MND Local: Puerto Vallarta sees protests at Los Arcos amid strong tourism growth and other news

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January 28, 2026

In Puerto Vallarta, a mix of civic activism, economic expansion and infrastructure policy shifts is shaping early 2026 in the Bay of Banderas, with community groups, businesses and government authorities all in the spotlight.

Protest demands public beach access

Residents of Mismaloya, local tourism operators and environmentalists recently staged a blockade of Federal Highway 200, near the iconic beach zone of Los Arcos de Mismaloya. Protesters demanded unfettered public access to the shoreline after a private company installed fencing and signage on the federal coastal zone. Protesters cited constitutional protections guaranteeing free beach access and called for greater legal clarity on the status of the area.

Mismaloya beach access protests — Protesters near Puerto Vallarta make clear their dissatisfaction with being blocked from beach access. (Instagram)

Puerto Vallarta City Council member Melissa Madero joined the demonstrators and helped broker an end to the temporary road closure, with promises from the municipal government to engage in dialogue and pursue a formal petition to federal environmental authorities, including the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry (SEMARNAT), for transparency and protection measures.

The petition demands an official stance from city hall, publication of historical land records tied to the site and a ban on future private concessions or construction in the federal coastal zone.

In parallel, the Puerto Vallarta City Council has also pushed forward a separate initiative urging SEMARNAT to elevate Los Arcos’ legal status to that of a federally protected natural area (ANP), a move local officials say would safeguard marine ecosystems and shore access against future development pressures.

City’s tourism numbers remain strong

The protests come as the broader tourism sector continues to show resilience. Local and state tourism data indicate that Puerto Vallarta has maintained robust visitor arrivals through 2025, with significant international and domestic traffic boosting economic activity across hotels, restaurants and tour services.

Cruise tourism in particular has seen notable growth in recent years, with hundreds of thousands of passengers arriving by sea, underlining Puerto Vallarta’s importance as a regional gateway. Puerto Vallarta consistently lands among Mexico’s top five most-visited cruise ports. Between January and December 2025, it received 453,198 cruise passengers on 143 ships.

Puerto Vallarta supports the fishing sector

Amid these developments, city leadership has also signaled support for the local fishing sector, approving 300,000 pesos in targeted funding aimed at bolstering small-scale commercial fishing operations and sustaining traditional livelihoods integral to the Bay of Banderas’ coastal economy.

Cruise ships Puerto Vallarta — 2025 was a banner year for the cruise ship industry in Puerto Vallarta. (Visit Puerto Vallarta)

Officials say the investment reflects a broader commitment to balancing tourism growth with community economic needs.

Fishing communities and environmental advocates nationally have highlighted the importance of sustainable fisheries management as Mexico faces mounting pressures on its marine resources, underscoring why local backing of fishing interests carries both economic and cultural weight.

Transition to electronic toll passes begins

On the transportation front, a major shift in how drivers pay for highway use is underway across Mexico. Starting this month, the federal toll road system is transitioning toward an electronic tag requirement at many plazas operated by Federal Roads and Bridges and Related Services (CAPUFE) and others, reducing the availability of cash-payment lanes and encouraging motorists to obtain a compatible toll pass instead.

This change is part of a broader effort to streamline traffic flow and modernize Mexico’s highway operations, but it has prompted questions for residents and visitors alike who frequently travel between Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara.

Charlotte Smith is a writer and journalist based in Mexico. Her work focuses on travel, politics and community.

No joint operation with US in Wedding capture, Sheinbaum insists: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

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MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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Sheinbaum on Jan. 27, 2026 — The circumstances of the arrest of alleged drug boss Ryan Wedding were again the topic of discussion at the president's morning press conference, as U.S. authorities contradict Sheinbaum's version of events. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

For a second consecutive day, the circumstances of the arrest of alleged drug boss Ryan Wedding were a topic of discussion at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.

The Mexican government says that Wedding, a Canadian citizen, turned himself in at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City late last week, but the suspect’s lawyer said Monday that his client didn’t surrender.

“He was apprehended,” said Anthony Colombo, who suggested that the U.S. government executed the capture.

For his part, FBI Director Kash Patel told Vanity Fair that Wedding — who is now in U.S. custody — was detained as the result of a “complex, high-stakes operation with zero margin for error,” in which both Mexican security personnel and FBI agents were involved.

The circumstances of the arrest are of great interest as U.S. agents in Mexico are legally barred from making arrests, and Sheinbaum has said on repeated occasions that her government will not accept any kind of intervention or unilateral action by U.S. forces in Mexican territory.

A violation of Mexican sovereignty by the United States appeared to become more likely after the U.S. military captured Nicolás Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 3 and President Donald Trump said Jan. 8 that the U.S. would start “hitting” cartels on land.

Sheinbaum responds to finding that Ryan Wedding photo was created with AI

A reporter noted that a photo posted to Instagram purporting to show Wedding outside the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City was found by a Canadian media outlet (CBC News) to have been generated with artificial intelligence.

On Monday, Sheinbaum said that a post on Instagram by the account “bossryanw” was the “best evidence” in support of the Mexican government’s assertion that Wedding turned himself in at the U.S. Embassy last week.

Sheinbaum stands before an image of Ryan Wedding presented at her morning press conference on Jan. 26, 2026 — President Sheinbaum showed a post on Instagram at her Monday presser that CBC News says was artificially generated. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

A message accompanying the aforesaid photo read: “After seeking guarantees for a fair process, I have decided to voluntarily turn myself in to the authorities.”

Sheinbaum claimed that the message came from Wedding himself, although the Instagram account was likely opened by an “imposter,” according to CBC News.

On Tuesday, the president highlighted that there is no label on the photo stating that it was created with AI.

“Every social network has a policy: when there is a photograph or any information from Artificial Intelligence, a video [for example], it has to have the letters ‘IA’ or ‘AI,’ depending on whether it’s in English or Spanish,” Sheinbaum said.

“In this case, there is no indication that it’s artificial intelligence. That’s the first thing,” she said.

“The second thing, … [to allay] any doubt there might be about this, it’s worth putting up the post that the United States ambassador in Mexico made,” Sheinbaum said.

Ambassador Ron Johnson said in a statement last Friday that “the surrender of Ryan Wedding was a direct result of pressure applied by Mexican and U.S. law enforcement working in close coordination and cooperation.”

Sheinbaum noted that Johnson, in a Spanish-language statement, referred to “la entrega voluntaria” (voluntary surrender) of Ryan Wedding.

“I’m not going to get into an argument with the director of the FBI, nor do I want there to be a conflict,” she said.

“What they, the authorities of the United States, told the Mexican authorities is that there had been a voluntary surrender,” Sheinbaum said, adding that said version of events is what is set out in the statement issued by Johnson.

There was no joint operation with US, Sheinbaum reiterates

Sheinbaum told reporters that Mexican authorities were actively searching for Wedding, who was on the FBI’s “10 Most Wanted Fugitives” list prior to his arrest.

However, she stressed, for a second consecutive day, that they weren’t involved in a joint operation with any U.S. authority.

Sheinbaum insiste: el canadiense Ryan Wedding se entregó

El FBI y Anthony Colombo, abogado del exatleta, afirman que se trató de una captura

Dos versiones opuestas: ¿Quién dice la verdad? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/gm37OrO4cw

— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) January 27, 2026

“Now, how exactly did he turn himself in? Well, we don’t know the details,” Sheinbaum said.

“What we do know is what the U.S. authorities here told the authorities of Mexico, and what the United States Embassy published,” she said.

“We have no reason to doubt either the ambassador or what we were told here in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said.

Referring to Patel’s claim that Wedding was detained in a bilateral operation, the president said that was something that U.S. authorities would have to explain.

However, she stressed that her government doesn’t want to get into a dispute with the Trump administration over the issue.

“We always tell the truth, we have no reason to lie,” Sheinbaum added.

Could the US have carried out a covert unilateral operation to detain Wedding?

A reporter asked Sheinbaum whether her government had ruled out the possibility that the United States carried out a “hidden” operation in Mexico to capture Wedding.

“We don’t believe that this was the case as they have to say what they’re doing here in Mexico,” the president said.

“… We believe the ambassador and the publication of the Embassy,” she said.

“… And remember that the National Security Law clearly establishes that every U.S. agent in Mexico has to deliver a report [about what they’re doing in Mexico], and we are not aware of them having done anything other than what they constantly report to the Mexican authorities,” Sheinbaum said.

On Monday, Wedding’s lawyer, Anthony Colombo, stated:

“Look, the Trump administration with the apprehension of Maduro has made clear that we’re in a bold new era with regard to international relations. So one can understand why that statement [saying that Wedding turned himself in] might have been put out, because if the U.S. government is unilaterally going into a sovereign country and apprehending someone, you can understand the concern that that sovereign entity might have. But he was apprehended.”

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

Del Toro’s talent for terror — and tortillas — celebrated at Sundance

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MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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Del Toro in the kitchen — Del Toro stepped into the kitchen during the party to assist in the preparation of a dinner menu provided by Holbox. (Deadline/Instagram)

Guillermo del Toro’s three-decade-old debut feature is not scheduled to screen at the Sundance Film Festival until Tuesday night, but the acclaimed Mexican director is already making waves at the annual event.

“Cronos,” a 1992 horror movie filmed in Mexico, will screen tonight at the Ray Theatre in Park City, a city in Utah that hosts the Sundance Film Festival every January.

The film — “regarded by many as an early masterpiece,” according to The Guardian — will screen as part of the “Park City Legacy” program of Sundance, which is said to celebrate “the festival’s rich history … through archival screenings of iconic films from previous editions.”

Ahead of the screening, Netflix hosted a party in honor of del Toro, a 61-year-old Guadalajara native known for films such as “Blade II,” “The Shape of Water,” “Pinocchio” and “Frankenstein,” a 2025 movie nominated for nine Academy Awards, including best picture.

Elijah Wood, an actor best known for “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the filmmaking duo known as “The Daniels” and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Geeta Gandbhir were among the guests.

Del Toro took center stage at the Sundance shindig, held at a Park City home, and in the process made several nods to his Mexican heritage.

¡Muy mexicano! 🇲🇽
Guillermo del Toro sorprende con mariachi, tortillas y tacos en celebración de #Netflix 🪇🌮

Durante una celebración organizada por Netflix en honor a Guillermo del Toro, el cineasta sorprendió a los asistentes al cantar clásicos rancheros con un grupo de… pic.twitter.com/wPK5ZG6BhJ

— Cuarto Poder (@CuartoPoderMX) January 27, 2026

Backed by a mariachi band, the Oscar-winning director “delivered nearly a full concert with at least seven songs, even coming back for an encore as the crowd enthusiastically chanted, ‘Uno más,” according to a report by The Hollywood Reporter.

Among the songs he sang were “México Lindo y Querido,” a classic ranchera song, and “La Bamba,” a traditional Mexican folk song that belongs to Veracruz’s son jarocho genre.

Del Toro also stepped into the kitchen during the party to assist in the preparation of a dinner menu provided by Holbox, a Michelin Guide-rated Mexican seafood restaurant in Los Angeles.

Video footage shows the filmmaker using a tortilla press to turn balls of masa (dough) into perfectly formed tortillas, which he later used to prepare tacos.

Cronos at Sundance

A newly restored 4K version of “Cronos” will screen at the Ray Theatre at 8:45 p.m. local time. Del Toro will be in attendance for an extended Q&A session with filmgoers.

The Hollywood Reporter noted that “Cronos” tells the story of an alchemist (in Veracruz) “who creates a device that can give its user eternal life.”

“Four centuries later, the alchemist, now a ghostly white, is killed by debris from a falling building. Enter an unsuspecting antique dealer who comes across the device, only to discover it can restore his youth, even if immortality comes with gruesome consequences,” the publication wrote.

In a review published last year, The Guardian’s film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote that “Cronos” is “a macabre body-horror comedy, perhaps more intriguing than frightening, with a hint of steampunkiness.”

The film, starring Ron Perlman and Federico Luppi, has “a distinctive authorial signature, the work of a very individual film-maker,” Bradshaw wrote.

“Cronos” was filmed in Mexico City over a period of eight weeks in 1992, the newspaper Reforma reported. It cost around US $2 million to make and was partially funded by del Toro himself.

“The film was finished using my credit card, and just as I was paying the last installment, it was declined because I had exceeded my limit, but I didn’t care because we had already finished,” the filmmaker told Reforma.

“I was also on the verge of losing my house because we bet everything we had on this production, but it was worth it because it has been enthusiastically received around the world,” del Toro said.

With reports from Reforma, El Universal and The Hollywood Reporter

Mexicans will spend how much on tamales next Monday?

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MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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Puesta Tamales — It is estimated that 40 million tamales are eaten in Mexico on Feb. 2, with most of them purchased at informal establishments such as street stands and local markets. (Cuartoscuro)

Mexicans will spend over one billion pesos on tamales for Feb. 2 in honor of Día de la Candelaria (Candlemas Day), a festivity that marks the end of the Christmas season and which is traditionally celebrated by Mexicans with a feast of tamales.

Based on data from INEGI and the restaurant industry, experts estimate that Mexicans consume around 40 million tamales on Feb. 2, with most purchased from street vendors and local markets.

Día de la Candelaría is a Catholic holiday in Mexico that’s all about the Baby Jesus. That helps the sale of tamales on Feb. 2, as those who found a tiny plastic replica of the infant in their slice of Rosca de Reyes earlier this month must — by tradition — provide the tamales for the festivities. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

According to the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur), in the days leading up to and including Candlemas, 1.2 billion pesos (US $70 million) are spent nationwide on tamales and atole, the sweet, warm corn-dough beverage that often accompanies them.

With an average price of around 25 pesos (US $1.45) a piece, this industry benefits approximately 13,000 businesses dedicated to the production and sale of tamales.

Unlike other high-spending seasons, the economic influx is not directed towards large commercial chains. Rather, it is distributed throughout a network of neighborhood shops, public markets, small restaurants and street stalls, amplifying the “tamal day’s” territorial and social impact.

According to long-standing tradition, those who found the baby Jesus hidden in the Rosca de Reyes on Jan. 6 must pay for the tamales on Feb. 2 (or prepare them themselves). Therefore, the social pressure of procuring the tamales ensures a steady flow of customers over the coming days.

Every region of Mexico has its own varieties of tamales, but the most common ones include chicken tamales, rajas (Poblano chile strips) tamales, sweet tamales and mole tamales.

In Mexico City, the Los Pinos Cultural Complex (the former residence of Mexico’s presidents) will join in the celebration with a culinary event offering over 80 varieties of tamales. The festival, dubbed Encuentro de Sabores Tamaleros, will take place from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entrance is free.

With reports from Milenio and El Economista

Mexico’s 2025 exports hit record high, creating first trade surplus since 2020

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MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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export cubes at a port in Mexico — Mexico ran a trade deficit for four straight years but a strong December for exports lifted the country into positive trade territory for 2026. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

Preliminary data indicates that Mexico enjoyed a trade surplus of US $2.43 billion in December 2025, a performance that prevented the economy from falling into recession.

The strong December export performance marked a significant improvement from November, when the country’s surplus hit US $663 million.

A preliminary report compiled by Mexico’s national statistics agency INEGI indicated that exports grew by 7.6% in 2025 to total US $664.8 billion, and remained an engine of the economy for the second consecutive year.

Conversely, Mexican merchandise imports rose 4.4%, reaching US $664.1 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of US $771 million after four years of deficit. The preliminary data shows that both imports and exports registered record highs.

Though the US $771 million surplus in 2025 is modest, it contrasts sharply with the deficit of US $18.541 billion observed in 2024.

The INEGI report indicated that the increase in the trade surplus between November and December 2025 stemmed from a rise in the non-oil trade surplus. This figure increased from US $2.838 billion in November to US $4.837 billion in December.

At the same time, Mexico experienced a widening of the oil trade deficit — which increased from US $2.175 billion to US $2.408 billion during the same period.

Paradójico que en 2025 el impulso del crecimiento económico de México haya sido el sector exportador.

En 2025, las exportaciones registraron un crecimiento de 7.6%, el mayor desde 2022.
Para 2026 se estima un crecimiento de 4.5%. pic.twitter.com/Dng5poB6we

— Gabriela Siller Pagaza (@GabySillerP) January 27, 2026

Despite a year of low economic growth, the increase in exports was Mexico’s saving grace.

“Mexico did not fall into recession because exports responded well despite the environment of uncertainty and new tariffs,” Carlos Capistrán Carmona, chief economist for Mexico and Canada at Bank of America (BofA), told Forbes magazine.

The INEGI report showed that exports in December climbed by 17.2% and imports grew by 16.7% as compared to December 2024.

The value of Mexican exports in December 2025 totaled US $60.651 billion. INEGI said this growth resulted from a 19.5% increase in non-oil exports and a 32.9% decrease in oil exports. Within non-oil exports, those destined for the United States increased by 17.9% year-on-year, while those destined for the rest of the world grew by 28%.

Capistrán believes 2026 will provide more of the same.

“The engine of growth will once again be exports, which will grow by more than 5%,” he predicted.

With reports from El Economista and Forbes México

Baja California Sur bumps up its tourist tax to fund conservation

By

MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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josh-withers-eUDpwxMxLkc-unsplash — (Josh Withers/Unsplash)

The Baja California Sur state government announced that its tax on tourists has risen from 470 pesos to 488 pesos (US $28).

The new amount, which went into effect on Jan. 1, is compulsory for tourists over 12 years old entering by air or land and who stay more than 24 hours in Baja California Sur destinations, such as Los Cabos, La Paz and Loreto.

La Paz coastline — The tourist tax funds go in part to preserving the state’s unique environment, such as the city La Paz’s famous desert-meets-sea terrain. (@VisitMex/X)

The tax, part of the government’s “Embrace It” program, was introduced to help secure long-term funding for conservation and community development as international visitor numbers increase. That motive is reflected in the program’s slogan, “Pay for tourism and protect Baja California Sur.”

The funds collected are allocated to environmental protection, tourism infrastructure and social and cultural projects in communities on the peninsula, according to an official statement.

Payment must be made online at https://embraceit.bcs.gob.mx/ before arrival in the state.

Tourists are provided with a QR code once payment is completed, to show to authorities during their stay, if requested.

During the second half of 2025, 77.1% of tourist tax payments in the state were made by tourists from the United States, 17.5% from Canadian tourists and 5.4% came from visitors from other countries.

The largest contribution was made by tourists aged 45 to 59 years (30.25%), followed by those aged 60 and over (29.94%) and then 30 to 44 (24.52%).

Over the last 20 years, the market for tourism has expanded rapidly in Baja California Sur, thanks to enhanced air connectivity and the opening of elite accommodations by well-known hoteliers. Between January and November 2025, the state hosted 2.2 million international visitors.

Based on visitor numbers, if all international travelers pay the tax, the state could collect over 1 billion pesos ($58 million) in 2026.

With reports from Aristegui Noticias, Forbes México and Mexico Business News

Rare sightings of jaguar cubs and a black bear on railroad tracks go viral in San Luis Potosí

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MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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jaguars on the tracks — Two jaguar cubs poking along the train tracks were caught on camera by railway personnel, delighting and puzzling San Luis Potosí residents who saw videos of the sighting on social media. (Screenshot)

Residents in the state of San Luis Potosí were taken aback after videos of unusual wildlife sightings in various parts of the state circulated on social media.

Last week, two jaguar cubs were spotted in the Huasteca Potosina region of the state, a rugged area known for its lush mountain environment, deep canyons and tropical rainforests.

#SLP | Captan a un pequeño oso negro en la Zona Media. Conductor de Ferrocarril lo notó frente al tren y aprovechó para grabar este video#Noticias #NoticiasSLP pic.twitter.com/hA43HqXX1P

— Código San Luis (@codigosanluisi) January 21, 2026

Footage of the young jaguars was recorded by railway workers conducting routine inspections on the tracks that cross this area in the eastern part of the state.

The video shows the jaguar cubs moving together, briefly pausing to watch the train approach before returning to their natural habitat, showing no signs of disturbance or aggression.

The images quickly went viral as the jaguar is one of Mexico’s most emblematic and protected species and its presence in areas close to human activity is unusual.

A few days earlier, railway workers riding through the central part of the state managed to film a black bear running along the train tracks, a sighting which amazed local residents since there are no recent records of bears inhabiting this area of San Luis Potosí.

The bear trotted for several hundred meters ahead of the train before disappearing into the vegetation.

Authorities explained that these encounters are infrequent, but could increase due to the mobility of species in search of food and safe habitat. They recommended keeping a safe distance and reporting any sightings to the appropriate authorities so as to ensure the conservation of these species in their natural environment.

Environmental laws in Mexico place both the jaguar and the black bear under special protection regulations.

Documenting these encounters is relevant, however, because they confirm the presence of key endangered species in the region. The jaguar is considered a priority species for Mexican biodiversity due to its role as an apex predator within its ecosystems.

Railway rights-of-way function as biological corridors, experts say, allowing wildlife to move between areas fragmented by human activities. These spaces are crucial for the survival of species whose populations have declined due to habitat loss.

With reports from N+, Uno TV, El mañana de San Luis Potosí and TV Azteca

FutBotMX 2026: Mexico’s science ministry launches robot soccer tournament

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MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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FutBotMX Cup poster — FutBotMX 2026 aims to blend science, technology, robotics, AI and sports in the context of the FIFA World Cup as a way of encouraging innovation in the lives of young people and the general public. (Secihti)

Ahead of the trinational 2026 FIFA World Cup, Mexico has announced that as part of its social impact programming, it will host a special soccer-focused robotics competition.

According to Rosaura Ruiz Gutiérrez, head of the Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Secihti), the competition aims to blend science, technology, robotics, AI and sports in the context of the tournament as a way of encouraging innovation in the lives of young people and the general public.

The competition, dubbed FutBotMX Cup 2026, will bring to conclusion a major scientific and cultural engagement program taking place at 55 venues across 38 educational and research institutions in Mexico.

“In the lead-up to the [FutBotMX Cup], we will have science outreach events related to soccer and sports in general,” Ruiz said. Speaking at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference on Monday, the minister said the agenda includes robotics, prototype and technology exhibits; workshops; science talks and conferences; a cultural pavilion and other activities open to the general public.

The FutBotMX Cup, which will run from April through June 2026, invites teams of students, professionals and the general public from across the world to build and operate robot soccer teams. There are two categories of play:

Agile, using an infrared (IR) ball: aimed at high school and college students between the ages of 14 and 21.
Open, using an orange golf ball: aimed at high schoolers, undergraduates, graduate students and professionals, as well as the general public, ages 14 and up.

Ruiz said that so far, France, Italy and Switzerland have confirmed their participation. As of Jan. 26, there were 55 teams signed up.

How does the competition work and how can participants sign up?

The open call explains that the robot players (measuring 18-22 cm, depending on the category) must be able to detect a ball, guide it and score goals in a color-coded goal at the end of a 2.43-meter-long soccer field.

“To play, competitors will integrate advanced knowledge of programming, robotics, electronics and mechatronics, demonstrating technical creativity and teamwork,” the document says.

Each team must consist of a minimum of two and a maximum of four human members, who must present the jury with a technical video demonstrating the robot’s operation and explaining the design and programming process. The video must not exceed five minutes in length and is due April 17.

Selected teams will be made public on May 15 and FutBotMX Cup 2026 will take place from June 24 to 26, 2026, at the Interdisciplinary Professional Unit in Engineering and Advanced Technologies of the National Polytechnic Institute in Mexico City, with simultaneous tournament play at regional venues.

Find out more about FutBotMX here.

Mexico News Daily

Under mounting US pressure, Pemex cancels scheduled oil shipment to Cuba

By

MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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Blue Commander, an oil tanker at a Mexican port — Asked whether Mexico's shipments of oil to Cuba would resume at some point, the president responded: "In any case, we will inform you." (Pemex)

As the United States appears to actively seek regime change in Cuba, Mexico’s state oil company Pemex canceled plans to send a shipment of crude oil to the communist-run island this month, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

On Tuesday morning, President Claudia Sheinbaum stressed that Mexico makes its own “sovereign” decisions regarding oil shipments to Cuba, but didn’t deny that Pemex halted a planned shipment to the island.

Citing “documents” to which it had access, Bloomberg reported that Pemex was expected to send a shipment of oil to Cuba in January but “removed the cargo from its schedule.”

“… The shipment was set to load in mid-January and would have arrived in Cuba before the end of the month under the original schedule,” the news agency wrote.

“… The canceled shipment was expected to load … on board the vessel Swift Galaxy, according to the document. It was removed from the schedule without an explanation.”

Bloomberg’s report, published under the headline “Mexico Shelves Planned Shipment of Oil to Cuba Amid US Tensions,” came three days after Reuters reported that the Mexican government was “reviewing whether to keep sending oil to Cuba amid growing fears within President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration that Mexico could face reprisals from the United States over the policy.”

Reuters: Mexico may halt Cuba oil shipments to avoid angering Trump administration

Reuters said its report was based on information from “senior Mexican government sources.”

“There is a growing fear that the United States could take unilateral action on our territory,” said one of Reuters’ sources.

Earlier this month, Trump asserted that the United States was going to start “hitting” cartels on land in what would be an escalation of a U.S. war on drugs that has included numerous lethal attacks on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Energy sector expert Carlos Torres told the newspaper Reforma that Pemex’s cancellation of the oil shipment to Cuba is a sign that the state oil company is facing growing pressure from the United States over its deliveries to the Communist-run Caribbean island.

Citing its Mexican government sources, Reuters reported that “Trump questioned Sheinbaum about crude and fuel shipments to Cuba” in a Jan. 12 call, but “did not directly urge Mexico to halt the oil deliveries.”

Sheinbaum reportedly told Trump that the shipments are “humanitarian aid” — even though Mexico is paid for at least some of the oil it sends to Cuba.

Bloomberg wrote that while it’s “unclear” why Pemex cancelled the planned shipment of oil to Cuba this month, “the removal comes as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump increases pressure on the Caribbean island.”

The news agency noted that a week after the capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation, Trump wrote on Truth Social that “THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA – ZERO!”

“I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” the U.S. president added in the Jan. 11 post.

Mexico is the top supplier of oil to Cuba, and President Claudia Sheinbaum said this month that Pemex planned to continue sending shipments of crude to the energy-strapped, blackout-plagued island.

The importance of imports from Mexico is even more significant now because Cuba is no longer receiving oil from Venezuela due to a U.S. blockade of oil tankers in the South American nation in December and the capture of Maduro on Jan. 3.

Bloomberg reported that Mexico “started sending oil to Cuba in 2023, when Venezuela reduced supplies amid its falling oil production.”

“Pemex sent an average of one ship per month, or the equivalent of 20,000 barrels a day of crude oil last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.”

Sheinbaum questioned about Bloomberg’s report

Asked about Bloomberg’s report at her Tuesday morning press conference, Sheinbaum responded:

“As we have said, it’s a sovereign decision [to send oil to Cuba], and Pemex makes its [own] decisions. … Mexico’s decision to sell or give oil to Cuba for humanitarian reasons has to do with a sovereign decision that has been in place for many years, it’s not recent.”

¿#México fue presionado para suspender entrega de petróleo a Cuba?

La presidenta Sheinbaum descartó que la decisión se haya tomado por presión de gobiernos extranjeros, como Donald Trump y otros políticos, que se quejaron por la ayuda que se envía a la isla pic.twitter.com/Izbwypwu0F

— El Financiero (@ElFinanciero_Mx) January 27, 2026

Sheinbaum noted that the United States embargo against Cuba has been in place for many years, and highlighted that “the blockade has created problems of shortages on the island.”

“Mexico has always shown solidarity [with Cuba] and Mexico will continue to show solidarity,” she said.

“So the decision about when and how [oil] is sent [to Cuba] is a sovereign decision, and it’s taken in terms of what Pemex determines depending on contracts,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the federal government can also take a “humanitarian decision” to send oil to the island nation.

Asked specifically whether she denied that an oil shipment to Cuba had been canceled, the president only responded: “It’s a sovereign decision and taken when necessary.”

Later in the press conference, a reporter asked Sheinbaum whether she could confirm that there was “no political consideration” in the decision to suspend a shipment of oil to Cuba.

“Pemex makes decisions within the contractual relationship it has with Cuba,” the president said.

Asked why the decision to cancel an oil shipment was made this month and “not before,” Sheinbaum simply said that in certain periods in the past, crude was supplied to Cuba while in others it was not.

Asked whether Mexico’s shipments of oil to Cuba would resume at some point, the president responded: “In any case, we will inform you.”

Since Trump returned to the White House just over a year ago and ramped up pressure on Mexico to do more to combat drug cartels, the Mexican government has appeared to attempt to appease the U.S. president in a variety of ways, including by sending more than 90 cartel figures to face justice in the U.S and deploying additional National Guard troops to the northern border area.

However, Sheinbaum is loath to say that such moves are aimed at placating Trump, asserting instead that her government takes its own sovereign decisions that always prioritize Mexico’s interests.

With reports from Bloomberg and Reforma

Excellence Group announces new family-friendly Finest resort in Riviera Maya

By

MND Staff

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January 27, 2026

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a couple enjoys an Excellence Group resort at the beach — The luxury all-inclusive resort is set to open in early 2027 near Puerto Morelos. (Excellence Group)

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama announced plans for the Finest Riviera Cancún, a luxury all-inclusive resort set to open in early 2027, during the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) 2026 in Madrid, Spain, last week.

The more than US $250 million project will be Excellence Group’s sixth property in the state and third under the family-friendly Finest brand. Located near Puerto Morelos — between Cancún and Playa del Carmen — the resort will feature 12 restaurants, four swimming pools, a splash park, water slides and the signature ONE Spa with hydrotherapy circuits for both adults and children.

Lezama met with the Montaner family, Excellence Group’s principal shareholders, alongside state Tourism Minister Bernardo Cueto Riestra and Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council Director Andrés Martínez Reynoso.

“Another Finest hotel is coming, and we’re confident it will be a complete success,” Lezama said. “Thank you so much for believing in Quintana Roo, for believing in our destinations, for your confidence in this marvelous land.”

The announcement follows Excellence Group’s recent opening of Excellence Coral Playa Mujeres in February 2025, an adults-only resort with 470 rooms that created 3,000 jobs and represented a $220 million investment. That property is the group’s fifth in Quintana Roo.

Excellence Collection operates three distinct brands: Excellence Resorts (adults-only), Beloved Hotels (adults-only) and Finest Resorts (all ages). The new Finest Riviera Cancún will include separate “club” sections — The Excellence Club for adults seeking tranquility and The Finest Club for families — each with private pools and exclusive beach areas.

In making the investment announcement, the governor emphasized her commitment to “orderly and sustainable” growth. “We say yes to growth, but in an orderly and sustainable way, so that today’s and future generations can continue enjoying Quintana Roo’s natural beauty,” Lezama said.

Mexico News Daily