Finca Las Luciérnagas's Andante cheese is made using sheep’s milk from a producer with certified animal welfare practices. (Finca Las Luciérnagas)
Mexico won six medals at the 2025 World Cheese Awards, held in Bern, Switzerland, from Nov. 13 to 15, with its quesos ranking among the top out of over 5,244 cheeses from 46 countries.
Producers brought cheeses from all over the world, navigating long plane rides and complex import legislation processes to participate in the awards.
Despite competing against countries with a longstanding tradition in cheesemaking and well-established production structures, Mexico won six awards, five of them for cheese dairies in Jalisco and one for Querétaro.
Mexico was not the only up-and-coming cheesemaker to win awards, with cheeses from Japan, Slovakia and the United States among the finalists.
However, a Swiss 18-month-aged Gruyère AOP from the Vorderfultigen mountain cheese dairy was hailed as the best cheese in the world this year, thanks to its crystalline texture and “brothy, umami” flavor.
The assessment of the cheeses was conducted by 265 judges in 110 teams, with a final round judged by a Super Jury composed of specialists from 14 countries. Just 14 cheeses advanced to the final stage.
During the event, cheeses were stripped of any identifying features and divided across 110 rows of tables to be blind tasted by two- or three-person judging teams. Judges were asked to assess the cheese based on appearance, smell, taste, texture and the feeling it gives in the mouth.
The Mexican cheeses that placed among the top were:
Gold Medal – Best Latin American Cheese: Finca Las Luciérnagas Andante from Huimilpan, Querétaro. Made using sheep’s milk from a producer with certified animal welfare practices.
Silver Medal – La Providencia Mozzarella from San Miguel El Alto, Jalisco. A take on the Italian classic, made with pasteurized whole milk.
Silver Medal – Quesos Navarro Cheddar from Tepatitlán de Morelos, Jalisco. A cheddar made from fresh, pasteurized cow’s milk that the judges said could compete in any international market.
Silver Medal – Quesos Navarro Panela. A traditional Mexican fresh cheese, traditionally cured in whey.
Bronze Medal – Quesos Navarro Queso Fresco. Another traditional Mexican cheese, with Spanish roots.
Bronze Medal – Quesos Navarro Queso Menonita. A creamy cheese originating from Mennonite communities in the north of Mexico.
The 2026 cheese awards will take place in Córdoba, in Spain’s Andalusia region, where Mexico will have the chance to come back even stronger.
Chapultepec Castle is a must-visit attraction in Mexico City. (Wikimedia Commons/Sisgeo)
I took a Sunday stroll. To a castle on a hill, inside a forest, in the heart of Mexico City. Chapultepec Castle was the first thing friends said I should visit while in CDMX. Boy, was I glad I did.
Because, since I am a permanent resident of Mexico, I got in for free! On Sundays, it’s free for Mexicans and legal residents, so that was a delightful surprise. Another great perk of living here — and, I must say, weirdly validating. Like a giant hug of acceptance, it was a nice feeling to skip the line, just walk on through and start the climb.
The National History Museum, housed inside Chapultepec Castle, is also well worth a visit. (INAH)
Don’t worry. The walk isn’t that bad. Lovely scenery, a few little animal friends and a nice 20-minute stroll along a flat, then elevated paved carriageway.
Chapultepec Castle has a long, varied history dating back to the Mexica (Aztecs), whose structure there was destroyed by the Spanish. They later built the present palace as a home for the colonial viceroy. Later still, it became home to Mexico’s short-lived Emperor Maximilian I and his wife, Carlota, and then for presidents, including Porfirio Díaz.
It also housed a military academy. Mexico’s famed boy soliders, the Niños Heroes, died defending the castle. Today, the National History Museum is located there, and it features murals by some of Mexico’s artistic giants, including José Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros.
The walk up to the castle
Overhanging trees provide shade while red-bellied gray squirrels scurry about, their fluffy tails and cheerful chirps delighting me as much as the children rushing over to see them.
Abundant ferns and moss covered the rock wall on one side while treetops filled the other, dropping away to reveal a great view of the city the higher you climb. Every fitness level can walk up, but there are benches on which you can sit and rest, if need be — or just enjoy the incredible view!
Chapultepec Castle is a feast for the eyes. (Bel Woodhouse)
If you get thirsty, a water fountain sits about halfway up the climb.
Touring the castle
It was nice to wander around inside the castle, appreciating Chapultepec’s stunning old coaches, exquisite chandeliers in each room, unique branching staircases and frescoed ceilings.
It was a surprisingly peaceful experience, despite the hundreds of tourists. Most people seemed to take it slow, appreciating Chapultepec’s stunning old coaches, exquisite chandeliers in each room, unique branching staircases and frescoed ceilings. In the upper level, I must have spent a good 10 minutes admiring the stained-glass wall that ran outside the bedrooms. What a breathtaking piece of architecture and intricate craftsmanship!
The castle holds many beautiful rooms full of beautiful things. But my favorite was the rooftop maze garden. The immaculately manicured hedges full of azaleas in bloom were gorgeous, and there I made a friend: a little figeater beetle that buzzed down to land and rest on my chest for a while.
The ladies around me stepped away, sharing uneasy smiles or grimacing. But I liked my little beetle friend. A lovely shade of deep jade green, she flew off again once she rested to roll around in the azalea blossoms once more. Well, I assume she did because her face was covered in pollen and they were the largest flowers around. But there were lots of other fabulous flowers all around the castle.
Chapultepec Castle’s rooftop maze garden, where you can wander the decorative gardens, take in the city skyline and make friends with stunning pollinators. (Bel Woodhouse)
My next adventure in the maze garden was chasing the most exquisite butterfly I’ve ever seen in the wild, a two-tailed swallowtail. She was stunning and, honestly, the highlight of my day. And surrounding a water feature in the gardens was a stunning array of gazanias. I’ve never seen its flowers in such vibrant colors. Walking back down, I discovered an edible nightshade — creeping false holly — which I found fascinating.
So be sure to take your time when walking up and back down from the castle. Although the castle is lovely — and is the main attraction — there is a whole world of beautiful flora and fauna surrounding it.
Best of all, this castle inside a forest, inside a huge city, was free! What a lovely way to spend my Sunday exploring Mexico City.
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over 7 years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
Mexican filmmakers have found a showcase for their work this year courtesy of international film festivals. (Pexels/Tima Miroshnichenko)
As 2025 comes to a close, so does the year’s series of international film festivals, showcasing some of the most insightful and vibrant films from around the world. An impressive number of Mexican films can be counted among that acclaimed group.
The collaboration between Cinépolis and the Sundance Institute that brought the Sundance Film Festival: CDMX to Mexico City for a second year has further bolstered Mexico’s cinematic reputation, while Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas was on the main competition jury at Cannes. Meanwhile, Mexican directors maintained a strong international presence across festivals, including at the British Film Institute’s London Film Festival (BFI), the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Berlin International Film Festival.
Sundance Film Festival was one of many to showcase the work of creative Mexican filmmakers this year. (Wikimedia Commons/Joseph Wise)
A recurring theme of using nostalgia and childhood memory as lenses to explore Mexico’s history and sociopolitical memory and identity is evident in many of Mexico’s standout works this year, with notable mentions including Michel Franco’s erotic yet unnerving drama ”Dreams” and Urzula Barba Hopfner’s ”Corina.” But many more of the films recognized internationally this year also explore Mexico’s complex cultural history through drama, experimental filmmaking, animation and even mockumentary.
Here’s a look at some of the standouts:
El diablo fuma (y guarda las cabezas de los cerillos quemados en la misma caja)
Trailer de El diablo fuma (y guarda las cabezas de los cerillos quemados en la misma caja) (HD)
Director: Ernesto Martínez Bucio Genre: Drama
Set in 1990s Mexico City, ”El diablo fuma” follows five young siblings who move in with their schizophrenic grandmother after their parents disappear. Forbidden from leaving the property and increasingly isolated, the children inherit their grandmother’s religious fears and delusions, which begin to distort their fragile sense of reality. The house becomes a psychological playground where innocence is warped and memory becomes contaminated.
Visually emphasized by a shaky handheld camera, the film works to subvert the joys of childhood imagination, portraying it as vulnerable and haunted. Set during Pope John Paul II’s visit to Mexico City, Martínez Bucio critiques the generational weight of religious trauma.
The film was screened at the BFI and Barcelona’s D’A Film Festival and won Best Feature at the Berlin International Film Festival.
The Mexican-U.S. coproduction directed by Fernando Eimbcke is a coming-of-age story set in New Mexico in 1979. ”Olmo” follows a Mexican-American teenager desperate to attend a party hosted by his neighbor and crush, Nina. Left to care for his father, who has multiple sclerosis, while his mother works extra shifts to pay the overdue rent, Olmo and his best friend Miguel try to impress Nina with a stereo as their ticket in.
Shot in just 25 days, the film explores the miscommunications and suffocations of adolescence within a family facing real hardship. Eimbcke reconnects with the decade that shaped his own childhood, using warm, soft lighting to evoke a simpler time. Yet, the film goes beyond sentimentality, highlighting the linguistic and financial challenges of Mexican-American families in the 1970s.
“Olmo” was a hit at the Sydney Film Festival, at the Toronto International Film Festival and at BFI London, and was nominated for the Panorama Audience Award at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Yo Soy Frankelda
Soy Frankelda | Tráiler Oficial | Cinemex
Directors: Arturo Ambriz, Roy Ambriz, Mireya Mendoza Genre: Animation, Horror
Mexico’s first full-length stop-motion animation, ”Yo Soy Frankelda” is the creation of Roy and Arturo Ambriz’s Cinema Fantasma, with support from internationally acclaimed Mexican director Guillermo del Toro.
Featuring gothic puppets and a haunting score, the film delves into the subconscious of a ghostly 1870s female horror writer who conjures monsters from her imagination while plotting her escape from a haunted house.
Frankelda’s backstory as a rejected writer in a sexist publishing industry fuels her escapist nostalgia and fantastical storytelling, serving as resistance to her marginalization.
The film opened the Guadalajara Film Festival and was featured at the Morelia and Tokyo International Film Festivals, as well as France’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival. It won the Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation and received a Special Jury Mention at the Fantasia Film Festival in Montreal.
Tutti Frutti: El Templo del Underground
Tutti Frutti. El templo del underground | Doctubre Mx
Director: Laura Ponte Genre: Documentary
Although it debuted three years ago, Ponte’s vibrant documentary returned for a special screening and director Q&A at the Hollywood Theatre during PDXLAFF this October. It revisits Tutti Frutti, a clandestine 1980s Mexico City dive bar that became a haven for the country’s countercultural movement.
A nondiscriminatory refuge for youth seeking alternative music, Tutti Frutti thrived on community and care, symbolizing artistic defiance before hypercommunication and globalization reshaped the music scene. Not unlike “Yo Soy Frankelda,” the documentary explores artistic resistance, but instead through a nostalgic lens that highlights Mexico’s youth counterculture and how Tutti Frutti shaped contemporary Mexican identity.
Autos, Mota y Rocanrol
AUTOS, MOTA Y ROCANROL 🔥 | TRÁILER
Director: José Manuel Cravioto Aguillón Genre: Comedy, Mockumentary, Music History
This sharp-witted mockumentary follows two friends as they plan a rock concert and car race that unexpectedly evolves into the infamous Avándaro Festival of 1971 in Valle de Bravo, dubbed Mexico’s Woodstock. Originally called the Avándaro Rock and Wheels Festival, this historic event — with an estimated attendance between 100,000 and 500,000, sparked a government crackdown on rock music due to its alignment with La Onda, a countercultural movement rooted in psychedelics, multidisciplinary artistic expression and anti-establishment sentiment.
“Autos, Mota y Rocanrol” blends Super 8 film and archival footage to create a vivid, nostalgic journey through the 1970s. The mockumentary format satirizes the fruitful chaos of the event in a way that underlines the spirit of youth counterculture and a restless liberal identity.
The film was an official selection at the Guadalajara International Film Festival and earned 13 nominations at Mexico’s 67th Ariel Awards. Internationally, it screened at multiple festivals, including the Portland Latin American Film Festival and the Newport Beach Film Festival.
No Nos Movarán
No Nos Moverán | Official Trailer | It’s Never Too Late for Justice | Hola Mexico Film Festival
Director: Pierre Saint-Martin Castellanos Genre: Drama, Political Satire
Written and directed by Iker Compeán Leroux and Pierre Saint-Martin Castellanos, and supported by FOCINE (a Mexican government fund), “No Nos Movarán” tells the story of Socorro, a defiant sexagenarian lawyer determined to find the soldier who killed her brother during the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre.
Merging documentary materials with fiction, the film uses political satire to confront trauma and loss. Inspired by Saint-Martin’s own mother’s memories, it offers a visceral tool for reckoning with the grief of Mexico’s political past and the challenge of finding peace without remaining trapped in it. Shot in black-and-white, the film combines drama, biting satire and dark comedy to explore the weight of memory and the risk of grief unraveling familial bonds.
The film won four of Mexico’s Ariel Awards in 2025, as well as top honors at several international film festivals, including the Guadalajara International Film Festival, Toulouse’s Cinelatino film festival and the Huelva Ibero-American Film Festival in Spain. It was also selected to represent Mexico at the 2026 Oscars and at Spain’s Goya Awards.
09/05/1982
09/05/1982 Trailer | TIFF 2025
Directors: Jorge Caballero and Camila Restrepo Genre: Short film
This 11-minute short delivers a critical warning about the power of artificial intelligence to manipulate truth.
Its unique format challenges viewers to consider the ethical implications of technology’s ability to rewrite history — as what appears to be recovered footage of violence documented in an unspecified Latin American country during the 1980s is actually a digital fabrication, overlaid with an “official” radio broadcast to add a feel of authenticity.
By “reconstructing” this fictional event, “09/05/1982”critiques the instability of memory and the ease with which media can distort our historical narratives.
The short premiered at the Marseille International Film Festival and received acclaim at South Korea’s DMZ International Documentary Film Festival. It also was shown at the New York Film Festival and at the Toronto International Film Festival.
More than anything, Mexican filmmakers’ cinematic focus on the period between the 1970s and the 1990s reflects a 30-year nostalgia loop: a phenomenon where filmmakers revisit their formative years. This trend has also been observed in U.S. cinema, notably in the Reagan-era aesthetics and predigital childhoods of shows like “Stranger Things.”
An overview
Beyond escapism, these seven films offer a kaleidoscopic lens into the last 50 years of Mexico’s cultural memory, where everything from drama to mockumentary is being used to reckon with identity, trauma and resistance. Many of these films serve as illuminating, thought-provoking and sometimes downright fun primers on Mexican social history, making them worth your while to track down and put on your watchlist.
In September, hotel occupancy in Tulum fell 17.5 percentage points compared to the same month last year, from 66.7% to 49.2%. (Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican government launched a 128-action strategy named Tulum Reborn: Fairer, Safer and More Sustainable on Friday, in response to the recent decline in tourism to the Caribbean coast destination.
Tulum in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula welcomed just over 1.3 million tourists between January and October. Meanwhile, Tulum International Airport, which commenced operations in December 2023, experienced a 9.4% increase in passenger traffic, according to Mexico’s Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez.
The town’s average hotel occupancy stands at 75.8%. However, in September, occupancy fell 17.5 percentage points compared to the same month last year, from 66.7% to 49.2%, according to the state Tourism Ministry (Sedetur).
Videos have also circulated on social media in recent months showing empty streets, restaurants and beaches, giving cause for concern across Tulum’s tourism industry.
While Tulum’s Mayor Diego Castañón said the situation has been made worse by a smear campaign orchestrated by the private sector and social media influencers, several factors have, in fact, contributed to the fall in tourism.
To tackle the decline, the government announced there will be free access to public beaches — without food or beverage restrictions — in Jaguar National Park and the hotel zones as part of its Tulum Reborn strategy.
The strategy was developed with consultation across various institutions at different levels of government, according to Rodríguez.
“The design and creation of the campaign… is underway; this includes the promotion of tourist routes and products in the region, and the integration of a calendar of high-impact cultural and tourist events,” Rodríguez stated.
Tulum Reborn is centered around four pillars: the orderly regulation of tourist attractions, responsible urban and environmental management, tourism development and promotion and the comprehensive improvement of infrastructure and facilities.
Two entrances are now open to Jaguar Park, providing access to the four beaches within the protected area. In addition, two new public access points have been established in the hotel zone, to Conchitas Beach and Playa del Pueblo.
The park will be open 365 days a year with access to visitors and residents alike. Quintana Roo’s Governor, Mara Lezama, stressed that access to public beaches is a fundamental right.
“We invite everyone – locals, nationals, and foreigners – to come in… walking, running or cycling and enjoy [the beaches] to the fullest,” said Lezama.
Lezama also announced that the region will soon host “Tulum, the Show,” as part of the Mexico Aerospace Fair, which is expected to attract 20,000 visitors, as well as the PGA Tour Professional Golf Tournament and several other high-impact events.
On Monday, the president scrutinized images of the protest in Mexico City on Saturday, saying that there were not that many young people. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
While the march from the Angel of Independence monument to the Zócalo, Mexico City’s main square, was largely peaceful, the protest turned violent in the Zócalo when a so-called “black bloc” of protesters tore down part of a barrier protecting the National Palace and attacked police officers, 100 of whom were injured, according to authorities.
Sheinbaum: Opposition promoted ‘Gen Z’ protest with 90 million pesos
Sheinbaum noted that last Thursday, the government’s fake news debunker-in-chief, Miguel Ángel Elorza Vásquez, gave a detailed overview of how last Saturday’s protests were promoted on social media.
“They promoted this idea that they were young people organically calling for this march called the ‘Generation Z’ march. But here it was shown how, in reality, there was a push of about 90 million pesos [US $4.9 million] promoting this protest from the opposition, on one hand, and also with the support of a businessman,” she said, referring to Ricardo Salinas.
According to the information presented by Elorza, the promotion of the protests was paid for by foreign right-wing organizations and individuals in collaboration with Mexican people, such as Salinas and others affiliated with Mexican opposition parties.
“A lot of [social media] accounts, even from abroad, promoted this protest,” said Sheinbaum.
The ‘vast majority’ of protesters weren’t young people, says Sheinbaum
Sheinbaum said that “the vast majority of those who marched on Saturday weren’t young people from Generation Z.”
“Yes, there were some young people, but the majority weren’t young,” she said.
Indeed, most of the participants were older adults, according to various media reports.
“We saw the very familiar faces of those who marched with the Marea Rosa [Pink Tide],” Sheinbaum said, referring to large anti-government rallies that took place last year when former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador was still in office.
Sheinbaum: The objective of violent protesters was to ‘go against the police’
Sheinbaum displayed images of acts of violence committed during Saturday’s protest in Mexico City as well as photos of injured police officers. She also presented confronting video footage of a group of protesters attacking a police officer.
Sheinbaum said that the goal of tearing down barriers that protected the National Palace wasn’t to get to the building in order to vandalize it or to attempt to gain entry, but rather to “go against the police” who were situated behind it.
“This very violent group that arrived with material to break the fence … doesn’t even arrive at the Palace, but rather launch themselves at police in a very violent way,” she said.
“… They removed the barriers in the Zócalo, broke them and threw rocks at the police officers’ shields,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the police resisted for “hours” before they were pushed and “this violence” ensued.
The protest turned violent when a so-called “black bloc” of protesters tore down part of a barrier protecting the National Palace and attacked police officers, 100 of whom were injured. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
The president said she had asked the Mexico City attorney general to investigate “who these groups are,” what motivated their acts of violence and whether they were paid.
“This idea they wanted to create, … that young people are against the [fourth] transformation [political project] is false,” she added.
Sheinbaum said that an investigation into a person who was filmed shouting “you’re going to die” to police must be carried out. A reporter noted that the person also said, “we have weapons.”
Sheinbaum said that Mexico City authorities also need to investigate whether any police officers broke with “police discipline” during the protest in the capital.
There were reports of a range of abuses allegedly committed by police against protesters.
On Monday, Mexico City Security Minister Pablo Vázquez said that 18 incidents in which police officers may have violated acceptable police conduct were under investigation.
Sheinbaum: ‘We want there to be responsible opposition’
Sheinbaum said that if Mexico’s opposition wants to attract more people to their cause, “violence won’t help them.”
“In Mexico, violence is rejected. People don’t want violent actions,” she said.
“And there can be opposition, it’s good that there is opposition in Mexico,” Sheinbaum added.
She asserted that claims that “we want ‘a single way of thinking’ are false.
“We want there to be opposition, responsible opposition, with high-level debate, with proposals, but violence leads nowhere,” Sheinbaum said.
“… No to violence. … Those who promote violence don’t help the country. Those who promote violence don’t help themselves. Those who promote violence don’t create a high-level debate in our country,” she said.
Sheinbaum: Salinas’ television stations sought to create impression that ‘the government is repressive’
Sheinbaum said that “in effect,” billionaire businessman Ricardo Salinas — an outspoken government critic — promoted the protests that took place in Mexico City and dozens of other Mexican cities on Saturday.
“No llenaron el zócalo, ¿cuánta gente participó?. A diferencia del 2023, la marea rosa llenó la plancha del zócalo. Esta movilización fue impulsada por una televisora (TV Azteca-Salinas Pliego). Vimos las mismas caras de la marea rosa”#MañaneradelPueblo
Claudia Sheinbaum.
RT👇 pic.twitter.com/cfjuP9HPl9
“He was writing against us [on social media] and promoting the protest, egging it on,” she said.
Sheinbaum also said that Salinas’ television channels, which include Azteca Uno and ADN40, “followed the entire protest” in Mexico City, and asserted that their presenters sought to create the idea that “the government is repressive and young people don’t agree with the government.”
However, “the majority of the people in Mexico” and “the majority of young people” support “the transformation,” she said, referring to the fourth transformation (4T) political project initiated by López Obrador and continued by the current government.
Sheinbaum also said that “young people aren’t repressed [by the government] in Mexico.”
“On the contrary, we give them scholarships, we give them schools, we give them jobs, we embrace young people, and we listen to them. If there is a legitimate, justified demand, we must listen to young people,” she said.
‘In Mexico there is peace’
Sheinbaum noted that a danzón (a dance genre) festival was held in the Zócalo on Sunday, a day after violent scenes played out in the large square in the historic center of Mexico’s capital.
She also said that when she returned to Mexico City from a weekend trip to the state of Tabasco, the historic center was packed with Buen Fin shoppers and people were “happy.”
Despite the violence in the Zócalo on Saturday — and major insecurity problems in various parts of the country — “in Mexico there is peace,” declared Sheinbaum, whose government has reduced homicides but by no means has pacified the country.
Sheinbaum said on Monday that when she returned to Mexico City from a weekend trip to the state of Tabasco, the historic center was packed with Buen Fin shoppers and people were “happy.” (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
“And we’re attending to everything that has to do with insecurity and violence,” she added.
“That has to be attended to, as we are doing. And if we have to dedicate more [to the fight against crime] we will,” said Sheinbaum, whose government last week presented “Plan Michoacán for Peace and Justice” in response to the assassination of Carlos Manzo and general insecurity in the state.
‘The electoral period is approaching, and let the people say what they want’
Sheinbaum noted that her presidency will be subject to a “revocation of mandate” recall vote in 2027.
“The revocation of mandate is a slogan of ours. Who proposed it was President López Obrador, who put it in the constitution was President López Obrador. And of course I’m going to subject myself to the revocation of mandate [vote], because that’s what the constitution says,” she said.
Google's first such lab in Mexico is scheduled to begin operations in January in the municipality of San José Chiapa. (Unsplash)
Google will launch its first artificial intelligence (AI) lab in Mexico, in Puebla state, in January 2026, the state Science and Technology Minister Celina Peña Guzmán announced last week.
The commercial manager of Google Cloud, Manuel Tierno, confirmed the project during a Tech Capital Summit in Puebla in October, although he did not specify the project’s location or cost at that time.
The project will focus on applied tools developed through Google Labs. Google AI Labs is an innovation and research center dedicated to the development, testing and public demonstration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence projects and technologies.
Peña Guzmán said she expected the lab to be constructed in the federal government’s 400-hectare Development Hub for Wellbeing, formally known as Ciudad Modelo, in the municipality of San José Chiapa.
Google sees the project as an opportunity to reduce bureaucracy and build technological security that benefits citizens. “These strategic alliances support young people and transform government processes,” Peña Guzmán said in a July press statement.
A 600-million-peso (US $32.8 million) electricity substation is being developed in the area, around 65 km from Puebla city, according to the state government’s cabinet coordinator, José Luis García Parra.
The substation is expected to be completed by February 2026 and will provide 60 megawatt-hours of power to support the operations of both domestic and international companies launching projects in the region.
Tech firms such as Amazon, Oracle and Huawei will help the state’s Education Ministry improve its internal processes and develop applied tools for students, according to Peña Guzmán.
All week, we will be sharing the book’s contents translated into English.
Here is part 1!
1) In 2023, Mexico’s population reached 129,477,554 people, with women making up 51.7% of the total.
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on Demographic Dynamics – ENADID, 2023)
Mexico is the largest Spanish-speaking country and one of the ten most populous in the
world. These figures from INEGI reflect steady population growth and a slight
predominance of women, a global trend.
2) In 2020, 2.6 million people in Mexico identified as Afro-Mexican or of Africandescent, representing 2.0% of the national population.
(Source: INEGI, Population and Housing Census – CPV, 2020)
Mexico’s population of African descent is mainly concentrated in states like Guerrero,
Oaxaca and Veracruz, and continues to gain visibility socially and culturally.
3) What is the most common household appliance in Mexico? The blender. In 2024, 91.8% of households owned one.
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on Household Income and Expenditures – ENIGH, 2024)
The blender is an essential tool in Mexican kitchens, used for making salsas, drinks and
sauces. Its versatility and practicality have made it a staple in daily home cooking
throughout the country.
4) In 2020, there were one million people in Mexico aged 85 and older, and 18,295 of themwere over 100 years old.
(Source: INEGI, Population and Housing Census – CPV, 2020)
Longer life expectancy and falling birth rates are resulting in a rapidly aging population in
Mexico. This shift brings new challenges for families, healthcare and social policies as
more people live to advanced ages.
5) By the end of 2023, women made up 51.4% of the workforce in Mexico’s federalpublic administration and 56.3% in state governments.
(Source: INEGI, National Census of Federal and State Governments – CNGF and CNGE, 2024)
Gender representation has become a central focus across Mexican government
institutions. Public policies and electoral reforms have opened opportunities for women to access leadership roles nationwide. These efforts are the result of long-standing
demands for equality and are shaping a more inclusive environment within the country’s
political and administrative spheres.
President Sheinbaum, seen here with Energy Minister Luz Elena González Escobar and Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) Director Emilia Calleja. (@EmiliaCalleja/on X)
6) A household is defined as a group of people, related or not, who share the samedwelling and cover their living expenses together. In 2023, there were 38.9 millionhouseholds in Mexico.
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on Demographic Dynamics – ENADID, 2023)
Households in Mexico include a variety of arrangements, from large multigenerational families to single-person homes.
7) Income can come in the form of money or goods and is derived from various sources such as work, government programs, and others. In 2024, the average combined monthly household income in Mexico was 25,955 pesos (US $1,400).
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on Household Income and Expenditures – ENIGH, 2024)
While many households rely primarily on wages, others depend on informal work or social aid. The data helps illustrate how income distribution shapes daily living conditions across Mexico.
8) In 2024, there were 111,805 establishments in Mexico dedicated to producing tortillas and other corn-based products.
(Source: INEGI, National Statistical Directory of Economic Units – DENUE, 2025)
Corn is at the core of Mexican identity and daily diet, with tortillas as an indispensable staple.
9) Toluca de Lerdo, at 2,674 meters above sea level, is the state capital with the highest elevation in Mexico.
(Source: INEGI, Digital Elevation Models – MDE, 2024)
This altitude gives Toluca a cool climate year-round and makes it unique among
Mexican capitals. Its geography also influences local traditions, agriculture and even high-performance sports, all adapted to life at nearly 2,700 meters.
View of the Xinantécatl volcano from Toluca. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
10) In 2021, 70.1% of women in Mexico had experienced at least one incident of violence at some point in their lives.
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on the Dynamics of Household Relationships – ENDIREH, 2021)
Psychological, sexual and physical violence against women is widespread in Mexico.
11) In 2024, 7,093,631 establishments were operating in Mexico.
(Source: INEGI, Economic Censuses – CE, 2024)
These establishments span sectors from commerce to services and manufacturing. Most
are small businesses and microenterprises, which form the backbone of the national economy.
12) How many books do Mexicans read per year? In 2022, Mexicans read an average of four books; by 2024, the figure had dropped to three.
(Source: INEGI, Reading Module – MOLEC, 2022 and 2024)
The number of books read by Mexicans has declined in recent years, especially among young adults. Economic factors, access to books and changing habits all play a role. Promoting reading remains an ongoing challenge for schools and families in Mexico.
13) In 2020, 70% of Mexico’s surface water (rivers, lakes, lagoons, wetlands) was found in Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche and Veracruz.
(Source: INEGI, Hydrology – HIDRO, 2024)
These southeastern states receive the most rainfall, making them rich in natural water resources. Much of the country, especially the north and center, faces water scarcity despite the abundance in the south.
14) The collection of solid urban waste is one of the essential services provided by local governments. In 2022, an average of 108,146 tonnes were collected daily across Mexico.
(Source: INEGI, National Census of Municipal Governments and Mexico City Territorial Demarcations – CNGMD, 2023)
Most waste is gathered through door-to-door pickup, reflecting the country’s substantial urban population. Efficient waste management is a growing challenge for municipalities.
15) In 2024, there were 61.3 million vehicles in circulation in Mexico — a 5.4% increase from 2023.
(Source: INEGI, Motor Vehicles Registered in Circulation – VMRC, 2023 and 2024)
16) Between April and June of 2025, the population who had a job or were looking for one had an average of 10.7 years of schooling (roughly equivalent to completing the second year of high school).
(Source: INEGI, National Employment and Occupation Survey – ENOE, second quarter 2025)
This educational level falls just short of finishing upper secondary education, which is a
challenge for workforce readiness in Mexico. Investing in education is key to narrowing
gaps between skills and employment opportunities. The figure also highlights how
school dropout rates continue to impact job prospects.
17) In 2023, 95 out of every 100 people living in Chiapas were born there, while in Quintana Roo, only 50 out of every 100 residents were natives of that state.
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on Demographic Dynamics – ENADID, 2023)
Chiapas has a highly rooted local population, unlike Quintana Roo, a prime destination for internal migration.
18) Between March and April 2025, 75.6% of Mexico’s population felt that living intheir state was unsafe due to crime. By contrast, only 40.5% felt their ownneighborhoods were unsafe.
(Source: INEGI, National Survey of Victimization and Perception of Public Safety – ENVIPE, 2025)
Insecurity is consistently perceived as the biggest concern among Mexicans. Personal experience varies widely depending on location and local conditions. These attitudes influence daily life, public policy and trust in institutions.
19) In 2022, 23.7% of Mexico’s population reported having experienced discrimination in the previous 12 months.
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on Discrimination – ENADIS, 2022)
The number of people facing discrimination has been on the rise. Marginalized groups, such as women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and migrants, report above-average experiences of exclusion in Mexico.
20) In 2024, the average monthly income for women in Mexico was 7,905 pesos (US $429), while for men it was 12,016 pesos (US $652) — a gender gap of 4,111 pesos (US $222.50).
(Source: INEGI, National Survey on Household Income and Expenditures – ENIGH, 2024)
Women earned about 34% less than men on average, highlighting persistent gender inequality in Mexico’s labor market. Pay differences can be influenced by occupation, education level and family responsibilities. Bridging the gap is a longstanding goal for policy and social programs.
The now ultra-modern Metro Line 1 will carry 850,000 passengers a day, as it makes the 19 km trip in 40 minutes from Pantitlán to Observatorio, already a major ground transport hub and soon to be the terminus for the Mexico City-Toluca train. (@ClaraBrugadaM/X)
Mexico City’s oldest subway line — Metro Line 1 — is completely operational again after long-delayed renovations were completed last week.
After re-inaugurating the three westernmost stations on Sunday, Mayor Clara Brugada called the restoration effort “the most important urban project in the country” and said it “extended the life of the line for another 50 years.”
The Observatorio station — a modal transfer center — underwent a complete overhaul as it soon will become the terminus of the Toluca-Mexico City Inter-City Train. (@ClaraBrugadaM/X)
“This project not only benefits those who live in Mexico City, but also represents a strategic advance in regional mobility,” she said, touting the state-of-the-art technology as a key part of the comprehensive facelift.
“Every last screw was replaced,” she said.
The modernization of Line 1 began on July 11, 2022, when Claudia Sheinbaum was mayor of Mexico City, and cost roughly 37 billion pesos (US $2 billion).
The nearly 19 kilometers-long metro line with 20 stations traverses the capital from east to west and is projected to transport approximately 850,000 passengers daily. Brugada said commuters will now be able to make a trip from the easternmost station of Pantitlán to the westernmost, Observatorio, in 40 minutes.
The Observatorio station — a modal transfer center — underwent a complete overhaul as it soon will become the terminus of the Toluca-Mexico City Inter-City Train. In addition to the Metro, the Observatorio complex already houses one of the capital’s four main bus terminals as well as a massive station for local bus service.
Guillermo Calderón, Brugada’s travel and transportation adviser, said the work included the complete rehabilitation of the entire subway tunnel and the renewal of 240 kilometers of track profiles, including rails, running surface and guide rails.
Hoy inauguraron la nueva Línea 1 del Metro, obra que inició cuando fui jefa de Gobierno de la Ciudad de México y dieron continuidad Martí Batres y Clara Brugada. Muchas felicidades a quienes la hicieron posible en beneficio de millones de capitalinos y visitantes. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/rLUuX8FyvO
Approximately 200,000 tonnes of ballast (gravel) were replaced, as were 60,000 concrete sleepers (ties), 30,000 insulators and 64 track switches. The new electrical system includes 336 kilometers of cable trays, 2,000 kilometers of cabling and 40 kilometers of lighting, and rehabilitated power stations.
More than 200 km of fiber optic cable were installed for an LTE network, along with 80 kilometers of radiating cable. A new communications-based train control system was also installed.
Brugada praised the work of the Chinese consortium CRCC, which oversaw the construction project.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, China’s Ambassador to Mexico Chen Daojiang also thanked CRCC and reiterated his country’s commitment to continue supporting projects that contribute to the development and well-being of Mexico City.
The two smuggled parakeets were unconscious but breathing, and later found to be in stable condition under the care of the Agriculture Department. (@SDCAnews/X)
An American citizen living in Tijuana who was caught trying to smuggle two parakeets across the border into the U.S. last month was indicted in San Diego last week on federal smuggling charges.
Jesse Agus Martinez, 35, was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers who noticed a suspicious bulge in his pants.
The orange-fronted parakeet is a member of the parrot family, which also includes parakeets. It is native to Mexico and Central America and is considered vulnerable and is therefore on the protected species list. (@SDCAnews/X)
Despite Martinez’s protestations that he was not carrying anything, the officers discovered two sedated orange-fronted parakeets in sacks concealed in his underwear.
The orange-fronted parakeet (Eupsittula canicularis), a protected species of the parrot family (its genus name means good little parrot) and native to Mexico, is listed as “vulnerable” on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
The juvenile birds were “apparently unconscious but breathing,” according to federal prosecutors. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspector identified the birds and placed them in a cage with food and water.
The birds were transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center in New York for quarantine, and are reported to be in stable condition.
A month before the October incident, Martinez was caught trying to smuggle a parrot across the border. The bird, wrapped in a towel under his arm, was badly injured and was euthanized.
If convicted on the smuggling charges, Martinez faces a fine of up to US $250,000 and could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Trafficking of wild and endangered species is common in Mexico. Earlier this year, a Mexican citizen was arrested while trying to smuggle 12 orange-fronted parakeets into California, some of them in his boots.
An investigation carried out by the Center for Biological Diversity in 2022 found that it is relatively easy to negotiate with traffickers in Mexico, often online. Some willingly offered price quotes, including delivery, “even though [they] acknowledge they don’t have legal documentation for the animals.”
NBC News reported that a vendor in Cuernavaca, about 90 km (56 miles) south of Mexico City, said he could ship orange-fronted parakeets across the border for US $500 each by packaging them in cardboard boxes hidden in the trunk of a car.
The 2022 report noted that the trade in protected species in Mexico is often fatal for the animals. It found that 77% of endangered parrots — roughly 60,000 annually — die before reaching the final consumer.
The U.S. military has conducted at least 21 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean since September, killing a total of 83 alleged traffickers. (Unsplash)
President Claudia Sheinbaum said Thursday that her government had reached an agreement with its U.S. counterpart for the Mexican Navy to intercept vessels suspected of transporting drugs in international waters off Mexico’s coast.
The U.S. military has conducted at least 21 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean since September, killing a total of 83 alleged traffickers who the U.S. says were attempting to get narcotics to the U.S.
On Thursday, Sheinbaum noted that there are joint Mexico-U.S. “work protocols” to “avoid” the bombing of suspected drug boats when they are detected in international waters off Mexico’s coast. She also said there are international treaties aimed at stopping such strikes from occurring.
“So, what the navy minister set out is that these treaties be complied with, and in principle they said yes,” Sheinbaum said, referring to U.S. authorities.
“So that is the first agreement. In other words, … if there is information that comes from U.S. agencies or from the Southern Command itself, it will be the Mexican Navy who intercepts these boats that are allegedly carrying drugs,” she said.
Sheinbaum didn’t specify which U.S. authority or authorities she was referring to.
On October 29 — two days after the U.S. military killed 14 people in three strikes on alleged drug boats in the Eastern Pacific — the president said that Navy Minister Raymundo Pedro Morales and Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente had met with U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson, and that the ambassador had “agreed in principle” with Mexico’s view that alleged drug vessels should be intercepted rather than bombed.
On Thursday, it was unclear whether Sheinbaum was referring to the agreement from Johnson on that point or from another U.S. authority at a subsequent meeting. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) didn’t respond to its request for comment.
Asked whether the United States had failed to comply with the agreement not to bomb alleged drug boats off Mexico’s coast, Sheinbaum said that “recently” it had not.
With regard to such boats “off the Mexican coast,” even if they are in international waters, strikes by the U.S. military are “no longer” happening, she said.
Sheinbaum previously spoke out in favor of arresting suspected drug traffickers at sea, rather than killing them.
“We have a model, a protocol, that has produced a lot of results. If, in international waters, the United States sees a boat that is allegedly carrying drugs, an agreement is reached and either the Mexican Navy or U.S. government institutions [should] intervene to arrest the alleged criminals,” she said Oct. 29.
The Mexican Navy frequently seizes drugs off Mexico’s Pacific coast, but associated arrests are seldom reported. It carried out a search mission aimed at rescuing a survivor of the Oct. 27 U.S. military strikes, but failed to locate him.
The New York Times has reported that “a broad range of experts in laws governing the use of armed force have said” that the U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats are “illegal.”
The Times also wrote that the Trump administration “has offered tenuous legal rationales” for its attacks “while releasing little evidence to support its smuggling allegations.”
The most recent strike occurred last Saturday and was reported by the U.S. Southern Command on Sunday.
“On Nov. 15, at the direction of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization,” Southern Command said on social media.
“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics. Three male narco-terrorists aboard the vessel were killed. The vessel was trafficking narcotics in the Eastern Pacific and was struck in international waters,” the post stated.
Where in the Eastern Pacific the strike occurred was not specified.
The United States has designated various Western Hemisphere criminal organizations as foreign terrorist organizations, including six Mexican drug cartels.
