Here's a slice from a decades-long sausage of U.S. interference and bumbling diplomacy when it comes to Mexico, written in 1996. "Alas, poor Mexico", the saying goes, "so far from God and so close to t... read more

Expatriates, especially "older" folks, are often without families. Those with families "back there" can get a little wistful during the Holidays, too. (Pictured is a Day of the Dead figure of wire, pap... read more

This is a tale of one festival, two celebrations, and three women. It is my longest article. (Pictured are women from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec parading in Oaxaca.) Photography by Diana Ricci In mid... read more

Perhaps one of the most "dated" of my articles, I also count it among my most prophetic. The debtors movement continued to grow. As of this writing, they remain the Mexican middle class's most powerful... read more

Since I started printing my articles on the World Wide Web, I have received many letters. Some have been critical, some flattering; some seeking and some offering information; some expressing fear for ... read more

This story is over 500 years old, and as up to the minute as tomorrow. Next Columbus day add another year, change a few details, and it will still be fresh. (Pictured is a Mayan house in the Yucatan.) ... read more

I'm no economist, but I knew what people were saying: that things were getting worse for them, and for their families and friends. In 1995, Mexico appeared to remain a great place for a smart foreign i... read more

This was written in early 1996. In March of 1996, under intense pressure from his own party, Governor Figueroa stepped down. (Pictured is a teacher's union march going by the Governor's official reside... read more

Economic statistics aren't very sexy. Also they are misleading, often. As my daddy used to say, figures don't lie, but liars figure. Voodoo economics, now forever identified with George Bush, is an old... read more

If a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, becoming an expatriate is doubly dishonorable. Photography by Diana Ricci Being an expatriate is like being a heretic. Your old coreligionis... read more

Nobody loves a circus more than the average Mexican; and nobody needs bread more... This story was written in 1995. (Pictured is one of the Radish Festival exhibits.) Photography by Diana Ricci On Se... read more

Showing amazing sticking power and protected by their "respectability" and urban savvy, the Barzonistas continue to be a major voice in the national clamor for reform. (Pictured is a Barzon-sponsored t... read more

Working under the guns of the Mexican army, the Zapatistas, like many indigenous movements before them, struggle to survive with dignity and in peace. To this end, they have tried to involve a broad ba... read more

These Monarchs were snapped by a young entrepreneur who walked around with a fistful of copies of different photos, gleefully selling to Gringos like us who, even though we had our own camera, lacked c... read more

In some towns, it is called the Plaza Nacionál, the Plaza de las Armas, the Parque Independencia, or the Plaza Centrál, but wherever you go, the local folks know it as El Zócalo. Whether it is a hug... read more

Technology is changing the face of Mexico. As in the U.S., the new technologies manifest themselves in strange and unpredictable ways; and affect the political landscape with outcomes which are alterna... read more

Every once in awhile, I write a piece that doesn't seem to go out of currency. This unfortunately is one of them. (The photo shows part of a children's drawing contest for Day of the Dead.) Photography... read more

When this was written in the fall of 1994, there was still a sense of hope in the air: for democracy, for the economy, for a fair and equitable relationship with the U.S. People still believed that wit... read more

Mexico is running towards modernization with its eyes wide shut. In its efforts to bridge the gap between themselves and the developed world, the US’ neighbor to the south seems to be forgetting a fe... read more

Of course we miss the Zocalo, and the more active social life in Oaxaca, but there are things we don't miss so much. It's different. read more

From time to time, I receive letters like the one I have reproduced below. Most often, they are well thought out and not without compassion, as is this one. Usually, I answer them in my "Letters To The... read more

With the possible exception of André Malraux, no individual associated with the arts has been involved in direct political action more than David Alfaro Siqueiros. Student agitator, soldier, leader of... read more

I will soon be making a trip to Merida. This will be a vacation/preliminary research trip as I am considering the possibility of moving to Mexico. My eighteen-year old child has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. We have a van with a wheelchair lift. So the ferry from Tampa to Progresso is attractive, as it would allow us to return to the USA for visits and take our van with us. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has knowledge or personal experience with the assimilation, inclusion of persons with disabilities into the Mexican culture.

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Misol-Ha, where the trail takes you behind the falls. Situated between the Mayan ruins at Palenque and the city of San Cristobal, in the highlands of Chiapas, this site has been developed as ejido (co-... read more

AYUTLA DE LOS LIBRES, Mexico - Jose Toribio, a Mixtec Indian from the Sierra Madre mountains, says he can't walk properly because of pain in his groin and left leg.

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