The popular norteña band Buyuchek, known for its corridos. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum has announced a national contest that seeks to change the tune of one of Mexico’s traditional music genres, which has increased in popularity in recent years: the corrido.
The corrido — a popular song type with a narrative accompanied by distinct instruments — exploded in popularity during the Mexican Revolution at the beginning of the 20th century. Its lyrics detailed the exploits of outlaws, battles lost and won, the lives of revolutionaries, and love and heartbreak.
President Claudia Sheinbaum says that banning songs she doesn’t think are good for Mexico is not the answer. She wants to encourage corrido writers to promote higher values, she says. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
The corrido genre has come under much criticism from some quarters in Mexico, who say it glorifies crime and criminals. But the songs and the artists known for them are popular in Mexico and increasingly in other Latin American countries.
Sheinbaum’s planned contest seeks to draw groups that sing corridos to explore broader themes and move away from glorifying crime, violence and misogyny. She wants corridos to promote values and culture, instead of violence or crime-related ways of life, she says.
“[Corridos] are not only an apology for violence against women but for violence in general,” Sheinbaum said Monday during her daily morning press conference. “They exalt ways of life linked to crime and cartels as if it were a life option – when they’re really a death option.”
She added that her government doesn’t plan to ban corridos with references to violence and crime. Instead, she seeks to encourage other types of lyrics.
“Banning is not an option. It’s not about that [forbidding],” she said. “It is about promoting another vision.”
Peso Pluma, a singer-songwriter from Guadalajara, sang one of his corridos on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in 2023, proving the growing popularity of the genre in and out of Mexico. (@ahoraentiendomx / X)
One of Mexico’s most famous exponents of corridos today is Peso Pluma, who won the Billboard Latin Music Awards’ Artist of the Year in May. Lyrics to his songs have references to drugs, sex and violence. In “Siempre Pendientes,” he goes so far as to praise El Chapo, founder of the Sinaloa cartel.
Sheinbaum said that the contest’s proposal came up during a visit to the northern state of Durango, where she met with Esteban Villegas, the state governor, who is also a banda singer. Banda is another genre of Mexican regional music, representative of Sinaloa and other northern states.
While she didn’t give any further details about the contest, she said they expect to launch it next year.
El Komander - Jacinto y Feliciano (Noche Ranchera En Vivo) Vol.1
Among the exotic animals found in the México state residence were six Bengal tigers. Profepa. (Profepa)
The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) announced it is filing a criminal complaint after 36 exotic animals — including eight lion cubs, six Bengal tigers and an American bison — were found at a private residence in the state of México.
According to a press release issued Monday, inspectors from Profepa and the Edomex Attorney General’s Office (FGJEM) went to the site over the weekend to find out if the animals were being kept legally and to review their condition.
A kinkajou — a tropical rainforest mammal related to raccoons and native to Central and South America — that was found on the property. (Profepa)
The property is located in San Pedro Cholula in the municipality of Ocoyoacac, about 20 kilometers from central Toluca. It is reportedly adjacent to a pallet business.
As of Monday, the animals were at the site under FGJEM custody.
The criminal complaint — based on article 420, section 4 of the Federal Penal Code (CPF) — is for the possession and stockpiling of exotic specimens without documents proving their legal origin.
The animals were found in good health and well-fed, according to Profepa.
Profepa added that “it is important to note that the place allegedly has authorization as an animal sanctuary and refuge. However, the person in charge did not show proof that it is registered to operate as a Wildlife Management Facility or Property (PIMVS) and did not present the document with the corresponding management program.”
The newspaper El Financiero reported that the property owner is “allegedly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel” and that 32 men and eight women — all or some believed to be the animals’ caretakers — were arrested after last week’s initial raid.
A gray wolf wanders in a walled-off courtyard. Profepa is keeping the animals on the property until their legal status can ve verified. The property owner claims that it is a legal wild animal refuge but has not provided proof. (Profepa)
“The property is allegedly owned by Francisco Torres Palacios, nicknamed ‘El Tigre,’ alleged leader of the criminal organization nicknamed ‘Los Palacios,’ which is aligned with the Sinaloa Cartel,” the paper reported.
According to Profepa, the two-hectare menagerie contained: 17 African lions including eight cubs, six Bengal tigers, four raccoons, two baboons, two jaguars, two pine martens, a coyote, a gray wolf and an American bison. A pine marten is a member of the weasel family.
“The legal representative of the property appointed a worker to continue feeding and caring for the animals while the work of the security authorities and Profepa is carried out,” the agency added.
No details were given on cages or living conditions.
In addition, authorities also found eight taxidermy specimens: two jaguars, two lions, three tigers and a bison.
Some of the animals found are endangered species that have legal protections; Profepa noted the baboons, the African lions, the gray wolf and the Bengal tigers.
El Financiero reported that the initial search of the property also yielded 91,500 pesos (US $4,400), two shotguns (one of them homemade), 368 live cartridges of ammunition, nine fired cartridges, riot gear marked with “Policía,” tactical vests and a computer.
The paper also said Ocoyoacac’s current municipal president, Samuel Verdeja Ruiz, “knew that this place operated and never reported it.”
The Sheinbaum administration appears to be stepping up detentions of unauthorized migrants, amid pressure from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first priority at her Tuesday morning press conference was to respond to Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on the first day of his second term as U.S. president.
“Before moving on to the issue of health care, I want to share with you, with everyone that’s watching us, a letter that I’m sending today to President-elect Donald Trump,” Sheinbaum said.
Donald Trump on Monday pledged to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on the first day of his second term as U.S. president. (Facebook)
The president read out her entire letter, which in its penultimate paragraph said that a U.S. tariff on Mexican exports would be met with a Mexican tariff “in response.”
During her Q&A session with reporters later in her mañanera, Sheinbaum said she believed that Mexico would reach an agreement with the United States to stave off the 25% tariff Trump pledged to impose on Mexican exports to the U.S.
Imposition of tariffs is senseless, Sheinbaum asserts
After a reporter described Sheinbaum’s plan to impose a retaliatory tariff on U.S. exports to Mexico as “potent,” the president expressed confidence that Mexico and the United States would reach an agreement to avert the 25% duty promised by Trump — as occurred during the first Trump administration.
“I have a vision that there will be an agreement with the United States and with President Trump,” she said.
“What we want to say in the letter, and what we’re going to demonstrate tomorrow in more detail, is that raising tariffs on Mexico — which would also mean raising tariffs on this side [of the border] — would lead to … hurting companies that work in Mexico and the United States,” Sheinbaum said.
“And there are United States companies that have been in Mexico for decades,” she said.
“… What we’re saying today is what is the sense of having tariff upon tariff upon tariff when in the end that will lead us to a loss of competitiveness in North America,” Sheinbaum said.
At her regular daily press conference, Sheinbaum shared a letter responding to Donald Trump’s threat. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
The president also said that the Mexican government would provide “information” to the United States about the “very significant” efforts it has made to stem the flow of both migrants and narcotics across the Mexico-U.S. border.
A letter for Trudeau, too
Sheinbaum told reporters that she would also send a letter on Tuesday to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said last week that Canada “may have to look at other options” beyond the trilateral USMCA free trade pact because of the “decisions and choices that Mexico has made” with regard to Chinese investment.
Canada’s outlay on Chinese EVs in 2023 — before the Canadian government imposed a 100% tariff on those vehicles — showed “exponential growth,” Sheinbaum said.
Referring again to the content of her letter to Trudeau, Sheinbaum said that Chinese investment in Mexico’s auto sector is much lower than United States and Canadian investment in the same sector.
Between 2006 and 2024, U.S. and Canadian companies invested more than $33.35 billion in Mexico’s auto sector whereas Chinese investment totaled just $590 million, she said.
Sheinbaum asserted that the data on Canada’s importation of Chinese EVs in 2023 and the comparatively low levels of Chinese investment in Mexico’s auto sector is not widely known.
She said that “of course” Mexico has a relationship with China, but stressed that it favors trade with countries with which it has a free trade agreement, such as the U.S. and Canada.
Sheinbaum said last Friday that her government is aiming to reduce reliance on Chinese goods via an import substitution plan.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
The water-use pact was signed by all of Mexico's 32 governors. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum and Mexico’s 32 governors signed a National Human Right to Water Agreement on Monday, a pact that aims to ensure equal access to water for Mexico’s public while also increasing agricultural and industrial efficiency and sustainability.
The private sector joined as a voluntary participant, committing to cede contractual rights to at least 126 million cubic meters of water and promising to invest 21 billion pesos (more than US $1 billion) in infrastructure and technology improvements.
President Claudia Sheinbaum with National Water Commission director Efraín Morales, creators of Mexico’s recently unveiled National Water Plan, of which this pact with Mexico’s governors was born. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Federal water districts and irrigation sectors have also agreed to cede control over 2.8 billion cubic meters of water.
During the signing ceremony, Efraín Morales, director of Mexico’s National Water Commission (Conagua), said the accord seeks to “move past the mercantilist vision of water and recognize it as a human right and a strategic asset.”
President Sheinbaum and other speakers at the event emphasized the need to recognize the intrinsic link between social equality, economic growth and the environment.
“We must no longer view water as a commodity. It is a right,” Sheinbaum said, according to Radio Fórmula. “Every Mexican should have access to adequate water … We must guarantee sufficient water for food production, for social and industrial development … and institute a plan that provides sustainability and equitable development for the long term.”
The agreement is derived from the government’s National Water Plan 2024–2030 — presented by Sheinbaum at her press conference last Thursday, a federal initiative to reassess hundreds of thousands of Mexico’s water concessions, clean up some of Mexico’s most polluted rivers, improve agricultural irrigation technology available to the nation’s farmers, and build water infrastructure projects – including a desalination plant in Baja California and flood mitigation projects in Mexico’s flood-prone southeast.
The historic accord signed Monday by Mexico’s governors recognizes access to water as a human right, declares water a national asset and outlines benchmarks for sustainability, as well as reclamation and purification.
Sheinbaum’s government is trying to address a water scarcity problem in many parts of Mexico that has persisted for years. The president says that Mexico needs to see water not as a commodity but as a basic human right for its citizens. (Government of Mexico)
“This agreement is just the beginning of a permanent effort to ensure Mexico has a sustainable and equitable future with regard to water,” Morales said, according to the magazine Fortuna.
The pact includes plans to reinforce the nation’s hydraulic infrastructure, sets standards for water treatment plants, conserves and protects wetlands, establishes river cleanup projects and promotes reforestation and forest conservation endeavors.
Mexico’s water crisis
Last year, Conagua’s Drought Monitor indicated that more than 80% of Mexico’s territory is facing a water crisis, one that, according to the newspaper La Jornada, affects more than 35 million people.
The drought is threatening 104 of the nation’s 757 drainage basins. In addition, of Mexico’s 653 aquifers, 114 are overexploited, according to Conagua. Plus, two-thirds of sites that Conagua monitors were classified as contaminated or heavily contaminated last year.
“It is past time that we manage water more efficiently, that we incentivize treatment and re-use,” Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena told La Jornada. “The willingness to participate voluntarily is a great sign, and it should result in more productive agricultural and industrial sectors while also ensuring a more equitable distribution.”
In addition to the give-back from the private sector, Sheinbaum said water contracts for industrial use would also be restricted and even restructured, the news outlet Infobae reported. Going forward, concessions would strictly prohibit alternate uses of water that do not benefit the public.
Economic contraction at the end of 2024 puts Mexico on the verge of recession, according to Banco Base's lead economic analyst. (Cuartoscuro)
HR Ratings has become the second agency to downgrade Mexico’s economic outlook in November. The Mexican ratings agency changed its outlook for Mexico’s sovereign rating from stable to negative on Monday.
“The change in the outlook from stable to negative is the result of the deterioration in our estimates of economic growth in 2024 and 2025 for Mexico, as well as our expectation of a slower reduction in the fiscal deficit for 2025, compared to that estimated by the Finance Ministry, which could put pressure on net debt as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” said HR Ratings in a press release.
The ratings agency’s predicted economic outlook is for Mexico is now 1.4% growth to GDP in 2024 and 1.1% growth in 2025, both significantly lower than Mexico’s own predictions of 2.1% and 2.3%, respectively. (HR Ratings)
The rating agency expects economic growth in Mexico of 1.4% in 2024 and 1.1% in 2025, lower than the Finance Ministry’s forecast of 2.1% and 2.3%, respectively.
HR cited the industrial sector’s negative performance over the last year as a reason for the downgrade, “especially due to the lower dynamism of the construction sector, in addition to a slowdown in the manufacturing sector and lower external demand.”
Although Mexico aims to reduce its fiscal deficit in 2025, it is difficult to maintain low capital expenditure in the long term without negative consequences for economic performance, said HR. The agency also stressed the potentially negative impact that the coming change in U.S. political leadership could have on Mexico’s trade.
President-elect Donald Trump will take office in the United States in January 2025.
The New York-based credit rating agency Moody’s Ratings recently downgraded its Mexico outlook from stable to negative but maintained the country’s long-term ratings at the second lowest investment grade level. It said the decision was “driven by our view of a weakening in the policymaking and institutional settings that risks undermining fiscal and economic outcomes.”
Mexico’s Finance Ministry: growth outlook ‘positive’
The Finance Ministry responded to HR’s downgrade in a press release.
“The growth outlook for Mexico is positive, given that supply shocks have started to decrease, and industrial production has shown greater dynamism during the second half of the year,” it stated.
“Our growth forecast, presented in the Economic Package for 2025, remains between 2% and 3%, supported by the strength of domestic demand, the support of social programs and investment in strategic sectors,” the ministry added.
It also said that the U.S. continues to be Mexico’s main trading partner and highlighted the importance of the USMCA free trade agreement.
“Mexico has the necessary fiscal buffers to mitigate possible adverse scenarios in the global environment,” the ministry stressed.
Eight rating agencies that evaluate Mexico’s debt have maintained Mexico’s sovereign debt rating in 2024, the press release stated, which is “a reflection of the confidence in the country’s macroeconomic stability.”
The new facility will be John Deere's first plant in the country dedicated exclusively to manufacturing equipment for the construction sector. (Shutterstock)
Tractor and farm equipment manufacturer John Deere has confirmed its plans to build a manufacturing plant in Mexico, defying previous threats by United States president-elect Donald Trump to punish the company with tariffs if it moves some of its production south of the border.
In September, the Illinois-based company announced plans to shift some of its production from factories in Iowa and Illinois to Mexico by the end of 2026. Following the announcement, Trump said he would impose 200% tariffs on equipment sold in the U.S. that was made in Mexico.
Trump said in September that he would impose 200% tariffs on John Deere equipment made in Mexico. (Donald J. Trump/Facebook)
With a planned investment of US $55 million, John Deere plans to move ahead “regardless” of political changes, said Gecimar Morini, company manager for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, in a statement.
The new plant will initially manufacture mini track loaders and mini wheel loaders targeted at the national market, and will be John Deere’s first facility in the country dedicated exclusively to manufacturing equipment for the construction sector.
“Our focus is on developing the company in the agricultural, construction, and, mainly, infrastructure sectors,” Morini emphasized.
Local media reports that the new plant will be located in the northern state of Nuevo León, where John Deere has its own dedicated export lane in the Laredo-Colombia International Bridge. The company currently has production plants in Ramos Arizpe, Saltillo and Torreón, Coahuila, as well as in Monterrey, Nuevo León.
The manufacturing center is scheduled to start operations in 2026.
Why is John Deere relocating production to Mexico?
According to data compiled by John Deere, Mexico is the second largest consumer of its construction equipment in Latin America, with a growth of 76% since 2022.
“We see Mexico as an attractive market, which is why we are investing in the expansion of our dealers and growth in new territories,” Morini said.
Furthermore, Morini said the compact equipment segment is still developing in Latin America, with an estimated market size of 4,000 units, he added. In contrast, more established markets like the U.S. see approximately 100,000 units sold.
The peso closed at 20.57 to the US dollar on Friday. (María Ruiz)
The Mexican peso depreciated sharply against the US dollar on Monday and continued to weaken on Tuesday after Donald Trump pledged to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on the first day of his second term as U.S. president.
The Bank of Mexico’s official USD:MXN exchange rate at the close of markets on Monday was 20.28.
Donald Trump on Monday pledged to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on the first day of his second term as U.S. president. (Facebook)
However, the peso depreciated to 20.71 to the greenback shortly after Trump outlined his tariff plan on his social media site Truth Social on Monday evening.
The slide to 20.71 represented a 2.1% depreciation for the peso compared to the Bank of Mexico’s end-of-day rate.
The peso recovered somewhat in early trading on Tuesday, but at 11:45 a.m. Mexico City time, it was trading at 20.81 to the dollar.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexico’s Banco Base, said on X shortly after 10:30 a.m. that the Mexican peso was the currency that had depreciated the most against the US dollar on Tuesday.
She also noted that the Canadian dollar had depreciated to its weakest position against the US dollar since April 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was in its early stages.
On Monday, Siller said that the Mexican economy will go into recession if Trump keeps his word and imposes a 25% tariff on Mexican exports to the United States. She said Tuesday that if the incoming U.S. president’s tariff threat “materializes,” foreign companies will “gradually” leave Mexico.
Supported by strong inflows of remittances and foreign investment as well as the substantial difference between the Bank of Mexico’s key interest rate and that of the United States Federal Reserve, the peso performed extremely well against the US dollar in 2023 and hit an almost nine-year high of 16.30 to the greenback in April.
However, it depreciated significantly after the comprehensive victories of Claudia Sheinbaum and the ruling Morena party in the presidential and congressional elections on June 2.
Donald Trump on Monday pledged to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on the first day of his second term as U.S. president. (Facebook)
Donald Trump on Monday pledged to impose a 25% tariff on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States on the first day of his second term as U.S. president, a move that President Claudia Sheinbaum said would be met with a reciprocal tariff on U.S. exports to Mexico.
“As everyone is aware, thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” he wrote on Truth Social on Monday evening.
“Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border. On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders,” Trump wrote.
The president-elect said that the tariff would remain in effect “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!” Trump said.
In a separate Truth Social post, the former president said that his administration would impose an additional 10% tariff “above any additional Tariffs” on Chinese imports until the Chinese government stops the flow of fentanyl and other drugs to the United States “mostly through Mexico.”
Imposing tariffs on Mexican and Canadian exports to the United States would violate the terms of the USMCA, but Trump — at least in his rhetoric — appears to have no qualms about breaching the free trade pact he signed during his first term as U.S. president.
President-elect Donald Trump appears to have no qualms about breaching the free trade pact he signed during his first term as U.S. president by implementing high tariffs on Mexico and Canada. (File photo/Jonah Elkowitz for Shutterstock)
The president-elect’s pledge to impose a 25% tariff on the United States’ biggest trade partners on his first day in office is a bold but unsurprising move. Whether he actually keeps his word is far from certain, considering his past conduct.
His latest tariff pledge, or threat, could be a similar ploy to pressure Mexico to crack down even further on the flow of migrants and drugs to the U.S. If the Mexican government were to deploy additional human and monetary resources to stem those flows, Trump could claim again that he succeeded in getting Mexico to do what he wanted.
Sheinbaum: ‘To one tariff, another will come in response’
On Tuesday morning, Sheinbaum gave no indication that Mexico would “fold,” as Trump claimed was the case in 2019.
At her regular daily press conference, the president told reporters she would send a letter to the president-elect “today.”
At her regular daily press conference, Sheinbaum shared a letter responding to Donald Trump’s 25% tariff threat. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum read out the entire letter, which in its penultimate paragraph said that a U.S. tariff on Mexican exports would be met with another tariff “in response.”
In her letter, the president also:
Told Trump that Mexico has developed a “comprehensive policy” to attend to migrants who “cross our territory” en route to the United States. She told the president-elect that he “probably” isn’t aware of the efforts Mexico has made to stem migration to the U.S.
Highlighted that “encounters” between United States authorities and migrants on the Mexico-U.S. border declined 75% between December 2023 and November 2024.
Told Trump that Mexico and the United States need to jointly develop “another model of labor mobility” that responds to the U.S. need for workers and provides “attention to the causes that lead families to leave their places of origin.”
Told Trump that if the United States allocated “a percentage” of what it spends on “war” to “the construction of peace and to development,” it would be able to substantially reduce migration.
Pointed out that Mexican authorities have seized tonnes of drugs so far this year, confiscated more than 10,000 weapons and arrested over 15,000 people “for violence related to drug trafficking.”
Highlighted that 70% of “illegal weapons” seized in Mexico come from the United States.
“We don’t produce the weapons, we don’t consume the synthetic drugs,” Sheinbaum wrote in her letter to Trump.
“The deaths due to crime that responds to the demand for drugs in your country, unfortunately, we are the ones who … [suffer] them,” she told the president-elect.
Sheinbaum told Trump that neither the migratory phenomenon nor drug use in the United States will be effectively dealt with through threats and tariffs.
“Cooperation and reciprocal understanding of these great challenges is needed. To one tariff another will come in response and that’s the way it will be until we place common companies at risk. Yes, common ones. For example, among the main exporters from Mexico to the United States are General Motors, Stellantis and Ford Motor Company, which arrived in Mexico 80 years ago,” she wrote.
“The deaths due to crime that responds to the demand for drugs in your country, unfortunately, we are the ones who … [suffer] them,” Sheinbaum told the U.S. president-elect. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)“Why impose a tax that places them at risk? It’s not acceptable and would cause inflation and job losses in the United States and Mexico,” Sheinbaum continued.
“I’m convinced that the economic strength of North America lies in maintaining our trade partnership. In that way, we can continue being more competitive against other economic blocs. I believe that dialogue is the best path for understanding, peace and prosperity in our nations. I hope that our teams can meet soon,” the president’s letter concluded.
The broader response to Trump’s latest tariff threat
Gerardo Fernández Noroña, president of the Senate:
Ricardo Monreal, the ruling Morena party’s leader in the Chamber of Deputies:
“The imposition of a possible tariff on Mexican products goes against the USMCA and doesn’t resolve the common problems on the border between Mexico and the United States. We urge [the incoming Trump administration] to use the bilateral institutional mechanisms to combat the trafficking of people, drugs and weapons.”
San Miguel de Allende's Mercado Ignacio Ramírez offers visitors the chance to engage with the best of Guanajuato - from art to food. (All photos by Sandra Gancz Kahan)
No trip to San Miguel de Allende is complete without exploring the Mercado Ignacio Ramírez and the Mercado de Artesanías, bustling hubs of tradition, craftsmanship and community. Just a short walk from the city’s central square, this bustling marketplace offers a quintessentially Mexican experience.
Whether you’re a foodie, an art lover or simply looking to soak up the local vibe, these two markets offer a fascinating shopping experience and an exciting peek into the city’s soul. Locals gather for groceries, friendly conversations and shared meals, while visitors are warmly welcomed.
A kaleidoscope of colors and flavors
The Mercado Ignacio Ramírez offers food and local produce to hungry visitors.
Get ready for a sensory fiesta as you step into these vibrant markets. The air buzzes with energy as vendors showcase their offerings. Stalls are tightly packed and overflowing with a mesmerizing array of goods. Spanning three city blocks and housed under the same roof, these two markets promise a long and amusing stroll: wear comfy shoes!
At the Mercado Ignacio Ramírez, the spotlight is on food, including fresh produce, affordable meals, vibrant flowers and medicinal herbs. Visitors settle onto high stools at the bars of food stalls to enjoy irresistible goodies, from tacos and tortas to fruit juices and ice cream. Every bite here is a taste of tradition served with friendliness.
The Mercado de Artesanías (Crafts Market) is a showcase of local artistry, offering beautifully embroidered textiles that range from clothing to tablecloths, alongside an impressive variety of decorative items crafted from papier-mache, tin and clay. You’ll also discover finely made kitchen tools, including authentic molcajetes, Talavera ceramics and colorful glassware. The market is brimming with treasures, from exquisite jewelry to decorative tiles, mirrors, pewterware, leather goods, wool products, shoes, toys and so much more!
Proud longtime vendors
Indigenous craft workers sell their products at the Mercado de Artesanías.
Many vendors at the Mercado Ignacio Ramírez have deep roots in the market’s history, with their stalls passed down through generations. When I asked a few vendors how long they’d been there, most of them replied: Forever! For many, the market has been their home and family’s livelihood since childhood. One vendor fondly recalled how her grandmother’s stall, selling the same types of snacks, was originally located in the nearby Plaza Cívica. The move to the current indoor market, she explained, happened when “El Caballito” was installed.
The ‘little horse’ she mentioned is actually a towering statue of Ignacio Allende on horseback, honoring the San Miguel-born hero of Mexico’s fight for independence. The nearby plaza, where the statue now stands, was once the market’s original venue and heart of the town, before the Jardín Principal became the central gathering place.
At an impressive flower stall, I met Emiliano, the welcoming vendor behind Florería Mary. He proudly continues a family tradition, running the stall that once belonged to his mother. Florería Mary’s vibrant selection includes stunning bird of paradise flowers for just 20 pesos each and radiant roses for 10 pesos, offering both beauty and great value. Emiliano’s charming demeanor, combined with his dedication to preserving his family’s legacy, has made his stall a beloved spot in the market.
Aida Mendoza greeted me warmly at her stall, where she crafts my favorite earrings using tiny, intricately threaded beads. Her jewelry is unique in its technique, which she explains differs from the Wixárika (Huichol) art sold at the neighboring stand. While other Wixárika artisans glue tiny beads onto sculptures, Aida threads them with string to create wearable art. Originally from San Pablito Pahuaclán in the mountains of Puebla, Aida moved to San Miguel and set up her stand five years ago. She speaks softly, feeling self-conscious about her Spanish, which is her second language. Despite this challenge, she has built a thriving business that supports her family. Her children, born in San Miguel de Allende, attend school in Spanish, while Aida and her husband proudly teach them Hñähñu (Otomí) at home to preserve their heritage.
Vendor Aida Mendoza displays her wares. She works at the market to support her family and preserve her Otomí culture.
The Mercado Ignacio Ramírez and Mercado de Artesanías offer endless inspiration. A visit here is as much about enjoying the moment as it is about purchasing something truly special.
Tips for visiting
Forgot your shopping bag? Don’t worry, sturdy grocery bags are inexpensive and abundantly available.
Bring cash: Few vendors accept credit cards.
How to get there: The four entrances are located on the streets of Colegio, Relox, Hidalgo, and Loreto, but you can simply ask any taxi driver or local and they’ll point you in the right direction.
Opening hours: Every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: sandragancz@gmail.com
The Guadalajara hotel zone is the area surrounding the Expo Guadalajara Club, a conglomerate of 19 hotels surrounding the Expo Guadalajara. (Shutterstock)
The hotel area surrounding Expo Guadalajara is one of the most important destinations in Mexico for the convention and business tourism industry, according to Bernardo Aguilar, president of the Jalisco Hotel Association (AHJ) and the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area Tourism Trust.
Aguilar told the newspaper El Economista that in the first 10 months of this year, more than 800,000 people stayed at one of the 19 hotels comprising the Expo Guadalajara Club, a conglomerate of hotels surrounding the Expo Guadalajara. During this period, these hotels reported booking 600,000 rooms and an economic revenue of 700 million pesos (US $34.4 million).
The Expo area has seen around 5,000 events this year, including those hosted at Expo Guadalajara, Mexico’s largest event venue. (Expo Guadalajara)
“The 19 hotels that make up this group have cutting-edge infrastructure, with an offer of around 3,400 rooms, which makes Guadalajara a fairground and hotel area without comparison at the national level,” Aguilar said.
According to Aguilar, the Expo area has seen around 5,000 events this year, including those hosted at Expo Guadalajara, Mexico’s largest event venue.
With a total surface area of 119,000 square meters and a capacity for 60,000 people, the Expo hosts over 1,200 events each year and attracts around 2.1 million national and international visitors.
Some of the scheduled events at the Expo for the next three years include the 2027 World Congress of Dermatology, the 2027 World Congress of Physiotherapy and the 2028 International Conference on Robotics and Automation.
Beyond this hotel complex, other areas of Guadalajara are also attracting hotel investment.
Within the next two years, six new hotels from international chains plan to open in the city, with a total investment of 2 billion pesos (US $96.4 million), Aguilar said. These will mainly be business hotels, averaging around 150 rooms each.
Some will be located along the airport highway and Periférico Sur, one will be located in the historic center of Zapopan, and another will be located in the Providencia neighborhood, Aguilar added.
One of the Expo’s largest events is the Guadalajara International Book Fair (FIL), the largest book fair in the Spanish-speaking world, which will kick off on Nov. 30. Last year, this event drew over 800,000 visitors to the Expo, breaking the FIL’s previous attendance record.
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