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Sheinbaum outlines immediate priorities, orders probe into Interoceanic Train derailment: Monday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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Sheinbaum announced that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the Oaxaca state prosecutor’s office will investigate the cause of the derailment that killed 13 people on Sunday.
Sheinbaum announced that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the Oaxaca state prosecutor’s office will investigate the cause of the derailment that killed 13 people on Sunday. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

Sunday’s tragic train derailment in Oaxaca was the main topic of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Monday morning press conference.

The president said she would be traveling to the region later in the day to visit the injured and their families.

The president arrived in Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, in the early afternoon on Monday.
The president arrived in Santo Domingo Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, in the early afternoon on Monday. (Carolina Jiménez Mariscal/Cuartoscuro)

Sheinbaum also talked about the Sonora River clean-up project and the controversial arrest of a journalist in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz.

Sheinbaum lists federal priorities following Interoceanic Train derailment

After Naval Minister Admiral Raymundo Morales provided an update on the accident and its victims, Sheinbaum detailed the government’s three main concerns:

1. Guaranteeing care for victims and their families 

“I instructed the Navy Minister and the Undersecretary of Human Rights of the Interior Ministry to … personally attend to the families,” she said, adding that she also ordered delegates from the federal public health system to oversee treatment of the victims.

2. Clarifying the facts through the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the Oaxaca state prosecutor’s office

“The Transportation Regulatory Agency is also required to conduct a review, and because there were fatalities, the FGR must participate,” she said, adding that the Interior Ministry will oversee the operation.

3. Ensuring the safety of the Interoceanic Railway

“The Navy will take the point in ensuring that the railway is safe to operate again,” she said. 

13 dead and more than 100 injured after train derails in Oaxaca

During his presentation, Admiral Morales said the line was in good operating condition before the accident and no adverse atmospheric conditions had been reported. He said a hi-rail had passed through the site of the accident about 90 minutes before the derailment and found no debris on the tracks.

Officials provide update on Sonora River clean-up program 

Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena said the Environmental Justice Plan addressing the 2014 spill of 40,000 m³ of copper sulfate into the Sonora River will soon be launched as the government seeks to compensate the 20,000 people living within a 300-kilometer stretch of the Sonora River Basin affected by the toxic pollutants.

Bárcena said the plan focuses on resolving public health issues, ensuring access to drinking water, boosting the local economy and redressing the environmental damage.

Efraín Morales, director general of the National Water Commission (Conagua), said a permanent monitoring center that includes three automatic stations, 42 manual monitoring sites and a visualization center will be created in the region.

The center will focus on monitoring water quality in real time to prevent massive contamination.

Its laboratory will be staffed by certified personnel who will measure 64 parameters, including heavy metals, metalloids and water toxicity.

Sonora River turned reddish-orange after a mining company owned by Grupo México spilled hazardous waste into the river.
The Sonora River turned reddish-orange after a mining company owned by Grupo México spilled hazardous waste into it in 2014. (Cuartoscuro/Rashide Frias)

Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez indicated that settlement terms were established between the state government, the federal government and Grupo México, the owners of the Buenavista del Cobre mine responsible for the spill. 

Rodríguez said Grupo México — accused of negligence — will supply 70% of the funding for the Environmental Justice Plan, or roughly 1.5 billion pesos (US $83.4 million).

Sheinbaum questions arrest of journalist on terrorism charges

The president said on Monday that she has no idea why Veracruz prosecutors charged journalist Rafael León with terrorism after his Dec. 24 arrest in Coatzacoalcos.

Sheinbaum said she was unaware of the reason why León, a journalist who covers the police beat, was apprehended, adding that his classification as a terrorist makes no sense.

State prosecutors did not identify the specific crime he is charged with, vaguely declaring that the penal code refers to it as terrorism and alleged that he “produced alarm, fear and terror in the population.”

“I would make three points,” Sheinbaum said. “First, I don’t know why the prosecution is using the charge of terrorism, because there has never been a terrorism charge in Mexico. Second, freedom of expression must be guaranteed. And third, if this person has committed a crime … the Prosecutor’s Office must explain it.”

Sheinbaum said Veracruz Governor Rocio Nahle has also said she is unaware of why terrorism charges were filed.

“Interior Minister Rodríguez and I will be closely monitoring this case,” Sheinbaum said.

León and other local journalists have previously exposed irregularities in the actions of the Veracruz Prosecutor’s Office, alleging it uses the penal system to intimidate journalists and has sought to criminalize investigative journalism.

With reports from Infobae, Milenio, Debate, La Jornada and Article 19

Los Tigres del Norte debut a new corrido on ‘The Simpsons’

By
MND Staff
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tigres del norte on the Simpsons
As the Tigres put it themselves: “When music tells stories, it can reach anywhere … even Springfield.” (Screenshot)

The iconic Mexican norteño group Los Tigres del Norte joined a roster of musical greats including Paul McCartney, U2 and Red Hot Chili Peppers with their debut Sunday on “The Simpsons.”

The group performed an original corrido titled “El Corrido de Pedro y Homero” at the end of the episode, which is now available on Disney+ after airing on Fox. It was the 12th episode of the show’s 37th season.

 

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The appearance — covered by the likes of The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone and Billboard under headlines such as “From Sinaloa to Springfield” — marked the first time the series featured regional Mexican music.

“We are deeply grateful and very happy for this special moment in our history, being part of ‘The Simpsons’ universe,” the band told Rolling Stone. “When music tells stories, it can reach anywhere… even Springfield.”

Los Tigres del Norte had another big moment in 2025 when they had a street in Brooklyn named after them.  They also have a street in Chicago named for them and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Formed in 1965 in Sinaloa, Mexico, the group has long been global ambassadors of norteño music, known for chronicling migration and social justice in more than five decades of recordings. 

Last year, they played at a rally for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in Phoenix, Arizona.

One of the most recognized acts in Mexican music, they have sold more than 32 million albums and earned seven Grammy Awards — including four straight wins from 2007 to 2010 for best norteño album — in addition to 11 Latin Grammys.

Their first nomination for a U.S.-based Grammy Award came way back in 1987. The next year, they won in the Mexican-American music category for “Gracias!…América…Sin Fronteras,” their third No. 1 hit on the Billboard Regional Mexican albums chart.

Their appearance on “The Simpsons” was “a tip of the cap to our Latin American fans, but especially to our huge Mexican/Mexican-American fan base,” César Mazariegos, who wrote and produced the episode, told Rolling Stone.

In the episode, Homer Simpson works as a stunt double for Bumblebee Man, a recurring character who stars in a Spanish-language slapstick TV show within the series. He wears a bee costume, speaks exaggerated Spanish and appears on “Channel Ocho.”

The Los Tigres corrido, sung in Spanish, narrated the duo’s friendship in classic ballad style.

Also appearing in the episode was Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu (for a high-risk stunt at the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan) and Humberto Vélez, the original Spanish voice of Homer in Latin America.

Los Tigres joined a long list of major musicians who’ve been on “The Simpsons,” including Aerosmith, James Brown, the Ramones and George Harrison.

Celebrities with Mexican roots who have appeared as characters include boxer Oscar de la Hoya, guitarist Carlos Santana and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Moreover, artist Frida Kahlo has been referenced, alongside other elements of Mexican culture such as the Day of the Dead, Mexican food, mariachis and folklore — although some depictions have been controversial for relying on stereotypes.

Sunday’s episode, titled “The Fall Guy-Yi-Yi,” was dedicated in memory of Rob Reiner, the director, producer, screenwriter, actor and political activist who died Dec. 14.

With reports from Sin Embargo, El Informador, Rolling Stone and CNN en Español

AIFA’s passenger volume is up 12% this year as airport targets 9M by 2026

By
MND Staff
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AIFA
The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), serving Mexico City, will have served 7 million passengers in 2025, a 12% increase over 2024. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) has moved more than 7 million passengers this year, a 12% jump over last year, which has taken the Mexico City area’s second international airport to 17 million passengers served since it began operations in March of 2022.

In a statement to reporters, Isidoro Pastor Román, head of the airport, said that AIFA’s Master Development Plan projects serving 9 million passengers by 2026, as the World Cup is expected to bring tens of thousands of additional passengers to the airport.

Copa jet
Copa Airlines is one of only three carriers operating internationally out of AIFA, after the U.S. barred flights out of AIFA by Viva and Aeroméxico. (Copa Airlines/X)

“Dedicated flights for national teams, as well as business travelers with private planes, will be arriving at AIFA,” Pastor said.

AIFA’s passenger count is expected to reach the 7 million milestone for 2025 despite the cancellation of 11 international routes by a unilateral action by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) — two for Aeromexico and nine for Viva Aerobus. This cancellation has eliminated some 84,000 passengers this year, Pastor said. 

Although the figure represents a relatively small proportion of the airport’s overall passenger volume, its impact is relevant as the canceled routes involve international flights, which are a key component of the airport’s connectivity.

As of today, only three international airlines operate at AIFA: Copa Airlines, Arajet and Conviasa. These carriers offer international routes to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Bogotá in Colombia and Caracas, Venezuela. Pastor said that a charter flight also occasionally flies to Sofia, Bulgaria, with the company GullivAir.

According to Pastor, President Claudia Sheinbaum will work towards recovering the canceled routes next year. 

“The challenges for next year are reflected in the efforts of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo to restore the international routes that were canceled during this period,” Pastor said in the statement. “We hope to recover these routes by 2026, which will help us increase the number of passengers that we have outlined in the document.”

Another challenge faced by AIFA — its 35-kilometer distance from downtown Mexico City — should be resolved soon. The long-awaited Lechería-AIFA train to take passengers to and from the airport is on schedule to open by the end of March next year, in time for Holy Week, another heavy tourism period. 

With reports from La Jornada

Mexican stocks end a banner year, even outperforming Wall Street

By
MND Staff
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BMV
Stocks listed on the Mexican stock exchange (the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores or BMV) had a strong year, as indicated by a 50% rise in the iShares Mexico ETF, which outpeformed equivalent U.S: benchmarks. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro.com)

Despite ongoing struggles in the Mexican economy, Mexico’s stocks are outperforming Wall Street, as the country’s financial assets complete one of the strongest years in decades, including the peso’s best showing in 32 years.

The iShares Mexico ETF — an exchange-traded fund used to track the performance of investments in a range of Mexican equities — has risen by over 50% this year, marking the fund’s highest rise since 1999. The stock significantly outpaced several major U.S. benchmarks, such as the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, which gained around 17%, and Invesco QQQ Trust, which rose by roughly 21% over the same period.

Peso and dollar
Along with the rising stock market, the Mexican peso also had a record year, its best since 1993, with 2025 likely to end with the dollar below 18 pesos. (@tcf_updates/X)

Global investors have been stunned by the outstanding performance of several Mexican stocks in 2025, particularly after the negative predictions that followed the introduction of U.S. tariffs on a wide array of Mexican products earlier in the year. 

In the face of those tariffs, the Mexican peso has surprisingly appreciated by over 14% against the U.S. dollar, which has put it on track to achieve its best annual performance since 1993, when the modern peso was first introduced as the “new peso.” 

The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) has significantly reduced interest rates since the beginning of the year, by 300 basis points, as the policy rate fell to 7%. 

The cuts have helped boost investor confidence in Mexican assets by reducing trade-related uncertainty, while much-needed cash has been injected into the economy. 

Several individual stocks have seen strong returns in 2025. For example, mining and materials companies have benefited from higher commodity prices. 

Industrias Peñoles increased by over 260%, and Gentera rose by more than 100%. 

Meanwhile, Cemex and Grupo México each experienced an increase of over 80%. 

Mexican stocks’ strong showing carried a reminder of the gap that often exists between the markets and the on-the-ground economy. Mexico’s GDP contracted by 0.2% in the third quarter of this year after experiencing flat growth in the second quarter.

The contraction led Banxico to reduce its growth outlook to 0.3%. Meanwhile, the central bank expects Mexico’s economy to rebound gradually to 1.1% in 2026 and 2% in 2027. 

Declining remittances, limited formal job creation, slowing credit growth and weak consumer confidence continue to hamper the country’s economic growth, despite support from government transfers and lower interest rates.

The hosting of the FIFA World Cup and the anticipated review and finalization of the USMCA North American free trade agreement could help reduce trade uncertainty in 2026, Bank of America economist Carlos Capistran was reported as saying by the Benzinga news site. 

However, “If weakness persists, the central bank may continue cutting rates to stimulate demand,” Capistran said. 

With reports from Yahoo Finance and Eje Central

The top ‘México mágico’ moments of 2025: Rebounding jaguars, caiman brides and tabloid terror

By
MND Staff
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A small caiman or crocodile wearing a white bridal veil with a string tying its snout closed
One Oaxaca town celebrated an unusual tradition this year: the marriage of its new mayor with a "caiman bride." (Diana Manzo via Aristegui Noticias)

In 2025, Mexico News Daily once again covered plenty of “hard news” and “bad news” stories.

As we have done since MND was founded more than 11 years ago, we also reported numerous stories that made us laugh, brought a smile to our faces, warmed our hearts and even left us scratching our heads in bewilderment.

A jaguar walks through a dry river
Camera trap photos like this one helped Mexican scientists measure the country’s jaguar numbers this year. Their findings: a promising population increase for the endangered species. (File photo)

Now, as we approach the end of the year, it’s time to look back at the amusing, uplifting, inspirational, heartening, gratifying, strange, surreal and “only in Mexico” stories MND published this year.

We continue today with a compilation of articles we published between July and September.

Click here to read our Q1 compilation, and here to read our Q2 compilation.

Look out for our “México mágico” compendium for the final quarter of the year later this week!

México mágico: A look back at MND’s weird and wonderful stories in the third quarter of 2025

We published a slew of articles about animals between July and September — some firmly in the good news category, while others drifted toward the strange and surreal.

There was a conservation victory at the Guadalajara Zoo, where the world’s smallest turtle was bred in captivity for the first time, and news that Mexican scientists were at the forefront of restoring the rare California red-legged frog to some muddy ponds in Southern California.

In another positive development in the animal world, census results published in August revealed that Mexico’s jaguar population was climbing, although the country’s biggest cat isn’t out of the woods yet.

There was good news for another endangered species in the third quarter of 2025, with the launch of an urgent effort to save the achoque, a critically endangered salamander that’s the cousin of the famous axolotl.

Guadalajara Zoo celebrates its first hatching of world’s tiniest turtle

In more surreal animal news, we reported on an unusual “marriage” between a mayor in Oaxaca and a female caiman, and a family in Tlaxcala that was sharing its home with 2,000 furry bats. A batty story indeed!

If all the stories about real animals weren’t enough, there’s also the tail (excuse the pun!) of a four-legged robot dog, Waldog, who was put to work championing animal welfare in the northern city of Monterrey.

In non-furry, slimy and scaly news, we plunged to new depths with this viral story about a Jarritos delivery truck that was swallowed by a sinkhole in Mexico City.

Another truck had a mishap in Tamaulipas, overturning on a federal highway and leaving its thirst-quenching cargo — beer — exposed and vulnerable to theft, which is exactly what happened. Fortunately, the driver of the vehicle was uninjured, though he might have needed a chela himself to get over the shock and loss.

How a Tlaxcala family is learning to share their home with 2,000 live bats

While some of the opportunistic thieves might have used Tajín to prepare themselves a michelada, U.S. actress and singer Selena Gómez used the spicy seasoning as inspiration for a limited-edition makeup kit.

In less piquant but more bizarre and fungal news, in late September we reported on a group of experimental musicians in the northern state of Durango who make mushrooms sing — literally. Los Yuma Project uses a technology that transforms the natural electrical impulses of mushrooms and plants into music, creating innovative nature-derived soundscapes.

Also using technology in an innovative way is Andrés ta Chikinib, an educator in Chiapas who has been teaching the Indigenous language Tzotzil to ChatGPT. His goal? To ensure that the language — spoken by more than 400,000 people in Chiapas — has a presence in the digital world.

Among the other out-of-the-ordinary stories we covered in the third quarter of the year were those about a lawmaker who proposed sending the aroma of Veracruz coffee to space; Mexico’s first-ever tree-planing tournament; and a viral 15th birthday celebration for a teen whose first party was a flop.

Blood, guts, sex and scandal: The history behind Mexico’s infamous ‘nota roja’ tabloids

Also in the third quarter of the year, we delved into the world of nota roja journalism in Mexico, which focuses on violent crime, accidents and other adverse events, with gory, stomach-turning photographs often accompanying the sensationalist stories.

We hope you enjoyed reading our quirkier stories this year, and perhaps found a few here that you missed. We’re already looking forward to another year of weird, wonderful and distinctively Mexican stories in 2026!

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

13 dead and more than 100 injured after train derails in Oaxaca

By
MND Staff
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Train derailment in Oaxaca
President Sheinbaum announced that she will travel to Oaxaca later today to speak with family members of the victims. (Especial/Cuartoscuro)

A train accident in southern Mexico on Sunday killed at least 13 people and injured more than 100 others, five seriously.

The Interoceanic Train — traveling with 241 passengers and nine crew members — derailed near the small Oaxaca town of Nizanda, about 85 kilometers (53 miles) north of its destination, the port city of Salina Cruz. The train consisted of two locomotives and four carriages.

President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences for the deaths and immediately ordered Navy Minister Admiral Raymundo Morales to travel to the site of the incident. The Naval Ministry (Semar) manages the Interoceanic Train’s operations.

Sheinbaum also sent a team from the Social Security Institute for Federal Government Employees (ISSSTE) to the area to attend to the injured.

“The ISSSTE team is on site, and I will travel to Oaxaca to speak with the families,” Sheinbaum said Monday morning.

Investigators from the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and the state prosecutor’s office have been working to establish the chain of custody and secure the scene, Sheinbaum said.

In a statement on social media, Attorney General Ernestina Godoy said agents from the FGR office in Oaxaca, as well as forensics experts from the Criminal Investigations Agency, were coordinating with federal and state authorities to carry out the respective investigations.

“There will be a rigorous analysis to determine the cause of this accident,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the Transportation Regulatory Agency is required to conduct a review, while Semar will clear and rehabilitate the tracks where necessary.

The derailment happened as the train rounded a curve on Sunday morning near Nizanda, Oaxaca.
The derailment happened as the train rounded a curve on Sunday morning near Nizanda, Oaxaca. (Especial/Cuartoscuro)

The accident reportedly happened as the train passed through a curve. Though there have been no official statements as to the cause of the accident, the news magazine Proceso reported that a Semar official said the main locomotive derailed, taking the remaining cars off the track.

Arturo Medina, undersecretary of Human Rights at the Interior Ministry (Segob), indicated that each family that lost someone due to the derailment will have the support of a public servant “for the procedures, actions and arrangements, to make this difficult moment less complicated.”

He said an interdisciplinary team was deployed from the outset to visit hospitals and provide direct assistance to the injured and their families. Segob also activated an emergency phone number — 55-2230-2106 — to allow citizens to obtain official information about the condition of the injured and deceased.

Mexico’s navy minister told reporters on Monday that nine victims of the crash were treated at the scene and released, 108 were taken to hospitals and 44 remain hospitalized. While lamenting that 13 deaths had been confirmed, he said the body of one of the victims had yet to be recovered.

Semar deployed a total of 360 personnel, 20 vehicles, four ground ambulances, three air ambulances and a tactical drone for the search and rescue operations.

The Interoceanic Train was inaugurated in 2023 by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the centerpiece of a US $2.8 billion project to boost train travel in southern Mexico and develop infrastructure within the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

With reports from El Universal, Milenio, Animal Político and Proceso

Aguas frescas, corn, salsa, tlayuda and unique ingredients — the best of MND food writing in 2025

By
Chris Sands
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We all know Mexico's food is the best in the world and these writers tell us why. (Ocean Breeze Akumal)

Mexico is a food lover’s paradise, from street treats like tacos and tamales to fine dining with sauces like mole that are as exquisitely complex as any in the world. Our writers took time to praise all of these culinary treasures in 2025, as well as many others.

Why eating hot sauce honors Mexico’s gods

If you come to Mexico and skip the spicy salsa, you’re missing the point. In one of the most-read articles of 2025, Andrea explains how chile has been sacred since Mesoamerican times, why capsaicin tricks your brain into thinking your tongue is on fire, and how to handle that first incendiary bite. From molcajete-made sauces to Michelin-star tacos, it’s a playful invitation to taste Mexico’s true heat — one cautious drop at a time.

Why eating spicy salsa matters

Taste of Mexico: Jamaica

No, not the country, but Mexico’s agua fresca of choice, made from hibiscus flowers, chia seed, water and other ingredients. Writer María Meléndez traced the history of hibiscus and its domestication several thousand years into the past. No, it’s not native to Mexico. But from the moment it arrived at Acapulco, where it was brought via Manila galleon — part of a global trade route that connected Spain’s colonial powers from the 16th to 18th centuries — it was passionately welcomed into the country’s kitchens.

Taste of Mexico: Jamaica

How Mexico revolutionized world cuisine

Not only does Mexico have some of the world’s finest restaurants (just ask Michelin Guide), and a cuisine that has been declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, it also has some unique native ingredients that, through the centuries, have utterly transformed world cuisine. Did you know, for example, that there were no tomato sauces in Italian cuisine until the country sourced tomatoes from Mexico?

How Mexico revolutionized world cuisine

Mexico’s first-ever carbon-neutral coffee farm

Thirty years after vowing never to be a coffee farmer, Julia Ortega now runs Mexico’s first carbon-neutral coffee farm in Puebla’s misty highlands. This profile follows her from reluctant heir to innovative producer, turning “waste” into soap, flour and liqueur while exporting organic specialty beans worldwide. Meet the woman whose stubbornness, science-driven husband and broken machinery helped transform a small family plot into a model of sustainable agriculture.

Julia Ortega: The woman behind Mexico’s first carbon-neutral coffee farm

The seed that went into space

From ancient altars to outer space, amaranth has always punched above its tiny weight. This story traces Mexico’s beloved alegría bars back to an 8,000-year-old superseed packed with more protein than wheat or rice, natural omega fats, and a full suite of vitamins. Learn how this drought‑resistant, gluten-free pseudo-grain went from Puebla’s fields to NASA-approved astronaut food — and why it may be the future of sustainable nutrition.

From Mexico to the world: amaranth, the tiny seed that traveled to space

Tacos al Japonés

In Kyoto’s backstreets, Mexico News Daily’s María Ruíz stumbles on the last thing she expects: some of the best carnitas tacos she’s ever had, made by a Japanese chef named Keita. This charming tale follows his obsession born in Baja, years perfecting tortillas, and a tiny taquería where locals eat tacos with chopsticks. Come for the culture clash, stay for the unlikely friendship forged over salsa and hiragana.

Memoirs of a Kyoto Taquería: My Japanese carnitas adventure

Check out the rest of our amazing food coverage here!

4 last-minute escapes from the San Miguel holiday fireworks

By
Simone Jacobson
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The holiday season in Mexico is a magical time of year — unless, of course, you don't like fireworks. Here are the best mini-escapes from San Miguel de Allende. (Estado de Guanajuato/Facebook)

In the days between Nochebuena and the new year, the last ladles of soul-warming ponches will be doled out by family matriarchs through the end of December. But as is customary in Mexico, the brief respite from exuberant citywide festivities won’t last long. In the excitement leading up to the cutting of the ring-shaped Rosca de Reyes cakes on Three Kings Day on January 6, there will be no shortage of ostentatious pyrotechnics. Anyone who has spent more than a few days in San Miguel de Allende knows that its fireworks evoke a love-hate relationship after the first time you’re violently awakened by a barrage of them before dawn.

For many, the New Year’s Eve magic and mayhem are a welcome exclamation point to the annual celebration marathon that hasn’t let up from La Alborada in October to Día de Muertos in November, followed by countless posadas, a spectacular tree lighting in the Jardín Allende, and Día de la Virgen Guadalupe this month, among others. But not all revelers share the enthusiasm for these boisterous explosions of colors lighting up the sky. I, for one, live just far enough outside of Centro to relish in the delicious silence of the absence of fireworks. On the rare occasion when my toddlers sleep through the night, I am thrilled to hear only the peaceful hum of cicadas that allows us all to rest.

La alborada
We understand if you need an escape. (El Vergel)

Though most of the families with young children and elders I know won’t be diving headfirst into the chaos on December 31, the sophisticated party crowd will indeed be racing into 2026 with roaring 1920s-style glamor at Live Aqua’s “Symphony of Elegance,” or an opulent New Year’s Eve Dinner at The Rosewood’s Pirules Garden Kitchen, followed by a midnight toast on their Luna Rooftop. And who could blame them? They’ll be perfectly positioned for a breathtaking view of the entire city when the clock strikes twelve — and a massive light display overhead.

Locals may also be partaking in centuries-old New Year’s traditions, such as Las Doce Uvas (eating twelve grapes at midnight) or spending the day conducting a “clean sweep” of their homes and souls to ensure they’re leaving all malas vibras (bad vibes) in the previous year.

If you, like me, are keen to get out of town and away from the blasts, a staycation at one of the coveted Michelin Keys properties might not be the move this time of year. These four extraordinary experiences will take you just far enough outside the city limits to appreciate the vastness of the natural world, giving you a chance to slow down, reflect, and soak up the essence of gratitude for Guanajuato’s enchanting allure in the pauses between booms.

All ages family escape

Explore an exotic safari & all-inclusive camping

A family playing guitar and singing around a campfire
(Bioparque Mexico)

Bioparque México: Approximately 3 hours by car from downtown San Miguel de Allende

Dying to ditch the earplugs and cosmos-bound ricochets? Park your tent (or rent a fully-equipped camping setup for six people on site) in a wildlife sanctuary and eco-reserve with over 700 exotic animals freely roaming 300 hectares of the “Serengeti Safari.” At Bioparque México, located in the State of Mexico, holiday entry costs to the theme park and reserve are currently half off, granting you access to pet, feed, and snap photos of the magnificent creatures in Giraffe Paradise, plus float down the Jurassic River, go underground in the Subterranean, and watch sea lions showing off in a panoramic pool. To kick things up a notch, buckle up for the Xcalibur Alpine Coaster, a unique kilometer-long forest ride full of surprising twists and turns.

Pricing: 710 pesos per person (normally 1,480 pesos), all inclusive (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus Night Safari and all attractions). Children 90 cm (30 inches) and taller pay full price. Tent rentals for up to six people are available for 800 pesos per tent, equipped with an inflatable double mattress, mattress cover, and blanket. Visit the website to check available dates.

Holiday Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

History lovers escape

Check out an authentic pueblo mágico

Mineral de Pozos, Guanajuato
(Government of Mexico)

Tour Mineral de Pozos: Approximately 1 hour by car from downtown San Miguel de Allende

Known as both a ghost town and pueblo mágico, I consider Mineral de Pozos one of the best-kept daycation secrets near San Miguel de Allende. While the millenary ancient ruins at Cañada de la Virgen, once home to the Otomi people, are often saturated with visitors, the deep tunnels of Mineral de Pozos and the adjacent Rancho de Lavanda Pozos lavender fields are more subdued but equally enjoyable to stroll. At just 40 pesos to enter or 3,000 pesos to stay overnight, it’s ideal for a photo shoot, a tranquil recharge, or sipping a lavender beer. At any local tavern, don’t miss your chance to try escamoles (traditional ant larvae “caviar”) before or after you bike, ATV, or walk among the former gold and silver mines. Twice abandoned since its founding in the 18th century, today the Pozos are quietly reemerging as a local favorite. Treat yourself to immersive self-care side trip to the Vopper Beer Spa located inside Casa Diamante Hotel Boutique, where some rooms feature floor to ceiling glass walls to take in the sunrise or sunset over the gently undulating mountain range that frames the property.

Information: Tours of Mineral de Pozos can be booked upon arrival or in advance with independent tour operators in the region. Visit the Guanajuato tourism site for more details.

Drink by moonlight

Spend the night in a recycled shipping container

Shipping container hotels
(El Nidal)

Hotel El Nidal: Approximately 2.5 hours by car from downtown San Miguel de Allende

A love letter to Vergel de la Sierra worthy of several days of languishing, El Nidal has something to prove. According to owners Marcelo Castro Vera and Mukasha Dadajonova, their family’s mountain “nest” stay aims to show guests that “suffering” and “camping” don’t have to be synonymous. While the small bunkbeds in each accommodation are built for function, the towering verdant trees that have spread their roots across the land for hundreds of years more than make up for any living quarter limitations. A wood-fired open kitchen serves homestyle Mexican comfort meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and café de olla throughout the day, and for those wanting more variety and autonomy, each container room has a mini-fridge and grills are available for rental. A tour of the Georgian-inspired clay vessels where Octagano’s wines are left to ferment with little to no intervention led by winemarker-sommelier Celia Alba, followed by a tasting of Castro Vera’s inventive catalogue of beer, mezcal, and artisanal spirits marks the highlight.

Information: There is no cell phone reception in Vergel de la Sierra, so reservations can be made via WhatsApp: +52-477-576-3344 or via email.

Recluse chic for large groups

Retreat to a 19th-Century Millhouse

A swimming pool in front of mountains
(Hacienda El Aguacate)

Hacienda El Aguacate

Just under 2 hours by car from downtown San Miguel de Allende

Gather 17 or so of your favorite people and head to Tequisquiapan, Querétaro, where six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and two pools (one with a sprawling 360-degree view of the semi-desert backdrop) await you. Bridging past and future in a private restored ecosystem estate, this regenerative architectural masterpiece sleeps up to 18 guests and boasts amenities fit for royals: its own chapel, hot tub, paddle court, soccer field, hammock terrace, river access, and daily cleaning services, all tucked into 30 remote hectares of former mill ruins turned contemporary oasis. Swap the stuffy see-and-be-seen nights out on the town for stargazing around a firepit, as you marvel at the region’s expansive majesty and welcome in 2026 with reverence.

Pricing: Rates typically start at 18,000 pesos per night, but may be double or more for holiday bookings. To see more and book, visit the website.

Simone Jacobson is a Burmese American cultural connector, toddler twin mama and writer based in San Miguel de Allende. By day, she is the Content Director for Well Spirit Collective. In all other moments, she strives to raise compassionate children who never lose their curiosity, tenderness and radiant light. Read more by Simone here.

A changing Mexico: Gentrification and protest in 2025

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MND Plus
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"Fuera gringo!" is the battle cry of an emerging anti-gentrification movement in Mexico City.
"Fuera gringo!" is the battle cry of an emerging anti-gentrification movement in Mexico City. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

It was one of the buzzwords of 2025: Gentrification. With a huge influx of foreign residents, especially in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, Mexico’s cities (and beaches) have transformed from local communities to metropolitan hubs. Not everyone is happy about it.

We’ve collected some of the best Mexican and expat perspectives on these changes.

Mexico City’s cultural melting pot

In Mexico City’s Roma and Condesa, who really counts as a “local” in neighborhoods built on a century of migration? This timely essay traces Syrian Jewish shopkeepers, European refugees, U.S. veterans and today’s digital nomads to show that gentrification is about class and policy, not passports. Walk through protests, rent freezes, Airbnbs and new housing reforms in a nuanced look at a city forever shaped by newcomers.

A short history of immigration in Roma and Condesa

Is tipping really helping?

In a Mexico City café, a casual “How much should we tip?” opens up a bigger, uncomfortable question: can generosity accelerate gentrification? This thoughtful essay follows a former U.S. restaurateur turned San Miguel local as she dissects 10–15% norms, “gringo taxes,” chronic overtipping, and who really benefits. If you live, work, or vacation in Mexico, it might change how you reach for your wallet.

The tipping point: Is your overgenerous gratuity in Mexico a form of gentrification?

Paradise lost

Once a sleepy Maya port, Tulum is now ground zero for the glittering, pseudo-spiritual elite known as the Tuluminati. This razor-sharp piece skewers tech-funded “shamans,” US $1,000-a-night eco-hotels, ketamine-fueled “healing” raves, and cult-leader chic fashion — while listening to locals worried about eviction, rising prices and fragile cenotes. Read how enlightenment, entitlement and Instagram transformed a jungle coastline into the world’s most photogenic cautionary tale.

Tuluminati takeover: How a coastal Yucatán city became a hub for high-end hippies

A local view on ‘those’ gentrification protests

In Mexico City’s Roma, what happens when you realize you helped create the gentrification you now resent? In this candid, Mexican-written essay, a former “niña fresa” charts 11 years of rising rents, lost corner shops, Airbnbs, anti-gringo protests, and the government’s deliberate tourism push. It’s a raw, nuanced look at love for a neighborhood, complicity, xenophobia and what repairing a fractured community might really take.

Another side of the story: A Mexican perspective on gentrification

The golden cage

In one of the most impactful pieces we’ve published this year, María Ruíz discusses the effects of gentrification on her hometown of San Miguel de Allende. In this deeply personal essay, she weighs the beauty, jobs and cultural festivals foreign residents brought against soaring housing prices, displaced traditions and neighbors pushed to the outskirts. From altars that vanished downtown to libraries, nonprofits and jazz festivals, discover how gentrification here is both wound and lifeline — and why everyone who moves in shares responsibility.

The ‘golden cage’ of San Miguel de Allende: A local perspective on gentrification in the world’s best city

El Jalapeño: Viva-Volaris merger promises to set new standards in passenger discomfort

By
El Jalapeno
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Abandon hope all ye who board here.

MEXICO CITY — In a bold move to “redefine what it means to suffer in the sky,” Volaris and Viva Aerobus announced plans this week to merge into a single airline, tentatively named Volaribus, with the explicit goal of creating the most agonizing flight experience known to humankind.

Executives from both airlines proudly unveiled their shared vision: “Why have some discomfort when you can have total despair?” said Volaris CEO Enrique Beltránena, unveiling a new aircraft mock-up that features an impressive negative three inches of legroom. “Passengers will be touching knees not only with the person in front of them — but spiritually, with everyone on board.”

For just US $20 extra, customers can enjoy the sensation of a freshly charged cattle prod to remind them when they have reached their, uh, seat.

Among the announced innovations:

  • Carry-on limits reduced to ‘one emotional burden per person.’

  • A US $7 fee for blinking too frequently during takeoff.

  • New “Human Cargo” seating tiers where passengers are gently stacked for maximum efficiency.

  • Complimentary non-reclining seats made from compressed regret and recycled boarding passes.

  • ⁠Volaribus’ seating configuration will encourage passengers to get to “know” one another intimately — perhaps even in the biblical sense.

⁠Beltranena further boasted “We’ve done our homework, studying what Spirit Airlines in the U.S. and Ryanair in Europe has brought to those markets, and we are confident we are well-positioned to do worse here in Mexico. And God willing, much, much worse.”

The merged airline also teased its new slogan: “Volaribus: Because You Deserve Worse.”

Volaribus has tapped an outside consulting agency to steer the launch of the new airline — the same firm that guided Air Koryo, North Korea’s flagship airline, through a successful rebranding with unprecedented 110% passenger approval ratings previously unheard of in the travel industry.

Industry analysts are already calling the merger a milestone in aviation history. “They’ve found untapped potential in human misery,” said travel expert Ana Ruiz. “By the time you land, you’ll have paid $600 in hidden fees and lost faith in flight as a concept.”

In an unexpected twist, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary publicly congratulated the new airline, admitting he felt “a deep, professional jealousy.”

“I’ve spent decades trying to convince customers they should stand during flights and pay extra to breathe,” O’Leary said. “But these guys — these beautiful bastards — are taking cheapness to levels even I can’t legally achieve. I salute them.”

As a closing statement, the companies promised that all cost savings would go directly toward expanding executive bonuses and installing even smaller tray tables.

“We’re not just merging airlines,” said Viva Aerobus spokesperson Ricardo Bastón. “We’re merging pain, efficiency, and a business model built on passenger tears.”

Shares in the ADO and ETN bus networks were up 8% and 12%, respectively, on the heels of the Volaribus’ announcement.

El Jalapeño is a satirical news outlet. Nothing in this article should be treated as real news or legitimate information. For the brave souls seeking context, the real news article that inspired this piece can be found here. Check out all our Jalapeño articles in the archive!

If you have an idea for a Jalapeño article, let us know here!

 

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