These five Mexico City neighborhoods sound the same – how are they different?

By

-

January 17, 2025

Tlatelolco tower — Tlatelol-what? Tlal-who? Tacu-where? Mexico City place names can all sound the same, so we've created this guide to help you know the difference. (Local MX)

Tacubaya? Tacuba? Tabacalera? What’s the difference, and why are there so many CDMX neighborhoods starting with T? In a city where, at times, everything sounds the same, wouldn’t it be nice to have a go-to guide? Something to ensure that you don’t end up lost in Tacubaya looking for your new Bumble date, when where you’re really supposed to be is 30 minutes away (on a good day) in Tacuba? Or worse…Tlalpan!

Well aren’t you in luck.

Below is a quick run down of the most popular zones in CDMX starting with T and some fun facts to make sense of them all.

Tacubaya

Located in the western part of Mexico City, in the Miguel Hidalgo borough, this picturesque corner of the Mexican capital is a cocktail of history, flavor, and culture. Once an independent city, Tacubaya was swallowed by CDMX’s urban sprawl in the early 20th century.

In 1838, a handful of officers from General Antonio López de Santa Anna’s army decided to throw a party at a local French restaurant in Tacubaya. Revelers overindulged, resulting in 60,000 pesos worth of damage to the establishment. To add insult to injury, the soldiers committed an act of the utmost offence — they devoured nearly all the restaurant’s pastries. The owner was furious. He demanded compensation from the Mexican government, who refused him. He turned to the French ambassador, who initially ignored him. He didn’t give up, however, and gathered local support. After five years of mounting pressure, the ambassador fled to France, soon returning to the shores of Veracruz with ships full of armed soldiers to collect the pending bill. When Mexico still refused to pay their dues, the British stepped in, and the pastry war ended with Mexico handing over a wildly inflated 600,000 pesos.

Today, Tacubaya is a working-class neighborhood surrounded by San Pedro de los Pinos, Escandón, San Miguel Chapultepec, and Observatorio.

Things to see:

Chapel of San Juan Bautista
Casa de la Bola Museum
Cartagena Market
Ermita Building

How I remember it: Tacu-buy a bunch of pastries.

Tlalpan

The southern borough of Tlalpan is one of Mexico City’s biggest. Within its verdant oasis are more than 200 neighborhoods very diverse in personality. Once an independent settlement known as San Agustín de las Cuevas, Tlalpan was absorbed into the growing capital in the early 20th century, much like its northern counterpart, Tacubaya.

Its history stretches back to pre-Columbian times, with its name derived from Nahuatl, meaning “place on solid ground.” The Cuicuilco Pyramid, one of the oldest and most significant ancient structures in Mesoamerica, was partially excavated here in the 1920s after being buried with the eruption of Xitle volcano 1,700 years ago. In fact, much of Tlalpan’s history remains locked under the Pedregal lava fields to this day.

Today, Tlalpan is inhabited by a majority of low-medium and low-income families with smatterings of wealthy enclaves throughout. Locals come here for Six Flags, visitors for the picturesque Centro de Tlalpan and nature lovers for Tlalpan Forest or Fuentes Brotantes National Park.

Things to see:

Tlalpan History Museum
Parish of San Agustín de las Cuevas
Cuicuilco Archaeological Zone
Fuentes Brotantes National Park
La Paz Market

How I remember it: Tlalpan has a P for pyramid.

Tlatelolco

Tlatelolco is a neighborhood in northern Mexico City, bordering Tepito and La Guerrero. It’s dominated by the Plaza de las Tres Culturas archaeological site, where Mexico’s first tianguis once stood.

Founded by a dissident group of Mexica in 1337, Tlatelolco would eventually be conquered by Tenochtitlan in 1473, ending its independence. Nearly 500 years later, a violent clash between the military and student protesters left countless dead in the infamous Tlatelolco massacre. It was also here that the 1985 earthquake caused the devastating collapse of residential highrises, designed by Mexican architect Mario Pani.

Today, Tlatelolco is home to a diverse population, with about 55,000 residents living in the massive Conjunto Urbano Nonoalco Tlatelolco housing complex. Many are working-class families and senior citizens.

Things to see:

Plaza de las Tres Culturas
Tlatelolco Archaeological Site
Conjunto Urbano Nonoalco Tlatelolco
Santiago Tlatelolco Church
Memorial to the 1968 Student Movement

How I remember it: Tlatelol-culturas

Tabacalera

Tabacalera is a neighborhood located in central Mexico City, west of the historic center. It’s bordered by Juárez, San Rafael, and Buenavista. The area is recognizable for its towering centerpiece: the Monument to the Revolution.

Interestingly enough, its most famous event has little to do with Mexican history. July 1955, Fidel Castro and Che Guevara convened in an apartment at 49 José de Emparán Street, a clandestine meeting marking a pivotal moment in Latin American history. This meeting sparked a collaboration that led to the Cuban Revolution.

Today, Tabacalera is experiencing a revival. While some long-time residents remain, the area is attracting young professionals and creatives drawn to its central location and affordable housing.

Things to see:

Monument to the Revolution
Frontón México
National Museum of San Carlos
El Moro Building (Lotería Nacional)

How I remember it: Tabacale-revolución

Tacuba

Tacuba is both a historic neighborhood and the oldest street in the Americas. The neighborhood is located in northwestern Mexico City, part of the Miguel Hidalgo borough, bordering San Rafael and Azcapotzalco.

The zone is one of five original settlements of Miguel Hidalgo, making it one of the oldest and longest inhabited areas of Mexico City. The northern area was known as Tlacopan, while the south was intertwined with the ancient city of Tacubaya. Additionally, Tacuba is famous as the site of the “Noche Triste”, where Hernán Cortés cried under a tree after a brutal defeat by the Mexica in 1520. The tree stump still survives.

Today, Tacuba is a working-class neighborhood clinging to its classic charm amongst a barrage of urban challenges. It’s connected to the historic center by Calzada México-Tacuba.

Things to see

San Gabriel Arcángel Church
Mercado Tacuba
Juárez Garden
Metro Tacuba station

How I remember it: Tacu-bawling his eyes out

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog or follow her on Instagram.

Investigation finds dangerous levels of heavy metals around Monterrey hazardous waste plant

By

MND Staff

-

January 17, 2025

0

A runner jogs on a smoggy day in Monterrey, Nuevo León, with the city skyline behind them. — Residents near the Zinc Nacional plant have complained that the facility pollutes their neighborhoods with dust and smoke, the same kind of emissions that contribute to Monterrey's air quality problems. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

A joint investigation carried out by The Guardian newspaper and investigative reporters from Quinto Elemento Lab has found dangerously high levels of lead, arsenic and cadmium in homes and schools near a Monterrey-area plant that processes hazardous waste from the United States.

The report raises fears of severe health impacts for local residents who have experienced increasing health issues. At the same time, environmental experts have criticized weak Mexican regulations and limited government oversight.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Quinto Elemento Lab (@quintoelementolab)

In 2023, a prominent toxicology researcher at Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) tested the soil and dust in and around the home next door to the Zinc Nacional plant in northern Mexico. The findings were bleak.

Samples taken from window sills “found lead, which is neurotoxic, at levels 60 times higher than the level at which the U.S. says action should be taken to fix the problem to avoid health consequences.”

Inside one home, the study found dust that had “14 times more cadmium than U.S. health risk thresholds and was also very high in arsenic,” according to The Guardian. Both cadmium and arsenic are carcinogens.

Martín Soto Jiménez, the UNAM researcher, was blunt. “We have a toxic cocktail here.”

A hazardous waste barrel with a warning label — Monterrey is a leading destination for U.S. hazardous waste, which is processed in and near the city to recover valuable metals. (Jeremy Brooks/Flickr)

Subsequently, Soto Jiménez tested 18 sites within a 2.5-kilometer (1.5-mile) radius of the plant and concluded that the contaminants came from the plant.

After reviewing the results, an official from Mexico’s Environment Ministry (Semarnat) told the reporters that it would seek an investigation to “learn in depth about the company’s compliance” with regulations.

The process of recovering zinc

Before waste is sent to Mexico, U.S. steel plants vaporize discarded metal junk such as cars and refrigerators to recover the steel.

The contaminants — such as plastic car components, paint and machine parts — are pulverized to dust, known as electric arc furnace dust. The U.S. steel plants ship hundreds of thousands of tons of the dust, which contains zinc as well as hazardous waste including lead and arsenic, abroad, primarily to Canada and Mexico.

A facility owned by Zinc Nacional in the Monterrey area has been processing this waste since the 1990s. The investigation found that Zinc Nacional receives a considerable amount of this dust — nearly 200,000 tons in 2022 alone.

The Zinc Nacional plant uses an electric-arc furnace recycling process to reclaim the zinc which is then “sold for use in products such as fertilizer, animal feed and paint.

On its website, the company says it “[manages] waste responsibly, respecting the environment and contributing to the rational use of natural resources.” The company further claims it transforms “an industrial byproduct into valuable chemicals and finished products.”

The Zinc Nacional hazardous waste processing plant in Monterrey with industrial structure behind a brick wall — The exterior of the Zinc Nacional waste processing plant in Monterrey. (Via Excelsior)

The general director of the facility insists the company follows “the highest standards” and complies with environmental regulations.

However, by examining official company emissions reports, the investigation found that the reclamation process releases lead, cadmium, arsenic and other toxic substances into the atmosphere as a fine dust.

Lead, arsenic and cadmium are linked to cancer, neurological damage and respiratory issues, especially in children.

A moral dilemma

The practice by U.S. companies of exporting hazardous waste to countries with weaker regulations raises ethical and public health concerns about environmental justice and industrial pollution. And exports of such toxic waste have risen 17% since 2018, the investigation found.

According to U.S. laws, companies that produce hazardous waste are legally responsible for it “from cradle to grave.” This means they must manage it safely until it is disposed of, and they are legally responsible for any pollution that results.

But, as the investigation points out, “this responsibility essentially stops at the border.”

Once the waste is exported, the U.S. no longer has the authority to regulate it because treaties put the burden on the receiving countries.

And this is a serious problem in Mexico, where industrial emissions regulations are often lax or out of date.

Further exacerbating the situation, Mexico’s federal environmental protection agency (Profepa) has had its budget cut by almost 50% over the past decade.

This is not good news for residents living near Monterrey, which received nearly half of all hazardous waste the U.S. exported in 2022, including not only steel dust but also hundreds of thousands of tons of lead batteries.

Lead is a highly poisonous metal and studies have shown that small exposures to lead can affect childhood brain development and contribute to preterm births, heart problems and kidney disease.

With reports from The Guardian and Quinto Elemento Lab

Sheinbaum praises Sen. Rubio remarks on Mexico-US coordination: Thursday’s mañanera recapped

By

MND Staff

-

January 16, 2025

15

President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico at her daily press conference, standing at the presidential podium smiling out at reporters. — President Sheinbaum told reporters at her Thursday press conference that Mexico has been saying all along that the best solution to security, migration and other issues affecting both nations is close coordination. (Presidencia)

Before meeting with the nation’s mayors in Mexico City and traveling to the hurricane-battered city of Acapulco, President Claudia Sheinbaum held her penultimate morning press conference of the week at the National Palace.

Among the questions she fielded was one on remarks made by U.S. Senator and future secretary of state Marco Rubio and another on her meeting with Canadian business leaders on Wednesday.

WATCH: Rubio won't rule out military force against Mexican cartels | Trump confirmation hearings

Watch this video on YouTube

Sen. Marco Rubio made the remarks during his Senate confirmation hearing to become the secretary of state under incoming U.S. president Donald Trump.

Sheinbaum will hold her final mañanera of the week in Acapulco, which was devastated by Hurricane Otis in October 2023 and hit hard by Hurricane John last September.

Sheinbaum agrees with Rubio — Mexico and the US should collaborate to combat cartels

A reporter asked Sheinbaum about the Mexico-related remarks made on Wednesday by Senator Marco Rubio — Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state — during his Senate confirmation hearing.

Among the remarks Rubio made were that:

“[Mexican cartels] are sophisticated criminal enterprises; they are terrorizing the United States, but they are sophisticated criminal enterprises.”
“Sadly, they also have operational control over huge swaths of the border regions between Mexico and the United States.”
“[U.S. military force against Mexican cartels] is an option the president has at his disposal. … I think President Trump is someone that never publicly discusses his options and leaves himself the flexibility to act.”
“I think there is a lot we can and will continue to do in close partnership with our allies in Mexico [to combat cartels]. I think there is more they can do as well to confront this challenge.”
“My preference would be, from the Department of State’s perspective, that we can work with Mexicans on this issue cooperatively because it is impacting their nation as much as ours.”
“My hope, in a perfect world, is that we could work in close collaboration with Mexican authorities to take these groups out.”

Rubio initially said that the designation of Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations is “probably” an “imperfect tool” in the fight against transnational crime. However, he subsequently said it “may be the appropriate one.”

President Claudia Sheinbaum making a shrugging gesture with her right hand at the presidential podium while speaking to reporters during a press conference. She is wearing a pink tartan blazer and a white turtleneck. — Sheinbaum also praised Rubio for acknowledging that the designation of cartels as terrorist organizations comes with “complications.” (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

“… It is important for us not just to go after these groups but identify them and call them for what they are and that is terroristic in their nature,” Rubio said.

On Thursday, Sheinbaum said that her administration shares Rubio’s preference for “coordination” between Mexico and the United States on security issues.

“That is what we have been saying. That to attend to migration problems, security problems, drug-trafficking problems, the best thing is coordination at the highest level,” she said.

“Respecting each other’s sovereignty, we can collaborate and coordinate to reduce the crime rate in Mexico, avoid the passing of weapons from the United States to Mexico and at the same time we can contribute in all that is needed to reduce this fentanyl crisis they have in the United States,” Sheinbaum said.

The president described Rubio’s statement on his preference for security collaboration with Mexico as “very good,” and said it was “good news” that when Trump takes office next Monday there will be “space for this high-level coordination that is so important.”

She also said that Rubio acknowledged that the designation of cartels as terrorist organizations comes with “complications” due to the ways in which they operate.

After Trump declared in December that he would designate Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations on his first day in office, Sheinbaum said Mexico would never accept any interventionist actions, such as the use of the U.S. military on Mexican soil.

Canadian companies are ‘eager’ to keep working in Mexico, Sheinbaum says

Sheinbaum noted that she met on Wednesday with representatives of various Canadian companies. Among the companies represented at the meeting were Scotiabank, Linamar, Canadian National Railway Company, Martinrea International, Palliser Furniture, TC Energy, Teck Resources and WestJet Airlines.

“They’re eager to keep working with our country and we explained everything that is needed for investment within the framework we’ve set out,” said Sheinbaum, who presented an ambitious new economic plan earlier this week.

The president said there has to be “certain order in investment” so that it occurs where there are sufficient natural resources. She also said that foreign investment needs to come with the “guarantee” that it will create “well-paid jobs” in Mexico.

On those issues, there was “very good dialogue” with the Canadian business representatives, Sheinbaum said.

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

Ensenada retains rank as top cruise tourism destination in Mexican Pacific

By

MND Staff

-

January 16, 2025

0

A blue and white Carnival cruise ship in the port of Ensenada, Mexico — Many of the major cruise companies make stops in Ensenada due to the city's reputation for vineyards and culinary scene. (Shutterstock)

Ensenada, Baja California is the leading cruise destination on Mexico’s Pacific coast, according to the Cruises in Ensenada 2023-2024 report by Ensenada’s Cruise Committee.

The report by the committee of the Baja California Tourism Ministry revealed that the port city is also the third busiest in Mexico for passenger arrivals.

An aerial view of the port of Ensenada, with a cruise ship at dock — Cruise passengers brought in revenue of US $74.86 million to the city of Ensenada between 2023 and 2024, according to the Tourism Ministry report. (Wikimedia Commons)

“The cruise industry in Ensenada boosts the local economy and reinforces Baja California’s position as an attractive destination for international tourism,” the state’s Tourism Minister Miguel Aguíñiga Rodríguez said in a statement. “We will continue to focus on strengthening our tourism offering and improving the experiences we offer our visitors.”

Ensenada, located in the northern Baja California peninsula, is one of Mexico’s most popular wine destinations. Mainly known for its vineyards and the culinary scene of Valle de Guadalupe, companies like Royal Caribbean, Quantum of the Seas and Emerald Princess, among others, offer cruises with stops in the Californian port city.

The report revealed that between 2023 and 2024, the city received 272 cruises carrying over 900,000 passengers, of which 73% explored the town with an average stay of five hours.

The greatest percentage of these visitors, at 92%, hailed from the United States, followed by travelers from Canada (4%) and the United Kingdom (2%).

Cruise passengers brought in revenue of US $74.86 million, with an average expenditure of US $63.68 per traveler and US $47.84 per crew member. Seventy-three percent of passengers did some shopping in the city during their visit.

Mexico’s legislators have postponed the application of a new US $42-dollar fee for every cruise ship passenger docking at Mexico’s ports, according to the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA).

The fee, which was proposed to come into effect starting in January, will now not be put into effect until July.

The study also identified various opportunities to diversify activities, enhance the variety of attractions, and improve local transportation services. The local government said these areas would be prioritized by the Ensenada Cruise Committee in 2025, through strategic actions that strengthen the local tourism value chain.

The report follows an announcement by Mexico’s lawmakers made early in December, postponing the application of a new US $42 fee for every cruise ship passenger docking at Mexico’s ports. The fee, originally scheduled to go into effect this month, will now be implemented in July.

It is yet to be seen how the new fee will impact cruise tourism in the country.

Mexico News Daily

‘Emilia Pérez’ director apologizes for the musical comedy’s ‘light’ take on Mexico’s missing persons crisis

By

MND Staff

-

January 16, 2025

3

Two photos, one of the poster for the movie Emilia Pérez and the other, a portrait of the film's director — The French filmmaker apologized to anyone who may have taken offense at the musical comedy's take on Mexico's missing persons crisis. (Festival de Cannes and Emily Pérez Film/X)

French filmmaker Jacques Audiard defended and apologized for his film “Emilia Pérez” at its Mexican premiere Wednesday, addressing criticism surrounding its portrayal of drug trafficking and the nation’s crisis of missing persons.

Set to open in Mexican theaters next week, the film — which had 10 nominations and four wins at the Golden Globes Jan. 5 in Los Angeles — has polarized audiences with its narrative and casting choices.

Selena Gomez, Jacques Audiard and Adriana Paz — Actors Adriana Paz and Selena Gomez pose with director Jacques Audiard, after the Golden Globe Awards. (Emilia Pérez Film/X)

At this week’s red-carpet event at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Audiard acknowledged the controversy, emphasizing that his intent was to portray Mexico’s social issues with empathy and caution.

The film, a narco-musical about a cartel leader’s gender transition, has faced backlash, mainly in Mexico, for the way it addresses sensitive topics, including the tens of thousands of forced disappearances in Mexico.

“The drama of the missing is something that shocks me deeply,” Audiard said. “It’s a tragedy that’s largely invisible outside of Mexico, and my goal was to generate dialogue, not offense.”

Despite careful research, Audiard admitted he might have failed to convey the issue sensitively enough. “If you think I approached it too lightly, I apologize,” he said, adding, “Cinema’s purpose isn’t to provide answers but to provoke questions.”

Criticism also stemmed from the film’s predominantly non-Mexican cast, with only one Mexican actress, Adriana Paz, in a leading role.

Audiard said the casting decisions were partly influenced by financial considerations. “The choice of Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña was strategic to secure funding,” he said, while expressing admiration for the vast talent within Mexico.

Saldaña won a Golden Globe earlier this month for best supporting actress, and when the film premiered at Cannes last year, all four leads shared the festival’s best actress award.

Gascón, a Spanish trans actress who plays dual roles as Emilia Pérez and her former identity, a male cartel leader named Manitas del Monte, defended her connection to the story.

Spanish actress Karla Sofía Gascón as the title character of “Emilia Pérez.” (Pathé)

“I feel more Mexican than a cactus,” she said, highlighting the complexity of her character’s transformation from a ruthless criminal to a remorseful figure.

The film’s critical reception has been mixed.

Although it won best film (comedy or musical) and best non-English motion picture at the Golden Globes, Mexican critics have called it out for its superficial treatment of serious issues. Writer Jorge Volpi, for example, criticized the film’s lack of credibility.

Meanwhile, director Guillermo del Toro praised its artistic merits, describing it as “cinema in its purest form.”

Audiard maintained that “Emilia Pérez” reflects an “interpreted reality” of Mexico, likening its operatic style to storytelling that resonates emotionally rather than literally.

He expressed pride in the film’s achievements — including 11 nominations when the British Academy Film and Television Awards (BAFTA) were announced Wednesday and possible Oscar contention when the Academy Awards nominations are announced next week, delayed a week by the Los Angeles fires.

Emilia Pérez Trailer #1 (2024)

Watch this video on YouTube

The controversy extends beyond the screen, with Gascón revealing she has received death threats on social media. Audiard, who avoids social media, expressed dismay at the personal attacks.

“I spent over four years crafting this story about a country I deeply respect,” he said. “I was very careful. I didn’t want to offend Mexicans, to hurt anyone.”

Ultimately, he said, he hopes the film will foster greater awareness of Mexico’s struggles with violence and forced disappearances.

“If this work can spark conversations and questions, it will have achieved something meaningful,” he said.

“Emilia Pérez” already had its Mexican premiere in October at the Morelia International Film Festival.

Now, following its festival circuit success, including a Jury Prize at Cannes, and Nov. 13 Netflix release outside of Mexico, the 132-minute film will open in wide release in Mexico on Thursday, Jan. 23.

Even that is not without controversy. The film has received the “Cinépolis Guarantee,” a seal of approval from the Mexico-based theater chain. This, however, has led to debate, as well, with some criticizing not only the film but also Cinépolis’ decision to endorse it.

With reports from Infobae, El Financiero and EFE

Search for group of at least 8 missing men in Oaxaca continues

By

MND Staff

-

January 16, 2025

0

Soldiers walking through a wooded area — Mexico's military are involved in the search for the missing, several of whom were youths. (Oaxaca Attorney General's Office/Twitter)

The disappearance of at least eight men in Oaxaca is linked to the sale of illicit drugs, state Security Minister Iván García Álvarez said Thursday.

The men, ranging in age from 17 to 44, disappeared earlier this month while traveling in the southern state.

Collage of photos of young Mexican men that went missing in Oaxaca. — The missing men were headed to what Oaxaca Attorney General José Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla called a “work meeting” in the town of Río Grande. He also said the missing were all involved in street-level drug dealing. (X)

Many reports said they were traveling to the Pacific coast town of Puerto Escondido when they disappeared, but Oaxaca Attorney General José Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla said Wednesday that they had been summoned to a “work meeting” in the town of Río Grande, located about 50 kilometers northwest of Puerto Escondido.

Various reports said that a total of 14 people disappeared, but the head of the Oaxaca Search Commission, Michel Julián López, said in a radio interview that only eight people are confirmed as missing. The Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office has said that missing person reports have only been filed for seven men.

García, the Oaxaca security minister, said Thursday that authorities had established that the disappearance of the men is related to “narcomenudeo,” or street-level drug dealing.

“The background is a drug-related issue. I can only say that,” he told reporters.

Rodríguez said Wednesday that six of the missing men had criminal records for crimes that included weapons possession, vehicle theft and making threats. He said that the men knew each other but didn’t all travel together after being called to a “work meeting” in Oaxaca’s coastal region. It was unclear whether they all disappeared at the same time.

Authorities had obtained information that allowed them to identify the alleged perpetrators of the abductions, García said. He mentioned the involvement of organized crime but didn’t identify any particular criminal organization.

Civilians putting up missing persons poster in a Oaxaca town while a Oaxaca state police officer and a Mexican solder stand guard — Putting up missing persons posters for the disappeared. (Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office)

More than 100 people searching for the missing men

The Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office (FGEO) said in a statement on Wednesday that it had expanded search efforts to locate seven people reported as missing in the Central Valleys region of Oaxaca.

Search operations in the Central Valleys and Costa regions of Oaxaca in which over 100 people are participating are underway, the FGEO said.

It said that state and federal personnel, including members of the National Guard, the army and the navy were contributing to the search efforts.

The FGEO said it received reports of the missing people between Jan. 11 and 14. “The families of the victims indicated that they were seen for the last time at different points of the Central Valleys region,” it said.

The case, like others in Mexico, is murky

The disappearance of the young men in Oaxaca is reminiscent of the abduction and presumed murder of 43 young men in Guerrero in 2014. The case involving the 43 Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College students remains murky and unresolved despite former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s pledge to get to the bottom of it and hold those responsible to account.

Regarding the case in Oaxaca, there has been — and there continues to be — uncertainty about how many people are missing and the circumstances of their disappearance.

In a statement on Tuesday, Oaxaca human rights agency DDHPO referred to the disappearance of 14 people in the Costa region of Oaxaca.

The El Universal newspaper reported on Thursday that the families of seven of the missing people have not filed missing persons reports, but have sought help to locate them in social media posts.

Aerial view of a rural community alongside a winding river and surrounding by forest. — The missing men’s destination was Rio Grande, a rural community in southern Oaxaca. (Yo Amo Rio Grande Oaxaca/Facebook)

López, the head of the Oaxaca Search Commission, told El Heraldo radio that three of the missing men had made contact with family members from Río Grande, indicating that they made it to coastal region of Oaxaca. He denied that a total of 14 people were missing.

While many media outlets reported that the men were heading to the beach in Puerto Escondido, including in reports published on Thursday, the state attorney general said Wednesday that “what we know” from “some telephones and chats” to which authorities had access is that “someone had summoned them to a work meeting” in Río Grande.

He didn’t say what kind of work the men did, but the state security minister’s remarks on Thursday indicated that they were involved in criminal activities.

Rodríguez said that authorities were still trying to establish how many vehicles the missing men traveled in. He said that authorities so far had knowledge of one pickup truck and two motorcycles.

Who are the missing men?

Rodríguez said Wednesday that most of the missing men lived in the southern suburbs of Oaxaca city. He said they used to go to bars and nightclubs in the state capital.

Seven of the missing men have been identified. They are:

Luis Alberto Contreras Zúñiga, 44, last seen in a black pick-up truck in the municipality of Santa María Atzompa (near Oaxaca city) on Jan. 7.
Yurem de Jesús Barrios Martínez, 17, last seen in Oaxaca city on Jan. 7.
Omar Edwin García Gutiérrez, 30, last seen in the Central de Abastos market in Oaxaca city on Jan. 6.
Julio Alberto Quiroz González, 18, last seen in San Martín Mexicapam (near Oaxaca city) on Dec. 31.
Yair Morales Matias, 19, last seen in San Martín Mexicapam on Jan. 7.
Hugo Alberto Sierra Basilio, 33, last seen in Oaxaca city on Jan. 7.
Rafael Velasco Hernández, 19.

With reports from El Universal, El Heraldo de México, La Silla Rota, Milenio, El País, Animal Político and Quadratín

Sheinbaum sends security forces to Tabasco to quell uptick in violence

By

MND Staff

-

January 16, 2025

2

A Mexican soldier stands guard with a gun on a highway in Tabasco — A soldier stands guard along the Villahermosa-Teapa highway, where several bodies were found earlier this week. (Luis López/Cuartoscuro)

In response to rising violence in Tabasco, President Claudia Sheinbaum sent 180 soldiers and National Guardsmen to the Gulf Coast state this week.

“We have sent reinforcements from the Defense Ministry (Sedena) and the National Guard,” she said during her Wednesday morning press conference. “We are working with Governor [Javier] May to develop an effective strategy.”

The decision to reinforce the security detail in Tabasco comes as violence spiked in the state to a 10-year high last year, according to El País newspaper. Last October, a new criminal organization identifying itself as the Tabasco New Generation Cartel (CTNG) declared that it would protect residents from corrupt officials.

The rise in violent crime came to a head this week when seven dismembered bodies were found on the Villahermosa-Teapa highway alongside a narcomanta (narco banner) signed by the CTNG. Three other bodies were dumped at a cemetery in Nacajuca, about 30 kilometers north of Villahermosa, the state capital.

Additionally, police officials have increasingly been subject to armed attacks, with one ambush this week resulting in the death of an officer and the wounding of three others.

There was also a viral video in which alleged members of the notorious Jalisco New General Cartel (CJNG) handed out toys and slices of Rosca de Reyes across the state on Jan. 6. ACLED, a group that conducts analysis to describe and explore conflict trends, says the violence in Tabasco is the result of a turf war between the CJNG and local criminal gang “Los Barrenderos,” according to El País.

Tabasco Gov. Javier May speaks into a microphone on a stage — The president said her administration is working with Tabasco Gov. Javier May to establish an effective security strategy in the state. (Javier May7Facebook)

During the first two weeks of the year, Tabasco has been the scene of a massacre (in which seven people were killed and five wounded), the daylight murder of a prominent businessman and the assassination of two policemen, including the former head of the state’s Bureau of Investigation.

The current focus in Tabasco, Sheinbaum said, is addressing the needs of the state’s youth in an effort to prevent them from joining criminal gangs and emphasizing intelligence-gathering so as to identify and arrest top crime bosses.

“We are going to fortify our strategy and you will see the results,” she said, according to El Sol de México newspaper.

Sheinbaum declared on Wednesday that in addition to executing the four pillars of her national security strategy across the country, she is emphasizing “the development of specific strategies for each state while also preparing regional strategies.”

The four pillars of national security as presented on Oct. 8, 2024 are: addressing the root causes; consolidating the National Guard within Sedena; strengthening intelligence and investigative units; and, working hand-in-hand with state authorities.

Governor May thanked Sheinbaum after the arrival of the reinforcements. “[They] will enhance our security efforts … and we will restore peace and tranquility,” he said, according to El País.

Sheinbaum expressed confidence in May, who took office on Oct. 1, 2024. “He is a very good governor, very dedicated. He knows his state very well.”

At the same time, the president said she is not considering sending Security Minister Omar García Harfuch to Tabasco to oversee the implementation of the new strategy. García is presently in Sinaloa in northwestern Mexico, where he has personally taken charge of state security operations after a conflict within the Sinaloa Cartel caused a spike in murders and disappearances.

With reports from El País, El Sol de México and Infobae

Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and US prosecutors in talks about a plea deal

By

MND Staff

-

January 16, 2025

1

Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the alleged cofounder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested in New Mexico in July 2024. (Cuartoscuro)

United States prosecutors said Wednesday that they are in talks with the legal team of alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada over a potential plea deal.

Zambada, who co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and others, was arrested in the United States last July after he was allegedly kidnapped by one of El Chapo’s sons and forced onto a U.S.-bound private plane.

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera and his son, Joaquín Guzmán López — Joaquín Guzmán López, right, the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, left, allegedly lured Zambada onto a private plane in July and flew him to a New Mexico airport, where they were both arrested by U.S. authorities. Guzmán López remains in U.S. custody. (U.S. DEA)

He pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons charges during an appearance in a courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, last September.

In federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday, assistant U.S. attorney Francisco Navarro said that prosecutors and Zambada’s legal team “have been engaged in discussions to resolve the case pre-trial.”

He said that no deal has been reached yet, but prosecutors want to keep trying.

Zambada’s lead lawyer, Frank Perez, declined to comment on the negotiations.

Judge Brian Cogan requested that the two parties keep working toward a plea deal for the alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader, and scheduled an April 22 hearing for an update.

The Associated Press reported that “it’s common for prosecutors and defense lawyers to explore whether they can reach a deal, and the talks don’t necessarily go anywhere.”

A man with short, dark hair posing in a dark blue suit jacket and black polo shirt, smiling for a publicity photo — U.S. federal Judge Brian Cogan has allowed El Mayo to keep his lawyer, Frank Perez, seen here, despite the fact that Perez also represents El Mayo’s son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, who could be called to testify against his father in a trial. (Internet)

El Mayo chooses to stick with his lawyer despite potential conflict of interest

A “frail-looking” Zambada, 76, appeared in court “in a beige smock over an orange T-shirt and reading glasses dangling from the collar,” according to ABC News.

The focus of the hearing was whether the accused drug lord wanted Frank Perez to continue representing him even while representing Zambada’s son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, who could be called to give evidence against his father.

“I understand that upon representing two people in the same case there will be problems,” Zambada said through a court interpreter.

“But I don’t want a different attorney. I want Mr. Perez to represent me even if this presents a conflict,” he said.

Cogan allowed Zambada to retain the services of Perez, noting that the accused has other lawyers who could stand in for Perez in any aspects of the case related to their client’s son.

Zambada Niebla, 49, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges in the United States in late 2018. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail, but has already been released, prosecutors said.

During the 2018-19 trial of “El Chapo” Guzmán, Zambada Niebla testified that his father was a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and provided details on the inner workings of the notorious criminal organization.

Reuters reported that “prosecutors with the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s office said in a Dec. 18 filing that they expected to include Zambada Niebla on their list of potential witnesses” in a trial involving Zambada, “but they could not estimate how likely it was that he would actually be called to testify.”

The Associated Press reported that Perez would be “hindered in cross-examining the son” if he testifies in his father’s case “because of the loyalty he owes both clients.”

Vicente Zambada Niebla, son of Sinaloa Cartel cofounder Ismael Zambada. He is staring upward at the camera in front of a wall covered with logos of Mexican federal police and the attorney general's office. He is wearing a vertical striped Oxford shirt under a dark blue blazer while a federal police officer with his face covered by a black balaclava looks on from behind him. — El Mayo’s son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, after his arrest in Mexico City on drug trafficking charges in 2009. (Luz Acevedo/Cuartoscuro)

Zambada would be eligible for the death penalty if convicted on the charges he faces, but a plea deal — if reached — would presumably eliminate that possibility.

Before he was taken into custody, El Mayo avoided arrest for decades, maintaining a low profile as he hid out in the Sinaloa mountains. His arrest at the Doña Ana County International Jetport in New Mexico came after Joaquín Guzmán López, a leader of the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, apparently lured him to a meeting in Culiacán.

Zambada said he was subsequently kidnapped and forced onto a plane that took him to the United States. Guzmán López accompanied Zambada on the flight and was also arrested. He pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges during a hearing in Chicago last July.

The arrest of Zambada after his alleged kidnapping triggered a major escalation in a long-running dispute between the “Los Mayos” and “Los Chapitos” factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. The feud has claimed hundreds of lives in recent months.

With reports from AP, ABC News and Reuters

Monterrey to receive US $100M in new hotel investment

By

MND Staff

-

January 16, 2025

0

Sunset over the skyline of Monterrey, Nuevo León — The Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo passenger train line will give residents of Monterrey a direct land route to the U.S. border. (Shutterstock)

Thirteen new hotels will open in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, in 2025 and 2026, the president of a local hotel association said Tuesday.

Jesús Nader Marcos, president of the Mexican Association of Hotels of Nuevo León (AMHNL), told a press conference that large hotel companies are investing approximately US $100 million in the new hotels.

He said that a total of 1,322 new hotel rooms will be added to the accommodation offerings in Monterrey, which will host matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and nearby municipalities.

Among the hotels set to open this year is the Presidente Intercontinental in San Pedro Garza García, an affluent municipality located immediately west of Monterrey.

Nader said that the 293-room hotel will open this month.

The hotel association chief said that the 168-room MS Milenium San Jerónimo hotel, the 140-room Hampton Inn Tecnológico hotel and the 163-room Holiday Inn Santa Catarina hotel are expected to open in the coming months.

A rendering of the Presidente Intercontinental, a new hotel set to open near Monterrey in 2025 — The Presidente Intercontinental in San Pedro Garza García is one of the hotels set to open this year in the region. (Presidente Intercontinental Monterrey)

Santa Catarina is the municipality where Tesla announced it would build a new gigafactory.

However, the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, said last July that the multi-billion-dollar project was “paused.”

Still, Nader said that hotels were being built in Santa Catarina, located west of Monterrey, and Escobedo, a municipality to the north of the Nuevo León capital, because the presence of industry is expected to grow in those parts of the metropolitan area.

“Due to nearshoring the northern part of the metropolitan area is being spoken about a lot. … [In] Escobedo there are two hotels under construction and a third hotel in the area is being spoken about,” the AMHNL president said.

“It’s not yet confirmed but there are investors interested,” he said.

Among the other hotels set to open in the Monterrey metropolitan area in 2025 and 2026 are the TRU Apodaca hotel, the Hampton Homewood Suite Santa Catarina and the Kimpton hotel in Monterrey. The Kimpton will be located within the Torre Rise skyscraper, which is currently being built and, once completed, will be the tallest building in Latin America.

With reports from El Economista

The best co-working spaces in Mexico City

By

Andrea Fischer

-

January 16, 2025

0

Women typing at shared desk in a co-working space — Away from the dreaded corpo life, these local co-working spaces in Mexico City have the best amenities for remote workers — and amazing specialty coffee, too! (CoWomen/Pexels)

It happened to me when I worked as a full-time editor: I got fed up with being stuck in my living room. I tried all sorts of things, or at least, as many as the COVID-19 pandemic allowed me to. I bought a new, apparently specialized chair for writers, adapted my desk to fit my height and even tried buying an insane amount of scented candles. None of these did the trick.

Bird's eye view of woman using laptop at desk in a co-working space — (Vlanda Karpovich/Pexels)

With the restrictions the Mexico City government imposed, we had little to do space-wise as work-from-home professionals. When the Sana Distancia (Healthy Distance) policy loosened up, however, everyone seemed to have forgotten their love-hate relationship with the capital: we wanted to go outside and see the world again. Along with a terrible toll of 3.4 million victims worldwide, the global pandemic took away these cute, little me-moments outside our homes that most of us enjoyed dearly.

After almost two years of pandemic lockdown, I restarted my weekly walks around the neighborhoods I used to love the most. I found that nothing had changed much, but some new businesses flourished with the demands of the “new normal.” as authorities called the new way of life post-COVID-19. This was when I found some nice spots to write, edit and take my everyday meetings with heartwarming matcha lattes.

Roughly four years later, the pandemic feels like a long-gone, sci-fi nightmare. Paradoxically enough, some workers decided not to return to the office after a long break from regular godínez life. Enter co-working spaces: the last bastion of those turbulent times which still allow us to have decent places to work away from corpo life and our living rooms. Here’s my digest of aesthetic and budget-friendly coworking spaces for home-officers to enjoy in Mexico City.

Chez Vous Time Café

In French, ‘chez-vous’ means “at your house.” When you’re visiting a friend, you usually say “Nous irons chez Martine”, which translates to “We’re going to Martine’s.” That is exactly the idea behind Chez Vous Time Café: to feel at home, with the comfort of business amenities for remote workers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carla Estrada (@carlaentuvida)

This local business won the Mexican edition of “Shark Tank” in 2020 — ironically enough, the year the pandemic started — with a brilliant idea: users don’t pay for coffee, tea or internet use, but for the time they spend at the cafe. Having an important meeting or hosting an arts and crafts workshop? This is the spot for you: you pay by the hour, day or month, depending on your specific needs. Mariana Carrillo, Chez Vous’ founder and CEO, explains that users “don’t necessarily need to pay for a membership: you only pay for the time you work.”

Meeting rooms, shared tables and a seat at the coffee bar are the main formats available for customers. Rates vary, of course, depending on the amenities you’re using. Currently, Chez Vous has 6 locations, distributed around Polanco, Coyoacán, Del Valle and La Juárez. If you happen to be around any of them, you can check in without a previous reservation, with a starting rate of 90 pesos per hour.

Blend Station

“Pasión por el café” — a passion for coffee — is this co-working space’s motto. With two shops in Condesa, one in La Roma and one in Polanco, Blend Station has become a classic for remote workers in Mexico City. In addition to shared and individual tables, this local business stands out for its washed or aged coffees with some liquor, which you can order depending on how long your meeting of the day will be. If you’re brave enough, or if your palate allows you to, you can have a nice cup of aged beans with bourbon and imagine you’re Hemingway writing his next short story.

Every Blend Station location has stylish couches for tackling your daily tasks, with cute little neon lights that cast a gentle glow over your computer screen. The brand’s minimalistic aesthetic could easily be the mash-up of an Amsterdam thrift shop with a New York specialty coffee bar, with an undeniable Mexican taste: tons of natural light, wooden details and, of course, vintage-looking contraptions that exude the beans’ aroma.

In addition to trying their blends, I strongly suggest trying Blend Station’s avocado toast and poached eggs for breakfast, with a flat white to feel the caffeine rush. A piece of ‘pan dulce’ works wonders, too, if you’re willing to take the entire experience in.

HAAB Project

Work, play, grow: these are HAAB Project’s pillars for building a community. This co-working space in Condesa stands out from others in the area for the multiplicity of activities it hosts. A concierge is always available for users to solve internet issues, booking problems and other access-related queries. From early morning yoga lessons to cacao ceremonies, remote workers can really merge into the community.

With nine different meeting rooms available, HAAB shares Chez Vous’ rent-by-the-hour scheme. You can book your room beforehand online, or simply go grab some coffee in its gorgeous lobby. Craving an acai bowl? This is the spot for you. For those who need a fixed place to work, there are several packages to fit their needs — if you book any of these, you get access to special discounts in the cafeteria and special events.

Why not other, bigger co-working spaces?

I worked as an intern at WeWork a couple of years ago. At the time, I marveled at the real possibility of a global community coming together to work in shared spaces. After the pandemic started, however, as a remote worker myself, I longed for businesses with a local feel, that remained budget-friendly and, if possible, had extraordinary coffee. You can find all of these in Mexico City, nestled in well-located areas that feel like home.

Big co-working companies might give larger businesses the visibility they need, with corporate amenities designed for their needs. As remote workers, however, do we really need any of that? I would rather support co-working spaces owned by local entrepreneurs — and, yes, continue to sip on heartwarming matcha lattes in the process.

Andrea Fischer is an editor at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.