The iconic and colorful Calle Juárez (Alfonso Bouchot/Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0)
Downtown Villahermosa, the capital of Tabasco state, has been growing in popularity in recent years. As part of a new program of the Tourism Ministry in Mexico, itwas included in the list of 32 Barrios Mágicos (Magical Neighborhoods). Following the success of Pueblos Mágicos, created in 2002, this initiative aims to preserve and promote areas of historical significance, “where you can discover the spirit and essence of a city.”
TheHistoric Center of Villahermosa, known as Zona Luz, was recently selected as a Barrio Mágico. Covering 143 hectares, this special area includes five fully pedestrianized cobblestone streets and is home to some of the oldest buildings in the city, along with shops, restaurants and cafes.
Aerial view of Villahermosa. (Wikimedia Commons)
The beauty of downtown Villahermosa has also been enhanced by factors that increase its value. According to the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals (AMPI), real estate in Villahermosa has risen by between 20% and 40% in recent years. This, of course, makes it an attractive location for people looking for affordable real estate and a chance to savor life in the real Mexico.
What is special about downtown Villahermosa?
First and foremost, its history. The fact that the traditional neighborhoods of Villahermosa still stand today is largely a miracle. Founded between 1540 and 1557 by a group of Spaniards, the city endured systematic pirate sieges from 1557 to 1795. This was followed by the American invasion in 1846 and 1847, the French occupation from 1863 to 1864 and the Mexican revolution during the first half of the 20th century.
In Zona Luz, you will find El Playón, where Tabasco’s first airstrip was located, as well as the traditional neighborhoods of Santa Cruz, Esquipulas, La Concepción and La Punta. The charm of this zone is accentuated by colorful buildings with an eclectic blend of neoclassical and baroque architecture. If you’re sightseeing in town, you cannot miss these iconic landmarks, complemented by the famous streets of Narciso Sáenz and Juárez:
Called the National Bank of Mexico Building, it was constructed between 1850 and 1855. (Alfonso Bouchot/Wikimedia Commons)
Casa de los Azulejos, now home to the Tabasco History Museum
The Juárez Institute
The National Bank of Mexico Building
The Tabasco Government Palace
The beauty of Villahermosa’s downtown is further enhanced by the recently restored Carlos Madrazo promenade overlooking the Grijalva River, which features seven hectares of restored sports facilities, 18,000 square meters of parks, and a nearly six-kilometer bicycle path, along with the restoration of Parque Los Pajaritos. Additionally, more than 150 shops located on Paseo Tabasco Avenue will preserve buildings of historical value as part of efforts to revitalize the area.
The rise of real estate in Downtown Villahermosa
The inclusion of downtown Villahermosa in the list of Barrios Mágicos has been a significant factor in the increase of real estate investments in the city. Earlier this year, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador visited Villahermosa to inaugurate infrastructure projects as part of an urban improvement program, with an investment of at least 3 billion pesos.
Villahermosa experienced a boom in the 1960s due to the expansion of the oil industry in the area. Today, this sector continues to grow, contributing to the demand for rental and purchase of real estate in the city.
Villahermosa’s “warm climate, lush nature, and rich culture, with gastronomic options, outdoor activities, and a welcoming atmosphere,” make the city an ideal place to visit, according to a report by Coldwell Banker Real Estate.
This is perhaps the most famous building in downtown Villahermosa: Casa de los Azulejos (Alfonso Bouchot/Wikimedia Commons)
The same document highlights the economy and opportunities associated with the energy sector, sustainable urban development with modern infrastructure, shopping centers, and amenities that enhance quality of life. It also emphasizes ongoing improvements in urban infrastructure, including roads, public transportation, and basic services.
Additionally, the tropical climate supports an outdoor lifestyle, featuring abundant green spaces and terraces, as well as lush vegetation surrounding the city, including parks, lagoons, and ecological reserves such as La Venta, the incredible archaeological site featuring the famous Olmec heads.
If you’ve visited or invested in Villahermosa recently, why not let us know in the comments?
Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator for various outlets including Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.
Need some clorox or some croquetas for the dog? I hope you know the right name to ask for them by! (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican phenomenon of shopping by only refering to brand names isn’t entirely a new one. The first time I ever heard the word “gelatin” in the United States, I was already a teenager.
“I’m sorry, what?”
There are some basic vocabulary words you’ll need to know in order to navigate your everyday shopping in Mexico properly. (Sanchezysanchez/Wikimedia Commons)
After a bit of explaining, I finally got it. “Oh, you mean Jell-o!” I said. It may not have been my most sophisticated moment, but it did teach me, for the first time, what “generic” meant.
For many things, you simply have to know the brand name. So you don’t need “vegetable shortening,” you need Crisco. You’re not looking for “hazelnut spread,” you’re looking for Nutella. “Tissues”? Oh, you mean Kleenex!
In Mexico, it’s pretty much the same — only sometimes it’s more fun because you get to sit and think about the pronunciation for a bit.
Nowhere is this more evident than at your local “tienda.” Each store owner organizes its wares according to the space it has. As a result, you won’t always be able to wander around until you see what you want. Often, you’ll have to ask for something by name, and it’s very possible it’s kept behind the counter.
Detergents, Band-Aids, and even spreads have their unique names in Mexico’s tiny convenience stores. (Isaac Esquivel/Cuartoscuro)
It’s also very possible that you could get a confused expression for a few beats before receiving an answer. It’s asking about gelatin all over again.
Words to know at the tiendita (and how to use them)
The following is a list of some common items that are typically called things besides how they’d be “genetically” described. Feel free to add more in the comments!
Fabuloso (and Pinol)
Need to do some cleaning? Pair these with “cloro” (bleach) — you know, at your own risk — and you’ll be disinfecting with the best of them!
Fabuloso is one of the most popular brands of multi-purpose cleaner, used for floors, countertops, and even the concrete in front of your house. Pinol is the same, though not quite as popular.
I’m a Pinol girl myself because I just can’t get enough of that pine smell! I can be swayed by a nice apple cinnamon Fabuloso in the fall, though.
Fabuloso is one of Mexico’s most popular brands of multi-purpose cleaners. It’s also a catch-all term for floor cleaners(維基小霸王/Wikimedia Commons)
Leche Clavel
“Clavel” is the name for “carnation”, so I bet you can guess what this is: Carnation milk, or evaporated milk!
Not only is that my favorite flower, but it’s also my preferred addition to some delicious Veracruz coffee. I actually discovered that by accident one day when I went to the store for a liter of milk. Weirdly, they didn’t have any, so I picked up a can of leche clavel instead, figuring it was better than nothing. Once I poured it into my coffee, I discovered it was actually better than everything, and the key to a deliciously creamy café con leche.
Queso Philadelphia
The few times I’ve tried asking for “cream cheese”, I’ve been met with blank stares. “Oh, you mean queso Philadelphia?”
Well, I suppose I do! I’m not totally sure what most people use it for here; I rarely see it being spread on anything. I myself need it to make my mom’s “cheese pie,” paired with lime and “Lechera” (sweetened condensed milk). Come to think of it, you’ll want to ask for “Lechera” as well. Blend those three ingredients with a little vanilla and pour it into a cookie pie crust, and you’ve got yourself the official dessert of my childhood!
Croquetas
‘Croquetas’ are sold by the kilo, and (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
This isn’t actually a brand name, but you’ll still need to say this instead of “dog food” or “cat food”. At the tiendita you can typically find them in giant open bags, and they’ll sell it to you by the kilo. Some might be a bit squeamish about the sanitary implications of open bags of food, so that will depend on your own level of tolerance. I’ve never had any bad experiences, though.
Curitas
This is basically the Spanish-language brand name for Band-Aids. “Vendas adhesivas” might take some explaining. It’s a cute and clever name, though, derived from the verb “curar”, to heal. Adorable!
The nice thing too about Curitas, and even things like Dramamine or Aspirin, is that you can usually buy just one or two at a time; no need to get a whole box!
Papel estrella
This is one that really tripped me up, and you can’t usually get it at a regular tiendita. You’ve got to go to a store that specializes in baking, or perhaps a party supply store. “Papel estrella” is parchment paper, and it’s called that because the parchment paper sold here has little red stars printed on it. You can get a small roll, or you can buy it by the sheet!
Not too many people seem to do a ton of baking here, so it’s more of a “specialty” item. It also shouldn’t be confused with more widely-available wax paper, which can start a fire if you try to put it in your oven. Be careful with that one!
I actually found a pretty big roll of parchment paper at Costco. I do a lot of baking, and it really is kind of a miracle product: no sticking to the pans at all!
Bonus: Coca
As Mexico’s beloved soda, cokes can be found in the ‘retornable’ format: a glass bottle to be refilled. (Jordan Whitfield/Unsplash)
Now, I know you know what Coca-Cola is. It’s ubiquitous here, everyone’s favorite “refresco”! It’s so popular that you can even get it in retornables.
Coca is also used, in a round-about way, as a suggestion for a tip. For example, if someone wants to provide a service to you that doesn’t have a set price, they might simply ask for a donation “para la Coca“. Incidentally, this can be a clever way for people to ask for bribes as well. Coke is not expensive, of course, so the suggestion is to be understood as a request for, basically, a token.
So now the question is… what have I missed? I mostly focused on food-related items, but there are examples all over the place. Let’s hear yours!
Sheinbaum proposed that the summit participants redirect 1% of military spending to create a new global reforestation program. (Sheinbaum/X)
An address to her fellow G20 leaders in which she proposed “the biggest reforestation program in history.”
Bilateral meetings with world leaders including United States President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
A “gathering” with the four other leaders of the MIKTA partnership.
President Claudia Sheinbaum had a busy day at the G20 Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday, after taking two commercial flights to reach the world-famous city on Sunday.
Sheinbaum’s trip to Brazil to meet with the leaders of the world’s largest economies is her first international trip since she was sworn in as president on Oct. 1. Her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, did not attend any G20 summits during his six-year term, preferring to focus on domestic issues rather than international ones.
Sheinbaum, head of a Mexican delegation that also includes Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente and Energy Minister Luz Elena González Escobar, will not attend the second day of the G20 summit, as she will return to Mexico to preside over Mexican Revolution Day proceedings on Wednesday.
Sheinbaum on the world stage at the G20 Rio summit
“The proposal is to stop sowing war. Let’s sow peace and let’s sow life.”
With those words, Sheinbaum concluded her maiden address to G20 leaders, which she made during a session on “Social Inclusion and the Fight against Hunger and Poverty.”
The proposal she put to many of the world’s most powerful politicians was to establish “a fund that allocates 1% of the military expenditure of our countries to carry out the biggest reforestation program in history.”
Under the proposal, Sheinbaum said, around US $24 billion per year could be allocated to the program.
En el inicio de los trabajos del G20 Brasil 2024, resaltamos que el gasto en armas creció casi al triple que la economía mundial en tan solo dos años; en cambio, 700 millones de familias aún viven por debajo de la línea de la pobreza. pic.twitter.com/w0puHsSVVl
“Every year we allocate $1.7 billion to support 439,000 families in Mexico and 40,000 in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. In six years, more than 1 million hectares have been reforested with the planting of 1.1 billion trees,” Sheinbaum said.
The planting of trees in that area is “equivalent to capturing 30 million tonnes of CO2 annually,” she said.
During her speech, Sheinbaum also said that it is “absurd” that global expenditure on weapons is increasing when 700 million people live in poverty.
“What’s happening in our world that in just two years, spending on weapons grew [at] almost triple [the rate] of the global economy?” she asked.
“… It’s absurd, nonsense, that there is more spending on weapons than to combat poverty or climate change,” Sheinbaum said.
She also said that she refused to believe that “we’re capable of creating artificial intelligence,” but “incapable of giving a hand to those left behind.”
‘All Mexican women arrived’ to a position of power
Speaking to a gathering of mainly men, Sheinbaum noted that she had “the great honor” of becoming Mexico’s first female president when she was sworn in almost seven weeks ago.
“I didn’t arrive alone,” she told her fellow leaders.
“All the female farmers, migrants, workers and professionals arrived. Our grandmothers, our daughters and our granddaughters arrived. All Mexican women arrived,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum was the only woman leader at the G20 summit in Rio. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
Among other remarks, the president highlighted the continuation of the Mexican governance model encapsulated by the slogan, “For the good of all, the poor first,” and told the summit that Mexico is among the least indebted nations in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
She also spoke about the record high foreign direct investment in Mexico and touted the construction of numerous infrastructure projects in Mexico in recent years, including new railroads and airports.
“There is democracy, freedom, plurality and the right to dissent [in Mexico],” Sheinbaum said.
“Security and justice institutions are being strengthened and peace is being built,” she said.
Migration, security and economy the focus of Sheinbaum’s discussion with Biden
Sheinbaum said on social media that she spoke with Biden about “the good relationship there is and which there must be between Mexico and the United States.”
She also said she spoke to the U.S. president about “the importance of working together” on matters related to migration, security and the economy.
It was the first — and likely last — time that Sheinbaum met face-to-face with Biden, who will be succeeded by Donald Trump on Jan. 20.
Trump, of course, was not at the G20 summit, but he — and his plans for his second term as U.S. president — were no doubt very present in the minds of world leaders, and in their discussions with their counterparts from the world’s major economies.
Sheinbaum will be the third Mexican president to steer Mexico’s relationship with the United States while Trump is in office. Enrique Peña Nieto was the first while López Obrador, who maintained a friendly relationship with Trump, was the second.
Enrique Peña Nieto was the first Mexican president to govern alongside former U.S. President and current President-elect Donald Trump, during his first term in office. (Enrique Peña Nieto/Facebook)
The White House on Monday said in a statement that Biden congratulated Sheinbaum on her election and inauguration as president during their meeting in Rio, and “reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to building a prosperous North America with good paying jobs.”
“The two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining cooperation on migration, security and tackling the scourge of transnational criminal violence, and economic issues, building on the strong bilateral partnership between the United States and Mexico,” the statement said.
Trudeau, Xi and Macron also met with Sheinbaum in Rio
A steady flow of updates from Rio appeared on Sheinbaum’s social media accounts throughout Monday.
A meet and greet with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the start of the day. A photo of the president speaking, with Biden, Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi also in the frame. Posts about the president’s bilateral meetings with Biden, Trudeau, Xi and Prime Minister of Vietnam Phạm Minh Chính.
Sheinbaum said she spoke to the Canadian prime minister about the “good result” of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for North America.
According to a statement from Trudeau’s office, the two leaders “spoke about the importance of economic security and underscored the mutually beneficial effects of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement,” or CUSMA, as the pact is known in Canada.
Sheinbaum’s meeting with Trudeau came at a time when two Canadian premiers, Doug Ford of Ontario and Danielle Smith of Alberta, are agitating for Canada to seek a bilateral agreement with the United States rather than the extension of a trilateral pact that includes Mexico.
The USMCA is up for review in 2026, and Trump has said he will have “a lot of fun” renegotiating it. Mexico’s trade and investment relationship with China is a central concern for the incoming U.S. president.
A social media post showed Sheinbaum shaking the hand of President Xi, but made no mention of Mexico’s trade relationship with China or Chinese investment in Mexico.
Con motivo de la Cumbre de Líderes del G20, conversamos con el presidente de China, Xi Jinping. Agradecí todo el apoyo para la recuperación de Acapulco mediante la producción y entrega de enseres domésticos. pic.twitter.com/oWhd755fLQ
Sheinbaum simply said that she thanked the Chinese leader for “all the support” China provided for the post Hurricane Otis recovery in Acapulco “through the production and delivery of domestic appliances.”
“We agreed to strengthen the cultural relationship,” Sheinbaum said on social media.
The Mexican president also met with French president Macron, and the two leaders agreed to cooperate on “water, health and infrastructure issues,” according to the federal government.
MIKTA and ‘Latin America united’
Sheinbaum, currently the only female leader of a G20 nation, also participated in the MIKTA Leaders Gathering along with the leaders of Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey and Australia.
“MIKTA aims to bridge divides in the multilateral system and build consensus on complex and challenging issues, drawing on the diverse perspectives of its members and their shared interest in upholding international law and promoting the multilateral system.”
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez said on X that the Indonesian, Korean, Turkish and Australian leaders thanked Mexico for its “successful presidency” of MIKTA in 2024 and “praised the progress in strengthening multilateralism, placing women at the center of development efforts and deepening coordination between authorities … for development.”
Sheinbaum also engaged with the presidents of Chile and Colombia, who attended the G20 Summit despite their countries not being members of the group.
“Latin America united. We met with our friends, the presidents of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, and Colombia, Gustavo Petro Urrego at the G20 Leaders Summit,” Sheinbaum wrote in a social media post that included a photo of the four leaders.
América Latina unida. Nos encontramos con nuestros amigos los presidentes de Brasil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva; Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, y Colombia, Gustavo Petro Urrego en la Cumbre de Líderes del G20. pic.twitter.com/Kl6vChJhQT
Argentine President Javier Milei was at the G20 Summit, but is clearly not a part of that “united” front, being more aligned with Trump than the aforesaid quartet of Latin American leftists.
CDMX to Rio via Panama
“In line with one of the principles of her government, republican austerity,” Sheinbaum flew from Mexico City to Rio via Panama on a commercial airline, the president’s office said in a statement.
While far less folksy and considerably more urbane and taciturn than López Obrador, Sheinbaum is making a concerted effort to remain close to — or at least not too far removed from — “the people” AMLO so frequently extolled. Part of that effort is to fly commercial.
President Sheinbaum boards a commercial flight from Mexico City to Brazil for the G20 summit. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Instead, like López Obrador, Sheinbaum lined up with the hoi polloi at Mexico City International Airport before taking her seat in the coach section of a Copa Airlines plane.
She met with Panamanian Foreign Affairs Minister at Tocumen International Airport in Panama city before continuing her journey to Rio.
CORRECTION: The original version of this report quoted President Sheinbaum as saying that 100 billion trees have been planted in Mexico over the past six years. She did indeed say that, but in fact only 1.1 billion trees have been planted in the period. We have amended the report to reflect what Sheinbaum meant rather than what she said.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is the second Canadian politician who has recently questioned Mexico's inclusion in the USMCA free trade deal. (Danielle Smith/X)
A second premier of a Canadian province believes that Canada would be best served by a bilateral free trade agreement with the United States rather than the current USMCA deal, a trilateral agreement that includes Mexico.
“A thousand percent,” Smith responded. “… I’m very much in sync with what he has to say.”
Earlier in the interview, Smith said she recently met with Robert Lighthizer, United States trade representative during Donald Trump’s first term as U.S. president, and that “he gave us a pretty good insight into what it is the Americans want.”
“The Americans want fair trade, they want us to buy as much product from them as they buy from us and as a whole Canada absolutely does do that. … The real issue we have is that Mexico has not been that equal partner with the United States,” she said, apparently referring to Mexico’s large trade surplus with its northern neighbor.
“And in addition to that they’re inviting China to engage in investment in Mexico, which is hollowing out the manufacturing sector in both America as well as Canada. And that’s why I think we need to take a bilateral approach, put Canada first,” Smith said.
Smith joined Ontario Premier Doug Ford in calling for Canada to consider cutting Mexico out of the next North American free trade agreement. (Doug Ford/X)
“… Look, Mexico is important to Canada, they’re our fourth largest trading partner in Alberta, but just to give you the idea of the difference in the relationship: We have about $2.9 billion in bilateral trade with Mexico, we have $188 billion in bilateral trade with the United States. We certainly cannot sacrifice our relationship and friendship with our largest trading partner if this is a trade irritant,” the premier said.
“That’s why I’m committed to a Canada first approach. If we can get a bilateral agreement, I think that would allow us to be able to avoid tariffs,” Smith added, referring to tariffs Trump has threatened to impose on imports from all of the United States’ trade partners.
“It’s pretty clear that the Americans have indicated that they want to have a fair trade relationship. Mexico’s not in a position to be able to offer that, especially with the investment that they have from China,” Smith said.
Her comments came after Ford accused Mexico of becoming a low-tariff “backdoor” into North America for Chinese products.
“If Mexico won’t fight transshipment by, at the very least, matching Canadian and American tariffs on Chinese imports, they shouldn’t have a seat at the table or enjoy access to the largest economy in the world,” the Ontario premier wrote on X last Tuesday.
“Instead, we must prioritize the closest economic partnership on Earth by directly negotiating a bilateral U.S.-Canada free trade agreement that puts U.S. and Canadian workers first.”
Unlike some regional politicians, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has indicated his support for Mexico’s continued participation in the USMCA deal. (Cuartoscuro)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum subsequently said that Ford’s proposal to terminate the USMCA “has no future.”
“There is no need to worry,” she added.
For his part, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — who attended the G20 summit with Sheinbaum in Rio de Janeiro on Monday — has indicated that he wants the USMCA to continue.
Trump, like Ford, has railed against Mexico forwarding Chinese products north, saying in an address at the Detroit Economic Club last month that he would seek “strong new protections against transshipment” in the USMCA “so that China and other countries cannot smuggle their products and auto parts into the United States tax-free through Mexico to the detriment of our workers and our supply chains.”
The incoming U.S. president has threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican exports to the United States, and declared in October that he would “have a lot of fun” renegotiating USMCA, which is scheduled to be reviewed in 2026.
However, Trump has not advocated the termination of the pact he negotiated and signed during his first term as president.
“I terminated NAFTA. That’s a pretty big thing. A lot of people said it would be impossible to do. I got it done, and we have a great deal now,” he said in Detroit on Oct. 10.
“What we have to do is make it much better even, and we’ll be able to do that very shortly,” Trump said.
The illegal plantings allegedly belonged to “Los Chapitos,” a faction of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel linked to the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. (Foto especial)
The Mexican Navy located and destroyed 6 metric tons of marijuana on Saturday in collaboration with the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) in the northwestern state of Sinaloa.
While carrying out helicopter patrols over rural areas of north-central Sinaloa, the Naval Ministry (Semar) personnel spotted a sizable field of suspicious plants and alerted troops on the ground.
The Marines moved in and found 22,113 plants in a large tract of land outside the community of Zalate de los Ibarra, near the state’s capital, Culiacán. Semar reported that the plants were cut down and incinerated on Sunday, in cooperation with FGR officials.
The newspaper El Universal reported that the herbage was found in an area controlled by Los Chapitos, a faction of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel linked to the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. federal prison.
In a related development, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch on Friday announced the capture of Omar “N,” a leader of the Los Chapitos faction. Though the suspect’s name was censored for privacy, it was clear that the man in question was alleged Chapitos leader Omar Félix Loaiza, also known as “El Pelón.”
García Harfuch said the suspect was arrested in Culiacán during a joint operation by the Defense Ministry, Semar, the National Guard and the FGR.
The Navy and FGR burned 6 metric tons of marijuana that had been growing in the fields. (via Reforma)
Félix Loaiza is allegedly the cartel’s top man in the border town of Sonoyta, Sonora, and, according to the newspaper El País, was said to be leading Los Chapitos in their war against Los Mayos — another Sinaloa Cartel faction — that began in early September.
“El Pelón” is wanted on charges of homicide, arms trafficking and human trafficking by the U.S. government, which also accuses him of smuggling fentanyl into the southern state of Arizona.
He is also accused of arming drones with explosives, according to the newspaper Milenio, a tactic that has heightened the violence in the Sinaloa Cartel’s internal conflict.
Early Monday morning, the rival gangs engaged in a shootout in Imala — 25 kilometers east of Culiacán — that left parts of the Culiacán municipality without electricity.
President Claudia Sheinbaum, an internationally recognized climate expert, has proposed an ambitious plan for Mexico's renewable energy transition. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Time Magazine has named President Claudia Sheinbaum as one of the 100 most influential climate leaders in business for 2024, a list that includes decision-makers, executives, researchers and innovators who are deemed to play an important role in driving successful and equitable climate action.
“Few world leaders can claim to know as much about climate science as Mexico’s new President Claudia Sheinbaum,” Time Magazine wrote.
The recently elected president holds a doctorate in energy engineering from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and has contributed to two major reports for the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Sheinbaum has vowed to expand renewable energy to 45% of total power generation by 2030, compared to around 24% in 2022. “We all need strong, public state energy companies that guarantee clean energy at low prices to current and future generations,” she said during her inaugural presidential speech on Oct. 1.
The president has extensive experience implementing green energy policies in her previous role as mayor of Mexico City, where she launched the city’s first electric bus fleet and developed one of the world’s biggest urban solar projects at the Centro de Abasto wholesale market.
However, many are questioning whether she will pursue the energy strategy of her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. As president, AMLO focused on nationalizing Mexico’s energy industry, invested heavily in the indebted national oil company Pemex and curbed private spending on renewable energy during his six years in office.
Sheinbaum faces the complicated task of supporting the state oil company Pemex while transitioning the country toward more renewable energy sources. (Refinería Olmeca-Dos Bocas/X)
Sheinbaum has pledged to continue supporting Pemex, while also delivering an “ambitious” state-led plan for the energy transition, Time wrote.
In April, Sheinbaum announced plans to invest $13.6 billion in new energy generation projects including gas, wind, solar and hydroelectric power plants, in addition to thousands of kilometers of new transmission lines.
Yet, in the 2025 federal budget, announced on Nov. 15, funding for the Environment Ministry was cut by 39.4% to 44.37 billion pesos. This aligns with Sheinbaum’s implementation of “republican austerity” measures aimed at reducing the budget deficit.
Sheinbaum may also influence international energy initiatives in her role as president. On Monday at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sheinbaum proposed the creation of a global fund for “the biggest reforestation program in history.” Under her proposal, countries would redirect 1% of their military spending to the fund, raising around $24 billion to reforest 15 million hectares of land every year.
“The proposal is to stop sowing wars, let’s sow peace and let’s sow life,” Sheinbaum said.
Mexican parkour athlete Ella Bucio won gold in the speed category and silver in the freestyle category at the second annual FIG Parkour World Championships in Japan on Saturday. (Gymnastics/X)
Ella Bucio cemented her status as one of the best parkour athletes in the world with a gold and a silver at the FIG Parkour World Championships in Japan over the weekend.
The 27-year-old native of Mexico City won the gold in the speed competition, in which athletes try to complete an obstacle course in the shortest time possible. The course requires climbing, running, jumping, vaulting, swinging, walking on all fours and other types of movement.
Mexico City native Ella Bucio, 27, has been involved in parkour since she was 10 years old. (FIG Parkour World Championships)
On a course that featured two imposing, near-vertical walls near the halfway mark, Bucio won on Saturday with a time of 38.28 seconds, with Audrey Johnson of the United States taking second place (38.62) and Swede Miranda Tibbling in third (39.55). Bucio served notice from the start, posting the fastest qualifying mark among 28 competitors.
Bucio also returned home with a silver medal in freestyle, in which the goal is to show originality, skill and creativity.
In the first-ever Parkour World Championships two years ago in Tokyo, Bucio won the freestyle gold, a feat she duplicated at the 2023 World Cup in Montpellier, France.
Run under the auspices of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), the three-day competition in Kitakyushu, Japan, was plagued by rain. Three out of eight finals ended up being canceled.
“It was quite exhausting both physically and mentally because of the schedule changes due to the weather and not knowing whether we would compete or not,” Bucio said in a press release published by CONADE, Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport. “But in the end, if you don’t try, you can’t succeed. I’m happy to have won despite all those doubts.”
Bucio could have fared better in freestyle had rain not canceled the finals. With the results based on the qualifying rounds, Shang Chunsong of China was first, Bucio second and Johnson third.
According to CONADE, Bucio has been involved in parkour since she was 10 years old — when she was usually the only female in competitions. She also has trained as a gymnast and attended a circus arts school in Brussels, Belgium.
Often referred to as “art of movement,” parkour uses no equipment and forces athletes to adapt to the features of their surroundings, be they urban (such as cityscapes with walls, rails and rooftops) or natural (like forests or rocky terrains). Competitors often vault over obstacles, climb walls and leap between surfaces.
Developed in France about 35 years ago, the sport has grown in popularity and is now featured in films, video games and commercials. Many people do it as a personal practice rather than for competition, and it’s not an Olympic sport.
Bucio and other top competitors often work as stuntpeople in movies and TV shows. Bucio also has taken part in two Mexican reality series, “Reto 4 Elementos” (Master of the 4 Elements) and “Guerreros” (Warriors).
As for parkour, she said she is “pleased to see that there are more and more women in this sport, and if I helped make that happen, it makes me very happy.”
Mexico had a number of competitors in Kitakyushu, with two other medal winners: Emiliano Torres of Guadalajara (silver in men’s junior freestyle) and Felipe Macedo of Morelia (silver in men’s junior speed). Both are 15 years old.
In addition to presenting the federal budget proposal, Finance Minister Ramírez de la O outlined a range of projections on Friday, including government revenue of just over 8 trillion pesos in 2025, and economic growth of 2-3%. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
The federal government has outlined its spending plans for 2025, presenting a budget proposal that details expenditures in excess of 9 trillion pesos.
Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O submitted a 9.3-trillion-peso (about US $460 billion) budget proposal to the lower house of Congress on Friday. The total planned expenditure is 2.6% higher than federal government spending in 2024, but represents a 3.6% reduction in real terms.
Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O submitted a 9.3-trillion-peso (about US $460 billion) budget proposal to the lower house of Congress on Friday. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
The Congress, dominated by lawmakers from the ruling Morena party and its allies, is expected to approve the proposal in the coming weeks.
In terms of year-over-year funding decreases and increases in percentage terms, the Defense Ministry (Defensa) is the biggest loser while the Agrarian, Land and Urban Development Ministry (Sedatu) is the biggest winner.
Let’s take a closer look at the federal government’s planned allocation of funds in 2025.
The losers
The Defense Ministry, now abbreviated as “Defensa” after the ministry used the Sedena acronym for almost 90 years, has been allocated 151.99 billion pesos in funding for 2025, a reduction of 43.8% compared to 2024.
Funding for four state-owned companies under the Defense Ministry’s purview, including the firm responsible for operating the Maya Train railroad, has been cut by 70%. (Cuartoscuro)
Funding for four state-owned companies under the Defense Ministry’s purview, including the firm responsible for operating the Maya Train railroad, has been cut by 70%.
In addition to carrying out national defense tasks and responding to natural disasters, Defensa is involved in a wide range of non-traditional tasks including public security and infrastructure construction. Among the infrastructure projects the ministry built or partially built are the Tulum Airport, which opened in late 2023, and the Maya Train railroad, most sections of which are now operational.
After Defensa, the federal government entities set to face the next biggest budget cuts in percentage terms in 2025 are as follows:
The Environment Ministry (Semarnat): funding to decline 39.4% to 44.37 billion pesos. The biggest funding cut is in the realm of “economic development” within Semarnat, but the allocation for scientific research will also decline.
The Security Ministry: funding to decline 36.2% to 70.44 billion pesos. The ministry’s funding is set to be cut even though it will have new investigative powers as the result of a recent constitutional reform, and despite high levels of insecurity in various parts of the country.
The Health Ministry: funding to decline 34% to 66.69 billion pesos.
The Energy Regulatory Commission: funding to decline 32.9% to 200 million pesos.
National Hydrocarbons Commission: funding to decline 32.9% to 173 million pesos.
Energy Ministry: funding to decline 31.3% to 138.3 billion pesos.
Culture Ministry: funding to decline 30.8% to 12.08 billion pesos.
National Transparency Institute (INAI): funding to decline 18.1% to 994 million pesos.
National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI): funding to decline 17.5% to 12.25 billion pesos.
Mexico’s 2025 federal budget proposal includes a 7.5% annual cut in funding for state oil company Pemex. (@ProyectoNacion_/X)
Among the other government entities whose budget is set to be cut in 2025 is state oil company Pemex. The Finance Ministry proposed funding of 464.25 billion for Pemex next year, a 7.5% annual cut. Some 136 billion pesos are projected to go to the heavily indebted oil company to cover debt repayments in 2025.
A number of other ministries including Mexico’s Tourism Ministry, the Interior Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Finance Ministry (SHCP), the Labor Ministry, the Agriculture Ministry and the Economy Ministry will receive fewer resources in 2025. The budget of the president’s office will also be cut.
The winners
The government entities set to receive the biggest increases in funding in percentage terms next year are as follows:
Agrarian, Land and Urban Development Ministry (Sedatu): funding to increase 183.3% to 38.04 billion pesos. The ministry is set to receive a major funding boost as the government implements an ambitious plan to build 1 million new homes over the next six years.
Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation Ministry (SICT): funding to increase 72% to 140.79 billion pesos. Among the government’s top infrastructure priorities are new passenger rail projects, highway repairs, water projects and the development of new industrial corridors.
“Non-sectored entities,” including the National Institute for Indigenous Peoples and the Executive Commission for Attention to Victims: funding to increase 21% to 174.62 billion pesos.
State Workers Social Security Institute (ISSSTE): funding to increase 6% to 525.61 billion pesos.
Federal Electricity Commission (FCE): funding to increase 6% to 525.47 billion pesos.
Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS): funding to increase 4.7% to 1.47 trillion pesos.
National Electoral Institute (INE): funding to increase 2.8% to 40.47 billion pesos. The INE will be responsible for organizing Mexico’s first-ever judicial elections in June 2025.
Welfare Ministry: funding to increase 2.3% to 579.88 billion pesos. This ministry is responsible for making payments to old-age pensioners as well as beneficiaries of various government social programs and scholarship schemes.
Public Education Ministry (SEP): funding to increase 1.6% to 450.88 billion pesos.
Funding for the judiciary, federal Congress, the Federal Auditor’s Office and the Federal Attorney General’s Office will also increase in 2025.
Funding for the Agrarian, Land and Urban Development Ministry (Sedatu) will increase 183.3% to 38.04 billion pesos. Sedatu promotes affordable housing and community infrastructure projects throughout the country, many of which have won prestigious architecture awards in recent years. (Sedatu)
Funding for states and municipalities
The Finance Ministry proposed combined funding of 4.89 trillion pesos (US $241 billion) for Mexico’s 32 state governments and thousands of municipal governments.
The figure represents an increase of 7% compared to the funding approved for 2024.
SHCP’s 2025 projections
The Finance Ministry (SHCP) and Finance Minister Ramírez outlined a range of projections on Friday. They include:
Government revenue of just over 8 trillion pesos in 2025, mostly from tax collection. Ramírez said that tax collection would reach 14.6% of Mexico’s GDP.
A budget deficit of 3.9% in 2025, down from an estimated 5.9% shortfall this year.
Tropical depression Sara will bring heavy rain to the southeastern states of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo. (NOAA)
Tropical Storm Sara, which caused widespread flooding in Honduras and Belize over the weekend, weakened to a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday and has dissipated to a low-pressure trough as of Monday afternoon.
The National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported that the storm’s center is currently located 35 kilometers west of Sabancuy, Campeche, and 145 kilometers southwest of the state capital. It is moving northwest at 20 kilometers per hour.
With sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching up to 65 kilometers per hour, the storm’s remnants are expected to bring heavy rains to the southeastern states of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.
Additionally, winds with gusts of 40 to 60 kilometers per hour and waves between one to three meters high are forecast along the coasts of Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.
Due to the effects of Tropical Storm Sara, all ports in Quintana Roo remain closed to small navigation, water tourism activities and sport fishing. Consequently, Governor of Quintana Roo Mara Lezama called on residents to remain alert and updated through the authorities’ official communication channels.
Rain forecast for today
Very heavy rainfall (75 to 150 millimeters): Chiapas.
Intervals of showers (25 to 50 millimeters): Oaxaca, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.
Scattered rainfall (5 to 25 millimeters): Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Guerrero and Tabasco.
Isolated rains (0.1 to 5 millimeters): Coahuila, Chihuahua, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Hidalgo, Puebla, Tamaulipas and Veracruz.
Weather forecast for today
Cold front No. 10 will move over northern Mexico this week, impacting the northeast region before spreading to the rest of the country.
The cold air mass associated with this front may lead to cold and very cold temperatures at daybreak and evenings, with frost likely at dawn in high-altitude areas of the northwest, north, and northeast.
Minimum temperatures are forecasted to range from -10 to -5 degrees Celsius in mountainous regions of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua and Durango. During the day, the northwest and northern regions of Mexico will experience cool to temperate conditions.
The result is identical to last year’s Concacaf quarterfinal when Mexico came home from Honduras with a 2-0 deficit. (Mi Selección MX/X)
Mexico’s “El Tri” men’s soccer team has their backs against the wall after a listless 2-0 loss to Honduras on Friday in the first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series.
Honduras scored two second-half goals and will try to protect the advantage in the second-leg match at the Nemesio Díez Stadium in Toluca, México state, on Tuesday.
¡PESIMA SEGURIDAD Y ORGANIZACIÓN! ❌
Javier Aguirre se llevó un fuerte golpe con una lata de cerveza lanzada desde las gradas lo que provocó que se le abriera la cabeza y terminara sangrando 🇲🇽
In a statement, the Honduras Football Association (FFH) said it “regrets the isolated actions of a small group of fans,” but claimed Aguirre was partly to blame, according to Goal.com.
“[T]he FFH categorically rejects the words, obnoxious gestures and provocative attitudes on the part of the coach of the Mexican national team, who insulted and provoked the Honduran fans from the beginning of the match.”
El Tri’s discombobulated defense failed to stop two goals from Honduras’s Luis Palma. (@FFH_Honduras/X)
On the field in San Pedro Sula, El Tri started slow, before enjoying lengthier possessions. However, the team lacked decisiveness and precision — errant passes and overdribbling were among Mexico’s most common mistakes — failing to effectively probe the Honduras defense.
Mexico was woefully inefficient in its offensive third and rarely carried the ball into Honduras’ box. Indeed, El Tri managed a meager four shots on goal, none of which caused Catracho goalie Edrick Menjivar any worry.
Aguirre’s line-up decisions also raised eyebrows in just his fifth game as coach since taking over for Jaime Lozano, who was fired in July.
The veteran manager — now in his third stint as coach of El Tri — utilized the aging Guillermo Ochoa in goal, moved right-footed center-back César Montes to the left side and inserted Israel Reyes as his partner in place of the injured Johan Vásquez. Aguirre also started Julián Quiñones at right wing whereas the five-time Liga MX champion has typically played on the left side.
Mexico will again face Honduras on Tuesday night at the Nemesio Díez Stadium in Toluca, México state.
Playing out of the back, Montes stubbed his clearance, sending the ball right to Edwin Rodríguez who fired on goal from 22 meters. Ochoa blocked the low shot, but coughed up the rebound, bundling it right to Luis Palma who thumped it past the prone goalie.
In minute 83, Montes unsuccessfully chased a play into the Honduras half and the hosts took advantage of the gaping hole he left in the middle of Mexico’s back line.
The result is identical to last year’s quarterfinal when Mexico came home from Honduras with a 2-0 deficit. In the return match at Estadio Azteca, El Tri forced overtime with a late goal by Edson Álvarez then won the ensuing penalty shootout.
