Hi Nicolas, Thanks much for reading and interesting thought on the altar. I will look into that. Are there any recommendations you have for reading on those beliefs or practices? Best there.
I can highly recommend "Narco-Cults: Understanding the Use of Afro-Caribbean and Mexican Religious Cultures in the Drug Wars" by Tony M. Kail. Super interesting and a lot of fun to read.
Alternatively, the Mercado de Sonora has a number of Palo Mayombe and a least one Satanic shop.
Finally, @miriamverdecia has interesting content on Tiktok but she mixes Palo Mayombe & Santeria.
headline seems to emphasize the gringos flocking to mexico city but there is really only a small sentence stating that observation with no analysis of what you as the author think about that or what other mexicans think about that. seems to analyze more of the sociopolitical factors that lead to decrease in CDMX murders.. is the tourism and stimulation in economy desired from outsiders? is it an annoyance to you and other mexicans? obviously murder rates decreasing is great... as a gringo texan i long miss the days of crossing into the border towns for food and the people and culture of our neighbors. i traveled to CDMX a few months ago for the first time with a friend from Monterrey and definitely want to go back. would like to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of more outsiders coming in. thanks for the good read.
Thanks much HP and a very valid point. I was thinking of writing a separate piece on the gringos in Mexico City - although the issue sparks very strong emotions! FYI I am a Brit who has been living in Mexico since 2000. Best there friend and keep in touch.
I just got back from several weeks in Mexico City with my kids. The gringos were everywhere ... if you define "everywhere" as "the northern part of Condesa and a few bits of Roma." Tabacalera? The papers tell me yes, didn't see it. Centro Histórico? Nope. Polanco? Same as it ever was. Zona Rosa? Not really. Del Valle? Fuhgebboutit. Narvarte? San Angel? Coyoacán? Nope. Tlalpan and Cualjimalpa? Naucalpan and Tlalnepantla? (Hey, they count too!) Zip zero nada not a thing.
The change in Condesa is very big and very weird ... but I just didn't see it on the scale of the city. Did I miss something? I'm completely willing to believe that my perceptions are off, especially since I was seeing so much of the former DF from the POV of a ten-year-old boy.
Yes, my piece. I think your observation is correct Noel - there is a very large number of "gringos" in a few neighborhoods and the vast majority of the city has not changed. It is certainly not a London or New York in that respect. Still, the shift into Condesa and Roma is still a change and has still caused a reaction. Best there and keep in touch.
Sorry, when I wrote, "Did you write that piece?" I meant this:
"I was thinking of writing a separate piece on the gringos in Mexico City."
I think it would make a great story. Even if the numbers turn out to be small, the visibility is very large!
Two more datapoints: neither condo prices nor AirBNB rates nor hotel costs in Condesa have risen substantially in the last two years, despite all the young Americans wandering around. Single-family house prices are a bit higher, but it's hard to believe the young people I saw are driving that, except maybe in some weird indirect way.
Ah got you! Yes it would be an interesting piece to do. It's on the list. Are you sure AirBNB prices in Condesa haven't risen though? Prices generally have gone up a lot here. Cheers.
I can say is that ones we rented didn't cost any more than in the previous two years, even with the huge appreciation of the peso. Real estate prices I observe on websites, out of some strange perverse interest.
You could say that, but it's probably been more of a practical matter than an official policy among the cartel bosses. They have a lot of power in places like Jalisco and Tamaulipas, but they and their families also have to live there like prisoners of their own security. They need a place to be able to move around (relatively) freely and spend some of their money, and Mexico City is a good place to do that. Also, there's not much there that's sufficiently worth combat in the streets over, compared to the instant and massive response that'd come down from the authorities as a result. It also, in a cockeyed way, provides insurance to the cartels' federal government assets; cartel warfare at the doorsteps of the feds would put those at risk of losing their jobs (some of them at fairly high levels) , and with that the cartels' access to intelligence.
Yes, it might well be the case. But some of the local groups - such as La Union, seemed to break it with their own infighting, which could be why there was such a heavy police presence against them. Thanks much and all best there JR.
This a success story for Mexico. I think this model of “violence free zones” should become a blueprint. Mexico City with Formula One, Regular Season NBA and NFL Games(One Next Week) is a World must see destination now. Not only for its history, sports, music, but because it is the hope of a promising Mexican Future. Great, On the Ground Reporting as always Ioan!
Thanks much there Bobby. Yes, I think there is certainly potential for this to go to other cities, although obviously the challenges in Tijuana, Juarez, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Michoacan, are all so much greater. Still, just for politicians and people to see that improvement is possible gives a seed of hope. Best there friend!
Smog, traffic, crowds. We all have to “escape” from Mex df for at least 3 days a month. Unfortunately..Acapulco, Veracruz, Michoacán, Guanajuato; all killing fields.
Thanks Scott and yes such a tragedy how it has been in so much of the country. Morelos still has its nice spots as well as its problems. I also still go to Acapulco despite it all. Best there.
Thanks Michael. Duly changed! This crowd sourced copy editing is much appreciated. I will try and get a copy editor on board in the long run. All best there friend.
I'm rather irritated that Vice's new video on "How Mexican Drug Cartels Smuggle Thousands of Guns From The US | Arming the Americas" doesn't make a single mention of your book, or ask you for an interview while they were in CDMX.
I remember growing up in the 90's early 00's Mexico City had such a bad reputation as a hotbed for crime. Even my parents were very weary of such a place. They were however from very small Mexican towns so I wonder sometimes if it was just the magnitude and weariness of a large city that influenced their opinions.
Ive had the pleasure of exploring during adulthood and I cant think about how much I have yet to cover on my next visits to Mexico City. It really is a fascinating place and I have felt relatively safe most of the time. I do have relatives who I visit that live just outside the Mexico City border in Chimalhuacan, EdoMex so I know its not all roses in sunshine throughout the entire region.
Hopefully this is a strategy that can employed throughout Mexico. Maybe not in the cartel hot beds but certainly maybe places that suffer from the more average petty crime.
Interesting piece. I've always taken the crime stats in Mexico with an immense grain of salt but appreciate you digging into the details a bit more.
Speaking somewhat on the topic of HP - LA Times went near hysteric about this a few months ago, even using the verb, "flooding" to describe the movement of what appeared to be mostly remote workers from the US. Given the decline I've seen in that city, let alone state, and all the moralizing that publication seems to push on us, it came off as incredibly bigoted.
Thanks much and interesting thoughts. Yes, I have thought about something deeper on that issue of remote workers, and on how it is covered, but let's see. Keep in touch there friend.
Hi Adriana. Thanks for the comment and I totally agree - the murders of women, and generally high murders of men and women across much of Mexico are a true tragedy. I have written many many stories about the horrific effects of violence here over the last two decades. But I still think it is worth noting that the rate of homicides in Mexico City itself has gone down and how it compares to the United States. Best.
Great paper. But the altar looks much more Palomayombe than Satanic.
Hi Nicolas, Thanks much for reading and interesting thought on the altar. I will look into that. Are there any recommendations you have for reading on those beliefs or practices? Best there.
Hi Ioan, Thankyou for the reply.
I can highly recommend "Narco-Cults: Understanding the Use of Afro-Caribbean and Mexican Religious Cultures in the Drug Wars" by Tony M. Kail. Super interesting and a lot of fun to read.
Alternatively, the Mercado de Sonora has a number of Palo Mayombe and a least one Satanic shop.
Finally, @miriamverdecia has interesting content on Tiktok but she mixes Palo Mayombe & Santeria.
Cheers,
n
Thanks much for those and I'll def check them out. All best there and keep in touch.
headline seems to emphasize the gringos flocking to mexico city but there is really only a small sentence stating that observation with no analysis of what you as the author think about that or what other mexicans think about that. seems to analyze more of the sociopolitical factors that lead to decrease in CDMX murders.. is the tourism and stimulation in economy desired from outsiders? is it an annoyance to you and other mexicans? obviously murder rates decreasing is great... as a gringo texan i long miss the days of crossing into the border towns for food and the people and culture of our neighbors. i traveled to CDMX a few months ago for the first time with a friend from Monterrey and definitely want to go back. would like to hear your thoughts on the pros and cons of more outsiders coming in. thanks for the good read.
Thanks much HP and a very valid point. I was thinking of writing a separate piece on the gringos in Mexico City - although the issue sparks very strong emotions! FYI I am a Brit who has been living in Mexico since 2000. Best there friend and keep in touch.
Did you write that piece?
I just got back from several weeks in Mexico City with my kids. The gringos were everywhere ... if you define "everywhere" as "the northern part of Condesa and a few bits of Roma." Tabacalera? The papers tell me yes, didn't see it. Centro Histórico? Nope. Polanco? Same as it ever was. Zona Rosa? Not really. Del Valle? Fuhgebboutit. Narvarte? San Angel? Coyoacán? Nope. Tlalpan and Cualjimalpa? Naucalpan and Tlalnepantla? (Hey, they count too!) Zip zero nada not a thing.
The change in Condesa is very big and very weird ... but I just didn't see it on the scale of the city. Did I miss something? I'm completely willing to believe that my perceptions are off, especially since I was seeing so much of the former DF from the POV of a ten-year-old boy.
Yes, my piece. I think your observation is correct Noel - there is a very large number of "gringos" in a few neighborhoods and the vast majority of the city has not changed. It is certainly not a London or New York in that respect. Still, the shift into Condesa and Roma is still a change and has still caused a reaction. Best there and keep in touch.
Sorry, when I wrote, "Did you write that piece?" I meant this:
"I was thinking of writing a separate piece on the gringos in Mexico City."
I think it would make a great story. Even if the numbers turn out to be small, the visibility is very large!
Two more datapoints: neither condo prices nor AirBNB rates nor hotel costs in Condesa have risen substantially in the last two years, despite all the young Americans wandering around. Single-family house prices are a bit higher, but it's hard to believe the young people I saw are driving that, except maybe in some weird indirect way.
Ah got you! Yes it would be an interesting piece to do. It's on the list. Are you sure AirBNB prices in Condesa haven't risen though? Prices generally have gone up a lot here. Cheers.
I can say is that ones we rented didn't cost any more than in the previous two years, even with the huge appreciation of the peso. Real estate prices I observe on websites, out of some strange perverse interest.
The pax mafiosi explanation by far the best one. That's been the case for decades
You could say that, but it's probably been more of a practical matter than an official policy among the cartel bosses. They have a lot of power in places like Jalisco and Tamaulipas, but they and their families also have to live there like prisoners of their own security. They need a place to be able to move around (relatively) freely and spend some of their money, and Mexico City is a good place to do that. Also, there's not much there that's sufficiently worth combat in the streets over, compared to the instant and massive response that'd come down from the authorities as a result. It also, in a cockeyed way, provides insurance to the cartels' federal government assets; cartel warfare at the doorsteps of the feds would put those at risk of losing their jobs (some of them at fairly high levels) , and with that the cartels' access to intelligence.
Excellent points and very well put Shaggy. Good to see you here and keep in touch.
Yes, it might well be the case. But some of the local groups - such as La Union, seemed to break it with their own infighting, which could be why there was such a heavy police presence against them. Thanks much and all best there JR.
This a success story for Mexico. I think this model of “violence free zones” should become a blueprint. Mexico City with Formula One, Regular Season NBA and NFL Games(One Next Week) is a World must see destination now. Not only for its history, sports, music, but because it is the hope of a promising Mexican Future. Great, On the Ground Reporting as always Ioan!
Thanks much there Bobby. Yes, I think there is certainly potential for this to go to other cities, although obviously the challenges in Tijuana, Juarez, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Michoacan, are all so much greater. Still, just for politicians and people to see that improvement is possible gives a seed of hope. Best there friend!
Smog, traffic, crowds. We all have to “escape” from Mex df for at least 3 days a month. Unfortunately..Acapulco, Veracruz, Michoacán, Guanajuato; all killing fields.
Thanks Scott and yes such a tragedy how it has been in so much of the country. Morelos still has its nice spots as well as its problems. I also still go to Acapulco despite it all. Best there.
Protégé, not prodigy.
Thanks Michael. Duly changed! This crowd sourced copy editing is much appreciated. I will try and get a copy editor on board in the long run. All best there friend.
Hi Ioan,
I'm rather irritated that Vice's new video on "How Mexican Drug Cartels Smuggle Thousands of Guns From The US | Arming the Americas" doesn't make a single mention of your book, or ask you for an interview while they were in CDMX.
I loved the book btw, your best one thus far !
Yeah, a mention or interview would have been nice! At least it is a good subject matter though. Thanks for reading and all best there.
I remember growing up in the 90's early 00's Mexico City had such a bad reputation as a hotbed for crime. Even my parents were very weary of such a place. They were however from very small Mexican towns so I wonder sometimes if it was just the magnitude and weariness of a large city that influenced their opinions.
Ive had the pleasure of exploring during adulthood and I cant think about how much I have yet to cover on my next visits to Mexico City. It really is a fascinating place and I have felt relatively safe most of the time. I do have relatives who I visit that live just outside the Mexico City border in Chimalhuacan, EdoMex so I know its not all roses in sunshine throughout the entire region.
Hopefully this is a strategy that can employed throughout Mexico. Maybe not in the cartel hot beds but certainly maybe places that suffer from the more average petty crime.
Thanks for the insight Roberto and good point - while the security strategy of CDMX may not work in Culiacan it could work in Toluca. All best there.
Interesting piece. I've always taken the crime stats in Mexico with an immense grain of salt but appreciate you digging into the details a bit more.
Speaking somewhat on the topic of HP - LA Times went near hysteric about this a few months ago, even using the verb, "flooding" to describe the movement of what appeared to be mostly remote workers from the US. Given the decline I've seen in that city, let alone state, and all the moralizing that publication seems to push on us, it came off as incredibly bigoted.
Thanks much and interesting thoughts. Yes, I have thought about something deeper on that issue of remote workers, and on how it is covered, but let's see. Keep in touch there friend.
FYI- 11 women are killed in México , daily !!!
Hi Adriana. Thanks for the comment and I totally agree - the murders of women, and generally high murders of men and women across much of Mexico are a true tragedy. I have written many many stories about the horrific effects of violence here over the last two decades. But I still think it is worth noting that the rate of homicides in Mexico City itself has gone down and how it compares to the United States. Best.