At the top of Condé Nast Traveler's list of Mexico's 10 best hotels was San Miguel de Allende's Casa Sierra Nevada, whose Tunki rooftop terrace serves food and beverages overlooking the city's most iconic architecture. (Sierra Casa Nevada)
Global travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler has released its Readers’ Choice Awards 2024 with its list of the top 10 hotels in Mexico.
Mexico City hotels, unsurprisingly, won spots, as did some resort destinations you might expect. However, the top two spots were again in the relatively small, landlocked expat haven of San Miguel de Allende, which in total featured three hotels chosen by Condé Nast Traveler readers.
Hotel Matilda’s outside looks like another colonial building in downtown San Miguel de Allende, but inside the boutique luxury property is a different story, where contemporary artwork fill the walls. (Hotel Matilda)
Here’s the complete list:
1. Casa de Sierra Nevada, San Miguel de Allende
Up one position from last year, Casa de Sierra Nevada “gets everything right,” the magazine said, finding the correct balance between acknowledging San Miguel de Allende’s rich history and providing the conveniences of modern life.
Housed in multiple historic buildings, the hotel is full of antique touches yet also features modern comforts like a luxury spa, three upscale restaurants and a bar. Some rooms even have private rooftops, the magazine said.
2. Rosewood, San Miguel de Allende
Down one spot from 2023, the Rosewood hotel has long been a favorite with affluent Mexicans in town for weekend getaways or destination weddings, as well as with retired expats socializing at its three restaurants and its upscale, low-key rooftop lounge.
According to Condé Nast, the San Miguel de Allende luxury mainstay “captures an idea about faded colonial grandeur but presents it in a way that is bright, fresh, vibrant.”
Expect old-school luxury at Mexico City’s Four Seasons hotel. (Condé Nast)
3. Four Seasons Hotel, Mexico City
Located in the capital on the iconic Paseo de la Reforma avenue, one of Mexico City’s busiest streets, the magazine describes this property as “a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of the capital.”
Once a business traveler mainstay, Condé Nast said the hotel nowadays attracts “a younger, sophisticated crowd…eager to experience Mexico City but who prefer a quiet place to unwind.”
Highlights include a rooftop pool, two restaurants, and a spa with treatments inspired by Mexico’s ancestral traditions.
4. Paradero Todos Santos, Baja California Sur
Paradero, “a delightful departure from the all-inclusive, mega-resorts of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo,” is an ideal stay for guests seeking adventure in Baja California Sur’s wilds, Condé Nast said. But it also features a world-class spa and Tenoch, a restaurant listed in the 2024 Michelin Guide.
With surfing, hiking, and biking included in your room rate, Paradero offers outdoor adventure experiences comparable only to those found in South America and Africa, Condé Nast said.
5. Hotel San Cristóbal, Todos Santos, Baja California Sur
In the little surf town of Todos Santos, Hotel San Cristóbal stands out for its effortless combination of luxury and surf-town feel, said Condé Nast.
The hotel itself, inspired by Todos Santos’ low-key, hippie vibe, is “super on-trend design-wise” and “totally place-specific,” said Condé Nast, with simple but “perfectly designed and decorated” rooms, polished concrete walls, hand-stamped tiles, and equipales.
Hotel San Cristóbal keeps things simple but appealing, offering low-key luxury and evoking the authentic feel of a surf-town hotel, said Condé Nast. (Condé Nast)
6. Las Alcobas, Luxury Colection Hotel, Mexico City
Las Alcobas Luxury Boutique Hotel is one of the city’s most expensive hotels, “but it lives up to the hype,” said Condé Nast. Located in the affluent Polanco neighborhood, it’s near lush parks, fine dining and high-end shopping.
The hotel boasts modern interiors, luxurious rooms and sophisticated bathrooms with mood lighting and soaking tubs that feature hydrotherapy jets and a soap menu, described by Condé Nast as “something out of a dream.”
7. The St. Regis Mexico City
This upscale city high-rise hotel offers a full-service experience in the heart of Mexico City, Condé Nast said.
It emphasized its “seemingly endless” dining experiences at the hotel’s multiple restaurants. Other highlights include spacious rooms, hot tubs, cocktails at the King Cole Bar, and even rooftop helicopter service.
8. Nobu Hotel, Los Cabos
A Cabo San Lucas luxury resort property, Nobu Hotel features 10 dining experiences — everything from a poolside snack bar to the Nami Champagne Bar, offering lobster ceviche, hamachi tartare with lychee, and crispy seaweed tacos with bluefin tuna.
It overlooks the sparkling waters of the Gulf of California and takes advantage of that with Japanese inspired room design and gorgeous views. Its 13,000-square-foot spa offers Asian-inspired treatments, hydrotherapy and custom salon services.
9. Hotel Matilda, San Miguel de Allende
A sleek boutique hotel three blocks from the city’s historic center, Matilda’s colonial façade belie its interiors, which feel like you’re in an art gallery: there’s contemporary artwork in the hallways, an avant-garde video installation at the front desk and photographs by Mexico City artist Eduardo Zaylan in guest rooms.
Highlights of a stay here include crisp, white beds dressed with Egyptian cotton linens, an infinity pool and the hotel’s rooftop bar, the magazine said.
10. W, Mexico City
“Modern minimalist chic meets bygone Latin American charm at the 237-room W,” Condé Nast said of this family-friendly stay where trendy aloofness “takes a backseat to well-honed Latin hospitality that is both warm and incredibly efficient.” The magazine called the treatment by staff here as “white-glove.”
Of special note is the hotel’s stone bathrooms “that double as sunrooms where you can kick back in a hammock and enjoy the views of Chapultepec Park and the Zona Rosa.”
The vice presidential candidates held a more calm, civil debate Tuesday than that of presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, but JD Vance and Tim Walz disagree about plenty, including illegal immigration. (Twitter)
The issue of illegal immigration to the United States via Mexico was a significant point of contention between U.S. Senator JD Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz during their vice presidential debate in New York on Tuesday night.
CBS News journalist Margaret Brennan told Vance, the Republican Party’s nominee for vice president, and Walz, the Democratic Party’s VP pick, that “the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border consistently ranks as one of the top issues for American voters.”
During the debate, Senator Vance — seen here at a recent Trump/Vance rally — returned frequently to the topic of immigration at the Mexico-US border, blaming migrants in the U.S. for the fentanyl crisis, bringing guns from Mexico and raising housing prices for Americans. (File photo/JD Vance-X)
She specifically asked Vance about Donald Trump’s “mass deportation plan” for undocumented migrants, but before the 40-year-old senator responded to that question, he chose to go on the attack.
Vance blames Harris for ‘historic immigration crisis’
“Before we talk about deportations, we have to stop the bleeding,” Vance said.
“We have a historic immigration crisis because Kamala Harris started [it] and said that she wanted to undo all of Donald Trump’s border policies. Ninety-four executive orders suspending deportations, decriminalizing illegal aliens, massively increasing the asylum fraud that exists in our system – that has opened the floodgates,” he said.
“And what it’s meant is that a lot of fentanyl is coming into our country.”
Vance asserted that the U.S. government needs to “re-implement Donald Trump’s border policies, build the wall [and] re-implement deportations.”
Governor Tim Walz defended Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris’ record on immigration, and said she was the only candidate who prosecuted transnational criminal gangs, as California’s attorney general. (Tim Walz/X)
“And that gets me to your point, Margaret, about what do we actually do? So we’ve got 20, 25 million illegal aliens who are here in the country. What do we do with them? I think the first thing that we do is we start with the criminal migrants,” he said.
“About a million of those people have committed some form of crime in addition to crossing the border illegally. I think you start with deportations on those folks, and then I think you make it harder for illegal aliens to undercut the wages of American workers,” Vance said.
Walz defends the US vice president
The 60-year-old Minnesota governor began his remarks on the immigration “crisis” by rejecting Vance’s assertion that some migrant children in the United States “have been used as drug trafficking mules.”
“The drug mule [claim] is not true,” Walz said.
Vance subsequently said that he was in fact referring to Mexican drug cartels’ use of children as drug mules.
Walz, meanwhile, pointed out that Harris served as attorney general of California before entering federal politics.
He asserted that she is the only person contesting the Nov. 5 presidential election “who prosecuted transnational gangs for human trafficking and drug interventions.”
“It was crafted by a conservative senator from Oklahoma, James Lankford. … The Border Patrol said, ‘this is what we need.’ … Fifteen hundred new border agents, detection for drugs. … Just what America wants. But as soon as it was getting ready to pass and actually tackle this [crisis] Donald Trump said ‘No’ – told [Republicans] to vote against it because it gives him a campaign issue,” Walz said.
Senator Vance told viewers that Donald Trump would fix immigration if elected, while Gov. Walz said that only 2% of Trump’s previous solution to immigration, the US border wall, ever was built. (Twitter)
Walz: ‘Mexico didn’t pay a dime’ for border wall
Walz also took aim at Trump for what he characterized as the former president’s failure to fulfill his promises on immigration-related issues.
“Donald Trump had four years. He had four years to do this. And he promised you, America, how easy it would be. I’ll build you a big, beautiful wall and Mexico will pay for it. Less than 2% of that wall got built and Mexico didn’t pay a dime,” he said.
“But here we are again, nine years after he came down that escalator, dehumanizing people and telling them what he was going to do. As far as a deportation plan, at one point, Senator Vance said it was so unworkable as to be laughable. So that’s where we’re at.”
Vance: Trump will solve the immigration crisis
Vance’s attacks on Harris over immigration were relentless.
“The only thing that … [Harris] did when she became the vice President, when she became the appointed border czar, was to undo 94 Donald Trump executive actions that opened the border,” said Vance, a senator for Ohio, former corporate lawyer and author of a bestselling memoir about “a family [his] and a culture in crisis.”
“This problem is leading to massive problems in the United States of America. Parents who can’t afford health care, schools that are overwhelmed. It’s got to stop, and it will when Donald Trump is president again,” he said.
Walz was critical of the practice of “blaming migrants for everything” and continued to advocate the approval of the immigration bill that “law enforcement … asked for.”
Vance claims that ‘illegal guns’ are entering the US from Mexico
Back in 2021, Mexico’s then-Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard was calling attention at the United Nations to Mexico’s problems with Mexican criminal groups bringing guns from the U.S. to use in Mexico. (Government of Mexico)
CBS News’ Norah O’Donnell asked the VP nominees whether holding parents responsible for gun violence committed by their underage children “could curb mass shootings.”
During his response, Vance said that “the gross majority” of gun violence in the United States “is committed with illegally obtained firearms.”
“And while we’re on that topic, we know that thanks to Kamala Harris’s open border, we’ve seen a massive influx in the number of illegal guns run by the Mexican drug cartel,” he said
Journalists José Díaz Briseño and Ioan Grillo took to the X social media platform to respond to Vance’s claim.
“In a sort of tongue twister, J.D. Vance ends up suggesting that Mexican cartels are the source of firearms in the U.S. when in reality it is American gun stores that sell them. We don’t have gun shops in Mexico,” wrote Díaz, a U.S.-based correspondent for the Reforma newspaper.
“I have no bone in this U.S. election and a lot of concern about Mexican drug cartels that I have been reporting on for two decades,” wrote Grillo.
Both candidates’ closing statements at the debate focused on Kamala Harris. Senator Vance blamed her for causing the nation’s fentanyl crisis, while Walz said she’s bringing “real solutions” to voters. (Kamala Harris/X)
“But J.D. Vance — cartels don’t smuggle guns into the United States. The U.S. gun market supplies Mexican cartels. I wrote this book about it,” he added, referring to his 2021 book “Blood Gun Money.”
Closing statements
In his closing statement, Walz said he was “as surprised as anybody” about the “coalition that Kamala Harris has built.”
“From Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney to Taylor Swift and a whole bunch of folks in between there. And they don’t all agree on everything, but they are truly optimistic people. They believe in a positive future of this country. And one where our politics can be better than it is,” he said.
“… Kamala Harris is bringing us a new way forward. She’s bringing us a politics of joy. She’s bringing real solutions for the middle class. And she’s centering you at the heart of that,” Walz said.
In his final remarks, Vance once again blamed Harris for the entry to the U.S. of large quantities of illegal fentanyl — a drug made and trafficked by Mexican drug cartels.
“I believe that whether you’re rich or poor you ought to be able to afford to buy a house. You ought to be able to live in safe neighborhoods. You ought to not have your communities flooded with fentanyl,” he said.
“And that, too, has gotten harder with Kamala, because of Kamala Harris’s policies,” Vance said.
“Now, I’ve been in politics long enough to do what Kamala Harris does when she stands before the American people and says that on day one she’s going to work on all these challenges I just listed. She’s been the Vice President for three and a half years. Day one was 1,400 days ago. And her policies have made these problems worse,” he said.
More MND articles related to the US presidential election
A selection of the commitments Sheinbaum made on Tuesday for her six-year term appears below. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
As part of a very busy day on Tuesday that included her inauguration as president of Mexico and lunch at the National Palace with world leaders and other dignitaries, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo outlined 100 commitments for her term in office during a speech to some 400,000 boisterous supporters in Mexico City’s main square.
But before she made those pledges, dancers and musicians took to the stage in the Zócalo, where a festive mood prevailed, and the new president received a “baton of command” from female representatives of Mexico’s Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities.
Sheinbaum also received a smoke cleansing and words of praise, encouragement and advice from various Indigenous women.
“We invoke the divine strength of nature so that in the government of the constitutional president, problems are resolved through dialogue, the building of agreements, forgiveness and reconciliation with a humanist sense,” one of the women said.
Mexico’s Indigenous peoples gave Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) a similar welcome to office in the Zócalo on the day he was sworn in as president almost six years ago.
When she made it to the lectern late on Tuesday afternoon wearing her presidential sash, Sheinbaum further warmed up the already enthusiastic crowd by leading them into some of López Obrador’s favorite adages, as well as common chants from the recently-completed “AMLO years.”
“It is…” she said.
“An honor to be with Obrador!” chanted the droves of Sheinbaum supporters and loyal AMLOvers.
“For the good of all,” Sheinbaum began. “The poor come first,” continued the crowd.
“There can’t be a rich government … with a poor people!”
Sheinbaum’s commitments for her 6-year term
Like López Obrador, Sheinbaum was elected president on a ticket backed by the Morena party.
Like López Obrador, Sheinbaum outlined 100 commitments for her time in office on the day she was sworn in as president.(Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
And like López Obrador, Sheinbaum outlined 100 commitments for her time in office on the day she was sworn in as president. Some of the new president’s commitments were made up of two, three, four or even more individual pledges.
However, some newspapers, including El Sol de México and Sin Embargo, reported that the number of commitments AMLO actually fulfilled was significantly lower than he claimed.
A selection of the commitments Sheinbaum made on Tuesday for her six-year term appears below. Each commitment has been sorted into one of 13 categories.
Time will tell how good Mexico’s first woman president is at keeping her word.
Overarching commitments
“We will never subjugate ourselves to economic, political or foreign interests. We will always work for the supreme interest of the people and the nation.”
“We will be a government that is sensitive and close to the people. … I will continue visiting all the states of the republic on the weekends: Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”
“We will guarantee all freedoms — those of speech, the press, assembly and protest.”
“[My cabinet ministers and I] will lead an honest, honorable government without cronyism, nepotism, corruption or impunity.”
Commitments regarding justice
“We will continue working with the families to reach the truth and justice [in the Ayotzinapa case] and to find all the missing young men.”
Justice plans for all [Indigenous] peoples will continue.”
Commitments regarding political power
“In 2027 I will subject myself to a revocation of mandate [recall election], as the constitution establishes.”
“We will send a constitutional reform initiative [to Congress] to recover the democratic principle of ‘no reelection’ so that from 2030 no [person holding a] position of popular election can be reelected … not mayors, senators or deputies.”
Sheinbaum held her first “mañanera” of many on Wednesday morning. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Economic commitments
“The neoliberal model that did so much damage to Mexico won’t return. The moral economy and [the doctrine of] Mexican Humanism will be maintained.”
“We’re going to maintain republican austerity and financial and fiscal discipline. A government without luxuries and without privileges will continue.”
“We will respect the autonomy of the Bank of Mexico and maintain a reasonable balance between [levels of] debt and gross domestic product.”
“The price of gasoline, diesel, electricity and household gas will not increase above the inflation rate.”
“[We will] welcome private investment and the relocation of companies.”
Welfare and cultural commitments
“We will guarantee [the continuation of] all of President López Obrador’s welfare programs.”
“We will guarantee the conditions so that Mexico’s artists can carry out their activities and receive fair remuneration.”
Education commitments
“The New Mexican School education model will continue and [so will the distribution of] free textbooks.”
“We will make Mexico a science and innovation power. To do that, we will support [the teaching of] basic and natural sciences, and humanities.”
Claudia Sheinbaum with Director of Pemex Víctor Rodríguez Padilla and Energy Minister Luz Elena González, who will head the Federal Energy Commission (CFE). (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Energy commitments
“We will commence the production of lithium with our own technology.”
“The objective continues to be to strengthen Pemex and the Federal Electricity Commission [CFE] as public, strategic companies.”
“We’re going to promote renewable energy. The objective is that in 2030 [renewable energy] will have 45% participation [in the energy market].”
The state – the CFE – will produce at least 54% of [electricity] and 46% [will come from] private generation.”
“We will strengthen the Sonora [energy] Plan, increasing the generation of solar energy and the productive chain for lithium, copper, semiconductors and electric vehicles.”
Health care commitments
“From birth, all Mexicans must have access to vaccines, preventative care [and] medical care.”
“The program for the modernization of hospital infrastructure and equipment will continue.”
“We will strengthen … access to health care for women throughout their whole lives, particularly … [access to] sexual and reproductive health care.”
Housing commitments
We will build at least one million homes during the six-year period of government.”
“We’re going to provide 450,000 low-cost loans for home improvement.”
Labor commitments
“[Annual] increases to the minimum wage will continue.”
“We’re going to progressively increase the minimum salaries of teachers, doctors, nurses, soldiers, members of the National Guard and marines so that none of them earns less than the average salary of [workers with] IMSS [social security benefits].”
“We’re going to strengthen Mexicana de Aviación, the airline of the people of Mexico.”
“We will expand the airports in Tamuín, in San Luis Potosí; in Tepic; in Lázaro Cárdenas; in Puerto Escondido, and [complete] the remodeling of the Benito Juárez International Airport in Mexico City.”
Sheinbaum reiterated her plans to build new passenger train routes during her six-year term. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Water commitments
“Access to water will be a priority for our government. … Water belongs to the nation.”
“The main strategic projects to guarantee the recycling of water and human access to water … will be in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sonora, Colima, Guerrero, Durango, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Zacatecas, Oaxaca, Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Campeche and … the metropolitan area of the Valley of Mexico. We’re going to guarantee access to water in the Valley of Mexico and Hidalgo.”
“We’re going to clean up the three most contaminated rivers in the country: the Lerma Santiago River, the Tula River and the Atoyac River.
Security commitments
“We will guarantee the reduction of high-impact crimes [such as murder].”
“The irresponsible war against narcos of [former president Felipe] Calderón won’t return.
“We’re strengthening the [security] strategy, which consists of four core tenets: attention to the causes [of crime]; strengthening of the National Guard; intelligence and investigation; and coordination … with the states, with the municipalities.”
Jenna Mayhew has been working as a psychologist in Mexico for eight years. At her practice, Hola Therapy, she has made it her mission to help foreigners living in Mexico, Mexicans with a foreign partner, foreigners with links to Mexico and Mexicans with links to foreigners or foreign countries.
In this new series, Jenna answers MND readers’ questions on the pressing issues of relationships, mental health and navigating changes that come with relocating to and living in Mexico.
(Depositphotos)
Dear Jenna,
I’m a 66 year old woman from Chicago and for the past seven years I’ve been visiting Mérida whenever I can. Last year I retired, and my plan was to move to Mérida full time.
However my youngest son, who is 33, has ADHD. He is constantly losing jobs, struggling financially and in conflict with the mother of his children. Oftentimes I end up caring for my grandchildren on the weekends when he’s meant to see them.
For more than a decade my energy, finances and time have been dedicated to trying to get him help. I have found therapy and psychiatry for him, jobs and interviews, linked him in with financial support services which he doesn’t take up, cared for his kids and paid off his excessive credit card bills several times over. I want to live my own life, but I also feel guilty leaving him and his children without support. What should I do?
– Caged Snowbird
(David Vives/Unsplash)
Dear Caged Snowbird,
Your sign-off name says it all — you feel trapped. Let’s untangle this from the beginning. Your son’s ADHD is undoubtedly a challenge, and you’re right to be supportive. But from what you’ve shared, it seems like there’s more going on here than just ADHD.
You strike me as a devoted mother and grandmother who genuinely wants to help. We all want to support our loved ones, especially in tough times. However, what you’re describing seems to be a persistent cycle that goes beyond just providing support. Your son seems to be relying heavily on your time, money and resources, even affecting your retirement plans. So, where do you draw the line?
Let’s start with what’s good for your son. How much are you helping him by engaging in this cycle? When people genuinely want to change they tend to display two things. Firstly, they take full responsibility for their prior actions — no excuses, no blame, no minimizing. Secondly, they take action to show they’re motivated to change. Even when these two things are present, change is hard fought and hard won.
From what you’ve described, your son’s current behavior suggests he might not be ready to make these changes, or worse, he might be benefiting from this cycle of rescue. Remember the old joke: “How many psychologists does it take to change a lightbulb?” The answer is: “The lightbulb has to want to change itself first.”
It’s time to step back and assess the whole situation. Acknowledge your fears for your son and grandchildren. What’s the reality you need to face? Perhaps it’s that your son’s choices are not prioritizing his children, and if this continues he might lose his visitation rights. Accepting harsh realities such as this might be necessary for moving forward. It’s time to disengage in this cycle of rescuing your son, because, frankly, it’s not helping change his situation.
Now, let’s focus on you. At 66, you’re approaching retirement and have your own plans. It’s crucial to find a balance between being there for your family and living the life you’ve envisioned for yourself. With the harsh reality above accepted, let’s look at ways that you can move forward in a more balanced way. This might look like moving to Mérida and staying present in your son’s life as a support. Let him know you’ll be there to help him help himself whenever he needs it. If he ever needs an extra hand with logistics, finding support services or planned visits from you, you’ll be there. It might be to nurture your relationship with your grandkids, reminding them that no matter who they live with, they’ll have a present and loving grandmother. You might even let them know that you’ll always come and visit them in Chicago or they could come and visit you in Mérida.
And set some limits — whatever feels right to you. These limits may be related to finances, childcare or time. You don’t have to cut anyone off, but you do get to choose where the boundary is. Ultimately, it may end up being the best thing for everyone involved.
So, Trapped Snowbird, I hope you can open the door to your own cage and fly down to Mérida, guilt free and with the full knowledge that your family has a reliable, loving mother and grandmother to count on. The rest is up to your son.
Jenna Mayhew is an Australian psychologist based in Mexico, with over 20 years of experience in Australia, England and Mexico. She is the founder of Hola Therapy, a bilingual practice dedicated to supporting the immigrant and cross-cultural communities in Mexico and provides therapy in-person and online across Mexico and worldwide. Jenna’s work combines her extensive expertise with a deep commitment to addressing the unique challenges faced by individuals in diverse cultural settings.
The peppery, mild sweetness of achiote lends these wings the perfect kick. (Shutterstock)
In the Popol Vuh, the sacred book of the Maya, Hun Hunahpú, the maize god, is tricked and killed by the lords of the underworld, the Xibalbá. His head is placed in a calabash tree, and from it, the twins Hunahpú and Xbalanqué, were born. The twins grow up to be cunning and skillful warriors, eventually avenging their father’s death by defeating the lords of Xibalbá in a series of epic trials.
According to a lesser-known version of the tale, after the twins triumphed and returned to the earth’s surface, they planted maize, their father’s sacred crop, in the soil. However, the maize did not sprout immediately — it needed something more, a divine offering. The twins, seeking a way to breathe life back into the earth, turned to the achiote plant, whose seeds symbolized blood and life.
Achiote grows in clusters of capsules, each of which contains dozens of seeds. (Gobierno de México)
In an act of sacrifice, the twins scattered achiote seeds over the freshly tilled earth, allowing the red pigment to slowly soak into the soil. With this act, they called upon the essence of life itself, and soon after, the maize began to grow. The achiote’s powerful color was believed to represent the lifeblood of the earth, linking the gods, humanity and the natural world together.
The Maya believed the vibrant red pigment of achiote seeds symbolized blood and life itself. They used it in food, painted their bodies with it during sacred rituals and even dyed their clothes and murals with its deep red hue. Legend has it that warriors would cover themselves in achiote before heading into battle, calling on its power to invoke the strength of the gods.
But fast forward to today, and we’ve found a use for achiote that’s a little less intense: chicken wings! Instead of warriors, it’s now us weekend grill gladiators slathering that bold achiote goodness on some juicy wings.
Achiote’s flavor profile is earthy, with a slightly peppery kick and a hint of sweetness. Imagine paprika and nutmeg got together and decided to have a tropical vacation — achiote would be the result. It’s the flavor that whispers, “I’m bold, but I don’t need to shout,” while giving your dishes that beautiful, golden-red glow, making your food look as good as it tastes.
In other parts of the world, achiote is best known as the source of annatto. (Shutterstock)
Achiote chipotle honey baked wings
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken wings
1/2 tbsp achiote powder
100g can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (finely chopped)
100g honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
Prepare the marinade
In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped chipotle peppers and honey.
Whisk together until smooth.
Season the chicken wings
Before marinating, season the chicken wings with salt and achiote powder. Ensure the wings are evenly coated with both the salt and achiote to make these puppies sing.
Marinate the chicken wings
Add the seasoned chicken wings to the bowl with the marinade, ensuring all wings are evenly coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Bake the wings
Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C). Line a baking sheet with foil.
Arrange the marinated wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until crispy.
For extra crispiness, flip the wings and broil for an additional 3-5 minutes, keeping a close eye to avoid burning.
Garnish and serve
Remove the wings from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes.
Serve with lime wedges on the side for an extra burst of flavor.
Notes
Adjust the heat level by adding more or less chipotle peppers depending on your spice preference.
For an added smoky flavor, consider grilling the wings instead of baking them.
This recipe turned out very simple with not many ingredients, it’s usually hard for me to pare down but the results this time are great! Sometimes, less is more. Enjoy these sweet, smoky, and slightly spicy wings and let me know what you think in the comments.
Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.
Calling all wizards and witches! Dive into a magical interactive experience inspired by the Harry Potter universe. Learn the art of wand-wielding and techniques to cast your own spells. Meet and greet with your favorite characters as you discover the Great Hall, Diagon Alley and the Forbidden Forest in real life.
The Empire Strips Back
Dates: October 2nd – 27th (Wednesday to Sunday)
Location: Foro 1869 (Avenida de los Insurgentes Sur 1869, Guadalupe Inn)
Get ready for a cheeky twist on Star Wars as your favorite characters, including stormtroopers, Jedi and princesses, are reimagined in this burlesque comedy show. Audience participation is encouraged in this hilariously sexy journey through the galaxy, so leave the kids at home!
Design Week
Dates: October 7th – 13th
Location: Various venues
Cost: Free to enter most events
Step into the future at Design Week Mexico 2024! With the theme “Designing the Future,” this week features a diverse range of exhibitions, activities and discussions showcasing cutting-edge design. From architecture to art, furniture to fashion, this can’t-miss event highlights the work of both established and emerging designers.
Design Week runs from October 7 through October 13. (Design Week)
Now is your chance to show off your Spanish and belt out the best of El Sol de México’s ballads for all the world to see. Join Luis Miguel as he serenades you with his greatest hits at the biggest concert venue in Mexico City. Did you get your tickets yet?
‘Tis the season for pan de muerto, and it’s time to get your taste buds ready for a mouthwatering festival. Savor the delicious delicacy that comes just once a year with tastings and informative workshops celebrating the Day of the Dead and its coveted cuisine. From painting your own catrina to dancing to live music, you’re sure to enjoy this event no matter your age.
It’s time to get your taste buds ready for a mouthwatering Day of the Dead festival. (Cafe & Chocolate Fest)
International Book Fair at the Zócalo
Dates: October 11th – 20th
Location: Zócalo de la CDMX
Cost: Free to enter
Explore a treasure trove of literature at the International Book Fair with countless publishers showcasing their best works. In addition to shelves of bestsellers and hidden gems, enjoy author talks, readings and activities for all ages.
Reggae Live Festival
Date: October 12th
Location: Campos Guadalajara, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Estado de México
If “LuisMi” isn’t your thing, maybe Bob Marley is? Don your dreads and make your way to México state, where you can dance to 12 hours of non-stop reggae music. Campos Guadalara’s four stages will feature artists like Macka B and Tiken Jah Fakoly. Let the good vibes roll!
Get ready to be swept away by the enchanting world of “Swan Lake,” a timeless ballet that has captivated audiences for generations! Performed by the talented National Dance Company from Palacio de Bellas Artes, this production promises to deliver breathtaking choreography, fabulous costumes and a mesmerizing score by Tchaikovsky.
Enjoy “Swan Lake” performed by the talented National Dance Company. (La Infinita Compañía/Facebook)
Parade of Alebrijes
Date: October 19th
Location: From Zócalo to Paseo de la Reforma
One of the city’s most anticipated spectacles, watch as Paseo de la Reforma transforms into a magical world of color as towering alebrijes dance their way to the Historic Center.
Expo Cerveza
Dates: October 25th – 27th
Location: Pepsi Center (Dakota S/N Nápoles, Alcaldía Benito Juárez)
Join fellow beer enthusiasts at the Expo Cerveza! Discover an extensive selection of local and international beers, enjoy tastings and food pairings and chat with local brewers. Don’t miss interactive workshops showcasing techniques for brewing commercially or at home! Live entertainment abounds.
Parade of Catrinas
Date: October 27th
Location: Paseo de la Reforma
The fantastical procession of catrinas brings together a colorful array of participants dressed as the iconic skeletal figures that symbolize the Day of the Dead. Want to join? Face painting for any age is available along Paseo de la Reforma and costumes can easily be procured online or in your local mercado.
The fantastical procession of catrinas is Mexico City’s most famous parade. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
La Llorona Dance Show
Dates: October 28th – November 9th
Location: Centro Universitario Cultural (Odontología 35, Copilco, Universidad)
Hearing the haunting story of La Llorona is obligatory for anyone living in or visiting Mexico during Day of the Dead. Now, you can easily experience one of Mexico’s most enduring legends through a neoclassical dance show that features the Filarmónica de las Artes and the Compañía de Danza de las Artes. The bonus? It’s a stone’s throw from the iconic buildings and murals that put UNAM on the prized list of World Heritage Sites.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
The Mexican Banking Association (ABM) this week chose Regina García Cuéllar as director of the association, which has existed in Mexico since 1928. (ABM)
Mexico has its first-ever woman president — and the Mexican Banking Association (ABM), has made history in the same direction, naming a woman as director of the ABM for the first time in history.
With over 25 years of experience in the banking, telecommunications, health and energy sectors, Regina García Cuéllar replaces Juan Carlos Jiménez Rojas, who left the position in May after 19 years as director.
García’s predecessor, former ABM director Juan Carlos Jiménez Rojas. (ABM)
García, who holds a degree in Economics from the Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM) and a PhD in Economics from Harvard University, has held key roles in various private and government entities, among them IZZI Telecom, Citibanamex, Pemex, the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit (SHCP).
She is copresident of 50/50 Women on Boards Mexico, a global nonprofit founded in 2010 to accelerate gender balance and diversity on corporate boards. She’s also been a board member at numerous companies.
“We are confident that, under her leadership, the ABM will continue to successfully face the challenges of the industry and stand out as one of the most relevant umbrella organizations in the country,” the ABM said while wishing the new general director “much success” in her new role.
The ABM was founded in 1928 to represent the collective interests of the sector. It currently has 48 affiliated banks. Since its establishment, the ABM has served as the overarching organization for financial institutions in the country, including Banorte, Bansí, JP Morgan, Monex, Banco Azteca, Citibanamex and Santander.
Mexican women in the workforce
Participation of Mexican women in the workforce is on the rise. Excluding a dip during the COVID-19 pandemic, women’s workforce participation has increased gradually since 2005, when 41% of Mexican women had paid jobs. According to World Bank Data, 46.5% of all working-age Mexican women worked in the formal or informal sectors in Mexico at the end of 2023.
However, that figure still lags behind men’s workforce presence, whose participation was more than 30 points higher, at 77.5%.
A study by the Milken Institute noted that these figures put Mexico at the lowest female workforce participation of Latin America’s five biggest economies: Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Chile.
At her inauguration, President Sheinbaum wore a dress designed by Oaxaca artisan Claudia Vásquez Aquino. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)
Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s first female president, took office on Tuesday wearing a dress designed by embroiderer Claudia Vásquez Aquino.
Originally from Santa María Xadani in the southern state of Oaxaca, Vázquez, 41, told the newspaper El País that about a year ago, she met some people from Sheinbaum’s team, but didn’t know who they were at the time.
Sheinbaum’s team gave Vázquez guidelines for the design but did not reveal that it would be worn by Sheinbaum during her inaugural ceremony. (Lari guie’ Arte hecho moda/Facebook)
“They asked me for a dress, they gave me guidelines so I could decide on the embroidery and the flower design. But I didn’t know it would be for [Sheinbaum],” she said.
The president’s ivory inauguration-day dress, trimmed with colorful floral details, was made using the hand-knitting technique of crocheting on cotton fabric and elastane. “The embroidery features more than 100 flowers on the skirt and on the cuffs,” Vásquez explained.
“I feel very proud,” Vázques remarked of her design.
Vásquez told El Páis that she learned to embroider at the age of 10. “Just as I was born with Zapotec [her native language], I was born with embroidery,” she said proudly. “My mother taught me, first with needlework and then with weaving. My brothers Carlos and María also learned and together we have undertaken a small textile project.”
Sheinbaum wearing another piece by Lari Guie’, in 2023. (Lari guie’ Arte hecho moda/Facebook)
The project is called Lari Guie’, which means embroidered fabric in Zapotec. The designer’s Facebook page indicates that they sell online and at sales expos, and can be reached in Oaxaca city.
Vásquez is currently president of the Association of Indigenous Artisan Communities of the State of Oaxaca, which represents eight regions in the state.
This is not the first time that Claudia Sheinbaum has worn traditional clothing from the region. “From what I understand, the Doctor [Sheinbaum] obtains her pieces directly from artisans,” Vásquez said, adding that it is a “privilege” that the new president wears “typical clothing” from the different regions of Mexico.
“I am very excited that this piece of textile, woven by my hands, my heart and my mind, will be worn by the president. It is a very strong commitment, so we ask her to also defend our textiles. She is the voice of the people,” Vásquez said in a separate interview to news outlet Aristegui Noticias.
“I hope one day I can meet her personally and shake her hand,” Vásquez said. “I admire her a lot and I wish Mexico well with the first female president.”
The gold-colored national emblem on the presidential sash was also hand-embroidered. This work was carried out by First Auxiliary Soldier Evangelina Rentería de la Cruz, who also embroidered the sash bestowed on Sheinbaum’s predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, on Dec. 1, 2018.
A memorial to the victims of a Pemex pipeline explosion in January 2019 that killed 137. (Cuartoscuro)
Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s term as president has concluded, and Mexico now has its first female president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, who was sworn in on Tuesday.
AMLO, as the ex-president is best known, led the country for five years and 10 months after taking office on Dec. 1, 2018.
President López Obrador was the last Mexican president to be sworn in on Dec. 1. (Cuartoscuro)
His term as president was an eventful one, marked by a range of significant events, including the COVID pandemic, during which the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Mexicans were attributed to the infectious disease.
On Jan. 18, 2019, less than two months after López Obrador was sworn in as president, the explosion of a petroleum pipeline in Tlahuelilpan, Hidalgo, claimed 137 lives.
The explosion killed scores of local residents who were collecting gasoline that was gushing from the pipeline, which had been illegally tapped by fuel thieves.
The tragedy occurred amid a federal government crackdown on fuel theft.
AMLO created the security force as a replacement for the Federal Police, which he argued was riddled with corruption.
The creation of the GN gave the president a security force he could truly call his own.
López Obrador set about molding the force to his liking, backing a bill passed by Congress in 2022 that allowed the civilian-led GN to be put under the control of the military.
As part of an agreement with the United States that ended a threat from then-president Donald Trump to impose tariffs on all Mexican goods, the federal government, in June 2019, deployed a total of more than 20,000 federal security force members to detain undocumented migrants at Mexico’s southern and northern borders.
The deployment marked the commencement of a more vigorous enforcement policy against migrants traveling northward through Mexico toward the United States. The policy was widely seen as an attempt to stay on the right side of the U.S., Mexico’s largest trade partner.
But it didn’t please everyone.
Mexico’s former immigration chief, Tonatiuh Guillén López, resigned a week after the government reached the agreement with the United States.
On Oct. 17, 2019, security forces dealt a significant blow to the Sinaloa Cartel by capturing accused cartel leader Ovidio Guzmán López, one of the sons of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán.
Mexico never enforced a strict lockdown and the restrictions it did impose were much more relaxed than those of many other countries. The nation’s borders never closed to foreign travelers, making Mexico a popular tourism destination during the pandemic years. Among the visitors were people seeking to escape stringent COVID restrictions at home.
All the while, AMLO defended his government’s pandemic response, and early in the crisis he even claimed to have “tamed” the disease, only for it to go on and claim hundreds of thousands of lives.
The life of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, officially came to an end on July 1, 2020, when a new pact, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, went into force.
A week after the USMCA took effect, López Obrador traveled to Washington D.C., where he met with then-president Trump in the White House.
During his visit to the United States capital, AMLO described the USMCA as a “great achievement” and declared that it would help to generate more jobs and thus stem migration from Mexico to its northern neighbor.
Morena thus became the undisputed leading political force in Mexico, no mean feat for a party founded by López Obrador less than a decade before the 2021 elections were held.
Morena’s victories in state elections during AMLO’s presidency not only cemented Morena as the nation’s foremost political power, but also ensured that constitutional reforms recently approved by federal Congress, including the controversial judicial reform, would be ratified by a majority of state legislatures — a prerequisite for the promulgation of constitutional bills.
2022-2024: The electoral reform fight
One of López Obrador’s major legislative initiatives was his attempt to redesign Mexico’s electoral system, including by replacing the National Electoral Institute (INE) and state-based electoral authorities with one centralized body.
The constitutional reform proposal failed to pass Congress, prompting AMLO to put forward a “Plan B” proposal that did win approval in early 2023. Critics of the legislation said that it would significantly weaken the INE, and more protests against electoral reform and in defense of the electoral authority were held.
There is a good chance that the electoral reform proposal sent to Congress in February will be approved early in the Sheinbaum era, given that the ruling Morena party and its allies are a dominant force in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
March 2023: Detention center fire kills 40 migrants
López Obrador said in March 2023 that the death of the migrants in the Ciudad Juárez fire took a heavy emotional toll on him.
“This case has been very painful for a lot of people. And I confess it has pained me a lot, it has hurt me. I’ve had difficult moments [as president], the most difficult was the explosion in Tlahuelilpan,” he said.
“That was the hardest event, the one that affected me the most emotionally. And then this, this moved me, it broke my soul,” López Obrador said.
October 2023: Hurricane Otis devastates Acapulco
Hurricane Otis, a Category 5 storm that made landfall near Acapulco on Oct. 25, 2023, was the most destructive natural disaster during López Obrador’s presidency.
The hurricane — the strongest ever to hit Mexico’s Pacific coast — devastated Acapulco and claimed more than 50 lives, according to the disputed official count, with dozens more missing.
Sheinbaum — who was widely considered AMLO’s preferred successor — received almost 60% of the vote, demonstrating that a large majority of Mexico’s citizens want the so-called “fourth transformation” of Mexico to continue.
The new president has pledged to continue and strengthen all of the López Obrador era programs and policies, and has given her full backing to the constitutional reform proposals AMLO sent to Congress earlier this year.
López Obrador has asserted that Sheinbaum is well prepared to take on the nation’s top job and reiterated that he will have no involvement in politics during his retirement at his ranch in Chiapas.
However, some observers believe that the ex-president will continue to exert influence on the government from behind the scenes, and attempt to ensure that his successor doesn’t deviate too far from the course he set the country on during his six years in power.
But the arrest of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada García in the United States on July 25 was arguably the highest-profile detention of a Mexican citizen during López Obrador’s presidency.
Zambada’s arrest at an airport near El Paso, and the alleged kidnapping that preceded it, has added tension to the relationship between Mexico and the United States, with López Obrador accusing the U.S. of involvement in — or at least knowledge of — a “completely illegal” operation to kidnap El Mayo and deliver him to U.S. law enforcement authorities.
In that context, AMLO asserted last month that the United States government is partly to blame for the wave of violence that has claimed scores of lives in Sinaloa in recent weeks as competing factions of the Sinaloa Cartel battle each other in a war that was sparked by the alleged kidnapping and arrest of Zambada.
President Sheinbaum, who has heaped praise on AMLO’s legacy and called him “Mexico’s best president,” will be left to deal with the precarious situation in Sinaloa and various other parts of Mexico that are plagued by violent crime.
Compared to its closing position on Monday, the peso depreciated on Tuesday morning to trade at 19.81 to the US dollar, according to currency website xe.com. However, the currency strengthened after Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first woman president at around 11:30 a.m. Mexico City time.
Despite attempts by the opposition to dissuade the Senate, the judicial reform passed 86 to 41 on September 11 and was ratified by the required amount of state legislatures within hours. The reform has reportedly spooked several potential foreign companies about investing in a Mexico whose judicial system will soon be overhauled. (Cuartoscuro)
Shortly after 6 p.m., the peso was trading at 19.63 to the greenback, an appreciation of almost 1% compared to its weakest position on Tuesday.
Investors are also concerned about other constitutional reform proposals that López Obrador sent to Congress in February and which are likely to be approved in the near future given that Lopez Obrador’s Morena party is still the ruling party under Sheinbaum and, with its allies, has a supermajority in the Chamber of Deputies and a virtual supermajority in the Senate.
In her first speech as president, Sheinbaum once again sought to reassure investors that they have nothing to worry about.
“I say with complete clarity: be assured that investments of national and foreign shareholders are safe in our country,” she said.
The president also pledged to “take advantage of the [USMCA] trade agreement with the United States and Canada to continue promoting the relocation of companies” to Mexico.
Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the last press conference of his presidency Monday. Major governmental reforms he sent to the legislature in February could become law after he’s gone. (Government of Mexico)
Among other remarks, Sheinbaum said that her government will respect the autonomy of the Bank of Mexico and implement a “responsible” fiscal policy.
Sheinbaum has expressed support for all the proposals put forth by her predecessor and has rejected claims by opponents that their implementation poses a risk to Mexican democracy and the country’s capacity to prosper in the coming years.
