20 billion barrels of crude: Mexican PEMEX legislation reserves for nation 83% of its proven petrol resources

Exclusive rights rule extends for two decades, covering vast geographical area

Guadalajara -
In the first implementation of new national energy legislation which became effective yesterday (Peña Nieto: "No more barriers to our economic growth"), Mexico's former state oil monopoly PEMEX - now open to private capital investment and foreign technical participation - has been granted sole and exclusive rights to extract 83% of the country's proven oil resources, together with another 21% of probable petroleum assets, within a defined region.

Peña Nieto: "No more barriers to our economic growth"

Long awaited PEMEX reforms a reality today

Petróleos Mexicanos is still Mexico's only fuel retailer. Don't look for competitors' signs anytime soon.

Guadalajara -
In December Mexico abandoned its three quarter of a century state monopoly over the hydrocarbon industry and opened the monolithic enterprise PEMEX to foreign capital investment and desperately needed technical partnerships. The required constitutional amendments authorizing such flew through Mexico's federal congress and 32 state legislatures at a breakneck pace, and won president Enrique Peña Nieto praise at home and abroad.

Sixty percent of Mexican high school grads fall short on reading skills, while powerful teachers' union continues to resist mandatory education reforms

Guadalajara -
Last week a Mexican national evaluation of high school graduates revealed that 60% of diploma holders have "elementary, insufficient" communication skills, to the extent that they are unable to understand much or most of what they read. The same percentage have only the most basic mathematical abilities.

Jalisco prosecutor: Matazetas are responsible for murder of Guadalajara area mayor

*Updated Aug. 8*
Guadalajara -
Jalisco attorney general Luis Carlos Nájera told a Mexican national news service earlier today that one of the nation's most violent drug cartels, Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), commonly known as Los Matazetas (the "Zeta Killers"), was responsible for Sunday's execution of the mayor of Ayutla County, Jalisco, a rural community located in rugged country west of metro Guadalajara.

The Matazetas are based in and around Guadalajara and suburban Zapopan, and dominate the state.

Two Americans found dead in Riviera Maya

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo-
Two U.S. nationals on vacation died yesterday in separate locations along the Riviera Maya, according to a regional Spanish language news source.

One of the men, described only as a 75 year old Vietnam veteran, was found dead Monday by hotel staff at a Playa hostel. Medical examiners offered no cause, but said the man had expired at least 24 hours before. There were no signs of violence or an altercation in the room.

Tens of thousands of Mexican prisoners languish incarcerated for years, without formal sentencing

Guadalajara -
The Mexican civil association Asilegal reported this week that over 43% of incarcerated prisoners across the Republic are being held in custody without the benefit of trial or formal sentencing, under so called "preventive detention" statutes.

In 14 of the nation's 32 entities, more than 50% of the incarcerated have yet to be sentenced for any crime. Those states include Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, Durango, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Aguascalientes, Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Tlaxcala, Tabasco and Quintana Roo.

Regional violence remains unabated in Michoacán, and spares no political party

Sicarios execute PRI municipal official

Guadalajara -
Mexico's embattled Michoacán state, a seedbed of organized crime activity for many years, was officially pacified in May. The Rural Defense Force, to the rescue in Michoacán. But yet than six weeks before, a prominent alcalde, or municipal government official, of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), was executed in broad daylight by sicarios - a narco execution squad. PAN national chair Gustavo Madero Muñoz responded, "There is no respect for life in Michoacán, nor a government".

Mexican health officials report first diagnosed case of Dengue-like virus in Jalisco state

Guadalajara -
Mexico's Secretary of Health confirmed yesterday that the potentially fatal Chikungunya virus has made its first known appearance in this country, after a Jaliscan woman was recently diagnosed with the tropical illness.

The symptoms of Chikungunya (cheek-oon-goon-ya) closely resemble those of Dengue Fever, according to medical experts.

In March a prominent Mexico City physician and public health expert warned that the country was due for a serious outbreak of Dengue related illnesses within the next year or two. Mexican public health expert warns of Dengue outbreak.

Mexican high court rules that only federal government may legislate against drug cartels, organized crime

Guadalajara -
Mexico's Supreme Judicial Court ruled today that none of the country's 31 states or the Federal District may enact criminal legislation targeting organized crime organizations, a power which it said is reserved exclusively to the federal congress under extensive constitutional reforms passed in 2008.

Meeting in full session, all 11 judicial ministers voted to strike down laws passed by Nuevo León in 2013, which would have authorized the lengthy preliminary detention of suspected organized crime members without trial. Nuevo León has been racked by drug war violence in recent years.

Rafael Caro Quintero loses bid in Mexican federal court for protection from U.S. extradition

Guadalajara -
He's been a fugitive from the law since Nov. 6, but that didn't stop attorneys for the founder and former boss of the long defunct Guadalajara Cartel from asking a federal court in Mexico City to prevent the extradition of Rafael Caro Quintero to the United States should he ever be captured. Today a judge denied their request for a protective order, known as an amparo, paving the way for Caro Quintero's eventual transfer to U.S. jurisdiction if and when he is located.

Mexican Church calls Peña Nieto tax reforms "deceptive economics," harmful to the middle class

Guadalajara -
The powerful Archdiocese of Mexico City is cutting no slack to the 18 month old administration of Institutional Revolutionary Party president Enrique Peña Nieto, lashing out at his reform dominated agenda every few weeks in its Sunday editorials, published in the influential Catholic journal Desde La Fe (From the Faith).

Today the topic was the nation's staggering economy, which has been grossly underperforming for the last year. Despite promises that 2014 would be a banner year - the same promises the government made in early 2013 - the economic engine is badly misfiring, and nobody seems to be able to fix it. Mexico slashes 2014 growth projection.

Mexico's comments on case of jailed U.S. Marine Andrew Paul Tahmooressi will not encourage his supporters

Oct. 1 - U.S. Marine Sgt. Tahmooressi's defense does a 180, as House committee puts the full court press on Mexico

*Sept. 9 - No Tijuana exit today for Sgt. Tahmooressi*

*Updated content Sept. 20*
Guadalajara -
On Mar. 31 U.S. Marine Sgt. Andrew Paul Tahmooressi, 25, was arrested at the San Ysidro-Tijuana border crossing, just inside Mexican territory. He acknowledged to officials that his pickup was carrying several firearms - the possession of which is strictly forbidden in this country - but insisted that he had intended to take the final exit to return to American soil, mistakenly entering a lane which prohibited him from doing so and instead sent him straight into Baja California.

Tahmooressi was charged with federal firearms violations, and has already had several preliminary court appearances before a Mexican magistrate. His case has been elevated to a veritable cause célèbre by some in the U.S. press, most notably Fox News, which writes about Tahmooressi almost daily with a passion suggesting that he should be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor just for having to deal with the Mexican criminal justice system.

Yucatán had lowest homicide rate in 2013, Mexico reports

Mérida, Yucatán -
Roberto Campa, Undersecretary for Crime Prevention and Citizen Participation, a department of the Secretary of Government (SEGOB), reported in a national news interview this week that the state of Yucatán had the lowest homicide rate in the nation for the reporting year ending Dec. 31, 2013.

Yucatán recorded but 2.05 murders per 100,000 persons, followed by these states: Aguascalientes (3.29), Hidalgo (4.65), Tlaxcala (5.98), Querétaro (6.07), Puebla (7.41), Campeche (8.15) and the Federal District (8.46).

Jalisco tourism boss was Templarios money launderer, assassinated on orders of Los Matazetas

Guadalajara -
Former Jalisco Secretary of Tourism José de Jesús Gallegos Álvarez, who was executed in broad daylight on a Guadalajara street Mar. 13, 2013, was a money launder for the now defunct Michoacán cartel Los Caballeros Templarios, one of his attackers has testified before judicial authorities.

Gallegos was shot multiple times after being pursued by a hit team during a high speed chase, causing him to lose control of his vehicle. Jalisco Secretary of Tourism assassinated in Guadalajara. He died at the scene.

Only seven Mexican states are well prepared to carry out criminal investigations, analysts report

Guadalajara -
Mexico has 31 states and a Federal District, but only seven of them are equipped with the personnel and equipment to meet international criminal investigation standards, a team of forensic consultants has reported.

The consultants, some Mexican and some from other nations, are collaborating with U.S. officials to modernize the nation's notoriously lagging criminal investigation system, one of the goals of the Mérida Inititiative signed in 2007 by former presidents Felipe Calderón Hinojosa and George W. Bush.