Sheinbaum’s government launches telephone alert against El Niño

More than 12 thousand refugees with a legal residence permit in Mexico have managed to open a bank account, a fundamental step for their integration into formal employment. The initiative, promoted by Banorte in alliance with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), began in 2022.

Felipe Medina, executive director of Funding at Banorte, pointed out that the main obstacle was the lack of access to an account to deposit payroll. Although the regulations allow opening accounts with CURP and immigration documents, in practice many branches did not recognize this documentation.

“There were people who already wanted to work, join formal employment and could not find an account that would allow them to receive their resources,” Medina explained.

The bank designed a digital opening process in about five minutes, with a simplified file. Refugees can receive salary deposits, make transfers and use a digital debit card. The physical card is then obtained in commercial establishments, without having to go to a branch.

Banorte also collaborated with companies that hire refugees—such as FEMSA, Mabe, LEGO and Alpura—to speed up account opening during job incorporation. Human resources teams received specialized training.

Banking has allowed full integration into the formal economy. The accounts in this segment record monthly deposits between 2,000 and 14,000 pesos, an average balance of 1,900 pesos and about six digital transactions per month. Companies report lower staff turnover and higher productivity among refugee workers, many with professional experience or specialized studies.

Bilateral recognition of arms trafficking

President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that the United States government formally accepted that the majority of weapons seized in Mexico come from its territory. This recognition, he noted, reinforces the need to stop illegal trafficking as a priority in security cooperation.

“They already recognized it. And in the understanding that we have, now with President Trump’s government, they recognize that something fundamental is to seize the weapons that come to Mexico,” declared Sheinbaum.

The key data was given by the US Department of Justice before the end of Joe Biden’s administration: about 75% of the weapons seized in Mexican territory originate in the American Union.

Civil litigation and progress in the evidence phase

The Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Velasco, confirmed that the civil lawsuit that Mexico maintains against arms manufacturers and distributors in the United States is still active. It is currently in the discovery phase, despite the fact that other previous litigation was dismissed by US courts.

“This demand continues. We are going to follow up on it and we are committed to ensuring that this phase goes well,” Velasco said.

Concrete actions at the border

Velasco explained that the fight against arms trafficking is also addressed in bilateral coordination tables. The United States has increased actions to detect weapons and ammunition in its border area.

Additionally, Mexico has direct access to the ATF’s eTrace tracking system, which allows the origin of seized weapons to be identified. According to data from that platform, approximately 70% of the weapons seized and tracked come from American gun stores or distributors.

The chancellor also highlighted a recent operation in the United States that secured a shipment of weapons destined for the Mexican border, including detainees. This reflects greater cooperation to stem the flow of arsenal into the country.

The Attorney General’s Office of the State of Morelos obtained preventive detention for Víctor Rodríguez Padilla, former director of Pemex. The risk it represents for his wife, the Cuban engineer María Felicia Jiménez Lavie, was demonstrated. The attack occurred last March, at a weekend house in Club Country, municipality of Emiliano Zapata.

Details of the attack

The attack was recorded on video. In the images you can see a minor running out of the room while her father beats her mother with extreme violence. During the hearing, the defense requested house arrest, arguing that the former official is 69 years old and suffers from a malignant tumor in the prostate. However, Judge Consuelo Adriana Carrera pointed out that the principle of exceptionality applies from the age of 70. Furthermore, Rodríguez Padilla does not have a home in Morelos and represents a risk to his wife and their daughter, according to the Public Ministry of the Women’s Justice Center.

The Prosecutor’s Office reported two violent episodes. The first occurred in June 2022, three years after the couple married in Coyoacán. On that occasion, Rodríguez stuck a pen in María Felicia’s left arm. She tried to abandon him, but he threatened to denounce her for child abduction and deport her to Cuba.

The second attack occurred in March of this year, in a house in the Paraíso Country Club subdivision. It all started when María Felicia received a phone call and confronted her husband about a romantic relationship with a secretary. The former official’s response was to physically attack her. In the video projected in the courtroom you can see how he hits her in the ribs, subdues her by the hands, pulls her hair and throws her to the ground repeatedly, all in front of her daughter.

The FGE Women’s Justice Center reported that it has two investigation files against Víctor Rodríguez Padilla.