The peso kicked off Semana Santa (Holy Week) at nearly 20 to the dollar. (Shutterstock)
The Mexican peso appreciated against the US dollar on Monday morning due to increased appetite for riskier assets after United States President Donald Trump exempted smartphones, computers and some other tech products from his so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” including a 125% duty on imports from China.
At 1 p.m. Mexico City time, the peso was trading at a slightly weaker 20.11 to the dollar.
The strengthening of the peso to close to 20 to the dollar on Monday came five days after the currency weakened to above 21 to the greenback amid an escalating trade war between the United States and China. As the strengthening came at the beginning of Semana Santa, or Holy Week, the El Financiero newspaper described it as a “santa apreciación” or “holy appreciation” in a headline.
The Trump administration’s announcement on Friday that it was dropping “reciprocal” tariffs on tech products including smartphones, computers, semiconductors and flat panel TV displays — at least temporarily — increased investors’ appetite for riskier assets such as the Mexican peso.
Analysts from Mexican bank Banco Base said that the appreciation of the peso was due to “a decrease in risk aversion” after Trump dropped 125% tariffs on cell phones, computers, semiconductors and other electronic devices imported from China.
A 20% “fentanyl tariff” on goods sent to the U.S. from China remains in effect.
The DXY index, which measures the US dollar against a basket of six major currencies, declined on Monday morning, indicating a general weakening of the greenback.
In the face of surging prices to rent and buy homes in Mexico, the program aims to make housing more accessible. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
The federal government is now aiming to build 1.1 million new homes across Mexico during this six-year term of government (2024-30), increasing its goal by 100,000 dwellings.
Octavio Romero, general director of the Institute of the National Housing Fund for Workers (Infonavit), announced the more ambitious target at an event in Matamoros, Tamulipas, on Friday.
Octavio Romero, President Sheinbaum and other officials gave new home owners the titles to their government-financed affordable housing at the Tamaulipas event. (Presidencia)
“At the beginning of the administration we had a goal of building 1 million homes. Now that global circumstances propel us to accelerate [the] Plan México [economic initiative] we will build 1.1 million homes during this six-year period of government,” he said.
The government’s home-building initiative is officially called the Housing for Well-Being Program. Improvements to more than 1.5 million existing homes will also be carried out as part of the program.
Romero’s announcement in Matamoros came a week after Sheinbaum announced a range of “programs and actions” related to Plan México, initiatives whose ultimate goal is to strengthen the Mexican economy and make Mexico more self-sufficient amid the uncertainty generated by the United States’ on-again, off-again tariff policies under President Donald Trump.
One of the 18 initiatives announced by the president on April 3 is aimed at accelerating the construction of new dwellings and increasing access to government-backed home loans.
Speaking at another housing-focused event in Guadalupe, Zacatecas, on Saturday, Romero said that Infonavit will oversee the construction of 600,000 new homes during the current period of government, while the National Housing Commission (Conavi) will manage projects to build 500,000 dwellings.
Infonavit’s target has been increased by 100,000 while Conavi’s remains the same.
Romero, CEO of state oil company Pemex during Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s 2018-24 presidency, said in Zacatecas that the new Infonavit homes will be 60 square meters and built in locations “close to work centers.”
“They will be safe, efficient, comfortable and affordable,” the Infonavit chief said.
“They will have all the basic services, with the required infrastructure [including] green areas and sporting and social facilities,” Romero said.
Formally employed workers registered with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) can receive assistance from the housing institute Infonavit to buy or build small, affordable homes. (Casas Infonavit)
Zero-interest loans to purchase the homes will be available to hundreds of thousands of people on low salaries.
Sheinbaum said workers who earn a maximum of two times the minimum wage — or around 17,000 pesos (about US $850) per month — will be eligible to buy the new homes.
“We’re making housing a human right, a social right, because for many years social housing was seen as a business,” she said.
Conavi general director Rodrigo Chávez said that seniors, single mothers, people with disabilities, Indigenous persons and young people will be among those who will have first dibs on the homes to be built by the institution he leads.
“Sixty square meter apartments will be built for families, [we’re] thinking about three bedrooms and [there will be] a special prototype [home] for young people of 40 square meters,” he said.
In Matamoros on Friday, Sheinbaum railed against corruption in Mexico’s housing institutes prior to the López Obrador administration. She also denounced the construction of homes “without services” in locations far from urban centers.
Sheinbaum distanced herself from the administrations that preceded former President López Obrador, saying rampant corruption undermined Mexico’s previous affordable housing initiatives. (Presidencia)
More than 4 million “unpayable loans” were issued by government housing institutes before 2018, Sheinbaum said.
Workers “paid and paid and paid” but their debt only grew, said the president, whose government is providing debt relief for mortgagors who were granted loans whose terms are now considered unfair.
“Before 2018, Infonavit provided loans and supposed access to housing with unpayable loans. People asked for an Infonavit loan and had access to a home on some occasions but not others because there was a lot of corruption in those times,” Sheinbaum said.
“And the workers continued paying and paying and paying and they never stopped paying … [but] in the majority of cases more and more was owed. … That’s not a loan, that’s usury, that’s theft,” she said.
Sheinbaum: construction of homes will create 600,000 jobs this year
Sheinbaum said in Aguascalientes on Sunday that the government will build 200,000 homes this year, 20,000 more than the figure she cited during her April 3 announcement of the 18 “programs and actions” associated with Plan México.
The construction projects will create 600,000 jobs, she said.
The new homes will be built across Mexico, including in the three states — Tamaulipas, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes — where the government held housing-focused events over the past three days.
La Época de Oro, or The Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, had stars and films your Mexican neighbors still recognize, even those neighbors not yet born when the movies were made. (Archivo General de la Nación)
There was a time when Mexico made movies better than just about anybody. Mexico calls it La Época de Oro, the Golden Age, which makes it sound like everyone involved was rich and handsome and having a hell of a time. Some of them were. But most of them were sweating under hot lights in makeshift studios, turning heartache and tequila into art, because that’s what you do when history won’t let you take a break.
La Época de Oro started in the 1930s and ran through the 1950s, when the world was still recovering from one war and preparing for another, and Mexico was doing what it did best: improvising. The country had just figured out how to have a revolution without immediately falling apart, which was no small feat. Meanwhile, Hollywood got distracted by World War II and rationing celluloid, so Mexican filmmakers stepped in, scooped up the talent and got to work.
Two of the age’s biggest stars: María Félix and Pedro Infante. (Wikimedia Commons)
This was a time when movies meant something, when people packed into theaters to watch larger-than-life characters drink, fight, cry and sing. And sing they did. Ranchera music filled the soundtracks, swelling with violins and heartbreak because no self-respecting Mexican movie could get through an hour and a half without somebody singing about how love had ruined their life.
The leading men were the kind of guys who looked like they could fix your car, break your nose and steal your girlfriend all in the same afternoon. Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete and Cantinflas — men so famous in Mexico that if you walked into a bar and said their names, someone would buy you a drink just for having good taste.
Pedro Infante was the heartbreaker, the motorcycle-riding, silver-throated charmer who could cry on cue and make the whole country weep with him. He played the kind of men who fought for love and lost, but lost beautifully. He died too young, of course — his plane went down in 1957 — and half the country wore mourning black like they’d lost a brother.
Jorge Negrete was different. He was a trained opera singer who looked like he could win a duel just by raising an eyebrow. If Pedro Infante was the guy you fell in love with, Jorge Negrete was the guy you married if you had any sense. He had dignity, presence and the kind of voice that made people straighten their backs when they heard it.
Pedro Infante - Cien Años (Remasterizado)
Then there was Cantinflas. No one really knew what he was saying, but it was hilarious. He could talk circles around anyone, slipping between nonsense and genius so fast that even politicians feared him. Charlie Chaplin called him the best comedian alive, and Charlie Chaplin knew a thing or two about comedy. Cantinflas made fun of everyone, but somehow everyone still loved him.
The movies themselves were something else — part melodrama, part social commentary, part wish-fulfillment. There were the charro films, where men in wide-brimmed hats and silver-buttoned jackets rode horses, played guitars and shot each other over women. There were the cabaretera films, smoky and tragic, where women in tight dresses sang their sorrows in dimly lit nightclubs before inevitably making a bad decision involving a man with a mustache.
And then there was María Félix, “La Doña” (The Lady), who didn’t just play strong women — she was a strong woman, with a glare that could kill a man at 20 paces and a mouth that could bury him right after. She turned down Hollywood because she didn’t want to play maids or mistresses. In Mexico, she was royalty, and she made sure everyone knew it.
But nothing golden lasts forever. By the late 1950s, television was eating away at cinema’s audience, and the government — always quick to ruin a good thing — tightened its grip on film production. The studios, once bursting with talent and ideas, became mediocrity factories. The world moved on.
Poster for 1955’s “Ensayo de un Crimen” (Rehearsal for a Crime), a Mexican black comedy about a would-be serial killer. It was adapted for the screen and directed in Mexico by legendary filmmaker Luis Buñuel. (Archivo General de la Nación)
Yet, here’s the funny thing about the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema: it can start, end and start again. There are plenty of modern examples of Mexican greatness in movies, my favorite being “Y tu mamá también” because I’m a sucker for a good road trip flick. The ghosts of Golden Age films linger in black and white, forever singing, forever suffering, forever golden. And forever inspiring a new generation of filmmakers.
What’s your favorite Mexican movie?
Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.
Indigenous authorities open Holy Week festivities in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas. (Isabel Mateos Hinojosa/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico — home to the world’s second-largest Catholic population after Brazil — boasts unique traditions to mark the end of Lent during Holy Week. Influenced by a blend of pre-Hispanic customs and Hispanic culture — in addition to cultural modern elements like Coca Cola – these rituals vary widely by region.
Here are four of the most authentic Holy Week rituals and processions around Mexico to catch during Holy Week.
Judas de Pajacuaran
Dance of the Judases in Pajacuarán, Michoacán
In a colorful and lively display of faith, Pajacuarán, a small town in northeastern Michoacán, celebrates Holy Week with a procession known as the Dance of the Judases.
Combining Indigenous and Christian elements, the parade’s origins date back to the 19th century, when the priest Secundino Bautista evangelized the region’s Indigenous inhabitants by fusing their agricultural dances with Christian mysticism.
During the parade, which occurs on Holy Wednesday, dancers wear elaborate masks and tunics decorated with embroidery. They also carry sandals and a chirrión, a whip, they crack during their walks.
Roosters and Coca-Cola for Jesus in Chiapas
San Juan Chamula, a municipality located in the Chiapas highlands, is home to a distinctive and perhaps surprising practice that combines roosters, Coca-Cola and Indigenous beliefs.
One of San Juan Chamula’s many Holy Week traditions includes the chopping down of the municipality’s largest cypress tree that year and bringing it to the community’s main church. (Isabel Mateos Hinojosa/Cuartoscuro)
In preparation for Holy Week, villagers walk into the forest to cut down a cypress tree after offering a prayer asking for permission and forgiveness from the tree. The giant log is then brought to the main church.
Then, on Holy Thursday, a rag doll representing Judas Iscariot is “punished” by being imprisoned and hanged for betraying Jesus.
But one of the most distinctive rituals happens inside the dim, incense-filled San Sebastián church, where roosters are sacrificed as offerings in an act believed to cleanse the faithful of evil and illness.
Bottles of Coca-Cola are placed at the altar and offered to the saints. Villagers believe the cola’s fizziness expels bad spirits and purifies the soul.
The presence of Coca-Cola in the ritual reflects cultural syncretism, as the soft drink has become deeply engraved into locals’ daily lives and religious practices.
The Holy Week traditions of the Raramuri in Chihuahua’s Sierra Tarahumara are a syncretic mix of Indigenous beliefs and later Christian ones imposed by Spanish colonizers. (INAH)
How the Chihuahua Rarámuri defend God
Known in the Indigenous Rarámuri language as Comonorirawachi (“when we walk in circles”), this Holy Week celebration in the Sierra Tarahumara mountain range is a deeply spiritual event that combines ancestral beliefs with Christian elements.
Symbolizing the eternal struggle between good (God) and evil (the devil), the celebration centers around solemn processions encircling temples, symbolizing a “cordon of belief” in God’s defense.
Throughout the week, staged battles take place between the “Pharisees,” who represent the forces of evil, and the “soldiers,” the defenders of God.
One of the most visually striking processions is the pintos dance, in which participants paint their bodies with small circles using lime (the mineral form of limestone).
To wrap up, participants burn a Judas effigy in a ceremony that symbolizes betrayal and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
According to local customs, the local religious authority of the Rarámuri needs to grant permission to outsiders.
Hooded penitents participating in Taxco, Guerrero’s Holy Tuesday procession carry on their backs thorny brambles tied together, the city’s most-attended Holy Week event. (Bernandino Hernández/Cuartoscuro)
Penitence and purgatory in Taxco, Guerrero
Taxco is home to some of the most visually striking processions of the country: the procession of the blessed souls of purgatory.
Taking place on Holy Tuesday (April 15 this year), participants are divided into three groups that weave their way through the town’s streets: the cross bearers, the flagellants and the souls.
The cross bearers are typically men walking barefoot and bare chested, while they shoulder coils of thorny brambles weighing over 40 kilograms pressing into their skin that often causes it to bleed. The flagellants whip their own backs with nail-tipped scourges. The third group — women who represent souls — wear black cloaks and walk slowly, wearing heavy metal chains bound to their hands and feet.
The flagellants and the souls appear again the following day at the atrium of the church of Santa Prisca during a representation of Christ’s agony at the Garden of Gethsemane.
While some attendees get unsettled by the sight of the hooded figures and self-inflicted suffering, many others see these processions as a powerful expression of faith and a reminder of Christ’s agony.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
American Airlines is set to become the second international carrier to fly to the surf town of Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, with flights starting Dec. 3, 2025.
Located in southern Mexico along the Pacific Coast, Puerto Escondido is known for its laid-back vibe, beautiful beaches and some of the world’s best waves for surfers. On April 5, United Airlines’ partner Mesa Airline became the first international carrier offering once a week non-stop flights to the sunny destination.
American Airlines’ new route will connect the carrier’s hub at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) with Puerto Escondido International Airport (PXM) year-round with flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays. An Embraer 175 aircraft with capacity for 76 passengers will fly the route.
Tickets will go on sale April 14 through American Airlines website and partners.
“Puerto Escondido is quickly becoming a top destination for travelers in search of tropical and relaxing getaways, and we are confident that our new service from Dallas-Fort Worth will offer our customers the opportunity to experience a unique part of Mexico,” American’s Vice President of International Operations José A. Freig said in a statement.
Puerto Escondido International Airport is part of the Mexican Tourist Airport Group (GATM), a public-private partnership between Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA) and the Portuguese infrastructure and logistics company Mota-Engil. GATM launched last year and includes Tepic International Airport (TPQ) in Nayarit.
Puerto Escondido is American Airline’s 30th destination in Mexico. (Ross Sokolovski/Unsplash)
According to American Airlines, Puerto Escondido is the carrier’s 30th destination in Mexico. Other recently added routes include Tampico (TAM), Cancún (CUN), Tijuana (TIJ), Tulum (TQO) and Veracruz (VER).
The airline also serves popular destinations like Cabo San Lucas (CSL), Puerto Vallarta (PVR) and Mexico City (MEX).
If you remember sushi in PV being full of cream cheese, you need to come back: There's a been a culinary transformation in Puerto Vallarta in recent years you need to check out. (Shutterstock)
There was a time — not that long ago — when Puerto Vallarta’s dining scene was best known for ceviche and shrimp tacos. And that’s not a bad thing — PV does both of those things very well.
But over the past few years, something beautiful has been bubbling beneath the surface. This once-sleepy beach town has transformed into a cosmopolitan hub, where cultures have converged and brought with them their eclectic, international cuisine.
Puerto Vallarta is rapidly becoming a top food destination. (Tripadvisor)
Vallarta still has its beachy charm, but now it’s paired with a global dining scene that has made it one of the top destinations for foodies in Mexico. Walk a few blocks and you can travel from Tokyo to Tuscany, from Athens to Barcelona, without leaving the cobblestone streets.
No cuisine is off-limits here, and the chefs are bringing talent to the table. Whether you’re craving a proper French bistro moment, handmade pastas, Thai curry or an elegant omakase evening, Vallarta delivers.
Here are some of the best spots for international eats in Puerto Vallarta:
Finding decent sushi in Puerto Vallarta — or, at least, one not stuffed with cream cheese — was once quite the struggle. But today, PV has three standout sushi restaurants that have you feeling like you’ve stumbled off the cobblestone streets and into a tiny Tokyo restaurant.
Torio Handroll Bar is the current darling of my PV sushi obsession. It’s minimal, modern, and a bit of a hidden gem unless you’ve spent time walking around the Versalles neighborhood. This small sushi counter specializes in hand rolls (temaki). Sit at the counter and let the chef guide you (omakase menus are offered on the weekends), or order a few hand rolls and see what you like best.
Meanwhile, Kenta delivers with a funky industrial-chic-meets-Japanese decor. Chef’s specialty rolls are exceptional, as are the takoyaki and the nigiri. With a location right on Basilio Badillo, it doesn’t get more convenient. Note that Kenta is cash-only.
Sendo, on the other hand, is all about serious omakase energy. This soft-spoken, upscale sushi restaurant is a more traditional dining experience. Surrender your evening to the chef (and be prepared to spend a pretty peso) and emerge in an umami-induced state of bliss.
Thai street food may not be what comes to mind when you think of Mexico, but Tuk Tuk will certainly change your opinion. Think crispy spring rolls, green curry, pad Thai, and chicken satay. It’s casual, cozy, and downright addictive.
And if you haven’t fulfilled your Thai fix, Siam Cocina Thai is where you go for perfect papaya salad, tangy Pad Thai, and a spicy tom yum soup.
Bonito Kitchen is what happens when a chic design aesthetic meets pan-Asian comfort food. Their ramen bowls, bao buns and Vietnamese rolls are what you’re ordering here. The restaurant has two locations: one in Zona Romantica and one in Fluvial.
And then there’s the OG: Archie’s Wok, which is often ranked as one of the best Asian fusion restaurants in the city. The menu offers everything from Thai street food to Chinese noodle dishes and Vietnamese snacks.
Italian cuisine has staked a major claim on Vallarta, and the selections have only improved over the years. One of the mainstays among PV Italian restaurants is La Dolce Vita (which has four locations). Opt for the one on the malecon waterway so you can have a spectacular sunset view. It’s old school with hefty portions, friendly service and an octopus carpaccio that is a must.
La Traviata pairs pasta with one of the best seats in the house. The restaurant, perched atop the Paloma Del Mar hotel, has panoramic views over the rooftops of Puerto Vallarta’s Cinco de Diciembre neighborhood and out over the Bay of Banderas.
My go-to for candlelit evenings is Trattoria Ciento Once, tucked into an open-air courtyard in Versalles. The pasta selection is perfect (I always order the bolognese), the wine list is solid and the live music sends the experience over the top.
Speaking of Italy, the pizza scene in Puerto Vallarta deserves its own category. Errante Pizza is a trendy newcomer to PV — a roving, nomadic pizza experience that pops up at different bars every week. Check their Instagram page to see where they are popping up next.
La Notte is heaven for its gooey, cheesy, wood-fired pizzas. You can’t go wrong with the classic Margherita pizza, and don’t sleep on the tiramisu.
For a really excellent sourdough crust pizza, I love to recommend Masa Madre. Their thin-crust pizza — topped with arugula, prosciutto and fig — is sublime.
Yes! Puerto Vallarta even has Greek restaurants now. They happen to sit side-by-side, so you could easily compare and contrast. OPA Greek Bistro is splashed in classic Grecian blue and white. The menu has the classics, from spanakopita to tzatziki, Greek salad and moussaka.
Not to be outdone, the next-door Mykonos Greek Restaurant has succulent skewers, grilled octopus, and lemon-drenched seafood. The upstairs terrace is breezy with lovely views of the Versalles streets.
Europe is well-represented on Puerto Vallarta’s plates. La Cigale is a cozy French bistro in Versalles. Think exposed brick, leather banquettes and vintage photos. If you’re craving French onion soup, big bowls of mussels or a juicy filet mignon, this is the spot to hit. You can start the evening at the next-door Antidote bar, owned by a French couple, which serves fantastic French wines and a legendary cheese plate.
For Spanish tapas, Barcelona Tapas is a PV institution. One of the best restaurants in town, the rooftop restaurant in Centro has stunning views of the bay. Order the seafood paella, the croquettes stuffed with Jamon Serrano, or the spicy patatas bravas.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com
Felipe holding “Los Músicos Calavéricos”, one of his rug designs featuring traditional Mexican Calaveras. (All photos by Karla Parra)
Every Saturday, Felipe Elías Juárez sits at Mercado Sano in San Miguel de Allende, his red baseball cap barely visible behind stacks of colorful woven rugs, an art form he’s been perfecting since age 15. Today, his intricate designs of cacti, whimsical geometric shapes, and traditional Calaveras adorn the floors and walls of clients as far away as New Zealand, but Felipe’s story is about more than his craft; it’s also about lessons in patience and relying on others when tragedy strikes.
Through Felipe’s story, we debut “Hecho en México,” a new series that goes beyond the craft to celebrate the humans behind Mexico’s vibrant creative landscape. Through personal stories of painters, potters, rug weavers and more, we’ll explore the traditions, challenges and triumphs that drive these creatives to share their talent with the world, while preserving Mexico’s rich artistic heritage.
Juárez weaves a rug at the home of his friend, Luis, where they both collaborate on a shared loom.
A craft rooted in San Miguel tradition
Barely out of elementary school in his native San Miguel, Felipe worked odd construction jobs to help his family. Sensing his son had a different aptitude, his father introduced a teenage Felipe to his good friend Casimiro Amaro, a renowned 80-year-old weaver in the San Miguel community, who first taught him the basics of weaving.
“The process was very rustic and manual,” Felipe recalls, describing what happens to wool after it’s sheared off sheep — from scouring to combing it to separate the fibers and prepare them for spinning. “There, I learned the foundation of weaving, like how to warp the thread.”
Throughout his adult life, Felipe moved between workshops and teachers, each challenging his skills and nurturing his love for the art. He learned to make blankets with tassels, the traditional woven garments called cotorinas, short vests and rugs, using the natural color variations of wool and dyes to create designs like maguey agaves.
Twelve years ago, he felt a calling to launch a business of his own.
“In a job, it’s always for the boss, and I wanted to stand out, but indecision didn’t help me. I was always a little afraid,” Felipe says, recalling how he felt when he struck out. “But in the end, I’m still here, thank God.”
Felipe and the largest loom he uses — again, in collaboration with his friend, Luis — to create the largest rugs in his inventory.
Over the next nine years, Felipe grew a business out of his home that could sustain his family of 10. He wove on three looms, from 1–3 meters in width. Then, on the fateful night of Dec. 12, 2021 — the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe — everything changed.
The night of the fire
“We could hear fireworks, the joy of the celebration,” Felipe tells the story, his tone turning somber. “We were about to fall asleep when one of my sons started yelling, ‘Dad, get out, it’s burning!’”
A small shoe factory in the basement of his building had caught fire, forcing over 200 people to evacuate. No lives were lost, but Felipe nearly lost his livelihood. He was forced to leave behind rugs, raw materials and his three looms, not to mention his family’s belongings.
“Everything went downhill,” Felipe says of that time, his eyes downcast. “We stood there, watching, feeling the heat and the smoke from far away, and we couldn’t do anything.”
Along with their belongings, the independence Felipe had built for himself and his family vanished, and they were forced to rely on others. An older son took in the family — Felipe, his wife, mother, his two younger kids still living at home, his brother and his brother’s family. A childhood friend and fellow weaver, Luis, stepped in, lending Felipe looms so he could get back to work quickly.
Felipe and his wife, Librada, at the Mercado Sano in San Miguel, showing off one of Felipe’s maguey (agave plant) designs.
“It’s been hard, but what has helped me the most is patience,” Felipe says, recalling what he’s learned from the experience. “There are times when you feel frustrated, but you have to breathe and count to 10. There’s no point in getting desperate. If you have patience, things will fall into place.”
New life, new designs
Today, Felipe still works at the house of his friend Luis, who is also his business collaborator. Depending on the project, they’ll often weave together, using a loom that takes up an entire room at 4 meters, or 13 feet wide, a job that requires two people.
Gradually, Felipe is rebuilding a home for his family in the countryside close to where his older son lives. As it turns out, they’ve welcomed the change of scenery.
“My wife loves it because the view of the hills is beautiful. It refreshes you,” he says of his new surroundings. “Where we lived before was very small, but here, you’re free, you see other horizons.”
The new scenery has also breathed new life into Felipe’s work.
Felipe’s geometric rug designs use dye and the natural color variations in sheep’s wool.
“When I walk in nature, it fills my mind. Cacti, especially, inspire me,” Felipe says, explaining how whenever he sees a striking image in nature, he takes a photo of it and sends it to his son, who then creates a digital version and prints it to his dad’s specifications, for a new rug.
“I’ve also woven the Parroquia before — the famous San Miguel church — twice,” Felipe shares with a proud smile. “That design takes a long time because I use very fine wool to capture every detail. Some projects take a long time, but they’re worth it.”
Keeping the legacy alive
With rising material costs and the desire to pursue more profitable careers among younger generations, the number of workshops dedicated to weaving in San Miguel has been declining, according to Felipe.
“The wool, some people still buy it, but they want to pay too little for it, considering the amount of work that goes into the process,” he says.
Felipe has tried to preserve the art by teaching his kids how to weave, but they chose different paths — one in construction, another in gardening, for example.
For six years, Felipe also taught weaving as a volunteer at Ojalá Niños, a nonprofit in San Miguel Viejo that offers after-school classes to children in the arts, music and literacy. He would ride his bicycle for an hour each way, twice a week, trusting that he was making a difference in the lives of future generations.
As he thinks about retiring in the future, Felipe sees himself running a weaving school in San Miguel one day, for kids, tourists or just people who want to learn to do what he does.
“For me, teaching was a beautiful experience,” Felipe says, smiling. “When you teach from the heart, giving something of what you know, it feels even better.”
What’s next for Felipe Juárez
Felipe displays and sells his work wherever possible, such as in the upcoming Feria Artesanal, happening April 23—27 (from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.) in San Miguel de Allende’s main square.
In between bigger fairs, Felipe faithfully shows up every Saturday at the Mercado Sano with Librada by his side. There, he displays rugs, blankets, vests and other designs while handing out business cards. He lacks the e-commerce know-how to showcase his products online, but he’d love to learn.
“What I love the most is weaving, the way that it engages the hands, the eyes, the mind, the feet,” Felipe reflects when asked about his favorite part of the business. “And my biggest priority is that the customer is happy. This, in turn, makes me happy because they are taking a product that I made with my own hands.”
If you’d like to connect with Felipe and view his work, you can visit his colorful rug-stacked table on Saturdays at Mercado Sano between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. or at the upcoming Feria Artesanal (April 23–27) in the main square — known as the Jardín — in the heart of downtown San Miguel. You can also contact him via WhatsApp at +52 415-101-2075. Felipe welcomes the opportunity to learn e-commerce skills from someone who would like to teach him. He also makes beautiful, commissioned one-of-a-kind designs. Simply send him a photo, and he’ll work with you to bring your vision to life!
Ingredients and spices from the New World changed how the globe cooks. The favorite meals of today are all thanks to Mexico. (AXP Photography)
Mexico is undoubtedly respected for birthing one of the world’s great food cultures. For example, Unesco has recognized traditional Mexican cuisine as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity. However, the influence and importance of the nation’s gastronomy has yet to be properly evaluated globally. I believe this for two reasons: one, the most popular Mexican dishes internationally are street foods, which has led many to undervalue the complexity of its cuisine; and two, people don’t know their food history very well.
How Mexican ingredients changed everything, everywhere
Italian pizza would not be the same without the tomato. (Klara Kulikova/Unsplash)
When Hernán Cortés introduced tomatoes from Mexico to Europe in the early 16th century, it was old hat to the Maya and Mexica. Not so in Italy. Before the arrival of Mexican tomatoes, cuisine in Italy was a composite of bread, pasta, olives and beans. Marinara or arrabiata sauces did not exist, nor, for that matter, did pizza.
Nor was the tomato quickly embraced by Italian chefs. It wasn’t until chef Antonio Latini published the first tomato sauce recipe in “Lo Scalpa Alla Moderna” in 1692 that Italian cuisine began to assume the world-class dimensions that we recognize today. A similar story exists in India, where native cuisine was revolutionized by the introduction of Mexican chili peppers. Farms for growing them were established in Goa in the 16th century, with seeds brought by Portuguese traders. Black pepper was the original Indian spice until chile peppers transformed Indian curries into the delightfully spicy dishes we know and love today.
Can you imagine French cuisine without its chocolate soufflés? Or a life worth living without chocolate and vanilla ice cream? The so-called Columbian Exchange that arose after Christopher Columbus’ early voyages unleashed some terrible things like disease, African chattel slavery and the encomienda system. But it also unleashed a sharing of ideas and new ingredients between the Old World and New. Mexico benefited, too, from the introduction of ingredients like lime, which are now essential to her cuisine.
However, this was nothing compared to the unbelievable outpouring of ingredients and flavors Mexico gave to the world: corn, tomatoes, avocados, chocolate, vanilla, jicama, squash, sweet potato… the list goes on and on. Almost all of these, by the way, were first domesticated in Mexico, too. Corn growing arose in the Mexican state of Guerrero 9,000 years ago, with the first evidence for the cultivation of chiles arising in Puebla and Tamaulipas about the same time. Chocolate was introduced courtesy of the Mokaya, an Indigenous group in Chiapas who were drinking beverages made from cacao as far back as 1900 BCE. Tomatoes, meanwhile, appear to have been cultivated simultaneously in Mexico and the Andes Region of South America. Considering corn is now responsible for nearly 20% of all caloric intake globally, and 20% of all vegetable production is tomatoes — I know, technically a fruit — it’s impossible to overstate the influence Mexico has had on world cuisine.
Mexico first changed the taste of world cuisine, then it changed the color
(Josephine Baran/Unsplash)
The world owes its colorful and passionate reds, in fashion and food, to Mexico. Yes, this is unequivocally true, and in fashion is attributable to an insect known as the cochineal that lives in cactus plants. Cochineal dyes first took the world by storm via the Columbian Exchange, becoming the color of powerful people in Europe and the color of love everywhere. The color red is still traditionally produced via cochineals in Mexico, although synthetic dyes have now largely replaced the more vivid natural ones.
This Mexican culinary revolution also transformed food coloring. Although natural reds have occurred in fruits from time immemorial, it was the use of tomatoes and chilis — long prevalent in Mexican cuisine via what we now know as salsa roja and similar preparations — that, when introduced globally via the Columbian Exchange, changed the palette of world cuisine, giving it a rosy new glow and a welcome visual complexity.
Mexico didn’t invent complex cuisine, but it did take things to a new level
Speaking of complexity: French chefs like Marie-Antoine Carême and Auguste Escoffier are given credit for haute cuisine and turning the preparation of food into an art form, but I would argue that the height of culinary sophistication and refinement is found in Mexican mole sauces, which have a far older history and, at least in the 17th century Puebla, were made with more than 100 ingredients.
To put this in perspective, no dish in global cuisine approaches this number of ingredients.
French bouillabaisses or cassoulets can have 15 to 20 ingredients, but this pales in complexity to the number of ingredients or time of preparation required for many moles. Mole Poblano no longer has the arm-long list of ingredients it used to have, but commonly still exceeds 20 and traditionally takes days to prepare, while Oaxacan mole negro usually boasts at least 30, blending fruits, chiles, seeds, spices, herbs and more into a harmonious, exquisitely flavored whole.
(Wikimedia Commons)
Modern Mexican chef Enrique Olvera of Pujol fame has leaned into this traditional complexity, making a mole negro variation called Mole Madre that is aged for more than 1,000 days! As it turns out, the flavors never stop evolving or increasing in intricacy. It’s as much a lesson in quantum complexity theory as it is a dinner staple.
Mexico invented fusion cuisine
There’s more, of course. There’s a very good case to be made that Mexico invented fusions. After all, Mexican cuisine is itself a fusion between indigenous ingredients and cooking methods combined with those introduced by the Spanish conquistadors and via the Columbian exchange. The first recognized world fusion cuisine is said to be Macanese, which took root in the now autonomous Chinese island of Macau, thanks to trade with Portugal. However, that trade originated in 1557, long after Cortés and his conquistadors had arrived in Mexico in 1519 and the fusion of an entire culture had begun following the 1521 fall of Tenochtitlán.
In modern times, it’s hard to imagine any fusion cuisine that has been as influential in the U.S. and globally as Tex-Mex, but that’s a story for another day, and you’ve already got plenty to chew on.
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.
Escamoles, also known as "Mexican caviar," are the edible larvae and pupae of certain types of ants. People in central Mexico have been eating them since the days of the Aztecs. (Cvmontuy/Wikimedia Commons)
One of the most overlooked chapters in Mexican cuisine is the one about insects.
However, it’s important to clarify a common misconception: not all Mexicans have eaten insects, and it’s not true that we all love them because it’s in our DNA. I’ve witnessed friends and family become visibly distressed after trying crickets, worms or tacos filled with escamoles — some have even turned pale, teetered on the brink of fainting, cried or rushed to the bathroom after a single bite.
The author likes edible insects, but even she admits that she’s not the type to snack on grasshoppers all day.
I must confess, if you present me with any insect, I’ll give it a try, but not all insects are my favorites. I haven’t tasted them all, and I’m not the kind of person who snacks on a bag of grasshoppers every day, even though I do enjoy them.
For me, the best way to eat insects is when they’re hidden: in a sauce, tucked away in my tortilla, ground into a mole, or blended into the rim of my mezcalita. However, as soon as I see an insect with its tiny legs lying dead on top of my guacamole, I get the ñañaras (a feeling of disgust or the creepy-crawlies. It’s also one of the most fun words to say. In Cuba and the Dominican Republic, it actually refers to a skin wound.)
Escamoles: Mexican caviar
Escamoles are the larvae of ants, and they offer a unique culinary experience. I have no hesitation about starting my meal with these buttery delicacies. Eating escamoles is a luxurious experience, as they have a flavor reminiscent of young corn, with a hint of butteriness and nuttiness. Their taste is delicate and complex, making them a truly special dish.
Is it really like caviar?
Yes, it is! Since pre-Hispanic times, the harvesting of escamolera ants has been taken very seriously. These ants build their nests underground, typically at the base of maguey plants, in cactus patches, or near pirul trees. The collection season occurs during March and April, and escamolera ants can be quite aggressive, making the harvesting process challenging. That’s why a kilogram can cost between 1,500 and 2,500 pesos.
Considering their origin, it’s not surprising that escamoles have a season when they’re available and this is it. You’ll find them in central Mexico during March and April in mercados by the kilo and for sale by street vendors. (Wikimedia Commons)
Some legends suggest that escamoles were once a luxury food reserved for Tlatoanis (emperors), warriors, nobles, and priests. However, this seems somewhat exaggerated. With maguey plants and cactus everywhere, it’s hard to believe that it wasn’t staple food. Pre-Hispanic cultures regularly included around 95 types of edible insects in their diet. While we don’t know the frequency or quantity of their consumption, it is known that the Aztecs did eat escamoles.
Actually, the word escamoles comes from the Nahuatl words azcatl (ant) and molli (sauce or ground mixture).
Escamoles in colonial times
Unlike many other ingredients we’ve talked about, escamoles weren’t banned during colonial times. On the contrary—many convent and household recipe books included them in dishes like moles, mixiotes, tamales, or cooked with nopales.
Escamoles have become a gourmet dish, popular in Mexico City. You can find them in many places, but here are four of my favorite spots where I’ve personally tried them:
1. El Cardenal. El Cardenal has several branches throughout the city. The buttery escamoles are divine and likely one of the most traditional way to enjoy them. Tip: Be sure to try their moles—they’re excellent—and always opt for seasonal dishes.
2. La Cocina de San Juan. If insects give you the heebie-jeebies, this may not be the place for you. They serve tacos made with scorpions, spiders, jumiles, and of course escamoles. If you are fearless, and find yourself at La Cocina de San Juan try the wild boar mixiote. It’s incredible and will make you feel like a true Aztec emperor.
3. Limosneros – If you find yourself in the Historic Center, this is the restaurant to visit. Few establishments are as dedicated as Limosneros to reviving traditional ingredients, techniques, and dishes while adding a modern twist. I highly recommend everything on their menu, but the cuitlacoche taco is a must-try.
4. Restaurante Máximo – The escamol crostini is outstanding. This restaurant is ideal for anyone seeking fine dining in CDMX. Be sure to try the Wagyu beef tongue with mole and the crab tlayuda; both are excellent examples of Mexican recipes with a haute cuisine twist. It’s also a wonderful place to take a break from all the corn and salsa-heavy dishes.
In places like Hidalgo, where escamoles are a traditional, still-popular food, politicians don’t visit a diner to meet the public, they eat escamoles and drink pulque at the mercado. (Juan Pablo Zamora Pérez/Cuartoscuro)
If you have more time, I urge you to visit the state of Hidalgo, where nearly every restaurant in season serves a delicious traditional dish of escamoles.
Final reason to eat escamoles
Escamoles are an excellent source of protein, containing more than your average protein shake. In fact, 100 grams of escamoles provide approximately 45 grams of protein, surpassing the protein content found in beef or chicken. Additionally, they are rich in B-vitamins, iron, calcium and phosphorus, all of which promote bone and brain health.
Did I convince you?
Amigos, I understand — eating insects isn’t for everyone. It can be challenging to look down at your tortilla and see a bunch of bugs and then pretend it’s the most appetizing bite of your life. However, I really encourage you to try escamoles. They resemble risotto and taste like butter. The experience isn’t as shocking as you might expect; still, it’s a little bit exotic.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are you willing to try them? Have you already tried them? How was it?
María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.
Mexicans love a drink, we all know that. Is that an issue? (Yutacar/Unsplash)
While walking my dog today, I got stuck behind a guy smoking a cigarette. To my surprise, the smell of it majorly hit my nostalgia buttons. How long had it been since I’d smelled a cigarette?
Let it be said that I don’t smoke, nor have I ever. I don’t enjoy the smell of cigarette smoke, and I used to be kind of an ass about it, waving my hand dramatically to shoo away the smoke of anyone near me who’d lit up. Too much of it would give me a headache, and I abhorred how the stench would stick to my clothes.
Lighting up in Mexico is much harder than it used to be, but it’s not completely gone yet. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)
But now, kind of suddenly, hardly anyone smokes.Once Mexico basically outlawed cigarettes everywhere in public, that was that. Some places, of course, still set out ashtrays if they’re outdoors. But for the most part, it’s rare now even at bars to spot a smoker.
I mention this because when I was growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, it seemed like nicotine addiction was virtually impossible to beat. And yet, here we are: the smell of cigarettes now just makes me think of walking around the Waco, Texas, fairgrounds.
Knowing that Mexico seemed to abandon cigarettes so willingly got me thinking. Will other “ills” soon meet the same fate?
I’m thinking specifically of alcohol, though there’s a bit of a list, which also includes processed food. In fact, as a deterrent, Mexico has levied higher taxes on alcohol, junk food and gasoline.
I suppose I get it. None of those things are good for us, though the tax on already-expensive gasoline is frustrating. Still, for a country that’s historically not been very good at collecting taxes, it’s a good way to gather some substantial funds.
Viewed that way, the tax on alcohol is a fantastic idea. Why? Because people are not going to stop drinking it. Cha-ching!
If you’ve spent any amount of time here in Mexico, you know that Mexicans love to party. And usually, alcohol is a big part of that party. It’s even typical to find alcohol at kid parties — for the adults who are nearly always in attendance, of course, not for the kids.
Mexicans seem to have zero problems when it comes to proper drinking. (Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels)
Whereas in my home country, alcohol is seen as slightly deviant, in Mexico, it’s simply a normal part of life. Every little corner store sells an assortment of caguamas (32 oz bottles of beer), and it’s normal to have a drink with one’s lunch or dinner. It’s normal, actually, to drink quite a bit of alcohol during the week.
Is this a problem?
Like all things in life, how big of an issue something is, is typically in the eye of the beholder. And through most people’s eyes here, no, alcohol is not a big problem.
That said, I have a few acquaintances for whom it is. A good friend of mine, for example, insists that she just can’t drink. “Soy bien mala copa,” she says. I’m not quite sure how I’d translate this. Literally, it’s “I’m really a bad drink,” but it means that she gets belligerent and aggressive with alcohol. At least, I suppose, she knows that about herself and so stays away from it.
Another acquaintance of mine clearly has a problem with alcohol but doesn’t seem ready to admit it. I first noticed when this normally very shy person was talkative and hyper at an 8 a.m. parent meeting at my kid’s school. Once I sat next to him, I realized why: the smell of alcohol was all over him!
Would this person be able to find any kind of treatment program if he wanted to? After all, 8 a.m. is pretty early to start, even for Mexico. I have seen the occasional Alcoholics Anonymous sign. And hey — perhaps there’s a whole treatment network that I don’t know about!
But I don’t think there is.
The margarita cocktail originated from the “daisy” family of sour cocktails made popular in the early 20th century. (Fernando Carranza García/Cuartoscuro)
Another point in alcohol’s favor in Mexico: in many ways, it’s a matter of national pride.Pulque has been around since pre-Hispanic times.Tequila is known all over the world for its Mexican origins, as is, increasingly,mezcal.Sotol is a type of mezcal made on both sides of the Mexico-Texas border. I’ve tried varieties on both sides, by the way, and liked the Mexican-made one better.
Wine is also a growing industry in the country, both in the Bajío region and further north in the Valle de Guadalupe. And of course, there’s beer, Mexico’s most-consumed alcohol. While most people are most familiar with the big commercial brands, the country also has a burgeoning artisanal beer scene. Everything from small brewers all over the country to more established brands that you might find at the grocery store offer Mexicans plenty of variety.
So what does all this mean? There’s a lot of alcohol produced here. And plenty of it is tied to national identity and culture. Whether or not people meet the threshold to be considered alcoholics or not is almost irrelevant. Besides, if everyone’s a bit tipsy, it’s hard to be annoyed by those who are very tipsy.
So, does Mexico have an alcohol problem? As much as people here like to drink, I’d give my answer as a tentative “no.” Heck, maybe it’s part of the reason people are so friendly and gregarious! Of course, if you don’t like being around people drinking — or you can’t — then this is probably not the place for you.
All that said, we can truly never predict what will happen. Perhaps alcohol will fall out of favor the way cigarettes did. Maybe the government will decide it’s had enough and get serious about sanctioning drunkenness in public. Maybe the kids growing up now will think of alcohol consumption as something only old people do — my kid certainly does.
But for now, we’re fairly free to sit around and enjoy a beer when we feel like it. ¡Salúd!
