Criminal groups such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel press illegal fentanyl pills in Mexico using precursor ingredients imported from Asia and then smuggle them to the U.S. (Photos courtesy of National Guard)
The National Guard (GN) has seized over 800,000 fentanyl pills in the northern state of Sinaloa in recent days. All were apparently destined for Tijuana, and likely then the United States.
The security force reported the confiscation of over 600,000 “apparent fentanyl” pills last Saturday, as well as the seizure of approximately 20,000 pills on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the Guard discovered yet another load of more than 200,000 pills.
Many of the pills were hidden inside bottles labeled as vegetable protein.
All three seizures occurred at courier/parcel delivery companies in Culiacan. The two largest seizures were both hidden inside bottles labeled as vegetable protein.
The first and largest of the three seizures occurred at a Culiacán courier company, according to a GN statement, which said that the Guard obtained prior permission to enter the premises to conduct “preventive searches” for narcotics with the assistance of a sniffer dog. The more than 600,000 blue pills confiscated weighed a total 64.2 kilograms.
The second confiscation on Tuesday occurred at a parcel delivery company located at the Culiacán International Airport. Again with the assistance of a sniffer dog, National Guard officers detected about 20,000 blue pills “with the characteristics of fentanyl,” as well as a package of “possible heroin” inside a box marked as containing a “family-sized plastic pool,” the GN said.
The third seizure, at yet another courier company in the Sinaloa capital, was of more than 200,000 “apparent fentanyl” pills, weighing a total 21 kilograms and also “hidden in bottles labeled as vegetable protein.”
“In less than a week, the National Guard located and seized three shipments with more than 820,000 tablets of apparent fentanyl,” the statement said. “With these actions, the National Guard reaffirms its commitment to citizens to eradicate in the country the shipment and distribution of all substances that [negatively] affect people’s health.”
According to federal authorities, crime groups such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel press illegal fentanyl pills in Mexico using precursor ingredients imported from Asia. The majority of the pills are shipped across the border to the United States, where the potent synthetic opioid was a leading cause of over 100,000 drug overdose deaths in 2022.
Mexican officials have met with their U.S. counterparts on several occasions to discuss the fentanyl problem, and in April the two countries “committed to continue joint work to dismantle the fentanyl supply chain and the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on both sides of the border.”
Women expat entrepreneurs in San Miguel de Allende. From left to right (standing): Nancy Howze, April Pederson, Jessica Patterson, Katherine Leutzinger, Zsuzsanna Slezák, Amber Nieto, Lisa Coleman; in front (from left to right) Lisa Attridge Gordillo, Ann Marie Jackson, Tamanna Bembenek, Ann Dolan.
The incredible creative energy of San Miguel de Allende was on full display one recent afternoon when ten impressive female entrepreneurs gathered at beautiful Viñedos Patria. The group of strong, talented women included members from the United States, England, Hungary, and India, as well as Mexico. San Miguel attracts resourceful, innovative people, and the community provides both inspiration and a supportive environment for creative endeavors.
By launching their passion projects in San Miguel, these women have transformed their lives and the lives of their families, as well as positively impacting others. Over lunch at the vineyard’s restaurant, Fuego y Agua, they shared their motivations for taking a discerning leap in the middle of their lives.
Lisa Coleman’s business, Recreo San Miguel, has an intriguing origin story. While on vacation twenty years ago, Lisa and her husband bought a house in San Miguel. Then during Mexico’s Bicentenario celebration in 2010, they felt they ought to better understand the country’s history, so Lisa bought Mamie Spiegel’s book, “San Miguel and the War of Independence”.
She learned that a textile industry has existed in San Miguel for almost 500 years, with artisans making fine cloth for church vestments and altar coverings. In addition, the sarape, the iconic Mexican poncho, was first produced commercially in San Miguel in 1780. When Lisa’s husband suggested combining the two ideas—producing sarapes with the finest fabrics—Lisa laughed. “Two gringos like us are going to sell sarapes to the locals?“
As a marketing executive and headhunter, Lisa had no prior textile experience. She became enamored with the idea, however, and six months later, Recreo San Miguel was born. The business, currently with 27 employees, indeed sells exquisitely crafted sarapes to locals and visitors alike. This luxury fashion label is now sold in stores all over the world.
Tamanna Bembenek and her husband came to San Miguel on a sabbatical and, like so many others, fell in love with Mexico and decided to stay. With a Ph.D. in biochemistry, Tamanna, who grew up in India, has had a successful career in biotechnology in the United States, and she still sits on industry boards.
“It’s a part of me, so I’ll always keep a foot in that world, but there are so many other things I also wanted to do in life.” Not only is she returning to an early passion for creating art, but Tamanna and her husband also recently purchased Mexico News Daily. “We’re expanding coverage. The idea is to provide a more balanced view of Mexico. In the American media, you tend to hear only the negatives.”
Jessica Patterson of CDR San Miguel | Forbes Global Properties and Jessica Patterson Jewelry was born and raised in San Miguel de Allende. She has lived abroad and operated a business in the United States, giving her considerable insight into business culture in the two countries and an appreciation for the appeal of San Miguel.
“San Miguel offers a wonderfully cosmopolitan environment and a diverse mix of people. This city tends to attract creative individuals who enjoy finding inspiration in our rich Mexican culture and the more relaxed Mexican vibe. Because I was raised here and have also lived in the U.S. and Europe, I can quickly ascertain what my real estate clients need and help them find the property that will fulfill their dreams.”
Jessica also appreciates that the San Miguel lifestyle offers people the flexibility to do multiple things. Her thriving jewelry business used to be her full-time job, but now that she is a quite successful member of the CDR San Miguel | Forbes Global Properties real estate team, along with Nancy, Ann, and Amber, Jessica still finds time to design jewelry on the side as well as pursue a budding career as an artistic photographer.
She recently held her first gallery exhibition and sold out every photograph. “I am able to bring some of the energy from my creative endeavors into my real estate business, pursuing both passions at once in a healthy balance. That is something I particularly love about San Miguel life.”
The themes of finding your passion and making a difference in the community definitely resonated among the gathered women. April Pederson, owner of El Pavo Real, a sustainable vineyard, tasting room, event space, and boutique hotel, sold her software company in Washington, DC, to move to San Miguel.
“I wanted something radically different for my children, who were three and five at the time,” April explained. “It was an easy decision for me once I gave myself the freedom to think about what I truly wanted to do with the rest of my life and to undertake what I call my midlife transformation—not a crisis. And here we are.”
Katherine Leutzinger created her signature jewelry line,Casa Katalina, over 20 years ago. In deep collaboration with talented Mexican artisans, Kathy designs evocative pieces that honor San Miguel’s distinct beauty and centuries-old creative traditions. When asked what advice she would offer to other expatriates considering starting a business in Mexico, Kathy was clear: “Do your homework. Every country, every culture, has its own way of doing things. It is essential to take the time to understand and respect those differences.”
After two decades as a fitness instructor, wellness coach, and business partner in her husband’s medical clinic, Lisa Attridge de Gordillo is now launching her own passion project, Rancho Corazón de Nopal, to provide equine-assisted physical therapy to children with disabilities, as well as emotional therapy. The ranch will have both a nonprofit arm to provide therapy free of charge to children in need and a business side as a retreat center that will help to underwrite the costs of the nonprofit.
“For a long time,” Lisa said, “I’ve had a dream that when I retire, when I’m 65, I will open an equine therapy center. I realized I could bring my dream forward.” Lisa is currently in the process of certification and hopes to open her doors to children with disabilities by the end of 2023.
“I am so excited to work with the kids. It’s funny, my business coach is a little disappointed in me because she wanted me to focus on making money first as a retreat center, but I am much more passionate about getting the nonprofit up and running. That’s what’s important to me.”
I, Ann Marie Jackson, moved with my family to San Miguel ten years ago and became deeply involved with established NGOs here. Then, seeing a need, I founded with friends a new nonprofit microlending organization for women called Mano Amiga. We provide business training, interest-free loans, and a powerful sisterhood, helping Mexican women to start or expand their own small businesses.
While I see this as a natural evolution from my previous work with the U.S. Department of State and U.S. nonprofits to further human rights and social justice causes, I have also experienced the transformative energy of San Miguel: here, with more time and flexibility in my life, while immersed in this city’s beauty and rich cultural traditions, I became inspired to write a novel. The Broken Hummingbird will be published in October.
Zsuzsanna Slezák, the owner of Fuego y Agua Restaurant, hails from Hungary. She and her Mexican husband are building several businesses in the San Miguel area, including beautiful Viñedos Patria. “This is my dream, what I have now, building this vineyard and other related projects, each one unique and special. My mantra is ‘salir de tipico,’ to create something out of the ordinary, and San Miguel welcomes our creative spirit.” Zsuzsanna’s next project is a spa at Viñedos Patria.
These and so many other San Miguel women share a passion for their work as well as deep love and respect for Mexican culture. Should you be dreaming of following your own passion in San Miguel de Allende, they hope you will feel free to reach out to them. The sisterhood of strong, entrepreneurial women here will welcome you.
Nearshoring manufacturers have been ideally placed to export to North America thanks to strateigic locations on the northern Mexican border. (Britain Latin America/Twitter)
Mexico’s heavy-vehicle industry registered record production and export figures between January and May this year, according to the national statistics agency, INEGI, and the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers (Anpact).
Compared to the same period in 2022, manufacturing of heavy vehicles increased by 24.3%, while exports increased by 20.2%.
Chinese manufacturers such as Aumark have recently moved production to Mexico, as part of plans to increase exports to North America. (China Trucks)
INEGI data showed that of 93,968 units manufactured, 97% (91,168) were trucks. The remaining 2,800 units were passenger buses.
Exports also registered a record figure of 75,264 units, of which more than 90% were sent to the United States. The remaining units went primarily to Canada (2.5%) and Perú (0.5%).
The report, compiled by Anpact and Sparta Motors, analyzed sales and manufacturing data from the 15 brands that operate within Mexico. In May alone, these companies sold 4,618 heavy vehicles at retail and 4,854 at wholesale.
Anpact head Miguel Elizalde said that from January to June, the manufacturing of heavy vehicles reached 113,526 units, the highest number ever recorded — 8.9% more than the all-time high registered in 2019.
“If this trend continues, we will reach record numbers at the end of the year and we will maintain production leadership as the No. 5 world cargo manufacturer,” Elizalde said.
In June, the industry manufactured 19,558 heavy units, the second-best month for production in 2023 and the highest June figures in the last four years. Industry exports hit 16,051 units, a 10% increase on the number registered in 2022.
The Ocean Futures Society, chaired by noted French oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau, has warned about the long term ecological damage caused by the Maya train. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
The Ocean Futures Society, chaired by French explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau, has sent a letter to President López Obrador, claiming that construction on the Maya Train is severely damaging the Chac estuary, a tributary of the Bacalar lagoon in Quintana Roo.
“The Chac estuary has been in a process of being filled in,”the letter reads. “This seems to have been stopped, for the moment, thanks to the courageous and determined reports of the inhabitants of the region and activists, who continue trying to stop the ecocide that prevails in the construction of this train.”
The Bacalar lagoon area of Quintana Roo has an incredibly delicate ecosystem, which environmental activists say is threatened by the construction of the new Maya Train project. (UNAM)
The estuary is located along the Maya Train’s 254-kilometer Section 6, known as the Tulum-Bacalar route.
The organization said that the damage — blamed by authorities on “a mistake by workers” — in fact reflects poorly planned construction processes, imposed on the majority by a minority that holds economic power.
It also highlighted damage to the nearby lagoons of Chile Verde and Laguna Guerrero caused by deforestation, which the organization said has severely affected the mangroves that support the region’s biodiversity and provide essential protection against hurricanes.
“We cannot, and must not, remain silent when the effects of climate change are putting millions of people and livelihoods at risk,” the letter said. “The events in Bacalar and its surroundings are contributing to that problem.”
The transfer of ballast from Cuba to for the Maya Train tracks was alleged to have resulted in severe damage to protected reefs in Quintana Roo. A judge later eventually issued an injunction against continued imports. (@MarthaluzCadena/Twitter)
The Ocean Futures Society sent a previous letter to President López Obrador in March, warning that shipments of ballast for the Maya Train off the coast of Quintana Roo risked damaging the region’sendangered coral reef. That resulted in a judge ruling to block more ballast shipments to the location, near Puerto Morelos.
It said then that itfully supports the “honest petitions” made by Mexican environmentalists and civil society groups, who have filed for numerous legal injunctions against the planned 1,500-kilometer railroad loop on the Yucatán Peninsula, meant to provide commuter, cargo and tourism service to the region.
The society’s latest intervention coincided with an open letter by local environmental groups, calling on the federal government to stop work on section 6 of the Maya Train until a route is found that avoids damage to the Bacalar wetlands.
“The decision to pass the road over the wetlands takes citizens by surprise, since there has been no public consultation, no supporting document has been disclosed and even less has the engineering project been made available [to the public],” the letter states.
Despite assurances by the federal government that it is taking environmental precautions, the Maya Train project has raised significant concerns among experts throughout its construction. (@Avispa_Midia/Twitter)
It argues that the solution proposed by authorities of constructing an elevated bridge over the Chac estuary does not solve the problem because this still requires filling in several kilometers of wetlands and severely impacting water flows.
“That decision is a huge mistake that will have serious consequences for the fragile ecosystems that make up this region,” the organizations argue.
The Bacalar lagoon system houses the largest bacterial reef on the planet, as well as hundreds of hectares of mangroves and orchids that make up the habitat of numerous animals. Its vivid turquoise color and relaxed atmosphere have also marked it out as an up-and-coming tourist destination.
Mexico has seen by far the highest real-terms wage growth among OECD nations. (Cristana Espinoza Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s minimum wage increased by 43.6% in real terms between December 2020 and May 2023, the highest increase among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member countries during that period.
In its ‘Employment Outlook 2023’ report, the OECD said that Mexico’s minimum-wage hike contrasts with a 2% average increase among OECD countries, and a 14% decline in the United States.
Minimum wage workers were paid just 88 pesos per day when President López Obrador took power in 2018. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
“[This] reflects Mexico’s commitment to addressing the loss of purchasing power suffered from the 1970s to 2021 by workers who received the minimum wage,” the report said.
The OECD credited the improvement to President López Obrador’s implementation of a regulatory framework that requires an annual review of the minimum wage.
Raising the minimum wage by15.6% per year has been a key policy commitment of the López Obrador administration. It was just 88 pesos per day when he took office in 2018 and is nowup to 207.44 pesos (US $11.99) outside the higher-paid northern border states.
AMLO has said he wants the minimum wage to reach 260 pesos per day (US $15.03) by the time he leaves office in 2024, despite some economists’ fears that the increases may fuel inflation.
An increased minimum wage has been a flagship achievement of President López Obrador’s government, although some economists fear that it may fuel inflation. (Presidencia)
The Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) reported last week that the average salary of its membersleaped 11.2% between June 2022 and June 2023, largely driven by the minimum-wage hikes. Taking into account 5.2% inflation across that period, the real-terms increase was 5.8%, the highest in 21 years.
However, the OECD’s report highlights that Mexico’s lowest-paid workers are the only group who have seen an increase in real wages between the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the end of 2022.
Average hourly pay for all workers in Mexico has, in fact, fallen by 0.3% across this period as wage differentials between workers with different levels of education have narrowed. However, the reduction is lower than the OECD average of 2.2%.
The report also highlights improvements in Mexico’s labor laws, including the introduction of a justice system to resolve labor disputes.
Labor reforms have seen the minimum annual vacation benefit double to 12 days a year, plus two days for every subsequent year of employment. (Martín Zetin/Cuartoscuro)
“In Mexico, in 2022, the lowest number of labor conflicts was reported compared to the 2010–2019 average,” the report states.
Mexican workers have also seen a sharp increase in their mandatory annual paid vacations, which was raised this year from six days — the lowest in the OECD — to 12 days for the first year of employment, with an additional two days for each year in the job.
“This progress contributes to improving working conditions in line with OECD labor quality standards,” the report says.
Military troops and police currently have a heavy presence in Tlajomulco, the municipality in which the ambush took place.
Six people, including four police officers, were killed Tuesday night when seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs) detonated on a road in Tlajomulco, a municipality in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Jalisco.
The Jalisco government said in a statement late Wednesday afternoon that 14 people were injured in the attack, which was allegedly perpetrated by an unidentified crime group.
Aftermath of the attack, which occurred on Tuesday evening. (Internet)
Three state police, one municipal officer and two civilians were killed in the blast, while two police and three children are among the injured. A police vehicle and another vehicle in which some of the victims were traveling were damaged.
Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro described the attack as a “brutal act of terror” and vowed to hold those responsible to account.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Alfaro gave his account of what happened before the explosion of seven of eight IEDs that had been placed on a dirt road in the Larios neighborhood of Tlajomulco.
A woman who belongs to a collective of “searching mothers” received an anonymous call from a person who told her about a place where human remains were “supposedly” located, he said.
Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro, right, and Tlajomulco Mayor Salvador Zamora filmed a video Wednesday from the main plaza in the municipality, where Alfaro vowed to do what was necessary to restore peace. (Enrique Alfaro/Facebook)
The woman reported the information to authorities and police made their way to the location, Alfaro said.
“What happened is that it was a trap for the officers, … this [anonymous] call sought the presence of our police in order to attack them with these explosive devices,” the governor said.
“… We can’t allow these kinds of acts of terror in Jalisco. This is something else. While Jalisco is on an effective path to reduce the crime rate, these organized crime groups want to create fear, chaos and panic among the people,” said Alfaro, who was flanked by security officials including military personnel.
He also said that police-escorted searches for human remains based on anonymous tipoffs would be suspended for the time being. On social media on Tuesday night, Alfaro said the IED attack was “unprecedented” in Jalisco and demonstrates “what these organized crime groups are capable of.”
“This attack also represents a challenge to the entire Mexican state,” he wrote.
While Alfaro did not name what collective the woman was associated with, various Mexican media outlets reported that one of the most prominent collectives in the state, the Madres Buscadoras de Jalisco, had made a post on social media on Wednesday in response to the governor’s statements, calling into question Alfaro’s recounting of events and asserting that no one from their group had received such a call.
“We categorically deny that [the tragic events] have something to do with us, we deny that the people involved are part of our collective, … we never received that call … and we never go out to the field at night,” the post said.
Mexico News Daily could not independently confirm that the account on which the post was made belongs to the Madres Buscadoras de Jalisco group.
In response to the crime, state and federal authorities have beefed up the presence of security forces in Tlajomulco — where scores of bodies have been located in recent years — and other areas in the southern part of the Guadalajara metropolitan area.
Jalisco Attorney General Luis Joaquín Méndez Ruiz said Wednesday that authorities will conduct a thorough investigation to determine who is responsible for the attack.
Foreign resident numbers are rising around Mexico City, so, while your housing search may be easier, it won't be any cheaper. (Depositphotos)
I’ve received some rather passionate comments from those who believe that talking about alternative neighborhoods in Mexico City for foreigners will simply export (more) gentrification to the rest of the capital. However, I write this with the knowledge that gentrification has been part of Mexico City’s history with or without foreign “help.”
The popular neighborhoods Roma and Condesa are only two of hundreds of officially designated neighborhoods called colonias, spread out across 16 city boroughs called alcaldías.
Panorama of Nuevo Polanco, the neighborhood next to “old” Polanco undergoing massive reconstruction, in large part because of its proximity to many of the city’s most elite residential areas. (Adam Wiseman)
“There are many, many nice neighborhoods in Mexico City where there are not so many foreigners, even though [foreign resident] numbers are growing,” says Edyta Norejka of ForHouse, a real estate company specializing in helping foreigners buy and rent properties in Mexico City.
The most pertinent type of gentrification here is that which has occurred west and southwest of the historic center, marking a sharp division from the poorer neighborhoods of north, east and southeast Mexico City. This division goes back at least to the Spanish conquest and simply worsened as the city grew.
For many foreigners, the gold standard is Roma and Condesa — in no small part because it “has it all”: a safe reputation, shopping and dining options, overall beauty, accessibility to other parts of the city and — until recently — relative affordability for upper-class Mexicans and residents earning foreign currency.
But rising prices in all of Mexico City’s most popular neighborhoods have forced both foreigners and Mexicans to look for alternatives in neighboring colonias such as Juárez, Escandon, Roma Sur and, to some extent, Doctores and the historic center. A similar phenomenon in Polanco has spurred the construction of massive high-rise buildings alongside tenements in areas like Anzures.
Former villa along the avenue Prolongación de la Reforma in the Lomas de Chapultepec area. Many of these villas on busy main streets get abandoned by their original owners and are often redeveloped into commercial properties. (Leigh Thelmadatter)
These neighborhoods offer more affordability yet similar proximity to the same attractions, important for resident Michael Swank of Art Gallery Studios. Located on Bucarelli street on the Juárez/historic center border, his home and business are close enough to Mexico City’s art world for his needs.
The two boroughs most affected by the influx of foreigners have been Cuauhtémoc and Miguel Hidalgo. Home to Roma and Condesa, Cuauhtémoc extends to other desirable neighborhoods such as Juárez and ColoniaCuauhtémoc, along with the gentrifying areas of San Rafael and Santa María la Ribera.
The borough of Miguel Hidalgo is a mix of fashionable neighborhoods established in the 20th century with pockets of poverty in sections that were former villages. Its most famous neighborhood is Polanco, but it also has neighborhoods such as San Miguel de Chapultepec and various others that surround the famous Chapultepec Park.
Nowhere in the city has a greater concentration of hidden gems than the historic center, one reason why some foreigners choose to live there. The exterior of the Abelardo L. Rodríguez market, right, was Mexico’s last major Mexican muralism project. (Leigh Thelmadatter)
Many neighborhoods in the borough are too wealthy even for digital nomads and are jealously guarded by residents who do not want to lose its exclusivity. It is also home to “Little L.A.,” in Colonia Revolución, a community of deported “dreamers” from the U.S.
Norejko recommends that most Mexico City newbies start out their life in the city in the “overcrowded” neighborhoods of Roma, Condesa, Polanco and Coyoacán, at least until they get their footing.
Recently, however, other neighborhoods are getting more attention online.
One important area is the Insurgentes Sur corridor, a long avenue that stretches from Roma/Condesa southwest to the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). The avenue itself is lined with office buildings like the World Trade Center, as well as upscale shopping and dining options. On both sides, there are affluent neighborhoods with greenery and parks, such as San José Insurgentes and Florida and San Ángel.
The various interconnected “Narvarte” neighborhoods are undergoing gentrification, with reworked old buildings and rising rents. However, much of traditional Mexican residential life still exists here. (Adam Jones)
Just about anything along Insurgentes Sur is “safe,” says Norejko, but Colonia Del Valle has drawn the most foreign attention, likely because it is an easy area to to get to and from despite horrendous commuter traffic.
Many of the 16 boroughs are completely dismissed as alternatives, either because of their reputations as dangerous (like Iztapalapa and Gustavo A. Madero), or because of their distance from amenities (such as Milpa Alta and Tlalpan).
Pressure to gentrify is fierce in the borough of Benito Juárez. Located just south of Cuauhtémoc borough, it is centric and, perhaps most importantly, has the city’s lowest poverty index. It doesn’t have Mexico City’s swankiest neighborhoods, but it does lack pockets of grinding poverty.
For foreigners, the most attractive option right now is in the Narvarte area, due to its proximity to Roma and Condesa.
Squares like this one in Coyoacán’s Santa Catarina neighborhood are a big reason why the borough is so prestigious. Other parts of Mexico City have similar “urbanized” villages but get little attention because they’re too far from the center or their boroughs have bad reputations. (Adam Jones)
The neighborhood of Coyoacán was made famous by Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Its few drawbacks — its southerly location and poor public transport access — hasn’t stopped massive gentrification there in recent years. Foreigners flock to it for its gorgeous colonial architecture.
One “safe” area that is generally ignored by online blogs and resources is a corridor of uber-wealthy developments that stretches west from Polanco into Santa Fe, Cuajimalpa and México state. Most of the foreigners here are wealthy — executives of multinational corporations or foreign embassies, or those who have married into the crème de la crème of Mexican society. These places are too rich even for many digital nomads.
So what about those poorer areas of the city? Many will tell you that no foreigner should so much as consider them. At the same time, they’ll tell you that you should not be in Roma and Condesa, either.
As Norejko noted earlier, living outside the “gringo bubble” is probably not ideal for most new arrivals, especially for those who don’t have any experience living in a barrio or “hood.” Living in a real barrio takes a certain kind of personality — of being able to take care of yourself and, more importantly, being able to integrate.
Redevelopment pressures are so strong in Benito Juárez and along Insurgentes Sur that even David Alfaro Siqueiros’ work, the Polyforum, was in danger of disappearing in 2014. (Keizer)
The historic center is a case in point: filled with colonial architecture and museums, gentrification is spotty. In addition to the flight of the wealthy, the 1985 earthquake made much of the area unlivable. Only in the past decade or so have the western and southern fringes really started returning to life thanks to proactive city planning.
Sadly, the southeast, east and north of the city were overrun by urban sprawl, giant housing complexes for the poor and even garbage dumps that nearly buried former colonial villages like Meyehualco. Skyrocketing land prices in these areas led to the development of middle-class apartment buildings for those looking to avoid the three-hour commute involved in living so far on the fringes. Few foreigners live here.
Those who do live in these areas (myself among them), are either looking to avoid other foreigners, trying to live like the locals do or not making the kind of money everyone assumes. This includes teachers in local schools (my category) and artists, who have been coming here in droves since the days of Rivera and Kahlo.
Foreigners may keep coming, or they may not (a possibility given the ongoing strength of the peso). Regardless, gentrification will remain an issue for many of the same reasons it is an issue in other cities around the world. Not only do you have growing populations jostling for the best real estate but there are also usually geographical limitations to that growth.
For Mexico City, that limitation is pretty insurmountable: it’s the mountain range surrounding the Valley of Mexico.
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.
Journalists in Mexico City mourned the death of Luis Martín Sánchez, who was a correspondent for the national newspaper La Jornada. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
A journalist who wrote for the newspaper La Jornada was found dead in Nayarit on Saturday, three days after he was abducted, state authorities said.
Luis Martín Sánchez Íñiguez, a correspondent in the Pacific coast state and a contributor to the local news site Crítica Digital Noticias, was kidnapped last Wednesday from a rural community near Tepic. His wife, Cecilia López Aguilar, said that he disappeared after returning to Tepic alone following a trip with his family to the northern Nayarit municipality of Acaponeta.
Luis Martín Sánchez, 59, reported on organized crime in the state of Nayarit. Several sources have reported that his body was found with a threatening message against the press. (OHCHR)
The Nayarit Attorney General’s Office (FGE) said Saturday that the body of Sánchez was found in El Ahuacate, a locality in the Tepic municipality. There were “signs of violence” on the corpse as well as two cardboard posters with messages written on them, the FGE said.
Following an autopsy, authorities estimated that the 59-year-old journalist was killed 24 to 48 hours before he was found. He was last seen near Xalisco, a town just south of Tepic that has long been linked to the smuggling of heroin and opium, according to an Associated Press report.
Sánchez was one of three journalists abducted in Nayarit this month. Osiris Maldonado de la Paz was kidnapped on July 3 as he traveled to a job at an educational institute, while Jonathan Lora Ramírez was abducted from his home last Friday by armed and hooded men, according to the FGE. Both Maldonado and Lora were subsequently found alive.
Deputy Security Minister Luis Rodríguez Bucio told President López Obrador’s Tuesday press conference that Maldonado sustained some injuries during his ordeal, but added that they were not serious.
Sánchez’s body was found in El Ahuacate, a locality near Tepic, Nayarit. (Wikimedia Commons)
The FGE said that the journalistic work of the three men was being considered as the most likely motive for their abductions, and the subsequent murder of Sánchez.
According to early investigations, “it is known that [the three men] at some time collaborated on joint projects,” the FGE added.
La Jornada reported Wednesday that the family of the slain correspondent flew to Mexico City from Nayarit due to fears of criminals targeting them.
The Mexico branch of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) condemned the abduction and murder of Sánchez and acknowledged the abductions of Maldonado and Lora.
Journalists protesting violence against media workers earlier this week in Jalisco. Sánchez and the other two journalists kidnapped this month had collaborated previously on projects. (Fernando Carranza García/Cuartoscuro)
“The OHCHR calls for coordination between authorities of different levels in order to adopt the measures necessary to guarantee the protection of the journalists’ union in Nayarit,” said a statement issued Sunday.
The office also called on authorities to conduct a “prompt, exhaustive, independent and efficient” investigation into the crimes committed against the journalists, and to punish those responsible.
However, media reports indicate that at least two other journalists and a news photographer have been murdered in Mexico this year. At least 13 journalists were murdered in Mexico last year, the highest number ever recorded in a single year.
“In three of those cases, journalists were murdered in retaliation for their reporting on crime and politics and had received threats prior to their deaths,” the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in January.
“CPJ is investigating the motives for the 10 other killings, but in a country characterized by violence and impunity, it is notoriously difficult to confirm whether journalists were killed because of their work.”
Stephen Goldblatt has lived all over the world, but found his home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. (Courtesy)
What do Meryl Streep, Francis Ford Coppola, Nicole Kidman, Mick Jagger and Alan Pakula -to name but a few – all have in common?
All have been on set with Oscar-nominated cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt. After 50 years of working in the heart of Hollywood, earning him a Lifetime Achievement Award for his craft, South African-born and longtime Brit, Stephen, won’t be quite so incognito from now on in San Miguel de Allende. This weekend, he will present a selection of his photographs in an exhibition sure to unravel a treasure trove of stories and declare his devotion to his home of seven years: Mexico.
Octavia Spencer awarding Stephen Goldblatt with the ASC Lifetime Achievement Award. (Courtesy)
I went to visit my fellow Brit in his splendid but unassuming home, and found a soft-spoken gentleman, with guts, grit and salty humor to boot. Having worked with some of the fiercest visionaries, and egos, in cinema, he had many tales to tell. I could have stayed all day for the stories and perusing his work, but I had two burning questions: why Mexico, and what next?
“I’m never without my Leica camera, and San Miguel is just pulsing with narrative. In the pandemic, I wandered the deserted streets, and photographed. I have a penchant for night strolls too; there’s all sorts of hidden magic here.”
The man who shot “Angels in America”, “Lethal Weapon”, “The Cotton Club”, “Batman Forever” and “Closer” is, naturally, a serious master of composition and light.
“I have this living, breathing relationship with my camera, I suppose a bit like directors have with actors. It feels like the right time to show some of my collection of stills from over the years. And there are many of Mexico; my new passion.”
Stephen on the set of Angels in America. (Courtesy)
Living in the Bay Area, he and his wife came to visit friends in San Miguel eight years ago. Two days later, they hired a realtor to look for a home.
“It was all a bit impulsive, but we were sure in our bones, and we still are. We’ve lived all over the world, but here was home. I still work, and adore it, but now I only work when I’m truly excited and interested. When I want a little quiet, I swim, do pilates, walk our rescue dog, and enjoy the diversity of friends and culture here. If I’m not doing that, I’m in my studio, working on photography.”
After graduating from the Royal College of Art in London, Stephen was catapulted into a manic working schedule as a still photographer, shooting the stars of the Swinging Sixties.
“I shot The Beatles for the White Album and Life Magazine published some of my work, which was very exciting. Wild times! Then I started doing special photography for movies at Pinewood and Shepperton. Moving pictures – even more exciting! But it was when I was working on the set of director Karel Reisz, and seeing Vanessa Redgrave in action, that I knew I didn’t want the life of a solo photographer. It was the comradeship that I saw on movie sets that stirred my blood.”
On the set of Batman Forever with Nicole Kidman. (Courtesy)
His love of community was the leitmotif of our conversation. How could I not delight at the thought of him at sixteen, getting arrested alongside Bertrand Russell at a march for nuclear disarmament in London? A photo he shot later of the great philosopher now hangs on his home studio wall, next to another of Jayne Mansfield taken shortly before her tragic death.
Ever since the Redgrave moment, his illustrious career has taken him to the wildest corners of the world, and the feistiest film sets.
“Coppola’s “The Cotton Club” was like a mafia scene; dangerous, exciting, hard work, hyper collaborative. It made it thrilling to be an artist. The theatricality of “The Pelican Brief” and “The Help” is what I thrive on. I’ve just finished shooting a wonderful gay-centric film, RWRB, in England, screenplay written and directed by the Tony award-winning Matthew Lopez. I guess I’m a bit unstoppable, but why stop when I don’t have to?”
Stephen often wanders the streets with his Leica. (Courtesy)
It’s hard to imagine the stamina and skill needed to shoot the “Lethal Weapon” movies or the six and a half hour Mike Nichols film, “Angels in America“. It’s even harder to imagine the stories he must have, brushing shoulders with the giants of the silver screen. But the framed hand-written note from Mr Nichols, which hangs amidst his photography collection, hinted pretty well at those.
I wondered if someone like him could possibly have a favorite moment, film or director?
“I’ve done this thing for many years, which is mentoring new directors at the annual Sundance Director’s Lab. They put together the first scenes of their movies and it’s exhilarating and grueling for them. That’s what it’s all about in the movies. What it’s all about for me is sharing not only my experience, but the mutual love and learning of the craft. One of my favorite film students was Tarantino, before he was Tarantino!”
Stephen’s eye has been captivated by Mexican culture. (Courtesy)
As I reluctantly headed to the front door, we enjoyed a moment of dry humor, customary for two Brits, and in the same breath, extolled the virtues of Mexico.
“All my friends keep asking us how do we get out of the U.S.? How did you and your wife know when to leave? And honestly, we didn’t, we just took that leap based on our intuition.”
This maestro has lived a life taking leaps based on his intuition. Here in San Miguel, we’re the lucky ones that will have the chance to revel in the company of a riveting raconteur and admire the work of this master of moving images.
The intimate selection of photographs will be shown at the bijou studio of renowned artist Carey Berkus.
The Conapo report anticipates a signficant change in Mexican population trends, as the birth rate will decline and life expectancy will increase. (Bernandino Hernández/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s population will reach its peak in 2053 before starting to shrink, the National Population Council (Conapo) has reported.
According to Conapo General Secretary Gabriela Rodríguez, the country’s current population is 131 million and will reach a peak of 147 million by 2053. It will then shrink down to 141 million by 2070, she said.
The official projections say that the fertility rate is expected to fall to 1.55 by 2070. (Marcel Crozet/ILO)
The report also anticipates that the percentage of children aged 0 to 11 will decrease from 19.5% to 10.5% between 2023 and 2070.
Shared during the First Ordinary Session of the Conapo Plenary on Tuesday, the government agency’s findings anticipate that today’s youth — the largest share of the population — will be over 60 years old by 2070 and will represent one-third of Mexico’s population. The number of people above 60 will increase from 12.1% to 34.2%.
Unsurprisingly, Mexicans’ median age will rise from 30 years old today to 48 in 2070.
Comparing population numbers from 1950 to 2019, the report says that in 1970, the national fertility rate was 6.51 children per woman. That statistic has decreased to the current 1.94 per woman and is predicted to decline to 1.55 by 2070. Among Mexico’s municipalities, Mexico City has the lowest birth rate, with 1.4 children per woman.
Despite dropping during the COVID-19 pandemic, life expectancy in Mexico is once again on the rise. (Carolina Jiménez Mariscal/Cuartoscuro.com)
The highest birth rate is in Chiapas, Mexico’s poorest state, with 2.9 per woman.
The decrease in Mexico’s adolescent fertility rate has also helped decrease the overall birth rate — from 77.3 births per 1,000 minors in 2012 to 60.3 in 2023 per 1,000, according to Conapo.
The population projections also outline a demographic shift among the country’s states: Conapo forecasts that Mexico City, México state and Veracruz will see reductions in their population, while states like Chiapas, Nuevo León and Puebla will register significant increases.
This change in demographics can be attributed to increased life expectancy in Mexico, the report said. Although life expectancy suffered a setback during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has resumed its upward trend since and is expected to keep rising over the next 30-50 years.
Miguel Hidalgo street in present-day San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas. The southern state, which is Mexico’s poorest, is likely to become one of the most populous by 2070. (Protoplasmakid/Creative Commons)
Currently, women can expect to live up to 78.6 years, while men have a life expectancy of 72.3 years. By 2070, however, women will have a life expectancy of 86.4 and men of 79.9.
Members of the Conapo Plenary said that the report provides crucial information to anticipate the demographic dynamics of the upcoming decades, which will help create adequate public policies.
“The challenge before us is not an easy one,” Interior Minister Luisa María Alcalde said. “We will have to guarantee all rights established in Article 4 of the Constitution.”
These rights include the basic rights to education, health, water and food.
