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Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the Library

Romance novels, crafts, valentine printing, poetry and handkerchiefs – all free at your neighborhood library

Compilado por el equipo de El Reportero

Looking for love this Feb. 14? The library is always a good place to meet new people – peruse the exhibition galleries, mingle at an author talk, smile in the stacks or get crafty with your neighbors. Or if you’re just looking for a fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the library’s got you covered.

The History Center at the Main Library holds its 7th Annual Valentine Broadside Printing program on Saturday, Feb. 3. Participants will create a unique keepsake on the library’s 1909 Albion hand press complete with a poem and illustration by San Francisco Poet Laureate Kim Shuck.  

On Sunday, Feb. 4, Alan Blackman, San Francisco lettering artist and calligrapher, presents Letters to Myself, a discussion of the more than 200 embellished, illuminated and decorated envelopes he mailed to his son. His envelopes, with elaborate hand lettering and clever drawings directly inspired by the design of the stamps, span 40 years and bear cancellations from all over the world.

What’s more old-fashioned than handkerchiefs for Valentine’s Day? Starting Saturday, Jan. 27, the Library displays Amazing Handkerchiefs, selections from the collection of Ann Mahony, collector and historian of vintage handkerchiefs, featuring designs from the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

Teatro Nahual presents The imperfect married

The imperfect married presented by Teatro Nahual represents the daily life of a married couple living in the suburbs of a large city.

This marriage can represent the living image of any couple that apparently has an admirable relationship, children, a house, comforts and a stable job; where the husband is the provider of the family.

However, a seemingly stable family life can be turned into a pandora’s box by closing the doors of the house and entering into privacy where the probable and unusual human weaknesses manifest in a faraus manner.

At 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 17 (Premier), and the 24, on March 3, 10 and 17; on Sundays March 11 and 18.

Discount for teachers and students with school credentials. Tickets $20.00.

Premier: $30 (includes reception and be part of the raffle).

Ticket sales at the door, online and by telephone 650-793-0783, info@teatronahual.org.

At the MACLA (MACLA / Latin American Art and Culture Movement), 510 South 1st Street San Jose.

Mexico’s Aida Cuevas wins Grammy Award

She is the first female Mexican ranchera singer to win one

by the El Reportero’s news services

There was a surprise in store for a Mexican musician Sunday at the 2018 Grammy Awards.

Mariachi and ranchera singer Aida Cuevas took home a Grammy in the best regional Mexican music album category for her Arriero Somos Versiones Acústicas album.

Her win was a surprise because she was nominated among genre favorites including Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga and Julión Álvarez.

Most notably, Cuevas is now an independent artist, and her album, a collection of covers performed with only guitar accompaniment, was released under her own label.

“I’m very proud to be Mexican and to be here with my charrera outfit,” Cuevas told the entertainment magazine Billboard, referring to the traditional embroidered charro outfit she wore to pick up her first-ever Grammy.

She later spoke with the newspaper Milenio, stating that “as a representative of ranchera music I feel doubly proud, because I’m the first female Mexican ranchera singer to win a Grammy . . . this is a milestone in my career.”

She recalled a similar milestone eight years ago when her De corazón a corazón . . . Mariachi tango album earned her a Latin Grammy.

Cuevas has earned more than 300 awards in her 42-year career, but Sunday’s was “certainly special.”

“It’s the greatest award in [the music industry] . . . It is very important and I was very fortunate to win one,” she said.

Known as “the queen of ranchera music,” Cuevas has released 39 albums, selling more than 7 million copies worldwide.

It was the second Grammy in the regional Mexican music category to be won by a Mexican woman in recent years. Lila Downs won the award in 2012.

Cuevas lamented that traditional music “is not listened to, receives poor promotion and gets little support,” and that it’s only after musicians win awards abroad that Mexicans turn around and see in a good way what is happening at the national level.

Song by Jennifer López ranked number 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay

The song Amor, Amor Amor, by U.S. singer Jennifer López, is currently ranked number one on Billboard’’s Latin Airplay list.

The song, featuring Puerto Rican singer Wisin, became the most popular track on Latin radio in the United States and Puerto Rico, according to Sony Music.

Amor Amor Amor has also achieved outstanding online rates with more than 59 million views on the Vevo channel on Youtube, and over 24 million streams on Spotify.

The song is the second single of the n ew album in Spanish by López ‘Por primera vez’, which will be released this year.

After ten years without recording in Spanish, Lopez, also actress and producer of Puerto Rican origin, returns to the music with this album, from which the song ‘Ni tú ni yo’ was also released.

The album, produced by Marc Anthony, includes featuring by Colombian singer Maluma and the Cuban duet Gente de Zona.

With various awards and recognitions throughout her career, Lopez has shared the stage with important figures of music.

WikiLeaks exposes how Council of Foreign Relations controls most all mainstream media

A single organization controls almost everything you see, hear, and read in the media and they’ve been handpicking your leaders for decades

by Matt Agorist

It is no secret that over the last four decades, mainstream media has been consolidated from dozens of competing companies to only six. Hundreds of channels, websites, news outlets, newspapers, and magazines, making up ninety percent of all media is controlled by very few people—giving Americans the illusion of choice.

While six companies controlling most everything the Western world consumes in regard to media may sound like a sinister arrangement, the Swiss Propaganda Research center (SPR) has just released information that is even worse.

The research group was able to tie all these media companies to a single organization—the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR).

For those who may be unaware, the CFR is a primary member of the circle of Washington think-tanks promoting endless war. As former Army Major Todd Pierce describes, this group acts as “primary provocateurs” using “‘psychological suggestiveness’ to create a false narrative of danger from some foreign entity with the objective being to create paranoia within the U.S. population that it is under imminent threat of attack or takeover.”

A senior member of the CFR and outspoken neocon warmonger, Robert Kagan has even publicly proclaimed that the US should create an empire. 

The narrative created by CFR and its cohorts is picked up by their secondary communicators, also known the mainstream media, who push it on the populace with no analysis or questioning.

When looking at the chart from SPR, the reach by this single organization is so vast that it is no mystery as to how these elite psychopaths guide Americans into accepting endless war at the expense of their mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters.

Top journalists and executives from all major media companies are integrated into the CFR. As the chart below illustrates, the CFR has even more control in the mainstream media than even the nefarious Bilderberg Group and the Trilateral Commission.

As SPR points out, Richard Harwood, former managing editor and ombudsman of the Washington Post, wrote about the Council on Foreign Relations Recognizing that its members most likely correspond to what one might call the “ruling establishment of the United States.”

Harwood continued, “The membership of these journalists in the council, however they may think of themselves, is an acknowledgment of their active and important role in public affairs and of their ascension into the American ruling class. They do not merely analyze and interpret foreign policy for the United States; they help make it.”

Let that sink in. This group of unaccountable, unelected, professional propagandists in America doesn’t simply analyze US government policy—they make it.

While only five percent of the members of CFR work within the media, as SPR points out that is all they need to implement the will of its other members that includes:

• several US presidents and vice presidents of both parties;
• almost all foreign, defense and finance ministers;
• most chiefs of staff and commanders of the US military and NATO;
• nearly all National Security Advisers, CIA Directors, UN Ambassadors, Fed Chairmen, World Bank Presidents, and Directors of the National Economic Council;
• some of the most influential members of Congress (especially foreign and security politicians);
• numerous media managers and top journalists, as well as some of the most famous actors;
• numerous prominent academics, especially in the key areas of economics, international relations, political and historical sciences, and journalism;
• numerous executives from think tanks, universities, NGOs, and Wall Street;
• and key members of the 9/11 Commission and the Warren Commission (JFK).

To highlight just how much control over the media the CFR wields we need only look at the fact that they operate—in the open—and receive nearly no media coverage. The former chairman of the CFR, High Commissioner for Germany, co-founder of the Atlantic Bridge, World Bank president, and an adviser to a total of nine US presidents, John J. McCloy actually bragged publicly about the CFR hand picking US politicians.

“Whenever we needed a man [in Washington], we just thumbed through the roll of Council members and put through a call to New York [to the CFR’s headquarters office],” said McCloy.

Until the election of Trump the past four presidents have been the director of the CFR, George HW Bush, who was replaced by a member of the CFR, Bill Clinton, who was replaced by a family member of the CFR, George W Bush, who was then replaced by CFR aspirant candidate Barack Obama—who filled his cabinet with members of the elite group.
Although Donald Trump was never a public member of the CFR, that did not stop him from filling the White House with dozens of CFR members.

Here are just a few of the CFR members appointed by Trump:

• Elaine Chao, United States Secretary of Transportation (CFR individual member)
• Jamie Dimon, Member of Strategic and Policy Forum (CFR corporate member)
• Jim Donovan, Deputy Treasury Secretary (CFR corporate member)
• Larry Fink, Member of Strategic and Policy Forum (CFR corporate member)
• Neil M. Gorsuch, Supreme Court Justice (individual CFR member)
• Vice Admiral Robert S. Harward, National Security Advisor (declined appointment) (CFR corporate member)

Even though Trump wasn’t a CFR member outright, his cabinet is made up almost entirely of its members. As this information illustrates—democracy is an illusion. If ever you needed another reason to tune out of mainstream media and seek out information for yourself—this is it. It also explains why information like this, which challenges this worldview is under attack. 

Please share this article with your friends and family to show them just how much of the information, political process, and their lives are controlled by a mere handful of people.

RussiaGate está deteniendo el impulso de EE.UU. hacia un Estado Policial

DEL EDITOR

Queridos lectores:

Mucho se ha dicho en las noticias sobre una conspiración que Rusia interfirió en las elecciones de EE. UU., Y debido a los medios dominantes que han estado presionando tanto sobre los temas, la gente ya no sabe qué creer. El siguiente artículo, escrito por Paul Craigs Roberts, un respetado periodista de investigación y autor, aporta algunos puntos interesantes en su análisis, que nos iluminarán a todos. – MR

“Si los más altos alcances de las agencias estatales de policía pueden salirse con la suya con un intento o con un golpe exitoso contra el presidente de los Estados Unidos, entonces ese es el final completo de la democracia y toda responsabilidad en el gobierno”.

por Paul Craig Roberts

La demora de los republicanos en publicar el resumen de la investigación de Russiagate del Comité de Inteligencia de la Cámara de Representantes está dando peso a la afirmación de los presidentes de que el informe no se está divulgando, porque es un intento de pirateo en un encubrimiento de Trump que no es creíble. Solo los republicanos son lo suficientemente estúpidos como para ponerse en tal situación.

Los lectores me preguntan por qué el memorando no se publica si es real. Debe haber algunas razones además de la estupidez de los republicanos. Sí, eso es así. Entre las muchas razones que pueden estar bloqueando la liberación están:

1) Los republicanos son muy conscientes de la seguridad nacional. No desean proporcionar precedentes para la publicación de información clasificada.

2) Muchos distritos republicanos del Congreso albergan instalaciones del complejo militar / de seguridad. Molestar a un gran empleador y dirigir el financiamiento de la campaña a un retador es una gran consideración.

3) El régimen de George W. Bush / Dick Cheney era un régimen neoconservador. Una consecuencia es que los republicanos están influenciados por los neoconservadores que hacen hincapié en la supuesta “amenaza rusa”.

4) El lobby de Israel puede destituir a cualquier miembro de la Cámara y el Senado. El lobby de Israel está aliado con los neoconservadores y esta alianza tiene la intención de mantener a los Estados Unidos activos militarmente contra amenazas percibidas a la hegemonía de Israel en el Medio Oriente y contra Rusia, que apoya a Siria e Irán, países percibidos como amenazas por Israel.

5) Muchos republicanos están investidos de falsas acusaciones de Russiagate contra Trump y le gustaría reemplazarlo con Pence. Otros republicanos creen que Trump está socavando las alianzas foráneas compradas de manera costosa y, por lo tanto, socavando el poder de Washington.

Muchos estadounidenses parecen no entender lo que está en juego.

A lo que Estados Unidos se enfrenta es a una conspiración golpista organizada por altos funcionarios del Departamento de Justicia de Obama, el FBI, la CIA, el DNC de Hillary y los medios de comunicación presidenciales para revocar el resultado de unas elecciones democráticas y destituir al presidente. La base del golpe es un dossier falso comprado por dinero que consiste en acusaciones no respaldadas contra Trump y que se utilizó para obtener órdenes del recuento de FISA para espiar a Trump y varios asociados con la esperanza de encontrar algo que pueda usarse contra Trump. A pesar de todo, las falsas acusaciones podrían ser alimentadas a los medios de comunicación de la CIA y utilizadas para crear un escándalo que requiera que un fiscal especial investigue a Russiagate.

Una vez que la investigación estaba en marcha, los presidentes mantuvieron vivo el escándalo con la esperanza de convencer a suficientes estadounidenses de que Trump debe haber hecho algo: “donde hay humo, hay fuego”, que justifica su destitución. Funcionó contra Richard Nixon, pero no contra Ronald Reagan, y Trump no es Reagan.

Si los más altos alcances de las agencias estatales de policía pueden salirse con la suya con un intento o golpe exitoso contra el presidente de los Estados Unidos, entonces ese es el final completo de la democracia y toda responsabilidad en el gobierno. La Cámara, el Senado y el poder judicial se volverán tan impotentes como el senado romano bajo los césares. Viviremos bajo una dictadura gobernada por agencias estatales policiales.

Muchos estadounidenses dicen que no necesitan el Informe de Inteligencia de la Cámara, porque en primer lugar no creen en la BS de Russiagate. Ellos pierden el punto. Necesitan el informe, porque los responsables de este intento de golpe deben ser identificados, acusados y enjuiciados por su acto de alta traición.

Esto no es algo menor. Esto va al corazón de si existirá alguna forma de libertad. Todos sabemos que la democracia no garantiza la capacidad de las personas para responsabilizar al gobierno. Sin embargo, no hay posibilidad de exigir cuentas al gobierno si se trata de un estado policial, un camino que EE. UU. Ha estado reduciendo durante algún tiempo. El audaz intento de golpe contra el presidente Trump es nuestra oportunidad de detener el impulso hacia un estado policial.

A pesar de mis publicaciones recientes, muchas personas no entienden que el documento del tribunal FISA redactado en cierto modo ha sido desclasificado y publicado y explicado por mí mismo, William Binney, y el ex fiscal de los EE. UU. Joe di Genova (ver: https://www.paulcraigroberts.org / 2018/01/22 / here-are-all-the-facts-about-russiagate/) contiene las admisiones del FBI y el Departamento de Justicia que espiaron indebidamente y obtuvieron órdenes de la corte bajo falsas pretensiones. En otras palabras, tenemos la autoridad de la propia corte de FISA de que el FBI y el Departamento de Justicia han admitido ante el tribunal sus transgresiones. Cuando el enlace en el Congreso del Departamento de Justicia (sic), Stephen Boyd, dice que el Departamento de Justicia “no está al tanto de ninguna mala acción”, está mintiendo entre dientes. El Departamento de Justicia ya confesó su fechoría al tribunal de FISA.

(Véase la afirmación de Lendman sobre Boyd de que la publicación del memorando dañaría la seguridad nacional y las investigaciones en curso. Este es siempre el reclamo que se hace cuando el gobierno tiene que encubrir sus crímenes. Http://stephenlendman.org/2018/01/memo-detailing-russiagate -abuses-names-high-level-us-officials/).

Cuando el almirante Rodgers, director de la Agencia de Seguridad Nacional, descubrió que el FBI y el Departamento de Justicia estaban utilizando indebidamente el sistema de espionaje por razones políticas partidarias, dejó saber que iba a informar al tribunal de FISA. Esto causó que el FBI y el Departamento de Justicia corrieran a la cancha con anticipación y confesaran “errores” y prometieran ajustar los procedimientos para no cometer errores en el futuro. Son estos “errores” y correcciones que revela el documento de la corte de FISA.

En otras palabras, la información ya existe en el dominio público que demuestra que Russiagate era una conspiración organizada con el propósito de derribar al presidente electo de los Estados Unidos.

RussiaGate is all about stopping US momentum to a Police State

FROM THE EDITOR

Dear readers:

Much has been said in the news about a conspiracy that Russia interfered in the US elections, and because of the mainstream media that has been banging on the subjects so much, the people don’t know what to believe anymore. The following article, written by Paul Craigs Roberts, a respected investigative journalist and author, brings some interesting points in his analysis, which will enlighten us all. – MR

RussiaGate is all sbout stopping US ‘momentum to a Police State’

“If the highest reaches of the police state agencies can get away with an attempted or successful coup against the president of the United States, then that is the complete end of democracy and all accountability in government.”

by Paul Craig Roberts

The Republicans’ delay in releasing the summary of the House Intelligence Committee’s Russiagate investigation is giving weight to the presstitutes’ claim that the report is not being released, because it is a hack attempt at a Trump coverup that is not believable. Only Republicans are stupid enough to put themselves in such a situation.

Readers ask me why the summary memo is not released if it is real. There must be some reasons besides the stupidity of Republicans. Yes, that is so. Among the many reasons that might be blocking release are:

1) Republicans are very national security conscious. They don’t want to provide precedents for the release of classified information.

2) Many Republican congressional districts host installations of the military/security complex. Upsetting a large employer and directing campaign financing to a challenger is a big consideration.

3) The George W. Bush/Dick Cheney regime was a neoconservative regime. One consequence is that Republicans are influenced by neoconservatives who stress the alleged “Russian threat.”

4) The Israel Lobby can unseat any member of the House and Senate. The Israel Lobby is allied with the neoconservatives and this alliance intends to keep the US militarily active against perceived threats to Israel’s hegemony in the Middle East and against Russia, which supports Syria and Iran, countries perceived as threats by Israel.

5) Many Republicans are themselves invested in false Russiagate allegations against Trump and would like to replace him with Pence. Other Republicans believe that Trump is undermining Washington’s expensively-purchased foreign alliances and, thereby, undermining US power.

Many Americans do not seem to understand what is at stake.

What America is confronted with is a coup conspiracy organized by top officials of the Obama Justice Department, FBI, CIA, the Hillary DNC, and the presstitute media to overturn the result of a democratic election and remove the president from office. The basis of the coup is a fake dossier purchased for money that consists of unsupported allegations against Trump and that was used to obtain warrants from the FISA count to spy on Trump and various associates hoping to find something that can be used against Trump. Regardless, the false allegations could be fed to the CIA’s media assets and used to create a scandal requiring a special prosecutor to investigate Russiagate.

Once the investigation was under way, the presstitutes kept the scandal alive hoping to convince enough Americans that Trump must have done something—“where there is smoke, there is fire”—that justifies his removal. It worked against Richard Nixon, but not against Ronald Reagan, and Trump is no Reagan.

If the highest reaches of the police state agencies can get away with an attempted or successful coup against the president of the United States, then that is the complete end of democracy and all accountability in government. The House, Senate, and judiciary will become as powerless as the Roman senate under the caesars. We will live under a dictatorship ruled by police state agencies.

Many Americans say they don’t need the House Intelligence Report, because they don’t believe the Russiagate BS in the first place. They miss the point. They need the report, because those responsible for this attempt at a coup must be identified, charged, and prosecuted for their act of high treason.

This is not minor stuff. This goes to the heart of whether any form of liberty will exist. We all know that the ability of the people to hold government accountable is not assured by democracy. However, there is no prospect of holding government accountable if it is a police state, a road that the US has been going down for some time. The audacious coup attempt against President Trump is our opportunity to stop the momentum to a police state.

Despite my recent postings, many people do not understand that the somewhat redacted FISA court document that has been declassified and released and explained by myself, William Binney, and former US Attorney Joe di Genova (see: https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/01/22/here-are-all-the-facts-about-russiagate/ ) contains admissions by the FBI and DOJ that they improperly spied and obtained warrants from the court under false pretenses. In other words, we have it on the authority of the FISA court itself that the FBI and DOJ have admitted to the court their transgressions. When Department of Justice (sic) congressional liaison Stephen Boyd says the DOJ is “unaware of any wrongdoing,” he is lying through his teeth. The DOJ has already confessed its wrongdoing to the FISA court.

(See Lendman on Boyd’s claim that releasing the memo would harm national security and ongoing investigations. This is always the claim made when government has to cover up its crimes. http://stephenlendman.org/2018/01/memo-detailing-russiagate-abuses-names-high-level-us-officials/).

When Admiral Rodgers, director of the National Security Agency, discovered that the FBI and DOJ were misusing the spy system for partisan political reasons, he let it be known that he was going to inform the FISA court. This caused the FBI and DOJ to rush to the court in advance and confess to “mistakes” and to promise to tighten up procedures so as not to make mistakes in the future. It is these “mistakes” and corrections that the FISA court document reveals.

In other words, the information already exists in the pubic domain that proves that Russiagate was a conspiracy organized for the purpose of bringing down the elected president of the United States.

A case can be made that it would be just as well if the coup succeeds as it would bring an end to Washington’s cover as the government of a great democracy with liberty and justice for all. Most other governments, and one would hope certainly the Russian and Chinese governments, would see the coup as America’s final transition into a police state and give up their utopian ideas of reaching accommodation with Washington. The constraints on Washington’s ability to bully the world would be greatly strengthened by the universal perception that the government of the United States had devolved into a police state.

NAG: one of the good sugars

by Ben Fuchs

Sugar is pretty interesting stuff. It’s also misunderstood. For one thing, we all love how “sugar” tastes, but we don’t necessarily love its effects. That presents a problem. Despite it’s well-documented health hazards, just because we love the stuff, no matter how much we try to abstain, when it comes right down to it, turning down that apple pie a la mode or peach gelato, as much as we’d like to, can be pretty difficult and at times impossible. That’s because our brainy cells which are fueled by the sweet and sticky substance, are hardwired to love sugar! On the other hand, the downside of sugar ingestion includes weight gain, diabetes, eye disease, hypertension, jittery-ness and anxiety.
Well, those we would rather do without. Thus the love-hate relationship we have with what is generally referred to as “sugar”.

However, unbeknownst to many, there’s a whole other side to the subject of sugar! The chemical that most of us know as “sugar” and the substance that is so problematic is actually a special type of sugar called “glucose”. As it turns out, glucose is just one version of eight different sugars that are collectively, if not entirely accurately, referred to as “essential”. These seven other essential sugars aren’t very tasty or sweet but, importantly, they provide lots of health benefits.

One of these essential sugars is called N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG) from which the arthritis-fighting nutritional supplement glucosamine can be derived. NAG can be especially helpful for skin health. The body can use it as a raw material for the production of the skin’s natural moisturizer: hyaluronic acid. It can help prevent and reduce fine line and crow’s feet formation by activating collagen making cells. It may even be used topically to help lighten dark spots and improve other visible signs of skin aging, including thinning and wrinkled skin. Its digestive system supporting properties can help improve immune system health and reduce the entrance of skin destroying inflammatory factors through the small intestine. In fact, under conditions of digestive distress, especially leaky gut syndrome, it’s likely the body will divert NAG away from the skin to help repair the gut lining. That means less NAG available for keeping skin youthful, moisturized and robust. If you’re interested in using N-acetyl glucosamine, it’s available in supplement form; try a daily dose of 500 or so mg. Good food sources of NAG include aloe, shitake mushrooms and cartilage.

If you want to use NAG topically, anti-aging skin health benefits can be derived by applying it directly onto the skin. Try making your own skin lightening and tightening toner by putting the contents of one or two 500mg capsules of NAG in a cup or two of distilled water or aloe vera gel. Pour a little on cotton pad and rub it gently on your face 4 or 5 times a week.

NAFTA round ends on more positive note

Economy Secretary says it’s ‘a better moment’ but sticky issues remain

by Mexico News Daily

The latest round of talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) ended on a positive note yesterday, with officials from Mexico, the United States and Canada all saying that progress was made, although they also conceded that sticking points still remain.

“We are at a much better moment,” Mexico Economy Secretary Ildefonso Guajardo declared at a press conference in Montreal, Canada, where the discussions were held.
“Progress was achieved in several areas of the negotiation, especially in the chapters that aim to modernize NAFTA,” he added.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said “we believe some progress was made,” but added that the pace of renegotiation needs to increase.

“We finally began to discuss some of the core issues, so this round was a step forward — but we are progressing very slowly. We owe it to our citizens, who are operating in a state of uncertainty, to move much faster,” he said.

Officials from all three countries said that they want to conclude negotiations before elections are held in Mexico and the United States later this year. Mexicans will go to the polls on July 1 to elect a new president while midterm elections will be held in the U.S. in early November.

The Montreal meeting was the sixth round of talks that have been held since August and analysts described it as a make-or-break moment for the 24-year-old agreement.

In addition to the constraints created by the upcoming electoral processes, negotiators are under pressure to reach an agreement quickly to allay concerns that the United States could terminate the agreement, a threat made repeatedly by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In the latest round, the three countries agreed to language in a chapter governing anti-corruption measures and progress was also made on issues related to customs and food sanitation.

Negotiations on annexes relating to chemicals and pharmaceuticals are also close to completion and Guajardo said that chapters on telecommunications and digital trade are about 90 percent complete.

However, reaching agreement on more contentious issues remains elusive.

Rules of origin, especially as they apply to the automotive industry, continue to be a major obstacle. The United States is demanding that vehicles have a higher proportion of parts made in the U.S. in order to qualify for the NAFTA tariff-free rules.

Canada proposed that intellectual property and emerging technologies could be included in the rules of origin for the auto sector. U.S. companies are leaders in both.
But Lighthizer criticized the proposal, saying it “may actually lead to less regional content than we have now and fewer jobs in the United States, Canada, and likely Mexico.”
“This is the opposite of what we are trying to do,” he said.

A so-called sunset clause forcing renegotiation of the agreement every five years and the elimination of a dispute-resolution mechanism, both pushed by the U.S., as well as wages in Mexico, are also contentious.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland defended the rules of origin idea but conceded that “there is still a significant gap on a number of issues.”

She added, “we are going to be working extremely hard, extremely energetically with our two partners to try to close those gaps.”

While the possibility that the U.S. could start the process to terminate NAFTA remains a real threat, in his closing statement the U.S. trade representative used language that contrasted sharply with some of the more abrasive rhetoric used by President Trump when talking about the agreement.

Lighthizer said “the United States views NAFTA as a very important agreement” adding that he was “hopeful progress will accelerate soon.”

“We will engage with Mexico and Canada urgently, and we will go where these negotiations take us,” he said.

However, he also said, “I don’t think the president’s view has changed at all. His view is if we can get a good agreement, we should have one.”

“I think there is some misunderstanding here that the United States is somehow being unfair in these negotiations and that is not the case,” he said.

The next round of talks will be held in Mexico City next month but Lighthizer said he hoped that “major breakthroughs” would be made before it starts.

Guajardo also said that “Mexico is committed to intensifying our engagement and will continue working constructively to solve the pending issues.”

Although the second Mexico City round is scheduled to be the final meeting and there is an informal deadline to finish the negotiations before March 31, many in the business and trade sectors believe that the talks could go on much longer and even into 2019.

According to some analysts, uncertainty around the future of NAFTA, including any U.S. move to kill it, is likely to benefit Andrés Manuel López Obrador in his quest to win the presidency.

In a poll published yesterday by the newspaper El Universal, the leftist leader had 32 percent voter support followed by Ricardo Anaya with 26 percent. The pre-candidate for the ruling party, José Antonio Meade, garnered only 16 percent.

Source: BBC (en), Politico (en), iPolitics (en), El Universal (sp)

NAFTA failure means tax battle between Mexico and US

by the El Reportero’s wire services

Failing the sixth round of the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in Montreal, Canada, would trigger an expensive tariff battle between Mexico and the United States, experts from the nation say today.

According to Luis Videgaray, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mexico is willing to reach agreements if the adjustments or modifications benefit both nations.

The Mexican Foreign Minister recently insisted that if negotiations are unfavorable, the government is willing to abandon the treaty and govern trade based on the regulations of the World Trade Organization.

On the other hand, it was known that the Canadian team has set itself the sole objective of saving the largest trade agreement on the planet signed in 1994 by Mexico, Canada and the United States.

The sources acknowledge that the Tlcan has benefited various Mexican sectors but, faced with the threats of US President Donald Trump to abandon it, there are industries that would receive a greater blow due to tariffs.

Analysts estimate that among the productions that could face higher tariffs are exports of trucks, buses and specialized vehicles.

For these sales to the neighboring country the nation receives an annual average of about 30 billion dollars.

While the offers of vegetables, fruits, juices, frozen and meat products are in the order of 14 billion dollars.

To this is added that Mexico is the first remitter of agricultural products to the United States, and would be the ones that would face the highest tariffs.

The latest information on the progress of the negotiations in Montreal, said that both Mexico and the United States are conducting a comprehensive review of the treaty.

Next Monday, when it closes, the parties will announce the ruling of the sixth round of the NAFTA, marked by the continuous protectionist measures of the United States, and Canada and Mexico aligned in favor of free trade.

Secretary: legalize pot, combat insecurity
Tourism chief de la Madrid proposes legalization in tourist destinations

Legalizing marijuana might help combat insecurity in two high-crime tourist destinations, the tourism secretary suggested today.

Enrique de la Madrid said tourism is a key industry for Mexico and can’t afford to lose business due to drug-trafficking violence.

Legalizing pot in those destinations would help combat the violence, whereas carrying on with the drug war will damage tourism, he said.

His suggestion included legalizing the production and sale of pot as well in those areas.

Boxing Schedule – The Sports of Gentlemen

JANUARY 27, 2017
Forum, Inglewood, California, USA (HBO / BoxNation)
• Lucas Matthysse vs. Tewa Kiram
• Jorge Linares vs. Mercito Gesta
Arena Riga, Riga, Latvia
• Mairis Briedis vs. Oleksandr Usyk

FEBRUARY 2, 2018
WinnaVegas, Sloan, Iowa, USA (Showtime)
• Ronald Ellis vs. Junior Younan
• Wellington Romero vs. Samuel Teah
• Thomas Mattice vs. Rolando Chinea
• Devin Haney vs. Harmonito Dela Torre

FEBRUARY 3, 2018
BOA, Corpus Christi, TX, USA (ESPN / BoxNation)
• Gilberto Ramírez vs. Habib Ahmed
• Jerwin Ancajas vs. Israel González
• Teofimo Lopez vs. TBA
• Andy Ruíz Jr vs. TBA
O2 Arena, Greenwich, London, UK (Sky)
• Reece Bellotti vs. Ben Jones

Power of love with Frida at SFMONA

Compiled by he El Reportero’s staff

Experience the power of love at SFMOMA this February. Fall head over heels for Rebecca Horn’s newly installed kinetic masterpieces on Floor 6, or reconnect with an old flame — Frida Kahlo’s Frida and Diego Rivera is now on view in our free space on Floor 2.

Whether you’re here to honeymoon or in it for the long haul, be sure to pay a visit to the iconic photography of Walker Evans before it closes on Feb. 4.

We love spending time with you. At the SFMOMA Garage, the first three hours of parking are 25 percent off with validation for the entire month of February — a $24 value for only $18!

At SFMONA, 151 3rd St, San Francisco.

An Evening with Richard Bean & Sapo

Back for their annual Valentines Day show, Richard Bean & Sapo return to where they sold out last year. This year Sapo will handle the entire evening which will surely sell out again this year. This years show will also take place the night before Super Bowl 52 so you can get your party started with Richard Bean & Sapo. Only question is who will knock off the Pats! Club Fox sat Feb 3.  

Buy tickets at: http://www.latinrockinc.net/events/2018-02-03-richard-bean-and-sapo.aspx 

Redwood City to Unveil the Sesquicentennial Redwood City Pages Public Art Installation

New Public Art Seeks to Celebrate Redwood City’s Community and History.

The City of Redwood City announced today a public unveiling of the Redwood City Pages Book Project, a larger-than-life-sized public art book created by photographer Brian Taylor. A public unveiling of the Redwood City Pages is planned.

Redwood City Pages is a new public art piece to be displayed at the City’s Downtown Library and created through the help of the Redwood City community. Over this last year, the community participated in paper making and cyanotype workshops and celebrated Redwood City’s history and community through art.

On Feb. 8, 2018.

The Sacred Roots of Latin Jazz

Conceived and produced by John Santos in collaboration with the EastSide Arts Alliance and the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland.
Thank you for spreading the word and your presence and support of community-based live music!

On Sunday, Feb. 11, 2018, at the First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, 2619 Broadway, Oakland. Doors open at 3 p.m. Concert at 4 p.m. Two sets.