Everyone deserves to live in a place that’s safe, functional and pleasing

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June 4, 2022

abandoned Infonavit home in Puebla, Mexico — In 2020, it was reported that 600,000 government-built affordable homes across Mexico lay abandoned because they were not accessible to any services.

I just took a trip!

It was just a short trip to Mexico City to get my daughter’s passport renewed but, oh, what a breath of fresh air to get out of one’s own city once in a while. And now, after two and a half long years, we are finally going to be able to travel home to Texas for a couple weeks this summer.

We made sure to stay close to the U.S. Embassy so that we could be there on time for our 8 a.m. appointment. (By the way — for those of you with appointments soon — you do need an appointment, but once you get there you have to line up outside and it’s first come first serve, so go early!) in the beautiful Roma neighborhood, which to me is an urban utopia.

The streets and sidewalks were wide and well-kept, the buildings were beautiful, and there were trees and plants everywhere. Properties were, for the most part, well taken care of, and crosswalk lights clearly indicated where to go.

To my delight, there were several breweries in the area (I had a delicious blonde ale with avocado leaf and a stout that was essentially layered chocolate cake, if you must know), as well as coffee shops and convenience stores, many with cute little patio coverings for sidewalk lounging and dining. Murals seemed to be everywhere.

As we hung out with my daughter at one of the giant public playgrounds and listened to all the different languages being spoken, I found myself thinking what I always think when I’m in this kind of neighborhood: why can’t all places be this nice?

I know the litany of obvious answers. Mostly it’s money and investment.

But bringing money and investment to a place doesn’t necessarily fix any problems without creating new ones, and that’s what makes me despair. What I want to know is this: is there a difference between gentrification and the real, tangible improvement of a place? Is it possible to make a place beautiful, accessible and safe without making it economically inaccessible to those who already live there?

Surely there is a way, though it’s not something I’ve figured out yet. And you all know (well, you do if you’ve been reading my column for a while) that I deeply value good design and intentional physical beauty in the communities that we humans create for ourselves.

In fact, I’d say that one of my most sacred beliefs is that everyone deserves to have physical surroundings that are safe, functional and pleasing.

Safe and functional seem straightforward, but even that can be tricky. Safe for whom? People? Cars? Bikes? Animals? Functional for which members of the community? You simply can’t just plop a bunch of “improvements” in the middle of nowhere without asking people what they actually need and want. And even when you do, not everyone everywhere is going to be happy with the changes.

“Pleasing” is even more difficult. The jury’s always out on that, and I can certainly accept that not everyone out there possesses my own hippie-bougie aesthetic ideals.

So it’s not that I think that all of urban Mexico should look exactly like the upscale Roma and Condesa neighborhoods. I just think that everyone in urban Mexico deserves that level of care put into the designs of their communities.

Mexico City – at least the places I passed on the bus – does seem to be getting the hang of it fairly well. Murals were everywhere in the city, as were playgrounds with exercise equipment and tracks wrapping around them. Public transportation had expanded since the last time I went.

So, surely there are a few things that we can agree on: walkable sidewalks, drivable streets, bike lanes for people who ride bikes.

Plants and paint, as well, go a very long way, and they’re relatively cheap.

But how to prevent gentrification?

I think the key is community involvement in revitalizing what’s there: letting those who actually live in those spaces decide how those resources will be displayed in the neighborhoods where they live.

Having them participate in what’s produced would mean some important steps in ownership and pride, similar to what the Mar de Jade Hotel has provided for young people where it’s building.

Can this get everyone their own versions of Roma … ones that they actually get to stay in?

Time (and politics) will tell. But I stand firm in one basic belief: everyone deserves to live in a place like that.

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

Try Mazatlán’s claim to seafood fame: aguachile

By

Janet Blaser

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June 4, 2022

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aguchile — *Aguachile* done right transcends its handful of ingredients.

I was embarrassed — really, really embarrassed — to ask a chef friend how to make aguachile.

I’ve eaten it a million times; I know it’s a simple dish with only a handful of basic ingredients: raw shrimp, fresh lime juice, chile, onion, cilantro and sometimes cucumber. Simple, yes, but iconic and Mazatlán’s claim to seafood fame, so I wanted to do it right.

I think I even blushed as I asked him if he’d come over and show me.

“Absolutely,” he said. “It’s easy. You need serrano chile. And red onion.” And so my lesson began.

female shrimp sellers (changueras) in Mazatlan — *Changueras* selling shrimp and other seafood in Mazatlán.

Aguachile may be Mazatlán’s best-known dish, and given that the city is known as the “Shrimp Capital of the World,” that makes total sense. According to Mexico’s National Aquaculture and Fisheries Commission (Conapesca), an impressive 10,000 tonnes of wild shrimp are caught in the waters off Mazatlán each year, and even more farmed shrimp is produced.

Needless to say, shrimp is plentiful throughout town, on restaurant menus, in the mercados and from las changueras, Mazatlán’s fabled “shrimp ladies,” who sell a wide variety of camarones and other shellfish every day of the year from their outdoor stands in the historic center.

Shrimp season is basically September/October to March/April, depending on how and where the shrimp are caught. (Farmed shrimp is available year-round.)

Wild shrimp are caught with nets either close to shore by fishermen in small boats (pangas) or many miles out to sea by big commercial trawlers that flash-freeze the shrimp immediately upon catching them. That’s good news for us, because it means we can have almost-fresh shrimp all the time; I buy frozen ones in one-kilo bags to keep in the freezer at home.

Some say aguachile was first made in Mazatlán, although folks in the Sinaloa cities of Culiacán and Los Mochis might disagree. Either way, when Sinaloan cuisine is mentioned aguachile is always at the top of the list.

Originally made with chiltepines — tiny, fiery, round chiles grown regionally — contemporary recipes use the more common (and not quite as hot!) serrano chiles instead, whirred in a blender with water and lime juice to make a sort of marinade.

Aguachile can also be made with scallops (callos de hacha). And in fact the name aguachile literally means “water chile.” It’s a wonderful and refreshing dish after a hot day at the beach, or any hot day (of which there are many in Mexico!).

What were the take-aways from my cooking lesson?

Don’t leave the shrimp too long in the lime juice or they’ll get tough; so you want to time your prep according to when you want to eat.

Serrano peppers (which I rarely use) have lots more seeds, packed tightly inside the pepper skin. Cut them and the white skin surrounding them out of the skin carefully, using a small, sharp knife — and don’t touch your eyes! Scrub your hands thoroughly with soap and water after cutting or handling them.

It helps to have all your ingredients prepped before you start so you can quickly and easily move through the different steps of the recipe.

Other than that, it’s easy — just like my friend said.

Aguachile de Camarón Mazatlán Style

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup fresh lime juice
3-4 Tbsp. water
1-3 serrano peppers, stems and seeds removed
1¼ tsp. salt, plus more to taste
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
1 medium cucumber, peeled
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
8 corn tostadas
1-2 avocados, sliced

Using a small, sharp knife, butterfly the shrimp open. If you like, cut into two pieces. (This helps the shrimp lay flat while marinating.) Rinse shrimp in cold water; pat dry with paper towels and set aside while you prep the remaining ingredients.

In a blender, place the chiles, lime juice, 3 Tbsp. of the water, half the cilantro and a teaspoon of salt. Process until the chiles are just broken up; it doesn’t need to be a smooth paste. Alternatively, using a mortar and pestle, combine chiles with a pinch of salt and pulverize thoroughly, then add lime juice and cilantro and continue to work until chiles are reduced to tiny bits.

Place shrimp in a shallow glass dish or ceramic bowl (not metal). Pour sauce over shrimp, stirring to mix well. Marinate in the refrigerator 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the lime juice to “cook” the shrimp. The outside of the shrimp will turn white and opaque when they are ready.

Meanwhile, cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Scrape out seeds with a spoon and discard. Cut remaining cucumber into ¼-inch thick slices or into ¼-inch cubes. Set aside.

When ready to serve, spoon shrimp and sauce onto a serving platter. Layer the cucumbers and onions over the top or around the edges, or gently stir them into the shrimp mixture.

Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro, cover and chill for 15 more minutes to blend the flavors. Garnish with black pepper and avocado slices and with tostadas or saltine crackers.

For the best flavor and texture, serve within two hours.

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

Pioneering farmers aim to change Veracruz’s mediocre coffee reputation

By

Leigh Thelmadatter

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June 4, 2022

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Finca Cañada Fria coffee farm in Huatusco, Veracruz — Checking the award-winning crops at Finca Cañada Fría near Huatusco, Veracruz. Finca Cañada Fría

Unfortunately, despite being the second largest producer of coffee in Mexico after Chiapas, Veracruz’s coffee reputation is highly linked to low-quality beans used for instant coffee, in particular the ubiquitous Nescafé brand.

But Veracruz is where coffee got its start in mainland America. Coffee plants arrived at the port of Veracruz in the 18th century, with the first plantings near Córdoba. From there, coffee made its way to other parts of Mexico and South America.

By the end of the 19th century, Veracruz was producing three-fourths of Mexico’s coffee. The Mexican Revolution, land redistribution in the 1930s and other economic activities such as oil has since pushed this percentage down. Today, Veracruz accounts for only 24% of Mexico’s coffee production.

Veracruz has 10 regions north to south that can grow the bean, and it is still a vital cash crop in 842 communities in 82 municipalities. By far, most are very small producers with small plots who feverishly try to get as much coffee out of them as possible to survive.

Arabica vs. robusta coffee beans — The arabica bean, left, and the easier-to-grow robusta bean, right. lovelypeace/Shutterstock

Unfortunately, a lot of that production is of the low-quality robusta bean for mainstream commercial coffees. Robusta is relatively easy to grow and has ready customers, even if they pay very little.

However, Veracruz has areas suited for the growing of quality and even superb coffees. Varying between 700 and 1,400 meters in altitude, the region, marked off by the cities of Xalapa, Córdoba and Orizaba, is prime coffee country.

This area not only has the climate that arabica beans need but also volcanic soils that impart an intense aroma and full body along with spice notes.

It is not easy to get the farmers of this region to take full advantage of what Mother Nature has to offer. Daniel Cobilt of Finca Cañada Fría admits that many are afraid of the risks of venturing into high-quality and specialty beans. Serious work is needed at the learning and growing end, and there is no guarantee that the final crop will be ranked as “specialty” or gourmet quality after harvesting. Experience tempers this, but weather issues are always a risk.

Museo de Cafe in Cordoba, Veracruz — Inside the Museo de Café in Córdoba, Veracruz, which promotes Veracruz coffees. Tours end with a tasting.

Despite this, fincas (farms) such as Cañada Fría, El Suspiro, Kassandra, Arriaga and more have won national and international awards, opening doors to markets willing to pay much more. This can and should be essential, Cobilt says, because small plots really cannot compete with large plantations on price — nor should they, he says, as such farms destroy the environment.

The other way to make the most out of small farms is agricultural and ecotourism, but this is in its infancy here. The good thing is that the area is mostly free of kitschy zip-line attractions and the like, but almost all the coffee tourism here steers visitors to Córdoba, Coatepec, Orizaba and Xalapa.

There is a Coffee Route (Ruta de Café), but it is not like others, such as the Ruta de Chocolate in Tabasco. There, you can drive along a marked road and find signs advertising farms with restaurants, stores selling chocolate and even short demonstrations of how chocolate is grown and processed. There is nothing like this in northern Veracruz.

To do more than just sit at a cafe in one of the cities on the route requires a little research and planning. The Museo de Café in Córdoba — a collaborative effort sponsored in part by Mexico’s main agricultural college, the University of Chapingo — gives a quick overview of coffee in Mexico and Veracruz, along with a coffee tasting.

Daniel and Monserrat Cobilt of Finca Cañada Fría in Veracruz — Don Daniel Cobilt and daughter Monserrat of Finca Cañada Fría. Their “specialty bar” in Huatusco promotes exceptional quality coffee and gourmet preparation.

However, visits right now are via guided tours given by only one professional, Patricia Ponce. To take advantage of this, you need to go to the museum and find out when the next tour is. At any time, you can go in and buy coffees from the region. The museum has a special line of Café de Autor (signature coffees), labeled with the producer’s name — usually individual farm owners unable to market the finished product. Unfortunately, these coffees are not available for purchase online.

A few fincas and entrepreneurs have their own tours, which must be arranged before you come to the area. This has always been the case, but farms are even more strict lately, as many here are still very fearful of COVID despite the fact that mask-wearing has become optional in most places.

Your best bet for finding a farm tour is with El Café-tal, which has its main facilities in El Grande near Coatepec. It has stores in in Xalapa and Coatepec. Tours of its facilities, including a museum, are by appointment only.

Other tours, also by appointment, include those run by Finca Arriaga, Finca Don Silvano and Finca San Felipe. Cafe de Mi Rancho runs its tours out of Córdoba.

Veracruz coffee plantation, late 1800s — A Veracruz coffee plantation, exact location unknown. Image taken sometime between 1865 and 1895. Cornell University Library

It is mostly the same story with online sales. Fincas do ship all over Mexico, but almost always to other cafes and specialty stores. El Café-tal is the only site set up to sell to individuals. Many have Facebook pages, but they assume customers will call to find out everything they need to know.

There is no lack of good cafes in the towns on the coffee route: Coatepec, in particular, is full of them. But one off the beaten track is well worth the visit: Finca Cañada Fria opened what they call a “specialty bar” to demonstrate the extraordinary coffee they produce, and how it should be prepared. It is located in a town called Huatusco, a municipality surrounded by coffee farms but unknown to tourism. However, you can find the cafe easily on Google Maps.

One last piece of advice: if you drive on the main highway into Orizaba and Córdoba, keep an eye out for people selling “galletas de café” on the side of the road. Yes, you have to come to a screeching halt, but I swear the cookies are worth it.

Leigh Thelmadatter arrived in Mexico 18 years ago and fell in love with the land and the culture in particular its handcrafts and art. She is the author of Mexican Cartonería: Paper, Paste and Fiesta (Schiffer 2019). Her culture column appears regularly on Mexico News Daily.

Empty pockets, gifts all round: the week at the morning news conferences

By

MND Staff

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June 4, 2022

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The United States is set to host its Summit of the Americas on June 6. By the start of last week President López Obrador still hadn’t confirmed whether he would attend, displeased at the absence of invites for Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Monday

The president kicked off the week with a sporting roundup. He congratulated Sergio “Checo” Pérez for his Formula 1 triumph in Monaco on Sunday and Atlas for defeating Pachuca in the first leg of the Mexican soccer league final. “Also, a hug for Pachuca supporters,” he added, offering consolation to the losers.

On the Summit of the Americas, López Obrador said he was still waiting for an official response to whether all nations are invited, while conceding that U.S. President Joe Biden was preoccupied with the recent mass murder of schoolchildren in Texas.

“I know that he’s under great pressure, but when it comes to deciding between political impact and principles, one must always lean toward principles,” the president said.

At the end of the conference, López Obrador strode off stage, headed for another engagement. He later hosted indigenous people from Jalisco and Nayarit at the National Palace to discuss land and agriculture.

Tuesday

Health Minister Jorge Alcocer reminded viewers and journalists that Tuesday was World No Tobacco Day and announced that the World Health Organization (WHO) would award AMLO with a “special prize” for combating tobacco consumption.

A World Health Organization representative presents President López Obrador with a recognition of his work to combat tobacco comsumption. — A World Health Organization representative presents President López Obrador with a recognition of his work to combat tobacco use. Presidencia de la República

The WHO’s representative in Mexico, Miguel Malo Serrano, attested to the dangers of tobacco which he said “don’t just kill people, but also damage mother nature,” pointing to the use of water and trees by the tobacco industry and companies’ carbon dioxide output. Shortly after, Malo presented the president with a certificate.

López Obrador revealed a vape pen he’d brought to the conference. “It’s worth 300 pesos, it’s consumed in a week … most mothers and fathers don’t know about the damage it causes. It’s a matter of information,” he said, before signing a decree restricting the sale of vape pens and electronic cigarettes for nicotine consumption.

Returning to the topic of damage, the president insisted his flagship Maya Train project was entirely benign after a federal judge partially suspended its construction. “We’re going to comply legally and they won’t be able to stop us. Private interests are not going to impose themselves, they won’t be above the public interest. The interest of the people … This is a political issue of those who don’t want the project to be carried out. They’re pseudo-environmentalists, financed by large companies,” he assured.

Wednesday

The president brought attention to Hurricane Agatha at the start of the conference, which hit Oaxaca on Tuesday.

“Today Oaxaca is in mourning,” Governor Alejandro Murat said through video link, and confirmed the hurricane had killed at least 11 people and left 33 missing. Murat added that a cyclone was likely to arrive later in the week.

Ana Elizabeth García Vilchis took center stage for her fake news roundup. Dispatching untruths with ease, she rejected claims that Pemex property was in disarray and corrected reports the president wanted to stop people smoking in some public places, a motion she clarified instead originated in Congress.

García rejected that gas would hit 40 pesos per liter and confirmed that AMLO and his friend, Argentine President Alberto Fernández, were not planning a rebel meeting in Los Angeles to coincide with the Summit of the Americas.

Elizabeth García Vilchis presents the "Who's who in the lies of the week" fake news segment on Wednesday. — Ana Elizabeth García presents the “Who’s who in the lies of the week” fake news segment on Wednesday. Presidencia de la República

The president dismissed more news as false: the head of the the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Alejandro Moreno Cárdenas, said AMLO previously sent a senator to threaten PRI lawmakers into voting for the failed electricity reform. “It’s not true, I’m not going to discuss it. I never did that. It’s a matter of principles, ideals and morals,” he insisted.

On principles, the tabasqueño said that despite accruing wealth from book sales, money still didn’t matter to him. To evidence his disinterest in dollars and pesos he turned out his trouser pockets to show viewers and journalists they were empty.

Thursday

In the “Zero Impunity” section Deputy Security Minister Ricardo Mejía Berdeja confirmed the arrest of a suspected violent criminal in Sonora, alias “The Nun.” Mejía added that an unusually named alleged serial rapist, Greek Román ‘N,’ had been arrested in Veracruz.

Celebrations opened the questions from the floor: it was one journalist’s special day. The reporter, who has previously addressed López Obrador as “the first president of the transformation of Mexico,” requested a signed copy of his book. With a scribble, AMLO granted the journalist’s birthday wish.

The president lined up the questions: “Let’s go. One, two, the lady at the back there. Three, four, five and six and seven.”

One of the chosen journalists raised a corruption accusation against former president Vicente Fox.

“We don’t have enemies. Former President Peña Nieto is not my enemy, nor [Felipe] Calderón nor Fox nor [Ernesto] Zedillo nor [Carlos] Salinas. We are adversaries, but I do not consider them my enemies,” the López Obrador responded.

Deputy Security Minister Ricardo Mejía Berdeja awaits his turn to present on Thursday. Presidencia de la República

The president’s charitable outlook apparently extended beyond retired politicians. “An elderly lady, a mother, deserves all respect,” he said of the mother of jailed former cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, whom he greeted warmly while campaigning in 2020.

Friday

Veteran politician Porfirio Muñoz Ledo and former Sinaloa governor Francisco Labastida had both accused the president of being linked to cartels. The tabasqueño was appalled by the suggestion. “It’s really very low, very vulgar all of this … Muñoz Ledo knows me very well and dares to maintain that the government has links with drug trafficking; it’s an unfounded, reckless judgment,” he said.

“If they have evidence, let them present it. Stop slandering … but don’t think I’m worried either, firstly because I’m at peace with my conscience and secondly because it’s false. I do not establish relations of complicity with anyone, that is why I can take on the mafia of power,” the president added.

On the international stage, López Obrador was also ready to battle vested interests. He said that Colombian left wing candidate Gustavo Petro was facing a “dirty war” which he described as “undignified and cowardly.” The Colombian election is set for June 19.

The president added that Petro had joined him and former U.S. President Barack Obama in a club of politicians who’d weathered slander campaigns in their own countries.

Mexico News Daily

The shark fisherman’s dilemma: a primordial predator on the hook in Mexico

By

Fernando Márquez-Farías

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June 3, 2022

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Fishermen processing the day's catch at an artisanal shark fishery location. Fernando Márquez

In the late 1980s, I completed my social service, a standard college requirement for Mexicans, aboard a longline shark-fishing vessel in the Pacific Ocean. I examined the large, freshly-caught sharks as they wriggled and struggled on the vessel’s deck, sometimes slicing them open. As the fishermen reeled in the longlines, so many desperate and dying animals filled the deck that it was difficult to move around safely.

The scene left me pensive. It seemed unfair that a creature that evolved as a top predator hundreds of thousands of years ago would end up being treated like that, only to become a piece of meat. In those years, even less was known about the biology of sharks. It was then that I saw clearly in my mind that my destiny was to become a shark researcher.

Sharks are a strange kind of fish: normally, fish lay eggs and warm-blooded mammals (like humans) have live babies with an umbilical cord. But sharks have been swimming the world’s oceans for so long that some shark species have independently evolved the ability to give birth to live babies, giving their young a greater chance at survival. They are also incredibly ancient creatures that evolved over 400 million years ago, long before the first dinosaur was born.

Shark fishing in Mexico dates back to the time of the Olmecs and the Aztecs. It started as a small-scale subsistence activity for coastal communities. At first, it was just an artisanal (small-scale) industry. Fishermen used small boats (canoes and pangas) to capture coastal sharks with harpoons, hooks, and later nets. The fishery spread throughout the country’s coastal areas, and became more commercial, using large vessels with greater autonomy and storage capacity.

A "near-born" shark embryo is fed by the mother through an umbilical cord, which is attached to the mother's uterus, similar to what occurs in the births of mammal. — A “near-born” shark embryo is fed by the mother through an umbilical cord, which is attached to the mother’s uterus, similar to what occurs in the births of mammals. Photo courtesy of Dr. José I. Castro, NMFS/NOAA

According to the CONAPESCA Fisheries Statistical Yearbook, in terms of catch the shark fishery in Mexico is one of the most important worldwide. Historically, catches are reported into two categories: tiburón for adults from large species (more than 1.5 meters) and cazón for young sharks from large species and adults from small species.

In Mexico, shark meat has long been a low-cost protein as well as a source of employment and income. The meat is eaten fresh, dry-salted, or smoked, and it is the base of many typical regional dishes, such as pan de cazón, a traditional dish in Campeche and Yucatán.

Other shark byproducts have their uses as well. There is demand for the skin, cartilage, fins in the Asian market and shark liver oil can be a source of vitamin A, a use which was common during World War II. Demand from the shark leather and shark liver oil industries was reflected in the first uptick in national shark catches in the 1940s. At that time, no one knew that Mexico would become one of the top ten nations in the world in shark production, catching an average 35,000 tonnes per year over the last decade.

Rays, which are closely related to sharks, are also targets of fishing. Both species belong to a group of fish called chondrichthyans, which have a skeleton made of cartilage rather than bone. Both sharks and rays also share traits that make them vulnerable to fishing. They grow slowly, are generally long-lived and take many years to become sexually mature. When females finally reach maturity, they produce just a few young after a prolonged gestation period — longer than 12 months in some species. These life history traits mean that shark and ray populations grow very slowly compared to species like sardine and shrimp.

Historical development of shark and ray fishing in Mexico shows the first increase in production was due to the demand for liver oil for vitamin A extraction in WWII. The fishery entered its growth stage in the early 1960s, and the ray fishery emerged in the early 1990s. Fernando Márquez, data from CONAPESCA.

The artisanal ray fishery, which dates back to at least 1986, is small-scale and coastal, and provides food and employment to workers, just like the shark fishery. The industry caught 14,700 tonnes of rays in 2016. Both fisheries have been able to develop thanks to factors including the privileged geographical position of our country, favorable ocean dynamics and high diversity of species.

Over time, the industry has changed. Some species that were once common haven’t been seen for years. Fishermen are still bringing home the same quantity of shark meat, possibly because Mexico has a diverse shark population with a huge number of species. Though the yearly catch remains high, the size of the populations is still unknown, and in some cases the outlook is not very encouraging.

One of the most worrying trends is the frequent capture of young or pregnant sharks. Tropical species of sharks (and some rays) use shallow water areas such as bays, estuaries, and beaches for the birth of their young. These “nursery areas” provide food and protection for newborns during their early development. However, because Mexican artisanal fisheries occur in coastal areas, the nurseries and fishing zones overlap. As a result, pregnant females and juveniles often get caught in nets and by hooks, with potentially devastating effects for shark and ray populations.

In the entire world, there are 536 species of sharks and 670 species of rays. In Mexico, 200 species of sharks and rays have been recorded, a large proportion for just one country. In the Pacific Ocean, 63 species of sharks and 55 rays have been documented. In the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, 75 sharks and 47 species of rays have been recorded.

There is now more shark fishery regulation than in the past, but lack of inspection and enforcement reduces the laws’ efficacy. Illegal fishing continues and sharks can become bycatch in other fisheries. In addition, the management of shark fisheries with deep-rooted socioeconomic relevance is complex, and reconciling social, economic, and ecological interests is challenging.

Shark fishing is an important source of employment and income for some coastal communities, but the frequent capture of juveniles and pregnant females puts shark populations at risk. The solution to this dilemma is not easy and requires dialogue between the fishing sector and decision-makers. At the same time, collecting information on the species’ basic biology will help guide those decisions. Sharks became top predators through millions of years of evolutionary adaptations but those same life history traits are a disadvantage in the face of the extreme exploitation of shark populations around the world.

Increasing awareness among authorities, fishing communities and shark meat consumers is a step toward making better decisions about shark research and fishery monitoring.

Fernando Márquez-Farías is a professor of fishery biology in the Ocean Sciences Department (Facimar) of the Autonomous University of Sinaloa.

After 2 years of delays, ex-governor of Chihuahua extradited by US to face corruption charges

By

MND Staff

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June 3, 2022

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Former Chihuahua governor César Duarte was extradited to Mexico from the United States Thursday almost two years after he was arrested in Florida on corruption charges.

A Mexican government aircraft collected Duarte in Miami and flew him to the Mexico City International Airport. After four hours of medical tests and formalities, he was handed over to Chihuahua officials and transported to the northern border state where a warrant for his arrest was issued in 2019.

Duarte, Institutional Revolutionary Party governor between 2010 and 2016, faces charges of embezzling 96.6 million pesos (equivalent to US $6.5 million at the time the money was allegedly stolen) in public resources while in office.

The money was supposedly transferred to two companies with which he was associated: Unión Ganadera Regional General División del Norte de Chihuahua and Financiera de la División del Norte. Duarte also faces charges of criminal association.

The ex-governor, who fled Mexico shortly after his term ended, appeared in a Chihuahua court Friday as state authorities began to present their case against him. A United States federal judge approved his extradition late last year.

Javier Corral, Duarte’s successor as Chihuahua governor, said on Twitter that the extradition is “the result of the determination and tenacity of many people in an arduous … battle against corruption and impunity.”

Lawyers for Duarte have claimed that their client is a victim of political persecution led by Corral, who left office last September.

Current Governor Maru Campos – who has faced accusations she received millions of pesos in bribes from the government led by Duarte when she was a state lawmaker – said her government is committed to achieving justice in the case “for the benefit of Chihuahua residents.”

Duarte is one of several recent governors accused or convicted of corruption. Among the others are Javier Duarte of Veracruz and Roberto Sandoval of Nayarit.

With reports from El Universal

Extortion threats shut down tortilla shops, transit in Zihuatanejo

By

MND Staff

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June 3, 2022

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Dozens of tortilla shops shut down early on Thursday amid threats of violence.

Violence and threats from organized crime have forced tortilla shops, schools and public transport to shut down in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, this week.

Almost all of the approximately 50 tortillerías in the Pacific coast resort town closed early Thursday, the newspaper El Universal reported. Long lines formed at the few that remained open.

Some other businesses both in the city center and working class neighborhoods closed Thursday afternoon due to the climate of insecurity that prevailed in Zihuatanejo, the newspaper El Sur said.

In addition, some schools shut their doors and won’t reopen until Monday, while some public transport services have been suspended since Wednesday.

A Zihuatanejo businessman told El Universal that tortilla shop owners had received calls and messages demanding payments in exchange for not setting their businesses on fire.

Armed men started a fire at a Modelorama beer store in Zihuatanejo Friday in what appeared to be retaliation for a failure to make cobro de piso, or extortion, payments. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and security forces attended the scene but no arrests were reported.

The El Universal source, who asked not to be identified, said the current wave of violence began Monday when a taxi was set ablaze. A public transit van was set on fire the next day, leading some transportation operators to suspend services starting Wednesday.

There were long lines of motorists at Zihuatanejo gas stations Thursday after rumors swirled on social media that they too would close. Panic buying was also reported at the Soriana supermarket, the busiest in Zihuatanejo.

Compras de pánico en Zihuatanejo, ante versiones de un viernes violento https://t.co/YeJUbHW6eB a través de @LaPlazaDiario #Guerrero #Zihuatanejo #Violencia #ComprasDePanico #Inseguridad pic.twitter.com/AgQ2RELL2n

— La Plaza (@LaPlazaDiario) June 3, 2022

A Guerrero news group on Twitter shared a photo of the long lines that formed at one Zihuatanejo gas station on Friday.

Zihuatanejo Mayor Jorge Sánchez Allec acknowledged that “very unfortunate incidents” have occurred in the city, located 250 kilometers north of Acapulco.

He said in an interview that rumors that gas stations were going to close are false and ruled out implementing a curfew. The mayor called on citizens to remain calm and noted that municipal authorities are collaborating with their state and federal counterparts on security issues.

“We’re going to contribute with whatever is necessary so that security conditions improve in the coming days,” he said.

With reports from El Universal, Quadratín and El Sur

Trails and gourmet food await mountain bikers in this Guadalajara forest

By

John Pint

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June 3, 2022

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Primavera Forest, Guadalajara — A mountain biker on the Espinazo del Diablo (Devil’s Backbone) trail.Yamil Karim

Immediately west of the city of Guadalajara lie 30,500 hectares (75,367 acres) of rolling hills covered with pine and oak trees — home to hot springs, deep canyons and over 300 species of woodsy creatures. This is Bosque la Primavera, the Primavera Forest, which was declared, in 1980, a protected refuge for flora and fauna and a beautiful, quiet place where tapatíos (citizens of Guadalajara) can escape the noise and stress of the city.

Bicycle riders in particular have discovered just how easy it is to disappear deep into the woods, soaking up the good vibrations. Every weekend, around 2,000 of them head for the west end of town where the forest begins, just six kilometers beyond the city’s Periférico, or Ring Road.

Driving along Avenida Mariano Otero, they first come to a caseta (entrance gate) where forest rangers remind them not to bring pets or alcohol into the protected area.

After another 2.6 kilometers, they come to Estación Estéfano, a secure parking area that can hold 700 vehicles. Here, owner Ramón Estéfano told me that for a fee of 60 pesos, you can leave your car all day and use the toilets and the showers and even a free bicycle wash.

Check Point resataurant, Guadalajara — Breakfast in the woods at the Check Point restaurant.

You also have access to several businesses, each housed in a modified shipping container. These include a restaurant, a coffee shop and a bicycle mechanic. My friends and I found the restaurant’s breakfasts excellent and the toilets spotlessly clean.

Estación Estéfano is open every day of the year, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. The restaurant, however, is only open Saturdays and Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Most people leave their cars here and pedal up the road for 3.4 kilometers to a delightful place called Check Point.

Here they find a tastefully decorated rustic cabin, a cultural center, a cafeteria, good fellowship and, believe it or not, a gourmet restaurant. Here I also found Yamil Karim, one of three brothers who own and operate Check Point. I asked him what attracts 2,000 people to this neck of the woods every weekend.

Check Point cafe in Guadalajara — Yamil Karim, right, with Check Point staff members Kevin, left, and Christopher, middle.

“The Primavera Forest is right next to the city,” he told me, “and for a cyclist, the biggest attractions are la naturaleza y los recorridos (nature and the mountain bike trails). Our trails are great fun. Their level of difficulty is intermediate, and there is lots of variety. These trails offer a little of everything.

“If you want long distances, you can cover 60 or 70 kilometers. In fact, we have one route called The Three Towers, which is 100 kilometers long and entirely inside the Primavera Forest. Passing right alongside Check Point, we have really nice trails with very good bajadas (down slopes), and they are well signposted and well-maintained. Some have wooden bridges, and many curves have special ecologically friendly supports.”

These routes are looked after by an association called MTB Pro Bosque, a nonprofit organization of volunteers who work with the support and approval of the forest’s landowners to maintain and improve the Primavera’s bicycle trails. The group depends entirely on donations.

Check Point is located right in the middle of the most important and popular routes, so people can eat breakfast there and then start their tour. I asked Karim what these routes were like.

“Well, for example, right here we have trails called Mosca, Garrison, Toboganes and Espinazo,” he said. “Typically, these are named after the people who created the route or who did a lot of work on it.”

“For example,” he continued, “Mosca, which means ‘fly’ in Spanish, is not named after a fly but after the dermatologist Dr. Mosca. This is an uphill track that is 2.3 kilometers long and takes you to Garrison Trail, which has been around since the 1980s and is named after a guy who had a bicycle shop in Guadalajara. It runs downhill and is about two and a half kilometers long. Other trails with curious names are La Preciosísima and La Vaca Muerta. Each one, of course, has a story to tell.”

Check Point is housed in the same buildings that were once known as Estación Bicicleta, an enterprise that provided food and refreshment to mountain bikers.

“For years, my brothers and I were happy customers of Estación Bicicleta,” Karim told me. “After cycling, we would arrive here dirty, sweaty and half dead. For us, Estación Bicicleta was a true oasis.

Check Point Cafe Guadalajara — Paintings by artist and brother Ramadam Karim appear everywhere at Check Point.

“Every weekend, we would eat here, and one day, relaxing here in the shade, my brother said: “I really like it here; I would definitely love running a place like this, in the middle of the woods. Thinking about it, I would make the kitchen bigger, and I’d add tables over there and over there …”

Several years later, Estación Bicicleta went out of business, and the Karim brothers decided that the time had come to turn their dream into reality.

“After great difficulty just to find the owner of the land,” said Karim,” we bought the place, renovated the cabin and installed a cafeteria and a fireplace. It’s really cozy now, and people love to come taste the fine coffees we offer, which we rotate every week. We even bring in experts and hold coffee catas (tastings) here.”

Another Check Point specialty is its exotic fruit juices, including its house version of hydrating drinks.

Bridge in Primavera Forest, Guadalajra — A wooden bridge allows soil below to regenerate: a trail repair by MTB Pro Bosque.

“Ours is natural and delicious,” Karim told me.

Clients of Check Point enjoy all this surrounded by the paintings and artistic photos of another brother, award-winning artist Ramadam Karim.

“Shouldn’t it be Ramadan?” I asked.

“Yes, it should. We are of Palestinian descent, but here in Mexico, they spelled it wrong on my brother’s birth certificate… and it stuck.”

“It’s been a real challenge to set this place up,” Yamil Karim told me. “People like the result but would never imagine the logistics involved, for example, just to have tanks of gas here. Only to bring our personnel here every day, we had to get a vehicle dedicated to the task. This is because we’re in a nature reserve and there are all kinds of restrictions on what you can do.”

I found the food at Check Point delicious. “Who’s responsible for that?” I asked.

“My novia, Fernanda.” he replied. “She studied to be a chef, and now she invents dishes and drinks and desserts. Today, the dessert of the week is a croissant garnished with chocolate and sprinkled with almonds. Fernanda delights in choosing just the right ingredients for these desserts: le da mil vueltas sobre cada detalle (she mulls over every detail) so that it turns out just right.”

The public response to all this has been muy padre, Karim says, or “very good.”

Estación Estéfano, Guadalajara — Estación Estéfano has parking spaces for 700 cars and handy shops housed in modified shipping containers.

“People really like this place!” he said.

“Let me mention one other thing,” he added. “We are not surprised to have plenty of mountain bike riders as customers, but we never expected to see so many non-cyclists here. It seems as if word has spread, and now lots of families are showing up — with grandmas and grandpas in tow.

“They come by car, eat here and go for a walk along one of the trails. We’ve had to expand our parking area to accommodate all of them.

“It’s like the general public in Guadalajara is just now waking up to the fact that there are woods here, that we have a kind of treasure right here next to the city.”

Check Point is open from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. on weekends and 9 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Thursdays.

Where’s your favorite place in Mexico for walking or mountain biking trails? Add your recommendations to John Pint’s in the comments.

The writer has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, since 1985. His most recent book is Outdoors in Western Mexico, Volume Three. More of his writing can be found on his blog.

Menu at Checkpoint cafe, Guadalajara — Check Point’s answer to Gatorade: an isotonic drink based on orange juice.

Chef at Check Point in Guadaljara — Fernanda Aguilar creates gourmet meals and drinks at Check Point.

Check Point cafe in Primavera Forest, Guadalajara — John Pint on tasting Check Point’s dessert of the week, a croissant garnished with chocolate and sprinkled with almonds: “It’s a 10!” he says.

Ameca, Jalisco, police chief on CJNG payroll: US Treasury Department

By

MND Staff

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June 3, 2022

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Severo Flores Mendoza, now-former police chief of Ameca, Jalisco. — Severo Flores Mendoza, now the former police chief of Ameca, Jalisco. OFAC / USDT

The police chief of Ameca, Jalisco, has been dismissed after the United States government declared that he takes bribes from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

The U.S. Department of the Treasury (USDT) announced Thursday that its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) had designated Severo Flores Mendoza under an executive order – Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade – issued by U.S. President Joe Biden.

Flores “is a corrupt municipal police official and national of Mexico who provides law enforcement information to CJNG in exchange for bribes,” the USDT said in a press release.

“Currently, Flores Mendoza is the police chief of Ameca, Jalisco, Mexico. He is also the coordinator of police chiefs for the Valles region of Jalisco, which is composed of 14 municipalities including Ameca. This region lies in the area between Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta,” it said.

The USDT noted that Flores has held other law enforcement positions in Jalisco over the past decade and that he failed a trust exam in 2014 but nevertheless continued his police career.

Jalisco Governor Enrique Alfaro acknowledged Friday that Ameca Mayor Valente Serrano had taken the decision to dismiss his police chief.

“I know that the mayor already took the decision last night to remove him from his post so that an investigation can be carried out, which I think is the right decision,” he told reporters.

“… It’s a municipal issue but I believe that a clear message has to be sent. … When there are accusations of this kind there can’t be doubts about what to do so it’s good that the mayor already took the decision and we’re supporting him so that the municipality is taken care of in these [coming] days” before a new police chief is appointed, Alfaro said.

Ameca Mayor Valente Serrano quickly dismissed Flores Mendoza after the allegations of corruption were made public.

The governor also said that he asked his security cabinet coordinator to carry out a thorough analysis of the United States’ accusation against Flores.

“… We have to be attentive to any information that allows us to continue cleaning up our [police] forces,” Alfaro added.

The Ameca mayor said the accusation against his police chief took him and his government by surprise because the incidence of crime in the municipality is below the national average.

The USDT also announced that the OFAC had designated five other Mexican individuals because of their support for, or actions on behalf of, the CJNG, “a violent Mexico-based organization that traffics a significant proportion of the fentanyl and other deadly drugs that enter the United States.”

Among them is Julio César Montero Pinzón, who the USDT said is “part of a violent CJNG enforcement group based in Puerto Vallarta that orchestrates assassinations of rivals and politicians using high-powered weaponry.”

The four others are family members of Saúl Alejandro Rincón Godoy, “a senior member of CJNG who recently died in Puerto Vallarta following a confrontation with Mexican authorities.”

The USDT said that the designations were the result of collaboration with the Mexican government and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

“As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of these designated individuals that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC,” it said.

An OFAC chart shows information related to the newly designated CJNG associates. OFAC / USDT

Brian E. Nelson, the USDT’s undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, said “Treasury will continue working with U.S. partners and the Mexican government to target the violence, corruption, and facilitation that undergird CJNG’s power.”

The United States is offering a US $10 million reward for information leading to the capture of CJNG leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes – one of the DEA’s most wanted fugitives – who may be hiding out in the mountains of western Mexico.

With reports from Milenio

Expats moving to Mexico: Is it really that bad?

By

Greg Custer

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June 3, 2022

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A woman jogs on the malecón of Lake Chapala in Ajijic, Jalisco. — A woman jogs on the *malecón* of Lake Chapala in Ajijic, Jalisco. DepositPhotos

Can it be that 70% of people answering a recent Mexico News Daily poll think migration to Mexico is not beneficial? This simple poll got me thinking about how lifestyle migration from the U.S. to Mexico is having impacts.

Learning more about the website’s audience (where they are living currently and basic demographics) gave me some simplified insight: 58% of readers are responding from the US and 52% fall in the 18-44 age group. Combining these two bits of info, I assume the “against” expat migration group has a bunch of younger people who don’t live here.

So starting from this assumption, the naysayers are a bunch of younger Americans for whom Mexico is a big all-inclusive resort party. How else could you validate the poll’s findings?

Of course, there are negative impacts caused by those fleeing the U.S. and Canada — something I experienced, having moved to Mexico in 2015 and worked in Mexico tourism for over 40 years. American and Canadian migrants can sometimes be painted as “invaders,” especially when we set our sights on smaller villages and towns.

The results of a recent Mexico News Daily poll. — The results of a recent *Mexico News Daily* poll.

Yes, we create competition for rentals and real estate price inflation. We often don’t integrate into our host communities. Many of us live in “bubbles” of like-minded, monolingual, better weather seekers. We can also flaunt our relative and real wealth in ways that are culturally insensitive. We “dollarize” a local economy. We stick out with our Anglo appearance and white legs, wearing short pants and hats. We skirt certain Mexican laws, when it’s convenient. This is all true.

But there are also expats and institutions that are active agents for change. In 2015 the United Nations passed the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a program signed onto by 176 nations (including the U.S., Canada and Mexico). The agenda proposes 17 goals, including no poverty, zero hunger, good health and more.

For each of these 17 goals, I want to believe there are foreigners moving to Mexico with global views compatible with addressing these tragic shortfalls in the human condition. Mexico’s uphill climb is daunting. A recent study published in Mexico News Daily cites how poverty abatement (post-COVID and midway through the current AMLO administration) is stalled. There are as many Mexicans living in dire poverty today as there were four years ago. Chew on that. Mexico’s current “Fourth Transformation” has been stillborn.

But the good work continues, supported by foreigners and returning Mexicans working in close concert with local partners. These efforts touch the human condition in ways big and small. Jalisco state has an initiative to put Mexicans returning from life overseas on municipal councils. The head of our local transit police spent 20-plus years in the Dallas police department. Mexicans coming home often bring “expat” views about change and getting things done.

The goals of the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In my community of Ajijic, expat impacts go beyond pet shelters and child education. This is partly because we’ve been here so long, part of a migration fuse that was lit in the 1940s.

If you have a cause or bring a skill, the ways to connect with time and donations are vast. A charity list published by the Lake Chapala Society is a 12-page compendium of ways to get involved in local initiatives to improve the human condition.

Are these social and environmental outreach programs universally in action across Mexico? No. Can foreign-born residents of Mexico do more to improve their home country or local communities? Let’s hope so. Settling here is about more than good weather and cheap living. Look around and open some doors to personal and community transformation. All-inclusive resorts don’t define our migration wave, and they never should.

Greg Custer is a full-time resident and publishes content about Mexico for living at www.mexicoforliving.com.