While Roberto works under a relentless sun, Wendy struggles to keep the food from rotting. The heat wave that is affecting Mexico has so far left eight people dead and disrupted the lives of millions of people.
Roberto De Jesus, 50, offers his services as a bricklayer near the Metropolitan Cathedral in the historic center of Mexico City, where record temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius have been reached this week. Like Wendy, who endures temperatures of up to 40 degrees Celsius, Roberto is facing the third heat wave affecting the country this year, which is expected to last another two weeks.
It is midday, and the sun is heating up the asphalt and the rocks of the buildings in the crowded capital. The crowds and emissions from cars and businesses create an oppressive atmosphere. Roberto spends up to nine hours a day on his feet, waiting for customers, but the hardest part is working outside in the sweltering heat. “We are very sweltering,” he says.
However, it is not only working that has become torturous. Eating at street stalls, a beloved and popular custom among Mexicans, now carries a high risk as the intense heat quickly spoils the food. Roberto experienced this recently when he became sick to his stomach after eating tacos on the street. He spent three days convalescing.
Mexico, with a population of 126 million, experiences heat waves every year, and experts attribute their longer duration today to factors such as climate change.
Street taco vendors are not the villains, as in addition to dealing with the high temperatures, they must work among hot griddles and hot stoves. Javier Ramos, 30, in charge of preparing tacos at a stand in Alameda Central, comments on how horrible the heat is and how they must stay hydrated during 15-hour workdays. Following protocol, they must have fresh ingredients prepared daily, store supplies in coolers, and not mix meat with vegetables to avoid food safety problems.
In different regions of Mexico, temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius. So far, eight victims have been reported, seven from heat stroke and one from dehydration, between April and June. Extreme weather conditions are also affecting cities such as Monterrey, where power outages have been experienced due to the high demand for electricity due to the widespread use of air conditioning. Wendy Tijerina, a resident of Apodaca, comments on the lack of water, the inability to bathe children, and the need to use coolers to keep food and medicines refrigerated.
The state government of Nuevo León has implemented measures, such as reducing school hours, to protect children from extreme weather. The heat wave continues to affect millions of people across Mexico, raising concerns about health, food security, and access to basic resources in the midst of these extreme conditions. amid these extreme conditions.