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Should the US help Mexico beat the cartels? A perspective from our CEO

By
Travis Bembenek
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US soldiers walk along a rust-colored Mexico border wall
U.S. soldiers patrol the border with Mexico Sierra Blanca, Texas, in March. (Pfc. Malik Waddy-Fiffee/US Army)

What a week it has been. I have to admit that I continue to be perplexed by the “anti-Sheinbaum and anti-Morena” protests this past weekend in Mexico City. Despite the name, it hardly felt like a bunch of Gen Z’ers (keep in mind Gen Z members are officially 13-28 years old). A close review of videos of the protestors showed many that seemed to be far out of that age range, and it struck me as odd that things got so violent so quickly. I am NOT one to believe conspiracy theories, but something felt really weird about this protest. Violence is a very serious issue in Mexico, full stop. But recent data of Sheinbaum’s first year in office show the most significant reduction in violent crimes in the country in a generation. The reduction comes in only her first year in office against criminal organizations that have become entrenched over decades. So why now?

Then, almost on cue, many news outlets of the U.S. political right and even President Trump himself began to talk about President Sheinbaum supposedly beginning to lose control of Mexico. Trump even referenced the Mexico City protests in his comments earlier this week. Keep in mind that President Sheinbaum currently has one of the highest approval ratings of any political leader in the world and has actually increased her approval rating in Mexico since elected. It’s increasingly clear that there are groups in both Mexico and the United States that are pushing a narrative that violence is spiraling out of control in Mexico, as well as the idea that Sheinbaum’s administration is powerless and/or unwilling to do anything about it.

Trump reacts to Mexico City protest, says military strikes to stop drugs are ‘OK with me’

I have heard from countless Americans that the U.S. should just “get the job done” with the cartels in Mexico. But what does that exactly mean? And why would we think it would be so simple? If it were that easy, why wouldn’t Americans “get the job done” on the U.S. side of the border?

Data shows that the vast majority of drugs enter via the land border and as a result must pass through U.S. border control. Further data shows that the vast majority of those that transit drugs into the United States are in fact U.S. citizens. Once across the border, the drugs travel for thousands of miles to nearly every community of the country. Earlier this week, Trump said that regarding Mexican cartels, “We know the addresses of every drug lord … We know their front door, we know everything about every one of them.” If that in fact were the case, one would think the U.S. would also know a lot about the criminal organizations on the U.S. side of the border and, as a result, do more to stop them. That domestic network — stretching from ports of entry to suburban mailboxes — is the quiet part too rarely talked about.

We all want solutions to the scourge of drugs in communities on both sides of the border, but if there were in fact easy answers, one would think we would already be implementing them. Many people say the root cause of the problem is the demand, and that the U.S. has to focus on that. A valid point. But there is also a very significant supply chain throughout the U.S. that authorities there have been unable to stop. Here is the uncomfortable truth: There is no serious national plan in the U.S. to reduce demand at scale or to disrupt the domestic distribution web that delivers fentanyl, meth and cocaine to neighborhoods from Portland to Pittsburgh — and that vacuum invites more theater than strategy.

If we don’t treat addiction, rebuild community institutions and address the cultural hollowing-out that drives self-medication — family disconnection, loneliness, purposelessness — then “supply-side only” fixes will fail again, just as they have for 50 years. So let’s ground the debate in two realities that can coexist. First, President Sheinbaum has been in office for only one year and is confronting a problem that long predates her administration. Second, early statistics from her first year indicate a meaningful reduction in violent crime and an increase in cartel arrests.

Homicides down 28% in 2025: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

So what should the U.S. do? Blowing up speed boats loaded with cocaine in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean makes for good videos (and Department of War bravado), but will likely do very little to solve the fentanyl problem, and could even increase cocaine trafficking via land routes. So what are some of the potential options with respect to Mexico? Here are a few possibilities:

  1. Share U.S. intelligence with Mexico (without public knowledge) and trust Mexico to successfully act on it. The obvious concern here is that Mexico in the past has often either leaked the information to the cartels or been unsuccessful in acting on it.
  2. Share U.S. intelligence with Mexico (with public knowledge) to increase pressure on Mexico to act on it.
  3. Share U.S. intelligence and weapons with Mexico (without public knowledge) and trust Mexico to act on it.
  4. Share US intelligence and weapons with Mexico (with public knowledge) to increase pressure on Mexico for results.
  5. Direct strikes by the U.S. in Mexico. This would require clear legal authority, Mexican government consent, and a definition of victory beyond “hit them hard” — none of which exist today.

Many people I know on both sides of the border would advocate for option No. 5 as the obvious, no brainer choice. But when in the last 50 years has the American military quickly resolved a problem in another country? Vietnam took over 17 years of U.S. involvement. Iraq, over 8 years of U.S. involvement. Afghanistan, nearly 20 years. Even in a world of increasingly sophisticated drone warfare technology, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is nearing 4 years. Two years in, the Israel-Hamas war is being held together by a fragile peace agreement. Even the U.S. war on drugs is now nearing 54 years since it first began in 1971. We now have decades of evidence suggesting that killing a cartel leader or disrupting one cartel organization only leads to new ones taking over — with the drug flow and violence continuing unabated (and often increasing).

I personally think the U.S. has willing and eager partners in President Sheinbaum and Security Minister García Harfuch to reduce the levels of violence and the flow of drugs. That being said, as the recent brazen murder of the mayor of Uruapan, Michoacan, showed, the task is not one to be taken lightly. I believe the U.S. should share both intelligence and weapons (showing trust) while at the same time insisting on and verifying results from Mexico. The U.S. must also show tangible results on its side of the border with increased drug and weapons seizures — which have begun to happen. In parallel, the U.S. should finally articulate a domestic plan including expanded treatment and recovery capacity, cracking down on U.S.-based distribution cells and money laundering, expanding precursor controls and e-commerce enforcement, and investing in community-level prevention. Given that drone weapon technologies are rapidly advancing, it seems logical and reasonable that the U.S. could train Mexico to quickly and effectively use them selectively against cartel targets.

Of course, the unknown of all of this is the response of the cartels. Would they just get out of the drug business? Would they move it elsewhere? Would they accelerate diversification into other industries (avocados, fuel, extortion, etc.)? If these questions are not well thought out well in advance, the impacts could lead to a situation that is even worse than the current one.

The bottom line: Let’s hope that the previous decades of learnings and failures from the war on drugs and U.S. military involvement in other countries increase our degree of cautiousness and care. This is not a problem that a few drone or F15 strikes will solve. The right path would be an increasing degree of collaboration, cooperation and trust between the U.S. and Mexican governments. Hopefully, this would result in continued pressure on the cartels that decreases the level of violence, decreases drug production, and ensures that new areas of crime do not take its place. That would truly be a wonderful development for the citizens of both countries. It will take time, and not be easy, but we can get there if both countries acknowledge that much work needs to be done on both sides of the border.

Which course of action do you think would be most effective? I look forward to hearing your points of view in the comments.

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.

Lake Texcoco recovery continues with over 4,000 hectares now underwater

By
MND Staff
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Lake Texcoco Park
After 500 years of neglect, the Mexican government, NGOs and volunteers are working to restore Lake Texcoco. They're making progress. (Javier Sanchez/Lake Texcoco Ecological Park)

Three years after it was declared a Protected Natural Area (ANP), Lake Texcoco is showing progressive recovery of flora and fauna, while roughly 4,300 hectares are now covered with water after an abundant rainy season in central Mexico.

Jorge Daniel Fonseca, director of the Lake Texcoco ANP, said that more than 43 million cubic meters of water was collected this year in the 14,000-hectare area which includes Lake Texcoco Ecological Park. 

Lake Texcoco Ecological Park sign
The park itself is home to 76 species of flora and fauna, while the entire protected natural area has almost 600 species (Lake Texcoco Ecological Park).

The aim of the ecological restoration project is to expand the lake to 9,000 hectares, a goal Fonseca expects to achieve in a year’s time. 

Lake Texcoco was a natural saline lake within the Valley of Mexico, best known for being the site of an island where the Mexica built the city of Tenochtitlan, which would later become the capital of the Aztec empire.

A century after conquering the Mexica (Aztecs) in 1521, the Spaniards built drainage systems and channels in an effort to control flooding and create land for their growing capital, Mexico City. 

On March 22, 2022, the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador declared 78% of Lake Texcoco a Natural Protected Area, his goal being to restore the biodiversity lost due to the construction of an airport, which was canceled in 2018. 

Since then, efforts have been undertaken to re-grass the land, reforest the area, increase protected green spaces and restore bodies of water as part of the Ecological Park project inaugurated in August 2024.

Lake Texcoco has seen an increase in bird migration this year. Before construction on the airport began in 2014, an average of 150,000 migratory birds, comprising at least 182 species, arrived there annually. That number dipped to 60,000 in 2021.

Fonseca reported that this year more than 280,000 birds — including three new species — had arrived to winter in the Lake Texcoco ANP.

In total, the ANP is home to 76 species of flora and fauna and more than half of the park — 7,981 hectares  — is regarded as a priority zone, with 65% of those hectares classified as “extreme priority” due to the biodiversity. 

The National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) is focusing its efforts on ensuring that Lake Texcoco continues to be home to the 580 species of plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles and mammals that lived and migrated there until 2021.

The project also involves recovering the surface area utilized by the unfinished airport project. After this year’s generous rainfall, 95% of the construction area has been recovered by the lake.

As Lake Texcoco recovers, rising water swallows the ruins of the canceled airport

Green spaces have emerged from among the rubble of the abandoned structures and the pilings of the canceled project barely rise above a layer of water that reaches up to 7 meters deep in areas.

The architect in charge of the restoration project, Iñaki Echeverría, told Uno TV that parts of the airport and hydraulic projects made for that project are being used to build wetlands.

He is also leading efforts to restore the bodies of water in the Ciénega de San Juan, Lagunas Xalapango, Texcoco Norte and Lake Nabor Carrillo, all within the ANP Lake Texcoco. 

With reports from La Jornada, Uno TV and El Soberano

Sheinbaum reflects on Intercam and CIBanco’s demise after US sanctions: Friday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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4
President Sheinbaum looks out over the press pool at her morning conference
Besides U.S. bank sanctions, President Sheinbaum also touched on foreign investment and the criminal process facing the man who assaulted her earlier this month. (Juan Carlos Buenrostro / Presidencia)

The United States’ money laundering accusations against three Mexican financial institutions and the record inflow of foreign direct investment in the first nine months of 2025 were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Friday morning press conference.

Here is a recap of the president’s Nov. 21 mañanera.

Sheinbaum: No evidence that Intercam and CIBanco committed crimes

Sheinbaum said that Mexican authorities have not found any evidence that the banks Intercam and CIBanco, and the brokerage firm Vector, had links to organized crime or engaged in money laundering.

Her statement came in response to a question about whether the “partners, shareholders or owners” of the three financial institutions were under investigation in light of the U.S. government’s accusation that they laundered money for drug cartels.

Intercam, CIBanco and Vector have all ceased to operate in Mexico, effectively killed off by the U.S. government’s allegations and its decision to prohibit transactions between them and banks in the United States. Vector was owned by Alfonso Romo, a wealthy businessman who served as former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s chief of staff for around two years.

Sheinbaum said that information the U.S. Department of the Treasury sent to Mexican authorities didn’t demonstrate any link between the three financial institutions and organized crime, or provide evidence that they had laundered money for cartels.

CIBanco
Mexican banks Intercam and CIBanco, both popular among foreign residents, were the target of U.S. sanctions earlier this year, ultimately leading both to cease operations. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

The information it sent “was not sufficient for Mexican authorities to file a criminal complaint,” she said.

“… The Department of the Treasury hasn’t provided any proof that shows there was something that would warrant a criminal complaint,” said Sheinbaum, who has made similar remarks on several occasions.

In June, the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network accused Intercam, CIBanco and Vector of “laundering millions of dollars on behalf of Mexico-based cartels and facilitating payments for the procurement of precursor chemicals needed to produce fentanyl.”

Soon after, many Intercam and CIBanco customers reported they were unable to carry out transactions involving U.S. banks, even though Treasury’s sanctions hadn’t officially taken effect.

Record FDI indicative of ‘confidence’ in Mexico, president says 

Sheinbaum said that the record high foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico in the first nine months of the year shows there is “confidence in the country.”

The government announced on Wednesday that Mexico received just over US $40.9 billion in FDI between January and September, a 14.5% increase compared to the same period of 2024.

Foreign direct investment in Mexico climbs to record US $40.9B, already surpassing all of 2024

Sheinbaum said that investors are aware of the strength of the Mexican economy, and not just in terms of GDP growth, which has slowed considerably this year. She said they take note of things such as the reduction in poverty and job growth.

“And our proximity to the world’s largest market, the United States, will continue to generate investment in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said.

“Perhaps it will no longer be the [Mexican] automotive industry that grows the most, but now the electronics sector is growing — there is a lot of investment in electronics in Mexico. Why? Because there is very significant integration [of the sector in North America], there is a [North American] trade agreement, and, in addition, the relationship [with the U.S.] is good,” she said.

Sheinbaum said that once the 2026 review of the USMCA is completed, “there will be even greater certainty” for foreign investors.

“There is confidence” in Mexico and “there will be more,” she said.

Sheinbaum confirms she filed complaint against man who assaulted her

Sheinbaum told reporters that she filed a formal complaint with the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office (FGJ) against the man who touched her inappropriately in the historic center of the capital on Nov. 4.

President Sheinbaum files criminal complaint after groping incident on the streets of Mexico City

She said she sent a “document” to the FGJ, explaining what happened to her.

Asked whether it was important for her to formally present the complaint in person at the FGJ, Sheinbaum said she would do so “if necessary.”

“The thing is that the attorney general herself said to me: ‘All you have to do is send [a complaint] and it will be included in the investigation file,'” the president said.

The man who inappropriately touched Sheinbaum as she was walking between the National Palace and the Ministry of Public Education allegedly assaulted two other women in downtown Mexico City the same day. He was arrested and remains in custody as the case against him proceeds.

Sheinbaum said that sexual harassment has to be reported and punished, adding: “It shouldn’t happen in our country.”

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

99 facts you need to know about Mexico: 81-99

By
MND Staff
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An older woman in colorful Indigenous clothing speaks into a microphone, next to a young Mexican woman dressed in black
Over 7 million Mexicans speak an Indigenous language. Pictured: Juana Osorio, a Rarámuri woman, speaks at a presentation of a documentary about her aunt, Rita, whose story brought attention to the stigma faced by Indigenous language speakers. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro.com)

In honor of World Statistics Day on Oct. 20, Mexico’s national statistics agency INEGI published a small book presenting the 99 facts you need to know about Mexico.

This week, we have shared the book’s contents translated into English. Check out the other installments for more curious, surprising and eye-opening statistics about Mexico:

81) In 2025, potholes and water leaks were the most frequently reported community problem in neighborhoods and localities, making up 53.3% of reports.

(Source: INEGI, National Survey of Victimization and Perceptions of Public Security – ENVIPE, 2025)

Infrastructure failures such as potholes in the streets and water supply leaks are consistently viewed as top concerns in urban and rural communities. These issues affect daily life, mobility, and public trust in local government, often ranking above crime or public safety in citizen surveys.

82) In 2024, there were 1,203 registered museums in Mexico — 10 more than in 2023.

(Source: INEGI, Museum Statistics – EM, 2023 & 2024)

Mexico’s museum network continues to grow, with art, history and archaeology as the most common themes. Major museums are concentrated in Mexico City, but every state maintains cultural venues. The rising number of museums reflects increasing investment in the arts, heritage and public education.

Anthropology Museum
While the National Anthropology Museum is one of the most famous and visited cultural spaces in the country, there are over a thousand other museums registered across Mexico. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro.com)

83) In Mexico, some town names are used repeatedly. The most common is San Antonio, found in 1,440 different locations across the country.

(Source: INEGI, Register of Continental, Insular and Submarine Geographic Names – RNG, 2025)

This widespread naming reflects Mexico’s colonial and religious heritage, with “San Antonio” appearing in towns, villages and smaller settlements throughout almost every state. Locality name repetition is common for saints and Spanish-rooted place names, underscoring the country’s deep geographical and cultural diversity.

84) In 2024, there were 818,000 registered deaths in Mexico: 44.0% were women, and 55.9% were men. In 0.1% of the cases, sex was unspecified.

(Source: INEGI, Registered Death Statistics – EDR, 2024)

Mortality statistics in Mexico continue to show a gender difference, with men consistently making up the majority of recorded deaths — even as life expectancy gaps persist. These patterns are shaped by age structure, occupational risks and differences in the leading causes of death for each sex.

85) In 2025, 61.2% of the population had attended at least one cultural event or performance in the previous year, including concerts, live music, exhibitions, movie screenings and theater plays.

(Source: INEGI, Module on Selected Cultural Events – MODECULT, 2025)

Cultural participation is on the rise, with movie showings, concerts and festivals as the most attended events in Mexico. Recovery in cultural attendance after the pandemic shows renewed interest in public events across age groups and regions, though participation rates remain lower for people with disabilities and Indigenous language speakers.

86) Between 2000 and 2020, the average number of occupants per dwelling in Mexico fell from 4.4 to 3.6 people.

(Source: INEGI, Population and Housing Censuses)

Household size in Mexico has steadily decreased, reflecting demographic changes like lower fertility rates, more nuclear families and increased urban living. This trend brings new challenges and opportunities for housing, city planning, and social services.

Post-AMLO, Mexican household income is up and inequality is slightly down

87) In 2020, 51.6% of Mexico’s population lived in localities with fewer than 100,000 inhabitants.

(Source: INEGI, Population and Housing Census – CPV, 2020)

Despite increasing urbanization, the majority of Mexicans continue to live in small and medium-sized towns and rural communities. These demographic patterns affect access to services, infrastructure and economic opportunities, with significant regional disparities.

88) In 2024, 72.3% of people in Mexico felt unsafe at ATM machines located in public areas.

(Source: INEGI, National Survey of Victimization and Perceptions of Public Security – ENVIPE, 2024)

Public ATM machines are perceived as the riskiest urban locations for crime and assault, with nearly three out of four adults reporting insecurity when using them. This perception remains higher than for public transport, parks or banks — and is even more pronounced among women and in larger cities.

89) Commuting to work often means crossing municipal boundaries in Mexico. In 2020, 14.4% of workers traveled between municipalities to reach their workplace.

(Source: INEGI, Population and Housing Census – CPV, 2020)

Intermunicipal commuting has grown in recent decades as metropolitan zones expand and jobs become more dispersed. This poses mobility challenges for urban planning, transport systems and local labor markets, increasing both travel times and demand for regional coordination.

90) In 2022, 24.5 million head of cattle were registered in Mexico.

(Source: INEGI, Agricultural Census – CA, 2022)

Mexico’s cattle inventory continues to grow, with bovines kept for meat, milk and hides across all regions. Just over half the country’s cattle are concentrated in eight states, led by Veracruz, Jalisco, Chihuahua and Chiapas — making cattle farming a major part of rural economies and food supply.

91) In 2020, Jocotitlán or Xocotépetl, in the state of México, was the active volcano with the greatest number of populated localities around it: 68 towns with 95,000 inhabitants.

(Sources: INEGI, Geology and Physiography – GEOL, 2024; INEGI, Geo-statistical Framework – MG, 2020; INEGI, Population and Housing Census – CPV, 2020)
A town sits at the feet of a green volcano
The Jocotitlán volcano in México state, also known as Xocotépetl. (Carolina López CC BY 2.0)

Jocotitlán is notable both for its volcanic activity and its surrounding communities, making it the volcano with the largest concentration of settlements and residents in its vicinity. Monitoring and risk mitigation for these populations is a local priority, given the potential hazard and socioeconomic importance of the region.

92) In 2022, land dedicated to agriculture in Mexico exceeded 25 million hectares, an area slightly larger than the state of Chihuahua.

(Source: INEGI, Agricultural Census – CA, 2022)

Mexico’s agricultural land spans about 25.7 million hectares according to active productive units, placing it among the country’s largest categories of land use. The extent is comparable to the total area of Chihuahua, highlighting the importance and scale of farming activities in national territory.

93) In 2020, there were 7,364,645 people aged 3 and over in Mexico who spoke an Indigenous language.

(Source: INEGI, Population and Housing Census – CPV, 2020)

Mexico’s linguistic diversity remains significant: These speakers made up about 6.1% of the national population over age 3. The majority live in rural municipalities in the south and southeast, with Oaxaca, Chiapas and Yucatán among the states with the highest shares of Indigenous language speakers.

94) During 2024, there was an average of 1,027 traffic accidents per day in urban and suburban areas of Mexico.

(Source: INEGI, Land Transit Accidents in Urban and Suburban Areas – ATUS, 2024)

According to INEGI’s annual reporting, traffic crash frequency in urban settings remains a major public safety challenge. With over 374,000 accidents recorded for the year, the daily average underscores ongoing issues in road safety, enforcement and urban mobility nationwide.

95) Between April and June 2025, 16.4 million people worked independently in Mexico.

(Source: INEGI, National Survey of Occupation and Employment – ENOE, second quarter 2025)

Independent work — including self-employment, freelancing and those with small businesses — remains a crucial part of Mexico’s labor market. This segment represents over one-quarter of all employed people, and trends in independent work reflect changes in entrepreneurship, informal labor and economic resilience.

96) Meteorological phenomena such as tornadoes are also recorded in Mexico. In 2022, civil protection units attended 66 such reports.

(Sources: INEGI, National Census of Municipal Governments and Territorial Demarcations of Mexico City – CNGMD, 2023; INEGI, National Census of State Governments – CNGE, 2023)

Tornadoes, while infrequent compared to other natural hazards, are documented each year — mostly in northern and eastern states. Civil Protection authorities respond to all tornado reports with emergency management and risk mitigation efforts as part of broader disaster response and community support actions.

97) Of the 6.9 million people who live in a different municipality, state or country now than they did in March 2015, 2.5 million migrated to reunite with family.

(Source: INEGI, Population and Housing Census – CPV, 2020)

Family reunification remains the main reason for internal migration in Mexico, accounting for about 37.5% of all cases between 2015 and 2020. Migration for work is the next most common driver, but family ties are the central force shaping mobility patterns — particularly for women.

98) At the end of 2022, there were 2,458 mayors and municipal presidents in Mexico: 77.0% were men and 22.9% were women.

(Source: INEGI, National Census of Municipal Governments and Territorial Demarcations of Mexico City – CNGMD, 2023)

Men continue to dominate political leadership roles in local governments, with women holding less than a quarter of mayoral or municipal president positions nationwide. Although representation has improved compared to previous decades, progress slowed in 2022, highlighting persistent barriers to gender equity in political participation.

99) In 2023, seven out of every 100 inhabited households in Mexico did not have a kitchen.

(Source: INEGI, National Survey of Demographic Dynamics – ENADID, 2023)

By 2023, 93.3% of Mexican homes had a dedicated kitchen space, marking an improvement from previous years, but about 2.5 million homes still lacked this amenity. The absence of a kitchen is more common in rural, marginalized and low-income regions, which signals ongoing disparities in housing quality and access to basic infrastructure.

Mexico News Daily

A Frida Kahlo self-portrait sells for US $54.7M, a new record for a female artist

By
MND Staff
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Frida's "The Dream /The Bed)
The bed is a recurring theme in Kahlo’s art, symbolizing both refuge and confinement. (Sotheby's)

Frida Kahlo made history this week as her haunting 1940 self-portrait, “El sueño (La cama)” — which translates to “The Dream (The Bed)” — sold for US $54.7 million (hammer pricxe plus commission), shattering all previous auction records for works by female artists and further cementing her legacy as an icon of both art and resilience.

Bidding at Sotheby’s in New York lasted a brisk four minutes before the hammer fell, marking an unprecedented moment not only for Kahlo but for the broader art world.​

The Thursday sale exceeded projections, which had placed the work’s value between US $40 and $60 million, and easily eclipsed the previous high for a woman artist — Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1,” which fetched $44.4 million in 2014.

“El sueño (La cama)” also topped Kahlo’s own auction record, set in 2021 when “Diego y Yo” sold for $34.9 million.

The buyer of “El sueño (La cama)” remains anonymous, with the auction house confirming the work will be featured in major exhibitions in New York, London and Basel, Switzerland, through 2028.​

According to the New York Times, the painting came from a distinguished private collection, where it had remained for approximately 45 years. The previous owner reportedly acquired it at a Sotheby’s auction in 1980 for US $51,000.

Created in the midst of personal turmoil and medical hardship, the painting depicts Kahlo asleep in a carved bed under a canopy topped by a skeleton entwined with dynamite and flowers — a stark meditation on mortality and pain, rendered with unmistakable emotional candor.

The bed, a recurring theme in Kahlo’s art, symbolized both refuge and confinement, shaped by years of illness and recovery after a long metal rod tore through her midsection when a bus she was riding slammed into a trolley car. Only 18 at the time, she suffered severe fractures in her pelvis, ribs, shoulders and spine.

As Sotheby’s explained, “The bed’s structure becomes both a physical support and a metaphysical scaffolding, a stage on which death literally hovers above life. ‘The Dream (The Bed)’ undoubtedly offers a spectral meditation on the border between sleep and death.”​

Though described by scholars as distinctly surrealist in tone, Kahlo herself denied the label, famously declaring, “I never painted dreams. I painted my own reality.”

Researchers have a new diagnosis for Frida Kahlo, 70 years after her death

The blockbuster sale comes as “Fridamania” has resurged, with the opening of Casa Roja (Red House) — a new Frida Kahlo museum in Mexico City — as well as recent exhibits in Chicago and, for the first time, in China. 

It also comes amid ongoing debates over missing Kahlo works at top Mexican institutions. A newly published report alleges the disappearance of several paintings and drawings from Casa Azul, the original Frida Kahlo museum in Mexico City, sparking calls for transparency from the artist’s estate and the Mexico’s Ministry of Culture.

Kahlo’s art market remains robust, with collectors vying for any piece — no matter how small or minor.

Last year, Christie’s sold a small, 15-inch painting of knickknacks — a 1931-32 work titled “Window Display on a Detroit Street” in English — for US $7.2 million.

And in addition to the US $34.9 million received for her 1949 work “Diego y Yo” in 2021, her intimate “Portrait of Cristina, My Sister” sold for US $14.785 million in 2023 — zooming past pre-auction estimates of US $8 to $12 million.

Kahlo painted the simple composition at age 21, when she was just beginning to eschew the styles of the masters and embrace techniques and colors that would become her trademarks.

With reports from Milenio, El País, The Guardian and NPR

Baja California woman sentenced to 20 years over murder of visiting surfers

By
MND Staff
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Ari Gisell Silva
Ari Gisell Silva, 23, urged her three companions to assault the surfers, two Australians and one American, and has now received a 20-year prison sentence for her role in what turned out to be a triple murder. (@arturodetexas/on X)

A Mexican woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the murder of three tourists during a carjacking in the northwestern state of Baja California last year.

Ary Gisell Silva, 23, pleaded guilty in state court to instigating the violent assault on Australian brothers Callum Ryan Robinson and Jake Martin Robinson, and their American friend Jack Carter Rhoad, in April 2024.

Seen in these photos released by authorities are Jesús Gerardo García Cota and Cristian Alejandro García, two
of three suspects awaiting trial for the murder of two Australians and one American who had come to Baja California to surf.

The judge handed down the sentence following an abbreviated trial after Silva had renounced her right to an oral trial. By waiving her right to a full trial, Silva received a reduced sentence. 

The judge’s ruling also requires her to pay damages exceeding 54,285 Mexican pesos (US $2,935), with the possibility of further civil compensation for the victims.

Silva offered a tearful apology in court, acknowledging that “nothing I can say will compensate you or give you peace.”

The three men arrested on charges of killing the tourists will be tried at a later date. 

Silva did not dispute the prosecutors’ case that she was the first to contact the surfers after noticing they were carrying valuables.

According to the newspaper El País, the Baja California Prosecutor’s Office (FGE-BC) based its case on the testimony of a witness who heard García say, “He has a good cell phone and good tires for my pickup.” 

Silva allegedly made the statement while standing alongside the victims’ vehicle, which was parked in the Punta San José tourist area, about a two-hour drive south of Ensenada, Baja California, the witness declared.

The FGE-BC argued that Silva then “instigated her companions” to rob the victims.

Silva testified that the three alleged murderers — identified in court as Jesús Gerardo “N,” Irineo Francisco “N” and Ángel Jesús “N” — tailed the vehicle to the campsite on the beach where the foreigners were staying. 

The BBC reported that Jesús Gerardo “N” and Irineo Francisco “N” have ties with the Sinaloa drug cartel, although prosecutors do not suspect any links between the murders and organized crime.

According to the official reconstruction, the surfers were surprised at their campsite by the suspects, who attempted to steal their Chevrolet Colorado and other belongings. When they resisted, the attackers shot each of them in the head.

The suspects then dumped the bodies of the victims in a remote well about 8 kilometers distant.

Forensic experts found traces of blood and drag marks at the campsite and identified an attempt to destroy evidence by burning tents and the vehicle. It took authorities eight days to find the bodies of the three surfers.

Jake Robinson, 33 and a doctor, traveled to the United States in mid-April to visit his brother Callum, 30, who lived in San Diego and played professional lacrosse in the U.S. Rhoad, 30 and originally from San Diego, worked at a technology firm and had plans to get married in August 2024.

The three attended the Coachella music festival in California before traveling to Mexico, arriving at Punta San José on April 27 only to be murdered a few hours later.

With reports from The Associated Press, El País and BBC

Senate approves stricter penalties for extortion, a pervasive problem in Mexico

By
MND Staff
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A hand holds a cell phone against a dark background
The legislative proposal updates definitions of extortion to make clear that it includes crimes commited by telephone, the most common type of extortion in Mexico, as well as other modern methods. (Shutterstock)

Senators this week unanimously approved the Law to Prevent, Investigate and Punish Extortion Offenses, a new legal framework that standardizes the crime throughout the country, in an effort to protect Mexicans from telephone, banking and digital extortion.

The law also strives to protect victims who file charges by authorizing ex-officio investigations, meaning the complainant does not have to be identified. It will also punish public officials who collaborate in the commission of this crime or fail to report extortion crimes.

The Mexican Senate floor
The Senate rejected a pared-back version of the bill approved by the lower house, voting this week to approve a stricter version more closely aligned with President Sheinbaum’s original proposal. (Andrea Murcia / Cuartoscuro)

Those crimes include a wide variety of offenses, ranging from threats and protection rackets to more sophisticated techniques like “virtual kidnapping,” in which criminals convince their target to leave home and turn off their cell phone, then call family members of the target demanding ransom to free the supposedly kidnapped person. Officials reported earlier this year that extortion has increased over 80% in the past decade, though data is lacking since most cases go unreported.

This week’s 110-0 Senate vote returns the bill to the Chamber of Deputies, where lawmakers there will address the 21 amendments senators added to 15 articles — including harsher sentencing guidelines — as well as the addition of a transitional article.

Members of the Morena party comprising 67 senators celebrated the passage of the bill, the first comprehensive and uniform response to the scourge of extortion, which affects individuals, businesses, services and enterprises of all sizes, as well as transportation and the distribution of goods.

“This is a firm step towards closing the … legal loopholes that left families unprotected for years,” said Sen. Heriberto Aguilar.

The bill as approved by the Senate recognizes all modern forms of digital, telephone and banking extortion, including debt scams and carjackings. It guarantees that they will be investigated and punished without the need to demonstrate financial damage, while also addressing the psychological and moral effects on the victims.

“Extortion not only affects property, it deprives people of their peace of mind, dignity and sense of community,” said Sen. Enrique Inzunza, president of the Legislative Studies Committee.

Aguilar said the new law would establish a single criminal procedure throughout the country, eliminating differences that existed in state laws and correcting the inequality of criteria that had favored impunity.

The bill calls for the creation of special units, police officers, analysts and public prosecutors who would be trained, evaluated, certified and specialized in the investigation of extortion.

The bill also incorporates a comprehensive protection system for victims, including prompt attention from the authorities, and specialized support. It also grants officials the authority to immediately cancel telephone lines being used for extortion.

Additionally, resources obtained from the forfeiture of assets will be used to restore the rights of the victims.

Security Minister: Half of reported extortion lines are operating from prisons

According to a study published by Seven Publishing Group last year, extortion has become an easy and quick source of financing for organized crime, governments and political organizations, including political parties, as well as public officials who demand a “fee” to carry out services.

The study also found that more than 97% of the victims of extortion do not report the crime to the authorities.

The most common type of extortion, telephone extortion, is of particular concern to security authorities in Mexico because it most often originates inside prisons.

To address the issue, the bill prohibits inmates from having electronic devices and includes 6- to 12-year sentences for those violating the law, while also sanctioning prison officials and other staff who allow the entry of cell phones and other devices.

“Legal mechanisms and instruments [in the bill] will block illicit communications, prohibit access to electronic devices and ensure that prisons are spaces for control and social rehabilitation, not for criminal activity,” said Sen. Javier Corral, president of the Justice Committee.

The creation of a National Information System on Extortion, a specialized reporting center, and the design of a national prevention strategy are also contemplated in the legislation.

With reports from La Jornada, El País, N+ and El Financiero

New Southwest Airlines flights will connect Puerto Vallarta and Las Vegas

By
MND Staff
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Southwest aircraft over desert
From Las Vegas, the sparkling metropolis in the Nevada desert, to Puerto Vallarta, the resort mecca on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, Southwest Airlines will be offering direct flights beginning next June in time for the World Cup. (Southwest Airlines)

Southwest Airlines has announced a new twice-weekly nonstop flight between Puerto Vallarta and Las Vegas starting June 6 next year. 

The route will operate on Saturdays and Sundays on a Boeing 737 aircraft, and will increase capacity by an estimated 1,296 extra seats per month between the sunny destinations. 

PV airport
New passengers from Las Vegas arriving at the Puerto Vallarta International Airport next June will see an airport undergoing extensive renovation that will add to its already impressive list of national and international airports served. (@diariovallarta/on X)

The new Las Vegas route adds to Southwest’s existing list of U.S. destinations from Puerto Vallarta, including Denver, Houston, Orange County, Sacramento, Austin, Phoenix and, starting in March 2026, San Diego.

It also reflects the Puerto Vallarta International Airport’s expanding service as it undergoes extensive improvements scheduled for completion in 2027. It currently connects the Jalisco state port and resort city with 54 national and international destinations.  

“In designing our summer 2026 schedule, we examined industry trends and identified locations… where we are able to provide customers more choices when they’re booking travel,” Adam Decaire, the senior vice president of network planning and network operations control at Southwest Airlines, said in a statement. “Additionally, we’re boosting service in locations where we’ve always had a strong presence to offer customers even more service than ever before in those cities.”

The new route will coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with some of the matches taking place in the Jalisco state capital of Guadalajara, 295 highway kilometers (180 miles) from Puerto Vallarta. Due to its proximity, Puerto Vallarta offers an alternative for travelers looking to combine attending games with a beach vacation. 

As part of Southwest’s expansion plans in Mexico for next year, the airline will also add a new non-stop service between Las Vegas and Cancún on June 6, with further plans to launch new flights between Las Vegas and Los Cabos. 

With reports from El Universal and Travel and Leisure

Tabasqueña Fátima Bosch wins Miss Universe after pageant bullying episode

By
MND Staff
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Miss Universe Fatima Bosch waves at the camera while wearing a crown surrounded by other pageant contestants
Fátima Bosch was crowned Miss Universe in Thailand on Friday. (Miss Universe)

Fátima Bosch Fernández, 25, has been crowned Miss Universe 2025, becoming the fourth Mexican woman in history to win the coveted title.

The announcement was made on Nov. 21 during a ceremony in Bangkok, Thailand, marking the end of an exceptionally controversial competition that first made headlines after a top pageant official berated Bosch during a livestreamed event for not posting promotional content on her social media.

@missuniverseBecause every step you take leads to something greater, and fighting for your dreams while believing in yourself will always be worth it.♬ original sound – Miss Universe

Weeks after the tense scene went viral, the woman at the center of the controversy is now the 74th Miss Universe.

“I would like to be remembered as someone who changed the stereotype of what a Miss Universe is, and as a real person who gives her all,” Bosch said after receiving the award.

Bosch stood out among 120 contestants from around the world and made her way to the top five. Miss Thailand Praveenar Singh was runner up, followed by Miss Venezuela Stephany Abasali, Miss Philippines Ma Ahtisa Manalo and Miss Cote d’Ivoire Olivia Yace.

But following the viral confrontation with Nawat Itsaragrisil, national director of Miss Universe Thailand, many have speculated online about her victory.

“Some suggest that she gained visibility thanks to the intense confrontations with Nawat. Others speculate about the influence of Raúl Rocha, president of Miss Universe, who is also Mexican,” Thai BBC correspondent Panisa Aemocha said.

Adding to the controversy, two judges resigned on the eve of the final ceremony, one of whom accused organizers of rigging the competition. Still, the Miss Universe organization has praised Bosch on its official social media account, saying that “her grace, strength and radiant spirit won the hearts of the world.”

“Today I reaffirmed that what God has destined for you, neither envy can stop, nor fate can abort, nor can luck change. Long live Christ the King!” Bosch wrote a day after the ceremony on her social media channels.

Fátima Bosch, the pride of Tabasco

Originally from Teapa in the southern state of Tabasco, Bosch comes from a prominent family in the beauty pageant world, with two of her maternal aunts having competed in the Flor de Tabasco pageant in Mexico — the same one that she would later win in 2018.

During her childhood, she faced challenges stemming from dyslexia and ADHD, an experience, she said, that has helped her build resilience. In her speech as Miss Universe, she emphasized the importance of authenticity and self-worth to inspire women of all ages.

In addition to her interest in Miss Universe, Bosch studied fashion design at the Ibero-American University of Mexico City and finished post graduate studies in Italy and the United States.

The new Miss Universe has become a source of pride in her home state of Tabasco, where 7,000 people gathered at Centenario 27 de Febrero Stadium in Villahermosa to watch the final ceremony. Thousands more watched from public squares around the state, where municipal government leaders set up giant screens for members of the public to watch the show.

With reports from El Universal, BBC and El Financiero

Meet the Iztapalapa artist making luchador masks for F1 racers

By
Alan Chazaro
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Fusing traditional Mexican culture with modern artistic sensibilities, Lilmister P has gone from an Iztapalapa street artist to an international design star. (Lilmister P/Instagram)

There isn’t any singular artist or style of art that can capture the sheer magnitude and energy of a city as vibrant as Mexico’s capital. And yet, when it comes to understanding the idiosyncratic beauties of Mexico’s biggest metro region — particularly in its vast, sprawling neighborhoods — local artists can offer a small window through which to begin to explore, if not understand, Mexico City’s unbridled soulfulness and social fabrics. 

Lilmister P is one of those artists, a contemporary muralist, designer and “Hypervector” expressionist — a phrase he says captures his sense of dimensionality and depth in whatever he aims to create — from Iztapalapa. Located in the city’s southeastern outskirts, Iztapalapa is among the most populated neighborhoods in Mexico City but is often overlooked by outsiders and lacks the major touristic appeal of Mexico City’s other offerings. Still, it’s home to a rich lineage of artistry, including Fábrica de Artes y Oficios, Centro Cultural Iztapalapa, Sala Quetzalcóatl and Centro Cultural Casa de Las Bombas. These arts and culture centers have long provided Mexico City’s residents with film screenings, dance productions, art workshops, book clubs, pottery classes and more.

 

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A post shared by LilmisterP (@lilmisterp)

That all shaped Lilmister P as an aspiring artist who was born and raised in the borough, where he attended high school and studied graphic design, learning how to screen print and stencil at an early age — techniques he later applied to create clothing, stickers, and painting on canvases. Five years ago, he founded Hechizas, a clothing and lifestyle brand that jokingly plays on Mexican themes of bootleggery found in flea markets as a nod to his Iztapalapa upbringing.

“I like to speak loud and be proud of being born in Iztapalapa,” he says. “Through many years people have seen my area as a dangerous and problematic space in the city. But I like to show the bright side of it, like the Viacrucis. [The annual event] gathers thousands of people from all over the country and also foreigners who come to live the experience [through a dramatic reenactment of religious events in the city’s streets].”

The Chilango artist’s talents have caught the eyes of those beyond just his neighborhood, though, attracting major global brands like UnderArmour, Jordan Brand, Formula 1 and more. When F1 was in town for its annual Grand Prix this past October, Lilmister P was tasked with designing custom lucha libre masks — inspired by the sugar skull tradition of Día de Muertos — for F1 drivers Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon of Williams Racing. Both drivers personally received the skulls and signed them. Sainz (who is a particularly notable race car driver and whose father, Carlos Sainz Sr., was a famously influential World Rally Championship driver in the 1980s and 90s who was beloved by Spanish-speaking fans worldwide) filmed a video in which he speaks about Lilmister P’s masks and celebrates being in Mexico. 

The F1 racing team found Lilmister P’s work online and contacted him about the collaboration. The mask’s details and nuances highlight Lilmister P’s attention to detail, creativity and, Mexican identity. For Sainz, the mask features the driver’s car number, 55, on the forehead, which is a Mexican tradition to honor relatives on sugar skulls; it also contains a mustache made from chilis, since that is Sainz’s nickname. For Albon, Lilmister P prominently stitched lotus flowers, since Albon is from Thailand, where the flower holds significant cultural and religious symbology; the mask also mimics cat whiskers, since Albon is known to be a cat lover.

Lucha masks are certainly a popular trope in Mexican art. But for Lilmister P, they’re more than just a one-off gimmick. A defining element of Lilmister P’s work is his artistic persona, which he signals by constantly wearing a lucha libre mask wherever he goes. In fact, there are no public photos of him without his mask. Having grown up as a lucha libre fan, he references watching both CMLL and AAA (two of Mexico’s largest lucha libre organizations) at his grandparents’ home with his cousins, where he learned to appreciate the superhuman artistry and theatrics of it all.

“I’ve loved lucha libre since I was a kid,” he says. “I’ve never seen a real superhero, like Batman or Superman, but I’ve seen Dos Caras and Tinieblas. Those guys were real. Now, wearing a mask represents my alter ego, a character that only shows up when I wear it. I’m not a luchador, but I respect the mask tradition and I don’t like to make it look funny or anything.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by LilmisterP (@lilmisterp)

The masks he wears vary, but they generally use a black fabric as the base, with white and sometimes red adornments that flare up the nose and around the sides of the skull, while incorporating fangs, extra eyes on the head, and other quirks. In his mask, he has traveled around Mexico to regions like Oaxaca and Puebla, where he is regularly commissioned to muralize walls, often done in dedication to the spirit of Mexican culture and customs.

Next up, the designer-slash-muralist is planning to launch a series of clothing items dedicated to the EZLN, or Zapatista Movement, an indigenous rights group which became internationally known in 1994 for nominally declaring war against Mexico’s government and corruption. Lilmister P also plans to paint a mural in Iztapalapa for Viacrucis.

When asked where his work can be found, he responds like a genuine street artist of the people, known for democratizing the accessibility of art for all, no matter what social class one might belong to. And despite his big name partnerships, he remains rooted where he was raised. 

“The streets will always be my favorite space to show everything I do.”

Alan Chazaro is the author of “This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album,” “Piñata Theory” and “Notes From the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge” (Ghost City Press, 2021). He is a graduate of June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and a former Lawrence Ferlinghetti Fellow at the University of San Francisco. His writing can be found in GQ, NPR, The Guardian, L.A. Times and more. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, he is currently based in Veracruz.

 

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