The factory will be built in the city of León in the central state of Guanajuato, a premier automotive production location. (Mesnac)
The Chinese industrial engineering company Mesnac will invest US $20 million to build a factory in the state of Guanajuato as part of its strategy to consolidate its presence in North America.
Mesnac has one other facility in North America, an industrial engineering company in Akron, Ohio.
Mesnac claims it is among the top three companies in its field, thanks to advanced processing equipment and high-standard management systems. (Summit County, OH)
Though Mesnac, a world leader in the production of rubber processing machinery, did not yet reveal any additional details, Chinese financial news publication Yicai Global reported that the plant will be developed and operated by a subsidiary based in Hong Kong.
Industry news site Cluster Industrial speculated that Mesnac views Mexico — with its strategic nearshoring location and thriving automotive industry — as an ideal platform from which to establish a tire factory.
Mesnac has been deeply involved in the tire mold industry for many years and supplies global tire customers with tire mold products with reliable quality and excellent performance, according to Rubber World magazine. On its website, Mesnac claims it is among the top three companies in its field, thanks to advanced processing equipment and high-standard management systems.
The factory will be built in the city of León in the central state of Guanajuato, a premier automotive production location. Auto factories in Guanajuato boast an annual production in excess of 800,000 vehicles, according to online industry magazine Mexico Business News.
The company also has an affiliate, Sailun Tire Company, located in México state. In March, Sailun announced a joint US $427 million investment to build a factory in Irapuato, Guanajuato, according to Cluster Industrial. Tire Direct, a Mexican tire marketing company based in León, is putting up 49% of the investment.
The new tire company — to be called Aztema Rubber & Tire Manufacturing — is expected to be operational in March 2025.
British hospitality company IHG's new Kimpton boutique luxury hotel and branded residences in Monterrey will open just in time for Monterrey's planned hosting of four games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants/Facebook)
The British multinational hospitality company IHG is expanding its presence in Monterrey, unveiling plans this week for a new boutique luxury hotel and branded residences.
Kimpton, IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle brand, is coming to the northern city in 2026 just in time for the World Cup. Monterrey will play host to four World Cup matches.
The hotel will be located in Monterrey’s under-construction Torre Rise, which when finished, is expected to be 475 meters in height, making it the tallest skyscraper in Latin America. This image is a rendering of the unfinished project. (RiseTower/Instagram)
The property will be situated in the still-under-construction skyscraper Torre Rise, expected to be Latin America’s tallest tower, according to GlobalData, a data analytics and consulting company headquartered in London.
Leanne Harwood, Kimpton’s managing director of luxury and lifestyle, spoke to Global Data about growing the company’s presence within Mexico. “Kimpton Monterrey is poised to bring its distinct perspective, refined style and innovative restaurants and bars to this key international market,” Harwood said.
The new hotel will be owned by the local real estate company Grupo Alora and operated by Monterrey-based Marca Hotel Solutions.
Trade industry publication Upgraded Points reported that the Kimpton Monterrey will have 120 guest rooms and suites, plus 60 private residences. The property promises views of Monterrey’s cityscape and the surrounding mountains. Global Data also reported that hotel guests and residents will have exclusive access to the Torre Rise sky deck, a performance center, an elevated park and luxury retail options.
Among the amenities that will be found on site are an indoor pool, sauna, massage treatment rooms, a full-service restaurant and a lobby lounge. Additionally, Kimpton-specific perks like a daily social hour and pet-friendly policies will be featured.
The new hotel will be Kimpton’s sixth property in Mexico. The company has hotels in Mexico City; Todos Santos, Baja California Sur; and Tulum, Quintana Roo. New properties will open soon in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, and in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.
The hospitality design publication Hotel & Resort Design South reported that the 2026 World Cup has encouraged many hotel brands to expand into Monterrey. Tru by Hilton opened its new 120-room Tru by Hilton Monterrey Fundidora in 2023, while Thompson Hotels is building the 150-room luxury Thompson Monterrey which is set to open next year.
The Bank of Mexico cut interest rates five times in 2024, and has indicated that the easing trend will continue this year.(Shutterstock)
Experts polled by the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) on Monday revised their GDP growth estimate for 2024 from 1.53% to 1.60%, while lowering the growth forecast for 2025 from 1.20% to 1.12%.
The estimates are based on results from a survey of 41 private sector specialists. While GDP growth is expected to fall in 2025, they predict it will increase to 1.8% in 2026.
The lower growth outlook for 2025 results from several concerns including political uncertainty — both within Mexico and abroad. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
The exchange rate
The survey provided several other financial outlooks. The analysts expect to close 2024 with an exchange rate of 20.25 pesos to the United States dollar. They reduced the rate outlook for 2025, from 20.59 to 20.53 pesos, and in 2026, from 21.23 to 21.00 pesos.
Inflation forecast
The analysts see inflation falling slightly by the end of 2024, from 4.42% to 4.37% for annual headline inflation and 3.69% to 3.6% for underlying inflation. This excludes the prices of volatile goods and services, including agricultural products, energy and government tariffs.
In 2025, the group anticipates headline inflation will average 3.8% and underlying inflation 3.72%, and in 2026, 3.7% and 3.6%, respectively. While some improvement is expected, projected inflation remains higher than the Banxico target of 3%.
Will the business climate improve or deteriorate?
When asked about the business climate in the next six months, 77% of those surveyed expected it to “get worse,” a slight improvement on the previous response rate of 79%. Meanwhile, 13% predicted it would “stay the same” and 10% said it would “improve.”
A slight majority — 59% of respondents — said it was a “bad time” to invest in Mexico, compared to 68% in the previous survey; 33% said they were “not sure” and 8% believed it was a “good time.”
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said recently that FDI in Mexico had reached 35.7 billion dollars through Q3 of 2024. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
FDI outlook
The anticipated foreign direct investment (FDI) for 2024 was revised downwards from previous estimates, from US $37.13 billion to $36.51 billion, which would still be slightly above last year’s sum of $36.06 billion.
The analysts highlighted several factors impeding Mexico’s economic growth over the next six months: 48% thought governance would hinder growth, 21%mentioned internal economic conditions and 18% said external conditions.
They also emphasized public insecurity (17%), internal political uncertainty (15%), problems related to the lack of rule of law (11%) and the internal economic situation (9%).
Earlier forecast reductions
In October, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its 2024 economic growth forecast for Mexico to 1.5% while projecting even slower growth in 2025, citing capacity limitations and a restrictive monetary policy.
The World Bank also reduced its economic growth forecasts for Mexico for this year and the next two, citing uncertainty for investors among the reasons for its more pessimistic outlook.
Former Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, who also founded what later became the Zetas cartel, was transferred by U.S. Homeland Security authorities to Mexican authorities on Monday. (ICE)
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, a former Gulf Cartel leader and founder of Los Zetas criminal organization, is now in prison in Mexico after he was deported from the United States on Monday.
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén being transferred to U.S. custody by Mexican authorities in 2007. The former Gulf Cartel leader and Los Zetas founder was released early from a U.S. prison sentence this past August after serving 14 years of a 25-year sentence for money laundering and threatening a U.S. federal agent’s life. (AFI)
However, Cárdenas, nicknamed “El Mata Amigos” (The Friend Killer), didn’t become a free man as he was placed in the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On Monday, he was “removed” to Mexico, “where he is wanted for homicide and illegal possession of a firearm,” ICE said in a statement.
“… Officers escorted Cárdenas via the San Diego Port of Entry where he was handed over to Mexican law enforcement without incident,” ICE said.
From Tijuana, the former Gulf Cartel leader was flown to Mexico City and subsequently transferred to the Altiplano federal maximum security prison in México state, according to the El Universal newspaper and other media organizations. He reportedly arrived at the facility from which Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán escaped in 2015 in the late afternoon on Monday.
Cárdenas is accused of a range of offenses, including homicide, drug trafficking, involvement in organized crime, weapon possession, bribery and the use of resources of illicit origin.
El Universal reported that he could be sentenced to up to 730 years in jail if convicted on all charges. The newspaper said that seven federal criminal prosecutions against Cárdenas will be reactivated now that he is in custody in Mexico.
The “Altiplano” federal maximum-security prison in México state, where former Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén is currently in custody. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Cárdenas, once head of a ‘mammoth’ drug empire, has spent much of his adult life behind bars
Cárdenas, a native of the northern border state of Tamaulipas, was once considered one of Mexico’s most powerful drug lords. Unlike some other Mexican cartel kingpins, he wasn’t so successful in evading the long arm of the law.
In August 1992, aged 25 at the time, Cárdenas crossed into Brownsville, Texas, from his native Matamoros and was arrested the same day “for possessing with intent to distribute, approximately two kilograms of cocaine,” ICE said on Monday.
In early 1993 he was convicted of cocaine possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 63 months in jail. At the end of 1993, Cárdenas was “transferred to Mexico under the Treaty between the United States and Mexico on the Execution of Penal Sentences,” ICE said.
By the mid 1990s, Cárdenas was out of jail and free to resume his criminal career. He soon became the top leader of the Gulf Cartel (CDG).
During his 1997-2003 leadership of the cartel, “the CDG controlled a mammoth cocaine and marijuana trafficking empire that rivaled those of other storied Mexican organized crime groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel,” according to Insight Crime, a think tank and media organization that focuses on organized crime in the Americas.
Cárdenas was arrested in Tamaulipas in 2003, extradited to the United States in 2007 and in March 2010, he was convicted in a federal court in Houston on drug trafficking and money laundering charges as well as “threatening to assault and murder a federal agent,” according to ICE. He served 14 years of his 25-year sentence.
While leader of the CDG, Cárdenas created Los Zetas in the late 1990s. Los Zetas served as the Gulf Cartel’s armed enforcer wing until it struck out on its own in 2010. The group initially consisted of deserters from an elite unit of the Mexican army.
Los Zetas “professionalized Mexico’s gangland warfare by detonating an arms race and introducing a kind of brutal violence never before seen in the country,” Insight Crime reported earlier this year.
Mexico’s Defense Ministry in 2009, giving a press conference in Saltillo, displaying over 10 million pesos in cash and dozens of army-grade weapons stolen from the military by a Gulf Cartel cell. (Saul Lopez/Cuartoscuro)
Michael Deibert, a journalist and author who wrote a book about the Gulf Cartel, told Insight Crime that Cárdenas is “arguably the most impactful, though not most famous, narco leader in Mexico.”
Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the DEA, said earlier this year that he was an “architect of extreme violence” and “his methods have become the blueprint for other cartels in Mexico.”
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán receives as many as 300 million monarch butterflies each hibernation season. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican scientists have taken on an ambitious project to transplant the habitat of the monarch butterfly — which migrates south to Mexico every winter — to mitigate the effects of climate change on the butterfly’s population.
Their approach involves planting new fir forests at temperatures where the butterfly’s preferred place to hibernate can thrive.
Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico’s fir forests every winter, where they are protected from rain and frost. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
Between late October and early November, hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies migrate 2,500 miles from the northern United States and southern Canada to hibernate in Mexico’s fir forests.
“During the day, under the shade of the fir tree, the environment remains 5 degrees (Celsius) colder than outside. It is a protection against high temperatures. At night, it is the other way around, resulting in 5 degrees warmer,” Cuauhtémoc Sáenz Romero, the lead author of the study “Establishing monarch butterfly overwintering sites for future climates,” told the news site Wired.
The density of the canopy of these trees acts as protection against winter rain. “If the temperature drops below zero and the butterflies get their wings wet, they can freeze. That is why these trees represent such a particular habitat,” Sáenz added.
Cuauhtémoc Sáenz Romero, the lead author of the study “Establishing monarch butterfly overwintering sites for future climates,” published in the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. (Sam Matey/The Weekly Anthropocene)
According to Sáenz’s study, some climate change models suggest that the climate habitat suitable for monarchs could disappear by 2090 in the existing Monarch Reserve.
“If at 3,000 meters, the fir trees had an average temperature of 10 degrees, now they will find that temperature at 3,300 meters. That is, the climate keeps moving upwards, but the trees cannot move [anywhere],” stated Sáenz Romero.
Assisted butterfly migration
Scientists and conservationists are now working together, alongside the Indigenous community of Calimaya, to move fir seedlings to higher and colder areas in the region to create new butterfly habitats.
In 2017, the team chose the Nevado de Toluca volcano in Mexico state to plant the new forests, having assessed factors such as altitude, orientation, soil type and future climatic condition forecasts.
Good news from El Rosario colony. Gradual population concentration. “They’ve kept flying all over our region since their arrival. Some are now clustering.” Remember to read our new MBF newsletter and to donate generously today – GivingTuesday: https://t.co/B1OoKqBKYtpic.twitter.com/5uw8abEBqr
Over the last seven years, they have transplanted seedlings from cone seeds collected from eight stands in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and planted almost 1,000 trees at four sites on the northeast slope of the volcano, at altitudes of 3,400, 3,600, 3,800 and 4,000 meters.
The project would not have taken off without the Indigenous community involved, Sáenz stressed. “They understand that their work implies a positive effort for their forest. In addition, they have a great sense of attachment to their territory and a lot of ecological knowledge. They know where and when to collect the seeds,” explained Sáenz.
The group must now ensure the survival of the seedlings during the first years of life, as well as consider their genetic adaptation to the new environmental conditions. The trees must be able to resist lower temperatures, stronger winds and less water availability to survive. The team aims to establish healthy trees by 2060.
While the monarchs have yet to migrate to the northwest slope of Nevado de Toluca, they were reported on the southwest side, which Sáenz said suggests they are searching for new places to spend the winter months.
The monarch visitation season
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán is a popular tourist site, attracting up to 200,000 visitors every year.
The main visitor sites include Sierra Chincua, Senguio and El Rosario in Michoacán and Piedra Herrada, which is located just 18 miles from the lake town of Valle de Bravo in México state.
Conanp announced the opening of the 2024 season starting Nov. 15 and ending March 31, 2025, and emphasized the importance of ecological conservation at the reserve.
Oh. You went a bit too far at the cantina last night didn't you. Here's how Mexican's deal with the aftermath of a Corona-tequila-mezcal-sotol-soaked night. (Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels)
If you’ve been in Mexico for any amount of time, you’ve no doubt noticed something: Mexicans do not shy away from drinking.
When I first arrived, this was a shock to me, though I knew “in theory” to expect it.
In Mexico, drinking is a cultural experience — and so is getting over a hangover. (Jill Wellington from Pixabay)
My own family leaned puritanical when it came to any mind-altering substances; drinking, even a little, was never not deviant. There was hardly ever alcohol on the table, and once when I found cigarettes in my mom’s purse, I almost fainted, pearls tightly clutched.
Fast forward to the beginning of my first year in Mexico. I remember staring open-mouthed as the study abroad program director ordered a beer with his lunch. What?! As far as I knew, one beer could get you fall-down drunk and into all sorts of trouble.
Ah, such innocent times. As the year wore on, I loosened up a bit. I started having a little beer at parties, not knowing any better when it came to quality. I loveda good palomaon a night out. I was into wine for a while too when living in Querétaro, wherenearby Tequisquiapan was an up-and-coming producer. And straighttequila andmezcal, I’ve loved from the first sips.
But as all of us who are old enough know, learning to “hold our liquor” takes time and practice. After sleeping a few times with one foot on the ground to keep the room from spinning or rushing to the bathroom when our bodies have had enough, most people are incredibly motivated to prevent the sick feelings that come after too much and that can last hours to days.
Mexicans have zero problems when it comes to proper drinking. (Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels)
It speaks to the tastiness and inhibition-shedding qualities of alcohol that we don’t just give it up after a nasty experience, doesn’t it?
Instead, we try to game the system of our body’s response. Is this the part where I need to say that Mexico News Daily does not condone drinking excessively? Well, we don’t, I guess.
Anyway. Because most Mexicans really like to drink and do not have the kinds of puritanical views of it some to the north do, hangover cures are an important aspect of cultural knowledge.
And besides, they can even be an extension of the fun!
So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of Mexico’s favorite remedies.
First, plan ahead
“Entre más fino, menos cruda” applies to basically everything — except possibly wine. (RDNE Stock project/Pexels)
Before you start out on your imbibing, plan what you’re going to drink. If it’s a fancy affair, have some fancy drinks. “Entre más fino, menos cruda,” one friend told me (the fancier it is, the less of a hangover it will cause).
The exception to this, apparently, is red wine, no matter how fancy it is. Most of my friends here have told me that it’s a surefire way to wind up with a hangover the next day.
Mezcal, on the other hand, has a reputation for not causing hangovers at all. I have a feeling that I don’t actually believe that, but honestly I can’t remember, so take from it what you will.
Mixing is NOT a good idea on a night out. Try to stick to one drink and have an occasional glass of water. (Agustín Muñiz/Pexels)
Not mixing the type of alcohol you have in one sitting is also considered a good strategy. If it’s beer, stick to beer; if it’s tequila, stick to tequila. You get the idea.
And finally, drinking lots of water is a good idea all the time, but especially if you’re drinking lots of other stuff as well. I don’t drink a lot personally, but if I have more than one of something I’ll make sure to have a big glass of water in the middle. So far, it’s proven a good strategy.
Shoot, I got carried away and didn’t prepare at all
Well, my friends, you’re not alone. Luckily, plenty of other people have been in your shoes and shared their hard-won lessons. Especially luckily, most of them involve food!
Let’s have a look:
A michelada
Clamato, the heart of a michelada, contains electrolytes that can rehydrate us. Mexicans drink micheladas to cure their hangovers all the time. (Snappr/Pexels)
Now, if you ask me, curing a hangover with even a little alcohol is not a good idea. But it’s not just beer, and Mexicans really have a lot of faith in it. Fromthis article on the famous michelada: “Apart from the flavor, we argue that Clamato contains electrolytes that can rehydrate us, vitamin C from the lime juice that can strengthen our immune system, antioxidants from the tomato that can help maintain our youthfulness, and the capsaicin from the chili that can help keep us alert. While these claims haven’t been scientifically proven, we feel that our health improves every time we drink it.”
I mean I guess, but I’d still personally classify it as one of the grossest drinks I’ve tried. Bleh.
Suero
Now this, I can get a bit more behind.“Suero” can mean a lot of things, but it’s basically electrolytes. This could be in the form of Gatorade or Powerade, but it could also be a simply “marinero”: mineral water with salt and lime. That’s something I drink anyway because I like it, so I’m going to go ahead and count some free health points for myself.
Alka-Seltzer Boost
I haven’t personally tried this one, but I have a friend who swears by it. When you’re feeling like death, though, anything’s worth a try!
Hearty, spicy food
Through the power of corn and and chiles, you will come back to life! And if you don’t, you’ll at least get some good, sturdy food in your stomach.Chilaquiles are an incredibly popular choice, as is a nice, spicypozole.
Seafood is also a popular choice, especially if you choosea nice shrimp cocktail, which actually has some of the same ingredients as a michelada. Maybe they’re on to something!
In the end, the best cure might actually be the memory of a past experience. But in case you get caught up and forget, we’ve got your back!
Make sure nobody goes hungry at the Christmas table this year with vegetarian recipes everyone will love — yes, even the carnivores! (Nicole Michalou/Pexels)
I’ve been a vegetarian for over a decade now. Not that any of my friends would notice, I adore cooking and sharing my passion for great food with them. Especially at this time of year when friends and family are frequent visitors at my table and gobble everything up. For many though, finding vegetarian Christmas recipes can be a bit of a challenge.
So I wanted to share these five tried and true recipes that all of my friends love. Yes, that includes the carnivores because none of my friends are vegetarian! But everyone lines up for these easy and delicious meat-free meals, most of the time asking for the recipes.
Black bean brownies (vegan, gluten-free)
Pamper your celiac friends with these black bean brownies. (Bel Woodhouse)
Rich, fudgy, and decadent, these brownies are a chocoholic’s dream with a protein-packed twist. Made with black beans and avocado, instead of flour, milk, and eggs, they’re creamy, gooey, and irresistibly chocolatey. You may want to make a double batch as they disappear fast!
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 9 brownies
Ingredients:
1 (400g / 14.1oz) tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup walnuts, divided
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut oil (plus extra for greasing)
Large pinch of salt
150g / 5.3oz dark chocolate (vegan-friendly)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 180°C/400°F. Grease 9 holes of a muffin tray with coconut oil.
In a food processor, blend black beans, avocado, sugar, cocoa powder, half the walnuts, baking powder, vanilla, 1 tbsp coconut oil, and salt until creamy.
Melt 120g of the chocolate and add to the mixture. Divide evenly into muffin tray holes.
Chop the remaining chocolate and walnuts, sprinkling on top of each brownie.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before removing.
Apple Salad
A traditional recipe passed down from grandmother to grandaughter, this apple salad was eagerly anticipated every year. (Mike Kenneally/Unsplash)
When I asked my beautiful Mexican friend which dish was “Christmas” to her, this apple salad was the winner and favorite. A traditional recipe passed down from her abuela, it was eagerly awaited and featured on their Christmas table each year. I was fortunate enough that her aunt wrote down this recipe and shared it with me. The mix of fruit and cream is heavenly.
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients:
8 yellow apples, cut into small cubes
1 can pineapple in syrup, cut into small cubes
1 can peaches in syrup, cut into small cubes
Pecans, chopped (or your preferred nut)
500ml cream
Optional Additions:
Red cherries, sliced
White/yellow raisins
Peeled, seedless grapes
Instructions:
Combine apples, drained peaches, and pineapple cubes (save the syrup of each) in a large bowl. Add nuts.
Mix cream with 2 tbsp syrup from the canned fruits. Stir into fruit mixture, adjusting syrup for desired creaminess.
Chill for 3-4 hours before serving.
Tomatillo & White Bean Soup (vegan)
Best with an extra-Mexican twist of avocado slices, fresh cilantro, radish and lime wedges. (Bel Woodhouse)
This hearty, zesty soup is infused with Mexican flavors, which every family member will love. I’ve been making it for years and it is so popular that most people who try it ask for the recipe. I have complete faith that your family will love it this holiday season (or any other time). Serve with avocado slices, fresh cilantro, radish slices and lime wedges. Don’t forget the tortillas!
Prep Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6
Ingredients:
1lb small white beans or 3 (14oz) cans, drained
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 white onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2lb tomatillos, husked, washed, and chopped
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground cilantro
Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
Instructions:
If using dried beans, soak overnight and be aware that they will need a lot longer to cook. Skip this step for canned beans.
Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add tomatillos, garlic, jalapeños, cumin, cilantro, and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Add beans and broth. Simmer 20-30 minutes for canned beans or 1.5-2 hours for dried beans, stirring occasionally.
Serve with avocado slices, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.
Mexican veggie pancakes (vegetarian, dairy-free)
Try these veggie and dairy-free pancakes for burst of flavor, and a great vegetarian recipe for Christmas. (Bel Woodhouse)
These crispy, golden pancakes are packed with grated veggies and a burst of flavor. They are one of my most requested recipes by friends, especially as I usually serve them with tzatziki. You can also serve with sour cream and tomato salsa which is delish as well.
Prep Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 onion, grated
1 potato, grated
2 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
Instructions:
Squeeze excess moisture from grated vegetables. Mix with garlic, cilantro, flour, and eggs in a large bowl.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook half the mixture as a large pancake, 4-5 minutes per side until golden.
Repeat with the remaining mixture. Slice into wedges and serve with sour cream, tzatziki, or salsa.
Tip: you can place a large cutting board over your frypan, then flip so it lands on the board. Slip it back into the pan and cook the other side.
Mushroom spinach empanadas (vegan)
Mushrooms are always the way to go when in need of a vegetarian Christmas recipe. (Nsaum75/Wikimedia Commons)
Who doesn’t love empanadas? These savory treats are filled with a creamy mushroom spinach mix and vegan cheese, making them a perfect side (or main) the whole family will enjoy. They keep well but somehow I have a feeling they won’t last long, they never do in my house!
Prep Time: 1 hour | Servings: 20-24 empanadas
Ingredients:
Filling:
2 tbsp avocado oil
1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1lb white mushrooms, quartered
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
3 handfuls spinach
8oz shredded vegan cheese
To make the dough:
4 cups instant corn masa flour (e.g., Maseca)
1 tbsp avocado oil
2 tsp fine sea salt
Warm water as needed
Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic in avocado oil until translucent. Add mushrooms and salt, cooking until the liquid evaporates. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, then mix in vegan cheese for a lovely creamy texture.
Mix masa flour, salt, oil, and warm water into a soft, pliable dough. Roll and cut into 4-inch rounds.
Place filling in the center of each round, fold, and seal edges (a smear of water along the edge helps to seal it). Fry in coconut oil until golden.
Drain on paper towels and serve warm.
These recipes will make your holiday season vibrant, flavorful and inclusive. Let me know in the comments which dish was your favorite, and have a Merry Christmas to all, I hope it’s filled with love and great food!
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
After a quick trip to the Yucatán Peninsula, President Sheinbaum was back in chilly Mexico City on Monday. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
After presiding over a ceremony in Chetumal to mark the opening of the entire Maya Train railroad on Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum was back at the National Palace in Mexico City on Monday morning.
At her morning press conference, she continued to celebrate the completion of the 1,554-kilometer-long railroad, but also spoke about more somber issues including the murders of two high-profile men on the weekend.
Passengers can now complete a loop around the Yucatán Peninsula given that the sections linking Tulum, Quintana Roo, to Escárcega, Campeche, are open.
Sheinbaum told reporters that the government’s aim is to encourage tourists to “not just stay in their hotel in Cancún, which is very common” but to explore the wider region on the Maya Train.
She said that Maya Train hotels built by the army to provide additional accommodation options for passengers are truly “exceptional.”
President Sheinbaum traveled to Chetumal on Sunday to inaugurate the final sections of the Maya Train. (Presidencia)
The president noted that the government will begin construction in 2025 of “all the infrastructure needed for freight trains” to run on the now fully operational railroad.
“And the passenger train [service] has to be consolidated as well. … New trains are going to arrive, that was set out from the beginning, and some other adjustments [will be made],” Sheinbaum said.
“But today the entire route around the peninsula is operating,” she said. “… It really is an extraordinary project.”
High profile murders under investigation, more details to come on Tuesday
A reporter asked Sheinbaum about the murders over the weekend of the mayor of Tancanhuitz, San Luis Potosí, and the owner of a vineyard in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato.
The mayor, Jesús Eduardo Franco, was found dead along with three other murder victims in a vehicle in Tancanhuitz.
Ricardo Vega, the owner of the Cuna de Tierra vineyard, was shot and killed in the municipality of Apaseo el Grande, which borders the state of Querétaro as well as four municipalities in Guanajuato including Celaya and San Miguel de Allende.
Sheinbaum said that the federal government is in contact with state authorities about the cases.
The Tancanhuitz mayor was killed Sunday evening, the day after leading the festivities at the town’s municipal Christmas party. (Jesús Eduardo Franco/Facebook)
“Tomorrow is the [fortnightly] security report and [security officials] will be able to give us more details then,” she said, adding that both cases are under investigation.
Creation of new Women’s Ministry to be formalized on Jan. 1
When she was asked whether the federal Women’s Ministry was “ready” for its formal inauguration on Jan. 1, Sheinbaum referred the question to her women’s minister.
“We’re ready,” declared Citlalli Hernández Mora.
“Citla is ready,” Sheinbaum acknowledged, adding that a “good team” is being built in the Women’s Ministry.
Sheinbaum said in October that the government’s women’s rights pamphlet should be distributed to men as well as women because everyone needs to know about women’s rights.
Chalacatepec International Airport and the Lagos de Moreno cargo terminal will enhance connectivity in the Bajío region. (Cory Bjork/Unsplash)
The new Chalacatepec International Airport in Costalegre, Jalisco, is near completion and a new cargo terminal is in development for an existing airport in in the eastern municipality of Lagos de Moreno, according to state Governor Pablo Lemus.
Chalacatepec is being developed using state funding and is expected to commence operations by the end of the year. It is hoped that it will boost the region’s economic development.
The state government aims to establish “a public-private partnership scheme for operation… [and] Airports and Auxiliary Services (ASA) is at that stage of launching that tender to find out who might be interested,” Lemus was reported saying on news site El Economista. Meanwhile, “Lagos de Moreno is an airport with private investment that requires the respective authorizations,” the governor said.
Chalacatepec is being constructed on Jalisco’s Costalegre coast. It will be Jalisco’s third international airport after Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, both of which are managed by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which operates 12 airports across Mexico’s Pacific coast.
The pre-existing runway has been renovated with 102 million pesos (US $5 million) of funding from the Infrastructure and Public Works Ministry. The project consists of a platform, taxiways, a 3,000-square-foot terminal building and a 500-foot connection road to the parking lot.
The state government is currently looking for a concessionaire to operate the Costalegre airport as part of a public-private partnership, the governor said. (Enrique Alfaro/ X)
“This recognition proves that it was worth fighting these six years to make the beaches of Costalegre a gateway to world tourism through the Puerto Vallarta International Airport or what will soon be the third airport in Jalisco, Chalacatepec,” Jalisco’s former governor Enrique Alfaro wrote in a post on social media site X on Nov. 26.
Meanwhile, the Lagos de Moreno Airport, located on the border of Jalisco, Aguascalientes and Guanajuato, will enhance connectivity with Mexico’s central Bajío region. It consists of a 7,200-foot runway that can accommodate large aircraft such as the Boeing 737.
The airport will increase the region’s cargo capacity, helping to position Jalisco as a major logistics hub. It is also expected to support nearshoring activities, enhancing access to U.S., Canadian and European markets.
The development will attract investments and generate jobs, benefiting local industries such as poultry, agro-industry and technology, the governor said, according to the news site Kiosco Informativo.
The complete Maya Train circuit — from Palenque to Cancún, through the jungle and back again — is now operational. (Mara Lezama/X)
The Maya Train railroad, which connects cities and towns in the states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo, is now fully operational.
Exactly one year after passenger trains started running between Campeche and Cancún, President Claudia Sheinbaum on Sunday inaugurated sections 6 and 7 of the 1,554-kilometer-long railroad.
Sheinbaum attended the inauguration ceremony for sections 6 and 7 of the Maya Train in Chetumal on Sunday, describing the railroad as “one of the great legacies of [former] president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.” (Gobierno del Estado/Cuartoscuro)Passengers can now complete a loop around the Yucatán Peninsula given that the sections linking Tulum, Quintana Roo, to Escárcega, Campeche, are open.
The railroad has stations in or near the cities of Palenque, Campeche, Mérida, Valladolid, Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Chetumal, among others, and passengers can access a variety of other tourist attractions including archaeological sites, cenotes (natural swimmable sinkholes) and beaches.
“The Maya Train is one of the great legacies of [former] president Andrés Manuel López Obrador,” Sheinbaum said at a section 6 and 7 inauguration ceremony in Chetumal that doubled as a celebration of the first anniversary of the beginning of operations of the multi-billion-dollar railroad.
“His tenacity, will, vision and love achieved this feat, to which we’re providing continuity with the same determination and dedication,” she said.
Section 6 (light green) and section 7 (blue) of the Maya Train are now completely operational. (Tren Maya)
However, the railroad — which was built by private companies and the Mexican Army — faced a range of challenges, including court rulings that temporarily halted work and ardent opposition from environmental groups, which have argued for years that the construction and operation of the railroad pose a threat to wildlife, subterranean rivers and the Maya jungle.
Accompanied by the governors of the five states through which the railroad runs and various federal officials, Sheinbaum on Sunday rejected claims that the construction of the Maya Train violated laws or had an adverse impact on the environment.
She, like López Obrador, asserts that the railroad will help spur much-needed economic and social development in Mexico’s southeast. The ambitious infrastructure project was carried out “with and for the communities of the southeast of Mexico,” Sheinbaum said in Chetumal.
“… Only here in Mexico can a railroad of more than 1,500 kilometers be built … in just four years. In other words, only here in our country can a feat the size of the glorious Maya Train be done,” she added.
“…The Maya Train tells the world that Mexico is a great nation that does great things every day.”
Sheinbaum traveled from Palenque to Chetumal on the Maya Train on Saturday, completing the journey across section 7 of the railroad between Escárcega and the state capital of Quintana Roo. She posted a 38-second clip of her experience to social media.
During the inauguration ceremony in Chetumal, Sheinbaum said that her government would “consolidate the Maya Train as the world’s greatest tourism destination.”
Hoy viajamos en el Tren Maya de la estación Palenque, Chiapas a Chetumal, Quintana Roo, donde encabezaremos mañana el primer aniversario de esta gran obra e inauguraremos al público su último tramo. pic.twitter.com/GK8d8n28AO
That was apparently a reference to both the train and the culturally rich and beautiful region through which it runs. The president praised the Mexican military for its role in the construction and operation of the railroad.
Sheinbaum also highlighted that freight trains will soon run on the Maya Train railroad. In addition, she noted that the railroad will connect to the the new Interoceanic Train railroad, which includes tracks across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec between Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz.
Óscar Lozano, director of the state-owned Maya Train company, highlighted that the railroad and its 34 stations are complemented by Maya Train hotels built by the army. The railroad, he added, provides access to archaeological sites such as Chichén Itzá and Uxmal as well as natural protected areas (including newly-created ones) and pueblos mágicos, or magical towns.
How much did the Maya Train railroad cost to build?
Sheinbaum on Sunday didn’t say how much construction of the Maya Train railroad cost.
However, “independent calculations” have put the cost at over 500 billion pesos (US $24.8 billion), the newspaper Reforma reported. The figure of US $20 billion has been cited in various media reports.
The total cost is much higher than the original 140-billion-peso (US $6.9 billion) estimate.
How many jobs did construction of the project create?
Lozano, the Maya Train chief, said Sunday that the construction of the railroad created more than 600,000 jobs.
Other government projects in Mexico’s southeast, including the Tulum airport and the Olmeca Refinery on the Tabasco coast, also created significant numbers of jobs in recent years, many of which were filled by long-term residents of southeastern states.
Maya Train project chief Óscar Lozano said Sunday that the construction of the railroad created more than 600,000 jobs. (Archive)
How many passengers traveled on the Maya Train in its first year of operations?
Just over 603,000 passengers traveled on the train between mid-December 2023 and mid-December 2024, according to the Maya Train company. That figure represents just 20% of the government’s 3 million target.
Only 33,547 of the 603,000 passengers — about 5.5% — were foreign tourists.
The government hopes that passenger numbers will increase now that people will be able to use the train to access virtually the entire Caribbean coast of the state of Quintana Roo.
Millions of foreigners fly into Cancún on an annual basis, many of whom spend most of their time in Mexico in Cancún or other coastal destinations such as Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
The operation of the Maya Train in a loop around the Yucatán Peninsula could help lure some of them away from the clubs and white sand beaches of Cancún, Playa and Tulum to more traditional tourist destinations and attractions in inland areas of the Yucatán Peninsula.
Some passengers have reported a range of frustrations with traveling on the Maya Train, including that there is a lack of transportation between stations and final destinations. Hopefully, travelers’ experiences will improve with time.
If you do decide to take a trip on the railroad: Bon voyage! ¡Buen viaje! Have a great trip!
