Mexico News Today Wednesday, May 19, 2021

 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

AMLO turns up heat against US government funding of opponents President López Obrador accused the United States of meddling in Mexican internal affairs and urged Washington to stop funding groups that he says are opposed to his administration. FULL STORY

US companies file US $100 million claim for breaching investor protections The filing before the World Bank argues that the Mexican government has breached North American Free Trade Agreement provisions for investors. FULL STORY

Covid vaccinations to begin in July for those aged 40 to 49  President López Obrador said Mexico will start inoculating that age group as soon as those aged 50–59 have been offered one vaccine dose. FULL STORY Border restrictions remain in effect; US says it wants to see more vaccinations first While the United States remains closed to nonessential crossing from Mexico for another month, American border communities are expressing impatience with the ban. FULL STORY Oaxaca’s alebrijes were inspiration for design of Miss Universe costume Artisan tradition played a part in Andrea Meza’s triumph at the pageant with a striking national costume inspired by the fantastical wooden sculptures. FULL STORY Mexico apologizes for 1911 massacre of Chinese in Torreón, Coahuila President Lopez Obrador apologized for the murder of more than 300 residents of the city in the early 20th century by Mexican revolutionary troops and local residents. FULL STORY Pre-Hispanic artifacts fetch more than US $650,000  Despite the government's objections, 19 items originally from Mexico were sold this week at the Sotheby's New York auction house for a total of nearly US $657,500. FULL STORY 84-year-old graduates with engineering degree Former soldier and shopkeeper Felipe Espinosa recently finished his studies at the Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla. FULL STORY Once again, survey ranks Mexico as second-best destination for expats For a second consecutive year, respondents decided that Mexico is the number-two destination for people living and working abroad. FULL STORY MEXICO LIFE Chef and Oaxacan cuisine authority got her start in grandma’s kitchen Celia Florián's first job was at a bank. But she never forgot the childhood joy of learning to cook from the women in her family, Leigh Thelmadatter writes. FULL STORY MEXICO LIFE Mezcal maker running her family’s distillery fights small-town prejudices After her father died a few months ago, Lidia Hernandez found that making the product was the easy part of running his business, Lydia Carey writes. FULL STORY ‘I want justice,’ says youth of alleged sexual assault involving lawmaker The 15-year-old who accused federal lawmaker Saúl Huerta of the crime said he is seeking justice in order to prevent future victims. FULL STORY Yucatán mayoral candidate did time in US for drug trafficking The Morena party hopeful in Chumayel at first denied the allegation to a reporter, then appeared to acknowledge that it was true. FULL STORY Mexico scores poorly on anti-corruption assessment The nation ranked third to last in an analysis of eight Latin American countries by the Vance Center of the New York City Bar Association. FULL STORY Orca leaps 5 meters into the air in attack on dolphin The killer whale's dramatic move was captured on camera in the Sea of Cortés. FULL STORY Mexico a leader in recycling PET, but not other plastics The NGO that conducted the study on the nation's recycling habits, said Mexicans are disposed to act in favor of the environment but lack the necessary infrastructure to support the reuse of all types of waste. FULL STORY ADVERTISEMENT OPINION Natural treasures await when you look past Tabasco’s underdog reputation It often gets ignored by the rest of Mexico, but the state's stunning, biologically diverse tropical rainforest is hiding in plain sight, Shannon Collins writes. FULL STORY OPINION Sharing the planet means accepting kittens and mutant flying ants alike Sarah DeVries reflects on her attempts to live and let live with the insect members of her community, even scorpions and tarantulas. FULL STORY MEXICO LIFE Cousins keep small-town life interesting with a host of inventive salsas César Galeazzi Bortolotti and Antonio "Pichi" Zechinelli Galeazzi have pretty much cornered the market on the artisanal food in their town of Chipilo, Puebla, but word is also spreading about it as far away as Mexico City, Joseph Sorrentino writes. FULL STORY

∙ Michoacán announces reinforced security after 9 bodies found in truck ∙ LP gas thefts increased 43% in first quarter of 2021 ∙ Preliminary growth numbers show 20.6% increase in April ∙ German electric car maker plans production plant in Mexico

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When will international travel return? A country-by-country guide to coronavirus recovery Clint Henderson

 

When will international travel return? A country-by-country guide to coronavirus recovery

 Clint henderson

Editor's note:  This post was last updated on May 18, 2021 with new information. 

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Coronavirus has had many of us frozen in place and dreaming of when we can start booking travel again. 

For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter . 

Many countries are beginning to reopen their borders to travelers after more than a year of lockdowns due to COVID-19.

TPG is here to guide you through the latest in the ever-changing rules and regulations.

And if you want to find out where US travelers can go right now,  follow this link for our complete guide to which countries are allowing US travelers.

IN THIS POST

1. North America
2. Caribbean
3. Europe
4. Central America
5. South America
6. Asia
7. Oceania
8. Middle east
9. Africa

North America

In-flight service is back — here’s what food and drinks you can expect on your next flight

 

In-flight service is back - here's what food and drinks you can expect on your next flight

EU countries agree to open to fully vaccinated Americans this summer Fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed to enter the EU without the need for a COVID-19 test or quarantine. Read more

 

EU countries agree to open to fully vaccinated Americans this summer Fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed to enter the EU without the need for a COVID-19 test or quarantine. Read more

You might not have to wear a mask during your next hotel stay If you're vaccinated, you can now go without a mask at many hotels in the United States. Read more

 

You might not have to wear a mask during your next hotel stay If you're vaccinated, you can now go without a mask at many hotels in the United States. Read more

Tulum and Cancun could go into 'imminent' lockdown - even as travelers are flocking there Victoria M. Walker

 

Tulum and Cancun could go into 'imminent' lockdown - even as travelers are flocking there

 Victoria M. Walker

Yesterday

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With its proximity to the United States, cheap flights on multiple airlines and relaxed entry requirements, Americans have traveled to destinations across Mexico throughout the pandemic.  

And few areas may be as popular with sun-seeking tourists as Quintana Roo, the Mexican state on the Caribbean coast that's home to such iconic resort getaways as Cancun, Playa del Carmen in the Riviera Maya and Tulum.

Unfortunately, travelers with upcoming trips to Quintana Roo may see their plans in jeopardy as the state's governor debates a lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Here's what you need to know if you're considering a trip.

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ocean border at Tulum. (Photo by photo by dasar / Getty Images)

A COVID-19 arises in Quintana Roo

According to the Associated Press, Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquín said last Thursday the state has seen five weeks of increases in cases and blamed the surge partly on Easter travel. And now, the state is at risk of imposing an "immediate lockdown."  

“We knew that there were large risks during Easter week, that there could be a greater number of infections. Unfortunately, that came to pass, ”Joaquín said, according to the AP.

The Mexican government uses a so-called stoplight system, which is frequently updated, to determine what is allowed to open and or must remain closed in its states. The four metrics to assess the colors (green, yellow, orange and red) are the trend in numbers of new cases, hospital occupancy trends, current hospital occupancy rates and percentage of positive cases.  

Quintana Roo is currently under the “orange” designation , which means that essential and nonessential labor activities are permitted but with certain limitations. Activities in public spaces are allowed but with restrictions, while activities in closed areas are completely suspended. Tourist activities and hotels and restaurants are currently capped at 50% occupancy.   

If Quintana Roo reaches the “red” designation , it will go into lockdown. Under the red designation, only essential activities will be allowed and people will be restricted to a walk around their homes during the day. We've reached out to the Quintana Roo travel board and will update this post if we hear back. 

Nightlife is prominent in places like Tulum and Cancun - popular spring break destinations known for wild parties, but travelers headed there now will have to enjoy their piña coladas in their hotel rooms. Bars, nightclubs and other entertainment venues are supposed to be closed at this time, according to the state government, but readers noted packed bars in the region.

More than 220,000 people have died in Mexico since the start of the pandemic, trailing behind only the US, Brazil and India. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data , the country has recorded nearly 2.4 million positive cases.   

The situation hasn't fared much better when looking at Quintana Roo-specific numbers. The state has recorded over 25,000 cases of the coronavirus and nearly 2,700 deaths, though those numbers are likely an undercount.

In December, the CDC assigned Mexico a Level 4 “very high” COVID-19 designation (it's still at that status) and said that “all travel” to the country should be avoided. The US State Department also assigned Mexico its highest warning, Level 4: Do Not Travel - though most countries are currently at that level.    

Balancing the need for tourism with safety

Crowds a the Cancun airport. (Photo by Mary Kate Heaney / The Points Guy)

The COVID-19 situation in Quintana Roo is a messy confluence of the state's reliance on tourism, easy entry requirements and pandemic fatigue from foreign travelers.

A report from Airlines for America found that Mexico was the “clear leader” in international travel in April, with most of those travelers being US citizens. Tourism is the region's bread and butter, and the pandemic decimated the industry - which relies on American and other foreign tourists.  

When travel dried up at the onset of the pandemic last year, Quintana Roo was among the hardest hit, losing almost 64,000 jobs in about a month . Around half of Cancun's economy is directly supported by travel and tourism, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), and over 40% of jobs directly support the industry. The organization in 2018 named Cancun the world's most tourism-dependent city. And Mexico never closed its borders, unlike many other countries during the pandemic.   

Americans flocked to Mexico, and the Quintana Roo area in particular, during the pandemic because of inexpensive flights and cheap hotels. Nearly 1 million international travelers flew into Cancun (CUN) airport, the largest airport in the region, in April of this year, according to Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste, known as ASUR, an international airport group in Mexico, the US and Colombia.  

Flights are relatively affordable, with several of the US's largest airports offering nonstop flights to Cancun, often as low as $ 200 round-trip. And the airlines are taking advantage of the increased demand: Frontier, for instance, reportedly doubled international flights to destinations to Cancun and Cozumel, according to Cirium , and airlines are flying full plans to Mexico due to interest from travelers. 

Traveling to Mexico has also been relatively easy, compared to other international destinations. Beach-goers and holiday-seekers who arrive in Mexico are not required to self-quarantine or show proof of a negative COVID-19 test upon arrival. However, travelers may be subject to health screenings at airports and other points of entry. This is different from entry requirements for the US and Canada, which require negative COVID-19 tests to enter their borders, even for fully vaccinated travelers.  

Having a COVID-19 vaccine is also not a requirement like it is for other international destinations.

And even precautions that have been put in place to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, such as physical distancing, may be more relaxed or not as strongly enforced. Last November, a large music party in Tulum turned into an international superspreader event after several guests contracted the virus and brought it back to cities like New York. Other over-capacity parties have been shut down, even though there's a ban on nightlife .   

It's clear that Quintana Roo is in a precarious position, balancing public health with the need for tourism in popular destinations like Tulum and Playa Del Carmen. But what has become clear is that there's limited time for the region to get back on track, before it faces its worst surge in COVID-19 cases yet.

Featured photo by Arthur Fonoretzky / Getty Images