Alpine skier Lasse Gaxiola was a last-minute addition to the Mexican Winter Olympics team, joining his mother Sarah Schleper, who has competed in six previous Winter Olympics.
(Sarah Schleper Gaxiola/Facebook)
A 17-year-old skier will join his 46-year-old mother on Mexico’s tiny Winter Olympic team in Italy next month, the first such mother-son combo in Mexican history.
Alpine skier Lasse Gaxiola, 17, has been named Mexico’s fifth athlete for the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, where he will compete in the same sport as his mother, veteran Olympian Sarah Schleper.
Sarah Schleper was born in the United States and is married to Mexican coach Federico Gaxiola. Their son Lasse was born in Mexico. (@COM_Mexico/X)
The Winter Games are scheduled for Feb. 6–22 in northern Italy.
Schleper, 46, is set for her seventh Olympic appearance, extending a career that began in 1998 when she raced for the United States before later switching allegiances and coming out of retirement after marrying Mexican coach Federico Gaxiola.
Their son, Lasse, secured his Olympic berth through the International Ski Federation rankings after a series of junior and FIS-level races around the globe. He has also competed in age-group races in Europe.
His qualification completes a five‑member Mexican delegation that will compete in Italy. Alongside Schleper and Gaxiola (who split time between Mexico City and ski resorts in Europe and elsewhere), the team includes alpine skiers Regina Martínez and Allan Corona and figure skater Donovan Carrillo.
The native of Vail, Colorado, competed for the U.S. in four Winter Olympics: 1998 in Nagano, Japan; 2002 in Salt Lake City, U.S.; 2006 in Turin, Italy; and 2010 in Vancouver, Canada.
Then, after obtaining Mexican citizenship in 2015, she competed for Mexico in 2018 in PyeongChang, South Korea, and in 2022 in Beijing.
Her seventh appearance will be one short of the record eight held by Japanese ski jumper Noriaki Kasai and German speed skater Claudia Pechstein.
Her best finish was 10th place in the women’s slalom in 2006, which came one year after her lone World Cup victory, at a slalom event in Switzerland.
Eight years ago, she told Vice.com she was “extremely proud of being Mexican — extremely proud of what I’ve done to get here.”
In that interview, she was also asked if her own kids — Lasse wasn’t even 10 years old at that point — would someday ski for Mexico.
“Sometimes Lasse trains with us in the summer,” she replied. “He doesn’t want to be a racer, but he’s a great skier. I’m pretty sure he’d compete for Mexico, though. It’s a long way away, but there’s an opportunity there.”
In Milan-Cortina, Sarah and Lasse will join Venezuelan lugers Werner Hoeger and his son Christopher (Salt Lake City 2002) as the only parent-child combo competing for the same country in the same event at the same Winter Olympics.
A parent-child combo has occurred several times in the Summer Games, but only one time as a mother-son combo: pistol shooters Nino Salukvadze and her son Tsotne Machavariani at the Rio Games in 2016.
According to the Center for Economic Studies of the Private Sector (CEESP), uncertainty resulting from high levels of insecurity and the judicial reform "will probably continue to limit the creation of formal jobs" this year. (Unsplash)
The number of formal sector employers in Mexico declined for a second consecutive year in 2025, according to data from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS).
The decline came after the number of IMSS-affiliated employers fell 1.6% in 2024.
In an economic analysis document, the Center for Economic Studies of the Private Sector (CEESP) noted that the number of IMSS-affiliated employers declined by 25,667 last year.
The research center said that the decline was the largest on record.
“The IMSS results reflect the complexity of listing new employers and keeping existing ones active,” CEESP said.
It said that the reduction in IMSS-affiliated employers was mainly due to the closure (or descent into informality) of businesses with a small number of employees. Such businesses, CEESP said, are least able to afford “the constant increase in labor costs” — including due to annual increases in the minimum wage — and to withstand economic uncertainty.
Oscar Ocampo, economic development director at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), noted that 83% of employers that were removed from IMSS’s list of formal sector employers in 2025 were businesses with five employees or fewer.
“This speaks to how costly it is to be a business owner in Mexico,” he said.
“In this country, it is very difficult for micro and small companies to do business,” said Ocampo, who was quoted in a report by El Sol de México.
What factors make survival difficult for businesses in Mexico?
The IMCO economic development director also said that extortion negatively impacts businesses. Extortion is a widespread problem in Mexico, and its incidence has increased since President Claudia Sheinbaum took office in October 2024.
Data from the ANPEC small business association shows that half of all businesses in Mexico have been victims of a crime, El Sol de México reported, and extortion is a particular problem for small businesses. Some such businesses are forced to make large payments on a regular basis to extortionists, a situation that affects their profitability and ongoing viability.
“The butchers have to pay the maña, the criminals. Every kilo of beef they sell they pay 20 pesos. The tortilla shops pay. The public transport, the buses and taxis pay,” Francisco Cedeño, a local journalist, told Grillo last October.
The outlook for Mexico’s formal employment sector
In its analysis, CEESP wrote that the “signs of weakness” evident in Mexico’s formal employment sector at the end of 2025 could continue this year.
The majority of the formal sector jobs created last year went to digital platform workers, such as Uber drivers and Rappi delivery workers, who were able to move out of the informal sector thanks to the launch of a pilot program that provided employment benefits to them.
CEESP wrote that to a “large extent,” the 2025 job creation numbers reflect “the difficulty of creating quality jobs” in Mexico, which it said increases “the need” for people to seek employment in the informal sector, which employs more than 50% of Mexican workers.
“We have already highlighted on several occasions the need for an environment that facilitates the creation of more jobs by formal companies,” CEESP said.
However, the research center said, “high labor costs” as well as “other factors such as
uncertainty resulting from high levels of insecurity and a judicial reform that could affect the intention to open new workplaces and close some existing ones” will “probably continue to limit the creation of formal jobs” this year.
As one Guadalajara biologist explains the problem, "Prolonged droughts and the evaporation of bodies of water force birds to move to other locations or even stop migrating altogether.” (semadet.jalisco.gob.mx)
Academics from the University of Guadalajara are warning that climate change’s impact on migratory birds from the U.S. and Canada is causing “a silent and growing imbalance in the local ecosystem.”
The continued migration of many bird species that arrive in Jalisco each year faces serious threats due to rising temperatures, pollution and the expansion of urban areas with excessive lighting.
The warning issued by the Guadalajara researchers Carlos Palomera García and Jesús Alberto Espinosa was not aimed at bird lovers alone. The diminished presence of migratory birds in Jalisco indicates a dangerous imbalance in the overall ecosystem of the state. (UdeG)
Biologist Jesús Alberto Espinosa said migration has declined among species that depend on increasingly dry regional wetlands. The climate crisis is particularly evident in the reduction of critical ecosystems that are losing their capacity to provide refuge.
“There are species that are not returning,” he said. “We used to see the American grebe in the 1980s and 90s; now it’s extremely rare. Roseate spoonbills, which used to arrive in good numbers in Zapotlán el Grande, are hardly ever seen today. Storks and ducks, which were common, have also seen their populations decline.”
With less water and more severe droughts, the natural cycle is disrupted, affecting both birds and humans.
The survival of these birds depends directly on the health of the wetlands, such as the Zapotlán Lagoon, which not only regulates the local climate but also supports 360 families of fishermen and artisans.
The Sayula Lagoon, which should be full of thousands of birds and is an important site for their conservation, is dry because not enough rain fell this past year.
“Prolonged droughts and the evaporation of bodies of water force birds to move to other locations or even stop migrating altogether,” said Carlos Palomera, a biology professor. “The lack of water … prevents the reproduction of aquatic organisms that serve as food for the birds, [while] rising temperatures disrupt natural cycles: Insects hatch prematurely, and birds arrive late to areas where they previously found abundant food. This reduces their chances of survival and affects the entire food chain.”
The decline in migratory birds has serious consequences: As natural pest controllers, their absence favors an increase in insects that damage crops or transmit diseases. Additionally, many species perform vital functions such as pollination and seed dispersal, essential for forest regeneration.
Espinosa and Palomera spoke Monday at the inauguration of their photo exhibit — “Glimpses of Nature” (“Miradas a la Naturaleza”) — which they hope will raise public awareness by explaining the importance of ecological preservation in mitigating the effects of climate change on birds and other animal groups.
The exhibit lasts through Feb. 25 at the Juan José Arreola State Public Library of Jalisco, in Zapopan.
Health Minister David Kershenobich joined President Claudia Sheinbaum at her morning press conference Tuesday to discuss the government's strategy to confront the fast-spreading measles outbreak in Mexico.
(Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro.com)
Despite efforts at a nationwide vaccination campaign, measles has now spread to all 31 Mexican states and Mexico City, with 7,131 cases reported over the past year and 24 deaths confirmed.
Over the past 12 months, more than 11.8 million measles vaccines have been administered nationwide, prioritizing girls, boys and susceptible populations.
Unlike their U.S. counterparts, Mexican health authorities are waging a vaccination campaign against measles, but so far it has not been enough to prevent the spread of the highly contagious illness. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
While the Health Ministry (SSA) points out that only 5% of the total cases are active, specialists from the National Autonomous University of Mexico warn that measles “is the most contagious disease there is, even surpassing Covid-19.”
On Tuesday, the government announced it will reinforce vaccination efforts at high-traffic locations, such as airports and bus terminals, with the aim of preventing infections and detecting possible cases early.
In a statement, the SSA said more than 90% of confirmed cases correspond to people without a history of vaccination, and severe cases and deaths are concentrated mainly in populations with incomplete vaccination schedules, young children, as well as people with malnutrition or weakened immune systems.
The most affected age group is children aged 1 to 4 years (1,089 registered cases), followed by the 5 to 9 year age group (830 cases).
The states where the most cases of measles have been detected are Chihuahua with 4,495 (and 21 of the 24 deaths), followed by Jalisco (1,020 cases and one death), Chiapas (430), Michoacán (261) and Guerrero (248).
At the same time, cases of Febrile Exanthematous Diseases (illnesses causing fever and a widespread skin rash such as measles, rubella, roseola, scarlet fever and chicken pox), 17,267 cases have been registered in the same period.
The SSA said its National Epidemiological Surveillance System is monitoring the epidemiological behavior of measles, allowing for the timely detection of cases, their confirmation by laboratory and the identification of circulating genotypes.
“The increase in measles cases recorded during 2025 occurs in a context of regional resurgence of the disease in the American continent, a phenomenon documented and promptly warned by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and by health authorities of various countries,” the SSA noted.
According to the magazine Scientific American, declining national vaccination rates in the U.S. and Canada have helped entrench measles in those countries, while growing antivaccine messaging by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, has also contributed to the outbreaks there.
Starting this year, Mexico will gradually replace its 10 and 20-peso coins with new designs honoring Tonatiuh, the Mexica sun god, and the Maya Temple of Kukulkan at Chichén Itzá. (Cuartoscuro)
Starting this year, Mexico will gradually replace its 10 and 20-peso coins after the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) and the Mexican Coin House announced changes in currency production.
According to a decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation, the new coins will be manufactured with a mix of metal alloys in order to optimize minting costs, adapt to metal availability, ensure continuity in the production of national currency and strengthen security systems.
¡Es oficial! En 2026 cambiará la aleación de las monedas de 10 pesos mexicanos.
Estas piezas seguirán reflejando la historia del México profundo a través del metal, pero con una evolución necesaria: optimizar su fabricación, reforzar la seguridad antifalsificación e incorporar… pic.twitter.com/GNTXV7SfYz
The new 10-peso coin design will feature the national coat of arms with the inscription “Estados Unidos Mexicanos,” while the reverse will show the image of Tonatiuh, taken from the Sun Stone. The ring will also display the symbol “$10,” the mint mark “Mo,” and the inscription “diez pesos” (10 pesos).
Meanwhile, the 20-peso coin will be dodecagonal. The obverse will feature the same inscription “Estados Unidos Mexicanos,” and the back will depict the Temple of Kukulkán at Chichén Itzá. It will also feature the symbol “$20,” the face value “veinte pesos” (20 pesos), the year of minting and the mint mark of the Mexican Coin House.
As a security feature, the reverse of the coin, within its center, will have the microtext “Chichén Itzá, Temple of Kukulkán — Cultural Heritage” and an image with the number 20.
The introduction of these new designs does not imply the immediate withdrawal of the coins currently in circulation, which will retain their legal tender status and be accepted throughout the country until the monetary authority determines otherwise.
The Temple of Kukulkán at Chichén Itzá in Quintana Roo. (Wikimedia Commons)
In addition to changes to the 10 and 20-peso coins, a new generation of 1, 2 and 5-peso coins made of bronze-coated steel is being prepared as part of the Mexican Coin House’s 2025-2030 program.
These changes follow the withdrawal of the blue 20-peso banknote bearing the image of President Benito Juárez last year. Its successor is a green-and-reddish horizontally oriented 20-peso bill from the “G family,” which was introduced in 2021 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence.
Believe it or not, Mexico is a paleontological mecca for dinosaur discoveries! Here’s our digest of the coolest dinosaurs that roamed Mexico for millions of years. (Andrey Núñez/Google Gemini)
For the longest time, dinosaurs roamed what we now know as Mexico. For over 170 million years, according to researchers at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), countless species of prehistoric lizards and enormous fish dominated what is now Mexican territory, which looked nothing like it does today.
Mastodons, mammoths and gigantic bird-like lizards — some of the world’s most impressive prehistoric species once roamed our country. To honor their impact and legacy in our present-day megabiodiversity, here’s our list of the most remarkable dinosaur species to roam Mexico for millions of years.
Where the dinosaurs were
Although mammals, such as mammoths, are not considered dinosaurs, Mexico has an exceptional collection of fossil remains of ancient reptiles. (Museo Paleontológico de Santa Lucía Quinametzin)
The northern region of the country has seen abundant paleontological discoveries. Many species of “dire lizards,” asdescribed by Gaceta UNAM, roamed throughout what is now Coahuila, a paleontological mecca due to its abundance of fossils. However, the northern states of Baja California, Sonora, Nuevo León and Chihuahua have also been of academic interest to paleontologists worldwide.
But while northern Mexico stands out from the rest of the country for its rich prehistoric fossil sites, central states like Michoacán and Puebla have also recorded significant discoveries, asdocumented by the Autonomous University of Aguascalientes. Further south, dinosaur remains have been found in the present-day region of Oaxaca and even along the coast of Guerrero.
It’s worth noting that these super-cool dinosaur species not only lived in the territory that now belongs to Mexico, but also often inhabited other parts of North America and possibly extended south of Mexico and further into the continent.
On a side note, during excavations for theFelipe Ángeles International Airport, workers unearthed a series of perfectly preserved mammoths. It was a find heralded by major media outlets around the world. Dubbed “Tierra de Gigantes” — the Land of Giants — this is the largest mammoth site in the world recorded to date. Due to the great number of well-preserved remains, the government even built an impressivesite museum to display them.
It’s worth noting that prehistoric mammals such as mammoths are not considered dinosaurs. But Mexico does have an exceptional collection of fossil remains of ancient reptiles, unlike any other in the world.
So, which dinosaurs inhabited prehistoric Mexico?
Using the paleontological remains of both animals and plants, we can trace back in time what the current territory we now call Mexico was like (in biological terms, at least) in the age of the dinosaurs. Here’s a look at which dinosaurs have been found by paleontologists to have lived in Mexico in prehistoric times.
Quetzalcóatlus
Among the prehistoric beasts that inhabited Mexico, the Quetzalcóatlus is perhaps one of the most impressive, with a wingspan that some scientists have estimated to be as much as 16 meters. (Mark Witton and Darren Naish/Wikimedia Commons)
This ginormous prehistoric lizard-bird inherited the name of our beloved feathered serpent god,Quetzalcóatl, the Lord of the Skies and the Wind. With a wingspan at times estimated at up to 16 meters, this was an azhdarchid pterosaur from the Late Cretaceous that lived on the North American continent about 66 million years ago, in the northern state of Coahuila. With a super sharp beak and stiff necks, these prehistoric animals are thought to have measured up to 10 meters tall.
Think of it as an enormous and very ancient vulture. As it fed mainly on carcasses of other smaller animals and soared over prehistoric Mexico’s skies, I can’t think of a better description for it. Given the impressive size of their vertebrae, some paleontologists dismiss this possibility, thinking instead that they caught their prey in mid-flight.
Megapnosaurus
Given its long back and sharp claws, would it be a bit of a stretch to think of the Megapnosaurus as an ancient Charizard? (Dmitry Bogdanov/Wikimedia Commons)
Also known as “the great lethal lizard,” these prehistoric lizards are among the oldest deadly predators found in North America. This species inhabited the continent 200 million years ago, and was characterized as a small and agile predator (compared to its gigantic congeners, that is), only 3 meters long.
Based on the paleontological sites found, it is thought that these animals lived in herds, teaming up with their family members to hunt and feed. Impressively enough, these ancient lizards figure among the dinosaurs with feathers!
Gorgosaurus
The Gorgosaurus was one of the most fearsome tyrannosaurs ever to set foot on this continent, listed as a major prehistoric predator. (Museo Real de Paleontología Tyrrell)
Gorgosaurus, a distant relative of Tyrannosaurus rex, is among the apex predators of the large American lizards. It is known to have eaten big lizards and ancient birds, as well as large herbivores. They were so large that very young specimens found weighed over 330 kilograms. On average, according toRoyal Tyrrell Museum (Canada) specialists, that is only 13% of the body mass of an adult specimen.
Reaching 8 meters in length at adulthood, this species is estimated to have been able to run up to 40 kilometers per hour. Based on remains found in the states of Baja California, Sonora and some areas of Coahuila, it is believed to be the largest carnivore discovered in Mexico.
Kritosaurus
If we dinosaurs were alive today in Mexico, would we get dino-carnitas? (Sergey Krasovskiy/Wikimedia Commons)
The Kritosaurus belonged to a family of hadrosaurid dinosaurs that roamed in present-day Mexico during the Cretaceous period, approximately 73 million years ago. This herbivore, about 10 meters long and weighing four tons, is currently known for its spectacularly ornate skulls. So, yeah, they basically had prehistoric mohawks.
Besides their distinctive “hairstyle,” these giant lizards could be as big as a school bus. Based on the shape of the jaw, researchers think it had some kind of organ to communicate with their family members. As if that weren’t enough, it had a sharp beak, which helped it to uproot plants, which it then processed with a complex chewing apparatus capable of crushing the fibrous vegetation of the time.
Thousands of discarded artifacts made of obsidian at an ancient workshop and mine near Ahuisculco, Jalisco. (John Pint)
“Obsidian artisans have a long, long history in Jalisco,” says archaeologist Rodrigo Esparza with a big smile, adding that there is evidence that people were working volcanic natural glass in the area as far back as 10,000 years ago.
“This is not so surprising, considering that Jalisco is one of the richest sites in the world for obsidian deposits, ranking number four after Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula,” added Esparza. “Nevertheless, we are losing it. Our obsidian is starting to vanish!”
Archaeologist Rodrigo Esparza at an ancient obsidian workshop near Selva Negra Biological Corridor, Ahuisculco, Jalisco. (John Pint)
Esparza’s observations come after the recent publication of a book entitled “La Obsidiana en Jalisco”(375 pages, El Colegio de Michoacán, 2025), of which he is a co-editor.
“Twelve writers contributed to this book,” Esparza said, “giving us an up-to-date picture of what’s happening with obsidian in this state, and by extension in all of Mexico since Jalisco has more deposits of this traditional resource than any other part of the republic.”
The sharper edge
Obsidian is natural glass produced when lava flowing from a volcano cools quickly. For example, if it flows into water.
Curiously, obsidian is chemically the same as pumice, a rock which is ejected skyward from volcanoes and is so light that it floats.
Obsidian is an excellent material for blades and spearheads because it can produce a much sharper edge than any metal. The best scalpels in the world, in fact, are those made of obsidian. But, of course, they are very fragile.
The deadly Mexica sword
Because it can be used to make excellent knives and cutters, artisans have been working it since the dawn of time and have developed ingenious techniques for producing efficient blades. The Mexica even came up with a kind of machete called the macahuitl. This was a wide, flat sword made of wood with small obsidian blades glued into a slot all around the perimeter. Spaniards testified that with one blow, a macahuitl could easily decapitate a horse.
The Mexica macahuitl was made of wood with very sharp obsidian blades all around the edge. (Florentine Codex)
The remains of hundreds of ancient obsidian mines and workshops can be found in many parts of Jalisco, together with thousands of discarded artifacts bearing witness to a once-thriving industry that also had an impressive artistic component.
Ancient obsidian spangles
Take pre-Hispanic spangles, for instance. These are polished, coin-sized obsidian discs, only 1 or 2 millimeters thick, each perforated with a small hole. These were apparently meant to be sewn on clothing or strung together to form necklaces or bracelets. The finest of these are not discs at all, but small figures of animals or humans.
Even more astonishing are polished obsidian ear spools, just as thin as the spangles.
Today’s obsidian artisans can’t duplicate either of these, but they are using tools and techniques quite different from pre-Hispanic ones.
Still, with their grinding wheels and polishing discs, modern artisans turn out everything from spheres, hearts and butterflies to sophisticated works of art, taking full advantage of the many colors and sheens of Jalisco’s obsidian.
From Indian blood to rainbow
“We’ve found more than 20 colors here,” says Esparza. “There’s a mixture of red and black called meca, or Indian blood, which is much sought after, along with subtle meldings of gray and green. But, without doubt, the most popular kind of obsidian is arcoiris (rainbow), which gives you a mixture of almost every color.”
A few examples of the more than 20 colors of obsidian that can be found in Jalisco. (John Pint)
Some obsidians exhibit a deep sheen that almost seems to glow. Gold and silver sheens are the most sought-after.
Some of Mexico’s finest sculptors take advantage of obsidian’s special characteristics, bringing their works of molded clay to skilled artisans who reproduce them in natural volcanic glass.
In Chapter Six of “Obsidian in Jalisco,” Esparza lists modern workshops in the towns of Tequila, Teuchitlán, Magdalena, San Marcos and Navajas.
A visitor to any one of these workshops will have a golden opportunity to examine a variety of obsidian. Because all the workshops are continually exchanging pieces, you can quickly see everything available in the region. That would be the perfect moment to say: “Don Eleno, do you think you could turn this gorgeous piece of blue obsidian into a dolphin?”
Cheap rubble
But you’d better not wait too long to do this; the varieties and quantities of obsidian in Jalisco are on the decline.
“A key factor behind this problem,” says Esparza, “is that obsidian — which was once highly valued in Mexico — is now officially classified as cascajo (rubble), a category that also includes gravel and clinkers. Believe it or not, today you can buy obsidian for 1 peso per kilo.”
Large pieces of black obsidian are being extracted from a mine near Magdalena for shipment to China. (Justus Mohl)
This means that forward-looking opportunists around the world can afford to purchase Jalisco obsidian in great quantities and ship it home.
Chinese connection
Naturally, the first to disappear are rarities like rainbow obsidian. For example, it was once abundant in the remote village of La Lobera, the last place in the world you’d expect to find a representative of China out looking for bargains.
But, “it’s all gone!” a local craftsman told me some years ago. “It’s all in China now.”
Another thing international bargain hunters are looking for is high-quality obsidian in large chunks. If you’d like to create the Pietà in obsidian, you have to start with a big piece. The place to go for blocks of obsidian, a cubic meter or larger in size, is a certain quarry near Magdalena, Jalisco.
But if you go there today, they’ll tell you, “Sorry, amigo, you are too late. The Chinese cleaned us out years ago.” Alas, you may have to forget about creating the Pietà in obsidian and sculpt a pizza instead.
Another place to which Jalisco’s obsidian is escaping is Teotihuacán.
The depletion of obsidian in Mexico
“Tourists love to buy obsidian souvenirs at this famous site,” Esparza said,” but local deposits [in México state] have been depleted thanks to entrepreneurs who have shipped the obsidian to places like Saudi Arabia, Japan and China. So artisans in the Mexico City area now come to Jalisco to buy their raw materials.”
This means if you have no obsidian knick-knacks on your shelves, you’d better visit a Jalisco workshop pronto … or buy yourself a ticket to China.
You’ll find the book “La Obsidiana en Jalisco” (entirely in Spanish) in the Colmich Bookstore. Co-editor Manuel Prados’ obsidian photo dossier can be accessed here.
John Pint has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of “A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area” and co-author of “Outdoors in Western Mexico.” More of his writing can be found on his website.
On Monday morning, the president assured reporters that the arrival of the U.S. plane in Toluca wasn't in any way sinister, but rather a routine part of bilateral security cooperation. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
At her Monday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum faced questions about the arrival of a U.S. military plane at the airport in Toluca, México state, on Saturday.
A U.S. Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft touched down at Toluca Airport on Saturday. (X)
Speculation that the U.S. could take military action against Mexican cartels in Mexico is growing, even though Sheinbaum spoke to Trump last Monday and subsequently asserted that such an intervention could be ruled out.
On Monday morning, she assured reporters that the arrival of the U.S. plane in Toluca wasn’t in any way sinister, but rather a routine part of bilateral security cooperation.
A reporter noted that a U.S. Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft touched down at Toluca Airport on Saturday, and highlighted that opposition lawmakers have pointed out that the Senate wasn’t consulted about the entry to Mexico of the plane.
Sheinbaum asserted that there was no need for the Senate to be consulted given that no U.S. troops had come into the country.
She said that authorization for the flight was granted by the Ministry of Defense in October, and told reporters that “it had to do with a training issue.”
“… It’s not something, let’s say, exceptional. … They’re logistical tasks that they carry out,” Sheinbaum said.
Later in the press conference, the president said that a group of people from the federal Security Ministry boarded the U.S. plane to travel to the United States to undergo training.
“Who authorizes this? The Ministry of National Defense, mainly,” Sheinbaum said.
📽️ VIDEO | Sheinbaum aclara aterrizaje de avión militar de Estados Unidos en Toluca: ¿Qué dijo? 🛩️ pic.twitter.com/MyEjStYM6r
She said that the Security Ministry officials would undertake training with the United States Northern Command for around one month and subsequently return to Mexico on a Mexican Air Force plane.
Asked whether Mexico requested the training or the United States offered it, Sheinbaum responded:
“It’s part of the [bilateral] agreements. [Personnel] from the United States also come here to train, it’s very important that this is known.”
Sheinbaum conceded that it would have been better for the Mexican officials to have traveled to the United States on a Mexican Air Force plane.
“But … [their travel on the U.S. plane] was authorized and it was authorized some time ago,” she said.
Sheinbaum stresses that US plane was not armed
Asked whether the U.S. plane was carrying weapons, Sheinbaum responded that “of course” it was not.
Asked about the number of U.S. personnel on the aircraft, the president said her government would provide that information as well as details on how many Mexican officials boarded the plane to travel to the United States.
She highlighted that U.S. military planes have come into Mexico “on other occasions,” but noted that “the difference” now is that the aircraft landed at Toluca Airport, located about 60 kilometers west of central Mexico City.
Asked why the U.S. plane didn’t land on Saturday at the military base at the Felipe Ángeles International Airport, also located in México state, Sheinbaum responded:
“It was a condition that was established. Indeed, [U.S. military planes] should land at military air bases, but in this case they landed in Toluca and it was authorized by the Ministry of Defense.”
Sheinbaum responds to FAA warnings
Sheinbaum told reporters that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense were “immediately” alerted to the advisories to U.S. airline pilots issued by the FAA “due to military activities and global navigation satellite system interference” above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico, Central America and South America, as well as above the Gulf of California.
Those two ministries are responsible for authorizing “the entry of any aircraft into Mexican territory,” she said.
Sheinbaum said that her government contacted the U.S. Embassy in Mexico to find out “exactly” what the FAA was referring to.
She said that the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) issued a statement in response to the FAA’s warnings when the government obtained “certainty,” in writing, that there was no U.S. military flight taking place “over Mexico.”
The SICT statement said that a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) pertaining to Mexican airspace was of a “preventive nature” and asserted that there were “no operational implications or restrictions for Mexico, or Mexican airlines or operators.”
Sheinbaum said that her government was given “the locations” of U.S. military flights in the region “and they were in international waters.”
“… It had nothing to do with national territory,” she said.
Sheinbaum said that she didn’t receive any information about the FAA advisories during her call with Trump last Monday.
“There was no communication, apart from the communication issued [by the FAA] at that time, which is natural,” she said.
The FAA issued a total of seven NOTAMs last Friday urging U.S. pilots to “exercise caution” when flying in overwater areas off the coasts of Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Ecuador due to military activities and global navigation satellite system interference
The validity of each of the NOTAMs is from Jan. 16 to Mar. 17. The two-month validity of the NOTAMs suggests “a prolonged period of possible military planning in the region,” The New York Times reported.
Sheinbaum assesses the impact of the first year of Trump’s second term
A day before Trump reaches the first anniversary of his second term, Sheinbaum was asked to assess the past year in light of the “pressures” Mexico has faced from the U.S. president.
She responded that the return of Trump to the White House has created “a change for the entire world in many senses.”
In support of her statement, Sheinbaum cited the U.S. government’s implementation of protectionist policies over the past year — including tariffs on a range of Mexican goods — as well as Trump’s “vision” of “greater [U.S.] participation in international affairs.”
“What do we think? … We always seek a relationship of respect for Mexico — that our sovereignty, our territorial integrity, our decisions, are respected; that there is no interference in what we decide,” she said.
🇲🇽🇺🇸 “Ha sido un cambio para todo el mundo”: Sheinbaum evalúa el primer año de Gobierno de Trump
“[With] ‘we’ I’m referring to the people of Mexico or the whole country. Decisions in Mexico are made by the people. And we’re elected by the people, I’m elected by the people,” Sheinbaum said.
She also noted that “the economic integration” between Mexico and the United States is “very important,” and highlighted that “there are 40 million Mexicans in the United States” (including people with Mexican ancestry) and “more than a million estadounidenses” (U.S. Americans) in Mexico.
“So, we seek a good relationship. In addition, we’re neighbors, we’re trade partners. We seek, with the defense of Mexico’s principles, a relationship of respect. And so far, in the context of all the international circumstances, we’ve achieved that, and that’s what we want going forward,” Sheinbaum said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
The improved outlook for 2026 over 2025 is thought to be due to gradual easing of monetary policy and a “broadly neutral” fiscal policy.
(Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) maintained its economic growth forecast for Mexico this year at 1.5% in its most recent World Economic Outlook, while estimating final 2025 GDP growth at 0.6%.
In its outlook for G-20 economies, the IMF predicted that Mexico’s GDP would improve this year thanks to the gradual easing of monetary policy and a “broadly neutral” fiscal policy, according to the IMF’s Deputy Economic Studies Director Petya Koeva.
The global economy has proved surprisingly resilient, says Petya Koeva Brooks, the Deputy Director of IMF at the annual World Economic Forum.
The IMF has upgraded their forecast to 3.3% growth this year, but say that opposing forces are at play such as trade and policy… pic.twitter.com/oV03Bv9na0
The agency’s forecast is higher than that of other financial institutions, with the most recent Citi survey, for example, putting Mexico’s growth outlook at 0.3% for 2025 and 1.3% for 2026.
Mexico’s GDP growth was revised down in 2025 due to the tightening of fiscal policy, the level of monetary restriction, and “headwinds from trade tensions,” Koeava said during the Outlook presentation.
The final GDP figure for 2025 will be published in mid-February, with Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) expected to release a preliminary estimate on Jan. 30.
The IMF expects Mexico’s economy to improve in 2027, with a growth forecast of 2.1%, which would be the highest growth rate in three years.
The global forecast is 3.3%
On a global scale, economic growth is expected to reach 3.3% this year and 3.2% in 2027. The main threat to this growth would be an escalation of geopolitical tension accompanied by higher tariffs, according to the IMF’s Chief Economist, Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas.
“This steady performance on the surface results from the balancing of divergent forces,” the IMF report states. “Headwinds from shifting trade policies are offset by tailwinds from surging investment related to technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), more so in North America and Asia than in other regions, as well as fiscal and monetary support, broadly accommodative financial conditions, and adaptability of the private sector.”
The IMF predicts that GDP growth in the United States will rise to 2.4% in 2026, compared to an estimated 2.1% last year, before falling to 2% growth in 2027, which would be its lowest figure in four years.
Latin America and the Caribbean are expected to achieve moderate growth of 2.2% in 2026 and 2.7% in 2027. However, economic growth in Mexico and Brazil, the region’s two biggest economies, is expected to be lower than the regional average, with Brazil achieving an estimated 1.6% GDP growth in 2026.
The escalation of geopolitical tensions in Latin America, as well as other regions of the world, could lead to greater economic uncertainty and trigger substantial negative supply shocks, according to the IMF outlook.
Following the issuance of several regional NOTAMs on Friday, Mexico's Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) published a statement saying, "The SICT reiterates that there is no impact whatsoever on civil aviation in Mexico, nor any changes in the operating conditions of national airspace." (Saúl López/Cuartoscuro)
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday issued advisories urging U.S. airline pilots to “exercise caution” when flying above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Ecuador, and above the Gulf of California, due to military activities and global navigation satellite system (GNSS) interference.
The notices, The New York Times reported, were “similar to advisories the FAA issued last year for areas around Venezuela and the Caribbean Sea as the U.S. military stepped up a campaign of boat strikes targeting what it said were drug smugglers.”
“The FAA issued more urgent warnings earlier this year as the United States undertook an operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s leader,” the Times added.
The newspaper also reported that “it was not immediately clear what prompted the FAA to issue Friday’s advisories.”
In a statement, Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT) described the FAA’s advice as a precautionary measure and asserted that there was no change to operating conditions in Mexican airspace.
On Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said that the United States wasn’t conducting any military activity in “national territory.”
However, a U.S. military plane landed at Toluca airport on Saturday to pick up Mexican security officials and take them to the U.S. for training, according to Sheinbaum.
The FAA’s issuance of seven NOTAMs (notices to airmen) came eight days after U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States was “going to start now hitting land, with regard to the cartels.”
FAA: ‘Potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes’
Each of the seven NOTAMs issued by the FAA last Friday warned of “potentially hazardous” situations in overwater areas.
A summary of the regional NOTAMs issued on Jan. 16, 2026. (FAA)
One of the NOTAMs referred specifically to the “Mexico Flight Information Region,” the airspace for which Mexican air traffic services are responsible. Another referred to the Mazatlán Oceanic Flight Information Region, which encompasses airspace off Mexico’s Pacific coast.
“U.S. operators are advised to exercise caution when operating in the overwater areas above the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California in the Mexico Flight Information Region (MMFR) due to military activities and GNSS interference. Potential risks exist for aircraft at all altitudes, including during overflight and the arrival and departure phases of flight,” states NOTAM A0018/26.
“This NOTAM applies to all U.S. air carriers and commercial operators; all persons exercising the privileges of an airman certificate issued by the FAA, except such persons operating U.S.-registered aircraft for a foreign air carrier; and all operators of civil aircraft registered in the United States, except when the operator of such aircraft is a foreign air carrier.”
The FAA issued a NOTAM with the same message for U.S. operators in the Mazatlán Oceanic Flight Information Region.
The validity of each of the NOTAMs is from Jan. 16 to Mar. 17. The two-month validity of the NOTAMs suggests “a prolonged period of possible military planning in the region,” The New York Times reported.
Writing about the FAA warnings in his publication The Mexico Political Economist, Alex González Ormerod said that “it is less likely that this is a reference to an impending strike and more about continuing and increas[ing] covert surveillance operations over Mexican skies by U.S. forces.”
SICT: No ‘operational implications or restrictions’ for Mexico or Mexican airlines
Apparently referring to the NOTAM for the Mexico Flight Information Region, the SICT described the FAA notice as being of a “preventive nature.”
“It is important to specify that this NOTAM does not constitute a prohibition, but is rather a precautionary measure aimed at reinforcing attention and care in air operations within certain regions of airspace. There are no operational implications or restrictions for Mexico, or Mexican airlines or operators,” the ministry said.
Citing information from the FAA, the SICT also said that the NOTAM was “issued exclusively for United States civil [aviation] operators, including its airlines and pilots, since that authority only has jurisdiction to issue provisions applicable to operators from its own country.”
The ministry noted that similar NOTAMs were previously issued by the FAA for the “Caribbean region.”
“The SICT reiterates that there is no impact whatsoever on civil aviation in Mexico, nor any changes in the operating conditions of national airspace,” the statement said.
SICT added that it “maintains constant communication with international aeronautical authorities to monitor this type of notice within the framework of cooperation and operational safety.”
Sheinbaum: No US military action in Mexico
During a visit to San Miguel de Allende on Sunday, Sheinbaum was asked what kind of “maneuvers” the United States was carrying out in Mexico.
“Nothing. … The SICT issued a statement,” she said. “Nothing in national territory.”
After a call with the U.S. president last Monday, Sheinbaum said that the land strikes on cartels that Trump had spoken about days earlier could be ruled out.
While Sheinbaum said Sunday that the U.S. wasn’t carrying out any “maneuvers” in Mexico, a U.S. military plane did land at Toluca airport on Saturday.
The federal government’s Security Cabinet said Sunday that its “presence” was the result of a “flight authorized by Mexican authorities” and was related to “training activities.”
“… It’s not something exceptional,” said the president, who stressed that no U.S. troops had come into the country.
“They’re logistical tasks that they carry out,” she said.
Sheinbaum subsequently said that Mexican security officials boarded the U.S. military plane to travel to the United States to undertake training. She conceded that it would have been better for them to travel to the United States on a Mexican military plane.
“But it was authorized [by the Ministry of Defense] and it was authorized some time ago,” Sheinbaum said.
