From January 20th to February 17th: 14,470 Deported to Mexico

Donald Trump was inaugurated President of the United States on January 20th, 2025.

From January 20th to February 17th (less than a month), the U.S. deported 14,470 illegal aliens to Mexico.

From  Efraín González Noticias (my translation): “Since the past January 20th, the date on which the U.S. presidency of Donald Trump began, 14,470 migrants have been deported to Mexico, as confirmed this Monday [February 17th] by President Claudia Sheinbaum. In the morning press conference, Sheinbaum Pardo explained that of the 14,470 deported, 11,379 are Mexicans and the rest, 3,091, are foreigners.”

Source:  Efraín González Noticias
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Sunken Maya City Discovered Off Coast of Yucatan Peninsula

In a previous article I reported on the discovery of a Maya city in the Yucatan Peninsula with the use of lidar technology.

Another Maya city has been discovered, with the use of 3D sonar technology. This one is off the coast of Playa del Carmen, on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Playa de Carmen is near Cozumel Island, in the state of Quintana Roo.

Playa del Carmen. Source:dronepicr

As reported in Soy Nómada, marine archaeologists, using 3D sonar technology, discovered this sunken Maya city when studying reefs. They saw geometric features 100 feet underwater.

The constructions may include pyramids, plazas and canals.

So why did the city sink? It has been suggested that it could have been caused by a tsunami or some other massive sea level change.

Archaeologists plan to explore this sunken city so some interesting discoveries are probably in store for the future.

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Sheinbaum’s Report on Trump Deportations to Mexico: Nearly 11,000 as of February 7th, Including Non-Mexicans

As of February 7th, 2025, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that, since Trump took office on January 20th, Mexico had received nearly 11,000 illegal aliens deported from the U.S. to Mexico, including about 2,5000 non-Mexicans. She also reported that Mexico was sending deported Hondurans to Honduras.

From Reuters: Speaking at her regular morning press conference, Sheinbaum added that Mexico has also repatriated deported migrants to Honduras via flights as well as ground transportation. But she stressed that the repatriations were not forced. “It’s voluntary,” she told reporters. “We will accompany them so they can go to their home countries.”

Mexico in orange, Honduras in green. Source: Aquintero82


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Mexico Sending 110,000 Tons of Avocadoes to U.S. for Super Bowl But It’s Still Lower than the Previous Two Years

Super Bowl LIX is scheduled for February 9th, 2025, pitting the Kansas City Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles. There are many NFL fans in Mexico and many Mexicans can be expected to watch it.

In recent decades it has become a tradition in the United States to eat guacamole at Super Bowl watch parties. The principal ingredient of guacamole is the avocado. Most avocadoes consumed in the United States are imported from Mexico.

Football and Guacamole. Source: La Verdad Noticias

This year it’s estimated that Mexican producers are sending 110,000 tons of avocadoes to the United States for the Super Bowl.

That’s a lot, but it’s actually a decrease from the past two years. In 2023 the quantity was 130,000 tons, and in 2024 it was 137,500 tons.

Why the decrease? Two reasons given are 1) drought and 2) security in the Mexican state of Michoacan, the main source of avocadoes, which has four avocado seasons.

Michoacan state in red. Source: TUBS

Avocado prices have also gone up, from an average price of 2.41 dollars per kilo in 2024 to 2.88 dollars per kilo in 2025.

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Cabinet Profile: Omar Garcia Harfuch, Secretary of Security

Omar Garcia Harfuch serves as Secretary of Security in the cabinet of President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Omar Garcia Harfuch. Source: EneasMX

The official title of the department in Spanish is the Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana (SSPC), the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection. It is responsible for public safety and security.

The individual in charge of that department is the Secretario de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana, The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection.

Symbol of SSPC. Source: Mexican Government

Omar Hamid Garcia Harfuch was born in Cuernavaca in the state of Morelos in 1982. Both his parents were famous.

His father, Jose Garcia Paniagua, had served as president of the PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) from March to October of 1981; and in two Mexican cabinet positions, as Secretary of Agrarian Reform from 1980 to 1981 and as Secretary of Labor from October to December of 1981. Garcia Paniagua was actually in consideration to be the PRI candidate for president but was passed over in favor of Miguel de la Madrid, who was elected president in 1982. Garcia Paniagua passed away in 1998.

Omar Garcia Harfuch; Father Garcia Paniaugua. Source: Museo Espacio

Garcia Harfuch’s mother was the actress and singer María Sorté, whose birth name was Maria Harfuch Hidalgo. She was active as recent as 2024 when she starred in the telenovela Las hijas de la señora García.

María Sorté’s real surname Harfuch is of Arab origin, was prominent in Lebanon, and now is in Mexico as a result of Levantine immigration.

Garcia Harfuch’s Mother Maria
Source:Wikipedia

Omar Garcia Harfuch earned a bachelor’s degree in law and public security at the UVM (Universidad del Valle de México).

Garcia Harfuch entered the Federal Police in 2008, in 2012 became coordinator of the Federal Police in the state of Guerrero and in 2015 entered the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Attorney General’s office.

In 2019, Garcia Harfuch was named Chief of Police of Mexico City by then-Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum (now the President). His official title was Secretario de Seguridad Ciudadana de la Ciudad de México and he served in that capacity from 2019 to 2023.

In 2020, while traveling Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma boulevard, Garcia Harfuch was attacked and injured in an assassination attempt which killed two members of his security detail and a passerby.

In 2023, Garcia Harfuch ran for Mayor of Mexico City against Clara Brugada. He was beating her in the polls but his candidacy was canceled due to gender-parity affirmative action policy. So Clara Brugada became the candidate, won in 2024 and is now Mayor (Jefa de Gobierno).

In 2024, Garcia Harfuch ran for the Mexican Senate and won, but presidential winner Claudia Sheinbaum asked him to serve in her cabinet as Secretary of Security so he only served on month (September of 2024) before Sheinbaum took office on October 1st, on which date he also became Mexico’s Top Cop.

So Garcia Harfuch went from serving as Mexico City Chief of Police under Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum to serving as Mexico’s Chief of Police under President Claudia Sheinbaum.

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Ecuador Slaps 27% Tariffs on Mexico

Shortly after Mexico escaped the tariffs of Donald Trump, more earthshaking news was announced: Ecuador is slapping 27% tariffs on importations from Mexico.

Mexico in orange, Ecuador in green. Source:Wikipedia

As reported by CNN, “Ecuador will apply a 27% tariff on Mexican goods to ‘ensure fair treatment’ of Ecuadorian producers, President Daniel Noboa said on Monday [February 4].

In a post on X, Noboa said he is open to signing a free trade deal with Mexico, but ‘not when there is abuse,’ though did not elaborate. The president said that until a free trade deal is struck, a 27% tariff will apply to goods imported from Mexico.

Daniel Noboa, President of Ecuador. Source: Presidencia de la República del Ecuador

So how big of a trade relationship are we talking about?

Ecuador imported $541 million worth of goods from Mexico in 2023, Mexican government data shows. The biggest single import was medication, representing 12.6% of the goods sold from Mexico to Ecuador that year. Still, Ecuador is a miniscule trading partner for Mexico, accounting for less than 0.1% the value of Mexico’s exports last year, according to Mexican government data.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was asked about the Bolivian tariffs at her press conference on February 4th. She didn’t appear to take it very seriously.

President Sheinbaum at Press Conference. Source: Mexican Presidential Website

Reporter: “Thank you, President. Good morning. Rodrigo Muñoz, of NX Noticias.
First, to ask you, yesterday, after this dialogue with President Trump and the tariffs were suspended, hours later, the President of Ecuador, Noboa, announced tariffs of 27%. ”

Sheinbaum: “Yesterday I asked, how much? What quantity do we import? I think it’s 0.4, with that I respond.”

Reporter: “OK, well. I was going to ask you if there is any plan for- ?”

Sheinbaum: “The shrimp of Sinaloa is more delicious than the shrimp of Ecuador, it’s true.”

Ecuador is a major shrimp exporter, but President Sheinbaum says the shrimp of the Mexican state of Sinaloa is more delicious.

Shrimp are prohibited in Jewish kosher regulations. This is more evidence that, though Sheinbaum is an ethnic Jew (half Ashkenazi, half Sephardi), she is a secular Jew and apparently doesn’t keep kosher.

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North American Trade War Called Off, At Least for Now

On February 1st, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump slapped tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, set to take effect on February 4th.

However, on February 3rd, Trump called off the tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico, at least for now, after separate deals with each North American neighbor.

Canada in red, U.S.A. in blue, Mexico in green. Source: Freepik.com

From the Associated Press:
President Donald Trump on Monday [February 3rd] agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada as America’s two largest trading partners took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking. The pauses provide a cool-down period after a tumultuous few days that put North America on the cusp of a trade war that could have crushed economic growth, caused prices to soar and ended two of the United States’ most critical partnerships.”

“ ‘Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,’ Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted Monday afternoon on X, saying that his government would name a fentanyl czar, list Mexican cartels as terrorist groups and launch a ‘Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.’ ”

The White House confirmed the pause to the United States, which followed a similar move with Mexico that allows for a period of negotiations about drug smuggling and illegal immigration.”

The two separate deals were worked out on the 3rd, first the one with Mexico, then the one with Canada.
Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the monthlong pause on increased tariffs against one another after what Trump described on social media as a ‘very friendly conversation,’ and he said he looked forward to the upcoming talks.”

“ ‘I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as we attempt to achieve a ‘deal’ between our two Countries,’ the president said on social media.”

Trump said the talks would be headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce nominee Howard Lutnick and high-level representatives of Mexico. Sheinbaum said she was reinforcing the border with 10,000 members of her country’s National Guard and that the U.S. government would commit ‘to work to stop the trafficking of high-powered weapons to Mexico.’ ”

Tariffs on China, however, are still set to take effect: “The 10% tariff that Trump ordered on China was still set to go into effect, though Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days.”

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Trump Imposes Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China

On February 1st, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump signed orders to put tariffs on the products of Mexico, Canada and China, the three biggest trading partners of the U.S.

Canada, Mexico and China in red. Source: www.mapchart.net

From CNBC:
On Saturday [February 1], Trump signed an order imposing 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, as well as a 10% duty on China. Energy resources from Canada will be hit with a lower 10% tariff to ‘minimize any disruptive effects we might have on gasoline and home heating oil prices,’ according to a senior administration official.”

Together, the U.S. does about $1.6 trillion in annual business with the three countries. Trump is seeking to use the tariffs as both bargaining chips and methods to effect foreign policy changes, specifically the immigration and drug trade issues.”

From the New York Times: “The tariffs announced Saturday target the United States’ three largest trading partners. To put that into context, in 2023, the last full year data is available, products from Mexico, China and Canada accounted for more than 40 percent of all goods that came into the United States.”

Here is Trump’s explanation of the tariffs on his Twitter X account: “Today, I have implemented a 25% Tariff on Imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian Energy), and a 10% additional Tariff on China. This was done through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) because of the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl. We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all. I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.”

The tariffs are set to take effect on Tuesday, February 4th.

How will this turn out? We’re about to find out.

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In Trump’s First Week 4,000 Deported to Mexico

Donald Trump was inaugurated President of the United States on January 20th, 2025.

A week later, on January 27th, it was reported that over 4,000 illegal aliens, mostly Mexicans, had been deported to Mexico.

According to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbum, “From January 20 to 26, 4,094 people have arrived, the vast majority of them Mexican men and women.”

President Sheinbaum sought to put it in historical context: “Something very important is that this is not new… Mexico has a significant history of repatriation and relations with the United States. Past presidents have dealt with it, and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also did, first with the Trump administration and then with the Biden administration.”

The Mexican government has a program to receive deported Mexicans, offering them financial help and even jobs.

Deportees to Mexico, January 26th, 2025. Source: Fuerza Informativa Azteca

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Donald Trump Now U.S. President. How Will Trump Get Along with Mexico?

The Transition Period is over. Donald Trump is now President of the United States of America, having been inaugurated on January 20th, 2025.

Trump Takes the Oath of Office. Source: Pool

The same day, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum tweeted out her congratulations:
“In the name of the government of Mexico, I congratulate Donald Trump for his inauguration as 47th president of the United States of America. As neighbors and commercial partners, dialogue, respect and cooperation will always be the symbol of our relationship.”

Claudia Sheinbaum. Source: X Photo

During Trump’s Transition Period (election to inauguration), President Sheinbaum has already been responding to and commenting on various issues Trump has been discussing: immigration, tariffs, trade, drugs, etc.

For example, Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico if certain conditions aren’t met.

The question is, now that Trump’s in office, how will things go with Mexico?

One thing Sheinbaum might consider is actually meeting Trump, which she has not yet done. Those who personally negotiate with Trump are often able to make an impression on a personal level. It probably wouldn’t hurt.


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