Senate approves ‘Plan B’ electoral reform weakening the INE

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February 23, 2023

Mexican voter — INE said on its official Twitter account that the "Plan B" reform passed on Wednesday "would place equity and transparency at risk" in upcoming elections. (Rogelio Morales Ponce / Cuartoscuro.com)

The Senate on Wednesday approved a major electoral reform package proposed by President López Obrador, legislation that critics say will significantly weaken the National Electoral Institute (INE) and thus pose a threat to upcoming elections.

A second part of the so-called “Plan B” reform will now be promulgated by López Obrador, who has been highly critical of the electoral institute and its president, Lorenzo Córdova.

PAN senators — PAN (National Action Party) senators (Lilly Téllez on the far left) hold up signs saying Morena is trying to steal the election. (@SenadoresdelPAN Twitter)

The reform will slash INE’s budget and therefore force the dismissal of staff, diminish its capacity to sanction politicians who violate electoral laws, curtail its autonomy and close some INE offices, among other consequences

Seventy-two senators with the ruling Morena party and its allies voted in favor of the legislation, which was put forward after a more ambitious constitutional bill to overhaul Mexico’s electoral system was blocked late last year, while 50 opposition lawmakers opposed it. The reform modifies secondary laws rather than the constitution and consequently only required a simple majority to pass Congress.

“What the government is proposing is the destruction of INE,” said National Action Party (PAN) Senator Lilly Téllez. She accused Morena lawmakers of “selling the homeland” and claimed that López Obrador’s aim is to “cheat” in upcoming elections, including the 2024 presidential election.

Many opposition lawmakers indicated they would challenge the reform in the Supreme Court, a likelihood López Obrador acknowledged at his regular news conference on Thursday morning.

AMLO at morning press conference — President López Obrador acknowledged at Thursday’s press conference that the reforms will face legal action from the opposition. (Gob MX)

“We’re going for Plan C – that of the citizens,” said PAN Senator Alfredo Botello in reference to the proposed legal action.

The Supreme Court has already ruled that modifications to the Social Communication Law and the General Administrative Responsibility Law that were included in a separate “Plan B” reform package that was approved last year won’t apply in the lead-up to state elections in Coahuila and México state this year. A veda electoral – a period of pre-election silence that prevents politicians including the president from campaigning – will consequently remain in place before the two gubernatorial elections.

Much of the debate prior to Wednesday’s vote focused on a clause backed by Morena’s allies that would have allowed major parties to transfer votes to their smaller coalition partners to avoid their possible deregistration. Parties are deregistered if they fail to attract a minimal level of support from voters at elections.

The so-called “political parties’ eternal life” clause was excluded from the reform package before Wednesday’s vote in the Senate, but it is set to be reconsidered at a later date.

INE said on its official Twitter account that the “Plan B” reform passed on Wednesday “would place equity and transparency at risk” in upcoming elections because political parties and candidates won’t be required to report pre-campaign income and expenses.

It said last month that approval of the reform would force the dismissal of almost 6,000 employees, a figure equivalent to about one-third of the INE workforce.

An election observer prepares at a voting station. — An election observer at a voting station in 2021. (File photo)

Luis Carlos Ugalde, president of the Federal Electoral Institute (the forerunner to the INE) from 2003 to 2007, said last week that the capacity of the electoral institute to organize elections would be adversely affected by the approval of the reform. He raised concerns about the capacity of a diminished INE to install 160,000 voting booths for the 2024 election and count votes in an accurate and timely fashion.

The current INE president has voiced similar concerns himself.

“One would think that in an environment where Morena is in government and has more probability of winning [in 2024] … that it would sow conditions to provide certainty, tranquility and a level playing field, Ugalde said.

Polls show that López Obrador retains the support of a majority of Mexicans more than four years into his presidency and that Morena’s candidate at the 2024 election – most likely Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum or Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard – will become Mexico’s next president.

Opposition lawmakers lined up on Wednesday to denounce the electoral reform and excoriate Morena for ensuring its passage through Congress.

Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Senator Claudia Ruiz Massieu accused the ruling party of using its congressional majority to “blow up the foundations” of democracy in Mexico.

“They’re not seeking to improve the system but … to have unfair advantages,” she said.

“… The opposition is going to the Supreme Court to challenge this backward step … and we’re also taking to the streets,” Massieu said, acknowledging protests set to take place in cities across the country this Sunday.

“I’m going to march this Sunday because I’m going to defend democracy,” said PAN Senator Xóchitl Gálvez.

Senator holding up protest sign — A PRI congresswoman holds up a sign showing her support for the pro-INE march to be held on Sunday. (Mario Jasso / Cuartoscuro.com)

“… [They say] they want to save money, but why don’t they complain about the embezzlement that’s happening at [the] Dos Bocas [oil refinery],” she said in an apparent reference to a sharp increase in construction costs.

PAN Senator Damián Zepeda asserted that the reform “mutilates” the INE, leaving it “incapable of carrying out its work.”

For his part, independent Senator Emilio Álvarez Icaza described the reform as the “most regressive” legislation of the past 30 years.

“[Morena] wants to maintain power illegitimately and illegally. They want to put their hands in the ballot box and change the will of the people,” he said.

PAN senators held up signs in the upper house that asserted that “Morena wants to steal the [2024] election.”

López Obrador has rejected claims that the reform places the staging of free and fair elections at risk while touting 3.5 billion pesos (US $190.5 million) in annual savings it will generate – money he would prefer to spend on government welfare and infrastructure programs.

INE director Lorenzo Córdova — INE president Lorenzo Córdova ends his eight-year term in April. (Cuartoscuro.com)

Córdova, the INE chief, said Thursday that payouts to employees of the same amount will be required due to the dismissals necessitated by the reform. He said last month that the “Plan B” reform would “blow up the elections” and called on citizens to present “all legal resources within their reach to stop” it.

Córdova, whose eight-year term as INE president ends in April, said Thursday that “it’s better to go to the elections in 2024 with the rules that have given us political stability and not play the sorcerer’s apprentice with a collection of norms that reinvent the electoral system.”

Established in 1990, the Federal Electoral Institute oversaw Mexico’s transition to full democracy after the country was ruled uninterruptedly by the PRI for over 70 years until the PAN triumphed at the 2000 presidential election.

Poll results published by the Reforma newspaper last November showed that 80% of respondents believe that the INE has played an important role in guaranteeing democracy in Mexico while 71% said that its demise would pose a threat to democracy.

López Obrador blames the institute for his narrow loss at the 2006 presidential election, accusing it of perpetrating electoral fraud. He led mass protests against the official result and had himself sworn in as Mexico’s “legitimate president” in an event held in the Zócalo, Mexico City’s central square.

López Obrador said in late January that Córdova was a “public servant without principles or ideals” and “a fraud.”

The president also charged that the INE has been taken over by “conservatives” and that he won the 2018 election “despite them.”

He predicted Thursday that his “Plan B” reform would survive legal challenges because nothing in it is “outside the law.”

With reports from El País, Animal Político, Expansión Política, El Financiero, Reforma and AP

Ex-President Calderón: ‘I never made pacts with criminals’

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MND Staff

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February 23, 2023

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Former president Felipe Calderón — Felipe Calderón, Mexico's president from 2006-2012, took to Twitter to respond to the conviction of his former security minister, Genaro García Luna, this week. (FERNANDO CARRANZA GARCIA / CUARTOSCURO.COM.)

Felipe Calderón has defended his integrity and crime-fighting record as president after the man who was his security minister was convicted on criminal charges in the United States on Tuesday.

A jury in a federal court in New York found Genaro García Luna guilty of taking multi-million-dollar bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel in exchange for aiding its drug trafficking activities.

Genaro Garcia Luna and Felipe Calderon — Genaro García Luna, left, was Mexico’s security minister during the presidency of Felipe Calderón, right. (Cuartoscuro)

In a response to the verdict that he posted on his Twitter account, Calderón — Mexico’s president from 2006 to 2012 — described himself as “a man of the law” and said that he respected the rulings of courts that act “in accordance with the law.”

“In my role as president and during my whole life, I’ve always been on the side of justice and the law, and I will always be on the side of victims,” he said in a statement.

“This ruling doesn’t discredit the brave fight of thousands of good police, soldiers, marines, judges and public servants who defended Mexican families from crime,” the ex-president added.

Calderón said that the guilty verdict against García Luna was being used “politically” to attack him, before he went on to outline a range of what he referred to as “facts” about his time in office.

Former Nayarit, Mexico, attorney general Edgar Veytia — Former Nayarit attorney general Edgar Veytia testified at García Luna’s trial that former president Caldéron wanted to protect now-jailed Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. (File photo)

“As president of Mexico, I fought with complete determination against crime … without respite or making a distinction between [criminal] groups,” he said.

“I never negotiated with nor made pacts with criminals. I never used the power vested in me as president to advocate for their interests,” said Calderón, who launched a militarized war on cartels shortly after he was sworn in as president in late 2006.

He also asserted that he was tougher on organized crime than any other president, combatting “all [groups] that threatened Mexico including the so-called Pacific Cartel,” as the Sinaloa Cartel is also known.

“Proof of that is that the majority of the self-confessed criminals that were used as witnesses [at the trial] were pursued, arrested and extradited by my government,” the former National Action Party president said.

Among other “facts” included in his statement were that his government’s security policy “yielded results” and that “the fight for the security of Mexicans wasn’t the responsibility of one person” alone.

At his regular news conference on Wednesday, President López Obrador, a long-term adversary of the ex-president, charged that Calderón’s response didn’t address the “issue in question” – whether he was aware of the criminal collusion of which García Luna was convicted.

“He said that he combatted crime with full force … but … what he omitted is the explanation … about why he appointed García Luna [as security minister] and whether he knew or didn’t know [about his criminal activities],” López Obrador said.

“… We want information, … that’s the explanation we’re waiting for.”

Mexico News Daily

Inflation recedes in first half of February

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MND Staff

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February 23, 2023

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Chicken butcher in Campeche, Mexico, market — Overall inflation was down in February's first two weeks compared to the last two weeks of January, although prices for many products, like meat, saw a 10.27% rise in prices in February since a year ago. (Photo: Lesniewski/ deposit photos)

Annual headline and core inflation rates dropped in the first half of February compared to the previous month, but still remain well above the central bank’s target range.

The national statistics agency INEGI reported Thursday that annual headline inflation was 7.76% in the first half of the month, down from rates of 7.88% in the previous two-week period and 7.91% in the month of January as a whole. It was the lowest headline figure since the second half of November when the rate was 7.46%.

The annual core inflation rate, which strips out some volatile food and energy prices, was 8.38% in the first half of February, down from 8.45% in the entire month of January.

The headline and core inflation rates remain at a level well above the Bank of México’s target of 3% with tolerance of one percentage point in both directions. However, both indicators fell more than analysts anticipated in the first half of February.

“Inflation in Mexico in the first half of February … [was] better than expected,” tweeted economist Marco Oviedo, former head of Latin America economics research at Barclays.

However, “it will be a long road” to bring inflation down to the target level, he added.

INEGI data shows that processed food, beverages and tobacco were 13.86% more expensive in the first half of February compared to a year earlier, while prices for non-food goods were up 7.34%. Meat prices rose 10.27% in the 12-month period while those for fruit and vegetables increased 9%.

Mexicans in Alameda Park in Mexico City — Prices for processed foods, beverages and tobacco were up 13.86% in the first two weeks of February compared to February 2022. (Photo: Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)

The cost of services increased 5.58% while energy prices, including those for fuel and electricity rose 2.95%.

The publication of the latest data comes two weeks after the central bank lifted its benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to a new record high of 11%. It has lifted its key rate by 700 basis points since the current tightening cycle began in June 2021.

Oviedo predicted that the bank will lift its benchmark rate by an additional 25 basis points at its next monetary policy meeting on March 30.

“In summary, inflation in Mexico has practically remained above 7% for a year and since then, Banxico has lifted its reference rate by 5.0 percentage points,” he tweeted using the central bank’s abbreviated name.

“It’s probably now close to ending the [tightening] cycle, maybe up to 100 basis points more, but it is far from cutting [rates],” Oviedo said.

Banxico said earlier this month that it expects inflation to converge to its target in the final quarter of 2024, but noted that the projection is subject to a range of risks including “pressures on energy prices or on agricultural and livestock product prices” and “exchange rate depreciation.”

The bank also said that its next upward adjustment to its interest rate “could be of lower magnitude” compared to the 50-basis-point hike it announced Feb. 9.

With reports from El Economista and El Financiero

US proposes new immigration rule to limit asylum eligibility

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MND Staff

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February 22, 2023

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Migrants in Oaxaca — The proposed rule has been described as a "crackdown" on illegal border entries. (Tomás Acosta Ordaz / Cuartoscuro.com)

The United States government has unveiled a proposed rule that would automatically deny asylum to most migrants who cross into the U.S. between official ports of entry.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice issued the proposed rule on Tuesday, the former saying in a press release that it would “incentivize the use of new and existing lawful processes and disincentivize dangerous border crossings by placing a new condition on asylum eligibility.”

Bundled-up migrants in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, wait to cross into the U.S. — Migrants in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, wait to cross into the U.S. in December. (David Peinado / Cuartoscuro.com)

The DHS said that “under the proposed rule, individuals who circumvent available, established pathways to lawful migration … and also fail to seek protection in a country through which they traveled on their way to the United States, would be subject to a rebuttable presumption of asylum ineligibility in the United States unless they meet specified exceptions.”

The established pathways include “new processes announced on January 5” for Venezuelans, Nicaraguans, Cubans and Haitians “as well as a newly-available mechanism for migrants from any nationality to schedule a time and place to arrive at a port of entry.”

The “mechanism” is a Customs and Border Patrol mobile app called CBP One, which has been in use since January but “overloaded by huge demand and plagued with glitches since tens of thousands of migrants staying in shelters on the Mexican side of the border began using it,” according to a New York Times report.

Migrants show the CBP One app on their phones — Migrants in a Mexican shelter try to get an appointment on the CBP One app. (@AgendaMigrante Twitter)

The announcement of the planned policy change – which wouldn’t apply to unaccompanied minors – comes “in response to the unprecedented western hemispheric migration challenges – the greatest displacement of people since World War II – and the absence of congressional action to update a very broken, outdated immigration system,” the DHS said.

The proposed rule, which is open to public comment in the U.S. Federal Register for 30 days, would take effect on May 11 – the date COVID-related border controls are scheduled to expire – allowing the swift deportation of migrants who didn’t follow the “established pathways.”

“DHS continues to prepare for the lifting of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Title 42 Public Health Order, which is expected on May 11, 2023, and the return to processing all noncitizens under Title 8 immigration authorities,” the press release said.

“Until then, the Title 42 order remains in effect, and individuals who attempt to enter the United States without authorization will continue to be expelled.”

The DHS noted that the proposed rule is “an emergency measure that is intended to respond to the elevated levels of [migrant] encounters anticipated after the lifting of the Title 42 Order.”

It would apply at the United States’ border with Mexico for a period of two years after implementation, the department said.

Colorful but worn tents in front of the Rio Grande, with a highway overpass in the background. — A group of Venezuelan migrants camped in Ciudad Juárez in December. (Cuartoscuro.com)

The New York Times described the proposal as the Biden administration’s “toughest policy yet to crack down on unlawful entries.”

The U.S. president has come under intense pressure – especially from the Republican Party – to do more to stop record levels of illegal immigration via Mexico.

An unnamed U.S. government official told the AFP news agency that the Biden administration “will not allow mass chaos and disorder at the border because of Congress’s failure to act.”

However, some organizations said that the proposed migration rule is illegal.

“The Biden administration proposed a rule that would unlawfully deny asylum to people at the southern border who don’t first seek safety in Mexico or other countries they passed through – despite the fact that these countries don’t have working asylum systems,” the American Civil Liberties Union said on Twitter.

“President Biden’s proposed rule would leave vulnerable people in danger and unfairly deny protection to thousands. … Our courts have long recognized that a person’s decision not to seek asylum while in transit to the US does not override their need for protection here,” the organization said.

“We successfully fought President Trump on a similar ban in the courts – President Biden’s should not move forward.”

Abby Maxman, the president and CEO of Oxfam America, said the “sweeping asylum ban” would “shut the door to countless refugees seeking safety and protection in the United States.”

“This policy is illegal, immoral, and will exact a frightening human toll on children, women, and men seeking safety. It is deeply disappointing that the Biden administration would seek to put up barriers for people fleeing for their lives,” she said.

AMLO meets with US government representatives — On Tuesday, President López Obrador met with a group of U.S. lawmakers to discuss trade, immigration and security. (@lopezobrador Twitter)

“President Biden promised to reject the harmful policies of the Trump administration and restore and protect the rights of asylum seekers. But this policy is a page taken from the Trump administration’s racist, anti-refugee playbook. We urge President Biden to immediately change course and keep his promise to ‘reassert America’s commitment to asylum seekers and refugees.'”

The United States government’s announcement of the proposed rule came a day after President López Obrador met with U.S. senators and representatives to discuss free trade, migration and security.

He said on social media on Monday that Mexico’s relationship with the United States is “respectful, cooperative and beneficial to our people,” but hasn’t commented on the proposed migration rule.

Mexico earlier this month rejected a move by the United States to reactivate the Remain in Mexico policy, under which asylum seekers must wait in Mexico while their U.S. claims are processed.

With reports from BBC

CDMX’s Metrobus Line 3 now fully electric

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MND Staff

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February 22, 2023

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Mexico City Metrobus electric fleet — Mexico City now has the largest fleet of articulated e-buses in Latin America and one of the largest worldwide. (Photos: Claudia Sheinbaum/Twitter)

Line 3 of the Metrobús public transport system that runs from the Tenayuca station to the Etiopía station in Mexico City is now fully electric.

Mexico City now has the largest fleet of articulated e-buses in Latin America and one of the largest worldwide, according to C40, a network of mayors of nearly 100 of the world’s cities — including Mexico City — who collaborates to confront climate change.

Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, seen here on Wednesday inaugurating an electric vehicle charging station at a Grupo Modelo facility in Mexico City, said the electrifying of Metrobus’ Line 3 was the fulfillment of a personal and academic dream for her.

Each unit will have a 57-kilowatt battery that will allow every bus to do eight runs without recharging. Overall, the new 60-unit-fleet will reduce 7,500 tons of carbon dioxide per year — equivalent to planting more than 45,000 mature trees, head of the Mobility Ministry Andrés Lajous said during the inauguration ceremony.

The project required an investment of $900 million pesos (nearly US $49 million) with the participation of the Federal Electricity Commission and private companies Mobility ADO and Yutong, Sheinbaum said.

She also noted that the first trials with electric buses in the city started in 2020.

She also said that the Metrobús’ Line 3 represents a “personal dream and an academic dream” and that due to the government’s “historic investments in electromobility projects,” more than 1 million trips have been impacted by these projects.

Metrobús Line 3 transports an average of 200,000 daily users, connecting existing electric transport systems in Mexico City such as the Metro, Tren Ligero, Cablebús and the Trolebús.

Metrobús plans to switch completely to electrical vehicles by 2035, according to C40’s website.

With reports from Excelsior and La Silla Rota

English stand-up in Mexico a growing niche over last decade

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

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February 22, 2023

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Comedian Keenan Steiner in Puerto Vallarta — New York/Mexico-based comedian Keenan Steiner performs a one-man show in Puerto Vallarta (Photo: Alvaro G.G.)

English-language stand up in Mexico – is that even a thing? “Indeed it is.” says Mariana Ramírez of Funny Girl productions — a group of English-language comedians in Mexico City.

Mexico is no stranger to comedy, but U.S.-style stand–up has been around just over 10 years.

An import of a comedy style may seem counterintuitive because of significant language and cultural barriers. “Classic” Mexican comedians such as the legendary Cantiflas are almost unknown in the English-speaking world, because they focus heavily on word play and specific cultural references.

But U.S. standup relies more heavily on storytelling and observation, which allows foreign comedians to work in the U.S..

The obvious market for English-language standup is foreign tourists and expat residents, but perhaps the real reason it has become viable in Mexico is that there is a Mexican audience.

A significant number of upper-class Mexicans send their children to private bilingual schools, where they are taught English, which serve to cultivate highly proficient English speakers with international outlooks — and access to Netflix. Such a demographic has even produced shows of Mexicans doing English-language shows to Mexican audiences in Mexico.

Mexican comedian Martin Leon in Mexico City club — Bilingual comedian Martin León at one of his many performances in Mexico City. (Photo: Martín Leon/Facebook)

The international school phenomenon is probably one reason why English-language shows first developed in Mexico City rather than in beach resorts or expat havens. The “foreignness” of the art form means that live stand-up still does best in U.S.-themed venues here such as Pinche Gringo’s BBQ, an early producer of live comedy shows in areas of the city popular with both foreigners and upper-class Mexicans. Mexico City also provides the gritty urban environment that stand-up shows thrive in, attracting audiences similar to ones found in places like New York.

Over the past decade, the English-language comedy scene here has grown slowly but steadily, with about 20 local comics now performing regularly. Noted foreign comics such as Louis CK, Jim Gaffigan and Tom Segura have successfully booked shows here.

What is different about English stand-up in Mexico is that performers and audience members alike can vary widely, from Mexicans practicing their English to foreigners from a number of different countries.

Martín León is a pillar of the Mexico City comedy scene, even appearing on Comedy Central. With success in Spanish under his belt, he decided to try his luck in English, starting by approaching youth hostels.

He connects with both the Mexican and foreign audiences for this niche because he attended bilingual schools growing up, and lived for a time in the U.S..

León partners with Ramírez to produce Funny Friends with comics working in both English and Spanish. Their main goal is to develop a talent pool of people living in Mexico and create a reputation for homegrown stand-up. Unlike León, Ramírez’s proficiency in English came not from fancy schools but her genuine love of the language and U.S. culture — a testament to her work ethic.

Mexico offers something to comics willing to make the move here, especially those looking for a different career path. Keenan Steiner, for example, was already an established New York-based comedian and regular visitor to Mexico when the pandemic hit in 2020. Although not a native speaker, he thought, “What if I try doing stand up in Spanish in Mexico and document it?” as a way to keep his comedy going after just about everything had shut down in New York.

Initially piggybacking his act on Puerto Vallarta’s vibrant drag and cabaret scene, he now splits his professional time between Mexico and New York.

His success is a main reason why Puerto Vallarta is now Mexico’s second live stand-up market. Audiences in PV are tourists looking for a good time, with Steiner’s jokes here “gayer” and “raunchier,” tailored to the very local culture.

Mexico City audiences tend to consist of people who live here and have more contact with Mexican culture. Steiner’s work in the capital focuses more on culture clash than he could ever do in PV.

The basic concept of U.S. stand-up does translate to Mexican culture, but with shows done here in English, details matter. Although U.S. comics are in demand, it can be difficult to bring them because of transportation costs and performance fees. Plus, there’s the challenge of finding comics who can adapt to performing in Mexico.

Shows need to be put together with care, not only considering the audience’s linguistic capabilities but their cultural ones as well. Venues offering a “foreign” experience, like ethnic restaurants, are still preferred because they attract the right kinds of Mexicans (and foreigners).

Dan Defossey, owner of Pinche Gringo, was able to bring foreign talent before the pandemic with sponsorship from Pepsi but had problems with some comics who could not or would not adapt their material or delivery.

Funny Friends Comedy Troupe in Mexico City — A Funny Friends performance at the Cafe del Viajero in Mexico City. (Photo: Elaine Powell)

Steiner agrees that doing standup in the other language is a lot more than translating jokes, and developed material not only for Mexico but different Mexican audiences.

One advantage, notes comedy night host Michael Weakley, is that Mexicans can laugh at themselves much more easily than Americans can. His only rule for comics is to not “simply trash” Mexico; a love for the country is important for a show to be successful.

There are no comics living in Mexico that work full-time only in English; most work in both languages and almost all have “day jobs,” as this is the nature of the beast. Interestingly enough, some comics from the Funny Friends show are clearly doing it as a sideline or even just a hobby. Their sets went beyond culture-clash issues and delved into general human issues such as relationship problems and even very esoteric topics like Yu-Gi-Oh.

Almost all the comics and promoters expect English stand-up to continue growing in Mexico, albeit slowly. Only a few shows have been performed outside of Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta. The Yucatán looks promising, but there are no professional performances yet in English-speaking expat havens like San Miguel de Allende or the Lake Chapala area.

But when it works, it’s magical, says Steiner.

“Some of my best moments come in Mexico City when everyone, Mexican and foreigner, are laughing and agreeing together.”

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.

Exhibit celebrates 1978 discovery of Coyolxauhqui stone at Templo Mayor

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MND Staff

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February 22, 2023

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Mexica moon goddess stone — The Coyolxauhqui stone was discovered in 1978 at the Templo Mayor site. It dates to the 15th century.(Wikipedia Commons)

In 1978, the monumental Mexica (also known as Aztec) sculpture called the Coyolxauhqui stone was discovered at the site of the Templo Mayor in Mexico City.

An exhibit commemorating the 45th anniversary of the monolith’s discovery and exploring Mexica mythology opens today at the site’s museum.

Archaeologists work on the stone of Coyolxauhqui — Archaeologists work on the stone where it was discovered in 1978. (Wikipedia Commons)

The giant stone disc depicts the Mexica myth of Coyolxauhqui, the goddess of the moon, who was slaughtered by her brother Huitzilopochtli, the god of war.

The stone was found at the foot of the main temple of the Templo Mayor site in the ancient capital of Tenochtitlán, now Mexico City. It dates from around 1473, during the reign of Axayacatl.

The exhibit (running Feb. 22 to Jun. 4) includes a large format model of the sacred enclosure of Tenochtitlán to better understand the birthing myth of Huitzilopochtli, patron god of the Mexica, and the defeat of his sister Coyolxauhqui.

An artistic illumination will be projected onto the model based on the myth’s translations by Alfredo López Austin and narrated by the renowned archaeologist who headed up the Templo Mayor excavation, Eduardo Matos Moctezuma.

Coyolxauhqui exhibit in Mexico City — The exhibit explores the Mexica myth of the moon goddess and her defeat by the god of war, Huitzilopochtli. (Rogelio Morales Ponce / Cuartoscuro.com)

Among the 158 objects on exhibit are gold ornaments related to the lunar cult of Coyolxauhqui and the skeletal remains of a child dressed in the insignia of Huitzilopochtli unearthed in 2005.

According to archaeologist Patricia Ledesma Bouchan “this is an important finding, since the representations of [Huitzilopochtli] that have appeared to date can be counted on the fingers of one hand.”

The exhibit is included in the access ticket to the museum and the archaeological zone.

With reports from INAH and Reforma

New freeway access to Felipe Ángeles Airport opens

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MND Staff

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February 22, 2023

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917804_Mañanera Accesos AIFA-15_impreso Moises Pablo Nava_ — SICT Minister Jorge Nuño Lara presented a map of roadway connectivity projects to the airport, including the now-opened connecting 14-km road connecting AIFA to (Photo: Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)

Commuters to and from Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA) have more roadway options with the opening of a main access road to the Mexico City metropolitan area’s newest airport.

The Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) reported that the 14.1-km road, which connects the area known as the “Iron Bridge” in Ecatepec, México state, with AIFA, opened Saturday.

The roadway was actually inaugurated Thursday, with President Lopez Obrador in attendance, but closed immediately after the dignitaries left the area in order to clear out heavy machinery and clean the roadway, allowing for free transit, according to a SICT social media post.

The highway can handle 40,000 cars per day, a number that will be reached when and if the airport reaches its maximum demand levels.

The project caused the displacement of 262 houses in the way of the road.

The main road into AIFA. (Government of Mexico)

One of the main criticisms of AIFA is the time it takes to get there. Owing to its location in Santa Lucía, between the municipalities of Tecamac and Zumpango in México state, access to the airport has proven to be complicated since it opened in March.

According to users, an average trip from Mexico City to AIFA can take around 1.5 hours.

To ease access, López Obrador’s government built a main road in addition to renovating other freeways and expanding public transport service.

“The Tonanitla road is the access that goes directly to the Felipe Ángeles Airport. It is a toll-free highway with a length of 14 kilometers. In 9 minutes, you will go from the iron bridge to the airport,” the SICT explained.

The road also has two intermediary additions located at the Jaltenco-Héroes de Tecámac junction at Kilometer 5, and at the Tonanitla-Ojo de Agua junction at Km 9.6.

The under-construction Circuito-Gran Canal Vehicular Bridge, another project that’s supposed reduce travel time to AIFA by connecting two main arteries toward the airport, is also nearly finished. It starts on the Circuito Interior Mexiquense roadway at Calle Cerámica and will divert motorists to Avenida Gran Canal. From there, traffic will divert to the Siervo de la Nación Urban Highway to reach the new AIFA access road in Ecatepec.

According to Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, the bridge will be ready before the end of the month and will save travelers 25 minutes in heading to AIFA.

As for public transport, the Mexibús Line 1 is currently the only way to get to AIFA. The transportation system built an extension in March 2022 to serve airport users, and two more stations will be built along Line 1 to connect passengers with AIFA: the Quetzalcóatl and Rancho La Luz stations.

Private bus companies ADO and ETN also offer limited service to AIFA a few times a day from the city’s Central Norte and Central Sur stations. ADO also offers a route to AIFA from Mexico City’s TAPO terminal and from Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM)’s Terminal 1, and ETN offers a route from Querétaro city’s main bus terminal.

A commuter train that will run a 43-kilometer route between Buenavista Station and AIFA is also in progress. SICT recently reported the project to be 39% complete.

When it is finished, SICT officials say, AIFA will be the first airport in Latin America to have a train terminal located inside. It is slated to open by December.

AIFA, one of López Obrador’s flagship projects, started operations in March 2022. His government has carried out 20 road projects meant to reduce the transit time from Mexico City to the new airport.

With reports from Travesías Digital, Milenio, and El Financiero

AMLO plans to sue García Luna’s lawyer for slander

By

MND Staff

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February 22, 2023

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President López Obrador confirmed Tuesday that he would file a lawsuit against a United States-based lawyer for allegedly slandering him at the New York trial of former federal security minister Genaro García Luna.

Defense lawyer César de Castro last week asked prosecution witness and former Sinaloa Cartel member Jesús “El Rey” Zambada whether he recalled telling U.S. authorities in 2013 that he delivered US $7 million to a Mexico City official to fund the 2006 presidential campaign of López Obrador, who was mayor of the capital between 2000 and 2005.

Zambada, brother of Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, denied ever saying such a thing.

López Obrador said last Thursday that he was considering filing a lawsuit against de Castro for “moral damage” and that he could seek $7 million in compensation and give any payout to families of victims of the militarized war on drug cartels launched by Felipe Calderón shortly after he was sworn in as president in 2006.

On Tuesday he said he had decided to file the suit but was still “doing some research on how the procedure works.”

López Obrador added that he was waiting for advisers to inform him where to initiate the legal action. “In a few days we’ll know, I’ll tell you here,” he said.

His remarks came just hours before a jury found García Luna guilty of collaborating with the Sinaloa Cartel in its drug trafficking activities.

López Obrador said Wednesday that the conviction was proof of the “decadence” of previous governments. However, the verdict against García Luna “isn’t a judgement against Mexico, let’s make that clear,” the president said.

“I would even say that it helps to continue cleaning up corruption in Mexico. … Of course more needs to be done, it’s the beginning, but it’s a good contribution,” he added.

With reports from El Financiero, Infobae, Publimetro and Milenio

Graphic novel tells trippy tale of early psilocybin studies in Oaxaca

By

Rich Tenorio

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February 21, 2023

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The graphic novel tells the true story of psilocybin pioneers R. Gordon and Valentina Wasson, using imagery evocative of the 1970s underground comix movement. (All images from BRIAN BLOMERTH'S MYCELIUM WASSONII, Published by ANTHOLOGY EDITIONS)

Talking mushrooms – part of a psilocybin trip? Not quite. In a recent graphic novel about a real-life couple’s groundbreaking research into magic mushrooms in Mexico, writer and artist Brian Blomerth frequently depicted the mushrooms in the background, and even invented a language for them.

These mushrooms are the star supporting characters of “Brian Blomerth’s Mycelium Wassonii.” Published in late 2021, the book reintroduces readers to Robert Gordon Wasson (better known as R. Gordon Wasson) and his wife Valentina Wasson, amateur scientists whose research in the 1950s included multiple visits to Oaxaca, where they explored mushroom use among the indigenous Mazatec people.

Regarding the mushroom language he created, Blomerth said, “It is translatable into English.” But he says of anyone who can manage the feat, “You’re going to be wildly disappointed.”

His book does not disappoint in chronicling the Wassons, who are credited as the founders of a new scientific field – ethnomycology. Their research piqued the interest of the era’s prominent magazines – as well as the CIA.

Acclaimed mycologist Paul Stamets, who wrote the foreword to Blomerth’s book, singled out two women for particular praise in the narrative: Valentina “Tina” Wasson, and a Mazatec shaman and curandera named María Sabina.

“History must give Tina proper credit,” Stamets wrote. “She was the mycologist in [the Wassons’] relationship, not to mention an early pioneer in noting that psilocybin could be helpful in treating psychiatric health challenges.”

Sabina “so graciously shared indigenous traditions with the Wassons and many others,” he added.

Although the United States banned research into psychedelics in the 1970s, recent science has put them back on the map.

Asked about present-day research, Blomerth said, “I’m not entirely qualified and definitely not a source for this kind of stuff.”

However, he added, “You can read multiple articles about the [2022] Johns Hopkins study of near-death experiences and pre-death experiences with psilocybin.”

“I think it’s good,” he said of such initiatives. “I’m all for it … It’s not a bad thing to research and investigate.”

Blomerth has a longstanding interest in the subject. A previous graphic novel, “Brian Blomerth’s Bicycle Day,” chronicled the story of Albert Hofmann and LSD.

Hofmann allegedly discovered LSD on a memorable bike ride in 1943. In both “Bicycle Day” and “Mycelium Wassonii,” Blomerth focused on protagonist couples – Albert and Anita Hofmann, and the Wassons.

Blomerth noted that the two couples actually went on a research trip to Mexico together, a fact not shown in the book. And Albert Hofmann has a further Mexico connection.

“Wasson sent samples of mushrooms he got from Mexico to Hofmann,” Blomerth said. “Hofmann isolated psilocybin from them. That’s a connection to the story as well.”

The memorable artwork in Blomerth’s book often seems evocative of a psychedelic experience. During a trance scene at the home of Mazatec curandera Sabina, the upper right-hand corner of the page seems to peel off and a whimsical, globe-like creature steps through. The concrete darkness of the room dissolves into bright, dreamlike images.

“I see the words fall like little luminous objects from heaven,” María says as lines of text float through space, then get replaced by watercolor images of a jaguar, a bird and a mushroom.

The story begins on the Wassons’ 1927 honeymoon in Ulster County, New York. Valentina finds wild chanterelles, which bring back memories of meals in her native Russia. She collects and cooks the Catskills variety. Initially repulsed, her husband adopts her viewpoint, thanks to an intensely tasty breakfast.

By day, Robert works on Wall Street for J.P. Morgan. Off the clock, he heads to the New York Public Library to research his new interest and corresponds with fellow enthusiast Robert Graves, the creator of I, Claudius, which explored the historical mystery of whether or not the Roman emperor Claudius was poisoned by mushrooms.

Graves mentions to Robert the ethnobotanist Richard Evans Schultes, who researched the Mazatecs and their use of mushrooms.

The book depicts two of the couple’s trips to Huautla de Jiménez, Oaxaca, in 1953 and 1955. Blomerth depicts Mazatec characters communicating in their tonal language that incorporates whistling.

“I watched a linguist who lived with them for a while and did a couple of interviews,” Blomerth said. “The whistle language is really, really fascinating…”

One challenge he had in writing the book was deciding how to show the Mazatecs’ environs in the cloud forests of the Sierra Mazateca.

“Basically, it’s a dense jungle. I wanted to showcase certain plants. I figured out a general idea of the plants that grow there and kind of combined all the areas.”

He expressed admiration for the cloud forests. “[It’s] tons of green vegetation on top of a hill, vegetation-rich, so high up.”

Back home, the CIA is intrigued by the power of psychedelics and offers to assist Robert with his research. When he rebuffs them, they surreptitiously tap into his work — using a front organization that gives him a grant.

“They did send him a check, a small amount of money, from a fake company,” Blomerth said. “I did sense he wasn’t into what they were thinking, from everything I read. It’s a little shrouded, as these things are.”

In 1957, the Wassons share perspectives on their research in the media — Robert for Life magazine, Valentina for the now-defunct nationally syndicated Sunday newspaper supplement, This Week.

Yet this is all overshadowed by the devastating news that Valentina has cancer. She dies the next year, in 1958. Blomerth poignantly notes the impact of her passing on her husband.

The book also shows the fallout from mushrooms’ sudden popularity: a hippie trail heading to Huautla de Jiménez. A crowd of Mazatecs lament the disrespect shown by the newcomers. María’s house burns down in mysterious circumstances.

As for the mushrooms, they have their own final say in the narrative — and the conversation is ongoing.

“Maybe they will speak again — as medicine,” María says in a final panel, standing over some talking mushrooms.

Rich Tenorio is a frequent contributor to Mexico News Daily.