Mexican musician Natanel Cano will receive protection from the state of Sonora after a cartel issued a threat against him and a number of other social media personalities, alleging them of working with rival gangs. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican singer Natanael Cano has been placed under government protection following threats allegedly made by the Los Mata Salas criminal group.
The threats were displayed on a narcomanta (narco banner) hung outside a high school in the northern Mexico city of Hermosillo, Sonora during the early hours of Jan. 5. The banner accused Cano and fellow regional Mexican artists Tito Torbellino Jr. and Javier Rosas of supporting the rival Los Salazar group.
Los Matasalas, célula de Los Chapitos amenazaron con ej3cutar a los cantantes Natanael Cano y Javier Rosas por apoyar a Los Salazar en Sonora.
A #NatanaelCano no le importa esto y se burla del nærco en sus historias de Instagram. 😱@NatanaelCan0
The banner warned the artist and other influencers from Hermosillo and the Sonora cities of Guaymas, Ciudad Obregón and Navojoa, that they would be targeted if they did not cease alleged financial and operational support for Los Salazar.
“Dedicate yourselves to what you do, which is the profession of musicians,” the message read. “This is not about making corridos, it is about collaborating financially and any illegal action. If you do not heed this warning, you will be shot.”
Cano performs ballads called narcocorridos that explore the cartel lifestyle and themes of drugs and violence.
State prosecutor Gustavo Rómulo Salas Chávez confirmed that protective measures have been granted to those named. “We will monitor their safety with the support of public security institutions to prevent any attacks,” Salas said.
President Claudia Sheinbaum recently went on the offensive against corridos tumbados and narcocorridos for glorifying the exploits of cartels, outlaws and criminal kingpins and for forgiving violence against women.
Saying such music is bad for Mexico, the president suggested a national contest in which corrido artists begin writing and performing “corridos” that promote values and culture. “They exalt ways of life linked to crime and cartels as if it were a life option — when they’re really a death option,” Sheinbaum said.
Cano, a 23-year-old native of Hermosillo, addressed the narcomanta (narco banner) threats against him in a now-deleted Instagram post. Sharing a photo of two blankets (mantas), he titled his post “The only blankets that worry me right now” and used a laugh emoji. “And if they will keep me warm,” he added.
His defiant tone divided public opinion, with some applauding his irreverence and others criticizing him for downplaying the seriousness of the situation.
Fellow corridor star Peso Pluma has also been threatened by cartels. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)
While this is the first time Cano has been directly threatened by organized crime, narcoculture artists have faced similar incidents in the past. In 2023, Peso Pluma canceled several concerts after death threats, including one written on a narco banner in Tijuana that used the signature “CJNG,” a reference to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
The newspaper El País reported that Los Mata Salas — the criminal group that allegedly threatened Cano — has had violent confrontations with Los Salazar in recent years over drug trafficking and territorial control. Reportedly, each group used to work under the Sinaloa Cartel but are now loyal to offshoot groups.
Their rivalry has fueled Sonora’s status as a flashpoint in Mexico’s cartel wars; the state is just north of violence-plagued Culiacán, Sinaloa.
Despite the threats to the musicians, officials emphasized that the investigation does not aim to restrict artistic freedom. “We are committed to protecting their safety while respecting their freedom of expression,” Salas stated.
After four years, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) has agreed to pay Goldman Sachs for part of an unexpectedly pricey natural gas deal. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s state electric utility (CFE) has agreed to pay US $300 million to a Goldman Sachs entity to settle a dispute over a debt triggered by a spike in gas prices after a freak winter storm in 2021.
The agreement “significantly reduced the economic and operational scope of the dispute,” according to the news agency Bloomberg News, ending the case before the London Court of International Arbitration.
Natural gas prices spiked during the Great Texas Freeze of 2021, leaving Mexico’s electricity commission (CFE) holding the short end of the stick. (NOAA)
Goldman had argued that CFE owed roughly US $400 million, but the electric utility agreed to acknowledge a reduced portion of that bill, in a deal that hands a big win to the Wall Street powerhouse’s trading desk. The deal could leave Mexican households footing the bill, if the electrical utility passes the cost on to its customers.
The harsh weather forced Texas to cut off fuel exports to Mexico, which relies heavily on natural gas imports to feed its power plants.
Power suppliers and traders struggled to find fuel to meet delivery obligations and prices skyrocketed. As Mexican households faced power outages, the CFE had no choice but to deal with the dramatic price hikes during the freeze, as prices reached almost 100 times the usual daily rate.
Goldman Sachs was the intermediary in a natural gas deal with a CFE subsidiary, in which Goldman and CFE’s respective payments were tied to different natural gas price indexes — landing Goldman a windfall when a winter storm caused some local gas prices to surge.(Shutterstock)
The case hinged on a contract between CFE and Goldman International that dates back to August 2017, Bloomberg reported.
As part of the arrangement with CFE’s U.S.-based unit, Goldman’s obligations were tied to a monthly index of gas prices (which was largely unchanged during the freeze), while CFE was exposed to daily rates at certain hubs, one of which saw extreme price surges.
On the hook for an unusually large debt, CFE argued that it shouldn’t have to fulfill the contract because of the unforeseeable, extreme price action, Bloomberg reported. CFE also claimed the traders who initiated the deal through CFE’s subsidiary were not authorized to do so.
Scrambling to avoid the unexpectedly hefty payment, CFE fired its own staff and accused Goldman of lacking financial sophistication because it signed the contract with a U.S.-based subsidiary rather than CFE itself.
Bloomberg reported that Goldman’s senior-most executives sought to force through a resolution. The spat also attracted the attention of then-Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, a strong supporter of the CFE.
Back in 2021, Bloomberg News speculated that since Goldman’s interests in Mexico were expanding, it might be unwilling to push the dispute too far. On the other hand, if CFE refused to pay, it said, the utility risked becoming persona non grata on Wall Street, a position that would severely complicate its future business possibilities.
After three years of legal disputes and arbitration in London, Goldman agreed to accept the reduced payment this week.
Alcohol, dolls and nunneries make for great afternoon activities in the capital. (Viator)
Mexico City is known across the globe for an unbelievable collection of museums. According to Estrella Roja, there are at least 170 museums that showcase a variety of collections. From fine art to pulque and vintage dolls to 500-year old mummies, the glittering Mexican capital has no shortage of quirky ways to kill time. If you’ve already run through our list of five off-the-beaten path museums, here are ten more to pop into when you’ve got a free afternoon.
Museo del Pulque
(Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México)
Love it or hate it, the slimy libation is an integral part of Mexico’s drinking culture. Pulque is so unique to Mexico that it even has its own goddess, Mayahuel. Pulque held great significance in the ancient cultures of central Mexico: was used in religious ceremonies and as a sacred elixir, and its consumption was strictly regulated. The Pulque Museum holds tools, artifacts and historical information about its production and origins. The best part is undoubtedly the on-site pulquería (pulque bar) where visitors can taste various flavors, such as peanut or strawberry.
Avenida Hidalgo 107-109, Centro Histórico, Cuauhtémoc Open Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Museo de las Mil Muñecas
(Casa de las Mil Muñecas)
Stepping into this baby pink, multilevel renovated 1919 mansion is a flashback to your crazy Aunt Jo’s living room, stuffed with her somewhat-creepy collection of dusty antique dolls. Only here, there are over 1,000 of them, freshly dusted and hailing from various time periods and geographical origins. Permanent exhibits include Mexican dolls, miniatures, elves and fairies, as well as one floor dedicated to the history of dolls all over the world. Discuss your favorites over a coffee and pan dulce at the onsite restaurant.
Avenida Chapultepec 420, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Casa Rivas Mercado
(Gobierno de la Ciudad de México)
A visit to this eclectic architectural gem would be best preceded by reading “In the Shadow of the Angel” by Kathryn S. Blair, wife of the grandson of Antonio Rivas Mercado. Rivas Mercado was Mexico’s foremost architect in the early 20th century, designing landmarks including the Angel of Independence on Paseo de la Reforma and the portico of the Teatro Juárez in Guanajuato city. The Colonia Guerrero residence where he once lived boasts an intriguing blend of styles, from classical Doric columns to Moorish-inspired tiles and Art Nouveau flourishes. Inside are more than 50,000 encaustic mosaic tiles imported from England and a swoon worthy rooftop terrace.
Calle Héroes 45, Guerrero, Cuauhtémoc Open Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. (guided tours)
Museo Casa León Trotsky
(UNAM)
If you share as a near-obsessive interest in the Russian Revolution as I do, you’re obligated to visit the fortified compound that served as the final residence of Leon Trotsky. The museum is centered around the Coyoacán house Trotsky spent the last year of his life and in which he was killed and offers a poignant glimpse into the life of this controversial historical figure. Surrounded by raised walls and watchtowers, it is preserved as it was on his fateful last day. His study still bears the bullet holes from a failed assassination attempt. Don’t miss the garden that houses the ashes of Trotsky and his wife.
Avenida Río Churubusco 410, Del Carmen, Coyoacán Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Museo Guillermo Tovar de Teresa
(Gobierno de México)
Looking for a mid-afternoon escape from your mounting emails? Pop into this free museum for a spin around the home of Guillermo Tovar de Teresa, the renowned Mexican historian and art collector who passed away in 2013. Inside this elegant Porfirian mansion you’ll find an extensive collection of exquisite Mexican and European art, including paintings, sculptures, antique furniture and rare books. Visitors can explore various rooms, such as the Red and Blue Salons, a lush and romantic Victorian garden and a dreamy library housing 20,000 volumes. The museum offers a glimpse into Mexico’s artistic heritage, particularly from the Viceregal period and 19th century, all within a beautifully preserved early 20th-century setting.
Calle Valladolid 52, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc Open daily, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Museo Nacional de San Carlos
(Gobierno de la Ciudad de México)
Previously the palace of the Count of Buenavista, the neoclassical masterpiece was designed by renowned 18th-century architect Manuel Tolsá and now houses one of Latin America’s most important collections of European art. Peruse artistic treasures dating back to the 14th century, including works by Rubens, Zurbarán, Tintoretto and Goya. After exploring the six galleries, take a moment to reflect in the adjacent Parque Tabacalera, the palace gardens.
Puente de Alvarado 50, Tabacalera, Cuauhtémoc Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Museo de El Carmen
(Gobierno de la Ciudad de México)
You simply cannot go to San Ángel and forgo a visit to this museum, the 17th century home of the Discalced Carmelites where art, history and spirituality converge. Built between 1615 and 1617, the austere complex holds “The Silence of the Carmelites” collection, showcasing works by masters like Cristóbal de Villalpando and Juan Correa. The real draw here, however, is the meticulously decorated crypt, where you’ll come face to face with the mummified remains of 19th-century nuns and monks. The adjacent temple is still open for worship and features a beautiful image of Saint Anne. Avenida Revolución 4, San Ángel, Álvaro Obregón Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Museo Casa Presidencial Lázaro Cárdenas
(Gobierno de la Ciudad de México)
Smack in the center of Chapultepec Park is the beautiful home where President Lázaro Cárdenas lived during his 1934-1940 administration. Inaugurated on October 19, 2020, this free museum offers a unique glimpse into a pivotal era of Mexican politics and culture. Leisurely explore its 14 rooms showcasing 20 original furniture pieces and artworks, 267 photographs and 14 films. Marvel at, but don’t sit in, the museum’s centerpiece: the president’s walnut chair. After your visit, stroll through Los Pinos, where fountains, statues and pathways abound.
Complejo Cultural Los Pinos, San Miguel Chapultepec, Miguel Hidalgo Open Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Museo de la Medicina Mexicana
(Gobierno de la Ciudad de México)
For something totally different, embark on a captivating journey through Mexico’s medical history. This opulent 18th-century palace in the Historic Center, once the Palace of the Inquisition, features over 6,500 objects dating from pre-Columbian times to the present. Highlights include ancient herbal remedies, anatomical wax models and a unique embryology room showcasing real human embryos and fetuses at various stages of development. Don’t miss the facsimile of the De la Cruz-Badiano Codex, an illustrated manuscript of Mexica medicinal plants and the oldest medical text from the Americas.
Brasil 33, Centro Histórico, Cuauhtémoc Open Monday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Museo Nacional del Café
(Museo Nacional del Café México Oficial/Instagram)
While not an officially-recognized museum, this quirky, one-room coffee shop that bills itself as the Museum of Coffee offers a tasty, aromatic journey through Mexico’s rich coffee heritage. Find more than 80 types of coffee and coffee recipes amongst a collection of antique and modern coffee-making tools before enjoying a freshly brewed cup of locally sourced coffee at the small bar.
Calle Ernesto Pugibet 21, Centro Histórico, Cuauhtémoc
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.
Sheinbaum's security heads presented Thursday a wide range of data reflecting the government's ongoing commitment to improving security in Mexico. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s security situation was a key focus of Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference on her 100th day as president.
Federal security officials presented a wide range of data, before the president underscored the government’s ongoing commitment to fighting crime and reducing insecurity.
Among many other security details, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch shared that since Sheinbaum took office, 7,720 people in Mexico had been arrested for high-impact crimes, including homicide, rape, kidnapping and extortion. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum also expressed Mexico’s “solidarity” with Mexicans and “all residents” of areas of Los Angeles affected by wildfires, and acknowledged that a recent poll found she has a very high approval rating 100 days into her six-year presidency.
Homicide rate in December was the lowest of 2024
Among the statistics presented by Marcela Figueroa Franco, head of the National Public Security System, were the following:
There was an average of 82.1 homicide victims per day in 2024, an 18.3% reduction compared to 2018.
There was an average of 72.8 homicide victims per day in December, the lowest rate of any month in 2024. The rate — which could be revised upward — represented a 16.3% decline compared to September, the final month of Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s presidency.
There were 30,057 homicides across Mexico in 2024.
Almost half of those homicides (49.4%) occurred in just seven states: Guanajuato, Baja California, México state, Chihuahua, Jalisco, Guerrero and Nuevo León.
There were 1.84 femicides per day in December (a total of 57), a 26.5% reduction compared to September.
There were 25.42 reported acts of extortion per day in December (a total of 788), a decline of 10.6% compared to September.
Over 7,000 arrests for ‘high impact crimes’ since Sheinbaum took office
After Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez outlined a range of ways in which the federal government is addressing the root causes of crime, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch provided an update on the positive results the national security strategy has achieved since Sheinbaum was sworn in as president.
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez outlined a range of ways in which the federal government is addressing the root causes of crime. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
Among the results García highlighted were:
The arrest of 7,720 people for “high impact crimes,” including homicide, kidnapping, extortion and rape.
The seizure of more than 66 tonnes of illicit drugs, including a large quantity of fentanyl.
The confiscation of more than 3,600 firearms.
García said that “more than 60 million doses” of drugs “won’t reach the streets” as a result of the drug seizures and therefore “won’t be able to destroy the lives of families and young people.”
The security minister also highlighted that 43 “priority targets” have been arrested in Sinaloa, where Sinaloa Cartel infighting has claimed the lives of hundreds of people in recent months. An additional 558 alleged cartel members have been detained in the state during the current government, García said.
“In Sinaloa, a very significant effort has been made to reduce violence,” he said.
“… In Culiacán, specifically, the reduction in the crime of homicide from October to December was 35%,” García said.
Sheinbaum reveals the recipe for a high approval rating
“Firstly, I want to thank the people of Mexico for this recognition,” Sheinbaum said. “Before anything else, one has to be grateful.”
Sheinbaum subsequently said that the keys to maintaining a high approval rating were to:
“Be close to the people.”
“Not betray” one’s principles.
Keep one’s promises,
“Work body and soul for the people of Mexico.”
Sheinbaum later said that she was less interested in her “individual approval” rating than “recognition of the project we represent” as a government — i.e. the so-called “fourth transformation” of Mexico initiated by former president López Obrador when he took office in late 2018.
Banner in Mexico City’s Miguel Hidalgo borough inviting the public to the capital’s Zócalo main square this Sunday, where President Sheinbaum will give a report on her first 100 days in Mexico’s highest political office. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
So, why is she such a popular leader? What has she achieved in her first 100 days in office? What challenges has she faced since assuming Mexico’s top political job on Oct. 1, 2024? How has she emulated, and differentiated herself from, former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador?
Let’s take a look at the first three months and nine days of the Sheinbaum era in Mexican politics.
(The president will offer her own assessment of her first 100 days in office in an address in Mexico City’s central square, the Zócalo, this Sunday.)
Popular welfare programs continue — and new ones are added
There is no doubt that Sheinbaum’s popularity, and that of her predecessor, is linked to the support the federal government has provided to Mexico’s most disadvantaged citizens over the past six years.
Mexico’s latest social welfare program, the Women’s Well-Being pension — which gives a pension to women at age 60, whether or not they worked outside the home — rolled out this month, an indication that Sheinbaum is continuing the antipoverty strategies of her predecessor. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
AMLO’s administration created two new employment programs, the Youths Building the Future apprenticeship scheme and the Sowing Life reforestation program, and increased pension payments for senior citizens, among many other welfare initiatives.
The payment for women in their early 60s — those aged 63 and 64 are eligible this year — is in keeping with Sheinbaum’s pledge to prioritize the well-being of all Mexican women during her six-year term in government.
‘It’s time for women’
Sheinbaum’s focus on women’s well-being and rights is another factor that has contributed to her high levels of popularity during her first 100 days as president. “It’s time for women” is a frequent refrain of the 62-year-old former Mexico City mayor.
Sheinbaum is well aware that there is still a lot of work to be done to improve the lives of women in Mexico, where machismo and violence against women are prevalent.
On International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in late November, the president said her administration was committed to “eradicating” violence against women.
The emblem Sheinbaum chose to represent her presidency is that of a young Mexican Indigenous woman — a way of emphasizing her administration’s plan to prioritize the well-being and advancement of girls and women in Mexico. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum promotes — and defends — constitutional reforms
Just before she was sworn in as president, Congress — dominated by the ruling Morena party — approved a judicial reform and a reform that put the National Guard under military control, meaning that the new president has been left to defend initiatives put forth by her predecessor and approved in the final days of his term.
The judicial reform, which paved the way for Mexico’s first-ever judicial elections — to be held this year — was a particularly controversial issue during Sheinbaum’s first month in office, in part because the president declared she wouldn’t comply with a judge’s order to withdraw the publication of a decree that promulgated the reform.
Supporters of the nation’s recently passed judicial reform, like these UNAM students in September, see the election of the nation’s judges as improving transparency and holding the judiciary branch accountable to the people. Opponents see it as an invitation to corruption. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro.com)
While some analysts see at least some of the reforms put forward by López Obrador as a hindrance for the new president, Sheinbaum — and evidently a majority of Mexican people — consider the defense of AMLO’s legacy and the continuation of the so-called “fourth transformation” he initiated a necessity for the country.
Following (mostly) in the footsteps of her mentor
In addition to perpetuating the majority of AMLO’s policies and programs, Sheinbaum has followed in the footsteps of her political mentor in a range of other ways.
The president, who served as a minister in the 2000–05 Mexico City government led by López Obrador, holds weekday morning press conferences (mañaneras), tours the country on weekends and lives in the National Palace, all just as AMLO did during his six-year term.
She does, of course, have a different political style, as demonstrated at her mañaneras. Sheinbaum is more direct and less loquacious and folksy than AMLO — more like a business executive or academic (which she was) than a garrulous, history-loving uncle (or aunt).
Mexico’s President Sheinbaum, center, at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brazil in November, where she connected with President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, left, and other fellow Latin American progressive leaders, including Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, second from left, and Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, right. (Presidencia)
Exactly one week after Sheinbaum was sworn in, the federal government presented a new security strategy based on four key pillars including the consolidation of the National Guard and the strengthening of intelligence gathering.
Since the new government took office, homicides have declined, more than 7,000 people have been arrested for high-impact crimes, and 66 tonnes of drugs and over 3,600 firearms have been seized, according to a security update provided by Security Minister Omar García Harfuch at Sheinbaum’s press conference on Thursday morning.
Still, a majority of respondents to the recent El Financiero poll were dissatisfied with the government’s efforts to combat insecurity.
While cartel infighting has sparked hundreds of headline-grabbing murders in Sinaloa since the fall, government data shows that the overall number of Mexico’s homicides has gone down since Sheinbaum took office.
However, the president has stressed that her government won’t pursue the kind of militarized “war” against drug cartels that former president Felipe Calderón launched shortly after he took office in December 2006.
Sheinbaum hasn’t been shy in responding to the former and future U.S. president:
Sheinbaum is quickly learning on the job how to handle U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s often eyebrow-raising statements about Mexico. This week, after Trump said he’d be changing the Gulf of Mexico’s name to Gulf of America, Sheinbaum responded with a history lesson — and a tongue-in-cheek proposal of her own. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The federal government is seeking to prevent the mass deportation of Mexicans during the second Trump administration, but the Sheinbaum administration has nevertheless prepared a plan to receive large numbers of deportees. The president said last week that the plan is ready.
Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s claim that she had agreed in a call to “stop migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our southern border.”
The president’s willingness to hit back at Trump endears her to many Mexicans who have a low opinion of the former and soon-to-be U.S. president.
Despite Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on Mexican exports to the United States, and disparaging remarks he has made about Mexico and Mexicans, Sheinbaum has repeatedly said she believes that Mexico will have a good relationship with the U.S. during the second Trump administration.
She now has just 11 days to wait before her new president-to-president relationship with the septuagenarian leader will commence.
With Mexico and the United States facing a range of shared challenges, on security, migration, economic matters, the rise of China and other issues, and with a review of the USMCA free trade pact coming up in 2026 (Trump wants to renegotiate the agreement), there is little doubt that interesting times are ahead. Buckle up for the first 100 days of Trump’s second term as president — and beyond.
Canadian citizen Jerry "A" was arrestedin Puerto Vallarta after he failed to declare over $100,000. (Shutterstock)
Custom officials at Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR) in Jalisco arrested a Canadian tourist after he was found carrying a large sum of cash and undeclared checks.
According to the federal Attorney General’s Office, officials seized two checks worth a total of $148,000, as well as $3,500 and 30,260 pesos in cash. It was not specified whether the dollars were Canadian or another currency.
An image of Jerry “A” shared by the federal Attorney General’s Office, with his eyes covered for privacy. (FGR)
In total, the detained man identified as Jerry “A,” was carrying over US $30,000.
Mexican law says that when entering or leaving the country, people carrying amounts of cash, national or foreign checks, money orders or any other document receivable or a combination of these, whose value exceeds US $10,000, are required to declare the amount to the customs authorities. Failure to do so will carry a fine of 20% to 40% of the amount allowed.
If the undeclared amount is greater than US $30,000, punishment can range from three months to six years in prison or five to 15 years in prison, depending on whether the resources are of legal or illegal origin.
Jerry “A” was handed over to the Federal Attorney General’s Office, which in turn referred him to a specialized judge. The judge ruled the arrest legal and ordered him to be subject to trial, the Attorney General’s Office said on Jan. 3.
As a precautionary measure, the accused will remain in prison during the trial at the Preventive Prison Precinct in Puente Grande, Jalisco.
Jerry “A” isn’t the only international traveler to get in trouble at the Puerto Vallarta airport recently. In December l, customs officials at PVR deported a Czech family after immigration authorities said they failed to comply with the requirements to enter the country.
“Their failure to comply with the requirements to enter the country is based on various sections of the Immigration Law and its regulations, which were recorded in their rejection report,” according to an INM statement reviewed by Milenio newspaper.
In an interview with Milenio, Robert Svecová, who was traveling for the holidays to Puerto Vallarta with his wife and two kids, said that they were mistreated by the National Guard, who wouldn’t speak English, and were never told the reason for their deportation.
Turistas checos denuncian abusos de la GN y el INM en Aeropuerto de Puerto Vallarta
The National Migration Institute (INM) told Milenio that the family failed to prove their lodging during the 10-day-holiday they said they had booked.
One of the dozens of wildlife rescued by Mexico City's Animal Vigilance Brigade in 2024. The majority of rescues, however, are dogs and cats rescued from abuse or maltreatment. (Government of Mexico City)
In 2024, the Animal Vigilance Brigade (BVA) rescued hundreds of animals from places where they were being mistreated in Mexico City — and they weren’t just cats and dogs.
In total, the BVA, part of Mexico City’s Ministry of Citizen Security (SSC), rescued 137 dogs and 127 cats across 16 city boroughs in 2024. They also rescued a wide range of wildlife, including three eagles, one owl, 10 ringtails, one alligator, one crocodile, two steers and a bull, three horses and three snakes — not to mention a peacock, a porcupine, a toucan, a quetzal, and a wolf.
The brigade is part of Mexico City’s police department, known as the Ministry of Citizen Security. (Government of Mexico)
Of these rescues, 103 dogs and 35 cats were adopted.
The BVA reported that, in collaboration with the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office, they participated in 178 inspections to ensure that the animals received adequate care in temporary accommodations.
The SSC has urged residents in the city to alert authorities to any animal abuse.
Last year, the SSC inaugurated the brigade’s new facilities for the shelter and care of rescued animals. The Antonio Haghenbeck y de la Lama Foundation, IAP, donated 14 million pesos (US $683,000) for the project.
Dubbed Michigan, The City of Cats, and The Wildlife Space, the new facilities commenced operations in September.
According to former Mexico City Acting Mayor Martí Batres — who inaugurated the facilities — the Michigan center features a medical area, a consulting room, a quarantine area, bedrooms, green areas, a food storage room, a bathroom and a laundry room.
In September, the city opened new facilities for the BVA’s charges, including a cat-centered space dubbed Michigan, The City of Cats. (SSC)
The Wildlife Space includes a consulting room, an operating room, two stables, an aviary for wild birds and another for farm birds, 12 cages for animals of various species, four serpentariums, a space for iguanas, an incubator, six cages for native birds, a metal pool for turtles, a bathroom and two storage rooms.
Some of the current city government’s strategies to protect dogs and cats’ welfare include sterilization, vaccination and deworming campaigns, a monthly adoption event called the Adoptatón, a new veterinary hospital and 20 clinics located inside Mexico City’s “utopias,” community-center complexes created by current Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada when she was borough mayor in the city’s Iztapalapa borough.
Want to experience a slice of real Mexico on a tight budget? No problems. (Ian Ostroff)
When I stayed in Playa Del Carmen for two months during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was one question I kept asking my local Mexican friends: If you were to recommend one place in Mexico to explore at least once, where would you send me? Every one of them said Oaxaca. I’d always wanted to visit Oaxaca, but budget travel can often be a challenge, especially when you have to factor in arriving from Canada.
But the first night I arrived there in February 2023, I found out what made it so special. I stumbled upon a wedding in front of Santo Domingo church. But it wasn’t like any ceremony I’ve ever attended. Dancing in the streets. The colorful outfits everyone part of the wedding party wore. There were Mojigangas and other creative displays of expression. Happy people that got me to join their wedding festivities. I was a sweaty backpacker experiencing Oaxaca magic for the first time and the whole experience felt so magical.
Oaxaca City’s historic center is a Unesco World Heritage Site. (Anna Bruce)
I could spend months there without getting bored. But can you do Oaxaca right on a budget? Passing through it on my latest backpacking trip, the answer is yes.
Why stay in a hostel when you’re in Oaxaca?
I’ve had wonderful experiences staying at hostels during trips to Europe, and my stay at the one I went to in Oaxaca was also positive. If you’re on a budget, it can be a smart decision.
I know myself well: all I need is a bed to sleep on, a locker to leave my valuables in and a bathroom. A hostel environment is perfect for me. I’d rather pay significantly less for the basics than triple the amount for a five-star hotel. And despite whatever scary stories may float around about hostels, they really are just cheap hotels.
The highly rated ones on Hostelworld are clean and made me feel at home. In the three days I stayed at Casa Angel, I met new friends from all over the world and had access to guided tours in Hierve el Agua, Monte Albán, a mezcal distillery and Mitla. I also got a better rate for these day trips because I booked the tours at my hostel.
Oaxaca City’s Mercado 20 de Noviembre. (Facebook)
This is something I learned in Barcelona, but it also applies here in Oaxaca: don’t buy tours online if you can get them in person. Booking sites tend to take a 20 to 30 percent cut from all sales, which hurts local vendors. This model also makes booking online more expensive.
But sometimes, staying in a hostel full of travelers who are seeking experiences and friendship can lead to becoming part of what feels like a strong family unit. The next thing you know, you’re hustling to sightsee with a group and cutting even more costs.
That’s what happened to me on my Oaxaca trip: I met three new friends and we went to Monte Albán together. No tour guide. No plan. We just bought a bus ticket and winged it. But we had an incredible time getting to know each other, taking pictures and imagining what Monte Albán might’ve been like before the Spanish arrived.
How can you eat on a budget in Oaxaca?
Eating for a reasonable price can be tricky if you don’t know how Mexico works and only stay in tourist-friendly zones. Hostesses standing outside their restaurants will try to tempt you inside for dinner. I’ve eaten at some of these places in Oaxaca and they can be hit or miss. What’s more, food at a tourist restaurant usually costs the same as it would in Canada.
The pizza-like tlayuda is one of Oaxaca’s best-known dishes. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
How did I make sure I found the best food stalls? Well, I always keep this in the back of my mind: Tourist traps have gringo prices and hole-in-the-wall places you almost miss have local prices.
I’ve learned to identify several clues at Mexican restaurants to know the difference. The clientele, a small menu, limited seating, fair prices and salsa music playing in the background are a great start to coming across your new favorite taquería.
But in my experience, the two biggest signs are this: Coca-Cola or Pepsi chairs and how the restaurant staff greets you when you walk in. I don’t know what it is, but the best Mexican spots I’ve been to have that decor. And if the staff greets you in Spanish and only changes to English after, you know it’s a place that serves primarily locals.
I had the best memelas in my life at a hole-in-the-wall place I discovered in Oaxaca called simply Memelas & Quesadillas. It was 25 pesos per serving, and roughly 10 to 20 pesos for a drink of your choice. Not too bad.
Another effective way to eat on a budget is by stocking up on snacks at a convenience store like Oxxo. It’s often the first thing I do when I land in Mexico. I get cookies, crackers, water bottles, yogurt and sometimes even fruit.
Combined with seeking local establishments, my new friends and I had more money to spend on climbing the steps of Monte Albán and getting lost hiking in Hierve el Agua looking for frozen waterfalls.
Walking tours are your best friend
A tour guide leads a group through the Oaxaca streets. (Ian Ostroff)
Of course, free is better than cheap when you’re on a budget. And since Oaxaca is one of those special cities in the world best explored by foot, there are many free walking tours you can do. The local guide at my hostel showed us around Oaxaca while also giving us brief history lessons on all the notable landmarks we reached.
We learned on our tour that it’s believed the Zapotec people covered Monte Albán in vegetation to hide it from the Spanish. We also got to see cool street art and an epic statue of Benito Juárez pointing towards the mountains.
We visited the church of Santo Domingo, which was free to enter. The murals on the walls and ceiling were just as picturesque as the ones I’ve seen in Europe. There also happened to be a little parade on the street close by and a kind lady gave me a hat.
Next thing I knew, half the day was gone and our guide took us to eat lunch. By the time I was enjoying memelas with my tour group, I felt like I really got to know Oaxaca in a way that was intimate and raw.
Meet me in Oaxaca for 2025?
All things considered, Oaxaca is possible to explore on the cheap. If I add up my expenses from my hostel stay, tours and food, I spent roughly 4,000 pesos in three days. So, have you ever done Oaxaca or anywhere else in Mexico on a budget?
Ian Ostroff is an indie author, journalist and copywriter from Montreal, Canada. You can find his work in various outlets, including Map Happy and The Suburban. When he’s not writing, you can find Ian at the gym, a café or anywhere within Mexico visiting family and friends.
Headline inflation, which includes volatile products like food and gas, declined in December. (Miachael Balam/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s annual headline inflation rate declined in December to its lowest level since February 2021 while core inflation increased slightly, the national statistics agency reported Thursday.
In its most recent report, the national statistics agency INEGI found that the annual headline rate was 4.21% in December, down from 4.55% in November. It was the second consecutive month that headline inflation fell.
The 4.21% inflation reading in December was the lowest end-of-year rate since 2020, and below the 4.22% and 4.28% median estimates of economists surveyed by Bloomberg and Reuters, respectively.
The annual core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, increased to 3.65% in December from 3.58% in November. The increase broke a 22-month streak of annual core inflation decreases.
The 3.65% core inflation reading was just above the median estimates of economists.
INEGI also reported that consumer prices increased 0.38% in December compared to the previous month.
The decline in inflation is expected to continue in 2025, though it could be limited by depreciation of the peso. (Andrea Murcia Monsivais/Cuartoscuro)
Felipe Hernández, a Latin America economist at Bloomberg, said that the inflation data for December adds “evidence that upward pressure on prices from supply shocks, increasing costs and excess domestic demand is fading.”
“We expect the inflation rate to continue slowly falling this year, though accumulated peso depreciation and persistent inflation expectations may limit the decline,” he said.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexican bank Banco Base, said on X that the decline in inflation in December is “good news,” but added that it was the result “in part” of the economic slowdown in Mexico.
Inflation for fruit and vegetables drops 10 points in the space of a month
INEGI’s data shows that fruit and vegetables were 6.05% more expensive in December than in the same month of 2023. Inflation for those products fell 10.76 points compared to November, when the reading was 16.81%.
Adverse climatic conditions were a major factor in high prices for fruit and vegetables last year, but the inflation rate in December indicates that the situation in the agricultural sector improved in late 2024. Prices for fruit and vegetables fell 2.82% in December on a month-over-month basis.
The annual inflation rate for all agricultural products, including meat, was 6.57% in December, down from 10.74% in November.
Annual inflation for services in December was 4.94%, while processed food, beverages and tobacco were 3.60% more expensive than a year earlier. The cost of non-food goods rose 1.33% annually while energy prices, including those for gasoline and electricity, increased 4.97%.
Will the Bank of Mexico cut interest rates again next month?
The annual headline inflation rate remained above the Bank of Mexico’s 3% target in December. However, the governing board of the central bank — which officially tolerates a 2-4% inflation range — demonstrated last year that it was prepared to cut its benchmark interest rate while the headline rate remained above 3%.
Banxico, as the bank is known, cut its key rate on five occasions last year, lowering the rate by a total of 125 basis points to 10%. The bank indicated that the ongoing decline in core inflation was a significant factor in the decision to cut rates.
The El Economista newspaper reported Thursday that the latest headline inflation data provides room for Banxico to continue its easing cycle, and noted that future interest rate cuts could be even bigger than the 25-basis-point reductions in 2024.
The Bank of Mexico cut interest rates five times in 2024, and has indicated that the easing trend will continue this year.(Shutterstock)
Announcing a 25-basis-point cut on Dec. 19, Banxico said that “in view of the progress on disinflation, larger downward adjustments could be considered in some [monetary policy] meetings [in 2025].”
The central bank also said that headline and core inflation were “foreseen to follow a downward trend” in the near future, a prediction that didn’t prove to be correct in the case of core inflation in December.
The bank’s governing board will hold its next monetary policy meeting on Feb. 6.
Kimberley Sperrfechter, an Emerging Markets Economist at Capital Economics, anticipates a 25-basis-point cut next month rather than a 50-basis-point one.
“Given heightened uncertainty around U.S. President-elect Trump’s policies and with core services inflation still uncomfortably strong, we think it’s more likely that Banxico will deliver another 25bp interest rate cut, to 9.75%, at next month’s meeting,” she wrote in a note.
The plan features a portfolio of "very important" investments, which authorities hope will soothe the nerves of investors shaken by the political changes in the U.S. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Determined to counter uncertainty with confidence, President Claudia Sheinbaum will soon present new details of “Plan Mexico,” a joint public sector-private sector strategy to attract investment and strengthen Mexico’s economy.
Sheinbaum will present the economic proposal on Monday with a nod toward preparing for Donald Trump’s return to the White House later this month.
“Whenever there is a change in government, especially in the United States, doubts regarding investor expectations arise,” she said on Wednesday. “So on Monday we will present Plan Mexico, which features a portfolio of very important investments.”
The plan includes incentives for private investors who invest in the so-called “prosperity poles.” These “polos de bienestar” are regions that have been identified as priorities for strategic industrial development, according to the newspaper El Horizonte.
Plan Mexico also features “a very clear outline” of how Sheinbaum’s business advisory council will operate going forward.
Altagracia Gómez, an influential Mexican business leader, heads Sheinbaum’s new business advisory council. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Fifteen entrepreneurs from varying sectors of the economy comprise the business council. Altagracia Gómez, the lead coordinator of the council, will work with Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard and Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O in carrying out the plan.
Sheinbaum’s Monday presentation will come exactly one week before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president. Trump has created tension between the two neighboring countries by, among other things, threatening to levy tariffs on Mexican imports if the Sheinbaum administration fails to halt illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
Plan Mexico aims to demonstrate that the private sector and the government are united in their determination to mitigate the potential economic impacts of Trump’s policies.
“There are many pending investments this year and [Plan Mexico] will allow us to consolidate them for the benefit of the nation,” Sheinbaum said, while insisting that her government will work to maintain positive relations with the U.S. government, despite any differences that should arise.
“The plan not only aims to attract investment, but also promote the development of targeted regions so as to stimulate social and economic benefits for Mexico,” she said.
As such, Sheinbaum explained, the council will play a key role in coordinating efforts across the private sector to guarantee the effective implementation of the strategies.
In short, the government seeks to send a message of stability and confidence to investors, so as to strengthen Mexico’s reputation as an attractive locale for foreign capital.
Since Trump won the presidential election last November, Sheinbaum has demonstrated optimism in the face of his threats and warnings.
“I don’t anticipate a difficult relationship,” she said. “President Trump has his way of communicating, but we will work for the benefit of both countries.”
