BYD will release its new EV pickup truck next week in Mexico. (TY Lim/Shutterstock)
Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD has revealed that its new pickup truck will make its global debut in Mexico next week.
The launch of its first-ever pickup truck model — the BYD Shark — will take place on May 14, reported the newspaper El Economista.
Chinese manufacturer BYD was the world’s top electric vehicle manufacturer as of the end of 2023. Pictured: a BYD plant in Hungary. (BYD)
“The BYD Shark will make its debut in Mexico on May 14, ushering in the global era of new energy pickup trucks,” the company said Tuesday on Weibo, a Chinese microblogging website.
The Shark is based on BYD’s own DMO (dual-mode off-road) platform. The new vehicle is a mid-to-large-size model, slightly larger than the Toyota Hilux, a light pickup that Toyota sells globally, although not in the United States.
The expectation is that the Shark model will be aimed primarily at overseas markets and not China’s domestic market, where pickup trucks are subject to more restrictions than passenger car models, according to the website CnEVPost.
In February, BYD announced it would build a factory in Mexico this year. Six states are currently bidding to host the plant, according to El Economista. The western state of Jalisco is said to be among the favorites.
BYD Americas CEO Stella Li said the Mexico plant would build 150,000 vehicles per year for the Mexican market.
BYD is the first carmaker from China to announce its plans to build a plant in Mexico. Though Mexico is an increasingly attractive nearshoring destination for electric vehicle production, plans by Chinese firms to nearshore in Mexico have been complicated by recent pressure from the United States.
Two months after BYD announced its plans to build a factory in Mexico, the Mexican federal government revealed it would not be offering incentives such as tax cuts for Chinese EV makers.
BYD reported lackluster first-quarter sales on April 29. The new energy vehicle maker’s January-March revenue was up 3.97% year-on-year, but down nearly 31% quarter-to-quarter. Net profit was up 10.6% year-on-year, but down 47.3% from Q4 2023.
A burned-out trailer truck remains along a highway in Trancoso, Zacatecas, one of 10 sites in the state where presumed cartel members set vehicles on fire Monday, apparently in response to the arrests of 26 alleged Sinaloa Cartel members Sunday and Monday. (Genaro Natera/Cuartoscuro)
Nine bodies were found dumped on two busy roads in the notoriously violent city of Fresnillo, Zacatecas, on Tuesday morning.
Rodrigo Reyes Mugüerza, general secretary of the Zacatecas government, confirmed the discovery in an early-morning post to his Facebook page, noting that “messages directed toward an opposing [criminal] group” were found with the bodies.
Officials take photos of a crime scene in Villanueva, Zacatecas, where armed men forced drivers out of their vehicles to use them in a highway blockade. Villanueva is near San José de Lourdes, a community in the Fresnillo municipality that was the site of a confrontation between authorities and cartel members on Monday that resulted in six arrests. (Genaro Natera/Cuartoscuro)
Members of the Sinaloa Cartel are believed to have abandoned the corpses in Fresnillo. That criminal group — which was targeted in recent security operations — is involved in a turf war in Zacatecas with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). The state is located along drug trafficking routes between Pacific coast ports and Mexico’s border with the U.S. state of Texas.
Reyes said that “investigative authorities” had reached the points where the bodies were located. He noted that “the situation is reported as stable, with traffic interruptions.”
In his Facebook post, Reyes also noted that two highway blockades were reported in the early hours of Tuesday. One was in the municipality of Trancoso, located east of Zacatecas city, while the other was in General Pánfilo Natera, located further east of the capital on the border with the state of San Luis Potosí.
Reyes said that security forces were present at both points where presumed criminals had set up fiery blockades. He reported that the situation had been brought under control.
The discovery of the bodies in Fresnillo on Tuesday morning came after the arrest of 26 members of the Sinaloa Cartel in Zacatecas over the past two days. The cartel responded to those detentions by setting vehicles on fire to create highway blockades in 10 Zacatecas municipalities on Monday.
Referring to the murders of nine people and the latest highway blockades, Reyes said that the arrests had “provoked new reactions” from “a criminal group.”
He also said that the state government and “all the institutions that make up the committee for the construction of peace remain firm” in their commitment to “the process of pacification.”
“We ask society to stay calm and consult official sources of information,” Reyes added.
We've all been to Chichen Itzá - but have you checked out these five lesser-known UNESCO World Heritage sites? (Pedro Lastra/Unsplash/INAH/Shutterstock/Querétaro Travel/Gobierno de México)
From pre-Columbian archeological sites to colonial cities and natural wonders, Mexico is ranked seventh for the number of sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. With a whopping 27 cultural sites, six natural sites and two mixed sites, a marvel is always right around the corner in Mexico.
Perhaps you are already familiar with some of these places, like the pre-Hispanic city of Chichen Itzá in Yucatán, the Historical Center in Mexico City or the expat paradise of San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato. Perhaps you’re anxious to discover places off the beaten path with fewer tourists but the same historical value.
Querétaro’s Jalpan de Serra, one of several underappreciated UNESCO World Heritage sites in Mexico. (Querétaro Travel/Facebook)
Whether you’re looking for natural sites, cultural destinations or a combination of both natural and cultural significance, here are five lesser-known UNESCO sites in Mexico to satisfy the interests of any travel enthusiast.
1. Tlacotalpan
A river port town 72 km south of the city of Veracruz, Tlacotalpan “is an exceptionally well-preserved Spanish colonial river port,” according to UNESCO.
Preserving its original checkerboard-patterned urban plan, this little colonial town from the 16th century on the banks of the Papaloapan River is the perfect place to experience vernacular Caribbean traditions. Many of the traditional houses adjacent to the river, which feature vivid colors and exuberant decorations, have preserved their original form, scale, adornments, colors and even furniture. Public and private gardens throughout the town also feature ancient trees.
Tlacotalpan is famous for being the birthplace of Mexican singer and composer Agustín Lara, author of renowned Mexican songs like “María Bonita” or “Solamente Una Vez.”
Tlacotalpan offers visitors the chance to experience authentic life in Veracruz. (Shutterstock)
A visit to this jewel of a town should include the Municipal Palace, the Main Park, the San Cristóbal Church and the Agustín Lara Museum. Visitors can also take a boat tour through part of the Papaloapan River for bird watching and visit the historic neighboring town of Alvarado. Companies like Viator offer guided tours in English to both towns.
How to get there? TheVeracruz Bus Station in the city of Veracruz has daily departures to Tlacotalpan on the ADO and TRV lines approximately every 45 minutes.
2. The Great Mural Art of Sierra de San Francisco
Deep in a canyon in the Baja California Peninsula are America’s oldest cave paintings. Dating back to approximately 100 B.C. to A.D. 1300 (between 7,000 and 12,000 years old), their remote location and the region’s dry climate have allowed the paintings to survive in remarkable condition for thousands of years. UNESCO has said this is “one of the most outstanding collections of rock paintings in the world.”
Depicting various human and animal figures, including marine and terrestrial fauna, the Great Murals are attributed to the Cochimí people, who lived relatively isolated from continental influences. The paintings, which number in the hundreds, have red, black, white and yellow colors.
The artists behind these cave paintings, the Indigenous Cochimí people, mysteriously disappeared in the 16th century. (INAH)
Little is known of the Cochimí, who rapidly disappeared after contact with the Jesuit missionaries from Europe in the 16th century.
How to get there? Due to the difficult access to the caves from the nearest towns (San Ignacio and El Vizcaíno), Mexico’s Culture Ministry recommends booking an expedition with a specialized tourist company. The trek on foot or donkey to the caves may take up to five hours from the Santa Teresa Canyon, the only authorized camping site in the area.
3. 16th Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatépetl
At the conjunction of Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala states, on the slopes of Mexico’s most active volcano, stand 15 monasteries in an excellent state of conservation. They were built by the first missionaries in the Americas: the Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians.
Cholula’s Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios is built atop a pre-Hispanic pyramid and provides stunning views of nearby Popocatépetl(Pedro Lastra/Unsplash)
The monasteries are located in different Magic Towns and archeological zones (including famous sites like Tepoztlán and Cholula). These buildings are evidence of an original architectural style created for the purposes of evangelization and as venues for cultural exchange between Europe and the Indigenous communities. These monasteries are particularly special for their innovative architectural features: they feature open spaces and large atriums that did not exist in similar Europe churches.
The influence of this style can be seen across Mexico and beyond its borders in different colonial buildings.
According to UNESCO, the monasteries’ original elements are perfectly preserved, making them a “complete representation of an actual 16th century Monastery.”
How to get there? Since the monasteries are scattered across different places in three states, the Culture Ministry has created a map and guide to the Route of the Monasteries.
4. Pinacate Desert
Pinacate desert, home to the only Erg dunes in North America. (Gobierno de México)
Located in the northern state of Sonora, theEl Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve are part of the four great North American deserts along with the Chihuahuan Desert, the Mojave Desert and the Great Basin Desert.
The natural protected area of the Pinacate Desert is a relatively undisturbed desert that encompasses two landscapes across 714,566 hectares. To the east, it is home to a volcanic area of around 200,000 hectares, boasting extensive black and red lava flows and desert pavement. UNESCO claims that the most visually striking feature is the group of 10 enormous, almost perfectly circular steam blast craters.
To the west is the Gran Altar Desert, North America’s largest field of sand dunes. reaching up to 200 meters high. These dunes are the only Erg dunes (areas with a large accumulation of sand) in North America.
Pinacate Tours organizes different camping experiences in the several areas of the desert.
How to get there? The main access is at kilometer 52 of Highway 8 Puerto Peñasco-Sonoyta, 3.5 hours from the city of Phoenix, Arizona in the United States.
5. Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro
The Franciscan Missions were built between 1750 and 1760 as part of the evangelization of the Spanish colonial period in Querétaro. These missions facilitated the work of Christian missionaries in California, Arizona and Texas.
UNESCO notes that the richly decorated church façades are a clear example of the fusion of cultures between the missionaries and the natives. “They are a testimony of the cultural coexistence between two societies and the natural environment,” it says.
The Franciscan Missions have been remarkably preserved in the mountainous region of the Sierra Gorda. They include the Mission of Santiago de Jalpan, Our Lady of the Light of Tancoyol, San Miguel Concá, Santa María del Agua de Landa and San Francisco de Asís del Valle de Tilaco.
Some church interiors include Indigenous motifs including images of jaguars, eagles and Indigenous peoples themselves.
Promotur Querétaro offers different tours to explore all five missions. This experience can be coupled with a tour of the Historic Center of the city of Querétaro, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
How to get there? The missions are scattered around the state. They are all easily accessible by road. You can follow this guide to explore them at your own pace.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
INEGI reported that new car sales in April totaled 112,048 units, a 14.8% increase over the same month a year ago. The performance in April was also the third-best ever for that month, only behind 2016 (118,754) and 2017 (114,938).
This is more good news for the automotive industry which continues to bounce back from the pandemic lows, with last month’s sales total surpassing by 13.9% the 2019 April performance of 98,366 new cars sold.
The overall total of new car sales in 2024 reached 461,800, an improvement of nearly 50,000 over the 412,736 sold during the first four months of 2023. This represents a year-over-year increase of 11.9%.
Leading the way among carmakers in April was Nissan, the market leader in Mexico, with 18,079 light vehicles sold, a 20.3% improvement year-on-year. General Motors followed with 17,325 cars sold (up 18.4%) with Volkswagen and Toyota coming in third and fourth, respectively.
The newspaper El Economista reported that Volkswagen’s car sales (10,522 light VW vehicles sold) rose by 17.1% and Toyota, with 9,785 cars sold, recorded an impressive increase of 35.3%.
Chinese carmaker Chirey suffered a drop in sales in April after strong growth in 2023. (Chirey Río San Joaquin)
Also enjoying a successful month were Kia (more than 8,500 new cars sold, an 11.1% increase) and Mazda (nearly 7,200 new cars sold, a massive 89.6% improvement).
In contrast, a pair of Chinese carmakers saw sales fall in April according to El Economista, which reported that Chirey saw sales drop 31.4% and MG Motors suffered a decline of 21.8% as compared to April 2023. In addition, Fiat posted negative numbers last month, registering an 18.3% drop in sales.
The slump for Chinese carmakers is a bit of a surprise after sales of Chinese cars in Mexico climbed by 63% in 2023, with Chirey enjoying a 350% increase last year after opening its first dealerships in Mexico in 2022.
El Economista pointed out one statistic that might have boosted last month’s performance in car sales. Although Mexico’s annual headline inflation rate rose to 4.63% in April, new cars remained affordable for consumers as prices rose just 1.96% year-over-year.
The Mexican Association of Automobile Distributors has projected that total new car sales in Mexico this year will exceed 1.45 million units. If this target is met, it will represent an increase of nearly 100,000 vehicles over the 1,361,433 light vehicles sold in 2023.
Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros runs Bombera, in Oakland, California, and serves a mouthwatering modernist interpretation of Mexican cuisine. (Bombera)
Love for good Mexican food reaches far beyond Mexico’s borders. A former firehouse in Oakland, California hosts one of the best examples of Mexican food outside of the country’s borders. Bombera, created by Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros, embodies an outstanding example of heritage cuisine.
Speaking to Mexico News Daily, Dominica discussed bringing award-winning Mexican food to the United States, and how her love for the country inspired her to delve into the world of high end cuisine.
A feast of accolades for Bombera’s culinary triumphs
The cuisine of offer at Bombera has earned it a coveted Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide. (Bombera)
The San Francisco Chronicle proclaims Bombera as the “Best tacos in the Bay Area.” Eater San Francisco recognized Chef Dominica as one of the “Female Titans of the Bay Area Food Scene”. Besides these prizes, Bombera made even bigger waves when it earned a Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide.
The Michelin guide was effusive in its praise of Bombera, writing that; “Chef Dominica Rice-Cisneros, whose passion has helped to shape Oakland’s current Mexican restaurant scene, [combines] a locavore pedigree and fine dining chops with a respect for the generational knowledge of heritage cooking. The single best illustration might be a dish of beautifully rendered duck leg confit, paired with a delightfully complex, nutty mole verde, just-right black beans and handmade blue corn tortillas.”
The remarkable career of a Mexican chef born in America
Dominica was born and raised in Los Angeles. She is a second generation Mexican American with family ties to Abasolo, Guanajuato. While working in Mexico City, New York, and Italy, she worked with leading chefs throughout the industry. This global apprenticeship shaped her path with a deep respect for the origins of ingredients and a love for the stories they tell.
Before Bombera, Dominica made her mark with Cosecha Café, which opened in 2010 at Swan’s Market. Her cooking drew crowds for 12 years, winning attention from The James Beard Foundation. Dominica was also named a semifinalist for Best Chef California in 2019.
Dominica Rice-Cisneros was inspired by the traditional cuisine of Mexico, which she describes as an “anchor” to California. (Bombero)
Chef Dominica continued her distinguished career by establishing Bombera. This culinary haven symbolizes a firewoman and protector of the sacred flame of corn. She works with her team and husband, Southwest University history Professor Carlos Solomon. Their dishes celebrate the history and resilience of people who proudly identify as Mexican despite being born in the United States.
The value of terroir
I asked Dominica if the dishes she serves are authentically Mexican or adjusted to American taste, to which she replied: “What is authentically Mexican? Look at albondigas, those did not start in Mexico. Albondigas came from the African style of cooking meat with sweet herbs. The Moors took this style to Spain and the Spaniards took it to Mexico.
The dish that most traces back to my grandmother is a good pot of beans. In her philosophy, if you have that, everything else is going to be fine. She would start every day by washing and cooking a new pot of beans. Refrying yesterday’s beans for breakfast but cooking a new pot for dinner. That’s a real anchor for me.”
The team at Bombera prioritize regional Mexican cuisine, finding the best of every state in the country to serve to diners. (Bombera)
Rice-Cisneros also told me about her struggles, she works hard to source only the best ingredients. “It’s hard for me to make sure that the chiles I am buying are from Mexico, not from anywhere else. The terroir is very real in Mexico, every State has its own sazón.”
“Nobody is trying to homogenize the flavors in Mexico. The U.S. obsesses with making everything taste the same. I want the U.S. to learn from France. They are proud of their many wines and cheeses. This is because the soil changes from the north to the south.” she continues.
Besides praising European regional cuisine, Dominica says that the same overall concept is true in Mexico. “You have tequila blanco from sandy deserts. Then you go to Oaxaca and sense the tropical notes in their mezcal. Including the queso, because the vacas are eating the alfalfa from red clay that is high in minerals.”
“We received a ton of blue corn from Oaxaca last week, literally one ton,” Rice-Cisneros explained. “We work with two companies that specialize in corn from Oaxaca and Tlaxcala. The shipping and freight are very expensive, that is why this is a labor of love. I have vendors that are very precious to me.”
Why California deserves Bombera
I asked Dominica about California’s definition of Mexican.
“Mexico anchors California’s culture,” she replied. “We have this amazing blend known as the mestiza reality. A culture that has been thriving here for over 300 years in harmony. I’m always trying to show that this culture has always been here.”
“Having access to clean and delicious Mexican food is our birthright in California,” Dominica continued. “I want to keep that tradition alive. I grew up in a neighborhood where the señoras would hand-make the tortillas. When I started to see that disappear and everything coming from a bag, it broke my heart. I didn’t want to see that for my community.” It was at that point, Dominica said, that she realized there was no option but to open her own restaurant.
“This industry is a family tradition and a blessing. My immediate family has been working in the food industry in California for over 150 years. We’ve been part of the pizcas, worked in the farms, canneries, and restaurants. We’ve worked in catering, even feeding Charlie Chaplin and the Duchess of York. My little family has done all that.”
If you would like to try Bombera Oakland for yourself, reservations can be made online.
Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: [email protected]
Reigning champion Canelo beat newcomer Jaime Munguía at Saturday's match. (Canelo Álvarez/Instagram/Golden Boy Promotions)
Facing a Mexican-born opponent for the first time in seven years, Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez retained his status as the world’s undisputed super middleweight champion with a unanimous, 12-round decision over Jaime Munguía in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The all-Mexican boxing match on Cinco de Mayo weekend left the 33-year-old Guadalajara native with a record of 61 wins, including 39 by knockout, in 65 career fights, along with two losses and two ties.
Álvarez improved his record against undefeated fighters to 10-2-1, as Munguía came into the bout with a record of 43-0-0, including 34 wins by knockout.
The 27-year-old native of Tijuana was the more aggressive boxer the first three rounds, even getting Álvarez into the ropes in the third. But after Munguía was sent to the canvas late in the fourth round, the tenor of the fight changed and Álvarez assumed control despite being seven years older and 10 centimeters shorter than his opponent.
The victory marked Álvarez’s fourth straight title defense, and the second straight in which he was clearly the stronger and more effective boxer, showing that he remains one of the sport’s all-time greats.
However, the question of whether he can knock anyone out at this stage of his career won’t go away: The soon-to-be 34-year-old (his birthday is July 18) hasn’t delivered a knockout since defeating Caleb Plant in 2021 — a span of five matches.
Álvarez has only suffered two losses in his 65 career fights. (Showtime)
Still, ESPN rates Álvarez as its fourth-best boxer across all weight classes, and he is the 168-pound world champ of the top four pro boxing confederations: World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation (IBF).
Álvarez was circumspect regarding what he might do next, saying he’ll return to the ring “if the money is right.”
“I’ve fought everyone and I can do what I want,” he said.
The three judges of Saturday night’s fight scored the bout 117-110, 116-111 and 115-112 in favor of Álvarez.
The crowd of 17,492 at T-Mobile Arena was fairly evenly split between the two competitors. Contested on May 4, the fight was presented within the framework of Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
“This win means a lot,” Álvarez said. “I’m glad that I gave him this opportunity. Munguía is a great guy and a great champion. He’s going to have a great career. I’m very proud that all the Mexicans are here watching us.”
On Saturday night, Álvarez celebrated his victory at the exclusive Zouk club in Las Vegas, along with his wife, Fernanda Gómez, and eldest daughter, Emily Canela. Mexican singers Luis R. Conríquez, Eduin Caz and Lenin Ramírez were said to be at the post-fight party, but Mexican singer Peso Pluma reportedly was not.
However, Peso Pluma was definitely at the fight, and not simply as a spectator. He spent a lot of time with Álvarez, including in the locker room before the fight and in the ring alongside the boxer as he awaited the judge’s decision.
Over the past 12 months, jobs in the construction sector saw the second-highest growth rate, after the transport and communications sector. (Cuartoscuro)
Mexico added almost 85,000 new formal sector jobs last month, the best result for April since the current government took office in late 2018.
The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) said in a statement on Monday that the number of people in formal sector positions increased by 84,857 in April to just over 22.37 million.
The month-over-month job creation figure was the fourth highest on record for April, below the numbers registered in 1998, 2002 and 2018.
In the first four months of 2024, Mexico added 349,816 new formal sector jobs, about three-quarters of which are permanent positions. The figure is 22% lower than that recorded between January and April of last year.
IMSS also reported that the size of Mexico’s formal sector workforce increased by 553,911 positions over the past 12 months, a 2.5% increase compared to the previous 12 months.
The sectors that recorded the biggest increases in the size of their workforces were transport and communications (+7%), construction (+5.2%) and retail (3.5%).
Last month was the best April for formal sector jobs growth since President López Obrador took office. (Cuartoscuro)
The only sectors that lost workers over the past 12 months were agriculture (-2.4%) and mining (-1.6%).
The workforce in Quintana Roo — which ranked first for economic growth among Mexico’s 32 federal entities in 2023 — increased by 6.5% over the past year, the highest percentage of any state.
Hidalgo, México state and Chiapas also increased the size of their workforces by over 5%.
Three states lost formal sector jobs over the past year. They were Tabasco (-9%), Chihuahua (-0.5%) and Sinaloa (-0.1%).
IMSS reported that the average daily base salary of formal sector workers was 578 pesos (US $34) at the end of April.
Unemployment hits record low in March
The national statistics agency INEGI reported in late April that Mexico’s unemployment rate declined to a record low of 2.3% in March. The unemployment rate was 2.5% in February and 2.4% in March of 2023.
INEGI said that 59.8 million people out of an “economically active population” of 61.2 million had jobs in March, an increase of 800,000 compared to the same month of 2023.
More than half of the workforce in Mexico continues to labor in the informal sector. (Shutterstock)
Of the 59.8 million people in jobs, 3.9 million, or 6.5% of the total, were underemployed, INEGI said.
Well over half of Mexico’s workforce works in the informal sector, meaning that they don’t pay tax and don’t have access to benefits such as health care through IMSS or paid vacations.
The country’s vast army of informal workers includes street vendors and many domestic workers, even though the Supreme Court passed a law in 2022 requiring household employees to be registered with IMSS.
Jesús Anacarsis López, deputy director of analysis at Banco Base, said earlier this year that reducing the informality rate is “one of the most significant challenges of the Mexican labor market.”
Families gather in a Polanco restaurant to celebrate Mother's Day, in 2022. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico will celebrate Día de las Madres (Mother’s Day) on Friday, and the holiday is expected to generate a surge of revenue — 80 billion pesos, according to Octavio de la Torre, president of the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur). The figure represents a 13% increase compared to last year, he said.
The anticipated spending is similar to that seen on Día del Niño or Children’s Day on April 30, which De la Torre said resulted in a 14% increase in economic revenue.
De la Torre said that there is continuous work to improve Mexico’s economic development and acknowledged the important role of mothers in society and in the economy. “With their effort, work and daily dedication, mothers contribute to the education of better children, comprehensive families, productive businesses and a more prosperous society,” he said.
In Mexico City alone, Mayor Martí Batres anticipates revenue of 3.5 billion pesos for Mother’s Day. In a press conference, Batres told reporters that compared to last year, this figure is 25% higher, representing an increase of 728 million pesos.
A survey by the Federal Consumer Protection Office (Profeco) found that 76.7% of participants will celebrate on May 10. Of those who will celebrate, 32% will organize or attend a party or gathering with friends and family while 30% will have breakfast, lunch or dinner at a restaurant. In addition to dining out, the most popular gifts among respondents included flowers, clothing and shoes. Estimated expenditures ranged from 751 to 1,000 pesos (US $44 to $59).
Mexican mothers in the workforce
A Tijuana mom kisses her daughter goodbye on the first day of classes. Balancing expectations related to work and motherhood can be complicated for Mexican mothers. (Cuartoscuro)
The role of women in Mexican society has gone beyond the household and into the workforce. According to the latest data from the National Occupation and Employment Survey (ENOE), carried out by INEGI in 2023, more than 70% of women in the workforce are mothers.
“Traditionally, a mother’s work has focused on household chores, but in recent years their participation in economic activities has also been recognized,” he noted.
Last year, on Mother’s Day, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported that as of Q2 of 2022, 56 million women aged 12 and older resided in Mexico. Of them, 67% (38 million) were mothers, of which 11% were single and 89% were married. Seven out of 10 single mothers were economically active.
Despite the growing incorporation of mothers into the workforce, many face a daily struggle to make working hours compatible with motherhood. According to Dr. Luz María Velázquez, professor at the Monterrey Institute of Technology, working mothers have become a symbol of strength but they shouldn’t be idealized.
“We should not idealize this figure of the mother who endures everything,” she remarked.
The U.S. Treasury said LNFM is implicated in human trafficking of migrants seeking to enter the United States. (Cuartoscuro)
Thousands of migrants spent close to a week stranded on or near stationary freight trains amidst oppressive climatic conditions in the northern state of Zacatecas.
As many as 3,000 migrants from Central and South American countries spent the weekend in the municipality of Cañitas de Felipe Pescador, where the train on which they were hitching a ride stopped in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A train departed Zacatecas on Monday, with migrants catching a ride north to Torreón, Coahuila. (Cuartoscuro)
They finally left on board a train headed for Torreón, Coahuila, on Monday afternoon, according to a social media post by a correspondent for the El Universal newspaper.
Temperatures in Cañitas de Felipe Pescador rose above 30 C on the weekend, and the migrants complained that National Immigration Institute (INM) agents prevented them from going into the nearby town to buy food and water.
The migrants were also stranded for long periods last week as the trains they were traveling on came to a halt on repeated occasions north of Zacatecas city.
The general secretary of the Zacatecas government said that logistical problems on railroads in the United States and Canada were to blame for the train stoppages in Mexico.
#Avanzan Miles de migrantes que estuvieron varados este fin de semana en #Cañitas, Zacatecas, por fin, avanzan en nuevo tren rumbo a Torreón, Coahuila … Se escuchan los aplausos y los gritos de felicidad pic.twitter.com/KERQJnAHWo
A train left for Torreón, Coahuila on Monday and migrants cheered.
But migrants said that Mexican immigration authorities and the rail company Ferromex — which last year halted scores of services after a string of accidents involving migrants riding the rails — were not allowing any freight trains on which they were traveling to move north.
The stranded migrants are aiming to reach Mexico’s northern border before crossing into the United States. Hundreds if not thousands of migrants who made the journey before them sustained serious injuries including the loss of limbs when they fell from freight trains collectively known as “La Bestia” or The Beast.
One of the stranded migrants told El Universal that INM agents told her and others to abandon the rail tracks and start walking along the highway.
“[They said] that nothing will happen to us, but the people here believe that taking the highway is dangerous. … What’s waiting for us on the highways are the cartels,” said the woman, identified only as Mónica.
Migrants told El Universal that they were given food and water on Saturday but nothing on Sunday.
The newspaper El Sol de Zacatecas reported that INM agents stopped migrants from going into the town of Cañitas de Felipe Pescador to get food and water.
“We’re close to the town, but [the INM agents] made them close the shops,” said Bárbara, a migrant from Colombia.
Migrants interviewed by El Universal newspaper reported that members of the National Guard (GN) prevented them from seeking help from locals in nearby towns. (Cuartoscuro)
“They don’t even give us water — nothing,” she said.
El Sol said that the migrants were also prevented from seeking assistance from locals.
“We’re not animals, be more humane,” said Helen Roque, a Venezuelan woman who is almost five months pregnant and traveling with her two-year-old son.
She and other migrants said that immigration agents tried to forcibly remove them from trains at different points during their journey. There were reports of physical aggression against migrants as they were traveling on trains in Zacatecas last week. One video showed a female INM agent hitting migrants with a metal bar, the Excélsior newspaper reported.
“They threaten to beat us, they throw away our water, they throw away our food, despite the presence of sick children,” Roque told El Sol.
She said she needed to get to the United States because her father is there and he is very ill.
Another Venezuelan woman, Anaís, told El Sol that her young son is sick and vomiting and defecating blood. However, he had not received any medical attention.
“[The INM officials] don’t care if we have kids, they just want us to do what they tell us,” Anaís said.
The Zacatecas government asked Ferromex to allow trains to resume their trips northward from Zacatecas, but that didn’t occur before the migrants endured a very difficult weekend in central Zacatecas.
Many large caravans of migrants venture north from Tapachula, Chiapas, which is near Mexico’s border with Guatemala. (Cuartoscuro)
In a report published early Monday, El Universal said that the Cañitas de Felipe Pescador train station had turned into “a time bomb that could explode in a large social and humanitarian problem” due to the situation faced by “almost 3,000 migrants.”
That possibility was apparently avoided by the departure of a freight train on Monday afternoon. Migrants can be heard clapping and cheering as they finally leave the Zacatecas town where they were stranded for more than two days.
As usual, significant numbers of migrants are traveling northward through Mexico after entering the country at the southern border with Guatemala. Last Thursday, authorities found more than 400 foreign migrants who were left “abandoned” in buses on a highway in the state of Veracruz.
Residents shared photos of the Velo de Novia fire near Valle de Bravo burning late Sunday night. (Paty Armendariz/X)
The brutal 2024 fire season continues to rage across Mexico with a recent wildfire menacing the Pueblo Mágico of Valle de Bravo in México state. Meanwhile, firemen continue fighting blazes in 20 states, according to the National Forestry Commission (Conafor).
On Sunday afternoon, Conafor reported that more than 3,800 firemen and emergency personnel were battling 142 forest fires that had already consumed more than 68,000 hectares (169,447 acres) of forest and brush.
And those figures do not include a conflagration that threatened a popular tourist and resort area in México state that was reported Sunday afternoon.
Residents of Valle de Bravo noticed heavy smoke coming from the nature reserve known as Cascada de Velo de Novia (Bridal Veil Falls) and notified Conafor. The authorities reacted quickly with rangers from Probosque, the state forest protection agency, arriving on scene along with members of the México state Civil Protection Ministry, as well as area fire brigades and Conafor agents.
Officials closed down the park, removing tourists and residents to safe zones and managed to prevent the fire from spreading into adjacent nature reserves and woodland.
In the meantime, area residents were posting images of the fire to social media with some reporting that Velo de Novia was still aglow around midnight.
President López Obrador briefly addressed the Valle de Bravo forest fire at his Monday morning press conference. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
President López Obrador announced that the Valle de Bravo forest fire was 60% contained at his Monday morning press conference, adding that it had affected 6 hectares and was not a threat to the population. Also on Monday, Probosque published a message on X (formerly Twitter) informing the public that the authorities were still working to suppress four fires in the Valle de Bravo area (Velo de Novia, Cualtenco, El Cerrillo and La Carreta).
In that same message, Probosque reported that officials are also battling four other fires at natural reserves in México state.
Conafor’s Sunday afternoon report revealed that of the 142 active forest fires across the nation, 20 are located in nature reserves.
The number of active forest fires has more than doubled since April 1 when Conafor reported that, after suppressing 39 fires throughout March, 69 fires were still ablaze across 12,000 hectares (29,650 acres). At the time, 2,800 firemen and emergency personnel were on the front lines as compared to the 3,864 on duty today.
Conafor had predicted an active and potentially explosive wildfire season this year, especially as 55% of the country was in drought conditions at the end of 2023. Then cold weather in January created large amounts of dry grass and conditions on the ground were exacerbated by record high temperatures in February and March that produced more fuel for fires.
