Documenting “many Mexicos”: Meet photographer Bob Schalkwijk

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June 17, 2023

Frida Kahlo’s diary, the aftermath of the destructive 1985 Mexico City earthquake, the Indigenous Tarahumara people and the 1968 Summer Olympics.

They are just a few of the vast array of subjects photographed by Dutch photographer Bob Schalkwijk during a long and illustrious career in Mexico.

Ocosingo, Chiapas 2004 — Ocosingo, Chiapas (2004).

Schalkwijk – who was born in Rotterdam in 1933 – has tirelessly documented Mexican life for over six decades, taking countless uplifting, evocative, poignant and thought-provoking photos.

His impressive archive of personal and commercial work also includes photographs of architecture, art, fashion, food and landscapes, to name just a handful of the broad categories he has focused on.

The long-term Mexico City resident is currently exhibiting a selection of his photographs from the past 65 years at the Centro de la Imagen museum in the historic center of the capital. In addition, part of his “Paisajes de Agua” exhibition of waterscapes is on display at the Museo de la Ciudad (City Museum) in Cuernavaca.

At the age of 90, Schalkwijk continues to travel and photograph in Mexico, but found the time to respond to the following questions I put to him by email.

Santuario de Jesús Nazareno Atotonilco — The Santuario de Jesús Nazareno in Atotonilco. (1959)

Peter Davies:

Hi Bob, thanks for speaking to Mexico News Daily. You’ve lived in Mexico for over 60 years. What originally brought you here?

Bob Schalkwijk:

At the beginning of 1958, after having completed some courses in Baytown, Texas, on oil pipelines, I applied to Stanford University to study petroleum engineering. I passed the exam, but I had to wait months to start classes. I thought that with my knowledge of oil pipelines, I could find a job in the Trans Mountain Pipeline in Canada.

But I didn’t get a job, and in February 1958, while I was having coffee at the Calgary airport, I read in Esquire magazine that in Ajijic, Jalisco, a couple could live and eat very well for about $150 a month.

With an occasional friend, at the beginning of winter, the idea of living on the shore of a lake, with food and drinks was fabulous. We didn’t think twice and aboard my vocho (Volkswagen Beetle) we drove from Calgary, Canada to Ajijic, in Mexico.

Once we ate and drank very well, we got bored with the atmosphere of the people who lived in Ajijic – retired Americans, over 50 years old and at that time I was still 24 years old. Thinking of taking advantage of our stay in Mexico, we headed to the capital, with the idea of learning Spanish, and that’s how it all began.

PD:

What inspired you to become, and how did you go about becoming, a professional photographer?

BS:

Photography has been with me since I was little. I knew about the passion that my paternal grandfather had for photography. He was not a professional photographer, nor did I know him, but his photographs and his photographic adventures excited me.

I loved photographing since I was 14 years old, when my father gave me a Kodak Brownie 127. That was my first camera. My parents also supported me in having a dark room and I would spend hours developing and printing my photos.

I was a rebellious student, but the Agfacolor book written in German by Dr. Heinz Berger, explaining the technique of color photography, and which I presented in my German final exams, saved me from being a bad student and increased my love for photography.

Mezcal palenque in Oaxaca — Mezcal palenque in Mitla, Oaxaca (1959).

Over the years I had better cameras and at the age of 19 I sold some portraits of Louis Armstrong that I took at a concert at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. That made me very happy, but I knew that I couldn’t make a living from photography in the Netherlands. That’s why I went to Texas to study oil pipelines.

Once in Mexico City, after a visit to Puerto México, then a small town in Hidalgo – which I called “the Otomí Country” – things changed. Fred Mulders, a Dutchman who lived in Mexico, who loved being here, was the one who took me to Hidalgo, and by pure chance, while I was studying Spanish, I was fortunate to meet people who made a living from art and photography. Fred introduced me to Walter Reuter, a German-born photographer and film director, who encouraged me to study film and to collaborate with him. So even though I returned to Stanford, my interest in petroleum engineering waned.

In college I took film classes, started taking pictures and went to a San Francisco newspaper to promote the pictures I took in the Mezquital Valley [in Hidalgo]. I didn’t get anywhere with the newspaper, but I was brave enough to drop out of Stanford University and set up as a photographer in Mexico City.

PD:

You’ve traveled extensively in Mexico during your long career as a photographer. Can you tell us a little bit about your travels through the country and the changes you’ve seen over the decades?

BS:

In those early years in Mexico I had a used VW, which my father had given me, and which had 128,000 kilometers on it. From 1958 to 1960, the year I sold it, I put another 100,000 kilometers on it. I have always preferred doing photographic work that allows me to travel – to be able to photograph what interests me.

In 1959 I went to Acapulco, Tepoztlán, and Oaxaca, and the following year I ventured to Chiapas alone. I was inspired by photographers like Pierre Verger, Robert Frank and Werner Bischof, who traveled to South America and photographed in a very emotional and caring way, recording the most human aspects and the simplicity of life in the communities.

Mexico, which for me is made up of “many Mexicos”, fascinated me and continues to fascinate me.

It is true that things have changed, not always for the better, but the people of Indigenous communities or small towns continue to be essentially simple.

PD:

You were in Mexico City when the devastating 1985 earthquake occurred and took numerous impactful photos showing both the destruction and the human side of the disaster. What do you recall of that difficult time?

BS:

What surprised me the most about the earthquake was the solidarity that was shown at the moment. Everyone began to help, with the resources that each person had and without anyone organizing them.

I lost my best photographs from the first day – that is a sad story that I inevitably remember. That September 19, after the earthquake and after I was sure everyone in our family was safe, my assistant Javier Tinoco and I, on my children’s bicycles, left Coyoacán, where I live and where my studio is, for the historic center.

The devastation was terrible. We worked all day until there was no light anymore. During those years I was a correspondent for the Black Star agency in New York. I knew that my photographs would interest them.

People searching the rubble in Mexico City — People search through the rubble of Multifamiliar Juárez apartment complex after the Mexico City earthquake. (1985)

Very tired, without having eaten, we had a bite at a local restaurant and returned to the studio to develop the rolls of black and white film and color slides, both of which I worked with from the beginning of my career as a photographer.

Almost without sleep, the next morning, I went to the courier service where I used to send my work, but it was closed. Without thinking too much about it, I went to the airport, looking for someone who could take my photos to New York. I found a man, most likely an American, and asked him if he could deliver my photographs. I even gave him some dollars so that he could take a taxi and leave them at the agency. My photographs, the ones we had selected – the best ones – never arrived.

During the following days I continued photographing the disaster. A major bank hired me to photograph the damage to their branches. About a month later I was asked to photograph the demolition of the Multifamiliar Juárez, a large apartment complex, in the Roma neighborhood. With those photographs a book was made in homage to [Guatemalan artist] Carlos Mérida, who made fantastic designs to be integrated into the architecture.

PD:

Mexico City has been your home for many years and, seemingly, a muse for your work as a photographer. What does the capital mean to you and how has it inspired and/or influenced your photography?

BS:

Since I settled in Mexico City, I began to go for walks accompanied by my camera to observe and photograph the situations that I saw. A place that I loved and that I still like is the Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Park), and I often walked along Avenida Reforma, which is fantastic, with its tree-lined sides surrounded by avant-garde buildings.

I also love areas like San Ángel, where I came to live at the beginning, and Coyoacán.

In Mexico City everything happens, there is a very special way of being from the capital, being chilango, and it is perhaps the historic center – the space in the center of the capital – that is most attractive in Mexico City.

PD:

You have taken photos in dozens of countries around the world. Can you tell us about some of your experiences abroad?

BS:

Men and women are essentially the same, our cultures make us different, we dress in different ways, we eat different dishes, of course there are economic and political differences, often unfortunate, but on average, in people there is a vital and human essence that makes us equal.

I grew up during World War II. I could have died of anemia from not getting enough food and for that very reason I appreciate the good things in life.

Woman in Chihuahua — Doña Santa in Coyachique, Chihuahua. (2013)

When I travel, I like to photograph the differences, but also the similarities [between people around the world]: the day-to-day work, the play of girls and boys, young people who fall in love, old people with their wrinkled faces.

I like to observe, to stop to understand what is happening. And what I have seen is that we could be better people if we looked at others.

Find more of Bob’s photography on his website, on Facebook and on Instagram.

This interview is the second in a series called “The Saturday Six”: six-question interviews published in Saturday editions of Mexico News Daily. Read the first interview in the series here.

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Mexico’s muralism also had a lesser-known international side

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

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June 17, 2023

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Art by David Alfaro Siquieros en San Miguel de Allende, Mexico — An incomplete mural in San Miguel de Allende by artist David Alfaro Siquieros, made with assistance from foreign art students. (Leigh Thelmadatter)

The names Rivera, Kahlo, Siqueiros and Orozco still dominate the imagination when it comes to Mexican art, but did you know that from the 1920s to the 1950s, Mexico’s muralism movement has so much prestige internationally that it displaced Europe for a time?

Such would have been unthinkable during the preceding Mexican Revolution, but afterwards, several factors came together to make Mexico an irresistible draw for young, idealistic foreign artists.

muralists Marion and Grace Greeenwood in Michoacan, Mexico — Sisters Marion and Grace Greenwood and part of the work they did at the university in Morelia. It is said that Mexico gave the Greenwoods more freedom than their native U.S., but their wearing of overalls caused scandal in early 20th-century Michoacán.

Mexico was undergoing momentous changes in its identity, with a post-Revolution government needing to establish legitimacy and its ideology among a populace that was still mostly illiterate. Without mass media, murals were one way to promote Mexico as a blend of indigenous and European, with a healthy dose of socialism thrown in.

Government mural commissions became prestigious, and many sympathetic artists benefited, but none more so than the “big three”: Diego Rivera, David Alfaro Siqueiros and José Clemente Orozco.

Muralism was highly nationalistic, but aspects of it appealed abroad. The legacy of colonialism was starting to be debated, including the (re)integration of native identities. While documenting the violence of the Revolution, foreign photographers also captured scenes of Mexico’s many traditional communities.

These communities appealed to many weary of Western industrialization. Last, but not least, was the socialism/communism of many of Mexico’s artists as part of a global movement.

Mural in Mexico City by artist Jean Charlot — The eagle and snake of the Mexican national shield appears in a Mexico City mural (1924) by French artist Jean Charlot. (Leigh Thelmadatter)

One other important factor would be war and other strife in Europe, making Paris too dangerous for budding artists.

Early artists who came and explored Mexico’s artistic possibilities included Everett Gee Jackson and Lowell Houser in 1923, who would eventually make their way to the Lake Chapala area.

For the next three decades, it is not known how many foreign artists came, but many are referred to in Mexican history as “assistants” — something of a misnomer. Many were young and looking to start careers by piggybacking on Mexico’s prestige, but few worked as true assistants to established Mexican artists.

One reason was that Mexican artists did not see value in the participation of outsiders. This was particularly true of Siqueiros and Orozco; Rivera was more open to foreigners.

Portrait of French muralist Jean Charlot by Diego Rivera — Diego Rivera’s sketch of Charlot. (Banco de México Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo Museums Trust)

Despite that negativity, there are a number of notable non-Mexican muralists. The first is Frenchman Jean Charlot who painted “The Conquest of Tenochtitlan” (1922) and “Dance of the Ribbons,” the last of which was destroyed in 1925 by none other than Rivera, and Charlot left Mexico to have a successful career in the States.

Other names include Ione Robinson, Pablo O’Higgins, Rina Lazo, Marion and Grace Greenwood, Howard Cook, Philip Guston, Reuben Kadish, Ryah Ludins and Isamu Noguchi. Although they shared high hopes upon entering Mexico, their experiences varied quite a bit from the idyllic to absolute disillusionment.

Robinson was the closest to an “assistant,” working on projects that Rivera assigned her — at least until Kahlo got jealous and sent the young woman packing.

What most of these artists did was to find or create projects outside of prestigious governmental commissions inside of Mexico City.

Relief mural by Isamu Noguchi in Mexico City Abelardo Rodriguez market — Relief mural by Japanese artist Isamu Noguchi made with colored cement at the Abelardo L. Rodríguez Market in Mexico City. (Esoteric Survey)

Marion Greenwood went to Taxco and convinced the Hotel Taxqueño to let her paint “Taxco Market” (1933), followed by “This Landscape and Economy of Michoacán” at the University of San Nicolás Hidalgo in Morelia with her sister Grace. Neither were paid apart from expenses, but the works opened doors back in the U.S.

Similarly, Howard Cook would paint “Taxco Fiesta” at the same hotel just after Greenwood, then paint murals in U.S. post offices.

Most never considered staying in Mexico, but are interesting exceptions: Pablo O’Higgins is a classic case of “going native,” deciding everything about Mexico was superior to his native U.S. He would have a decades-long career painting murals and would have a hand in setting up foreign artists with projects, culminating in the massive project at Mexico City’s Abelardo L. Rodríguez Market in the 1950s.

Rina Lazo came from Guatemala on a scholarship in the 1930s. Both her personal and professional lives were strongly linked to Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, starting out as an assistant then moving on to create important murals of her own. Her husband was one of “Los Fridos” (students of Frida Kahlo). Lucky for me, I met her shortly before her death in 2019, and her devotion to Diego and Frida remained unshaken.

muralist Rina Lazo in Mexico City next to one of her murals — Rina Lazo in the summer of 2019 with one of her last and ultimately uncompleted murals at her home studio in Coyoacán, Mexico City. (Leigh Thelmadatter)

But not everyone was thrilled with what they found here. In 1934, Philip Guston and Reuban Kadish came to Mexico to paint “The Struggle Against War and Fascism” in Michoacan. But they quickly became disillusioned.

According to Guston, “The much heralded Mexican renaissance is very much a bag of hot air. I can’t explain to you my disappointment in [Rivera]. His work is absolutely a horrible mess. … Charlot’s fresco … is, of course, the best thing here.”

Both Guston and Kadish left Mexico behind for other artistic trends and did not talk much about their experience in Mexico.

Classic muralism’s last hurrah was the Abelardo L. Rodriguez Market project. Rivera was officially in charge and had significant influence in how the project developed, but artist recruitment and supervision fell onto Pablo O’Higgins. Here, he reunited the Greenwood sisters, along with Russian artist Ryah Ludins, Japan’s Isamu Noguchi and others, each with wall space of their own.

"Dance of the Ribbons" mural by Jean Charlot — Jean Charlot’s mural, “Dance of the Riboons,” which Diego Rivera destroyed in 1925. (SEP)

One other important foreigner-linked project is a never-completed mural by David Siqueiros in San Miguel Allende from the early 1950s. Siqueiros was hired by the local art school to do the work with students, but the deal went sour. The mural remains an important tourist attraction in the city.

Those mentioned here are by no means a full list of the foreign artists who came to Mexico at muralism’s height, but they are part of the reason why muralism remains relevant here, even if no longer avant-garde.

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.

Farmers, “fifís” and foreign affairs: the week at the mañaneras

By

MND Staff

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June 17, 2023

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AMLO at press conference — President López Obrador covered diplomacy, the reshuffling of his cabinet, crime in Tijuana, the "noble trade of politics" and more at the week's daily press conferences. (Gob MX)

President López Obrador lost two members of his cabinet this week. Marcelo Ebrard stepped down as foreign minister on Monday and Adán Augusto López Hernández resigned his post as interior minister on Friday. Both are vying to become the ruling Morena party’s candidate at next year’s presidential election.

Other ministers and senior officials are expected to resign their positions soon as they shift their focus to winning candidacies for other elections, including gubernatorial ones, that will also be held on June 2, 2024.

AMLO with López Hernández and Ebrard — The president at a May press conference with Interior Minister López Hernández and Foreign Minister Ebrard. (Rogelio Morales Ponce / Cuartoscuro.com)

Resignations and finding replacements for those departing weren’t the only things that occupied AMLO’s mind this week.

Among the other issues he spoke about at his morning press conferences, or mañaneras, this week were security concerns faced by the mayor of Tijuana, the blistering heat across much of the country and the strength of the Mexican peso, which appreciated to just above 17 to the US dollar on Friday.

Monday

The federal minister for infrastructure, communications and transportation took center stage early in the press conference and provided an update on five infrastructure projects in Cancún, Quintana Roo.

The Nichupté Bridge, which will link the city to the hotel zone across the Nichupté Lagoon, is 21% complete, while the repaving of the Luis Donaldo Colosio Boulevard is 69% finished, Jorge Nuño Lara said.

A new airport distributor road is 64% complete and the widening of Chac Mool Avenue is 13% finished, he added.

The minister said that construction of a road link between the Cancún airport and the city’s Maya Train station will begin in July.

“This project consists of four kilometers … [and] will connect the four [airport] terminals with the Maya Train station,” Nuño said, adding that an electric vehicle with the capacity to transport 47 passengers will operate between the rail and air hubs.

AMLO began his engagement with reporters about 35 minutes into his mañanera, and was soon asked about Senator Xóchitl Gálvez’s unsuccessful attempt to get into his Monday morning presser.

“I don’t want to talk a lot about that. … In general, you already know my opinion. The conservatives, including the señora Xóchitl Gálvez, have always been against the majority of the people – the poor, the dispossessed,” he said.

López Obrador claimed that the National Action Party senator – who obtained an injunction granting her the right of reply at the president’s presser after he made allegedly false comments about her late last year – wanted to challenge him as a publicity stunt because she wants to be a candidate in the election for Mexico City mayor next year.

Instead of coming to the National Palace to attend a mañanera, she should go to “where the fifís live,” AMLO said, using a disparaging slang word for the wealthy elite. “They’ll vote for her, without a doubt.”

The president was also asked about who would replace Marcelo Ebrard and Adán Augusto López Hernández, who left their respective positions as foreign minister and interior minister this week to focus on campaigning for the ruling Morena party’s nomination for the 2024 presidential election.

“I think that this week we’ll announce who will replace Marcelo Ebrard,” López Obrador said without setting a timeline for the substitution of López Hernández.

He noted later that, in accordance with candidate selection process rules established last Sunday, he can’t speak out in favor of or against any of those vying to win the Morena nomination.

AMLO did say that all the Morena “pre-candidates” should “defend the transformation” of Mexico, “which is to defend the people [and] not allow classism, racism, discrimination and corruption.”

One reporter raised the case of Alexander Martínez Gómez, a 16-year-old soccer player who was killed by police in Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa, Oaxaca, in June 2020 when he was mistaken for a criminal.

The reporter asserted there was sufficient proof to convict the allegedly responsible municipal police office, but noted that a judge ruled otherwise.

“[Security Minister] Rosa Icela Rodríguez will attend to [the case] and tell us what the situation is,” AMLO said.

Among other remarks, López Obrador acknowledged that he would meet with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, later in the week.

Tuesday

Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s ambassador to Chile, will replace Marcelo Ebrard as foreign minister in 10 days, López Obrador told reporters.

“She has an extensive career in the field of diplomacy. She is a very intelligent and capable woman,” AMLO said of the former executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

“… I’m very happy because we’re going to be well represented. She’s a professional, a diplomat, a woman with convictions, with principles, and she will help us in this last stretch in government,” he said.

The president – a fierce critic of the National Electoral Institute (INE) while it was under the leadership of Lorenzo Córdova – subsequently noted that he would meet with INE councilors later in the day to “exchange points of view.”

“There is no defined agenda, it’s a conversation … with the aim of working in a coordinated way … to ensure democracy in the country, that there is no influence peddling, that the INE acts with complete autonomy and doesn’t depend on the government or oligarchical groups,” AMLO said.

He said he believed there are “excellent conditions” to begin a “new stage” in the government’s relationship with the INE, which has been under the leadership of Guadalupe Taddei Zavala – who has links to Morena – since April.

One reporter asked AMLO about the directive to the Morena presidential aspirants to “avoid” speaking with “reactionary and conservative” media outlets.

“It is forbidden to prohibit,” but instructing the aspirants to “avoid” speaking with such outlets is fine, López Obrador said.

“It’s more than proven that the majority of media outlets … manipulate [information] and are at the service of the oligarchy,” he said.

“… There might be some exceptions, but … the majority of media outlets have [a preferred] party and defend interests. That’s why they don’t inform but manipulate. They have a political attitude and it’s a reactionary political attitude,” AMLO said.

The president was also asked about the the mayor of Tijuana’s announcement that she would move into military barracks due to concerns for her safety after receiving threats from presumed members of crime gangs.

Montserrat Caballero has been under protection for the past 15 days “because she has received threats,” López Obrador said.

Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero said that the move was a “sacrifice,” but explained, “I have a child, I have a family and I have a commitment to my city.” (Montserrat Caballero/Facebook)

“… An agreement to help her, to protect her, was reached and we’re going to continue doing so. We’re going to see how things evolve, always taking her opinion into account,” he said.

AMLO said that Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda and Senator Jaime Bonilla – a former governor of the northern border state – had also received threats from crime groups.

Late in the press conference, Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez indicated that she would remain in the president’s cabinet rather than pursue the mayorship of Mexico City at next year’s election.

“I’m staying in security, the [Ministry of] Security and Citizens Protection, I’ll remain here serving Mexicans,” she said.

Wednesday

During his Q & A session with reporters, López Obrador reiterated that he would completely withdraw from politics once his term as president concludes in late 2024.

“I’m not going to speak [about politics] at all, I’m going into full retirement. I will be spoken about a lot, but I’m going to leave with a very calm conscience, that’s the most important thing,” he said.

AMLO later acknowledged that some senior officials in his government – in addition to those vying for Morena’s nomination for the 2024 presidential election – will resign to focus on winning elected positions next year.

“The majority said they’re staying until the end,” he said, referring to members of his extended cabinet who attended a meeting at the National Palace on Tuesday.

“… There are others who decided to participate [in upcoming elections] – those that we already know about … and others who are going to participate in federal and state electoral processes and that is also valid,” López Obrador said.

Those who are leaving are “first-class” people and those staying are as well, he said.

The president didn’t say which officials intended to leave his government, but several – including Energy Minister Rocío Nahle and National Tourism Promotion Fund chief Javier May – have their eyes on the governorships of different states.

Turning to his meeting with INE councilors, López Obrador said he told the electoral officials that he wouldn’t tell them what to do as they are “independent” and “autonomous.”

“They should just act democratically and not become employees of oligarchs like the INE was before,” he said.

Noting that the Congress has blocked constitutional reform bills put forward by his government, including an ambitious one to overhaul Mexico’s electoral system, AMLO once again emphasized the value of having a two-thirds majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and Senate.

INE and AMLO meeting — AMLO said a “new stage” has begun in the federal government’s relationship with the electoral agency. (AMLO/Twitter)

Citizens should vote in a way that helps their preferred presidential candidate have a supermajority in Congress as constitutional “modifications” are needed, he said.

“… For more than 30 years [past governments] dedicated themselves to reforming the constitution to favor a minority and harm the the people of Mexico. … There is not a single reform they did to benefit Mexico, to benefit the people. They adjusted the whole legal framework in order to loot, to steal,” López Obrador said.

Late in his presser, the president assigned some homework to reporters.

“Do you know what I’m going to have for breakfast? A chinín. I’ll leave [finding out what that is] as homework. It’s the butter of the poor,” he said, referring to what in fact is a native Mexican fruit similar to the avocado.

Thursday

Relatively early in his presser, AMLO noted that farmers demanding higher minimum prices for grains had blockaded the Culiacán airport, but asserted that the government wouldn’t give in to their demands.

“Not many [farmers are involved] because the majority of people realize that we’re helping producers and the most needy people, and what we’re seeking is food self-sufficiency – that is known,” he said.

López Obrador said that about 200 farmers had protested at the airport, where operations were suspended for two days before resuming on Thursday.

“We’re not going to give in, even if they have [control of] the airport. And also, for their peace of mind, we’re not going to use public force [to remove them],” he said not long before the protesting farmers left the airport for state government offices.

Culiacan grain protest — Sinaloa is Mexico’s largest producer of corn, and the protesting farmers claimed that market prices do not guarantee them a proper living. (Twitter)

“… I regret it because it affects those who use the airport, who need to travel, but our government doesn’t allow blackmail. … They should understand that we’ve helped them, that we’re going to continue helping them,” López Obrador said before accusing the “conservative bloc” – opposition parties and other government adversaries – of being involved in the protest

AMLO noted later in his mañanera that the Mexican peso is “very strong,” before asserting that many reasons for the currency’s strength are not acknowledged by “conservatives,” including journalists such as Jorge Ramos and Ciro Gómez Leyva.

“They say it’s external factors, that that’s why the peso is strong, as if it has nothing to do with us, nothing to do with combating corruption, nothing to do with Mexico being one of the most attractive countries for foreign investment, nothing to do with Mexico being among the countries with the lowest unemployment rates, noting to do with Mexico having [economic] growth rates of over 3%, noting to do with the increase to the minimum wage, … nothing to with there being governability, stability, social peace,” he said.

One reporter asked López Obrador whether the government had considered declaring a state of emergency due to high temperatures across much of the country.

“An information campaign is being carried out, Civil Protection is acting. The issue was dealt with today in the security cabinet,” he said.

“… We’re providing recommendations. Fortunately we haven’t had any tragedy, any loss of life,” AMLO said, even though his Health Ministry has reported deaths due to heatstroke.

Just before drawing his press conference to a close, López Obrador expressed his support for Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum’s nomination of Government Secretary Martí Batres as her replacement.

Batres – who was sworn in as mayor on Friday – is “an honest person, that’s very important, I always emphasize that, AMLO said.

“He’s a man with principles, with ideals. He comes from a family that has always fought for justice,” he said.

Martí Bartres is sworn in as the head of government to replace Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum. (GobCDMX/Twitter)

“I, with a lot of pride, was the first president of Morena when that organization was founded by millions of Mexicans, men and women from all the social classes, all the religions – believers, non-believers – indigenous people, campesinos, workers, business people, scientists, intellectuals and journalists. … And the second president of Morena was Martí. In addition, he knows the problems of Mexico City very well,” AMLO said.

“He will provide continuity to the process initiated [by Sheinbaum] in Mexico City, that’s a guarantee.”

Friday

It was a two-man show on Friday, with Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) chief Pablo Gómez accompanying Mexico’s preeminent political figure.

The government’s civil case in Florida aimed at recovering close to US $650 million in assets that former security minister Genaro García Luna allegedly acquired in the United States with proceeds of criminal activities in Mexico is going ahead, Gómez said.

Lawyers for García Luna – who was convicted in the U.S. on drug trafficking charges in February – filed a challenge “saying that the court … in Florida didn’t have the legal capacity to hear the trial,” he said.

Pablo Gómez discusses the government’s lawsuit in the U.S. to recover ex-security minister García Luna’s allegedly ill-gotten gains. (Gob MX)

“Another court has now ruled and … the case for the return of the resources from Mexico is now unassailable. … There will be a trial without any doubt,” the UIF chief said.

López Obrador replaced Gómez at the mañanera lectern and confirmed that Adán Augusto López Hernández had resigned as interior minister to focus on the contest to secure Morena’s nomination for the 2024 presidential election.

The president said that a replacement interior minister had not yet been chosen, but announced that Deputy Interior Minister Alejandro Encinas – recently identified as a victim of espionage – would take charge of the ministry for the time being.

AMLO said he was preparing to “hand over the baton” to a new “leader of the transformation movement,” someone who can provide “continuity with change” to the political project he began when he was sworn in as president on Dec. 1, 2018.

“That’s why Adán resigned, because he’s looking to be the substitute, the replacement,” he said before noting that Marcelo Ebrard, Ricard Monreal and Claudia Sheinbaum were also in the contest.

“They’re resigning because they’re the best leaders of our movement, those who can lead this ship to a good port, this ship that is already on course,” López Obrador said.

“… We’re not going to take a single backward step … in the fight against corruption,” he added.

AMLO later spoke about the book he is currently writing, a follow-up to A la mitad del camino, which was published in 2021.

“The book isn’t autobiographical, … it has more to do with political experience,” he said, adding that its aim is to help young people who want to dedicate their lives to “the noble trade of politics.”

“There are lessons in the entire process we’ve lived, a lot of factors, a lot of circumstances are involved,” López Obrador said.

“… A lot of people fought before [us] in the student movement, in the workers’ movement, in the farmers’ movement, the movement for democracy – precursors of this movement. So it’s up to us to provide continuity to that process of struggle. It’s a special circumstance,” he said.

“Luck helps a lot as well. Politics, Machiavelli said, is virtue, but also fortune, also luck,” López Obrador said.

At the end of a shorter than usual press conference during which he offered his typical long and meandering responses to reporters’ questions, AMLO outlined his plan for another tour of Mexico’s southeast to inspect progress on the construction of the Maya Train railroad.

“[Today] it’s [Mexico City to] Palenque, Xpujil and we’ll sleep in Chetumal. Tomorrow Tulum, Cancún and we’ll sleep in Mérida,” he said, adding that he would supervise construction of the railroad in the state of Campeche on Sunday before returning to Mexico City from Ciudad del Carmen.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

What happened in the US-Mexico game at the Nations League semifinal?

By

MND Staff

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June 17, 2023

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US-Mexico soccer game — The rowdy match saw four red cards issued after a brawl on the field. (Selección Nacional/Twitter)

The United States beat Mexico 3-0 in Las Vegas to reach the Concacaf Nations League final on Thursday night, in a game that marked an all-time low for the Mexican national team, both on and off the field.

The tumultuous match, which saw four red cards – two for each side – was cut short in the 6^th minute of injury time, after yet another incident of homophobic chanting from the crowd, with six minutes still scheduled to play.

Despite efforts by the league and the team to discourage discrimination, Mexico’s fans have been condemned for homophobic chants at various matches. (FMF)

“It’s a great scoreline for us, it’s a big win and we’re into the finals,” U.S. captain Christian Pulisic said. “But the game didn’t need to turn into all the madness that it did.”

Chelsea star Pulisic scored the opening two goals, before César Montes was sent off in the 69^th minute for a kick on Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun, who was making his debut for the USMNT after a switch from international football with the England Under-21 setup.

A passionate match was capped off by a mass brawl after the United States’ third goal in the 78^th minute, with U.S. players Weston McKennie and Sergino Dest sent off – meaning both will now be suspended for the final. Mexico’s Gerardo Arteaga was also given a red card for his part in the scuffle.

“They really need to control the game much more. It’s sad. And now we’re missing two good players just because everyone’s losing their heads,” continued Pulisic. “I’m a little bit upset but at the end of the day we’re in the final.”

Chaos reigned on the pitch, as the referee gave four red cards – two to each team – in a match that often got out of hand on the pitch and in the stands. (Twitter)

“El Tri”, as the Mexican team is also known, has not beaten the U.S in any of their last six games.

Mexico winger Jesús Gallardo shared his frustration with the fans. “We have not been this poor for a while, but we are trying to play well, we are trying to get back on top as Mexico deserves. We owe that to ourselves, but also to our fans. It hurts to lose.”

Regional governing body Concacaf condemned the abuse from the crowd. Fans of the Mexican national team were also denounced by FIFA after homophobic chanting during the group stages of the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The team may even be at risk of losing their lucrative contract to play their home games in the United States as a result of fan behavior.

“Chants heard during the game led to the activation of the anti-discrimination protocol by the match officials,” the body said.

Mexico fan at Las Vegas stadium — Mexico’s fans have caused controversy at international games. (Selección Nacional/Twitter)

“Additionally, security staff ejected several fans for engaging in unacceptable behavior in the stadium.”

“These incidents were extremely disappointing and tarnished what should have been a positive occasion to showcase high-quality football in our region.”

The U.S. will face Canada on Monday, in the tournament final.

With reports from BBC Sport and Outsports

Guanábana: love it or hate it

By

Janet Blaser

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June 17, 2023

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guanabana fruit and milk — The green spiky guanábana isn't the most attractive fruit, but its silky nectar is regarded as a delicacy by some. (Wikimedia Commons)

My first experience with guanábana was while driving from Sinaloa to Nayarit, and somewhere south of San Blas at a small rickety stand on the side of the road, I sampled the fruit.

I can’t say it was a pleasant experience; it looked quite strange — a big part of my attraction to it — and tasted, well, weird. Besides its green, spiky misshapen appearance, the white flesh inside was kind of slimy and sour. Not exactly delicious.

That was some years ago, and since guanábana (also aptly called soursop) is everywhere in the markets right now, I figured it was time to give it another try.

Well, gee.

What I read online (“primarily sweet, a combination of apple, pineapple, and banana,” and “an underlying thick, creamy texture reminiscent of banana”) and what I experienced were very different things.

To even get to the “flavor,” you have to make your way through the skin, the texture, the seeds and, yes, the sliminess. As one friend said, “guácala!” (gross!)

Soft and creamy or sour and slimy? The jury’s still out. (Janet Blaser)

There’s no way to really peel a guanábana; once cut, the best you can do is to somehow “scoop” out the flesh. Spoons didn’t work for me, so I resorted to my fingers, which I must say was also gross.

I found the creamy custardy pulp to be rather fibrous, like a slippery, raw fish, and the seeds — big, rounded and black, like really fat coffee beans — were encased in their own little pockets and were tricky to extract.

There is also a center core, which no one mentioned and which I didn’t think was supposed to be eaten. (I imagine this is why frozen guanábana pulp or premade drinks are so popular; there’s a lot of prep required to get what you need.)

Once I ventured a taste, it tasted to my palate of lychee — softly sweet with citrus undertones. But so slimy! ¡Guácala!

In Mexico, South and Central America, India and the Caribbean, this tropical fruit is (somehow) regarded as a delicacy. Harvest season is eagerly awaited, and at those times, guanábana can be found in mercados, markets and backyards everywhere.

Guanábana trees and orchards can be seen all over the states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Chiapas, Oaxaca and the Yucatán peninsula, with dozens of ungainly green, spiky fruits dangling among the branches. Guanábana are easy to grow, and the fruits vary from hand-sized to head-sized.

Because of their odd shapes and spiky skin, guanábana look like alien creatures who’ve invaded a tree. (Wikimedia Commons)

Because of their odd shapes and spiky skin, guanábana look like alien creatures who’ve invaded a tree. They’re in the same family as North American paw-paw and cherimoya.

Sometimes you can find fresh guanábana in the “exotic” fruit section of grocery stores in the United States and Canada. More common, though, are products like guanábana nectar, guanábana-flavored yogurt or frozen guanábana pulp.

When ripe, the fruit should give quite a bit and feel quite soft, much more so than a mango or peach. Store ripe ones in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them; the skin may darken, but the flesh inside will be fine.

While there are some recipes that use guanábana, most people eat it raw or use the sweet, juicy flesh in smoothies, agua fresca, ice cream and sorbets and such. There are some cautions about eating the seeds, so be sure to carefully remove them first.

A creamy guanábana milkshake uses sweetened condensed milk instead of ice cream. (Wikimedia Commons)

Guanábana and Strawberry Ice Pops

2 cups guanábana pulp
1 cup water
1 cup strawberries, stems removed
Sweetener as desired

Place the guanábana pulp, water and sweetener in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Cut strawberries into small pieces and mix gently into pulp. Pour into popsicle molds or small paper cups with sticks inserted in centers. Freeze at least four hours until firm.

Guanábana Smoothie

2 cups guanábana pulp
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
1-2 cups diced fresh or unsweetened shredded coconut
4 large kale or spinach leaves
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
Optional: ice cubes, up to 1 cup water or coconut milk/water

Put the guanábana pulp, coconut, cubed pineapple, leafy greens and peeled ginger into a blender. Process until well blended; strain if desired. For a thinner smoothie, add water or coconut milk/water until desired thickness. For a thicker smoothie, add 2-3 ice cubes and blend well.

Batido de Guanábana

Thick and creamy like a milkshake but made with sweetened condensed milk instead of ice cream.

1 cup whole milk
3 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
3 tbsp. sugar (to taste)
½ cup crushed ice
1 cup fresh ripe guanábana pulp

Process everything together in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately.

Sweet Fire Cocktail

Salt
1 oz. mezcal
¾ oz. blanc vermouth
¾ oz. fresh lime juice
½ oz. guanábana nectar, canned or fresh
Scant ½ oz. agave nectar or simple syrup

Dip the rim of a rocks glass. In a cocktail shaker three-quarters filled with ice, combine the mezcal, vermouth, lime juice, guanábana nectar and agave nectar. Shake hard until chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass filled with ice.

Guanábana Ice Cream

You don’t need an ice cream maker for this recipe.

2 cups heavy cream
1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
2 cups guanábana pulp, defrosted, if frozen

Beat heavy cream with a mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 3–10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the condensed milk in a large bowl; fold in the whipped cream, then fold in the lime juice, vanilla, salt and guanábana pulp until well blended. Do not overmix.

Pour into a flat, freezer-safe container. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze at least six hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

Janet Blaser is the author of the best-selling book, Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats, featured on CNBC and MarketWatch. She has lived in Mexico since 2006. You can find her on Facebook.

Standing in line — Mexican style

By

Sarah DeVries

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June 17, 2023

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Illustration by Angy Marquez — The writer feels that waiting in line in most places in Mexico is practically a competitive event. (Illustration by Angy Márquez)

Those of you living in Mexico: have y’all noticed that people here are pretty terrible at standing in lines?

Here they’re prepared for this and have set up systems that make cutting impossible when not cutting is crucial. For example:

At the bank: You get a number, and can’t see anyone until your number is called, a system which cleverly removes the psychological disappointment (and sometimes torture) of seeing the line.
At government offices: A security guard often stands as a literal gatekeeper, sorting out who’s got appointments and who doesn’t, and sometimes, who’s a friend and knows someone on the inside. Sometimes, they’ll direct you past the line to ask a question to some random person, at which point I sheepishly slink by everyone else while trying to curb my urge to explain that I was told to do this and I’m not really cutting.

In many cases, though, it’s every man for himself.

The bus pulls into the station, and almost everyone is standing with their bags in the aisle by the time it stops. People that were sitting in the back plow forward, seeming to have never heard of a system in which passengers get off in a way that doesn’t require you to jump in like a kamikaze pilot if you don’t want to be the last person off.

Should I even mention the Metro?

The story is much the same at food stands and stores, the workers tending to whoever’s closest and/or loudest, regardless of how they got there. On one hand, I get it: they don’t get paid enough to be policing people in line, which is a stressful job that I’ve done (more on that below). Plus, since standing in line properly isn’t a big deal anyway, why would they?

As someone who often flies out of San Antonio or Houston to get back home to Mexico, the flight attendants and airline workers have learned to be very strict, sometimes even harsh, about the order in which people are allowed to get on the plane. I roll my eyes thinking, “This is a losing battle, lady; better save your energy and just get through it.”

As someone whose personality is (okay, somewhat) rooted in behaving as socially correctly as possible — because there’s no way I’d be able to get my needs met through the force of physical strength, personality or otherwise — I count on others to abide by the rules.

This can be tricky since those rules, as well as the importance they may or may not have, can vary from culture to culture.

One thing I noticed immediately when I arrived here is that standing in line and taking turns is not quite as high up on the list of major cultural values in Mexico as it is in my own country, the United States. Manners and habits learned in childhood die hard, though, and even after 20 years here, my feathers get ruffled frequently.

Because to get attention in a place where lines aren’t really happening, you have to do two things that I found terrifying as a child and that I still don’t love: you have to physically push yourself to where you need to be, and you have to speak up — sometimes several times! Ack!

I feel calmest when in the company of someone who will do this for me; unfortunately, mine is my shy kid’s strategy too, which means that I’m usually that person for her (wasn’t she supposed to be a Sagittarius? What is this?).

From what I can tell, though, people don’t seem to get all that worked up about it.

But to me, all this jostling looks and feels like chaos. And chaos is not something I appreciate, especially as a person who will never be quite fluent in the physical language of putting oneself where you need to be at the time you need to be there.

But like driving, there is a system: first you, then me, then you. Make eye contact. Get right up next to the person in front of you, otherwise the others will think you’re skipping your turn.

And perhaps my most important lesson of all: people won’t always give you points for — in an attempt to be polite — not putting yourself in front; they’ll just think you’re a dummy.

Still, I’ve been culturally chauvinistic enough to try imposing the way I think these things should be done on others — to no avail.

At the high school I worked at here in Mexico, I was constantly scolding students at lunchtime to just stand in line instead of shouting what they wanted to the snack bar workers, who maddeningly would get right to work on whatever the loudest kid had ordered.

I thought it was the epitome of rudeness and entitlement (all these kids had servants at home, after all), and I felt like a fish swimming upstream: struggling, but determined.

Once they got their food, however, I’d observe behavior I’d have never seen in my own country: they’d share it with pretty much everyone around them. The proud new owner of a bag of chips would eat maybe four chips total, as the rest were offered to their friends, and sometimes even me — even though I’d just spent all that energy frowning at them.

And that’s the flip side of the coin: they’re generous, even as a crowded, disorderly bunch. In contrast, I eat my own meals as if I were in prison, jealously guarding what’s on my plate.

Perhaps making a big show about individual turns and rights says more about my own culture than this one.

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

Peso closes at strongest level against the US dollar in 7 1/2 years

By

MND Staff

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June 16, 2023

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US Dollars and Mexican pesos — The Mexican currency has strengthened about 12.6% against the dollar this year.

There’s no stopping the Mexican peso: the currency appreciated again on Friday to reach its strongest level against the US dollar in seven and a half years.

Bank of Mexico data shows that one greenback was worth 17.05 pesos at the close of markets, and just 17.02 pesos at one point earlier in the day.

The latter exchange rate was the strongest position for the peso since December 2015.

The peso appreciated almost six centavos, or about 0.34% on Friday, after the dollar closed at just above 17.11 pesos on Thursday. The cumulative appreciation this week was 1.24%, after the peso hit a new seven-year high last week.

The Mexican currency has now strengthened about 12.6% against the dollar this year.

The latest appreciation came after the United States Federal Reserve decided on Wednesday to leave its key interest rate at a range of 5%-5.25%. That decision followed 10 consecutive interest rate hikes in the U.S.

bank of mexico — The U.S. dollar was worth 17.02 pesos at one point on Friday, although markets closed at 17.05 pesos, Banxico data showed. (Government of Mexico)

The Fed signaled that two more increases are likely this year. Nevertheless, the dollar is weakening “amid bets on a prompt end” to the monetary policy tightening cycle in the U.S., the newspaper El Economista reported.

High interest rates in Mexico — the central bank’s benchmark rate is currently 11.25% — is seen as one factor that has contributed to the peso’s positive performance this year. Strong incoming flows of foreign capital and remittances are among the other factors cited by analysts.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at the Mexican bank Banco Base, said on Twitter that the peso responded positively today to Fitch Ratings’ decision to keep Mexico’s sovereign credit rating at BBB- with a stable outlook.

“A rating cut and possible loss of investment was one of the great fears [during] this administration, together with the loss of autonomy of the Bank of Mexico. Although important institutions of Mexico have been weakened and the economy took a long time to recover from the decline caused by the pandemic, the [ongoing] autonomy of the Bank of Mexico and the investment-grade credit rating provide certainty to international investors,” she wrote.

“This, together with the golden opportunity of nearshoring — that we’re not taking full advantage of — provide a good outlook for the peso,” she added.

Siller also said that the peso has demonstrated a “pattern of behavior” since July last year in which it appreciates about 7% against the dollar over a period of two months before depreciating by around 4%.

If that pattern continues, “the peso could appreciate to 16.74 pesos to the dollar in July and then [move] to 17.5 … [before] appreciating again to a level close to 16.4. This would happen if there is no event or news that generates fear about the world or Mexico,” she wrote.

With reports from El Economista, Forbes México and USA Today

American Airlines, Delta, Air Canada add new flights in Mexico

By

MND Staff

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June 16, 2023

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Air Canada plane in flight — Air Canada will offer four flights a week between Toronto and Monterrey, Nuevo León, starting Oct. 29, making it the only Canadian airline to connect Canada and the Mexican city. (Rene Dominguez/Shutterstock)

Three major airlines in the United States and Canada recently announced an expansion of their schedules to include new flights to different cities in Mexico starting in the fall season.

Canada’s flagship carrier Air Canada will open a seasonal winter route from Montreal (YUL) to Los Cabos, Baja California (SJD) beginning on Dec. 1 that will operate once a week on Fridays.

Aerial view of Cancun, Mexico — Among American Airlines’ new routes are nonstop flights to Cancún from the U.S. cities of Nashville and Cincinnati. (Dronepicr/Creative Commons)

Air Canada will also offer year-round service of four flights per week from Toronto (YYZ) to Monterrey, Nuevo León (MTY) starting Oct. 29. The outbound flight to Monterrey will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, while the return flight will operate on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

This new route will make the carrier the only Canadian airline connecting Canada with the city of Monterrey.

American Airlines has also unveiled its winter schedule to Latin America and the Caribbean, which includes over 2,250 weekly flights to 90 destinations in the region. Among the new services are new nonstop flights from Nashville (BNA) and Cincinnati (CVG) to Cancún, (CUN). These will be seasonal routes that operate every Saturday from Dec. 9 through March.

American also announced a second daily service to Cancun from Austin, Texas (AUS), set to begin on Nov. 5.

The carrier also plans to add seven new routes to Mexico from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW). It currently has more than 50 daily departures from DFW to various cities in Mexico.

Delta Air Lines also announced an expansion of its services to Latin America and the Caribbean that will operate between Jan. 8 and April 7, 2024. Delta’s new flights to Mexico will add daily departures to the routes that connect Atlanta (ATL) and Minneapolis (MSP) with Puerto Vallarta; Detroit, Minneapolis and Atlanta with Cancún; and Minneapolis with Los Cabos.

With reports from Airways Magazine and Simple Flying.

Beat the heat the natural way in Guadalajara’s Primavera Forest

By

John Pint

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June 16, 2023

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Waterfall near Guadalajara, Mexico — This waterfall-fed pool, hidden away near Villa Felicidad, is a tough trip but more than worth the effort, especially during this heat. (All photos by John Pint)

When does the rainy season start in Guadalajara?

For years, I would confidently reply: June 12th.

Where I got that date, I don’t know, but over nearly 40 years, it has mostly been right, even though the traditional start of the lluvias is June 24th, the Feast of John the Baptist — a water-bringing saint if there ever was one.

This year, my prediction was wrong, but in compensation for my errors, allow me to present two completely natural water holes only half an hour from the city’s Periférico (Ring Road), known to very few.

Agua Dulce

The Primavera Forest, located immediately to the west of Guadalajara, is known for its Río Caliente, a river both hot and salty. The forest, however, has other secrets, and one of them is a delightful river whose waters are both cold and dulce, which here means drinkable, rather than sweet.

The Agua Dulce River first starts out as a pool where you can cool off while trying to walk along several rope bridges stretched over the wonderfully clean water.

Agua Dulce, Jalisco — Crossing the rope bridge over the spot where the Agua Dulce River is born.

The river is born inside the Rancho Ecoturístico Agua Dulce, an extensive campground that is located inside Bosque La Primavera. There are facilities here like toilets and plenty of flat, grassy meadows where you can pitch a tent and even a few zip lines, as well as a tall watchtower from which you can see the beautiful forest all around you. The Tequila Volcano looms on the horizon.

You can visit Agua Dulce for a very nominal fee, and the site is easily accessible via Google Maps. The last 3 kilometers are dirt roads but very well-graded and maintained, so you can easily get there in any sort of vehicle. Driving time is only 30 minutes from the west end of town.

Hugo’s Heavenly Pool

For the more adventurous, I offer the very coldest body of water I have ever encountered in Mexico. No, it’s not atop a 3,000-meter-high mountain — instead it is hidden away at the northern edge of Villa Felicidad, a failed fraccionamiento (subdivision) outside the town of Tala, located only 25 km west of Guadalajara and owned by one Hugo Castellano, who welcomes visitors but endlessly reminds them not to leave any trash or garbage around.

Castellano’s pool is fed by the Río Zarco, another of those unknown rivers born inside the Primavera Forest. The water is perfectly clean and deep enough for swimming. It’s graced by a small waterfall at one end and a small sandy beach at the other.

Double spirals at Presa de la Luz, Jalisco. They are thought to be prayers asking the Mexica god Tlaloc for rain.

To reach Hugo’s Heavenly Pool you will need a vehicle with high clearance. It can be found at M88C+3C, 45343 Tala, Jal on Google Maps.

Getting there will no doubt be an adventure, but these days of extreme heat are exactly when this very cold pool can be best appreciated. Driving time is 45 minutes from the edge of the city.

If you can’t visit either of these wonderful swimming holes, I suggest you make a more direct contribution to bringing on the rains: just grab a chisel and carve a spiral on the first hard surface you find near your home.

If I correctly understand the writings of archaeologist Joseph Mountjoy, the spiral petroglyph was the most common “prayer” to the rain god Tlaloc, and you can get some idea of how often las lluvias were late in past centuries by the plethora of spirals still to be seen on rocks all over Mexico.

I hope it works, but if it doesn’t, head for those cool pools!

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.

Hot and thirsty? Reach for refreshing tepache

By

Stephen Randall

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June 16, 2023

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Tepache — Beat the heat with a refreshing glass of tepache, made from fermented pineapple rind. (Twitter)

Spring in Mexico is often the hottest season, and this year many parts of the country are experiencing an exceptional heat wave. The need for refreshment is upon us and I’m here to share the drink that’s up to the task: tepache!

This effervescent drink has a slight tang and carbonation from the fermentation, acidity from pineapple and earthiness from cinnamon, putting it at the top of my list to reach for on a sweltering afternoon.

Tepache can trace its roots back to the markets of Tenochtitlán, the ancient Mexica metropolis that is today Mexico City. (Diego Rivera)

Tepache is a naturally fermented drink that dates back to the pre-Hispanic era and was originally made with corn. Its history can be traced to the Indigenous cultures of Mexico. The word tepache is derived from Náhuatl, spoken by the Mexica (also known as Aztecs), and means “drink made from corn”.

Try to picture yourself in a marketplace in the ancient city of Tenochtitlán, the vibrant Mexica metropolis humming with activity and color, with market traders selling aromatic spices and exotic fruits. If you needed an escape from the heat and bustle of the big city, tepache no doubt offered the perfect refreshment.

Prepared by fermenting pineapple, cane sugar, and aromatic spices, this slightly alcoholic drink of the gods captured the imagination of the Mexica, who relished its tangy flavor and apparently believed it held sacred properties.

Modern recipes have dropped the corn and usually call for only pineapple rinds, a sweetener such as piloncillo (unrefined cane sugar), and cinnamon. In recent years, tepache and similar naturally fermented beverages have started to get the attention they deserve, both in Mexico and abroad. Craft breweries and bars have started incorporating tepache into their menus, often offering innovative and creative variations on the traditional recipes.

CDMX Tepache seller — Tepache remains as popular as ever. Here, a vendor sells the drink in the Zócalo square in Mexico City. (Miguel Demayuga/Cuartoscuro)

But there’s an even more compelling reason to give tepache a try. It is a natural probiotic! The human digestive system is home to a vast and diverse community of bacteria, collectively known as the gut microbiome, and probiotics are live bacteria that are considered beneficial to health.

These beneficial microorganisms can offer several potential health benefits, including improved digestive health (especially important for those with IBS or lactose intolerance), a more robust immune system and maybe even mental health benefits!

In keeping with the probiotic nature of tepache, this recipe uses honey! Honey contains oligosaccharides, a type of prebiotic fiber that serves as food for beneficial gut bacteria. Prebiotics promote the growth and activity of probiotics, thus supporting a healthy gut microbiota.

I’ve found that using honey is just as easy and the flavor has more depth than using sugar. Counting the water, this recipe has a grand total of four ingredients and is the perfect starting point for those who’ve been curious to try a probiotic recipe at home but have yet to pull the trigger.

I hope you enjoy making tepache as much as I do!

Tepache

1 liter of water
250 grams of honey
1 cinnamon stick
Rinds of one pineapple

NOTE: This recipe doubles well, and the doubled version will still work just fine with the rinds of one pineapple!

If cinnamon isn’t to your taste, ginger is also an excellent choice to spice up your new home-brewed favorite.

To make:

In a 2-liter pitcher, mix the honey into the water until dissolved, then add your pineapple rinds and a stick of cinnamon, and stir to incorporate. Within the next 24 hours, you should see the beginning of fermentation, which happens because of the natural yeast found on the pineapple rinds. Depending how balmy your house is, this process usually takes anywhere from one to three days.

After the first day, I advise to start tasting your tepache until it has the flavor you’re looking for, with a younger tepache being sweeter, and older being on the tangy side. Once the tepache has a nice balance of sweet and sour, strain the solids from the liquids and store in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process. This recipe yields a tepache of about 1%-2% of alcohol.

In the mood for something stronger? Mix in your favorite dark rum on the rocks for an excellent “tepache fuerte”.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.