The businessman who is known for dominating Mexico’s telecommunications industry and regaining his spot as the world’s richest man (or at least tying with Bill Gates) is not the first person one would think as an advocate for a shorter work week.

But that’s exactly what Carlos Slim told a group of businesspeople in Paraguay.

Slim said that workers should think about moving to a three-day work week, but instead of working the traditional seven or eight hours a day normal in the developed world the work day would be between 11 and 12 hours long. This, Slim said, would give workers more leisure time – and thus lead to more productivity and happier workers when on the clock.

“With three workdays a week, we would have more time to relax; for quality of life,” Slim said, according to The Financial Times. “Having four days [off] would be very important to generate new entertainment activities and other ways of being occupied.”

Slim has been progressive on a number of workers issues within the companies he owns and has even started to institute his shortened work week at his fixed line Telmex phone company in Mexico. At the company Slim has instituted a voluntary scheme allowing workers on a collective labor contract who joined the company in their late teens to keep working, on full pay, but for only four days a week.

“People are going to have to work for more years, until they are 70 or 75, and just work three days a week – perhaps 11 hours a day,” Slim said, according to Slate.

Slim’s net worth recently rose to an estimated $78.9 billion, which brings him square with Bill Gates as the richest man in the world

América Móvil’s stock has actually surged since last week’s announcement that it was selling off some its assets. The company, whose stock had languished over the past few years, jumped 10 percent on the New York Stock Exchange the day following the announcement of Mexico’s tough new telecommunications reform law, which was widely been hailed as a savvy move on Slims’ part.

[readon1 url="http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/26112604/mexicos-carlos-slim-advocates-for-three-day-work-weeks-to-make-people-happy"]Source:www.myfoxdc.com[/readon1]

It’s 2 AM on a Friday in the Colonia Americana neighborhood of Guadalajara, and Mezcaleria El Rey is just starting to fill up. The doorman assumes his post at the metal gate that separates the bar, a two-story house bookended by patios, from calle Bernardo de Balbuena. Depending on your frame of reference, it is either late night or very early morning. Here, young Mexicans gather to smoke and plot their next moves, most of which most certainly involve a slice of pizza purchased outside.

Illuminated by the neon glow of the street light and the backdrop of a flickering, wood-burning oven, Peter Boccaccio’s no-name pizza operation catches the outpour of drinkers like a dam in a creek-bed. He has been in the same spot slinging dough on the pavement for just over three years. As he pulls a fresh pie from the heat with a long-handled peel—cheese still bubbling, crust singed with black—patrons wander up to his free-standing counter, pesos in hand.

For a white guy from San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, the location might seem unlikely—but in the larger scope of things, Boccaccio is right at home. Born in 1967, his family decamped to Puerto Vallarta when he was 7. The perpetual traveler, he went to school in Mexico, moved to Guadalajara, bounced back to San Francisco, and then to Europe and Latin America.

He returned to Mexico to put down roots, to marry, and to start his business, the inspiration for which he traces back to a trip through Argentina, where a piece of bread changed his world view. “It was the best bread I had ever eaten in my life,” Boccaccino tells me. “The old Italian guy who made it said, ‘It’s just bread.’”

It wasn’t until years later, as he traveled through the Napa Valley, that he discovered the secret. “At one of the wineries we went to, they gave you a little bread with your wine tasting, which had the same flavor of that bread I had tasted in Argentina,” Boccaccino recalls. It turned out to be a simple sourdough baked by the winemaker. “They were selling little books that this guy had made with instructions on how to build a wood-fired oven—how to make old, European-style bread, stuff like that,” he says. “It was $20. They were also selling bottles of their wine for $20, and I only had $20, so you can guess which one I chose.”

Years before, Boccaccino’s mother had moved to the mountains in Mascota, to establish a homestead on a small ranch, so he went up there to try his hand at building an oven. He hand-patted raw brick, mud, and sand into a counter-flow dome, a sturdy but rudimentary cooking vessel, which he placed on a wheeled platform and made it mobile. “It’s pre-Christian technology,” he says.

He started playing around with recipes and baking his own loaves. “I’m from San Francisco, where people basically have sourdough in their blood. But people don’t really buy much [French-style] bread in Mexico. What they do buy is pizza.” So he settled on that—pizza with a well-developed, sourdough crust—found a little house in Guadalajara, and started cooking.

Now Boccaccino spends his days simmering tomato sauce, pre-fermenting dough, and shredding mozzarella from his mom’s ranch, and while his nights are devoted to manning the oven. His street pizza is a hit, so much so that it spawned a competing operation just 50 feet away. “I was going to call this thing Caracol, after the shape of my oven, but that guy took the name before me,” Boccaccino gestures at the operation down the street. It is a bit of a sore subject.

From the size of the crowd collecting on the street, however, it seems as though there is room enough for two pizzaiolos in town. “Sometimes, someone will have a late-night pizza and then come back a couple days later for more, sober,” Boccaccino says. His pies are memorable in that way—the tomato is light and zippy, there’s ample cheese, and resounding flavor in the crust from the sourdough. He also makes a green pesto from basil, spinach, a wallop of garlic, and a Mexican treatment of hot chilis, which hungry diners slather over their pies.

“I try and emulate a Neapolitan style while appealing to Mexican palates. That means more cheese, more toppings—but I draw the line on ketchup,” says Boccaccino. “And no ham and pineapple.”

Boccaccino is in the process of expanding. He plans to put an oven in his garage, a larger bar in the driveway, and additional chairs for a more formalized dining experience, though not a traditional full-service restaurant by any means. “And not too far from the street” he adds. “I can’t be far from the street.”

To find the no-name pizza (it doesn’t have a website), visit Bernardo de Balbuena 107, Guadalajara, Mexico from Wednesday-Saturday 9 PM-3:30 AM.

[readon1 url="https://munchies.vice.com/articles/the-no-name-street-pizza-that-feeds-guadalajaras-bar-crowd/"]Source:munchies.vice.com[/readon1]

Puerto Vallarta is stepping up its outreach to business travel by restructuring its CVB.

The entity will be headed by executive director Miguel Andres Hernandez, who served as president of the Puerto Vallarta’s Hotel Association Tourism Board from 2010 to 2012, and GM of Puerto Vallarta’s Garza Blanca Preserve, Resort & Spa from 2009 to 2012. The CVB will promote tourism development in the region and act as a liaison between international and local businesses and governments as a way to facilitate and attract international meetings, conferences, events and incentive travel to the city.

The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board has been promoting the city’s infrastructure in the business travel market as part of its promotions and public relations campaigns. As a result, Puerto Vallarta is currently in an alliance with the Mexico Tourism Board, participating in conferences and events such as AIBTM, IMEX and MPI in 2013 and this year and becoming an MPI Preferred Partner in April.

The CVB will take these initiatives further by providing meeting planners a direct contact to work with when bringing events and programs to Puerto Vallarta. Hernandez and his team will be able to offer presentations on the destination’s infrastructure and offerings, support and answer RFP’s, provide welcoming collateral and assist in obtaining permits within the city and support from local, State and Federal governments for bigger conferences or events.
This year the destination will once again be holding Vallarta Meetings, Puerto Vallarta’s special educational trip for US and Canadian meeting planners, from November 10-15.

To learn more on this initiative agents can visit http://www.visitpuertovallarta.com/vallarta-meetings

Eduardo Paramo

New Promotions Manager

At the same time, the destination has named Eduardo Paramo as its new director of promotions where he will be in charge of developing and implementing a destination promotion strategy across the many markets the destination is targeting, including Canada, the United States, Mexico, South America and Europe.
Paramo has over 15 years of experience in travel and tourism, promoting destinations and hotels across Mexico with quantifiable results. He has also been instrumental in creating alliances with key international entities such as AAA, Trip advisors and Leading hotels of the World, and local and federal government representatives. Paramo Eduardo was born in Mexico City and is a graduate of the University of Guadalajara and likewise held several courses focused on managing potential markets for Mexico.

[readon1 url="http://www.internationalmeetingsreview.com/mexico/puerto-vallarta-restructures-cvb-attract-business-travel-99494"]Source:www.internationalmeetingsreview.com[/readon1]

Copper Producer Would Pay $120 Million For Remaining 25% Stake

Grupo Mexico, one of the world's largest copper producers, is nearing a deal to acquire Mitsui 8031.TO -0.30% & Co.'s 25% stake in the Silver Bell copper mine in Arizona for about $120 million, according to people familiar with the matter.

The deal, if it proceeds, would give Grupo Mexico sole ownership of the mine, allowing it to take full advantage of Silver Bell's output at a time when copper prices are up about 11% from their March lows amid signs of strengthening demand for the widely used industrial metal.

Grupo Mexico hasn't signed a deal yet, but it has told Mitsui it would exercise its right of first refusal to purchase the stake, one of the people familiar with the matter said.

Representatives for Grupo Mexico and Mitsui couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Silver Bell, located in Marana, Arizona, produces about 46 million pounds of copper annually, according to the latest available figures. Grupo Mexico's ASARCO unit owns 75% of the mine and Mitsui, a large Japanese trading company, owns the remaining 25%. ASARCO operates three copper mines in Arizona, producing a combined 350 million to 400 million pounds of copper a year.

The potential deal between Grupo Mexico and Mitsui could signal an increase in deal activity in the mining sector after a long lull, and comes as some miners look to shed noncore assets to pay down debt.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Freeport-McMoRan Inc. as looking for buyers for its Candelaria copper mine in Chile and that well-known mining executives such as Tye Burt and Aaron Regent, the former heads of Kinross Gold Corp.and Barrick Gold Corp.,respectively, were scouting for acquisitions in the mining sector.

[readon1 url="http://online.wsj.com/articles/grupo-mexico-nears-deal-to-buy-stake-in-arizona-copper-mine-1406046127"]Source:online.wsj.com[/readon1]

America's Favorite Restaurant Now Open at Galerias Guadalajara

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 17, 2014--
The Cheesecake Factory(R) , known for its extensive menu, generous portions and legendary desserts, announced that its licensee in Latin America, Alsea, S.A.B. de C.V., today opened its first The Cheesecake Factory in Mexico in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco.

The new restaurant is located in Galerias Guadalajara shopping center, and features The Cheesecake Factory's distinctive décor that is as creative and imaginative as its extensive menu of more than 200 selections -- all handmade, in-house with fresh ingredients -- and more than 40 signature cheesecakes and desserts. Featuring French limestone floors and decorative columns, hand painted murals, and modern lighting, the approximately 8,500 square-foot restaurant accommodates approximately 220 guests.

The Cheesecake Factory's licensing agreement with Alsea provides for the development of a minimum of 12 restaurants throughout Mexico and Chile with the potential to expand the agreement to four other countries -- Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru.

"We are so pleased to be opening our first Cheesecake Factory in Latin America with Alsea," said David Overton, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated. "Latin America is an exciting new area of development for us and we are delighted to be able to bring The Cheesecake Factory's exceptional guest experience to Mexico."

For more information about The Cheesecake Factory, please visit www.TheCheesecakeFactory.com

Fan us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheCheesecakeFactory

Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/cheesecake

About The Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated created the upscale casual dining segment in 1978 with the introduction of its namesake concept. The Company operates 182 full-service, casual dining restaurants throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, including 170 restaurants under The Cheesecake Factory(R) mark; 11 restaurants under the Grand Lux Cafe(R) mark; and one restaurant under the RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen(R) mark. Internationally, five The Cheesecake Factory(R) restaurants operate under licensing agreements. The Company also operates two bakery production facilities in Calabasas Hills, CA, and Rocky Mount, NC, that produce approximately 70 varieties of quality cheesecakes and other baked products. In 2014, the Company was named to Fortune magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For" list. To learn more about the Company, visit www.TheCheesecakeFactory.com.

[readon1 url="http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140717-907122.html"]Source:online.wsj.com[/readon1]

Travel + Leisure’s “500 World’s Best Hotels 2014” includes St. Regis Punta Mita Resort, Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit.
The Riviera Nayarit’s hotel infrastructure is one of the destination’s hottest attractions. Recently, top-tier magazine Travel + Leisure included three of its hotels in its “T+L World’s Best Hotels 2014.”

Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and St. Regis Punta Mita Resort were chosen by T+L as the best of Mexico’s Pacific Treasure.

These three resorts are the only ones in the destination to have received the prestigious 5 Diamond award from AAA, and all are members of the Virtuoso luxury travel network.

“It’s an honor to be counted among the best hotels in the world; it not only promotes the resorts but also positions the Riviera Nayarit as one of the top destinations in the world, especially in a magazine as important as Travel + Leisure,” commented Marc Murphy, Managing Director of the Riviera Nayarit Convention and Visitors Bureau.

There also exists a “Top 50” within this worldwide listing, where St. Regis appears as the hotel with the best position in the Riviera Nayarit at number 45. The list was divided into eight regions; Mexico is on the list for Latin America, representing 20 out of the 33 hotels in this particular region.

The readers of Travel + Leisure are in charge of choosing and voting for the best 500 hotels out of the thousands available around the globe. Travel + Leisure was founded in 1971 and circulates in print as well as on the Web to millions of people.

The Riviera Nayarit CVB would like to extend its congratulations to Grand Velas, Four Seasons and St. Regis for being selected to this world-class list, which gives the destination massive exposure to travelers around the planet.

To view the complete listings, please click here:
Travelland Leisure

(Reuters) - Mexico's largest state mortgage lender Infonavit in August will raise the maximum amount it can lend to would-be home buyers by 76 percent, in a bid to shore up the battered housing sector, the government said on Tuesday.

Infonavit said it will raise its top loan amount to 850,000 pesos ($65,700) from 483,000 pesos ($37,300).

The state lender next month will also start granting loans denominated in pesos at a fixed rate and for up to 30 years.

Currently, loans in pesos are reserved for borrowers who earn more than 5.5 times the minimum wage, while loans for lower earners are denominated in multiples of the minimum wage.

"We are not just giving out more loans. This is about guaranteeing access to decent housing for all Mexican families," Infonavit Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Murat said at an event in Mexico City.

The agency, which is funded through employer contributions, loan recovery and debt issuance, this year expects to grant 560,000 loans for new and used homes, as well as remodeling.

But loans granted by Infonavit for new homes in the January to May period are down 22 percent due to a weak economy and Mexicans' preference for acquiring used properties or revamping their current homes, hammering the country's homebuilders.

Mexican homebuilders have struggled with heavy debt and slumping home sales since the government shifted to a policy that prioritizes apartment purchases, hurting sales of cheap houses built far from cities by Geo, Homex, and Urbi.

Geo and Homex have both filed for bankruptcy.

($1 = 12.9472 Mexican Pesos) (Writing by Alexandra Alper; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

[readon1 url="http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/07/16/mexico-housing-idINL2N0PQ2UD20140716"]Source:in.reuters.com[/readon1]

Las Alamandas in Costalegre between Puerto Vallarta and Manzanillo offers a three-day tequila immersion getaway through Oct. 31.

The 16-suite beachfront resort has the highest certification, called the Agave de Oro, from the Tequila Regulatory Council of Mexico, due to the high number of tequila brands (120) it offers and the tequila-based dishes it prepares to accompany the drink.

“Tequila is truly the country’s iconic beverage, and to experience it to the fullest is part of a complete holiday at Las Alamandas,” said Isabel Goldsmith Patino, founder and CEO.

The three-night package features tastings of five tequilas each day, followed by a private dinner with dishes concocted with tequila.

The package price starts at $1,000 for two with accommodations and daily a la carte breakfast.

For details, visit Alamandas

[readon1 url="http://www.simplyvallarta.com/5-reasons-rainy-season-in-puerto-vallarta/"]Source:www.simplyvallarta.com[/readon1]

Becomes MPI Preferred Member and continues work with Mexico Tourism Board

Puerto Vallarta, one of Mexico’s premiere business travel destinations, has restructured its Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) in an effort to increase outreach, assistance and promotion of the destination through meetings, incentive travel and conference markets.

The entity will be headed by Executive Director Miguel Andres Hernandez, who served as President of the Puerto Vallarta’s Hotel Association Tourism Board from 2010 to 2012, and GM of Puerto Vallarta’s Garza Blanca Preserve, Resort & Spa from 2009 to 2012. The CVB will promote tourism development in the region and act as a liaison between international and local businesses and governments as a way to facilitate and attract international meetings, conferences, events and incentive travel to the city.

The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board has been promoting the city’s infrastructure in the business travel market as part of its promotions and public relations campaigns. As a result, Puerto Vallarta is currently in an alliance with the Mexico Tourism Board, participating in conferences and events such as AIBTM, IMEX and MPI in 2013 and this year and becoming an MPI Preferred Partner in April.

The CVB will take these initiatives further by providing meeting planners a direct contact to work with when bringing events and programs to Puerto Vallarta. Hernandez and his team will be able to offer presentations on the destination’s infrastructure and offerings, support and answer RFP’s, provide welcoming collateral and assist in obtaining permits within the city and support from local, State and Federal governments for bigger conferences or events.

This year the destination will once again be holding Vallarta Meetings, Puerto Vallarta’s special educational trip for US and Canadian meeting planners, from November 10-15.

Located on Mexico’s Pacific Coast in the state of Jalisco, Puerto Vallarta turned 96 this year; while it has grown to be a world-class destination, at its center it still remains a charming Mexican pueblo with colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. Its 120 miles are surrounded by the Bay of Banderas and the Sierra Madre, making it Mexico’s most diverse and most Mexican destination. The sea port where the Charros (Mexican cowboys) play, adventure seekers zipline and foodies taste one of over 360 restaurants.

The city of Puerto Vallarta started a series of remodeling projects six years ago, and in the past two years has re-opened its iconic Malecon, or boardwalk, the historic Pier Los Muertos was refurbished and the streets of the downtown area were widened, making it one of the few tourist zones in Mexico to be pedestrian friendly and wheelchair accessible.

In the past 6 months, two hotels have opened in Puerto Vallarta - Hotel One, with 125 rooms & Holiday Inn Express, with 115 rooms – both are conveniently located less than 10 minutes away from Puerto Vallarta’s a state-of-the-art International Convention Center, airport (PVR) and downtown. By the end of 2015 three other hotels will have opened, the Hyatt Ziva and Hotel Mousai in the Mismaloya area and the Altamar in the Romantic Zone. In addition, the Puerto Vallarta Fiesta Americana will be converting to an All-Inclusive in October.

As of 2013, the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board has been proactively working on its connectivity and increasing flights to the destination from the United States and Canada as well as Europe and South America. This includes direct flights from St. Louis, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Vancouver, Chicago and Oregon, resulting in a 17% increase in international arrivals for the first 6 months of this year.

[readon1 url=http://www.incentivetravel.co.uk/news/agency-news/21188-puerto-vallarta-reinforces-commitments-to-business-travel-with-restructuring-of-cvb"]Source:www.incentivetravel.co.uk[/readon1]

In many cases farmers who are located in the most marginalized areas of the state have to travel miles steep slope to get water for the rearing of animals, so that the holder of the SAGADERP, Emeterio Carlón Acosta, teaches that to combat this problem the Government of the People takes more than 2 million pesos for the construction of water storage embankments that are helpful for producing investment.

Mr. Simitrio López community of El Pinal, municipality of The Tinder, how difficult it is for producers to survive their animals dry and today are very happy for this support, since the death of animals dropped significantly, "gives us faith that the Government of the People if you work for the people who need it most. This support will assist personally in the economy of the family more than anything and I appreciate the support of our Governor Roberto Sandoval Castañeda because he has always been with us and appreciate your effort and work that is being reflected in the people who most occupies. "

Thus we see that the Government of the People works to support the economy of Nayarit field which aims to reach the far corners because there will be more united.

Carlos Slim Helú is once again the world’s richest person, thanks in large part to a sharp increase in telecom giant América Móvil’s share price both in U.S. and Mexican markets. Slim bumped Microsoft (NYSE:MSFT) cofounder Bill Gates from his perch as the world’s richest, a post Gates has held since May 2013.

The move happened on Tuesday when the value of Slim’s phone company América Móvil’s (NYSE:AMX), his largest holding, rose 1% or $805.6 million, pushing his net worth to Forbes estimate of $79.6 billion, against Gates’s estimated $79.1 billion net worth.

América Móvil’s stock has been rising since the company announced plans last week to divest some assets to comply with Mexico’s new antitrust telecom regulations. América Móvil’s shares were sharply higher last Wednesday, 24 hours after the news of the breakup. The company’s shares, which have languished the past year as a result of regulatory pressures in Mexico, jumped 10% on the NYSE the day following the breakup announcement.

Between July 1 and July 11, Slim’s wealth jumped from $74.5 billion to $79.6, a gain of $5.1 billion in 12 business days, an indication that investors are applauding Slim’s unexpected decision to reduce his phone market share below 50% as a new antitrust telecom law mandate comes into play. Investors seem to believe the outcome may actually be better for Slim’s business interests.

Currently, Slim’s América Móvil controls 70% of the mobile phone market in Mexico, and 80% of landlines.

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto signed the bill into law on Monday in an event attended by Mexico’s top telecom executives, including Carlos Slim Domitt, Slims Helús oldest son and heir apparent.

Slim fell from the top of the Forbes World’s Billionaire list in May 2013 largely due to a sharp drop in América Móvil’s stock, fueled by fears that Mexico’s new antitrust regulations would crumble his telecom empire.

Yet it appears as though the threat has reenergized him. Slim is planning to further expand his presence in Europe and Latin America. In a filing with the Mexican Stock Exchange on Monday, América Móvil said it will acquire an additional 23.47 % stake in Telekom Austria in a buyout offer, lifting the telecom giant’s interest in the company to 50.8%.

For the 2014 World’s Billionaires List, Gates took the top spot with a net worth of $76 billion, while Slim came in at second richest with a net worth estimated at $72 billion.

[readon1 url="http://www.forbes.com/sites/doliaestevez/2014/07/15/mexicos-carlos-slim-reclaims-worlds-richest-man-title-from-bill-gates/?partner=yahootix"]Source:www.forbes.com[/readon1]

Continuing investment and the generation of formal jobs, Nayarit has a promising future in their rates of development, say experts

The Economic Watch Mexico Nayarit branded as one of the "Asian Tigers Mexicanos" by the level of growth that has appeared in this year, thanks to the efforts of the Governor of the People, Roberto Sandoval, to attract investment and create jobs.

And is that while the economy overall scale marked a 1.8% increase in the fourth quarter, Nayarit ranks as the presenting entity that grew 10.3%, followed by 9.5% Quintana Roo, Campeche 9.2%, Baja California Sur 9% , Chihuahua and Aguascalientes 6.8% 6.2%.

Viridiana Rios, director of the observatory said that our organization tops the list of states that were called "the Tiger Mexican, "which are a handful of companies that have growth rates would already many countries.

Nayarit also excels in productivity, so that compared to Asian countries where our organization has an indicator of 12%, while others have a 4.8%.

Now Viridiana Rios is bound to investigate each of the states " Tiger " on what they did to achieve double digit grow or increase your productivity. "If not, we are wasting a huge opportunity for this country," he adds, "if these states managed to grow, of course the rest of the country can also" said Rios own.

Meanwhile, the Governor of the People, thanked nayaritas entity by placing first in the nation in growth, "shows that by working together and seeking investment can achieve our dreams. Let's get more jobs to continue making history in the present. "

The Centre is supported by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) and Mexico assessed, with a team of 40 economists who developed a traffic light that measures the state and national behavior of a number of variables that detect economic growth and generation of formal jobs.