Thursday, July 17, 2025

What’s right (and wrong) with all-inclusive resorts in Los Cabos

By
Chris Sands
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3
(Hyatt)

Belgian Gérard Blitz invented the all-inclusive resort concept with Club Med in the early 1950s based on the idea that guests could better relax without constantly worrying about what everything cost. As the name all-inclusive suggests, the price covered food, drinks and accommodations, and guests knew about the arrangement before they agreed to the vacation.

The model has since evolved, with adaptations often varying depending on the destination. In Los Cabos, for instance, all-inclusive resorts are usually more akin to luxury-class properties than to the budget-friendly variety. Indeed, all-inclusive properties like Grand Velas Los Cabos and Marquis Los Cabos are among the best resorts in the area, period. 

What all-inclusive resorts look like in Los Cabos

Pool scenery at Luis Cóppola’s landmark Hotel Finisterra; now the Sandos Finisterra. (Sandos Finisterra Los Cabos)

The Los Cabos model has naturally led to a more expensive but higher-end form of the all-inclusive experience. Mediocre food, common at all-inclusive resorts in many other destinations, is much rarer in Los Cabos. In fact, the opposite is often true. Some of the best restaurants in Los Cabos, including the only one in the area to be awarded a coveted Michelin star — Cocina de Autor at Grand Velas Los Cabos — are found at all-inclusive resorts.

However, it’s important to note that not everything is always included in all-inclusive plans. Some spa experiences or premium food and drink menu options may not be; although perhaps surprisingly, dinner at Cocina de Autor is included at Grand Velas. At Sandos Finisterra, a landmark Cabo San Lucas property that features breathtaking views, meals, and national drinks are all-inclusive approved, as are round-the-clock room service orders, swim-up cocktails, gym and tennis court access, and childcare available so parents can play. 

When paired with drinks, the word “national” generally means domestically produced beer, wine and spirits. You can typically drink all the Corona, Modelo Especial or tequila-based margaritas you want,  but if you want a Bud Light or Tito’s Vodka, you may be out of luck or have to pay. Spa treatments, too, are almost always considered an extra. At Marquis Los Cabos, for example, the all-inclusive package does not cover pampering spa and beauty services at Spa Marquis and seven-course food and wine feasts at Canto del Mar.

Family-friendly or adults-only are popular all-inclusive options

Los Cabo all inclusive kids resort
Family-friendly all-inclusive options are increasingly popular in Los Cabos. (Hyatt)

Two things Los Cabos all-inclusive resorts do very well is appeal to families and couples seeking a romantic getaway. The two aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, either. Hyatt Ziva in San José del Cabo deserves special mention in this area thanks to its water park and Kidz Club, which provides supervised activities and babysitting services so moms and dads can enjoy a little time alone. 

Another Hyatt property, Dreams Los Cabos, is also a standout. Its Explorers Club offers everything from climbing walls and sandcastle-building contests to seasonal sea turtle release programs. Hard Rock Los Cabos, meanwhile, has clubs for both kids and teens, with the latter featuring a pool table and a range of arcade-style games. Like Paradisus Los Cabos, it’s pet-friendly, too.

Of course, romance is the primary focus at the area’s adults-only, all-inclusive resorts. At Paradisus and Le Blanc Resort Los Cabos, the mood is set via luxe accommodations, fine food and drink, pampering spa treatments and a convivial pool scene; At Marquis Los Cabos excels, romantic touches abound, from chocolate-covered strawberries and rose petal-strewn suites to photography sessions and special events celebrating anniversaries or vow renewal ceremonies. 

The case against all-inclusive resorts in Los Cabos

Living the High Life at Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos

Beyond expense — and worrying about what spa or drinks extras cost, something that runs contrary to the initial conception of the all-inclusive — there are other reasons why these resorts aren’t always the best option. One, notably, is the lack of a true experience of the destination or authentic interactions with the people living there. Because all-inclusive resorts promise everything you need onsite, there’s little reason to explore. That makes all-inclusives essentially a generic version of a vacation: you could be anywhere with beaches and beautiful palm trees. Los Cabos and its unique charms are incidental.

Yes, some local all-inclusive resorts offer activity or adventure options designed to give guests at least some sense of local culture and geography — and guests can always leave their properties to explore on their own. However, by providing a resort experience that incentivizes guests to stay on property to enjoy the many all-inclusive amenities, these resorts do no favors to the local communities in Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo.

In 2023, businesses in downtown Cabo San Lucas saw sales drop by more than 20% , with the nightlife industry particularly hard hit, a trend that’s continued into 2024. Cruise ship visits have been a saving grace for many of these businesses but not bars and clubs since late-night or overnight stays for these vessels are a rarity. So the significant drop in nightlife sales can only have come from fewer guests leaving their resorts. Trust me: locals haven’t stopped patronizing their favorite bars. 

But if drinks are included in the all-inclusive package, why would guests venture out to downtown bars and clubs? The lack of motivation rises when you consider iven that live entertainment is also a staple at many of these resorts. Hyatt Ziva features live shows nightly, as does Hard Rock Los Cabos. The latter, in fact, posts a monthly calendar of its many live events, which range from Mexican-themed shows with regional song and dance to karaoke nights, circus nights and showcases for fire-breathers. 

Is a Los Cabos all-inclusive right for you?

Does this mean you shouldn’t stay at all-inclusive resorts on your next Los Cabos vacation? Not necessarily. It depends on what kind of vacation you’re looking for. If you want relaxation with a beautiful beach and an abundance of good — at times great — food, drinks, and other amenities, then an all-inclusive resort may be a great option. 

However, if you seek a more genuine connection with the people who live here, and wish to explore and discover what’s special about these communities, including local restaurants, bars and arts and crafts purveyors, then probably not.

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.

Could Mexican ‘short corn’ revolutionize the global corn industry? A perspective from our CEO

By
Travis Bembenek
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24
A field of Bayer short corn
Bayer has been in Mexico for 103 years and has three separate divisions: Pharma, Consumer Health and Crop Science.(Bayer)

Most news stories on the Mexican business climate have not been very positive lately.

Hardly a day goes by when we are not inundated with stories from across Mexico with concerns about judicial reform, water scarcity, inflation, infrastructure, security issues and more (to name a few). It’s easy to get pessimistic with these headlines and, I would argue, miss the bigger picture of what is really going on in the country.

With that in mind, I have taken up the task of interviewing CEOs of key companies throughout the country to hear first-hand how they see the market. At the forefront of every conversation is this question: Given the current political and economic climate, how should our MND readers feel about the economic prospects of the country?

Manuel Bravo, CEO of Bayer Mexico.
Manuel Bravo, CEO of Bayer Mexico. (Bayer)

Recently, I met with the CEO of Bayer Mexico, Manuel Bravo, to find out more about what the company is up to in the country. Below are 10 important takeaways from our conversation:

  1. Bayer has been in Mexico for 103 years and has three separate divisions: Pharma, Consumer Health and Crop Science (agricultural products).
  2. Bravo, a proud Mexican, is the first non-European CEO to lead the company in Mexico in its over 120-year history in the country.
  3. Bayer has doubled its net sales in Mexico over the past five years, with revenue now exceeding 1.5 billion euros. The company is confident that its double-digit growth rate in Mexico will continue over the next five years.
  4. Bayer has over 5,000 employees in Mexico in eight plants and 15 R&D centers across many states nationwide.
  5. The company has invested over 300 million euros over the past five years in Mexico in capital expenditures (plants and equipment), new technologies and innovations.
  6. Bayer recently announced that its Lerma plant near Mexico City will be one of just three R&D “centers of excellence” globally for its Consumer Health division.
  7. Research by the company shows that nine out of every 10 Mexican households currently have a Bayer product in their home. The Pharma division in particular has a major focus on developing and commercializing treatments in three areas of significant need throughout Mexico: kidney disease (Bayer has a new Type 2 diabetes drug that helps target kidney disease), prostate cancer and menopause.
  8. Products and services from Bayer’s Crop Science division are already being used by 3.5 million farmers in Mexico. The company has set a goal of helping over 5 million farmers in the country by 2030 with its vast array of agricultural offerings in both products and services.
  9. An interesting new initiative by Bayer to reach more small farmers is called “Better Life Farming” in which the company places small stores (kiosks) in rural communities to make it easier for farmers to get help. Bayer already has over 100 of these kiosks nationwide, with 500 possible in the next several years. A fascinating fact about these stores is that over 70% are run by women. When I asked Manuel why, he said that in many of these communities, the women take care of the money of the family and in many cases, the men are working abroad and so it is the women who are doing the farming.
  10. Mexico is the global center for a new revolution coming soon in corn. After 15 years of studying how to shorten the life cycle of the plants to accommodate areas with water scarcity, Bayer’s “short corn” was launched in Mexico four years ago.
    • This year, the second generation of short corn was planted and the results are impressive. The corn grows to 2.2 meters high compared to nearly 4-meter-high conventional corn. The corn husks grow at 1 meter high versus 1.8 meters high in conventional corn. The most exciting part: 120,000 plants can be grown in one hectare of land versus 90,000 plants of conventional corn.
    • The result is an ultra-high-density corn that grows significantly more corn per hectare with the same amount of water and fertilizer. The team is working hard towards an even more ambitious target of 150,000 plants per hectare soon in future generations. Manuel confidently and proudly told me that I would soon be seeing Mexican short corn in my native Wisconsin as well as around the world.

It was impossible to not leave the meeting excited and inspired by Manuel as he shared what the Bayer team is up to in Mexico. The company is creating good jobs, investing in new technologies, helping rural farmers and women entrepreneurs and addressing key health issues affecting the country, all while developing a new type of corn that could revolutionize the crop globally.

The team at Mexico News Daily is honored to be your front-row seat to Mexico — helping educate, inform and entertain you by bringing you a complete picture of what is happening in the country.

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.

Grupo Xcaret to invest US $700M in Quintana Roo

By
MND Staff
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0
Two people swim in the turquoise waters of the Xcaret Hotel in Quintana Roo
The Hotel Xcaret's current attractions include an aviary, a butterfly pavilion and the Coral Reef Aquarium. (Xcaret/Facebook)

Grupo Xcaret this week announced a US $700 million investment to expand and renovate its hotel near Playa del Carmen in the state of Quintana Roo, bringing to US $1.7 billion the new investment announcements made in the Caribbean state this month.

The announcement was made on Thursday in conjunction with the Tourism Ministry (Sectur) during the Cancún Travel Mart, according to the newspaper La Jornada.

Grupo Xcaret executives said the investment aims to transform the Hotel Xcaret México and its eco-tourism park by creating “a strong multi-generational environment that will provide extraordinary experiences for visitors of all ages.”

The Hotel Xcaret already boasts more than 50 natural and cultural attractions, including an aviary, a butterfly pavilion and the Coral Reef Aquarium.

Conserving of natural and cultural heritage

On its website, Grupo Xcaret states its management “is based on a model that ensures the conservation, dissemination and development of natural, socio-cultural and economic heritage for future generations.”

New infrastructure and new construction will increase the Xcaret complex’s capacity to 1,800 rooms in 10 different buildings. When the renovation is completed next year, the hotel will have 16 swimming pools. Additionally, the project is expected to create at least 1,600 new jobs.

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama has actively wooed investors since taking office in 2022, according to El Heraldo Quintana Roo, and the Grupo Xcaret project is just the latest of several major investment announcements.

On Oct. 9, Royal Caribbean revealed it will invest US $600 billion to redesign the Costa Maya cruise ship port dock near the formerly sleepy fishing village of Mahahual. Sectur reported that the destination was second only to Cozumel in the number of cruise ship tourists in Mexico during the first quarter of 2024.

On Oct. 10, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company announced it would be returning to Cancún after a two-year absence, formalizing a US $400 million investment to build a hotel and residential suites in Punta Nizuc, an exclusive area in southern Cancún, located on the Nichupté Lagoon.

Speaking at the Travel Mart on Thursday, Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora said the Grupo Xcaret investment — describing it as the largest ever in the sector — reflects confidence in the federal government, but especially in the state of Quintana Roo.

With reports from Milenio, El Heraldo Quintana Roo and La Jornada

Zekelman Industries files suit against Mexico for steel dumping and trade violations

By
MND Staff
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0
Steel tubes, probably produced in Mexico
The lawsuit alleges that Mexico's conduct threatens the national security of the United States by damaging domestic steel producers. (Zekelman Industries/Facebook)

Zekelman Industries, the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America, recently filed a lawsuit against Mexico alleging it has violated trade agreements and is dumping steel on the U.S. market.

The lawsuit also alleges that Mexico’s conduct threatens the national security of the United States by damaging domestic steel producers, according to industry publication Metal Center News.

Workers at a steel factory.
Zekelman alleged these violations have been ongoing, forcing it to close a factory in 2022 while shuttering another facility next year. (Zekelman)

Zekelman claims that Mexico’s steel dumping threatens US $520 billion in total economic output as American. steel producers delay investments, waiting for a better business climate. The lawsuit claims that American national security is being threatened because a healthy U.S. steel industry — which it said supported nearly 1.7 million jobs in 2023 — is critical to supplying that country’s military.

In an Oct. 21 press release, Zekelman alleged these violations have been ongoing, forcing it to close a factory in 2022 while shuttering another facility next year. The closure of these two locations will result in more than 400 American workers losing their jobs, it said.

In addition, Zekelman filed petitions against Mexico with the U.S. Office of Homeland Security (demanding it enforce trade agreements between the United States and Mexico) and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (stating that Mexico is discriminating against steel conduit made in Pennsylvania and violating the Pennsylvania Trade Practices Act).

The company’s executive chairman and CEO, Barry Zekelman, insisted that the U.S. government is failing to enforce trade rules, according to Metal Center News.

“The American steel industry is being damaged and American workers are paying a price,” Zekelman said.

Steel exports from Mexico to the U.S. on the rise

In March 2018, then-U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on steel (25%) and aluminum (10%), targeting Chinese imports. In June 2018, Trump extended the tariffs to the European Union, Canada and Mexico.

While negotiating the United States-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement (USMCA) the following year, the United States eliminated the tariffs. In return, Mexico promised to prevent import volumes that exceeded the historic baseline levels established as the 2015-2017 average of shipments.

A US steel worker
Under President Claudia Sheinbaum, the new federal government has expressed that it aims to reduce dependence on Chinese imports. (Zekelman)

However, according to the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA), a research and advocacy group championing trade-protectionist policies in the United States, steel shipments from Mexico have increased dramatically since 2021, causing declining employment and stunted growth at U.S. steel makers.

According to Zekelman, steel exports from Mexico to the U.S. rose in 2022 to 72% above the historic baseline levels.

An April report by the CPA claimed that official U.S. census data shows that total steel product exports from Mexico to the U.S. in 2023 rose to 36% over the 2015-2017 baseline, and initial 2024 trade data suggests imports will rise again in 2024.

The Sheinbaum administration in Mexico responds

In court filings, Zekelman made clear that it believes Mexico is serving as a trade “backdoor” so that Chinese imports can evade U.S. tariffs. A growing, bipartisan group of U.S. legislators appears to agree.

By bringing materials to Mexico then having those goods improved upon or some value added to them, Chinese products can qualify as Mexican-made and circumvent U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

In March, two U.S. senators introduced bipartisan legislation seeking to reinstate the 25% steel tariff.

In response, the Biden administration announced new rules in July that target firms from China and other countries that route shipments of steel and aluminum through Mexico to try to evade tariffs.

Now, reported CNBC, “duties on steel and Mexican products that were melted or poured outside of North America, or aluminum either cast or smelt in China, are included in the tariffs policy to ease concerns that Chinese steel and aluminum are coming into the U.S. under the USMCA.”

The new Mexican administration has acknowledged the concerns of its northern neighbor while denying that it is being used as a back door.

Under President Claudia Sheinbaum, the new federal government has expressed that it aims to reduce dependence on Chinese imports and strengthen the USMCA.

And earlier this month, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that Mexico “will mobilize all legitimate interests in favor of North America.”

With reports from Metal Center News, CNBC and BBC

Televisa chairman Emilio Azcárraga takes leave amid FIFA corruption probe

By
MND Staff
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0
A gray-haired man pushes through a crowd of people taking pictures of him and holding microphones
Televisa chairman Emilio Azcárraga leaves Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, which is owned by his company. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

Emilio Azcárraga, executive chairman of Mexican mass media corporation Grupo Televisa, has gone on leave amid a United States government investigation into Televisa’s allegedly corrupt dealings with FIFA.

In a report on Thursday detailing its third quarters results, Televisa said that it had approved a “proposal” from Azcárraga to take immediate leave pending the resolution of a United States Department of Justice probe into the company’s business dealings with FIFA, the world’s governing body of association football, or soccer.

In early 2023, Televisa reached a US $95 million settlement to resolve a lawsuit filed in the United States by investors who accused the broadcaster of bribing FIFA officials to win rights to four World Cup tournaments (2018, 2022, 2026 and 2030).

Argentine businessman Alejandro Burzaco testified in 2017 that Televisa and Brazilian media organization Globo teamed up with a marketing firm to pay a $15 million bribe to a FIFA executive to secure broadcasting rights to the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the lawsuit in the United States “claimed that investors suffered losses related to the FIFA corruption trials.”

“Televisa denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle,” the newspaper said.

Televisa sign
The outcome of the investigation could substantially impact he finances of Mexican media behemoth Televisa. (Cuartoscuro)

In August, the Mexico City-based broadcaster said it was being investigated by the Department of Justice, and noted that the outcome of the probe could have a “material impact” on the finances of the company, which is the owner of United States-based television network Univisión.

Few details are known about the investigation, but it is linked to the FIFA bribery allegations. Televisa said it is cooperating with U.S. authorities.

Azcárraga, a grandson of Televisa’s founder, had been a leader of the company since the death of his father in 1997. He was CEO until 2017 before stepping back from the day-to-day management of the company and becoming executive chairman.

With the chairman going on leave, it will be the first time in Grupo Televisa’s 94-year-history that the company won’t be led by a member of the Azcárraga family, La Jornada newspaper reported.

Emilio Azcárraga – described by the Financial Times as “one of Latin America’s most powerful business leaders” – also runs a Televisa-affiliated company that owns professional Mexican soccer team Club América and Mexico City’s cavernous Estadio Azteca (Aztec Stadium), which will host the first match of the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2026.

It was unclear whether the 56-year-old Televisa chairman will return to his position once the investigation concludes in the United States. That decision would appear to hinge on the outcome of the probe.

Televisa is the world’s largest Spanish-language broadcaster and has played a highly influential role in Mexico over the decades, including via its symbiotic relationship with the Institutional Revolutionary Party during the 20th century, when the country was virtually a one-party state.

With reports from La Jornada, Financial Times, AP, Reuters and Infobae 

Flights suspended in Puebla as Popocatépetl volcano grumbles

By
MND Staff
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1
Popocatépetl volcano emitting a fumarole.
The activity of Don Goyo, as the volcano is known, prompted México state authorities to prepare to evacuate several municipalities in case the eruptions intensify. (Alaín Hernández/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s Popocatépetl volcano has been active this week, prompting advisories from Civil Protection authorities and forcing the Puebla International Airport to suspend operations Friday morning.

The National Disaster Prevention Center (Cenapred) reported 45 exhalations since Oct. 15. As of Thursday morning, the volcano recorded over 1,000 minutes of tremors during the previous 24-hour period.

Volcano Popocatépetl, north side, view from Paso de Cortez.
The National Disaster Prevention Center (Cenapred) reported 45 exhalations since Oct. 15. (Jakub Hejtmánek/Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0)

The activity of Don Goyo, as the volcano is known, prompted México state authorities to make  arrangements to evacuate nine municipalities should the eruptions become more intense, according to the newspaper El Sol de México. Although the increased activity has nearby communities on alert, one pyroclastic cloud this week prompted observers to recall the famous Mexica legend of Prince Popocatépetl and the nearby Iztaccíihuatl volcano, which means “sleeping woman”, in Nahuatl. (Popocatépetl means simply “smoking mountain.”)

A unique heart-shaped fumarole

On Wednesday afternoon, Popocatépetl emitted a huge fumarole that split in the middle, eventually taking the shape of a giant heart as it rose into the sky.

Social media erupted with comments that “romance was in the air” and that “Popo” was sending love letters to his beloved Iztaccíhuatl.

According to Mexica Aztec legend, the princess Iztaccíhuatl was in love with Popocatépetl, one of her father’s warriors. The emperor sent Popocatépetl to war, promising him Iztaccíhuatl as his wife when he returned (though presuming he would die in battle). 

On Wednesday afternoon, Popocatépetl emitted a huge fumarole that split in the middle, eventually taking the shape of a giant heart
On Wednesday afternoon, Popocatépetl emitted a huge fumarole that split in the middle, eventually taking the shape of a giant heart. (X)

Iztaccíhuatl was falsely told Popocatépetl had been killed and, believing the news, she died of grief. When Popocatépetl returned to find his love dead, he took her body to a spot outside Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) and kneeled by her grave. The gods covered them with snow and transformed them into great mountains. According to the legend, that was how Popocatépetl became a raging volcano, raining fire on Earth in blind fury at the loss of his beloved.

Popocatépetl, one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes

Popo, a 17,694-foot-high volcano, is 70 kilometers (43 miles) southeast of Mexico City. Prevailing winds typically direct ash clouds to the east toward Puebla state. Friday’s volcanic activity forced the cancellation of several flights at Puebla City’s airport.

The National Meteorological Service issued a report on Friday morning that visibility was sufficient to track Popocatépetl’s activity. and  Meanwhile, Cenapred maintained its 24-hour Volcanic Alert Signal at Yellow 2, meaning  eruptions and emission of ash, gas and water vapor are possible.

The institution warned civilians to stay away from the mountain, since incandescent fragments could be hurled from the crater and advised residents of the region to pay heed to messages from local Civil Protection authorities.

With reports from Milenio, El Sol de México, Uno TV and Infobae

State oil company Pemex is drowning in debt. Can the Sheinbaum administration save it?

By
MND Staff
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8
A Pemex gas station sign against a blue sky dotted with clouds
Despite major government investment over the past six years, Pemex still has a debt of around US $100 billion. (Shutterstock)

Mexico’s heavily indebted state oil company has a new CEO, and will take a new direction during the six-year term of President Claudia Sheinbaum, an internal Pemex document indicates.

The document, seen this week by the Reuters news agency, indicates that Pemex will develop new business models to attract investment during Sheinbaum’s 2024-30 administration.

It also shows that Pemex will ramp up deepwater oil exploration, and that the state-owned company is aiming to increase its hydrocarbon reserves and ensure their restitution during the coming years.

Sheinbaum, sworn in as Mexico’s first female president on Oct. 1, and Pemex’s new CEO, Víctor Rodríguez Padilla, face a monumental task to turn around the fortunes of the state oil company, which has debt of around US $100 billion.

The administration of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador poured money into Pemex, decreed major tax relief for the company and increased its refining capacity by building a new refinery on the Tabasco coast and purchasing Shell’s share of a jointly-owned refinery in Texas.

But the “rescue” of Pemex that López Obrador frequently spoke about is still far from complete, as demonstrated by the company’s levels of debt and its oil production capacity, which is just half what it was 20 years ago.

Former President of Mexico Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador posing with Pemex workers in orange suits
Despite former President López Obrador’s efforts to keep the struggling state oil company afloat, Pemex’s financial woes continue. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

Pemex currently produces around 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil, compared to more than 3 million bpd in 2004. Reuters reported that by “adding condensate, a natural gas liquid that is similar to a very light crude oil,” Pemex’s production is 1.8 million bpd.

When he was announced as the next CEO of Pemex in August, Rodríguez, an energy economist and engineering academic, attributed the decline in oil production to “geological maturity [of oil fields], lack of investment, carelessness, negligence and a cunning plan to privatize the company” during the so-called neoliberal period of 1982 to 2018.

New business models 

Citing the internal Pemex document it saw, Reuters reported that the state oil company will seek to develop new business models to attract external investment, something that López Obrador — a staunch critic of the 2013 energy reform — did not seek.

In August, Reuters reported that the Sheinbaum administration would “encourage state oil producer Pemex to seek equity partnerships with private oil companies, a model out of favor with the current president, in a bid to boost reserves amid towering debt.”

Pemex CEO Víctor Rodríguez Padilla with President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum.
Sheinbaum named Víctor Rodríguez Padilla, an energy engineer and an economist, to lead Pemex as she starts her term as president. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)

The news agency said that information came from “four sources familiar with the matter.”

Partnerships with private firms would be similar to joint ventures Pemex entered into after the 2013 energy reform, which opened up Mexico’s oil and electricity industries to private and foreign companies.

Pemex already has a partnership with Australian company Woodside Energy to develop the Trion deepwater oil field, located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tamaulipas.

That partnership, in which Pemex has a 40% stake, dates back to 2017, when the government of former president Enrique Peña Nieto — which enacted the energy reform — was still in office.

Pemex’s oil exploration plans   

The López Obrador government faced criticism for investing so heavily in new and existing refineries, with various analysts arguing that the move was unwise as it took money away from Pemex’s more profitable oil exploration business.

Now, the Sheinbaum administration appears set to put more emphasis on exploration.

In addition to intensifying deepwater exploration, the Pemex internal document indicates that the company will maintain onshore exploration, Reuters said.

The document also shows that Pemex will maintain exploration in shallow waters and in areas adjacent to existing production fields.

Efforts will focus on choosing exploration and production projects that offer the “greatest potential for success and profitability,” the document said.

A render illustration of an oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico
Pemex is partnering with the company Woodside to develop the Trion oil field, as shown in this render illustration of the planned development. (Woodside)

Pemex, Reuters said, will also aim to mitigate the decline of existing oil fields and strengthen the development of new ones.

The Trion field — in which Woodside and Pemex are investing billions of dollars — is expected to produce 110,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude and 2.5 million cubic meters of gas a day beginning in 2028.

Pemex discovered the field — located at a depth of 2,500 meters about 180 kilometers off the Tamaulipas coast and 30 kilometers south of the Mexico-United States maritime border — in 2012.

The role of Pemex in the energy transition

President Sheinbaum, a climate scientist who worked with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, has pledged to invest heavily in renewable energy projects during her term in government.

In August, Rodríguez said that Pemex will play a “fundamental role” in Mexico’s transition to greater use of renewable energy sources.

“Pemex won’t limit itself to making oil and gas condensate as it has always done,” the now-CEO said.

“We’re going to do new projects. We’re going to have partnerships with society, with universities, with business people, to do the projects of the future. We’re going to produce wind energy, solar energy, offshore wind energy. We’re going to produce strategic materials including lithium,” Rodríguez said.

Sheinbaum is aiming to increase the participation of renewables in energy generation to 45% by 2030, almost doubling their current participation.

Sheinbaum committed to ‘energy sovereignty’

In 2020, former president López Obrador pledged that Mexico would be self-sufficient in gasoline by 2023 through the rehabilitation of Mexico’s six existing refineries and the construction of the Olmeca Refinery on the Tabasco coast.

He didn’t achieve that goal, but he did reduce reliance on gasoline imports, which primarily come from the United States. Former Pemex CEO Octavio Romero presented projections in January that showed that self-sufficiency could be achieved in 2027.

Earlier this month, Sheinbaum noted that crude exports have been reduced in order to increase gasoline production in Mexico’s refineries, and expressed her commitment to advancing the “energy sovereignty” project.

New energy reform ratified by state legislatures 

The new energy reform bill approved by the Senate last week has now been ratified by a majority of Mexico’s 32 state legislatures, meaning that President Sheinbaum can sign it into law.

Twenty state legislatures including those in México state, Oaxaca, Puebla, Sinaloa, Sonora, Yucatán and México state ratified the reform, which constitutionally enshrines state dominance in the electricity sector, among other objectives.

As a result of the reform, the Federal Electricity Commission and Pemex will no longer be called “productive” state companies, but rather “public” state companies.

The Bloomberg news agency reported earlier this month that Sheinbaum will “gain increased control over Pemex and the national electricity utility” thanks to the reform, reducing their autonomy and allowing the president to closely align their objectives with those of her government.

With reports from Reuters, EFE and La Lista   

Kristy downgraded to a Category 3 hurricane off Pacific coast

By
MND Staff
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0
A radar shows the position of a hurricane in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico
Hurricane Kristy's strength peaked as a Category 5 storm on Thursday afternoon. (Conagua)

Hurricane Kristy reached the highest level of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale as a very powerful Category 5 hurricane Thursday afternoon. However, it quickly weakened on Thursday evening over the open Pacific Ocean, southeast of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula.

According to the National Hurricane Center in the U.S., it weakened to a Category 3 this Friday morning.

According to the National Water Commission (Conagua), the hurricane poses no risk to Mexico due to its location and trajectory. Nevertheless, large swells are expected on the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula today and for the rest of the weekend.

“These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the United States National Hurricane Center warned.

Kristy formed from the remnants of former Nadine, an Atlantic tropical storm that re-formed after hitting Belize and moving across Central America into the Pacific over the weekend. It is expected to weaken again into a tropical storm and dissipate early next week.

Predictions for the 2024 hurricane season in Mexico

The tropical cyclone season began on May 15 in the Northeast Pacific Ocean and June 1 in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Both regions will remain under constant surveillance until Nov. 30, when the season officially ends.

A satellite image of Hurricane Kristy
Kristy is the fifth hurricane of the Pacific hurricane season, and the third major hurricane, which refers to storms Category 3 or higher. (NOAA via AP)

However, experts warn that cyclones can form even outside of these dates, which keeps authorities on alert until December.

The forecast for the 2024 hurricane season predicted above-average activity in the Atlantic, with average intensities potentially up to 50% higher than in previous years, as a consequence of the climate crisis. This season, a total of 35 to 41 cyclones are expected, including tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.

Fifteen to 18 cyclones were forecast for the Pacific Ocean, while the Atlantic forecast predicted 20 to 23 cyclones. As of October 16, the Pacific has recorded 10 cyclonic events while the Atlantic has seen 13. More tropical storms are expected for the coming weeks before the season ends.

The weather forecast for this weekend

On Friday, a large trough over the western Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern region of the country, along with a high-altitude trough and incoming humidity, will bring rain to the northeast, east, and southeast areas of Mexico, including the Yucatan Peninsula.

The rain forecast is as follows:

  • Very heavy rainfall (50 to 75 millimeters): Tabasco, Chiapas, Campeche and Quintana Roo
  • Heavy rainfall (25 to 10 millimeters): Guerrero, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz and Yucatán
  • Moderate rainfall (5 to 25 millimeters): Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Hidalgo, Querétaro and Mexico state
  • Light rainfall (less 5 to 25 millimeters): Nuevo León, Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit and Guanajuato.

With reports from Newsweek, Milenio and Meteored

Renting an Apartment in Mexico: Making it smooth with the Spanish you need 

By
Paulina Gerez
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2
renting an apartment in Mexico
From finding that dream "departamento" to getting the "llaves" - all the vocabulary you need to get moved into your new place. (Jakub Zerdzicki/Unsplash)

Planning on moving to Mexico? Thinking of changing your environment and starting the next chapter in your life? Perhaps you want to experience the warm Mexican weather, or maybe you just want a multi-month break on this side of the world. 

No matter why you’re coming, you’ll need somewhere to stay. If you’re planning on renting a place.I want you to be prepared with some Spanish words and phrases that you’ll encounter when renting. Having lived in different countries and cities myself, I understand that the renting process can be confusing and sometimes overwhelming, so keep reading to tackle this subject with confidence. 

¿Está amueblado este departamento por favor?(Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

Let’s start with the easiest and most basic term you’ll need:

Departamento (apartment).

With this word, you can start your search

  • “Estoy buscando un departamento en esta área”. (I am looking for an apartment in this area.) 

Knowing this, you can then ask: 

  • ¿Cuál es el costo de la renta? (What is the rent cost?) 
  • ¿Podría ir a verlo? (Could I go see it?) 

Knowing whether a place is furnished is important. So you would ask: 

  • ¿Está amueblado? (Is it furnished?) 

The term that covers things like water, electricity and internet would be “servicios.” You might ask:

  • ¿Los servicios están incluidos? (Are utilities included?) 

If like the apartment and agree to its amenities and features, your landlord (casero or rentero) might ask you for a deposit (depósito) and an endorsement (aval) which is the property that is being proposed as a guarantee for the loan. They might tell you: 

  • Voy a necesitar un depósito y un aval. (I am going to need a deposit and an endorsement). 

 

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By familiarizing yourself with these words and phrases you can make the process smooth and easier. Practice writing them on text or challenge yourself by sending your possible landlord a voice message. Don’t be afraid of mispronouncing something or making mistakes. It’s part of the process. Nonetheless, I’ll show you how to pronounce some of these in this article’s video. 

Thank you for reading! Here’s hoping you find the perfect place in our beautiful country.    

Paulina Gerez is a translator-interpreter, content creator, and founder of Crack The Code, a series of online courses focused on languages. Through her social media, she helps people see learning a language from another perspective through her fun experiences. Instagram: paulinagerezm / Tiktok: paugerez3 / YT: paulina gerez     

Rótulos to return to Cuauhtémoc borough in CDMX

By
MND Staff
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0
A torta truck with hand-painted signs advertising their product
Many hand-painted rótulos like this one disappeared after they were banned in 2022. (Lisbeth Chávez/Cuartoscuro)

Make Cuauhtémoc colorful again.

That’s effectively what the new mayor of the borough that includes Mexico City’s historic center said Thursday when she announced that rótulos — colorful hand-painted signs — would return to Cuauhtémoc.

In 2022, Mayor Alessandra Rojo de la Vega’s predecessor, Sandra Cuevas, ordered the removal of rótulos on street stalls as part of a program ostensibly aimed at cleaning up and organizing Cuauhtémoc, which also includes neighborhoods such as Condesa, Roma, Santa María La Ribera and Juárez.

It was a controversial move that triggered a fierce backlash on social media, protests, and open defiance from some street stallholders, many of whom sell food such as tacos and tortas to hungry chilangos.

More than two years after Cuevas’ polarizing program began, Rojo offered an apology for the removal of rótulos and murals that added color to the streets and markets of Mexico City’s busiest borough.

“It’s time to make an institutional apology,” the mayor said Thursday outside the historic center’s San Juan-Arcos de Belén market, which now has a new rótulo.

Photos of a sandwich vendor's stall
Photos of a sandwich vendor’s stall before and after a 2022 Cuauhtémoc borough order that all such signage be replaced with the city government’s logo. (Rotuloschidos/Pintura Fresca/Instagram)

Speaking to rotulistas (rótulo painters), activists, reporters and others, Rojo described Cuevas’ order for rótulos to be removed as “an attempted murder against culture.”

The former mayor’s decision was taken “without studies, without social conscience” and deprived Cuauhtémoc-based rotulistas “of the right to work,” she said.

“… There was a violation of cultural rights … and civil society resisted, with a lot of strength and resilience. We don’t want more abuses of power,” Rojo said.

The mayor — elected in June on a PAN-PRI-PRD ticket — said that her government is seeking partnerships with the private sector to hire rotulistas so that vendors don’t have to cover the cost of making their stalls colorful again.

Vendors interested in having new signs painted on their stalls should express their interest at the Cuauhtémoc government headquarters, said Rojo, who has given the green light for rotulistas to recommence work in the borough.

“Today, finally, color is returning to Cuauhtémoc,” Rojo said.

The mayor conveyed the same message on social media, adding that “after years of prohibition, rótulos will return to the streets of our borough.”

“This is a triumph for popular art and urban cultural identity,” Rojo wrote.

“… We want a borough that celebrates the creativity of its people and recovers its identity, putting an end to policies that attempted to erase the essence of our neighborhoods. Art isn’t prohibited, it’s lived and shared,” she said.

With reports from Reforma, SDP Noticias and TV Azteca

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