Monday, October 13, 2025

What’s on in Guadalajara and around Lake Chapala in June?

By
MND Staff
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Classical musicians intently playing violins in an orchestra performance
Guadalajara lights up in June with internationally prestigious events like the Guadalajara International Film Festival and a concert by Amalia Rodriguez's Folkloric Ballet, but also local events for all ages. (Conjunto Santander/Facebook)

June will be a sweet month in Guadalajara — literally, as the city hosts two separate June events featuring honey.  

In addition to these culinary events, Jalisco’s capital and the surrounding area has several artistic and musical events in store for June, including Guadalajara’s iconic International Film Festival, a world-renowned Mexican folkloric dance concert, a classical-music gala honoring Tchaikovsky and much, much more.

Let’s dive right into it.

The Honey Fair

A small pile of honeycombs on a white plate in the foreground and a person's hand touching the honeycomb in the background, which is slightly blurred.
(Unsplash)

To kick off Guadalajara’s June events, the city will be hosting Guadalajara’s Honey Fair, organized by the Local Livestock Association of Beekeepers of Guadalajara. Attendees can expect a variety of honey-derived products for sale, including pollen, propolis, mead and sweets, as well as personal care products like soaps, shampoos and body lotions. 

The event will also feature workshops for kids.

Date: 29 May–June 1
Location: Portales of the Municipal Palace of Guadalajara. Av. Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla 400, Zona Centro, 44100 Guadalajara
Cost: Free

Guadalajara International Film Festival

A man and a woman stand on a stage in a theater under a huge projection screen that has the logo for the Guadalajara International Film Festival in Spanish.
(Guadalajara International Film Fest)

The Guadalajara International Film Festival (FICG) will celebrate its 40th edition in June, with the exhibition of 170 films. This year, Portugal will be the guest country, and the festival will feature 30 Portuguese films.

The opening film will be “Soy Frankelda” (I am Frankelda), the first Mexican feature film to use stop-motion technique, directed by brothers Arturo and Roy Ambriz.

Films will be screened in the city’s FICG Film Library, the Cineforo and the Cinépolis Centro Magno, and Cinépolis VIP Midtown movie theaters.

Date: June 6 to 14
Location: Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Cost: Prices vary according to cinema box office

Mexican Wine Festival

The Mexican Wine Festival (FEVINO) is back in Guadalajara for its 11th year. Bringing together over 60 wineries from across Mexico, the event seeks to bring people closer to the culture of wine. 

Attendees will be able to meet producers, learn about their processes, sample different labels and purchase their favorite vintages at special prices. There will also be talks given on wine and on Mexican chocolate. 

For an additional price, you’ll gain access to an exclusive lounge area and to private wine tastings. Premium-ticket holders can also attend special gastronomy events, including a tacos tasting with the renowned chef of the Guadalajara restaurant Quelite, Jonathan Davalos. Premium ticket holders also get access to a wine-tasting event with sommelier Sam Cepeda. Check them out on Instagram for more information.

Date: June 7
Location: Ávila Camacho Park, Lomas del Country, 44610 Guadalajara.
Cost: Starting at 1,100 pesos (US $56)

Gala Tchaikovski 

Mexican conductor Arturo Diemecke caught in mid conducting. He is wearing a tuxedo jacket and white shirt clasped at the neck with a brooch.
(Orchestra Sinfónica Nacional de México)

The Santander Performing Arts Ensemble of the University of Guadalajara will put on a classical concert honoring Piotr Ilich Tchaikovsky under the direction of conductor Enrique Arturo Diemecke and featuring the Soloists of America Orchestra. The event promises to feature all the maestro’s iconic pieces.  

Date: June 8
Location: Conjunto Santander de Artes Escénicas. Anillo Periférico Norte Manuel Gómez Morín 1695, Colonia Rinconada de la Azalea, Zapopan.
Cost: Starting at 500 pesos ($26)

Asgard Fest

A group of men dressed as vikings
(Woden Ulfar Festival Vikingo y Medieval/Facebook)

If you missed Avalon Fest, Guadalajara’s annual medieval festival held this past March, don’t miss out on Asgard Fest, put on by the same Guadalajara performing arts company, Woden Ulfar.

This time, the theme is Vikings, featuring combat performances in period Viking costume, opportunities to fight in battle like a Viking, try out archery and more. Listen to live medieval music on period-style instruments or take a souvenir home from the medieval marketplace, featuring artisan items from a range of craftspersons.

The event is open to children and adults. For more information on the location and ticketing, message the organizers on WhatsApp +52 33 2169 0727. 

Date: June 7 and 8
Location: Terraza Paraíso. Prolongación Niños Héroes 88, San Agustín.
Cost: Starting at 190 pesos (US $9) for kids and 350 pesos (US $18) for adults

Guadalajara Pride 

A outdoor crowd waving dozens of rainbow flags.
(Gay Games/Facebook)

Two Pride parades will take place this year in Guadalajara, with one happening on June 7 and the other on June 14.

Both will kick off at 3 p.m. from the Minerva roundabout. From there, participants will parade through López Mateos until reaching Liberation Square. Organizers have planned an after-party on Liberation Square after the parade on June 14.  

For more information, click here.

Date: June 7 and 14
Location: Starting meetup point is at the Minerva roundabout in Avenida Vallarta
Cost: Free

Amalia Hernández’s Mexican Folkloric Ballet concert

A young Mexican woman in a traditional Mexican folkloric dance dress with a huge petticoat that she is holding up on either side as part of a dance move.
(Ballet Folklórico de México)

The Amalia Hernández Mexican Folkloric Ballet, one of the most recognized traditional dance troupes in Mexico, will be performing in Guadalajara in June.

Founded in 1952, the ballet is world-renowned for its efforts to disseminate and preserve traditional Mexican dance, having toured more than 60 countries and 300 cities.

Date: June 15
Location: Teatro Diana. Av. 16 de Septiembre 710, Centro, Guadalajara.
Cost: Starting at 300 pesos (US $15)

Beekeeper for a Day at Rancho Miel Oro

Four children smiling for a photo on the grass in front of a large tree. They are wearing full beekpeer suits, including the protective head coverings.
(Rancho Miel Oro)

If you want to know what a beekeeper does and learn about the importance of bees to the environment, head to Rancho Miel Oro’s “Apiculture for a Day” event.

The price of admission includes a guided tour to see beehives up close, demonstrations of honey extraction, a honey-tasting event and opportunities to taste mead, an alcoholic beverage made with honey.

Date: June 21
Location: Rancho Miel Oro, Carretera La Venta – Tesistán km 3.3
Cost: Starting at 710 pesos per person (US $32)

Community Theater Opportunity 

Indulge your creativity, make new friends and experience art as part of a community with a new theater workshop starting up in Ajijic on June 4. 

This free workshop requires a weekly commitment on Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Individuals 16 and older can participate, and no previous experience is required.

To sign up and for more information, send an email here.

Date: June 4
Location: Centro para la Cultura y las Artes de la Ribera, Carr. Chapala-Jocotepec 168, La Floresta, Ajijic.
Cost: Free 

‘For the Love of Chapala’ Poetry Workshop 

If you’d like to learn how to write poetry in Spanish, you can’t miss the poetic workshop “Por Amor a Chapala” (For the Love of Chapala).

Taught by Ana Warren, participants will be encouraged to write a poem to Chapala after learning about the town’s history and culture. 

To enroll, send an email here.

Date: June 10 and 20
Location: Centro para la Cultura y las Artes de la Ribera, Carr. Chapala-Jocotepec 168, La Floresta, Ajijic.
Cost: Free

Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog, Dunas y Palmeras.

Canada PM invites Sheinbaum to G7 Summit: Wednesday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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President Claudia Sheinbaum
Will Sheinbaum finally meet Trump in person in June? "We will see," she says. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)

A possible trip to Canada next month, this Sunday’s judicial elections and Mexico’s obligation to deliver water to the United States via the Rio Grande were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Wednesday morning press conference.

Here is a recap of the president’s May 28 mañanera.

Sheinbaum invited to G7 Summit in Canada, where she could potentially meet with Trump 

Sheinbaum confirmed a report by the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited her to attend the Group of Seven (G7) Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, from June 15 to 17.

She said that Carney invited her to the summit when she spoke to him to congratulate him on his election victory last month.

“We spoke about various issues, including the [USMCA] trade agreement and the relationship with the United States. He invited me to attend the G7 [Summit], which will be in Canada,” Sheinbaum said.

“I haven’t yet taken the decision about whether I’ll attend or not, but it’s a possibility. I thanked him for the invitation,” she said.

Carney and Sheinbaum
If Sheinbaum takes Carney up on the invite, the leaders of the parties to the USMCA free trade agreement could meet for the first time in June. (Mark Carney/X. Archive)

Sheinbaum noted that “Mexico isn’t part of the G7,” a grouping of Canada (which current holds the presidency of the group), France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

“They would be inviting us, they are making this invitation [to us] as special guests, let’s say,” she said, adding that she was assessing “the possibility of attending” while considering her responsibilities at home.

The Globe and Mail report was headlined “Carney invites Mexico’s President to G7 summit, raising hopes for sideline tariff talks with Trump.”

When asked about the possibility of having her first face-to-face meeting with the U.S. president, Sheinbaum responded:

“We will see. If we decide to attend, we will inform you.”

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has imposed tariffs on some imports from Mexico and Canada, including steel, aluminum and vehicles.

Three podiums on a parquet floor stage, each with a flag behind them - one of Mexico, one of the US and the third of Canada
Regardless of what happens at the G7 Summit, USMCA talks are likely to begin (again) this fall. (Shutterstock)

The USMCA pact, which is supposed to guarantee the free trade of most goods between the United States, Mexico and Canada, is scheduled for review in 2026, but Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard believes formal talks will begin in late 2025.

Sheinbaum, Trump and Carney could make a head start on those discussions if they come together in Alberta next month.

‘We’re going to have a better judiciary’ 

On the last day of the official campaign period ahead of this Sunday’s judicial elections, Sheinbaum once again urged citizens to vote.

“The election on Sunday is very important. You should participate freely, … [vote] for who you want to vote for, but participate. It’s very important that there is a massive turnout in the election, and there will be,” she said.

“Millions of people will vote on Sunday,” Sheinbaum said, adding that it is “better” for citizens to choose judges than the president and the Senate.

“The people who go out and vote will decide who is the judiciary. And the winners of this election, those who are elected by the people, will respond to the people. That is the big difference,” she said.

Sheinbaum points to a sample ballot projected on a large screen
Sheinbaum shared a sample ballot for Sunday’s judicial elections. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)

Sheinbaum highlighted that she is “relinquishing” the right to appoint Supreme Court justices in favor of allowing the people of Mexico to decide.

More than 60 candidates are vying to win one of nine Supreme Court justice positions. The bench of Mexico’s highest court will be reduced to nine from 11 after the election.

Sheinbaum said that the new popularly elected justices will be tasked with making decisions about “the issues in the country.”

“… In the end what we want is for there to be justice in the country, that justice isn’t just for those who have money and not for those who don’t,” she said.

“… What we want is for all of us to have the same access to justice, the rich person, the poor person, the person who lives in the north, the person who lives in the south,” Sheinbaum said.

“That demand comes from the Sentimientos de la Nación (The Feelings of the Nation), of [José María] Morelos,” she said, referring to a document dating back to the Mexican War of Independence in the early 19th century.

Sheinbaum: Mexico making progress on delivering water to US

A reporter asked the president about the agreement the Mexican and United States governments reached in late April under which Mexico committed to immediately deliver water to the U.S. — to which it owes a huge quantity of water under the terms of a 1944 bilateral treaty.

“Progress continues to be made, that is to say, progress is being made on what we committed,” Sheinbaum said.

Mexico has struggled to meet its water delivery obligations during the current five-year cycle of the 81-year-old treaty due to widespread drought that has been particularly severe in the north of the country. Mexico is required to send water to the United States via the Rio Grande and receives water from the U.S. via the Colorado River.

The Mexican government said in late April that the agreement with the United States provides for “immediate transfers of water” from Mexico to the U.S. as well as additional deliveries “during the upcoming rainy season,” which has now commenced.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

8 members of Mexico’s National guard killed in landmine explosion

By
MND Staff
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A National Guard member participates in a February operation in Uruapan, Michoacán. The National Guard is highly involved in security operations in Michoacán and along the Jalisco border. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

The explosion of a landmine in Michoacán has claimed the lives of eight members of the National Guard (GN), according to federal authorities.

An armored tactical vehicle in which eight members of the GN’s Immediate Reaction Special Force (FERI) team were traveling ran over the landmine on a dirt road in the municipality of Los Reyes Tuesday night, causing it to detonate.

The initial death toll was reported to be six with two GN members injured. The injured troops were reportedly transferred to hospital by helicopter.

Military sources said on Wednesday that the number of fatalities had risen to eight, making the landmine explosion the deadliest since it first became know that criminal groups such as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) were using improvised explosive devices in their fight against authorities and each other. At least two of the victims occupied leadership positions within the National Guard’s FERI team.

According to media reports that cited federal sources, the National Guard was commissioned to locate and dismantle a CJNG operations center and training camp in the municipality of Santa María del Oro, Jalisco. The explosion of the landmine reportedly occurred after the FERI members left that location.

Santa María del Oro borders the state of Michoacán, while the municipality of Los Reyes borders Jalisco. The location where the landmine detonated is part of an area where both the CJNG and the Cárteles Unidos (United Cartels) are vying for control, according to the El Universal newspaper.

A tow truck pulls a destroyed camo Sandcat armored vehicle
Images of the destroyed tactical vehicle circulated on social media after the incident. (X)

The Cárteles Unidos is made up of various criminal groups, including the Cártel de los Reyes, based in Los Reyes, Michoacán. According to Michoacán authorities, both the CJNG and the Cártel de los Reyes have recruited former Colombian soldiers who are experts in explosives.

Led by the elusive Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, the CJNG is one of six Mexican cartels that were designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States government earlier this year.

Sheinbaum laments death of National Guard members 

Asked about the death of the GN troops in Michoacán at her Wednesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum said “it is very regrettable that this occurs — the use of explosive devices.”

“Our solidarity, affection and support to the relatives of the National Guard [troops],” she said.

Sheinbaum asserted that progress has been made on improving the security situation in Mexico, highlighting that the national homicide count on Tuesday was 44.

“Of course we wish there were none. But remember that the average in September last year was almost 80 [homicides per day], 75,” she said.

Murders are declining and there have been “very significant arrests,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the period of almost eight months since she took office.

With reports from Milenio, EFE, La Jornada and El Universal

BBVA to invest 100 billion pesos in its Mexican banking operations

By
MND Staff
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man at microphone
The investment was announced by Eduardo Osuna, director general of BBVA México, at a meeting of bank investors and clients. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

BBVA, the largest financial group in Mexico, has announced a historic investment of 100 billion pesos (US $5.1 billion) for the next six years.

The announcement was made by BBVA Mexico’s Vice President and CEO Eduardo Osuna during the bank’s National Meeting of Regional Councillors (RNCR) which brought together businesspeople, clients and investors. 

bank building
In making the announcement, BBVA executives offered a reason for the investment as ambitious as the 12-figure sum: “transforming the bank.” (Shutterstock)

Osuna said the investment would go toward technology and physical infrastructure to keep “transforming the bank.”

“When we say more than 100 billion pesos, it is because technology is advancing so quickly that we have to modulate where we direct this investment,” Osuna said. 

During the meeting, global head of BBVA Carlos Torres Vila said that the multi-million dollar investment is a reflection of the institution’s trust in Mexico. 

“It’s not just an investment; it’s trust, a long-term vision, and a commitment to the more than 30 million customers we serve in the country,” he said. “Mexico has the structural strengths and competitive advantages to emerge stronger in this increasingly complex world.”

Torres recalled that Mexico had positioned itself as the United States’ main trade partner when it surpassed China in 2023 for the first time in 20 years. In 2024, he noted,  that lead  increased. 

Torres added that even amidst increasingly uncertain times, foreign direct investment in Mexico grew 5.4% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter of last year. 

“And as time passes and uncertainty regarding the level of global tariffs decreases, investment in Mexico will resume its growth,” Torres speculated. He added that pending the renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which may occur this year, the U.S. tariff system currently “puts the country in a more advantageous position compared to other competing countries, particularly in relation to China.”

According to Torres, Mexico will likely be the country to face “the fewest trade barriers from the U.S.”

Mexico’s advantages, according to Torres, include competitive labor costs, a strategic location, high integration of value chains in complex products with the U.S., and a growing capacity to offer high value-added products and services. 

However, Torres acknowledged that the Mexican economy has slowed down, and that it will likely continue to shrink compared to last year. Yet, his outlook for the medium term is positive thanks in part to President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Plan México. 

“[Plan Mexico] is an ambitious plan with a broad vision that encompasses multiple initiatives in very diverse areas,” Torres said. “It will ensure that Mexico not only successfully tackles global challenges, including economic ones, but also emerges stronger.” 

With reports from La Jornada

US congratulates Jalisco State Police on its new Tesla Cybertruck fleet

By
MND Staff
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A parade of Jalisco security vehicles including a Tesla Cybertruck
The addition of a fleet of Tesla Cybertrucks to the Jalisco State Polic fleet has been hailed as a step into the future by the U.S. Embassy but mocked as an empty show by Mexico's ruling party. (Secretaría de Seguridad de Jalisco/X)

The state of Jalisco has integrated three Tesla Cybertrucks into its police fleet as part of a 678-vehicle security upgrade ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, drawing both cross-border praise and domestic scrutiny.

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro said the investment of “around 970 million pesos” (US $50.1 million) — which also includes armored Black Mamba units —  aims to bolster safety and project a modern image for the host region.

A Black Mamba Sand Cat armored vehicle
The updated Jalisco fleet also includes Black Mamba Sandcats, armored vehicles that state Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro describes as “sort of like tanks.” (Special Military Forces/Facebook)

The Black Mambas “are sort of like tanks,” the governor noted, saying all the new vehicles will be distributed to state and municipal police in the Guadalajara metropolitan area and the interior of Jalisco.

“We need to work hard on security perception,” Lemus said.

Zapopan, a city of 1.5 million next to Guadalajara, will host four games during next year’s men’s soccer World Cup, which will be jointly staged by Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Mexico City and Monterrey will also host games during the nearly six-week tournament.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico applauded Jalisco’s acquisitions on social media, including a picture of the rugged, industrial-looking vehicle manufactured by the automotive magnate Elon Musk (whose planned Tesla gigafactory in Nuevo León is still on hold).

“Jalisco is stepping up into the future,” reads the post on X, known as Twitter until Musk bought it in 2022. “The state government is taking a bold step toward innovation with the acquisition of Cybertrucks for its official fleet. Technology, sustainability and a vision for the future at the service of its citizens.”

The ruling party is not impressed

Leaders in Mexico’s ruling party, Morena, mocked the leap “into the future” by the Jalisco state government (run by the Citizens Movement party) with the Morena state president, Erika Pérez, remarking sarcastically, “I see [the vehicle] and think Robocop is going to come out. I said, ‘Wow, we all don’t have to worry anymore. There’s someone out there to take care of us.’ Thank you very much.”

Mexican Congressman Carlos Lomelí, a senator representing Jalisco, demanded transparency, vowing to scrutinize the tender process and asking, “How will this reduce insecurity?”

Although the price Jalisco paid is not known, the list price for a Tesla Cybertruck in Mexico reportedly starts at 1.95 million pesos (US $100,455), fueling debates about fiscal priorities in a state grappling with crime.

Lemus said the purchase included a competitive, national bidding process for both the price of the vehicles and financing.

Tesla Cybertrucks have been subjected to eight recall notices from U.S. safety regulators since deliveries to customers began about 18 months ago. The latest, addressing a section of exterior trim that could detach while driving, occurred in March and affected some 46,000 Cybertrucks.

Jalisco’s security plan includes 4,500 personnel and a six-year investment of six  billion pesos (US $309 million) in the “Escudo Jalisco C5i” system, which expands surveillance networks by 50% and integrates AI-powered license plate readers. Patrols will prioritize tourist hubs like Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta and Tequila, with Cybertrucks serving as mobile command centers using SpaceX’s Starlink internet, another Musk venture.

Jalisco is preparing for over five million visitors during next year’s World Cup. Estadio Akron in Zapopan will host group-stage games on June 11, 18, 23 and 26, 2026.

With reports from Milenio and Aristegui Noticias

Families of disappeared Ayotzinapa students call for dismissal of special prosecutor

By
MND Staff
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Protesters hold signs showing the faces of the disappeared on a rainy day in front of a Mexico City landmark
Families of the disappeared protested the lack of progress in the case in Mexico City on Monday. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

The special prosecutor leading the investigation into the 2014 disappearance of 43 students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Normal School in Guerrero earned a rebuke from President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday after stating that authorities have been “searching for corpses.”

“We have visited more than 800 sites in the mountains [of Guerrero] searching for corpses,” Rosendo Gómez Piedra told reporters outside the National Palace in Mexico City before a meeting on Tuesday with parents of the 43 Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College students who were abducted in Iguala in September 2014 and presumably killed.

Remains of just three of the students have been found and formally identified.

The Ayotzinapa case remains unresolved almost 11 years after the students — all young men — were allegedly abducted by members of a Guerrero-based crime gang after a bus they had commandeered to travel to a protest in Mexico City was stopped by allegedly corrupt municipal police.

The Mexican Army has also been accused of involvement in the disappearance of the students, which was a major blight on the 2012-18 presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto.

“Fue el estado,” or “It was the state,” has been chanted by hundreds of thousands if not millions of Mexicans at countless marches and protests since the disappearance of the students.

Ayotzinapa protesters carry a banner reading "Desaparicion forzada"
Local, state and military officials have all been accused of involvement in the 2014 disappearances, something protesters emphasized with banners referencing enforced disappearance during protests this week. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

Gómez, head of a Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) unit focused on the Ayotzinapa case, highlighted on Tuesday that 120 people are in custody in connection with the abduction of the students and noted that some 46 criminal cases are in process.

No one has ever been convicted of involvement in the kidnapping and presumed murder of the 43 young men.

Gómez stressed that investigations are ongoing.

“Now, if you ask me whether we’ve found the young men, [I will say] we haven’t found them, but the investigations are continuing, the processes don’t stop,” he said.

Sheinbaum: Gómez’s ‘searching for corpses’ remark ‘very unfortunate’ 

At Sheinbaum’s morning press conference on Wednesday, a reporter noted that Gómez said that authorities are searching for the corpses of the missing students and asked the president whether her government believes the young men are dead.

“It’s a very unfortunate statement,” Sheinbaum said before noting that former deputy interior minister Alejandro Encinas — who led an Ayotzinapa truth commission during Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s 2018-24 presidency — had made a similar remark.

President Sheinbaum speaks into a microphone
Sheinbaum described Gómez’s comment as unfortunate and said the government continues to investigate the case. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)

“The statement is not very fortunate but the important thing is that we continue working [on the case],” she said.

Students’ parents call for removal of special prosecutor Gómez

On Tuesday, parents of the 43 students called for the dismissal of Gómez, who faces accusations of embezzlement, extortion, abuse of authority, bribery and intimidation.

“The parents are asking for the departure of Rosendo,” said Melitón Ortega, father of one of the missing men and a spokesperson for the mothers and fathers whose lives changed forever when their sons disappeared on Sept. 26, 2014.

Questioned as to why the parents want Gómez to be fired, Ortega cited the corruption allegations against the Ayotzinapa special prosecutor.

The mothers and fathers of the missing students have evidently lost faith in his capacity to lead an investigation that will result in a resolution of the almost 11-year-old case.

“He hasn’t been competent in his position,” Mario González, father of another of the missing students, told the news magazine Proceso.

Rosendo Gómez Piedra
Families of the disappeared have lost faith in special prosecutor Rosendo Gómez Piedra, one father said, citing allegations of corruption. (X)

“And recently other things that we didn’t know have been discovered, like how he got drunk during searches for our sons, that he threw parties, that he went home [from work] at 1 in the afternoon and didn’t return. In other words, he didn’t do his job,” he said.

Sheinbaum on Wednesday acknowledged that the parents have asked for a “change” in the leadership of the FGR unit conducting the Ayotzinapa investigation.

“We are looking to see if it is necessary or not,” she said.

“In any case, the … [Attorney General Alejandro] Gertz, on our proposal, is strengthening the Attorney General’s Office with people who specialize in … [new] ways of investigating, which will allow us to open new routes in order to know the truth,” Sheinbaum said.

‘We’re developing new schemes of investigation’ 

Sheinbaum, who met with the students’ parents for around three hours on Tuesday, told reporters that the federal government, through the Security Ministry and the FGR, is “developing new schemes of investigation” aimed at getting to the bottom of the Ayotzinapa case.

“I don’t want to give much more information but it has to do with different schemes of investigation to those that have been followed up until now,” she said.

“And we’ve been in contact with the relatives, the mothers and the fathers, to explain what they are,” Sheinbaum said.

“That is giving us a lot more information so I have the hope, because certainty is sometimes difficult [to have], … that this new way of investigating will take us to what all Mexicans want. … We want the truth, justice and to find the young men,” she said.

Sheinbaum added that the parents of the missing students “agree” with the use of new “forms of investigation.”

“We’re working with them because we believe we must respect them,” she said.

Melitón Ortega said on Tuesday that Sheinbaum has shown a “willingness to continue working until we reach the truth.”

“… We will continue to give … [our] confidence to the president,” he said.

With reports from El Universal, Sin Embargo, Proceso, Milenio and N+

First US-Nayarit flights will take off in July

By
MND Staff
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1
airport building
The Tepic International Airport has had international status for more than 15 years, but the flights to Los Angeles will be its first non-domestic route. (Wikimedia Commons)

Nayarit, a state on Mexico’s Pacific Coast best known for housing destinations like Punta Mita and Nuevo Vallarta, has announced its first ever flight to the United States. The new route will connect Tepic International Airport (TPQ) with Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), starting July 16. 

The route will be operated by low-cost airline Volaris on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Flights will depart LAX at 11:37 a.m., and land in TPQ at 2:27 p.m. The return flight will depart from TPQ at 6:50 p.m., arriving in Los Angeles at 9:48 p.m.

Coastal hotel
Luxury hotels in Punta Mita and high’end residences have made the Nayarit Riviera an important destination on Mexico’s Pacific Coast. (Fernando Gutiérrez/Unsplash)

Although the airport was officially declared international on December 15, 2009, this will be the airport’s first-ever international flight. It has up to now  operated domestic flights only.

Recently, the airport carried out significant renovations and expansions to accommodate international demand. With an investment of 2.5 billion-pesos (US $145 million), the modernization project includes an expanded runway, a new control tower, and a new terminal designed to handle up to 20 million passengers annually. The new terminal required an additional investment of 1.6 billion pesos (US $93 million).

According to the newspaper El Financiero, the renovations may expand operations to eventually include international routes to and from Canada, other U.S. destinations, Central America, South America and Europe.

Major highways are also being renovated to facilitate access to the airport from destinations along the Nayarit coast. 

The Riviera Nayarit, one of Mexico’s top destinations, continues to experience growing international demand, and the route is expected to facilitate a greater influx of visitors. The flight out of TPQ (known as Aeropuerto Internacional de Tepic-Riviera Nayarit in Spanish) will additionally serve a significant number of Nayarit residents living in California who frequently travel between the two regions.

According to the Mexican Airports Group (AME), due to the lack of air connectivity in the region, 88% of passenger demand is being diverted to the airports of Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. AME said the Riviera Nayarit has the potential to capture between 10% and 15% of the annual passenger traffic at both airports, which could translate to over three million passengers per year.

Another recent new route for TPQ is to and from Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) near Mexico City. The flight launched May 1 and is operated by low-cost airline Viva. 

With reports from Reportur and Aviación 21

Why I feel more Mexican living abroad

By
MND Staff
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8
A Mexican flag flies in front of the Burj Al Arab in Dubai
Being a Mexican abroad can make you feel extra patriotic about so many things, as Mexico News Daily writer Gaby Solis discovered. (Canva)

I’ve been living abroad for almost eight years. During this time, I’ve come to appreciate Mexico in a way that I think only distance can teach you. 

I left Mexico in 2015 with my newlywed husband to move to Dubai after he got a job as a pilot. We lived there for five years but were forced to return to Mexico in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We settled first in Guadalajara and then in Mexico City. After two years, he got his job back and we moved to Dubai again. 

The Dubai city skyline
Gaby left Mexico for Dubai, a world quite unlike the one she left behind. (ZQ Lee/Unsplash)

That two-year-break from our expat experience helped me reconnect with my roots and traditions. Yet, while being in Mexico made me feel at home, it didn’t make me feel more Mexican. If anything, it made me feel I didn’t have to think about my nationality as often as I did in Dubai. 

In the two years and half that have passed since we came back to Dubai, I’ve reinforced that feeling: I feel more Mexican abroad than in my actual home country.

Why does this happen? Here are some reasons why I think it does. 

I represent my culture abroad

My mother-in-law once told me that we are ambassadors of Mexico abroad: The image we project of ourselves shapes the perception others have of our country. 

I think that’s true, and to some extent, I want people to form a positive and friendly image of us Mexicans when they interact with me. At the back of my mind, I find myself carrying my Mexican identity wherever I go, trying to project a good image of what a Mexican is. It feels as if, the moment I step out of my house, I put on an invisible badge that says “I’m Mexican.” 

Gaby working hard to represent Mexico in Dubai. (Gaby Solis)

I didn’t have this feeling back home, much less consciously think about my nationality on a daily basis. I guess that’s because back home, my nationality was implied. I didn’t have to clarify it to anyone or even think about it — it just was.   

That identity also intentionally shows up in certain social interactions. In a multicultural city like Dubai, where so many nationalities abound, we often get asked “Where are you from?” This is an inevitable reminder of my nationality and culture. And because people want to connect, they will bring up an anecdote of a time they met someone from Mexico, or the time they traveled to Mexico or ate Mexican food. The country effortlessly blends into the conversation, making me feel very Mexican.  

I’m sure I’m not alone in this. I think it happens to every expat in the world, because it’s common that we find ourselves talking about our home country, culture and food much more often than we would do back home. 

I feel proud when I hear a foreigner appreciate Mexico

The other day, my husband and I were having lunch at a restaurant. There was a Swiss man, probably in his sixties, having lunch with his daughter next to us. We began talking and he told us he worked in the tourism industry and that he had to travel a lot. When he asked where we were from, he got excited at the mention of Mexico. 

“I love your country,” he told us. “It’s one of those rare countries in the world that truly has everything.”

Gaby with Mariachis at a Mexican Embassy event in Dubai.
Gaby with Mariachis at a Mexican Embassy event in Dubai. (Gaby Solis)

We couldn’t help but feel extremely proud of Mexico and of being Mexican. 

At the risk of sounding presumptuous, this wasn’t a one-off. Whether it’s someone raving about a trip to Cancún or a stranger saying how much they love tacos or how friendly they find Mexicans to be, these types of compliments to our culture make me feel incredibly proud and incredibly Mexican. 

Back home, amongst Mexicans, we rarely give or receive compliments about Mexico. And if we do say something nice about our country, it will almost always be followed by a critique of our government, politics, insecurity, Mexicans — you name it. 

Either way, it’s interesting how being away and hearing positive feedback from others can shift the perspective of our own country and make us feel proud of it.  

I appreciate Mexican food more 

Food is probably the one thing that brings people closer to home, regardless of where they are in the world.

Since I was a teenager, enchiladas have probably been my favorite food — especially the ones made by my abuelita. And although I’ve always appreciated and enjoyed them, it’s different when I prepare and eat them in Dubai. For some reason, I cherish each bite more than if I were eating the dish in Mexico. Even the process of fixing the plate — adding the cream, lettuce and chopped onion and sprinkling cheese on top — brings back those familiar feelings of comfort, belonging and family back. 

Sparkles the dog takes a moment to enjoy some fine cuisine. (Gaby Solis)

I also get excited whenever I find rare Mexican foods at a restaurant or at the supermarket— let alone when I find Mexicans preparing Mexican food. 

The other day, at a supermarket I had never been to before, I bumped into a stand of Mexican food from a place that has gained a good reputation for its Mexican cuisine called Lila Taquería. Two Mexicans were preparing quesadillas and serving them with Mexican salsa. The moment I approached and asked, “Are you Mexicans?” our faces lit up. We talked about Mexico, food and the odds of bumping into fellow Mexicans in this context. I ended up buying corn tortillas, totopos and green salsa after trying a sample of everything.  

The identity boost that comes from connecting through food with your roots and with your own people in a foreign land is hard to beat. It’s hard to think of things that make you feel more Mexican.

What makes you feel more patriotic as an expat?

Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.

What’s news in Puerto Vallarta?

By
Meagan Drillinger
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4
A view from high up over a beach of Puerto Vallarta's coastline and the various hotels and other buildings that ring the coast.
A wide range of ongoing infrastructure and digital improvements aim to make Puerto Vallarta more widely accessible and more modern for tourists from younger demographics. (Miguel Naranjo/Unsplash)

Puerto Vallarta is undergoing a series of infrastructure upgrades aimed at improving mobility, connectivity and public safety for residents and visitors, with the latest news from the city all centered around these upgrades. In 2024, the state government allocated more than 178 million pesos for tourism-related public works, including expanded sidewalks, new bike lanes and road improvements. A new fleet of ecofriendly buses is scheduled to launch in the second half of 2025.

Major projects include the construction of the Las Juntas road node to ease traffic north of the airport and the expansion of Puerto Vallarta International Airport with a new terminal. Maritime infrastructure is also expanding with new docks and digital access is increasing through the Red Jalisco program. 

Jalisco's Governor Enrique Alfaro riding a bike on a new bike lane in Puerto Vallarta. He's in the lead wearing a white button down cotton shirt and black pants and white sneakers on a black mountain bike. Behind him at varying distances, are other bicyclists. In the background, a man in a dress shirt and black pants takes footage of him with a camera.
Gov. Enrique Alfaro, center, inaugurated Puerto Vallarta’s latest bike lanes — part of a new initiative to add more green mobility options in the city — in October. (Gov of Jalisco)

New bike lanes and ecofriendly buses

Puerto Vallarta is embracing a more sustainable future with major improvements to its urban mobility, including the introduction of new bike lanes and a fleet of ecofriendly buses in 2025. Following a $178-million-peso investment in 2024, Jalisco is looking to improve its infrastructure to positively impact tourism.

Among the notable enhancements is the comprehensive rehabilitation of the city’s entrance boulevard, which now includes wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes.

To complement these pedestrian-friendly improvements, Puerto Vallarta is also rolling out a fleet of air-conditioned, eco-friendly buses in the second half of 2025. The updated buses are designed to reduce emissions while providing a more comfortable ride. 

Las Juntas road node to transform traffic flow north of airport

A major infrastructure project is underway in Puerto Vallarta to improve traffic conditions and support the city’s growth. The Las Juntas road node, located north of the international airport, is poised to become a key piece of the city’s transportation puzzle.

Construction workers unrolling large tubes of cable in a long dirt area surrounded by palm trees in Puerto Vallarta
The Las Juntas road node will enhance access between Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit and inland destinations like San Sebastián del Oeste and Mascota. (Yussara Canales/Instagram)

Once completed, the Las Juntas interchange will help alleviate congestion for up to 116,000 people per day. The project includes “urban rehabilitation, improvements to vehicular traffic, the addition of sidewalks and upgrades to lighting,” according to Luis Villaseñor, director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board.

The project is more than just a road upgrade. By improving access between Puerto Vallarta, Riviera Nayarit and inland destinations like San Sebastián del Oeste and Mascota, Las Juntas will become a gateway for tourists and residents. The new infrastructure will also benefit residential neighborhoods like Fluvial, Ixtapa and 5 de Diciembre.

Terminal 2 at PVR to enhance international air connectivity by 2026

Puerto Vallarta’s Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport is undergoing a significant transformation with the construction of Terminal 2, a major expansion expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The new terminal is designed to accommodate more international flights and enhance the overall passenger experience. With travelers now arriving from North America, Europe and South America, enhanced air access is key to supporting both tourism and business growth.

The airport project is part of a broader push to modernize Puerto Vallarta’s tourism infrastructure. As the city attracts new demographics, including digital nomads, Gen Z entrepreneur and luxury travelers, upgrading facilities is a necessary move. 

New docks in Mismaloya and El Centro boost bay connectivity

Maritime connectivity is getting a major upgrade in Puerto Vallarta with the construction of new docks in Mismaloya and El Centro, part of a broader plan to improve transportation around the Bay of Banderas. These additions will link key points of interest and make travel between coastal destinations more efficient.

Mismaloya is getting a brand new dock. (Viajes Boreales)

“A strong push will be given to maritime connectivity with the construction of new docks in Mismaloya and the Las Peñas dock in El Centro being carried out,” said Villasenor.

The goal is to enable efficient transportation of people and cargo by sea by connecting these new structures with existing docks in Los Metros, Boca de Tomatlan, Quimixto and Yelapa, he said.

This maritime network hopes to alleviate road traffic, as well as offer tourists a new way to explore Puerto Vallarta’s coastline and beach villages.

Digital access and safety get a boost with free wi-fi and emergency response system

Puerto Vallarta is investing not only in physical infrastructure but also in digital connectivity and public safety. The Red Jalisco Network will add more than 300 free Wi-Fi connection points across the city, which will improve digital access for both residents and visitors. The initiative includes complimentary internet in schools, plazas, public buildings and major tourist zones like the Malecon. 

In tandem with improved digital access, the city has also rolled out a Street Emergency Button System at 120 strategic locations. These rapid-response devices are part of a public safety program designed to offer reassurance in the busier urban zones. 

Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.

Survey: Half of Mexicans unaware that judicial elections are this Sunday

By
MND Staff
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6
Mexican man putting a ballot into a voting box at a polling station
With hundreds of obscure candidates to choose from, voting knowledgeably in Sunday's elections requires a significant effort on the part of voters. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

The polling company Buendía & Márquez interviewed 1,000 Mexicans about Mexico’s first-ever judicial elections, which will be held this Sunday June 1.

Here are four takeaways from the survey, conducted between May 15 and 20 for the El Universal newspaper.

Only 50% of Mexicans know the elections are taking place this Sunday

Only half of the 1,000 people surveyed knew that the elections will take place in June.

An additional 2% of those polled said they knew the elections would be held this year, but they didn’t know when.

Around four in ten of those polled (42%) didn’t know when the elections would take place. The remaining 6% cited a date other than this year.

A lack of promotion of the judicial elections and a lack of interest in them are among the possible reasons why awareness of the date they will take place is low.

Budget cuts at Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE) meant less funds available to promote participation in the election. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

A poll conducted by Buendía & Márquez around the same time last year found that 78% of Mexicans knew that the presidential election (won by Claudia Sheinbaum) would take place in June 2024.

President Sheinbaum argues that a renewal of Mexico’s judiciary via elections is necessary to rid the nation’s courts of ills such as corruption and nepotism. She has been urging citizens to get out and vote this Sunday, and is predicting a solid turnout.

Fewer than 4 in 10 Mexicans are certain they will vote 

Only 37% of those polled said they were sure they will vote in the judicial elections, at which Mexicans will elect almost 900 federal judges, including nine Supreme Court justices.

An additional 24% said it was “probable” they would vote on Sunday.

Almost two in 10 people (18%) said they didn’t yet know whether they would vote or not, while 10% of respondents said it was unlikely they would vote.

An additional 10% of respondents said they were certain they wouldn’t vote.

An electoral example ballot for the Mexican Supreme Court
More than 3,000 candidates seek to be elected to judgeships on June 1, including 64 candidates to the Supreme Court. (@caguirrearias/X)

El Universal noted that poll respondents tend to “overestimate” their own turnout at elections.

Among people who identified themselves as supporters of the ruling Morena party, 47% of respondents said they were certain they would vote. Only 31% of opposition party supporters said they were sure they would vote.

A higher turnout of Morena supporters (a majority of Mexicans, according to polls) would likely assist candidates seen as close to the ruling party, such as Supreme Court justices Lenia Batres Guadarrama and Bertha María Alcalde Luján, who are aiming to remain in their positions after the elections. Both women became Supreme Court justices during former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s six-year term.

A quarter of Mexicans have no interest in the judicial elections 

One-quarter of those polled said they have no interest at all in the judicial elections, which are taking place as a result of the Mexican Congress’ approval last year of a controversial judicial reform put forward by López Obrador.

A similar percentage of respondents (23%) said they are only a little bit, or mildly, interested in the elections.

Just one in five respondents (21%) said they are very interested in the elections, while 29% said they are somewhat interested.

Most Mexicans disagree with ex-president’s claim that Mexico could become a tyranny  

Only 29% of respondents said they had heard former president Ernesto Zedillo’s criticism of the 2024 judicial reform and the upcoming judicial elections.

As Mexico News Daily reported earlier this month, the ex-president wrote in an article for the magazine Letras Libres that “no truly democratic country elects its judges this way.”

A portrait of Ernesto Zedillo
Most Mexicans disagreed with former President Ernesto Zedillo’s warnings of impending tyranny. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais/Cuartoscuro)

“That’s something dictators only invent to control the judiciary,” Zedillo stated, adding that Morena is seeking to impose a “regime” to make “arbitrary and abusive” decisions according to its own political interests.

Buendía & Márquez asked the poll respondents to offer an opinion on Zedillo’s claim that “Mexico could cease being a democracy and become a tyranny.”

Six in 10 respondents said they disagreed with the assertion. Within that cohort, 37% said they very much disagreed with the claim while 23% said they somewhat disagreed with it.

Only 7% of those polled said they very much agreed with Zedillo’s assertion, while 20% said they “somewhat” agreed with it.

Among opposition party supporters, 47% said they very much or somewhat agreed with the former president’s statement, but a slightly higher percentage (49%) said they disagreed with it.

With reports from El Universal

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