Is Mexico a baseball country? Yes, and it could turn even more so

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July 15, 2023

Harp Helú stadium — Baseball in Mexico may not be as popular as in the early 20th century, but still draws big crowds in modern stadia. (Diablos Rojos/Cuartoscuro)

On April 29, I made the mistake of taking Line 9 of the Mexico City Metro just as fans from a game between the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants left the Alfredo Helú Harp Stadium. Although I had seen advertisements for the game, I never took Mexico for a baseball country.

We may have to rethink that at some point.

2016 Caribbean Series champions the Venados with then Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto at Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City. (Presidencia)

Without a doubt, soccer is king here, but baseball does have an important presence.

Several cities in the country claim to be the site of the first baseball game in Mexico: Guaymas, Sonora, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Cadereyta Jiménez, Nuevo León and even the port of Veracruz. All are good candidates since they had significant contact with the United States, either through railroad construction or “visits” from the U.S. military. Another early introduction was in the Yucatán Peninsula, though this was via fans from Cuba.

By the early 20th century, baseball had become Mexico’s most popular sport, with Mexican teams regularly playing those from the U.S. and Cuba. In 1925, Ernesto Carmona established the Mexican League of Baseball, which is still Mexico’s most important league.

Mexican baseball’s golden age extended from the 1920s to the early 1950s in no small part due to the efforts of brothers Bernardo and Jorge Pasquel. In the 1940s into the 1950s, they raised the status of the sport, regularly recruiting players from Cuba, U.S. Negro leagues and occasionally from the “white” Major Leagues as well.

Babe Ruth and Jorge Pasquel — Jorge Pasquel, right, managed to convince U.S. baseball legend Babe Ruth to demonstrate his skills in front of an enormous Mexico City crowd. (LMB)

However, after World War II, they were unable to match the rising salaries in the U.S and in the post-Pasquel decades, the game experienced slower growth here, with 20 professional teams at its height.

These days, Mexican professional players are clearly focused on getting lucrative contracts in the United States, especially after the “Fernandomania” of Mexican pitcher Fernando Valenzuela during the 1970s and 1980s.

Mexican leagues have also struggled with the wild popularity of soccer and, at times, boxing. There are several theories why this is so.

Baseball’s appeal was always concentrated in certain sections of the country. As much as the U.S. influences Mexico’s culture, Europe is a major influence as well, and the sport there is soccer.

President López Obrador is a noted fan of the sport. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

The shift in baseball players going off to play for U.S. teams certainly had an effect on baseball here as well. This talent drain hasn’t happened quite so much in professional soccer, where Mexican players divide their time playing for foreign and domestic teams, as well as represent Mexico in international tournaments.

But the work of the Pasquel brothers is important because it established a connection between baseball and Mexico’s industrial enterprises. For decades, Mexican companies have been essential in conserving and reviving the sport here.

The Cuauhtemoc Brewery established the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973 in Monterrey, Nuevo León. Years later, the Alfredo Harp Helú Foundation (created by one of billionaire Carlos Slim’s relatives) moved it to its current building in the massive Fundidora Park, also in Monterrey.

The Slim/Helú family has been at the forefront of Mexican baseball for several decades now, promoting it both in Mexico and the United States. Their passion for the sport comes from their childhoods — some are old enough to remember the tail end of Mexican baseball’s “golden age.”

In 2011, Carlos Slim gave a rare interview with Puro Beisbol Magazine during the Red Sox/Yankee World Series, where he declared himself a “…fan of the Diablos Rojos [the Mexico City team], of the Yankees and of Babe Ruth.”

Billionaire Carlos Slim speaking at a business event in September. — Carlos Slim, owner of the Telmex empire, is known to be a baseball fan and has wanted to amplify the sport in Mexico. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

The family’s efforts consist of dominating professional baseball in Mexico and getting a foothold in the MLB. Harp Helú, opened the Alfred Harp Helú Stadium in Mexico City — home of the Diablos Rojos — and in 2009, Slim’s foundation built the Telmex Bicentennial Sport Center in Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl, México state, on a reclaimed landfill. A multisport center for use by the community, it includes baseball fields.

More importantly, the family has established baseball institutions to encourage an interest in baseball among the young and support their careers, such as the Alfredo Harp Helú Academy in the city of Oaxaca, and the Telmex-Telcel Baseball League, aimed at promoting baseball for kids aged 13–15 all over Mexico through tournaments in which locally organized teams can register to participate. According to the league’s website, it has served as feeder source for teams at the national level.

The purpose of these institutions is to find promising young talent and offer them academic and athletic scholarships. Students pay no tuition, but costs for educating them — covered by corporate benefactors — run around 30,000 pesos per student, per month. The Oaxaca academy has been quite successful, placing about 20% of its graduates into professional teams in Mexico and the United States.

Other industrialists and professional teams have followed suit, not only seeing a way to develop talent but improve community relations. They include the Pastejé Academy, founded by the industrial group of the same name, located in northern México state; the academy of the Charros de Jalisco professional baseball team in Guadalajara, owned by the Gonzalez-Iñigo family, behind seed industrial giant Sesajal; and the Tigers Academy in Quintana Roo. The Tigers team were bought in 2017 by none other than Fernando Valenzuela, with the help of a group of business owners.

Harp Helú bought Mexico City’s Diablos Rojos in the 1990s, and a stake in the San Diego Padres in 2012. There is no doubt that the long term goal is to integrate Mexican baseball at a much higher level internationally, something that just might be of benefit on both sides of the border.

Over in the U.S., the MLB has had its own issues with losing market share to (American) football, and since the 2010s, has been working to broaden the sport’s appeal internationally, especially in Europe and Latin America.

The Giants vs. Padres game I ran into was part of these efforts in collaboration with the Slim/Helú family. The game brought in an impressive number of live fans and was broadcast internationally — and turned out to be an insane 27-run classic.

Without a doubt, there is big money backing the sport in Mexico, but it remains to be seen if slow-paced baseball can make a comeback in a fast-paced world, or whether it will remain a sport with a niche following both in Mexico and the United States.

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.

NOTE: This article originally misstated the owner of the Mexico City baseball team Los Diablos Rojos. The owner is Alfredo Harp Helú.

Mexico remains top US trade partner in first 4 months of 2023

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Cat Rainsford

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July 14, 2023

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guillaume-bolduc-uBe2mknURG4-unsplash — Trade with Mexico accounted for 15.4% of all goods exported and imported by the U.S. during the first four months of the year, valued at US $263 billion. (Unsplash)

Mexico is consolidating its place as the United States’ top trading partner, with trade between the two countries reaching US $263 billion in the first four months of this year.

This accounted for 15.4% of goods exported and imported by the U.S. during the four-month period, outstripping Canada, with 15.2%, and China, with 12%, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

A decrease in exports from Canada made way for Mexico to become the top trade partner of the U.S. in Q1 2023, the first Q1 since 2009 that a country other than China has claimed the top spot. (Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas)

Mexico’s top ranking continues the trend noted in the first quarter of 2023, when bilateral trade with the U.S. totaled US $196.7 billion – an 8% increase over the same period in 2022.

This is the first time since Q1 2009 that a country other than China was the U.S.’s top trade partner, other than the pandemic year of 2020, when Mexico took the top spot.

Mexico’s recent primacy in U.S. trading relations is partly a result of U.S. tensions with China since 2018, when the Trump administration imposed tariffs on Chinese goods. Pandemic-era supply chain disruptions also impacted U.S. trade with Asia and accelerated the ‘nearshoring’ process in which many companies have relocated operations to the Americas to be closer to U.S. markets.

Mexico and Canada have both benefited from these shifts, as well as efforts to bolster regional trade through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Canada was the U.S.’s top whole-year trading partner in 2022, but saw its exports to the U.S. drop over the first quarter of 2023, making way for Mexico to take the top spot.

Cars ready for export in Veracruz — Mexico’s automotive industry contributes nearly 4% to the national GDP and 20.5% of manufacturing GDP. (Shutterstock)

Mexico’s strong performance is largely accounted for by the manufacturing sector, particularly the automotive industry. Manufactured goods accounted for US $234.2 billion in U.S.-Mexico trade in the first four months of 2023 – 16.5% of the U.S.’s total manufacturing trade, compared to Canada’s 13.5% and China’s 12.5%.

While Mexico shares Canada’s proximity to the U.S., its manufacturing sector benefits from skilled but relatively low-cost labor. In sectors such as the automotive industry, Mexican assembly plants often process intermediate goods produced in the U.S. before exporting the final products back again, creating a dynamic cross-border relationship.

Numerous automotive companies have set up plants in Mexico in recent years to take advantage of this relationship. In the first nine months of 2022, Mexico became the leading exporter of cars to the U.S., taking the top spot for the first time ever.

The trend is expected to continue as Mexico’s northern and Bajío states have received announced investments of over US $15 billion from automotive companies in this year alone.

With reports from Business Insider and Forbes

Cilantro brings more than just flavor to Mexican cuisine

By

Sandra Gancz Kahan

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July 14, 2023

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Cilantro — This culinary herb has been used for thousands of years, not just for its flavor, but for its health benefits. (Foto de Tomasz Olszewski en Unsplash)

One vibrant herb dances its way through the colorful tapestry of Mexican cuisine, adding a burst of freshness and a hint of intrigue to every dish it touches: cilantro.

Why is this humble herb so ubiquitous in the Mexican culinary landscape?

Tacos with cilantro — Cilantro is a favorite part of many Mexican dishes. (Jeswin Thomas/Unsplash)

The distinctive aroma and taste of the leaves and seeds of the coriander plant (coriandrum sativum) are hard to miss. Some describe it as herbal and citrusy, and others detect a slight peppery note. I have never heard of a Mexican who rejects it, and we would all be a little appalled by a guacamole sin cilantro, but some of my foreign friends have strong opposing opinions. Love it or hate it, there is a long history behind its use in many Mexican dishes.

The plant is believed to have first been used along the Mediterranean, with records dating back to ancient Egypt, where it was revered for its medicinal properties. When the Spaniards arrived in what is now Mexico, they brought their culinary traditions and introduced the herb to the native cuisine. The result was a beautiful marriage of flavors that would later define Mexican food as we know it today.

Mexico now produces over 50,000 tons of cilantro per year! Think of that number while keeping in mind how very little each cilantro plant weighs.

Cilantro acts as a counterbalance in dishes, cutting through richness and adding a touch of brightness. The presence of this aromatic herb can elevate a simple taco or cool down a spicy salsa. Its bright and zesty notes harmonize well with the richness of meats, the creaminess of avocados, the heat of chili peppers, and the tang of lime juice, enhancing the overall flavor profile of any dish.

Cilantro is not just a culinary superstar. This versatile herb has much to offer beyond its flavorful allure. Its chemical composition confers antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties.

Cilantro has also gained attention for its detoxifying powers. Some recent scientific studies suggest that the herb has the ability to bind to heavy metals, acting as a natural chelating agent,helping to neutralize these toxins and facilitate their excretion.

The plant also has natural sedative properties. In some 2015 research, cilantro’s analgesic activity was deemed comparable to morphine when used as a high dose extract.

Cilantro contains the compound dodecenal, a powerful antimicrobial, so adding it to your diet can be a delicious way to fortify your body’s natural defenses.

The herb also helps produce digestive enzymes that ease bloating and indigestion, making it a go-to for a happy and harmonious digestive system. There’s a reason freshly-chopped cilantro is offered to sprinkle on your tacos!

Next time you enjoy a dish adorned with the verdant freshness of cilantro, take a moment to savor the flavors, and relish in the knowledge that you’re nourishing your body an array of health-boosting properties.

Cilantro is more than just an aromatic herb, it’s a vibrant character that plays a vital role in the symphony of flavors that is Mexican cuisine. Embrace its uniqueness, celebrate its health benefits, and let its fresh, invigorating taste boost your mood.

¡Buen provecho!

Peso appreciates again, reaching 16.72 to the US dollar

By

MND Staff

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July 14, 2023

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Mexican peso and US dollar — Some reasons for the peso's strength include high interest rates, large volumes of remittances and falling inflation. (Rmcarvalho/Istock)

The Mexican peso appreciated again on Friday, reaching an exchange rate of 16.72 to the US dollar before weakening slightly.

The exchange rate at the close of markets on Friday was just under 16.74 pesos to the greenback, according to the Bank of Mexico. It’s the peso strongest position against the greenback since December 2015.

The US dollar depreciated just under 2.4% against the peso this week after buying 17.14 pesos at the end of last week.

The peso strengthened on Wednesday on the back of data that showed that annual inflation in the United States slowed to 3% in June. The decline in inflation in the United States makes it less likely that the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates later this month from the current 5% to 5.25% range.

Analysts cite the Bank of Mexico’s high benchmark interest rate – currently 11.25% – and the significant difference between that rate and that of the Fed as one factor in the current strength of the peso. Strong incoming flows of foreign capital and remittances are among the other factors cited.

President López Obrador celebrated the recent appreciation of the peso at his morning press conference on Friday, describing the currency as fortachón, or very strong.

The peso has appreciated over 14% in 2023, after starting the year at around 19.5 to the US dollar.

With reports from El Economista

The Agave Rewilding Project: ‘It’s time we gave something back’

By

John Pint

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July 14, 2023

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Volunteer rewilding Jalisco — Tequila Tromba Distillery’s Vanessa Ramírez transporting native agaves to the rougher parts of the rewilding site. Agressive agave cultivation for the tequila industry has damaged biodiversity in the region (all photos courtesy of ARP)

Tequila is conquering the world, but the world is paying a price for it. In Mexico’s tequila-producing territory, trees are cut down, unique archaeological sites are plowed under and for seven years, the agaves are bathed in highly toxic pesticides. Then their flowers are cut, leaving them genetically anemic.

All of this leads to an imbalance in the ecosystem, loss of biodiversity and the cutting off of wildlife corridors.

Agave fields in Jalisco — Agave Rewilding Project site near Zapotitlán, Jalisco. This entire crop of agaves will eventually be replaced by endemic trees and plants.

While many environmentalists look upon the scene with a jaundiced eye, a few members of the tequila industry itself have decided to try to do something concrete about the situation.

The Agave Rewilding Project (ARP) was developed by members of Tequila Tromba distillery, located in the Highlands of Jalisco.

Well-managed rewilding, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, rebuilds disturbed ecosystems using the plant and animal life that would have been present had the disturbance never occurred.

“Our mission,” says Tromba cofounder, Nick Reid, “is to rewild and reforest land damaged from the overcultivation of the blue agave for the production of tequila. In the next 10 years, we hope to rewild 1,000 hectares. Maybe it could be considered similar to generating carbon credits.”

A man carrying a blue barrel — Water for the new plants. Rodrigo Pineda from the Tromba team carrying a 200-liter drum.

The Tromba crew began looking for land they could return to nature by planting endemic species of agaves and trees — not in rows, of course.

“Things started badly,” Reid told me. “We couldn’t find land for the project because avocados and blue agave are in such great demand.”

The team then began searching for terrain on the Jalisco side of the Colima Fire Volcano, where the techniques for producing mezcal were honed over centuries of experimentation.

Finally, with the help of the Municipal President of Zapotitlán de Vadillo, located 135 km southwest of Guadalajara, Reid was introduced to a rancher, 80 years old, with no children to inherit his land.

Vinicius Mauger from Townhouse bar in Venice, California. — The joy of rewilding. Vinicius Mauger, from Townhouse bar in Venice, California, working as a volunteer agave planter.

“We explained our project to him, but he didn’t really get it. However, in typical ranchero style, he said, ‘Haz lo que quieras. ¡Nada más págame!’ (Do what you want, just pay me!)

The team ended up with 28 hectares of rugged land ideal for their project, some of it still planted with agaves from the owner’s previous contract.

“Last year, I brought 30 people there,” said Reid, “and we planted 3,500 endemic agaves in one day: angustifolia and rhodacantha. I wanted to plant nothing but seeds, but we ended up doing half seeds and half hijuelos [offshoots or pups, which are genetically the same as their parent plant].”

In June of this year, 2023, ARP held its second rewilding event at the Zapotitlán site.

A white truck with a tree — Normally specializing in urban tree growing, members of Guadalajara-based Canopea participated in the Agave Rewilding Project and planted 40 trees.

“Many of these folks were customers of Tequila Tromba: bartenders working in Toronto, Calgary, British Colombia, Denver, Los Angeles, New York and Miami,” said Reid. “They all stayed in the nearby town of Comala, Colima. They got up at 5:30 a.m., worked in teams of three, and planted 800 agaves — bartenders! Then they had lunch in Zapotitlán with the local people.”

The agave planters were joined by arboreal experts from an organization called Canopea, headquartered in Guadalajara. These volunteers planted 40 endemic varieties of trees

Other organizations now participating in the ARP are Revive — a nationwide network of plant nurseries for biodiversity run by reforesting experts — and the Txori Ornithological Foundation, which hopes to reintroduce Mexican macaws into the rewilded territory.

I asked Nick Reid which tequila brands readers should support, but he replied that it’s still too early for the team to provide a list of cooperative distilleries.

Volunteers plant a field — Nick Reid, left, gives last-minute instructions to volunteers gathered to plant endemic species of agaves at the Agave Rewilding Project site near Zapotitlán.

“At this point in our project,” Reid said, “we are looking for questions. Right now the tequila industry doesn’t have to come up with answers because there aren’t any questions. No one is asking them where their agaves come from, or what’s the environmental impact.

“You look at photos and you see beautiful blue-green fields. You don’t see any photos of the trees that were knocked down before those agaves were planted. So nobody’s asking: How many agaves are out there? How do they grow them? Do they use pesticides? Are they destroying forests to do this?”

Answers to these questions are hard to find, says Reid, due to “a disconnect between a lot of the distilleries and the farming operation. Some big companies like Cuervo grow their own, but there are many independent growers. One of the aims of the foundation is to get these questions going.”

A man on horseback rides through an agave field in Amatitlán, Jalisco. — A man on horseback rides through an agave field in Amatitán, Jalisco, in the heart of tequila country. Reid hopes monocultures like this will soon be rewilded when the crops are harvested, helping to restore biodiversity to the region. (David García Sandoval/Unsplash)

Reid says the price of agaves is now at its peak and will soon come down.

“So I would imagine that the immediate danger of deforesting will be reduced for the next five or six years because people won’t be planting. Now is the time for us to work on how we grow more sustainably. Do we mix the agaves with other crops? People have started to work on biodiverse agave farming, but we need to work together to do more.”

Nick Reid suggests what kind of question could be asked.

“Hey, Tequila Don Sinforoso, what do you know about the agaves you use? Do you know what pesticides they put on them? Is deforestation involved in the planting process? Do you even know where your agaves come from?”

The Agave Rewilding Project is a pilot program.

“We hope to see our plot of land bloom,” Reid said, “and we hope it will be home to animals and birds. It’s a pilot project, but if we succeed here, we’ll be able to do it anywhere in Mexico.”

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.

EU says it’ll invest in Plan Sonora renewable energy initiative

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MND Staff

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July 14, 2023

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Solar panel at solar farm — The intention of the Plan Sonora initiative is to make the Mexican state of Sonora the Silicon Valley of renewable energy. (Government of Sonora)

The European Union will next week make a formal decision to invest in Mexico’s Plan Sonora renewable energy initiative, the EU’s ambassador to Mexico said Wednesday.

Gautier Mignot said that investment in the Plan Sonora project, which includes the development of a massive solar park in Puerto Peñasco, will be approved at the EU-CELAC summit to be held in Brussels, Belgium, next Monday and Tuesday.

President López Obrador and Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo presented the project to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Mexico last month. (European Parliament/Wikimedia Commons)

CELAC is the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, a regional bloc formed in 2011.

“A list of investment projects on which we will commit to work together will be approved at the summit. The investment agenda will include Plan Sonora,” Mignot said at a Foreign Affairs Ministry (SRE) event at which officials presented the renewable energy initiative to over 80 European companies.

The EU ambassador said that President López Obrador and Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo presented the project to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to Mexico last month.

Von der Leyen “confirmed the interest of the EU to accompany Plan Sonora,” Mignot said.

Sonora, Mexico, government officials from state Economy Ministry on European working tour — Earlier this month, Sonora officials from the Economy Ministry met with European Investment Bank officials and EU business organizations to talk up Plan Sonora. It appears to have worked. (Government of Sonora)

He said that the initiative — another aspect of which is planned lithium extraction in Sonora — is congruent with the European priority to provide “support for sustainable development and the green transition” in Mexico.

Mignot didn’t say how much the European Union would invest in Plan Sonora or which European firms would participate but noted that EU and Mexican teams are in contact “to define concrete projects.”

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Carmen Moreno said that recently appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena intended to meet with European leaders in Brussels next week and that she was sure they would talk about Plan Sonora, among other projects.

She noted at the SRE’s Plan Sonora information session that the EU is Mexico’s third largest trade partner and that Mexico is the EU’s second largest trade partner in Latin America.

The renewable energy initiative is “designed to transform Sonora and Mexico into a prosperous and sustainable place as well as improve the conditions … so that more companies expand their operations and investments” here, Moreno said, acknowledging that some firms partially base investment decisions on the availability of renewable energy and the host country’s climate credentials.

Former foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard announced late last year that Mexico would collaborate with the United States to double its capacity to produce renewable energy.

German Ambassador to Mexico Wolfgang Dold and Sonora, Mexico, Governor Alfonso Durazo — Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo, right, and Germany’s Ambassador to Mexico Wolfgang Dold, left, worked together to connect the Sonora economic delegation with German businesses considering investment. (Alfonso Durazo/Twitter)

Governor Durazo met earlier this week with Germany’s Ambassador to Mexico Wolfgang Dold, who traveled to Sonora with business-sector representatives to learn more about Plan Sonora.

The business leaders represent more than 2,000 German companies that operate in Mexico, Durazo said, adding that the “objective” of their visit was to “get to know the potential” of Plan Sonora with a view to investing in the state.

Dold said that many German companies are looking to expand their operations in Mexico for a variety of reasons, including the country’s proximity to the United States and the availability of qualified labor.

He also said that the supply of reliable and renewable energy from the Puerto Peñasco solar park, the first section of which began operations earlier this year, was a draw for German companies. Germany has made significant efforts to generate more renewable energy; in the first half of 2023, 57.7% of the country’s electricity generation was renewable energy, a record, according to Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.

With reports from EFE, El Universal, Milenio and El Imparcial

Study: 75% of Mexico businesses say they struggle to find workers

By

Cat Rainsford

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July 14, 2023

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A closed store — There is a shortage of workers in Mexico, says business group Coparmex. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

With between 1.2 and 1.6 million vacancies in Mexico’s labor market, 75% of employers say their main problem is finding workers, according to a new study by the Employers’ Confederation of the Mexican Republic (Coparmex).

The organization’s quarterly analysis found that the main labor challenges faced by businesses in Mexico are difficulty in filling vacancies, a shortage of qualified workers, a lack of resources to hire staff, salary negotiations and staff turnover.

A worker in Mexico — Despite almost 1.6 million vacancies, 75% of Mexican employers say they struggle to hire enough workers. (Jessica Palomo/Unsplash)

These difficulties are most keenly felt in the manufacturing, wholesale trade, electricity, water, gas and agriculture sectors, while leisure and cultural services face the least labor challenges.

“The states where [the labor shortage] is most critical are Jalisco, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo, Nuevo León, Colima, Nayarit and Chihuahua,” warned Coparmex’s president, José Medina Mora Icaza.

“[Business owners] told us that in Ciudad Juárez there were 75,000 vacancies, and they literally went out to the street at the traffic lights to ask the migrants to stay to work on the Mexican side,” he added.

Business owners reported similar struggles in areas including Puerto Vallarta’s hotel sector and Mexicali’s assembly plants.

Many businesses say it is impossible to find employees, while many employees say it is impossible to find flexible business that allow for childcare arrangements, according to the employers association Coparmex. (Fotografias con Limón/Unsplash)

These shortages are despite Mexico having an untapped labor market of more than 10 million people, Coparmex found. Two million of these are unemployed, 2.2 million are working-age people whose circumstances prevent them from participating in the economy, and 5.8 million do not work because of lack of incentives.

Coparmex’s analysis concluded that Mexico’s untapped labor market mainly consists of women and young people. Women with children make up 80% of those who would like to be economically active but feel unable to.

The organization’s suggested solutions include improvements in flexible working and childcare, to facilitate entry into the labor market.

Coparmex also found that only 30% of Mexico’s non-economically active population has completed high school studies. It argues that expanding education is key to integrating these people into the economy.

A lack of skilled workers is also hampering recruitment in some sectors. Coparmex suggests expanding education will help integrate unskilled workers into the economy. (Moises Ortega/Istock)

“Offering jobs that meet the needs of workers is essential to form a more competitive economy with the ability to attract and retain talent,” the study concludes.

“Achieving this will not only result in benefits for the economy but [also] for the population and quality of life in the country.”

With reports from Forbes and La Jornada

AMLO ordered to stop speaking publicly on electoral issues

By

MND Staff

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July 14, 2023

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Mexican Senator Xochitl Galvez — The National Electoral Institute (INE) ruling was driven in part by a complaint by presidential hopeful Xóchitl Gálvez, a National Action Party senator who said the president's comments about her reproduced "patterns and historical standards that have always placed women below the interests and strategies of men." (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

The National Electoral Institute (INE) has ordered President López Obrador to abstain from speaking about electoral issues after a leading aspirant to the opposition bloc’s 2024 presidential candidacy complained about remarks he made about her at his morning press conferences.

National Action Party (PAN) Senator Xóchitl Gálvez — who López Obrador claims has already been chosen as the presidential candidate for the Broad Front for Mexico — filed a complaint with INE in which she asserted that the president’s comments about her reproduced “patterns and historical standards that have always placed women below the interests and strategies of men.”

President Lopez Obrador — President López Obrador has been using his daily press conferences to talk about the 2024 elections, in particularly lately about Senator Xóchitl Gálvez. On July 3, he displayed a cartoon of Gálvez — seen at the bottom right — and other political figures, claiming she was a “puppet of the oligarchy.” She responded online that AMLO couldn’t imagine a woman gaining political power on her own merits. (Presidencia)

She also alleged that López Obrador made an improper use of public resources and violated principles of equity and impartiality by making derogatory remarks about her at four press conferences held this month.

The Democratic Revolution Party, which along with the PAN and the Institutional Revolutionary Party formed the Broad Front for Mexico, also complained about the president’s commentary on those aspiring to contest the June 2, 2024 presidential election.

López Obrador has claimed that Gálvez is the “candidate of the mafia of power” and a “puppet of the oligarchy,” among other disparaging remarks.

The INE’s Complaints Commission ruled on Thursday that the president must abstain from making comments and expressing opinions about electoral issues, “whether they are positive or negative, ensuring that his conduct is in accordance with the constitutional principles of impartiality and neutrality.”

Mexico's President Lopez Obrador with councilors of the National Electoral Institute — At a meeting with the National Electoral Institute councilors in mid-June, President Lopez Obrador was told clearly what he must not say publicly in order to avoid running afoul of election law. (Presidencia)

The Complaints Commission issued a similar directive to the president’s office. It also ordered the president’s office to remove from the internet audio, video and transcripts of five of López Obrador’s press conferences held earlier this month, or erase the sections in which the president made remarks deemed to be impermissible.

Electoral councilor Claudia Zavala, who is president of the Complaints Commission, said that the INE clearly explained to López Obrador at a National Palace meeting last month what he can and can’t say at his morning press conferences to avoid falling foul of electoral rules.

She also noted that the president himself proposed a rule for the ruling Morena party’s 2024 candidate selection process which precludes him from making positive or negative comments about the six aspirants to the nomination. He should also refrain from speaking about the aspirants to the Broad Front for Mexico candidacy, Zavala said.

López Obrador has asserted that he is within his rights to speak about Gálvez and other opposition aspirants because the official INE electoral process in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential elections doesn’t start until September. However, both Morena and the Broad Front have launched their own processes to select standard bearers who will become their presidential candidates.

National Electoral Institute Complaints Commission head Claudia Zavala — Zavala, also head of the INE’s Complaints Commission, said AMLO has already committed to make only neutral statements about the five Morena candidacy hopefuls, so he should do the same for Broad Front for Mexico candidates. (Claudia Zavala/Facebook)

López Obrador said on Friday that the INE “wants to silence me” and jested that he would have to appear at his press conferences with tape over his mouth.

“They don’t want me to speak. Where does that leave freedom of speech and the right to reply and the right to dissent? Aren’t they basic principles of democracy?” he said at his press conference, held Friday in La Paz, Baja California Sur.

“If they don’t want me to speak about [the opposition presidential aspirants], the fairest thing [would be] for them not to speak about me because if they speak about me I’ll have the right of reply,” López Obrador said.

Gálvez, who joked on Twitter that the president might have a crush on her given how much he talks about her, wrote “the law is the law” on the same social media site after the INE’s Complaints Commission issued its directives on Thursday.

Mexico's President Lopez Obrador — López Obrador says he is not violating electoral law by speaking about opposition aspirants because the official INE electoral process leading up to the 2024 presidential elections hasn’t started yet. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)

The senator’s profile has increased markedly since she announced in late June that she would seek the Broad Front’s candidacy.

“I’m going to be the next president of Mexico,” she declared in a video message filmed outside the National Palace.

Gálvez, an indigenous Otomí woman, was born into a family of modest means in Tepatepec, Hidalgo. Her background could give her an advantage with millions of poor Mexicans — the same people who make up a large part of López Obrador’s support base.

Jorge Guajardo, a former Mexican ambassador to China and consul general in Austin, Texas, said on Twitter late last month that “it’s going to be interesting listening to President López Obrador trying to convince us that someone with the surname Sheinbaum or Ebrard Casaubón is more representative of that Mexico in which he seeks to divide us than someone named Xóchitl.”

Mexico 2024 presidential candidates Claudia Sheinbaum and Marcelo Ebard — Some analysts theorize that the reason AMLO has been talking about Gálvez and disaparaging her as part of the “mafia of power” is because her working-class Otomi roots could appeal to Morena’s large working-class base, posing a threat to Morena frontrunners Claudia Sheinbaum and Marcelo Ebrard. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais and Adolfo Vladimir/Cuartoscuro)

Former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum and ex-foreign minister Marcelo Ebrard are the leading aspirants to the Morena nomination.

When López Obrador claimed at his July 3 press conference that Gálvez had been chosen as the Broad Front candidate by an “oligarchy” led by businessman Claudio X. González, he asserted that she was selected “because they suppose that if she was born in a pueblo [town] she’ll have the support of the pueblo [people].”

However, the senator is “not of the people” but rather “part of the conservatives,” he claimed.

With reports from El Financiero, Expansión, El País and Reforma

CDMX expats: this guide provides new places to take your visitors

By

Bethany Platanella

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July 13, 2023

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Cafe Nin, Mexico City — Need a new place to chill out after touring the city? Try Cafe Nin. (Cafe Nin)

So you moved to Mexico City, and suddenly everyone you forgot you knew wants to visit.

If a polite decline is out of the question — or perhaps you’re more social than I and you’re tired of eating Rosetta’s pastries in Parque Rio de Janeiro — I’m here to help.

Trotsky house, Coyoacan — Leon Trotsky’s house, where he lived after fleeing the Soviet Union, and where he was later murdered, is a hidden gem on the edge of the leafy center of Coyoacán. (UNAM)

It’s impossible to exhaust every opportunity CDMX has to offer. It is, however, possible to exhaust the tourist circuit. I’ve therefore compiled a list of places to go and things to see with absolutely no mention of Frida Kahlo’s museum or Restaurante Pujol.

Let’s start with coffee. Mexico City’s unending list of dreamy cafés can be hard to sift through. I’ve personally tried both the beverages and pan dulces at the following establishments, all of which satisfied me beyond measure.

For your convenience, in the rest of this article, I’ve provided you with the neighborhood in which each attraction is located, as well as a link to each place’s website:

Casa de los Azulejos — The enormous (and grand) Sanbornes cafe in Casa de Los Azulejos is a window into a Mexico City in a world gone by. (Diego Delso/Wikimedia)

Nice Day Cafe, Cuauhtémoc: Try the house chai and either a scone, a chocolate concha, an oatmeal cookie, or all three.
Cucurucho Cafe, Cuauhtémoc: With alternate locations in the Roma, Condesa and Polanco neighborhoods, my personal preference is its flagship location. Catch me there savoring my weekly indulgence: CDMX’s best almond-milk (homemade!) cappuccino and the tastiest panque de plátano I’ve ever had.
Café Nin, Juárez: This place has an overwhelming selection of sweet breads and a lovely, leafy terrace.
Ficelle, Condesa: A French take on Mexican pastries? Sí, por favor.
Cafe Dónde, Centro Histórico: You’re a stone’s throw away from La Ciudadela artesanias market and a park of the same name where weekly danzones take place. This Italian-esque cafe is tucked into a beautiful apartment complex and remains semi-undiscovered.
Sanborns de los Azulejos, Centro Histórico: Not a cafe, but breakfast at this particular branch of the iconic family restaurant chain (located is as classically Mexico City as it gets. And it’s located in a beautiful historic building!

If you don’t want to be the one who plays guide for the weekend, why not hire an expert? My tour in Iztapalapa with Warrior Experiences was a highlight. I’ve since recommended the company to anyone wanting to know the city better. Their specialty is the Centro Histórico, offering informative yet fun walking tours or nighttime pub crawls.

Museums are a great way to spend an afternoon with visitors or spend an afternoon taking a breather while visitors go on their own. If you’ve been to Castillo de Chapultepec or Bellas Artes 1,000 times and want something different, here is a handful of quirky, lesser-known options:

Anahuacalli, Coyoacan — Anahuacalli, the faux-temple which functioned as a workshop-cum-(intended) mausoleum for Diego Rivera, can be accessed for free when buying a ticket for Casa Azul (Alejandro Linares Garcia/Wikimedia)

The Leon Trotsky House, Coyoacán: This is the very spot where the famous Bolshevik revolutionary was murdered and buried.
Anahuacalli Museum, Coyoacán: Its Mesoamerican architecture is enough to warrant a visit, but Diego Rivera’s collection of pre-Hispanic artifacts are the real draw. Entry is usually included in the cost of a ticket to Casa Azul (or vice versa)
Franz Mayer Museum, Centro Histórico: There has yet to be a boring exhibit at this museum, which boasts a beautiful library and tree lined courtyard garden.
Museo de Arte Popular, Centro Histórico: It’s colorful, fun, unexpected, and happy — everything one might expect from a popular art museum in Mexico.
Museo Soumaya Casa Guillermo Tovar de Teresa, Roma Norte: Come for the house, stay for a photoshoot in the garden. It’s gorgeous, it’s free and its neighbor, Tres Albejas, is a great spot for lunch.

After a long day of museums, is there anything better than unwinding with a crisp glass of white wine on a rooftop? Not really! You can fight the crowds at Madre Cafe, or you can go to:

Circulo Mexico makes the most of an iconic location, by the ruins of the great Templo Mayor of Tenochititlán – an ideal place for a rooftop drink and a slice of history all at the same time. (Circulo Mexicano)

Circulo Mexicano, Centro Histórico: Grupo Abitas, as usual, capitalized on prime real estate directly behind the cathedral and adjacent to Templo Mayor, so while you’re sipping your spritz, you can discuss the clash of Spanish and Mexica (Aztec) architecture while actually observing it.
La Sabina, Santa Maria la Ribera: After checking out the charming Moroccan-style quiosco in the quirky neighborhood’s central square, enjoy a drink on the terrace of this classic Porfirio-era house-turned-restaurant.
Salazar, Reforma: Rub shoulders with Mexico City’s in-crowd as you chow down on fresh oysters, housemade sourdough and a fancy cocktail.
Carlotta Reforma Sky Bar at the Ritz Carlton, Reforma: Nurse an overpriced but oh-so-worthwhile añejo with sweeping views of Chapultepec Park at sunset.

You’re officially hungry, and let me guess: there are no tables available at Contramar. It’s fine because there are literally thousands of viable restaurant alternatives that haven’t yet made New York Times’ 36 Hours in Mexico City (and hopefully never will).

Rokai CDMX — Rokai is from the minds behind MOG and MO+F, two of Mexico City’s most popular Asian fusion restaurants. (Rokai)

Il Fiorino, Roma Sur: The best spaghetti alle vongole I’ve eaten outside of Italy.
Rokai, Cuauhtémoc: Excellent sushi and ramen options by Edo Kobayashi, the brains behind MOG and MO+F.
Santo Pozole, Cuauhtémoc: A local joint that serves simple, quality pozole and employs really sweet staff.
MUX, Roma Norte: I don’t know why this place isn’t constantly packed with international foodies, but I ain’t complaining. Don’t let its wordy, complicated menu deter you. Just point and order and devour what is sure to be one of your favorite Mexico City meals.
Sí Mon, Roma Norte: Choose from a long list of natural wines in a chic atmosphere alongside a trendy crowd whose overflow spills out to the sidewalk while they sip.
Provocateur Wine Bar & Tienda, Roma Norte: With its local vibe, great wine list and delicious, Spanish-style pinchos (with vegan options!), I couldn’t have been happier than I was the moment I stumbled on this still slightly hidden gem.

Now the real question. Where do your visitors stay? Clearly not with you, so consider any of the following places that showcase that classic, elegant design one can only find in Mexico and optimal locale:

Orchid House Hotel, Polanco — Orchid House, in the embassy district of Polanco, offers exquisite design in a 100-year-old townhouse, nestled near the sprawling Chapultepec Park. (Orchid House)

The Four Seasons, Reforma: Absolutely stunning and known to be a preferred hangout of Lenny Kravitz.
Roso Guest House, Roma Norte: Stylish with the utmost attention to detail in both decor and thoughtful gifts.
The Orchid House, Polanco: The hotel is full of flowers and the aroma simply divine. Rooms are lovely and intimate.
Hotel San Fernando, Condesa: Set in a converted 1940s apartment building, this cozy hotel pairs original details like tile floors and stained glass windows with bold colors, plush furniture, a private rooftop terrace, and a sleek, ground level bar for the public to enjoy a drink and a bite.
Círculo Mexicano, Centro: As already mentioned, the rooftop makes the hotel worth a stay. It’s as seductive a space as you can expect from Grupo Abitas, with an untouchable location to boot.

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.

Victory over Jamaica sends Mexico to its 11th Gold Cup finals

By

MND Staff

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July 13, 2023

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Mexico celebrate winning 3-0 — Despite a troubled 2023 so far, El Trí is on course to win the continental championship for a record 9th time after defeating Jamaica Wednesday night. (B/R Football/Twitter)

Mexico’s men’s national soccer team stormed into the Concacaf Gold Cup final with a dominant 3-0 victory over a lackluster Jamaica in Paradise, Nevada, on Wednesday night.

Taking the lead with a Henry Martín goal after only 80 seconds, Mexico controlled the semifinal tie. By the time Luis Chávez converted a sublime free kick in the 30th minute, after Hirving Lozano was fouled on the edge of the area, Mexico looked well on their way to their 11th Gold Cup final.

It took Henry Martín less than two minutes to open Mexico’s account, with an opportunistic strike 80 seconds into the match. (MSMX/Twitter)

Jamaica had a much better second half, with Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa finally being called into action as the Reggae Boyz finally began to apply pressure in attack, but it was too little, too late, as Mexico held firm in the face of pressure. At the 78-minute mark, Santi Giménez beat Jamaica keeper Andre Blake on the edge of the box but scuffed his shot, allowing Dexter Lembikisa to clear the ball off the line.

A 93rd-minute goal by Mexico’s Roberto Alvarado was the icing on the cake for a team that made short work of their Jamaican opponents. The Reggae Boyz will be disappointed to miss out on the final after Panama eliminated a second-string United States team on penalties.

The night could well have gone differently, as the Jamaica team boasted several English Premier League players, including Amari’i Bell, Demarai Grey, Manchester United’s Di’shon Bernard and West Ham United sensation Michail Antonio. Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson also led Iceland to their legendary Euro 2016 run.

Jamaican football team — Despite a wealth of international talent, largely drawn from the English Premier League, Jamaica struggled to break down an organized and incisive Mexico team. (Loop Jamaica/Twitter)

Apart from Wednesday’s match, Jamaica have had a storming Gold Cup, drawing 1-1 with the United States in their opening game before scoring 10 goals in the following three matches.

Panama’s win means that despite a poor 2023, the top-seeded El Trí are on course to win the continental championship for a record 9th time when they face the fifth-seeded Los Canaleros in Los Angeles, on Sunday July 16.

Mexico News Daily