Cruel summer
Mexico makes another kingpin offering, plus Tajín branches into beauty
“Era ese tiempo de la canícula, cuando el aire de agosto sopla caliente, envenenado por el olor podrido de las saponarias.”
—Juan Rulfo, “Pedro Páramo”
Welcome to The Mexpatriate.
In just the last few weeks, Mexico’s government has found itself insisting there will not be a U.S. military “invasion,” deflecting Trump’s statement that “Mexico does what we tell them to do,” and brushing off a U.S. drone flying in Mexican airspace, topped off with President Sheinbaum’s strenuous denial that Mexico has made a pact with the DEA.
On the U.S. side of the border, NORTHCOM is reportedly prepping plans for “direct action” in Mexico, and the tone is aggressively enthusiastic about “side by side” security cooperation. Mexican authorities bristle, but have also delivered a few more planes-full of prisoners as tribute (more on this below).
August air blows hot, indeed.
In other news this week, 13 arrests have been made in connection to the brazen murders of Ximena Guzmán and José Muñoz, two close aides to Mayor Clara Brugada who were gunned down in Mexico City on May 20. However, the cops have yet to clarify the motive for the attack and the assassin is still at large (all the suspects in custody were allegedly involved in planning and logistics). There has been a vacuum of details about this investigation from the outset, but speculation continues that Guzmán and Muñoz were targeted by a criminal group sending a message to Brugada.
In today’s edition (below the paywall) I cover the second big handover of narco suspects, updates on embattled Mexican banks, what’s up with Pemex and lithium, Mexico’s trade deficit with China, and beauty queens, picante puckers and more in Odds and Ends (plus a new mini section, The Mexpat Stat).