Tag: MEXICO

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Sitharaman chairs Tech Leaders Roundtable in Mexico

The meeting aimed to bring together global technology leaders, including representatives from major Indian IT companies that operate in the region..reports Asian Lite News

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired Tech Leaders Roundtable at the Chamber of Commerce in Mexico’s Guadalajara and held discussions on ‘Strengthening Technological Cooperation between India and Mexico.’

The roundtable on Thursday was organised by the Mexican Association of the Information Technology Industry and Tata Consulting Services in collaboration with the Embassy of India in Mexico and Department of Economic Affairs.

According to Ministry of Finance, the meeting aimed to bring together global technology leaders, including representatives from major Indian IT companies that operate in the region.

The discussions focused on boosting cooperation in technology and innovation, with the goal of expanding collaboration between the two countries.

Finance Minister also paid tribute to industrialist Ratan Tata at the TCS headquarters in Mexico, Ratan Tata passed away at midnight of October 9 due to old age issues.

Sitharaman arrived in Mexico on Thursday for an official visit.

Sitharaman’s visit, scheduled from October 17 to 20, involve interactions with political and business leaders from various sectors in both Guadalajara and Mexico City.

According to the Ministry of Finance, Sitharaman trip to Mexico reflects the growing economic and trade relations between the two nations.

“The Union Finance Minister will engage with political and business leaders from different sectors in Guadalajara and Mexico City with a focus to explore further collaboration in #trade, #investment, #technology, #innovation, and #DPI, leading to deepening of bilateral relations between #IndiaMexico” said the ministry in a social media post on ‘X’.

Through this visit, India and Mexico aim to further strengthen their partnership, exploring new avenues for collaboration in various sectors and enhancing trade and investment ties. (ANI)

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Exit polls favour Sheinbaum for Mexican President

Despite no official results from the National Electoral Institute, Mexico’s Morena party and the opposition both claim early election victories….reports Asian Lite News

Claudia Sheinbaum, is likely to win the Presidential elections of Mexico, and create history when she becomes the violence-plagued nation’s first female President, showed El Financiero exit poll on Sunday.

Alejandro Moreno, head of Surveys and Opinion Studies at El Financiero, announced the first findings following the closure of polling stations across the nation.

“What this exit poll projects, here we can project Claudia Sheinbaum as the winner in the presidential race. There is no difference that makes us doubt the margin of error,” she explained.

El Financiero is a Mexican national daily newspaper covering business and the financial markets.

Sheinbaum, a former mayor of Mexico City “will be the first female president in our history!”, Morena Party chief Mario Delgado said, referring to exit polls, reported CNN.

Mexico’s ruling Morena party and the opposition alliance are claiming early victories in the country’s elections, despite the fact that the National Electoral Institute (INE) has yet to declare official results.

However, Xochitl Galvez, the opposition alliance’s presidential candidate, stated that her coalition won the elections and urged President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to respect Mexican voters.

Both announcements took place right after National Electoral Institute (INE) chief Guadalupe Taddei Zavala urged political parties to “respect the rules of the game and accept the results with maturity and responsibility.”

Mexicans voted for both national and local candidates in a massive and historic election on Sunday.

The election was said to be the largest in the country’s history, with over 98 million eligible voters, and over 20,000 public offices being contested, according to CNN.

The leading presidential race is noted to be between Claudia Sheinbaum of the leftist Morena party and Xochitl Galvez of the opposition coalition.

The third candidate is Jorge Alvarez Maynez from the center-left Citizens’ Movement.

The polling stations across the country, as per the National Electoral Institute of Mexico (INE), were closed on Sunday evening.

Official results have not yet been announced by the INE, however, Sheinbaum continues to lead the race as per INE figures.

The vote comes just months before the US presidential election, where immigration is a major focus for Donald Trump and Joe Biden’s election campaigns.

Mexico is a vital US ally on a multitude of issues, including trade and migration management. (ANI)

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Mexico severs diplomatic ties with Ecuador

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks during a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico on Jan. 21, 2021. (Xinhua)

Ecuadorian police late Friday broke through the external doors of the embassy in the capital, Quito, to arrest Jorge Glas, who had been residing there since December….reports Asian Lite News

Mexico’s government severed diplomatic ties with Ecuador after police broke into the Mexican Embassy to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president, an extraordinary use of force that shocked and mystified regional leaders and diplomats.

Ecuadorian police late Friday broke through the external doors of the embassy in the capital, Quito, to arrest Jorge Glas, who had been residing there since December. Glas sought political asylum at the embassy after being indicted on corruption charges.

The raid prompted Mexico’s President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to announce the breaking off of diplomatic relations with Ecuador on Friday evening, while his government’s foreign relations secretary said the move will be challenged at the World Court in The Hague.

“This is not possible. It cannot be. This is crazy,” Roberto Canseco, head of the Mexican consular section in Quito, told local press while standing outside the embassy right after the raid. “I am very worried because they could kill him. There is no basis to do this. This is totally outside the norm.”

On Saturday, Glas was taken from the attorney general’s office in Quito to the port city of Guayaquil, where he will remain in custody at a maximum-security prison. People who had gathered outside the prosecutor’s office yelled “strength” as he left with a convoy of police and military vehicles.

Glas’ attorney, Sonia Vera, told The Associated Press that officers broke into his room and he resisted when they attempted to put his hands behind his back. She said the officers then “knocked him to the floor, kicked him in the head, in the spine, in the legs, the hands,” and when he “couldn’t walk, they dragged him out.”

Ecuador has declared Mexico’s ambassador to Quito persona non grata over recent statements made by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and says she will be leaving the country “shortly.”

Vera said the defense team was not allowed to speak with Glas while he was at the prosecutor’s office, and it is now working to file a habeas corpus petition.

Authorities are investigating Glas over alleged irregularities during his management of reconstruction efforts following a powerful earthquake in 2016 that killed hundreds of people. He was convicted on bribery and corruption charges in other cases.

Ecuador’s Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld on Saturday told reporters that the decision to enter the embassy was made by President Daniel Noboa after considering Glas’ “imminent flight risk” and exhausting all possibilities for diplomatic dialogue with Mexico.

Mexico granted Glas asylum hours before the raid. Sommerfeld said “it is not legal to grant asylum to people convicted of common crimes and by competent courts.”

Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s secretary of foreign relations, on Friday posted on the social media platform X that a number of diplomats suffered injuries during the break-in, which she said violated the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Sommerfeld did not address the injury claims.

Diplomatic premises are considered foreign soil and “inviolable” under the Vienna treaties and host country law enforcement agencies are not allowed to enter without the permission of the ambassador. People seeking asylum have lived anywhere from days to years at embassies around the world, including at Ecuador’s in London, which housed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange for seven years because British police could not enter to arrest him.

The break-in was condemned by presidents, diplomats and a regional body on Saturday.

Honduran President Xiomara Castro, writing on X, characterized the raid as “an intolerable act for the international community” and a “violation of the sovereignty of the Mexican State and international law” because “it ignores the historical and fundamental right to asylum.”

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Baltimore victims include those from Mexico, Guatemala

Officials refrained from specifying the exact number of missing Mexican nationals when he addressed reporters near the scene on Tuesday….reports Asian Lite News

Among those reported missing following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in the US are Mexican nationals, CNN reported, citing Rafael Laveaga, Chief of the Consular Section of Mexico’s Embassy in Washington.

Laveaga refrained from specifying the exact number of missing Mexican nationals when he addressed reporters near the scene on Tuesday.

A reporter asked Laveaga: “It’s our understanding that some of these victims might have families or backgrounds from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador. What can you tell us?”

“Yes, nationalities involve all the countries that you mentioned and that’s why we’re here as well, because we know our people are involved,” Laveaga told reporters, according to CNN.

“It was a crew who was repairing parts of the, I think potholes on the bridge, and they’re the ones who are going to build the bridge again – the Latinos.”

Laveaga mentioned that it was too early to ascertain the nationalities of all the victims.

“Accidents happen and it was a very unfortunate tragedy,” he remarked.

The Guatemalan Foreign Ministry stated on Tuesday that two of the construction workers missing since the bridge collapse were from Guatemala.

The US Coast Guard has ceased its active rescue efforts for the six missing people.

“This evening, @USCG announced that they are suspending rescue operations at Key Bridge. Tomorrow morning at 6:00 AM @MDSP will begin recovery in coordination with our partners,” said Governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, in a post on X.

“Our hearts are with the families and loved ones of the victims. We will continue to work in partnership with leaders at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure that we can provide all those affected with the closure they deserve,” the post added.

Over 1,000 personnel from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are mobilising to aid in the aftermath of the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, as reported by CNN.

According to a USACE news release on Tuesday, this team comprises specialists in engineering, construction, contracting, and operations. They will collaborate with local, state, and federal agencies to dismantle the bridge and restore the federal shipping channel.

“Our thoughts are with those impacted by the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” Baltimore District Commander Col Estee Pinchasin said.

“Our emergency managers are closely monitoring the incident and coordinating with partner agencies for any potential support requests.”

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Mexico urges US to regularise migrants’ legal status

US: A U.S. Border Patrol agent stands in front of the border fence that divides the United States and Mexico in San Diego, California, the United States, Nov. 17, 2018. (Xinhua/Zhao Hanrong/IANS)

The influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border rose to unprecedented levels at the end of 2023….reports Asian Lite News

Highlighting the importance of Mexican migrant workers to the US economy, Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena has again urged Washington to regularise their legal status.

Addressing a press conference, Alicia Barcena said Mexicans working in the US contribute over $324 billion annually to the nation’s economy in such essential sectors as agriculture, services and construction.

“The regularisation of Mexicans is not unprecedented. In 1986, 3 million Mexicans were regularised,” she said.

Mexico is requesting the US to make “a similar and fair gesture” to regularise undocumented Mexicans who have worked there for more than five years, including half a million young people protected by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Act.

The influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border rose to unprecedented levels at the end of 2023.

In December 2023, US Customs and Border Protection recorded nearly 250,000 encounters with migrants crossing the US-Mexico border, the highest monthly total on record.

To curb mass emigration, the US needs to approve a budget of 20 billion dollars annually to promote development in Latin America and the Caribbean, Barcena said, calling on Washington to lift its sanctions on Venezuela and trade embargo against Cuba.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has already proposed these measures to his US counterpart Joe Biden, along with others, such as controlling the flow of US weapons into Mexico, said the minister.

According to the foreign ministry, Mexico is one of the few countries that has to grapple with all phases of the immigration cycle, from being a source of migrants to being a transit country, a destination and a point of return for deportees.

There are 37.3 million Mexicans living in the United States, with some 5.3 million being undocumented, according to the Mexican government.

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Environment and WIldlife USA

Bullfighting back in Mexico City despite protests

Pic credit Wikipedia

In June 2022, a judge ordered an indefinite suspension of bullfighting in Mexico City, supporting animal rights activists….reports Asian Lite News

Mexico City’s monumental bullfighting arena saw a return of bloody spectacles on Sunday, marking the first event since the Supreme Court overturned a previous suspension, sparking protests by anti-bullfighting activists. The largest bullfighting stadium globally, Monumental Plaza de Toros, hosted the controversial event, featuring renowned bullfighter Joselito Adame. The phrase “Freedom. Bulls, living culture” adorned the arena but faded during the evening amid the bullfight.

In June 2022, a judge ordered an indefinite suspension of bullfighting in Mexico City, supporting animal rights activists. However, the Supreme Court’s recent decision to revoke the suspension has reignited the debate. Protesters, prevented by police from entering, expressed their opposition with some donning bull masks and red paint, symbolizing blood.

Spectators inside, like Alejandra Diaz, celebrated the return of bullfighting, emphasizing its cultural significance. Meanwhile, anti-bullfighting groups anticipate a final decision in their favor soon, seeking to end the centuries-old tradition permanently.

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has suggested a potential referendum on the future of bullfighting in Mexico City following the high court’s decision. While four Mexican states have already banned bullfighting, proponents argue that the practice contributes significantly to the economy, generating millions in revenue and employing around 80,000 people in 2018.

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AMLO: Mexico’s Oil Reserves Sufficient for 18 Years

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks during a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico on Jan. 21, 2021. (Xinhua)

The President revealed that we have uncovered highly productive fields on both land and in shallow waters, highlighting significant oil potential….reports Asian Lite News

Mexico has enough oil reserves to meet demand for the next 18 years thanks to the oil exploration work spearheaded by his administration, President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said.

“I can report that we have sufficient oil reserves for our administration and for the coming three administrations or three six-year terms, we will not suffer from a lack of oil,” he added on Thursday at his usual daily press conference.

“We invested in exploration and we were lucky, we found very good fields on land and in shallow waters, and there is significant oil potential,” the President said as quoted by Xinhua news agency report.

Since he took office in December 2018, the state-owned oil company Petroleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has seen a reconversion of its business model to depend less on the sale of crude abroad and lean more toward refining, he added.

In 2024, 80 per cent of Pemex’s revenue is expected to derive from the domestic market, mainly from the sale of fuel following a push to modernise the country’s existing refineries and become more fuel self-sufficient, said Lopez Obrador.

“It is a complete change in oil policy,” he added.

Remarkable finish for US oil & gas sector

The US has produced more oil and natural gas than ever before even as government planners were trying a tectonic shift to other alternative greener sources of energy to adhere to the climate change protocol’s deadlines.

As shale wells showed a major uptick in per-well recoveries, the US is now producing more oil per day than any single nation has ever achieved.

“The fact that this has all been accomplished despite a domestic rig count that dropped by well over 20 per cent during the year,” according to Enverus.

Enverus is a single source platform for management, development and acquisition, within the entire energy value chain.

This makes it one of the most remarkable outcomes in the industry’s long history, media reports said.

“This outcome becomes even more remarkable as it comes amid a presidential administration (Joe Biden) whose leaders repeatedly stress their desire to end the industry within a decade to serve as a reminder of the industry’s extraordinary resilience,” an Oil & Gas expert wrote in Forbes.

As early as March 2021, the Forbes analyst noted: “The history of the oil and gas business in the US is that every time the ‘experts’ all line up to declare it to be dead, it finds a way to come roaring back.”

The analyst predicted that the drilling bonanza such as the one the US witnessed during the early days of the Eagle Ford Shale and the Permian Basin boom would continue its juggernaut despite the Covid-19 march.

Instead, it turned out to be a more stable period of rising production created by adoption of new technologies, process efficiencies, economies of scale, and strong financial discipline.

Some 33 months after the initial surge of Covid-19, the industry’s setting new production records and its corporate sector performance is remarkable way ahead of any other section in the financial markets.

It has boosted the oil and gas sector futures in the commodities markets strongly, experts opined.

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Mexico to Challenge US Anti-Immigrant Law

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks during a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico on Jan. 21, 2021. (Xinhua)

The Mexican government estimates that more than 40 million Mexicans reside in the US….reports Asian Lite News

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has said that his government plans to challenge a law recently approved by the US state of Texas that allows authorities to arrest migrants suspected of illegally crossing the border.

“We are always going to be against these measures,” Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday at a press conference, noting that the Foreign Affairs Ministry was in the process of legally challenging the law.

According to the President, Texas Governor Greg Abbott aims to rouse support with his anti-immigrant stance as he pursues the vice- presidential nomination of the Republican Party, Xinhua news agency reported.

Lopez Obrador described the Governor as “inhumane” and “cruel” for enacting the new law, known as Senate Bill 4, which criminalises illegal entry or re-entry into the state by classifying it as a state crime, with penalties ranging from 180 days to 20 years in prison.

The Mexican government estimates that more than 40 million Mexicans reside in the US.

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Venezuela Sends 26 Tons of Aid to Mexico After Hurricane Otis

Hurricane Otis hit the coast of the state of Guerrero on Wednesday as a category 5 storm, causing severe damage, especially in the resort of Acapulco, one of Mexico’s main tourist destinations…reports Asian Lite News

The Venezuelan government sent more than 26 tons of humanitarian aid for those affected by Hurricane Otis ripping through Acapulco on the Mexican Pacific coast, Venezuela’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for Latin America, Rander Pena, said.

“It is an act of solidarity from the people of Venezuela to the people of Mexico after Hurricane Otis,” Pena added on Monday.

Hurricane Otis hit the coast of the state of Guerrero on Wednesday as a category 5 storm, causing severe damage, especially in the resort of Acapulco, one of Mexico’s main tourist destinations.

Accompanied by the Mexican Ambassador to Venezuela, Leopoldo de Gyves, Pena said that the aid consists of food and household goods, as well as search and rescue equipment.

Vice Minister for Risk Management and Civil Protection, Carlos Perez Ampueda, said that the shipment also consists of hospital assistance and supplies for hydration, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Mexican ambassador thanked the Venezuelan government for its solidarity, saying that “this is a very important shipment of goods, medicines and food” for the area affected by Hurricane Otis.

According to official figures, 48 people have been killed by the hurricane so far.

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Mexico Arrests 315 Suspected Migrant Traffickers

In recent years, the flow of migrants fleeing poverty in South and Central America and southern Mexico has spiked, leading to an immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border….reports Asian Lite News

Mexican authorities have arrested 315 suspected human traffickers so far this year for smuggling undocumented migrants towards the US border, the National Migration Institute (INM) said.

The suspects were apprehended between January 1 and October 15 in 13 of Mexico’s 32 states as part of a coordinated effort between the INM and state authorities in the country, Xinhua news agency quoted the institute as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

According to estimates by the UN Refugee Agency and the Mexican government, between 3,000 and 6,000 migrants have arrived daily at the US-Mexico border since August, overwhelming migrant shelters, cities on the migration route and immigration facilities.

Officials also seized 339 vehicles traffickers used in the crime, including “dry box trailers with makeshift false floors or other features to prevent the contents of the containers from being seen through X-rays”, said the INM.

In recent years, the flow of migrants fleeing poverty in South and Central America and southern Mexico has spiked, leading to an immigration crisis at the US-Mexico border.

According to the US Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol apprehended more than 200,000 migrants crossing the country’s border with Mexico unlawfully in September, marking the highest so far this year.

September’s tally was also the highest since December 2022, when more than 222,000 migrants were apprehended.

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