The activists told the news agency EFE that this gesture represents their rejection of the anti-immigration and protectionist policies of Donald Trump. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Dozens of activists held a demonstration on Monday outside of the United States Embassy in Mexico City, where they beat and burned a piñata resembling Donald Trump, which eventually went up in flames.
The activists told the news agency EFE that this gesture represents their rejection of the anti-immigration and protectionist policies of Donald Trump, who assumed a new presidential term in the U.S. on Monday.
The protesters beat and burned the Donald Trump piñata, which eventually went up in flames. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
The protesters said Trump’s policies go against the human rights of migrants, describing his intended plans as “abusive and inhumane.”
María García, one of the activists, told EFE that burning a Donald Trump piñata has become a symbol of protest since his first term as president between 2017 and 2021. In 2020, protesters at the U.S.-Mexico border burned piñatas resembling Trump and a Border Patrol agent in response to rising migrant deaths.
García added that in light of the potential threat of mass deportations, Mexico will implement a comprehensive program involving civil society organizations and all three levels of government. She also acknowledged the sense of hopelessness some migrants feel due to Trump’s rhetoric.
“All these programs are already functioning,” García said. “The countryman card (tarjeta paisano) will open the door [for Mexicans returning from the U.S.] to have medical service, access to a job, their documentation, etc. It is a complete program. We had never seen something like it.”
A man dressed as a tree holds signs telling Donald Trump to respect biodiversity and that “we are all migrants.” (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Marsha Beya Rubyn, migrant human rights activist and president of the “Orgullo Diverso de México” collective, told EFE that these policies have created unity among migrants of various nationalities.
“Our migrant brothers contribute great work and taxes to the United States economy and therefore they are migrant heroes, both those from Mexico and Latin America,” Rubyn said. “Donald Trump has not realized that he is achieving something [unintended]: the unity of all migrants in the world,” Rubyn stressed.
Meanwhile, other protesters marched through the main streets of Mexico City, chanting slogans in defense of human rights. They demanded a halt to discriminatory policies that, they claim, affect both migrants and bilateral relations between Mexico and the U.S.
The march partially flooded Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico’s landmark avenue, and finished outside of the U.S. Embassy on the same street.
Earlier this month, President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed confidence that she would have a good relationship with Trump. However, Mexicans are split over whether that will be the case. According to a recent poll by the newspaper El Universal, 46% of Mexicans believe Sheinbaum will have a good relationship with Trump, while 44% expect the two to have a bad relationship.
Trump announced the tariff's implementation date on Monday night as he signed a batch of executive orders from the Oval Office. (Screen capture)
United States President Donald Trump said Monday that his administration could impose a 25% tariff on Mexican and Canadian exports to the U.S. on Feb. 1, almost two weeks later than he previously planned.
“We’re thinking in terms of 25% on Mexico and Canada because they’re allowing vast numbers of people … to come in and fentanyl to come in,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday night as he signed a batch of executive orders.
“We’re thinking in terms of 25% on Mexico and Canada because they’re allowing vast numbers of people … to come in and fentanyl to come in,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday night. (X)
Asked when he would enact the tariffs, the newly-inaugurated president said Feb. 1.
“I think we’ll do it February first,” he said.
CNBC reported that there has been speculation that U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada exports “might be targeted at certain essential items rather than being more broad-based.”
In any case, they would violate the terms of the USMCA, the North American free trade pact that superseded NAFTA in 2020.
Tariffs would also have a potentially calamitous effect on the Mexican export industry — which sent goods worth more than US $466 billion to the U.S. in the first 11 months of last year — and the Mexican economy in general. Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexico’s Banco Base, said late last year that the Mexican economy would go into recession if Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Mexican exports to the United States.
In late November, Trump pledged to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on the first day of his second term as U.S. president. He said at the time that the tariff would remain in effect “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
President Sheinbaum previously said that Mexico would impose a 25% retaliatory tariff on U.S. exports to Mexico if Trump followed through, but now emphasizes that her government will avert the new tariffs entirely. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum subsequently said that Mexico would impose a 25% retaliatory tariff on U.S. exports to Mexico if Trump followed through on his tariff threat. She said last week that her government would seek to avert the proposed tariff through dialogue with the Trump administration.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in November that Mexico would be shooting itself in the foot if it imposed a 25% tariff on Mexican exports, asserting that such a duty would have an adverse impact on consumers in the United States and cause the loss of “around 400,000 jobs” in the U.S. Last week, he expressed confidence that Mexico would be able to stave off the proposed tariff.
“I guarantee you we’re going to find [a way out],” Ebrard said.
While Trump’s stated reason for imposing tariffs on the United States’ North American trade partners is the entry of migrants and drugs from Mexico and Canada, the U.S. president also dislikes the fact that the U.S. has trade deficits with its two neighbors.
“We’re subsidizing Canada to the tune of over $100 billion a year. We’re subsidizing Mexico for almost $300 billion,” he said in December, significantly exaggerating the United States’ trade deficits with both countries.
“We shouldn’t be — why are we subsidizing these countries? If we’re going to subsidize them, let them become a state. We’re subsidizing Mexico and we’re subsidizing Canada and we’re subsidizing many countries all over the world,” Trump said.
Trump issues ‘America First Trade Policy’ memo
While he didn’t keep his promise to impose tariffs on Mexican exports on the first day of his presidency, Trump did issue an “American First Trade Policy” memorandum that paves the way for the implementation of protectionist measures.
Ever wondered why President Trump is so fixated with Canada and Mexico? This is the share of those country’s goods in all US food & agri imports. Read more here https://t.co/f9Qu9TTH75pic.twitter.com/DQ108gygZI
The memo said that “the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the United States Trade Representative, shall investigate the causes of our country’s large and persistent annual trade deficits in goods, as well as the economic and national security implications and risks resulting from such deficits, and recommend appropriate measures, such as a global supplemental tariff or other policies, to remedy such deficits.”
It also said that “the United States Trade Representative, in consultation with the heads of other relevant executive departments and agencies, shall assess the impact of the USMCA on American workers, farmers, ranchers, service providers, and other businesses and make recommendations regarding the United States’ participation in the agreement.”
“I’ll … seek strong new protections against transshipment, so that China and other countries cannot smuggle their products and auto parts into the United States tax free through Mexico to the detriment of our workers and our supply chains,” he said in October.
In his inauguration speech in the United States Capitol Rotunda, Trump said he would “immediately begin the overhaul of our trade system to protect American workers and families.”
“Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens. For this purpose, we are establishing the External Revenue Service to collect all tariffs, duties and revenues. It will be massive amounts of money pouring into our treasury coming from foreign sources,” he said.
Practically anything can be made in Mexico: from personalized construction works to handmade plushies: the sky's the limit, really! (Quintin Gellar/Pexels)
It’s not that I’m embarrassed, but I do feel a little sheepish writing it: I have, apparently, abnormally large calves. At least for Mexico.
And let me tell you, that makes me pretty sad. I don’t know much about fashion — most currently fashionable clothing looks so silly to me — but I do love a sexy knee-high boot (no heels, please).
Typically, towns in Mexico specialize in the craft of particular articles: boots, tortilleros, molcajetes — you name it, there’s a town where it’s the primary industry! (Nicole Cavelli en Unsplash)
Alas, almost every knee-high boot I try on stops zipping up as soon as it hits my calf; they’re just not wide enough. And it’s heartbreaking, because I have seen some really cute boots out there.
But wait! It’s not the end!
Not too far from here is a town called Naolinco, famous for its leather products, mainly boots and belts. And if I decide to make a trip up to Naolinco, I can have a pair of boots made just for me! The style, the fit, the color — I can get exactly what I want with exactly the right fit.
Have I done this? Well, no. It’s a little pricey, yes, though not prohibitively expensive. The main thing is that you’ve got to make a day of it. It’s a bit of a drive, and then it’s figuring out exactly what you want, and finding someone to make it for you. Then you’ve got to go back to pick them up. Mexico being Mexico, you’re definitely going to want to call and confirm they’re ready ahead of time even if you’ve got a promised ready-by date.
Naonilco municipality, in Veracruz state, is well-known for its bootmakers. (B.jars/Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 4.0)
But I could do it, and that’s the important thing.
And shoes aren’t all you can have made. The sky really kind of is the limit!
Having things made in Mexico: from plush carrots to custom furniture
When my daughter wanted “carrots” for her stuffed rabbit one Christmas, we had little stuffed carrots made. When she wanted “number blocks” from her favorite YouTube math singers, we had those made. And when her tastes became decidedly creepier, we had a bloodied “Canelita” from the Animal Crossing-Eternal Horizons crossover made, complete with a detachable velcro gun. She was over the moon. Oh, dear.
What else can you do? Well, there’s a seamstress a few blocks from my house, for example, who can “clone” clothing items. Just pick out the material, give her the original, and voilà! I’ve got a favorite dress and a favorite pair of pants that will be getting that treatment soon. After last year’s hellishly hot spring season, I’m going to be preparedfor this one with the thinnest, lightest clothing I can find!
You bought a pair of pants that were too big for you? No problem, a Mexican seamstress can make them fit. (Saúl López/Cuartoscuro)
Speaking of drought,a water catchment system is another thing that you can have fitted to your home. This is something I’m personally dying to do; but alas, I rent. But aside from actual companies that can install these systems, it’s possible to find individuals who can do so, as well.
But the category of things I’ve had things made the most by far is furniture.
My favorite most recent carpenter-made piece of furniture is my standing desk. I bought the electrical base on Amazon, but skipped their overpriced desktops. Instead, I designed exactly the desktop I wanted, and a carpenter made it for me! We’ve also had a TV stand/bookshelf made to fit a tight living room, and a toy chest that I had fun painting once it was done. In the last house we lived in, I had a loft bed with built-in drawers and a desk made for my daughter. She loved the height and the cave-like feel underneath.
In Mexico, you’re probably one friend away from your next favorite plumber. Or carpenter. Or construction worker. (Gabriella Clare Marino/Unsplash)
Why, you can even have beer made, a service my partner has provided. Got a restaurant or bar and want a special house recipe? There are people that can design and produce them for you. And of course, food, party favors and decorations for parties of any size can always be found. Themed t-shirts for the parents at birthday parties are currently a big thing in my city, actually. This is overkill if you ask me, but people seem to really get excited about it!
The main trouble with having anything made, of course, is finding the right person or business. If you’re new in town or have limited Spanish skills, this can be tough. But if you have friends or at least know some people whose opinion you trust, then that’s your in. This is a country where everybody “knows a guy.” Ask around, and you’re sure to find someone!
And when in doubt or truly at a loss, take a look around Facebook or Instagram; many will have pages that display examples of their work.
So remember: there’s leg work, but it’s fun leg work. Think of it as an adventure and a chance to meet some cool new people. You might get your custom-made stuff and a new friend!
"It is necessary for the Armed Forces to take all appropriate action to assist the Department of Homeland Security in obtaining full operational control of the southern border," the executive order says. (X)
United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a “national emergency” at the U.S.-Mexico border on Monday night as he sought to swiftly assert his authority and differentiate his administration from that of his predecessor Joe Biden.
From the Oval Office on Monday night, Trump also said that he planned to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on Feb. 1. He previously pledged to impose the tariff on his first day in office and keep it in place “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
After taking the oath, US President #DonaldTrump says, “I will declare a NATIONAL EMERGENCY at our southern border… All illegal entry will be immediately halted and we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places they came.”… pic.twitter.com/btkF5zDCoh
Trump said in his inauguration speech on Monday that he would promptly “sign a series of historic executive orders” and that “first I will declare a national emergency at our southern border.”
In his inauguration speech, Trump said that “all illegal entry” to the United States would be “immediately halted” with his national emergency declaration.
“And we will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came,” he said.
“We will reinstate my Remain in Mexico policy. I will end the practice of catch and release. And I will send troops to the southern border to repel the disastrous invasion of our country,” Trump said.
The New York Times reported that in addition to the executive order to send troops to the United States’ southern border, Trump also signed an order requiring the military to “seal” the northern border with Canada, to repel “forms of invasion, including unlawful mass migration, narcotics trafficking, human smuggling and trafficking, and other criminal activities.”
The 47th U.S. president also said that “under the orders I sign today, we will also be designating [drug] cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.”
He signed an executive order making that designation shortly before 7 p.m. He subsequently said that the U.S. military could be used against Mexican cartels. In his inauguration speech, Trump also said that “a short time from now we are going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.”
Thousands of migrants received the news that their long-awaited asylum appointments had suddenly been canceled after the Trump administration shut down the appointment booking app CBP One on Monday. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro)
The New York Times reported that some of Trump’s executive orders “are almost certain to be challenged in court.”
For example, involving the U.S. military in border security tasks “would draw immediate legal challenges because of the strict limits in American law for how the armed forces can be deployed inside the country,” the Times said.
The declaration of a “national emergency” on the Mexico-U.S. border — where the number of migrant arrests have recently fallen — would allow Trump to access funding for border wall construction without approval from Congress.
The successful execution of the U.S. president’s pledge to reinstate the Remain in Mexico policy — which requires asylum seekers to await the outcome of their claims in Mexico — would depend on the cooperation of the Mexican government. However, President Claudia Sheinbaum is opposed to the reactivation of the policy.
Sheinbaum congratulates Trump
In a post to social media on Monday afternoon, Sheinbaum, “on behalf of the government of Mexico,” congratulated Trump on his inauguration as the 47th president of the United States.
“As neighbors and trade partners, dialogue, respect and cooperation will always be the symbol of our relationship,” she wrote.
A nombre del Gobierno de México felicito a Donald Trump @POTUS por su toma de posesión como presidente número 47 de los Estados Unidos de América. Como vecinos y socios comerciales, el diálogo, el respeto y la cooperación siempre serán el símbolo de nuestra relación.
The program — part of a strategy called “México te abraza,” or “Mexico embraces you” — includes welfare support for deportees, registration with the Mexican Social Security Institute and transport so that returning migrants “can reach their places of origin,” Sheinbaum said.
*Note* This is a breaking news story and will be updated accordingly.
Visitors examine ceramics from the exhibit "Forms and colors of pre-Roman Italy" at the National Museum of Anthropology last year. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Time Out Mexico magazine has revealed Mexico City’s most-visited museums of 2024, led by the world-renowned National Museum of Anthropology.
Time Out gathered data from the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) to find which of the capital’s 188 museums were the most popular.
Here is the ranking of the most-visited museums, according to Time Out.
1. National Museum of Anthropology (MNA)
Regarded as one of Mexico’s most iconic museums, the MNA saw a record 3.8 million visitors last year, taking the crown as the city’s most-visited museum in 2024.
With 2.6 million visitors in 2024, the National Museum of History in Chapultepec Castle secured second place in the ranking. This figure was just shy of pre-pandemic figures, as it attracted 2.8 million visitors in 2019.
The National Museum of History received over 2.6 million visitors in 2024. (Museo Nacional de Historia)
The museum features 12 exhibition rooms that follow Mexico’s history from the conquest of Tenochtitlan to the Mexican Revolution.
3. Palace of Fine Arts Museum
Coming in third place, the Palace of Fine Arts Museum saw 1.6 million visitors in 2024, a significant increase from the 642,368 guests it registered in 2018.
This museum serves as the city’s main venue for showcasing both national and international artists through its temporary exhibitions.
4. The Frida Kahlo Museum (also known as the Blue House)
Though precise numbers were not available, estimates suggest it attracted around 750,000 visitors last year.
Frida Kahlo was born, grew up and died in “the Blue House,” located in the Colonia del Carmen neighborhood of Coyoacán. (Museo Frida Kahlo)
Kahlo’s museum in the Coyoacán borough showcases the artist’s personal belongings, including original furniture, photographs, private letters, original dresses and more.
5. National Museum of Art (MUNAL)
With 518,762 visitors last year, the MUNAL came in fifth place. Located in the Historic Center of Mexico City, it houses a vast collection of Mexican art, from the colonial era to the first half of the 20th century.
6. Templo Mayor Museum and Archaeological Zone
Located at the heart of Mexico City’s Historic Center, this archeological site drew 489,233 visitors in 2024. While its numbers have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, they still lag behind pre-pandemic figures, when it reached 912,673 visitors.
7. Franz Mayer Museum
Inaugurated in 1986 with the private collection of German businessman Franz Mayer Traumann, this museum saw 370,000 visitors in 2024. According to the museum director, Giovana Jaspersen, this all-time record figure is thanks to a temporary exhibit on the wildly popular children’s show, ‘31 minutos.’
8. Modern Art Museum
The Modern Art Museum made it into the top 10 with just 294,570 visitors last year, a significant decrease from the 606,714 visitors recorded in 2018.
The museum showcases the history of modern art in Mexico with a collection of works that date from the 20th century until today.
The Museum of Modern Art and its outdoor sculpture gardens welcomed almost 300,000 visitors in 2024. (Gobierno CDMX)
9. National Museum of World Cultures
In 2024, the National Museum of World Cultures, located next to the National Palace in Mexico City’s Historic Center, saw 274,905 visitors. This figure is significantly lower than the 567,997 visitors registered in 2019, but an increase compared to the 179,078 visitors in 2022.
This museum houses a collection of art donated by foreign countries, including pieces from ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Persia.
10. Tamayo Museum of Contemporary Art
With 267,560 visitors in 20214, the Tamayo Museum surpassed its pre-pandemic numbers, as it reached 205,118 visitors in 2018.
Located in Chapultepec Park near the MNA, this museum houses a wide collection of national and international modern and contemporary art.
Trump is expected to sign a slew of executive orders before his supporters this evening. (X)
President Donald Trump announced plans to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in his inauguration speech on Monday. This was just one of several executive orders promised by the president on his first day in office.
“A short time from now, we will be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” President Trump said during his inauguration speech.
Trump says that he Will shortly rename the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”.
Fact: This will cost America and American businesses tens of millions of dollars. pic.twitter.com/T5znlosB7b
Trump had previously stated his intention to rename the body of water in a press conference on Jan. 7. He also suggested he might pursue U.S. control into Greenland, the Panama Canal and Canada.
“We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America,” Trump told reporters. “What a beautiful name. And it’s appropriate. It’s appropriate. And Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country.”
Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum responded by saying that the body of water was internationally recognized as the Gulf of Mexico and that on historical maps, North America was labeled as Mexican America.
“I mean obviously ‘Gulf of Mexico,’ the name is recognized by the United Nations, an organism of the United Nations. But next, why don’t we call it ‘Mexican America’? It sounds nice, doesn’t it?” Sheinbaum said, pointing to a map from 1607 projected on a screen during her daily press conference on Jan. 8.
The president shot back at Trump on Jan. 8, suggesting that the United States be named “Mexican America.” (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Republican representative from the state of Georgia Marjorie Taylor Greene directed her staff to draft legislation to make the name change so “Gulf of America” could be officially used on federal maps and administrative policy. While the new name could be used at the federal level, other countries would not need to accept it.
“It’s our gulf. The rightful name is the Gulf of America and it’s what the entire world should refer to it as,” Green said in a press statement.
Can the Gulf of Mexico’s name be changed by President Trump?
The Gulf of Mexico was first shown as the official name on maps used by 16th-century Spanish explorers, prior to the founding of the United States.
“The international maritime boundary in the Gulf of Mexico shall begin at the center of the mouth of the Rio Grande, wherever it may be located; from there it shall run in a straight line to a fixed point,” the U.S. State Department clarifies in a 1972 Maritime Boundary document.
The U.S. holds maritime jurisdiction over its part of the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico has jurisdiction over its portion.
Trump could potentially change the gulf’s name at the federal level as the rules for official geographical name changes are non-existent.
“Today, there is no formal international agreement or protocol in place for naming maritime areas,” the director of the International Hydrographic Organization John Nyberg told The New York Times.
However, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names states on its website that it only considers name changes for “compelling” reasons. “Generally,” it adds, “the most important policy regarding names is local use and acceptance.”
Challenges noted by the executives surveyed include challenges noted in the survey include security concerns (45%), talent attraction and talent retention (37%), a slowdown in domestic consumption (35%) and the peso exchange rate (34%). (Unsplash)
Although the Mexican business sector remains optimistic about prospects for 2025, political and economic challenges muddy the overall panorama, according to a survey conducted by consulting firm KPMG.
According to the survey, 80% of nearly 700 executives believe sales will climb this year, but only 59% expect to make new investments in 2025. This is down 11 points from last year when 70% of those surveyed said they planned to make new investments in 2024, according to the newspaper Milenio.
Only 59% of the nearly 700 Mexican business executives surveyed by KPMG expect to make new investments in 2025. This is down 11 points from last year. (Unsplash)
The survey — Perspectives of Top Executives in Mexico 2025 — found that executives are wary of disruptive political events (particularly the changes in government in both Mexico and the United States) as well as potential trade and geopolitical conflicts.
Among the challenges: new U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican goods imported to the U.S. while also suggesting that he might lower corporate income taxes to 15%.
The first proposal could impact nearshoring growth for Mexico, while the second proposal is part of Trump’s stated strategy to make the U.S. a more attractive place for manufacturing investments.
“Mexico has a variety of positive factors,” said KPMG associate Ricardo Delfín, according to the newspaper El Economista. “There is a good balance between cost and quality, as well as a qualified labor force … and executives still believe [nearshoring] will positively affect their operations.”
Four out of five executives believe their company’s sales will improve in 2025 and 89% think companies will thrive during the next three years (2025-2027).
However, according to the survey, 56% expect the Mexican economy to stagnate in 2025, while 24% predict a recession.
The KPMG analysis of the survey highlighted existing and potential supply chains — particularly in connection to Mexico’s proximity to the United States — and the country’s numerous free trade treaties as factors influencing executives’ outlooks.
Nearshoring growth could remain sluggish this year after a slowdown in 2024, with 56% of executives surveyed by KPMG expecting the Mexican economy to stagnate in 2025. (BYD)
Concerning potential new investments in 2025, nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) emphasized meeting current clients’ needs, while 34% ranked nearshoring opportunities as a priority. Other investment targets would be environmental considerations and addressing exchange rate fluctuations.
El Economista said the study indicates that nearshoring strategies this year will likely be focused on seeking value chain alliances, modifying products and services, increasing installed capacity and investing in new geographical areas.
Delfín said it is clear that executives will approach operational expansion cautiously primarily because a great deal of expansion has already taken place.
Other challenges noted in the survey include security concerns (45%), talent attraction and talent retention (37%), a slowdown in domestic consumption (35%) and the peso exchange rate (34%).
The raid, which involved 250 officials, including National Guard officers in anti-riot gear, sparked panic and confusion among the migrants.
Migrants Set Fire in Midnight Camp Raid in Northern Mexico | Mexico Camp Fire News | News18 | N18G
The camp, located in the municipality of Chihuahua, about 360 kilometers from the border city of Ciudad Juárez, housed about 150 migrants, mainly Venezuelan families en route to the United States.
The midnight operation was aimed at relocating them to Mexico’s southern border for return to their home countries, a migration official who was not authorized to speak to reporters told Reuters.
According to reports, agents began gathering outside the camp at 9 p.m. Friday and another group arrived at 11 p.m. Migrants were alerted about an impending operation, but opted to stay since things appeared peaceful at that time.
But as flames and red smoke engulfed the site, many migrants began to flee with their belongings and children.
Daniel Barrios, a Venezuelan traveling with a woman carrying a baby on her back and another child, questioned the authorities’ tactics.
“Tell me, is it logical to come with this whole police and military force, supposedly to do an inspection at a camp, when they could do it during the day?” he said.
Barrios cut off his comments as he saw officials in the distance, saying, “We have to move.”
The blaze, controlled within an hour, caused no injuries or fatalities, according to officials. The number of migrants detained during the raid remains unclear, and Mexico’s National Migration Institute did not immediately comment.
Before the raid, the Chihuahua encampment housed roughly 150 migrants, mostly Venezuelan families. (Sergio Martínez/X)
The operation occurred about 60 hours before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, amid his criticism of Mexico’s efforts to curb migration. Trump has vowed stricter border policies and has threatened tariffs on Mexican goods if enforcement does not improve.
In the hours after the raid, one man from Nicaragua was walking around train tracks with companions who had decided to return to Torreón, Coahuila, then try to cross the border in another city.
Describing the raid, he said people put mattresses down near the entrance and fled out the back of the camp through a factory and toward the hills.
“First we put the mattresses down, and when they tried to force their way in, they were set on fire and we ran away,” he explained.
Chihuahua Gov. María Eugenia Campos had stated prior to the operation that “Chihuahua will not be a shelter for migrants” — a statement roundly criticized by a Morena official afterward.
“These positions not only contradict the values of solidarity and empathy that should guide our actions as a society, but also reflect a limited vision in the face of a phenomenon that demands shared responsibility and inter-institutional cooperation,” Brighite Granados, president of Morena’s state executive committee in Chihuahua, said in a press release.
As Trump prepared to take the oath of office in the U.S., Sheinbaum extolled the strengths of Mexico and promised to protect Mexicans facing deportation in the U.S. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum held her Monday morning press conference just hours before Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th president of the United States.
Unsurprisingly, Mexico’s relationship with the United States was a key focus of the president’s mañanera on Trump’s Inauguration Day.
Sheinbaum: Mexico’s relationship with the US ‘has to be’ — and will be — ‘between equals’
Early in her Q&A session with reporters, Sheinbaum declared that Mexico “has no reason to bow its head, or feel inferior” when dealing with the United States.
“We’re a magnificent country, a cultural power, and Mexicans are hardworking, honest people,” she said.
“We’re fraternal, caring, we have a lot to show off to the whole world. So the relationship with the United States has to be between equals,” she said.
Mexico “has no reason to bow its head” when dealing with the United States, Sheinbaum said at her morning press conference. (Presidencia)
“… My role is to be a representative of the magnificent people [of Mexico] so our relationship with the United States will be one of equals, and we will always defend the Mexicans who live in the United States,” Sheinbaum said.
The president has said on repeated occasions that she believes that Mexico will have a good relationship with the United States during Trump’s second term.
USMCA allows North America to compete with other regions of the world, president says
Later in the press conference, Sheinbaum reiterated her view that “only” with the USMCA free trade pact can North America “compete with other regions of the world” in an economic sense.
“In other words, the United States can’t [compete] on its own, it needs Canada and Mexico,” she said.
The 2026 review of the USMCA free trade agreement, signed in 2018, will only be a ‘minor’ revision, Sheinbaum said. (Ron Przysucha/U.S. Department of State)
“In 2026 a revision [of the USMCA] is coming, which is a minor revision,” the president said Monday.
“And we believe that this revision will be carried out in agreement with the governments of the United States and Canada, because the accord has been beneficial for the three countries,” Sheinbaum said.
No Mexicans among those killed in LA fires, foreign minister says
Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente told the president’s press conference that no Mexicans were among 27 people killed in the devastating Los Angeles fires.
On Sunday, however, 125 Mexicans received assistance at one of the various emergency shelters that have been set up in L.A., he said.
“And we’re working on the census about those who lost jobs. This will take us little bit more time,” de la Fuente said.
Firefighters battle the Palisades Fire on the north side of Los Angeles, in a photo from early January. (CAL FIRE_Official/Flickr)
Loss of employment “is probably where there will be more pain for our compatriots,” he said.
“And there is already an emerging program … to begin to provide them with support and get them work,” the foreign minister said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
"México te abraza," or "Mexico embraces you" includes welfare support for deportees, registration with the Mexican Social Security Institute and transport so that returning migrants "can reach their places of origin," Sheinbaum said. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Just hours ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States, the Mexican government revealed details of its plan to receive Mexican immigrants deported from the U.S. by the Trump administration.
President Claudia Sheinbaum told her Monday morning press conference that the government has prepared a “comprehensive program” for Mexicans deported during what Trump has pledged will be “the largest deportation operation in American history.”
“Mexico will do everything it can to defend and attend to [our] compatriots. It will allocate what is needed to receive those who are repatriated in order to achieve their reincorporation to their native country,” Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez said during Sheinbaum’s Monday press conference. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)The program — part of a strategy called “México te abraza,” or “Mexico embraces you” — includes welfare support for deportees, registration with the Mexican Social Security Institute and transport so that returning migrants “can reach their places of origin,” Sheinbaum said.
She said that deportees will receive immediate financial support from the government to cover the initial costs they face after returning to Mexico. That support will come in the form of a “compatriot welfare card,” a kind of bank card loaded with 2,000 pesos (about US $100).
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez said that deportees will also have access to public health care services in Mexico.
“We don’t agree [with Trump’s deportation plan], but in case it happens, [deportees] will be received with access to the Mexican government welfare programs, access to health services for them and their family, transport to their places of origin and telephone communication,” she said.
“Mexico will do everything it can to defend and attend to [our] compatriots. It will allocate what is needed to receive those who are repatriated in order to achieve their reincorporation to their native country,” Rodríguez said.
The federal government is also prepared to provide consular support and legal advice to Mexicans at risk of deportation from the United States. It has sought to strengthen Mexico’s consular network in the United States in recent months.
Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente presents a map of the Mexican consular network in the United States as well as the number of U.S.-based attorneys and other legal support staff for future deportation cases. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
“You are not alone and you won’t be alone,” Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente assured Mexicans in the United States.
Rodríguez said that the “México te abraza” initiative is “a plan that was instructed by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and in which the entire government participates.”
It includes “protocols to receive returnees at the border ports of entry and at airports,” she said.
The interior minister explained that authorities will assist deportees in obtaining the Mexican identification documents they need to access social security services in Mexico. Returning Mexicans will have opportunities to work in government employment programs such as the Youths Building the Future apprenticeship scheme and the Sowing Life reforestation initiative, Rodríguez said.
Sheinbaum reiterated last week that Mexico was ready to receive large numbers of Mexicans if the Trump administration follows through on its mass deportation plan. However, until Monday, the government had not specified how it would help deportees.
The president and other government officials have argued that the deportation of large numbers of Mexicans from the United States will have a significant and negative impact on the U.S. economy given that they work in a range of important sectors. There are estimated to be around 5 million undocumented Mexicans living in the United States.
Sheinbaum confident that Mexico will reach ‘agreement’ with Trump administration on various issues
Sheinbaum told reporters that her government has had some “informal” discussions with incoming Trump administration officials, but stressed that formal communication will commence after Monday’s inauguration of the 47th president of the United States.
It is not clear how soon formal communication between President Sheinbaum and Donald Trump will commence after Monday’s presidential inauguration. (@CNBCTV18News/X)
Once Trump has taken office, “we’ll enter into communication [with the new U.S. government] and we know there will be agreement on different issues — that’s our objective,” she said.
One major concern for Mexico is Trump’s pledge to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican exports to the United States. Trump said in late November that he would impose the tariff on day one of his second term as president.
But Reuters, citing an incoming Trump administration official, reported that Trump would “issue a broad trade memo on Monday that stops short of imposing new tariffs on his first day in office but directs federal agencies to evaluate U.S. trade relationships with China, Canada and Mexico.”
Sheinbaum said last week that her government would combat the tariff threat through dialogue with the new U.S. government.
At her morning press conference on Monday, Sheinbaum also expressed her support for CBP One, the United States government app that migrants use to arrange appointments with U.S. immigration authorities.
“We don’t just suggest the continuation of this application, but the possibility of similar schemes [being available] from Central America, the south of Mexico or [prospective migrants’] countries of origin,” Sheinbaum said.
