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Energy
Mexico Attends Saudi Oil Meeting
June 22, 2008
The Energy Ministry (SENER) said that Mexico sent representatives to a meeting of oil producing and consuming countries in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to address sky-high oil prices. Analysts have said it is difficult to see how combined solutions will emerge from a one-day meeting of 35 nations divided between producers and consumers, along with the CEOs of the largest oil companies. Saudi Arabia is the world's top oil exporter and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC's) most influential member. Mexico is not an OPEC member.
Pemex Requests Approval For Deepwater Seismic Research
June 16, 2008
Pemex has asked the Energy Ministry (SENER) for permission to conduct seismic research in 514,370 square kilometers in deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, including the Perdido belt, where oil firms plan to start oil production on the U.S. side in 2010. Pemex says there are at least two oil fields that straddle the border in the Perdido area, and that oil and natural gas could flow to U.S. wells unless Pemex starts drilling on its side of the border. In addition, the Foreign Affairs Ministry (SRE) has sent a letter to the U.S. government to initiate negotiations on how to develop cross-border oil fields.
Cantarell Output Slips In May, Down 33%
June 20, 2008
According to figures by the Energy Ministry (SENER), output at Mexico's largest oil field Cantarell slipped again in May despite an overall rise in Mexican production. Cantarell production fell in May to 1.08 million barrels a day, down 33% from the like 2007 period. Meanwhile, Pemex said that crude oil production averaged 2.85 million barrels a day between January and May, down 9.3% relative to the same period last year.
SENER Assesses Construction Of Nuclear Plants
June 18, 2008
The Energy Ministry (SENER) is producing a study to assess the construction of new nuclear plants as an alternative to declining oil production and the hikes in international oil prices. Mexico currently has the Laguna Verde nuclear energy producing plant in the state of Veracruz. Studies will be ready by the end of the year and will determine dates for the eventual construction of the new facilities.
Fuel Subsidies Attract U.S. Drivers
June 22, 2008
The government's subsidy to gasoline and other fuels in order to keep inflationary forces in check has been attracting U.S. drivers who wish to pay much less for fuel across the border. Some U.S. drivers say they can save up to USD 100 a month by filling up every two weeks in Mexico. The extra demand is causing shortages at hundreds of Mexico's border gas stations, some of which are starting to ration fuel. As a response, Pemex delivered some 300,000 barrels of diesel to the state of Baja California, to ease fuel shortages in border cities.
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Mining
Grupo Mexico Defends Its Plan As Best For Creditors
June 17, 2008
Grupo Mexico (GMex) said it believes its plan to pay off claims for its bankrupt U.S. copper mining subsidiary Asarco L.L.C offers deposit guarantees that are ten times higher than the plan recently presented to a U.S. bankruptcy court by Asarco. GMex said it thinks its full payment plan is the best alternative for Asarco's creditors, because it is the only proposal that guarantees they will receive 100% of the funds to which they are entitled. GMex said it would put up USD 4.1 billion to pay off claims against Asarco L.L.C.
Mining Investment In Sinaloa Above USD 220 Million
June 16, 2008
According to the state of Sinaloa's Minister of Economic development, investment in the state's mining sector during the current administration has exceeded the initial target of USD 220 million. Officials at the state's Economic Development Ministry have said that 39 mining projects are currently operating in 13 municipalities in Sinaloa. The largest amount of investment has been made by Canadians, reaching USD 55.6 million during the 2006 2010 administration, which equals 32.7% of total mining investment in Sinaloa.
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Trade & Investment
Senate Ratifies Accord With China On Tariffs
June 20, 2008
The Senate ratified an agreement between Mexico and China under which Mexico will gradually reduce import tariffs on Chinese goods. The agreement was approved with 92 votes in favor, none against, and 7 abstentions. At the end of last year, Mexico was to have lifted compensatory tariffs on a large number of Chinese imports, some sensitive for Mexican industry, which had remained in place since China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. The transition period ends in December 2011. The industries involved include textiles, garments, footwear, toys, bicycles, baby carriages, tools, domestic appliances, electrical goods, chemical goods, and others.
BMV To Raise Trade Fees
June 19, 2008
Mexico's stock exchange Bolsa Mexicana de Valores (BMV), which has just become a listed company, will seek to increase the fees it charges on equity trades as part of a wider strategy to put the interests of its shareholders first by raising profits. BMV's president Guillermo Prieto said the exchange's fees were "obscenely low". He hopes an upcoming board meeting will approve an increase to one basis point of trades from their present average of 0.7bp. One of the problems BMV has faced has been a relative decline in fee income.
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Banking, Insurance & Finance
SCJN Vote Favors State Pension Reform
June 17, 2008
The Supreme Court (SCJN) rejected the argument that pension reform for government workers violates the Constitution by applying a law retroactively. Justices voted 8-2 against the proposal by SCJN President Guillermo Ortiz Mayagoitia that a clause in the new law was retroactive in that it removes workers' accumulated pension rights when they switch to a new system. The Constitution does not allow laws to be applied retroactively. The pension reform aims to eventually replace the defined-benefits system with a system of individual retirement accounts.
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Business & Industry
Mexico Medicines Deficit Increases Twofold In Two Years
June 19, 2008
According to figures from the National Statistics Institute (INEGI) and the Economy Ministry (SE), Mexico's medicines and health supplies trade deficit increased more than twofold during the past two years. In 2005, Mexico's said deficit amounted to USD 903 million whereas it grew to USD 1.9 billion in 2007. INEGI and SE have warned authorities about Mexico's increasing trend of depending on imported medicines and health supplies.
Genomma Lab Prices IPO Totaling MXN 2.4 Billion
June 18, 2008
Mexican pharmaceuticals company Genomma Lab International priced shares at MXN 16 each in an initial public offering (IPO) on the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV). The total amount of the offering, including overallotments, is MXN 2.4 billion, of which the company expects to receive MXN 1.64 billion. Genomma Lab listed 26.5% of the shares on the local market and the rest in a private international offering. The company said that the shares are equivalent to 28.3% of its equity, assuming all of the overallotments are exercised.
Mexichem Signs Five-Year Supply Contract With Occidental Chemical
June 19, 2008
Mexican chemicals firm Mexichem signed a five-year supply agreement with U.S. Occidental Chemical for vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), a base product for plastic resins. Mexichem said the "several USD billion" contract was for a "large quantity" of VCM, without providing more details on the volumes or total value of the contract. Mexichem said the deal also involves a two-year supply agreement where Mexichem will ship excess chlorine to the U.S. for Occidental Chemical, a division of Occidental Petroleum, to manufacture into PVC resin and then ship back to Mexichem.
Court Fines Coca-Cola USD 15 Million For Monopoly Practices
June 19, 2008
A local court fined several U.S. beverages and soft drink maker Coca-Cola bottlers in ten different states USD 15 million for alleged monopoly practices and disloyal competition against Peruvian peer Ajegroup. The sentence, which ends a three-year-long conflict between the two companies, cannot be appealed. Charges against Coca-Cola bottlers include coercion and intimidation against Ajegroup's personnel, as well as withdrawal and destruction of Ajegroup's advertising and products.
Melate, Revancha Luck Games To Be Available In Cell Phones, Supermarkets
June 17, 2008
The director of the National Lottery and Sports Bets Adolfo Blanco announced that the Melate and Revancha luck games will now be available on cell phones from major companies and at supermarkets, including local retailer Soriana, Wal-Mart, and other firms to add to the program before the end of the year. Blanco said that the Lottery expects sales to amount to some MXN 8.6 billion in 2008, of which more than MXN 160 million would be earned through the new sales channels.
Modelo CEO Resigns From Anheuser-Busch Board
June 20, 2008
U.S. brewer Anheuser-Busch said that Carlos Fernandez, chairman and chief executive of Mexican peer Grupo Modelo, has resigned from the U.S. brewer's board of directors. The board of Anheuser-Busch, which owns 50% of Modelo, is currently weighing a USD 46.3 billion takeover bid from Belgian-Brazilian brewer InBev. A Modelo spokesperson said Fernandez resigned to avoid conflicts of interest. The resignation reduces the Anheuser Busch board to 13 members. Modelo is the importer and distributor of the Budweiser, Bud Light and O'Doul's brands in Mexico.
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Automotive
Volkswagen Has Produced More Than 182,000 Vehicles Upon Closing May 2008
June 16, 2008
The Mexican unit of German automaker Volkswagen informed that their accrued production from January to May 2008 reached 182,436 vehicles, a 29.1% growth if compared to the like 2007 period, when production amounted to 141,222 vehicles. The model with the highest production volume by Volkswagen is Bora, with 82,674 units. Exports grew to 152,611 units in the first five months of 2008, a 34.7% increase if compared to last year's even term. Workers at Volkswagen's Mexico plant threatened to strike in August unless the company grants them a 13% pay raise.
Cooper Tire To Invest In Mexico Plant
June 19, 2008
U.S. Cooper Tire & Rubber (CTB) has signed an agreement to invest in a tire manufacturing facility in Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco. CTB, Mexican holding company IBSA and Cooperativa TRADOC will jointly own the facility. CTB ownership in the plant is 38% at an investment of USD 31 million. In October 2007, CTB inked a 50 50 joint venture to form a trading company with Nemet International, responsible for the marketing, sales and distribution of the Cooper and Pneustone brands in Mexico. The trading company will continue to operate as a separate entity.
Magna International Announces New Plant In Coahuila
June 16, 2008
Canadian auto parts manufacturer Magna International announced the installation of its ninth plant in Mexico, to be located in the state of Coahuila. The plant will be producing auto parts for German automakers BMW and Volkswagen. The governor of the state of Coahuila Humberto Moreira Valdes said that the USD 19 million plant will be located in the Ramos Arizpe industrial complex and will create about 108 direct jobs.
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Housing & Mortgaging
Grupo Lar To Build MXN 1.11 Billion Housing Complex In Mexico
June 19, 2008
Spanish developer Grupo Lar said it plans to begin construction of a MXN 1.11 billion housing complex in the city of Puebla, in the state of the same name, in 3Q. The project, named Puebla Blanca, comprises 469 homes of two or three bedrooms each, as well as common areas for residents to gather. The company said Puebla Blanca is its first investment in Puebla, Mexico's fourth-largest city. Grupo Lar has said it aims to invest MXN 10.89 billion in Mexico this year in housing, office space and commercial projects. In 2007, the company sold 456 homes worth MXN 1.1 billion.
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Construction & Infrastructure
Venezuelan Government Objects To Cemex Share Transfer
June 19, 2008
Venezuela is objecting to Mexican cement maker Cemex's Venezuelan subsidiary's transfer of shares abroad. Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA says Cemex has been selling shares without properly notifying the government. Cemex said that it has "transferred assets" within the company but has not sold them. Cemex's Venezuelan subsidiary said the issue involves USD 355 million in shares it held in cement companies operating in Panama, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and Guadeloupe. Cemex's move comes as Venezuela has given it and two other peers 60 days to strike a deal on the nationalization of their assets or face expropriation.
Steel, Cement Prices Push Up Costs Of Mexico Metro Line
June 17, 2008
Mexico City Finance Secretary Mario Delgado said that the consortium that won a MXN 17.58 billion contract to build a new line for Mexico City's Metro system is responsible for any additional costs resulting from higher steel and cement prices. The consortium, led by Mexican construction firm ICA, also features Grupo Carso's Cicsa and France's Alstom. The line will cost the city about MXN 5.1 billion more than officials expected when they unveiled the plan, due in part to a nearly 75% rise in steel prices since December to around MXN 12,000 per metric ton, and a less-drastic rise in cement prices. But the risk of those prices rising even more now falls on the contractors.
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Retail
Sam's Club, Wal-Mart To Open A Series Of Stores Throughout Mexico
June 16, 2008
The Mexican units of U.S. retailers Sam's Club, Wal-Mart and other of their subsidiaries announced the opening of several stores in the states of Guanajuato and Sinaloa. The stores to be opened in Guanajuato include two Bodega Aurrera stores, one Suburbia store and one Sam's Club. Investment in the Sam's Club store will amount to MXN 200 million and will create 200 direct jobs. In addition, Wal-Mart said it will invest some MXN 700 million in a distribution center to be located in Culiacan, in the state of Sinaloa. The distribution center is expected to create some 300 direct jobs.
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Transportation
Ferromex To Invest USD 383 Million In Infrastructure
June 16, 2008
Mexican railway company Ferrocarril Mexicano (Ferromex), a subsidiary of Mexican miner Grupo Mexico (GMex), announced it will invest USD 383 million between 2008 and 2009 in new terminals and intermodal infrastructure. Of the said amount, USD 183 million will be destined to railways and related infrastructure, of which 70% has already been assigned or used and the remaining 30% will be employed in enhancements, additions to terminals, intermodals and a new automotive facility.
KCSM, Tamaulipas Announce Progress In Nuevo Laredo Railway Project
June 17, 2008
The Mexican unit of U.S. railway company Kansas City Southern (KCSM) and the governments of the state of Tamaulipas and the city of Nuevo Laredo, in the said state, announced that they are making progress in the preliminary urban modernization plan dubbed "Nuevo Laredo Railway Project 2008-2010." KCSM said works include overpasses, rail and yard relocations and a new border bridge. Investment in the project is estimated at some USD 350 million.
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Telecommunications & Technology
CFC Could Regulate Mobile Operators
June 16, 2008
The Federal Competition Commission (CFC) said that a study of the country's mobile telephony market shows all operators have substantial market power in completing calls on their networks and could, therefore, be subject to price regulation. The CFC named America Movil's Telcel network, Spain's Telefonica's Movistar unit, and Grupo Salinas' Iusacell and Unefon as the companies that could see more regulation in the sector. CFC said mobile operators have 20 working days to present information that could modify its preliminary findings.
Axtel Begins Operations In Culiacan, Mazatlan
June 19, 2008
Mexican telecommunications company Axtel announced it has initiated operations in Culiacan and Mazatlan, in the state of Sinaloa, a move that increases Axtel's presence in Mexico to 31 cities. Axtel offers telephony, Internet, data and advanced telecommunications solutions, using WiMAX, among other up-to-the-minute technologies. Axtel said it will invest approximately USD 30 million in Culiacan and USD 20 million in Mazatlan over the next five years.
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Farming & Agriculture
Mexico Praises U.S. Clearance Of 28 States' Tomatoes In Salmonella Outbreak
June 21, 2008
The U.S. has cleared tomatoes in 28 of 31 Mexican states from suspicion in a recent salmonella outbreak, a move that drew praise from Mexican officials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now appears to be narrowing its investigation into the outbreak, which has sickened more than 550 people, to some counties in Florida and three Mexican states: Jalisco, Coahuila and Sinaloa. The Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development Ministry (SAGARPA) said that the decision represents important progress and was the result of intense negotiations between federal authorities and the FDA.
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Hospitality & Tourism
Grand Coral Invests USD 3 Billion In Mexico
June 17, 2008
Spanish tourism conglomerate Grupo Grand Coral (GGC) announced that it will invest around USD 3 billion within the next seven years in the development of a tourism residential project in the Riviera Maya. The group, with the participation of Spanish bank Grupo Bancaja and Mexican Grupo Mar, as well as other investors in the tourism sector, said the project will be the largest in the state of Quintana Roo. Works include building 6,500 houses, 2 hotels, 1 beach club, 1 shopping mall and a 180 meter long pool within the development.
Blast At Cancun Hotel Injures 11
June 17, 2008
An explosion in the kitchen of a hotel in the Caribbean resort of Cancun, in the state of Quintana Roo, left 11 people injured, 2 of them seriously. The Red Cross and the police said they received a report of a fire in the Gran Caribe Real hotel. An initial inspection of the site showed that the explosion originated because of an accumulation of gases in the area where the employee dining rooms are, which makes up part of the hotel's kitchen.
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Economy
Banxico Hikes Interest Rate On Inflation
June 20, 2008
The central bank (Banxico) raised interest rates by 25 basis points, saying that inflation this year and early next year could be higher than it recently anticipated. Banxico raised the overnight rate target to 7.75% from 7.5% in an increase aimed at reinforcing medium term inflation expectations, which it said remain well anchored. It is the first time since October 2007 that the bank has raised rates.
President Calderon Announces Foodmakers Freeze Prices On 150 Products
June 19, 2008
President Calderon announced that food manufacturers have agreed to freeze prices on more than 150 products to help families cope with rising costs. Calderon said prices for goods, which include beans, canned tuna, and other products, will remain fixed until the end of the year. It is the second such deal President Calderon has reached with the private sector this year, underscoring the government's fears about inflation, which last month hit an annualized rate of 4.95%, a three and a half-year high. Producers are essentially agreeing not to pass on their rising production costs to consumers.
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Border & Migration
U.S. Supreme Court Issues Ruling Favoring Migrants
June 18, 2008
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that would ease the legal status of some foreigners who are currently in the U.S. and whose visas have expired, including a large number of Mexicans. The Court voted that foreigners residing illegally in the U.S. will be able to withdraw their voluntary agreement to leave and continue working on their legalization process.
Mexican Professionals Move To The U.S.
June 20, 2008
A growing number of Mexican professionals say they are moving to the U.S. to escape drug-related crimes in Mexico. Middle-class Mexicans who are increasingly tired of dealing with kidnappings, gun violence and military patrols are purchasing homes in U.S. border cities and relocating their businesses. Falling U.S. real estate prices are contributing to the attraction, but increased violence sparked by Mexico's drug-crime crackdown is the biggest motivation.
Cuban Immigrants Reach Texas After Being Snatched By Gunmen In Mexico
June 19, 2008
The Attorney General's Office (PGR) confirmed that 18 of the 33 Cubans who were detained by the National Immigration Institute (INM) before being snatched away from federal agents by a group of armed assailants have arrived in the U.S. PGR said that U.S. authorities informed them that the 18 Cubans were taken in by the Border Patrol upon their arrival in the town of Hidalgo, Texas. Because the U.S.' "wet-foot, dry-foot" policy allows Cubans who reach U.S. soil to remain in the country legally, the undocumented Cubans can begin the process of obtaining permanent residency status under the supervision of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Meanwhile, three people have been detained in Mexico for their alleged involvement in the case.
Mexican Officials Rescue 154 Illegal Migrants From Semitrailer
June 17, 2008
Federal Police said that they have found 154 illegal migrants inside a semitrailer in the state of Tabasco. Authorities said that many of the migrants were suffering from severe dehydration after spending nearly a week inside the cramped semitrailer. Authorities found 140 Guatemalans, 7 Ecuadoreans, 4 Hondurans, 2 Salvadorans and 1 Chinese. The driver was detained and the migrants were turned over to immigration authorities for deportation.
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Politics
Congress Votes To End Annual Presidential Speech
June 20, 2008
Legislators approved a constitutional amendment that will end the annual presidential speech before Congress, a ceremony that has been the cause of friction in recent years. The amendment also needs to be approved by 16 of the country's 31 state legislatures. Rather than delivering a speech at Congress on September 1, when the fall legislative session begins, the President will only submit a written report about the state of the public administration.
IFE Bans Leftist Parties From Calling Leader "Legitimate President"
June 18, 2008
The Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) banned leftist opposition parties, Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and Labor Party (PT), from airing radio and TV spots calling their leader and former presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) the "Legitimate President" of Mexico. AMLO declared himself Mexico's "Legitimate President" after narrowly losing the election to Felipe Calderon of the ruling National Action Party (PAN) in 2006. AMLO cried fraud and has refused to recognize Calderon's victory. AMLO said that IFE's decision was "an act of intolerance." In addition, IFE fined the parties USD 71,500 for the spots, and banned the phrase from future spots.
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Justice, Safety & Crime
President Calderon Signs Constitutional Justice Reform
June 17, 2008
President Calderon signed a constitutional amendment that paves the way for public trials with oral arguments and declares defendants innocent until proven guilty. Under the amendment, open trials will replace closed-door discussions by judges, who used to pass rulings based only on written evidence. The law also allows prosecutors to hold organized crime suspects without charge for up to 80 days. Calderon said the reform will make police work more efficiently, while protecting the rights of defendants and victims. It will give police more powers of investigation and better access to intelligence, which are "indispensable for fighting crime, particularly organized crime."
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Calls On Binational Cooperation Against Traffickers
June 16, 2008
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Democrat Harry Reid said that Mexico and the U.S. should strengthen mutual cooperation to combat drug trafficking more effectively. Reid said drug consumption in the U.S. and arms smuggling into Mexico have exacerbated drug trafficking in the region. Reid is one of the main backers of the Merida Initiative, a U.S. anti-drug assistance program.
Mexico Makes Emergency Appeal To U.N. Court Over U.S. Executions
June 19, 2008
Mexico made an emergency appeal to the U.N.'s highest court to block the execution of its citizens on death row in the U.S. The U.N.'s highest court has begun emergency hearings on Mexico's appeal. Lawyers for the U.S. cautioned, however, that the court's interference could complicate Washington's efforts to save the lives of the convicts. Mexico contends that the U.S. is defying a 2004 order by the International Court of Justice to review the cases of 51 condemned Mexican prisoners. That ruling said the inmates had been denied the right to help from their consulate after their arrests.
Swiss To Return USD 74 Million To Mexico
June 19, 2008
Swiss authorities will hand over USD 74 million to the Mexican government from bank accounts linked to the brother of former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari. The Swiss federal office of justice said the funds belong to Mexico because they have been misappropriated. Investigations by Swiss and Mexican judicial authorities to trace the funds, frozen since late 1995, have demonstrated the criminal origin of the assets. A further USD 36 million has been unfrozen and so made available to the unnamed account holder, after authorities determined that these funds were not of illicit origin.
DEA Monitors 11 Mexican Ports
June 20, 2008
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) announced that it constantly monitors imports and exports of chemical products at 11 Mexican ports through the services provided by U.S. intelligence firm PIERS Global Intelligence Solutions. PIERS has signed an agreement with the Mexican Communications and Transport Ministry (SCT). Several seizures of components to manufacture illegal synthetic drugs have occurred in Mexico in the past years.
Mexican Cartel Hit List Targets Americans
June 19, 2008
U.S. law enforcement officials said that more than a dozen people living in New Mexico and Texas are named in what appears to be a hit list from a Mexican drug cartel. At least one police officer from southern New Mexico is among the 15 to 20 people named in the threat. The list, thought to be a threat from one of Mexico's powerful and warring drug cartels, was provided to local authorities by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials.
Analysts: Ex-Rivals' Merge To Form "Megacartel"; Brutality In Mexico Intensifies
June 17, 2008
According to U.S. officials and analysts, three powerful wings of once rival trafficking groups fused into a "megacartel," unleashing an unprecedented blood bath. Hit men for the paramilitary Zetas based along the Mexico-Texas border appear to have cut a deal with both the Beltran Leyva family in the northern state of Sinaloa and Vicente Carrillo Fuentes in Ciudad Juarez, in the state of Chihuahua, to work as paid mercenaries. Calderon recently said the reorganization of the narco alliances is a result of government success in disrupting their operations.
More Than 1,500 Complaints Pending Against Police Officers
June 17, 2008
Authorities are reviewing 1,517 alleged abuses and acts of corruption by federal police engaged in a nationwide offensive against drug cartels. The Public Function Ministry (SFP) is currently investigating charges of lack of honesty, abuse of authority, negligence, irregularities detected via audits and by omission or late presentation of financial disclosure statements. Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) said it had received 239 complaints against police officers in the last 14 months.
Tijuana Drug Cartel Members Nabbed During Raid At Children's Party
June 22, 2008
Soldiers captured at least 10 suspected members of the Tijuana drug cartel in a raid on a child's baptism party in Tijuana, in the state of Baja California. A total of 61 people were arrested in the sweep, including the band hired to play the party and 3 city police officers. Authorities had been tracking the movements of suspected members of the Arellano Felix drug cartel for days and acted at a moment when they were vulnerable.
Stampede At Night Club During Police Raid Leaves 12 Dead
June 21, 2008
Panicked youths rushed for the exits during a police raid on a Mexico City (DF) nightclub, leaving at least 12 people dead in the crush of bodies and due to asphyxia. DF's Public Security Minister Joel Ortega said three police officers and nine youths, at least three of them minors, were killed. At least 13 others were injured. Police went to the News Divine club in the early evening to check reports of drugs and alcohol being sold to minors. DF Mayor Marcelo Ebrard expressed outrage on the case and said the officials involved in the police raid have been fired. DF's Human Rights Commission cited evidence that police blocked the exit at the nightclub.
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Health & Science
Activists Say AIDS Drugs Far Too Expensive In Mexico
June 17, 2008
Some 60 non governmental organizations said that anti retroviral drugs for the treatment of AIDS cost up to 30 times more in Mexico than they do in other countries with comparable per capita incomes. The organizations, which formed a coalition to seek universal access to the drugs, sent an open letter to Health Minister Jose Angel Villalobos in which they criticized the high prices set by the pharmaceutical industry. The coalition demanded that the government declare a national HIV/AIDS emergency; a move, according to the signatories which include organizations like AIDS Healthcare Foundation and notables such as writer Carlos Monsivais, would make it possible to save the lives of nearly 180,000 Mexicans.
Mexican Population Threatened By Diabetes; Market Potential Increases
June 19, 2008
A recently published study said that there are more than 10 million diabetics in Mexico, from which only 20% are following a correct treatment. Population growth and aging are two of the factors that keep the spread of the disease increasing and also the potential for the diabetes market. New brands and products have already been introduced into the market so far, splitting the diabetes therapy business into three segments: insulin, antidiabetes drugs and self-monitoring accessories.
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Sports
Mexico Defeats Belize 7-0 In World Cup Qualifying, Advances To The Next Round
June 22, 2008
Fernando Arce and Jared Borgetti each scored twice to help Mexico cruise to a 7-0 World Cup qualifying win over Belize in the final match before Sven Goran Eriksson officially takes charge. The result eased Mexico into the first group stage of qualifying for the CONCACAF region by an aggregate victory of 9-0 following last Sunday's 2-0 win in the first leg played in Houston. Arsenal striker Carlos Vela opened the scoring for Mexico in the eighth minute.
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Arts & Culture
Mexico Recovers Pre-Columbian Artifacts Seized In The U.S. And Canada
June 21, 2008
Mexico recovered more than 900 pre-Columbian artifacts seized from smugglers in the U.S. and Canada, including 800-year-old fiber sandals, spears and hunting bows looted from nomadic caves. The artifacts were seized over seven years by customs agents in Texas, Arizona and Toronto. The National Anthropology Institute (INAH) said it took several years to recover the objects because of the bureaucracy involved in identifying them and proving they came from Mexico. The 929 artifacts include anthropomorphic figurines, miniature bowls, sculptures and clay jewelry from northern, central and western Mexico.
Mexico Pays Homage To Harold Lloyd
June 19, 2008
Mexico's National Movie Theater Cineteca Nacional paid homage to U.S. film actor and producer Harold Lloyd, one of the most popular and influential film comedians of the silent film era. Lloyd's granddaughter Suzanne has recovered 85 of Lloyd's works through the Harold Lloyd Trust, and played 10 of his movies at Cineteca Nacional.
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