A federal port authority had set aside territory for Amigo LNG, which seemed to be the final word on permission to develop the liquefied natural gas facility. But pressure from environmental groups concerned about its likely damage to marine wildlife in the Gulf of California has hounded the project. (Amigo LNG)
The start of construction on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the northern state of Sonora has been temporarily halted by a federal court, even though a government port authority granted the project 36 hectares last year.
The Amigo LNG terminal — planned for Catalina Bay south of Guaymas, Sonora on the Gulf of California — would receive natural gas from the United States by pipeline, cool it into a liquid for shipment and export it by tankers to Asian markets.
Amigo LNG was granted 36 maritime hectares in Guaymas, Sonora, to build a liquefied natural gas facility for shipment across the Gulf of California to Asia. (Semar)
A federal judge in Sonora granted a definitive suspension that temporarily bars the previously authorized construction while the court reviews an amparo (a constitutional rights challenge) filed by the environmental group Nuestro Futuro.
Last week’s ruling, which followed a Sept. 18 hearing, does not cancel the project or revoke Amigo LNG’s separate agreement with the Guaymas National Port System Administration (ASIPONA Guaymas), a federal port authority.
In April 2025, ASIPONA Guaymas granted Amigo LNG rights to use 36 hectares in Catalina Bay, according to documents obtained by the newspaper El País.
Awarded directly, without a public bidding process, the agreement allows the company to build and run an LNG terminal in the area.
El País reported that developers chose Mexico because similar terminals have faced stricter environmental rules and opposition on the U.S. West Coast.
The project would process at least 250,000 tonnes of LNG in its first year. That figure would rise to 3.7 million tonnes a year beginning in its 10th year — a volume equivalent to 50 to 60 large LNG carriers.
They also say public documents regarding the Amigo LNG terminal did not provide enough information to fully assess risks to marine life and coastal communities.
Mexico’s Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (ASEA) said it believes the suspension could remain in place until the court resolves the amparo.
The project cannot begin construction while the suspension remains in force.
Amigo LNG is one of several proposed projects intended to move gas from Texas’ Permian Basin through Mexico and across the Pacific to Asian markets.
Morena has designated 17 "state coordinators of the transformation and national sovereignty," most of whom — if not all — will be formally declared candidates for governor in their respective states. (Camila Ayala Benabib/Cuartoscuro)
An ex-chief of the federal government’s Financial Intelligence Unit and a former state attorney general are among 17 men and women selected as the ruling Morena party’s presumptive candidates for gubernatorial elections next June.
Sixteen of the 17 presumptive candidates were selected via surveys conducted by Morena, the main party of the “fourth transformation” (4T) political movement led by President Claudia Sheinbaum. The presumptive candidate in San Luis Potosí was selected by consensus.
The 10 women and seven men selected by Morena were designated as “state coordinators of the transformation and national sovereignty.”
It is likely that the Labor Party (PT) and the Green Party (PVEM) will support most, if not all, of the candidates selected by Morena. Both the PT and the PVEM are allies of Morena.
Morena’s 17 presumptive gubernatorial candidates are listed below in alphabetical order by the states they are seeking to govern. Morena already governs 12 of the states where gubernatorial elections will be held next year. MND will cover prospective candidates from other parties in future articles.
Morena’s presumptive gubernatorial candidates
AGUASCALIENTES: Nora Ruvalcaba Gámez, a federal senator (currently on leave) and ex-deputy education minister. Aguascalientes is currently governed by the National Action Party, or PAN. The current governor is María Teresa Jiménez Esquivel.
BAJA CALIFORNIA: Julieta Ramírez Padilla, a federal senator (currently on leave) and ex-deputy. Baja California is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, whose U.S. visa was revoked last year.
BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR: Manuel Alejandro Cota Cárdenas, a state deputy (currently on leave) who represents the PVEM in Baja California Sur. Cota is the son of former Baja California Sur Governor Leonel Cota Montaño. Baja California Sur is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío.
CAMPECHE: Pablo Gutiérrez Lazarus, former mayor of Carmen, the municipality in Campeche that includes Ciudad del Carmen. Campeche is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Layda Sansores.
CHIHUAHUA: Cruz Pérez Cuéllar, mayor of the border city of Ciudad Juárez between September 2021 and June 2026. Chihuahua is currently governed by the PAN. The current governor is María Eugenia (Maru) Campos Galván, who has faced criticism this year after CIA agents allegedly participated in a drug lab raid in Chihuahua without the knowledge or authorization of the federal government.
COLIMA: Rosa María Bayardo Cabrera, a former mayor of Manzanillo, has also served as economic development minister in Colima and as a federal deputy. Colima is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Indira Vizcaíno Silva, who was elected in 2021, ending more than 70 years of uninterrupted Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) power in Colima.
GUERRERO: Beatriz Mojica Morga, a federal senator (currently on leave) and former state deputy. Mojica contested the 2015 gubernatorial election in Guerrero as the candidate for the Democratic Revolution Party. Guerrero is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Evelyn Salgado Pineda, who was selected to represent Morena at the 2021 gubernatorial election in Guerrero after her father was barred from running.
MICHOACÁN: Carlos Torres Piña, attorney general of Michoacán from July 2025 to September 2026. Torres, who led the investigation into the 2025 assassination of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, served as Michoacán government secretary between 2021 and 2025, and was twice a federal deputy. Michoacán is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla.
NAYARIT: Jasmine María Bugarín Rodríguez, a federal senator (currently on leave) who represents the PVEM. Bugarín was born in Los Angeles and is a dual Mexican-U.S. citizen. She has pledged to renounce her U.S. citizenship. Nayarit is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Miguel Ángel Navarro Quintero.
NUEVO LEÓN: Clara Luz Flores Carrales, a former federal deputy and ex-head of the National Public Security System. Flores was Morena’s candidate at the 2021 gubernatorial election in Nuevo León, at which she attracted 14% of the vote to place fourth. Nuevo León is currently governed by the Citizens Movement (MC) party. The current governor is Samuel García, who opted against a presidential run in 2024 after briefly eyeing MC’s nomination.
Clara Luz Flores Carrales beat out Tatiana Clouthier for the coordinator position in Nuevo León. (Camila Ayala Benabib/Cuartoscuro)
QUERÉTARO: Santiago Nieto Castillo, a former Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) chief who has also served as head of the electoral crimes division of the Federal Attorney General’s Office, attorney general in the state of Hidalgo and general director of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property. Nieto resigned as UIF chief in 2021 in the wake of controversy surrounding his lavish wedding celebrations in Guatemala. Querétaro is currently governed by the PAN. The current governor is Mauricio Kuri.
QUINTANA ROO: Eugenio Segura Vázquez, a federal senator (currently on leave) and former finance minister in Quintana Roo. Quintana Roo is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is María Elena (Mara) Lezama.
SAN LUIS POTOSÍ: Eli César Cervantes, a former federal senator. San Luis Potosí is currently governed by the PVEM. The current governor is Ricardo Gallardo Cardona.
SINALOA: Imelda Castro Castro, a federal senator (currently on leave) and former state deputy. Sinaloa is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Graciela Domínguez Nava, sworn in on an interim basis in late August. Governor Ruben Rocha Moya, accused by U.S. prosecutors of drug trafficking in league with the Sinaloa Cartel, is on indefinite leave.
SONORA: Lorenia Iveth Valles Sampedro, a federal senator (currently on leave) and a former federal deputy. Sonora is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Alfonso Durazo, who served as federal security minister for two years in the government led by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
TLAXCALA: Ana Lilia Rivera Rivera, a federal senator (currently on leave) and a former state deputy. Rivera is known as “la senadora del maíz” (the corn senator) due to her activism to protect native corn from genetically modified crops. Tlaxcala is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros.
ZACATECAS: Verónica Díaz Robles, a federal senator (currently on leave) and a former federal government delegate in Zacatecas. Zacatecas is currently governed by Morena. The current governor is David Monreal, brother of Ricardo Monreal, Morena’s leader in the lower house of federal Congress.
Some 80 million animals belong to the 69% of Mexican households that have pets. But
Mexico ranks first in Latin America and third worldwide in terms of animal abuse.
(Margarito Pérez Retana / Cuartoscuro.com)
The Mexican Senate approved on Tuesday wide-ranging legislation that recognizes animals as sentient beings and prohibits their mistreatment and cruelty as it holds owners or caregivers accountable for their health, nutrition, living conditions and mental well-being.
Though most notably aimed at the 69% of Mexican households that include pets (totaling some 80 million animals, according to the national statistics agency INEGI), the law would apply to all animals under human care, including those used in sports and entertainment; those on exhibition in zoos, aquariums or educational farms; those used in marketing; and even animals being raised for human consumption.
Public awareness of the longstanding problem of sub-par treatment of animals in captivity escalated recently with tales of dolphin deaths and injuries in resort marine mammal shows. (Iván Stephens/Cuartoscuro)
The bill, formally the General Law on Animal Welfare, Care, and Protection, passed the Senate on a 115-1 vote. It amends provisions of the Federal Laws on Animal Health and on Film and Audiovisual Media, as well as the General Laws on Wildlife, Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection and Civil Protection. It is now being debated in the Chamber of Deputies.
Mexico ranks first in Latin America and third worldwide in terms of animal abuse, with more than 10,000 formal complaints of animal abuse registered between 2024 and 2026.
The Mexican Constitution prohibits animal abuse. But in recognizing animals as sentient beings with rights, the new law would go further by establishing obligations for people who have animals in their care, such as providing them food, water, veterinary care and a suitable place to live.
Failing to do so — or taking any action or making any omission that causes pain or suffering, or endangers the life and well-being of animals — will be considered a punishable offense subject to a fine, administrative arrests of up to 36 hours, confiscation of the animals, closure of establishments or the revocation of permits or concessions.
Furthermore, the bill establishes that anyone who mistreats or abandons an animal will be responsible for its veterinary care, rehabilitation and shelter costs. In addition, it supports the creation of abuse reporting mechanisms and a national registry of animal welfare violators.
PAN Senator Gina Gerardina Campuzano González said that the bill seeks to open a new chapter for animal protection, especially in Mexico, where she says seven out of 10 animals suffer abuse, “so we are not talking about an isolated problem.”
More rain is expected in Xalapa throughout the rest of the week. (Tonatiuh Navarro/Cuartoscuro)
The heavy rains that battered Xalapa, Veracruz, between Monday night and the early hours of Tuesday morning resulted in the death of two individuals, as well as severe flooding, landslides and damage across dozens of neighborhoods in the capital city.
In a radio interview cited by news outlet Quadratín Veracruz, Mayor Daniela Griego Ceballos said that the fatalities included a man in the Independencia neighborhood who was killed by a landslide, and a young woman who lost her life after becoming trapped in a flooded building in the area of San Bruno.
A 23-year-old woman lost her life after becoming trapped in the supermarket where she worked. (Tonatiuh Navarro/Cuartoscuro)
At the time of the interview, Griego said there were no other reports of people seriously injured, trapped or in similar situations.
The intense rainfall left damage across Xalapa. Initial reports from municipal authorities recorded 31 instances of rising water and 64 cases of flooding or pooling water at various locations in the city. As damage assessments progressed, the government of Veracruz reported that the emergency had caused damage in 43 neighborhoods and affected at least 60 homes.
Griego explained that one of the highest rainfall totals was recorded in Lomas del Seminario, which saw 135 millimeters of rain.
According to forecasters, more rain is expected in Xalapa throughout the rest of the week. Griego urged residents to avoid exposing themselves to danger, particularly those living in high-altitude areas, on slopes or in high-risk zones.
She warned that conditions remain hazardous because the ground is still waterlogged and water continues to accumulate in some areas, which could lead to further damage.
“The best course of action would be to go to a relative’s home or to a shelter to avoid putting yourselves at risk,” she advised.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Port Development Ministry (Sedecop), in coordination with local governments, announced it would conduct a census of businesses affected by rains, flooding and overflowing waterways in Xalapa and nearby municipalities to quantify the damage and losses suffered by small businesses and merchants.
Head of Sedecop Ernesto Pérez Astorga said that once the assessment is complete, a proposal for financial support for the affected businesses will be presented to Governor Rocío Nahle García.
Ensenada fisherman Tomás Aguilar recently reeled in a 600-pound US Navy training torpedo, a catch he calls "a keeper." (This image was generated using AI tools)
ENSENADA, Baja California — A local fisherman has formally declined three separate diplomatic requests and an increasing financial settlement from the United States Department of Defense to return an inert MK 54 practice torpedo he hauled aboard his vessel last week, insisting that under international maritime traditions, the weapon is legally his.
Tomás Aguilar, 58, netted the 9-foot, 600-pound U.S. Navy training device 20 nautical miles southwest of Ensenada after initially mistaking it for an unusually heavy dorado. Since towing the ordnance back to port, Aguilar has tethered the torpedo to his dock, outfitted it with a blue tarp to protect its painted finish, and repeatedly informed visiting Navy representatives that he intends to keep it.
Despite increasingly lucrative offers from the U.S. Navy, Aguilar continues to insist the torpedo is now his. (This image was generated by AI tools)
“They lost it off San Clemente Island two weeks ago, its battery died, and it drifted into Mexican waters,” Aguilar said while polishing the torpedo’s bronze propeller assembly with an old towel. “In the bay, if you leave a lobster pot unattended for two weeks, it belongs to the sea. The same principle applies here.”
The impasse has drawn escalating attention from defense officials in Washington, who initially offered Aguilar a standard finders’ fee of US $500 and a ceremonial U.S. Navy cap. By Monday afternoon, negotiations had involved officials from both the U.S. Department of State and Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE), with the American counteroffer rising to US $45,000, a diesel engine overhaul and lifelong entry privileges to the San Diego Naval Base commissary.
Mexican diplomatic personnel have attempted to mediate the standoff, noting that while federal maritime protocol generally encourages the swift return of foreign military equipment, Aguilar’s legal defense — supported by three retired local harbor captains — remains surprisingly robust under 19th-century salvage precedent.
“We have gently explained to Mr. Aguilar that maintaining personal ownership of foreign naval ordnance creates an unusual precedent for regional bilateral relations,” said a spokesperson for the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, speaking on condition of anonymity. “However, he has presented a signed receipt from the Ensenada harbor master labeling the object as ‘unclaimed aluminum float,’ which is kind of accurate, I guess.”
Pentagon officials have privately expressed frustration over the delay, emphasizing that while the MK 54 REXTORP contains no active explosive warhead, it remains classified training hardware containing proprietary sonar technology. Aguilar, however, remains unmoved by security concerns, noting that the device’s painted nose cone makes it an ideal centerpiece for his niece’s upcoming quinceañera.
At press time, delegates from the U.S. Naval Attaché were reportedly assembling on the Ensenada pier alongside Mexican Navy representatives, preparing to offer Aguilar a refurbished commercial panga boat and full salvage indemnity in exchange for the weapon.
President Sheinbaum also said on Wednesday that she was not aware of any investigation into Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, the son of former President López Obrador, after the New York Times published an article suggesting the United States is looking into whether he has ties to organized crime and fuel smuggling. (Presidencia)
Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
🇲🇽 Sheinbaum backs ban on dual nationals running for president or governor: Responding to the Senate’s approval of a constitutional reform bill, the president said that “the presidents of Mexico can only have one flag, one homeland, one people to defend.” She stressed that Mexican citizens can hold multiple nationalities, but said that anyone who wants to be a governor or president “must have only one nationality.”
📰 Sheinbaum downplays NYT report on López Beltrán: Asked about a Sept. 29 New York Times report stating that two U.S. law enforcement agencies are looking into accusations of ties between Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, the son of former President López Obrador, and organized crime and fuel smuggling, Sheinbaum noted that the report said no formal investigations had been launched.
📁 FGR has files on some of the people sanctioned by the U.S.: Asked about Tuesday’s U.S. Treasury Department sanctions against Sinaloa Cartel “leaders” and “facilitators,” Sheinbaum said that “some of these people” are already subject to Federal Attorney General’s Office investigations. Among those sanctioned are Ismael Zambada Sicairos, son of detained kingpin “El Mayo” Zambada, and Carlos Alberto Torres Torres, the ex-husband of Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila.
Why today’s mañanera matters
President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to a significant national development and a significant international development at her Wednesday morning press conference.
The significant international development was the U.S. Treasury Department’s announcement on Tuesday of sanctions against 21 alleged Sinaloa Cartel “leaders” and “facilitators,” including the former husband of the Morena party governor of the northern border state of Baja California.
Also of note at today’s mañanera was Sheinbaum’s response to a New York Times report about Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, son of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. López Beltrán, known as “Andy,” formerly served as Morena’s secretary of organization and is now aiming to be elected as a federal deputy in next year’s elections. He has denied allegations of corruption leveled against him.
For her part, Sheinbaum, on Wednesday morning, made it clear — once again — that she is no fan of The New York Times.
Sheinbaum: ‘The presidents of Mexico can only have one flag’
A reporter asked the president about the Senate’s approval of the “dual nationality” constitutional reform bill.
“The presidents of Mexico can only have one flag, one homeland, one people to defend,” Sheinbaum said.
She stressed that Mexican citizens can hold dual nationality, triple nationality or even quadruple nationality.
However, “any person who wants to be a governor or wants to be president must have only one nationality,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum responds to NYT report on Andrés Manuel López Beltrán
A reporter asked Sheinbaum about a New York Times report headlined, “A Former President’s Son Poses a Test for Mexico’s Governing Party.”
The Sept. 29 report states: “Two U.S. law enforcement agencies are looking into accusations of Mr. López Beltrán’s supposed ties to organized crime and fuel smuggling, but they have not launched formal investigations, according to five people with direct knowledge of the agencies’ inquiries who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.”
López Beltrán revealed in August that his U.S. visa had been revoked. He said at the time that there was “no reason whatsoever” for the “crude and perverse act of villainy” against him.
Asked whether the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) will have to open an investigation into López Beltrán in light of the New York Times report, Sheinbaum first pointed out that the article was written by “the same reporter” who wrote a story on fentanyl production in a kitchen in Culiacán while “there was hot sauce to one side.”
On Wednesday morning, she downplayed the report published by the Times on Tuesday.
“It says: It’s not confirmed, there is no formal investigation, but it seems they told me some agencies are investigating,” Sheinbaum said, purporting to paraphrase the Times report.
“Just imagine! [This is] the New York Times,” she said.
“That’s what the article says. Read it,” Sheinbaum added.
Sheinbaum descalifica el reporte del @nytimes sobre posibles investigaciones a Andy en EU
Ataca directamente a la periodista que escribió la nota
“It’s not confirmed; there is no formal investigation, but they told me that perhaps, maybe, U.S. agencies are investigating. That’s the New York Times article by the same reporter who said that fentanyl was cooked in a normal kitchen in Culiacán. It’s impossible,” she said.
Sheinbaum said she wasn’t aware of any investigation into López Beltrán by the FGR.
“The Attorney General’s Office would have to inform, but we don’t have knowledge [of an investigation],” she said.
Sheinbaum: ‘Some’ OFAC-sanction individuals are already under investigation in Mexico
A reporter asked the president whether the Baja California state government led by Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda should be investigated by the FGR given that the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions on Tuesday against Ávila’s ex-husband, Carlos Alberto Torres Torres.
In a press release titled “Treasury Sanctions Sinaloa Cartel Leadership and Corruption Networks,” the Treasury Department said that “Sinaloa Cartel-enabled narco-corruption has reached the highest levels of the Baja California state government” and alleged that “[a]t the center of this narco-corruption scheme is the ex-husband of the Governor of Baja California, Carlos Alberto Torres Torres (Carlos Torres) and his brother Luis Alfonso Torres Torres (Luis Torres).”
The Treasury Department said that Carlos Torres, a former federal and state deputy, “uses his political influence to facilitate cartel activities and protect the Sinaloa Cartel from government and law enforcement intervention in Baja California.”
“The U.S. Department of State revoked Carlos Torres’s U.S. visa in May 2025 due to his cartel affiliation and work on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel,” Treasury said.
Carlos Torres is under investigation for crimes allegedly committed while he was married to Baja California Gov. María de Pilar Áviles (Carlos Torres/Facebook)
“Some of these people whose accounts were frozen yesterday already had investigation files in the Attorney General’s Office, but not all of them,” she said.
Governor Ávila said in January that Torres was the subject of an FGR probe that stemmed from an anonymous complaint implicating her ex-husband in a plot to allow a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel to operate in Baja California.
The governor’s U.S. visa was also revoked last year, but she denied any criminal wrongdoing. However, in a telephone conversation with one man identified as an “external” FBI adviser and another man identified as an FBI “special agent,” Ávila said she was willing to cooperate with U.S. authorities, apparently in order to avoid possible criminal charges in the United States and extradition to that country.
Members of the National Action Party (PAN), staged a protest on the Senate floor under the argument that this amendment to the Constitution represents a betrayal of migrants. (Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican Senate has approved a constitutional reform establishing a requirement of exclusive Mexican nationality for those aspiring to the presidency, a state governorship or the head of government of Mexico City.
The bill, championed by President Claudia Sheinbaum, was approved by the Senate with 86 votes in favor — from the ruling party Morena, the PT and the PVEM — and 42 against, cast by members of the PAN, the PRI and Movimiento Ciudadano (MC).
Approved in both general and specific terms by a qualified majority, the bill now needs to be ratified by at least 17 state legislatures, where Morena also holds parliamentary majorities.
If approved, the law would come into force starting in 2028 to avoid affecting those seeking a governorship in next year’s elections. Nor will it affect those already holding such positions at the time the law enters into force.
Morena Senator Óscar Cantón stated that the reform does not eliminate any political rights or cancel any nationality. Rather, it seeks to prevent “temptations, ambitions and betrayals” against the people of Mexico, as occurred in the regimes of Antonio López de Santa Anna (1853-1855) and Porfirio Díaz, who stayed in power for over 30 years (1877-1880 and 1884-191).
PAN Senator Laura Esquivel Torres said that this amendment to the Constitution sends the message that “migrants are less Mexican and do not have the same rights.”
Echoing her statement, PRI Senator Alejandro Moreno said that holding another nationality does not make anyone an enemy of the nation, and that claiming a document determines loyalty is “a dangerous notion and an insult to our fellow citizens.”
Meanwhile, PT Senator Lizeth Sánchez said that the reform seeks to defend Mexico’s sovereignty, because external pressures influence decisions that belong to the Mexican people.
Sheinbaum has said that no president should have “two flags” or “two peoples” to respond to. For her, the heads of the executive power must maintain an exclusive legal and political loyalty to the Mexican state.
Surprisingly, two Morena Senators born in the United States voted in favor of the reform.
Senator Ricardo Sheffield acknowledged having been born in Los Angeles, California, and confirmed that his father was American, though he denied holding that citizenship himself — despite the fact that his siblings do.
Senator Javier Corral was born in El Paso, Texas, while Senator Cecilia Guadiana (also with Morena), who has been alleged to hold U.S. citizenship, requested a leave of absence for Sept. 29 and 30 and did not participate in the vote.
In July 2026 — our fifth focus month — the Mexican economy scored a 73.1/100 according to the MND Economy Index™. (Mexico News Daily)
THE MND ECONOMY INDEX™
Providing broad insight into the Mexican economy
MND Intelligence · Fifth edition
Welcome to the fifth edition of the MND Economy Index™, part of the MND Intelligence™ suite of data products from Mexico News Daily.
The MND Economy Index™ is a 10-pillar, 19-indicator composite index that compiles a broad range of economic data into a single score between 0 and 100, giving Mexico News Daily readers a clear, accessible picture of how the Mexican economy is performing across multiple dimensions.
(Mexico News Daily)
In the inaugural MND Economy Index™ article, published in late May, we not only analyzed the index score — 63.4 out of 100 — but also explained what the index is, why we developed it and how it works. Click here to read (or re-read) those explanations.
In this September edition of the MND Economy Index™ — which uses economic data primarily from the month of July — the index score is 73.1, a notable increase of 6.2 points compared to the previous score.
The score for July is easily the highest since we began publishing the MND Economy Index™, reflecting improvements in several of its component pillars.
Before we look more closely at the latest index result, here is a short guide to what the overall index score means.
85–100: Exceptional — the economy performing at a high level across nearly all indicators.
75–84: Strong — strong broad-based performance with only minor areas of concern.
60–74: Above neutral — meaningful strengths, but with notable room for improvement.
50–59: Mixed — passing marks overall, more indicators above benchmark than below.
Below 50: Broad underperformance — more indicators below benchmark than above.
The September edition of the MND Economy Index™ (based mainly on July data)
As noted above, the MND Economy Index™ score for this September edition is 73.1, an increase of 6.2 percentage points compared to the previous score. Below you will see the score for each of the ten pillars that make up the index, expressed out of 10 to reflect each pillar’s exact contribution to the final composite score.
Pillars are color-coded using a traffic light system: green (a score above 7.5) indicates strong performance; yellow (5.0–7.5) signals decent performance but with room for improvement; and red (below 5.0) flags a pillar that is falling short of its benchmark. Where a pillar score has improved compared to the previous month, an upward arrow appears alongside its corresponding traffic light; a downward arrow indicates a deterioration; and a pause symbol denotes no change.
As you’ll see below, scores for five of the ten MND Economy Index™ pillars increased in July compared to the previous month. Scores for the other five pillars declined. Collectively, the increases were more significant than the decreases, allowing the index score to rise.
It is noteworthy that, for the first time since we began publishing the MND Economy Index™ on a monthly basis, none of the pillars registered a red-light score.
🟢 ⬆️ INFLATION (9.68)
The score for this pillar increased to 9.68 in July from 9.33 in June. The inflation pillar thus replaced the monetary policy pillar as the largest contributor to the overall index score.
Annual headline inflation eased to 3.12% in July from 3.37% in June, causing an increase in the score for the current inflation component of the pillar. At 3.12%, the inflation rate was just 0.12 percentage points above the Bank of Mexico’s 3% target.
The score for the pillar component that considers the 12-month forward inflation forecast also increased as the Bank of Mexico anticipates an annual rate of 3.2% in the third quarter of 2027, which, of course, includes the month of July. The central bank is predicting a slightly higher inflation rate of 3.3% in the second quarter of next year. We used the Bank of Mexico’s Q2 2027 forecast for the previous edition of the MND Economy Index™ as it corresponded to the month of June.
The score for this pillar declined to 9.32 in July from 9.57 in June.
The Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest rate remained at 6.50% in July after the central bank’s board voted to keep it at that level at a monetary policy meeting in late June. Therefore, there was no change in the interest rate component of the pillar score.
The deterioration in the pillar score was due to an increase in Mexico’s real interest rate in July — i.e., the Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest rate minus the annual headline inflation rate. The real interest rate in July was 3.38%, a reading 0.68 points above the 2.7% neutral midpoint. The real interest rate in June, at 3.13%, was closer to the neutral midpoint than the reading in July.
🟢 ⬆️ MANUFACTURING SECTOR HEALTH (7.9)
The score for this pillar increased in July, rising to 7.9 from 6.9 in June.
The exports component of the pillar remained at the maximum score due to a 43.7% annual increase in export revenue in July, well above the 16.7% threshold needed for a perfect ten. Official data shows that almost 94% of Mexico’s export revenue in July came from the shipment abroad of manufactured goods.
The score for this pillar increased to 7.6 in July from 4.4 in June. The large increase in the score allowed economic growth to move from being a red light pillar to a green light pillar in the space of a single month.
The increase was due to a significantly higher annual economic growth rate in July. The annual growth rate in July was 3.3%, according to final data published by INEGI last week, whereas the rate in June was 1.7%.
The score for this pillar was 7.41 in July, down slightly from 7.43 in June.
The score for the sovereign credit ratings component of the pillar remained unchanged in July, as there were no month-over-month changes to the Mexico ratings of Moody’s (Baa3/stable); S&P (BBB/negative); and Fitch (BBB-/stable).
The slight decline in the overall pillar score was due to a modest widening in Mexico’s 5-year credit default swap spread. The credit default swap spread was 87.19 basis points at the end of July, up from 86.87 basis points at the end of June. The increase reflected a slight rise in the market-implied cost of insuring against a Mexican sovereign default.
🟡 ⬇️ CURRENCY STABILITY: (6.79)
The score for this pillar declined slightly to 6.79 in July from 6.8 in June.
The standard deviation of daily exchange rate movements decreased to 0.40% in July from 0.49% in June, leading to a slight increase in the score for that component of the pillar.
The decrease in the pillar score in July was due to a lower spot rate score. The score for that component declined because the peso strengthened against the US dollar in July to trade at 17.32 to the greenback at the end of the month, an appreciation of 1% compared to the end of June.
The exchange rate was thus more distant from the index’s 19.00 USD:MXN baseline, which is based on the 2025 average rate. This pillar penalizes significant deviation from the 19.00 USD:MXN baseline in either direction, recognizing that a peso that has strengthened too far from this benchmark can erode export competitiveness and reduce the purchasing power of remittances, just as a weakening peso raises import costs.
🟡 ⬆️ INVESTMENT CLIMATE (6.58)
The score for this pillar increased slightly to 6.58 in July from 6.56 in June.
The increase was due to higher annual growth on the S&P/BMV FIBRAS Total Return Index, which tracks the performance of Mexico’s listed real estate investment trusts. The index grew 27.4% annually to the end of July, up from a 27.1% year-over-year increase at the end of June.
The score for the foreign direct investment component of the pillar remained steady as the latest available data is still that published by the Economy Ministry in late August. That data shows that foreign direct investment in Mexico increased 2.1% annually in the first six months of 2026 to reach a record high $34.96 billion. Annual FDI growth of 25% is required for a perfect score in that component of the investment climate pillar.
🟡 ⬆️ PRODUCTIVITY (6.4)
The score for this pillar increased to 6.4 in July from 3.8 in June.
Data published by the national statistics agency INEGI on Sept. 10 showed that the IGPLE — INEGI’s quarterly productivity measure — increased 1.7% annually in the second quarter of 2026. That level of productivity growth was significantly stronger than the +0.1% reading in the first quarter of 2026.
Thus, the pillar score increased 2.6 points in the space of a month.
INEGI will publish productivity data for the third quarter of 2026 in early December. Therefore, the score for the productivity pillar won’t change in the October and November editions of the MND Economy Index™.
🟡 ⬇️ LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT (6.18)
The score for this pillar decreased to 6.18 in July from 6.21 in June. Scores for two of the pillar’s three components increased, but the overall labor and employment score still edged down because the decline in the formal-employment component outweighed the combined gains in wage growth and informality.
Nominal wages rose 6.7% year-on-year in July — up from 6.4% in June.
Year-over-year growth in Mexico’s informality rate was 0.1 points, down from an annual increase of 0.2 points in June. In July, 56.2% of all Mexican workers worked in the informal economy. Lowering the informality rate is a major challenge for the Mexican government.
🟡 ⬇️ EXTERNAL INCOME (5.26)
The score for this pillar declined in July, falling to 5.26 from 6.52 in June.
Thus, the score for the remittances component of the pillar declined and moved further away from the 16.67% increase required for a perfect score.
A 1.3% year-over-year decline in tourism revenue in July was also a factor in the lower pillar score. The year-over-year decline in spending came after tourism revenue increased 5.9% annually in June, the month Mexico hosted most of its FIFA men’s World Cup matches.
The MND Economy Index™ trend
In the graph below you can see how the MND Economy Index™ score has changed over time.
We have now calculated a total of nine index scores in the period between March 2025 and July 2026. The difference between the lowest score (56.9 in March 2025 — predating the publication of the first MND Economy Index™ article) and the highest (73.1 in July 2026) is 16.1 points.
(Mexico News Daily)
The much higher score in this edition of the the MND Economy Index™ indicates that Mexico’s economy is performing much better now than it was early in President Sheinbaum’s six-year term.
The improvement in the index score this year has also been notable, increasing almost 10 points between March and July.
From reservoir cleanup efforts and golf course opposition to a reduction in violent crime, there's a lot going on in San Miguel de Allende right now. (Pau Morfín/Unsplash)
Plenty of San Miguel de Allende news has been circulating lately, including possible federal funding to fix a water contamination problem, state investment in local infrastructure projects, growing opposition to a golf course proposal and the inauguration of the country’s first midwifery center.
Presa Allende cleanup included in 2027 federal budget
Mexico’s proposed 2027 federal budget allocates 100 million pesos (about US $5.6 million) to clean up the Ignacio Allende Dam southwest of San Miguel, which impounds the Presa Allende reservoir, and tributaries including the Río Laja, which flows into the reservoir.
The Presa Allende’s water hyacinth problem has been the target of recent cleanup efforts. (Rosewood San Miguel de Allende)
The cleanup would involve “a comprehensive sanitation of the basin, the sustained elimination of water hyacinth, the improvement of water quality and control of sources of pollution.”
For several years, about three-quarters of Presa Allende has been covered by thick mats of water hyacinth (lirio acuático in Spanish). The infestation is triggered by untreated municipal sewage and fertilizer runoff flowing from the Río Laja into the reservoir.
This fast-growing invasive plant harms fish, birds and other wildlife by blocking sunlight and oxygen. It also creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes, restricts water levels, and obstructs fishermen and recreational boaters.
Amigos de la Presa, Audubon de México, Rescatemos la Presa Allende, Rotary Club of San Miguel de Allende-Midday, Caminos de Agua, and other local organizations and volunteers have sponsored cleanup projects and raised money and awareness in recent years. However, this marks the first time a significant amount of federal funding has been proposed for a long-term solution.
Action on the issue could come soon. President Claudia Sheinbaum’s finance minister delivered the proposed budget to the Chamber of Deputies in early September, and Congress typically adopts the final budget in November or December.
Update on proposed golf course near El Charco
Growing opposition to the construction of a golf course north of the El Charco del Ingenio Botanical Garden on the northeastern edge of San Miguel has bolstered an online petition drive. The petition has since garnered more than 84,000 signatures and more than 300 comments, all opposing the project. Signers expressed concern about threats to the environment and water supply while advocating for the preservation of wildlife habitat and green spaces.
Legendary Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa is backing a new golf course project in San Miguel de Allende. But significant pushback from locals continues. (Roman Gomez/Wikimedia Commons)
State and local officials have spoken out about the proposal. Mayor Mauricio Trejo Pureco and Guanajuato Governor Libia Dennise García Muñoz Ledo were recently approached in San Miguel by a demonstrator holding an anti-golf course sign. Trejo said such projects must comply with the law. The governor later clarified during Sheinbaum’s Sept. 18 mañanera press conference in Irapuato that no authorization has been granted for a new golf course in San Miguel.
The proposal emerged about a year ago with the backing of Lorena Ochoa, a World Golf Hall of Famer described as Mexico’s most accomplished golfer. El Charco representatives stated the golf course would be in “the worst imaginable location” on a large rural tract of land directly bordering the botanical garden.
Opposition to the course mobilizes
In its September newsletter, El Charco stated it “celebrates the determined community mobilization opposing the golf course, hoping the developers behind this ill-advised initiative will heed the growing public opposition and acknowledge the project’s lack of water and ecological viability. Furthermore, it calls upon the municipal government not to authorize the project under any circumstances, given the heritage value and characteristics of our local landscape.”
San Miguel currently has three golf courses: two 18-hole courses (Malanquín and Las Ventanas) and one nine-hole course (Zirándaro).
Mexico’s first Excellence Center for Midwifery and Wellbeing opens in San Miguel
Mexico’s first midwifery center has opened in San Miguel, offering free maternal healthcare that combines traditional and professional midwifery with specialized medical services, including a midwifery school. The center, part of the national IMSS-Bienestar system, is located at Indalecio Allende 4 in the San Rafael neighborhood.
Sheinbaum inaugurated the facility Sept. 18 via video conference, noting the center was established following an approval process involving traditional midwives and obstetrician-gynecologists.
The first midwifery center in Mexico has opened in San Miguel de Allende with a presidential inauguration. (Gobierno de Mexico/Facebook)
“It’s truly something special,” Sheinbaum said. “I was there when it was just about to be built, and now it’s a reality. And I hope we can build them in other places.”
Guanajuato governor announces investments in San Miguel
During her recent visit to San Miguel, Gov. García said the state will invest in local infrastructure and public works projects to drive economic growth and strengthen collaboration between state and local officials.
These investments will focus on transportation infrastructure improvements, healthcare services and social programs.
“San Miguel de Allende is a cornerstone of Guanajuato’s identity, tourism and economic vitality,” the governor said.
One proposed project includes a parking garage to relieve traffic in the city’s Centro district. Trejo proposed the project to reduce vehicle idling, enhance pedestrian safety and protect historic buildings from traffic-related wear and tear.
Centro suffers from a severe parking shortage, with reports indicating only about 5,000 spaces are available for the more than 100,000 visitors who travel to San Miguel during holidays and major events.
Officials report homicides down, arrests up in Guanajuato state
According to Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, over 10,000 people have been arrested in Guanajuato since October 2024. (Omar García Harfuch/Facebook)
Homicides have dropped 43% this year in the state of Guanajuato, according to federal officials who shared statistics at Sheinbaum’s Sept. 18 mañanera in Irapuato.
Marcela Figueroa, head of the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System, reported an average of 3.2 homicides daily in Guanajuato in August. The daily average from January through August of this year was four, representing a 43% decrease compared with the same period in 2025.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch said 10,699 people were arrested in Guanajuato state between Oct. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31 of this year, with 172 “priority targets” taken into custody. He added that authorities seized more than 6 metric tons of drugs and 2,000 firearms during that timeframe, and dismantled two methamphetamine laboratories.
While questions remain regarding how some of these statistics are categorized and tracked, a new federal security strategy targeting key perpetrators of violence appears to be contributing to the decline.
Cathy Siegner is an independent journalist based in San Miguel and Montana. She has journalism degrees from the University of Oregon and Northwestern University.
Polo made landfall Monday night, bringing to Baja California Sur sustained winds of 150 to 170 km/h with gusts of 180 to 200 km/h and waves 7 to 9 meters high. (Gabriel Laros Heredia/Cuartoscuro)
After lying threateningly off Mexico’s west coast for the better part of a week, a weakened Hurricane Polo finally made landfall in Baja California Sur at 10 p.m. Monday night, dumping 15-30 cm of rain but causing little harm before making its way across the Peninsula and the Gulf of California to the Sonora coast, where it still packed enough power Tuesday morning to lash the beach city of Guaymas.
Guaymas and nearby Empalme suffered flooding, power outages and damage from fallen trees Tuesday, with storm-generated waves crashing over the Guaymas malecón, flooding streets.
City employees of La Paz, state capital of Baja California Sur, prepared Monday for Polo’s arrival. (Gabriel Larios Heredia/Cuartoscuro)
The Sonoran state government had announced on Monday the suspension of all “nonessential” activities, including schools, sports and certain work, in the state capital and more than a dozen municipalities
The Mexican Navy said it had personnel ready along the northern Pacific coast and, as a precaution, deployed three vessels to deliver aid to coastal communities isolated by the storm, while local authorities along the Baja California Peninsula said they had shelters at the ready.
Travel was also suspended where the hurricane was expected to make landfall, and ports across the region were closed.
Polo was expected to weaken later on Tuesday afternoon as it moves inland, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Before it does, however, Mexican authorities urged residents to remain safe indoors either at their homes or in temporary shelters in high-risk areas. Hundreds of people across the region have been evacuated.
Polo has been an oddly behaving hurricane from its formation and continued to be so after landfall. It hit the Sonora coast hard after it weakened to a Category 1 storm. But after it made landfall in Baja California Sur (far north of Los Cabos, almost in the middle of the Peninsula at the level of the Comondú municipality) as a slightly stronger Category 2, state authorities were breathing a sigh of relief.
A “saldo blanco” for Baja California Sur was preliminarily reported Tuesday morning — no deaths, no injuries. “There was more water than wind,” Governor Víctor Manuel Castro Cosío said. “So there was only minor damage, well within our capacity to deal with it.”
But it was still a hurricane. Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN) reported that the hurricane brought to the Peninsula sustained winds of 150 to 170 km/h with gusts of 180 to 200 km/h and waves 7 to 9 meters high.
