Law enforcement personnel found the body in a vacant lot near the victim's home and have cordoned off the area for investigation.
(Yucatán Public Security Ministry/ssp.yucatan.gob.mx)
The body of 71-year-old Linda Louise Johnston was found in a vacant lot in Chicxulub Puerto, Yucatán, on Tuesday after she was reported missing on April 17.
According to the state Attorney General’s Office (FGE), Johnston’s son, Damon Anthony Martínez, has been arrested on suspicion of homicide.
— El Heraldo de México (@heraldodemexico) April 23, 2025
Johnston, a United States citizen and former Air Force member who lived in the Mexican coastal town of Progreso, was reported missing by a neighbor and friend who called 911 on Thursday.
The caller reportedly told police that a few days earlier, Johnston had been beaten by her son, Damon Anthony Martínez, who had previously been imprisoned in the U.S.
Responding to the call, the Yucatán Attorney General’s Office (FGE) published an Alba alert, similar to an Amber alert, but used exclusively in cases of missing women, girls and other vulnerable members of the population. The FGE also launched a search operation using drones, helicopters and canine teams to locate the missing woman.
The FGE confirmed the discovery of Johnston’s remains on Tuesday. The body was found dismembered in three black sacks in a lot three blocks from her home.
Members of the state’s investigative police force and forensic medical service cordoned off the area to conduct a full investigation and transport the remains to the morgue.
After Johnston’s son Damon was arrested by members of the FGE on suspicion of homicide, the suspect reportedly confessed to the crime during the police interrogation, according to an unconfirmed report published by the newspaper El Financiero.
On the night of the crime (April 16), Martínez reportedly requested a taxi using a ride-hailing app but the driver refused to accept him with large garbage bags.
Another news report, however, maintains that a taxi driver, named Ana “N,” had transported Martínez on April 16 at around 11 p.m. with three black bags and a backpack.
Local authorities did not provide any further information on the case as the investigation is ongoing.
In addition to leading the nation, the president somehow also finds time to read and work on her own forthcoming book. (Andrea MurciaL/Cuartoscuro)
Could some judicial election candidates be disqualified from running because they are “defenders of drug traffickers” (as one Morena party senator suggested)?
What does Mexico’s presidenta like to read?
Sheinbaum took a tough question about the upcoming judicial elections on June 1, which will open 881 judgeships to popular vote. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
They were among the questions President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to at her Wednesday morning press conference.
Are some judicial election candidates criminals?
A reporter noted that ruling party Senator and Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña said on Tuesday that some candidates vying to win judgeships at Mexico’s inaugural judicial elections on June 1 might not be suitable contenders as they may have criminal links.
The reporter asked the president whether there was still time for the National Electoral Institute to disqualify candidates.
“It depends on the superior chamber … of the Federal Electoral Tribunal,” Sheinbaum said.
She noted that the candidates for the elections have already been formally “selected” and “endorsed,” but added that “if there is any case in which it is found that [a candidate] … has some criminal relation or doesn’t have an 8 grade point average in their degree, as the constitution demands, [a complaint] can be presented.”
Sheinbaum said that from her “particular point of view,” a candidate “could” be disqualified if they are found to be an unsuitable or ineligible contender for a judgeship, even though they’re already on the ballot.”
“But all the proof would have to be presented, right?” she added.
Sheinbaum stressed that the Federal Electoral Tribunal will have the final say on the suitability of candidates.
One of the various criticisms of staging judicial elections is that drug cartels and other organized crime groups could effectively install judges by pressuring or coercing citizens to vote for their preferred candidates.
“We’re going to invite Paco Taibo … because there is a very significant effort to promote reading,” Sheinbaum said.
Paco Ignacio Taibo II is a writer, novelist and head of the government-affiliated non-profit publishing group Fondo de Cultura Ecónomica (FCE).
Sheinbaum noted that the previous federal government developed a National Reading Strategy in conjunction with the FCE, and said that her administration “wants to promote it more [with] reading clubs” and “reading groups.”
Estoy en las últimas revisiones del libro “Diario de una transición histórica”. Hoy terminé el prólogo; espero en unos meses ya pueda compartirlo con ustedes. pic.twitter.com/qq19Wx95QA
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) March 12, 2025
Sheinbaum posted an image of her working on her book, “Diary of a Historic Transition,” in early March.
Reading is “essential for the development of creativity, of minds with knowledge,” she said.
Sheinbaum noted that Taibo has sought to broaden Mexicans’ access to reading, including by endeavoring to make books cheaper to buy.
At the launch of the National Reading Strategy in 2019, Taibo said that “doors will be opened so that there is access to reading for millions of Mexicans who today don’t have access for different reasons.”
“We’re going to make books extremely cheap, we’re going to give books away. And not just that, we’re going to force the whole of the publishing industry to lower their prices,” the Spanish-born writer said.
Don’t call Sheinbaum ‘Mexico’s Merkel’!
Responding to a question from the same reporter about her personal reading habits, Sheinbaum revealed she is currently reading the autobiography of former German chancellor Angela Merkel.
“I’ve been reading it for a while because the truth is I sometimes don’t have a lot of time,” she said.
Merkel — chancellor between 2005 and 2021 and, like Sheinbaum, a scientist — released her book “Freedom: Memoirs 1954-2021” late last year.
“Although we don’t agree with her thinking on many things — she is a more conservative woman who promotes the neoliberal model, [Merkel] is a woman who had a very important significance, not just for Germany, but for Europe,” Sheinbaum said.
Perhaps the most direct comparison came in the headline of a 2024 Deutsche Welle article that read: “An ‘Angela Merkel’ in Mexico: that’s Claudia Sheinbaum.”
Mexico’s president made it quite clear on Wednesday that she is not particularly fond of the comparison.
"The current moment offers an opportunity for President Sheinbaum to shift toward an economic model that ensures resilience in the face of short-term external threats and positions the country for long-term growth," José Bachur writes. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
In 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs represent an unprecedented threat to Mexico’s economy and manufacturing industry.
But, the potential for the door to close on easy access to the United States’ market for vehicles, auto parts and other manufactured goods should be a wake-up call for Mexico’s politicians and business leaders.
The Trump administration is threatening tariffs that could reshape North American supply chains and cripple what has become Mexico’s most successful economic sector: manufacturing. (Donald Trump/Facebook)
Mexico needs to seize this moment to focus on embracing digital marketing, expanding local e-commerce sales and working to diversify away from labor-intensive manufacturing into high value-added service exports in fields such as software design, engineering and tech support.
The glimmering glass and steel office towers, modern shopping complexes, and luxury apartment buildings that abut the business districts of Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara are a striking visual reminder of the benefits Mexico’s economy has reaped during the modern era of free trade and export-focused industrialization, which began with Mexico’s entrance into NAFTA in 1994.
In 2023, exports accounted for 36% of Mexico’s GDP, with a comparable result expected for 2024. But in 2025, the Trump administration is threatening new tariffs that could reshape North American supply chains and cripple what has become Mexico’s most successful economic sector.
As of April 3, vehicles exported from Mexico to the U.S. are subject to a 25% tariff — sort of. The OECD estimates Mexico’s economy could contract by as much as 1.3% in 2025.
Moving forward, it remains unclear whether global firms will continue to invest in manufacturing in Mexico if exports to the U.S. are saddled with permanent new punitive tariffs.
Up until this point, Mexico has defended the NAFTA-era status quo. Yet, the current moment offers an opportunity for President Sheinbaum to shift toward an economic model that ensures resilience in the face of short-term external threats and positions the country for long-term growth.
President Sheinbaum’s National Development Plan for 2025-2030 does promise to focus on making Mexico a center for “technology and innovation,” but it does not specifically mention the words “nearshoring” or “English.”
Overall, Sheinbaum’s plan puts a heavy focus on improving the highways and railroads used for shipping physical products out of the country but still lacks the inclusion of service sector exports. Trump’s tariffs provide a new incentive for Mexican companies to follow the successful examples of local firms such as UPAX and Unosquare in focusing on the niche of high-value-added service sector exports.
Rather than specializing in providing low-cost workers for labor-intensive processes, Mexican firms should invest in exporting business services.
Indeed, clusters of service-exporting firms are growing across Mexico. Thousands of English-speaking digital nomads already live and work remotely from cities like Mexico City and Guadalajara and other locations in Mexico, providing professional services.
Mexico should be doing more to cultivate this type of economic activity domestically.
To support this transition, Mexico’s federal government is investing significantly in education, specifically targeting secondary education.
This push aims to prevent students from dropping out before graduation and help young people develop technical and digital skills. The goal in Mexico should be to help connect students with opportunities to gain professional skills in tech-heavy fields. Schools need to prepare students for an increasingly digital future.
Many entrepreneurs in Mexico are already taking advantage of e-commerce. Young professionals in Mexico can see the ways platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and TikTok are transforming how local businesses reach consumers.
Young people are also embracing WhatsApp, the most popular social platform in Mexico. Mexico has 65 million WhatsApp users, the fifth highest total of any country in the world.
The shift away from traditional advertising towards digital tools is becoming a key driver of success for many emerging businesses in Mexico. One recent survey shows that 75% of small and medium-sized businesses in Mexico use social media for self-promotion.
Mexico’s government and private sector should pay close attention to the shift towards digital marketing and capitalize on Mexico’s growing internal e-commerce market. In 2024, e-commerce sales reached $38 billion, a 20% increase from the previous year. Mexico needs to further promote its reputation as the world’s most important Spanish-speaking e-commerce market.
While Mexico makes progress to embrace social media marketing for commerce, more needs to be done to boost English language skills.
Unfortunately, up until now, Mexico has broadly failed to focus on making English language training a priority within its education system.
While nearshoring hubs like Monterrey and Guadalajara have clusters of workers with good English skills, the country as a whole remains underprepared to compete in global service markets.
At a time when access to the U.S. market is under threat, entrepreneurs, executives and economic development experts in Mexico should be celebrating and strengthening our country’s internal e-commerce potential.
The Trump 2.0 era represents a new high point for political risk and uncertainty for traditional manufacturing in Mexico. But Mexico is also poised to use this crisis to strengthen and modernize its economy by pivoting towards service sector exports and online sales.
José Bachur is a Mexican e-commerce expert who transformed his early success as “Bachurito” on Vine into a digital marketing empire that now generates US $20 million annually across projects spanning Mexico, the UAE, the U.S. and Europe. In addition to leading digital strategies for major brands like Izzi and Penguin Random House, Bachur launched Businefy during the pandemic to help small businesses survive through digitalization.
The new San Miguel Home Depot is slated to open next year, while the León and Guanajuato city additions will follow in 2027, with 300 new direct jobs created as a result. (Shutterstock)
Retail giant The Home Depot has announced it will open three stores in the Bajío state of Guanajuato, including one in San Miguel de Allende.
With a US $61 million investment, new stores will also be located in León and the city of Guanajuato. According to a company statement, the San Miguel store will open in 2026, while the stores in León and Guanajuato are set to open the following year.
As they announced the new Guanajuato stores, company officials emphasized their social responsibility programs in the state, including donations of construction supplies and improvement of more than 50 schools. (Libia Deninse/Facebook)
The Home Depot currently operates five stores in Guanajuato in the cities of León, Salamanca, Celaya and Irapuato, employing a total of 500 people. With the new locations, the company expects to create 300 direct jobs and 1,200 indirect jobs.
The investment in central Mexico is part of The Home Depot Mexico’s ambitious growth plan, which includes the opening of 25 new stores in the country over the next four years, requiring a total estimated investment of $1.3 billion.
State and municipal officials attended the store announcement, held on Tuesday in San Miguel de Allende, including Guanajuato Governor Libia García Muñoz Ledo, and San Miguel Mayor Mauricio Trejo.
“We thank The Home Depot for this investment that creates jobs and opens up opportunities,” Governor García said. “This project reaffirms [Home Depot’s] commitment to sustainability, to the communities where it operates and confirms that Guanajuato is a reliable state to invest in.”
Since its arrival in the state in 2003, The Home Depot has held 286 volunteer days, donated more than 42 million pesos in construction supplies (US $2.1 million) and improved the facilities of more than 50 schools through its social responsibility programs.
“With this new investment, The Home Depot strengthens its long-term vision in Mexico, positioning itself as a key player in the country’s positive transformation through decent employment, domestic sourcing and social commitment,” the company said in a statement.
At the end of 2024, the retail company was operating 140 branches across all 32 states of Mexico.
The Aerospace Fair, inaugurated by President Sheinbaum on Tuesday, has attracted participants from 337 companies and 48 countries.(Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the 2025 Mexican Aerospace Fair on Tuesday, the sixth edition of a major event aimed at promoting trade, investment and job creation in Mexico’s growing aerospace industry.
The fair, taking place this year at Military Air Base No. 1 in Santa Lucía, México state, is regarded as the most important aeronautical security and defense event in Mexico and will run through April 26.
President Sheinbaum tours the Aerospace Fair with Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla. In her opening remarks, the president said the value of Mexico’s aerospace industry could more than double from US $11.2 billlion to $22.7 billion by 2029.(Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Participating in the 2025 Aerospace Fair are 337 companies, 48 countries, 20 air forces, 10 Mexican states, 18 municipalities, 12 universities and six aerospace organizations. Also on site are 67 domestic aircraft and six United States Air Force combat planes.
During her speech, Sheinbaum pointed out that the Mexican aerospace industry is valued at over US $11.2 billion, with the potential to reach $22.7 billion by 2029.
“Mexico ranks among the top five countries for foreign investment in the aerospace industry, and is the twelfth largest exporter of aerospace components globally,” the president said.
She added that by the end of Q2 of 2024, 386 manufacturing companies in the sector were operating in Mexico across 19 states. Currently, Mexico hosts 370 specialized plants that overall generate 50,000 direct jobs and 190,000 indirect jobs, she noted.
Head of the Mexican Aerospace Fair Committee, Disraeli Gómez Herrera, emphasized that the annual event forms part of Plan México — Sheinbaum’s economic project to support Mexico’s development as one of the world’s largest manufacturing hubs — as it seeks to position the country as a global leader in aerospace manufacturing and technology.
Querétaro in the Bajío region and Baja California are the states that have attracted the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) in the aerospace industry, concentrating 24.3% and 20.1%, respectively.
Oaxaca, one of the participating states at the fair, announced it will present the vocational training programs in technology offered in the state’s eight regions, as well as promote the development of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec Interoceanic Corridor (CIIT).
Finally, Gómez added that the Mexican Army’s “Guerreros Águila” (Eagle Warriors) jump team will make its first official appearance at this fair.
Large quantities of sewage have been seeping into the San Diego Bay due to ineffective wastewater treatment plants in the border city of Tijuana, causing major environmental pollution. (Wikimedia Commons)
The head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said Tuesday that Mexico must act to stop the massive flow of sewage and toxic chemicals from the Tijuana River into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California, an environmental problem that has existed for decades despite the allocation of hundreds of millions of dollars to address it.
Lee Zeldin’s publicly stated demand came a day after he met with Mexico’s Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena in San Diego to discuss the contamination problem that has frequently closed beaches in southern California and sickened U.S. Navy SEALs who train in the water, among other people.
Raw sewage from Mexico has been polluting San Diego waters, land, and air for decades.
There are many facets to what specifically needs to happen next to end this crisis once and for all. These actions must be AGGRESSIVELY pursued with EXTREME urgency. pic.twitter.com/eARavdo1IF
Bárcena asserted Monday that Mexico has already made an “enormous effort” to address the problem, but acknowledged there is more work to be done.
During an Earth Day visit to San Diego County, Zeldin recognized that Mexico wants to cooperate with the United States to solve the problem, but nevertheless reserved some blunt words for the Mexican government.
“The issues that have been facing residents in this area for decades are issues of frustration, despair, disappointment, certainly motivation as well to take a crisis that has lingered for too long and finally bring it to a long overdue resolution,” said Zeldin, who on Tuesday visited San Diego County’s South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant, which acts as a secondary facility for the treatment of wastewater from Mexico.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the plant is in disrepair.
Accompanied by members of the U.S. Congress from both the Republican and Democratic parties, the EPA chief said that the agency he leads wants to make sure that “the path forward is one of max collaboration and extreme urgency to end a crisis that should have ended a long time ago.”
With regard to his meeting with Bárcena, Zeldin said that the environment minister spoke about the work Mexico is already doing to combat the water pollution problem and told reporters it was “clear” the Mexican government “wants to have a strong collaborative relationship” with the United States.
“She would often speak on behalf of the Mexican president about how the new Mexican president wants to have a close collaboration with the United States and the U.S. president to finally resolve this issue and I welcome that collaboration,” he said.
In the meeting, Bárcena and Zeldin both communicated “the great commitment” of their respective presidents to achieve a prompt solution to the water contamination problem in the Tijuana River. (X)
The EPA administrator said that Bárcena declared that Mexico is “fully committed” to doing its part to resolve the issue.
Zeldin said that “over the course of the next 24 hours,” the United States would develop a “comprehensive list of everything we believe with full confidence is going to end the crisis.”
“We don’t want the 70% solution or the 90% solution. … We all need to be on the same page on the 100% solution,” he said.
“… It’s going to be important that Mexico documents everything that they are willing to accept and follow through on that’s on our list, or not, so that we know whether or not Mexico is committed to the full list that we know will fully solve this issue,” Zeldin said.
“The degradation of Tijuana River is something that people want dealt with right now,” Zeldin said.
“… Mexico needs to fulfill its part in cleaning up the contamination that they caused, [that] their people caused. They cannot view this as a U.S. problem just because their contamination reached U.S. soil. We need Mexico to not just commit to all the projects that will stop the flow [of sewage and chemicals into the Pacific Ocean] but … [also] commit to [a] final cleanup,” he said.
Zeldin didn’t say how the Trump administration would respond if Mexico failed to act in a way that definitively solved the problem.
“We’re going to … [see] whether or not Mexico is going to do its part to resolve it, and then we’ll go from there, as far as strategy and tactics,” he said.
In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Zeldin said Mexico needs to “finish construction to divert what is 10 million gallons [of wastewater] per day from the Tijuana River valley to the Tijuana dam.”
Over the last five years, more than 100 billion gallons of sewage and waste have reportedly run into the Tijuana River Valley. (@usibwc/X)
The list of things Mexico needs to do on its side of the border “goes on,” the EPA chief said.
“There is only ONE acceptable timeline to complete ALL projects on the Mexico side and U.S. side to END the crisis of raw sewage entering the U.S. from Mexico: AS FAST AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE!”
At his press conference, the EPA chief declared:
“There’s no way that we are going to stand before the people of California and ask them to have more patience and just bear with all of us as we go through the next 10 or 20 or 30 years of being stuck in 12 feet of raw sewage and not getting anywhere.”
Why is the Tijuana River so polluted?
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that “more than 100 billion gallons of raw sewage laden with industrial chemicals and trash” has made its way into the Tijuana River since 2018.
The culprits? Ineffective wastewater treatment plants in the border city of Tijuana, where the population and industry have grown significantly in recent decades.
“The city’s growth has far outpaced the existing sewage treatment plants, and inadequate and broken facilities spew waste into the river, polluting the water and air in Imperial Beach and other [California] communities near the border,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
The 195-kilometer-long Tijuana River crosses into southern California near the coast and runs through U.S. Navy-owned land before flowing into the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to giving acute gastrointestinal illnesses to more than 1,000 Navy SEALs in recent years, the contamination has “sickened not only swimmers, surfers and lifeguards but also schoolchildren, Border Patrol agents and others who do not even go in the water,” AP reported.
“the Naval Special Warfare Center diagnosed 1,168 cases of acute gastrointestinal illnesses (AGI) among Navy SEAL and Special Warfare Combat Crewman candidates at NAB Coronado. Of these cases, 457 (39 percent) were diagnosed within 7 days of exposure to ocean water that exceeded state limits.”
A February report released by the Department of Defense found that 1,168 Navy personnel stationed at NAB Coronado, which is situated between San Diego Bay and the Pacific Ocean, had fallen ill from polluted river water.
“Scientists say the sewage is vaporized when it foams up and enters the air people breathe,” the news agency added.
Zeldin said that some $653 million has been allocated to addressing the contamination problem in the past five years. He accused Mexico of being too slow to complete projects it has committed to carrying out.
Matthew Tejada, senior vice president of environmental health for the Natural Resources Defense Fund, a New York-based environmental NGO, told the Los Angeles Times that commitments from Zeldin and other U.S. officials to solve the problem sound good. However, he asserted that achieving them will be difficult due to budget and staffing cuts in the U.S. government.
“It will be an interesting trick for EPA to achieve exactly those sorts of outcomes while they are internally tearing down the very staff and systems they need to actually make those changes happen,” Tejada said.
“I believe we were able to arrive at a mutual diagnosis [and] we have very specific mechanisms to solve these problems,” she said.
Bárcena said a lot of progress has already been made, specifically touting what she called Mexico’s “enormous effort” to stop the flow of contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean.
“Mexico has just finished the San Antonio de Los Buenos plant [in Tijuana] with an investment of approximately $38 million to treat 800 liters [of wastewater] per second, but it’s not enough,” she said.
An upgrade of the San Antonio de Los Buenos plant was recently completed and the facility is now operating at full capacity, which should help mitigate the cross-border contamination problem.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Mexican Environment Ministry (Semarnat) said that new sewer lines have also been installed in Tijuana “to prevent the discharge of raw sewage at beaches in California.”
Semarnat acknowledged that some sewer projects have not yet been completed and noted that work to rehabilitate pumping stations and the Arturo Herrera and La Morita water treatment plants is also ongoing.
According to the ministry, Bárcena told Zeldin that projects that are already underway in Mexico will be expedited with a view to completion in 2027.
Semarnat noted that the completion of the upgrade and expansion of the South Bay International Water Treatment Plant was scheduled for 2029, but said the EPA chief committed to accelerating its construction so that it is ready “before 2027.”
“Both officials [Bárcena and Zeldin] expressed the great commitment of their presidents, Claudia Sheinbaum and Donald Trump, to achieve a prompt solution [to the water contamination problem] for the benefit of residents on both sides of the border,” the ministry said.
What comes next?
In a post to X on Monday, Bárcena said she and Zeldin “agreed to reinforce our joint actions … to accelerate the projects to address the sanitation of the Tijuana River for the well-being of our communities.”
Semarnat said in its statement that Mexico and the United States had reached a number of agreements aimed at combating the flow of sewage into the Tijuana River. They include that:
The Mexican and U.S. commissioners of the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) will promptly meet to “review and accelerate compliance of minute 328,” in which the IBWC outlines a range of sanitation infrastructure projects in Tijuana and San Diego.
A meeting of the North American Development Bank will be urgently convened to “expedite the execution of key projects for the cleaning-up of the Tijuana River basin that are financed by the bank.”
“Mexico will give priority to the rerouting of treated water from the Arturo Herrera and La Morita plants to the Abelardo Rodríguez reservoir, avoiding its discharge into the Tijuana River.
The United States will bring forward by two years the completion date for the expansion of the South Bay International Water Treatment Plant.
The treatment capacity of the South Bay facility will be “temporarily” increased from 25 million gallons per day to 35 million gallons per day, even as the upgrade/expansion of the facility is taking place.
Mexico and the United States will “maintain transparent technical and institutional collaboration, avoiding disinformation or unilateral statements, with full respect for the sovereignty of both countries.”
The EPA’s “comprehensive list” of things that need to be done to address the binational water contamination crisis had not been released by early Wednesday afternoon.
Mexico currently owes the United States about 1.5 billion cubic meters of water, and is supposed to deliver it by late October — an apparently impossible task due to widespread drought that has been particularly severe in the northern states that border the U.S.
This year, Mexico's Naval Ministry (Semar) forecasts that the country will see a total of 18 hurricanes throughout the 2025 summer hurricane season. (Michael Balam/Cuartoscuro)
Due to its geography, tropical cyclones hit Mexico along both coasts every year. This year, the Naval Ministry (Semar) forecasts that the country will see a total of 18 hurricanes throughout the 2025 summer hurricane season.
According to the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC), the tropical cyclone season begins on May 15 in the Northeast Pacific Ocean and on June 1 in the Atlantic Ocean. On both coasts, the season ends on November 30.
Mexico saw five major (Category 3+) Atlantic hurricanes in 2024, and four in the Pacific, the most catastrophic being Hurricane John, which hit coastal Guerrero in September 2024. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal/Cuartoscuro)
These are the tropical cyclones and hurricanes forecast for Mexico’s Pacific and Atlantic coasts this 2025 summer season.
Hurricanes forecast for Mexico’s Pacific coast in 2025
Tropical Depressions
1
Tropical Storms
8
Strong Hurricanes (Category 1 and 2)
6
Intense Hurricanes (Category 3, 4 and 5)
4
Total
19
Hurricanes forecast for Mexico’s Atlantic coast in 2025
Tropical Depressions
2
Tropical Storms
7
Strong Hurricanes (1 and 2)
4
Intense Hurricanes (3, 4 and 5)
4
Total
17
What’s the difference between a tropical cyclone and a hurricane?
Tropical cyclones are either dubbed hurricanes or typhoons, depending on the region in which they originate.
Tropical cyclone is a generic term used by weather forecasters to describe a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that develops over tropical or subtropical regions. A cyclone’s wind circulates counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
The weakest tropical cyclones are known as tropical depressions. If a tropical depression causes winds of up to 39 miles per hour, the tropical cyclone becomes a tropical storm. If a tropical cyclone reaches sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or more, it becomes a named hurricane in the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific, or typhoon in the Northwest Pacific.
In the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, a hurricane is known as a tropical cyclone.
About 97% of tropical cyclone activity happens during the hurricane season. Yet, hurricanes can and do happen outside of the established six-month season.
What’s the rainfall forecast for the 2025 rainy season?
Meteorologists predict that Mexico will see an average rainy season in 2025, particularly in the central-southern half of the country.
Mexico’s central, eastern, southern and Pacific coast states could see more rainfall at the start of the season, between May and June. Northwestern states are likely to see less rainfall, while the southeast will receive normal rainfall.
The Mexican monsoon, an annual weather pattern bringing increased thunderstorms, can arrive quickly, bringing abundant rain to mountainous areas of Sonora, Chihuahua, Sinaloa and Durango.
Massive cleanup operations, tax negotiations, traditional festivals: it takes a lot to keep Los Cabos running. (Ayuntamiento de Los Cabos)
The high tourism season in Los Cabos is drawing to a close following the end of whale watching season on April 15 and the conclusion of Semana Santa (Holy Week) on April 20, making this a good time to evaluate the seasonal ups and downs for the destination. Los Cabos’s beaches, for instance, continue to be beautiful, although the effort required to keep them clean is becoming increasingly steep.
Why is it so hard to keep Los Cabos beaches clean?
Extensive clean-up efforts are often required at Los Cabos’ beaches after tropical storms or intense rains. Following rains in September 2024, the height of the rainy season, over 140,000 pounds of trash were cleaned from Cabo San Lucas’ beaches alone.
Spring breakers were projected to generate 100 tons of garbage this year in Los Cabos. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
However, garbage accumulation on one of the region’s premier tourist attractions, its picturesque beaches, is not simply tied to weather events. It’s an ongoing issue. In March 2024, the local coordinator for the Federal Maritime Land Zone (Zofemat) — the 20-meter federal area across the country’s coastline that notably includes popular sandy stretches — noted that over 80,000 pounds of garbage were being cleaned up on Los Cabos beaches monthly. By January 2025, that number had increased to 50,000 pounds per week.
Naturally, the amounts spike even further at times like Spring Break or Semana Santa , when significantly more people flock to beaches like Playa El Médano in Cabo San Lucas. “We see a 500% increase in solid waste on the beaches during Spring Break and Easter,” Zofemat coordinator Rafael Álvarez Munguía told Tribuna de México. “Most of these tourists will be concentrated in Cabo San Lucas.”
Nearly 100 tons of garbage was expected during Spring Break this year — there was 95 tons in 2024, and 90 tons in 2023 — including glass beer bottles, plastic water bottles and cigarette butts.
Ahead of Semana Santa and its influx of vacationers, it was reported that local officials were adding additional trash containers and toilets to local beaches. Authorities in Los Cabos have stressed the importance of raising awareness on the issue, which is critical to protecting the local environment and water quality and helping the municipality maintain its many Blue Flag beaches.
Playa Palmilla is one of Los Cabos’ Blue Flag beaches. (Los Cabos Tourism Board)
Los Cabos has more Blue Flag beaches than any other municipality in Mexico — 25, to be exact — and these must be strictly maintained in terms of cleanliness to maintain their status with the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). They are likewise required to provide adequate toilets, trash and recycling receptacles, parking facilities and access ramps for those with disabilities.
As such efforts demonstrate, the problem isn’t coming from a lack of government interest or apathy on behalf of tourism agencies or local businesses. Zofemat, in particular, schedules regular beach cleanups, and thousands of local volunteers participate.
Residents and tourists who bask on these golden sand beaches are responsible for littering them with rubbish. Many don’t care about the consequences of their actions, however, and it’s unlikely that local officials will call tourists out either: despite the massive amounts of trash it generated, Spring Break tourism added upwards of US $40 million to local coffers.
But for those who care, there are a few basic things to do when visiting local beaches that will help them stay clean and beautiful. Plastic bags and other single-use plastics are banned in BCS, so bring a tote bag to carry away trash and dispose of items in proper containers as available. Make sure not to leave anything behind, including cigarette butts, which can take years to disintegrate.
Cabo San Lucas has good cruise season amid negotiations on new tax
Despite uncertainty regarding the federal tax on cruise ship passengers scheduled to go into effect on July 1, Cabo San Lucas has enjoyed a successful 2024-2025 cruise campaign, finishing fourth among Mexico’s ports in ship visits and second behind Ensenada on the Pacific coast.
Although the cruise season is year-round, the peak season ends after April, allowing local and national authorities to analyze the latest trends. Cabo San Lucas logged 200 ship visits for the season, up 12% from 2024. Early estimates suggest a 10% rise next year, assuming the tax issue is settled to the satisfaction of cruise lines.
Cabo San Lucas welcome over 448,000 cruise ship passengers in 2024. (Norwegian Cruise Lines)
Upset over the upcoming changes, leading cruise line companies like Carnival have threatened to leave Mexican ports off their itineraries. However, local sources report that negotiations between cruise lines and the federal government are ongoing for a substantially lower tax rate; US $21 per person instead of $42.
Whether or not this comes to pass, Cabo San Lucas will remain the most expensive cruise port in the world. This is due to factors like the absence of a cruise ship dock — passengers have to be tendered from ships at anchor in the bay — and the expense of the destination in general.
Fiestas tradicionales in San José del Cabo draw massive turnout
Known as San José del Cabo since Jesuits opened a mission by that name in 1730 to try to convert local Pericú people, the cape city celebrated its 295-year history with its annual Traditional Festival in March. To say the festivities were a success would be an understatement, as more than 275,000 locals and visitors turned out over days to see events like the equestrian parade and musical performances from acclaimed artists like Julión Álvarez, Gloria Trevi and Pancho Barranza.
Indeed, city officials are already considering how they can expand the number of venues for the event and the amount of parking spaces available next year. For those planning ahead, the Cabo San Lucas Traditional Festival will be hosted in October. Just as March 19 is the feast day for Saint Joseph and thus the birthday of San José del Cabo, Oct. 18 is the feast day for Saint Luke and the date the city’s multi-day festival is arranged around.
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
Have you woken up to your house in disarray? Maybe it was a duende! (Interes Turistico)
As I wandered into the kitchen for my morning coffee some weeks ago, I had a feeling that something wasn’t quite right. Then I saw it: a mountain of sales receipts, business cards, grocery lists and other miscellaneous scraps of paper piled up on one of my two sofas.
The question came to my mind immediately. Did I have a duende? I had heard about them over the years from Mexicans. Duendes lived in their house, played pranks on them or followed them home. They were unseen, but they were there. In Latin America, duendes are gnome-like mythological creatures seen as the true owners of a house. Mexican duendes are said to stand two to three feet tall, with pointed elf-like ears, piercing red eyes that glow in the night and no thumbs.
Duendes are gnome-like creatures seen as the true owners of a house, especially in rural areas. (Tadeusz Zachwieja/Unsplash)
What are duendes like? Depends on where you live
The legend of the duende has roots in both Iberian and Indigenous American cultures. In Europe, the idea of a duende is related to Roman household gods like the Lares and Di Penates, and the word in Spanish is said to be a contraction of “dueño de la casa”: the owner of the house, which is what the spirit really is. Similar European household spirits include the Scottish brownie, German kobold and Slavic domovoy.
With the rise of Christianity, duendes and their cousins came to be seen as sinister spirits. They are associated with the darker, supernatural side of life, sometimes representing death and the unknown. Duendes can be mischievous and elusive; whether they are benevolent or malevolent seems to depend on where you live and the beliefs of your community.
Across the ocean, the ancient peoples of the Americas developed their own beliefs about small supernatural beings. The Nahuas of central Mexico knew of nature spirits called “ohuican chaneque,” or “dwellers in dangerous places.” While good chaneques lived near human populations and were harmless pranksters, bad chaneques lived in forests and caves and could steal children or cause travelers to lose their way.
For some Maya peoples of the Yucatán Peninsula, creatures called aluxes are another small, humanoid nature spirit that can be both helpful and a nuisance in turn. A farmer can call upon an alux to take care of his milpa (cornfield) by building a miniature house for it on his land and offering it part of his harvest, as well as other sacred foods. An alux not properly compensated for its help can turn spiteful and damage a harvest. In February 2023, then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made headlines when he suggested that an alux had been spotted during construction of the Maya Train.
An “Alux,” a duende-like creature of Maya mythology. (Zazil Tunich)
In some parts of Mexico, duendes live in a house’s walls. Young unkempt children are warned that duendes like to collect long toenails and might accidentally cut off an entire toe when they come out at night. In Belize, duendes play tricks on people designed to lead them astray or cause confusion, getting them lost in the woods. In other places they are benevolent, seen as guardians coming to the aid of children, and stranded hikers. However, if you are killing animals or up to mischief, duendes will punish you.
Household duendes are typically benevolent. If they like you, they may leave small gifts or perform helpful tasks around the house while you sleep. However, if you disrespect or anger them, they may hide your belongings, play pranks on you or create a disturbance in the house.
Duendes can also bring creativity. “Tener duende” means having soul, a heightened sense of expression, emotions and heart. For artists, a duende is a sign of inspiration due to their magical powers.
Learning to live with your household duende
Duendes are rarely seen due to their agility and speed. They are most often reported as being seen during the Lenten Season and Good Friday. They can be recognized by a piercing whistle and their glowing red eyes. Sometimes they will come out of the woods, sing and then hide if an inquisitive person looks for the source of the music. If you see a duende you are advised to protect yourself by hiding your thumbs so they think you are one of them.
Are duendes real or merely a part of folklore? I asked a friend who is a Mexican historian. “Duendes have been part of Mexican folklore for as long as I can remember,” he told me, “but I’ve never seen one.”
Pictured: Probably not a duende. (Bui Hoang Long/Unsplash)
“Have you ever heard of them stealing?” I asked him. His answer was quite adamant: absolutely not. Duendes never steal. They do, however, like to play pranks. “I think you had a human duende in your house,” he said. “A thief.”
So it seems my duende was just a thief who somehow entered my house at night while I was sleeping, making off with my cellphone, laptop, cash, credit cards and food from the pantry. Since duendes may play a prank or hide items from you, but don’t steal, it must have been a thief. But since duendes are also supposed to protect the house, I may have a bigger problem on my hands.
It's not always easy to know how to be polite in Mexico. (Freepik)
About a year after my husband and I bought a house in Guanajuato, my sister visited us. One day, as we were walking down the street, she asked a stranger where the nearest bakery was, starting her question without a courtesy phrase like “buenos dias”or “perdóname.”Listening to her through my new Mexican lens, I winced, realizing she sounded rude. But only a year earlier, I had been speaking like that too — before I caught on to Mexican etiquette.
Although my siblings and I were brought up by parents from the U.S. Deep South who placed a high value on courtesy — much as Mexicans tend to do — we were not raised in the South. And because I grew up during the countercultural 1960s, I thought the focus on manners was superficial and silly. It was not until I began spending long periods in Mexico that I realized that courtesy might be an important social glue.
The writer, right, with her Guanajuato city neighbors on their terrace. (Louisa Rogers)
During my 20 years living part-time in Mexico, I’ve adopted a lot of that social glue. Here are some examples.
Greetings
When we first bought our home, I was unaware how important courtesy is in Mexico, and in retrospect, my to-the-point communication style embarrasses me. Thankfully, I have since softened my style, and, in fact, have grown very fond of the gentle niceties that Mexicans use. If, for example, I’m entering a shop, I know to first say “buenos días” or “buenas tardes.” Similarly, when getting on a bus, I always greet the driver and my fellow passengers.
When leaving a restaurant, I’m sure to say “buen provecho” when passing other diners. And if I’m ending a conversation or departing a shop, I’ve adopted the phrase I hear Mexicans use: “Bonito día!”
One day, I happened to pass a neighbor twice. The second time, I said “Hola,” though I realized afterwards that I rarely hear Mexicans use that word. I asked my teacher what I should have said. The answer? “Buenos días” or ”tardes” or “noches,” no matter how many times I see the person within 24 hours!
Already seen someone today? Say hello to them again. (Usman Yousaf/Unsplash)
Even on WhatsApp, unlike in the U.S., where text messages can be haiku-like in their brevity, Mexicans tend to begin with a greeting. My Spanish teacher always starts her messages with “buenos días” or a similar greeting. I’ve learned to follow suit, though I occasionally forget, like recently, when I messaged my neighbor and began with just his name. When he responded with “buenas tardes, Louisa,” I realized my error.
Asking permission and expressing gratitude
Barry and I visited Guanajuato several times before buying our home. One year, we rented a room from Rebeca, a woman who is now our neighbor, and we would meet with our tutor in her living room.When Juan would leave, if Rebeca was nearby, he would say, “Con permiso,” later explaining that the phrase is a polite way to signal you’re departing and asking for permission to leave. It’s also a way of asking someone to make way for you when squeezing past them.
Anyone can say “muchas gracias,” but I started adding “muy amable” (very kind) after hearing other foreign residents say it. The phrase adds an extra note of warmth, and sounds less rote than just “gracias.”
I’m surprised at the situations in Mexico where I don’t expect to hear “gracias,” like when passengers get off a bus and thank the bus driver. Any opportunity!
Indirect communication
To preserve harmony, many Mexicans avoid making statements that might be perceived as negative. Instead of saying “no,” for example, they might say, “I’ll think about it.” I’ve learned that if I speak bluntly in Mexico, it can be misinterpreted as rude and offensive, since it clashes with a longer and more diplomatic communication style.
In writing, Spanish texts are longer, even in a direct communication style. If you look at an English-language paragraph and translate it into Spanish, the Spanish version will typically be about 20 to 30 percent longer because it uses more words to convey the same message.
Forms of address
My parents taught me at a young age to use the titles “sir” and “ma’am” when addressing older people. In Mexico, too, forms of address are an important sign of respect.One year, while my then 90-year-old father was visiting us in Guanajuato, I invited Rebeca, who was 75, over for a drink. Using the formal version of “you,” Rebeca addressed my father as “usted.” To me, they were both old, so what difference did it make? Meanwhile, at 59, I considered myself a mere “chica” compared to them! I address Rebeca informally because many years ago, she gave me permission to use the pronoun “tú” with her.
I still can’t bring myself to use the word joven (young man or woman), which Mexicans use to address a waiter, because when I was growing up, “boy” was the put-down my racist uncles used to address an African-American of any age. Instead, I say“disculpe” or “perdón.”
In Mexico, I’ve learned that courtesy, far from being superficial, as I once thought, is a kind of social lubricant that silkens interactions. After many years of living in Guanajuato, I find that the unexpected ways Mexicans express respect and courtesy still surprise and delight me.
Louisa Rogers and her husband Barry Evans divide their lives between Guanajuato and Eureka, on California’s North Coast. Louisa writes articles and essays about expat life, Mexico, travel, physical and psychological health, retirement and spirituality. Her recent articles are on her website, https://authory.com/LouisaRogers
