There is a contrast between the American view of time as a commodity — measured, monetized and maximized — and the Mexican perspective, which values experiences and community over efficiency. In Mexico, the concept of “ahorita” reflects a flexible, cyclical approach to time, where events and traditions, such as Day of the Dead, connect time to nature and spirituality.
MND Perspectives Podcast | Mexico's approach to time and 'Ahorita'
As AI advances, society may need to shift from maximizing productivity to seeking fulfillment in meaningful experiences, understanding the difference between “spending” and “wasting” time. Taking a leaf from Mexico’s book might be just the way to maximize our enjoyment.
This podcast was produced using AI tools. All information collected and discussed in this episode was investigated, written and edited by human journalists. Compiled from a series of Mexico News Daily articles by Tamanna Bembenek. Edited by Rose Eglhoff. Podcast produced by Chris Havler-Barrett.
Built by expats working with pioneering Mexican architects who sought to pay homage to Puerto Vallarta's traditional architectural style, Gringo Gulch's homes called back to the city's past but with modern luxury. (Viator)
From a lofty perch overlooking the clamor of Puerto Vallarta’s Malecon and the ever-buzzing Zona Romántica, where most tourists tend to cluster, lies a quiet corner of the city that often gets overlooked. Just a few elevated steps away from downtown’s cobblestone chaos is Gringo Gulch, a hillside neighborhood with a bird’s-eye view of the Bay of Banderas and a story far deeper than its gussied facades suggest.
From the vantage point of Gringo Gulch’s terraced homes, the bay yawns wide, a scene that once captivated Hollywood royalty and inspired a distinctive architectural style. Red-tiled rooftops peek through cascading bougainvillea and wrought-iron balconies spill over with potted palms. Visually classic, yes, but also the setting for a cultural exchange that helped define modern-day Vallarta.
The Gringo Gulch is a #PuertoVallarta colorfull neighbourhood, where you can take amazing photos and visit the house of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. It is truly a beautiful historical zone. pic.twitter.com/D2dWtd7IoD
“The Gringo Gulch is more than just a group of houses on a hill,” says Puerto Vallarta historian Moisés Hernández López. “It’s a tangible symbol of the encounter between two worlds, nestled on the northern slope of the Río Cuale and surrounded by the jungle vegetation that characterizes the heart of Puerto Vallarta.”
While the Zona Romántica has become a magnet for trendy bars and pricey Airbnb rentals, Gringo Gulch holds the echoes of an early transformation. It’s the one that turned Puerto Vallarta from a quiet fishing village into a destination of global interest. In the 1950s, American and Canadian expats began settling just behind the historic center, drawn by the natural beauty, affordable real estate and the spirit of the local community. The name “Gringo Gulch” arose organically.
“‘Gulch’ fit the natural terrain of the ravine, and ‘gringo’ was used affectionately to refer to the northern newcomers,” explains Hernández.
The architectural legacy of Freddy Romero
What set this community apart was both the elevated location and the architecture. The houses were designed with intention, led by Fernando “Freddy” Romero Escalante, a visionary architect who moved to Puerto Vallarta in 1952.
Architect Fernando “Freddy” Romero is responsible for many of the homes that populate Gringo Gulch. He sought to create a hybrid style that incorporated modern elements into Puerto Vallarta’s traditional architectural style. (Puertovallarta.net)
“Freddy’s legacy transcended that of a mere builder,” says Hernández. “He could discern the architectural essence of the town and metamorphose it into homes that paid homage to the environment and the local forms.”
Romero’s Estilo Vallarta, an architectural style he pioneered, was rooted in the landscape. Homes were built with adobe and tile, decorated with local ceramics, gardens and wrought-iron accents that reflected colonial Mexico with a tropical twist. His designs were sensitive to the environment and the town’s identity.
Romero designed emblematic estates such as the Las Campanas complex and several others on Calles Matamoros, Mina, Galeana, Cuauhtémoc and Miramar. He was also the driving force behind the establishment of the first real estate office in the city, according to Hernández. Often, Romero would be seen navigating the narrow streets in his Jeep, tourists in tow, introducing them to what would become their second homes.
A cultural crossroads on the hill
“The foreign residents who took up residence in Gringo Gulch during the fifties and sixties not only procured properties but also assimilated themselves into the fabric of community life,” says Hernández. “They taught English classes, helped in social assistance groups like the Red Cross and Becas Vallarta, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for low-income students. Many even married locals, creating binational families.”
Figures like Berenice Starr, who founded Biblioteca Los Mangos, and the Holt family, who promoted English education, left lasting legacies that stretched far beyond the walls of their homes. Through these acts, Gringo Gulch became a community of cultural exchange.
Then the quiet hillside was thrust into the spotlight.
In the 1960s, film director John Huston arrived to shoot “The Night of the Iguana,” and with him came Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and a storm of paparazzi. Though not directly involved in the film, Taylor’s presence in Puerto Vallarta, and specifically in Gringo Gulch, transformed the neighborhood into a tabloid sensation. Casa Kimberly, the cluster of homes where Taylor and Burton stayed, became a pilgrimage site for fans and gossip columnists.
While the media frenzy brought global attention, the original heartbeat of Gringo Gulch continued quietly under the radar. The neighborhood still grew organically, supported by the thoughtful work of engineers like Guillermo Wulff and Luis Favela Icaza, who helped design homes that integrated with Romero’s aesthetic and the land’s topography. Infrastructure, including water tanks, pumps and pathways, was added to meet the needs of the growing community.
Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor thrust Gringo Gulch into the international spotlight when they stayed in a cluster of casitas there in the 1960s. Taylor’s home, Casa Kimberly, which she kept until the 1990s, is now a luxury hotel made up of what were Burton and Taylor’s residences. (Casa Kimberly)
Hollywood glamor, lasting charm
“Gringo Gulch represents a key chapter in the urbanist history of Puerto Vallarta,” Hernández notes. “These homes weren’t plopped down arbitrarily. They were integrated into the hillside, designed to last and to respect what was already here.”
Today, as luxury condos and high-rise hotels creep along the coast, Gringo Gulch remains largely as it was: a collection of quiet streets, shaded staircases and hidden plazas where the past still lingers in the curve of a balcony or the hand-painted tile of a doorway.
“The Gringo Gulch is regarded as more than a hillside neighborhood,” Hernández says. “It is a living testimony of how a community can be positively transformed by the coexistence of cultures. The neighborhood has become a nucleus of identity, beauty and international fraternity thanks to the pioneering spirit of men like Fernando Romero Escalante and the openness of the Vallarta community.”
Learn more about Freddy Romero in this short documentary featuring the architect’s son discussing how his father came to Puerto Vallarta in the 1950s to design homes for expats who fell in love with the area.
As visitors stream in for sunsets and street tacos, few may realize that just above them, in a leafy enclave with the best bay views in town, lies the original heart of Vallarta’s international appeal.
Getting to Gringo Gulch
Gringo Gulch is a short uphill walk from the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe or the Rio Cuale footbridge. The stairs and cobblestones are part of the experience: Be sure to wear good shoes. Stop for a drink at Casa Kimberly’s terrace bar, or simply wander the streets and snap photos of the bougainvillea blossoms and the views that once captured the hearts of Vallarta’s original expat community.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.
When it comes to knowing Mexican wine, there's one woman in Los Cabos who towers above the rest. Mexico News Daily's Chris Sands caught up with CIndy Sandoval, Wine Director at The Cape, A Thomson Hotel. (The Cape, A Thomson Hotel)
Cindy Sandoval’s status as one of the top sommeliers in Los Cabos is attested by her educational achievements and training, not to mention her experiences working with some of the top chefs in Mexico. Now based in Los Cabos, this wine expert has had a celebrated career, culminating in well-deserved plaudits from others in the industry.
Originally from the state of Puebla, Sandoval studied as a sommelier at the Swiss Institute of Puebla, an educational institution focused on gastronomy and hospitality, and earned a diploma from the Association of Mexican Sommeliers (ASM) before adding several other certifications along the way. However, it’s Sandoval’s work with top chefs like Edgar Nuñez of the Michelin-star-awarded Sud 777 in Mexico City, and three-time Michelin star winner Jean-Georges Vongerichten, whose restaurant Seared by Jean-Georges is a dining centerpiece at One&Only Palmilla, that has earned her respect as one of the premier wine professionals in the country.
Cindy Sandoval, Wine Director at The Cape, A Thompson Hotel. (Travesías)
Once Sandoval began work at The Cape in 2024, she had the opportunity to collaborate with another acclaimed chef: Enrique Olvera. Olvera, of course, helms Pujol, one of only two restaurants in Mexico to merit two Michelin stars, and both Pujol and Cosme, Olvera’s New York City restaurant, have been rated among the 50 best restaurants in the world. Since 2015, Olvera’s culinary mastery has also been displayed in Los Cabos. When The Cape premiered in June of that year, the Olvera-created Manta was installed as its signature fine dining restaurant.
“I love the language of wine, its history and traditions. I see myself as a kind of translator of that language,” Sandoval says. Her wine knowledge has been put to good use at The Cape, where she acts not only as a sommelier but also holds the title of wine director and is responsible for all the wine menus at the resort.
The Cape occupies one of the most stunning locations in Los Cabos, overlooking legendary surf beach Playa Monumentos and offering gorgeous views of the Land’s End headland at the tip of Cabo San Lucas. It also has several excellent sipping venues, from Manta to the Sunken Bar in its lobby and the majestic The Rooftop bar. This variety informed my first question when we sat down to talk.
Mexico News Daily: How does the venue change how you recommend wine to guests? Are you making different suggestions at Sunken Bar than at The Rooftop or Manta?
Cindy Sandoval: Definitely. For example, I might recommend rosé when you’re lounging by the pool, or a bubbly wine like Champagne if you’re enjoying sunset at The Rooftop bar. Manta is more fine dining, so maybe I’d suggest a Grand Cru class wine.
Tasting menus at Manta provide Sandoval more opportunities to offer wine pairing suggestions. (The Cape, A Thompson Hotel)
MND: I know Mexico-made wines form a significant part of your wine lists here. How would you suggest guests who maybe aren’t familiar with Mexican wines get an introduction? Are there any specific regional wines you would recommend?
CS: I suggest sampling wines from various parts of the country. Valle de Guadalupe is the most important region. However, there are many others with wines worth trying, from Chihuahua and Coahuila to Guanajuato, Puebla and San Luis Potosí. They’re all different in terms of their terroir and production profiles. As a general guide, I’d recommend trying white wines from Central Mexico, reds like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz from Chihuahua and Coahuila and blends from Valle de Guadalupe.
MND: How would you rank the quality of Mexico’s wines now versus some of the more famous wine-producing countries on your wine lists here at The Cape? How well do Mexican wines reflect Mexico?
CS: The strength of our vines and the richness of our climate is a reflection of our identity, and I think over the past 10 years, the quality of Mexican wines has become very consistent, whereas twenty years ago, maybe that wasn’t the case. Certainly, in terms of quality, Mexican wine is better now than it ever has been before. It’s also much more varied, with producers in 17 states making wine now.
Sunset views from Manta, the Enrique Olvera restaurant at The Cape, A Thompson Hotel. (The Cape, A Thompson Hotel)
It bears noting, as Sandoval points out, that Mexico’s wine industry has expanded dramatically in recent years. The country is famed for Casa Madero in Valle de Parras, Coahuila, the first winery in North America in 1597, and for Valle de Guadalupe in Baja California, which emerged beginning in the late 19th century and now produces more than 70% of the wines in Mexico. For a long time, Valle de Parras and Valle de Guadalupe were more or less the alpha and omega of the country’s viticulture.
But as of 2025, about 400 wineries are operational in Mexico. The country is now the world’s 23rd largest producer of wines, turning out approximately 40 million liters annually. Because Valle de Guadalupe, like Los Cabos, is part of the Baja California peninsula, this growing area between Ensenada, Tijuana and Tecate would get lots of attention even if it weren’t the dominant area in terms of quality and quantity. However, over half the country’s states are growing grapes for wine, including Baja California Sur and Sandoval’s home state of Puebla.
Mexicans are now drinking more wine, too — 22% more than they did only 10 years ago — so tourists from the U.S. and Canada aren’t the only people in Los Cabos interested in sampling the Mexican wines available on wine lists at The Cape, A Thompson Hotel. But because Sandoval is an expert on wines from around the world, when I asked about her tasting pairing suggestions at Manta, she continues to advocate for an international approach.
MND: Thanks to the influence of Enrique Olvera, Manta is the big dining attraction at The Cape. What are the tasting menus like now, and how do you approach pairing options? What wines are you most likely to guide guests towards?
CS: Manta’s tasting course currently has six courses. I often recommend a Japanese saké for the first course, because it’s fun and different. The other pairings can vary, depending on what the dishes are made from. Sometimes I propose a chenin blanc or chardonnay, sometimes a Bandol from Provence, or a Super Tuscan. For dessert, I usually suggest trying either a sweet Mexican wine or a Tokay from Hungary.
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
Britannia may have ruled the waves for much of the 19th Century, but it was the Mexican Navy who had the most technologically advanced ships of the time — until Texas and the Republic of Yucatán got involved. (National Martime Museum)
April 1843: a small flotilla of ships are cruising along the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, which has seceded from Mexico. The ships are flying the Mexican flag, and their intention is to do battle with the Texas Navy vessels that have been spotted in the area in what will later become known as the Naval Battle of Campeche.
In 1843, Mexico is struggling with an economy still devastated by the War of Independence, political instability and crushing debt. Yet at the heart of the Mexican force are the Guadalupe and Moctezuma, the two most modern ships in the world. How these vessels came to belong to the Mexican navy is a story of both technology and politics.
The Mexican Navy has always been the pride of the country’s armed forces for centuries. In the 1800s, the country led the world in naval technology. (Miranda S. Owens)
The crisis of the 1840s
The mid-1800s were a turbulent time around the Gulf of Mexico, with the borders we recognize today not yet established. Texas had been independent for just seven years, and it was uncertain if it would be annexed by the United States, continue as an independent nation or even face reannexation by Mexico. The Mexican government saw enemies on all sides: to the north were the United States, Texas and their filibusters. Across the Atlantic were the menacing imperialist powers of France, which had attacked Mexico in 1839, and England, which had a colony in the southern Yucatán Peninsula. Spain itself had attempted to reconquer Mexico through the 1820s and only recognized Mexican independence in 1836.
Then there were the internal enemies. Texas had seceded from Mexico in the midst of a wave of federalist revolts and secessionist movements sparked by the establishment of the Centralist Republic in 1835, and Yucatán followed a few years later. In October 1841, the state’s Chamber of Deputies declared independence, establishing the Republic of Yucatán for the second time. The two breakaway republics struck a deal: the Texas Navy would defend Yucatán from Mexican attacks by sea, and in exchange Yucatán would pay Texas US $8000 a month.
Both to defend itself and to retake its rebel states, Mexico needed a modern, professional military, and the threat posed by Texas and Yucatán in the Gulf meant that the country urgently needed a new navy. This left Mexico in a weak position, for in 1839 the French had stormed Veracruz and seized most of their fleet. The government of Antonio López de Santa Anna, who returned to power in the same month that Yucatán declared independence, would have to rebuild its navy with limited funds. Still, they did not need a great fleet of ships-of-the-line and went shopping for a cheaper alternative in smaller ships.
The revolution in ship building
It was the right time to be in the market, for three new technologies were revolutionizing ship building: the iron hull, the steam engine and guns that fired exploding shells. If these technologies worked, great warships would no longer sit idle when the wind dropped. They would no longer have to pound each other for hour after hour with cannonballs. Maneuverability and destruction would reach new levels.
An early lithograph of the ARM Guadalupe in 1842. (Public Domain)
Several British companies were experimenting with steamships. However, the man who finally put iron and steam together was John Laird. He had given up a fledgling career in law to join the family company that made steel boilers. It was Laird who saw that the same technique used to make boilers might be used to construct a ship’s hull. However, it was by no means certain that iron would be a better material: centuries of experience had made the wooden warship an incredibly tough construction, while early experiments suggested iron plating did not stand up to cannonballs particularly well.
Steam engines also posed difficulties: early designs swallowed coal at a frightening rate. Like any new technology, steam engines were also temperamental. As a result, the first steamships carried a full set of sails, both to save coal when there was a favorable wind and as backup should the engines break down. Moreover, the first steam ships were driven by paddles; large, fragile objects that sat in the middle of ships, where they were most likely to be hit. Yet the advantages of steam, more or less freeing a ship from the unpredictable wind, were obvious.
Mexico buys a navy
Having made a few small steam-driven vessels, Laird took a gamble and started work on a larger ship. When finished, she would be 183 feet in length with a displacement of 878 tons. The hull would be clad in iron and she would be driven by steam via large side paddles. With the British Navy showing no interest in purchasing his vessel, Laird welcomed an overture from the Mexican government. For firepower, the Mexicans turned to France, where the navy was now using the Paixhans gun, the first of a new generation of weapons that fired explosive shells. As Laird’s shipyard worked to finish the ship, now named the Guadalupe, the Mexicans located a second steam-driven paddle ship being constructed in the Blackwall Yard of London. She was also purchased and christened Moctezuma.
These purchases caused a diplomatic rumpus, with William Kennedy, the Republic of Texas’s consul general in London, protesting to the British government. After considering the protest, the British approved the sale of the ships as merchant vessels, fully aware that the guns they carried in their hulls would be fitted once they had crossed the Atlantic. Britain was walking a fine line in its attempt to be neutral.
When the Texans learned that the ships would not only be sold to Mexico but that British officers were to command them, the issue was brought before the English courts. The sale, said Texas, was a violation of the Foreign Enlistment Act, which provided for confiscation of ships armed to make war against a country at peace with England. Customs officials detained the Guadalupe until the issue could be settled. British authorities eventually decreed that if the large guns were removed and the crew reduced to that of a merchant vessel, she would be free to sail.
Samuel Colt commemorated the battle on the cylinder of his 1851 Navy and 1861 Navy revolvers. (Colt/Facebook)
War in the Gulf
When the Guadalupe set sail on July 4, 1842, under the command of Captain Edward Charlewood, her crew was still uncertain of their destination, although they seemed to have expected that it would be China. On July 18, while at sea, crew members were informed for the first time that they were heading for Mexico. “That place is blockaded by a set of half-breed Yankees, who call themselves Texans,” said Charlewood. “I am determined to break my way through.”
In Mexico, negotiations were breaking down between the national government and the Yucatecans, who would only rejoin the republic on the condition that Yucatán could retain a degree of autonomy, including keeping trade relations with Texas. In August, Santa Anna decided to retake the peninsula by force and sent ships to seize Ciudad del Carmen.
It was December before the Moctezuma finally sailed. In January, she began transporting Mexican troops from Veracruz to Yucatán and at one point boarded a Texan ship.
Texans were eyeing Mexico’s new ships with reservations, not at all certain that Mexico didn’t plan a seaborne attack on their young nation. The Texan navy was no better equipped than the Mexicans, and certainly no better funded. Indeed, they only had two ships of any size, the sloop-of-war Austin and the brig Wharton. Texas’ second president, Sam Houston, had been elected in December 1841 and had been opposed to the defense deal with Yucatán from the beginning. Considering the Texas Navy impractical and expensive, Houston ordered the fleet back to harbor to be sold. This was unacceptable to Texas Commodore Edwin Ward Moore, who had accrued massive personal debt trying to keep the fleet afloat.
With his forces dwindling, Moore found a solution that would save his ships: he struck a deal in which the Yucatecans would pay his fleet directly to protect the peninsula. Moore ignored his own government and sailed to lift the Mexican naval blockade of the port of Campeche in the spring of 1843.
The Battle of Campeche
This engraving of the Battle of Campeche appeared on the 1851 and 1861 Colt revolvers of the Texas Navy. Edwin Moore’s signature is visible at bottom right. (Interpreting Texas)
The Mexicans, hearing that Moore had arrived off the Yucatán coast, came searching for him. In addition to their two steam ships, the Mexican Navy sent four sailing ships. Having sailed south in light winds the Texan fleet reached the Yucatan coast to learn that Mexican ships had been sighted some 50 kilometers away. Come daylight on April 30, the Texans spotted the Mexicans steaming towards them.
The Texans were the more aggressive — to be expected, since their commander had defied his own president to be there — while the Mexicans made full use of the mobility their steam engines gave them. They kept the Texans at a distance and turned into the wind whenever they wished to break off the action. There was an hour of long range firing, but by mid-morning the wind was dropping, making the Texans’ task even more difficult. For the Mexicans, the fuses of the Paixhans shells proved frustrating, with many not exploding. A day of skirmishing had been indecisive.
The fleets clashed again on May 16, when the Texans were able to get closer and the two Mexican ships suffered heavy casualties. Commander Charlewood, in charge of the Guadalupe, still felt his ship had stood up well. The Guadalupe, he later wrote, had been hit six times without any great damage and had made a good gun platform. It was their accurate shooting, he wrote, that had forced the Austin out of the battle. At this point both sides broke off and sailed for home where the ships could be repaired and replenished. The Texans were greeted as heroes on their return, and a court-martial cleared Commodore Moore of piracy.
The two Mexican steam ships continued to give service, but when Yucatán moved to rejoin the republic, they were no longer required. When Mexico needed funds during the 1847-1848 war against the United States, the Guadalupe and Moctezuma were sold to the Spanish Navy and delivered to Cuba. Renamed the Castilla and León, they would see further action in the Mediterranean. It was a surprisingly long career for ships that had pioneered such new technology and which, for a short while, had made the Mexican Navy the most modern in the world.
Bob Pateman is a Mexico-based historian, librarian and a life term hasher. He is editor of On On Magazine, the international history magazine of hashing.
Despite record drug busts and increased cooperation with the U.S., Mexico continues to face high levels of cartel violence. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
The issue that most gets our readers’ attention is that of the cartels in Mexico. We consistently hear comments that Mexico will never realize its full potential until it gets the cartels under control. I would agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment. The cumulative drag that corruption, threats, extortion and violence have on the people of Mexico, as well as on economic growth, cannot be underestimated. The roughly 20,000-plus deaths annually in Mexico as a result of the cartels, in addition to the over 80,000 deaths annually from drug overdoses in the U.S., take a massive toll on families, friends, and communities.
I often hear comments from Americans that Claudia Sheinbaum should get out of the way and let the U.S. military handle the cartels. Those who make this argument seem able to easily overlook the troubles that the U.S. military had upon getting involved in other countries such as Colombia, Iraq and Afghanistan. Recent history has shown that one country “helping” another with its internal problems often doesn’t work very well.
Those that make this argument also seem to think that the U.S. will somehow quickly and easily be able to handle the supply side of the drug trade in Mexico despite the fact that there has been extremely limited success handling the demand side of the drug issue in the U.S. They also think that the best way to deal with the supply problem is by handling it on the Mexican side of the border (versus focusing on the supply chain within the U.S.). A final argument I hear from people is that Claudia is “afraid” of cartels and is unwilling and incapable of doing anything serious to stop them.
So let’s take stock of where we are at, eight months into Claudia Sheinbaum’s presidency and nearly five months into Trump’s. Are we seeing any progress with the cartels?
Let’s look at some of the actual data and facts in six different areas to help us answer this important question.
1. Is there a more significant troop presence at the border than before?
Several weeks ago, the Sheinbaum administration gave an update highlighting a decrease in total homicides of 11% nationwide year to date versus last year. Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch reported that more than 20,000 people had been arrested for “high-impact crimes” since Sheinbaum took office and highlighted the seizure of more than 10,000 firearms. Despite the positive statistics, the administration and the entire nation were recently shocked by the murder of two close aides of Mexico City mayor Clara Brugada in a brazen morning rush hour attack. Other high profile incidents in Jalisco, Guanajuanto, and Baja California Sur have no one feeling that the security situation has significantly improved.
“Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl,” he wrote on social media on March 6. More recently, he told Fox News that “Mexico is, I think, very afraid of the cartels actually. I think the cartels run large sections of Mexico and I don’t want to say that because I’m getting along very well with the president.” In that interview, Trump went on to say that he is “dealing very nicely” with Sheinbaum, whom he described as “a very fine woman.”
The US head of Homeland Security, Kristy Noem, recently visited Sheinbaum in Mexico City and wrote the following: “Mexico’s deployment of National Guard troops to the border and acceptance of deportation flights is a positive step, but there is still much work to be done to stop the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into our country,”
Just last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said of Mexico: “… It’s been actually pretty positive. They have been very responsive on our security concerns, they’ve increased their security cooperation with us in ways that have been very productive,” The secretary of state also said he “intended to travel potentially to Mexico” in “the next few weeks” along with “a couple of other cabinet members to sort of finalize some of these areas of cooperation.”
My take: Despite still being very much in the early stages, we are in fact seeing a higher level of cooperation and commitment from both the U.S. and Mexican governments in wanting to get control of this situation in a way that we have not seen before.
What do you think?
Stay tuned to MND as we cover this issue — a critical one not just for each country, but for future U.S.-Mexico relations as well. I believe we will continue to see a very steady flow of news on this topic from both countries.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO ofMexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
A young woman in Mexico City passes a poster urging citizens to vote in Sunday's historic election of judges throughout Mexico. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
This is my first time writing about the upcoming judicial elections in Mexico.
I haven’t before because, honestly, I haven’t really known what to make of them.
The writer acknowledges that this is about as close as she gotten to the inside of a real-life courtroom. (NBC Universal)
I personally have never stood in front of a judge in a courtroom, or sat next to one on a witness stand. I hope I never do!
Few of my urges are as primal as Not Getting In Trouble. In fact, I’d say many of my private and public actions are performed — or not — with this in mind. I am a natural rule follower as long as the rules actually make sense, and sometimes even if they don’t. If I haven’t followed a rule, believe me: I’ve definitely spent hours torturing myself over the right thing to do beforehand.
Suffice it to say that the figure of “judge” mostly exists in my imagination from what I’ve seen acted out in TV and movies.
But for many people, who happens to stand in judgement of the crimes they’re accused of matters greatly. Judges on both sides of the border have broad leeway to determine not just one’s freedom but also the degree of punishment. The difference between one judge and another could be the difference between a few years in jail or a couple of months of community service.
But if you’re like me, you don’t give much thought to how the judges got there.
Previously in Mexico, judges were appointed at various levels of the government. This would be done by presidents, state legislatures and other ruling bodies, depending on the level of the court.
To these folks, a collective in Mexico that’s been trying in vain to get judges to review the cases of prisoners they say have been unjustly convicted, who becomes a judge and who doesn’t probably matters quite a bit. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Typically, judges would move upward from clerking: a career path within the judiciary. Difficult exams would need to be passed, with qualifications and experience taken into consideration.
How did that go?
Well, we all know that Mexico is no beacon of justice. But that doesn’t mean that the reason it’s no beacon of justice is because judges have been appointed rather than elected. They are, literally, one of the very last stops on the long and winding road known as the justice system.
Honestly, he’s always been one to throw the baby out with the bathwater. A system that he didn’t invent has some flaws? Off with its head!
Executive branches in all nations have always had an uneasy relationship with the court system. It ultimately comes down to power: Who gets to decide how things are going to go in a country? Elected political leaders, or judges who interpret the letter of the law? Executive leaders often find themselves stymied and irritated when courts say, “Actually, you can’t do that.” Just ask Trump.
A caveat: I’m no legal scholar. Like most Mexicans who are being encouraged to go to the polls this Sunday, I’m a little confused. I don’t completely understand the system, and I haven’t thought deeply about the types of conflicts of interest judges might have or how those conflicts can be resolved. I assume judges know the law well. I assume they apply the law in what is at the very least a legally permissive way.
But I’ve definitely got some questions.
First, how on earth are the voters expected to know much of anything beyond the judges’ names? There are too many on the ballot. I’m reminded of a New York Times series: “We’re following these 10 undecided voters in the months leading up to the election!” Undecided. Between two drastically different people with international name recognition.
If that’s the norm, where’s the hope for the rest of us?
While President Claudia Sheinbaum will be at the nation’s helm for Sunday’s election of judges across Mexico, the notion of having these elections started with her predecessor, former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Second, what’s the difference in a judge’s ability to be influenced when it comes to being appointed versus being elected? The United States does both.
The argument on the reformers’ side is that elected judges won’t be beholden to the politicians who appointed them. In theory, this should cut down on corruption.
This argument assumes, however, that the country’s all-powerful narcos won’t be able to bully judges into certain decisions. Not to be too graphic, but, “Do what I say or I’ll kill your family” is an argument stronger than even the best lawyer’s. We on-the-ground mortals can’t know for sure the degree to which this happens, of course, but I’d bet lots of money that it’s not zero.
We also know that the further you get “to the ground,” the greater a narco presence is in people’s day-to-day lives.
My guess is that not a whole lot will change with “democratically elected” judges. But I’m open to being proven wrong; I’m not married to my skepticism on this. The fact that most criminals in Mexico are never convicted, I believe, has much more to do with local law enforcement than it does with judges.
Honestly, I think voting for local police officers would be infinitely more effective.
Many judges in Mexico, including justices on the Supreme Court, have chosen not to run for their own positions in this Sunday’s election. (Cuartoscuro)
Justice is messy, and ethical decisions are the hardest decisions of all. Impartiality is a myth, even when politics aren’t involved. And what are our politics anyway, if not our values? And it’s our values, ultimately, that help us determine what is fair and what is not, and what should be done about unfairness, which is the basic function of any justice system.
Even if we have different political views, I contend that there is vastly more agreement than disagreement. We’d all agree, for example, no matter where you are on the political spectrum, that murder is wrong and should be punished. We don’t think anyone should steal anyone else’s stuff. Most of us would like to be able to say what we want without being arrested for it.
So who makes those decisions about what is just or unjust matters. But the injustices that happen in Mexico mostly never even reach that point because the perpetrators aren’t even arrested. But, sure, let’s try something different. Why not?
The exact origin of tlacoyos is not known, but they date back to Mexico's pre-Hispanic era.
When we talk about corn in Mexico, I have mentioned before that our culture truly owes a great deal to maize. Our ancestors were not only responsible for its domestication but also for discovering nixtamalization and learning to prepare it in countless ways, like the one we will discuss in this article.
Now, while I have no concrete evidence to support this, I like to imagine that it happened something like this: A Mesoamerican mother, long ago, was contemplating how to feed her family — she wanted something delicious, easy to carry and eat, not too heavy and that wouldn’t take all day to prepare.
According to the USDA, people in Mexico consume around 25 million metric tons of corn annually. (Government of Mexico)
Suddenly, she exclaimed, “Eureka! I’ll make tlacoyos!”
Although we may never know the exact origins of tlacoyos, we do understand that they emerged from the need for efficient nourishment — and they stand as a perfect example of pre-Hispanic cuisine.
What is a tlacoyo?
The maize had to be prepared in a practical and portable way, leading to the creation of the tlacoyo — or tlaoyo in Nahuatl, which means “deshelled corn empanada.” This revolutionary dish not only survives to this day but is also the origin of several other meals that we will explore in future articles.
A tlacoyo is an oval-shaped empanada that is cooked on a comal and filled with various ingredients. You could describe it as an archaeological recipe — a culinary time capsule that showcases the techniques and flavors of pre-Hispanic cultures, which thrived thanks to corn.
According to Culinary School of Mexico historian Edmundo Escamilla Solis, tlacoyos were mentioned in the writings of the conquistadors of Mexico in the 16th century, suggesting that they existed before the arrival of the Spanish colonists. There is also evidence that tlacoyos emerged sometime between 200 and 900 B.C., according to the science journalist Charles C. Mann, author of “1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus.”
From the Florentine Codex, written in the late 16th century by Spanish priest and missionary Bernardino de Sahagún and Mexica scholars. (Wikimedia Commons)
The process of nixtamalization — cooking corn with lime and water — transformed maize into a highly nutritious ingredient. When combined with other crops from the milpa, such as beans or fava beans, tlacoyos became a sustaining meal for people working or traveling long distances.
Tlacoyos gave Indigenous people the energy for long days of walking and farming, which is pretty impressive if you think about it.
From tlacoyo prehispánico to tlacoyo mestizo
Initially, tlacoyos were filled with mashed legumes such as peas, fava beans or black beans. However, the arrival of the Spanish brought changes to the fillings. With the introduction of livestock, ingredients like cheese, cream and meat began to be used in tlacoyos. The Spanish developed a particular fondness for tlacoyos, and one creative individual had the brilliant idea to fill them with ricotta-style cheese, known as requesón. This combination proved to be a hit and has become one of the most beloved and popular versions of tlacoyos ever since.
Today, tlacoyos are not served alone; they are topped with a refreshing nopal cactus salad made of tomatoes, cilantro and onion. Some people add crema and a sprinkle of fresh crumbled cheese. This already nutritious tlacoyo gets a delicious upgrade from the fresh, tangy nopal salad.
Taking the first bite of a tlacoyo is an unbeatable experience. The flavors of blue or white corn combine with requesón, fava beans, black beans, alverjón (a type of pea) — and, in some regions, even pork crackling — is an experience you can’t miss. When topped with nopales and cheese, it’s pure bliss. This humble, no-frills dish is comforting and a must-try for everyone.
Hijos del tlacoyo
Depending on who you ask, sopes, gorditas and huaraches are considered descendants of tlacoyos. Some argue that gorditas have their own independent history, that sopes are just as ancient as tlacoyos and that huaraches were a more recent happy culinary accident. In the upcoming articles, we will explore the stories of these three dishes.
Making your own tlacoyos dough is a pretty straightforward process involving nixtamalized corn flour, hot water and salt. (Unilever)
Make your own tlacoyos
Here’s a recipe for when the craving hits but there’s no tlacoyo stand nearby.
Ingredients
• 2 cups of nixtamalized corn flour (masa harina)
• Approximately 1¼ cups of hot water
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• ¾ cup of refried beans, requesón or refried fava beans
• ½ cup of finely chopped white onion
• ½ cup of crumbled fresh cheese
• Green or red salsa, to taste
• A plastic sheet for shaping tlacoyos (optional)
Instructions
Mix the corn flour with salt, then gradually add hot water until you achieve a soft, pliable dough. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 5 minutes to ensure it hydrates properly.
Divide the dough into six equal portions and roll each into a ball. If desired, place each ball between two sheets of plastic to prevent sticking.
Using your hands, flatten each ball into a disc about 1 cm thick, leaving the center slightly thinner. If you have a tortilla press, you can use it to flatten the dough.
Place 1 to 1½ tablespoons of filling (such as beans or requesón) in the center of each disc. Visualize the tlacoyo divided into three sections, then fold the outer thirds over the filling. Seal the tips and press to shape the tlacoyo into an oval.
Heat a comal or griddle over medium heat and cook the tlacoyos for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. They are done when the masa changes color and appears firm and cooked through.
Serve hot, topped with chopped onion, crumbled cheese and salsa to taste.
Amigos, have you tried tlacoyos yet, friends? Don’t you feel that they carry an ancient, delicious and humble flavor in every bite? What’s your favorite filling? I’ll be here, eagerly waiting for your comments.
María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.
The summer months could just be the perfect time to visit Los Cabos. Here's why. (Shutterstock)
Summer is the season that sees the fewest visitors in Los Cabos. That’s been true traditionally and confirmed by statistics from the Los Cabos Tourism Board (Fiturca) over the past five years. However, that doesn’t mean it’s the worst time to visit. On the contrary, there are several good reasons why it may be the best time to plan your Los Cabos vacation.
Weather, it must be admitted, isn’t necessarily one of them. It’s very hot in Los Cabos in the summertime, and months like August and September are when the region is most likely to see tropical storms or occasionally even hurricanes. Nor is there the delightful contrast to frigid temperatures elsewhere that makes Los Cabos a wonderful place to visit during winter or early spring, the height of its high tourism season.
The glorious summer sunshine just makes El Cabo shine even brighter. (Bradley Hook/Pexels)
How hot is it in Los Cabos during the summer?
It’s hot, sure, but not significantly hotter than other popular beach-based tourist destinations. The average daily high temperature in Los Cabos in June is between 89 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, slightly warmer than the average of 85 in Honolulu. July and August are slightly hotter, but the average daily highs are only 91 degrees. Honolulu, by contrast, a competitor for the same tourist dollars, sees average temperatures of 86 and 87 F during those months. That’s not a significant difference, and let’s be honest: Outside the southern hemisphere, it’s hot in August everywhere.
So now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to some of the reasons why summer is such a great season to visit Los Cabos.
Low hotel rates and less competition for rooms
Los Cabos is acclaimed for its many luxury destinations, but even those of substantial means would, all things considered, prefer to pay less. Welcome to summer. The average daily room rates are still the highest in Mexico, US $425 in June, $415 in July and $366 in August as of 2024. However, for context, they’re also more modest than during any other season for the destination. The average rate during March last year was $553, meaning June rates were 23% less, July 24% and August 33%. Those numbers suggest a real discount for traveling during what is still perceived to be the slow season.
Since fewer people visit during summer — about 780,000 compared to 1.2 million in winter — that means not only are rates lower, but there’s also less competition to get them.
With cheaper rooms available in the summer, you could bag a luxury break at a great price. (Royal Solaris Los Cabos)
Peak outdoor conditions and discount rates
Los Cabos became popular as a tourist destination in the 1950s and 1960s because of its superb fishing, with marlin being particularly sought after and abundant. One notable sign of how Los Cabos has changed through the decades is that in March 2024, the month with the highest hotel rates, was also the month when the fewest billfish were caught.
Meanwhile, during the summer, the fishing is terrific. Los Cabos’ famous fishing tournament season starts in June and runs through the first week of November. Last year, July was the month when the most billfish were caught. August and September weren’t nearly as good for billfish, but these months bring peak conditions for snorkeling and diving, thanks to warmer water temperatures and optimal visibility.
Surfing conditions on the Sea of Cortés-side beaches also peak during summer. Are you seeing a trend here? Many outdoor activities for which Los Cabos is most associated feature their best conditions during all or parts of the summer season. Given this fact, you might think the rates for these activities are higher. Quite the contrary: Like hotel rates, the prices for activities during summer are lower than at any other time of year.
Let’s take golf, for instance. Golf doesn’t really have a season. In Los Cabos — home to 18 golf courses, most of which are of world-class quality — there is no bad time to play. But in terms of prices, summer is undoubtedly the best time as more publicly playable courses offer deals and discounts.
For example, at Puerto Los Cabos, where golfers can choose 18 holes from the 27 designed by major champions Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman, morning tee times from November 1 to May 15 stood at US $395. From May 16 to June 30, those rates decreased to $335, and from July 1 to October 15 they dropped to $260. That’s a 34% discount from the rates in early May to those in July. At other courses, it’s a similar story.
Even in the height of summer, the golfing in Los Cabos remains unparalleled. (Questro Golf)
Summer is a more family-friendly time to visit Los Cabos
If you’re planning a summer beach vacation for your family, two things you want are great beaches and plenty of sunlight. Los Cabos excels on both points. Its 125 miles of coastline encompasses innumerable sandy stretches, including more Blue Flag beaches — recognized for great amenities, services and conditions — than any other municipality in Mexico. As for the sunlight, Los Cabos boasts about 350 sunny days a year. However, all sunny days aren’t created equal. There are about two more hours of sunlight a day in summer than in winter. Those hours matter when you’re trying to maximize time for what you and your family want to do most on your vacation, like go to the beach or enjoy outdoor activities.
Warmer water temperatures make for good snorkeling and diving, and the same is true for swimming. The average water temperature in July in Los Cabos is 80 degrees Fahrenheit. By August, the temperature increases to 84 degrees. So not only is there more sunlight, but there’s also more time you and your family can comfortably remain in the water.
The hotel rates are less expensive, activities are discounted, there’s more sunlight and the water temperatures are warmer. Those are pretty good reasons to consider summer the best time to visit Los Cabos, and if you come during June or July, before temperatures heat up and there’s a risk of tropical storms, it’s case closed.
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
