The USDA’s red light on inspections means that importation into the U.S. of Michoacán's avocadoes will be limited to items already inspected or that are currently in transit. (Cuartoscuro)
(Juan José Estrada/Cuartoscuro)
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is pausing avocado inspections in Michoacán following what it called an unsafe incident in a rural part of the state involving two American inspectors.
Michoacán is Mexico’s No. 1 avocado producer and exporter.
Michoacán Gov. Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla downplayed the incident cited by the U.S. government, in its decision to pause avocado inspections, saying that the two inspectors were caught up in a civil demonstration and were never in real danger. (Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla/Twitter)
The pause in Michoacán avocado inspections also applies to mangoes grown in the state. Michoacán is Mexico’s second largest exporter state of mangoes to the U.S., according to the Mexican Association of Mango Producers and Exporters (EMEX). Michoacán was responsible for 19% of the 65.3 million cases of mangoes exported to the United States in 2023.
In conjunction with the announcement about the pause in avocado inspections, the U.S. State Department issued a travel alert stating, “Due to recent security incidents in Aranza, Michoacán, the U.S. government reminds U.S. citizens not to travel to the state.”
It restated that its current travel advisory for Michoacán is “Level 4 — Do Not Travel due to crime and kidnapping.”
The USDA’s red light on inspections in the state means the import into the United States of Michoacán’s “green gold” — as avocados from the state are often referred to — will be limited to items that have already undergone inspection or are currently in transit.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday that a “sane solution is being sought … but it takes time.”
In a post on the X social media platform on Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar confirmed that the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) had suspended inspections in Michoacán “until these safety issues have been resolved.”
US Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar, seen here (second from right) on June 11 with Mexico’s President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, United States Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall and others, said on Twitter on Tuesday that he’ll be in Michoacan next week to address security and other issues in the state. (Ken Salazar/Twitter)
“This pause does not affect other Mexican states, where APHIS inspections continue,” Salazar added. “This action does not block all exports of avocados or mangoes to the United States, nor does it stop products currently in transit.”
Salazar wrote that two APHIS employees “were recently attacked and detained while carrying out their work in the state of Michoacán inspecting avocados,” adding, “They are no longer in captivity.”
The incident reportedly occurred Friday during a blockade by community members in Aranza, a town in the municipality of Paracho. However, Michoacán Governor Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla disagreed with Salazar’s version and other published accounts of the incident.
Ramirez told the Ciro Gómez Leyva news radio program that the “two agents were never at any risk.” However, the newspaper El País wrote that Aranza community members “detained and beat” the two inspectors.
Bedolla agreed that some private vehicles were stopped during a “social demonstration,” including the one in which the inspectors were traveling. However, he said it was not due to their role as inspectors and that they were not physically harmed or harassed.
He did concede that the inspectors might have “felt attacked,” as might anyone when their car is “detained.”
Bedolla also expressed confidence Tuesday morning that the conflict over avocado inspections could be resolved within the next 48 hours — a stance that was seemingly contradicted by Ambassador Salazar’s post on X shortly thereafter.
“Next week, I will travel to Michoacán to meet with [Bedolla] and the Association of Producers and Export Packers of Mexico (APEAN) to address, among other important issues, security,” Salazar wrote.
Of the U.S. decision to pause Michoacán inspections, President López Obrador said, “Well, those are their policies. Fortunately, we have good relations [with the U.S., and] we are convincing them to act differently, but it takes time.”
According to El País, the U.S. imported 1.4 million tonnes of avocados from Mexico last year, a 17% increase over 2022. More than 80% of the avocados produced in Mexico are exported to the U.S. Overall avocado production in Mexico this year is predicted to be 2.7 million tonnes, with 73% of that total coming from Michoacán.
The United States also halted Michoacán avocado inspections twice in 2022, also for safety concerns.
The first suspension occurred after a Uruapan-based inspector received a threatening call to his official cell phone; the second was implemented due to violence in Michoacán, one of six Mexican states categorized as “do not travel to” by the U.S. State Department.
Tesla's newest alcoholic beverage product is Tesla Mezcal — which sells for US $450 per lightning-shaped bottle on the Tesla Mezcal website. Launched last week, it's already out of stock. (Tesla Mezcal)
Tesla may not be building its gigafactory yet in the northern state of Nuevo León, but we now know that Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company is producing mezcal, Mexico’s famed agave spirit.
Following in the footsteps of Tesla Tequila — introduced in 2020 — last week Tesla Mezcal was launched, becoming its most expensive liquor yet, according to the news website Business Mexico Insider.
Elon Musk, founder of Tesla, which now sells its own mezcal. (Trevor Cokley/US Air Force)
The limited-release mezcal is priced at US $450 per bottle and is described on the Tesla website as “spicy, with a deep citrus and green apple nose that gives way to soft herbal notes with a delicate smokiness that lingers on the tongue.”
“It finishes with soft tuberose, jasmine and chamomile. Mouthfeel is balanced, yet strong with light bitter notes at the end.”
Tesla Mezcal’s hand-blown glass bottle — created by Tesla’s director of product design, Javier Verdura — is said to draw inspiration from centuries-old pottery traditions in Oaxaca. The 750-milliliter bottle has the shape of a lightning bolt, as did the gold bottle for Tesla Tequila, which sold at $250.
Tesla Mezcal is expected to be a popular collectible. As of Tuesday morning, the Tesla website listed the product as out of stock — even with purchases limited to two sets per customer. Those interested in purchasing the hard-to-get mezcal — which is only available for delivery in select U.S. states — should consult the website. There is no information regarding its availability in Mexico or other countries, according to the newspaper Infobae.
Musk’s mezcal is just the latest in celebrity-branded versions of the beverage. Rock-n-roller Sammy Hagar launched an 80-proof blend of mezcal and tequila called Santo Mezquila in 2017. Two years later, “Breaking Bad” TV series co-stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul launched their Dos Hombres mezcal brand.
The mezcal is produced for Tesla by California-based Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal and is derived from the fermentation of Espadín and Bicuishe agave varieties, according to USA Today, which also notes that the Tesla Mezcal features a rather low 43% alcohol content by volume.
The Tesla mezcal is made by a California producer, Nosotros Tequila & Mezcal. According to their website, Nosotros’ mezcal is Mexican, sourced in Jalisco. Pictured, left to right: Nosotros founders Michael Arbanas and Carlos Soto. (Bristol Farms)
Mezcal, along with tequila, is one of the most emblematic Mexican spirits. Both are made from the agave plant, though tequila can only be made from one variety while mezcal can be made from many. Exports of tequila and mezcal from Mexico were worth $621 million in the first two months of 2024, putting them among the top national agricultural exports.
Jorge Guajardo is the former Mexican ambassador to China (2007-13) and is now a partner in an advisory firm. Mexico News Daily asked him five questions about Mexico's economic potential. (Courtesy)
To get another viewpoint on Mexico’s current FDI situation, and its future opportunities, Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek and I spoke to Jorge Guajardo, Mexico’s longest serving ambassador to China (2007-13) and a former consul general in Austin, Texas.
Jorge is now a partner at DGA Group in Washington, D.C., where he provides strategic guidance to companies on risk, cyber security, market disruptions, and barriers to market entry in China and Latin America.
MND put five FDI-related questions to the former ambassador, a Monterrey native who keeps a close eye on political, economic and social developments in Mexico.
Will the foreign companies that have recently made investment announcements for Mexico follow through with their plans?
Guajardo essentially provided two answers to this question: one for Chinese companies and another for firms from other foreign countries.
Companies from the United States and Europe, for example, usually conduct “due diligence” before they commit to a project and therefore tend to make “more serious” investment announcements, he said.
On the other hand, China, and Chinese companies, have “a long history of making investment announcements they don’t follow up on,” Guajardo said.
Guajardo is skeptical of some of the Chinese investment announcements in Mexico. For example, Chinese EV maker BYD has announced plans this year to build a plant in Mexico. (BYD/Facebook)
Take China’s investment announcements in Mexico with “a huge grain of salt, a Rock of Gibraltar-sized grain of salt,” Guajardo said.
“China announces things without giving it much thought, they seldom actually go ahead. In China there is a saying that once you sign a contract that’s where the negotiation begins. … I’m not saying it as a criticism, it’s just they have a different way of doing business,” he said.
Given that firms from other foreign countries typically conduct ample research before they commit to a project, and considering that they are often public companies with a responsibility to report to their shareholders, Guajardo is confident that they will go ahead with the projects they announced during Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s presidency.
If they were confident enough to commit themselves to projects during AMLO’s administration, they won’t change their mind during the presidency of Claudia Sheinbaum, he said.
Regarding the proposed reforms López Obrador sent to Congress earlier this year — which have generated considerable concern in markets in the wake of Mexico’s recent elections — Guajardo noted that Morena and its allies didn’t win a supermajority in the Senate and therefore there is no ironclad guarantee they will be able to approve the proposals.
Even though there is a better than even chance that they will be able to bring over the missing votes from other parties, he said, this will be done on a case by case basis, without a blank check for Morena to proceed without having to build coalitions.
Guajardo added one caveat to his confidence about most foreign companies following through on their investment plans, noting that he expects more caution from auto sector companies, including Tesla, because of Chinese overcapacity in that sector and the possibility that those vehicles will be dumped all over the world.
Is it concerning that ‘new investment’ currently constitutes only a small percentage of overall FDI?
New investment accounted for just 3% of FDI in the first quarter of 2024, while the figure last year was 13%. The lion’s share of FDI in Mexico in those periods was “reinvestment of profits” by foreign companies that already have a presence here.
Some analysts have claimed that the low levels of new FDI are a cause for concern and evidence that Mexico hasn’t yet really benefited from nearshoring.
Danish toy giant Lego is set to invest a further US $200 million in its Monterrey site, which is its largest manufacturing facility globally. (Lego)
For his part, Guajardo said he was unconcerned about the low current levels of FDI.
Whether foreign companies’ outlay in Mexico is new investment or reinvestment of profits “makes no difference to me,” he said.
The expansion plans of companies such as automotive manufacturer Polaris and toy maker Lego in Nuevo León don’t represent “new investment” as classified by the Economy Ministry, but “the way they’re growing” is new, Guajardo said, noting that they are “building more capacity” and “hiring more people.”
If most companies that have recently made new investment announcements for Mexico do go ahead with their plans, as Guajardo believes they will, the “new investment” proportion of FDI will inevitably rise in the coming years.
What are the most attractive sectors for foreign investment in Mexico?
Mexico’s under-resourced energy sector is “the biggest immediate area of opportunity for foreign direct investment,” Guajardo said.
“… If I’m talking to foreign investors I would say the big area to keep an eye on is the energy sector. There’s a huge opportunity for generation and transmission,” he said.
Australia’s Woodside Energy is one large company currently investing and operating in Mexico’s energy sector. (Woodside Energy)
Guajardo said that the makeup of Sheinbaum’s team — she is due to name her cabinet this week — will be indicative of whether she wants to maintain AMLO’s “energy sovereignty” posture, or whether she is more pragmatic and seeks to address deficits in energy generation, especially clean energy generation, by allowing, and courting, greater private sector investment.
Beyond the energy sector, he said that the logistics industry represents another area of investment opportunity given that the desire to shorten supply chains is a major motivation for relocation to Mexico by foreign companies.
“That would be an area I’d be keeping an eye on,” Guajardo said, noting that there is already significant foreign investment in transport and warehousing projects in Mexico.
Will the depreciation of the peso spur foreign investment?
“My guess is most every exporting company in Mexico wanted a depreciation of the peso,” Guajardo said, referring to the recent drop in the value of the currency against the US dollar.
He said that a weaker peso — the currency has depreciated 8% against the greenback since the elections — puts winds in the sails of industry in Mexico because their exports are “more attractive.”
Guajardo said he was “quite bullish” on the opportunities that a weaker peso creates for Mexico, although he expressed consternation at the cause of the currency’s recent fall — i.e. Morena’s comprehensive election win and concerns about the party’s proposed constitutional changes.
Mexico needs a weaker peso “to prop up industry,” he added.
“Countries don’t become big by consuming more, they become big by producing more,” Guajardo said.
What do you see as the biggest barriers to even greater FDI in Mexico?
Guajardo said that government policy or posture, water scarcity, insecurity and inadequate infrastructure are among the potential barriers to increasing foreign investment in Mexico.
Guajardo says that he expects the government’s approach to energy policy will shift during the presidency of Claudia Sheinbaum, which could help spur more foreign investment. (Cuartoscuro)
He said he believes that the government’s posture — at least with regard to the energy sector — will improve during the presidency of Sheinbaum, who will take office Oct. 1.
Respect for the rule of law, “particularly in the energy sector,” is needed to create investor confidence, Guajardo said. There need to be “clear signs” that contracts will be respected “in the long term,” he added.
Meanwhile, water supply pressures as more and more companies relocate to Mexico is going to be a “huge issue,” Guajardo predicted.
“Communities will stand up to investment or to big business” over water, he said, adding that water availability, electric capacity, and a tight labor market will be new areas of due diligence for companies seeking to set up manufacturing operations in Mexico
Insecurity, “particular as it pertains to transportation,” is another potential barrier to FDI, Guajardo said, referring to things such as highway and train robberies.
Finally, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is one example of a region of Mexico where a lack of infrastructure could hold foreign investment back, he said.
The port of Coatzacoalcos in Veracruz is part of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec trade corridor, which could be a booster for nearshoring investment in Mexico’s southern states. (Cuartoscuro)
Among the impressive finds on the island was a collection of human bones in an excellent state of conservation with manmade grooves etched into them. (INAH/X)
The remains of a Purépecha boat called a tepari and other ancient artifacts have been uncovered during a massive cleanup operation to help save Lake Pátzcuaro, in the state of Michoacán, from extinction.
The traditional canoe — which stands out for its considerable length of 14.8 meters (48.5 feet) — was found in the vicinity of the island of Janitzio, located in Lake Pátzcuaro, which has been inhabited by the Purépecha people for centuries.
Another major find at the Lake Pátzcuro site was a 14-meter canoe-like traditional boat of the Purépecha people, called a tepari. As seen in this photo, the ancient artifact was found lodged in mud made hard by drought conditions in Lake Pátzcuro. (INAH/X)
The boat sank with a load of firewood, according to experts with Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), leading to speculation that Purépecha boatmen had just made a run to nearby Erongaricuaro and were returning to the island with their cargo.
The chance discovery was recorded in early May at the drought-stricken Michoacán lake, where more than 730 men and women are working to combat deforestation, a lack of rain, water theft, historical neglect and excessive planting of avocados and other fruits — conditions that have reduced Lake Pátzcuaro’s surface by 42%.
The significant finding sheds light on historical boating practices in the region, INAH noted. The officials didn’t release an exact time period for when the boat sank as further analysis is needed.
Michoacán’s Environment Ministry (Secma) has assigned 10 people to support archaeologists on upcoming expeditions in the area.
INAH researchers and community authorities noted that the area being dredged has yielded “a significant amount of pre-Hispanic vestiges,” in much the same way that work on the Maya Train on the Yucatán Peninsula has led to thousands of archaeological discoveries.
The wide variety of artifacts found has the potential to tell researchers much about ancient Purépecha life around Lake Pátzcuaro. (INAH/X)
Materials recovered during the Lake Pátzcuaro work include “an important collection” of human bones, mostly femurs, that were handcrafted with grooves and are in an “excellent state of conservation,” according to INAH.
Many ceramic urns and stone objects have also been found, which INAH officials noted “were thrown into the lake in pre-Hispanic times, surely as offerings.” At least one other canoe has been found, as well.
The remains were uncovered during the restoration and desilting work that is ongoing in Lake Pátzcuaro.
One of the priority efforts has been to make sure Janitzio, a favorite destination among tourists to the Pátzcuaro area, remains an island. In recent weeks, the water level has gone so low there that an isthmus is beginning to form between Janitzio and the mainland community of Jarácuaro.
Alejandro Méndez López, Michoacán’s environment minister, said at a press conference Monday that the situation is “critical.” The southwestern part of the island is separated from the mainland by a 30-meter channel that is “less than 50 centimeters” (20 inches) deep, and getting shallower every day, Méndez said.
He also noted that Jarácuaro itself was an island about five decades ago.
Tropical Storm One, a cyclone likely to be named "Alberto" is headed for the northern state of Tamaulipas. (SkyAlert Storm/NOAA/X)
The arrival of what could be the first named storm of the 2024 hurricane season has authorities along the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico on alert as meteorologists watch a potential tropical cyclone.
🌪️🌊¡Tromba marina a la vista!
En redes sociales circula un video sobre una tromba marina reciente o #tornado de agua frente a la playa de #Tulum, #QuintanaRoo debido a la nubosidad densa en la región y los fuertes #vientos. Hasta el momento no se registran daños.
📽️:… pic.twitter.com/pJXZKjsN6w
This water spout was seen from beaches in Tulum on Monday, as cloudy and rainy conditions continue in the area.
As of 10 a.m. Tuesday, the storm was located in the Bay of Campeche in the southwestern corner of the Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center said in their 12 p.m. advisory on Tuesday, “a turn toward the northwest and west with an increase in forward speed is expected tonight and on Wednesday, and the system is forecast to reach the Gulf coast of Mexico by Wednesday night.”
While the cyclone is projected to make landfall in southern Tamaulipas, it is also forecast to drench the states of Puebla, Campeche, Tabasco, Quintana Roo and Yucatán.
The state of Quintana Roo has already seen torrential rains since Sunday, causing flooding in the cities of Chetumal and Cancún, where authorities reported an accumulation of 115 mm of rainfall overnight on Monday.
The SMN also warned of heavy rains in the interior of the country when the cyclone is forecast to push ashore on Thursday.
Cities across the Yucatán peninsula have been affected by heavy rains since Sunday, which are expected to continue with the approaching storm. (Mara Lezama/X)
In addition to actions undertaken by the federal government — issuing alerts, closing ports and setting up response teams — state and municipal governments are also taking precautionary measures. Authorities will jointly monitor rivers, dams and reservoirs in the affected areas. The National Water Commission (Conagua) reported that reservoirs in Tamaulipas are only 20% full, so there is adequate space to capture the rainwater and reduce the impact of flooding.
The Yucatán state government issued a Blue Alert for high winds and high waves while in Veracruz the government issued a Gray Alert for heavy rains and high winds as a result of the cyclone.
Borrachitos are a staple of Mexican candy stores. Find out how to make your own delicious treats. (Fabian Montano Hernandez/Shutterstock)
You probably know we Mexicans love spicy sweets. But did you know we also love candy with alcohol? Called borrachitos — “little drunks” — these candies date back to the arrival of the Spanish and are a staple in Mexican traditional celebrations. They have the consistency of gummies, except they’re covered with sugar and infused with alcohol and fruit flavors.
While there is no official record as to the birthplace of borrachitos, the most accepted theory is that the nuns of the Santa Rosa convent in Puebla — the same convent that created chile en nogada and mole poblano — created these sweets as a thank you gesture to the church’s benefactors. Due to their success, people started selling them.
Legendary dishes such as mole poblano, chile en nogada and borrachitos were allegedly created in this convent kitchen. (Museos Puebla/Facebook)
Made with cornstarch or gelatine, milk and sugar, borrachitos come in flavors such as strawberry, pineapple and coconut.
Traditionally, the nuns infused the sweets with brandy, rum or eggnog. As their popularity grew, different regions added their own flair to the delicacy.
One of the most distinctive variants hails from Jalisco, which infused borrachitos with — you guessed it — tequila. Jalisco borrachitos have no fruit base, making tequila the main flavor. Another original version later appeared in Oaxaca, where the sweets were infused with mezcal, now one of Mexico’s trendiest spirits.
While the borrachitos in Puebla, Mexico City, Oaxaca, and other states are colored using red, green or Mexican pink dye, borrachitos in Jalisco don’t use dye at all. Instead, they remain a natural beige color to indicate the only flavoring is tequila.
Jalisco’s tequila-only borrachitos are unflavored and uncolored to indicate their purity. (Dulces típicos de don Raúl/Facebook)
Where to buy borrachitos?
Some supermarkets sell borrachitos in the dulcería, orcandy section. However, these don’t usually taste as good as the artisanal ones found in tienditas, markets, traditional candy stores and on roadsides stalls connecting cities and towns.
Since borrachitos were born in Puebla, the road to this city is one of the most popular places in all of Mexico to buy them.
In Jalisco, the expat paradises of Chapala, Jocotepec and Ajijic, on the shores of Lake Chapala, are known for producing some of the best artisanal borrachitos in the state. Vendors typically sell them on the side of the roads in small plastic bags containing five or six sweets per bag. You can find borrachitos infused with tequila and eggnog or flavored with fruit; the latter come in red, yellow or green.
If you’re not on the road and don’t live near traditional candy shops or stalls, Dulcerías D’Raque in Guadalajara has an extensive selection of artisanal borrachitos and traditional sweets from all over the country. Their tequila borrachitos are particularly delicious.
Can I prepare borrachitos at home?
For this recipe, you need little more than hot water and gelatin. (Freepik)
Borrachitos are so simple, that you can make your own at home. The process is simple: boil water with gelatin, add the fruit of your choice, then alcohol and sugar. To simplify the process, you can substitute fresh fruit with flavored gelatine. Once the mix thickens, dust it with sugar before cutting it into rectangles or squares.
Below you’ll find two different recipes for borrachitos: milk-based tequila borrachitos and fruit borrachitos. Enjoy!
Tequila borrachitos
Ingredients:
1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
1 cup water
½ cup whole milk
½ cup corn syrup
1 ½ cups white sugar
½ cup tequila or liquor of your choice
½ cup cornstarch
Preparation:
Mix the gelatin with water to hydrate it.
Add the milk to a saucepan with the sugar and corn syrup. Heat to boil over medium to low heat, stirring all the time. Once the mix thickens, add the hydrated gelatin and mix until all lumps disappear.
Remove saucepan from heat and let the mix cool for a few minutes. Add the tequila and mix well.
Coat a rectangular glass mold with cornstarch, ensuring that all surface and sides are covered. Place the mixture in the mold and let it cool in the refrigerator for at least three hours.
Once cooled, unmold the mix and use a napkin to remove any trace of cornstarch.
Cut the mix into small rectangles and dust with white sugar.
Fruit borrachitos
Ingredients
1 tbsp fruit-flavored gelatin
2 cups water
50 g cornstarch
½ cup of white sugar
3 tbsp of rum or liquor of your choice
Preparation
Heat 1 ½ cup of water in a saucepan. Once it starts to boil, add the sugar and mix until it dissolves. Add the gelatin and mix well.
In a separate container, mix ½ cup of warm water with the cornstarch until all lumps disappear and you get an even consistency. Pour this mixture into the saucepan with the gelatin and continue mixing until it slightly thickens.
Turn off the heat and let the mix cool for a few minutes. Add the liquor of your choice and mix one last time.
Pour the mix into a glass mold and let cool in the refrigerator for at least three hours.
Once cooled, unmold. Cut the mix into small squares and dust with white sugar.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
JetBlue is the first airline to offer non-stop flights from New York City's JFK airport to Tulum. (JetBlue)
The low-cost airline JetBlue officially launched its new direct flight between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York City and Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport (TQO) in Tulum on Thursday.
The route, which will operate daily, is the U.S. airline’s third destination in Mexico, in addition to Cancún and Los Cabos. It is currently the only direct route connecting New York with the popular Mexican beach destination. Ticket prices start at US $116.
New Yorkers now have a direct flight available to Tulum. (Mara Lezama/X)
“As the only airline with direct service from New York’s JFK to Tulum, we are thrilled to offer our customers our award-winning service, low fares, and another option when traveling to the Mexican Caribbean,” said JetBlue Vice President David Jehn.
Passengers on the inaugural flight were offered breakfast burritos and fruit towers, according to a report in Travel and Leisure magazine. JetBlue also handed out free round-trip tickets and travel vouchers as part of a round of in-flight bingo organized by the crew.
The new daily flight takes off at 8 a.m. and arrives in Tulum at 11:15 a.m.
Before the Tulum airport opened in December 2023, travelers had to fly into Cancún, located about 130 kilometers to the north.
“We’re already seeing a different dynamic that we never had [because] people planned their vacation [around] landing in Cancún,” Andrés Martínez Reynoso, the director of the Quintana Roo Tourism Board, told Travel and Leisure, adding that the airport is “changing the way we look at our own destination … Now with Tulum, it brings especially the destinations that we have in the south … closer to the north of the state. In a way, people are going to have more options when they vacation there.”
International flights to Tulum began in March, with major carriers American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines currently operating flights from U.S. cities including Atlanta, Dallas and Miami.
Copa Airlines is scheduled to inaugurate its first flight between Panama City and Tulum on June 26, and there will be connections to Europe launching this winter.
Viva Aerobús, Mexicana de Aviación and Aeroméxico offer domestic connections to Tulum airport.
The new facility in Tijuana will create more than 1,150 jobs. (Daikin)
Daikin Applied, a global leader in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products, broke ground on its new manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Baja California, last week. Daikin will invest at least US $121 million in the new plant, which is expected to create at least 1,150 permanent jobs.
The energy-efficient manufacturing plant is being built in collaboration with the Daikin subsidiary Alliance Air Products, based across the border in San Diego, and is expected to be operational by June 2025, according to the news website Forbes México.
Alliance Air Products will produce the Daikin branded HVAC equipment. (National Elektronik)
Alliance Air Products, which currently operates a construction plant in Tijuana, is considered an expert in custom HVAC manufacturing, encompassing all aspects of implementation and operation while also manufacturing the equipment to fit specific client needs.
The new 46,000-square-meter plant will manufacture energy-efficient HVAC cooling solutions tailored specifically for data centers across North America. It also aims to achieve maximum efficiency and meet sustainability goals for both Daikin Applied and its customers, according to the newspaper Mexico Business News.
Yu Nishiwaka, director of operations at Daikin Applied, hailed the initiative, saying this is an important time for the HVAC industry which is growing exponentially due to economic trends and forces such as artificial intelligence and insourcing manufacturing.
“It is critical not just to meet the demand for cooling in data centers, but also to help data centers improve efficiency and sustainability with regard to energy consumption,” Nishiwaka said. “This expansion underlines our commitment to help our clients identify sustainability opportunities and achieve, if not surpass, decarbonization design objectives.”
The project also reflects Daikin’s and Alliance Air’s belief that there will be significant growth in the data center market throughout Mexico and North America.
Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila praised Daikin for the investment, saying it aligns with her government’s economic policies. “Baja California emphasizes attracting foreign investment that will foster innovation and create well-paying jobs,” she said, according to Mexico Business News.
Luis Plascencia, president and general manager of Alliance Air, spoke glowingly of the new plant. “We’ve been operating successfully in Tijuana for 20 years and have 986 exceptionally talented employees here. We are eager to continue this success and strengthen our relationship with the Baja California government as well as local leaders in Tijuana to make this new installation a reality.”
Mexicans and Americans have a friendly relationship. Mostly. Here's how to tell. (Major League Soccer)
Gringos and Mexicans make a pretty good match. We really do like each other! Our cultural personalities mesh well. Think the opposite of the friction often noted between U.S. and French citizens. Or British and French citizens. Or anyone and French citizens.
But even the loveliest matches don’t love and admire each other 100% of the time.
Sometimes, we downright annoy each other, or worse, offend each other!
If two divisive politicians can get along, so can you guys. (lopezbrador.org)
When Not to Be Offended
As is often the case, simple misunderstandings can lead to some Big Feelings. When it comes to gringos in Mexico, there are some pretty predictable circumstances. But fear not! Behold, reasons for you to not suspect you’re getting especially raw treatment:
When you feel like the entire country is conspiring to not let you get anything done “on time.”
Don’t worry! That is not what’s happening.
Because, as you’ve discovered if you’ve spent any amount of time here, rushing is no national value. Things get started when they get started and they get done when they get done. Chill. If you’re always in a rush, then this is not your perfect match. Swipe left and go find yourself a nice little town in Germany.
This includes parties, by the way. People will show up an hour or three later, and it doesn’t occur to anyone to apologize for it. Why? Because the important part of it is being there (and by the way, you can likely stay until the sun comes up).
Parties. They start whenever, and if you’re lucky they finish on the same day. (Kelsey Chance/Unsplash)
What offends them:Want to get a Mexican as annoyed with you as you might be feeling? Show your impatience, and be loud and obvious about it.
We gringos tend to be a little obsessive about wanting all the information we can get before making a single move.
Unfortunately, that’s not always possible around here.
Want to get the official scoop on a specific neighborhood? Too bad. Want to have the complete list of items you need for a dreaded trámite before arriving? Ha! You’re funny. Think you can have a look at the dogs up for adoption at the local shelter online before arriving? Oh, honey.
If you’re going to hang out in Mexico, bringing along your sense of adventure is essential. Preparation is for suckers, and plus, it makes things less fun! You’ll find out when you get there.
You will never have the correct paperwork. Just roll with it. (Christian Serna/Cuartoscuro)
What offends them: You treat someone like an idiot for not knowing what they “should” ahead of time. Obsessively researching everything before diving in just ain’t their style.
When you’ve got noisy neighbors, there’s no “beat ’em.” You can either join ’em or die mad about it.
Mexico isnot a quiet place. If you want a quiet place, this is not the country for you. But look: no one is trying to bother you by making noise. We’re all just used to there being a lot of noise a lot of the time; it’s part of life, and most people don’t notice it.
You getting upset about noisiness seems about as logical as getting upset that it’s windy. Okay, it might be annoying, but what are any of us going to do about it?
It’s true, you can call the police. Some people do, actually. If the noise is above the level of, say, a Metallica concert, they come and might tell them to pipe down. Then they’ll leave, and the volume will go back up. Get some earplugs?
What offends them: People coming to visit or live in Mexico on purpose and then complaining. One of the most popular and endearing phrases in Mexico: “Si ya saben cómo soy, ¿para qué me invitan?” (You know what I’m like, so why’d you even invite me?)
Happily Ever After, Anyway
But like I said before: there’s no such thing as the perfect pair. And there are plenty of things to love and admire about each other. So try not to get too worked up about things, my fellow countrymen.
And if you do, give yourself a nice time out. Preferably with a beer (or a shot of tequila if it’s been a particularly rough day). Say what you will about casual alcoholism; at least it’s relaxing. Invite a friend!
Helpless condo guests gather around the hot tub after Jorge Guillén was electrocuted. His wife, Lizzette Zambrano, was also electrocuted but survived. (Video screenshot)
A U.S. woman whose husband passed away after being electrocuted in a hotel hot tub in the Mexican beach town of Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, has filed a wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against the resort operator seeking US $1 million in damages.
According to the Associated Press, the woman named Lizzette Zambrano, 35, filed the lawsuit against vacation rental provider Casago International and travel company High Desert Travel, both based in Arizona. The lawsuit holds them responsible for faulty electrical wiring in the Puerto Peñasco hot tub that caused the electrocution and death of Jorge Guillén, 43, and electrocution of Zambrano, which resulted in serious injury.
When she saw Jorge caught under the water, Lizzette jumped in to help him, only to be electrocuted herself. (Courtesy photo)
The Arizona-based travel operators did not respond to a request for comment from the AP.
Zambrano’s claim says that the tragedy began when her husband Guillén and several other family members arrived at the Sonoran Sea Resort, a complex of high-rise condos in Puerto Peñasco. Zambrano and Guillén headed to the jacuzzi to watch the sunset over the sea. When Guillén dipped his foot inside the hot tub, he was electrocuted. The shock knocked him down and he fell into the tub, quickly becoming trapped underwater.
As reported by the AP, the Mexican-American couple didn’t know an electric current was rippling through the hot tub water.
“It’s absolutely terrifying,” Tej Paranjpe, an attorney at the Houston-based firm PMR Law, told the AP on Saturday.
The fatal accident occurred at Sonoran Sea Resort in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora. (TripAdvisor)
Zambrano jumped in to rescue her drowning husband, but was jolted by the current and sucked in, too. Cellphone footage from the incident shows hysterical hotel guests gathering around the jacuzzi unable to help as they discover the invisible danger of the water.
The lawsuit says that the resort managers not only failed to prevent and warn guests about the hazards of the hot tub, but also failed to react quickly enough to the emergency. Ten minutes passed until hotel employees responded to the guests’ cries for help, Zambrano’s lawyers said.
“There was not a single staff member that did anything while Jorge was getting continuously shocked again and again underwater,” Paranjpe said.
According to the lawsuit, a guest dragged Zambrano out of the water. However, efforts to retrieve Guillén with poles and various metal tools only unleashed electric shocks on more people. When the manager eventually retrieved Guillén from the bottom of the jacuzzi, it was too late.
Zambrano was medevacked to Phoenix by helicopter and was discharged from the hospital on Friday.
Puerto Peñasco, also known as Rocky Point, is located on the Gulf of California, and is a popular beach destination among U.S. tourists due to its proximity to the Arizona border.
