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At least 7 protest marches plan to descend on Mexico City Stadium during World Cup opener

By
MND Staff
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The heightened security in and around Mexico City's Historic Center, due to threats of protests and the construction of the FIFA Fan Festival in the Zócalo, is frustrating business owners, who claim there is no foot traffic.
The heightened security in and around Mexico City's Historic Center, due to threats of protests and the construction of the FIFA Fan Festival in the Zócalo, is frustrating business owners, who claim there is no foot traffic. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Various groups of protesters plan to demonstrate on Thursday outside the Mexico City Stadium, where the opening match of the FIFA men’s World Cup will kick off at 1 p.m. after a star-studded opening ceremony.

Among the people who plan to march to the stadium from different points of southern Mexico City are madres buscadoras (mothers searching for their missing children), teachers affiliated with the CNTE teachers’ union, retired Pemex and Federal Electricity Commission workers, transport workers, farmers, healthcare workers and members of anti-gentrification organizations.

A group of protesters attached a banner to Mexico City's Angel of Independence criticizing the government's inaction regarding the more than 130,000 people registered as missing.
On Monday, a group of protesters attached a banner to Mexico City’s Angel of Independence criticizing the government’s inaction regarding the more than 130,000 people registered as missing. (Tomás Pérez de la Cruz/Cuartoscuro)

They are seeking to pressure authorities to meet their various demands. In the case of CNTE-affiliated teachers, those demands include a 100% pay rise and the repeal of a 2007 law that changed their pension system. In the case of madres buscadoras, demands include more government support and resources to locate their missing loved ones. Virtually all protesters want more government support as well as action against insecurity and crimes such as extortion. Some Mexico City residents, including people who live near the Mexico City Stadium, will participate in protests on Thursday to highlight housing and water problems in the capital as well as to demonstrate their opposition to gentrification of their neighborhoods.

Protesters will depart from seven different locations in southern Mexico City on Thursday, according to media reports. The Mexico City Stadium, as the Banorte Stadium will be called during the World Cup, is located around 17 kilometers south of the capital’s historic center in the Coyoacán borough.

Protesters are expected to arrive at the stadium at 1 p.m. — i.e., just as the Mexico vs. South Africa match is starting. Their marches to the stadium could cause disruptions and delays for people heading to the match.

President Claudia Sheinbaum has promised that authorities won’t use force against protesters. She said Monday that “we’re going to guarantee that the celebration of the opening of the World Cup takes place successfully, in peace and calmly.”

Sheinbaum has repeatedly stated that authorities won’t succumb to “provocations” by protesters.

On Tuesday, a group of CNTE-affiliated teachers began marching toward the Mexico City Stadium, but their path was blocked by a wall of police.

A total of 13 World Cup matches will be played in Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey) during the 39-day tournament, which the United States and Canada will co-host.

‘The world will see the Mexico that the regime wants to hide’

The newspaper El Universal reported that posts on social media promoting protests state that “the eyes of the world” will be on Mexico on Thursday.

According to El Universal, social media posts state that tourists, foreign reporters and “millions of people” watching the start of the World Cup will see protesters on Thursday.

“The world will see the Mexico that the regime” — i.e., the federal government — “wants to hide,” posts say, according to the Mexico City broadsheet.

El Universal also reported that social media posts warn protesters against the use of violence.

“Film everything, zero violence, zero provocations,” state posts on X. “Let the world see who resists in peace. Let the world see who represses.”

Relatives of missing persons also plan to protest at the CDMX FIFA Fan Festival 

The newspaper El Financiero reported that the “Hasta Encontrarles” (Until We Find Them) collective in Mexico City has called on madres buscadoras to march peacefully to Mexico City Stadium on Thursday. The newspaper also reported that “searchers” — the relatives and friends of missing people — will gather at the FIFA Fan Festival in the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main square.

There are over 130,000 missing persons in Mexico, the majority of whom disappeared during the last 20 years.

In a statement issued on Monday, Amnesty International said that “women searcher collectives, who are planning a peaceful protest to coincide with the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the Mexico City Stadium, must be protected and heard.”

“Thousands of people are expected to attend a march in the country’s capital which has been organized by women in honor of their disappeared loved ones – many of whom were forcibly recruited into drug cartels or murdered for resisting. Amnesty International will be observers at the protest,” Amnesty International said.

“… As of 25 May 2026, the National Registry had recorded 134,460 missing persons in Mexico. With little support from authorities, women seeking truth, justice and remedy have been forced to search for their loved ones themselves, filling the gaps left when those in power look the other way. Now, the women, whose slogan is ‘Don’t play with our pain,’ are calling for justice for their loved ones, better safety and for the authorities to accept support from other countries to assist with their search,” the organization said.

Edith Olivares Ferreto, Executive Director of Amnesty International Mexico, said: “As tens of millions of people around the world prepare to tune into what FIFA is calling ‘the greatest opening ceremony on earth,’ thousands of brave women in Mexico will use the opportunity to take to the streets and remind the world that their loved ones are still missing and that their search for them continues.”

With reports from El Universal, El Financiero and Proceso 

The Mexican national team receives an inspirational sendoff from the president

By
MND Staff
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Mexican National Team sendoff
President Claudia Sheinbaum renewed a tradition Monday as she addressed the Mexican national team in an official sendoff ceremony before they open the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday. (José Luis Conde/Presidencia)

President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday presided over the official “sendoff ceremony” for the national soccer team, urging the members of El Tri to represent Mexico with pride.

Sheinbaum led the players and coaches in a pledge of allegiance and presented the national flag to veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who will be attending his sixth World Cup as a member of Team Mexico.

Ochoa receives the flag from Sheibaum
The president honored as flag-bearer veteran goalkeeper and fan favorite Guillermo Ochoa, who, if he plays in this year’s tournament, will have participated in exactly one third (six) of the total World Cup tournaments (18) in which Mexico will have appeared. (Hazel Cárdenas/Presidencia)

The ceremony took place at the training grounds of the Mexican Soccer Federation’s High Performance Center in southern Mexico City. Also attending were owners and executives from teams in Mexico’s professional soccer league, special guests, government officials and members of the Army and the National Guard

Upon handing the flag to Ochoa, Sheinbaum said to the gathering: “I entrust this flag to your patriotism, a flag that symbolizes your independence, honor, institutions, our people and the integrity of your territory. Do you pledge to honor and defend it with loyalty and steadfastness?” 

El Tri responded with a resounding “We do!”

In her brief address, Sheinbaum wished the team great success in the World Cup, Mexico’s 18th appearance in the global soccer tournament, adding that she trusts El Tri “will fulfill your pledge for the good of the people and the good of the nation.”

“May your example inspire millions of Mexicans to believe in the strength of sport and the power of their dreams,” she said.

Sheinbaum then posed for an official photo with the 26 players, coach Javier Aguirre, the entire training staff and soccer federation officials, after which she proclaimed “¡Viva México!” (“Long live Mexico!”). “¡Viva!” responded the players.

The national team was not granted a sendoff ceremony ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar as then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — a noted baseball fan — declined to arrange one, interrupting a tradition that had begun in 1998.

El Tri has the honor of playing in the inaugural World Cup match on Thursday against Group A rival South Africa in Estadio Azteca, renamed Mexico City Stadium for the duration of the tournament. 

This will be the second time these two teams face off in the opening match of a World Cup tournament, exactly 16 years after the first. The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in Johannesburg on June 11, 2010, when South Africa was the host nation. Rafael Márquez — Aguirre’s top assistant coach who has already been designated to succeed “El Vasco” after the conclusion of the World Cup — scored the lone goal for Mexico.

Mexico’s other opponents in Group A are South Korea and the Czech Republic. El Tri takes on the Koreans in Guadalajara on June 18 and faces Czechia back in Estadio Azteca on June 24.

As co-host of the tournament along with Canada and the United States, Mexico will host 10 additional matches, a total of five in Mexico City and four each in Monterrey and Guadalajara.

With reports from La Jornada, Record and Heraldo de México

NL governor declares he’s in ‘party mode’ while World Cup works remain unfinished

By
MND Staff
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Governor of Nuevo León Samuel García
Residents and visitors of Nuevo León, good luck: The governor is in "party mode" for the foreseeable future. (Samuel García/X)

After a contentious few weeks leading up to the World Cup, Nuevo León Governor Samuel García says he is already in “party mode,” declaring that he will be too busy having fun to answer his phone.

Speaking in Monterrey — the state capital and a World Cup host city — García joked that his secretary, Evencio Hernández, will be handling all matters pertaining to the governor’s office.

“If there’s anything to discuss, talk to Evencio. I’ll be at the party,” he said, adding that the five-and-a-half-week-long tournament is “not a time for working.”

Opposition politicians in the state criticized García’s laissez-faire attitude encapsulated in another remark — “Take a break. Enjoy yourselves, it’s not all about hard work.” — while the state Congress issued a formal apology to World Cup tourists for “the mess they will see and the public works the governor did not complete.”

Escobedo Mayor Andrés Mijes of the ruling Morena party — saying he was in “ass-kicking” mode — called García’s comments “regrettable” and questioned what might happen in case of an emergency.

State lawmakers decried the unfinished public works projects, with National Action Party (PAN) Deputy Carlos de la Fuente saying the “embarrassing” state of things is a “reflection of a failed government.”

The monorriel, currently in the testing phase, is one of the many World Cup-related infrastructure projects that were not completed on time for the tournament, which will visit Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
The Line 6 monorail of the Monterrey Metro, currently in the testing phase, is one of the many World Cup-related infrastructure projects that were not completed on time for the soccer tournament, which will visit Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

Local politicians also criticized García’s decision to erect fences and drape tarpaulin sheets in different parts of the city “with the purpose of hiding poorer sections of the city from tourists,” calling the action “classist” and “discriminatory.”

“[García] did not meet his commitments to FIFA, but now he’s in party mode, waiting for the public works he said would be the pride of Nuevo León to magically finish themselves,” de la Fuente said. 

The failed commitments de la Fuente referenced and García’s insistence on disregarding FIFA rules nearly cost Monterrey its position as host city, according to journalist Carlos Loret de Mola.

García reportedly ignored FIFA’s sweeping commercial restrictions, establishing a program favoring non-FIFA-approved brand names and sponsors. He also sought to promote local brands within the advertising exclusion zones located at the iconic Fundidora Park, site of the FIFA Fan Fest.

Additionally, the governor authorized the application of orange paint on structures surrounding Fan Fests, in violation of regulations prohibiting politicizing the World Cup. (Orange is the official color of García’s Citizens’ Movement Party.)

Loret de Mola says FIFA came close to stripping Monterrey of hosting duties before García backed down and a settlement was reached.

With reports from Expansión Política, Infobae, Proceso and Informador

Mexico’s inflation rate dropped below 4% in May

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MND Staff
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fruits and vegetables for sale
Prices for fruit and vegetables — which can fluctuate significantly due to climatic factors — were 14.38% higher in May than a year earlier. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s annual headline inflation rate fell for a second consecutive month in May, declining to 3.94% from 4.45% in April, according to the national statistics agency INEGI.

The headline rate was thus within the Bank of Mexico’s 2-4% target range for the first time since January, when annual inflation was 3.79%.

The 3.94% reading for March was below the 4.03% median estimate of 15 analysts polled by Reuters.

INEGI also reported on Tuesday that consumer prices declined 0.21% in May from April, the first month-over-month drop in two years. Mexico’s annual core inflation rate, which excludes some volatile food and energy prices, was 4.19% in May, down from 4.26% in April.

The publication of the inflation data for May comes after the Bank of Mexico cut its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 6.50% at the start of last month. The central bank said at the time that its governing board estimated that it would be “appropriate to maintain the reference rate at its current level” for the foreseeable future.

Andrés Abadia, chief Latin America economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said in a note on Tuesday that inflation in Mexico is “moving in the right direction, but progress remains uneven and core ​services inflation is still running above levels consistent with the [3%] target.”

Fruit and vegetable prices surge 14% annually 

INEGI’s data shows that prices for fruit and vegetables — which can fluctuate significantly due to climatic factors — were 14.38% higher in May than a year earlier. Year-over-year inflation for the broader agricultural products category was 2.90%, tempered by a 4.74% decline in the cost of meat.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis, highlighted on X that annual inflation for tomatoes was 99.23% in May.

A man looks at produce in a Mexican market
Tomato prices are double what they were last year. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

Annual inflation for the processed food, beverages and tobacco category was 5.13% in May, while prices for non-food goods increased 2.63%.

Year-over-year inflation for the services category was 4.57% last month. Within that category, housing costs increased 3.61% while school fees rose 5.95%.

Siller wrote on X that “the main risk” for inflation in Mexico continues to be services.

“In May, services inflation accelerated for a third consecutive month to stand at 4.57% annually,” she wrote, noting that the inflation rate for services has now been above 4% during 54 consecutive months.

Annual inflation for energy, including gasoline and electricity, was 3.27% in May, according to INEGI.

Other need-to-know economic data 

With reports from El Economista and Reuters 

Up to 10 billion pesos at play for small businesses during World Cup

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MND Staff
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Fridge with beers in it
Beer alone is expected to represent 25% of small businesses' sales, totaling 2.125 billion pesos (US $122.8 million). (Cuartoscuro)

The 2026 FIFA World Cup could funnel up to 10 billion pesos (US $578 million) to small businesses in Mexico, based on projections by the National Alliance of Small Businesses (ANPEC) on how much families will spend in small shops, restaurants and local businesses during the tournament. 

According to ANPEC, some 14% of the total economic impact from the World Cup could stay in local businesses of “maximum proximity,” meaning small shops, convenience stores, small restaurants, taco stands, fondas and more.  

Deloitte report: Mexico’s economic benefits from hosting World Cup could reach US $2.73B

The economic impact for these businesses will mostly be concentrated in the sale of prepared foods, beverages (water, soft drinks and beer) and groceries, which together could represent up to 90% of recurring consumer purchases. 

According to ANPEC, these are the five products that are expected to top sales:

  1. Abarrotes or small grocery stores are projected to bring in 30% of sales, amounting to 2.5 billion pesos ($144.5 million).
  1. Beer alone is expected to represent 25% of small businesses’ sales, totaling 2.125 billion pesos ($122.8 million).
  1. Food establishments, including taquerías, pizzerías, chicken shops, snack stands and takeaway food, will also account for 25% of sales.
  1. The sale of prepared drinks by the liter, along with beers, spirits and liquors, is expected to account for 10% of sales, equivalent to 850 million pesos ($49.1 million).
  1. Souvenirs, such as T-shirts, flags, soccer balls and more, are also expected to represent 10% of sales.

Finally, ANPEC projected that the estimated cost for a gathering of 10 people would be approximately 3,000 pesos ($172), including snacks, soft drinks, beer, water and prepared foods such as wings, pizzas, hot dogs or hamburgers.

“At ANPEC, we believe that the World Cup should become an opportunity to boost local consumption, strengthen small businesses and recognize the strategic role they play in generating employment, economic activity and social cohesion,” the organization said. 

Overall, the economic impact in Mexico from hosting the World Cup could amount to $2.73 billion in added value throughout the country.

With reports from Publimetro and El Financiero

Sheinbaum issues work-from-home decree for World Cup kick-off: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

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MND Staff
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Sheinbaum June 9, 2026
The federal government is aiming to reduce disruptions to World Cup attendees' travel in Mexico City on Thursday. Traffic, however, might be the least of the capital's problems if the seven announced protests go on as planned. (Juan Carlos Buenrostro/Presidencia)

Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds

  • 🏠 Work-from-home decree issued for World Cup opening day: Legal adviser Luisa María Alcalde announced a decree published Tuesday directing federal workers in Mexico City to telework on Thursday — the day of the World Cup opening ceremony and Mexico’s first match — with classes also suspended and the private sector urged to follow. The aim is to ease traffic and improve road safety for residents and tourists ahead of the 11:30 a.m. opening ceremony and 1 p.m. kickoff against South Africa.
  • 👩‍🏫 1.4 million students out of school: Education Minister Mario Delgado reported that 17,471 public schools across six states are closed due to CNTE strikes, with Oaxaca bearing the brunt. Delgado again emphasized teachers’ wage “recovery” since 2018 and urged a return to class as the school year enters its final stretch.
  • 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 Velasco-Rubio call described as cordial: Foreign Affairs Minister Velasco said his roughly 30-minute call on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Rubio covered security cooperation, migration, and the USMCA review. He highlighted declines in both migration and fentanyl shipments on Sheinbaum’s watch as points raised with Rubio, and said the two aim to meet in person at a future date.

Why today’s mañanera matters

Two days before the opening ceremony and first match of the FIFA men’s World Cup, the federal government is still attempting to reach an agreement with protesting teachers, many of whom are camping out in the historic center of Mexico City. Teachers affiliated with the CNTE teachers’ union plan to protest on Thursday in Mexico City, where Mexico will play South Africa in the opening World Cup match after an opening ceremony at which Shakira and other music stars will perform. That protest and others planned for Thursday could disrupt travel to Mexico City Stadium (Banorte), located in the capital’s south.

While the government may be unable to stop the planned protest by teachers — whose demands include a 100% pay rise and the repeal of a 2007 law that changed their pension system — it can mitigate potential disruptions to World Cup attendees’ travel in Mexico City on Thursday by instructing federal employees to work from home and suspending classes.

Consequently, the government issued a “work from home” decree on Tuesday, and its content was presented at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Tuesday morning press conference.

Also of note at today’s mañanera was the government’s ongoing effort to show that wages, benefits and conditions for the nation’s teachers have improved significantly since former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) took office in late 2018.

Government publishes ‘work from home’ decree to improve traffic conditions on World Cup inauguration day 

Luisa María Alcalde, Sheinbaum’s top legal adviser, told reporters that a decree was published in the government’s official gazette on Tuesday that proposes that people in Mexico City work from home on Thursday, the day on which the World Cup opening ceremony and first match will take place at the Mexico City Stadium.

Workday traffic in Mexico City
Workday traffic in Mexico City is a permanent logistical concern for major events in the capital. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)

The decree instructs Mexico City-based government departments and agencies to “implement schemes of teleworking” and “urges” the private and social sectors in the capital to do the same. It also states that classes will be suspended in Mexico City on Thursday.

Alcalde said that the aim of the directives in the decree is to “improve conditions of mobility, road safety and accessibility both for Mexico City residents and tourists” on Thursday.

“Who is this decree directed to? Federal public administration workers, private sector workers and students,” she said.

“It’s a decree for Mexico City and these three groups,” Alcalde said.

The World Cup opening ceremony will start at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, while the inaugural match — El Tri (Mexico) vs. Bafana Bafana (South Africa) — will kick off at 1 p.m.

More than 1.4 million students affected by teachers’ strikes 

Education Minister Mario Delgado presented data that showed that 17,471 public schools in six federal entities are currently “on strike” — i.e., closed. A large number of teachers affiliated with the CNTE teachers’ union are currently protesting in Mexico City and other parts of the country.

The data presented by Delgado showed that:

  • 2,460 schools are closed in Chiapas. That figure represents 13.07% of all public schools in the southern state.
  • 1,559 schools are closed in Guerrero (14.7% of all schools in the state).
  • 694 schools are closed in Michoacán (6.59%).
  • 10,653 schools are closed in Oaxaca (80.61%).
  • 2,095 schools are closed in Zacatecas (47.34%).
  • 10 schools are closed in Mexico City (0.23%).

The data also showed that 1.41 million students, including more than 734,000 in Oaxaca, are currently not in school because their teachers — more than 88,000 of them — are on strike.

“It’s important that they can return to classes because we’re now in the final stage of the school year,” said Delgado, who for the second consecutive day spoke about the “recovery” of teachers’ wages since AMLO took office in 2018.

The CNTE’s current encampment along 20 de Noviembre Street
The CNTE’s current encampment along 20 de Noviembre Street followed the protesters’ failed attempt to enter and set up a sit-in within the Zócalo. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Sheinbaum reiterated that the federal government remains open to dialogue with the CNTE — even though it has conceded it can’t meet all of its demands — and reemphasized that security forces won’t repress protesting teachers.

She also reiterated her “guarantee” that the World Cup opening will go off without a hitch. “There is no problem [in that regard],” Sheinbaum said.

Velasco outlines ‘cordial’ and ‘respectful’ call with Marco Rubio 

At the start of the press conference, Foreigh Affairs Minister spoke briefly about his call on Monday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“[It was] a conversation in a very cordial and respectful environment,” he said.

Velasco said that the call lasted around 30 minutes and that he and Rubio mainly spoke about “three issues:” security cooperation, migration and the review of the USMCA free trade pact.

He noted that a bilateral security meeting will take place in Mexico City this week, and highlighted that data indicates that migration to the United States from Mexico, and the northward shipment of illegal fentanyl, have both declined during Sheinbaum’s presidency.

“We pointed that out [to Rubio],” Velasco said.

He noted that the USMCA review is not a direct responsibility of Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the U.S. Department of State, but said it is “an issue that we both monitor.”

Velasco said that he and Rubio spoke about “the importance of reaching a good port” via the ongoing bilateral trade talks.

He said that he and the U.S. Secretary of State will seek to meet face-to-face at some point in the future.

The Mexico-U.S. security relationship has been significantly strained this year by a range of factors, among which the most notable are the CIA’s alleged participation in a drug lab raid in Chihuahua without the authorization and knowledge of the Mexican government and U.S. prosecutors’ drug trafficking accusations against Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya and nine other current and former Sinaloa-based officials.

There are also a number of irritants in the bilateral trade relationship, including the Trump administration’s implementation last year of tariffs on a range of Mexican goods including vehicles, steel and aluminum.

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

Honor, fun and an uninvited guest: Celebrating Mexico’s National Navy Day in Cozumel

By
Bel Woodhouse
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Two uniformed Mexican navy personnel at the helm of a Mexican navy ship. One man has his hand resting on the ship's steering wheel
Mexican Navy personnel on the Mexican ship, the ARM Usumacinta. (US military/Picryl)

As a former Royal Australian Navy sailor, I’ve always had a soft spot for naval traditions. So when Mexico’s Diá de la Marina Nacional (National Navy Day) rolled around on June 1, I was more than ready to mark the occasion.

What I appreciate most about Mexico’s National Navy Day is its breadth. It isn’t limited to honoring active naval personnel — it extends to all who make their living from the sea: fishermen and ferry captains, port workers and dive boat skippers, marine biologists and ocean conservationists. That kind of inclusivity says something about how deeply Mexico’s identity is tied to the water.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum marking Dia de la Marina Nacional in Mexico on June 1, 2026
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum holds the Mexican flag in a National Navy Day ceremony this past June 1.

Here in the Riviera Maya, that connection is especially tangible. Cozumel’s largest industry is scuba diving, and the island sits alongside the Mesoamerican Reef — the second-largest barrier reef system in the world. With so much daily life happening in and around the Caribbean, respect for the marinos runs deep. It feels fitting, then, that Día de la Marina Nacional traces its roots to the Gulf Coast, in Veracruz.

Why June 1?

The date marks a specific moment in Mexican maritime history. On June 1, 1917, the steamship Tabasco — the first Mexican merchant vessel crewed entirely by Mexican nationals — departed Veracruz. At the time, mixed international crews were standard practice, with pay often varying by nationality. The Tabasco represented a deliberate break from that norm, a declaration of equality and national pride at sea.

The date took on additional weight in 1942, when President Manuel Ávila Camacho — a military man who had risen to serve as Minister of War and the Navy before the presidency — formally established Día de la Marina Nacional. In the inaugural ceremony, he paid tribute to the Mexican crews of two oil tankers, the Potrero del Llano and the Faja de Oro, both lost to German submarine attacks during World War II.

Mexico’s Navy today

The Secretaría de Marina — known as SEMAR — is one of Mexico’s most trusted public institutions, and its role extends well beyond national defense. With coastlines on both the Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico spanning more than 11,000 kilometers, the Navy is responsible for maritime sovereignty, search and rescue operations, and the interdiction of drug trafficking by sea. In recent years, SEMAR has also taken on a significant humanitarian role, deploying personnel in response to earthquakes, hurricanes and floods. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Navy medical staff and hospital ships were mobilized to support civilian health infrastructure. It is, in many respects, as much a civil institution as a military one — something that helps explain why National Navy Day resonates so broadly, well beyond the bases and barracks.

Embed from Getty Images

Mexican president Manuel Ávila Camacho established Día de la Marina Nacional in 1942, a military man himself who rose through the ranks to become Minister of War and the Marines before he was elected president. (Bettman/Getty Images)

Part of what sets SEMAR apart is its reputation for institutional integrity. In a country where public trust in government and law enforcement has been badly eroded by corruption, the Navy is widely regarded as the most incorruptible branch of the Mexican military. That reputation has been hard-won. SEMAR has led some of Mexico’s highest-profile operations against organized crime — including the 2014 capture of Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. 

For many Mexicans, the Navy represents something rare: a state institution that functions as it should. It is, in many respects, as much a civil institution as a military one — something that helps explain why National Navy Day resonates so broadly, well beyond the bases and barracks.

How did Cozumel celebrate? 

On the island, the day is marked with an open-water swim race hosted at the local Navy base. Registration is capped at 100 participants and fills quickly — I signed up more than a week in advance and was still number 88. Non-registered swimmers are welcome to join informally, and the turnout reflects the event’s community spirit: competitors ranged from children aged 7 to 11 all the way through an over-50 category.

This year’s race will not soon be forgotten.

A surprise participant

Alligators resting on sand in a beach or a desert.
Unexpected guests aside, the race was a great success. (Annari du Plessis/Pexels)

Midway through the children’s swim, a crocodile entered the race area. Parents on the shoreline raised the alarm — “¡Cocodrilo!” carrying clearly across the water — and Navy personnel responded immediately, deploying wave runners to form a protective line between the animal and the swimmers. The crocodile was turned around and escorted safely away. Most of the swimmers, heads down and focused, never knew it had been there. The parents on shore, however, needed a moment.

The Navy’s response was exactly what you’d hope for: fast, calm and effective. For those of us watching, it was a timely reminder of why these men and women are worth celebrating.

For my part, I came away with a medal — and, I’ll admit, the same unrestrained excitement about that as any 10-year-old would. For a lifelong ocean lover and former sailor, it’s a small but meaningful way to honor a day that deserves more attention than it gets.

Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over 7 years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.

MND Local: Swimsuit models in Loreto and a rise in dental tourism in Tijuana

By
Chris Sands
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Los Arcos, Los Cabos
Protections for Loreto and the offshore islands encompassed within its national park remain a hot-button issue, even after the revocation of a recent decree that would have reclassified the port. (Villa del Palmar Loreto)

Loreto has been in the news a lot lately, most notably for the way its residents fought back against an April 10 decree to reclassify it as a deep-sea cabotage port, a move aimed at opening Loreto and its national park — the Loreto Bay National Park — to more cruise ship and large-scale commercial traffic. A petition filed against the decree on change.org garnered over 1.2 million signatories, indicative of the level of pushback that caused President Claudia Sheinbaum to revoke the decree by the end of May.

That fight isn’t over, any more than the fight to protect Cabo Pulmo is over, or the fight to prevent gold mining in the Sierra de la Laguna is over. Baja California Sur’s natural bounty continues to exercise a potent attraction for powerful economic interests. In the case of Loreto, a working group is being formed in the wake of the canceled decree “to update the Management Program of the Protected Natural Area (the Loreto Bay National Park) and address administrative regulations in matters of navigation in the Port of Loreto.”

Tiffany Haddish in a red bikini
Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish was one of the cover models for Sports Illustrated’s 2026 Swimsuit Issue, photographed in Loreto. (Fideicomiso de Turismo de Baja California Sur/Sports Illustrated)

These updates are much needed, especially since cruise ships are still legally allowed to transit and anchor within the boundaries of the national park, an environmentally sensitive area that is home to blue whales (seasonally) and other endangered species.

Sports Illustrated chooses Loreto as a backdrop for its 2026 swimsuit issue

Loreto’s natural beauty recently attracted the attention of Sports Illustrated (SI), which chose it as the primary location to shoot its 2026 Swimsuit Issue. Released on May 12, photography for the latest edition took place last December, when SI photographer James Macari and nine models — Haley Baylee, Lauren Chan, Jocelyn Corona, Olivia Dunne, Bethenny Frankel, Ilona Maher, Hunter McGrady, Brooks Nader and Molly Sims — headed to the Baja California Sur destination aboard Alaska Airlines to showcase the latest swimwear fashions captured against dramatic backdrops. Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish, one of the cover models for the 2026 edition, was also photographed by Macari in Loreto

“The choice of Loreto is no coincidence,” notes the Baja California Sur Tourism Board. “James Macari, the magazine’s renowned photographer, sought to capture the essence of a destination that uniquely combines desert, ancient rock formations and the crystal-clear waters of the Gulf of California, highlighting Haddish’s strength and charisma.”

This isn’t the first SI photo shoot to take place in Baja California Sur. The second-ever Swimsuit Issue in 1965 was photographed in what is now Los Cabos, although that name wouldn’t be coined for the area for another 16 years, when the municipality was formed in 1981. Six years before that, in 1975, SI was back in the state to shoot photos in and around the capital city of La Paz for the subsequent year’s issue.

The dental tourism market is expected to triple in the coming years, with Tijuana poised to benefit

According to a recent report from Allied Market Research (AMR), the dental tourism market is poised to explode in popularity as it grows from a US $6.2 billion industry in 2021 to an expected US $21.5 billion one by 2031. 

dental clinic
Dental treatments are significantly cheaper in dental tourism hotspots like Tijuana than they are in the U.S., which is why the market for these services is expected to quadruple in Mexico by 2033. (Pexels)

“The appeal is obvious,” notes AMR. “A dental implant procedure that costs US $3,000–$5,000 in the U.S. can be purchased for US $600–$1,000 at top dental tourism spots like Mexico and Thailand or India, creating arguably a structural long-term change in cross-border patient behavior.”

It’s not just about how much cheaper dental services are in other countries relative to the U.S. — the latter being one of the largest source markets for dental tourists — the rise in dental tourism is also driven by demographics (more older patients), and by an increase in interest in cosmetic dentistry. 

Why Tijuana specifically, and Mexico generally, are boom beneficiaries

The booming market bodes particularly well for Mexico, which is much closer to traveling U.S. patients than other dental tourism hotspots like India and Thailand. While the global market is projected to more than triple in only a decade, Mexico’s outlook is even more bullish: Its market is expected to more than quadruple in the coming years, growing from US $527 million in 2025 to US $2.2 billion in 2033

Tijuana in Baja California has already established itself as one of the country’s premier medical and dental tourism destinations, thanks to its convenient border-friendly location and its dozens of dental clinics primarily dedicated to treating foreign patients. It’s also proximate to several notable travel spots — like Valle de Guadalupe, the heart of Mexico’s wine country — for those who want to schedule work during vacation getaways

Dental implants are among the most popular services in Tijuana currently, along with other high-value treatments like All-on-4 (a more extensive procedure, as the name suggests, involving four implants) and prosthetic reconstructions — often available 70% to 80% cheaper than in the U.S.

In some cases, U.S. insurance is accepted, and cross-border transportation can be arranged as well.

Chris Sands is a writer and editor for Mexico News Daily, and the former Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best and writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook. He has also contributed to numerous other websites and publications, including The San Diego Union-Tribune, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise and Travel, and Cabo Living.

In a first, FIFA collaborates with Mexican artisans on limited-edition collection

By
MND Staff
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Indigenour artists
Twenty-seven Indigenous artisans, some of whom are shown here, contributed to a government-organized collection for the nation's Fonart stores with FIFA's support. (gob.mx/cultura/prensa/fonart)

In a first, World Cup organizer FIFA is collaborating with Mexican artisans and Mexico’s  National Fund for the Promotion of Handicrafts (Fonart) to help internationalize an official artisanal collection of limited-edition pieces.

The project aims to project Mexican folk art internationally, helped along by the inclusion of distinctive marks authorized by FIFA.

artsisan work
In an apt sign of the times, Fonart’s new exhibition of works by Indigenous artisans features handicrafts with traditional themes combined with soccer motifs. (Fonart)

“These are true gems, unique pieces, just like the craftsmanship itself, because they’re made using very different techniques from diverse places, all of which are in Mexico,” Deputy Culture Minister Marina Núñez Bespalovary said during the program’s presentation.

Made up of 3,000 pieces, the collection was created by 11 female and 16 male artisans from Indigenous communities in Chiapas, Chihuahua, Durango, México state, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Michoacán and Oaxaca.  

“With these handcrafted pieces, our country can proudly enter any market thanks to the creators and the care and mastery they put into each piece,” Núñez said. 

The pieces feature 10 different craft traditions, including pottery and ceramics, lacquerware, textiles, and Wixárika art, among other emblematic expressions of the country. For this collection, the pieces combine soccer symbols like footballs, stadiums, and the World Cup colors, with traditional Mexican motifs. 

To make visible and recognize the artisanal work, each piece carries a label with the name of the master artisan, the origin and the artisanal branch.

“When the world arrives, we want them to discover something bigger than stadiums and deeper than any scoreboard,” said Rodrigo Ortuzar, head of the Culture and Legacy Office at the Federal Government for the 2026 World Cup. “We want them to know the soul of Mexico, because the World Cup only lasts 39 days, but a country’s identity remains forever.”  

The pieces will be available for sale at Fonart stores from June 5 through July 31.

Meanwhile, the west coast state of Nayarit unveiled a gigantic soccer ball more than 3 meters high, decorated with thousands of beads distinctive of the Wixákira art. Even though Nayarit has no host city, the monument serves as a symbolic bridge connecting the host cities with the rest of Mexico. 

With reports from La Jornada  

Innovation and clean government push Querétaro to top of IMCO’s 2026 Urban Competitiveness Index

By
MND Staff
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An Ancient aqueduct Queretaro, Mexico. 2023
In IMCO's latest Urban Competitiveness Index (ICU), Querétaro, the capital of the state of the same name, moved up five positions in the rankings to take the top spot. (Shutterstock)

Querétaro, Puerto Vallarta, La Paz and Delicias are Mexico’s most competitive cities, according to the 2026 Urban Competitiveness Index (ICU), which ranks metropolitan areas on their capacity to generate, attract and retain talent and investment.

Compiled by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), a Mexico City-based think tank, the 2026 ICU ranks Querétaro as the most competitive city in Mexico among metropolitan areas with populations greater than 1 million.

Puerto Vallarta, a resort city on the Jalisco coast, was deemed the most competitive city among metropolitan areas with 500,000 to 1 million inhabitants, while La Paz, the capital of Baja California Sur, came out on top among cities with 250,000 to 500,000 residents. Delicias, a city in the northern state of Chihuahua, ranked as the most competitive city among Mexican metropolitan areas with fewer than 250,000 residents.

“The Urban Competitive Index (ICU) assesses the capacity of 72 metropolitan areas in the country to generate, attract and retain talent and investment,” IMCO said in a statement when it released the new ICU last week.

“These cities are the engine of national economic activity; they represent between 80% and 90% of national GDP and are home to 62% of Mexicans. Therefore, their performance is fundamental for the development and competitiveness of the country,” IMCO said.

The last time IMCO published an ICU was in 2024, when Saltillo, Coahuila; Hermosillo, Sonora; La Paz, Baja California Sur; and Guaymas, Sonora – all located in the north of Mexico – won the top spots for competitiveness in the four city-size categories.

In 2026, the index evaluated each of the 72 metropolitan areas using 35 different indicators grouped into six sub-indexes: innovation and economy; infrastructure; labor market; society and environment; law (security); and political system and government.

In the latest edition of the ICU, “cities showed advances in the sub-indexes of ‘infrastructure’ and ‘political system and government,’ where improvements were observed in digital connectivity, provision of basic services and fiscal autonomy in various metropolitan areas,” IMCO said.

“However, the results reveal setbacks: the average economic growth of the metropolitan areas fell from 4.1% in the previous edition [of the ICU] to 2.4%, violence intensified in various cities and the perception of corruption remained at elevated levels in all metropolises,” the think tank said.

Querétaro is Mexico’s most competitive large city 

A total of 21 cities appear in IMCO’s competitiveness rankings for metropolitan areas with populations of over 1 million. Joining Querétaro in the top five are Guadalajara, Hermosillo, Saltillo and Monterrey. Those cities are the capitals of the states of Jalisco, Sonora, Coahuila and Nuevo León.

Querétaro Gov. Mauricio Kuri
Governor Mauricio Kuri of Querétaro was also Mexico’s most popular governor in March, with an approval rating just over 60%. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

In the latest ICU, Querétaro, the capital of the state of the same name, moved up five positions in the rankings to take the top spot.

The city — whose full name is Santiago de Querétaro — ranked first on the “innovation and economy” and “political system and government” sub-indexes. The former looks at things such as GDP growth, the presence of research centers and the issuance of patents per capita, while the latter considers things such as residents’ perception of corruption at the state level and government income.

Querétaro ranked:

  • Fifth on the “society and environment” sub-index, which assesses things such as water treatment capacity and educational coverage (percentage of school-aged children in school).
  • Twelfth on the “labor market” sub-index, which measures things such as salaries and the employment informality rate.
  • Twelfth on the “law” sub-index, which looks at homicide and vehicle theft rates as well as the incidence of attacks on journalists and the security perceptions of residents.
  • Twentieth on the “infrastructure” sub-index, which considers things such as home construction, hospital beds and the cost of electricity.

IMCO said that the “main driver” of Querétaro’s improvement in the ICU rankings came from the “society and environment” sub-index, in which the city rose to fifth among large cities from 13th in the 2024 edition of the index.

The city “leads the group in average schooling (11.77 years) and its educational coverage increased to 73.25% (above the category average),” IMCO said.

The think tank noted that Querétaro’s “counterweight” is the “infrastructure” sub-index, highlighting that it got a “low score” on the indicator that measures the rate at which new homes are being built in “intra-urban” areas. The city was also marked down for having just six hospital beds per 10,000 residents.

Guadalajara, which ranked second among large cities on the 2026 ICU, ranked in the top 10 on all of the sub-indexes and in the top five in four.

At the bottom of IMCO’s competitiveness rankings among metropolitan areas with populations above 1 million are Cuernavaca (21), Tijuana (20), Culiacán (19), Cancún (18) and Puebla-Tlaxaca (17). Mexico City ranked as the country’s 10th most competitive metropolitan area.

IMCO noted that Culiacán fell to 19th position from 11th in the 2024 ICU. It said the decline was due to the increase in insecurity in the metropolitan area since late 2024, when a long-running feud between the “Chapitos” and “Mayos” factions of the Sinaloa Cartel intensified.

Mexico’s most competitive smaller cities  

A total of 17 cities appear in IMCO’s competitiveness rankings for metropolitan areas with 500,000 to 1 million residents.

Ranking second to fifth behind Puerto Vallarta are Tepic, the capital of Nayarit; Veracruz, the port city in the state of the same name; Durango, the capital of the state of the same name; and Pachuca, the capital of Hidalgo.

Puerto Vallarta ranked first on the “political system and government” sub-index among the 17 cities in its population category. It was also in the top five in the “innovation and economy” and “law” sub-indexes. Puerto Vallarta’s worst result was 16th in the “infrastructure” sub-index.

IMCO said that the “driving force” behind Puerto Vallarta’s surge to the top of the rankings (from 10th in 2024) was its high hotel occupancy rate (73.38%) and a GDP growth rate of 2.73%.

Image of the Puerto Vallarta skyline during daytime.
Puerto Vallarta, a resort city on the Jalisco coast, was deemed the most competitive city among metropolitan areas with 500,000 to 1 million inhabitants. (Josue Liera/Pexels)

The three worst-ranked cities among those with populations of 500,000 to 1 million were Acapulco, the resort city on the Guerrero coast; Celaya, a city in Guanajuato; and Tlaxacala-Apizaco, an urban area in the state of Tlaxcala.

A total of 23 cities appear in IMCO’s competitiveness rankings for cities with populations between 250,000 and 500,000. Along with La Paz — which performed particularly well in the “innovation and economy” and “labor market” sub-indexes — also in the top five are Monclova-Ciudad Frontera, an urban area in the state of Coahuila; Nuevo Laredo, a border city in Tamaulipas; Los Cabos, a municipality on the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula; and Playa del Carmen, a resort city in the Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo.

The three lowest-ranked cities in the 250,000-500,000 population category are Tulancingo, Hidalgo; Cuautla, Morelos; and Chilpancingo, Guerrero.

A total of 11 cities appear in IMCO’s competitiveness rankings for cities with populations below 250,000. Along with Delicias — which ranked in the top five on all sub-indexes and first on the “political system and government” one — also appearing in the top five in this group are Piedras Negras, a border city in Coahuila; Ocotlán, a city in Jalisco; Guaymas, a port city in Sonora; and Sabinas, a city in Coahuila.

The lowest-ranked city among the 11 metropolitan areas in the index with fewer than 250,000 residents is Ozumba, a small city in México state.

IMCO’s ICU report, which includes the rankings of all 72 metropolitan areas and details their performance on each of the 35 indicators across the six sub-indexes, can be downloaded at the bottom of this page by clicking the “Índice” tab.

IMCO identifies 3 public policy priorities 

From an analysis of the 2026 ICU results, IMCO identified “three public policy priorities.”

  • It proposed the creation of a “Productive Diversification Fund” for “cities with high sectorial concentration,” such as Campeche, which has a “high dependence” on the oil industry. IMCO said that “the reference model is the Euskadi 2030 Industry Plan, implemented by the Basque Country, which seeks to modernize the historical industrial base and transition toward new areas focused on digitalization, automation and innovation.”
  • IMCO also proposed making gradual reforms to the IMSS (Mexican Social Security Institute) contribution scheme, “with staggering” of the contributions required based on the size of the company and employees’ wages in order to reduce the cost of entering the IMSS system for small and very-small businesses. “Uruguay’s SIMPLE model reduced the [worker] formalization burden by 40% for small companies and increased [employment] formality by 12 percentage points in target sectors,” IMCO said. The think tank said that in Mexico, the RESICO tax payment scheme, an initiative of the SAT federal tax agency, didn’t address the “main disincentive” to IMSS registration for workers: employer contributions. More than 50% of all workers in Mexico work in the country’s vast informal sector.
  • Finally, IMCO proposed the modernization of municipal land registries using “satellite images and artificial intelligence” in order to improve tax collection at the local level. It proposed that federal transfers to municipalities be tied to “verifiable improvements” in the collection of property taxes. IMCO said that Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, “tripled its tax collection without increasing [property tax] rates in this way, and Mexico has dozens of cities with land registries that haven’t been updated in decades.”

Mexico News Daily 

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