Tuesday, May 13, 2025

The new Riviera Nayarit International Airport offers a chance to explore Mexico’s chillest state

By
Meagan Drillinger
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Riviera Nayarit airport, Tepic
The new Riviera Nayarit International Airport in Tepic looks set to transform the economy of the previously sleepy Pacific state and open up access to tourists from across the world. (Soy de Tepic/X)

April 16 was a historic day for the Nayarit as Tepic International Airport soared to new heights with its inaugural successful international test flight, marking a pivotal step in the airport’s transformation into the Riviera Nayarit International Airport. 

Formerly known as Tepic International Airport, the decision to rebrand as Riviera Nayarit International Airport was a strategic move to position the airport as the gateway to Riviera Nayarit. Located in Nayarit’s capital city, Tepic, the airport’s successful international test flight signifies a breakthrough in providing an alternative to Puerto Vallarta’s airport, improving access to Riviera Nayarit’s northern towns.

(Manuel Marin/Unsplash)

A tourist paradise

Seventy-two percent of visitors who come to Nayarit do so for tourism, and 60 percent of those visitors are international tourists. Eighty-one percent of visitors who come to the Riviera Nayarit currently fly into either Puerto Vallarta or Guadalajara.

The expansion of international flight operations at Riviera Nayarit International Airport will greatly enhance connectivity with major cities across North America, as the airport is currently in negotiation with several gateways in the U.S. and Canada as the airport readies to debut a brand-new US $250 million expansion and new terminal at the end of 2024. One flight has already been confirmed with Volaris for service to Los Angeles.

Construction on Riviera Nayarit International Airport is almost complete

Riviera Nayarit airport, Tepic
The new airport complex is still under construction, though the first test flight has been successfully conducted. (Soy de Tepic/X)

“We have finished most of the work on the airport,” said Alejandro Muñoz de Cote Ortiz of the Riviera Nayarit International Airport told Mexico News Daily. “Right now we have delivered a new runway and a new control tower. The only thing that remains incomplete right now is the new terminal building.”

Once fully in operation, expected in the first trimester of 2025, the new terminal is projected to receive at least 4 million passengers per year for the first five years, with the potential for 20 million passengers per year in the future. The opening will also include new jet bridges, more than 33,000 square feet of shops and restaurants, and a new car rental center with franchises of international brands like Avis, Budget, and Hertz.

The airport is also set up for the entire immigration process to be digital, a big time saver for travelers who are eager to get on the road to their destination. Muñoz also told us that the airport is in discussions with U.S. authorities for pre-clearance facilities, although this is yet to be confirmed. 

“The beautiful highway connects Guadalajara to Puerto Vallarta and in the middle are all the beautiful colonial destinations,” said Muñoz. “Right now, the airport and highway are going to be the new door to Riviera Nayarit from Tepic to Compostela, all the way to the coast. We are in a great place to bring all of our passengers to these places.”

Potential for economic development in quiet Nayarit

The trendy beach spot of Sayulita will be only an hour’s drive from the new Riviera Nayarit airport. (Devon Hawkins/Unsplash)

Beyond its significance for tourism, the successful international test flight holds immense promise for catalyzing economic growth and development in northern Nayarit, especially with the launch of the new highway between Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. The influx of international visitors is expected to generate a ripple effect across various sectors, including hospitality, retail, and real estate.

Combined with the new highway, which runs through Tepic, visitors can fly into the Riviera Nayarit International Airport and be in Punta Mita in just over an hour. The new highway comes into the coast from Compostela and over to Las Varas, running down the northern portion of the coastline. This makes northern towns like Sayulita, San Pancho, Lo de Marcos, Rincón de Guayabitos, Chacala, and San Blas much more accessible to visitors.

These northern towns are much smaller and quieter than their southern neighbors, which have always been easy to access from Puerto Vallarta’s airport. Because of this, the towns have remained relatively undeveloped, small scale, eco-conscious and boutique. The new highway brings coastal destinations like the Magical towns of Mexcaltitán and Islas Marias much closer to travelers.

The highway also provides easier access to the Sierra region of Nayarit, including its unique coffee culture and its mountainous Magical Towns like Ahuacatlán, Compostela, Jala, and Ixtlán del Rio. 

Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.

Boxing in Mexico: A legacy of champions

By
Bethany Platanella
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Canelo Alvarez Mexican boxers
Mexico has produced great boxing champions for generations. Canelo Álvarez (center) currently carries the torch for boxing fans in the country. (Saúl López/Cuartoscuro)

It’s the year 1918 in Tampico, a port city on the Gulf Coast. In front of a local bordello is a set of 4 chairs surrounded by a crowd of spectators. Two seafaring men have napkins wrapped around their knuckles. Sweat pours from their temples as their biceps flex. When the sailors lift their fists, the crowd roars. The signal sounds and the anticipated fight for that evening’s drinking money commences. The first Mexican boxers have just been born.

Even though boxing is thousands of years old by this time, Mexico is just getting started. Fast forward over a century later and Mexican athletes reign supreme. Their technique is characterized by close-range combat and intricate combinations, as well as unyielding pressure on their opponents. They are relentless and resilient in the ring, a description often attributed to the country’s national identity. 

Mexican boxers
Boxing is a national passion, and thousands attend boxing classes across Mexico. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

David Hanes-González is a Chicano photographer who created a series about boxers in Mexico, No Te Dejes, and described them as “having the most heart and always moving forward in the ring”.

Perhaps the “work hard, fight hard” mentality needed to overcome daily life in parts of Mexico is the reason more boxing champions were born here than any country in the world. Some names you might know, like Chávez, and others you may not, like Jackie Nava. Jalisco’s Saúl “Canelo” Alvarez is presently one of the sport’s top contenders. 

But do you know who the most important Mexican fighters are?

Who is Julio César Chávez?

Julio Cesar Chavez Career Highlights

In short, one of the greatest boxers of all time.

The long version starts in Ciudad Obregon, his birthplace. His father’s job as a railway worker took the family of 2 parents and 10 children to Culiacán where they lived in an abandoned train car. Chávez’s four older brothers started boxing against his mother’s will, and Julio fell quickly in line. 

Even though he trained at the same gym as his brothers, he kept it hidden by attending at different hours. One day, his brother Rodolfo arrived at a local tournament to hand out trophies to the winners. Imagine his surprise when he looked into the ring and saw his little brother throwing punches. 

Julio won that bout by decision, and from there his career as a boxer exploded. He went from making 250 pesos a fight to over US $10 million. He won his first world title in 1984 and enjoyed a 13-year winning streak. Chavez retired in 2005 with 107 wins and only 6 losses.

His personal life has mostly been kept under wraps. Chavez briefly dated actress Salma Hayek before marrying Amalia Carrasco, with whom he had two sons who are also professional boxers. His addiction to alcohol and cocaine may have been the catalyst for their divorce. In 2014 he married his current wife Myriam with whom he had a daughter. In 2017, his brother was murdered during a home robbery, prompting Chavez to speak publicly against crime and corruption in Mexico. He currently works as an analyst for ESPN and TV Azteca.

Who is Saul “Canelo” Alvarez?

20 Minutes Of Canelo Alvarez's Best Moments In The Ring

At 5’9 and 168 lbs, the red-haired, fiery fighter from Guadalajara is presently one of the world’s best boxers. He is the undisputed super middleweight champion and has won 39 of his 60 professional bouts by knockout. He started his boxing journey at the age of 13, following in the footsteps of his 6 older brothers, all of whom ventured into professional fighting. 

Canelo broke onto the international scene when he played undercard at a Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight in Las Vegas, effectively crushing three-division world champion Shane Mosley. He continued to rise in popularity, even when a 6-month ban from a failed drug test kept him out of the ring. 

One of the biggest reasons for his jump to international fame is his dedication to learning English. He also improved his skill on the golf course, where he also often dominates. In an interview with Marca, Canelo revealed “The truth is that I always practice with my golf friends, I’m playing with them, I practice, I speak a lot of English and now I say, if I make a mistake, it doesn’t matter”. Canelo confidently conducts interviews with English-speaking reporters and, more importantly, talks trash English speaking fighters like Demetrius Aldadre in the press room. 

Want to watch Canelo in action? He will be up against Tijuana-born Jaime Munguía on May 4, 2024 in Las Vegas. The fight will be live-streamed on Prime Video and accessible from Mexico on ESPN and TV Azteca.

Who is Oscar de la Hoya?

Oscar De La Hoya | Top Knockouts, HD

Los Angeles born De la Hoya started boxing at the tender age of 6. His grandfather had been an amateur boxer and his father a professional before De la Hoya’s parents moved from Mexico to the US. In 1992 he won the Gold medal at the Barcelona Olympics granting him the nickname “Golden Boy” and kickstarting a very successful career in the ring. By age 24, he was earning up to US$20 million per fight. At 28, he became the youngest boxer ever to win five world titles. 

Life seemed equally as exciting outside of the ring. His good looks attracted the likes of Miss USA Shanna Moakler and Puerto Rican singer and model Millie Corretjer, both of whom he married. He dabbled in entertainment, releasing an album called “Oscar” in 2000 and receiving a Grammy nomination for his song “Ven a Mi”. In 2002 he started a successful promotion agency that now represents multiple champions in boxing. 

In 2023, HBO released “The Golden Boy,” a documentary about de la Hoya’s life. Reviews are mixed about the authenticity of the boxer’s confessions, seemingly in line with the way he’s presented himself to the media during past controversies. Despite this, de la Hoya remains a popular character, and represents both Mexico and the United States in the ring.

Who is Jackie Nava?

Jackie Nava vs Alys "La China" Sanchez

Tiny and fast, Jackie Nava’s name is well-known in the world of women’s fighting. Her small size is somewhat ironic — as a child she was drawn to combat sports after a gym teacher called her chubby. She started with karate which led her to Limalama, Muay Thai, and kickboxing. Her professional boxing debut came in 2001 when she beat Vicky Cozy in Honolulu. 

Despite her petite 5 ‘3 stature, Nava holds world championship titles across two weight classes and is affectionately called “La Princesa Azteca”. She retired in 2022 at 42 years of age with almost as many victories, finishing with a total of 40 wins and 16 knockouts (or nocaut in Spanish, how cute is that). 

Nava has advocated for gender equality in fighting sports and inspired many Mexican women, including Flyweight champion and CDMX-born Yessica “Kika” Chávez, to pursue their passion. Now that she’s no longer throwing punches, Nava raises her two girls and works as an architect in her hometown of Tijuana.

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.

Mexico again tops the list in exports to US and sets a Q1 record

By
MND Staff
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Mexican flag
The U.S. spent $119.85 billion on imports from Mexico between January and March. (Jorge Aguilar/Unsplash)

Mexico remained the top exporter to the United States in 2024’s first quarter, shipping products worth almost US $120 billion to its northern neighbor, according to U.S. government data.

The United States Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday that the U.S. spent $119.85 billion on imports from Mexico between January and March.

Doors for Audi vehicles lined up in a row in a Mexican factory
Much of Mexico’s export income comes from manufactured goods. including cars, computers and machinery, mostly made by foreign companies. These are doors being made for Audi vehicles at the company’s plant in San José Chiapa, Puebla. (Carlos Aranda/Unsplash)

The figure is 3.8% higher than the value of Mexico’s exports to the U.S. in the first three months of last year, and a record for the first quarter of any year.

Most of Mexico’s export income comes from manufactured goods including cars, computers and machinery, but it is also a significant exporter of agricultural products and oil.

Mexican exports to the United States in Q1 were worth almost $19 billion more than those of Canada, which was the second largest exporter to the U.S. in the period.

China ranked third, shipping products worth $97.62 billion to the world’s largest economy.

In 2023, Mexico surpassed China to become the top exporter of goods to the United States.

In the first quarter of this year, Mexico spent $80.16 billion on imports from the United States, a 1.2% decline compared to a year earlier. That left Mexico with a Q1 trade surplus of $39.68 billion with the U.S., a record high.

Shipping containers being lifted by a crane
The U.S.’s former longtime top exporter, China, ranked No. 3 in the U.S.’s data for 2024’s first three months. (Bernd Dittrich/Unsplash)

Two-way trade between Mexico and the United States was worth $200.01 billion between January and March, a 1.7% increased compared to the first quarter of last year.

Mexico thus remained the United States’ largest trade partner in the first quarter of the year, ahead of Canada and China.

Exports down in March 

Although Mexico’s exports to the U.S. increased 3.8% in annual terms in Q1, they declined 2.9% to $41.56 billion in March, according to the U.S. government data. It was the first time since April 2023 that Mexico’s exports to the U.S. declined on a year-over-year basis.

Mexico’s imports from the U.S. fell 8.1% in March to $26.9 billion. Mexico’s trade surplus with the U.S. was thus $14.66 billion in March.

Two-way trade was worth $68.46 billion in March, a 5% decline compared to the same month of 2023.

Other ‘need-to-know’ economic data

With reports from Reforma and El Financiero

How do Mexico’s presidential candidates compare on campaign spending?

By
MND Staff
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Xóchitl Gálvez, Claudia Sheinbaum and Jorge Álvarez Máynez
Which presidential candidate has spent the most on the campaign so far? (Cuartoscuro)

Opposition bloc presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez is leading ruling party aspirant Claudia Sheinbaum on one measure ahead of the June 2 election — campaign spending.

While most polls show that Sheinbaum is on track to become Mexico’s next president, campaign expenditure reports submitted to the National Electoral Institute (INE) by the three candidates show that Gálvez has been the biggest spender so far.

Xóchibus on the road
Opposition PAN-PRI-PRD candidate Xóchitl Gálvez has toured the country by bus. (Xóchitl Gálvez/X)

The PAN-PRI-PRD candidate reported spending of 202.56 million pesos (US $11.9 million) during the first two months of the campaign, which began March 1.

Sheinbaum, candidate for the ruling Morena party and its allies, reported spending of 193.85 million pesos (US $11.4 million) between March 1 and April 30, while Jorge Álvarez Máynez of the Citizens Movement party disclosed expenditure of 141.92 million pesos (US $8.3 million).

Each of the candidates is limited to spending a total of 660.97 million pesos during the campaign period, which will conclude May 29. Political parties receive public funding, but they can also accept private donations.

Gálvez: candidate for the National Action Party (PAN), the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD)  

Gálvez, who visited 60 cities across 27 states during the first two months of the campaign, reported the following spending to the INE:

  • 75.24 million pesos (37% of her total expenditure) on social media and other online advertising.
  • 66.53 million pesos on “utilitarian advertising” such as T-shirts and hats.
  • 29.12 million pesos on street advertising such as billboards.
  • 19.65 million pesos on public events and other promotional activities.
  • 10.4 million pesos on payments to employees and property rentals.
  • 1.56 million pesos on television and radio advertising known as “spots.”
  • 43,000 pesos on advertising in print publications.

Sheinbaum: candidate for the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), the Labor Party (PT) and the Ecological Green Party of Mexico (PVEM)

Presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum speaks at a recent campaign event in Ayala, Morelos.
Presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum speaks at a recent campaign event in Ayala, Morelos. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro.com)

Sheinbaum, who held events in 123 municipalities in 29 states during the past two months, reported the following spending to the INE:

  • 86.15 million pesos (45% of her total expenditure) on public events.
  • 69.31 million pesos on street advertising.
  • 22.86 million pesos on social media and other online advertising.
  • 13.9 million pesos on payments to employees, property rentals and travel expenses.
  • 741,000 pesos on “utilitarian advertising.”

Álvarez Máynez: candidate for the Citizens Movement (MC) party

Jorge Álvarez Máynez at a campaign event
Citizens Movement (MC) candidate Máynez has spent the least of the three candidates so far. (Cuartoscuro)

Álvarez Máynez, who campaigned in 21 states in March and April, reported the following spending to the INE:

  • 54.53 million pesos (38% of his total expenditure) on public events.
  • 28.6 million pesos on street advertising.
  • 25.52 million pesos on social media and other online advertising.
  • 21.22 million on television and radio advertising.
  • 6.28 million pesos on payments to employees and property rentals.
  • 5.74 million pesos on “utilitarian advertising.”

More election reading

It is exactly one month before Mexicans will go to the polls to elect a new president and thousands of other representatives including federal lawmakers, state governors and mayors.

You can see our full coverage of the upcoming elections — including reviews of the presidential debates, interviews with candidates and opinion pieces — by clicking here.

With reports from Reforma 

All aboard? Work on Mexico City-Querétaro passenger train could start this year

By
MND Staff
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red Canadian Pacific Rail train on railroad tracks
CPKC de México's president told the news media outlet Milenio this week that a proposed passenger train between Mexico City and the city of Querétaro is well on track. (Shutterstock)

The feasibility study for the planned Mexico City-Querétaro passenger train will be completed by the end of this month as scheduled and work on the railway could start before the fall, Canadian Pacific Kansas City de México (CPKC)’s president said in an interview this week.

Oscar del Cueto told the newspaper Milenio that construction could begin before President Andrés Manuel López Obrador leaves office on Oct. 1.

Oscar del Cueto,posing with model trains in background
Oscar del Cueto is the head of CPKC’s holdings in Mexico. He told the news media outlet Milenio this week that the long-awaited high-speed train could break ground before President López Obrador leaves office on Oct. 1. (Mexican Railroad Association)

CPKC began its economic feasibility analysis in August 2023 with the goal of determining “the requirements regarding infrastructure, rolling stock, right-of-way, connectivity and number of stations, among other factors,” Del Cueto said at the time.

This is the latest incarnation of a project to connect the two cities by train, originally proposed in 2012 during the Enrique Peña Nieto administration. However, that original proposal was suspended in 2015 after charges of corruption emerged. In 2020, the López Obrador administration announced the train project would be taken up again, and in July 2023, CPKC signed an agreement with the government to develop the proposal. 

In November, the president published a decree declaring passenger train services a priority for national development, with the goal of restoring Mexico’s passenger train network to its former glory. The decree outlined a plan to reactivate seven national passenger routes, giving companies with active concessions for freight tracks — including CPKC — first crack at presenting proposals to implement passenger services.

CPKC, formerly two separate companies, was created in April 2023, when the Canadian rail company Canadian Pacific Railway merged with the United States company Kansas City Southern. As a result of the merger, Kansas City Southern de México became part of the newly created CKPC’s holdings, allowing the new company to take advantage of the nearshoring trend by creating single routes connecting Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.  

Since the merger, the CPKC has boasted that it is “the railway line of the USMCA [U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement].”

“We are the only railway company that connects all three North American nations on a single line,” Del Cueto told Milenio. “We have more than 32,000 kilometers (19,883 miles) of track and we employ more than 20,000 people and we connect to 12 ports.”

Map of proposed passenger service railways in Mexico
A map showing the proposed routes from private companies Grupo México and CPKC. (Jorge Nuño/X)

“The options we offer in a very competitive market are striking, helping us stand out not only in Mexico but in the United States and Canada,” Del Cueto said. 

This year, CPKC will invest upwards of US $485 million in infrastructure projects in Mexico, including several bypasses from Monterrey, Nuevo León, to Celaya, Guanajuato, a cross-border bridge from Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, to Laredo, Texas, as well as improvements at the Lázaro Cárdenas railroad yard in Michoacán.

“We are opening a new gateway from Asia via the Port of Lázaro Cárdenas, with which we can connect to northern Mexico as well as the eastern United States,” said Del Cueto, who also talked of a new service called Mexico Midwest, an express intermodal service linking the state of San Luis Potosí with Chicago.

As of March, the effort by Mexico’s government to renew passenger train service had produced eight proposals for routes currently only used by freight trains. In addition to the CDMX-Querétaro route, CPKC submitted a proposal for passenger service between the cities of Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Monterrey, and Nuevo Laredo.

With reports from Milenio, Infobae and Mexico Business News

Are remittances to Mexico losing steam?

By
MND Staff
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Woman's hands holding 500-peso bils
Remittances to Mexico had their first drop (on an annual basis) in March since 2020. (Cuartoscuro)

Remittances sent to Mexico from abroad declined in March compared to the same month of 2023, but the total for the first quarter of the year was still above the amount received in the same period 12 months earlier.

Remittances — the vast majority of which are sent from the United States — totaled US $5.02 billion in March, a 3.3% decline compared to the same month last year, the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) reported Thursday.

It was the first time since April 2020 that incoming remittances fell compared to the same month of the previous year. The previous year-over-year-decline coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Banxico also reported that remittances totaled $14.1 billion between January and March, a 1% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. Remittances last year totaled $63.31 billion, the highest level on record.

Although monetary transfers from abroad fell in March, the total for the month was higher than the amounts received in each of January and February.

The 1% year-over-year growth in remittances between January and March was the weakest first quarter result since early 2013.

Remittances Chiapas
Many Mexicans in rural areas are dependent on the funds sent by family members in the United States. The remittances that flow into Mexico are an important part of the Mexican economy. (Isabel Mateos/Cuartoscuro)

Banxico said that the average remittance in the first quarter of 2024 was $385, an increase of $3 compared to the same period of last year. Almost 99% of the money that flowed into Mexico in remittances was transferred electronically.

Remittances are extremely important for the Mexican economy, but their purchasing power here has been eroded by the strength of the peso — which was trading at just under 17 to the dollar at midday Thursday — and inflation.

To compensate for the stronger peso, there is evidence that some migrants have increased the amounts they send in dollars.

The vast majority of remittances are sent by hard-working, honest Mexicans who are often described as “heroes” by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

However, the think tank Signos Vitales said in a report last year that around 7.5% of the more than US $58 billion in remittances sent to Mexico in 2022 could be linked to drug trafficking.

With reports from El Economista, Reuters and El Universal

3 arrested as search continues for 3 missing foreigners in Baja

By
MND Staff
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Missing persons poster with pictures of three men
Australian brothers Callum and Jake Robinson and their U.S. friend Jack Carter Rhoad were reported missing Wednesday.(Internet)

Mexican and Australian news sources are reporting that three Mexicans have been detained in connection with the disappearance of three foreign tourists in Baja California who had failed to contact family since last weekend and who had not reached accommodations booked in Rosarito.

Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson and their American friend, Jack Carter Rhoad, all aged in their early 30s, were reported missing by the Australians’ mother on Wednesday.

Two adult men holding a black lab type dog between them
From left to right: brothers Callum Robinson and Jake Robinson are originally from Australia. They were last seen in Rosarito, Baja California. (Callum Robinson/Instagram)

They apparently disappeared after a surfing and camping trip to Punta San José, a beach south of Ensenada. They were traveling in a white Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck with license plates from the U.S. state of California.

“Reaching out to anyone who has seen my two sons,” Debra Robinson said in a Facebook post to the Talk Baja group on Wednesday. “They have not contacted us since Saturday 27th April.”

“They are traveling with another friend, an American citizen,” Robinson wrote. “They were due to book into an Airbnb in Rosarito after their camping weekend, but they did not show up. Callum is a Type 1 diabetic, so there is also a medical concern. Please contact me if you have seen them or know their whereabouts.”

As of Thursday afternoon, Mexican law enforcement authorities hadn’t publicly commented on the men’s disappearance. However, a Mexican journalist told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that a woman was detained just south of Ensenada in the town of Maneadero, in possession of one of the men’s phones.

“A woman … about 25 years old … was detained in possession of it,” Mario Muñoz said, citing police sources.

Citing local media, the ABC also said that Mexican authorities had discovered that one of the missing trio’s phones had been switched on “around an hour’s drive” from “where the men were last seen.” The authorities reportedly became aware of that information while searching for the men around La Bocana, a coastal location about 70 kilometers south of Ensenada.

Two men holding surfboards on a beach by the shore
Callum Robinson, right, in the U.S. in March. (Callum Robinson/Instagram)

On Thursday, Australia’s 9 News reported that one of its reporters had been told by Baja California Attorney General María Elena Andrade that the number of people arrested in connection with the case was now up to three — including the woman found with a phone belonging to one of the three missing men. According to 9 News, Andrade said that investigations were focusing on three abandoned tents discovered south of the Ensenada region.

The Mexican newspaper La Zeta Tijuana reported that blood and human remains had been found in a tent in La Bocana. However, no other news outlets appeared to have reported that information.

According to the Reforma newspaper, the government of Ensenada, Baja California, said that it had requested local authorities to conduct an “urgent search” for the three missing men in the southern areas of the Ensenada municipality.

Social media posts abruptly stopped 

The ABC reported that the Australian men had been posting social media updates from “what looked like an epic surf trip” in Baja.

However, they “went quiet on Saturday,” the broadcaster said.

“Callum lives over in America, and Jake was visiting, and they sort of posted fairly regularly about their trip up until the weekend,” a friend of the two men told ABC Radio in Perth, where the brothers hailed from.

“Obviously, friends and family are quite concerned,” said the friend.

According to a missing persons poster disseminated online by family and friends, the Robinson brothers and Carter Rhoad were last seen on Sunday near the K-38 surf spot south of Rosarito.

“They did not check into their Airbnb near K-38 and Callum did not return to work in San Diego as scheduled,” the poster says.

However, reports said that the last time the men were seen was in fact in Santo Tomás, a town more than 100 kilometers south of Rosarito.

Callum Robinson playing for New York Atlas lacrosse team, about to pass the ball
According to posts on his Facebook page, Callum is a professional lacrosse player who had represented Australia in competition and also played for New York Atlas, a team in the U.S. Premier League. (Callum Robinson/Facebook)

Callum Robinson reportedly moved to the United States to play lacrosse at college. His brother, a doctor, studied medicine at a university in Perth.

In a post to Facebook, Lacrosse Australia said it “joins with the rest of the Australian lacrosse family in expressing its concerns over the whereabouts of Australian lacrosse star Callum Robinson, Callum’s brother Jake and their friend, Jack Carter Rhoad who have been missing since 27 April in the Rosarito/Ensenada region of Baja California Norte, Mexico.”

“… If anyone in the U.S. or Mexico has information which can help, please contact your local law enforcement agency.”

Two Australian surfers, Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, were killed in Sinaloa in 2015. Their bodies were found in their burned-out van.

With reports from ABC, 9 News and The Sydney Morning Herald

Why I’m proud of being a ‘provinciana’

By
MND Staff
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Despite centuries of negative connotations, being a 'provinciana' is something totally different in 2024, explains Gabriela Solís. (escapadas.mx)

If you’ve lived in Mexico City for a while, you might have come across the term “provinciano,” — which literally means “from the province” or “provincial.” The term is used by Mexico City residents to refer to any Mexican who is not from the capital. 

While the word is not derogatory in itself, it can be perceived as offensive by people who are not from Mexico City. Mexican TV networks have even stopped using “province” to refer to other states and instead use “in the interior of the country” or “in the states” in response to complaints against this word.

This is a provincial town, apparently. (Unsplash)

But should we really get offended?

I’m from Guadalajara, which makes me a provinciana. Growing up, I used to hear adults say that chilangos — the colloquial demonym for Mexico City natives — had a sense of superiority over the rest of the country and that they would express this by calling all those from other cities provincianos. 

After marrying my husband — a Mexico City native — and moving to the capital, I realized that when chilangos call us provincianos, it’s not meant as an insult. Rather, they use it plainly for what it means: we are not from the capital. 

But Mexico doesn’t have provinces. So why do they call us that? It turns out the country did in fact have provinces once, and the term has never left the capital’s lexicon.   

Where does “provincia” come from?

New Spain, as Mexico was known before independence, was divided into “provinces” that were often very different from the states of today. (WG55/Reddit)

While there are no provinces in Mexico, there used to be during Spanish colonialism, like the provinces of New Galicia, Zacatecas and Colima, which made up the kingdom of New Galicia within New Spain. Even more recently, the country was divided into provinces during its first years as an independent nation. 

“Province” is believed to come from the Latin word “vincere,” meaning “to triumph” or “to conquer.” It was used during Roman times to refer to all those territories outside of Rome that were defeated in war and subjected to Roman rule.

From 1821 to 1823, as the First Mexican Empire, the country had 21 provinces. In 1823, the number grew to 25. With the Constitution of 1824, the provinces became states, with the number of territorial divisions shrinking to 17 states and two territories. The number of states and territories continued to change throughout the rest of the 19th century, usually hovering in around 28 states. Finally, in 1974, Mexico abolished the status of territory, recognizing 31 states and a Federal District (DF). In 2016, the Federal District was abolished, becoming Mexico City, a federative entity on the same level as the 31 states, which are also federative entities.

Throughout all these changes, the one thing that remained the same even after independence, was the capital — it was always today’s Mexico City. And all other places that were not the capital were provinces, even when the name later changed to states. 

Why is being a “provinciano” considered negative?

The reason behind the negative connotation of “provincia” is its association with being from rural areas. Spain’s version of the Oxford English Dictionary, the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) gives  four different definitions for “provinciano.”

  1. Natural or inhabitant of a province, as opposed to that of the capital.
  2. Belonging or relating to a province or its inhabitants.
  3. Excessively attached to the mentality or customs of their province. Synonyms: flat, simple, closed minded, pueblerino (from a small village).
  4. Not very elegant or refined.

Historically, people from a country’s provinces were attributed the third and fourth definitions — unrefined and closed minded. Provinces were mostly rural areas, but opportunities and resources were mostly concentrated in the capital, leaving those in the provinces with little chance for social advancement. 

Corn farmer in Mexico
Some definitions of ‘provinciano’ are considered classist by modern standards, though the word is rarely used in a derogatory term these days. ( Dreamstime)

I’ve personally never heard a chilango refer to provincianos in a derogatory way, but many from other states do feel offended when they hear the term, given its connotations.

Beyond the two meanings given by the RAE, calling someone a provinciano highlights an issue that has existed since Spanish colonization: Mexico’s tendency towards centralization. 

For decades, states have criticized excessive political centralization and decision-making from Mexico City, a phenomenon that the newspaper El País has described as “being forged hand in hand with another feature of Mexican political culture: presidentialism.” 

The provinces in modern Mexico

In modern times, there’s been an effort to decentralize politics and accommodate regional problems on equal terms. For instance, in the 2018 presidential election, the National Electoral Institute (INE), whose job is to organize public elections, organized presidential debates in Tijuana, Baja California and Mérida, Yucatán, as well as in Mexico City. 

This year, however, all debates ahead of the presidential election on June 2, will happen, once again, in Mexico City. Centralization extends beyond politics to areas including entertainment, education, cultural events and professional opportunities. To this day, the country’s top hospitals are in Mexico City. 

However, the panorama has changed in recent decades, with the “provinces” emerging as important business and cultural centers that, in some cases, have surpassed Mexico City.  

For instance, the Teconlógico de Monterrey is ranked as Mexico’s best university and the fourth-best in Latin America, according to the Times Higher Education’s 2023 Latin America University Rankings. Monterrey, Nuevo León, is now the leading destination for nearshoring. San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato and Oaxaca city have emerged as Mexico’s cultural references, and Jalisco is world-famous as the birthplace of Mexico’s staple spirit,  tequila. 

Torres Obispados
Modern Mexico is much more diverse, with wealth and culture spread across the country. (T.Op/Facebook)

Moreover, some of the world’s most popular beach destinations are located on the Yucatán Península, while one of Lonely Planet’s best beaches in the world is in Baja California. 

While the capital is still one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities in the world, with a wide offer of entertainment, culinary and educational offers, the provinces have their fair share of attributes to be proud of. Showing resentment for being called provinciano is as outdated and unjustified as saying that chilangos have a superiority complex.  

More and more, the country’s other states are gaining worldwide recognition, changing the focus from Mexico City. As provincianos, we should feel proud and honored when someone calls us what we are.

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.

All you need to know about Eastern medicine in Mexico

By
Ana Paula De la Torre
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3
Seeking a holistic alternative to modern medicine? Why not consider traditional Eastern medicine instead. (CC)

Traditional Chinese medicine has been practiced for 3,000 years since the origin of Taoism, the I Ching, and the ideas of Confucius. It is one of the few millennia-old traditional medicines that have not only prevailed but continued to develop and spread throughout the world. In fact, since 1979, acupuncture (a component of traditional Chinese medicine) has been officially recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a treatment for more than 40 diseases.

The United States National Cancer Institute defines Chinese medicine (also known as Eastern medicine) as: “A medical system that has been used for thousands of years to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. It is based on the belief that qi (the body’s vital energy) flows along meridians (channels) in the body and keeps a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health in balance. Oriental medicine aims to restore the body’s balance and harmony between the natural opposing forces of yin and yang, which can block qi and cause disease. Oriental medicine includes acupuncture, diet, herbal therapy, meditation, physical exercise, and massage.”

A foot doctor at work: the male patient is seated on a bench and smoking a pipe. Watercolour by Zhou Pei Qun, 1890. (Wellcome Collection gallery)

Today, Eastern medicine is considered an advanced and complete medical science that uses different therapeutic techniques such as acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, phytotherapy, and qigong. It first arrived in Mexico in the late 19th century due to the influx of Chinese migrants seeking to go to the United States.

The most influential period for Eastern medicine in Mexico came in the 1960s when academic exchanges allowed Mexicans to pursue formal acupuncture studies in China. The first doctors to participate were Tomás Alcocer González and Octavio Ramírez Vargas. Upon their return from China, they proposed training centers to offer acupuncture courses for other doctors. This initiative was developed by the National Polytechnic Institute at the National School of Medicine and Homeopathy from 1986 to 1994.

Where to find practitioners of Eastern medicine in Mexico

An acupuncture chart showing major points on the human body. (Wellcome Collection)

Traditional Eastern medicine is now so popular that you can find practitioners in virtually every state and city in Mexico. We have compiled a selection based on the best-ranked places, as well as those with the most reviews on Google.

Mexico City

Acupuntura China CDMX

Jin Xuan, who offers services in Colonia Navarte, has more than 1,000 favorable reviews with a rating of 4.9.

Monterrey

Dr. Juan Zhang Zhang 

Dr. Juan Zhang Zhang practices acupuncture and moxibustion; his training began as a surgeon and midwife at the University of Monterrey. He holds a certificate of excellence on Doctoralia with more than 100 favorable opinions.

Guadalajara

Acupuntura Yintang

The Jalisco Eastern medicine specialists combine traditional acupuncture techniques with physical therapy and have nearly perfect ratings on Google.

Cancún 

Soplo Divino Acupuntura

Traveling to the beach? Soplo Divino in Cancún is highly rated, with many very enthusiastic reviews about its therapists.

Oaxaca

Atención Terapéutica Integral Oaxaca

Here you can find a combination of holistic services based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, and chiropractic.

Representations of energetic points in millenary acupuncture. (pixabay.com)

Eastern medicine in modern-day Mexico

The relationship between Mexico and Eastern medicine is exceptional. The National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico was one of the first official institutions in the world to teach the specialty of human acupuncture. The Metropolitan Autonomous University (UAM), one of Mexico’s highest-ranked universities according to the prestigious Times Higher Education list, offers a certification in Acupuncture and Phytotherapy. Students of alternative medicine can also study at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, which offers a master’s degree in traditional Chinese medicine with a specialty in acupuncture and moxibustion.

However, the enthusiasm and promotion of traditional medicine are not limited to the academy. The Institute of Security and Social Services for State Workers (ISSSTE), a government organization, collaborated with the Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Beijing to create their first acupuncture and moxibustion seminar. Additionally, the Mexico City Ministry of Health (Sedesa) has provided more than 50 thousand free consultations of acupuncture and phytotherapy through the newly established Specialized Center for Integrative Medicine (CEMI) in 2021.

Furthermore, according to Julio César Almanza, coordinator of the acupuncture and phytotherapy certification program at the Metropolitan Autonomous University, many Mexicans have turned to traditional Eastern medicine in recent decades due to chronic health problems like diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

Out of all of the impacts China has had on the rest of the world, the country’s traditional medicine is arguably one of its greatest contributions, not only for patients seeking treatment but also for advancing a more comprehensive understanding of medicine and disease.

Which traditional Chinese medicine clinic would you add to our list?

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice. The writer and Mexico News Daily assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content on this site. Individuals should always consult with qualified professionals regarding medical procedures, including plastic and/or cosmetic surgery, and medical aesthetic treatments, as well as consider their jurisdiction’s applicable laws and regulations.

Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator for various outlets including Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.

Google plans to move engineering, finance jobs to Mexico after layoffs

By
MND Staff
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1
Google CEO Sundar Pichai
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. (Shutterstock)

Goodbye Silicon Valley, Hello Mexico City.

Google’s workforce in the Mexican capital looks set to grow as the tech company is planning to move some engineering and finance roles to Mexico, according to reporting by CNBC.

Google Mexico City headquarters
Google’s Mexico City headquarters, located at 445 Montes Urales in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood. (Wikimedia Commons)

The news media outlet reported Wednesday that Google had laid off at least 200 employees from its “Core” teams prior to its positive earnings report on April 25. CNBC said that the layoffs were part of a “reorganization that will include moving some roles to India and Mexico.”

Citing filings, the news outlet said that at least 50 of the positions eliminated were engineering roles at the company’s offices in Sunnyvale, one of the cities located in the California high-tech hub known as Silicon Valley.

Many Core teams — which include developers and computer engineers — “will hire corresponding roles in Mexico and India,” CNBC said, citing internal documents it saw.

Google’s Mexico office is located in Mexico City, so at least some engineering roles to be shifted to Mexico will likely move there. The company is currently advertising for six Mexico-based engineering and technology positions, four of which list Mexico City as the location and two of which are “remote eligible.”

It was unclear whether any of those positions were meant to replace ones eliminated in Sunnyvale.

The news that Google plans to shift some engineering jobs to Mexico — a growing data center hub — comes two weeks after Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat announced that the company was restructuring its finance department and that some positions would be moved to Mexico City and Bangalore.

Ruth Porat of Alphabet Inc
According to CNBC, Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat told Google employees that bringing jobs to Mexico is part of the tech giant’s strategy to create “hubs” not only in Mexico City but also in Dublin, Bangalore, Chicago and Atlanta. (File photo/Wikimedia Commons)

“The tech sector is in the midst of a tremendous platform shift with Al,” Porat said in a memo to employees obtained by CNBC.

“As a company, this means we have the opportunity to make more helpful products for billions of users and provide faster solutions to our customers, but it also means we collectively have to make tough decisions, including how and where we work to align with our highest priority areas,” Porat’s memo said.

Porat also said that Google “would create ‘hubs’ for more centralized operations, including in Bangalore, Mexico City, Dublin, Chicago and Atlanta,” CNBC reported.

Google’s Mexico City headquarters are located in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood, east of the historic center. The “seven-story vibrant building” already “serves as a hub for several teams, including Sales, Cloud Engineering, Marketing, and more,” according to Google.

The plan to shift jobs to Mexico comes at a time when Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is significantly reducing its workforce.

“Alphabet has been slashing headcount since early last year, when the company announced plans to eliminate about 12,000 jobs, or 6% of its workforce, following a downturn in the online ad market,” CNBC said Wednesday.

“Even with digital advertising rebounding recently, Alphabet has continued downsizing, with layoffs across multiple organizations this year.”

With reports from CNBC

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