Head of government’s internal corruption watchdog replaced

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June 22, 2021

As Sandoval expressed gratitude for having been part of the government, the president looked distinctly unimpressed.

President López Obrador on Monday announced the replacement of Irma Sandoval as head of the government’s internal corruption watchdog.

The president said that Roberto Salcedo, who served under Sandoval as deputy minister for auditing and the fight against corruption, would become the new head of the Ministry of Public Administration (SFP).

“We thank Irma very much for her support. She is a woman who fights for justice and for democracy,” López Obrador said in a video message posted to social media, adding that she made “very important” contributions to the government’s fight against corruption and the implementation of its austerity policies.

“We are entering a new stage, and we are going to carry out new reforms,” the president said, citing a proposed constitutional change to save money by centralizing currently autonomous government agencies.

“… It’s a good change [in the leadership of the SFP] and … I thank Roberto for accepting the position,” he said in his office in the company of both Sandoval and Salcedo.

Meeting between AMLO, Irma Sandoval and Roberto Salcedo — Despite smiles as the president replaced Sandoval with Roberto Salcedo, left, the president and Sandoval’s relationship has reportedly been distant.

“… The aim is to continue combatting corruption, not allow corruption, to banish corruption from our country and to continue acting as an austere and honest government,” López Obrador said.

The president didn’t offer a specific reason for replacing Sandoval, a former academic who faced her own accusations of corruption last year, but Security Minister Rosa Rodríguez presented data earlier on Monday that showed that unspecified crimes committed by public servants increased 8% in the first five months of the year.

According to a report by the newspaper El Universal that cited unnamed government insiders, there were two main factors that led to her removal.

One was the media attention on Sandoval last year for allegedly failing to declare multimillion-peso properties she owns and the other was her support for her brother, Pablo Sandoval, to become the ruling Morena party’s candidate for governor in Guerrero over López Obrador’s preferred candidate, Félix Salgado.

The latter was nominated but ultimately replaced by his daughter after he was barred from running for failing to disclose his campaign expenses.

Sandoval’s support for her brother affected her previously close relationship with the president, El Universal said, noting also that the pair didn’t appear to be on the friendliest terms during their appearance together in López Obrador’s video.

Cambio de titular en la Secretaría de la Función Publica

Watch this video on YouTube

The video in which the president announced the departure of his minister of public administration.

“The presidential office seemed like a freezer this afternoon,” the newspaper said, adding that López Obrador announced the replacement of Sandoval in a “serious tone.”

“… She spoke … of the social struggle of her family, that she’s returning to UNAM [the National Autonomous University], that [Mexico’s] corruption perception statistics improved but she never managed a smile or [received] a gesture of empathy from President López Obrador, who looked a little bored …” El Universal said.

Sandoval highlighted that 200 billion pesos (US $9.8 billion) has been saved through austerity policies and that Mexico has risen 14 places on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) since the new government took office. It currently ranks 124th out of 180 countries.

However, the newspaper Reforma, which is generally critical of the government, asserted that the outgoing public administration minister did not achieve “clear results” in the fight against corruption.

It noted that Mexico fell three places on the Americas Society/Council of the Americas 2021 Capacity to Combat Corruption Index and that Sandoval exonerated high-ranking officials of corruption charges.

“… She exonerated Federal Electricity Commission director, Manuel Bartlett, who failed to declare the existence of 23 homes and 12 companies in the name of his partner and children,” Reforma said.

Guerrero governor candidate Pablo Sandoval — The president’s relationship with Sandoval reportedly cooled after she advocated for her brother, Pablo Sandoval, to be Guerrero’s Morena candidate for governor.

“She also exonerated the former deputy [foreign affairs] minister for North America, Jesús Seade, who was accused of embezzlement and abuse of office for using public resources to pay for private travel.”

With reports from Milenio, Reforma, El Universal and Reuters

Women’s groups exhibit 120 denunciations against deadbeat dads

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MND Staff

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June 22, 2021

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Posters of 'irresponsible fathers' on display in San Luis Potosí.

Women’s groups in San Luis Potosí city have hung posters in the main square denouncing fathers who have failed to provide for their children.

The posters feature 120 “deadbeat dads” — among them are engineers, teachers and civil servants — some of whom have allegedly been absent from their children’s lives for more than 18 years.

Aside from shaming the fathers, the protest aims to highlight the laws that favor irresponsible parents, and allow them to dodge their legal obligations.

Many of the posters display photos of the men in question, and give a description of their misdeeds. “Abandoned. Didn’t want to know his son,” one read.

“Hasn’t given financial support in three years,” read another.

“Fatherhood has to be affectionate and empathetic. The nutritional support of children isn’t a favor; it’s an obligation,” another mother had written.

One participant detailed the legal loopholes that enable apathetic fathers. “There are very bad fathers that play the system, changing jobs and not staying in one permanently, changing address, doing odd jobs or fee based work in order not to provide what they are obliged to to their children. They are not present, neither economically nor in terms of their care.”

With reports from El Universal San Luis Potosí

Puebla’s sinkhole may be the biggest but it’s not the only one

By

MND Staff

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June 22, 2021

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This sinkhole appeared in the patio of a home in Mérida.

The sinkhole that emerged in Puebla late last month has caused national intrigue, but there are other similar recurrences of the geographic anomaly — though none as big — across the country.

In Iztapalapa, Mexico City, a sinkhole that appeared on June 14 was attributed to heavy rains, but locals say the installation of streetlights caused “vibrations in the ground.”

The next day, a drainage leak caused a large hole in Tulancingo, Hidalgo, after heavy rain. Authorities worked through the night to repair the leak.

In Villahermosa, Tabasco, a day later, a chasm emerged to swallow a whole lane of a highway, capping off three new sinkholes in as many days.

On Friday, in Mérida, Yucatán, another sinkhole emerged in the patio of a home. It measured five by four meters and about eight meters deep. In recent days, a 15-meter-wide crack appeared in Celaya, Guanajuato, once again attributed to heavy rains.

Sinkhole tourism in Santa María Zacatepec, Puebla.

Meanwhile, the now famous sinkhole in Puebla has become a fully fledged tourist attraction. Tens of families visit the hole each weekend in Santa María Zacatepec, about 20 kilometers northwest of Puebla city, where they can pay 5 pesos to access the roof of a house close to the security barrier to exploit the photo opportunity.

Tacos, elotes and souvenirs are available at the site, and a commemorative bread from a nearby bakery has proven a hit: it features the two dogs that fell into the sinkhole, Spay and Spike, who were rescued on June 11 after 72 hours in the pit.

However, the bakery may want update the bread’s design after another dog was filmed inside the sinkhole. Drone footage taken yesterday, which has received 283,000 views, shows a mixed breed dog stuck at the bottom. Animal rights organizations had previously suggested that the security perimeter be reinforced to prevent animals breaching it.

Residents, supported by the drone footage, have also reported a further 30 unexplained smaller holes in the area.

The sinkhole was reported to measure 126 by 114 meters on June 9; larger than the pitch at the Aztec Stadium and five times wider and double the length of the Olympic swimming pool in Mexico City.

With reports from Infobae, El Universal Puebla, El Universal and UnoTV

Ex-Gulf Cartel boss in Reynosa gets 37 years

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MND Staff

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June 22, 2021

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A former leader of the Gulf Cartel in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, has been sentenced to 37 years behind bars.

José Tiburcio Hernández Fuentes, also known as The Jinx (El Gafe), was arrested along with four other cartel members in April 2015. The arrests caused chaos in Reynosa, leaving three people dead and two wounded as some 60 cartel members burned cars and buses to create roadblocks in an attempt to break them free.

A federal judge found Hernández guilty of organized crime, money laundering and possession of a military firearm. In addition to the prison sentence, he was ordered to pay a fine equivalent to 1,700 days’ minimum salary.

The trafficker began his criminal career in 2006 under Juan Manuel Rodríguez, who was detained in June 2014.

He was appointed head of a faction in Reynosa and in 2009 head of five criminal cells dedicated to the theft of fuels, drug distribution, extortion and kidnapping.

He gained full control of Reynosa in 2012, equipped gang members with high powered weapons, and engaged in a war against Los Zetas, a former armed wing of the Gulf Cartel.

Hernández is now interned in Altiplano maximum security prison in México state.

Reynosa is a place of crucial strategic importance for traffickers and other criminal actors as it sits on the Texas border. In the chaos that ensued in 2015 following the arrests, the United States closed two border crossing for 48 hours.

With reports from Proceso, Infobae and Milenio

AMLO seeks to create a new ‘humane and caring’ middle class

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MND Staff

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June 22, 2021

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lopez obrador — The president's middle class would not be 'easy prey for manipulation by vested interest groups.'

After characterizing the middle class as a political opponent earlier this month, President López Obrador said Monday that he is seeking to create a new “more humane” and “more caring” middle class that is less susceptible to media campaigns against his government.

“Of course we want a middle class, we want to lift millions of Mexicans out of poverty in order to establish a new, more humane, more fraternal, more caring middle class. That’s what we’re seeking,” AMLO, as the president is commonly known, said at his regular news conference.

The president said that his government wants to raise the living and working standards of the nation’s poor but doesn’t want them to turn their backs on the “dispossessed, needy and marginalized” when their own lot in life has improved.

López Obrador also said he wants a middle class that is “more aware” and “more politicized” so that its members have the capacity to “resist campaigns of manipulation.”

“They shouldn’t be easy prey for the manipulation that vested interest groups – those who don’t want change – orchestrate and carry out,” he said, adding that maintaining the status quo and “the regime of corruption, injustice, oppression and privileges” is in the interests of such groups.

Ricardo Anaya: ‘The president has lost his compass.’

The new middle class has to be made up of people who are “very alert” and “very intelligent,” AMLO said, implying that those who possess those qualities will support his administration rather than the opposition.

“A lot of the time, this is not just related to one’s academic level. There are those who have a degree, a master’s or a doctorate and they’re very susceptible to manipulation,” he said.

The president claimed that there was a “very powerful campaign of manipulation,” or a “dirty war,” against his government and the ruling Morena party in the lead-up to the June 6 elections, especially in Mexico City, where the opposition won nine of the 16 boroughs.

A lot of people who voted against Morena “didn’t even know” who they were voting for or what they stood for, López Obrador said.

“They were very angry … at us, at the project of transformation,” he said, adding that people who voted against Morena are in favor of the continuation of the “regime of corruption, injustices and privileges” his government is abolishing.

“And they want to get ahead. That’s why I talk about aspiration, at any cost, without moral scruples of any kind. Neoliberalism … brought with it a very individualistic, very selfish vision,” López Obrador said.

“A vision that that is very focused on progressing in a material sense – material well-being without worrying out the well-being of the soul. I’ll look after myself even though my fellow man continues to be impoverished …”

The president has faced widespread condemnation for his attacks on the aspirational middle class, including one from 2018 National Action Party (PAN) presidential candidate Ricardo Anaya, who is seen as a leading contender to be an opposition candidate at the 2024 presidential election.

“Now the president has really lost his compass. His manner of understanding the election is truly nonsense, complete madness. For him, the narcos behaved themselves well [on election day] and it turns out that the middle class behaved poorly because they turned their back on Morena in Mexico City,” he said in a video message last week.

“… Now it turns out that having aspirations in life, wanting to get ahead is to be selfish,” Anaya said in another video posted to social media yesterday.

The video features several ordinary Mexicans outlining their aspirations in life before the 42-year-old former PAN national president declares: “If being aspirational is to have dreams, the desire to succeed [and] the desire to get ahead, … then add us to the list.”

With reports from Reforma and Sin Embargo

Infectious disease specialist sees start of third, regionalized wave of Covid

By

MND Staff

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June 22, 2021

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A vaccination center in Tlalpan, Mexico City.

A third wave of the coronavirus pandemic appears to be beginning in Mexico, according to an infectious disease doctor who was the federal government’s point man during the swine flu pandemic in 2009.

“It seems in Mexico that a third, less pronounced wave of Covid is beginning,” Alejandro Macías wrote on Twitter, citing case numbers in 10 states in four areas of the country: “1. Baja Californa Sur-Sonora-Sinaloa; 2. Quintana Roo-Yucatán-Campeche-Tabasco: 3. Tamaulipas-Nuevo León; and 4. Mexico City.”

Five of those states – Quintana Roo, Yucatán, Tabasco, Tamaulipas and Baja California Sur – are currently high risk orange on the federal government’s coronavirus stoplight map, while the other five are medium risk yellow.

Mexico City ranks first in the country for estimated active coronavirus cases with more than 6,800 while Tabasco ranks second with 2,407. Yucatán ranks third with 1,967 followed by Baja California Sur (1,783), Tamaulipas (1,355), Quintana Roo (1,353) and México state (1,289), which includes many municipalities that are part of the greater Mexico City metropolitan area.

Macías, who is also a member of the coronavirus commission at the National Autonomous University (UNAM), published a graph beneath his Twitter post that shows reported case numbers and Covid-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

A third wave of Covid is evident in rising case numbers starting at the end of May. UASLP-OPS-COPOCyT

The graph shows a significant and sustained decline in case numbers following the second and worst wave of the pandemic in late 2020 and early 2021. However, it also shows that reported infections have trended upwards this month.

The federal Health Ministry reported an average of 3,086 new cases per day during the first 21 days of June, a 38.7% increase compared to the daily average in May, which was 2,225. Reported Covid-19 deaths have increased 70.2% this month to a daily average of 366 compared to 215 in May.

Macías predicted in a second Twitter post on Monday that a third wave of the pandemic will be regionalized rather than being seen across the whole country and young people will be most affected because (most) older people have been vaccinated.

Hopefully it will cause fewer deaths than the first two waves and the demand on hospitals won’t be as great, he wrote. “We will have to coexist with this virus,” Macías added.

Mauricio Rodríguez Álvarez, spokesman for the UNAM coronavirus commission, said there are different causes for the rising case numbers in different parts of the country.

The spikes in Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Baja California Sur are linked to tourism, while the increase in Tabasco is associated with the reopening of the economy, he said.

The increase in cases in Mexico City and Nuevo León could be related to the relaxation of virus mitigation measures, while the recent switch to the orange light risk level in Tamaulipas is linked to the state’s proximity to Texas, Rodríguez said, even though vaccination rates in the United States are much higher than those in Mexico.

Meanwhile, Mexico’s accumulated case tally currently stands at just under 2.48 million while the official Covid-19 death toll is 231,244, a figure considered a vast undercount, mainly due to the low testing rate.

Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell reported Tuesday morning that 40.7 million Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered and 28.2 million people have received at least one shot.

The government has so far offered shots to health workers, seniors, people aged 40 to 59 and pregnant women, and has now opened up the vaccination registration process to people aged 30 to 39 across Mexico and residents of northern border municipalities aged 18 or older.

Those wishing to get a shot can register using their CURP identity number on the government’s vaccination website.

With reports from Milenio and El Financiero

January-May homicides down 2.9% compared to last year

By

MND Staff

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June 21, 2021

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Crime scene — 50.4% of all homicides in the first five months of the year occurred in just six states.

Homicides declined 2.9% in the first five months of the year compared to the same period of 2020, Security Minister Rosa Rodríguez said Monday.

There were 14,243 homicides between January and May, 430 fewer than in the first five months of 2020, which was the second most violent year on record.

However, the number of homicides last month – 2,963 – was the highest monthly total since August 2020 and 1.3% higher than the figure for May last year, when 2,926 people were murdered.

Still, Rodríguez celebrated the decline during the first five months. “With regard to intentional homicides, we’re continuing to contain the upward trend,” she told reporters at President López Obrador’s morning news conference.

The security minister noted that 50.4% of all homicides in the period occurred in just six states: Guanajuato, Baja California, Jalisco, México state, Michoacán and Chihuahua.

Guanajuato, where several criminal groups including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel are engaged in turf wars, recorded 1,545 homicides between January and May, or 11% of the national total.

But Rodríguez emphasized that the murder rate is declining in the Bajío region state, having dropped 18.8% annually in the first five months. She attributed the decline to security operations carried out by the army and the National Guard on the instructions of the president.

Baja California ranked as the second most violent state between January and May with 1,341 homicides followed by Jalisco (1,095); México state (1,084); Michoacán (1,084); and Chihuahua (1,027). Rounding out the top 10 most violent states so far this year were Sonora, Zacatecas, Veracruz and Guerrero.

Nine states recorded fewer than 100 homicides between January and May. They are Nayarit (96); Querétaro (92); Durango (81); Coahuila (65); Tlaxcala (52); Campeche (40); Aguascalientes (31); Baja California Sur (26); and Yucatán (18), which has long been considered Mexico’s safest state.

While homicides declined, femicides – the killing of women and girls on account of their gender – increased 7% to 423. There were 98 femicides last month, a 25.6% increase compared to April.

Among the other crimes that increased between January and May were muggings (up 6.4% compared to the same period last year); rape (up 30%); human trafficking (up 47%); and drug trafficking (up 8%).

Among the crimes that declined were vehicle theft (down 14.7%); business robberies (down 10.6%); home burglaries (down 6.8%); kidnappings (down 28.8%); and federal firearms offenses (down 5.5%).

Rodríguez also said that the Finance Ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit has blocked more than 38,000 bank accounts linked to crime since the current government took office in late 2018. The government has seized more than 14.4 billion pesos (US $702.8 million) from those accounts, she said.

For his part, National Guard Commander Luis Rodríguez Bucio said that just under 100,000 guardsmen are now deployed to 214 security regions across the country.

The new security force was established by the current government and officially inaugurated by López Obrador in June 2019.

The president had high hopes that the National Guard would help to reduce violent crime but his first full year in office – 2019 – was the most violent year on record and homicides declined only 0.4% last year.

Apparently conceding that the security force had failed in its mission to reduce violence, López Obrador published a decree just over a year ago that ordered the armed forces to continue carrying out public security tasks for another four years.

Last week he proposed incorporating the National Guard into the army toward the end of his six-year term, a plan described as “madness” by National Action Party Senator Julen Rementería, who asserted that the president is attempting to “completely militarize” public security.

Mexico News Daily

Need to use some plump, delicious strawberries? We’ve got you covered

By

Janet Blaser

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June 21, 2021

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Strawberry galette — This gorgeous galette is easier than it looks!

It’s not just in Mexico that people love strawberries: these sweet red fruits are the most popular berry in the world. In Mazatlán, where I live, fresas y crema (strawberries and cream) is one of the most in-demand treats, sold in every store and by street vendors as well.

Mexico was actually the world’s biggest exporter of strawberries in 2020, overtaking Spain.

There are hundreds of varieties of strawberries, with slightly different shapes, color, flavor and firmness. At their best, all of them are irresistibly sweet.

And therein lies the challenge: how to pick the best strawberries for eating, for cooking or for freezing?

The first thing to know is that strawberries are very perishable; you haven’t been imagining that. It’s most likely through no fault of your own that they don’t last more than a day or two after purchase (if even that!).

With just a few minutes and a saucepan, you can turn classic pancakes into something special with homemade strawberry syrup.

Their high water content (90%) makes them fragile and susceptible to rot — but that’s also why they freeze wonderfully. Kind of a delicious double-edged sword.

The best thing to do is to use strawberries the day you buy them. If that’s not possible, don’t wash or hull them until you’re ready to use them.

Just pat them dry and store, refrigerated, in layers separated by paper towels. If I know I’m just going to use them in yogurt or smoothies, I’ll hull and slice ’em, mix in a bit of sugar and store them in a covered container in the fridge. They may not stay firm, but at least they don’t go bad.

One of my pet peeves in buying commercial strawberries is that they’re inevitably hard and tasteless. They may look pretty, but that’s about it. Here in Mazatlán, I’ve sometimes been able to find “real” strawberries at the big weekly flea market and also at the organic farmers market when they’re in season.

When purchasing, look for berries that are firm and bright with a bit of a shine — a good gauge of freshness. (Of course, if you can sample, do that as well!)

Strawberries are easy to freeze and need just a bit of prep. Wash, dry and hull them carefully, then spread them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, lined with parchment if you like. Freeze overnight, then transfer to an airtight container.

Spinach-Berry Salad with Crispy Goat Cheese

One 6 oz. goat cheese log, cut into 1-inch medallions
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
12 strawberries
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. honey
Salt and pepper
4 oz. baby spinach or torn spinach leaves
3 Tbsp. toasted pine nuts
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Working one at a time, dip each goat cheese medallion in egg, then in panko, pressing on crumbs to firmly adhere. Place on parchment-lined plate, refrigerate 30 minutes.

In blender, mix 4 strawberries, vinegar, olive oil and honey. Purée until smooth, about 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Thinly slice remaining strawberries and toss in a bowl with spinach and pine nuts.

Heat vegetable oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Fry cheese medallions until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes each side, turning once. Drain on paper towels. Toss salad with vinaigrette, add goat cheese on top, and serve.

spinach and goat cheese salad with strawberries — Add a dash of sweet to your savory by slicing a few perfectly ripe sliced strawberries atop a spinach and goat cheese salad.

Strawberry Fool

The classic British dessert, updated.

¾ cup fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and chopped
6 Tbsp. sugar, divided, plus more to taste
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup chilled heavy cream
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ tsp. vanilla

Place half the strawberries and 3 Tbsp. sugar in small saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until berries have softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, add sugar to taste. Chill completely, about 1 hour.

In a bowl, mix remaining strawberries and 3 Tbsp. sugar. Refrigerate about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Whip cream to soft peaks. Gently fold in yogurt and vanilla. Reserve ¼ cup whipped cream; fold chilled strawberry compote into whipped cream. Spoon strawberry cream into glasses alternating with macerated strawberries. Top with a dollop of whipped cream.

Strawberry Avocado Salsa

1 avocado, diced
1 cup diced strawberries
1/3 cup diced mango
½ -1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
¼ cup diced red onion
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 tsp. honey, or more to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients, stir well and serve.

Strawberry Syrup

Add to sangria, yogurt, vanilla ice cream, oatmeal, salad dressings or sparkling water — or drizzle on pancakes!

1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Combine strawberries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over high heat until boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to simmer; cook about 10 minutes till berries are soft. Remove from heat; cool and strain. Reserve or discard berries. Syrup will keep one week in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

strawberries with pico de gallo — Strawberries make a surprisingly great addition to pico de gallo-type salsas.

Easy Strawberry Galette

1¼ cup flour
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup + 1 Tbsp. sugar
½ package cream cheese
1 stick cold unsalted butter
2 lb. strawberries
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 vanilla bean
½ tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 Tbsp. sugar

In food processor, pulse flour, salt, and 1 Tbsp. sugar. Add cream cheese and butter; pulse until large crumbs form. Add 3-4 Tbsp. water; pulse just until dough begins to come together. (Alternately, mix dough by hand.) Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; gently knead until combined. Pat into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

When ready to bake, roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment into a 12” diameter circle, 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to baking sheet; refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 F.

In large bowl, toss strawberries with cornstarch, vanilla and remaining sugar. Arrange strawberries atop dough, leaving a 1-inch border. Fold border up and over strawberries to create a 1-inch-wide rim. Brush crust with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Bake galette until golden, 40–45 minutes.

Strawberry Toast

1 slice multigrain or sourdough bread
3 Tbsp. requesón or ricotta
1 Tbsp. orange marmalade
¼ cup diced strawberries

Toast slice of bread and top with ricotta, marmalade and diced strawberries.

Janet Blaser is the author of the best-selling book, Why We Left: An Anthology of American Women Expats, featured on CNBC and MarketWatch. A retired journalist, she has lived in Mexico since 2006.

Power outage in war-torn Aguililla since Friday; criminal blockades thwart repairs

By

MND Staff

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June 21, 2021

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A backhoe clears a blockade earlier this year in Aguililla.

Cartel blockades continue to play havoc in Aguililla, Michoacán, not only cutting off highway access but cutting electricity and telephone service since Friday, according to residents.

The blockade on the Aguililla-Apatzingán highway has prevented workers from the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) from entering the municipality to restore power.

A resident of Apatzingán, a neighboring municipality, confirmed that cartel members had instigated the blockade. “We cannot enter Aguililla. There is no cell phone service because … they cut the electricity on Friday, there is none. For what reason? We do not know exactly, but we do know that the CFE cannot enter … it is blocked by the Cárteles Unidos … You cannot enter the town … and you cannot leave,” he said.

He added that the CFE didn’t want to enter the town.

Despite the reports, state Interior Minister Armando Hurtado Arévalo said services to the town had been normalized since the passage of a tropical storm.

The Archbishop of Michoacán, Carlos Garfias, this weekend urged the federal government to install a security committee to address violence in the area.

For several months and despite police and army operations, Aguililla has been the site of a bloody turf war between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Cárteles Unidos. Violence has long plagued the town, where CJNG leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes – a wanted man in both Mexico and the United States – was born.

With reports from Reforma

Thieves blamed for 12-hour power outage in Playa del Carmen

By

MND Staff

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June 21, 2021

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A 12-hour power cut in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Sunday was caused by thieves, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) said.

Electricity supply was interrupted early in the morning after power lines were stolen.

The outage left 10,904 users without electricity, affecting about 7% of the population of Solidaridad, the municipality in which Playa del Carmen is located. Power had been completely restored by 4:30 p.m.

The CFE said it would take legal action against those responsible “who had vandalized CFE infrastructure on repeated occasions,” referring to smaller scale power cuts caused by vandalism on Saturday night.

In those outages the neighborhoods affected were Toscana, Colonia Santa Fe, Villas Rivero, Villamar 2 and Bosque Real.

Aside from vandalism, power failures are common on both the Yucatán Peninsula and in Baja California and Baja California Sur due to the vulnerability of their remote electricity generators.

With reports from Infobae and El Universal