The artificial intelligence project announcement came during a preview of the Mexico IA+ Accelerated Investment international event, scheduled for November. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico is working on an artificial intelligence (AI) language model to help the country integrate into the new data-based global economic order, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced on Tuesday.
The announcement came during the presentation of the upcoming Mexico IA+ Accelerated Investment international event, scheduled to take place in Mexico City on Nov. 12 and 13.
Marcio Aguiar, Latin America director of the tech giant Nvidia, confirmed his company’s collaboration in the Mexican AI project. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Backed by the giant technology company Nvidia, the event will serve as the primary launch platform for Mexico’s artificial intelligence project, including the presentation of its large language model (LLM).
“AI is the modern alphabet,” Ebrard said. “Either we hurry up and master that alphabet, or it’s going to be a huge disadvantage [for us] in the new world arrangement we’re seeing emerge today.”
This AI initiative follows President Claudia Sheinbaum’s announcement regarding the upcoming launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Laboratory as one of the 18 actions outlined in Plan México. Sheinbaum has stressed that investment and scientific and technological development are a fundamental part of her administration.
Meanwhile, Marcio Aguiar, Nvidia’s director for Latin America, confirmed the company’s collaboration in the Mexican AI project through training to develop specialized talent.
“It is essential for the country to train people so that it can be more competitive globally and, obviously, position Mexico as one of the main players,” Aguiar said. He also explained that the model will draw data from Mexican culture and history.
According to Ebrard, Mexico has two key advantages for the global technology sector: a young workforce eager to enter the industry, and 5.5 million economic units that can connect with this talent, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
The government’s ambition is to make its AI project accessible to over 5 million university students and more than 5 million businesses, with the expectation of seeing “visible and tangible results” in two years’ time, Ebrard said.
However, adequate infrastructure is needed to support this initiative.
According to the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), investment in data centers could reach US $9.2 billion, potentially generating up to $27 billion in indirect economic impact. Adriana Rivera Cerecedo, director of the Mexican Data Center Association, told news agency EFE that this means installing more than 70 data centers offering colocation or cloud services.
Currently, the large language models (LLM) sector is dominated by companies like OpenAI, Google and Microsoft, all based in the United States. Other countries have developed their own LLMs, including France with Mistral, China with DeepSeek and Chile with LatamGPT.
LatamGPT is intended as a collaborative regional project developed by the National Center for Artificial Intelligence in Chile (CENIA) and also supported by Mexico and Nvidia.
Oaxaca is following in the footsteps of Mexico City, whose aerial tram lines have been a popular success. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
Aerial tram lines will be developed in the Oaxaca City metropolitan area to enhance local transportation, ease congestion on the ground and boost tourism, state Governor Salomón Jara announced on Sunday.
The project will include a large-scale cable car line, like that of México state’s Mexicable, and a “cablebús” system, similar to that of Mexico City, which seats 10 passengers in each unit.
Oaxaca’s planned aerial tram lines are aimed at providing convenient transportation for its residents, but, as Mayor Raymundo Chagoya points out, “As an added attraction, we will really enjoy seeing the city from above.” (Ryan Doyle/Unsplash)
The plan has the full support of Oaxaca City Mayor Raymundo Chagoya. “I really like the idea,” Chagoya said. “Oaxaca will shine much more with a cable car.”
The mayor also alluded to the aesthetic appeal of aerial transport over one of Mexico’s most beloved cities. “As an additional attraction, we will really enjoy seeing the city from above,” he said.
Although the route is not yet finalized, one possible route would connect two favorite tourist attractions — the Cerro del Fortín, where the annual Guelaguetza festival takes place, and the Álvaro Carrillo Theater.
However, Governor Jara stressed that the principal aim of the cable car system is to improve urban mobility by connecting strategic points within the city.
Another aim is to connect Oaxaca’s city center with the mountainous suburbs. One route under assessment would link the city with the Monte Albán archaeological site, around 10 kilometers away.
Governor Jara said the state plans to finance the project without relying on debt.
5 new Cablebús lines are coming to Mexico City
While on Sunday, Governor Jara was presenting the aerial tram plans for Oaxaca, in Mexico City President Claudia Sheinbaum and Mayor Clara Brugada were announcing the construction of the Tlalpan-Coyoacán Cablebús Line 4, which is expected to be the longest in the world.
The new line will be paid for using federal funds and is expected to transport 65,000 people per day over 11.4 km, which is further than the existing Iztapalapa line (11.2 km).
¡Impulsamos el progreso desde las alturas! 🚡⚡
La Línea 4 del Cablebús Tlalpan-Coyoacán será una realidad, y en la CFE estaremos orgullosos de ser parte fundamental de este proyecto que transforma la movilidad en la Ciudad de México.
On the ground, moving between Los Pedregales to the University City of Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) can take up to two hours in rush hour traffic, compared to the 40 minutes expected via Cablebús, noted Sheinbaum.
Line 4 will consist of eight stations: Universidad, Cantera, Perisur, Mercado Hidalgo, Reforma, Parque Morelos, Cultura Maya and Pedregal de San Nicolás.
It will also connect more than 30 neighborhoods in Tlalpan and nine in Coyoacán and will have connections to other public transportation modes, such as the Metro, allowing commuters to travel between the north and south of the city, according to Mexico City’s Transport Minister Ulises García.
Five Cablebús lines are expected to be completed during Brugada’s six-year term, with construction on the Álvaro Obregón-Magdalena Contreras and Milpa Alta-Tláhuac lines commencing this year, and the Cuajimalpa-Xochimilco line in 2026.
"Everything that Mexico had to do [to avoid a new tariff] is already done," Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Tuesday. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Tuesday that the Mexican government has made every possible effort to stave off the 30% tariff the United States intends to impose on imports from Mexico starting this Friday.
He expressed optimism that Mexico will reach a deal with its northern neighbor to stop the duty from taking effect.
🚨 Trump se mantiene firme
Los aranceles del 30% entran en vigor el viernes.
“Ya todo lo que México tenía que hacer está hecho. Ahora tenemos que esperar”, decía Ebrard ayer.pic.twitter.com/UNFZhqs4vA
— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) July 30, 2025
“[The negotiations] have been very intense, complex. We’re hours away from knowing how this stage will conclude. My perspective is optimistic, but we have to wait for the decisions President Trump takes with his team,” Ebrard said at a press conference.
“Everything that Mexico had to do is already done,” he said.
Ebrard said that “the results” of Mexico’s negotiations with the United States over the 30% tariff will be known on Friday.
The Mexican government has spent much of 2025 attempting to negotiate relief from tariffs imposed by Donald Trump.
The latest trade negotiations came after the U.S. president informed President Claudia Sheinbaum in a July 11 letter that the United States, starting Aug. 1, would “charge Mexico a tariff of 30% on Mexican products sent into the United States, separate from all sectoral tariffs.”
Trump didn’t specify whether the 30% tariff would be added to — or replace — the existing 25% tariff that applies to Mexican goods that don’t comply with the USMCA free trade agreement.
Although the U.S. president appeared to imply that all Mexican goods would be subject to the 30% tariff, a common interpretation of his letter was that the new duty would only apply to non-USMCA compliant products, and would increase the current rate by five percentage points.
“The market so far has interpreted that the new tariff on Mexico represents only a marginal change from the status quo,” Ernesto Revilla, managing director and head of Latin America economics at Citigroup, wrote in Americas Quarterly on July 14.
“That is, it is a five-percentage-point increase in a tariff that applies to less than 20% of total trade between Mexico and the U.S. that is non-USMCA compliant,” he said.
The United States has not publicly clarified whether the 30% tariff will apply to all imports from Mexico or just those that don’t comply with the USMCA. However, an unnamed White House official told The New York Times that the exemption for USMCA-compliant goods would most likely continue.
“The official also said the 30 percent rate would replace the previous 25 percent levies that Mr. Trump imposed on the country,” the Times reported.
Trump explained the rationale for the 30% tariff in his letter to Sheinbaum.
“Despite our strong relationship, you will recall, the United States imposed tariffs on Mexico to deal with our nation’s fentanyl crisis, which is caused, in part, by Mexico’s failure to stop the cartels, who are made up of the most despicable people who have ever walked the earth, from pouring these drugs into our country. Mexico has been helping me secure the border, BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough,” he wrote.
“Mexico still has not stopped the cartels who are trying to turn all of North America into a narco-trafficking playground. Obviously, I cannot let that happen!” Trump said.
Despite United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying on Sunday that there would be “no extensions” or “grace periods” for U.S trade partners, Sheinbaum has also expressed optimism that Mexico will reach a deal to ward off the 30% tariff. She said last Thursday that her government was doing everything it could to stop the new duty from taking effect.
“There is a team working in the United States with the [U.S.] commerce secretary and the treasury secretary,” Sheinbaum told her morning press conference on Thursday.
Sheinbaum said last week that she would seek to speak to Trump about the proposed 30% tariff “if it’s necessary.” (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
“We made a series of proposals that have to do with Plan México and also reducing the trade deficit [with the United States], which is one of the concerns of President Trump,” she said.
“The trade deficit can be reduced through different mechanisms that don’t affect the economy of Mexico. So we’ve been making a series of proposals and we’ll present them here [at a later time], hoping that we reach an agreement.”
Sheinbaum also pointed out that fentanyl seizures at the Mexico-U.S. border have significantly declined since she took office last October.
What US tariffs currently apply to imports from Mexico?
These are the tariffs that are currently in effect for imports from Mexico.
Tariffs of 50% apply to Mexican steel and aluminum and hundreds of products made with those metals. The United States imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum in March and increased the rate to 50% in June.
Tariffs on vehicles made in Mexico have been in effect since April 3. The United States imposed 25% tariffs on all vehicle imports on this date, but U.S. content in vehicles assembled in Mexico is exempt from the duty, lowering the effective tariff on vehicles made in Mexico.
Auto parts made in Mexico that don’t comply with USMCA rules have been subject to a 25% tariff since May. The vast majority of auto parts made in Mexico do comply with the USMCA and are therefore exempt from the tariff.
More than 80% of Mexico’s trade with US is tariff-free, says Ebrard
Although the United States currently imposes a range of tariffs on imports from Mexico, Ebrard said that 84% of Mexico’s trade with its northern neighbor complies with the USMCA and is therefore tariff-free.
The economy minister asserted that Mexico is in a good position in its trade relationship with the United States “if you compare the country’s situation to the rest of the world.”
Mexico was the top exporter to the United States in 2023 and 2024, and Ebrard asserted that it will retain that position “despite the tariffs.”
The secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, grew 0.8% on a sequential basis in the second quarter. (Homa Appliances/Unsplash)
The Mexican economy grew more than expected in the second quarter of 2025, expanding 0.7% compared to the previous three-month period, according to preliminary data published by the national statistics agency INEGI on Wednesday.
The growth rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than the 0.4% median forecast of 13 analysts surveyed by Reuters.
INEGI also reported that the economy grew 1.2% annually in seasonally adjusted terms in the second quarter of the year. Unadjusted data showed a 0.1% annual growth rate for the three-month period between April and June.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, said on X that the INEGI data shows that it is “clear that Mexico is not in recession.”
“But that doesn’t mean the economy is doing well,” she added.
“There is still a risk of recession for Mexico, especially if the United States begins to strictly enforce tariffs or if more sectors are added to sectoral tariffs,” Siller wrote in a separate post.
The publication of the preliminary growth data for the second quarter of 2025 comes two days before the United States is scheduled to impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico, separate from sectoral tariffs that currently apply to steel, aluminum, cars and auto parts.
Manufacturing and services drive sequential growth in Q2
INEGI’s data shows that the secondary sector, which includes manufacturing and construction, grew 0.8% on a sequential basis in the second quarter.
Despite U.S. tariffs, Mexico’s export revenue — largely generated by manufacturing — continued to grow in the first half of 2025, increasing 4.4% annually.
Siller said on X that exports are “boosting” the Mexican economy.
In annual seasonally adjusted terms, the primary sector grew 4.5% in the second quarter, while the tertiary sector expanded 1.7%. The secondary sector contracted 0.2% annually in Q2.
IMF raises 2025 forecast for Mexico
Before the publication of INEGI’s Q2 growth data, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its 2025 forecast for economic growth in Mexico to 0.2% from a previous projection of a 0.3% contraction.
July brought infrastructure expansion, culture and heavy rains to San Miguel de Allende. (Cvmontuy / CC BY-SA 4.0)
The last few weeks have been big for San Miguel de Allende!
Our city was named Best City in the World by Travel + Leisure again, and news broke that a new airport may be on the horizon. These developments add to a surge of international attention and expansion, from another luxury hotel opening its doors soon to major cultural events like the GIFF film festival starting this month.
San Miguel is a major tourist destination in Central Mexico. (Melissa Guadalupe Huertas / CC BY-SA 4.0)
But as San Miguel continues to grow, so do the questions. How do we preserve the soul of the city we love? What does all this development mean for locals, long-time residents and visitors?
San Miguel was named the World’s Best City, but what do you think makes it truly special?
San Miguel has earned global praise for its iconic architecture, vibrant arts and rich traditions. But as Ricardo Ferro Baeza, president of the local Congress Tourism Commission, put it, what truly sets it apart is its people, the ones who bring it to life.
So now we want to hear from you. Whether you live here full time, visit often, or have been here once: Tell us what you love most about San Miguel and how you feel about all the international attention the city’s been getting.
Time's up
Your responses may be featured in an upcoming story exploring how the people who know San Miguel best — you, its residents and visitors — feel about the growth and changes shaping the city.
GIFF 2025 brings global cinema to San Miguel
The Guanajuato International Film Festival runs through Aug. 4. (GIFF)
The 28th Guanajuato International Film Festival (GIFF) has returned. Until July 31, San Miguel will shine as a key venue, offering not only screenings but also a tribute to legendary artist Verónica Castro, an undeniable symbol of Mexican pop culture.
In San Miguel, Castro will receive two major honors: the Women in Film and Television Mexico Award and the silver Más Cine award. After years away from the spotlight, her return promises to deeply move audiences who grew up watching her tenovelas, dramas and comedies.
While the full GIFF 2025 lineup includes over 200 films from 61 countries and events across Guanajuato city, Irapuato and San Miguel, the San Miguel portion stands out for its tributes, open-air screenings and cultural venues like Jardín Principal, Teatro Ángela Peralta and the Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramírez “El Nigromante.”
San Miguel de Allende’s tourism sector expands once again
Other Pueblo Bonito resorts include locations in Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas. (Pueblo Bonito)
Tourism in San Miguel de Allende continues its upward trajectory, with new hotel developments and infrastructure projects signaling increased international interest. Notably, the highly anticipated Pueblo Bonito Vantage San Miguel de Allende is set to open on Aug. 15, promising to bring a fresh wave of ultra-luxury hospitality to the city.
Located in the tranquil and strategically developed Distrito Corazón area, Pueblo Bonito Vantage will offer 111 suites and 45 private residences designed in elegant neo-colonial style, blending San Miguel’s historic charm with modern comforts. Guests will be able to enjoy five distinct dining venues ranging from gourmet experiences to casual poolside lounges, as well as an expansive spa and wellness center. Pueblo Bonito’s event spaces will also make it an ideal venue for weddings, conferences and other high-profile gatherings.
Alongside Pueblo Bonito’s arrival, Meliá Hotels International has announced plans to expand into San Miguel by 2028, further confirming the city’s appeal as a destination for luxury and international tourism. Meanwhile, discussions about establishing a regional airport near San Miguel could enhance accessibility, potentially drawing more visitors and boosting the local economy.
San Miguel native rescued from Texas floods
More than 100 people have been confirmed dead or missing in the central Texas floods. (World Central Kitchen)
A 19-year-old from San Miguel de Allende has survived the devastating floods in Texas that tragically claimed the lives of his father, stepmother and younger brother. Leonardo Jr., known as “Leo,” was found alive after being swept away by the Guadalupe River last week. He remains hospitalized as he recovers from the traumatic event.
In response, San Miguel de Allende mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco confirmed that the municipal government has a dedicated support fund for migrants to support families like the Romeros. “Over a year ago, I said San Miguel had a fund to help our migrant brothers and sisters in case of tragedy or deportation,” Trejo stated. “It’s there to help ease the financial burden during already difficult situations like this one.”
The mayor also recently highlighted San Miguel’s broader migrant support initiative. Since the onset of more aggressive U.S. immigration policies, the city has activated a temporary employment program designed to welcome deported residents back with economic opportunity and community reintegration. “Here in your homeland, you are wanted. Here in your homeland, you are needed,” Trejo said. “Here you will find work… where you can bring all the skills or trades you learned in the United States to teach them here.”
One recent example: A deported Sanmiguelense received municipal funding to start a carpentry business and now plans to run a skills workshop for local youth.
Heavy rains trigger controlled release at Allende dam
The Presa Allende dam can hold up to 170 million cubic liters of water. (Gobierno de Guanajuato)
In response to the season’s heavy rains, authorities began a controlled release from the Presa Allende dam on July 17 at 5 p.m., discharging water at a rate of 50 cubic meters per second after the reservoir reached over 93% capacity. This is a stark contrast to the same time last year, when the dam sat at 30%. Officials have issued flood alerts across San Miguel de Allende and nine other municipalities, asking residents to stay alert and avoid rivers.
The Presa Allende is a vital resource for San Miguel de Allende, supplying much of the city’s water for homes, agriculture and businesses. It also helps regulate river flow to reduce flood risks during heavy rains and supports local ecosystems. Because of its central role, changes in the dam’s water levels have a direct impact on the community’s water security, economy and safety.
Did you know?
San Miguel de Allende is the current setting for “Leche Roja” (Red Milk) a poetic and experimental vampire mini-series based on the story of Eva, a 300-year-old vampire. Structured as a trilogy of short episodes, the first has already been filmed, while the second — set in San Miguel — draws on the city’s cinematic allure, from its cobblestone streets to its dramatic architecture. The final episode is planned for filming in Morelia, Michoacán.
So far, there’s no official word on which platform will distribute “Leche Roja.” The creators plan to debut it on the festival circuit before exploring online release options.
As the Guelaguetza comes to an end, Oaxaca breaks into celebration, with festivals, ceremonies and mezcal galore! (Juan Flores)
After the excitement of Guelaguetza in July, August is a quieter time to visit Oaxaca. There is still some rain, but it is less humid and cooler in the evenings. It is a beautiful, lush time to explore in and around the city, including day trips to learn about mezcal or visit archaeological sites. There is also a wealth of exhibitions and events to experience.
Espadín y Tierra 2025, or Espaterra, seeks to preserve, promote and showcase the cultural, social and economic value of espadín mezcal, typically cultivated and produced by Oaxaca’s rural communities. The event is a space for meeting, memory and collective reflection of the 17 mezcal-producing regions of Oaxaca. Espaterra’s closing event, a colloquium on mezcal with researchers and palenqueros, including a screening of the documentary “45 grados: La industrialización del mezcal artensanal,” takes place on Aug. 1.
When: Aug. 1 at 10 a.m. Where: UNAM-Oaxaca extension, Melchor Ocampo 102, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez Cost: Free entry but attendees must register here
This is the first edition of this moving event at Oruga, a photo gallery and mezcalería. “We are proud and happy to open the doors of this space to friends of the mezcal industry to share their knowledge, experiences and, of course, mezcal,” Oruga says. The event will include traditional mezcals from Indigenous communities.
When: Aug. 1 and 2 Where: Oruga, Av. José María Morelos 1207, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez Cost: Free
Last days of the Feria Artesanal de Arrazola
(Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán)
San Antonio Arrazola is located 10 kilometers southwest of Oaxaca city, off the highway to Zaachila. Known as Arrazola, the community is famous for its beautiful alebrijes, figures made from different types of paper or carved and painted wood in bright, vibrant colors, representing fantastical jaguars, mermaids and nahuales. Although alebrijes are made using various techniques today, this community stands out for its use of wood carving, a skill passed down from generation to generation.
When: Until Aug. 3, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Andador Turístico de Arrazola Cost: Free
Each year, the municipality of San Mateo Río Hondo holds a festival to celebrate mushrooms. At over 2,300 meters above sea level in Oaxaca’s Sierra Sur, Río Hondo is a fertile land of beautiful, misty landscapes. During the rainy season, mushrooms of various sizes, shapes and colors flourish, marveling locals and foreigners alike, who are drawn from all over the country and the world to learn about, taste and benefit from the properties of these fungi. Magic mushrooms are also in season. Over the three days there will be workshops, foraging excursions and tasting events.
San Bartolo Coyotepec is celebrating its Guelaguetza until Aug. 7. 30 minutes from Oaxaca city, just past the airport, San Bartolo is known for its tradition of black pottery. In the 1960s, a local artisan named Rosa Real Mateo de Nieto made a discovery that changed the local tradition: firing pieces at lower temperatures and then burnishing them with quartz before they were fully dry gave the fired clay a shiny, jet-black finish. More than half of San Bartolo’s population participates in black pottery production, and their annual fair celebrates this staple of the town’s culture.
When: Aug. 1 through 7, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Where: Mercado de Barro Negro “Plaza Artesanal,” Benito Juárez 37, San Bartolo Coyotepec Cost: Free
Feast of Our Lady of the Angels
(Casa Colibri)
Our Lady of the Angels is celebrated at the Ex-Convento de los Siete Principes with religious activities, calendas, music and fireworks. The church and the attached former convent were built in the 18th century and currently house the Oaxaca House of Culture (CCO), a cultural center. While the feast is celebrated throughout the Catholic world, it holds special significance for Franciscans and their devotion to Our Lady of the Angels. In Mexico, various churches and chapels are dedicated to this apparition of Mary, reflecting the spread of Franciscan influence and devotion.
When: Aug. 15 at 8 a.m. Where: González Ortega 415, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez Cost: Free
Venezuelan singer-songwriter José y el Toro has established himself as one of the new exponents of bolero in Latin America, revitalizing the genre with a unique fusion of classic and modern elements. Through his narrative style and ability to capture the essence of love and nostalgia, José has resonated deeply with audiences on social media. Songs like “Reloj Ingrato,” “Cuando Cuando” and “Nunca Fuimos” have demonstrated his talent for connecting with people’s emotions through his compositions.
When: August 9 at 8 p.m. Where: Foro la Locomotora, Av. José María Morelos 1309, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez Cost:300 pesos
Day of the Taxi Driver
(Carolina Jiménez/Cuartoscuro)
Taxi drivers decorate their cars with flowers and ribbons to parade through the city on Oaxaca’s Día del Taxista. It’s a loud celebration, with bands and fireworks starting early in the morning.
The day is a chance for taxi drivers to celebrate their profession and for the community to acknowledge their role in transportation. Those in town should be aware that traffic will be affected.
When: Aug. 12, all day Where: Across Oaxaca city Cost: None
At the beginning of the 20th century, German anthropologist Wilhelm Bauer traveled to Oaxaca to collect artifacts and information about the Mazatec people. His work now forms the Mazatec collection of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin, which collaborated with the Juan de Córdova research library to create “Presencia mazateca en Berlín: Tras las huellas de Wilhelm Bauer-Thoma, 1903-1908.” This exhibition presents information and records of these artifacts, as well as historical photographs and documents that will allow present-day Mazatec communities to learn about these records of their history through a traveling exhibition.
Location: Biblioteca de Investigación Juan de Córdova, Av. de la Independencia 904, Centro Oaxaca de Juárez Date: Through Aug. 15 Cost: Free
Feast of the Assumption celebrations
(Mexico Insider)
The Feast of the Assumption is celebrated at the Catedral de Oaxaca in the heart of the city. Also known as the Church of the Assumption, construction on the church began in 1535, and it was consecrated in 1733. As the Cathedral’s name indicates, the Cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. Assumption Day commemorates the belief that when Mary, mother of Jesus, died, with her body taken into heaven to be reunited with her soul. The day celebrating the feast of Assumption includes religious activities, calendas, music and fireworks.
When: Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Cathedral of the Assumption, Av. de la Independencia 700, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez
Blessing of the animals at Templo de La Merced
(Carolina Jiménez Mariscal/Cuartoscuro)
During the feast of San Ramón, people take their dressed-up pets to be blessed in the church of La Merced. It’s not just cats and dogs: there are birds, lizards, rabbits and sheep, among other critters. Many are dressed to impress, either in cute outfits or something more grand. To capture this fun tradition, I arrive early; If you get there around 3:30 p.m., you’ll be able to take pictures of the animals before the blessing begins. The blessing is a tradition rooted in honoring the service animals provide and seeking their good health and fertility.
When: Aug. 31 at 4 p.m. Where: Templo de La Merced, Av. de la Independencia 1300, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez Cost: Free
Anna Bruce is an award-winning British photojournalist based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Just some of the media outlets she has worked with include Vice, The Financial Times, Time Out, Huffington Post, The Times of London, the BBC and Sony TV. Find out more about her work at her website or visit her on social media on Instagram or on Facebook.
There's plenty to do in the Riviera Maya and Yucatán this month, so make sure to check out one of these fantastic events! (Cancún Mío)
This August on the Yucatán Peninsula, there’s swim races, a honey celebration, pirate scavenger hunts and the chance to get trapped in a bubble. And that’s just to start!
Cancún is hosting Mexico’s second largest Guelaguetza festival while Isla Mujeres is having a monthlong birthday party. So make the most of the last days of summer, and get out and about for these events in the Riviera Maya and Yucatán!
Come cheer me on — yes, that’s right, I’m entered in Oceanman! This 10-kilometer open-swimming race is a fun activity that fills up fast with swimmers arriving on Cozumel from all over the world. Offering great beaches, awesome food at the beach club and, of course, the exciting atmosphere of an Oceanman event. All with gorgeous Caribbean views!
Dates: Aug. 1–3 Location: Playa Palancar Beach Club, Cozumel Cost: free to attend, entries now closed
I would be heading to Cancún for this festival if I weren’t going to be in Cozumel swimming in Oceanman. The Guelaguetza, one of Mexico’s most iconic cultural celebrations, will be celebrated in Cancún in August.
With its vibrant offerings of Oaxacan folklore, music, dance and cuisine, this is an opportunity to feel like you’re visiting Oaxaca, with over 80 artists. Pooches are welcome too. In fact, they encourage you to dress your dog in honor of Oaxaca’s famous Guelaguetza dancing dog, Mazapán! Fun for the whole family.
Feliz Cumpleaños Isla Mujeres! Celebrate its 175th birthday this August with a monthlong lineup of activities — everything from art, dancing and lucha libre to gastronomy and concerts. And, naturally, plenty of processions. There’s something going on all the time during the first two weeks of August.
But August 17 is the focal point, when Isla Mujeres officially honors its birthday with ceremonies and concerts. There is also the big Descent of the Virgin procession on August 5.
Explore a Maya relationship dating back thousands of years — between man and the Melipona, a tiny stingless bee found in the quiet jungle village of Cobá. Taking place in Coba’s cultural center, this free event will teach you about the sacred Mayan practice of meliponiculture and its delicious offerings.
Try local honey-based recipes, and attend a cooking contest highlighting dishes, drinks and desserts sweetened with it. Kids, there’s also a drawing competition to express the ecological importance of bees.
Grab friends and family and explore Playa del Carmen on a scavenger hunt. Fun for all ages, this event allows you to take as long as you want and see sites from ancient Mayan ruins to colorful local markets. Included are iconic local spots such as the Portal Maya, Parque Leona Vicario and the Palacio Municipal Bell Tower. Don’t forget your camera, there are points for the best photo, and it’s a great way to see Playa.
It’s fun in the sun as each August, Cancún celebrates its beautiful beaches with La Fiesta de la Playa. I can’t blame them, sugary-white-sand beaches are worth celebrating.
You’ll find beach parties going on all along the hotel zone with live music, great food and lots of cocktail options available. Most hotels sell a day pass with all-inclusive food and drink so that you can party the day away. Just choose which place takes your fancy and grab your bikini!
Dates: August 11–13 Location: Various hotels and beach clubs in Cancun’s hotel zone Cost: Free entertainment, optional day pass options to all-inclusives at varying costs
Seafood lovers, grab your bibs. It’s time to enjoy the flavor of local langosta at this year’s lobster festival. Open to all, it’s a celebration of the Caribbean’s spiny lobster, presented every way possible.
From rustic wood-fire cooking to elegant professional presentations, there will be cooking demonstrations, competitions and much more starting in the afternoons, showcasing the region’s culinary and cultural identity.
Pro tip: If you attend the Punta Allen events, be aware that this small, unspoiled fishing village has no banks or ATMs. Bring sufficient cash since most places in Punta Allen don’t accept electronic payments.
Dates: Aug. 15–17 Location: At Tulum’s Municipal Palace esplanade on Aug. 15, and in Punta Allen Aug. 16–17 Cost: Free to enter
I’ve lived in this region for eight years, and dancing the night away is a perfect end to summer. So, head to Isla Mujeres’ Bahía del Rey beach club and make memories dancing to live acts — including local Afro-House electronica artist made good Katia Crown, now based in Miami — all in front of gorgeous ocean views!
This is a time of fewer tourists, warm waters and clear nights under the stars — the perfect time to enjoy with hot tunes and cold drinks.
Dates: Aug. 16, 3 pm–midnight Location: Bahia del Rey beach club, Avenida Rueda Medina, Bahía, Isla Mujeres Cost: 432 pesos
Open to all ages, I’ve got this one earmarked next time I’m in Tulum. Not just because I love Frida Kahlo, but because it’s an immersive guided tour that requires you to “open your eyes, ears, and nose,” which I am curious about. What is there to smell?
You just can’t beat a good sensory experience in my book!
Dates: Aug. 20, 3 p.m. Location: Frida Kahlo Museum, Crucero de las Ruinas de Tulum,Tulum Cost: Foreign adults: 400 pesos; Mexican adults: 300 pesos; Q.Roo residents with I.D.: 200 pesos
I adore art and am officially putting this on the “fun things to do in Playa del Carmen” list. The 3D Museum of Wonders is fun no matter your age. Your guide will take photos, so there’ll be fun keepsakes like this to keep for free.
In these illusions, I got trapped in a bubble, played ballerina on top of a giant cake, stood on a rock pinnacle in the Grand Canyon, broke into a bank vault, drank wine poured by a god and much more!
Dates: Any day between 8 a.m.—10 p.m. Location: 10 Avenida between 8th and 10th street, Playa del Carmen. Cost: Adults 700 pesos, kids 600 pesos
Bel Woodhouse, Mexico Correspondent for International Living, is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with more than 500 articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Having lived in the Mexican Caribbean for over seven years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
The president said on Tuesday that the investment in the 31 hospitals that will have opened by the end of 2025 is around 50 billion pesos, while the outlay for the 20 to open in 2026 and 2027 is about 40 billion pesos. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The opening of new public hospitals and workforce productivity were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Tuesday morning press conference.
She also responded to a question about the new public transport cable car line set to be built in southern Mexico City.
Here is a recap of the president’s July 29 mañanera.
A 92-billion-peso investment in health care facilities
At the start of her press conference, Sheinbaum announced that Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Clark would speak about the new public hospitals that have opened since she took office last October, as well as those that will open before the end of the year.
“We’re talking about 31 new hospitals in the country,” she said, adding that the construction of “the majority of them” began during the 2018-24 government of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“They are 31 new, very important hospitals,” Sheinbaum said, noting that they are, or will be, operated by one of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE) or the IMSS Bienestar healthcare agency.
Clark noted that the government has already inaugurated 13 new public hospitals and nine public health care centers, or clinics, since it took office last October.
He said that an additional 18 hospitals and three clinics will open before the end of the year.
Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Clark noted that the Mexican government has already inaugurated 13 new public hospitals and nine public health care centers, or clinics, since it took office last October. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Among the 13 hospitals that have opened since October are ones in Ciudad Juárez, Tijuana, Ensenada and Orizaba.
Among the 18 slated to open before the end of 2025 are ones in Mexico City, Puebla, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Ciudad del Carmen, Guanajuato city, Hermosillo, Acapulco and Mérida.
Clark noted that an additional 20 public hospitals are scheduled to open in 2026 and 2027.
Those 20 hospitals — some of which are already under construction — will be located in cities including Mexico City, Los Cabos, Oaxaca city, Saltillo, Culiacán and Chetumal.
“As you can see,” Clark said, “it’s an incredibly ambitious infrastructure plan.”
The deputy health minister also noted that the government is upgrading 256 operating rooms at public hospitals.
Sheinbaum said that the government is also hiring “all the specialist doctors and nurses” needed to perform surgeries in the upgraded operating rooms.
She said that the investment in the 31 hospitals that will have opened by the end of 2025 is around 50 billion pesos, while the outlay for the 20 to open in 2026 and 2027 is about 40 billion pesos.
The upgrades to the operating rooms will cost around 2.5 billion pesos, Sheinbaum said.
Combined, the investment the president referred to adds up to 92.5 billion pesos (US $4.9 billion).
Sheinbaum defends Mexican workers after reporter highlights Mexico has second second-lowest productivity in OECD
A reporter noted that Mexico ranked second to last for productivity among the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The 38 member countries were ranked according to “GDP per hour worked in current prices and PPPs,” or purchasing power parities.
In its compendium, the OECD said that “labor productivity is the most frequently computed productivity indicator.”
“It represents the volume of output produced per unit of labor input. The ratio between output and labor input depends to a large extent on the presence of other inputs, such as physical capital (e.g. buildings, machinery and transport vehicles) and intangible assets used in production (e.g. intellectual property products), technical efficiency and organizational change,” the organization said.
Asked whether she agreed with the OECD’s assessment that Mexico is the second least productive country in the organization, Sheinbaum responded that it “depends on how productivity is measured.”
She went on to say that she has recently spoken to the CEOs of automotive companies about the United States’ auto tariffs, and told reporters that one of those people told her that Mexico has “the most productive plants” in the world and that there are no workers like Mexican workers.
“We would have to see how, in particular, [productivity] is being measured, but Mexican workers are first-rate,” Sheinbaum said.
World’s longest cable car line to be built in CDMX
A reporter asked the president whether she could provide additional details about the Mexico City government’s project to connect the southern boroughs of Tlalpan and Coyoacán with a new Cablebús line.
Sheinbaum and Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada presented the Cablebús Line 4 project on Sunday. It will run 11.4 kilometers from the Pedregal de San Nicolás neighborhood in Tlalpan to the National Autonomous University (UNAM) in Coyoacán. Once completed, it will be the largest urban passenger cable car line in the world.
Hoy presentamos la #Línea4 del @MICablebusCDMX, una ruta eficiente, amplia y pensada para mejorar el día a día de quienes habitan en la zona sur.
— Clara Brugada Molina (@ClaraBrugadaM) July 28, 2025
The president — a former mayor of Tlalpan who highlighted on Tuesday morning that she lived in the borough for 30 years — said that the new Cablebús line will significantly reduce travel times for Tlalpan residents.
“This area where the Cablebús will set off [in Tlalpan] is right at the foot of the Xitle [volcano],” Sheinbaum said, highlighting that residents of that part of Mexico City travel toward the center of the capital on just one highway — la carretera Picacho-Ajusco.
Once the new Cablebús line is built, people will be able to travel to the Universidad Metro station at UNAM from Pedregal de San Nicolás in 40 minutes instead of 2.5 hours, the president said.
The construction of the new cable car line will alleviate the stress those people experience due to being stuck in traffic or traveling on public buses, Sheinbaum said.
She noted that urban cable car projects were built in the Bolivian capital of La Paz and in the Colombian cities of Bogotá and Medellin before the construction of the first Cablebús line in Mexico City
“That’s where we got the idea from and we called it Cablebús,” said Sheinbaum, mayor of the capital when the first two lines of the Cablebús system opened.
She said that construction of the Tlalpan-Coyoacán line will take at least one and a half years and cost 4.5 billion pesos (US $240 million). She said that the Mexico City government will carry out a tendering process for the construction of the project, but the federal government will provide the required resources.
“There are two companies in the world that build cable cars of this type. An Austrian company … called Doppelmayr and an Italian company called Leitner,” Sheinbaum said.
A delegation led by Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin will visit Mexico on Aug. 27 and 28 to discuss amplifying the Mexico-Brazil trade agreement. (Shutterstock)
Facing uncertainty in their country’s trade relationship with the United States, a growing number of Brazilian companies are taking a serious look at investing in Mexico, the president of the Brazil-Mexico Chamber (Bramexcam), Liborio Rauber, said on Thursday.
According to Rauber, more than three dozen Brazilian companies stand ready to invest in the development of factories, production lines, data centers and distribution centers in major Mexican cities like Monterrey, Saltillo, Querétaro, Tijuana, Guadalajara, Ciudad Juárez and Mexico City.
“Today, at the Chamber, we are presenting 42 projects from Brazil from companies that want to open markets or make investments here in Mexico,” Rauber said.
Currently, 48 Mexican companies are established in Brazil, though that number pales in comparison to the 716 Brazilian companies operating in Mexico. Mexican brands with operations in Brazil include the automotive Numak, the food company Bimbo and the telecommunications firm América Móvil. Rauber pointed out that roughly 19.7% of internet use by Brazilians goes through Claro, a company owned by América Móvil.
Also of note, the Mexican convenience store chain Oxxo has opened 500 stores across Brazil in just two years, though there are apparently a few glitches. “You know the difference between Oxxo in Brazil and Oxxo in Mexico?” joked Rauber. “There [in Mexico], the second cash register actually works and they have change.”
Rauber’s announcement of the 42 interested companies followed a call between Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and her Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) on Wednesday. The two leaders agreed that a delegation led by Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin would visit Mexico on Aug. 27 and 28.
“We followed up on the agreement to welcome in Mexico authorities and business people from Brazil, with the aim of deepening our collaboration on various issues,” Sheinbaum wrote on social media.
Meanwhile, Lula said on social media that the pair had “discussed the expansion of the Brazil-Mexico trade agreement, highlighting the potential of the pharmaceutical, agricultural, ethanol, biodiesel, aerospace, innovation and education sectors as strategic areas in our bilateral relationship.”
Bramexcam represents companies across a wide range of sectors, including the automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, chemical and agribusiness industries.
According to the business chamber, some of the principal exports between the two countries include:
In the new 89-minute animated film, premiering in Mexican theaters on Sept. 18 and set to be released digitally on Sept. 19, Batman’s origin is completely altered and the setting of Gotham City is nowhere to be found. (IMDb)
Batman fans will get to see their hero in a completely new setting later this year — pre-Columbian Mexico.
In an audacious and innovative twist, the second international reimagining of the Dark Knight — “Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires” — is set in the 16th century among pyramids, ancient codices and Indigenous ceremonial rituals.
Unlike the 2018 Warner Bros. production of “Batman Ninja” which saw the modern-day Caped Crusader time-travel to feudal Japan, “Aztec Batman” is a period piece in which colonialism is intertwined with the Dark Knight’s vigilantism.
In the new 89-minute animated film, premiering in Mexican theaters on Sept. 18 and set to be released digitally on Sept. 19, Batman’s origin is completely altered and the setting of Gotham City is nowhere to be found.
Instead, the story is centered on a young Aztec boy named Yohualli Coatl, whose father, village leader Toltecatzin, is murdered by Spanish Conquistadors. The boy manages to flee to Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital city, to warn King Moctezuma and his high priest, Yoka (think “The Joker”), of looming danger.
Director Juan Meza-León, a Mexican storyboard artist who also co-wrote “Aztec Batman,” said the new film seeks to be “as faithful as possible to the essence of the characters, whether it’s Batman, Joker or Two-Face [Hernán Cortés].”
Although the film features completely new characters with different origins — including Jaguar Woman (Catwoman) and Forest Ivy (Poison Ivy) — “you can still see the spirit of their comic counterparts,” Meza-León says.
A new legend rises. AZTEC BATMAN: CLASH OF THE EMPIRES is coming to Digital 9/19. pic.twitter.com/YXn8VTzIng
— Warner Bros. Entertainment (@WBHomeEnt) July 25, 2025
“[Yoalli Coatl] goes through tragedy at the hands of the conquistadors. So that’s where you get the loss of the parents and also the loss of his village,” he told Anime News Network. “That motivates him and pushes him into a journey that, unbeknownst to him, is being led by the deities that guide him into becoming the bat warrior.”
According to an HBO Max Latin America press release, Yohualli Coatl uses the temple of the bat god Tzinacan as a lair, where he trains with his mentor and assistant, Acatzin. There, Aztec Batman “develops equipment and weaponry to confront the Spanish invasion, protect Moctezuma’s temple and avenge his father’s death.”
The film featured a largely Mexican production team from Ánima Estudios, as well as Dr. Alejandro Díaz Barriga, an ethnohistorian who teaches at Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM), in an effort to ensure visual and narrative authenticity.
Horacio García Rojas, who voices Yohualli Coatl, spoke glowingly about the film at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 over the weekend, saying he hoped the character would lead to new narratives that include a greater diversity of ethnicities, languages, races and beliefs.
Horacio García Rojas, who voices Yohualli Coatl, spoke glowingly about the film at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 over the weekend. (Comic Con/X)
“To know that brown-skinned boys and girls like me can see themselves in a hero who shares their same features, who carries in his skin the history of a past that is still alive, a hero who fights for his own, fills me with emotion,” he told HBO Max.
However, not everybody was enthralled with the reimagination of Batman as an Aztec hero.
