Viva Mexico

Mexican Boutique Sells Bulletproof Duds

New York Times  |  Oct 6, 08 3:35 AM CDT

(Newser) - As drug-related violence skyrockets in Mexico, anxious shoppers are buying bulletproof shirts and jackets for protection, the New York Times reports. A boutique in Mexico City sells only bulletproof garments, including leather jackets, polo shirts, windbreakers, and even tuxedo shirts. Who's willing to pay up to $7,000 for such fashion? Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, royalty, and movie stars are said to be among the company's top shoppers. More »

Regs Still Lax for Mexican Veggies Heading North

Associated Press  |  Sep 14, 08 7:00 PM CDT

(Newser) - How strong is food safety regulation after America's worst food-borne outbreak in a decade? A peek at a Mexican packing plant shows that rules are nearly nonexistent, the AP reports. The plant in northern Mexico, suspected of sparking the recent salmonella outbreak that sickened 1,400, washes produce from certified and uncertified growers—but even regulated producers aren't on any government list. More »

Drug Crime Looms Over Everyday Life in Mexico

New York Times  |  Aug 31, 08 1:38 PM CDT

(Newser) - The effects of the wave of violent drug crime in Mexico--one paper puts this year’s related deaths at 2,682--have seeped into everyday life in the once-pacific country, the New York Times reports. “You have to be more careful with everything these days,” says a watchdog. Some are thinking twice about going to local restaurants, while others take measures like bulletproofing their cars. More »

Border Fence Blamed for Ariz. Flooding

Associated Press  |  Aug 25, 08 3:51 PM CDT

(Newser) - Environmentalists say the US border-security fence is to blame for water backups in southwestern Arizona and Mexico, where steel-mesh panels meant to keep illegal immigrants out are getting clogged with flood debris, the AP reports. Critics are focusing their attacks on Homeland Defense Secretary Michael Chertoff, who waived environmental laws three times to meet the year-end deadline for the 670-mile fence. More »

700-Pound Man Enjoys Day Out Thanks to Forklift

Associated Press  |  Aug 11, 08 7:30 AM CDT

(Newser) - With the help of a forklift, a 700-pound Mexican man made his first excursion outdoors in five months yesterday—without getting out of bed, AP reports. The machine lifted Manuel Uribe’s bed onto a platform truck, which transported him to a lake, where he rested near the shore and chatted with a local boatman. Uribe, 45, used to weigh 1,235 pounds and once held the Guinness weight record. He's been dieting for 2 years. More »

Mexican Drug Lords' Guns Traced to US

Los Angeles Times  |  Aug 10, 08 7:00 AM CDT

(Newser) - Thousands of powerful automatic weapons used by drug cartels in Mexico have been traced back to US shops, and little is being done to curb the guns’ flow southward, the Los Angeles Times reports. More than 90% of guns taken at the border and picked up after clashes come from the US; last year, 2,455 traced weapons originated here. More »

Drug Addiction Shoots Up in Mexico

USA Today  |  Jul 23, 08 7:28 AM CDT

(Newser) - Drug addiction is skyrocketing in Mexico, which used to be simply a transit point for illegal drugs rather than a major consumer market, reports USA Today . As increased border security foils smugglers along the American border, the drugs end up being sold to Mexicans. Crack cocaine use has risen sharply, and heroin and crystal meth are becoming a problem for the first time. More »

'For Hire: Pro Hitman'—Mexico Investigates Killer Online Ads

BBC  |  Jul 13, 08 10:01 AM CDT

(Newser) - Mexican authorities are investigating a slew of online ads offering the services of a professional killer. The ads may be fake, but police are taking no chances. A recent outbreak of hitmen amidst a raging drug war has contributed to the more than 1,400 murders in Mexico this year, including some 400 police officers and public officials. More »

More Mexican Immigrants Becoming US Citizens

Los Angeles Times  |  Jul 11, 08 1:45 PM CDT

(Newser) - In 2007, while the US hotly debated immigration reform, the number of Mexican-born immigrants who became American citizens skyrocketed, the LA Times reports. Experts attribute the jump—122,000 people took the oath, 84,000 more than in 2006—largely to an aggressive pro-citizenship campaign and a desire to beat steep fee increases. Applications rose about 50%, to 1.4 million, in the same period. More »

Expert Tunes Into Aztec 'Death Whistles'

Associated Press  |  Jul 1, 08 6:45 AM CDT

(Newser) - A Mexican engineer has worked for decades to bring the sounds of the Aztecs back to life, reports the AP. Roberto Velazquez has created replicas of the instruments found at many archaeological sites—including the eerie "Whistles of Death" discovered with a skeleton in an ancient temple—and experimented to re-create noises that may have been heard at ceremonies thousands of years ago. More »

Mexican Troops Accused in Drug War Deaths

Time  |  Jun 29, 08 9:42 PM CDT

(Newser) - Mexicans increasingly accuse state troops of beating and murdering innocents on their mission to curb violent drug cartels, Time reports. Since the state assigned 25,000 soldiers to fight drug-runners 2 years ago, troops have killed at least 13 unarmed people—while traffickers have added 1,800 more to the tally. "These soldiers are idiots," a witness to a shooting said. "What protection do they give us?" More »

New Findings Shatter Old Mayan Theories

USA Today  |  Jun 23, 08 6:59 PM CDT

(Newser) - Some experts want to drain Mayan history of its high drama—the sudden collapse, and desperate migration—to tell a longer, slower story, USA Today reports. Classic history claims that Mayan cities imploded quickly around 900 AD, and their people trekked north to colonize in the Yucatan—but experts now say that Mayans had already lived there for 1,000 years. More »

Supreme Court Will Hear Navy Sonar Appeal

Los Angeles Times  |  Jun 23, 08 1:06 PM CDT

(Newser) - The Supreme Court today agreed to hear the US Navy's objection to a court order that ships may not use sonar within 12 miles of the California coast because high-frequency signals are harming whales and other marine life, the Los Angeles Times reports. The Bush administration argues that the judge exceeded her authority in putting environmental concerns before national security. More »

Cops on Hook for Fatal Mexico Stampede