President Calderón was unusually bold in his visit to Washington last week. He pointedly criticized the Arizona immigration law as an affront to the “core values” of both countries. Speaking in English as his addressed Congress he said: “It is a law that not only ignores a reality that cannot be erased by decree but […]
Two days ago an investigative NPR report proposed that the war on drugs favors the Siñaloa drug gang, headed by the infamous ‘Chapo’ Guzmán. Arrests of suspected Siñaloa members account for about 12% of all gang-related arrests since 2006, on par with other major syndicates. (The Gulf Cartel has suffered the brunt of arrests, 44%. However, when […]
Early Saturday morning the empty truck of Diego Fernandez de Cevallos was found at the gate of his ranch. There were no signs of a shootout, just a smattering of blood that matches Cevallos’ type on a pair of scissors that he was known to use to trim his beard. A logical suspicion is kidnapping. […]
Mexico notched a ho-hum 1-0 victory over Senegal on Monday night. Afterward, a Mexican TV commentator said the game, played at Chicago’s Soldier Field, “was embarrassing.” The good news is the squad playing in South Africa in a month’s time is likely to start only a few of players from Monday night’s starting line-up. Luckily, […]
America is not the only country in the world with a broken immigration system. As the Mrs. Gillian Duffy snafu suggests, Brits too are wrestling with immigration. In today’s New York Times there is a comparative assessment of some party’s immigration proposals. The far-right British National Party has an interesting stance: pay people from “alien […]
Shakira headed to Phoenix yesterday to express her dismay to the mayor and police chief. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles today said he supports a travel ban on Arizona, also calling the new law “unpatriotic and unconstitutional.” And the Obama administration clearly isn’t thrilled, no doubt because it places a greater burden on Washington […]
Teeming with bright veggies, fruits and clothes, the Martinez de la Torre market is a hallowed institution in Mexico City. But many vendors are suffering from drooping sales. Why? Across the street is a new Bodega Aurrera, a mini-supermarket owned by Wal-Mart. Unlike stands at the market, Bodega Aurrera accepts credit cards, and the quality […]
Micro-finance has become the darling of developmental economics—and many charities—over the past few years. But greater awareness doesn’t always translate into greater effectiveness. As reported in today’s New York Times, for nations with a dearth of traditional lenders new operators have begun to step into the fray, offering micro loans with what turns out to […]
A small bomb thrown over the wall of the United States Consulate in Nuevo Laredo on Friday night is recurring fears that Mexico’s drug gangs have their eyes on the US. No one was injured in the attack, but several windows were shattered. US consular offices in Nuevo Laredo and nearby Piedras Negras will be […]
The recent US delegation visit to Mexico has once more stirred debate on Mexico’s war on drugs. Commentators, notably Jorge Castañeda, have used the occasion to repeat claims that the drug war is President Calderón’s fault, and headway in defeating the cartels should include “some sort of tacit deal with some cartels” while extending “the […]
Secretary of State Clinton leads an American delegation of cabinet officers, along with a few generals, to talks with their Mexican counterparts today. The meeting, slated for months, comes in the wake of the murder of three people in Juarez with employment ties to the American consulate there. US Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela, […]
The good folks at Coca-Cola insist their product taste the same no matter if it is consumed from a soda fountain, can, plastic or glass bottle. That’s a saccharine claim, according to my palette. I’m not alone in my preference for the glass-bottled variety, a Popular Science study has concluded it the “most inert” of […]
United States immigration policy may not be very keen on welcoming Mexico’s huddled masses, but it has few qualms with Mexican entrepreneurs. E- and L-series visas offer a relatively quick path to legal immigration for Mexicans—provided they are willing to front the cash to open their own businesses. Capital investments of several hundred thousand dollars, […]
In a break with judicial procedure in Mexico and the United States drug kingpin Osiel Cárdenas, former head of the Gulf Cartel, was sentenced to 25 years in a secret hearing in Houston this week. He pled guilty to five counts, including drug dealing, money laundering, and attempted murder of federal agents. He also forfeited […]
After a bruising 2009, Mexico’s economy should return to positive growth of around 3% this year, but the path to sustainable development remains uncertain. Reforming state-owned industries risks massive political backlash, but improving Mexico’s trade regime offers promise without the peril. What trade strategies can boost Mexico’s growth? Several prospects have been bandied about. Talk […]