Biden’s border wall reversal surprises Mexico

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October 5, 2023

President López Obrador said Thursday that the United States’ decision to add to the border wall between Mexico and the U.S. was “a backward step” that won’t solve the migration problem.

The United States government has waived 26 federal laws, including environmental ones, in south Texas to allow the installation of “additional physical barriers” in Starr County, located in the Rio Grande Valley region of the Lone Star state.

AMLO Wall — President López Obrador called the decision to continue construction of the controversial border wall a “a backward step.” (lopezobrador.org.mx)

“The United States Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley Sector is an area of ‘high illegal entry,'” said a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announcement published in the U.S. Federal Register on Thursday.

“… Therefore, I must use my authority under section 102 of [the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act] to install additional physical barriers and roads in the Rio Grande Valley Sector,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.

The DHS document said there was “an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States,”

Up to 32 kilometers of new barriers will be built, according to a proposal from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The decision to add to the border wall is a significant policy reversal for United States President Joe Biden, who stopped construction on former president Donald Trump’s pet project when he took office in January 2021.

The Washington Post reported that Biden’s “pause” on construction “left the $11 billion barrier – one of the most expensive federal infrastructure projects in U.S. history – with dozens of unfinished gaps and piles of unused steel bollards laying around in the desert.”

Environmental groups criticized the plan to resume construction due to the impact that a border wall has on wildlife and their habitat.

Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday that he didn’t believe a border wall was effective, but construction had to resume because Congress appropriated money for the project and his administration was obliged to use it. “I can’t stop that,” he said.

The Mexican government has said the wall does not prevent an effective barrier to migration, and had previously praised the Biden administration for seemingly abandoning the policy. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro)

López Obrador, who has praised Biden because he’s “the only U.S. president in decades that hasn’t built even a meter of wall” on the border, told reporters at his Thursday morning press conference that the decision to install additional barriers was the result of political pressure.

“I understand there is strong pressure from far right political groups in the United States, especially from those that want to take advantage of the migration phenomenon and drug use for political purposes. There is a lot of politicking when elections are approaching,” he said.

López Obrador said that some Republican Party politicians are “acting very irresponsibly” and placing a lot of pressure on Biden, “who will always have our support.”

“But the authorization for the construction of [more] wall is a backward step because it doesn’t solve the [migration] problem,” he said.

Migrants at the US-Mexico border in Tijuana on May 11. — The wall has become a symbol of the divide between the two countries. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

“You have to attend to the causes,” López Obrador said, reasserting that migration can be reduced by addressing push factors such as poverty and lack of opportunity with welfare and employment programs.

“Creating jobs, attending to young people, with that [we can reduce migration]. We’ve proved it, that’s the remedy,” he said.

The announcement that construction of the border wall will resume came amid a surge of migrant arrivals to the United States and ahead of a bilateral security meeting in Mexico City on Thursday at which high-ranking Mexican and U.S. officials were set to discuss the fight against fentanyl and other shared challenges including migration. López Obrador said that the United States’ border wall plan will also be on the agenda.

The president has long been a critic of the border wall, but nevertheless maintained an amiable relationship with Trump, whose administration installed over 700 kilometers of new barriers.

Trump at JD Vance rally — As he begins a campaign to return to the White House, Donald Trump has once again reignited the immigration debate in the United States. (Screen capture)

Trump, who is aiming to return to the White House, pounced on the Biden administration’s adoption of his signature policy.

“As I have stated often, over thousands of years, there are only two things that have consistently worked, wheels, and walls!” he wrote on social media.

“Will Joe Biden apologize to me and America for taking so long to get moving, and allowing our country to be flooded with 15 million illegals immigrants, from places unknown. I will await his apology!” Trump said.

With reports from El Universal, Expansión, AP, Reuters and The Washington Post

Truckers say border inspections holding up US $1.5B in exports

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MND Staff

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October 5, 2023

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A line of trucks at the Mexico-US border — President Sheinbaum has emphasized the inseparable links between the Mexican and U.S. economies. (Comentario U de C/X)

Goods worth more than US $1.5 billion are held up at the northern border due to the Texas government’s decision to conduct stringent inspections of trucks entering the Lone Star state at border crossings between Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, and El Paso, according to Mexico’s National Chamber of Trucking (Canacar).

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) began strict inspections of northbound trucks just over two weeks ago as part of efforts to prevent the entry of undocumented migrants and narcotics amid a surge in migrant arrivals at the border. Those inspections are in addition to ones carried out by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Migrants arriving in Ciudad Juárez — There has been an increase in attempted border crossings in recent weeks, which border authorities say has required implementing stricter inspections. (PEDRO ANZA/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

The suspension of cargo processing at the Bridge of the Americas between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso since Sept. 18 is also a factor in long wait times for trucks crossing the border.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Canacar expressed its “deep concern” at the impact of the inspections at crossings between Juárez and El Paso, and asserted that the measure implemented by Texas Governor Greg Abbott is contrary to the “spirit of collaboration” and “vision of the future embodied in” the USMCA, the North American free trade agreement that superseded NAFTA in 2020.

“This measure has caused a crisis that has resulted in [border crossing] closures, [the need for] detours, increased crossing times and significant reductions in export volumes of various products from Mexico to the United States,” the association said.

Canacar said that 15,000 “loads” of freight were held up at the border and that their collective value was over $1.5 billion.

US Customs and Border Patrol — U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety have increased inspections of northbound trucks. (CBP/X)

The trucking chamber called on the Texas government to “speed up the commercial exchanges that occur daily in this region and which represent one of the greatest strengths of the relation between the two countries.”

It also called on the Mexican government to use “all forums of bilateral dialogue to express the concern” of the freight transport industry “due to the situation that has prevailed for the past three weeks on the northern border.”

Interruptions to the movement of goods across the border “has a direct impact on the economy of the two countries, affects supply chains … and places tens of thousands of jobs on both sides of the border at risk,” Canacar said.

The DPS has also been conducting inspections of trucks entering Texas at crossings between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, and Eagle Pass, and Guadalupe, Chihuahua, and Tornillo.

Bridge of the Americas El Paso Ciudad Juárez — The Bridge of the Americas between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso has been closed to cargo processing. (Wikimedia Commons)

“The DPS inspection is slowing down the commercial traffic flow,” Homero Balderas, general manager for the city of Eagle Pass International Bridge System, told the logistics and freight news website FreightWaves earlier this week.

“We have gone from 850 trucks a day to roughly under 400 due to the inspection delay. It’s hurting the Eagle Pass Bridge System drastically and more importantly the supply chain,” he said.

FreightWaves reported wait times on Monday of over four hours at the Camino Real International Bridge between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras and cargo truck delays of more than six hours at the Ysleta-Zaragoza bridge between El Paso and Juárez.

Thor Salayandia, president of the Juárez Chamber of Industry and Manufacturing, told the EFE news agency last week that Abbott is “strangling” the export-focused manufacturing industry in northern Mexico.

“He is politicizing the immigration issue and attacking Joe Biden and Mexico on this issue, which affects all of us. He has the agents doing some checks where he is no longer looking for migrants. He wants to hurt the … [manufacturing sector] and is doing that,” Salayandia said.

“It is regrettable that only one person, the governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, is the one who is causing all this damage to both the economy of Juárez and the companies that own the maquiladoras. It is very unfortunate that so far no one has been able to stop him, not even President Biden,” he said.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott. (Wikimedia Commons)

El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego said last week that it was “unfortunate” that there is a “double inspection” given that both the CBP and the DPS are checking trucks.

“They have not found drugs; they have not found migrants in the trucks, yet the inspections continue at a rate of 100%,” he said.

“We know this is something political and a very aggressive attitude from the governor,” Samaniego said.

Texas has previously conducted inspections of northbound freight trucks, including in May as the United States pandemic-era Title 42 migration expulsion policy was ending.

Mexico’s Economy Ministry said at the time that the actions implemented by the Texas government were “motivated by an anti-Mexican vision that is far removed from the social, cultural and economic integration between Mexico and Texas.”

A stringent inspection policy for commercial vehicles enacted for a period last year by the Texas government to detect drugs and migrants trying to enter the U.S. illegally also caused long delays at the border and heavy financial losses.

With reports from Reforma, Freight Waves, EFE and Border Report

Were cenotes used for sacrifices?

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Mark Viales

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October 5, 2023

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Captura de pantalla 2023-10-05 a la(s) 11.24.18 — The Sacred Cenote at Chichén Itzá in Quintana Roo. (Shutterstock)

The true significance of cenotes for the ancient Maya is shrouded in mystery. Were they sacred? Were they used for rituals? Did they receive human sacrifices?

Below the calm, crystal-clear waters of this interconnected network of natural sinkholes, gruesome evidence points toward a sacred past. To link the pieces of the puzzle, researchers dive into the depths of the Maya underworld, known as Xibalba, to reveal the secrets of this fascinating civilization.

A head carved out from the stone of a cenote near Chichén Itzá. (Photo Mark Viales)

Thousands of cenotes dot the Yucatán Peninsula, yet many are unexplored and likely still hold keys that could unlock knowledge lost to the ages. However, one critical archaeological site that provides some answers is the Sacred Cenote of Chichén Itzá. For decades, scientists have uncovered remains that continue to shed light on a story with many missing parts.

The 14-meter-deep waters of the Sacred Cenote are the final resting place for over 200 victims of ritual sacrifice some 1000 years ago. Almost half were children, averaging between the ages of four and six. There were fewer females than males, a myth-buster on the false rampant sacrifice of women virgins suggested by colonial Spanish sources. Yet practically all the skulls and other skeletal remains were found with varying degrees of mutilation, virtually certifying the Sacred Cenote as a prolific sacrificial site.

Powdery sand at its base was curiously covered in a blue tint, later discovered to have washed off human bodies and other offerings. The pigment, known as Maya blue, was made and used primarily by Mesoamerican cultures during a period extending from about the eighth century until just after the mid-19th century. Fantastic pre-Columbian murals and pottery fragments discovered around archaeological sites show evidence that the color was exclusive to the gods or those chosen for ritual sacrifice. Furthermore, studies show the Maya often applied the revered pigment when depicting Cháak, the god of rain who lived in the cenote underworld.

In 2019, American archaeologist T. Douglas Price and two co-authors published a groundbreaking study on skulls from the Sacred Cenote showed that human sacrifices were “sourced from far and wide across Mexico”. According to the research paper, the Maya city was a ceremonial center that included violent rituals with mutilation, disarticulation and methods of public display.

Archaeologists have discovered a wide range of artifacts at the bottom of the Sacred Cenote of Chichén Itzá. (Photo Mark Viales)

“Hundreds of people were ritually executed and their bodies thrown into the waters of the Sacred Cenote at Chichén,” writes Price and his co-authors . “The ancient city was one of the most important in the Maya area, but its origins and history are poorly understood. A major question concerns the origins of the peoples who founded and later expanded the ancient city.”

The authors say it is unknown if all sacrificial victims resided in Chichén Itzá, but their suggested origins likely reflect patterns of population movement.

“There were social networks that existed between Chichén Itzá and both neighboring and distant regions,” they write. “Various lines of evidence point to places in the Yucatán, along the Gulf Coast, Central America, or even in the Central Highlands of Mexico.”

Another article that references T. Douglas Price’s study noted “that many bones appeared weathered, as if displayed and exposed to the elements before being cast into the cenote. Some skulls also had holes on either side near the temple that could only have been made by a percussive tool.”

Scientific analysis of skeletons found at the bottom of the Sacred Cenote of Chichén Itzá could provide answers. (Photo Mark Viales)

This collaborative study boosts the theory that Postclassic Maya influence was more far-reaching and widespread throughout Mesoamerica than first perceived. The remains and artifacts dredged from the Sacred Cenote are exhibited at the Peabody Museum at Harvard University and the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.

A cenote was considered the realm of powerful guardian spirits who protected humans but was also considered the only source responsible for life-giving rain. Rituals are still conducted with offerings to the same spirits responsible for the rain that gave good harvests for their ancestors. The Sacred Cenote of Chichén Itzá is not the only sinkhole containing secrets that explain the complexity of Mexico’s ancient civilizations. The depths of the Xibalba underworld, accessed from thousands of unique vertical cave spots around Yucatán, hold more answers yet to be discovered.

Mark Viales writes for Mexico News Daily.

Tesla asks for progress on infrastructure for Nuevo León factory

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MND Staff

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October 5, 2023

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Nuevo León Governor Samuel García revealed Wednesday that his government received a letter from Tesla asking it to commence infrastructure projects that will complement its planned factory near Monterrey.

Speaking in León, Guanajuato, after attending an industrial sector meeting, García said that Tesla asked for work to begin on a rail link to the proposed “gigafactory” in Santa Catarina, the expansion of four highways and a water treatment plant.

Gigafactory site — The site of the proposed gigafactory requires a number of infrastructure works in order for construction to proceed. (Gabriela Peréz Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

The governor has said previously that authorities would be obliged to build new infrastructure as part of the agreement reached with the Austin-based company led by Elon Musk.

García said that Tesla’s request would be sent to a “committee” whose authorization is required to move ahead with the infrastructure projects. He didn’t specify the body he was referring to.

“I hope that the committee authorizes [the projects] in order to comply with what we promised,” he said.

García said that the Nuevo León government wants Tesla to begin construction of its gigafactory as soon as possible, but didn’t cite a commencement date. It will be up to Musk to make that announcement, he said.

Tesla gigafactory rendering — The electric vehicle (EV) plant construction investment, of at least US $5 billion, was announced in March this year. (Tesla)

García predicted that 60 to 70 Tesla suppliers will set up operations in Mexico as a result of the company’s decision to invest in a large, multi-billion-dollar plant at which “next-gen” electric vehicles will be made.

“The spillover [of the Tesla investment] will be seen in Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí and Coahuila,” he said, referring to three states that border Nuevo León.

“But the investment is so big that the whole country will benefit,” García added.

The governor said last month that Tesla and its suppliers would invest US $15 billion in Nuevo León, an amount triple the figure previously cited by the federal government.

Nuevo León Governor Samuel García (right) with Tesla CEO Elon Musk when the initial announcement was made in March. (Samuel García/X)

“The plant that we announced in March – erase it from the map. It looks like it will be twice as big,” García said. “Tesla and its suppliers are going to generate US $15 billion of investment in two years.”

The governor, who met with Musk in Monterrey prior to the gigafactory announcement, said Sept. 18 that the state permits Tesla needs to build the plant had been issued, but acknowledged that the company hadn’t yet obtained some federal ones.

Forbes México reported in early September that Tesla had not obtained any of the permits it needs to build and operate its proposed EV gigafactory in Santa Catarina.

The plant is expected to take 36 months to build, according to a Tesla document seen by Forbes, meaning that the earliest it could be finished – if the company obtains the required permits in the final months of this year – is late 2026.

With reports from Milenio, La Jornada and El Economista

Grupo México denies 2014 spill continues to affect Sonora River

By

Cat Rainsford

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October 5, 2023

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Man crosses the Sonora River — A man crosses the Sonora River in 2014, the year of the Buenavista spill. (Rashide Frías / Cuartoscuro.com)

Mining consortium Grupo México has again denied that a 2014 spill from its Cananea mine polluted the Sonora River, one week after the Environment Ministry (Semarnat) released a diagnostic report detailing chronic contamination from the spill.

“The remediation of the Sonora River was successful, fully adhered to the law and was supported by scientific studies and authorities,” the company insisted in a statement on Wednesday.

Protest — A 2022 protest in front of the offices of Grupo México marking the eighth anniversary of the Buenavista mine spill. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez / Cuartoscuro.com)

On Aug. 6, 2014, more than 40,000 cubic meters of toxic copper sulfate acid solution poured into the Sonora and Bacanuchi Rivers from a broken dam at Grupo México’s Buenavista copper mine in Cananea, Sonora.

An estimated 22,000 people in eight municipalities were affected by the spill, which federal officials described in 2019 as the worst environmental disaster in Mexican mining history.

Last Thursday, Semarnat released a 239-page report analyzing the cause of the spill, the resulting contamination of soil, air, water and ecosystems in the area and the effect of this on the local economy and communities.

It concludes that the spill was caused by a poorly-designed dam system, and that the 1.5 billion pesos (US $83 million) paid by the company “in no way covered the direct, indirect and cumulative effects on the population, ecosystems and economy.” It estimates the spill’s economic impact to date at 20.5 billion pesos (US $1.14 billion).

German Larrea, owner of Grupo México. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

Semarnat states that local inhabitants still “face risks to health, safety and economic risks due to the presence of bioaccumulative heavy metals, in quantities well above the limits established by national and international standards.”

The report adds that Semarnat does not accept the closure of the Sonora River Basin Trust, which Semarnat and Grupo México opened in 2015 to repair the damage from the spill, but was declared closed two years later.

In its response, Grupo México dismissed the report’s findings, arguing that “they omit current sources of pollution such as illegal mining [and] the discharge of untreated sewage.” The company said that a government resolution last May confirmed that the water quality of the Sonora River had returned to its pre-spill levels, and blamed “disinformation campaigns” for the continued criticism.

In his Wednesday press conference, President López Obrador said that he will present a new action plan in the coming weeks to address the effects of the spill. He told reporters that the funds Grupo México has allocated to the environmental cleanup appear to be insufficient, and that his action plan will include a new “proposal” to the company.

“We’re resolving it, looking for options and alternatives,” he said.

With reports from La Jornada Maya, Reuters and Pie de Página

Sea Shepherd and Mexican government to expand vaquita protection

By

MND Staff

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October 5, 2023

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The Mexican government and conservation group Sea Shepherd signed a historic endangered species conservation agreement on Tuesday, to expand the protection of the vaquita porpoise, the world’s smallest cetacean.

Tuesday’s agreement will increase the conservation area where fishing is banned – the so-called “Zero Tolerance Area” – by over 60%.

The agreement was signed by Admiral Ojeda of the Mexican Navy and Sea Shepherd CEO Pritam Singh — The agreement to expand protected areas was signed by Admiral Ojeda of the Mexican Navy and Sea Shepherd CEO Pritam Singh. (Sea Shepherd)

In August, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) issued an extinction alert – its first ever – for the vaquita, which can only be found in the Gulf of California.

The new agreement will expand protection to the west and northwest of the current protected zone to include the areas where the May 2023 Vaquita Survey identified between 10 and 13 specimens of the vaquita in the Upper Gulf of California.

The agreement expands protection protocols to include the totoaba fish – also an endangered species – across the entire UNESCO-recognized Vaquita Refuge.

The agreement was signed by Admiral Ojeda of the Mexican Navy and Sea Shepherd CEO Pritam Singh.

One of the rare vaquita porpoises. — There are only around a dozen vaquita left in the wild. (WWF)

“This is a huge step forward,” Singh said at the signing. “We are deeply grateful to our partners in the Mexican Government for expanding Operation Milagro and exponentially increasing the capacity to help protect these two species. More protection means a better chance for survival for the vaquita and the totoaba.”

The partnership between Sea Shepherd and the Intergovernmental Group on Sustainability in the Upper Gulf of California (GIS) has so far seen a 90% reduction in illegal fishing activity in the Zero Tolerance Area, Sea Shepherd said.

In a separate statement, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) said that it will review fishing schedules to better support sustainable fishing practices in the region. It also said that the area’s fishermen will also identify the embarkation and disembarkation points they consider most functional.

Representatives of fishermen from Upper Gulf communities requested Semarnat review the effectiveness of alternative fishing tools and the ecological impact of existing equipment used in the industry.

While the expanded protection is good news for the vaquita, Alejandro Olivera, senior scientist and Mexico representative at the Center for Biological Diversity, told Reuters that the Mexican government should also enforce its ban on illegal fishing more aggressively.

With reports from Sea Shepherd, Reuters and Semarnat

IMF proposes 5 ways to boost investment and growth in Mexico

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MND Staff

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October 4, 2023

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Mexico,City,,Mexico,-,August,30,,2021:,Aerial,View,Of — Following a visit this week to Mexico, the IMF identified "ambitious" structural reforms that must be made for long-term investment and growth. (Shutterstock)

Mexico needs to implement “ambitious” structural reforms to take advantage of its nearshoring opportunity and make economic growth “more inclusive and sustainable,” according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

IMF staff who recently completed an official visit to Mexico said that “the ongoing reshaping of global supply chains is an important opportunity for Mexico.”

imf — During the same visit, the IMF upgraded Mexico’s economic growth in 2023 to 3.2%. (Photo: Archive)

In a statement published Tuesday, the IMF also said that Mexico’s “proximity to, and deep trade links with, the U.S. make it a key location for the ‘nearshoring’ of production for the U.S. market.”

“However, capitalizing on this potential and competing with other production locations will require addressing Mexico’s long-standing structural challenges while continuing to pursue prudent macroeconomic policies,” the financial organization said.

In that context, the IMF proposed an “ambitious” and “reinvigorated” set of reforms aimed at making Mexico a more attractive place to invest and growing the economy. More specifically, the proposals are targeted at achieving five distinct goals.

Goal 1: Get more women in the workforce

“Boosting female labor force participation and removing legal impediments to female economic empowerment would improve potential growth and raise living standards,” the IMF said.

Empowering women to enter the formal workforce will raise overall living standards and positively impact Mexico’s growth, according to the IMF. (Wikimedia Commons)

The organization noted that the gap between male and female labor participation rates in Mexico is among the highest in the OECD, “despite considerable progress in removing institutional impediments to women.”

According to the World Bank, the labor force participation rate among females was 45.7% in 2022 and 77.5% among males.

The IMF said that “targeted fiscal policies and legal reforms could help close gender gaps.”

Those policies and reforms should be aimed at seven outcomes, including equal pay for equal work; greater investment in maternal healthcare and childcare; and a reduction of inequities in education.

Mexico needs to improve governance across all administrative areas, particularly financial institutions, in order to boost business confidence. (Shutterstock)

Goal 2: Improve governance

The IMF said that better governance would improve the business environment in Mexico.

“Better coordination among national, state, and municipal levels would be important to effectively implement the existing anti-corruption framework and ensure its proper enforcement,” the organization said.

The IMF also said that by making better use of its anti-money laundering framework, Mexico “could help prevent, detect, and deter proceeds of corruption and tax evasion.”

Goal 3: Improve infrastructure and reduce red tape

Achieving this goal would help attract private capital to Mexico, the IMF said.

The IMF recommends Mexico take action to improve physical infrastructure and allow foreign firms to invest in the transport sector. (Artemio Guerra Baz/Cuartoscuro)

“Filling critical infrastructure gaps – in transport, water, and energy – would help meet the growing needs of firms investing in Mexico,” the organization said.

To make dealing with Mexico’s bureaucracy easier, the IMF recommended “streamlining custom procedures, easing licensing and permitting procedures (e.g., in road transport and custom brokerage), and removing foreign direct investment restrictions (e.g., in the transport sector).”

Doing those things would “incentivize investment and encourage technology transfer,” the Fund said.

President López Obrador has likened the state bureaucracy his government inherited to a “rheumatic elephant,” but claims that improvements have been made.

Too much “trámite,” or paperwork, in Mexico is still completed in person, but the current administration has taken strides to digitalize “doing business” via the Ventanilla Única platform. (Christian Serna/Cuartoscuro)

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week that “Mexico’s overhauled one-stop shop website” – the federal government’s “ventanilla única” – “is providing prospective investors the tax and regulatory information that they need to take advantage of” U.S. policies aimed at boosting investment in sectors such as renewable energy and semiconductors.

Goal 4: Facilitate access to credit

The IMF said that a “deepening of domestic financial intermediation” – the process in which money is transferred from third parties with a surplus to those with a lack of funds – “could provide resources for private investment.”

The Fund acknowledged that “efforts in recent years have expanded access to credit, increased the availability of bank branches and financial products, improved financial sector transparency, increased digital connectivity, and encouraged financial innovation.”

Those initiatives “could be complemented by a reduction in the obstacles to collateral recovery (including through a strengthening of the functioning of the judicial system), investments in improving financial literacy, further transparency of financial products, and an expansion of internet access in remote areas,” the IMF said.

The organization’s proposals in this area would primarily benefit potential or existing Mexican investors.

Though Mexico has prioritized electric public transport, the IMF insists this must be accompanied by “a switch to low carbon and renewable sources of generation.” (Cuartoscuro)

Goal 5: Address climate change

Incentivizing a switch to renewable energy such as wind and solar “has the potential to encourage industrial investment,” the IMF said after noting that multinational companies now “incorporate environmental standards in their location decisions.”

It also said that a shift away from generating power from fossil fuels will help the Mexican government meet its emission-reduction targets, which, in turn, could also help attract foreign investment.

The IMF said that Mexico’s “increased focus on electrification” – which includes a goal of increasing electric vehicle sales to 50% of total car sales by 2030 – should be accompanied by “a switch to low carbon and renewable sources of generation.”

“Increasing the carbon tax – and/or the shadow price of carbon in the emission trading scheme – to around US$50 per ton would be broadly consistent with the authorities’ emission goals,” it said.

Mexico News Daily

Is it possible to produce sustainable premium sotol?

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

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October 4, 2023

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05 Palacios (2) — Roberto “Beto” Palacios created a product that has won gold in the U.S. and Mexico. (photo Leigh Thelmadatter)

The dogs dutifully ran out to bark at me at the front gate but very quickly decided that if this silly human wanted to stand in the desert sun, she was more than welcome to. The Tradición de la Familia Distillery is on the eastern edge of Mexico’s massive Chihuahua Desert, west of the city of Saltillo. It’s just off the side of Highway 40D, but it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere.

Roberto Palacios Cabral and his family are the pioneers of the commercialization of sotol, which, like mezcal, is a traditional cactus-based spirit produced in the region for generations.

Tradición de la Familia distillery in the desert – You never know that the highway is not far away looking at the scene here (and yes, that is my poor dirty car in front of the gate). (photo Leigh Thelmadatter)

Palacios likes to say that he started making sotol as a hobby, but from the get-go, he was more serious than that. Looking to create a new business, Palacios and his wife first looked into making tequila, but various problems in the industry dissuaded them. Her father suggested looking into sotol, but Palacios admits he had bad experiences with some very poorly made sotol in the past. The drink also had a very poor reputation in Coahuila. However, Palacios found a “pretty” bottle of premium sotol from Chihuahua. Trying it with a friend – he had his “a-ha” moment.

Sotol could be every bit as fine as tequila. Palacios began experimenting with Coahuila’s “sereque” varieties, the plant used for sotol. In a few years, he had a viable product. He still had to learn how to market the spirit legally, a process he claims was a “very winding road.” It was not until 2010 that the family could abandon their old promotions business for sotol and move permanently to facilities here in the desert.

If you like mezcal, you will like sotol. It is produced much the same way, has a 35-55% alcohol content and is traditionally sipped straight. The main difference is the sereque plant is from the Dasyliron family and is more closely related to the lilly than the agave. It evolved to withstand the extreme conditions of the Chihuahua Desert, living as long as 80 years and sometimes even to 100.

Palacios makes no apologies for having a modern operation. Instead of using the technology to produce more sotol cheaply, he uses it to make a superior product using the valuable sereque plant to its fullest. Traditionally, the plant is cooked in wood fire pits, which he says add flavors of smoke and earth that can “cover up” the plant’s flavor. Given that sereques take at least 25 years to be mature enough for use, they are a valuable resource despite the fact that – at least for now – they are all over the Chihuahuan Desert.

The distillery’s flagship brand, Excéntrico.(courtesy Tradición de la Familia)

The other modernization is with formal commercialization, in particular raising the status of the drink. In 2002, he began working with the governments of Coahuila, Chihuahua and Durango to get the coveted appellation of origin status for the spirit, which he finally secured in 2004. He also exports about half his products to the United States, in part because he gets better prices there but also in part because taxes on export spirits are lower.

Fast forward to 2023 and the Tradición de la Familia Distillery has a number of products that come out of the desert facility. By far the most prized of these is his first sotol, Excéntrico. This ultra-premium product is double-distilled from carefully selected wild sereque plants that are at least 50 years old. Excéntrico won the gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2019 (the first Coahuilan spirit to do so) and gold twice at Cava Magazine’s national alcohol competition.

Since developing Excéntrico, the distillery has created other sotol products, generally with names related to the region. El Reculta (the Recruit) – a mixture of sotol and rum for making cocktails – is a reference to a battle in Saltillo. A similar beverage, Dinosaurios, is named after the fossils found not far from the distillery. One other interesting offering is Kickapoo, a pure sotol infused with an herb locally called “hojasén” (Blackbrush), which has been used for stomach and other ailments for millennia in northern Mexico.

This brings up the question of sustainability. From the beginning, Palacios has been conscious of the serious sustainability issues caused by the tequila industry, even with the blue agave plant maturing in a “rapid” seven years. Sereque is a federally-protected species and commercial sotol makers must get special permission to gather it. By 2006, Palacios was working with the Antonio Narro Agricultural Autonomous University (UAAAN) and the National Institute of Forestry, Agricultural and Fishing (Inifap) on projects related to developing new kinds of sustainable sotol. He now also partners with the Autonomous University of Coahuila on projects related to managing and propagating wild sereque plants.

Gathering sereque plants in the desert. (courtesy Tradición de la Familia)

His concerns about sustainability extend beyond the making of sotol. He has worked to develop handcrafts, foodstuffs and more from the waste created during sotol production. He is experimenting with sotols that include flavors such as pomegranate, grapes and even watermelon, as these are crops much better suited to arid lands than the traditional corn and vegetables grown for export.

When I was at the distillery, Palacios offered me a bottle of Excéntrico at his price of 1,200 pesos, stating that retail, it can be much higher. While that is a bit too rich on a freelancer’s income, it is very possible that that price is a bargain compared to what will be charged in the future.

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.

The legal status of psilocybin in Mexico and the world

By

Camila Sánchez Bolaño

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October 4, 2023

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shutterstock_2156772093 Cannabis_Pic — Psilocybin has been a subject of evolving legal and regulatory changes around the world.

As scientific research continues to shed light on the medicinal properties of psilocybin, the legal status of this substance has become a subject of interest. In Mexico, the legal landscape surrounding psilocybin has undergone significant changes in recent years.

Psilocybin in Mexico

The legal status of psilocybin can differ significantly from one country to another. It’s important to research the specific laws and regulations in your region. (Unsplash)

Prior to 2019, psilocybin was classified as a controlled substance, making it illegal to possess, cultivate, or consume. However, in April 2021, the Supreme Court (SCJN) granted a writ of amparo — a mechanism for legal protection — that allowed a group of individuals to use psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. This landmark decision represented a significant shift in the country’s approach to psychedelic substances and paved the way for further exploration of psilocybin’s medical potential.

While the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling was groundbreaking, it is important to note that it currently applies only to the specific individuals involved in the case. However, it sets a precedent and opens the door for others to seek similar legal protections. Advocates are now working towards comprehensive drug policy reform that includes broader access to psilocybin for therapeutic purposes. Efforts are underway to foster dialogue with policymakers and promote evidence-based discussions around the benefits and risks associated with psilocybin-assisted therapies.

Psilocybin in the United States

Although the use of these mushrooms for their psychedelic effects has been documented for centuries across the continent, psilocybin has been classified as a Schedule I controlled substance by the United States federal government since 1970.

Despite being illegal at the federal level, laws regarding the possession, sale and use of psilocybin mushrooms vary widely by state. Some states have decriminalized the possession and use of small amounts of mushrooms, while others have legalized them for medical or recreational use. The states where psilocybin mushrooms are decriminalized are:

Oregon: fully decriminalized
California: decriminalized in certain cities
Colorado: decriminalized in certain cities
Massachusetts: decriminalized in certain cities
Michigan: decriminalized in certain cities
Washington: decriminalized in certain cities

In 2020, the state of Oregon passed Measure 109, allowing licensed facilities to administer psilocybin therapy under controlled conditions. This represents a significant milestone in the medical acceptance of psilocybin within the United States.

Psilocybin in Canada

Psilocybin has been a subject of evolving legal and regulatory changes in Canada. In August 2020, the Canadian Minister of Health granted an exemption to four terminally ill patients, allowing them to use psilocybin for end-of-life care.

Subsequently, the Minister of Health also granted an exemption to healthcare professionals, permitting them to possess and use psilocybin for the purpose of professional training and education. This move highlighted a growing recognition of the need to explore the medical and psychological benefits of psilocybin in a controlled and supervised context. At the same time, the non-profit organization TheraPsil received approval from Health Canada to use psilocybin in therapy for patients with terminal illnesses. This was a development, as it allowed select patients to access psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy as part of their palliative care.

As research and public discourse continue to shape the perception of psychedelic substances, Canada’s approach to psilocybin serves as a notable example of a nation exploring new avenues for mental health treatment and end-of-life care.

Psilocybin in Portugal

Both possession and use of psilocybin mushrooms were decriminalized in Portugal in 2001. This means that while it’s still illegal, individuals caught with small quantities for personal use are not subject to criminal penalties, although they may face administrative sanctions.

These are just a few examples, and the legal status of psilocybin can differ significantly from one country to another. It’s important to research the specific laws and regulations in your region and consult with legal experts or official sources for the most accurate and up-to-date information. As research into the medical benefits of psilocybin continues to advance, the legal status of this compound is gradually evolving. These recent rulings represent a significant step toward broader acceptance and exploration of psilocybin-assisted therapies throughout the world.

*This article is part of a series about psilocybin and its uses, both traditional and modern. We will also explore the physical and mental health benefits that these mushrooms offer.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice. Individuals should always consult with qualified professionals regarding the use of psilocybin or any other substance for medical purposes, taking into account the applicable laws and regulations of their jurisdiction.

Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer, and cultural promoter and is Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine.

Mexico scores big with Condé Nast readers in 2023

By

MND Staff

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October 4, 2023

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Hotel Bardo in Tulum was rated as Mexico's fourth best hotel by Condé Nast Traveller readers. (Tulumbible)

The Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards are out, and Mexico has again ranked high.

In the survey’s 26th edition, the magazine asked readers to rank what they loved most about their travels – from hotels and resorts to islands, cities, airports and airlines, readers voted those places they “dream of returning to.”

Last year’s overall winner, San Miguel de Allende, came sixth in the Best Cities category this year. (Kayak)

Here are Mexico’s top destinations for global travelers.

The top 10 hotels in Mexico

From big cities like Mexico City, to small towns like Todos Santos in Baja California Sur, these are Condé Nast Traveller readers’ favorite hotels in the country.

Hotel Matilda, San Miguel de Allende
Casa de Sierra Nevada, A Belmond Hotel, San Miguel de Allende
Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City
Hotel Bardo, Tulum
La Casa de la Playa, Riviera Maya
Paradero, Todos Santos
Nômade, Tulum
Rosewood, San Miguel de Allende
Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Mexico City
Nobu, Los Cabos

Hotel Matilda SMA — The Hotel Matilda was voted Mexico’s best hotel by readers. (Tripadvisor)

Mexico City is a favorite

With travelers prioritizing the “culture, local food scene and sustainability,” it perhaps comes as little surprise that Mexico City is included on both the friendliest cities in the world and best cities for food list.

From “silky tuna tostadas” to “melt-in-the-mouth beef brisket tacos,” to some “truly excellent street food,” Condé Nast Readers’ ranked Mexico City as the world’s No. 4 best city for food.

The magazine also said the capital “is one of North America’s most exciting food cities right now and is bringing Mexican food onto the world stage.”

The metropolis also made the list of the world’s friendliest cities, ranked at No. 10.

Last year’s Best Small Cities winner, San Miguel de Allende, also made the list this year, in sixth place, with another Mexican city, Puerto Vallarta, ranked as fourth best in the world.

Where is Mexico’s top resort?

Nestled on one of Cabo San Lucas’ few swimmable beaches, Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection in Los Cabos took the crown as the best resort in Mexico.

In July, Mexico also made it to the top of the list in several categories in the annual Travel + Leisure magazine trends survey.

With reports from Condé Nast Traveller