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Taxi drivers announce blockade at Mexico City International Airport

By
MND Staff
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Passengers walk through a terminal at Mexico City International Airport
The protest, organized by the taxi organization New Image Land Transportation, A.C., is scheduled to start this morning between 9 and 10 a.m. at the entrance of gate 9 of AICM. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Access roads to Terminal 1 and 2 of Mexico City International Airport (AICM) will be blocked Wednesday as taxi drivers protest the government’s ongoing support for ride-hailing apps operating at the capital’s airport. 

Taxi drivers have also warned users that taxi companies at the airport won’t provide transportation services during the entire protest.  

The protest, organized by the taxi organization New Image Land Transportation, A.C., is scheduled to start Wednesday between 9 and 10 a.m. at the entrance of gate 9 of AICM, before moving on to block access roads to both terminals. 

Taxi drivers have said they will block roads for an indefinite amount of time.  

“The entire sector will be present on the airport roads indefinitely, until the authorities give us a written commitment that the current law will not be modified and that the current legal framework will be respected,” the taxi drivers stated. 

Why are taxi drivers protesting? 

The protests follow the introduction of a bill to modify the law and allow the operation of digital transportation platforms (Uber, DiDi) in federal areas, which includes the AICM. Taxi drivers consider the move a direct threat to their source of work and assets.

“Given the lack of enforcement of the law by the Infrastructure, Communications and Transport Ministry (SICT) and AICM authorities, who continue to allow ride-hailing apps to operate within federal areas where the law prohibits it, and given the initiatives being promoted in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies to modify the law and tailor it to suit these platforms, the airport transportation sector has decided to raise its voice,” a statement from the concessionaries’ organization said.

The statement added that the protest seeks to highlight the need to protect the dignity and livelihoods of thousands of Mexican families, who claim they have consistently adhered to current regulations.  

Taxi drivers have warned that if the law is not honored, the organized sector is ready to apply pressure through more protests and blockades.

What should I do if I have a flight?

Severe traffic disruptions are expected on Circuito Interior, Capitán Carlos León, Boulevard Puerto Aéreo and other access roads to the airport.

AICM has advised passengers to arrive at the airport earlier than usual and to check their flight status directly with the airline. Additionally, it advises using alternative parking options, such as the Ciudad Deportiva parking lot in Magdalena Mixhuca, and then taking the free shuttle to Terminal 2. 

With reports from El Financiero, Excélsior and Infobae

An 11th prehistoric skeleton has been found in a Yucatán Peninsula cenote

By
MND Staff
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skeleton discovery site
The discoverers believe that the body had been intentionally placed in the underground cave before it was flooded with water some 8,000 years ago. (INAH)

A prehistoric skeleton has been found in the underground river and cave system along Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

Octavio del Río, the cave-diving archaeologist who was among those who made the find, said it is the 11th such skeleton found in the region over the past three decades. Some of the earlier discoveries date back as far as 13,000 years, older than what was originally thought to be the earliest arrival of humans to the Americas (as detailed with a similar but earlier nearby finding that accompanies this article).

8,000 year-old human skeleton discovered by cave divers near Tulum

The discovery was made between Tulum and Playa del Carmen in the state of Quintana Roo, an area that archaeologists consider strategic for research into the earliest inhabitants of North America.

Del Rio, who works with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), told The Associated Press in late February that the skeleton was “found in a flooded cave about 26 feet (8 meters) below the surface after swimming about 656 feet (200 meters) through the cave.”

The intricate underground system that runs beneath the coast of the Mexican Caribbean was flooded toward the end of the last ice age, roughly 8,000 years ago.

It is most probable that the remains arrived at the site when the cave was still dry, Del Rio said. 

The skeleton — which was discovered late last year — was positioned on a dune of sediment in a narrower part of an inner chamber. Del Río said it is virtually certain that the bones were placed there intentionally.

Ongoing analyses and studies will provide more details about the context, antiquity and practices of the region’s ancient inhabitants.

Previous research suggests the area of the finds functioned as a burial site where ritual practices were performed by the first peoples who inhabited the region. The position of the remains reinforces this interpretation.

Luis Alberto Martos, director of archaeological studies at INAH, said this discovery will help clarify how the first settlers arrived on the Yucatan Peninsula and how they used the caves in prehistoric times.

Recent genetic data support the hypothesis of a migration from Asia across the Bering Strait, although there are still indications of possible routes from South America.

In addition to human remains, the underground rivers and cenotes hold the remains of extinct animals, such as giant sloths, saber-toothed tigers and ancestral bears.

Archaeologists hope these discoveries will contribute to understanding how ancient populations adapted to the Yucatán Peninsula while aiding in the reconstruction of Ice Age ecosystems in future research.

Given the ecological vulnerability and archaeological significance of the region, scientists have urged officials to designate the underground area as a protected natural and cultural heritage site, in recognition of its historical and environmental importance.

With reports from The Associated Press, Infobae, Diario Cambio 22 and El Universal

Sheinbaum likely to visit Brazil this year to strengthen bilateral energy cooperation

By
MND Staff
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3
President of Brazil Luiz Lula da Silva and President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum
At her morning press conference, Sheinbaum said that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has invited her some four times to visit Brazil, Latin America's most populous country and largest economy. (@Claudiashein/X)

A day after speaking to the president of Brazil by phone, President Claudia Sheinbaum said Tuesday that it was “very probable” that she would visit the South American country later this year.

At her morning press conference, Sheinbaum said that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has invited her some four times to visit Brazil, Latin America’s most populous country and largest economy.

“Until now, I’ve told him no, but he’s been so persistent that it’s probable I’ll go to Brazil,” she told reporters.

Lula, as the Brazilian president is widely known, wrote on social media on Monday that he had spoken to Sheinbaum by phone. He said that his Mexican counterpart had accepted his invitation to visit Brazil, adding that her trip was expected to take place between June and July.

However, on Tuesday morning, Sheinbaum said that her visit would have to take place before June, as elections will be held in Brazil this year.

“They have an election this year and I understand [the electoral process] starts in June, something like that. So I would have to go before June because I can’t go … [during] the election,” she said.

Sheinbaum noted that Mexico has a longstanding relationship with Brazil, and highlighted that a Brazilian delegation that included the vice president and businesspeople came to Mexico last year. During their visit, Mexico and Brazil signed various agreements on agriculture, health and biofuels.

Sheinbaum said that the aim of the relationship with Brazil is not to sign a comprehensive free-trade agreement, as such a pact could “harm both countries.”

Instead, the two countries are focused on “complementary actions for our economies,” she said.

“… For example, we’re very interested in ethanol, and we’re working on that [with Brazil] and some other issues of interest for Mexico and … for [Brazil],” Sheinbaum said.

Brazil is the world’s second-largest producer of ethanol, which can be used for a range of purposes, including as a fuel and solvent. Most of the ethanol Brazil produces is made with sugarcane, of which the South American country is the world’s largest grower.

According to a U.K. government document, Brazil’s ethanol program has “not only reduced national dependence on imported energy,” but “also bolstered the economy, created jobs and diversified the country’s renewable energy portfolio.”

Mexico is aiming to reduce its reliance on imported energy, especially gasoline and natural gas.

In his social media post, Lula wrote that he and Sheinbaum on Monday discussed strengthening the economic relationship between Brazil and Mexico, particularly in the energy sector.

He also said he suggested to Sheinbaum that a business event be organized to bring together private sector representatives from both countries “to explore new business opportunities.”

Mexico and Brazil at a glance 

Mexico News Daily 

More Mexicans are riding the rails as train ridership tops 55 million

By
MND Staff
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a station of the new light rail connecting Mexico City with the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA)
The new light rail connecting Mexico City with the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) is expected to open to passengers in the coming weeks. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Train ridership in Mexico is up, following the completion of two major new train routes and thanks to the ongoing success of Mexico City’s Suburban Train, according to government data. 

In 2025, 55.1 million passengers traveled on Mexico’s six active rail systems, representing a 6.9% increase compared to the previous year. Mexico City’s Suburban Train, which links the northern limit of the city with Cuautitlán in México state, contributed 82% of this increase.

Mexico City’s Suburban Train, which is operated by Ferrocarriles Suburbanos, recorded passenger numbers of 45.1 million in 2025, down 2.2% from the previous year. 

The founder of the consulting firm Spyral, Alfredo Nolasco, blames the decrease on a range of factors, including the development of alternative transport options, the rise in the number of office workers working from home after the COVID-19 pandemic, the growing use of motorcycles and the increase in purchasing power among the lower income brackets.

However, passenger numbers are expected to increase with the upcoming inauguration of the light rail connection from México state’s Lechería station to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and the gradual adoption of the recently inaugurated Interurban “Insurgente” Train linking eastern México state with the Observatorio station of the Mexico City Metro. 

Now running: El Insurgente train linking Toluca with Mexico City in 45 minutes

After years of delays, the long-awaited train became fully operational in February. In 2025, the then-operational section of the train, which connected Zinacantepec, Toluca, Metepec, Lerma and Santa Fe, saw an 88.8% increase in passenger numbers, which totaled 8.4 million at year’s end.  

The Maya Train, in the Yucatán Peninsula, which became fully operational in December 2024, experienced similar success last year, with passenger numbers increasing by 91.9%, to 1.3 million year on year. 

The ridership of the Suburban, Interurban and Maya Train lines contributed 99.5% of Mexico’s total rail passenger numbers in 2025.

This was followed by the Chepe Express tourist train (connecting Sinaloa with Chihuahua via the famous Copper Canyon) with 179,000 passengers, the Interoceanic Corridor (traversing Veracruz and Oaxaca) with 69,800 passengers, and the Tijuana-Tecate tourist train with 1,700. 

Sheinbaum’s big rail plans

President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced major plans for the expansion of Mexico’s railways, having previously stated the ambitious goal of building more than 3,000 kilometers of railway track for passenger trains before her term ends in 2030. 

Works commenced on the Mexico City-Querétaro and Querétaro-Irapuato train lines last year, which form part of the new Mexico City-Guadalajara-Nogales line. The government aims for the railway line to serve 6 million passengers each year once completed. 

With reports from El Economista

Mexican flag football star Victoria Chávez is World Games Athlete of the Year

By
MND Staff
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Victoria Chávez
Chihuahua city's Victoria Chávez, recently voted the World Games Athlete of the Year, plays for Mexico's national flag football team, which is considered to be a gold medal candidate at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. (Conade)

For the second time in a matter of months, a Mexican woman has climbed to the top of a global sporting podium, as flag football star Victoria Chávez has been voted the 2025 World Games Athlete of the Year.

Her emergence last month from a pool of 30 worldwide nominees came on the heels of soccer player Lizbeth Ovalle winning FIFA’s 2025 Marta Award for her amazing “scorpion kick” deemed the best women’s goal of the year.

Mexican woen's flag football players
Mexico’s top sports authority (Conade) knows it has a good chance of international success in flag football in the two years remaining before the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, and will be focusing on the sport during that time.
(Conade)

Chávez, a wide receiver from the city of Chihuahua, captured 50,537 votes in an online fan poll.

She finished ahead of a two-person entry, competitive ballroom dance team Marius Andrei Balan and Khrystyna Moshenska of Germany, and a fellow Mexican, Laura Burgos of Monterrey, Nuevo León, who won gold in muay thai (kickboxing) at the 2025 World Games.

The Germans received 43,528 votes to rank as first runner-up, and Burgos 29,753 votes for second runner-up. All received a trophy and other prizes.

Mexican archer Maya Becerra of Zapopan, Jalisco, was also among the 30 nominees, giving Mexico three candidates for the first time.

The vote honored athletes who excel at the World Games, a quadrennial multi-sport event for mostly non-Olympic disciplines such as squash, tug-of-war and korfball (similar to basketball).

It is a single, gender-neutral award rather than separate men’s and women’s categories. The 2022 winner was Colombian flying disc player Valeria Cárdenas.

The latest World Games were held in August 2025 in Chengdu, China, where Mexico’s women’s flag football team defended its previous title by beating the United States 26-21 on a last-second touchdown catch by the 24-year-old Chávez — a gold-medal victory hailed a day later by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Mexico also defeated the United States to win gold in 2022, when the COVID-delayed 2021 games were held in Birmingham, Alabama. 

With flag football set to debut at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Mexico’s women — currently ranked No. 1 in the world ahead of the United States and Great Britain — are expected to contend for gold.

Chávez won the award after a comeback from a serious knee injury.

“It’s a dream come true for me,” she told Mexico’s National Commission for Physical Culture and Sport. “Experiencing all of this with my team surpasses any dream I could have imagined.”

The announcement of her award came just months after Ovalle was declared the winner of the Marta Award for the spectacular 2025 goal she scored while playing for the Monterrey-based Tigres UANL women’s pro soccer team.

The 26-year-old from Aguascalientes currently plays for the Orlando Pride in the U.S.-based National Women’s Soccer League. She joined the club in August on a transfer fee of about US $1.5 million, which set a record for women’s soccer at that time.

With reports from Conecta and IMER Noticias

More than 24,000 illegal firearms seized since Sheinbaum took office

By
MND Staff
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0
The firearms are smuggled into Mexico from the U.S., often after they have been purchased by straw buyers.
The firearms are smuggled into Mexico from the U.S., often after they have been purchased by straw buyers. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal/Cuartoscuro)

Around eight in ten of the more than 24,000 firearms seized in Mexico since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office entered the country from the United States, according to the federal government.

The latest government data shows that authorities seized 24,122 firearms between Oct. 1, 2024 — the date Sheinbaum was sworn in — and Feb. 28, 2026. The Sheinbaum administration has been seizing guns at a significantly higher rate than the previous government led by Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

On Feb. 27, during the president’s morning press conference, federal Security Minister Omar García Harfuch told reporters that “approximately 80%” of the seized guns come from the United States.

He said that in the case of larger-caliber weapons, such as machine guns and Barrett rifles, all of the firearms seized during the current government came from the United States.

Such powerful weapons are favored by members of Mexico’s notorious drug cartels, such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The firearms are smuggled into Mexico from the U.S., often after they have been purchased by straw buyers. García Harfuch said Feb. 27 that 20% of firearm seizures during the current government occurred in Sinaloa, the main stronghold of the Sinaloa Cartel.

Mexico has long been pushing the United States to do more to stop the southward flow of guns across the countries’ shared border, a phenomenon that created what former foreign affairs minister and current Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard described in 2022 as a “firearms pandemic.”

As the U.S. government has designated six Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, the southward flow of weapons serves to arm terrorists, it could be argued.

Sheinbaum has acknowledged that the Trump administration has ramped up the fight against gun smuggling from the U.S. to Mexico, and last September the two countries launched a new bilateral initiative aimed at disrupting the southward flow of illicit weapons.

However, on Monday, responding to Donald Trump’s assertion on Saturday that Mexico is the “epicenter of cartel violence,” the president indicated that she would like to see an even greater U.S. crackdown on arms trafficking.

“We believe there is something the United States can help us with enormously: stopping the illegal trafficking of weapons from the United States to Mexico,” she said.

Sheinbaum said that “at least 75%” of weapons in the possession of organized crime groups come from the United States, and cited a U.S. Department of Justice report to support her claim.

“If the entry of illegal weapons from the United States into Mexico is stopped, these groups will not have this type of high-powered weaponry to carry out their criminal activities,” she said.

“So that is something the United States can help us with a lot,” she added.

Most homicides in Mexico are committed with firearms, and most of the guns used to commit the crimes come from the United States, according to Mexican authorities.

In 2021, the Mexican government sued a number of United States-based gun manufacturers and distributors, accusing them of negligent business practices that have led to illegal arms trafficking and deaths in Mexico.

However, last June, the U.S. Supreme Court threw out Mexico’s US $10 billion lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers, ruling unanimously that a 2005 law shields the defendants from prosecution.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

At least 3 dead in Mexico City building collapse

By
MND Staff
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collapsed bilding in Mexico City
The tragedy happened around 2 p.m. on Monday but the last victim was pulled from the rubble after dawn on Tuesday. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Three people were killed and another was badly injured when a building that was being demolished collapsed prematurely in Mexico City on Monday.

The accident happened at about 2 p.m. just across from the San Antonio Abad Metro station near the corner of Calzada de San Antonio Abad and Lorenzo Boturino Street about 1.5 miles south of the Zócalo.

rescure workers at collapsed CDMX building
Rescue workers were able to pull out one of the four demolition workers buried in the rubble of the collapsed building, but three others were found dead. (Camila Ayala Benabib/Cuartoscuro)

Media reports indicate there were 57 workers inside the structure when three of the building’s floor slabs reportedly gave way. Fifty-three men made it to safety, but the four victims were buried in the rubble.

Emergency services and Mexico City police officers arrived quickly and cordoned off the area, hastening to stabilize the fallen edifice before trying to locate the missing workers. 

Ángel Miranda, 45, was extricated from the rock pile within an hour, but rescue workers had trouble reaching the other three victims. While Miranda was rushed to Rubén Leñero Hospital, a canine rescue unit was brought to the building site.

Mayor Clara Brugada and Secretary of Comprehensive Risk Management Myriam Urzúa were also on scene to help coordinate the recovery efforts.

City officials stopped traffic on the Calzada as more equipment arrived to help with the search and remove debris. Images of the structure showed fractured and displaced concrete slabs and exposed rebar.

As the search continued through the evening, Civil Protection personnel worked to prevent objects from spilling onto surrounding roadways, and move onlookers to a safe distance. 

Defense Ministry personnel also joined the recovery efforts, but locating the remaining victims proved difficult. 

By 10 p.m., officials confirmed that one of the missing was found dead, adding that it was unlikely that the other two workers would be found alive.

Rescue efforts continued through the night and by 8 a.m. officials confirmed that the two remaining victims had been found, although the workers were still struggling to extricate the final body.

Urzúa said rescuers were working by hand to remove debris from a 300-square-meter area to recover the remains of the final victim. She said the efforts were complicated by the amount of glass that was still inside frames and windows and was at risk of shattering.

Mayor Brugada said her government would provide all the support necessary to help the families of those affected.

The collapsed building was roughly 60 years old, Urzúa said, and had been badly damaged during the September 2017 earthquake and abandoned immediately thereafter. 

The authorities have begun reviewing the documentation to verify that the demolition company has its permits in order and has complied with all applicable regulations.

With reports from Proceso, La Jornada, Infobae and N+

What to cook this March

By
Bel Woodhouse
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salpicón de res
Salpicón de res is a seasonal favorite in Mexico. (Recetas Nestlé)

I love my warming winter soups or a good pot of chili as much as the next girl. But as we start transitioning into warmer spring weather, I’m excited for lighter meals and salads. Shredded beef salad, jicama fries and slaw, and some delicious Mexican green beans are just the thing to make my tum tum happy. 

Jicama

Crunch perfection, jicama was a game-changer for me the first time I tried it. I’ll admit, I was obsessed and tried it a bunch of different ways. Raw, cooked, steamed, fried, baked … you name it. After all that, here are two of my favorites: jicama slaw and jicama fries. 

Jicama fries
Fresh, healthy and delicious, who doesn’t love jicama fries? (Isabel Eats)

Jicama fries

With five simple ingredients, it’s a quick and easy meal. Just peel, season and pop them in the oven and walk away. 

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 medium-sized jicama, peeled and cut into even-sized fries
  • ⅓ cup of water 
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 Celsius). Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
  • Place cut jicama fries in a microwavable bowl, add water and cover. Cook in the microwave for ten minutes.
  • Once cooked, drain (be careful, it will be very hot) and pat dry with a paper towel. Once dry, add the olive oil and spices, season with salt and toss to coat the fries. Place in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets and pop them in the oven.
  • Cook for 35-40 minutes until golden.
  • Serve with your sauce of choice.

Jicama-cilantro slaw

This slaw is one of my favorite salads and one of the best ways to eat jicama. Sometimes I add chickpeas for extra protein to beef up the slaw.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of shredded cabbage
  • ½ cup peeled and ¼ inch thinly-sliced jicama
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions:

  • Add all the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss with the lime juice and spices, adding salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Serve as a side or main meal.

Green beans

Green beans
Green beans are a great ingredient to build spring dishes around. (Mamá Maggie’s Kitchen)

The best thing about these green beans is that they are ready in 20 minutes and packed with flavor. Add some serrano chili for more kick or chorizo to make a meatier meal. Either way, it’s a crowd pleaser and enjoyed at many a Mexican table. 

Mexican green beans

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (or oil of choice)
  • ½ pound of green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 tomatoes diced
  • 1/4 white onion, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeño
  • 1 clove of garlic, finely diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

  • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the cut green beans and reduce the heat to a simmer for about 4 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the jalapeño, onion, garlic and spices. Cooking until a thick paste has formed (about 5 minutes).
  • Stir in the green beans, then the chopped cilantro.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Lettuce

Nothing says spring like a shredded beef salad, with crunchy romaine lettuce and avocado. (Mexico in My Kitchen)

This shredded beef salad is a hit and a great way to enjoy fresh, crunchy lettuce. A Mexican friend of mine loves this salad: salpicón de res. A shredded beef salad bursting with flavor and great for a light meal, packed for lunches, or as a side.

Shredded beef salad

½ pound beef of choice, cooked with ½ an onion, a bay leaf and 2 cloves of garlic until very tender

  • 3 cups of romaine lettuce, finely sliced
  • 4 radishes, finely sliced
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 avocado, peeled, halved and sliced
  • 8 pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced

For the dressing

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar (or vinegar of choice)
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the meat until very tender and shred with two large forks.
  • Make the dressing by adding olive oil, vinegar and crushed oregano leaves into a small bowl, whisking and adding salt and pepper to taste. Put aside until time to serve.
  • In a large bowl, combine shredded beef, lettuce, radish, onion and tomato. Gently stir to combine and transfer to a large serving plate.
  • Top with avocado slices, then drizzle with dressing.
  • Enjoy with corn tortillas.

Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over seven years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.

El Jalapeño: US launches ‘Shield of the Americas’ to combat cartels, neglects to invite countries where cartels actually are

By
El Jalapeno
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Donald Trump's latest treehouse club was unveiled in Florida this week, to more fanfare than it probably deserved.

All stories in El Jalapeño are satire and not real news. Check out the original article here.

DORAL, FLORIDA — The United States formally unveiled its new Americas Counter Cartel Coalition on Saturday, bringing together a historic alliance of nations committed to eradicating drug trafficking across the Western Hemisphere.

The coalition, which Trump branded the “Shield of the Americas” at a summit held at a golf resort in Florida, includes Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay and Peru — countries analysts described as “enthusiastic but useless” — while excluding Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, which together account for the majority of the region’s GDP and, by most measures, the bulk of its institutional knowledge on the subject of cartels.

Established last Thursday during the Americas Counter Cartel Conference in Miami, the "Shield" includes the leaders of the United States, Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.
Astute Jalapeño readers may recognize none of these are cocaine producing nations or have endemic cartel issues. (@WhiteHouse/X)

“The epicenter of cartel violence is Mexico,” Trump told assembled leaders, at an event to which Mexico was not invited. “And I like the president very much,” he added. “Beautiful voice. Beautiful woman. Beautiful voice.” He then attempted to imitate it.

Trump said the coalition’s central commitment was to the use of “lethal military force,” demonstrating this point by mimicking a missile with his hand and making a sound that the White House transcript recorded as “Pew.”

Kristi Noem was appointed Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, a role the White House described as critical, and which was announced four days after she was terminated from her previous job.

Mexico, for its part, has maintained a separate bilateral security arrangement with Washington, an approach Sheinbaum’s government describes as “sovereign cooperation” and which has already produced the arrest of El Mencho — a result the Shield of the Americas has not yet replicated, having existed for five days.

A State Department spokesperson confirmed the door is “not closed” to Mexico joining the coalition, a statement Mexican officials acknowledged with the measured tone of people who had not been aware the door was open in the first place.

President Sheinbaum, asked about the summit at her morning press conference, noted that Mexico remains committed to its own security strategy, thanked the journalist for the question, and moved on.

Check out our Jalapeño archive here.

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Sheinbaum celebrates 44% decline in homicides: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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National Public Security System chief Marcela Figueroa reported that the daily homicide rate in February was 44% lower compared to September 2024. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Today’s mañanera in 60 seconds

  • El Mencho’s death explained: Defense Minister Trevilla said soldiers attempted to capture the CJNG leader but returned fire after coming under attack — three military personnel were killed. Sheinbaum cited the National Law on the Use of Force.
  • Homicide numbers down: February averaged 48.8 murders per day — the least violent February in 11 years, down 35% vs. February 2025 and 44% vs. the final month of the López Obrador presidency.
  • Most violent states: Over half of all February homicides were concentrated in eight states, led by Guanajuato, Sinaloa and Chihuahua.
  • Shield of the Americas: Mexico was not invited to Trump’s new 17-nation counter-cartel coalition, but Sheinbaum was unfazed — pointing to an existing bilateral security agreement with the U.S. finalized when Marco Rubio visited Mexico City in September.

The Feb. 22 military operation targeting Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes and the national homicide rate in February were among the issues discussed during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Tuesday morning press conference.

Sheinbaum also made additional comments on the United States’ formation of a new “counter cartel coalition,” which is made up of various Western Hemisphere nations, but not Mexico.

Why today’s mañanera matters  

More than two weeks after “El Mencho” was killed, interest in the operation that resulted in his death remains high. Reporters continue to attempt to extract more information from the government as they endeavor to piece together exactly what happened on the final Sunday in February.

On Tuesday, the government reported the latest homicide numbers, which are considered the most important indicator of the national security situation and a key barometer of the progress that has been made in addressing Mexico’s serious crime problems.

However, as Mexico News Daily reported in January, there are significant doubts over the accuracy of the government’s homicide numbers.

Why was ‘El Mencho’ killed rather than captured?

A reporter asked National Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla why Oseguera was killed rather than arrested in the military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco.

CIUDAD DE MÉXICO, 10MARZO2026.- Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, presidenta de México, encabezó la conferencia Mañanera del Pueblo, desde Palacio Nacional, en la que se presentó el informe del gabinete de Seguridad.  FOTO: GALO CAÑAS/CUARTOSCURO.COM
National Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla told reporters on Tuesday that military personnel aimed to arrest “El Mencho” but quickly realized that would be impossible given the firepower they were confronting. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Before Trevilla responded to the question, Sheinbaum said that Oseguera was killed because soldiers were attacked and they returned fire in accordance with the National Law on the Use of Force.

After highlighting that three military personnel were killed in the operation, the defense minister said that the army attempted to capture Oseguera, but “our people” were dying.

“They have every right to use weapons to defend themselves,” Trevilla said.

“Now, given the particular characteristics of this criminal, it is clear that it was unlikely that he would surrender. They had a lot of weapons,” he said, referring to Oseguera and members of his security detail.

Last month was the least violent February in 11 years 

National Public Security System chief Marcela Figueroa reported that there was an average of 48.8 homicides per day across Mexico in February, according to data provided to the federal government by Attorney General’s Offices in the country’s 32 states.

She highlighted that the daily homicide rate last month represents a reduction of 44% compared to September 2024, the final month of the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Compared to February 2025, the reduction in homicides was 35%.

Figueroa said that last month was the least violent February in terms of total murders in the past 11 years.

She also reported that 54.2% of all homicides in Mexico last month occurred in just eight states.

Guanajuato recorded the highest number of murders with 128, followed by Sinaloa (108); Chihuahua (102); Baja California (99); Morelos (82); Veracruz (77); México state (72); and Oaxaca (72).

Mexico recorded a total of 1,366 homicides last month. In January, the government reported that homicides declined 30% in 2025.

Sheinbaum and other officials have attributed the decline in homicides to the success of the federal security strategy.

Sheinbaum: Mexico ‘didn’t need to be invited’ to Shield of the Americas summit

Referring to the new Americas Counter Cartel Coalition — also known as the “Shield of the Americas” — a reporter asked the president her opinion on U.S. President Donald Trump’s formation of a group of “right-wing” Latin American countries.

“Well, it’s what he decided, right?” responded Sheinbaum.

“What I’ve said is that we have a prior [security] understanding with the United States,” she said.

Established last Thursday during the Americas Counter Cartel Conference in Miami, the "Shield" includes the leaders of the United States, Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.
Established last Thursday during the Americas Counter Cartel Conference in Miami, the “Shield” includes the leaders of the United States, Argentina, Ecuador, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay and Peru. (@WhiteHouse/X)

Sheinbaum noted that Mexico’s current security pact with the U.S. was finalized when U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Mexico City last September. She highlighted that Mexican and U.S. security officials hold formal talks on a monthly basis.

Sheinbaum acknowledged that Mexico wasn’t invited to the “Shield of the Americas” summit in Florida last Saturday, at which Trump signed a proclamation that states that U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth “established the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, a pledge from military leaders and representatives from 17 countries demonstrating that the region is ready to operationalize hard power to defeat these threats to our security and civilization.”

“But we didn’t need to be invited because we already have a [security] agreement with the United States,” the president added.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

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