Regina Martínez brought an old cliché to life: You can win by finishing last. After the event, she said, "I honestly never thought I'd see so many Mexicans at a Nordic skiing event.” (Comité Olímpico Mexicano)
Regina Martínez pushed across the finish line in last place, tears freezing on her cheeks, a distant 108th in the women’s 10-kilometer freestyle — and squarely in the center of Mexican Olympic history.
The 33-year-old Mexico City native, now an emergency-room doctor in Miami, Florida, became the first Mexican woman to compete in cross-country skiing at a Winter Games.
In a race on Thursday marked by a demanding course and challenging snow conditions at Milano-Cortina, Martínez finished in 34 minutes, 5.4 seconds — more than 11 minutes behind the winner, Frida Karlsson of Sweden.
Yet Martínez drew one of the loudest ovations at Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium for her stamina and determination.
“Incredible, this is an unforgettable experience, a dream come true, and it fills me with happiness and pride to be able to share this moment with you and with Mexico,” she told Claro Sports in an exclusive post-race interview.
Martínez discovered cross-country skiing in her late 20s while a medical student at the University of Minnesota, battling “cold, loneliness and seasonal depression” before the sport gave her “a way to be outside, to move, to enjoy nature.”
She had an unlikely path to the Olympics: from a youth soccer player in the UNAM Pumas academy in Mexico City to a family move to Costa Rica as a teenager (where she played soccer at a high level) to college at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, to a master’s degree in public health at Columbia University in New York City.
After finishing Thursday’s race, Martínez was first embraced by Brazil’s Bruna Moura, then greeted by Karlsson and Ebba Andersson of Sweden and American Jessie Diggins — the three medalists who waited to congratulate the final finisher.
On top of all that was the cheering by the fans.
“Incredible, incredible. I honestly never thought I’d see so many Mexicans at a Nordic skiing event,” Martínez said. “It was amazing to be able to hear them every moment, on every climb, on every descent.”
Mexico has never won a Winter Olympics medal and has brought only five athletes to Italy across three sports — alpine skiing, cross-country and figure skating.
“NADA ES IMPOSIBLE. QUE ESTO SIRVA DE EJEMPLO” 🇲🇽❄️👏
Regina Martínez habló EN EXCLUSIVA con Claro Sports tras hacer historia en Milano Cortina 2026, al convertirse en la primera mujer mexicana en competir en esquí de fondo en unos Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno.
However, 46-year-old alpine skier Sarah Schleper, competing in her seventh Winter Games and third for Mexico, finished 26th in the women’s super-G in 1:31.37, the best result ever by a Mexican woman in Olympic alpine skiing and tied for the country’s top finish in the sport.
Schleper had the slowest time, but several skiers failed to even finish on a slope that was battered by adverse weather conditions. The four-time U.S. Olympian, yet never medalist, races again in the giant slalom on Sunday.
A convoy of U.S. Border Patrol vehicles drives the Mexico-U.S. border near El Paso, Texas, in early 2025. (Carlos Sánchez Colunga/Cuartoscuro.com)
The cause of the closure of airspace over El Paso, Texas, from late Tuesday to early Wednesday was Customs and Border Protection’s deployment of a military anti-drone laser, according to media reports citing people familiar with the situation.
That version of events — reported by The New York Times (NYT) and the Associated Press (AP), among other media outlets — stands in contrast to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s assertion that a “cartel drone incursion” occurred, forcing the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to close the airspace above El Paso, located opposite the Mexican border city of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.
The U.S. declared a 10-day closure of the area around the El Paso airport in response to the incident — but the closure was quickly lifted the same day. (Google Earth)
Duffy said on social media on Wednesday that the cartel drone threat had been “neutralized,” allowing the airspace over El Paso to reopen. His assertion was reposted by the FAA on X.
Citing “multiple people briefed on the situation,” the NYT reported that “the abrupt closure of El Paso’s airspace late Tuesday was precipitated when Customs and Border Protection [CBP] officials deployed an anti-drone laser on loan from the Department of Defense without giving aviation officials enough time to assess the risks to commercial aircraft.”
“… The episode led the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly declare that the nearby airspace would be shut down for 10 days, an extraordinary pause that was quickly lifted Wednesday morning at the direction of the White House,” the Times wrote.
AP, citing two unnamed “people familiar with the situation,” reported that the Pentagon allowed CBP to “use an anti-drone laser earlier this week, leading the Federal Aviation Administration to suddenly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas.”
AP cited one of its sources as saying that the laser was “deployed near Fort Bliss [U.S. Army post] without coordinating with the FAA, which decided then to close the airspace to ensure commercial air safety.”
“Others familiar with the matter said the technology was used despite a meeting scheduled for later this month between the Pentagon and the FAA to discuss the issue,” AP said.
The NYT wrote that Duffy’s assertion was “undercut by multiple people familiar with the situation, who said that the FAA’s extreme move” to close the airspace above El Paso “came after immigration officials earlier this week used an anti-drone laser shared by the Pentagon without coordination with the FAA.”
“… CBP officials thought they were firing on a cartel drone, the people said, but it turned out to be a party balloon,” the Times reported.
“Defense Department officials were present during the incident, one person said. … The military has been developing high-energy laser technology to intercept and destroy drones, which the Trump administration has said are being used by Mexican cartels to track Border Patrol agents and smuggle drugs into the United States.”
The Times also wrote that “it was not clear” the CBP’s deployment of an anti-drone laser “alone prompted the FAA’s decision to close the airspace over El Paso.”
“FAA officials did not respond to questions about the claims by Mr. Duffy and other administration officials that a subsequent drone incursion had necessitated the closure of the airspace starting at 11:30 p.m. local time” on Tuesday, the newspaper said.
“… But according to the people briefed on the matter, at the time FAA officials closed the airspace, the agency had not yet completed a safety assessment of the risks the new [anti-drone laser] technology could pose to other aircraft.”
Sheinbaum: US government has to explain what happened
At her Thursday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum said there was no “official information” about the cause of the closure of airspace above El Paso, although she acknowledged there was a social media post from Duffy.
“There was nothing from Mexico,” she said, asserting that there was no evidence of drones having entered the U.S. from the north of the country.
“You can be absolutely certain of that,” added Sheinbaum, who said Wednesday that there was “no information about the use of drones at the border.”
“In any case, they have to provide an official explanation,” she said Thursday in reference to the U.S. government.
In response to queries about the Wednesday airspace shutdown, President Sheinbaum said any explanation must come from the U.S. government. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro.com)
“… They don’t even mention ‘Mexico.’ … They talk about cartels, but they never mention Mexico, [at least in] the case of the transportation secretary,” Sheinbaum said.
U.S. Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island who serves on the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, also said that the U.S. government needs to explain itself.
“A ten-day shutdown of a major U.S. air corridor is an extraordinary step that demands a clear and consistent explanation,” he said.
“The conflicting accounts coming from different parts of the federal government only deepen public concern and raise serious questions about coordination and decision-making.”
US Senator: Airspace closure due to ‘lack of coordination’
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois and a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot, said that the closure of the airspace over El Paso was the result of a “lack of coordination that’s endemic in this Trump administration.”
“I have all sorts of questions,” Duckworth said.
Scott Brown, a former special agent in charge at Homeland Security Investigations who has experience in counter-drone operations at the U.S.-Mexico border, told Reuters that he thought the Trump administration could be using the airspace closure as the pretext for a strike on Mexican cartels, which the U.S. president has threatened to carry out in Mexican territory.
“When I heard about the airport closure, my concern was, is this a pretext for a counter-strike by the U.S.?” Brown said.
Republican lawmaker: Drone incursions part of ‘everyday life’ at US-Mexico border
Last July, Steven Willoughby, director of the counter-drone program at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said that “nearly every day, transnational criminal organizations use drones to convey illicit narcotics and contraband across U.S. borders and to conduct hostile surveillance of law enforcement.”
There are more than 1,000 drone incursions from Mexico into the U.S. every month, some of which are operated by criminal organizations. (Diana Măceşanu)
Similarly, AP reported that incursions into U.S. airspace by Mexican cartel drones “are not uncommon along the southern border,” while Republican Representative Tony Gonzales said that “for any of us who live and work along the border, daily drone incursions by criminal organizations is everyday life for us.”
Reuters reported that “the Pentagon has said there are more than 1,000 drone incursions along the U.S.-Mexico border each month.”
In such a context, the Trump administration’s assertion than an incursion by a Mexican cartel drone (or drones) precipitated the closure of airspace above El Paso appears fanciful.
“There have been drone incursions from Mexico going back to as long as drones existed,” said Representative Veronica Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso in the U.S. Congress.
“This is not unusual, and there was nothing extraordinary about any drone incursion into the U.S. that I’m aware of. … There’s no threat. There was not a threat, which is why the FAA lifted this restriction so quickly. The information coming from the [Trump] administration does not add up,” she said.
“I believe the FAA owes the community and the country an explanation as to why this happened so suddenly and abruptly and was lifted so suddenly and abruptly,” Escobar said.
Willoughby, the DHS official, asserted last July that it was “only a matter of time” before Mexican criminal organizations carried out drone attacks against U.S. citizens and law enforcement authorities.
“In Ukraine and Russia, the extensive use of drones in the ongoing war has further demonstrated their lethality and versatility. … As my colleagues here can attest to, the threat of weaponized UAS [unmanned aircraft system] attacks is also a concern right here in the United States,” Willoughby said at a July 22 appearance before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
Carlos Pérez Ricart, a security expert and academic at the Center for Research in Teaching and Economics in Mexico City, took issue with the assertion that cartels would use drones to launch attacks in the U.S. at some point.
“There’s no evidence that the cartels would attack the U.S. with drones, it doesn’t make sense for them,” he told Reuters. “But such a narrative does serve Trump’s interests in creating a justification for military action.”
The return by Portugal of three archaeological artifacts was the latest example of cooperative efforts to respect the heritage of individual nations. (Embamexpor)
In another win for Mexico’s efforts to recover archaeological artifacts from abroad, Portugal has made its first-ever restitution of pre-Columbian objects to Mexico, as both countries commit to combat illegal trafficking of cultural property.
The pieces include a female figure from western Mexico associated with fertility rituals, a polychrome Maya vessel from the Classic period and a Zapotec urn representing the god Cocijo, deity of rain and fertility.
Dr. Luis Neves, national director of Portugal’s Judicial Police, noted that the restitution “facilitates the reconstruction of social and religious contexts for the history of Mexico.” (Embmexpor)
“This is the first restitution of pre-Hispanic archaeological heritage from Portugal to Mexico, reflecting institutional collaboration and a shared commitment to combating the illegal trafficking of cultural property,” Portugal’s Judicial Police said in a statement.
The handover took place Thursday during a ceremony at the Mexican Embassy in Lisbon, in collaboration with the Camões Institute for Cooperation and Language.
The pieces stand out for their historical, aesthetic, and symbolic value,” the Judicial Police acknowledged, adding that their recovery “facilitates the reconstruction of social and religious contexts for the history of Mexico.”
Although this is the first time Portugal has repatriated an artifact to Mexico, it’s not the first time a piece has been recovered from the European country.
In 2024, Mexico recovered a 2,000-year-old piece before it was auctioned at the Renascimento-Avaliações e Leilões auction house. As soon as Mexican authorities learned of the auction, the National Institute of Archeology and History (INAH) filed a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office (FGR), while thn Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto Guerrero sent a formal request to the auction house urging them to stop the sale of the piece.
In collaboration with embassies in both countries, the Renascimento-Avaliações e Leilões auction house returned the piece.
Illicitly traded cultural property is often sold either in illegal markets around the world or through legal avenues such as public auctions, including online.
Many of the artifacts that Mexico has recovered are the result of a federal government task force created in 2023 that works with local authorities abroad to seek judicial redress and halt auctions in New York, Paris and Rome. The task force also negotiates with academic institutions and museums to recover archaeological artifacts from abroad.
A health worker applies a measles shot at a government vaccination center set up in response to the contagious viral disease's spread in Mexico. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
The federal government is urging Mexicans who haven’t been inoculated against measles to get vaccinated as the country deals with a concerning outbreak of the highly contagious airborne disease.
The federal and state governments have set up measles vaccination sites, such as this one in Oaxaca, for easy access for those who have not been previously vaccinated against measles. (Carolina Jiménez Mariscal/Cuartoscuro.com)
Almost 30% of those confirmed cases — 2,755 — were recorded in 2026, and many of them were detected in infants and young children.
Thousands more probable cases of measles have been counted in 2025 and 2026.
Mexico’s measles death toll since the start of 2025 stands at 28, with 26 of the fatalities occurring last year and two in the first six weeks of 2026.
The state of Jalisco is currently facing the most serious outbreak with 1,603 confirmed cases this year. That figure accounts for 58% of the national total in 2026.
Chiapas has recorded the second highest number of confirmed measles cases this year with 282 followed by Mexico City (157) and Sinaloa (144).
On a per capita basis, Jalisco has the highest incidence of measles with 17.85 confirmed cases per 100,000 people in 2026.
Colima has the second highest per capita rate with 7.65 confirmed cases per 100,000 people this year, followed by Chiapas (4.56) and Sinaloa (4.49).
However, so far in 2026, five states — Baja California Sur, Tamaulipas, Campeche, Zacatecas and Coahuila — haven’t recorded a single confirmed case, although probable cases have been detected in each of them.
Vaccination: ‘The only way to control measles’
At President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference, Health Minister David Kershenobich told reporters that measles is the most contagious viral disease.
One person with measles can infect up to 18 people around them, he said.
Kershenobich noted that “the only way to control measles” is through vaccination.
Health Minister David Kershenobich, speaking at President Sheinbaum’s daily press conference Wednesday, reiterated the government’s promotion of measles vaccinations to prevent further spread of the current outbreak. He also commented that because so many were vaccinated as children, the country is not in a crisis situation. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro.com)
The health minister sought to downplay the seriousness of the situation, highlighting that there have only been around 9,000 confirmed cases of measles in Mexico since the start of last year among a population of “133 million Mexicans.”
“What does that mean? It means that the vaccination strategy is working, because if we didn’t have protection from vaccination, and [with measles] being such a highly contagious virus, we would have millions of Mexicans infected,” Kershenobich said.
He also said that 90% of measles cases in Mexico have occurred in unvaccinated people.
So far this year, Chihuahua has recorded 13 confirmed cases.
“With the application of 1.8 million vaccines, we managed to defeat the measles outbreak in Chihuahua,” Kershenobich said.
Government seeks to ‘cut the chain of transmission’
Deputy Health Minister Ramiro López Elizalde told reporters on Wednesday that Mexico has 28 million doses of the measles vaccine “ready to apply immediately.”
“… We have enough vaccines to protect the population,” López added.
He noted that the Health Ministry’s “priority group” for vaccination is children aged six months to 12 years as they are “most vulnerable” to measles.
If a child hasn’t been vaccinated against measles, or has only received one dose and six months has passed since it was administered, he or she “must be taken” to get vaccinated, López said.
“We are setting up more than 21,000 health centers across the entire country to guarantee access,” he said.
“For families’ peace of mind: if your son or daughter already has their … two doses, he or she is protected. A booster isn’t needed,” López said.
The deputy health minister noted that cases of measles are being detected in people who “didn’t complete their [vaccine] scheme in the past.”
“That’s why in the entities with the greatest incidence we’re vaccinating people from 13 to 49 who didn’t [previously] get a vaccine or … their second dose,” he said.
Starting Feb. 23, people between those ages in Jalisco, Colima, Chiapas, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Tabasco and Mexico City will be able to get vaccinated at a government health center.
Deputy Health Minister Ramiro López Elizalde, shown here explaining the causes and symptoms of measles, has a message for parents: “If your son or daughter already has their … two doses, he or she is protected. A booster isn’t needed.” (Galos Cañas/Cuartoscuro.com)
“The objective is to recover [vaccine] coverage and cut the chain of transmission by vaccinating people from 13 to 49. This strategy will be implemented first in the states with the greatest number of cases and it will continue gradually across the entire country,” López said.
“… We designed a platform called dondemevacuno.salud.gob.mx and there you can select your state, municipality and age group, and look up [the location of] the more than 21,000 vaccination points,” he added.
Vaccination for children will commence at the government centers next Monday Feb. 16.
Sheinbaum highlights that most Mexicans are vaccinated and calls for calm
Sheinbaum stressed on Wednesday that the majority of Mexicans, both adults and children, are vaccinated against measles.
“That’s very important,” she said.
Sheinbaum called on people to “keep calm, because if we don’t, an idea that ‘we’re facing a terrible situation’ is created.”
She urged parents to take their children to get vaccinated against measles if they haven’t already done so.
“There are 28 million vaccines and we have an appropriate distribution strategy,” Sheinbaum said.
She noted that some states are requesting that people use masks to prevent the spread of measles, but reiterated the importance of vaccination as the frontline defense against the disease, and asserted that Mexico could purchase more vaccines if needed.
“Whoever isn’t vaccinated, mainly girls and boys, has to go to the health centers and get vaccinated,” Sheinbaum said.
Mexico could lose its measles-free status ahead of the FIFA World Cup
The New York Times reported on Wednesday that a panel of independent health experts summoned by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is “expected to convene on April 13 to review data that will be used to decide whether Mexico’s measles-free status — held for three decades — will be revoked.”
Malaquías López Cervantes, a National Autonomous University epidemiologist, said that “in reality, Mexico has already lost its status.”
“All that remains is for the PAHO to make the bureaucratic declaration. What Mexico must demonstrate is its ability to manage the outbreak we are facing today,” said López, who was quoted in the Times’ report.
The gathering of the PAHO panel is slated to occur less than two months before the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which Mexico is co-hosting with the United States and Canada.
Victoria Pando Robles, an infectious-disease researcher in Mexico, told The New York Times that “we are going to receive visitors who are probably not vaccinated.”
“And if they go to a stadium, they’re going to find thousands of people susceptible to the disease,” she said.
“And then those numbers become significant. It’s exponential,” Pando said.
The Aguascalientes plant closed by Nissan is the object of a bidding competition between three Asian carmakers looking for a strong foothold in Mexico. (Nissan de México)
Two Chinese automakers — BYD and Geely — are among three finalists competing to purchase a car manufacturing plant in the north-central state of Aguascalientes, according to an exclusive report published by the Reuters news agency.
The finalists — Vietnamese EV maker VinFast is the third competitor — were selected from among nine participants, including Chinese automakers Chery and Great Wall Motor.
“México no solo es un mercado clave, es parte del futuro de BYD”.
Stella Li, vicepresidenta ejecutiva global de BYD, confirma que la marca ya prepara sus próximos pasos en nuestro país, incluyendo la llegada de Denza, su firma de lujo eléctrica. En entrevista con Automóvil… pic.twitter.com/DoyxCb2iOS
Mexico is a major export market for BYD and Geely as Chinese automakers have collectively boosted their market share from zero in 2020 to about 10% last year.
The Aguascalientes factory, originally a US $1 billion joint venture between Daimler and the Renault-Nissan Alliance that opened in 2017, is especially attractive, particularly since it comes with skilled workers, transportation infrastructure and a 230,000-unit annual capacity ready to go.
A win for either of the two Chinese contenders would give China a much-desired manufacturing foothold in a country where U.S. tariffs are fueling factory closures and layoffs, Reuters reported.
“After three decades of growth, vehicle exports to the United States fell nearly 3% in 2025” and an even steeper decline is likely this year if tariffs remain, Reuters reported. Additionally, “Mexico lost about 60,000 auto-industry jobs last year.”
While U.S. tariffs are hammering Mexico’s auto sector and Chinese investment “could generate much-needed jobs,” Mexican officials are understandably concerned that such a Chinese presence in Mexico “could inflame Washington and jeopardize [upcoming] North American trade agreement negotiations,” Reuters said.
Although the Mexican government can’t legally block a factory sale, officials are wary about Chinese production in Mexico, the report says.
Economy Ministry officials are reportedly pressuring Aguascalientes officials to delay any decision on the sale until after the trade talks are completed. The official joint review process of the USMCA trade agreement is scheduled for July 1, but formal discussions began last month.
The bid to acquire the plant is a significant step for BYD which has sought to build a new factory in Mexico for years.
Just last year, China’s Ministry of Commerce suspended approval of a BYD deal for a massive new plant that would have produced up to 500,000 vehicles annually, citing concerns that BYD’s proprietary technology could leak to US competitors.
Mexico hit Chinese cars and other goods with 50% tariffs last year, which had the effect of incentivizing Chinese automakers to manufacture in Mexico. They view Mexico as a keystone in their strategy to sell cars in Latin America.
Mexico is one of the world's top producers of fluorite, a key manufacturing mineral with uses ranging from cooking utensil coatings to refining gasoline. (Shutterstock)
Mexico is among the world’s leading producers of antimony, barite, copper, fluorite, graphite, lead, silver and zinc, all critical minerals that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) prioritizes as vital to the U.S. economy and its national security.
The USGS values these products as they fall within categories it considers vulnerable due to their role in essential technologies (e.g., batteries, energy, electronics and defense).
The U.S.-Mexico action plan is linked to the U.S.-sponsored Critical Minerals Ministerial plan comprising more than 55 nations including Mexico. Mexico is also a participant in multilateral negotiations on critical minerals with Canada, Japan and the 27 members of the European Union.
Mexico is not listed as a producer of rare earth elements, though it does have substantial untapped lithium reserves. Still, its production of the eight minerals previously mentioned is viewed by the USGS as of economic and strategic importance.
Copper is widely used in electrical wiring and cables due to its high conductivity. Fluorite is used in the manufacture of synthetic materials and plastics, as well as in processes related to iron, steel, ceramics, glass and refining.
Graphite is used in lubricants, batteries and fuel cells. Lead is essential for the production of batteries, ammunition, glass and ceramics.
Antimony is primarily used in lead-acid batteries and in the manufacture of flame retardants. Barite is crucial in oil and gas drilling, and is also used in medical imaging applications, while silver is used in electrical circuits, batteries, solar cells and medical instruments with antibacterial properties.
Additionally, Mexico Business News reported last week that during its 2026 term as president of the Pacific Alliance, Mexico intends to “prioritize the industrialization of critical minerals and rare earth elements,” in order to “strengthen regional supply chains and boost high-value manufacturing.”
Mexico is also promoting a regional push for green minerals that are vital for manufacturing technologies that enable the green transition away from fossil fuels.
From Ottawa to Old Mexico, a new bridge could cut a noisy neighbor out altogether. It's time for some more news that didn't happen!
All stories in El Jalapeño are satire and not real news.
OTTAWA — In a landmark infrastructure deal Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican officials have broken ground on the Trans-Continental Bypass — a suspended highway designed to let North America’s top and bottom neighbors hang out without the loud middle child getting involved.
The project, colloquially dubbed “The Great Polite Arc,” will stretch from Ottawa directly to Monterrey, cutting out the need to set foot in the United States entirely.
(Antony-22/WIkimedia Commons)
After this week’s uproar over whether the existing Gordie Howe bridge between Mexico and the U.S. will be allowed to open, the Arc turns from satire into a reasonable backup plan, offering Canadians and Mexicans a quiet detour around the chaos in the United States.
“It is a triumph of engineering,” said Dr. Guillermo Fuentes, Mexico’s newly appointed Secretary of Vertical Tourism. “We have designed special soundproofing barriers to block out the noise of American pharmaceutical commercials. Finally, Canadian snowbirds can migrate to Lake Chapala without having their blood pressure spiked by a Texas toll booth.”
American officials appeared confused but supportive, with one Kansas resident looking up at the construction and asking if the bridge would have a drive-thru Starbucks or at least a Buc-ee’s attached to the pylons.
Don't head to the Bar San Miguel just yet. There's plenty to do in San Miguel de Allende this month. (Ria Talken)
San Miguel de Allende is warming up — literally and figuratively — as some special music and dance shows and a big neighborhood art walk arrive. There’s also health advice, some good news about students and a record turnout for learning, so read on!
70th annual Candelaria Fair wraps up
The Feria de la Candelaria wraps up on Feb. 13, but it has been pretty while it lasted. (Cathy Siegner)
Dozens of vendors from near and far offered a colorful array of flowering plants, including cacti and orchids, shrubs and citrus trees, plus gardening supplies, including seeds, pots, fertilizer and tools.
Daily entertainment for young people and adults made the schedule, with puppet shows near the lake plus informational presentations and live music at the amphitheater. This was the 70th annual Candelaria Fair and the second time it has been held at Parque Zeferino instead of the previous long-time venue of Parque Benito Juárez.
Staying healthy in San Miguel
Janet DeVoogd has several health-related classes scheduled this month in San Miguel de Allende. (Thomas DeVoogd)
Since moving to San Miguel about five months ago, naturopath and master herbalist Janet DeVoogd has been busy giving classes and working with those interested in adapting to the higher elevation and improving their general health. People here have questions about dealing with anxiety, digestion, pain and inflammation, she said, and she’s responding by scheduling classes on some of those subjects.
The next one is Saturday, Feb. 21, at 10 a.m. upstairs at Mercado Sano, Ancha de San Antonio 123. The topic is “Happy Digestion, Naturally,” and the cost is 300 pesos. Another class, this time on “Pain and Inflammation: Naturally,” will be presented on Feb. 28, same time, location and cost.
DeVoogd said a common issue around San Miguel is dehydration, which causes fatigue, dry skin, headaches and muscle cramps. While drinking more water will help, she advises people not to simply rely on drinking “naked” water even if it’s filtered.
“If you’re drinking filtered water, which everybody is, the filtration pulls out minerals and electrolytes, so you have to put the minerals and electrolytes back in,” she said.
DeVoogd’s recipe to better hydrate the body is to mix purified warm water, half a fresh-squeezed lime, a pinch of sea salt or Himalayan salt, and, if desired, some raw honey or maple syrup.
For more information, she can be reached at 123beewell@gmail.com or +1 (307) 315-5599. Her health-related articles and recipes are posted on Substack here, and information on a local women’s wellness circle she’s organizing is available here.
Local students win global reading tournament
These students from Secundaria Técnica 42 won first prize in a global reading tournament. (Courtesy)
Students at Secundaria Técnica 42 on Avenida La Luz in Fraccionamiento Insurgentes won global first place by reading for more than 205,000 minutes over three weeks in November. Geoff Drayton of The Great Reading Tournament said about 600 of 900 children at the school took part, and the entire tournament drew roughly 25,000 children from seven different countries.
The San Miguel students celebrated their win by enjoying 10 pizzas from Pizza Guy’s Joe Ruffino. Two outstanding students were given computers and the school now has free licenses to a bilingual reading platform. Drayton said that after the tournament is over, “nearly 25% of the children continue reading on the platform.”
He said fewer than half of the children in Mexico can read at the lowest proficiency level, according to PISA, the Programme for International Student Assessment. Also, 60% of schools in Mexico don’t have books or libraries, although a federal plan aims to help by distributing millions of books across Latin America.
Lifelong Learning Program hits record registration
Instituto Allende’s Lifelong Learning Program is hitting all-time highs for registration. (Instituto Allende)
The 21 courses scheduled from January through March in the Instituto Allende’s Lifelong Learning Program hit a record registration this year of more than 1,000 students, according to John Wimberly, program team leader. He said there were about 350 students when he started volunteering with the program four years ago, and that last year set a record at 800.
“San Miguel is a small town, and the best advertising, honestly, is word of mouth and the word on the street,” Wimberly said. “We post our courses by November, and by December, there were five, six, seven sold out.”
Courses take place from 1-3 p.m. in a dedicated room that holds 62 people at the Instituto, Ancha de San Antonio 22 in Centro. He said that remodeling is adding a new theater that can seat 110.
Wimberly’s goals for the program are to include more presenters in math, the sciences and the history of Mexico. He said he would also like to add courses in Spanish at a convenient time for working people.
The current program covers a wide variety of subjects from politics to history to science and culture, and the cost ranges from free to 400 pesos. As of Feb. 10, there were six courses still open in February and five open in March at the program’s sign-up page.
Mardi Gras music is on its way
El Pecado de Afrodita will play high-energy “bourbon funk rock” to celebrate Mardi Gras (French for “Fat Tuesday”) on Feb. 17, 4 p.m., at Cent’anni Restaurant located at Canal 34 in Centro.
Advance tickets are 250 pesos and 300 pesos at the door. Call +52 (415) 105-5445 for reservations or buy tickets in person at Cent’Anni.
Flamenco show on stage at the Peralta
A “Women of Lorca” flamenco show will be hosted this month by Teatro Ángela Peralta in San Miguel de Allende. (Guanajuato Travel)
Flamenco Co. will present “Women of Lorca” at the Teatro Ángela Peralta, Mesones 82, on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. The show is inspired by the women Federico Garcia Lora wrote about in his poems and plays.
Admission is 800 pesos for seats in the platea (orchestra), 600 pesos for box seats in the luneta and palcos and 300 pesos in the galería (balcony). Call +52 (415) 124-1484 for information and reservations or visit here.
Gil Gutiérrez & Friends perform Feb. 21
Guitar virtuoso Gil Gutiérrez and friends will be performing at the Teatro Santa Ana in San Miguel de Allende. (Facebook)
Local guitar virtuoso and composer Gil Gutiérrez, along with some of his musical partners, will perform in the Teatro Santa Ana at the Biblioteca Pública, Insurgentes 25, on Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.
A donation of 550 pesos will get you a ticket at the Biblioteca’s box office, Relox 50A in Centro. More information about the show is available here.
Annual San Antonio Art Walk coming soon
The Open Studio San Antonio Art Walk returns to San Miguel de Allende this month. (Lokkal)
The 16th annual Open Studio San Antonio Art Walk will be held Feb. 21-22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is an opportunity to meet various artists of the colonia who will be opening their studio doors to the public for those two days.
This year’s art walk will feature paintings, drawings, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, textile art, rugs, mixed media, fashion and more. Maps are available at the Instituto Allende, Ancha de San Antonio 22, or Galeria Potranca at Potranca 4 in Guadiana. They may also be available at the open studios.
Word of the Week
For those who get a bit nervous on Friday the 13th, steel yourselves because there are three of them in 2026: one in February, one in March and one in November. The fear of Friday the 13th is known as paraskevidekatriaphobia, a word supposedly invented in the 1900s to label the superstition. A related word is triskaidekaphobia, or fear of the number 13.
Cathy Siegner is an independent journalist based in San Miguel and Montana. She has journalism degrees from the University of Oregon and Northwestern University.
You have a hot Mexican person as your special someone this year? Here’s what to give them this Valentine’s Day. (Isaac Esquivel/Cuartoscuro)
Love is in the air! Yes, despite Mexico City’s terrible smog, lovers and friends are in a festive mood alike, waiting for Saturday, Feb. 14th, to fill their special someone with kind gestures of affection. And yes, we know you’re looking for the perfect gesture for your Mexican sweetheart this year.
If you’re coming from abroad, it might come as a surprise that people in Mexico celebrate Valentine’s Day not only as an opportunity to shower their partners with love, but also their friends and even coworkers, too! Here’s what to expect this February, and how to prepare if you’re aiming to hit a home run with that special someone.
Valentine’s Day commemorates … a decapitation?
After being enlightened by the grace of God, Saint Valentine was able to heal the sick, perform exorcisms and restore sight to the blind. (Leonhard Beck/Heiliger Valentin/Veste Coburg/Wikimedia Commons)
As is often the case with most Catholic festivities, the story behind Valentine’s Day has a little-known, dark origin. This is the case of Saint Valentine, a martyr who died by beheading for allegedly possessing supernatural powers.
The tale dates back to when the Roman Empire persecuted Christians, during the 3rd century A.D. Following a faith different from that imposed by Caesar was not only illegal but also punishable by death, as Lisa M. Bitel, Professor of Religion and History at the University of Southern California,points out.
During the reign of Emperor Claudius II (A.D. 213-270), in the Roman city of Terni, a man named Valentinus was the bishop of that town in the province of Umbria. According to legend, he was able to heal the sick, perform exorcisms and restore sight to the blind. He even officiated weddings in the new Christian tradition.
He, of course, was sentenced to decapitation. Although his body was buried along the Via Flaminia, it is said that his skull is perfectly preserved in the church of Terni to this day. Gory, right?
Other versions of the story say Valentinus became romantically involved with a blind girl to whom he restored sight. Given that he is a martyr, Christians across the world commemorate his death by giving gifts to their loved ones and close friends (what?).
But — how is any of this related to Mexico?
Why do Catholics insist on keeping the remains of their saints exposed? Ew! (Dnalor/Wikimedia Commons)
How is Valentine’s Day celebrated in Mexico?
First of all, no. Mesoamerican civilizations did not celebrate Valentine’s Day. They most possibly never had any contact with the Roman Empire or Christendom — not until the colonization process, that is.
However! As good Catholics,we Mexicans love to celebrate our saints. And above all, we love to party, of course. Every opportunity that exists in the sacred calendar of saints of the Church is an excellent excuse to whoop it up.
Honestly, I’ve never heard of anyone praying to Saint Valentine. If anything, very traditional women ask Saint Anthony to bring them a good husband — but the Roman saint with superpowers has been somewhat forgotten, in favor of exchanging sweets and love letters with each other.
Valentine’s Day in Mexico is not about large flower bouquets. That’s way too mainstream for us. Really wanna impress your Mexican sweetheart? Check out these over-the-top ideas you can easily plan in Mexico City. You can thank me later:
Win their heart with a concha de nata
Nothing makes a sugar fiend like me fall in love more than a wonderfulconcha de nata. Any pan dulce works, really! Even if it’s just the classicCoyoacán churros, your Mexican sweetheart will be sure to fall hard for you if you bring them anything fluffy that tastes like home. If you’ll allow me a suggestion, do not hesitate to get Rosetta’s wonderful guava roll or their Ocho combinado for breakfast. They’ll absolutely love it — and love you more.
Bring them a ‘serenata’ with mariachis from Garibaldi
Once they finish up gobbling their fantastic Rosetta breakfast, surprise them with all-time Mexican mariachi hits. For any true Mexican ears, nothing screams “I love you” like organizing a serenade for your significant other. If you’re in Mexico City, do not hesitate to call your trusted mariachi ensemble, preferably from the Garibaldi neighborhood near Centro Histórico. Everything from Armando Manzanero’s heartfelt boleros to Luis Miguel’s power ballads will work — and you’ll certainly give them a memorable Valentine’s Day, Mexican style.
Take them on a night stroll across Avenida Ámsterdam
After you’ve had a wonderful time together, possibly having lunch at the Roma/Condesa area at their favorite place, walk across the Ámsterdam circuit, where you’ll see all the little cafés and shops light up at dusk. At this time of the year, if you’re lucky, you’ll probably get a glimpse of woodpeckers and sparrows perched in thejacaranda trees, which have not yet bloomed.
Spice things up with some red panties
Remember that silly tradition ofwearing red panties on New Year’s Eve? Hope you didn’t throw those away, ‘cause it’s their time to shine (again?)! Dust them off and wear them on a cute date that ends up at home. Nothing better to brighten one’s day than our significant other fulfilling their New Year’s love-related resolutions with us, right?
Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that "there is no information about the use of drones at the border," but that she would find out exactly why the FAA closed El Paso. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
According to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and U.S. government officials quoted in various media reports, the airspace was closed after Mexican cartel drones breached the airspace.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) — which said in a Notice to Airmen that aircraft could not fly above El Paso for 10 days for “Special Security Reasons” — reposted Duffy’s X post, which said that the FAA and the Department of War “acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion.”
However, the assertion that a Mexican cartel drone (or drones) entered U.S. airspace and precipitated the decision to close the airspace above El Paso on Tuesday has been disputed.
Citing “four people briefed on the situation,” The New York Times reported on Wednesday afternoon that FAA officials “were forced to close El Paso’s airspace late Tuesday after the Defense Department decided to try out new anti-drone technology without giving aviation officials ample time to assess the risks to commercial airlines.”
“Those accounts, offered on the condition of anonymity because the officials were not authorized to comment publicly, challenge the official explanation from the Trump administration,” the Times wrote.
“According to the people briefed on the situation, El Paso’s airspace was shut down when the Defense Department, operating out of Fort Bliss, a nearby Army base, decided to mobilize that new technology over the FAA’s objections,” the newspaper said.
“According to two of the people briefed on the situation, military officials deployed that technology earlier this week against what they thought was a cartel drone, but which turned out to be a party balloon.”
For its part, CNN, citing “multiple sources,” reported that “a Pentagon plan to use a high-energy, counter-drone laser without having coordinated with the Federal Aviation Administration about potential risks to civilian flights prompted Wednesday’s unprecedented airspace shutdown over El Paso.”
“A source familiar with the timeline of events said that the U.S. military used the laser technology to shoot down four mylar balloons this week, contributing to the decision by the FAA to shut down local airspace,” CNN wrote.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Representative Veronica Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso in the U.S. Congress, said that the assertion that the closure of airspace over El Paso was due to an incursion by Mexican cartel drones was “not the information that we in Congress have been told.”
🚨 The highly consequential decision by FAA to shut down the El Paso Airport for 10 days is unprecedented and has resulted in significant concern within the community. https://t.co/qAZGrQ8I0Q
“There’s no threat. There was not a threat, which is why the FAA lifted this restriction so quickly. The information coming from the [Trump] administration does not add up,” she said.
Sheinbaum: ‘No information’ about drones at the northern border
After a journalist noted that it had been reported that the El Paso Airport was closed due to the entry of Mexican cartel drones into U.S. airspace, Sheinbaum said that “there is no information about the use of drones at the border.”
The reporter subsequently asked the president whether Mexico’s security cabinet would investigate the presence of cartel drones at the northern border.
If Mexican authorities “have any information” about drones in the border area, the FAA or any other U.S. government department can ask the Mexican government for it, Sheinbaum said.
Asked what she thought really happened in the airspace above El Paso to cause its closure, the president responded that there was no point in speculating.
“Vamos a averiguar las causas”☝️🔴: responde la presidenta Sheinbaum sobre el cierre del espacio aéreo en El Paso, Texas, por supuestos drones del narco. pic.twitter.com/7NKoz5Gy6E
“We’re going to have the information and we’re going to always maintain what we have maintained [with U.S. authorities], which is permanent communication,” she said.
Earlier in her press conference, Sheinbaum noted that Mexican airspace wasn’t closed.
“The airspace of Texas was closed,” she said before noting that the FAA had announced that the closure had been lifted.
“… We’re going to find out exactly why they closed it,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum rejects Bloomberg report on USMCA
A reporter noted that Bloomberg published an article that states that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing from the USMCA, the North American Free trade pact that is up for trilateral review this year.
Citing “people familiar with the matter,” Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that Trump is privately musing about exiting the North American trade pact, … injecting further uncertainty about the deal’s future into pivotal renegotiations involving the U.S., Canada and Mexico.”
“The president has asked aides why he shouldn’t withdraw from the agreement, which he signed during his first term, though he has stopped short of flatly signaling that he will do so,” wrote Bloomberg, citing its sources.
Sheinbaum said she didn’t believe Bloomberg’s report, telling reporters that Trump has “never” spoken about withdrawing from the USMCA in her calls with him “because it’s very important for them and for us.”
“So there is no message in that sense,” she said.
Trump did say last month that the USMCA provides “no real advantage” to the United States and is “irrelevant” to him.
“We could have it or not, it wouldn’t matter to me,” he said Jan. 13.
“I think they want it, I don’t really care about it,” Trump said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said on Jan. 28 that Mexico and the United States had agreed to begin formal discussions as part of the USMCA review.
Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that those discussions were going “well,” and noted that Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard would attend her press conference on Thursday to respond to questions related to the USMCA.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
