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López Obrador and Biden discuss border ‘enforcement actions’

By
MND Staff
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President Joe Biden and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador
The two leaders held a phone call on Thursday to discuss the border crossings on the U.S. side, which is causing significant disruption to trade on both sides of the border. (Cuartoscuro)

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and United States President Joe Biden agreed on Thursday that “additional enforcement actions” to stem the flow of migrants are needed before currently closed border crossings can reopen, according to White House spokesman John Kirby.

The two presidents spoke by telephone three days after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) closed international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, “in order to redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody.”

Migrants ride a freight train through the desert
Migrants ride above a freight train near the El Paso/Ciudad Juárez border crossing. Entry to the U.S. via railroad has become a concern for politicians in neighbouring Texas. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro.com)

Kirby, spokesman for the White House National Security Council, told reporters that the “two leaders agreed that additional enforcement actions are urgently needed so that key ports of entry can be reopened across our shared border.”

He also said that a delegation of U.S. officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Homeland Security adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall would travel to Mexico in the coming days to discuss the migration issue with López Obrador.

“Their visit will really be about getting at the migratory flows and talking to President López Obrador and his team about what more we can do together,” Kirby said. “There’s probably more we can be doing.”

CBP has recently closed other border crossings including the Lukeville Port of Entry in Arizona, which remains out of action.

Organizations including top Mexican farm lobby CNA and the Mexican Employers Federation have expressed their dissatisfaction with the rail bridge closures, pointing out that they will cause significant economic losses.

Rail freight operator Union Pacific cited a figure of US $200 million per day, and asserted that “during this massive [migration] surge only 5 people have attempted to come into the U.S. on Union Pacific trains in the last 5 weeks.”

For its part, the CBP said it had observed “a recent resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains” and announced it was “taking additional actions to surge personnel and address this concerning development, including in partnership with Mexican authorities.”

The Associated Press reported that “migrants often ride freight trains through Mexico, hopping off just before entering the U.S.”

AMLO has been an outspoken critic of what he calls an “inhumane” Texas law criminalizing illegal migration. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

The CBP’s decision to suspend operations at the two rail bridges came after a period during which large numbers of migrants had crossed into Texas, where Governor Greg Abbott signed into law on Monday what his government called “a transformative package of border security legislation.”

One law set to take effect in March “creates a criminal offense for illegal entry into this state from a foreign nation,” according to a Texas government statement.

López Obrador called the law “inhumane” and said Mexico would challenge it.

He also spoke to Biden about migration during a meeting in San Francisco last month.

At the time, López Obrador said that further progress needs to be made on the migration issue, but noted that the two countries were working together on the issue.

He also thanked Biden for the legal migration pathways his administration has opened up for citizens of certain Western Hemisphere countries and acknowledged that his administration hadn’t built any additional wall on the Mexico-U.S border – at least not yet.

Biden thanked López Obrador for his “cooperation” and “leadership” on the migration “challenge,” telling his counterpart that he knew such work was not easy.

“We’re taking a balanced approach that lies at the heart of the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection. … It includes enforcing our borders … and opening a historic number of legal pathways for migrants,” he said.

Migration is a key focus of the bilateral relationship between Mexico and the United States, and the amount of attention the issue gets is only going to increase as both nations head into an election year, and large numbers of people continue to seek a better life in the U.S.

CBP encountered a record high of almost 2.5 million migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border in fiscal year 2023, which ended in September, while “December 2023 has so far seen some of the heaviest arrivals ever of migrants, mostly asylum seekers, at the … border,” according to the Washington Office on Latin America.

With reports from Reuters, USA Today and AP

Arsenal of explosives and weapons seized in Jalisco

By
Cat Rainsford
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Members of the Defence Ministry and Attorney General's Office conducted the raid on the illicit stash, which was spotted when a lookout fled the scene. (FGR/X)

Members of the Mexican Army and Attorney General’s Office (FGR) have seized an arsenal of weapons and explosives in Jalisco in one of the largest arms seizures in recent months.

The seizure was made on Dec. 18 at a property in the Cuitzeo neighborhood of Poncitlán, on the shores of Lake Chapala. The military was first alerted to the property after seeing an individual near the building fleeing at the sight of soldiers conducting a surveillance mission. Various weapons were visible on the floor inside.

The hefty weapons haul included 53,852 rounds of ammunition. (FGR/X)

After obtaining a warrant, authorities raided the building and found 34 firearms, 417 magazines for different weapons, 53,852 ammunition cartridges, 40 grenades and 45 improvised explosive devices, according to a statement by the Defense Ministry (Sedena).

A statement by the FGR counts only 30 improvised explosive devices, but adds that two grenade launchers, 28 helmets and 10 bullet-proof vests were also found. The weapons were handed over to the federal prosecutor’s office to continue the investigation. 

It is not clear whether anyone was arrested in connection with the seizure.

Authorities have not indicated  which criminal group the arsenal belonged to, although the area is known to be controlled by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

The ongoing drug war in Mexico has spurred a huge illegal arms build-up in the region, which has also been revealed in previous seizures. In October, FGR agents seized 104 firearms on two farms in Zapopan and San Pedro Tlaquepaque, and more than 100 explosive devices were seized in Mazamitla in March.

With reports from La Opinión and Latinus

Contemporary and counterculture art scene in Oaxaca’s galleries

By
Laurel Tuohy
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Graffiti in Oaxaca
Graffiti that says “Gringo Go Home” on the streets of Oaxaca. (Courtesy of Laurel Tuohy)

Oaxaca is considered the cultural heart of Mexico, acting as a muse for creatives and drawing artists from across the country and world, who adopt the colonial city as their home.

Some are attracted by the graphic art traditions of printmaker Francisco Toledo and painter Rufino Tamayo, but the city is also a hotbed of startling street art. Ethereal murals share wall space with mock advertisements offering great apartments to foreigners – back in their own countries – while crude graffiti advises gringos to shut up, go home or worse. Much of the city’s ever-evolving street art also references Oaxaca’s history of cultural rebellions, state violence, corrupt leadership and battles for Indigenous autonomy.

Harnessing all of this energy are collectives, galleries and artists curating spaces across the city to share diverse points of view in settings that range from gentrified to gritty.

Natalia Siu Munro is an indigo, or añil, textile artist with Nicaraguan-Chinese heritage from the UK who has lived in Oaxaca for four years. 

“I was seeking a place where art lived and breathed, and Oaxaca was it. [Art] is ingrained in the culture and you can find it everywhere. For me, the scene accepts all and has no prejudices. It’s constantly shifting. There’s a new exhibition every other week – sometimes three openings on the same night. Generations of artists work and collaborate to evolve [Oaxaca] into a safe creative space for all,” she said.

Farid Cruz Vasquez, director of Cocijo Gallery, has noticed that the artistic culture of the city is always growing in sphere and influence. “So many cultures in one place, with different visions of life. Now all the world is coming to work and enjoy,” he said. 

“Madre e hija”. Paint by Ricardo León. Galería Cocijo, Oaxaca (@galeriacocijo/Instagram)

But it’s the abundant street art – from dreamscape-y murals to quickly-laid, expletive-laden stencils – that provides the city with an artistic vibrance that envelops you immediately – even if you never step inside a gallery. 

Renowned painter Guillermo Olguín believes the city’s best art showcases are its avenues, lanes and alleys. “The art on the streets is sophisticated, well executed and not only political. There is poetry in it, there is very fine talent and the continuation and revival of the classic Mexican graphic school technique,” he said.

Within the city limits lies one of the country’s most admired graphics institutes, and continues to give birth to artists and galleries that take the tradition to the people. The Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca (IAGO) was founded by Toledo, the celebrated creator of iconic Mexican intaglio prints lovingly called ‘el maestro’ and hero of many local tales.

Red Dot Art Gallery – Director Teresa Diaz sees Oaxaca as a place “recognized as a fountain of artists of all different techniques. Influences from abroad make it an inspirational destination and have diverted the long-holding trance of Mexican Magical Realism that once permeated the city’s art.” 

Red Dot Art Gallery (Courtesy of Teresa Diaz)

She noted artists like Demian Flores, Mauricio Cervantes and Emilia Sandoval, who are creating micro and macro works that go beyond the personal to broach a global significance, while Zapotec printmaker Gabriela Morac and painter Alberto Mendiola use their mediums to ironically meld pre-Columbian imagery with ideas of branding, marketing and merchandising.

Though art can be enjoyed throughout the city – on its streets, in a number of museums and through a variety of groundbreaking collectives – these are the art galleries in Oaxaca that have stolen our hearts. 

Espacio Zapata – A space as revolutionary as its namesake Emiliano Zapata, the gallery, tied to the Assembly of Revolutionary Artists of Oaxaca (ASARO), furthers Mexican graphic and political heritage alongside lithographs, woodblock prints and more. You’ll spot this place from the top of the street with its high-energy facade featuring ever-changing, eye-catching murals – currently it’s painted with dozens of Mexican art motifs in shades of gold and black. Inside, discover friendly and passionate artists showcasing work that extends from frames to walls – and from the art world into the community. 

Calle Porfirio Díaz 509, Oaxaca 

An iconic wall in downtown Oaxaca City is the one belonging to Espacio Zapata. (@espaciozapata/Instagram)

Red Dot Art Gallery – Focused on experimental and avant-garde visual arts, this large space favors unconventional points of view and always leaves visitors with new ideas to ponder. Exhibitions investigate issues of culture, gender, humanities and politics while a regular roster of public talks, music and events offer even more reasons to return to the bright and airy space.

Stellah Gallery – This small, intimate gallery holds a gorgeously curated selection of textiles, furnishings and paintings alongside Australian owner and curator Stellah De Ville’s own tactile ceramic vessels and sculptures. With a preference towards organic shapes, colors and materials, guests feel an immediate sense of calm wonder upon entering. 

Av. José María Morelos 301, Oaxaca 

Stellah in her gallery. (Courtesy of Stellah de Ville)

La Santísima Gallery – Fans of dark, minimalist print work with a bent towards the macabre will gravitate to this grungy, authentic and frenetic space where the city’s creatives gather to drink canned beer on opening nights and view works by up-and-coming painters, textile makers and artists like graffiti muralist Dreka Ventura. Pick up unique gift items made by gallery artists in the adjoining shop. 

Miguel Hidalgo 1019, Oaxaca 

Siqueiros Gallery – A must-stop spot for fans of political street art, this multi-room gallery offers a large range of graffiti, paintings and prints alongside merch like tote bags, stickers and pins. Most pieces have a unique story related to some aspect of Oaxaca’s history. The multilingual staff are eager to share these tales and you may find yourself in deep contemplation and long conversations here.

C. Porfirio Díaz 510, Ruta Independencia, Oaxaca

Cocijo Gallery – Focused on weirdly wonderful paintings and woodcuts, including many that reflect on the region’s rich past and incorporate a full circle of influences. Discover works by emerging Mexican artists such as Indigenous lithograph artist Gilberto Delgado, J-Paw and Tupac Emiliano as well as occasional demonstrations and classes.

C. de Mariano Abasolo 107, Ruta Independencia, Oaxaca

Laurel is a nomadic lifestyle journalist whose favorite stories focus on weird and wonderful travel and culture. Her work has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Vice, BBC Travel, Travel + Leisure, South China Morning Post, The Culture Trip and more. 

@laureltuohy, www.laureltuohy.com

Best weekend getaways from Mexico City by bus: Part 1

By
Bethany Platanella
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A list of 10 destinations that can be reached by bus in 5 hours or less from CDMX, and the most comfortable bus lines to take you there. (Canva)

One of the things I love most about living in Mexico City is its connectivity by bus. In five hours or less, it’s possible to access a vastly different landscape, culture, cuisine, and temperature – all you need to do is look at the bus schedule.

That sounds pretty easy, right? It’s not. 

Because there isn’t a central internet hub that aggregates the bus schedule in its entirety, it’s often more effective to look directly at the site of the bus line you plan to take. 

But, what if you don’t know which bus line to take?

Not to fret, because I’ve done my utmost to compile a list of 10 destinations that can be reached by bus in 5 hours or less from CDMX, and the most comfortable bus lines to take you there. 

The bus lines

There are dozens of bus lines that depart from any of Mexico City’s four main terminals. The most luxe of them, ranked as such due to seating arrangements, access to onboard entertainment, and amenities like air conditioning, bathrooms, and snacks, are the following:

  • ADO, the largest of Mexico’s bus lines, offers five classes of service, including OCC which is included on this list. The ADO hub is at the TAPO terminal, though you can take it from Norte and Sur as well. More on that to come.
  • ETN is considered quite luxurious, and many riders have compared it to first-class flying. Unless you’re referring to first class on Spirit Airlines this might be a bit of a stretch, but the reclined seats and personal movie screens make it worth the higher price per ticket. Turistar is also part of ETN, which offers the same level of service but different destinations.
  • Estrella Blanca owns both Futura and Chihuahuenses. While not quite as fancy as ETN, both have comfortable buses with reclining seats, air conditioning, and onboard bathrooms. 
  • CostaLine is comparable to Estrella Blanca with the same amenities.
  • Primera Plus, while claiming to be the “gold standard” of Mexican bus travel, locks in at a solid bronze. Expect the basic amenities like reclining seats, bathrooms and arrival at your intended destination.
  • E-Bus is the anomaly of this list as it only runs between CDMX and Paseo Destino, Puebla’s fancy bus terminal that serves as an alternative to CAPU. The line is a step below ETN and departs from the following locations in Mexico City: 
    • El Ángel;
    • Miyana-Polanco; 
    • Santa Fe; 
    • World Trade Center.

The terminals

The four main terminals in CDMX are oriented to the cardinal points:

  • TAPO (Oriente), the eastern bus station, located near Mexico City International Airport
  • Central del Norte, which boasts its own metro station, Autobuses del Norte on the yellow line 5.
  • Terminal Poniente (Observatorio), in the west
  • Central de Autobuses del Sur (Tasqueña), in Coyoacán

Tickets can be bought online or directly at kiosks in the bus terminal. Wifi is offered onboard, though in my extensive riding experience, that has never been the case (I keep trying). Don’t rely on it. 

The destinations

Now, let’s move on to where to go! Here is a list of the first 4 of 10 destinations that can be reached within 5 hours of CDMX.

Puebla 

Best for: Foodies

Santuario de la Virgen de los Remedios, San Pedro Cholula, Puebla. (Unsplash)

The highlights: Puebla Cathedral, Parisian, Calle de los Sapos, Biblioteca Palafoxiana, Museo Amparo, Cholula

What to eat: mole poblano, cemitas, sopas

Why you should go: Even though Puebla is the fifth largest city in Mexico, it doesn’t feel that way when you’re coming from CDMX. Its historic downtown is colorful and walkable, peppered with cocktail bars, museums, sophisticated restaurants, and lots of ornate churches. It’s a great place to spend a weekend.

How to get to Puebla from Mexico City:

From TAPO: The ADO line runs up to 20 departures per day. The journey lasts 2 – 2.5 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 188 pesos.

From NORTE: The ADO line runs up to 18 departures per day. The journey lasts 2 – 2.5 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 268 pesos.

From SUR: The ADO line runs up to 9 departures per day. The journey lasts 2 – 2.5 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 218 pesos.

From El Angel; Miyana-Polanco; Santa Fe; World Trade Center: The E-bus line runs up to 21 departures per day. The journey lasts 2.5 – 3 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 210 pesos.

Cuernavaca 

Best for: Weather

Morelos, Cuernavaca, Mor., México. (Unsplash)

The highlights: Palacio de Cortés, Jardín Borda, Museo Robert Brady, Cathedral of Cuernavaca, La Casona Spencer

What to eat: Chiles rellenos de flor de calabaza, tacos de cecina

Why you should go: Cuernavaca has a pretty and compact city center with cafes, churches, and lovely gardens. It’s surrounded by lush countryside where you can find sprawling villas with pools for lounging. The city of “eternal spring” is a great escape from the chilly winter temperatures of Mexico City.

How to get to Cuernavaca from Mexico City:

From NORTE: The ETN and TuriStar lines run up to 7 departures per day. The journey lasts 2 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 150 pesos.

From SUR: The Futura line runs up to 21 departures per day. The journey lasts 1.5 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 95 pesos.

The ETN, TuriStar, and CostaLine lines run up to 30 departures per day. The journey lasts 1.5 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 190 pesos.

From PONIENTE: The ETN line runs up to 5 departures per day. The journey lasts 2 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 189 pesos.

Querétaro 

Best for: Wine 

Querétaro, México. (Unsplash)

The highlights: Querétaro Cathedral, Cerro de las Campanas, Museo Fundación Santiago Carbonell, Casa de la Marquesa, El Cerrito archaeological zone

What to eat: mole Queretano, enchiladas Queretanas, vegan tacos

Why you should go: Because the city is dripping with flowers. History buffs will appreciate both the museums and the colonial architecture. It’s also conveniently situated adjacent to a wide array of wineries, Freixenet being the most popular. 

How to get to Querétaro from Mexico City:

From NORTE: The Chihuahuenses Select line runs up to 15 departures per day. The journey lasts 3 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 380 pesos.

The Elite Select line runs up to 8 departures per day. The journey lasts 3 hours. The cost per ticket starts at

The ETN and TuriStar lines run up to 18 departures per day. The journey lasts 3 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 477 pesos.

From SUR: The Futura line runs up to 23 departures per day. The journey lasts 3 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 359 pesos.

The ETN line runs up to 5 departures per day. The journey lasts 3.5 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 440 pesos.

Taxco 

Best for: Jewelry (notably silver)

The highlights: Church of Santa Prisca, Museo Casa de las Lagrimas, pre-Columbian mines at Posada de la Misión, a ride in a punch-buggy taxi, the Taxco tianguis

Taxco, Mexico. (Unsplash)

What to eat: pozole, mole rosa, iguana meat

Why you should go: Taxco looks like Italy but feels like Mexico. It’s a wildly beautiful town of white-washed buildings with red roofs perched on undulating hills. Its central market is so sprawling you could easily spend a full afternoon without seeing it all. The museums are fun and quirky and so, it seems to me, are the people.

How to get to Taxco from Mexico City:

From SUR

The Estrella de Oro line runs up to 2 departures per day. The journey lasts 3 hours. The cost per ticket starts at 318 pesos. 

Stay tuned for Part 2, where we will cover the remaining 6 destinations!

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

Suspect arrested in multiple homicide case in Celaya

By
MND Staff
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Five of the victims were medical students at the Universidad Latina de México. (Xovenes Xingones/X)

Authorities in Guanajuato have arrested a man in connection with a mass murder in Celaya earlier this month.

The Guanajuato Attorney General’s Office (FGE) said in a statement on Thursday that it had located and detained the “alleged perpetrator” of the murders of six young men on Dec. 3.

Five of the young men studied at Celaya’s Universidad Latina de México. (Diego Sinhue Rodríguez/X)

The FGE identified him as Francisco Omar “N,” alias “Verdus.”

It was initially reported that five men, all medical students, had been found in a car in the neighborhood of Crespo on Dec. 3, but authorities subsequently said there was a sixth victim – an 18-year-old man who, unlike the others, was not a student.

The victims reportedly had gunshot wounds to their heads and other signs of violence on their bodies.

The FGE said it has evidence that proves the suspect’s “participation in several criminal acts,” including the recent murders. The Attorney General’s Office posted a video to the X social media platform showing police taking the alleged murderer into custody.

The FGE said that a “special cell” of its homicide unit began an investigation into the murders the same day that they occurred, and gathered information that allowed it to identify the alleged perpetrator of “this terrible multiple homicide.”

It said that police followed followed Francisco Omar’s movements prior to making the arrest. The accused will face an initial court hearing “in the coming hours,” the FGE said.

President López Obrador said earlier this month that there was a hypothesis that the young men who were murdered were buying drugs in Celaya when they were attacked.

“It had to do with the use of drugs. These young men … went to make a purchase from someone who was selling drugs in an area that belonged to another [criminal] group,” he said Dec. 6.

“… This is still hypothetical, but they supposedly went to a place to buy drugs and they were murdered there,” López Obrador said.

However, as The New York Times reported on Wednesday, “local officials later said the investigation showed the crime had nothing to do with a drug sale, and Fabiola Mateos Chavolla, the mother of two of the victims, lashed out at the president for his ‘cruel and irresponsible comments’ about her sons, saying Mr. López Obrador had ‘blamed them for their death.'”

State Attorney General Carlos Zamarripa said that the young men were abducted from a water park in Celaya and taken to the location where they were later found dead.

“The young men were in a recreation area and of course there was no reason to take their lives,” he said. “The five students were good people and were having fun at a water park.”

With reports from El Financiero, El País and El Universal

Steel producer ArcelorMittal renews CFE contract worth US $2.7B

By
MND Staff
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The steel maker has secured its natural gas supply in a deal worth US $2.7 billion. (ArcelorMittal)

ArcelorMittal, the world’s second largest steel producer, has renewed a contract with the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) to be supplied with natural gas for 10 years.

The Mexican division of the Luxembourg-based corporation announced the US $2.7 billion deal on Wednesday.

The firm operates in several Mexican states, including Michoacán, Guanajuato and Sonora.(ArcelorMittal)

“This agreement consolidates a fundamental alliance for the operational continuity and competitiveness of ArcelorMittal México, the largest consumer of natural gas in the country,” the company said in a statement.

The steelmaker has plants in Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán; Celaya, Guanajuato; and Ciudad Obregón, Sonora.

Under the contract renewed on Wednesday, the CFE will supply the Lázaro Cárdenas plant with natural gas from Waha, Texas, ArcelorMittal said.

The company makes steel rods, slabs, bar stock and wire in the Michoacán port city, and has a port concession there to import and export goods.

The Lazaro Cárdenas plant is an important import and export hub for the company. (ArcelorMittal)

The steelmaker “shipped 2.5 million metric tons of steel out of its North America segment in the third quarter,” Reuters reported.

ArcelorMittal México CEO Victor M. Cairo said that the renewal of the natural gas contract “represents a significant milestone in our relationship with CFEnergía,” a subsidiary of the Federal Electricity Commission.

Miguel Santiago Reyes, general director of CFEnergía, said that the “strategic alliance” with ArcelorMittal “strengthens our commitment with the sustainable growth of Mexican industry.”

“The supply of natural gas is a fundamental pillar of competitiveness and economic development, and we’re proud of collaborating with ArcelorMittal México,” he said.

The CFE signed contracts with several U.S. suppliers of natural gas during the 2012-18 government led by former president Enrique Peña Nieto due to a fall in the production of that fuel by Pemex, the state oil company.

President López Obrador has described the quantities of natural gas the CFE committed to buy from the U.S. as “excessive” and some of its contracts are the subject of arbitration proceedings as the state-owned energy company refused to pay higher prices during the 2021 Texas power crisis.

With reports from Expansión, Milenio, Reuters and El País

Pharmacies sell out of COVID-19 vaccines on first day of sales

By
MND Staff
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Despite promising widespread availability of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, supplies across central Mexico sold out within hours. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine went on sale at some Mexican pharmacies on Wednesday, but sold out within five hours at many locations, and didn’t last much longer at others.

Large lines formed at stores from the Farmacias San Pablo chain, which was offering inoculations at 77 of its branches in the Valley of Mexico and the states of Morelos, Querétaro and Puebla.

Vaccine vials
Officials announced the approval of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in early December. (Mat Napo/Unsplash)

A San Pablo spokesperson said that 3,700 shots were given at 849 pesos (US $49.72) each, but admitted that “the high demand exceeded the available quantity.”

More doses were expected to arrive on Thursday, but while one media report said the number will be 16,000, another cited pharmacy staff in reporting that there was “no certainty” of new doses arriving.

The sale of vaccines produced by Pfizer (Comirnaty Omicron XBB 1.5) and Moderna (Spikevax monovalent XBB 1.5) was approved two weeks ago by Mexican health regulatory agency Cofepris. Both have an updated formula that works against the Omicron variant XBB.1.5 of Sars-COV2.

Although the Moderna vaccine isn’t yet available in Mexico, it was announced earlier this week that the administration of Pfizer shots would begin Wednesday at selected locations. Farmacias del Ahorro, Farmacias Benavides and Farmacias Guadalajara and Farmacias San Pablo were all listed as stockists, although only San Pablo appears to have stocked the drug today.

Currently, Pfizer, Abdala and Sputnik are the only Covid-19 vaccines available in Mexico. Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine has been authorized by Cofepris but has yet to be distributed to pharmacies. (Demián Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)

Newspaper El Financiero interviewed Benavides employees who stated “they still do not know what day they will receive the vaccines” and that not all branches will receive them.

An executive with Farmacias del Ahorro said “the doses will arrive in the next few days,” although one on-site employee said, “maybe after Christmas.”

Additionally, public hospitals around Mexico are offering the Russian Sputnik vaccine and Cuban Abdala vaccine free of charge — although the latter does not protect against newer strains of COVID-19.

The Mexican Red Cross in the state of México will begin offering the Pfizer vaccine to Mexicans at a “rate below the public price currently being offered at different pharmacy chains,” the medical foundation announced.

These shots will also be administered at the Red Cross Central Hospital in Polanco, Mexico City, according to El Universal.

“People of all ages” were seen lining up for the shot, although one pharmacy in the Mexico City suburb of Naucalpan, México state, reported that mostly “older adults” showed up for one of its 180 doses. Another Farmacias San Pablo location had only 80 doses on Wednesday but was expecting 200 more on Thursday. Another location had only 35 doses.

With reports from El Financiero and El Universal

Solstice brings second winter storm of the season

By
Cat Rainsford
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The rain may become snow in high-altitude areas of the Baja California peninsula. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

The second winter storm of the season is predicted to hit northwest Mexico this Thursday, bringing torrential rains to the Baja California peninsula.

According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), the storm is due to cold front number 19 interacting with low-pressure bands in the middle and upper atmosphere – on the same day that the winter solstice marks the official beginning of winter.

The storm will bring heavy rain to the Baja California peninsula on Thursday, Dec. 21. (@conagua/X)

The storm will cause intense rains (75-150mm) in Baja California and heavy rains (25-50mm) in Baja California Sur, Chihuahua and Sonora. Wind gusts of up to 70 kilometers per hour are predicted throughout the Baja California peninsula, with a chance of tornados, waves 2-3 meters high, and snowfall overnight. Gusts of up to 60 kilometers per hour will hit the states of Chihuahua and Sonora.

The day will also be wet across much of the northern and eastern parts of the country, where scattered showers and light rain are forecast. Wind gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour and waves 2-3 meters high are forecast for the Gulf of Tehuantepec.

Temperatures below and around freezing will continue across Mexico’s mountainous regions, dropping as low as -10 degrees Celsius in Chihuahua, Durango, Hidalgo, Puebla and Veracruz.

On the other end of the spectrum, maximum temperatures will reach 40 degrees Celsius in parts of Guerrero and Michoacán, and 35 degrees Celsius in northeast Durango, southern Sinaloa, and the coasts of Chiapas and Oaxaca.

In Mexico City, temperatures will range between 4 and 24 degrees Celsius, with cloudy skies and fog during the morning clearing towards the afternoon. The astronomical solstice is timed for 9:27 in the evening.

Mexico News Daily

Businesses fear ‘large losses’ caused by Texas border rail closures

By
MND Staff
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Two Canadian National railroad trains in Canada.
The closures in Eagle Pass and El Paso could significantly affect bilateral trade and even threaten food security. (Canadian National)

Top Mexican farm lobby CNA has warned that the closure of two rail bridges between Mexico and the United States could cause “large losses” and threaten food security, while the Mexican Employers Federation (Coparmex) has called on authorities on both sides of the border to “deal with the migration crisis without affecting the flow of goods.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced Sunday that its Office of Field Operations would “temporarily suspend operations at the international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas,” at 8 a.m. Monday “in order to redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody.”

The Texas-Mexico border is a major point of entry for Mexican exports. (U.S. CBP)

Reuters described the two bridges as “vital to cross-border trade worth billions of dollars.”

In a statement on Wednesday, the National Agricultural Council, or CNA, said that the decision to close the two rail bridges on the Mexico-U.S. border is affecting international trade between the two countries, including the southward flow of yellow corn and soymeal used as livestock fodder as well as products for “industrial use.”

Around 25% of Mexico’s yellow corn imports and almost 63% of soymeal imports enter the country via those two crossings, the CNA said.

“It’s important that the trade flow from … [the United States] is not interrupted considering the negative impact this could set off in supply chains of various products,” the farm lobby said, adding that national food security could be “significantly” compromised.

Eagle Pass depot
The Union Pacific Railroad shared a photo of an empty depot at Eagle Pass, as it urged Texas authorities to reopen the border crossings. (Union Pacific)

The CNA said that Mexico is currently estimated to have soymeal supplies for 3-8 days and corn supplies for 8-20 days and thus the rail bridge closure “problem” should be attended to as a matter of priority.

A lack of fodder for animals such as cattle and pigs could eventually have an impact on the supply of meat on both sides of the border.

The CNA said that “large [economic] losses are expected due to a problem of a migratory origin that is having repercussions in the commercial sector of both countries,” and called on Mexican and United States authorities to “promptly intervene to reach a solution and agreement that allows the reopening of these rail crossings.”

Similarly, Coparmex urged Mexican authorities, “specifically the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Economy,” and their U.S. counterparts “particularly the federal government and the government of Texas,” to “deal with the migration crisis without affecting the flow of goods given that this measure only causes harm for the economies of both nations.”

It noted that the suspension of operations at the two rail bridges came after other border crossings, including the Lukeville Port of Entry in Arizona, were closed, and asserted that the closures as well as “excessive” truck inspections that have been carried out by the Texas government have left goods worth more than US $2 billion “stranded.”

“Discretionary measures” implemented by U.S. authorities deal a “heavy economic blow” to Mexico and “undermine trust between both countries,” Coparmex said in a statement.

“… At Coparmex we believe that these measures … represent a failure in migration policy, which should focus on preventing people being forced to abandon their places of origin, instead of simply stopping their movement.”

On the X social media platform on Wednesday, rail freight operator Union Pacific called for the Eagle Pass and El Paso rail crossings to be “reopened immediately.”

Border crossings between Texas and Mexico, aimed at reducing migrant crossings, are causing millions of dollars of damages in delays, warn haulage companies. (Adolfo Vladimir/Cuartoscuro)

“This closure impacts Union Pacific train crews, who are not working right now,” the company said.

CBP cited “a recent resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains” as a reason for closing the two rail bridges, but Union Pacific said in another post on X that “during this massive [migration] surge only 5 people have attempted to come into the U.S. on Union Pacific trains in the last 5 weeks.”

It also said it “invests billions annually to protect our rail network, including technology and resources to secure U.S. border crossings” and that “UP Police and our employees work in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to ensure all trains are screened, using X-ray technology and visual inspections, and unauthorized people or contraband are apprehended.”

Union Pacific said Tuesday that “roughly 450,000 rail shipments” move across the Eagle Pass and El Paso rail bridges annually.

Texas governor Gregg Abbott
Governor Abbott has taken a hard line against illegal immigration, and his closures of points of entry have had a major effect on the movement of goods between the U.S. and Mexico. (Greg Abbott/X)

“It would take over one million trucks to move the same amount of goods. These locations represent 45% of cross-border Union Pacific business and include goods critical to the U.S. economy,” it added.

The company estimates that US $200 million worth of goods usually passes over the Eagle Pass and El Paso rail bridges on a daily basis, and has said that it has insufficient capacity at other gateways to reroute trains. Among the goods currently halted are grain, beer, dry food products, finished vehicles and parts, consumer goods and industrial commodities, according to Union Pacific.

“The longer this closure is in effect, the more difficult it will be for cross-border trade to resume,” the company said.

Mexico’s main poultry producers association, and the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and the North America Export Grain Association (NAEGA) in the United States are among other organizations that have voiced concerns about the rail bridge closures.

“The North American market and grain trade supply chain are deeply intertwined. The closure of these two crossings is impacting the flow of grain and oilseeds for both human and livestock feed to one of the United States most important export markets and trading partners,” the NGFA and NAEGA said in a statement on Monday.

“… NGFA and NAEGA have become aware this afternoon of critical tightness in feeding supplies for several livestock feeders in Mexico. We have also learned of grain trains in multiple states being held for shipment due to CBP’s embargo. The critical nature of this issue is growing by the hour, particularly for those livestock feeders that may run short of feed,” the associations said.

“We are deeply concerned by the developing situation and request that CBP work with us, the railroads and other federal partners to develop a common sense and expedient solution that reopens this critical mode of agricultural transportation for the U.S. and North American markets.”

With reports from Reuters 

5 deaths linked to cold weather in Chihuahua

By
MND Staff
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Five people have died in the state of Chihuahua, after freezing temperatures swept the northern state. (Gabriel Hernández/X)

The cold weather being felt throughout Mexico this week has led to the deaths of five people in the northern state of Chihuahua.

Three of the deaths occurred in the state capital of Chihuahua city, which sits 1,440 meters (4,724 feet) above sea level. Temperatures of -10 degrees Celsius had been predicted overnight in nearby mountainous regions.

Forecasts show more cold weather may be pushing into the north of the country. (SMN)

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, two men were discovered dead from what was believed to be hypothermia after falling asleep outdoors in sub-zero temperatures Celsius (below 32 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Chihuahua municipal police.

One of the deceased was a man, between 45 to 50 years old, found on a sidewalk in the Deportistas neighborhood. About 11 km away, a deceased elderly man with crutches next to him was found on the sidewalk. The Heraldo local newspaper reported that his nickname was “El Muletas” (Crutches) and that residents had seen him under the influence of some substance the day before, which was common.

Another person in Chihuahua city died in a house fire caused by a defective heater. This tragedy occurred on Monday shortly after 10 p.m., and it didn’t take long for the house to be totally consumed by flames.

Some 350 km to the north in the border city of Ciudad Juárez, an elderly couple died from what was presumably carbon monoxide poisoning after also using a poorly maintained heater to warm their home in the Parajes de Oriente neighborhood.

Odors coming from the residence prompted neighbors to notify the authorities, who believe the couple had been dead for at least a day or two. Local officials are now warning residents to take caution with heaters. 

The low temperatures were generated by a massive cold front that has since dissipated – but don’t reach for the tank top just yet, unless you are on the coast or at low elevations. On Wednesday, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported a new cold front approaching the northwest.

Meanwhile, in southern Mexico, farmlands and forested areas were hit by frost overnight Tuesday. This phenomenon occurred in Chiapas, Puebla, Veracruz and Oaxaca.

According to observers, Alchichica Lagoon, a crater lake on the Central Mexican Plateau, was practically frozen Wednesday morning. The lake sits at 2,300 meters (7,545 feet) above sea level and has a depth of 60 meters (197 feet).

The new cold front approaching northeastern Mexico on Thursday and Friday is predicted to bring temperatures of -10 Celsius to the highest regions of the country, along with frost to high-altitude areas of 10 states.

With reports from La Jornada and El Heraldo de Chihuahua

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