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What’s on in the Riviera Maya this March

By
Bel Woodhouse
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Woman in Tulum, Quintana Roo
Life is always beautiful on the Riviera Maya and there's plenty to do in March. (Jorge Fernández Salas/Unsplash)

Punk seniors, scout youngsters, family fun runs and motorcycle rides for charity, everyone is getting out and about this month in the Riviera Maya. There are also candlelight symphonies and high-energy big-name acts like Ricky Martin later in the month. Let’s not forget our furry friends with a hug beach dog festival for the pups, too. 

ABU’s Punks Edition

Punks Day Out
Attitude is required for ABU’s Punk Edition in Riviera Maya this month. (Facebook)

This would be a hoot. Young at heart people, grab your studded belts, leather jackets, colored wigs and get ready to rebel. Let your inner punk fly high and connect with fun people in your own punk style. Enjoy a meal and make new friends, reliving your youthful attitude. It’s something I hope we never lose. 

Date: March 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Location: Chicago Restaurant, Avenida de las Torres, Cancún

Cost: 590 pesos (ABU members); 690 pesos for general admission. 

3rd Annual Scout for a Day

This looks like great fun for kids, teens and young adults (ages 6-22). Games, adventure and camaraderie await, and parents are welcome to play, too. Nothing better than that if you ask me … the woman who refuses to grow up. Scout Group 5 Reims welcomes you with open arms, and best of all, there are snacks at the end. 

Date: March 7

Location: La Salle Primary School, Av. Tecnológico, Playa del Carmen

Cost: Free

Puerto Aventuras Race

Puerto Aventuras Race
Run-based fun for the whole family awaits at Puerto Aventuras. (Facebook)

I’m thinking of rounding up some friends and heading to this one. From the shorter 400-meter race to the more taxing 10-kilometer race, there’s fun for the whole family. Run, walk, jog or ramble with the dog — or sponsor another runner if you don’t want to run at all. All proceeds go to help renovate the Cultural Center. Everyone is welcome at this event, and it sounds exciting. 

Date: March 8

Location:  Puerto Aventuras Sports Complex

Cost: 560 pesos for adults, 480 pesos for kids

2nd Annual Poker Run

Rev up your motorcycle, as this should be a fun day riding with other bikers. Enjoying five fun stops, prizes for best and worst hands, supporting local kids and there’s live music at the end. It’s a good place to connect with the local community and riders alike. Best of all, you can go in groups or solo for a nice day out, raising money for a worthy cause. 

Date: March 8, 10:30 – 11:30 registration at Habaneros

Location: Puerto Morelos

Cost: 250 pesos for your five cards

Opera in Mérida

The Human Voice Opera will be so beautiful that I’m considering getting on a bus from Playa del Carmen and heading to Mérida. Singaporean soprano Victoria Songwei Li is starring in what promises to be an evening of culture, sophistication and elegance. It’s not something I do everyday but I do love an evening out, so who knows. Maybe I’ll see you there. 

Date: March 13, 15

Location: Palace of Music, Mérida

Cost: Tickets range from 150 to 300 pesos

Dog Beach Fest 2026

Dog Beach Fest
The Riviera Maya’s ultimate four-legged festival, with friends. (Dog Beach Fest)

I can’t wait for this one. I think it’ll be delightful to see all those happy wagging tails. A pet-friendly affair, this is the Riviera Maya’s ultimate dog festival. With 50 local exhibitors from the pet industry, costume prizes, skill contests and the main event, pups looking for forever homes in the adoption fair. It’s a great community event to attend. Humans and furry friends all welcome, hopefully in costume to win some prizes.

Date: March 14, 9:30 am

Location: Plaza Municipal, Playa del Carmen

Cost: Free

Somnia Music Festival Isla Mujeres

Check out the good vibes and the good music at Somnia 2026. (Areia)

Last year’s festival was so popular that it’s back this year. Not a chaotic random party, no, it’s an immersive experience. The place where ocean waves, music and people become part of the same frequency as the sun sets over Isla Mujeres. With limited space, it’s a fun festival, not overcrowded. 

Date: March 14

Location: Mayan Monkey, Isla Mujeres

Cost: 750 pesos

Spring Equinox viewing the feathered serpent at Chichén Itzá

Chichén Itzá
The Temple of Kukulkán at Chichén Itzá in Quintana Roo. (Daniel Schwen/Wikimedia Commons)

I’ve visited Chichen Itza a few times, so I recommend getting there early if you want to see the Mayan phenomenon of the feathered serpent descending the pyramid. It marks the start of planting season, balancing light and dark, which always attracts record crowds. And for good reason. It only happens a few times a year. So, pack a big hat and water bottle and grab your seat early, as the best time to view is between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. If you’ve got time, stay for the night light show afterwards, it’s spectacular!

Date: March 20 or 21

Location: Chichén Itzá

Cost: Cost is 648 pesos for adults, but kids 3-12 and locals pay only 100 pesos.

Candelight Concerts

Yes, that’s right, concerts. There’s not one candlelight concert to enjoy; there are two as the solstice energy flows! Kick it off, say hello to the night with an Adele tribute. Then stay on to enjoy the Coldplay vs. Ed Sheeran concert at 9 p.m., if you’re enjoying the vibe.

Date: March 21, 7 p.m. 

Location: Palacio de la Música, Mérida

Cost: From 223 pesos

Puerto Aventuras International Film Festival

With just over 20,000 residents, Puerto Aventuras is the second-largest community in the municipality of Solidaridad, behind Playa del Carmen.
With just over 20,000 residents, Puerto Aventuras is the second-largest community in the municipality of Solidaridad, behind Playa del Carmen. (Puerto Aventuras/Facebook)

Movie buffs, mark your calendars. This cinephile can’t wait for this fabulous film festival celebrating cultural diversity, global storytelling and artistic film excellence. It’s named one of North America’s top film festivals and, in my humble opinion, is the Riviera Maya’s top film festival. So fellow cinephiles, grab your popcorn and settle in. There are early bird specials, so grab your tickets as quickly as you can. 

Date: March 25-29

Location: Puerto Aventuras Zona Turística

Cost: Day passes are available for US $49; VIP red carpet ticket access for the festival is US $150. 

Ricky Martin Live

Ricky Martin
Those on the Riviera Maya who can get tickets for this one will be “Livin’ la Vida Loca.” (Fun Ticket)

I’m sure I won’t be the only one swooning while happily dancing and singing “Livin’ la Vida Loca” right alongside Ricky at this concert. I’m pretty sure this will be an unforgettable night. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m already looking up places to stay so I can dance and sing along in what is sure to be a high-energy concert. 

Date: March 28

Location: Estudio Kukulkán, Mérida. 

Cost: Prices range from 610 to 4,890 pesos

Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over seven years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.

Culture Ministry seeks to block another sale of pre-Columbian artifacts — this time, on eBay

By
MND Staff
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pre-Colubian artifact
The auction of 195 pre-Columbian artificats that belong to Mexico was set to take place on eBay in Florida, but Mexico has moved to stop the event. (Coins Artifacts/eBay)

Mexico has once again intervened in an attempted sale of valuable artifacts from its pre-Columbian past, and demanded the return of the objects.

The Culture Ministry denounced the sale planned to take place on the online platform eBay of 195 archaeological pieces and demanded that the auction by an eBay user in Orlando, Florida, identified as “Coins Artifacts,” be withdrawn. 

“After reviewing listings on the eBay platform, specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) determined that the 195 pieces offered by a user in Orlando, Florida, are pre-Hispanic artifacts from our nation,” Culture Minister Claudia Curiel de Icaza said in a post on X.

INAH’s statement says bluntly that the artifacts belong to Mexico. It points out that the export of such artifacts has been prohibited since 1827, meaning that their presence abroad derives from an illicit extraction.

Curiel stated that the Mexican government “appeals to ethics and respect” for cultural heritage and calls for the removal of the advertisements from the platform and for the adoption of the necessary measures to prevent their offering and eventual commercialization.

She added that all corresponding legal proceedings have been initiated with the aim of having the pieces repatriated to Mexican territory through official diplomatic and legal channels, in order to protect the cultural heritage of the country.

Just last week, the Culture Ministry also demanded the suspension of an in-person auction of 40 archaeological pieces by the Millon Auction House scheduled for Feb. 27 in Paris, France. 

In a statement pertaining to that case, Curiel urged the auction house to “reflect on the ethical and moral codes that should govern the marketing of looted cultural property, a practice that contributes to cultural dispossession and threatens the memory of peoples.”

Earlier this year, Mexico successfully recovered archaeological artifacts from Portugal, consisting of a female figure from western Mexico associated with fertility rituals, a polychrome Maya vessel from the Classic period and a Zapotec urn representing the god Cocijo, deity of rain and fertility.

Illicitly traded cultural property is often sold either in illegal markets around the world or through legal avenues such as public auctions, including online. Many of the artifacts that Mexico has recovered are the result of a federal government task force created in 2023 that works with local authorities abroad to seek judicial redress and halt auctions in several countries. 

Mexico News Daily

Did Sheinbaum watch Shakira’s Zócalo concert? Monday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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"Shakira is very loved by Mexican families," President Sheinbaum remarked on Monday morning, after the Colombian superstar filled the country's most iconic public plaza with 400,000 fans on Sunday night.
"Shakira is very loved by Mexican families," President Sheinbaum remarked on Monday morning, after the Colombian superstar filled the country's most iconic public plaza with 400,000 fans on Sunday night. (Camila Ayala Benabib/Cuartoscuro)

President Claudia Sheinbaum held her first morning press conference of the new month at the National Palace in Mexico City after visiting Sinaloa and Baja California Sur over the weekend.

Here is a recap of some of the most important remarks the president made at her March 2 mañanera.

‘Our goal is always to restore peace and security for the people, and we’re working on that. Mexico is fine.’

Sheinbaum responded to a question about the reestablishment of order after the death of ‘El Mencho’ triggered chaos across Mexico.

“The very complex, very difficult, very sad time … [came] on Sunday [Feb. 22]. Sad because of the loss of human lives. And things started to return to normal on Monday. Obviously, Jalisco and part of Michoacán were the most complicated [areas]. But things calmed down on Tuesday. On Wednesday, practically all economic, school and social activities resumed. … Our goal is always to restore peace and security for the people, and we’re working on that. Mexico is fine.”

The big picture:

There is no doubt that the widespread violence triggered by the operation against Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes inflicted some harm on Mexico’s international reputation. However, the fact that the all-pervasive violent chaos did not continue for days on end is a victory of sorts for the Mexican government and its security forces. That Mexico City was not plagued by the unrest seen in other parts of the country is also significant.

First and foremost, the relatively quick quelling of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel’s hostile response to the death of their leader is important because it allowed millions of Mexicans to resume their normal lives, even though insecurity remains a serious problem in parts of the country. It also allowed FIFA to maintain its confidence in Mexico as a World Cup host. Had widespread cartel violence persisted last week, it would have been much more difficult for Gianni Infantino to come out in support of Mexico.

Only time will tell whether the death of “El Mencho” will lead to CJNG infighting and, in consequence, an increase in violence in Jalisco and the many other parts of the country where the cartel has a presence.

‘Practically, 80% of the population agrees with the operation. … The majority think it will improve security.’

Sheinbaum addressed a poll by the newspaper El Financiero published on Monday that found broad public support for the operation, with 82% of respondents rating the government’s actions against El Mencho as good or very good, and 77% saying they believe those actions were the right call.

Notably, when comparing respondents interviewed before the Feb. 22 operation to those interviewed after it, the president’s approval rating jumped from 68% to 76% — an eight-point increase. In a separate survey conducted by the polling company De las Heras, 69% of respondents gave the military operation against “El Mencho” a rating of eight or higher out of 10.

Why it matters:

Sheinbaum has maintained a very high approval rating throughout her presidency, but security flashpoints can quickly tank it. Her rating dropped nine percentage points between May and December 2025 — from a high of 83% to 74% — driven in large part by public concern over insecurity, with 51% of Mexicans identifying it as the country’s biggest problem.

The polling data suggests that Mexicans not only welcomed the outcome of the operation, but credited Sheinbaum’s government for it — a meaningful vote of confidence given the building political pressure from Washington and within Mexico to dismantle the country’s most powerful criminal organizations.

‘What matters most to us is not only economic growth, but also more and better-paid jobs.’

This was Sheinbaum’s response to a presentation by the head of the Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS) on job growth in February.

According to Director Zoé Robledo, at the end of February, there were 22,527,854 formal jobs registered before the institute, representing an increase of 217,000 jobs in the first two months of 2026 and 157,882 in February alone.

Why job growth is a pressure point for the Sheinbaum administration:

At the end of 2025, the Sheinbaum administration reported net formal job creation of 278,697 — the lowest annual figure in a president’s first full year in office since Vicente Fox in 2001. Nearly three out of every four of those jobs were tied to digital platforms like delivery and ride-hailing apps, raising questions about the strength of the underlying labor market.

That makes this year’s initial job numbers — which do not include gig work — a welcome turnaround for the administration.

‘I watched some of it from the window, so that no one would see me.’

A reporter asked the president if she saw Sunday’s free Shakira concert in the Zócalo — which sits directly in front of the National Palace — to which Sheinbaum responded: “I saw part of the broadcast. Of course, from here, I could hear everything. And then, I stood there for a little while by the window, so that no one would see me; I was hiding there.”

Reporter: And did you dance?

“No, no. I didn’t go that far,” Sheinbaum responded. “But truly… The audience was amazing.”

@canal_catorcemx #Mañanera360 | La presidenta @Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo destacó la participación de miles de personas que se reunieron en el Zócalo capitalino para el concierto gratuito de @Shakira y celebró el ambiente de alegría y convivencia. “Muy bonito, la gente contenta y feliz, la calidez, la alegría, el amor, el deseo de vivir, eso es México”, expresó la presidenta, y felicitó a la jefa de Gobierno @Clara Brugada y a Grupo Modelo por la organización del evento. ➡️ @Mañanera360 con Miguel Arzate y Arlin Medrano al finalizar la #MañaneraDelPueblo de la presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum 🇲🇽 📆 Lunes a Viernes 📺 14.1 📲 @MxPlus #Zócalo #lmynlwordtour #Shakira ♬ sonido original – Canal Catorce

Later in the mañanera, the president congratulated the Mexico City government, led by Mayor Clara Brugada, for the event’s organization; Ocesa, for its production; and Shakira, for the music.

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

Mexico urges peace, monitors 7,000 nationals amid US-Israel strikes on Iran

By
MND Staff
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Ramón de la Fuente
Foreign Relations Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente met with Mexican ambassadors for almost all Middle East countries and confirmed that there are no reports that any of the 7,000 Mexicans in the region — mostly as tourists — have suffered any kind of physical harm. (SRE)

Mexico’s Foreign Ministry (SRE) has confirmed that the 7,000 Mexicans presently in the Middle East remain “safe and sound.”

In a video posted to social media on Sunday, Foreign Relations Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente said the government is “closely monitoring the situation of Mexican citizens” in the Middle East, following the attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel and Tehran’s military response.

De la Fuente confirmed that there have been no reports of incidents affecting the Mexican nationals in the region. 

“There is not a single report of anyone suffering any physical harm,” he said.

On Saturday, the SRE issued a statement expressing concern about the situation in the Middle East, while at the same time making an urgent appeal to all parties “to prioritize diplomatic channels and refrain from the use of force, in order to preserve peace and stability in the region.”

The SRE added that “[I]n accordance with our constitutional principles of foreign policy and our country’s pacifist convictions, we urge all parties to avoid further escalation of the conflict, the humanitarian consequences of which, and its effects on the civilian population and global stability, would be grave. We reiterate the need to resolve disputes through dialogue and negotiation.”

The SRE reports that its embassies in the Middle East remain “attentive and in continuous contact with Mexican nationals residing or transiting through the region, in order to provide them with the consular assistance they require.”

De la Fuente said he held a working meeting with Mexico’s ambassadors to Middle Eastern countries, on the instructions of President Claudia Sheinbaum, with the aim of learning firsthand about local conditions and the situation of Mexicans in the area.

Among those taking part in the videochat were the heads of Mexico’s diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Palestine and Qatar.  

On Sunday, during a working tour of Baja California Sur, President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to the military action by urging a peaceful resolution, while bemoaning the humanitarian consequences of the attacks.

“Mexico will always advocate for world peace, which is very necessary at this time,” she said, adding that Mexico’s Constitution establishes the foreign policy principles of self-determination, non-intervention and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

On Monday, Sheinbaum urged a return to the role of multilateral diplomacy to prevent a larger war, while lamenting that the United Nations has lost strength in this regard. 

As most airspace in the region has been closed, the SRE is working to provide alternative evacuation protocols, including land and sea routes, while prioritizing the safety of those being evacuated. It also urged Mexican nationals abroad to seek information through official channels.

With reports from Aristegui Noticias, El Economista and LopezDoriga.com

4,757 people in Chiapas set first of 3 World Cup-focused Guinness World Records

By
MND Staff
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aerial view of a giant human-formed soccer jersey
Mexico is 1 for 3 on its quest to break three World Cup-inspired Guinness World Records before the tournament kicks off in June — starting with a giant human soccer jersey in February, followed by the world's largest soccer practice in March and a massive collaborative mural in May. (@ramirezlalo_/X)

Mexico achieved a new Guinness World Record on Friday when 4,757 people gathered in Víctor Manuel Reyna stadium in the capital of Chiapas to create the biggest soccer jersey formed by human figures in the world. 

Thousands of university and preparatory students, as well as other residents of Tuxtla Gutiérrez, arranged themselves on the pitch in the shape of a jersey that measured 48 meters wide by 35.5 meters high. 

Before the event began, volunteers handed out green, red and white t-shirts, representing the colors of the Mexican national flag. Each shirt featured flags of all 32 Mexican states, symbolizing national unity as the country builds momentum toward the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to the Tourism Ministry, which organized the event.

In the center of the shirt, participants held up the slogans, “Mexico is in style” and “Chiapas is extraordinary by nature,” as a nod to the state’s outstanding natural beauty, from jungles to waterfalls and lagoons. 

The previous record for a similar feat was held by Bucaramanga, Colombia, where 2,891 people formed the image of the local soccer team’s jersey on Nov. 7, 2018. 

These events are part of the “Social World Cup” program, an initiative President Claudia Sheinbaum announced in November. The program aims to bring educational, tourism, and cultural activities to communities across the country in the lead-up to the global soccer tournament.

“I want to thank our president, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, for this opportunity to make Chiapas visible, because with this we are starting the first act of the 2026 World Cup in our country,” Chiapas governor Eduardo Ramírez Aguilar, who attended the event, wrote on social media. 

“It is a historic achievement for the state of Chiapas,” said the official adjudicator for Guinness World Records in Mexico, Alfredo Arista. 

“I have the fortune of being witness to this great image… where we can observe the fraternity that is precisely what we are looking for: The integration of families and people, to achieve a common objective to make this world, this state an amazing place,” added Arista.  

Mexico’s next Guinness World Record attempt, scheduled for Sunday, March 15, in Mexico City, will seek to hold the world’s largest soccer practice. 

With reports from La Jornada and Expansión Política

Remittances to Mexico continued their downturn in January

By
MND Staff
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500 Mexican peso and US 100 dollar banknotes. International trade concept
The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) reported Monday that Mexico received US $4.594 billion in remittances in January, a decline of 1.4% compared to the same month of 2025. (Shutterstock)

Remittances to Mexico declined in January, extending the downturn that produced the first annual drop in 12 years in 2025.

The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) reported Monday that Mexico received US $4.594 billion in remittances in January, a decline of 1.4% compared to the same month of 2025.

The month-over-month decline was 13.46%.

The fall in incoming remittances in January came after an annual decline of 4.6% in 2025, during which Mexico received $61.79 billion via international monetary transfers.

In percentage terms, the decline was the largest in 16 years and the first drop since 2013.

Most remittances to Mexico come from the United States, where millions of Mexicans live and work. Analysts partially attributed the decline in 2025 to fear of going out to work among U.S.-based Mexicans, of whom 4.3 million are “unauthorized” immigrants, according to the bank BBVA.

That fear is the product of the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation agenda.

Remittances data in detail 

Banxico data shows that a total of 11.46 million individual remittances were sent to Mexico in January, representing an annual decline of 5.2%. Almost 99% of those remittances were sent electronically.

The average remittance was $401, an increase of 3.9% compared to January 2024.

At the current exchange rate, a remittance of $401 is worth around 6,950 pesos. Millions of Mexican families depend on the money they receive in remittances to cover their basic expenses.

Banxico also reported that US $99 million in remittances left Mexico in January, a 9.3% decline compared to the same month of last year. The average outgoing remittance was $412, a decrease of 7.5% compared to January 2025.

Other need-to-know economic data 

With reports from El Sol de México 

Shakira sets Zócalo record with 400,000 fans in historic Mexico City farewell

By
MND Staff
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CIUDAD DE MÉXICO, 01MARZO2026.- La cantante colombiana Shakira ofreció un concierto en el Zócalo capitalino como parte de su último concierto del tour “Las Mujeres ya no lloran World Tour”. FOTO: GRACIELA LÓPEZ/CUARTOSCURO.COM
"There’s definitely no better reunion than that of a little she-wolf with her Mexican pack here today at the Zócalo," Shakira told her fans on Sunday night. "Forever, we are one.” (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

Colombian superstar Shakira performed for 400,000 fans on Sunday night from Mexico City’s historic Zócalo, breaking the record for most attendees ever at a concert held in the city plaza, which faces the Metropolitan Cathedral, the 14th-century Templo Mayor and the National Palace. 

“Shakira’s concert was a huge success!” Mexico City’s office of the mayor wrote on its official X account, “400,000 people gathered at the Zócalo to sing and dance along with an internationally renowned artist, in a night that will remain in the memory of the [capital].” 

President Sheinbaum — who said she viewed part of the concert from her residence in the National Palace — commented on Shakira’s record-breaking audience at her Monday morning press conference, saying “people were happy; the warmth, the joy, the love, the zest for life: that’s Mexico.”

Sunday’s show officially wrapped the Mexican leg of Shakira’s “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” (Women Don’t Cry Anymore) world tour, which saw so much demand in Mexico that the singer split her concert schedule over four separate months: March 2025, August 2025, September 2025 and February 2026. Her last four stops — of 31 total shows in Mexico — were Tuxtla Guitérrez, Chiapas, on Feb. 21; Mérida, Yucatán, on Feb. 24; and Mexico City on Feb. 27 and Mar. 1.

“This is a story of love and friendship that I have with Mexico and that can’t be compared to anything else,” Shakira said on Sunday night. “Thank you for all the excitement, all the joy you’ve made me feel.”

Shakira’s concert in the heart of the capital saw the highest attendance ever recorded for a free concert in the Zócalo, surpassing Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (300,000 in 2023) and Grupo Firme (280,000 in 2022).  

“Today, I feel a mix of excitement, nostalgia and gratitude,” Shakira told the audience. “Today is our last day here in Mexico, my home. There’s definitely no better reunion than that of a little she-wolf with her Mexican pack here today at the Zócalo. Forever, we are one.”

MÉXICO, D.F27MAYO2007.-La cantante colombiana Shakira durante su presentación en el zocalo capitalino como parte de su gira Fijacion OralFOTO: SAÚL LÓPEZ ESCORCIA/CUARTOSCURO.COM
Shakira performing in the Zócalo in May 2007. (Saúl López/Cuartoscuro)

Shakira had previously performed in the Zócalo in 2007 as part of her Oral Fixation Tour. Back then, the newspaper El Universal reported that her concert drew around 210,000 people. 

Free concerts in Mexico City’s Zócalo have been organized by the city government and corporate sponsors (Grupo Modelo paid for Shakira’s Mar. 1 concert in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Corona beer brand) since the 1980s. It was during the 1990s, however, that they became a more recurring cultural tradition.

Some of the most notable examples include national and international superstars like Vicente Fernández (2009), Britney Spears (2011), Paul McCartney (2012), Roger Waters (2016) and Rosalía (2023), among others. 

Recent cartel violence following the government’s killing of cartel boss “El Mencho” on Feb. 22 had many wondering if Shakira’s show would go on. However, the Sheinbaum administration’s robust security response guaranteed that for Shakira and Mexico, “whenever, wherever … we’re meant to be together.”

With reports from Sonica, Quadratín and El Financiero

More than 600 vehicles were stolen in the aftermath of El Mencho’s takedown

By
MND Staff
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burnt car
Many of the stolen cars were set ablaze in Jalisco, and then left on the spot for several days. (Héctor Colín/Cuartoscuro)

Following the Feb. 22 operation to take down the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), the Mexican Association of Insurance Institutions (AMIS) received reports that at least 631 insured vehicles had been stolen nationwide.

Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” was killed a week ago Sunday in a military operation in the municipality of Tapalpa, 130 kilometers south of Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, which led to retaliatory violence across the region by El Mencho’s followers.

TIJUANA, BAJA CALIFORNIA, 22 DE FEBRERO DE 2016.- Diversos hechos violentos se registraron en Tijuana, entre ellos la quema de vehículos en la avenida Internacional y en las colonias Altamira y Herrera, así como un ataque con bombas molotov contra una tienda Oxxo en la colonia Oaxaca, lo que generó una fuerte movilización policiaca. Además, un vehículo tipo pick up fue incendiado y quedó atravesado sobre la carretera a Playas de Tijuana, en las inmediaciones del muro fronterizo, bloqueando parcialmente la circulación en la zona. También se reportaron incidentes en los municipios de Tecate y San Quintín. La gobernadora de Baja California, Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, informó que los hechos derivan de un operativo federal en el que fue abatido un presunto líder criminal, y anunció el reforzamiento de la seguridad en todo el estado. Tras los hechos, tiendas Oxxo cerraron temporalmente y el transporte público fue retirado de manera preventiva.. La imagen muestra un taxi incendiado en la avenida Internacional. FOTOS: OMAR MARTÍNEZ / CUARTOSCURO.COM
Many of the stolen cars were set ablaze as roadblocks. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

The AMIS said that nine out of 10 vehicles reported stolen between Sunday, Feb. 22, and Tuesday, Feb. 24, were taken from the three states where most of the unrest took place — Jalisco, Michoacán to its south and Nayarit to its north.

But car thefts were up in other parts of the country as well, representing an unusual spike compared to the daily average that had been recorded during February.

AMIS director general Norma Alicia Rosas described the situation as an “atypical robbery spree,” an extraordinary phenomenon that is unlikely to alter the downward trend observed in car thefts in recent months. Rosas insisted that the spike was directly linked to the violent events that occurred on Feb. 22 in Jalisco.

“The daily average of thefts in Jalisco might be 12,” she said. “Between Sunday and Tuesday of that week, 396 vehicles were stolen in Jalisco, out of a total of more than 630 thefts nationwide.”

Many of the stolen cars were set ablaze as roadblocks. Rosas said that vehicles that were stolen with violence are likely to be covered by insurance companies. 

But anyone whose vehicle was stolen or is missing is advised to file a report with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for theft, and theft alone. If the car was stolen and set ablaze, policyholders should not classify any subsequent action as vandalism, since that is not covered under the general terms of automobile insurance. 

Second on the list of vehicle thefts was Michoacán, with 101 cases, and Nayarit followed with 80, the AMIS said. An additional 10 vehicles were reported stolen in Guanajuato, which borders Jalisco to the east.

As for damage to commercial establishments and buildings as a result of the unrest, the AMIS said each incident must be reported to the corresponding insurance company for evaluation. 

Because coverage depends on the specific terms of each policy, and adjustments must be made on a case-by-case basis to determine the compensation amounts, the AMIS declined to provide a definitive assessment of the damage caused to businesses.

With reports from La Jornada, Reporte Indigo and TV Azteca

Funeral for El Mencho draws heavy security as CJNG leader is laid to rest in Zapopan

By
MND Staff
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13
El Mencho's body was expected to remain at the funeral home before interment at a cemetery in the municipality of Zapopan on Monday afternoon, according to the local newspaper El Informador.
El Mencho's body was expected to remain at the funeral home before interment at a cemetery in the municipality of Zapopan on Monday afternoon, according to the local newspaper El Informador. (X)

The body of Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes arrived in Guadalajara on Sunday for burial, one week after the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was fatally wounded in a military operation in Tapalpa, Jalisco.

Oseguera’s body was transported to the Jalisco capital from Mexico City by road and arrived at a funeral home in the San Andrés neighborhood at around 9:40 a.m., according to a source who spoke to the Guadalajara-based newspaper El Informador.

The body was expected to remain at the funeral home during a wake, before interment at a cemetery in the municipality of Zapopan on Monday, according to El Informador. There was a strong security presence around the funeral home on Sunday morning.

Oseguera’s remains were taken to Mexico City last Sunday after the CJNG leader died en route to a hospital in Jalisco after he was shot by soldiers during an operation at the Tapalpa Country Club estate.

The Federal Attorney General’s Office said on Saturday that his body had been handed over to unidentified family members. It said that genetic tests were carried out to confirm that there were “blood ties” between the person who requested the body and the deceased.

According to a death certificate issued by the Mexico City Civil Registry, Oseguera died from gunshot wounds he sustained to his chest, abdomen and legs.

Floral arrangement a nod to Oseguera’s love of cockfighting  

In addition to El Mencho’s body, floral arrangements arrived at the San Andrés funeral home on Sunday morning.

In a social media post, the news outlet Quadratín Jalisco published photos of two of those arrangements, one of which was in the form of a rooster. Oseguera — a Michoacán native who was 59 at the time of his death — was nicknamed “El Señor de los Gallos” (The Lord of the Roosters) due to his love of cockfighting.

Quadratín Jalisco said that a second floral arrangement, which also consisted of red roses, was emblazoned with the initials CJNG, the cartel “El Mencho” founded and led until his death last Sunday.

El Informador reported that another floral arrangement included a message that read: “From a family that will always be grateful.”

Mexican and U.S. intelligence allowed authorities to locate Oseguera at the Tapalpa Country Club, where he received a visit from a “romantic partner” just before his death, according to Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla Trejo.

The operation targeting “El Mencho,” who was wanted in Mexico and the United States, triggered a violent reaction from the CJNG, which set up fiery narco-blockades, set businesses ablaze and engaged in gunfights with security forces, including members of the National Guard, 25 of whom were killed.

With reports from Informador, López-Dóriga Digital, El Financiero and Reforma

Henequen: the tainted history of Yucatán’s ‘green gold’

By
John Pint
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7
Henequen
Henequen was once known in Mexico as "green gold" due to its economic power. (Michiel1972/Wikimedia Commons)

U.S. entrepreneurs called it “sisal” (because it was shipped from the port of Sisal in the state of Yucatán). The Mayas referred to it as ki or jeniquén, and the Spaniards settled on henequén.

No matter its name, people in this part of the world were weaving the fibers of the Agave fourcroydes, native to the Yucatán Peninsula, into ropes, mats and textiles perhaps as far back as 4,600 years ago. By the 19th century, as global shipping expanded and agriculture demanded durable binder twine, henequen emerged as Mexico’s “green gold.” 

Henequen produts
Henequen can be woven into a range of diverse products, from ropes and mats to textiles. (John Pint)

On top of their other qualities, these fibers would last ten times longer than hemp in seawater.  If you were a Malay pirate, you had to have rigging made of henequen!

Yucatán quickly became the world’s leading supplier, exporting millions of tons of fiber to the United States and Europe.  At the beginning of the twentieth century, Mérida had the distinction of hosting more millionaires per capita than anyplace on the face of the earth.

Train ride to enslavement

Behind the prosperity, however, lay a darker story. Under the regime of Porfirio Díaz, thousands of Yaqui Indians from Sonora were forcibly deported to Yucatán. As journalist John Kenneth Turner revealed in his 1911 exposé “Barbarous Mexico,” many Yaquis—including pregnant mothers—were marched hundreds of kilometers from San Blas to San Marcos, Jalisco, before being shipped to the plantations. At the San Marcos train station, those who survived the trek were sold for as little as 25 centavos a head, then packed into train cars bound for Veracruz and onward to Mérida.

Once on the plantations, the Yaquis endured brutal conditions. Turner described how they were beaten at roll call, forced to cut and trim at least 2,000 leaves per day under the blazing sun, and locked up at night. 

Women were separated from their families and coerced into “marriages” with Chinese laborers, and every child born on the plantation represented profit for the owner. Turner estimated that two-thirds of the Yaquis died within their first year of servitude. So it was that slavery persisted in Mexico decades after its official abolition.

The local Maya, meanwhile, formed the backbone of the henequén workforce. Dispossessed of their communal lands, they were bound to haciendas through debt peonage. Workers were forced to take on debts at marriage or upon joining a hacienda, with debts structured so they could never be repaid. Entire families became tied to the estate for generations, living in poverty and working under harsh quotas. Though technically “free,” their lives were controlled by hacendados who dictated marriages, debts and even religious practices.

Koreans and Chinese

Black and white photo of a group of men and boys working in a henequen processing factory, possibly in Yucatán. They are wearing simple work clothes and hats, and are handling large bundles of dried henequen. They are shown around a conveyor belt, with one man carrying a bundle on his shoulder, and others loading bundles onto the machine. The background shows a brick wall of the factory building.
Koreans came to Mexico originally on indentured laborer contracts to work in Yucatan’s henequen fields. (Mexican National Archives)

The Yaquis and Mayas were not alone. On May 4, 1905, more than 1,000 Koreans disembarked at Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, after a grueling trans-Pacific voyage aboard the SS Ilford. They had left an impoverished Korea in search of opportunity, only to be sold as indentured laborers to Yucatán’s henequen plantations. Their descendants, now numbering in the tens of thousands, remain part of Mexico’s multicultural fabric. Chinese workers also labored under harsh conditions, creating a workforce that was diverse but deeply exploited.

For decades, henequen was indispensable to world trade. But by the 1940s, the invention of nylon and other synthetic fibers devastated demand. The once-prized crop became nearly worthless, and Yucatán’s economy — so dependent on henequen — plunged into crisis. Plantations closed, workers were abandoned, and the industry that had defined a region collapsed almost overnight.

Revival and collapse

In the years that followed, scientists and farmers sought ways to revive henequen. Research institutions in Mérida experimented with new uses, from biodegradable composites to textiles and even tequila production. One of the most ambitious efforts was the development and distribution, since 2017, of “henequen élite,” a genetically improved variety designed to grow faster and yield stronger fibers. These innovations offered hope that henequen might find a niche in modern markets, particularly as consumers began to value eco-friendly materials. Nevertheless, large-scale revival remained elusive, as synthetics continued to dominate.

Recent reports paint a grim picture. According to Yucatán news outlets, henequen production has collapsed almost entirely. Farmers complain of low prices, aging plantations, and a lack of government support. What was once the lifeblood of Yucatán is now a fading memory, with production dropping to historic lows. Today, henequen survives mainly in small-scale artisanal uses — woven hammocks, decorative crafts and heritage projects that keep the tradition alive but cannot sustain an industry.

Remembering the legacy

The story of henequen is not just about a plant. It is about global trade, human resilience and exploitation. From sailors’ ropes to Yaqui extermination, henequen embodies both Mexico’s ingenuity and its darkest chapters. Economically, it built fortunes and cities. Culturally, it left behind haciendas, mansions and a diaspora of workers. Morally, it exposed the brutality of Díaz’s regime, remembered through Turner’s “Barbarous Mexico“ and through testimonies of survivors.

Today, as production collapses, perhaps the greatest challenge is not reviving the industry but remembering its lessons — that prosperity built on injustice cannot endure. The eucalyptus trees growing around San Marcos station, nourished by the bodies of Yaqui victims, may be the truest memorial to Yucatán’s “green gold.”

John Pint has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of “A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area” and co-author of “Outdoors in Western Mexico.” More of his writing can be found on his website.

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