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Move over Frida and Diego: Here are history’s 5 most influential figures born and raised in Mexico City (Pt. 1)

By
Bethany Platanella
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Know your Santo from your Chespirito with the first instalment of our guide to Mexico City’s great and (possibly) good. (Canva)

To be fluent in “Mexican” requires an understanding of much more than Spanish. Like, knowing that Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera aren’t the sole defining figures of the culture. Cultural literacy demands familiarity with personalities whose influence runs far deeper into the fabric of Mexican society.

These ten icons, all born and raised in the capital, have shaped the country in many ways. Thus, knowing the stories behind these individuals will help outsiders understand much of Mexican humor, language, art, and chisme (gossip).

This two-part series was compiled thanks to three born-and-raised capitalinos who helped me identify the most important cultural phenoms for foreigners to know. There are just two women on this list. We hope that the next round will showcase more (Claudia Sheinbaum is notably missing, as we think she’s already getting her fair share of Mexico News Daily coverage). From personal scandal to powerful societal contributions, the following household names will lift you to a new level of fluency without taking one grammar class.

1. Mario Moreno “Cantinflas” (Comedian & Film Icon, 1911–1993)

Cantinflas deplaning and waving to fans.
Famed as an actor, comedian and movie star, Cantinflas was also an icon of Mexico City. (Iberia Airlines)

If you’ve never heard of Cantinflas, it can only be assumed that you have no Mexican friends. The beloved film star is so ingrained in the culture that he inspired a verb. “Cantinflear” refers to the act of talking, talking, talking — but never quite getting to the point. Born in Tepito, Cantinflas started in vaudeville-style theater,  going on to star in more than 50 films, including “Around the World in 80 Days.” He led the actors’ union, fought institutional corruption, and pushed for an independent union during the era of the PRI’s authoritarian dominance. Despite the ever-present temptation of Hollywood, the mustachioed comedian remained married to the same woman throughout his life. His death in April 1993 sent the nation into a deep mourning. Some estimates report that 500,000 people lined the nine-mile procession route his casket made through Mexico City.

2. Chespirito (Roberto Gómez Bolaños,TV Creator & Comedian, 1929–2014)

Chespirito dressed as his character Chavo.
Chespirito was famed for playing comedic characters such as Chavo. (Instagram)

If you’ve ever heard a friend say, “fue sin querer queriendo” (my subconscious made me do it), it’s thanks to the creator of El Chavo del Ocho and El Chapulín Colorado, Chespirito. His family-friendly characters allowed him to touch upon social themes like poverty and inequality through warmth and humor. Despite his jovial persona on screen, the backstage experience was entirely different. He spent years embroiled in drama over rights, money and his control over the legacy of his shows. There were well-publicized feuds over intellectual property with cast members, especially Carlos Villagrán (“Quico”) and María Antonieta de las Nieves (“La Chilindrina”), leading to lawsuits and lasting personal rifts. He died in 2014, but his shows remain popular across Latin America, underscoring his lasting cultural presence and the irony of his characters that preached harmony while their creator fought bitter legal battles.

3. José José (Singer & International Balladeer, 1948–2019)

José José - El Amar y El Querer (En Vivo)

“El Príncipe de la Canción” gained fame through his powerful emotional ballads, notably “El Triste” and “Gavilán o Paloma”, selling millions of albums across Latin America and beyond. His personal life told a very different story. José José’s violent, alcoholic father abandoned the family when he was a teen, a pivotal event that would ignite his own downward spiral. Struggles with alcohol and substances would plague him throughout his life and career. He was married three times – his second wife publicly accused him of serial infidelities, alcoholism and jealousy. A serious case of pneumonia in 1972 left one of his lungs permanently damaged, leading to a suicide attempt. His later years saw family disputes over his care and legacy, all broadcast in the Mexican media. In the early 2000s, José José moved to Miami with his third wife to be closer to his daughter Sara (Sarita). This decision ignited intense family controversy, as his children in Mexico — José Joel and Marysol Sosa — claimed they were kept in the dark about his condition, location and care. He died in 2019; his ashes were split between Miami and Mexico City in a final act of family division.

4. Hugo Sánchez (Athlete & Global Sports Figure, 1958–)

Hugo Sánchez in a pensive pose.
Hugo Sánchez was a legend on the pitch, both domestically and internationally. (Rob Bogaerts / Anefo)

Before becoming one of the best Latin American footballers worldwide, Hugo Sánchez studied dentistry at UNAM. But it was his spectacular goal-scoring and acrobatic moves at Real Madrid that thrust him into the spotlight. On the field, Sánchez was known for his larger-than-life ego, often calling out teammates and clashing with other stars. He was even quoted as insulting rival players off the field. Despite his spicy temper, he represented Mexico in multiple FIFA World Cups and continued his career as a coach and sports commentator for ESPN after retiring. His screen personality is just as bold as his player personality – he’s famous for candid, sometimes abrasive commentary. Sánchez’s success was not without scandal, and his decades-long marriage to Isabel Martín came to a disastrous end amid rumors of the worst kind — her infidelity with his best friend led to the “divorce of the decade.” Years later, Sánchez forgave her, sparking another round of gossip over his pride and reputation. The soccer star currently divides his time between Mexico and his luxury homes, including a seven-story mansion in Cancún measuring more than 900 square meters and multiple pools, jacuzzis, direct beach access and plenty of statues of himself playing his favorite sport. Fun fact: you can find him on TV, advertising toothpaste with #6 on this list.

5. Carlos Slim (Business Magnate, 1940–)

Carlos Slim in close-up.
Mexico’s richest man, circa 2007. (José Cruz/ABr – Agência Brasil)

Born in 1940 to Julián Slim Haddad, a Lebanese immigrant and self-made real estate mogul, Slim learned business skills from an early age. By age 12, the future magnate knew how to record finances and invest in stocks. But it wasn’t until his 40s that his fortune ballooned. In the wake of the 1982 crisis, Slim bought distressed assets (notably Telmex) cheaply and built a near-monopoly telecommunications company, shaping modern Mexican capitalism. Known as “El Ingeniero,” he’s a baseball fanatic (he loves the New York Yankees), famously frugal (according to Business Insider, he works from a simply furnished office and avoids luxury cars), and is heavily criticized for his market dominance that many argue stifles competition. He’s the founder of the free Museo Soumaya, named for his late wife, with whom he had six children, and several foundations focusing on education, health and downtown cultural preservation. Statista’s 2024 list of the richest Mexicans ranked Slim at #1 with an estimated worth of US $102 billion. Despite his unfathomable wealth, he embodies a particular brand of immigrant-family thriftiness and still lives in the Mexico City home he’s owned for three decades.

Want to find out who rounds out our esteemed list of Chilango megastars? Tune in next week for 5 more movers and shakers from Mexico City!

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.

After an unusually wet summer, ‘average’ September rains expected to bring further drought relief to Mexico

By
MND Staff
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Rain clouds gather over Mexico City
After record-breaking June rains, some areas of Mexico are still in drought. September, usually the rainiest month of the year, should help. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

September rains are expected to remain “close to the historical average” following a “very active” rainy season that has alleviated drought conditions across the country, the National Meteorological System (SMN) announced Thursday.

According to the agency, drought conditions dropped by 1.8% between July 27 and Aug. 10, compared to the previous 15-day period.

“In the center, the south, and the southeast in general, drought levels have dropped significantly with the rains. Fortunately, the monsoon has been very active throughout Sonora, Sinaloa, Oaxaca, and Durango. Only a few very limited regions on the northern border have still experienced persistent drought,” the SMN General Coordinator Fabián Vázquez Romaña explained.

In the short term, heavy rainfall is expected to continue across much of the country until Sunday, meteorologist Jesús Carachure told Uno TV. August and September are “statistically the months with the most rainfall,” he said.

Rains September average roughly 140 mm (5.5 in) while August generally sees 132 mm (5.2 in) of rain.

Vázquez recalled that June was the rainiest month nationwide on record, with a nation-wide average of 155 mm (6.12 in) of rain. The extra precipitation was especially notable in Mexico City, where repeated downpours led to unusual flooding.

It’s official: June was the rainiest month ever recorded in Mexico

The heavy rains have continued this month, as rainfall on Aug. 10 flooded Mexico City’s Zócalo and other areas of the Historic Center. It also led to the suspension of air operations in Mexico City International Airport (AICM) for about four hours and flooded several boroughs across the city.

According to Vázquez, that storm dumped  84 mm (3.3 in) of rain, a record for August. Although the rains caused traffic problems due to their intensity and short duration, Vázquez said the precipitation has been beneficial to the city’s water supply. The Cutzamala System, responsible for supplying water to both Mexico City and the state of México, is currently at over 60%, he said — a major improvement over this time last year.

He said September rains are expected to continue aiding the system’s recovery.

Invest 98 heading towards the Gulf of Mexico 

The SMN also warned of Invest 98, an unstable zone located in the western and southwestern Gulf of Mexico, which as of Friday morning had a 20% chance of developing into a cyclone (a tropical depression, storm or hurricane) within 48 hours. The weather system has generated very heavy rainfall in states such as Veracruz, Tamaulipas and Tabasco, with accumulated rainfall of up to 40 mm (1.6 in) and a high risk of flash flooding and thunderstorms.

In addition to being Mexico’s rainiest month, September is also the month of greatest hurricane activity in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. In October, rainfall begins to decrease with the arrival of cold fronts.

With reports from EFE and El Financiero

How two Irish boys took on a Mexican cycling adventure — and what they found when they got here

By
John Pint
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Two cyclists with their arms raised in the air posing in the desert
A pair of Irish cyclists had the adventure of their life — for better or for worse — when they traversed the Mexican mainland. (Jack Kenny and Oisin Dennehy)

A neighbor of mine is a member of Warmshowers, an international organization that provides long-distance cyclists with a place to rest and wash, free of charge. The other day, he invited me to meet two Irish lads from Cork who were bicycling their way from Vancouver, Canada, to Ushuaia, Argentina, a distance of 12,641 kilometers.

The cyclists, Jack Kenny and Oisin Dennehy, had arrived in Guadalajara after 51 days of hard pedaling, covering as many as 165 kilometers in one day.

The BikePack Boys
Long-distance cyclists Jack Kenny (left) and Oisín Dennehy take a break at a Warmshowers house in Zapopan, Jalisco. (John Pint)

A hot time in Baja

I asked Oisin how Mexico was treating them.

“The first days were rough,” he said. “But it was our fault, not Mexico’s. We entered through Mexicali and headed down Baja California in May. It was the worst heat experience we ever had.” The BikePack Boys, as they call themselves on Instagram, were soon enduring temperatures of 47 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit), so hot that very few businesses were open during daylight hours along their route. On various occasions, the pair were saved by truck drivers who saw them and stopped to give them water.

“To make matters worse,” continued Oisin, “we had a 15-mile-an-hour headwind the entire time. It was like pitting yourself against 10,000 hair dryers. Honestly, we came close to hallucinating.” 

Eventually, the hikers reached Santa Rosalia, halfway down the peninsula.

“At this point,” recalls Oisin, “I was so dehydrated and suffering from heat stroke that I went into the desert and tried to create a bit of shade by tying my tent up against a cactus. However, my attempt to create shade failed because the wind blew down whatever I tried to put up. So, after two hours of basically lying in the sun, I had to get back on the bike because I was running out of water. That was our most miserable day.”

The two cyclists told me they had been hit by the travel bug at age 20 and had started  by “tripping around Europe.” Jack then did a long bike ride from Cork to Istanbul, which led to two years of planning a trip through the Americas.

Cycling through the Baja California peninsula
Cycling the Baja California peninsula. (Jack Kenny)

“Ultimately,” said Jack, “we wanted an adventure, to cross borders and meet people, to get beyond preconceptions. We are going to take a few days off here in Guadalajara and try to immerse ourselves in the culture, meet new people, and try new food.”

The logging trail from Hell

“Was your ride down Baja the toughest part of the trip?” I asked the pair.

“Perhaps even worse,” said Oisin, “was a certain logging trail in Oregon. We had been enduring nonstop, intense rain for two days when we got onto that trail. It was very remote. There wasn’t even a road, just rock, gravel and steep gradients.”

“After lifting our bikes over multiple landslides in the pouring rain,” continued Jack, “our skin was puckered as if we had been swimming for hours. I emerged from the logging trail maybe half an hour before Oisin, and I said to myself: ‘We are going to treat ourselves and get a motel. This is too awful an experience not to take a warm shower.’”

“Then, two minutes after emerging from this non-road, a 4×4 truck came up to me. The driver put down his window and shouted, ‘Where are you coming from?’ And I said, ‘From the logging trail,’ and he got this very surprised look. Then he said, ‘Do you need anything? Do you need food or drink?’”

“So we ended up staying three days with this man and his wife, while we dried out.”

The BikePack Boys camping
The BikePack Boys experienced plenty of hospitality, but also enjoyed a few camping adventures. (Jack Kenny)

A Mexican welcome

The night before reaching their Warmshowers host in the Guadalajara area, the two Irish cyclists slept in Ixlán del Río, Nayarit. 

“Let me tell you about that,” said Jack, “because I think it will give you an inkling of the welcome we have been receiving from Mexicans.”

“I had been suffering for days from gastroenteritis. So I found a little hospital in Ixtlán where I saw a doctor.  They asked me to come back to get my blood work done. When I showed up in the morning, they smiled and said ‘Oh, Mr Kenny!’ as if I were a familiar face and they greeted me warmly, gave me a bottle of water and sat me down and when I was about to leave, a couple of the nurses hugged me and wished me luck on my adventure. Now I’ll tell you: You will get a good experience in an Irish hospital, but you won’t get a hug!”

Jack and Oisin reached Mexico City in June, and there their trans-American tour came to a halt.

“My gastrointestinal problems had gone from bad to worse,” Jack lamented, “and no amount of testing could find the cause. So, we’ve had to put our trip on pause. But we’ll be back!”

Danger ahead

“After cycling halfway down Mexico, how safe have you felt in this country?” I asked the BikePack Boys.

The BikePack Boys enjoying the scenery
The boys took a few breathers to enjoy the scenery and promised to visit Mexico again. (Jack Kenny)

“It’s funny,” replied Oisin. “In the U.S., we were told to prepare for the worst when we got into Baja.”

“‘It’s full of dangerous two-legged creatures,’ we were told.”

“When we got to Baja, we were treated royally, but everybody said, ‘Watch out for the dangerous people in Mazatlán.’”

“In Mazatlán, they told us the same story about Sinaloa, and in Sinaloa, they told us how dangerous it is in Guadalajara. When we got there, they said, ‘Beware of Michoacán,’ and then it was ‘God help you in Mexico City.’”

“Well, now we are in Mexico City, and I tell you, we’re just hoping to get robbed, so it will turn out that all those people were telling the truth.” 

On June 11, the BikePack Boys returned to Ireland, unharmed. Except, that is, for the bane of many a foreign traveler: Montezuma’s Revenge.

John Pint has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of “A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area” and co-author of “Outdoors in Western Mexico.” More of his writing can be found on his website.

How Mexican archaeologists found the long-lost Maya city that resisted the Spanish 

By
MND Staff
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river in jungle
Near this stretch of the Lacantún River in the Mexican state of Chiapas, archaeologists have identified remnants of what they believe to be the Maya city of Sak-Bahlán. (Josuhé Lozada Toledo/ courtesy INAH)

With the help of 17th-century writings by a Spanish friar, archaeologists believe they have located Sak-Bahlán — the long-lost final stronghold of the Lacandón Maya rebels — deep in the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve in Chiapas.

Abandoned more than 300 years ago, the fortified jungle city was the last independent settlement of the Lacandón-Ch’olti’ Maya after the Spanish captured their capital, Lacam-Tún, in 1586.

4 hilers in the jungle
The expedition, led by Josuhé Lozada Toledo of INAH, had modern technology at their disposal, but also needed good old-fashioned hiking skills for their jungle search. (Josuhé Lozada /Facebook)

The Lacandón Maya resisted conquest for 110 years before Spanish friars and soldiers subdued Sak-Bahlán in 1695 and renamed it Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows).

The site was abandoned in 1721 and swallowed up by the jungle, its exact location long eluding historians and explorers, including a 1999 expedition with noted Belgian historian Jan de Vos.

Now, however, researchers say they pinpointed it using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) model designed by Josuhé Lozada Toledo of Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

“I took information from the chronicle of friar Diego de Rivas, from 1698,” Lozada said, referring to letters by the Spaniard that described the route to and from Sak-Bahlán in the 1690s.

“From those places mentioned, which I had georeferenced, I made a conversion of the four days mentioned … and obtained an approximate range of where the Sak-Bahlán site could be located.”

The model combined data on terrain, rivers, vegetation and the carrying load of travelers. De Rivas’ account described a four-day trek from the city to the Lacantún River, plus canoe trips to the Pasión River and onward to Lake Petén Itzá in Guatemala.

“I estimated how far a Maya would walk to get, for example, from Bonampak to Yaxchilán, or from Palenque to Bonampak,” he explained. “I developed an algorithm that allows me to calculate how many kilometers a person walks through the jungle in one hour.”

Fieldwork near the Jataté and Ixcán rivers revealed structures, pottery shards and other remains consistent with colonial-era accounts.

“It was the most arduous field trip I’ve ever had in my life, but … we found the archaeological evidence, right at the spot I had marked,” said Lozada, who also said he devoured Vos’ 1980 book “The Peace of God and of the King: The Conquest of the Lacandon Jungle, 1525–1821.”

According to an INAH press release, the site is now registered as “Sol y paraíso. Probablemente Sak-Bahlán,” or “Sun and Paradise. Probably Sak-Bahlán.”

Researchers rest by a river in Chiapas
Reaching the site was arduous, Lozada said, but researchers were rewarded when they found archeological remnants at the end of their journey. (Josuhé Lozada/ CINAH Chiapas)

Sak-Bahlán translates to “White Jaguar” in the Ch’olti’ language, a now-extinct branch of the Mayan language family spoken in this region.

An article detailing Lozada’s predictive model was published this week in the academic journal Chicomoztoc, and excavations, led by Lozada with Brent Woodfill of Winthrop University in South Carolina and Yuko Shiratori of Rissho University in Japan, will continue in 2026.

INAH said Lozada’s research project — which could reshape understanding of Maya resistance and survival — has been partially funded by the Discovery  Channel.

In 2023, the network’s “Expedition Unknown” series included an episode titled “Lost City of the White Jaguar” (see a clip here). Featuring footage of the archaeological work and early findings at the site, the full episode is on Discovery+, Max, Plex and other platforms.

With reports from El Universal, El Sol de México, Popular Mechanics and National Geographic

Poverty reduction and a major arrest: Thursday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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President Sheinbaum gestures at a graph showing a decrease in poverty in Mexico
President Sheinbaum celebrated the reduction in poverty Mexico experienced under her predecessor, after new INEGI data showed that 13 million Mexicans rose out of poverty during López Obrador's time in office. (Saúl López Escorcia/Presidencia)

The reduction in poverty during the sexenio (six-year term) of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the arrest of a former CEO of Pemex were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Thursday morning press conference.

Here is a recap of the president’s Aug. 14 mañanera.

Sheinbaum highlights reduction in poverty during AMLO’s term 

Sheinbaum presented data from a new national statistics agency (INEGI) report that shows that 38.5 million people were living in poverty in Mexico in 2024, down from 51.9 million in 2018.

Of the 38.5 million people living in poverty last year, 31.5 million were in a situation of “moderate” poverty and 7 million were in a situation of “extreme” poverty, according to the INEGI data.

Sheinbaum noted that “more than 13 million people were lifted out of poverty” during the six-year term of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).

She highlighted that the percentage of Mexico’s population living in poverty declined from 41.9% in 2018 to 29.6% in 2024.

An audience of reporters with cameras at a press conference
Sheinbaum credited the “Fourth Transformation,” the political movement started by her mentor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, for Mexico’s recent progress against poverty. (Saúl López Escorcia/Presidencia)

“Do we still have progress to make? Yes. It’s obvious that with 30% of the population in Mexico living in poverty, we have to keep advancing,” Sheinbaum said.

Still, “this reduction in poverty is a feat of the fourth transformation,” she said, referring to the Morena party-led political movement that has been in power since López Obrador took office in late 2018.

“It shows that the model works because it reduced poverty and inequality as well. In other words, there is greater distribution of wealth,” she said.

Sheinbaum said that the reduction in poverty was the result of the increase to the minimum wage in recent years — it almost tripled during AMLO’s term — government welfare programs and “access to rights” for citizens.

“We have to be very proud as Mexicans because this indicator speaks of the essence of our project — humanism. A humanist project is demonstrated in this, in the reduction of poverty,” she said.

“And we’re certain that we’re going to continue making progress. That’s why we talk about continuity and the advance of the fourth transformation,” Sheinbaum said.

Without COVID, poverty reduction would probably have been greater, says Sheinbaum

A reporter asked the president whether the reduction in poverty would have been “significantly greater” during AMLO’s sexenio if the COVID pandemic hadn’t occurred.

“It’s probable,” Sheinbaum responded.

“Remember that during the pandemic, due to the closure of companies that had to be done to avoid infections, GDP fell about 8% in 2020, a very sharp decline,” she said.

Sheinbaum stands next to a graph showing decreasing poverty rates in Mexico
Poverty levels increased at the start of the pandemic but fell in the later years of AMLO’s tenure. (Saúl López Escorcia/Presidencia)

Early in her press conference, Sheinbaum acknowledged that the number of people living in poverty actually increased during the first two year’s of López Obrador’s presidency due to the impact of the pandemic and associated restrictions.

However, after the sharp economic contraction in 2020, the economy recovered in 2021 and 2022, the president said.

INEGI data shows that the number of people living in poverty fell to 46.8 million in 2022 from 55.7 million in 2020. The decline continued between 2022 and 2024, with the number of people living in poverty in Mexico falling to 38.5 million people last year, as noted above.

Sheinbaum announces arrest in US of former CEO of Pemex  

Sheinbaum announced that a former CEO of Pemex was arrested in the United States on Wednesday on corruption charges. She didn’t initially name the CEO she was referring to, but later confirmed it was Carlos Alberto Treviño, head of Pemex during the final year of Enrique Peña Nieto’s 2012-18 presidency.

Former Pemex CEO Carlos Alberto Treviño
Sheinbaum confirmed that former Pemex CEO Carlos Alberto Treviño was arrested in the U.S. and will be tried in Mexico on corruption charges. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

“They’re going to deport him and he will be tried here in Mexico on corruption issues,” Sheinbaum said.

“… It has to do with the Odebrecht case,” she said, referring to a corruption investigation involving the Brazilian conglomerate Odebrecht, which allegedly paid more than US $10 million in bribes to another former Pemex CEO, Emilio Lozoya.

Sheinbaum said that the case against Treviño is related to the allegations against Lozoya, who was released from preventive detention in early 2024, but still hasn’t faced trial.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

US returns 500-year-old stolen manuscript signed by Hernán Cortés

By
MND Staff
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Part of the centuries-old manuscript, signed by Cortés himself, was found to be missing from Mexico's National Archives in 1993. (Gaceta UNAM/USA en español/X)

A stolen manuscript signed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés is back in Mexico after a binational investigation traced the document to the U.S.

Nearly five centuries after Cortés affixed his signature to the page, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) handed the priceless cultural artifact back to Mexico.

José Alfonso Suárez y Real, a spokesman for President Claudia Sheinbaum, on Thursday voiced appreciation for the return of the document, while the U.S. Embassy in Mexico praised the cross-border collaboration in a social media statement posted on Wednesday.

In a press release, U.S. Special Agent Jessica Dittmer, described the document as “an original manuscript page that was actually signed by Hernán Cortés on February 20, 1527.”

A member of the FBI’s Art Crime Team based in New York City, Dittmer said the document “outlines the payment of pesos of common gold for expenses in preparation for discovery of the spice lands.”

The manuscript also contains a detailed accounting of the logistics related to Cortés’ journey to what eventually became New Spain.

“Pieces like this are considered protected cultural property and represent valuable moments in Mexico’s history,” Dittmer said.

The newspaper The Guardian reported that the document was signed “just days before one of Cortés’ top lieutenants was appointed co-governor of the conquered territory.”

The Guardian further described 1527 as “a key year for the formation of royal and religious institutions that would rule over the Indigenous peoples of Mexico until its 1810-21 war of independence.”

The repatriation of the priceless document was the result of close collaboration between the FBI, the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the U.S. Department of Justice and the Mexican government.

“This could not have been possible without the collaboration of … the FBI’s attaché office in Mexico … a valuable liaison between FBI personnel within the United States and … our foreign partners,” said NYPD Det. Rigel Zeledon, who helped Dittmer with the investigation.

Investigators believe the manuscript was stolen in the 1980s or 1990s, identifying the presence of wax numbering marks, a system used by Mexican archivists at that time. The FBI said these exacting details not only helped investigators find the document but also helped to authenticate it.

A painting depicts the fall of Tenochtitlan with war horses and pyramids
The manuscript was signed in 1527, just six years after the fall of Tenochtitlán (modern day Mexico City). Pictured: A 1650 painting by an unknown artist depicts the fall of Tenochtitlán. (Wikimedia Commons)

The FBI said Mexico’s National Archives “originally counted the repatriated manuscript among a collection of historical documents hand-signed by Cortés,” only to realize that 15 pages of the document was missing when an inventory was carried out while microfilming the collection in October 1993.

However, Mexico did not request the assistance of the FBI’s art crime team until last year, asking for help in finding the particular page returned on Wednesday.

The FBI says it is resolved to locate and repatriate the other missing pages.

“The United States — for better or for worse — is one of the largest, if not the largest, consumer of art and antiquities,” FBI Supervisory Special Agent Veh Bezdikian said in the press release. “We know how important it is for the United States to stay ahead of this, to support our foreign partners, and to try and make an impact as it relates to the trafficking of these artistic works and antiquities.”

The FBI said that open-source research suggested the missing manuscript was located in the continental United States, with the investigation narrowing in on stakeholders formerly and currently in possession of the manuscript page.

Investigators declined to disclose who was in possession of the document. And because they determined that the manuscript “changed hands several times over” in the decades since its disappearance, the FBI said no one will face prosecution.

FBI Boston recovers stolen manuscript signed by Hernán Cortés

This is the second time in two years that the FBI has returned a stolen Cortés document to Mexico. In July 2023, a 16th century letter from the conquistador that authorized a purchase of rose sugar was repatriated.

In 2022, a National Archives employee discovered that this manuscript — dated May 27, 1527 — was set to be auctioned in Boston in one week’s time. U.S. authorities halted the auction and gained possession of the document, which had received 22 bids and was on the verge of being sold for US $18,600.

With reports from El País, La Jornada, El Universal and The Guardian

US sanctions cartel-affiliated timeshare scammers in Puerto Vallarta

By
MND Staff
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beachfront with buildings
Resort areas like Puerto Vallarta attract timeshare arrangements where visitors, often foreigners, own a unit along with others and occupy it for a limited period at a time. (Nicole Herrero/Unsplash)

As part of a major crackdown on timeshare fraud in Mexico linked to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Wednesday sanctioned four Mexican nationals and 13 Mexican companies allegedly involved with fraud at resorts in Puerto Vallarta.

The CJNG, a powerful drug trafficking cartel designated by the U.S. government as a foreign terrorist organization, allegedly leads the scams. The sanctions are part of a broader campaign against the financing of terrorist and criminal activities from Mexico, targeting their non-drug revenue streams such as fuel theft, human smuggling, extortion and fraud.

“We are coming for terrorist drug cartels like Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion that are flooding our country with fentanyl,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement. “These cartels continue to create new ways to generate revenue to fuel their terrorist operations. At President Trump’s direction, we will continue our effort to completely eradicate the cartels’ ability to generate revenue, including their efforts to prey on elderly Americans through timeshare fraud.”

The Treasury calls on current owners of timeshares in Mexico to stay vigilant. “If an unsolicited purchase or rental offer seems too good to be true, it probably is,” Treasury said.

This isn’t the first time the OFAC has sanctioned those linked, directly or indirectly, to the CJNG’s fraudulent activities. Similar actions occurred in  2023 and 2024.

The timeshare fraud that the CJNG uses in tourist destinations like Puerto Vallarta often targets U.S. citizens, particularly seniors, who are contacted by call centers posing as real estate agents, lawyers or representatives of U.S. companies. Cartels “generally obtain information about U.S. owners of timeshares in Mexico from complicit insiders at timeshare resorts,” the FBI said.

The fraud typically involves the victim paying “fees” or “advance taxes” with the promise of receiving funds from the supposed sale or rental of their timeshare. The money never arrives, and consumers are frequently asked to pay more to resolve fictitious problems.

After the initial fraud, consumers may experience “revictimization” scams, where other criminals pose as lawyers or officials who promise to recover the lost money in exchange for further sums.

Some 7,000 U.S. victims lost roughly US $350 million to timeshare scams in Mexico between 2019 and 2024. However, the FBI believes these figures don’t reflect the total losses, as many victims do not report scams due to embarrassment.

With reports from Fox News and UPI

US updates Mexico travel advisories to include risk of ‘terrorism’

By
MND Staff
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34
Tourists walk around the Chichén Itzá pyramids in Yucatán Mexico
Yucatán, home to tourism destinations like Chichén Itzá, is one of two states with a "Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions" advisory, indicating relative safety. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

The U.S. Department of State updated its travel advisory for Mexico this week, warning for the first time ever of the risk of terrorism south of the border.

The travel alert for Mexico as a whole was maintained at “Level 2 – Exercise increased caution,” but terrorism was added as a risk factor in the country, apparently because six Mexican cartels are now classified as foreign terrorist organizations by the United States government.

A US travel advisory readers "Level 2 - Exercise increased caution in Mexico due to terrorism, kidnapping and crime"
The U.S. this week update its travel advisories to warn Mexican travelers of a risk of terrorism. (US State Dept)

In its advisory summary, the State Department says that “many violent crimes take place in Mexico,” including “homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery.”

“There is a risk of terrorist violence, including terrorist attacks and other activity in Mexico,” adds the summary of the advisory, which was updated on Tuesday.

The advisory says that “the U.S. government has limited ability to help in many parts of Mexico” and “U.S. government employees are not allowed to travel to certain high-risk areas.”

“Due to security risks, U.S. citizens should follow the same restrictions as U.S. government employees while traveling,” the State Department says. 

The State Department warns of the risk of “terrorism” in 30 of Mexico’s 32 federal entities.

The only exceptions are Yucatán and Campeche.

Six of Mexico’s states are classified as “Level 4 – Do Not Travel” in the State Department advisory, while eight states are classified as “Level 3 – Reconsider Travel.”

The 6 ‘Do Not Travel’ states 

Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas are all classified as “Level 4 – Do Not Travel” states.

Colima had the highest per-capita homicide rate in Mexico in 2024, and the other five states are also known for cartel activity and violence.

The State Department warns of the risk of terrorism and crime in all six states. It warns of the added risk of kidnapping in Colima, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas.

A map of Mexico with Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas shaded in red to indicate travel risk
The U.S. discourages travel to Colima, Guerrero, Michoacán, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas, which all have Level 4 travel advisories. (US State Dept)

In its advisories for all six states, the State Department says: “There is a risk of violence in the state from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and criminal organizations.”

It says that U.S. government employees “may travel” to some areas of the six aforesaid states. They include:

  • Central tourist and port areas of Manzanillo, Colima.
  • Morelia, Michoacán, and Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán. Travel to the latter city is permitted only by air.
  • Mazatlán, Sinaloa, “by air or sea only.”
  • Los Mochis, Sinaloa, and Topolobampo, Sinaloa, “by air or sea only.”
  • Certain areas of Matamoros, Tamaulipas.
  • Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, but only by “U.S. government employees who have approved official travel.”
  • Nuevo Progreso, Tamaulipas, “within a limited radius” of the international bridge in the border town.
  • Zacatecas city, “by air only.”

The U.S. advisory also includes detailed information on which highways U.S. government employees are permitted to use in the six “Level 4” states.

The 8 ‘Reconsider Travel’ states 

Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos and Sonora are all classified as “Level 3 – Reconsider Travel” states.

The state of Guanajuato has reported the most total homicides in Mexico in recent years. Guanajuato, Chihuahua and Baja California are all currently among the five most violent states in terms of total homicides.

The State Department warns of the risk of terrorism and crime in all eight “Level 3” states. It warns of the additional risk of kidnapping in Baja California, Chihuahua, Jalisco, Morelos and Sonora.

The Guadalajara cathedral
Baja California, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos and Sonora have Level 3 travel advisories. Pictured: Downtown Guadalajara, Jalisco. (Sergio Rodríguez/Unsplash)

As is the case with the “Level 4” states, the State Department warns that “there is a risk of violence … from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and criminal organizations” in the “Level 3” states.

U.S. government employees are permitted to travel to many cities in the “Level 3” states including Tijuana, Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a security alert over reports of dating apps being utilized to kidnap U.S. citizens near Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.

The 16 ‘Exercise Increased Caution’ states

Exactly half of Mexico’s 32 federal entities are classified as “Level 2 – Exercise Increased Caution” states.

They are Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Durango, Hidalgo, Mexico City, México state, Nayarit, Nuevo León, Oaxaca, Puebla, Querétaro, Quintana Roo, San Luis Potosí, Tabasco, Tlaxcala and Veracruz.

The State Department warns of the risk of terrorism and crime in all 16 states. It warns of the additional risk of kidnapping in México state, Puebla and San Luis Potosí.

A federal divided highway in Mexico with one lane in each direction. Cars are traveling in both directions near a highway signs for Cuautla and Cuernavaca and an exit sign for Izucar de Matamoros and Atlixco.
Large swaths of central Mexico including Puebla, México state and Hidalgo currently have Level 2 warnings. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

It states “there is a risk of violence … from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and criminal organizations” in the 16 “Level 2” states.

Campeche and Yucatán

Campeche and Yucatán are Mexico’s only “Level 1 – Exercise Normal Precautions” states.

Although the State Department doesn’t explicitly warn of the risk of “terrorism” in the two states, it does say “there is a risk of violence … from terrorist groups, cartels, gangs and criminal organizations” in both Campeche and Yucatán.

Sheinbaum responds to US terrorism warning for Mexico 

At her morning press conference on Wednesday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said that the reason for the United States’ terrorism warning for Mexico is that the U.S. government designated (six) Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

“Now they use this word [terrorists] because they designated the cartels as such,” she said, referring to designations that occurred in February.

“But look, the main tourism destination for estadounidenses [U.S. Americans] is Mexico. Close to a million estadounidenses live here [in Mexico] because they like living here better, because they decided to live here,” Sheinbaum said.

Despite the terrorism warnings, “people continue coming to Mexico,” President Sheinbaum said. (Presidencia)

Asked whether the U.S. government was wrong to warn of the risk of “terrorism” in Mexico, the president responded:

“What I’m saying is that people continue coming to Mexico.”

Sheinbaum also highlighted that homicide numbers have decreased in the 10 months since she took office.

Foreign tourists, including visitors from the United States, have become victims of crime, including homicide, in Mexico. However, the vast majority of foreign tourists are not affected by serious crime while visiting the country.

Over 7 million people flew to Mexico from the United States in the first half of 2025, while almost 1.7 million visitors arrived from Canada.

The bigger picture 

The United States’ warning of the risk of terrorism in Mexico comes as the Trump administration continues to pressure Mexico to do more to combat drug cartels.

In March, President Donald Trump imposed so-called “fentanyl tariffs” on imports from Mexico that are not covered by the USMCA. The 25% duties remain in effect today.

It was revealed last week that Trump had signed a directive to the Pentagon to begin using military force against certain Latin American drug cartels that the U.S. government has designated as foreign terrorist organizations.

‘There won’t be an invasion’: Sheinbaum de-escalates after Trump orders US military to target cartels

On the first day of his second term, the U.S. president responded “could happen” when asked whether he would consider “ordering U.S. special forces into Mexico” to “take out” cartels.

Mexican authorities have arrested thousands of criminal group members and seized large quantities of narcotics since the current government took office last October.

Sheinbaum has repeatedly said that Mexico is willing to cooperate and collaborate with the United States on security issues, but will never accept subordination or any violation of its sovereignty. She said on Monday that Mexico “would never allow the United States Army or any other institution of the United States to set foot on Mexican territory.”

A day later, Mexican and United States authorities announced that 26 organized crime figures had been sent to the U.S., marking the second large transfer of Mexican prisoners to the U.S. this year.

Mexico News Daily 

Mexico’s half-year trade deficit with China hits a record US $57 billion

By
MND Staff
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8
Casa china store
Chinese imports are big business in Mexico but as the trade deficit grows, the federal government is increasingly considering and sometimes implementing tariffs. (Eduardo Esparza)

Mexico’s trade deficit with China set a new mark in the first half of the year as imports exceeded US $62.1 billion and exports fell short of US $4.6 billion, according to Banxico, Mexico’s central bank.

The result: a US $57.5 billion trade deficit, a new record for the first six months of a year,  according to the national statistics agency, INEGI.

insde Chinese store in Mexico
At the consumer level, China’s market power has been increasingly noticed — and often resented — in Mexico. (@opinionLSR/on X)

Data compiled by Banxico show Mexican imports of Chinese goods climbing by 2.3% during the period from January to June. Meanwhile, exports fell 4.5% year-to-year, maintaining a tendency that saw Mexican exports to the Asian giant fall for a second consecutive year in 2024.

The imbalance in trade continues a decades-long trend dating back to China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001. 

Bilateral trade volume multiplied more than 20 times from 2000 through 2023, surpassing US $110 billion in 2023. But the asymmetry is astonishing. Last year, Mexico’s trade deficit with China reached nearly US $120 billion.

Over the past decade, the trade gap between the two countries has doubled, according to the Fundación Andrés Bello, a think tank focusing on Chinese-Latin American relations. In the first six months of 2015, Mexico’s trade deficit with China sat at just US $32.8 billion.

Analysts cited by the Fundación Andrés Bello warn that Mexico’s over-reliance on its second-largest trading partner may pose structural challenges for domestic industries. 

Since much of what Mexico imports from China are intermediate goods that Mexican companies use to produce finished goods for  export, the over-reliance has the effect of limiting Mexico’s technological development and reinforcing a pattern of assembly rather than innovation.

In response, Mexico’s government has expressed its commitment to strengthening export capacity and implementing import substitution strategies. At the same time, the U.S. government’s effort to decouple trade with China is forcing Mexico to reconsider its own relationship with China.

Mexico begins to take action

This month, the Mexican government began responding to the trade gap.

On Monday, Mexico implemented a 25% tariff on footwear imports from China, and upon announcing the duties, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said “enough is enough.”

“Those who want to import footwear (from Asia) will have to pay tariffs, so as to reduce the existing disadvantages for the domestic shoe industry,” he said.

Leather shoes on sale in Mexico with prices
Mexican shoemakers are the latest beneficiaries of tariffs on China, after a 25% import duty was announced Monday. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

Essentially, Mexico has removed Chinese footwear from the tax-free Maquiladora Manufacturing and Export Services Industry Program (IMMEX), a government initiative allowing companies to temporarily import goods for use in manufacturing, processing or repair of goods intended for export, while deferring or exempting import duties and taxes. 

The president of the National Footwear Industry Chamber, Juan Carlos Cashat, applauded the decision. “We celebrate a long-awaited achievement: the exclusion of finished footwear from the IMMEX Program,” he said.

Cashat said that imports under the scheme being replaced had increased from 3.79 million pairs in 2022 to more than 40 million in 2024, adding that lax oversight allowed a significant amount of the footwear to be diverted into the domestic market.

On Tuesday, the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin) called on Ebrard to similarly protect the furniture sector from the “invasion” of Chinese products.

Concamin president Alejandro Malagón suggested a 30% tariff to curb the influx of Chinese furniture, urging Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus to join in the fight against the “unfair competition.” Lemus has complied, but emphasized that the proposed tariff would apply only to finished products and not to the inputs used by the sector.

With reports from El Economista, Mexico Business News and Prodensa

US drone that flew over cartel stronghold came at Mexico’s request, security minister says

By
MND Staff
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10
A MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol operated the drone, a MQ-9B SkyGuardian designed for surveillance and reconnaissance. (X)

A United States government drone departed Texas on Wednesday and flew south to airspace over a part of México state that is a stronghold of La Nueva Familia Michoacana, a criminal group that the U.S. designated as a foreign terrorist organization earlier this year.

Security Minister Omar García Harfuch told a press conference on Wednesday that the drone flight was requested by the Mexican government.

“It’s not a military plane, it’s not a military drone. They are drones or unmanned aircrafts, to be precise. They fly at the specific request of an institution of the Mexican government,” he said.

“They fly specifically in support and collaboration for investigations that we have in our country,” García Harfuch said.

He said that the unmanned aircraft — an MQ-9B SkyGuardian made by General Atomics and reportedly owned by the U.S. Air Force — had flown over the municipality of Tejupilco and other parts of México state.

“But it’s at the request of our country,” García Harfuch stressed.

The flight, operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), came less than a week after it was revealed that United States President Donald Trump had signed a directive to the Pentagon to begin using military force against certain Latin American drug cartels that the U.S. government has designated as foreign terrorist organizations.

Earlier this year, the United States Central Intelligence Agency flew drones over Mexico to spy on drug cartels and hunt for fentanyl labs, according to U.S. media reports.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said that her government had requested the flights in order to obtain information to be able to respond to prevailing “security conditions.”

“There is nothing illegal [taking place]. What there is, is collaboration and cooperation that has been going on for many years; it’s not something new,” Sheinbaum said in February.

She made similar remarks on Thursday morning, and told reporters that the CBP drone flight on Wednesday was “for a special investigation” into organized crime.

The latest drone flight 

According to data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24, the CBP drone — which was unarmed — departed San Angelo, Texas, early Wednesday and flew south to airspace over México state.

In addition to Tejupilco, the unmanned aircraft also flew over the municipality of Valle Bravo, a popular tourist destination about 140 kilometers southwest of Mexico City.

It circled over southwestern México state for a period of approximately two hours before leaving the area. This region of México state borders Michoacán and Guerrero, states that are known for organized crime activity and drug trafficking.

A flight map of a US drone flight over southwestern México state, a known cartel stronghold
The uncrewed flight left Texas early Wednesday and flew to southwestern México state, circling the area for roughly two hours before disappearing from public view. (Flightradar24)

 

The defense news website The War Zone reported that “sometime after flying over this area, about six hours into the flight, the MQ-9 disappeared off online tracking software.”

The Milenio newspaper reported that the area of México state over which the drone flew is of “strategic interest” due to its proximity to “routes toward Michoacán and Guerrero.”

La Nueva Familia Michoacana is the dominant crime group in the area, leading many media outlets to conclude that the CBP drone was seeking to collect information and intelligence about that organization.

The War Zone said that “CBP drone operators are fully aware that they can be tracked online with ease when broadcasting with their transponders.”

“The area they circled over may have been part of an active collection area or it may not have been, with the aircraft moving to more sensitive locales after it stopped transmitting,” the news site said.

What is the MQ-9B SkyGuardian capable of? 

According to General Atomics, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian is “the next generation of remotely piloted aircraft systems, delivering persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance around the globe.”

The aircraft “can deliver real-time situational awareness anywhere in the world — day or night,” says General Atomics.

It is “outfitted with the revolutionary Lynx Multi-mode Radar, an advanced electro-optical/infrared sensor,” according to the San Diego-based company.

The SkyGuardian “is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40+ hours in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspace,” General Atomics says.

La Nueva Familia Michoacana

Led by the brothers Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga and José Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga, La Nueva Familia Michoacana (LNFM) operates in various states including México state, Guerrero and Michoacán. It engages in a range of illicit activities including drug trafficking and extortion.

In late 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced that its Office of Foreign Assets Control had designated LNFM and the Hurtado brothers in accordance with a 2021 executive order — “Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade.”

Authorities bust extortion ring controlling farming, construction and even package delivery

The Treasury Department said at the time that LNFM “smuggles illicit drugs into and throughout the United States” and was “behind the increasing U.S. presence of rainbow fentanyl,” allegedly “made to attract children and young users.”

Johnny Hurtado, known as “El Pez” (The Fish) and José Hurtado, known as “El Fresa” (The Strawberry or The Snob), are “two of the most wanted criminals in Mexico,” the department said.

The United States is offering a reward of up to US $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Johnny Hurtado and $3 million for information leading to the capture of his brother.

Last year, the United States government imposed sanctions on eight other alleged members or affiliates of LNFM for trafficking illicit drugs in the U.S., including fentanyl.

With reports from Milenio, El País, The War Zone and El Financiero

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