For Children’s Day, let’s give all kids lives with dignity

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April 29, 2023

Day of the child cartoon — What kind of Mexico could we see if every child had the rights and resources needed to reach their full potential? (Illustration by Angy Márquez)

Here’s one thing you’ll never hear me say: “Oh, I just love children!”

I love my own kid with my whole being, of course: she’s my heart. And I love other kids too, ones that I know individually and care for.

But I’m not a “kid person” in the same way that I’m not a “cat person.” They’re cute, and, yes, they can be adorably funny. They can melt your heart. They can also be really annoying and pretty darned inconsiderate, and often downright unhinged. They’re humans, after all, and ones who haven’t yet received all the proper training.

When I first came to Mexico, I was amazed at what I interpreted to be a great lack of discipline among children. Truth be told, I still kind of am.

Children demand things, often not politely, and here, people mostly oblige with a smile. When kids misbehave, the In-Charge Adult might say weakly a few times, “Hey, stop that” before giving up, not levering the consequences that I personally think such behavior deserves. Things that I find intolerable — children screaming at the top of their lungs makes me feel irrationally angry — seem to go unnoticed by most adults.

“They’re just kids,” people tell me with a weirded-out expression, as if to say, “What’s your deal?”

Now that I’m a mother myself, I’m not so quick to judge; I know how utterly exhausting and difficult it can be to be in charge of a tiny person’s life, especially in that toddler stage when they spend a couple of years obliviously and cheerfully trying to kill themselves like they were an immortal cartoon character.

At least Mexico (or Mexican families) seems to understand more than my home country (the U.S.) that raising kids is a team effort. Perhaps that’s where parents’ more relaxed attitude comes from: when pressure is more evenly distributed, everyone can relax a little more.

For the most part, the buck still stops with the mom. But for the lucky ones, there’s an army of relatives behind her to help with little ones’ educación, and some helpful government programs and policies to boot.

So why all this talk about kids?

Why, for Children’s Day, of course — it’s on Sunday!

When I first heard about Children’s Day way back when, I’m pretty sure I just stared dumbfounded for a few seconds. Children’s Day? Isn’t every day Children’s Day around here?

All joking aside, the celebration of Children’s Day in Mexico has been around for 99 years. Instituted by Education Secretary José Vasconcelos in 1924, its purpose was to put a spotlight on the human rights of children.

Since then, Children’s Day has been celebrated each year in Mexico with all manner of events, parties and parades for our little ones. Children often receive gifts on this day, and I know plenty of adults who not-so-subtly hint that they’re “big kids,” also deserving of gifts. One of my and my daughter’s activities this year will be getting free Children’s Day ice cream from a pizza shop down the street!

A few decades after Mexico instituted the holiday, the United Nations followed suit, declaring November 20 International Children’s Day as that was the date in 1959 that the UN’s Declaration on the Rights of the Child was published (Mexico signed it in 1990). In it are things like children’s rights to safety, to education, to protection from harm and to grow up in conditions of “freedom and dignity.”

I might feel a little grouchy about kids’ shenanigans sometimes, but I believe passionately in respecting their human rights.

Unfortunately, we’ve got a long way to go before that respect is a reality globally, and that includes Mexico. For all its cheerfulness about children, we’ve collectively failed to ensure a great many of their rights for the most vulnerable, as too many live in poverty with few opportunities and resources to truly help them grow into their full potential.

That said, Mexico is doing a lot more than many other countries, at least officially. While I have plenty of gripes about President López Obrador (after having been very excited about his election), I admire him for strengthening and expanding the country’s social programs aimed at the poor. While plenty of people have called into question his personal motivations, I honestly don’t care if the reasons are more cynical than altruistic; I just care about people getting the help and support that they need.

Much of this support comes by way of cash payments. If anything, I’d like for those to go further and see a universal basic income instituted — here and everywhere else (a pipe dream, I know). Not all problems can be solved by putting money into the hands of mothers, but quite a lot of them sure can be.

Big money also going into capably run institutions — rather than into the pockets of those inside the rooms when the plans are made — would also solve a lot of problems. More schools, more hospitals and more well-paid and well-trained workers to staff them could ensure everyone’s rights outlined in both the Mexican Constitution and the Declaration of Human Rights are respected.

Unfortunately, especially rural areas are filled with half-finished projects. Public schools may lack basic services, and unfinished hospitals dot the landscape, the money for them having “mysteriously” dried up. It would almost be funny in its obviousness if it didn’t have such devastating consequences.

Strengthening the rule of law is another area in which Mexico and, indeed, the rest of the world could ensure the rights of its youngest citizens. No laws, after all, mean anything if there’s no functioning justice system to back them up.

As you can see, I’ve got quite a wish list. Children grow up, and they inherit what we’ve created. They keep it going, consciously or not, and thus bequeath their world to the ones who come after.

Now is the time to show them what taking care of each other really looks like.

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

Cook with the ‘Clean Fifteen’

By

Janet Blaser

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April 29, 2023

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Avocado fries — You won’t be able to stop eating these crunchy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside avocado fries.

Every year since 2004, the U.S. nonprofit Environmental Working Group comes out with a list of what they call the “Dirty Dozen” — the fruits and vegetables shown to have the highest amounts of harmful pesticides present at the time of purchase by the consumer. That list is one of the reasons I don’t ever eat strawberries unless I know the grower, and also why I choose farmers’ markets whenever possible.

What I didn’t know, though, is that EWG also releases a “Clean Fifteen” list of the fruits and veggies with the least amount of pesticide residues on them. And while pesticides were present in small amounts in some of the produce categories, the percentages are nothing like the worst offenders in the “Dirty Dozen” list.

In reality, the results are a mixed bag. Should we feel OK about the fact that “samples from the top six produce items on the list didn’t test positive for more than three pesticides?” Or that “almost 65% of Clean Fifteen fruit and vegetable samples had no detectable pesticide residues?” Uhhhh, yes?

Not to be ignored is the fact that these tests were done in the U.S. To be sure, much of the commercial and mainstream organic produce sold there comes from Mexico — where pesticide use is much more loosely regulated — but these lists are still a worthwhile barometer of what’s going on out there in the fields and orchards.

The lists are results of tests run on more than 46,000 fruit and vegetable samples. You can read the full report in EWG’s 2023 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce, but here are this year’s winners and losers and a few recipes to keep you on track and a bit more pesticide-free.

The best and most reliable way to ensure your produce is pesticide-free is to eat organic, especially if you can buy direct from the farmer at a local farmers’ market. That’s not always possible, of course. A mistake many people make in Mexico is assuming that vendors at their local mercado are the actual growers and that the produce is organic. Ninety-nine times out of 100, that’s not the case, though; they’re middle-men selling commercially grown produce.

Vendors at Mazatlan's weekly organic market — The best way to avoid pesticide-laden produce is to buy directly from a farmer you trust at your local farmers’ market, like these vendors at Mazatlán’s weekly Mercado Orgánico.

2023’s “Clean Fifteen”

Avocados and sweet corn are the stars of this year’s “Clean Fifteen” list, with less than 2% of the samples exhibiting any measurable pesticides:

Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Cabbage
Mushrooms
Mangos
Sweet potatoes
Watermelon
Carrots

On the other side of the spectrum are the “Dirty Dozen” — fruits and vegetables with the most pesticide residues. Kale, collard and mustard greens and peppers of all varieties had the most, but every crop on this list had residues of at least 10 different pesticides.

2023’s “Dirty Dozen”

Strawberries
Spinach
Kale, collard and mustard greens
Peaches
Pears
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Bell and hot peppers
Cherries
Blueberries
Green beans

Homemade onion dip is a gazillion times better than using a powdered mix.

Want to try using the Clean 15 as your eating guide? Here are a couple of easy recipes to get you started:

Crispy Avocado Fries

1 cup panko
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. Tajín (optional)
½ -1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large egg
3 medium ripe but firm avocados
Optional: Chipotle mayonnaise, ranch dressing, hot sauce, etc. for serving

In a medium bowl, lightly crush the panko with your hands until it is sandy in texture. Stir in Tajín (if using), salt and garlic powder. Drizzle in olive oil and mix well. In another small bowl, lightly beat egg.

Halve and pit avocados. Lay them, flat side down, on a clean work surface; gently pull the peel back and discard. Slice each avocado lengthwise into 8 pieces.

Working with one slice at a time, dip avocado in the beaten egg to coat. Lift and allow excess to drip off. Transfer to the panko mixture and gently toss to coat well. Transfer to a platter; repeat with remaining slices.

To make in the oven: Preheat to 425 F (220 C). Bake avocado fries on rimmed baking sheet for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp and golden brown.

To make in an air fryer: Preheat to 350 F (175 C) on air-fry setting. Place 8 avocado slices into the air fryer basket and cook, flipping halfway through, until the fries are crisp and golden brown all over, 8 minutes.

Repeat with remaining avocado slices. Serve immediately, with dipping sauces if desired.

Sour Cream and Onion Dip

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 medium yellow onions
2 shallots
Salt and pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 cup full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely grated
Olive oil, for drizzling
¼ cup finely chopped chives

Thinly slice onions and shallots. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and shallots to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onions are softened and turning golden brown, 15–20 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and continue cooking, stirring often so onions don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Cook until onions are deep golden brown and reduced by about half, another 45 minutes. (Resist the urge to turn up the heat to make them caramelize faster.)

Transfer onions and shallots to a cutting board, and finely chop. Place in a large bowl; add sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season with pepper and sprinkle with chives.

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

A quick guide to Mexico City’s many Pueblos Mágicos

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

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April 29, 2023

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Tequisquiapan, Queretaro in Mexico — Tequisquiapan, Querétaro, is easy to reach and has all the features Pueblos Mágicos are known for: historic architecture, quaint locales and a sleepy pace perfect for strolling. (Leigh Thelmadatter)

Over 30 of Mexico’s 132 Pueblos Mágicos are within three hours driving distance of the sprawling urban monster that is Mexico City.

It’s a contradiction born of history and economics. Most of Mexico’s development has been centered in this high mountain plateau. The Pueblos Mágicos program has been spectacularly successful in showcasing their wonderful charms, enticing people to spend holidays in places beyond the beaches.

Genoveva Perez Pascual "Maria doll" maker in Amealco, Queretaro — Quite possibly Amealco, Querétaro’s most famous doll maker, Genoveva Pérez Pascual at the annual doll fair held every November. (Alejandro Linares García)

Mexico City is, by far, the largest domestic source of potential tourists, not only because of affluence, but also because capitalinos look to escape the capital’s noise and infamous smog, says Fernando Mendoza, an independent consultant and former president of the National Coordination of Pueblos Mágicos Committees.

These 30 pueblos near Mexico City demonstrate the wide variety of natural and cultural environments in and around the Valley of Mexico. They’re also a testament to the resilience of local cultures in the face of Mexico City’s often overbearing presence.

Most articles about Pueblos Mágicos in the Mexico City area list certain towns time and again. Although by no means the only pueblos worth visiting, they should be on your shortlist if you have limited time.

Best known to foreigners is Taxco, Guerrero. It has the colonial-period architecture centered on a church and plaza which nearly define Pueblos Mágicos in central Mexico. But it is also famous for silversmithing, an industry reignited by American William Spatling in the 1920s.

Silverwork from Taxco, Guerrero in Mexico — In the Pueblo Mágico of Taxco, Guerrero, you’ll find masterful works in silver — everything from jewelry to artistic sculpture like this sculpture by Ezequiel Tapia Bahena. (Alejandro Linares García)

Tepoztlán, Morelos, not only attracts many Mexico City residents on weekends, but it has an established foreign resident population. Its attractions include spring-like weather, craggy mountains and a New Age vibe that comes in part from being known as the birthplace of the Mesoamerican god Quetzalcoatl.

Tequisquiapan in Querétaro has also become popular with foreigners, in part because of its semi-arid climate and easy access to points north, including the U.S. border. It and neighboring Bernal are also in the state’s wine country, second only to Baja in importance.

Just north of Pachuca, Hidalgo, three Pueblos Mágicos, Real del Monte, Huasca de Ocampo and Mineral el Chico, attract weekenders looking to spend time in cabins in cool forests. The area is also known for a history of British mining in the 19th century, which left its mark on its architecture and the Mexican version of the Cornish pasty.

Valle de Bravo in México state has been popular with Mexico City weekenders for decades. Its main attraction is its lake (really a reservoir) surrounded by high forest. In addition to being the entrance into monarch butterfly territory, it has golf courses, boating and paragliding.

Tepoztlán, Morelos, in Mexico — Panorama of Tepoztlán, Morelos, showing the mountains surrounding this quiet community that, these days, has a sizeable foreign resident population. (eurimaco/Wikimedia Commons)

OK, so maybe you have seen these and wonder what’s next.

Puebla’s Sierra Norte has a number of Pueblos Mágicos, some of which are within weekend distance of the capital. The best-known of these is Cuetzatlán, which is not only famous for its indigenous textiles but also has a strong Danza de Voladores tradition, including all-female troupes.

Malinalco, México state, has been regionally popular for quite some time. Nestled in a box canyon, it has maintained its rural nature despite being very close to Mexico City and Toluca. Its main attractions are its many quaint houses and the Cerro de los Ídolos archeological site.

Similar to Tepoztlán but less crowded is neighboring Tlayacapan in Morelos. It’s home to dozens of chapels, built over Mesoamerican ritual sites. When I first visited more than 15 years ago, locals were surprised to see a foreigner interested in the nearly-forgotten structures, but that has changed.

The México state-Michoacán border is monarch butterfly country, and several Pueblos Mágicos look to attract these tourists.

Tlalpujahua, Angangeo (Michoacán) and El Oro (State of México) have town centers that reflect their mining heritage. In addition, Tlalpujahua is Mexico’s “Christmas town.”

Artisans at work decorating ornaments in Tlalpujahua. Michoacán, one of Mexico’s “Christmas towns,” where Mexicans buy their holiday decorations.

All Pueblos Mágicos have at least one unique feature that’s the reason for their inclusion. For the town of San Juan Teotihuacán in México state and Cholula in Puebla, it’s their archeological sites. Ixtapan de la Sal, Tecozautla and others have thermal and fresh-water springs. In the case of Amealco, Querétaro, it is its famous “María” doll.

But proximity to Mexico City does not guarantee a successful Pueblo Mágico. Sometimes road conditions and traffic are an issue.

For those towns closest to the capital, like Tepotzotlán and Metepec in México state, the urban sprawl surrounds their historic centers. Those pueblos that are less than two hours away, says Mendoza, often became day trips, meaning that they miss out on hotel and restaurant income but the tourism still creates significant costs in municipal services such as police and sanitation.

Successful Pueblos Mágicos also have to contend with the environmental impact of all these visitors. Water usage skyrockets during peak tourism periods, Mendoza says, not only because of the extra people, but also because vacationers are not as conscientious about its use as they might be at home.

Finally, Pueblo Mágico status often brings pressure to develop. Visitors look for a certain level of services and entertainment in their tourism destination, and accommodating new businesses change the atmosphere. Second homes begin appearing, often without sufficient regulation. Most are built by Mexican weekenders, but Pueblos Mágicos have also attracted foreigners looking for alternative places to live.

These issues are the trade-offs for economic development. It does not mean that you should not make the effort to visit, just be conscientious when you do.

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.

From Canada to Cabo part 6: educating our daughter in Mexico

By

Christina Whiteley

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April 29, 2023

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Kid in a school — Christina Whiteley's young daughter has adapted well to the change from Canada to Mexico, including at school. (Courtesy)

Moving to another country and exploring new cultures can be an adventure, but it can also be stressful, especially when you have kids. When we moved to Mexico, we were worried about how our daughter Isabella would adapt to life here,without speaking Spanish, and leaving her friends behind in Canada.

Izzy started daycare when she was almost three years old, not because we wanted her to, but because she wanted to be around other kids. She went to a private school for preschool and pre-kindergarten that we absolutely loved, but they didn’t offer a language program. So we moved her to a public school with a French immersion program.Two months into that program, in the middle of the pandemic, we decided to pull her from school as we were not happy with the school policies or curriculum.

Christina Whiteley's daughter Isabella — As parents, Christina and her husband were concerned at first about how their daughter Izzy would adapt to the move to Mexico from Canada. (Courtesy)

Izzy’s curriculum was not just focused on learning basic reading, writing and math. We felt our neighborhood schools were raising children to be followers of political agendas instead of teaching critical thinking, problem solving and leadership skills.

The Covid-19 mitigation policies for kids at that young age were confusing, which added anxiety, frustration and division in her classroom, although I know policy makers and teachers alike were doing their best at the time.

My child is at a very impressionable age and the next few years of her life are formative ones that will determine her morals, values, and decision-making skills, laying the foundation for the rest of her life. Knowing that life is hard either way, we wanted her to have a choice in her future and be excited about working towards it. We decided to do things differently and as a result, we also faced adversity.

When we first arrived in Mexico we took a few months to decompress. Izzy was only in kindergarten after all, and we spent a lot of time reading with her and working on homeschooling workbooks.

Christina Whiteley's daughter with a teacher — Christina values the educational opportunities she has found in Mexico for daughter Izzy. (Courtesy)

I considered homeschooling her, and even hired an online coach to help me, but there were two issues with that. I have a strong-willed child, she wants to learn when she wants to learn – this was very difficult because I run two online businesses and needed to keep a schedule – and she is a very social kid, so she needed to be around other children.

We tried for a couple of months, and inevitably I started seeking other solutions. She told me she missed her friends in Canada and we needed to prioritize building a support circle for her. At the time we found a private teaching pod – which it appears is quite common down here for immigrants. There is a small classroom – usually run out of someone’s garage (turned into a classroom) – with five to 15 kids of the same age, who have private teachers come in and teach all subjects in English and Spanish.

Izzy loved that group and even had swimming lessons, art, and kickboxing as extra-curricular activities there. However, she also was interested in music and sports so we decided to put her in a private school. We found a school that is bilingual and an accredited academic institution that offers an IB (International Baccalaureate) program.

These accreditations are accepted into top universities globally. Not only that, but after less than six months, her Spanish comprehension has been developing rapidly. We were most impressed with the small class sizes, with an average of 18 kids, so she receives a lot of one-on-one attention.

Izzy in Cabo — Izzy has enjoyed more extracurricular activities living in Mexico. (Courtesy)

What I also love about her school is the diversity. There are children from all over the world there, as well as many local kids who earn scholarships to attend. Some of her best friends don’t speak any English. We noticed that from the moment we got here – differences in language or background didn’t matter, they all just played and laughed together. Our kids don’t need diversity training, they need to be allowed to be kids. Our compassion and love for others as parents set the example.

The cost of her private tuition per year is approximately US $5000, which is a fraction of the price of a private education in Canada. This has allowed us to spend more on extracurricular activities like gymnastics, hip hop and horseback riding. All different types of dances, martial arts, sports and music are also available here.

I know this experience of immersion will have a measurable impact on Isabella’s life and give her more opportunities in her later years. This is only one of the three international schools in the area. Alternately, you can also have access to public schools, with residency, if your children are fluent in Spanish. There is also a small homeschooling community in Cabo, and they are growing each year.

It has been heartwarming and comforting to watch her grow and become more confident speaking Spanish, and patiently help other kids with English when asked. The anxiety she had before is no longer present and she looks forward to going to school and often asks for play dates on the weekends. She has developed her own group of friends, and she continues to play with any of the kids she randomly meets on the beach.

As parents, we value this definition of inclusivity, and this whole experience of broadening horizons for our daughter.

Christina Whiteley, founder of Life Transformed, is a bestselling author, speaker and business strategist who leads the 6 Figure Profit Plan Mastermind and hosts corporate retreats where she resides in Cabo San Lucas. She and her husband Ryan, who is a realtor, live for road trips and weekend adventures with their daughter and their dog, Larry. You can also join her private Facebook group here.

DEA: 2 Mexican cartels pose ‘greatest criminal threat’ ever faced by the US

By

MND Staff

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April 28, 2023

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New,York,,Ny,-,May,5,,2022:,Administrator,For,The — DEA Administrator Anne Milgram has launched a "laser-focused" campaign against the Sinaloa and Jalisco drug cartels, blaming the groups for "the most devastating drug crisis in our nation's history." (Shutterstock)

The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) pose “the greatest criminal threat the United States has ever faced,” but the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is “laser-focused” on defeating them, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said Thursday.

Milgram, a former attorney general in New Jersey who has led the DEA since 2021, appeared before a subcommittee of the United States House of Representatives’ Committee on Appropriations on Thursday.

A permanent exhibition honoring American lives lost to fentanyl lines the walls of the DEA Museum in Washington, D.C. The department has made the fight against fentanyl trafficking its most important mission. (U.S. Department of Justice)

In a written statement to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, the DEA chief said that her agency’s “top operational priority is to relentlessly pursue and defeat the two Mexican drug cartels … that are primarily responsible for driving the drug poisoning epidemic in the United States.”

During her address to lawmakers, she asserted that the United States is going through the “most devastating drug crisis in our nation’s history,” highlighting that fentanyl is killing close to 200 Americans per day.

“Just two milligrams, the equivalent of a few grains of salt, can kill a person. It is now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. More than cancer, more than COVID, more than terrorism, more than heart disease,” Milgram said.

“… The drug cartels responsible for bringing fentanyl into this country are ruthless and extremely violent criminal organizations,” she said.

At an April 14 press conference, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram revealed that the department had infiltrated the Sinaloa Cartel and the Chapitos network without the authorization of Mexican authorities. (DEA/Facebook)

Milgram said that the Sinaloa Cartel and the CJNG “rely on a global supply chain to manufacture and traffic fentanyl” and “on a global illicit finance network to pocket billions of dollars from those drug sales.”

“At DEA, we have undertaken a transformation to meet this moment. We have transformed our vision. We are now laser-focused on fentanyl, the drug that is killing the most Americans. We are laser-focused on the two cartels, Sinaloa and Jalisco, that are responsible for the vast majority of fentanyl that is flooding our communities,” she said.

In her written statement, Milgram noted that the DEA has “launched two cross-agency counterthreat teams to execute a network-focused operational strategy to defeat the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels.”

“The two teams are mapping, analyzing, and targeting the cartels’ entire criminal networks. The teams are composed of special agents, intelligence analysts, targeters, program analysts, data scientists, and digital specialists. This network-focused strategy is critical to defeating the Sinaloa and Jalisco Cartels,” she wrote.

Fentanyl and heroin seized by border patrol — Since October 2022 to date, 92% of U.S. border authorities’ fentanyl seizures have occurred at official border crossings. (@CBP/Twitter)

The “new strategy” is working, Milgram said, noting that the DEA on April 14 charged 28 members and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel, including three sons of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who are collectively known as “Los Chapitos.”

The DEA administrator told lawmakers that El Chapo’s sons, Ovidio, Iván and Alfredo, “became the new leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel” after their father’s arrest and made the “global drug trafficking empire … more ruthless, more violent [and] more deadly, and used it to spread a new poison — fentanyl.”

“Let me be clear: the Chapitos pioneered the manufacture and trafficking of the deadly fentanyl that is flooding our country today and is responsible for countless American deaths,” she said.

“… They know that they are poisoning and killing Americans, and they don’t care because they are making billions of dollars,” Milgram said.

She noted that eight of the 28 members of the Sinaloa Cartel network who were recently indicted in the United States — including Ovidio Guzmán — are in custody, and she stressed that the DEA is requesting the extradition of the seven who are detained outside the U.S.

DEA graphic showing the Sinaloa Cartel — A DEA chart depicting the organization of the Sinaloa Cartel. (DEA)

“Twenty remain at large in China and Mexico, and we are requesting their arrest,” Milgram said.

With regard to the CJNG, led by the notoriously elusive Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the DEA administrator said in her written statement that the organization has “illicit drug distribution hubs in Los Angeles, Seattle, Charlotte, Chicago, and Atlanta.”

“Internationally, the Jalisco Cartel has a presence and influence through associates, facilitators, and brokers on every continent except Antarctica,” Milgram wrote, adding that the CJNG smuggles narcotics, including fentanyl, into the United States “by accessing various trafficking corridors along the southwest border that include Tijuana, Mexicali, Ciudad Juárez, Matamoros, and Nuevo Laredo.”

She said that the DEA’s “requested and anticipated funding” of US $3.7 billion in fiscal year 2024 would provide the agency “with the resources needed to build upon the work we have accomplished to defeat the cartels and emerging drug threats.”

During the subcommittee hearing, Republican Representative Jake Ellzey asked Milgram whether she would support a U.S. military deployment against Mexican cartels, as some of his congressional colleagues have proposed.

“Any authority that Congress gives us we will use to the fullest extent,” she responded.

“… And that’s what we’re doing right now. We’re trying to use every authority, every piece of information, every dollar to save American lives.”

Ellzey also asked Milgram whether Mexico is cooperating with the DEA’s mission to combat cartels and the fentanyl they traffic.

“Or are they hindering? Or are they so corrupt? What I’d like to know is, are they a failed narco-state?” the Texan lawmaker said.

The Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s presence in Mexico. (Insight Crime)

“We all have to do more. We are working to do more and we want the Mexicans to work with us and we want them to do more,” Milgram said.

Questioned whether there are “players” in the Mexican government that the DEA doesn’t want to deal with because it knows they are corrupt, she responded:

“We follow the evidence wherever it goes. … We did an investigation, and an arrest and extradition of JOH, Juan Orlando Hernández, the former president of Honduras, and … we’ve also charged … Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela. And so DEA does not back down from doing that kind of work, and we will continue to follow the facts and evidence wherever it takes us.”

“As part of the Chapitos indictment,” Milgram added, “we talk about the corruption, we talk about the corruption that fuels narcotics trafficking in Mexico and globally — and so again, wherever the evidence and the facts take us, we will go.”

Former Mexican security minister Genaro García Luna was convicted in the United States earlier this year on charges he colluded with the Sinaloa Cartel to traffic narcotics, a verdict President López Obrador has used to support his claim that Mexico was a narco-state during the 2006–12 presidency of Felipe Calderón.

Milgram’s appearance before lawmakers came two weeks after Mexico and the United States committed at a bilateral security meeting in Washington to “continue joint work to dismantle the fentanyl supply chain and the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel on both sides of the border.”

L to R: U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, Mexico’s Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez and Foreign Ministry official Roberto Velasco at the recent bilateral conference on synthetic drugs in Mexico City. Rodríguez has maintained an open dialogue with the United States in the fight against fentanyl trafficking from Mexico. (@roseicela_)

In late March at the the U.S.-Mexico Synthetic Drug Conference in Mexico City, officials from both countries emphasized the importance of cooperating to combat the illicit fentanyl trade.

López Obrador and other federal officials have recently highlighted the Mexican government’s efforts to combat the trafficking of fentanyl as they sought to refute claims from some Republican Party lawmakers in the U.S. that Mexico is doing little to stop the drug flowing across the northern border. López Obrador even wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping in an attempt to enlist his help in the fight against fentanyl, and earlier this month created a commission to combat arms and synthetic drug trafficking into the country.

In addition, the lower house of Congress this week approved an anti-fentanyl law that stipulates harsh punishments including lengthy jail sentences for anyone found using precursor chemicals to make synthetic drugs.

Mexico and the United States agree that fentanyl precursors are shipped to Mexico from Asia and in particular China, but a spokesperson for the Chinese government declared April 6 that “there is no such thing as illegal trafficking of fentanyl between China and Mexico.”

Mexico News Daily

Electrolit: a Mexican solution for surviving the heat

By

John Pint

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April 28, 2023

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Bottles of Mexican electrolyte replacement drink Electrolit — Multiple deaths were attributed to dehydration. (File photo)

May is the hottest month of the year both in Mexico City and Guadalajara until the heat wave comes to an abrupt halt in June with the onset of the rainy season and pleasantly cool weather throughout the summer.

May is doubly rough on hikers because it’s not only the hottest month but also the driest.

“Now, how do I get back?” Guadalajara hiker and caver Luis Rojas consults his GPS in the ghost town of Tequilizinta at the height of the dry season.

Hills turn brown and la maleza (the underbrush) shrivels up. On top of that, many oak trees actually drop their leaves throughout April, leaving much of Mexico tinder-box dry in the month of May, with shade at a premium, if it can be found at all.

Therefore, in May, hikers typically rise at dawn, hoping to beat the heat. In case they’re not successful, many escape the worst consequences of dehydration thanks to what is popularly called suero in Mexico.

Suero translates to “oral rehydration solution (ORS)” similar to what is found in an IV drip: an isotonic liquid that matches the salinity and electrolyte content of blood.

These days, fortunately, you can find an ORS at every convenience store in Mexico. Just ask for suero at your local Oxxo, and you’ll be handed a square bottle that looks medicinal — and is medicinal. It’s called Electrolit: an isotonic beverage that has been made in Mexico for over 70 years and rehydrates athletes not only in Latin America but now also in the United States.

Juan Diego Martinez — Guadalajara student Juan Diego Martínez at the top of Everest in 2022. What did he bring along? A Mexican flag, a bottle of Electrolit and… his piano keyboard.

One of those many athletes is 19-year-old Juan Diego Martínez Álvarez, a student of industrial engineering at Guadalajara’s Autonomous University. In May, this determined teenager not only succeeded in climbing Mount Everest but also broke six Guinness records in the process.

One of the few things Martínez brought up to the peak with him was a bottle of Electrolit, as well as a piano keyboard — but that’s another story.

Many Mexican deportistas (athletes) living in the U.S., like Indycar racer Pato O’Ward, swear by Electrolit, but some can’t resist commenting that “It costs twice as much here as in Mexico.“

A correctly made ORS replaces all the electrolytes your body loses by sweating. Electrolit contains four electrolyte minerals: potassium, magnesium, sodium and calcium. It also has six ions for electrolyte absorption — and has no artificial colors or flavors. On top of that, it really tastes good!

1950s bottles of Electrolit electrolyte replacement drink — The earliest version of Electrolit was an oral rehydration solution designed to save babies’ lives during Mexico’s cholera epidemic of 1950.

How do you feel when you drink it? I had no idea during the first 60 years of my life. Drinking plenty of water before, during and after heavy exercise kept me feeling just fine. But after 60, a hard game of racquetball resulted in certain consequences — such as cramps at night — no matter how much water I drank.

Then I discovered Electrolit. Not only did it prevent cramps, it actually “renewed” me, sometimes leaving me feeling better at the end of a hard hike than I did at the beginning.

Electrolit is made by a 100% Mexican pharmaceutical company called Pisa, which, you may be surprised to learn, stands for Productos Infantiles S.A.. The company was, in fact, founded in 1945 by Professor Don Miguel Álvarez Ochoa in response to an urgent need for medicines designed for children.

In those days, people would treat babies by giving them a fragment of a pill designed for adults. Pisa began manufacturing products specifically designed for children, from colic medicine to cough syrup, all of which were well received because Don Miguel personally supervised every stage of production — from the buying of raw materials to distribution and sales.

Pisa soon acquired a reputation for high quality. Then, in 1950, Mexico was hit by a cholera epidemic that killed thousands. An oral rehydration product was desperately needed, and Pisa created and began to distribute a formula —designed to save babies’ lives — which they called Electrolit.

Today, in its Tlajomulco plant outside Guadalajara, the company produces 28,000 bottles per day for five countries in the Americas. These should be added to over 1,500 other medical products Pisa sells under a variety of brand names.

Guadalajara’s annual 21k Half Marathon has been sponsored by Electrolit for the last 37 years.

Although, in my opinion, Electrolit tops the list of commercially made rehydration drinks, there is nothing magical about its ingredients, and some hikers prefer to mix up their own homemade version of an isotonic beverage.

Hoping to get a formula that guarantees the best results, I consulted a Mexican hiker who just happened to work for many years in Guadalajara’s suero-making industry.

“To make a good electrolyte-replacement drink,” said this retired engineer, whose trail name is Drac, “take one liter of potable water and stir in the following”:

½ tsp. of baking soda
½ tsp. of sea salt
1 Tbs. tablespoon of honey
The juice of at least four Persian limes (the small limones that Mexicans squeeze on everything from fish to soup, and without which they could not possibly survive).

Mix this up (dissolving the honey will take some extra effort) and then taste it. Add either honey or Persian lime juice until it’s just the way you like it.

Thanks to the honey and limones, claims Drac, this home-brew electrolyte drink is actually better for rehydration than any of the commercial brands, and I suggest you call it Dracolit.

writer John Pint hiking in Jalisco — In most parts of Mexico, May is the hottest month of the year. Time to slip a bottle of Electrolit—made in Guadalajara—into your backpack.

Now you are truly ready to survive the Mexican month of May — just watch out for the incendios (forest fires).

And don’t forget: ¡Ya vienen las lluvias! The rains are on their way!

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.

Mexico in Numbers: Most (and least) popular baby names

By

MND Staff

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April 28, 2023

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First baby of 2023 born n Mexico public hospital — The first baby born in an IMSS hospital this year, Zabdiel, was not christened with one of Mexico's most popular names. (IMSS)

The national statistics agency (INEGI) keeps track of the most popular names for babies in Mexico – and the least popular ones.

Sofía has topped the list for some time as the most popular name in the country for girls. There are some 6,552 girls registered with that name across the nation, according to the most recent data from 2021.

Following in the girl’s category are the names María José, Regina, Camila and Valeria. To round out the top ten are Ximena, María Fernanda, Victoria and Renata.

For boys, Santiago is parents’ favorite. There are almost 10,000 boys registered with this name.

After Santiago, Mateo is the most popular boy’s name with 8,209 kids bearing it. Following are Leonardo, Matías, Emiliano, Daniel, Gael, Miguel Ángel and Diego.

As for the least popular names, Ainhoa is the least preferred by parents. Only 173 girls in Mexico bear the name. Other names on the verge of disappearing are Ambar, Samadhi, Georgina and Ailyn.

The least popular name for boys is Jesús Armando with 227 registered. Lian, Jeremías and Alan Tadeo are also near the bottom.

The INEGI data shows that there were 1.9 million births registered in 2021, of which 49% were girls and 51% were boys.

Data shows that in the last 10 years, the birth rate in Mexico has decreased: in 2012, INEGI reported 2.5 million births. By 2021, that figure came down to 1.9 million. However, births in that year increased compared to 2020, when only 1.6 million babies were born.

With reports from Cuéntame INEGI

Nonprofit Casita Linda to build 150th home in San Miguel de Allende

By

Ann Marie Jackson

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April 28, 2023

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A family in San Miguel de Allende — Families from poor communities in San Miguel de Allende have benefited from Casita Linda's work for over 20 years. (Ted Davis)

For over 20 years, nonprofit organization Casita Linda has built homes for families living in extreme poverty in San Miguel de Allende. “We’re now completing house #146, and later this year we’ll reach #150, an incredible milestone,” noted Executive Director Gabriela Rodríguez in a recent interview with me. I previously served as Vice President of Casita Linda, and I am currently on the Advisory Board.

“Moving into a Casita Linda house that has concrete floors, separate bedrooms for girls and boys, an indoor bathroom, furniture, a rainwater catchment system, and doors that lock is a profoundly life-changing event,” said Louise Gilliam, president of Casita Linda’s board of directors.

Children with a sign — Recipients of a Casita Linda home. (Courtesy)

Before receiving a Casita Linda home, most of these families live in shacks made of found materials such as scrap metal, cardboard, plastic sheets, and scavenged bricks, with dirt floors that turn to mud in the rainy season.

Casita Linda was founded in 2001 by Jeffrey Brown, a San Miguel resident, stonemason, and graphic artist, and Irma Rosado, a local human-services consultant. From the beginning, Casita Linda has been a team of foreigners and Mexicans working together to change the trajectory of impoverished families’ lives.

It is impressive to see a small organization which currently has just seven volunteer board members, an executive director, two part-time office staff, and a small crew of construction workers accomplish so much. They currently build ten houses per year.

Choosing eco-friendly Mexican technology

Family with a Casita Linda house — A proud family in front of their new home. (Courtesy)

“As the organization evolved, we wanted to build a more sustainable house,” explained Gilliam, “So we researched a wide variety of architectural designs and construction methods and ultimately decided to work with a wonderful company called Armados Omega, or Armo, from Puebla.”

Armo’s husband-and-wife team of architects, Jorge Capistrán and Sylvia Zambrano, invented a system of interlocking concrete bricks, affectionately referred to by the Casita Linda team as “Legos,” which are mortarless and self-aligning. This system offers substantial benefits over regular bricks. While improving the quality of the houses it builds, Casita Linda has reduced construction time by 50 percent, and perhaps even more importantly in a region facing a water crisis, reduced the use of water in the construction process by up to 70 percent.

Each house includes separate bedrooms for girls, boys, and parents, providing privacy and dignity, as well as a bathroom with a shower, sink, and toilet, a combination kitchen/living/dining room, electrical wiring and plumbing, a septic tank, and a rainwater harvesting system.

Outreach and “sweat equity”

Building a house — Building a Casita Linda house with patented ARMO bricks. (Courtesy)

Casita Linda’s path to home-ownership requires a significant commitment on the part of applicants who must agree to put in 100 hours of “sweat equity,” helping to build their own home or the homes of others in the community.

Recipients also attend nine months of empowering, community-building workshops led by Magda Pérez López, a social worker with decades of experience working in rural communities. Some of the workshops are geared specifically to women, while others are for both men and women.

Pérez López begins with topics such as self-esteem, childhood nutrition, water conservation, organic gardening, and income-generating projects, and she works up to such challenging issues as sexuality, family planning, addiction, and domestic violence.

With the skills and knowledge provided, recipients are better prepared to start a new chapter in their lives. In addition, couples must commit to keeping their children in school, and the wife’s name must be on the property deed as a protection for the children in case of a future separation.

“I believe the most significant impact is achieved when women and men leave victimhood and are able to become the protagonists of their lives,” said Pérez López. “It is encouraging to see families improve their living conditions not only by receiving a Casita Linda home but also by bettering their family relationships, improving the quality of the food they eat, and enhancing their respect for the environment.”

“All of that,” Rodríguez agreed, “is key to ending the inter-generational transmission of poverty.”

Over the years, Casita Linda has increased its impact by getting more involved in the communities in which it builds houses. In addition to offering a range of workshops, Casita Linda provides various forms of support to the community as a whole. The organization often partners with other local nonprofits to do so.

Getting involved

Volunteers help build a house — The Momentum Factor team with Casita Linda board president Louise Gilliam and Jorge Capistrán of ARMO. (Lauren Sevrin)

The best way to volunteer for Casita Linda is through a service trip. Companies and school groups from the United States have first raised the money to build a Casita Linda home and then come to San Miguel de Allende to help build the house they’ve paid for. “It is an amazing experience for us to build someone’s first house side-by-side with them, a house they never imagined they’d have,” said Jonathan Gilliam, CEO of Momentum Factor, who has brought his executive team to San Miguel four times. “It is incredibly fulfilling for us and brings us together as a team.”

“Building a home for a family has lasting implications,” said Scott Malik, an employee of the firm. “The house becomes the foundation for the family to thrive, bringing basic shelter so they can then focus on bettering their lives. I love knowing we had a hand in helping to build this family’s future.”

Casita Linda’s annual fundraising gala has become a fixture on the San Miguel social calendar. The Moulin Rouge-themed event will be held Sept. 12 at the Live Aqua hotel. Gala tickets go on sale in July.

The organization is also appreciative of donations of house paint and tile. For more information or to make a contribution, please visit casitalinda.org or contact [email protected].

Based in San Miguel de Allende, Ann Marie Jackson is a writer and NGO leader who previously worked for the U.S. Department of State. Her novel The Broken Hummingbird will be out in October. Ann Marie can be reached through her website, annmariejacksonauthor.com.

Rare statue of Mayan god K’awiil discovered on Maya Train route

By

Cat Rainsford

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April 28, 2023

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A statue of the Mayan god K'awiil — The three-dimensional depiction of the Mayan god K'awiil, uncovered during an archeological rescue dig on Section 7 of the Maya Train route. (INAH)

Archaeologists performing rescue work on section 7 of the Maya Train route have found a rare stone sculpture of the Mayan god K’awil, a deity linked to power, abundance and prosperity.

The discovery was announced by Diego Prieto Hernández, general director of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), during President López Obrador’s morning press conference.

Mexican archaeologist holding newly discovered Mayan artifact — The construction of the Maya Train has led to a surge of interest in Mayan archeology, as researchers turn up a wealth of buried artifacts. Here, an archeologist shows his finds in an area near Chichén Itzá. (Martín Zetina/Cuartoscuro)

“This finding is very important because there are few sculptural representations of the god K’awil; so far, we only know three in Tikal, Guatemala, and this is one of the first to appear in Mexican territory,” Prieto said.

He explained that the deity is more commonly seen represented in paintings, reliefs and Mayan codices. This rare three-dimensional image was found on the head of an urn whose body shows the face of a different deity, possibly linked to the sun.

Prieto said AMLO had been shown the piece during a tour last weekend to inspect progress on section 7 of the Maya Train, which runs between Bacalar, Quintana Roo and Escárcega, Campeche.

He added that archaeological rescue work is now concentrated on sections 6 and 7 of the train’s route, as work is now completed on sections 1 to 5, between Palenque, Chiapas and Tulum.

Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and HIstory Director Diego Prieto Hernandez at podium — National Institute of Anthropology and History Director Diego Prieto Hernandez (at podium) announced the find at the daily presidential press conference on Thursday. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartsocuro)

“Work is still being done on complementary projects, such as the collection and cleaning of archaeological materials, their classification and ordering,” Prieto said.

“All this work should lead to analysis of the vast information, preparation of academic reports and a large international research symposium on the Mayan civilization, which will be organized for this year.”

As of April 27, the INAH has registered and preserved as part of the Maya Train archaeological rescue project:

48,971 ancient buildings or foundations
896,449 ceramic fragments
1,817 movable objects
491 human remains
1,307 natural features, such as caves and cenotes.

Land cleared for the Maya train near Playa del Carmen, in April. — Land cleared for the Maya Train near Playa del Carmen. While officials tout the amazing discoveries being made during construction work on the Maya Train, environmentalists say the project is causing irreparable damage to the jungle environment and cenotes on the Yucatán Peninsula.

Other notable discoveries made during construction include a 1,000-year-old Maya canoe at the San Andrés archaeological site near Chichén Itzá, an 8,000-year-old human skeleton in a cenote near Tulum, and a previously unknown archaeological site of more than 300 buildings in Quintana Roo, dubbed Paamul II.

Prieto has previously said that a new museum will be constructed in Mérida that will be dedicated to discoveries unearthed during the construction of the Maya Train. The INAH is also analyzing the findings at its laboratory in Chetumal, which Prieto said would nourish the study of Mayan civilizations for the next 25 years.

However, while the archaeological rescue process is thought to be progressing well, the Maya Train continues to face strong resistance from environmentalists, who believe the project will do irreversible damage to the region’s unique ecosystems and subterranean lakes.

With reports from Aristegui Noticias

En Breve: Mexico City tops best food guide, Mayan DNA and MLB comes to the capital

By

MND Staff

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April 28, 2023

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Fish and Avocado tacos from Mi Compa Chava — A survey of Food and Wine magazine readers placed Mexico City and San Miguel de Allende in the top 10 global food destinations. (Mi Compa Chava/Instagram)

Mexico City and SMA make Food and Wine best cities for food list

Two Mexican cities have made it onto Food and Wine’s list of best international cities for food.

Rooftop in San Miguel de Allende — San Miguel de Allende is known for its “incredible food offerings” according to Food and Wine, and also for picturesque rooftop dining spots. (Quince/Twitter)

Mexico City took the coveted top spot, with reviewers noting that the city offered “boundary-pushing restaurants to more modest — and seemingly endless amounts of — puestos [street food vendors]; the sheer range of Mexico City’s offerings is part of what makes it so special.”

At No. 9 on the list, San Miguel de Allende, the colonial jewel of Guanajuato state, was praised for “its innovative cuisine, which beautifully meshes local flavors with a variety of global influences.”

Mexico City beat some global gastronomy hotspots, including Paris, Madrid and San Sebastián, Spain. The rankings reflected voting by Food and Wine readers, who assessed the cities for the quality of restaurants, bars and nightlife.

Tulum Crypto Fest prepares for 2023 event

The festival aims to promote Web3 development and the digital nomad lifestyle. (Tulum Crypto Fest/Twitter)

The idyllic beaches of Quintana Roo, on the Caribbean coast, will play host to the Tulum Crypto Fest in May.

Between May 4-7, the second edition of the cryptocurrency festival – which focuses on the benefits of adopting digital currency – will see enthusiasts flock to Tulum listen to keynote speakers from across the cryptosphere.

The festival will also provide a platform for digital nomads to make connections and provide a taste of the nomad lifestyle for those looking to take the first step towards independence from a traditional working lifestyle.

The event is organized and operated by a diverse group of local businesses seeking to advertise the benefits of working remotely in Tulum.

“Technology has the power to connect all people, and the Tulum Crypto Fest is the perfect platform to materialize this idea in the real world,” Peiman Fazli, cofounder of the event told the U.S. publication Forbes.

Study detects similarities between ancient and modern Maya

The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, has revealed that the modern Maya people continue to share much of their DNA with their ancient ancestors.

In a study that began in 2017, German researchers found that while modern Maya are more disease resistant (especially to the effects of salmonella bacteria), bones recovered from the area around Chichén Itzá suggest that there has been significant genetic continuity between the ages.

Laysa Guadalupe Yam Un sits in the room where she quarantined from her family when she came down with Covid. She was able to recover quickly at home, and none of her family members caught the virus. Laysa is a Maya farmer and a beneficiary of the Sembrando Vida program, and lives a few hours outside of the Riviera Maya. — Research in Germany suggests that the modern Maya people have retained much of the same genetics as their ancestors – though with improved disease resistance. (Molly Ferrill)

The Maya, who were the dominant force in much of Central America for over a millennium, were only finally dethroned completely in A.D. 1697, when the Spanish conquered the last independent Maya city of Nojpetén.

It is hoped that these findings will attract further funding to identify more ways in which the ancient Maya civilization lives on.

Vaivén festival to take place in Morelos

Jardines de Mexico, Morelos — The Jardines de México, which will play host to Vaivén festival this weekend, claim to be the largest floral gardens in the world. (Jardines de Mexico/Facebook)

The Vaivén dance music festival is scheduled to take place in Morelos on April 29–April 30.

The festival, which will see performances from chart successes such as Holland’s Shermanology, U.S. DJ Zhu and Australia’s Rüfüs du Sol, is set in the stunning grounds of the Jardines de México, which claims to be the largest floral gardens in the world.

Vaivén has been running successfully since 2016 and attracts a host of international dance music talent to the tranquil slopes of the mountains outside Mexico City.

In between performances, festivalgoers will be able to take part in yoga and meditation workshops and create their own music at hip-hop and karaoke centers.

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.

Major League Baseball comes to Mexico City

Some of the biggest stars in Major League Baseball will meet in Mexico City this weekend, as the San Diego Padres face the San Francisco Giants at the Alfredo Harp Helú stadium.

Sitting third and fourth in the National League West respectively, the Californian sides will take to the diamond in the capital for the first time on Saturday.

MLB training camp in CDMX — To celebrate playing in Mexico City, the LA Giants have announced partnerships with Mexico City sides to help develop youth talent. Here, former Designated Hitter, Hunter Pence supports local children at a training camp. (MLB)

While the MLB has visited Mexico before, the previous five regular-season games have all taken place in the northern city of Monterrey, Nuevo León.

Earlier this month, the Giants announced initiatives to help support the game in Mexico, sponsoring two new Liga Maya (Mayan League) teams in Mexico City. Padres announcer Eduardo Ortega, himself a Mexican, also spoke at length today about the importance of Major League Baseball in Mexico.

Mexico was recently eliminated by the United States in the World Baseball Classic, before going on to finish third.

With reports from Food and Wine, Forbes, Aristegui, Vaiven, MLB