GTO - Ford of Mexico will invest US$273 million in its Irapuato plant to accelerate the production plan of the Primary Driveline that is integrated to the Mustang Mach-E the first 100% electric vehicle of mass production made in Mexico that is exported to more than 41 countries in America The announcement was made in the presence of the Governor of Guanajuato who highlighted that this investment goes hand in hand with the state government's vision of Mentefactura called Irapuato Electric Powertrain Center (IEPC) supports the production of Cuautitlán Izcalli It is responsible for manufacturing the Primary Driveline Units for the Mustang Mach-E production over the course of a year of operations in the territory this plant went from building transmissions for gasoline-powered vehicles to producing the primary unit for the Mustang Mach-E which integrates both the electric motor and the transaxle of the propulsion system The power unit (PDU) integrates both the stator and the rotor which are also produced at Ford's Irapuato plant they result in the electric motor and transaxle of the propulsion system This motor is supported by a set of gears that power the vehicle It is noteworthy that Irapuato Electric Powertrain Center has the highest manufacturing technology in the market so the concept of Manufacturing 4.0 is present in the high automation of processes Automation allows the equipment to receive real-time reports regarding process performance product evaluation with advanced vision systems as well as Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things to achieve optimal quality and inspection methods We’re in the business of providing relevant information through print and electronic media organizing events to bring industrial value chain actors together and services to create new business relationships Our goal is to improve our clients’ competitiveness Metso Corporation’s press release on April 11 Metso has officially opened its cutting-edge Dewatering Development Hub in Irapuato strategically located in the central region of Mexico The new facility represents a significant enhancement to Metso's competitive positioning and customer service capabilities It is designed to meet customers’ diverse dewatering solution needs environmental advantages and ensuring delivery reliability The inauguration was celebrated with customers Metso’s new hub manufactures polymer filter plates for both sub-assemblies and new equipment from Metso and other suppliers while also enhancing product development capabilities Its primary focus is on the Americas market where Metso has a strong presence in filtration such as Asia-Pacific and Africa.    “Our new hub in Mexico marks a major milestone in enhancing our customer service capabilities It strengthens our commitment to innovation and excellence and to providing tailored solutions that drive success and sustainability in our customers' operations With the capacity to support the entire filter portfolio for mining and other process industries the hub leverages Metso's unmatched expertise in dewatering technology,” says Giuseppe Campanelli Commitment to efficiency and development for customer benefit   "Polymer filter plates are strategic and critical parts Our investment underscores our commitment to being a pioneering and innovative supplier for our customers which strengthens our offerings and operational efficiency We will optimize capacity management and production planning for the entire filter plate manufacturing ecosystem with the goal of leading the way in efficiency and innovation," says Tomas Hakala Dewatering and Hydrometallurgy Services at Metso.   Product development will focus on enhancing product features and exploring the use of alternative and recycled materials utilizing circularity alongside virgin raw materials the development experts can flexibly leverage pilot production capabilities.  backed by an investment totaling approximately EUR 45 million is located on an 18,000+ m2 lot and it has a production and warehouse area of over 8,500 m2 The investment was originally announced in 2022 and the construction at the site commenced in September 2023.   Metso has also rubber and Poly-Met™ and screening media factories bringing synergies and operative efficiency Metso is expanding its distribution capacity by opening a new distribution center in the same area.   Modern facility offers safe and sustainable working environment   Ensuring employee safety is of utmost importance to Metso and the operational model and layout of the new center support the implementation of high-level safety standards.   Environmental considerations have been strongly integrated into the planning of the facility operations and energy use Solar power capacity has been installed to the extent permitted by law supporting Metso's goal of achieving net-zero CO2 emissions for its operations by 2030.  “It is a privilege to contribute to the community by creating local employment opportunities for dewatering technology experts and production employees Our product development team is dedicated to meeting customer needs globally and enhancing our competencies The new hub is opening with around 75 employees We are proud to be recognized as a Great Place to Work® company in Mexico and our goal is to continuously develop the skills of our employees,” says Armando Luna Filter Plate Factory in Irapuato.   Comprehensive expertise in filtration   The new hub in Mexico is a significant enhancement to Metso’s existing filter operations footprint Metso operates filtration technology centers in Finland and China a dewatering technology center and a ceramics filter plate factory in Finland email: tomas.hakala(at)metso.com   email: helena.marjaranta(at)metso.com  At the end of 2024 Metso had close to 17,000 employees in around 50 countries and sales in 2024 were about EUR 4.9 billion Metso is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki.  metso.com The hub is set to meet the diverse dewatering needs of Metso's customers with reduced response times and other benefits Finnish company Metso has inaugurated its new Dewatering Development Hub in Irapuato Construction at the site commenced in September 2023 which represents an investment of approximately €45m ($51m) with more than 8,500m² dedicated to production and warehouse space The Dewatering Development Hub is expected to meet the diverse dewatering needs of Metso’s customers Metso claims its operational model and the layout of the new centre are designed to uphold safety standards for workers The planning of the facility’s operations and energy use has integrated environmental considerations with solar power capacity installed as permitted by law This initiative supports Metso’s goal to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions for its operations by 2030 Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis Metso North and Central America president Giuseppe Campanelli said: “Our new hub in Mexico marks a major milestone in enhancing our customer service capabilities It strengthens our commitment to innovation and excellence and to providing tailored solutions that drive success and sustainability in our customers’ operations “With the capacity to support the entire filter portfolio for mining and other process industries the hub leverages Metso’s unmatched expertise in dewatering technology.” Metso’s latest hub is equipped to manufacture polymer filter plates for both subassemblies and new equipment from the company and other suppliers bolstering product development capabilities The hub’s location allows it to serve the Americas and also other markets The company’s development efforts are concentrated on enhancing product features and incorporating the use of alternative and recycled materials The Irapuato facility is part of Metso’s broader expansion in the region Metso is increasing its distribution capacity by opening a new distribution centre in the same area Metso operates additional filtration technology centres in Finland and China and a ceramics filter plate factory in Finland The company’s filtration portfolio comprises 15 different filter types and services for various applications with more than 80% of Metso filters being part of the company’s Metso Plus portfolio In June 2024, Metso awarded a contract to construction company Skanska for building the first phase of its Lokomotion Technology Centre in Tampere Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network The Ford Motor Company in Mexico has announced a planned investment of US $273 million in its Irapuato Electric Powertrain Center (IEPC) in the state of Guanajuato which manufactures motors and transaxles for the first 100% mass-produced electric vehicle completely made in Mexico which we see as a recognition of the great work of our employees and the quality of the products we manufacture,” said Ricardo Anaya head of manufacturing at Ford’s Mexico and Latin America division “This new stage allows us to create synergy between plants and drive development in the country.”  which began operations seven years ago building transmissions for gasoline vehicles has transitioned since 2021 into a production center for Mach-E parts The Mach-E — sold in 41 countries throughout North America and also in Australia — is assembled in Ford’s plant in Cuautitlán Izcalli The transition to an EV motor manufacturing plant in Irapuato required a complete facility renovation and rigorous training for employees It now operates cutting-edge equipment that uses artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things in the manufacturing process The Central-Bajío region of Mexico is a major automobile manufacturing hub in Mexico and Latin America Some of the major brands that have settled here include General Motors Guanajuato leads the way with the highest annual production capacity in the country, with over 800,000 light vehicles, according to Guanajuato’s Minister of Sustainable Economic Development Ramón Alfaro Furthermore, Guanajuato is the country’s eighth biggest recipient of overall foreign direct investment with the automotive industry attracting the most money Some of the newest investments in the state are coming from Asia With reports from El Economista and Puerto Interior Guanajuato ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC Ford is investing 273 million dollars in its plant in Mexico to produce drives for its electric Mustang Mach-E That includes building the electric motor and the car's propulsion system The plant in Irapuato in central Mexico in the state of Guanajuato has so far only been used for the production of drive units for petrol cars As the Mustang Mach-E is also manufactured in Mexico “this new stage allows us to create synergy between plants and drive development in the country,” said Ricardo Anaya director of manufacturing at Ford of Mexico and Latin America Ford changed the plant’s name to “Irapuato Electric Powertrain Center (IEPC).” According to a press release by the local government “the plant has undergone a process of renovation and adaptation for this new production which represents the integration of cutting-edge technologies and equipment always focused on more sustainable production processes achieving the acceleration of the production plan over the course of a year.” As mentioned above, the Mach-E is manufactured in Mexico, specifically  in Cuautitlan, Mexico, just outside Mexico City. From there, it is exported to 40 countries in Europe, the Americas, and Australia. The US carmaker unveiled the 2024 Mach-E in April Charging from 10 to 80 per cent takes 36 minutes The announcement from Mexico comes just weeks after the carmaker said it would cut spending on EV development and focus more on hybrids. The reason: Ford’s electric car division remains in the red, with sales dropping 26 per cent in Q2/2024 guanajuato.gob.mx (in Spanish), yahoo.com I agree with the Privacy policy electrive has been following the development of electric mobility with journalistic passion and expertise since 2013 we offer comprehensive coverage of the highest quality — as a central platform for the rapid development of this technology A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset 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is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser where guns from Aurora were recently destined before they were stopped at the border Irapuato is considered one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico because of cartel battles An Aurora man is charged with illegally exporting at least 30 guns to Mexico where he says he gave them to family members for their protection is accused of buying the guns at suburban gun stores and transporting them to Mexico border into Mexico at least 19 times since 2022 Campusano said he was unemployed but got monthly income from a rental property in Aurora He doesn’t appear to have a criminal record except for some traffic citations On July 16, a compliance manager for GAT Guns in East Dundee notified an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives that Campusano was trying to buy seven guns of the same make The compliance manager was concerned Campusano might be a “straw purchaser,” someone who’s legally allowed to buy guns and provides them to criminals and other people who are disqualified from owning them according to an affidavit an ATF agent filed in the case The ATF agent learned that Campusano had bought 43 guns from licensed firearm dealers between 2015 and 2024 and was making arrangements to buy another 11 Most of the weapons he bought were from JR Shooting Sports in Aurora and GAT Guns Campusano allegedly told ATF agents he’d transported at least 30 guns to Mexico he said he gave the guns to family members in Mexico: “They were forming a group because of the bad people that are over there and … they would be defending themselves.” Campusano said he provided guns to his kids and his cousins The agents seized four guns from Campusano’s home in Aurora Then the Illinois State Police revoked his Firearm Owner’s Identification card which allows people to buy guns in Illinois after a background check The state police found Campusano presented a “clear and present danger.” 11 — more than a week after Campusano’s FOID card was revoked — a cousin of his was stopped while trying to cross the border in a bus in Laredo Federal agents found 11 guns and 630 rounds of ammunition in his luggage which the cousin said Campusano asked him to take to a friend in Irapuato as a favor in exchange for his bus ticket and food The cousin told agents he didn’t know what was in the luggage a city of about 500,000 located northwest of Mexico City has been called one of the most dangerous places in Mexico The city is located in what’s been characterized as the country’s most violent state Jalisco New Generation and Santa Rosa de Lima The United States is a major source for guns in Mexico, authorities say. From 2017 to 2021, ATF investigated more than 1,000 cases involving illegal exports of firearms from the United States to Mexico, mostly from border states, according to a report the agency released this year Mexico became an increasingly large market for illegal U.S Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale Already have an account? Sign in here Established in 1909 by Herbert Hoover, Mining Magazine provides comprehensive technical insight into mining operations. It aims to inform and support mine management in decision-making regarding mining techniques, technologies, workforce, logistics, and supply chains. Individual, Team and Corporate options available A growing series of reports, each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector, brought to you by the Mining Magazine Intelligence team. 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Щоб переглянути сайт, увімкніть JavaScript у своєму браузері GUANAJUATO - A new foreign investment has arrived in Irapuato: it is the Chinese company Aztema, belonging to Sailum Tire, which is dedicated to the manufacture of tires and equipment for the latest generation of tires. The governor of the state of Guanajuato, Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo, led the laying of the first stone of the company Aztema, belonging to the Chinese company Sailum Tire, which begins its installation process in the Castro del Río Industrial Park in the municipality of Irapuato. Sailun Tire Co., Ltd. is a world-class tire manufacturer headquartered in Qingdao, China, with more than 18,000 employees worldwide and seven manufacturing centers. During the Guanajuato governor's visit to Asia last March, the company announced the investment of US$432 million to build an additional plant in Irapuato. Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo said it is an honor to accompany the directors of this great Chinese company, which will operate under the figure of the company Aztema, in alliance with Tire Direct, and its presence and operation will promote the strengthening of micro, small and medium enterprises and suppliers of our state. "That is why we gladly open the doors of Guanajuato to Sailun Tire, here we want companies with success stories and that promote sustainable and environmentally friendly production processes, companies that believe in innovation and the value of their employees," added the state president. Diego Sinhue Rodriguez Vallejo highlighted that this is the first Chinese brand to integrate a complete industrial chain that covers new materials, processes, technology, equipment, modern management, and talent, which adds to the strengthening of Guanajuato's Mindfacturing Valley. Sailun Tire is the research and demonstration base of the National Research Institute of Rubber and Tire Engineering and is number two in China's Top 100 rubber industry. We’re in the business of providing relevant information through print and electronic media, organizing events to bring industrial value chain actors together and services to create new business relationships. Our goal is to improve our clients’ competitiveness. schedule set2 min to readPress ReleaseWho will win the World Cup?Find the schedule and pairings for the Round of 16 here LEON & IRAPUATO (Mexico) - The pairings and schedule for the Round of 16 at the FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2024 have been confirmed following the successful conclusion of the Group Phase in Leon and Irapuato The Round of 16 will all take place on Wednesday July 17 with games at both the Domo De La Feria in Leon and Inforum in Irapuato Australia vs Chinese Taipei - 12:30 Local Time (18:30 GMT) Chinese Taipei are coming off a first-ever FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup win but will face a tough Australia team whose only loss so far has come against USA Finland vs New Zealand - 13:00 Local Time (19:00 GMT) New Zealand have strung together two straight wins while Finland just broke into the win column for the first time a global youth event Bailey Flavell has been spectacular for New Zealand Puerto Rico vs Canada - 15:00 Local Time (21:00 GMT) Savannah Swords has been nothing short of stellar for Canada she will be a key player as her nation plays against Puerto Rico with a ticket to the Quarter-Finals on the line Japan vs Mali - 15:30 Local Time (21:30 GMT) Japan were dealt a first loss by Spain and now they face a dangerous Mali side Can they bounce back and make it to the next round USA vs Egypt - 17:30 Local Time (23:30 GMT) Everyone knows USA will be heavy favorites here especially as they have scored more than 120 points twice already it'll take nothing short of a miracle to upend the mighty Americans Argentina v Italy - 18:00 Local Time (00:00 GMT on July 18) Argentina are hoping to slay a giant after being on the wrong side of history against Finland Italy are riding high after sweeping Group B and should be favorites to advance Croatia vs France - 20:00 Local Time (02:00 GMT on July 18) France are aiming to bounce back after a humbling loss to Canada and have a chance to do that here Croatia have the tools to make this game close and very exciting Spain v Mexico - 20:30 Local Time (2:30 GMT on July 18) The home team has not been able to book a win yet and will be hard-pressed to do so against unbeaten Spain The in-form Sara Okeke will stand in their way and she's definitely going to prove a tough opponent The complete FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2024 Final Phrase bracket can be found here. and records broken5 min to readGame ReportThe FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2024 kicked off with historic victories and record-breaking performances setting the stage for an exciting tournament in Mexico LEON & IRAPUATO (Mexico) - The FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup 2024 tipped off in Leon and Irapuato in Mexico with Croatia's historic win and a slew of stellar performances across the board In the first of three game days that will form the opening Group phase of the competition there were some incredible individual performances and a historic result for Croatia Olivia Vukosa's standout performance, including 21 points and 22 rebounds, led the way and was pivotal, making her one of the top two all-time single-game rebounding leaders in the tournament's history Croatia’s solid defense thwarted Puerto Rico’s comeback attempts securing a landmark victory on the world stage The shooting guard eventually finished up with 28 points including 5 triples as well as a super 6 steals and 4 assists Savannah Swords was just as exceptional in the frontcourt She also excelled at both ends of the floor and came within one steal of equalling the all-time record Spain powered their way past Argentina in their opener as they completed a dominant 99-29 success that was built around a stellar show from playmaker Aina Cargol The guard set a new game-high assists record for Spain in the competition as she went to work with 22 points 9 assists and 6 rebounds for a scorching performance efficiency valuation of 33 Isabel Hassan proved to be too much to handle as Italy defeated New Zealand, 71-63 Hassan carried her team with a sublime 27-point Both teams were neck-and-neck for much of the first period before Italy outscored New Zealand in the second quarter to wrest full control Italy asserted their strength on the boards and scoring 21 points from second-chance opportunities Defending champions USA beat Australia at the 2024 FIBA U17 Women's Basketball World Cup, 82-55 The Sapphires kept it close in the first half before USA blew the game open in the third quarter USA led by 10 at the half and entered the fourth period carrying a 31-point lead This was the first meeting between the two teams in the competition since the Semi-Finals of the 2016 edition which Australia won 73-60 - USA's only loss in the history of the event Jerzy Robinson led the Americans with 14 points and 3 steals while McKenna Woliczko added a dozen points and 9 rebounds Lara Somfai paced the Aussies with 15 points Mexico's Carol Enriquez hit a basket off a forced turnover in the final seconds of the game to bring the home team within a single point, but it was too little too late as Mali escaped with a 62-61 win on opening day Mali survived thanks to the 12-point, 16-rebound double-double performance of Hatoumata Singare. 12 of her rebounds were on the offensive end, tying the record for most in a U17 Women's Basketball World Cup game - France had too much in their locker for debutantes Chinese Taipei as last year's FIBA U16 Women's EuroBasket 2023 winners strolled to a 72-44 victory Justine Loubens and Sarah Cisse all contributed 10 points apeice in a strong team display - There was an agonizing first experience for Finland as they were denied a debut win by Japan in a 62-60 nail-biter The Finns will be reflecting on a tough night from long-range since they only dropped 3 of 26 from downtown GREEN BAY (WLUK) -- The city of Green Bay is rekindling a relationship with its sister city mayor Eric Genrich signed a proclamation to reactivate the city's partnership with Irapuato Green Bay and Irapuato formally began their sister city relationship with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on August 25 The relationship was active in multiple sectors This collaboration was most active between the years 2005 and 2014 “I am honored to be able to rekindle Green Bay’s only existing sister city relationship with the City of Irapuato “I have had the honor of meeting and congratulating Mayor Alfaro on her historic election as Irapuato’s first woman to serve in her role and I look forward to continuing the exchange of knowledge and culture between our two communities.” A new post-pandemic administration in Irapuato with the historic election of the first female mayor in the city’s 476-year history recently expressed interest in reactivating the relationship with Green Bay In tandem with the firstGreen Bay/Irapuato collaboration in nine years a former Green Bay resident and current sister cities ambassador Matthew Hollenbeck has been inveted to show his photographs from a recent trip to Spainat the Museo Salvador Almaraz in Irapuato from March 4 to April 1 documentary filmmaker and current member of the Green Bay/Irapuato working-group will represent the city of Green Bay at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception in Irapuato on March 4th The annual Feria de las Fresas (Strawberry Festival) held in Mexico’s top strawberry-producing region has announced that Imagine Dragons will be the “surprise band” at the festival’s 2024 edition “The Strawberry Fair is consolidating its greatness,” Governor of Guanajuato Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo said when announcing the news on social media “We are pleased to announce that Imagine Dragons will join us for our 2024 edition… Welcome to Irapuato the Strawberry Fair (in its 128th year) is not an event you’d typically see on a music festival circuit News of the fair’s “headliner” surprised fans and residents of Irapuato who took to social media to share humorous memes as a sign of celebration Statements like “…Top things I never thought would happen,” or “I said surprise me and it surprised me with this” were circulating on social media on Tuesday The fair will run from March 15 through 31 at the Inforum in the city of just over 450,000 with Imagine Dragons performing on March 29 at the Teatro del Pueblo The band is originally from Las Vegas and known for the hit songs “It’s Time,” “Believer,”  “Enemy” and Grammy-winning “Radioactive.” In addition to Imagine Dragons, the fair will feature 14 other performers, including U.S. singer and former Nickelodeon star Drake Bell Some of the Mexican artists that will perform at the fair include Julión Álvarez Carlos Rivera and sisters Hannah and Ashley Other activities at the fair include a food market Tickets to the fair will cost 20 pesos per person from Monday to Wednesday and 50 pesos per person from Thursday to Sunday young children and certain other groups can attend the fair for free With reports from Milenio and El Universal This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License All of EdNC’s content is open source and free to republish Please use the following guidelines when republishing our content Please email Anna Pogarcic at [email protected] if you have any questions I embarked on a life-changing journey that far exceeded my expectations in terms of what I learned All of this is thanks to one creative and hard-charging individual who organized the Hispanic/Latino Initiative at Go Global NC and led a group of us to central Mexico The most impactful part of my trip was visiting the rural communities in Guanajuato I was particularly impressed by Ex-Hacienda de Márquez Ex-Hacienda de Márquez is in the municipality of Irapuato (in the state of Guanajuato) and is home to approximately 2,300 villagers Many Americans would consider the living conditions of this small town to be uninhabitable Large families live in small cement or brick dwellings and bathrooms as we know them do not exist The optics of Ex-Hacienda de Márquez are grim I wondered how it is possible that some people in this world live surrounded by such poverty and others live surrounded by such excess (I am ashamed to admit I now realize the excess that surrounds me) I felt compassion and pity for the inhabitants and grateful for their generosity of spirit My appreciation for Ex-Hacienda de Márquez grew even deeper when I learned about a group of young artists that took it upon themselves to beautify their town with what they themselves refer to as “urban art.” Sprinkled throughout on walls of the buildings were graffiti-like visual images often dedicated to someone special to the artist These young artists are self-trained and lacked the educational opportunities to improve and grow their artistic abilities Adriana is the founder and leader of a non-profit called Fundación Comunitaria del Bajío (Community Foundation of the Bajio) Her mission in life is to help improve the lives of the underrepresented and underserved Mexicans living in the poorest rural areas She saw an opportunity to help these young artists and facilitated bringing David Gómez a graphic designer and visual artist from Irapuato to Ex-Hacienda de Márquez to conduct a workshop and teach the young group of artists the art of mural painting murals (from Latin “murus,” or wall) have been powerful tools of self and community expression They tell a story of a group of people and often express individual and collective issues concerning social injustice the young artists studied the history of Ex-Hacienda de Márquez and learned the art of mural painting while integrating their love for graffiti The workshop culminated in a daunting and powerful mural that depicts The left part of the mural represents the lands surrounding the Ex-Hacienda de Márquez from over 400 years ago when the Márquez family owned and operated the Hacienda and the people who lived in the land worked to support the family and community the middle of the mural displays the Hacienda Hacienda owners held a privileged status and lived in large beautiful homes like the one depicted above The land and building was usually donated to them in colonial times by the Spanish empire the government took the land from the Hacienda owners and distributed it to the workers (this is called ejido or common land) they lacked other resources that they needed to succeed I found the third part of the mural to be the most daunting one It represents the current reality of a Guanajuato that has been overtaken by industrial parks that house international factories these industries bring jobs to the local villagers; on the other hand the pay and the repetitive nature of the work are far from desirable The image depicts a row of workers with their heads down waiting to clock into the factory for their jobs Destruction surrounds the grey and grim structure of the factory as represented by the flames behind the building and the amputated tree trunks in the lower right corner Industries are making money at the expense of the hard working hands of the natives (image in the forefront) Notice the vultures in the top right witnessing death and decay The stark contrast between what I consider uninhabitable living conditions of the rural villages and the state-of-the-art international factories that hire many of the local Mexican people left me questioning the inherent socio-economic structures of capitalism the work of people like Adriana and her foundation and the new relationships that I have built with my new friends from Mexico and from North Carolina have filled me with hope I now have a new appreciation of life and I am determined to facilitate change — one-step at a time A video about the mural and the artists of Ex-Hacienda de Marquez can be found below She graduated from Florida State University with a double major in French and German Literature She then was admitted to Graduate School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received a Masters and a PH.D in Comparative Literature Gómez-Joines serves as the Assistant Vice President and Executive Director for The Center for the Global Learner (CGL) at Durham Technical Community College © 2025 EducationNC. 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sustainability communications with audiences around the world Learn more about the people behind our brand Taste of General Mills Blog by Sonia Perales Planting and taking care of trees requires some practice it becomes a lot easier – and very satisfying we’ve been germinating tree seedlings at our Green Giant greenhouse and then planting them throughout south central Mexico for more than 15 years The project started small with two employees our agronomist who oversees the greenhouses for Green Giant Both were interested in native trees and plants and the long-term effects of deforestation pine and pirule seedlings and then encouraging General Mills colleagues friends and their families to help plant the trees once they grew to be about 5-feet high It’s been a lot of fun for families to get outside and share their love of nature and we’ve also learned a lot about how trees can help prevent soil erosion and preserve soil moisture But the really exciting thing is how many other people and organizations that are now planting trees with us non-governmental organizations and other companies – including General Motors – are among the many companies groups and organizations that have joined us in this effort we grew and planted (with help from many of our friends and organizations) more than 11,000 trees – more than in all of the earlier years combined Once word got out about our tree-planting program We recently set a goal to plant a total of 500,000 trees That’s our best estimate of the number of trees it would take to make our Irapuato facility “carbon neutral,” meaning the trees we plant will release enough carbon dioxide into the air to offset the carbon dioxide we create in making our products But it’s also a lot of fun to get together with friends and family to bring new life to our communities Maybe you could plant some trees in your community Sonia Perales Sonia Perales is the sustainability & compliance/environmental coordinator at General Mills She works on environmental projects and ensures legal compliance She began her career at General Mills in 2010 created as a Joint Venture between Tier 1 Draxton (from Grupo Industrial Saltillo) and the German company ZF is carrying out a major investment project at its facilities in Irapuato the company explains that the expansion began earthworks in June 2022 with a movement of 62,500 m3 of earth and so far more than 548 tons of metal structures have been lifted the building will reach a maximum height of 17 m with a rainwater catchment area of 5,533 m2 for the site's water treatment plant The building will have a total area of 22,050 square meters and will be mainly for foundry with the presence of 22 CNC equipment and 7 broaches at the moment to reach a total of 172 CNC's and 38 broaches when the project is completed The plating area of the expansion has advanced 5,000 m2 including structures and vats for operation This project represents a unique challenge since at each stage a very large investment has been made not only in resources but also in human capital making it one of the most important for EVERCAST which involves and excites its entire staff Evercast is a company dedicated to the casting and machining of nodular iron parts for brake systems in the automotive industry This plant is a supplier of highly complex critical and safety components such as: brackets some 5,000 mostly Venezuelan migrants hoping to make it to the U.S sprung into action on the outskirts of the central Mexican city of Irapuato Migrants watch a freight train pass as they wait for a northbound freight train that stops long enough for them to hop Migrants sleep outside a train station as they wait for the arrival of a northbound freight train Migrants sleep alongside a railroad track as they wait for a northbound freight train that stops long enough for them to hop Migrants wait to hop a northbound freight train in Irapuato Migrants wait for a northbound freight train Migrants stand alongside a rail track as a northbound freight train pulls into Irapuato Migrants hop a northbound freight train in Irapuato Migrants wait for a northbound freight train to hop in Irapuato Migrants wait to hop a northbound freight train Mexico (AP) — As a train roared in the distance Families with young children sleeping on top of cardboard boxes and young men and women tucked away in tents under a nearby bridge scrambled to pack their things After the train arrived on the outskirts of the central Mexican city of Irapuato some swung their bodies over its metal trailers with ease while others tossed up bags and handed up their small children swaddled in winter coats come up,” migrants atop the train urged those below After three days of waiting for the train that many in the group worried would never come this was their ticket north to Mexico’s border with the United States Thousands of other migrants were stranded in other parts of the country last week after Mexico’s biggest railroad said it halted 60 freight trains said so many migrants were hitching rides on the trains that it became unsafe to move the trains The company said it had seen a “half dozen regrettable cases of injuries or deaths” in a span of just days “Ferromex” was painted on many of the gondolas Local police were stationed around the improvised camp where the migrants had been waiting but when the train stopped for about 30 minutes there was no attempt to stop migrants from climbing aboard Despite violence from drug cartels and the dangers that come with riding atop the train cars such freight trains — known collectively as “The Beast” — have long been used by migrants to travel north The closures temporarily cut off one of the most transited migratory routes in the country at a time of surging migration and left families like Mayela Villegas’ in limbo her partner and their six children had spent three days sleeping on the concrete ground surrounded by masses of other migrants the Venezuelan family said they had packed food for only a few days of train rides and struggled to feed their kids “We’re sleeping here because we don’t have anything to pay for a room or hotel The halting of the train routes also underscores the historic numbers of people heading north in search of a new life in the United States and the dilemma it poses for countries across the Americas as they struggle to cope with the sheer quantities of migrants traversing their territories Border Patrol made 181,509 arrests at the Mexican border up 37% from July but little changed from August 2022 and well below the high of more than 220,000 in December It reversed a plunge in the numbers after new asylum restrictions were introduced in May That comes after years of steadily rising migration levels produced by economic crisis and political and social turmoil in many of the countries people are fleeing just dozens of migrants from Central American countries would pass through Irapuato by train each day a 73-year-old from who has spent more than a decade providing aid to those who travel the tracks running through her town “We once thought that 50 or 60 people was massive Ponce noted that Venezuelan migrants fleeing economic crisis in their country are in the overwhelming majority but she’s seen people from around the world a dayslong trek across the rugged Colombia-Panama border The crossing was once so dangerous that few dared to attempt it but now so many migrants flood through its dense jungles that it’s rapidly become a migratory highway similar to the trains winding through Mexico whose family spent three days in Irapuato waiting for the train was among many who saw the Darien Gap as an opportunity The family was among 7.7 million people to leave Venezuela in recent years and spent three years in neighboring Colombia The family was able to set up a small barbershop business on the fringes of the Colombia’s capital but rising xenophobia and low pay left the family of eight struggling to scrape by when a gang threatened them for not paying extortion money the dangers are worth it if it means a change for their children who ate yogurt out of plastic bottles and snuggled together on the ground “It’s the country of a thousand opportunities and have a better quality of life,” Liendo said But it’s not just Ferromex that has been overwhelmed by the crush of people Regional governments have also struggled with what to do Panama even launched a campaign dubbed “Darien is a jungle the Biden administration has pushed Mexico and Central American nations to control migratory flows and now requires asylum seekers to register through an app known as CBP One activists like Ponce say they expect migration along the train line to grow As bleary-eyed migrants climbed onto the train early Saturday morning they cheered as the train picked up speed and continued them on their winding route north Marketplace focuses on the latest business news both nationally and internationally and wider events linked to the financial markets It is noted for its accessible coverage of business The migrants appear to be on a path to Tijuana across the border from San Diego Central American migrants rest outside a soccer stadium after arriving in Queretaro Thousands of Central American migrants were back on the move toward the U.S after dedicated Mexico City metro trains whisked them to the outskirts of the capital and drivers began offering rides north WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. The driver and two other men from Mexico remained in custody Wednesday A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s most sweeping set of asylum restrictions less than two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes office The high court's 7-2 ruling applies to people who fail their initial asylum screenings making them eligible for quick deportation Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY por Irapuato está listo para recibir a turistas y fortalecer su presencia en el mapa turístico de Guanajuato El Gobierno Municipal invita tanto a locales como a visitantes a explorar las múltiples experiencias que ofrece la ciudad durante estas vacaciones de Semana Santa y Pascua A través del portal turismo.irapuato.gob.mx se puede acceder a toda la información sobre recorridos convirtiéndose en una guía ideal para planear una escapada en familia titular de la Dirección General de Economía y Turismo destacó que el municipio ha trabajado de la mano con la Asociación de Hoteles y Moteles de Irapuato y la Canirac Irapuato-Salamanca para ofrecer paquetes de hospedaje y gastronomía atractivos y accesibles para todos los viajeros Esta es una muestra clara de la estrategia turística que impulsa la ciudad” May 5, 2025 | este domingo se llevó a cabo la Tercera Preliminar del 13° Encuentro de Cocina Tradicional “Guanajuato ¡Sí Sabe!” El evento reunió a cocineras y cocineros.. May 3, 2025 | , En el marco de su 304 aniversario Cortazar prepara una celebración que conquistará paladares y corazones por igual el Taco y el Cabrito regresa este 4 y 5 de mayo con una propuesta que combina la riqueza culinaria local,.. May 2, 2025 | En el marco de una colaboración inédita entre estados han dado vida a una nueva propuesta turística: la ruta “La Revolución del Vino y el Mezcal” Esta iniciativa conjunta fue presentada oficialmente con la firma de un.. May 1, 2025 | San Miguel de Allende lo ha vuelto a hacer: la ciudad guanajuatense fue reconocida como el mejor destino turístico de bodas en México por la revista México Desconocido Abr 30, 2025 | Como parte de su participación en el Tianguis Turístico 2025 la Secretaría de Turismo e Identidad de Guanajuato en colaboración con Turismo Alternativo en Guanajuato y el Hotel Corazón Mexicano presentó oficialmente la nueva ruta turística “Diego este domingo se llevó a cabo la Tercera Preliminar del 13° Encuentro de Cocina Tradicional “Guanajuato ¡Sí.. han dado vida a una nueva propuesta turística: la.. San Miguel de Allende lo ha vuelto a hacer: la ciudad guanajuatense fue reconocida como el mejor destino turístico de bodas en México por la revista.. 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notice have begun using drones to fight the high levels of crime that continue to plague the city Just a few days after the municipal Secretariat of Citizens Security commenced crime prevention detection and response tasks with four drones it has already managed to thwart one serious offense According to a report by the newspaper El Universal the 911 emergency service received a call at approximately 10:00am Tuesday about an abduction by armed men of a resident of the Villas de Irapuato neighborhood Police launched an air and ground search for the vehicle used in the kidnapping and a drone successfully tracked it down Once the kidnappers became aware that they were under aerial surveillance they abandoned the SUV they were traveling in near the border between the municipalities of Irapuato and Romita Police were deployed to the location where they found the victim still inside the vehicle and recovered some of the perpetrators’ personal objects The evidence was later turned over to the Guanajuato Attorney General’s Office Although the kidnappers realized that they were being watched by a drone Irapuato Police Chief Pedro Cortés Zavala said that everyday citizens won’t notice the operation of the unmanned aerial vehicles because they will be used discreetly they should be operations that people don’t see Cortés said that authorities are awaiting another two drones for preventing crime and supporting police operations Although stressing that their use won’t solve the crime problem in Irapuato, which has recently earned notoriety as one of Mexico’s most violent cities he claimed that drones will allow police officers to “work with greater safety.” Municipal police have also recently taken possession of two interceptor cars and an armored Chevrolet Tahoe SUV According to official data analyzed by the crime monitoring website elcri.men Irapuato was the 45th most violent municipality in Mexico in 2019 There were 362 homicides last year out of more than 3,500 in Guanajuato, which was Mexico’s most violent state Source: El Universal (sp)  Print IRAPUATO Mexico — Word spread quickly here after gunfire erupted at a neighborhood drug rehab center Natalia Acosta Medina bolted from her patio sprinted through the muddy streets and climbed the stairs of the two-story facility More than two dozen blood-spattered men lay face-down “I turned over the bodies one by one and looked at their faces,” Acosta recalled Natalia Acosta Medina holds a photo of her slain son (Cecilia Sanchez / For The Times) He was discovered later one of 27 men killed in the July 1 massacre The attack was the bloodiest episode in a wave of violence that has seen once-tranquil Guanajuato become one of Mexico’s deadliest states There were 3,540 killings in Guanajuato last year With 2,293 killings in the first half of this year Only three less-populous states — the Pacific coastal enclave of Colima and the historically violent border states of Baja California and Chihuahua — have more homicides per capita At the root of the escalating violence is a David-versus-Goliath turf battle between a local mob boss and a multinational drug cartel capo everybody knows them by their monikers: El Marro and El Mencho This drug rehabilitation center in Irapuato (Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press) :: the central state of Guanajuato long stood out as an island of relative calm tourists and retirees flock to the artsy enclave of San Miguel de Allende or “Sledgehammer,” an enterprising local criminal whose real name is José Antonio Yépez Ortiz began to make headlines for allegedly stealing more than a million dollars’ worth of fuel a day from the many pipelines radiating from a government-owned oil refinery in the city of Salamanca World & Nation Mexican authorities say they have detained José Antonio Yépez Ortiz alias ‘El Marro,’ the alleged leader of the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel The state was also of great interest to a much bigger and more sophisticated player: El Mencho Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes — El Mencho is a diminutive — served time in U.S federal prison after being convicted of heroin smuggling in California Now he is 54 and leads the Jalisco New Generation cartel, a syndicate that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says has used extreme violence to muscle its way into 24 of Mexico’s 32 states. The DEA is offering a $10-million reward for information leading to his arrest. Among New Generation’s most profitable enterprises is the smuggling of methamphetamine and fentanyl into the United States. The cartel in effect controls several Pacific ports that are entry points from Asia of essential chemicals. From the coast, the most direct route to Texas is through Guanajuato. In 2017, according to Mexican media accounts, El Mencho offered El Marro a deal: Keep the lucrative fuel-theft business but allow his cartel’s drug mules to ferry their product through the state. El Marro not only rejected the offer, but his mob ambushed and killed El Mencho’s emissary — a nephew of the New Generation boss — at a coffee shop here in Irapuato. Then he went public with a video vowing to fight any New Generation presence in the state, rattling off obscenities as his henchmen fired their guns in the air. It was brashness to the point of recklessness. “El Marro, being the arrogant person that he is, figured that he was just as powerful as El Mencho,” said Mike Vigil, former chief of international operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. “It was through blind arrogance and stupidity that El Marro went to war with the Jalisco New Generation cartel.” Soon, Guanajuato was in the news for all the wrong reasons — contract hits and shootouts in bars and restaurants, on highways and at homes. Forensic service personnel prepare to enter the drug rehabilitation center in Irapuato after the massacre. (Mario Armas / Associated Press) :: Mexican authorities had already lost control of security in much of the country when President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in December 2018. The next month a handwritten banner appeared outside the Pemex refinery in Salamanca with a message for the new president: Troops and federal police who remain in the area will be killed. “Guanajuato doesn’t need them,” the banner said. “This is not a game.” The banner also noted a “little gift” left nearby in an abandoned pickup as a warning — an undetonated bomb. But López Obrador, who has sought to revive the economic fortunes of Petroleos Mexicanos, the troubled state-owned oil behemoth known as Pemex, did not heed the warning. Instead, he declared war on fuel-theft gangs, known as huachicoleros. In March 2019, more than 1,000 police officers and soldiers descended on El Marro’s luxurious compound in Santa Rosa de Lima in an operation dubbed Strike the Helm. Police searched residences and seized vehicles, but El Marro escaped, possibly through an underground tunnel complex authorities later discovered. El Marro “is no longer in his house with a swimming pool,” Alfonso Durazo Montaño, Mexico’s federal security chief, said later, arguing that the gangster’s network was depleted and that he was “struggling to meet his payroll.” Authorities say the pressure on the illicit fuel trade has forced El Marro to branch out into other rackets, including extortion and local drug sales. That has only exacerbated the violence. In December 2019, New Generation launched an armed assault with automatic weapons against police headquarters in Villagrán, the municipality that includes El Marro’s hometown. Three police officers were killed and four were kidnapped and later subject to coerced interrogations, parts of which were filmed and circulated on social media. Several officers said under duress that town officials and law enforcement took orders from El Marro. The bodies of the abducted cops were later found dumped along a roadside — four of the more than 180 police officers killed in Guanajuato since the beginning of 2018. A month later, at least three people were killed in a commando-style raid on a church during a wedding gathering in the small town of Pelavacas. The bride was shot dead and the groom was abducted, never to be seen again. She was El Marro’s sister. He was a top aide to El Marro. Following the attack, New Generation released a video claiming responsibility for the killings and showing a map of Guanajuato with the cartel’s Spanish initials — CJNG — plastered across it. “We came for you, filthy Marro!” a voice declared. This June, a military-led operation in Guanajuato resulted in the arrests of more than two dozen of El Marro’s alleged confederates — including his mother, sister and cousin — and prompted supporters in areas under his gang’s control to block streets, set vehicles ablaze and torch a furniture store. El Marro posted a video on YouTube in which he vowed revenge and sobbed for his mother — perhaps the first time Mexican viewers had seen a mob leader weeping. “Even if I am left alone like a dog I will endure,” he said. Seated on a garden chair in tattered jeans, a black sweater and white sneakers, he spoke directly into the camera and accused the government of collaborating against him with El Mencho. El Marro denounced his rival as an aging “coward” racked by gonorrhea. Eight days after authorities arrested El Marro’s family members, a state judge ordered them released and threw out the case for lack of evidence — a decision that López Obrador blamed on “inefficiencies and corruption” in the Guanajuato justice system. Still, experts say that El Marro and his band face imminent demise. “El Marro has no chance,” said Vigil, the ex-DEA official. “Probably one of these days he and his family are going to be evaporated from this planet by El Mencho.” Rosa Alba Santoya Soria in her home in Irapuato. Three of her sons were killed in the attack on the drug rehab center. (Cecilia Sanchez / For The Times) The attack on the drug treatment center came less than a week after El Marro’s family was sprung. Authorities have indicated that hit men from El Marro’s mob perpetrated the assault, perhaps targeting an operative for El Mencho. The center, called Seeking the Road to My Recovery, was part of a cottage industry of unlicensed treatment facilities catering to young working-class Mexicans who have become hooked on crystal meth as addiction rates have risen in Mexico. Rosa Alba Santoyo Soria is comforted by a friend. (Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press) Many of the outfits are “seedlings of organized crime,” Guanajuato’s security chief, Alvar Cabeza de Vaca, told reporters in June, after 10 people were killed in an attack on a different center in Irapuato. But here in the gritty Arandas district, residents speak highly of the facility, situated on an unpaved dead-end street in an anonymous brick building with an ocher facade and small yard. The ex-director, Erasmo Flores, referred his clients as “my children,” according to several families, who paid the equivalent of about $20 a week to enroll loved ones in a course that included group discussions and singing. “They helped my son Geovani a lot,” Rosa Alba Santoyo Soria said of the center, where he had recently completed treatment. The afternoon of the attack, Geovani, 27, told his mother he was going to deliver soft drinks to his two elder brothers, who remained clients at the center. According to accounts from officials and neighbors, three men with assault weapons entered the facility shortly after 5 p.m. They forced everyone upstairs to lie face-down on the floor and repeatedly asked: “Who is Francisco?” The terrified residents replied one after another: “There is no Francisco here.” And so the hit men opened fire. The dead include Santoyo’s three sons and the center director. Santoyo said she had no idea why the center was targeted, and evinced no hope that her sons’ killers would be found in a country where most homicides go unsolved. “Justice? Why justice?” asks Santoyo, mother of seven, only two of whom remain alive — two others died in accidents, she said. “Whatever I say, it won’t make a difference. It won’t bring my sons back.” El Mencho’s mob has blamed El Marro for the massacre. El Marro has not spoken publicly about it. Less than three weeks after the massacre, El Mencho’s cartel released a video in which a masked gunman identified as a New Generation special forces chief warns El Marro that his days are numbered. “Marro, you are going to end up alone like a dog,” says the commander, flanked by dozens of fighters bearing assault rifles and positioned in front of armored vehicles. ”You are going to have to eat your insults of Señor Mencho! All of Guanajuato is with Señor Mencho!” Special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez contributed to this report. Foreign correspondent Patrick J. McDonnell is the Los Angeles Times Mexico City bureau chief and previously headed Times bureaus in Beirut, Buenos Aires and Baghdad. A native of the Bronx, McDonnell is a graduate of Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism and was a Nieman fellow at Harvard. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map If you’ve ever traveled along Highways 45 and 45D in Guanajuato in spring you’ve no doubt realized from the number of vendors alongside the road that this is strawberry country but two multi-day events dedicated to the crop called the Festival de la Fresa (Strawberry Festival) A free strawberry-and-cream tasting at Plaza Miguel Hidalgo will kick off the event at 4:00 p.m Tours to a local strawberry farm will be offered at 9:00 a.m The rest of the weekend is filled with such events as jam and dessert-making workshops concerts by pop and traditional bands and the traditional Dance of the Toritos most of which will take place at the city’s main square The complete program for Irapuato’s strawberry fest can be found on its website (in Spanish) The other event is officially called the Feria de Irapuato, though it’s better known as the Feria de las Fresas (Strawberry Fair). The primary focus of the fair, scheduled from March 13 to 29, is a concert program (in Spanish) by nationally known acts including Gloria Trevi handicraft and livestock shows and all kinds of cultural and sports events This year’s fair seeks to break the world’s record for the largest batch of strawberry jam the Feria de Irapuato has been moved to March to coincide with the 473rd anniversary of the city’s founding as well as the fact that fields are in high production at that time Although strawberries are grown in much of the Bajío region Irapuato has a particular reputation for the fruit calling itself the World Capital of Strawberries The crop was introduced to the area over 165 years ago by Nicolás Tejeda who planted them in what is now the Santa Julia neighborhood He sold his harvest in the form of ice cream which gradually became popular in the city Major production started when a train station was built in Irapuato in 1960 allowing for shipping to much of Mexico and establishing the area’s reputation for sweet strawberries The industry was nearly wiped out in the 1980s when the misapplication of fertilizer contaminated soils forcing farmers to halt production for years Although Irapuato is the country’s sixth largest producer of strawberries (Zamora is No those from here are considered to be of especially high quality and are regularly exported to the United States Sources: El Sol de Irapuato (sp), Milenio (sp) inaugurated the expansion of operations at the Walor plant in Irapuato According to the corresponding authorities the company went from 20 associates at the beginning to 160 at present; and there is a projection of 250 jobs by 2025 "We are very pleased that Walor's executives chose the city of Irapuato to establish their first plant in the Americas A plant that is a global example in competitiveness social responsibility and environment," said Sinhue it was detailed that its production levels have been multiplied by 10 since its opening in 2014 and its sales multiplied by 20 and with high growth potential from this year to 2030 Walor in Irapuato has a production capacity of 50 million parts per year destined for assembly plants in North America Walor is a multinational company with presence through 11 plants in Europe The products to be manufactured are: magnet housing air bag components or seat belt pretensioners The United States Embassy has issued a travel alert for the state of Guanajuato in the wake of a wave of attacks perpetrated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) “Following numerous confirmed acts of violence on August 9, including arson of buildings and vehicles, U.S. citizens are reminded to reconsider travel to Guanajuato state due to crime,” the alert issued Wednesday said The United States Department of State has for some time advised U.S. citizens to reconsider travel to Guanajuato, Mexico’s most violent state The publication of the embassy alert came a day after the CJNG went on a rampage in Jalisco and Guanajuato Tuesday evening in response to a military operation that was reported to have resulted in the arrest of criminal suspects an alleged CJNG leader in western Mexico and the Bajío region President López Obrador said Wednesday that leaders of the CJNG had been apprehended but on Thursday clarified there had been no arrests after all scores of businesses —  including at least 25 OXXO convenience stores and three pharmacies — were torched 50 vehicles were set on fire and two people were murdered according to the newspaper El Sol de Irapuato which also reported that 11 presumed criminals were arrested in the state One of the murder victims was the driver of a tractor-trailer who attempted to evade armed men who tried to stop his truck on the Irapuato-Abasolo highway He and a passenger fled after the men opened fire five people were arrested and a presumed criminal was killed The embassy alert also said that “until further notice government employees have been restricted from traveling on highway 45 from Irapuato to the cities of Silao and León in the state of Guanajuato.” In addition government employees that they “may not travel to the area south of and including Federal Highway 45D often associated with the theft of petroleum and natural gas from the state oil company [Pemex] and other suppliers primarily in the south and central areas of the state Of particular concern is the high number of murders in the southern region of the state associated with cartel-related violence.”  The United States Consulate General in Guadalajara issued a security alert on Tuesday due to what it described as “multiple road blockades and shootouts between Mexican security forces and unspecified criminal elements in various parts of the Guadalajara metropolitan area.” The consulate said it had instructed employees to shelter in place but advised Wednesday that the instruction was no longer in effect said that of its 25 convenience stores affected in Guanajuato all were either completely or partially burned while three are in Celaya and two are in León FEMSA said that none of its employees or customers were injured in the attacks President López Obrador confirmed Wednesday that the violence in Jalisco and Guanajuato was triggered by an army operation in the former state “There was a meeting of two [criminal] groups soldiers arrived … and there was a confrontation not just in Jalisco but also in Guanajuato,” he said Arson attacks — including the torching of vehicles to create fiery narco-blockades — occurred in two municipalities in Jalisco and 14 in Guanajuato said that Guanajuato is the CJNG’s second bastion after its home state of Jalisco He recently published a “cartel war map” that showed that the CJNG has strongholds in Guanajuato city León — the state’s largest city — and other important cities The cartel, led by Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, is believed to have a presence in at least 25 of Guanajuato’s 46 municipalities and 28 of Mexico’s 32 federal entities Saucedo told El Sol that Irapuato is the cartel’s operational epicenter in Guanajuato because its location is convenient for receiving drugs from Jalisco and moving them to other parts of the state He attributed Tuesday’s narco-blockades in Jalisco and Guanajuato and the attacks on OXXO stores to various cells of the CJNG Saucedo noted that the CJNG’s “invasion” of Guanajuato began in 2014 Its main rival in the state is the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel which began as a fuel theft gang but has diversified into other criminal activities With reports from El Universal and El Sol de Irapuato  Migrants from Central American countries are moving on toward the United States sometimes with the help of drivers traveling north an agricultural city about 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of Queretaro Although Mexican law enforcement is not providing transportation for the caravan police are helping them find vehicles for rides The government of Queretaro said in a tweet that 6,531 migrants had moved through the state between Friday and Saturday and 5,771 of them departed Sunday morning from the shelters they were using Although the caravan is over 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) from the U.S the route taken indicates that migrants are eyeing the Mexican city of Tijuana across the border from the U.S say they were forced to leave their countries of origin because of poverty They are primarily from the Central American countries of Honduras The migrants became a campaign issue in U.S and President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of over 5,000 military troops to the border to prevent them from entering the United States illegally The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports Editor’s note: The original version of this article incorrectly stated that total investment in the state of Guanajuato was US $427 million rather than referring to the company’s investment in the state Chinese tire manufacturer Sailun Jinyu Group will invest 7.2 billion pesos (US $427 million) in building a new plant in Irapuato according to Governor Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo In a March 17 statement on the X social media platform the governor said the company’s new investment will create 1,400 competitive jobs The company announced in December plans to open its first North American plant in Guanajuato with an investment amounting to US $240 million, together with Mexico’s largest tire distributor The plant was reported to be planned for the city of León and it is unclear whether the tire company will move ahead with construction of two plants or is dedicating the entire investment to the Irapuato plant Sailun operates tire manufacturing plants in the Chinese cities of Qingdao Sailun distributes its products across more than 180 countries became the first Chinese tire maker to join the United Nations Global Compact Sailun competes with global brands such as Michelin and Pirelli Pirelli celebrated the manufacturing of their 50-millionth tire while Michelin celebrated their 10-millionth tire in December 2023 According to Mexican industry magazine Cluster Industrial the state of Guanajuato will produce more than 16.5 million tires each year positioning it as Mexico’s leading state in tire production  With reports from SPD Noticias and Cluster Industrial IRAPUATO, Mexico and MCLEAN, Va. -- Hilton (NYSE: HLT) announced today the opening of the new 112-room Hampton Inn by Hilton Irapuato strategically located approximately nine miles of the city's thriving industrial and automotive center as well as near cultural and tourist attractions This new build hotel is the latest addition to the global brand of more than 2,100 Hampton Inn by Hilton Hampton Inn & Suites and Hampton by Hilton hotels "We are proud to continue our impressive growth throughout the region," said Jose Munoz "The opening of Hampton Inn by Hilton Irapuato is a welcome addition to our current portfolio of more than 40 hotels already operating throughout Mexico," he added Hampton Inn by Hilton Irapuato is a brand new six-story contemporary hotel with stylish design and guestrooms offering 42-inch HDTV Hampton Inn by Hilton Irapuato offers free daily Hampton's On the House® hot breakfast as well as Hampton's On the RunTM Breakfast Bags filled with a multi-grain bar an artisan breakfast bread loaf and a bottle of water with a flavor packet for those guests on the go A lobby bar serving a wide selection of beverages and snacks is open from 3:00 p.m Guests at Hampton Inn by Hilton Irapuato will also have access to a 24-hour fitness center outdoor heated swimming pool and event space for up to 72 participants The hotel's excellent location is perfect for those visiting the automotive cluster in the area as well as for guests seeking proximity to local attractions such as dancing water fountains Square of the Founder and Irapuato Zoo and La Cristalita – where travelers can catch a glimpse of why Irapuato is known as the "Strawberry Capital of the World" Hampton Inn by Hilton Irapuato is located approximately 27 miles from Guanajuato International Airport Hampton by Hilton fosters a unique culture of hospitality called Hamptonality This term describes each hotel's approach to friendly customer service anticipating guests' needs and providing travelers with helpful suggestions about area attractions historical facts and fun things to do around town hotels are infused with local photography and artwork highlighting each property's connection and support to its own community the only hotel loyalty program that allows members to earn Points & Miles® on the same stay and No Blackout Dates on reward stays Hilton HHonors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels receive instant benefits including an exclusive discount that can't be found anywhere else free standard Wi-Fi and digital amenities available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors app Hilton Worldwide currently has a portfolio of more than 90 hotels and resorts open and welcoming travelers in Latin America The company is actively pursuing additional Latin American growth opportunities and currently has a robust pipeline of more than 50 projects across the region Kandú TapiaHilton Worldwide+52 1 55 5213-5061Hilton Print MEXICO CITY — Drug rehabilitation centers have been frequent targets of attack in Mexico’s bloody gang wars But the massacre Wednesday at a facility in the city of Irapuato still managed to shock a nation gripped by escalating violence Police said at least four gunmen with high-powered weapons arrived in a vehicle shortly after 5 p.m. ordered everyone on the floor and then mowed them down At least 26 people were killed and five wounded Authorities suspect the assault was part of a ferocious turf battle between two criminal organizations — the local Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the powerful Jalisco New Generation cartel — that has transformed once-peaceful Guanajuato into one of Mexico’s deadliest states Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador vowed Thursday to not “abandon” Guanajuato and suggested that state authorities investigate possible links between local officials and organized crime the line has to be drawn between criminality and authority,” he said Criminal groups have long undermined the justice system in Mexico by paying off police The attack at the “Recuperating My Life” rehab center was among the bloodiest incidents since López Obrador took office 19 months ago It came as the president was celebrating the second anniversary of the landslide election that brought him to power he triumphantly cited statistics that he said showed crime was slowing But critics questioned what they called the president’s selective use of numbers that downplayed still-rising cases of homicides and other crimes Homicides nationwide climbed 54% to a record 34,668 in 2019 from 22,545 in 2016 In Guanajuato state — a center for automobile production and other heavy manufacturing — the increase was far greater during that same period Homicides more than tripled from 1,110 to 3,540 Only two of the country’s 32 states — Baja California and Colima which are much smaller — had higher homicide rates Alejandro Gertz Manero said that federal authorities would investigate why Guanajuato had become an “inferno of violence.” said the attack on the rehabilitation center demonstrated that “today more than ever the intervention of federal and state authorities is needed as the only means to confront this situation with success.” López Obrador said: “It’s our responsibility to protect the people of Guanajuato.” But he did not dispatch additional troops or federal police noting that National Guard troops were already on the scene The president said he did not intend to “interfere” in local law enforcement decisions in Guanajuato a state controlled by the opposition National Action Party Wednesday’s incident came less than a month after an attack on another drug rehab center in Irapuato a city of 570,000 people 170 miles northwest of Mexico City Both centers were among scores of unregistered treatment facilities in the state said this week that some of the clandestine centers are linked to organized crime Drug rehabilitation facilities have come under attack many times in the 13 years since Mexico declared war on transnational drug gangs setting off a bloody civil conflict that is on track to claim a record number of lives this year In 2010, an assault on a Tijuana rehab center left 13 dead A 2008 attack on a rehab center in Ciudad Juárez killed nine The targeting of such centers is typically linked to conflicts involving drug dealing Rehabilitation facilities are often filled with recovering addicts who once sold drugs to help fund habits Their past or present links to organized crime may make them targets Increasingly, Mexico’s violence is fueled less by battles linked to lucrative trafficking routes to the United States and more to competition in a growing domestic drug trade and other illicit industries, including fuel theft and extortion rackets. In parts of Mexico, officials estimate that up to 90% of homicides are linked to local drug sales. In Guanajuato state, the Jalisco New Generation cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima gang and various offshoots have been battling for control of the sale of marijuana and methamphetamine as well as for dominance of other rackets. The Mexican media have also reported that the Santa Rosa organization, which specializes in fuel theft, has clashed with the New Generation group over drug-trafficking routes through Guanajuato state from the Pacific coast to the U.S.-Mexico border. Special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez contributed to this report. Kate Linthicum is a foreign correspondent for the Los Angeles Times based in Mexico City. World & Nation By 2018-07-03T11:50:00+01:00 Tradelossa has opened a 86,000 sq ft (7,989.6 sq m) facility in Irapuato Mexico’s Tradelossa recently completed a complex heavy haul operation for an important energy sector development in the north of the country Rafael de los Santos Díaz is stepping down as managing director of Mexico’s heavy transport specialist Tradelossa He will be succeeded by Carlos Matthey de los Santos Fracht North America has made three appointments to key executive positions designed to reaffirm the company’s standing in the logistics and freight forwarding industry Portugal’s Laso Transportes and Tagar Group have formed a strategic partnership aimed at expanding and consolidating their presence in the lifting and transport sector Robin Watson will succeed Forth Ports’ chair Lord Smith of Kelvin as he retires after 10 years in the role UK-headquartered winch specialist Rotrex Winches has rebranded as LGH Winches across the UK Site powered by Webvision Cloud (OSV News) -- A Mexican bishop has called for people not to be indifferent after the massacre of a dozen young people at a Christmas party in one of the country’s most violent states 17 at a former hacienda in the central state of Guanajuato The state prosecutor’s office later confirmed the death toll in the municipality of Salvatierra in a short post on X The newspaper Reforma reported the victims were between ages 17 and 35 Bishop Enrique Díaz Díaz of Irapuato urged people to avoid indifference in the face of such atrocities which have occurred with disturbing regularity in Guanajuato -- a state rife with drug cartel conflicts He also took issue -- indirectly -- with government officials downplaying violence or claiming that violence mostly takes the lives of people involved with organized crime “It’s worrisome and the most worrisome thing is that we are getting used to it and that these massacres sometimes happen with indifference in front of us and sadly in front (of) the authorities who justify and politicize these massacres (while) no recognition is made of the seriousness of this situation that we are experiencing,” Bishop Díaz said Dec We cannot justify it and we cannot say that it doesn’t directly impact us.” We cannot justify it and we cannot say that it doesn’t directly impact us,” Bishop Díaz continued “It is very painful when we approach the family members of those who have died We cannot give them words of consolation to tell them that it is only some percentage (of people killed) Even if only one person falls victim to violence it is very painful and we have to recognize it.” Violence has consumed Guanajuato state -- which Pope Benedict XVI visited in 2012 -- over the past decade as drug cartels dispute a lucrative illegal business in siphoning gasoline from pipelines operated by state-run oil company Pemex The state has long been considered Mexico’s Catholic heartland -- which gave rise to the Cristero Rebellion in which clergy and laity took up arms against church persecution nearly a century ago -- and more recently has boomed economically as automotive plants have moved in Bishop Díaz’s comments come in the aftermath of the murder of five medical students in the city of Celaya Speaking at his morning press conference after the murders Dec President Andrés Manuel López Obrador alleged the students were purchasing drugs -- a claim flatly denied by the mother of two of the victims López Obrador expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the Salvatierra massacre But he repeated the claim of high drug use in Guanajuato “It’s a complex matter because it does not happen throughout the country,” López Obrador said “There are regions where if there’s more drug consumption there’s more violence and more homicides and we have to see why in Guanajuato.” say the president has no evidence to make such claims after he scrapped a national survey on addictions senior Mexico analyst at the International Crisis Group pointed to a tendency of the president to portray problems in states where his party performs poorly in issues of “social” and “moral disintegration,” while failing -- like his predecessors -- to articulate and implement a sound security strategy turning the attention from state responsibility for these sorts of acts and to empty words,” Ernst told OSV News “The focus is really on public relations rather than trying to resolve violence through sound measures on the ground.” Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important America’s voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. 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Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions leaving experts worried that 2020 may be Mexico’s most violent year to date Candidates can campaign from October until December 5 with only seven of them resulting in prosecutions with the airline citing plans to expand its services soon Experts say that many more Latin American airlines could soon be affected by the pandemic which will result in higher ticket prices and a less competitive market More than 43,000 migrants are currently being forced to wait for their hearings in Mexico leaving many unable to apply for asylum at all Puerto Rico Governor Declares State Of Emergency Due To Drought COVID-19 Cases Swell In Latin America As Worldwide Infections Reach 10 Million and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. A member of the National Guard stands guard outside the rehabilitation center attacked by armed assailants in Irapuato Armed assailants attacked a rehabilitation center in the central Mexican town of Irapuato on Wednesday killing 24 people and injuring another seven The afternoon attack targeted a rehabilitation center for young drug addicts in the community of Arandas local daily Correo quoted Irapuato Police Chief Pedro Cortes as saying A woman cries outside the rehabilitation center attacked by armed assailants in Irapuato Members of the National Guard stand guard outside the rehabilitation center attacked by armed assailants in Irapuato Members of the National Guard are seen outside the rehabilitation center attacked by armed assailants in Irapuato Mexico (AP) — The killing of 26 people in an unregistered drug rehabilitation center in central Mexico is the deadliest such attack in a decade and has led to calls for change in a prosperous state that has become a cartel battleground Authorities in the city of Irapuato in Guanajuato state on Thursday raised the death toll from 24 after two of the seven people injured in the attack died Police in Guanajuato state said Wednesday's attack occurred at a modest two-story house on the outskirts of Irapuato Apparently the attackers shot every male at the rehab center three of whose sons were killed in the attack said a female addict at the center said the gunmen told the women to get out were at the center because they had problems with drugs had been at the center previously and recovered and had only returned Wednesday to bring his brothers soft drinks when the gunmen killed all three of them Two of her sons were in a photograph of the massacre on the front page of the local newspaper Their bullet-ridden bodies lay next to the other victims prone on the floor of the center amid piles of blankets They were apparently made to lie down before being massacred Her youngest son was found shot to death at another spot who works at a factory that make cleaning products there had been a military post across the street from the center but that for some reason it had been withdrawn Mexico's army and national guard have been given a number of tasks in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic that may have required those troops said the gunmen simply burst into the rehab and started shooting a prosperous industrial hub with foreign auto plants has become Mexico's most violent state a situation the government seems unable to remedy "The government doesn't do anything anymore," said Moreno The state is the scene of a bloody turf battle between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and a local gang - the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel - and the state has become the most violent in Mexico No motive was given in the rehab center attack Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo said drug gangs appeared to have been involved President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Thursday that "changes must be made to solve Guanajuato's problem because the circumstances demand it." it grew a lot and we have to see if there was some sort of cooperation criminal conspiracy between the criminals and officials," López Obrador said There have been persistent reports that state authorities who once tolerated the Santa Rosa de Lima gang turned in the recent years to allowing the Jalisco cartel to enter the state in hopes they would the end the local gang's systematic extortion of businesses But while Santa Rosa is a less sophisticated gang that started out with robbing freight trains and stealing fuel from government pipelines it has proved tougher than expected for Jalisco to crush may be contributing money and guns to Santa Rosa Mexican drug gangs have killed suspected street-level dealers from rival gangs sheltering at such facilities in the past It was one of the deadliest attacks on a rehab center since 19 people were killed in 2010 in Chihuahua city in northern Mexico More than a dozen attacks on such facilities have occurred since then Mexico has long had problems with rehab centers because most are privately run underfunded and often commit abuses against recovering addicts The government spends relatively little money on rehabilitation often making the unregistered centers the only option available for poor families addicts and dealers who face attacks from rivals on the streets sometimes take refuge at the rehab clinics making the clinics themselves targets for attack More police are needed in Guanajuato but municipal authorities are having little success attracting new recruits to their forces Governor Diego Sinhue Rodríguez Vallejo said in December that between 2012 and 2018 the number of officers in Guanajuato’s 46 municipal police forces fell from 8,500 to 5,700 resignations and the murder of police have all contributed to the depletion of officer numbers Faced with the difficult task of making up for the shortfall many municipal governments have improved the pay and benefits they offer authorities have tried to lure recruits by offering the chance to win land in police raffles providing financial assistance to buy vehicles guaranteeing access to private hospitals and granting two life insurance policies The city government also offers the highest municipal police salaries in the state – 15,000 pesos (US $790) a month for a low-ranking officer – but yet it still has a shortage of around 250 police There are currently just 36 cadets undertaking training in the Irapuato police academy announced in the first week of December that the government would invest 600 million pesos (US $31.5 million) to purchase new equipment for police and to improve their training and salaries National Action Party (PAN) lawmaker José Guadalupe Vera Hernández said the state government wants minimum police salaries to be at least 14,000 pesos a month with the opportunity to earn up to 40,000 pesos (US $2,100) in higher-ranking positions officers currently earn less than 5,000 pesos (US $260) a month The need for more officers is underscored by the fact that last year was the most violent in Guanajuato’s history There were 2,367 culpable homicides between January and November 2018 according to statistics from the National Public Security System there were just 10 and 12 murders of police respectively Much of the violence is believed to be linked to petroleum pipeline theft Despite the deteriorating security situation in Guanajuato and with it believes that higher salaries in the municipality he governs has helped to retain police officers and attract new ones although he conceded more are still needed Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) lawmaker Héctor Hugo Varela said that conditions for municipal police also need to be improved to retain and attract officers He said they are sometimes forced to work shifts of 48 to 72 hours due to a lack of personnel adding that municipal police must also be provided with the technology equipment and training they need to do their jobs properly Source: El Universal (sp)  The percentage of Mexican adults who feel unsafe in the city where they live is at its lowest point in eight years according to a new security survey that found that Fresnillo is seen by its residents as the least safe city in the country Conducted by the national statistics agency INEGI in September the 32nd National Survey on Urban Public Security found that 64.5% of respondents believe the city where they live is unsafe a 2.1% decline compared to the previous survey The figure is the lowest recorded since INEGI first conducted the quarterly survey in 2013 The percentage of adults who consider their city unsafe has declined 9.2% in the almost three years since President López Obrador took office in December 2018 even as homicides were at or near record levels The most recent survey found that 69.1% of women and 58.8% of men feel unsafe in their city Three-quarters of respondents said they feel unsafe when using automated teller machines in the street while 68.7% said the same about public transport Banks and streets they regularly use were identified as unsafe places by 61.4% and 56.2% of respondents one’s own home and schools were also identified as unsafe places a medium-sized city 60 kilometers north of Zacatecas that is notorious for violent crime was identified as unsafe by 94.3% of residents who participated in the survey It was one of just three cities identified as unsafe by more than nine in 10 residents where 92.5% and 91.7% of residents feel unsafe More than 80% of respondents said they feel unsafe living in eight other cities México state (88.3%); Zacatecas city (86.1%); Ecatepec Tijuana, Baja California, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, were the most violent cities in Mexico in the first five months of the year in terms of homicides but only 78.1% and 59.9% of residents The cities identified as unsafe by the lowest percentage of survey respondents were San Pedro Garza García Baja California Sur (22.2%); San Nicolás de los Garza Just under a quarter of those polled said they expected the security situation in their city to deteriorate in the next 12 months while 34.6% predicted it would remain the same With reports from Milenio  Ma Elena Rodriguez Gonzalez holds posters that show her two missing sons following a meeting between the city mayor and the “A tu Encuentro” collective who are searching for their missing loved ones pressure groups or cartel gunmen regularly block roads and railway lines While the state isn’t very strenuous in investigating homicides protesters can be hit with the toughest possible charges a policeman stands guard as the city mayor attends an event to inaugurate renovated sections of the market has suffered as violence has kept regional shoppers away Mayor Maria del Carmen Ortiz tours the local market in Apaseo El Alto following an event to inaugurate renovated sections of the market the leading candidate to fill the office was shot to death in 2018 a town councilman and a police officer were shot to death a policeman drives past town hall in Apaseo El Alto Part of Guanajuato’s odd reality stems from its success at cracking down on crimes that impact businesses together with its inability to stop the drug gang war 79 police officers were killed in the state soldiers patrol a neighborhood in Irapuato Mexico’s drug war has long played out in dusty northern border cities or the poppy fields of its southern mountains but now the killings have moved to the conservative industrial heartland state of Guanajuato head of the Guanajuato state security commission Guanajuato’s visible wealth contrasts with its grim headlines Huett defines the odd dynamic this way: “sometimes people confuse the violence with a lack of public safety in Guanajuato and in fact they are two different things.” What Huett apparently means is that what officials define as decent a soldier on patrol greets a child walking home from school with her mother Most investors - and even local officials - seem prepared to ignore the murder wave as gang members kill gang members “There are victims who are caught in the crossfire and they are the ones I really feel sorry for,” said Mayor Ricardo Ortiz “But we can’t be expected to protect people who are doing bad things.” (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) people walk past “Casa de los Perros,” or “House of the Dogs,” in central Apaseo El Grande the state had a murder rate of about 61 per 100,000 inhabitants a cloud rests over a housing development across the highway from a new Toyota assembly plant The state is attractive to drug cartels for the same reason it is to auto manufacturers: road and rail networks that lead straight to the U.S a young man works at a stand selling cakes and other deserts after nightfall on a central plaza in Irapuato people walk inside the Tenis Court shoe factory in Leon but now the killings have moved to the conservative industrial heartland state creating a strange duality: booming foreign investment even as the state becomes Mexico’s most violent donning a tattoo with a motto reads in Spanish: “Only God can judge me,” stitches shoe components at the Tenis Court factory an altar to the Virgin of Guadalupe hangs on a wall inside the Tenis Court shoe factory in Leon Diego Sinhue says “Guanajuato is not Sinaloa,“ the Mexican state that became famous as the cradle of the drug cartel of the same name people and vendors mingle on a central plaza as night falls 2020 photo shows a memorial for Juan Carlos Medina Serrano in his family’s living room Armed men took the 32-year-old from his house on Dec authorities found 19 rotting bodies buried in a backyard in a nearby town but it took two months for them to notify his wife that her husband was one of the bodies Alondra Mora wipes away a tear as she talks about her late husband during an interview in the two-bedroom home where they lived with their four children 10 after he was dragged from his taxi by armed men Mora and her husband came to Guanajuato from their native gang-plagued state of Michoacán in mid-2019 looking to build her shoe-retail business in what they viewed as a more prosperous state Alondra Mora runs her hands over a picture of her late husband Mora experienced first-hand Guanajuato’s willingness to ignore the killings of poor migrants from other states “When I went to file the missing person report the guy who took my statement was making fun of us for being from Michoacán saying ‘Why did you have to come here?’” she recalled Maria Guadalupe Gallardo Lopez stands with other family members as they mourn her husband Juan Carlos Medina Serrano more than two months after armed men pulled him from his home While families like Gallardo López’s suffer many in Guanajuato live lives largely untouched by the violence 2020 photo shows the Toyota dealership in Irapuato Gang killings have moved to the conservative industrial heartland state creating a strange duality: shiny new auto plants and booming foreign investment even as the state becomes Mexico’s most violent a man sits along the road in Santa Rosa de Lima the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel that has turned to extorting protection payments from local businesses going industry by industry: first they shook down tortilla shops then auto dealerships and real estate agents; now they are apparently focusing on bars and nightclubs a collective looking for missing relatives are seen inverted through a glass window during a private meeting with Mayor Ricardo Ortiz In the last week of January the government said Guanajuato which has around 5% of Mexico’s population Mexico (AP) — Mexico’s drug war has long played out in dusty northern border cities or the poppy fields of its southern mountains Gleaming four-lane highways pass sprawling automotive plants and people carry yoga mats and sip chai at outdoor cafes in upscale suburbs Several new luxury subdivisions spring up every year in the state’s colonial city of San Miguel de Allende But Guanajuato’s visible wealth contrasts with its grim headlines: Seven men lined up in a junkyard and shot leaving nine customers dead in a lake of blood Seven people are gunned down at a street-side taco stand That was just one week in late January when the government said Guanajuato the state had a homicide rate of about 61 per 100,000 inhabitants It is not the auto plant executives or foreigners who are getting killed The violence arises from a bloody war between the home-grown Santa Rosa de Lima gang and the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel which is waging a major offensive to move into Guanajuato The state is attractive to drug cartels for the same reason it is to auto manufacturers — road and rail networks that lead straight to the U.S The head of the state’s security commission defines Guanajuato’s odd dynamic this way: “Sometimes people confuse the violence with a lack of public safety in Guanajuato and in fact they are two different things.” What Huett apparently means is that what officials define as decent Criminals are killing criminals is a refrain repeatedly heard along with the belief that most of the criminals are from outside the deeply Roman Catholic state — a reference to the invading gang from Jalisco and violence spilling over from Michoacan “The murders in Guanajuato are not killings carried out during robberies,” Huett said she notes that muggings in the state are among the lowest in the nation Most investors — and even local officials — seem prepared ignore the wave of homicides as just gang members killing gang members and they are the ones I really feel sorry for,” said Ricardo Ortiz “But we can’t be expected to protect people who are doing bad things.” $1 billion Toyota pickup assembly plant opened this month also minimizes the spillover of the gang war onto citizens and investors Referring to targeted killings by cartel gunmen Huett says that “between 80 and 85% of the homicides in Guanajuato are related to criminal activities.” She also points the finger at people from out of state “If we look at 10 people who have been arrested often of those 10 only one or two of the suspects come from Guanajuato.” That kind of statement has caused untold grief for crime victims like Alondra Mora Mora chokes up as she shows a photo of him in the humble house they rented on the outskirts of Irapuato The house is so tiny that visitors’ knees touch when they sit in armchairs in the living room Mora and her husband came to Guanajuato from their native gang-plagued state of Michoacan in mid-2019 “They have to stop discriminating,” Mora said of Guanajuato state officials the guy who took my statement was making fun of us for being from Michoacan saying: ‘Why did you have to come here?’” she recalled Prosecutors even asked her to investigate the case for herself The couple’s bank debit card had been used after her husband’s disappearance and she had to ask the bank where the withdrawal was made apparently eager to write it off as a gang killing everybody who disappears was involved in something bad,” Mora said Maria Guadalupe Gallardo López is one of approximately 80 activists looking for missing relatives in the Guanajuato as part of the group “A Tu Encuentro,” roughly “Looking for You.” but it took two months for them to notify Gallardo Lopez that her husband had been among the bodies With the dismembered body returned to the family in a sealed box the family quickly held a poverty-stricken wake for him with a few candles next to a cross of quick-lime sprinkled on the bare floor of their dwelling Mexico’s patron saint of lost or desperate causes popular in the underworld But she also said that if police and prosecutors keep writing off deaths like her husband’s they are going to keep finding people like this,” she said “I don’t want anybody to have go through what I did.” many in Guanajuato have lives largely untouched by the violence the young marketing director at Tenis Court athletic shoes whose factory is in Guanajuato’s shoe-making capital of Leon going out to restaurants or clubs as he wishes “When I read about this stuff in the newspapers it’s like they’re talking about another state.” got its start robbing freight trains and then turned to stealing gasoline and diesel from an oil refinery in the city of Salamanca When the government cracked down on fuel theft the Santa Rosa gang turned to extorting protection payments from local businesses then auto dealerships and real estate agents Now they are apparently focusing on bars and nightclubs Part of Guanajuato’s odd reality stems from its success at cracking down on crimes that hurt businesses together with its inability to stop the drug gang war Theft from railroad cars — which only a few years ago started to affect shipments of tires and auto parts — fell dramatically after soldiers and police were posted on the rail lines and huge billboards were put up along the tracks saying : “Crackdown on railway theft: prison terms of up to 17 years pressure groups or cartel gunmen regularly block roads and train tracks protesters are hit with the toughest possible charges there are no road blockades by protest groups or criminals and in the end that is attractive for business,” said Huett the federal government has made Guanajuato a priority constructing some of the first National Guard barracks here Worst hit has been the town of Apaseo El Alto where Mayor Maria del Carmen Ortiz took office after her husband — the leading candidate to fill the office — was shot to death in 2018 Timberlake x Nike shoe collab early access Salvation beckoned on the other side of the river but the churning water of the Rio Grande was the fiercest challenge yet in José de Jesús Rodríguez’s short Underfoot were treacherously slippery rocks and other unseen hazards Now the chilly water lapped against the teenager’s chin José de Jesús tried to steal across the Rio Grande only to be thwarted by its currents and the United States Border Patrol So many times he wanted to give up and return home but what kept him going were the people he’d left behind: seven siblings who slept shoulder-to-shoulder on the dirt floor of their one-room bathroom-less adobe home; a mother who endured seven stillbirths but still found a way to hand-make tortillas seemingly every day; a father he revered but whose body was breaking under the strain of so many years of toil as a laborer on construction sites José de Jesús was expected to help provide for the family which subsisted in part on vegetables grown on their sliver of land Most nights the kids went to bed aching from hunger So at age 12 he dropped out of school and began caddying full-time at Club de Golf Santa Margarita The 20-minute bike ride from José de Jesús’s home transported him to another world he was transfixed by the golfers’ swanky saddle shoes and the air was alive with talk of money to be made in the States José de Jesús became consumed with the desire to lift his family out of their meager circumstances he lit out of Irapuato with only the clothes on his back a fistful of pesos and the vague promise of America’s opportunity Camarón spent a week hitchhiking and riding buses journeying more than 500 miles north to the border town of Nuevo Laredo he panhandled and combed through garbage cans for scraps of food He slept under bridges and in public parks Nuevo Laredo was teeming with coyotes promising safe passage across the border for a few hundred dollars he tried to conquer the Rio Grande on his own Sometimes he fought his way to the other side only to be nabbed by the Border Patrol when the policy was simply to put such wayward dreamers on a bus home to Mexico a life-changing scrap of information came his way: the short-staffed Border Patrol had a 2 p.m shift-change that might open a small window of opportunity side he was greeted only by eerie emptiness He scrambled up the river bank and sprinted across raw land that looked nothing like the American Dream he had glimpsed on TV Camarón ran until his lungs were on fire and his feet felt as heavy as anvils he found a deep ditch by the side of a road and took off his clothes — his only clothes — to let them dry in the sun “I thought the hardest part was over,” he says and Camarón strolls the grounds of Club de Golf Santa Margarita His former colleagues in the caddie yard hail him like a long-lost brother is wearing natty Italian togs provided by a clothing company that is wooing him but his weathered face betrays the hard miles he has traveled while his soft physique is the result of an old-school disdain for the gym not far from a large poster announcing his annual toy drive for local kids; he has already collected enough to consume an entire bedroom in his modern two-story house not far from the golf club where he is perhaps the most unlikely rookie ever In five events during the fall wraparound season with his best finish being 41st; his first start of 2019 will be at this week’s Sony Open upon entering his fancy hotel room at Sea Island “I remember when I didn’t have any shoes.” His long, arduous path to the Tour is spoken of with reverence by those who have walked alongside Camarón. “He’s a legend,” says Alfredo Ruiz, a regular on the Mexican Tour, where Camarón has won a record 21 times. “It’s the most unbelievable story I know of in golf,” says Andrés Echavarría, a veteran of the PGA Tour Latinoamérica (LAT) where Camarón is the all-time leading money winner I think there is a general admiration for what José has been able to accomplish,” says Maverick McNealy who was outdueled by Camarón in the final round of last year’s Web.com event in Newburgh “His background is something that very few To have the kind of success he has had is amazing.” Latin America is now crowded with accomplished golfers, thanks to the success of the LAT and the resources many national golf federations invested ahead of the Rio Games Why did Camarón make it all the way to the PGA Tour while so many others have come up short “When I left my home for the United States I was pretty sure I would never return and that I would die on the journey But I wasn’t going to die without a good fight Camarón spent his first night in the United States sleeping in the ditch by the side of the road The next morning he wandered into the outskirts of Laredo The first thing the 15-year-old saw — naturally — was a Walmart he heard a group of workmen speaking Spanish so none of them were eager to take on an outsider who could cause them problems But Camarón has an easy smile and radiates sweetness He was so young and disheveled the men took pity on him and shared their lunches One of the workers told him the crew was about to make the 750-mile drive north to Fayetteville they gave him a little cash for his help moving the machinery but when Camarón wandered into a phone store to buy a prepaid card to call home He and his older brother Rosendo made their own clubs They would liberate rebar from construction sites to serve as the club’s shafts Punctured bicycle inner-tubes were repurposed as grips For the clubheads they took scrap metal and pounded it into place hunting for balls that had been lost in the arroyos and he describes his brother’s swing as “a gift from God he saw another customer unintentionally leave behind an item he chased after this Hispanic-American gentleman and caught up to him just as he popped open his trunk Camarón eyed them with enough interest that the man asked They fell into a conversation about golf and the details of Camarón’s life This accidental advocate turned out to be the nephew of a maintenance staffer at Fayetteville’s Stonebridge Meadows Golf Club He knew the greenkeeping crew was short-handed and just like that Camarón landed a full-time gig “When they gave it to me I cried,” Camarón says Then he marched to Western Union and wired every dollar to his mom in Irapuato Camarón settled into a crowded apartment with a handful of other members of the maintenance crew; compared with his previous sleeping arrangements While certain politicians have spent years demonizing such immigrants as scary and dangerous Camarón says he and his fellow greenkeepers were obsessed with following the laws of the land “You only cross the street in the crosswalk,” he says You don’t do anything that will attract attention.” keeping just enough for himself to survive the family had saved enough money for Rosendo and their father Chuche to pay for safe passage across the border and into Arkansas They worked alongside each other at Stonebridge Meadow and shared an apartment Rosendo liked to attend to duties at the range so he could study the players and exchange ideas about the golf swing eat dinner and prepare my food for the next day Then it was time to go to sleep.” If he had any free time he played soccer in a high-level league that included members of the University of Arkansas team Camarón says that during his decade in the U.S. Stonebridge Meadow underwent a change in management and the Rodriguezes were suddenly out of work but Camarón stayed in the States for two more years He did a long stretch as an itinerant field worker He also spent a year working at Territory Golf & Country Club in Duncan Camarón had left Irapuato as a boy and now was returning as a man of 25 His family was still living on the same plot of land largely by the money he sent home: the one-room shanty had been torn down and replaced by a pair of sturdy with full kitchens and a blessed number of bathrooms The trajectory of his siblings was also altered none more so than his younger brother Dany Rather than have to drop out of school to work Dany became a standout student who would go on to earn a law degree But the feelings are still deep within him: the longing to see his mother and sisters; the exhaustion from all those grueling hours under a hot sun; the stress of being an undocumented immigrant who was always one misstep away from losing everything Ask Camarón now how it felt to hug his mom after 10 years apart and all the emotion floods back Alfonso Vallejo Esquivel is a success story of modern Mexico — he made a small fortune in pharmaceuticals and retired to a nice life playing golf every day at Santa Margarita But when he’d pull up in his shiny Cadillac for Vallejo was known as a parsimonious tipper the golf gods played matchmaker for Camarón Not long after returning to Irapuato and the caddie yard his lack of seniority forced him to take Vallejo’s bag for an early-morning round Vallejo told Camarón he was impressed by two things: his sophisticated understanding of course management and that he was the only caddie who’d never bitched about not getting a tip He asked Camarón to be at the club at 6 a.m the next morning for his usual dew-sweeping round Vallejo promised to double his usual wage; if Camarón straggled in late he would have to work for free Down the hill from the club is a cantina where the Santa Margarita caddies gather “There were many talented players among the caddies but they wasted their life at the bar,” Camarón remembers “I wasn’t going to be one of them.” He was waiting on the 1st tee for Vallejo on that fateful morning Vallejo was a mediocre golfer and often asked Camarón to demonstrate on the course the proper way to play shots Santa Margarita sets aside a handful of days each month for caddies to play the course — Camarón greedily squeezed in as many holes as possible — but hitting shots alongside a member was verboten the club slapped Camarón with a 30-day suspension Vallejo begged him to resume his tutorials By now he had the responsibilities of a married man having wooed a one-time grade-school classmate (So ubiquitous was Camarón’s nickname growing up that it wasn’t until they were dating that Bianca learned his real name.) came up with a simple solution: he bought Camarón a membership to the club allowing them to play all the golf they wanted together “He was like the son my father never had,” says Vallejo’s daughter Mayra Vallejo Urzua “He admired [Camarón’s] perseverance and he wanted to help him.” He was regularly shooting in the 60s on a tight He had no concept of what professional golf looked like he made his protégé an offer: for two months he would pay all of Camarón’s living expenses so he could prepare for the upcoming qualifying tournament for the Mexican Tour “I knew it was the chance of a lifetime,” Camarón says He played just well enough for Vallejo to keep sponsoring him and the following year Camarón won his first tournament His long journey through golf’s minor leagues had begun With winner’s checks ranging from $10,000 to $15,000 he could have stayed on his home tour and provided a comfortable life for Bianca But now something had been stirred deep within Camarón Once again he left his family and headed north he won twice on the Canadian tour and topped the Order of Merit he was so star-struck he asked Rory McIlroy for an autograph.) Camarón kept moving up the ladder and in 2013 he won twice on the LAT to finish second on the Order of Merit Camarón’s banner season on the LAT earned him a promotion to the Web.com tour for 2014 In 18 starts he had a pair of top-10 finishes but also 10 missed cuts Finishing 82nd on the Web.com money list was a small setback in an otherwise upwardly mobile career when Vallejo was murdered in Irapuato under hazy circumstances “The police suggested an attempted robbery but nothing was stolen.”) Camarón was devastated and felt lost throughout the ensuing season suddenly worrying about money and what his future held His funk deepened when his father died of natural causes in early 2016 Camarón says he seriously considered quitting the game “I have to be nice — the whole family is counting on her!” he says Camarón brawled with one of the toughest tracks on tour to earn a spot in Sunday’s final pairing at the United Leasing & Financing Championship and so the storyline was inescapable: a 23-year-old hotshot from Stanford and son of a billionaire vs But tournament golf is the ultimate meritocracy and the pride of Irapuato won the event and his playing partner’s enduring respect “He is very in control of all parts of his game and on that Sunday that was really apparent He has played for years and won many times on other tours and he seemed very comfortable and confident in that situation He just seemed like a guy who knew how to play within himself and hit the shots he needed to win.” Twenty-two years after he had defeated the Rio Grande Camarón saunters into the caddie yard at Santa Margarita in his usual good cheer “It is a gift from God.” He points to one looper and teases “He’s the most drunk,” then points at another and announces he is!” But there is a heavy feeling in the air one of the regulars at the cantina where the caddies gather had been tortured and killed by sicarios Violent crime in Irapuato — which is midway between Mexico City and Guadalajara — has surged over the last two years as the Jalisco cartel has moved into the area This most recent murder hits close to home for Camarón because the dead man was an old friend who lived down the street from the homestead where his mom and siblings still reside Camarón leaves Santa Margarita to go check on them and a number of hard-looking men are loitering on the road that leads to his mother’s house Camarón personally escorts his visiting journalists into the neighborhood saying it is necessary to ensure their safety Camarón’s sisters pours lemonade for the guests while his mother She has never seen her son play golf in person but the one time she was shown highlights of his Web.com win she was overcome with tears then is drawn into a game of futból with his son and some nephews Navigating the threat of cartel violence is not the usual concern of a PGA Tour member but Camarón has become used to the dissonance of traveling between two dramatically different worlds When the unknown rookie turned up to register at Tour events last fall he kept getting the same reaction: “They always point [me] toward the kitchen,” he says with a laugh His visa prohibits him from establishing residency in the U.S. so he travels in and out of the airport in Guanajuato and every time he lands in America “they take me into a little room and ask me many questions,” he says The cartel’s bad hombres roar around in Escalades with shiny rims He says he does not worry about his safety in Irapuato because “I came from the streets.” That is he grew up with many of the men who have now gone to the dark side one that would allow him to live at least part-time in the U.S “I would like a different life for my children,” Camarón says It is a given that they will go to college a charming 10-year-old goofball with his father’s love for fútbol Ximena speaks good English and is trying to tutor her father Camarón looks a bit like Francesco Molinari standing over the ball and his strike with the irons is nearly as pure But he is still struggling with the glassy greens on Tour and his driving distance of 297.3 ranked only 114th on the bombs-away Web.com He is now finding that missing fairways on the PGA Tour extracts a higher toll he sometimes frets about keeping his playing status or how he will cover his expenses without Vallejo to take care of him Camarón earned a third-round pairing alongside Rickie Fowler but Fowler shot a 69 to trump his playing partner by three strokes Camarón studied him carefully throughout the round Camarón has begun working with a sports psychologist to learn to quiet his mind But there is an inescapable burden in knowing that you are playing for something larger than yourself Illegal immigration has become the most divisive political issue in the country where Camarón now plies his trade “I want to set a good example so American golf fans can see we are good people who want to work hard.” In the last year he has been contacted by a number of blue-collar strivers he labored alongside during his previous stint in the U.S “I know they are watching me now,” Camarón says “They ask me for advice.” And what does he say with the accumulated wisdom of having twice made the hero’s journey All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team making the clinics themselves targets for attack.