The Swiss company has operated in Mexico for 94 years. (Richard Juilliart/Shutterstock)
Nestlé will invest US $1 billion in Mexico over the next three years to expand its production operations, announced President Claudia Sheinbaum after meeting with the Swiss group at the National Palace on Tuesday.
“More good news for Mexico: we met with Nestlé executives at the National Palace, who announced a new investment of one billion dollars. We appreciate the trust placed in our country,” Sheinbaum wrote on the X social media site on Tuesday.
Anuncio de inversión de Nestlé en México
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Nestle’s planned Mexico investment Tuesday after meeting with Nestlé executives earlier that day.
Nestlé plans to increase the capacity of the production lines at its Veracruz, Guanajuato, Querétaro and México state facilities, as well as develop a new distribution center to establish Mexico as an export hub.
“I think it is a great opportunity to reinforce confidence in Mexico, confidence in its government and the great opportunities that Mexico offers the world,” Nestlé Mexico’s CEO Fausto Costa stated in a video posted on Sheinbaum’s social media.
Nestle’s plan to expand capacity in Mexico forms part of President Sheinbaum’s Plan México investment strategy, announced on Jan. 13. The president described the plan as a long-term “vision for equitable and sustainable development” that promotes economic growth while prioritizing “well-being for our people.”
Nestlé has operated in Mexico for 94 years and currently employs over 13,000 directly and 500,000 indirectly. Women make up a reported 45.6% of its Mexican workforce.
“Nestlé México has established itself as the fourth most important market for Nestlé worldwide, in addition to being the second market in which the company invests the most,” Nestlé’s CEO for the Americas Zone Steve Presley said. “This is a testament to the commitment and confidence we have in this country.”
In addition to the US $1 billion investment, Nestlé expects to spend over $2 billion on agricultural products in Mexico between 2025 and 2027, which the company said will support farmers and contribute to Mexico’s socioeconomic growth.
Mike Shinoda and crew are planning a triumphant return to form in Guadalajara next month — amongst other great events. (Linkin Park)
As the excitement of the new year gradually fades away and we enter the second month of 2025 — that was fast! — Guadalajara has a lineup of events to keep things exciting this February. From concerts by international artists to sporting events and an art festival on the Chapala Riviera, residents and visitors can expect plenty of options.
Here are the best events in the Jalisco capital next month.
Guadalajara Contemporary Art Weekend
(Gobierno de Jalisco)
If you like contemporary art, don’t miss the Guadalajara Art Weekend. For three days, this festival will bring together galleries, artists, designers and architects interested in design and contemporary art. Participating galleries include Tiro al Blanco, Palma Project Room, Sala Silenciosa and House of Gaga, among others.
The festival serves as a platform that supports local innovative voices and ideas. It is endorsed by the magazines Architectural Digest, Vogue Mexico and Vogue Latin America, in collaboration with the local Ministry of Culture.
Dates: Jan. 30 to Feb. 2 Location: Various sites. For the full program, click here. Tickets: Free entry.
Linkin Park concert
(Ticketmaster)
Rock legends Linkin Park will perform live in Guadalajara as part of their From Zero World Tour, which also includes stops in Mexico City and Monterrey.
The popular rock band, who first rose to fame in the early 2000s, are returning from a long hiatus following the death of vocalist Chester Bennington in 2017. The band’s new world tour will introduce fans to its new (and controversial) vocalist, Emily Armstrong.
Dates: Feb. 3
Location: Stadium 3 de Marzo, Av. Patria. Zapopan. Tickets:Here.
Outdoor food and wine festival in one of Guadalajara’s hottest streets
(Festival Andante/Instagram)
For one day, the cobbled Calle São Paulo will transform into a pedestrian walkway for the Andante Festival, a culinary event for the whole family. The street, lined with some of the city’s most popular restaurants, will boast pop-up stalls from local eateries offering a variety of wines and food.
Expect live music performances, displays of performing arts and an open-air market.
Dates: Feb. 22 Location: Calle São Paulo, Col. Providencia Tickets: Free entry.
Chivas Femienil and Atlas Femenil
(Chivas Femenil/Facebook)
If you enjoy women’s soccer, you’ll have the opportunity to watch the city’s two leading teams compete in Guadalajara this month.
Chivas Femenil will face off against Atlético San Luis on Feb. 6, followed by a match against Toluca on Feb. 13. Meanwhile, Atlas Femenil will face off Necaxa on Feb. 11.
Dates: Feb. 6, 11 and 13 Location: Estadio Akron (Chivas vs. San Luis) and Estadio Jalisco (Atlas vs. Necaxa) Tickets: Available at the Chivas Femenil and Atlas Femenil websites
Homeshake at C3 Stage
(Instagram)
After the resounding success of his first visit to Guadalajara in 2022, Canadian Peter Sagar, better known as Homeshake, returns for another live performance. The Montreal-based artist creates laid-back and minimalist R&B pop music. Homeshake is known for pairing falsetto vocals with synth-heavy pop arrangements that show the influence of smooth R&B from the 80s.
Dates: Feb. 7 Location: C3 Stage, Ave. Ignacio L Vallarta 1488, Col. Americana Tickets:630 pesos
Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS)
(UTS Guadalajara)
Created by Serena Williams’ trainer Patrick Mouratoglou, UTS Guadalajara will gather some of the best tennis players in the world to compete for a US $1.4 million prize.
This tournament introduces an innovative format designed to make the matches more dynamic with interactions between players and fans. Guadalajara is the tournament’s first stop in its Latin American tour. Expect to see players like Nick Kyrgios, ranked 13 in the world, and sixth placed Casper Ruud.
Dates: Feb. 14 to 16 Location: Centro Panamericano de Tenis de Zapopan, Av. Ecónomos, La Estancia. Zapopan. Tickets: Tickets start at 4185 pesos
Half Marathon Guadalajara Electrolit
(Comude Guadalajara)
Runners in Guadalajara rejoice! The city’s anticipated half marathon is back for another edition. Endorsed by World Athletics, the Mexican Federation of Athletics Associations (FMAA) and the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races, this race carries the World Athletics Label distinction. Its 2024 edition saw over 20,000 participants.
The 21-kilometer route will offer a sightseeing route through the main streets of Guadalajara, such as Vallarta Avenue, Niños Héroes and Mariano Otero.
Dates: Feb. 23 Location: Departing from the La Minerva roundabout on Av. Vallarta. Registration:539 pesos
28 artists and 16 local art studios will showcase their work for two days in the lakeside town of Ajijic, Chapala. Art walkers will have the opportunity to meet artists and discover their work in different locations across Ajijic, including art galleries, restaurants and hotels.
Dates: Feb. 7 and 8.
Location: Various venues. Click here for the full directory.
Tickets: Sold at each site
DJ Fiesta Night
(Eventbrite)
Since 2019, the Fiesta Vibes collective has organized events around the world creating musical rhythms inspired in different cultures. Now, Fiesta Vibes collective is bringing Guadalajara a music festival where Detroit rhythms meet Latin American sounds. The guest DJs will play genres like Latin house, Afro house, dembow, baile funk, guaracha and more.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
Heartly, wholesome and slightly spicy, this jalapeño cornbread is perfect for sharing with friends. (Canva)
Chilly weather and early sunsets have a way of making the world feel smaller and just a little lonelier. The light fades faster, the “chipi chipi” rains down softly, and everything seems to whisper, “Stay in bed, watch more Netflix.” That’s where jalapeño cornbread comes in — a dish as comforting as a warm blanket on a wet evening and perfect for sharing with friends.
You need food that hugs you back, and this cornbread does just that. The brown sugar brings a molasses-like warmth, the jalapeños add a kick, the cheese adds cheesiness and cheese is life. It’s a perfect balance, sweet and spicy, soft and hearty.
Is there a better recipe for a cold, wet January? (David B/Unsplash)
Cornbread is humble — no frills, no pretense, just simple ingredients doing extraordinary things together. It’s the kind of food that gathers people, even if it’s just you and your shadow on a Tuesday night. It pairs with everything: soup, chili, or just a pat of butter melting slowly across its golden surface. If you’re feeling bold, you can try it with some homemade hot honey.
As the sun dips below the horizon earlier than it should, leaving you wondering if you can stomach another four hour Hardcore History podcast or if you should bust out a 500 piece puzzle, let this cornbread remind you: warmth can come from within. You don’t need endless daylight when you have a kitchen full of possibilities and a dish that feels like an old friend. Enjoy it slowly. Make it, eat it, and let me know what you think in the comments.
Jalapeño Cornbread Recipe
(Canva)
Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup diced jalapeños (fresh or pickled, seeds removed for less heat)
1/4 cup canned corn kernels, drained
Instructions
Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease an 8-inch square baking dish, cast iron skillet, or muffin tin.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk, melted butter, and eggs until smooth.
Combine: Gradually mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the shredded cheddar cheese, diced jalapeños, and corn kernels.
Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared dish or skillet, spreading it evenly. Bake for 20–25 minutes (15–18 minutes for muffins), or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and Serve: Allow to cool for 5–10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with butter, hot honey, or alongside your favorite dish.
Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.
U.S. troops arriving at a U.S. Border Patrol station in San Diego on Friday. (Omar Martinez/Cuartoscuro)
And on Monday, an armed confrontation between suspected cartel members and U.S. border agents reportedly occurred.
Yes, a lot is happening at the Mexico-U.S. border — even before considering the huge volumes of goods and the significant number of people that cross the border legally on a daily basis.
At her Tuesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged reports of the border clash but cast doubt on their accuracy.
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez spoke about Mexico’s preparedness to receive Mexicans deported from the U.S. while a senior security official provided an update on homicide numbers.
Mexico to investigate incident at US border
A reporter mentioned that media outlets and “United States authorities themselves” reported that an armed confrontation between suspected cartel members and U.S. border patrol agents occurred on Monday.
VIDEO: Earlier today, @TxDPS responded to assist the US Border Patrol after agents received gunfire from cartel members in Mexico while patrolling in Fronton, Starr County. DPS Drone Operators captured the gunmen fleeing Mexico due to military presence, & seeking refuge on an… pic.twitter.com/oPf5l7wltO
Chris Olivarez, spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), said on X on Monday night that “earlier today,” the DPS “responded to assist the US Border Patrol after agents received gunfire from cartel members in Mexico while patrolling in Fronton, Starr County.”
“DPS Drone Operators captured the gunmen fleeing Mexico due to military presence, & seeking refuge on an island between the US & Mexico,” he wrote.
Olivarez’s post included footage of the alleged cartel gunmen.
Fox News reported that “U.S. Border Patrol agents exchanged gunfire with suspected cartel members near the U.S.-Mexican border on Monday.”
“… The gunfire exchange — which happened exactly one week after President Donald Trump began ramping up border security on his first day in office — occurred at around 2 p.m. local time near Fronton, Texas,” Fox News said, referring to a location across the border from Ciudad Miguel Alemán, Texas.
“A group of illegal aliens was attempting to cross the Rio Grande while bullets were fired but did not make it across. Neither the Border Patrol agents nor the suspected cartel members were hit,” Fox said.
Sheinbaum told her morning press conference that she and other officials discussed the reported incident at their Tuesday morning security cabinet meeting.
“The first thing, before anything else, is to request information from the United States government about … if there really is this issue or not,” she said.
“It was published in various media outlets. It came out today in Reforma [newspaper] as well, which had no reason to put out the headline they did without [having] more information,” Sheinbaum said.
President Sheinbaum told reporters Tuesday that information Mexico received from its Consulate about the incident suggested that it did not occur in the way it had been reported in the news media. (Gustavo Alberto/Cuartoscuro)
“We all have to be responsible at this time — always, but particularly at this time,” she said.
“We received a note from one of the Consulates that [says the reported incident] doesn’t precisely have to do with the information that appeared in the media. But in any case, I asked the attorney general — or the attorney general was asked — to formally carry out an investigation,” Sheinbaum said.
Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero, who was at the president’s press conference, acknowledged that there is a “report” from U.S. authorities about the incident and said that report warranted the opening of an investigation by the federal Attorney General’s Office.
“And that is what was immediately done, and I believe we’re going to have [the results] in a very short period of time,” he said.
Reception centers for deportees are empty, says interior minister
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez told reporters that 10 centros de atención (service centers) have been set up to receive immigrants deported to Mexico from the United States.
The centers — located in northern border cities that include Tijuana, Mexicali, Ciudad Juárez, Matamoros and Reynosa — are all currently “empty,” Rodríguez said before displaying images showing hundreds of unoccupied beds.
Sheinbaum said Monday that Mexico accepted 4,094 deportees between Jan. 20–26, but none are apparently currently housed in the government facilities in Mexican border cities.
Rodríguez noted that federal and state authorities are contributing to the “México te abraza” (Mexico embraces you) strategy that was formulated to support immigrants deported from the United States during the second Trump administration.
“We’re ready, and we’re coordinated with the conviction of looking after our compatriots with quality, warmth and humanism,” she said.
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez. (Gustavo Alberto/Cuartoscuro)
Guanajuato remains Mexico’s most violent state
Marcela Figueroa Franco, head of the National Public Security System, presented preliminary data that showed there were 1,776 homicides in Mexico between Jan. 1 and 27.
She noted that 53% of those murders occurred in just seven states.
Guanajuato was the most violent state between Jan. 1 and Jan. 27 with 237 homicides, a figure that accounts for 13.3% of the national total in the period.
The other six states that contributed to 53% of the homicide total so far this year were:
México state: 144 murders.
Baja California: 141 murders.
Michoacán: 126 murders.
Sinaloa: 110 murders.
Chihuahua: 93 murders.
Jalisco: 91 murders.
Three states — Durango, Querétaro and Yucatán — have not recorded a homicide so far this year, according to the data presented by Figueroa.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum said she is confident that a bilateral agreement to avoid the 25% tariff can be reached, but time for that deal is running out. (Gustavo Alberto/Cuartoscuro)
United States President Donald Trump intends to go ahead with his plan to impose tariffs on Mexican and Canadian exports to the U.S. this Saturday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday.
Karoline Leavitt on tariffs: “The President has made it very clear, again, that he expects every nation around this world to cooperate with the repatriation of their citizens. And the President has also put out specific statements in terms of Canada and Mexico…” pic.twitter.com/bXU7dL4GjY
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke about the issue at her first White House press briefing Tuesday.
“We’re thinking in terms of 25% on Mexico and Canada because they’re allowing vast numbers of people … to come in and fentanyl to come in,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
At what was Leavitt’s first media briefing as White House press secretary, a reporter asked for an update on Trump’s tariff agenda, including his plan to impose the 25% duties.
“He was asked and answered this question this past weekend … and he said that the February 1 date for Canada and Mexico still holds,” said Leavitt, who, at 27, is the youngest-ever White House press secretary.
She also said that Trump is “committed to implementing tariffs effectively, just like he did in his first term.”
U.S. tariffs on Mexican and Canadian exports would violate the terms of the USMCA free trade pact, but the U.S. president appears unconcerned about falling foul of the rules of the agreement he signed during his first term.
Asked whether the Canadian and Mexican governments have “met the bar” set by Trump regarding ramping up efforts to stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States, Leavitt was circumspect.
Donald Trump first signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2018, the last time he was president of the U.S. But he seems unconcerned now about breaking the agreement by imposing the 25% tariff. (Ron Przysucha/U.S. Department of State)
“I won’t get ahead of the president on advocating to foreign nations on what they should and shouldn’t do to get away from these tariffs,” she said.
“The president has made it very clear that he expects every nation around this world to cooperate with the repatriation of their citizens, and the president has also put out specific statements in terms of Canada and Mexico when it comes to what he expects in terms of border security,” Leavitt said.
“We have seen a historic level of cooperation from Mexico but, again, as far as I’m still tracking, and that was last night, talking to the president directly, February 1 is still on the books,” she said.
President Claudia Sheinbaum reiterated Monday that her government will seek dialogue with the Trump administration over the proposed tariffs. She expressed confidence that a bilateral agreement to avert the planned 25% tariff will be reached, but time to secure a deal is running out.
But unnamed White House advisers who recently spoke to The Wall Street Journal said that Trump feels that Mexico and Canada aren’t taking his threats seriously and wants to impose tariffs on their exports to prove he isn’t bluffing and to force them to negotiate on a range of issues, including migration, drug smuggling and the USMCA.
The imposition of the proposed tariffs on Mexican exports would have a major impact on Mexico’s economy, where economic growth slowed in 2024. The tariffs could even trigger a recession.
The imposition of tariffs on Mexican exports would also likely cause the Mexican peso to depreciate against the US dollar.
On the social media platform X on Tuesday, above a graph showing that the peso has appreciated against the dollar — despite Leavitt’s remarks — the director of economic analysis at Mexican bank Banco Base, Gabriela Siller, wrote: “Almost nobody believes that Trump will impose 25% tariffs on [U.S.] imports from Mexico.”
Mexico's beloved torta has been recognized by one of the best-known global culinary online platforms, TasteAtlas. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
The global culinary platform TasteAtlas has placed the Mexican torta in the No. 8 spot on its newly released list, the Top 100 Sandwiches in the World.
Shawarma took the top spot on the list, which was updated on Jan. 15.
The torta is a popular street food in Mexico, thanks to its easy portability and adaptability making it appealing at any time of the day. (File photo by Lisbeth Chavez/Cuartoscuro)
The Lebanese specialty is followed by three variations of Vietnam’s bánh mì in the No. 2, 4 and 5 spots, along with Turkey’s tombik döner at No. 3. Puerto Rico’s jibarito took the No. 6 spot, and panino col polpo (octopus sandwich), of Bari, Italy, took No. 7.
The No. 8-ranked torta was recognized for its mix of salty and spicy flavors and its ability to be eaten at any time of the day. It finished one spot ahead of the Maine lobster roll.
Tortas are “luscious traditional sandwiches filled with delicious, mostly authentic Mexican ingredients,” notes the Croatia-based TasteAtlas, which was founded by journalist Matija Babić in 2015. “They are a unique Mexican creation, considering they are served in bread rolls, an ingredient that is not so often associated with Mexico.”
Beyond noting that tortas are made on “traditional, French-influenced bolillos” or “round teleras … from Puebla,” TasteAtlas also offers a list of the 51 best places to sample tortas worldwide — 38 in Mexico and 13 in the United States.
The top five places on that list are Taquería El Turix (Mexico City), Taqueria Honorio (Tulum), La Chaya Maya (Mérida), Tortas Toño (Guadalajara) and Cemitas Las Poblanitas (Puebla).
The TasteAtlas website — which last year ranked Mexican food the world’s third-best cuisine and also cited Guadalajara as not only the No. 28 best food city in the world but the top city in Latin America — also includes an analysis, pictogram and “where to try” suggestions for eight types of tortas:
The torta, which can be stuffed with a wide variety of ingredients, even has its own fair each year in Mexico City. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Cochinita pibil — Slow-cooked, marinated pork that’s then shredded; originating from Yucatán.
Cemita — from Puebla; featuring a sesame-seed bun; usually humongous.
Torta ahogada — Guadalajara’s signature sandwich that’s “drowned” in a vinegar-based salsa; served on a birote salado, a crusty, salty bread with a soft, airy interior.
Torta Cubana — Various combos of meats and sauces; invented on Calle Republica de Cuba in Mexico City in the 1950s; not to be confused with a Cuban sandwich.
Torta de tamal — Also called guajolota, it’s a tamal sandwiched into a bolillo, and a common street-food breakfast.
Torta de la barda — Overstuffed offering from Tampico, Tamaulipas sold to workers in the early 1930s from stands along a fence (barda); nowadays prepared for Lent with canned sardines instead of meat.
Tortas hamburguesas — The Mexican take on an American classic.
Guacamaya — Originating from León, Guanajuato, where it’s sold from tricycle carts; a bolillo filled with crispy chicharrón (pork rinds), avocado, spicy salsa, lime juice and salt.
All of these tortas are also included on their own Taste Atlas list: “The Top 11 Mexican Sandwiches” — which also includes the pambazo, the mollete and the empalme.
Victoria’s Undersea World was organized by Javier Bredée, who is considered the premier event planner in northern Mexico. (X)
A 65-million-peso (US $3M) quinceañera extravaganza in the northern state of Coahuila stirred up social media activity last week, with some users gawking at the stunning images of the outsized 15th birthday celebration.
Others criticized the amount of money spent on a birthday party.
In Mexico, it is customary to celebrate a girl’s 15th birthday with a special bash. In Latin American culture, the event marks the passage of a young girl from childhood to adulthood. It is also used to announce the new young adult woman’s entrance into society in the company of family and friends.
While the newspaper Milenio identified the quinceañera as Victoria Quiroz, official confirmation was not forthcoming, leading to speculation about the source of the party’s financing, which was “presumed to have cost 65 million pesos,” according to Milenio. However, photos and video footage of the event were made public such that details of the party — held on Jan. 11 — were readily available.
At the center of the arena was a revolving 360-degree stage lit up by lights and lasers surrounded by elaborate ocean-themed decorations and sculptures of jellyfish, seahorses and coral reefs designed by Las Fabricadores from Iztapalapa in Mexico City.
Guests entered the “Undersea World” past an elaborate waterfall and six-foot-long sculptures of turtles and seahorses that led to a coral reef-lined tunnel, where ballerinas dressed as jellyfish greeted them.
Inside, they were treated to extravagant presentations and performances including stilt walkers, and musical entertainment from Luis R. Conriquez, known for his narco-corridos and Sinaloa-style genres, as well as the norteño band Los Tucanes de Tijuana.
Appetizers such as pizza, tacos and snacks from brand-name companies including Krispy Kreme, Bobalicious, Cinnabon, La La Land Café, Chick-Fil-A, Ladurée México and Crumbl Cookies were available to sample.
And who is Victoria Quiroz, the star of this lavish celebration?
The Arizona volunteers have stood firm on providing migrant aid amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States. (@tucsonsams/Instagram)
A diverse group of volunteers in Arizona is looking out for migrants arriving at the United States-Mexico border despite an increase in anti-immigration rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump.
Tucson Samaritans, founded in 2002, is a grassroots, volunteer-run, humanitarian aid organization that provides water, food, first aid and other essential items to migrants who cross into Arizona from Mexico. They take up to 14 trips into the Sonoran Desert each week.
The volunteer group Tuscon Samaritans provides water, food, first aid and other essential items to migrants who cross into Arizona from Mexico. (@tucsonsams/Instagram)
According to their website, the volunteers “range in age from college students to people in their 80s. Some of us are multilingual; some speak only English. Some are recent immigrants while others trace their heritage for many generations in the Sonoran Desert.” Their stated mission is to save lives and relieve the suffering of migrants in Southern Arizona.
“What you don’t want to do is see people suffer,” Tucson Samaritan Gail Kocourek told KOLD-TV News in a recent interview. “One of my favorite pastors said, ‘[Migrants] are people too, and it’s not our place to judge, our job is to help people.’”
The Samaritans describe their work as a “civil initiative” in support of U.S. laws that they believe the government is not following and in opposition to laws that the group believes are causing suffering and death.
Acknowledging that the U.S. immigration system is broken, the Samaritans have lobbied U.S. lawmakers to take action. “We need more asylum judges to process cases faster. People are waiting three and four years [for their cases to be heard],” Nicholas Matthews, a Tucson Samaritan, told the Los Angeles Times in October.
“A nosotros lo único que nos importa es ayudar”, dicen los Tucson Samaritans, un grupo de voluntarios de adultos mayores que proporcionan agua, alimentos, ropa y primeros auxilios a los migrantes que cruzan la frontera por el sur de Arizona https://t.co/bpOIjcw5Abpic.twitter.com/bIug0dAkwH
The Samaritans are not alone. Tucson boasts a network of churches and nonprofits that provide temporary shelter and supplies for migrants seeking a better life in the United States.
Among other items, the volunteers leave cereal bars, soup packets and cookies, as well as clothing such as shoes, socks and caps.
The Salvavisión volunteers do their best to humanize the trip for the migrants, writing messages of support such as “God be with you” on the water jugs.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, the daughter of immigrant farmworkers from Mexico, is a vocal critic of Republicans who have turned immigration into a “wedge issue” while “spewing lies” about migrants with “cruel and dehumanizing” language.
While giving humanitarian aid to anyone is legal, members of the Tucson Samaritans frequently receive threats and get stalked by people who don’t agree with their work, according to KOLD-TV news.
The Samaritans have been harassed by anti-immigration vigilantes carrying cameras and rifles. The vigilantes have been known to shoot holes in the water jugs left by volunteers for the migrants.
Google said the new name will be visible once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is updated. (Screen capture/Google)
Google has said it will change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to “Gulf of America” in Google Maps following President Donald Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico in the U.S.
The announcement came Monday on X, when Google wrote that the new name will be visible to users in the United States once the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) is updated.
This part of the Gulf of Mexico, located in Venice, Florida, will soon be referred to as the Gulf of America by Google Maps. (Jim Schwabel/Shutterstock)
“When that happens, we will update Google Maps in the U.S. quickly to show Mount McKinley and Gulf of America,” Google said.
Mount McKinley, located in Denali National Park in Alaska, was changed from Mount McKinley to Denali in 2015 during the administration of former U.S. president Barack Obama. Denali is a local Athabascan name for the mountain.
Google explained that when official names differ between countries, Maps users see the official local name — meaning that the change will be visible in the U.S. but not in Mexico, where the name will remain “Gulf of Mexico.”
Following what the tech company called “a longstanding practice,” Google said that users located outside of the two countries will see both names on Google Maps.
Google’s announcement on X followed queries by users.
“We’ve received a few questions about naming within Google Maps,” the company wrote on X. These questions follow Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as part of his pledge to honor “America’s greatness.”
The Gulf of Mexico was first shown as the official name on maps used by 16th-century Spanish explorers, prior to the founding of the United States.
On Friday, the Secretary of the Interior announced that efforts are underway to remove all mentions of the Gulf of Mexico in the GNIS, “effective immediately for federal use.” In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis already began using the name Gulf of America after putting it in a weather forecast saying that an “area of low pressure was moving across the Gulf of America.”
A recent example of conflict over geographic nomenclature elsewhere involves Iran and Arabic nations, regarding the Gulf that both regions share. Historically known as the Persian Gulf, in recent years, Arab countries have pushed to change the name to the “Arabian Gulf.”
While Google Maps displays the official local name, the Gulf is primarily shown as the Persian Gulf in other countries.
The automotive and light manufacturing industries represent more than half of the demand for warehouse space in the Bajío region. (Shutterstock)
The industrial warehouse market in Mexico’s Bajío region — comprising the states of Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Querétaro, Jalisco, Zacatecas, Michoacán and San Luis Potosí — saw strong growth in 2024 despite geopolitical tensions threatening nearshoring investments in Mexico.
According to a report by real estate consulting firm CBRE, industrial warehouse occupancy in the region increased by 51% compared to 2023. CBRE’s data shows that the region registered 722,000 square meters of net absorption, primarily driven by land sales transactions and the expansion of companies already established in the Bajío area.
The Argentina-based Amazon competitor Mercado Libre emerged as the largest warehouse tenant in 2024, accounting for 11% of total rented square meters in Mexico. (Mercado Libre)
According to data collected by the Mexican real estate data tech agency Datoz, net absorption of warehouse space in el Bajío represented 28.28% of the national total, outpacing other industrial hubs like Mexico’s central, northeast and northwest regions.
“The demand for industrial space by tenants in the automotive and light manufacturing industries continues,” CBRE said. “These sectors represent more than half of the demand [in the Bajío region], and this trend is expected to continue during the first half of 2025.”
Rodrigo Folgueras, the regional vice president of CBRE Mexico, explained that the vacancy rate for industrial warehouses in El Bajío has remained relatively stable, closing at 3.6% at the end of Q4 — slightly lower than the 3.9% vacancy rate recorded at the end of the same period in 2023.
Folgueras estimated that the light manufacturing and automotive industries would continue to demand more industrial space in the region, primarily focusing on Build-to-Suit (BTS) projects. He also noted an upward trend in the asking prices for warehouses, similar to what is occurring in other markets.
Nationwide, the Argentina-based Amazon competitor Mercado Libre emerged as the largest warehouse tenant in 2024, accounting for 11% of total rented square meters in Mexico.
According to Silvia Gómez, an industrial market consultant at Datoz, this positive trend in the industrial real estate market will help mitigate the potential impacts of U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs on Mexico’s main industrial sectors.
