Mexico News Today Wednesday, February 3, 2021

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2021

Rights body covers up murder, torture, other violent crimes against migrants: report  The National Human Rights Commission has covered up acts of violence against undocumented foreigners in Mexico, says a digital newspaper's investigation. FULL STORY

Covid-19 cases are on the decline for first the time since October, says health ministry New diagnoses have begun to trend downwards, Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell said Wednesday, with preliminary data showing that case numbers went down 20% in epidemiological week 3 of 2021 compared to the previous week. FULL STORY

Covid vaccination signups overwhelm government site The site, which is supposed to register seniors for coronavirus inoculations, was overwhelmed by high demand on Tuesday, leaving many unable to access it.  FULL STORY López-Gatell criticizes testing travelers for Covid: ‘Sick people don’t travel’ The deputy health minister has dismissed the need to require people entering the country to present a negative Covid-19 test result. FULL STORY Seniors invited to register online for Covid vaccination; regulator approves Sputnik V The federal government has launched a platform where people 60 and over can sign up to be vaccinated against Covid-19. FULL STORY Authorities in BCS say no to this year's Baja XL Rally The annual off-road race is known as an “anything goes” event, with few restrictions. But in Baja California Sur, nothing goes this year. FULL STORY Travel council says banning flights is not the answer to controlling pandemic The World Travel and Tourism Council has slammed Canada's decision to temporarily suspend flights to Mexico and Caribbean countries. FULL STORY Mexico protests another auction in Paris of archaeological artifacts Christie's has scheduled a February 9 sale of 39 Mesoamerican and Andean works from “a notable European collection” that Mexico has asked the auction house to suspend so that the pieces can be evaluated. FULL STORY OPINION Mexico’s speedy approval of Sputnik V raises questions Should we trust the controversial vaccine as it arrives in Mexico this month? It may be some people's only chance at inoculation, Sarah DeVries writes. FULL STORY MEXICO LIFE At these holy processions comes devotion, along with a most joyful noise At many public religious celebrations throughout Mexico, the tone isn't somber and sober but filled with music, dance and, yes, fireworks, Joseph Sorrentino writes. FULL STORY 12 police arrested over Tamaulipas massacre of 19 The state officers are in custody for homicide, abuse of authority and falsifying information in connection with the killings last month. FULL STORY Remittances surpass US $40-billion mark; analysts’ outlook brightens for 2021 Mexicans working abroad broke 2019's previous record for money sent home by 11.4%. FULL STORY Designer offers compensation for use of indigenous designs Zimmermann has offered to pay the Oaxacan artisans and proposed negotiating an agreement to allow it to sell the culturally “inspired” garments. FULL STORY CFE forgives more than half a million customer debts Tabasco Governor Adán López announced an agreement that eliminates the obligations of 607,165 customers in the state, some of whom haven't paid their bills for 25 years. FULL STORY ADVERTISEMENT Acapulco fishermen rescued in Oaxaca waters after being lost for three weeks at sea The trio is now safe thanks to fellow fishermen who found them weeks after they left their home port. FULL STORY Bred for sports and recreation, new type of donkey is bigger, stronger The Mixtec donkey, which measures between 1.3 and 1.4 meters in height, is taller than most. FULL STORY Mexico doubles down on its oil bet as the road ahead remains challenging The annual oil hedge — insurance the government takes out every year to protect against price falls — raised US $2.38 billion last year, Jude Webber writes. FULL STORY OPINION Corporate deep-sea mining dreams threaten marine life Dredging the ocean floor for resources could end up disrupting and poisoning sea habitats off the Pacific west coast, Shannon Collins writes. FULL STORY

TSA SECURITY SCREENERS JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE POWER February 2, 2021

 

TSA SECURITY SCREENERS JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE POWER

February 2, 2021

TSA SECURITY SCREENERS JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT MORE POWER

February 2, 2021

The screeners at airports’ TSA security checkpoints don’t have a stellar reputation. On the whole, they tend to be unfriendly and more than a little bossy. Of course, every once in a while you’ll come across a TSA worker who’s a joy, like this one, or who did something super nice, like what this one did for me. But the overall appearance? Yeah, they’re crabby, irritable and more than a little bit authoritarian. Of course, there seems to be a good reason for that, but it still doesn’t make anyone feel any better when they’re yelling at some 85-year-old because they forgot to take their belt off.

Well, I’ll tell you – the whole COVID thing has not been good for TSA security. According to the TSA, over 6,400 TSA employees have tested positive for COVID and 14 have died as of this writing. Things have been better since that whole whistleblower situation over the summer, but some airports are only NOW getting enhanced protection such as acrylic shields at their respective checkpoints.

For a long time, TSA officers really couldn’t even enforce passengers wearing masks. They could ask them to, and if the locality had a mask mandate, there might be enforcement that way. But under the administration of former president Trump, federal entities were not given any power of enforcement. With that, there were no mandates and rarely any consequences for not wearing a mask at the TSA checkpoint.

That’s all changed.

President Biden made COVID safety one of the first things on his agenda and he recently signed an executive order on, “…Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel by requiring travelers to wear face masks when they are in airports, bus and rail stations, as well as while on passenger aircraft, public transportation, passenger railroads, and over-the-road buses operating on scheduled fixed-routes.”

As a federal agency, the TSA will, of course, follow those orders. With that, effective February 2, 2021, TSA requires individuals to wear a mask at TSA airport screening checkpoints and throughout the commercial and public transportation systems.

Said Darby LaJoye, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the TSA Administrator”

TSA will fully comply with the President’s Executive Orders, CDC guidance and the DHS National Emergency determination to ensure healthy and secure travel across all transportation sectors. This will help prevent further spread of COVID-19 and encourage a unified government response. As we continue to experience impacts from this pandemic, we are committed to this measure as the right thing to do for the TSA workforce, for our industry stakeholders and for passengers.

With a federal mandate in place, there can be consequences. As per the TSA’s press release:

“Whether beginning the security screening process at the airport Travel Document Checker (TDC) or submitting checked baggage for screening, all passengers who appear to be over the age of 2 must properly wear a face mask throughout the security screening process. The officer at the TDC will request that travelers temporarily lower the mask to verify their identity. Those who approach the TDC without a mask will be asked to wear or obtain one to proceed. Passengers who refuse to wear a mask will not be permitted to enter the airport’s secure area, which includes the terminal and gate area. Depending on the circumstance, those who refuse to wear a mask may be subject to a civil penalty for attempting to circumvent screening requirements, interfering with screening personnel, or a combination of those offenses.”

So yeah…I know that most people were already going through the TSA checkpoint with masks on (albeit some begrudgingly) anyway. But for those who chose to give the officers problems because of reasons, there are now consequences to their actions.

Update: Annual Nudist Festival Did Not Happen After All - Your Mileage May Vary Your Mileage May Vary Located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca, Playa Zipolite (which means “Beach of The Dead”) is Mexico's first and only legal nudist beach.

 

Update: Annual Nudist Festival Did Not Happen After All - Your Mileage May Vary Your Mileage May Vary Located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca, Playa Zipolite (which means “Beach of The Dead”) is Mexico's first and only legal nudist beach.

Hotel Estrella de Mar - Zipolite, Mexiko Trip Stories Zipolite, Mexiko. Carretera Puerto Angel- Mazunte Oaxaca s/n, en la playa frente a la cancha de futbol. thumb_up 8.70 / 10 (149). wifi WLAN inklusive.

 

Hotel Estrella de Mar - Zipolite, Mexiko Trip Stories Zipolite, Mexiko. Carretera Puerto Angel- Mazunte Oaxaca s/n, en la playa frente a la cancha de futbol. thumb_up 8.70 / 10 (149). wifi WLAN inklusive.

What's Happening in Mexico Right Now? February 1, 2021

 

Laura Bronner | Eternal Expat via n.convertkit.com	Feb 1, 2021, 10:28 AM (2 days ago)
to me

Hi Mexico-loving friends,

And just like that, the first month of the new year is behind us.

Our month in Todos Santos is almost coming to an end even though it feels like we just arrived a few days ago and yet so much has happened.

The Eternal Expat YouTube channel has reached over 10,000 subscribers! This community is growing and I'm so excited to have you all along for this journey. If you're new around here, welcome! If you've been along for the bumpy ride for a while, thank you for your continued support.

If you haven't caught up with all of the Todos Santos videos you can see those here:

• Our $600 a month Casita Tour
• Is Todos Santos Worth the Hype?
• Cost of Living in Mexico in 2021 - Baja California Sur Edition
• THIS is Why We Moved to Todos Santos

What's Happening in Baja California Sur Right Now?

Around mid-January, La Paz and Cabo went backwards in the red-light system. Right now, in Todos Santos and Los Cabos, beaches are still open, as are restaurants and stores. They are at roughly 30% capacity.

Things are slightly stricter in La Paz and Loreto where beaches have a pretty strict capacity. The Malecon is closed in the evenings from 6pm from Thursday to Sunday. Restaurants and bars are still open, but again at roughly 30% capacity.

What's Happening in Other Parts of Mexico Right Now?

13 states in Mexico are currently "red" on the traffic light system. Red basically means that the state is on almost complete lockdown. Those states include Mexico City, México state, Nuevo León, Jalisco, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Morelos, San Luis Potosí, Puebla, Guerrero, Nayarit, and Colima.

They will be on red status for at least two weeks until it can be reassessed.

It's worth noting that these colors and how they are enforced are up to the individual state governments. Some places, like Mexico City, remain on lockdown, but outdoor dining has been permitted. Other places like Jalisco places stricter rulings on places like Guadalajara while somewhere like Puerto Vallarta that relies heavily on tourism will have a different set of rules.

The best thing to do if you have any questions and want the most up-to-date information is to check with local people who are in those areas if you have questions. Start with expat groups that are specific to the areas. You can find these by searching on Facebook and typing, for example, expats in Ensenada or Expats in Puerto Vallarta. Sometimes the groups have different names, but you'll be able to find them pretty easily.

You can also follow bloggers or other people on social media who live there and see what they are sharing about the place they are living.

In Merida, you can follow Anna Faustino and Mexico Cassie.

In Oaxaca, you can follow Lost Boy Memoirs and Brooklyn Tropicali.

For Sayulita and Puerto Vallarta, you can follow PS I'm on my Way and Claire's Itchy Feet.

For Queretaro, you can follow Alex of Backpacking Brunette.

For Mexico City, Ubish Yaren has been making weekly live videos and sharing videos and photos on his Instagram.

Of course, I'm here in Todos Santos and will continue to share what I can about Baja California Sur.

Another great place to keep up to date with news about Mexico in English is Mexico News Daily.

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to email me by simply hitting reply on this email.

Speak soon,

Laura

Mexico News Today Monday, February 1, 2021

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2021

Vaccination falls short of January objective The government said 1.1 million doses would be administered by January 31. But as of Sunday night, only 673,327 doses had been given, 40% less than planned. FULL STORY

Canada flight ban could cost Mexico US $782 million Tourism Minister Miguel Torruco is predicting up to 791,000 fewer visitors in the country as a result of the three months of coronavirus prevention measures announced by the Canadian government, including a suspension of flights from the country to Mexico. FULL STORY

13 states are now red on the coronavirus risk map; the only green state goes yellow For the first time since September, no state will be at the safest level on the stoplight map after Campeche loses its low-risk status. FULL STORY AMLO pledges 18m Covid vaccine doses by March Mexico will receive 6 million in February and an additional 12 million in March, President López Obrador said. FULL STORY Government warns of ‘economic crisis’ due to suspension of flights Federal officials have warned that Canada's new three-month ban on flights to Mexico could cause profound financial issues in the North American region. FULL STORY A Mexican variant? Covid mutant strain currently being studied in Jalisco Authorities are investigating whether a strain of the coronavirus detected in four people is a variant of SARS-CoV-2. FULL STORY OPINION In Mexico, cartels and trash move pesos through a ‘trickle-down’ economy Money does actually circulate here from more well-off residents to poorer ones, but not quite in the way that you might at first assume, Bodie Kellogg writes. FULL STORY MEXICO LIFE A single mother’s need to survive spawned decades of Otomí industry Today's version of Tenango folk embroidery was born in the 1960s, when drought forced subsistence farmers to find a new form of income, Leigh Thelmadatter writes. FULL STORY MEXICO LIFE Discover the humble radish’s delectable appeal Far from just a bitter veggie to be shunned at the salad bar, this tuber can be prepared in many delicious ways — raw, roasted or sautéed, Janet Blaser writes in The Tropical Table. FULL STORY Officials seize chameleons, turtles and 39 baby crocodiles and caimans Saturday was a busy day for the movement of protected species: in three states, authorities found animals being transported illegally. FULL STORY Solar farm stalls; residents 10 years without electricity  In 2018, the federal government promised the inhabitants of a village in Oaxaca a photovoltaic generating station to supply them with power, but it has yet to be finished. FULL STORY Sweeping electricity market overhaul deals blow to renewable energy firms A bill in Congress would change the order in which electricity is dispatched into the national grid, with alternative energy providers at the back of the queue. FULL STORY First of 1,870 sustainable homes delivered to low-income families in Puebla The state government took the first steps toward delivering nearly 1,900 environmentally and economically friendly housing units. FULL STORY ADVERTISEMENT Chichén Itzá to open new site, new experience in 2022 Called Chichén Viejo, or Old Chichén, the new section is set deep in jungle in an area 900 meters south of the towering pyramid El Castillo. FULL STORY THE MND POLL THE STORY: Goodbye, Chester. Cheetos has new look as rules ban use of personalities.  FULL STORY THE QUESTION:  Will banning the use of personalities in marketing be effective in reducing the consumption of unhealthy foods? VOTE HERE LAST POLL: Is censorship by social media serious enough to justify the creation of a publicly-owned network in Mexico? 58% said it isn't. FULL RESULTS

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 Camping en Zipolite frente al mar 4 - Tents for Rent in Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico - Airbnb

Airbnb

Camping en Zipolite frente al mar 4. 󰀃Superhost·Zipolite, Oaxaca, Mexico. Private room in tent. hosted by Israel. Israel is a superhost. Learn more ...

Private room in tent hosted by Israel