High-stakes diplomacy, security operations and mixed economic news marked the first week of February in Mexico. Diplomatic tensions with Washington reached new heights as President Donald Trump celebrated the 1847 U.S. invasion of Mexico as a “legendary victory” and challenged Mexico’s Cuba policy, which Sheinbaum countered with defiant assertions of sovereignty.
Economic headwinds strengthened as business confidence sank to a three-year low and remittances posted their steepest decline in 16 years, even as the government unveiled a 5.6-trillion-peso infrastructure plan meant to revive growth.
Security challenges multiplied across states: 10 mine workers remained missing in Sinaloa, two relatives of the education minister were murdered in Colima, and Tequila’s mayor was arrested on cartel-linked extortion charges. Yet Friday’s presidential press conference in Morelia showcased Plan Michoacán’s success in cutting homicides 43%, offering a rare bright spot in an otherwise turbulent week testing the administration’s capacity to govern amid mounting pressures.
Didn’t have time to catch the top stories of the week? Here’s what you missed.
Strained Mexico-US relations
Monday brought the week’s most inflammatory moment when President Donald Trump released a White House message celebrating the 1847 U.S. invasion of Mexico, describing it as a “legendary victory” that expanded American territory. The statement, marking the 178th anniversary of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo — which forced Mexico to cede 55% of its territory — drew sharp rebuke from Sheinbaum, who declared, “We’re not Santa Anna.” Former ambassador Arturo Sarukhan called it an “in your face F… You” to Mexico.
Cuba policy tensions also intensified. Trump claimed Saturday that Sheinbaum had agreed to stop oil shipments to Cuba, an assertion the Mexican president flatly denied Sunday. Instead, she announced Mexico would send food and essential supplies via the Navy, carefully avoiding petroleum to prevent potential U.S. tariffs.
Sheinbaum promises continued humanitarian aid for Cuba — just not oil
At Monday’s press conference, Sheinbaum revealed Trump had invited Mexico to join his Board of Peace initiative. At Tuesday’s press conference, she backed former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet for UN secretary-general, declaring “it’s time for a woman” to lead the organization.
Despite the tension, the countries continue to work together on bilateral issues. On Wednesday, Mexico and the U.S. announced a plan to secure critical mineral supply chains for lithium, cobalt and copper, while Mexico committed to yearly Rio Grande water deliveries to avoid new deficits under the 1944 Water Treaty — though the U.S. reserved the right to impose tariffs for future non-compliance.
Economic warning signs
Finance Minister Edgar Amador unveiled an ambitious 5.6 trillion peso infrastructure plan through 2030 targeting energy, railways and highways, other indicators raised alarms. Business confidence, however, hit its lowest point in three years in January, with the fourth consecutive monthly decline across all sectors.
Remittances dropped 4.6% in 2025, the steepest decline in 16 years, falling to $61.8 billion as Trump’s deportation policies, a weakening U.S. labor market and stronger peso affected millions of Mexican families.
But environmental news provided hope: Mexico started 2026 with its lowest drought levels in six years, with only 7.4% experiencing water shortage — down from 76% at 2024’s crisis point. After several tough drought years, a year of abundance could help agriculture recovery and take the pressure off water-intensive industries.
An infrastructure milestone
Monday brought the completion of the Toluca-Mexico City El Insurgente train line, connecting the cities in 45 minutes for 90 pesos. The 58-kilometer line took nearly 12 years and 141 billion pesos — more than four times the initial estimate — but officials framed it as transformative for metropolitan mobility.
Security crises and enforcement
Sinaloa remained a focal point as federal forces intensified the search for 10 kidnapped mine workers from the Vizsla Silver project in Concordia. The government deployed 1,190 additional personnel including Army troops, Special Forces and armed helicopters. Authorities also detained suspected Sinaloa Cartel operator Jesús Emir “N” connected to the shooting of two legislators, part of Monday operations that arrested 16 organized crime suspects and dismantled four meth labs.
Violence reached the highest government levels when two close relatives of Education Minister Mario Delgado were murdered in their Colima home Saturday; three suspects were later killed in a police confrontation.
At Friday’s presidential presser in Morelia, Sheinbaum touted Plan Michoacán’s results, showing homicides declined 43% between October and November. She also discussed the arrest of Tequila Mayor Diego Rivera Navarro on extortion charges and alleged CJNG ties, emphasizing “no political party, least of all Morena, can be a cover for crime.”
Environmental enforcement also advanced: Authorities fined Zinc Nacional 83.2 million pesos after finding dangerous heavy metal contamination near its Monterrey plant.
Political reforms and pushback
Sheinbaum announced electoral reform measures to block organized crime funding, though opposition critics warned of “formalizing narco-politics.” When a BBC correspondent pressed her about Sinaloa violence — “Murders, assassinations, terrible mutilations. What’s it going to take?” — Sheinbaum defended her security strategy.
The week’s viral moment came when Sheinbaum publicly scolded Morena lawmakers in San Quintín after they requested a photo op following complaints from impoverished agricultural workers about infrastructure failures.
Cultural highlights
Despite serious challenges, not all was doom and gloom in early February. The country remains a powerhouse of culture and innovation as Art Week kicked off in Mexico City and cities prepare for Carnival 2026. Here are a few of the highlights:
- Art Week 2026 kicked off in Mexico City.
- A Mixtec eatery in Oaxaca city won Best Restaurant of the Year.
- Composer Gabriela Ortiz led a contingent of Mexican Grammy winners
- Mexico joined a new UN program to help boost benefits and reduce harms of tourism in coastal communities
- Puebla students launched a nanosatellite to keep Mexico safe from its active volcanoes.
- Volaris launches 33 new flights, deepening Mexico-US connections ahead of the World Cup.
- Mazatlán is preparing for this year’s Carnival, which is expected to generate over a billion pesos in revenue for the Pacific coast port city.
Looking forward
The honeymoon phase of Sheinbaum’s term appears to be winding down, as she finds herself under more pressure at home and abroad. Domestic security and US relations remain top challenges for Mexico, with Trump’s provocations signal confrontation extending beyond policy into cultural antagonism. The infrastructure plan’s success depends on securing private capital amid declining business confidence, and persistent cartel violence continues to test security coordination and political alliances. How Sheinbaum navigates Washington’s aggressive stance while pursuing development and maintaining sovereignty will define her administration’s 2026 trajectory.
Looking for last week’s round-up? Check it out here.
Mexico News Daily
This story contains summaries of original Mexico News Daily articles. The summaries were generated by Claude, then revised and fact-checked by a Mexico News Daily staff editor.
