Zona Maco 2023: Foreigners flocking to Mexico City art scene

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March 16, 2023

Zelika Gárcia and Juan Canela — Zona Maco founder Zélika García and artistic director Juan Canela. (Zona Maco)

Zona Maco has evolved from the upstart of Mexico City’s art scene into the largest art fair in Latin America, and one of the most important in the world. Last month the fair celebrated its 19th anniversary with a cosmopolitan flair that confirmed its rightful place on the world stage – and the changing face of the Mexican capital.

Since its founding in 2004 by Mexican art historian Zélika García, Maco (from “México Arte Contemporáneo”) has always had global ambitions. When it started, the Mexican contemporary art scene was at a pivotal juncture; collecting was less common and some of today’s leading galleries were just coming onto the scene.

Visitors to Salón Acme in Mexico City — Visitors at Salón Acme gallery in Mexico City during this year’s Art Week. (Marko Ayling)

Zona Maco – which now includes design, antiques and photography – has since spawned Art Week, a citywide celebration hosted every February alongside the event that includes other art fairs like BADA in Campo Marte, the Feria Material in Expo Reforma and Salón Acme in Proyecto Público Prim in Juárez.

“In the last decade, Zona Maco has become the flagship art fair of Latin America,” says Antea Martín, part of the curation team at Haab, a co-working space and art venue in Condesa.

Maco was the last “normal” event in 2020 before COVID-19 shut down the city. The event was canceled in 2021, and returned in February of 2022 as Mexico City was coming out of lockdowns, and witnessing a rise in popularity with foreign remote workers.

“During the pandemic, the art market came to a standstill,” says Antea. “But with the increase in tourism and digital nomads, Mexico City has become a very important international hub and this year we saw more foreigners – both serious collectors and more casual art lovers.”

By the time the 2023 edition opened its doors, Mexico City had become the darling of the global post-pandemic zeitgeist, brimming with foreign visitors and new permanent residents. Zona Maco highlighted this foreign presence – both in the audience, and those contributing to the fair’s cosmopolitanism.

“This year’s atmosphere was more international and diverse,” says Andrea Romero, a visual artist who had a solo show in Salón Acme this year. This year, Zona Maco hosted 210 exhibitors from 26 countries – 49% of the exhibiting artists were foreign.

“This can definitely have a positive impact on the art market,” she said, noting that she had sold pieces to clients from Brazil, Ecuador, and beyond. “This is going to shake up the established markets as new buyers create change.”

The Zona Maco fair was held in the Centro Citibanamex in Miguel Hidalgo, but much of the action was in the unofficial gallery openings, parties, and pop-ups taking place across the city alongside Art Week. From Colonia Roma to Coyoacán, Centro to Santa María la Ribera, the streets of Mexico City were abuzz with conversations in dozens of languages. Zona Maco is now on the map for globetrotting art lovers.

Zona Maco 2022 drew 57,000 visitors and this year, the number reached 77,000 according to organizers. (Zona Maco)

But does the presence of foreigners alter the essence of Art Week, or enrich it?

“It’s a different community that’s coming now,” says Cara Araneta, a Mexico City resident from San Diego who explained to me the changes she has seen over the last four years. “My friends in the U.S. didn’t even used to know what Maco was – now they are talking about going to ‘pre-Maco’ in Guadalajara.”

Cara says the city’s rising popularity has overlapped with an increase in art tourism that has made cities like Miami come alive during events like Art Basel. For many casual art fans, Zona Maco is yet another reason to visit a city at the top of many bucket lists. But even though Maco isn’t as big as other art fairs, Cara says that is actually part of the appeal.

“The art world is much more accessible here,” says Cara. “You can’t just show up to events in Art Basel or Salone in Milan. But in Mexico City, you can.”

This increase in awareness cuts both ways. Since the pandemic, foreign remote workers have flocked to Mexico City’s most charming colonias. Rising rents have led many to worry that this foreign influx could price out locals and alter the city’s social fabric.

“Zona Maco’s popularity brings Mexico City and Latin American art to the forefront,” says Cara. “But on the other hand, it’s becoming more about tourism, with spaces dedicated to that. And prices follow suit.”

A case in point was Salón Acme, the event space adjacent to Taberna Prim in the trendy Juárez neighborhood. Weekend day passes were $350 pesos and the hip young crowd seemed to be checking out each other as much as the art on the walls. With the Soho House social club set to open nearby later this year, the chic, cosmopolitan crowd felt like a taste of the gentrification sure to follow.

Some of the most vulnerable to this gentrification are the artists who make the city’s art scene so vibrant. Priced out of Roma, Condesa, and Juarez, some artists even whisper about leaving the city entirely. But there are many foreign artists eager to tap into the city for inspiration and contribute to the vibrant scene in ways they can’t back home.

I spoke with Barry Silver, a 59-year-old yogi-turned-artist from New York who came to Mexico from Venice Beach during the pandemic after feeling “a deep mystical connection to Mexico in my own personal mythology.” He first went to Oaxaca to work with a local printer on a series of collage books. But when he visited Zona Maco in 2022 to debut his latest work – a bespoke tarot deck – he felt called to stay in Mexico City in pursuit of his art. A year later, Barry was participating in Art Week himself, serving hot tea from his self-designed pop-up chai stand at Haab Project’s Zona Maco event in Condesa.

Artist Barry Silver — New York artist Barry Silver (Courtesy)

“As an artist, it’s actually kind of rare to meet with your audience on-site,” says Barry, who drew tarot cards for passers-by while displaying the original 25-year-old cut-and-paste journals he created over 12 years of travels through India and Asia.

“There’s such a magic in Mexican culture,” he adds. “Art and creation are so tied into the culture that you can get inspired and tap into the stream that exists here.”

Of course, artists aren’t the only foreigners setting up shop in Mexico City. There has been an explosion of gallery openings in recent years, many of them foreign-owned or operated. Big names include L.A. gallery Morán Morán’s new space in Polanco and Mariane Ibrahim’s third gallery (her other two are located in Paris and Chicago). But many younger and less established gallerists are also finding opportunities to build something in Mexico.

Graeme Luey transplanted his #Hashtag Gallery to Mexico after 10 years in Toronto. COVID-19 lockdowns in Canada drastically curtailed the options for the award-winning gallery, and after a trip to Mérida in January 2021, Luey felt inspired to relocate. After building a 700+ member WhatsApp group, Luey is trying to bring people from online chats into real-life spaces, where his team supports emerging artists with a place to showcase their work or partake in workshops.

How these new galleries will help local artists is less clear. The concurrent arrival of foreign artists, galleries, and tourists risks creating cultural bubbles detached from the vibrant artistic traditions that make Mexico so culturally rich.

One thing is certain – the art market is red-hot. Visitors want souvenirs and recent arrivals need to decorate their homes. Galleries in the trendiest neighborhoods have seen foreign sales increase dramatically, with work priced in dollars – or even bitcoin.

While the problems that come with digital nomad migration seem to stem from a lack of regulation, Zona Maco is an example of the opposite – a meticulous curation of Mexico’s best art, design, and photography presented proudly to the world. And as more foreign artists flock to Mexico for inspiration, perhaps the fair’s mission of highlighting emerging local talent is precisely what is needed.

Marko Ayling is a life-long traveler and the creator and host of Vagabrothers, one of the most trusted and popular travel shows on YouTube, with 1M+ subscribers worldwide. He now writes “The Missive” on Substack, a weekly dispatch of travel tales, reading recommendations, and curated cultural recommendations.

US issues spring break travel alert for Mexico

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MND Staff

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March 16, 2023

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Spring break vacationers parrty on a beach. — Although most Americans who visit Mexico travel safely, the U.S. Embassy noted in a recent travel alert aimed at spring break vacationers that tourists here on spring break have been victims of crime and adulterated substances. (Photo: Depositphotos

The United States government has warned spring break vacationers in Mexico to be aware of a range of dangers including crime, drugs, and unregulated alcohol.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a travel alert this week aimed at the thousands of U.S. citizens who come here during the annual holiday period.

“While the vast majority travel safely,” the embassy said, it advised that visitors should consider risk factors when planning their trips and while in Mexico.

The travel alert noted that crime, including violent crime, “can occur anywhere in Mexico” and specifically advised U.S. citizens to “exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations, including Cancún, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark.”

Those three beach destinations are all located in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo, a spring break hotspot.

The embassy also stated that “U.S. citizens have become seriously ill or died in Mexico after using synthetic drugs or adulterated prescription pills” and warned that “unregulated alcohol may be contaminated.”

Bar and nightclub zone of Cancun, Mexico — The U.S. has also warned spring breakers to “exercise increased caution” in downtown areas of spring break destinations, like the bar and nightclub zone of Cancún. (Elisabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

“U.S. citizens have reported losing consciousness or becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly tainted,” the travel alert stated.

The embassy also warned that counterfeit medication is common in Mexico and may contain dangerous ingredients. It also noted that U.S. citizens have been victims of rape and sexual assault here.

In addition, the travel alert mentioned “strong undercurrents and rip tides” at some beaches, advised that “all guns and even small amounts of ammunition are illegal in Mexico,” and warned of the risk of arrest for “drunk and disorderly behavior.”

The alert also included a list of “actions to take,” among which was advice to read the State Department’s Mexico Travel Advisory, “drink responsibly and always watch your drink,” and “obey Mexican law and remember Mexican laws may differ from U.S. laws.” The Mexico Travel Advisory also advises U.S. citizens to avoid traveling to six specific Mexican states.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) went even further with its advice, “urging Texans to avoid traveling to Mexico during spring break … due to the ongoing violence throughout that country.”

“Drug cartel violence and other criminal activity represent a significant safety threat to anyone who crosses into Mexico right now,” DPS Director Steven McCraw was quoted as saying in the DPS’s press release

“We have a duty to inform the public about safety, travel risks and threats. Based on the volatile nature of cartel activity and the violence we are seeing there, we are urging individuals to avoid travel to Mexico at this time,” McCraw said.

Visitors enjoy the beach in Playa del Carmen.

McCraw’s remarks late last week came shortly after two of four U.S. citizens who were abducted in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, were found dead. Matamoros is located across the border from Brownsville, Texas, which itself is close to South Padre Island, a resort town popular with spring break vacationers.

Despite the U.S. government’s travel alert, tens of thousands of young Americans are predicted to spend time in Mexico during spring break, a period spanning several weeks in March and early April.

Authorities in Quintana Roo predict that around 30,000 spring breakers will descend on Cancún, while the Los Cabos municipality, on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula in Baja California Sur, is expecting an influx of over 40,000 foreign students.

The State Department advises U.S. citizens to “exercise increased caution” in both states.

Mexico News Daily

9 of 22 arrest warrants served in Segalmex corruption case

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MND Staff

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March 16, 2023

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A worker at a Segalmex factory. — The FGR alleges that funds intended for Segalmex warehouses have been misappropriated. (Segalmex)

Mexican authorities have successfully served 9 of 22 arrest warrants in the Mexican Food Security (Segalmex) corruption case, according to the Attorney General’s Office (FGR).

While the arrest warrants have been recently issued, the FGR revealed that they had received 22 reports of corruption as far back as June 2022, opening 15 investigations into the troubled scheme.

Segalmex workers at a warehouse — Segalmex managers are accused of diverting more than $142 million pesos to personal projects. (Segalmex)

Segalmex is a flagship policy of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration, intended to allow farmers to sell staple produce to the government at set rates.

Supporters of the scheme argue that Segalmex provides security for subsistence farmers, although opponents of the government have pointed to a history of mismanagement, especially within its predecessor scheme Conasupe.

Conasupe was a similar government-run supply scheme designed to help ensure food security, eventually closed in 1999 after a number of allegations of mismanagement and fraud.

Segalmex had paid the sum of $142.4 million pesos to Servicios Integrales Carregin for 7,800 tonnes of sugar. The goods were never delivered, and the money was reportedly diverted to beneficiaries outside of Segalmex.

AMLO denied that the government was to blame for the embezzlement at Segalmex during his mañanera. — AMLO denied that the government was to blame for the embezzlement at Segalmex. (Presidencia)

Of the 22 people indicted, 12 are former Segalmex employees, 4 are from Servicios Integral Carregin, and 6 were the beneficiaries of the diverted resources, say the FGR.

Those arrested include Jorge Humberto González Bocardo, coordinator of operations at Segalmex subsidiary Diconsa, legal director of Segalmex, Carlos Antonio Dávila Amerena; former coordinator of Budget Management, Laura Patricia Hernández and operational deputies Simón Escobar Copca and Artemio Gutiérrez Rodríguez.

The authorities have also reported that they are continuing with investigations into additional fraud within the public body.

“Segalmex will be punished and we will continue to investigate. We filed the complaint, and there are [nine] detainees, and there are other arrest warrants,” announced the president in his morning press conference.

López Obrador also announced that $900 million pesos have since been recovered. He also denied that the government felt able to act with impunity, accusing his political rivals of falsifying the allegations.

“The opposition wants [the government] to act badly, [and] not to file complaints. They are going to have to be inventing, inventing, more and more,” he asserted.

The extent of the fraud was revealed in September 2022, when a report by investigative journalists at the organization Mexicans Against Corruption (MCC) revealed the theft of hundreds of millions of pesos from the public scheme.

MCC revealed that money intended for basic goods, such as tarpaulins and pesticides to deter pests, had been misappropriated and spent on the purchase of luxury real estate in the Yucatán Peninsula.

The investigation appears likely to widen to other companies also suspected of financial wrongdoing.

This is not the first occasion on which there has been suggestion of embezzlement at Segalmex. President López Obrador has suggested that the fraud was perpetrated by elements of the rival PRI party, and that then-Segalmex director Ignacio Ovalle was unaware of the embezzlement.

With reports from El Universal, Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción and El País

Press freedom report accuses feds of ‘strategy of disinformation’

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MND Staff

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March 16, 2023

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A grey-haired man wearing a suit and tie gestures with the red, white and green of the Mexican flag visible in the background. — President López Obrador gestures emphatically at his daily press conference on Wednesday. (Mario Jasso / Cuartoscuro.com)

A press freedom advocacy organization has concluded that many of the statements made by President López Obrador are false, misleading or cannot be proven to be true.

Article 19 sought information from the federal government about 34 statements López Obrador made between 2019 and 2022.

The statements, most of which were made at the president’s weekday press conferences, referred to corruption, the economy, COVID-19, autonomous organizations, social programs, security and “other matters,” the non-governmental organization said in a report entitled (Des)información oficial y comunicación social, or Official (Dis)information and Social Communication.

Based on the information it received, Article 19 concluded that nine of the statements in question — 26.5% of the total — were false and two others (5.6%) were misleading.

Only two of the 34 statements were “backed up” by government information while one other was “verifiable” but López Obrador “left out facts” that would have placed it in its “right context,” the NGO said.

With regard to the other 20 statements — 58.8% of the total — Article 19 said that neither the president’s office nor other government departments provided information that allowed them to be deemed true or false.

A hand written sign saying "uso de cubreboca obligatorio" pinned to the truck of a palm tree with a palapa in the background. — Data from the Economy Ministry disproved the president’s statement that “no foreign investment was lost despite COVID,” the report found. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal / Cuartoscuro.com)

Thus, 31 of the 34 statements — 91.2% of the total — were determined to be false, misleading or unverifiable.

Article 19 said that the dissemination of false or unverifiable information is detrimental to “people’s right to be informed.”

The organization also said that the results it obtained from its analysis of the president’s statements are congruent with information it has presented in its most recent annual reports. As a result, it concluded that “the federal government has deployed a strategy of disinformation within its social communication policy.”

Among the nine statements made by López Obrador that were determined to be false was a remark in August 2020 that “no foreign investment [in Mexico] was lost despite COVID” and an assertion the following month that under the current government “there are no longer [cases of] torture, disappearances or massacres.”

Article 19 said that data from the Economy Ministry disproved the former statement and information from official sources including the federal Attorney General’s Office refuted the latter.

In addition, the organization Human Rights Watch said in a report last year that “human rights violations — including torture, enforced disappearances, abuses against migrants, extrajudicial killings, gender-based violence, and attacks on independent journalists and human rights defenders — have continued” since López Obrador took office in late 2018.

An analysis conducted by Spin, a Mexico City-based consulting company, indicates that the presidential falsehoods detected by Article 19 are just the tip of the iceberg.

The consultancy said last August that it had determined that López Obrador makes an average of 94 false statements per mañanera, or morning press conference.

AMLO, as the president is best known, has now presided over more than 1,000 pressers, meaning that his tally of misstatements and misrepresentations would now be hovering around 100,000 based on Spin’s numbers.

Mexico News Daily

Xinquan Mexico Automotive expands operations with US $30M investment

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MND Staff

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March 16, 2023

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The investment was announced by Mexican and Chinese grandees. — The announcement was made by Xinquan Mexico president Robert Liu and Aguascalientes governor Tere Jiménez. (@TereJimenezE/Twitter)

Chinese manufacturer Xinquan Automotive has announced an expansion of its Mexico operations, making an additional US $30 million investment in their Aguascalientes manufacturing plant.

The new investment was announced at a media event in the Xinquan Mexico factory, attended by Mexican politicians and high-ranking executives of the Xinquan company.

Executives from Xinquan attended the opening. — Executives from Xinquan attended the announcement. (@TereJimenezE/Twitter)

Xinquan Mexico, which manufactures parts used in the automobile industry, has seen success in Mexico since first beginning operations in 2021. The original factory cost an estimated US $40 million, and created 400 jobs, but high levels of demand have led to Xinquan extending the production capabilities of the plant.

President of Xinquan Mexico, Robert Liu, thanked state governor Tere Jiménez for her assistance in making the plant a success, noting that production levels have increased rapidly over the last two years.

The Aguascalientes facility now produces 100,000 sets of door panels, 500 thousand center console units and one million rear panels, with an annual sales value of US $150 million, according to Xinquan president Tang Zhihua.

“Thanks to the confidence of the Xinquan company, our state continues to advance on its path to new frontiers of development. We are the gateway for investment in Mexico thanks to the fact … [we] maintain a climate of social peace, stability, and productivity,” Jiménez told reporters at the event.

The Xinquan investment is the latest in a promising series of foreign investments, as international manufacturers look to take advantage of favorable nearshoring conditions – positioning Mexico as a hub for industry.

“We are sure that there will be more investments in the land of good people, we are expanding our horizons in the world because we are a safe haven for capital and companies with high technological innovation,” said Jiménez.

The new facilities will generate an additional 600 jobs for the state of Aguascalientes.

With reports from Mexico Industry and El Economista

Rainstorms cause power outages affecting over 270,000 Mexico City residents

By

Cat Rainsford

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March 16, 2023

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Mexico City suffered power outages due to heavy storms. — Neighborhoods across the capital suffered from blackouts due to heavy rains. (@ventacelularPR/Twitter)

A blackout engulfed more than a quarter million Mexico City residents yesterday evening, as severe rainstorms caused power outages across the capital.

Social media users reported a loss of electricity in the Navarte, Doctores, Del Valle, Iztacalco and Benito Juárez neighborhoods, as well as in the historic center of the city.

A damaged substation in La Merced — The CFE said the Merced substation was to blame for the power outage that struck on Tuesday. (@CFEmx/Twitter)

The Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) said the blackout was due to a failure in a central transmission substation, because of heavy rains.

“At 19:09 p.m., two high-voltage lines went out of operation, affecting 270,117 users in several municipalities of Mexico City, due to damage to an element of the Merced substation,” the CFE said in a statement.

The CFE stressed that the problem had been quickly addressed, with electricity restored to 74% of users by 19:30 and normal service returning by 20:44.

The brief blackout caused considerable disruption throughout the city. The Chamber of Deputies was interrupted mid-session, and special security measures were activated in Benito Juárez district and the Metrobus system to prevent opportunistic crime.

The Mexico City Metro system warned of slower or suspended services on several lines, and local traffic authorities urged people to drive with caution due to traffic light failures.

On Thursday morning, the National Meteorological Service (SMN) announced that heavy rains were expected to continue due to cold fronts moving across the north of the country.

The SMN forecasts continuing rain, fog, and possible lightning and hail in Mexico City and the surrounding area. The agency also predicts heavy rains across eastern Mexico, particularly in the north, with a possibility of tornadoes in northern Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.

With reports from El Financiero, Reforma and Excelsior

Former Tamaulipas governor sentenced to 9 years in prison in US

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MND Staff

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March 15, 2023

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Former governor of Tamaulipas Tomás Yarrington in July 2005. — Former governor of Tamaulipas Tomás Yarrington was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, the Department of Justice reported on Wednesday. (Photo: MOISÉS PABLO /ARCHIVO/CUARTOSCURO.COM)

Former Tamaulipas governor Tomás Yarrington has been sentenced to nine years in jail in the United States two years after pleading guilty to charges of corruption.

Yarrington, an Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) governor of the northern border state between 1999 and 2004, was imprisoned for “accepting over [US] $3.5 million in illegal bribe money and using it to fraudulently purchase property in the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).

Tomas Yarrington, center, former governor of Tamaulipas, in 2005 — Yarrington, center, seen here in 2005 was convicted of taking bribes in Mexico while he was a PRI governor of Tamaulipas. The court said he laundering the bribes into properties he bought through proxies in the U.S. (Eunice Adorno/Cuartoscuro)

The ex-governor, also the former mayor of Matamoros, was extradited to the United States from Italy in 2018. Yarrington pleaded guilty on March 25, 2021, the statement noted.

“Yarrington accepted bribes from individuals and private companies in Mexico to do business with the state of Tamaulipas while he served as governor,” the DOJ stated.

“Yarrington used the bribery money he received while governor to purchase properties in the United States. He had prestanombres — nominee buyers — purchase property in the United States to hide Yarrington’s ownership of the properties and the illegal bribery money used to purchase them,” it added.

“Yarrington laundered his illegally obtained bribe money in the United States by purchasing beachfront condominiums, large estates, commercial developments, airplanes and luxury vehicles.”

Property in Padre Island, Texas bought by Tomas Yarrington — One of the properties Yarrington bought to launder bribe money was in this luxury condominium building in Padre Island, Texas.

The DOJ said that the ex-governor forfeited a condominium in Port Isabel, Texas, as part of his sentence. It also said that Yarrington is expected to be deported once he is released from jail.

According to the DOJ statement, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas noted when handing down the sentence that “as an elected official, Yarrington violated his oath of office, weakening the country of Mexico and promoting criminal activity.”

Hamdani, who became U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas last December, said that the former governor used his position to “wrongfully fill [his] pockets and violate the laws of the United States.”

“Today’s prison sentence … concludes a multi-year, multi-agency international investigation spanning two continents concluding in bringing a corrupt politician to justice,” he said.

Tomas Yarrington extradited to the U.S in 2019 — After arrested in Italy in 2018, Yarrington was eventually extradited to the U.S., where he was put on trial in Texas in U.S. District Court. (Cuartoscuro)

Rodrick J. Benton, a Houston-based official with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), said that “IRS-Criminal Investigation special agents are experts in following the money in a financial crime, and we found plenty of money to follow that helped to unravel Yarrington’s criminal enterprise.”

FBI official Oliver E. Rich said that the sentencing of the former governor “serves as a powerful reminder to any corrupt official that these activities will not be tolerated.”

Yarrington, who sought unsuccessfully to become the PRI’s presidential candidate for the 2006 election, is among a large group of Mexican governors who have been convicted or formally accused of corruption.

Others include Javier Duarte of Veracruz, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in 2018, Roberto Borge of Quintana Roo, and César Duarte of Chihuahua. The latter two remain in jail but have not yet faced trial.

Mexico News Daily

Fighting mental health stigma: Affordable and personalized care in Mexico

By

Sarah Bender

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March 15, 2023

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Holding hands — Ker Clinic offers holistic, state-of-the-art mental health care in Mexico. (Stock image)

Mental health stigmas persist in Mexico, just as they do in many parts of the world, leaving countless individuals and families without the care they need. From societal to economic pressures to genetic causes and the pressure to conform to the ideal of the perfect family, mental health issues can strike anyone at any time. Stigma arises from a lack of understanding of mental illness due to misinformation or ignorance. However, if there’s one silver lining of COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the opportunity and newfound willingness to talk openly about mental health issues.

The Ker Clinic is at the forefront of breaking this stigma by adopting a novel, holistic state-of-the-art and technology-driven approach to treating mental health. In fact, Mexico is pioneering treatment of mental health by increasing access to mental health care treatments for people all over the globe, thanks to innovation, affordability, and a culture that treats patients like family.

Patient undergoing treatment — Ker Clinic offers alternative therapies including EMBP, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and ketamine infusion treatment. (Stock image)

Meet Magala Martin, founder of the Ker Clinic, and her husband and CEO Pedro Martin. Their journey to revolutionize mental health care in Mexico began with a personal experience of navigating their son’s autism diagnosis. It was a long and difficult road; the couple even had to mortgage their house three times. But after witnessing the incredible results of alternative treatments on their son’s health in the U.S., they were determined to bring this life-changing technology back to their home country, making it accessible to all at a fraction of the cost.

“By promoting mental wellness and reducing stigma, our mission is to provide innovative and effective treatments for all our patients’ mental health and overall well-being. We’re not simply adding a band-aid to each individual symptom expecting a quick fix!” Pedro said.

Here, in the first of many insightful pieces, they share their unique perspective on breaking the stigma around mental health, the importance of non-invasive, safe alternative treatments in Mexico, and how the Ker Clinic is leading the charge in this movement.

Ker Clinic’s mission is centered around providing personalized and alternative mental health treatments that address the root causes of issues, rather than relying solely on medication. Their multidisciplinary approach includes FDA-approved alternative therapies and treatments such as EMBP, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS or Neuro-ker), and Ketamine Infusion Treatment (Keta-ker), similar to what is offered in the U.S. But what sets them apart is their comprehensive assessment of each individual’s metabolic, physiological and psychological profile, which enables them to provide end-to-end personalized treatment. The clinic’s patient pool includes those suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), depression, anxiety, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia and chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia.

According to Magala and Pedro, the first crucial step to eliminate the stigma around mental health issues is by ripping away labels and going to the root of the problem. “Labeling someone with a psychiatric diagnosis is like giving them a life sentence without a trial. It’s unfair to reduce a person’s identity and experiences to a single label, and it can have long-lasting negative effects on their mental health and quality of life,” Magala said.

She stresses the importance of not stigmatizing anybody by labeling them with any mental health condition. “Everyone that walks through our doors is treated equally, whether they’re a Special Olympics athlete looking to improve their focus or a 21-year-old university student with autism planning their next adventure. Each individual who walks through our doors is valued and appreciated for who they are.”

Magala shares an inspiring story of how a young patient narrowly avoided a misdiagnosis that could have had serious consequences. “Once during a consultation, a desperate little girl’s mother came to the clinic almost convinced that her 8-year-old daughter was suffering from schizophrenia. After conducting a thorough review, we found that the little girl was simply not sleeping enough. Her lack of sleep caused her to develop tantrums, become easily agitated, and reject any sort of coping mechanism. The doctors decided to begin treatment, and after 10 sessions, the little girl showed significant improvements. After 20 sessions, the little girl was even able to celebrate her birthday happily.”

So, why choose alternative mental health treatments in Mexico? Three simple reasons: cost, care and quality. The warmth and hospitality of Mexican doctors and nurses are unparalleled, creating a welcoming environment for all patients and treating them like extended family. With treatments that are a third to half the cost of other countries, Mexico offers accessible care without compromising on quality. And speaking of quality, the Ker Clinic ensures that patients receive the highest standard of care, backed by U.S.-based quality metrics. Come for the community, stay for the affordable, top-tier care — Mexico’s Ker Clinic is the ideal destination for those seeking alternative mental health treatments.

Next week, we’ll dive deeper into Pedro and Magala’s inspiring journey, from their experience as desperate parents to the founding of Ker Clinic and becoming pioneers in their field. Join us as we explore how they’re helping people improve their well-being not only in Mexico but also around the globe.

Pickleball anyone? This hybrid sport is a hit with Mexico’s expats

By

Elisabeth Ashe

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March 15, 2023

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Pickleball players in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo — Pickleball, invented in 1965, has become the fastest growing sport worldwide and just five member countries away from being approved as an Olympic sport. It's popular in expat enclaves throughout Mexico. (Courtesy of Emmanuel Sánchez)

Expats in Mexico have joined in the latest sports craze sweeping the world: pickleball.

According to the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP), the world governing body of the sport, it has been the fastest-growing sport globally, with growth of 360% since 2019.

Pickleball champion Ben Johns — Professional pickleball champion Ben Johns is an example of how the sport is a career for some players. (Ben Johns/Twitter)

Founded by three friends — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum — in Washington state in 1965, its name came from crew races and the thrown-together leftover nonstarters found in the “pickle boat.”

But what exactly is pickleball, and how is it played? The Pickleball USA association defines it as a mix of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It’s played on a badminton-sized or slightly modified basketball or racquetball court, using a paddle and plastic ball with holes. It can be played as singles or doubles and is enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels.

Early countries in the IFP included the U.S., Canada, Spain and India, which came on board in 2012. Since then, it has expanded its footprint to over 70 countries. The IFP’s goal is to reach 75 member countries, the requirement for pickleball to be recognized as an Olympic sport.

Although pickleball is played in Mexico by Mexicans, it has become an especially visible phenomenon here among expats. Ask about playing pickleball on online forums in expat enclaves and you’ll be sure to find someone who can guide you to people playing it.

Representative Joel Pritchard — One of pickleball’s inventors in 1965 was Congressman Joel Pritchard, who was also the lieutenant governor of Washington state from 1989–1997. (Wikimedia Commons)

Why is it so popular with this demographic?

Jeffery Blake, an ambassador for the IFP, moved to Playa del Carmen from Las Vegas a few years ago and was introduced to the game by friends. What started as a small group of five players has now evolved to over 890 members playing in the state-of-the-art Poliforum Sports Complex, with five courts and seven nets operating seven days a week.

“From what I’ve seen, pickleball is popular because it is an exercise component for people 50-plus who are looking for an activity other than just lying on the beach all day during their vacation,” he says.

“It’s a sport that’s easier to play than other racquet sports. Plus, the community of players brings people together because it is very much a social sport. People are talking and laughing between games and socializing and making friends. You can be as competitive as you like or just come out and hit a few balls around,” he added.

Tres Palapas PIckleball Resort in Baja California. — Enthusiasts gather after a tournament for a group photo at the Tres Palapas Baja Pickleball Resort in Los Barriles, Baja California Sur.

Thomas Dunker, who moved to Mexico from California three years ago after being displaced by wildfires, picked up his first pickleball paddle while traveling through the Baja Peninsula. After that, Dunker played daily in Puerto Vallarta before settling in Mazatlán.

“In all three cities, I have joined clubs and groups and made many friends,” he said.

In addition, Dunker has noticed that the local Mexicans that are playing tend to be younger than people north of the border, which he appreciates since it allows him another opportunity to integrate better into his adopted country.

Paul and Sally Bland at Tres Palapas Baja Pickleball Resort in Los Barriles, Baja California Sur — known as the birthplace of pickleball in Mexico — have a long-established formula for success, and a big part of that is fostering community among players.

“It’s more than just building a few courts and calling yourself a facility,” says Sally. “Our goal has always been to build a community that offers tourism and economic growth for the Mexican people.”

The resort boasts 10 fully automated boutique courts that run seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In addition, they host skills and drills exercises, as well as tournaments that offer international attendees big prize money.

Pickleball racquet and balls. (Depositphotos

“Here, there is a unique and rare opportunity for Mexico for tourism that does not depend on being on a beach,” she said.

Rafael Filippini — CEO and founder of GearBox, which makes the paddles, nets and balls used in the game — agrees that pickleball started in Mexico as an expats’ game, with people from the U.S and Canada bringing it to Mexican cities where they vacationed. Mexicans have embraced the sport too, he said, as have younger generations.

“Baby boomers are introducing the game to their children and grandchildren. And that is opening opportunities for young athletes to advance in other ways through sports scholarships,” Filippini said.

Pickleball even becomes a career for some expats, like Bill Brick of Ajijic, a U.S. citizen who has taught guests at four major resorts in Antigua, the U.S., Panama and Mexico.

“People can make a good living at pickleball,” Brick says, citing the career of 25-year-old athlete Ben Johns in the U.S., frequently cited as the most impressive pickleball player the sport has ever known.

But the best part of pickleball, Brick says, “is that everyone can play and everyone can have a good time.”

PIckleball ambassador Bill Brick in Antigua — Bill Brick representing the sport as a pickleball ambassador in February in Antigua for the International Federation of Pickleball. His hat pays homage to his home in Ajijic. (Bill Brick/Facebook)

In addition to its social aspects, another reason for the popularity of pickleball among Mexico expats is how accessible it is as a sport. Mike Brown, 53, formerly from the U.S., who now lives in Cabo San Lucas with his wife Rhonda, played his first pickleball game in Fort Lauderdale over five years ago. As a 20-year beach volleyball veteran, he says pickleball is physically less demanding.

Karen Bradley, a player from Chapala, Jalisco, was first introduced to the game while visiting friends in Arizona. After seven years of pickleball, she is officially rated as an advanced player.

Bradley says that the allure of pickleball is how much fun it is and how social a game it is, unlike, she says, the tennis culture she was a part of for nearly 50 years previously. But she also mentioned its accessibility to people of all fitness levels, unlike tennis.

“Pickleball is easier on the body, and people who are not fit can manage it,” she said.

“This game is very inclusive,” says Matt PaneGlasser, director of International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association certification in Mexico, as well as the owner of Cabo Pickleball Pros. “You can put a 10-year-old, a middle-aged player and a senior citizen all on the court together, and everyone will have a good time.”

After talking to so many people about it for this story, I decided to experience pickleball firsthand.

I contacted Emmanuel Sánchez of Pickleball México Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. He’s the manager of two of four pickleball courts facilities in the area.

Mexican pickleball players — Emmanuel Sánchez with his family, all pickleball players, after a tournament. (Courtesy)

“Pickleball came to Mexico almost 20 years ago,” said Sánchez, a former Mexican singles champion who started playing 11 years ago. “Before that, it was mostly expats. So I was the first Mexican player in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo and in all of Mexico.”

In my lessons, I first needed to learn where and where not to stand and then how to count the scores — confusing at first. I then learned how to hold my racquet and serve, which also was more challenging than it should have been for me, a former racquetball player. But after about 20 tries, I could get the ball across fairly consistently.

Sánchez was an encouraging coach, and after all that, it seemed a fairly easy game, although, as Sánchez said, it’s harder to master. Proof of that is how, even with Sánchez as my partner, his daughter on the other side of the net beat us 11-6. Entirely my doing!

Despite the defeat, I must say I can easily see why the game is so addicting. It’s good exercise but not excessively taxing. And while waiting for my lesson to start, I noticed the social aspect that nearly everyone had told me about: lots of smiles and camaraderie. Affordability of the sport, of course, depends on where you play it, but there are some places in Mexico where you can play for 80 pesos for a few hours.

Would I play again? Absolutely!

The writer divides her time between Canada and Zihuatanejo.

Vive Latino music fest opens March 18 in Mexico City

By

MND Staff

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March 15, 2023

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Front row at a previous iteration of Vive Latino. — In contrast to other Mexico City music festivals, Vive Latino places special focus on Latin American talent. (Twitter/Vive Latino)

The 23rd Vive Latino music festival is set to open in Mexico City this weekend. The festival’s lineup includes international stars like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paul Oakenfold, and Alt-J as well as local acts like Carin León and Pesado.

Foro Sol, which also forms the central stadium section of the Hermanos Rodríguez Formula 1 circuit, will be converted into the venue for the festival, which has six stages and will host a range of other events and activities. The festival will take place on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th, with thousands expected to join the crowds in the borough of Iztacalco.

There will also be workshops from industry professionals — In addition to the music on offer, Vive Latino offers a range of other activities and workshops. (@vivelatino/Twitter)

The festival, which first opened in 1998, also boasts events such as traditional lucha libre, standup comedy, a chillout zone, and a “musical village” which will host talks and workshops with producers and other industry professionals.

Unlike many of the other festivals that bring international acts to Mexico City, Vive Latino focuses on Hispanic culture and arts and provides a platform for up-and-coming musicians and creators to introduce their work to a large audience. It has now grown to become one of the largest festivals on the continent.

A key theme of this year’s edition is sustainability and support, with attendees encouraged to donate to a food bank the festival operates for local residents. Vive Latino will also host stalls promoting local businesses as part of its commitment to displaying the best of Mexican and Latin American culture.

Tickets are available from Ticketmaster MX.

With reports from Forbes and MVSnoticias