Gabriela Castaño Meneses has warned that butterfly migration patterns are being affected by the availability of pollen-rich plants in gardens. (Juan José Estrada Serafin/Cuartoscuro)
The trend of creating gardens in one’s yard to attract pollinators runs the risk of disrupting natural ecosystems, a UNAM scientist is warning.
Biologist Gabriela Castaño Meneses, a professor the National Autonomous University’s Faculty of Sciences in Juriquilla, Querétaro, told El Universal in an interview about the problems associated with planting too many pollen-rich plants or non-native plants.
So-called ‘butterfly bushes’ can attract insects, but may cause problems for butterfly migration. (Royal Horticultural Society)
“There was a problem with the monarch butterfly. [People were] encouraged to plant Asclepias [milkweed] to attract butterflies and keep them here — but they should not stay, as the monarch butterflies come to spend the cold season here and must return,” Castaño said. “By planting these flowers, we will break the process, and there will be no more migration.”
“At the moment, this species is not at risk, but the migration process is. Every migration is more and more affected by climate change, and we need to see what we can do, as we use more insecticide and poison, which removes plants that [the butterflies] would feed upon on their journey,” she warned.
During Covid-19 restrictions, many in Mexico chose to expand their homes and create new areas of concrete in their gardens, such as patios — in the process reducing the green space available for plants to flourish.
“We must consider that the countryside is now the city. Every time we have more altered areas, there is very little left of original vegetation on the planet,” Castaño said. “More and more people live in urban areas. We have to change our idea of these areas, where everything is cement, everything is factories.”
Non-native plants can also quickly replace local species, warn experts. (Mexican Embassy UK)
Research from the University of Maryland also suggests that while planting new gardens to support insect life is important, amateur gardeners should be careful to ensure that the plants they introduce to their environment are appropriate for the region in which they live.
University researchers found that so-called Butterfly bushes — fast-growing, pollen-rich flowers that have become popular ways to attract butterflies in the U.S., often cause problems for local plants. They have ended up classified as pests by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This research is supported by the work of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the U.K., which found that native plants often produce the best results in a balanced environment. The RHS did note, however, that planting pollinating flowers was better than doing nothing at all.
“The power of a garden lies in its very smallest inhabitants. Gardeners who look after them will have the greatest positive impact for biodiversity,” said Andrew Salisbury, a RHS principal entomologist, who has championed the investigation into native plant life and insect life.
Coahuila Governor Miguel Riquelme, who led the inauguration ceremony for Jiaxipera Wednesday, said he's committed to creating security and labor conditions that attract investment in the state. (State of Coahuila)
Chinese company Jiaxipera has announced the opening of a new plant for refrigerator compressors in the state of Coahuila, which will create 600 new jobs.
The factory, to be located in the Davisa Industrial Complex in Ramos Arizpe, will cost US $60 million and is expected to produce 6 million compressors per year.
The DAVISA industrial park where the new plant will be located. (DAVISA)
“We are very proud to be in this place,” Jiaxipera general manager Haidong Jiang said at the inauguration ceremony. “This new factory will allow us to be close to other companies with which we have a relationship and also access qualified labor, since we need specialized engineers.”
Jiang added that Mexico is a strategic location for Jiaxipera, it being one of the top five producers of household appliances in the world. He also said the company hopes to make further investments in the region in coming years.
“The most valuable thing we have in the state is the skilled workforce, the working women and men of Coahuila in this great region who continue to be an example,” said Coahuila Governor Miguel Àngel Riquelme Solís.
Riquelme said he was committed to creating security and labor conditions to continue attracting investment in Coahuila, which is now a keypillar of industrial development in Mexico.
Nineteen new investment projects have been completed in the state since the start of 2023, said state Economy Minister Claudio Bres Garza.
Bres Garza also referred to figures from the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), which show that 21,430 new jobs have been created in Coahuila this year, with 6,380 in March alone.
“This commits us to continue promoting strategies that attract more foreign investors,” he said.
Grupo Bursátil Mexicano (GBM) said in January that an estimated US $208 million of investments had been announced for Coahuila during that month alone, as part ofnearshoring projects by companies seeking to take advantage of Mexico’s proximity to the United States.
Those accused of wrongdoing can spend years in jail before they are brought to trial. (Gabriela Peréz Montiel/Cuartoscuro)
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) has once again ordered Mexico to change its laws regarding the use of preventive detention after ruling the Mexican state violated the rights of two men who were imprisoned for more than 17 years before being convicted of homicide charges.
The court said in a statement on Wednesday that mandatory pretrial detention – which applies in Mexico to suspects accused of a range of crimes, including homicide, rape, kidnapping, fuel theft, burglary and firearms offenses – contravenes the American Convention on Human Rights.
The court has previously ordered Mexico to change its preventive detention practices. (IACHR)
The international court ordered the Mexican government to “adjust its internal legal system on mandatory preventive detention” within one year and “review the pertinence of maintaining” the measure.
The Costa Rica-based court made a similar order earlier this year after handing down a ruling in a case involving three men who were arrested on the Mexico City-Veracruz highway in 2006 on organized crime charges. The men were held in pretrial custody for over 2½ years before being released. In January and on Wednesday, the court specifically ordered the elimination of a form of pretrial detention known as arraigo.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) acknowledged that the IACHR directed the Mexican state to adjust its laws with regard to pretrial detention to “[comply] with the provisions of the American Convention on Human Rights.”
The Mexican Supreme Court has ruled preventative detention unconstitutional in some cases, but the legal measure continues to be widely used throughout Mexico. (Cuartoscuro)
The convention states that “any person detained shall be brought promptly before a judge or other officer authorized by law to exercise judicial power and shall be entitled to trial within a reasonable time or to be released without prejudice to the continuation of the proceedings.”
It is common for suspects in Mexico to remain in prison for years without facing trial. Arturo Zaldívar, former chief justice of the SCJN, said last year that preventive detention has been abused in Mexico and that pretrial detention should be the exception rather than the rule, used when the accused is a flight risk or there is a danger that evidence will be destroyed or witnesses’ safety will be placed at risk.
The SRE said in a statement that the Mexican state will carefully analyze the IACHR’s ruling with the aim of complying and “ensuring the greatest respect” for the obligations outlined in the American Convention on Human Rights.
The IACHR, which is a branch of the Organization of American States, also ordered the Mexican government to conclude ongoing criminal proceedings against Daniel García Rodríguez and Reyes Alpízar Ortiz in the shortest time possible and continue investigations into the various rights violations they suffered, including torture.
One former Mexican Supreme Court judge has accused the government of misusing preventive detention. (Fernando Gutiérrez Ortega/Shutterstock)
The two men were placed in preventive detention in 2002 after they were arrested on charges of murdering María de los Ángeles Tamés, a councilor in the México state municipality of Atizapán.
They spent over 17 years in preventive detention — a Mexican record — before being released in 2019 when authorities imposed alternate restrictions on their freedom, including a requirement to wear ankle monitors and a prohibition on leaving México state.
García and Alpízar were found guilty last year, though Alpízar’s conviction was overturned on appeal.
The IACHR said that the Mexican state violated several of the men’s rights by imprisoning them for so long before they faced trial, including their rights to personal freedom, the presumption of innocence and equality before the law.
A mandatory preventive detention provision was included in the constitution in 2008, but the number of crimes for which suspects are automatically held in pretrial prison has increased to 16 during the current government.
Abuse of authority, corruption and electoral offenses are among the nonviolent crimes for which mandatory preventive prison applies.
President López Obrador and other federal officials have argued that mandatory pretrial detention is an essential crimefighting tool.
The government said last year that the existence of preventive prison is fundamental for certain crimes “to ensure that the alleged criminals detained for organized crime, serious crimes [such as homicide and rape] … or white-collar crimes don’t avoid … justice during the criminal process.”
Critics were concerned that foreign access to domestic routes would damage the Mexican aviation industry. (American Airlines)
The federal government has shelved a plan to allow foreign airlines to fly domestic routes in Mexico.
President López Obradorsent an aviation reform bill to Congress in December that included language to authorize cabotage – the right to operate transport services within a particular country – for foreign airlines.
At present, only domestic airlines can operate internal routes in Mexico. (Depositphotos)
He argued that allowing foreign carriers into Mexico’s domestic air travel market would put downward pressure on ticket prices due to increased competition and encourage the creation of new routes to destinations with limited or no air connectivity.
The cabotage proposal, which was decried by aviation workers, industry associations, and Mexican airlines, also sought to increase the use of the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), an army-built airport that opened in March 2022 but has struggled to attract passengers.
At his regular news conference on Wednesday, López Obrador was asked about an El Financiero newspaper report that said that the director of AIFA traveled to Cancún and Los Cabos late last year to speak with representatives of foreign airlines about the cabotage proposal and the possibility of flying domestic routes from the new airport. He was also asked whether he believed the lower house of Congress would approve cabotage for foreign airlines.
The cabotage section of the reform bill has been removed, López Obrador responded, explaining that the government wants to analyze the idea in “more depth.”
The reforms were partially proposed to encourage use of the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport, which has seen little use in the last 12 months.(Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
“We’re seeking an agreement with [aviation sector] workers,” he said, adding that those who were concerned about the possibility of foreign airlines flying domestic routes can “celebrate” – at least for now.
The National Chamber of Air Transport (Canaero) welcomed the news.
“We applaud President López Obrador’s announcement about not including cabotage in the Civil Aviation Law reform [bill],” it said on Twitter.
“The airline industry will remain attentive to the legislative process, and reiterates its commitment to work for the development of aviation for the benefit of Mexicans.”
Canaero asserted last month that allowing foreign airlines to fly domestic routes would actually increase the price of plane tickets, reduce air connectivity, trigger the loss of Mexican jobs, and could bankrupt Mexican airlines, among other negative consequences.
The organization has urged the government to focus its aviation reform agenda on the recovery of Mexico’s Category 1 aviation safety rating with U.S. aviation authorities, which it lost in May 2021.
The downgrade to Category 2 prevents Mexican airlines from adding new flights to the United States, a situation considered a barrier to greater use of AIFA. The federal government has said that the Category 1 rating could be recovered by the end of June.
Another aviation sector priority for the government is the creation of a state-owned commercial airline.
López Obrador said in December that an army-run commercial airline would begin operations in late 2023. The carrier is slated to be called Mexicana, which was the name of Mexico’s flagship airline until it ceased operations in 2010.
Nuevo León officials are hoping to avoid another water shortage like the one last summer in Monterrey, which had to deliver water tankers to citizens, who still went days at a time without access. (Government of Nuevo León)
Monterrey’s chances of avoiding another water crisis this summer are good, officials in the northern city say. March rainfall was above the historical average, a trend which is expected to hold through June.
“We’re not declaring victory, but we’re very pleased with this rain that’s strengthened our hope that we’ll get through this summer without experiencing a crisis like last year’s,” said Juan Ignacio Barragán Villarreal, head of the Monterrey Water and Drainage System (SADM), at his weekly conference.
Officials announcing the construction of the Cuchillo II aqueduct, scheduled to be finished this June or July. It will bring 5,000 liters per second of water to the city. (Government of Nuevo León)
Although rainfall for July and August is expected to be slightly lower than historical averages, if the April-through-June forecast is accurate, there should be no issues, Barragán Villarreal said.
The SADM director added that the outlook is also hopeful given that the El Cuchillo II aqueduct, which will deliver up to 5,000 liters of water per second to the city, is scheduled to begin operations in June or July. The under-construction La Libertad dam will also serve as a water source for Monterrey’s residents.
Last year’s water crisis saw residents of Monterrey and other Nuevo León municipalities go without water for days at a time. In February 2022, the state government – led by Samuel García of Movimiento Ciudadano – declared an emergency due to severe drought.
The Monterrey metropolitan area is supplied by three dams: La Boca, Cerro Prieto and El Cuchillo. The former two were at historically low levels in February, and by July Cerro Prieto was holding less than 1% of its capacity.
Monterrey is currently served by three dams, shown on this map with lines showing their connection to the Nuevo León city. Two additional aqueducts to serve the city are currently under construction. (Kaye La Fond/Creative Commons)
In March, García’s government announced a strategy of staggered water cuts, with water being available in certain neighborhoods only on a set schedule and at reduced pressure. The plan drew local protests and national criticism, as industries like agriculture and beverage production were only asked to voluntarily cede part of their water concessions.
In contrast, the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) reports this year that Cerro Prieto is currently holding 47,846,000 cubic meters of water, 15.9% of its total capacity, while La Boca is holding 24,800,000 cubic meters; 61% of its capacity. El Cuchillo, Monterrey’s largest dam, is reported to be storing 533,162,000 cubic meters, slightly under half of its total capacity.
Last year’s water emergency ended almost miraculously when rains came late August and early September, refilling dams considerably. Still, concerns linger about Nuevo León’s long-term water strategy. A 1996 agreement obliges Nuevo León to provide the neighboring state of Tamaulipas with water if El Cuchillo holds more than 315 million cubic meters of water on October 21 of each year and the Marte R. Gómez dam in Tamaulipas holds less than 700 million.
The government of Tamaulipas in fact activated this agreement last year just as Nuevo León’s crisis was coming to an end. Moreover, approximately 71% of Nuevo León’s water goes toward agriculture.
A security camera image of the beginning of the fire. An National Migration Institute contract with the private security company employed at the facility shows contractors were told to protect property and prevent escapes, but doesn't mention migrant safety protocols. (Social Media)
Security guards at a Ciudad Juárez detention center where 40 migrants died in a fire on March 27 were told to protect property but not detainees in an emergency, a document has revealed.
The orders were contained in a contract given by the National Institute of Migration (INM) to the security company Camsa SA de CV, to manage the Ciudad Juárez detention center in Chihuahua.
The fire left 40 migrants dead. (Juan Ortega Solís/Cuartoscuro)
“In case of emergency (earthquake, fire, flood, bomb threat) [contractors] must protect the buildings from the outside to avoid theft of goods,” the document says.
Both INM officials and privately contracted security were employed at the center.
Although the document outlines general security protocols, such as keeping emergency exits clear, it does not state that saving the lives of detainees or personnel should take priority in an emergency. Rather, it emphasizes daily protocols to prevent migrants from escaping.
“Security elements should remain in constant rotation between the different areas… they will carry out dynamic surveillance to safeguard order and deter any escape attempt,” it says.
Francisco Garduño is still the national head of the National Migration Institute, but he is scheduled to be formally charged with failure to execute his duties by a federal judge on April 21, the federal Attorney General’s Office announced Thursday. (File photo/Cuartoscuro)
The contract, worth up to 190 million pesos (US $10.6 million), was signed by INM officials Jesús Manuel de la O Pacheco and Abraham Ezequiel Zurita Capdepont as well as Camsa administrator David Vicente Salazar Gazca.
Since the fire, the contract has come under criticism, including from President López Obrador, for being awarded without any public bidding. It also contains a confidentiality agreement.
Thedeadly fire broke out on the night of March 27. Thirty-nine migrants – from Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia and Venezuela – were killed in the blaze. Another died in hospital.
A video that circulated on social media soon after the fire shows a security guard and an INM agent appearing to evacuate the building without unlocking the door to the section where the migrants were held, even as it filled with smoke and flames.
Five peoplewere later arrested, including three immigration agents, one security guard, and a Venezuelan migrant accused of starting the blaze in protest at being told of his and other migrants’ impending deportation.
On Tuesday, the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) announced that itintends to file charges against INM director Francisco Garduño and the INM’s commissioner in Chihuahua, Antonio González Guerrero, for failing in their duty to supervise and protect those under their control.
Since the fire, the contract has come under criticism, including from President López Obrador, because it was awarded without any public bidding process. It also contains a confidentiality agreement.
On Thursday, the FGR announced that Garduño and other INM employees face a court hearing before a federal judge in which they will be formally charged.
On Wednesday, former Michoacán governor Silvano Aureoles ratified a criminal complaint he filed in March against Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard and Interior Minister Adán Augusto López for their alleged role in allowing the tragedy to occur.
“[The migrants] were killed by the government of Mexico,” Aureoles claimed. “The state killed them, they had them locked up, they had them imprisoned with illegal procedures and a series of omissions and failures, mistreatment of people whose only crime was trying to cross the United States border.”
“The killing of migrants must not go unpunished,” he said.
E-commerce companies are the target of new taxes and import duties, which went into effect Jan. 1. (File photo)
When I first got here 17 years ago, there was no such thing as Amazon México. Mercado Libre was in its infancy, many businesses didn’t accept credit cards — especially foreign ones — and warnings circulated constantly about widespread fraud and theft if you did use a credit card at, say, a gas station or — heaven forbid — online with a Mexican company. In fact, online shopping of any sort was something to be avoided.
Well, that was then, and this is now! Amazon México offers a wealth of wonderful shopping options, with safe, secure credit transactions, (usually) speedy and reliable delivery, and an easy return process. And while prices for many imported products seem to have gone up recently — probably due to the peso’s increase in value — if you really want the item, the cost may be worth it to you.
Amazon México deliveries arrive in the familiar Amazon boxes and packaging.
The first purchases I made on Amazon México were a classic midcentury modern wooden standing lamp and a beautiful Persian-style rug for my living room. I had exhausted the local shopping options and was feeling desperate enough to try the then-new Amazon México.
I’ll admit I was skeptical: What would I find? Would delivery be as seamless as in the U.S.? And, if I didn’t like the items once they arrived, could I return them easily as well?
Well, just like on Amazon U.S. (or elsewhere), there’s a big drop-down menu on the website with categories and detailed answers to most questions. The same holds true with the description of each item. You’ll see similar items, what people are buying, any special discounts, Prime membership offers, color and size options, reviews (calificaciones), the item’s return policy (política de devoluciones), whether it’s imported, the shipping time, and more.
The tricky thing, as you might note from the translations above, is that it’s all in Spanish, and on some browsers there’s no way to change it into English (although you can search in English and results come up in Spanish, go figure). Chrome users will be able to click anywhere on the page and choose “Translate to English” in the dropdown menu.
The rest of us will need to download or bookmark Google Translate, and copy and paste whatever subject you need more information about. Or use your smartphone’s camera translation feature and point it at the page on your computer. The site is set up almost exactly like its northern cousin, so don’t be nervous.
So, if you haven’t by now, download or bookmark Google Translate, and copy and paste whatever subject you need more information about. Or use your smartphone’s camera translation feature and point it at the page on your computer. The site is set up almost exactly like its northern cousin, so don’t be nervous.
The writer was skeptical about ordering this rug, but it turned out to be perfect for her living room.
You can also buy and redeem gift cards, make lists and registries, save items for later, track orders, set up Alexa…in short, everything you can do with Amazon U.S.
And the lamp and rug? They’re exactly what I wanted. Since then, I’ve ordered many other things from Amazon México, from organic bread flour to a new TV remote.
So without further ado, here are some tips on ordering from Amazon México:
Ordering
Once you set up an account with Amazon México, you can order just like you would anywhere. Your credit card(s), shipping addresses and payment methods are all saved. When you make an order, you get a confirmation email almost immediately.
Can you order things from Amazon U.S. to be sent to a Mexican address? Yes, but you’ll pay a lot for the shipping and customs fees — much more than if you order from Amazon México. Sadly, you won’t get the same options, so you’ll have to consider how much you want whatever it is with how much it’s going to cost you.
Some products — like this high-quality Bodum electric tea kettle — are priced almost the same as in the U.S.
Imported items/customs fees
Items that are imported will be designated Importación, and there may be further alarming looking words — sometimes in red — about customs and import costs. Click on those links and you’ll see the maximum possible import fees, which won’t be charged until the item has been delivered. My experience has been that the fees were negligible (under 100 pesos) except for a tower fan (247 pesos). Since the fan itself cost close to 2,000 pesos. I was OK with paying that fee.
Breville, Bodum and Cuisinart small kitchen appliances, Lodge Dutch ovens and OXO kitchen accessories are all available on Amazon Mexico, and although the cost for some items is more than in the U.S., they’re all high-quality and will last a lifetime. I recently purchased a Bodum electric tea kettle and the cost was the same as on Amazon US.
How does Amazon Prime work in Mexico?
You must have a separate Amazon Mexico Prime account to receive the advantages of a Prime membership (free shipping, Prime video, Amazon Music, etc.) in Mexico. Your U.S. Prime account will not work. The first month is free and then the cost is $99 pesos (about $5 dollars) a month, billed automatically.
Amazon Prime Mexico essentially works the same as in your home country. However, be sure to create a separate Prime account — your Prime membership from back home will not work here.
Facturas
Don’t worry about this — if you don’t want a factura — a government-certified invoice mostly used in Mexico as proof of purchase for claiming tax deductions — just ignore the offers to generate one; you would need a Mexican tax identification number to do it. And if you do have a business and need one, you should know by now what you’re doing.
Returns
Let’s say you receive your order and it’s not what you want. Go back online — just like you would in the U.S. — and click on devolver o reemplazar productos. The site will walk you through the return process step-by-step, including giving you a return label to print or download to your phone.
Most — but not all — items can be returned within 30 days of delivery for a full refund; it depends on the seller’s policy, so read the fine print in the item’s description carefully before you order. Save the original packaging to use for your return; it has the order and shipping codes printed on it. You can track returns in your account just like you would in the U.S., and as soon as Amazon receives the item, your credit card will be refunded in full, usually within 15 days. If an item is defective, it must be returned with an explanation, a credit issued and another item ordered.
The first time I returned something — a wetsuit that was too big — I was leery as to whether the process would work. But it all went smoothly, from repackaging the suit in the bag it came in, to dropping it off at a local DHL office (which gave me a receipt I later checked on my account), to being able to see when it was received by Amazon and my credit card refunded. I did take photos of the package with the wetsuit peeking out, which isn’t a bad idea.
This is not to say mistakes don’t happen; I’m sure there are horror stories of lost items or refunds that never came through.
Depending on the vendor, returns are easy, but remember to save the original packaging.
Problems and getting help
Amazon tries to solve issues and problems with information online, accessed through a series of drop-down menus appearing in response to your questions and answers. That said, there is a “live chat” feature — and you can request an English-speaking rep.
Look for the link that says Ayuda, then keep following the prompts until you see the live chat option. If you are returning an item, once you start the return process, answering questions and prompts will eventually lead you to an option to request a phone call or live chat with a representative.
Ask for an English speaker.
Can’t find it? Google “Amazon Mexico Live Chat” and go from there.
Look for the link that says Ayuda, then keep following the prompts until you see the live chat option, at right.
Delivery
Depending on where in Mexico you are, delivery is more or less reliable, dependable and quick, and often deliveries arrive earlier than expected. In Mazatlán, where I live, delivery is consistently all of those things. I feel fortunate: Friends in smaller towns (Chapala, for instance) have had very different experiences with their orders. Part of this is because different vendors use different carriers. Some let you track your package; others tell you nothing.
Thankfully, unlike in the U.S., drivers won’t leave packages on the doorstep, although friends in Guanajuato say some delivery people throw packages over the high wall surrounding their house if they’re not home to receive it.
That’s not official Amazon policy, but, hey, we’re in Mexico, folks.
The fortune was confiscated from Héctor Villarreal Hernández, who served as finance minister in the 2005–11 Coahuila government led by former governor Humberto Moreira (El Siglo Coahuila).
US $246 million, seized from a former Coahuila finance minister by United States authorities, will be returned to Mexico, President López Obrador said Wednesday.
López Obrador announced that the United States Department of Justice informed the Federal Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday that it would send Mexico just over 246.1 million dollars confiscated from Héctor Javier Villarreal Hernández, who served as finance minister in the 2005–11 Coahuila government led by former governor Humberto Moreira.
Ex-governor of Coahuila Humberto Moreira (left) with former president Enrique Peña Nieto. Moreira was named one of the “10 Most Corrupt Mexicans” by the publication Forbes in 2013 (Moises Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro).
Villareal was finance minister until 2010, when he became head of Coahuila’s state tax agency. He resigned in August 2011, after he was arrested on charges of corruption as it became clear that Coahuila accumulated a public debt of 35 billion pesos, the largest in state’s history.
Many considered Villarreal to be one of the architects of that debt.
Villarreal was convicted of money laundering offenses in Texas in 2015, charges involving eyebrow-raising money transfers from Mexico to the U.S. during his tenure as a state official. A Texas Observer investigative article published in 2021 cited local court documents showing that Villarreal had been moving larger and larger sums from Mexico into Chase Bank accounts in Texas via cash deposits, eventually using wire transfers to move tens of millions of dollars into eight different Chase accounts.
But he was released from prison after agreeing to cooperate with U.S. authorities. He testified at the New York trial of former federal security minister Genaro García Luna earlier this year.
López Obrador said it was not yet clear whether the Department of Justice would send the money to Mexico in one lump sum or in installments.
Villarreal also served in the Coahuila government led by Jorge Torres López, who was interim governor in 2011 after Moreira resigned to take up the presidency of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
February 2023 has been the best month of growth for tourism since before the pandemic, according to statistics bureau INEGI. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s tourism performance continues to rise: the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported that tourism revenue had its best February since 2019 after it recorded US $2.587 billion — 22.3% higher than the figure registered in 2022.
And a new study by Anahuac University says that the tourism sector’s trade balance is outperforming many of Mexico’s other business sectors.
According to INEGI’s International Traveler Surveys, 5.7 million travelers arrived in Mexico during February, 3 million of whom were international tourists.
5.7 million tourists were recorded in 2022, with 3 million arriving in Mexico from abroad. (Shutterstock)
On average, each of these travelers spent US $450.37 in the country.
International travelers visiting the country for recreational, family, work, or cultural purposes contributed 89% to the total income, according to INEGI. The remaining 11% were travelers in transit and tourists who stayed near the northern and southern borders.
A study by the Tourism Research and Competitiveness Center (Cicotur) at Anáhuac University in Mexico City — which used INEGI data — says the tourism industry had a surplus of US $20.9 billion in 2022, 43.3% percent higher than in 2021.
According to Cicotur, this is the largest figure on record.
“It is striking that in a complicated environment [the pandemic]. the tourism sector continues to deliver very good results for the Mexican economy,” Cicotur’s head, Francisco Madrid, told the newspaper Milenio.
By comparison with other sectors, Mexico recorded a foreign trade deficit of US $26.4 billion in 2022, while the oil industry registered a negative trade balance of US $34.9 billion in the same year, Cicotur said.
Madrid said that although the manufacturing industry, for example, has also reported a surplus, the tourism industry’s performance is still seven times higher.
“Once again, this speaks to the importance of this sector for the country,” he stressed.
Cicotur’s study also revealed that 2.2 million jobs registered with the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) are in the tourism sector. This represents a 1.1% growth compared to pre-pandemic levels.
Guadalajara-born Lou López Sénéchal became the first player born in Mexico to be drafted to the WNBA on Monday. (Ian Bethune / The UConn Blog)
Lou Lopez Sénéchal made history this week as the first Mexican-born player to be drafted by the WNBA.
The 24-year-old University of Connecticut wing who helped lead her previous school, Fairfield University, to a conference title was selected fifth overall by the Dallas Wings in the league draft.
Four of the Dallas Wings’ six draft picks. From left: Lou Lopez Sénéchal, Stephanie Soares, Maddy Siegrist, Ashley Joens. (@DallasWings/Twitter)
“I’ve come a long way — very grateful for my journey and all the steps I’ve achieved. [I’m] very grateful to be here,” Lopez Sénéchal told ESPN reporter Holly Rowe minutes after being drafted.
Her achievement comes a year after UConn’s Evina Westbrook became the first Mexican-American player in the WNBA when the Seattle Storm selected her in the second round.
Lopez Sénéchal spent four seasons playing for Fairfield University’s Division I women’s basketball team and helped win the school’s first conference title in 24 years before transferring to UConn. (@FairfieldU/Twitter)
At UConn, Lopez Sénéchal became one of the breakout stars of the 2022–23 season after she averaged 15.5 points per game and hit 44% of her 3-point attempts. She’s also ranked ninth among college basketball players with the best 3-point percentage.
Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, to a Mexican father and a French mother, Lopez Sénéchal grew up in Mexico until she was 5 years old, when her parents separated and she moved to Grenoble, France with her mother.
In France, she played basketball in high school before joining North Atlantic Basketball Academy in Ireland when she turned 19. After learning that one of her friends in the academy was going to Canada to play college basketball, she decided to pursue a similar path.
According to reporter Aishwarya Kumar of ESPN, Lopez Sénéchal’s stepfather, who had lived in the United States, helped her reach out to universities. Together, they sent 280 emails to schools in Divisions I and II, with the only exceptions being the top-25-ranked programs, as they felt these were a stretch too far.
They also made a highlight reel and created an email template that all athletes at the North Atlantic Basketball Academy would eventually come to use.
After four months of chasing colleges, Lopez Sénéchal got into Fairfield University, where she helped lead the team to the school’s first conference title in 24 years. She spent four seasons in Fairfield before transferring to UConn in 2022 for the final year of her eligibility, playing for its Division I team, part of the Big East Conference during the 2022=2023 season.
In 2022, she was selected as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was included on four all-conference teams.
Regarding her unconventional entrance to the WNBA, Lopez Sénéchal told ESPN “I always say there’s never a perfect path, a perfect way. There’s your way.”
She will debut with her new team on May 20 in the opening game of the 2023 regular season against the Atlanta Dream.
