Trump, who will commence his second term as U.S. president next Monday, has pledged to carry out the "largest deportation operation in American history," but it is unclear how quickly the deportations will occur. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)
The municipal government of Tijuana approved on Monday an emergency declaration as it prepares for a possible influx of migrants deported from the United States after Donald Trump returns to the White House next week.
In a post to social media on Monday night, Tijuana Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz said that an extraordinary meeting of the city council was held “with the objective of preparing Tijuana in the face of a possible mass arrival of migrants.”
Esta tarde, llevamos a cabo la Sesión Extraordinaria de Cabildo con el objetivo de preparar a Tijuana ante la posible llegada masiva de migrantes.
Aprobamos por unanimidad la declaratoria de emergencia para garantizar un trato digno, el respeto a los derechos humanos y la… pic.twitter.com/3FIfqI2M91
“We unanimously approved the emergency declaration to guarantee dignified treatment [of deportees], respect for human rights and the allocation of necessary resources,” the mayor said.
Trump, who will commence his second term as U.S. president next Monday, has pledged to carry out the “largest deportation operation in American history,” but it is unclear how many immigrants will be expelled from the United States and how quickly the deportations will occur.
According to a proposal sent by Burgueño to councilors before Monday afternoon’s meeting, the emergency declaration allows the municipal government to promptly access local funds to respond to the “atypical situation” that would occur if large numbers of deportees were to arrive in Tijuana.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that “the money — it’s not clear how much — could be used for hiring personnel, leasing facilities, utilities, Internet and legal services, among other needs.”
The emergency declaration also allows Tijuana to apply for federal funds to respond to an influx of deportees.
Some deportees would likely need to be housed and fed for a period as they make plans for their new lives in Mexico. There are already numerous migrant shelters in Tijuana, including many that have opened recently, but they could be overwhelmed if large numbers of deportees arrive in the border city.
The emergency declaration allows Tijuana’s municipal government to promptly access funds to support the preparation of migrant shelters, for example. (Cuartoscuro)
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Burgueño has proposed renting an industrial building in southern Tijuana with the capacity to house 5,000 people.
After Monday’s meeting, the mayor said that municipal authorities in Tijuana were collaborating closely with the Baja California and federal governments to prepare for the possible arrival of large numbers of deportees.
Alicia Bárcena, former foreign affairs minister and current Environment Minister, said last year that some 5.3 million undocumented Mexicans live in the United States. Other estimates place the figure between 4 million and 5 million.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that there are around 120,000 undocumented Mexicans in San Diego County, according to the Mexican Consulate.
Undocumented Mexicans appear to be vulnerable to deportation during Trump’s second term, even though they make a valuable contribution to the United States economy — as Mexican officials have stressed.
Mexico could also receive non-Mexican deportees, although the federal government would prefer to see such people returned directly to their countries of origin.
Sheinbaum said on Jan. 3 that “we’re going to ask the United States to, as far as is possible, send migrants who aren’t from Mexico to their countries of origin.”
However, she added that “if they can’t, we could collaborate through different mechanisms.”
You are the poetry of patience, a triumph of time’s persuasion. My malted mysteries cry for your golden complexity; together, we will dominate Sunday suppers and late-night dinner parties.
I envy the skillet that makes you sweet, the wooden spoon that stirs you tenderly. You make the mundane divine, turning every kitchen into a teary eyed canteen. I ache to deglaze you, to mingle our essences until those diner guests fall silent in awe.
My dark hops exist for you, the sweet to my bitter, the bold to my smooth. When you soften and shine, I’ll always be there. I’m willing to sauté the pain away, if you ever find yourself stuck to the pan.
Ever yours, Negra Modelo
Ready to dance, drink (and slurp) the night away thanks to this dark, mysterious Modelo? (Cerveza Modelo/Instagram)
Dearest Negra Modelo,
You are the dark pool at the heart of my sizzling soul, the bittersweet whisper that turns onions golden brown. When I dance in the skillet’s heat, it is you I crave to quench the flames, your cold embrace a song to wash away my onion tears. Each sip from your mahogany depths reminds me why I caramelize — to bring out the sweetness in a harsh world.
You are the love I never thought I’d find, rich yet humble, an anchor in this chaotic pan. If I could sauté forever, it would be for the promise of pairing with you. Raise your bottle; let’s toast to slow, tender transformations, and to the art of our bitter-sweet romance.
Always yours, Caramelized Onions
Tender, cultured and oh so delicious caramelized onions await you, dear reader. (Grok)
Mexican French Onion Soup Recipe
Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
5 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
6 cups beef broth
1 cup dark Mexican beer (e.g., Negra Modelo)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 slices bolillo, toasted
1 cup shredded queso Oaxaca
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
Don’t forget the bread either! (Grok)
Instructions
Caramelize the Onions:
Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat. (Add some olive oil if you’re worried about burning the butter)
Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deep golden brown and caramelized, about 30-40 minutes. Be patient—this step is crucial for flavor.
Add Garlic and Spices:
Stir in the minced garlic and cumin. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, letting their warmth bloom into the onions.
Deglaze with Negra Modelo:
Then comes the Modelo Negra. Scrape the pot, mix in the crusty bits.
Add Broth and Seasonings:
Stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 15-25 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Prepare the Bread:
While the soup simmers, toast the slices of bolillo or baguette bread. If you’d like extra flavor, rub the toasted bread with a garlic clove.
Assemble the Soup:
Preheat your oven’s broiler.
Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Place a slice of toasted bread on top of each bowl, then generously sprinkle with an equal mix of shredded queso Oaxaca and Swiss cheese.
Broil Until Golden:
Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Keep an eye on it to prevent burning.
Garnish and Serve:
Optionally, sprinkle a few fresh thyme leaves on top. Serve piping hot.
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.
Led by Mariana Morales Cortés, the project fosters knowledge through collaboration between artists, local communities, and scientists, emphasizing sustainability and cultural roots. As Mariana puts it, “Garambullo is a platform for the exchange of knowledge. And, like any good Mexican home, the kitchen is the epicenter of the action.”
Proyecto Garambullo wants to help preserve the delicate semidesert landscape of Querétaro. (Proyecto Garambullo)
Art and community: Working hand in hand
Proyecto Garambullo’s work starts with the local communities of Colón. Before involving artists, workshops are held to learn from the ancestral knowledge of those who cultivate and gather wild products in the area. This knowledge forms the foundation for artistic residencies, where creators from various disciplines integrate into the environment and collaborate with the communities to produce work that honors the land’s roots and ancestors.
In partnership with Trámite, a bureau promoting art collecting and emerging artists in Mexico, Garambullo organizes residencies that allow artists to explore the semidesert’s biodiversity and life. These experiences result in art pieces reflecting the environment’s richness and invite contemplation on the relationship between art, nature, and culture.
In the latest Trámite edition, Paola Jasso curated the residency, presenting works by the artistic duo Celeste and artist Maximiliano Ruelas. Their pieces delved into themes of territory, community, and semi-desert life, offering a profound, reflective perspective on the region.
Garambullo also offers native food the opportunity to shine. (Proyecto Garambullo)
Gastronomy and culinary knowledge
Mariana explains, “I came to live in Colón, Querétaro, and I wanted to create something connected to nature and art. Over time, the idea grew, and now we are researching food culture. We’ve engaged with producers and gatherers to learn from these women about what they harvest and gather — wild vegetables and products. It’s a way of revisiting the past to recover from crises. By linking art with cooking and nature, we open pathways to better understand ourselves as a community and appreciate our environment.”
Cooking is a core pillar of the project. At “MADA” workshops, inspired by the Hñahñu word for a molcajete, local cooks share recipes highlighting wild ingredients and cornfield products. These workshops aim to “preserve culinary traditions and elevate the value of regional biodiversity.” Understanding what grows wild and is edible can be crucial during times of crisis.
Each month, Garambullo organizes gastronomic experiences that blend traditional dishes with community conversations and hikes through the semi-desert. These activities offer participants firsthand insight into the harvesting process and the region’s natural wealth.
The future of Querétaro’s semi-desert
As well as promoting art, Garambullo wants to help the semidesert thrive in every possible manner. (Proyecto Garambullo)
Proyecto Garambullo’s mission to revalue local knowledge and preserve biodiversity positions it as a cultural and research hub in the region. Among its long-term goals — already underway — is creating a collective recipe book that celebrates the semidesert’s biodiversity and preserves traditions like garambullo harvesting, one of the area’s most iconic fruits.
An invitation to change
Spaces like Proyecto Garambullo reshape our understanding of the relationship between art, community, and the environment. Their work inspires a shift toward a more conscious, sustainable lifestyle, allowing artists to create works that can transform perspectives and worldviews.
Anyone can visit Proyecto Garambullo to explore its workshops, hikes, and gastronomic experiences and become part of this initiative celebrating art, cuisine, and the Querétaro semidesert’s rich heritage.
Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer, and cultural promoter and is the former Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine.
Mexico has sent a delegation of specialized firefighters and personnel from its Civil Protection and forest protection agencies, as well as members of the Mexican military to Los Angeles to fight southern California's wildfires. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum announced last Friday that Mexico was sending a team of firefighters and military personnel to the beleaguered city.
President Sheinbaum said that sending the Mexican team of 74 firefighters and military and emergency personnel to Los Angeles reflected the values of her government and Mexicans in general. “The Mexican people are generous and fraternal,” she said.
Mexico’s National Civil Protection chief Laura Velázquez joined Sheinbaum’s press conference via video link to provide an update on the work being carried out by a team of Mexican firefighters and military personnel in Los Angeles.
Velázquez noted that the “Mexican delegation” of 72 people — of which she is part — arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday and subsequently made their way to a logistics center where “all essential supplies” are provided to personnel responding to the devastating situation in L.A.
After attending a firefighting “information session” on Sunday, members of the Mexican delegation started on-the-ground work on Monday, the Civil Protection chief said.
California emergency personnel confer with the Mexican delegation at a logistics center at Zuma Beach in Malibu on Sunday. (Conafor/Twitter)
National Forestry Commission (Conafor) firefighters are carrying out “fire management tasks” while Defense Ministry (Defensa) disaster relief workers are engaged in search and rescue missions, Velázquez said.
“Conafor is obviously participating in response work combating forest fires, contributing to the protection of communities, the ecosystem and natural resources in the state of California,” she said.
“Defensa is strengthening search and rescue work in areas that are difficult to access, contributing to the location and removal of people affected by the fires,” Velázquez said.
“… We’re working as one, president, in accordance with your instructions,” she told Sheinbaum, adding that there is “complete coordination” with the government of California.
Velázquez also said that the Mexican team was “the first international delegation” to join the firefighting efforts in Los Angeles, where blazes have killed at least 24 people and damaged or destroyed thousands of structures.
Mexico and Los Angeles are ‘brothers,’ says Sheinbaum
Later in the press conference, a reporter noted that KISS bassist and singer Gene Simmons is among a large number of people who have expressed appreciation for Mexico’s support in fighting the wildfires in Los Angeles.
In a post to X on Monday, Simmons wrote: “A big thank you to Mexico’s new, impressive President Claudia Sheinbaum for sending Mexico’s best firefighters to help L.A. battle these monstrous fires.”
After the reporter noted that Simmons specifically thanked Sheinbaum, the president said that the Mexican government, first and foremost, is “humanist.”
“Before everything else that is our vision, our way of thinking ” she said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom thanks Mexico firefighters
California Governor Gavin Newsom was on hand to welcome the Mexican delegation. In a video posted online, he thanked Mexico for sending the humanitarian team.
“And it matches the way of thinking of the Mexican people, the Mexican people are generous and fraternal,” Sheinbaum said.
She also noted that Los Angeles “has welcomed many Mexicans” over the years.
“Well, remember that it was Mexico. But during the middle and end of the 19th century, the entire 20th century and now, [Los Angeles] has welcomed a lot of Mexicans,” Sheinbaum said.
“… So we always [offer] our solidarity and support, and particularly to this city. We are brothers,” she said.
While Mexicans are currently assisting the firefighting efforts in L.A., Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexicans are also likely to play a key role in the rebuilding of the city.
“They’re going to need a lot of manpower, and there are no better construction workers than Mexicans,” Sheinbaum said.
Each year, monarch butterflies migrate from Canada and the United States to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a 562-square-kilometer UNESCO site in the forests of Michoacán and México state. (Erika Lowe/Unsplash)
The late arrival of the annual monarch butterfly migration in mid-November raised concerns among the residents of Ejido El Rosario, Michoacán, and its surrounding areas. However, their numbers have been a pleasant surprise, with more butterflies arriving this year than last, according to the caretakers of their main habitat in Mexico.
Michoacán is home to the world-famous Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, which spans over 562 square kilometers (also including parts of México state). Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the reserve annually welcomes millions of butterflies that migrate from the northern United States and southern Canada to nest in Mexico’s pine and fir forests.
A monarch butterfly hangs out for the winter in the forests of Temascaltepec, México state.
“[The butterflies] arrived several days later than usual. But there are more butterflies this year than the last,” Abel Cruz Reséndiz, manager of El Campanario sanctuary in the Rosario Ejido, located in the municipality of Ocampo, told the newspaper La Jornada.
Close to 50% of all the butterflies that migrate to Michoacán congregate in the El Campanario sanctuary.
According to Cruz, there are about 50 million butterflies in the reserve now. While this figure is more than the one registered in 2023, it is less than in 2022.
“This confirms that the migration of the monarchs has fluctuations,” Reséndiz said.
In November 2022, some 90 million monarchs arrived in the fir forests of El Campanario Hill. A year later, the population dropped to almost half.
In good seasons, Michoacán’s Ejido El Rosario has seen over 100 million butterflies.
Scientists and conservationists have been tackling climate change threats to the butterflies’ habitat by moving fir seedlings to higher and colder areas in the region as the current habitat’s climate changes. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
However, there have been challenging seasons like the one recorded in 2016, when a snowfall led to the death of millions of butterflies. The monarch population took two years to recover.
Cruz noted that Michoacán is working to protect the monarch butterfly and restore its habitat, including planting nearly 200 hectares of fir and pine.
“We continually monitor the butterfly’s core area,” he told La Jornada. “The main threat lies along the migration route the butterfly takes from the northern continent, particularly through agricultural areas, where insecticides kill millions of butterflies.”
Governor of Michoacán Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla said that this year marks half a century since the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve began to receive national and international tourists. To celebrate, the monarch butterfly will be included in the state’s official promotional materials, he said.
According to many experts, climate change is gradually changing the ecosystems of Mexico’s forests, putting the monarch’s habitat under threat from increasingly severe temperature changes, droughts and the emergence of pests. Some models predict that the climate habitat suitable for monarchs in the existing Monarch Reserve could disappear by 2090.
A group of scientists and conservationists is already collaborating to move fir seedlings to higher and colder areas in the region and create new butterfly habitats. The team aims to establish healthy trees in these areas by 2060.
Accompanied by cabinet ministers including Ebrard and Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O, Sheinbaum outlined 12 specific goals of Plan México to an audience that included government and business sector representatives. (Presidencia)
President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday presented an ambitious economic plan whose goals include making Mexico the 10th largest economy in the world, reducing reliance on imports from China and other Asian countries and creating 1.5 million new jobs.
Sheinbaum unveiled Plan México at the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, making her second major speech in two days after delivering an hourlong address on Sunday to highlight her government’s achievements during its first 100 days in office.
In addition to seeking increased foreign investment, one of Sheinbaum’s 12 goals of Plan México is to provide access to finance to at least 30% of small and medium-sized businesses. “We’re among the countries with the least funding for small and medium-sized companies,” Sheinbaum said. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartocuro)
The president described Plan México as a long-term “vision for equitable and sustainable development” that promotes economic growth while prioritizing “wellbeing for our people.”
She said that the plan would “continue to promote” the relocation of foreign companies to North America as Mexico seeks to take advantage of what has been described as a “once-in-a-generation” nearshoring opportunity.
Sheinbaum said that there is already US $277 billion in the investment pipeline.
“We’ve reached the level of having counted $277 billion in [proposed] investment [from companies] that want to come to Mexico,” she said, adding that the planned outlay is spread across some 2,000 projects.
Sheinbaum also reiterated that the USMCA free trade pact, which is up for revision in 2026, has benefited each of its signatories — the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“It will be maintained because it has been shown to be one of the best trade agreements in history,” she said.
Sheinbaum unveiled Plan México at the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City on Monday before hundreds of business leaders and the economic development ministers of Mexico’s 32 federal entities. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Its aim with the tariffs is to support and protect Mexican sectors that have lost competitiveness and consequently market share due to an increase in imports to Mexico, especially low-cost products from China.
Plan México could help appease Trump as it reinforces Mexico’s commitment to the economic region in which it is located: North America.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said late last year that Mexico would “mobilize all legitimate interests in favor of North America” amid the ongoing China-U.S. trade war that could intensify after Trump takes office on Jan. 20.
The goals of Plan México
Accompanied by cabinet ministers including Ebrard and Finance Minister Rogelio Ramírez de la O, Sheinbaum outlined 12 specific goals of Plan México to an audience that included various business sector representatives.
Sheinbaum described the plan as promoting economic growth in Mexico while prioritizing “wellbeing for our people.” (Presidencia)
“As you can see, they are ambitious goals,” she told attendees as the 12 objectives were displayed on a screen.
“For example, going from being the 12th largest economy in the world to being the 10th largest economy. That’s the scale of our objective,” Sheinbaum said.
The full list of Plan México goals the president presented is as follows:
To make Mexico the 10th largest economy in the world by the end of Sheinbaum’s term in 2030.
To maintain public and private investment levels above 25% of Mexico’s GDP, and increase investment to above 28% of GDP by 2030.
To create 1.5 million jobs in Mexico’s specialized manufacturing industry and other “strategic sectors.”
To increase production in “strategic sectors” in Mexico so that they can supply 50% of the national demand for products made in those sectors. “That is the objective, at least, in the textiles, footwear, furniture and toy sectors as well as some others,” Sheinbaum said.
To increase by 15% the use of domestically made contents in products made by the following sectors: automotive, aerospace, electronics, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.
To have products made in Mexico account for 50% of all government purchases.
To make (more) vaccines in Mexico.
To reduce the average time between an investment announcement and the execution of a project from 2.6 years to 1 year.
To train an additional 150,000 “professionals” and “technicians” per year, with a focus on preparing people to work in “strategic sectors.”
To promote environmentally sustainable investment.
To provide access to finance to at least 30% of small and medium-sized businesses. “We’re among the countries with the least funding for small and medium-sized companies,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum added that a “substantive goal” of Plan México is to “reduce poverty and inequality in our country.”
She explained that the aim of producing more in Mexico is to not just supply more products to the domestic market but also to “the regional market.”
“The United States also depends a lot on imports from China and [other] Asian countries. We’re going to strengthen the regional market. And, in addition, our objective is also to expand [trade and economic cooperation] to the entire American continent. That is the vision we want in order to be the region with the greatest potential and development in the world,” she said.
How will the federal government support Plan México?
One measure is the provision of additional incentives to foreign and Mexican companies, which will be detailed in a “nearshoring decree” to be published this Friday.
Among the other “actions” are the following:
The submission to Congress of a proposed National Simplification and Digitalization Law aimed at cutting red tape.
The commencement of work with importers aimed at increasing production in Mexico.
Mexico’s existing trade agreements, tariff policies (the government appears open to matching U.S. tariffs on certain Chinese imports) and “customs intelligence” will also support Plan México, according to the “first draft” document presented by Sheinbaum.
Sheinbaum said that the document was a “first draft” because additional “ideas” will be added to Plan México.
The president also said that her government has been developing a “public investment plan” that includes spending on highways, passenger rail projects, airports, industrial parks, energy (particularly renewable energy), water, housing, security, education and other initiatives.
Presentamos el Plan México en el Museo Nacional de Antropología. El objetivo es subir del lugar 12 al 10 entre las mejores economías del mundo y alcanzar el bienestar de todas y todos los mexicanos. pic.twitter.com/6kJnA1B4gu
‘The aim is for everyone to be part of the construction of Plan México’
In a speech at the Museum of Anthropology, before Sheinbaum presented the details of Plan México, Marcelo Ebrard said that various working groups, “all led by Doctor Claudia Sheinbaum,” developed Plan México.
He said the plan could be described as “a navigational chart for Mexico for the new era we’re going to face.”
The economy minister highlighted the speed with which the plan was developed and declared that it was “virtually dictated by the president.”
However, Ebrard also said that the plan was the result of “collective work.”
“The national private sector is [represented] here, as is the private sector of the [different] federal entities and the economic development ministers of the 32 federal entities,” he said.
“… So it’s a collective job. A navigational chart, as I said at the beginning. There is uncertainty in the immediate future, but if we are united and have a national direction, as we do, we will come out ahead,” Ebrard said.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard spoke before Sheinbaum’s Monday address, emphasizing that Plan México was the result of “collective work.” (Daniel Augusto/Cuartocuro)
In her address, Sheinbaum said there is “a plan, a project and goals” for each of Mexico’s 32 states within Plan México.
“And the aim is for everyone to be part of the construction of Plan México,” she said.
Finance minister highlights that import substitution will spur growth
Repeating remarks he made last year, Rogelio Ramírez said that the replacement of just 10% of Chinese imports with products made in North America would boost economic growth in Mexico, the United States and Canada.
He said that the replacement of one-tenth of Chinese imports with production in North America would add 1.2 percentage points to Mexico’s annual GDP growth rate, and 0.8 points and 0.2 points to growth rates in the United States and Canada, respectively.
Ramírez highlighted that China has significantly increased its share of global trade this century, while the share of the USMCA signatories declined.
“This loss of participation cost us, especially Mexico and the United States, Canada less so,” Ramírez said, adding that a lot of factories in North America have shut down and a lot of jobs have been lost.
The effectiveness of Plan México in remedying that situation will become evident in the coming years.
Renata Zarazúa became Mexico's first professional tennis player to win an Australian Open match since 2000 on Monday, beating the U.S.'s Taylor Townsend. (Olimpismo Mexicano/X)
For the first time in 25 years, a Mexican tennis player won a match at the Australia Open in Melbourne, Australia. With her victory on Monday, Renata Zarazúa, 27, marked Mexico’s first win at Melbourne Park since Angélica Gavaldón beat Tzipi Obziler in the first round of the 2000 edition.
Zarazúa advanced to the next round after defeating the U.S.’s Taylor Townsend in three sets, which she won 6-7, 6-1 and 6-2.
Zarazúa is the first Mexican player since 2000 to win a match at the Australian Open. The last player to do so was Angélica Gavaldón, seen here as a 16-year-old playing her first Australian Open in 1990. (Mexican Tennis Federation)
The Mexican athlete faced a challenging first set, during which Townsend hit 11 consecutive aces. Still, Zarazúa won the first set in a tiebreaker. Zarazúa became the dominant player afterward, winning the second and third sets.
This marks Zarazúa’s third career victory in one of the four major tennis tournaments worldwide, following her win at Roland Garros in 2020 and her defeat of Caroline Garcia at the US Open 2024.
While she is competing in her fifth consecutive Grand Slam, this is her first as part of the main draw. In 2024, she secured her place by breaking into the top 70 of the WTA rankings, a position previously achieved only by Gavaldón.
Zarazúa’s next match will take place Jan. 15 or 16. She will compete against Italian Jasmine Paolini in the second round. Paolini, ranked No. 4 by the WTA, is coming off the best year of her career. Last year, she reached the finals of two Grand Slams and won the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Zarazúa hails from a tennis family. Her uncle, Vicente Zarazúa, represented Mexico on its Davis Cup team in the 1960s. She is currently coached by her brother, Patricio.
Zarazúa was also the first tennis player to represent Mexico at the Olympics in Tokyo 2020.
Conafor attributed the dramatic increase in area destroyed to the effects of climate change, including extended drought, high temperatures and a disruption in normal rain patterns. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican firefighters battled more than 8,000 wildfires in 2024, blazes that burned more than 1.67 million hectares (4.1 million acres) — a nearly 60% increase over the destruction caused by fires in 2023, according to Mexico’s National Forestry Commission (Conafor).
In its year-end report, Conafor also reported that the total area destroyed was the most recorded since it began keeping records in 1998, and the 8,002 fires were the sixth-highest total in the past 27 years. Additionally, Conafor reported that 18 firefighters died in the field in 2024.
The Conafor report indicated that 95% of the fire damage affected grasses and shrubbery and only 5% impacted tree cover. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
In its report, Conafor attributed the dramatic increase in area destroyed to the effects of climate change, including extended drought, high temperatures and a disruption in normal rain patterns.
While presenting the report, Conafor manager César Robles explained that in January 2024, more than 80% of the country was experiencing drought.
“In drought conditions, the vegetation is much more prone to catch fire,” he said, according to the newspaper Milenio. “And even though it began to rain in mid-June [in Mexico], we were seeing much more intense fires, blazes that were more severe, more dangerous and more explosive.”
The Conafor report indicated that 95% of the fire damage affected grasses and shrubbery and only 5% impacted tree cover. Of the 1.67 million hectares affected, the newspaper El Sol de México reported that 41% of the damaged area will take more than five years to recover its vegetation.
Robles said Conafor expects more of the same in 2025, especially since the anomalies in precipitation will continue during the first three months of the year.
“We are on alert,” he said. “We are taking all due precautions and we have a very strong relationship with national civil protection units, as well as with Defensa [the Defense Ministry], Semar [the Naval Ministry], the National Water Commission and the National Meteorological Service.”
Approximately 38% of Mexico is currently experiencing some degree of drought conditions. (Monitor de Sequía de México)
Robles identified March through June as particularly critical months for Conafor, during which much of the country is vulnerable to fires. He said July through November will be more critical for firefighters in the northeastern part of the country.
Conafor has 1,700 full-time firefighters on the payroll with another 1,7000 brigade members on part-time duty. Last year, Conafor registered 506,408 person/days — a unit of measurement that represents the amount of work a single person can complete in one working day — while fighting fires across the nation.
Conafor provided details about the number of fires and the area damaged in each state in 2024. The 1,672,216 hectares destroyed last year easily surpassed the 1,047,493 hectares damaged in 2023, and tripled the median (about 585,000 hectares) of the past 27 years.
Conafor had never registered destruction of more than 1 million hectares before 2023.
The 10 states with the most area damaged in 2024 were:
Guerrero: 113,972 hectares
Chiapas: 41,267 hectares
Oaxaca: 21,608 hectares
Jalisco: 21,235 hectares
Michoacán: 12,688 hectares
Sinaloa: 9,237 hectares
Colima: 5,445 hectares
San Luis Potosí: 4,777 hectares
Veracruz: 4,374 hectares
Puebla: 4,043 hectares
There were 8,002 fires registered in 2024, far behind the 14,445 recorded in 1998, but nearly 400 more fires than in 2023.
Amazon Web Services will invest US $5 billion in the development of a new Querétaro data region over the next 15 years. (Shutterstock)
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a US $5 billion investment in Mexico from Amazon Web Services during her daily press conference on Tuesday.
The investment, which will be distributed over the next 15 years, is aimed at developing a new digital “region” in Mexico’s Querétaro state. With it, Amazon expects to establish Mexico as a hub for digital innovation in Latin America.
Sheinbaum announced the investment alongside Amazon representatives, including AWS Vice President for Latin America Paula Bellizia. (Gustavo Alberto/Cuartoscuro)
Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to train 400,000 people to manage the Querétaro infrastructure cloud region. This builds upon AWS’s commitment to developing Mexican talent, having trained 500,000 Mexicans in cloud skills since 2017.
“[The] new Amazon investment of $5 billion in Querétaro. 200,000 people will be trained and educated, it will generate an additional $10 billion for the GDP, and we will be ready for artificial intelligence. Plan México is moving ahead!” Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard wrote on the social media site X.
Plan México, announced by Sheinbaum and members of the Economy Ministry (SE) on Monday, seeks to attract $277 billion in domestic and foreign investment across 2,000 projects in the next six years.
AWS said the new digital region will help customers run workloads and securely store data via Mexico’s data centers. The company first announced plans to develop data centers in Mexico last February in response to the growing demand in Latin America for cloud services.
🚀 Come & build the future with us! The new #AWS Region in #Mexico is now open.
“Our commitment is to democratizing access to advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing, promoting a more equitable, innovative and competitive Mexico at a global level,” AWS Vice President for Latin America Paula Bellizia said during Sheinbaum’s press conference.
Bellizia also said that the investment is expected to support the creation of “7,000 highly qualified and full-time jobs” per year.
According to Amazon, the construction and operation of the new center in Querétaro will add about $10 billion to Mexico’s gross domestic product.
“One way to accelerate the impact on the Mexican economy is the adoption of artificial intelligence and we know that it is central to the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum,” said Bellizia on Tuesday.
The 1.8-meter-tall piñata featuring the Hindu mythological figure Ravana and his 10 heads, each symbolizing a vice to overcome. (Embassy of India in Mexico City)
Despite being more than 15,000 kilometers apart, Mexico and India share more than one might imagine, like family values, a love for unique flavors, an ancestral, vibrant culture and distinctive religious practices.
Recently, the two countries collaborated on a piñata in the shape of the Hindu mythological character Ravana, highlighting Indian culture at the hands of Mexican artists.
On Dec. 20, authorities in Acolman, México state — located right outside of the Teotihuacán pyramid complex — unveiled a piñata modeled after the Hindu demon king Ravana.
The piñata was created with the support of the Gurudev Tagore Indian Cultural Center in Mexico City, and the Municipality of Acolman, Mexico. Made by local papier-mâché artisan Alberto Alejandro de la Cruz Morales, the piñata participated in Acolman’s annual International Piñata Festival, which ran from Dec. 19 through Dec. 22.
According to the project’s collaborators, the piñata merges the worldviews of both cultures. In Mexico, breaking the piñata symbolizes overcoming obstacles to earn a reward. Traditionally, the piñata has seven spokes, representing the seven deadly sins, and breaking it symbolizes defeating temptations and the struggle between good and evil.
In contrast, Ravana is a central figure in Hindu mythology, primarily known as the antagonist in the epic Ramayana. This complex character plays a crucial role in Indian culture, representing various aspects of tradition and folklore. Ravana is depicted with 10 heads and 20 arms, demonstrating his power and wisdom.
Taking these characteristics into account, Alejandro de la Cruz Morales created the 1.8-meter-tall piñata featuring Ravana and his 10 heads, each symbolizing a vice to overcome.
Indian Ambassador to Mexico Pankaj Sharma participated in the piñata’s reveal ceremony, along with Abhinaw Raj, director of the Gurudev Tagore Indian Cultural Center, and the artists behind the piñata’s creation.
According to Raj, the piñata project is the fruit of a larger effort by India to promote academic and cultural exchange with Mexico.
Educational programs and Mexico-India exchange opportunities
Raj told the newspaper Crónica that the Embassy of India in Mexico City has implemented several scholarship programs that cover airfare, accommodation and a monthly stipend, enabling Mexican students to pursue undergraduate, master’s or doctoral degrees in India.
In addition, through India’s bilateral assistance program ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation), Mexican professionals and public officials can enroll in short-term courses in India in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, technology, education and culture.
Officially launched on Sept. 15, 1964, this India-led program extends to residents of 158 countries and has invested more than US $2 billion in training professionals worldwide.
