Mexico Passed Budget ‘Test,’ World Bank Official Says

Bloomberg, 11/4/09
Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) — Mexico passed a “big test” of political maturity by raising taxes to tame its widening deficit during a recession, the World Bank’s chief economist for Latin America said. Whether it’s enough to satisfy ratings companies, which have threatened a downgrade, remains to be seen, he said.
The watered-down version of [...]

Mexico Senate Asks Supreme Court to Rule on Banamex Bank Case

Bloomberg, 11/4/09
Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) — Mexico’s Senate asked the Supreme Court to rule on whether the Finance Ministry has authority on its own to permit foreign banks such as Banamex, a unit of Citigroup Inc., to operate in the country.
The request for an opinion addresses the ministry’s decision on March 19 that Banamex, Mexico’s [...]

At 4.9%, Mexico’s Rate of Inflation is Rising in the OECD (in Spanish)

El Economista, 11/4/09
In September, Mexico was one of four countries with the highest annualized rate of inflation amongst the 30 OECD countries, according to that organization.
The OECD said that annualized consumer prices in the OECD fell 0.3% in September 2009, the same rate as in August, while in a monthly comparison, inflation was 0.2%, similar [...]

Play Béisbol! America’s Favorite Pastime in Mexico

San Francisco Chronicle, 11/4/09
Nothing can replace fútbol — known here as soccer — as the most popular sport in Mexico, but baseball comes in a strong second. From Tijuana to Tampico, in the large cities and the smallest villages, you find ballparks.
Some are impressive stadiums with manicured grass, many more are just dirt fields [...]

Seizures of Weapons, Cash Increase Along Border

Los Angeles Times, 11/4/09
Federal authorities today announced a sharp increase in seizures of bulk cash and weapons along the Southwest border, the apparent result of bolstered efforts to intercept contraband destined for Mexico.
More than $40 million in illicit cash was seized from March through September, nearly double the amount intercepted during the same period a [...]

Reporter Kidnapped and Killed in Northern Mexico

Associated Press, 11/4/09
A news reporter who wrote about violent drug crimes has been strangled in the northern Mexican state of Durango, authorities said Tuesday.
El Tiempo de Durango journalist Jose Bladimir Antuna was kidnapped Monday morning, said Ruben Lopez, spokesman for the state Attorney General’s Office. Authorities found his body that night in a vacant lot [...]

Mexico Mayor Announces Death Before Body is Found

Associated Press, 11/4/09
Mauricio Fernandez couldn’t have been happier.
Here he was, being sworn in again as mayor of one of northern Mexico’s most exclusive communities, and he had wonderful news to share: “Black Saldana, who apparently is the one who was asking for my head, was found dead today in Mexico City,” he told his cheering [...]