Home Blog Page 748

Hotel Hopper: The best hotels in Riviera Nayarit

By
Meagan Drillinger
-
2
Nayarit is the home of some of Mexico - and the world's - best hotels. Meagan Drillinger investigates. (One&Only Mandarina)

The Riviera Nayarit is a veritable treasure trove of spectacular hotels and resorts. This stretch of coastline, which starts just north of the Puerto Vallarta airport, curves around the northern rim of the Bahia de Banderas and continues up the Pacific coastline towards the state of Sinaloa. This 200-mile stretch of coastline is one of the most famous in Mexico for its natural beauty, outdoor activities and health and wellness centers.

Getting to the Riviera Nayarit is easy. Visitors fly into the Puerto Vallarta International Airport and make their way north past the strings of fishing villages that dot the coastline. Home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Mexico, as well as the rugged Sierra Madre mountains and steeped in Indigenous Wixárika (Huichol) culture, it’s no wonder this is one of the best places in Mexico to post up for a beach holiday.

With so many top class hotels and resorts, how can you pick just one for your stay? (One&Only Mandarina)

The only challenge is deciding where to stay. Fortunately, the Riviera Nayarit has such a wide variety of hotels and resorts that it truly is a destination for everyone. To make it easier, we’ve rounded up some of the most popular hotels and resorts in the destination. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it will certainly give you a starting point when planning the perfect Riviera Nayarit getaway.

Luxury Riviera Nayarit Resorts

One&Only Mandarina

(One&Only Mandarina)

You cannot mention luxury in the Riviera Nayarit and not put One&Only Mandarina at the top of the list. This exclusive resort raised the bar for what was already a destination filled with elegant hotels when it opened in 2020. Just over 100 treehouse-style villas sit perched in the lush foliage that overlooks the sprawling, rugged beaches just north of Lo de Marcos. Villas feature floor-to-ceiling sliding doors that open out to terraces with private plunge pools. 

The hotel exudes an earthy, yet highly sophisticated vibe. Infinity pools extend out over dramatic cliffs, surrounded by sexy daybeds and lounge chairs. Clifftop bars look out over the crashing surf, and signature restaurant Carao is helmed by superstar Mexican chef Enrique Olvera. 

Down on the beach is Playa Canalan Beach Club, which is not exclusive to One&Only, but is part of the overall Mandarina development. This breezy beachfront club has its own pool, as well as a toes-in-the-sand restaurant serving rustic Italian cuisine. 

Susurros del Corazon, Auberge

(Susurros del Corazon)

One of the newest resorts to grace the luxe-heavy Punta de Mita, Susurros del Corazon, Auberge Resorts Collection keeps things local to the core. From the soap and furniture to the farm-to-table restaurant concepts, this relaxed, yet supremely high-end, resort is all about peace, tranquility, and spectacular views.

The resort is centered around its three different pools, all of which tier down towards the beach. Each pool has its own vibe — think energetic, family-friendly and quiet. Rooms are evocative of bohemian beach hideaways, complete with seashell and driftwood accents. The boho-chic vibe permeates the resort, with the occasional sound bath and singing bowl experience and an emphasis on wellness, a sense of place and local art. 

A sprawling 31,300-square-foot spa has its own pool and 11 treatment rooms, with a menu of treatments to match the resort’s earthy aesthetic developed by local healers. The restaurant, Casamilpa, serves regional favorites like ceviche and tacos, along with a menu of raicilla cocktails, a local spirit.

St. Regis Punta Mita

(St. Regis Punta Mita)

St. Regis is one of the earliest resorts to help set the luxury bar for Punta de Mita. The resort sits in the exclusive gated Punta Mita community and is one of the best options for both couples, as well as families. It’s not often that you get both in one resort. While the resort had been showing some wear and tear, it recently wrapped a multi-million dollar renovation, which includes the public spaces and the villas. 

Guests check in at the hilltop lobby with exquisite views out over a cascading infinity pool that leads down to the beach. The palm-lined paths give way to beach bungalow-style villas, restaurants and relaxing pool spaces.

I love the luxury bungalow-style rooms here, which are complete with their own patios or terraces, sprawling marble bathrooms, and both an indoor and outdoor shower. Room rates include Butler Service, which guests can use for everything from unpacking your suitcase to morning coffee service. 

Food at St. Regis Punta Mita is exceptional, as is to be expected from a St. Regis hotel. From the poolside casual fare to fine dining, everything is outstanding. I love the Mita Mary restaurant for its toes-in-the-sand atmosphere and fresh seafood menu. The spa was also recently renovated and has been transformed into a space of traditional wellness, from a Temazcal experience to facials, massages, singing bowls, and more. A well-equipped gym has Peloton bikes and Technogym treadmills. 

Four Seasons Punta Mita

(Four Seasons Punta Mita)

In the same gated community is the iconic Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, a 52-acre oasis that has captured the hearts of Nayarit luxury travelers for more than two decades. The sprawling resort sits across two white sand beaches, surrounded by two PGA golf courses and sprinkled with private villa sanctuaries. 

Check-in at the open-air lobby leads to spectacular views of the Pacific, while three swimming pools each offer a different vibe. The most popular is the free-form, semi-circle infinity pool that overlooks both of the powder-soft white sand beaches. Another pool is for families, and a third is for adults only. You’ll even find a lazy river for a relaxing cooldown. Luxe cabanas are available to rent, decked out with televisions and minibars. 

Activities abound with miles of trails for biking or walking. Guests can also use the two professional golf courses or the tennis center. For wellness enthusiasts, the Apuane Spa is a posh paradise of detox and relaxation, with a steam room and sauna and a treatment menu that harnesses local ingredients for its therapies.

The signature Mexican restaurant here is Dos Catrinas, serving regional cuisine from around Mexico, like the traditional beef tlayudas or the citrusy guacamole. Guests can also dine at the Asian-inspired Armara or directly on the beach at Bahia by Richard Sandoval. Guests will also find a handful of casual snack restaurants and bars.

Riviera Nayarit All-Inclusive Hotels

Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort

(Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort)

Relatively new to the Punta Mita scene is Secrets Bahia Mita. The adults-only, all-inclusive resort is perched right at the northern end of the Bay of Banderas, with views of the Sierra Madre that wreath the bay. While the resort itself is adults-only, guests should know that the property shares space with the family-friendly Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort. Some amenities are shared, so there’s a chance you’ll see kids around.

The 278-room resort feels massive, rising out of the thick jungle with a sleek and modern design. It features 12 different dining options, plus five bars. That said, five of the 12 options are part of Dreams Bahia Mita, which means that they allow children. 

Explore the four adults-only pools, but guests say that the Preferred Club Sky Bar and the small infinity pool next to restaurant Olio are the best.

Speaking of the Preferred Club, it is totally worth the upgrade. Preferred Club rooms have extra perks like the adults-only Sky Bar, rooftop club and pool. Additional perks include the private Preferred Club Lounge, which serves breakfast, as well as snacks throughout the day. 

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit

(Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit)

Just 20 minutes north of the Puerto Vallarta airport, Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit is one of the original luxury all-inclusive on this stretch of coast. It is also one of the easiest to get to and overlooks one of the best beaches in the Bay of Banderas. 

All 267 rooms at this resort are suites, complete with private terraces and Jacuzzis. The central infinity pool is surrounded by strings of plush chaise lounges, while the 650 feet of beachfront is peppered with luxurious Bali beds. 

All four of the signature restaurants have been awarded Four Diamonds by AAA. Lucca is a favorite for its fresh pasta and Mediterranean cuisine. Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit also has a 16,000-square-foot SE Spa, a fitness center, and kids’ and teen clubs.

Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa

(Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa)

Perched on a stretch of beachfront on the northern edge of the Bahía de Banderas, Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa is a larger all-inclusive hotel geared towards families. The 420 rooms offer Garden or Ocean Views, with the best category being the Deluxe Panoramic Ocean Views. All suites, however, have jetted bathtubs and furnished terraces.

The resort has an impressive selection of restaurants and bars — 11 to choose from. La Adelita is a guest favorite for its Mexican cuisine. Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa has an impressive wellness center with a sauna and Turkish baths, hydromassage waterfalls, and a selection of massages, facials, body treatments, and beauty services.

But where the resort shines is how it caters to family travelers. Guests can upgrade to the Family Selection at Grand Palladium Vallarta Resort & Spa, which is a hotel within a hotel geared exclusively to families. This includes areas dedicated exclusively to families, as well as personalized services. Think entertainment areas, welcome kits for kids, mini bathrobes and mini slippers, a special turn-down for kids, a reserved beach area, and a dedicated pool.

Riviera Nayarit Boutique Hotels

Agua de Luna Boutique Hotel

(Agua de Luna Boutique Hotel)

Further up the coast, away from the communities of Punta Mita and Nuevo Vallarta, the scene gets much more boutique and small-scale, particularly in the towns of Sayulita and San Pancho. Agua de Luna Boutique Hotel is a dreamy, adults-only boutique hotel nestled alongside the cobblestone streets of this sleepy fishing village.

The charming hotel is tailored to travelers who crave a bohemian design and a laid-back lifestyle. The 15 suites are impeccably dressed, with accents of wood, stone, and woven textiles. Luxury Suites open out directly to the saltwater pool. 

This is a hotel ideal for digital nomads, or boho-style backpackers with a bit more money to burn. While the hotel itself is not expensive, it attracts a crowd that appreciates organic cuisine, wellness experiences, and Instagrammable moments.

La Joya

(La Joya)

Sayulita is arguably the most famous town along the Riviera Nayarit. Once sought out for its sleepy, off-the-beaten-path vibes, today it is a standalone destination complete with dozens of restaurants and bars and a great nightlife. 

La Joya, however, is a small boutique hotel that sits removed from the downtown fray and somewhat chaotic energy of Sayulita. This intimate space is often used as the setting for wellness retreats, perched overlooking a stretch of beach, with intimate bungalows, casitas and larger houses that sleep six. 

Onsite restaurant Tekuamana serves organic local ingredients transformed into Mexican recipes, as well as designer cocktails, craft beer and organic wines. 

To make the most out of La Joya, guests should sign up for one of their many retreats. Themes include yoga, healing and soul alchemy, among others — all with wellness and connection to body and spirit in mind. 

Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.

Obsidian in Jalisco: a 10,000-year-old story

By
John Pint
-
2
Obsidian, the volcanic glass that has played an important role in Mexican history, is most plentiful in the state of Jalisco. (Avonlea Jewelry/Unsplash)

Archaeologist Rodrigo Esparza has been studying obsidian for twenty years. In a recent online conference sponsored by the University of Guadalajara, he summed up his observations about this volcanic glass which played a vital role in the history of Mexico.

The biggest deposits of obsidian on this planet, he said, are found in the U.S. in the great plateau of Oregon. The next largest are in South Africa and then in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, with the Mexican state of Jalisco taking fourth place on the world stage.

The El Pedernal obsidian field, sat amongst the agaves fields that dot the Jalisco landscape. (John Pint)

Jalisco: Mexico’s obsidian heartland

“Jalisco has 54 deposits, but more are being found all the time” says the professor. A case in point is the Sierra de Ahuisculco Wildlife Reserve (Selva Negra) whose obsidian fields are presently being studied for the first time: “More than 300 hectares of high-grade black and red obsidian have been mapped so far—dotted with hundreds of old mines and workshops—and the outer limits of the deposit have not yet been reached.”

“Thanks to the discovery of two Clovis points [traditional speartips] in Jalisco,” Esparza went on, “we know for sure that obsidian was being worked in this part of Mexico ten thousand years ago. The Clovis points date back to Pleistocene times and were found at San Marcos Lake, just west of Lake Chapala.”

The sharpest blades in the world

When it comes to producing a sharp edge, nothing beats obsidian. It is, after all, natural glass, and like all glass it has no crystalline structure. This means there is no limit to how far you can sharpen an obsidian knife. So, obsidian spearheads, blades, and scrapers have a keener edge than their metal counterparts. The Spaniards learned this the first time they encountered the macuahuitl, the meter-long native Mexican sword which was flat and made of wood, with incredibly sharp obsidian blades set into grooves along the edges and glued in place with natural asphalt (bitumen).

Obsidian has many uses. Some craftsmen have worked the glass into wine bottles. (John Pint)

The macuahuitl was so deadly that with one blow a warrior could cut off a man’s leg or decapitate a horse, as Spanish conquistador Bernal Diaz Del Castillo, witnessed:

“Pedro de Morón was a very good horseman, and as he charged with three other horsemen into the ranks of the enemy the Indians seized hold of his lance and he was not able to drag it away, and others gave him cuts with their broadswords, and wounded him badly, and then they slashed at the mare, and cut her head off at the neck so that it hung by the skin, and she fell dead.”

Ancient artisans and the art of working obsidian

An obsidian knife could be made by knapping or chipping away at a chunk of obsidian, just as was done with flint over ages, but eventually, artisans discovered a much more efficient procedure: percussion. At the site of an obsidian mine, they would extract a piece of the material weighing perhaps eight kilos and give it a conical shape with a flat bottom. This is what archaeologists call a core. 

The most promising cores would then be carried off to an artisan sitting beneath a tree. He would place the piece, tip downward, between his legs and with a deer horn, apply pressure to the right spot on the flat surface, popping off a long, thin blade. This technique resulted in elegant prismatic blades that had two naturally sharp edges.

The many colors of obsidian

Although most of the world’s obsidian is black, it also comes in colors. In Jalisco alone, Rodrigo Esparza has come upon more than 25 colors, such as marbled red, blue, green and even white, as well as a mix of colors known as rainbow.

Rodrigo Esparza, a Mexican archaeologist, has spent a quarter of a century studying obsidian. (John Pint)

“Obsidian also comes in a variety of sheens, including silver and gold, which can only be appreciated when you move the piece in the sunlight.”

Mexican artisans have always appreciated the beauty of obsidian and have used it not only to sculpt statues but also to produce fine jewelry.

“In shaft tomb burials 2000 years old, we found amazingly thin pieces of obsidian, perhaps three centimeters in diameter, but less than two millimeters in thickness,” Esparza says. “Some were perfectly round discs and others had the shape of animals or humans. They looked very much like charms, each inevitably perforated by a tiny hole. At first, we thought the discs might be mirrors, but they were too small for that. It soon became clear that they were something like spangles that could be strung together to make a necklace, bracelet, or an elaborate pectoral. Perhaps these were sewn on clothing to give a sort of Elvis Presley effect. I’ve written a paper on the clever percussion technique they probably used to get such thin flakes. No modern artisan knows how to make obsidian so thin … and, much less, how to put a hole in it!”

Obsidian workshops today

Though most often associated with the color black, obsidian actually comes in a variety of shades. (Luz Mendoza/Unsplash)

Today’s artisans use modern techniques for working obsidian, but their creations are no less surprising and attractive than the ancient ones. 

An example, Esparza says, is the taller (workshop) of Don Eleno Espinoza in the little town of Navajas, located 30 kilometers southwest of Guadalajara. Here they carry on an ancient tradition but employ modern devices like grinding wheels for polishing. 

In one corner of the workshop, piled on the floor, visitors can find a collection of just about every type, color and sheen of obsidian, brought to Navajas from all over Jalisco.

That collection, however, is shrinking.

“The artisans of Navajas report two problems,” Rodrigo Esparza says “One is the spread of agave fields over what were once obsidian deposits. Aerial photos show that several historically important — and ‘protected’ — obsidian deposits have simply disappeared, covered with agaves.”

Magdalena black obsidian, which will be exported to China. (John Pint)

Mexican obsidian catches the eye of China

The second problem is on an international scale. Rainbow obsidian, for example, has come to the attention of Chinese entrepreneurs, who eventually find their way to remote backwaters where they will buy everything that the local people can produce … until there is none left. They are also on the lookout for deposits that have large blocks of obsidian. Although these weigh tons, they are transported to docks and eventually end up in China.

“Foreigners can spirit obsidian out of Mexico without paying tariffs of any kind,” says Esparza, “because the government officially lists obsidian as cascajo, gravel, and it sells for one peso a kilo. In ancient times it was a priceless resource but now it’s classified as worthless.”

John Pint has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area and co-author of Outdoors in Western Mexico. More of his writing can be found on his website.

How will chocolate’s skyrocketing global prices affect Mexico?

By
MND Staff
-
1
a pile of raw cacao beans on display
Cacao pods on display at the 2022 Festival del Chocolate. (Damián Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)

Satisfying your chocolate craving in Mexico will be more expensive this year.

According to an economic analysis by Mexico’s Banco Base, the commodity with the greatest global price growth in 2023 — at 61.3% — was cocoa, and the price keeps increasing.

Cacao farmer in Chiapas, Mexico, checks a cacao pod on a tree
Carlos Hugo Avendaño of the Rosario Izapa farm in Cacahoatán, Chiapas, works on developing cacao varieties more resistant to black pod disease, one of the diseases responsible for widespread cacao shortages in West Africa. (Damien Sánchez Jesus/Cuartoscuro)

How much have global cocoa prices increased and why?

And it’s only getting worse: the prices of global cocoa futures for May delivery temporarily surpassed US $10,000 a ton on Tuesday, a more than 129% increase in 2024. Tuesday’s final price eventually dropped somewhat to US $9,641.50.

Abel Main Rodríguez, information director at the Agricultural Markets Consulting Group, explained that the rise in prices worldwide is due to crop shortages in the West African countries of Ivory Coast and Ghana, which combined, account for 70% of the global supply. 

El Niño and the oomycete fungus phytophthora palmivora — responsible for black pod disease — are causing the cacao crop shortages in these two countries. Drought has also decreased cacao crops in other major producing nations — Ecuador, Cameroon, Nigeria and Brazil.

How will this affect chocolate prices in Mexico?

Currently, global price increases have not had as great an impact on Mexican consumers, although local prices have indeed been rising. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography, chocolate prices in the Mexican market have increased by an average of 8% in the past year — a figure higher than the inflation rate of 4.6%. 

Cuauhtémoc Rivera, president of the National Alliance of Small Merchants, estimates that chocolate prices will double in the second half of the year, when consumption is at its peak. 

But despite the increase in the cost of raw materials such as cocoa — and sugar, whose prices rose globally by 7% in 2023 — Paolo Quadrini, the general director of the National Association of the Confectionery and Chocolate Sector, predicted in February that chocolate and candy sales will rise by 10% in the Mexican market during 2024.

How much cacao does Mexico produce?

Cacao — which is native to Mexico — is one of the country’s most important shade crops in tropical regions, just behind coffee. According to federal government figures, around 45,000 Mexican farmers cultivate cacao beans, mainly in the states of Tabasco, Chiapas and Guerrero.

While Mexico is expected to produce 38,000 tonnes in 2024 according to the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry (Sagarpa), it doesn’t grow enough to meet national demand. Mexico ranks among the top 11 producers worldwide.  

According to Main Rodríguez, Mexico will need to import around 43,000 tonnes this year to meet market needs.

With reports from Milenio, Expansión, El Economista and Forbes

AMLO confirms 1 Mexican rescued, 2 missing after Baltimore bridge collapse

By
MND Staff
-
0
The container ship the Dali crashing into the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore
Victims in the accident that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Tuesday included three Mexican nationals, the government of Mexico said Wednesday. (Screen capture)

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told reporters that three Mexican workers were on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, when it collapsed after a cargo ship struck a support column on Tuesday.

One of the three was rescued, but two are still missing, he said.

Reporters with raised hands asking Mexican President Lopez Obrador questions
President Lopez Obrador declined to share the names of the victims, saying that their families in Mexico were highly sought after by the media. (Presidencia)

“The report we have is that there are three Mexicans, one was rescued and came out alive— injured, but safe,” López Obrador said during his Wednesday morning press conference, adding that consular assistance is being provided to the relatives. At least eight people went into the water. Two were rescued, but the other six are missing and presumed dead. 

The Mexicans were part of a construction crew filling potholes on the bridge. President López Obrador said the families of the victims are being highly sought after by the media and refrained from giving further details about their relatives.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement Wednesday that the Mexican rescued alive is from Michoacán. One of the missing men is also from the state of Michoacán, and the other is from the state of Veracruz, it added.

Guatemalan and Honduran diplomats have confirmed that some of the missing workers on the crew are their nationals.

On Tuesday evening, Maryland State Police announced that the search and rescue mission was transitioning to one of search and recovery. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said Wednesday morning that rescue divers faced dangerous conditions.

“They are down there in darkness where they can literally see about a foot in front of them. They are trying to navigate mangled metal, and they’re also in a place [where] it is now presumed that people have lost their lives,” Moore said.

“operations have shifted from a search and rescue operation towards recovery efforts,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a press conference.

According to the Associated Press, the ship, the Dali, struck the bridge at 1:30 a.m., moments after the vessel’s crew issued a mayday call warning that it had lost power and steering capability. Police officers who were warned that the ship was headed toward the bridge had only about 90 seconds to stop traffic on the interstate highway before the bridge collapsed.

Reportedly, one officer parked sideways across the lanes and planned to drive onto the bridge to alert a construction crew once another officer arrived. However, he did not get the chance as the drifting ship barreled into the bridge.

The accident destroyed a major transportation link in Baltimore, leading to the complete closure of river traffic. This will impact not only the 30,000 daily commuters who use the bridge but also U.S. consumers, who are likely to experience shipping delays.

The Port of Baltimore is a major entry point on the East Coast for vehicles from Germany, Mexico, Japan and the United Kingdom, as well as for coal and farm equipment. 

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said it is too soon to give a time frame for clearing the channel and resuming normal activities.

“We need the ships to enter and those who were [in the port] to be able to leave,” he stressed.

The vessel, owned by Grace Ocean Private Ltd., a Singapore-based shipping company, was en route from Baltimore to Sri Lanka. Maersk, a Danish shipping giant, had chartered the ship.

With reports from The Associated Press and El Economista

French-owned Engie to invest US $2B in gas pipeline in Mexico’s southeast

By
MND Staff
-
0
Natural gas
The project is expected to be completed in 2026 and to generate 4,500 jobs. (Engie Energy)

Energy company Engie México will invest US $2 billion to build a second gas pipeline in southeastern Mexico, according to a senior executive with the French-owned firm.

Engie is committed to building a new pipeline parallel to the existing Mayakan pipeline that runs between Chiapas and Yucatán. The second pipeline will be shorter, beginning in Tabasco rather than Chiapas, but running to the same final delivery point in Valladolid, Yucatán.

Representatives of Engie Energy and CFE
The energy company signed an agreement with CFE earlier this week to “guarantee the transport of natural gas” for the Yucatán peninsula. (Engie Energy)

Ana Ludlow, Engie México’s chief government affairs and sustainability officer, told the news website Bloomberg Línea that the new pipeline will supply gas to two new Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) power plants in Yucatán, one in Mérida and another in Valladolid. The Mérida plant is slated to open in November, while the Valladolid one is scheduled to begin operations in January 2025.

Engie subsidiary Energía Mayakan signed an agreement with the state-owned CFE earlier this week for “the expansion of the Mayakan gas pipeline” in order to “guarantee the transport of natural gas for the generation of electricity required by the Yucatán Peninsula,” according to a company statement.

Ludlow said that construction of the new pipeline will cost approximately $2 billion and that it will be finished by the end of 2026. The money will come from Engie and its partners, Ludlow told Bloomberg Línea without offering further details. She also said that the project will create 4,500 jobs.

According to Engie’s statement, Energía Mayakan will be in charge of the project. It already operates a gas pipeline between a Pemex facility in the municipality of Reforma, Chiapas, and Valladolid.

Engie energy
Map of the second pipeline to be built alongside the existing Mayakan pipeline, which will also have the same final delivery point in Valladolid, Yucatán. (Engie Energy)

The new pipeline will run more than 700 kilometers between Ciudad Pemex in the Tabasco municipality of Macuspana and Valladolid. Ludlow said that the new pipeline will use “practically” the same right of way as the existing pipeline.

The operation of a second pipeline will increase Engie’s capacity to transport gas in southeastern Mexico from 250 million cubic feet per day to 567 million cubic feet, according to the company.

Engie also said that its project will “favor interconnection with the Puerta del Sureste project,” a joint initiative of Canadian company TC Energy and the CFE. The TC Energy project will allow natural gas to be transported from Brownsville, Texas, to Tuxpan and Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz and Paraíso in Tabasco.

Engie said that its project will “trigger economic development,” attract investment to southeastern Mexico and reduce electricity generation costs and the bills of millions of electricity customers in Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche and Yucatán.

The company said that the operation of the two new CFE plants in Yucatán will avoid the annual emission of 4.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The supply of natural gas to the plants via the new pipeline will help eliminate the need to use dirtier and more expensive fossil fuels for electricity generation, Ludlow said.

With reports from Bloomberg Línea

2 million expected to swoop to Mexico City for bat-themed festival

By
MND Staff
-
0
Mexican woman posing for a selfie with a larger-than-life display of a bat pollinating a plant
With the Holy Week vacations already in swing, a visitor to Mexico City's Chapultepec Park takes a selfie with a display for the bat festival, which starts March 28. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

The Chapultepec Park Festival returns for a third consecutive year this week, and the featured theme will be chiroptera. What’s that, you ask? Chiroptera is the taxonomic classification of the only mammal capable of true flight: the bat. 

Mexico City Mayor Martí Batres said he expects upward of 2 million visitors to the festival during its four-day run from March 28 to 31. Chapultepec Park, the 686-hectare woodland area just west of Mexico City’s historic center, will play host to the bat-filled event.

Bat expert Rodrigo Medellin with mic in hand, in front of digital display of a bat
One of the highlights of the festival will be a public talk by Mexico’s internationally known ecologist and bat expert Rodrigo Medellín, who’s been featured in National Geographic and on PBS’ Nature series. (Victoria Valtierra Ruvalcaba/Cuartoscuro)

Playing a key role in promoting this year’s festival is the Bat Man of Mexico, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) ecologist and bat champion Dr. Rodrigo Medellín.

Medellín, who has been featured in publications like National Geographic and was the subject of a 2021 episode on the PBS series Nature, gained notoriety for his work to preserve the endangered lesser long-nosed bat, also known as the “tequila bat” for its crucial role in pollinating the agave plant, the source of the iconic Mexican liquor.

“Bats are the most important pest control in the world, and Mexico is the country with the fifth-most [number of] bat species in the world,” Medellín said at the March 12 press conference where the festival was announced.

There are 140 million bats in Mexico, Medellín said, and “1 million bats can consume 10 tons of insects each night while dispersing three to five seeds per square meter.” 

“Today we have the large forests we have because of bats, which regenerate them,” Medellín said, urging the public to come to the festival and “discover how marvelous bats are.” 

Of the world’s 1,400 species of bats, 20 can be found in Mexico City.

Mayor Batres told reporters that there will be more than 100 fixed locales across the first and second sections of the park, as well as cultural, educational, artistic and recreational activities, 200 activities in all. The festival will also feature seven giant papier-mache bats — accompanied by workshops and booths — created by artisans from the city’s Iztapalapa borough. 

The festival program includes films, concerts, dance and theater performances, plus seminars and conferences by bat experts. On May 28, Dr. Medellín will deliver a talk entitled “Why Take Care of Bats? Our Winged Allies.” 

Three large-format photo exhibits installed for the festival will remain open to the public through June.

The organizers claim this year’s Chapultepec Park Festival will be the biggest-ever “bat-themed festival” in the world. There is no entry fee for the festival activities. Tickets for the Museum of Natural History (MHN) — located in the park’s second section — cost 36 pesos.

Last year’s edition of the festival, christened the “Animalistic Festival,” boasted 120 activity centers and seven giant animal displays — including one on the panda, on the crocodile and on the eagle — to spotlight the 100th anniversary of the Chapultepec Zoo. 

With reports from El Universal and La Jornada Maya

US appeals court extends block on enforcement of Texas migrant arrest law

By
MND Staff
-
0
Migrants negotiate a razor wire barrier as they cross from Ciudad Juárez in Mexico to El Paso, Texas, in the U.S.
Migrants negotiate a razor wire barrier as they cross from Ciudad Juárez in Mexico to El Paso, Texas, in the U.S. (Rey R. Jáuregui/Cuartoscuro)

A federal appeals court in the United States issued a ruling on Tuesday that extends the prohibition on the enforcement of a law that allows Texas to detain and deport to Mexico migrants who entered the U.S. between official ports of entry.

A panel of three judges from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to maintain a ban on the enforcement of the Texas state law known as Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), which was approved by the Republican Party-controlled Texas Legislature last year. The ruling came after a hearing in Louisiana last Wednesday.

The U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision on March 19 that enabled Texas to enact SB 4, which allows state authorities to arrest people on suspicion of having entered the U.S. illegally and gives local judges the authority to deport migrants to Mexico regardless of their nationality.

However, the application of the law was blocked by the 5th Circuit on appeal later the same day, and no arrests of migrants were reported by Texas authorities during the brief period that it was in effect.

The U.S. government has argued that immigration enforcement is an exclusive power of federal authorities and that application of SB 4 will create chaos at the border with Mexico.

Led by Republican Party Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas government says that federal authorities aren’t doing enough to secure the border and that it has a constitutional right to take its own action to curb the entry of unauthorized migrants into the United States.

Texas National Guard reinforcing border barriers at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas
The Texas National Guard reinforces barriers at Shelby Park in the border city of Eagle Pass, part of a strategy designed by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and condemned by President López Obrador as a political ploy. (Gov. Greg Abbot/X)

Priscilla Richman, chief judge of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, sided with the U.S. government.

In a written opinion, she said that “for nearly 150 years, the Supreme Court has held that the power to control immigration — the entry, admission, and removal of noncitizens — is exclusively a federal power.”

SB 4 “creates separate, distinct state criminal offenses and related procedures regarding unauthorized entry of noncitizens into Texas from outside the country and their removal,” wrote Richman, who was appointed by former U.S. president George W. Bush.

Judge Irma Carrillo Ramírez, who was appointed by current U.S. President Joe Biden, also voted in favor of blocking the enforcement of the Texas law. Judge Andrew Oldham, who was appointed by ex-president Donald Trump and was a former aide to Abbott, dissented with the majority decision.

Oldham wrote that “in our federal system, the state of Texas is supposed to retain at least some of its sovereignty” and the Texan people “are supposed to be able to use that sovereignty to elect representatives and send them to Austin to debate and enact laws that respond to the exigencies that Texans experience and that Texans want addressed.”

The court’s ruling on Tuesday “will likely prevent enforcement of the law until a final decision on its merits, either by the 5th Circuit or the U.S. Supreme Court,” the Associated Press reported.

Even without the power to enforce SB 4, Abbot — an outspoken critic of U.S. President Joe Biden and his government’s immigration policies — is maintaining a hardline approach to stemming illegal migration into the U.S. with his Operation Lone Star strategy.

A group of migrants near the Río Bravo
Mexico has said it will not cooperate with any efforts by Texas state authorities to deport migrants. (Cuartoscuro)

“Operation Lone Star is working. … Illegal crossings are going down in Texas while at the same time they are skyrocketing in California & Arizona. It’s because of the border wall, razor wire barriers, the National Guard & arrests by DPS [the Texas Department of Public Safety],” he wrote on the X social media platform on Tuesday.

Mexico’s opposition to SB 4

After the Supreme Court ruled last week that Texas could enforce SB 4, the Mexican government said that Mexico would not accept the return of migrants by the Lone Star state “under any circumstances.”

The law “seeks to stop the flow of migrants by criminalizing them, and encouraging the separation of families, discrimination and racial profiling that violate the human rights of the migrant community,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) said in a statement.

Given that Mexico says it won’t accept any migrants deported by Texas, it is unclear what in fact would happen to people expelled from the Lone Star state under SB 4.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has called the law “inhumane” and “politically motivated” and denounced a range of other anti-immigration measures enacted by Governor Abbott, including the strict inspection of trucks entering Texas and the installation of floating barriers in the Rio Grande.

Rio Grande floating barrier
A U.S. judge ordered Texas to remove buoys and underwater nets it installed in the Rio Grande due to safety concerns, among other issues. (U.S. Customs and Border Patrol)

López Obrador and other government officials have also staunchly defended the rights of Mexicans and other migrants who live in the United States.

“Our migrants in the United States are not criminals. Their contribution to the U.S. economy is fundamental,” Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena said on X last week.

On Tuesday, she noted that in making its latest ruling, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals made reference to the amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief filed by Mexico against SB 4.

Bárcena highlighted a section of the ruling that says “there is a high risk that enforcement of SB 4 would cause international friction” and acknowledges that “Mexico has already protested SB 4 and signaled that the statute’s enforcement would frustrate bilateral efforts, including noncitizen removals.”

The Mexican government, which has largely cooperated with its United States counterpart on migration-related issues, has made clear its view that immigration enforcement is the purview of federal authorities.

“Mexico categorically rejects any measure that allows state or local authorities to exercise immigration control, and to arrest and return nationals or foreigners to Mexican territory,” the SRE said last week.

With reports from AP and The Hill 

1,000 firefighters combat blazes in Veracruz as wildfires spike nationwide

By
MND Staff
-
0
Firefighters in Veracruz
The central mountainous region of Veracruz state is affected by multiple wildfires that began on Saturday and have still not been fully contained. (Carlos Nava/Cuartoscuro)

Six forest fires that began over the weekend in the high mountains of central Veracruz have consumed 1,670 hectares and at least 20 homes in the state as of Wednesday, while the number of active wildfires in Mexico has quickly increased this week.

State authorities have announced that there are active fires in 14 municipalities in Veracruz, which are between 50% and 90% controlled as of early Wednesday.

Fire brigades in Veracruz
As of Wednesday, there are 1,000 firefighters working to extinguish the wildfires in the state. (Cuartoscuro)

In Minatitlán, the fires near Pemex’s Lázaro Cárdenas refinery produced a cloud of black smoke observable from various points in southern Veracruz on Tuesday.

The state government also reported a fire had broken out at the Ixtaczoquitlán industrial park on Tuesday morning, which reached the facilities of International Paper. No injuries have been reported and task forces were attending to the incident.

According to Governor Cuitláhuac García, an investigation is underway to determine whether the fire was caused by agricultural burning, a rural practice of burning the soil to prepare it for new planting. 

The government of Veracruz has warned that anyone who causes such fires will be punished with one to six years in prison and fines of up to 75,000 pesos (US $4,500).

A helicopter over a smoking forest fire
A Navy helicopter has been brought in to help combat the blazes in Veracruz. (SSP Veracruz/X)

Authorities have faced criticism for their delayed response to the ongoing forest fires at all levels of government since Saturday. 

Residents of Orizaba and other municipalities have expressed their willingness to assist authorities and vulnerable populations in addressing the fires in Veracruz’s central region. They have offered water from their cisterns, water tanks and even swimming pools for emergency services to use in fighting the flames. 

The intensity of the blazes led to aerial firefighting operations, with a helicopter provided by the Navy (Semar) dropping water discharges at strategic locations.

According to a report from Milenio newspaper, there are over 1,000 firefighters combating the fires from the National Guard (GN), Defense Ministry (Sedena), state Environment Ministry (Sedema) and municipal brigades.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told reporters on Wednesday morning that there are currently 116 active fires across the country — 20 in México state alone — up from 95 active fires reported in 18 states by the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

In January, Conafor had warned to expect an increase in wildfires this year as much of the country continues to experience drought conditions.

With reports from Latinus, El Universal,  La Jornada, Reforma and Milenio

Mexico postpones glyphosate ban citing lack of available alternatives

By
MND Staff
-
1
A worker sprays a field with a chemical like the glysophate manufactured by Monsanto
Glyphosate, often sold under the brand name Roundup, is classified as a "probable carcinogen" by the World Health Organization. (Shutterstock)

Mexico’s government paused its plan to ban glyphosate, a widely used but controversial herbicide, citing concerns about maintaining agricultural productivity and ensuring food security.

The postponement, announced on Tuesday, comes just days before a previously announced April 1 deadline that would have prohibited “purchasing, using, distributing, promoting and importing glyphosate or agrochemicals that contain it as an active ingredient.”

The weed-killing chemical is used mainly in the production of corn, citrus and fruits and is associated with the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMO) such as corn, cotton and soybeans. (A common genetic modification makes crops resistant to glyphosate, allowing farmers to apply large amounts of the weed-killer to those GMO crops.)

A joint statement from the Ministries of Economy (SE), Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader), along with the Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris), acknowledges the potential health risks of glyphosate, but emphasizes that a suitable alternative has yet to be identified.

The conditions outlined in a 2020 presidential decree for phasing out glyphosate — continued agricultural output, reduced impact from substitution and viable agroecological alternatives — have not been fully met, according to the statement.

The National Council of Science, Humanities and Technology (Conahcyt), tasked with developing alternatives, did not participate in the decision to postpone the ban.

A jug of glyphosate, labelled in Spanish
Many GMO crops are designed to be resistant to glyphyosate, a common but controversial herbicide. (Via La Jornada San Luis)

A year ago, the government said that 12 low-toxicity, broad-spectrum alternatives that can maintain productivity for farmers were in the works.

“Seven bioherbicides have been identified that are available worldwide, and five that will be Mexican manufacturing developments,” Sader stated at that time.

However, those options are reportedly not yet available in sufficient quantities or at accessible prices.

The decision to postpone enactment of the decree has been met with support from agricultural organizations who argue that glyphosate is currently irreplaceable due to its effectiveness and affordability.

Eraclio Rodríguez, national coordinator of the National Front for the Rescue of the Countryside, said applying glyphosate costs about 500 pesos per hectare, while a manual alternative such as tillage would cost up to 6,000 pesos per hectare.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified glyphosate as a “probable carcinogen,” though the safety of the herbicide remains a subject of debate.

In addition to calling for the elimination of glyphosate, the decree published on Dec. 31, 2020 also called for Mexico to ban the importation of GM corn for use in dough and tortillas, and gradually phase out imports of GM corn for any kind of human consumption by 2024, and for use as animal feed (depending on supply) at an unspecified later date.

The United States is opposed to this plan, and last year it requested the establishment of a panel to resolve the issue.

Moreover, in 2022, the German company Bayer obtained a court order against the application of the decree after Cofepris refused to issue it a permit for a new GMO seed variety it had developed. The decree allowed Bayer, which in 2018 acquired Monsanto, producer of the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup, to continue supplying glyphosate and GMO seeds to Mexico.

With reports from La Jornada and Reforma

How San Miguel de Allende was resurrected by US veterans

By
Sandra Gancz Kahan
-
1
In the mid-twentieth century San Miguel emerged as a center for the study of arts and languages, attracting people from all over the world - thanks to the work of American WWII veterans. (All photos by Memoria San Miguel/Facebook.)

San Miguel de Allende, lauded by Condé Nast Traveler as the “Best Small City in the World” five times, and designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, was not always the vibrant city it is today.

Established in 1542 as a Spanish colonial settlement, San Miguel de Allende flourished during colonial times with significant wealth derived from nearby silver mines. This prosperity fueled the construction of grand mansions, churches, and public buildings that showcased the city’s opulence.

Artists such as Rufino Tamayo, Leonora Carrington and Joy Laville made San Miguel de Allende a center for the arts, putting it on the map as a global creative hub. (Rufino Tamayo).

However, the War of Independence (1810-1821) and the Revolution War (1910-1917) had devastating effects. The cessation of the region’s silver mines, which had been the city’s economic backbone, led to widespread hardship. Social and political turmoil further exacerbated the decline and many residents abandoned their homes in search of better opportunities elsewhere.

The grand architecture fell into disrepair and by the early 1900s, the town teetered on the brink of becoming a ghost town. In 1926, the Mexican government intervened, declaring it a national historic monument. This designation marked a transformative moment, signaling a commitment to revitalizing its significance. With strict regulations in place to protect its colonial ambiance, the town embarked on its renaissance.

Stirling Dickinson is a man who played a most notable role in shaping the modern history of San Miguel de Allende. Born in 1909 in Chicago, he hailed from a prestigious family background. After graduating from Princeton with a degree in art and architecture, he embarked on a six-month tour of Mexico with his classmate Heath Bowman, resulting in their adventure book “Mexican Odyssey,” ranking in at No. 10 in the Chicago Daily Tribune bestsellers list. 

Dickinson and Bowman then authored another travel adventure, “Westward from Rio,” before heading to San Miguel de Allende in pursuit of a peaceful setting to work on their next book, “Death Is Incidental” inspired by the Mexican Revolution This journey was prompted by the invitation of Jose Mojica, a Mexican opera singer and Hollywood film star who had built a home for his mother in San Miguel de Allende and welcomed the two Americans to experience the town’s charm.

Dickinson, in his jeep, and other World War II vets put on uniforms and joined Mexico’s Independence Day parade on September 16, 1946. (John Virtue Collection)

Dickinson and Bowman arrived by train in the early morning hours of February 7, 1937, and rode into town on a mule-drawn cart. Reflecting on their arrival, Dickinson vividly recalled, “I looked up and saw the Parroquia sticking up out of the fog, and I said, ‘My gosh, what a place!’ I think I must have decided at that minute I was going to stay here because 10 days later I bought the house I’m sitting in now,” as recounted in a 1992 interview for the San Miguel Archive Project.

In 1938, Dickinson was appointed director of the Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes, housed in part of the Immaculate Conception convent that had been confiscated from the church by the government following the Mexican Revolution. However, his work in Mexico was interrupted by World War II. From 1942 to 1945 he returned to the United States to serve in Naval Intelligence and later in the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA. Upon his return to San Miguel after the war, Dickinson leveraged his connections to facilitate attendance at the art school on the G.I. Bill that funded free education for war veterans.

Chicago papers and other publications quickly began featuring stories about this emerging artist enclave nestled in the mountains of Mexico, sparking a period of prosperity for both the school and the town. Over 6,000 veterans applied to enroll following the January 1948 issue of Life magazine, which lauded San Miguel de Allende as a “G.I. Paradise where veterans go to study art, live cheaply, and have a good time.”

San Miguel began to script a new chapter in its history, with education and art taking center stage. The arrival of new students and visitors brought an influx of income for local merchants and service providers. This increased prosperity was evident in the construction of hotels, and the city flourished remarkably.

The Escuela Universitaria de Bellas Artes was founded by Peruvian Felipe Cossío del Pomar in 1937. The institute provided San Miguel with a world-class art school. (Juan Guzmán)

Trouble came when a recently arrived member of the faculty, noted Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros, got into a dispute over funding with the art school’s manager. Siqueiros led a walkout of students and staff with Dickinson’s support. In 1946, the Bellas Artes school was taken over by the Ministry of Education of the State of Guanajuato and now houses the government-run Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramírez. 

Felipe Cossío del Pomar, a Peruvian artist and diplomat in exile who had previously established the Instituto de Bellas Artes with encouragement from intellectuals Alfonso Reyes and José Vasconcelos, was resolute about ensuring San Miguel had a top-tier art school. In 1950, he, along with his public relations expert Stirling Dickinson, the former governor of Guanajuato, Enrique Fernández Martínez, and his wife, the American Nell Harris, founded another art school, Instituto Allende.

By 1960, Instituto Allende had become pivotal in drawing new residents to the town, primarily through its acclaimed art education programs. San Miguel’s economy continued to thrive with the influx of tourists and expatriates enticed by the vibrant arts scene, affordable living, and a welcoming international community.

San Miguel de Allende continues to be a beacon for creativity and inspiration with numerous schools and galleries, drawing people from around the world who come to experience its unique charm and contribute to its ongoing legacy.

Sandra Gancz Kahan 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

1...747748749...2,305Page 748 of 2,305