Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek considers the market for elder care in Mexico aimed at the foreign population as a potential investment opportunity. (Shutterstock)
At Mexico News Daily, we highlight key growth industries and report on the major investments taking place in Mexico.
Just earlier this week, we reported on how Mexico has received announcements of foreign direct investment (FDI) from January to April 15 of this year totaling more than all FDI recorded in 2023, which was a record year.
We get a lot of questions from readers asking us about the big opportunities for investment in Mexico moving forward, and we try to highlight some of those as well.
Water scarcity is a huge issue across the nation and we have been covering the risks as well as opportunities, and what some companies are doing to help address the problems. We have also covered the automotive, digital services, medical device production, semiconductors and aeronautics industries, which are attracting significant investment.
Other big opportunities that we have written about are in infrastructure, commercial, residential and industrial real estate, as well as in agricultural production. Just recently the CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico, Pedro Casas, highlighted 4 key growth industries in an article he wrote for Mexico News Daily.
A significant opportunity that I think is still in its infancy is the senior health care services industry.
Many people have asked me for my thoughts on this topic, specifically regarding the areas of senior living and care, as well as medical tourism. I don’t have expertise in these industries, and so far, our coverage has been limited to a recent article we did on Mexico’s first hospice care clinic, which is opening soon in San Miguel de Allende.
However, it is an intriguing topic for many reasons. Today there are at least 1.6 million U.S. citizens and over 12,000 Canadians already living in Mexico — many of them are retirees. Many more are coming every day. Many have been in Mexico for years and have no plans to go back to live elsewhere. As we all know, providing safe and affordable health care services is already a major concern in many parts of the U.S. and Canada.
Rapidly rising costs — from the products and services themselves, to the real estate, to labor — have all contributed to the skyrocketing total costs of care. To make matters worse, since the pandemic, many hospitals have been struggling with labor shortages that make it difficult in many areas to provide the care needed.
Surprisingly, there are very limited options for senior living and senior care in Mexico focused on the foreign market. I have heard of assisted living facilities focused on serving seniors in places like San Miguel de Allende, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta and Chapala/Ajiiic. However, these types of specialized services being done in Mexico have their own challenges — language barriers, staff training, on-site specialized medical care, and healthcare insurance — just to name a few.
Mexico seems like a very logical answer to many of these problems considering that the country has a relatively young and well-trained workforce. In addition, the costs of everything from labor to real estate are often significantly lower. The ability to have 24-hour care in most parts of Mexico is far more economically viable. Mexicans culturally are accustomed to very close extended and multi-generational families. As a result, it is a culture that is known for a high degree of respect, warmth, care and empathy towards elders.
Most people I speak with who have had experiences with Mexican doctors, nurses, and health care providers overwhelmingly have nothing but positive things to say about the quality of care that they have received.
Health care is arguably one of the most complicated industries on the planet, so I am not saying that this opportunity would be easy. As with any business idea, it comes with significant risks and challenges. Building and managing adequate facilities with the properly trained staff in Mexico would not be inexpensive or risk-free. But the opportunity is too big to not gain more attention from the business and investment community.
Based on what I hear from talking to expats around the country, this is a large and growing market that is here to stay; there is a significant market need; and supply is extremely limited.
Let’s hope that some bright entrepreneurs and business folks go after it, as demand for these services increases.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.
This is a delicious jalapeño - but when is a jalapeño not a chile pepper? (Thembi Johnson/Unsplash)
Language learning website LanguagePlease describes cultural fluency as the ability “to communicate effectively within a culture, including picking up nonverbal and non-linguistic contexts. One might speak a language well but still not be culturally fluent”.
In other words, you might be able to perfectly construct your request for a taco al pastor in a local restaurant, but if that local restaurant is in Puerto Rico, you haven’t yet mastered cultural fluency.
Spanish is spoken in many different forms from Havana to Huelva. (Spencer Everett/Unsplash)
Spanish is the dominant tongue of at least 20 countries and the second most spoken language in the world. The Spanish you hear in Spain, Colombia, or Cuba is quite different to that which you hear in Mexico, and the Spanish you hear in Mexico City is even different to the Spanish you hear in Yucatán. Each region’s language is developed within historical, religious, and geographical contexts, resulting in various ways to say the same thing.
“What’s up”, is a great example. If you’re greeted with a “Qué bola,” you’re probably in Cuba. “Qué más” and you’re likely speaking to a Venezuelan. “Qué pedo,” you’re definitely in Mexico. The way people talk fluctuates from one country to the next and true fluency enables you to know the difference. It’s like being book smart and street smart, but in a language.
To understand the words and phrases that differentiate Mexican Spanish to Spanish of any other kind is attainable through traveling, watching Mexican TV shows, reading Mexican books, and hanging out with Mexican people. This exposes you to terms you might not otherwise come across while studying for your B2 language test.
Like, jalapeño.
Look closely – this photo is also full of Jalapeños! (Yerenia Rolón/Cuartoscuro)
Obviously, it’s a pepper. A spicy one. Used as a topping for tacos or diced in guacamole.
But that’s not all.
The vibrant capital of Veracruz is also full of jalapeños. Some are growing on bushes while others are walking to school, texting a friend, or making coffee. Because in Xalapa, the term jalapeño refers to both the pepper and the people who were born there.
Similar to “Londoner” or “New Yorker” or “Torontonian”, nicknames in Mexico are applied according to the city in which you were born. However, they’re not always so straight forward. As a matter of fact, they’re a lot more fun. For that reason, we’ve compiled a list of Mexican monikers to help you determine when someone is referring to a person from the Yucatán and not a nutty root vegetable.
Mexico City: Chilangos
Chilangolandia, according to the Mexican language. (Oscar Reygo/Unsplash)
Why in the world are Mexico City residents known as chilangos? No one really knows. According to Luis Fernando Lara Ramos, a linguist and researcher at the College of Mexico, “We don’t know where the word came from. There are a lot of theories but none is trustworthy.” What we do know is that it’s derogatory, but locals still wear the badge with pride.
Guadalajara: Tapatíos
The most widely accepted version of the pseudonym is that it’s a derivative of the Nahuatl word “tapatiotl” meaning “que vale por tres”, or how much for three? The phrase was used while shopping at the local tianguis and the money wasn’t a coin but rather a small sack of cacao beans. Over time, it warped into “tapatío” and the name stuck. Anything can be tapatío, from food to people to architecture.
Monterrey: Regios
When you break up the word, Monterrey becomes monte and rey, monte meaning mountain and rey meaning king. King mountain doesn’t make much sense, but royal mountain does, in which case one would say monteregio. Hence the moniker regio.
Cuernavaca: Guayabos
There are a few theories behind this one but the most probable comes from the name Cuernavaca and its Cuauhnahuac origin. Cuernavaca means “cerca de la arboleda” or, “close to the groves of trees”. Aromatic guava trees, the pink ones to be precise, protruded from these groves and thus was born the nickname of guayabo.
Aguascalientes: Hidrocálidos
Did you know that Aguascalientes is flush with natural hot springs? The word hidrocálido is a play on the hot thermal baths in the region and the people that hail from it.
Veracruz: Jarochos
Veracruz: Home of the Jarocho. (Burkhard Mücke/Wikimedia)
According to historians, after the Spanish arrived at the port of Veracruz, a wave of African slaves followed. The indigenous had never seen black people before and didn’t know what to call them. Since the slaves were usually seen using garrochas (spears) to guide herds of animals in the style of Andalusian cowboys, they referred to them as jarochas. Today, anyone from Veracruz is known as a jarocho/a.
Xalapa: Jalapeños
One of the staples of Mexican cuisine hails from Xalapa, also spelled Japala, and it’s a little green spicy pepper known as a jalapeño. Why wouldn’t you call its residents by the same name?
Puebla: Poblanos or angelopolitanos
Just like Xalapa, Puebla is the womb of poblano peppers. And so, people from Puebla are known as the same. But once in a while you might hear a local referred to as an angelopolitano, harkening back to 1532 when the city was baptized la Puebla de los Ángeles.
Mexicali: Cachanillos
Residents of Baja California North’s capital are called cachanillas after the bright pink pom-pom-looking flower native to the region.
Tabasco: Chocos
The pseudonym for tabasqueños is often misconstrued to be a derivative of chocolate, as Tabasco is a major producer of cacao. However, the true origin comes from the Maya word Yokot’an, meaning original, authentic, and true.
Yucatán: Yucas
Also self-explanatory, but a reminder to discern using context clues when the subject of conversation is a human or a tuber.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
Splendid isolation can be hard to find in Mexico, but here are some tips to cut down on the crowds. (Yoann Boyer)
It’s finally time: the Mexican beach vacation you’ve been planning for months is upon you, and you arrive to find, yes, sparkling blue water and soft sands, but also something you perhaps hadn’t envisioned: a whole lot of other people.
There’s a word in Mexico to specifically describe that feeling of discomfort from being around just too many people at once: engentar. (See the word “gente” (“people”) in there?)
Mexico is a beautiful place for a trip, but it’s popular for a reason. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
It’s a word I use a lot, because – wouldn’t you know it – every time I decide it would be lovely to take a little trip somewhere, it seems everyone else has independently decided on the exact same thing.
What to do?
If you don’t mind the crowds, the extra time waiting in lines, and the elevated prices for everything from taxis to souvenirs, just enjoy yourself. Some people thrive on the particular kind of energy that lots of people in one place bring, and if that’s you, then carry on.
If that’s not you, then never fear: I’ve got some tips to make you feel a tad less engentado on your next trip, whether you’re coming to Mexico from abroad for a long vacation, or hopping over to the next town for a long weekend.
Long weekends are a prime time when people decide to get out of town for a bit, and if there’s any kind of prime tourist destination or big holiday event or festival within reasonable driving or bus travel distance during those times, chances are you’re going to find big crowds. If you really care about being present at a specific event, try to plan way ahead: make reservations for whatever you can (hotels, meals, even parking if you’re able), and be prepared to enjoy a baño de pueblo (literally, a “people bath”)!
Try to avoid going out on weekend quincenas.
A quincena, literally a “fortnight,” (15 days) is the term people use for “payday” around here, usually around the 1st and the 15th of every month. As everywhere, people tend to go out looking for some fun once they’ve got some money in their pockets, so everywhere from the movie theater to the grocery stores tends to get a heavier-than-usual volume of visitors.
Stay in the city when everyone else leaves.
Semana Santa, summer break, long weekends…these are the best times to explore the urban landscape, as traffic is usually down and the hot spots are a little roomier than usual. City folk who can afford to get out of town mostly do get out of town during those times, so they make for rare moments of feeling like you’ve got the whole place to yourself!
If you can, do your traveling and exploring during the off-season.
This is likely a logical conclusion you’ve come to given the above, but it bears repeating: if you can travel during the times that most people are not traveling, you’ll have a lot more breathing room. Another advantage is that prices tend to fluctuate up and down with the comings and goings of crowds of vacationers. If you can go when demand is low, you’ll likely find you can hold onto your funds for a bit longer – perhaps for your next trip!
Get off the beaten path.
We all know the hot spots in Mexico right now, and we know how popular they are. But Mexico has much more to offer than its beaches and popular-with-expats cities. Especially if you can speak/read Spanish, have a look at some Mexican travel sites to get a glimpse of some of the lesser-known areas, or take a look at the “travel” section of Mexico News Daily! Sometimes a little extra research majorly pays off, particularly if you are looking to avoid crowds.
So, those are my tips! If you’ve got any for your fellow travelers – or recommendations for great places to visit that people might not know about and how to avoid the crowds in Mexico – drop them in the comments below!
It's an age old question, but where exactly are Mexico City's best tacos? Monica Belot explores the options. (Taquería Orinico/Facebook)
When we think of Mexico, one of the first things that springs to mind is surely the taco. And rightly so – this culinary powerhouse of a country has elevated the simple taco to an art form, with an array of complex flavors, fillings, and regional specialties that would make even the most seasoned gastronome weep tears of joy. But the most important question is obviously this: Where can I find the best tacos in Mexico City?
From the bustling streets of the capital, we bring you a survey of the crème de la crème of the Mexico City taco scene. We’ve sampled a wide spectrum of famous haunts to hidden gems, casting our net across the hundreds of varied vendors to bring you a curated roundup of the city’s taco treasures.
No matter how upscale the neighborhood, there is always a local taco shop providing delicious and authentic food. (Tacos Hola El Güero/Facebook)
Whether you crave the classics or seek to explore the bold and new, we’ve got you covered. Read on for our take on the nine best taco spots in CDMX.
The (unofficial) best tacos in Mexico City
Tacos Hola El Güero (Condesa)
I’m hesitant to share this one since it’s my regular lunch spot and already quite buzzy, but it is more than well-deserving of an accolade. Tacos Hola sits squarely in the heart of Avenida Amsterdam in Condesa (and squarely in my heart), and offers a selection of consistently mouthwatering tacos de guisado (stew tacos) with fillings ranging from varieties of meat to vegetarian offerings cooked and sauced in ways one can only dream of. My go-to’s are the Chicken Tinga and Rajas (strips of peppers, potato, and onions) tacos, topped with beans and guacamole. Don’t forget to spoon over El Güero’s proprietary blend of fresh radish, onion, and jalapeño in a vinegary sauce.
Taqueria Selene (Anzures)
Those in the know are obsessed with Selene, and it’s easy to understand why. A beloved neighborhood favorite since 1964, it’s evident that this welcoming, family-run restaurant takes great care with every dish. Locals are enamored with Selene’s juicy and flavorful Al Pastor tacos, which are widely considered the best in the city. These tacos feature generous heaps of marinated pork, caramelized onions and pineapple, and plenty of cheese, all balanced with the perfect ratio of a blend of sweet, salty, tangy, and buttery flavors. Personally, my mouth waters for their gringa beef rib taco, similar to a quesadilla but with an incredible crispy texture. Order a side of guacamole and be sure to add it to every dish, along with their flavorful authentic salsa roja.
Cariñito Tacos (Rome Norte)
At Cariñito, tradition meets innovation with a Southeast Asian-inspired menu offered in a classic Mexican-style street taqueria setting. Creatively plated on dried corn husks, each taco serves up a burst of complex flavors mixed with tangy sauces and unique oriental spices. You can’t go wrong with anything you opt for here, but my favorites include the Laos Eggplant taco topped with a handful of fresh herbs, and the Cochinita Thai taco, with its perfect soft pork belly-to-hoisin sauce ratio, complemented with crisp Asian cucumber salad. Whether patrons are taco aficionados or just looking to try something new, Cariñito offers a flavorful adventure that’s anything but ordinary.
If you’re stuck trying to decide between tacos and Thai food, don’t worry – Roma Norte’s Cariñito has you covered. (Cariñito Tacos/Instagram)
Autentico Pato Manila (Polanco, Roma, Hipódromo)
Autentico Pato Manila offers only one main ingredient: duck. And it is exceptional. I was so taken with their duck tacos on my first visit that I returned the very next day for another round. Offering small portions perfect for a light meal or snack, Autentico expertly blends the flavors and styles of Mexico and the Philippines into a refreshingly concise menu featuring just four items, and a garnish of five different types of sauces. For those eager to sample a bit of everything, half-orders are also available. My personal favorite is the tacos Kim, showcasing baked duck with hand-made flour tortillas and plum sauce. The combination of sweet and spicy flavors in all of their dishes is beautifully balanced, with crisp fresh cucumber accents to round them off.
Siembra Taqueria (Polanco)
Offering a menu of classics with a gourmet twist, the food at Siembra Taqueria is undeniably delicious, earning it a reputation as a Polanco standout. The neighborhood spot is renowned for favorites like the Gaona with cheese tacos (my choice) and succulent fish pastor, all served on delectable blue corn tortillas from the eatery’s mill, topped with fresh onions and cilantro for a burst of flavor in every bite. Be sure to try the standout Fideo seco con tuétano, featuring dried noodles with bone marrow. With its inviting atmosphere and intimate outdoor seating, Siembra offers a delightful dining experience. And (you didn’t hear it from me) it’s rumored that their tuna tostada is whispered to rival even Contramar’s famed version. But let’s keep that between us, shall we?
Taqueria Orinoco (Locations throughout the city)
Taqueria Orinoco has been likened to the “In and Out Burger” of Mexico City – and with their bright red branding, hype, and pared-down menu, I can see why. The chain restaurant is admittedly quite touristy, but worth checking out (even if only to throw your opinion in during debates on the Mexico City food scene with friends). Best for late nights as it’s open until at least 3:30 am, the classic spot draws in crowds for a good reason. Their Trompo (Al Pastor) tacos are spectacular, as are the beef tacos. A sure crowd-pleaser is the taco de chicharron, which is soft on the inside yet crispy on the outside, and – unusual for a taqueria – they offer a side of tasty smashed potatoes to dip into the many salsa options they provide.
El Turix (Polanco)
Upon approaching El Turix, the first thing you’ll notice is the euphoric faces of noshers filling their mouths with tacos on the curb outside of this tiny, no-frills Polanco spot. Their expressions are reminiscent of painted Renaissance scenes of religious ecstasy, and the divine culprit is more often than not the cochinita pibil taco. With slow-roasted pulled pork cooked with achiote paste and citrus adobo, cochinita is the main specialty of this Yucatan-style kitchen. There are no tables or chairs here, but that doesn’t matter because you’ll be ripping into your order the moment after it touches your outstretched hand. Seating be damned. Spicy, juicy, and flavorful, every bite feels like a mouth fiesta at this eatery.
For a dose of pork served on the sidewalk, El Turix can’t easily be beaten. (El Turix/Instagram)
Los Guiris (Condesa)
A trendy newcomer to the scene, Los Guiris is a hidden treasure. This modest setup with exquisite food operates from a window of the kitchen of Felina bar and offers wines for pairing in a casual outdoor table setting. Los Guiris chef Alexander Suastegui whips up a short selection of six experimental taco dishes with ingredients that take you from the chinampas of Xochimilco to the coast. While every option is outstanding, my favorite is the Chen Kai- Korean-style fried chicken served on a roti-esque tortilla. The runner-up is the deeply flavorful Shrimp taco on a Costa crust of cheese. I couldn’t tell you what they put in that taco sauce, but it had me surreptitiously licking my fingers, grieving over the final bite.
Taqueria Gabriel (Zona Rosa)
In a welcoming locale nearly as lively as its neighborhood surroundings, Taqueria Gabriel is the definition of near-perfection when it comes to their taco offerings. Their street-style tacos are slightly smaller than usual, neatly folded to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. Made with fresh handmade corn tortillas and the ideal balance of protein, cheese, garnishes, and salsas, these tacos are a delight. The shrimp tacos are my favorite, along with the carne asada and mushroom tacos, but anything you order will be a treat to the senses. For an extra layer of texture, order your tacos “volcanes” style, featuring a crispy fried corn tortilla exterior topped with melted cheese, and wash it down with one of the spot’s famed mezcal margaritas.
Honorable Mentions: Tizne Tacomotora (Roma & Del Valle), El Rey Del Pavo (Centro), El Vilsito (Narvarte Poniente), Por Siempre Vegana Taquería (Roma Norte), Don Guero (Cuahtemoc), Molino El Pujol (Condesa), El Habanerito (Roma Norte, Narvarte), Taqueria El Greco (Condesa)
While we’ve highlighted nine delicious spots, it’s impossible to list all the amazing options that exist. Let us know your best Mexico City taco spots in the comments below.
Monica Belot is a writer, researcher, strategist and adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design in New York City, where she teaches in the Strategic Design & Management Program. Splitting her time between NYC and Mexico City, where she resides with her naughty silver labrador puppy Atlas, Monica writes about topics spanning everything from the human experience to travel and design research. Follow her varied scribbles on Medium at https://medium.com/@monicabelot.
The pasty has become a symbol of two cultures, united in a shared history. (Ray Hedgehog/Unsplash)
Like so much of Mexican history, this story begins with treasure. Deep in the mountains of the central state of Hidalgo lie significant quantities of silver. Despite the mineral wealth contained within, mining conditions were incredibly difficult, with flooding and tunnel collapses common. Understanding how much money there was to be made, local mine owners and engineers (including legendary Mexican engineer Gabriel Mancera) formed the Real del Monte Mining Company and spared no expense in hiring the very best miners that the world had to offer.
The area around Real del Monte, Hidalgo is some of the most beautiful countryside in Mexico. The thick forests and high mountains create a temperate climate. Lush green forests cover the mountainside as far as the eye can see. The architecture is unlike any other in Mexico, with tall brick chimneys and Victorian-era mills and mines. Tourists travel from across the country to take in the sites and enjoy an authentic paste, the traditional miners lunch that was baked for the silver miners who once plied their trade in the plentiful mines of the area.
The quiet mining town of Real del Monte, Hidalgo has become known as “Little England” thanks to its history of British migrant mine workers. (Real del Monte/Instagram)
Thousands of miles away, on England’s southwestern tip, tourists flock to see the tall brick chimneys and Victorian-era mills and mines of Redruth, Cornwall. Many, like in Mexico, enjoy a traditional miners’ lunch called a pasty.
Despite hailing from southern England, the pasty has become a revered piece of Mexican cuisine. While Mexico has taken on elements of several countries that have helped shape it over the centuries, few imports have been received so enthusiastically, and have become so deeply ingrained in Mexican culture as the pasty.
From England to Mexico
The British miners hired by the Hidalgan mine syndicate were from the town of Redruth, Cornwall. Armed with cutting-edge British mining technology of the 1800s, around one hundred miners set off with their families making the journey from Falmouth across the Atlantic Ocean.
The journey was not easy. The port of Veracruz, the original landing point, was blockaded by the Spanish, and the miners were forced to land further away. During the 250-kilometer trek, which lasted 14 months, many Englishmen died. Those who survived the journey found themselves in an unfamiliar world. But as the precious metal finally flowed, more miners eventually came, not just from Redruth, but the surrounding towns of Camborne and Gwennap.
State capital Pachuca’s main square, unusually European in its design, was the product of one of these Camborne transplants. Francis “Francisco” Rule left the town aged just 17 to seek his fortune in Mexico. In Hidalgo, Rule found exactly that and used it to build much of the opulent state capital, including what is now the City Hall, formerly his private residence. The impressive main square, which includes a monumental clock tower that chimes to the same tune as Big Ben and a number of traditionally British buildings including a Methodist Church, was also built thanks to the enormous fortune Rule amassed in Mexico.
Ultimately, the Mexican Revolution sent many of the unattached Cornishmen back home. Those who had taken Mexican wives however, including Rule himself, stayed. Today, their descendants still proudly carry the names of those who first made the journey.
From a worker’s lunch to a national icon
Pastes el Portal is an international award winning shop in Real del Monte, and perfectly demonstrates the fusion of cultures that has created the paste. (México Desconocido)
But what of the miner’s lunch that has become symbolic of both regions? The Cornish pasty is said to have been invented as a way for miners to eat a filling lunch while remaining hard at work. A hard pastry shell, with a thick braided crust, is filled with meat, potato and swede (or sometimes cheese and onion), and the end with fruit or jam. To eat it, the pasty is held by its thick braid, allowing miners in filthy conditions to eat without dirtying their food any more than necessary. Pasties are small enough that they could be placed in a trouser pocket, and hard enough that they would stay intact until lunchtime.
The paste, meanwhile, has had an illustrious history in its new country. While the British staple remains staunchly tied to the highly traditional meat and potato or cheese and onion variants, the Mexican version has evolved into a range of flavors that the miners of Redruth could scarcely have imagined. Fillings such as tinga de pollo, hawaiana and of course, mole, have transformed the paste into a perfect representation of the cultural exchange that took place between the two countries.
The Cornish pasty has spread across the world, becoming popular on almost every continent in one form or another. Despite this prodigious expansion, no country has adopted it as their own in quite the same way as Mexico. Mimicking the popularity of the pasty back in native Britain, where the pastry is often sold as a snack in bakeries, train stations and cafes, the Mexican paste can be found on street corners across the country. In Hidalgo, every neighborhood has a paste shop of its own, and in the old mining towns, there is one on almost every street.
If you’re headed to Real del Monte to try the authentic paste, stop by Pastes el Portal, which makes pastes so good that they took the top prize at the Cornish World Pasty Awards. Manned by a cheerful owner dressed from head to toe in a traditional British Policeman’s uniform, pastes are available in 14 flavors, to eat in or take away (I took 2 boxes last time I visited). The tiny restaurant, which often has a queue, also serves as an impromptu mining museum, and many of the staff are former miners who carry on the paste tradition today.
Hidalgo and Cornwall today
Today, Redruth is a quiet tourist town, much like twin Real del Monte. (visitcornwall.com)
The mines in Hidalgo have long since closed. Tourism has filled the gap, and the annual International Pasty Festival has become a staple of the town. At the inauguration of the first event in 2011, then mayor of Real del Monte Omar Mariano Skewes paid tribute to the food. “Cornish people rebuilt our shattered mining industry giving us work, and now again, after we have lost that industry, the Cornish have given us pastes and a new source of income,” he said. The three-day food festival has since become a huge draw for the region.
In Cornwall, pasties (unsurprisingly) remain serious business too — and the community recognizes the important role that Mexico plays in the history of the meal. In fact, the Mexican ambassador to the U.K. was an invited guest at the 2022 World Pasty Championship. Britain’s King (then Prince) Charles and Queen Camilla even made a personal appearance in Real del Monte in 2014, joining in the paste making themselves.
Seven hundred British miners and their families lie at rest at the Panteón Ingles in Real del Monte, having given their lives to building a tiny slice of England deep in the Mexican mountains. In recognition of the life of Francis Rule, Pachuca and Camborne are now sister towns. Redruth and Real de Monte have been twinned since 2008, the bond of their shared history stretching across the ocean.
This article is part of Mexico News Daily’s “UK in Focus” series. Read the other articles from the series here.
A zoo in Mérida has found a novel way to help keep its animals cool during punishing temperatures. (Ayuntamiento Mérida)
Ever had a rabbit popsicle? How about a chicken popsicle?
Well, you probably wouldn’t have unless you live at a certain Mérida zoo.
Biologists at El Centenario Zoo have created the frozen treats to help animals stay cool, and provide novel experiences for them to enjoy. (Ester López Huan/X)
Biologists at the El Centenario Zoo in Mérida, the capital of the state of Yucatán, decided that popsicles (paletas) would help the animals endure the sweltering heat that is typical of the region. It is not uncommon for the temperatures to push the mercury up to 40˚ C (104˚ F) or higher.
It’s not the first time that a zoo has decided to provide chilled food to the animals under its care, reports the newspaper Infobae. When prepared properly, animals receive the proper nourishment while also properly hydrating and cooling.
Biologist Walter Rosado, in charge of preparing the popsicles, carefully observes the dietary needs of each species. Infobae reported that 60% of the 609 animals living in the zoo, including 85 species, are the beneficiaries of the “Paletón” (popsicle) program.
“The big cats get meat popsicles made of beef, chicken and rabbit, and the primates get fruits and vegetables,” he said. The bird population gets fruits, seeds and insects in their popsicles.
Big cats get meat-based popsicles to enjoy. (Ester López Huan/X)
In addition to the restorative qualities of the iced treats, Rosado said the ingredients and preparation also aim to heighten the animals’ experience.
“Beyond the goal of hydration and refreshment, we hope [the popsicles] provide them with sensations they wouldn’t normally experience,” he said. “We want them to feel the texture, the consistency, the flavors.”
So far, the plan appears to be a big success. The animals are benefiting from the cooling snacks, while visitors are entertained by the spectacle.
“We’ve observed some animals react happily, they run around more, they move more,” Rosado said. “Sometimes they even fight over the popsicles.”
The big cats are popular with visitors as some of the leopards, jaguars, tigers and lions will play with their frozen blocks as if they are prey.
El Centenario is not alone among zoos relying on iced treats to address the searing heat. Animaya Zoo in western Mérida and municipal zoos in Tizimin and Valladolid in central Yucatán are also treating their animals to iced treats.
Chetumal is located near the border with Belize. (Programa Destinos México)
A presidential decree published in the federal government’s official gazette earlier this week extended until Sept. 30, 2030, fiscal incentives including an import tax exemption for goods entering the municipality of Othón P. Blanco, where Chetumal is located.
The decree also outlines a range of other tax benefits for businesses located in Chetumal.
At his morning press conference on Friday, López Obrador said that consumers will be able to buy “goods from all over the world” at “a very low price” in Chetumal, “as was the case before.”
Chetumal “used to be so important from a commercial point of view that people from the entire southeast went there to buy,” he said.
From 1934 until the introduction of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, Chetumal was located in its own special economic zone.
Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama took to the X social media platform on Friday to thank López Obrador for “making Chetumal and Othón P. Blanco a free zone.”
“This decree adds to the determined work [we have done] to reactivate the economy and continue returning the shine to the capital of our state,” she wrote.
In an earlier post, Lezama noted that eligible companies with annual income below 50 million pesos (US $2.9 million) will be exempt from paying Mexico’s value added tax (IVA), income tax (ISR) and “taxes related to importation.”
“This stimulus will reactivate the economy of our capital, turning it into an epicenter of development and wellbeing in the south-southeast of Mexico,” she wrote.
Among the beneficiaries of the fiscal incentives will be tenants of a “well-being market” that is set to be established in Chetumal.
The Tianguis del Bienestar Yum Kaax, which was first announced last September, will accommodate retail businesses selling duty-free imported goods across approximately 14,000 square meters, according to reports. It will also have a larger section which could house vendors of fresh produce, offices, a hotel, warehouses and even light industry, El Economista said.
Which country has an older population? Which one receives more international tourists? Which one consumes more beer? Find out in our comparison of statistics between the United Kingdom and Mexico. (NASA/MND)
It’s the matchup you didn’t know you were waiting for!
In the red, blue and white corner, we have the United Kingdom, a constitutional monarchy that is famous around the world for its Royal Family, its music, its literature, its vibrant capital and more.
The U.K. meets Mexico: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip welcome former president Enrique Peña Nieto and his wife Angélica Rivera on a state visit to the U.K. in 2015. (Gob MX)
And in the green, white and red corner we have Mexico, a republic like no other, with over 200 years of history as an independent country and millions of citizens whose ancestors have lived on this land for thousands of years.
That’s right, it’s the U.K. versus Mexico … in numbers!
In this article — which continues our “Global Mexico: U.K. in Focus” series — I look at data on things such as population, geography and economy in order to make some objective comparisons between the U.K. and Mexico. There are even some football (soccer) and beer stats for good measure.
Did you know that the U.K economy is almost twice the size of Mexico’s?
Did you know that both countries are among the world’s top 10 destinations for international tourists?
Read on to discover many other facts about the U.K. and Mexico in this latest “head-to-head” addition to our data journalism series “Mexico in Numbers.”
The population of the four nations that make up the U.K. — England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — is just over half that of Mexico, where 126 million people were counted in the 2020 census.
On average, Brits (and the Northern Irish) are much older than Mexicans. The median age of the U.K. population was 40.7 in 2022, while the median age of Mexicans was 29 in 2020.
Mexico is about eight times larger than the United Kingdom in area, and as this map shows, many European countries (including the U.K.) could fit inside Mexico. (Vividmaps.com)
Mexico’s largest state, Chihuahua, is almost 4,000 square kilometers bigger than the entire territory of the U.K.
Mexico also one-ups the U.K. in comparisons of the two countries’ largest lakes, highest mountains and longest rivers. The stats are as follows:
Lake Chapala in Jalisco has a surface area of 1,100 kilometers whereas Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland is less than half that size with a surface area of 392 square kilometers.
The peak of Pico de Orizaba, an active stratovolcano on the Veracruz-Puebla border, is 5,636 meters high whereas the summit of Ben Nevis in Scotland is considerably lower at 1,345 meters.
The Rio Grande, which runs along a significant stretch of the Mexico-United States border, is 3,051 kilometers long, almost nine times the length of the 354-kilometer-long River Severn, which runs through Wales and England.
Britons in Mexico, Mexicans in the UK
Mexico’s 2020 census found that there were 2,582 immigrants from the United Kingdom living in Mexico. Almost 70% of that number were aged 39 or younger. Mexico City had the highest number of immigrants from the U.K. followed by Querétaro and Nuevo León.
Britons have lived in these lands for a very long time – since before Mexico was Mexico, in fact. Scotsman Thomas Blake lived in Mexico City during the early colonial days of New Spain. He worked as a hosier and in 1544 married Francisca de Ribera, widow of the conquistador Cristóbal de Canyego, according to the Scottish Centre for Global History.
According to the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, a government agency, 18,000 Mexicans were living in the United Kingdom in 2022.
Among the current Mexico residents of the U.K are Premier League players Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez.
The IMF estimates that the nominal GDP of the U.K. was US $3.34 trillion last year, making the British economy about 1.86 times the size of the Mexican economy. Mexico’s nominal GDP was $1.79 trillion in 2023, according to the IMF.
Wealth, as measured on a per-person basis, is four times higher in the United Kingdom.
Per-capita GDP in the U.K. was US $46,125 in 2022, according to the World Bank, while the figure for Mexico was $11,496.
Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Fine Arts? Stonehenge or Chichén Itzá? Loch Ness or Lake Chapala? Brighton or Cancún?
They are some hypothetical choices a person might face if trying to decide whether to take a trip to the United Kingdom or Mexico.
While both countries are undoubtedly interesting and alluring tourism destinations, data shows that more international tourists are visiting Mexico than the U.K., although the numbers are not too dissimilar.
Both Mexico and the U.K. are known for their rich cultural and historical offerings for tourists, such as Chichén Itźa (left) and Stonehenge (right). (Wikimedia Commons)
In 2023, international tourist arrivals increased 10% in Mexico to reach 42.1 million. Final data for the U.K. has not yet been published, but the tourism board Visit Britain estimated late last year that international tourist numbers would total 37.8 million in 2023.
England vs Mexico in football
Football is popular all over the U.K., but England has been the most successful among the four constituent nations at international events. It is also home to the world’s most lucrative football league.
England v Mexico 8-0 1961
Here’s a look at England vs Mexico across a range of football stats.
Men’s international matches: England has recorded six victories (including a win at the 1966 World Cup) to Mexico’s two. One match ended in a tie.
World Cup results: England won the 1966 World Cup at home and made the semi-finals in 1990 in Italy and in 2018 in Russia. Mexico’s best result is reaching the quarter finals twice, at home in 1970, and at home again in 1986.
Women’s World Cup: England has competed at six of the nine women’s World Cup events and was runner-up in the 2023 edition. Mexico has played in three, but has never gone past the group stage.
English Premier League (EPL) and Liga MX: Twenty clubs play in the EPL while 18 compete in Mexico’s top professional division. The highest paid player in the EPL is currently Manchester City player Kevin de Bruyne, a Belgian who has a base salary of £ 20.8 million ($25.9 million). Spaniard Sergio Canales, a midfielder for C.F. Monterrey, is reportedly the highest paid Liga MX player, earning US $5 million per season. A total of 11 Mexican players have graced the EPL since its inception in 1992.
Beer production and consumption
Mexico is a much bigger beer producer than the United Kingdom, and Mexicans also drink more suds than the British.
According to the 2022-23 report of hops company BarthHaas, Mexico was the world’s fourth largest beer producer in 2022 with a total output of 141 million hectoliters.
The U.K. ranked 11th with a total output of 37.4 million hectoliters, or just over a quarter of Mexico’s production.
Mexico wins the drinking contest with the U.K. – and also produces significantly more beer than Britain. (MND)
The Japanese beverages company reported that Mexico ranked fourth for total beer consumption in 2022 behind China, the United States and Brazil, while the United Kingdom ranked eighth. Mexico had a 5.2% share of the global market for beer in 2022, 2.8 points ahead of the U.K.’s 2.4% share.
On a per-capita basis, Mexico was the 19th largest beer consumer in 2022, with the average person drinking 75.9 liters of cerveza that year. That equates to around four bottles or cans of beer per person per week.
Britons, meanwhile, were more temperate in their consumption of lager and ale, drinking 67 liters per person in 2022. The U.K. ranked as the world’s 27th largest beer consumer on a per-capita basis.
At the top of the list was the Czech Republic, which Kirin said was the world’s largest per-capita beer consumer for a 30th consecutive year in 2022. Ranking second to 10th were Austria, Poland, Ireland, Lithuania, Spain, Germany, Estonia, Romania and Namibia.
March saw a precipitous decline of 5% in export revenue compared to 2023, which might be attributable to the Easter holiday falling last month instead of in April, as it did last year. (Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s export earnings declined more than 5% in March compared to the same month of 2023, but first-quarter revenue still increased, according to preliminary data published on Friday.
February had seen a spike of 13% in export revenue in Mexico, and the total for the first three months of the year was up 1.7% over 2023. (Port of Lázaro Cárdenas)
Between January and March, export revenue totaled $143.43 billion, a 1.7% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. Over 80% of Mexico’s export earnings comes from goods shipped to the United States.
Imports to Mexico also declined in March, falling 7.1% on an annual basis to $48.65 billion.
Imports in the first three months of the year increased 0.2% to $146.23 billion, leaving Mexico with a $2.8 billion trade deficit in the first quarter.
3 of 4 export categories declined in March
INEGI data shows that oil, mining and manufacturing exports all fell last month, while agricultural exports increased. One factor that likely contributed to the overall 5.3% decline in exports was that this year’s Easter holiday week fell in March whereas it was in April in 2023. Non-oil exports to the United States declined 2.8% while those sent to the rest of the world fell 13.1%.
Oil exports declined 21.4% in March to $2.02 billion. Oil brought in $7.37 billion in revenue in Q1, a 2.6% decline compared to the first three months of last year.
Manufacturing exports fell 4.5% in March to $45.47 billion. However, revenue increased 1.9% to $127.09 billion in the first three months of the year.
Mining exports decreased 25.2% in March to $793.6 million. Earnings declined 9.9% to $2.27 billion in Q1.
Agricultural exports increased 6% in March to $2.45 billion. Revenue increased to $6.68 billion between January and March, a 6.3% increase compared to the first three months of 2023.
Export earnings from mining dropped by 25% annually in March and almost 10% over the first quarter of the year. (Cuartoscuro)
Considered together, non-oil exports declined 4.5% last month, but increased 1.9% in the first quarter of 2024.
The 7.1% annual decline in imports in March came after a 9.7% increase in February.
Oil imports declined 39% last month to $3.17 billion, while they fell 36.8% in Q1 to $9.88 billion. Pemex CEO Octavio Romero said in January that Mexico would stop importing gasoline in the not-too-distant future, although projections he presented showed that Mexican production won’t meet demand in the coming years and that the soonest self-sufficiency can be achieved is 2027.
Imports of non-oil consumer goods such as food, clothes and homeware increased 8.3% to $6.15 billion in March. Imports jumped 21.9% to $18.89 billion in the first three months of the year.
Imports of non-oil intermediate goods — often used by factories to produce final goods — fell 5.4% to $34.61 billion in March. They rose 1.2% in the first three months of the year to $102.77 billion.
Imports of capital goods such as manufacturing machinery, tools and heavy equipment fell 4.4% to $4.7 billion in March, but increased 11.1% to $14.67 billion in Q1.
Excluding oil, imports declined by a more modest 3.6% in March. In the first three months of the year, non-oil imports rose 4.7%, well above the 0.2% overall increase.
The publication of the export and import data comes four days after INEGI reported that the Mexican economy grew 1.4% in February compared to January, the fastest month-over-month rate since September 2020. GDP increased 2.6% on an annual basis in February.
A Guadalajara court has found that the state's abortion ban is unconstitutional. (Mireya Novo/Cuartoscuro)
Jalisco looks set to become the 13th state in Mexico to decriminalize abortion after a federal court ruled against state laws that prohibit the voluntary termination of a pregnancy.
Reproductive rights group GIRE announced the ruling on social media on Thursday night, saying that a criminal court in the Guadalajara metropolitan area determined that articles in the state’s criminal code that “absolutely prohibit voluntary abortion” are unconstitutional.
Demonstrations against abortion restrictions have been ongoing in Mexico as women demand increased legal protections. (Isabel Mateos Hinjosa/Cuartoscuro)
GIRE said that the court also determined that the Jalisco Congress must repeal laws that make abortion a crime.
The ruling — made in response to an injunction request filed by GIRE and six other organizations — came after the Mexican Supreme Court (SCJN) ruled in September 2021 that the criminalization of abortion is unconstitutional, setting a precedent for the legalization of early term abortion across Mexico.
Despite those rulings, only 12 of Mexico’s 32 states currently allow voluntary early-time abortion in all cases.
Abortion was legal in four states — Mexico City, Oaxaca, Hidalgo and Veracruz — at the time of the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling, while an additional eight states have approved decriminalization since then. They are Coahuila, Baja California, Colima, Sinaloa, Guerrero, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and Aguascalientes.
GIRE said that the “achievement” in Jalisco is “part of a national legal strategy” aimed at preventing the criminalization of “any woman, trans man or non-binary person” who has an abortion as well as medical personnel and anyone else present at the time of the procedure.
The organization called on courts to rule on its injunction requests against state criminal codes in accordance with the “criteria and precedents” established by the Supreme Court in order to move toward “the recognition of abortion as an essential health service.”
Isabel Fulda, a deputy director of GIRE, told the El País newspaper last September that injunction requests aimed at the decriminalization of abortion had been filed in all states where the medical procedure hasn’t been legalized.
She said at the time that Mexico’s “most conservative states” could avoid the “political cost” of decriminalizing abortion because they would be simply acting in accordance with Supreme Court rulings.
Fulda also said that many states — even ones where abortion has been decriminalized by local legislatures — lack supplies and training for medical personnel to offer adequate abortion services.
“Implementation is still the big pending issue,” she said. “There is a big gap between whether abortion is allowed and whether it can actually be done.”
