Guadalajara added nine buildings offering 102,000 square meters of new industrial space, of which 70% is currently vacant. (@FinsaIntl/X)
To meet the growing demand for industrial real estate space, the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, has increased its supply by 50% in the first quarter of 2024, according to a report by real estate data platform Solili.
Compared to the first quarter 2023, Guadalajara added 102,000 square meters of new industrial space, of which 70% is currently vacant.
The real estate fund Meor, which specializes in industrial parks, predicts a demand of up to 13 million square feet in industrial space in the next five years. (Meor)
According to Solili, the average rental price per square meter in Guadalajara in 2024 is US $6.40, an increase of US $0.80 compared to last year.
The demand was mainly driven by companies in the logistics, parcel and household appliances sector, the real estate analysts reported.
Nearshoring has been credited with driving demand for industrial real estate space in Mexico. In 2023, more than 350 industrial projects totaling 5.6 million square meters were built in Mexico, driven by companies relocating to Mexico.
Sergio Ríos, former director of investment for the Jalisco Economic Development Ministry (Sedeco), said that if Jalisco develops enough industrial parks to meet demand, it could capture between 30% and 35% of the foreign investment that will come into the country through nearshoring over the next five to six years. Without sufficient industrial space, however, Jalisco would only be positioned to receive 10% of this foreign capital, he explained.
“It will all depend on covering the need for physical spaces with an industrial purpose, that is key,” he said during a recent conference on nearshoring and its opportunities for Jalisco.
Ríos added that due to a shortage of industrial spaces in Jalisco, foreign direct investment in the state declined by 30% last year compared to 2022.
According to data from the federal Economy Ministry (SE), Jalisco was fourth in a list of states receiving the most foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2023, amounting to US $2 billion — 6% of the country’s total FDI. Jalisco came after Mexico City (31%), Sonora (8%) and Nuevo León (7%).
In 2023, the United States was Jalisco’s top investor with US $777.2 million, followed by the United Kingdom with US $588 million and Germany with US $390.2 million.
Laser skin resurfacing can help give your face a youthful glow. Dermatologist Dr. Lara shares her tips on how to get the best treatments in Mexico. (Skin Specialists of Allen)
Medical tourism in Mexico continues to evolve rapidly — as does its reputation — due to the high standard of doctors, facilities, amenities and significantly reduced costs. In 2022, about 1.2 million people traveled to Mexico for elective medical treatment according to Patients without Borders, and medical tourism is expected to grow significantly throughout 2024. The medical process — from diagnosis to recovery — can be of excellent quality and cost less than 40% of similar treatments in the U.S.
For guidance on selecting a doctor and choosing a laser skin treatment that suits your needs, we’ve spoken to Mexican dermatologist Dr. Daniela Lara Del Valle, founder and CEO of Clínica de la Piel Dermantra in San Miguel de Allende. Her answers have been translated and edited for this article.
This week, Dr. Lara discusses everything you need to know about laser skin treatments in Mexico. (Courtesy)
Cosmetic treatments in the United States can be expensive: the average cost of a laser skin resurfacing procedure is US $1,489 according to the latest statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. So it’s perhaps no surprise that a growing number of US residents are crossing the border into Mexico to seek more affordable laser treatments, saving anything from 35% to 80% on cosmetic treatment, according to Medical Tourism Mexico.
Paying less doesn’t mean you get a lower quality of service. Doctors in Mexico share the same high-quality standards as doctors in the U.S. or any international practice using cutting-edge healthcare technology.
However, as is the case anywhere you receive such treatments, you must ensure your doctor adheres to the highest standards of hygiene and professionalism.
What is laser skin resurfacing?
Laser treatments can be used to help with a number of different skin conditions. (Farhad Ibrahimzade/Unsplash)
Laser is a form of light energy, used in treating various skin conditions and for aesthetic procedures through the stimulated emission of radiation that vaporizes the outer layers of the skin to promote growth of new collagen fibers.
The letters in the word laser stand for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.
When do I need a laser skin resurfacing treatment?
A laser procedure provides a better aesthetic result for people with skin imperfections.
Laser treatments are effective at reducing premature signs of skin aging like wrinkles and age spots, scars, rosacea, enlarged pores and melasma. It can also treat spider veins, benign tumors such as freckles or moles and stretch marks, amongst other conditions.
Are there several types of laser resurfacing, or is it the same for every skin type?
CO2 and erbium lasers can both be used to provide skincare treatments. (Curology/Unsplash)
There are two forms of laser resurfacing: those with carbon dioxide (CO2) and erbium lasers, which create a uniform injury on the skin in the affected area. The other form is fractionated CO2 laser treatment, which drills into the skin.
CO2 laser resurfacing
CO2 laser resurfacing treats different benign and malignant skin conditions in addition to wrinkles, scars, moles, warts and other issues. A newer generation of CO2 laser resurfacing uses a single light source to act precisely on the affected areas of the skin.
Erbium laser resurfacing
Erbium laser resurfacing removes superficial and moderately deep lines and wrinkles on the face, hands, neck or chest. This laser causes less swelling, bruising and redness than CO2 lasers, making recovery faster.
Fractional laser resurfacing
This technique drills narrow columns of holes deep into the skin’s layers while leaving the surrounding skin intact. With this treatment, less skin is injured.
Fractional laser resurfacing, which targets specific areas of skin, can be delivered quickly and effectively. (Wikimedia Commons)
What should my doctor in Mexico evaluate before advising laser resurfacing?
Every patient needs a medical evaluation before being considered a candidate for laser resurfacing.
An ideal candidate will have any of the following conditions:
Uneven skin pigmentation
Scars from acne or chicken pox
Skin scars or birthmarks
Age spots or liver spots
Sun-damaged skin
Nonresponsive skin after a facelift
Fine lines or wrinkles around or under the eyes, forehead or mouth
Enlarged pores on the nose.
People with the following conditions are advised against laser resurfacing:
Active acne
Very dark skin
Deep wrinkles
Excessive or sagging skin
Keloid or hypertrophic scars
Herpes
Autoimmune diseases
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
Post-laser sun exposure
Patients should always inform their doctor of any medications they are using, as some might pose risks during the laser treatment.
Pregnant women are advised to avoid undergoing laser treatment. (Cassidy Rowell/Unsplash)
What are the potential side effects of laser resurfacing in Mexico?
As with any treatment, the side effects of laser resurfacing are the same in every country. The following are only a few of the possible side effects:
Bacterial, viral or fungal infection.
Acne due to the use of emollients
Contact dermatitis
Hyperpigmentation in phototypes IV to VI
Hypopigmentation one month after the laser procedure
Fibrous scar and hyperpigmentation 12 months after the procedure
Your Mexican healthcare provider must warn you of potential stains or pigmentation, blistering or burns.
How many laser sessions will I need?
The sessions required for your treatment are those ordered by your dermatologist. In ablative cases — that is, in the treatment of tumors — one session is enough.
For treatments such as rejuvenation, treatment of spots, tattoos, rosacea, stretch marks and scars — among other cosmetic treatments — your dermatologist will recommend between three to six sessions (depending on your skin type), with intervals ranging between four to six weeks.
What do I need to know to choose a good dermatologist in Mexico?
Choosing a professional dermatologist is essential when undergoing laser resurfacing treatment in Mexico. Here’s some advice:
Find a specialized dermatological center.
Verify that the staff is supervised by a certified dermatologist.
Make sure the equipment is approved by the European Union or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and by Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection Against Health Risks (Cofepris).
It is not advisable to undergo a laser resurfacing treatment in beauty centers that lack a certified dermatologist who can guarantee the treatment’s safety and effectiveness.
Beware of illegal laser devices (generally made in China). These may put the patient at risk of getting skin burns even when handled by an experienced dermatologist.
What do I need to keep in mind after undergoing the procedure in Mexico?
Consider the post-procedure recovery time and the necessary care to avoid complications.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice. The writer and Mexico News Daily assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content on this site. Individuals should always consult with qualified professionals regarding medical procedures, including plastic and/or cosmetic surgery, and medical aesthetic treatments, as well as consider their jurisdiction’s applicable laws and regulations.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
A tour through the canals of Xochimilco is like a tour through Mexico itself. (Roberto Carlos Román/Unsplash)
Floating down the canal during a tour of Xochimilco, a crowded boat of locals passes by, chanting the battle cry, “Viva Mexico!” in between generous gulps of their micheladas. After they pass, the legendary Island of the Dolls appears, a bizarre monument to the lost and the damned. Here, decaying dolls hang like twisted totems from the old trees, some missing eyes, some down a few limbs. It’s a haunting spectacle, a surreal tribute to a drowned girl’s memory. A few meters farther we stopped ashore to marvel at some of the rare carnivorous plants in the riverside greenhouse. This was going to be a strange and glorious day.
Another boat moored up to ours offering some local delicacies, my favorite being esquite. The famous street food isn’t merely food but an edible riot. Coal fired corn, lime, chili and cotija cheese, esquite is a culinary rebellion against the mundane, and an important part of any Xochmilco tour.
The Island of the (extremely creepy) Dolls is the stuff of both legend and nightmare. (Alcaldía Xochimilco)
The watery labyrinth of Xochimilco remains an artery of tradition in the ever-modernizing megalopolis of Mexico City. It’s a place where the past is not just remembered, but vibrantly alive, moving with the colors and sounds of Mexico. As your trajinera (the punted boats that serve as transportation) glides through the water, edged by a kaleidoscope of flowers and verdant chinampas (floating gardens), you’re not just a spectator; you are part of a centuries-old continuum.
Post Spanish conquest, this realm of floral abundance and Aztec agricultural wizardry didn’t just fade into the annals of history; it morphed and resisted, becoming a defiant symbol of endurance amidst the tyranny of colonial expansion and urban sprawl. Today, Xochimilco stands as a testament to survival, its canals ferrying tourists and dreamers alike in brightly painted boats, floating amidst the echoes of a civilization that once was. Here, in the shadow of the past, the party rages on, a vivid, enduring defiance against the relentless march of time.
Unless you already have a large posse, I always recommend connecting up with other groups to rent the boats since they charge per boat per hour, and it’s a great way to make new friends! Bring sunscreen (unless you plan to become as peeling as the haunted dolls on the island), pre-made cocktails and extra pesos to buy mementos or additional cheladas in the canal. The route depends on how long you want to pay for, but 3 to 4 hours is usually enough to get into the spirit, have some drinks, relax, people watch, glide down the canal like an axolotl, and just soak it in.
A young lady from California insists on playing the new Beyonce song on her little Bluetooth speaker, which is completely inaudible and no match to the live Mariachi band playing in the boat next to us. Mariachi bands, aboard their own trajineras, float by, offering serenades for a few pesos. The strum of guitars, the wail of trumpets, and the soulful voice of the singers create a soundtrack that is as Mexican as the sky is blue.
While the main canals are filled with life, there are quiet corners of Xochimilco that can feel as if you stepped back centuries. (Roger Ce/Unsplash)
It’s not just about observing; it’s about participating, immersing oneself in the experience, letting the place seep into your pores. As the journey unfolds, the camaraderie among those on the boat deepens. Strangers slowly become friends, bound by shared experience and the communal joy of discovery. Laughter fills the air, mingling with the music and the soft splash of water against the boat.
The beauty of Xochimilco lies not just in its visual or culinary offerings, but in its ability to bridge time. Here, in the midst of modern chaos, lies a testament to the power of culture and tradition. It’s a reminder that some things—joy, community, the simple pleasure of a meal shared on the water—are universal and timeless.
As the journey winds to its close, the setting sun paints the sky in hues of orange and pink, a visual to match the day’s experiences. There’s a sense of melancholy that comes with the end of such a journey, a longing to hold onto the magic a little longer. Yet, there’s also gratitude—a deep, profound appreciation for having been a part of something so deeply rooted in history. This three-hour Xochimilco tour is more than a trip through a network of canals; it’s a journey through the soul of Mexico.
Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.
Though she says her campaign has been negatively affected by what she says are lies about her platform from the Morena party, opposition presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez, left, says she'll win the June 2 election if there is at least 62% voter turnout. (Ferando Carranza García/Cuartoscuro)
She comes in a distant second in the polls, but Xóchitl Gálvez remains outwardly confident that she can become Mexico’s next president.
In a recent interview with the Reforma newspaper, the candidate for the three-party Strength and Heart for Mexico opposition bloc predicted that she will win the June 2 presidential election if turnout is above 60%.
Gálvez also spoke to the Mexico City-based news outlet about a range of other topics, including possible appointments to her cabinet if she succeeds in becoming Mexico’s first female president and her commitment to investigate alleged corruption involving President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s sons.
Let’s take a look at the remarks she made to Reforma late last week before beginning a campaign visit to the northern state of Nuevo León.
On her plan to be an ‘independent’ president
Gálvez, a businesswoman turned politician who was mayor of a Mexico City borough before becoming a federal senator for the conservative National Action Party (PAN), declared she will remain “independent” of political parties as president, although she also said she would “obviously … govern with them.”
The 61-year-old Hidalgo native will represent the PAN, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) at the June 2 election.
She said that she and the parties backing her candidacy have a “common agenda” in security, healthcare and education.
However, Gálvez — who represented the PAN as a senator, but is not a member of the party — asserted that “no political party has dared to tell me, ‘This is my list [of requests].'”
Gálvez’s previous political career has included a stint as mayor of the Miguel Hidalgo borough in Mexico City and, most recently, as a senator representing the National Action Party. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
Turning her attention to the beleaguered state oil company Pemex, the opposition candidate said that in order to “restructure” the firm and make it “efficient,” she will have to work with political parties to “build” an agenda in Congress.
Gálvez has previously said that if she becomes president, Pemex — which currently has debt in excess of US $100 billion — wouldn’t solely be focused on oil.
“There are other sources of energy; we can’t leave them out, and [including them] would give much more financial viability to Pemex,” she told Reforma.
On the possible makeup of her cabinet
Asked whether she had potential cabinet members in mind, Gálvez noted that she has met a range of people from civil society and political parties during her campaign.
“I’ve found very valuable people from the parties. I’m fascinated by [former economy minister] Ildefonso Guajardo, who is from Monterrey — an honest man … [with] a great capacity,” she said.
Gálvez also spoke positively about former tourism minister Enrique de la Madrid, ex-education minister Aurelio Nuño, Senator Beatriz Paredes — who was the runner-up in the contest to become the PAN-PRI-PRD presidential candidate — Senator Kenia López, Senator Lilly Téllez and energy analyst Rosanety Barrios.
She said that all appointees to her cabinet would be required to undergo an “asset evolution analysis” to determine how their wealth has changed over time.
“Is it OK to have money? Yes, it’s OK, but you have to say where it comes from,” Gálvez said.
On AMLO’s alleged ‘meddling’ in the election
Gálvez said she would challenge the National Electoral Institute’s decision to allow López Obrador to continue holding his daily press conferences during the campaign period, asserting that she would prove that the president is “meddling in the election.”
Gálvez said in her interview with Reforma that President López Obrador is being unfairly allowed to “meddle” in the election during his press conferences, where Galvez said he regularly talks up his Morena party’s candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
“The most serious issue,” she said, is that López Obrador has said that “we want to get rid of the social programs.”
Gálvez was referring to government welfare and employment programs created by López Obrador’s government, such as the Youths Building the Future apprenticeship scheme and the Sowing Life reforestation initiative.
Government officials known as “servants of the nation are telling people that if they vote for another party, they’ll lose the social programs,” she said.
“That has caused tremendous damage in this election because people wouldn’t be willing to vote for [the ruling party] Morena if it wasn’t for … the social programs,” Gálvez said.
“So that hurts me — the election is inequitable, and in addition [López Obrador] uses his morning press conference to speak about the positives of his candidate [Claudia Sheinbaum] and my negatives,” she said.
Gálvez, second from right, poses with, from left to right, PAN leader Marko Cortes, Senator Kenia López, whom Gálvez has mentioned as a potential cabinet member, and PAN senator Santiago Creel, an early supporter of Gálvez’s candidacy.
“If the people come out to vote, we’re going to win,” she added.
Although López Obrador has maintained a high approval rating throughout his presidency and polls show that Morena and its allies are likely to win a congressional majority, Gálvez said that people are “fed up” with the ruling party.
“Morena is going to try to instill fear so that people don’t go out to vote freely — that will be a strategy,” she said.
Nevertheless, “we’re going to have great participation,” Gálvez said before predicting a “tight contest.”
However, “if 62% of the people vote, there is no doubt that we’ll win by a good margin,” she told Reforma without explaining how she arrived at that conclusion.
On her plan to fight corruption
“I will investigate any act of corruption, whoever is involved, regardless of the party they belong to,” Gálvez said when specifically asked whether she would put López Obrador and his sons under investigation if she becomes president.
Gálvez, center, also mentioned Senator Beatriz Paredes, left, as a potential cabinet member if she wins the June 2 election. (Cuartoscuro)
In February, the New York Times published allegations that people close to the president, including his adult sons, received drug money after he took office in late 2018. López Obrador’s adult sons have also faced other accusations that they have benefited improperly from their father’s position as president.
Gálvez said that alleged cases of corruption involving AMLO’s sons must be investigated.
However, she indicated she wouldn’t pursue López Obrador as “I believe the president doesn’t get directly involved in the funny business with contracts, but his sons do.”
Want to know more about the Indigenous Otomí woman vying to become Mexico’s first female president and her plans for the nation? Take a look at these Mexico News Daily articles:
Mexico's skilled labor force and location in North America have attracted increasing investment in recent years. (VG Foto/Shutterstock)
This is the first column written for Mexico News Daily by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), a nonpartisan, nonprofit public policy think tank based in Mexico City. We look forward to bringing you more of their insights, research and analysis.
Nearshoring vs Reshoring
Those of us who follow international and economic news are probably familiar with the words “nearshoring” and “reshoring,” both ofwhich gained traction after the 2020 economic and public health crisis and the commercial and geopolitical disruptions that followed. Those trends consist in bringing supply chains “home,” and are part of a larger worldwide shift towards deglobalization that came about after the crisis of 2008-2009.
Of the two, nearshoring has a more open approach and seeks to bring supply chains home to a region, not just a country. That region, however, needs to meet certain requirements: the countries in that region need to be close not just geographically but politically and, most of all, in terms of commercial allyship. Close ties are fundamental. By contrast, reshoring usually refers to the action of bringing back supply chains to a specific country.
For Mexico, nearshoring represents an exciting opportunity. It’s seen as a path to further integration with North America, which would not only result in higher trade flows with the United States and Canada but also in a higher exchange of knowledge and skills and an advancement in our productive capabilities which — using those new skills — could be modernized.
If nearshoring materializes fully, it could mean another economic boost for Mexico, in the vein of what the country saw after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) took effect in 1994.
That performance compares quite positively with the (-)31% year-over-year decline seen in FDI flows directed to other areas of the economy, such as the telecommunications and financial sectors.
Foreign investment directed to automobile and truck manufacturing — the largest nearshoring-related sector in the country — increased by 72% during that period. For activities related metal ore mining, also integrated into global value chains, FDI inflows almost tripled.
The country has also had a high number of new investment announcements: since the beginning of 2021, just when nearshoring was beginning to gain traction, over a hundred new investment projects associated with it have been announced in Mexico, with a total estimated investment of more than US $30 billion. Even if some of them fall through — currently, about 43% of those projects are still in the announcement stage — six out of every 10 projects are either already operational or under construction.
Large investment sums are expected to continue to arrive in the coming years. It would seem, then, that we’re capitalizing on the opportunity.
Is Mexico realizing its full potential?
However, as is often the case in Mexico — in its economic growth, its fight against poverty and its efforts to reduce inequality, to mention a few instances — it also looks like we’re not really reaching our full potential. Even though Mexico seems to be thriving as an FDI host, it pales in comparison to the FDI inflow growth seen in other countries.
When we look at the results seen in Brazil, for example, we see a year-over-year increase of 70% in FDI reception between 2021 and 2022; in Chile, that same figure was 50%. Both countries are located in Latin America, yet both have higher increases than Mexico, where FDI inflows grew 12% in the same period. Additionally, Brazil’s FDI more than doubled that of Mexico in 2022, even though it was only 0.4% higher back in 2020.
What is Mexico doing wrong? Why is its FDI not increasing at the same rate as that of other countries? The answer doesn’t necessarily lie in what the country’s doing wrong, but in what it’s failing to do.
Mexico needs a strategy, not assumptions
When the world and the United States started thinking about nearshoring, many in Mexico assumed that we would naturally be included as an integral part of the puzzle. We assumed that, due to Mexico’s geographical and cultural closeness with the U.S. and its participation as a partner of one of the largest, most comprehensive free trade agreements in the world, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, we’d be prioritized as an ally in the effort to create more resilient supply chains.
Every relationship requires work, and maintaining our close ties to our North American partners is not the exception; without that work, it’s irrational to think that we’ll naturally take precedence over other countries.
The danger in assuming that we’ll be prioritized without having to make an effort to become more competitive is that we could let the nearshoring opportunity pass without leveraging it to boost growth and economic development. If we don’t want that opportunity to come and go — and if we want to be considered as part of the North American “home” that the United States wants to bring supply chains back to —we need to do the work.
Foreign Trade and Labor Market Coordinator at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) Ana Bertha Gutiérrez is an economist trained at the National Autonomous Technological Institute (ITAM), the University of California at San Diego, the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the Organization of American States. Previously, she was Research Coordinator for México, ¿cómo vamos?, an NGO focused on tracking national and state economic figures.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mexico News Daily, its owner or its employees.
Relatives carry the coffin of Gisela Gaytán, a Morena candidate for mayor of Celaya, Guanajuato, assassinated in April. (Diego Costa Costa/Cuartoscuro)
Against a backdrop of at least 15 murders of hopefuls for political office during Mexico’s current election cycle, the federal government on Tuesday offered assurances that candidates seeking protection are now getting it immediately.
Rosa Icela Rodríguez, head of Mexico’s Security and Citizen Protection Ministry (SSPC), told reporters at President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s Tuesday morning press conference that the number of national-level candidates who have requested protection from the federal government rose to 273, by her bureau’s most recent count.
Federal civilian security head Rosa Icela Rodríguez told reporters Tuesday that candidates are now getting protection “faster and faster.” (Rosa Icela Rodríguez/X)
All requests are now processed “without pretext and without bureaucracy” on order of López Obrador, she said.
In Mexico, presidential, gubernatorial and congressional candidates receive federal protection from the Army and National Guard, while state governments are responsible for safeguarding aspirants for state and local positions.
This process could be seen as skewed, wrote the online news source Animal Político, because “applicants for municipal positions are the most vulnerable.”
Rodríguez said Tuesday that the streamlined 2024 Candidate Protection Plan eliminates risk analysis and ensures swift protection. As of Monday, 250 candidates had received the security they requested, Rodríguez said.Twenty-three declined the offered protection, she added.
“We are making the procedure faster and faster to provide the necessary security immediately,” the Security Minister said.
Rodríguez acknowledged the murders of one candidate, five pre-candidates and nine aspiring candidates who hadn’t yet registered formally. Investigations into these killings are underway by the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) and local prosecutors, she said.
From left to right: Miguel Ángel Zavala and Armando Pérez Luna, rival candidates for mayor of the Michoacán municipality Maravatío, were killed in March within 12 hours of each other. (Vive Maravatío)
However, according to the news site La-Lista, the consulting firm Data Int puts the number of murdered candidates at 28, while the data analysis nongovernmental organization Data Cívica reported 11 in the second half of 2023 and 15 in the first quarter of 2024.
In one of the year’s most high-profile cases, Gisela Gaytán — a 38-year-old Morena party candidate for mayor of Celaya, Guanajuato — was shot to death on her first day of public campaigning. Just hours before her April 1 murder, she said she had previously asked the state’s electoral authority for protection.
Animal Político reported that her request was caught up in red tape for over three weeks.
“The citizens are with us. They look after us, but, of course, we’re going to have security protocols… Let’s see whether they have an answer for us today,” she said at that time, according to the newspaper El Pais.
The surge in violence underscores the challenges Mexico faces in conducting safe elections. Voters will go to the polls on June 2 to elect a new president, all 500 members of the Chamber of Deputies and all 128 Senators, eight governors, 31 state legislatures and many other representatives in what will be the largest elections in Mexico’s history.
"The Christmas holidays have always attracted people to Mexico,” said SiteMinder regional manager Alfredo Rodríguez. (Mara Lezama/X)
A new direct Copa Airlines flight has been announced from Panama City to Tulum.
Beginning on June 26, Copa will operate four weekly flights to the Felipe Carrillo Puerto International Airport from Panama City on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Panama’s Copa Airlines currently flies to Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey.
“The new route to Tulum, Mexico, consolidates the airline’s presence in Mexico with five destinations, providing a faster and more convenient alternative for traveling to this renowned tourist destination in the Riviera Maya,” Panama-based Copa Airlines said in a statement.
The new flight will become the fifth destination for the airline in Mexico, joining Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara and Monterrey. Tulum is also the third international destination announced by Copa this year, along with Florianopolis, Brazil, and Raleigh-Durham, United States.
Pedro Heilbron, CEO of Copa Airlines, said that “this strategic expansion […] promotes cultural exchange in the region but also encourages and deepens tourism and business ties in the United States, Mexico and Brazil.”
Tulum, Quintana Roo, is one of Mexico’s most popular beach destinations. Before the Tulum airport opened in December 2023, travelers had to make a 1.5-hour drive from the airport in Cancún. The new airport has made international travel to the Riviera Maya hotspot more accessible for tourists.
Windmills dot the skyline in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the state of Oaxaca. If elected president on June 2, Claudia Sheinbaum says she'll invest US $13.57 billion in renewables during her term. (Shutterstock)
Leading presidential aspirant Claudia Sheinbaum pledged Monday to invest US $13.57 billion in a renewables-focused energy plan if she wins the June 2 election.
“We’re going to accelerate the energy transition,” the Morena party candidate said at an event with business leaders in Mexico City, explaining that a government she leads would invest in solar, wind, hydro and geothermal projects during its six-year term.
Sheinbaum, center, seen here with Mexican business leaders Monday, outlined an energy plan that differs greatly from the current government’s strategy of increasing Mexico’s fossil fuel production, although it still supports moving ahead with planned and existing fossil-fuel projects. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum intends to ramp up the generation of wind and solar energy, undertake new projects at five hydroelectric plants, add around 3,850 kilometers of transmission lines and support families and businesses in installing solar panels on their homes and commercial establishments.
The plan she outlined represents a significant shift away from the current government’s fossil fuel-focused strategy, but Sheinbaum also committed to moving ahead with state-owned gas-burning power plant projects that are already under construction or have been planned.
Energy projects already in the pipeline, including solar ones, are expected to add about 3.3 gigawatts to Mexico’s national grid this year, Bloomberg reported.
Sheinbaum, a 61-year-old physicist, environmental scientist and former Mexico City mayor, said that the new projects to be undertaken during a government she leads would add 13.66 gigawatts of energy to the national grid by 2030, the year her six-year term will end if she succeeds in becoming Mexico’s first female president.
Bloomberg reported that one gigawatt can power approximately 750,000 homes in the United States.
Sheinbaum, who has a commanding lead in the polls over opposition bloc candidate Xóchitl Gálvez and minor party contender Jorge Álvarez, told leaders of organizations including the Business Coordinating Council and the Mexican Employers Federation that her team is “working on this energy plan not just with an eye on 2030, but also through 2050 to align with international commitments on climate change.”
The government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is seen here posing with Pemex workers in Cadareyta, Nuevo León, was ironically awarded second place in Climate Action Network’s “Fossil of the Day” contest in 2021. (lopezobrador.org.mx)
In an interview with the El Financiero newspaper last week, the Morena candidate cited her commitment to renewable energy as a key difference between her and current President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, her political mentor.
Sheinbaum has pledged to continue the so-called “transformation” of Mexico initiated by López Obrador and is campaigning heavily on her closeness and loyalty to the president, best known as AMLO. She intends to maintain the current government’s popular welfare and employment programs and has expressed support for the constitutional reforms AMLO sent to Congress in February.
She has also pledged to continue support for the debt-ridden state oil company Pemex, which has received significant tax relief and cash injections from the current government. López Obrador has also invested heavily in increasing Pemex’s capacity to produce fuel, including by building a new refinery on the Tabasco coast and purchasing Shell’s share in a refinery that Shell jointly owned with Pemex in Texas.
Sheinbaum appears determined to make Mexico a more responsible global citizen in the area of climate change mitigation, but if she wins on June 2, she will face difficult decisions on government spending: she will inherit “the largest budget deficit in Mexico since the 1980s,” Bloomberg reported.
The news agency said that the deficit “may complicate plans to speed up Mexico’s clean-energy transition.”
Nevertheless, the candidate maintained an upbeat tone on Monday.
“We have the possibility and potential to develop Mexico in a way that generates investment with well-being,” Sheinbaum said.
“At the same time, that development does not have to negatively impact the environment,” she added.
The peso had a strong beginning of the month performance against the US dollar, but has weakened as of Tuesday. (Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican peso weakened to as low as 17.08 to the US dollar on Tuesday morning, a depreciation of around 4.6% compared to the 16.30 level it reached just over a week ago.
Bloomberg data shows that the peso was trading at 17.08 to the greenback just before 9 a.m. Mexico City time before appreciating to reach 17.00 at midday.
The low point represented a depreciation of 2.1% compared to the peso’s closing position on Monday of 16.72 to the dollar.
Janneth Quiroz, director of analysis at the Monex financial group, said on the X social media platform that the peso was affected by “an increase in aversion to international risk.”
The DXY index, which measures the value of the US dollar against a basket of foreign currencies, was up slightly at midday.
When will the U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates? Based on comments by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, it’s unlikely “anytime soon.” (Wikimedia Commons)
On Tuesday morning, investors were also waiting for further clues about the United States Federal Reserve’s monetary policy intentions ahead of a speech by the central bank’s Chair Jerome Powell.
Speaking at a policy forum, Powell noted that the U.S. economy was strong, but inflation hadn’t receded to the Fed’s 2% goal.
Until inflation shows progress in moving toward that target, “we can maintain the current level of restriction for as long as needed,” he said.
His remarks pointed to “the further unlikelihood that interest rate cuts [in the U.S.] are in the offing anytime soon,” CNBC reported.
The peso has benefited for an extended period from the broad gap between the Bank of Mexico’s key interest rate — currently 11% after a 25-basis-point cut last month — and that of the Fed, set at a range of 5.25%-5.5%.
The peso has also benefited from strong inflows of remittances and foreign investment. The currency began the year at just over 17 to the dollar before appreciating to reach its strongest position in almost nine years on April 8.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Mexican bank Banco Base, noted on X on Friday morning that the USD:MXN exchange rate was once again above 17, adding that “with this, the peso erases its gain this year.”
The collapse occurred early on Tuesday morning due to a gas explosion. (Tlalpan Vecinos/X)
A house collapsed following a gas explosion in the southern Mexico City borough of Tlalpan on Tuesday morning, injuring at least 15 people, four of whom are being treated for serious injuries.
Emergency personnel on the scene told reporters the cause of the blast — which occurred around 8 a.m. — was an accumulation of gas. A gas tank inside the house was initially identified as the source of the explosion, though what caused the gas leak has yet to be determined.
The explosion destroyed the house. (@i_alaniis/X)
The news broadcaster TV Azteca reported that 15 people were treated for injuries at the scene of the gas explosion, and four were considered serious.
Two of the victims suffered serious burns and another suffered crush injuries. One of the burn victims and the crush victim were quickly transported to the nearby Six Flags México amusement park where helicopters were waiting to transport them to the Xoco General Hospital in the borough of Coyoacán.
Firemen, paramedics and other emergency personnel were on the scene within minutes, as neighbors searched among the wreckage for trapped family members.
Mexico City police and Civil Protection officials established a perimeter and assisted with the rescue operation. Shortly thereafter, city officials were on site with heavy machinery to clear the debris. The smell of gas was still detectable 30 minutes after the explosion.
En seguimiento a la explosión registrada en Calle Benito Juarez, colonia San Miguel Hidalgo, en @AlcTlalpan, informamos que se colapso una construcción, 4 personas son atendidas por paramédicos, continuamos laborando en el lugar. pic.twitter.com/lTwdgbpsy1
— Bomberos Ciudad de México Oficial (@Bomberos_CDMX) April 16, 2024
A Conalep technical college nearby was unaffected but authorities momentarily evacuated the school grounds before giving the all-clear. Four nearby houses were damaged by the blast and the newspaper El Economista reported that one of these buildings appeared to be on the verge of collapse.
Humberto González Arroyo, tactical director of Mexico City’s Risk Assessment and Civil Protection Ministry, was on hand to coordinate the evacuations and lead the damage assessment operation as the clean-up continued.
Tlalpan borough officials issued an update via social media at 9:45 a.m., informing the public that firemen were still in the neighborhood and monitoring the situation.
The borough also released the names of the hospitalized: Minerva Martínez (62), Miguel Reséndiz (68), Feliciana Hernández Reséndiz (66), José Luis Zedillo Rosas (65) and Leticia Sánchez (58).
The newspaper El Universal reported that a child was also taken to hospital for treatment, but borough officials did not confirm that information.
Tlalpan — the third-largest of Mexico City’s 16 boroughs — extends southwest beyond the urban sprawl toward the Ajusco mountain range. The Miguel Hidalgo neighborhood where the explosion occurred is immediately south of the Pedregal Forest National Park, about 25 kilometers south of the National Palace in the Historic Center of the capital.
