Officially Mexico is the third country with the highest number of deaths per Covid-19 in the world, just after the United States and Brazil. The impact of the pandemic it is palpable in the small ballot box businesses, which have seen their sales double in recent months. Another affectation of the health crisis We see it in stories such as that of Mr. Juan, a father who fights a legal and financial battle after the medical negligence that was committed against his son; Without sufficient resources and with the courts only handling criminal cases, he is forced to go out disguised as stormtrooper to ask for money.
Added to this not very optimistic pandemic outlook is a long list of problems that affect daily life in Mexico City. For example, the complicated transfers on the Metro; For three weeks, thousands of residents of the capital have had to resort to overcrowded alternative media, where healthy distance is not a priority.
These are some of the stories that EL UNIVERSAL photojournalists share with us about their tours and coverage.
Huachicolero gives vegetables, by Edwin Hernández. January 23
Photo: Edwin Hernández / EL UNIVERSAL
In a soccer field located in the municipality of Xoxocotlan, which borders Oaxaca de Juárez, some greengrocers were giving away products that came from Puebla, such as cabbage, broccoli, onion, carrot, lettuce, radishes, etc. At first it was not known where they came from, they only talked about the fact that they had had overproduction in the fields of Puebla and that, in order not to throw away the merchandise, they better gave it away to the people who needed it most. Later it became known, according to the investigations of the Oaxaca Public Security Secretariat, that they were from a huachicolero who also has his fields of cultivation; is named Antonio Valente Martinez, alias “Toñín”, and it was reported that he was the one who promoted these three trailers to give away whatever amount of vegetables. Currently they no longer let the trailers enter because the authorities do not know for what purpose they are distributing the food.
Dancers at a red traffic light, by Carlos Mejía. January 24th
Photo: Carlos Mejía / EL UNIVERSAL
In Paseo de la Reforma, near the Estela de Luz there was a couple who, it seems to me, did not understand the call to “stay home.” They were dancing salsa, another guy accompanied them who played the music for them and recorded them with his cell phone. They weren’t asking for money, they were just recording their dance routines. People began to stop to see them, some also recorded them with their mobiles. It seemed to me that they were making an exhibition for pedestrians who walked in the area, as if looking for glances not only live, but also for their social networks. If the aim was not to ask for money in exchange for his routine, then I do not think his activity has been so essential. What bothered me is that they are without face masks and without healthy distance. We are all tired, but why look for more? And if we are going to go out, do not miss the masks, why take the risk?
A quiet afternoon in the middle of the pandemic, by Diego Simón Sánchez. January 24th
Photo: Diego Simón Sánchez / EL UNIVERSAL
I was taking photos of daily life in the Historic Center. I wanted to take photos of the geometric pedestrian mural that they put up on the circuit of the Capital Zocalo. It is very colorful, it draws a lot of attention from people and tourists. In the image you can see a boy on his scooter and wearing a mask, a scene from the new normal. It was a Sunday afternoon, where there were already few people. Everything was very quiet, different compared to other days crowds at red lights. The decoration of the southern part of the Zócalo also serves as a sign that it is a pedestrian priority zone. The area for pedestrians was expanded, the vehicular stream was reduced to two lanes and a lane for cyclists was enabled. The authorities will analyze how the measure works and will decide if it is replicated in the north wing, by the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Complicated Transshipments, by Diego Simón Sánchez, January 25
Photo: Diego Simón Sánchez / EL UNIVERSAL
I took the image the day they opened Line 1 of Metro after being closed for several days due to the fire at the central control post that occurred on January 9. This is outside the Balderas Metro, I chose that station because it has a very important transfer with line 3, which is still closed. I came across what I somehow foresaw: users who have to transfer and have no choice but to leave the Metro to take the service of RTP and continue to their destinations. As has happened in recent weeks with this transportation system, there is no healthy distance and agglomeration is inevitable.
Informal trade, still with restrictions, by Omar Contreras. 26 of January
Photo: Omar Contreras / EL UNIVERSAL
Established businesses restarted activities after having been closed since mid-December by the decree issued by the state government, in order to mitigate the spread of the virus SARS-CoV-2. So I took a tour of 5 de Mayo Street, in the center of Puebla, because that is where street vendors traditionally settle. I came across these warning signs of maximum risk, which were placed by the staff of the Municipal Ministry of the Interior in an operation that they carried out at dawn, with the intention of inhibiting the placement of informal commerce, that is why the posters remind that it is sale is prohibited on public roads.
Mouth covers star in the morning, by Berenice Fregoso. 26 of January
Photo: Berenice Fregoso / EL UNIVERSAL
The Secretary of the Interior, Olga Sanchez Cordero, was commissioned to attend morning conferences in which the president Andrés Manuel López Obrador recovers from Covid-19. We have seen that in the morning he goes to what he goes, that is, his conferences last an hour and a half, he is punctual and answers all questions, I see that he also gives voice to both male and female reporters. It has also caught my attention that all the officials now arrive with their face masks. She also wears it, puts it on and takes it off with each intervention. It is seen that they try to remove it as little as possible. I think that’s the most important thing about that photo. Giving that example of is necessary, especially now that the infections continue to peak.
Pandemic increases the sale of urns, by Germán Espinosa. January 27th
Photo: Germán Espinosa / EL UNIVERSAL
We went to see the urns sale businesses that are in front of the San Nicolás Tolentino pantheon. We talked to this girl named Yareli. He told us that the wholesale sale of urns has increased a lot, up to 60%, before he sold a maximum of 15 urns per month for funeral homes, now he sells between 25 and 30 per month. Retail used to sell one to three a day, but now it sells up to 9, especially urns for adults. He also explained that, despite the demand, prices have not risen, although they have lacked material to make them. It was part of a job we did on the sale of urns, we reported several cases where there has also been an increase in sales, unfortunately. The cheapest urn is made of wood and costs 450 pesos, the most expensive is onyx and costs 1,600.
Quick tests before traveling, by Diego Simón Sánchez, January 27
Photo: Diego Simón Sánchez / EL UNIVERSAL
This is in the airport. There modules were installed to make Covid testing for passengers taking international flights. There are many countries that require the negative PCR test to allow travelers to get on the plane. Two modules were installed in Terminal 1, one from a private laboratory, which is located in a hotel, and the other from UNAM. The test costs like 2,000 pesos and is fast, in 10 minutes they give you the result, because of the effectiveness, many people go. In the image some passengers are seen waiting for their results.
Stormtrooper seeks justice against medical malpractice, by Carlos Mejía. January 27th
Photo: Carlos Mejía / EL UNIVERSAL
I found Mr. Juan in Circuito Interior, near the Juanacatlán subway, one day when they sent me on tours to see how the RTPs that supported the users of the subway that remained closed after the fire in the control station worked. I was struck by his suit Imperial soldier, I’m a big fan of the Star Wars. So I went back to look for him to find out what he was doing and he told me his story: because his son suffered medical negligence, on weekends he is forced to “dump” at that point, to pay for the medical expenses and the trial that he takes against the medical body that committed the negligence.
Her son, Ramses, suffers from what they call crystal bones, had surgery on his unaffected leg, and is now in a wheelchair. Mr. Juan is seeking justice and therefore asks for help. The suit is used just to get the attention of people and the media. You have been fighting this trial for a long time. His case also reflects the closure of courts because right now, due to the pandemic, only criminal trials are being attended, but not of another type, like yours. It is a story about how the pandemic also affected the issue of justice
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