President López Obrador had previously mentioned his ambitious plan to create a state-run pharmacy with "all the medicines of the world". Today an opening date was announced. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
A state-owned “mega pharmacy” tasked with supplying medications to public hospitals across Mexico will open next month, President López Obrador said Tuesday.
Health Minister Jorge Alcocer discussed the plans for the pharmacy at the Tuesday morning presser. (GALO CAÑAS/CUARTOSCURO.COM)
At his morning press conference on Tuesday, López Obrador told reporters that the “great medications warehouse” will open in the México state municipality of Huehuetoca in December.
Health Minister Jorge Alcocer said that the inauguration is slated for Dec. 30, but noted that the date could change.
The mega pharmacy – made up of two warehouses previously used for another purpose – “will have all the medicines that are needed” for “all illnesses,” López Obrador said, adding that a “communication and transport system” will allow drugs to be transported from the facility to clinics and hospitals across Mexico within 24 hours.
He noted that the warehouse’s proximity to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) will allow medications to be promptly transported to different parts of the country. Huehuetoca borders Zumpango, the municipality where AIFA is located.
A cargo plane at the Felipe Ángeles International Airport in Mexico City, near where the president says the medication warehouses will be located. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
López Obrador said that state-owned medical company Birmex will operate the warehouse and manage the distribution of medications. The company already operates five smaller medication warehouses.
According to a Birmex document, creating the mega pharmacy – which will officially be called the Federal Center for the Storage and Distribution of Health Supplies – will cost just under 3.45 billion pesos (US $200.8 million) and take two years to complete.
López Obrador said Tuesday that the government has already paid 10% of the purchase price for the two warehouses, adding that he will provide more details about the acquisition at a later date.
He said in August that the government would source medications for the facility from various countries including India, China, South Korea and France.
A Birmex warehouse where COVID-19 vaccines were stored in 2021. (DANIEL AUGUSTO /CUARTOSCURO.COM)
Birmex’s timeframe, outlined in a “socioeconomic evaluation” of the mega pharmacy project, suggests that the government could inaugurate the facility before it is fully operational, as occurred with the Olmeca Refinery on the Tabasco coast.
López Obrador is anxious to complete – or at least inaugurate – as many government projects as possible before his term as president concludes on Oct. 1, 2024.
December is shaping up as a busy month of ribbon cutting for the president, as the Tulum airport, the Maya Train railroad and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec railroad are also scheduled to begin operations.
Book lovers from across Mexico will visit the fair, which boasts thousands of stalls, lectures and events. (Adrián Montiel González/Universidad de Guadalajara/Cuartoscuro)
Lovers of literature are gearing up for the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), an annual nine-day event of author talks, colloquiums, activities for children, book sales and more.
The FIL is the world’s largest Spanish-language literature event. It runs through Dec. 3. (Universidad de Guadalajara/Flickr)
The event is the biggest book fair in the Americas and the second largest in the world trailing only the Frankfurt Book Fair, according to a ranking by U.S.-based TCK Publishing.
The FIL’s program will include the participation of some 600 writers from 45 countries, including figures like Pascal Quignard and Andrés Neuman, along with more than 40 publishers. More than 3,000 activities, including 630 book talks, are on the schedule, many involving book industry professionals.
This year’s guest of honor is the European Union, following Arab Culture and the emirate of Sharjah of the United Arab Emirates last year and Peru in 2021. The fair went on hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic.
In addition to book talks that will include Q&A sessions with each author, there will be storytelling and recreational activities for children and workshops for both fans of books and those who want to write. Other programs will be dedicated to literature from different regions of the world.
Visitors to the fair will be able to attend speeches from authors and industry professionals, such as Patricio Jeretic, the EU representative for culture in Mexico. (Gustavo Alfonzo/FIL Guadalajara/X)
In addition, there will be theater events, music, dance, puppets and artistic exhibitions, plus the festival will be handing out awards to authors, journalists, publishers and a bibliophile and librarian. The 2023 FIL Literary Award in Romance Languages will be presented to Mexican poet Coral Bracho, who was announced as winner of the prize in September. And, of course, thousands upon thousands of books will be available for sale.
All of it will be happening at Expo Guadalajara, a convention center with 40,000 square meters (10 acres) of space. Most days, it will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but on Nov. 27, 28 and 29 the starting time will be 3 p.m. On Dec. 1, the hours will be extended to 11 p.m. for a night sale.
Admission for adults is 25 pesos (US $1.45), while children, seniors, people with disabilities and students will get in for 20 pesos (US $1.16). Tickets can be bought in person or purchased in advance online.
Created in 1987, the FIL generally starts on the last Saturday in November. In 2020, the fair won Spain’s prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities. The award goes to individuals and entities from around the world who make notable achievements in various fields.
The Galaxy Leader was hijacked by Houthi rebels. One or two Mexican sailors were reported to be among the crew. (Vesselfinder)
At least one Mexican is believed to be on board a ship hijacked by Yemen’s Houthi militia in the Red Sea.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Sunday that they had seized the ship Galaxy Leader due to its connection with Israel and to demonstrate support for “the oppressed Palestinian people.”
Footage uploaded to social media showed the pirates landing on the deck before seizing the ship. (Screen capture)
Registered as a vehicle carrier, Galaxy Leader is British-owned and operated by a Japanese company, The New York Times reported Monday.
“The company’s beneficial owner — meaning the person who exercises control over it, owns more than a quarter of it or receives substantial economic benefit from it — appears to have at some point been an Israeli billionaire, Rami Ungar,” the Times said, citing information in the Paradise Papers, a trove of documents leaked to German journalists in 2017.
The Israeli military said that Galaxy Leader was traveling to India from Turkey and had an “international crew,” without Israelis.
Engineer Arturo Zacarías Meza is on board the Galaxy Leader, according to family members. (Arturo Zacarías Meza/Facebook)
The ship’s Japanese operator, NYK Line, said that crew members are from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico.
Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry (SRE) said in a statement on Monday that it had received information that two of 25 crew members are Mexican.
However, one Mexican crew member – chief engineer Manuel Rolán Hernández of Veracruz – said on Facebook that he disembarked the ship shortly before the “critical situation” it faced and was on vacation, apparently in Turkey.
Another Veracruz man, Arturo Zacarías Meza, was on the ship when the hijacking occurred, according to family members of the 31-year-old engineer. According to the El Universal newspaper, the two crew members referred to by the SRE are Rolán and Zacarías.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have been engaged in a long-running war against neighboring Saudi Arabia. (Disclose)
In an interview with Milenio Televisión, the mother of the latter called for all crew members to be “released as soon as possible.”
“I also want to ask all people to say a prayer for me,” María Meza said before expressing hope that all the crew members are safe and sound and will be back home with their loved ones soon.
The SRE said that the Mexican Embassy in Saudi Arabia has used diplomatic channels to “corroborate the situation of the crew,” and that it has communicated “with representatives of embassies of other countries involved to gather information” and taken steps aimed at the release of the crew members on the hijacked vessel.
The New York Times reported that “the whereabouts of the Galaxy Leader has been unknown since Saturday, when its last received location signal showed it in the Red Sea, between Saudi Arabia and Sudan.”
The two Mexican hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 are believed to still be held in Gaza. (Social media)
It also said that video evidence “suggests that Houthi fighters took over the vessel when it was within quick and easy striking distance of Yemen’s coast.”
The hijacking occurred six weeks after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking over 200 hostages.
Two Mexicans are among the hostages that are believed to still be in the custody of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has been relentlessly bombed by Israel since the Oct. 7 attack on its citizens.
The U.S. power management firm will expand manufacturing operations in Querétaro as part of US $750 million upgrades. (Eaton)
The U.S. power management company Eaton announced last week that it will expand operations in Querétaro, where it currently manufactures equipment for subway power lines, including connectors and lightning arresters.
With an investment of US $85 million, the company’s plans include upgrading the location’s equipment and expanding the space by 92,500 square feet, to increase manufacturing capacity in Querétaro by 50%. The expansion is expected to begin in 2024.
When complete, the company expects upgrades to increase capacity at their Querétaro plant by 50%. (Eaton/X)
Recent investments by Eaton total $750 million in the North American region alone, including an $80 million investment in its El Paso, Texas plant to increase production of circuit breakers, switchboards, panelboards and other assemblies.
Components manufactured by Eaton are used in the mining, rail, gas and petroleum and data management industries.
“We are delighted to expand our operations to meet the growing demand from electric utility companies throughout the Americas,” said Mike Yelton, president of Eaton’s electrical sector in the Americas region.
Eaton has 22 manufacturing plants in Mexico, in 11 states. The Bajío region, which includes Querétaro, is home to seven Eaton locations, employing more than 5,000 people. The company expects to create an additional 300 jobs.
Eaton produces a range of power management solutions for major energy consumers, such as rail and data management firms. (Eaton)
Eaton was certified as a “Top Employer in Mexico 2023” by the Top Employers Institute for the fourth consecutive year. The company employs approximately 92,000 people worldwide.
The new complex, known as "El Palomar," predates many other areas of the city and has a distinct style of architecture. (INAH)
A new section known as “El Palomar” has opened at the Uxmal archaeological site in Yucatán – a residence complex for the ancient Maya elite that showcases pre-Puuc Maya architecture spanning centuries of pre-Columbian civilization.
At the opening ceremony, Uxmal site director José Huchim Herrera explained that the complex dates from the Preclassic period, between 500 BC and 300 AD. It is significantly older than the main Uxmal complex – whose heyday was between 600 and 900 AD – therefore providing a valuable example of public space from this more remote period of Maya history
The Maya city of Uxmal is among the oldest and largest of the ancient cities. (amazingtours.mx)
“What people can currently see in the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Quadrangle of the Nuns and the Governor’s Palace is the purest of the Puuc style of Uxmal, with great detail in the ornamentation; however, underneath those important buildings, there are previous stages,” Huchim said.
The newly-opened complex reveals a more somber style of architecture, best displayed in the vaults and undecorated friezes of the “Sunken Courtyard” – a quadrangle with newly-restored buildings on the south and east sides.
“There you can see changes in architecture, in construction systems,” Herrera said. “We are going to have a different reading of the archaeological zone. Why? Because of the architecture, because of its arrangement, because of its uncommon elements… This is new data for the Puuc route and the Puuc region.”
He explained that one example of this are the round structures found in the later section of El Palomar, which are believed to have emerged due to architectural influences from the north of Campeche. Uxmal also contains evidence that its inhabitants traveled as far as Veracruz and Central America.
Many of Uxmal’s most iconic structures show remnants of older buildings beneath. (Depositphotos)
“In Uxmal, we have obsidian, we have a fragment of pottery from Tikal, we have obsidian from Guatemala, we have obsidian from the Veracruz region, so that gives us an idea of the interactions that Uxmal had with other regions of the Mayan area,” Herrera said.
Besides El Palomar, archaeological rescue work is ongoing throughout Uxmal, as part of the Program for the Improvement of Archaeological Zones (Promeza) linked to the Maya Train. Last year, Herrera’s teamuncovered a Maya stela depicting a god and goddess that is believed to represent the duality between life and death.
The National Institute for Archaeology and History (INAH) frequently touts the Maya Train as fulfilling a debt to Mexico’s historically marginalized Maya regions – although some Maya communities have protested the train’s impact on their environment and way of life.
At the El Palomar opening ceremony, Huchim and INAH head Diego Prieto Hernández participated in an event entitled “The Puuc and tourism in times of the Maya Train.”
The discussion centered on mechanisms to ensure that income from the Maya Train directly benefits Indigenous communities – for instance by providing opportunities for people to sell their products at train stations, or get jobs promoting local archaeological sites.
Now, you can season your life in Mexico with these saucy sayings to impress your friends. (Canva)
Ah, more colorful dichos! The cheeky cousins of common sense. Mexican sayings are spirited expressions that have been handed down through the ages, marinating in the minds of generations.
Mexicans have an uncanny knack for finding humor in life’s absurdities; it’s like we have a sarcasm compass built right into our collective DNA. We laugh in the face of adversity with a pinch of double meaning here and a dash of irony there. We’ve mastered the art of self-mockery, and it’s this irreverent insight that keeps us in check, binds us together and encourages us forward.
This time, we’re diving into the tasty world of Mexican sayings that use food to illustrate the national mindset. Just like salsa, where flavors come together to create an endearingly spicy mouthful, these sayings add depth and meaning to everyday situations.
Keep in mind that Mexican sayings don’t translate very well because the humor and recall are in the wording, but have fun practicing your pronunciation for when you want to say something clever. I dare you not to twist your tongue on the third saying!
“Le echa mucha crema a sus tacos“
Translation: They put too much cream on their tacos.
This is used for people who tend to exaggerate their own merits and make themselves out to be more impressive than they really are. It’s as if they’ve embarked on a taco-making spree with the enthusiasm of a master chef, but in reality, they’ve got more toppings than filling. When someone can’t resist garnishing their life stories with extra dollops of self-praise, this phrase will remind them to take it down a notch and stay humble.
“El que nace para tamal, del cielo le caen las hojas”
Translation: If someone is born to be a tamal, the corn husks fall from the sky.
Tamales are a traditional Mexican dish made by wrapping corn masa and other ingredients with a corn husk before cooking. This phrase teaches us that those born with a particular calling will effortlessly find the necessary resources and opportunities to fulfill that purpose. It reminds us to have faith that the heavens will send the right gifts when we’re on the right path.
El que nace para tamal… (Canva)
“A chillidos de marrano, oídos de chicharronero”
Translation: To pig squeals, the ears of a cook who makes pork cracklings.
This saying reminds us to turn a deaf ear to foolish words. The world-canceling noise made by chewing on chicharrones is deafening enough. Now add the utter disregard for what the pigs have to say! Our best response to futile baloney or malicious criticism can only be our most sincere indifference.
“Se quedó como el perro de las dos tortas”
Translation: They ended up like the dog with two sandwiches.
This is said to describe a person who is faced with a difficult decision, can’t make up their mind. The two tortas, or large traditional sandwiches, symbolize desirable options or opportunities. The dog in this story can’t pick one and therefore, ends up with none. This saying has always made me picture a pitifully hungry pup unable to open his mouth wide enough. This saying highlights the consequences of indecisiveness and serves to remind us not to hesitate in making timely choices – or risk losing it all.
“Del plato a la boca se cae la sopa”
Translation: Soup spills on the way from the bowl to the mouth.
This saying reminds us that even the most solid plans can crumble before completion. It’s the Mexican way of saying, “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” Given that life can surprise us with unexpected twists and turns, filling the spoon is not the same as eating the soup. So, do more and talk less because it’s better to serve up a hearty dish of results than a bowl of half-cooked promises.
“Voy a echar un taco de ojo”
Translation: I’ll go have an eye taco.
Yes, Mexicans eat cow eyes in tacos but this phrase means something else entirely. An eye taco refers to the art of indulging in a visual feast, a secret dance between your eyes and the captivating spectacle of attractive people passing by. No introductions, no interactions, just the pure, guilt-free enjoyment of admiring the aesthetics of strangers. It’s a leisurely stroll through the eye candy aisle when you’re only there to enjoy the view.
Now, you too can season your life in Mexico with these saucy sayings to impress your friends. So, next time you’re in a pickle, remember life is like a tortilla. You’ve got to roll with it! May your days be filled with laughter, love, and a lot of delicious idioms to chew on.
Sandra is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: sandragancz@gmail.com
The far-right economist Javier Milei is now president-elect of Argentina. (Shutterstock)
Presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez was among the high-profile Mexicans who congratulated Javier Milei on his election victory in Argentina on Sunday, but the senator clarified on Monday that she doesn’t share the views of the president-elect of Latin America’s third largest economy.
Milei, a 53-year-old far-right libertarian political outsider nicknamed “El Loco” (The Madman), prevailed over current Economy Minister Sergio Massa in Sunday’s election in the problem-plagued South American nation.
Presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez campaigns in Ciudad Juárez on Monday. (PAN_CDM_JUAREZ/X)
Gálvez, candidate for the Broad Front for Mexico (FAM) opposition bloc, subsequently declared on social media that “winds [of change] to improve our countries are blowing in Latin America!”
“The Argentine people put a stop to bad government and bad results. My recognition of this historic electoral day. Congratulations to president-elect @JMilei,” she wrote on the X social media platform.
In Ciudad Juárez on Monday, the National Action Party (PAN) senator sought to distance herself in an ideological sense from Milei, an economist and admirer of former U.S. president Donald Trump and ex-president Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil.
“Everyone knows that I’m not from the far right,” she told reporters while campaigning in the northern border city.
PAN Senator Lilly Téllez was another Mexican politician to speak out in support of Milei. (lillytellezg/Facebook)
“Everyone knows that I’m a woman of freedoms. … What I acknowledge is that democracy won in Argentina. … I don’t share Milei’s points of views … but I do recognize that he won a democratic triumph,” Gálvez said.
Among the other high-profile Mexicans who welcomed news of Milei’s victory were PAN Senator Lily Téllez and ultra-conservative actor-turned-presidential hopeful Eduardo Verástegui.
“With strength and hope, I celebrate the triumph of my friend @JMilei,” Verástegui said.
Ultra-conservative Mexican politican Eduardo Verástegui poses with Argentina’s Javier Milei at a conservative conference held in 2022. (EVerastegui/X)
“A new history of freedom is coming for … [the] great country [of Argentina].”
President López Obrador, who last week called Milei an “ultra-conservative fascist,” said on Tuesday that his government respected the decision of the Argentine people, but added that “it’s something that we believe won’t help them.”
“It was an own goal. Although I respect the decision of the people, I don’t agree with right-wing governments,” he said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena congratulated Argentina “for a peaceful election day” and asserted that Mexico “will always be on the side of the Argentine people.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs “is ready to work with the new Argentine government,” she added on X.
Samuel García (here with his wife Mariana Rodríguez and baby Mariel) launched his pre-campaign today to run for president of Mexico in 2024. How will this impact the election? (Samuel García/X)
It is hard to measure the right dose of ambition. And ambition in politics is even more delicate — both essential, and dangerously easy to overdose.
Samuel García, Nuevo León’s young, media-savvy governor, seems to be guzzling the stuff.
While earlier this year García had laid to rest rumors about a run for president as the candidate for the Citizens Movement (MC) party — after all, he’s only 35, has an eight-month-old daughter and was elected to govern Nuevo León until 2027 — today he launched his 2024 pre-campaign tour of the country, with wife Mariana Rodríguez and baby Mariel in tow.
On Oct. 23, García officially requested temporary leave from his governorship to pursue the nomination, and while a political spat ensued with his PAN and PRI political rivals in the state Congress, García came out on top.
What does García’s candidacy mean for the presidential election? Does he stand a chance of winning? And if not, will his campaign hurt Gálvez or Sheinbaum more?
Who would vote for García?
Before García made his announcement, various opinion polls included him in the lineup of possible 2024 candidates and he had averaged around 7-9% of voter intent. This puts him in third place, trailing behind Claudia Sheinbaum and Xóchitl Gálvez.
As he is eager to point out, he came up from fourth place in the Nuevo León gubernatorial election of 2021 to win with 36.71% of the vote. He appealed to younger voters, relying on a clever social media strategy along with his influencer wife, and promising to shake up the state’s politics.
However, the party García represents is still a minor player in national politics that received 7% of the vote nationwide in the 2021 federal elections. Citizens Movement (MC) is a center-left party with just 39 seats in Congress (12 senators and 27 deputies), compared to Morena’s 261 seats. But the party has punched above its weight in the national political conversation, partly because of winning the governorships of two populous and economically significant states: Jalisco (Governor Enrique Alfaro) and Nuevo León.
Since García’s victory, Nuevo León has been the beneficiary of increased nearshoring foreign direct investment (FDI) — not surprising given its long-standing industrial economy and proximity to the United States. García has focused on investment as one of the pillars of his government —and has traveled to Europe, Asia and the U.S. to spread the gospel of Nuevo León. The March announcement that Tesla will build a US $5 billion to -$10 billion gigafactory in the state was one of García’s most prominent investment achievements to date.
However, though industrial expansion continues in the state, it has also struggled with increasing violence. In September, Nuevo León reached a rate of 18 murders a day, its highest level this year and since 2021, homicides have increased by 32%.
García would seem to attract the young middle to upper class voter who is socially liberal, but uncomfortable with López Obrador’s statist policies. However, his brash norteño personaand Instagrammable lifestyle could fall fiercely flat in the country’s poorer, more rural and more Indigenous south. He may find he feels more out of place when stopping in Chiapas on his pre-campaign tour, than on his recent visits to South Korea and Japan.
Would García pull voters from Sheinbaum or from Gálvez?
For some of the reasons mentioned above, García seems unlikely to lure even disillusioned morenistas, though he has been careful not to alienate AMLO, taking a different approach than the Broad Front for Mexico (FAM) frontal assault on the popular president. In fact, he focuses many of his jabs at the parties that Gálvez represents, as embodying “old politics.”.
When asked point blank by TV anchor Ciro Gómez Leyva if he agreed with PRI president Alejandro Moreno’s statement that “Morena is a disaster for the country”, García said that while Mexico could be “much better” and that this government has “many areas of opportunity”, he avoided an outright takedown of the ruling party. He did, however, say that Mexico cannot go back to the rule of the PAN and PRI, who “already cheated us.”
On Nov. 8, García posted to his X account supporting the president’s grand plans for reviving passenger trains in Mexico, adding that he had talked about a train route from Monterrey to Texas with the mayor of Laredo. For his part, AMLO said at a recent mañanera press conference that he “always wishes the best for Samuel.”
The voter demographic that supports the PAN-PRI-PRD alliance seems to overlap with the possible García voter, and while Xóchitl too has charisma, her flustered affability may look weak next to the Garcías’ sleek, “we-get-things-done” discourse.
But would García garner the female vote in a race against two women?
He has been careful to include Mariana in his appearances — though in his official announcement video (see below), she looks less than enthused— and speaks often of their joint accomplishments. When he officially registered on Nov. 12, his baby daughter was also there, bouncing on her mother’s lap. He also boasts of creating the first cabinet in Nuevo León’s history with more women than men.
García has very slim chances in the 2024 election, but his candidacy should make the PAN-PRI-PRD leadership nervous. Already at a disadvantage in the polls against Morena, their slice of the electorate could get further cut down by this rival.
Time will tell where García’s ambition leads, but it seems likely he will be a player in the Mexican political game for years to come.
Kate Bohné is chief news editor at Mexico News Daily. You can find her writing on The Mexpatriate.
Two separate incidents between police and criminal gangs saw seven civilians and two police officers killed in gunfire. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
Nine people including two police officers were killed Monday during a morning of violence in Cuernavaca, Morelos, the city government said.
Eight of the deaths occurred in shootouts between a group of criminals and municipal police, while another person was shot dead before those confrontations occurred, according to a statement posted to social media by the Cuernavaca Ministry of Citizen Protection and Assistance (Seprac).
Police intervened in a dispute between a gang of criminals and a group of street drinkers which turned violent shortly after. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
The chain of events began in the early hours of Monday when armed men, traveling in two SUVs and on a motorcycle, attacked a group of people drinking on the street in the Altavista neighborhood of the Morelos capital. One person was killed, another was injured, and the criminals “attempted” to abduct a third person, Seprac said.
Municipal police received reports of the crime and set off in pursuit of the criminals, the ministry said. Police vehicles subsequently came under fire and a “first confrontation” ensued in the neighborhood of Carolina, Seprac said.
In that clash, two police officers were killed and two others were injured. The deceased officers were identified as Juan Carlos Salgado Flores and Francisco Calderón Armenta.
A person traveling in a Jeep Cherokee was also killed in the confrontation in Carolina, while a person on a motorcycle was injured. Police arrested the injured man and seized both the SUV and the motorbike.
Two police officers, Juan Carlos Salgado Flores and Francisco Calderón Armenta were killed in the shootout near the Oxxo convenience store in Carolina. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
Another clash between police and criminals occurred on Emiliano Zapata Avenue in Tlaltenango, one of the 12 original “towns” in Cuernavaca. Five civilians in a Nissan Rogue SUV were killed, Seprac said.
Videos shared on social media by Cuernavaca residents capture the sound of gunshots ringing out.
Cuernavaca Mayor José Luis Urióstegui said that events unfolded “very quickly” and that police responded to the first of act of violence immediately. He said that the lives of injured officers were not in danger.
Another police officer was killed Sunday night when he came under attack in Tetecala, a municipality in the southwest of Morelos near the border with Guerrero. The slain state police officer was identified as Juan Gómez Ruiz. A policewoman was injured while a presumed criminal was killed in the clash.
A second confrontation in Tlaltenango saw five criminals, who were driving in this Nissan Rogue, killed by police. (Charro Negro/X)
As of Nov. 16, at least 377 police officers had been killed in Mexico this year, according to Causa en Común, a Mexico City-based non-government organization that tracks killings of officers. Guanajuato has recorded the highest number of police murders in 2023, followed by Guerrero, where 12 officers and a municipal security secretary were killed in an ambush last month.
Located immediately south of Mexico City, Morelos was the eighth most violent state in Mexico in terms of total homicides in the first 10 months of 2023 with 1,214, according to federal government data.
Hosting Thanksgiving in Mexico? Here’s how to incorporate both cultures into one meal! (Freepik)
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. I enjoy the feast with loved ones, without the stress of gifts. Historical significance aside, it’s a beautiful tradition promoting gratitude and good food.
Thanksgiving can be celebrated anywhere, including Mexico. Instead of relying on unfamiliar expat groups or American-owned hotels for your meal, why not create your own? With a little imagination and local ingredients, you can host a successful Thanksgiving with a Mexican flair!
Here are 10 of the most popular Thanksgiving dishes in the U.S. and ways to make them more Mexican. This list is not exhaustive. Leave your ideas in the comments below!
Turkey
The centerpiece. The staple. The bird is the star of the Thanksgiving show.
How to do it: There are several ways to make this dish more Mexican.
The bird is the star of the Thanksgiving show. (Unsplash)
Marinate the bird (or tofurky) overnight in a blend of spices including chili powder, cumin, and oregano, and vinegar or citrus.
Joy Hernandez of ArcaTierra suggests pavo en escabeche, a Yucatecan dish of shredded grilled turkey in a stew (recado) of pickled onions, habanero, and lots of black pepper. Therecipecan vary, but most include white vinegar, black peppercorns, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, garlic, and allspice berries.
Make a chili rub with ancho and guajillo chiles. Blend with garlic, honey, orange juice and zest, peppercorns, salt. Pour the mixture over the turkey before roasting.
Gravy
Gravy, juice expelled from cooked turkey thickened with cornstarch and flavored with broth, can be replaced altogether with the most Mexican sauce of them all: mole.
How to do it: Making mole sauce can be time-consuming, especially for the novice Mexican chef-to-be. It combines a long list of spices, nuts, and dried fruits. If you’re up for the challenge, there are plenty of recipes online. If you’re not, simply buy mole paste. Liquify with your choice of broth and any flavoring you deem necessary.
Stuffing
Stuffing is generally made with cubed white bread, celery, carrot, garlic, and herbs.
How to do it: For a Mexican twist, swap traditional ingredients with regional ones. Chop and fry diced jalapenos, carrot, garlic, and celery. Add crumbled chorizo or corn kernels to the mix. Once it’s nice and sizzled, add stock, cubed cornbread, and cilantro. Bake and garnish with cilantro.
Mashed Potatoes
This classic side dish gets its flavor from copious helpings of butter and cream.
How to do it: To Mexify, use butter and either evaporated milk or buttermilk. Blend with cooked garlic, salt, and pepper until you’ve achieved your desired consistency. Roast a few poblano peppers and chop into small pieces. Fold peppers into the potatoes, along with a generous serving of cotija cheese. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes, candied or as a casserole, often include a topping of marshmallows or pecans, brown sugar and cinnamon.
How to do it: Keep the sugar and cinnamon and add a sprinkle of chili powder for a hint of heat. Sprinkle a thin layer of crushed tortilla chips instead of (or alongside) pecans for crunch. Looking for something quick? Buy ready-made camotes from your neighborhood vendor and serve warm with parsley on top. No one will be the wiser.
Cranberry Sauce
An essential side that adds a much needed tang to Thanksgiving’s plethora of heavy, often fatty, dishes.
How to do it: All you need to do to make this crowd-pleaser in the estilo mexicano is add a few dried Chipotle chilis while cooking the berries, sugar, and your choice of spices.
Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is made with green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy fried onions. News to me, as my family opted for steamed beans with sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Boy did I miss out. But I digress.
How to do it: To enjoy this casserole Mexican-style, saute onions, garlic, green beans, jalapeños, and cumin, in that order. Steam for a few minutes before adding chopped tomatoes. When ready, top with queso fresco. Garnish with fresh cilantro and crushed totopos (tortilla chips).
Dinner Rolls
You could replace the rolls with tortillas, or you could avoid the inevitable backlash by adding some kick.
How to do it: Fold in shredded Oaxacan cheese and diced jalapenos to the dough before baking. If you’re not making rolls from scratch, and who can blame you, serve molletes instead! Cut the buns in half, add some butter, and toast until crispy. Add a layer of refried beans and top with Oaxacan cheese.
Cornbread
My family never served cornbread at Thanksgiving, and for that, I’m forever ungrateful. Now that I’m in charge of the menu, I’ll be serving Mexican-style cornbread.
How to do it: Add a touch of cayenne to the dough before baking. For punch, purchase butter, local honey and jalapeños – or if you like it spicy, some habaneros. Whip the butter with a little water. Dice the peppers, seeds removed, and mix into butter until peppers are evenly distributed. Add honey to taste. Make vegan using avocado instead of butter.
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is essential. It’s basically the turkey of the dessert table.
How to do it: Oh let me count the ways! There are many options. Here are three.
Serve Calabaza en Tacha, a Day of the Dead dish. The recipe is simple: remove seeds and cut a fresh pumpkin into bitesized pieces. Boil with water, piloncillo, cinnamon sticks and orange zest. Once the pumpkin is soft, remove and further boil the liquid until it’s thick enough to drizzle on the pumpkin. Serve with ice cream.
Make Mexican pumpkin pie. Layer pie crust with melted Mexican chocolate. For the pumpkin filling, mix in doses of cayenne pepper, chili powder, and cinnamon. Bake.
If this feels like too much work (just typing it overwhelms me), simply buy a pie and offer homemade Mexican hot chocolate. With or without a splash of tequila. Don’t forget your molinillo, one of your 10 essential Mexican utensils.
Mexican marigolds blend nicely into your Mexican Thanksgiving. (Freepik)
Finally, one for the fancy cooks out there. Puebla-based Chef Abraham Santos, of Casa Bacuuza, suggests his preferred Thanksgiving meal: a Oaxacan-inspired combination of turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberries. Start with “a good portion of roasted turkey” marinated in hierba de conejo (a quelite grown in Oaxaca’s Central Valley, not a rabbit reduction), garlic, pennyroyal, and gravy. As the sauce simmers, add pickled cranberries and a few of Santos’s favorite Oaxacan chilies – chilhuacle negros. Add a touch of pineapple vinegar and serve over Tehuantepec-style mashed potatoes, baked with vinegar and mustard over low heat for just under 3 hours.
When “everyone at the table leaves their plates clean, that is the purest example of gratitude.”
It’s now time to focus on cozy, seasonal decor. Mexican marigolds blend nicely into your Mexican Thanksgiving. String some papel picado around your dining area in fall-themed colors. Set the table with a bright zarape table runner, mini pumpkins and squash, fresh eucalyptus sprigs and Talavera dishware. Prepare a playlist of Mexican classics.
Most importantly, have plenty of Mexican wine, mezcal, and agua fresca handy to get the party started.
*A note for vegans: Most dairy ingredients can be replaced with nut-based products. Avocado can serve as a substitute for cheese toppings.
¡Buen provecho!
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.
