President Sheinbaum and members of her cabinet inaugurated the highway on Saturday in Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit. (Cuartoscuro)
The long-awaited Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta highway, which makes it easier and faster to reach the Pacific resort cities of Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas by car, is finally fully open — 13 years after work on the 310-kilometer roadway was first approved.
The highway makes travel between the two cities much shorter and provides increased access to Puerto Vallarta’s airport. it is expected to increase domestic tourism in the region. (SICT)
The new roadway also provides a direct link between Tepic, the Nayarit state capital, and the beach resorts in and around Puerto Vallarta, reducing travel time from three hours to 90 minutes.
The strategic infrastructure project has been delayed multiple times over its 13-year duration due to budget constraints — outlasting three of Mexico’s presidents and even more governors of Jalisco and Nayarit.
It was set to open in 2014, but by the time President Enrique Peña Nieto left office in 2018, only two sections of the highway project had opened. Progress on its construction continued on a slow drip in the following years, with sections opening one at a time.
The road loops northwest from the state capital around the Sierra de Vallejo Biosphere Reserve in southern Nayarit, then curves southwest toward the Pacific Ocean, traversing along the coast for nearly 100 kilometers.
The new toll road will reduce travel time between Guadalajara and the coast in half, from five hours to two and a half hours, according to Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) Minister Jesús Antonio Esteva. It also benefits travelers farther north along the Jalisco coast, giving them a more direct route to Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.
Sheinbaum also announced on Saturday other infrastructure and social projects benefitting the region, including scholarships for children in Nayarit and Jalisco and funding to renovate schools in both states.
Inauguración de la autopista Jala-Puerto Vallarta. Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit https://t.co/YTOCcYI9ZQ
Sheinbaum also took advantage of the highway’s inauguration to announce new funding for upcoming infrastructure and projects to benefit citizens in the two states.
Among the new public works to be constructed are a bridge between Bahía de Banderas and Puerto Vallarta, a freshwater aqueduct in southern Nayarit and several scenic highways — known as caminos artesanales — in the Indigenous Wixárica region of northwestern Jalisco.
“We are demonstrating that nobody will be left behind in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said Saturday.
Welfare Minister Ariadna Montiel said that the new highway and the projects Sheinbaum announced demonstrate that the administration is determined to improve the quality of life of Mexico’s marginalized citizens.
The final stretch of highway, which cost 2 billion pesos (US $98 million), features eight bridges — with the longest being 300 meters in length — three overpasses, a trunk road to the Puerto Vallarta airport and one toll booth, according to SICT Minister Esteva.
The entire toll highway has six toll booths and costs as much as 1,300 pesos (US $63) to travel its entire length, according to the newspaper Informador.
The Cutzamala basin transfer system supplies over a quarter of the water used by Mexico City's 22.5 million residents. (ObservaValle/Twitter)
In an effort to address the problem of severe water shortages in Mexico City, Mayor Clara Brugada announced this week a plan calling for the metropolis of 22.5 million people to halve its reliance on the Cutzamala reservoir system for the next two years.
Elected to office on June 2 and sworn in on Oct. 5, Brugada announced the strategy during the inauguration of the city’s first Agua Bienestar purification plant in the Coyoacán borough on Monday.
Brugada inaugurated the Coyoacán Agua Bienestar purification plant on Monday. (Clara Brugada/Twitter)
The plant is going to help solve water problems, as well, the Morena party member noted. Starting next Monday, 19-liter garrafones (jugs) of purified water will be sold mainly to low-income residents and those in areas that suffer from chronic shortages — for only five pesos (US 24 cents) each, with an additional 80 pesos (US $3.83) up-front cost for the reusable plastic jug.
A filled 19- or 20-liter garrafón in Mexico generally retails for 48 to 60 pesos (US $2.30 to $2.87), although self-fill purification stations can cut the cost to about 13 to 26 pesos (US 62 cents to $1.24).
This part of the strategy aims to alleviate financial strain on families who are hit harder than others because of repeated water woes in their areas. The program will initially serve 738 neighborhoods and districts lacking sufficient water infrastructure that are sometimes subject to rationing.
“I want to make it very clear that Agua Bienestar solves part of the problem, but the underlying problem — the problem of water scarcity — will be addressed with sectorization, redistribution, infrastructure, water balance and sustainability,” Brugada said. “That is the way we are going to solve things.”
Brugada said a good start is reducing by 50% the city’s reliance on water from the Cutzamala System, so the three main reservoirs that feed it can recover.
“At least for two years, we will receive only half of what Cutzamala supplied us last year, ensuring its long-term viability,” the mayor said.
Two years of reduced withdrawals will allow the Cutzamala System’s reservoirs to recover from the extended drought, Brugada said. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Brugada also detailed plans to infiltrate more rainwater into aquifers, which supply 70% of Mexico City’s water.
She said investment will focus on reviewing, maintaining and improving well infrastructure; setting up water-treatment facilities in more communities; and implementing automated systems to monitor and resolve water supply issues promptly.
Brugada said 15 billion pesos (US $718.5 million) will be allocated for these water initiatives; that’s out of the 291.5 billion pesos (US $13.98 billion) that she proposed last week for Mexico City’s overall 2025 budget.
“A large part of the resources will be used to guarantee that the existing wells function and provide the amount of water that should be,” she said.
Brugada’s government aims to construct at least one purification plant in each of CDMX’s 16 boroughs, with some areas receiving up to four. This expansion, supported by 30 million pesos (US $1.45 million) at the outset, is expected to produce 200,000 jugs per month by the end of 2025.
“We’re prioritizing areas where water scarcity and poverty intersect,” Brugada said, adding that no individual application process is required. “This is about addressing systemic inequality in water access.”
“This is an immediate step to support those who need it most while we work on long-term solutions,” added Mario Esparza, Mexico City’s minister of water management. He also assured residents that the purified water meets the highest quality standards.
Brugada said her administration is committed to resolving water shortages citywide by 2027, in equitable and sustainable ways.
Foreign e-commerce companies like Amazon and Temu must now pay Mexico's IVA tax on sales to shoppers in Mexico, even when the platform deposits to a seller's bank account outside the country. (Fabio Principe/Shutterstock)
Foreign e-commerce companies such as Amazon and Temu will now have to pay Mexico’s 16% value-added tax (IVA) on products they export to and sell in Mexico.
The tax requirement on foreign e-commerce companies comes on the heels of a decree signed earlier this month by President Claudia Sheinbaum, left, and Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, right, that placed a 35% tariff on foreign clothing imports. The tariff didn’t apply to countries that have a free trade agreement with Mexico. (Marcelo Ebrard/X)
In accordance with the new rule, digital platforms including Amazon and the Chinese companies Temu, Shein and Alibaba will have to pay the IVA to federal tax agency SAT even when payment for products is deposited into foreign accounts. IVA payments must be made on a monthly basis before the 17th of any given month.
E-commerce companies are now also obliged to enroll in Mexico’s Federal Taxpayer Registry as part of efforts to ensure they comply with all relevant tax obligations in the country.
To avoid falling afoul of tax laws in Mexico, such companies will have to collect a range of information including bank account details and location from all third parties selling products on their sites. In addition, foreign e-commerce companies will have to provide electronic receipts to third parties that detail tax payments that have been withheld.
Obliging foreign e-commerce companies to pay IVA on products they sell in Mexico will create a more level playing field between foreign and Mexican businesses — and thus should make locally made goods more competitive.
Foreign e-commerce companies are now also obliged to enroll in Mexico’s Federal Taxpayer Registry, administered by the federal tax agency known colloquially as the SAT. (Internet)
In 2025, the government expects to collect an additional 15 billion pesos (US $719.2 million) in tax revenue as a result of e-commerce companies’ payment of the IVA.
Who will really end up paying?
According to media reports, there are concerns that e-commerce companies — whose sales in Mexico are on the rise — will pass on the new tax burden to their customers, even though it’s the companies’ obligation to pay the IVA.
“Although the 16% IVA is solely directed at digital platforms, concerns remain as to how the indirect transfer of this tax to the final consumer will be avoided,” reported the news website Debate.
“While the authorities have said that the 16% IVA will only be charged to the e-commerce platforms and not to customers, there are still doubts about how to prevent final consumers from paying it,” the newspaper El Economista said.
From Latin rock to rap to podcasts, here are Mexico News Daily's top audio recommendations from 2024. (Henry Be/Unsplash)
From underground rock to podcasts exploring Mexican history, our team at Mexico News Daily brings you some of our favorite audio storytelling and musical discoveries of 2024. Whether you’re looking for fresh perspectives on Mexico or hunting for your next favorite band, this eclectic mix has something for every listener. For more recommendations, don’t forget to check out our staff’s favorite books, series and movies of the past year.
Podcasts
The rise of the Aztec empire: Ed Barnhart and Lex Fridman
Archaeologist Ed Barnhart is known for leading the 1998-2000 Palenque Mapping Project, at the invitation of the Mexican government. (Ed Barnhart)
Ed Barnhart, an archeologist and explorer specializing in ancient civilizations of the Americas, guest stars on the Lex Fridman Podcast. —Tamanna Bembenek, Mexico News Daily co-owner and product manager
The Sounds of Mexico City
The melodies of organ grinders are one of Mexico City’s many distinctive sounds. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
While not exactly a podcast, this audio story delivers you from wherever you are to the bustling, boisterous streets of Mexico City. Very innovative! —Peter Davies, chief staff writer
Radiolab’s Border Trilogy
The trilogy follows the impact of border policies on not just migrants but also border region residents and families of missing people. (Damián Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)
Sisters Daniela, Paulina and Alejandra Villarreal Vélez make up The Warning, founded in Monterrey in 2013. (The Warning)
I recently discovered The Warning, a rock band formed by three sisters from Monterrey. They started playing Metallica covers together when they were little. Now, they have achieved so much success that they fill the Auditorio Nacional. If you are a rock lover I highly recommend this super girl band! —María Ruiz, assistant editor
Peso Pluma
Peso Pluma "Rubicon" (Video Musical)
Mexican regional musician Peso Pluma’s chart-topping hits have helped bring the genre of corridos tumbados to the ears of listeners around the world. His ties to narco-culture make this artist controversial, especially in his home country — but you’re still likely to hear these earworms playing around town almost anywhere in Mexico. Check out his songs “Rubicon” and “Nueva Vida” for an irresistible introduction to modern-day corridos. —Tamanna Bembenek, Mexico News Daily co-owner and product manager
Kittyponeo by Bellakath
Katherinne Huerta, known professionally as Bellakath, hails from the Iztacalco borough of Mexico City. (Bellakath)
Mexico City’s alternative reggaetonera Bellakath first went viral in 2022 with her hit single “Gatita.” Her first studio album, “Kittyponeo,” came out in 2023 and the top song, “Reggaeton Champagne,” continued to chart globally into early 2024. —Felicity Bradstock, news writer
KEVIN PÓRTATE BIEN by Robot95
Kevin Gutiérrez, aka Robot95 (Robot95)
Mexicali rapper Kevin Gutiérrez, aka Robot95, has won fans over with R&B-influenced “smooth, West Coast hip hop,” according to Remezcla. His most recent album, “Kevin pórtate bien” (“Kevin, behave yourself”) came out in 2024. —Bethany Platanella, features writer
These real estate opportunities in the northern state of Chihuahua are a must-see. (VEKA Grupo Inmobiliario/Inmuebles24)
A combination of factors makes the northern state of Chihuahua a reference point for real estate in Mexico. Among these reasons are its unique natural and touristic attractions, such as the tour through the Sierra Tarahumara and Copper Canyon, the Basaseachic Falls and the rail line known as El Chepe.
The Historic Center of Chihuahua city has been included in the national list of Barrios Mágicos (Magical Neighborhoods). In January 2024, the state launched its own Traditional Towns program, with the first edition recognizing and five municipalities: Guerrero, Jiménez, Riva Palacio, Rosales and Allende
Statistics suggest that Chihuahua is one of the fastest-growing regions for nearshoring, along with Coahuila and Nuevo León. For this reason, Chihuahua will host the Mexican Association of Real Estate Professionals’ (AMPI) national convention next year, which is expected to attract more than 1,200 national and international real estate consultants.
Real estate opportunities in Chihuahua to look out for in 2025
Downtown Chihuahua city
These lovely lofts are located in Chihuahua city’s Historic Center and are among the best preserved in town. (Mobilé/Inmuebles24)
On the corner of Avenida Independencia and Calle Morelos stands the historic building known as La Nacional, constructed in 1940. In its early years, it housed an insurance company. Recognizable by its quarry facade and foyer featuring onyx stone details, this building has been restored while preserving its original design. Some of the building’s apartments are currently for sale, and they are true gems, both for their historical value and modern touches.
Creel
Winter days might feel just right in these lovely Chihuahan cabins. (VEKA Grupo Inmobiliario/Inmuebles24)
Nestled in the enchanting woods of Creel, Chihuahua — a Pueblo Mágico located in the Sierra Tarahumara, home to the Rarámuri people — this cabin sits on a plot totaling 3,043 square meters. The home spans 91 square meters, is completely new and offers water and electric services. Undoubtedly, the added value of this property lies in its natural setting.
Cuauhtémoc
This beautiful house has the style of the rustic traditional houses of one single floor in Mexico (Cuauhtémoc LM Inmobiliaria)
This classic rustic Mexican home is situated on a single floor. With a total area of 645 square meters and an equal area of construction, this space is filled with light, green areas, wooden floors, skylights and numerous windows. Among other amenities, it features five bedrooms, a foyer with a fireplace and a half bath, a bar, a wine cellar, a laundry room, a garage for three cars, solar panels, a hydropneumatic system and an alarm system. It is located in the third most important city in Chihuahua, known as the land of the three cultures for being the cradle of the Rarámuri, mestizo and Mennonite cultures.
San Felipe
With a beautiful terrace and large rooms, this house is a jewel in one of the best neighborhoods in Chihuahua City. (Casa Blanca Bienes Raíces)
Located in one of the most important neighborhoods of Chihuahua city, the state’s capital, this house is built on a single floor and features a beautiful terrace. It has a construction area of 279 square meters and a total area of 420 square meters and includes three bedrooms, three parking spaces and stunning wood floors. One of its greatest points is an apartment in the back, which is available for remodeling.
Saucito, Chihuahua city
The only lofts in the heart of Chihuahua. (Mobilé/Inmuebles24)
Located in the “commercial, culinary and social heart of Chihuahua,” this loft boasts an attractive design and offers amenities such as a pool on its terrace and a dining room with a view. The space is filled with natural light due to its numerous windows. The building also features a gym and private security, among other facilities.
Villa Valle de Allende
Villa Valle de Allende is one of Chihuahua’s new Traditional Towns. (Inmuebels24)
Located Allende, in one of the municipalities recently designated as a Traditional Town by Chihuahua’s tourism authority, this house-apartment is situated in the heart of downtown, which is a gem in itself. The construction spans 193 square meters, with a total area of 229 square meters thanks to its small garden. It features two bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms and a well-thought-out layout.
Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator for various outlets including Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.
The peso kicked off Semana Santa (Holy Week) at nearly 20 to the dollar. (Shutterstock)
The Mexican peso depreciated in early trading on Tuesday, losing ground against the US dollar for a fourth consecutive day as 2024 comes to a close.
After closing at 20.66 to the greenback on Monday, the peso fell to 20.90 shortly before 2 p.m. Mexico City time on Tuesday. The tumble marked a 1.16% depreciation, bringing the peso to its weakest position in all of 2024.
The peso’s depreciation on Tuesday came after the currency fell 1.67% against the greenback on Monday.
United States President-elect Donald Trump, who will take office on Jan. 20, has pledged to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican exports on the first day of his second term and keep it in place until Mexico does more to stop the flow of drugs and migrants to the U.S.
In a post to X on Tuesday morning, Banco Base’s director of economic analysis, Gabriela Siller, attributed the recent depreciation of the peso to “fear” over Trump’s return to the White House.
El tipo de cambio se perfila para cerrar el año cotizando cerca de 21 pesos por dólar. Hay miedo por el regreso de Trump. pic.twitter.com/ZbeHgOIFcB
“The exchange rate is shaping up to end the year at close to 21 pesos per dollar. There is fear over the return of Trump,” she wrote.
Cipactli Jiménez, an independent investment adviser, told the El Economista newspaper that “there is great uncertainty” regarding the relationship Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum will have with Trump.
Uncertainty over the impact the policies of the second Trump administration will have on the Mexican economy “is reflected in the [current USD:MXN] exchange rate,” he added.
The worst year for the peso since 2008
According to Yahoo! Finance, the Mexican peso closed at 16.86 to the US dollar on Dec. 31, 2023. Thus the peso has depreciated around 19% in 2024.
The peso depreciated sharply after the ruling Morena party’s comprehensive victory in Mexico’s June 2 elections. Concern over Morena’s constitutional reform agenda, especially the judicial overhaul that Congress approved in September, was a major factor in the decline.
On Monday, Siller noted on X that the peso was on track to record its fourth-worst year since Mexico implemented a free-floating exchange regime in 1995.
“If the exchange rate ends the year at today’s level (20.55 pesos per dollar) it will be the fourth largest annual depreciation [for the peso] since we’ve had the free-floating exchange regime,” she wrote.
The Banco Base analyst said that the annual depreciation this year would rank behind a 51.63% decline in 1995, a 22.87% depreciation in 1998 and a 25.46% weakening in 2008 amid the global financial crisis.
King Felipe VI was not invited to President's Sheinbaum inauguration — Mexico is still expecting an apology from Spain. (Emiliano García-Page Sánchez/Wikimedia Commons)
My very first article at Mexico News Daily was about then-President López Obrador’s request that Spain officially apologize for the conquest. My thesis was, basically, why not apologize?
The powers that be in Spain scoffed, saying that historical events shouldn’t be judged through a modern lens. A few op-ed pieces were written about it in the Mexican papers, and people fought about it on Facebook for a bit. Upper-class Mexicans especially rolled their eyes.
In the picture, AMLO’s youngest son talks to King Felipe VI of Spain — months after his father asked Spain to apologize for the horrors committed during the Conquest. (Diego Simón Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)
“The Spaniards of today are not the same people, and neither are we, duh.“
The idea seemed to die down as more pressing matters inevitably took its place. But it apparently had not been put to bed once and for all. With the inauguration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, and later in a morning press conference,it was revived.
First, there was her inauguration. The same king of Spain who rejected an apology the first time around, King Felipe VI, was not invited. As a result, Spain sent no guests at all. Yikes!
I know it’s diplomacy, and maybe it’s because I’m currently binge-watching “Downton Abbey,” but these kinds of tiffs strike me as kind of adorable. Royalty: they’re just like us! Not invited to the big party? Everyone’s going to hear about it, now!
President Sheinbaum did not invite King Felipe VI to her inauguration earlier this year. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
One of the reasons given by Sheinbaum for not extending the invitation was that King Felipe had not responded to López Obrador’s letter requesting the apology. Spain’s Prime Minister, though, was not convinced. He called it “unacceptable and inexplicable, given the level of relations between Spain and Mexico, two ‘brother’ countries.” Spain did not send a delegation to the inauguration.
“Brothers,” hmm. Well, Mexico and Spain have always had a rather tough relationship. Is it any wonder they’d occasionally participate in a tit-for-tat?
I’m sorry is all that you can’t say…
Perhaps they’ll take a page from Tracy Chapman’s “Baby Can I Hold You” and love each other despite the lack of apology? Or cooperate, at least, which is what they seem to be doing. So what about the apology?
I don’t know a whole lot about diplomatic relations, but I do know about pride and stubbornness. And one thing I know for sure is that apologizing can be hard, especially if you don’t think you should have to.
Among the many atrocities that the Spaniards committed during the Conquest were creating the circumstances for waves of European diseases to kill up to 80% of Mexico’s Indigenous population. (Wikimedia Commons)
I also know that culturally, saying “I was wrong, I’m sorry,” is not easy, especially here. I can’t count how many people I know whose only version of the phrase is, “I’m sorry, but…” They then launch into all the reasons that they are right, and so of course don’t need to apologize. There are even some people who I’ve never heard apologize a single time. Say why they shouldn’t, sure, but accept responsibility?
So I’m not saying that Spain should apologize because it’s currently responsible for the atrocities committed during the Conquest. I’m saying Spain should apologize because it would be symbolically important to a lot of people.
Because while the number isn’t quite as high, in addition to the “I’m sorry, but…” people, I know quite a lot who simply hate Spain and Spaniards. Why? “Because of what they did to us.” Sigh.
A depiction of the fall of México-Tenochtitlan, by the hands of the Spaniards, in 1521. (Wikimedia Commons)
To me, this has typically been just virtue-signaling. I don’t see anyone, for example, refusing to speak their language or worship their gods. “I’m discerning and angry because I have a sense of history.” Cool, cool. Is there anything you’re doing to help indigenous people today, then?
In the case of Morena, the answer is actually “kind of,” which is more than past administrations can say. Not only have they been included symbolically in high-level government ceremonies. Many of the current government programs aimed at helping those in poverty go to them, andjustice plans for Indigenous people are being created and carried out under Morena’s government.
So come on, Your Majesty. Surely an important symbolic leader could give an important symbolic apology, right? It’s certainly not unprecedented, and it would make some people very happy. Can we not just do something to make some people happy?
According to the current and former presidents, the purpose of the apology is to simply acknowledge what happened, and to put it behind us. No one is asking Spain for reparations, though I wonder if they’re afraid of such requests to follow if they give an admission of guilt.
Justice plans for Indigenous people are being created and carried out under the Morena government. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)
Perhaps that’s some of their reluctance. Because what is an apology without an offer to make amends?
Empty.
It could be that they don’t want to put themselves into a situation of being pressured to pay for it somehow. It could also be — this is a big maybe — that they don’t want to sound like hypocrites for offering an apology without suggestions for making it right.
Perhaps to them, it’s akin to the land acknowledgements found of late in the United States and Canada. If you’re not familiar with them, they’re essentially statements by the descendants of colonizers saying, “We recognize and honor you.”
I’m a card-carrying liberal, but this seems both silly and insulting to me. “We want to show we’re good people by saying we see you, but please, oh God, please do not suggest actual reparations.”
In the end, we’ll just have to see what happens. Mexico may never get its apology, or it may get it tomorrow. When a reporter pointed out former President Calderón having criticized the insistence on an apology, she quipped back. “Do you think that Calderón will someday apologize for the war on drugs?”
Reading Sarah DeVries' column is like stepping into your neighborhood tiendita — you might arrive without a list, but you always leave with exactly what you needed. (Unsplash)
Mexico News Daily’s resident thinker, explainer, seer, doer and dog-loser has had a busy 2024. It’s not been an easy year of explaining the myriad differences between life in the United States and life in Mexico — but she sure has tried.
From rounding up the best of Mexican memes to curing hangovers or teaching us all how to curse appropriately, Sarah has worked tirelessly to bring MND readers closer to life as a real Mexican. If a real Mexican was born in Texas, that is.
So sit back, get ready to laugh and enjoy some of the best slice-of-life pieces we published in 2024.
How to spot a foreigner
Ever see someone walking down a street in Mexico and just know they’re not from around here? It’s like playing “Spot the Gringo,” and while Mexicans are generally friendly, foreigners tend to stand out like a sore thumb. Their outfits scream comfort over style —athletic sandals, anyone? And their faces? Smiling at everyone like they’re auditioning for the “Nice American” role. Then there’s the way they look at people — overdoing eye contact and forcing everyone they pass to be their new best friend.
Of course, there’s also the gringo habit of leaning on everything — because why stand when you can lean? And when navigating narrow sidewalks, they’re always in a rush, showing that classic gringo urgency. Oh, and they love staring — whether it’s a leaf or a piece of trash, it’s all fascinating. Blending in? Not their forte. But they sure have a knack for making their presence known!
Dating in Mexico is like a confusing game of “Who’s the prettiest?” where it’s not just about skin color but also social class. Racism in Mexico is a mix of classism and colorism.
Unlike the U.S., where races were segregated by law, Mexico’s complex mestizo history has created a society where darker skin often means poverty and fewer opportunities. Wealthy Mexicans? They’re mostly lighter-skinned, thanks to centuries of colonialism. This is why Mexican beauty standards are Eurocentric — blonde hair, light eyes, the works. But if a foreigner marries someone darker-skinned, Mexicans sometimes wonder, “Why choose that?” Casual racism? Definitely.
Typing away in Veracruz’s Heroica taproom, sipping beer and watching housing prices skyrocket around her, Sarah DeVries looks like the quintessential digital nomad. But hold on — she’s not exactly living the dream. Sarah has been in Mexico for decades, long before online work became a thing. Back then, her first job in Mexico involved working in education, getting paid in cash, and dreaming of a microwave.
Fast forward to 2011, and she snagged her first online gig with Open English. Things were looking good, until a lawsuit from a fellow worker turned her perfect gig into a nightmare.
Cue the existential crisis. As U.S. employers increasingly restrict remote work to workers based in the actual United States, Sarah’s realizing that maybe freelancing is just as stable of a strategy as taking a traditional full-time job.
Twelve years ago, while living in Querétaro, Sarah and her sister decided to visit San Miguel de Allende, thinking it was the perfect, authentic Mexican town. Nestled in the mountains with mild weather, charming streets and a lovely artisan market, it seemed like the ideal getaway. But as they wandered the Zócalo, they couldn’t help but notice something odd: they were passing more expats than actual Mexicans. San Miguel, it turned out, had become a retirement haven for U.S. and Canadian expats.
So, what is the “real” Mexico? The idea often floats around that places like Cancún or Los Cabos aren’t “authentic,” but what if the “real” Mexico is constantly shifting? After all, when new arrivals — whether from abroad or other parts of Mexico — move in, they change the landscape, often making locals lament that their beloved towns are no longer the same. In Querétaro, for example, natives grumbled about the influx of Chilangos (people from Mexico City), who were “ruining” the city with their traffic and looser morals. Sound familiar?
The truth is, places change. Newcomers bring both benefits (more services!) and drawbacks (more traffic!). And while we love discovering hidden gems, we also secretly wish they stay hidden… until we arrive. Then, it’s like, “Sorry, but now it’s ours. Please don’t come.”
Welcome to the complicated nature of gentrification and tourism.
Gringos and Mexicans make a pretty great pair — like peanut butter and jelly, but with a surprise dollop of salsa. Our cultural personalities mesh well, unlike, say, the classic tension between U.S. and French citizens. But even the loveliest matches have their moments. Sometimes, gringos get downright annoyed. And sometimes, Mexicans are left wondering if their new gringo friend was raised in a pressure cooker.
In Mexico, time is more of a suggestion. If you’re rushing, this might not be the place for you. Get used to it. Parties? They start when they start. No one’s apologizing for showing up three hours late. The goal is being there, not being punctual.
Now, gringos, listen up: don’t show your impatience too obviously. Mexican patience is legendary, but if you’re too loud about it, you’ll get on their nerves faster than a neighbor’s blasting music. Speaking of noise — this country is not a whispering library. If your neighbors are loud, well, welcome to Mexico. Complain all you want, but the noise won’t stop. The cops will show up, nod and leave, and the music will turn back up.
If you’re getting upset over all this, just remember the saying: “Si ya saben cómo soy, ¿para qué me invitan?” — “If you know how I am, why invite me?” So grab a beer, relax and don’t expect anyone to arrive on time. It’s Mexico, baby.
We all know the classic American Know-It-All: always a guy, right? He’s the self-proclaimed expert on everything in Mexico — customs, holidays, traditions, what people like, don’t like, think, don’t think. He knows the best taco joints and the inner workings of Mexican families. Oh, and did I mention he barely speaks Spanish?
It’s like those Mexicans who claim English is super easy. They “understand perfectly,” they just struggle with speaking it. Okay, buddy. But if you don’t speak the language, I’m not following you around the country.
On the other end of the spectrum, you have the actual Know-It-Alls. They throw out folkloric phrases, translate them for you, and expect you to be impressed. Pro tip: Don’t offer unsolicited expertise. Don’t assume you’re the most interesting person in the room. And definitely don’t explain Mexico to Mexicans.
Mexicans, for the most part, let these guys be. Maybe they whisper a “qué pendejo” later, but they don’t dwell on it. Turns out, we’re all a bit clueless sometimes—and that’s okay. Just don’t make it your thing.
President Sheinbaum accused the New York Times of committing significant errors in its recent report on fentanyl production in Mexico. (Presidencia)
After visiting the states of Jalisco and Tlaxcala on the weekend, President Claudia Sheinbaum was back at the National Palace in Mexico City on Monday for her morning press conference.
At her mañanera, as the president’s weekday morning presser is colloquially known, Sheinbaum spoke about a range of things including a New York Times Mexico dispatch from a fentanyl lab in Culiacán and the ruling Morena party’s apparent media strategy in response to Donald Trump’s promise to designate Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations on his first day in office.
NYT report on fentanyl production in Sinaloa ‘not very credible,’ says Sheinbaum
“An article came out that is important to highlight, in which two reporters allegedly go into a fentanyl laboratory,” she said.
“We talked about it in the security cabinet [meeting] today,” Sheinbaum said of the report headlined “‘This is What Makes Us Rich’: Inside a Sinaloa Cartel Fentanyl Lab.”
The president subsequently asserted that the photographs accompanying The New York Times report don’t in fact show the production of fentanyl. She claimed that the photos (and video) actually show the production of methamphetamine.
Mexican authorities remove fentanyl pills, methamphetamine and cocaine from a drug lab found in Culiacán, Sinaloa, in February. (FGR/Cuartoscuro)
“The production of methamphetamine is one thing and another very different thing is [the production of] fentanyl,” Sheinbaum said.
“… So [the report] is not very credible, let’s put it like that,” she said.
Fentanyl is not produced in the way the Times’ photographs demonstrate, Sheinbaum asserted.
“Fentanyl is produced in other ways,” she said, adding that either the Navy Ministry or health regulator Cofepris “could report on” the methods used to produce the synthetic opioid largely responsible for the drug overdose crisis in the United States.
“The photographs aren’t credible,” reiterated Sheinbaum, who declared that her government would “scientifically prove” the alleged inconsistencies between the Times’ reporting and photos.
On Monday afternoon, The New York Times said on social media that it was “completely confident” in its reporting on “the production and testing of fentanyl in Mexico.”
“Our reporters spent months investigating the fentanyl industry, quoted current and former Mexican officials on the record about the production and testing of fentanyl in the country, and documented a fentanyl lab in Sinaloa. We stand by the reporting fully,” the Times said.
The New York Times responds to criticisms about our reporting on fentanyl production in Mexico: pic.twitter.com/xW7fu0xNMu
According to El Universal, “the Morena bench in the Senate designed a media strategy to reject the policy announced by the President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, to classify Mexican cartels as terrorist groups.”
El Universal reported that the document outlining the strategy said that “the designation of Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist groups would represent the imposition of policies contradictory to the social treatment [of problems of violence] in the quest for peace and justice.”
Among other things, the document also reportedly said that a U.S. designation of Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations “would weaken Mexico’s international image.”
In addition, it warned of possible “revolts and armed uprisings” in Mexico if the U.S. military were to carry out operations against Mexican cartels inside Mexican territory.
The Morena party bench of the Senate designed a media strategy to speak out against Trump’s promise to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist groups, El Universal recently reported. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons – Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)
Asked whether she knew about “these alarmist positions of Morena in the Senate,” Sheinbaum responded that she did not.
“I don’t know who drew up the document, I don’t know it,” she said. “I don’t want to offer an opinion on a document that I don’t know.”
Sheinbaum stressed that she didn’t know whether a single senator or a group of Morena senators wrote the document. She also said she didn’t know the “motive” of the document.
“What is important,” Sheinbaum said, is that Donald Trump, during his first term as U.S. president, had a “very good” and respectful relationship with former Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“And that’s why I trust that we’re going to have a good relationship of respect, of coordination, not of subordination,” she said.
Sheinbaum wishes Mexicans ‘a happy 2025’
Sheinbaum, who won’t hold morning press conferences on Tuesday or Wednesday, wished Mexicans “the best this new year” as well as “a happy 2025.”
She said that her government would conduct “an evaluation” of 2024 in Mexico in economic, social and political terms and report its findings at her press conference on Thursday.
Sheinbaum added that the Mexican people took two “transcendent” decisions when they went to the polls in June.
“The first is that [they voted for] the transformation to continue,” she said, referring to citizens’ strong support for the ruling Morena party and the so-called “fourth transformation” of Mexico initiated by López Obrador.
“… And, at the same time, they took the great decision for a woman to govern our country for the first time. This is part of the transformation, they go together, not apart,” Sheinbaum said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
Some tequila brands began cutting prices last year as consumer demand for the spirit weakened. (Germán Romero/Cuartoscuro)
Falling demand for tequila in the United States has left Mexico’s producers of the spirit with a surplus of unsold inventory, according to a Saturday report in the London-based Financial Times (FT).
Coupled with the prospect of tariffs being slapped on exports to the U.S. under President-elect Donald Trump, tequila’s glory days in the United States seem to be in peril.
“The tequila industry is set for a very turbulent 2025,” Trevor Stirling, an analyst with the financial management firm Bernstein, told FT.
“Much more new spirit is being distilled than is being sold, and inventories are starting to accumulate,” he added.
Half a billion liters of surplus tequila in storage
According to FT, Mexico was sitting on more 525 million liters of tequila in inventory at the end of 2023.
Also, about one-sixth of the 599 million liters of tequila produced last year remained in inventory — according to figures shared with FT by the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) — although some of that is being aged in barrels rather than waiting to be bottled or sold.
Nearly 100 million liters of tequila produced in 2023 remains in inventory — undergoing barrel-aging or waiting to be sold. (Shutterstock)
Another such brand, Santo — founded by celebrity chef Guy Fieri and rocker Sammy Hagar — was reportedly victimized by a heist in the U.S. last month that netted the thieves more than 24,000 bottles of the stuff.
Despite the robbery, demand for tequila in the United States has fallen over the past 18 months, with FT citing two reasons: a decline in the pandemic spirits boom and imbibers cutting back on their drinking due to higher prices.
FT wrote that sales of spirits in the U.S. shrank 3% during the first seven months of 2024, compared to the same period in 2023, based on data provided by IWSR, a leading analyst of the global alcoholic beverage industry.
Numerous celebrity tequila brands, like Santo by Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar, cropped up during tequila’s boom years over the past decade. (Santospirit/Instagram)
IWSR, which originally stood for the International Wine and Spirits Record, noted that U.S. tequila consumption fell 1.1% during that span — well below its 4% rise in 2023 and 17% rise in 2021 at the height of the tequila surge, FT reported.
Adding to the emerging tequila slump is Trump’s threat to hit Mexico, the U.S.’s biggest trading partner, with a 25% tariff on its goods.
“It would be shooting themselves in the foot because their consumers would have to pay much more,” said CRT president Ramón González.
Any tariffs on tequila would push up prices paid by U.S. consumers, according to the president of the Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT). (Shutterstock)
FT noted that Mexico relies on the United States to buy 83% of its exports.
Two-thirds of all tequila produced in Mexico was exported in 2023, FT reported, with 80% of that going to the United States. The next two largest export markets were Germany and Spain, with about 2% each, according to FT.
Tequila is protected by a designation of origin. Like French champagne or Italian parmesan cheese, products using the name tequila can be produced only in regions officially recognized by the Guadalajara-based CRT: most of Jalisco and parts of Nayarit, Michoacán, Guanajuato and Tamaulipas.
In addition, tequila must be made of at least 51% blue Weber agave, with an added requirement for “agave tequila” (such as blanco or silver) that all sugars come from blue agave.
Citing research by Bernstein, FT noted that large tequila brands have been cutting prices for more than a year in response to weaker consumer demand.
Moreover, the price of agave has plummeted from about 30 pesos per kilo to between six and eight pesos (for suppliers with contracts), or as low as two pesos on the spot market, according to producers and farmers, FT wrote.
