Mexico

AQ Top 5 Corruption Busters: Viridiana Rios

This article is adapted from our 1st print issue of 2016. For an overview of our Top 5 Corruption Busters, click here. Last April, Mexico’s Congress passed a sweeping anticorruption law that would, among other things, increase oversight on public officials and establish a special prosecutor to take on corruption cases. The Sistema Nacional Anticorrupción … Read more

Corona Capital

Eighty thousand people trudging around a rain-lashed muddy field may sound like a scene from a bleak World War I docudrama, but it’s actually a pretty fair description of last year’s Corona Capital music festival in Mexico City. The perseverance of the fans in the face of a meteorological wet blanket says something about the … Read more

A protest rally after the death of Rubén Espinosa

Dismissed as a Drug Crime? How Mexico’s “Old” Media Covered Ruben Espinosa’s Death

Hours after photojournalist Rubén Espinosa and four others were found dead in a Mexico City apartment on July 31, much of Mexico’s traditional media had settled on a theory: This was a run-of-the-mill drug crime. In a video newscast titled “They didn’t kill him because he was a journalist,” Luis Cárdenas López, a reporter for … Read more

A Potential Turning Point for Gender Violence in Mexico

The often overlooked struggle to address violence against women in Mexico may have reached a turning point this week, after the country’s secretary of the interior approved “gender violence alerts” for 11 municipalities in Mexico state. The alerts, which some local governments have been requesting for several years, provide municipalities with federal funding and technical … Read more

Rescuing Mexico’s Floating Gardens

Technicolor boats bumping their way along crowded canals. Floating mariachis. Big Gulp-size micheladas. For many visitors—whether they come from across town or across the globe—this trinity of elements is at the core of Xochimilco’s appeal. Forgotten by most is the fact that the rows of chinampas (manmade islands) that form the famous canals of this … Read more

Mexico Goes Global

Given the lack of progress on global trade talks in recent years, the future of international trade likely depends on regional initiatives. Mexico is well-placed to be a standard bearer. Over the past two decades it has become a major global trading power, boasting a network of free-trade agreements with 44 countries. It is also … Read more

Can Mexico City’s Regulations Help Uber Gain Footing Elsewhere in Latin America?

Two months ago, hundreds of frustrated taxi drivers blocked traffic in Mexico City to call for government regulation of mobile-based car services like Uber. On Wednesday, those regulations arrived, as the city announced a slew of new rules to regulate the rapidly-growing industry. But despite a list of regulations that includes new permit fees and a 1.5 percent tax … Read more

Oil Companies’ Uncertain Return to Mexico

Mexico welcomed international oil companies back into its borders for the first time in 77 years, today, with the announcement of winning bids for rights to explore 14 shallow-water oil blocks in the Gulf of Mexico. Though just two of the available blocks garnered successful bids, the auction was an early step in what will be … Read more

Leaks Bring New Information about Surveillance in Latin America to Light

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff recently concluded her first state visit to the U.S. after abruptly canceling a trip scheduled for October 2013 due to allegations that the NSA had spied on her. While in the U.S., President Rousseff responded to questions about the spying issue, saying, “Some things have changed […] I believe President Obama.” … Read more

This Week in Latin America: Immunity in Guatemala—the Pope Visits—Pipeline Attacks in Colombia—Debt Crisis’ Wide Reach

Here’s a look at some of the stories we’ll be following this week: Corruption Scandals in Central America: Guatemala’s legislature will vote this week on whether to strip President Otto Pérez Molina of presidential immunity. The vote may open the door to prosecution as part of an ongoing corruption investigation involving the country’s customs authority … Read more

Mexico’s ‘soda tax’ leads families to cut back

Nearly a year after former Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s anti-soda efforts fell flat in New York City, makers of sugary beverages still have plenty to worry about. In March, the first so-called soda tax in the U.S. went into effect in Berkeley, California, earning the city $116,000 in the first month alone. Legislation to tax sweetened beverages is reportedly coursing its way through statehouses in … Read more

This week in Latin America: the Pope on climate change—teacher evaluations in Mexico—Brazil’s corruption scandal—the beautiful game

Here’s a look at some of the stories we’re following this week: Religious Leaders Respond to Pope Francis’ Climate Views: Reaction was swift and loud following the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Friday. While his sweeping indictment of the global response to climate change inspired some to question the pontiff’s understanding of economic policy, the … Read more

Monday Memo: Mexican Same-Sex Marriage—Haitian Deportation—U.S. and Venezuela Meeting—Nicaraguan Protest—ELN Leader Death

This week’s likely news stories: Dominican Republic set to deport individuals of Haitian descent; Mexican high court paves way for full marriage equality; U.S. and Venezuelan officials meet in Haiti, address strained relations; Nicaraguans protest Chinese-funded canal project; top ELN commander killed in Colombia Dominican Republic to Deport Dominicans of Haitian Descent: The Dominican Republic … Read more

Monday Memo: Mexican Elections—G7 Climate Summit—EU-CELAC Summit—Argentine Debt—Honduras Protests

This week’s likely news stories: Mexico’s ruling party wins the congressional elections; Canada and Japan block a G7 statement on carbon emissions; Latin American officials to discuss Mercosur at EU-CELAC Summit; Argentina’s debt inflates after U.S. court ruling; protestors demand Honduran president’s resignation. Mexico’s Ruling Party to Maintain Majority in Lower House after Elections: Despite … Read more