What’s on in Rivera Maya this January?

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January 7, 2025

barracuda-charter-fishing-clearwater-09 — What's going on in the Riviera Maya this month? Quite a lot. (Fisheye Sport Fishing)

Beginning the new year is always fun. Resolutions are made — and broken not long after. No matter your resolution, the Riviera Maya has something going on in January 2025 for you. Fun salsa dance classes to get fit. Splurge to renew and rejuvenate your relationship with a 7-night jungle retreat. Or just dive into the magic of Mexican culture with a food and wine festival.

Private salsa/bachata class

People dancing in the street. — (Ardian Lumi/Unsplash)

Get those hips moving in one of the most popular dance styles worldwide. English or Spanish-speaking teachers are available for private classes (up to 3 people). Their specialized methodology teaches you how to dance faster without missing a beat. Available all through January with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

Date: choose your date here.
Location: Puerto Morelos
Cost: 1,080 pesos, or $53 (USD) for a group of up to 3 people.

Day Zero festival

Damian Lazarus Sunrise Set at Day Zero Tulum 2024 | @beatport

Watch this video on YouTube

An epic line up is listed for the Day Zero Festival. If dancing the night away is how you’d like to start the new year, this is the place to be. Thirty two artists are in the line up to enchant and immerse you in this sanctuary for electronic music enthusiasts. In true Tulum style, there are ancient traditions and cultural reverence mixed in to feel the magic.

Date: January 11
Location: Tulum, 4pm
Cost: Starts at US $250

Celebrate Love meditations

People meditating by a fire in the beach — (Syl Valenzuela Tardel)

Celebrating 13 years of Love Meditations through the Sound of SHAMAN AHAU. Meditation, sound bowls, and healing are a wonderful way to start the year. All while listening to the sound of the Caribbean just meters away. Offered with peace, love, respect and gratitude to everyone who feels like joining.

Date: January 16, 8pm
Location: on the beach in front of Encanto Beach Club, Calle 40, Playa del Carmen
Cost: Free

Tantra in the jungle of Tulum

A person in lotus position meditating by the beach — (Chelsea Gates en Unsplash)

Cacao ceremonies, swimming in cenotes, tantric massage, ecstatic dance and conscious breathwork are just a few things covered in this celebration of life. A 7 night, 8 day all-inclusive stay at relaxing jungle eco-village. All are welcome to this experience to reconnect, reinvigorate, and renew their inner spirituality, sexuality, and sensuality.

Date: January 12-19
Location: Tulum
Cost: choose your room and cost here. (Prices from US$2997 – $5997)

Nations Cup polo tournament 2025

A woman horseback riding — (Sergiu Vălenaș en Unsplash)

Join the thundering hooves and cheering fun at El Rey Polo Country Club for the annual polo tournament. There are also horseriding lessons and polo lessons for every age if you want to go earlier for a ride. Plus an option to stay the night after a full day of fun.

Date: January 18, 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Location: El Rey Polo Country Club, Puerto Morelos.
Price: General admission tickets 350 pesos.

Yo Amo Mexico (I Love Mexico) festival

A saxophonist playing during Yo Amo Mexico Festival — (Rosewood Mayakoba)

The magic of the fifth annual I Love Mexico festival starts in January and ends in March. Full of fun and often delicious activities, there’s something for the whole family. Candle making, cooking classes, sound baths and healing, purification rituals, Mexican wine tastings and destination-inspired dining just to name a few. Held to support Centro Educativo K’iin Beh, the bilingual school in Playa del Carmen for local children. The event calendar shows what’s on each day and each month.

Date: January 20-24
Location: Rosewood Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen
Cost: depends on the activity chosen.

Watch the rare planetary alignment

A couple watching the stars on the beach — (Nathan Jennings en Unsplash)

Soar into the stars for an up close and personal look at this rare celestial event. Cozumel’s Planetarium is aiming its telescope to the skies as the cosmos aligns in a total alignment of the planets. Rare events like these are said to bring transformation, success and productivity so I’ll be attending this one to start my 2025 on the right foot!

Date: 25 January
Location: Cozumel Planetarium Cha’an Ka’an
Cost: 150 pesos

Annual Handline Barracuda fishing tournament

A man fishing for Barracudas — (Canaveral Kings)

In the stunning crystal clear waters surrounding Isla Mujeres the barracuda are biting. January is prime time and each year they hold this tournament to raise funds for local charities. Book through a fishing charter company, or organize it through your stay on the island. Either way it’s fun for all ages.

Date: near the end of January.
Cost: Varies from operator to operator

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 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.

How to deal with Mexican sidewalks — A comprehensive guide for foreigners

By

Sarah DeVries

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January 7, 2025

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sidewalks_in_Mexico — Broken, narrow and often terribly designed, sidewalks in Mexico are a challenge even to local pedestrians. Here's how to deal with them. (Dan Torres/Unsplash)

Y’all know what my favorite feature is of the sidewalks in my city?

When I say “favorite,” by the way, I mean “most shocking.”

A man trying to figure out what is wrong with his wheelchair — Sidewalks in Mexico are definitely not designed for those with a disability – or for anyone, for that matter. (Franklin Garcida/Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0)

It’s the wheelchair ramps. If you weren’t already in a wheelchair before trying to brave them, trying to use them in a wheelchair would probably put you in a wheelchair.

Many of them are at full 45-degree angles. I don’t know if you’ve ever pushed someone around in a wheelchair before, but I can tell you that it is not as easy as it looks. And the upper-arm strength someone in an actual wheelchair would need to get up those ramps would necessitate comically muscly arms.

But fine. Let’s say you are Popeye and you make it up there. At least half the time, there will be nowhere else to go besides right back down the ramp. If you do this, of course, you risk gaining momentum on that 45-degree ramp for rolling straight out into traffic. The other option, amazingly, is suddenly not needing the wheelchair so you can walk off the curb or — I kid you not — down the steps.

It’s not easy to be in a wheelchair if you want to go exploring in Mexico.

Vista de la calle San Jacinto hacia la calle Francisco I. Madero. Colinda al norte con la calle Amargura, al oeste con la misma calle de San Jacinto, al sur con Dr. Gálvez y al este con Francisco I. Madero. En la foto se observa la calle empedrada, característica de la zona y del lado derecho la Plaza San Jacinto. — Narrow and often with uneven surfaces, sidewalks in Mexico make it very hard to walk at one’s own leisure. (Reginaesc/Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0)

But really, it’s not even that easy to walk around Mexico, either.

Why?

The sidewalks.

The (several) problems of sidewalks in Mexico

Let me preface this by saying that Mexicans themselves do not seem to be bothered at all by the sidewalks. I guess it’s like growing up a Sherpa, unfazed by Mt. Everest.

Del Río Bridge in Colonia Del Carmen, Coyoacán, Mexico City. — If uneven sidewalks were not enough of a challenge by themselves, try cobblestone streets. (Vladmartinez/Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0)

But for us weakling imports, things can get scary!

Oh Mexican sidewalks, let me count the ways — that you could kill me.

Uneven concrete

Organ grinders are one of the most emblematic pieces of historical identity in Mexico City. Their melodies have been ringing through the streets of the capital city for more than 100 years. — Stairs, merchants, pointy window decorations and other obstacles await pedestrians on Mexican sidewalks. (OsBlanco/Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0)

This, I know, is fairly common in most places. The difference between them here and, say, my hometown in Texas, is that it’s usually uniform by area. Nicer parts of the town can usually be expected to have nice, even sidewalks — not having to look down is one of the privileges. Older or less affluent parts of town might have bumpier ones, though I dare say they’re not as treacherous as Mexico’s.

Uneven widths

Another issue is how much space you’ve actually got on a sidewalk. It’s not consistent, and the width can fluctuate widely. You might be able to walk five abreast on one part, then need to switch to single-file. Sometimes this is because of obstructions — see below — but sometimes it’s just because of how things are built.

Narrow streets

A narrow street in Guanajuato City, Guanajuato, Mexico. — Narrow streets often do not have a sidewalk in Mexico, given that they were designed for horses or simply pedestrians — not cars. (Jorge Gardner en Unsplash)

This doesn’t seem to have much to do with a sidewalk, but hear me out. The closer a vehicle has to drive to the curb, the closer the vehicle is to you and the sidewalk, my friend.

I still remember the shock of being hit, by someone’s rear-view mirror; that’s how close the car had to drive to the curb.

There’s a somewhat busy street I take on my way to downtown too that makes me feel close to death. Gigantic buses come rambling by on the narrow parts, which also happens to be a place where you must walk single-file on the sidewalk. One step down without paying attention, and your second life as a pancake begins!

Poles, parked cars, and other obstructions

Dodging things jutting out or taking up space on a sidewalk can be a kind of fun game with the right attitude. Throw in a hearty appreciation for the absurd, and you might even find ecstasy!

Need a telephone pole there? Oh, right in the middle of the sidewalk is fine. Pointy decorative window moulding right at eye level? Fabulous idea. Finding your way around a car considerately pulled up on the sidewalk to make room for other cars going by can also be a unique challenge. Houses might also decide to build some stairs right outside their doors, or perhaps a ramp for their garage, and tall people must look out for awnings and the like. If you like your ankles of the non-twisty variety, look alive!

The moral of the story? Just keep looking down, up, and all around. All the time. We didn’t get the mountain goat training as kids, so we’ve just got to power through it.

Happy sidewalk exploring!

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

Mexico’s famous scrap metal song turns 20

By

MND Staff

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January 6, 2025

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“We’re buying mattresses, metal drums, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, microwaves or any old metal things that you’re selling.” (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

One of the iconic sounds of Mexico just celebrated its 20th birthday.

It’s the recording of a 9-year-old girl’s voice blaring from an old pickup truck that’s cruising the streets in search of “colchones, tambores, refrigeradores, estufas, lavadoras” and other used goods.

@languageobsessed #México #cdmx #secomprancolchones ♬ original sound – Carlos

And according to the newspaper El País, this 18-second piece of Mexican poetry was recorded in the final weeks of 2004 by the young daughter of Marco Antonio Terrón, a buyer of scrap metal in greater Mexico City.

Although the exact date of little Marimar’s recording isn’t certified — other sources say the audio began to circulate in 2002 or even earlier — what is definitive is that the melodic “Fierro Viejo” (Scrap Metal) has become a significant part of popular culture in Mexico.

The full ditty translates to “We’re buying mattresses, metal drums, refrigerators, stoves, washing machines, microwaves or any old metal things that you’re selling.”

Terrón and his daughter, whose full name is María del Mar Terrón Martínez, produced the recording at home in Chimalhuacán, a municipality in México state that’s part of the metropolitan area of Mexico City. Within years, her same distinctive song had permeated Mexico City — and beyond.

The voice of "se compran..." — Marco Antonio Terrón, a buyer of scrap metal in greater Mexico City, produced the song with his young daughter María del Mar in 2004. (Screenshot of video)

In 2022, a Jalisco native now living in Europe played it on the streets of Doha, Qatar, much to the joy and amusement of Mexicans (and others) who were there for the World Cup men’s soccer tournament.

Once, it interrupted former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during a press conference.

It has been turned into hypnotic dance music by DJ Ariel Style and others, and there’s even an opera version. Occasionally, it’s heard in the background in a Mexican TV show or movie. T-shirts and other merchandise are emblazoned with its words. And it’s even been translated into English and Japanese in heavily gentrified neighborhoods of Mexico City, according to El País.

Terrón, now 60, originally wrote the lines to help his business. He had just broken away from a scrap operation with one of his brothers, and needed a way — better than yelling into his hand-held megaphone — to let people know he was out collecting items for scrap or resale.

@elescenariovip #lasvocesdeelescenario #chistopherhernandez #fyp ♬ sonido original – El Escenario Vip

As father and daughter told it to El País, they both came up with the idea of a recording. So one night, Dad wrote the script and added drawings (a stove, a refrigerator, etc.) to aid his daughter, who still couldn’t read very well.

For the recording, they used a dual cassette tape recorder with a built-in microphone.

When the recording was finished, Terrón began playing it from his cart (he didn’t have a truck yet) with a tape player and megaphone. Because a cassette tape could get tangled in the player, he carried several extra tapes with him — which is how the recording spread after several of his colleagues asked him for a copy.

Terrón used the recording for two years, then left the area to try his luck in the restaurant business in Valle de Bravo and then Acapulco. When he and his family returned two years later, the recording could be heard throughout metropolitan Mexico City — and, in the years to come, all over Mexico. “My aunts and friends would call me and say, ‘Hey, I’ve heard your recording up here in Durango,” recalled Marimar, now 29 and a mother of three.

In 2013, Terrón registered their creation with intellectual property and copyright agencies, and now, the family has been able to profit a bit when the ditty has been used in productions by major studios such as HBO or Netflix.

Terrón even made a commercial for the home improvement and construction retailer Sodimac.

“It made me cry,” he said of the commercial. “I felt very flattered.”

With reports from El País and Infobae

Nearly half of Mexicana flights eliminated: Monday’s mañanera recapped

By

MND Staff

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January 6, 2025

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President Sheinbaum stands a podium during her morning press conference, where she discussed flights eliminated by Mexicana airline and other topics. — The state-owned airline Mexicana, judicial elections and the president's approval rating were topics of discussion at the president's Monday press conference. (Presidencia)

After weekend visits to México state, Puebla, Hidalgo and Morelos to distribute pension cards to women aged 63 and 64, President Claudia Sheinbaum was back at the National Palace in Mexico City on Monday to preside over her first morning press conference of the week.

Below is a recap of her Monday mañanera.

8 Mexicana flights eliminated due to ‘review’ of airline’s ‘strategic plan,’ says Sheinbaum

A reporter asked Sheinbaum about the announcement by the state-owned, army-operated airline Mexicana that it would discontinue routes between the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) near Mexico City and airports in eight cities: Acapulco, Campeche, Guadalajara, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Nuevo Laredo, Puerto Vallarta, Uruapan and Villahermosa.

The airline, which began operations in late 2023, said on Sunday that flights between AIFA and those destinations would cease from this Monday, but didn’t say why.

Sheinbaum told reporters that Mexicana is carrying out a “review” of its operations like any other company.

“Some of the planes are leased so they have to renew the lease, the new planes are going to arrive, and they’re doing a review like at any company — which are the routes that had the most passengers, which are the routes that had the least,” she said.

Mexicana has eliminated eight of its 18 routes after incurring multi-million-dollar losses in 2024. (Mexicana de Aviación/Facebook)

“This week they’re going to present the company’s master plan to me, and Mexicana will continue being the company of the people of Mexico, it will continue flying. It’s nothing more than a review of their strategic plan for 2025,” Sheinbaum said, explaining the reduction in the number of destinations served by the airline.

Mexicana was operating 18 routes in Mexico, meaning that almost half have been discontinued. Sheinbaum suggested that new routes could replace some of those that have been scrapped.

The El Financiero newspaper reported in December that Mexicana incurred losses of more than 932 million pesos (US $45.8 million) between January and September 2024.

President sees no risk to judicial elections

Asked about a study that raised concerns about the staging of Mexico’s first-ever judicial elections due to the reduction to the National Electoral Institute’s budget and the limited amount of time to organize them, Sheinbaum declared that “there is no risk.”

“The people of Mexico will participate. On June 1 we’ll elect judges, magistrates, Supreme Court Justices, Electoral Tribunal judges,” she said.

“… In other words, together we’ll elect the judicial power,” Sheinbaum said.

“I don’t see any risk,” she reiterated.

Mexico's elections chief Guadalupe Taddei stands in front of a sign reading "INE: Instituto Nacional Electoral" — Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE) is tasked with organizing Mexico’s first judicial elections in 2025, in which voters will choose over 800 federal judges. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

“This week I’m meeting with the National Electoral Institute [councilors]. They already approved the budget [for the elections], they even already have proposals for the ballots and for how they will organize the election,” Sheinbaum said.

“… It will be a good election.”

Citizens will elect a total of 881 federal judges on June 1, including nine Supreme Court justices. The elections are going ahead as a result of the controversial judicial reform approved by Congress last September.

‘In the fourth transformation, commitments are fulfilled’

After she was asked about her high approval rating according to an El Financiero newspaper poll, Sheinbaum reminded reporters that when she was a candidate for president she “essentially” committed to “two things”:

The continuation of “the transformation of public life” initiated by her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The ushering in of the “time for women” in Mexico.

Subsequently asked whether her first 100 days in office could be defined with the phrase “what was promised is being fulfilled,” Sheinbaum said that was an accurate assessment.

President Sheinbaum laughs surrounded by supporters in traditional Chiapas clothing, while holding a ceremonial mask — President Sheinbaum’s approval ratings remain high as she wraps up her first 100 days in office. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)

“In the fourth transformation, commitments are fulfilled,” said the president, who will reach the 100-day milestone this Thursday.

She said that she will outline the government’s achievements to date in a “brief” address at Mexico City’s central square, the Zócalo, this Sunday.

In her speech, Sheinbaum said she would also “defend” the constitutional reforms that have recently been approved by Congress, “from the reform to the judicial power” to the reform that enshrined women’s rights in the Mexican Constitution.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

Aeroméxico named 2024’s most on-time airline

By

MND Staff

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January 6, 2025

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A departures board at an airport — Aeroméxico’s “impressive” OTP score of 86.70%, according to Cirium, was calculated from 196,911 tracked flights, or approximately 539 flights daily. (Matthew Smith/Unsplash)

Mexico’s flagship airline Aeroméxico came in as the most on-time airline in the world in 2024, according to a report by aviation analytics company Cirium.

With a performance rate of 86.70%, Aeroméxico’s top spot can be attributed to strategic investments in fleet modernization, technological advances, adoption of AI-powered tools and the expertise of the carrier’s team, Cirium said.

If the latest round of airline delays over the holiday season has you feeling anxious about your next flight, the 2024 annual on-time performance list from Cirium, published on Jan. 2, may help. https://t.co/WcJORaMzbg pic.twitter.com/0bHJUn05ST

— FORTUNE (@FortuneMagazine) January 3, 2025

“I’m proud to be part of this great team of professionals who every day strive to provide our clients with safe service, elevating the experience to the extraordinary,” Andrés Conesa, Chief Executive Officer of Aeroméxico, said after the accolade was revealed.

Founded in 1934, Aeroméxico currently holds a significant 39% share of the domestic market and 47% of the international market.

Aeroméxico surpassed Saudia, which came in second with an on-time performance rate of 86.70%, and Delta Air Lines, which secured third place with 83.46%. Next in line were LATAM Airlines, Qatar Airways, Azul, Avianca, Iberia, SAS and United Airlines.

For the On-Time Performance (OTP) ranking, Cirium tracked millions of flights in 2024 to analyze the on-time arrival of passenger flights. An on-time arrival is when a passenger flight or aircraft arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. The global category only included airlines serving three or more regions, including their own.

Aeroméxico’s top spot can be attributed to strategic investments in fleet modernization, technological advances, adoption of AI-powered tools. (Kevin Wasilevski/Unsplash)

Aeroméxico’s “impressive” OTP score of 86.70%, according to Cirium, was calculated from 196,911 tracked flights, or approximately 539 flights daily.

“Throughout 2024, Aeroméxico has consistently demonstrated superior on-time performance, earning it recognition as one of the most reliable airlines worldwide,” Cirium’s report said.

In its report, Cirium said Aeromexico’s move to expand its fleet to 113 aircraft over the past year — with 16 more on order — has boosted operational capacity while maintaining high standards for performance and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the carrier’s adoption of advanced scheduling systems and AI- powered tools has further improved its operational agility.

“These technologies have enabled proactive management of potential disruptions, including weather-related challenges, ensuring the airline remains at its edge in on-time performance and reliability,” Cirium added.

Finally, the report recognized the “pivotal” leadership of COO Santiago Diago and vision of CEO Andrés Conesa.

Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM), the third-most on-time airport in 2024

Aeroméxico’s main hub, the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), also made it to the ranking as the No. 3 most on-time airport in the global category, with an on-time departure performance of 84.04%.

An on-time departure is when a passenger flight or aircraft departs the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time. While airlines are ranked by on-time arrivals, airports are ranked by on-time departures.

First place was awarded to Riyad King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Saudi Arabia, with an on-time departure performance of 86.65%, followed by Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) in Peru with 84.57%.

Mexico News Daily

Hilton announces plans for new luxury resort in Los Cabos

By

Felicity Bradstock

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January 6, 2025

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Palms surround an irregularly shaped pool next to the ocean at Hilton's Conrad hotel in Punta Mita. — The Los Cabos resort will be Hilton's third Conrad-brand property in Mexico, after Conrad Tulum and Conrad Punta Mita. (Conrad Punta de Mita/Facebook)

Hilton will expand its Mexico luxury hotel portfolio thanks to an agreement with Parks Hospitality Holdings for a Conrad Hotels & Resorts hotel in Los Cabos, Hilton announced Dec. 18. The beachfront resort is expected to open in 2027.

The Conrad branded accommodation will be located around 15 minutes from the center of the popular Baja California Sur tourist destination Cabo San Lucas. It will be Hilton’s ninth property in the region, featuring 175 accommodations.

“The signing of Conrad Los Cabos is a significant milestone for Hilton’s expanding luxury portfolio in Mexico,” said Juan Corvinos, senior vice president of development, architecture, design and construction for Hilton’s Caribbean and Latin America region. “It symbolizes our unwavering commitment to providing enriching and purposeful experiences that transcend the ordinary in highly coveted destinations like Los Cabos.”

The resort will include a sprawling spa, a fitness center and resort-style pools, as well as restaurants, bars, boutique shops and meeting space. It is situated within OLEADA Pacific Living & Golf, a new 350-hectare oceanfront resort community.

This announcement followed the opening of Hilton’s Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya resort on Dec. 10. The Mexican Caribbean resort is located around 11 kilometers north of Tulum and features 349 rooms. It also has five restaurants and six bars and lounges, as well as oceanfront pools.

It is home to Tulum’s first and largest independent event center, featuring 5,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 830-square-meter outdoor terrace, a main ballroom, a junior ballroom and three meeting rooms for up to 2,500 people.

Conrad Los Cabos is Hilton’s third Conrad branded property. Conrad Punta de Mita, located north of Puerto Vallarta in the Riviera Nayarit, opened in 2020 and boasts 324 rooms, as well as restaurants, bars, pools and a spa.

Mexico is Hilton’s largest and fastest-growing market in Latin America and the Caribbean, with over 100 hotels and a project pipeline of 40 new properties. The company has over 270 hotels across the region and a pipeline of 135 more accommodations.

With reports from L’Officiel México and Forbes Travel Guide

Mexico’s electric vehicle Olinia to debut at 2026 World Cup

By

MND Staff

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January 6, 2025

12

Olinia models — Two models are described as ideal for short trips within the city, while the largest model to be made by Olinia is akin to a local delivery truck. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

The Sheinbaum administration on Monday shared new details about Mexico’s first domestically produced electric vehicle — Olinia — and announced its projected debut at the 2026 World Cup opening match in Mexico City.

The clean mobility initiative, first voiced during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s inauguration speech on Oct. 1, will be led by the newly formed Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Sectei) as part of the administration’s push toward sustainable transportation and technological advancement. The ministry has budgeted an initial 25 million pesos (US $1.2 million) toward the project.

President Sheinbaum discussing the EV Olinia — During Monday’s update on Olinia, President Sheinbaum mentioned the importance of creating an urban mobility alternative that is safer than motorcycles. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

Olinia — which means “moving” in the Indigenous Náhuatl language — aims to be the first electric car designed and assembled entirely in Mexico. The production center will be located in the northwestern state of Sonora, according to the newspaper Mexico Now, and the factory will produce three models.

The project seeks to consolidate an electric car that is accessible to Mexican families and youth, while also boosting the national automotive industry, Sheinbaum said during her daily presser on Monday.

“Olinia addresses an issue of great importance,” Sectei Minister Rosaura Ruiz said. “It contributes to the energy transition and protects the environment by reducing fossil fuel emissions. And thanks to the compact design, it helps optimize the use of urban space as well as traffic flow.”

The low-cost mini-vehicles are being designed for younger people and families living in urban environments, with two of the models described as ideal for short trips within the city. The largest model to be made by Olinia is what’s known as a Final Mile Vehicle, akin to a local delivery truck.

Olinia, estrategia de producción de autos eléctricos mexicanos. Conferencia presidenta Sheinbaum

Watch this video on YouTube

The expected price range for the three models is from 90,000 to 150,000 pesos ( US $4,400 to US $7,400), a significantly lower price point than other electric vehicles currently sold in Mexico. EVs sold in Mexico by the automakers JAC, Renault and BYD retail at approximately 350,000 pesos ($17,200).

In addition to their reduced environmental impact, the president also emphasized improved safety in promoting electric vehicles.

“We want a compact and functional car that can represent an alternative to motorcycles,” Sheinbaum said in November upon visiting the proposed site of the factory in Sonora.

“Motorcycles are popular, but also risky,” she said on Monday. “Traffic accidents involving them have risen considerably…so, this small vehicle must have the following characteristics: safe, electric and primarily made in Mexico.”

With reports from El Universal, El Economista and Mexico Now

2024 likely to be a record year for remittances to Mexico

By

MND Staff

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January 6, 2025

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U.S. fiscal support and a competitive exchange rate have boosted remittances this year, one expert said. — 2024 was likely a record year for remittances to Mexico. (File photo)

Last year was most likely a record year for remittances to Mexico, with more than US $59 billion flowing into the country in the first 11 months of 2024.

The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) reported that Mexico received $59.518 billion in remittances between January and November 2024, a 2.9% increase to the same period of 2023.

Mexicans abroad sent $63.31 billion home in 2023, a record high. Banxico will publish remittances data for all of 2024 in early February.

The amount of money Mexicans living and working abroad have been sending to Mexico on an annual basis has been on the rise for more than a decade. While a new remittances record was almost certainly set in 2024, the pace of growth slowed after a 7.6% year-over-year increase in 2023.

The vast majority of remittances to Mexico are sent from the United States, where millions of Mexicans live and work. In 2023, 96% of remittances to Mexico came from the United States, “the majority from California and Texas,” according to the bank BBVA. Some of the money is the proceeds of drug trafficking, according to a 2023 report by a Mexican think tank.

The long-running increase in annual remittances totals could conceivably be broken in 2025 if United States President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his promise to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.”

Families march with Mexican and U.S. flags in California — Millions of Mexican immigrant live and work in the U.S., and many people send money to support family in Mexico. (Wikimedia Commons)

Millions of Mexican families depend on remittances sent from the United States by Mexican immigrants, who have been described as “heroes and heroines” by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Average remittance amount increases more than 20% in 5 years

Banxico reported that almost 151 million individual remittances were sent to Mexico between January and November 2024. Just over 99% of that number were sent electronically.

The average remittance amount in the first 11 months of 2024 was US $395, a 21.5% increase compared to 2019.

A significant depreciation in the value of the Mexican peso in the second half of 2024 meant that recipients of remittances ended up with more pesos in their pockets.

Prior to Mexico’s 2024 general elections, the peso was trading at about 17 to the US dollar, meaning that a $395 remittance was worth 6,715 pesos. At the current USD:MXN exchange rate (around 20.4), that same remittance is worth 8,058 pesos.

Remittances surge 10% annually in November

Mexico had its best ever November for remittances, receiving a total of $5.43 billion.

That figure represented a 10.6% increase compared to November 2023, but a 5% decline compared to the previous month.

The average remittance sent to Mexico in November was $397, slightly higher than the average in the first 11 months of 2024.

Remittances sent from Mexico on the rise as well

Banxico said that remittances totaling US $1.19 billion were sent out of Mexico in the first 11 months of last year. That figure was 25% higher than the $957 million total recorded between January and November 2023.

An increasing number of foreigners are working in Mexico instead of — or before — attempting to migrate, legally or illegally, to the United States, a factor that helps explain the increase in outgoing remittances.

CORRECTION: The original version of this article said that almost 151,000 individual remittances were sent to Mexico between January and November 2024. In fact, almost 151 million separate remittances were sent.

With reports from El Financiero, Forbes México and La Jornada

‘Emilia Pérez’ wins best picture at the 2025 edition of the Golden Globes

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MND Staff

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January 6, 2025

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Screenshot of Emilia Pérez — "Emilia Pérez" has accumulated 62 awards and 151 nominations to date. (Emilia Pérez Film/X)

The Netflix production “Emilia Pérez” won in four categories at Sunday’s Golden Globe awards, including Best Film (Comedy or Musical), Best Motion Picture (Non-English Language), Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña) and Best Song (“El Mal”).

The musical crime comedy about a Mexican drug trafficker who transitions to womanhood and starts a new life was the most-nominated film at the U.S. awards ceremony, with 10 nominations.

Emilia Pérez Wins Best Picture – Musical/Comedy | 82nd Annual Golden Globes

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“In these troubled times, I hope that ‘Emilia Pérez’ will be a beacon of light for those of us not lucky enough to count among their friends a woman as powerful and passionate as Karla Sofía Gascón,” French director Jacques Audiard said during his acceptance speech.

“Emilia Pérez” was inspired by a chapter in Boris Rason’s novel “Écoute.” It features the Mexican cartel boss Manitas, played by Spanish transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, on his journey to becoming a woman. To avoid detection in the criminal underworld, he kidnaps a lawyer, Rita (Zoé Saldaña), who is tasked with finding the right doctor to perform the surgeries needed for his transition.

How many prizes has “Emilia Pérez” won this awards season?

The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won a Jury Prize, and its four leads, including Mexican actress Adriana Paz, received a combined best actress award.

It was the opening night film at the Morelia International Film Festival in October and has accumulated 62 awards and 151 nominations to date, including 15 nominations in various categories for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16.

“Emilia Pérez” is also currently leading the Oscar shortlists in several categories including twice in Music (Original Song), International Feature Film, Sound, Makeup and Hairstyling and Original Score.

With reports from Euronews, Variety and Rolling Stone

International Crisis Group: US-Mexico among 10 conflicts to watch in 2025

By

MND Staff

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January 6, 2025

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Several policy proposals made by President-elect Donald Trump — who takes office on Jan. 20 — could significantly roil the U.S.-Mexico relationship this year. (Canva)

The Belgium-based think tank International Crisis Group named a potential Mexico-United States clash one of its 10 Global Conflicts to Watch in 2025.

Joining Syria, Israel-Palestine, Ukraine and European security, Mexico and the U.S. could see serious conflict in 2025 over issues ranging from immigration, tariffs and drug cartels, according to the think tank.

Donald Trump at the White House podium during a press conference, gesturing with his hands spread in front of him. He is surrounded by Vice President Pence and many other high-ranking government officials onstage — Trump could use all the relationships and connections he built during his first term as president to help him achieve his goals of conducting mass deportations of immigrants and waging war on cartel leaders. (File photo/Andrea Hanks for the White House)

Although President Claudia Sheinbaum has assured Mexicans that bilateral relations with the United States will remain strong, several policy proposals made by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump — who takes office on Jan. 20 — could significantly roil the relationship this year.

The issue that the Crisis Group has identified as the biggest potential source of conflict is the cross-border production and trafficking of the drug fentanyl, which is now the leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 18-45.

In December, Trump floated the idea of designating Mexico’s drug cartels as terrorist organizations, which could legally permit the United States to send its military into Mexico.

The incoming president’s candidate for national security advisor, Mike Waltz, previously supported legislation authorizing the use of force against these criminal organizations, saying “It’s time to go on offense. Not only are these paramilitary transnational criminal organizations responsible for killing an unprecedented number of Americans, but are actively undermining our sovereignty by destabilizing our border and waging war against U.S. law enforcement and the Mexican military.”

Fentanyl production in Mexico — The issue that the Crisis Group has identified as the biggest potential source of conflict is the cross-border production and trafficking of the drug fentanyl. (FGR/Cuartoscuro)

The Crisis Group also cites growing support among members of the U.S. Republican party, which maintains a slim majority in both houses of Congress, “for unilateral military action — whether through airstrikes on fentanyl labs or special forces operations — to kill [cartel] leaders.”

It says that unilateral military action against cartels would almost certainly backfire, likely setting off turf wars. Instead of eliminating the cartels, fragmentation would occur, new leaders would emerge, and drug production would continue because fentanyl labs are low-tech and easily rebuilt.

Among other sources of conflict is a mass deportation program proposed by Trump that, if carried out, could see four million undocumented Mexicans returned to their home country. The Crisis Group says “This could trigger upheaval in parts of Mexico as poorer states struggle to assimilate returns.”

Trump has also threatened to levy 25% tariffs on Mexican goods shipped to the United States if the flow of migrants and drugs is not stopped, a policy that would likely result in retaliatory tariffs from Sheinbaum.

Marcelo Ebrard in front of a microphone looking half sideways — Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in November that if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump makes good on a threat of a 25% tariff on Mexico, 400,000 U.S. jobs would be lost in the auto industry alone. (PX Media/Shutterstock)

Such a trade war could become an economic disaster and “[tank] relations between two countries interconnected by trade, investment and family ties,” the Crisis Group says, spelling disaster for both countries.

If the bilateral relationship becomes adversarial, “expect a bumpy ride,” the Crisis Group writes.

With reports from The International Crisis Group, Forbes and Foreign Policy