An advantage of the new e-visas is that tourists planning on arriving to Mexico by air who need a visa can apply for one online without visiting a consulate in person. (X)
Starting in August, Mexico will launch an electronic visa platform for foreign tourists that will streamline the application process by eliminating the need for in-person visits to consular offices and allowing applicants to complete all requirements online.
Citizens of exempt countries or with a valid passport from the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and the Schengen area, do not need a pre-authorized visa for a tourism visit and are therefore not impacted by the new e-visa.
🇲🇽 ¡Atención viajeros! México lanza su nueva visa electrónica 100% digital desde el 9 de agosto de 2025. Solo para ingreso aéreo y por 180 días. ✈️ Conoce requisitos y países elegibles 👇 https://t.co/6KF0k0PqKh
The e-visa process will enable the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE) to create digital files with biometric and electronic data, as well as digital certificates for each traveler.
The e-visa is not valid for travel by land or sea. It is intended for foreigners who require a visa to enter Mexico and only applies to foreigners entering via air for tourism, cultural or family purposes. It does not allow any work activities and is valid for a maximum of 180 days.
For visitors from most parts of Asia and Africa, the e-visa eliminates the need for an interview or a physical stamp in the traveler’s passport. Once approved, the visa can be downloaded online.
In a statement published in the Official Journal of the Federation (DOF) the National Migration Institute (INM) also sought to “simplify, unify and make transparent” several procedures related to the issuance of immigration documents: including obtaining a regional visitor card, regularization for humanitarian reasons, and notifications of marital status, name, nationality, and place of work.
Moreover, it reduced the maximum processing time for notifications of name or nationality changes to three days, and for issuing immigration documents to no later than 10 days.
The new e-visa will cost 575 pesos (US $32), payable online. Infants under two years old are exempt from the payment.
In contrast, the US is hiking its visa prices
While Mexico is moving to make tourism visits more convenient, the price of most non-immigrant visas to enter the United States is set to more than double in 2026, as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. These visas include tourist, student and work visas.
Planning to travel, study, or work in the U.S.?
You might soon have to pay a new $250 visa integrity fee — and no, it doesn’t replace your current visa costs. From tourists to tech workers, this fee applies to all nonimmigrant visa applicants under Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill… pic.twitter.com/nuWYzjvHss
“No-petition visas,” which include tourist and student permits, will increase from US $160 to $410 next year. Meanwhile, petition-based categories like those of temporary workers or trainees, will increase from $190 to $440 in 2026.
In a statement criticizing the fee hikes, Geoff Freeman, president of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), said: “Raising fees on lawful international visitors amounts to a self-imposed tariff on one of our nation’s largest exports: international travel spending.”
The creation of a biometric CURP is aimed at the fight against disappearances, organized crime and drug trafficking in Mexico. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s Congress last month approved reforms to existing laws that allow for the creation of an identity document that contains biometric data, including fingerprints and iris scans.
Supported by President Claudia Sheinbaum and the ruling Morena party, the reforms to the laws enabling the creation of a CURP biométrica (biometric CURP) took effect on July 17 after the publication of a decree in the federal government’s official gazette the previous day.
The Unique Population Registry Key (CURP), seen here in this federal document, is issued to each citizen or legal resident of Mexico and contains that person’s unique identity number.
The CURP, or Unique Population Registry Code, is an existing national identification code for all citizens and legal residents of Mexico. The biometric CURP is an enhanced version of the existing CURP, which was created in 1996.
There is significant controversy about the creation of a new identity document that contains biometric data, with critics raising a range of concerns about the collection and storage of personal information.
Here’s an explainer on the biometric CURP, which will be issued as a physical and digital document.
What prompted the decision to create a biometric CURP?
The federal government’s main stated reason for the creation of a biometric CURP is to help combat Mexico’s missing persons crisis. Investigators will be able to access the biometric data of people who disappear in the future, provided that they applied for, and were issued with, a biometric CURP. That ability will ostensibly aid efforts to locate and identify those people or their remains.
Mexicans and foreigners who are currently classified as missing in Mexico obviously don’t have biometric CURPs, and therefore, the creation of the new identity document would not assist the search for those people.
More than 100,000 people are officially classified as missing in Mexico. President Sheinbaum has said that addressing the missing persons problem is a “national priority” for her government.
The creation of a biometric CURP is also aimed at the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking. In addition, it seeks to prevent the crime of identity theft.
The news outlet Deutsche Welle reported that the government has presented the biometric CURP as “a modern and efficient tool to strengthen security and the provision of services.”
While the government defends the biometric CURP as a tool that will help investigators access data of future missing persons, it offers no solution for the more than 100,000 people already classified as disappeared. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
The creation of the biometric CURP has also been framed as complementary to the government’s efforts to modernize Mexico’s bureaucratic systems and thus make them faster and more efficient.
What laws were changed to allow the creation of a biometric CURP?
The General Forced Disappearance Law and the General Population Law were both modified to allow for the creation of a biometric CURP.
What information will the biometric CURP contain?
A biometric CURP will contain the following information/data about the person it pertains to:
Names and surnames
Date of birth
Sex
Place of birth
Nationality
A photograph
A digital signature
Fingerprints
Iris scans
Each person with a biometric CURP will have an alphanumeric code containing 18 letters and numbers, as is the case with a regular CURP.
Where will the data be stored?
The biometric CURP data will be stored in a “Unique Identity Platform,” which will be linked to other government databases containing a range of information about citizens and residents, including financial data.
What will citizens and residents of Mexico use their biometric CURP for?
Citizens and residents of Mexico will be able to use their biometric CURP to carry out a range of procedures and to access government and private services.
According to the newspaper El País, a biometric CURP will be needed for things such as registering for government social programs, completing banking procedures, enrolling in educational institutes and accessing medical care in the public health system.
The news website Expansión reported that the biometric CURP will also be used to validate individuals’ identities on some websites, including government ones.
According to the legal information website Justia México, a biometric CURP could also be used to validate a person’s identity when carrying out immigration procedures, such as those carried out by foreigners at National Immigration Institute (INM) offices.
Will it be mandatory for individuals to obtain a biometric CURP?
There is currently confusion and uncertainty about whether it will be mandatory for citizens and residents of Mexico to obtain a biometric CURP.
President Sheinbaum said last week that the government cannot “force” anyone to obtain a biometric CURP, but added that she believes that it is “important” to get one as the new identity document will “help in many issues,” including in addressing the missing person’s crisis in Mexico.
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez has also said that obtaining a biometric CURP will not be mandatory.
Not having a biometric CURP could potentially limit individuals’ capacity to carry out some (or many) bureaucratic procedures and access government and private services. Therefore, for many people, having a biometric CURP could become essential and, in effect, mandatory.
Starting Oct. 16, individuals will be able to apply for a biometric CURP at Civil Registry offices and offices of the National Population Registry (Renapo). (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
El País reported earlier this month that the biometric CURP will be “compulsory” starting in February 2026 and that the “conventional version” will cease to be accepted for “procedures and services that require identification.”
It is unclear whether the government will have the capacity to issue biometric CURPs to all citizens and residents who want, or need, one by that time.
When will individuals be able to obtain a biometric CURP?
Starting Oct. 16, individuals will be able to apply for a biometric CURP at Civil Registry offices and offices of the National Population Registry (Renapo).
There will be no cost associated with applying for and obtaining a biometric CURP.
Some biometric CURPs have already been issued in certain municipalities in Veracruz, and in Mexico City and México state, where the identity documents have been issued to citizens in a pilot project.
To obtain a biometric CURP, individuals will have to present a range of documents, including their birth certificate, their current CURP and their INE voter’s card or passport.
Children will also be able to obtain a biometric CURP, provided they apply for one in the company of a parent or legal guardian.
What concerns are there about the biometric CURP?
Digital rights activists have raised concerns about “the collection, use, sharing and storage of personal data,” according to Context, a media platform affiliated with the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“… Rights groups worry the changes will enable a mass surveillance system with little accountability,” Context reported.
Congress’s recent approval of other laws has increased the Mexican government’s capacity to surveil citizens. For example, the National Investigation and Intelligence System Law, which was approved by the Senate on July 1, gives the federal Security Ministry broad powers to access people’s personal and biometric data as well as their financial information, among other sensitive data.
José Flores, director of the Network in Defense of Digital Rights (R3D), a non-governmental organization, is among the activists who have raised concerns about the biometric CURP.
According to Context, he said that the biometric ID card will grant authorities access to a detailed footprint of a citizen’s activities, without requiring a court order.
“This puts us in a massive surveillance ecosystem with no provisions to identify wrong use of data, data breaches, identity theft or acts of corruption,” Flores said.
Citing “rights campaigners,” Context reported that recently-approved laws “do not outline how citizens can be notified when their data is viewed by authorities.”
“This means [biometric CURP] card holders do not know who is accessing their personal data or how it is being used,” Context said.
Santiago Narváez, an R3D researcher, told Deutsche Welle that the “centralization of biometric data in Mexico is occurring in a context of high corruption, frequent leaks and lack of independent controls.”
Unlike a password, Narváez highlighted that a person’s fingerprints and irises cannot be changed if they are leaked (or hacked) and fall into the wrong hands.
“It’s a permanent risk,” he said.
Given that the biometric CURP will be used to access government and private services, “every office, every company” with access to people’s biometric data is “a possible focus of attack,” Narváez said.
For their part, families of missing persons have rejected the assertion that the creation of the biometric CURP will assist the location of disappeared people.
At a protest in early July, search collectives displayed placards with the message “Spying is not searching,” according to Deutsche Welle.
María Salvadora Coronado, whose husband disappeared in 2011, said that the creation of a biometric CURP and the recent approval of other laws “place us at greater risk because they [the government] will know where we are, what we’re doing, what we’re buying.”
“There are madres buscadoras [searching mothers] who have been murdered,” she noted.
How has Sheinbaum responded to the concerns?
Sheinbaum — the leading proponent of the biometric CURP initiative — has highlighted that the existing CURP system has been in place for an extended period of time, and rejected claims that the biometric CURP will become a means of spying on people in Mexico.
The president has repeatedly rejected claims that the government intends to spy and/or surveil ordinary citizens.
Last Thursday, she highlighted that banks already request biometric data from their customers for security reasons.
“They ask you for it in the banks’ apps, even your face,” Sheinbaum said.
She said that people can “have the certainty” that their personal and biometric data will be “safe.”
The government’s digital infrastructure has “all the necessary cyber-security systems,” Sheinbaum said.
President Sheinbaum says the federal government’s digital infrastructure has “all the necessary cyber-security systems,” but critics of the biometric CURP worry that the information could easily fall into the wrong hands. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
She also said that people can rest assured that there will be no “misuse” of their personal and biometric data.
The federal government has stressed that the biometric CURP will not replace citizens’ INE voter card, the primary form of personal identification in Mexico.
Could foreign governments seek biometric data from Mexico?
Yes.
Earlier this year, United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that she had asked Sheinbaum “specifically to share biometric information [of migrants] with us.”
“And she’s willing to discuss that even though that in her country would be a little bit controversial,” Noem said in late March.
Sheinbaum subsequently said that she had not agreed to anything requiring the transfer of biometric data to the United States.
She also highlighted in early April that Mexico did “not have a biometric data ID system” at that time.
How will people’s biometric data be protected?
According to Justia México, “biometric personal data will be protected in accordance with the provisions of applicable laws and legal provisions on the protection of personal data.”
Do Mexican citizens support the addition of biometric data to their CURPs?
In a poll carried out this month, the El Financiero newspaper asked 500 Mexican adults whether they agreed or disagreed with the incorporation of biometric data to the CURP identity document.
Forty-eight per cent of respondents said they agreed, while 49% said they disagreed. The remaining 3% of those polled said they didn’t know whether they agreed or not.
El Financiero also asked the survey participants about how much confidence they had in the government’s capacity to safely store people’s biometric data.
Just under one-quarter of respondents (24%) said they had “a lot” of confidence in the government, while exactly one-quarter said they had “some” confidence.”
Twenty-one per cent of respondents said they had “little” confidence in the government, while 28% said they had no confidence in its biometric data-storing capacity.
Crude and condensate production continued to fall — dipping 8.6% compared to last year’s second quarter — as well as natural gas production, which was down 3.7% compared to Q2 2024. (Shutterstock)
Mexico’s state-owned oil company Pemex reported its first quarterly profit in a year, booking a net profit of 59.52 billion pesos (US $3.17 billion) during the second quarter despite a decline in revenues.
The rise in Pemex’s fortunes was helped largely by the peso’s favorable exchange rate, but the company — the world’s most indebted energy firm — still faces considerable challenges.
Presenta Pemex sus resultados del segundo trimestre de 2025
Crude and condensate production continued to fall — dipping 8.6% compared to last year’s second quarter — as well as natural gas production, which was down 3.7% compared to Q2 2024. Pemex also reported a financial debt of US $98.8 billion at the end of the quarter and revealed that it owes providers US $22.79 billion.
Still, as the peso rose against the dollar, the positive currency effects allowed Pemex to overcome a drop in revenues.
Pemex disclosed in regulatory filings that second-quarter revenues declined 4.4% to 391.62 billion pesos (US $20.9 billion), citing reduced crude oil volumes and lower prices for refined products, including gasoline and diesel.
Even as Pemex faces a financial chokehold, the unexpected quarterly earnings report not only gives the company more time to breathe, but also provides impetus to a new government plan to prop up the beleaguered oil giant.
The Finance Ministry announced last week that it would launch a new dollar-denominated debt issue, involving “Pre-Capitalized Notes,” a form of financing designed to strengthen Pemex’s balance sheet without a direct government guarantee.
Even so, the online news platform Oil Price reported that “[Pemex’s] financial profile and earnings outlook remain persistently weak.” And according to Fitch, the oil company still faces “negative funds from operations, declining profit margins on the back of lower production and oil prices, as well as unrelenting losses in its downstream business.”
After the quarterly results were published, company executives told investors Pemex was intent on increasing crude oil production to the government’s goal of 1.8 million barrels per day, news agency Reuters reported.
The executives said so-called mixed contracts would be offered to private companies, and Pemex would continue to rely on government support. The company received 80 billion pesos (US $4.26 billion) in government support in the first quarter. The funds were mainly used to pay down debt.
In this year’s first quarter, Pemex reported a net loss of US $2.3 billion. Last year’s losses amounted to roughly US $30 billion, Reuters reported, with fourth-quarter losses alone coming in at US $9 billion.
In Mexico, the corner tiendita is the place where everybody knows your name — and the snacks you like. (Al Momento)
Last week, we reported on the precarious situation facing Mexico’s beloved neighborhood stores, known as tienditas, as they battle rising inflation, low sales and criminal extortion. These vital community hubs, often run by women and their families, are struggling to survive, a survey by Mexico’s National Alliance of Small Businesses (ANPEC) revealed earlier this month.
Today, we delve deeper into the heart and soul of these traditional Mexican shops, moving beyond their economic challenges to discover why, despite the presence of globalized convenience stores like Oxxo and 7-Eleven, the local tiendita remains the true pulse of Mexico’s communities.
These little corner stores, the kind tucked under tin roofs and behind bars of sun-faded metal, do more than sell snacks — or toiletries or office supplies or any number of seemingly endless items. They connect people.
The tiendita often serves as a community nexus, where neighbors run into each other and news gets shared. (Arena Pública)
In working-class neighborhoods, the owner will know your name, your kids’ names and probably even your dog’s name — and, if you’re lucky, will have an appropriate treat waiting for your daily visit. In traditional areas, they’ve watched multiple generations of families grow up.
These stores function as more than just retail, forming an organ of the community they find themselves in. In these stores, recipes are swapped, people debate soccer scores and local news — good or tragic — makes the rounds.
“My grandmother started one year ago,” Adrián explains. “Now, my aunt runs it. It’s the town square, the place locals drift to when something out of the ordinary happens. It’s the place everyone goes to find out what’s going on.”
It’s not just a sort of living register of births, deaths and marriages in small-town Mexico either. The benefit of a personal relationship between customer and owner means that you can bend the rules a little bit if you’re ever in an hour of need.
“There’s a ritual to it — the ‘fiado’ is a kind of honor-system tab. You come up short, say ‘Can I pay you tomorrow?’ and the owner sizes you up,” Adrián says. “If the trust’s there, you’re good. Break it, and the door quietly closes. No second chance. Try doing that in a supermarket,” he laughs. “This sort of thing could never happen at a chain store.”
Still, there’s no denying the convenience of an Oxxo. It’s fast, it’s everywhere and its inventory is solid, with chips, drinks, toiletries, condoms, aspirin — you name it. What’s on the shelves varies by store size and location. Don’t expect miracles, but you’ll usually walk out with what you need — and possibly even something you didn’t.
The tiendita is not just a last-minute lifesaver when you run out of something, it’s a treasure trove of great snacks — both name-brand types and locally made treats. (Unsplash)
A local guide to tiendita tips and tricks
Snacks
Snacking on a budget is an essential part of life in Mexico. While the minimum wage may have risen under the previous government, so has the cost of living. This means that for most, getting the best bang for your buck is the number one consideration when hitting up the tiendita.
Even accounting for regional varieties, simple treats can be found in basically any one of the hundreds of thousands of tienditas in the country.
For sudden cravings — especially the kind that hit mid-walk or late-night — go for the BitzJapanese-style peanuts. They’re salty, crunchy, cheap and addictive. Pick your poison: lemon, salted, natural, habanero or flaming hot. Good solo, even better with friends and beer.
Need something more substantial before a party? The microwavable burritos from Lonchibon, Del Cazo or Chata work are an absolute treat. They won’t change your life, but they’ll fill the gap. The Mega Burrito — filled with beans and beef — is my go-to. Warm it in-store, eat it on the move and you’re golden.
Throwing a party on a tight budget? Sabritones are your salvation. These beauties are spicy, tangy chili-lime puffs of pure Mexican nostalgia. Grab the family-size bag and a bottle of Valentina hot sauce — available everywhere, even from street vendors. If heat’s not your thing, there’s always Doritos Nacho or the eternally faithful Sabritas. These are the first casualties at any decent party, so plan accordingly.
Sweet fixes
Now for candy. Spicy tamarind classics like Pelón Pelo Rico are messy, sticky and totally worth it. But my personal favorite are Marimba, a hard cherry lollipop wrapped in spicy tamarind paste. It’s sweet, sour and hits with a slow burn. If tamarind isn’t your thing, then try the cherry lollipop from Rosa.
A word about change
It’s been said before, but carrying only a 500-peso bill is an absolute rookie move. If you’ve been caught short, then spend at least 80 pesos and snag a drink before you leave.
That’ll earn you smaller bills and coins, which you’ll want if you’re planning to buy something from a street cart later — you should be planning this. If you’ve gone for a chain store option, Oxxo always takes plastic, but outside of major areas, don’t bet on being able to use your card.
Be prepared
It’s a Boy Scout’s motto. If you’re planning on taking a road trip across Mexico, then know that Oxxo thrives in urban zones. Head out into rural areas, and you might be out of luck. Cash is king out there, especially in markets or local joints. And if you get the chance, buy from the mom-and-pop shops. You’ll find regional snacks and candies you won’t see anywhere else. You’ll taste something real.
Chris Havler-Barrett is the Features Editor at Mexico News Daily.
Always intriguing violinist Lindsey Stirling brings her The Duality Tour 2025 for one night at Guadalajara's Telmex Auditorium on August 6. (Lindsey Stirling)
Looking for things to do in Guadalajara in August? Summer is at its peak, and the city’s events schedule is bustling, featuring more concerts than any other month so far in 2025.
Here are the top events and concerts taking place in Guadalajara this August.
Lindsay Stirling on tour
(Heather Koepp/Lindseystirling.com)
American violinist, composer and dancer Lindsay Stirling will perform live in Guadalajara as part of her The Duality Tour 2025, in which she presents her latest album, Duality Deluxe.
On this tour, Stirling fuses her violin virtuosity with dynamic choreography, performing well-known songs such as “Crystallize,” “Shatter Me” and “Elements,” as well as special versions of traditional Mexican songs such as “Cielito Lindo” and “Cómo Te Voy a Olvidar.”
Dates: August 6 Location: Telmex Auditorium. Obreros de Cananea 747, Complejo Belenes, Zapopan Cost: Starting at 2,383 pesos (US $151)
Tesistán Corn Festival
(Tesistán Corn Festival)
The Tesistán Corn Festival is one of the most anticipated gastronomic and cultural festivals in Guadalajara, one that celebrates the region’s rich corn heritage.
During the fair, visitors can sample a wide variety of corn products, including cooked and grilled corn, esquites — small cups of roasted corn kernels prepared with toppings like butter, mayonnaise, cheese and chile — homemade cornbread and many more.
Dates: August 13-17 Location:Main Square of San Francisco Tesistán in Zapopan, Jalisco Cost:Free
Maluma in Concert
(Maluma/X)
Internationally acclaimed singer and Latin Grammy winner Maluma, recognized as one of the greatest exponents of contemporary Latin music, is back in Guadalajara as part of his international “Pretty + Dirty World Tour” on two consecutive dates in August.
Fans can expect to hear the Colombian artist’s hits like “Felices los 4”, “Hawái” and “Borro Cassette.”
If you’re interested in exploring Mexican alternative rock music, this concert is your chance. Allison, one of Mexico’s iconic bands in the genre, is returning to Guadalajara to perform live their greatest hits. Made up of Erik, Fear, Alfie, and Diego, the band is known for songs like “Frágil,” “Memorama” and “Aquí.”
Dates: August 23 Location: Teatro Diana. Avenida 16 de Septiembre No. 710, Guadalajara, Jalisco Cost:Starting at 1,280 pesos (US $42)
Reggae and ska legends Los Pericos
(Los Pericos)
Argentine band Los Pericos, icons of Latin American reggae and ska, will come back to Guadalajara for a live performance as part of their 2025 international tour marking their 35-year career and the legacy of their album “Big Yuyo.”
You’ll hear some of Los Pericos’ most popular hits, including “Runaway,” “Waitin,” “El Ritual de la Banana,” “Pupilas Distantes” and “Me Late.”
One of Guadalajara’s most anticipated festivals every year is the Mariachi and Charrería International Festival, which celebrates some of the country’s most iconic traditions, both of which have been declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Back for its 32nd edition, the festival will feature music, folklore, and charrería equestrian competitions all across Jalisco, with over 170 events planned.
A highlight of the festival is the mariachi gala at Guadalajara’s Degollado Theater, where national and international groups perform alongside the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra. Other notable events include charrería championships and exhibitions at charro arenas (lienzos charros) across the Guadalajara metropolitan area and other municipalities throughout the state.
Dates: August 27 to September 7 Location: Several venues across Jalisco, including the Degollado Theater in Guadalajara Cost: Varying prices
Kylie Minogue in concert
(Kylie Minogue)
The iconic Aussie pop diva brings her Tension Tour 2025 to Guadalajara in August. The tour promotes her recent albums Tension and Tension II (released in 2023 and 2024), which include songs like “Taboo” and “Things We Do For Love.”
Fans can also expect to hear her iconic classics like “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and “Come Into My World,” which earned her a Grammy in 2003.
Calling all nature lovers to a guided tour led by biologist Daniel Bojórquez, which concludes with a picnic prepared by chef Fabián Delgado. Founder of one of Guadalajara’s most popular restaurants, palReal, Delgado is a self-taught chef who has enhanced the city’s culinary scene with his creative dishes in a variety of gastronomical projects.
The experience includes beverages, food and a mushroom-printed manual.
Dates: August 9 and 23 Location: Bosque de la Primavera (Meeting point at entrance to the forest by Mariano Otero). Cost:Starting at 1,990 pesos (US $106).
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
A reporter also asked Sheinbaum whether the United States has been exerting pressure on Mexico to hand over alleged 'big fish' of narco-politics in Mexico. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
At her Monday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum once again expressed optimism that her government can ward off the 30% tariff the United States intends to impose on imports from Mexico on Friday.
She also responded to claims that the U.S. government is pressuring Mexico to detain and extradite Mexican politicians with alleged links to drug cartels.
In addition, Sheinbaum offered a defense of the ruling Morena party’s top senator, Adán Augusto López Hernández, a former governor of Tabasco who has been caught up in a scandal involving the man who served as his security minister in the Gulf coast state.
Sheinbaum remains confident that Mexico will reach a deal with US to avert 30% tariff
A reporter noted that United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on the weekend that there would be “no extensions” or “grace periods” for U.S trade partners, and that the tariffs scheduled to take effect on Aug. 1 “are set” to go into force.
United States President Donald Trump informed Sheinbaum earlier this month that the U.S. would impose a 30% tariff on imports from Mexico, “separate from all Sectoral Tariffs,” on Aug 1.
Despite Lutnick’s remark, Sheinbaum said that her government still believed that it could reach an agreement with its U.S. counterpart to stave off the tariff.
“We’re still talking, we’re still talking with [the U.S. government],” she stressed.
WATCH: @howardlutnick on President Trump negotiating a tariff deal with the European Union: “The question is, do they offer President Trump a good enough deal that is worth it for him to step off of the 30 percent tariffs that he set?” pic.twitter.com/wRUJ0ZiRpP
Sheinbaum highlighted that the U.S. government recently signed new trade agreements with Japan and the European Union.
“And we expect an agreement this week,” she said.
“… Obviously the United States has its position and we have ours, but we believe we’re going to reach an agreement,” Sheinbaum said.
The president said last Thursday that her government was doing “everything” it could to stop the 30% duty from entering into force.
“There is a team working in the United States with the [U.S.] commerce secretary and the treasury secretary,” she said at her Thursday morning press conference.
“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,” Sheinbaum said.
“… We’re going to see whether the teams can find an agreement. … We’re confident we can reach a good agreement,” she said.
Claims that the US is pressuring Mexico to arrest politicians on drug trafficking charges are ‘completely false,’ says Sheinbaum
A reporter told the president that there have been claims, especially in newspaper columns, that the United States has been exerting pressure on Mexico to hand over “alleged ‘big fish’ of narco-politics in Mexico.”
“I want to ask you whether this is true or not?” the reporter said.
Sheinbaum said that such claims are completely and utterly false.
“What are their sources?” she asked, referring to columnists.
Sheinbaum said that in none of her “many” calls with Trump has the United States president asked for Mexico to hand over any politician or any person with links to a politician.
Sheinbaum said on Monday that in none of her “many” calls with Trump has the United States president asked for Mexico to hand over any politician. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
She also said that neither the U.S. Department of State nor the Department of Justice has asked Mexican authorities to arrest and hand over a politician with alleged drug ties.
Asked whether “this issue” had “contaminated” trade talks with the United States, Sheinbaum responded, “No, not at all.”
Citing “sources familiar with the matter,” the Reuters news agency reported last month that the Trump administration was “pressuring Mexico to investigate and prosecute politicians with suspected links to organized crime, and to extradite them to the United States if there are criminal charges to answer there.”
On two occasions, the United States Embassy in Mexico has denounced as “false” supposed U.S. government lists of Mexican politicians with criminal links.
Sheinbaum’s latest rejection of claims that the United States is pressuring Mexico to arrest politicians with alleged cartel links comes as Senator Adán Augusto López Hernández, a former governor of Tabasco and ex-federal interior minister, continues to face questions and pressure over the scandal involving the man who served as his security minister in Tabasco, Hernán Bermúdez, who is wanted on charges related to his alleged involvement with the La Barredora criminal group.
‘There is no investigation against’ López Hernández, Sheinbaum stresses
Sheinbaum noted that the Tabasco Attorney General’s Office has a warrant for the arrest of Bermúdez, and asserted that her government is “collaborating in whatever is necessary” to detain the former state security minister, who reportedly left Mexico in January.
She highlighted that the Finance Ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit last week “froze the accounts of companies linked to this person.”
Former Tabasco state security minister Hernán Bermúdez is accused of colluding with the La Barredora cartel. (X)
A reporter suggested that it was “obvious” that López Hernández knew about the alleged criminal links of his security minister in Tabasco, just as it has been claimed that it is “obvious” that former president Felipe Calderón knew about the illicit activities of his former security minister, Genaro García Luna, who was convicted in the United States of colluding with the Sinaloa Cartel and sentenced to more than 38 years in prison.
“That’s why the investigations have to continue,” Sheinbaum said.
“And he [López Hernández] already said, ‘ … Ask me. What I know, I’ll say,'” she added.
The aforesaid reporter noted that there have been calls for López Hernández to step down as the leader of the ruling Morena party in the Senate, and asked the president whether his “leadership” in the upper house is “solid.”
“Yes,” Sheinbaum responded before stressing that “there is no investigation … against the senator.”
López Hernández was governor of Tabasco between 2019 and 2021 before leaving that position to become interior minister in the government of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The word "Xhavizende" is the Indigenous name for the city of Juchitán, where the migrant Juchiteco community that lives in Oaxaca city today is originally from. (Photos by Anna Bruce)
This year, celebrations for Oaxaca city’s annual Vela de Xhavizende — an annual multi-day event that celebrates the culture of the Indigenous people of Juchitán, Oaxaca, and their patron saint, St. Vincente Ferrer — opened Wednesday, featuring the traditional mass in celebration of the patron saint, followed by the colorful regada, a procession in which riders on horseback move through the streets of Oaxaca city throwing sweets and trinkets into the crowds, and ending this weekend with a gala vela event, as well as the traditional washing of the pots that cooked the food for the gala.
These types of celebrations are common throughout Oaxaca; just about every community has its own variant on the event, a syncretic festival that mixes the veneration of a Catholic patron saint with pre-conquest Indigenous traditions. This one in particular, the Vela de Xhavizende, originated nearly 200 kilometers away from Oaxaca city in Juchitán de Zaragoza, an eastern Oaxaca city of about 113,000, according to 2020 federal numbers.
Juchitán, Oaxaca, is a city in easternmost Oaxaca, in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec region. Its population is largely Indigenous Zapotec. (Government of Mexico)
The Vela de Xhavizende is meant to celebrate a 14th-century saint from Valencia, Spain, and also to bring good luck for the annual harvest. But what it’s also doing for this far-flung Oaxaca city community of Juchitecos, as they are called, is preserving their cultural heritage and sense of unity far from their original home.
Over the last several decades, Juchitecos who arrived looking for better work and educational opportunities have become a significant diaspora in Oaxaca city. Some estimates put them at about 10,000.
This celebration, which has taken place in Oaxaca city for over 35 years, is stewarded by the Association of Juchitecos Radicados en Oaxaca (Association of Juchitecos Living in Oaxaca). According to this year’s regada lead rider, Capitana María Sabina López Charis, her role as the “capitana” (captain) symbolizes “faith and celebration” as she leads her riders through the city’s streets.
López’s mother Nereyda is part of the association of stewards that organizes the festivities each year, and Nereyda and her daughters own Casa Juchitán, a Oaxaca city restaurant that champions traditional Istmeño food.
As I joined them for the mass and the regada this past week, López and her mother set aside a beautiful outfit for me, made up of an embroidered huipil, skirt, petticoat and gold filigree jewelry. López did my hair in braids and added flowers, which typically go with this style of dress. This is typical of Juchiteco celebrations, where everyone attending wears traditional attire.
The family and friends getting ready at Casa Juchitán were given food and drink, including Juchiteco classics such as garnachas: mini tortillas fried in oil and served with tomato sauce, ground beef and chopped onion, sprinkled with dry, white cheese. A group of men (and a couple of younger boys) with their big brass instruments packed into the small restaurant to get food and big cups of fruit water (agua del día) and played as we made our final touches to our outfits.
María Sabina López Charis, this year’s regada captain, in traditional attire, ready to lead her riders.
At 3:30 p.m., López mounted a black horse brought to the front of the restaurant, and we began the walk through the city towards Our Lady of Guadalupe church in El Llano park. Upon arriving, our group was joined by other Juchitecas in beautiful, vibrant dresses. The church was full, and the priest gave a dynamic, uplifting mass in honor of the patron saint. He blessed the residents of Juchitán and those who had organized the festivities. After the mass, the whole community gathered behind López to begin the regada.
In Juchitán, regadas have roots in pagan ritual. In the original versions of the event, besides the fruits thrown into the crowd, there were also ox-drawn carts carrying people, gifts and a “queen” of the vela. This sharing of wealth was thought to bring good luck for the next harvest.
Vico Peralta, a member of the association of Juchitecos, explained.
“They are gifts for nature,” he said. “Before, they used only fruits that came from the region, and the inhabitants returned the gift to the earth, giving away their fruits. This was before the arrival of the Spanish. After the conquest, they converted to Catholicism, and, now, apart from honoring Mother Nature, they also honor St. Vincent Ferrer.”
These days, carts are replaced by trucks, and the gifts thrown are things like plastic bowls, keychains and sweets.
We walked southward from the church for several blocks before turning right on Calle Mariano Abasolo, heading towards the Alcala pedestrian thoroughfare. With each block, the streets became more packed, with people crowding the sidewalk to get a glimpse — and perhaps get their hands on some gifts being thrown.
The event is a joyous celebration of culture, featuring multiple troupes of dancers, bands and people marching in multiple processions.
By the time we reached the Templo de Santo Domingo church, the crowd completely overwhelmed us, partly because the regada coincided with the arrival of calendas — processions of musicians and dancers.
Once the regada made it through, a small group with the band headed back to Casa Juchitán — where López and her family hosted a more intimate party late into the night.
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.
The 10.6% annual increase was the first in double-digits since U.S. President Donald Trump adopted a range of protectionist measures against Mexico. (Portcalls Asia/Unsplash)
Mexico’s export revenue increased by more than 10% annually in June, boosted by a significant spike in manufacturing sector earnings.
The national statistics agency INEGI reported Monday that export revenue totaled US $54.001 billion last month, a 10.6% increase compared to June 2024.
Earnings from the export of manufactured goods increased 13.5% annually to $49.68 billion, or 92% of total revenue. (Portcalls Asia/Unsplash)
It was the first double-digit annual increase in export earnings since November 2024, and therefore the first increase of that magnitude since United States President Donald Trump began his second term and adopted a range of protectionist measures against U.S. trading partners, including Mexico. More than 80% of Mexico’s export earnings comes from goods sent to the United States.
As usual, the lion’s share of the revenue in June came from the export of goods made in Mexico’s vast manufacturing sector.
Earnings from the export of manufactured goods increased 13.5% annually to $49.68 billion, or 92% of total revenue.
Within the manufacturing category, revenue derived from automotive sector exports increased 4.5% to $16.32 billion, even as the United States charged tariffs on vehicles and non-USMCA compliant auto parts made in Mexico. Earnings from auto exports to the U.S. increased 6%, while those sent to other markets declined 2.6%.
Earnings from the export of non-auto sector manufactured goods surged 18.5% annually in June to reach $33.36 billion.
Revenue derived from the three other export sectors measured by INEGI — oil, agriculture and mining — all declined in June compared to the same month of 2024.
Oil exports generated $1.45 billion in earnings, a 30.4% year-over-year decrease. Mexico sent about 34% less crude oil abroad in June compared to the same month of last year, and the price per barrel was around 13% lower than a year earlier, according to data published by INEGI.
Revenue from agricultural sector exports declined 2.2% annually in June to $1.71 billion, while mining sector export earnings fell 5.5% to $1.14 billion.
Export earnings up 4.4% in first half of 2025
INEGI also reported on Monday that Mexico’s export revenue increased 4.4% annually between January and June to $312.728 billion.
Revenue derived from automotive sector exports increased 4.5% to $16.32 billion in June, though overall, auto export earnings are down 4% at the mid-point of the year. (Shutterstock)
The data indicates that Mexico is on track to set a new record for export earnings in 2025. In 2024, export revenue exceeded $600 billion for the first time, totaling just over $617 billion.
In the first half of this year, manufacturing sector export revenue increased 6.2% annually to $283.02 billion. Auto sector export earnings declined 4% compared to the first six months of 2024, while revenue from the export of non-auto sector manufactured goods increased 12%.
Oil earnings declined 24.8% compared to the first six months of last year, while agricultural sector export revenue fell 7.7%. Mining sector export earnings increased 22% compared to the first half of 2024.
Spending on imports increased in June, and the first half of 2025
Mexico spent $53.487 billion on imports in June, a 4.4% increase compared to the same month of 2024, INEGI reported.
The outlay on imports in the first six months of 2025 was $311.295 billion, an increase of 0.2% compared to the same period of last year.
Mexico recorded a trade surplus of $514.4 million in June and $1.43 billion in the first six months of the year.
Sheinbaum said on Thursday that her government was doing “everything” it could to stop the new duty from entering into force, and declared that the trade imbalance with the U.S. “can be reduced through different mechanisms that don’t affect the economy of Mexico.”
Only 21.4% of Puerto Vallarta's residents consider their city to be unsafe, a positive number that puts the Pacific beach resort in the top five of Mexican urban areas based on perception of public security, according to an INEGI survey. (Shutterstock)
The Pacific beach city of Puerto Vallarta has emerged as one of the safest cities in Mexico, alongside some of the country’s most affluent urban areas, according to an annual survey measuring the perception of public safety.
The latest National Survey of Urban Public Safety, released by the national statistics agency INEGI on Thursday, revealed that the residents of Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco, view their city as very safe, with just 21.4% of the population raising security concerns.
A father walking with his child on a Puerto Vallarta beach reflects the local perception that the city is one of the safest in Mexico. (Shutterstock)
Survey respondents viewed Mexico as a whole to be less safe than last year, with 63.2% of over-18-year-olds surveyed saying they considered it unsafe to live in their area, compared to 59.4% in June 2024.
While the overall security perception has worsened, the average daily number of murders decreased by 21, to 65.6 in June, compared to 86.9 in September 2024, the last month of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s term in office, according to the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System.
The safest city according to perception was San Pedro Garza García, which is the wealthiest municipality in Mexico.
The cities or municipalities with the lowest perception of insecurity according to the survey were:
San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León – 11% (of surveyed residents viewed as unsafe)
Piedras Negras, Coahuila – 16.9%
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco – 21.4%
Benito Juárez borough, Mexico City – 22%
Saltillo, Coahuila – 23.5%
There was a significant gender gap in the perception of safety in urban areas, with 68.5% of women reporting insecurity across Mexico compared to 56.7% of men.
Meanwhile, 32.5% of participants expect crime and insecurity in their city to remain equally bad over the next year, 25.4% expect it will worsen, and 25.1% think it will improve.
Survey participants viewed Culiacán, the capital of the northern state of Sinaloa, as the most insecure, with 90.8% of residents feeling unsafe, compared to 44.7% last year.
The public perception of Culiacán’s security has deteriorated amid an ongoing war between the “Los Chapitos” and “Los Mayos” factions of the Sinaloa Cartel, which was triggered after Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada was allegedly kidnapped and taken to the U.S., where he was arrested in July 2024.
Osmar Olvera and Juan Celaya teamed up for a silver medal in the men's 3-meter synchronized springboard diving event at the World Aquatics Championships on Monday.
(Conade/X)
The Mexican diving duo of Gabriela Agúndez and Alejandra Estudillo earned a silver medal in the women’s 10-meter synchronized platform diving event at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Monday, delivering Mexico’s fourth diving medal and fifth overall.
Agúndez and Estudillo finished second to the Chinese duo of Minjie Zhang and Yuxi Chen. Agúndez had won a bronze medal in this event at the 2020 Olympics, while Estudillo — a springboard specialist — is new to platform diving.
Gabriela Agúndez and Alejandra Estudillo display their silver medals after finishing second in the women’s 10-meter synchronized platform diving event. (Conade/X)
With the three medals earned thus far in Singapore, Olvera has firmly established himself as the leader of what is fast becoming Mexico’s most accomplished diving generation. The Mexico City native now has seven World Championship medals (one gold, five silver and one bronze) as well as a silver and bronze at the 2024 Olympics.
Olvera now has his sights set on surpassing Joaquín Capilla, Mexico’s best diver ever. With four Olympic medals, Capilla was the first Mexican athlete to win medals at multiple Games. Capilla won gold and bronze in 1956 in Sydney, silver in 1952 in Helsinki and bronze at the 1948 London Games.
“Los Angeles is three years away and this is a great way to start the road to the [2028] Olympics,” Olvera said, referring to the site of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
Olvera still has two events remaining in Singapore — the individual 3-meter springboard competition and the mixed synchronized springboard event.
Precision and poise: 🇨🇳 China takes gold in the Men’s 3m Synchronised Final!
Mexico’s performance in the Mixed Team event was the biggest surprise. Although Willars — an Olympian with five World Championship medals — and Estudillo are veterans on the world stage, Parra is a 15-year-old debutante.
Parra, who starred last year at the World Junior Diving Championships in Brazil, said her teammates helped make her comfortable during the event.
“Osmar kept me calm the whole time and Randal shared tips with me to keep me from getting nervous,” she said.
Parra will be Olvera’s teammate in the mixed synchronized springboard competition.
Teen twins Mía and Lía Cueva will also be chasing a medal for Mexico, competing in the women’s synchronized 3-meter springboard event. The 14-year-olds teamed up to win silver at the World Aquatics Diving World Cup in Guadalajara in April.
Artistic swimmer Diego Villalobos secured Mexico’s first medal at the World Aquatics Championships on July 20. The 20-year-old earned bronze in the men’s solo technical event at the Singapore Sports Hub, finishing just 13 points behind Russian gold medalist Aleksandr Maltsev.
