Thursday, May 1, 2025

What lit up Mexico City’s sky at 4 a.m.? Scientists explain rare bolide event

By
MND Staff
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light in sky
The spectacular pre-dawn event was captured in this screenshot early Wednesday morning. (Screen capture)

Residents of Mexico City and other areas in central Mexico were jolted awake early Wednesday by a loud explosion and a bright flash across the sky.

The event was later confirmed by monitoring services as a bolide — an exceptionally bright meteor that explodes in Earth’s atmosphere.

The phenomenon occurred at approximately 3:49 a.m. local time today, sparking widespread social media buzz but no immediate reports of damage, injuries, debris or impact sites.

The independent seismic monitoring service Sismo Alerta Mexicana detected the explosion’s acoustic wave via seismographs, affirming on social media it originated from a bolide that exploded an estimated 12 to 25 miles above the Earth’s surface.

“Based on reports and our cameras, we confirm that the explosion in Mexico City was a bolide (possibly a meteorite or meteor) that exploded 20-40 km above the ground, creating an acoustic wave,” the group stated on X.

As of midday Wednesday, Mexico’s Civil Protection agency and government agencies had yet to issue official statements.

Though people in Mexico City reported vibrations, Mexico’s National Seismological Service did not record earthquake activity.

The sound, delayed by its travel time from the high-altitude blast, was heard across the city and other regions in the CDMX metropolitan area, including Ecatepec and Cuautitlán Izcalli. 

Video footage shows the bright object streaking across the sky before the explosion, with some witnesses seeing the phenomenon in Querétaro and Pachuca, approximately 185 and 88 kilometers from CDMX, respectively.

Social media reports describe the event as a powerful explosion that caused vibrations, rattled windows and triggered car alarms. 

Videos from security cameras and Webcams de México captured the fireball’s streak, described by at least one witness as a “giant shooting star.”

Daniel Flores, a researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Astronomy Institute, told the media that bolides are space rocks that vaporize due to atmospheric friction, unlike meteorites, which reach Earth’s surface. “These objects heat up intensely, creating light and sound, but most disintegrate harmlessly,” he said.

Experts emphasized that such events are common globally, with an estimated 17,000 bolides entering Earth’s atmosphere annually, though few are noticed.

The incident brings to mind a “supposed” meteorite strike in Tamaulipas in 2020 and a meteor explosion in Russia equivalent to 500 kilotons of TNT that caused widespread damage and injuries in 2013 — focusing attention on the need to monitor near-Earth objects (NEOs) and develop early warning systems.

Mexico happens to be the home of the seventh-largest meteor ever found on Earth, the Bacubirito meteorite, which weighs 20 to 22 tonnes; it’s also the third largest in the Americas and, at 4.25 meters, the longest meteor ever found. Discovered in 1863 by a farmer near the town of Bacubirito, Sinaloa, it is housed at the Sinaloa Science Center. 

Mexico’s fascination with meteors can also be experienced at the Museo del Meteorito, or the Meteorite Museum, which opened in 2022 in Progreso, Yucatán.

With reports from Infobae, Milenio, N+ and Noticias Activas

In the wake of Trump’s tariff chaos, Mexico’s economy needs a rethink: A perspective from our CEO, Part 2

By
Travis Bembenek
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Why is a rethink of the Mexican economy necessary?
Trump's tariffs and accelerating trends in robotics and AI should be a wake-up call for Mexico. This is Part 2: Why is a rethink of the Mexican economy necessary? (Unsplash)

Trump’s tariffs and accelerating trends in robotics and AI should be a wake-up call for Mexico.

Part 1: How did we get here?

Part 2: Why is a rethink of the Mexican economy necessary?

Part 3: What could a rethink of the Mexican economy look like?

The purpose of this three-part series is to reflect on the emerging trends of trade protectionism (tariffs), AI and robotics, consider the potential impacts on Mexico and foster a discussion on possible solutions. Please share your thoughts in the comments section and let’s have an inspiring and engaging discussion and debate.

Part 2: Why is a rethink of the Mexican economy necessary?

Mexico’s economy has become increasingly reliant on the manufacturing sector, and its manufacturing sector is extremely reliant on the United States.

How reliant? Nearly 80% of everything that Mexico makes is exported to the U.S…80%!!! Over 80% of vehicles produced in Mexico go to the U.S….87% of the auto parts….80% of the aerospace products….86% of the electronics.

Now, imagine for a moment that the U.S. can increasingly produce more of its own goods. Imagine that advances in artificial intelligence and robotics make it increasingly possible to produce goods with significantly fewer people.

It might sound improbable given the past 30 years, but what if it isn’t going forward? What would be the impact on Mexico and its workforce? Given this risk, what should Mexico do? What can Mexico do?

Approximately 25% of all formally employed Mexicans, nearly 14 million people, are employed in the manufacturing sector. On average, 50% of the Foreign Direct Investment in Mexico in a given year is in the manufacturing sector. Imagine for a moment the impact on the economy and society if there were even slight changes to those numbers.

So what kind of rethink does Mexico’s economy need?  

In the wake of Trump’s tariff chaos, Mexico’s economy needs a rethink: A perspective from our CEO, Part 1

To begin to answer those questions, let’s first step back and remember the key components of the Mexican economy. I will simplify the analysis to keep it easier to explain.

About 30% of Mexico’s GDP is related to manufacturing and industry. Tourism makes up 9%; remittances 4%; agriculture 3%; oil 2%. The other roughly half of the economy is linked to other components of the Service Sector.

As mentioned previously, nearly 80% of Mexican-manufactured goods are exported to the United States. Tourists from the United States make up over 70% of the international visitors each year to Mexico. Approximately 78% of Mexico’s agricultural exports go to the United States. Nearly all of the remittances come from the United States.

Mexico is the country most dependent on another country in the world. A common expression, attributed to former President Porfirio Díaz, is “Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States.”

Many people I talk to suggest that Mexico needs to begin to try to reduce its dependence on the U.S. They suggest that Mexico should look south to markets in Central and South America. Or develop closer ties to Europe. Or develop a deeper relationship with China. I think that this thinking is flawed for a number of reasons:

  1. No country consumes like the United States. There simply is no one else in the neighborhood of the Americas that buys even close to what the U.S. does.
  2. Many other countries, especially the larger economies of South America and Europe, have a demographic problem.  Their birthrates are declining, their populations are aging.  In short, it will be a long time before they return to being “high consumption” economies that Mexico could sell manufactured goods to.
  3. China has an overproduction problem and trade deficits with nearly everyone. It seems highly unlikely that Mexico would be able to grow its economy by selling to Chinese consumers.  
  4. Protectionism is on the rise. With declining populations, slowing GDP growth, increasing supply chain concerns, and increasing nationalism, I don’t see any other significant opportunity elsewhere for Mexico to sell its manufactured goods.

As a result, I think that Mexico needs to unequivocally accept that its fate is tied to that of the United States, for better or for worse, and for the long term foreseeable future.

The country also needs to recognize that its growth model as a low-cost supplier of manufactured goods to the United States might increasingly be at risk. Even if the “America First” tariff threats quiet down, the rapidly increasing trends of robotics and AI in manufacturing likely mean much less employment in this sector — potentially in just a few years if many experts are to be believed.

Volkswagen factory workers in Puebla, Mexico assembling a white car frame on an assembly line
With declining populations, slowing GDP growth, increasing supply chain concerns, and increasing nationalism, Mexico must start looking to sell its manufactured goods in new markets. (Volkswagen de México)

Mexico must urgently begin to rethink what will be its key economic drivers going forward. This is not in any way to say that manufacturing will no longer be important.

Mexico must continue to move up the value chain in manufacturing to continue to maintain and grow investment and employment in this sector. But it seems increasingly unlikely that manufacturing will be the growth and employment generation engine for the economy that it has been in the past.

The country must start by leveraging the many strengths it has in this increasingly uncertain world. To name a few:

  1. Geographic proximity to the U.S.
  2. Relative low cost of living
  3. Relative low cost of labor
  4. Excellent weather
  5. Service-oriented culture
  6. Deep culinary traditions and history
  7. Deep cultural traditions and history

Taking into account those strengths and others, and with the risk that the manufacturing sector is not the employment and economic engine of the past, Mexico needs to begin to invest in different (non-manufacturing) sectors to further diversify its economy and continue to provide employment and economic growth for its people.    

Each of these areas will require a step change in thinking, focus, and investment from the public and private sectors from what we have historically seen. The evolution to less dependence on manufacturing as an engine of economic growth and employment will take time, and success in each of these areas is far from guaranteed.  But I strongly believe that by proactively redirecting, prioritizing, accelerating and incentivizing investment into the following areas, Mexico can better control its own destiny.

They are as follows: 

  1. Tourism
  2. Health care delivery
  3. Senior care
  4. Housing/living for expats
  5. Food
  6. Wellness
  7. Infrastructure to support all of the above

In Part 3 of this series, I will explore each of these areas, why I think each is important, and how Mexico could thrive in each of them.  The third and final part of the series will be in tomorrow’s MND.

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.

Mexico pushes back on US plans to build border military base: Wednesday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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Sheinbaum on April 16, 2025
"There is collaboration, there is communication, but who operates in Mexico are the institutions of the Mexican state," Sheinbaum said in response to questions about the United States' military plans at Mexico's northern border. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

At her Wednesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that her government is afraid of cartels.

On the day she was named as one of “the 100 most influential people of 2025” by Time magazine, she also spoke about the United States’ security maneuverings both north and south of the Mexico-U.S. border.

Mexico sends diplomatic note to US 

A reporter asked the president about the United States’ reported plan to establish a military base on its southern border with Mexico.

The question came after United States Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum traveled to New Mexico on Tuesday to “announce the emergency withdrawal and transfer” to the U.S. Army “of administrative jurisdiction over approximately 109,651 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border,” according to a Department of the Interior statement.

“… The Department of the Army requested the withdrawal and transfer of these lands on an emergency basis to allow for the increase in regular patrols by federal personnel, construction of infrastructure to prevent unlawful entry, disrupt foreign terrorist threats to the U.S., and to curb illegal cross-border activities, such as unlawful migration, narcotics trafficking, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking,” the statement said.

Citing information from U.S. officials, the Associated Press reported on Monday that “a long sliver of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border that President Donald Trump is turning over to the Department of Defense would be controlled by the Army as part of a base, which could allow troops to detain any trespassers, including migrants.”

Sheinbaum said on Wednesday that her government was speaking to its U.S. counterpart about its plans for the border region.

She told reporters that Mexico has also sent a diplomatic note to the United States, in which she said her government acknowledges that what the U.S. does “in its own territory” is “a decision for them,” but also expresses its expectation that U.S. military actions won’t “cross the border” and that there will continue to be “the same collaboration there has been until now in security matters.”

“… The last order that was set out is that the [U.S.] army can occupy certain federal territories [along the border]. We don’t know whether it is to continue building the wall [or] what the objective would be, but in any case what we always ask for is respect and coordination,” Sheinbaum said.

Sheinbaum: US ‘always looking to intervene more’ in fight against Mexican cartels 

A week after NBC News reported that the Trump administration is considering carrying out drone strikes on cartels in Mexico, a reporter asked the president whether the United States government has presented any “specific” proposal to her to combat the powerful criminal groups.

“They’re always looking to intervene more,” Sheinbaum responded, explaining that the U.S. government has long had a desire to come into Mexico as part of its efforts to combat organized crime.

Whether Mexico authorizes the U.S. to come into the country to combat cartels “depends very much on the president of the republic who is in office,” she said.

“…[Felipe] Calderón allowed the DEA to carry out operations in our country,” Sheinbaum said, adding that such operations were overseen by U.S. authorities rather than the Mexican government.

“We don’t [allow that]. We say there is collaboration, there is communication, but who operates in Mexico are the institutions of the Mexican state,” she said.

“… And until now there has been good acceptance [of that],” Sheinbaum said, telling reporters that the United States hasn’t done anything in Mexico since she took office without first coming to an agreement with her government.

She said earlier this year that surveillance flights by CIA drones over Mexico only occur after the government of Mexico has requested them in order to obtain information to be able to respond to prevailing “security conditions.”

Trump claims Mexico is ‘very afraid’ of its drug cartels in Fox News interview

On Wednesday, Sheinbaum said that United States security agencies “have permits to operate here, but they have rules.”

“In other words, there are agents from United States agencies who are in Mexico, who need permits to be in Mexico, and their way of operating is regulated by the National Security Law and now also by the constitutional reform we did,” she said.

“They have to be in permanent communication with Mexican authorities [and] send reports,” Sheinbaum added.

Sheinbaum staying grounded after appearance on prestigious Time magazine list 

A reporter asked the president about her inclusion on Time magazine’s list of “the 100 most influential people of 2025.”

“There are those who get carried away with these things,” Sheinbaum said before assuring the press corps that isn’t the case with her.

“You always have to keep your feet on the ground,” she said.

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

Mercado Libre to create 10,100 new jobs in Mexico this year

By
MND Staff
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Mercado Libre packages
Founded in Argentina in 1999, Mercado Libre now boasts a gross sales volume of over US $51.5 billion. (Mercado Libre/Facebook)

Latin American e-commerce giant Mercado Libre will create 10,100 jobs in Mexico this year, bringing its total workforce to 35,800 employees, the company’s Chief People Officer Sebastián Fernández Silva announced on Tuesday. 

The news follows a March announcement from Mercado Libre that it plans to invest US $3.4 billion in Mexico this year. 

stockroom woman
Mercado Libre has the ambitious plan of increasing its workforce as it incorporates AI into its operations. (Mercado Libra/Faccebook

“With the goal of continuing to expand our business, this year we will create 28,000 new jobs and invest US $13.2 billion in the (Latin American) region, 36% more than in 2024,” said Fernández. 

This will bring the total number of employees in the region to around 112,000. Most new jobs will be in logistics, with 21,700 new positions, and technology with 3,300 jobs. 

The workforce growth “will allow us to continue expanding our logistics network to make shipments faster and cheaper,” Fernández said. “It also allows us to continue developing what we do with technology and products to continue revolutionizing the way people buy, advertise, sell, pay, finance, and ship throughout the region.”

Mercado Libre claims to be the main source of income for 1.8 million families across Latin America and supports an estimated 234,000 indirect jobs in the countries where it operates. 

The Uruguay-based tech company was founded in Argentina in 1999 and has grown to become a major e-commerce power in Latin America, competing with the likes of Amazon. 

The company operates in 18 countries and posted record revenue and profits last year, with a net turnover of $21 billion and a gross sales volume of over $51.5 billion. It has grown at an annual rate of 30% for more than two decades. 

According to Fernández, Mercado Libre will continue to hire new staff even as it incorporates artificial intelligence and other digital technologies into its operations. He  said that robots are not replacing people but instead are helping to eliminate physically strenuous tasks for employees. 

The company says it is committed to hiring a diverse workforce. Mercado Libre’s workforce is made up of around 46% women, with a 28% female C-suite level. The average age of its employees is 30 years old. 

Almost half of Mercado Libre’s 2025 investments will be spent in Brazil, around $6.2 billion, with the creation of 13,800 new jobs. Brazil is the company’s largest market, contributing about 55% of its revenue. 

In addition, 2,300 jobs will be created in Argentina, 900 in Chile, 800 in Colombia and 60 in Uruguay. 

With reports from Amexi, El Financiero and Forbes México

Sheinbaum earns spot on Time’s list of 100 most influential people

By
MND Staff
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Sheinbaum during her April 15, 2025 press conference
Sheinbaum's inclusion on the list comes four months after Time announced she was among 10 finalists in the running for its 2024 "Person of the Year" designation. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

President Claudia Sheinbaum and Mexican actor Diego Luna are among “the 100 most influential people of 2025,” according to Time magazine.

They join people such as United States President Donald Trump, tennis superstar Serena Williams and tech “titan” Mark Zuckerberg on the prestigious list that Time unveiled on Wednesday.

“She likes to be called Presidenta, with an a at the end. She made history in 2024 by becoming the first woman to lead Mexico,” Mexican journalist Jorge Ramos wrote about Sheinbaum in a brief profile published by Time to accompany its “100 most influential people” list.

Ramos said that “Sheinbaum, 62, a politician and climate scientist, is facing two major challenges: violence fueled by drug traffickers and the expansionist instincts of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has placed tariffs on Mexico citing drugs and immigrant trafficking at the border.”

The award-winning journalist also noted that the Mexican president “has a self-described ‘cool head’ leadership style”, and highlighted that “her approach to cross-border negotiations seems to have won some grudging respect from her American counterpart.”

“… With the slogan ‘It’s time for women,’ she won the presidency, and her party, Morena, controls the Congress and most states. But we have yet to see what la Presidenta will do with that mandate,” wrote Ramos, who appeared on Time’s “100 most influential people” list in 2015.

Sheinbaum is one of 22 “leaders” on Time’s 2025 list. The others include Trump, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Argentine President Javier Milei, journalist Megyn Kelly and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Sheinbaum’s inclusion on the list comes four months after Time announced she was among 10 finalists in the running for its 2024 “Person of the Year” designation. Trump was ultimately given that honor.

Sheinbaum, a former Mexico City mayor who was sworn in as president on Oct. 1, was included in Time’s 2024 list of “the 100 most influential leaders driving business to real climate action.”

From Toluca to Time’s ‘most influential people’ list 

Diego Luna, a 45-year-old native of México state capital Toluca, joins “artists” such as singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, actress Scarlet Johansson and Mexican-American fashion designer Willy Chavarria on Time’s “100 most influential people of 2025” list.

Diego Luna at the premiere of the series Andor, in which he plays spy Cassian Andor during the five years leading up to the story of Star Wars.
Diego Luna at the premiere of the series Andor, in which he plays spy Cassian Andor during the five years leading up to the story of Star Wars. (@starwars/X)

“For endless reasons, Diego Luna is one of the most influential people in my life,” Mexican actor Gael García Bernal wrote about his close friend in a profile for Time.

“I would say that he is on this list for the same reasons. He grew up in the theater world, finding solace and adventure backstage. His mother, an artist and beloved costume designer, and his father, a master of set design, never thought Diego would find his own way and break through ‘the first wall’ (in theatrical terms),” he continued.

“But with his wonderful energy and ridiculously incredible charisma, he knew that onstage he was going to experience a catharsis for the common good. His laughter resonates and expands,” wrote García Bernal, who was one of Time’s “100 most influential people” of 2016.

Luna has appeared in dozens of movies, including Mexican classics such as “Y tu mamá también” (with García Bernal), and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

He is also well-known for playing the role of drug trafficker Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo in the series “Narcos: Mexico.”

AMLO and Salma Hayek among Time’s ‘100 most influential people’ in previous years

Sheinbaum and Luna join a number of Mexicans who have been included on Time’s “100 most influential people” lists.

They include former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who appeared on the list in 2019, and Salma Hayek, a telenovela star turned Hollywood actress and producer, who was one of Time’s “100 most influential people” in 2023.

Among the other Mexicans who have made Time’s annual “100 most influential people” list are:

Mexico News Daily 

Real estate developer Muúk Karant to unveil Mexico’s first museum in a cenote

By
MND Staff
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cenote
One of the Yucatán Peninsula's natural underground pools, or cenotes, will soon offer visitors a museum experience in addition to its breathtaking beauty. (Muúk Karant/Instagram)

Mexican real estate firm Muúk Karant has announced that it is building the first pre-Columbian museum within a cenote, as part of a new residential project in Valladolid with the same name. 

Cenotes are underground natural pools found throughout Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Campeche, the three states that make up the Yucatán Península. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Muuk Karant (@muuk_karant)

According to the real estate firm, the museum will house a private collection of over 300 pre-Columbian artifacts at the heart of a cenote with vaults that reach 15 meters high. The firm has said the museum seeks to preserve and enhance “the culture and ancestral roots” of Mexico. 

Curated in chronological order, the museum will showcase pieces from the region and other parts of Mexico, including wooden carvings used in rituals, ceremonial knives, vases, pre-Columbian musical instruments and jade and obsidian figures.

Images shared by the developer show that access to the museum will be through a spiral staircase that descends into the cenote’s crystal-clear waters. At the top, a grate will allow natural light to filter in.

The residential project of Muúk Karant will feature 604 residential lots over 84 hectares, in addition to four natural cenotes, one of which will house the museum. The development will also feature a boutique hotel, artificial swimming pools, lush greenery, an amphitheater, a sports area, a spa and more.  

“The Muúk Karant residential area was designed to preserve and enhance the cenotes and the extensive vegetation that cover this large development, creating harmony with nature,” the company has said. 

The project, located just a few kilometers from the colonial-era city of Valladolid, is expected to open in 2026. 

Founded over 20 years ago, Muúk Karant develops real estate in Mexico’s southern region. The company is also developing residential projects under the same name in Tulum and Mérida.  

With reports from La Magazine and Certeza Diario

Honda denies plans to shift Mexico, Canada production to US despite tariff rumors

By
MND Staff
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Honda
About two-fifths of the 1.4 million Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. last year were imported from Mexico and Canada. (Shutterstock)

Japanese automaker Honda has pushed back against reports that it is preparing to move all car production from Mexico and Canada to the United States in response to new U.S. tariffs.

On Tuesday, Japanese newspaper Nikkei reported that Honda was considering relocating some vehicle assembly from its plants in Mexico and Canada to the U.S. The move, reportedly aimed at enabling Honda to meet 90% of its U.S. sales with locally produced vehicles, was said to be a response to the 25% tariff on imported vehicles imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration.

Future models of the Honda Civic will be produced in Indiana, not Mexico, according to company sources.
Nikkei’s Tuesday report that Honda was planning to move all production out of Mexico and Canada caused a strong reaction given Honda’s recent announcement that it would produce future models of the Honda Civic in the U.S. (Honda)

Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard responded immediately to the news in a social media post, saying Honda executives in Mexico told him there had been no changes in production plans.

Anita Anand, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, had a similar reaction, writing in a social media post of her own that “Honda has communicated that no such production decisions affecting Canadian operations have been made, and are not being considered at this time.”

Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said he would be talking to Honda later Tuesday to clarify the situation.

By Tuesday evening, both Honda Mexico and Honda Canada communicated to members of the news media that no decisions had been made to alter production at their respective plants. “No production decisions impacting our facilities in Mexico have been made, nor are any under consideration,” Honda Mexico said in a statement. Honda Canada echoed this, stating, “Honda Canada is not contemplating any modifications at this moment.”

Despite the denials, the rumors have unsettled officials in both countries, particularly following Honda’s earlier decision to relocate production of its bestselling model from Mexico to the U.S.

In early March, Reuters reported that Honda had scrapped plans to build its next-generation Civic at its factory in Celaya, Guanajuato. The production had been set to begin in November 2027.

Mexico had reportedly been chosen for the Civic — recently named the 2025 North American Car of the Year — because rising costs were making it tough to produce the car in Indiana and Canada. Instead, Honda is set to produce the car at its Greensburg, Indiana, plant and is expected to begin churning out around 210,000 vehicles each year beginning in March 2028.

Nearly 40% of Honda’s global sales were in the U.S., the company’s biggest market in 2024. About two-fifths of the 1.4 million Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. last year were imported from Mexico and Canada.

With reports from Reforma, Milenio, El Universal and Reuters

Trump claims Mexico is ‘very afraid’ of its drug cartels in Fox News interview

By
MND Staff
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Trump in an interview with Fox News's Rachel Campos-Duffy
Trump made the assertion in an interview with Fox News's Rachel Campos-Duffy. (White House/X)

United States President Donald Trump asserted in an interview broadcast on Tuesday that Mexico is “very afraid” of drug cartels, which he claimed “run large sections” of the country.

He made the assertions in an interview with Fox News after interviewer Rachel Campos-Duffy asked him what his plan is to combat Mexican cartels.

“So we’re working with Mexico,” he said, referring to the Mexican government led by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

“Mexico is, I think, very afraid of the cartels actually. I think the cartels run large sections of Mexico and I don’t want to say that because I’m getting along very well with the president,” Trump said.

Without providing any source for her claim, Campos-Duffy responded that “40% of the land mass in Mexico is controlled by the cartels.”

“Yeah, maybe at least, OK,” Trump said. “You know, at least, it’s hard to believe.”

In an address to the U.S. Congress last month, Trump hyperbolically asserted that cartels have “total control” over Mexico and pose “a grave threat to our national security.”

In his Tuesday interview with Fox, the U.S. president went on to say that he is “dealing very nicely” with Sheinbaum, whom he described as “a very fine woman.”

“…The relationship is very good and we want to help her and we want to help Mexico because you can’t run a country like that, you just can’t,” he said.

“[The cartels] have made a fortune and I will say it’s been cut back, way back, because of the border. The border is very, very secure right now,” Trump said.

Presidential candidate Donald Trump looks through border fencing in El Paso, Texas, during a campaign stop, surrounded by Texas rangers and border patrol agents
In the interview, U.S. President Donald Trump celebrated his “secure” border and expressed interest in helping the Mexican government to act against cartels. (Cuartoscuro)

The interview was broadcast the same day that the United States Department of the Interior announced the transfer of a large swath of land along the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S. army.

“The land will be transferred to the Department of the Army for a period of three years, subject to valid existing rights. This action is intended to safeguard sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region while enabling the Department of the Army to support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border and preventing illegal immigration,” the department said.

Earlier this month, NBC News reported that the Trump administration was considering carrying out drone strikes on cartels in Mexico.

On the first day of his second term, the U.S. president was asked whether he would consider “ordering U.S. special forces into Mexico” to “take out” cartels.

“Could happen, stranger things have happened,” said Trump, who last year indicated he was open to using military “strikes” against Mexican cartels.

Sheinbaum rejects assertion that her government is afraid of cartels 

At her Wednesday morning press conference, Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s claim that her government is “afraid” of cartels.

She said that Trump and other U.S. officials have their own unique “way of communicating” — an expression she has used previously to effectively dismiss incendiary remarks made by the U.S. president.

Sheinbaum said that the federal government’s security cabinet is “acting every day” to combat crime and violence in Mexico.

“… There is a reduction in crime and the reduction will continue,” she said.

Sheinbaum rejected Trump's claim on Wednesday morning, emphasizing her government's work to reduce crime and violence every day.
Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s claim on Wednesday morning, emphasizing her government’s work to reduce crime and violence every day. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

Trump’s cartel control claim

There are various estimates on the percentage of territory that cartels “control” in Mexico, but it is important to stress that they are just that — estimates.

According to a May 2024 estimate from the U.S. military, cartels control around one-third of Mexico’s territory.

In March 2021, the then-commander of the United States Northern Command, General Glen D. VanHerck, said that “transnational criminal organizations” operate “oftentimes in ungoverned areas” that account for “30% to 35% of Mexico.”

Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador rejected that claim, while in an interview with 60 Minutes last year, he said he “can travel throughout the entire country without problem.”

“There is no region that I cannot go and visit,” he said.

In a 2024 article headlined “How much of Mexico is governed by cartels?” Mexico-based British journalist Ioan Grillo wrote that “cartels certainly exert an amount of control in chunks of Mexico.”

“This can be seen in squads of gunmen operating openly, running checkpoints, ordering curfews, dictating what journalists can report, charging quotas on sales of avocados, moving votes for candidates, and controlling (or assassinating) mayors,” he wrote.

“Yet unlike with the Islamic State caliphate, the Mexican government still operates in those turfs. It provides electricity, sends teachers and collects garbage. And the army can still go in (while the cartel gunmen hide) and then leave (and they come out again),” Grillo added.

A summary of security developments since Trump took office  

There have been a number of security-related developments in Mexico and the United States since Trump began his second term on Jan. 20.

Since Trump returned to the White House, Sheinbaum has repeatedly said that her government is willing to collaborate and cooperate with the United States on security issues, while stressing that it will not accept subordination or any violation of Mexico’s sovereignty. The Mexican government provides regular updates on its progress in combating organized crime, during which it has highlighted that arrests, drug seizures and firearms confiscations are on the rise while homicides are declining.

Here is a chronology of some of the key security developments over the past three months. The hyperlinks will take you to previous Mexico News Daily articles.

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

Haute Mexican at home: Make your own Cosme-style duck carnitas

By
Stephen Randall
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0
Duck legs cooked in a cast iron wok, with a taco serving dish and two tacos stuffed with meat and veggies on the side
Duck carnitas became all the rage when Mexico City restauranteur Enrique Olvera opened Cosme in New York City's Flatiron District. Learn how to make this menu item at home. (Victoria Cookware)

Cosme, a restaurant on East 21st Street in New York City’s Flatiron District, opened in 2014. It’s Mexican, yes, but not the kind of Mexican of the Midwest that’s actually Tex-Mex and is smothered in cheddar cheese and sour cream.

It’s the kind of Mexican that wears black and doesn’t explain itself. Which is to say, it’s Mexican food as interpreted by Chef Enrique Olvera — who, at the time, was already famous for a Mexico City restaurant called Pujol, which either stirs up or cures people’s existential dread with their famous 1,000-day-old mole.

Japanese architecture influenced dining room at Pujol restaurant, with a long line of simple wood and thatched chairs in front of individual table in the center of the room and small two person booths of similar architecture along the left side of the room. At the far end of the photo is a floor-to-ceiling bay window with a view of a courtyard filled with lush green vegetation.
Cosme’s co-owner Enrique Olvera is the founder of Pujol, a world-renowned, low-key Mexico City fine dining restaurant in the tony Polanco neighborhood. (Pujol/Instagram)

They served dishes that made food critics write like they’d just discovered adjectives. There was the duck carnitas — which we’ll get to in a minute — and cobia al pastor, and the now-famous corn husk meringue, which is what happens when you turn a tamale into a French dessert and somehow make it taste like nostalgia.

Cosme made it onto The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. It got reviewed, revered, deconstructed, meme-ified. The staff danced in the kitchen. Sometimes with each other. Sometimes with the duck. It was a success, in the way few things are in New York without also being soul-crushing.

Now, about the duck carnitas.

Traditionally, carnitas is made with pork, slow-cooked in fat until the meat gives up, collapses, and becomes sublime. It’s a peasant dish — all time and fire and patience. Cosme swapped the pig for duck. And duck, unlike pork, is not a forgiving animal. It’s gamier, richer, and packed with the kind of dark meat that tastes like it remembers things.

Cooking duck this way — slowly, submerged in its own fat, then shredded and crisped — is an act of culinary judo. You don’t fight the duck. You let it be itself, just more so.

And that’s the genius.

Duck carnitas in a cast iron skillet with two clay sauce dishes with green and red sauces inside on a simple wooden table
Don’t let hundreds of dollars in airfare get in the way of you having this peasant food-meets haute cuisine dish. Learn how to make it below. (Cosme/Instagram)

Cosme didn’t invent duck carnitas. But it introduced it to a city where duck is usually lacquered or stuffed into ravioli, and carnitas are usually US $3 and wrapped in foil. By making this dish with care, with tradition, and then charging $89 for it — they elevated it. Or ruined it. Or both. Capitalism is tricky that way.

But in that moment, duck carnitas became more than food. It became an argument: that the old ways and the new ones could meet somewhere in the middle, preferably over tortillas. If you try to make this recipe, let me know what you think in the comments!

Duck Carnitas (Inspired by Cosme NYC)

Ingredients

Duck:

  • 1 whole duck (about 4–5 lbs), cut into quarters
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Aromatics and Flavorings:

  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
  • 1 large white onion, sliced
  • 2 oranges, halved
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • Optional: 2–3 whole cloves, 1 dried ancho chile (torn), splash of mezcal

Fat:

  • Enough duck fat to cover the duck (or a mix of olive oil and lard as a substitute)
Eden Eats NYC, with chef Daniela Soto-Innes at Cosme (duck carnitas)

Get a closer look at what you’re making here in this video.

 

Instructions

  1. Season the Duck:
     Pat duck pieces dry and season all over with kosher salt and black pepper. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow the skin to dry slightly.
  2. Preheat Oven:
     Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C).
  3. Assemble Ingredients in Pot:
     In a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot, place duck pieces in a single layer. Add garlic, onion, orange halves (squeeze juice into the pot before adding), cinnamon stick, bay leaves, peppercorns, oregano, and any optional aromatics.
  4. Add Fat:
     Pour duck fat (or substitute fat) over the contents until the duck is fully submerged.
  5. Slow Cook:
     Bring the pot to a gentle simmer on the stovetop, then transfer to the oven. Cook uncovered for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the duck is tender and easily pulled apart with a fork.
  6. Shred and Crisp:
     Remove duck from the fat and let cool slightly. Shred the meat into bite-sized chunks. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a small amount of reserved duck fat and crisp the shredded meat until golden and browned in spots.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.

Tourism news in Los Cabos and La Paz

By
Chris Sands
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0
What's been happening in Los Cabos? (Los Cabos Tuna Jackpot/Facebook)

La Paz is seeing robust tourism numbers, with 194% more international arrivals in January 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. Domestic arrivals were also up 9.2%, suggesting a strong year is underway for the capital of Baja California Sur.

After record numbers in recent years, Los Cabos continues to draw plenty of visitors in 2025. However, slight decreases have been noted, with visitors down 1.6% in January compared to the previous year and hotel rates slipping 5% over the 2024 average— albeit still expensive at US $508 per night. 

New flights and spring nreak, both happening now, should boost those numbers.

Volaris announces new flights to Los Cabos from Oakland

A Volaris Airlines plane in flight with a blue sky background
The low-cost carrier’s new San José del Cabo to Oakland flight has no scheduled end date. (Airbus)

Los Cabos’ increased popularity in recent years has been made possible by enhanced connectivity to U.S. markets. Mexican low-cost Volaris is the latest airline to bring tourists to San José del Cabo International Airport with daily flights from Oakland. The new route began on March 20 and will continue indefinitely. Two flights leave Oakland Airport every afternoon and return daily from SJD at 5:09 and 8:30 p.m.

“This new service makes travel to Cabo more convenient and affordable than ever for millions of Bay Area travelers,” confirms Craig Simon, Port of Oakland’s Aviation Director. Flight rates start at US $99 one way.

Notably, California provides more Los Cabos tourists than any other U.S. state. In 2024, 32% of all U.S. visitors to the destination originated in the Golden State. This is reflected in the level of connectivity, with eight airports in the state servicing Los Cabos.

Los Cabos emerges as Mexico’s top spring break destination

Los Cabos nightlife Spring Breakers
Up to 50,000 foreign students are expected to descend on Los Cabos for spring break this year. (Student City)

2025 hasn’t brought a great spring break season for Cancún, which has seen its numbers drop from an all-time high of 120,000 to the 30,000–35,000 projected for this year. This downturn, coinciding with decreased numbers in the other popular Mexican destinations, has allowed Los Cabos to assert itself as the nation’s premier spring break spot.

The numbers back up Los Cabos’ primacy. An estimated 50 to 55,000 students were expected this year, predominantly in Cabo San Lucas. Playa El Médano, the two-mile stretch of golden sand filled with bars and restaurants, is the heart of the spring break action. Thus, it shouldn’t be surprising that visiting students have been clustered in 14 resorts in and around Médano Beach.

Local bars and clubs eagerly awaited spring break, hoping for a boost after the dispiriting 50% decrease in sales in 2024. The early returns are positive, with hotel occupancy trending towards 80% and nightlife sales up by an estimated 80%. The final nightlife boom numbers will be known in the next few weeks, with an expected $40 million economic impact from spring break this year.

Despite the boost, the urban image problems plaguing the CSL nightlife scene aren’t all gone. A hotel survey notes that spring break visitors still find Cabo San Lucas a little dirty and smelly— not the adjectives the tourism industry would hope for.

Why reservations are needed to see Mexico’s most beautiful beach, Playa Balandra in La Paz

The famous mushroom-shaped rock formation at Playa Balandra. (Wikimedia Commons)

It’s perhaps the nation’s most spectacular beach. However, it’s also one of the few tourists have to pay to visit. And like a popular restaurant, you need to make reservations first. 

Playa Balandra has been a Protected Natural Area (ANP) since 2012. As such, a maximum tally of visitors has since been instituted to ensure clean conditions and sustainability. There are now two timeframes to visit the beach, morning and afternoon, each capped at 450 visitors. As of 2025, tourists must make reservations, paying 120 pesos for a digital bracelet through the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (Conanp).

The bracelets should be purchased before arriving at the beach as you can’t buy them there. Locals, meanwhile, are exempted from this policy, provided they have proper ID.

Welcome to virtual reality in Los Cabos

With VR, the Los Cabos experience can start before you ever get there. (Visit Los Cabos)

While prospective travelers are online planning a Balandra visit, they’ll also want to check out the new digital initiatives unveiled by the Los Cabos Tourism Trust (Fiturca), including virtual reality tours of hotels and activities. 

The destination became the first in Mexico to enter the Metaverse, thanks to a collaboration with Duba-based company Nostra. Now, using Oculus VR headsets, potential visitors can experience what it feels like to catch a marlin or play a world-class golf course in Los Cabos before they book a trip. To find out how to access the Los Cabos Metaverse, click here.

This new technology is expected to boost Los Cabos’ profile in countries outside North America — where it is already a popular vacation destination — increasing visits from places like the United Kingdom, Spain and Brazil. 

Fiturca has also partnered with AudioEye to make accessing its new digital features easy for everyone, including those with disabilities. Even without VR headsets, the new Los Cabos 360 tool provides stunning 360-degree views of the top local attractions and offers easy-to-click, AI-enhanced information features.

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.

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