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Mexico

US once again threatening Mexico with military strikes
Mexico, USA

US once again threatening Mexico with military strikes

Posted by: John Phoenix It’s been barely a week since Pete Hegseth became the new Defense Secretary, but he’s already threatening other countries. On January 31, he said that “all options are on the table” when it comes to drug cartels in Mexico. Hegseth insists that “nothing is out of the question if we’re dealing with what are designated to be foreign terrorist organizations who are specifically targeting Americans on our border”. One of US President Donald Trump’s early promises during his election campaign was to designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations. Once he took office nearly two weeks ago, one of his first executive orders was to do exactly that. It reads that “the cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the Western...
Will Mexico be blackmailed in order to destroy Cuba with blackouts?
Mexico

Will Mexico be blackmailed in order to destroy Cuba with blackouts?

Posted by: John Phoenix By José Manzaneda, Co-ordinator of Cubainformación Over the last few years Mexico has come to the aid of the Cuban people on several occasions.  A month ago it sent 400,000 barrels of oil to alleviate the acute crisis of electricity supply on the island. Investments In no time political and media pressure from the establishment was brought to bear.  An editorial in the daily newspaper, the Wall Street Journal, which has the largest circulation in the US, condemned this provision of oil to Cuba and launched a clear threat that this was “another reason why businesses are dubious about Mexico being a good place to invest”.  The major Mexican media, all controlled by the right wing, disseminate these tidings of business panic say...
Are People in China Now Substantially Richer Than People in Mexico?
China, Mexico

Are People in China Now Substantially Richer Than People in Mexico?

BY DEAN BAKER Photograph Source: Esparta Palma – CC BY 2.0 That would be the implication of a claim about China’s population reported in Peter Coy’s NYT column. Coy cites the views of Yi Fuxian, an expert on China’s demography. According to Yi, China’s published statistics overstate birthrates and population. Yi puts China’s current population at 1.28 billion, almost 10.0 percent less than the official figure of 1.41 billion. If Yi is correct about China’s population, and China’s GDP has been measured accurately, then it would mean that its per capita GDP would be roughly 10.0 percent higher than current estimates. The I.M.F. puts China’s per capita for 2023 GDP at $19,073 in international dollars. That is a bit less than Mexico’s figure of $19,430. But...
Zapatistas Versus the “Neoliberal War Against Humanity”
Mexico

Zapatistas Versus the “Neoliberal War Against Humanity”

BY EVE OTTENBERG Photograph Source: (Jose Villa) at VillaPhotography – CC BY-SA 3.0 The Zapatista revolution has survived in Chiapas, southern Mexico, since 1914, and that is a miracle. Zapatistas endured the assaults of government paramilitaries, the betrayals of Mexican presidents and crushing poverty. “They don’t care that we have nothing,” the Zapatistas said of Mexico’s elite at the start of their first uprising, “absolutely nothing, not even a roof over our heads, no land, no work, no healthcare, no food, no education, not the right to freely and democratically elect our political representatives nor independence from foreigners.” This specter of destitution loomed over the Zapatistas, and indeed millions of indigenous people because of NAFTA. After a 12-day war ag...
‘Mexico Is Not a US Colony!’: AMLO Condemns Invasion Threats, Celebrates Nationalization of Oil and Lithium
Mexico, USA

‘Mexico Is Not a US Colony!’: AMLO Condemns Invasion Threats, Celebrates Nationalization of Oil and Lithium

‘Mexico Is Not a US Colony!’: AMLO Condemns Invasion Threats, Celebrates Nationalization of Oil and Lithium Mexico’s leftist President AMLO condemned “hypocritical” Republicans who want the US military to invade, declaring “Mexico is an independent and free country, not a US colony or protectorate!” In a massive rally, López Obrador also celebrated the expropriation of oil and lithium, condemning exploitative foreign corporations. President Joe Biden has a one-on-one private meeting with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Monday, January 9, 2023, overlooking the balcony at the National Palace in Mexico City. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz) By Ben Norton / Geopolitical Economy Report Mexico’s leftist President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) org...
Fentanyl is American problem – Mexican president
Mexico, USA

Fentanyl is American problem – Mexican president

Andres Manuel Lopes Obrador has told Washington to deal with its own “problem of social decay” instead of blaming drug labs in his country ©  Getty Images / Manuel Velasquez The fentanyl crisis claiming tens of thousands of American lives every year is of the US’ own making, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopes Obrador, known as AMLO, said in a statement on Thursday.  “Here, we do not produce fentanyl, and we do not have consumption of fentanyl,” AMLO continued, advising Americans to “take care of their problem of social decay” instead of waging literal war on drug cartels.  The Mexican leader argued the addiction epidemic north of the border had more to do with social ills like single-parent families, parents who evict grown children, a...
The Militarization of Mexico
Mexico

The Militarization of Mexico

BY LAURA CARLSEN Photograph Source: ProtoplasmaKid – CC BY-SA 4.0 Militarization, now institutionalized in the Constitution and in practice, extended for the next six years and quite possibly forever, is not just the latest bone of contention between political parties. It is an issue that has profound implications for Mexican society, democracy, security, gender equality and human rights. It has to be analyzed within the framework of these considerations, beyond the false and hypocritical positions of the political parties. On September 9, the Senate approved the president’s proposal for the National Guard to move from civilian command (nominally) in the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection, to form part of the Ministry of Defense (SEDENA). SEDENA is now responsib...
NAFTA’s Imposed Poverty Paved the Way for Mexico’s Informal Work Economy
Mexico

NAFTA’s Imposed Poverty Paved the Way for Mexico’s Informal Work Economy

Roughly 60 percent of people employed in Mexico are informal workers with no safety net. By: Tamara Pearson , TRUTHOUT A roaming vendor and street stalls in Cuetzalan, Puebla state. “You don’t think about the future.… There’s no future to think about. Future is arriving home to sleep,” Nemir said. “It’s stressful. Sometimes you feel like you won’t get anywhere. You can’t plan anything. You feel defeated.” Nemir (who requested his last name not be used due to fear of reprisal), worked for years delivering food via apps like Rappi, and now cleans and delivers 20-liter bottles of water. He is part of the majority of workers (at least 60 percent) in Mexico who have informal jobs. That typically means seven-day work weeks and no rights like social security or retirement. ...
Mexico’s Left Takes to the Street, Celebrates Achievements
Mexico

Mexico’s Left Takes to the Street, Celebrates Achievements

BY W. T. WHITNEY Photograph Source: Eneas De Troya – CC BY 2.0 “Sometimes there are revolutions but people keep on thinking the same way. But now we are seeing a peacetime transformation process and there is a change of mentality … I said yesterday that we are winning the battle against racism, classism, discrimination. This is not about material things, not about welfare programs. There’s been a change of mentality”. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) was commenting on events of November 27, which was the fourth anniversary of his taking office. AMLO and his Moreno Party administration had staged a march and then a rally in the Zócalo plaza in Mexico City. They sought to demonstrate the Mexican people’s support for what AMLO calls Mexico’s ...
Zapatistas Versus the “Neoliberal War Against Humanity”
Mexico

Zapatistas Versus the “Neoliberal War Against Humanity”

BY EVE OTTENBERG Photograph Source: (Jose Villa) at VillaPhotography – CC BY-SA 3.0 The Zapatista revolution has survived in Chiapas, southern Mexico, since 1914, and that is a miracle. Zapatistas endured the assaults of government paramilitaries, the betrayals of Mexican presidents and crushing poverty. “They don’t care that we have nothing,” the Zapatistas said of Mexico’s elite at the start of their first uprising, “absolutely nothing, not even a roof over our heads, no land, no work, no healthcare, no food, no education, not the right to freely and democratically elect our political representatives nor independence from foreigners.” This specter of destitution loomed over the Zapatistas, and indeed millions of indigenous people because of NAFTA. After a 12-day war ag...