Mexico’s week in review: US suspends avocado certs, fracking studies continue and Peru rift ends
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily press conferences set much of the week’s agenda, moving from children’s social media use to a government transparency decree, a high-profile murder, fracking policy and a diplomatic breakthrough with Peru. Economic data told a mixed story too, with a strengthening peso set against a sharp drop in Pemex profit and a battered Sinaloa economy.
Security developments also kept pace, including the arrest of a former Guerrero governor on Ayotzinapa-related charges, a jump in U.S. rewards tied to CJNG’s new leadership, and a fresh U.S. suspension of avocado certifications in Michoacán. On the public health and safety front, a UNAM cheating scandal, a UNESCO deadline to protect the vaquita and a cyclosporiasis scare linked to Riviera Maya travel all drew attention.
Didn’t have time to catch this week’s top stories? Here’s what you missed.
Economy: Peso strengthens and avocado trade swings
Mexico’s currency extended a 10-day rally to reach its strongest level since February, helped by the Bank of Mexico holding its benchmark rate at 6.5% and a weaker US dollar following a soft American jobs report. The gains came even as Pemex reported a 70% annual drop in second-quarter net profit, which the state oil company attributed to higher financial costs, tax obligations and an unfavorable exchange rate. Economic disparities varied widely by region, with Sinaloa’s economy posting the worst quarterly contraction of any Mexican state, a result economists linked to the ongoing cartel conflict in the region.
Tourism data added to the mixed picture: Tourism GDP fell 0.8% quarter-over-quarter in the first three months of the year, according to INEGI, driven by a 5.9% quarterly drop in spending by foreign visitors, even as domestic tourism consumption rose 0.5%.
Mexico’s avocado trade also had a volatile week. New data showed exports to the U.S. jumped 35% in the first quarter compared to the previous year, according to Sader. Days later, however, the United States suspended avocado export certifications in Michoacán, citing an unspecified “threat against U.S. interests” — the third such suspension in just over four years. Michoacán’s governor deployed additional state security operatives and the Defense Ministry sent more than 1,500 soldiers to the region in response.
US suspends avocado imports from Mexico over unspecified ‘threat against US interests’
Energy: Government edges toward fracking while banning it in Mexico’s top basin
A government expert committee tasked with assessing “sustainable fracking” recommended prohibiting hydraulic fracturing in the Tampico-Misantla basin, Mexico’s largest-potential shale region, citing environmental, social and biodiversity concerns. Sheinbaum said her government would respect that recommendation, which she reaffirmed at Friday’s mañanera.
However, the committee recommended continued evaluation of two other northern basins. Reuters reported that pilot projects in Coahuila and Tamaulipas could begin as soon as next month if approved, as Mexico looks to reduce its reliance on natural gas imports from the United States.
Security: Pressure builds on cartels and past officials
U.S. authorities raised the reward for CJNG’s new leader, Juan Carlos Valencia González, to $25 million following the February death of cartel founder “El Mencho,” as part of more than $100 million in reward offers and new visa restrictions. Domestically, federal agents dismantled four illicit fuel processing centers in San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo and Morelos, seizing roughly 1 million liters of fuel. In Sinaloa, Sheinbaum acknowledged the murder of content creator César Gastélum, the ninth social media personality killed in the state since 2024. And in a case tied to one of Mexico’s most notorious unsolved crimes, federal authorities arrested former Guerrero Governor Ángel Aguirre on charges of concealing video evidence related to the 2014 disappearance of 43 Ayotzinapa students; Sheinbaum said the arrest was not politically motivated.
Public health, environment and education
Sheinbaum laid the cornerstone for a new IMSS hospital in Oaxaca, part of a three-facility “Health City” complex the government frames as a step toward its planned Universal Health Service. And after the U.K. reported dozens of cyclosporiasis cases among travelers, Mexico stepped up health inspections at Riviera Maya hotels, while officials said the country has not been identified as the outbreak’s source.
Officials at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) confirmed that nearly 60,000 applicants must retake its entrance exam after widespread cheating undermined its first-ever online exam.
Separately, UNESCO gave Mexico until February to show concrete action to protect the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, of which only seven to 10 are believed to remain.
Diplomacy and governance
Sheinbaum signed a decree aimed at strengthening federal government transparency, which officials said would compel departments to disclose more information following the 2024 elimination of the INAI watchdog agency.
On the diplomatic front, Sheinbaum announced that Mexico and Peru would restore relations severed since November, after former Peruvian Prime Minister Bettsy Chávez was granted safe passage from asylum in Mexico’s Lima embassy.
Looking ahead
The coming weeks will test several threads left open this week: whether Mexican and U.S. officials can resolve the security concerns behind the avocado certification suspension, whether President Sheinbaum’s panel of experts finds acceptable conditions in northern Mexico to move fracking pilot projects forward, and how UNAM’s rescheduled in-person exams — set for mid-to-late August — play out after the cheating controversy. Mexico also faces UNESCO’s February deadline on vaquita protections and continued scrutiny of Sinaloa’s cartel-driven economic slowdown.
Also in the news this week
- Estadio Azteca’s owner, Grupo Ollamani, reported an estimated $47 million loss tied to World Cup costs, even as FIFA posted record tournament revenue.
- Embraer officially began operations at its first manufacturing plant in Mexico, located in Chihuahua’s state capital.
- Taiwanese tech firm Inventec announced a US $450 million expansion in Ciudad Juárez that’s expected to create up to 6,000 jobs.
- UNAM is installing 58 new seismic monitoring stations to expand earthquake tracking across Mexico’s historically under-instrumented northern states.
- UNAM chemistry researchers are experimenting with food waste like overripe bananas and pumpkin to brew more nutritious beer.
- Tulum was named the world’s happiest travel destination in a new analysis of over a million travel reviews.
Mexico News Daily
This story contains summaries of original Mexico News Daily articles. The summaries were generated by Claude, then revised and fact-checked by a Mexico News Daily staff editor.
A celebration of Mexican artist Arturo García Bustos, 100 years after his birth
On Aug. 8, 1926, a child was born in the heart of Mexico City. Although he grew up to explore many places, his heart remained where his passion for art was first sparked, and he passed away in his house in Coyoacán on April 7, 2017.
Arturo García Bustos is recognized for his role in Mexican art history, notably as a student of Frida Kahlo and a dedicated artist whose legacy continues to inspire.
“The love that Frida instilled in us towards Mexican culture, towards our roots and popular customs, is still alive and present in my work,” the artist stated in a 1977 interview with El Día, underscoring his lifelong dedication to Mexican identity.
A childhood in the city
One cannot grow up in Mexico City without it leaving a mark. García Bustos was well aware of this, recalling fondly that as a primary school student, he would watch Diego Rivera working on his murals at the Secretaría de Educación Pública (Ministry of Public Education).
Little did he know that he would eventually marry one of Rivera’s close collaborators, Rina Lazo, and become closer to the master muralist than he could have ever imagined.
Living downtown put him at the center of a growing metropolis, where he attended public concerts, frequented local libraries and developed a keen eye for observing urban life.
A rebellious spirit
Ever the rebel, García Bustos broke away from the strict, rigid norms of the Academia de San Carlos, Mexico’s most prestigious art academy at the time. He transferred to La Esmeralda — a decision that altered his life forever. There, he not only found his true mentors, but also met Guatemalan-Mexican artist Rina Lazo, the woman he would marry and spend his life alongside.
In contrast with the San Carlos Academy, Frida Kahlo didn’t teach through theory. She avoided a clinical approach to creation, favoring a sensitive, vibrant perspective on the artistic process instead.
She challenged her students to observe the world deeply, asking them to count the subtle colors hidden in everyday objects. When her failing health made her commute to La Esmeralda impossible, she transformed her beloved Casa Azul in Coyoacán into a creative sanctuary. It was here that Arturo García Bustos became one of the four devoted pupils known as “Los Fridos.”
Kahlo’s mentorship catalyzed a breakthrough that launched García Bustos into the Mexican art scene. Kahlo actively championed her students’ careers, securing them local mural projects — like painting the walls of a nearby pulquería — and introducing their work to leading Mexican intellectuals.
García Bustos, the militant
La Esmeralda also connected Arturo to artist collectives that defined the trajectory of his work: the Taller de Gráfica Popular (TGP) and Artistas Jóvenes Revolucionarios. These groups were not merely social clubs; they were part of a broader movement given voice by printmakers and painters who proudly viewed themselves as visual working-class laborers.
Bustos quickly adopted graphic art as one of his primary media. At just 18 years old, he joined the Taller de Gráfica Popular — founded by Leopoldo Méndez, Luis Arenal and Pablo O’Higgins — to design flyers, posters and newspapers that documented global struggles and amplified labor union demands.
Through the TGP, García Bustos deepened his understanding of both printmaking and sociopolitical activism. Members divided their time equally between pulling prints and attending political assemblies or protests, bridging the gap between art and labor.
Simultaneously, young creators were forging their own spaces. The Artistas Jóvenes Revolucionarios collective brought together students seeking to display politically engaged artwork. Bypassing traditional galleries and museums, they exhibited in public parks and markets to invite direct dialogue with everyday citizens.
Inevitably, a teacher
Following in Kahlo’s footsteps, Arturo dedicated years of his life to education. Two institutions stand out in his teaching journey: the Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas in Guatemala and the Escuela de Bellas Artes de Oaxaca.
He was invited to Guatemala by writer and diplomat Luis Cardoza y Aragón — a move warmly supported by his wife, Rina Lazo. During his residency, he established a printmaking workshop that produced socially critical work, though political upheaval soon forced him to return to Mexico.
García Bustos shaped generations of talent, including renowned artist Francisco Toledo, through his dedicated work at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Oaxaca, inspiring respect for his mentorship.
Artwork
There are two remarkable paths that García Bustos followed — or rather cultivated — throughout his career: muralism and printmaking. Perhaps at first sight they may seem far from one another, but they shared a common interest in getting art to the people. While the former is usually displayed publicly, the latter is, by nature, easy to reproduce repeatedly.
Regarding the first discipline, more than 10 murals can be attributed — individually or collectively — to García Bustos. His motifs always revolve around Mexican history, Indigenous traditions and social justice. Although all his work has been equally relevant, certain pieces have sparked debate and become landmarks where they were created.
In Oaxaca
One of his most significant murals, “Las Siete Regiones de Oaxaca,” created for the National Museum of Anthropology, exemplifies his dedication to Mexican history and cultural identity.
#Oaxaca en el tiempo, Palacio de Gobierno.
Foto: Mural del maestro Arturo García Bustos#ViajemosTodosPorMexico #TwitterOax #México #Turismo @TeInvitoaOaxacapic.twitter.com/h5UClM5H5a— Te Invito a Oaxaca (@TeInvitoaOaxaca) November 20, 2018
When Arturo created the murals for the Palacio de Gobierno de Oaxaca in 1980, there was much discussion about whether a non-Oaxacan artist should paint them; one of the main opponents was Oaxacan artist Rufino Tamayo. The protests eventually ceased once supporters argued that García Bustos had already given a great deal to the state through his teaching at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Oaxaca.
In Mexico City
Additionally, he painted a stunning mural that thousands of people see every day at the Metro station Universidad in Mexico City, located at the heart of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México: “The University on the Threshold of the 21st Century.” In this piece, Arturo journeys through the different means of knowledge and education in Mexico. He also portrays key historical figures such as Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, his mentor Frida Kahlo and his lifelong partner, Rina Lazo.
Finally, one of his last murals adorns the walls of the Casa de Cultura de Azcapotzalco in Mexico City. Here, García Bustos not only showcases his technical expertise but also enriches a community cultural space with iconic moments from Mexican history.
On the 100th anniversary of his birth, Arturo García Bustos has become an undeniably influential figure in modern Mexican art, far beyond his status as one of Los Fridos. Ultimately, his legacy enriches Mexico’s public spaces and the generations of artists he inspired alongside Rina Lazo.
Lydia Leija is a linguist, journalist and visual storyteller. She has directed three feature films, and her audiovisual work has been featured in national and international media. She’s been part of National Geographic, Muy Interesante and Cosmopolitan.
Beyond the lechero: Veracruz’s new wave of coffee culture
When I first decided to leave the San Francisco Bay Area in California to live in Xalapa, Veracruz — the city where both of my parents once immigrated from decades ago, and where my mom eventually moved back to live — I never anticipated how much I would fall in love with one of Mexico’s best-kept secrets: Jarocho coffee.
The state’s adoration for, and history of, producing some of Mexico’s best coffee dates back centuries. This is, after all, where coffee cultivation began with the arrival of Europeans in the 1700s. While living here, I’ve been able to travel along the oldest coffee-producing trails on the continent, sipping my way through it all, and visiting coffee plantations to learn more about the process and conditions for cultivating coffee and its environmental impacts in modern times (spoiler: it’s harder than ever for producers to keep up with the global demand and maintain their practices from the past).
The rich coffee culture of Veracruz
@parametromx Tradicional lechero del Gran Café de la Parroquia ☕️🥛 #veracruz #lechero #cafe #cafedelaparroquia #visitveracruz #turismo #viaje ♬ La Bamba – Son Jarocho – Voces Veracruzanas
In Mexico’s entirety, no state boasts the same pedigree of rich coffee lineage and ongoing traditions as deeply, and perhaps as invisibly, as Veracruz. Nowhere is that notion more evident than in the state’s largest city: the actual port itself.
Of course, Jarocho coffee is by no means completely unheard of or brand new, by any stretch of the imagination, particularly for those in the know. The sight of a “lechero” pouring frothy milk into a cup of espresso at El Gran Café de la Parroquia is a classic image of the Veracruz experience going back to 1808, when the cafe first opened as a tiny operation in front of the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.
Now, it represents one of Mexico’s most iconic coffee rituals. Here’s how it works: patrons tap their glass with a spoon; a formally dressed lechero comes bustling over with a steaming pot of milk; the lechero evinces showmanship by pouring the milk from a spout at an impressive height, never spilling a drop. It may seem gimmicky for some, but throughout my life, it has always represented the Jarocho way of drinking coffee.
Café traditionalism
View this post on Instagram
In addition to El Gran Café de la Parroquia (which eventually split into two separate factions due to ownership disputes in the 1990s), Gran Café del Portal in Veracruz’s historic center is also worth visiting for its colonial-era charm and sense of coffee traditionalism. Indeed, the port of Veracruz’s reputational coffee heritage has carried over into other parts of Mexico over the years, too; the most popular café in Coyoacán is named El Jarocho, which opened in 1953, and ships its coffee beans by the truckloads directly from Huatusco, Veracruz.
And yet, while becoming an intrinsic part of a classic tourist experience in Veracruz, the city has not always found a way to merge its glorious coffee past with its ongoing present and future. Until now.
A new generation of cafés
Currently, the specialty coffee scene in the port of Veracruz is booming in unseen ways, as a new wave of coffeemakers and baristas has entered the mix with a more contemporary approach, offering a cool range of Veracruz’s flavorful past in an aesthetic, renovated context. In just the past year and a half that I’ve lived in the state of Veracruz, I’ve noticed an uptick of youthful cafés in the puerto; it seems that every time I go for a weekend outing with my family, another one springs up.
So here are just a few of those cafes that should be added to your list. The next time you decide to visit Mexico’s oldest and most historically important port city — where imbibing a cup of coffee in the midday swelter is a way of life — you can experience its coffee renaissance for yourself.
Singular Coffee Roasters
View this post on Instagram
Located directly across the street from Playa de Oro, right on the border of Boca del Rio — a ritzier suburb a few miles away from the industrial center of Veracruz — Singular Coffee Roasters in many ways embodies the next generation of coffeemakers in the city. In addition to having a pristine view of the beach, where the nearby ocean scenically blows palm trees along the main avenue, the vibe is funky and hip, and the menu is top-notch.
Enjoy a tampiqueña de res (a thin cut of beef served with salsa, salad greens and beans) alongside an orange cold brew, a maracuyita (cold brew mixed with mashed passion fruit) or a matcha frappe. Or, keep it simple, and order a locally sourced cup of filtered coffee — with the option of adding coconut milk for an extra 20 pesos. Either way, it’ll be a refreshing way to start off your day before hitting the nearby Gulf’s waters to cool off from the oppressive weight of the year-round heat.
Impetus
View this post on Instagram
With three locations sprinkled throughout the city, Impetus has become the “it” café in town. Recently named as one of seven finalists in Mexico’s nationwide Expo Café, the brand is certainly of the highest caliber, and the interior decor and design of each café matches the high-grade taste in each cup. Though their original location has been around for 10 years now, they’ve still retained the title as Veracruz’s leading specialty coffee purveyors with a seasonally changing menu. Available in multiple price tiers ascending from lowest to highest (coffee of the day, excellent or extraordinary), they’re known for their fine-tuned brewing methods. In true Veracruz fashion, you can cool off with a granizado de olla (shaved ice poured over with café de olla) or a chilled bottle of housemade cascarita (a fruity, tea-like beverage made by steeping the dried husks of a coffee cherry in water).
Ethos Casa de Café
View this post on Instagram
Small but mighty, this bite-sized café (it’s a small room that comfortably seats around 10 people, not counting the limited sidewalk seating available outside) was named as one of the Top 100 Coffee Shops in North America, Central America and the Caribbean islands. Aside from their regular pours — which are exceptional — they offer cold brews infused with in-house ginger ale, coffee liqueur frappes and dulce de leche espressos, among other inventive options like the Blue Velvet (a concoction of blue butterfly pea flower extract, lavender, organic vanilla and milk).
Volador
View this post on Instagram
Recognized as a two-time Expo Café winner for producing the best coffee in Mexico, this outpost can be found on a vibrant strip in Colonia Reforma (which, for my money, is the coolest and most diverse neighborhood in the state of Veracruz, replete with stylish bars, cafés, taquerias, Korean ramen, smash burgers, Middle Eastern dining, pizzerias and more, all connected by a tree-lined walking path that leads straight to the beach). Volador is the unequivocal king of coffee in this area, with a spacious environment and outdoor patio seating to accompany its vegan food options, salads and — for the over-18 crowd — carajillos (espresso and coffee liqueur) in mazapan or horchata varietals.
Avi
View this post on Instagram
Specializing in brunch and sweet treats — in addition to their selection of coffee and teas — this dog-friendly café is charming and sprightly. Another of Colonia Reforma’s highlights, it opened at the end of 2024 and has added to Veracruz’s rising cafe presence. A pistachio tarta vasca (a dense Basque-style cheesecake) is ideally partnered with a tri-colored strawberry matcha, an iced taro or a classic espresso cortado.
Habibi Café
View this post on Instagram
The latest newcomer to Veracruz’s growing and diversifying coffee scene, Habibi opened its doors earlier this summer and added something completely fresh and rare to the port city’s culinary sphere: a Turkish-inspired café. Found in the ever-trendy Reforma neighborhood, the decor here is a bit over the top and kitschy, but the spirit of the coffee and food is unique and notable. Order a Turkish coffee (which is brewed in hot sand) and, if you’re hungering or have a sweet tooth, add a side of gold-dusted dessert — or grab a loaded shawarma de pollo — and stay for the fun of it all. Pro tip: don’t forget the plátano macho-stuffed kibbeh.
DeLirio
View this post on Instagram
The tropical abundance of Veracruz’s ingredients reigns supreme at DeLirio. Take your pick of orange espressos, pineapple cold brews, maracuya cheesecakes, watermelon agua frescas, chilled cucumbers and lime frappes, and so much more. Despite its colorful vibrancy on the menu, it retains an understated interior style: An elegant, minimalist architecture highlighted by its mid-century-inspired curved walls and wicker chairs — all working in harmony to accentuate this chic café in (you guessed it) Colonia Reforma.
Alan Chazaro is the author of “These Spaceships Weren’t Built For Us” (Tia Chucha Press, 2026), “Notes from the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge” (Ghost City Press, 2021), “Piñata Theory” (Black Lawrence Press, 2020) and “This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album” (Black Lawrence Press, 2019). He is a graduate of June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and was selected as a Lawrence Ferlinghetti Poetry Fellow at the University of San Francisco. His work can be found in NPR, The Guardian, SLAM, GQ, L.A. Times and more. He is currently based in Veracruz.
Mexico and My Money: MND launches new series on personal finance
The team at Mexico News Daily is always trying to think of new content ideas to help better educate and inform our readers about Mexico. A few recent examples include our Expat Safety Perceptions Index, the MND Mexico Healthcare Survey, and the Sheinbaum, Mexico Economy, and Peso Indexes.
As we have been working on these content ideas over the past few months, we have received feedback from readers on other ideas, and we have identified some additional gaps as well. One of them is to create an index that focuses more on Mexico’s social progress (or lack of) versus more economically focused indicators. We are actively working on that one — stay tuned!
Another big gap we identified was regarding the whole issue of money and personal finance in Mexico. It occurred to us that there is often a real gap in knowledge when it comes to money in Mexico. Many people who are extremely sophisticated financially in their home country oftentimes don’t even have a bank account in Mexico. Others that I have met have little more than a local basic checking account with a debit card. Still others lose significant amounts of money on currency conversion.
The light bulb really went off when we were reviewing the results of the Expat Safety Perceptions Index. The data of our survey showed us that most expats/foreigners have not had personal safety issues and in fact, for the most part, feel very safe in Mexico. From a personal safety perspective, most feel pretty good. But that got us thinking and asking questions like:
1. What financial issues have you had in Mexico?
2. What are the financial risks the immigrants face here?
3. What are common mistakes that immigrants make with money here?
4. How many MND readers have been victims of a financial crime in Mexico?
5. What can you do to protect your finances in Mexico?
We believe that this is an extremely important topic and there is much to be learned and applied. As a result, Mexico News Daily will be going “all in” on this topic. We will start with a survey that we will be asking thousands of expats in Mexico to take. The results of this survey will be shared with our readers and will also help guide and define the topics of a new weekly series of “Mexico and My Money,” beginning next week. In this series, we will be covering everything from common mistakes made to best practices for protecting and growing your money in Mexico. We will cover topics like banking, exchanging money, rental income, investing, and dealing with contractors and local service providers.
Our goal is neither to scare you nor lead you to a false sense of security, but rather to provide you with the information, best practices and lessons learned of others to help you best manage your money in Mexico. Stay tuned, I am certain that we are all going to learn a lot from this survey and series.
Click here to take the Mexico and My Money survey.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
An award-winning bakery launches a definitive ‘map’ of Mexico’s abundant bread types
Building on Mexico News Daily’s history of Mexican bread, published earlier this year, two Mexican bakers have created a new “map” that charts the vast, often overlooked world of Mexican breads — from conchas and bolillos to coyotas, pan de muerto and rosca de Reyes.
The Primer Mapa del Pan Mexicano — or First Map of Mexican Bread — is a research project by siblings Ariana and Julio González, the founding bakers at 13-year-old Buñuelo in Naucalpan, State of México.
Instead of sorting breads by state or region, the map tracks their baking lineage: dough, technique and tradition.
That framework shows how one preparation style can develop into breads with markedly different shapes, textures and uses, with seemingly unrelated pieces sharing production methods or customs.
The map includes sweet breads, or pan dulce, savory staples and festive breads such as pan de muerto for Día de Muertos and rosca de Reyes for Three Kings Day.
The savory family includes bolillo, telera, pambazo, cemita and hojaldra, breads commonly used in tortas and other Mexican sandwiches.
Other families include bizcocho — sweet, cake-like breads including conchas, nubes and pelones — and the cookie family, which includes cochinitos de piloncillo, coricos and coyotas, the last being Sonoran pastries typically filled with piloncillo.
Other breads in the festive category include pan de pulque, pan de yema and a specialty bread sold at festivals and patron saint celebrations in Puebla and Tlaxcala called pan de fiesta or pan de feria.
The González siblings — recently named Bakers of the Year by the Mexico Gastronomic Guide — developed the project through years of fieldwork at traditional and contemporary bakeries. Designer Marcela Morales turned the research into a reference piece.
The total number of Mexican breads remains an elusive proposition. Estimates often put the figure above 1,000 varieties, but the map is not presented as a census. Its 52 selections are representative samples meant to illuminate a larger and still-changing baking heritage.
“This map is not intended to be a definitive catalog of Mexican breadmaking, but rather an invitation to see it from a different perspective,” Julio González said, “We want people to understand that behind each piece there are techniques, traditions, and baking families that are all part of the same heritage.”
The map arrives after a period of renewed attention to Mexican breadmaking.
In late 2025, a British baker based in Mexico City voiced a blunt opinion about Mexican bread culture (or, in his opinion, lack thereof) and received widespread backlash, including a Mexico News Daily piece noting, “You’re free to dislike bolillos … Just don’t use cultural superiority as a seasoning.”
Then earlier this year, Panadería Rosetta in Mexico City was named one of the world’s 10 best pastry makers by La Liste, a prestigious Paris‑based global dining guide.
For now, the single-sheet map is being sold for 135 pesos (US $7.88) at Buñuelo, Av. Alcanfores 44-2 in Naucalpan. See the bakery’s Instagram for more details, including a planned digital version.
With reports from Food & Wine en Español and El Universal
Opinion: The real reason San Miguel de Allende feels so American
Since I arrived in San Miguel de Allende over six weeks ago for a nine-week journalism internship, I have been trying to figure out why more international tourists do not come to central Mexico.
I have written about my experiences across the Bajío cities of Guanajuato and Quereétaro as well as Mexico City. I have been constantly surprised by the lack of American tourists, or sometimes even tourists in general, in what I felt like were incredible destinations for a vacation.
But I have yet to write about the tourists in the place where I’ve been living. A place flooded with local and international tourists on weekends and a place where the economy revolves around visitors. San Miguel is seemingly the one place in the region where American tourists are around every corner. So what sets San Miguel apart? Why do Americans flock here instead of Guanajuato or Querétaro?
It all started nearly 80 years ago when the emergence of art schools in San Miguel allowed Americans to take classes abroad. This, in turn, brought new business and development, with hotels opening throughout the city. San Miguel’s famous colonial streets were declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008, spurring more development and tourism.
Now San Miguel is widely regarded as one of the top international destinations in Mexico, bringing in over two million visitors each year. There are an abundance of vineyards just outside the city limits, fine dining is around every corner and luxury hotels are found all throughout town.
As more and more foreigners came to San Miguel and as the arts scene continued to grow, the town became increasingly accommodating to American tourists. Americans tend to like to feel comfortable abroad, and the prevalence of English in the town takes away a massive hurdle that might deter Americans from going to Guanajuato or Querétaro, where English is less prevalent.
More Americans also means more American food, more American sports on TV, and more spaces designed to make Americans feel comfortable. Jewish delis, burger joints and microbreweries covered with TVs are easy to find — and they are harder to come by in Guanajuato or Querétaro. More places for Americans will always lead to more Americans.
The invention of social media has also greatly benefited San Miguel’s tourism industry. The Parroquia de San Miguel Árcangel — with its towering spires and jaw-dropping pink facade — looks glorious in an Instagram story. The courtyards and gardens throughout the town also make for great photos, and some have called San Miguel’s local Starbucks the most beautiful in the world.
Once San Miguel was named the best city in the world by Travel and Leisure magazine, more visitors than ever began to arrive.
San Miguel is also small and relatively relaxed. It’s dense and walkable, to the point that residents do not need a car to get around. It has a large local bar scene, but not many clubs. The weather is consistent and relatively mild year-round. All of these — along with cheaper prices than the United States — have made San Miguel a picture-perfect place for American retirees looking for something different late in life. With retirees generally less motivated to learn Spanish, the influx of English-speakers forced business to cater to that demographic.
While San Miguel is definitely popular, it still is not widely known in the United States. When most Americans think of tourism in Mexico, they imagine the picturesque beaches of Cancún, Los Cabos or Puerto Vallarta. Mexico City is rapidly growing as an international tourist destination and those seeking more of an adventure have probably heard of Oaxaca. Despite the high volume of arrivals, San Miguel de Allende does not have the same level of international recognition as other Mexican destinations.
And it shouldn’t. San Miguel is a small city that has already been drastically gentrified. Homes throughout Centro have been replaced by shops and restaurants, the cost of living continues to climb, and there is a lack of jobs outside of the tourism industry.
So what sets San Miguel apart? It’s at the top of tourism rankings, while other beautiful Bajío towns receive less attention. It has splashes of Mexican culture while still feeling comfortable for Americans.
Does that make San Miguel better than other cities? Yes and no. It feels more Americanized, which makes it attractive to American tourists. But the vibe isn’t just American — it’s international. Expats mingle with locals, and travelers from all over the world visit the cobblestone streets. It’s a destination for a reason, but a lot of those reasons can be found in a lot of other cities in the region — without the crowds, or price tag, that have followed San Miguel’s fame.
Jared Tucker is a summer intern at Mexico News Daily in San Miguel de Allende and a rising senior at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he is the sports editor for The Daily UW. He was previously a fellow at TheFulcrum.us, where he covered public participation in American democracy.
Seaweed diplomacy: Mexico and Japan to tackle sargassum crisis in new joint program
The Foreign Ministry has announced that Japan will be participating in the development of a joint program to address the massive influx of sargassum on Mexico’s shores.
Japan — which has been actively collaborating with Caribbean nations to tackle the sargassum problems plaguing the region — will offer ocean-monitoring technology, specialized equipment including robotics and sensors and financial cooperation.
Additionally, Japan will provide sargassum-collecting ships and vessels adapted for the collection of the macroalgae at sea in order to strengthen Mexico’s capacity to address the situation along its Caribbean beaches.
The collaboration will also feature satellite monitoring, biological decomposition technologies for sargassum and technical training programs through Japan’s International Cooperation Agency, in coordination with Mexico’s Agency for International Development Cooperation.
The project will include academic research, as well as business-oriented research and development. This work will focus on processes for converting the sargassum, as a raw material, into commercially viable products, such as fertilizer, biofuels, building materials and soap.
The goal is to boost marine and nearshore coastal conservation efforts, support integrated coastal management actions and mitigate negative impacts on sectors such as fisheries, public health and tourism.
The announcement came during an Aug. 3 meeting between Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco and his Japanese counterpart, Toshimitsu Motegi, in which they agreed to establish a working group to advance new areas of collaboration to strengthen bilateral relations in the political, economic, scientific and technological spheres.
In a joint statement to the media, they announced the launch of a high-level economic dialogue to boost bilateral trade, which, from January to May this year, amounted to US $9.9 billion, a 4% increase compared to the same period last year.
A few days earlier, President Claudia Sheinbaum pledged 2 billion pesos in federal funds (US $115 million) to battle an influx of sargassum in the state of Quintana Roo.
These funds will be directed toward sargassum control efforts spanning roughly 30 miles of beachfront spanning resorts including Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Puerto Morelos, Tulum and Mahahual.
El secretario de Relaciones Exteriores, Roberto Velasco (@r_velascoa), recibió a su homólogo japonés, el ministro de Asuntos Exteriores de @MofaJapan_en, Motegi Toshimitsu (@moteging), quien realiza una visita de trabajo a nuestro país.
En reunión bilateral, ambos titulares de… pic.twitter.com/iaZwAhBjjV
— Relaciones Exteriores (@SRE_mx) August 3, 2026
In October, Cancún will host the international EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum, with the aim of articulating joint strategies for the containment and management of biomass and sargassum.
The conference is expected to focus on regional cooperation, circular economy solutions and sargassum-harvesting technology.
With reports from Excelsior and MVS Noticias
The Mexican peso hits its strongest level against the dollar in 6 months
Mexico’s currency gained 0.12% vs the U.S. dollar in Thursday trading, extending its rally to 10 straight days after the central bank left interest rates unchanged at its Aug. 6 monetary policy meeting.
The peso closed Thursday at 17.21 to the US dollar and dipped below 17.14 in early trading on Friday, an additional 0.58% gain and its strongest level against the U.S. dollar since Feb. 23.
Forbes México attributed Friday’s early action to a negative U.S. jobs report and said the peso is on pace to appreciate by 1.3% by the end of the week.
Mexico’s currency was also boosted by the central bank’s unanimous decision on Thursday to hold its benchmark rate at 6.50% for a second consecutive meeting, while hinting that rates would remain at the current level for the foreseeable future.
In a statement, Banxico’s board of governors said, “Headline and core inflation are expected to decline throughout the forecast horizon, albeit more gradually than previously anticipated.”
Headline inflation slowed in July for a fourth consecutive month though the central bank does not expect it to converge to its 3% target until late next year.
In a social media post, Gabriela Siller, director of analysis at Grupo Financerio BASE, said the peso is also appreciating “due to the carry-trade,” a strategy whereby an investor borrows money in a currency with a low interest rate and invests those funds into higher-yielding assets or currencies.
Siller said large global investors are borrowing in the U.S. and Japan, then investing in Mexico, indicating that the peso continues to benefit from a wide interest rate differential (Mexico’s 6.50% policy rate compares favorably to the U.S. Federal Reserve’s 3.50%-3.75% target range).
The newspaper El Economista said the U.S. jobs report (which noted that U.S. nonfarm payrolls fell by 23,000 jobs last month, following a downwardly revised increase of 20,000 jobs the previous month) prompted the market to reduce bets that U.S. interest rates will rise.
Monex Grupo Financiero concurred, saying in a statement that the peso’s advance against the dollar is “driven by the weakness of the dollar and a readjustment of expectations on the direction of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy” at its next meeting in September.
With reports from El Economista and Forbes México
After crushing Panama, Mexico’s Under-20 team looks to clinch Olympics berth
Close on the heels of El Tri’s impressive World Cup performance, Mexico’s Under-20 men’s squad has qualified for next year’s U-20 World Cup and is on the verge of earning an invitation to the 2028 Olympics.
At the same time, El Tri’s U-23 team has reached the final of the Central America and Caribbean Games where it will face Venezuela on Friday evening in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
México vs Panamá | 2026 Concacaf Men's Under-20 Championship Quarterfinals
Coach Alex Diego’s U-20 team faces Canada on Friday night in Puebla with a spot in the final on the line. The winner will face either Costa Rica or Team USA who play earlier Friday.
Team Mexico earned its berth in the semifinals by manhandling Panama 4-0 on Wednesday, its fourth straight shut-out in the tournament, which features 12 teams from the Concacaf region competing for four tickets to the World Cup.
All four semifinalists automatically secured invites to the U-20 World Cup, so now the battle is for the lone remaining Concacaf berth in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
As the host nation, the U.S. receives one of the two Olympic spots reserved for Concacaf teams.
That means if Team USA defeats Costa Rica and Mexico gets past Canada, El Mini Tri will have clinched a trip to the Olympics regardless of the outcome in Sunday’s final. However, if Costa Rica upsets the Stars-and-Stripes, then Mexico would have to win the final to earn a spot in the Olympics.
Of course, coach Diego’s goal is to hoist the trophy on home soil, but to do so, El Tri will have to overcome a pair of key injuries and the suspension of its first-choice goalie.
Attacking midfielder Santiago Sandoval required surgery after breaking a finger during the team’s 2-0 victory over Costa Rica in the team’s second group stage match, ending his participation in the tournament.
Of equal concern is the status of winger Hugo Camberos, a rising star who has attracted attention from English Premier League clubs.
Camberos has scored in each of Mexico’s matches thus far, but limped off the pitch late in Wednesday’s match and his availability for the semifinal is in question.
The situation in goal for Mexico is of lesser concern since back-up goalie Cristo Navarrete kept a clean sheet in both starts since first-choice keeper Juan Liceaga was shown a red card in El Tri’s second match.
