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Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – The editors of International Living have released their picks for the Best Places in the World to Retire in 2024. Out of the ten countries listed on this year’s Global Retirement Index, Latin American destinations took three of the Top 10 spots – and Mexico came in at #3!

IL’s Annual Global Retirement Index is not a survey of all the countries in the world – it focuses on those International Living determines to have earned a place on the short list of the best nations for an affordable, high-quality retirement.

According to International Living’s 2024 Global Retirement Index, the world’s top 10 retirement destinations are:

#1 Costa Rica • #2 Portugal • #3 Mexico • #4 Panama • #5 Spain • #6 Ecuador #7 Greece • #8 Malaysia • #9 France • #10 Colombia

The Index is constructed of not just statistics, but also of real-world, practical, on-the-ground intelligence, experience and opinion provided by International Living’s editors and correspondents based around the world – but, for me, Mexico takes the cake.

Mexico could also be the retirement spot for you if you seek an adventure overseas, but don’t want to give up all the comforts of home. Almost anything you use or consume in the United States is also available in Mexico, though how easily available depends on where you base yourself in the country.

With two beautiful coasts, majestic mountains and colonial cities, the challenge is that Mexico offers many appealing lifestyle and climate alternatives, and you’ll need to decide where you might be happiest.

Here’s International Living’s take on retirement living in Mexico:

Mexico is a top-rated country to retire to for many reasons. Lifestyle, culture, warmth of its people, and affordability without losing luxury. Yes, that’s right, I said luxury. Because the cost of living is lower, you can afford a little more luxury in your life, and Mexico has plenty on offer. Here’s a couple of examples.

Every environment can be found in Mexico. There are beautiful deserts, green rolling hills, volcanos, national parks, laid-back beach towns, and thriving metropolis cities. So, however you envision your retirement, you’ll find it in Mexico.

The great news is that property prices are a lot lower, too. With beachside condos, houses, villas, or a little house in the jungle all being affordable options depending on your lifestyle choice and budget. Another great thing about Mexico is the low cost of healthcare. Even top specialists are very affordable.

These are just some of the things that have drawn an increasing number of adventurous expats to call Mexico home, even those still working, including me. When you decide to make the move, take into account your personal preferences, needs, budget, and desires, and look at the options available to see which destination best suits your needs.

International Living’s complete 2024 Annual Global Retirement Index, including more information on the winner (Costa Rica) and the other nine countries that made it in to the Top 10 – as well as first-hand descriptions of all of the countries included – can be found at internationalliving.com.

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Mexico’s president calls for ban on open-pit mining 

No new open-pit mining concessions have been granted since 2018.
President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has granted no new open-pit mining concessions since coming to power in 2018.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador proposed to modify Article 27 to prohibit open-pit mining, as part of a range of constitutional reforms presented before parliament, citing concerns for excessive environmental damage. The proposal, announced early in February 2024, calls for bans on open-pit mining concessions and activities relating to the exploration, exploitation, benefit or use of minerals, metals or metalloids using the open-pit method. “It is clear that open-pit mining transgresses human rights by affecting the right to a healthy environment and good health.
The most significant effects are evident in the communities and towns near project areas, placing them in a situation of vulnerability and inequality,” Obrador’s proposal states. Communities that struggle with water shortages could also be supplied with water that was hitherto used in open-pit mining, according to Obrador. Underground mining, however, is not covered by the proposals. 
As many of Mexico’s oldest and largest mines are open-pit operations, the government is likely to face hostility from big industry players following this move. Of the 250 mines hosted by the nation, 97 are open-pit projects, mostly located in Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Sonora and San Luis Potosí.  
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below formBy GlobalDataSubmitKey producers include FresnilloNewmontGrupo Mexico and Industrias Peñoles. Since assuming power in 2018, Obrador’s administration has not granted any new open-pit mining concessions through de facto mechanisms, without the backing of any specific law. Douglas Coleman, general director of the Mexican Mining Center, said: “His policy of not granting new mining concessions has crippled mining exploration in Mexico and has caused the biggest negative impact on the industry. The effects of this decision will be felt for years to come.” The recent move risks disturbing investors who have already experienced an uncertain investment environment after senators spoke of reforms that shortened mining concessions from 50 to 30 years and tightened water extraction permits in May 2023. 

 

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Mass wedding in Mexico gets 1,200 people hitched on Valentine’s Day

Some 1,200 couples tied the knot in a mass ceremony on the outskirts of Mexico City on Wednesday, setting a record for the town of Nezahualcoyotl’s annual Valentine’s Day tradition.

Couples of varying generations said “I do” in the town square, some to save money and others to finally make official long-standing relationships

“Weddings are expensive,” newlywed Rosalin Ruiz, 28, told AFP.

Dressed in white, she sealed her union with partner Ricardo Reyes, 30, in a “more accessible” way, via this year’s “matrimonio colectivo,” or collective marriage.

Yosimar Carrasco and Alejandra Godinez, both 37, were motivated by the desire to have a “different experience,” while for Pilar Hernandez and Susana Inocente, both 40, it was the opportunity for the LGBTQ couple to vindicate “equal rights.”

A round of applause erupted in the square when Sonia Cruz, director of the state civil registry, declared the couples joined in “lawful matrimony” and invited them to kiss.

This year’s ceremony, sponsored by the local mayor’s office, also awarded Nezahualcoyotl’s three longest-married couples, including one in a union of 50 years, who received televisions and armchairs.

A similar Valentine’s Day mass wedding in Nicaragua saw 200 couples get hitched on the shores of Managua’s Lake Xolotlan.

 

Each Generation of Mexican Americans Is More Likely to Have Liver Cancer

Third-generation Mexican Americans were about 66% more likely to develop liver cancer compared with the first generation.While the national rate of liver cancer has more than tripled since 1980,
Latinos born in the United States face an even greater risk for the malignancy compared with the rest of the population.study from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California found that each subsequent generation of Mexican Americans sees an increase in the risk for liver cancer.Published in Cancer, the study utilized data from more than 31,000 first-, second- and third-generation Mexican Americans, according to a Keck news release.
Findings showed that second-generation Mexican Americans (U.S.-born with at least one parent born in Mexico) were about 37% more likely to develop liver cancer compared with first-generation Mexican Americans (those born in Mexico). Similarly, third-generation Mexican Americans (U.S. born with both parents born in the United States) were about 66% more likely to be diagnosed with hepatocellular cancer, also known as liver cancer.
The increased risk primarily affected men.“With each successive generation, we’re seeing an increased risk of liver cancer. When we look more closely at this trend, the numbers are significant,” said lead author Veronica Wendy Setiawan, PhD, a professor of population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine, in the news release.The liver, which weighs about 3 to 4 pounds, performs many important bodily functions. It acts as a filtration system for the body, cleaning the blood and removing toxins, such as alcohol and drugs. The liver also produces bile, which helps the body digest food.Certain metabolic conditions, including obesity and diabetes, and lifestyle factors, such as alcohol consumption and smoking in later generations, only partlty explain the increase in liver cancer incidence.
“Liver cancer is becoming a growing concern among Latinos, underscoring the importance of comprehending the factors driving this trend. Although we currently lack a precise understanding of why second- and third-generation Mexican Americans are at a heightened risk of liver cancer, we have highlighted the importance of prioritizing research on these populations,” Setiawan said in a Wiley news release. “In the future, identifying the risk factors within this group may facilitate the discovery of the underlying causes behind these observations.”To learn more about this disease, click #Liver Cancer or read Cancer Health’s Basics on Liver Cancer. It reads in part:Who gets liver cancer?More than 41,000 people a year are diagnosed with liver cancer in the United States, and the rate is rising. While cancer of the liver and bile ducts is the 13th most common type of cancer in the United States, it is the fifth leading cause of cancer death, according to the National Cancer Institute. Worldwide, it is the second leading cause of cancer death.
Men are more than twice as likely as women to develop liver cancer. It is most likely to occur in people over age 60. In the United States, liver cancer is most common among Asians and Pacific Islanders because the prevalence of hepatitis B is high in this group. Latinos and African Americans also have higher rates than white people.
What are the risk factors for liver cancer?Hepatitis B and C are the most common causes of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus multiply in liver cells. Over time, they can lead to serious liver disease, including liver cirrhosis, or buildup of scar tissue.
Hepatitis B can be prevented with a vaccine and treated with antiviral medications. Effective new treatments for hepatitis C can cure the disease and stop liver disease progression. But people who have developed cirrhosis before treatment remain at risk for liver cancer.
Heavy alcohol consumption, exposure to aflatoxin (a substance made by a fungus that grows on grains and peanuts) and other toxic substances, and some inherited conditions can also cause cirrhosis. Fatty liver disease is a growing cause of liver damage leading to liver cancer. Most cases of liver cancer—but not all—occur in people with cirrhosis.
What are the symptoms of liver cancer?The liver is responsible for vital functions such as filtering the blood, processing drugs and producing important proteins. Cirrhosis and liver cancer can cause many symptoms, including:
–Unexplained fatigue or weakness
–Pain in the upper abdomen
–Nausea or vomiting
–Loss of appetite
–Unexplained weight loss
–Jaundice (yellow skin and eyes)
–Dark urine and pale stools
–Bloated or swollen abdomen
–Abnormal bruising or bleeding
–Bleeding in the throat or stomach
–Mental confusion.
However, many people with liver disease do not develop symptoms until its late stages, when it is harder to treat.
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Elon Musk is inviting Chinese EV car parts makers to Mexico to supply his big Tesla factory planned there, and Washington is freaking out

On the outskirts of Monterrey, Mexico, Chinese auto-parts makers are rapidly setting up plants to supply Tesla Inc.’s next factory. They join the ranks of Chinese manufacturers that opened Mexican facilities in response to Trump-era tariffs — and this new surge has set off alarm bells in Washington.Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk invited Chinese suppliers to Mexico to replicate the local supply chain at Tesla’s Shanghai plant, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The company plans to build a cheaper next-generation electric vehicle at a massive facility in the state of Nuevo Leon, helped in part by $153 million in local government incentives.Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment. Its Austin plant isn’t the only one in the US buying Chinese-owned Mexican-made parts, as exports continue to rise.The value of Chinese auto parts made in Mexico and exported to the US reached $1.1 billion in 2023, up 15% over the previous year, according to previously unreported preliminary data from INA, Mexico’s national auto-parts industry association.

Last year, there were 33 Chinese auto-parts makers registered in Mexico, 18 of which exported to the US, according to INA.Despite US government officials’ concerns, it makes sense that Tesla and other carmakers want to tap China’s “highly organized, highly efficient supply chain,” said Venkatesh Prasad, chief innovation officer at the Center for Automotive Research.“No manufacturer anywhere in the world is going to miss the opportunity to include that as part of their value proposition as they try to manage margins,”
Prasad said.Recent Chinese arrivals in Mexico include Ningbo Tuopu Group Co., Shanghai Bayon Precision Automobile Component Co., Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing Co., Zhejiang Yinlun Machinery Co. and Chinaust Group, a joint venture between Lingyun Industrial Corp. and Georg Fischer AG.These firms make heating and cooling systems, shock-absorption products, metal components and other parts.
The trade war then-President Donald Trump started in 2018 helped spur Chinese investment in third-party countries like Mexico. By 2023, Chinese industrial companies were using 9.31 million square feet of Mexican industrial park space, up from 1.28 million square feet in 2019, according to market data from development firm Finsa.
China’s increased manufacturing presence in Mexico comes as its direct exports to the US have fallen to their lowest since 2010.Electric vehicles assembled in Mexico can also qualify for a US consumer tax credit of as much as $7,500 under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, President Joe Biden’s signature climate law. To do so, they must adhere to strict limits on the amount of battery materials coming from “foreign entities of concern,” or firms with ties to rival countries such as China.Chinese companies that are “in a big hurry to get established to become suppliers” to western car manufacturers are opening shelter companies under Mexican business guidelines, said David Barrera, director of business development in Nuevo Leon for Banco BASE SA.Automakers and some global suppliers have not spoken up about the trend for fear of endangering their own interests in China.

But the trade group for Canadian auto-parts manufacturers and the United Auto Workers have flagged what they deem an “alarming” increase in China’s Mexican investments to avoid US trade policy enforcements.Passenger cars exported from Mexico, the US’s largest trading partner, are exempt from tariffs if they comply with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade rules.

Big US Fear

US tax lawyers have even identified a path through which a Chinese-owned subsidiary based in Mexico could build full EVs that would qualify for the $7,500 US tax credit, so long as no battery minerals or components were sourced from China.

This is a big fear for both US EV manufacturers and government officials. China’s BYD Co. recently surpassed Tesla as the world’s top-selling EV manufacturer, largely thanks to its lineup of cheap models.In November, members of the House select committee on the Chinese Communist Party wrote to US Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai calling for action against Chinese manufacturers “preparing to flood the United States and global markets with automobiles, particularly electric vehicles” propped up by “massive subsidies.”
In response, Tai wrote that the Biden administration is “clear-eyed” about the Chinese plans and was looking at ways to make Trump-era tariffs “more strategic.”US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen traveled to Mexico in December to strike an agreement on strengthening Mexico’s foreign investment screening.BYD, Chery Automobile Co. and SAIC Motor Corp.’s MG brand already are looking to open plants in Mexico.
These manufacturers could start construction in four years, begin production in six years and then export vehicles to the US, said Roland Berger consultant Oscar Silva Eguibar.“The only way that the Chinese companies can avoid anti-dumping measures and really be able to export EVs to the US would be by establishing full manufacturing capacity in Mexico,” he said.Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the Biden administration was considering restricting all imports of electric Chinese “smart cars” no matter where they’re assembled. US officials are concerned that the vast troves of data these vehicles collect could present hacking or national security threats.Chinese battery maker Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. is considering building a plant in Mexico, and companies including BYD have expressed interest in lithium mining in the country. China dominates the mining and processing of critical minerals such as lithium needed for EV batteries, adding to US concerns.

Free Trade Rethink

Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association in Canada, warned that state-backed Chinese suppliers in Mexico could displace market-driven investment from North American companies.US and Canadian concerns could lead to changes in the next review of the North American free trade agreement USMCA in 2026, said Kelly Ann Shaw, a partner at law firm Hogan Lovells in Washington, who has focused on international trade.

“You could see a situation where, if there is a real problem of Chinese parts coming across the border, whoever is president says, ‘We’re just going to demand more commitment from Mexico to stop that,’” she said. Mary Lovely, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, believes the US needs to pick its spots on protectionist measures, because too many could stifle innovation and make vehicles too expensive.
“If there isn’t Chinese involvement, how do we keep the industry competitive?” Lovely said. “If we try to produce everything at US wages, we’ll end up with a vehicle that can’t compete in any sense.”
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Mexico’s president wants to guarantee people pensions equal to their full salaries when they retire

Mexico’s president said Monday he will propose guaranteeing people pensions equal to their full salaries at the time they retire, something done by no other country, not even those much richer than Mexico.

It was among a raft of 20 constitutional reforms that President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has almost no hope of getting passed in the eight months he has left in office, but which could be part of a bid to attract voters in the June 2 presidential elections.

It may be just electioneering: López Obrador leaves office in September, and he really wants his party’s candidate, former Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, to win the presidential elections. He apparently hopes the promise of full-wage pensions could also help win his Morena party the two-thirds majority in Congress it needs to amend the Constitution.

But analysts say it may also be an attempt to set the agenda for the next administration by saddling any future president from Morena with high — and expensive — expectations.

“It’s an election year, so all these reform initiatives can be seen as something to get people to vote for Morena,” said Gabriela Siller, the director of analysis at Nuevo Leon-based Banco Base. But she notes it is also “a way of setting the political agenda for the next administration, a way of placing his imprint on the next administration.”

For the moment, López Obrador doesn’t have the votes in Congress to get the reforms passed, given that they require a two-thirds vote to amend the Constitution, and opposition parties are not likely to go along with it in the few months he has left in office.

For example, he wants the National Guard — now Mexico’s main law enforcement agency — handed over to the army, a change Congress has already rejected. He also wants to e liminate most government regulatory and oversight agencies.

In announcing the measures Monday, the president claimed it was an attempt “to recover holy rights, guaranteed to Mexicans by God.” It was among a package of reforms that included guaranteed annual increases in payments to the elderly and increases in the minimum wage and above the rate of inflation.

The reform proposals also included guaranteed access to the internet, a total ban on fracking, open-pit mining, GM corn, cruelty to animals and vaping pens.

López Obrador has made other unfulfilled promises in the past, like pledging Mexico would have a health care system “better than in Denmark.” That is something that has obviously not come to pass in Mexico’s crowded, ill-equipped hospitals, which frequently lack medications. He has also proposed recognizing the the ’right’ of all Mexicans to own their own homes.

But the cost of what López Obrador is proposing for pensions is striking. Mexico’s workforce is made up of about 60 million people and the reform would presumably apply to all of them.

At present, Mexicans can retire at 65, if they have worked 38 1/2 years, or 67 if they haven’t. But there is no guaranteed pension payment. Apart from a few powerful unions representing government workers, there is no government pension program, though López Obrador has introduced supplementary payment programs for the elderly of a couple of hundred dollars per month.

Since the 1990s, about half of Mexicans — those with formal jobs — have been enrolled in privately-managed pension funds known as Afores to which they and their employers contribute. The other half of Mexicans, who work under the table in the ‘informal’ economy, have no pension program at all.

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The formal-sector Afores program, after about 20 years of contributions, has built up about $325 billion in pension savings, and that only covers average pensions of about $290 per month — less than the minimum wage — for half the country’s workforce.

To cover the whole population with something approaching a ‘full wage,’ López Obrador’s program would have to increase the Afore pension fund by 2.5 times to meet the median wage, and then double it again to cover informal workers.

It seems unlikely to be achieved, so why would López Obrador propose it? It’s also odd that he didn’t allow his candidate, Sheinbaum, to announce the measures, given that she has been struggling to build an image as something other than his loyal follower.

The president — who built the Morena party around his own image and personality — is in fact far more interested in how he’ll go down in history than building a strong or independent party. So carving in stone the path for the next administration is attractive for him, analysts say.

“López Obrador is presenting these reforms to set the path for what he thinks Claudia (Sheinbaum)’s administration should be,” wrote author and analyst Viri Ríos in the newspaper Milenio.

Number of monarch butterflies at Mexico wintering sites has plummeted this year

The butterflies’ migration from Canada and the United States to Mexico and back again is considered a marvel of nature. No single butterfly lives to complete the entire journey.

The annual butterfly count doesn’t calculate the individual number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover when they clump together on tree branches in the mountain pine and fir forests west of Mexico City. Monarchs from east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada overwinter there.

Mexico’s Commission for National Protected Areas said the butterflies covered an area equivalent to 0.9 hectares, down from 2.21 hectares last year.

The lowest level was in 2013 at 0.67 hectares.

“It has a lot to do with climate change,” said Gloria Tavera, the commission’s conservation director. She cited storms, drought and higher temperatures.

Experts noted there were almost no butterflies at some traditional wintering grounds.

“The monarchs looked for other sites,” Ms. Tavera said.

The number of a smaller population, the western monarch butterflies that overwinter in California, has dropped, too.

Gregory Mitchell, a researcher for Environment and Climate Change Canada, called the decline “very sobering,” but noted that ”we have the drive, we have the tools, we have the people” to address humans’ impact on the monarch migration.

Humberto Peña, the head of Mexico’s protected areas, proposed creating a “safe corridor” for migrating butterflies with reduced herbicide and pesticide use and stricter measures against deforestation.

The use of herbicides in the United States and Canada has reduced the amount of milkweed, the butterflies’ preferred food.

There was some good news.

Deforestation in the Mexican forests where monarch butterflies spend the winter fell this year to about 4.1 hectares. Almost all was lost to illegal logging.

That was a large reduction from last year, when 58.7 hectares of forest cover was lost.

llegal logging has been a major threat to the forests where the butterflies gather in clumps to keep warm. Diseases, drought and storms have also caused tree losses. 

The presence of Monarch butterflies during the 2023-2024 winter within Mexican overwintering forests had a 59.3 percent drop compared to the previous season, according to Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Natural Areas.

 

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Mexico overtakes China as the leading source of goods imported by US

WASHINGTON — For the first time in more than two decades, Mexico last year surpassed China as the leading source of goods imported by the United States. The shift reflects the growing tensions between Washington and Beijing as well as U.S. efforts to import from countries that are friendlier and closer to home.

Figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Commerce Department show that the value of goods imported by the United States from Mexico rose nearly 5% from 2022 to 2023, to more than $475 billion. At the same time, the value of Chinese imports tumbled 20% to $427 billion.

The last time that Mexican goods imported by the United States exceeded the value of China’s imports was in 2002.

Economic relations between the United States and China have severely deteriorated in recent years as Beijing has fought aggressively on trade and made ominous military gestures in the Far East.

The Trump administration began imposing tariffs on Chinese imports in 2018, arguing that Beijing’s trade practices violated global trade rules. President Joe Biden retained those tariffs after taking office in 2021, making clear that antagonism toward China would be a rare area of common ground for Democrats and Republicans.

As an alternative to offshoring production to China, which U.S. corporations had long engaged in, the Biden administration has urged companies to seek suppliers in allied countries (“friend-shoring”) or to return manufacturing to the United States (“reshoring”). Supply-chain disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic also led U.S. companies to seek supplies closer to the United States (“near-shoring”).

Mexico has been among the beneficiaries of the growing shift away from reliance on Chinese factories. But the picture is more complicated than it might seem. Some Chinese manufacturers have established factories in Mexico to exploit the benefits of the 3-year-old U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, which allows for duty-free trade in North America for many products.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said this week that the trade status gives Mexico new leverage, saying it would make it hard for the U.S. to close the two countries’ border to limit immigration, as suggested in negotiations on a border bill in the U.S. Senate.

“The negotiation is proposing closing the border,” he said. “Do you think Americans, or Mexicans, but especially the Americans, would approve that? The businesses wouldn’t take it, maybe one day, but not a week.”

Some industries — especially auto manufacturers — have set up plants on both sides of the border that depend on each for a steady supply of parts.

Derek Scissors, a China specialist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, noted that the biggest drops in Chinese imports were in computers and electronics and chemicals and pharmaceuticals — all politically sensitive categories.

“I don’t see the U.S. being comfortable with a rebound in those areas in 2024 and 2025,” Scissors said, predicting that the China-Mexico reversal on imports to the United States likely “is not a one-year blip.”

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Scissors suggested that the drop in U.S. reliance on Chinese goods partly reflects wariness of Beijing’s economic policies under President Xi Jinping. Xi’s draconian COVID-19 lockdowns brought significant swaths of the Chinese economy to a standstill in 2022, and his officials have raided foreign companies in apparent counterespionage investigations.

“I think it’s corporate America belatedly deciding Xi Jinping is unreliable,” he said.

Overall, the U.S. deficit in the trade of goods with the rest of the world — the gap between the value of what the United States sells and what it buys abroad — narrowed 10% last year to $1.06 trillion.

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Mexico reaches deal to buy highway concession from billionaire Slim

 

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced that his government has reached an agreement with local billionaire Carlos Slim to buy the concession to part of a highway still under construction in the southern state of Oaxaca.

“I am very grateful to Carlos Slim because we have reached an agreement that the federal government is going to acquire the concession that was granted to him, and on very good terms,” Lopez Obrador said in a speech in Oaxaca on Sunday, without giving any details as to the cost.

Slim oversees major firms such as telecommunications giant America Movil and Grupo Carso, a conglomerate. He sits on the board of directors of Ideal (IDEALB1.MX), opens new tab , which is wrapping up construction on the branch of the highway running from the towns of Mitla to Tehuantepec.

Representatives for Ideal and Mexico’s transportation ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The highway track, part of a larger stretch running all the way to the city of Oaxaca, will be inaugurated on Aug. 31, Lopez Obrador said.

The president, who will leave office later this year, has made infrastructure projects in the historically poorer southern part of Mexico a cornerstone of his administration.

He made the announcement at an event to open another part of highway in the state of Oaxaca, where he has also recently launched a coast-to-coast passenger rail network.

 

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Canadian Visitors To Mexico Top Europeans For First Time

Canadians made up the second largest tourist group in Mexico last year, surpassing Europeans for the first time.

New statistics released by Mexico’s Secretary of Tourism Miguel Torruco Marques reveal that 4.2 million Canadians visited Mexico in 2023, surpassing the total of all Europeans, 4.1 million.

Canadians made up 7.6% of Mexico’s total visitor numbers, just ahead of 7.4% for Europeans.

After continuing to welcome tourists throughout the pandemic, Mexico has continued on a roll. International flights were up 10% vs 2022 and 13.1% vs pre-pandemic. International tourism was saw 55 million passengers transported to Mexico last year (2023), a 10% increase vs 2022, and a 13.1% increase vs pre-pandemic numbers (2019).

A major highlight was the 59.5% surge in Canadian passengers flying to Mexico in 2023 vs 2022. Arrivals nearly doubled the figure from the pre-pandemic year 2019.

The North American market dominated international flight numbers with an 84.5% share of international passengers to Mexico. Flights between the US and Mexico grew at 4.4% year-over-year.

Some of the data in this story was compiled by Far Homes, a company that works to simplify the process of moving internationally. The company recently highlighted the fact that a growing number of Canadian retirees, digital nomads and others are moving to Mexico to take advantage of warmer weather and a lower cost of living.

 

 

Bullfighting resumes in Mexico City before a full crowd while activists protest outside

With protesters outside a full arena, bullfights resumed in Mexico City on Sunday after the country’s highest court temporarily revoked a local ruling that sided with animal rights defenders and suspended the events for more than a year and a half.

With protesters outside a full arena, bullfights resumed in Mexico City on Sunday after the country’s highest court temporarily revoked a local ruling that sided with animal rights defenders and suspended the events for more than a year and a half.

The resumption of bullfights in the Plaza México, the largest bullfighting arena in the world, raised expectations of fans in the face of a lengthy legal battle between enthusiasts and opponents, who argue the practice violates animal welfare and affects people’s rights to a healthy environment.

Bullfighting is still allowed in much of Mexico. In the capital, the legal fight for its future is full of twists and turns.

The first bullfighter to enter the ring was the renowned Mexican matador Joselito Adame, with thousands of people cheering the return of “fiesta brava,” as bullfighting is also known in Spanish. “Long live freedom,” some shouted as the first bull entered an arena jammed with spectators.

Bullfighters assistants parade during a bullfight at the Plaza Mexico, in Mexico City, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

In all, six bulls were fought Sunday, and all were killed.

Outside, hours before the formal beginning, about 300 people gathered in front of Plaza México to protest against bullfights. Some activists yelled “Murderers!” and “The plaza is going to fall!” while others played drums or stood with signs reading “Bullfighting is sadism.”

Police with shields stood by. The protest was mainly peaceful, although there were some moments of tension when some activists threw plastic bottles and stones.

“Why the bullfights were allowed to return when there is so much evidence of all the damage they do to a living being, such as the bull,” questioned activist Guillermo Sánchez, who was holding up a sign that read “Sadism disguised as culture, sport and tradition.”

Alfredo Barraza, another protester, said allowing bullfighting is a “setback in the fight for animal rights.” Barraza, who had his face covered with a paper mask in the shape of a bull, said he hopes Mexico City will at some point “be free of violent spectacles.”

Inside the Plaza, the mood was festive, with people eating, drinking and taking photos.

“I’m very excited,” said Aldo Palacios, who brought his two children and other relatives to the arena, not only to see the inaugural bullfight, but also to celebrate his 42nd birthday.

May 2022, a local court ordered an end to bullfighting activities at Plaza México in response to an injunction presented by the civil organization Justicia Justa, which defends human rights. But the activities were set to resume Sunday because the nation’s Supreme Court of Justice in December revoked the suspension while the merits of the case are discussed and a decision is reached on whether bullfights affect animal welfare.

Another civil organization filed an appeal Friday on animal welfare grounds in a last-ditch effort to prevent the activity from resuming. A ruling was not expected before Sunday’s event.

Animal rights groups have been gaining ground in Mexico in recent years while bullfighting followers have suffered several setbacks. In some states such as Sinaloa, Guerrero, Coahuila, Quintana Roo and the western city of Guadalajara, judicial measures now limit the activity.

Animal activists protest against the return of bullfighting at the Plaza Mexico, in Mexico City, Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

Ranchers, businessmen and fans maintain that the ban on bullfights affects their rights and puts at risk several thousand jobs linked to the activity, which they say generates about $400 million a year in Mexico. The National Association of Fighting Bull Breeders in Mexico estimates that bullfighting is responsible for 80,000 direct jobs and 146,000 indirect jobs.

The association has hosted events and workshops in recent years to promote bullfights and find new, younger fans.

Mexico’s president condemns reports of an old US investigation into alleged

— Mexico’s president on Wednesday condemned media reports that the U.S. government launched an abortive investigation into claims that drug traffickers may have contributed money to his failed 2006 campaign.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador immediately interpreted the reports as a U.S. attack on his government and his Morena party before Mexico’s June 2 presidential election.

The controversy threatened to revive bilateral tensions just as both countries head into presidential elections, and could damage U.S.-Mexico cooperation on fighting drug trafficking, in much the same way as the 2020 U.S. arrest of a former Mexican defense secretary, Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos.

No concrete proof was found and the 2010 investigation was later dropped, but Lopez Obrador suggested that U.S. agencies were behind the new round of reports about the old allegations.

“It is completely false, it’s slander,” Lopez Obrador said Wednesday at his daily media briefing. “I am not complaining about the journalists … I’m complaining about the U.S. government, for allowing these immoral practices that violate political ethics.”

“It’s not the journalist, it’s higher up,” the president said, without specifying what U.S. agency he was accusing of being behind the stories.

Lopez Obrador has long complained about the actions of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents in Mexico, and following the arrest of Cienfuegos, he imposed restrictions on U.S. agents in Mexico.

Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the DEA, feared that the latest dispute could mark a similar decline in cooperation.

 “It’s just terrible, it’s going to mean more drugs heading to the United States and more violence in Mexico,” Vigil said. “It’s worse than when Cienfuegos was arrested.”

“This is a direct attack against him. Secondly, he views it as an impact on the presidential campaign or in the presidential elections that are coming up,” Vigil said. “Now, if we thought the relationships with Mexico were bad, they are going to go from worse to almost nonexistent.”

Claudia Sheinbaum, the candidate for Lopez Obrador’s Morena party, holds a commanding lead in opinion polls for the June 2 election. But Mexico’s continued high rates of violence — and Sheinbaum’s pledge to continue Lopez Obrador’s policy of not confronting drug cartels — are one of the governing party’s most vulnerable flanks.

According to reports by ProPublica, Insight Crime and Germany’s Deutsche Welle, the DEA was investigating claims by a cooperating drug trafficker and a former campaign adviser that leaders of the Beltran Leyva drug cartel gave the money to close confidants of Lopez Obrador in 2006.

But a wiretap of a conversation between the DEA informants and one of Lopez Obrador’s top aides didn’t confirm the donations, and U.S. officials later ordered the politically sensitive case closed.

Lopez Obrador is notoriously touchy about anything that tarnishes his own moral authority or reputation, upon which his entire party rests.

But the fact that the three stories were published almost simultaneously on Tuesday made Lopez Obrador and his supporters suspect that some powerful entity was behind the wave of bad press.

Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, an associate professor at George Mason University, said that the timing made some in Mexico think the story had been leaked to reporters by some U.S. official.

“It is kind of the reaction to the publication of three stories about the same issue that were published at the same time. And that’s also something that has been questioned,” she said.

Lopez Obrador is no stranger to being quizzed about how he financed his unprecedented three presidential campaigns in 2006, 2012 and 2018, when he finally won the presidency. Campaign operators linked to Lopez Obrador have been caught on video several times receiving large sums of cash, but with no proof he knew about it.

But many other politicians in Mexico have been involved in campaign finance scandals, Correa-Cabrera notes.

“That’s also an open question about several politicians and presidential campaigns, not only Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, but people in power over all,” she said.

Beyond concerns the stories could affect Mexico’s elections, Correa-Cabrera notes the real impact could be on the U.S. election in 2024.

“I think it also has to do with the attacks that Republicans have publicly expressed and of course the proposals of declaring a war on cartels,” she said. “This adds to the idea that could be utilized easily by Republican politicians … ‘Mexico is a narco state, we need to do something about it, we need to send our troops there.”‘

Lopez Obrador was already angry at perceived American interference. He claimed that the U.S. arrest of Cienfuegos, the former defense secretary, was part of a DEA plot to weaken Mexico’s armed forces and allow U.S. agents free reign in Mexico.

Cienfuegos was arrested at a Los Angeles airport in 2020, accused of participating in an international drug trafficking and money laundering network.

Mexico demanded Cienfuegos’ release, reportedly threatening to expel U.S. agents unless he was returned. The United States dropped the charges and returned him. Mexico quickly absolved Cienfuegos of any wrongdoing, and later held up visas for U.S. agents and restricted the work they could do in Mexico.

Mexico Faces Rising Inflation, Hits 4.9% in Early January

By:BanderasNews

Mexico City – Inflation in Mexico surged to 4.9% during the first half of January, marking a 0.49% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to data released by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography on Wednesday.

The rise, the fifth consecutive two-week period increase, surpassed the Bank of Mexico’s 3% forecast, reaching the highest rate since 2021. Notable price hikes were observed in tomatoes, dining out, onions, cigarettes, allergy medication, and housing. Conversely, airfare and tourism costs experienced a decline.

ad Hinde and JaimesThe headline inflation was attributed to a spike in non-core inflation, which rose to 5.24%, up from 4.49% the previous year. Non-core inflation includes volatile products and services sensitive to short-term weather patterns, leading to rapid price fluctuations.

Gabriela Siller Pagaza, director of economic and financial analysis at Banco BASE, foresaw the spike, stating, “This has made it evident that the annual risks of inflation in Mexico continue.” She linked the increase in certain services, such as dining out, to the rise in the minimum wage from 207.44 pesos (about $12 USD) to 248.93 pesos (about $14.50) per day.

Siller Pagaza highlighted external risks, such as transport costs and the high budget deficit of 4.9%, the highest since 1988, which could further push inflation upwards.

A report by Mexico’s Grupo Financiero Banorte identified challenges for agricultural goods, citing adverse weather conditions affecting crops. Prices for these goods are expected to remain under pressure, with a 20.7% annual comparison for fruits and vegetables.

While headline inflation increased, core inflation aligned with predictions, decreasing to 4.78% from 4.98% last year, its lowest level since August 2021. This rate does not include volatile products in the non-core category.

Despite the uptick in headline inflation, it is anticipated that the Bank of Mexico will cut interest rates in March.

 

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Mexican community revives customs with ancient fire ritual

Purepecha Indigenous people carry incense during a three-day ceremonial procession in western Mexico (CARL DE SOUZA)

Incense fills the air and burning sticks light up the night in an Indigenous community in Mexico where an ancient fire ritual has been brought back to life.

The tradition, which had been forgotten for centuries, was revived by the Purepecha people in the 1980s with the help of historians and anthropologists.

For three days each year, participants wearing traditional dress carry the precious flames nearly 100 kilometers (62 miles) from village to village through the mountains of violence-ridden western Mexico.

The “Fuego Nuevo” (New Fire) ceremony takes place on the night of February 1 to mark the turn of the year based on the Purepecha’s variant of the Mesoamerican calendar.

“When the Spanish (conquistadors) arrived, they took away our way of dressing, our way of speaking, but we are trying to recover the customs of our ancestors,” said Catellana Nambo, who still works in agriculture at the age of 80.

The trek through Michoacan state culminated this year in Ocumicho, where Purepecha people from around the state gathered in a burst of color, music and dancing.

The fire will be kept alight in the small town for a year before making the journey to another village.

“We realized that our ancestors held this celebration before the conquest. It’s now our turn to revive it and we have been doing so since 1983,” said Javier de la Luz.

These days the community faces a struggle to protect its forests from logging, the 66-year-old agricultural worker said.

“In some way, this celebration empowered our communities to come out in defense of their natural resources,” he added.

Michoacan is one of Mexico’s most violent states due to turf wars between rival gangs involved in drug trafficking and other illegal activities.

Lucia Gutierrez, a 41-year-old midwifery student who splits her time between Michoacan and the United States where her husband lives, said the ritual was a welcome respite from modern life.

“People relate our customs with things from the past, that are obsolete, but really I think that’s what the world needs — to take a step back and realize that we’re advancing very fast,” she said.

“We’re forgetting what really matters: nature and these celebrations.”

        

Telus returns the price of its Canada, U.S., and Mexico plan to $105/month

Telus has reduced the cost of its Canada, U.S., and Mexico plan by $5/month.The previously priced $110/month plan is now $105/month.It still comes with 150GB of data at speeds up to 2Gbps and unlimited data at speeds up to 512Kbps.

The plan also includes unlimited talk and text. It should be noted, however, that the terms and conditions require customers to use a “majority” of the plan in Canada. It’s unclear how Telus defines this.The price change comes two days after Telus priced the plan at $110/month. Prior to January 31st, the plan was listed at $105/month.
It’s also important to note that this is the only plan Telus is currently offering that includes coverage in the U.S. While the service provider usually does have a Canada-U.S. option, it was removed from the website on Wednesday.
At the time of writing, it has yet to return.Additionally, it’s worth pointing out the timing of this change.
Earlier this week, Rogers bumped its 150GB Canada/U.S./Mexico plan up to $110/mo, and Telus matched that shortly after. However, Bell then adjusted its plans but kept its version of the 150GB Canada/U.S./Mexico plan at $105/mo — now Telus’ plan has dropped back down.

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U.S. Court Revives Mexican Lawsuit Against U.S. Gun Manufacturers

 

U.S. federal appeals court has revived a $10 billion lawsuit filed by the Mexican government against U.S. gunmakers. In 2021, Mexico sued six gun manufacturers, including Glock and Smith & Wesson, for aiding and abetting the unlawful transfer of hundreds of thousands of guns annually into Mexico, helping to fuel drug cartel violence. Mexico estimates 70% of the guns trafficked into Mexico come from the United States.

In related news, Mexico is calling on the Biden administration to investigate how drug cartels are increasingly obtaining U.S. military-grade weapons, including rocket launchers, grenades and belt-fed machine guns.

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Mexican president says agreement reached to keep US border crossings open

Talks between Lopez Obrador and US officials follow temporary shutdown of some rail crossings.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says an agreement has been reached with United States officials to keep border crossings between the two countries open after temporary closures during a high number of crossings.

 

The announcement comes one day after Lopez Obrador, also known as AMLO, met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for “direct” talks about the challenges of increasing migration.

“This agreement has been reached. The rail crossings and the border bridges are already being opened to normalize the situation,” Lopez Obrador said at a press conference. “Every day there is more movement on the border bridges.”

Seeking to project a firm stance on migration, a key issue in the upcoming US presidential election, President Joe Biden’s administration has pressured countries throughout Latin America to step up enforcement.

“The regional challenge of migration requires regional solutions,” Mayorkas said in a social media post on Wednesday, after what he called a “very productive meeting” with Mexican officials.

“And we appreciate Mexico’s commitment to continue its efforts alongside us and with others.”

This month, the US temporarily shuttered a handful of border crossings, including two rail bridges, in an effort to stem rising migrant numbers.

The Biden administration has also taken a number of steps that critics say severely restrict asylum applications, a legal right under both US and international law.

For several decades, the US has poured funds and resources into an enforcement-heavy approach towards immigration. Human rights advocates have criticised the policy for doing little to deter people who are often fleeing violence and poverty while increasing the risks for migrants navigating the myriad dangers of the journey north.

Across the world, rich countries have taken increasingly harsh steps to crack down on migration from poor countries as anxieties over migration help fuel the rise of far-right politicians and parties in the US and Europe.

Last week, France passed an immigration bill that President Emmanuel Macron touted as a necessary compromise but that rights groups derided as “the most regressive bill of the past 40 years for the rights and living conditions of foreigners”.

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Rally, called the bill an “ideological victory”.

Mexico says it recognizes Canada’s refugee concerns amid talk of visa requirement for Mexicans

Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc speaks at a news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Sept. 7, 2023.JUSTIN TANG/THE CANADIAN PRESS

Mexico’s government said Wednesday it recognizes Canada’s concerns about the throngs of Mexican asylum seekers in Canada as Ottawa weighs imposing a visa requirement on citizens of that country.

 

Canada is considering immigration measures on visiting Mexicans after Quebec Premier François Legault urged Ottawa to slow the influx of refugees that he said are straining the province’s resources.

“Mexican nationals represent a growing proportion of the asylum seekers arriving in Quebec, the possibility of entering Canada from Mexico without a visa certainly explains part of the flow of asylum seekers,” Mr. Legault said in the letter last week. Nearly 60,000 asylum seekers – including Mexicans – were registered in Quebec in the first 11 months of last year, he wrote.

The Immigration and Refugee Board has reported a surge in refugee claims by Mexicans arriving in Canada, rising to 17,490 claims in 2023 from 250 in 2016. IRB statistics show only a fraction of these claims have been accepted.

In a statement, Mexico’s foreign affairs secretariat said it met with Canadian officials in December to address Ottawa’s concerns about the flow of refugee claimants. The secretariat said the two countries agreed on measures to address the matter and noted asylum applications from Mexicans in Canada dropped in December.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc told CBC News last Sunday that Ottawa is considering measures including visas to “ensure that people who arrived from Mexico arrived for the appropriate reasons and that this doesn’t become sort of a side door to get access to Canada.” No decision has been made.

Mexican refugee claims in Canada have jumped since 2016 when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government scrapped a requirement for Mexican visitors to obtain visas before travelling here.

Laura Macdonald, a Carleton University professor of political science, said the last time Canada imposed a visa requirement on Mexican travellers – in 2009 under the Harper government – it had a “devastating impact on that relationship that we’re almost just recovering from at the moment.”

She said the last time the visa requirement was enacted, “the Mexicans took it as a major insult.”

She said Mexico and Canada will need to work together closely if Donald Trump wins the 2024 U.S. presidential election. In 2017, Mr. Trump forced a renegotiation of the North American free-trade agreement on terms that he felt benefited the United States and his continued protectionist rhetoric suggests he could once again upend trade relations on this continent.

“We need to work together. If he divides and conquers us, we’re in big trouble,” she said of Mr. Trump. “So this is a really critical moment in that relationship.”

Laura Dawson, executive director of the Future Borders Coalition, a business alliance on easing trade restrictions, said a simple solution would be for Canada to permit entry to Mexican visitors who already hold a valid U.S. non-immigrant visa, such as a visitor or tourist visa.

She noted Canada already follows this policy for travellers from Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica.

“This way, Canada can have greater certainty that travellers from Mexico have been vetted by a trusted authority, and Mexicans will not have an additional burden of compliance, since most legitimate Mexican travellers who come to Canada will most likely already be U.S. visa holders,” Ms. Dawson said.

Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre, however, on Wednesday called on Ottawa to reimpose visa requirements on Mexicans.

“In 2016, the Trudeau government lifted visa requirements on Mexico that the previous Conservative government introduced, leading to increasing fraud and abuse in the asylum system, straining Canada’s ability to provide services and creating long processing delays for legitimate asylum seekers before the Immigration and Refugee Board,” Mr. Poilievre said in a statement.

“Moreover, there are serious concerns about the involvement of organized crime, using the system to engage in human trafficking,” Mr. Poilievre added.

Mexico’s foreign affairs secretariat said in its statement it wants to identify solutions to address what it called legitimate concerns from Canada and provinces without interfering in the orderly movement of people between the two countries.ad Hinde and Jaimes

Guadalajara-PV Shortcut Nears Completion After Decade of Delays

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – After over a decade of construction plagued by delays, landslides, and environmental hurdles, the long-awaited shortcut connecting Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta is finally inching towards completion.

The final stretches, a 31-kilometer section bypassing the treacherous Compostela-Las Varas mountain pass, and a 32.2 kilometer section linking the San Vicente Interchange directly to the Puerto Vallarta International Airport, are slated to open in April 2024. However, be prepared to pay, as these newly opened segments are toll roads.

For budget-conscious travelers, the scenic (and free) alternative remains: Federal Highway 200. Although slower, it bypasses the toll booths and winds through charming towns like Tala, Buenavista, and Mascota.

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A Decade of Roadblocks

The project started in 2012 with the ambitious goal of a direct, quick connection between Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. However, progress was often stalled by landslides, land acquisition negotiations, and environmental concerns. The first 54-kilometer section, stretching from Jala to Compostela, opened in 2018, but not without experiencing its own share of delays.

Despite the frustrations, the past year has seen significant progress. In December 2022, the El Capomo-La Florida route opened, followed by the Entronque La Florida-Entronque La Cruz de Huanacaxtle in April 2023. These sections collectively saved travelers a total of 55 minutes and unlocked access to popular tourist destinations.

The Final Lap

With the last two stretches nearing completion, the dream of a swift and direct Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta connection is finally within reach. However, the convenience comes at a cost, as the new sections are tolled.

For those seeking a slower, more budget-friendly option, the free highway remains a viable choice. Whether you choose speed and convenience or prefer the scenic route, one thing is certain: the long-awaited Vallarta shortcut is finally on the horizon.

 

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Lights, Camera, Action! Popular Series & Soaps Filming in Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico – Puerto Vallarta is rolling out the red carpet for cameras once again! Three major productions are already set to sizzle this year, including the highly anticipated return of hit series “El Señor de los Cielos.”

The picturesque Mexican city has long captivated filmmakers, and Tourism Director Christian Preciado Cázares confirms its magnetic pull. “Production companies crave our stunning scenery and diverse locations,” he says, citing last year’s 7-8 filmings that injected over 200 million pesos into the local economy.

From Eugenio Derbez’s “Acapulco” to “The Bachelor Germany,” Puerto Vallarta’s charm transcends the tourist strip, with crews venturing into vibrant neighborhoods, offering residents and visitors a taste of the spotlight.

This year’s exciting lineup kicked off with a production already wrapped, which will be followed by the late-January return of “El Señor de los Cielos” and a captivating new soap opera from a major national and international network.

The benefits extend far beyond glitz and glamour. “Film crews rent cars, houses, and even entire hotels,” Preciado Cázares explains. “Restaurants see a surge, extras get hired, and the overall investment ripples through the community.”

Since 2022, platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV+, along with networks like ABC and Warner Brothers, have chosen Vallarta as their cinematic canvas. This trend shows no signs of slowing, solidifying Vallarta’s position as Mexico’s premier filming destination.

So, if you’re planning a trip to Puerto Vallarta in 2024, keep your eyes peeled! You might just catch a glimpse of your favorite stars filming the next big production.

 

Murder, drought and peyote: the deadly struggle for Mexico’s water

Every year, members of Mexico’s Indigenous Wixárika people make an arduous 800km (500-mile) pilgrimage from San Andrés Cohamiata in the highlands of Jalisco to the semi-arid desert of San Luis Potosí. Their destination is Wirikuta, a sacred gathering place where, according to their beliefs, the world was created from a drop of water.

Once gathered, the pilgrims await a special night on which peyote, a hallucinogenic cactus at the heart of the Wixárika people’s spiritual rituals, is blessed and distributed. But for the past five years a shadow has loomed over the ceremony: drought.

“There used to be a sort of peyote carpet here,” says Silviño, who runs a popular desert lodge. “Now, you have to look for them. With a little rain, hundreds could grow very quickly, but without rain they dry up before they even have the chance to grow.”

The lack of rain is not the only factor driving water scarcity in this desert region. First mining and now agribusiness threaten the desert’s springs, affect the weather and jeopardise residents’ right to water.

Known as the “guardians of peyote”, there are about 80,000 Wixárika – also called the Huichol. For this Aztecan-speaking ethnic group, water is a gift from the gods to which they attribute powers of purification, healing and fertility. Due to their isolation, they are one of the Indigenous communities in Mexico that have best preserved their traditions and beliefs, and the 140,000-hectare (346,000-acre) Wirikuta cultural and ecological reserve is considered their most sacred place.

The region was the scene of conflict in 2010 after the Mexican federal government awarded silver and gold-mining concessions – 70% of which overlapped the Wirikuta reserve, according to activists. A year later, the government granted further concessions, with 42% of the land earmarked for mining encroaching on the reserve’s area.

Wixárika Indigenous people bless a water source during their pilgrimage to Wirikuta in San Luis Potosí, a sacred place they visit, following ancestral tradition

Indigenous defenders, environmentalists and NGOs, such as Culture Survival, fear that mining could lead to further water shortages and produce tailings that will contaminate the environment. Heavy metals such as cyanide, used to leach silver, often contaminate the soil around silver and goldmines, affecting groundwater and rivers with consequences for the region’s watershed.

We knew that he was not making friends defending the water, but we never imagined it could cost him his life

Arsenio Díaz, Margarito’s son

To counter this threat the Wixárika mobilised to preserve surface and underground water sources in Wirikuta; Margarito Díaz, a marakame or shaman, was at the forefront of the action.

Alongside other desert communities, the Wixárika organised a protest march to the presidential palace in Mexico City in 2011; as a consequence, in September 2013, a judge ordered the suspension of all 78 mining concessions granted in the Wirikuta territory.

Peyote, ready for use at a sacred ceremony at El Bernalejo, a highly revered place at the centre of Wirikuta. The Wixárika are known as the ‘guardians of peyote’

But success in this case and a series of positive outcomes on behalf of his people in other campaigns turned Díaz into a target. On the night of 8 September 2018, he was shot and killed. He was 59 years old.

“We knew that he was not making friends defending the water and the culture of our Indigenous people, but we never imagined that it could cost him his life,” says Arsenio Díaz, the eldest of the shaman’s six children.

Margarito Díaz during pilgrimages he carried out as a marakame in areas such as Wirikuta and Tatéi Haramara in San Blas

Díaz’s name, along with those of the Wixárika leaders Vázquez and Agustín Torres, killed by drug traffickers in 2017, is on the list of 1,335 defenders across Latin America who lost their lives between 2012 and 2022, according to Global Witness. Indigenous people are disproportionately targeted, accounting for more than a third of the attacks, despite making up only 5% of the world’s population.

In July 2022, a suspect was arrested for Díaz’s murder and the investigation is still going on. However, Maximino Muñoz de la Cruz, president of the Human Rights Commission of Nayarit, is in no doubt that in a country where 93% of homicides go unpunished, whoever was behind the shooting is still free.

What is certain is that even after Díaz’s death – and despite his victories – Wirikuta land and water remain under threat.

Twenty years ago, the view from the back yard of a small home in La Pasadita was cactus growing as far as the eye could see. Now, the desert flora has been wiped out, replaced by huge farms growing just one thing: tomato plants.

Since the 2000s, agriculture has grown exponentially in the state of San Luis Potosí, helping to make Mexico the world’s leading exporter of tomatoes, while putting more pressure on its already scarce water resources. Several Mexican companies, attracted by cheap land and government support, settled in the Wixárika’s region.

San Luis Potosí has become the second-largest tomato-producing region in the country; about 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) have been bought from desert dwellers to cultivate tomatoes. In Wirikuta alone, the land dedicated to tomato production has more than trebled since 2014, and now covers 170 hectares.

Fields used for the cultivation of tomatoes dominate a desert landscape in San Luis Potosí

The temperature hovers at about 40C as Erica Villanueva Moncada, 31, breastfeeds her three-month-old baby in the tiny living room of her house: “I was five months pregnant the last time it rained,” she says. “I remember because here a rainy day is spoken of as if it was something extraordinary.”

Villanueva has 11 siblings and lives with her parents. To drink, bathe, wash clothes and irrigate their crops, the family has no choice but to buy water. A 10,000-litre tank costs about 700 pesos (£32), which lasts less than a month. They are worried about the corn and beans, which have been difficult to grow since the drought began in May 2022. The Villanuevas believe those responsible for the drought are the neighbours who sold their lands to the tomato growers.

A woman turns a wheel to collect water from a tank. A 10,000-litre tank lasts Erica Villanueva Moncada and her family less than a month

“From here, you can hear their anti-hail rockets [shot into the sky to scatter storm clouds and prevent hailstones from damaging crops] and their agricultural planes, and you can see that the sky is tense as if it is going to rain. Then, after the planes pass, nothing falls,” says Erica’s mother, Mari, 58, describing the “anti-hail” technologies being wielded by the farms. The hail rockets, which research suggests may not even be effective, are blamed by many for disrupting rain as well as hail and causing drought.

We will defend our collective natural assets to the end whatever happens

Álvaro ‘Puwari’ Ortiz, artist

But what worries the Villanueva family most is that the aquifers will eventually dry up. The irrigation of tomato crops in San Luis Potosí requires more than 4m cubic metres of water a year. Tomato growers have resorted to drilling new wells in the desert to irrigate their crops.

“This is a problem we are already seeing today, but that endangers the livelihoods of our children and grandchildren,” says Héctor Villanueva, Erica’s cousin. To put pressure on the authorities, he created the Comité del agua, a water committee dedicated to highlighting the situation.

In their struggle to defend natural resources, the desert communities have found allies in the Wixárika. Álvaro Ortiz, 50, known as “Puwari”, is among those continuing Díaz’s struggle. He is an artist whose designs are inspired by the Indigenous community.

For Puwari, the battle for water is the mother of all struggles: “Tatei haramara [Mother water] in the Wixárika cosmovision is our mother because we come from her, so it is important to take care of her and fight against everything that alters her natural course,” he says.

The Union of Ceremonial Centers of Jalisco, Durango and Nayarit, of which Díaz was secretary, has also joined the fight against what they see as a process of privatisation of the water and the desert by agribusiness.

In August 2023, after dozens of meetings with residents and Wixárika representatives, Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador issued a decree “recognising, protecting, preserving and safeguarding” all the sacred places and sites of the Wixárika peoples and establishing a catalogue of these holy sites through the National Institute of Anthropology (INA) – a long-held dream for Díaz.

A Wixárika Marakame (shaman) blesses the peyote for a pilgrim

However, the enforcement of this decree is still unclear, as are the legal safeguards against the sale of land to companies. As a result, Puwari remains steadfast in his role as a resistance leader. “We will defend our collective natural assets to the end whatever happens,” he says.

In the desert, Suzana, 50, an experienced marakame and one of Díaz’s religious heirs, invokes the rain. Noelia, her seven-year-old niece, stands nearby. The little girl had a vision a year ago when she consumed peyote: one day, she too will be a marakame. The next generation of nature defenders is coming.


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What you need to know about Mexico car insurance because it’s required and US /Canadian insurance coverage stops at the Mexican border. Every year Mexico implements stricter laws for uninsured motorists, meaning not having it can cost you money due to damage/loss to your vehicle, fines and more
When you drive your car to Mexico, travel with complete peace of mind, by being properly insured. Your U.S. or Canadian insurance policy, however comprehensive, won’t cover you in Mexico, but affordable insurance is available…

Mexican Auto insurance You Can Trust if you ever get into an accident in Mexico Click here for some quotes!

Insuring Your Car in Mexico
Although your U.S./Canadian car insurance policy may be comprehensive, and might also extend some limited damage coverage in Mexico, you will still need to purchase policy that is legally valid in Mexico.
U.S. and Canadian auto insurance policies, however comprehensive, hold no legal jurisdiction in Mexico. This means that you must buy separate insurance cover for your car while you’re driving in Mexico if you want to travel with complete peace of mind.

If you are driving your car improperly insured in Mexico and you become involved in an accident it will, at best, cost you a lot of money and, at worst, leave you imprisoned in a Mexican jail house. Presenting a U.S. or Canadian auto insurance policy will be of no use because these documents have no legal or actual force in Mexico, and the companies backing them will not settle any claim arising when you or your car are situated south of the border.
Drivers who are involved in serious accidents in Mexico are usually arrested pending investigation. If you are not properly insured in Mexico and become involved in a serious accident—even if it’s not your fault—these procedures will likely place a great deal of stress and financial burden upon you.
This guide explains how insurance works in Mexico and how to go about buying the additional insurance protection you need to ensure that you, your passengers, and your vehicle are properly insured when driving on Mexican soil and that, in the event of a serious accident, you are properly covered by a legally-valid and adequate insurance policy.
Mexican Auto Insurance
Mexican Law stipulates that only insurance companies which are licensed in Mexico can provide the type of auto insurance coverage that is recognized and accepted by Mexico’s legal system.
A few U.S.-based insurance companies will extend physical damage coverage on cars and RVs while they are situated in Mexico, but they cannot and do not provide Mexican liability insurance. So, although these policies may cover your damage, they will not cover your liability to others in Mexico. This is why a special insurance policy is absolutely necessary to be properly insured in Mexico.
Mexican Insurance Companies
Mexican Law also stipulates that liability insurance must be purchased from a licensed Mexican company, so your auto insurance policy necessarily needs to be issued by one of Mexico’s insurance companies, or through a broker in the U.S./Canada working in conjunction with a Mexican insurance company.
Who’s Insuring You?
Buyers purchasing insurance for their car in Mexico are often times misled by believing that they can rely on the broker, rather than the Mexican Insurance Company, to properly handle any claim that may arise during their stay in Mexico.
The insurance company underwriting your policy is much more important than the Broker that sells you the policy.
As all insurance policies are sold through brokers, it’s important to know which insurance company (or companies) are underwriting the policies being sold to you by the broker. Click here to read more  Click here to get your free quotes