As September gives way to October, the Bay Area calendar continues with music, dance, community gatherings and cultural celebrations. From a free Latin festival in Berkeley to gardening in San Francisco and one of Daly City’s largest community events, the coming weeks offer activities for families and residents throughout the region.

Viva Fall Fest celebrates Latin culture

Music, salsa and folklórico fill Berkeley’s Fourth Street

Viva Fall Fest brings an afternoon of live Latin music, food, local artisans, small businesses and family activities to Fourth Street Makers Row. Visitors can enjoy salsa dancing from 2–3 p.m., followed by folklórico performances beginning at 3:30 p.m. The free celebration welcomes all ages and is also dog-friendly.

Saturday, Sept. 26, 1–5 p.m., Fourth Street Makers Row, 1919 Fourth St., Berkeley. Free.

La jardinería comunitaria reúne a vecinos alrededor de plantas, aprendizaje y tradiciones compartidas. Community gardening brings neighbors together around plants, learning and shared traditions. AI-generated illustration for El Reportero / OpenAI

Jardín Secreto grows community in San Francisco

Neighbors gather around plants, music and family activities

Jardín Secreto brings Mission District neighbors together through gardening, culture and community participation. Activities have included planting herbs and other plants that participants can take home, music, salsa, children’s reading and information about community resources. The gathering reflects an effort to make gardening and plant knowledge accessible to local families.

Saturdays, 1–4 p.m., 2710A Harrison St., San Francisco. Free.

BAWS Resource Fair comes to Oakland

Community organizations provide information and services

The BAWS Resource Fair brings organizations and community resources together for an afternoon of information and services geared toward sex workers. Attendees can connect with participating organizations and learn about available resources in the East Bay.

Saturday, Oct. 3, 1–5 p.m., 1255 7th St., Oakland.

Top of the Hill returns to Daly City

Music, culture and entertainment take over Mission Street

Daly City’s third annual Top of the Hill Festival returns with live music, cultural performances, food vendors and trucks, artisans, small businesses and family activities. The celebration also features community and nonprofit organizations, a sensory space and car show. Scheduled performers include J Boog, The Stylistics, Digital Underground, Kamaiyah, Good Time Collective and The Best Intentions.

Saturday, Oct. 17, noon–6 p.m., Mission Street at John Daly Boulevard, Daly City. Free and open to all ages.

The Eternal Song screens in Berkeley

Native Voices Film Series concludes with filmmakers

The Native Voices Film Series concludes with The Eternal Song, exploring Indigenous cultures, connections to land, cultural loss and intergenerational trauma. Filmmakers Zaya and Maurizio Benazzo will participate in a conversation following the screening.

Monday, Oct. 26, 7–10 p.m., David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley.

PG&E Corporation Foundation and California Fire Foundation award $1 million in Wildfire Safety Grants

September 25, 2026

75 grants support local wildfire prevention, preparedness, and emergency response initiatives

SACRAMENTO, California — With wildfire season a year-round reality in California, sustained prevention and preparedness efforts remain essential for communities across the state. To strengthen these ongoing preparedness initiatives, the California Fire Foundation (CFF), with support from The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation), has awarded $1 million in wildfire safety grants to 75 fire departments, fire service agencies, and local non-profit organizations in Northern and Central California.

This marks the ninth year that the CFF and the PG&E Foundation have collaborated to award grants helping communities bolster their disaster preparedness and response programs. This year, the PG&E Foundation committed an additional $50,000 to expand the grant program and provide more funding to communities.

The CFF reviewed more than 200 applications during a one-month application period and distributed the annual wildfire safety grants to agencies in high-fire-risk areas. The grants are awarded during National Preparedness Month, observed every September to raise awareness about disaster and emergency preparedness.

The grants will be used to purchase personal protective equipment and specialized gear for firefighters, carry out defensible space and vegetation management work, reduce fuel loads and hazards, and conduct public education and outreach activities regarding fire safety. View the list of grant recipients.

The PG&E Foundation and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) are supporting the CFF’s broader Wildfire Safety and Preparedness Program (WSPP) through 2026 with $1.8 million in charitable contributions. Wildfire safety grants account for $1 million of the total charitable funding provided. The program aims to raise awareness about wildfire safety across California and bring resources to underserved communities in high-fire-risk areas. Grants to local organizations are a core component of the WSPP; the funding also supports the CFF’s multilingual public safety education and outreach multimedia campaign.

“California firefighters and local agencies work every day to protect lives, homes, and communities from a wildfire threat that no longer follows a traditional season,” said Darrell Roberts, President of the California Fire Foundation. “We commend these dedicated recipients for their ongoing preparedness and service, especially as warmer-than-normal conditions reinforce the need for statewide vigilance. For nearly a decade, our partnership with the PG&E Foundation has helped local agencies acquire essential equipment, reduce hazardous vegetation, strengthen public education, and better prepare the communities they serve.”

Since 2018, 505 recipients—including fire departments and fire service agencies across the state—have received $6.5 million in direct funding through the WSPP grant program, with the program receiving more applications each year than the last. Funding is directed toward specific communities identified by the California Public Utilities Commission as being at extreme or elevated fire risk on its High Fire-Threat District map. PG&E and the PG&E Foundation have contributed a total of $12.25 million to promote fire safety through the WSPP since the partnership began, with more than half of those funds supporting community grants. This charitable contribution is funded by shareholders, not by PG&E customers.

“Safety and our customers are at the heart of our partnership with the California Fire Foundation,” said Sumeet Singh, Executive Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer at Pacific Gas and Electric Company. “Behind every grant lies the ability to better protect families, support firefighters, and strengthen preparedness and response when it matters most. Disasters do not stop at city or county lines, and neither does our shared commitment. Together, we are deepening local partnerships and building a stronger network dedicated to protecting the families, neighborhoods, and communities we have the privilege to serve.”

The WSPP focuses on two key areas to help keep communities safe:

A wildfire safety campaign featuring fire safety education developed by the CFF—available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Hmong—to encourage early evacuation during fires. The WSPP has worked diligently to overcome language barriers by developing and distributing fire safety messages in multiple languages. The campaign includes advertising across radio, television, and digital media, as well as billboards in areas at high risk of fire.
A grant program administered by the CFF through an application process. The CFF awards grants to fire departments, agencies, and community groups to support projects and programs focused on wildfire and disaster prevention and preparedness, as well as assistance with response, recovery, or both.

How WSPP helps communities
This year’s grant funding supports projects benefiting 4.2 million residents across 36 counties and includes:

More than 2,000 units of personal protective equipment, such as helmets, boots, gloves, safety goggles, and fire shelters.
More than 600 units of specialized equipment, including water storage tanks, portable radios, headlamps, hoses, clamps, nozzles, chainsaws, and gear packs
Fuel reduction/vegetation management:
Removal of hazardous trees and brush across several hectares, including over 80 acres of vegetation thinning
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of tree limbs, branches, and other combustible materials chipped and removed
Hundreds of prescribed burns or pile burns
Multiple community safety projects supporting firebreaks or shaded fuel breaks, as well as ingress and egress routes

The CFF’s “Firefighters on Your Side” program, also supported by PG&E, provides multilingual and culturally relevant fire safety messaging—in both digital and print formats—to help the public stay safe.

About The PG&E Corporation Foundation
The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation.

About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles of Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

‘Malinche’ musical sparks debate over Mexico’s colonial history

September 25, 2026

arts_LaMalinche_9.25.26 — Estrenada inicialmente en España, “Malinche” se trasladó posteriormente a México, donde sigue atrayendo a numeroso público a pesar de su controvertida representación de la historia de México.First staged in Spain, “Malinche” has since moved on to Mexico, where it continues to draw crowds despite its controversial depiction of Mexican history. (CDMX Secreta)

by Millie Deere

Nacho Cano’s musical Malinche has returned to Mexico City for its second season, attracting large audiences while reigniting controversy over its portrayal of the Spanish conquest and the Indigenous woman at the center of its story.

The production, which reopened Aug. 15 at El Frontón theater, features more than 80 performers combining flamenco, hip-hop and contemporary dance. After a successful run in Madrid, the musical premiered in Mexico in March 2025.

Its central character, Malintzin, also known as Doña Marina or Malinche, was an Indigenous woman who served as interpreter for Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. Their relationship produced a son, making her an important historical figure in discussions about Mexico’s mixed Indigenous and European heritage.

However, her legacy remains disputed. Traditional nationalist interpretations have portrayed Malinche as a traitor who assisted the Spanish conquest. Feminist and postcolonial scholars instead emphasize her enslavement, limited autonomy and struggle for survival.

Cano presents a different interpretation, portraying Malinche and Cortés through a romantic narrative that celebrates the emergence of Mexico’s mixed cultural identity. Critics argue this approach minimizes the violence, exploitation and suffering experienced by Indigenous populations during colonization.

The controversy extends beyond the stage.

Cano, formerly a member of the successful Spanish pop group Mecano, maintains close ties with Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the conservative president of Madrid’s regional government. Both have defended aspects of Spain’s historical legacy in the Americas.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has challenged interpretations portraying the conquest as a civilizing mission, reflecting longstanding disagreements between Mexico and Spain over colonial history.

The musical also enjoys substantial corporate support. Mexican businessman Ricardo Salinas Pliego helped bring the production to Mexico, while his wife, María Laura Medina de Salinas, served as executive producer. Banco Azteca, part of the family’s business conglomerate, sponsors the show.

Historian Juan Miguel Zunzunegui, who challenges negative interpretations of Spanish colonial history, also participates in the production.

Opposition comes from different ideological directions. Some left-wing critics accuse the musical of romanticizing colonial domination and overlooking Indigenous suffering. Certain conservative commentators, meanwhile, argue that it insufficiently celebrates Spain’s historical and religious contributions.

Beyond its elaborate choreography and commercial success, Malinche raises enduring questions about historical memory, cultural identity and who determines how Mexico’s colonial past is represented.

With performances scheduled through January 2027, the musical continues attracting audiences while generating debate over whether its romantic interpretation adequately acknowledges the complexities of conquest. Mexico Desconocido.

– This article was edited and condensed for space.

Mexico joins California in restricting cellphones in schools

September 25, 2026

HL_school_cellphoneban_9.25.26 — Estudiantes interactuando en el aula o durante el almuerzo sin teléfonos. Students interacting in the classroom or during lunch without phones.

by the El Reportero staff

Mexico is preparing to restrict cellphone and tablet use in primary and secondary schools nationwide beginning in late October, joining California in a growing effort to reduce digital distractions in classrooms and encourage students to focus more on learning and face-to-face interaction.

Mexican Education Minister Mario Delgado announced Sept. 21 that federal and state education authorities had reached an agreement to restrict the devices. The measure, pending final approval by President Claudia Sheinbaum, is expected to take effect 30 days after it is formally issued, placing implementation around the end of October.

The announcement follows a survey of more than half a million Mexican teachers in which 81 percent supported guidelines and rules for the safe educational use of electronic devices, according to Mexico News Daily.

Delgado said the measure is intended to protect children’s mental health and learning while strengthening attention, human contact and community. At the high-school level, individual institutions will determine limitations allowing responsible educational use.

California students are already experiencing similar restrictions.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Phone-Free School Act in September 2024, requiring every school district, charter school and county office of education to adopt a policy limiting or prohibiting smartphone use by July 1, 2026.

That means students returning to California classrooms in August entered the first school year following the statewide deadline, although the rules are not identical at every school. The law gives local education agencies flexibility in designing their policies.

In San Francisco, district policy allows students to possess cellphones but requires mobile devices to be turned off and put away during instructional time, including passing periods. Exceptions are permitted for emergencies, teacher-authorized educational use, medical needs and requirements contained in a student’s individualized education program.

Some San Francisco schools have gone further.

Herbert Hoover Middle School requires phones, smart watches and Bluetooth headphones to remain off and out of sight from the beginning of the school day until dismissal. Mission High School describes its classrooms as “cell phone free zones,” while ER Taylor Elementary requires phones to remain turned off in backpacks or be given to teachers for safekeeping.

Experience at San Francisco schools that adopted stricter policies before California’s statewide deadline provides an early look at how students respond.

At Thurgood Marshall Academic High School, students initially resisted having their phones unavailable throughout the school day. But students and teachers later reported changes in the school environment, including more face-to-face conversations, greater productivity during free periods and more interaction during lunch and breaks.

One student told the San Francisco Standard that without his phone he began looking up and seeing his friends instead of looking down at a screen. Teachers also reported spending less classroom time policing cellphone use.

Not every reaction has been positive. Some students have expressed concern that phones provide a sense of security, particularly during emergencies. Others say phones can serve as a social lifeline for students who have difficulty interacting with classmates.

Those concerns are reflected in California law, which preserves students’ ability to use devices during emergencies or perceived threats of danger and for specified health and educational needs.

The debate also extends beyond whether students are simply paying attention in class. Supporters argue that reducing cellphone access can encourage young people to talk, socialize and participate in school activities rather than spend breaks scrolling through social media.

The experience is still evolving. Even within San Francisco, enforcement varies by school, and individual campuses can establish rules stricter than the districtwide standard.

Mexico will soon begin its own nationwide experiment. Its approach differs from California’s decentralized system, but both policies reflect the same increasingly urgent question confronting educators and families: how much access to smartphones should children have during the school day?

For students in California, that debate has already moved from legislation into the classroom. For millions of Mexican students, the same transition is expected to begin in late October.

– This article includes reporting from Mexico News Daily, the California Governor’s Office, SFUSD and local Bay Area news sources.

When surveillance becomes the norm

September 25, 2026

editorial_Flockfollowup_9.25.26 — Funcionarios de Hood County desactivan cámaras Flock tras cancelar el contrato de vigilancia.Hood County officials disable Flock cameras after terminating the county’s surveillance contract.

by Marvin Ramírez

Last week, El Reportero warned that the controversy surrounding Flock cameras is about something much larger than catching stolen cars or locating criminal suspects. The fundamental issue is the indiscriminate collection of information about ordinary people who are suspected of no crime.

“Since then, several developments have made that concern even more urgent.”

On Wednesday, the San Francisco Democratic Party considered two competing resolutions involving Flock. Former Supervisor Gordon Mar proposed stronger safeguards and consideration of suspending the city’s contract. A competing resolution by committee chair Nancy Tung and Supervisor Matt Dorsey affirmed support for the city’s continued use of the cameras. It passed 11-3, with four abstentions

In effect, the party voted to continue supporting a surveillance system intended to help police find stolen vehicles and people connected to crimes — but one that, in the process, records information about countless other vehicles belonging to people suspected of absolutely nothing.

To search for the few, the government watches the many.

That is the larger problem.

In Hood County, Texas, officials terminated their Flock agreement, and Constable John D. Shirley personally unplugged and covered the county’s three cameras after commissioners authorized their shutdown, saying the devices indiscriminately recorded ordinary people.

The scale of the network may be even larger than previously understood. A new map published by cybersecurity researcher Joshua Michael, using location coordinates he says came from Flock’s own database, identifies more than 170,000 cameras and more than 130,000 additional devices connected to the company’s nationwide surveillance infrastructure. Flock is now seeking to have the map removed from the internet, according to The Intercept.

While San Francisco was debating Flock, the controversy reached Washington.

The U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism held a hearing Wednesday titled “Always Watching: Flock’s Nationwide AI Surveillance Network.” Senators examined the expanding use of automated license-plate readers and the questions they raise about privacy, data sharing and government oversight.

Among the witnesses was Lindsey Isaacs of Florida, who described being wrongfully accused in connection with a deadly traffic crash. She spent 13 days in jail and faced serious criminal charges before the case against her was eventually dismissed. Her experience illustrates a broader danger: technology may provide investigators with information, but information can be misinterpreted, combined with other errors and used against an innocent person.

None of this means technology has no legitimate place in law enforcement. Police have a responsibility to recover stolen vehicles, locate dangerous suspects, find missing people and investigate serious crimes.

But public safety does not erase constitutional principles.

The Fourth Amendment protects Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures and establishes requirements for warrants. A camera photographing a license plate on a public street is legally different from police entering someone’s home. But the constitutional principle of limiting government intrusion remains relevant: government does not receive unlimited authority merely because technology makes surveillance easier.

Americans would not accept police entering every house in a neighborhood simply to determine whether someone wanted for a crime might be inside.

Why, then, should we accept the creation of enormous searchable databases documenting the movements of people who have done nothing wrong simply because a criminal might also pass before one of those cameras?

San Francisco must confront that question.

The city can pursue criminals without treating the entire population as potential suspects. It can embrace technology without abandoning reasonable limits on government surveillance.

The debate has now reached cities across America, San Francisco’s political leadership and the United States Senate.

El Reportero raised this concern before these latest developments. We raise it again because the central question remains unanswered:

How much surveillance should innocent Americans be required to accept in the name of finding those who break the law?

Public safety matters.

So does liberty.

And in a free society, we should never be forced to surrender one in order to preserve the other.

California’s tough-on-crime law promised treatment. Here’s why people are falling through the cracks

September 25, 2026

frontpg1_Californiacrime_9.25.26 — Gustavo Meza sale del tribunal tras presentar a un juez un informe de progreso en la Corte Superior del Condado de San Mateo. Recibió tratamiento obligatorio bajo la Proposición 36. Gustavo Meza leaves court after presenting a progress report to a judge at San Mateo County Superior Court in Redwood City. He received mandated treatment under Proposition 36. Manuel Orbegozo / CalMatters

by Marisa Kendall and Cayla Mihalovich | CalMatters

California’s Proposition 36 promised to steer people charged with certain drug offenses into addiction treatment instead of prison. But nearly two years after voters approved the tough-on-crime initiative, many of the people it was intended to help appear to be falling through the cracks.

A CalMatters analysis of the 15 counties that filed the most cases under the law found wide differences in how Proposition 36 is being implemented. In some counties, only a small fraction of people arrested under the new “treatment-mandated felony” provision actually enter treatment. Even fewer complete their programs and have their charges dismissed.

The most recent statewide data shows that among 18,666 felony drug cases charged under Proposition 36 last year in counties reporting treatment data, 17% involved defendants who opted for treatment. Just 57 cases were dismissed after defendants completed their programs.

Orange County illustrates the challenges. As of February 2026, 1,311 people had been referred to Proposition 36 on drug charges, but only 314 agreed to treatment. Fewer than half of those were actively receiving treatment, and just 15 had graduated.

Counties also differ dramatically in how they apply the law. Required treatment periods range from three months to two years. San Francisco, meanwhile, has made hardly any Proposition 36 drug arrests.

Funding is one major obstacle. Proposition 36 was approved without dedicated funding for addiction treatment. Lawmakers later appropriated money, but stakeholders said it fell well short of what was needed. Counties already faced shortages of residential treatment beds and outpatient services, while homeless participants may struggle to recover without stable housing.

The measure, backed by district attorneys and sheriffs, partially reversed a 2014 initiative that reduced certain nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors. Under Proposition 36, prosecutors can charge people convicted of various third-time drug offenses with a felony while offering treatment instead of as much as three years in jail or prison.

Defendants who choose treatment must plead guilty or no contest. County behavioral health departments generally assess them and recommend residential or outpatient treatment. Courts may also order mental health services, job training and other requirements. Successful completion allows the felony charge to be dismissed.

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, a prominent Democratic supporter of Proposition 36, argues that the law itself is not responsible for the low treatment numbers. He blames Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration and the Legislature for failing to provide adequate funding and leadership to build a stronger statewide treatment system.

Some county officials nevertheless see signs of progress. Orange County behavioral health director Ian Kemmer said people entering the Proposition 36 program often had never previously sought county addiction services.

San Diego County also has been cited by supporters as an example of implementation. As of February, 71 percent of defendants who pleaded guilty to a Proposition 36 drug felony had their cases started toward mandated treatment, according to the district attorney’s office. Fewer than 5% were sentenced to jail or prison.

But later-stage numbers were less encouraging. As of December, fewer than one-third of those referred in San Diego had agreed to treatment, fewer were actually receiving it, and only two had graduated.

Some defendants still end up incarcerated. From January 2025 through July 2026, California prisons recorded 568 admissions on Proposition 36 drug charges, with an average sentence of 28 months. State finance officials estimate the measure eventually could increase California’s prison population by about 1,550 people.

Yet individual cases demonstrate that treatment can work. Orange County resident Nicco Pierstorff initially resented being ordered into treatment after a drug arrest. He said he already had overcome methamphetamine addiction and homelessness. After completing six months of counseling, drug testing and court appearances, however, his charge was dismissed.

Pierstorff said the program ultimately helped him understand his past drug use and gave him tools to avoid risky situations in the future.

His experience reflects both sides of Proposition 36’s early record: treatment can change lives, but California still faces major challenges getting eligible defendants into programs and helping them successfully complete them.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited for space while preserving the facts and substance of the original report.

Studies link regular fish consumption to improved heart and brain health

September 25, 2026

by the El Reportero staff

Regular fish consumption may help protect against heart disease, cognitive decline and several other health conditions, according to nutritional research examining the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and essential nutrients found in seafood.

A report published by Healthline identifies fish as one of the most nutrient-dense foods, providing high-quality protein, vitamin D, iodine and minerals essential to human health. Fatty varieties, including salmon, trout, sardines and mackerel, offer particularly high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids.

A 2020 scientific review associated fish consumption with lower rates of coronary heart disease and mortality. More recently, an analysis involving over 90,000 Japanese adults, published in August 2026 and reported by NaturalNews.com, linked moderate fish consumption to reduced mortality over an average follow-up period of 20.8 years.

Researchers believe omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in cardiovascular protection by regulating inflammation and supporting blood vessel function.

A 2016 study cited by Mercola.com associated omega-3-rich foods with approximately a 10 percent reduction in fatal heart attack risk, even after researchers accounted for several demographic and health factors.

Beyond cardiovascular benefits, fish provides nutrients essential for brain development and cognitive function.

Docosahexaenoic acid, commonly known as DHA, supports fetal brain and eye development, while eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, contributes to several important biological functions.

Health authorities generally recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume 8 to 12 ounces of low-mercury seafood weekly while avoiding fish with elevated mercury concentrations. Pregnant women should also avoid raw fish because of potential foodborne illnesses.

Research suggests that fish consumption may offer neurological benefits throughout adulthood.

A 2024 meta-analysis associated higher fish consumption with slower cognitive decline. Other studies have investigated whether regular fish consumption helps preserve gray matter, which is involved in memory and other neurological functions.

Scientists have also examined omega-3 fatty acids for their potential role in reducing depressive symptoms, although findings remain mixed and supplements should not replace prescribed medical treatments.

Additional research suggests that fish consumption may benefit vision, sleep and bone health.

Fatty fish are among the richest natural dietary sources of vitamin D, which supports calcium absorption and healthy bones. Salmon is particularly valuable because it provides substantial amounts of vitamin D alongside protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

A 2018 meta-analysis suggested that introducing fish between six and nine months of age and maintaining regular consumption may reduce asthma and wheezing in young children.

Other investigations have explored possible protective effects against age-related macular degeneration, a major cause of vision impairment among older adults.

A 2024 scientific review also suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may improve sleep quality. Emerging research continues to investigate their potential influence on insulin sensitivity, inflammation and blood sugar regulation.

Despite these potential benefits, experts emphasize that choosing appropriate seafood is essential.

Smaller, shorter-lived species, including sardines and anchovies, generally accumulate less mercury than large predatory fish. Salmon, herring, cod and haddock are additional nutritious choices.

Conversely, shark, swordfish, king mackerel and certain tilefish can contain elevated mercury levels, presenting particular concerns for pregnant women and children.

Nutrition specialists generally recommend consuming fish twice weekly as part of a balanced diet. Individuals who avoid animal products can obtain certain omega-3 fatty acids through microalgae-derived supplements.

Researchers emphasize that while fish consumption is associated with numerous health benefits, observational findings do not necessarily establish direct cause and effect. Food.news.

When digital convenience threatens financial freedom

September 25, 2026

WhatsApp Image 2026-09-26 at 8.15.50 PM — Ilustración sobre los riesgos de la economía digital, la vigilancia financiera y la pérdida del control del dinero en nuestra sociedad. Illustration regarding the risks of the digital economy, financial surveillance, and the loss of control over money in our society.

Mexico’s digital economy proposal raises concerns about privacy, financial independence and the future of cash

by the El Reportero editorial board

The promise of a digital economy

Mexico is moving toward a more digital economy. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is promoting electronic payments to reduce dependence on cash, improve financial inclusion and modernize commercial transactions.

Government officials argue that digital payments can improve security, reduce costs and expand access to financial services. However, modernization raises a fundamental question: What happens to individual financial freedom when society becomes increasingly dependent on electronic money?

The issue extends beyond Mexico. It concerns the relationship between governments, financial institutions and ordinary citizens everywhere.

Who controls your money?

When individuals possess physical cash, they can generally spend it without authorization from banks, payment processors or digital platforms.

Electronic money operates differently.

Bank deposits and electronic transfers depend on financial institutions, technological infrastructure and government regulations. Accounts can be frozen, transactions blocked and access temporarily suspended.

These powers already exist within conventional banking. However, an increasingly cashless society could leave individuals without practical alternatives when financial institutions restrict access to their money.

Imagine being unable to purchase groceries, medicine or transportation because your bank account has been frozen or an electronic payment system has failed.

For families with limited resources, the consequences could be devastating.

The danger of financial surveillance

Every electronic transaction potentially creates a record identifying the payer, recipient, amount and sometimes the location of the purchase.

Such information can help combat fraud, money laundering and other crimes. However, extensive financial records also create opportunities for surveillance and abuse.

Political opponents, journalists, activists and ordinary citizens should never face arbitrary financial restrictions because of their opinions or lawful activities.

Mexico’s digital payment initiative does not itself authorize political confiscation. Nevertheless, expanding electronic transactions makes privacy protections, independent oversight and due process increasingly important.

The question is whether governments and financial institutions should possess the practical ability to monitor virtually every financial transaction citizens make.

Mexico’s proposal and its implications

Mexico’s initiative seeks to expand existing electronic payment systems rather than establish a new government-controlled digital currency.

President Sheinbaum has indicated that cash will not be generally prohibited, although her administration intends to reduce its use in certain economic sectors.

That distinction matters.

Encouraging voluntary electronic payments differs fundamentally from forcing citizens to abandon physical currency.

However, the gradual disappearance of cash from essential services could eventually create practical restrictions without an outright prohibition.

Older adults, rural communities and people without reliable internet access could encounter additional difficulties.

Financial inclusion should not become financial exclusion.

Protecting the right to use cash

Cash provides advantages that electronic systems cannot completely reproduce.

It permits transactions without internet access, offers financial privacy and remains useful during power outages or technological failures.

It also allows individuals to hold money outside conventional banking institutions, although physical currency carries risks involving theft, loss and inflation.

Digital payments offer genuine benefits, particularly for small businesses and consumers seeking convenience. The objective should therefore be to preserve both alternatives.

Mexico’s lawmakers should establish clear protections guaranteeing continued access to cash, safeguarding financial information and preventing arbitrary restrictions on personal accounts.

Any account freeze should follow established legal procedures, with meaningful opportunities to challenge improper decisions.

Modernization without surrendering independence

Technological progress should expand people’s choices rather than eliminate existing alternatives.

A society in which virtually every transaction requires approval from financial intermediaries risks concentrating extraordinary power within governments and financial institutions.

Such concentration deserves scrutiny regardless of which political party controls the government.

Mexico has an opportunity to demonstrate that modernization and individual freedom can coexist. Its policies should protect voluntary participation, financial privacy and continued access to physical currency.

Citizens should retain meaningful alternatives when electronic systems fail or institutions make mistakes. Strong safeguards must accompany technological changes before dependence becomes widespread.

Financial innovation should improve people’s lives without making access to their own resources unnecessarily vulnerable to institutional decisions.

A digital economy should expand financial freedom, not make citizens entirely dependent on those who control its infrastructure.

Venezuela’s Delcy Rodríguez promises elections and democratic transition at United Nations

September 25, 2026

latinbriefs2_delsyRodriguez_9.25 — Delcy Rodríguez se reúne con António Guterres durante su visita a Naciones Unidas. Delcy Rodríguez meets António Guterres during her visit to the United Nations.

Interim president calls for national reconciliation, institutional reforms and renewed cooperation with Washington but offers no election timetable

by the El Reportero‘s wire services

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez pledged to hold elections, pursue democratic reforms and overcome years of political confrontation during her address to the United Nations General Assembly. However, she declined to establish a timetable for the promised vote.

Elections and national reconciliation

Rodríguez described her administration’s plans as a transition toward “full democracy,” emphasizing dialogue with opposition groups and equal political participation.

“Elections will be held in Venezuela,” she declared, assuring world leaders that her government had initiated discussions with opposition sectors.

She said Venezuelans themselves would determine the appropriate time for elections, promising an inclusive and transparent process supported by national institutions.

The interim president also urged Venezuelans to abandon political extremism and intolerance, arguing that reconciliation is essential to rebuilding democratic institutions.

A new relationship with Washington

Rodríguez assumed power following the January 2026 U.S. military operation that captured former President Nicolás Maduro, who remains in American custody awaiting trial on drug-trafficking charges.

Her appearance marked the first visit by a Venezuelan head of state to the United States since Maduro attended the General Assembly in 2018.

Rodríguez thanked President Donald Trump for reopening diplomatic relations and cooperation between the two countries.

The leaders met briefly Tuesday, discussing economic cooperation and restructuring Venezuela’s substantial sovereign debt.

Challenges facing the transition

Despite the conciliatory message, significant questions remain about Venezuela’s political future.

Critics contend that Washington has prioritized petroleum investments and economic agreements while reducing pressure for immediate democratic elections.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, meanwhile, has emphasized that the political transition should ultimately produce free and fair elections alongside economic stability.

Rodríguez proposed judicial reforms, stronger legal protections and greater political participation. She also appealed for international support while defending Venezuela’s national sovereignty.

Her speech acknowledged the country’s economic difficulties, political divisions and the devastating earthquakes that struck earlier this year.

“Today, Venezuela is being reborn,” she told delegates, while acknowledging that national reconstruction would be difficult.

The central challenge remains translating those promises into measurable reforms, establishing electoral guarantees and determining when Venezuelans will return to the polls.

– Sources: Reuters, The Associated Press, Al Jazeera and United Nations General Assembly coverage, Sept. 23–24, 2026.

Ryan Garcia’s Fighter of the Year Case Needs Isaac Cruz

September 25, 2026

boxing_RyanGarcia_9.25 — Ryan Garcia conecta un golpe durante su combate, demostrando su velocidad y potencia en el cuadrilátero.-- Ryan Garcia lands a punch during his fight, demonstrating his speed and power in the ring. Crédito: Zuffa Boxing.

by the El Reportero wire servicess

Ryan García wants Fighter of the Year honors, and three victories in ten months could strengthen his case. But his choice of December opponent may determine how seriously that ambition is taken.

Garcií has expressed interest in fighting again before year’s end, with another major appearance planned for May.

“I am on the hunt. December, I am throwing hands. Then right to May,” García said.

Following victories over Mario Barrios and Conor Benn, García faces two potential opponents: Isaac “Pitbull” Cruz and Angel Fierro. Each presents a different challenge.

Cruz, known for his relentless pressure and aggressive body punching, would force García into a demanding contest. His compact fighting style allows him to slip inside taller opponents’ punches and attack their ribs.

Garcia possesses exceptional hand speed and a devastating left hook, weapons capable of stopping Cruz’s advances. However, his vulnerability to body punches remains a concern. Gervonta Davis defeated García with a body shot, and Cruz would undoubtedly attempt to exploit similar openings.

Fierro represents a more familiar opponent. A former Garcia sparring partner who suffered a knockout loss to Oscar Duarte, Fierro would provide another opportunity for García to remain active without necessarily facing the same physical demands.

However, Cruz presents complications of his own. Primarily competing at junior welterweight, he would potentially move up to Garcia’s 147-pound division. Such a weight difference could raise questions about the significance of Garcia’s victory.

There is also the physical toll. An exhausting encounter with Cruz could jeopardize García’s recovery and preparation for his anticipated May appearance. Fierro might represent a less disruptive business decision.

Nevertheless, fighting Cruz would provide García with an opportunity to demonstrate his ability against sustained pressure and aggressive body punching.

García’s ambition ultimately depends on more than accumulating victories. The quality of his opposition will influence how boxing observers evaluate his accomplishments.

A December victory over Fierro would add another win to García’s record. A competitive encounter with Cruz, particularly one ending in García’s favor, would provide additional evidence for those considering his Fighter of the Year candidacy.

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