Last month, Mexico saw 49% more rainfall than the average for June. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico had its rainiest June in more than 80 years after seeing six months of below-average rainfall, and the second-driest May ever recorded.
This week, the National Water Commission (Conagua) reported that rainfall in June had replenished many of the country’s major reservoirs, mitigating the worst of the drought conditions in northern Mexico.
Rainfall caused by Tropical Storm Alberto helped reduce the rain deficit for the year to 3.3%. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
The 148.7 mm of rain registered across the country last month is 49% more than the average for June. Conagua said it was the most rainfall recorded in June since 1941.
Conagua also reported that the 664 cubic millimeters of rain dumped on northern Mexico by Tropical Storm Alberto from June 19-23 helped reduce the rain deficit for the year to 3.3%, with regard to the historical yearly average.
June was particularly gloomy in Mexico City, however, the city did not benefit from the record rainfall. The three main reservoirs that supply drinking water to the capital were still below 30% capacity heading into the final week of June, according to Conagua.
The arrival of Hurricane Beryl in the Yucatán Peninsula and its expected course toward Tamaulipas will ensure that July continues the rainy trend set in June.
Beryl made landfall just south of the resort city of Tulum as a Category 2 hurricane on Friday morning, but quickly weakened to a Category 1 storm. Forecasters expect Beryl to reenter the southwestern Gulf of Mexico Friday night and then move northwestward toward Tamaulipas and southern Texas by the end of the weekend.
Conagua projects that Tamaulipas will receive 300 to 250 mm of rain from the hurricane. The passage of Beryl will also dump 200-250 mm of rain on the states of Chiapas, Yucatán and Quintana Roo; the Gulf coast states of Campeche, Veracruz, Nuevo León will receive 100-150 mm of rain; and San Luis Potosí and Oaxaca should anticipate 100-150 mm as well.
Hurricane Beryl is currently moving inland over the Yucatán Peninsula and is expected to pass north of Mérida this afternoon. (Conagua Clima/X)
Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 2 storm near Tulum, Quintana Roo, early Friday, Mexican authorities said.
No loss of life or hurricane-related injuries had been reported in Mexico by 10 a.m. Mexico City time.
Hurricane Beryl has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm since making landfall but poses a high risk of storm surge in northeast Yucatán. (Mara Lezama/X)
At 9 a.m. Mexico City time, the United States National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Beryl was 160 kilometers east-southeast of Progreso, Yucatán, and weakening as it moved further inland over the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula.
However, the NHC warned that dangerous hurricane-force winds, a storm surge and “damaging waves” were “expected over portions of this area for a few more hours.”
Beryl’s maximum sustained winds at 9 a.m. were 140 km/h, making it a Category 1 hurricane. It is moving northwestward at approximately 26 km/hr, the NHC said.
The hurricane is projected to pass north of Mérida later on Friday, with the towns of Motul and Progreso on or near the forecast path. A red “maximum hazard” alert was activated for the entire state of Yucatán.
On Friday night, Beryl is forecast to enter the Gulf of Mexico, where it is expected to regain strength.
“Beryl is expected to emerge over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico tonight and then move northwestward toward northeastern Mexico and southern Texas by the end of the weekend,” the NHC said.
Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama said on X at 9:15 a.m. that no loss or life or major damage had been reported in the Caribbean coast state.
— Carlos Lara Moreno (@CarlosLaraM81) July 5, 2024
Social media users and journalists shared videos on the social platform X as the storm approached the Carribbean coast. (X)
At President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s morning press conference, National Civil Protection Chief Laura Velázquez also said that no deaths or injuries had been reported. However, she stressed that the information was “preliminary.”
Lezama said that authorities were commencing “the assistance phase” and preparing “to go out to help the people who need help.”
More than 8,000 soldiers, Air Force members and National Guard personnel were deployed to respond to the hurricane.
Lezama said that winds brought by Beryl had downed trees, utility poles and “some structures.”
Some flooding has also been reported.
Tulum and Felipe Carillo Puerto were among the worst affected municipalities in Quintana Roo. Blackouts have been reported in parts of the state, including in Tulum and on the islands of Cozumel and Isla Mujeres.
More than 2,000 Quintana Roo residents went to temporary shelters well before Beryl made landfall.
#Beryl is now headed for the Yucatán Peninsula and is likely to make landfall in the vicinity of Tulum early on Friday (July 5) as a Category 2 Hurricane.
Beryl could restrengthen in the Gulf of Mexico thereafter, striking Tamaulipas, Mexico, or South Texas this weekend. pic.twitter.com/dljuWLuVWU
The SMN said that Beryl would cause “torrential” rainfall of 150-250 mm in the states of Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Campeche, and “intense” rainfall of 75-150 mm in Chiapas and Tabasco. It also warned of the risk of lightning, strong winds and high seas.
“Due to the risk of landslides, flooding and the rising of rivers in Chiapas and Tabasco, the public is advised to take precautions,” the SMN said.
Beryl is the second named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, and became the first Category 5 storm ever to form in the Atlantic Ocean in the month of June.
It made landfall Monday on Carriacou, a small island that is part of the country of Grenada. The hurricane has claimed at least seven lives in Venezuela and Caribbean nations.
Beryl is the third named Atlantic storm to affect Mexico this hurricane season.
Tropical Storm Alberto brought torrential rains across large swaths of the Yucatán Peninsula and northeastern Mexico in June, while Tropical Storm Chris made landfall in the municipality of Vega de Alatorre, Veracruz, earlier this week.
An offbeat and humorous byproduct of Hurricane Beryl’s approach toward the Yucatán Peninsula involves a new statue of Poseidon in the surf just off the coastal town of Progreso — and a viral “plea” that prompted the police to start guarding it.
Organizers of the event stated that the statue of Poseidon — the god of ancient Greek mythology who is “king of the seas” — must go. They even set a removal date of July 15.
This would apparently appease Chaac, the Maya god of rain who strikes the cloud with his lightning ax to produce thunder and rainstorms.
The listing and the hundreds of reactions, memes and follow-ups on social media picked up steam, with many going viral.
And the calls — tongue-in-cheek or not — to tear down the striking 3-meter tall statue grew even louder during the Beryl storm watch.
A Facebook event titled “Go destroy the statue of Poseidon” alarmed authorities in Progreso, Yucatán, where the statue is located. (Facebook)
Then, starting on Wednesday, members of the Ecological Police of Progreso began guarding strategic points near the Poseidon statue in order to make sure no mishaps occurred.
A day earlier, a picture posted on the social media network X showed the statue of Poseidon seemingly split in half at the torso, lying in the sand. That gave rise to the theory that people hoping to thwart the arrival of Beryl had already torn down the statue — causing even more of a stir.
Much of this social media activity seemed to be occurring in good humor, but it did prompt widespread coverage from Mexican newspapers and TV stations.
The organizers of the Facebook event have since confirmed that they meant everything as a joke. Though 6,600 people responded that they would attend and 30,200 clicked on “interested,” the event listing is now marked as canceled, with an updated remark:
“Message to the community: Thank you for your support really it was fun to see that so many people took it as a good joke and we were able to reach 35,000 people in just a few hours I did not expect it and be on 3 local news shows but I have received many hateful comments and people threatening and I don’t want it to get out of control tqm to all of you who had fun.”
TQM is Mexican text-speak for te quiero mucho, which in this case expresses affection for everyone who got a good laugh out of the situation.
The statue is located about five meters into the sea in front of the Malecón Internacional de Progreso, a popular beach destination about a 45-minute drive from Yucatán state capital of Mérida.
“Meet the new icon of Progreso!” Turismo Yucatán posted on X last month. “Have you taken a photo with him yet?”
Made of fiberglass, the statue was an initiative of the Progreso City Council to attract tourism. However, from the very start, it generated controversy, with some people expressing anger that it did not represent Maya culture.
The quiet island of Holbox offers tranquility, nature and comfort to visitors. The sleepy sandbar has garnered a reputation for sustainable tourism and is untouched by the commercial development that has plagued the rest of Quintana Roo. (Rosie Buller)
A thin strip of sand on the northern tip of the Yucatán peninsula, Holbox is an attractive draw for the traveler looking for a Caribbean paradise free of the tourist hordes of Cancún and Tulúm. While the island is certainly geared toward tourism, the scale of the operation here is such that you feel like you are a somewhat discreet traveler, someone in-the-know and perhaps more enlightened than those masses lined up in front of Señor Frogs in Cancún. Travel guides to Holbox are still quite rare, and the island still has the feel of the Mexico of 30 years ago.
This is an island with outstanding natural beauty, a marrow-deep chill, superlative dining options, and a range of accommodations for the eco-minded traveler. The following is an account of some of the best places I stayed and ate over the course of a recent trip with my fiancé.
The underdeveloped island – which has no proper roads – is a paradise for those looking to get back to basics. (Rosie Buller)
Getting to Holbox
Should you decide to come via bus, ADO has comfortable daily service from Cancún and Mérida to Chiquilá. If you want to get to Holbox as quickly as possible and in style, there is a small airport on the island, and Holbox Air offers private charters on small Cessna and Piper planes to destinations around the Yucatán peninsula.
If you choose to drive, Highway 180D from Cancún or Mérida is a smooth trip, though one that perhaps feels longer for its flat terrain and utter lack of landmarks or scenery. Once you turn off towards the port town of Chiquilá, beware the final stretch of Highway 5, as it is littered with bathtub-sized potholes capable of doing serious damage to your car (or, worse, your relationship). I can still hear my fiancé’s “Cuidado! Watch the road!” reverberating in my ears.
Any travel-related discord is soon forgotten, however, once you arrive in Chiquilá and board a ferry. Two ferry services leave every 30 minutes, both fast and cheap, offering outdoor seating that gives that tingling anticipation feeling as the island comes closer into view.
Once you arrive on the island, a line of golf cart taxis will be waiting to take you to your destination, with fixed rates depending on where you’re headed. Not only are the golf carts a fun reminder you are no longer on the mainland, but taxis on Holbox have virtually none of the pushy salesmanship you see in other, more commercialized areas of the Yucatán region.
Where to stay on Holbox
Don’t let the lack of commercialization fool you, though; Holbox has plenty of luxurious hotels for travellers who want some comfort. (Casa Cat Ba/Tripadvisor)
That fact is reflective of a larger reality: for an island whose main source of revenue is tourism, Holbox is mercifully free of the commercial, one-size-fits-all mass tourism found in other popular resort areas. Instead of giant high-rise hotels, the traveler has options that run from funky hostels to chic boutiques to small, five-star beachside resorts. In order to get a feel for the range of accommodation on offer, we decided to try a sample of all three.
There are many reasons why staying in a hostel is a great travel option affordability, ease of making friends, the communal vibe. Hostel Tribu checks every box. The hostel sits one block off the beach and features a charmingly funky design, group activities ranging from full moon kayak excursions to twerk classes, open mics on the second-floor bar, and a restaurant serving inspired fusion cuisine. Owner Davide Coggi creates a welcoming atmosphere and — importantly for an island business — has committed to reducing the hostel’s waste with an innovative composting program.
Beyond the gorgeous setting and the comfort of the rooms what stands out about Casa Cat Ba is the easy-going, charismatic hospitality of the staff. Hotel manager Ivette told me she hopes guests “feel like family from the moment they arrive” and leave feeling like the place is a “home away from home” — true on both counts in our case. For the eco-minded traveler, Casa Cat Ba is a smart option as well, as they display a commitment to mitigating their impact on the island’s fragile ecosystem, with as close to zero waste operation as can be imagined. Oh, and the breakfasts were fresh and varied every morning. Eating the best avocado toast of your life as the sun rises over the Caribbean is a moment you won’t soon forget.
Sunrise and sunsets on Holbox are a dream. (Rosie Buller)
We stayed three nights in Casa Cat Ba and were sad to leave, but our next stop proved to be a delight: Las Hamacas Club de Playa on the eastern edge of the main beach. This is the spot to go if you want a bit more privacy from the bustle of downtown Holbox. The small resort is everything you could want in a dreamy escape, with an attentive smiling staff, spacious rooms with modern amenities and private balconies with a view of the sea. There is a large pool for guests only, with a swim up bar serving some of the finest cocktails on the island. The restaurant has both spectacular views and serves contemporary seafood and grill cuisine. A sand bar just off the shoreline makes for a picturesque spot to catch the sunset, as the numerous selfie stick wielding influencers can attest.
On our last night on the island, we thought we’d try something romantic for dinner. We asked around town for a good date night spot, and the locals told us to go to Parador 33, a cozy, open-air spot tucked away from the bustle of the main street.
Dinner on Holbox is also as good as you might expect, with restaurants like Parada 33 offering delicious food and wine options. (Holbox Travel)
Here, the mood was familial, with barefoot kids mingling with the stray cats underfoot, and yet it remained intimate with low lighting, the best wine list we saw on the island, and an innovative menu. A highlight was the steak, cooked in an outer shell of rosemary-tinged dough which, cracked open tableside, revealed a tender cut of meat. A glass of malbec was the perfect pairing here.
For some, lying on the beach all day and watching the sunset is what vacation is all about. For the more active-minded traveler, the island has a range of activities. A dominant westerly wind means kiteboarding is an option, and there are a plethora of schools for lessons and rental gear. The yearly whale shark season attracts visitors who wish to see these giant fish up close. Personally, we swam great distances every morning, following the current east to west along a string of buoys a half kilometer offshore.
The end of a trip can be a jarring experience. For us, it was an alarm clock blasting us into get-away-day reality at 6 a.m., the somber shuffle out of our room at Las Hamacas, the waiting golf cart cab. As we bounced through the sand streets on the way to the ferry we watched the sunrise over the sea, not a trace of wind over the glassy surface. As we were dragged into the nagging concerns of the mainland — getting the car out of the parking, the coming highway tolls, the potholes — the mind couldn’t help but try to stay in the moment, enjoying the last view of the island’s beauty.
Stewart Merritt is a professor and freelance writer based in Mérida. A native of California, he has been visiting Mexico his entire life, especially the Pacific coast, where he likes to surf. This summer he will marry his Yucatecan fiancé.
Is this man the "potato"? Alisdair Baverstock has the answers. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican sports slang is a wonderful thing: “Que pelmazo el portero, fue una vergeada! Cruzazuleamos de nuevo!”
Mexicans love their sport, and with the Euros and Copa America reaching their knockout stages, and the Olympics starting at the end of the month, there’s no better time to brush up on your vocabulary if you’re going to be watching with amigos.
A word of warning: While some of these expressions are perfect for the football stadium, they might be frowned upon if you use them in an everyday context, so consider who you are speaking to before using them.
Allí esta la papa – expression Signifying the weakest link in any system. Literally: There’s the potato. E.g. In sports, if one of the players on the side is clearly inferior to his teammates, then he is the “potato” and should be tactically targeted with additional pressure in order to increase the chances of victory.
Crack – noun Someone who is the best at what they do, and in the context of sport, the best player on the team.
e.g. Viste el gol de Ronaldo? Que crack es ese güey.
Did you see Ronaldo’s goal? What an amazing player he is.
Cruzazulear – verbTo perform extremely well in any given activity, only to fall short at the final hurdle. To “bottle it,” to “snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.” Stems from the Mexico City football club Cruz Azul, which reached numerous finals over decades, but never managed to win.
Me carga la chingada! – exclam Expressive of frustration, Equivalent of “Godammit!” (except stronger). Extremely useful expression when your team concedes.
Me mama – expression Descriptive of something which a person greatly enjoys. Also used reflexively for any subject, i.e. Me mama, Te mama, Le mama, Nos mama, etc.
e.g. Me mama jugar futbol.
I love playing football.
Palero – noun An individual who is quick, or easily convinced, to change their allegiances. A “fairweather fan,” in the context of sport, but can also be used in any other context; i.e. politics, socially, etc. Also Piquetero.
Pelmazo – noun An incorrigable idiot.
e.g. Que pelmazo ese portero!
What an idiot that goalkeeper is!
Porra – noun A chant, or cheer.
Different sporting institutions often have their own specific chants, sung by the crowd at their events, but the most common Mexican porra goes:
Chi-qui-ti-bom, a la bim-bom ba!
A la bio, a la bao, a la bim-bom-ba!
Person’s name! Person’s name!
Ra! Ra! Ra!
Tener la Estafeta – expression To be in charge. Literally, to be “holding the baton.” A team captain does so for his team.
Vergeada – noun A decisive victory, or pummeling. Literally, a “dicking.”
e.g. Nos metieron siete goles, fue una vergeada!
They scored seven goals, it was a thrashing!
If you want to brush up on more than your sports, you can buy The Mexican Slang Dictionary on Amazon in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Alisdair Baverstock is the Mexico City based author of The Mexican Slang Dictionary.
Cancún officials on Delfines Beach, digging up sea turtle nests ahead of Hurricane Beryl to move the eggs to a safe location. (Benito Juárez City Council/X)
With Hurricane Beryl bearing down on the Yucatán Peninsula, Cancún officials are moving to protect residents from the oncoming hurricane — even Cancun’s resident sea turtle eggs.
Municipal workers canvassed Playa Delfines — a beach in Cancún that is a protected area for sea turtles, who lay their eggs there — and dug up 93 nests, collecting approximately 10,400 eggs, according to a statement posted on social media.
Cancún officials carefully placed the sea turtle eggs in coolers for transport. (Benito Juárez City Council/X)
In late spring/early summer, several protected species of sea turtles come ashore in the Cancún area to lay their eggs in the sand. People are warned not to disturb the sea turtle nests, as the sand keeps the eggs at ideal hatching temperature.
The eggs collected Wednesday were placed in dozens of coolers and covered with sand before being moved to safer spots. Municipal officials did not say where the eggs would be stored during the storm, which is expected to arrive on Thursday night or early Friday.
Biologist Graciela Tiburcio, one of Mexico’s foremost sea turtle experts, told the Associated Press that the removal operation was risky. However, she recognized that the situation is an extraordinary one.
“In a normal situation, this would not be right, because [Hurricane Beryl] will surely cause mortality,” Tiburcio said. “There will be a lower rate of hatched eggs; that is the reality. But it’s also a reality that if the nests are left there, they’ll all be lost.”
In other areas of the beach, teams were using sandbags to build corrals around the nesting sites to protect them against the expected strong waves and the storm surge.
Cancún officials being extra cautious
After facing criticism for failing to prepare adequately for previous hurricanes — Mexico was faulted for doing very little to warn or evacuate residents of the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco ahead of Hurricane Otis last October — the federal government is being more proactive.
Although government officials in beach destinations along Mexico’s Caribbean have issued warnings for people to evacuate to shelters ahead of Hurricane Beryl, those warnings are not always being heeded, as this photo taken on Thursday on a beach in Cancún attests. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
Soldiers, police and marines were actively encouraging residents along the Caribbean coast to evacuate their homes and head to government shelters.
Not everyone was heeding the advice, however. The Associated Press reported that half of the population of Punta Allen, south of the resort of Tulum, were ignoring the suggestion to evacuate.
“They’re asking everyone to get out of Punta Allen … but people don’t want to leave,” said a resident who asked to remain anonymous. “They don’t have any money, and they don’t want to leave their possessions.”
One reason for resisting the advice, the same resident said, is that the government allegedly offers transportation to the shelters further inland but does not provide transportation back home.
The Mexican peso fell after June's federal elections, but has appreciated in recent days. (Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican peso appreciated against the US dollar for a third consecutive day on Thursday, but the currency remains above 18 to the greenback.
Bloomberg data shows that the peso was trading at 18.10 to the dollar at 3:30 p.m. Mexico City time.
It was slightly stronger earlier in the day, reaching 18.06 peso to the dollar.
The peso closed at 18.37 to the dollar on Monday before appreciating on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The currency has gained around 1.5% since its closing position on Monday and 0.4% since its closing position on Wednesday.
There was little change in the USD:MXN exchange rate after President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum announced four additional cabinet appointments on Thursday.
The Monex financial group said Thursday morning that the peso had strengthened on the back of economic data out of the United States and the impact of that data on expectations about a future interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
Monex attributed the peso’s appreciation to the expectation that the U.S. Federal Reserve will soon cut interest rates for Mexico’s northern neighbor. (Kurtis Garbutt/Flickr)
U.S. company Automatic Data Processing released a National Employment Report on Wednesday showing that private sector employment in the U.S. increased by 150,000 jobs in June. That provided a sign that the U.S. economy is slowing and increased expectations that the Fed could cut its federal funds rate in the not-too-distant future.
In addition, minutes released on Wednesday from the Fed’s June 11-12 monetary policy session showed that Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) members acknowledged the U.S. economy appeared to be slowing and that “price pressures were diminishing.”
Mexico’s Banco Base said that it expects the Fed to announce an interest rate cut on Sept. 18, although Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday that more data showing the U.S. is on a “disinflationary path” is needed before a cut can occur.
The FOMC members will meet on July 30 and 31, and again on Sept. 17 and 18.
The peso has benefited for an extended period from the significant difference between the Bank of Mexico’s benchmark interest rate, currently set at 11%, and the Fed’s federal funds rate, set at a 5.25%–5.5% range.
The peso has recovered somewhat after depreciating to 18.99 to the dollar last month, but at 18.10 to the greenback it remains about 6% weaker than it was just before the elections.
This week, President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, center, named — from left to right — Omar García Harfuch, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, Ariadna Montiel and Mario Delgado for some of the most powerful positions in the federal government. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo has announced cabinet appointments for some of the top posts in Mexico. Among the names is current Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez for Interior Minister, a position usually considered the second most powerful in the Mexican government.
Sheinbaum, who won Mexico’s presidential election on June 2 for the Morena Party, will take office on Oct. 2.
Sheinbaum also announced Thursday that Omar García Harfuch will be her security minister, Ariadna Montiel Reyes will remain in her current position as welfare minister and Mario Delgado Carillo will be Mexico’s education minister.
García served as security minister in Mexico City between 2019 and 2023 while Sheinbaum was mayor. Delgado has been the national president of the Morena party since 2020.
With the four new appointees seated behind her at the Interactive Museum of the Economy in Mexico City, Sheinbaum said that Rodríguez, García, Montiel and Delgado are “honest and professional women and men who are part of the fourth transformation.”
The fourth transformation, or 4T, is the name of the political project initiated by current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the ruling Morena party.
Current Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez will take the helm of the powerful Interior Ministry in Sheinbaum’s incoming administration. (CC BY-SA 4.0)
She also said it’s a “privilege” to “walk side by side” with Sheinbaum, who will be the first female president of Mexico.
“With you, all women arrive — grandmothers, mothers and daughters,” Rodríguez said.
As interior minister, she pledged to work “with efficacy and sensibility” in responding to “citizens’ demands.”
García, appointed as security minister at a time when Mexico continues to record very high homicide numbers, pledged to “work tirelessly” to build “a stronger, safer, fairer and more prosperous Mexico for everyone.”
Omar García started his career as a federal police officer but quickly rose through the ranks into leadership roles. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
He said that his Security Ministry will work in “absolute coordination” with the Mexican military — which is heavily involved in public security operations — and the governments of Mexico’s 32 federal entities.
The current government’s welfare and social programs, including employment schemes, “will have a long life,” she said.
“… For the good of all, the poor come first,” Montiel concluded, quoting President López Obrador, who uttered the phrase at his presidential inauguration in 2018.
In his brief address, Delgado said, “There is nothing more exciting than working in education because there is the possibility to change destinies, to change lives.”
With his appointment and those of Rodríguez, García and Montiel, Sheinbaum has now named 16 members of her cabinet.
Sheinbaum also announced a batch of new cabinet appointments last Thursday, including health minister, public administration minister and energy minister. (Cuartoscuro)
She has not yet announced who her labor, tourism, culture, national defense and navy ministers will be.
Based on the announcements made to date, Sheinabum’s cabinet — made up of eight men and eight women — is as follows:
Environment and Natural Resources Minister: Alicia Bárcena
Finance Minister: Rogelio Ramírez de la O
Minister for Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation: Rosaura Ruiz
Foreign Affairs Minister: Juan Ramón de la Fuente
Legal Counsel to the President: Ernestina Godoy
Agriculture and Rural Development Minister: Julio Berdegué
Energy Minister: Luz Elena González Escobar
Health Minister: David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz
Public Administration Minister: Raquel Buenrostro
Infrastructure, Communications and Transport Minister: Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina
Agrarian, Land and Urban Development Minister: Edna Elena Vega Rangel
What are the backgrounds of Sheinbaum’s new cabinet appointees?
Rosa Icela Rodríguez Velázquez
The soon-to-be interior minister has served as federal security minister since late 2020.
She is Mexico’s first female security minister, and will remain in the role until the end of López Obrador’s presidency.
Homicides have decreased during her time as security minister, reaching their lowest level since 2016 last year. However, insecurity remains a significant problem in various parts of the country.
Before becoming security minister, Rodríguez was general coordinator of ports, a position within the federal Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation. Before that, she was government secretary in Sheinbaum’s Mexico City administration.
As security minister for the current administration, Rosa Icela Rodríguez is often seen at President López Obrador’s side. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
Rodríguez has a journalism degree and is currently studying for a master’s in crime science. She will succeed Luisa María Alcalde as interior minister.
Omar García Harfuch
Mexico’s next security minister was Mexico City security minister between late 2019 and last September.
Sheinbaum said Thursday that homicides in the capital declined 50% during the period García was security minister and she was mayor. While he was in that position, García survived an armed attack allegedly perpetrated by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Before serving as Mexico City security minister, the 42-year-old Cuernavaca native was head of the federal Criminal Investigation Agency for two years. He has degrees in law and public security.
García will succeed Rosa Icela Rodríguez as security minister.
Ariadna Montiel Reyes
Montiel has been welfare minister since January 2022 and will remain in the position after Oct. 1. She previously served as a deputy minister for social and human development in the current federal government.
Montiel has also been a federal and Mexico City lawmaker and was public transport chief during the 2006–2012 Mexico City mayorship of Marcelo Ebrard, who will be Mexico’s next economy minister.
Ariadna Montiel Reyes will continue as federal welfare minister in Sheinbaum’s cabinet while Morena party president Mario Delgado will head the Education Ministry. (claudiasheinbaumpardo.mx)
Mario Delgado
The future education minister gave up his position as a lawmaker and leader of the Morena party in the lower house of Congress in November 2020 to become the ruling party’s national president. This year, he also worked as the general coordinator of Sheinbaum’s successful presidential campaign.
Earlier in his political career, Delgado was a federal senator and served as finance minister and education minister during Ebrard’s Mexico City mayorship. He has undergraduate and master’s degrees in economics.
Delgado will succeed Leticia Ramírez Amaya as education minister.
Residents in Zapopan, part of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area, duck under downed power lines and skirt debris. A storm on Tuesday left thousands in the Metro area without power. About 15,000 still remain without electricity as of Thursday. (Fernando Carranza García/Cuartoscuro)
Guadalajara is digging itself out after intense storms that battered the city’s metropolitan area (ZMG) on Tuesday and Wednesday caused flooding in city streets, outages that continue to leave thousands without electricity, and the downing of over 180 trees.
More heavy rains appear on the way as Jalisco residents awoke Thursday to the news that a small disturbance near the Jalisco and Colima coastlines “began to undergo tropical cyclogenesis, with models showing a potential tropical depression.”
Authorities were busy through Wednesday night and Thursday morning working to remove over 180 downed trees in the city. (Civil Protection Jalisco/X)
Although Mexico’s attention is currently focused on its Caribbean and Gulf coasts to the east — where Hurricane Beryl is expected to make landfall as early as Friday — the nation’s western coast is now preparing for the season’s first tropical cyclone of the Pacific season.
Tuesday’s storm brought winds as strong as 100 km/h (61 mph) and caused flooding in Guadalajara’s tunnels and streets. Several vehicles were carried away by the roiling waters.
Emergency personnel were out in force to rescue stranded motorists and to assist residents whose houses flooded as the rain continued through Wednesday afternoon. At least 50 homes in Guadalajara’s Villa Fontana neighborhood were reportedly filled with mud and water on Wednesday morning after the El Seco stormwater canal overflowed.
About 15,000 ZMG residents have also been without power since Tuesday’s storm, El Informador reported.
In the face of widespread power outages in the city on Tuesday, a woman in Zapopan took it upon herself to direct traffic at the intersection of Tepayac and Dr. Mateo del Regil avenues. Zapopan is part of the Guadalajara Metro Area.
The first fatality of the summer storm season, the 62-year-old man had fallen into a stormwater canal. Initial rescue efforts were unsuccessful. Emergency personnel recovered his body 133 hours after the fact.
On Wednesday, state authorities also confirmed reports of another storm-related death — not in Guadalajara but about 55 km north of the capital, in San Cristobal de la Barranca. The newspaper La Jornada reported a 15-year-old boy had been swept into a gully during a rainstorm on Sunday.
Civil Protection personnel reminded the public to avoid trying to walk through rushing water and to avoid crossing canals, gullies and dams.
Tropical Depression One-E approaching Mexico’s Pacific states
According to the NHC, the Pacific cyclone will remain a tropical depression until Friday afternoon, continuing to produce rain and thunderstorms through Saturday.
Tropical Depression One-E is moving northeast toward the Colima coast at 15 km/hour with sustained winds of 55 km/h (34 mph) and gusts reaching 75 km/h (47 mph). The storm is producing waves of 1 to 3 meters in the Pacific and could produce waterspouts, said the NHC.
Its cloud bands are expected to produce severe storms in Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán, dumping 25 to 50 mm of rainwater. The NHC warned of lightning and thunderstorms and, potentially, hailstorms.
Authorities have warned residents to be on the lookout for landslides and additional flooding.
Mexico's exports to the U.S. hit another record in May. (Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s revenue from exports to the United States hit an all-time high in May, increasing 6.1% in annual terms to almost US $44 billion.
United States government data also shows that Mexico has consolidated its position as the world’s top exporter to the U.S.
The value of Mexican exports to the United States increased 6.2% in the first five months of the year, while China — which Mexico surpassed last year to become the No. 1 exporter to the U.S. — lost ground.
A record-breaking May
Data published by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis on Wednesday shows that Mexican exports to the U.S. were worth $43.88 billion in May, the highest monthly amount on record.
While the value of Mexico’s exports to the U.S. increased 6.1% annually in May, the second and third largest exporters to the world’s largest economy both saw their revenue decline.
Mexico’s exports to the U.S. were worth over US $200 billion in the first five months of the year. (Lloyds)
Canada shipped goods worth $35.66 billion to its southern neighbor in May, a 2.5% decline compared to the same month last year.
China’s exports to the U.S. were worth $35.03 billion in May, a 2.3% decline compared to a year earlier.
Mexico had a 15.9% share of the United States’ market for imports in May, ahead of Canada on 13% and China on 12.7%.
Mexican exports to the U.S. exceeded $200 billion between January and May
Mexico shipped products worth $206.79 billion to the United States in the first five months of the year, a record for the period.
Agricultural produce is among Mexico’s largest exports – including avocados. (Cuartoscuro)
The value of Mexico’s exports to its neighbor increased every month this year compared to the previous month. Vehicles, electronic goods including computers and crude oil were among Mexico’s biggest export revenue earners. Exports generate around 40% of Mexico’s total GDP.
The value of Canadian and Chinese exports to the U.S. declined on an annual basis in the first five months of the year.
Canadian exports were worth $171.45 billion between January and May, a 1.2% decline compared to the same period last year. Chinese exports to the U.S. fell 2.5% to $164.29 billion.
Mexico had a 15.9% share of the United States’ $1.3 trillion import market in the first five months of the year, ahead of Canada on 13.2% and China on 12.6%.
In 2023, Mexico’s share of the U.S. import market was 15.4%, ahead of China on 13.9% and Canada on 13.7%.
Mexico has thus increased its share of the market by 0.5 points this year, while Canada’s share has decreased by 0.5 points and China’s share has declined 1.3 points.
One of Mexico’s top sources of export revenue is cars and car parts. (File photo)
Mexico’s “lead” over Canada in terms of market share has increased from 1.7 points in 2023 to 2.7 points this year, while its advantage over China has increased to 3.3 points from 1.5 points in 2023.
Mexico has benefited from a “decoupling” of the world’s two largest economies amid the ongoing China-United States trade war, as well as the relocation of foreign companies here as part of the nearshoring trend.
It also benefits from the USMCA free trade pact, which superseded NAFTA in 2020. Mexico, the United States and Canada are scheduled to review the agreement in 2026.
Mexico remains the United States’ top trade partner
Trade between Mexico and the United States totaled $345.45 billion in the first five months of the year, according to the U.S. government data.
That amount is 8.6% higher than the $317.96 billion in trade between the United States and Canada, which was the No. 2 trade partner of the U.S. between January and May.
In 2023, Mexico dislodged Canada as the United States’ largest trade partner after Canada claimed the top spot in 2022.
Mexico became the top trade partner of the U.S. in 2023, and has continued the trend in 2024. (Infographic by Statista)
Mexican exports to the United States — worth $206.79 billion between January and May — accounted for just under 60% of trade Mexico-U.S. trade in the first five months of the year.
U.S. exports to Mexico — worth $138.65 billion between January and May — accounted for just over 40% of two-way trade. U.S. exports to Mexico include refined fuel, auto parts and consumer goods.
Mexico had a trade surplus of $68.14 billion with the United States in the first five months of 2024.
NAFTA altered the trade balance between Mexico and the U.S.
The El Economista newspaper reported Wednesday that the United States had a US $1.7 billion trade surplus with Mexico in 1993, the year before NAFTA took effect.
In the period after the free trade came into force, the growth of Mexico’s exports to the United States outpaced the growth of U.S. exports to Mexico.
In 2023, the United States had a trade deficit of more than $152 billion with Mexico, and it is on track to record another sizable deficit this year.
The value of Mexico’s exports to the U.S. has increased exponentially since NAFTA took effect, and reached $475.6 billion in 2023.
The economies of the three North American trade partners have become highly integrated over the past 30 years. One of the most integrated sectors is the automotive industry, with automakers in the three countries frequently using auto parts made in one of the other USMCA nations.
