All Mexico, No Trump
We'll take a break from the US elections and look at what you missed from the Mexican news
¡Hola!
If you are looking for a peaceful oasis from the craziness north of the border, this isn’t quite the newsletter for you. But today’s edition will at least focus on a different kind of craziness!
This week we’ll discuss security, same-sex marriage, and even the rise of Jallywood (Bollywood is soo early 2000's). FYI, if you want to put your mind at ease we recommend checking out this fun interview in English with Chef Enrique Olvera, owner of the best restaurant in Mexico (Pujol) and in the US (Cosme) We promise that Enrique didn’t sponsor this content.
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Enjoy
The US deported unaccompanied Central American minors to... Mexico
The New York Times
Last Friday morning, the New York Times broke a story about the American immigration authorities having violated diplomatic agreements with Mexico - and their own laws- by deporting unaccompanied minors from Central American countries to Mexico.
In prior years, the US would place the children into their shelter system, and assign them a caseworker who would then work to reunite them with an American sponsor. However, the current pandemic has been used as an excuse by the Trump administration to “enact its most stringent border restriction yet”.
Even though the NYT piece recounts multiple stories of Central Americans parents learning that their kids had been placed into the care of Mexican child welfare authorities, and even one that involves the Consulate of El Salvador in Ciudad Juarez, there have been no clear answers from the Mexican Government. Almost immediately after the NYT ran the piece, the Mexican Foreign Affairs Ministry replied that it has no records of minors being expelled by the US.
As of today, no further comments have been given by Mexican authorities.
🚓 AMLO appoints a woman as security Minister for the first time ever
...but progressives (and even conservatives) are not happy about it.
After Security Minister Alfonso Durazo left his post to pursue the governor’s office in Sonora, names for his possible successor started to circulate, and Rosa Icela Rodríguez was not one of them. Rodríguez will become the new Security Minister, but for now is still in charge of the country’s ports and the merchant marines, as she is recovering from Covid and has not been officially sworn in yet.
This will be the first time in Mexico that a woman is in charge of the Ministry of Security and also the first time for Rodríguez to be in a security-related position (to be fair, this was the same case with Durazo). However, it is not only her lack of experience that has spooked some, but rather that she seems like a loyal asset to the President, who has been criticised for favouring the military’s role in security matters. Rodríguez was actually in charge of developing a diagnosis of the port situation that was used to create the reforms that handed the port administration over to the Navy. Associated Press
⛪🌈 The conservative state of Puebla legalizes same-sex marriage
Puebla joins the other 17 states and Mexico City in legalising same-sex marriage. Some Background: Back in 2015, the Mexican Supreme Court of Justice ruled that marriage equality is constitutional; however, contrary to what happened in the US, this did not automatically change state laws. It did provide an alternative path to marriage through individual lawsuits against local governments. Even though the new legalisation is a victory for the LGBT community, as of today, 13 states still prohibit gay marriage and according to a 2019 poll 49% of Mexicans still oppose it, while 45% are in favour. Reuters
🎥🍿 Jalisco + Hollywood = Jallywood
In the face of AMLO’s sweeping austerity measures, Jalisco’s governor, Enrique Alfaro, has introduced new legislation to help ensure the success of the state’s film industry. This will direct more resources and tax incentives to Jallywood’s audiovisual projects. The state already had an up and coming film, video game, VFX, television and animation scene. Guillermo del Toro is from Guadalajara and has a stop-motion studio setup there called El Taller de Chucho. In 2019, the state generated $4.79 million in film revenue. Variety
📈 Peso is headed for its highest point since March thanks to Joe Biden
A Biden victory takes some uncertainty away from Mexico, making it more unlikely that it will face tariff threats from the US government. This good news follows more good news about the economic expansion seen in the third quarter... however, it is expected that Mexico's recovery will lose steam in the last months of 2020. Bloomberg
💀 A sad Day of the Dead [picture gallery]
As parades got cancelled and traditional cemetery visits were prohibited, this year’s celebrations of El Día de los Muertos toned down its celebratory mood. AMLO even declared three days of national mourning for coronavirus victims. Al Jazeera
What else we’ve been reading:
🇫🇷 Mexico demands explanation from French designer Isabel Marant over indigenous designs
🏠 NYT’s feature on a glass house outside San Miguel de Allende … yes, it’s an article about a house
☠️ Remains of 59 bodies found in clandestine graves in Guanajuato
Relax.. This is NOT an updated version of the Electoral College from Tuesday’s election. We are still waiting for all of the votes to come in from Nuevo León. Biden shouldn’t declare victory yet, as there is a contingent of Trump supporters amongst Monterrey businessmen.
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AMLO’s quote: “I have this point of view because of what the New Testament establishes, because if it’s an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, we will all end up one-eyed or toothless”
Chimuelo: toothless
Tuerto: one-eyed
Some context: AMLO was talking about his security strategy, arguing that he will not use the force as his predecessors (and like the one mentioned in the Bible’s Old Testament… Yes, it is somewhat common that the President references the Bible and the Pope