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) created a unified program to restore the damaged buildings. The program coordinates support from international agencies and Mexican non-profits, but most of the nearly 10 billion peso effort has been funded through the country’s National Fund for Disasters (Fonden).

The challenge of restoration

The scale of the damage is challenging enough, but modern approaches to the care and repair of historical buildings make it even more so. In centuries past, old buildings were rebuilt using whatever technology and materials were available. Today, the goal is to restore buildings as close to the original as possible, meaning the involvement of experts and workmen with highly specialized knowledge.

INAH and other authorities have very strict rules and enforcement on these matters. The thousands of structures have had to be assessed not only for damage but also to determine how the original structure was built. Even after experts ascertain this, there are only a limited number of construction firms in Mexico (and the world) able to reproduce the building techniques of centuries ago. This drives up costs significantly.

Add to this that these projects have to compete for funds from the same pot as “ordinary” structures, including 166,000 residences, 41 health centers, and 12,000 educational facilities. Lack of funding is always an issue, and work has stopped in various places because of this, especially in Puebla and Morelos where the damage has been more severe and costly.

When will it all be finished?

News reports over the past six years have shown a steady advance in the percentage of projects completed although figures can vary depending on the source. INAH says that as of August 2023, 65% of the churches and other community buildings have been completed with 73% returned to use, at a cost of over 10 billion pesos (US $ 570 million).

It is an amazing feat when you consider that the federal government also had to invest over 35 billion pesos in other earthquake-related repairs in the same region.

The hardest-hit areas still have many buildings that are closed, including 591 in Puebla, 301 in Oaxaca and 178 in Morelos. Nonetheless, López Obrador has recently asserted that reconstruction projects are over 90% complete and will be finished at the end of the year, noting that his government released 844.5 million pesos this year alone for the effort.

This is likely not the case. Culture Minister Alejandra Frastro has spent a good part of this year visiting the hardest hit areas to reassure residents they will eventually have their churches and other community centers back. She claims most will be finished but the particularly difficult ones will not likely be ready until 2024.

There are plenty of cases where reconstruction is particularly difficult, such as the fallen roofs of the monastery in Tlayacapan and Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles in Mexico City, both from the 16th century. The church, municipal palace, and traditional market in Juchitan, Oaxaca are still unusable.

Earthquakes have damaged Mexico’s churches and public buildings since the Mesoamerican period and will continue to do so in the future. Just as important as getting life back to normal is learning from this experience to protect structures in the future.

Puebla spokesperson Sergio Salomón Céspedes states “[The reconstruction] is a great challenge because it is specialized infrastructure, not just any ordinary thing. It involves great challenges in logistics, infrastructure, and resources. The actions are to give [our children] heritage, identity, history and culture.”

While the government certainly does need to reassure communities long without traditional sociological support, Mexico does deserve credit for taking on a monumental task nearly single-handedly.”

Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico over 20 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture in particular its handcrafts and art. She is the author of Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta (Schiffer 2019). Her culture column appears regularly on Mexico News Daily.

Crispy, crunchy iceberg lettuce: the foundation of the wedge salad

By

Janet Blaser

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November 11, 2023

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Wedge-Salad23-Thumbnail2-scaled — Classic iceberg wedge salad. (Photo: Tastes better from scratch)

Quietly, efficiently, and uncomplaining, iceberg lettuce does its job day in and day out. We put it in and on everything: our favorite burgers, timeless salads, beloved sandwiches. (Think BLT.) In Mexican cuisine, it’s a ubiquitous ingredient in many dishes, from tacos to taquitos. Without iceberg lettuce, those classics would not be the same.

What iceberg lettuce does so well (one could say perfectly) is balance other ingredients—the spicy, the chewy, the gooey, the rich and drippy, the umami flavor. Its refreshing, juicy crunch is absolutely welcome in the midst of a fried chicken sandwich or New Orleans po-boy; a relief in every bite of a spicy pastor taco, an essential layer in a taco salad. The classic Wedge Salad was first served as an accompaniment to big sizzling steaks in steakhouses of the 1960s for exactly this reason.

So why do we love to hate it so much?

Iceberg wasn’t always on the bottom of the lettuce heap. In fact, it and other crisp head lettuces were the most popular varieties until the 1970s, making up 95% of lettuces cultivated and consumed in the U.S. (Romaine, or cos, lettuce, is more popular in the Mediterranean, and only recently gained favor in other parts of the world.)

Then packaged salad mix appeared, touted as having more nutritional value than traditional iceberg. It quickly became the darling of the ever-fickle food world. Leaf lettuces were lurking too, but consumers—always looking for shortcuts—preferred the convenience of pre-washed, packaged products.

Bagged mixed salad greens, though, are a mixed bag. (No pun intended.) They’re washed in chlorinated water and then treated with a mixture of gases known as “modified atmosphere” to give them a longer shelf life. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether that feels OK to eat.

Iceberg lettuce is a perfect crunchy, juicy and crisp topping. (Archive)

Back to iceberg lettuce: does it have less nutritional value than other lettuces? A good rule of thumb is the darker green the lettuce, the more vitamins it has—up to 20 times more, say food scientists. So what about Romaine? If, like me, you prefer the white crunchy inner leaves of Romaine, the difference may be negligible. Darker leaf lettuces have more nutrients (most notably vitamin K and vitamin A) and are always a healthy choice.

But the truth is, we’re not eating iceberg lettuce for its vitamins; we’re eating it for the juicy crunch it adds to a dish.

The trick is to find really fresh and if possible, locally grown heads of iceberg lettuce. They will be sweet and juicy, never bitter or bland. Look in your local markets, farmers’ markets, or even specialty grocery stores. Many years ago, when I lived in rural Pennsylvania, I grew iceberg lettuce. Flavorful, crunchy, and juicy, the difference between my garden-grown heads and what was in the grocery stores was dramatic, the same as a just-picked, vine-ripened tomato vs. a commercially grown one. Fresh iceberg lettuce will have multiple layers of dark green leaves surrounding the inner white core—all edible, all healthy, and all delicious. Keep looking until you find one—they’re out there somewhere. You won’t be sorry.

Classic iceberg wedge salad

12-15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 small shallot, peeled and diced (2 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 thick slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled
8 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
¼ cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
Dash Worcestershire sauce, to taste
1 large head iceberg lettuce, the outer leaves removed, cut into 4 wedges
2 Tbsp. minced chives

Combine the tomatoes, shallots, and vinegar in a small bowl. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

To make dressing, put half the cheese into a medium bowl; mash with a whisk. Add buttermilk, mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Mash and whisk until mostly smooth. Adjust seasonings and set aside.

To assemble, place one wedge of lettuce on each plate. Gently spoon dressing over it. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon, the dressed tomato halves, remaining blue cheese and minced chives.

Stir-fried iceberg lettuce with shrimp

2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. peanut or other neutral oil
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. grated or minced fresh ginger
1 medium head iceberg lettuce, cored and shredded
½-¾ lb. medium shrimp, shelled, cleaned and deveined
Salt & pepper
¼ cup chopped scallion, plus more for garnish

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.

In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp. peanut oil, swirl it around and immediately add garlic and ginger. Cook 15 seconds, stirring, then add scallion and lettuce. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until lettuce barely softens, about 2 minutes, being careful not to overcook or it will get mushy. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium, add remaining tablespoon of oil, let it get hot, then add shrimp and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Raise heat to high and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes until shrimp turn white and are no longer translucent.

Reduce heat to medium, return lettuce to pan, and toss once or twice. Stir cornstarch sauce and add to pan. Cook quickly until everything is warmed through and sauce thickens. Garnish with chopped scallions and serve immediately.

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

What does it meme? This week’s selection of Mexican memes

By

Sarah DeVries

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November 11, 2023

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Captura de pantalla 2023-11-10 a la(s) 15.29.23 (1) — Laugh out loud with these Mexican memes.

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

Meme translation: “Apartment for rent five minutes from the beach; if you trip, it’s only one minute!”

What does it meme?: Basically, to be cautious when getting excited about rental listings! Seriously, though: I often joke that “safety third!” is Mexico’s official motto when it comes to building everything from public infrastructure to private homes, and this photograph proves the rule.

Mexicans, of course, take this kind of thing in stride: unlike the U.S. where the builder of something like this would get sued fairly quickly, the prevailing wisdom in Mexico is simply, “Well, watch where you’re going!”

Meme translation: “Well, well, another pregnant lady on Earth! Woosh, woosh, take that, you little brat!” → “Aha! You can’t hurt my child, I’m wearing a red ribbon, and some safety pins just in case. Double protection!”

What does it meme?: Every culture has superstitions around pregnancy (and everything else, I guess), and this is a prominent one in Mexico: if you’re pregnant during a solar eclipse, then you need some extra protection to keep the phenomenon from hurting the fetus. What protection do you need, you might ask? Why, a red ribbon tied around your pregnant belly of course, and safety pins (or at least something metal) for good measure. It sounds pretty wild to most people, but if you think about it, we all have our superstitions and rituals to guard against what often feels like the random and uncontrollable cruelty of nature at large.

Meme translation: “OBJECTIVE: Go running every morning.” → “OBSTACLE: Running is what cowards do.”

What does it meme?: If you need an excuse to not exercise, look no further – you can simply claim you’re brave! Like everyone everywhere, excuses for avoiding exercises are the absolute easiest to come up with.

Meme translation: “I only spent $30 (about $2 USD) on breakfast at the market, and instead of spending $250 ($15 USD) on an Uber, I took the bus…Now I have diarrhea and I’m lost.”

What does it meme?: In Mexico (depending on where you live of course), it’s possible for 10,000 pesos to be enough for the month, and for 100,000 pesos to be not nearly enough for the month. While some of that depends on location, much of it depends on lifestyle.

If you’re not used to eating in places that may or may not have excellent sanitary ratings, doing so can be both an adventure and a risk. And before boarding a bus, be sure to ask where it goes…and perhaps ask the conductor or a fellow passenger to let you know where to get off for good measure!

Meme translation: “Spotify: I’m sorry, you were off by one letter, we can’t find that song.” → “YouTube: endaaaaaaa iaaaaaa…”

What does it meme?: There’s a whole genre of funny videos and audios of people requesting English-language songs with the lyrics of what they think is being said in Spanish. But some people (and apps) are better at guessing than others! Here, we sing the praises of YouTube over Spotify search engines!

Meme translation: “All people know how to do is complain instead of enjoying everything the country has to offer.”

What does it meme?: Ask a Mexican what, on a philosophical level, Mexico’s problem is, and quite a few will point out the collective Mexican psyche, usually calling it “hypocritical.” “People complain about everything but they’re perfectly happy contributing to the problems,” they might say…follow them down this road of reflection, and they’ll usually admit to doing the same.

But sometimes, there’s a moment of clarity and appreciation for what’s special about their lives…and this fabulous meme is a spoof on that.

Meme translation: “My mom: go to the store to see if there are any nochebuenas (the word for poinsettias in Spanish), and bring some home if there are.” → “Me, back from the store.”

What does it meme?: If you’ve been in Mexico around Christmastime, you might know about one of its famous seasonal beers, which shares its name with the famous seasonal plant (and native plant to Mexico!), the poinsettia. And unlike other places in North America, it’s plenty common to send your kids to the store to fetch some beer!

Noche Buena is made by Bohemia, which is my favorite commercial beer here (that’s saying a lot, as I’m kind of an insufferable beer snob). It’s heavy and alcoholic, a good way to warm up on some cold winter nights that just hit different in the absence of central climate control. Just be sure to drink it earlier rather than later in the season – unlike wine, beer is best enjoyed fresh!

Thankfully, showing up with a case of this instead of a plant won’t likely anger too many people.

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

Would you drink tap water in Mexico? This official had little choice

By

MND Staff

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November 10, 2023

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Screenshot 2023-11-10 at 17.59.45 — The head of Jalisco's water department was put on the spot during a congressional meeting this week. (@Mariomarlo/X)

To drink or not to drink? The answer in Mexico more often than not is no.

You got it, we’re talking about humble (unfiltered) tap water.

The drinkability (or otherwise) of tap water in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara came up on Friday during an appearance in the Jalisco Congress of the director of the state’s Inter-municipal System of Potable Water and Sewage Services, or SIAPA.

Aquí les dejo la secuencia con @CarlosTorresLu, donde afirma que podíamos beber el agua de la llave y luego menciona que no lo recomienda, pero aún así la cobran como potable. Si vamos a autorizar presupuesto para el @siapagdl tienen que presentar un proyecto donde se priorice el… pic.twitter.com/E48LwBtelw

— Mara Robles (@MaraRoblesV) November 10, 2023

During a grilling from lawmakers over dirty tap water in Guadalajara and other issues, Carlos Enrique Torres Lugo was presented with a challenge by Congresswoman Mara Robles.

Would he drink a glass of water from a faucet connected to the very water system he oversees?

“I went to the kitchen on the second floor of this Congress building and filled a jug of water from the faucet for both of us,” Robles said.

“Can you assure me that we can drink water from the faucet with complete certainty that it is potable?”

Torres nodded, prompting Robles to pour two glasses of congressional tap water, which looked clean enough – at least to the naked eye. And then – after clinking glasses – the lawmaker and the water director drank. Neither displayed any immediate ill effects.

Dirty water has been reported in more than 50 neighborhoods of Guadalajara since July, and residents continue to share evidence online. (@lizcampe/X)

“It’s the first time this has happened!” Robles exclaimed, apparently indicating that Torres isn’t the first water official she has challenged to drink a glass of tap water.

She later joked that they’ll both need to get medical checkups to ensure that they haven’t contracted an illness from drinking the Guadalajara water.

Tap water quality varies across Mexico – as do opinions about whether it is safe to drink – and contamination is caused by different things in different parts of the country.

Choosing to drink tap water or not in Mexico is obviously a personal decision, but in case you’re looking for some advice, the Mexican Association for Correct Hydration, a non-government organization that monitors water quality, “emphatically” advises against it, according to a report by the El Financiero newspaper.

There just may be a reason why bottled water is so popular here.

With reports from Informador and Mural

Rescuers and vets help dogs and cats affected by Hurricane Otis

By

MND Staff

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November 10, 2023

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F-HUdTRacAAyWTc — Four adult dogs and eight puppies were rescued from the rubble in Acapulco this week. (@rbksokol/X)

The Animal Protection Brigade (BVA) of Mexico City and other organizations have estimated that up to 100,000 dogs and cats are homeless in Acapulco, more than two weeks after Hurricane Otis hit.

Despite the sad situation, one story of hope emerged this week: a report that some members of the BVA went on a mission to the Guerrero port city and returned home with 12 rescued dogs.

An estimated 100,000 dogs and cats are homeless in Acapulco after Hurricane Otis devastated the city. (@rbksokol/X)

Four dogs and eight puppies will be rehabilitated and cared for by specialists in the Mexican capital, and then hopefully put up for adoption, said Leticia Varela, former head of the BVA.

Varela said some BVA members remained in Acapulco to hand out food to pet owners affected by the Category 5 hurricane that made landfall Oct. 25, and to provide medical attention to animals that need it.

“We will return soon to support the nonprofits and individuals who, in the face of the Otis emergency, continue to do the impossible for the animals,” Varela wrote on social media.

The post includes a 63-second video of dogs, including Stinky and Abu, who were rescued by brigade members. One of the rescued dogs, Cuca, suffered severe damage to one of her front legs and will receive specialized care before being put up for adoption. Abu also arrived on Wednesday in bad condition, still very nervous.

The rescues will be rehabilitated and put up for adoption in Mexico City. (@rbksokol/X)

Varela also reported this week that her team found 60 dead dogs in areas affected by the hurricane, which had winds that reached up to 260 km/h (162 mph). At least 48 human fatalities are being reported, along with an estimated damage of at least 26.5 billion pesos (US $11.5 billion).

In addition to dogs and cats, horses, chickens and other animals were also victims of Otis, some by drowning and others by factors related to the storm. Many animals that have become lost or were already living on the street are now malnourished.

“Especially here in the Renacimiento neighborhood, since there is a lot of dust, a lot of humidity,” said veterinarian Andrés Martínez Ángeles. He has been lowering the prices of his pet medicine so people can afford it and offering his services free of charge, he added.

BVA has said that people will be able to adopt the rescued animals after they are treated and rehabilitated.

For more details on adoption, click here or visit the BVA Instagram page.

With reports from Milenio and Infobae

Peso weakens then rallies after central bank interest rate decision

By

MND Staff

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November 10, 2023

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Uncut sheets of 500-peso bills — Mexican pesos at the national bank's Mexico City currency printing plant. (Isabel Mateos / Cuartoscuro.com)

The Mexican peso rallied on Friday after depreciating to close to 18 to the US dollar in early morning trading.

Bloomberg data shows that the peso fell to a low of 17.92 to the greenback early Friday, but it had improved to 17.64 to the dollar by 3:30 p.m. Mexico City time.

The peso’s recovery to that level came after the currency closed at 17.81 to the dollar on Thursday, a depreciation of 1.4% compared to its position 24 hours earlier.

The slide came after the Bank of México (Banxico) announced that its board had decided to maintain its key interest rate at a record high of 11.25%.

The newspaper El Economista reported that the peso depreciated on Thursday due to a “less restrictive tone” in the central bank’s monetary policy statement, suggesting that rates will remain at the current level for less time than previously anticipated.

Banxico said in previous statements that its board believed that rates would have to be maintained at 11.25% for “an extended period” in order to achieve “an orderly and sustained convergence of headline inflation to the 3% target.”

The Bank of Mexico building in Mexico City — Banxico said the current record-high interest rates will continue for “some time” to meet its goals to limit inflation. (Shutterstock)

On Thursday, the bank — after acknowledging that inflation is decreasing — adjusted its language slightly, saying that “the reference rate must be maintained at its current level for some time.”

Hence, a first cut to the record high 11.25% rate could come sooner than previously expected.

El Economista said that the weakening of the peso on Thursday was the largest of three depreciations of the currency following Bank of Mexico monetary policy announcements this year.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, said that remarks on Thursday from the chair of the United States Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, also had an impact on the peso.

A stock photo of pesos and dollar bills and coins. — The peso fell to almost 18 to a dollar Friday morning before rebounding. (Shutterstock)

Powell said that the Fed’s Federal Open Market Committee “is not confident” that it has achieved “a stance of monetary policy that is sufficiently restrictive to bring inflation down to 2% over time.”

His remarks raised the prospect that the Fed could increase rates from their current 5.25%-5.5% level.

The Mexican peso has benefited this year from the significant difference between interest rates here and those north of the border. An increase in the U.S. would reduce the differential between the two rates and likely cause the peso to depreciate.

So why did the peso rebound on Friday after sinking to close to 18?

According to Janneth Quiroz, director of analysis at the Monex financial group, the peso benefited from a general weakening of the greenback on Friday morning.

The DXY index, which measures the value of the dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, remained below its closing position on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Despite strengthening on Friday, the peso was on track to record a slight depreciation this week after closing at 17.46 to the dollar last Friday.

Last week was a good one for the Mexican currency, prompting President López Obrador to declare last Friday that the “super peso” was back.

With reports from El Economista

Foreign direct investment in Mexico hits record high

By

MND Staff

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November 10, 2023

0

A man and woman wearing safety goggles operate heavy machinery. — Automakers, like this Audi manufacturing plant in Puebla, are one of the top industries drawing foreign direct investment in Mexico. (Shutterstock)

Foreign direct investment (FDI) reached a record high of almost US $33 billion in the first nine months of 2023, according to preliminary government data published this week.

The Economy Ministry (SE) reported Wednesday that FDI was $32.9 billion between January and September, a 30% increase compared to the same period of last year if spending on the Televisa-Univisión merger and the restructuring of Aeroméxico is excluded from the investment total.

If the investment on the merger and restructuring is included, the increase is 2.4%.

Foreign investment in Mexico has steadily trended upwards this century. FDI in the first three quarters of 2023 is over 200% higher than in the same period of 2006, 129% above the 2010 level, 52% higher than in 2015 and 40% above the 2020 level.

What contributed to Mexico’s FDI total in the first nine months of 2023?

To be precise, FDI in Mexico between January and September was $32.926 billion, according to the preliminary data. A total of just over $29 billion was reported after the first six months of the year, meaning that Q3 FDI was only about $4 billion.

BMW plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico — A worker puts together a sedan at the German-owned BMW plant in San Luis Potosí. (BMW)

The SE said that the investment in the first three quarters of 2023 came from 4,008 trust agreements, 2,539 Mexican companies backed by foreign companies and one foreign entity.

The majority of the FDI — 76% — came from reinvestment of profits, while 16% came from loans and payments between companies and 8% was new investment.

The SE said that the FDI total to the end of the third quarter is the “result of the confidence of foreign investors due to the good business environment and economic stability of the country.”

Which countries are the biggest investors in Mexico?

U.S. and Mexico flags — The U.S. is the country with the most foreign direct investment in Mexico.(Shutterstock)

Just over two-fifths of the total FDI in Mexico in the first nine months of the year — 41% or $13.5 billion — came from the United States.

Spain ranked second, investing $3.7 billion or 11% of the FDI total in Mexico between January and September.

Ranking third to tenth for FDI in Mexico in the first three quarters of 2023 were:

Germany, $2.8 billion, 9% of the FDI total.
Argentina, $2.5 billion, 7%
Japan, $2.4 billion, 7%
Canada, $2.2 billion, 7%
United Kingdom, $1 billion, 3%
Netherlands, $600 million, 2%
France, $500 milion, 1.5%
Switzerland, $500 million, 1.5%

Which Mexican states attracted the most FDI?

The SE reported that 58% of FDI to the end of Q3 went to just five of Mexico’s 32 federal entities.

A crowded street in downtown Mexico City — In the first 9 months of this year, the majority of foreign direct investment went to Mexico City. (Jezael Melgoza/Unsplash)

Mexico City was the clear winner. FDI in the capital was $10.58 billion, or 32% of the total between January and September.

The northern state of Nuevo León ranked second with $2.82 billion, or 9% of the FDI total.

That monetary figure is dwarfed by the combined investment amount of foreign companies that have announced plans this year to build plants in Nuevo León. In the space of just a few days last month, Governor Samuel García announced investments from Asian companies totaling more than $6 billion.

It appears that much of the investment in Nuevo León announced this year — including that linked to Tesla’s gigafactory plan — has not yet begun flowing into the state.

Sonora attracted the third highest FDI amount — $2.53 billion, or 8% of the total — while Chihuahua ($1.51 billion) and México state ($1.47 billion) ranked fourth and fifth, respectively.

Which industries received the most FDI?

Over half of the FDI in the first nine months of the year — $17.5 billion or 53% — went to the manufacturing sector. Within that broad industry, 44% of investment went to the transport equipment sector, which includes automakers.

The remaining 56% of the $17.5 billion investment in manufacturing went to the following sectors: metal (14%); beverages and tobacco (13%); chemicals (8%); computer equipment (5%); energy generation equipment (5%); plastic and rubber (3%); food (3%); machinery (1%); other manufacturing industries (4%).

The financial services industry was the second largest recipient of FDI, attracting $7.2 billion or 22% of the total between January and September.

GM truck — The transport equipment sector, which includes automakers, received more foreign direct investment than any other sector during the first nine months of the year. (General Motors)

The mining industry ranked third, receiving $2.9 billion or 9% of total FDI, followed by the following sectors:

Temporary accommodation (hotels, Airbnb, etc.), $2.2 billion, or 7% of the total
Transport, $1.3 billion, 4%
Construction, $759 million, 2%
Wholesale retail, $582 million, 2%

Is the low level of new investment a cause for concern?

As noted above, only 8% of the FDI total in the first nine months of the year is new investment.

That figure is one percentage point higher than the reading after the first two quarters of 2023, but the new investment monetary total — $2.8 billion — is the lowest for the first nine months of a year since 2014 and represents a decline of 80% compared to the first three quarters of 2022.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexican bank Banco Base, said that the new investment data indicates that Mexico is not taking full advantage of the nearshoring opportunity.

Heavy machinery in a mine in the mountains — The mining industry also draws large amounts of foreign direct investment, including $2.9 billion this year as of the end of September. (Alamos Gold)

On Imagen Televisión, financial reporter David Páramo noted that not much “fresh” investment came into Mexico in the first nine months of the year.

“Mexico, in these times of relocation, in these times of improvement of global conditions, should be attracting a lot more foreign direct investment,” he said, noting that more money flows into the country in remittances than in FDI.

Páramo said that Mexico has “a great opportunity” to benefit from the relocation of foreign companies, but is not taking full advantage. It could be on the crest of the nearshoring “wave” but is only “in the middle,” he said, describing Mexico’s performance in attracting FDI as “mediocre.”

Some other observers also believe that Mexico runs the risk of missing its nearshoring opportunity, or at least not taking full advantage of it, for a variety of reasons.

Numerous foreign companies have recently announced that they will establish a presence in Mexico, but a lot of their proposed investment is still in the pipeline. Tesla, for example, announced in March that it will build a large plant in Nuevo León that is expected to entail investment of some $10 billion, but construction isn’t slated to start until early next year.

President López Obrador’s reaction to the latest FDI data

The president discussed the preliminary data on foreign direct investment at his Thursday morning press conference. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

“The foreign investment data just came out, it’s a record,” López Obrador noted at his Thursday morning press conference.

He said that FDI creates jobs before asserting that Mexico has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world, although many Mexicans — over half the total workforce — work in the informal sector.

López Obrador also noted that the Mexican peso remains strong. Analysts have cited strong incoming flows of foreign capital to Mexico as one factor that has helped the peso appreciate markedly this year.

López Obrador has frequently described investment conditions in Mexico as “unbeatable.”

“Mexico is among the countries … with the most advantages for foreign investment because it has a trade agreement that allows what is produced in Mexico to be exported to the United States and Canada [tariff-free]. That’s why a lot of investment is arriving and the forecast is that Mexico is going to grow a lot more than other countries,” he said earlier this year.

With reports from El Finaniciero

Catching the Mexican beat: 3 common phrases around time

By

Paulina Gerez

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November 10, 2023

22

viajero-llevando-mochila-mirar-reloj (1) — Ahorita llego (I’ll be there soon, ahorita almost never means now) (Freepik)

If you’ve heard something along the lines you will read below, you know what I’m talking about. In Mexico, if a dinner invitation is at 7 p.m., Mexicans will most likely show up around 8 – or even 10 if you’ve invited my aunt. I’m generalizing, but trust me, I’ve been there.

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Una publicación compartida por Mexico News Daily (@mexiconewsdaily)

It’s important to note that not all Mexicans are unpunctual. I am one of those few for whom punctuality is extremely important. I used to get super upset if I were five minutes late, a trait that might have stemmed from childhood experiences of thinking none of my friends would attend my birthday parties. Little did I know, their moms just didn’t want to be the first ones to arrive, partially to avoid having to help glue the last balloon on the entrance door, place the napkins on the tables, and sit by themselves, waiting for everybody else to show up.

What’s even funnier is that it’s almost like everybody agrees to get there 40 minutes after the established time and come all at once. But here’s the kicker: the hosts aren’t ready either! They’re either missing the sodas, the plastic glasses, or some more ice, or they’re still getting their makeup done!

However, as with everything in life, there’s a big lesson to learn behind the little annoyances. I understood that the stress I felt was created by living in my own reality because the people around me were living in a different one, with their own sense of timing.

So, I decided to stop stressing and started living life in a more laid-back way. My best advice is simply to accept the culture as it is and send a special invitation to your Mexican friends. If you want them to arrive at 5 p.m., the invitation should say they should be there at 3 p.m. This way, you’ll have your punctual friends arriving at 5 and your not-so-punctual friends arriving at 5, too (you know who they are). It’s all about finding that perfect balance between our expectations and Mexican time’s wonderful, unique rhythm. After all, embracing these quirks makes our cultural experiences all the more colorful and memorable!

Before I go…Here are three common Mexican phrases around time you will surely hear at some point during your time in Mexico.

“¡Ya voy para allá!” (I’m on my way)
“Ahorita llego” (I’ll be there soon, ahorita almost never means soon)
“Hay un buen de tráfico” (there is a lot of traffic)

Paulina Gerez is a translator-interpreter, content creator, and founder of Crack The Code, a series of online courses focused on languages. Through her social media, she helps people see learning a language from another perspective through her fun experiences. Instagram: paulinagerezm / Tiktok: paugerez3 / YT: paulina gerez

CITES to return to Mexico to monitor vaquita protection efforts

By

Cat Rainsford

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November 10, 2023

1

An endangered vaquita swimming in the ocean — Mexican authorities and scientists cautioned that more vaquitas may exist outside the survey area. (Paula Olson, NOAA/Wikimedia Commons)

The Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has resolved to send a third observation mission to Mexico, to monitor progress in the protection of the highly endangered vaquita porpoise.

The mission will also assess Mexico’s actions to prevent illegal totoaba fishing in the Gulf of California, the vaquita’s only habitat. The tiny porpoises often get tangled and drown in totoaba gillnets, which has caused their numbers to drop sharply: today, there are between 10 and 13 vaquitas in the wild.

A Navy patrol vessel monitoring for illegal fishing operations in the “zero tolerance zone,” inhabited by the critically endangered vaquita porpoise. (Semar/Cuartoscuro)

In March, CITES sanctioned Mexico for its failure to crack down on the illegal totoaba fishing that has driven the vaquita to the brink of extinction. Mexico sent a delegation to the committee’s headquarters in Geneva, where they negotiated with CITES officials to review and update an action plan, and succeeded in having the sanctions revoked.

The action plan’s goals include long-range video surveillance of the Zero Tolerance Zone for illegal fishing, intensifying maritime patrols, destroying illegal totoaba nets, monitoring the vaquita population and training authorities to recognize parts or derivatives of illegally-fished totoaba, which are also considered an endangered species.

Prior to the committee’s 77th meeting this week, cetacean experts from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criticized CITES’ decision to endorse in advance Mexico’s report stating that many of the action plan’s goals had already been achieved.

“Our experts concluded that there is no evidence of the alleged reduction of the presence of gillnets in the Vaquita Refuge Zone, beyond the Zero Tolerance Zone, which is a very small portion of the species’ range,” IUCN spokesman Dr. Randall Reeves said. “This does not mean that the totoaba and the vaquita porpoise are more protected or that their populations are recovering.”

The observation mission to Mexico was announced during this week’s 77th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). (@AWIOnline/X)

However, following an agreement signed last month, the conservation group Sea Shepherd is now collaborating with the Mexican Navy to expand the area monitored in the Gulf of California, using six high-range drones, sonar and radar systems.

“The area where fishing nets are not allowed is being expanded by 60%, when you look at the map this means about 140 square kilometers… this is critical because this is the area where vaquitas have been sighted, especially vaquita calves,” Pritam Singh, director of Sea Shepherd’s Board of Directors, told Milenio newspaper.

“The government of Mexico has responded very quickly to this data that we have collected and that we have provided them; normally we see that in bureaucracies it takes a long time to implement actions, but in this case we have been pleasantly impressed by [the government’s] agility,” Singh added.

For its part, Mexico’s Environment Ministry (Semarnat) has insisted that there is an “international co-responsibility of transit and destination countries” for totoaba. Mexico’s delegation to CITES’ 77th meeting requested that the upcoming observation mission also visit the United States and China, where the totoaba fish’s coveted swim bladder is traded and sold.

Sea Sheperd and the Mexican Navy have worked to enforce a ban on fishing in the protected region that forms the habitat of the Vaquita porpoise. A new agreement will expand the so-called “zero tolerance area.” (Sea Shepherd)

While it was not confirmed if such a visit would take place, the observation mission to Mexico and the delivery of conclusions on the actions carried out by Mexico are expected to be completed before February 2025.

With reports from La Lista, Excelsior and Milenio

The week in photos from Mexico: From Tijuana to Xalapa

By

MND Staff

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November 10, 2023

2

Beach in Acapulco — Nov 8: Two weeks after Hurricane Otis, Acapulco residents have returned to the beaches for a respite as cleanup efforts continue. (GALO CAÑAS/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Take a visual tour of the week in Mexico – from the Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City to the migrant caravan from Chiapas to the WTA finals in Cancún – with this selection of pictures from around the country.