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The Hill
02-08-2025
- Business
- The Hill
Mexico's tequila boom is threatened by literal highway robbery
Mexico's flourishing tequila sector is an example of the country's success in developing vibrant export industries. But the industry also offers an unfortunate reminder of the risks export companies face from violent crime in general and the hijacking of cargo trucks in particular. During a recent visit to the Pacific Coast state of Jalisco, I saw Mexico's tequila bonanza firsthand. I stopped by a small still operated by a company called Tequila Aretta, as well as Jose Cuervo's massive distillery, the epicenter of production that led to $2.5 billion in revenues in 2024. I sipped samples of flavorful, smoky, amber-hued tequila reposado and añejo and drove through fields lined with endless rows of tall, spiky agave azul plants. I watched heavy trucks rumbling along country roads, moving goods to the state's major highways, towards Mexico's major ports and up to the U.S. for export. Mexico's tequila exports are now a $3.2 billion-a-year industry. Mexico's success as exporter is part of the reason why truck crossings from Mexico to the U.S. tripled from just 1.8 million in 1993 to 5.9 million in 2024. But every bottle of tequila shipped out of Jalisco — including the exquisite Jose Cuervo Reserva de la Familia Extra Anejo I sampled while there — is now facing serious risk before it reaches customers in the U.S. and other markets. Unfortunately, Mexico's export success story is being undermined by persistent problems with roadway security and from armed hijackers. In January, police in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico recovered a truck that was stolen while transporting $128,000 worth of tequila. In December 2021, hijackers in the state of Jalisco intercepted a truck carrying 30,000 liters of tequila, assaulted the driver and stole the truck and cargo. In July 2020, gunmen in Jalisco used a truck to block the road in front of a truck carrying a shipment of tequila and hijack the vehicle to steal the shipment. (Police later recovered the truck and merchandise). These incidents highlight a broader problem in Mexico of persistent violent crime and organized crime activity in many of the country's top nearshoring states. According to Mexico's private security industry association, 15,937 cargo truck hijackings occurred in Mexico in 2024, up 9 percent from 2023. Within the insurance industry, Mexico is widely considered to be the world's worst hotspot for cargo truck hijacking. Reliance Partners (where I am executive vice president) compiles and analyzes data published by Mexico's federal government, showing that the bulk of these hijackings occur in central Mexico in the industrial zone surrounding Mexico City, rather than in border cities such as Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez. In 2024, food and drinks were the most commonly stolen product in cargo truck hijackings in Mexico, accounting for nearly a third of all incidents. The hijacking issue reflects broader concerns affecting foreign companies in Mexico. In 2024, the World Justice Project ranked Mexico in 118th place in its Rule of Law Index, and listed Mexico among the world's worst countries in the categories of order, security and absence of corruption. While homicide totals have declined in recent years, Mexico remains among the world's most violent countries. In 2024, six of the top 10 most violent cities on earth were in Mexico. Shortly after taking office in October 2024, President Claudia Sheinbaum met with the country's powerful CCE business chamber to discuss plans for improving highway security and better protecting companies moving products on Mexico's roadways. In December, Sheinbaum announced the implementation of a strategy called Operation Balam and directed Mexico's National Guard to work directly with private-sector companies to help escort trucks in high-risk zones. More broadly, Sheinbaum has promised to dismantle Mexico's organized crime groups by focusing on improving police intelligence and investigative capacity. Sheinbaum is still just over six months into her first year in office. She has done an admirable job in working to negotiate with the Trump administration, trying to protect Mexican exporters from punitive tariffs. I know from conversations I've had with executives in Mexico that several of Jalisco's top tequila producers have purchased comprehensive insurance policies to protect their merchandise as it is moved over the U.S. border. But many small and mid-size distilleries (as well as a wide range of other export-focused manufacturing companies) still face considerable risk from loss to robbery or hijacking. Mexico's tequila industry is a success story that needs to be protected. President Sheinbaum still needs to do more to improve roadway security and shield Mexico's thriving tequila business from highway robbers.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fortinet Honors the Life and Contributions of Valued Board Member William H. Neukom
SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced the passing of William H. 'Bill' Neukom, a distinguished member of Fortinet's Board of Directors since 2013. During his tenure, Bill provided unwavering leadership, thoughtful guidance, and mentorship that anchored the company through years of significant growth. The Fortinet Board of Directors issues the following statement: 'We are profoundly saddened by the passing of Bill Neukom. His contributions to Fortinet and to the technology industry are immeasurable, and he will be deeply missed as a friend and colleague across our entire organization. Bill embodied a combination of vision, intellect, and warmth. He brought extraordinary insight and dedication to every discussion, always rooted in integrity, accountability, and a deep commitment to people and purpose. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Bill's family, friends, and all those fortunate enough to have worked alongside him. He will be dearly missed and always remembered.' Bill's legacy extends far beyond Fortinet's boardroom, bringing a lifetime of experience, including from his time at Microsoft, where he served as the company's first general counsel, and as founder and CEO of the World Justice Project, a global nonprofit devoted to promoting the rule of law. His lifelong work elevated the importance of corporate responsibility, customer trust, and technology's role in society. His leadership, character, and contributions will remain a lasting part of Fortinet's legacy. About Fortinet ( (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet's solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTS), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet's commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet's elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs. Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet's trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAgent, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiEndpoint FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments. Media Contact: Investor Contact: Analyst Contact: Fortinet, Inc.408-235-7700pr@ Fortinet, Inc. 408-235-7700investors@ Fortinet, Inc.408-235-7700analystrelations@
Globe and Mail
21-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Fortinet Honors the Life and Contributions of Valued Board Member William H. Neukom
SUNNYVALE, Calif., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fortinet ® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced the passing of William H. 'Bill' Neukom, a distinguished member of Fortinet's Board of Directors since 2013. During his tenure, Bill provided unwavering leadership, thoughtful guidance, and mentorship that anchored the company through years of significant growth. The Fortinet Board of Directors issues the following statement: 'We are profoundly saddened by the passing of Bill Neukom. His contributions to Fortinet and to the technology industry are immeasurable, and he will be deeply missed as a friend and colleague across our entire organization. Bill embodied a combination of vision, intellect, and warmth. He brought extraordinary insight and dedication to every discussion, always rooted in integrity, accountability, and a deep commitment to people and purpose. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Bill's family, friends, and all those fortunate enough to have worked alongside him. He will be dearly missed and always remembered.' Bill's legacy extends far beyond Fortinet's boardroom, bringing a lifetime of experience, including from his time at Microsoft, where he served as the company's first general counsel, and as founder and CEO of the World Justice Project, a global nonprofit devoted to promoting the rule of law. His lifelong work elevated the importance of corporate responsibility, customer trust, and technology's role in society. His leadership, character, and contributions will remain a lasting part of Fortinet's legacy. About Fortinet ( Fortinet (Nasdaq: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere our customers need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet's solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTS), government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet's commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet's elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs. Copyright © 2025 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet's trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAgent, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAgent, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiCNP, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortiDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiDLP, FortiEdge, FortiEDR, FortiEndpoint FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPAM, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiScanner, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiSRA, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM, FortiXDR and Lacework FortiCNAPP. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.
Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Trump's bizarre threat to punish Brazil for acting like a democracy will backfire on Americans
There is nothing new about the United States lecturing other nations on the rule of law. But in the past, such scoldings have been doled out in support of democratic values, rather than in an attempt to subvert them. Last week, Donald Trump flipped the old dynamic on its head: The American president delivered a particularly undiplomatic tongue-lashing to his Brazilian counterpart, Lula da Silva — for obeying the law, respecting a free election, and holding a would-be dictator accountable for his crimes. The facts of the case, and Trump's threat to punish Brazil with crushing tariffs for the sin of upholding democracy, show how far the US has slipped from the standards it long claimed to champion. Brazil's former president Jair Bolsonaro revels in the nickname 'Trump of the Tropics,' and in office he shared the authoritarian leanings of his soulmate. When Trump lost his re-election bid in 2020, he fraudulently denied the election results and incited his supporters to stage a violent assault on the US Capitol. When Bolsonaro lost his own re-election campaign two years later, he followed his friend's playbook almost exactly: Just two days after the anniversary of Trump's January 6 insurrection, Bolsonaro's partisans stormed the federal government buildings in the capital city of Brasília. But Brazil's justice system took its job more seriously than America's had. Merrick Garland, the timid US Attorney General selected by Trump's successor Joe Biden, dithered and delayed investigating Trump's crimes until it was too late for a successful prosecution. Brazil's justice system, by contrast, snapped speedily into action: In February 2025, it charged the former leader with a variety of coup-related offenses. On his first day back in office this year, Trump pardoned every one of the nearly 1,600 insurgents who had been convicted (in many cases, who had pleaded guilty) for the January 6 attack. The fact that Brazil was prosecuting Bolsonaro for nearly identical actions has clearly enraged Trump. 'This Trial should not be taking place,' he fulminated, in his letter to Bolsonaro's successor Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. 'It is a Witch Hunt that should end IMMEDIATELY!' Is Bolsonaro guilty of the crimes alleged? It sure looks that way — but that's what a trial is meant to determine. Nobody alleges that the Brazilian judicial system isn't credible: The World Justice Project, for example, gives the nation the exact same rating on its Rule of Law Index that it gives to India. The evidence against Bolsonaro is strong, and he has every opportunity to make his counter-argument in court. That's how the rule of law works. Well, that's how it works in nations which respect the law, and for people who aren't Donald Trump. Throughout his life, Trump has used his wealth and power to evade legal accountability for alleged crimes ranging from fraud and corruption to sexual abuse and theft of classified documents. When he finally faced trial for his most serious attack on American democracy, he was given the constitutionally-implausible gift of absolute legal immunity — by a Supreme Court majority composed of justices who had either been appointed by him or effectively declared themselves his political partisans. It's understandable that he'd be surprised at Bolsonaro's fate: The prospect of misdeeds leading to meaningful punishment is something Trump himself has never had to face. If the cause of Trump's wrath is unjust, his tool of vengeance is even worse. He threatened Brazil, in contradiction to US law, with 50 per cent tariffs across the board. US citizens will bear the brunt (a tariff is simply a tax on imports), but Brazilian exporters will suffer too. An American buying a pound of coffee that costs $10 today will pay $15 for it in August; the Brazilian farm producing the coffee might go out of business. Under the US constitution, only Congress can impose taxes. It has delegated tariff authority to the President for a very specific set of reasons: Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, for example, permits tariffs in response to unfair foreign trade practices; Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 authorises tariffs if imports threaten national security. A president can't legally impose a tariff just because he wants to. That's exactly what Trump has threatened to do. His entire global tariff war — imposing a 10 per cent levy on all imports, with significantly higher tariffs on a country-by-country basis — has an exceptionally flimsy claim on legality. Trump invoked a provision of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, permitting tariffs in response to a formally-declared national emergency. This is, of course, nonsense: The US has no national emergency stemming from any nation's trading practices — let alone from the trading practices of every nation on earth. But threatening to slap Brazil with tariffs linked to the Bolsonaro trial goes even further: Here, there isn't even a pretense of any motivation based on America's economic interest. In other cases, Trump has made the (absurd) argument that bilateral trade deficits constitute a national emergency — but Brazil is a nation with which the US has a trade surplus, and has had one for 18 years. The rationale here is nothing more than presidential pique. Trump is threatening to use a power he does not legally possess, to inflict harm on both Americans and Brazilians, purely because a democratic nation dares to practise democracy. For decades, American leaders have spoken eloquently in defense of values such as rule of law. Sometimes the speeches were hypocritical, given the gap between America's ideals and its real-life practices. But quite often advocating universal values serves a real purpose: Ask a survivor of Apartheid South Africa or Tiananmen Square whether they desired more US moral leadership or less, and you'll hear few of them arguing for American silence. In the past, all US presidents did their moral preaching in rhetorical support of democracy and rule of law. We've never before had a president actively jawboning foreign leaders against these values. And when Trump carries out his latest tariff threat on August 1, he'll effectively translate his jawboning into precisely the kind of anti-democratic action he's trying to force on Brazil: By wielding presidential power with blatant illegality, he'll go from demanding the law's debasement to actually causing it. The writer is is author of Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God: Retracing the Ramayana Through India and Mullahs on the Mainframe: Islam and Modernity Among the Daudi Bohras
New Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Strong judiciary crucial for Malaysia's economic prospects
KUALA LUMPUR: Senior lawyer Steven Thiru paid tribute to former chief justice Tengku Tun Maimun Tuan Mat, saying under her stewardship, Malaysia made steady improvements in the Rule of Law Index. "We had a renaissance. We are doing better on the index on almost every score. Not the best, because we know we are not the best and we are still struggling, but far better than the past," he said. Malaysia ranked 55 out of 142 in the Rule of Law Index in 2023 and last year. Regionally, Malaysia also ranked seventh out of 15 countries in East Asia and Pacific over the same period. Speaking at the Public Forum on Judicial Integrity held at the Universiti Malaya Alumni Association Clubhouse on Sunday, Thiru said judicial independence was not just a concern for legal professionals but a crucial factor influencing foreign investment decisions. The Commonwealth Law Association president said the international community pays close attention to how the rule of law is upheld in each country. "The Rule of Law Index, compiled by the Washington-based World Justice Project, studies the rule of law in every country on factors such as freedom, freedom of speech, association, and so on. They also do a study on how independent the judiciary is in any particular country. "Why is the Rule of Law Index important? This is a document that is looked at by any foreign government if they want to invest in any particular country. "It wants to know, in any particular country, what is your rule of law health. "If it is not very healthy, they are not going to invest. No matter how many overseas trips you make and how much potential foreign direct investment you have, none of it is going to happen, as they will go back and ask the advisors, 'Show me the (Rule of Law) Index.' "If the index shows that you are performing badly, the advice to the government and to their businesspeople is to look somewhere else," said the former Malaysian Bar president.
