There's actually no law prohibiting a visitor from sunbathing on a National Palace window, according to the president. Rather, she said, it's a matter of respect. (Screenshot of video taken from Mexico City's Zócalo)
In an episode that could have been seen in MND’s much-loved El Jalapeño satirical column, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that the viral image of a woman working on her tan from one of the windows of Mexico City’s National Palace wasn’t an AI-generated image but, rather, quite real.
The video surfaced a week ago and soon went viral. Although it was recorded from a mobile device at a long distance, it is possible to see that the individual is a young woman with her dress lifted modestly to bare her lower legs, presumably for tanning purposes.
— La Jornada Estado de México (@JornadaEdomex) March 30, 2026
Because the National Palace is the official residence and office of Mexico’s president, the video prompted debate about the inappropriate use of a historical and official building.
Days later, the Infodemia MX organization, which belongs to the Mexican State Public Broadcasting System (SPR), said that it submitted the video through a verification process and concluded that it was a deepfake.
However, Sheinbaum revealed during her Monday morning press conference that the content of the video is, in fact, real.
“At first, the relevant department requested information from the area where this window is located and they reported that no one had ever gone out to sunbathe there,” she said. “Later, they checked and it turns out that there was indeed a person who had sat in the window that day.”
The president chuckled as she delivered the news, but was serious about the issue of respect.
#EnLaMañanera | ¡Fue real! Claudia Sheinbaum confirma que una persona sí salió a ‘broncearse’ en Palacio Nacional, tras la difusión de un video viral en #redessociales; aclara que ya fue ‘sancionada’ y llamó a respetar el inmueble como como patrimonio histórico pic.twitter.com/S7cnhdZPMZ
“We must have great respect for what the National Palace represents as a historical landmark,” she said. “While it is not explicitly forbidden to sunbathe on a window at the National Palace, we must respect the meaning of this heritage.”
The woman has been sanctioned and informed that such actions were unacceptable, but Sheinbaum gave no details about what the sanctions consisted of, nor the identity of the woman.
The highway blockades are expected to commence on Monday morning, with most to be set up by 7 a.m. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
Truckers and farmers are set to protest on highways across Mexico next Monday, April 6, in a collective effort to create another so-called megabloqueo, or mega-blockade.
The National Truckers Association (ANTAC) and the National Front for the Rescue of the Countryside (FNRCM) have confirmed that a nationwide protest against insecurity on highways and other problems will take place on Easter Monday.
ANTAC leader David Estévez Gamboa said in a video message that April 6 was deliberately chosen as the protest date so as not to affect people using the nation’s highways during the Holy Week holiday period.
“We want people to be able to go on vacation, we’re not irresponsible. But after, on April 6, we have the need to protest,” he said, calling the planned action a “national strike.”
Despite those remarks, it appears inevitable that some vacationers (and many other motorists) will be affected by highway blockades next Monday. School holidays will not end until Friday of next week.
In November, farmers organized a major blockade in protest of a reform to the National Water Law that created backups in more than half of Mexico’s 32 states. (Adolfo Vladimir/Cuartoscuro)
Estévez asserted that authorities are not interested in resolving the problem of insecurity on Mexico’s highways, a view the federal government rejects. According to the protest organizers, security problems on highways include robberies, abductions, homicides and acts of extortion perpetrated by members of security forces. Eraclio Rodríguez, an FNRCM delegate in Chihuahua, told the Reforma newspaper that the federal Agriculture Ministry hasn’t fulfilled commitments it made to farmers in December.
To express their opposition to the prevailing situation, Estévez called on protesters to “paralyze absolutely everything” next Monday — i.e., bring the country, or at least its highways, to a standstill.
In addition to urging the government to address security problems on highways, truckers and farmers are set to make a range of other demands next Monday. Those demands include:
The permanent presence of the National Guard on stretches of highway known for crime.
A reduction in the price of diesel and the elimination of the IEPS tax on that fuel.
The urgent repair of potholes on highways.
The provision of subsidies to offset the increase in the price of agricultural inputs.
Action against dumping of agricultural products in the Mexican market.
Access to development bank loans for sole proprietor truckers.
Access to medical treatment at IMSS Bienestar facilities, including for work-related chronic illnesses.
Access to housing schemes designed specifically for transport workers.
Estévez said that the trucking and agricultural sectors are a “key part” of the Mexican economy, and asserted that to date there has been “no clear solution” to the problems they face.
Which highways will be affected?
ANTAC and FNRCM have not yet confirmed which highways they intend to block next Monday. However, various media outlets reported that total or partial blockades are expected on numerous highways, including:
Interior Ministry claims there is ‘no motive’ for the planned protest
The federal Interior Ministry (Segob) released a statement on Tuesday in response to the announcement that truckers and farmers will protest next Monday.
The ministry said that “mechanisms” have already been established to “guarantee conditions for dialogue” between truckers, farmers and the government, and to ensure the “solution to their problems.”
Segob asserted that a range of concerns, including those related to highway security, have been addressed in a “timely manner.”
The ministry said that agricultural sector demands, including ones “focused on conflicts that affect transport [of goods] and productive activity,” have also been addressed and “relevant agreements” between the sector and authorities have been reached.
In that context, “there is no motive for the protest” planned for Monday, Segob asserted.
“The Mexican government reiterates its ongoing commitment to open, respectful, and institutional dialogue with all organizations in the agricultural and transportation sectors,” the ministry said.
Referring to the transport sector, Segob said that “specific working sessions have been held, leading to agreements aimed at improving safety, regulation, and operational efficiency on highways.”
Regarding specific “actions” implemented, the Interior Ministry highlighted “the strengthening of security operations in coordination with federal authorities” and “the supervision of inspection checkpoints,” among others.
De la Fuente (R) said in his resignation message that Sheinbaum had appointed Roberto Velasco (L) as his successor. Velasco is the current deputy foreign minister for North America. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Juan Ramón de la Fuente has stepped down as Mexico’s foreign affairs minister for health reasons and is set to be replaced by Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco.
El Doctor Juan Ramón de la Fuente tomó la decisión de dejar el cargo de secretario de Relaciones Exteriores por motivos de salud. Es parte de nuestro proyecto y, cuando termine su rehabilitación, se reincorporará con nosotros en otra tarea.
He decidido proponer al Senado de la… pic.twitter.com/nxg1awheqi
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) April 1, 2026
According to the newspaper Reforma, the outgoing foreign minister advised colleagues of his resignation in a written message, telling them that he asked Sheinbaum to allow him to leave his position in order to attend to a spinal problem for which he has already undergone surgery on two occasions.
He told colleagues that he may need to have another operation in order to remain “active” and “productive.”
De la Fuente, a 74-year-old psychiatrist and former rector of the National Autonomous University, said in his message that Sheinbaum has appointed Velasco, deputy foreign minister for North America, as his successor.
“I know his leadership, I know his loyalty. He will be a foreign minister who provides great support to the president from this ministry,” he wrote of Velasco, who has headed up the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s North America department since 2020.
De la Fuente, who served as Mexico’s health minister in the 1990s and as the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations between 2018 and 2023, became foreign affairs minister at the start of Sheinbaum’s presidency on Oct. 1, 2024.
He has been particularly active in defending the rights of Mexicans who live abroad, especially in the United States. De la Fuente has also been involved in negotiations with the Trump administration on issues such as security and trade.
Velasco, 38, stood in as head of the Foreign Affairs Ministry late last year while de la Fuente was on medical leave.
Sheinbaum: ‘I told him, don’t go, Juan Ramón’
Accompanied by de la Fuente and Velasco, Sheinbaum announced the foreign minister’s decision to step down in a video message on Wednesday afternoon.
“I already told him, ‘Don’t go, Juan Ramón,’ but he has this health problem and he has decided that he needs this space for rehabilitation,” she said.
The president said that de la Fuente “will continue helping us on different issues” and will return to the government in an unspecified position when he has completed his rehabilitation.
Sheinbaum said that Velasco is an international relations “expert,” with “a lot of knowledge” about Mexico’s foreign policy. She wrote on social media that she had decided to propose his appointment as foreign minister to the Senate.
President Sheinbaum and departing Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente on a call with U.S. President Donald Trump following his election in 2024. (Cuartoscuro)
For his part, De la Fuente thanked the president for allowing him to be part of her “political project” — i.e., the “fourth transformation” movement founded by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and now led by Sheinbaum. He said that defending Mexico and assisting and supporting Mexicans abroad, regardless of their migratory status, had been “a great privilege.”
De la Fuente also said that Velasco has been a “great colleague” and declared he was certain that his tenure as foreign minister would be “very successful.”
Velasco thanked Sheinbaum for her confidence in him and said it was an “enormous honor” to be nominated as foreign minister. He said he would take on the position with “a lot of love for the people” and “a lot of commitment to our country.”
“Of course if the Senate ratifies me [as foreign minister], we’re going to continue with this work of defending the sovereignty of Mexico and protecting Mexicans across the whole world,” Velasco said.
Overall, airlines operating in Mexico did not increase their passenger loads during the first two months of this year as much as they did during the first two months of last year. (AIFA)
Air passenger traffic slowed down in Mexico in January and February compared to the same period last year, but some outlying positive numbers, most notably in Durango, bucked the overall trend.
The Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC) reports that the combined total of passengers carried by domestic and international airlines operating in Mexico in the first two months of this year reached a 1.5% year-over-year increase, while the increase registered in January-February 2025 was more than twice as high at 3.5%.
Durango International Airport (officially Aeropuerto Internacional General Guadalupe Victoria) was a bright spot in an otherwise slow air travel market during the first two months of this year, registering an 18% jump over its passenger totals during the same period last year. (Facebook)
Even though the number of passengers was actually slightly higher this year than last, the deceleration qualifies the sector’s two-month performance as a slowdown.
The same slowing trend prevailed in other flight categories. For example, domestic operations went up by just 1.1% (to 9.6 million), a clear drop from the 3.9% increase recorded in 2025.
Between January and February, international flights by domestic Mexican airlines carried 2.9 million passengers, representing a 3.5% increase. That pales in comparison to last year’s 6.9%.
International airlines operating in Mexico were the one bright exception. The 7.7 million passengers served represented a 1.3% increase over 2025 — not huge by any means but considerably higher than the 0.6% increase in January-February of last year over 2024.
February numbers were lower than January’s this year, perhaps owing to the outbreak of violence after the death of cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho,” Oseguerar on Feb. 22. The effect of the flurry of flight cancellations that took place in that period will be reflected in the March data.
Durango International Airport (DGO) was one of several individual airports that bucked the downward trend with some positive numbers. It reported an extraordinary 18% growth in its January-February passenger figures, handling 95,000 passengers.
According to DGO’s office, the airport handled 570,000 travelers last year; at its current rate, DGO will double its traffic year over year.
Meanwhile, Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) near Mexico City continues its consolidation process. Four years after its inauguration, the airport has handled more than 18.3 million passengers — growing from 913,000 travelers in its opening year of 2022 to over 7 million in 2025.
With 41 domestic and 5 international destinations currently on offer, AIFA is aimed at expanding its route network: state-owned Mexicana de Aviación announced today that it will add a direct connection to Acapulco in June 2026 and Hermosillo in July, with at least three further destinations in the pipeline and 15 new aircraft set to join the fleet this year. Despite this momentum, the airport’s traffic figures trail well behind those of Mexico City International Airport (AICM), which, with annual passenger traffic of approximately 45 million, remains the dominant hub in the region.
The cross-border fiber optic network is designed to meet the surging connectivity demands of artificial intelligence and data centers and will extend high-speed internet to key cities along Mexico’s Pacific corridor. (LinkedIn)
A Mexican telecommunications company is pouring more than 5 billion pesos (US $280 million) into a cross-border fiber optic network designed to meet the surging connectivity demands of artificial intelligence and data centers.
C3ntro Telecom, owned by Simón Masri, is at the halfway point of building Project Tikva — a 2,500-kilometer underground fiber route linking Querétaro, one of Mexico’s busiest data center hubs, to Phoenix, Arizona, another major node in North American digital infrastructure.
The company says it has already laid roughly 1,200 kilometers of the network and expects to complete the project by the end of 2026.
Current efforts are concentrated in the northern state of Sonora, where C3ntro, accompanied by Governor Alfonso Durazo, broke ground last week. This phase of construction, which will pass through 16 cities, including Nogales, Guaymas, Ciudad Obregón and Navojoa, represents an investment of 1.25 billion pesos (US $67.4 million) and is expected to create 350 direct jobs.
The route will reach communities and sectors — agriculture, mining and manufacturing — where fiber connectivity has been largely absent.
On the whole, the project aims to reach over 27 million people, including roughly 3 million in Sonora, by selling wholesale capacity to regional internet providers who will handle the last-mile connection.
Governor Durazo accompanied C3ntro executives as they inaugurated the Sonora phase of Project Tikva last week. (LinkedIn)
CEO Eli Sitt told the news magazine Expansión that the network is designed for hyperscaler-grade applications and that the company is already in talks — though not yet publicly confirmed — with clients including the likes of Microsoft, Amazon, Google and Meta.
Tikva also carries a “Hecho en México” certification under the federal government’s Plan México initiative, which helped streamline right-of-way permits for the underground deployment on both sides of the border.
MEXICO CITY — President Claudia Sheinbaum met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the National Palace Monday, marking what officials described as a “productive” encounter and what historians may eventually describe as the most underacknowledged diplomatic performance of the decade, conducted entirely under the cover of football administration.
In the past six months, Sheinbaum has offered sanctuary to Iran after the United States suggested their players might not survive the trip, fielded 46 separate requests from nations seeking refuge from the US co-host, managed cartel violence in Guadalajara severe enough to threaten Mexico’s hosting status, overseen the renovation of the oldest World Cup stadium on earth, coordinated a transport operation for 80,000 people in a city with unfinished parking lots, and maintained throughout a tone of such consistent and unruffled diplomacy that the phrase “we have relations with every country in the world” has become, effectively, a foreign policy doctrine.
How many World Cups does a country have to host to get a peace prize around here? (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Infantino called it “a fiesta.” He also gave her a red card. A novelty one. As a gift. Sources confirmed she smiled.
The FIFA Prize for Peacebuilding Through Football, previously awarded to Donald Trump — a man currently conducting an active military operation in the Middle East — has not been offered to Sheinbaum, who has spent six months using football as a vehicle for actual peacebuilding. The prize committee did not respond to questions about the distinction. Infantino did not raise the subject during Monday’s meeting.
Infantino flew home. Iran still needs somewhere to play. The parking is ongoing.
"Not agreeing with the government is one thing ... and another very different thing is to speak [badly] about Mexico," President Sheinbaum said on Wednesday. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
✈️ State airline hits 1 million tickets: Mexicana has sold 1.02 million tickets and carried 953,624 passengers since launching in December 2023, boasting a 95% passenger satisfaction rate. Seven new Embraer planes arrive this year, with new AIFA routes planned to Acapulco (June) and Hermosillo (July).
🎙️ Sheinbaum slams opposition’s U.S. media appearances: The president criticized Mexican politicians who appear on U.S. television to “speak badly of Mexico” and call for U.S. intervention, calling the behavior unpatriotic and a threat to national sovereignty.
🗳️ Right returning to power? Very unlikely, says Sheinbaum: Asked about the political opposition’s chances at upcoming elections, Sheinbaum cited polling and improvements in living standards as evidence that Morena’s grip on power remains firm.
Why today’s mañanera matters
The director of Mexicana got the opportunity to talk up the state-owned commercial airline at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference.
Also of note at today’s mañanera were Sheinbaum’s criticism of politicians who speak ill of Mexico, and her assessment of the future electoral prospects of Mexico’s political right.
Mexicana has sold more than 1 million tickets in 2 years
Two years and three months after the state-owned commercial airline Mexicana began operations, director Leobardo Ávila Bojórquez provided an update on the carrier’s “situation.”
State-owned Mexicana Airlines is reaching its millionth passenger after two years of operations. (Solojaynvm/Wikimedia Commons)
He said that since December 2023, the airline has sold 1.02 million tickets, transported 953,624 passengers and flown 14,473 flights. Data presented by Ávila showed that Mexicana has a 95% satisfaction rating among passengers. In 2025, Mexicana was Mexico’s fifth most popular airline for domestic flights with over 434,000 passengers.
Ávila noted that Mexicana flies to 14 destinations around Mexico, with the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in México state serving as the airline’s hub. Among the destinations the airline serves are Tulum, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Mérida, Campeche, Ciudad Victoria, Ixtepec, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tijuana.
Ávila said that Mexicana will receive seven new Embraer planes this year, and add new routes from AIFA to Acapulco in June and AIFA to Hermosillo in July.
Later in the press conference, Sheinbaum said that Mexicana offers “more affordable prices” than other airlines and declared that “its vision is not about profit per se.”
“Obviously, all companies have to be profitable because it’s not about subsidizing state-owned companies,” she added.
Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexican flies to airports that other commercial airlines don’t fly to, and declared that traveling with the state-owned carrier is an “extraordinary experience.”
“I invite you to use Mexicana de Aviación,” she said, adding that the operations of the airline are going “very well.”
Sheinbaum takes aim at politicians who speak badly of Mexico on US television
Sheinbaum told reporters that Mexico is a “free and democratic” country and people can “freely” express their opinions.
However, “what we constantly say here is that not agreeing with the government is one thing … and another very different thing is to speak [badly] about Mexico,” she said.
“I’m very critical of the deputies and senators who go to the U.S. television stations to speak badly of Mexico and to request the intervention of the United States in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said.
Lilly Téllez responde a Sheinbaum y alega que ella ‘no habla mal de México’ en Fox News
Senator Lilly Téllez again took the opportunity to criticize the Sheinbaum administration in the context of the World Cup on Fox News.
“What is that?” she questioned with visible exasperation.
“When had this occurred before? The nerve of it,” Sheinbaum said before accusing politicians who speak badly of Mexico of being unpatriotic and failing to stand up for the country’s sovereignty.
Sheinbaum — who was backed by the leftist Morena party at the 2024 presidential election — is an extremely popular president, with many, but not all, polls consistently finding that she has an approval rating of around 70% or higher.
Since Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected president in 2018, Morena has been Mexico’s predominant political party. It governs a majority of Mexico’s 32 federal entities and holds majorities in both houses of federal Congress.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
With the arrival of Holy Week, the Procession of Silence takes center stage in the religious life of parishioners in the Bajío region of Mexico, especially on Good Friday. (DavidTottto/Wikimedia Commons)
AsHoly Week celebrations begin in La Piedad, in the central state of Michoacán, the entire town enters a different, almost funereal, trance. Remembering the biblical passage of Jesus’ death and resurrection, the townspeople adorn the whole city in shades of purple, the preferred color in Catholic tradition for markingfarewell rituals.
Pili Ruiz, 26, was born and raised in La Piedad, one of the largest cities in thestate. Known primarily for its pork-based products, it has established itself as a “regional engine,” notes theMinistry of Economy, “due to its foreign direct investment, agricultural exports and significant international sales in sectors such as plastics and machinery.” Moreover, Michoacán remains one of the most conservative and Catholic states in the country, second only to Guanajuato.
The Procesión del Silencio is a reenactment of the transfer of Jesus’ body to the Holy Sepulchre. (DavidTottto/Wikimedia Commons)
For as long as she can remember, the same ritual has marked her Easter holidays: the Procession of Silence. In an exclusive interview with Mexico News Daily, Ruiz explains the deep community ties that this religious tradition — often harsh in the eyes of foreigners — continues to have in her hometown, as well as throughout the Bajío region of Mexico.
What exactly is the Procesión del Silencio?
“On the day Jesus Christ died, Holy Thursday,” Pili explains, “his body is believed to have remained on the Cross. The Procession of Silence is a reenactment of the transfer of his body to the Holy Sepulchre.” During the reenactment, the woman from La Piedad details, “a statue of Jesus’s body lying down, wrapped in white sheets, is carried.”
“At the front of the procession is a group of hooded figures carrying incense and a drum, which is the only sound made.” Ultimately, thisfuneral procession should be conducted in complete silence.
These drums are how the townspeople know the Procession of Silence is near and that it is necessary to leave their homes to show due respect to the body of Jesus.
Pili recalls that the Procession of Silence is something that has “existed all (her) life,” for as long as she can remember. On Good Friday, she tells MND, “We would all gather at my aunt’s house and watch from the sidewalk” as the Procession of Silence passed by. Some members of the community would join the procession at the back to accompany the body of Jesus Christ through the city, until they reached the church in the Zócalo.
A syncretic display of faith in Mexico
La Piedad is not the only place in Mexico where this ritual takes place. On the contrary, similar religious practices are found throughout the Bajío region. Specifically in the state of Michoacán, thisCatholic practice is thought to date back to the 16th century, following years of spiritual conquest by the Spanish.
Every few seconds, a hooded figure strikes a drum with a sharp beat to mark the rhythm of the funeral march. (DavidTottto/Wikimedia Commons)
These performances were intentionally somber: they were a way of teaching the new religion to the colonies in Latin America. Through fear and graphic narratives, the spiritual conquest of Latin America produced syncretic celebrations. Many of these traditions also incorporate Indigenous elements, such as the embroidery on the garments of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus himself.
The Procesión del Silencio gained strength in the 19th century, when it spread throughout the country. It is accompanied by antique religious images, most notably the Christ of Sugarcane Paste and Our Lady of Solitude.
Biblical reenactments
This tradition can be traced to Spain, where entire cities halt activities to reenact these biblical passages. Tradition dictates that, before the Procession of Silence, a special mass is held on Holy Thursday, where, Pili says, the Washing of the Feet takes place. This reenactment refers to the moment when, after the Last Supper, Jesus washes the feet of his disciples and friends. Major cities in the Bajío region reenact the Via Crucis, or the path Jesus took to Mount Golgotha, carrying the cross on his back.
After his sacrifice, as per the Catholic tradition in central Mexico, the faithful represent this funerary procession. Some of the most famous performances are in theSan Luis Potosí state, north of Michoacán. However, the version in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, has been recognized as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Besides being an act of respect and mourning for believers, thesetraditions unite the community under a single rhythm: that of the funeral drum and, sometimes, the cries of the professional mourners. “He died for our sins, he died for our sins, he died for our sins!”
Do people find solace in these impactful expressions of faith?
“For a child,” Ruiz admits, “seeing the figure of a dead person is somewhat frightening.” And it’s no wonder. In many ways, a legacy of the spiritual conquest perpetuated by European invaders, that was the intention of these religious manifestations: to instill fear and anguish among the new faithful. Pili acknowledges that the whole event can be “eerie,” especially during childhood, when kids don’t fully understand what it’s all about. “I feel it’s something very imposing.”
Major cities in the Bajío region reenact these biblical passages as a central part of the Holy Week activities. (DavidTottto/Wikimedia Commons)
Years after experiencing this as a child, Pili no longer identifies as Catholic. Even so, when she’s in her hometown on specific dates, “there are certain religious traditions that my family is very accustomed to participating in … and I feel I have to be a part of them.” Not only that: Pili considers that, because of the close relationship the people of Piedad have with these traditions, they are an “indispensable” part of community life — particularly those related to Holy Week.
This sense of duty prevails in Mexican Catholic communities, particularly in the Bajío region, where conservatism and the Church remain pillars of the social fabric. The weight of tradition compels people to participate “very actively,” says Pili, in these religious events. “It was as if my grandmother and aunts were at a wake. Like, ‘Híjole, there goes Jesus dead. We have to be silent and respectful.'”
Los Cabos is one of many places vying to attract World Cup tourists, despite not hosting any games. (Coldwell Banker Riveras)
Across 39 days this summer (June 11 – July 19), billions of people around the world will tune in to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Millions more will travel to watch games held around North America, as this year, for the first time, there will be three host countries: the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Mexico alone is expecting an estimated 5.5 million tourists above average because of the World Cup, according to its Minister of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, and nearly US $3.2 billion in additional revenue. As a result of this influx of tourists and the money it represents, competition is as likely to be as fierce off the pitch as it is on.
Cities hosting games will see the biggest economic impacts from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (X, formerly Twitter)
The three cities hosting games in Mexico — Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey — are the most obvious destinations in the country to benefit from the World Cup bounty. Mexico City, for example, is expecting between 1.5 and 2 million World Cup tourists, per the city’s Hotel Association, but with an average length of stay of only 1.8 days.
These short, game-focused stays in host cities may be complemented with so-called “second stop” destinations, where tourists can unwind from the excitement of seeing their national teams succeed or fail on the world’s biggest sporting stage with more traditional vacation getaways.
Los Cabos makes its case
The “second stop” concept is not new. It has traditionally been associated with mega-events such as World’s Fairs, Olympic Games, and yes, World Cups. Iconic coastal destinations in Mexico, such as Cancún, Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos, are all vying to attract “second stop” tourists and are competing to get them.
Rodrigo Esponda, managing director of the Los Cabos Tourism Board, has repeatedly stressed connectivity as one of the destination’s chief selling points, noting that Los Cabos has direct flights to all the host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico — except Miami and Philadelphia.
“Furthermore,” he told Reportur.co in November 2025, “Los Cabos’ business model is more focused on quality. Tourists coming to the World Cup who are looking for a high-quality, luxurious destination with distinctive natural beauty will prefer Los Cabos. During the World Cup, travel agents will be crucial, inviting their clients not only to enjoy the tournament but also to have a quality vacation in Los Cabos.”
The connectivity comparison
Esponda has been tireless in his efforts to expand Los Cabos connectivity around the world. In addition to flights to cities across Mexico, the U.S. and Canada, Los Cabos also has a connection to Europe via its direct flight from Frankfurt, Germany, and to the South American market — from which six national teams have already qualified — through its recent partnership with Copa Airlines in Panama. The destination is also in talks with Emirates and Turkish Airlines to gain a foothold in the Middle East.
Los Cabos’ connectivity to World Cup host cities across the U.S, Mexico and Canada makes it more attractive as a “second stop” destination. (Los Cabos Tourism Board)
But Los Cabos cannot match Cancún for connectivity — Cancún has direct flights to every World Cup host city and a far larger European imprint — and although Los Cabos does have an advantage over Puerto Vallarta in terms of increased connectivity, its best bets for separating itself from its competition in attracting World Cup tourists considering a “second stop” are likely to be its reputation for luxury and its ability to capitalize on relationships with key markets like Los Angeles.
How Los Cabos distinguishes itself
Puerto Vallarta and Cancún each boast some luxurious accommodations, but over the past decade, Los Cabos has increasingly established itself as Mexico’s luxury leader, with average daily hotel room rates of US $440 across 2025 that were by far the highest in the country. Those prices may put off some budget-minded World Cup tourists, but Esponda is banking that the destination’s commitment to quality will appeal to more upscale travelers.
In addition to capturing the upscale market, Los Cabos is also trying to maximize its historic connections to Los Angeles, a World Cup host city that will host eight games (only Dallas, with nine, will host more). The Los Cabos Tourism Board maintains an office in L.A. and will be working to set up some interesting “first stop–second stop” itineraries based on its strong relationships there.
“Tourists coming to Los Angeles can go to Disneyland and Hollywood, and combine it with a beach trip to Los Cabos,” Esponda points out. “Because we’re also very close, with 10 direct flights. We believe that these kinds of combinations will give us a boost, an additional number of travelers to the destination.”
The Trump factor
Los Cabos, Cancún and Puerto Vallarta could also benefit from anti-Trump sentiment among many World Cup tourists, which may encourage them to visit Canada or Mexico at the expense of the U.S. Bloomberg reported last summer that the U.S. tourism industry was on pace to lose out on over US $12.5 billion in 2025 due to safety concerns and a distaste for Trumpian economic policies (tariffs, notably) on the part of foreign tourists. Travel industry news site Skift noted in December that 46% of international travelers it polled were less likely to visit the U.S. because of its current president.
The slump in U.S.-bound international travel has continued in 2026, and this general trend, along with tougher U.S. immigration policies, will certainly affect World Cup travel plans. In fact, fans of two teams who have qualified for the event are currently banned from traveling to the U.S., those from Haiti and Iran.
What constitutes World Cup success for Los Cabos
Los Cabos is hoping its surfeit of luxurious hotels and resorts, like the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, appeals to World Cup travelers and helps boost summer hotel occupancy. (Los Cabos Tourism Board)
Los Cabos’ World Cup ambitions aren’t extravagant. Esponda is expecting hotel occupancy in the destination to increase from 70% to 75% during the World Cup months of June and July and meeting or surpassing the latter percentage qualifies as success. The goal is essentially to turn two low-season months into what feels a bit more like high-season ones.
Chris Sands is a writer and editor for Mexico News Daily, and the former Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best and writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook. He’s a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including The San Diego Union-Tribune, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise and Travel, and Cabo Living.
A caravan of foreign migrants left the southern border city of Tapachula en route to Mexico City, where they will seek visas so they can find work in Mexico. (Facebook)
A new migrant caravan started heading toward Mexico City last week, criticizing a lack of attention from federal officials as they departed Tapachula, Chiapas.
The participants are primarily foreigners from Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba and Central America who were assembled in Mexico’s southernmost state, where they felt trapped with no prospects for work.
Comprising approximately 800 people, the caravan had reached Pijijiapan — a distance of 133 kilometers (82 miles) — by Tuesday morning, traveling mostly at night to avoid the prevailing heat and humidity.
A group spokesman told Uno TV that the caravan’s goal remained that of reaching the capital to submit visa regularization applications, after which they would continue on to northern states in search of job opportunities.
The group insists it will not engage in intermediate negotiations en route, saying they prefer to talk to federal authorities in Mexico City.
Activists attending to the migrants have documented health problems among members of the caravan, including dehydration, foot injuries and stomach infections.
Uno TV reported that personnel from the National Migration Institute have intervened in a number of cases after travelers experienced health complications during the journey.
On Monday, hundreds of migrants who did not leave with the main caravan and remained in Tapachula were joined by activists and religious leaders, while highlighting the migratory phenomenon by re-enacting the Passion of Christ.
Luis Rey García, director of the Center for Human Dignity, criticized the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (Comar) for failing to fulfill its responsibilities.
“No migrant wants to stay in Tapachula,” he said, adding that there are “tens of thousands of foreigners stranded” because of Comar’s indifference.
There was also vocal criticism of Donald Trump’s deportation policies. Participants who stayed in Tapachula, which included deportees from the U.S., burned an effigy of the U.S. president.
Conexión Indigo | Migrantes deportados junto con activistas religiosos, realizaron en Chiapas el llamado “Viacrucis migrante”. Toda la información con @JMRivaPalacio. pic.twitter.com/8bVWSkm3xL
Among those in Tapachula was Cuban Orlando Guillen Moro, who said he was separated from his family by Trump’s policies and sent to a third country where he and others “face adverse situations such as hatred and discrimination.”
“We are experiencing what Our Lord Jesus Christ went through,” he said, “and we need a light that will lead us to feel like human beings.”
Raúl, another Cuban migrant, said he hoped the Mexican authorities would become aware that many of the foreigners simply want a chance to stay in the country and find a job.
Mexicana has sold more than 1 million tickets in 2 years
Two years and three months after the state-owned commercial airline Mexicana began operations, director Leobardo Ávila Bojórquez provided an update on the carrier’s “situation.”
He said that since December 2023, the airline has sold 1.02 million tickets, transported 953,624 passengers and flown 14,473 flights. Data presented by Ávila showed that Mexicana has a 95% satisfaction rating among passengers. In 2025, Mexicana was Mexico’s fifth most popular airline for domestic flights with over 434,000 passengers.
Ávila noted that Mexicana flies to 14 destinations around Mexico, with the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) in México state serving as the airline’s hub. Among the destinations the airline serves are Tulum, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Mérida, Campeche, Ciudad Victoria, Ixtepec, Monterrey, Guadalajara and Tijuana.
Ávila said that Mexicana will receive seven new Embraer planes this year, and add new routes from AIFA to Acapulco in June and AIFA to Hermosillo in July.
Later in the press conference, Sheinbaum said that Mexicana offers “more affordable prices” than other airlines and declared that “its vision is not about profit per se.”
“Obviously, all companies have to be profitable because it’s not about subsidizing state-owned companies,” she added.
Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexican flies to airports that other commercial airlines don’t fly to, and declared that traveling with the state-owned carrier is an “extraordinary experience.”
“I invite you to use Mexicana de Aviación,” she said, adding that the operations of the airline are going “very well.”
Sheinbaum takes aim at politicians who speak badly of Mexico on US television
Sheinbaum told reporters that Mexico is a “free and democratic” country and people can “freely” express their opinions.
However, “what we constantly say here is that not agreeing with the government is one thing … and another very different thing is to speak [badly] about Mexico,” she said.
“I’m very critical of the deputies and senators who go to the U.S. television stations to speak badly of Mexico and to request the intervention of the United States in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said.
Senator Lilly Téllez again took the opportunity to criticize the Sheinbaum administration in the context of the World Cup on Fox News.
“What is that?” she questioned with visible exasperation.
“When had this occurred before? The nerve of it,” Sheinbaum said before accusing politicians who speak badly of Mexico of being unpatriotic and failing to stand up for the country’s sovereignty.
One Mexican politician who has appeared frequently on Fox News is National Action Party Senator Lilly Téllez, who has declared herself in favor of a U.S. military intervention in Mexico to combat drug cartels.
Sheinbaum: Low chance of the political right returning to power in Mexico
Asked whether there was a “risk” that the political right could return to power in Mexico, Sheinbaum said she saw the possibility as unlikely.
“From my perspective, the probability is very low,” she said.
“We see it in the polls, it’s not just a subjective perception — the polls show it,” Sheinbaum said.
“And people live better today than they lived before,” she added.
That — in part at least — was apparently a reference to the significant reduction in poverty that has been achieved in recent years, the increase in the minimum wage and the increase in government support for citizens via the provision of various welfare and social programs.
Sheinbaum — who was backed by the leftist Morena party at the 2024 presidential election — is an extremely popular president, with many, but not all, polls consistently finding that she has an approval rating of around 70% or higher.
Since Andrés Manuel López Obrador was elected president in 2018, Morena has been Mexico’s predominant political party. It governs a majority of Mexico’s 32 federal entities and holds majorities in both houses of federal Congress.