For Leonardo Gámez, science has been a constant motivation to create projects that not only advance technology, but also help improve society. (Courtesy photo via Tec de Monterrey)
Leonardo Gámez, a student at PrepaTec Mexico City, was recognized nationally with the 2025 Harvard Book Award.
The recognition is given out by the alumni of Harvard University to high-achieving students in 11th and 12th grade reading classes, from a pool of 2,000 high schools from around the world.
Leonardo credits astronomer Carl Sagan for inspiring him to pursue a career in science, quoting Sagan’s answer to a child who asked him why leaves are green: “I don’t know. Let’s find out.” (@ProfCarlSagan/X)
“I lack the words to express how grateful I feel and how surreal it feels to win an award like this,” Gámez said.
At just 17, Gámez has said he’s always been passionate about science, with a permanent question roaming his mind: “Why does the world work this way?”
“Carl Sagan loved to work, and when a child asked him, ‘Why are leaves green?’ he said the most important thing was not to say ‘because they are,’ but rather ‘I don’t know, let’s find out,’” Gámez said.
During the selection process for the award, he shared his life story, showing how science has been his constant motivation to create projects that not only advance technology, but also help improve the society around him.
As someone who is constantly developing science projects, he created ResQ AI, an application that uses Artificial Intelligence to optimize response times to medical emergencies and provide efficient solutions.
This project took him to the Space Exploration Educators Conference in Space Center Houston, United States, last year. There, before a panel of NASA educators, he presented the potential of AI in space.
He also developed Love Warning, an app designed to help his friends detect when their relationships were becoming toxic. This app was selected to participate nationally in the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s PAUTA science fair.
Gámez, who is nearing the end of his fourth semester at PrepaTec, has expressed his dream to become an astronaut. With this goal in mind, he will conduct research in quantum physics at the Slovak Academy of Sciences in Bratislava, Slovakia. He also plans to take the SAT exam to pursue a degree in physics in the U.S.
The mid-sized Chinese airline Hainan is partnering with Volaris, betting on the demand for easier connections between Mexico and China. (Shutterstock)
Mexican budget airline Volaris is teaming up with China’s Hainan Airlines to significantly expand air connectivity between the two counties.
The two airlines announced a strategic alliance on Tuesday which will use the international airports in Tijuana and Mexico City as hubs.
With roughly 42% market share, the budget carrier Volaris is Mexico’s largest airline. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
The agreement partners a full-service carrier, Hainan, with an ultra low-cost carrier (ULCC). Such partnerships are not common practice in the industry and typically rely on code-sharing, allowing the ULCC to use the full-service carrier’s brand and network to reach new markets.
Hainan offers more than 1,700 routes with destinations in Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and Africa. Last year, the Chinese carrier began operating twice-weekly flights to Mexico, one to Mexico City and the other to Tijuana.
The Volaris-Hainan alliance will feature a codeshare agreement, making all flights available through Hainan’s sales channels.
Though still awaiting regulatory approval, the partnership is set to commence in the second half of 2025. It remains to be seen if loyalty integration and premium services will cross over.
Tijuana, the only Mexican airport that offers direct flights to China, will be a hub for the alliance, along with Mexico City International Airport (AICM). (Cross Border Xpress)
Once implemented, the plan will allow Hainan customers to access Volaris’ domestic network — comprising more than 50 destinations — without being required to make multiple reservations, streamlining the travel experience.
This integrated booking system is designed to streamline the travel experience from Asia to Mexico’s interior, allowing for a single reservation covering both segments.
In a press release, Volaris CEO Enrique Beltranen described the agreement as significant, saying the partnership strengthens Volaris’ commitment to providing accessible connectivity.
“We are proud to announce this alliance with Hainan Airlines, a highly prestigious international airline,” he said. “Its strong presence in China opens a wide range of opportunities for tourism and business between Asia and Mexico.”
The alliance represents a significant milestone for Volaris, establishing its first partnership with a Chinese carrier.
Travel Update magazine said the agreement could potentially lead to a reciprocal arrangement, which would offer Mexican travelers enhanced access to international destinations via Hainan’s expansive network.
Volaris’ existing codeshare agreements with Frontier Airlines and Iberia Líneas Aéreas appears to be part of a strategy to broaden the Mexican airlines’ international reach, potentially paving the way for further collaborations.
The agreement boosts Mexico’s international connectivity and, according to Aviación al Día magazine, reinforces Volaris’ position as Mexico’s leading airline in passenger numbers.
Volaris rival Aeroméxico has partnerships with China Southern and China Eastern.
Good news for wine lovers: June brings three major wine-centric events in Mexico City, San Luis Potosí and Guadalajara. (Gobierno de México)
The month of June means three different Mexican wine festivals celebrating local varietals: Zona Vino in Mexico City; the Fiesta Internacional del Vino in San Luis Potosi; and Fevino in Guadalajara.
Zona Vino has become a Mexico City tradition and its 10th edition promises to be one of its best. The event will take place at the headquarters of newspaper Reforma, a beautiful neoclassical building in Santa Cruz Atoyac, Benito Juárez.
On June 7 and 8, starting at 11 a.m., the very best of Mexican and imported wine and gourmet cuisine will be presented in tastings and pairings. International labels such as Vinos Wagner, La Madrileña and La Castellana will be present alongside Mexican wineries like L.A. Cetto and Chateau Camou, among others. These wineries will offer the very best of their vast catalogs and provide an incredible opportunity for event goers to get to know new wineries.
Tickets can be purchased online or on the day of the event on the premises. Event-goers with subscriptions to Reforma can take advantage of special discounts.
Feria Internacional del Vino
¡FESTIVAL DEL VINO 12 EDICIÓN!
On June 6 and 7, San Luis Potosí will host the 13th Feria Internacional del Vino (International Wine Fair). With over 500 different wineries, this event is one of the region’s most important. The event will be hosted in the Centro de la Artes, built as a jail in the 1800s, which held famous inmates including revolutionary and future president Francisco I. Madero.
The event is organized into 13 pavilions that each offer different experiences for attendees. In the Salon de Toneles guests will be led in wine tastings by a team of experts while next door at the Gastronomy pavilion delicious food will be available to accompany your wine. Take them both to go and you can have a picnic in one of the event’s outdoor green spaces.
If you love mezcal there will also be opportunities to try various local brands — San Luis Potosi is famous for its mezcal — as well as mezcal brands from across the country. Beer lovers haven’t been forgotten either. The fair will host booths dedicated to craft beer in addition to well-known international brands like Heineken, one of the event’s sponsors.
All of this will be accompanied by live music as well as a space dedicated to circus arts. This festival is two days full of alcohol, food and art.
The beautiful venue features sculptures scattered throughout, a reflecting pool, an old guard tower and a museum dedicated to surrealist painter and sculptor Leonora Carrington.
This year’s guest country is Argentina, so be sure to try some Argentine wines while you’re there. Among the industry stars in attendance is Alejandro Vigil, who’s become one of Argentina’s most lauded winemakers in the past several years. His time at the Catena vineyard definitely left its mark on the brand, as they are currently considered some of the best wines in the world. Vigil’s new project, El Enemigo, is making waves with its Cabernet Franc and is an absolute must to try at the festival.
Also on June 7 the annual Fevino festival will be back in Guadalajara, this time taking place in the Jardín Parque Ávila Camacho. More than 60 wineries will be in attendance including many from Jalisco; though a newcomer in the Mexican wine industry, the state is producing extremely high-quality bottles.
The Altos Nortes Vinícola, Cerca Blanca, Cava Post Data and La Estramancia wineries are all putting Jalisco on the map and the state even has its own wine route now that includes local cuisine, ceramics and stops for the spirit the state is most famous for: tequila.
As the national wine industry continues to grow and expand, these three festivals will show you just how good a Mexican glass can be.
Diana Serratos studied at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and UNCUYO in Mendoza, Argentina, where she lived for over 15 years. She specializes in wines and beverages, teaching aspiring sommeliers at several universities. She conducts courses, tastings and specialized training.
Puebla city is home to world class museums
housed in historic and innovative buildings. Here are ten of them. (Visit Puebla)
Puebla has always charmed me. The first time I visited, I was immediately impressed by the city’s bold mix of architecture, brightly-tiled facades and churches that, upon entry, swallowed me whole. I strolled down Calle de los Sapos at night, string lights twinkling above me, Skittle-colored buildings to my right and left and, like any good Mexican city, teenagers making out on the public benches along the sidewalks all around. I loved it.
In the years I’ve been living in Mexico City, I often steal away to Puebla. I enjoy the unpredictability of this city of 3.4 million people, but there’s also a certain security here that doesn’t exist in the capital. A Poblano, for example, will generally bring their car to a stop as I cross the street instead of nearly running me over while hurling insults in my direction.
Puebla is a happy place, and despite its obvious European influence, there’s something about it that feels undeniably Mexican. Walk down any street and you’re likely to pass an alleyway where older ladies whip up molotes, a sort of fried masa calzone stuffed with potatoes, cheese or shredded chicken. Sit in the square for a while and you’re sure to catch an impromptu live music performance or, if you’re really lucky, a high-energy Michael Jackson impersonator. Of course, visiting any colonial city wouldn’t be complete without popping in a museum or two. Here are ten of Puebla’s best museums and what makes them special.
Museo Amparo
(Museo Amparo)
The Museo Amparo is located in Puebla’s Historic Center. It’s renowned for an extensive collection of art and artifacts spanning pre-Columbian, colonial, modern and contemporary Mexico. Housed in two meticulously restored colonial-era buildings, one of which was the city’s first hospital, the Museo Amparo offers immersive installations and a broad collection of historical artifacts. It is Puebla’s most well-known museum for a reason, and a must-see for any visitor.
Perfect for: Art lovers, history buffs and anyone interested in Mexican culture
Don’tmiss: The view from the rooftop terrace sweeps over the entirety of downtown, including the recognizable tiled dome of Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Puebla’s most important church.
Museo Internacional del Barroco
(Gobierno de Puebla)
This striking contemporary museum is a visual celebration of Baroque art and architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Toyo Ito, the building houses interactive exhibits and international collections from around the world. Eight themed exhibition halls surround a central courtyard and fountain, serving as a contemporary metaphor for the movement and theatricality of the Baroque period.
Perfect for: Architecture enthusiasts, art historians and families
Don’t miss: Admiring the building itself. The contemporary masterpiece is made up of concrete curves and innovative exhibition spaces, with natural light pouring through the ceiling.
Museo de Arte Popular Ex Convento de Santa Rosa
(Gobierno de Puebla)
Housed in a Baroque building that dates back to 1698, what is now a museum originally served as a béguinage for Dominican nuns before becoming a convent. Over the centuries, the building’s purpose shifted from military barracks to a psychiatric hospital for men and even became an apartment complex before its restoration as a museum in 1973. The rooms inside showcase crafts and traditions hailing from Puebla’s seven indigenous regions, as well as exhibits on Talavera ceramics, traditional festivals and regional dances.
Perfect for: Fans of folk art, crafts and Mexican traditions.
Don’tmiss: The legendary Talavera-tiled kitchen where, legend has it, Sister Andrea de la Asunción created the first mole poblano.
Museo de Arte San Pedro
(Gobierno de Puebla)
A 16th-century hospital, San Pedro is a museum distinguished by an elegant double-arched quarry stone courtyard, said to be the second largest in Puebla. The museum’s five main exhibition halls span more than 1000 square meters and include a permanent gallery of sacred art. Novohispanic and 19th-century art lead the collection, with works by renowned artists such as Miguel Jerónimo Zendejas, Vicente Manuel Talavera, Luis Berrueco and Gaspar Conrado.
Perfect for: Art enthusiasts, colonial history lovers, and cultural event seekers.
Don’tmiss: The recreation of the hospital’s historic apothecary, which served the community for more than 350 years.
Museo de la Revolución (Casa de los Hermanos Serdán)
(Secretaría de Cultura)
Walk through the very home where the first shots of the Mexican Revolution were fired. The Serdán family, accused of stockpiling weapons and planning an uprising against then-President Porfirio Díaz, attempted to resist a government raid on November 18, 1910, which ended in tragedy. Walk through the perfectly-preserved shoe workshop, bedrooms, kitchen and the very spot where Aquiles Serdán hid before he was discovered and killed.
Perfect for: Families and those interested in the Mexican Revolution.
Don’tmiss: The unmistakable bullet holes throughout the house and on the facade, a symbol of the Revolution’s undeniable impact on Mexican history.
Casa de Alfeñique
(Gobierno de Puebla)
Another Baroque-mansion-turned-museum, the Casa de Alfeñique was constructed in the late 18th century and named after the elaborate white stucco facade resembling the traditional Spanish sweet alfeñique, a concoction of sugar, egg whites and almonds. Admire over 1,500 pieces on display across 16 exhibition rooms which include period furniture, Talavera ceramics, religious oils and other pieces illustrating daily life in Puebla during the 18th and 19th centuries, scattered through a charming museum.
Perfect for: Architecture aficionados and regional history enthusiasts
Don’tmiss: The exhibit of historic artifacts including carriages, local gastronomy and period clothing.
Capilla del Arte UDLAP
(Universidad de las Américas Puebla)
This architectural gem belonging to the Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP) features an eclectic French-inspired iron and glass structure imported directly from Paris. Once known as the Fábricas de Francia, the space now hosts a contemporary art gallery, artistic forum and mini reading area, regularly hosting national and international exhibitions, concerts, art cinema, lectures and family-friendly performances, all free to enter.
Don’tmiss: The regular cultural events calendar that includes musical Wednesdays, dance and film Fridays and creative Sundays.
Biblioteca Palafoxiana
(Instituto Nacional de Arqueología e Historia)
This Unesco-recognized library was founded in 1646 and was the first public library in the Americas. Inside are more than 45,000 rare books and manuscripts, including nine books printed before the year 1500 and eight of Mexico’s earliest printed works. The library’s furnishings and organizational structure have remained virtually unchanged for over two centuries, offering a true feel of colonial Mexico’s scholarly world. While it’s hard to categorize, this is probably the most historically important museum in Puebla.
Perfect for: Bibliophiles, researchers and history lovers
Don’tmiss: The 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle, one of the earliest illustrated books in the world and an exceptionally rare incunabulum featuring over 2,000 engravings.
Casa del Deán
(Instituto Nacional de Arqueología e Historia)
A mansion built in the late 16th century, the Casa del Deán is celebrated for housing murals considered among the finest examples of Renaissance art in the Americas. Much of the original structure was destroyed in the 1950s, though two rooms upstairs survived and are adorned with bright frescoes, earning it the nickname of “Sistine Chapel of the New World”. The blend of Renaissance and Indigenous motifs reflects the house’s Spanish owner and the local artists who decorated it.
Address: Calle 16 de Septiembre 505, Centro Histórico
Don’tmiss: The upstairs murals “The Procession of the Sibyls” and the “The Triumphs,” based on the poems of Petrarch.
Museo Fuerte de Guadalupe
(Museo Amparo)
Located on top of a hill in a historic fort, this museum showcases the fortress’s crucial role in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Exhibits trace the site’s evolution from a colonial-era chapel to a defensive stronghold against French invasion. Walk through interactive exhibits, admire 19th- and 20th-century artifacts and immerse yourself in a large outdoor diorama that recreates scenes from the famous battle of Cinco de Mayo.
Address: Av. Ejércitos de Oriente S/N, Centro Cívico Cinco de Mayo
Don’t miss: Panoramic views of downtown Puebla from the top of Acueye Metepec hill.
Bethany Platanella is a Mexico City–based travel writer passionate about local markets, yoga, mangos, and the thrill of new adventures. Discover her latest guides and insider tips at aweekendawayin.com and follow along on Instagram for more inspiration.
Whether cell phones belong in schools, Columbian mercenaries in Mexico and Mexico City museum closures were points of discussion on Thursday. (Presidencia)
The use of cell phones in schools, the arrest of 11 Colombians in Michoacán and the closure on Wednesday of six Mexico City museums were among the topics President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Thursday morning press conference.
Here is a recap of the president’s June 5 mañanera.
Sheinbaum said it was up to individual states to decide whether to prohibit phones in schools or not, but asserted that it’s “important” that they not be used in classrooms or during students’ break time.
“In other words, children should have a space where they don’t have to be using their phone,” she said.
“… There are a lot of studies about the impact the intensive use of cell phones has on girls and boys,” Sheinbaum said, adding that phone usage can contribute to “learning problems and many other issues.”
Sheinbaum said some studies have shown that overuse of cell phones can negatively affect child development. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)
“So it’s important that it not be used. A ban — that’s a decision for each [federal] entity,” she said.
Rather than banning the use of phones in schools, Sheinbaum said that her government favors educating children about why they shouldn’t use the devices in the classroom.
“The will of a person, of the child, is better; that he or she learn why not to use it,” she said.
Sheinbaum acknowledges arrest of Colombians in connection with National Guard deaths
Six Mexicans were also detained in connection with the crime.
Seventeen people were arrested in connection to the deadly land mine explosion, including 11 former Columbian soldiers. (Omar García Harfuch/X)
Sheinbaum acknowledged that a number of Colombians were among the “members of a criminal group” who were arrested. She was referring to the Cártel de los Reyes, based in Los Reyes, Michoacán.
“It’s not the first time that people of this nationality have been arrested [in Mexico]. In Mexico City, when I was mayor, there were also arrests of [people] of other nationalities, but particularly Colombians,” Sheinbaum said.
She said she had spoken to Petro about creating a “high-level group” to examine “security issues between Colombia and Mexico.”
“… There is coordination and we’re strengthening information, the capacity for joint collaboration,” Sheinbaum said.
Asked whether she could confirm the presence of Colombian “mercenaries” in Mexican organized crime groups, she said:
“There have been arrests. … You can ask on Tuesday so that the security minister provides greater details, but there have been arrests in Mexico … [of] people of Colombian nationality.”
Mexico City museums reopen
A reporter asked the president about the closure on Wednesday of various museums in Mexico City due to problems related to the hiring of security personnel.
The National Anthropology Museum and the National History Museum in the Chapultepec Castle were among six museums affiliated with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) that shut their doors.
After unexpected mid-week closures, the National Anthropology Museum and other INAH-run sites reopened Thursday. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum assured reporters that the museums would reopen on Thursday, and that indeed was the case.
She said that “there was a problem” related to the awarding of contracts after INAH ran a bidding process to find new security personnel for their museums.
“That’s why they closed,” Sheinbaum said.
Asked whether private security personnel or police would be on duty at the museums on Thursday, the president said officers with the capital’s Policía Auxiliar, or Auxiliary Police, force would be present.
Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, an Indigenous Mixtec originally from Oaxaca, was the top vote-getter among 60 candidates for Supreme Court seats in the June 1 judicial elections.
(Hugo Aguilar Ortiz/X)
Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, an Indigenous lawyer originally from the Mixtec region of Oaxaca, will be the next chief justice of Mexico’s Supreme Court (SCJN) after 6.1 million people voted for him on June 1 in Mexico’s first-ever judicial election.
According to the National Electoral Institute (INE), Aguilar had 5.3% of the votes, making him the most-voted candidate among the aspiring ministers of the SCJN. Sunday’s election saw approximately 13 million voters (12.3% of all Mexicans eligible to vote) who were required to select five female candidates for justice and four male ones from a pool of over 60 aspirants.
Aguilar has no official party affiliation but he worked with Morena’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador on some of the former president’s major projects. (Hugo Aguila Ortiz/XINE)
Aguilar, 51, will be sworn in before the Senate on September 1 and will assume leadership of the Supreme Court as chief justice on the same day.
Since the election, Aguilar has not publicly declared himself winner. However, in recent interviews, he has expressed feeling “impressed” and “happy, very happy,” due to the historic significance of his election for Mexico’s Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities.
“I am very pleased that the next president of the Supreme Court is an Indigenous Mixtec from Oaxaca, a very good lawyer,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said at Wednesday’s morning press conference. “I have the privilege of knowing him.”
The new president of the SCJN is considered sympathetic to the ruling Morena party, although he has no formal political affiliation. Since 2018, he served as general coordinator of Indigenous rights at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), where he coordinated the public consultations of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s flagship projects, including the Maya Train, the Interoceanic Corridor, and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport.
Aguilar was nominated by the executive branch and received support from Sheinbaum, who in February said, “We want an Indigenous person to join the Supreme Court.” Although she did not mention Aguilar’s name, he was the only Indigenous candidate.
Government critics say this affinity will eliminate a vital check on the executive and legislative power.
With a career spanning over 30 years of experience advocating for the rights of the Indigenous peoples, Aguilar’s campaign slogan for the position of Supreme Court Justice was “It’s our turn.” It expressed his view that Mexico needed greater representation of Indigenous voices in the country’s judiciary system.
Before being elected as head of the SCJN, Aguilar had said that if he were to win a seat on the court, he would not wear a judicial robes and would instead wear the common attire of Indigenous communities to give the Supreme Court a new image of multicultural integration.
*Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to Aguilar as the court’s first Indigenous chief justice. That would be Benito Juárez, who served as the chief justice of Mexico’s Supreme Court for a little over a month prior to assuming the presidency in January 1858.
Navy sailors help Playa del Carmen municipal workers remove seaweed from Playa El Recodo in the Carribbean beach town. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
Despite constant efforts by authorities to keep Mexico’s Caribbean beaches clear of sargassum, researchers are expecting record levels of that seaweed to wash up along the shores of Quintana Roo state. Authorities have been battling to keep beaches clear of seaweed to maintain tourism levels, as tourism is the main source of revenue for much of Quintana Roo state.
More than 522,226 metric tons of sargassum could wash up on Quintana Roo’s beaches this year, higher than the record 2018 level, as a large belt of hundreds or even thousands of kilometers long was observed via satellite, extending into the Atlantic, according to scientists.
In May, there were 37.5 million metric tons of sargassum floating in the Atlantic, which is nearly double that of July 2018, according to data from the University of South Florida. The atmospheric conditions were similar in both years.
This is unwelcome news for tourists and the Quintana Roo economy that depends on them. Though the brown seaweed is naturally beneficial to marine ecosystems in the open ocean, it can be harmful to marine life, plants, coral and human health when large quantities reach the coast. As it decomposes, it gives off a foul smell similar to rotten eggs.
Scientists expect the current sargassum belt to advance through the Atlantic between Brazil and Africa before moving north through the Caribbean Sea towards the southern coast of the United States. Brigitta van Tussenbroek, a seagrass researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), described the floating mass of seaweed as “larger than any country.”
Lorenzo Álvarez, a UNAM reef-systems researcher), expects the season’s peak to begin in the next two to three months. However, Álvarez stressed that there has been a lack of continuity when it comes to monitoring the phenomenon.
The clean-up effort
The popular beach destination of Playa del Carmen, about an hour from Cancún, is battling to keep its beaches clear of seaweed.
Playa del Carmen Minister of Environment and Climate Change Samantha Álvarez said that over 100 people are working with machinery on Playa del Carmen’s beaches to remove the sargassum, including municipal personnel, state brigades and 50 marina personnel.
Rodrigo de la Peña, the president of the Cancún, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres Hotel Association, said that nearby Puerto Morelos has also been hit particularly hard.
“It’s tremendous,” De la Peña said, “We have barges working off the coast and (with) machines on some beaches but some of the hotels don’t allow machinery because they are located within natural parks, which forces us to do all the work by hand.”
Meanwhile, in the seaside town of Mahahual, fishermen reported that they have had to halt their activities due to the excess of sargassum.
At the Third Northeast Region Public Security Reunion in Ciudad Victoria, three border state governors agreed to work together on security strategies, including enhanced regulation of U.S.-registered vehicles.
(Américo Villarreal/X)
Governors of three northeastern states announced they will strengthen joint security efforts — including along the U.S. border — to address increased organized crime and border region insecurity.
After this week’s Third Northeast Region Public Security Reunion in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, the governors of Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León agreed to continue coordinated efforts to improve regional security.
The three state leaders at the meeting were Nuevo León Governor Samuel García, Tamaulipas Governor Américo Villarreal and Coahuila Governor Manolo Jiménez Salinas. (Américo Villarreal/on X)
In a Facebook post, Tamaulipas Governor Américo Villarreal thanked his colleagues, saying the three leaders would continue working together for the benefit of their constituents.
“Thanks to this dialogue and institutional coordination, today we can count on strategies to strengthen security along our shared borders as well as along the U.S. border,” he said.
Villarreal said the recent hike in kidnapping and extortion cases is due to an increase in migrant repatriation, creating more potential victims.The three states have had to establish centers to attend to returning migrants who pause along the border before journeying back to their homes.
This is especially true for migrants from other countries who rely heavily on recently-created state institutions as the authorities scramble to provide food, lodging and transportation.
“Fortunately, in-migration has been slowing down,” Villarreal said, “reducing the opportunities for organized crime.”
The three governors agreed to increase security measures in cities along the U.S. border and to reinforce state border operations. They want to heighten police presence on highways leading south and to explore strategies to regulate vehicles, especially U.S.-registered vehicles.
Other activities to be strengthened are intelligence-sharing operations, infrastructure and technology exchange, improvements to communications systems and police training programs.
Interstate cooperation is important to prevent criminals from committing a crime in one state and fleeing to another to avoid capture. Tighter restrictions on the entry of vehicles from the U.S. is critical because U.S.-registered vehicles are increasingly involved in criminal activities.
State leaders are studying ways to more tightly regulate the entry of vehicles from the U.S., since U.S.-registered cars are increasingly being used in criminal operations. (Pixabay)
In a press release, Nuevo León Governor Samuel García said he was pleased with the outcome of the meeting.
“These agreements are very specific and improvements and progress … are quite clear,” he said. “I am pleased that the northeast is seeing regional security fortified while at the same time becoming economically more potent and dynamic.”
Re-establishing the police forces of Tamaulipas
Villarreal said Tamaulipas is taking steps to build municipal police forces in four large cities: Tampico, Altamira, Ciudad Madero and Matamoros.
Most municipal police forces in Tamaulipas were demobilized in 2011-2012 due to high rates of infiltration by organized crime. They were replaced by State Police and State Guard troops, but this left many small cities without any local security forces.
The plan — according to Denisse Romero, a columnist for El Mercurio de Tamaulipas newspaper — is to establish a mixed-operations model wherein the municipal police work in conjunction with the state police.
The only way this will work, she writes, is “with well-trained police, good salaries, sound vetting practices, constant supervision and zero tolerance for corruption.”
Additionally, Romero writes, the plan faces a number of obstacles, including the scarcity of funds, a lack of planning and the need to start from scratch. She also argues that it will be difficult to prevent these forces from being infiltrated by criminal elements.
Beaches in 17 states are the target of a new national strategy that kicked off Thursday with a nation-wide beach cleanup. (Shutterstock)
On World Environment Day this Thursday, the federal government launched a National Beach and Coastal Cleanup Strategy, which will run across all 17 of Mexico’s coastal states and whose central aim is to eliminate plastic pollution.
Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena, Navy Minister Raymundo Morales and several state governors spoke about the initiative at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.
🌊 ¡Vamos por playas sin plásticos!
En este #DíaMundialDelMedioAmbiente 🌎 nos sumamos a la Estrategia Nacional 2025–2030 para mantener nuestras costas limpias y protegidas ♻️.
Bárcena said that 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste are generated in Mexico every day, and that 80% of that amount ends up on the nation’s beaches or along its coastline.
“What we really want to do today is invite citizens to avoid this damage that [plastic] is causing to our beaches, to our coast,” she said.
Bárcena noted that the national cleanup strategy was developed in conjunction with the Navy Ministry as well as Mexico’s 17 coastal states: 11 of which are on the Pacific and Gulf of California coast, five on the Gulf of Mexico coast and one on the Caribbean coast.
Morales provided specific details on the initiative, explaining that:
The cleanup will occur in all 17 coastal states.
The initial focus will be on 63 beaches.
Some 2,500 naval personnel will contribute to the efforts.
Thousands of volunteers, including school students, will be invited to participate.
“Another activity that we’re doing, and which I think is very important as well, is that … we’re issuing instructions to not use single-use plastics, and to use recyclable plastics,” Morales said.
The Navy chief said that part of the strategy entails the removal of trash from around piers, where it tends to accumulate.
“The sea expels garbage and it accumulates at piers, at port facilities, so we also have a trash fishing campaign,” he said.
The key goal of the national strategy
Bárcena said that the central objective of the strategy is to have clean, plastic-free beaches by 2030, the final year of the six-year term of the current government.
She said that “hopefully” Mexico can daily reduce plastic waste by 3,000 tonnes per year so that five years from now “we can eliminate … the arrival of plastic to the oceans.”
“That’s the idea,” Bárcena said.
Volunteers sift plastic trash from sand at Progreso, Yucatán, on Thursday. (AES México/X)
“We’re inviting a lot of recyclers, companies and citizens to use less plastic,” she said, before urging people to either reuse plastic products and/or take them to recycling centers.
“Mexico is also fighting at an international level in the campaign [against] single-use plastics,” Bárcena added.
‘It’s a comprehensive strategy,’ says Sheinbaum
Sheinbaum highlighted that beach cleanups are taking place on Thursday, the 53rd World Environment Day and a designated national beach cleanup day.
However, she stressed that “it’s not just today” that beach cleanups will take place.
“It’s a comprehensive strategy,” she said, referring to the National Beach and Coastal Cleanup Strategy.
Sheinbaum noted that municipal governments in coastal states are also involved in the initiative, and highlighted that Mexico has almost 12,000 kilometers of coastline, including that of islands such as Cozumel and the Islas Marías.
Governors laud the initiative
Four governors joined Sheinbaum’s press conference via video link from beaches in the states they govern. They all expressed their support for the initiative to be implemented across the remainder of the federal government’s term.
Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado (speaking from Acapulco):
“We know that looking after our beaches is a shared responsibility and a commitment to our children and future generations. From Guerrero we assume this task with much love and responsibility.”
Yucatán Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena (speaking from Progreso):
“This is a cause we embrace with complete conviction because we know that taking care of our coast is taking care of life, taking care of health and the future of our communities.”
Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama (speaking from Puerto Morelos):
“From here we join … [the] collective effort that seeks to eliminate 100% of plastics from our coasts in the next five years. We do it from Punta Brava Beach, a place of incomparable beauty, but also one [facing] a profound environmental challenge.”
Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila (speaking from San Felipe):
“From this very important point of the Gulf of California, where the world’s aquarium begins, we begin this national strategy, … an initiative that reflects the commitment of your government, presidenta, a commitment to environmental justice, to the protection of our ecosystems and to the well-being of coastal communities.”
While the U.S. warned of the dangers of online dating, the governor of Jalisco had an additional message: Don't buy sex, especially from strangers you meet on apps. (Shutterstock)
The U.S. Embassy has issued a security alert over reports of dating apps being utilized to kidnap U.S. citizens near Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.
The U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara said it confirmed that “victims and their family members in the United States have … been extorted for large sums of money.”
The consulate said the alleged kidnappings are not limited to a single geographic area, reporting that it had received reports from alleged victims in the contiguous states of Jalisco and Nayarit.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus responded to the U.S. security alert by saying that the incident reported in his state involved foreigners who used a dating app to hire prostitutes.
“It was not so much a kidnapping as it was extortion,” Lemus said, adding that he and Nayarit state officials responded quickly and notified the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, the Jalisco state capital.
The incident, he said, occurred about a month ago and involved four foreign tourists who used a dating app while staying in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta. The four victims claimed they traveled across the state border to Nuevo Nayarit, Nayarit, where they were forced to call family members and ask for money in exchange for their freedom.
Gov. Lemus urged dating app users not to use the platforms to find sex workers, especially since prostitutes on such platforms may well be victims of human trafficking. (Pablo Lemus/Facebook)
Lemus called on tourists to refrain from contracting sex services, particularly via apps as they could be violating Mexican laws since these services are often linked to human trafficking.
The Jalisco Attorney General’s Office told Proceso magazine that it has not received any formal complaints of kidnapping/extortion via dating apps. The Nayarit Attorney General’s Office did not reply to inquiries regarding such cases.
The security alert reminds U.S. citizens that the U.S. State Department has issued travel advisories for both Pacific coast states identified in their report: Jalisco is classified as “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” due to crime and kidnapping, and Nayarit is classified as “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution” due to crime.
The consulate warned that “Travelers should use caution when meeting strangers; meet only in public places and avoid isolated locations, such as residences or hotel rooms, where crimes are most likely to occur.”
The consulate further advised U.S. citizens to be cautious if using online dating apps in Mexico. It suggested that dating platform users tell others about their plans, “including where you are going, details of the person you are meeting and the app you used to meet them.”
