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Mexico’s economy minister inaugurates consortium of binational trade chambers in bid for greater cooperation

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MND Staff
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During his address at the inauguration, Economy Minister Ebrard expressed his gratitude to the Indian Embassy for their organization of the event and shared that he plans to visit India to fortify the growing bilateral trade relationship.
During his address at the inauguration, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard expressed his gratitude to the Indian Embassy for their organization of the event and shared that he plans to visit India to fortify the growing bilateral trade relationship. (@m_ebrard/X)

Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard on Monday formally launched a grouping of more than 20 Mexico-based binational trade chambers, including ones that represent companies from the United States, Canada, China and India.

The grouping is called the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico, and is described in official literature as a “collaborative platform that brings together various binational trade chambers in Mexico and their members under a shared commitment to strengthen economic cooperation and advance mutual prosperity.”

Among the chambers that are part of the new forum are the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, the Mexico-China Chamber of Commerce and Technology and the Trade and Commerce Council of India and Mexico.

Also part of the forum are Mexico-based trade chambers that represent companies from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Latin-African Chamber of Commerce and the Nordic Chamber of Commerce in Mexico are part of the group, which the Embassy of India in Mexico had a central role in creating.

The participating trade chambers look set to work together toward their common goals, with their officials gathering at regular meetings to discuss the progress they have made and future initiatives. It appears that those meetings will also use the name Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico.

In a social media post on Monday morning, Ebrard thanked India’s Ambassador in Mexico, Pankaj Sharma, for “his kind invitation to inaugurate” the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico at an event held at a Mexico City hotel.

“The main topic of the forum is President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Plan Mexico,” he wrote, referring to the ambitious economic initiative first presented by the federal government in early 2025.

In a separate social media post, Ebrard conveyed a succinct message to the binational chambers of commerce that operate in Mexico: “The government of President Sheinbaum supports and accompanies investment and trade with our international partners.”

The formation of the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico comes after Mexico received a record high of almost US $41 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2025.

As part of Plan Mexico, the federal government is actively seeking to increase FDI in Mexico and spur greater domestic production across a range of manufacturing sectors in order to reduce reliance on imports.

Interestingly, the new grouping of binational trade chambers brings together organizations that represent companies from the United States and China, countries that are engaged in a trade war that has escalated significantly during the second term of U.S. President Donald Trump. At the start of this year, Mexico imposed new and higher tariffs on goods from China, a measure widely seen as an attempt to appease the Trump administration ahead of this year’s review of the USMCA trade pact.

Indian Ambassador: ‘Collaboration across borders is not optional, but essential’

Sharma, India’s ambassador to Mexico since early 2022, gave a welcome address at the Monday morning event at which the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico was launched.

“This gathering represents far more than the coming together of institutions,” he said, according to a copy of the ambassador’s remarks provided to Mexico News Daily by the Indian Embassy.

“It reflects a shared belief that collaboration across borders is not optional, but essential, and that economic partnerships must be built on trust, continuity, and a shared purpose,” Sharma said.

The ambassador also said that “the initiative” launched on Monday in the form of a grouping of binational trade chambers “aligns closely with Plan Mexico.”

Mexico and India eye tech investment, pharma deals in push to deepen trade ties

The Mexican government plan outlines “a vision that resonates deeply with all of us present here, because it mirrors our own commitment to contribute constructively to the development of Mexico, our second home, while strengthening ties between our respective countries,” Sharma said.

He also said that the newly created forum “enables us to think collectively, collaborate effectively, and deliver meaningful outcomes.”

“More importantly, through this platform we can ensure that our joint efforts are harmonized with Mexico’s national priorities and contribute to the country’s broader development vision,” Sharma added.

“… The success of this initiative will not be defined by its launch, but by what we build through it. It is the beginning of a deeper engagement for growth and prosperity with a sense of common purpose,” he said.

Each trade chamber is a ‘bridge’ to Mexico 

The president of the Mexico-Israel Chamber of Commerce in Mexico delivered a speech on behalf of all the trade chambers represented in the new forum.

“The binational chambers … [present] in this room represent decades of silent work [and] real connections between companies, markets and governments,” said Sony Chalouh.

“Each one of us is an active bridge between Mexico and a partner country,” he said.

Chalouh declared that “it’s time” for binational trade chambers and embassies in Mexico to “act in a coordinated and strategic way, pooling capabilities to consolidate investments that drive the development and competitiveness” of Mexico.

He also said that the launch of the new forum is “not just an event,” but the “beginning of a work agenda aimed at concrete results in the area of investment.”

The forum is “a mechanism that aligns the market intelligence of each chamber with the priority projects of Plan Mexico,” Chalouh said.

Directly addressing Economy Minister Ebrard, he declared that the Mexico-based binational chambers and embassies in Mexico are a “strategic asset that can increase the reach of Plan Mexico to the international markets that each of us represent.”

“Today we propose that you convert this asset into a real productive force with a shared agenda, follow-up and measurable results,” Chalouh said.

He also acknowledged the work of Ambassador Sharma for making the new binational trade chamber forum a reality.

“Ambassador, you made possible what many of us imagined, but few were able to achieve,” Chalouh said.

More about the new forum 

According to a prospectus provided to Mexico News Daily, the Forum of Binational Trade Chambers in Mexico “seeks to play a constructive role in the country’s ongoing transformation” by “aligning the interests of the participating chambers with Mexico’s national development priorities.”

In addition, the forum:

  • “Serves as a structured mechanism to foster dialogue, promote investment, and deepen commercial ties among the participating countries and Mexico.”
  • “Strives to strengthen trust and long-term engagement between international business communities in Mexico and national stakeholders.”
  • “Aims to contribute” to the “strategic vision” of Plan Mexico “across key sectors such as energy, automotive, technology, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, green energy and sustainability.”
  • “Provides a platform for participating chambers, international businesses, and local stakeholders in Mexico to engage in collective problem-solving and coordinated action on shared challenges, ranging from supply chain resilience to sustainability and inclusive growth.”

The forum brings together chambers that represent companies from countries that are the largest investors in Mexico, namely the United States, Spain, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan.

Also represented are trade chambers representing companies from countries whose trade with, and investment in, Mexico has increased in recent years, such as China and India.

During his address at the forum launch event, Ebrard said that he plans to visit India as Mexico’s trade with the world’s most populous country “is growing.”

Still, the two-way trade relationship “doesn’t have the dimension it should have or could have,” he said.

Mexico News Daily 

The world can’t get enough mezcal. Oaxaca’s forests are paying the price

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MND Staff
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agave plants
The espadín agave used for mezcal now dominates hillsides in Oaxaca, creating a monoculture that accelerates soil erosion, reduces groundwater replenishment and limits carbon dioxide capture in the forests. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

A global thirst for mezcal has turned Oaxaca’s signature spirit into a multimillion-dollar export engine — and is stripping hillsides of forest, stressing water supplies and leaving rivers fouled by waste, researchers and producers say.

Mexico produces more than 11 million liters of mezcal per year, and most of that production is in Oaxaca. More than 70% of that mezcal is sent abroad, with most of the exports going to the United States.

tequila bottle
The global boom in the popularity of mezcal has resulted in a more than tenfold increase in the production of Oaxaca’s signature spirit. Environmental issues ensued. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

That 11 million liters per year is even more impressive when you consider that the total produced in 2010 was only 1 million.

To feed that boom, agave fields now blanket slopes that used to be tropical dry and pine-oak forests — in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca and in areas such as Santiago Matatlán, the “World Capital of Mezcal” with more than 150 mezcal distilleries.

A 2025 study led by Rufino Sandoval-García of the Technological University of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca estimated that 34,953 hectares of those forests disappeared over 27 years as plantations expanded by more than 400% in three decades.

The predominance of espadín, the main agave used in commercial mezcal, is pushing monoculture, accelerating soil erosion and reducing carbon sequestration by roughly 4 million tons of carbon dioxide a year in the areas studied, the research found.

Sandoval-García’s team also warned that concentrating crops in cleared zones creates heat islands and limits groundwater recharge.

Mezcal production is water- and wood-intensive, as one liter of spirit can require at least 10 liters of water for fermentation and distillation. Fibrous residue (bagazo) and wastewater (vinazas) are often dumped untreated into rivers, while large volumes of firewood — some from illegal logging — are burned to roast agave and fuel stills, according to the study.

Producers say the shift has displaced traditional farming systems such as the milpa, an Indigenous intercropping method in which corn, beans and squash are grown together in the same plot.

To combat the polluting of rivers, some distilleries are installing systems to cool and reuse water or reintroducing wild agaves and trees, but they say scaling up such practices is difficult.

Mezcal's popularity is booming. That comes with a growing environmental cost in Mexico

Federal law requires authorization from the Environment Ministry (Semarnat) to convert forests to plantations, yet the agency says it has received no requests to clear forest for agave in Oaxaca in the past three years. 

It is investigating nine public complaints since 2021 over alleged illegal deforestation linked to mezcal.

Major brands say they are trying to curb damage.

Del Maguey, one of the most internationally recognized labels, reports using bagazo and vinazas in infrastructure meant to prevent flooding and contamination, and says it has backed tree-planting programs. Del Maguey specializes in small‑producer, “single village” bottlings from Oaxaca (and some from Puebla).

Community groups are also pushing back. The Guardianas del Mezcal collective and the conservation project Tierra de Agaves promote reforestation and mezcal made with practices such as using only fallen trees for firewood and intercropping agave with other crops.

Even critics concede the boom has brought jobs and higher incomes in one of Mexico’s poorest states, underscoring the tension between protecting land and livelihoods.

With reports from Vanguardia, Associated Press and La Jornada

Brazil’s president floats joint venture between Mexican state oil company Pemex and Petrobras

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MND Staff
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salvador, bahia, brazil - january 6, 2021: view of Petrobras' gas station in the neighborhood of Stiep, in the city of Salvador.
Founded in 1953, Petrobras already operates in the Gulf of Mexico via a joint venture with Murphy Exploration & Production, according to Reuters. (Shutterstock)

Mexico and Brazil are seeking to strengthen their economic ties. Could part of a more robust bilateral relationship be a joint venture between Mexico’s state oil company Pemex and its Brazilian counterpart Petrobras?

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva believes so.

According to Reuters, da Silva told an event last Friday that he had proposed to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum a partnership between Pemex and Petrobras to explore oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

“Pemex could get a great deal of help from Petrobras,” said da Silva, who highlighted the Brazilian company’s longstanding expertise in deepwater oil production.

His remarks came the same day that the foreign ministers of Mexico and Brazil met in Colombia and spoke about the upcoming visit to Mexico by Petrobras president Magda Chambriard. According to the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chambriard will hold meetings with Pemex “with a view to future collaboration.”

Lula, as the 80-year-old Brazilian president is best known, apparently made the Petrobras-Pemex proposal to Sheinbaum during a telephone call earlier this month.

The two leaders spoke on March 9 and Sheinbaum subsequently said she would likely take up Lula’s invitation and visit Brazil later this year.

Sheinbaum likely to visit Brazil this year to strengthen bilateral energy cooperation

The Brazilian president revealed on social media that he and Sheinbaum had discussed strengthening the economic relationship between Brazil and Mexico, particularly in the energy sector.

Founded in 1953, Petrobras already operates in the Gulf of Mexico via a joint venture with Murphy Exploration & Production, according to Reuters.

For its part, Pemex has a joint venture with the Australian company Woodside Energy to develop the ultra-deepwater Trion oil and gas field in the Gulf of Mexico.

A partnership with Petrobras could potentially help Pemex to exploit other deepwater fields in the Gulf of Mexico and thus contribute to the achievement of the government’s goals of self-sufficiency for gasoline and reduced reliance on natural gas imports.

Reuters said that neither Petrobras, Pemex nor Sheinbaum’s office responded to its request for comment on Lula’s proposal.

With reports from Reuters 

Night at the stadium? Airbnb is offering fans a free stay at Estadio Azteca hosted by Hugo Sánchez

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MND Staff
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Hugo Sanchez inside Estadio Azteca
Former Mexican footballer Hugo Sánchez will welcome four lucky visitors for an overnight stay in the Mexico City stadium where he forged the greatest career in Mexican soccer history. (Airbnb)

In anticipation of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Airbnb has announced a one-of-a-kind experience at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City: a free one-night stay inside the stadium hosted by Mexican soccer legend Hugo Sánchez.

The experience, which will be offered on April 5-6 to four guests selected by draw, includes an even more valuable feature — tickets to return to the stadium for the World Cup’s opening match on June 11. 

an Airbnb sleeping area in Estadio Azteca
Each guest will have a private sleeping area in a box suite converted into an Airbnb bedroom. (Airbnb)

“I invite you to enjoy exclusive access to the temple of Mexican football while I share my most cherished memories with you,” Sánchez wrote for Airbnb.  

The experience will feature Sánchez himself giving a private tour of the stadium — recently rebranded as Estadio Banorte and then again by FIFA as Estadio Ciudad de México — as he shares personal anecdotes linked to the stadium and his career.

“The Estadio Ciudad de México is one of the most iconic football venues in Mexico and has been a fundamental part of my story,” Sánchez told Airbnb. “I scored my first professional goal here, and I also experienced moments here that have marked me forever. It’s a place that commands respect, inspires and holds unforgettable memories.”

Guests will spend time in an area called “La Tribuna de Hugo” (Hugo’s Grandstand), which honors Sánchez’s exceptional career through an exhibition of memorabilia. Moreover, fans will hear from the legend himself about technical secrets to achieving his legendary “bicycle kick,” a move also known as “la Hugiña” in his honor.

Other activities include a friendly mini-soccer game with Sánchez and the opportunity to design your own soccer balls and caps, taking home a souvenir of the experience.

In the evening, guests will enjoy a traditional Mexican dinner prepared by a private culinary service, before heading to bed in box suites converted into private sleeping areas overlooking the pitch. 

The experience will end the following morning, after breakfast, prepared on site.  

Sánchez, known as “Pentapichichi” for his five La Liga scoring titles, is recognized by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics as the best Mexican soccer player of the 20th century. 

The guests will experience the renovated stadium days before its official opening to the public. 

To participate in the draw, fans must send a reservation request on March 23 by 9 p.m. GST through Airbnb. 

Mexico News Daily

Clock ticks on remodel of Mexico City International Airport as World Cup nears

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MND Staff
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renovations at Mexico City international airport
The original schedule allowed for 10-20% of the remodel to be completed after the World Cup concludes. But with under three months left before the World Cup kicks off on June 11, more than one-third of the renovations remain. (Camila Ayala Benabib/Cuartoscuro)

Renovations at both terminals of Mexico City International Airport (AICM) are only around half complete after 10 months of construction, meaning they will not be finished in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to the airport’s Director General Juan José Padilla.  

Starting in May 2025, a US $416-million overhaul has been underway at AICM, which serves around 46 million passengers a year. The renovations include changes to facade finishes, interior and exterior lighting, walls, ceilings, flooring, waterproofing, bathroom renovations, repairs to plumbing and electrical systems and the installation of automatic doors.

“We are working at full speed,” Padilla said in a radio interview on Feb. 18. “We hope that the Easter holidays will be a good exercise to test our capabilities. Unfortunately, some work will continue, but not at the scale it is currently; it will be much less.”  

The director acknowledged that some sections of the Terminal 1 concourse, baggage carousels, elevators, drainage, parking, road improvements and other areas will not be ready for the World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.  

However, the works that are completed by this date are expected to help improve the passenger experience for those flying through AICM, according to Padilla.

“Phase One, as we call it, which is specifically for the World Cup, will be 100% complete, and we will have 10-20% left of the work to finish after the World Cup,” José Padilla explained.

Renovations are expected to be halted during the World Cup before resuming after the tournament, between Aug. 1 and Nov 17. This second stage, known as Phase Two, was part of the original schedule. 

Meanwhile, with the busy Easter, or Holy Week, holidays coming up, there are concerns about disruptions for passengers such as loud machinery noise, blocked sidewalks, out-of-service staircases, fewer waiting areas and narrower corridors.  

Additionally, the ongoing dispute between ride-hailing apps, such as Uber, and taxi firms operating at the airport has caused confusion in the arrivals area. Uber and other rideshare services continue to operate at the airport; however, there are uncertainties about whether they will be permitted to collect and drop passengers off with the same liberty at AICM in the future. 

With reports from El Financiero

Mexico expecting over 4 million tourists during Holy Week holiday

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MND Staff
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Tourists on a boat ride in Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
Acapulco is projected to draw around 447,000 visitors — a 31.7% jump year-over-year — with hotel occupancy reaching 71.8%. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico is gearing up for one of its busiest travel seasons yet, with the Tourism Ministry (Sectur) projecting more than 4 million visitors during the Holy Week holiday period, which runs from March 29 to April 12 this year.

Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora announced that 4.03 million tourists are expected at the country’s top destinations — a 2.6% increase over the 3.93 million recorded during the same period of 2025. The surge is forecast to generate 55.89 billion pesos in tourism spending from hotel guests alone.

National hotel occupancy is expected to average 63.8%, with beach destinations leading the way. The Riviera Maya, Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos and Cancún are all projected to exceed 75% occupancy.

Among the standout stories is Acapulco’s continued recovery. The Pacific port city is projected to draw around 447,000 visitors — a 31.7% jump year-over-year — with hotel occupancy reaching 71.8%. According to state Tourism Minister Simón Quiñones, the city now has 17,000 hotel rooms available, approaching the roughly 19,600 it had before Hurricane Otis.

Mérida is another to watch, with 108,000 tourists expected and an 18.5% increase over last year, cementing its rise as a cultural and culinary destination in the southeast.

On the urban side, Mexico City leads with more than 458,000 projected visitors and a hotel occupancy rate of 56.2%, followed by Guadalajara with over 152,000 and Monterrey with more than 141,000.

Rodríguez Zamora urged Mexicans to explore their own country, calling Holy Week “a great opportunity to travel, support local communities and live unique experiences in every destination.”

Sectur has published a national events calendar covering all 32 states on its Visit México website.

Mexico News Daily

Femsa, Oxxo’s owner, cuts workforce related to its fintech unit Spin

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MND Staff
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Spin card
Femsa's Spin card allows Oxxo custmers to make deposits and withdrawals, pay bills and carry out other financial transactions, but it hasn't boosted clientele as much as hoped. (Femsa)

Femsa, one of Mexico’s largest retail firms, is cutting staff at its financial technology start-up as part of a strategic shift in its digital business.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reported that Femsa has eliminated hundreds of jobs at its Spin unit as part of a wave of about 1,300 layoffs across various divisions of its business, including retail (Oxxo) and bottling (Coca-Cola).

Femsa describes Spin — which manages a digital wallet that allows users to deposit and withdraw cash at the conglomerate’s ubiquitous Oxxo convenience stores — as “an ecosystem of financial and digital solutions.”

The March 2021 launch of Spin was intended to transform Femsa’s more than 24,000 Oxxo stores into a provider of financial services for a population generally distrustful of traditional banking.

The goal was to attract workers in the informal economy by simplifying access to loans and financing, while also encouraging these customers to shop more frequently at Oxxo.

With 16 million active users, Spin has succeeded in attracting a banking base, but not higher store traffic, leading Femsa’s new CEO “to narrow the business’s focus, replace the unit’s top executive and integrate it into the parent company’s corporate structure.”

From 2022:

Oxxo’s fintech app, Spin, aims for 10 million users next year

Femsa’s new management team has also decided to tighten spending, Bloomberg reported, describing the layoffs as “a sign of how difficult it is to gain ground in Mexico’s increasingly competitive financial system.”

In deciding to postpone the application for a banking license, Femsa’s goal is to focus on strengthening Spin’s integration with Oxxo while also developing financial capabilities through strategic alliances.

According to Finnovista Fintech Radar, a research initiative that tracks fintech startups across Latin America, Mexico’s fintech market is in a consolidation phase.

This stage is “characterized by the absence of abrupt growth and by greater maturity of the ecosystem,” it said, adding that the initial explosive growth has slowed and
“existing players face the challenge of scaling their models and consolidating their competitive positioning.”

Finnovista predicted that success in Mexico’s fintech sector in 2026 will depend less on raising capital and more on improving operations.

With reports from Bloomberg News, Reuters and Merca2.0

Mexico sends more aid to Cuba, calls for action from UN: Monday’s mañanera recapped

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MND Staff
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Cuauhtémoc, Ciudad de México. 23 de marzo 2026. La presidenta constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos, la Doctora Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo en conferencia de prensa matutina en el salón de la Tesorería de Palacio Nacional. La acompañan: Efraín Morales López, Director General de la Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA); ; Iván Escalante, Procurador Federal del Consumidor (Profeco); Alfonso Suárez del Real, asesor político de la Coordinación de Comunicación Social; Foto: Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia
President Sheinbaum confirmed on Monday that her administration tells the governments of both the United States and Cuba that Mexico is "always" ready to do what it can "to avoid any conflict." (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)

Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds

  • 🚢 Mexico is sending another humanitarian aid vessel to Cuba today, doubling down on its support for the island amid escalating tensions. Following Trump’s remarks about “taking Cuba,” Sheinbaum called for dialogue through the UN, rejected any military solution, and reaffirmed Mexico’s opposition to the U.S. embargo.
  • 🕊️ Sheinbaum noted that the U.S. and Cuba are already in talks, and said Mexico is positioning itself as a peace broker, telling both governments it’s ready to help “avoid any conflict” while backing Cuba’s right to self-determination.
  • ⛽ On energy, the government is analyzing the environmental impact of fracking to cut Mexico’s massive dependence on U.S. natural gas imports — currently at 75% — though zero dependence isn’t the goal, just a meaningful reduction.
  • ⚖️ Sheinbaum confirmed that some women remain imprisoned for having abortions in Mexico. She said the federal government will review whether it has authority to intervene, though abortion laws ultimately fall under each state’s jurisdiction.

Why today’s mañanera matters

The situation in Cuba, Mexico’s longstanding and ongoing support for the Cuban people, and the United States’ posture toward the country’s communist regime have been recurring issues at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conferences in 2026.

Today’s presser was significant as Sheinbaum revealed that Mexico is sending more humanitarian aid to the island nation, and reaffirmed her government’s desire for peace amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Havana.

Also of note at the first mañanera of the week were the president’s remarks about her government’s analysis of the environmental impacts of “non-conventional” gas exploration — i.e., fracking.

Sheinbaum appears open to allowing a form of sustainable fracking in Mexico, taking a very different position to that adopted by her predecessor and political mentor Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Mexico sending more aid to Cuba 

Without providing specific details, Sheinbaum said that a Mexican vessel loaded with humanitarian aid for Cuba will depart this Monday.

“Another humanitarian aid vessel is leaving today, from Mexico to the island, to the Cuban people,” she said.

“And we’re going to send all the humanitarian aid that is necessary,” Sheinbaum added.

In February, Mexican Navy ships transported more than 2,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Cuba, where people are facing a situation of extreme hardship amid a U.S. blockade on oil shipments to the Communist-run Caribbean island nation. Mexican vessels are also participating in an international humanitarian effort to deliver food, medical supplies and solar equipment to Cuba.

Sheinbaum’s remarks about Mexico’s latest humanitarian aid shipment came after a reporter highlighted that Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossio said on Sunday that the Cuban military “is preparing these days for the possibility of military aggression.”

“We would be naive if, looking at what’s happening around the world, we would not do that. But we truly hope that it doesn’t occur. We don’t see why it would have to occur, and we find no justification whatsoever — why would the government of the United States force its country to take military action against a neighboring country like Cuba,” Fernández told the NBC program Meet the Press.

His remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump said last week that he believed he would have “the honor of taking Cuba.”

On Monday morning, Sheinbaum noted that it is public knowledge that the United States and Cuba have held talks and asserted that the two countries are seeking a “peaceful solution” to their differences.

She said that her administration speaks to the governments of both the United States and Cuba, telling them that Mexico is “always” ready to do what it can “to avoid any conflict.”

Sheinbaum also said that Mexico will always support “the right of the Cuban people to self-determination.”

“In the face of any conflict, what should be used [to resolve it] are multilateral channels — the United Nations,” she said.

“And the United Nations should also send humanitarian aid [to Cuba]. … [We shouldn’t have] one country over another, no to invasion, no to a violent solution [to differences],” Sheinbaum said.

She added that Mexico is opposed to the longstanding U.S. embargo against Cuba, and the Trump administration’s current oil blockade of the country.

Mexico seeks to cut reliance on gas imports 

One month after she indicated her government could allow a form of sustainable fracking in order to increase domestic production of natural gas, Sheinbaum said that “the environmental impacts” of “non-conventional [gas] exploitation” — i.e., fracking — are being analyzed.

Part of that analysis, she said, is the consideration of “new technologies” that can purportedly make fracking more sustainable.

Sheinbaum said that her government would present the analysis in due course as well as a “very specialized team, because we don’t want to generate negative environmental impacts.”

The government’s objective is to reduce reliance on imports of natural gas, primarily from the United States.

Sheinbaum reiterated that Mexico imports around 75% of the natural gas it uses.

She said that getting that figure down to 0% is not possible, but stressed that “reducing the dependence we have today” can be achieved. The tapping of Mexico’s conventional — and unconventional — gas reserves looks set to be the government’s chosen path toward reducing the current reliance on foreign gas.

Federal government to review cases of women imprisoned for having had an abortion   

Asked whether it is possible to release women have who are imprisoned for having had an abortion, Sheinbaum responded that she had discussed the issue with Attorney General Ernestina Godoy.

She acknowledged that there are women in jail for having had an abortion, but asserted that they are few in number.

Sheinbaum said that the federal government would review whether it has the power to intervene in such cases, but stressed that regulations regarding abortion correspond to Mexico’s states.

Early term abortion is decriminalized in 26 of Mexico’s 32 federal entities, partially decriminalized in one and restricted in five.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

Graham Mackintosh’s 5,000 kilometer Baja beach walk

By
John Pint
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Graham Mackintosh
Over a period of nearly two years, British school teacher Graham Mackintosh wore out seven pairs of boots walking the perimeter of Baja California and had to go back to the USA three times to re-equip. (Graham Mackintosh)

In 1979, Scotch-Irish Englishman Graham Mackintosh was “bitten by Baja.”

While visiting friends in Los Angeles, he had taken a bus to Ensenada and then could not resist hitching another 1,400 kilometers further south to see the rest of the peninsula.

Baja sea cliff
Edging his way along the base of tall cliffs, Mackintosh might suddenly find himself staring into the eyes of a sea lion stretched head to tail across his path. (John Pint)

In his book, “Into a Desert Place,” he says:

“My first glimpse of Bahía de los Ángeles, a fisherman’s paradise on the shores of the Sea of Cortez, was unforgettable. I thought it was a landlocked lake studded with deserted islands. The sea was warm and beautifully calm, the bluest of blue. Monster stingrays shuffled around in the shallows. Huge fish chased smaller fish almost onto the beach. Dolphins skipped around the bay. Friendly fishermen invited me out to try my luck. With each fish I hauled aboard, I became more hooked on Baja.”

This was the moment Mackintosh came up with the extraordinary idea of walking the entire coastline of the peninsula.

“I thought it was the most wonderful place I’d ever seen in my life,” he told me. “I fell in love with it.”

Out of water, out of luck

With no previous experience in hiking or camping, Mackintosh started from San Felipe, typically carrying a gallon of water in each hand and a 60-pound pack on his back.

“A lot of the problems I had came from dehydration,” he told me. “If I ran short of water, I was in real trouble. And occasionally I went inland. I couldn’t get by sheer cliffs, so I’d go inland a little bit to try and get around them. And very often, I got into trouble doing that. I ran out of water and it was a real struggle to get back to the coast. And that could have been very, very serious, especially when it’s hot and you need water continuously to keep hiking.” 

sea water distillation setup
On several occasions, Mackintosh survived only thanks to this simple setup which allowed him to distill sea water. (Graham Mackintosh)

Leaving the beach and climbing cliffs was often daunting.

He writes: “Jagged rocks, stunted trees and tearing bushes spitefully conspired to thwart my ascent. I hated to see seagulls flying below me. The sea looked a long way down. After pausing to catch my breath and admire the view, I began the descent and was soon sliding and scrambling down a narrow gulley of chute-like steepness. Brittle rocks came away in my hands and crumbled underfoot. Avalanche-like slides threatened to send me tumbling to my doom.”

Life is beautiful!

Having survived this experience, his reflection on it is very Graham Mackintosh and gives us an insight into how he could pull off a stunt that everyone (and I do mean everyone) told him was impossible.

“‘God, life is beautiful! Baja is beautiful,’ I chuckled to myself … who needs drugs? This is the greatest high in the world. These were the highs we were made for. They enable us to see further, do better and stand taller.”

One night, Mackintosh reached down to feed a log further into his campfire. 

The dark, yellow scorpion

“Shock! Pain! I dropped the wood and leapt to my feet, cursing and trying to brush off what I assumed to be a red-hot ember. Then I saw the culprit in the firelight. A two-inch-long, dark yellow scorpion was still swinging his tail wildly … I could feel the venom spreading up my arm as a wave of tingling numbness. The key question was what would happen when it reached my chest. I hurriedly left a message in my diary and on my tape recorder, just in case.”

Baja scorpion
Bitten by a dark yellow scorpion, Mackintosh thought he might die. (Alan Rockefeller/Wikimedia Commons)

Shivering, he felt his throat tighten and his tongue thicken. An hour later, “the worst of the burning pain had passed. If I were about to die tomorrow, I thought, I might as well get a good night’s sleep.”

The next morning, he wrote in his diary: “Just a slightly stiff arm.”

Ode to a can of Tecate

After days of battles against cliffs and cacti, Mackintosh sees a cold can of Tecate beer in an entirely new light:

“Dry mouth watered as I clutched its cool promise. With foreplay relish, my fingers slipped along the can, wiping off the condensation. There was a little gasp as I opened it up. Oh, the first sip of cold beer when you’re thirsty! I could have drunk the lot in one go, but like one or two of life’s pleasures, it needed to be savored, experienced and definitely not rushed.”

Wild man of the beach

How did Macintosh appear to the Mexicans and foreigners who saw him coming down the coast?

“I looked a sight: boots taped together; clothes blood-stained, sweat-soaked and tattered; lips cracked; wild carrot-colored hair; unshaven; face as red as a beetroot and beaming elation; not the kind of thing you’d want to bump into with the sun going down.”

Bonny the burro
For US $30, Graham Mackintosh purchased Bonny the burro to carry his load, but in the end, Bonny stole his heart. (Graham Mackintosh)

Whereas rattlesnakes were high on a long list of the dangers Mackintosh expected to find in Baja, he eventually came to see them in an entirely different light:

“The increasingly long, hot days ensured that I had a steady supply of rattlesnakes for my frying pan.”

Bonny

On the last leg of his long trek, Mackintosh came to a four-hundred-mile-long stretch of mangroves and soft sand, with no cliffs to climb. So, he decided to get a burro to carry his gear.

It was a male, and he named it Bonny at the request of his mother, in the good old Scottish tradition.

With Bonny’s arrival, the story takes on an irresistible charm and pathos.

Bony’s quirks, Bonny’s lice, Bonny’s fears, Bonny’s ecstasy at the sight of an orange peel, Bonny’s horrifying entrapment in the sucking mud of Magdalena Bay …

Graham Mackintosh and Bonny the burro
Graham Mackintosh and his inseparable companion, Bonny the burro. (Graham Mackintosh)

It is a beautiful story, a wonderful story, and you simply have to read “Into a Desert Place” to fully appreciate it.

But beware. By the time you finish this book, you may find yourself booking a ticket to Baja California.

John Pint has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of “A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area” and co-author of “Outdoors in Western Mexico.” More of his writing can be found on his website.

MND Local: Puerto Vallarta’s butterfly sanctuary

By
Charlotte Smith
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3
Mariposario Jardín Mágico
The Mariposario Jardín Mágico is one of Puerto Vallarta's most underrated attractions. (Mariposario Jardín Mágico)

Just outside of Puerto Vallarta proper, a narrow hillside road leads to something most visitors never think to look for. People come to this part of Mexico expecting beaches, sunsets and margaritas on the malecón. And that’s fair. Puerto Vallarta does those things extremely well.

But a few miles inland, tucked into the green hills, sits a place that offers something completely different: Mariposario Jardín Mágico, a small butterfly sanctuary that quietly reminds you there’s more to the region than sand and ocean.

The butterfly sanctuary

Mariposario Jardín Mágico
There’s more to Puerto Vallarta than beaches and margaritas. (Mariposario Jardín Mágico)

At first glance, it doesn’t feel like a typical tourist stop. There’s no giant entrance sign and no crowds lining up for tickets. Instead, you walk through a wooden gate and step directly into a living garden.

Plants spill over narrow paths. Flowers lean towards the sunlight. And if you pause for a moment, you start noticing movement.

Butterflies.

Lots of them.

They drift through the garden in slow, unpredictable patterns. Some flash bright colours when sunlight hits their wings, then disappear the moment they land.

A vivid blue morpho butterfly glides across the path like a piece of blue glass, catching the light. When its wings close, the brilliant colour vanishes completely, replaced by dull brown camouflage.

Mariposario Jardín Mágico
The Puerto Vallarta butterfly sanctuary is a place that rewards patience, with the occasional picturesque vantage. (Villa del Palmar Beach Resort and Spa Puerto Vallarta)

It’s the kind of small, natural trick that makes you stop and look twice.

Further down the path, a few Monarch butterflies float between flowering plants, moving with a steady, almost effortless rhythm. They’re quieter flyers than the morphos, less flashy, but just as captivating when you take the time to watch them.

That’s really the secret of the sanctuary. It rewards patience.

The life cycle of a butterfly

The garden isn’t massive, but it’s carefully designed to support the entire life cycle of several butterfly species.

Every plant has a job. Some feed caterpillars, others produce nectar for adult butterflies, and shaded branches provide safe places for chrysalises to hang undisturbed.

Look closely beneath a leaf and you might find a caterpillar slowly working through its next meal. Nearby, tiny chrysalis pods hang from stems like little ornaments. They look still, almost decorative, but inside them, a complete transformation is happening.

Mariposario Jardín Mágico
Butterfly species rely on specific plants to survive. (Mariposario Jardín Mágico)

A caterpillar dissolving and rebuilding itself into something entirely different.

The staff at the sanctuary are quick to point these things out. They’ll show visitors the host plants where butterflies lay eggs and explain how specific species rely on specific plants to survive. Without those plants, the butterflies simply wouldn’t exist.

It’s a reminder that ecosystems run on relationships; those quiet connections that most of us rarely notice.

The garden itself feels relaxed and unpolished in the best way. You won’t find loud music or flashy displays here. Instead, visitors wander slowly along shaded paths, occasionally stopping when a butterfly passes close enough to admire.

Sometimes one even lands nearby. Not because anyone trained it to, but simply because the garden belongs to them as much as it does to the people walking through it.

Transformation

Children tend to gravitate towards the caterpillars. Watching one inch along a leaf might seem like the slowest show on Earth, but once someone explains that the tiny creature will eventually become a butterfly, suddenly everyone pays attention.

Mariposario Jardín Mágico
Children gravitate towards caterpillars and love to get a closer look. (Mariposario Jardín Mágico)

Transformation has a way of doing that.

There’s also a cultural layer to the story. In Mexico, the return of monarch butterflies each year often overlaps with Día de los Muertos. In many communities, the butterflies are believed to carry the spirits of loved ones returning home during the celebration.

Whether taken as tradition or symbolism, the idea fits surprisingly well when you’re standing in a garden filled with drifting wings.

What makes the sanctuary special isn’t just the butterflies themselves. It’s the contrast.

Something else entirely

Visitors come to Puerto Vallarta expecting sun, sand and ocean views. They imagine beach umbrellas, boat tours and margaritas served with salt on the rim.

And all of that is here.

Mariposario Jardín Mágico
Puerto Vallarta’s butterfly sanctuary offers a hands-on experience. (Villa del Palmar Beach Resort and Spa Puerto Vallarta)

But the Mariposa sanctuary offers something else entirely.

No sand. No cocktails. No loud beach music. Just a quiet little hillside garden where butterflies move through the air.

It’s the kind of place people don’t plan for when they book a trip to Puerto Vallarta. Yet many who stumble upon it end up remembering it long after the beach photos fade into their camera rolls.

Because while beaches are easy to find in coastal Mexico, a living butterfly sanctuary tucked into the jungle hills offers something far less common.

A chance to slow down.

To notice small things.

And to discover that sometimes the most memorable experiences in a place famous for its coastline happen nowhere near the ocean at all. 

Charlotte Smith is a writer and journalist based in Mexico. Her work focuses on travel, politics, and community. You can follow along with her travel stories at www.salsaandserendipity.com.

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