Inequality rising: a reflection on expats’ economic impact

By

-

May 31, 2023

San Miguel de Allende is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and prime destination for both global tourists and expats who choose to stay. (Daniels Joffe/Unsplash)

I have been thinking about the effects of our comfortable expatriate lives on our Mexican hosts, particularly in the city where I live, San Miguel de Allende.

I was recently shaken out of complacency by an essay a friend posted on Facebook called “La Segunda Conquista, Silenciada” (“The Second, Silent, Conquest”). In her post, my friend Sandra discussed some causes of the substantial increase in the cost of living faced by residents of San Miguel, particularly the dramatic rise in real estate prices. Inflation has also been high in recent years — though it appears now to be abating — and has also had an impact.

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato — San Miguel de Allende beckons newcomers with colonial charm and also a vibrant artistic community. (Jezael Melgoza/Unsplash)

While this fair city has welcomed foreigners for generations and is economically dependent on tourism, our numbers have grown in recent years, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Middle- and lower-income sanmiguelenses, Sandra worries, are getting priced out of their own city. The National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval), has determined that San Miguel de Allende has the highest level of income inequality in all of Mexico.

Another friend, a realtor also born and raised in San Miguel, pointed out that it’s not only foreigners driving the gentrification trend. Plenty of the people buying vacation homes to rent out short-term, for example, are upper-income nationals from Mexico City, Querétaro, Monterrey and elsewhere.

But Sandra has a point. In talking with several local realtors, I learned that in the last 10 years, the median price of a home in San Miguel’s downtown neighborhoods has grown from an already remarkably high US $324,000 to US $540,000. That is a stunning price point in a municipality with an average net monthly income of only US $682, where nearly half the population lives in moderate to extreme poverty.

Building a house — In the poorer communities of San Miguel, basic services are lacking and housing is woefully inadequate. Some nonprofits like Casita Linda bring together volunteers to build homes for these families. (Courtesy: Casita Linda)

I sat down with Sandra to learn more about what drives her concerns. First, she said she enjoys living among foreigners, who bring energy and new perspectives to San Miguel. She is happy for people who have the ability to work as digital nomads, and she was not against the national government keeping Mexico’s borders open during the pandemic.

However, Sandra can no longer find an affordable home to rent close to downtown (the centro histórico), which was still possible for her only a few years ago. Despite owning a business, she doubts she will ever be able to buy a home unless she buys land far outside of the city. Over many years, she has watched as San Miguel has become one of the most expensive places to live in Mexico, and she fears being pushed out.

Short-term vacation rentals are clearly a significant contributor to this trend. Currently, there are 3,170 active Airbnb listings in San Miguel, a considerable number for a city of 174,615 (2020 census). While San Miguel’s housing stock is growing in the form of numerous developments along the highways to both Querétaro and Dolores Hidalgo, the supply of homes in desirable central locations is naturally limited. Shifting so many housing units from the long-term rental market to short-term rentals inevitably drives up prices.

This problem is certainly not unique to San Miguel de Allende. For example, according to the Cancún Post, at least 13 schools in downtown Cancún have lost 20%–40% of their students in the last five years as families have been forced out by rising rents, which has been attributed to Airbnb increasing housing costs in the area.

CDMX mayor Claudia Sheinbaum with Airbnb, Unesco — Claudia Sheinbaum, seen with Airbnb and UNESCO representatives last year in Mexico City. (Claudia Sheinbaum/Twitter)

Mexico City has also been wrestling with the challenges of gentrification with an influx of foreign digital nomads landing in the city starting in 2020, and Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum is reportedly planning to implement regulations on the short-term rental industry. However, she also made a partnership last year with Airbnb and UNESCO. In my opinion, a cap on the total number and concentration of Airbnbs or other short-term rentals allowed in San Miguel’s historic neighborhoods would be worthy of consideration as well.

Sandra also worries that at some point, only stores serving high-income tourists will be able to afford retail space on the prime streets of Centro. She is fortunate her landlord gave her a deal, specifically to support a local business owner.

We’ve all seen this happen in other cities, eventually, the authentic heart of a city can be hollowed out, leaving an overpriced tourist trap. But Sandra believes it is not too late to avoid that fate because there are still many unique local businesses worth supporting.

Sandra asks that we be more conscious of protecting what we love about San Miguel.

“I hope that people will understand these concerns. Let’s work together to somehow bring the economy back into balance so this city will be livable for everyone. I don’t want to have to leave my own city.”

Individually, our choices to move to Mexico to pursue a better life for ourselves and our families are understandable, and the global economic trends that inspire these trends are bigger than all of us. However, we should acknowledge that collectively, our choices have both positive and negative impact. Yes, our dollars support many businesses, but we have also pushed up the costs for everyone, including the majority who earn pesos, not dollars.

While neither Sandra nor I have come up with any grand solutions, I suggest that we all take some small steps to mitigate the harm.

If you as a foreigner happen to own a short-term rental property in Mexico, be prepared for potential regulation, and please don’t gripe about the VAT and lodging taxes. You’re most likely still getting a wonderful return on your Mexican investment.

Even small things matter. I cringe when I see tourists haggle ruthlessly with vendors in the artisans’ markets. Many of the products are laboriously made by hand; that work has value, and often, very little wiggle room is factored into the asking price.

On the other hand, we should learn the fair market value of products and services we buy regularly, because if we consistently pay a “gringo” price, this too will have the unintended consequence of driving up prices for everyone else.

We should, of course, support local businesses as much as possible — why pay more at Starbucks when there are so many great coffee shops?

Donate as generously as you can to the many NGOs that improve the lives of your city’s poorest citizens. You are certain to find an organization whose mission appeals to you, whether it’s building homes, providing education or healthcare services or addressing environmental problems.

While it’s hard to obtain exact numbers, the municipality estimates that 10% of the city’s population is from abroad, and most of the foreigners are concentrated in the city center rather than outlying communities. This means up to 20% of residents living in the city proper could be foreigners, and this doesn’t include part-timers who seasonally swell this population.

At that concentration, we are inevitably having an impact. Let’s do everything we can to make it a more positive one.

Based in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson is a writer and NGO leader who previously worked for the U.S. Department of State. Her novel “The Broken Hummingbird” will be out in October. Ann Marie can be reached through her website, annmariejacksonauthor.com.

How a student research project brought a unique pearl to market

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

-

May 31, 2023

0

Sonora fisherman — Some of the local fishermen who tend the oyster beds that Perlas de Cortéz maintains to create “normal” pearls and their unique gray pearls. (Photos courtesy of Perlas de Cortéz)

Their site says “we have been in business for only 18 years; it seems like a long time, but in the pearl farming industry, we are just starting.”

Pearl cultivation is one of the most valued aquaculture industries in the world, but Mexico lags behind places such as Japan, Australia and French Polynesia. If companies such as Perlas de Cortéz have anything to say about it, though, that won’t be the case for long.

The teardrop shape is a common result when working with Pteria sterna oysters.

What we think of as pearls are the round, creamy-white gems that come from the saltwater species of the Pteriidae family of oysters. Mexico can and has produced these pearls since the early colonial period.

In the Gulf of California, the gathering of wild pearls was an important industry until overfishing and environmental damage prompted the Mexican government to ban it in 1939.

There had been attempts to cultivate pearls as early as the late 19th century, but technological and legislative issues kept investors away until the 1990s.

At the time, institutions such as the Northwestern Biological Research Center, the Tec de Monterrey University’s Guaymas campus, and the Autonomous University of Baja California Sur began working on repopulating native wild oysters, instead of simply setting up a commercial pearl farming operation. The first commercial species were already accepted by the world market, but according to Perlas de Cortéz director Guillermo Soberón, three graduate students — Enrique Arizmendi Castillo, Manuel Nava Romo and Douglas McLaurin Moreno — had an interest in a species native to Bacochibampo Bay in Guaymas, Pteria sterna, or the rainbow-lipped oyster.

Fisherman placing seeded (a nucleus for layering the nacre) oysters in nets that will be lowered onto the farm’s beds. They will stay there for several years until harvest. — A fisherman places seeded (a nucleus for layering the nacre) oysters in nets that will be lowered onto the farm’s beds. They will stay there for several years until harvest.

Working from the Tec de Monterrey, the oyster’s commercial viability was explored not only because of its unique characteristics but also as a way to diversify Guaymas’ fishing port. Soberón initially collaborated as an advisor, helping to get funding from local and federal sources for this first-of-its-kind project.

Pteria sterna does not produce your typical pearl. The oyster’s nacre (the hard, iridescent substance secreted by the oyster that forms pearls and mother-of-pearl) is distinguished by very thin, uniform crystals, which make light refract differently and produces a soft gray, overlaid with one or more colors, such as blue, green and lavender.

“No pearls in the world look like these,” Soberón says.

This is indeed the pearls’ main attraction. Their drawback, however, is that it is quite difficult to produce a perfectly round pearl, and because of the size of the oyster, impossible to grow them very large.

Examples of just how small many Pteria sterna oysters produce, requiring a new approach to jewelery making — Examples of just how small many Pteria sterna oysters produce, requiring a new approach to jewelry-making

So Perlas de Cortéz works with talented jewelers to take advantage of the more common shapes, which include drop and a kind of button shape (called a mabe) to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.

Perlas de Cortéz today is an independent business, with the three students and others as owner-investors. They still have a relationship with the Tec de Monterrey, which Soberón credits with giving them a great start.

“Where we began our research turned out to be the perfect place for this operation, and we would not have been able to develop it without their help,” he says.

I met Soberón at the Tianguis Turístico event in Mexico City, an annual tourism industry convention in Mexico. I was immediately drawn to the company’s stand and its unusual and beautiful jewelry on display.

Examples of jewelry made with round, irregular and half-pearl (mabe).

“We have a niche market. Our pearls are immediately recognizable because of their look.” says Soberón. Though it can be difficult to get past the idea that pearls must be round and white, here is where tourism figures in.

The company’s relationship with tourism began in 1997 quite by accident, when people wanted to see what was going on.

Soberón says the farm is helping to change the image of Guaymas city to that of a place worth visiting. Today, the oyster farm receives curious from all over the world, who come to marvel at the process of growing, harvesting, and processing the pearls.

The farm is such a tourist attraction, in fact, that over 60% of its sales are from finished pieces sold at the farm’s own store. Internet sales play an important role too, a recent necessity brought about by the pandemic.

Despite its success, Perlas de Cortéz is still a very small operation. No other company in the world has decided (yet) to follow their lead and produce these unique gray pearls. The farm produces about 10,000 pearls per year (a number that includes the production of more traditional pearls), but this figure is very small compared to many pearl farms worldwide.

Given its academic origin, the rest of the oyster has not been forgotten in the business plan. The meat is quite edible and is popular locally. The shells are processed for their mother-of-pearl, or ground into a powder for use in cosmetics, while others are polished and sold as souvenirs.

Soberón is convinced that pearl farming is a very viable business in Mexico, and projects like Perlas de Cortéz help make Mexico more competitive globally. The market for known pearls is very competitive, but the creation of a novel pearl opens exciting opportunities for Guaymas and for the state of Sonora.

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.

Street food for vegans in Mexico: it does exist!

By

Bethany Platanella

-

May 31, 2023

0

Street food vendor in Mexico — Tacos de canasta can often be vegan, filled with beans or potato — meaning you have the chance to enjoy classic Mexican street food, even when you're vegan. (Moíses Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)

Ah, Mexico: the land of pork and cheese. A vibrant, energetic place where “I don’t eat meat” means “I eat fish and chicken.” Where everything coming from those wonderfully Mexican street carts seems to be drowned in sour cream or swimming in lard.

Let me be very honest: navigating the country’s street food culture as a vegan is a lot easier when you’re “vegan-ish.” Following the principle of “what I don’t know won’t hurt me” is useful, because veganism has yet to fully translate on the streets of our beloved Mexico.

Tacos are so popular in Mexico, there’s a Taco Fair each year in Mexico City. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)

I’ve taken it upon myself to dive deep into the delightful world of street food, investigating exactly what can and cannot be adapted to a vegan or vegan-ish diet. My findings were surprising: there are more options than I’d ever dreamed, and I’m not convinced I’ve exhausted them all!

I can’t say with 100% certainty that lard won’t have snuck its way into a few of the morsels included below. I’ve indicated the bites that aroused my suspicions. The possibility didn’t stop me, but it might stop you, so feel free to confirm with the cook or avoid altogether.

And so, ladies and gentlemen of the vegan community, I present to you Mexican street food for vegans, in all its glory.

Camotes: Mexico’s version of candied sweet potatoes. Camote vendors, whose distinctive whistle is forever seared into the ear canal of every Mexican expat, often sell cooked plantains too. Skip the side of evaporated milk.

Chilaquiles: Can you really call yourself a Mexican expat if you haven’t had chilaquiles? While this is not technically street food, chilaquiles are a classic easily made vegan by swapping their egg for avocado, a trend that will repeat itself multiple times on this handy list.

The classic chilaquiles is a dish easily made vegan, and is still every bit as delicious. (Magdalena Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

Churros: Churrería el Moro proudly claims its churros are vegan friendly. If you’re willing, go ahead and assume that means all churros are vegan friendly and grab a bunch en route to your favorite coffee shop tomorrow morning, right? (OK, truth be told, most of them are made with eggs and butter, but they’re amazing.).

Esquites: Roast corn in a cup? Yes, please. Locals prefer this delicacy smothered in mayo and cheese, but one can opt for simple salt with lime and feel equally satisfied.

Flautas: These adorable antojitos (snacks) can be made vegan by ordering the potato version and topping them with lettuce, guacamole and salsa.

Papas con limón y chile: The one street food I dare not indulge in, because who knows when I’ll stop? If your willpower is stronger than mine, never let me know how good these massive, crunchy potato chips doused with lime juice and a spicy concoction taste. I will not forgive you.

Papas a la francesa: Do you know any vegans whose favorite junk food of all time isn’t french fries? I’ll wait while I munch on these delicious, deep-fried-right-in-front-of-me mouthfuls of perfection.

Pozole: Not a true street food, strictly speaking, but widely available all over Mexico, pozole is one of my absolute favorite indulgences. Chicken broth is a common base for pozole, but it’s not impossible to find a spot that opts for vegetable broth instead. Get the veggie version without the cream or cheese toppings and ask for a side of avocado instead. It’s fast, filling and fantastic.

Raspados: The amount of business people I see walking back to work after lunch with small cups of shaved ice in their hands never fails to make me chuckle. If you’re in the mood for a sweet, sugary and cold pick-me-up, most raspados are vegan friendly.

Tamales: This is one street food you’ll have to turn a blind eye to. Most tamales are made with lard, which your average street vendor doesn’t seem to consider a meat product. Nonetheless, if you’re willing to ignore that, sweet tamales are a viable option and can even be served on a roll as a sandwich — Mexico City’s famous torta de tamal — which will keep your belly full for days to come.

Tamales remain a quintessential part of Mexican cuisine, and best of all, many varieties are already vegan (if you ignore the lard). (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

Tacos: The reason we all moved here, right? I’ve come to love tacos more than some of my Mexican friends, though asking for them without meat was rather intimidating at first. Now I know most street chefs are happy to make you a veggie version with mushrooms or nopales. Smother them in one or all of the salsas of your choice. Tacos guisados are served with rice and beans and the diner’s choice of meat. Forgo the meat and fill up on guacamole and salsa. Something to note: there is a chance that the rice and beans will have been cooked in chicken broth.

Tlacoyos: Even the name is fun! Tlacoyos are more or less thick tortillas stuffed with some kind of filling – Mexico’s answer to the Central American pupusa or the South American arepa.Luckily for us vegans, one of the most popular fillings is beans! Top your tlacoyo with nopales and salsa — and, of course, avocado, if it’s available — and continue on your day happy and satisfied!

Tortillas: This might sound a little boring, but trust me, it’s not. What’s better than a stack of steamy, fresh tortillas smothered in spicy salsa? Next to nothing. Not to mention the whole meal will likely cost you less than 7 pesos, and that’s being generous. Make up for the lack of vitamins with a jugo verde from the juice cart and you’re good to go.

Tostadas: Tostadas are fried tortillas, usually topped with meat, lettuce, salsa, sour cream and even avocado. Equally as yummy without the meat. Scan the vendor’s cart for nopales, mushrooms or just plain onions if you want something chewy on top.

Bethany Platanella is a travel and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. With her company, Active Escapes International, she plans and leads private and small-group active retreats. She loves Mexico’s local markets, Mexican slang, practicing yoga and fresh tortillas. Sign up for her (almost) weekly love letters or follow her Instagram account, @a.e.i.wellness.

AMLO says he supports activist’s peace deal offered to cartels

By

MND Staff

-

May 31, 2023

0

Soldiers patrolling in Mexico — President López Obrador has thrown his support behind a proposed peaceful solution to the deadly cartel violence that has become endemic in Mexico. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro)

President López Obrador on Tuesday said he supported a peace agreement proposal put forward by an activist who called on Mexico’s most powerful cartels to cease hostilities and enforced disappearances.

“I agree [with the proposal], and hopefully peace will be achieved — that’s what we all want, for there to be no violence, no homicides, no aggression because it affects everyone,” López Obrador told reporters at his daily news conference.

The proposed pact urged cartels to end armed conflicts and respect “the lives and free transit” of people searching for their missing loved ones. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

His remarks came two days after Delia Icela Quiroa Flores Valdez, a human rights activist and spokesperson for a national victims’ collective and an organization of madres buscadoras (mothers who search for disappeared family members) in Tamaulipas, published a “message” to the leaders of 10 notorious cartels, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Gulf Cartel.

“The missing persons in our country are impossible to count. The National Search Commission estimates there are 110,763 [missing] persons today, but we estimate the figure to be three times higher,” wrote Quiroa, whose brother disappeared in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, in 2014.

“Our collective longs for our missing family members to return, alive or dead, and for this practice [of enforced disappearances] to be eliminated in [the] national territory … and that’s why we need your help and collaboration.”

After asserting that cartel members and victims of violence and their families have “something in common” because “we’re abused by our government,” and observing that gangsters, “like many Mexicans, worship” their mothers, Quiroa proposed a “social pact to prevent and eradicate the disappearance of people in Mexico and promote peace.”

MOther's Day protest Chiapas — Official statistics suggest more than 110,000 people are missing in Mexico. Activists say this number may be up to three times higher. (Isabel Mateos Hinojosa/Cuartoscuro)

“… Today is the day on which we must take notice [of the situation] without blaming anyone, reconcile ourselves as a society and do something together to stop disappearances in our beloved Mexico, and avoid other countries wanting to interfere in arrests related to drug trafficking because the last thing we want is a war with the United States with the justification that the Mexican government isn’t doing anything [to combat cartels],” she wrote.

The proposed pact urged cartels to end armed conflicts and respect “the lives and free transit” of people searching for their missing loved ones.

Quiroa called on cartel leaders to sign the pact and upload a video of a printed copy of the signed document to social media.

If there is no response from the cartel leaders within 15 days, “we’re going to look for them and take them the pact to convince them, speak with them so that they sign it,” the activist told the Milenio newspaper. “Or we’re going to look for their lawyers to speak to them,” she added.

One criminal group has agreed to sign the pact, Milenio reported, although it didn’t identify which one.

At his Tuesday press conference, López Obrador said that “violence is irrational” and that his government would “continue seeking peace.”

Missing people displayed at a mañanera — AMLO’s presidential term has been the most violent on record, despite its attempts to peacefully resolve the cartel conflicts that have engulfed areas of the nation. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)

“… If there is an initiative of that kind, of course we support it,” he said.

Members of criminal groups shouldn’t “act with violence,” López Obrador added.

“… Of course I’m mocked when I say that their mothers, their fathers, their grandfathers … don’t like it when they take the path of crime … [but] violence isn’t the path, it’s not an option, it’s not an alternative in any circumstance,” said AMLO, who has previously urged gangsters to “think of your mothers.”

“… I approve of everything that means setting aside or not using violence,” he said, adding that members of crime groups have the power to take such a decision themselves.

Quiroa told the Guardian newspaper that she was pleased that the president expressed support for her proposed pact with cartels but added that authorities need to do more to help relatives of missing people find their loved ones.

“What does it matter if the people below [the president], who are in charge of helping victims, don’t care?” she said. “He needs to supervise his people, to make sure they actually do something.”

López Obrador still has 16 months left in office, but his term of government is already the most violent in recent history, with over 156,000 homicides. Government data also shows that more than 40,000 people have disappeared in Mexico since the president was sworn in on Dec. 1, 2018.

The federal government says it is pursuing a so-called abrazos, no balazos (hugs, not bullets) security strategy in which addressing the root causes of crime through welfare programs is favored over confronting violent criminals with force. However, clashes between cartels and security forces have continued to occur, and even seemingly innocent people have been gunned down by the armed forces.

Before taking office, López Obrador pledged to gradually remove the military from the streets, but he has continued to rely on the army and navy for public security tasks, and has also assigned them a wide range of other nontraditional tasks, including infrastructure construction and the management of customs offices and ports.

His government also created a new, quasi-military security force, the National Guard, which currently has over 109,000 members deployed across the country.

But despite the government’s efforts to pacify the country, violence — as homicide statistics indicate — remains a significant problem. Acknowledging ongoing insecurity in many parts of the country, López Obrador has conceded that the government’s strategy of “attending to the causes” of crime will take time to bear fruit.

A cease in hostilities between cartels and the elimination of enforced disappearances, as Quiroa is proposing, would certainly help his cause.

With reports from Milenio, Infobae and Aristegui Noticias

Mexico City signs deal with TikTok to support small business marketing

By

MND Staff

-

May 31, 2023

0

Tiktok CDMX — TikTok will offer free courses to teach the capital's smaller entrepreneurs how to attract clientele on the popular social media app. (Olivier Bergeron/Unsplash)

The Ministry of Economic Development (Sedeco) of Mexico City signed a collaboration agreement with TikTok México to educate 33,000 businesses per year on how to best use TikTok for business, Sedeco announced Wednesday.

The Chinese social media app allows users to create, watch and share videos ranging from 3 seconds to 10 minutes in duration. The app reached 1 billion users in 2021 and had been downloaded 3.5 billion times as of mid-May. In Mexico, TikTok is the fifth most used application, according to data from the social media marketing website Hootsuite.

33,000 “mipymes” (micro- to medium-sized business) will be trained in how to maximize engagement using the popular social media app. (Sedeco/Twitter)

The agreement between Mexico City and the app is part of the capital’s efforts to strengthen e-commerce and digital marketing for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (known by their initials MSMEs or MiPYMEs in Spanish).

According to Sedeco head Fadlala Akabani Hneide, TikTok will offer at least one free course per month to MSME entrepreneurs.

“The aim is to increase their sales,” Akabani said in a statement, adding that some 33,000 people will receive training during the program’s first year.

According to figures from the Mexican Association of Online Sales (AMVO), a nonprofit that supports and promotes development of e-commerce and the digital economy, retail e-commerce in Mexico grew by 23% in 2022, and the industry’s value reached 528 billion pesos (US $29.8 billion). AMVO has also reported that digital platforms are Mexican consumers’ main method of finding products.

✅ Compartimos el siguiente boletín de prensa respecto a la firma de un acuerdo entre #SEDECO Y @TikTokLatAM, que tiene por objetivo el capacitar en el uso de la plataforma a 33 mil emprendedores y Mipymes por año.

📰 Consulta todos los detalles aquí:https://t.co/4mob8WdGuZ pic.twitter.com/Or44Q3O6v9

— Secretaría de Desarrollo Económico (@SedecoCDMX) May 30, 2023

Most of the online shopping done in the country happens in Mexico City, Sedeco reported, with the capital representing 33% of all online purchases nationwide.

Edgar Rodríguez Rudich, head of public affairs at TikTok México, added that this agreement seeks to make technical and creative tools available to entrepreneurs and companies in order to help them promote their businesses’ digital presence.

Rudich cited the hashtag #TikTokMeHizoComprarlo (#TikTokMadeMeBuyIt) — a campaign to promote online purchases that has more than 440 million views in Mexico — as an example of this kind of promotion.

On its social media networks, Sedeco invited Mexico City entrepreneurs to enroll and participate in its upcoming free business courses in June.

“It’s time to grow your business,” the ministry tweeted.

Due to TikTok’s growing influence in the market, it is predicted to be a channel for boosting revenues during Mexico’s Hot Sale, a national weeklong sale campaign organized by AMVO. This year’s Hot Sale is currently ongoing and ends on June 6.

Efraín Medicuti, head of global business solutions for TikTok México, said that 89% of TikTok users are aware of the Hot Sale event and five out of 10 users plan to make a Hot Sale purchase this year.

Last year, he said, only 63% of TikTok users in Mexico made a Hot Sale purchase.

With reports from Expansión

Tourism Ministry launches new “Kingdoms of Mexico” program

By

MND Staff

-

May 31, 2023

0

Duomo Val'Quirico — Val'Quirico, an Italian and Spanish-style development in Tlaxcala, has become the first town to be designated a "Kingdom of Mexico" under a new program from the Tourism Ministry. (Duomo/Facebook)

The Tourism Ministry introduced a new “Kingdoms of Mexico” (Reinos de México) program on Monday to recognize places in the country inspired by other regions of the world.

The Val’Quirico tourist attraction in Tlaxcala received the first badge, while the Sassi del Valle in Ensenada, Baja California, is expected to receive the second.

Val’Quirico offers a chance to experience a medieval European village, all while remaining in central Mexico. (Val’Quirico)

This initiative follows the Tourism Ministry’s Pueblo Mágico and Barrio Mágico programs. Both designations give financial support and promotion to encourage tourism for historic towns and neighborhoods, respectively.

So far, the Ministry of Tourism has recognized 132 Pueblos Mágicos and five Barrios Mágicos around the country.

Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco Marqués said that the new program visualizes a fusion of cultures, highlighting the architectural beauty of the selected regions, as well as potential economic benefits to local communities.

Opened in 2015, Val’Quirico is built on the remains of the Hacienda Santa Águeda, an Industrial Revolution-era dairy complex in the state of Tlaxcala. The development is designed to emulate a medieval town with cobbled streets and houses built from wood and stone and draws inspiration from the Italian regions of Tuscany and Umbria and the Spanish city of Segovia.

Tequisquiapan, Queretaro in Mexico — Mexico’s “Pueblo Magico” program highlights hidden gems across the country. (Leigh Thelmadatter)

Restaurants, businesses and residences can be found here — a fusion of tourist attraction and town.

Luigi de Chiara, the Italian ambassador to Mexico, highlighted that Val’Quirico promotes Italian lifestyle, culture and history.

“It’s an incentive for [tourists] to travel to Italy to see the original places,” he said.

The second location expected to win the Kingdom of Mexico designation, Sassi del Valle, is in the wine region of Valle de Guadalupe. The project is inspired by the Italian city of Matera and seeks to merge Mexican and Italian culture.

Head of the Kingdom of Mexico board Adolfo Blanca Núñez said that Sassi del Valle will honor the most productive wine region in Mexico, the best olive grove in the country and the Italian missionaries who helped develop the region.

“Granting this status [as a Kingdom of Mexico] is a way to provide more employment and greater opportunities for international tourism,” Torruco told the media outlet Forbes México.

Visitors to Val’Quirico, Torruco said, generate revenue of more than 80 million pesos per month (US $4.52 million). The town generates 11,400 jobs — 3,500 direct and 7,990 indirect.

The National Statistics and Geography Agency (Inegi) estimated the number of Mexicans employed in the tourist industry at 4.6 million at the end of 2022 — 8.9% of total employment in the country.

From January to March, Forbes México reported that employment in the tourism industry provided jobs to an additional 74,269 people, an increase of 1.6%.

With reports from INEGI, Forbes México, La Jornada and El Universal

US sanctions Mexico company it says aided Sinaloa Cartel

By

MND Staff

-

May 31, 2023

0

Mexpacking Solutions in Chihuahua, Mexico — Mexpacking Solutions, based in Chihuahua, has had its assets in the United States seized. The U.S. government accuses it of supplying the Sinaloa Cartel with equipment to make fake prescription pills. (Google Earth)

The United States government on Tuesday announced sanctions against more than a dozen Mexican and Chinese people and entities allegedly involved in the illicit fentanyl business.

Among the 17 individuals and entities sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) are a Chihuahua-based, Sinaloa Cartel-affiliated business that sells pill presses and three Mexican citizens connected with the company.

Mexpacking Solutions company in Chihuahua — Inside Mexpacking Solutions. The U.S. Treasury says it was supplying devices to make fake oxycodone pills that the Sinaloa Cartel laced with fentanyl. (Internet)

The Treasury (USDT) said in a press release that the targets of the sanctions are “directly or indirectly involved in the sale of pill press machines, die molds, and other equipment used to impress counterfeit trade markings of legitimate pharmaceuticals onto illicitly produced pills, often laced with fentanyl, frequently destined for U.S. markets.”

“… As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons … that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC,” the USDT said.

The sanctioned Mexican business is Mexpacking Solutions, which is located in Chihuahua city.

Mexpacking “sells pill presses and other equipment and is controlled by a Sinaloa Cartel pill press supplier,” the USDT said.

The Sinaloa Cartel’s fentanyl operations are run by the sons of ex-cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, known as Los Chapitos. The Chapitos have all been charged with major crimes by the U.S. federal government, including drug trafficking, money laundering and murder. (File photo)

“The business has been used as cover for an individual involved with making fentanyl-laced pills and with assisting Mexico-based cartel members with pill press operations. Goods from Mexpacking were shipped to another pill press equipment supplier involved with coordinating shipments of pill press machines and parts to drug trafficking organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel.”

The three Mexican citizens designated by OFAC are Mario Ernesto Martínez Trevizo, Cinthia Adriana Rodríguez Almeida and Ernesto Alonso Macías Trevizo.

The USDT said that Martínez is a sales representative with Mexpacking and “as of late 2022 was responsible for managing activities of a pill press supply network in Mexico, the head of which supplied pill press equipment the Sinaloa Cartel used.”

It said that Martínez maintained business communications with China-based “pill-press related equipment” supplier Yason Electronics, “which between 2019 and 2022 provided the network with numerous pill press machines and ‘M30’ [oxycodone pill] die molds.”

Yason Electronics, based in the city of Shenzhen, was also sanctioned by OFAC, as was its official Fei Yiren, a Chinese national.

“Yason sells pill press-related equipment and has worked with a Mexico-based pill equipment supplier and contact who previously provided equipment to a Sinaloa Cartel-linked individual,” the USDT said.

Example of pill presser used to make fake prescription drugs — An example of one type of pill presser, not necessarily the type allegedly provided by Mexpacking to the Sinaloa Cartel. (U.S. Government)

“This individual used the machines to create superlabs in Mexico with the capacity to produce millions of fentanyl-laced pills weekly.”

The USDT said that Rodríguez, as of late last year, “had a senior role in the pill press equipment supply network, which likewise necessitates coordination with Chinese supplier Yason Electronics.”

“Between 2015 and 2021, Rodriguez also assisted with illicit drug production, including illicit drugs in pill form,” the department said, adding that Macías is a sales associate for Mexpacking.

The USDT said that its sanctioning of the Mexican entity and individuals was “closely coordinated” with the Mexican government, including the Finance Ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit.

Mexico is cooperating closely with the United States in the fight against fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times more potent than heroin. The drug is responsible for a surge in overdose deaths in the United States, which numbered over 100,000 in 2021, according to U.S. government estimates.

Mexican and U.S. officials have met on several occasions this year to discuss their joint anti-fentanyl strategy, including at the U.S.-Mexico Synthetic Drug Conference, held in Mexico City in March. Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in April that Mexico’s efforts to combat illicit fentanyl “are the most significant in the world.”

images of fake vs. authentic oxycodone pills — Drug trafficking organizations are able to make pills laced with illicit drugs like fentanyl that can look very much like real prescription pills. (U.S. Department of Treasury)

President López Obrador wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this year to seek his support in the fight against fentanyl, but a Chinese government spokesperson subsequently said “there is no such thing as illegal trafficking of fentanyl between China and Mexico.”

However, López Obrador said last week that an agreement between Mexican and Chinese governments “to avoid the entry to Mexico of fentanyl from China” was imminent.

“We’re going to do the same thing with South Korea. There is willingness on their part to help. In that way, we can guarantee that fentanyl and precursors that arrive from Asia are combated,” he said last Friday.

In the United States, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said that the USDT’s sanctions “target every stage of the deadly supply chain fueling the surge in fentanyl poisonings and deaths across the country.”

“Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl constitute a leading cause of these deaths, devastating thousands of American families each year,” he said.

“We remain committed to using all authorities against enablers of illicit drug production to disrupt this deadly global production and counter the threat posed by these drugs.”

Mexico News Daily

Melipona honey: the ancient Mayan elixir facing extinction

By

Mark Viales

-

May 30, 2023

0

Don Josué is one of three local intermediaries working with 300 producers of Apis Mellifera honey, the selected species for Mexico’s main export. — Don Josué is one of three local intermediaries working with 300 producers of Apis Melifera honey, the selected species for Mexico’s main export. The art of Melifera-keeping is dying, as newer producers look to hardier European species. (All photos by Mark Viales)

A rare, stingless bee domesticated by the ancient Maya over 3,000 years ago could become extinct because of over-industrialization in its natural Yucatán habitat.

The once plentiful populations of Melipona beecheii are now in sharp decline due to rising deforestation, the use of pesticides and the decline of native beekeeping culture. Ironically, Mexico is the eighth largest global exporter of honey, with 63,362 tonnes produced in 2021.

A Mayan bee — A wild Melipona bee drone carries pollen on its hind legs as it approaches the single entrance into its hive built inside a hollowed-out Guanacaste tree.

Yucatán contributes over a third of this total.

That supply, however, comes almost exclusively from the widespread European honeybee, Apis mellifera, introduced by Spanish settlers in the late 18th century and commercialized soon afterwards. It’s estimated that Yucatán has less than 500 Melipona breeders, with each person holding an average of 10 colonies.

This small and defenseless native species is valuable because of the healing honey it produces, which contains antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties that can treat numerous chronic conditions.

Unlike the common honeybee, Meliponas construct abstract log hives in large, hollowed-out trees. The hives are called jobónes when removed from trees for cultivation.

Don Josué extracts honey from a jobón, which he then provides for members of his community to use as an ingredient for traditional medicine.

The bees are docile, easy to manage and have small colonies that don’t form honeycombs but rather small pots that store pollen and honey, both of which are medicinal. That’s why villagers from Yaxcabá, just 18 miles from Chichen Itzá, are fighting to restore the ancestral practice and rescue one of Yucatán’s principal pollinators.

Josué Arcenio Ake Pech, 50, counts himself among the few remaining guardians in the state who still care for these creatures considered sacred by his forefathers.

“Xunan Kab — Melipona Beecheii in Maya — is on the brink of destruction because she doesn’t receive the historical value she deserves, nor is she valued enough for the medicine she provides,” said Don Josué, who has tended to Meliponas for over two decades. “She plays a vital role in the ecosystem, and we wouldn’t have such an abundance of fruit or any beautiful flowers were it not for her work.”

During the Postclassical Mayan period, the Yucatán Peninsula was the central hub of Melipona honey production and helped generate enough wealth for a middle-class society to flourish. Evidence of the spiritual importance behind this expensive commodity, as well as trade links with numerous pre-Columbian civilizations, remain on sculptures, murals and artifacts.

Don Josué rescued an antique jobón he believes to be over two hundred years old. — Don Josué rescued an antique jobón he believes to be over 200 years old.

The most well-known artifact is the Madrid Codex, one of four ancient texts that survived the almost complete destruction of Mayan literature at the hand of colonial Spaniards in 1562. The well-preserved glyphic scripture held in the Museo de América in Madrid has 14 pages dedicated to Melipona culture and the role it played in rituals or medicine.

Several gods and deities take the form of Melipona Beecheii, the most important of which is Ah-Muzen-Cab. The Mayan bee god is often depicted upside down and holding a cluster of honey pots while wearing two jobónes as earrings.

“When I work with the Melipona, it makes me reflect on how my ancestors cared for them thousands of years ago,” said Don Josué. “It is amazing to think how their knowledge has been passed down to me by my grandparents, and that is why I do not see it as a burden but rather a legacy I must uphold.”

Most of the stingless bee breeders in Yucatán are men of advanced age, and when they abandon their activities, the Melipona colonies are lost. Don Josué was hit with this predicament 20 years ago when he salvaged half a dozen jobónes thrown out by a family friend without a successor. He offered a fair price to rescue them from certain destruction and took them to his home, where they live to this day alongside six other colonies.

Meliponas create a central birthing chamber with pots of honey or pollen dotted around its perimeter.

Among the pile of precious logs was a jobón Don Josué understood to have been passed down for several generations, which could make it over 200 years old.

“When I placed my hand on this ancient jobón, I knew I had found a national treasure,” he said. “Some bees can live around three months, so can you imagine how many thousands of generations of Meliponas might have lived within this log?”

Don Josué only removes honey to prevent the colony from becoming overcrowded, which would risk collapsing the internal structure and kill the queen or her larvae. Neither does he split them into new hives because he respects the heritage of the colonies.

“It would be like destroying the palace of a queen with a royal lineage that may precede the arrival of the Spaniards,” he said. “Sometimes, they do not survive the transition because of the time, energy and resources it takes to build a new home. I could never forgive myself if they were lost forever because of my actions.”

Pictured left to right Carlos Medardo Díaz Lugo (Olivia’s son), Claudia Beatriz Pat Cob, Celia Delfina Díaz Peña and Olivia Milu Lugo Maas check on the health of their meliponas. — Pictured left to right: Carlos Medardo Díaz Lugo (Olivia’s son), Claudia Beatriz Pat Cob, Celia Delfina Díaz Peña and Olivia Milu Lugo Maas check on the health of their Meliponas.

Although Don Josué dedicates himself to his Meliponas, he makes a living working with Apis honeybees. A jobón may offer just two liters of honey a year compared to 60 liters per Apis hive, which is why the next generation chose the imported species. Furthermore, it can better withstand adverse weather conditions, is affected by fewer plagues or diseases and is better armed when facing attack from practically all intruders.

While only a handful of traditional beekeepers remain in Yaxcabá, over 300 registered locals harvest honey from Apis destined for foreign export. Don Josué has 70 such hives and is one of three intermediaries in the village who collect honey to supply Oaxaca Miel, the largest nationwide exporter.

The company sold 45,000 kilos of organic Yucatec honey in 2019 in the United Kingdom alone.

“This is the business side to honey production, but when it comes to the Melipona, it falls under tradition and legacy,” Don Josué said. “It is possible to make it more commercial, despite the seemingly impossible competition, but it requires too much time and effort with high risk for low yield.

“She is more delicate, and I could lose all my business in one heavy storm. For now, sadly, the production of Apis is the moneymaker and is growing faster while the Melipona is in rapid decline. I like the idea of opening up the rescue project to ecotourism, if I had more money to build her a palace fit for a queen, as she deserves.”

Across town, three local women have also embarked on a project to save the endangered native bee. Celia Delfina Díaz Peña, 40, Olivia Milu Lugo Maas, 31, and Claudia Beatriz Pat Cob, 25, took a course last year on Melipona production using modern boxed hives that are easier to handle. The three burgeoning entrepreneurs want to enter the organic market, especially with cosmetics and other beauty products that could be popular with tourists. The idea is to create soaps, creams, lip balms and shampoos containing Melipona honey mixed with other local plants and substances with restorative properties.

“We think this could be a good way to involve tourism, and we have seen others around the peninsula have some success with this,” said Olivia. “We want to restore meliponiculture in Yaxcabá and the surrounding area to its former glory. Soon we hope to sell boxes to the community and increase interest in this beautiful bee.

“She is extremely docile and can be kept safely in the garden around the family,” she added. “To see her dying out without proper intervention is distressing and makes us feel impotent.”

Olivia wishes the government wouldn’t focus so much on the Apis and leave the Melipona to one side, “but we are trying to do our bit to save her.”

Mark Viales writes for Mexico News Daily.

Mexico’s circuses, or carpas, got their start in the pre-Hispanic era

By

Sheryl Losser

-

May 30, 2023

0

Hnos. Atayde circus — Circus traditions remain alive and well in Mexico (Circo Atayde)

It’s summertime and the circus – or if you’re in Mexico, la carpa – is coming to town! Many of us remember our excitement at going to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus from our childhood. Mexican children feel that same excitement when they see the trucks of a traveling carpa — a big tent circus — pull into their town.

The concept of the Mexican carpa began in pre-Hispanic times. According to University of Houston historian Nicolas Kanellos, it evolved from a combination of the acrobatic religious ritual of voladores documented by Hernán Cortés’ chronicler Bernal Díaz del Castillo and the circus-like diversions at the court of Mexica Emperor Montezuma, which included dwarfs and a type of clown.

A circus acrobat — A “Mayomero” acrobat with the Circo Atayde (Circo Atayde)

Both voladores and clowns later became part of secular Mexican circus acts. Voladores are flyers who descend like birds from a high revolving platform while another acrobat dances on the top platform, playing a flute and a small drum. The rope attached to the flyers is called a maroma. Appropriately, the early mestizo circus was called compañía de voladores or la maroma.

The Spanish introduced roving minstrels and jugglers to this early entertainment. By 1670, maromeras — circus acrobats — had begun performing at bullfights in Mexico City. By 1769, a clown called el loco de los toros emerged at bullfights and rodeos — an early predecessor of the rodeo clown seen in the United States.

By 1785, the first compañía de voladores was staged in a theater in Mexico City, including actors in musical and dramatic performances. In 1792, the Mexican circus troupe Compañía de Volantines del País brought in additional talent, including La Romántica, a balancing act; a clown dressed as a woman dancing the Jarabe (Mexican hat dance) and sleight-of-hand artists.

Originally based in Mexico City, the circus replaced the “theater of the rich” for many poorer Mexicans. In the 1800s, the traveling carpas became quite popular in northern Mexico. Many family-owned carpas began at ranches as a mix of rodeo and circus acts to raise money to sustain the family during hard times.

A “Malabarista” performs at the Bardum circus in Hidalgo. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

The presence of Mexican circuses in Texas was first recorded in the San Antonio Ledger newspaper in 1852. By this point, the circuses had introduced elements from circuses in other countries, including the English clown with baggy pants and a red wig.

San Antonio became the hub for big-top circuses and carpas, which offered entertainment in the poor rural areas of South Texas. Two well-known circus troupes — Teatro Carpa Independencia and Carpa García — made San Antonio their home base.

The carpas were very popular with working-class Mexicans in Texas, combining traditional circus performances with theatrical presentations. They were a mix of clowns and pantomime, singing and dancing, comedy routines and dramatic monologues. They also introduced stock characters like the pelado (the underdog), who engaged in comedic sketches of political and social satire.

The pelado symbolized tejanos’ struggles with discrimination and acculturation. Two notable pelados were Don Slico (Mr. Slick) and El Bato Suave (The Smooth Guy).

During the Great Depression, the small, family-based carpas outlasted many of the larger, more established circuses because their tickets were priced to accommodate poorer Mexicans. At a time of great hardship in the United States, they gave their audiences a temporary escape – the chance to take their minds off their problems for a while – and offered an understanding of their daily struggles through humor.

The Atayde Hermanos Circus is the longest living circus in Mexico. Founded by Aurelio Atayde Guizar and his brothers in Zacatecas in 1888, it started with a childhood dream: Atayde ran away to work in a traveling circus. After years of learning the business, he returned and started his own circus troupe with his brothers.

Circus carpa — “Carpa” refers to the traditional big top. Here, workers assemble the tent for the Cirque de Soleil in Santa Fé, Mexico City. (Isaac Esquivel/Cuartoscuro)

Their early performances were under a tent erected in the street that became the center of social and political activity, providing not just entertainment but a place to meet.

Performances were attended by Mexican historical figures such as Francisco “Pancho” Villa, Venustiano Carranza, Álvaro Obregón and Elias Calles. In 1909, Francisco Madero held a political meeting of revolutionaries under the circus tent.

The Atayde Hermanos Circus was eventually moved to the Arena Mexico and later to the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City. Members traveled the world, entertaining audiences in Central and South America, Europe and the United States. In October 1998, in a nine-day run, they entertained more than 30,000 spectators in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in California.

After 126 years of touring, the Atayde Hermanos Circus closed down in 2014, facing dwindling revenues and a citywide ban on the use of animals in circus acts in Mexico City. However, it recently reopened.

Perhaps the most famous Mexican circus is the Hermanos Vázquez — a contemporary mix of Mexican and American circus elements. It was founded in 1969 by the brothers José Guillermo and Rafael Vázquez and is based in Mexico City.

Israel González of the Kaylicoas circus family became their star attraction. An accomplished tightrope walker and acrobat, his most famous act was known as the “Human Volcano.”

The Hermanos Atayde Circus is one of the oldest and most successful in Mexico. (Circo Atayde)

In this act, González is submerged in a glass cylinder, holding his breath while gasoline is poured on top of the water above him and set on fire. The exact same quantity of gasoline is used for every performance so González knows how long to hold his breath to allow the fire to extinguish.

The Hermanos Vázquez Circus is still performing in Mexico City.

The circus is a timeless institution that continues to endure, thrilling audiences young and old — the excitement of watching the big striped tent being erected while acrobats practice their highwire acts and back flips; the perpetual flow of music; clowns walking around getting into character for the upcoming performance.

But beneath the glamor and seduction of the circus is a very hardscrabble life. Filmmaker Aaron Schock’s visually poetic documentary “Circo” reveals the financial difficulties and strain on the Ponce family as they struggle to carry on the family tradition. Unfortunately, the number of family-owned carpas is dwindling – and many may soon take down their tents for the last time.

But it’s not too late yet. To find out when a circus is coming to your area go to CircusFansMéxico.

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.

Mexico: a potential film industry production hub says study

By

MND Staff

-

May 30, 2023

0

A man with a camera — Targeted incentives could help attract film production companies from the U.S., says the report from UK-based Olsberg SPI. (Ruben Ramirez/Olsberg SPI)

Mexico could become a global audiovisual production hub if the country introduces federal production incentives, according to British international creative industries consultancy Olsberg SPI.

These incentives, offered by federal, state or local governments worldwide, often take the form of cash rebates or tax credits.

Advert by The Lift — Mexico’s The Lift production house has produced a number of Superbowl adverts for major brands. (The Lift)

The analysis, which models how a new incentive could stimulate audiovisual production in Mexico, estimates that the full adoption of such an incentive could more than double production expenditure in the country to US $1.38 billion by 2026.

Mexico’s audiovisual production activity was worth around US $673 million in 2022.

According to the firm, global production companies “are closely interested in Mexico as an audiovisual production hub” due to a range of positive factors, including the country’s well-regarded talent base and its cost base, locations, infrastructure and proximity to the United States’ decision-making hubs. Its strategic location also boosts its potential amidst a boom in Spanish-speaking productions.

“Mexico’s unique attributes and production capabilities mean that it would be primed for immediate further growth in response to the introduction of an audiovisual production incentive,” said Olsberg in a report.

A film being made in Centro Historico CDMX — While Mexico has seen a boost in filmmaking, incentives are required to ensure that this uplift continues, says Olsberg. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s relative lack of unions and lower costs have already attracted a number of productions. According to National Public Radio (NPR), six out of 35 commercials aired during the 2023 Super Bowl were produced in Mexico.

In March, the Federal government closed a deal with Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal and Warner Bros., as well as the Motion Picture Association, to form a working group focused on boosting the film industry in Mexico and having more movies and series made here.

“Mexico has become more and more attractive for foreign film investment in recent years,” Luis García from the Mexican Filmmakers Association told NPR.

In 2019, 15% of the association membership’s work came from production services for foreign companies. In 2022, the figure increased to 36% and is expected to keep growing.

Helena Medina, a producer at The Lift, Mexico’s largest media production company, told NPR that they are hoping to bring better quality production values than in the U.S.

“We are chasing that level, and now we’re constantly trying to bring more to the table,” she said.

The Lift has been responsible for a number of high-profile U.S. advertising campaigns, including for companies like Apple, Dr. Pepper, Doritos and Turbotax.

The study warns, however, that a lack of incentive implementation “would lead to softening of Mexico’s production levels.”

On Monday, during a meeting of Mexican production companies in Mexico City, Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard released a guide to good practices to up the media production industry’s game in Mexico. The Olsberg SPI report was also shared at this event.

According to Ebrard, the guide, which details government plans to expand the film industry in Mexico, is the result of meetings held in California with executives from production companies MPA, Netflix, HBO and Paramount.

The guide will allow Mexico “to be more competitive and to bring more productions from these companies,” he said, while adding that one of the reasons Mexico is not yet a hub is the lack of incentives.

Implementing the guide’s suggestions, said Ebrard, “will double the contribution of the industry to the national economy.”

An example of the effectiveness of film subsidies is Colombia, Olsberg SPI noted: since creating the Colombian Film Fund reimbursement incentive, 39 international films have been shot in the country between 2012 and 2020 – compared to 14 international films shot in the previous 50 years. This uptick in production generated around US $300 million in investment and the creation of 20,000 new jobs.

According to media outlet Forbes Online, other countries in Latin America with national incentives include Chile, Ecuador and Uruguay. In Mexico, the only incentive for the film industry in existence is offered by the state of Jalisco.

But, according to Ebrard, Mexico’s government is very interested in growing the film industry here, and “this manual is an important step in increasing Mexico’s participation” in filmmaking worldwide.

With reports from Forbes and NPR