MEXICO REVIEW

Urban Roots

A Celebration of Mexico, Past and Present

www.mexico-review.com special edition February 12, 2012 Mexico City Vol. 01 No. 03 32 pages

Women in Politics Moving Toward Gender Equality

0018920360242

Mexicans Abroad How They’re Changing European Soccer

Public and Private Nine Working Together To Build Mexico

PEOPLE : POLITICS : CULTURE : TRAVEL.

FROM MEXICO.

Urban Roots Is Mexico City Like A Giant PLant?

IN ENGLISH.

CONTENTS

Mexico Review February 10, 2012 From the Executive Director By ana maría salazar : 2

They Said It

Quotable quotes by, for and about Mexico : 3

Xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx

The current crop of lawmakers has been labeled the “failed generation.” Will the next one be any different?

By FRANCISCO ABUNDIS and ITZEL RAMÍREZ

: Politics : elections : 4

Eliminating ‘Juanitas’

The role of women in Mexican politics is changing.

So are the rules.

By Tom Buckley

: Politics : elections : 8

Shelter in a Storm

The town of Tultepec at the edge of the Mexico City metropolis is a stopover point for U.S.-bound Guatemalan migrants. There’s nothing easy about it.

Photo essay By KEITH DANNEMILLER

: security & justice : migration : 10

Partnering with the Private Sector

Mexico’s ongoing effort to hold on during the global

economic crisis has entered a new phase in 2012. The outlook is complicated, but not hopeless.

By JOSÉ LUIS ROMERO HICKS

: Economy & Finance : INFRASTRUCTURE : 14

Root Causes

Some of Mexico City’s iconic buildings have sprouted roots, thanks to an ambitious public art project by the sculptor Rivelino.

By kelly arthur garrett

: Life & Leisure : art : 18

A Gathering Around the Ruins

At one of Mexico’s most exhilarating archaeological sites, a huge five-day festival will celebrate indigenous culture and attract visitors from around the world.

By mariana H. montero

: Life & Leisure : music : 22

By the Numbers

A miscellany of the mathematics of modern Mexico : 27

European Adventurers

Mexican players are making an impact on soccer worldwide. And it’s not just “Chicharito.”

By tom buckley

: Life & Leisure : sports : 28

Coming Up ...

Major to-do’s in the weeks and months ahead. : Life & Leisure : events : 32

: On the cover The Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City’s premier public fine arts center.

Photography by Tom Buckley/Mexico Review

letter

they said it...

from the executive director

editorial

Oscar McKelligan President

Ana María Salazar

Vice President & Executive Director

Fernando Ortiz Legal Adviser

Tom Buckley

Editor in Chief

Kelly Arthur Garrett Managing Editor

Blake Lalonde

associate Editor

Andrea Sánchez

Editorial Assistant

A n d Yo u L o o k G r e at D o i n g I t “ Yo u g o t o a p l a c e w h e r e t h e y d a n c e t h e D a n z ó n , a n d y o u rea lize that the people a re not there to dr in k or chat . They go there to da nce. K now ing how is a way to obta in status a nd the respect of ever yone a round you . The countr y ha s a lot of problems, but the Da nzón is untouchable. W hatever happens, we won’t stop da nci n g.”

- M ig uel Á n gel Za mud io Abda la , a n ex per t on t he for ma l, elega nt da nce for m that he says is sti l l the most popu la r da nce in Mexico

But Isn’t That Where Diego Rivera is From?

Daniela Graniel

sales

Mexico City has more street protests

Abril de Aguinaco

Cabo Representative

Iker Amaya Álvaro Sánchez

U.S. representatives

Contributors Mariana H. Montero, Eduardo Díaz Rivera Board of Directors Oscar McKelligan Ana María Salazar Yurek McKelligan Fernando Ortiz

“Mexico Review” ES UNA PUBLICACIÓN QUINCENAL PROPIEDAD DE YUMAC S.A. DE C.V. CON OFICINAS EN AVENIDA DURANGO No. 243-7o PISO, COL. ROMA, DEL. CUAUHTÉMOC, C.P. 06700, TEL. 2455-5555 Y (949)6804336 EN CALIFORNIA USA, IMPRESO EN spi SERVICIOS PROFESIONALES DE IMPRESIÓN, S.A. DE C.V., UBICADOS EN MIMOSAS No. 31, COL. SANTA MARíA INSURGENTES, C.P. 06430, DEL. CUAUHTÉMOC, MÉXICO D.F. FECHA DE IMPRESIóN 16 DE DICIEMBRE DEL 2011.

“Mexico Review” INVESTIGA SOBRE LA CALIDAD DE SUS ANUNCIANTES PERO NO SE RESPONSABILIZA CON LAS OFERTAS RELACIONADAS A LOS MISMOS. ATENCIóN A CLIENTES EN ZONA METROPOLITANA 5203-4943.

LOS ARTíCULOS Y EL CONTENIDO EDITORIAL SON RESPONSABILIDAD DE SUS AUTORES Y NO REFLEJA NECESARIAMENTE EL PUNTO DE VISTA DE LA PUBLICACIÓN, NI DE LA EDITORIAL, TODOS LOS DERECHOS ESTAN RESERVADOS. PROHIBIDA LA REPRODUCIóN TOTAL O PARCIAL DE LAS IMAGENES, Y/O TEXTOS SIN AUTORIZACIÓN PREVIA Y POR ESCRITO DEL EDITOR.

2 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

We’ve Noticed That “It’s no coincidence that people say

Cancún Representative

Mexico Review

“Four years ago, the Republican candidates for president were dying to get Latino voters. They promised them things, they fell in love with them, they even tried to pronounce a word or two in Spanish. But now they don’t even try. The love affair is over. ” - Jorge Ramos Ávalos, the Mexican-born Univision news anchor

art director

Verónica Guerra de Alberti

@mexicoReview

Yes,

Maybe It Was Never Meant to Be

“Mexico Review” HAS OFFICES IN MISSION VIEJO, CALIFORNIA 92691 (949) 680-4336 FOR ADVERTISEMENT CALL OR GO TO OUR WEBSITE www.mexico-review.com. THE PUBLICATION WILL START BEING FREE, ONE PER READER OR ONE PER HOUSEHOLD AND WILL DEVELOP INTO SUBSCRIPTIONS. PLEASE ADDRESS ALL CORRESPONDENCE TO “Mexico Review” 26861 TRABUCO ROAD SUITE E217 MISSION VIEJO, CALIFORNIA 92691-3537 USA email subscriptions@ mexico-review.com or letters@mexico-review.com.

PUBLISHED BY-WEEKLY (SUNDAYS) BY YUMAC S.A. de C.V. APPLICATION TO MAIL AT PERIODICALS IS PENDING AT MISSION VIEJO CALIFORNIA. SUBMISSIONS OF ALL KIND ARE WELCOME. ADDRESS THEM TO THE EDITOR AND INCLUDE A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. COPYRIGHT 2011. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. “Mexico Review” TRADEMARK IS PENDING.

The only state that Ratzinger will visit is Guanajuato, which was chosen because it’s the nation’s bastion of Catholic conservatism.

In no other state are the PAN, the Catholic Church and extreme rightwing groups so strong. They will use the papal visit to strengthen themselves politically and influence the presidential elections.”

- Edgar González Ruiz, a philosopher, author and journalist who has written extensively on the Mexican right, expressing a widely held view that the upcoming visit to Mexico of Pope Benedict XVI has political overtones, a view that the Vatican and the Calderón administration deny

Did She Discuss This with Eva Longoria First?

“Today I believe more in ‘El Chapo’ [Guzmán, Mexico’s most-wanted drug lord] than in governments that hide the truth, painful as it may be, who hide the cure for cancer, for AIDS, for their own benefit and enrichment.”

- Mexican actress Kate del Castillo, in an extended Twextra rant that she later insisted was misinterpreted

and occupations of public spaces (some lasting years) than any other city on the planet. No matter how much the collective interest is affected, there is a general fear of imposing order. ” - International conflict resolution consultant Joaquín Villalobos, a former member of El Salvador’s FMLN rebel organization, agreeing with academic journalist and former Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Castañeda that Mexico has an “aversion to conflict”

“M

Perchance to Dream … or Not y life consists of happy insomnia interrupted by a few hours of sleep ... It’s interesting that when authors write about insomnia they talk about an enormous solitude. For me, insomnia is a time of enormous companionship, with a lot of people in a lot of places. ” - Alberto Ruy Sánchez, author of 23 books, including recently “Elogio del insomnio,” an elegy to insomnia

I Today’s Lesson

t’s not just irritating that teachers ... take the day off and fill the streets, affecting hundreds of thousands of people ... It’s also infuriating that they get paid for that day.”

- Veteran columnist and television journalist Sergio Sarmiento, after a march by protesting teachers snarled Mexico City traffic in January

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 3

politics

elections

Out of Sight …

Out of Luck?

Mexicans living abroad have only recently seen some voting rights restored, but full suffrage appears unlikely to be granted soon.

By FRANCISCO ABUNDIS AND ITZEL RAMÍREZ

T

his article only considers federal elections. Current federal electoral law allows for voting from abroad in presidential elections and prohibits absentee voting for federal congressional elections. The surveys omitted considerations regarding state laws, some of which allow for voting from abroad in state and local elections. Michoacán, the Federal District and Morelos are three entities whose constitutions have provisions for voting from abroad.

This article only considers federal elections. Current federal electoral law allows for voting from abroad in presidential elections and prohibits absentee voting for federal congressional elections. The surveys omitted considerations regarding state laws, some of which allow for voting from abroad in state and local elections. Michoacán, the Federal District and Morelos are three entities whose constitutions have provisions for voting from abroad.

Ever since it has been admitted, absentee voting for Mexicans living abroad has received considerable public support.

However, the initiative did not immediately 4 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

find the political consensus necessary to approve the electoral reforms that would have granted that right.

Since 2002, the polling organization Parametría has tracked public opinion with regard to absentee voting rights. This research has allowed us to identify shifting trends that date back 10 years, even before absentee voting was approved and steps were taken to permit Mexicans living abroad to vote.

The right to have access to absentee voting is well known among the general public now, according to our polling data. Eight in 10 Mexicans are aware that voting from abroad is legally authorized for presidential elections. The closer we get to Election Day has seen an increase in this awareness.

From February 2011 to January 2012, there has been a 17-point increase. See Chart 2.

In that same 11-month period, however, we recorded only a slight increase in those who support the right to vote from abroad in presidential elections. This support has only bumped upward 2 percent. Even so, the percentage of those who express support for the right to vote from abroad is considerably higher (76 percent) than those who oppose the right to this type of absentee voting (15 percent). See Chart 3.

Move up higher

The Congress amended the Federal Electoral Code to authorize absentee voting – more specifically, the right of Mexicans living abroad to exercise their suffrage – in presidential elections. The reform declared this absentee voting a constitutional right for Mexican citizens.

Prior to this, when the first versions of the absentee voting bill were in the earliest stages of debate in 2002, Parametría began to conduct public opinion surveys with regard to absentee voting. The first such poll revealed that support for voting from abroad was slightly above 50 percent, while opposition came in at roughly 33 percent.

Our ongoing surveys since then have indicated that support for the measure has exhibited a steady increase, although the sustained upward trend has slowed in recent years. See Chart 4.

The first impression upon examining the data might suggest that support for absentee voting is broadly accepted without reservation, but a closer investigation allows us to see that there is genuine reticence with regard to the concept.

One example of this uncertainty is that support for the right to vote from abroad is in considerable measure restricted to February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 5

politics

elections

presidential elections. In 2004, 44 percent of those surveyed thought the right to vote from abroad should be limited to presidential elections and this way of thinking has risen to 48 percent this year.

However, the surveys do indicate that more people are taking positions on the issue as the percentage of those responding that they don’t have an opinion or declined to answer shrank by 11 percent since 2004.

See Chart 5.

Another aspect of this issue is the right to vote as compared to the right to be voted for. It has been clear from the start that the public finds a clear differentiation between the two and has not expressed the same support for a Mexican citizen living abroad to stand for election. In 2004 (20 percent) and 2005 (29 percent), only 6 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

a small percentage of those polled believed Mexicans should have the right to vote from abroad as well as the right to stand for election despite living abroad. Actually, in the months immediately prior to the enactment of the Absentee Voting reforms in 2005, 26 percent believed Mexicans should have neither the right to vote from abroad nor the right to stand for election while living abroad. See Chart 9.

Public opinion with regard to the right of candidates to campaign abroad has been primarily negative since we’ve been tracking it. Our interpretation of this data suggests that there was general ignorance about how election campaigns might be conducted abroad as well as uncertainty about the impact of the vote of Mexicans abroad. Certainly the generally low regard

that the public holds for political parties also impacted opinion about the potential right of candidates to conduct campaigns abroad. In both 2004 and 2005, more than half of those surveyed said they were against campaigning abroad.

See Chart 7.

By 2011, public opinion against campaigns in foreign countries had only fallen slightly (down to 45 percent) while support for such an initiative had barely risen (35 percent). See Chart 12.

At the same time, Federal Electoral Institute, or IFE, spending to promote absentee voting last year was budgeted at 96 million pesos. (The IFE manages the publicly funded federal elections and is mandated to exercise control over all electionrelated spending.)

This 96 million pesos actually represents barely one-third of what the IFE spent ahead of the 2006 presidential election. One of the reasons that the spending was slashed so dramatically is that so few Mexicans living abroad actually exercised their right to vote absentee. Only 33,131 absentee ballots were cast in the prior presidential election. This despite the fact that the IFE estimated that over 11 million Mexicans of voting age were living abroad. In trying to assess the potential number of voters living abroad, Parametría found that 41 percent of those surveyed last year said they have a family member of voting age (18 or older) living abroad. See Chart 10.

One consideration that might explain the low numbers of absentee ballots in

2006 is that there was broad consensus that absentee ballots would have little impact on the election. In 2005, over onethird of those polled asserted that voters living abroad would have little impact on the outcome of the election. See Chart 6.

Heading into the upcoming presidential election cycle, this opinion has changed somewhat. Although a significant number of respondents say they are not sure of the impact absentee balloting might have, over one-third now believe one party or the other will surely benefit from absentee voting. All our recent polling data indicates that more people believe the former ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) will benefit the most, followed by the National Action Party (PAN) which has won the past two presidential

elections. The leftist opposition Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) is a distant third. See Charts 11 and 8.

In conclusion, our analysis of the past 10 years of polling we have conducted indicate that with the Absentee Voting Law now on the books there is considerably more support for and greater understanding of the rights of Mexican citizens living abroad to participate in elections.

However, the limited participation of absentee voters in 2006 has allowed the issue to fall out of the headlines and become a low priority for the political parties. It is our expectation that this trend will mean that voting rights for Mexicans living abroad – including the right to stand for election – will not be extended any time soon.

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 7

politics

elections

stacked at the bottom of these lists and thus unlikely to have a serious chance of making it into Congress.

‘Shameful’ Resignations

Eliminating ‘Juanitas’

Election tribunal decision aims to ensure respect for gender quota laws ahead of July elections.

By tom buckley • Photos: mexico review

J

osefina Vázquez Mota is vying to become the first female presidential candidate of a major party in Mexico. In the Federal District, two of the three major parties are set to nominate female candidates for City Hall.

For the first time ever, the Attorney General’s Office is headed by a woman, Marisela Morales.

Though these landmarks are positive developments, they come nearly 60 years after women won the right to vote in Mexico (1953) and gender inequality continues to pervade many areas of society. This inequality remains especially pronounced in politics and, unfortunately, some women seem to have willingly played a part in reducing the effort toward gender equality in politics.

Speaking Up

In the 1990s, women’s rights activists in Mexico staged demonstrations in which they issued demands for a gender quota system. They stated plainly that access to the 8 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

political system was a difficult and complicated process that had to be changed.

Their voices were heard before the end of the decade and the Federal Electoral Code now features the following clause in Article 219: “From the total number of registration requests for deputies or senators submitted by political parties or coalitions before the Federal Electoral Institute, at least 40 percent of them must be for candidates of the same gender, aiming for parity.”

It was hoped that this development would translate to a noticeable increase of female legislators in the bicameral federal Congress. This has not been the case. All kinds of chicanery has been used to minimize the presence of female legislators in either house of Congress.

Women have worked hard within Mexico’s political parties, writes Yoloxóchitl Casas Chousal in the August 2011 edition of Americas Quarterly. But their hard work has been repaid by tricks and bending of the rules.

“Women have appeared as substitutes for senators and deputies in party lists for

districts where those parties didn’t have a sufficient base of support,” wrote Casas Chousal. “In other words, women were included in the electoral process, but a confluenceofunfavorablecircumstancesultimately prevented them from entering Congress.”

In many cases, women were simply listed in districts or electoral constituencies that strategists knew would go down in defeat.

A few months ahead of the 2009 federal mid-term elections, federal Deputy Maricela Contreras complained that parties were not adhering to the intent of the law.

“All too often, women only appear on the representational lists instead of getting nominated for direct election districts,” she said. “Men dominate in the party selection process and women never are really given true access to the election process.”

In Mexico, over 200 legislative seats are designated by the overall vote totals that each party receives. Beforehand, the party submits a list of candidates and “winners” are then seated according to their place on the list. Women were often

The 61st Legislature (2009-12) has been termed the most shameful in recent congressional history by supporters of gender equality.

One day after the new session was gaveled to order, eight female legislators handed in resignation letters, each with vague excuses for why they needed to step down.

The women represented the full spectrum of political parties but each had won via direct election. Their resignations were approved and the women stepped aside, each one leaving their legislative seat to a man, their designated substitute.

Writes Casas Chousal: “It turned out that these substitutes were their husbands, brothers, relatives and even political patrons. It came to light that – just in the interest of honoring the gender quota – political parties had included women in their lists but were not actually interested in advancing female political participation or politically beneficial legislation to women, who amount to more than half of Mexico’s population.”

Before the end of the year, five more female legislators had resigned, each one replaced by a man. Activists were outraged and political commentators skewered the parties for making a mockery of the gender equality law. Although there was talk that the electorate had been misled, there was nothing legally to be done.

The women who had taken part in the charade were ridiculed as “Juanitas.” This term was derived from Mexico City borough hall candidate Rafael Acosta who went by the nickname “Jaunito.” Acosta was running for the Iztapalapa borough leadership post in 2009 with the Labor Party while the Party of the Democratic Revolution split over its internal selection process.

Former presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador than made a backroom deal in which Acosta agreed to accept support from the López Obrador faction but in exchange he would resign his seat after winning and hand power over to Clara Brugada, López Obrador’s preferred candidate whohadbeenshutoutbythePRDleadership.

Columnists and commentators decried this “act of voter deception” and the reduction of democracy to puppet politics.

“Juanito” won the election and soon thereafter resigned his seat. At the same time as these shenanigans were taking place in local Mexico City politics, the female legislators in the federal Congress were stepping aside to allow men to take their seats. The press took to calling the women “Juanitas” and the term has been broadly accepted to describe the practice.

Stopping the Charade

María del Carmen Alanís, a judge on the Federal Electoral Tribunal, in 2012 called on the political parties to end the charade, encouraging Congress to revisit the electoral code and prevent these “false candidacies.”

Alanís and other judges on the tribunal concurred that the “Juanitas” had not violated any law but that it was clearly a question of ethics. In October 2011, the Mexico City daily Reforma offered a critical examination of the work done by the men who had replaced the “Juanitas.” Six of the 13 men were among the leaders in most legislative sessions missed and eight of them had missed more than 84 votes each in only 10 months on the job. The study concluded that the replacements had contributed very little to Congress.

That same month during festivities to celebrate the 58th anniversary of women’s suffrage in Mexico, Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Deputy Beatriz Paredes announced she would sponsor a bill to prevent future “Juanitas.”

Instead, the organization Red Mujeres en Plural filed a complaint with the Federal Electoral Tribunal saying that the interpretation of the original gender quota law had been vague and ambiguous to date. The suit said women’s political rights were liable to elimination or restriction by decisions taken by party leadership.

The tribunal issued a ruling on Nov. 30 that female candidates on federal ballots were required to list female substitutes on their official candidate registration forms.

Thus, even if a female lawmaker resigned after winning election, the seat would remain in the hands of a female.

Within short order, the ruling was challenged by men who argued that the decision was discriminatory. The appeal was eventually filed by members of the PRI, an underhanded slap in the face of Paredes who had been the PRI national president only the year before. Another top PRI

lawmaker, Sen. María de los Ángeles Moreno (herself a former party president), criticized the appeal.

On Jan. 18, the tribunal rejected the appeal and declared an end to the “Juanitas.”

Judge Manuel González Oropeza told reporters: “Our ruling is final and legislative substitutes must be of the same gender as the official candidate or legislator in order to put an end to the deceit.”

Activists and female legislators celebrated the decision. The Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) declared that it would redouble efforts to make sure parties complied with the gender quota law. The IFE announced that it had hired a group of seven experts to oversee its efforts with regard to the law.

One aspect of the law the IFE intends to scrutinize is the clause mandating that all political parties must spend at least 2 percent of their budgets on political instruction and tutelage for women.

The parties have just begun formulating their candidate lists for the 2012 federal elections. Observers and analysts will no doubt be eager to assess how each party approaches its responsibility to practice gender equality.

If Mexico can make strides for real gender equality, one would expect that Congress could tackle more favorable reforms and laws for women, even dealing with issues such as interfamily violence, femicide, sexual assault and genuine equality for everyone.

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 9

security &justice

migration

Shelter in a Storm

Migrant refuge is under the gun as local residents demand its closure.

Photos: keith dannemiller

Jorge Guirola, 38, stopped at the Casa San Juan Diego shelter en route from his home in Sosonate, El Salvador, to Los Angeles.

10 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

I

llegal immigration tends to be a hot-button issue in the United States and the quadrennial election cycle under way north of the border guarantees it won’t be too far removed from the headlines. Emigration from Mexico is well documented, from traditional sending communities in Michoacán, Zacatecas and Oaxaca to forced outmigration due to drought, natural disaster and difficult economic times.

But Mexico is also a corridor for migrants from Central America who brave hardships, dearth and criminal elements in hopes of reaching the United States. Their path is well known and well traveled. Freight trains weighed down with these intrepid expatriates travel north from the Guatemala border through Oaxaca and into the State of Mexico. The itinerants then typically make their way to a railroad hub north of Mexico City to continue their journey toward the border.

Here in Lechería, in the State of Mexico municipality of Tultepec, the wayfarers can find a shelter where they can recover from their tribulations, be they hunger and fatigue or muggings.

In 2009, the Casa San Juan Diego was opened to provide refuge to the weary migrants. Once here, they can find food, showers and a mattress to rest up briefly before continuing their journey. For those who decide to end the voyage and return home, the staff at the shelter will help them make arrangements.

The local Catholic diocese actually opened the shelter as a parish hall in 2008 to provide religious services to the faithful in this hardscrabble area.

The railroad tracks run so close by that soon after the shelter opened, migrants began stopping by asking for food and sanctuary.

Though the Casa was refitted to house 50 people, it is not out of the ordinary to see 1,500 migrants pass through in a single week. The plethora of transients has produced conflict with the neighbors and last August local residents staged a protest demanding that the shelter be closed or moved.

Migrants were accused of taking over the streets, begging for money, committing petty crimes, defecating in public places and taking drugs, church officials said.

Within a week, a migrant was murdered, highlighting another aspect of the reality in Lechería. Criminal gangs, sometimes with help from the authorities, kidnap migrants and demand ransoms from their relatives living in the United States. The gangs have accosted and threatened shelter operators, too. According to news reports, two policemen detained a 19-yearold Guatemalan migrant and handed him over to individuals who accused him of assault. He was later found murdered near the shelter.

Staff members at the shelter have received death threats, while human traffickers have staked out the facility, and some have even posed as migrants to gain access, according to an Aug. 22 National Catholic Reporter article.

In December, residents again staged a protest demanding that the shelter be closed. They dismantled four makeshift huts made by migrants by the side of the train tracks nearby the shelter and set fire to some of the migrants’ belongings. Amnesty International stepped in, complaining of a pattern of intimidation and harassment against the shelter.

While controversy continues to swirl around the center, the migrants continue to arrive on their path northward. Their spirit, perseverance and humanity – though perhaps obscured or overlooked by their presence on the margins of society – is still evident despite their hard luck stories and suffering.

Photojournalist Keith Dannemiller takes us inside the Casa Juan Diego shelter and his images provide a substantive glimpse at the people too often overlooked by those engaged in the rancorous debate.

—MEXICO REVIEW

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 11

security &justice

migration

José Luis Portillo, 19, San Miguel, El Salvador (at left): I saw you taking photos of some guys in the patio, and wanted to ask you to take one of me and my wife (Damaris Yarithza Murillo, 22) but was too shy to ask. Then I worked up the courage even though I imagined you probably wouldn’t come back with the photos or we would be gone when you did. I’m glad I did finally talk to you because my wife and I have been living together for nine months now and this is the first photo we have of us together. We didn’t have a wedding so there weren’t any photos from that. In the same way that I am watching over her, I’m going to take care of this photo.

Two Nicaraguan migrants shave beside the railroad tracks behind the shelter.

José Elias Alvarado, 46, Choluteca, Honduras: When I saw you I thought maybe you were doing some kind of documentary to help the shelter. While you were taking the photos, I was watching a movie on television, but also thinking about my journey so far. I left Honduras 15 days ago. I was assaulted by two armed guys near Tenosique, Tabasco, who took all the money I had, about 1,000 pesos ($80). Since I got here to the shelter it’s been good because I have been able to eat and rest. I’ve been here five days now. I think I will probably leave tomorrow along with five friends.

Ivis Osorio, 23, Colón, Honduras (center right, in red shirt and green pants): I was thinking about how alone I am here, and on this journey. I felt good though, when you were taking the photos. I have no idea what is going to happen to me between here and the border. I thought that maybe I was giving you my last look. I want to get back to Texas because that’s where my girl, my newborn son and my Mom are. Nathan is 3 months old. I was deported two months ago when he was only 1 month old. I was working almost every day, even Sundays as a day laborer. I have lived in Texas since I was 11 and I need to get back there. I have an email address and a Facebook page.

Shelter visitors wait in line to use the Skype phone to contact relatives in the United States.

12 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 13

T economy &finance

infrastructure

Within this context, the support for public-private partnerships has helped create finance development models that do not depend on taxpayer funds.

Success Stories Abound

Public-private partnerships (PPP) first won acceptance in the early 1980s in England as a means to improve and expand both infrastructure and private services more efficiently.

Today there is an impressive list of countries that utilize this type of investment scheme. In England, PPP projects encompass 14 percent of public investment, with a majority of these projects found in the field of infrastructure. Success stories can also be found in Spain, Canada and Chile.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development provides a succinct definition of what comprises a public-private partnership: “An agreement between the government and one or more private partners (which may include the operators and the financiers) according to which the private partners deliver the service in such a manner that the service delivery objectives of the government are aligned with the profit objectives of the private partners and where the effectiveness of the alignment depends on a sufficient transfer of risk to the private partners.”

Countries throughout the world are faced with tax, budgetary and public investment resource restrictions. This reality has increased interest in PPPs because they offer collaborative and ample alternatives for the provision of infrastructure and other public services.

his year’s edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, will address practical recommendations for boosting public-private partnerships that support green growth as part of its Climate Change Initiative.

Mexico will be well equipped with the new Public-Private Partnerships’ Law that was enacted by President Felipe Calderón earlier this year.

Besides being a key element for the country’s economic development, infrastructure investment is essential for economic growth primarily because of the jobs created. Infrastructure investment provides an impact that cuts across 30 economic sectors of the national economy.

Yet all too often, governments face a growing demand for public services and infrastructure that overwhelms their budgetary capacities. Typically, the funding requirements go well beyond government capacity to tap into public debt.

Although the Mexican government has continuously increased the amount of resources available for infrastructure development, overall investment levels are only equivalent to 4.6 percent of gross national product (GNP) and have proven to be insufficient to kick-start sustained economic development.

Inaddition,theextentofpublicservicesin Mexicodoesnotapproachuniversalcoverage.

Such services require significant and scarce tax resources but there is no argument that they are essential for the improvement of living conditions across the country.

Infrastructure investments will certainly improve economic performance, mainly through road construction and investment in social areas, such as improving access to public health services.

14 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

Partnering with the Private Sector A new law aims to produce greater incentive for infrastructure development without taxing public resources.

by JOSÉ LUIS ROMERO HICKS

Low-Risk Opportunity

reuters photo

Scarce Resources

As we have explained, public-private partnerships refer to agreements where the public sector can join forces with the private sector to produce infrastructure works and services traditionally provided by the government.

These agreements are seen as very attractive to both private and public parties. They are attractive to the government since private finance in infrastructure does not increase public expenditure nor does it require incurring more public debt. Furthermore, such investments can become a source of public revenue. At the same time, these investments represent a low risk business opportunities for the February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 15

infrastructure

tom buckley / mexico review

economy &finance

private sector in areas previously reserved for public investment.

Under a PPP formula, the private sector is responsible for the design and construction of public infrastructure. The private sector also bears the risks associated with the project; usually of a financial, commercial, technical and operational nature. In exchange, it receives financial benefits for providing the public service through a financial arrangement with the government.

Furthermore, in theory there may or may not be an investment property transfer to the State (this is not true in Mexico’s case).

The public sector is responsible to the public for the quality of provided services and must guarantee its provision under equitable conditions.

The main benefits attributed to PPP agreements can be listed as follows: the capacity to provide a service at a lower cost 16 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

and in less time; the possibility of providing better quality services while also guaranteeing acceptable service levels during long periods of time; better risk project management; and, the capacity to attract technological innovations and provide flexible public services. In some instances, the financial structure can actually attract financial resources at more favorable conditions than if it were carried out entirely as a public project.

Operational Efficiency

The type of projects that are attractive as PPP arrangements range from energy or transport infrastructure to potable water and sewage works as well as irrigation schemes. Health and educational service projects also fit neatly in this category. Other projects that are being funded by PPPs

include public registries, in addition to information and invoice collection especially when it is obvious that the private sector can be more efficient.

Public-private partnerships require political commitment, a stable, strong and reliable institutional framework for private investment and a private sector that is committed to long-term objectives that include providing high-quality infrastructure as well as public services.

In countries throughout the world that have adopted PPPs, the main supporting arguments therein point toward obtaining better operational efficiency and overcoming budgetary restrictions. Better operational efficiency is achieved because the private sector has more quality incentives and more technical capacity for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of capital goods with profit. Also, the requirement that the private sector partner complies with payment schedules creates a motive for faster construction and for better maintenance during the life of the PPP contract.

The argument about budgetary constraints is based on never-ending pressures to reduce public spending to meet fiscal policy objectives while facing infrastructure deficits.

New Legal Framework

The idea of using PPPs in Mexico was first entertained during the early stages of President Vicente Fox’s administration (200006). During his tenure in government, several projects where executed but under a legal framework supported by executive administrative regulations, rather than according to laws on the books.

In November 2009, President Calderón introduced legislation to create the Ley de Asociaciones Público Privadas (Public-Private Partnerships Law) to provide the legal framework for projects that feature the participation of public and private financial resources. Congress approved the bill late last year and Calderó signed it into law on Jan. 15.

Mexico’s PPP Law seeks to provide a new legal framework that will support public and private resources oriented to new infrastructure projects to address the needs of Mexico’s growing population across the country. It also seeks to create jobs and generate economic growth. Debate and lobbying about the initiative underlined the financial relief burden on the budgetary constraints.

Until recently, infrastructure development in Mexico had been carried out exclusively by direct government investment or by government concessions to private companies. Concessions have been most frequently used in an important number of seaports, airports, highways, water treatment plants and railroads.

Key Differences

It is important to note that a PPP arrangementandaconcessionarenotthesamething.

A concession contract typically stipulates that the private operator pays the government for the right to manage a public operation. In contrast, a PPP deal normally establishes that the government pays the private operator for services rendered. Also, in a concession the risks transferred to the public partner are generally higher than under a PPP, due to the fact that in a concession the revenue is derived from directly charging users for the service.

The PPP Law seeks to promote more public services and the development of infrastructure projects under a simple rule: the private sector finances, builds and provides the public service, while the government commits to pay for those services, usually via annual budget outlays.

Oil Sector Excluded

Mexico’s PPP Law will only apply to new projects. This has not been the case in other countries where this scheme has also been used for the improvement of existing infrastructure.

In Mexico, contracts will encompass up to 40 years of private management, after which the infrastructure property and operation will revert to the State. It is important to note that due to constitutional restrictions, oil industry projects have been excluded from the PPP Law. Mexico’s new legal framework covers all projects in need of a long-term contractual relationship between government and private operators, including applied research and/or technological innovation.

Under a PPP deal, the government will assign sufficient budget resources on an annual basis, thus avoiding the necessity of allocating up front the full amount required by each project. In this manner, the fiscal deficit should not be increased.

These schemes are expected to whet the financial sector’s appetite. Since final

payment will be the federal government’s responsibility, the implied low risk will enhance each project’s financial viability.

As such, the financial sector should naturally increase the number of portfolios that feature infrastructure development projects in Mexico.

Encouraging Proposals

A particular advantage in Mexico’s PPP Law is the incentive provided to private companies to design and propose to government unsolicited projects.

Should the government approve a proposal and should the particular company not participate in the tender or not be favored by the process, it will be reimbursed by government for all expenses incurred in the project’s design.

Mexico’s new PPP legal framework’s benefits include: :Incentives to attract state-of-the-art technology, entrepreneurial initiatives, private resources for public projects and better project management :Improved legal certainty, both for private investors and government officials in projects that by nature involve lengthy development processes and long execution periods :Shorter construction periods :Increased promotion of road, train, airport and seaport projects that are The success of PPPs largely depends on a solid institutional framework, welldeveloped procedures to identify, evaluate and tender projects, successful negotiations to ensure an adequate sharing of risks between the public and private sectors and the availability of private financing for projects.

It has long been obvious – and frequently decried – that Mexico urgently requires structural reforms to reach its potential development plateau.

The PPP Law is clearly an important step toward better economic regulation that will serve to attract new private investors who will be eager to commit financial resources for our economic growth. At the end of the day, it is the public at large that will benefit from increased public services and stronger economic growth.

José Luis Romero Hicks is managing partner of

Romero Hicks & Galindo-Abogados, a legal, financial and public policy consulting firm.

‘Better late than never’ That’s what President Calderón said upon signing the PublicPrivate Partnership Act into law on Jan. 15, a bill he introduced 28 months earlier.

“And the best part of all,” he said, “is that everybody wins.”

During the signing ceremony, Calderón said the new law will cement his legacy as the Infrastructure Sexenio.

“Our efforts have produced historic highs in infrastructure investment,” he said. “As a percentage of GDP, public infrastructure spending has reached 5 percent, rising from 3 percent in the year 2000.”

As might be expected, Cabinet officials and agency directors expressed unequivocal support.

Finance Secretary José Antonio Meade rejected the accusations of critics, saying the PPP Law is privatization in disguise.

“The certainty this law establishes allows us to eliminate the onerous 40-year concessions previous governments had been forced to accept in order to carry out much-needed infrastructure projects,” he said.

Meade’s undersecretary, Gerardo Rodríguez Regordosa, told reporters “the PPP Law will reduce project costs across the board by up to 15 percent.”

The private sector applauded the new law too. Mario Sánchez Ruiz, the president of the Business Coordination Council (CCE), said his organization had 240 billion pesos in reserve poised to get involved in PPP projects.

—mexico review February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 17

life& leisure

art The historic plaza of Tlatelolco, home to Mesoamerica’s largest marketplace in pre-Columbian times, holds six of the originally planned 14 sites for the “Raíces” project. Visible here are the Plaza de las Tres Culturas (foreground), site of the 1968 government massacre of protesting students; the ruins of Tlatelolco, a neighbor of Mexico City predecessor Tenochtitlán, but governed separately; the Templo de Santiago (left), dedicated to Tlatelelolco’s patron St. James and first ordered built

by Cortés in the 16th century; and the former Foreign Relations Secretariat building (upper left corner) that now houses the national university’s cultural center and museum, and the impressive Blastein art collection. The photo at the near left is an artist’s rendering of how a root will climb the Monument to the Revolution.

Root Causes

reuters photo

A public art project has temporarily transformed some of Mexico City’s most iconic sites.

By kelly arthur garrett

E

ven long-time wanderers around Mexico City can’t shake the notion that there’s more going on around them than meets the eye.

As you stroll your way through the seductive urban labyrinth, there’s always a feeling, as Rod Serling used to say before episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” that you’re moving through a land of both shadow and substance, and that the fourth dimension, time, is more at work on these streets than elsewhere.

Sculptor José Rivelino Moreno Valle thinks so. That’s why he fabricated 250 18 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

giant plant roots and attached them to a dozen or so iconic structures in the capital.

El Caballito, Manuel Tolsá’s 18th-century statue of a mounted Charles IV of Spain, is now firmly rooted to the surface below by a twisting length of polyurethane, thermoplastics, steel, resin and fiberglass, and will continue to be so through Feb. 29.

Behind it, more such tubing crawls along the pavement toward the National Museum of Art, before climbing up the front wall and disappearing into a balcony in one offshoot, a window in another. To the artist’s credit, the creations are

truly rhizome-like in their yellow-streaked whiteness.

Nearby, a y-shaped root structure positively grips the old Corpus Christi convent. The Franz Mayer Museum is similarly clutched. Couples outside the Palacio de Bellas Artes now have a new place to sit, where the rootstock hugs the ground before looping its way toward and then up the façade.

The combined length of the faux roots is 1.2 kilometers, and we’re asked to imagine that they are but the visible sproutings from a longer underground continuity that

connects several sites in the Tlatelolco area in the northeast part of the city to the Monument to the Revolution just west of the Historic Center.

“Mexico,” says the artist, who goes by Rivelino, “is like a huge plant with thousands of roots that have never stopped growing.”

Whether the vegetable kingdom is the best place to find a metaphor for Mexico City may be open to debate. But Rivelino is surely onto something in paying attention to the roles of connectedness and continuity in understanding the city.

As our veteran wanderer of the streets is aware, the connectedness works horizontally; what’s going on across town is part of what you’re experiencing in the spot where you are. That effect can be subtle, but also as obvious as a protest march along the main boulevard of Paseo de la Reforma clogging traffic on the Río San Joaquin expressway kilometers away. And, of course, our street explorer’s very presence changes the locale he or she is observing, in a sort of urban manifestation of the uncertainty principle.

The continuity works vertically, through time. Rivelino seems to agree with the architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen’s observation that to look at a city is to read “the hopes, aspirations and pride of everyone who built it.” But much of what he says about his “Raíces” project (“raíces” is Spanish for “roots”) is uncomfortably close to a hackneyed call to remember your nation’s history.

With the possible exception of the Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco, the sites he chose for his installations (government, church or high art venues) lean toward official history, and away from people’s history.

“The idea of the project is to connect the most important points in terms of the history of Mexico,” says Rivelino, who was born in the state of Jalisco in 1973. “It narrates a history of Mexico from my particular point of view and through my choice of spaces.”

Indeed, Rivelino’s installation, funded entirely by the private sector, meets all the criteria of a public art project in today’s environment: It’s inoffensive, attention-getting without being aggressive, easy on the eyes, mildly amusing, nationalistic, and charged with just the right amount of accessible significance.

But Rivelino would probably dismiss the dichotomy between official and

people’s history as irrelevant in this context. “There’s not a single place in the center of this city where you can walk without being aware of what Mexicans have done over so many years,” he says. “We have to try to find a way for modern art and the nation’s history to live together.”

Also, “Raíces” does strike a chord. And most people seem to like the way it looks.

They like sitting on the roots where they can, and having their picture taken atop or alongside of one. And the idea of the repositories of the nation’s heritage being connected to a root system over which we all walk, and to which we all contribute, is an appealing one, after all.

“What I’m hoping is that the exposition encourages people to realize that the roots they see connect the sites to countless more roots under the surface,” he says. “Every one holds a story of somebody who experienced sadness and joy, failure and success.”

It’s the city, then, as a living, breathing organism. A city is not something for people to live in, but something made out of the people who live in it, past and present. And, says Rivelino, it’s “Raíces” job to show that.

“What art like this always tries to do is communicate that we human beings aren’t finished yet,” he says. “And neither is the city.”

If nothing else, Rivelino’s effort has given Mexico City residents and visitors an excuse to get out of their cars and routines and explore the sites where the roots are.

The odds of discovery are thus increased.

They certainly were for Rivelino himself.

“In the days that I was assembling the exposition, I realized that for every millimeter you walk in this city there will be thousands of surprises,” he says. “You may think you know this city, you may think you know it pretty well. But you don’t.”

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 19

art The marbled Palacio de Bellas Artes (left), Mexico’s premier public fine arts center, rises at the east end of Alameda Park, the first postConquest public space, which is named for the poplar trees (álamos) that originally took root there. The Bellas Artes infrastructure was so heavy when construction started in 1904 that the ground under it sank noticeably. The Revolution halted work, forced a design change and delayed completion until 1934. Now the venue presents world-class operas and concerts in the main hall, and first-rate but inexpensive recitals in a smaller room, the Sala Manuel Ponce.

On the opposite side of the Alamada Park as the Ex-Convento de Corpus Christi, in the centuries-old Plaza de la Santa Veracruz, the Franz Mayer Museum (right) opened its doors in 1986 on a site where a hospital once existed. One of the few “Raíces” recipients that is not a government building, the museum houses the extensive collection of its founder, a German relocated in Mexico, which includes European as well as Mexican colonial pieces.

Kelly arthur garret / mexico review

Associated press Photos

reuters photo

life& leisure

The building that housed the Communications and Public Works Secretariat (above), built in 1904 during the reign of Porfirio Díaz, became the new home of the National Museum of Art in 1981, and now houses many of the national masterpieces from colonial times through the 20th century, as well as temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists. On the Plaza Tolsá in front of the museum sits Charles IV of Spain on horseback, looking across the street to the equally impressive former headquarters of the Mining Secretariat (not shown, and rootless).

20 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

Named for the revered 19th-century Cuban poet, the José Martí Cultural Center has been a focal point for social activists and the artistically inclined since 1976, with its library, theater, meeting spaces and art galleries. Today the modest building is crunched by its pedestrianunfriendly surroundings, which include the huge Metro Hidalgo station, a new Metrobus stop, and the convergence of several ultra-wide avenues.

Kelly arthur garret / mexico review

Kelly arthur garret / mexico review

The root-gripped façade of an 18th-century convent known as El Convento de Corpus Christi, whose sisters once included a descendant of Moctezuma, sits directly across the monument to 19th century President Benito Juárez at the southern edge of Alameda Park. The area was especially hard hit by the 1985 earthquake, but a long-delayed redevelopment project has now put the old convent façade in the shadow of two skyscrapers, one of which is the new home of the Foreign Relations Secretariat.

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 21

life& leisure

music

A Gathering Around the Ruins The five-day Cumbre Tajín festival will give us Caifanes, Café Tacvba, Bjork and a lot more top-notch acts. But it’s about more than music.

BY MARIANA H. MONTERO

The Tajín Vive nighttime extravaganza at the El Tajín pyramid (facing page) is a highlight of the Cumbre Tajín festival, organized by Salomón Bazbaz (inset), which takes place March 17-21 at the site in the state of Veracruz. The musical acts, including the re-united Caifanes, who date back to the 1980s before rock en español was cool, will perform in a nearby cultural park.

O

n the lower slopes of the Papanteca mountains in northern Veracruz, between the cities of Tuxpan and Xalapa, lies an area called the Totonacapan, after the Totonaca culture rooted there since the 13th century.

The cultural center here, past and present, is the town of Papantla. It is in Papantla where the traditional “voladores” ritual, in which flyers with ropes around their ankles descend from a frighteningly tall pole in a wide arc, is most firmly established.

UNESCO has declared the ceremony an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Nearby rise the ruins of El Tajín, built by the Totonacas’ predecessors, who dominated the area from the 9th to the 13th 22 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

centuries. Relatively well preserved, El Tajín looks and feels like no other pre-Columbian site in Mesoamerica. Elaborate carving and the famous niched pyramid give the place its own aesthetic, and seem to make it easier for visitors to connect to the place on a spiritual level.

Even so, and despite its 1992 UNESCO designation as a World Heritage Site, El Tajín was not one of Mexico’s more popular archaeological sites through the end of the 20th century. Unlike Teotihuacan, it wasn’t near the capital. And unlike Uxmal or Tulum or Monte Albán, it wasn’t part of an established tourist corridor. It ranked 17th among sites visited.

Things began to turn around in 2000 when Salomón Bazbaz, who had worked with Peter Gabriel on the World of Music, Arts and Dance festivals, organized the first

Cumbre Tajín in the Totonacapan. “Cumbre” means “summit,” but it wasn’t the kind with heads of state or finance ministers. It was a celebration of indigenous identity, and identity in general, through art, food, music, dance, traditional medicine and beliefs.

“We decided to do it because there was nothing like it in Mexico,” Bazbaz told me recently. “It was all new to us, a festival that combined cultural activities with the option of camping.”

That first Cumbre Tajín was supposed to be a one-off affair. But the 13th edition will take place March 17-21 this year: That longevity is in itself is a testimony to the success of the event, and its unique mission among festivals.

Aware of that, Bazbaz recalled a comment made about the Cumbre by Juan February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 23

life& leisure

music

Simbrón, one of the elders, or “tatas,” he’s worked with: “It’s as if we planted a seed that all of a sudden developed into a healthy fruit tree and today has become forest.”

More than 5,000 local and international artists will attend the event, hosted by the Totonaca community and taking place in the main square of Papantla, the El Tajín site, and a nearby 17-acre park called Takilhsukut, where most of the shows, ceremonies, workshops and “gastronomic experiences” will take place. You can think of this part as a sort of pre-Hispanic amusement park filled with mystical magical vibes and a lot of color.

At the same time, the Cumbre Tajín enourages loftier pursuits. It has aligned itself with UNESCO and that United Nations body’s 2012 priorities, so many of the activities will touch upon sustainable energy and water conservation, as well as indigenous cultures; special invitees include representatives of Maya, Huichol and Mapuche (from southern Chile) cultures.

As much a spiritually oriented gathering as anything else, this 13th annual Cumbre Tajín is playing up the symbolism of the No. 13 in Totonaca and most other Mesoamerican traditional world views: There are, for example, 13 females weavers of human destiny, the moon revolves around the earth 13 times in a year, and each season lasts 13 weeks.

In addition to the 5,000 artists, there will be 5,000 activities, the organizers say.

A partial list: Arts and crafts workshops

for kids, sports, puppets, dancing, traditional food, traditional medicine, purification rites performed by shamans or curande-ros, massages of all kinds, meditation sessions, temascales (the traditional Mexican sweat lodge experiences), yoga classes and meditation sessions.

At night, the ruins themselves come to life, in a multi-sensory event appropriately called Tajín Vive. Laser-lit and accompanied by music, the ceremonies and rituals are recreated on site. It’s an experience that goes to the heart and soul of what Cumbre Tajìn is all about.

And then there’s the music.

The Cumbre is clearly more than a music festival, but it’s also clear that the music is the main draw. The acts range from local traditional and folk music artists to international stars, and the line-up has included in recent years Miguel Bosé, Señor Coconut, Natalia Lafourcade, Fobia, Paté de Fuá, La Mala Rodriguez, Rubén Blades, Intocable and Cartel de Santa.

This time around, the musical menu is especially strong. Caifanes and Café Tacvba, the two titans of Mexican rock ’n’ roll, will take the stage, though not on the same night. There’s Instituto Mexicano del Sonido, the danceable electronic DJ act that will also be performing at the Vive Latino festival in Mexico City a few days later. Also from Mexico, there’s the pop star Benny, the classic tropical group Los Joao, and the local reggae band Los Aguas Aguas. There’s the Baseballs, the

Mexican band that plays rockabilly versions of songs from popular singers like Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. And there’s Los Daniels, true rockers.

The international contingent is led by Bjork, the Icelandic interpreter of many genres, and the Irish rocker/polemicist Sinead O’Connor. Both will play on the final night, in time for the spring equinox.

Also appearing will be the Cuban salsa star Willy Chirino, the petite orchestra from Oregon, Pink Martini, and Grammy nominee Janelle Monae, who has opened for Bruno Mars as well as Eryka Badu, and is booked in festivals all around the world.

That’s an impressive line-up by any measure, and producer Brenda Tubilla, who put it together, was understandably pleased. “We kind of had a wish list and it came true,” she said.

It wasn’t always easy. Booking Caifanes took a lot of time, she said. Bjork, on the other hand, turned out to be an easy catch. “She didn´t know what Tajín was about but she agreed right away,” Tubilla said. “We could meet her production requirements quite easily. We’re on a par with any festival worldwide.”

Musicians who have played in venues all over the world agree that Tajín has a special pull. “It’s one thing to play in a club or stadium where the fans know all your songs and bought a ticket to watch only you,” said songwriter/guitarist/producer Paco Huidobro (Fobia, Los Odio), who has played Tajín. “It’s something else to play

“Björk

didn´t know what Tajín was about but she agreed right away.”

Los Cojolites come out of Veracruz’s fast-strumming, syncopated son jarocho tradition, interpreting traditional song but also writing some of their own material. Their new album, “Sembrando flores” (“Planting Flowers”), was produced by Greg Landau, a multi-Grammy nominee who has worked with Los Lobos. Cojolitos will play on the Sunday night Cumbre Tajín bill, headlined by Willy Chirino.

Despite recent health problems, Irish singer Sinéad O’Connor is scheduled to share billing with Björk (above) on the final night of the festival, the spring equinox of Mar. 21.

24 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 25

life& leisure

music

26

Predicted percentage of gross domestic product growth for Canada and the United States combined in 2012, according to ScotiaBank, as cited in the magazine Nexos

2.9

Predicted percentage of Mexican GDP growth in 2012, per ScotiaBank

1

The ranking of automobile accidents as the cause of death of Mexican adolescents Complementing Café Tacvba and Caifanes, a younger generation of Mexican rockers will be represented at Cumbre Tajín by Los Daniels. Formed in 2007 and veterans of Vive Latino, the other giant multi-day music festival in Mexico, they will share the bill with Caifanes, Pila Seca, División Minúscula and Sonidero Meztizo.

where you see all different kinds of people.

You can see the lady who’s making tortillas. A lot of kids are seeing a rock concert for the first time in their lives. There are foreigners who are hearing your music for the first time, but they’re still dancing to it.

The crowd is definitely part of the show.”

Los Daniels, on the other hand, will be making their first Cumbre Tajín appearance, and they’re looking forward to the experience. “Unlike festivals like ‘Música para los dioses,’ which is held at Teotihuacán but really has nothing to do with indigenous culture, here you can be in touch with the local traditions,” bassist Poncho (Carlos Alfonso Díaz) told me.

“Also, sharing a line-up with Caifanes is really important. A lot of our music is inspired by theirs, so it’s a bid deal for us.”

Not surprisingly, there was some suspicion on the part of the Totonaca community back in 2000 about the idea of a huge festival organized by outsiders. But that was then. The festival’s subsequent success has been a boon to the community, both culturally and economically. Cumbre Tajín attacts hundreds of thousands of visitors, filling up hotels for miles around (not everybody camps) and otherwise pouring pesos into the local economies.

It’s also helped put the El Tajín site more firmly on the tourism map. The number of visitors has almost quintupled since 1999, the year before the first Cumbre Tajín. It is now Mexico’s fifth most-visited archaeological site.

26 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

And the festival is no longer put together by outsiders. “The idea went from a global one to a local one, and then after some years became a local idea that grew into a global one,” is how Bazbaz put it to me, and then explained, “At first there 95 percent of the people working on the project were from other parts of the country. Today 95 percent of the festival organizers and workers are from the Totonacapan.”

Now organized locally, the summit is thinking even more globally – not just in theme but in attendance as well. In 2000, you may have seen a few American tourists and a European or two. Today the crowd is much more international, attracting visitors from Asia, Australia, Europe and across the Americas. The festival’s web site (www.cumbretajin.com) reports visitors from more than 80 countries.

As the festival has grown, the people of the Totonacan, indigenous or not, have become part of what might be considered the Cumbre Tajín family. “There’s a virtuous cycle that’s developed over the years,” said Bazbaz, who works with the Totonacan community year-round. “After the festival is over, we seek scholarships for the workers. We built a center for the indigenous arts where more than 1,000 people are employed. We succeeded in getting the Papantla voladores named to World Heritage status. It’s a year-round cultural regeneration program, and it benefits everybody.”

The tangible benefits are many. Salomón mentioned books and videos created,

voladores schools established around the world, elders councils organized, and community workshops set up where women craft and sell pieces, some of which are on exhibit at the British Museum.

Recipients of the scholarships Bazbaz mentioned include voladores. As a result, some of them are pursuing careers as architects, teachers or lawyers when they’re not dangling from a rope at a great height.

“It’s important that the indigenous community grows at the same pace as the rest of Mexican society,” Bazbaz said. “Cumbre Tajín demonstrates to all governments that they should invest more in cultural projects and that these should come at the beginning not at the end on their investment projects” adds Bazbaz.

Toward the end of our conversation I wondered what Salomón Bazbaz might tell himself if he could talk to that younger organizer trying to make the first Cumbre Tajín happen 13 years ago. He had a response: “I would tell him thank you for sticking up for your idea, for being a visionary, because working with the indigenous people and their culture is my greatest satisfaction.”

Mariana H. Montero hosts “Música en Imagen” Monday through Friday from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Radio Imagen. She also talks in English about popular music in Mexico on “Living in Mexico,” an English-language radio program hosted

by Ana María Salazar that airs on Saturdays at 7 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. on Radio Imagen.

For more information on Radio Imagen, check out the Mexico Review web site at www.mexicoreview.com.

50

Percentage of those adolescent accident victims under the influence of alcohol or other drugs, according to the National Council Against Addictions (Conadic)

4

Percentage increase in tourism trips within Mexico made by Mexican residents in 2011 over 2010

18

Minimum age for legally purchasing alcohol across Mexico

21

Minimum age for legally purchasing alcohol across Mexico if legislation backed by the Health Secretariat becomes law

By the Numbers

57,782

Number of Volkswagen Jetta Classics sold in Mexico in 2011, a 39.7 percent increase over 2010, moving the model to the top spot in Mexican auto sales

55,741

Number of Nissan Tsurus sold in Mexico in 2011, an 8.8 percent decrease that cost the Tsuru its long-held position as leader

995,754

Number of Facebook friends of Social Development Secretary Heriberto Félix Guerra as of Jan. 12, 2012, according to Famecount, the social media statistics service.

That makes him the highestranking “friender” among Mexican politicians, although it is thought thatformerStateofMexicogovernor and presumed PRI presidential candidate Enrique Peña Nieto has 1.3 million Facebook friends, but not confirmed by Famecount

24

million Estimated number of nochebuena plants sold in Mexico in 2011, a 100 percent increase.

0.49

Mexico’s Gini coefficient, which measures a nation’s economic inequality based on pre-tax income only, with 0 representing a perfectly equal society and 1.0 a perfectly unequal one

0.49

The Gini coefficient for the United States

0.47

The Gini coefficient for Mexico after taxation and wealth transfers from social programs are factored in. The almost insignificant drop means Mexico’s tax policy and social programs have no equalizing effect, according to the academic journalist and former Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Castañeda.

0.38

11.7

U.S. Gini coefficient after taxes and wealth transfers are factored in

12

The unemployment rate as a percentage expected by CNN Expansión for Mexico in 2012, as cited in the magazine Nexos

million Number of Mexican citizens living in the United States as of 2010, according to the Pew Hispanic Center

million Number of nochebuena plants, also known as Poinsettias, sold in Mexico in 2006, mostly during December

5.0 8.7

The unemployment rate as a percentage predicted by Moody’s for the United States in 2012

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 27

life& leisure

sports

At left, “Chicharito” exults in Old Trafford while, at right, Giovani dos Santos celebrates after scoring against Shamrock Rovers in a Europa League match.

European Adventurers

Mexico’s prospects for the 2014 World Cup likely depend on its contingent of players on the Continent.

By Tom Buckley • Photos: mexico review

M

exico’s route to Brazil 2014 goes through Europe. Although the path across England appears rockier than expected, roads leading out from Spain, Germany and France appear well paved.

El Tri’s performance in World Cup qualifiers and its anticipated participation in Brazil will in large part depend on how well its European emigrants play.

With 10 players presently on European rosters, coach José Manuel “Chepo” de la Torre should be confident that he will have a reliable core for his roster.

Offensive heroics have not been frequently on display by Mexico’s “Europeans” but it can be argued that production 28 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

during the current 2011-12 season is not as critical as the subsequent two seasons will be in determining who secures a spot on the World Cup roster.

“Chepo” can be expected to experiment a bit this year, especially in friendlies leading up to the opening set of qualifiers this summer. Mexico is a heavy favorite to emerge from its qualifying group and a schedule that opens with home-andhome series against Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guyana. Eyebrows will be raised if El Tri is not in first place when the Group B tournament ends on Oct. 16.

As such, there should not be too much pressure on European-based players to excel on the international stage this year.

The exports won’t be fighting for roster spots though they’ll eventually be looking to demonstrate that they deserve a spot in the starting 11 when they take the pitch wearing the green jersey.

Defense Takes Front Seat

It’s fortunate that “Chepo” isn’t desperate for answers in attack because offensive exploits have been in short supply from Mexicans abroad.

Team Mexico’s most popular export – striker Javier “Chicharito” Hernández – has struggled with fitness issues but he has still managed to score at an effective rate. Unfortunately, Chicharito’s main

competition at Manchester United – British youngster Danny Welbeck – had been in fine form, keeping Hernández pinned to the bench of late.

Forward Giovani dos Santos has not impressed his coach at Tottenham – Harry Redknapp – and he is expected to be sent out on loan for the remainder of the season. Although it would be preferable for dos Santos to establish some continuity and find some playing time for his London club, getting on the field is more important.

Underachieving striker Carlos Vela is on loan from Arsenal but has not excelled in Spain at Real Sociedad, battling to overcome a recurring knee injury. Winger Pablo Barrera is on the bench in Zaragoza (on loan from West Ham United), sliding out of favor since former Team Mexico coach Javier Aguirre was fired in late December.

El Tri’s top producer in Europe is winger Andrés Guardado, playing and scoring for Deportivo la Coruña in Spain’s Segunda División. He is expected to attract interest from top-flight clubs after the season.

On the defensive side of the ball, El Tri appears strong with Héctor Moreno and Francisco “Maza” Rodríguez carving out starting spots in central defense in demanding leagues. In the Corsican town of Ajaccio, Guillermo Ochoa is stating his case for El Tri’s starting goalie position.

Breaking Down?

“Chicharito” Hernández enjoyed a breakout campaign last season at Man U, scoring 20 goals in all competitions to tie Luis García (1991-92) for most goals by a Mexican in their first season abroad.

He saw action in 45 games, winning the starting spot alongside Wayne Rooney as the Red Devils won the Premier League title and advanced to the final of the European Champions League. Hernández played all 90 minutes of the final in Wembley Stadium but was ineffective as Barcelona claimed the trophy with a 3-1 triumph.

This season, “Chicharito” seemed poised to establish himself as a top striker but instead has been nicked by injuries such that he has not been able to claim regular minutes on the pitch.

Hernández suffered a concussion in the preseason but scored a double when he returned to the starting line-up on Sept.

10. A week later, a brutal tackle by Ashley Cole had him on injury row. “Chicharito” returned a week earlier than anticipated from the ankle knock but was hurt again on Sept. 24 in a nasty looking collision with Stoke City goalie Asmir Begovic. He made a splashy return as a sub in early October, scoring his club’s equalizer at Liverpool in minute 81. “Chicharito” scored the winner in Man U’s 1-0 win over Everton on Oct. 29 and was the lone scorer in United’s 1-0 win over Swansea on Nov. 19.

On Dec. 3, Hernández suffered a badly sprained ankle in a freak incident away from the ball (he turned his ankle as he tried to accelerate into space behind the defense) and he was laid up for a month.

Since then, Danny Welbeck has teamed up with Rooney and coach Alex Ferguson seems content to let Hernández come in off the bench.

“Chicharito” might be forced to look to the Europa League schedule in hopes of seeing the field regularly since Welbeck has repaid Ferguson’s confidence with

strong showings. The 21-year-old British striker further cemented his starting spot by scoring the game winner at Arsenal on Jan. 22.

So far this season, Hernández has 6 goals in 13 Premier League games after recording 13 goals in 27 Premier League games last season. He remains a fan favorite and the Manchester United website describes him in glowing terms: An out-and-out striker, “Chicharito” is quick, two-footed and strong in the air, qualities that have seen him likened to Reds legend Ole Gunnar.

Since the Red Devils continue to compete in three tournaments (Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League), there should be plenty of opportunity for Hernández to hit his stride in the coming months.

Lost in London

Giovani dos Santos just can’t seem to live up to the expectations that were created after he led Team Mexico to the Under-17 World Cup title in 2005 with flashy ball skills and elusiveness.

His performance helped him earn a spot on Barcelona’s senior team as an 18 year old and he tallied 4 goals and 7 assists in 2007-08, playing beside the then-20 year old Lionel Messi. The two had grown up together at the famous La Masía soccer academy that has laid the foundation for Barcelona’s recent dominance.

Unfortunately, dos Santos also earned a reputation for not being very dedicated and he began making headlines for his nighttime prowling rather than his play on the pitch. Barcelona sold the February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 29

life& leisure

sports

playmaker to Tottenham for 6 million euros in the summer of 2008, but dos Santos simply has not fit in.

Tottenham coach Harry Redknapp frequently cites dos Santos for lacking discipline and playing time is hard to come by. Gio has scored 2 goals in 10 games, primarily in the League Cup and the Europa League.

Nick Rosano of goal.com expects dos Santos to go out on loan: “Though a loan to Racing Santander proved promising in the first half of 2011, dos Santos now finds himself looking at the possibility of joining a sixth club with just under five years of professional soccer under his belt. Not that he’s looked bad when he’s played this year. He’s put in some good performances in his limited time, grant-

into shape at Real Sociedad and striker Nery Castillo reminds us he was once on the Team Mexico roster.

Guardado got off to a bad start before the season when he made noise about his reluctance to play in the Segunda División because his club, Deportivo de la Coruña, was relegated after last season. He sought a transfer to a La Liga club but that only earned him the enmity of hard-core Deportivo fans who called him a traitor and a backstabber.

Once the season started, however, “El Principito” quickly silenced his detractors and has become the top goal scorer for Depor. Guardado has 8 goals and 4 assists in 17 games as Depor sits atop the Segunda División table poised for a quick return to La Liga.

with knee and ankle problems the past two years) he won’t be suiting up for “Chepo” any time soon.

Castillo has re-emerged after three years in limbo. Once the source of a fierce war among Uruguay, Greece and Mexico who each sought to convince him to play for their national team, Castillo – then only 22 – chose Mexico in 2007.

Castillo basically flopped and saw his club career nearly tank as well, thanks to his perceived arrogance and selfishness. A star at Olympiakos as a teenager, Castillo signed with Ukraine’s Shakhtar Donetsk in 2008 and almost disappeared. The skilled striker was injured frequently and also failed to adapt to the cold weather. A loan to Manchester City in 2009 proved unsuccessful and Castillo played anonymously

Andrés Guardado, left, has been productive at Deportivo la Coruña this season; Javier Aguirre talks to Efraín Juárez in November. Both men have since been dismissed by Zaragoza.

ed, against opposition like fourth-division Cheltenham Town and Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers. But between his limited time with Spurs, his showings with the national team and his time in Spain, it is obvious he has the talent to compete at the top level.”

“Chepo” undoubtedly hopes Gio will rededicate himself to his craft because match fitness will be critical ahead of this summer’s qualifiers. Dos Santos showed he can be a key contributor at last year’s Gold Cup and his spectacular goal in the final against Team USA was declared one of the 10 Best Goals of 2011 by FIFA. Finding the Net

Winger Andrés Guardado has been Mexico’s top scorer in Europe, while former U-17 starlet Carlos Vela fights his way back 30 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012

Despite the prospects of promotion to the top Spanish league, the Spanish press believes Guardado will join Valencia on a free transfer in the summer.

Vela signed with Arsenal after teaming with Gio to bring home the U-17 trophy in 2005 but he has never lived up to his potential. Vela’s easy-going nature has allowed critics to skewer him for a lack of fire and, to make matters worse, he has been injury prone.

Vela has squandered every opportunity to crack Arsenal’s line-up the past six years and he has typically been farmed out to other clubs – Salamanca, Osasuna, West Brom and now Real Sociedad. On loan, he has won playing time but has never flashed sustained offensive prowess. He has been featured in El Tri but is no longer a first choice and if he is not fit (he has been struggling

for the Chicago Fire of the MLS last year.

This year, Castillo returned to Greece, signing with Aris Salonika but he remained virtually invisible through the end of 2011.

However he has caught fire recently, no doubt capturing the interest of “Chepo.”

Castillo scored twice on Jan. 22 to move his tally to 4 goals in 12 games. If he continues to bulge the net, Castillo could earn a return invitation to a Team Mexico training camp this year.

Standing Tall

Team Mexico’s central defense appears to be in good hands with Francisco Rodríguez and Héctor Moreno earning plaudits playing with modest teams in top-notch leagues.

“Maza” Rodríguez is a first-choice defender for Stuttgart and has even recorded

a goal and an assist in his 16 games thus far.

“Maza” moved to Germany this season after playing for three seasons in the Eredivisie with Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven.

Just back from the month-long winter break, Stuttgart is seven points out of a spot in Europe, primarily because its offense has struggled to score. The 6’3” Sinaloa native fits in well in the rugged Bundesliga though he still tends to roam out of position from time to time.

Moreno also “graduated” from the Dutch League where he played three seasons with AZ Alkmaar, helping lead the club to the league title in 2008-09. This season, Moreno made the move to Espanyol de Barcelona where he is a permanent fixture in the Periquitos’ back line. The UNAM product and another member of the 2005 U-17 world champions has scored twice in 17 La Liga games this season as Espanyol resides in fifth place.

Moreno has won admirers in Spain with his smooth play in front of net and his skill at moving the ball to his midfielders. His confident play with the ball at his feet as earned him comparisons to former Barcelona man Rafa Márquez.

In France, Memo Ochoa has found a new home. The goalie had long sought to migrate to Europe but América was reluctant to let him go until finally giving him the opportunity last summer. Unfortunately, Ochoa was suspended from the national team ahead of the Concacaf Gold Cup last June when he tested positive for Clembuterol.

A month later, Ochoa and four other members of El Tri were cleared after subsequent analysis determined that the positive test was caused by tainted meat.

The timing of the suspension limited his chances to negotiate with some European clubs, however, and Ochoa finally consented to join the modest French club Ajaccio, a team that had just won promotion to Ligue 1.

Ochoa quickly established himself as the first-choice keeper and became a darling of the fans. The outmanned club was overrun in the early stages of the season, but Ochoa regularly prevented losses from becoming blowouts. His acrobatic performances and cat-like reflexes have been frequently cited as top class and bigger European clubs are expected to come knocking this summer.

Ajaccio opened the new year with a three-game win streak to narrow the gap at the bottom of the standings and can now realistically dream of avoiding relegation

Mexico’s next international friendly is on Feb. 29, a FIFA date, so El Tri will likely feature several of these “Europeans.”

back to Ligue 2. Much of that will depend on how well Ochoa defends the Ajaccio goal. For now, Ochoa has put himself squarely back in the conversation to become El Tri’s top goalkeeper.

Up in the Air

Mexico’s two newest exports – Pablo Barrera and Efaín Juárez – have both failed to make an impact in Europe. Last season, both Barrera and Juárez struggled with language barriers after promising starts to their rookie campaigns abroad. Barrera in England’s West Ham United and Juárez at Scotland’s Celtic each gradually lost playing time as communication in English proved their undoing.

This season, the two UNAM products (and both also U-17 World Cup champions in 2005) were acquired by Zaragoza at the behest of Javier Aguirre. Unfortunately, Zaragoza stumbled badly out of the gate and still can’t escape the cellar. Aguirre was fired in late December and Juárez was cut loose, victimized by a series of poor games.

Juárez has yet to catch onto a new team and Celtic is unlikely to keep him in their senior team. There were whispers that the wing defender would return on loan to a Mexican team but nothing has transpired to date and he has remained in Zaragoza where he still trains with the club.

Barrera appears likely to keep his spot on the Zaragoza roster. The speedy winger was on the bench during the club’s 0-0 draw against Levante on Jan. 22 and probably will play as a substitute the rest of the season.

Barrera has 1 goal in 16 games this season.

Former Team Mexico skipper Rafa Márquez is unlikely to make the roster for Brazil 2014 (he will be 35 when the World Cup kicks off), but he could surprise.

The classy defender did not have a good season last year with the New York Red Bulls, creating controversy by criticizing teammates. The outburst earned him a suspension during the playoffs and he has been vilifiedbyfans.Nonetheless,Rafahasthreeyears remaining on his contract and if he demonstrates his trademark sweeper skills he could remain a constant during qualifying.

February 10, 2012 : mexicoreview 31

life& leisure

events

MARCH

Coming up ...

The Guadalajara International Film Festival March 2-10 in Guadalajara, Jalisco

The Festival Internacional de Cine de Guadalajara (FICG) is considered the most important film event in Latin America. Last year more than 300 movies were shown, about one-third of them Mexican, and the rest from 44 other countries. Part of its strength comes from the wide range of supporting institutions, including the University of Guadalajara, the Mexican Film Institute (Imcine), the National Council for Culture and the Arts (Conaculta), the Jalisco state government, and the cities of Guadalajara and Zapopan.

The Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival March 5-11 in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero

A week of guitar music in paradise is how this non-profit music jam bills itself. They’ll be playing in town and on the beach, and the emphasis is not on commercial names but on superb guitar picking and accompanying song, and that includes blues, classical, flamenco, rock, rockabilly, Gypsy jazz and swing guitarists from Brazil, Turkey, United States, Canada and Mexico. Performers will include: José Luis Cobo (from Zihuatanejo), Tolgahan Çoğulu (Turkey), Paul Renna (Austin, Texas), Arnaldo Freire (Brazil), Juneyt (Canada), Eric McFadden (San Francisco), Omar Torrez (Los Angeles) and an L.A. singer/songwriter/guitarist named Ry … Bradley, that is.

Manos del Mundo March 15-18 in Mexico City

The name means Hands of the World, and they do mean hands and they do mean world. It’s the third edition of an annual artisan’s fair that brings together the work of artisans from all over the world. It’s not a street fair; the event takes place in the spacious Expo Reforma exhibition space. But there will be plenty of supporting cultural activity, including dancers from India and the Middle East, Scottish bagpipes, Argentine tango music and dance, and mariachis, among much else.

Cumbre El Tajín March 17-21 El Tajín, Papantla and Parque Takilhsukut, Veracruz

It’s a five-day festival culminating in the Spring Equinox and taking place in and around the mind-blowing pre-Columbian ruins of El Tajín. There’s a strong spiritual vibe to the event, as well as a heightened environmental awareness and, linked as it is this year to the UNESCO agenda, a lot of promotion of the socially responsible, including water conservation and sustainable energy. In other words, we’re talking more than just a big party. Still, the main attraction is the music. The line-up this year includes the two biggest bands in Mexico – Caifanes and Café Tacvba – as well as international stars Bjork and Sinead O’Connor, among many others. (See page 18.)

The Papal Visit March 23-26 in León, Guanajuato, and Silao, Guanajuato

Pope Benedict XVI will be in Guanajuato, a state known for its religious conservatism, before moving on to Cuba. He is scheduled to arrive at the Bajío Airport in the city of León on the afternoon of the 23rd, a Friday, where he will be received as a head of state

by President Calderón. He will stay at the Miraflores College, a site of the “Slaves of the Most Holy Eucharist and of the Mother of God.” On Saturday, he will meet with Calderón in the city of Guanajuato and then appear publicly in Guanajuato’s Plaza de la Paz. Sunday’s events will include a Mass in the new Bicentennial Park in Silao, between León and Guanajuato, at the foot of Cubilete Hill and its huge monument to Christ the King. Back in León, the Pope will celebrate Vespers in the cathedral there and address bishops and other representatives of the Bishops Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean. On Monday morning, he will fly to the city of Santiago de Cuba.

Festival Vive Latino March 23-25, in Mexico City

The premier rock festival in Latin America will take place over three days and nights at the Foro Sol, a Mexico City stadium. The musical performers include Bunbury, Madness, Café Tacvba, Jaime López, Molotov and 100 others.

32 mexicoREVIEW : February 10, 2012