Tequila, Hollywood and the terrible price of success
Also in this edition: Mexico is ready for the World Cup. Achievements on the second anniversary of Sheinbaum’s electoral victory. Strike by detained immigrants in the U.S.
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¡Salud! Drinking Culture
Universal symbols of Mexican culture, tequila and mezcal have surged in popularity around the world. But the cost of this phenomenal success has been unchecked overexploitation in Mexico, the loss of national ownership of these iconic gifts, and the erosion of the ancestral wisdom and craftsmanship behind this centuries-old tradition.
Only recently was it discovered that 2,500 years ago—long before the arrival of Europeans—people were already distilling spirits using clay vessels. “An extensive study by a group of archaeologists, anthropologists, and ethnobotanists uncovered physical evidence of vessels from the ancient Capacha culture, which flourished in western Mexico,” explained David Suro Piñera, a cultural educator, social entrepreneur, and longtime advocate for agave spirits
In his book Past, Present, and Future of Mexico’s Distilled Spirits, written with Gary Paul Nabhan, Suro covers all the denominations of origin for agave spirits: bacanora, sotol, tequila, mezcal, and raicilla. Beyond the qualities of the beverages themselves, he highlights their cultural significance: “In Oaxaca, for example, pechuga mezcals are offerings; they are used to honor the dead or celebrate the arrival of the harvest and planting season.”
However, the global popularity of tequila and other agave spirits has put the sustainability of the industry and its communities at risk. According to Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council, international celebrities now control 30 percent of tequila production in Mexico. These include actor Dwayne Johnson and his brand Teremana; musician Carlos Santana with Casa Noble; model Kendall Jenner with 818; and basketball legend Michael Jordan with Cincoro Gold. It is worth remembering that George Clooney sold his tequila brand for $1 billion, while Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul launched Dos Hombres. Meanwhile, Casa José Cuervo, the world’s largest tequila producer (founded in 1758), remains under the ownership of Mexican businessman Juan Francisco Beckmann, one of the world’s 500 wealthiest individuals.
Suro, who explains that tequila is created by artists, founded his brand Siembra Azul in 2006 to “instill tequila culture” in the United States. Through his company and associated nonprofit projects, he has dedicated himself to educating the international industry—mixologists, bartenders, servers, and ultimately consumers—in bars, restaurants, universities, and public forums about what lies behind every glass of agave spirit. At the same time, he and his colleagues have worked with producer families, businesses, and academic experts to protect, preserve, and promote ancestral knowledge. They conduct experiments to recreate tequila as it was enjoyed centuries ago, respecting traditional production methods and the flavors derived from agave plants cultivated across generations. The process begins in underground stone-lined ovens heated for six hours before receiving four tons of halved agave plants, loaded in rapidly while the stones are red-hot. “This volcano is essential for obtaining the flavor profiles of the agave,” Suro explained.
There are other natural forces that are just as important to the world of agave. “This morning, when you read the news, did you have a cup of coffee? Maybe a tamal for breakfast? Some enchiladas? Later, did you put on your favorite cotton shirt? Will you enjoy rice a la Mexicana today? For dessert, perhaps a pitaya, chicozapote, or black sapote dulce? And this evening, maybe a little mezcal or tequila? Well, guess what? Even if we don't realize it, we have many things to thank bats for. They and their roles in nature are responsible for these products and hundreds more,” wrote Suro and UNAM professor Rodrigo Medellín in their article The Bats Are Not to Blame. Few people realize that bats are among the most important pollinators of agave plants.
The industry's explosive growth has also brought environmental consequences. In states such as Jalisco, pollution in rivers and other waterways has increased dramatically because of vinasse, a liquid waste byproduct generated during tequila production. The tequila industry has begun searching for better ways to manage the wastewater created during the manufacturing process. Other threats come from corruption and the production of counterfeit tequila outside Mexico.
“We're deeply concerned about the large-scale extraction associated with these products,” Suro warned. “Agaves are being harvested without adequate controls, and we're losing endemic species. We need stronger regulations and greater government involvement in reviewing standards to protect local communities.” He concluded: “Mezcal, tequila, and bacanora are part of our culture, and agave cannot continue to be exploited the way it is today.”
The Quote:
For every ill, mezcal; for every joy, mezcal too.
—Popular saying
In Case You Missed It
◻️ Mexico is ready. Mexico's final World Cup roster marks the end of a long selection process: 26 players chosen to withstand the demands of a tournament that offers no second chances. “We're ready for what's ahead,” said national team coach Javier Aguirre. Follow the matches, goals, and protests surrounding the World Cup on La Jornada's website and app.
◻️ Achievements on the second anniversary. Massive rallies were held in 30 Mexican states in support of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, commemorating the second anniversary of her election victory. Despite international pressures stemming from U.S. tariff policies and the ongoing energy crisis, Mexico's economy remains “stable and moving forward,” Sheinbaum said. She highlighted plans to dedicate more than one trillion pesos to social programs as part of her administration's commitment to the country's majority population.
◻️ Sheinbaum's firm rejection of U.S. interference. The president called for defending Mexico's sovereignty against foreign interference and argued that skepticism toward U.S. intentions is justified. “They come after some people first, then they come after more,” she said. Sheinbaum argued that interventionist pressure comes from sectors of the U.S. far right, not from Trump himself, and criticized U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson for stepping beyond the bounds of his diplomatic role. “This is the president's first direct response to Washington's representative,” La Jornada wrote in an editorial, “and in itself demonstrates the calm and deliberate approach that has guided this administration's relationship with Trumpism.”
◻️ Strike by detained immigrants. A hunger strike and work stoppage that began with more than 300 immigrants at a detention center in New Jersey has drawn national attention from members of Congress, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the president himself. At the same time, support for the striking detainees continues to grow, while complaints against this and other privately run detention centers are multiplying across the country. Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues to pursue anti-immigrant policies ranging from placing children in cages to eliminating access to basic education, health care, and housing services for immigrant families, documented or not.
◻️ Journalists demand justice for crimes against colleagues. Journalists have effectively become “war correspondents” in their own country because of the violence affecting many regions of Mexico, reporters and relatives of murdered and disappeared journalists charged during the #AquíNadieOlvida day of resistance. An anti-monument was installed along the Route of Memory on Paseo de la Reforma to remind authorities that most of the more than 200 murders of journalists since 2000 remain unsolved.
◻️ Eugenia León performs. The singer recently performed with La Única Internacional Sonora and is now working on a new album, Mis canciones (My Songs). “This orchestra is unlike any other,” she said. “They've created an urban sound that's uniquely Mexico City and has survived for 70 years. This is the music of Mexico's working people.”
🎥 What We Are Watching
How do readers view Mexico's World Cup chances?
Last week we asked readers whether Mexico would make it to the quarterfinals.
⚽️ 46 percent said yes and 54 percent said no. ⚽️
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Edited by David Brooks and Jim Cason in the United States, Tania Molina Ramírez in Mexico City, of La Jornada, and Elizabeth Coll in Tokyo, under the direction of Carmen Lira Saade and Guillermina Alvarez. More information.