The department store chain will open over 20 new units of its Bodega Aurrera, Bodega Aurrera Express, Mi Bodega Aurrera, Sam’s Club and Walmart Supercenter stores throughout Tamaulipas. (Shutterstock)
Walmart México and Central America will invest 2.5 billion pesos (US $122.9 million) in the Texas border state of Tamaulipas from 2025 to 2027, the company announced on Monday.
Walmart México and Central America’s Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs Javier Treviño and its Director of Institutional Relations Rodrigo Flores Amezcua announced plans at an event hosted by Tamaulipas’ Governor Américo Villarreal Anaya, State Economy Minister Ninfa Cantú Deándar and other government representatives at the Tamaulipas state government building.
Javier Treviño, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Walmart México and Central America, announced Walmart’s investment in Tamaulipas along with state Gov. Américo Villarreal. (File photo/Galo Cañas Rodríguez for Cuartoscuro)
“At Walmart México and Central America, we are excited about the growth potential that the future holds for us in the state of Tamaulipas,” Treviño said at the event. “With the investment we are announcing today, we reiterate our commitment to continue supporting the families of the state to save money and live better.”
As part of the investment, the company will open over 20 new units of its Bodega Aurrera, Bodega Aurrera Express, Mi Bodega Aurrera, Sam’s Club and Walmart Supercenter stores, which will create over 1,300 permanent direct jobs, according to the executives.
Walmart also plans to launch a program for agricultural producers and local suppliers to strengthen supply chains and support the development of suppliers.
Treviño stressed the importance of Walmart’s close collaboration with the federal government. The company voluntarily participates in the federal Package Against Inflation and Scarcity (PACIC) program, an agreement between several Mexican and international businesses and the federal government that maintains affordable prices for 24 products in Mexico’s basic food basket in the face of inflation.
“We are committed to the federal government, and we share the philosophy of Mexican humanism,” Treviño said, according to the news site Sin Embargo.
Walmart México and Central America first commenced operations in Tamaulipas in November 1995 with the opening of Sam’s Club in the city of Tampico. The company now has 77 stores and clubs in the state, providing 3,800 permanent direct jobs and representing over 6.9 billion pesos ($339.2 million).
Walmart has been in Mexico since 1991. It has been in Tamaulipas since 1995, when it opened a Sam’s Club in the city of Tampico. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The investment announcement follows a meeting held at the Mexican Embassy in the United States, in Washington D.C. in December 2022, when Walmart executives presented investment plans to Gov. Villarreal and State Economy Minister Ninfa Cantú Deándar.
The government will support Walmart’s growth in the state, said Cantú Monday, stressing the ministry’s commitment to facilitating future expansions.
The supermarket chain’s investment will support economic growth by encouraging trade, generating opportunities for local suppliers and strengthening regional competitiveness, said Villarreal.
The project is expected to help establish Tamaulipas as a strategic investment hub in Mexico.
Coahuila authorities are urging the public to report any further sightings of exotic species to help combat wildlife trafficking and protect the animals. (Juan Ortega Solís/Cuartoscuro)
For the second time in the past four months, giraffes have been spotted roaming freely in Mexico’s northern state of Coahuila, leaving authorities and residents perplexed.
The latest sighting occurred this week in the municipality of Hidalgo. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any video, but this post from early December of giraffes romping through a semi-desert area in the municipality of Sabinas has garnered thousands of online views.
#Viral: Sorprenden jirafas salvajes a policías estatales en brecha en Sabinas, #Coahuila
The sighting was reported in the Carbonífera Region — an expansive area primarily in Coahuila that produces over 90% of Mexico’s coal — by members of the Coahuila State Police, who were on routine patrol on rural roads at the time.
Around the same time, three giraffes were also seen near Coahuila’s border with Nuevo León.
The sightings have raised questions about the regulation of exotic fauna in the region. Authorities are working to determine if someone has legal permits to keep the giraffes or if they are part of an illegal trafficking operation.
The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) has been notified to assess the health of the animals and decide on further actions.
Some speculate that the giraffes might have originated from a ranch belonging to the late businessman Chito Longoria, whose estate spanned across three Mexican states, including Coahuila. Shortly after he died in 2015, his daughter, Janette Longoria, said in an interview that their ranch had giraffes, antelopes and zebras.
However, that would be impossible, and not just because the giraffe would have had to walk over 1,000 kilometers north from the zoo. The most likely scenario, put forth by subsequent reports, is that the missing giraffe died in the zoo due to natural causes two months earlier.
The most recent image of three giraffes roaming rural Coahuila. (@noticiasmiled/X)
Another “tall” tale covered by Mexico News Daily last year detailed the saga of Benito, a 4.3-meter (14-foot) tall giraffe who was living in deplorable conditions at a public park in Chihuahua before being transferred to a spacious safari park in Puebla.
Coahuila authorities are urging the public to report any further sightings of exotic species to help combat wildlife trafficking and protect both the animals and the local ecosystem.
The presence of giraffes in Coahuila’s arid lands has raised concerns about their health and survival.
Cancun International Airport's passenger traffic numbers in February were nearly 270,000 less than the previous month. (Shutterstock)
Air traffic at Cancún International Airport (CUN) decreased 9.1% in February compared to the same month in 2024, according to airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (ASUR).
While its numbers have been down from last year over the last several months, Cancún International Airport remains Mexico’s second busiest airport after the Mexico City International Airport (AICM). (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
In February Cancún’s airport saw a total of 2.74 million passengers, a decrease of over 245,000 passengers compared to February 2024. The biggest drop corresponded to February’s international travelers, which decreased from 2.03 million in February 2024 to 1.81 million in February 2025, down 11%.
Domestic traffic through Cancún in February was also down, but far less dramatically, with 680,189 travelers, a 3.6% decline from February 2024.
ASUR, which operates 16 airports in Latin America, continues to face challenges in the Mexican market due to the declining capacity of local airlines and increasing competition, especially with the surge in flights to Tulum International Airport, which is run by Mexico’s military under the name Grupo Olmeca-Maya-Mexica.
Inaugurated in December 2023, Tulum saw over 1 million passengers a year after it began operations, surpassing expectations for passenger traffic.
The passenger traffic decline at Cancún’s airport is part of a wider trend observed at ASUR’s Mexican airports. ASUR reported an overall 7.5% dip in passenger traffic compared to February 2024.
Except for Mérida, Minatitlán, Oaxaca and Veracruz, all airports operated by ASUR saw decreased total airport traffic in February compared to last year. Airports with declining numbers included Cozumel (-18.9%), Huatulco (-6.1%), Tapachula (-13.5%) and Villahermosa (-104%).
In contrast, ASUR’s airports in Colombia and Puerto Rico, reported an increase of 3.3% and 8.6% respectively.
Cancún International Airport appears to be struggling with the opening of the Tulum International Airport in Dec. 2023. Despite some upticks during its high season in December and January, has struggled to maintain an upward trajectory in passenger traffic.
Regarding international flights, Puerto Rico’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan (SJU) showed significant growth, with a 19.2% increase, while ASUR’s airports in Colombia saw an overall 11.3% rise. Meanwhile, ASUR’s total passenger traffic across Mexican airports declined in both international and domestic flights, by 10.6% and 2.9% respectively.
But not all airports in Mexico are seeing passenger traffic decreases.
Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), which operates 12 airports in Mexico and two in Jamaica, reported a 2.6% rise in its Mexico market. Passenger traffic at GAP’s airports in Guadalajara and Tijuana increased by 5.8% and 2.7% respectively.
However, traffic at GAP’s Los Cabos International Airport and Puerto Vallarta International Airport decreased by 3.8% and 1.8% respectively.
The victims in the Oaxaca bus crash were reportedly supporters of the Morena party who were returning from President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Sunday rally in Mexico City. (Estación Foto/Cuartoscuro)
At least 19 people were killed when a bus flipped over in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico on Monday morning, just a few hours after an accident involving a bus and a tractor-trailer in northern Mexico resulted in the death of 14 passengers.
The bus traveling through Oaxaca was carrying more than 40 people when it crashed into a ravine near the town of Santo Domingo Narro. (Estación Foto/Cuartoscuro)
Authorities were still investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred just outside the small town of Santo Domingo Narro, the Oaxaca government said in a statement.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families, to whom we will provide the necessary support and assistance during this difficult time,” he said, adding that “Our government personnel continue to work and provide support to those injured.”
State Interior Minister Jesús Romero said the bus was carrying more than 40 people — including young children — and was en route from Mexico City to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the southern part of the state.
“To the families and loved ones of those who have tragically passed away, we express our deepest condolences. Our deepest sorrow and solidarity are with you at this time. We assure you that you are not alone. We are working hand in hand with the relevant authorities and institutions to provide you with the care you require.”
A two-day shopping excursion from Durango to McAllen, Texas, ended in tragedy Sunday night when the bus hit a tractor-trailer head-on near Velardeña, Durango. (@AlTiempoDgo/X)
Up north in the state of Durango, 14 people died after a tour bus crashed with a tractor-trailer and quickly caught fire near the town of Velardeña before dawn on Monday. Ten passengers managed to exit the bus but the intensity of the blaze prevented them from rescuing those still trapped inside.
The 10 survivors were transported to a hospital in the nearby town of Cuencamé, nine of them treated for minor injuries.
The bus — operated by Aser Tours of Durango city — was part of a round trip, two-day shopping excursion from Durango to McAllen, Texas. The bus had left McAllen for the return trip on Sunday night and was two hours northeast of Durango city when the accident occurred.
Aser Tours released a statement on its Instagram page saying it will offer support to victims. The bus company also claimed that the operator of the tractor-trailer was at fault in the crash.
Durango state authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.
Mexico's southeastern states require major investment in order for the region to take full advantage of its available energy and water resources, according to a new UNAM report. (Fernando Carranza/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s southeast requires at least 17 billion pesos (US $833.5 million) over the next five years to address climate change impacts and the growing water crisis, according to an analysis from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
The states of Veracruz, Tabasco and Chiapas require greater federal and state resources to address water security, according to researchers. (Asipona Veracruz)
“The analysis suggests a 30% increase in investment for infrastructure in rural areas, with the aim of reducing disparities with urban areas,” the Water Advisory Council’s president Raúl Rodríguez Márquez said in a statement.
However, rapid population growth, industrial development, extensive agriculture and inadequate water management infrastructure have led to water scarcity, pollution and unequal access, according to the report.
The region also faces climate challenges like more intense floods, droughts and soil erosion.
The authors suggest that Mexico’s existing water management system is outdated and in need of an update.
“Since the first National Water Plan in 1975, a high concentration of hydraulic infrastructure and investments in water and sanitation was identified in the center and north of Mexico, leaving the southeast behind,” stated UNAM Water Network’s technical coordinator Fernando González Villarreal.
The analysis also highlights the lack of recognition of community organizations, reduced technical capacities of regional institutions and the low levels of investment in the region’s water infrastructure development and maintenance.
The executive coordinator of the UNAM Water Network Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina said that the region requires greater federal and state resources to address water security.
“And at the same time,” he added, “systems for transparency, accountability and citizen participation should be strengthened so that investments reach their destination for the benefit of all people.”
Chiapas’s watersheds face major threats from overpopulation, mining, logging and poor or non-existent urban planning. (Isabel Mateos/Cuartoscuro)
The authors also recommend improving early warning systems for flooding and enhancing compliance with territorial regulations to prevent construction in flood-prone areas.
The Southeast’s economic potential
Thanks in part to the abundance of energy and water resources, Mexico’s southern states are attracting increasing attention for nearshoring activities and higher levels of foreign investment, according to the economic consultant Alejandro Delgado Ayala.
“The south is beginning to gain relevance, especially Veracruz because it has water, it has a port, it has electricity, it has natural gas and it has many engineers because of the whole petrochemical sector; for us, Veracruz is a big player,” Ayala, a managing partner at the firm GCR Consultores, told the publication El Economista.
The states of Veracruz, Chiapas and Tabasco together have a population of around 16 million people and contribute over 8% of Mexico’s GDP.
During the first half of 2024, Veracruz attracted $1.5 million in new investments, according to Economy Ministry data.
Photographer Janet Sternberg has turned her lens on Mexico and the everyday, with fascinating results. (All photos by Janet Sternburg)
These words are found in the Introduction to San Miguel de Allende residentJanet Sternburg‘s photography book. I found them striking: “In Mexico, so much lives together.”
“So much photography is about isolating what is, framing it in its uniqueness, its apartness. In Mexico, so much lives together, with a greater tolerance for ambiguity and a sense that nothing should be isolated.”
Looking at Mexico, Mexico Looks Back is an honest look at the magical elements that expats in Mexico might take for granted after some time in the country.
Sternburg’s book,Looking at Mexico, Mexico Looks Back is the perfect illustration of this and a beautiful example of bicultural and bilingual collaboration. While the photographs are her own, the commentary is by a friend drawn in by her photos: Jose Alberto Romero Romano.
And this is part of what makes the book so unique. First, all of the commentary is given in both English and Spanish. And second, the commentary is by someone who is from Mexico, who sees the images not as things foreign and strange, but as familiar. Romero’s poetic prose — sometimes description, sometimes stream of consciousness — provides a fascinating glimpse into the feelings and associations behind the images.
In a world now filled with AI images and glossy brochures of resort living, it’s refreshing to see scenes unposed. Throughout the book, walls stand. People go about their business. Objects sit on surfaces. The subjects of the photographs simply do what they will, without regard for the camera. “Leaving things be” when it comes to an aesthetic field like photography can constitute a radical act.
This book does not allow the perception of Mexico to be consumed by caricature: no smiling child with perfect teeth holds up perfectly formed artesanías before a frothy green background. No slick “top ten reasons to move to Mexico” marketing copy. These photographs and commentary are simply “slices of life”.
Below are excerpts of some of my favorite photographs with their commentary in English:
“When I was a little boy in the shower, my grandmother used to scrub me with these. I remember water on the floor. These pads are called “estropajos” and they’re something that Mexicans have in common. At first to a child they’re big and hard, but this changes with time. After they’re used for a while, they get softer and their name changes to “zacatitos.” Now they have become part of our identity. They make us feel a connection to being Mexican.”
“This man is not a warrior. He is a dancer, maybe during the day he’s a taxi driver. But when he wears this mask, the crocodile talks through him. This gives him power.”
“This is very personal. For the person who made it, it doesn’t matter who likes it. Even if other people think it’s horrible, he doesn’t care. “It’s what I like.” It’s not there as a car, it’s his unique identity.”
“My grandmother does the same thing. It’s not like she’s casually sticking a photo in a frame. She puts as many as twenty or thirty small photographs along the side of a picture. After the natural birth of our son at home, my wife felt exhausted. My grandmother remembered how it felt when she had her child, and offered my wife a traditional remedy to recover the energy of her body and soul. She said, ‘Take a bath with flowers.’ It worked. My wife got better. She was accepted by my grandmother. This is why a photograph of my wife is included among the others. My grandmother is saying to the Virgin, ‘Please take care of my son, and his wife and child.'”
“Struck by lighting, this tree is wounded. But it has healed itself. It’s alive. In this photograph, I can see a turning point. In one moment, a bolt can change the structure of the tree, its “personhood,” its identity as a tree. The world becomes before and after the lighting. This is like life, the moment of a child being born that changes everything afterward.”
“Like a telescope, this window is another portal. The moment of a photograph is the moment to open your heart. This is an image at the end; it is also an image of return. Now you go through the portal. The child, me, in a shower, being scrubbed, that is you too.”
As someone who’s never felt quite comfortable with all the glossy promotion of Mexico which so often seems to breeze past the experiences of those who actually live here, I was happy to take a peak into something that felt truly genuine.
The book now lives on my coffee table, ready to be picked up and browsed through when the Instagramafication of the world feels too strong a force.
Easter bunny who? Mexico City doesn’t need egg hunting to have a blast during Spring Break. (Robert Lozano/Pexels)
Born and raised in Mexico City myself, I can tell you: there is no better time to enjoy the city than when it’s empty. And yes, Spring Break is an all-time favorite for that. As capitalinos flee their crazy hometown in search of their beaches of choice, we who are budget-tight or simply unwilling to leave the city can enjoy a traffic-free CDMX. Believe it or not, that can actually happen.
Imagine a car-free Anillo Periférico? Or an un-crowdedCentro Histórico? Well, although this is hard to picture — and might seem contradictory to foreign folk — holidays are usually the best time to have a nice stroll around the capital. This is especially true during Semana Santa, or Easter. In a country that’s 77% Catholic, as perINEGI’s latest surveys, this holiday is dutifully observed as a religious time of penance.
The City hits different when there’s nobody about. (Evan Wise/Unsplash)
People living in Mexico City who are not originally from the capital wish to go home and spend the holidays with their loved ones. And we, born and raised here, often long for a well-deserved break from our daily capitalino lives. This does not mean, however, that Mexico City becomes dull during Spring Break. On the contrary, given that the city will be mostly empty and walkable, here’s our digest of the best staycation plans for Spring Break 2025.
When is Spring Break 2025?
This year, Spring Break in Mexico will start around the second week of April. Namely, the ‘Semana Santa’ vacations will start on April 14, 2025, and end on April 27, as per the Education Ministry’sofficial calendar. Children will be exempted from school attendance for over two weeks this year, which is far more than I got back in the day. This, of course, comes as a very nice surprise for those of us who are definitely not leaving town this year for Easter vacay.
The best plans for Spring Break staycationers in Mexico City
Watch the Pascual full moon from Mexico City’s clear night skies
And no, the moon is not turning pink in April. (Nick Owuor/Unsplash)
Ever wondered whyEaster Day always has a full moon? That is not at all a coincidence: in the year 325 A.D., during theFirst Council of Nicaea, Roman emperor Constantine I established that the first Sunday following the fourteenth day of a new moon would be the day to begin Easter. Namely, the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, who is believed to awaken from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. That’s 2000 years of Christian history for you, in just a paragraph. You’re welcome.
Often referred to as “Pink Moon,” following the Northern Native American tradition, this astronomical occurrence was named “after a species of early blooming wildflower,” asdocumented by the Museum of Greenwich. “In other cultures,” the institution adds, “this moon is called the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.”
Under the Libra constellation, the Pink Moon will bloom in the summer night sky on April 12, 2025. Although this does not fall strictly under the official Spring Break calendar, you can plan ahead and look for an elevated rooftop to watch the satellite from. It is expected to peak at around 8:00 p.m. that night, so get cozy and enjoy a summertime spectacle while the night’s still young.
Where: Anywhere! Preferably a high place that is not obstructed by public wiring; or any of UNAM’spublic observatories, if you’re a nerd like me. Cost: Absolutely free
Via Crucis: A deeply rooted Iztapalapan tradition
Pasión de Cristo en Iztapalapa 2024: Más de 2 millones vivieron la representación - En Punto
Via Crucis translates from Latin as ‘the path of the Cross,’ naturally referring to the 14 stations Jesus endured during his passion, following the Biblical passage. Every Holy Friday, the people of the Eastern borough of Iztapalapa reenact this sacred journey in which their Messiah atoned for the sins of the world.
Someone plays Jesus, and carries a real cross over their shoulder; someone plays Mary; someone plays Pontius Pilate. You get the idea. There have been 181 editions of this traditional representation, in which, according to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), “the eight original neighborhoods of the municipality (San Lucas, San Pedro, San Miguel, San Pablo, San Ignacio, San José, La Asunción and Santa Bárbara) [organize] in a collegiate and horizontal manner to carry out the representation.”
Over 500 actors and actresses participate in the Via Crucis, as per INAH’s records. There is even a Holy Week Organizing Committee in Iztapalapa AC (COSSIAC), in charge of coordinating the great event every Holy Week. Their goal is “to ensure that it continues in future generations, without distorting its original symbolic meaning,” as they wrote in a statement in 2023, when INAH declared the Via Crucis of Iztapalapa as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mexico. Just the year after, this tradition was declared the same by UNESCO.
At first, I was doubtful as to suggest this experience for the Mexico News Daily readership. Especially that, even for me — raised by a very, very Catholic mother — these parades can be challenging to watch. However, this is one of the quintessential Semana Santa local traditions — and an absolute must-see, if you’re visiting town and are willing to get a glimpse of what the Catholic faith really means in Mexico. If you’re planning on going, avoid bringing children with you — this event can get crowded, is very graphic and can easily be overwhelming for anyone.
Where: Ave. San Lorenzo 312. Col. San Juan Xalpa, C.P. 09850, Iztapalapa, Mexico City. Cost: Free
Jacaranda watching
Mexico City in the spring time means jaracarandas in full bloom. (Juan Antonio López/UNAM Global)
April is not the cruelest month in Mexico City. On the contrary, it is the best time of the year to watch the jacaranda trees (Jacaranda mimosifolia) in full bloom. Even though these beautiful light purple flowers are a fundamental symbol of spring in Mexico, the Jacaranda mimosifolia is not an endemic tree. In 1912, Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki tried to import cherry trees as a diplomatic gift to Mexico. Given the warm weather in the capital, the species did not survive. However, the Japanese don’t give up that easily.
As the Sakura project failed, a Japanese gardener,Tatsugoro Matsumoto, tried planting Jacaranda trees instead. With the coming of spring, the species bloomed healthily. Ever since then, we Mexicans have adopted the Japanese tradition of Hanami: the art of contemplating the flowers in full bloom.
Typical sighting spots include Centro Histórico, in front of Palacio de Bellas Artes or Hemiciclo a Juárez. Despite the un-crowded nature of Spring Break in Mexico City, these can get tumultuous around midday, so take precautions. If you’re looking for a quieter spot, head to Ámsterdam Avenue in Condesa, where a bed of Jacaranda flowers softly covers the median strip.
If you’re looking for absolutely breathtaking sights, dive into Colonia Narvarte, one of the capital’s jacaranda-infused residential neighborhoods. Specifically, to Concepción Béistegui Street, in front of Centro Universitario de México (CUM). With the coming of spring, this fragment of the street appears to be vaulted by a purple-flowered ceiling. If you’re not very much into impactful religious representations, Jacaranda-watching brings an aesthetic ease to the soul.
Where: Across the city, wherever you find parks or tree-lined boulevards, but especially Avenida Ámsterdam, Condesa. Cost: Free
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
April brings concerts and festivals to Guadalajara and Lake Chapala. (Shutterstock)
Twenty-seven Mexican cities and municipalities have been recognized as “Tree Cities of the World 2024,” by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation.
The joint accolade contributes to FAO’s Green Cities initiative, which seeks to strengthen green infrastructure in both urban and rural communities.
“The cities recognized for 2024 are leading by example in providing green spaces and infrastructure that help define a sense of place and well-being where people live, work, play and learn,” Zhimin Wu, director of FAO’s Forestry Division, said.
Cities receiving the title include Guadalajara, Mérida and Toluca, which have earned the distinction for six consecutive years, in addition to Durango, Irapuato, Tuxtla Gutiérrez and Zapopan, which have secured the accolade five years in a row, among others.
Meanwhile, Monterrey, Cuernavaca, Hermosillo, Nogales, Oaxaca de Juárez, Puebla, Puerto Vallarta, Sahuayo de Morelos, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and Zamora de Hidalgo, received the recognition for the first time.
“Tree Cities of the World is more than a recognition program,” program manager Sophie Plitt said. “It’s a rapidly growing global movement, transforming how communities view and value their urban forest.”
Mérida is another city that has won the recognition six years in a row. (Ayuntamiento de Mérida)
This edition marked the largest number of cities ever honored since the Tree Cities of the World program began in 2018, with Tree Cities named in 24 countries across six continents.
Through the recognition, many municipalities have secured funding for community forest management, access to a unique global network of urban forestry professionals, and greater local support for canopy growth. That is the case in Puebla, a city that, through the program, found an opportunity for collaboration between the private sector and the government.
“We found an opportunity to unify diverse collectives — those promoting heritage trees, native plant palettes and urban reforestation — to work together with the government,” said Emmanuel Bolaños Bautista, deputy director of the Department of Protected Areas and Environmental Value for Puebla.
In addition to boasting 27 Tree Cities, Mexico will be hosting July 10-12 the annual meeting of Tree Cities of the World in the city of San Luis Potosí, with conferences and workshops.
President Sheinbaum responded to concerns voiced by U.S. Republicans in a letter to Trump. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum rejected a central premise of the letter, as well as speculation that one of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s signature infrastructure projects was built with Chinese money.
‘There was never an expropriation’ in Mexico’s dispute with Vulcan Materials, Sheinbaum says
A reporter asked Sheinbaum about the letter 35 members of the United States Congress sent to Trump asking the U.S. president to “demand a resolution for Vulcan Materials Company,” an Alabama-based construction aggregates firm whose marine terminal in Quintana Roo was taken over and occupied by Mexico’s federal security forces in 2023 as part of a long-running land use dispute.
“As you discuss trade and border security issues with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, we ask that you demand a resolution for Vulcan Materials Company. Mexico must resolve this crisis by engaging in good faith negotiations to account for their illegal actions,” the letter said.
“… Under the direction of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), Mexico’s military forces invaded Vulcan’s facilities and unlawfully shut down Vulcan’s operations,” the members of Congress said.
Mexico’s dispute wtih Vulcan materials dates back to the administration of former President López Obrador, who accused the company of causing an ecological disaster at their quarry in Quintana Roo. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)
“… Additionally, on September 23, 2024, President AMLO effectively expropriated Vulcan’s property by designating it a ‘naturally protected area.’ President Sheinbaum is currently considering a ‘management plan’ — which could potentially benefit Mexican and other foreign interests at the cost of an American company,” they said.
“The Yucatan Peninsula’s strategic location, less than 400 miles from Florida, requires vigilant protection of both U.S. economic and national security interests,” the lawmakers said.
Sheinbaum said that her government would send letters to the members of Congress and Trump to “clarify” what has happened on the coast of Quintana Roo.
“In that letter they’re suggesting that there was an expropriation. There was never an expropriation — the land is theirs, the property is theirs,” she said.
“The problem is that they went completely out of their authorized area of operation,” Sheinbaum said, referring to Vulcan’s limestone quarrying activity.
“They went to other areas, affecting cenotes and aquifers,” she said.
“So they were informed, they were told … [to stop] but they continued with the quarrying, and then President López Obrador decided to change the [permitted] land use, but there is no expropriation,” Sheinbaum said
Vulcan Materials operated the Calica quarry and a nearby shipping port on the coast of Quintana Roo. (Archivo/Cuartoscuro)
“Now it’s a natural protected area where the exploitation of these materials isn’t permitted because it’s severely affecting the environment,” she said.
“… The company should have complied with the environmental impact authorization it had. No company can violate its environmental impact authorization, but they expanded their area of operation,” Sheinbaum said.
She also said that her government is “meeting with the company to look at alternative solutions” to avoid a “legal conflict” between the two parties.
If the two parties can’t reach an agreement, the matter “will be resolved in court,” Sheinbaum said.
No Chinese funding of Maya Train
In their letter, the 35 members of U.S. Congress also raised concerns about possible Chinese funding of the Maya Train railroad, an ambitious project built by the former Mexican government that runs through the states of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Chiapas.
“Beyond the concerning expropriation of Vulcan’s property, we are troubled by reports that the adjacent Mayan Train project may be funded by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” the lawmakers said without providing any information about the reports they were referring to.
U.S. Republicans said reports from unnamed sources alleged that the Maya Train might have been funded by China. (Cuartoscuro)
“We request that your administration urgently investigate to clarify the true developers of this project to ensure the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative does not establish a presence in this strategically vital location,” the members of Congress said to Trump
Sheinbaum told reporters that the source of the funding for the railroad is “public.”
“You can see it in the public accounts reports — everything that was invested in the Maya Train is public [information], it was [built with] the resources of Mexicans who paid taxes and they came back to build the Maya Train. So there is no Chinese funding,” she said.
She said that “if any company” involved in the construction of the Maya Train had some connection to China or the Chinese communist party, “that has nothing to do with the funding” of the railroad.
Mexico’s trade and investment relationship with China and Chinese companies could be a sticking point with the United States and Canada in the 2026 review of the USMCA free trade pact.
Ovalle, 25, is already known as one of the best players in Mexican women's soccer. (Tigres Femenil/Facebook)
A Mexican women’s soccer player known as “La Maga” (The Magician) has captivated the soccer world with a stunning goal for the Monterrey-based Tigres of Liga MX Femenil.
During a home match last week against Chivas of Guadalajara, Lizbeth Ovalle scored by flicking the ball over the goalkeeper with her left heel while hanging in mid-air with her back toward the goal.
Lizbeth Ovalle’s adapted ‘scorpion kick’
Not only has the acrobatic feat gone viral and made headlines globally, but it’s also garnering speculation as the world’s most amazing goal of the year.
Likened to a “scorpion kick” by some, Orvalle’s goal was set up by a crossing pass from Jenni Hermoso.
While traditional scorpion kicks involve using the heel to direct the ball — one of the most famous of all-time occurred in a 1995 friendly between Colombia and England — Ovalle used the bottom of her shoe to loft the ball past Chivas’ stunned goalkeeper.
The “modified scorpion kick” (as some are calling it) broke a 0-0 tie in the 76th minute and helped send the Tigers to an important 2-0 victory over Chivas. Eight of the league’s 18 teams will make the playoffs, and with six matches to go, the Tigers are in fourth place and Chivas in seventh.
Lizbeth Ovalle scored the remarkable goal with a modified scorpion kick. (Tigres Feminil/Facebook)
Ovalle, a 25-year-old from the city of Aguascalientes, is one of the best players in Liga MX Femenil and one of Mexico’s best female players overall. She has been with the UANL Tigers since 2017 (the team is affiliated with the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, or UANL).
Referred to at times by the first name Jacqueline, she has played for Mexico’s national team since 2018, scoring 20 goals in 58 international games.
Last year, Mexico News Daily wrote about her fabulous goal that helped Mexico score a monumental 2-0 win over the United States in the Concacaf W Gold Cup, a mini–World Cup for teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Before that, the U.S. women had 40 wins and one tie in their 42 previous matches against Mexico, including 16 wins in a row by a combined 65-4 score.
Ovalle scored 15 goals in 17 Liga MX Femenil games last season to rank third in the league, and this season has 10 goals in 11 games.
Her tally last week is being hyped for the Marta Award, which recognizes the most spectacular goal of the year in global women’s soccer. It is named for Marta Vieira da Silva, more commonly known as Marta, a Brazilian regarded as one of the greatest female futbolistas ever.
If Ovalle wins, she would become the first Mexican to win either the Marta (established by world soccer governing FIFA only last year) or the Puskás Award (awarded annually since 2009 for the most eye-popping men’s goal of the year).
“I don’t even know … who knows how I did it,” Ovalle said after the game while referring to her goal as el camaroncín — the little shrimp.
“I just saw the cross coming in and thought, ‘If I just touch it, wherever it goes, it goes.”
