Latino Freeze, una iniciativa que alienta a las personas a usar sus billeteras para enviar un mensaje, una iniciativa que se llevará a cabo a lo largo de todo el año con la finalidad de que realmente estas empresas vean el impacto económico y la importancia de la comunidad inmigrante latina en Estados Unidos.Es hora de que las y los latinos en Estados Unidos dejen de gastar su dinero en marcas y empresas a los que no les interesen como clientes y mucho menos como personas, al menos esto afirma el movimiento Latino Freeze, which was founded in 2025 and is committed to showing the value of Latinos, other minorities, and their allies in the United States.
Protesting with one's wallet has become a popular tactic among those who want to confront what they consider injustices.
When Donald Trump took office as president on January 20, many things changed, including signing an executive order that eliminated the federal government's diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, and yes, the immigrant community is among them.
This new policy was supported by various companies that reduced or eliminated these types of programs, so consumers are planning how to fight back with their money, yes, exactly what hurts the owners of these establishments the most.
This brings us to the Latino Freeze Movement, an initiative that encourages people to use their wallets to send a message.
According to the International Monetary Fund and the Latino GDP Report, the Latino Gross Domestic Product in the United States is the fifth largest in the world at $3.7 trillion, as Latinos represent 20 percent of the U.S. population.
Latino Freeze has called on Latinos to stop spending their money, starting NOW, until they demonstrate that they care about minority and immigrant populations in the United States.
These are the action items they have called for: save and save your money for important expenses, buy only the essentials, i.e. food, and be thoughtful and selective when purchasing.
Also, continue working and seeking services such as medical care, and do not make large purchases or cancel subscriptions.
They also called on people to support Latin American, African American and related businesses that support this movement, as well as to support local American businesses that support this movement and that value diversity, equity and inclusion programs and immigrants. They also asked people not to forget to make sure they pay their rent, mortgage and bills, responsibilities, health care and taxes, among others.
In general, they have asked to consider shopping at local stores, flea markets, farmers markets, thrift stores and barter stores and not to spend on sports and entertainment (unless they support this movement).
These are the companies they have asked NOT to support and stop buying from: Amazon, Target, Walmart, HobbyLobby, HomeGoods, Marshalls, Sam's Club, Starbuck's, Lowe's, FruitoftheLoom, DairyQueen, Coca Cola, BaskinRobbins, Brown-Forman (Jack Daniels), Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, Google, Meta, Ford, Harley-Davidson, John Deere, Tesla, Toyota, McDonald's, Wendy's, and In and Out.
On the other hand, they have asked to support companies that have committed to diversity, equity and inclusion programs as well as to the immigrant community, such as Aldi, Costco, Meijer, Kroger, Giant Grocery, Trader Joe's, Ben & Jerry's, Delta, Dutch Bros, elf, Ulta Beauty, Macy's, Old Navy, Nordstrom's, TJMaxx, GoToFoods, Dollar Tree, Walgreen's, Wegman's, Planet Fitness, Procter and Gamble, Craigslist, Barnes & Noble, Godman Sachs, JP Morgan, Apple, DoorDash, Everyday Health, Pinterest, Microsoft, Disney, Netflix and in California, Vallarta Supermarkets, in Texas HEB, El Rancho, Fiesta Mart and La Michoacana.
This tactic by the Latino community, the immigrant community in the United States, has been joined by the African-American and Afro-descendant community, LGBTQ+ and many Americans who are also against these policies of President Donald Trump.
It should be noted that this initiative is planned to be carried out throughout the year so that these companies can truly see the economic impact and importance of the Latino immigrant community in the United States.
Sheinbaum sends letter to Trump with data on US steel and aluminum surplus, “the position will always be the same, coordination and collaboration without subordination, since sovereignty is not negotiable.” Photo: REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
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The president Claudia Sheinbaum has sent a letter to Donald Trump with figures related to the export and import of aluminum and steel, making it clear that Mexico iimports much more of these steel materials than it exports and before any negotiation reiterated that "The position will always be the same: coordination and collaboration without subordination, since sovereignty is not negotiable."
“Yesterday I sent a letter to the president with a graph showing the surplus that the United States has with Mexico in the case of steel and aluminum. The idea that President Trump has put forward about tariffs is because he says that the United States is in deficit. What do you mean by that? That it is importing more than it exports, but in the case of aluminum and steel, with Mexico it is the other way around, it exports more than it imports, so I am showing him this graph,” the president said at her morning press conference.
On February 9, Donald Trump announced the imposition of a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum entering the United States. This tax is for all countries and will take effect on March 12.
If this were to happen, Nissan Mexico could move its production to another country, to which the president commented that the automotive company has a very large plant in Aguascalientes and would lose the national market if it moved, so it would not be viable.
On the subject of criminal groups, if they are declared terrorists, Sheinbaum said that she will expand the international lawsuit against arms manufacturers and distributors filed by Mexico, since it would be recognized that 75 percent of the weapons that enter the country come from the United States.
"We will never accept interference and meddling, we will always defend our sovereignty and we are working within that framework," said the president.
In the case of people deported to Mexico from the United States, he reported that there is an international agreement; direct flights are made to return people to their country of origin such as Guatemala and El Salvador, since January 20, 13,455 people have been received, of which 10,485 are Mexicans and 2,970 are foreigners.
During the question session, a case was presented of alleged companies that promise to carry out procedures to bring relatives of immigrants to the United States under a family unification program, taking away their documents and money; in response to this, the president said that she will place lawyers in Mexico and the United States in the consulates, to provide them with the necessary support.
In addition, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, head of the Ministry of Tourism, reported that Mexico received 86.4 million international visitors in 2024, making Mexico the sixth most visited country in the world; tourism contributes 4.4 percent of the national GDP, in addition to this, 4.9 million direct jobs are generated.
In light of this, he stressed that through the platform VisitMexico.com, users will be able to use a new tool that uses artificial intelligence to learn about Mexico.
It is worth noting that the Mexico-United States Tourism Fair will also be held from April 28 to May 1 in Baja California: Rosario-Tijuana and in San Diego, California, there will also be the Taco Festival in that same American city.
President Sheinbaum concluded by dedicating this day of love and friendship to immigrants.
“Today, the day of love and friendship, we are going to dedicate it to all our migrant brothers and sisters, with all our love. We are a government that puts love above all else, and today our love is dedicated to all our Mexican brothers and sisters who are on the other side, working, supporting their families, helping their families in Mexico, and helping the United States economy,” Sheinbaum said.
He concluded with the phrase “Long live migrants!”
Pedro Sánchez to Santiago Abascal: “You are strong with the weak and servile with the powerful,” he says in response to his support for Donald Trump even on the tariffs that affect Spain.
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Santiago Abascal, president of VOX, intervened during the control session in the Congress of Deputies in Madrid, questioning the international diplomatic relations that the government promotes with the United States and other countries, to which the president of the Government responded, Pedro Sanchez“You are strong with the weak and servile with the powerful.”
Santiago Abascal is the president of VOX, a Spanish political party founded on December 17, 2013, with a far-right, ultra-conservative and ultra-nationalist ideology.
The president of VOX has criticized Sánchez for his anti-Trump stances, while he votes in favor of the "big tariff" in Brussels, the European Green Pact, to the point that he accused Pedro Sánchez that if Spain is affected and included among the countries with US tariffs, it will be his fault, "Mr. Trump has said that he will exempt Italy from the tariffs because he likes it," commented Santiago Abascal.
On the subject of tariffs, Abascal said, “if tariffs come, it will be your fault. Because Mr. Trump has said that he is going to exempt Italy from tariffs because he likes Meloni. And you, instead of being minimally diplomatic, have become cocky,” addressing Pedro Sánchez.
Abascal, who is also the leader of the European Patriots party, has wanted to present himself as an ally of US President Donald Trump in Europe, even if the 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports affect Spain.
In this sense, Sánchez, the socialist leader, has challenged people to “cry out” against Trump, telling the president of VOX, “I don't think you will do it, you are strong with the weak, but you are servile with the powerful, as you have shown.”
At the site, they added that, “the situation in Gaza is not resolved with a real estate deal. It is done by defending and claiming that Palestine is for the Palestinians and Israel is for the Israelis,” said Sánchez, as the Spanish party VOX has supported Trump’s idea of building a “resort” in Gaza and carrying out the expulsion of millions of Palestinians from the territory.
After it became known that Elon Musk wants to buy ChatGPT, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated that the company “is not for sale.”
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On February 10, Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI (the company that created ChatGPT) said in an interview with Bloomberg that the company is “not for sale,” rejecting Elon Musk’s offer of $97.4 billion.
The conflict between these technology giants began in 2015, when Elon Musk and Sam Altman, among other investors, injected capital into the project that resulted in ChatGPT. In 2018, Musk left the board of directors of OpenAI and the company cited conflicts of interest with Tesla, which was ceasing to be an electric car company to begin venturing into the field of artificial intelligence development, in addition to denouncing Musk's intentions to become a majority owner of the company's shares.
Open AI It is a non-profit organization, as described on its official website, and it also clarifies that the work it does is to “advance artificial intelligence in the way that best benefits humanity, since our studies are free of monetary interest, we can focus on a positive impact on humanity.”
In 2023, Elon launched his response to OpenAI, called xAI, and with it the Gork chatbot that the tycoon himself described as “anti-woke.” With this action, the rivalry that began years ago was consolidated in projects that competed for the same space and put Sam Altman back in Musk’s sights.
Worse yet, President Donald Trump announced a $500 billion investment in an American AI infrastructure, and Sam Altman’s OpenAI, not Musk’s xIA, will be involved in the project. OpenAI announced in a post on X (formerly Twitter) the collaboration with the US government in which Musk commented that they do not actually have the money to carry out such a plan.
Announcing The Stargate Project
The Stargate Project is a new company which intends to invest $500 billion over the next four years building new AI infrastructure for OpenAI in the United States. We will begin deploying $100 billion immediately. This infrastructure will secure…
Elon Musk's offer is both intimidating and a sign of his childish character. How can we forget when he publicly offered 1 billion dollars to Wikipedia to change its name to Dickipedia? The offer to buy publicly announces that he is the richest human on the planet, and if he wants, he can buy anything. It also gives us a glimpse of the childish and fragile personality of a man who desperately seeks to be the center of attention and throws tantrums when told that his money is not enough to get what he wants.
Let's be clear, Musk is interested in eliminating his competition and this includes lawsuits and many other "crazy things" as Altman explains in his interview with Bloomberg, but this is a personal problem.
Drug and arms trafficking, this issue should be bilateral, accepting the responsibility of the United States. Photo: Manuel Ortiz Escámez – P360
President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed Mexico for drug and arms trafficking among Mexican cartels, however, it has been proven that these weapons come from the United States, so this issue should be bilateral, accepting the responsibility of this country.
According to the CATO Institute, 89 percent of fentanyl traffickers in the United States are Americans, meaning that cartels in this country are taking advantage of ethnic and racial profiling to arrest people, as mentioned by journalist Manuel Ortiz during the radio program Península 360 Press with Marcos Gutiérrez on Hecho en California
Ortiz toured the Tijuana border, where he was able to observe the work of the National Guard, how all cars are inspected by the agents, checking between the seats and the rest of the car, reminding them that they are looking for drugs such as fentanyl but always respecting human rights.
During the radio program, he mentioned that the physical profile for a drug dealer is very specific, since people with white skin are not doubted, "it's just that here the white people can come and go, since they are not searched or anything, that's how they can pass the drugs," said Ortiz.
Most of the people used to traffic fentanyl are Americans who can cross the border without any problem, he said.
In the case of weapons, the journalist explained that 70 percent of those seized and used by Mexican cartels come from distributors in the United States, mostly from legal sales in Arizona, Texas and California.
“The sale of weapons has been justified, in the Second Amendment of the United States it says: the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, on top of this it also says that a well-regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state, that is to say that it associates the freedom of the United States with the carrying of weapons.”
Gun dealers make a lot of money and there is evidence of links to the Republican Party, not only economic but also ideological, said the photographer.
"The phenomenon of drug trafficking should be addressed on a binational basis, but this is not being done in the United States. The discourse of drug traffickers as terrorists does not match the actions that are being carried out with the United States," said Ortiz.
He also commented that there is currently a large presence of National Guard elements on the border, but not police on the United States side. “The police presence is mostly on the Mexican side, and it is not a partial or equal effort.”
Immigrants also have rights. The first thing is not to panic, because regardless of their immigration status, they have the right to remain silent. This allows for careful statements and gives time for a legal process.
Deportations are common, many are afraid to go out, go to school or work, however, there are civil associations, media outlets and activists who are informing the immigrant community to let them know their rights. The most important thing is to remain calm and not be intimidated.
More than 200 thousand supposedly undocumented people have been detained in the last 30 days, According to data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). At least 8,000 people have been deported, experts reported during a briefing held by theEthnic Media Services.
ICE has been instructed to detain at least 1,200 to 1,500 people a day; the countries of origin with the highest number of deportees were South and Central America, but immigration agency data shows significant numbers of detentions of Indians, Chinese and Russians.
Attorney Amanda Alvarado-Ford of the Bay Area Immigration Institute explained that when faced with an arrest, the first thing to do is not to panic, because regardless of immigration status, you have the right to remain silent. This allows you to protect your statements and give time for a legal process.
If you are an undocumented person and have been in the United States for more than 2 years, you have the right to a hearing.
It is also important to have essential documentation on hand on your cell phone, and you should also share with people close to you documents that can protect you, such as an asylum application for certain conditions, which explains that there is a pending process.
In the case of arrests in workplaces, arrests are permitted in public areas of the workplace, but not in private areas, which is why it is important to determine these spaces, the lawyer said.
Maru Mora-Villalpando, an immigration activist with the group La Resistencia and executive director of Latino Advocacy, explained that her group works in detention centers, which are highly flawed because of poor conditions.
He regretted that there is no real complaints system, so no one is listened to when presenting their grievances. In the detention centers, people live in poor hygiene conditions, even wearing dirty clothes, which causes illness, and there is little medical care.
He added that previously the detainees themselves were forced to clean, however, this was illegal, since such work must be paid for. Now, the service must be paid for, which is why there has been a great lack of hygiene, with highly contagious diseases circulating.
Viridiana Carrizales, founder of ImmSchools, said that she arrived as an immigrant to a very complicated school environment, which is why she seeks to create safe spaces in the educational field.
Currently, due to fear of being detained, many children have left school to stay safe. Parents need to know that their immigration status cannot be questioned in order for their children to attend school, and special protocols are being implemented to protect students and their families, Carrizales said.
“Our students have certain protections under the Constitution, but in schools there is a measure from 1982 that says that all children in this country, regardless of their immigration status or the immigration status of their parents, have the legal right to be in school, that is why we have 5.5 million children in schools who are undocumented,” added the activist.
Oscar Sarabia Roman, an attorney with the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project, said that immigrants who entered through political asylum cannot return to their countries of origin because they would put their lives at risk. People in legal proceedings have the right to be treated before being deported.
He also said that they are working on the protection of some laws, with lawsuits, counter-suits and various sectors to protect the rights of the immigrant community.
Mexico's Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said it was "unfair" for the United States to impose tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum. Image: morning conference screenshot.
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Mexico's Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said it was "unfair" for the United States to impose tariffs on imports of Mexican steel and aluminum, as President Donald Trump has decreed, since Mexico imports much more of these steelmaking materials from the United States than it exports.
On Sunday, President Donald Trump signed proclamations imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum entering the United States across the board, effective March 12.
In the specific case of Mexico, the decree notes that “Imports have also increased above historical trade norms in numerous key product lines, such as long reinforcing bars, which have experienced import increases of 1,678 percent from Mexico.”
In this regard, Ebrard said during President Claudia Sheinbaum's morning press conference that this is false.
“Mexico imports more steel from the United States than it exports. There is no such thing as a 1,600 percent increase. The United States sells us more, so this tariff is not justified. I am talking about aluminum and steel,” he said.
“It is unfair! According to President Trump's own arguments, because we have, I repeat, more imports from the United States than exports,” he emphasized.
The official explained that Mexico is the main destination for total steel product exports from the United States, representing 52 percent of its global exports by the end of 2024.
According to the US government's own information, Ebrard explained that the US surplus has been 1.2 million tons per year on average since 2015, while in 2025 it will reach 2.3 million tons. In contrast, Mexico's exports to the United States have returned to 2015-2017 levels.
Ebrard explained that the US surplus has been 1.2 million tons per year on average since 2015, while in 2025 it will reach 2.3 million tons. In contrast, Mexico's exports to the United States have returned to 2015-2017 levels.
"If it were to be imposed starting March 12, it would be a very unusual case because a tariff would be imposed on a country to which the United States sells the most," he said.
Marcelo Ebrard said that the instruction he has from President Sheinbaum is: number one, consultations with the new administration to present the information we have; however, the US Secretary of Commerce must be ratified this week by the Senate, in order to have an official bilateral meeting. As well as the head of the USTR (Office of the US Trade Representative).
“Next week, I will have personal communication, via Zoom or as determined, with both of them to present Mexico's arguments.”
The Secretary of Economy called for common sense to avoid “shooting ourselves in the foot.”
“Because this, President Trump sometimes says, is common sense; well, we take him at his word: common sense, not a shot in the foot. Not destroying what we have built over the last 40 years.”
In this regard, President Claudia Sheinbaum said that she has been working for months with the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit on different alternatives to this proclamation, in order to arrive at the meeting with the U.S. authorities with everything they need to know about it.
In this regard, he stressed that he is confident that the arguments will be heard. “Persuade and insist. Persevere and move forward,” he added.
Funding for California to sue Trump administration, Newsom signed a second bill Monday providing another $25 million for legal services for people caught up in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
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The Governor Gavin Newsom The U.S. Senate on Monday approved a $25 million fund for early legal challenges against the Trump administration, positioning California to once again lead resistance to the MAGA movement just as the state is seeking federal assistance for the Los Angeles region's recovery from the devastating wildfires.
When Newsom first unveiled what was being called the state’s “Trump-proofing” plan, he did so with a high-profile announcement just two days after the November election. But yesterday he signed the funding bill in a decidedly more low-key manner, eschewing a public ceremony and issuing only a brief press release late on a Friday afternoon — a traditional news dumping ground. It included no signing statement from the governor.
The decision to downplay what initially appeared to be a major priority for Newsom — one meant to catapult him to the forefront of the Democratic ranks as the party struggled to respond to President Donald Trump’s reelection — underscores the awkward position the governor now finds himself in.
Earlier this week, Newsom traveled to Washington, D.C., to push for disaster aid, which Trump and other Republican leaders have repeatedly threatened to withhold unless California overhauls its water and election policies. Newsom told the Los Angeles Times that he discussed the legal funding with the president during a lengthy meeting at the White House on Wednesday, though he declined to share how Trump responded when Newsom warned him he would sign the bill.
“As expected,” the governor said. “I won’t go into details, but that’s why it was such a long period of conversation.”
Newsom returned from his trip touting “a strong path forward for disaster relief,” but without any firm commitment from the federal government to help Los Angeles, which suffered tens of billions of dollars in damage. Congressional Republicans appear to remain adamant about setting conditions for any aid.
While not unexpected, this means Newsom will likely have to remain friendly with Trump for at least a while longer, even as other Democrats across the country increasingly speak out against the president.
In California, Attorney General Rob Bonta, whose office will receive the $25 million lawsuit fund, has recently taken the lead. In Trump’s first two weeks in office, he filed two lawsuits over executive orders to eliminate birthright citizenship and freeze all federal funding.
Newsom signed a second bill Monday that provides another $25 million for legal services for people caught up in the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
Republicans have fiercely criticized both measures, which received final approval from the Legislature on Monday, arguing they are an unnecessary taunt to Trump when the state needs his help.
“This secret fund is not intended to solve any real problems — it is a political stunt designed to distract from the pressing issues facing our state and will not bode well for the victims of the wildfires,” Senate Republican Leader Brian Jones of San Diego said in a statement.
When Newsom called a special legislative session in November to “safeguard California values,” the money was supposed to be allocated before Trump took office last month. But with dozens of new members getting their bearings, hesitancy among Democrats over how much to lean into opposing a president who gained some ground in California in this election, and the holidays approaching, the Legislature was slow to take action. By the time members returned to Sacramento in January to begin work, fires were raging in Los Angeles and the focus of the entire state government shifted.
In an attempt to repair his relationship with the president (with whom he spoke for the first time in years when Trump briefly visited Los Angeles last month to assess the fire damage), Newsom has taken pains to distance himself from the “Trump protector” label.
But he and other Democratic leaders in California continue to defend the funding, which they say is a sensible precaution given Trump’s history of attacking California and the policies it supports. The state sued more than 120 times during his first term, winning about two-thirds of the cases.
“Our job, above all else, is to protect our residents,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Salinas, said in a speech to the floor before Monday’s vote. “And let me be blunt: Right now, Californians are being threatened by an out-of-control administration in Washington that cares nothing for the Constitution, that believes its power is limitless.”
“We must ensure that our residents receive the federal services, the federal benefits that they have paid into and that they deserve,” he added. “Given the numerous executive orders that have been issued over the past two weeks, I can say clearly: We do not trust President Donald Trump.”
The Philadelphia Eagles flew high and were crowned the greatest in the NFL in the 59th edition of the Super Bowl. Photo: X NFL
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The odds were not in their favor, nor were the referees, nor the statistics, but on Sunday night, the Philadelphia Eagles flew very high and were crowned the greatest in the NFL in the LIX edition of the Super Bowl, achieving the unthinkable, defeating the Kansas City dynasty and its "unstoppable" quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.
The Caesars Superdome roared like never before to the chant “Fly Eagles, Fly.” The green and white fans, one of the loudest in the entire National Football League (NFL), never gave up, never stopped singing the song of their powerful team led by coach Nick Sirianni who lifted the Vince Lombardi with a score of 40-22.
Thus, in a widely anticipated rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, Super Bowl LIX went to the team led by quarterback Jalen Hurts with a commanding lead.
The first meeting between these two great teams was in Super Bowl LVII, held on February 12, 2023 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The winner on that occasion was Patrick Mahomes, there the Eagles fell to the Chiefs 38-35.
Full stop: President Donald Trump, who attended the game, being the only sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, must not have done very well in the betting, as he had predicted that the Chiefs would win and thus secure their third championship in a row. Too bad Donald, things here are not as you say.
President Donald Trump, who attended the game, the only sitting president to attend a Super Bowl, must not have fared well in the betting stakes, having predicted the Chiefs would win and thus secure their third straight championship. Photo: X POTUS
The gridiron always provides surprises and this was no exception. In the first half the Eagles swept the field and did not allow the Chiefs to score a single field goal.
The Chiefs won the coin toss, and that was all.
On their first offensive series of the night, Mahomes turned the ball over and with that came the first touchdown for the Eagles, scored by Jalen Hurts, Jake Elliot gave them the extra point with a perfect kick. Up to that point, it was 7-0.
Kansas City had the ball and with it the opportunity for their offense to rally. They failed to do so. After a majestic interception, the Eagles took the ball back and Jake Elliot scored a 48-yard field goal, adding another 3 points to put them at 10-0. Up to this point, Mahomes looked calm and smiling. He didn't do it again the rest of the night.
A pass from Patrick Mahomes looking for DeAndre Hopkins is intercepted by Cooper DeJean, who returned it 38 yards for another touchdown. Jake Elliott scores another extra point and it all leads to a resounding 17-0. Things are getting complicated for the Chiefs.
It should be noted that all of this was in the first half. But that was not all, after the two-minute break, Jalen Hurts passes to the left to AJ Brown for 12 yards for another touchdown. Elliot added an extra point.
After just 15 minutes of play, the powerful Eagles were already 24 points ahead of the leaders, who could not even raise their heads; their score was at zero.
The second quarter begins. The Chiefs are penalized with a 10-yard penalty. Everything starts badly. There are no changes in the score and both teams go into halftime with a 24-0 lead, the second largest gap between teams in Super Bowl history, only surpassed by Washington's 25-point difference against Denver in the XXII edition.
Half Time: Possible lawsuits and a pro-Palestine gatecrasher
For a few years now, Apple Music has been responsible for presenting the Super Bowl Halftime Show, a highly anticipated presentation for all attendees, who pay between $7,450 and $35,000 for a seat to see their favorite team or simply to attend and experience one of the most anticipated sporting events of the year.
The lights go down. Everything is ready for Kendrick Lamar, one of the biggest rappers today, to make his appearance. Everything looked good up to that point. The lights go up in the center of the stage, which has been set up to make an impact. Actor Samuel L. Jackson appears in a penguin suit and top hat, emulating Uncle Sam.
Lamar begins singing while squatting on a classic car from which a host of dancers emerge, who, it is acknowledged, performed an impeccable choreography that helped a poor show. It all started with the song Squabble Up, followed by his successful hits Humble and DNA. Then he added Euphoria and Not Like Us, the latter a surprise and a direct call to fellow rapper Drake.
Although he won several Grammy Awards for this song, it is a settling of scores with the Canadian rapper, as in this song he not only questions his identity, but also accuses him of criminal acts. “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles,” says one of the lines of the song. But that was not all, as Lamar was accompanied dancing by the glorious Serena Williams, yes, one of the most important tennis players in the history of the white sport, who is believed to have dated Drake. According to legal experts, a strong lawsuit is coming against Universal Music Group (UMG), Lamar’s record label, for “defamation of potentially defamatory content.”
Halfway through, Lamar was joined by fellow artist SZA for hits “Luther” and “All the Stars.” Other hits Lamar performed included “Man at the Garden,” “Gnx,” “Peekaboo” and “Tv Off.”
After the show ended, social media was filled with memes and messages more against than in favor of the long-awaited Halftime Show, even vindicating the show given by The Weekend, which was highly criticized for its mediocrity.
Incidentally, one of Lamar’s backup dancers was arrested on the field and could face charges after unfurling a flag combining the Sudanese and Palestinian flags with the words “Sudan” and “Gaza” written on it. The NFL confirmed that the person was part of the 400-member team, while the New Orleans Police Department said in a statement that “police are working to determine applicable charges in this incident.”
Let's get back to the game
Jake Elliott sends the opening kickoff into the end zone. Touchback. Patrick Mahomes doesn't get off to a good start in the second half, another Philadelphia sack. Jake Elliott scores a 29-yard field goal and the score advances to 27-0.
And the carnage continues, Jalen Hurts passes to DeVonta Smith for a 46-yard touchdown and Jake Elliott scores another extra point, 34-0. Here everything seemed lost for the Chiefs, and I'm not talking about the game itself, but about being able to remove that terrible zero from the scoreboard.
And it came! Finally, a touchdown fell for the Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes passed to the right to Xavier Worthy for 24 yards and finally they brought the score to zero. But that was it, because they did not achieve the 2-point conversion. Score: 34-6.
The Eagles' indomitable kicker showed his power again and had a perfect night. Jake Elliott scored a 48-yard field goal and added three points to Philadelphia. 37-6. He did it again and connected on another one, but this time from 50 yards, giving his team a 40-6 lead.
After a back-and-forth, Patrick Mahomes scored another 6 points after passing to DeAndre Hopkins for a 7-yard touchdown, and this time they converted and added two more points for a 40-14. He repeated the feat and after a pass to Xavier Worthy for 50 yards he added another 6 points, and then, again a successful conversion for two points. Here everything came to 40-22 and there was nothing more the Kansas Chiefs could do, who, for many, needed a lesson in humility and a lesson to make them reflect on their arrogance and lack of respect.
Let's celebrate
Amidst tears, smiles, screams, kisses and unstoppable emotion, the Philadelphia Eagles took home their Vince Lombardi, getting rid of the bad taste they had a couple of years ago, proving that there is someone who can beat Patrick Mahomes and that a defeat is just a step to rising to victory and becoming part of the legends.
Jalen Hurts is no longer in pain. Not only did he win the Vince Lombardi, he was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game that led the Eagles to soar.
“I have a lot of respect for Pat, everything that he’s been through, and I think in the end things come together in the moment. The last time I was here it wasn’t my moment, sometimes you have to accept that you have to lose. With everything that happened in the last Super Bowl I still feel a little empty because we had a great performance and it wasn’t enough to win. I think going through those emotions and processing those things and my experience made a big change in my life, in me, and it improved my desire to win,” Hurts said in a press conference after the game, where he thanked his parents for the upbringing they have given him.
Extra Time
One of the artists who was known to be at the event was Taylor Swift, who has been the girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce for a couple of years. The famous woman arrived dressed in a white shirt and not the jersey of her “love,” as expected. Here, her fans have no weight, and every time she was caught on camera she was booed loudly.
The one that is always welcomed in every home where the Super Bowl is watched in the United States is the Hass avocado, yes, the Mexican one, the famous “green gold,” which is known to have been more expensive and less abundant.
Although Mexican producers ruled out a decrease in avocado exports at the beginning of the month, academics pointed out that there was an impact on imports from the United States, as there was a reduction of approximately 15 percent in the amount of this fruit crossing the border.
Media reported that this year there were 27 thousand fewer tons of Mexican avocados at the Super Bowl. They highlighted that in 2024, 137 thousand tons were sold, and this year only 110 thousand. All this while producers are waiting for March 4 to find out if there will be a 25 percent tariff.
Even as a six-month dry season begins for American football fans and the hangover from the Super Bowl is just beginning, everyone is starting to set their sights on Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, home of the 49ers, where the LX edition of Super Bowl will be held.
It was Wednesday and we decided to use the cinema discount to go see Emilia Perez, which I still didn't know much about, but the comments about it were already starting to filter through my social networks. Most of them were negative towards the film, while others, although much less, said that it was a good film. I was surprised that several people commented that they had felt offended by seeing it and that many others had even demanded a refund from the cinema, after feeling cheated. So, in the middle of all that controversy, my partner and I found ourselves in the almost empty cinema, with popcorn and soda in hand.
The big screen lit up and after twenty long minutes of commercials, the image of a mariachi appeared and the background cry of the old iron, so characteristic of Mexico City.. I immediately thought of the generic nature of that image, used over and over again by foreigners to define Mexican culture and identity.
After that, a woman who works as a lawyer, who, after a suspicious call, is kidnapped at a newspaper stand by what we assume are drug traffickers. Now in what seems to be a far away place from Mexico City, the lawyer finds herself in front of “Manitas”, a powerful drug dealer who asks her for help in exchange for his desire to change her sex and with it her life. The lawyer is always calm.
“El Manitas” without using a gram of violence and almost moved to tears with the photo of his children and his wife in his hands. Outside, trucks with loud music, technicolor lights and criminals watching the alliance between the drug trafficker and the lawyer who, after several dances and songs, manages to make “El Manitas” achieve her transition to being Emilia Pérez.
As the film progressed, I felt increasingly angry and offended, because what I was seeing had not a grain of truth. That is to say, since the so-called war on drugs promoted in 2006 by then-President Felipe Calderón, we know that criminal groups and drug trafficking networks operate in the most cruel and violent ways. That citizens live in fear of going out and being part of the thousands of forced disappearances that we see on the news every day. And that the scenarios shown in the film are rather very unbelievable stage sets of the environments in which they intend to tell the story of a subject that deeply affects us: organized crime.
By this time I was barely holding onto my popcorn and was instead starting to make disapproving comments about what I was watching. But there was a decisive moment when I couldn't take it anymore. It was the scene where victims are seen singing and asking for help for their families, followed by a scene showing faces of missing people against a black background, while Emilia Perez redeems herself from her past as a hitman, to now build a help center for the poor victims, while singing to them that she will be their savior.
Emilia Pérez redeems herself from her past as a hitman, to now build a help center for the poor victims, while singing to them that she will be their savior.
After this scene, my partner and I turned to look at each other in a knowing gesture that revealed that I was not the only one who felt uncomfortable. We stood up from our seats and left the room.
Emilia Perez It does not connect with reality—not even with its musical themes and dances that pretend to be protests—about the problems that organized crime and gender bring with them, as fiction often does in art to make us think through its characters or stories, about possibilities that we had not seen before on various topics. Rather, the fictional project by French film director Jacques Audiard shows a Manichean representation of reality through its main character, and evidences from the first moment a narrative that ignores, trivializes, desensitizes and minimizes the complexity of a problem that to this day has left more than 100 thousand people missing in our country.
That a creator considers that, from his arrogance and ignorance, he can deceive his viewer through his artifices, is an insult to those of us who live in contexts of violence. In addition to the fact that through a cultural product such as this, Emilia Perez, narratives are perpetuated that are extremely dangerous for the reality in which we live, where the political extreme right positions itself under racist, classist and power discourses that dissolve the consequences that organized crime and drug trafficking bring with them, such as migration.
I think that recognizing what a cultural product like a movie, a song or a book makes us feel is fundamental to identifying ourselves within our own thinking; that several people criticize Emilia Perez from their own experience through comments on social networks and expressing that they felt offended, angry or scammed, reflects beyond the preferences and tastes of each viewer, part of the positioning and thinking of a society that recognizes when fiction itself deceives it about its context.
It reflects a critical society, which discerns between what is apparent comedy and what borders on an offense to its culture, its identity and its collective memory.
At the end of the day I came home with a bad taste in my mouth and an almost full container of Takis Fuego popcorn, but with the joy of knowing that I live in a critical country that does not keep quiet when someone tries to lie to it about its own reality.
