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 Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information 2017 at 12:47 PM EDTBookmarkSaveThe Neza of today is made of paved streets Not so long ago it nearly ran on willpower alone Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl serves as the central hub for commerce and services for Mexico City’s poorer eastern districts Located on the swampy remains of Lake Texoco along the eastern fringe of the city it’s commonly referred to as Neza—sometimes affectionately as “Neza York” or “MiNezota” which translates roughly as “my big Neza.” have recently been writing on the valorization The fact that I’ve been getting to know Neza recently has inspired me to weigh as well In Mexico City at the close of the Second World War where they crammed into central-city tenements reminiscent of New York at the turn of the century there’s a means; in Mexico City at that moment subdividing land that they had no legal right to sell and families desperately seeking homes of their own were able to buy because Neza was built on land that hadn’t even existed in 1900 Though much of the lake system upon which the pre-Hispanic city had floated had dried up was a body of water well into the 20th Century and low-lying—had fully emerged by the 1940s In a pattern that would be repeated through the present moment and slowly built into a functional piece of the metro area Neza is Mexico’s tenth biggest municipality Cabeza de Coyote - a Sculpture in the center of Neza — Photo by Author Though the developers laid out a street grid and advertised delineated plots for sale the residents moved in before the infrastructure Even as the city ballooned in population in the 1960s much of it was still without official hookups to electricity What David refers to as the “banality of poverty” in the neighborhoods that he’s worked in the daily grind of the working-class in Mexico City would have referred in Neza at that time to contracting water trucks perhaps stringing up pirate electrical wiring and the slow construction of the now ubiquitous 2- or 3-story cinderblock homes of Neza A Motorcyclist in Ciudad Neza — Photo by Author David’s conception of this “banality” is meant as a counterpoint to a sort of Slumdog Millionaire romanticization, by planners and architects, of what are often called “slum” neighborhoods. Paulina brings up Urban-Think Tank and Justin McGuirk’s award-winning research into the famous Torre David in Caracas an incomplete office tower that was repurposed into housing by the organized poor in that city (Disclosure: I’ve worked with Urban-Think Tank by being impressed by the design innovations of marginal communities we in the planning and design fields ignore their real challenges We revel in their ingenuity in the face of government neglect I have to disagree with this train of thought especially when it is brought to its seemingly logical conclusion which David hints at at the close of his piece I agree that there are “real dangers to…bulldozing over slums just to erect ugly and barely functional public housing,” but struggle a bit with the idea that the dangers of the “poverty aesthetic” are “even bigger,” or that they amount to “ignoring the pleas of the poor.” This presupposes that we as outsiders to these communities (and often the very countries themselves) are obligated to intervene architecturally in these people’s homes I believe the older informal settlements of Mexico City demonstrate that A famous image of Neza in the 1960s by the photographer Hector García Neza fought for far too long for its basic needs: the provision of services It’s shameful for a government to allow hundreds of thousands of residents to live adjacent to an open canal pressed into service as a sewer allowing them to participate in the construction and design of their homes the sheer diversity of built form reflects the myriad needs of its residents and their ability to shape buildings to meet those needs While few now propose the imposition of modernist housing blocks to replace “slum” housing and urban designers did time and time again throughout the 20th century the economies of scale housing movement of the contemporary era has proven similarly unpalatable A decorated home in Neza — Photo by author A long process of resident organization and eventual government support has succeeded in connecting homes to the city services Many homes look finished; it’s remarkable how quickly a bit of plaster and paint can make a grey cinderblock structure look like a home anywhere else in the city Neza is quiet streets of homes on what was once an edge of the city in terms of infrastructure and land titles to recognize achievements in design wherever they crop up then the roots of that inequality absolutely demand consideration To perpetuate those inequities by failing to provide services to the needy is abhorrent But to conflate informal architecture with its causes is a mistake its ability to provide a basis for self-improvement would be a failure on our part though it is far from the most pressing need for most residents to ignore what informality has done to empower the disenfranchised in the design of their own space would be a sorely missed opportunity About The National Geographic SocietyThe National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration investing in bold people and transformative ideas providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036 most migrants from Mexico to the United States another wave of immigrants is coming from poor urban areas such as Ciudad Neza These immigrants tend to be younger and better educated than their rural counterparts This is bringing into existence a new Mexican subculture called “Neza York” distinguished by dress speech and the likelihood of learning English Businesses with names like Tacos Neza and Neza Grocery have appeared in New York City While subsidence has been stabilized in the city center many parts of the metropolitan area continue to sink Some parts like Ciudad Neza have sunk more than 30 feet during the last century The water difficulties have become a vicious circle: as the city grows The sinkage ruptures more underground water pipes sending fresh water gushing into the sewers requiring more water to be pumped from the aquifer the total amount of wastewater treated by public wastewater treatment plants is 10 m3/s and all the treated wastewater is reused reused water is utilized to fill recreational lakes and canals (54%) to irrigate agricultural areas and parks over a total area of 6,500 ha (31%) diverse commercial activities (5%) and to recharge the aquifer (only 2%) the proposal is to replace gradually the network of small storm sewers in Ciudad Neza with a rainwater system collector that converge in recreational lakes on the surface where towers emerge as large natural filters for rainwater storage; and treatment plants with absorption wells for underground injection floods will decrease because drainage system of the city will not be saturated in rainy season and after treated water is injected directly into the aquifer Activate the Wp-related-posts plugin to see the related post list XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment University of Connecticut provides funding as a member of The Conversation US View all partners Leer en español Cape Town is not alone. While both rich and poor countries are drying out, the fast-growing cities of the developing world are projected to suffer the most acute shortages in coming years Scarcity turns water into a powerful political bargaining chip. From Delhi to Nairobi Mexico, too, has seen its water fall prey to cronyism in too many cities. I interviewed 180 engineers, politicians, business leaders and residents in eight Mexican cities for my book on politics and water I was startled to discover that Mexican officials frequently treat water distribution and treatment not as public services but as political favors Nezahualcoyotl is a city in Mexico State near the nation’s sprawling capital Just after lunch one Friday afternoon in 2008 was showing me around town when news of an unexpected thunderstorm began lighting up his team’s cell phones and pagers I did not yet understand why an everyday event like a thunderstorm would elicit such panic Pablo explained that Nezahualcoyotl’s aged electric grid often failed during big storms and that the city lacked backup generators If a power outage shut down the local sanitation treatment plant Pablo and his colleagues avoided a flood that day. But I later read news articles confirming how relatively common sewage overflows are there Nezahualcoyotl residents have been dealing with this multisystem failure for 30 years complaining of gastrointestinal illness and skin lesions all the while So why hasn’t this public health emergency been fixed? The answer is a primer on the tricky politics of urban water delivery in Mexico Public malfeasance in Mexico is widespread. Nearly 90 percent of citizens see the state and federal government as corrupt, according to the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography The country’s water situation, too, is pretty dire. The capital, Mexico City, is “parched and sinking,” according to a powerful 2017 New York Times report, and 81 percent of residents say they don’t drink from the tap either because they lack running water or they don’t trust its quality Officially, nearly all Mexicans have access to running water. But in practice, many – particularly poorer people – have intermittent service and very low pressure Workers in one city asked me to keep their identity anonymous before explaining why the water infrastructure there was so decrepit The mayor’s team actually profits from refusing to upgrade the city’s perpetually defunct hardware That’s because whenever a generator or valve breaks they send it to their buddies’ refurbishing shops Numerous engineers across Mexico similarly expressed frustration that they were sometimes forbidden from making technical fixes to improve local water service because of a mayor’s “political commitments.” I met a water director who openly boasted of using public water service for his political and personal gain he told me that he fought to keep water bills low in this mostly poor city because water was a “human right” but also that he had once turned off supplies to an entire neighborhood for weeks because of a feud with another city employee Public officials also use water to influence politics My sources also alleged that the powerful Revolutionary Institutional Party and thus controlled its water supply – has turned off the water in towns whose mayors belonged to opposition parties These tactics are not reported in the Mexican press but according to my research the cuts tend to occur just before municipal elections – a bid to make the PRI’s political competition look bad Water corruption isn’t limited to Mexico State The millions of Mexicans who lack reliable access to piped water are served by municipal water trucks called “pipas,” which drive around filling buildings’ cisterns This system seems prone to political exploitation Interviewees told me that city workers sometimes make people show their voter ID cards, demonstrating their affiliation to the governing party, before receiving their water. Across the country, mayoral candidates chase votes by promising to give residents free or subsidized water service rather than to charge based on consumption The phenomenon of trading water as a political favor is probably more common in lower income communities, which rely almost exclusively on the pipas I saw how water can hold a different kind of political power the location of underground pipes and other critical water infrastructure was guarded like a state secret So when customers complained that some municipal employees were asking for bribes to provide water The workers controlled valuable information about the city’s water system Water may be a human right But when politicians manipulate it for their personal or political benefit Home News Highlights Spotlights With Haitian migration growing a Mexico City family of doctors is helping out the Hernández Pacheco family began to notice a number of Haitians arriving at an apartment across the street from their medical clinic on the outskirts of Mexico City mint-green office sits on a small street in working class Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl The Haitians stood out among the tamal vendors and street merchants sitting out in the sun to warm up in the chilled high-elevation air approached a 15-year-old Haitian boy who often looked sad and bored Haitian migrants make up a good portion of the medical practice of the clinic which is staffed by Hernández Pacheco and her mother and two of her siblings who are also doctors The Bassuary clinic offers free consultations and the family also began giving food to the Haitians Hernández Pacheco wants the clinic to be a safe haven for Haitian migrants whether they are planning to stay in Mexico or continue the journey north to the U.S “I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be in another country where there are so many limitations,” she said “My clinic’s doors are open to help them in everything we can originally came to the doctor when she had stomach pain They offered her a job cleaning at the clinic three times a week Lubin and the doctors have engaged in a dance of dialects the last eight months She started teaching me words in Creole and she says we’re friends,” said Berenice Political unrest and natural disasters have led to periods of migration through Mexico over the last decade Many Haitians initially emigrated to South America and then moved north after economies struggled through the COVID-19 pandemic Surging gang violence in Haiti has displaced nearly 580,000 Haitians internally since March More migrants like Lubin have been stuck in Mexico for months waiting for asylum appointments through U.S Customs and Border Protection’s online app The Hernández Pacheco sisters are following in the footsteps of their parents who both came from poor backgrounds and were the first doctors to practice medicine in the rural neighborhood They opened the family’s first clinic in 1963 who studied medicine at the National Autonomous University of Mexico opened her own private clinic in 2014 to provide free medical care for the low-income residents of her community It’s across the street from her parents’ practice The private clinic is not funded or subsidized by any institution They sometimes receive donations from non-governmental organizations and work to keep their costs low for patients in the area younger sister Berenice and brother also work as doctors at the Bassuary clinic they have noticed a number of health issues common to their Haitian patients “They had lower back problems because most of them sleep on the floor Dealing with the cold was difficult for them,” Berenice said “They also had stomach issues because their diet was completely different from the Mexican (diet).” was one of the Haitians living in the small apartment across the street Originally from the Haitian town of Dessalines Toussaint was a school principal and history teacher for 28 years He made the difficult decision of leaving his four children with relatives to try to join his wife in Florida he got by thanks to his studies in Spanish back home He came to the clinic for treatment of high blood pressure and pain in his eyes but there’s a bit of a problem here,” he said Mexico’s humanitarian visa can give Haitians benefits like work authorization Last year Haitians were the highest among all nationalities to request these visas according to the International Organization for Migration Mexico received fewer than 4,000 requests from Haitians for humanitarian visas the National Immigration Institute has restricted the distribution of this document,” said Alejandra Carrillo of the U.N “Now we’re seeing a significant number of Haitians working in the informal economy many Haitians like Toussaint struggle while waiting months for a humanitarian visa in Mexico or a CBP One appointment in the United States He had gigs in a factory and as a mechanic Toussaint and three of his roommates secured CBP One appointments their departure on June 20 was cause for celebration Before their trip she invited the men over for a farewell meal “You should eat more than one!” she exclaimed as they crowded around a table in the clinic’s courtyard motioning to the doctors and the other three Haitian men around him during their meal She arrived in Mexico last year fleeing violence in Port-Au-Prince, taking a flight to Nicaragua then crossing through Honduras and Guatemala to reach Mexico “My family has been a victim of insecurity,” she said “Bandits seized our home and my mother’s cars As the eldest in her family she left behind three siblings and her parents as well as her dream to attend medical school in Haiti Now she works at the clinic along with another young Haitian woman They live in a small room a five-minute walk away “It’s safe here and that makes me feel comfortable,” Lubin said Sarahí Hernández Pacheco says Haitians deserve more from the international community “What I’m doing is just a grain of sand,” she said “I would ask the government what they could do to speed up their procedures and get them where they feel safe.” Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america Discover the best of AP content in every format Explore diverse topics through our world-class journalism Women march against the recent murders of several women in the Mexico City suburb of Nezahualcoyotl where two of the women were killed last week The protests were triggered by the murder of Debanhi Escobar an 18-year-old who was killed in the northern city of Monterrey and whose body was found Thursday almost two weeks after she had gone missing A woman carries a sign that reads in Spanish “Mexico is a mass grave” during a march against the recent murders of several women Candles and flowers surround an image of Debanhi Escobar during a protest against the disappearance of Escobar and other women who have gone missing at the Attorney General’s office in Mexico City The protest against femicide was triggered after Escobar’s decomposing body was recently found in a subterranean water tank at a motel when workers reported foul odors coming from the water holding tank Flowers on the facade of the Attorney General’s office surround images of Debanhi Escobar The protest was triggered after Escobar’s decomposing body was recently found in a subterranean water tank at a motel when workers reported foul odors coming from the water holding tank Flowers on the facade of the Attorney General’s office surround an image of Debanhi Escobar during a protest against the disappearance of Escobar and other women who have gone missing A woman places a stem of flowers on the facade of the Attorney General’s office during a protest against the disappearance of Debanhi Escobar and other women who have gone missing MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hundreds of women marched through downtown Mexico City and its suburbs on Sunday to protest the horrifying death of an 18-year-old in the northern city of Monterrey Protesters also marched in the rough suburb of Nezahualcoyotl where two women were killed in the last week carried signs reading “No to Harrassment” and “Mexico is a mass grave.” unlike many previous women’s rights demonstrations in recent years The demonstrators did not spray-paint slogans on the Angel a tall stone monumental shaft commemorating the country’s independence each one describing the disappearance of a woman Many of the posters depicted Debanhi Escobar whose body was found Thursday in a cistern at a motel in Monterrey justice!” and carried a banner reading “24,000 are missing” about disappeared women the number of missing people of all genders has risen to over 100,000 Activists say police and prosecutors have been slow and ineffective in investigating the cases Those criticisms were reinforced when the father of Debanhi Escobar said authorities had searched the motel several times But it wasn’t until workers reported a foul odor coming from an underground water tank that investigators finally found her body apparently soon after she was last seen April 8 because the young woman was left on the side of a highway late at night purportedly after a taxi driver tried to fondle her The case made headlines because of a haunting photo taken by the driver who was supposed to get her home that night took the photo to show the 18-year-old got out of his car alive on the outskirts of Monterrey a young woman standing alone at night on the side of a highway The image seemed to speak of the tremendous vulnerability and the self-assuredness — or desperation — of the young woman when investigators managed to pull her body from the 12-foot (4-meter) deep water tank near a pool at the roadside motel Critics are disturbed by the fact that even when authorities are spurred to act by public outcry investigations are seldom very timely or efficient Investigators said 200 personnel used drones search dogs and reviews of security camera footage to look for Escobar though her body was lying not far from where she exited the taxi Killings of women have increased in recent years in Mexico Those were just cases classified as “feminicides” a legal term used in Mexico when women are killed because of their gender with about 1,600 reported missing so far this year Officials say 829 of them are still listed as missing Mexico — The priests of Nezahualcóyotl died in quick succession The loss of four spiritual brothers — plus a beloved deacon — over five weeks last spring was almost too much to bear for Julio César Ponce the youngest priest in the Catholic diocese in this working-class city of 3 million just east of Mexico's capital thinking about how the men had died in isolation "We couldn't be with them in their ultimate moment," Ponce recalled who had been his professor and mentor in seminary "Being a priest means being close to the people." But what did that guidance mean during a pandemic The priests were dying because they had continued with their duties hearing confession and praying with the sick "There was a lot we didn't know about how the virus spread," Ponce said "So we continued doing things that were very natural for us." It had been less than two years since he was ordained and he felt a heavy weight of responsibility Catholic priests had been dying much faster than new ones were being trained Ponce knew the church couldn't afford to lose more only seven of the remaining 106 priests were younger than 40 that the community needed spiritual comfort more than ever Ponce asked God for answers: "How can we protect ourselves but also be present?" Nezahualcóyotl started out in the 1940s as a patchwork of dusty informal settlements forged by peasants who had come to Mexico City to work in factories but couldn't afford to live there Durango and Michoacán ate different foods and wore different clothes but they found community through the Catholic Church he loved the internet and DC Comics and dreamed of a career in computers But he drew close to the church as a teenager when a local priest helped counsel his parents through marital difficulties He decided he wanted to have that kind of effect on people's lives and at 18 joined the seminary in "Neza," as it's known Seven of the nine in his class would eventually drop out but Ponce was enchanted by Scripture and a generation of older priests who demonstrated what it meant to be a spiritual leader He often assured Ponce that he would go on to have a colorful life just like the Roman general whose name he shared Now all four men were gone — among at least 135 priests across Mexico believed to have died of COVID-19 — and it was up to Ponce to carry on As he mulled over how to maintain contact with the community from a safe distance He had studied computer programming in high school and as a seminarian had designed a website for the diocese and he started a podcast in which he discussed spiritual topics Ponce invited the children enrolled in catechism at his church to discuss their coursework over video chat When families in the neighborhood reached out asking him to come pray for a relative sick with COVID-19 in the heart of the city's downtown shopping district — remained open to worshipers but allowed just one person per pew Ponce set his iPad on a tripod and began a live broadcast for those at home liturgists around the world have debated whether online Mass and other Catholic rituals are an adequate substitute for the real thing Is it possible for worshipers to engage in "full conscious and active participation" — as leaders of the church dictated at the Second Vatican Council — when they are simply watching a ceremony on a screen who began streaming his morning Mass after the Italian government suspended religious gatherings there last spring Ponce's livestreams have been far-reaching watched by migrants from Neza in cities such as Chicago and Anaheim friends and family members who haven't seen each other because of the pandemic greet each other in the comments section Ponce said even some priests "who once thought of the internet as a dark place" have approached him for technological help "What do I need to set up a transmission in my parish?" one recently asked saw what Ponce was doing and appointed him head of communications for the diocese in August asking him to help the rest of the priests put their ministries online Ponce invited his colleagues to gather for a Zoom meeting There was a screech of feedback as one priest struggled to mute his microphone and some awkward waiting as another scrambled to point his camera toward his face rather than the painting of the Last Supper on the wall behind him One priest appeared on the screen only as his avatar — a picture of Jesus After reciting a prayer and each making the sign of the cross they began the session: "How To Evangelize on Social Media." "If we're not on social media," warned a 25-year-old consultant who had been invited As he explained the ins and outs of Instagram For all of Ponce's success in moving his church's work online Fewer in-person rituals meant fewer people dropping alms in the collection basket which priests depended on to pay bills and buy groceries His mother had started selling food out of their house to help the family survive who had sold his paintings to raise money for the church Church volunteers helped them bake the bread selling pozole and tamales after evening Mass The year would call for other forms of creative thinking the neighborhood would celebrate by gathering by the thousands in the street for a blessing there wasn't enough money to rent folding chairs and buy food Ponce thought about ways to put the festival online but he and Sarabia ended up with a different solution They would take the festival directly to the people they donned surgical masks and walked the neighborhood Residents had been told when the priests would arrive on each block so many were waiting in their doorways for blessings — from a distance It was the first time Ponce had seen many of his parishioners since the pandemic began One family was dressed up in its Sunday best They sang "Las Mañanitas," the Mexican birthday serenade a chef who had lost work held up a photograph of him with Pope John Paul II so Ponce could bless it The man proudly said he had cooked a meal for the pope during the pontiff's trip to Mexico in 1990 Then there was the family that stood in front of its home They told Ponce that since the pandemic began they had united with relatives in other parts of Mexico once a week over video chat to recite the rosary and to ask God to bless those who were sick with COVID-19 "It gave me hope," Ponce recalled with a smile "The church isn't the only place for faith." he missed the physical element of many Catholic rituals — from giving the wafer during Holy Communion to the spot of cinders on the forehead for Ash Wednesday "It's still better to see people in person It's like somebody telling you that they're sending hugs She had told him she thought she was dying Ponce asked Hernández whether his mother had any symptoms of COVID-19 The woman had been ill long before the pandemic jumping into Hernández's sedan and speeding through the slick streets He took out a bottle of hand sanitizer and rubbed his palms together Then he touched her forehead with the holy water Cecilia Sánchez of the Los Angeles Times' Mexico City bureau contributed to this report Karla Zabludovsky covers Latin America for Newsweek she reported for the New York Times from Mexico the effects of the drug war on the general population and miscellaneous topics (fish smuggling Her work has also appeared in The Economist and The Guardian. either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content the wave of drug-related censorship that has enveloped thousands of journalists in Mexico has reached the capital city long a bastion of relatively open crime reporting according a report released Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists Since former President Felipe Calderon declared war on Mexico's criminal syndicates seven years ago reporters in the provinces have adapted to the new rules of the game: no detailed reports on cartel activity In hundreds of towns and cities across Mexico journalists can do little more than regurgitate vague official press releases 50 reporters have been killed since Calderon took office on December 2006 Mexico City-based journalists had largely been spared from the cartel demands that created a self-imposed censorship for most of the country They often wrote about criminal organizations without fearing for their lives and the city itself was a bubble of relative calm has descended on Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl at the edge of Mexico City and silenced the press there "The deep problem for Mexican journalism and for Mexicans is that while those reporters can tell CPJ .. they can't tell their readers in the rest of the country," wrote Mike O'Connor Mexico Representative for the New York-based CPJ O'Connor died of a heart attack in Mexico City last month at 67 After arriving in Neza -- a city of over 1 million people 10 miles southeast of Mexico City -- Familia Michoacana first ensured its monopoly over drug sales roaming the city in big SUVs and threatening police officers from behind rolled down making it impossible for the mayor of Neza to protect his people journalists simply stop telling the public what the cartel doesn't want the public to know," O'Connor wrote "All of the journalists CPJ spoke with who cover Neza said they stay away from organized crime stories or play it very cautiously they don't investigate or look for the big picture They crank out today's limited story and hope the cartel doesn't get angry." It's not only cartels that are intimidating Neza's reporters into silence The city's police are also censoring journalists in an attempt to kill reports that make them look "incompetent or corrupt." In 2010, El Diario de Juarez, the biggest newspaper in Ciudad Juarez, published a front-page editorial asking the cartels to clarify what it could and could not publish and calling them a de facto authority But as other local newspapers have followed suit around the country "When information media does not have a state protecting it it takes the rational attitude," said Jorge Chabat which have retained a degree of immunity amid the encroaching information blackout one of the largest newspapers in the country has stopped reporting on organized crime in Neza He said that while other national newspapers published ambitious crime stories in 2012 "no story went nearly as deeply as the problems seem to go." Mexican authorities deny the presence of cartels in or near Mexico City Nothing like the names of the cartels you find in the states." And Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has tried to overshadow reports of growing cartel activity with an around-the-clock focus on his signature education which sits on a drained lake and contains a vast landfill housed a homegrown cartel in the late 1990s which was eventually broken down Neza's drug market did not belong to a single gang but in 2008 or 2009 an organized crime cartel took over and began wreaking havoc "An organized crime cartel was never supposed to operate in metropolitan Mexico City," said O'Connor in his report "The drug war was supposed to be taking place out there But like a cancer bent on destroying its host "This will make public opinion be less informed which will reduce pressure on the government which will increase criminal activities," said Chabat "That would mean the end of the pact between state and society and the failure of the Mexican state." Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker These elements made Chilangos Tacos’ space on Harry Hines Boulevard a destination for social media influencers and families. As owner Jon Garay expanded to food halls in Plano Mendoza would occasionally work at other restaurants as well The jobs proved to be fleeting stints until he landed his own taqueria It’s a beautiful home Mendoza is proud to call his own as evidenced by the beaming smile on his face while we stood in the small dining room Although the municipality has more than a million residents it’s a young city that has fought its way to modernity was initially settled in the early 1900s as an unincorporated shantytown built on the swampy remains of the drained lake bed of Texcoco upon which most of Mexico City also stands It was formally established in the mid-twentieth century and the city was disregarded by the government Neza’s reputation was one of poverty and crime and sanitation services in the sixties and seventies but only after residents protested for improved living conditions Neza and its residents have fought for what they have Today Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl—originally named after the precolonial poet-king of the city-state Texcoco—is booming hardworking people and the high immigration rates of residents to New York “Neza is full of hardworking people who go out day by day to the flea markets; the smell of food makes you want to try everything,” Mendoza says I fell in love with the crazy things about New York: the lifestyle and the different foods in the different neighborhoods It’s like the same city as [Neza and Mexico City] only they speak English in New York.” After working at restaurants in Mexico, including the renowned Pujol in Mexico City, Mendoza moved to New York City in 2006. There he worked in Spanish, Italian, and French restaurants, as well as in the Four Seasons, until 2009, when he moved to Dallas. He found work at the Four Seasons and in restaurants such as San Salvaje In 2017 Mendoza partnered with Garay on the La Botana taco truck before reconceptualizing the project as Chilangos Tacos in 2019 Mendoza speaks fondly of his former business partner “Jon is a very special person in my life He gave me the opportunity to grow in areas in which I needed,” Mendoza says but in life one must continue to grow.” And grow he did Neza York Con Todo isn’t as flashy as Chilangos Tacos (it’s set in a gas station outside south Oak Cliff) but watching Mendoza cook and run things with contentment and comfort shows this new project is the best thing he’s done. “I decided to open a taqueria because it is a way of life in Mexico,” Mendoza says, adding that he wanted to serve the traditional flavors of Neza and Mexico City. Doing so from a gas station adds an attractive familiarity for local taco lovers: Dallasites have a romantic view of gas station taquerias “They get the support of the people,” Mendoza says “gas station” and “Mexico City” telegraph misconceptions of authenticity to the average customer It’s not uncommon for someone to say a taqueria is “legit” because it’s in a gas station or because the owners advertise it as selling Mexico City–style food and there is usually no one category of taco slung from behind counters. a round metal-trough pan with a short tower with a convex top rising from the center The choricera’s moat is filled with molten lard in which suadero and longaniza (aged chorizo) are cooked Cabeza al vapor (steamed cow head) isn’t from Mexico City Mendoza buys the masa fresh from a woman who goes by Señora Marya Mendoza wouldn’t disclose much more about her “Señora Marya honors my kitchen with her tortilla dough” was all he added the end products didn’t pass the lime test which involves squeezing lime juice over a section of a blue corn tortilla and watching it turn pink which means the cal used in the nixtamalization process properly reacted to the juice’s acidity and lingering fragrance made any quibbles moot which featured shimmering cubes of herbaceous cactus with bright tomatoes and zippy peppers fatty chamorro (pork shank) was accompanied by corn tortillas and grilled rectangles of salty queso panela wrapped in root beer–scented hoja santa I grabbed a tortilla and tore a long portion of juicy pork: meat “It’s a true platter of Mexico,” Mendoza says Mendoza says if he learns customers are from Oaxaca “For me it is among the top three cuisines in Mexico,” he adds “You never stop learning about such a beautiful and incredible gastronomy.” He and López are also testing dishes from Puebla, where Mendoza’s father is from, as well as Amecameca, one hour southeast of Neza, where his mother grew up. Mendoza wants to give Texans the flavors of Mexico City–area foods, from cheesy tetelas and bean-stuffed tlacoyos to robust gorditas and “It’s all about the dishes that are tasted daily outside the subway and in mercados.” He’s off to an excellent start Neza York Con Todo just might soon live up to the other half of its name Con Todo—”with everything.” Neza York Con Todo 8618 S. Lancaster Road, DallasPhone: 469-657-7179Hours: Monday–Saturday 7–8 The archaeological site of Chimalhuacán is surrounded by the city of the same name on the outskirts of México City one of the largest and most densely megalopolises on Earth The name of this Náhuatl ceremonial center translates as the place of the shields a fact which is reflected by the many stone-carved shields found at the site and its surroundings. Also known as Los Poches, Chimalhuacán also shows evidence of being inhabited by Chichimec and Mixtec peoples during the time of the famous triple alliance that kickstarted the Aztec empire. Archaeological evidence suggests that Chimalhuacán was first settled by Mesoamerican peoples in the 4th century BCE the vast majority of the architecture visible at the site today dates to the 11th century CE The settlement of Chimalhuacán is also known to have hosted the great Nezahualcóyotl who hailed from Texcoco and became one of the greatest military figures in the history of the Aztec empire Though much of the archaeological site has been destroyed over the centuries to make way for modern construction there are still plenty of interesting structures and objects to explore. On exhibit within the museum and inside the site are several objects discovered during excavations in the 1980s it is also possible to observe a handful of stone-carved figures. Though Chimalhuacán’s Mesoamerican ballcourt has not survived one of its rings was recently discovered and set into the facade of the site’s museum One of the most photographed attractions at Chimalhuacán that represents a fire deity is actually a fiberglass mold replica based on a sculpture found elsewhere Like virtually all Mesoamerican cities and settlements Chimalhuacán relied heavily on agriculture but also had the advantage of easy fishing in Lake Texcoco when large sections of Lake Texcoco were still navigable folks from the region still used to fish its waters using canoes identical to those of their ancestors. But the story of the place today known as Chimalhuacán stretches way further back than even Mesoamerican civilization as it is also the site of the discovery of the so-called Man of Chimalhuacán who is thought to have lived 12,000 years ago Among the burial of the man of Chimalhuacán as well as mammoth tusks covered with markings Municipalities such as Chimalhuacán and Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl are reachable via public transit from Mexico City it is strongly recommended that you take a taxi or use a ride-sharing app as the area may present hazards to lost tourists The trip from downtown Mexico City to Chimalhuacán usually takes about one hour but can be much longer during rush hour It is a good idea to go early on weekends to avoid traffic This region of México state is jampacked with other extremely interesting sites, such as Acozac so making a list of sites to visit and trying to hit several during an extended day trip is a great idea. Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer and translation degrees from universities in Mexico The Cacaxtla-Xochitécatl archaeological site is one of the most interesting and unique in all of Mexico Aside from its massive structures and breathtakingly beautiful vistas this ancient city in Central Mexico boasts a rather out-of-place feature — Maya murals which seated attendees atop Uxmal’s Nunnery Quadrangle to view a light show from a stationary position this new show is walkable and much more dynamic Cultural appropriation has become a sensitive topic for folks in the last decade So you may be wondering how people in Mexico/Yucatán feel about foreigners using elements of traditional culture people here in Yucatán tend to be pretty relaxed about this sort of thing… On Episode 5 of “Uncovered,” we dive in to the history and archaeology of Mesoamerica and beyond with Pete of the Ancient Americas YouTube channel Any foreigner can obtain direct ownership of a property in the interior of the country they just need a permit from the Foreigner Affair’s Office foreigners cannot directly own property within the restricted zone Cicloturixes have played a vital role in getting new government mobility programs off the ground including the city’s nearly 50 miles of bike lanes as well as improved infrastructure for pedestrians Advertise With Us Air pollution in Mexico City worsened overnight The Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis (Came) issued an Extraordinary Environmental Contingency for the Mexico City metropolitan area after measuring extremely high levels of PM2.5 — fine particulate matter — at different points around the city in the early hours of the morning The commission warned the public to avoid outdoor activities The city’s Imeca index, which measures air quality, reached 158 at 5:00am at the Nezahualcóyotl Metro station, up from 144 yesterday evening An environmental contingency is declared when the index reaches 151 The municipality of Nezahualcóyotl often suffers from the poorest air quality in the region because of its location at the lowest point of the Valley of Mexico’s dried lake beds At least 23 fires were reported in Mexico City yesterday affecting nearly all of the capital’s 16 boroughs and contributing to poor air quality the commission recommended that residents remain indoors with windows and doors shut and avoid intense exercise or other outdoor recreational activities The environmental commission also warned against smoking and cooking over an open fire and urged that drivers restrict vehicle use Source: El Financiero (sp) ADVERTISE WITH MND COMMUNITY GUIDELINES Subscription FAQ's Privacy Policy Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC mules and donkeys won’t be required to show up for work on Thursday as a ban on the use of animal-drawn garbage carts takes effect in Tultepec trash collectors known as carretoneros (cart drivers) will face fines of almost 1,000 pesos (about US $50) as well as 36 hours of jail time if they defy the ban which was introduced to protect animal welfare Scofflaws could have even have their work permits revoked In prohibiting the use of animals in garbage collection, Tultepec — considered Mexico’s fireworks capital — followed the lead of other México state municipalities such as Nezahualcóyotl, Coacalco and Ecatepec Trash collectors will now have to use motorized vehicles to traverse the streets of Tultepec the municipal government last month approved a 10,000-peso (US $500) payment for carretoneros to help them cover the cost of purchasing a motorbike to pull their carts Mayor Sergio Luna Cortés acknowledged that the payment “isn’t enough” but stressed that it will nevertheless help the rubbish haulers He also noted that authorities are providing them with uniforms and shoes Some 30 trash collectors have already bought adapted motor trikes that effectively function as small garbage trucks The newspaper El Heraldo de México reported that the vehicles cost between 70,000 and 80,000 pesos (US $3,500-$4,000) Luna indicated that trash collectors have had time to make the transition as authorities reached an agreement with them in March to phase out the use of horse mule and donkey-drawn carts over a period of six months But many carretoneros didn’t rush to make a change to the way they have long worked El Universal reported Wednesday that dozens of trash collectors were continuing to use equines to pull their carts The newspaper also said that a total of 87 animals would cease pulling garbage carts on Thursday Tultepec public services director Mario Torres Roldán said in early August that the garbage collectors could sell their horses mules and donkeys or donate them to the local DIF family services agency Animals that are in poor health will be taken to a sanctuary The official also said that the municipal government was working with veterinarians to worm and shoe the cart-hauling equines Torres noted that Tultepec residents generate 60 tonnes of trash a day 90% of which is collected by the municipal government The remaining 10% is collected by the independent carretoneros who explained that most Tultepec trash collectors live in the neighboring municipality of Tultitlán “We’re not stopping them from continuing to work in the municipality but we are asking that they do so under the right conditions,” he said With reports from El Universal and El Heraldo de México Many Mexico City locals won’t even visit Tepito you’re putting yourself at greater risk of being targeted by pickpockets and muggers The largest market in Mexico City, La Merced has a formidable reputation for deliciously traditional Mexican food and a baffling amount of fresh produce we absolutely recommend paying a visit to this stalwart of the Mexico City market scene make sure you try to blend in as much as possible – yes you’ll have to put away that bulky DSLR and live in the moment for a minute – and don’t visit after dark as that’s when the prostitution trade gets going Colonia Doctores is principally known for being the home of Arena México While you can (and should) visit Doctores for the luchas you will want to think about your means of transport; exercise caution around metros and perhaps invest in an Uber instead If you have to be there after dark (post-lucha) hop straight in a taxi and don’t hang around longer than necessary Generalizing about Iztapalapa a neighborhood in southern Mexico City with some of the highest rates of disenfranchisement in the capital is problematic given that it’s larger than some cities it’s worth mentioning that it is also one of the Mexico City neighborhoods with the highest incidences of rape and violence against women The La Joya (aka El Hoyo) part of the neighborhood is easily one of the most dangerous spots We’ve included Colonia del Valle to demonstrate how arbitrary guides to staying safe in Mexico City can be Colonia del Valle is the zone with the highest rate of kidnappings in Mexico City; however on the surface it’s absolutely safe to visit and has plenty of great spots to check out its status as a kidnapping hotspot doesn’t make it automatically dangerous for a passing traveler especially given that kidnapping is more of a danger for locals we recommend visiting these great places in Mexico City we’ve included these three under one entry as after dark they all become pretty dangerous and should be avoided avoid any very northern or very southern neighborhoods in Mexico City at night Sign up to our newsletter to save up to $800 on our unique trips See privacy policy Centro Histórico The historic center Centro Historico could be considered one of the most unsafe zones in Mexico City depending on who you ask and what crimes you’re talking about But be hyper aware of your surroundings and careful to not walk down any secluded alleys or accidentally stumble into the Tepito or Merced neighborhoods – particularly at night Ciudad Nezahualcóyotl (more commonly referred to as Ciudad Neza) a vast urban sprawl that’s technically within the Mexico City metropolitan zone is another area that isn’t worth visiting if you value your safety Principally formed of residential buildings it once laid claim to part of the largest slum in Mexico and is one of the poorest areas in the capital although it’s worth pointing out this is a sweeping generalization of a truly enormous and diverse part of the city take this guide with a pinch of salt and a heavy dose of common sense While some areas aren’t worth visiting at all other slightly less reputable zones offer plenty of interesting sights and don’t carry valuables that make you look like an easy target you’ll be perfectly fine traveling in Mexico City Michael Potts F1 / Shutterstock Book Your Trip to Mexico Mexico is one of the most exciting countries in North America with its lively city streets brimming with culture music and some of the best street food you’ll find anywhere But it’s also a country of fascinating history and amazing natural wonders with Aztec and Mayan temples found right next to mystical cenotes drink and travel writer based out of Mexico but I also dabble in spewing my unsolicited opinions about teabags and pork pies Find more of my work at northernlauren.com See & Do How to Spend Christmas and New Years in Mexico City See & Do Unique Indigenous Towns in Mexico Guides & Tips A Guide To The Palacio De Bellas Artes See & Do Mexico's Most Stunning Lakeside Towns and Villages See & Do A View of Mexico City Through the Xochimilco Canals See & Do The Top 10 Things to See and Do in Tlaxcala See & Do Must-Visit Attractions in the Copper Canyon See & Do The Most Beautiful Plazas in Mexico City Guides & Tips 14 Things You Should Never Say to a Mexican See & Do The 10 Best Things to See and Do in Pachuca See & Do The Most Magical Sites to Visit in Mexico See & Do 16 Must Visit Attractions in Guadelejara US: +1 (678) 967 4965 | UK: +44 (0)1630 35000 tripssupport@theculturetrip.com © Copyright 2025 The Culture Trip Ltd local-based architect israel lópez balan in collaboration with gabriel mendoza cruz have developed a proposal that could solve mexico city’s sinking problem the project suggests to replace gradually the small network of small storm sewers with a rainwater system collector that converges in recreational lakes on the surface where towers emerge as large natural filters for rainwater storage and treatment plants with absorption wells for underground injection the project is proposed for ciudad nezahualcóyotl a city and municipality of the state of mexico adjacent to the northeast corner of mexico city the land on which ciudad neza sits was under lake texcoco and uninhabited successful draining of the lake created a new land which the government eventually sold into private hands ciudad neza is a sprawling city of over one million people as mexico city continues to pull water from the aquifer below the subsidence that results from groundwater extraction is a problem all over the world the aquifer has been under increasing pressure over the last several decades as the city’s population has skyrocketed while subsidence has been stabilized in the city center some parts like ciudad neza have sunk more than 30 feet during the last century mexico city puts a lot of effort to stop the sinking it has caused the sewage lines to become slanted — resulting in the lines running backwards the city struggles with flooding during the rainy season emergency pumping stations have been built to maintain extraction capacity the water difficulties have become a vicious circle: as the city grows the sinkage ruptures more underground water pipes subsidence map of mexico city showing ciudad neza as one of the most affected areas if mexico city receives significant pluvial precipitation at a total rate of 215m3/s pluvial water is partly responsible for the urban flooding problem in rainy season but rainwater harvesting could be part of the solution for people living in ciudad neza and the area is sufficient to collect and store water to reduce costs by gradually replacing the network of small storm sewers in ciudad neza with a rainwater system collector the floods will decrease because the drainage system of the city will not be saturated during the rainy seasons the treated water can be injected directly into the aquifer subsidence effects in mexico city’s downtown designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here. AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Greater Mexico City is home to over 21 million people making it the biggest metropolitan area in the western hemisphere and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world But the region is deeply divided between the haves and have-nots photographer Johnny Miller set out to capture Mexico City's inequality from above Source: Oxfam México Source: Forbes You can check out more of Miller's work on his project website, Unequal Scenes but one that fortunately has a hoppy ending Acapulco’s famous “mariachi frogs” withstood Hurricane Otis last October but they were no match for opportunistic thieves who pilfered them from their natural habitat But the emblematic mascots of the Señor Frog’s chain of restaurants should be on their way back to the Pacific coast resort city soon as they were found by police hundreds of kilometers inland in México state The México state Attorney General’s Office (FGJ) announced Friday that two “frog figures” that were allegedly stolen from the Señor Frog’s restaurant in Acapulco were located at a property in Nezahualcóyotl Police also found “presumed narcotics” at the same property — marijuana and a bag filled with blue pills In a statement posted to the X social media platform the FGJ also announced that the owner of the property Manuel “N,” was arrested on extortion charges He is allegedly the leader of a group that calls itself Resistencia Civil Pacífica Two dozen members of the same group were arrested in Nezahualcóyotl earlier this week on charges including the possession of illegal firearms So why did Manuel have two “ranas mariachi” at his home Did he like to get high on drugs in their presence Unfortunately, the FGJ didn’t provide any answers. What we do know is that the two frogs disappeared from Acapulco shortly after Hurricane Otis made landfall in the resort city on Oct Residents were initially surprised that the frogs hadn’t toppled over in the strong winds that accompanied the Category 5 hurricane But their surprise turned to anger when they became aware that the hurricane survivors had been stolen — frognapped Video footage shows the frogs in the back of a green and white pickup truck being driven by one young man in the company of another young man They apparently stole the smartly-dressed frogs at a time when law and order was minimal at best in the wake of the battering Otis unleashed on Acapulco Widespread looting was reported in the days after the hurricane devastated the city Señor Frog’s confirmed the theft in a statement announcing with “great sadness” that the frogs “were unfortunately taken without our permission.” “We are sure that they will soon return to be part of this beautiful tourism destination because Acapulco will come back stronger,” the chain said as the ranas mariachi should be back having a croaking good time on the Guerrero coast soon making for a very hoppy ending indeed — especially considering the amount of beer that flows inside the frogs’ namesake restaurant With reports from Milenio and Infobae A new interactive piece from the New York Times' San Francisco bureau chief explores the High Street homeless encampment in East Oakland and includes interviews with residents there who are simply trying to survive after falling on hard times You may think you already know a lot about homelessness in the Bay Area — or you may think you've already seen plenty of documentation of it. But this piece by SF Bureau Chief Thomas Fuller and Josh Haner which they've reportedly been at work on for months is a powerful audio-visual document of one particular encampment that helps to illustrate its parallels with shantytowns in some of the poorest cities on earth Fuller and Haner drive the point home by going to Mexico City to draw a direct comparison with a makeshift village constructed near some railroad tracks in Rey Nezahualcoyotl And it's arguably better living there than in the East Oakland encampment because they claim every hovel in Rey Nezahualcoyotl has a working toilet In this shantytown on the outskirts of Mexico City, authorities have turned a blind eye to illegal installations of electricity and water. Residents have put in septic tanks and functioning kitchens.https://t.co/VU8IF0ExJd pic.twitter.com/olkSOMiqS3 I spent two decades as a foreign correspondent reporting on dangerous living conditions around the world," Fuller narrates "But it's jarring to do this kind of reporting in California." Fuller also notes that comparisons to a refugee camp are necessary — he met people in the Oakland camp who lost homes in both the 2018 Camp Fire and a 2014 wildfire in Lake County as well as a woman who lost a home in Houston to Hurricane Harvey One of the dozens of residents the pair interviewed, Gilberto Gonzalez Rojas, was profiled in Tuesday's California Today column He doesn't appear in the main interactive piece but there are photos in the column of him and his many suits he still dresses in suits every day as a show of dignity no matter what menial activities he may be engaged in The reporters also note this September 2018 report from the U.N compared this same encampment to slums in Delhi noting that neither have access to running water The UN has compared California’s growing homeless camps to the slums of Pakistan, Brazil and Mexico. Many have “no access to toilets or showers and a constant fear of being cleaned off the streets.”https://t.co/VU8IF0ExJd pic.twitter.com/HNQqT3QKGn some of this may seem gratuitous and geared toward sensationalizing California's homeless problem for those who live on the east coast The piece does note that of the half million homeless in the U.S. one in four lives in California — but by one measure more than one in five live in New York City alone we end up with shantytowns like the High Street encampment and the point of the piece seems to be that we aren't quite acknowledging that these semi-permanent villages are springing up all around us and they aren't so different from similar ones housing the poor in countries that we call second- and third-world And the tragedies and ironies abound when you think about not only the wealth and prosperity that surrounds encampments like this one but also how so many people in the Bay Area obsess over rescue animals and spend lavishly on their pets "Homeless people are treated worse than stray animals City officials have vowed to clear this camp at some point but with a sprawling homeless population and plenty of public outcry every time a camp gets uprooted they are caught between addressing a public health problem and leaving people to exist as best as they can when adequate shelter isn't available In November, the city evicted a West Oakland encampment that was at least 18 months old and had grown to a similar size as the High Street camp Some RV dwellers and others at that camp were offered the ability to park for free on nearby streets while the camp's lot is transformed into a new "triage" center for those living out of vehicles That center will have restrooms and running water like a similar one that just opened near SF's Balboa Park BART station Previously: Massive Junk Lot and Encampment In West Oakland Gets Cleaned Out, Evicting 100 Homeless Not satisfied to let his 11,000+ tweets stand as a public record of his anger about partisan "Witch Hunts" and the impending impeachment President Trump composed a six-page letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today reiterating his many thoughts a new winner was crowned on ABC's The Great Christmas Light Fight and this year's house to make Clark Griswold proud is in the Bay Area and you can go visit it yourself this week Get the latest posts delivered right to your inbox Barmann is a fiction writer and web editor who's lived in San Francisco for 20+ years Get all the latest & greatest posts delivered straight to your inbox a classroom full of shoeless police officers trample somewhat sheepishly over the volumes spread out on the floor "Feel them enter your body," the teacher urges the men and women in blue as they pass over Honoré de Balzac we must get to know our new friends." Nezahualcoyotl, a gritty working-class city of about 2 million people sprawling out from central Mexico City has become a crucible for an unusual experiment in enlightened police training Beset by table-topping crime figures that have resisted more conventional crime-busting efforts the city's leftwing council has decided to try something new "The principle is that a police officer who is cultured is in a better position to be a better police officer," says José Jorge Amador The experiment began early in 2005 with reading and writing classes It has since mushroomed into an entire literature course with its own constantly expanding editorial series All the 1,200 officers of the municipal force are now required to attend fortnightly book groups - while off duty - if they are to have any hope of promotion The scheme is particularly remarkable in Mexico where according to a 2005 study by the country's biggest university only 28% of the population aged over 15 read more than two books a year and 40% read none at all It seems close to spectacular in the Nezahualcoyotl police force where only a fifth of the officers have the equivalent of a sixth-form education and many have only a few years of secondary schooling or even less It has also aroused interest around the world Mr Amador says he received a call from Scotland Yard last year The idea of getting the police reading in Neza is part of a wider "cultural dimension" to training This also obliges officers to learn to play chess On one level the reading groups are designed to broaden minds making officers more aware of what is going on in their local communities and more sensitive to the needs of the public But the idea is also to prove to the people that the police are no longer the scheming corrupt low-life most Mexicans assume them to be "We have a bad police force because society sees them as in the basement whose immediate predecessor is in a maximum-security jail for drug trafficking "In Nezahualcoyotl we want to elevate the police so [they are] worthy of fulfilling their obligations." Such lofty aims are echoed by some of the officers in the workshops Jaime Ocampo says he proudly tells people he meets in the street that "the police are different now - we read" Others are more excited by finding parallels with their own experiences while roaming this traffic-clogged once notorious slum-turned-suburb of the metropolis "I think of myself as [Don] Quixote and my buddy who has to watch my back," says Pedro Martinez referring to the Spanish classic his class read last year in a digested version A short story about a lynching in a rural town by the Mexican writer Edmundo Valadez prompts a group discussion ranging from the topic of recent cases of popular justice through to the country's current electoral dispute and the Iraq war Some officers are most excited about the writing project covering accounts of their own time on the job For some this means blow-by-blow accounts of shootouts and car chases but others invest the texts with wistful romanticism Literature On Alert has already published a novel by one officer But is a reading and writing cop really a better cop The leading Mexican criminologist Rafael Ruiz Harrell is not convinced "Maybe it will make them better human beings But how this will be useful in decreasing crime is hard to see." Mr Amador claims there has been a drop in crime and he credits the "cultural dimension" for it alongside other measures ranging from obligatory exercise (for the many cops who are all too fond of their tacos) to anti-corruption purges He is particularly proud of the city's drop from No 3 to No 8 in the national car theft league table Mr Amador says he now rarely receives complaints and occasionally receives the once unheard of pleasure of a congratulatory call for all the good work A recent straw poll of passersby on a busy Neza street gathered mixed opinions Some residents saw improvements in policing while others simply guffawed at the idea that this could be possible But what is undeniable is that some police are having fun doing things they never imagined being an officer would involve they have also translated the first chapter into radio code "In a 22 [village] of La Mancha whose 62 [name] I have no desire to remember." Residents in the streets of Hacienda de Pastejé and Hacienda de Santa Ana reported the two packages in the street - authorities arrived and confirmed they were human bodies Meanwhile two more people have been killed and four more injured in an altercation at a bar in Nezahualcóyotl A young man and woman were killed in the altercation at Baby Coffee and Kareoke several men entered the esttablishment in the neighborhood of Benito Juarez and shot at the clientele Two people died in the attack: Verónica Méndez and Mario Francisco Sánchez Martínez Witnesses of the attack said that the attackers arrived in a black car flanked by several motorcycles who was celebrating his birthday in the bar a similar attack took place at the nearby Wings and Beer Although this region has access to water, electricity and other amenities, most residents live well below the national poverty line of $117 per month The crime rate is among the highest in Mexico due in part to the popular “cholo” culture inspired by gangs in Los Angeles and other major U.S In most parts of this “mega-slum,” garbage is collected in carts pulled by donkeys and the houses are composed of unpainted cinder blocks has been described as drab and unsightly for its lack of colonial style buildings a thriving community and a growing culture dwell within the structures The fertile ground of Mexico’s largest slum is home to many beautiful things How will music stop crime? “Music is one of the most complete and rich fine arts of the human spirit,” Chavez says in his blog “Teaching it…helps to form whole and healthy individuals in society.” The award-winning orchestra, composed of around 45 children and adolescents, plays a mesh of classical works, contemporary pieces such as the theme from Titanic and local Mexican banda music. They have performed hundreds of times efforts were made to seal off the landfill and begin the process of reclaiming the land additional plans formed for the development of a community hub centered on the new space This project has helped create thousands of jobs for the residents of Neza and has benefited the economy of the entire region In Neza, many community services stem from the Jaime Torres Bodet Cultural Center. Created in 1987, this building serves as a center for musical productions, art displays and foreign language instruction allowing for a peaceful escape from the harsh streets Community directors have also placed a large focus on athleticism. Neza has devoted significant funds to building facilities for soccer and organizing youth sports leagues These informal communities eventually grew into urban cities with electricity Homeowners have begun to paint and plaster their homes in vibrant colors transforming the drab grayness of the city gangs and drug dealers still dominate and residents struggle daily to make ends meet Recently, the Mexican government has reported that 1.5 million people were no longer living in extreme poverty foreign aid and the efforts of community members mentioned above Photo: Wikipedia The initiative seeks to expand to more streets and public spaces to restore biodiversity, mitigate climate change and more We'll tell you the details! Yes, you read that right, Bosque de Neza is already being planted and will be the first SUGi pocket forest in Mexico City and the country, but what are pocket forests? We tell you. These pocket forests are appearing in different parts of the world, and are specially designed for each space with species native to the area that grow and mature in just twenty years. These small spaces offer more than just pretty vegetation, they restore ecosystems, boost biodiversity and inspire us to reimagine different urban spaces as thriving natural habitats. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SUGi (@sugiproject) The pocket forests are inspired by a technique called the Miyawaki Method, an afforestation technique developed by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki that involves planting a variety of plants in a small space so that they compete for light and grow upwards at the same time, accelerating the growth of vegetation. This makes it possible to create small urban forests in abandoned industrial areas, improving biodiversity and combating climate change. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SUGi (@sugiproject) The Bosque de Neza will be located on the outskirts of Mexico City in an area that was once part of the former and now defunct Lake Texcoco This forest will be planted on May 6 at Universidad Tecnológica de Nezahualcóyotl This part of the city suffers from a shortage of green spaces and is one of the most affected by the city’s heat island effect This pocket forest will be planted by students and the local community which will also ensure its long-term maintenance and care The Bosque de Neza will have 1,500 trees located in 500 square meters and will be made up of 25 species native to Mexico The design of this pocket forest will be a circular green space strategically located within a barren area next to a sports field and a university campus This initiative seeks to expand this project throughout the streets and public spaces of Neza To honor the region’s rich history and indigenous roots the Bosque Neza opening ceremony will feature a traditional sacred ceremony invoking the spirit of ancient Mexica culture This project provides a 360-degree approach to restoring ecosystems and building spaces full of biodiversity re-establishing connections between nature and communities They work hand in hand with forest creators to deliver forest locations and ongoing monitoring and reporting on results 230 pocket forests have been created in 24 different countries for the purpose of combating climate change and community well-being Police in a Mexico City suburb arrested a mother and several relatives on Thursday for allegedly gouging out the eyes of her five-year-old son in what authorities said appeared to have been a drug-fueled ritual The boy was taken to a hospital in Nezahualcoyotl a part of Mexico State bordering Mexico City in serious condition early on Thursday and later transferred by helicopter to a more specialized facility in the capital Nezahualcoyotl spokesman Fernando Chavez said a passing police car was flagged down on the street by someone who reported the incident and when officers entered the home they found the mother in shock with the boy in her arms “Once the woman allowed local police to check the boy they were astonished to see the boy had no eyeballs,” the government said in a statement Mexican state prosecutor Isaac Acevedo told local media that a total of eight people had been detained and that investigators believed the mother herself gouged the boy’s eyes out with her fingers The boy’s father was apparently not in the home at the time The boy’s aunt and uncle were also apparently at the house when the adults began using some unspecified drug Chavez said one witness told police she had passed out under the influence of drugs and when she regained consciousness The adults have not yet been charged in the case Two children and a 17-year-old were also found at the residence The crime appeared to have been part of a ritual but was not apparently related to the Santa Muerte or Saint Death cult some of whose followers were recently charged with the sacrificial killings of two 10-year-old boys and a 55-year-old woman in northern Sonora State authorities in Sonora State arrested eight people for allegedly sacrificing the two boys and adult woman as offerings to Saint Death an idol usually depicted as a robed skeleton Followers of the cult include criminals and drug traffickers While statues of Saint Death are common in many poor Mexican neighborhoods Chavez said no altar or statue of the figure was found in the Nezahualcoyotl home Mexico’s worst case of ritual sacrifice came with the notorious “narco-satanicos” killings of the 1980s many of them with signs of ritual sacrifice were unearthed at a ranch outside the border city of Matamoros nearly 700 years of history and home to 9 million Nestled within Mexico City and home to approximately 1.2 million residents, Ciudad Neza has grown into one of Latin America’s largest slums. Salvador Herrera, Deputy Director of EMBARQ Mexico remembers a time when Mexico City led the world in the creation of urban green space and says it can be a source of inspiration for returning Mexico to a city for the people holds the distinction of being the first urban park in the “new world” and Herrera believes that Mexico city and its residents can re-claim their tradition of sustainable urban development through Transit Oriented Development and better use of the existing built environment “Mexico would benefit from remembering its tradition of successful urbanization and make Transit Oriented Development available to individuals across all income brackets—especially alongside goals of economic growth” we must move away from flashy new projects and focus on making better use of the existing built and unbuilt public spaces with a focus on making public spaces and transport equitable Integrating equitable transport alongside urban growth Historically, Mexico City has a long track-record of urban growth and development. Villages such as Coyoacan, the location of the EMBARQ Mexico office provided opportunities to walk to meet most needs with longer distances requiring motorized transport and trains) has provided that link between home and work for many chilangos as residents of Mexico City’s suburbs are called But for individuals with upward economic mobility the automobile remains both an icon of economic prosperity and a practical necessity Yet in light of rising death tolls in auto-related accidents “walking away” from this option would benefit Mexico City’s citizens across socio-economic strata Shifting from a car-oriented to a transit-oriented urban environment The current cost of transit-oriented development often rules out these areas as a combined housing and transportation option for lower-income households Herrera further explains that many in this demographic group resort to walking so does the impetus to grow into a city built around cars The main challenge facing developers is the question of how to retain a dynamic conducive to both human health and urban efficiency across such demographics Herrera maintains that urban planners and local governments must adjust their focus to address a number of “non-sexy issues,” in urban development which often are bypassed in favor of investment in the new and flashy projects Main elements of progress in Mexico City include increasing access to public transportation with bus stops every 300 meters; expanding green areas; allowing more space and extending access routes for pedestrians and cyclists; and increasing by 15% the number of integrated and mixed-use spaces Benoit Colin and Elise Zevitz also contributed to this piece. Mexico City is facing a crisis over where to put its trash - enough to fill four sports stadiums a year - with its sprawling dump already crammed to bursting and under a closure order. One of the world's biggest landfills, the Nezahualcoyotl dump site, is a fifth the size of Manhattan and sits inside the urban sprawl of the fast-growing Mexican capital. Mexico City is built on a dried-out lake bed first settled by the ancient Aztecs and grew at such a frenetic pace in the 1980s and 1990s that it now envelopes outlying villages, the dump and the international airport. Now, mountains of refuse piled several storeys high are pressing against a major drainage canal that runs along the dump's edge. That risks a rupture that could flood residential areas and the airport with stinking effluent and grime, says the federal government which ordered the dump closed in January. But city officials are stalling in court, arguing that the danger is exaggerated and asking for more time to implement ambitious recycling and green energy projects. "If the canal breaks it would be a disaster, you would have thousands of people inundated with sewage," said Mauricio Limon, an official at the Environment Ministry, which has been trying to close down the landfill for years. "More time in operation means more polluting methane ... tainted aquifers, more contamination of the surrounding areas, damaged wildlife and bad odours," said Mr Limon. Mexico City's left-wing government is facing off with the ruling conservatives to keep the dump open and find green alternatives to absorb the 12,500 tonnes of garbage produced each day by the capital's 20 million residents. City officials say garbage can be heaped up at the 10-square-kilometre site on the edge of Mexico City for several more years. Small privately-run landfills are offering their services, but at triple the price and with less space. "If we close it, they'll start chucking it wherever they can. Soon this garbage will be in our ditches," said Marta Delgado, the city's head of environmental policy. "Crises should give us opportunities to change. We need a profound transformation in the way this city deals with its waste." Mexico City launched a campaign several years ago to teach households to separate organic waste from recyclables. Sorting centres were built to replace informal workers who rake through trash for scraps of metal, plastic and paper. Despite that, only 15 per cent of the city's garbage is recycled, compared to up to 60 per cent in parts of Europe. There are no waste reduction programmes. Styrofoam plates, cups and plastic straws pile up at taco stands and shoppers pack groceries into doubled-up plastic bags. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, with one eye on a future presidential bid, has made strides towards making the capital greener, adding cycle lanes and public transport. Now he has big plans for a $186 million recycling centre and a methane gas project like one that fuels the metro in the northern city of Monterrey. The plans could take years to come to fruition. Nezahualcoyotl workers pushing bulldozers over animal carcasses from food markets, computer parts and plastic bottles say they are caught in the middle of a political fight. Pilot projects at the dump include one that has seven million worms chomping away at organic waste, including 14 tonnes a day of animal innards, to turn it into rich compost. Another project uses a water filter to skim off some of the black sludge that bubbles off the trash heaps and distil it into yellowish water, used to wet dusty roads in the area. To view comments, please register for free or log in to your account. With a unique blend of punk rock, Aztec instruments and indigenous lyrics, five brothers from a struggling suburb of Mexico City are using music to preserve their cultural heritage. "It has been an adventure," said Victor Hugo Sandoval, 31. "What we wanted when this dream of having a punk band started was sex, drugs and rock and roll, but things just happened as we went along." At a recent rehearsal for Los Cogelones in the capital city's Nezahualcoyotl district, the wail of guitars and thunder of drums mixed with the soothing sounds of a conch shell. The brothers, wearing traditional Aztec garments, sing in a combination of Spanish and the indigenous Nahuatl language, while young music students accompany on drums and brass instruments. "In 2012 we began to incorporate prayers like our Mexica (Aztec) grandparents did, and we integrated pre-Columbian instruments into this mix of our present and native past," Marco Sandoval, the 33-year-old drummer, told AFP. "We like to share music with the kids ... because it's our heritage," said Alberto Sandoval, 30, who plays indigenous instruments like the huehuetl, a tubular drum. Los Cogelones are among Mexican bands seeking to preserve ancestral culture through rock, heavy metal or blues. The band was formed in 2009 in the El Sol neighborhood of Nezahualcoyotl, named after a pre-Hispanic poet and ruler. When their parents moved to the area the roads were unpaved and the houses made of flimsy sheets of metal. Neza, as it is known, "is a place that grows from adversity," said Victor Hugo. Today the district of 1.2 million remains a tough place to live, with high rates of crime, including violence against women, and a dearth of basic services. The harshness of life there is reflected in the songs of the brothers, whose uncle introduced them to the music of punk bands like the Ramones as well as the Nahuatl language. The neighborhood has been hit hard by the coronavirus, with around 860 deaths and 5,600 confirmed cases in the district. The outbreak forced the band to postpone live performances of its debut album "Hijos del Sol" (Sons of El Sol) that was released in July. But they have already had a taste of fame. Late last year in the capital's main public square, near what was once the main temple of the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, the band performed its song "500 Years," which touches on discrimination and racism. The epidemic has also impacted their weekly Aztec ritual dance in the district's main square. Police recently intervened, citing measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. "Days like these remind us that the struggle is not over. We live in eternal resistance," Marco said. © Copyright AFP 2024. All rights reserved. Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and Gonzalo Ramírez del Sordo which houses Latin America’s largest pipe organ Events held at the Auditorio Nacional include music concerts Located within a stunning Art Nouveau and Neoclassical building is the Palacio de Bellas Artes The Palacio de Bellas Artes is the most important cultural center in the country and is home to many professional orchestras and ensembles Visit the Palacio de Bellas Artes for excellent concerts which will keep you in awe from start to finish This venue also happens to be specifically designed for symphonic music creating a wonderful intimacy between the players and the audience Behind the Metropolitan Cathedral is the Centro Cultural de España an excellent example of Mexico City’s thriving art scene Located inside a 16th-century building which housed the Conquistadores the Centro Cultural’s bar-restaurant offers a terrace where independent national bands and singers perform You are most likely to catch electronic music here but indie and rock bands and DJs also occasionally perform Spend an evening at the bar after viewing an exhibition to capp off the evening in style Bulldog Café is a classic venue that all lovers of rock need to visit at least once this club has three floors and one huge stage on which the best rock and metal bands in the world have performed Zinco Jazz Club Zinco Jazz Club is arguably Mexico City’s most popular jazz bar, known for its vibrant atmosphere and excellent music selection, bringing a little bit of New York to the heart of Mexico City Located inside the basement a former bank — the old vaults are still visible — this small and intimate club has hosted a number of famous jazz players A high standard of music and a relaxed evening of entertainment is guaranteed at Zinco Salón Los Ángeles The Salón Los Ángeles is a favorite spot among locals who enjoy Latin music “He who does not know Salón Los Ángeles does not know Mexico,” With décor recalls the Mexican golden age this bar is brought to life by local musicians and dancers with their amazing sounds and dance classes are even offered here on Mondays for those who are looking to take their listening experiences to the next level Paula has benefitted from a multicultural lifestyle An inexplicable love for even the most complicated grammar motivated her to study French and Russian at the University of Oxford She had the opportunity of spending most of her year abroad in Yaroslavl’ but also of travelling around Belgium and France there isn’t a moment where you won’t find Paula either listening to or playing music This little addiction however does allow time for Paula to enjoy other passions including fencing and chain-watching detective TV series As people continue to migrate away from rural areas and into cities cities that are growing to devour the land around it shanty towns and informal settlements are skyrocketing there are 200,000 of these communities across the world according to the United Nation's Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing about one third of all city dwellers live in slums slums which will grow in size by one billion more people within the next twenty years While 90 percent of the world's informal settlements are in developing nations -- such as India and Brazil -- they are a worldwide phenomenon and are in European capital and largest American cities Here are the five largest slums in the world: Neza-Chalco-Itza: One of Mexico City's many barrios Neza-Chalco-Itza is the largest slum in the world with roughly four million people Slums in Mexico city began growing in the early 1900s when the railroad brought new industry -- as well as new industrial zones -- to the city most people in Neza-Chalco-Itza live illegally on unauthorized land some of Mexico City's slum dwellers also live in vecindades former mansions abandoned by wealthy families that have been converted into low-income rental apartments About 10 percent of all the residents of the Mexican capital live in these buildings Orangi Town: Technically only 10 years old Pakistan is home to 1.5 million people and still growing is significantly less dense than most urban slums and also more structured which has allowed the township to build its own sewer system albeit in the lowest tier of the government the largest slum in Asia is Dharavi in Mumbai About one million people reside on just one square mile of space that was formerly a mangrove swamp People became flocking to the area as the tanning and textile industries boomed and Dharavi's population density is now 11 times higher than that of the city that encompasses it A neighborhood smack in the heart of Mumbai, it retains the emotional and historical pull of a subcontinental Harlem -- a square-mile center of all things, geographically, psychologically, spiritually, National Geographic said in a recent article Its location has also made it hot real estate in Mumbai a city that epitomizes India's hopes of becoming an economic rival to China other Mumbai slums might have surpassed Dharavi in total population but the figures can only be speculated at this point is that a number of Asia's largest shanty towns are all in the same city (Notably Mumbai is the fifth biggest city in the world) sprawling city that has given rise to a number of new neighborhoods and townships over the past decade Khayelitsha is now the biggest of these and the community had a population explosion after apartheid ended and blacks rushed into Cape Town for jobs there were a recorded 400,000 people in Khayelitsha The township's population is incredibly young with 40 percent of its residents under 19 years old and only about seven percent over the age of 50 the Kibera slum is the second largest in Africa with anywhere from 200,000 to one million residents Kibera is often used as the model for the environmental impact of informal settlement Without state sponsored infrastructure like plumbing which are just plastic bags that can be tossed onto the street Kibera is also one prototype for urban renewal and slum upgrading projects HABITAT is trying to transform all of Kenya's slums staring with the construction of roads and other services and an actual mapping of the area Rounding out a list of the 10 biggest slums would include communities in Bogota The conditions in slums are surely a seriously problem with global implications but slums themselves do not have to be a problem for anyone The global population is booming -- the seven billionth citizen of Earth was born only a month ago -- and people need to live somewhere urbanization is a trend that is impossible to buck and informal settlements are a necessary part of the process There are ways to make these communities more hospitable and less hazardous on an environmental level Some cities in Colombia are extending public transportation lines out to the slums which as encouraged economic and urban development Additionally, others see the population density of slums as a blessing rather than a curse, and perhaps as the future of cities. New, conceptual low-income housing projects are springing up in the United States that could be a model for the developing world Single-family stacked houses like the ones currently in Brazil and Mexico could be the prototype for the next generation of cities