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President López Obrador says Maya Train completion will be delayed

By
MND Staff
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Maya Train inauguration
The first phase of the Maya Train was inaugurated on Dec. 15, 2023. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)

The entirety of the Maya Train railroad will not be operational by the end of next month as previously announced, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador conceded on Friday.

Sections 1,2,3 and 4 of the 1,554-kilometer-long railroad — which link Palenque, Chiapas, to Cancún, Quintana Roo, via Tabasco, Campeche and Yucatán — were inaugurated in late 2023, while López Obrador had said that the remaining three sections would open on Feb. 29.

Several sections of the network are not yet completed. (Tren Maya)

Speaking to reporters in Campeche on Friday, AMLO said that the only stretch of railroad that will open next month will be that between Cancún and Playa del Carmen, called Tramo 5 Norte — the northern part of Section 5.

The other sections that have not yet been completed are Tramo 5 Sur — the southern part of Section 5 between Playa del Carmen and Tulum; Section 6 between Tulum and Chetumal; and Section 7 between Bacalar and Escárcega.

Asked when the railroad will be 100% complete, AMLO responded: “I think in another two months, three months.”

He said that the government won’t be able to immediately inaugurate additional sections of the railroad, agreeing with a reporter that it would only be able to do so after elections on June 2, at which Mexicans will elect a new president and thousands of other officeholders.

López Obrador, who was in Campeche to officially open a state-owned “well-being gas station,” appeared to be saying that the inauguration couldn’t occur during the veda electoral — a period of pre-election silence that prevents politicians including the president from campaigning — although the real reason for postponing the opening could be that the railroad won’t be ready until much later than previously anticipated.

The inauguration of the entire railroad could conceivably benefit ruling Morena party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, a political protege of the president, who founded Morena.

Putting off the inauguration until after the elections gives the builders of the railroad — the army and private companies — more time to prepare it for operation.

Speaking to reporters earlier on Friday, Campeche government secretary José Urueta predicted that Section 7 of the railroad to Escárcega, a small city in the south of Campeche, wouldn’t be finished until May or June.

Section 7 going to Escárcega will not be completed until May or June this year according to Campeche authorities, despite government promises that the enitre railroad would be operational next month. (Fonatur)

While four sections of the Maya Train railroad began operations late last year, many of the stations along that stretch have not yet been completed. Operations to date have not been as smooth as the government might have liked.

A train traveling between Cancún and Palenque was reportedly stopped for six hours last Friday, and passengers were eventually put on a bus and returned to the station at Cancún Airport. Several other delays have been reported since services began in late December.

Earlier this week, it came to light that steel and concrete pilings that support an elevated section of track between Playa del Carmen and Tulum pierce the roofs of limestone caves, where they pose a risk to the quality of subterranean water, according to experts.

Lopez Obrador says that both the construction and operation of the Maya Train railroad — a US $20 billion project — will help generate economic prosperity and well-being in the five states through which it runs. It connects cities and towns in Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Chiapas, giving passengers access to less-visited parts of Mexico’s southeast.

The Maya Train project has been a defining project of President López Obrador’s term in office. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

López Obrador believes that many tourists who fly into Cancún will use the train to head to inland destinations on the Yucatán Peninsula — an area with numerous archaeological sites, pretty colonial cities such as Valladolid and Izamal in Yucatán and plentiful cenotes, or natural sinkholes, among other attractions.

However, it remains to be seen how much demand there will be in the long term for tourist services on the railroad, which is also set to be used by freight trains at some point in the future.

As of Jan. 8, the train had transported 15,500 people on 144 trips, averaging 800 people per day, mostly national tourists and local residents.

Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco said earlier this week that the Maya Train will help lure international tourists to Mexico in 2024, with some 42 million predicted to visit the country this year.

With reports from Reforma and El Universal

Judge suspends controversial tourism project in Puerto Escondido

By
Cat Rainsford
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A judge has blocked the construction of a new tourist complex on Playa Colorada, Puerto Escondido's last remaining virgin beach. (Puerto Escondido Guide)

A local judge has ordered the definitive suspension of work on a new tourism complex in Punta Colorada, the last virgin beach in the popular Oaxaca surf town of Puerto Escondido.

The seventh district judge in Salina Cruz issued the ruling in response to an injunction filed by the Save Puerto Escondido coalition in December. The petition gathered 300 signatures from local activists and had already achieved a provisional suspension.

Puerto Escondido’s Playa Colorada is the last undeveloped beach in the area. (Puerto Escondido Guide)

The coalition argued that the project, which planned to cover 111 hectares of the Puerto Escondido Ecological Reserve, in the San Pedro Mixtepec municipality, lacked necessary permits and would threaten protected species of flora and fauna, including endangered leatherback sea turtles, reefs and mangroves. They also feared that it would disturb Punta Colorada’s renowned surf.

The development was promoted by the municipal authorities of San Pedro Mixtepec and Oaxaca governor Salomon Jara Cruz, who designated it one of his government’s strategic projects.

The draft plan, presented in a closed-door meeting in September, said that the complex would include “a commercial, hotel and reserve zone with public-private parks and a residential area.”

A statement by Oaxaca’s then-government said: “It will be a joint decision with the people to determine what project will be executed there. We are going to talk to all the social, economic and political sectors, and we will take the people into account.” Despite this, no public consultation ever took place.

The beach is home to a popular sea turtle conservation sanctuary, where tourists can release newly-hatched turtles into the Pacific Ocean. (Emily Havler-Barrett/Instagram)

Soon after the draft plan was presented, residents began to hold public demonstrations against both the proposed tourism project and pollution caused by a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), which they said the new complex would make worse.

“[Punta Colorada] is currently being polluted with the discharge of wastewater from more than 100 sewage pipes a day,” said María Almendra Gomezleyva Melchor, coordinator of Salvemos Colorada, at the time. “The WWTP is not functional and all the wastewater …forms open-air streams which flow directly into the Colorado lagoon and into the sea.”

The local authorities’ failure to inspect, verify and sanction these acts of pollution is listed in the injunction filed in December. The activists also pointed out that a long-awaited highway linking the city of Oaxaca with the coast, will accelerate the development and gentrification of the area, making regulation even more crucial.

The coalition invited supporters to celebrate the victory, saying: “We have achieved a lot and we are going for many more injunctions, to the benefit of all citizens of Puerto Escondido.”

With reports from El Universal, Proceso, Quadratin and Publimetro

Mexico’s exports worth a record US $593B in 2023

By
MND Staff
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Container ship in Lázaro Cárdenas port
Mexican exports were worth US $593.01 billion last year, 2.6% more than in 2022, according to INEGI. (APM Terminals)

The value of Mexico’s exports hit a record high in 2023, but the level of annual growth in revenue was much lower than in the previous two years.

Mexican exports were worth US $593.01 billion last year, a 2.6% increase compared to 2022, according to preliminary data published by the national statistics agency INEGI on Friday.

Cars ready for export in Veracruz
Mexico’s automotive industry was responsible for almost US $189 billion in 2023. (Shutterstock)

The 2.6% gain was well short of the 18.6% and 16.7% increases in export revenue recorded in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Those impressive figures came after the value of exports slumped 9.4% in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions took a heavy toll on industry and the Mexican economy in general, which contracted 8.5% that year.

INEGI data shows that 89% of Mexico’s export revenue last year — $528.83 billion — came from manufactured goods. About 36% of that amount came from the export of automotive sector products including vehicles and parts, while 64% came from the shipment abroad of non-auto manufactured goods such as computers and machinery.

Auto export revenue increased 14.3% in annual terms to reach $188.9 billion, while the value of non-auto goods declined 1% to $339.9 billion.

Oil was Mexico’s second biggest export earner after manufactured goods in 2023, but the revenue it brought in — $33.21 billion — accounted for just 5.6% of the country’s overall export income. Revenue from oil declined 14.8% compared to 2022.

The value of agriculture exports — a category that includes beer and other alcoholic beverages — increased 2.8% to $21.78 billion last year, while mining export revenue rose 0.2% to $9.17 billion.

INEGI said that just over 83% of Mexico’s non-oil export revenue came from shipments sent to the United States. Mexico almost certainly overtook China last year to become the United States top trade partner.

At $598.47 billion, the value of Mexico’s imports was $5.46 billion higher than export revenue. Mexico’s trade deficit was 79.7% lower than in 2022, INEGI said.

With reports from El Economista 

Opinion: The legacy of the North American Free Trade Agreement

By
Luis Rubio
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Analyst Luis Rubio asks is Mexico's current relative stability sustainable? (Courtesy)

At its 30th anniversary, the North American Free Trade Agreement (and its second iteration in the form of the USMCA) has been the most successful instrument of economic transformation that Mexico has ever had in its life as an independent nation.

It sounds easy, but in recent decades it has been possible to provide stability to the economy and the exchange rate, two factors that for centuries seemed unattainable. Although there are many complaints and criticisms regarding this agreement, the best way to assess it would be to imagine what would have happened to Mexico in the absence of this instrument.

Three objectives motivated the negotiation of what ended up being NAFTA.

The first two were economic in nature and the third was political. The aim was to promote active engagement in international trade with the aim of modernizing the Mexican economy and generating a source of foreign currency that would allow paying for imports carried out on a regular basis.

Secondly, it sought to promote foreign investment in order to raise the growth rate of the economy, as a means of creating new sources of wealth and employment and, in this way, reducing poverty.

The numbers show that the success in both areas has been dramatic: Mexico has become a manufacturing export power, and these exports finance the growth of the economy as a whole. That is, exports are the main engine of growth of the Mexican economy and constitute a reliable source of foreign currency, which is an important part of the explanation why the peso-dollar exchange rate has remained stable in recent years (the other factor is remittances).

For its part, foreign investment has grown year after year, even in an environment as hostile to it as the one promoted by the current administration. A more favorable environment, particularly in the context of so-called “nearshoring” could raise these rates in an extraordinary way (and, with it, the sources of employment and wealth creation).

The third objective was political in nature: it sought to depoliticize government decision-making related to private investment. The NAFTA constituted a straitjacket for the government, since it committed it to a series of disciplines and limited its capacity for arbitrary decisions as well as those motivated by sheer tantrums.

By signing the agreement, the Mexican government committed to preserving a regulatory framework favorable to investment and foreign trade, protecting private investment and preserving a benign environment for economic development. These purposes arose after the expropriation of the banks in 1982, a situation that had created an environment of extreme distrust among both national and foreign investors, without whose activity the country would have no possibility of fostering economic growth, employment, as well as addressing poverty in a systematic way.

In this context, the NAFTA made it possible to depoliticize decisions regarding private investment, an objective that continues to work even with an administration that would clearly prefer that the NAFTA not exist, but from which it has benefited immensely. In fact, the NAFTA was designed precisely for a government like the current one.

For 24 years, with very different governments, each with its own, contrasting, priorities, the NAFTA was preserved, and its fundamental principles were respected. From this perspective, NAFTA fully achieved its goal, as even many of its staunchest critics at the beginning recognize today.

Criticism of the treaty originates from elements that have nothing to do with the agreement, essentially that it did not achieve the comprehensive development of the country. The inevitable answer is more than obvious: NAFTA is nothing more than an instrument for the achievement of specific objectives, all of which were achieved.

What was not achieved has to do with everything that was not done so that the country could effectively develop, poverty would disappear, and inequality would decrease, and that — all of it — has to do with the absence of a development policy that would have implied the consolidation of the rule of law, the creation of a modern public security system and the concomitant strategies in education, health and the like.

NAFTA was a central instrument for the country’s development, as is the USMCA today. It has allowed business decisions to be depoliticized, contributing to the development of highly competitive and world-class companies and industries. Although still far from benefiting all Mexicans, its success is so overwhelming that its limitations end up being inconsequential in relative terms.

But a free trade agreement is not, nor can it be, an objective in itself. The country requires a development strategy that assumes it as one of its pillars, but that goes further: to governance, to education, to infrastructure, to security, to the comprehensive competitiveness of the economy and the population. In short, to increase the general productivity of the economy, because only in this way will development be achieved.

In the absence of a strategy of this nature Mexico will end up being a country perpetually dependent on low wages. A sad corollary for an institution as visionary and successful as NAFTA has proven to be.

Luis Rubio is the president of México Evalúa-CIDAC and former president of the Mexican Council on International Affairs (COMEXI). He is a prolific columnist on international relations and on politics and the economy, writing weekly for Reforma newspaper, and regularly for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mexico News Daily, its owner or its employees.

Venezuelan military destroys small plane from Mexico

By
Cat Rainsford
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A small aircraft, which was alleged to be smuggling drugs, was destroyed by the Venezuelan armed forces. (CEOFANB/X)

The Venezuelan military has destroyed a small plane that illegally entered the country’s airspace, which it claims departed from the Mexican island of Cozumel and was believed to be used for drug trafficking.

Domingo Hernández Lárez, head of the strategic operational command of the Venezuelan armed forces (CEOFANB), shared images of the wrecked aircraft via his X social media account. It is a white twin-engine Gulfstream 2 jet aircraft with a blue stripe.

Zulia Military Command shared images of the destroyed aircraft. (CEOFANB/X)

“Venezuela will not be used as a platform for drug trafficking!” he said. “The Territorial Defensive System is here, and will react immediately to any invasion attempt.”

Further images were shared on Instagram by the Zulia military command, which said that the aircraft had departed from Cozumel and had been destroyed on the ground.

Few details were given about the operation to intercept the plane, or any detentions or casualties. Photos show the burning wreckage of the plane on a dirt airstrip, with its landing gear down, confirming that it landed before being destroyed.

In a separate post, the CEOFANB shared photos appearing to show Venezuelan military aircraft intercepting the plane. They said that the plane had the registration number V3-GRS and had entered Venezuelan territory with its transponders switched off.

 

“It is presumed that this plane was used by transnational groups for the illicit trafficking of drugs and arms,” they said. “Venezuela is a territory of peace, where the scourge of drug trafficking, terrorism and organized crime is combated daily.”

Bordering the Colombian region of Catatumbo, a major cocaine-producing area, the forested mountains of Venezuela’s Zulia state have long been a hub for clandestine airstrips used for drug smuggling. Mexican criminal groups such as the Sinaloa Cartel have been present in Zulia for several years, according to investigative journalism outlet InSight Crime.

Several other drug planes traveling between Venezuela and Mexico have been detected in the past – including an aircraft that departed from Venezuela before crash-landing on a highway in Quintana Roo in 2020, and a plane stolen in Morelos that was flown to Venezuela to pick up a drug load before crash-landing in Guatemala, also in 2020.

The Venezuelan military has taken increasing public action against these criminal operations over recent years. At least 38 aircraft allegedly used for drug trafficking or illegal mining were destroyed in the country during 2023. Defensive actions have stepped up further in recent weeks, in the context of rising political tensions ahead of Venezuela’s presidential elections in 2024.

With reports from El País

Got 1 min? Mérida restaurant is named Mexico’s best of 2024 by food guide

By
MND Staff
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Micaela Mar & Leña scooped the top prize at the Mexico Gastronomic Guide awards with its modern interpretation of traditional Yucatecan cuisine. (Micaela Mar & Leña/Instagram)

The Mexico Gastronomic Guide 2024 has named Micaela Mar & Leña in Mérida, Yucatán as the best restaurant of the year. 

The awards, chosen by publisher Larousse Cocina, recognized Micaela Mar & Leña as the best out of  250 restaurants included in the guide.

The restaurant is nestled in the heart of the colonial city of Mérida. (Micaela Mar & Leña/Instagram)

Micaela Mar & Leña opened in 2018 and is located in Mérida’s historic center. The menu includes fresh oysters, shrimp tacos, dried noodles, pig’s ear tostadas, banana molotes (fried banana with cheese), duck tamale, grilled octopus, and black mole sauce.

Founders Alberto Nacif and Vidal Elías, received the award during a ceremony that marked the 10th anniversary of the guide, at the Universidad del Claustro de Sor Juana in Mexico City. Some 900 people attended the event.

“More than an award, it is an important and serious commitment that we continue to give the best of ourselves for the state, our diners, collaborators, and all those who make our work possible,” Nacif told newspaper La Jornada Maya. 

This is the first time that the Mexico Gastronomic Guide has recognized a Yucatán restaurant as the best of the year.

The restaurant is named after Micaela, the daughter of a Louisiana man and a Mexican woman, who fled to Veracruz when she was 13. (Micaela Mar & Leña/Instagram)

“We are grateful and also aware that this celebration is not a product of chance, but rather the result of passion and perseverance,” Nacif added. 

The restaurant was named in honor of a woman named Micaela, born in Louisiana in the 19th century to a formerly enslaved New Orleans man and a Mexican woman.  

After her father passed away and her mother tried to force her into a marriage at age 13, Micaela ran away and worked as a nanny for a wealthy family in Veracruz, where she learned how to write, and recorded her wood-fired seafood recipes in a diary.  

According to an interview with Elías last year, the restaurant is a tribute to Micaela’s life. 

With reports from La Jornada Maya and El Universal

February horoscopes and tarot readings from San Miguel de Allende

By
Xiomara Zetina
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Know your horoscope for February. (Canva)

General reading for February

I’m so happy to be back to share the monthly tarot reading for your astrological sign.

For many people, February will finally feel like a true beginning. Joy will be present, and so will money. Don’t spend it making unnecessary purchases that may later keep you up at night, but rather invest in experiences that make you smile and will teach you something. 

February is a month to create new memories. Have fun and know that you truly deserve it.

To get the most out of your tarot horoscope, be sure to read your rising, sun and moon signs. And in case you missed it, discover your full 2024 astrological reading…the year is just beginning!

See you in March,

Xiomara

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

New income sources will be available to you this month.  “Innovation” is your keyword, so use that as a superpower to co-create with people who think like you. Check your finances, have a monthly budget and find new ways to increase your passive income. Remember, as we say in Mexico; “Dinero llama Dinero” (money attracts money). Invest for the long term. 

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

Responsibility will increase this month, which is reason enough to look for new ways to reduce any stress that might accumulate. Spend time having fun with friends or plan a short trip to the mountains as a way for you to renew yourself, recharge your energy and free yourself. ¡A darle que es mole de olla! (Shake a leg).

Aries 

March 21 – April 19 

“Patience” and “Temperance” are your keywords this month. Start taking action now because what you begin in February will bear fruit towards the end of spring. Take time to think about what you really want to bloom. You can’t speed up the harvest, so breathe, plan and choose wisely.  As we say in Mexico, Al buen entendedor pocas palabras (Wise people take the hint).

Taurus

April  20 – May 20

Be mindful of any excesses this month. You will have many invitations to hang out, go to dinners with friends, and join celebrations. Although “Lo bailado nadie te lo quita” (Nobody can take back what you’ve already achieved), save your energy. You will need it as many changes are coming in your life, and a clear mind and rest are required to manage it all. Trust that you know how to deal with everything coming your way. 

Gemini 

May 21 – June 21

Amar!! February is the month when romance will soon come your way. If you are single, open yourself up to meeting new people, so that through them you can see yourself again. You might be surprised by how much you have changed. You may receive criticism for it, but know that it will have no influence on you. As Don Quijote said “Deja que los perros ladren, es señal de que estamos avanzando” (If the dogs are barking, that means we’re making progress). If you are in a relationship, be creative and plan a special date with your loved one — let “fun” be the focus of your relationship. 

Cancer 

June 22 – July 22

Abundance and creativity are the energies most present for you this month. Let your creativity flow by spending time alone with yourself. This is a great time for you to see new ideas emerge that will help you solve past issues. Esa es harina de otro costal (That’s another kettle of fish). It’s time to move forward. Celebrate by spoiling yourself!

Leo

July 23 – August 22

This month you may experience some challenges. It is important that you clear your head and distance yourself from the situation to better see the big picture. Look for a woman who will extend her hand to you and offer help to get you out of the situation that is troubling you. Listen carefully to her advice and trust it. Remember, Dios aprieta pero no ahorca (God will always provide).

Virgo

August  23 – September  22

This month will bring you the realization that the old structures on which you built your life no longer work for you. You have recently experienced a process of evolution and transformation, so “the usual” will leave you feeling stuck. You will feel compelled to live and act in a different way, but take it easy. Make time to rest and don’t make hasty decisions about the changes you need to make to move forward.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

February is a month of materialization. Choose a project or business that can generate more income for you in the long term. There is an energy of new beginnings for you to harness. Release any thoughts of guilt or defeat that you may be carrying. The new energy needs space to thrive so leave those feelings in the past. The only thing that is real is the present. By being present you will create your future.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

Ask yourself if what you are seeing is real or just a product of your past experiences. You are very likely seeing people through the lens of your past, and not as they really are. Do your best to avoid entering into conflicts and spend time in self-reflection about your part in any disagreements you find yourself in. This month healing energy is available for you. Make peace with that member of your family that you have distanced yourself from and that you miss a lot.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

Be less hard on yourself and lighten up about your self-imposed rules. This month you will feel an intense need to protect yourself. Remember that nothing external can harm you any more than your negative thoughts can. It’s important to let laughter and joy be part of your journey in February.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Remember to be careful with your words this month – there is so much power in them! Be open minded with people around you. There is so much value in our different points of view. Listen better and speak less, because you have so many things to learn. Be open to being the student, and not the teacher, as you usually are. It is time to learn from those who think differently because they probably have a key to unlock something you’ve been looking for. “El que a buen árbol se arrima, buena sombra le cobija” (It’s not what you know, but who you know).

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice.

Xiomara Zetina is a Mexican professional therapist specializing in holistic and energetic tools based in San Miguel de Allende. She studied psychology at the Universidad Latinoamericana in Mexico City and is certified in many energy tools including Reiki, Access Bars, and Family Constellations. You can work with her in person at Florsser in San Miguel de Allende and connect with her on Instagram @xiomarazetina.

Video circulating of Claudia Sheinbaum is apparently a ‘deepfake’

By
MND Staff
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Screen capture of fake Claudia Sheinbaum video
Campaign video or pyramid scheme? Claudia Sheinbaum's voice and image appear in a video asking people to participate in a get-rich-quick scheme. (Screen capture)

True or false? Presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum is promoting a kind of pyramid scheme to the very citizens she hopes will vote for her on June 2.

You guessed it.

Claudia Sheinbaum
Former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum is representing the governing Morena party in the upcoming presidential elections. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)

A video in which the former Mexico City mayor purportedly invites Mexicans to make a relatively small investment that will bring them extremely healthy returns surfaced on social media this week, but the Morena party presidential hopeful promptly denounced the clip as a “complete fraud.”

“What madness! It’s a video that they’re doing with artificial intelligence because you’ll see that it’s my voice, but it’s a fraud, they’re saying that we’re going to hand over money,” Sheinbaum said in an Instagram live video on Wednesday.

In the video — described as a “deepfake” by Wired magazine — the apparently digitally manipulated Sheinbaum impersonator presents a “marvelous opportunity” in which an initial investment of just 4,000 pesos (US $233) can be turned into income of 100,000 pesos or more per month.

“You’ve heard well. This isn’t a dream, it’s a reality that you are invited to take advantage of,” says the Claudia copycat.

“… Here’s the best part: I will personally reveal methods to increase your income.  … Click the link below this video and see for yourselves how amazing these results are.”

In her video message, Sheinbaum warned citizens to be “very careful” and said that she had reported the fake footage to social media companies.

“If it’s necessary we’ll have to file a criminal complaint, but it’s very important that no one is fooled,” she said.

While the main aim of the video appears to be to defraud people of money, another objective could be to hurt Sheinbaum — the clear favorite to become Mexico’s next president — in an electoral sense.

Technology now allows political opponents to quickly and easily create false or incriminating videos – known as “deepfakes” – which appear as genuine messages from candidates. (Max Duzij/Unsplash)

Néstor Wario, the CEO and co-founder of the Mexican company Brita Inteligencia Artificial, predicted in late 2023 that videos, photos and audio purporting to feature Mexican politicians would emerge in the lead-up to the June 2 elections, at which Mexicans will vote for a new president, renew both houses of federal Congress and elect thousands of people to state and municipal positions.

“On the internet there are now platforms for the development of deepfakes, where anyone can forge the identity of someone by changing their face,” he said.

“This could generate false information or fake news to confuse the population, even more so in electoral times in Mexico. [Fake videos and audio] could be used to manipulate public opinion, as they have already been used in other countries. We’re going to start seeing images or videos of supposed politicians in compromising situations or audio manipulated for the same purpose,” Wario said.

Senator Alejandra Lagunes of the Ecological Green Party of Mexico said in November that she was very worried about deepfakes and “the power they have to distort reality” and affect the democratic process.

North of the border, “The deepfake era of US politics is upon us,” a CNN headline asserted this week.

“One distressing headline out of New Hampshire as voters prepared to cast in-person primary ballots was that a fake version of President Joe Biden’s voice had been used in automatically generated robocalls to discourage Democrats from taking part in the primary,” CNN’s report began.

With reports from El País, Proceso and Wired 

Mexico labor data show decline in unemployment and informality

By
MND Staff
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0
The official year-end unemployment rate for 2023 was 2.6%, the lowest on record for the month of December. (Isaac Esquivel/Cuartoscuro)

Unemployment in Mexico declined to the lowest end-of-year level on record in December, according to official data, while the percentage of the economically active population engaged in informal work fell to the lowest level since 2020.

The national statistics agency INEGI reported Thursday that the unemployment rate was 2.6% in December, the lowest level since March, when an all-time low of just 2.4% of the economically active population was jobless.

Mexico reached an all-time low of just 2.4% unemployment in March 2023. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro)

The rate is the lowest end-of-year rate since INEGI began keeping comparable records in 2005.

The percentage of the economic active population in informal work was 53.6% in December, the lowest level since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions left many informal workers without jobs.

An additional 1.2 million people in jobs

INEGI reported that 59.14 million people had jobs in December, up from 57.94 million in the same month of 2022. An increase in formal sector employment was responsible for the net growth in the number of people in jobs as the number of informal sector workers declined by close to 100,000 in the 12 months to the end of December.

Women make up around 40% of Mexico’s workforce. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

Almost 60% of the 59.14 million workers are men, while just over 40% are women.

The economically active population — people aged 15 or over who are working or looking for work — was 60.73 million in December, up from 59.59 million a year earlier.

Just under 1.6 million people were unemployed last month, INEGI said, while 4.5 million were classed as underemployed, meaning they would like to work more hours. The latter figure accounts for 7.6% of the employed population.

The average unemployment rate across the 12 months of 2023 was 2.8%, the lowest average rate on record.

“Previously, the best annual performance was in 2022 with an average [unemployment rate] of 3.2% across 12 months,” said Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base.

Which states have the lowest and highest unemployment rates?

The central state of Morelos has the lowest unemployment rate in the country with just 0.9% of the economically active population out of a job in December, according to INEGI.

Southern and southeastern states have the next lowest rates: Oaxaca, 1.2%; Chiapas, 1.4%, Yucatán, 1.4%; Campeche, 1.5%.

Aguascalientes has the highest unemployment rate, with 4.2% of the economically active population out of a job last month.

The central Mexican state of Morelos had the lowest unemployment rate, at just 0.9%. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

Coahuila has the second highest rate at 4%, followed by Tabasco, 3.9%; México state, 3.8%; and Zacatecas, 3.6%.

Most Mexicans work in the informal sector, but that could soon change

Of Mexico’s 59.1 million people with jobs, 31.7 million, or 53.6% of the total, work in the informal sector. Informal workers don’t pay income tax and don’t have access to formal employment benefits such as holiday pay and access to the Mexican Social Security Institute health care program.

The percentage of informal sector workers declined 1.3 percentage points from December 2022, INEGI said.

The only time when the percentage of people working in the informal sector was lower was in 2020, when an increase in unemployment among such workers early in the COVID pandemic caused a decline in the informality rate to 47.9%.

Siller said that the decline in the informal employment rate could be related to an increase in foreign investment as a result of nearshoring and a consequent increase in demand for formal sector workers.

Vendor selling chairs
Most Mexicans still work in the informal economy, but the percentage has declined to its lowest recorded level except during the pandemic in 2020. (Cuartoscuro)

She said that if Mexico takes better advantage of the nearshoring opportunity, the percentage of workers in the informal sector could go below 50% for the first time ever.

Still, the current “labor market balance” is “quite positive,” Siller said.

The Economy Ministry said in late 2023 that over US $106 billion in investment is expected to flow into Mexico in the next two to three years based on announcements made by foreign companies in the first 11 months of 2023.

Mexico’s largest employer is the service sector

Over 60% of Mexicans with jobs — 37.34 million people — work in the tertiary or service sector, INEGI data shows.

That figure represents an increase of over 982,000 compared to December 2022.

The secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, employs 15.18 million people, or about 25% of workers, while 6.23 million Mexicans work in the primary or agriculture sector, a figure equivalent to just over 10% of the workforce.

The secondary sector added over 652,000 jobs in the past 12 months, while the primary sector lost more than 439,000. Some of the agricultural sector job losses were likely related to the drought conditions affecting a significant portion of Mexico’s territory.

The outlook for 2024

Banorte is forecasting that job creation will remain strong in the first half of the year, partially due to government spending as it pushes to complete infrastructure projects such as the Maya Train railroad.

The bank anticipates that unemployment will remain low in the first six months of 2024, but creep up in the second half of the year due to a “moderation in economic activity.”

Workers on the Maya Train
Large infrastructure projects like the Maya Train contributed to strong employment numbers in Mexico in 2023, and will likely continue to in the first half of this year. (Cuartoscuro)

It forecasts that the unemployment rate at the end of this year will be 3.4%.

Juan Carlos Alderete, Banorte’s executive director of economic research, predicted that job creation in the first half of 2024 will be concentrated in the secondary sector — especially construction — and the tertiary sector.

He said that “buoyant internal demand” and “structural changes” in the economy “mainly related to the nearshoring effect” supported job creation in 2023.

According to the results of Manpower Group’s latest Employment Outlook Survey, 48% of over 1,000 employers polled are planing to hire new workers in the first quarter of 2024, while only 14% expect to reduce their staff numbers.

With reports from El Financiero, El Economista and Milenio

How the heck do you use the word ‘pedo’ in Mexico?

By
Paulina Gerez
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20
How the heck to you use the word “pedo” in Mexico?! (Canva)

What the heck? Or, do I mean, what fart — ¿qué pedo?

“Pedo” is one word in Spanish that showcases the complexity of Mexican vocabulary. While originally associated with flatulence, in Mexico, this versatile term has taken on a variety of meanings, making it a linguistic curiosity worth exploring.

“Pedo” in Mexico is a linguistic chameleon, adapting easily to various contexts, so let’s dive into its usage in different situations.

Difficulty or problem

In Mexico, “pedo” is often used colloquially to refer to a difficulty or problem. For example, someone might say, “es un pedo” when they want to express that something is a real problem or a rather difficult task to complete. You’ll also hear “me metí en un pedo,” which translates as “I’m in trouble.”

Fight or conflict

“Pedo” can also signify a conflict or fight. If someone mentions being in a “pedo,” they might be describing a heated argument or altercation. For instance, “anoche, hubo un pedo en el bar” — It went down at the bar last night. 

“Hacerla de pedo,” on the other hand, means making a stink or giving someone a hard time — “se pasó un rojo y el poli se la hizo de pedo” (he ran a red and the cop gave him a hard time about it).

Describing someone or something

Another common usage of “pedo” in Mexico is to describe being drunk or intoxicated. Saying “estaba bien pedo anoche” — I was really drunk last night — or “estoy medio peda” — I’m a bit tipsy — is a casual way to convey the state you’re in. On the other hand, the word “peda,” is used to describe a party or a night out with heavy drinking, which comes from this sense of pedo “estuvo buena la peda” (the party was great/last night was great). 

You can call someone “mal pedo” to show that they’re a mean person, while a situation described with the same term is a bad one. Lost your keys? “Qué mal pedo!” Conversely, a good-natured person or a fortunate situation can be described as “buen pedo.” In English you can say an exceptionally good movie or meal was “something else” — in Mexican Spanish, it’s “otro pedo.”

 

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Possibilities

If someone says, “ni pedo” they’re expressing resignation in regards to a situation, in the same way an English speaker sighs “oh well.” But when adding the preposition “de,” the meaning changes to “there’s no way!” — ¡ni de pedo! —  hinting that the speaker wouldn’t do what they’re being asked even if they were drunk. 

Greetings and expressions of surprise

In some cases, “pedo” is used as an expression of surprise or disbelief. For example, upon hearing unexpected news, someone might exclaim, “no mames, en serio? ¡Qué pedo!” (No way, seriously? What a surprise!), or “qué pedo, qué pasó?” (What is going on?). In addition, it is a very common way to greet your friends just by saying “Qué pedo!”

Understanding the various uses of the word “pedo” will add depth to your comprehension of Mexican Spanish. It’s essential to consider the context in which the term is used to grasp its intended meaning fully, and you should always keep in mind that it is an informal word. Don’t use it with your parents, your in-laws, your teachers or any person to whom you would normally speak in a formal way. Save it for your very close friends.

Paulina Gerez is a translator-interpreter, content creator, and founder of Crack The Code, a series of online courses focused on languages. Through her social media, she helps people see learning a language from another perspective through her fun experiences. Instagram: paulinagerezm / Tiktok: paugerez3 / YT: paulina gerez

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