Juan Villoro is a writer who is also a tireless promoter of the written word, and was described by the Carlos Fuentes award jury as "a shaper of new readers." (Andrea Murcia / Cuartoscuro.com)
Mexican writer and journalist Juan Villoro, whose work moves from novels and essays to soccer writing and children’s books, has won the 2026 Carlos Fuentes International Prize for Literary Creation — an honor that he said should propel him toward his next book.
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and Mexico’s Culture Ministry announced the unanimous decision Wednesday. The prize recognizes writers whose bodies of work, written wholly or substantially in Spanish, have enriched humanity’s literary heritage.
Villoro appeared with Michel Bauer, director of Host City Ciudad de México, before the World Cup got under way earlier this year but after his talk on “The Theater of Goals.” Among his book titles is “God is Round,” which grew out of his passion for soccer. (Moisés Pablo / Cuartoscuro.com)
Villoro, who turned 70 on Sept. 24, was cited for “the breadth and scope of his work, which encompasses different genres with mastery and rigor,” according to Gaceta UNAM, the university’s official news publication.
The jury also praised Villoro as “a shaper of new readers” whose thought has had “a transcendent presence in essays and journalism in Latin America.” It said his work promotes a dialogue between the present and tradition “from a humanist perspective full of humor and irony.”
The prize includes a sum in pesos equivalent to US $125,000, a diploma and a reproduction of a sculpture by Vicente Rojo.
Villoro is the 11th recipient and the fourth Mexican to win the prize, after poet Eduardo Lizalde in 2016, writer and critic Margo Glantz in 2022 and writer Elena Poniatowska in 2023.
The prize’s other winners include Peruvian Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa, who received the inaugural award in 2012, and Sergio Ramírez, the novelist, essayist and former vice president of Nicaragua, honored in 2014.
Villoro’s career has spanned fiction, nonfiction, theater, screenwriting, journalism and literature for younger readers. His work also explores the pleasures and demands of reading.
His 2004 novel “El testigo” (“The Witness”) won Spain’s Herralde Prize, while “El libro salvaje” (“The Wild Book”), published in 2008, has sold more than 1 million copies and been translated into numerous languages.
Additional books include “Dios es redondo” (“God is Round”), about soccer, and “Vértigo horizontal: una ciudad llamada México” (“Horizontal Vertigo: A City Called Mexico”), an essayistic portrait of the capital.
Villoro called the prize “a great surprise, a great honor, but also a commitment,” adding that he regarded awards not as a completed achievement “but as an incentive to keep doing it.”
Established in 2012, the year Carlos Fuentes died, the prize honors the Mexican novelist whose best-known works include “La muerte de Artemio Cruz” (“The Death of Artemio Cruz”), “La región más transparente” (“Where the Air Is Clear”) and the Mexico News Daily-recommended “Aura.”
This year’s jury comprised playwright Flavio González Mello, poet Myriam Moscona, writer and editor Mónica Nepote, novelist David Toscana and Nicaraguan writer Gioconda Belli, the 2025 recipient.
The prize, which became an annual award in 2019, will be presented in November on a date to be announced.
Berkeley researchers say attacks on human rights defenders during the term of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — shown here near the end of his tenure in September 2024 —could amount to crimes against humanity. (Andrea Murcia / Cuartoscuro.com)
Researchers at the University of California-Berkeley Human Rights Center (HRC) say that legal grounds exist to try former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for crimes against humanity, after a new report established a pattern of persecution including hostile rhetoric and digital espionage.
The HRC report assesses whether the former president’s constant disparaging rhetoric toward journalists and activists, as well as the alleged espionage carried out by his administration, amounts to a pattern of persecution that could fall under the Rome Statute.
The investigation also examined what role state institutions played in carrying out or enabling targeted killings, enforced disappearances, surveillance, stigmatization and other forms of harassment.
It then considered whether, taken together, these actions constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, the founding international treaty that established the International Criminal Court, which prosecutes individuals for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity from its base in The Hague.
The Berkeley report, entitled “Under Attack: Targeting of Journalists and Human Rights Defenders in Mexico,” makes the claim that Mexico was the most dangerous country in the world for journalists during López Obrador’s six-year term and the second most dangerous for human rights defenders.
The HRC documented 337 killings — 78 journalists and 259 human rights defenders — while also compiling 75 cases involving killings and enforced disappearances.
🧵1/6: After a multi-year investigation, we’ve launched the platform “Under Attack: Targeting of Journalists and Human Rights Defenders in Mexico,” which documents attacks on civic watchdogs during the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. pic.twitter.com/5kU3trgWfx
Researchers identified 2,827 instances of rhetoric they characterized as “explicitly disparaging and aimed at undermining the credibility and safety of independent journalists and civil society organizations.”
The report argues that the volume of vitriol “contributed to an increasingly hostile environment for journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico.”
In a separate publication, one of the lead authors asserted that although the numbers are indeed staggering, they are not the basis for the central finding.
Instead, Lindsay Freeman points to the “systematicity and the context in which they occurred,” describing the killings as “the visible edge of a broader attack … one the state openly encouraged and rarely punished.”
“The president used his daily press conferences to discredit and attack the press … and networks of fake accounts linked to state media amplified that rhetoric into threats and harassment online,” she said.
Freeman said that the unlawful surveillance, harassment, stigmatization and physical violence could be sufficient for the ICC prosecutor’s office to consider opening a preliminary examination under Article 7 of the Rome Statute.
The Tulum airport, officially the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport, opened by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in 2023 in anticipation of ever-increasing tourism in Tulum, will no longer be receiving Aeroméxico flights as of today (Thursday) nor flights from Volaris starting January 7. (Shutterstock)
Low-cost Mexican airline Volaris has announced it will end service to Tulum, Quintana Roo, after the end of this year, joining the exodus of national and international airlines from the troubled beach resort and cultural destination
Both carriers cited “market conditions”— meaning a lack of profitability — as the reason for their suspension of service
“We have had to review the profitability of our routes and temporarily suspend certain flights with lower load factors — including our operations to and from Tulum — starting January 7, 2027,” the airline told the newspaper El Financiero.
Ticket sales to and from the destination will stop this weekend.
The airlines’ “lower load factors” (i.e. fewer passengers) can be directly linked to the shrinking visitor base to the once-thriving tourist destination, known for its enticing combination of sunny beaches and archaeological sites.
Data by the Tulum Hotel Association cited by the newspaper El Economista revealed that occupancy levels by mid-September were 10% lower compared to the same period last year. Beachfront hotels saw occupancy below 20% and all-inclusive resorts below 30%, prompting some to consider operating only during peak season.
El Economista reported that according to the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC), TQO handled 471,500 travelers between January and June — a 33.2% drop from the 705,400 recorded during the same period in 2025.
Volaris said reasons for the drop in international arrivals include increased fees and other charges related to foreign tourist travel, such as the recent announcement of an increase in the Non-Resident Fee (DNR), which will rise by 35% starting next year.
The DNR fee paid by foreign visitors entering Mexico would rise from 983 pesos (US $54) to 1,334.80 pesos (US $74) if Congress approves the Economic Package proposal for 2027. This fee is included in the ticket price and directly increases the cost of international itineraries.
A price hike in the Airport Use Fee (TUA) was also cited as a cause, which now stands at 300 pesos (US $16) per passenger, as well as costs related to fuel and air navigation services.
Tulum’s airport was one of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s flagship projects. It began operations in December 2023, nearly eight months before President Claudia Sheinbaum started her term in office.
Former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced the release of "Pueblo," his forthcoming political history of Mexico, in an 80-minute video message posted online Wednesday. (Andrés Manuel López Obrador / X)
Two years after completing his six-year term as president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador returned to the spotlight on Wednesday with an 80-minute video message to promote his new book, a political history of Mexico called “Pueblo” (People).
AMLO’s message, filmed at his home in Palenque, Chiapas, and posted to YouTube and Facebook, was reminiscent of the many lengthy, meandering addresses he delivered at his morning press conferences while president between 2018 and 2024.
🟢 AMLO reaparece y presenta su nuevo libro “Pueblo”
El expresidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador (@lopezobrador_) reapareció públicamente este miércoles mediante un videomensaje desde Palenque, Chiapas, para anunciar la publicación de su nuevo libro, “Pueblo”.
— Rosa Lilia Torres- Noticias (@rosaliliatorrs) October 1, 2026
Beyond his new book — a follow-up to his 2025 book “Grandeza” (Greatness) — López Obrador touched on a range of topics, including his own health and happiness, the state of social media today, and the performance of Claudia Sheinbaum as president.
“Thanks to the Creator, to science, to luck, thanks to life, I’m content, I’m happy, here at La Chingada,” he said, referring to his property in Palenque whose name can be translated as “Hell.”
(AMLO, 72, used to joke that he would “go to La Chingada” once he finished his presidency.)
López Obrador said that he, and “many millions” of other Mexicans, are “very happy” with what has been “achieved: a transformation, the fourth transformation of public life in Mexico.”
AMLO founded the ruling Morena party and the broader “fourth transformation” (4T) political movement now led by Sheinbaum.
While he now lives in Palenque and has largely withdrawn from public life, López Obrador said that he occasionally goes to Mexico City to see his wife, Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, and his sons.
“When Twitter and Facebook first emerged, I used to say, ‘Blessed social media’ because we were surrounded by the mainstream media: radio, newspapers, and television,” he said.
AMLO said that Televisa and TV Azteca, as well as “almost all” the newspapers and “almost all” the radio stations, carried out “campaigns” against him and his political allies.
“Then social media emerged, and we finally had a way to communicate. The information blockade was broken. But what happened? How long did social media remain free? Ten years. Now all [the social media sites] are taken over, controlled,” said López Obrador, who in early 2021 criticized social media companies for blocking the accounts of U.S. President Donald Trump after a violent mob of his supporters broke into the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Earlier in his message, AMLO railed against political “publicists” and their use of social media.
“Now there are a lot [of publicists] and they’re very modern now. They manage the platforms, social media, the internet and bot farms — computers to spread lies,” he said.
López Obrador, a formerly prolific social media user with over 10 million followers on X alone, has largely retired from public life in recent years.
Is AMLO still in charge behind the scenes?
Early in his message, López Obrador said that he is “retired from politics after nearly 50 years of fighting intensely for justice, freedom, democracy and to transform our country.”
AMLO — who many Mexicans believe continues to wield power behind the scenes — said he decided to abruptly cut off his involvement in politics because he didn’t want to be a “cacique, caudillo, supreme leader or power behind the throne.”
“We shouldn’t be too attached to power or money. Money isn’t happiness, nor is power. Happiness is being at peace with oneself, being at peace with our conscience, and being at peace with others,” he said.
Referring to the end of his six-year term, AMLO said that “the time came” for him to end his life in politics.
“In the two years … since I left the presidency, I’ve spent my time writing here,” he said.
“It wasn’t easy — [I went through] years of intense struggles,” said López Obrador, who unsuccessfully contested the 2006 and 2012 presidential elections before winning a landslide victory in 2018.
Sheinbaum said last month that, “This idea that, behind the president, López Obrador is governing is a very sexist idea.”
“… It has to do with an idea that women can’t govern,” she said.
AMLO describes Sheinbaum as ‘the best president in the world’
Near the end of his message, López Obrador noted that he had dedicated his new book to Sheinbaum, who served as his environment minister when he was mayor of Mexico City between 2000 and 2005.
“I dedicate it to Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, our president and great pride, example of hard work, honesty, rectitude and loyalty to the people,” he said, reading from a page at the start of “Pueblo.”
López Obrador praised Sheinbaum at the close of her second year in office, calling her the “best president in the world.” (Cuartoscuro)
“I’m not one to flatter … [but] the president is exceptional,” he said.
At her Thursday morning press conference, Sheinbaum said she appreciated AMLO’s words.
Mexican history, with a twist
Of course, López Obrador also spoke about “Pueblo,” one of 21 books he has written.
He said that the book has 10 chapters and covers “more than 200 years of political history” in Mexico, starting with Mexico’s independence from Spain and concluding with the ongoing “fourth transformation,” of which Sheinbaum is said to be building a “second story.”
AMLO noted that the book is published by Planeta, which he described as a “very good publisher.”
In addition to Mexico’s independence and the 4T, Lopez Obrador said that Pueblo includes chapters on “the U.S. invasion” — i.e. the 1846-48 Mexican-American War — the “Porfiriato” (the lengthy rule of Porfirio Díaz) and the Mexican Revolution, among other periods of Mexican history.
With a smile on his face, AMLO said that chapter 9 is called “The neoporfirismo prianista,” focusing on the period between 1982 and 2018 when four Institutional Revolutionary Party presidents (Miguel de la Madrid, Carlos Salinas, Ernesto Zedillo and Enrique Peña Nieto) and two National Action Party presidents (Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderón) governed Mexico.
López Obrador is an outspoken critic of governance in Mexico in the so-called “neoliberal” period between 1982 and 2018, saying in his video message that it was a time of “oligarchy” with a “facade of democracy” and the “handing over the assets of the nation” to private interests.
Fishermen are angling for a better environment at the International Trash-Fishing Competition, one of several can't-miss events in Puerto Vallarta this month. (Arusfly/Unsplash)
October paints an exciting events picture for residents and visitors of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, one of Mexico’s tourist hotspots and premier expat destinations.
Included on the upcoming events calendar are highlights such as a museum exhibition showcasing Mexico’s maritime history, a PGA golf tournament, a performance from an internationally known pop star, and a one-of-a-kind eco-friendly competition at sea.
Our list covers everything from last-minute plans this weekend to big events that will require you to plan ahead before tickets run out.
Here’s a curated list of exciting upcoming events in Puerto Vallarta.
Discover Mexico’s navy history at Museum Night
Celebrate the rich history of the Mexican Navy, past and present, at “Museum Night” this month in Puerto Vallarta. (Instituto Vallartense de Cultura/Facebook)
No plans for the weekend? Don’t panic — we’ve got you covered.
Saturday, Oct. 4, will see the Mexican Naval Museum in Puerto Vallarta host the ninth edition of its “Museum Night” cultural program, a free event dedicated to the 205th anniversary of the founding of the Mexican Navy.
The event will take place from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the museum, located at Zaragoza Street No. 4 in the city center, near the Malecón.
The program is designed for adults and kids alike and will combine historical outreach, recreational activities and exhibits showcasing the Navy’s current operations.
Visitors can expect a Marine Corps booth, information from the Search and Rescue Station (ENSAR), a K-9 unit demonstration, workshops — such as nautical knot-tying, drawing and choreography — and a musical performance by Dan Gutiérrez.
The Naval History Museum opened in 2006 in a colonial-style building that previously served as the Port Authority office. It is adjacent to Los Arcos del Malecón in Puerto Vallarta’s Historic Center.
If you’re looking for an eco-friendly activity that makes a difference in the environment, look no further than the International Trash-Fishing Competition, an event that seeks to catch floating waste instead of fish.
The competition will take place Oct. 18, starting from Los Muertos Pier in Puerto Vallarta, with activities scheduled between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Organized by nonprofit Limpia Tu Mar (Clean Your Ocean), this initiative is back for its third edition with a capacity of up to 40 vessels.
Participation is open to visitors and residents alike, who will have to form teams consisting of five participants each. Children over 8 years of age are welcome as long as they’re accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
The activity focuses exclusively on floating waste classified into three categories: plastic items made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), glass and expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam). This year’s goal is to collect at least 1.5 tons of waste.
Team registration costs 5,000 pesos (about US $271) and includes a boat, equipment, caps and a collection kit. The call for participants also seeks volunteers for both onshore and on-board roles.
The registration deadline is Oct. 6. You can register here.
Puerto Vallarta is rarely a stop for international pop stars’ world tours. That will change Oct. 27, when British pop star Robbie Williams performs live at the VidantaWorld Vallarta–Nuevo Nayarit esplanade as part of the VidantaWorld Concert Series.
The show, which is set to start at 8 p.m., is part of Williams’ Britpop Latin American tour, which sees the 52-year-old singer visiting cities such as Bogotá, Lima, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Querétaro and São Paulo.
The concert will be part of a weeklong lineup of entertainment, sports and themed activities at Vidanta, running from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1.
In addition to Williams’ performance, the schedule includes the partial opening of BON Luxury Theme Park, performances of LUDÕ by Cirque du Soleil, Day of the Dead activities, and the VidantaWorld Mexico Open (more on this ahead).
Williams’ performance will headline one of the main event nights during the week leading up to the tournament.
Concert tickets are still available at the VidantaWorld Concert Series website. But hurry, because they’re selling fast.
The Mexico Open at Vidanta returns for its fifth edition
The 2026 VidantaWorld Mexico Open will bring together the elite of professional golf from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 at the VidantaWorld Vallarta course, located within the VidantaWorld Vallarta–Nuevo Nayarit complex.
This marks the fifth consecutive year the destination has hosted this official PGA Tour tournament, considered one of the premier professional golf events in Mexico.
Designed by Greg Norman, the course is set in the area between the Ameca River, the Sierra Madre mountains and the Pacific Ocean, offering stunning natural views.
The competition will feature 120 players, a US $6 million purse and 500 FedExCup points, attracting PGA Tour stars as well as top golfers from Mexico and Latin America.
Visitors can choose between general admission and several hospitality packages. General admission includes access to the course, Fan Zone, Fan Shop and food area, while hospitality options are available at holes 1, 4, 9, 10, 17 and 18.
Tickets can be purchased at the official VidantaWorld Mexico Open website.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) is Mexico's largest healthcare provider, with just over half of Mexicans are entitled to receive care through its public hospitals and clinics. (Shutterstock)
Last week we published Part 1 of the MND Mexico Well-being Series, which focused on eight health and healthcare indicators, including life expectancy, health expenditure per capita and hospital beds per 1,000 people.
This “Mexico in Numbers” article is a condensed version of that report — a concise presentation of the key data, complemented by visual features.
As we noted last week, the MND Mexico Well-being Series — a collection of articles on a range of topics related to well-being — will draw on the most recent internationally comparable data, as well as data from the past decade, to assess what has changed in Mexico during the eight years that the ruling Morena party has been in office.
A “Mexico in Numbers” companion piece will complement each article in the series.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the key data from Part 1 of the series.
* The data in Part 1 of the MND Mexico Well-being Series, and hence the data in this article, comes from the OECD’s Health at a Glance 2025 report. The OECD report includes health and healthcare data for the 38 OECD countries, as well as OECD partner and accession countries in some cases.
Life expectancy at birth
Mexico’s life expectancy rose only marginally, from 75 years in 2015 to 75.5 years in 2024, leaving it 5.6 years below the OECD average of 81.1 years. In 2024, Mexico ranked 46th of 49 countries on this measure.
Avoidable mortality
Mexico recorded 418 avoidable deaths per 100,000 people in 2023 — almost twice the OECD average of 222 — to rank 40th of 44 countries, or fifth worst. Its preventable mortality rate rose about 10% between 2013 and 2023 to 243 deaths per 100,000 people, while the treatable mortality rate increased about 15% to 175.
Obesity
Some 36% of Mexicans aged 15 and over are obese, 10 percentage points above the OECD average of 26% and the second-highest rate among the 14 countries with measured data, behind only the United States (41%). Mexico’s obesity rate has risen from 33.3% in 2015, although its combined overweight-and-obesity rate has remained broadly stable at above 70% over the past decade.
Healthcare coverage
Mexico provided coverage for a core set of health services to 78% of its population in 2023, 20 percentage points below the OECD average of 98% and the lowest rate among 40 countries assessed. Coverage has deteriorated over the past decade, falling from 92.3% in 2015.
Health expenditure as a % of GDP
Mexico spent 5.9% of GDP on health care in 2024, 3.4 percentage points below the OECD average of 9.3%, ranking 42nd of 49 countries. Spending rose only marginally from 5.8% of GDP in 2016.
Health expenditure per capita
Mexico spent US$1,588 per person on health care in 2024, compared with an OECD average of US$5,967, which is 275% higher. Mexico ranked 43rd of 49 countries on this measure. Although real per-capita spending grew at an annual average of 2.1% between 2019 and 2024, Mexico’s spending gap with the OECD average widened slightly from 2016.
Hospital beds
Mexico had just 1 hospital bed per 1,000 people in 2023, compared with an OECD average of 4.2, ranking last among 44 countries assessed. The ratio was unchanged from a decade earlier.
Satisfaction with healthcare availability
In 2023, 56% of Mexicans said they were satisfied with the availability of quality healthcare where they live, eight percentage points below the OECD average of 64%. Mexico ranked 27th among 38 countries. Satisfaction increased only marginally from 55% in 2014.
At Thursday's presidential press conference, President Sheinbaum marked the the close of her second year in office. (Presidencia)
Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
🇲🇽 Sheinbaum marks two years in office: Speaking on the second anniversary of her swearing-in as Mexico’s first female president, Sheinbaum acknowledged the milestone at the start of the mañanera, noting that her government has now been in office for two years.
📖 Sheinbaum thanks AMLO for his book dedication: Asked about López Obrador’s 80-minute video message on Wednesday launching his new book, “Pueblo” (People), which he dedicated to her, Sheinbaum called his words “very moving.” She said she hasn’t yet got a copy but hopes to get one today.
👧🏽👦🏽 Sheinbaum says girls and boys now know ‘it’s possible’ for a woman to govern: Asked what has changed for women since she took office, the president said her election changes children’s “mentality” about who can lead a country. She cited the pension scheme for women aged 60 to 64, the constitutional enshrinement of women’s rights and a new anti-femicide law as government achievements, and said there is now “a before and an after” for women in Mexico.
📊 Sheinbaum cites strong approval ratings at the two-year mark: She asked for recent poll results to be displayed, showing a 74.9% approval rating in a FactoMétrica survey and 70% in an El Financiero poll. Sheinbaum attributed her popularity to her “principles,” including “not betraying the people.”
Why today’s mañanera matters
Claudia Sheinbaum held her Thursday morning press conference exactly two years after she was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president. She acknowledged the milestone at the start of the mañanera, noting that the government she leads has now been in office for two years.
Sheinbaum noted that her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, spoke about her during an 80-minute video message on Wednesday, during which he launched his new book — a political history of Mexico called “Pueblo” (People).
🚨AMLO dedica su nuevo libro a Claudia Sheinbaum
Andrés Manuel López Obrador anunció que dedica su nuevo libro, “Pueblo”, a la presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum, a quien calificó como un “orgullo” y un ejemplo de trabajo, honestidad, rectitud y lealtad al pueblo.
Speaking from his home in Palenque, Chiapas, AMLO noted that he had dedicated the book to his successor.
“I dedicate it to Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, our president and great pride, example of hard work, honesty, rectitude and loyalty to the people,” López Obrador said, reading from a page at the start of his book.
He subsequently described Sheinbaum as “the best president in the world, including men and women.”
While an assertion that Sheinbaum is the best president in the world is, of course, subjective, it is a fact that she is Mexico’s first female president.
Now two years into her six-year term, Sheinbaum spoke about the significance of her election to Mexico’s top job and also highlighted that she has broad support from the Mexican people, per opinion poll results.
Sheinbaum thanks AMLO for book dedication
Sheinbaum noted that López Obrador launched his new book on Wednesday.
“President López Obrador surprised us yesterday with his new book. I don’t have it yet. I hope to go and buy it today,” she said.
Sheinbaum described AMLO’s video message as “very moving.”
“I really appreciate his words,” she said.
“The whole message is very good. He puts what we’re going through in context,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum: Girls and boys now know ‘it’s possible’ for a woman to govern Mexico
A reporter reminded Sheinbaum that she said “It’s time for women” in her inaugural speech as president, and asked her what has changed for women in Mexico in the two years since she took office.
Sheinbaum first spoke about the significance of having a female president for the first time in Mexico and what that means for “the new generations.”
On the anniversary of her inauguration as the country’s first female president, Sheinbaum reflected on women’s rights in Mexico and the significance of her election for future generations. (Presidencia)
She said that girls and boys now know it’s possible for a woman to lead the country. Consequently, children’s “mentality” changes, Sheinbaum said.
She said that when she was growing up it seemed “impossible” that Mexico would have a female president because all the presidents were men. Sheinbaum then noted that in addition to having a woman president, Mexico now has a significant number of female governors.
Sheinbaum asserted that with her arrival to the presidency, and her government’s implementation of pro-women policies, there is now “a before and an after” in the public and private lives of women in Mexico.
2 years into her term, Sheinbaum remains a very popular president
A poll by El Financiero found that Sheinbaum’s approval rating remains at 70% two years into her term. (Presidencia)
After speaking about her government’s pro-women initiatives, Sheinbaum asked for the results of recent polls to be displayed.
Trees and corn producers have received new protections in Mexico City, while authorities are cracking down on counterfeit games. (Rick E./Unsplash)
Mexico City is seeing new developments across its cultural, environmental and commercial landscapes this week. A new artistic hub opened in Santa María la Ribera, 10 significant trees received formal protections, and authorities seized more than 470 counterfeit gaming products in the Historic Center. Let’s get into it.
Santa María la Ribera gets a new theatre experience
A new artistic hub has officially set up shop in Mexico City’s Santa María la Ribera neighborhood. Dubbed Centro Cultural Casa Hechale, the new space occupies a 110-year-old home that was transformed into a multidisciplinary facility, hosting everything from artist residencies and theatre performances to sonic explorations and community events.
The project, Hechale Productions, is the brainchild of Héctor Zavala, a seasoned bilingual theatre director and performer with deep roots in California’s San Francisco Bay Area.
“This is not simply about opening a venue in another city,” Zavala said, per Broadway World. “It is about creating the conditions for artists to stay with a question long enough for it to become a piece of work — and to encounter people, languages and histories that may change the direction of that work.”
Centro Cultural Casa Hechale will serve as a “working cultural center and a place of exchange.” Its flagship program is AWAKEN YOUR ARTIST, a weeklong residency for artists from Mexico City and abroad to “examine not only how they make work, but also where their artistic instincts come from and what experiences have shaped their voices,” according to industry outlet Broadway World.
“Artists often move between cities because the work requires it, but the structures that support that movement are not always there,” Zavala said. “Casa Hechale is our attempt to build one of those structures: a place with memory, but also a place where something not yet known can begin.”
Mexico City issues protective orders for 10 trees
Mexico City’s Environment Ministry issued nine decrees on Sept. 28, formally protecting 10 trees across six boroughs and recognizing their environmental and symbolic importance.
The decrees include special protections that limit development in the immediate vicinity of the trees, such as infrastructure work, excavations and installations, or anything else that could threaten their trunks, roots, crowns or branches.
The trees, located in Benito Juárez, Coyoacán, La Magdalena Contreras, Azcapotzalco, Xochimilco and Tlalpan, include seven Montezuma cypress trees, one white cedar, one olive tree and one oak tree.
These trees are so important, both ecologically and symbolically, that some of them even have names:
“Ahuehuetlán” in Parque de las Américas
“Atlahuitl” in Coyoacán
“Cedro de Padierna” in La Magdalena Contreras
“Los Gemelos de San Álvaro” in Azcapotzalco
“Molotla,” “Teuhtli,” “San Cristóbal Xallan,” and “Tlalnahuac” in Xochimilco
“Diamante Tepeximilpa,” a roughly 400-year-old oak tree in Tlalpan
“Beyond their physical characteristics, some of these trees are linked to ancient settlements, agricultural traditions, and territorial landmarks that have given identity to neighborhoods and Indigenous communities,” the Environment Ministry noted in a news release. “Their continued existence allows the connection between these communities and the natural environment that has accompanied them throughout history to remain alive.”
Corn producers also receive protections
It’s not just trees that are being protected. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada recently announced 10 actions to protect the region’s corn producers, as well as the crop’s diversity and availability.
“These ten actions form a single public policy for the defense of corn,” Brugada said Sept. 29 during the opening day of a corn festival in Mexico City’s Historic Center. “We support those who plant it, we protect the seed, we care for its diversity, we bring producers closer to consumers, and we take native corn from the milpa to the tortilla and from the tortilla to the table.”
Brugada added, “Defending corn is defending a chain of life: the seed, the land, the producer, our food, our sovereignty, our culture.”
‘OperationLimpieza’ spells game over for some CDMX vendors
Authorities in Mexico City recovered more than 470 counterfeit products from three shopping centers that cater to gamers and other fandoms, totaling more than 1.2 million pesos (roughly US $70,000).
Authorities raided Friki Plaza, Fan Center and Plaza Meave, all located in the Historic Center and serving the capital’s gaming, anime and manga communities, on Sept. 29 in a sting known as “Operación Limpieza.”
According to El Universal, the enforcement action targeted 15 stores across the three plazas and netted 477 products valued at more than 1.2 million pesos, including video games, consoles, accessories and collectible figures.
The operation was carried out by the Naval Ministry (SEMAR), the Citizen Security Ministry (SSC) and the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI).
Aside from the obvious copyright infringement and intellectual property rights issues, authorities warned that some counterfeit products could carry health and safety risks, since they don’t undergo the same quality assurance processes as commercial products.
During Operation Limpieza, authorities recovered over 470 counterfeit products valued at more than 1 million pesos. (Gobierno de México)
“The commercialization of counterfeit products can affect those who develop and produce original goods, distort competitive conditions, and create risks for consumers, who may purchase products without guarantees of origin, quality or safety,” IMPI said in a statement. “Therefore, monitoring and verification actions are part of the institutional work to promote respect for intellectual property rights and contribute to a legal commercial environment.”
Operation Limpieza is something of a catch-all term for the Mexican government’s attempts at combating counterfeit goods and piracy. A similar operation was carried out in Coahuila in December 2024, while several more targeted Mexico City and the state of México in May 2025.
Drew Pittock serves as Mexico News Daily’s features director. He is based in Mexico City. Have an idea for a feature story or unique event in CDMX? Send an email to drew.pittock@mexiconewsdaily.com.
Builders plaster and paint the rebuilt dome of Puebla's Templo de la Merced (CINAH Puebla)
As a homeowner in Guadalajara for the past four years, I’ve hired my share of tradespeople, including plumbers, painters, electricians, furniture makers and general contractors.
It didn’t always go well, to put it mildly.
But it turns out I am not unique. Many of our readers who are property owners and responded to the recent Mexico and My Money financial survey shared details about their own contractor engagements that went sideways.
Below is a sample of the reader feedback we received when we asked for details about contractor experiences in Mexico that did not go well:
“I’ve had contractors not use the materials they said they did.”
“Disagreements over what was included with certain construction costs arose from familiarity with what is typical in the U.S. versus what is typical in Mexico.”
“Terrible workmanship.”
“Surprise extra costs.”
“Prepaying for construction renos, ‘to buy materials,’ and never seeing the guy again.”
“Paid up front for work that never happened.”
“Contractor would not take responsibility for subcontractor’s bad work.”
Besides outright fraud, problems can arise over project cost, timing, the quality of materials, who takes responsibility and the scope of work.
Like any industry, the trades can attract bad actors. But clients are not without responsibility and sometimes act in ways that contribute to problems.
The funniest story I’ve ever encountered about an expat’s struggle to renovate a house while living abroad was Peter Mayle’s 1989 bestseller, “A Year in Provence.”
The British author’s fixation on rigid schedules and worker efficiency was constantly at odds with his French contractors’ fluid approach to time and focus on enjoying life’s pleasures (especially food!) over work.
For Americans and Canadians living in Mexico, this cultural clash will probably sound familiar. Those of us raised in Anglo-Saxon cultures misread Latin people constantly.
But with a little effort to better understand Mexican culture, we can reduce the risk of problems when working with contractors here. Below are some common missteps expats make, and how to avoid them.
Hiring contractors without meeting them in person first
Mexican society relies heavily on personal relationships.Face-to-face interactions matter a lot more here than in Anglo-Saxon cultures. If they refuse, or your gut tells you something is off when you meet, do not hire them!
Failing to conduct due diligence and vet potential contractors
We foreigners often rely too much on social media to find workers, but these platforms (I won’t name names) are a notorious playground for scammers. While it may take more time, reach outto neighbors or friends you know and trust for recommendations instead.
Most Mexicans wouldn’t dream of hiring workers without first getting positive feedback from family, friends or neighbors. This reduces the odds of hiring a contractor who does poor work or has no idea how to do what’s being asked.
Paying most (or all) of the project cost upfront
I’ve seen expats pay a large percentage, or a project’s entire cost, up front and remotely. After doing this, they never hear from the “contractor” again. If they’d taken the time to do the two steps described above, this almost certainly wouldn’t have happened.
(Elizabeth Ruiz / Cuartoscuro.com)
Not speaking Spanish
Overreliance on contractors who speak English in Mexico is a recipe for excluding the most reputable and best-qualified workers, as the vast majority of tradespeople in Mexico do not speak much, if any, English.
Also, the relief that monolingual expats feel speaking their own language in a foreign culture may inadvertently lower their guard, making them more susceptible to fraud.
If you don’t speak Spanish, find a local translator or use a translation app to help you communicate with local workers. Trust me, it’s worth the effort.
Not getting project quotes in writing, with details on what is in scope
It may feel like a hassle to get everything in writing, especially when a worker isn’t tech-savvy or struggles to write due to a lack of formal schooling. But it’s an important step that ensures you and your contractor are aligned on the work to be done. If there’s a disagreement over work scope later on, you have something concrete to refer back to.
Attempting to book a contractor far in advance
I once tried to book a painter for an outdoor job during the rainy season, telling them I’d like to begin the work in a few months when it would be drier.
Big mistake. Some of the painters ghosted me.
A Mexican friend later explained that tradespeople in Mexico don’t operate this way. Most are focused on today and this week, not next month or next year.
Plus, in an economy with high inflation and uncertain supply chains, workers aren’t sure what materials will cost a few months from now. So, they will probably avoid giving you a quote until they have a good idea when the work will happen.
Checklist for working with tradespeople and contractors in Mexico
Get recommendations from your friends and neighbors. Preferably Mexican neighbors who have personally hired the contractor for work, instead of relying on social media.
Vet contractors thoroughly. Meet them in person and ask for a copy of their ID before making a down payment. Check online reviews (if they have any) or client referrals.
Collect multiple quotes and do not accept the first quote offered. Negotiate the price.
Get your project quote in writing. This should include an outline of exactly what the deliverables are.
Set up a payment schedule aligned to work progress. Do not accept a heavily front-loaded payment plan.
Provide a budget to set expectations. While few contractors will guarantee a fixed price (unforeseen challenges do occur), creating a financial ceiling for the project is important.
Create a timeline. While deadlines generally don’t work, having no timeline increases the odds of a contractor taking longer to finish a job.
Ask for photos of the receiptsif your contractor purchases supplies. Avoid being overcharged for materials or having inferior ones substituted.
Review all work. Ensure it meets your standards before making a final payment, so that you have some leverage if something needs to be corrected.
What else have you tried when working with contractors in Mexico? Please drop your ideas in the comments below.
From tipping to moving money into Mexico from abroad, check out more from MND’s “Mexico and My Money” archive.
MND writer Dawn Stoner is reporting from Guadalajara.
French trade officials took advantage of a gathering to celebrate 200 years of trade relations with Mexico to urge even more bilateral trade between the two nations, whose commercial relationship has been on the rise lately. (@Camimex_Oficial/X)
As the two nations celebrated 200 years of economic relations, a French trade minister encouraged Mexico to deepen its ties with his country as a means to diversify its markets and supply chains, thereby reducing pressure on its strained trade relationship with the United States.
During the presentation of the France-Mexico Economic Report 2026 on Tuesday, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attraction Nicolas Forissier emphasized that France and Mexico share a commitment to multilateralism and to rules-based trade relations.
French Ambassador to Mexico Delphine Borione, seen here at a 2025 Franco-Mexican Chamber of Commerce event in Mexico City, told the gathering Tuesday that the 200 years of friendship being celebrated meant “looking back with pride on the journey we have traveled, but also looking ahead with the conviction that our relationship will continue to strengthen.” (Galo Cañas / Cuartoscuro.com)
Closer modern ties between Mexico and France followed the May 22 signing of the Modernized Global Agreement between Mexico and the European Union (EU), updating an agreement that had been in effect since 2000. The aim is to expand trade and investment, eliminate most remaining tariffs, and improve access to services, investment, and public procurement. It effectively eliminates tariffs on 99% of products traded between the EU and Mexico, significantly facilitating agricultural trade.
This joint stance is fueled by global trade uncertainty, as the U.S. Trump administration continues to pressure Mexico to meet its demands as part of negotiations to conclude the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA).
Forissier stressed the importance of securing supply chains, especially those linked to critical minerals and rare earth elements, given the risk that these resources could be used as tools for economic pressure.
He said that France views Mexico as a gateway to the Americas, while Paris seeks to position itself as a platform for Mexican companies to access the European Union, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.
Forissier urged French companies to increase their presence and investment in Mexico and called for greater investment from Mexican companies in France to solidify a mutually beneficial economic relationship.
Around 700 French companies already operate in Mexico, including 37 of France’s 40 largest companies, supporting 215,000 direct jobs, according to a report presented by the French Embassy.
Cumulative French investment in Mexico between 2006 and 2025 totaled $13.6 billion, while bilateral trade reached $7.9 billion last year.
The 2026 report indicates that over 50% of the French companies surveyed source more than half of their purchases from Mexican suppliers.
