Home Blog Page 3

Mexico eases measles crisis with 17M vaccines: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
-
0
Deputy Health Minister Clark reported that health authorities have administered 17.2 million vaccines against measles since Feb. 12.
Deputy Health Minister Clark reported that health authorities have administered 17.2 million vaccines against measles since Feb. 12. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds

  • 🚆 AIFA’s rail link hits another delay — The train connecting Buenavista in CDMX to the Felipe Ángeles airport has completed testing but is still awaiting certification, pushing the opening back by a few weeks. The line was originally meant to open under AMLO; Sheinbaum had promised it before Holy Week.

  • 🛢️ Gulf oil spill probe ongoing — Investigators are weighing whether natural seeps in the Cantarell Field or a Pemex infrastructure leak caused contamination along roughly 630km of Veracruz and Tabasco coastline. Sheinbaum says the natural seep hypothesis looks most likely.

  • 💉 Measles outbreak turning a corner — 17.2 million vaccines administered since mid-February, and Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Clark says transmission is now declining in all 32 states. New cases have been falling for four consecutive weeks.

Why today’s mañanera matters

Updates on three matters of great public interest were provided at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Tuesday morning press conference.

Sheinbaum spoke about the opening of the long-awaited rail link to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) and an investigation into widespread oil contamination in the Gulf of Mexico, while Deputy Health Minister Eduardo Clark gave an update on the national measles situation.

Today’s mañanera served as a reminder why the federal government so highly values the direct, unfiltered communication to the Mexican people that a daily press conference affords. The presser allows the government to get key information to a significant audience of viewers and listeners on mediums including television, radio and social media. At the same time, the mañanera enables the government to largely set the national news agenda.

AIFA has now been open for 4 years, but passengers are still waiting for a rail link 

Sheinbaum told reporters that testing of the rail link between central Mexico City and AIFA in México state has been carried out but the related “certification” hasn’t been issued.

As a result, the opening of the train line will be delayed by a few weeks, she said.

“We want it to be certified so that it can operate,” Sheinbaum said.

The train line connecting northern Mexico City and the new Felipe Ángeles International Airport has suffered many delays, keeping transport to and from the airport long and costly. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

The president said earlier this year that the rail link from the Buenavista station to AIFA would open “before Holy Week.” The train line — an extension of the existing Mexico City suburban railroad — was originally expected to open during the presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-24), whose government built the airport.

Just over four years after AIFA opened, Sheinbaum presented an infographic that showed that more than 18 million passengers have used the airport since March 21, 2022. She reported that the top five states for flights to and from AIFA are Quintana Roo, Jalisco, Nuevo León, Yucatán and Oaxaca. The airport is a hub for the state-owned Mexicana airline, which began operations in late 2023.

Investigation into cause of oil spill continues 

Sheinbaum said that the government, in collaboration with scientists, is investigating whether natural oil seeps in the Cantarell Field of the Gulf of Mexico are the cause of the widespread oil contamination along the coasts of Veracruz and Tabasco.

She said that investigators are also considering the possibility that oil leaked from Pemex infrastructure.

“For this they have to inspect all the facilities,” Sheinbaum said.

“So far no leak has been reported,” she added.

oil on a beach in Veracruz
The government’s official hypothesis is that the oil spill resulted from a “natural” seep. Environmental experts and activists say the extent of the damage is too great for that to be true. (Cuartoscuro)

Sheinbaum said that the “hypothesis” that natural oil seeps caused the contamination appears most likely.

Mexico News Daily reported last Thursday that Veracruz Governor Rocio Nahle — a former energy minister with close ties to Pemex — blamed a privately owned vessel operating off the coast of Campeche for the oil spill, but an inspection revealed the ship in question was not responsible. Before she made that allegation, Nahle raised the possibility that a natural oil seep caused the Gulf of Mexico contamination.

On Tuesday morning, Sheinbaum said that the government has done a lot of work to contain the contamination and clean up affected beaches.

“There are lot of people from Pemex working, a lot of people from the Ministry of the Navy, a lot of people from the Environment Ministry working to contain and clean up the contamination through different methods,” she said.

Last week, more than a dozen environmental organizations accused the government of covering up an oil spill that has despoiled some 630 kilometers of beaches along the Gulf coast.

Measles transmission on the decline 

Deputy Health Minister Clark reported that health authorities have administered 17.2 million vaccines against measles since Feb. 12.

“In seven weeks we reached this number and for that reason, the transmission of measles today is on the decline in each and every one of [Mexico’s] 32 federal entities,” he said.

“… This is very good news,” Clark said, adding that new cases have been declining for four weeks.

Mexico has faced a concerning outbreak of measles, with almost 15,000 confirmed cases reported across the country so far this year.

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

Mexico’s eagerly awaited supercomputing program launches

By
MND Staff
-
0
Beyond weather forecasting, the program ultimately aims to put Coatlicue's processing power to work across a range of sectors such as agriculture, energy, customs and anti-corruption. (ATDT)

Mexico’s ambitious supercomputing program — first announced last November — has officially gotten underway, with Mexican researchers now working at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) in Spain on a new climatological investigation protocol.

The Mexican Supercomputing Program, a collaboration between Mexico’s Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency (ATDT) and the BSC, was unveiled by President Claudia Sheinbaum late last year with the long-term goal of building Mexico’s own supercomputer: Coatlicue, named after the Aztec mother of the gods, which would be the largest in Latin America.

Mexico is less than 3 years away from having Latin America’s largest supercomputer

The program’s first phase is now active. Researchers from Mexico’s National Meteorological Service (SMN) have begun working at BSC facilities to standardize Mexico’s meteorological data, gaining access to the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer — a machine capable of performing 314 quadrillion calculations per second — to process millions of data points that would otherwise take weeks to analyze.

Furthermore, BSC specialists will train Mexican scientists on how to build Coatlicue’s hardware and software in Mexico, thereby retaining Mexican talent. 

Beyond weather forecasting, the program ultimately aims to put Coatlicue’s processing power to work across a range of sectors such as agriculture, energy, customs and anti-corruption.

“Having Coatlicue means that for the first time, we will have the real ability to address problems that, in theory, we already know how to solve, but we have never had access to the technology needed to tackle them,” Jorge Luis Pérez Hernández, the National Coordinator of Digital Infrastructure at ATDT, told Wired magazine in an interview. 

With an estimated investment of 6 billion pesos,  Mexico’s supercomputer will reportedly be seven times bigger than Pegaso — Brazil’s largest supercomputer — and will be among the 10 largest in the world. 

Construction is expected to begin in the second half of 2026 and could take up to two years. 

“Coatlicue will allow Mexico to fully embrace the use of Artificial Intelligence and data processing, which we currently lack the capacity to do because we don’t have sufficient computing power,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said last year. “It will help us tremendously, not only in the development of science and technology, but essentially in the development of the country.”  

The location for Coatlicue is yet to be determined. Mexican authorities are searching for a site with access to water and energy, low seismicity and high connectivity.

With reports from Wired, El Financiero and Agencia de Noticias Científicas

Manufacturing drives Mexico’s export surge in February, even as production stalls

By
MND Staff
-
0
TIJUANA BAJA CALIFORNIA, 01JUNIO2018.- Camiones de carga forman largas filas en la garita de Otay, la cual representa el tercer acceso comercial más importante entre México y Estados Unidos con un cruce de 800 mil camiones cada año. Este viernes México y Canadá se unieron en contra de los aranceles impuestos al acero y aluminio por el presidente estadounidense Donald Trump. FOTO: OMAR MARTÍNEZ /CUARTOSCURO.COM
More than 80% of Mexico's export earnings come from goods shipped to the United States. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s export revenue surged almost 16% annually in February, the second-highest increase for any month in the past three years.

The national statistics agency INEGI reported on Friday that Mexico’s exports were worth US $56.85 billion last month, an increase of 15.8% compared to February 2025.

The newspaper El Economista reported that the annual increase was the second-highest in the past 37 months after a 17.2% jump last December.

The dollar total was the highest on record for February, but Mexico nevertheless recorded a $463 million trade deficit last month as the value of imports increased 20.8% annually to $57.31 billion.

The export figures contrast with January and February reports that manufacturing output is declining, as U.S. tariffs and weakening employment weigh on the sector.

Mexico’s manufacturing sector has slow start to 2026

According to INEGI, Mexico’s export revenue increased 12.2% annually in the first two months of 2026 to reach $104.85 billion. The outlay on imports increased 15.2% to $111.8 billion in the same period, leaving Mexico with a trade deficit of $6.94 billion.

More than 80% of Mexico’s export earnings come from goods shipped to the United States. The North American neighbors are each other’s largest trade partners.

Manufacturing exports increase 17%, despite drop in auto sector revenue 

INEGI’s data shows that Mexico’s manufacturing exports were worth $51.77 billion in February, a 17.1% increase compared to the same month of last year. That total represents 91% of Mexico’s total export earnings last month.

The value of non-automotive sector manufacturing exports increased 26.7% annually to $38.13 billion, while auto-sector export earnings fell 3.4% to $13.64 billion. U.S. tariffs on light and heavy vehicles made in Mexico have affected Mexico’s auto sector.

INEGI’s data also shows that Mexico’s agricultural export earnings fell 12.8% annually to $1.77 billion in February, while revenue from international oil sales declined 24.2% to $1.48 billion.

Revenue from mining sector exports soared 107.6% annually to $1.8 billion in February. El Economista reported that the value of mining sector exports exceeded revenue from international oil sales for a third consecutive month in February. The federal government is aiming to have more crude refined in Mexican refineries as it seeks to achieve self-sufficiency for fuel.

Mexico’s outlay on imported intermediate goods increases 27%

INEGI’s data on imports shows that Mexico spent $46.24 billion on intermediate goods in February, an increase of 27.2% compared to the same month last year. The outlay on intermediate goods — including raw materials and semi-finished products — accounted for over 80% of Mexico’s total spending on imports last month.

Mexico imported consumer goods worth $7.05 billion last month, a 5.2% annual increase, and spent $4.02 billion on foreign capital goods, a year-over-year decrease of 8.1%.

Of Mexico’s total outlay of $57.31 billion on imports in February, $53.81 billion was spent on non-oil goods, while $3.49 billion was spent on products derived from petroleum, including fuel for motor vehicles.

With reports from El Economista and La Jornada 

Skull found 25 years ago leads scientists to identify new species of ancient sea monster

By
MND Staff
-
1
rendering of species
WIth only a skull for information, paleontologists say the Prognathodon cipactli was perhaps 20 feet long with powerful, animal-devouring jaws, and roamed the sea that covered northeastern Mexico some 70 million years ago. (Pavel Galván/MUDE)

A skull dating back to the age of the dinosaurs — pulled from Cretaceous-era rock in northern Mexico 25 years ago — has led to the definition of a new species of marine reptile, scientists announced earlier this month.

The fossil from the newly named species, Prognathodon cipactli, was unveiled by a team of Mexican and British paleontologists as part of a study in the German geosciences journal Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie.

After 25 years, scientists discovered that the fossilized skull from Nuevo León’s Méndez Formation belonged to a mosasaur, a group of large, extinct marine reptiles related to modern lizards and snakes. (MUDE)

The unveiling occurred on March 17 at the Desert Museum in Saltillo, the capital of the northern state of Coahuila.

Estimated at 5 to 6 meters (16 to 20 feet) in length with powerful jaws, the prehistoric “sea monster” — so deemed by the Mexican newspaper El País — existed about 70 million years ago, when ocean waters covered much of what is now northeastern Mexico.

The fossilized skull belonged to a mosasaur, a group of large, extinct marine reptiles related to modern lizards and snakes that dominated the oceans near the end of the age of dinosaurs, researchers said.

It lived alongside dinosaurs in the Late Cretaceous period (roughly 100.5 million to 66 million years ago) but is a separate branch of reptiles.

With deep jaws, robust teeth and a short snout, P. cipactli was adapted to crush and seize large, resistant prey such as big fish, other marine reptiles and shelled animals.

The skull was discovered in 2001 in outcrops of the Méndez Formation, a geologic area in northeastern Mexico composed mainly of marine sedimentary rocks (good for preserving fossils). It’s near Linares, Nuevo León.

Only the skull was recovered, and the original site has not been refound, but the fossil is considered relatively complete for a mosasaur skull.

Héctor Rivera-Sylva, chief of paleontology at the Desert Museum, said mosasaurs “dominated the world’s oceans, occupying the ecological role now held by large marine predators such as sharks or orcas.”

He added that the “relatively small size of the animal suggests that adaptations for capturing large prey evolved first, and only later did some species reach gigantic sizes.”

After being described for years as coming from an indeterminate mosasaur, the specimen was reexamined in the new study, which identified features firmly placing it in the genus Prognathodon, known for its powerful bite.

Its new species name has a strong cultural resonance. Cipactli refers to a primordial aquatic creature of Aztec mythology, a half‑reptile, half‑fish being that the gods split to create the Earth and the sky. It is also a Nahuatl word often translated as “crocodile.”

The discovery adds to a growing list of fossils from Coahuila and neighboring states, where land predators such as Xenovenator espinosai and marine hunters like Prognathodon cipactli point to a complex web of top-of-the-food-chain predators in sea and on shore.

With reports from El Universal, Infobae and El Sol de Laguna

New poll suggests 54% approve of Sheinbaum — her lowest rating yet

By
MND Staff
-
11
Sheinbaum walking among people
The highest approval ratings the Atlas Intel's LatAm Pulse poll has yielded for the current president since she was sworn in on Oct. 1, 2024, was 66.7% in October 2024 and 66.3% in April 2025. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

Amid heightened corruption and crime concerns, President Claudia Sheinbaum’s approval rating has sunk to its lowest level since she took office 18 months ago, according to the results of a poll conducted for Bloomberg News.

Conducted by Brazilian company AtlasIntel between March 20 and 24, the LatAm Pulse México survey yielded a 53.9% approval rating for Sheinbaum, down from 56% in February and 62.8% in January.

Sheinbaum presented a poll on Tuesday in which 56% of respondents said that the security situation has improved (52%) since she took office or remains "just as good" (4%) as before.
Sheinbaum sometimes takes the opportunity to present polls favorable to her government’s performance. Security is one area that can weigh heavily on the president’s approval. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Until February, Sheinbaum’s approval rating had remained above 60%, according to LatAm Pulse results. The highest approval ratings the poll has yielded for the current president since she was sworn in on Oct. 1, 2024, was 66.7% in October 2024 and 66.3% in April 2025.

The latest LatAm Pulse poll surveyed 3,263 people in Mexico using an online polling method called “random digital recruitment.” The sample size is larger than many other telephone and in-person polls that have consistently yielded an approval rating of around 70% or higher for Sheinbaum.

The president’s disapproval rating rose to 40.9% in March, according to LatAm Pulse, up from 36.1% in February and 30.5% in January.

What are Mexico’s most significant problems? 

Asked to identify Mexico’s most significant current problems, 55% of survey respondents nominated corruption, an increase of nine points compared to the previous LatAm Pulse poll.

Insecurity, crime and drug trafficking were the second most commonly cited problems, nominated by 49% of those polled. That percentage rose 10 points compared to February.

The next three most commonly cited problems were:

In its report on the poll results, Bloomberg noted that the 10-point increase in the percentage of respondents who identified insecurity and crime as a major problem came despite the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera in a military operation in Jalisco on Feb. 22. The operation targeting the notorious cartel boss triggered a very violent and widespread response from the CJNG, a factor that fed into the security concerns of poll respondents. The death of “El Mencho” could possibly lead to an increase in violence in Jalisco and other parts of the country in the coming months.

The increase in the percentage of respondents who identified corruption as a significant concern in Mexico came a month after Transparency International published its latest Corruption Perceptions Index, which showed that Mexico had slid down the rankings to 141st out of 182 countries and territories.

Bloomberg reported that corruption concerns “have lingered at a time when members of Sheinbaum’s ruling Morena party have been involved in a series of scandals.”

They include the arrest in February of the mayor of Tequila, Jalisco, and other municipal officials on extortion charges, and allegations that members of the Mexican Navy and others were involved in a fuel smuggling/tax evasion scheme known as huachicol fiscal.

Bloomberg wrote that Morena officials have “denied wrongdoing and Sheinbaum has moved to aggressively combat the practice” of huachicol fiscal.

Mexico News Daily identified the huachicol fiscal scandal as one of Mexico’s 10 biggest news and politics stories of 2025.

10 other poll results 

Below is a summary of 10 other results from the latest LatAm Pulse México survey.

  • Around four in 10 respondents (39.5%) believe that the Sheinbaum administration is doing an “excellent” or “good” job. Almost one-third of those polled (31.7%) said the government is doing a “bad” or “very bad” job, while 28.8% rated the federal administration’s performance as “fair.”
  • Almost half of those polled (47%) said that Mexico’s current economic situation is “bad,” while 26% said it is “good” and 26% said it is “normal.”
  • Almost eight in 10 respondents (78.1%) said they were in favor of the military operation that resulted in the death of “El Mencho.”
  • More than six in 10 respondents said they were either “concerned” (37.1%) or “extremely concerned” (25.3%) about “the violence unleashed in Mexico since the death of ‘El Mencho.'”
  • Just over four in 10 respondents (42.4%) said that military operations that result in the death of cartel leaders constitute the “most effective policy” to combat drug cartels. One-third of those polled said that such operations are effective only when implemented with other policies.
  • Forty-five per cent of respondents said that Security Minister Omar García Harfuch is doing an “excellent” or “good” job dealing with violence in Mexico. Only 38% said the same about Sheinbaum, even as homicide numbers trend down.
  • More than six in 10 respondents (62.4%) said that the United States’ provision of intelligence for the operation against “El Mencho” was a positive thing, compared to just 8.5% who had a negative view.
  • More than four in ten respondents (43.4%) said that Sheinbaum is doing an “excellent” or “good” job managing the relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump. Three in ten of those polled said she is doing a “fair” job managing the relationship, while 22.7% said she is doing a “bad” or “very bad” job.
  • Just over five in 10 respondents (51.5%) said they wouldn’t support U.S. military action against cartels in Mexico “under any circumstance.” Just over a quarter of those polled (27.5%) said they would only support U.S. action in operations that are coordinated with Mexico. One in six respondents (16.7%) said they would support U.S. action against Mexican cartels, including a “prolonged deployment of troops” in Mexico. Sheinbaum is vehemently opposed to U.S. military action in Mexico.
  • Around four in ten respondents (42%) believe that it is “very probable” that there will be “revelations about large frauds or corruption schemes” in Mexico in the next six months. Similar percentages believe it’s “very probable” that robberies and muggings will increase in the next six months (40%), and that “attacks or murders related to criminal factions” will increase (39%). More than one in five respondents (21%) said that a coup is “very probable” in Mexico in the next six months, although 51% said that such an eventuality is not at all likely.

With reports from Bloomberg 

1 of 4 trapped miners pulled to safety in Sinaloa

By
MND Staff
-
0
rescue workers at mine site
The three remaining miners have been trapped 250 feet below the surface since Wednesday. (SSPC)

One of four miners trapped in a Sinaloa mine since Wednesday was pulled to safety just after midnight Sunday. 

With more than 300 rescuers on site in the municipality of El Rosario, the authorities are hopeful the other three miners can be rescued. 

rescue workers at ine site
After 100 hours of uninterrupted work by emergency crews, José Alejandro Cáustulo, 44, was pulled from the mine at 12:25 a.m. local time. (SSPC)

Shortly after a tailings dam collapsed, rescuers had located the four miners and were delivering water, food and oxygen to the men. At the time, officials said one of the miners was 100 meters below the surface, while the other three were about 250 meters farther inside the mine.

After 100 hours of uninterrupted work by emergency crews, José Alejandro Cáustulo, 44, was pulled from the mine at 12:25 a.m. local time. He was transported by helicopter to Mazatlán General Hospital for treatment. 

Twenty-five mine workers were excavating inside the mine on Wednesday when the collapse occurred at 2 p.m. The accident was reported to National Civil Protection (CNPC) authorities around noon Thursday after initial rescue efforts were unsuccessful. 

A unified command post immediately established a structural reinforcement plan aimed at ensuring the safety of the rescuers and the trapped miners.

“The efforts of more than 300 personnel and 42 units are working around the clock, organized in operational rotation periods,” the CNPC said in a statement, adding that rescue teams are operating with controlled ventilation and temperatures close to 25 degrees Celsius. “An alarm system remains active … to issue timely warnings of any risk and carry out immediate evacuations if the situation requires it.”

As the rescuers work to clear a path along 1.5 kilometers of ramps and tunnels to reach the deepest point of the mine, the internal structure will be reinforced with cement mixtures and expansive resins to guarantee the integrity of the escape route.

A mine official said tunnels deep inside the mine did not collapse, but escape was made difficult by muddy materials that made the ramps slick, trapping the men below the collapsed areas.

The Santa Fe gold mine is operated by Industrial Minera Sinaloa, located in the town of Chele, Sinaloa.

With reports from La Jornada, El Universal, El Financiero, Expansión and El País

25 tonnes of counterfeit World Cup-related products seized in CDMX

By
MND Staff
-
0
counterfeit goods seizure
Personnel from the Mexican Institute of Intellectual Property, the Security Ministry, and the city Attorney General's Office haul off 25 tonnes of counterfeit merchandise, mostly bogus athletic clothing with fake famous brand logos, worth an estimated US $850,000. (Axel Sánchez/Cuatrocuro.com)

Authorities seized in Mexico City’s Tepito neighborhood Thursday at least 25 tonnes of counterfeit products related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, valued at an estimated 15.3 million pesos (US $850,000). 

The action by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI), known as “Operation Cleanup,” forms part of the government’s crackdown on piracy, illicit trade and product smuggling. 

counterfeit clothing seized
Most of the confiscated property was sports-related, as the perpetrators clearly intended to cash in on the World Cup. (Axel Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)

On Thursday, 80 IMPI inspectors led the operation, seizing 80,973 counterfeit products of Asian origin branded with logos of such well-known brands as Adidas, Nike, Puma and Reebok, among others, from several warehouses on Aztecas Street in Tepito. 

“With a global event like the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, we reiterate that IMPI, in coordination with the federal government and state authorities, will combat the sale of pirated or counterfeit goods head-on in order to protect intellectual property, safeguard consumers and guarantee fair competition for creative industries,” said IMPI’s head, Santiago Nieto Castillo, in an official statement. 

Operation Cleanup was launched by the government in 2024, led by the Economy Ministry, to combat piracy and the massive smuggling of illicit goods, including textiles, toys and electronics, primarily of Asian origin. 

The operation has resulted in historically high seizures of illicit goods, with the confiscation of merchandise valued at 935 million pesos ($52 million) in the 20 operations across 11 states that took place before the Tepito operation.

While some of the confiscated goods have been destroyed, roughly 96.8% of the products remain in IMPI warehouses for safekeeping while they are processed. 

IMPI is preparing additional measures for tackling the sale of counterfeit items ahead of the World Cup, including inspections, greater surveillance, crackdown operations and the seizure of illicit merchandise around participating stadiums and at Fanfests, to deliver a message of zero tolerance of the sale of illegal goods.

“This operation today in Tepito represents the beginning of a series of coordinated actions that the Mexican government will carry out within the framework of the FIFA World Cup,” said Nieto. 

“These actions will consist of permanent operations around the stadiums and at Fanfests to protect intellectual property rights, preserve the integrity of the event, and guarantee a safe and authentic experience for fans.”

With reports from Infobae and Puente Libre

AZ gun store owner accused of arming 2 Mexican cartels

By
MND Staff
-
6
Laurence Gray, 75, has been accused of selling weapons to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel. (Unsplash)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona has indicted a former holder of a federal firearms license (FFL) on charges relating to selling weapons to Mexican drug cartels.  

The accused is Laurence Gray, 75, owner of the shop Grips By Larry, which had a license to sell all types of weaponry.  

Gray has been accused of selling weapons to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and the Sinaloa Cartel, criminal groups that U.S. President Trump’s government designated as foreign terrorist organizations last year. For the crime of aiding a terrorist organization, Gray could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to US $250,000.

The prosecution explained that in May 2025, Gray attempted to provide weapons to the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel, with full knowledge of who the buyers were. 

“The indictment alleges that Gray knowingly attempted to provide firearms to CJNG in May of 2025, and knowingly conspired to provide firearms to both CJNG and CDS (Sinaloa Cartel) that same year,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said in a statement.  

It also said that Gray was previously indicted for firearms trafficking offenses in 2025, alongside his accomplice Barrett Weinberger, 73, of Tucson, Arizona. 

According to the federal indictment, Gray stands accused of facilitating the sale of three semi-automatic rifles, a machine gun and two pistols. 

The Tucson Sentinel reported that during two purchases, Gray, Weinberger and a third individual named David Prince allegedly sold two .38-caliber pistols, a .50-caliber rifle, two M249S belt-fed rifles and an Ohio Ordnance M2 SLR .50-caliber belt-fed rifle, weapons typically associated with organized crime violence in Mexico.

Reportedly, the CJNG recently used a .50-caliber rifle to knock down a Mexican military helicopter in 2015 during a cover escape of former cartel leader Ruben “El Mencho” Oseguera González, who ultimately died last month following a military operation that ended in the drug lord’s death.     

For years, the Mexican government has pressured its northern neighbor to halt the smuggling of weapons into the country, arguing that the violence in the country is fueled by the illegal trafficking of weapons from the U.S. 

A 2025 report by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) found that the U.S. is the largest supplier of firearms to criminals in Mexico, with an estimated 200,000 weapons illegally crossing the northern border every year. 

With reports from El País and La Jornada

Sheinbaum’s security strategy has led to an 11% increase in Mexico’s prison population

By
MND Staff
-
0
escorted prisoner
Though President Sheinbaum continues to support — in theory — her predecessor's strategy of offering potential cartel members alternative life options, her main approach has been to make more arrests, resulting in an 11% increase in the prison population since she took office in October 2024. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro)

The number of people in prison in Mexico has reached a historic high, with official records showing that as of Feb. 28 there were more than 260,000 people incarcerated in the 276 local and federal prisons across the nation.

In another historic record, Mexico’s prison population grew by 20,000 inmates in a single calendar year in 2025.

prison thru chain-link fence
President Sheinbaum’s more aggressive approach toward organized crime has increased the country’s prison population by 11%. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

While the data reflects the new security strategy adopted by President Claudia Sheinbaum after abandoning the “hugs, not bullets” policy embraced by her predecessor, the increase in arrests has resulted in prison overcrowding issues.

Thanks to Sheinbaum’s more aggressive approach toward organized crime, the country’s prison population has grown by 11%. When Sheinbaum was inaugurated as president on Oct. 1, 2024, there were 235,461 people incarcerated. By the end of February 2026, the figure had risen to 261,388.

During the first 17 months of her administration, 46,405 people were arrested. At the same time, however, a significant number of people were released from Mexican prisons, either because they had served their sentences or were allowed to continue legal proceedings while free or due to insufficient evidence. Thus, the prison population increase stands at 25,927 inmates.

The data also reveals the number of inmates by gender.

In October 2024, there were 221,620 men and 13,841 women in prison; by February 2026, the figures had risen to 245,022 men (up 10.5%) and 16,366 women (up 18.2%).

The success of the new strategy is causing problems for state prisons, however.

State-run facilities are currently housing 37,634 inmates more than they were built to hold. Federal prisons are also running out of space as there are only 7,816 bunks available in these penitentiaries.

According to the Security Ministry, 140 of the nation’s 276 prisons are overcrowded. 

The newspaper El Sol de México reported that the state prisons with the most alarming levels of overcrowding are in Chiapas, Morelos and México state. The most extreme example is Social Reintegration Center No. 7 Huixtla, in Chiapas, with 510% overpopulation: 244 prisoners housed in a space designed for 40. 

The overcrowding is attributed to the excessive reliance on pretrial detention (nearly 111,000 inmates, 42%, are awaiting trial), a situation that could be alleviated in April if the Supreme Court determines that this measure is unconstitutional.

With reports from El Financiero, Milenio and El Sol de México

MND Local: ‘No Kings’ comes to Puerto Vallarta, and 10,000 oysters come to Bucerías

By
Charlotte Smith
-
2
Aerial view of a part of the coastline of Puerto Vallarta, featuring beachfront homes in bright orange and white and pools of various shapes.
The Bay of Banderas has quite a lot going on lately, from its own No Kings rally last week to preparations for a major oyster festival in Bucerías coming in the beginning of April. (Alessandro Aviles/Pexels)

Recent events in the Bay of Banderas news have seen a rally in Parque Hidalgo protesting U.S. governance, Bucerías welcoming its annual oyster festival, upgraded security for the Semana Santa safety holidays and Puerto Vallarta expanding public internet access for schools, parks, and civic centers. 

No Kings rally

No Kings Rally Puerto Vallarta
Around 250 people turned out for a “No Kings” rally in Puerto Vallarta, to protest the U.S. President. (Charlotte Smith)

A permitted peaceful demonstration by U.S. citizens living in Puerto Vallarta took place at Parque Hidalgo on Saturday, March 28, organized by Indivisible Abroad Vallarta with participation from the Costa Banderas Chapter of Democrats Abroad Mexico, under an approved permit and in compliance with local regulations.

The “No Kings” rally saw over 250 participants stand in solidarity with Americans opposing what they described as authoritarian tendencies tied to Donald Trump. 

Speakers addressed perceived failures to check unlawful behavior. The remarks mixed policy critique with personal testimony from U.S. citizens who said they felt compelled to speak out from abroad.

Organizers stressed the demonstration’s nonviolent, single-issue focus and coordinated closely with municipal staff to ensure a smooth, orderly assembly. 

Rally leaders linked the March 28 action to a broader wave of global solidarity protests connected to the “No Kings” movement in the United States, which grew from mass demonstrations beginning in 2025.

Bucerías Oyster Festival 

According to organizers, the Bucerías Oyster Festival served 10,000 oysters and 500 kilograms of ceviche to attendees in 2025.

On April 4 and 5,  Bucerías will host its annual Feria de Ostiones, a celebration honoring the town’s oyster-diving heritage with music, cultural events, and seafood along the coast. The festival, organized by the Municipal Government of the Bay of Banderas with community partners, aims to welcome Semana Santa visitors while spotlighting local traditions and the coastal economy.

Known locally as the “Place of the Divers,” Bucerías traces much of its identity and livelihood to oyster harvesting. This year’s program blends family-focused entertainment, live music, artisanal markets and abundant fresh oysters prepared by neighborhood chefs and vendors. Organizers highlight the festival’s role in sustaining seasonal income for fishers and small businesses and in reinforcing Bucerías’ reputation as a culinary destination on the Vallarta–Nayarit shore.

Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, support local businesses and respect the town’s artisan fishing zones. Municipal officials extended an open invitation to residents and tourists to join the celebrations over the holiday weekend.

Semana Santa safety

A father walking on a PV beach with buildings in the background
Beachgoers in Puerto Vallarta can make the most of the sunshine, as the municipal government has invested in increase security measures. (Shutterstock)

The Bay of Banderas has stepped up a coordinated municipal effort to ensure safe, welcoming conditions for residents and holiday visitors. Public works, police, port authorities and emergency medical and fire services have expanded patrols, finalized joint emergency plans and conducted readiness drills to handle peak-season demand.

Cleaning and repair crews focused on beaches, boardwalks and high-traffic corridors, and public-safety units have increased visible patrols and reinforced coordination between municipal police, port authorities and volunteer rescue squads. Fire and medical teams from neighboring municipalities ran surge-capacity exercises and reaffirmed mutual-aid agreements to ensure rapid support for larger incidents. 

A central element of the safety push was national recertification of Puerto Vallarta’s lifeguard teams by the Mexican Federation of Aquatic Rescue and Lifesaving. Lifeguards underwent rigorous open-water and pool evaluations to test endurance, rescue technique and operational readiness. Officials say the recertification reinforces confidence in the lifeguard service’s on-the-water response capabilities.

The overall objective is to protect public safety and natural resources while ensuring a positive holiday atmosphere. With enhanced maintenance, tighter emergency coordination and a recertified rescue force, municipal leaders say they are prepared for the seasonal surge. They urge visitors to follow local guidance and report hazards promptly.

Puerto Vallarta expands public internet access 

An official presentation regarding digital connectivity in Jalisco, Mexico. A man stands before a purple screen displaying a map of Jalisco and the text "Avance del cierre de la Brecha Digital" (Progress in closing the Digital Divide). He is addressing a group of professionals seated at a long, white-clothed table in a modern, well-lit conference room with large windows.
Puerto Vallarta’s increase in free, public internet connectivity is the result of a state initiative called Red Jalisco (the Jalisco Network), which has a goal to close the state’s digital connectivity gaps. (Government of Puerto Vallarta)

Puerto Vallarta has accelerated efforts to widen public internet access as part of Jalisco’s state initiative to close connectivity gaps, expanding free hotspots in parks, civic centers and schools. The state-managed Red Jalisco now reports more than 2 million users across all 125 municipalities, and Puerto Vallarta says that network has brought concrete gains for residents, students, and visitors.

City officials report over 300 active public connectivity points, including hotspot coverage in major parks and public gathering places, plus internet service now installed in 184 local schools to support teachers and online learning. Municipal managers framed reliable internet as an essential public service that enables schooling, telehealth, job searches, and access to digital government services rather than a luxury.

Beyond coverage numbers, the municipality emphasized usability and impact, including faster links to municipal services, improved Wi‑Fi at tourist sites, and initiatives to help community centers and libraries offer digital-literacy support. The expansion aligns with broader state policy to reduce the digital divide and promote inclusive access to online resources across Jalisco.

Charlotte Smith is a writer and journalist based in Mexico. Her work focuses on travel, politics, and community. You can follow along with her travel stories at www.salsaandserendipity.com.

1234...2,130Page 3 of 2,130