Tuesday, April 29, 2025

Diego Cocca is new head coach for Mexican national soccer team

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Diego Cocca
Diego Cocca at the Feb. 10 press conference announcing his new position as head coach of "El Tri" (Cuartoscuro)

The by-all-accounts abject failure of Mexico in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has led to the inevitable hiring of a new head coach for the men’s national team, in this case Diego Cocca, who was introduced at a press conference Friday.

The 50-year-old Cocca is an Argentine, just like the man he replaces, Gerardo “Tata” Martino, whose ignominious departure two months ago followed Mexico’s elimination in the first round of the World Cup — marking the first time since 1978 that El Tri, as the national team is known, failed to make the final 16. Mexico tied Poland 0-0, lost to Argentina 2-0 and finished with a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia that was too little, too late.

“El Tri” in their 2022 World Cup match with Argentina; they lost 2-0. (Selección Nacional Twitter)

Not that making it to the knockout round would have cured all that ails Mexican soccer. Mexico’s national team had lost its first game in the knockout round six straight times dating back to 1990, and besides appearances in the quarterfinals in 1970 and 1986, this soccer-mad country has never even had a whiff of a World Cup championship to get excited about.

Not every nation can be a world soccer power, but Mexicans sure are tired of NOT being one.

To that end — and with the advent of the 2026 World Cup being hosted jointly by Mexico, the United States and Canada — the political party Morena is taking steps to “transform soccer” in Mexico.

Ignacio Mier Velazco, a member of the Chamber of Deputies, and the coordinator of Morena in that lower house of Congress, announced this week that he is preparing a reform initiative in which Mexico hopefully will “stop making a fool of itself in the World Cups.”

Ignacio Mier
Morena Congressman Ignacio Mier. (Cuartoscuro)

He called right now “the ideal moment to evaluate the panorama of Mexican soccer,” from problems such as security in stadiums to issues such as adequate practice facilities for the national team and having a bad business model.

“Being the venue for a World Cup for the third time” makes this the opportune time to start reversing years of “eminent decline at the competitive level.”

He added: “That is why we are going to work to avoid making ourselves ridiculous, as we have been doing lately. [The failure to advance in] Qatar cannot happen again, especially in a country with all the soccer tradition that exists in Mexico.”

Mier Velazco said that soccer managers are going to be invited to discuss his initiative, clarifying that “it is a matter that is on the agenda of the Sports Commission.”

Perhaps point one in the discussion will be whether Diego Cocca was the right choice to take over as the Mexican national team’s new head coach, or “manager” as it is called in many soccer circles.

ESPN soccer commentators Sebastian Salazar and Herculez Gomez both took a negative stance, with Salazar saying that Cocca lacks experience, especially on the international level, and Gomez saying that Cocca is not the right fit. (Salazar and Gomez’s hard-hitting views are presented in a 12½- minute ESPN FC video or heard as part of a 70-minute “Futbol Americas” podcast episode. Both are in English).

Diego Cocca
Diego Cocca’s most recent position was as head coach of the Liga MX team Tigres UANL. (Cuartoscuro)

“If you are Mexican and had hoped for a home-run swing, this is certainly not that,” Salazar says at one point. “Outside of Atlas, you’ve got to look really long and really hard to find anything that’s a sustained success” in Cocca’s coaching career.

Atlas F.C. is a Liga MX top-division team that plays in Guadalajara, but rarely gets as much attention as their municipal compatriots, Club Deportivo Guadalajara, more commonly known as Chivas — that is, until the last couple of years, when Cocca guided Atlas to back-to-back league titles in December 2021 and May 2022 (Liga MX plays two seasons over the course of each calendar year).

Cocca received much acclaim, for the championships ended a 70-year title drought for Los Rojinegros (“the red-and-blacks”). And when the prominent Liga MX team Tigres UANL needed a new head coach last year, the team based in the Monterrey metropolitan area hired Cocca.

His stay with Tigres began was a short one, lasting only since mid-November and including only five games as the team’s head coach on the sideline since the season started in January. To his credit, Tigres were in third place with three wins and two draws when Cocca departed this week.

“It is valid to go to fulfill a dream,” said Mauricio Culebro, president of Tigres. “We are not in a position to clip anyone’s wings…he told us that he had a vision of leading the team because he owes a lot to Mexican soccer.” Cocca played for Atlas, Veracruz and Querétaro in the Mexican league, and coached Santos Laguna, Tijuana, Atlas and Tigres.

A pro player in Argentina who got his coaching start there, Cocca was not considered among the favorites to take over as Mexico’s head coach. Names commonly mentioned included Miguel Herrera, who led Mexico to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and won the Gold Cup in 2015, and Uruguayan Guillermo Almada, who coaches reigning Liga MX champions Pachuca.

Cocca becomes the fifth Argentine to lead the Mexican national team. He was preceded by César Luis Menotti, Cayetano Rodríguez, Ricardo La Volpe and Martino — who stepped aside after the disappointing World Cup finish, but had long been under fire for years of uninspiring performances by the national team. Sometimes saying he felt like public enemy No. 1, Martino reportedly turned in his resignation last September, two months before the World Cup, but Mexican Football Federation (FMF) officials convinced him to stay a bit longer. 

Will the FMF officials be any happier with the Cocca hiring? Only time will tell.

“I believe a lot in Mexican soccer players and their talent,” Cocca said on Friday. “But talent is not enough. You have to give them a whole lot of tools so they can take off, and that is my goal, I want to make them take off.”

Speaking of the national team, he said, “I want it to be a winning team and to be able to face whatever is thrown at it. The sky’s the limit.”

With reports from El Financiero and Associated Press

Foreign airlines, fake news and fentanyl: the week at the mañaneras

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AMLO at press conference
In this week's morning press conferences, AMLO covered the Turkey-Syria earthquake, "Mexican humanism" and the interest rate hike. (Cuartoscuro)

After delivering an address in Querétaro on Sunday to mark the 106th anniversary of the promulgation of the Constitution of Mexico, President López Obrador returned to Mexico City to start another working week.

The cataclysmic Turkey-Syria earthquake, the ongoing criminal trial of former security minister Genaro García Luna and alleged media misrepresentation of the National Guard’s security work in the Mexico City Metro were among the issues addressed by the president and his colleagues at this week’s morning press conferences, or mañaneras.

Constitution Day event 2023
The president and members of his cabinet celebrated Constitution Day in Querétaro. (Cuartoscuro)

Monday

Responding to the first question of his presser, AMLO asserted that Mexican airline employees won’t be adversely affected by his proposal to allow foreign airlines to fly domestic routes in Mexico, a plan opposed by the sector.

“They won’t have any problem – they won’t be displaced nor will they have fewer work opportunities,” the president said. “We are looking for balance and for the measures taken to benefit passengers … and workers.”

López Obrador later reiterated that lithium deposits in Mexico belong to the nation and can’t be privatized. However, “specialized” private companies could be contracted to extract the metal, he said.

AMLO press conference
AMLO discusses the ongoing trial of ex-security minister Genaro García Luna. (Cuartoscuro)

Turning to the criminal trial in the United States of former security minister Genaro García Luna, the 69-year-old Tabasco-born “tropical messiah” declared that “regardless of evidence and responsibility … what’s being ventilated” in court “speaks of a political decomposition” in Mexico before he took office – “a conspiracy between authorities and crime.”

Under his rule, López Obrador said in response to a subsequent question, the government is implementing a model of governance that “we’ve christened Mexican humanism.”

“… There were people who said we weren’t going to be able to transform [Mexico] via peaceful means and those who thought [our government] was going to be more of the same,” he said.

“Now they’re surprised because a profound transformation is taking place.”

Toward the end of his mañanera, AMLO acknowledged the controversial phenomenon of young United States citizens coming to Mexico City to work remotely.

“We can’t close the border to those who want to come and work in our country. [That they want to come here] is recognition that Mexico City is one of the most important and safest cities in the world, that the capital of our republic is very beautiful,” he said.

“So a lot [of young people from the U.S.] have chosen to come here, but as they earn in dollars it turns out that prices are increasing in restaurants, I’m referring to Mexico City restaurants in [the neighborhoods of] Roma, Condesa. Prices are going up, it’s the same thing in the case of rents for apartments.”

Tuesday 

In a security report at the beginning of the press conference, Navy Minister José Rafael Ojeda reported on recent drug seizures including those of 203 kilograms of cocaine in Tapachula, Chiapas, and 15 200-kilogram drums of fentanyl precursor chemicals in Manzanillo, Colima.

AMLO press conference
Deputy security minister Luis Rodríguez Bucio gives details on a recent seizure of cocaine in Chiapas. (Gob MX)

National Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval informed that the National Guard is currently made up of just over 128,000 troops and that an additional 13,000 were expected to be recruited in 2023.

He also noted that a Mexican team of rescue personnel had been dispatched to Turkey to assist the response to Monday’s devastating earthquake.

López Obrador returned to center stage to duel with reporters and in response to one question defended his decree suspending the operation of cargo airlines at the Mexico City International Airport.

“If the city airport moved 200,000 tonnes [of cargo] last year, the Felipe Ángeles airport [AIFA] has capacity for 400,000 tonnes, double [the amount]. But [AIFA] has other advantages. For starters it has rail tracks,” he said.

AMLO later noted that the federal government is “reviewing” the canceled Mexico City-Queretáro train link and aired a claim that it was scrapped due to opposition from the United States government.

“Do you remember that a Chinese company was going to build that railroad with a Mexican company? There’s a whole story about that. … There was a businessman who was very close to the government … and along with other businessmen they joined up with a Chinese company and got the contract to build the railroad,” he said.

“… According to the Chinese ambassador at the time, a very good person, … the agreement was done but it seems there was opposition from the United States government and because of that the Mexican officials reversed the agreement, which very much annoyed … the Chinese government,” López Obrador said.

Among other remarks, the president said that BMW’s investment in San Luis Potosí was “very important” and declared that Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity – a non-government organization that has exposed alleged corruption in the current government – has no “moral authority.”

He also said that the government would launch a new campaign to “inhibit the consumption of drugs, especially fentanyl.”

The “fentanyl situation” is “very serious, especially in the United States,” López Obrador said.

“Fortunately it’s not the same in our country. We have protection. With all respect, our cultures, our traditions protect us a lot. … A bastion that protects us is the family…”

Wednesday 

Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced that a team of Mexican rescue workers had arrived in the Turkish city of Adana to assist the response to Monday’s catastrophic earthquake.

Mexican rescue worker in Turkey
A Mexican rescue worker and dog in Turkey. (Marcelo Ebrard Twitter)

Another group of specialized rescue workers known as Los Topos (The Moles) for their honed burrowing skills was also headed to Turkey, he said.

Ebrard also noted that a second group of Mexican firefighters had touched down in Chile to assist the fight against wildfires in that country.

“Chile is fighting fires on a grand scale. Human lives, homes and thousands of hectares [of forest] have been lost and that’s why the support of Mexico has been welcomed,” he said.

Press monitor Ana Elizabeth García later took to the stage and asserted that the National Guard has been maligned by the media since it assumed responsibility for security in the Mexico City metro.

“Fake news, lies and constant attacks have been disseminated, this is a true disinformation campaign,” she said.

García said that a photo of National Guard troops carrying a person in a wheelchair down stairs in the Metro had been “taken out of context” by the Twitter account of a little-known news organization, which claimed the person was being arrested for sabotage.

“This is a falsification and an invention,” she said.

Back at the helm of his presser, AMLO launched a familiar attack on previous governments.

“For 36 years they dedicated themselves to reforming the constitution to hand over banks, public companies, mines, oil, the electricity industry, ports, airports, railroads, jails and [Mexican] Social Security [Institute] daycare centers to private interests. They dedicated themselves to increasing taxes on the people … and not taxing the tycoons at the same time,” the president said.

He was later asked whether claims made by former Nayarit attorney general Edgar Veytia at the U.S. trial of former security minister Genaro García Luna were credible.

Veytia on Tuesday asserted that former president Felipe Calderón ordered ex-governor of Nayarit Ney González to support convicted drug trafficker Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.

“I believe there are things that cannot be hidden,” López Obrador began.

“… In matters that have to do with crimes or criminality it’s advisable to follow the trail of money to arrive at the truth,” he continued before being pushed to comment more specifically on the accusation leveled against Calderón.

“That has to be proven – whether he knew about and was a beneficiary of the illegal deals that led García Luna to accumulate a lot of money. We’re going to wait, I don’t want to get ahead of things,” López Obrador said.

He added that he had no knowledge of any investigation that had identified an “abnormal pattern” in the income of Calderón, who served as president between 2006 and 2012.

Thursday 

After reports on Mexico’s assistance to the earthquake response in Turkey and Syria and firefighting efforts in Chile, officials provided updates on a range of housing initiatives.

Almost 49,000 credits were granted to government workers via the Fovissste housing fund in 2022, said official César Buenrostro Moreno. Between 59,000 and 70,000 Fovissste credits were expected to be granted this year, he added.

The head of the government’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) later appeared and proceeded to level damning accusations against García Luna.

“During the time that Genaro García Luna served as public security minister … and after that, he wove a web of corruption … for his own benefit and that of his close associates,” Pablo Gómez said.

He said that a family conglomerate operating “under the auspices of García Luna” obtained 30 contracts with various public security bodies in Mexico and used them to embezzle public resources totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

Gómez noted that the federal government has filed a lawsuit in Florida in an attempt to recover the ex-security minister’s assets in the United States that were “purchased with resources extracted from the Mexican treasury.”

“The civil process is independent from the criminal trial to which García Luna is subject in Brooklyn, New York,” he said.

With the UIF chief giving an address that lasted more than an hour, there was no time for López Obrador to take questions from reporters. However, the president offered closing remarks during which he declared that the press conference – despite his limited speaking time – had been “very interesting.”

“… We have a lot of issues [to report on] and we still have a lot of days of press conferences,” added AMLO, who presided over his 1,000 mañanera last December.

Friday 

AMLO declared that he was happy to be in the Jalisco municipality of Zapopan for his final press conference of the week before ceding the lectern to Governor Enrique Alfaro.

Enrique Alfaro at a press conference
Enrique Alfaro, governor of Jalisco (left), shakes hands with Foreign Minister Ebrard. Interior Minister Adán Augusto López stands on the right. (Enrique Alfaro Twitter)

In 2022, “Jalisco managed to consolidate the downward trend in the incidence of crime,” Alfaro trumpeted. “Our state today, when we talk about total crime incidence, … is below the national average.”

National Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval later reported that Jalisco has been the sixth most violent state in terms of the total number of homicides since the current government took office in late 2018. In terms of homicides per 100,000 people in the four-year period to the end of December, Jalisco was the 11th most violent state, he added.

Data presented by the army chief showed that Guanajuato, Baja California and México state have seen the most murders since López Obrador was sworn in as president, while Colima, Baja California and Chihuahua have the highest per-capita homicide rates.

Sandoval also reported that Mexican rescue personnel and their dogs have saved three lives in Turkey and recovered 11 bodies from the earthquake rubble.

“This personnel has also provided medical consultations,” the minister added.

Back at the lectern, López Obrador offered details about his upcoming meeting with the Cuban president.

AMLO and Miguel Díaz Canel, president of Cuba
The president of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel, is welcomed by AMLO in Campeche. (Gob MX)

“We’re going to have a meeting tomorrow, Saturday. The President [Miguel] Díaz-Canel arrives in the morning, we’re going to welcome him in Campeche and we’re going to visit the Edzná archeological zone in Campeche. We’re also going to supervise … the construction of the Maya Train,” he said.

AMLO added that he would discuss health with his Cuban counterpart “because there are Cuban doctors in Campeche and other parts of the country – more than 500 general doctors and specialists.”

“We’re going to thank him for the support … the fraternal government of Cuba is providing,” he said.

The president was later asked about inflation – 7.91% on an annual basis in January – and the central bank’s decision to lift its benchmark interest rate to a record high of 11%.

“We’re not going to stop fighting the inflation problem, it concerns us and it keeps us occupied but it’s not a cause for alarm. The [monetary] policy of the Bank of México is autonomous, they decide to raise rates and we respect its point of view,” he said.

López Obrador added that he would like the central bank to not just worry about combating inflation but stimulating economic growth as well. After offering that advice, AMLO stressed that his government would nevertheless continue to be “very respectful of the autonomy of the Bank of México.”

Mexico News Daily 

These couples made cross-cultural romance last

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Cross cultural family living in Veracruz, Mexico
Veracruz-based writer Sara Tyler with husband Charly and children Sara and Sofía. The couple has been together for five years but believe the COVID years should count for extra! (Photo: Sara Tyler)

With Valentine’s Day upon us, I thought to look into a question many foreign singles here ask: 

“What is it like to have a relationship with a Mexican?”

Spoiler alert: it’s pretty similar to any other, but with a good dose of culture clash.

My goal was to contact Mexican-foreigner couples here in Mexico together for 10 years or more. There are many more than you might expect!

So, let’s start with dating. It is almost cliché to talk about beach hookups, but few of the respondents started as whirlwind romances. 

Kiki Suárez came to Chiapas in the late 1970s, finding herself pregnant and married within six months, but she admits more than 35 years later that it was “crazy.”

Cross cultural couple in Chiapas, Mexico
The rather informal wedding of Kiki and Gabriel Suárez in 1977 in Chiapas. More than 35 years later, they are still together and still happy!

Most couples met when one was working or studying abroad, either in Mexico or another country. Dating periods were most often at least a year, most taking their time, anticipating major life changes. Lawrence Statten and I both dated our respective initially reluctant husbands for over five years.

Mixed answers came with the question “Did dating prepare you for what was to come?”

“Nothing could have prepared us,” says Christie Olvera.

General issues — such as Mexicans’ sense of timeliness, personal space, tolerance for noise etc. — take on new dimensions with the start of a new household. What and when to eat is something that has to be sorted out. That can be difficult, according to Luis Alavez.  

“There are many different flavors and ingredients in Mexico that my [Korean] wife was not used to,” he says.

Several non-Mexicans I interviewed noted the “weird” Mexican obsession with sugary drinks and tortillas with every meal, even meals heavy on carbs. 

What language to use is an issue starting on the first date, but most respondents favored a bilingual model between Spanish and the foreign language, almost always English. This is because it is the foreigner’s native tongue or it’s the language that both learned in school. Children are almost always bilingual, either by osmosis or encouragement. 

Depending on the generation and region, division of household chores can be an issue: Yves Laurent ironically notes that male partners can be more open-minded about such things than their female relatives. Sara Tyler agrees, stating, “Let’s just say [my husband] gets a fair amount of crap from his family, friends and even strangers.”

Interestingly, no one reported having problems with the Mexican partner’s family simply for being foreign. The Alavez-Lim family says that there is some staring and questioning, but “nothing out of what’s normal.”  

Kathy Mulrenan Solorzano says that her father-in-law’s jaw dropped the first time he saw her, but that was because of her hippie dress.  

One possible issue is that the foreign partner often needs support for many bureaucratic and economic interactions. Laura Martínez understands why she needs to intervene for her husband but admits it can get “wearisome.” 

Last, but certainly not least, is the relationship with Mexican in-laws once the relationship has progressed far enough. Krystal Loverin and David Dennstedt claim that when you marry a Mexican, you marry their whole dang family! 

Mexican model Monserrat Oliver, left, Slovenian model Yaya Kosikova, right
Mexican model Monserrat Oliver, left, has been with Slovenian Yaya Kosikova with since 2015.

The foreigner is often expected to adapt to the family’s — well — “idiosyncrasies.”

Boundary definitions in Mexico are different, at the very least, noted by Glenda Peroni and others. Mexican families can feel that they have the right to comment on the couple’s household, especially if there are children. The sources of childcare disputes can range from opinions on the danger of eating cold foods when sick to demanding a say in major medical and educational decisions. 

Fortunately for Lawrence and his partner, José Luis, Mexican culture has become more accepting of homosexuals. Despite being in rural Ciudad Hidalgo, Michoacán, José Luis and Lawrence are accepted by family and community — but this sort of acceptance is not always guaranteed.

In long-term cross-cultural relationships, both sides need to find a way to support each other. The foreigner is dealing with culture clash, and the Mexican is dealing with the fallout. Flexible personalities are important; not all need be like Gail O’Brien, who finds that the Mexican culture suits her laid-back lifestyle. 

Suárez and I believe that it is very helpful if both partners are not “stereotypically X” — neither of them fitting exactly into their native cultures. Helen Harper and others find that husbands willing to help with “women’s work” is a good sign. My husband Alejandro is a great cook, but his biggest virtue is patience. 

Whether more foreign men or women chose to follow spouses to Mexico long-term is unclear. Ensenada-based David Dennstedt sees more foreign men, but here in Mexico City I see both evenly. 

However, there is a Facebook group specifically for Women Surviving Rural Mexico, most of whom are U.S. women following deported husbands to their hometowns. 

For the Mexican partner, that often comes about because his/her family of origin has a more international outlook. The family may have a history of immigration to or from Mexico, or they may have economic or other ties and experiences outside the country. Some couples, like Susan and Ramón Guerrero, have split their time together between the countries. 

In the end, the Mexican/foreigner couple has “… find a way to come together…” like any other couple, says Suárez. 

“Embracing the culture” and enjoying Mexico itself is important, says Kathy Mulrenan Solorzano. Both partners need to give the other space to be themselves, she adds. I agree, realizing there are times I need social circles where I can “be unreservedly gringo” from time to time. 

But when it works, it works. According to Peter Stanziale, “I admit that a Mexican marriage and a Mexican life have been good for my patience and my arteries…”

Thanks to the many, many people who responded enthusiastically to my call for couples for this article, especially if your name does not appear!

Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico 18 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.

Primer: new to Mexico? Here’s what to know about finding water

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getting water delivered to your house in Mexico
One thing you'll almost certainly need to do in your new Mexican home is figure out a way to buy drinking water. Some companies deliver — just look out for the trucks in your neighborhood and flag one down. (Illustration: Angy Márquez)

Last week, we talked about all things related to Mexican addresses: how to write them, how to find them, and how to actually get people and packages to them (executive summary: don’t forget the colonia, and remember that there can be lots of streets with the same name in your city).

This week, it’s time for another lesson in practicality: getting water to your home.

The first thing to remember is that you’ll be needing two types of water: the kind that comes out of the faucet and the kind that you drink.

Drinking water is usually obtained from garrafones, those big five-gallon jugs common in offices. It’s not that the water that comes out of your faucets hasn’t been treated; it has. The problem with its cleanliness has more to do with the condition of the pipes that it runs through. 

That said, I’ve found that the water that comes out of faucets is mostly okay: I myself use it to brush my teeth, as well as for tea and coffee, since the water gets boiled. I have never had a problem with it (and it’s been 20 years); if you accidentally swallow a bit, there really is no need to rush to the doctor. Also, if you live in a part of Mexico where they’re drilling very deep for water, your supply may have levels of minerals like fluoride or calcium that aren’t going to hurt you in the short-term but can cause problems in the long-term.  

For gulping down big glasses of water, you’ll want to make sure it’s extra clean. Though there are filtration systems that may come installed in a few of the fancier homes you rent or buy (you could also have them installed if you like), most people rely on the simple garrafón

Where do you get them? There are typically an array of options. Many of the big beverage companies keep them stocked in Oxxos and other convenience stores, as well as in supermarkets. Many smaller mom-and-pop stores (tienditas) have them as well. There are also often smaller “mom and pop” local water purifying companies, which are usually cheaper.

Garrafones are returnable (retornable); this means that when you get a new garrafón, you’ll turn in your newly emptied one. If you’re brand new and don’t already have one in the place you’re living, you’ll need to buy one or two initially; where I am, a new filled garrafón is less than 100 pesos. After that, you simply exchange your empty for a new one and are only charged for the water inside.

If you buy from a major water brand like Ciel or Bonafont, then you’ll only be able to exchange your garrafones for others of the same brand. Major brands shouldn’t be hard to find in most stores, and larger local brands (there’s one called Xallapan where I live, for example) should be available in most places too. 

If you exchange your garrafones at a mom-and-pop water purification place or refill them yourself (there are self-serve places to do so in most cities), then the brand pasted on the container won’t matter. However, if you decide to start using a brand later on, then you’ll need one of that same brand.

Another thing to remember: your garrafones must be clean if you want to exchange them. If you’ve put anything besides water inside of it and it’s obvious by either the looks or the smell of it, they won’t be accepted back and you’ll need to buy a new one. Make sure, too, that when you get new garrafones, they aren’t leaking anywhere, as that can also be grounds for refusal when you try to exchange it (and can mean a big mess).

To get these bottles to your house, you’ve got a couple of different options: you can either go to the store physically to exchange them or you can have them delivered. 

If you’ve just moved to a new place, stick your head out the door when you hear honking outside or someone yelling something — could be some kind of service like water delivery! If you’re in an established neighborhood, there will probably already be some delivery truck or other that’s coming regularly with water (on my street I hear “Agua Cieeeeeeel!” a couple times a week, which is when I go outside with my empty garrafón and 45 pesos).

Since they’re fairly heavy and awkwardly-shaped when filled with water, I prefer to get them delivered. Once in the house, I typically turn mine over into a receptacle for water dispensing (give the bottles a quick wipe-down first — they get dusty easily). There are also other solutions for dispensing your water — the most common are little removable water pumps that simply fit on the top, or little holders for them that can make them easier to tip upside down for serving.

OK, so what about the water that comes out the faucet?  

As in other countries, you’ll need to pay your home’s water bill. Water is typically delivered by pumping it through pipes in the ground, the pressure of which sends it up to what’s called a tinaco, a large container for water that very likely sits on top of your house or building. When you turn on the water faucet, it opens the valve, and gravity causes the water to come down through it.

I give you all these details so that you might understand why you may not have water sometimes — and what you can do about it.

As you probably know, there are certain areas of Mexico where water is scarce. Because of this, some cities, including mine, have tandeos de agua when supplies get low, which means that there are certain days when the city water system does not deliver water to homes (in my own city, different colonias basically take turns going without when needed).

Unless you’re using a ton of water that day, you might not even notice; but if you’ve recently emptied your tinaco or are planning to, say, do a bunch of loads of laundry or fill a big kiddie pool, it might be a problem. But otherwise, most tinacos are big enough for everyone to get their showers in, toilets flushed and dishes done for a couple of days without emptying them.

If your tinaco does turn up empty, some homes have an additional reservoir underground called a cisterna (cistern); if you do, then there should be a bomba — an electrical water pump — that you can turn on (usually a switch inside or outside your home) to pump some of that water up to the tinaco (usually just leaving it on for 20 minutes should do it).

Bear in mind also that some houses don’t have a tinaco and rely on a cisterna alone. Your pump will send the water in the cisterna directly through your house pipes instead of up to the tinaco.

Happy drinking, showering and washing, everyone!

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

Love is in the air: make a sweet treat to show you care

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molten chocolate cake
You don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant to enjoy these Molten Chocolate Cakes — it’s easy to make them yourself.

Those who’ve been in Mexico on Valentine’s Day know that it’s celebrated in high style, with giant stuffed teddy bears, extravagant flower arrangements, balloons and boxes of chocolates and candies. 

It surprised me at first; now it’s charming, rather sweet and often amusing. Día de San Valentín is a “festivity” holiday, an official designation that includes other special days like Mother’s and Father’s Day, Teacher’s Day and Día de la Virgen de Guadalupe.

Coconutes shortbread cookies
Rich shortbread paired with toasted coconut equals a decadent melt-in-the-mouth cookie.

The origin of Valentine’s Day harkens to the third century, when a renegade Italian bishop officiated at weddings for couples who were not permitted to marry for various reasons: the parents didn’t approve of the match; one member of the couple was a slave; or the man was a soldier. Valentine performed the weddings and gave the couple flowers. Not surprisingly, the emperor disapproved of this, and on Feb. 14, A.D. 269, Valentine was beheaded. 

His love of love, however, lives on in the holiday, and St. Valentine is the patron saint of lovers everywhere. 

The commercialization of Valentine’s Day — and the introduction of chocolate as representative of true love — came centuries later. In the late 1300s, Chaucer wrote a poem heralding “seynt Voantynes day” as the time when “every bird cometh to choose his mate.” And in Europe, especially Britain, people were rapidly becoming addicted to cacao, a new imported delicacy, and discovering so many things that could be done with it. 

The first big chocolate company to make “eating chocolates” was the British firm Cadbury, who in 1861 paired them in heart-shaped boxes for the newfangled Valentine’s Day, to instant success. That was in 1861.

Meanwhile, over in America, chocolate candies were off to a slow start, but then in 1907, Hershey’s hit the jackpot with its production of tear-drop shaped chocolate “kisses” – the perfect symbol of love for a Valentine’s Day gift. (The name came not from the shape but from the ”smooching” noise the machines made as the kisses were extruded.)

As chocolate became more affordable, other companies sprouted up, including Russell Stover Candies. What started in Clara Stover’s Denver kitchen in 1923 eventually became the number-one manufacturer of boxed chocolates — particularly for Valentine’s Day — in the U.S.

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

  • 1qt. strawberries, with green leaves if possible
  • 1-1/3 to 1½ cups milk chocolate, semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Wash and dry berries; have at room temperature. Place parchment paper, foil or waxed paper on baking sheet(s) big enough to hold berries in single layer.

Heat chocolate in microwave for about 1 minute until soft and shiny. Using a spoon, stir till melted and smooth. Grasp a strawberry by its stem; swirl in melted chocolate, coating all sides. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining berries.

Refrigerate dipped berries for 20 minutes to set chocolate. Remove from refrigerator; let harden completely at room temperature. Serve the same day, if possible.

Molten Chocolate Cake

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, plus more for buttering molds
  • 4 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  •  4 eggs
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tsp. flour, plus more for dusting molds
  • For serving: ice cream or whipped cream

Put butter in medium bowl. Melt in the microwave, then add chocolate and stir until melted. In another bowl, crack 2 eggs and add 2 more yolks (discard the extra whites). Add sugar; beat or whisk until light and thick, about 1 minute. Mix egg mixture and 2 tsp. flour to melted chocolate.

Butter and flour four (4 oz.) molds or ramekins. Make sure not to miss any spots or cakes will stick. Tap out excess flour. Divide batter among molds. (At this point you can refrigerate them up to 3 hours; just bring them back to room temperature before baking.)

When ready to bake, heat oven to 450 F (230 C). Put molds on rimmed baking sheet; bake until cakes puff up a bit, tops are barely set and they jiggle slightly when shaken, 7–9 minutes (better underbaked than overbaked). Let sit for 1 minute.

To unmold, put a dessert plate on top of each ramekin and (with a potholder to protect your hand) carefully invert. Let sit for 10 seconds, then lift ramekin. Serve immediately.

Toasted Coconut Shortbread 

  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp. cold salted butter (2¼ sticks), cut into ½-inch pieces
  • ½ cup granulated sugar + more for dipping outside of cookies
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cups flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, plus more for sanding
  • ¾ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 egg (beaten) for egg wash

In medium bowl with electric mixer, beat butter, both sugars and vanilla on medium-high until super light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes. Slowly add flour, then ½ cup coconut. Beat just to blend.

Divide dough in half; place each half on large piece of plastic wrap. Sprinkle each half with cinnamon. Roll to form a log. Each half should form a log about 1½-2 inches in diameter. Chill until firm, at least 1½ hours.

Heat oven to 350 F (177 C). Line baking sheet with parchment. Brush outside of logs with egg wash; roll in coconut. Slice each log into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Dip one side of each round into sanding sugar. Arrange on baking sheet, sugar-side up, about 1-inch apart. Bake until edges just begin to brown, 10–12 minutes. Cool slightly before eating them all.

Tip: Cookie dough can be made 1 week ahead. Tightly wrap in plastic and chill or freeze up to 1 month. 

No-bake peanut butter heart treats
These no-bake chocolate-and-peanut butter treats taste just like — you guessed it — Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolates

  • 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup peanut butter, crunchy or smooth
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

In large bowl, thoroughly mix graham cracker crumbs, butter, confectioners’ sugar and peanut butter. Spread mixture in lightly greased 9×13-inch pan. Chill in refrigerator 10 minutes.

While peanut butter layer is chilling, melt chocolate chips in a microwave or a double boiler on the stove. Remove chilled peanut butter layer from refrigerator; spread melted chocolate over evenly over top. Chill another 10 minutes to set before cutting into squares or shapes with a cookie cutter but leaving cut cookies in the pan. Return to refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour before removing from pan.

Mexican fintech company will offer digital mortgages to foreigners

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condo in playa del carmen, mexico
A condo in Playa del Carmen could be easier for foreigners to buy thanks to a fintech mortgage company that says it's willing to consider credit history from abroad. (/Arkadj Schell/Shutterstock)

Foreigners with official permanent or temporary residence in México who are registered with the tax authority (SAT) will now be able to get a mortgage loan online with the Mexican fintech Yave, a company that grants digital mortgage loans.

According to Yave’s cofounder Bernardo Silva, the opportunity for his company in this area is wide. 

Bernardo Silva of Mexico's Yave digital mortgage company
Bernardo Silva is the founder and CEO of the Mexican fintech real estate company Yave.

“The pandemic triggered digital nomads to start looking for other housing opportunities,” Silva said in a recent interview on the Mexican podcast Centro Urbano Home. “We decided to go for this niche.”

Yave will be the first property technology company to offer a 100% digital mortgage in Mexico. It recently raised capital that will be allocated to improve the platform’s processes and customer service, according to Silva.

Interior Ministry figures list 543,000 foreign residents in Mexico in 2022. The number of digital nomads is not recorded in government figures, but a resource for digital nomads, Nomad List, said in a 2022 report that Playa del Carmen was a top destinations among its 10,000 subscribers, and Mexico City was No. 5 on its lists of the fastest-growing remote work hubs in the last five years. 

Mexican government data published in November showed a 48% increase in residency visas issued to U.S. citizens in 2022 compared to 2019, and those to Canadians increased by 137%.

However, there can be some obstacles for foreigners who wish to buy a home here. One has been the need to purchase property through a real estate trust (fideicomiso), a contract that allows foreigners to buy within Mexico’s restricted zones, which includes any land within 50 kilometers of the coast and 100 kilometers of any national border. With a fideicomiso, a Mexican bank acquires real estate property on behalf of the foreign buyer. 

But another frequent concern, one Yave wants to address, is foreigners’ lack of credit in Mexico, which generally means that they must buy a house outright with no access to a mortgage here.

Silva said that this leads to operational and financial challenges. But now, “after hard work, we’ve managed to make financing possible to offer this type of credit,” he said. 

Silva said his company is prepared to offer mortgage loans to foreigners since it is familiar with the types of credit bureaus and proof of income used in the United States, for example. The company has offered mortgages to foreigners before, he said, but only to people working in Mexico. 

Jorge Manuel Yarza, a partner at the professional services company Deloitte, says that the entire real estate industry is facing the challenge of finding homes within reach for 42 million families in Mexico predicted by 2030.

“Foreigners who already reside in Mexico and have a job in the country are already served by banks and by us,” Silva said. 

Yave is not the only company serving foreigners. Mexlend, a mortgage and loan broker in Mexico, also offers US-dollar loans to help U.S. and Canadian citizens acquire property in the country. They also work with all Mexican banks for peso mortgage alternatives. Mexican bank Intercam offers its so-called “Dream Loan” for U.S. and Canadian citizens, and other Mexican banks do offer some financing.

Yave is also working on the launch of a new digital product in partnership with Infonavit, Mexico’s public housing agency that gives out loans to employees registered with the SAT to help them buy a house.

Via Infonavit, foreigners with a long enough legal work history in Mexico at jobs offering prestaciones de ley — i.e. mandated worker benefits — can accrue enough money contributed through taxes and employer contributions to be used toward a mortgage.

In an article for Real Estate and Lifestyle magazine, Jorge Manuel Yarza, partner at professional service firm Deloitte, wrote that there will be 42 million families in Mexico by 2030, an increase of 12 million more than in 2015. 

“From a structural point of view — which does not depend on the government or mortgage companies — more than 10 million houses will be required in the next 12 years,” he said. 

The upcoming challenge in the Mexican market, wrote Yarza, will be how to make mortgage loans accessible to families and improve the quality of available and affordable housing.

With reports from Expansión, Centro Urbano and Real Estate Market

San Miguel Writers’ Conference 2023 opens with bestseller Janelle Brown

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A view of San Miguel de Allende at sunset.
Founded in 2006, the San Miguel Writers' Conference brings literary talent from around the world. Depositphotos

Novelist Janelle Brown, author of “I’ll Be You,” “Pretty Things,” and other bestselling novels, will be the first keynote speaker at the annual San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival, which starts Feb. 13. 

San Miguel de Allende, a world-class destination voted as the best small city in the world by Condé Nast readers, has been the home of the conference since 2006.

Janelle Brown
New York Times bestselling author Janelle Brown (Janelle Brown/ Twitter)

It all started when Susan Page, former director of women’s programs at the University of California, Berkeley, moved to San Miguel in 2004 and noticed that despite the great number of writers settled in the city, there was no venue for author readings and gatherings. She decided to give them visibility, and that same year, the San Miguel Literary Sala was born.

To date, the Literary Sala still hosts year-round events, featuring both out-of-town and local authors, poets and speakers. 

About a year later, member Jody Feagan decided that there should be a writers’ conference in San Miguel. In 2013, they integrated a Spanish-speaking division, and today the event is bilingual and tri-cultural. It annually attracts repeat attendees. One reviewer quoted on the conference’s site called the event “one of a handful of must-attend writers’ conferences in the literary world.”

Other keynote speakers this year include Suzette Mayr, winner of Canada’s Giller Prize for “The Sleeping Car Porter,” Linda Spalding, author of “The Who and Where of Re-creation” and Jean Kwok, author of the bestselling novel “Girl in Translation,” whose immigrant life story was the subject of a television documentary. Mexican author Brenda Lozano (“Witches”) will also be presenting.

Brenda Lozano
Mexican author Brenda Lozano (Brenda Lozano Twitter)

The event will be held at the Real de Minas Hotel from Feb. 13–17 and will also include workshops, book signings, master classes and other literary events.

The conference is also holding a separate “post-conference” event with author Margaret Atwood (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) on Feb. 21 at the La Casona meeting center. The intimate event will be an onstage conversation between Atwood and her friend and fellow Canadian author, Merilyn Simonds (“The Convict Lover”).

Today, the San Miguel Writers’ Conference & Literary Festival attracts distinguished authors, established and emerging writers, industry experts reaching professionals and avid readers from Mexico, the United States and Canada.

Tickets can be bought here. For those who cannot attend in person, a reduced number of online tickets are also available.

Mexico News Daily

The Mexican town that found its craft from an unexpected source

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Handmade bracelets made from horse mane hair
Artisans in the town of Cajititlán, Jalisco, have become known for making beautifully detailed items from horsehair that would otherwise be discarded by farmers. They make everything from bracelets to tassels and more.

Little Lake Cajititlán lies 25 kilometers south of Guadalajara. Sprinkled along its shore are small communities of very talented artisans. After visiting several of them, I came to the largest town around the lake, also named Cajititlán.

I knew of no dominant craft there and suspected that its “specialty” must be its big tianguis (market), where the crafts of all the other communities were sold every week.

“Doesn’t Cajititlán produce a handicraft all its own?” I asked a local man.

Downtown Cajitlan, Jalisco, Mexico
A mural in Cajititlán shows the town’s malecón (esplanade).

“No, no,” he said… “except for Consuelo. She makes nice things out of crin and cerda.”

Crin, I learned, refers to a horse’s mane, while cerda is the beautiful long hair of its tail. Naturally, I was curious to see what an artistic person could make out of these.

It was 2012, and my wife and I found Consuelo Cervantes working on her craft at home. Upon discovering how curious we were about what she was doing, she began to show us all kinds of beautiful and ingenious handcrafts she’d made: from the mane, she made key fobs and tassels, and from the tail, elegant belts that any charro would be proud to show off.

“We normally go to rodeos and similar events, where we sell our products to people who love horses,” Consuelo explained. “So our customers don’t come to us — we go to them.”

Decorative hatband by Taller Rodriguez in Jalisco
The hatband on this fine sombrero is one of Taller Rodriguez’s creations.

It was hard to believe the beautiful belts they were selling were actually made of horsehair until Consuelo took us to a back room and showed us how easily she could weave a few long strands of a horse’s mane into tresses, which were then interwoven with others, eventually resulting in a belt or bracelet displaying beautiful patterns.

“But how did you learn to do all this?” I asked.

“You won’t believe it, but it was actually thanks to a gringo from Ajijic who came here in 1979. His name was Jim Marthai, and he had been taught to weave horsehair by indigenous people in the United States. So it was from him I learned these skills, and I, in turn, have taught others.” 

Jim Marthai, I later learned, passed on years ago, but his legacy has flourished in Cajititlán.

Now, in 2023, Consuelo’s family no longer works out of a back room in their home. They receive the public at Taller Rodríguez, one of two workshop showrooms in Cajititlán regularly displaying and selling horsehair crafts.

I asked Consuelo’s son Cristián where they get their raw material.

Fabric made from horse hair in Cajitlan, Mexico
Consuelo Cervantes de Rodríguez and her son Diego with the raw materials used in their artisan workshop and the fabric it becomes.

“From ranchos,” he said, “many, many ranchos. You see, they regularly cut a horse’s mane and tail — maybe every three months — so they won’t grow too long and get caught in thorns and cacti and maleza (brush).

“They used to throw this hair away, but now they save it for us. So we buy it by the kilo, and when we get it, we wash it, we disinfect it, maybe we dye it and then, finally, we start to weave it. Washing a kilo of crin or cerda takes about two hours. Then we put it out in the sun to dry, which may take three to four hours.”

Cristián said that the family started out making simple things like bracelets and hat bands for sombreros, “but then, as time went by, we began to invent, to innovate.” 

“Now, for example, we’re making beautiful, unique handbags, which we’re exporting to the U.S., Italy and Spain. We used to mainly sell our products at charreadas (rodeos), but now we are going to venues like the Feria de Libros (Book Fair), where people are fascinated because they’ve never seen something made out of horsehair.”

Cristián proudly added that his family had developed techniques for creating riding saddles out of strong, beautiful horsehair fabric. 

“In fact,” he said, “there are only four horsehair saddles in the whole world, and we’re the ones who made them!”

A purse made completely with horse hair
Two-tassel purse made of horsehair.

In 2017, a saddle made by Taller Rodríguez won first prize for arts and crafts in Jalisco. In subsequent years, their saddles won more prizes, until, in 2021 in Mexico City, the family accepted the highest trophy of all for Mexican artisans: the Galardón Presidencial, the Presidential Award. 

“Just the weaving of that saddle,” commented Cristián, “took four of us three full months to do. It contains between 400 and 500 meters of woven horsehair. and then on top of that, there are the straps and flaps and everything else that goes into a saddle!”

Another of Taller Rodríguez’s innovative projects was its decoration of the giant letters in town spelling its name — CAJITITLÁN. These giant letter landmarks spelling a city/town’s name is a common sight in Mexico, and a favorite landmark for visitors, who like to take photos of themselves in front of it.

“We covered each letter with woven horsehair,” Cristián’s brother Sergio told me. “It was for another competition that was only at the municipal level. They asked each town around the lake to create something typical of the local craft. …And my brother said, ‘Why don’t we cover each of those huge letters with cerda?’”

Every letter ended up being covered with around 72,000 hairs! Taller Rodríguez won the competition, but their glory was short-lived: 

“Maybe you could say we were too successful,” Sergio said. Those letters were so beautiful that people stole most of them! In the end, the municipality had to replace them all with the usual painted letters — so all our work was in vain. That’s Mexico for you!”

City name made in letters covered in horsehair
The last photo of the horsehair-covered letters before several of them were spirited away by admirers.

Check out the Rodríguez family’s Facebook page for their latest creations, especially the purses, which Austrian painter and former fashion designer Ilse Hable Taylor called “stylish and lovingly detailed: truly works of art.”

The writer has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, since 1985. His most recent book is Outdoors in Western Mexico, Volume Three. More of his writing can be found on his blog.

AMLO says Mexico to receive US financing for 4 wind power farms

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Wind farm in Oaxaca
The president anticipates US funds to finance the new wind farms. (Wikimedia Commons)

President López Obrador announced Wednesday that he expects the United States to finance the construction of four wind power plants in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

The plants are part of AMLO’s plan to build 10 industrial parks across the isthmus – the narrow section of southern Mexico between Oaxaca and Veracruz – linked by a renovated railroad project connecting the Pacific and Gulf coasts.

Railroad Isthmus of Tehuantepec
Renovation work on the rail line in 2020. (Gob MX)

“There is a commitment, if the conditions are met, that four of the 10 parks are used for the generation of electricity by wind,” AMLO said. “It is an agreement with the U.S. government to contribute to facing the problem of climate change.”

He explained that U.S. banks or the U.S. government would finance the project through interest-free loans, and that companies from both countries will take part in the construction. The finished plants would be run by Mexico’s state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).

AMLO said he expected U.S. climate envoy John Kerry to visit the area in March to launch the project, accompanied by U.S. legislators and the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar.

The wind energy industry has previously accused AMLO’s government of causing stagnation in Mexico’s wind power sector through regulation that favors state-owned companies over private clean energy producers.

Mexico’s wind power capacity grew by only 2.2% in 2022, compared with 7.1% in 2021 and 24.7% on average over the last 12 years. Meanwhile, the CFE’s use of coal for electricity generation increased last year by 55%.

Marcelo Ebrard and John Kerry
Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard speaks with US climate envoy John Kerry at the COP 27 summit last November. (Marcelo Ebrard Twitter)

AMLO’s nationalistic energy policies have caused trade tensions with the U.S. and Canada, as well as casting doubts on his pledge to double the country’s renewable energy capacity by 2030.

Energy policy was a key topic at the North American Leaders Summit, held in Mexico City last month. At the summit, the leaders of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada pledged to take “rapid and coordinated measures to tackle the climate crisis” and to “accelerate the energy transition.”

These aims are already playing out in the northern border state of Sonora, where the U.S. is investing in the Sonora Clean Energy Plan. This seeks to boost solar power generation, lithium mining and electric vehicle manufacturing in Mexico’s northwest. The Puerto Peñasco solar power plant is expected to begin first phase operations in April.

During Wednesday’s press conference, AMLO continued to stoke rumors that U.S. electric carmaker Tesla is building a plant in Mexico, either in the state of Nuevo León or the state of Hidalgo. In December, the newspaper Milenio reported that Tesla would unveil its plans for a Nuevo León factory in January, but no official announcement has been made.

AMLO also stressed that the planned wind farms in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec would create jobs and development in Mexico’s poorer southern states.

“We are investing in the south and southeast, which was completely marginalized, and development is being balanced,” he said.

However, previous moves to build wind farms in the isthmus have met resistance from local residents. In particular, members of Oaxaca’s indigenous Zapotec community have opposed multinationals building wind farms on their communal lands, saying the companies failed to properly consult local people about the impact of the projects.

In November, an agrarian court in Tuxtepec, Oaxaca ruled in favor of the local Zapotec community against the company Mexican Wind Developments (Demex).

With reports from Associated Press and Milenio

Top designer’s hidden gem for sale in the heart of San Miguel de Allende

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House for sale in San Miguel de Allende
This unique pied-à-terre located in the heart of San Miguel de Allende is listed for US $375,000 (CDR San Miguel)

From brand partner | CDR San Miguel | Forbes Global Properties

Welcome to Suite Tallulah, the ultimate pied-à-terre located in the heart of San Miguel de Allende, just steps away from Parque Juárez and the Jardín (main square). This cozy, tastefully furnished home is now available for sale at an unbelievable price of US $375,000 and it’s a must-see for anyone looking to own a piece of paradise in this vibrant town. 

San Miguel house for sale
The welcoming, thoughtfully designed living room of Suite Tallulah (CDR San Miguel)

Who is the intriguing woman behind this stunning property? Meet Cheryl “Finn” Finnegan, a true design visionary, who revolutionized the fashion industry with the launch of her iconic San Miguel-based luxury jewelry brand Virgins, Saints & Angels (VSA) back in 1999. 

With a fresh and imaginative approach, she fused traditional Mexican artesania with gothic religious iconography to create something truly unique – a homage to powerful female icons.

This idea was ahead of its time, captivating the hearts and minds of fashion lovers everywhere, and garnering a devoted following of celebrity fans, including Madonna, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, and John Galliano.

Cheryl Finnegan
Cheryl “Finn” Finnegan, founder of Virgins, Saints & Angels jewelry line. (Courtesy)

With a passion for creativity and a love for San Miguel, Cheryl fondly recalls the humble beginnings of her company in 1999. “It all started with a custom-made belt-buckle embellished with the Virgin Guadalupe in a small, dimly-lit, dusty workshop. All of a sudden we had an extended family of craftsmen, each adding their own individual touches and energy to every unique piece.” 

Each exquisite piece of jewelry is handcrafted by local artisans, honoring the powerful imagery and beauty of San Miguel. And now, she’s bringing her creative expertise to the world of real estate with Suite Tallulah.

House for sale in San Miguel de Allende
The VSA logo in ironwork on the facade. (CDR San Miguel)

Lovingly named after her daughter, Suite Tallulah is eclectic and inviting, with a comfortable and lived-in feel. The enchanting facade and breathtaking ironwork, adorned with the signature Virgins, Saints & Angels heart logo, foreshadow the magic waiting inside.

Key Features: 

  • This charming one-bedroom pied-àterre offers affordable luxury in the center of San Miguel de Allende at the unbeatable price of US $375,000
  • Beautifully furnished and decorated with a mix of old-world charm and modern style by celebrated luxury jewelry designer, Cheryl ‘Finn’ Finnegan of iconic brand Virgins, Saints & Angels, worn by celebrity admirers, including Madonna and Britney Spears  
  • The spacious one-bedroom boasts its very own walk-in closet and dressing area with French doors opening onto a small patio and a breathtaking private roof terrace with panoramic views of San Miguel
  • An ideal option as a lucrative rental for anyone looking to invest in property in the center of San Miguel de Allende
House for sale in San Miguel de Allende
View from the rooftop terrace of Suite Tallulah (CDR San Miguel)

“There’s a lot of love in that house. You wouldn’t believe how many people have proposed on Suite Tallulah’s rooftop and then come back year after year,” says Cheryl.

From the cozy living room with its timeless cantera fireplace, skylights, and vintage tiled floors, to the kitchen with its open shelving and built-in cabinets, visitors immediately feel right at home. And with a half-bath conveniently located on the first level, you have everything you need right at your fingertips.

House for sale in San Miguel de Allende
Kitchen area of Suite Tallulah (CDR San Miguel)

Privacy, security, and peace have been prioritized here with the addition of world-class noise canceling, triple-glazed windows and doors throughout the property.

The bedroom upstairs boasts charming details, including French doors that open out onto a small patio with a beautiful fountain, and a large walk-in closet with a dressing area, with views overlooking the cobbled San Miguel streets.

The bathroom has a generous bathtub and a chandelier suspended over the sink, adding an extra touch of luxury.

House for sale in San Miguel de Allende
Inviting bedroom of Suite Tallulah (CDR San Miguel)

And finally, the cherry on top of this elegant cake: the exceptional rooftop terrace.

Furnished with a tented sofa, and surrounded by a variety of local plants, this outdoor oasis is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the stunning views of Centro and the hills surrounding the city.

Suite Tallulah is a true gem, a mix of old-world charm and modern style. With its affordable price, prime location, and gorgeous views, it’s the perfect home for anyone looking to make their dreams of living in Mexico a reality. 

House for sale in San Miguel de Allende
Rooftop terrace of Suite Tallulah (CDR San Miguel)

For more information and to schedule a viewing, contact Jessica Patterson of |CDR San Miguel |Forbes Global Properties. The asking price is US $375,000.