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Tag: Mexico City

  • Mexico Earthquake Hits Coast And Capital City

    Mexico Earthquake Hits Coast And Capital City

    An earthquake hit the pacific coast of Mexico at 1:00 PM EST on Thursday, leaving residents of Mexico City startled but unharmed.

    The earthquake registered a 6.4 on the Richter scale with an epicenter located in the state of Guerrero, 117 miles north of Mexico City — but city residents still felt the impact.

    Mayor Crisoforo Otero Heredia of Tecpan de Galeana, only 9 miles north of the epicenter, said the quake caused “a wave of panic” and damaged roads and houses in Tecpan.

    According to the U.S. Geological Survey, this quake was an aftershock of another that hit Mexico in April.
    “The earthquake is indeed within the Guerrero Seismic Gap,” said USGS research geophysicist William Barnhart, “but since it is consistent with being an aftershock of the magnitude-7.2, it is neither an abnormal event, nor does it significantly reduce the remaining stored stress in the seismic gap.”

    While there have been no reports of casualties, Tecpan has seen the most damage. A 30-yard section of highway bridge that had been under repair from April’s earthquake collapsed, and the federal highway between Acapulco and Zihuatanejo was closed due to flooding. 20 homes have been reported damaged in Zijuatanejo according to Guerrero Governor Angel Aguirre, in addition to the dozens of adobe homes Guerrero officials say have collapsed. There have also been reports of several mudslides on major highways.

    While there was no structural damage in Mexico City, residents were evacuated from buildings and homes by the thousands to designated safe areas. Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera of Mexico City stated that all city services were up and running after the quake.

    Mexico City is built on unstable drained lake beds, which makes the area prone to damage from surrounding earthquakes. According to the USGS, there is potential for earthquakes of even bigger magnitudes in Guerrero Gap that could cause more damage than that of the April earthquake or the 1985 earthquake that killed 9,500 in Mexico City.

    Image via Instagram

  • Beltran Leyva Gang: Arnoldo Villa Sanchez Captured

    The Beltran Leyva Gang is another member short as the second in command, Arnoldo Villa Sanchez, was arrested by federal police on Tuesday.

    National Security Commissioner Monte Alejandro Rubido said that Sanchez and one bodyguard were captured while they visited family in Mexico City for Holy week.

    Rubido said they “both tried to resist but they were detained without a shot being fired.”

    The notorious Beltran Leyva Gang had been weakened in recent years due to a war with rival gang Sinaloa as well as the capture of its leader Alfredo Beltran Leyva in 2008 and his brother Arturo’s killing by soldiers in 2009, according to AFP.

    However, after having blacklisted Arnoldo Villa Sanchez last year for committing “numerous acts of violence on behalf of his cartel bosses”, the US Treasury department warned that the Beltran Leyva gang had “re-established itself and begun to expand its influence in parts of Sinaloa” state in the last couple of years.

    Tuesday also saw the arrest of Uriel Chavez Mendoza, mayor of Apatzingan, which is a Michoacan city once controlled by the Knights Templar criminal gang. The Knights Templar is a cult-like criminal organization that has been causing trouble and tension with armed citizen militias.

    These armed militias, which entered the city in February to push back against the Knights and were backed by federal military and police, ended Knights Templar control. As the regained control of the city, they reported that Mayor Mendoza was a well-known collaborator with the Knights Templar, an accusation which he adamantly denied.

    Whether or not the kingpin strategy Mexico’s government and President Peña Nieto have been enforcing works remains to be seen. The government says that homicides are down 16% from 2012 numbers, however, many observers seriously doubt those numbers. Also, though murders have declined, kidnappings and extortion are on the rise.

    Image Via YouTube

  • Dog Burial Site Found in Mexico City

    Dog Burial Site Found in Mexico City

    Archaeologists discovered an ancient dog burial site that is the resting place for 12 dogs, under an apartment building in Mexico City. This finding is significant because they are thought to be buried by the Aztecs.

    The Aztecs believed that dogs could guide human souls into a new life after death, and could guard pyramids and monuments when buried underneath them. Typically, the Aztecs would bury deceased dogs with bodies, as part of an offering. This finding is special because the dogs are buried by themselves. In fact, this is the first time this many dogs have been found buried together.

    “This is definitely a special finding because of the number of dogs and because we have found no connection to a building or with the deceased,” said archaeologist Rocio Morales Sanchez in a statement.

    Experts believe that the dogs were buried in the small pit between 1350 and 1520 AD. This estimate is based on ceramics and other items archaeologists found buried nearby.

    The bones found will undergo analysis that can tell archaeologists what kind of dogs they are, and perhaps even how they were killed.

    Aztecs were known to keep dogs called Techichi, which are small and are ancestors of the popular Chihuahua breed of today. The ethnic group also kept the breed Xoloitzcuintlism, which is often identified by their loss of adult teeth later on in life.

    One of the archaeologists working on the excavation site, Antonio Zamora, said a biologist stated that the canine skeletons likely belonged to common medium-sized dogs that contained full sets of teeth.

    The remains were found in the Mexico City borough of Aztacapozalco.

    Image via YouTube

  • Mexico City Site Of Major Protest Over Energy Reform

    The one year anniversary of President Enrique Pena Nieto’s inauguration saw tens of thousands of protesters take to the streets of Mexico City.

    The new administration recently moved to open up the Mexican oil industry to foreign interests. Mexican oil had been for a long time controlled by the citizens of Mexico. The change was seen by some as the harkening of something sinister. Andres Lopez Obrador of the Party of the Democratic Revolution and a former rival for the presidency was at the head of the protest. He explained the reason for the massive protest as an attempt, “to avoid a big robbery”. It is felt that the government is giving away something that money cannot buy back: The pride and independence of the Mexican people.

    Though huge state oil firms such as Pemex have long been the familiar standard, the company is lagging with its oil production. Billions of dollars are needed to bring oil production up to optimal levels. The sort of money that non-Mexican oil companies have and are willing to provide.

    As oil production accounts for roughly a third of the government’s revenue, getting money back into the industry remains absolutely crucial. Nieto’s main concern since coming into office has been the improvement of the Mexican economy. However, his methods have been less than popular.

    In addition to changes to Mexican oil, Mexico has also taxed foods high in calories in an effort to fight obesity and brought sweeping education reforms that also resulted in major protest.

    While the new president’s motives may be genuine, it could be a case of too much too soon. Without a chance to adjust or opposition feeling that their concerns are respected, Nieto’s administration could risk a massive loss of support. At present, the president’s approval is down under fifty percent.

    Image: Wikimedia Commons

  • Popocatepetl Volcano Ash Grounds Mexico City Flights

    Last month, the Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico began erupting, spewing ash and steam into the air. The volcano this week began acting up again, causing flights in nearby Mexico City to be cancelled. Mexican authorities have also cordoned off a 7-miles radius around the volcano.

    According to an Associated Press report, U.S. airlines including U.S. Airways, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines have cancelled at least 47 flights out of and bound for the Mexico City and Toluca airports on Thursday. Mexico City is around 40 miles north of Popocatepetl, and no ash has yet reached the city. A spokesperson for the Mexico City airport stated that the airport is still operating, despite the cancellations.

    Popocatepetl last erupted in 2000, forcing thousands of Mexicans living in nearby towns to evacuate. The volcano also became active in April of last year, raising alerts as officials prepared for evacuations.

    (Image courtesy Lavintzin/Wikimedia Commons)

    (via Associated Press)

  • Mexico Mass Kidnapping Leads To 11 Vanishing In Broad Daylight

    In a story that sounds too crazy to be true, 11 people were kidnapped in broad daylight in Mexico City recently. The incident occurred in the Zona Rosa district of the city, which is a well established district with numerous restaurants, clubs, and offices.

    The abduction occurred sometime Sunday morning, between 10am and noon. It took place just a little over a block from the US embassy, and occurred on the main boulevard in the city.

    Relatives of the victims have called on the authorities to find them, going so far as to march from the Interior Department building, to a square in the city. They also protested outside of the bar where the group was kidnapped from, demanding that surveillance footage be released.

    The 11 victims were of various ages and gender, six being men in their 20’s, a sixteen year old boy, and four women. Residents of the neighborhood the group is from said as many as 15 or 16 could have been kidnapped, along with the known 11. They were from a tough neighborhood called Tepito, which had reported numerous abductions recently. Many believing them to be related to gang activity.

    Josefina Garcia, son of one of the victims said this of the incident, “How could so many people have disappeared, just like that, in broad daylight?”, continuing, “The police say they don’t have them, so what, the earth just opened up and swallowed them?”

    The club where the mass kidnapping took place has been closed as authorities investigate the matter further.

    [H/T: News.com.au]

  • 7 Die in Brewery Accident in Mexico City

    7 Die in Brewery Accident in Mexico City

    Reuters is reporting that seven people have died in a brewery accident in Mexico City. Beer company Grupo Modelo stated that seven workers were killed in an accident involving a tank that was being cleaned and receiving maintenance. The details of the accident have not been released.

    According to the report, a Grupo Modelo spokesperson stated that, “Modelo is deeply sorry for this accident and will support the affected families permanently.”

    Grupo Modelo is the maker of beer that included Modelo, Pacífico, and Corona. Corona is the best-selling beer from Mexico, and the top imported beer in the U.S. Last summer, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI) announced that it would fully acquire Modelo for just over $20 billion. ABI is the maker of the best-selling U.S. beer, Bud Light.

    In January 2013, the U.S. Justice Department filed a civil antitrust lawsuit to block the merger. The Justice Department claims that the U.S. beer market is highly concentrated, with 39% of beer sales in 2012 going to ABI, and another 7% going to Modelo. There is worry that ABI, which is a price leader for the U.S. beer industry, is seeking to eliminate competition from Modelo, which “aggressively” prices its imports.

  • Earthquake Hits Mexico City, No Reports Of Serious Damage

    Earthquake Hits Mexico City, No Reports Of Serious Damage

    A strong earthquake hit Mexico City today with a magnitude of 7.4, but no immediate reports of serious damage or injuries have come in.

    The quake is reported to have originated around the state of Guerrero and sent tremors to Acapulco and Oaxaca which varied in strength. Some minor damage was reported to buildings in Mexico City and some residents lost phone service, according to Mayor Marcelo Ebrard, who tweeted about the natural disaster. Residents fear aftershocks and will be on guard now.

    Mexico City is built on unstable ground made mostly of volcanic structures and is susceptible to earthquakes and eruptions. In 2011 the Popocatepetl volcano erupted, causing an evacuation.

    Twitter has been abuzz with the news.

    (image)@steveaoki
    Steve Aoki    Just landed in mexico city and experienced an earthquake in the terminal. That was weird #earthquakeypeople(image) 1 hour ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@fredcantu
    Fred Cantu    My Twitter friends in Mexico City are buzzing about feeling a strong earthquake! On the upside… their Twitter is still working.(image) 1 hour ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@viewfromthecave
    Tom Murphy    RT @tkb: Large earthquake going on in Mexico city right now.(image) 1 hour ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@sazpeitia
    Sarah Azpeitia    Earthquake in Mexico city… Hope @renata_azp @Pkeazpeitia are ok??!!(image) 1 hour ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Mexico City Earthquake Causes Citizens to Run into the Streets and Tweet

    A mega long 7.9 earthquake with an epicenter in Guerrero state shook central southern Mexico on Tuesday, swaying buildings in Mexico City and sending frightened workers and residents into the streets.

    The U.S. Geological Survey set the intensity at 7.9 on the Richter scale. Mexico’s National Seismological Survey said the temblor had an epicenter southwest of Ometepec.

    The quake struck at 12:02 p.m. in Mexico City (11:02 a.m. Pacific time). It was six miles underground.

    Also, shortly after 11 a.m., USGS issued earthquake reports for 3.8-magnitude quakes on either side of the Coachella Valley, but those were quickly deleted.

    The world’s largest mobile earthquake simulator made a stop at the KPSP Local 2 News studios and simulated an 8.0 earthquake within the shaker.

    After watching this YouTube video it easy to understand why the people of Mexico City decided to run into the streets.

    The quake led to a flurry of posts on Twitter:

    (image)@Hubbek2
    Javo    Everything is fine here in Mexico City. We’re fine. #Earthquake.(image) 2 minutes ago via UberSocial for BlackBerry ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@EricMcMacias
    Eric McMacias    everything is ok in Mexico city?, The Earthquake was so hard 7.9!!(image) 3 minutes ago via web ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@dan_maia12
    Daniel Maia    “@steveaoki: Just landed in mexico city and experienced an earthquake in the terminal. That was weird #earthquakeypeople” we hit turbulence(image) 4 minutes ago via Twitter for iPhone ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@shaambalaji
    Balaji Sridharan    “@ProducerMatthew: Mexico City earthquake early warning system triggered “just seconds before the 7.6 quake,” @RodrigoEBR reports.”(image) 54 seconds ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    (image)@pemurph31
    Brandon Leander    Please pray for my sister and her family who live near this. RT @nytimes: Strong, Long 7.6 Quake Shakes Mexico City http://t.co/0N5hT4An(image) 2 minutes ago via TweetCaster for iOS ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto