In presenting the four-year public-private investment plan, Finance Minister Edgar Amador
indicated that this year's spending alone could boost GDP growth by 2.5%. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
The federal government unveiled a mixed public-private investment plan on Tuesday, committing 5.6 trillion pesos (US $323.4 billion) toward spurring major infrastructure and development projects over the next four years.
During the president’s daily press conference at the National Palace, Finance Minister Edgar Amador announced that the funds will be distributed across eight strategic sectors, following the analysis of more than 1,500 potential projects identified by federal agencies.
The energy sector is slated to claim more than half the multi-trillion-peso investment, with railways in second place at 16%. Other sectors slated for investment are highways, ports, health care, water, education and airports. (Cuartoscuro)
The development plan targets eight critical sectors: energy, railways, highways, ports, health care, water, education and airports.
Amador said more than half the money (54%) would be spent on energy sector projects, with railways (16%) and highways (14%) also getting considerable attention.
President Claudia Sheinbaum described the ambitious program as a “reinvigoration of Plan México,” the scheme she launched in January 2025 with the aim of making Mexico the 10th largest economy in the world.
Plan México outlines a vision for “equitable and sustainable development” that promotes growth while prioritizing the public good. Its goal is to reduce reliance on imports from China and create 1.5 million new jobs.
“Public investment in highways, water and energy will continue to rise, equaling 2% of GDP,” she said.
Infrastructure investment was a point of contention during congressional budget debates. Mexico’s 2026 budget allocates 1 trillion pesos (US $58 billion) to welfare programs and a similar amount to public investment.
Sheinbaum said the Finance Ministry will utilize “a range of mechanisms” to increase public investment by an additional 722 billion pesos (US $41.9 billion) this year. Still, in terms of GDP, the percentage destined for infrastructure is trending downward from the 2014 high of 4.5%.
Jorge Mendoza, director of the National Bank of Public Works and Services (Banobras), said the new model is aimed at “guaranteeing state ownership and oversight of key projects with the help of private capital to lessen risk.”
Sheinbaum restated Mendoza’s claim, declaring that, unlike past schemes, the new investments guarantee that concessions remain in the hands of the state, with controlled financing rates and no predatory contracts.
Amador reiterated that the central focus of the strategy is public investment as a catalyst for development, emphasizing that economic growth must be complemented by income distribution and social welfare.
“We don’t just need growth in macroeconomic variables,” he said. “We need to complement growth with justice and income distribution.”
Facing a fiscal deficit of 4.3% and with limited room for maneuver, the Sheinbaum administration is seeking a third way, working with the private sector to bolster public investment with private capital.
The plan envisions the use of new investment vehicles specializing in infrastructure. Amador promised more efficient and transparent financing schemes than the old Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs).
The government intends to maintain a degree of control over the investments, while also aiming for effective governance to ensure the projects are financeable and bankable.
“We will be looking for highly cost-efficient schemes, with transparency and a specific focus on infrastructure projects,” he said.
The Mexican capital is never short of art, extraordinary food and cultural dialogue. Here’s what to do in Mexico City this February. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Love is in the air. But so is art, ballet and tamales in Mexico City. After overcoming the dreaded January slope, February arrives in the capital with the best of the art scene, immersive experiences, and, of course, the Chinese New Year. This new lunar cycle, according to Chinese astrologers, those under the sign of the horse will light an auspicious fire within them, and the capital is ready! Continue reading to find out all about what’s on in Mexico City in February 2026.
Tamal Fest 2026
If Iztapalapa feels too far away, there will be a similar edition in Colonia Roma as well! (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
February in Mexico City tastes like tamales due to the celebration of Candlemas Day, or Día de la Candelaria, as it is referred to locally. So, if you got the baby Jesus figurine in your Three Kings’ Day bread, get ready: Tamal Fest 2026 will be your chance to buy the best tamales of the season. For its 15th edition, the Iztapalapa borough aims to celebrate the culinary tradition and talent of its local producers, featuring 50 exhibitors from various parts of Mexico.
Dates: Jan. 30 to Feb. 2
Location: Macroplaza de la Alcaldía, Barrio San Lucas, Iztapalapa
Cost: Free
Zona Maco 2026
Zona Maco is the most important art fair in Latin America and positions Mexico City as a cultural epicenter for contemporary art proposals. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Zona Maco Art Week returns in full force to Mexico City this February. As Latin America’s most important cultural event for contemporary art, its 22nd edition brings together more than 228 galleries from 26 countries in a single venue: the Citibanamex Center. The Selection Committee curated a diverse range of formats, including painting, sculpture, installation, video and emerging technologies. This year, antiques will even be on display, thanks to the recent launch of Zona Maco Antiques Salon, co-curated by collectors Mario Uvence and Alfonso Miranda Márquez.
Dates: Feb. 4-8
Location: Centro Citibanamex. Av. Del Conscripto 311, Lomas de Sotelo, Miguel Hidalgo
Cost: Tickets starting at 450 pesos
Alegría y Olivo Fest 2026
‘Alegría’ is the name we locally use for amaranth, especially when it is used to make traditional sweets. (Juan Pablo Zamora Pérez/Cuartoscuro)
With amaranth, one of the emblematic plants in the preparation of Mexican sweets, as its star ingredient, the 2026 Feria de la Alegría opens its doors. Palanquetas, churritos, obleas and other Mexican confectionery delicacies will be featured at the event. With Plaza Quirino Mendoza as the setting, in the southern borough of Xochimilco, attendees will have the opportunity topurchase sweets from local vendors. In addition to sampling these traditional sweets, visitors to the 53rd edition of the fair can enjoy free concerts and exhibitions of amaranth-themed crafts.
Dates: Jan. 31 to Feb. 15
Location: Plaza Quirino Mendoza, Santiago Tulyehualco, Xochimilco
Cost: Free
Watch the Black Swan at Chapultepec
This season promises to be “intense, elegant, and powerful in one of Mexico’s most iconic venues,” organizers said in an Instagram post. (Nitzarindani Vega/El Cisne Negro via Instagram)
A contemporary vision of Black Swan arrives at the esplanade of Chapultepec Castle this month. The open-air performance will run from Feb. 12 to March 8 this year, with shows on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. To make the most of your experience, try arriving 45 minutes early. Remember! Access is on foot, and the walk to Chapultepec Castle takes between 15 and 30 minutes from the parking lot. Also, wearing a light jacket is recommended — winter nights in Mexico City can get chilly.
Dates: Feb. 12 to March 8
Location: Explanada del Castillo de Chapultepec. Av. Heroico Colegio Militar 172, Bosque de Chapultepec I Secc., Miguel Hidalgo
Cost: Tickets starting at 1,200 pesos
‘Enlightenment’: ‘The Four Seasons’
State-of-the-art projections and video mapping bring Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to life in a unique immersive experience (Eonarium/Fever)
Inspired by the work of the great maestro Vivaldi, the immersive performance group Eonarium presents “Enlightenment,” a spectacular light and sound video mapping show. For 30 minutes, attendees will experience the warmth of spring, the heat of summer, the cool breeze of autumn and the icy embrace of winter, all represented in “The Four Seasons.” Through immersive images that map the interior of the historic Sagrada Familia Church, in the heart of the Roma neighborhood, this experience is designed for the whole family to enjoy.
Dates: Feb. 13-28
Location: Iglesia de la Sagrada Familia. Puebla 144, Roma Nte., Cuauhtémoc
Cost: Tickets starting at 210 pesos. Buy yourshere!
Chinese New Year Celebrations 2026
Set amidst the lush green spaces of CENART, the New Year’s activities will bring a taste of China to Mexico. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)
There’s possibly nothing more exciting in February than theChinese New Year celebrations at CENART. This year, in collaboration with the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Mexico, the venue will host a traditional-style festival featuring dances, martial arts, workshops and exhibitions. In addition to offering a unique culinary experience, visitors can participate in workshops and attend classic theatrical performances. This is an absolute must this month!
Dates: Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: CENART. Av. Río Churubusco 79, Churubusco Country Club, Coyoacán
Cost: Free
Mystika: An Immersive Spiritual Journey
Mystika is “a journey through light, photography and inner silence,” said event organizers. (Pepe Soho/Mystika/Fever)
If you’re looking to take your special someone on an immersive experience this month of love and friendship, Mystika is exactly what you’re looking for. With eight rooms, a gallery featuring over 45 large-format photographs, and three animated video walls, this experience takes visitors on a journey through the work of Mexican photographer Pepe Soho. Following his untimely death in October 2025, Mystika aims to pay tribute to his profound vision of Mexican nature and biodiversity.
Dates: All February
Location: Torre Cuarzo. Avenida Paseo de la Reforma 26, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
Cost: Tickets starting at 420 pesos. Get yourshere.
Electric Daisy Carnival
Avoid FOMO at all costs — bring your Mexican sweetheart to EDC this year! (EDC)
Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) returns to Mexico City this February with a bang. Electronic music giants like Tao, Rossi and Alesso will join other world-class DJs at the 2026 edition of the festival. According to the organizers, this year will feature “pulse-pumping attractions, immersive art and breathtaking fireworks.” In addition to the light shows, over the course of three days, attendees will have eight stages to satisfy their musical cravings and dance their heads off.
Dates: Feb. 21-23
Location: Torre Cuarzo. Avenida Paseo de la Reforma 26, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
Cost: Tickets starting at 420 pesos. Tickets are available here.
Omakase at Peco Peco
“Omakase was invented in a time before refrigeration technology,” explains the owner, “that’s why the state of the ingredients changed daily and hourly.” (Peco Peco Restaurante Japonés)
Transport your valentine to Kyoto with this culinary experience prepared by Chef Kazuma Ejiri, a graduate of Sushi Labo College, who will serve a 15-course tasting menu featuring the catch of the day. Omakase translates to “I’ll leave it up to you,” a polite Japanese phrase signifying a customer entrusting the chef to select and serve a meal. That’s why, says owner Leslie Luján, “Omakase is a declaration of complete trust.”
Dates: All February
Location: Peco Peco. Eugenia 732, Del Valle Centro, Benito Juárez
Cost: 1,000 pesos per person. Book your omakasehere!
The UNAM Kite Festival is a mass kite-flying event, followed by a kite competition and exhibition in collaboration with the Museum of Popular Art (MAP). In its 19th edition, the exhibition pays tribute to the UNAM Central Library for its 70th anniversary. Therefore, the winning kites must be inspired by the architecture, murals and cultural significance of this center of knowledge. Imagine a kite inspired by a Siqueiros mural? Contestants have until Feb. 5 to submit their designs. Don’t miss the deadline!
Dates: From Feb. 21 to April 5
Location: Museo de Arte Popular (MAP). Revillagigedo 11, Centro Histórico, Cuauhtémoc
Whether by airplane or cruise ship, a lot of people visited Los Cabos in 2025. (Paulina Vazquez/Unsplash)
The annual figures for 2025 released by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAP), which operates not only Los Cabos International Airport but 11 others in Mexico and two in Jamaica, should not be confused with official tourism numbers.
People fly into Los Cabos for several reasons. One of which is that they or family members live here — the 2020 population was 351,000 and it has doubtless climbed since — and another is business. That said, these figures are a strong indicator of tourism, since the vast majority of international visitors, and many domestic travelers, fly in for that very reason.
GAP reports 2025 airport traffic numbers, including a slight rise for Los Cabos
Los Cabos International Airport isn’t as busy as those in Guadalajara and Tijuana, but it did see a lot of traffic in 2025. (GAP)
In 2025, over 7.5 million passengers were welcomed at Los Cabos International Airport; 7,529,900, to be exact, an increase of only 0.6% over 2024. This mild growth was also seen in domestic passengers, which rose slightly by 0.4% to 2,841,600 in 2025. International passengers, a stronger harbinger of tourism strength, rose by 0.7%, to 4,688,300. That means for the year, international passengers accounted for 62% of airport traffic, domestic passengers for 38%.
Los Cabos International Airport was the third busiest among GAP airports in 2025, behind those in Guadalajara and Tijuana, which saw over 18 million and 12 million terminal passengers, respectively. Overall, it was the sixth busiest in Mexico, trailing also airports in Mexico City, Cancún and Monterrey.
It should be noted that cruise ship passengers are rarely included in tourism numbers, simply because they seldom stay overnight. Still, through November 2025, Cabo San Lucas had received over 900,000 cruise ship visitors, already a record number, and significantly more than the 625,000 plus who visited during the same period in 2024.
Which is to say that Los Cabos’ popularity may have stabilized from the explosive growth seen earlier this decade following the recovery from pandemic years of 2020-2021, but it’s still robust.
Kadún opens in Cabo San Lucas
Los Cabos hotels and resorts have been built at such a brisk pace in recent years that scarcely has one opened that another appears right on its heels. The Park Hyatt Cabo del Sol, for example, premiered on Dec. 15, 2025, but remained the newest hotel in Los Cabos for only a few weeks before an even newer property opened its doors.
That was Kadún, a 110-room boutique hotel that officially began welcoming guests in early January. Operated by the Macías family-owned hospitality group Mexico Grand Hotels, whose local collection of properties includes Marina Fiesta and Hacienda Encantada, Kadún offers several attractions to travelers, among them its convenient downtown Cabo San Lucas location— a short walk from Médano Beach and the Cabo San Lucas Marina — and its trendy rooftop swimming pool.
Boutique hotel Kadún in Cabo San Lucas is the newest hotel to open in Los Cabos. (Mexico Grand Hotels)
It’s also notable for its full embrace of local culture and cuisine. “With Kadún, our goal was to create a hotel that doesn’t just exist in Cabo, but truly belongs to Cabo,” said Gabriel Ibarra Macías, head of marketing and sales for Mexico Grand Hotels. “Everything from the design to the programming was crafted to honor the traditions, artistry and natural beauty of Baja California Sur. We wanted Kadún to feel like a gateway into the authentic spirit of the region.”
In short, it’s a nice addition to the Cabo San Lucas hotel scene, bringing the total number of rooms in the Land’s End city to over 9,600. But, of course, Kadún will remain the newest for only a short time.
Viceroy collaborates with sleepwear brand Petite Plume on new collection
San José del Cabo, meanwhile, has only about one-third as many hotel rooms (3,306) as Cabo San Lucas, but among these are some of the most sophisticated and luxurious in Los Cabos.
Viceroy Los Cabos, in San José del Cabo’s Zona Hotelera, is among the most visually striking of these upscale resorts — the reason it was chosen as a location for director Alejandro Iñárritu’s 2022 film, “Bardo.” After making its mark in hospitality and cinema, the resort is now being recognized for its fashion, thanks to a new collaboration with sleepwear brand Petite Plume.
The limited-edition Discovery Stripe Collection, which includes mulberry silk pajamas and eye masks for women, is currently available to be worn by guests at Viceroy Los Cabos, and may be purchased online or in the onsite gift shops. The pajamas make a nice gift for Valentine’s Day, and represent not just the luxurious spirit of Viceroy Los Cabos, but also its location. The stripe colors in the PJs are a nod to select properties under the Viceroy Hotels and Resorts banner, with the rust colored stripes inspired by the Baja desert.
The collaboration, it should be noted, also represents Viceroy’s commitment to making every aspect of a stay at its resorts a special experience … including sleep. “At Viceroy, rest is a ritual,” affirms a recent press release. “It is woven into every experience we create. This collaboration with Petite Plume allowed us to give form to that philosophy — presenting beautifully made keepsakes that reflect our sense of discovery and the joy of slow, intentional moments.”
A selection of the Discovery Stripe Collection of sleepwear is available to guests at Viceroy Los Cabos. (Viceroy Hotels & Resorts)
This is not the first fashion collaboration for Viceroy Los Cabos, which boasted a summer beachwear collab with Onia just last year. Nor is Viceroy the only luxury resort in Los Cabos to dip its toes in the fashion waters. One&Only Palmilla pioneered the trend in 2016 via its partnership with big-wave surfing legend Laird Hamilton on curated apparel for guests. Other Los Cabos luxury resorts have since followed with their own fashion collabs, including Four Seasons Resort and Residences Los Cabos at Costa Palmas with Caralarga, and Las Ventanas al Paraíso with Nick Fouquet, Mi Golondrina and Weezie.
Chris Sands is the former Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best and writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook. He’s also a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily.
As today was Día de la Candelaria, the president enjoyed a traditional breakfast of tamales from the newly operational Vasco de Quiroga light-rail train station. (@ClaraBrugadaM/X)
President Claudia Sheinbaum held her Monday morning press conference at Cineteca Nacional Chapultepec, a new state-owned cinema complex in the fourth section of Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park.
“Today is a very good day because we’re finally inaugurating the entire route of the Toluca-Mexico City train,” she said at the beginning of the mañanera.
“We’re inaugurating [the] Santa Fe-Observatorio [section],” Sheinbaum said.
(Read Mexico News Daily’s story on the inauguration here.)
During her engagement with reporters, Sheinbaum responded to questions on a range of topics, including Senator Adán Augusto López Hernández’s decision to step down as the leader of the Morena party in the Senate and U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to Mexico to join the Board of Peace, a new U.S.-led intergovernmental organization.
Sheinbaum acknowledges López Hernández’s decision to step down as Morena’s leader in the Senate
Sheinbaum told reporters that López Hernández informed Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez of his decision to step down as Morena’s Senate leader a few days ago.
Morena Senator Adán Augusto López Hernández said on Sunday that he will stay on as a senator but will no longer lead Morena in the Senate. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
“We found out that he was going to join Morena’s territorial work,” she said, referring to López Hernández’s intention to participate in the ruling party’s grassroots efforts to garner additional support ahead of the 2027 elections.
But Sheinbaum indicated that López Hernández wasn’t pressured to step down as Morena’s Senate leader, saying his decision to resign from the position was his alone.
Asked whether she was considering offering López Hernández an ambassadorship — a subject of speculation in recent weeks — Sheinbaum said that was not the case.
Sheinbaum: SRE will respond this week to Trump’s invitation to join Board of Peace
Six days after Sheinbaum revealed that Trump had invited Mexico to join the Board of Peace, the president was asked whether she responded to the invitation during her call with the U.S. president last Thursday or whether the Mexican government had made a decision one way or the other.
“We didn’t speak about that in the telephone call,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will respond to Trump’s invitation this week.
The Trump administration launched the Board of Peace at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month, and issued invitations for 60 countries to join the board, The Hill reported.
Around 20 countries promptly accepted Trump’s invitation and became founding members of the Board of Peace, while several others expressed their intent to join the board.
At least a dozen countries, including the United Kingdom, France and Germany, declined Trump’s invitation to join the board, while more than 20 didn’t publicly respond to the invitation.
President Sheinbaum was expected to make a decision about joining Trump’s new Board of Peace last week. (Presidencia)
CNN reported that “the board, indefinitely chaired by Trump, was originally conceived as a limited body tasked with overseeing the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, which was devastated by Israel’s two-year war.”
“However, its purpose has since expanded to tackle conflicts the world over, and the charter draft, which was sent along with the invitations to join, does not even reference Gaza,” CNN said.
On Monday, Sheinbaum said she was told by Lee that authorities in South Korea have contacted the promoter of BTS, a seven-member K-pop boy band formed in 2013.
“We hope it’s good news,” she said.
“… The president of Korea replied [saying] ‘thank you very much for the interest of Mexicans in this music group,’ [saying] that he very much appreciates the letter and that contact with the … [promotion] company of BTS was already made,” Sheinbaum said.
She added that Lee told her that he expects BTS’s promoter to contact the Mexican government “soon.”
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
About half of the delegation will be presenting coffee, cacao and Persian limes, all grown with organic farming processes that support sustainable production. (@Claudiashein/X)
Mexico will send 19 farmers from the national “Sembrando Vida” (Sowing Life) program to the organic products trade fair BIOFACH 2026, which will run from Feb. 10 to 13 in Nuremberg, Germany.
According to a government press release, the farmers will represent the Amuzgo, Mam, Ódami, Totonac, Tzotzil, Yokot’an, Zapotec and other Indigenous communities at the fair, coming from the states of Chiapas, Chihuahua, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Tabasco and Veracruz.
¡TREMENDO EJÉRCITO! 👏🏼❤️🇲🇽
Las y los guerreros de Sembrando Vida de Pijijiapan, Chiapas, muestran el resultado de su esfuerzo, mediante un tianguis de venta de productos, cosechados gracias a este noble programa.
Nine of the farmers will be presenting coffee, cacao and Persian limes, all grown with organic farming processes that support sustainable production.
The other farmers attending will promote Mexican agriculture through networking activities aimed at knowledge exchange and increased visibility of community work.
BIOFACH is internationally recognized as one of the leading platforms for the marketing and promotion of organic food. The annual trade fair brings together producers, buyers, certifiers and specialists from various countries.
Three farmers from Mexico’s Sembrando Vida program are also expected to take part in Fruit Logistica 2026, one of the world’s most important events for the trade of fresh fruit and agri-food products, to be held on Feb. 3-6.
Participants must prove land ownership and residence in a socially marginalized municipality to join the program. Once enrolled, they receive 6,450 pesos monthly (about US $370) plus seeds, plants, tools and other supplies to apply agroforestry techniques in the cultivation of crops. Beneficiaries join Farmer Learning Communities (CACs) where they develop collective production projects and receive technical training at community nurseries, biofactories and training centers.
To date, the program covers more than 1.1 million hectares across 24 Mexican states and has planted 1.1 billion trees, capturing an estimated 30 million metric tons of CO2 annually. In a 2024 speech, President Sheinbaum said the program supports 439,000 disadvantaged families in Mexico and 40,000 in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador with an annual budget of US $1.7 billion.
Mexico's National Registry of Missing and Disappeared Persons lists 128,059 people as missing as of March 2025. And that number continues to rise despite shifting security strategies. (Colectivo Luz de Esperanza/Facebook)
Turning to artificial intelligence to keep Mexico’s more than 125,000 missing people from being forgotten, a collective in the state of Jalisco has been crafting “living” videos of the missing that talk to the public.
In the state with the highest number of missing persons, the Luz de Esperanza Collective creates Fichas Vivas de Búsqueda, or Living Search Cards — short AI-generated videos that animate photos and recreate the voices of the disappeared for social media.
El Colectivo Luz de Esperanza pegó cinco mil cédulas de personas desaparecidas enfrente del Palacio de Gobierno de Jalisco#ReporteZMGpic.twitter.com/wlovR3KfR8
— TráficoZMGuadalajara (@Trafico_ZMG) May 12, 2024
The clips circulate online, seeking to cut through the noise and force viewers to confront a national human rights crisis.
Using image, facial animation and speech synthesis tools, families script what their relatives would say and work with technologists to produce videos that resemble digital search posters — with a “photo” of the missing person actually “speaking.”
In one 110-second video, the photo of the missing person declares, “I am Carlos Maximiliano Romera Meza. I was 18 years old when I disappeared, and I want to tell you my story.”
In another, an image of Yordi Alejandro Cárdenas Flores says he was 21 when four armed men in a van, allegedly linked to the state prosecutor, intercepted him in San Pedro Tlaquepaque in 2022.
The study noted that “live search cards” not only communicate that someone is missing, but also reactivate social bonds for the missing person’s loved ones and offer a “narrative of hope.”
Disappearances in Mexico continue to rise despite shifting security strategies.
The National Registry of Missing and Disappeared Persons lists 128,059 people as missing as of March 2025. More than 90% of cases have been recorded since 2006, and over 60,000 since 2019, with young men and teenage girls the most affected.
Jalisco alone has more than 15,300 disappeared, nearly 7,000 of them men ages 15 to 34.
As the Luz de Esperanza Collective points out on its website, “Although official government figures reflect one reality, organizations and communities estimate that they could be up to four times higher.”
It also adds that “most disappearances go unreported due to fear, threats, or lack of knowledge of the process.”
The Living Search Cards project hasn’t been easy. For starters, the families, many of them mothers with little formal tech training, need to learn AI tools or secure outside help.
Moreover, the collective and others have reported repercussions of becoming more visible, such as increased surveillance by local authorities, whom they say monitor their organizing and sometimes try to intimidate or disrupt them.
They also say they are more prone to digital extortion — when scammers scour posts for names, photos and case details and then demand money in exchange for “release” or “proof” that a loved one is alive.
“Every minute recovered from lost mobility time is a minute returned to people’s lives,” Mayor of Mexico City Clara Brugada said at the inauguration. “It is more than an infrastructure project; it is a tool for territorial justice.” (@ClaraBrugadaM/X)
The long-awaited interurban train linking Toluca, the capital of México state, with western Mexico City is now fully operational.
#Video | El Tren Interurbano ‘El Insurgente’ finalmente fue inaugurado este 2 de febrero, después de casi 12 años de trabajo en la obra. Este fue el primer recorrido desde la última estación que faltaba por abrir.
Before the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Vasco de Quiroga station midway between the Santa Fe and Observatorio stations, Sheinbaum lauded the 141 billion-peso investment (US $8.1 billion).
“It is not only a train that travels from Toluca to Mexico City, but it is also a completely different vision of recovering public space and integrating working-class neighborhoods into a world-class transportation system,” she said.
Sheinbaum explained that the project included preserving one of the few remaining springs in the capital by using a cable-stayed bridge, as well as the transformation of a government-owned property in a section of the Chapultepec Forest from a military arms factory into a cultural center and national film archive.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said that not only does the new train line help establish a continuous public transportation route from Chalco in southeastern Mexico City to Toluca, it also breaks down historical barriers between the west and east of the metropolitan area.
A trip from Toluca to Observatorio — where commuters can transfer to Line 1 of the Mexico City Metro system — can now be made in roughly 45 minutes for 90 pesos (US $5).
“Every minute recovered from lost mobility time is a minute returned to people’s lives,” Brugada said. “It is more than an infrastructure project; it is a tool for territorial justice.”
The completed line features four stations in México state and three within Mexico City proper: Zinacantepec (about 10 kilometers west of Toluca), downtown Toluca, Metepec, Lerma, Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga and Observatorio. (José Luis Conde/Presidencia)
The completed line features seven stations: Zinacantepec (about 10 kilometers west of Toluca), downtown Toluca, Metepec, Lerma, Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga and Observatorio — with 48.4 kilometers of elevated viaduct, 4.9 kilometers of viaduct and 4.9 kilometers of twin tunnels.
The 58-kilometer-long rail line known as El Insurgente was announced in 2013 and construction began late the following year with completion projected for 2018. Cost overruns and other complications prompted the government to cancel the engineering contract in 2022 and hire a new construction firm. The final price tag of the project was more than four times the initial US $1.67 billion estimate.
For the second time in recent days, the federal government has sent a military force to Sinaloa state, this time to intensify the seach for 10 mine workers who were kidnapped on January 24. The first time was in response to the attempted assassination of two state legislators. The Sinaloa Cartel is thought to be involved in both crimes. (@Defensamx1/X)
The search for 10 kidnapped mine workers who disappeared last month in the Concordia mountains in the northern state of Sinaloa has intensified considerably.
In a social media post, Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha said President Claudia Sheinbaum and Defense Minister General Ricardo Trevilla have ordered that the search-and-rescue operation be significantly reinforced.
Por instrucciones de la presidenta de México, Dra. Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. (@Claudiashein), y del General Ricardo Trevilla, Secretario de Defensa Nacional (@Defensamx1), a partir de hoy, domingo 1 de febrero, se refuerza de manera importante el operativo de búsqueda de los…
“The deployment adds 1,190 people: 800 Army personnel, 270 Special Forces, 100 National Guardsmen and 20 ministerial agents, in addition to three armed helicopters and two T6C-Texan aircraft,” he wrote on Saturday.
The 10 employees of Vizsla Silver, a Canadian mining company, went missing on Jan. 23 from a housing development near the mine’s La Concordia project located about 50 miles northeast of the Pacific Coast resort city of Mazatlán.
Vizsla Silver also announced the temporary suspension of activities at the mine and its surroundings after the disappearance of the 10 men — engineers, geologists and security personnel — at least eight of whom are Mexican nationals.
The state prosecutor’s office has offered no public statements except to say that a case file has been opened and an investigation is underway.
Relatives of the missing men have denounced the lack of information from the authorities.
“They just tell us they haven’t heard anything, that they haven’t received any reports,” said María Salazar, the wife of missing geologist Ignacio Aurelio Salazar. “It’s been [more than a week] and we don’t know anything about our relatives; we are very worried.”
Details of last month’s kidnapping are sparse. One version reported by the media indicates that the group was kidnapped by an armed commando.
“The version they provided is that they were in their rest area at 7:30 in the morning, getting ready to go to work [when they were taken],” Salazar told journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva.
The newspaper El País reported that the criminal group likely responsible for the kidnapping is part of a cell linked to Los Chapitos, a faction of the Sinaloa cartel loyal to the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Residents of La Concordia told El País that this cell has been waging a violent campaign for more than two months in the Sierra Sur region, displacing more than 100 families since September 2024 when Los Chapitos and Los Mayitos — a rival Sinaloa Cartel faction — began warring.
The education minister expressed "deep dismay, indignation and sadness" over the deaths of his aunt and cousin, who he wrote were "brutally murdered at their home." (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
An aunt and cousin of federal Education Minister Mario Delgado were murdered on Saturday morning in the city of Colima, capital of the small Pacific coast state of Colima.
Later on Saturday, three people who allegedly participated in the double homicide were shot dead by police, state authorities said.
The victims of the double homicide were identified as María Eugenia Delgado Guizar, 72, and her daughter, Sheila María Eugenia Amezcua Delgado, 49.
The former was Mario Delgado’s aunt, the sister of his father, while the latter was the education minister’s cousin.
The Colima Attorney General’s Office (FGE) and the Colima government issued a statement that said the murder of the two women occurred at around 4:30 a.m. Saturday in Placetas Estadio, a neighborhood in Colima city.
Armed men reportedly broke into the women’s home and killed the mother and daughter.
The statement said that state police attended the crime scene and subsequently began an investigation into the double homicide. It said the investigation was being carried out under “the femicide protocol and the principles of gender perspective.”
(Funeraria Magaña)
No possible motive for the crime was mentioned in the statement issued by the FGE and other state authorities.
The statement said that with the support of Colima authorities and federal agencies “with a presence in the state,” and thanks to “tracking” carried out by the Colima C5 command center, the “vehicle used in the crime” and “some of the people who participated” in the murder were identified.
Authorities subsequently located the vehicle, a light blue Chevrolet Groove, outside an address in the municipality of Villa de Álvarez, which adjoins the municipality of Colima.
Police were met with gunfire when they approached the address, according to the official statement. They returned fire and “three aggressors” were killed, the statement said.
One police officer was shot, but was described as being “out of danger.”
Those killed by police were described in the statement as “alleged criminals who are presumed to have participated” in the double homicide in the Placetas Estadio neighborhood of Colima city.
The statement said that police found weapons inside the home in Villa de Álvarez as well as various pieces of evidence that matched information obtained from the “analysis of videos of those [allegedly] responsible” for the murder of the two women. Among those pieces of evidence, the statement said, were clothes worn by the alleged perpetrators and a sledgehammer, which the aggressors presumably used to break into the Colima city home.
The municipality of Colima had the 14th highest per capita homicide rate in the country last year, according to elcri.men. Mexico has more than 2,400 municipalities.
Education minister expresses ‘deep dismay’ over the murder of his aunt and cousin
Mario Delgado, a former president of the Morena party and an ex-federal deputy, acknowledged the murder of his aunt and cousin in a social media post on Saturday night.
Profunda consternación, indignación y tristeza por los hechos ocurridos esta madrugada en Colima donde mi tía Eugenia Delgado y mi prima Sheila fueron brutalmente asesinadas en su domicilio. Durante toda mi infancia mi tía Queña, como le decíamos de cariño, me preparó mi pastel…
In the post, the education minister expressed “deep dismay, indignation and sadness” over the deaths of his aunt and cousin, who he wrote were “brutally murdered at their home.”
“Throughout my entire childhood, my aunt Queña, as we affectionately called her, made my birthday cake. That’s how she made a living, working hard, selling delicious cakes and food from Colima as only she knew how to prepare. She is now with my grandparents and my father, her beloved brother,” wrote Delgado, a native of Colima city.
“[I send a] hug with a lot of affection and solidarity to my uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews and nieces, and especially to my cousin Alex. We’re certain that the case will be solved and justice will be served. RIP,” he wrote.
The Sheinbaum administration has sent 92 high-impact criminals to the United States. (Cortesía SSPC/Cuartoscuro)
Relatives of drug cartel suspects have accused Mexico of breaking the law after authorities transferred nearly 100 alleged criminals to the United States, circumventing the formal extradition process established by treaty between the two nations.
At a Jan. 26 press conference, lawyers for the accused claimed that their clients were denied due process because they were sent to the U.S. without an extradition order, leaving them with virtually no legal means in Mexico to challenge their transfer. Some family members have described this as a kind of “banishment” or exile.
“Mexico is currently facing significant pressure from the United States regarding security and cooperation,” said Yarey Sánchez Lagunas, the lawyer for two individuals who were extradited to the U.S. last year. “This compels us to ask, with all seriousness and responsibility, whether these types of decisions are being used to demonstrate political gains, even at the expense of due process.”
Since February 2025, Mexico has sent 92 people linked to organized crime to face trial in the U.S. — the most recent prison transfer having occurred just two weeks ago.
Analysts have described the transfers as an offering by Mexican authorities to counter growing threats of military intervention against cartels from the Trump administration.
The transfers are central to a legal debate that has intensified following January’s extraditions, which included Juan Pedro Saldívar Farías, a regional leader of the Zetas cartel who faces charges of drug and weapons trafficking. His partner, Vanesa Guzmán, filed a criminal complaint against high-ranking Mexican government officials, particularly Mexico’s Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, who has spearheaded a heavy offensive against the cartels.
In her complaint filed Monday with the Attorney General’s Office, Guzmán accused García Harfuch and other security officials of “treason.”
The Mexican government has said that the extraditions were legal and carried out for national security reasons. The United States asserts that the detainees were wanted for crimes in the U.S. and many of them had outstanding extradition requests.
“Remember that this is not an extradition law being applied. This is a national security request justified by the U.S. based on the criminal conduct of these individuals in that country, which coincides with the procedures and our knowledge of the evidence of their conduct,” he stated.
Indeed, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office has said that the first handover of criminal leaders by Mexico was in accordance with Executive Order 14157, by which five Mexican cartels were declared terrorist organizations.
Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the DEA, downplayed the complaints and praised U.S. authorities for “speeding up” a legal process that often gets bogged down for years as lawyers file appeal after appeal in an attempt to slow law enforcement.
