Taste of Mexico: Amaranth

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March 15, 2025

Some Mexico amaranth in a glass jar — Amaranth has been enjoyed, offered and revered in Mexico throughout the ages. (Karolin Baitinger/Unsplash)

For generations born before the era of free trade agreements, the sweets they enjoyed as children were vastly different from those we grew up with, surrounded by candies from the United States. To be honest, no one understood the sugar industry quite like the Americans did. You can imagine our frustration when we finished all our vegetables, expecting our moms to reward us with a Reese’s as dessert, only to be offered an “alegría de amaranto” instead — a small bar made from puffed amaranth held together with honey, or chocolate if we were lucky.

Who would have thought that the treat my mom offered me, which I despised at the time, would later become a trend on Instagram and a cornerstone of a super healthy lifestyle?

Mexico amaranth grains — Back in my day, we used to walk 10 miles to school in the snow and it was uphill both ways. Oh, and this stuff passed as candy. (Pierre Bamin/Unsplash)

Amaranth: from Mesoamerica to Whole Foods

Amaranth was one of the first pseudo-cereals to be domesticated in the Americas. The oldest archaeological remains of amaranth, found in southern Mexico, date back 9,000 years, while others, located closer to Mexico City, are around 5,000 years old. Each of the pre-Hispanic cultures had its own name for amaranth. For instance, in Nahuatl, it was referred to as “huauhtli,” while in Maya, it was called “tez” or “xtes,” and in Purépecha, it was known as “ahparie.”

Along with corn, beans, and chia, amaranth was a fundamental crop for Mesoamerican cultures. Historical records indicate that these civilizations could produce between 15,000 and 20,000 tons of amaranth annually, used for both daily consumption and ritual purposes.

Amaranth of the gods

I find it very interesting to observe how the act of “eating” a god is present in many cultures. For Catholics, the Eucharist is one of the most significant aspects of the Mass. Similarly, the Aztecs consumed tzoalli, a dough made from ground amaranth, toasted corn, and mixed with maguey honey. They would shape this dough into figures representing their gods, such as Tláloc, Quetzalcóatl, or Tezcatlipoca, and then break and eat these figures during rituals. Today, similar ceremonies are still conducted in the mountains of Guerrero.

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According to Mexica mythology, amaranth seeds were given to humanity as a gift from the maize goddess Cintéotl, having been taken from her ear. The Spanish believed that to discourage this practice, the best approach was to stop producing amaranth to eliminate temptation among the indigenous people. However, Mexican seeds are incredibly resilient, and despite limited cultivation, amaranth has survived to this day.

Amaranth is a seed capable of thriving in harsh environments and, unlike many other crops, it requires little water, making it resistant to drought and heat.

Super Amaranth

Amaranth is one of the most nutritious and complete foods in Mexican cuisine. Its protein content surpasses that of corn and rice, making it a valuable addition to any diet. Amaranth is rich in omega-6 fatty acids, as well as vitamins A, B, C, B1, B2, and B3, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. This makes it an excellent ally for those with cardiovascular diseases and anemia.

Additionally, amaranth is high in fiber, which helps improve digestive health and regulate cholesterol and glucose levels. Due to its impressive nutritional profile, NASA chose amaranth to be part of astronauts’ menus in 1985.

A space shuttle launch at Cape Canaveral — It’s not our place to tell the Aztecs how to worship their gods, but this seems like a more effective way of getting your amaranth to them. That isn’t the reason NASA chose to include amaranth in astronaut diets however. (NASA/Unsplash)

Ways to start enjoying your Amaranth!

The Classic: Alegría de Amaranto: Alegría is not just joy; it is also a cereal bar made from peanuts, pumpkin seeds, or amaranth, bound together with bee honey, agave syrup, or piloncillo. A popular variation is amaranth alegría with chocolate, which can be enjoyed as a treat or a dessert — it’s absolutely delicious! I mean it’s not a Reese’s, but it is veeeeery good.
Like Quinoa or Rice: Rinse your amaranth thoroughly. Use 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of amaranth and cook it like rice for 30-35 minutes.
Popcorn Style: In a pan over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of oil and your amaranth seeds. Move them around until they start popping; these make a perfect complement for salads.
Granola: Mix in a bit of amaranth with your usual granola recipe to provide an extra boost to your fruit or yogurt.
Flour: Grind amaranth until it reaches a fine consistency similar to other flours. This allows you to make pancakes, bread, tortillas, and other amaranth-based dishes.
Drinks: In Mexico, we prepare a traditional drink called atole (a corn-based beverage) with amaranth, which is absolutely DELICIOUS!

Friends, the next time you visit the supermarket or your favorite local market, be sure to pick up a bag of amaranth. Not only will you be enjoying a food that our ancient ancestors cherished, but with every bite, you’ll also be enhancing your health.

María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.

Mexican movies you need to watch: El Jeramías

By

Sarah DeVries

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March 15, 2025

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A screenshot from El Jeramías — A touching tale of a boy genius: Netflix's latest heartwarming Mexican offering. (Netflix)

I love a good movie. Or a good show. Or a good book. Really, I just want a compelling story to sink my teeth into. I also believe that consuming stories from other cultures is a great way to get to know them, and to practice the language while you’re at it!

So since I am obviously very excited about Mexico in general, I really enjoy seeking out Mexican movies and shows. Over my years as a writer here, I’ve reviewed several films: Que Viva Mexico, TK, TK…I even made a list of some Mexican TV recommendations! According to my editor, it’s one of my most-read articles from the past year.

EL JEREMIAS | Official Trailer [family comedy movie] HD

Watch this video on YouTube

Which gave me an idea. I’m watching all of this stuff anyway — could I write reviews of what I see?

Well kids, we’re about to find out. I hope everyone reads it and comments on it and that my editor says, “Gee, this is a hit! We will pay you now to watch Mexican TV and movies and give us your clever and quirky interpretations.” [EDITORS NOTE: Good luck with that.]

So let’s divide this up into sections. We’ll address what the movie is about and the general arc of the story. We’ll talk about the characters. We’ll talk about the things that make them very, very Mexican and what the story says about Mexican culture.

Today’s movies is one of the favorites I’ve seen recently, a 2015 movie by director Anwar Safa and writer Ana Sofia Clerici, El Jeramías. I discovered it by chance one day on Netflix and liked it immediately.

What it’s about

Caution: Spoilers ahead!

El Jeramías tells the story of an eight-year-old boy in Sonora who lives with his young parents, grandmother, teenage uncle, and great-grandmother. He is precocious and adorable and truly just trying his best to get through childhood.

His family gathers on the sofa to watch soap operas, and he watches with them. Church ladies come to the house to give communion to the mute great-grandmother, and he peppers them with questions. All of the adults in his life say things that make little logical sense, and he questions them — not in an “I’m smarter than you and I’m going to poke holes in what you say to make you feel dumb” sort of way — but in a way that makes it clear that he truly wants to understand. The film could have easily veered off into “I’m surrounded by eeediots!” territory, but it didn’t. Jeramías loves his family.

The film begins by displaying the IQs of the different family members at different points, usually after they’ve said something dumb. Jeramías, however, is a true genius. As you can imagine, things don’t go well for him in his public school. But when he befriends two older men who play chess outside of a bookstore, things change. One of the men goes to meet his parents and asks if he might take Jeramías to be tested. His mother finally gives permission, and they soon find out he has an IQ of 160.

This sets Jeramías on an urgent mission of self-discovery: what does he want to be when he grows up? He writes to the author of a book on child geniuses in Mexico and narrates his exploration. He prints pictures of, in turn, Albert Einstein, Jim Morrison, Bobby Fischer, Marie Curie, and Alan Turing, and explores following in their footsteps one by one.

Finally, the author of the book shows up to his house. He asks the parents for permission to take him to Mexico City for a special event, and to let him and them be included in a documentary about child geniuses. Jeramías is happy to go. “I’m most excited about making friends with kids like me,” he says.

Mexican archetypes

One thing I loved about the film is that it presents different types of characters from all over Mexico. It wasn’t glossy and glamorous, but it wasn’t a spectacle of the misery of the poor, either. Here are some notable characters:

The parents. Both of his parents are quite young. The mother aspires to ” do something important,” and works to finish her high school degree even though the father thinks it’s a waste of time. She spends her days doing housework and cooking. The father is clearly the less smart of the two and works at a store. He is not a deep thinker, and is happy to not question the way things are, taking everything as it comes. Despite his apparent lack of intelligence, he is “head of the household.” When he realizes that Jeramías’ genius might make them some money he is proud of his son rather than embarrassed by his oddities.

The extended family. He and his parents live with his young grandmother, her son — his teenaged uncle — and the great-grandmother. The grandmother is unquestioning in her religiosity, often telling Jeramías, with his mother, that he shouldn’t question certain things. (“Have you noticed that no one ever says anything bad about the dead?” Jeramías asks. “Maybe he’s gay,” the dad tells them.) The great-grandmother, and one of the characters with a higher IQ, is a silent presence for most of the movie. She mostly just hangs around the house drinking Tecate beer.

The older friends. Jeramías’ only friends are two men well into their 60s. One is a Spaniard who owns a bookstore, and the other, is a Mexican patron who plays chess with them. Jeramías first meets them when he “hides” behind them, seeking protection from bullies. The Spaniard is the one who takes him in for testing, and serves as his only real peer in the movie. They discuss books and philosophy, and he is one of the only people to whom Jeramías can ask questions and get honest, thoughtful answers.

The bullies. Jeramías’ uncle, after his genius has been discovered, takes him to hang out with his friends with the hidden motive of forcing him to do all of their homework. The friends are the bullies he had run from before. They feel superior in being able to take advantage of him, but Jeramías quickly decides to abandon their company.

The Mexico City crowd. The dominant character here is the author who visits Jeramías and takes him back to stay with him and meet the other child geniuses. All of the other children are from rich families with super-involved intellectual parents. This is Jeramías’ first exposure to the intellectual, upper-class world of urban Mexico.

Lo muy mexicano (a few cultural touchstones to look out for)

The family unit: living with one’s extended family, especially when there aren’t a lot of resources to go around, is common. Jeramías shares a room with his teenage uncle. “Where one eats, two can eat” is a common Mexican saying.
The school system: like most kids in Mexico, Jeramías goes to public school. His teacher is young and does not enjoy being questioned. His mother, and later Jeramías, is going through “prepa abierta,” or distance learning, in order to get her high school degree. There are only a few special (private) schools for kids that are geniuses in Mexico, and they can only be found in major urban areas.
The community: Jeramías lives in a mid-sized, unglamorous town where most people seem to know most other people.

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

How is Mexican industry doing? Our CEO visits his local industrial park to find out

By

Travis Bembenek

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March 15, 2025

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An aerial shot of an industrial park in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico — Despite economic uncertainty, Mexican industry is adapting and growing at the San Miguel industrial park, Travis Bembenek found. (Polígono San Miguel)

Nearly every day the team at MND reports on business and economic activity in the country. I myself spend several hours a day reading and researching as well. So why is it that it is so hard to make sense of what’s really happening in the economy right now? Obviously the recent threats on tariffs from the Trump administration have not helped with the level of uncertainty, but the actual economic indicators are confusing as well. Let me explain.

We recently reported on Mexico hitting a record level of foreign direct investment in 2024 — this is good. But we also reported on the fact around 8% of that record level, a much lower percentage than usual, was new investment from new companies — this is not good. We have reported on the fast growth of occupancy in industrial parks nationwide — another positive. But we have also recently reported on already-low GDP projections for Mexico for 2025 being lowered even further to below 1% — not good at all. We have reported on companies like Nemak and Nissan being impacted by tariff rate uncertainties and potentially moving some manufacturing out of Mexico, while at the same time report on companies as varied as Netflix, Nestlé, Santander and Amazon each recently announcing new US $1 billion-plus investments in the country.

A white man in a suit stands at a podium in front of a screen reading "3.400 millones de dolares de inversion anual en 2025" as Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum looks on — Despite the uncertainty generated by tariff threats, a wide variety of companies continue to invest in Mexico. (Presidencia)

So what is actually happening? How bad are things economically? Or how good are they?? To help shine some light on these questions, I decided to do a little market research of my own by recently spending a day at an industrial park near where I live in San Miguel de Allende with Zonia Torres, the commercial director of the park.

Given that Mexico has hundreds of industrial parks with thousands of companies located across the country, I realize that my little “one industrial park market research” is not statistically significant. But that being said, I think much of what I saw does help one understand what is going on in the rest of the country.

Polígono Empresarial San Miguel, as the industrial park is known, is not necessarily a typical one, but then again what park would be? This SMA industrial park is on the smaller end of the spectrum, with a total of 200 lots spread across two phases.

It is obviously not located in the booming northern areas near the U.S. border, but neither is it located in the slower-growing southern parts of the country. It is not located in a major city, but rather about 15 minutes from SMA and 30 minutes from fast-growing Querétaro. It is not located on a major highway and not connected to a rail line. If anything, my first reaction was, “Why would any industrial company want to be located here, given that there are literally hundreds of options elsewhere?”

View from the mirador of San Miguel de Allende — Beyond beauty and culture, what does San Miguel really have to offer an industrial park? Quite a lot, it turns out. (Valeemb22/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Following are my top 10 takeaways from the visit:

1. Energy availability matters. The SMA industrial park is blessed with consistent and available power. As we have often reported, this is not the norm in many other parts of the country. There are industrial parks in the northern part of the country that have strong demand from companies for space, but have a lack of supply of energy. This lack of available and green energy has without a doubt acted as a brake on growth so far in many areas. President Claudia Sheinbaum has recently presented a comprehensive energy plan that will attract more private investment in the sector, more green energy solutions, and ultimately much more supply. This cannot come fast enough in the eyes of many companies.

2. The lack of energy has led to many industrial parks needing to take matters into their own hands. The SMA park I visited is currently building a second substation to accommodate more energy, as well as building out a natural gas line network in the park to connect to the natural gas grid to provide other energy options sooner.

3. Water matters. This particular park does not host particularly water-intensive industries, but water is still a very important consideration. The water used in the park does not come from a city utility but rather from an on-site well. The companies in the park pay a nearly US $4 per cubic meter for water. To put this in perspective, the cost of water would be on average 50% to 75% less in a typical industrial park in the United States. Given the higher costs of water at many Mexican industrial parks, many companies install on-site reuse or recycle solutions for much of their industrial water usage. Zonia tells me that nearly every new company installs these types of systems. One of the new customers in the park, a food producer, is installing a dedicated water line, given their special water needs.

4. The diversity of industries is mind-boggling. In this one small industrial park in the middle of the country, there are already — or soon will be — companies dedicated to the production of pharmaceutical products, food, plastic auto parts, aluminum auto parts, data centers, personal yachts and more. Yes, you read that correctly, even water transportation vehicles used around the world are being built in the mountains of central Mexico!

5. The country of origin of the parent companies is equally mind-boggling. Again, in this one small park, the parent companies are from Mexico, the U.S., France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Brazil and China.

6. The Chinese are coming. Much has been written about the relatively small percentage of FDI coming directly from China. But a visit to this park gave me insight into another way that the Chinese are gaining market access — though acquisitions. Two different European based companies that are located in the SMA park have recently been acquired by China-based companies. I had assumed that many of the Chinese people I often see in SMA were visiting tourists, perhaps they are instead associated with the companies in the park.

7. The park employs a lot of people, but the profile of those being hired is changing quickly. Currently there are over 6,000 people that work in the park. Many of the companies already there are installing increased automation and robotics, and new companies coming in have significant automation planned. They will still be hiring significant numbers of employees, but will be looking for those that have education and experience in engineering, computer, and robotics.

8. Just about every company in the park is expanding. New production lines are being added, new higher tech or higher capacity equipment is being installed, and plant expansions are being built. None of this would be considered “new” FDI, but it definitely is helping create more jobs and production.

9. Data centers are becoming the next utility. Given the rapidly increasing demand for computation, proximity to data centers is vital and demand for data center services is booming. The SMA park currently has two separate data center customers building out data centers in the park. I will repeat that again: Just this one little park in SMA is going to have two separate data centers!

A map showing the layout of a Mexican industrial park with flags representing the various nationalities of its tenants — Though relatively small, SMA industrial park hosts businesses from a range of countries. (Polígono San Miguel)

10. Proximity to San Miguel is a very nice plus. Despite not being near a major airport, there is no doubt that proximity to the UNESCO world heritage city of SMA helps attract companies. The park is just 15 minutes from central SMA, and literally has vineyards on both sides of it. One can imagine how visiting executives from abroad enjoy the perks of lunches at the vineyards and dinners and accommodations in downtown SMA, making the trip a little extra-special.

I found the day trip to the park to be a fascinating one. The visit to the SMA park gave me little doubt about the direction and potential of the Mexican economy when seen at the ground level, despite the news headlines giving us mixed message. Let’s hope the tariff issue is quickly resolved, and also that the Mexican government provides sensible incentives for more energy and water reuse investments. With the right economic leadership, I see a very bright future for industry in the country in the years ahead.

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.

The history of hotels in Los Cabos — From 0 rooms to over 18,000

By

Chris Sands

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March 15, 2025

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A hotel in Los Cabos — Los Cabos has come a very long way since 1950. Here's how. (TripAdvisor)

Los Cabos’ beginnings as a tourist destination in the 1950s were exceedingly modest, so much so that the name Los Cabos wouldn’t even be coined for another 30 years. In 1951, when Carmen Fisher opened the Casa Fisher guesthouse in San José del Cabo, the population of that town was a few thousand, while cape sister Cabo San Lucas boasted a population of only 300.

By the mid-1950s, her rooms were mostly rented to the people building Hotel Las Cruces Palmilla, just outside San José on a beach where cattle were still loaded onto offshore ships. The resort would eventually become iconic as One&Only Palmilla but in its early days, the property opened in 1956 by Abelardo “Rod” Rodriguez Jr. and wife Lucille Bremer was anything but prepossessing.

An aerial view of Los Cabos in Mexico — It didn’t always used to be like this on the shores of Baja California Sur. (Sectur/Twitter)

“For Christ’s sake, that’s a boarding house, not a hotel!” quipped Conrad Hilton to Los Cabos pioneer hotel builder Luis Cóppola on the subject of Hotel Palmilla’s 15-room inventory. Of course, it bears noting that Hilton was a guest in the hotel at the time, joining other well-known names among Palmilla’s small but celebrity-rich clientele. It didn’t hurt that Rodriguez was the son of a former president of Mexico and Bremer was a former actress who had once shared screen time with Fred Astaire.

The pioneer age of Los Cabos tourism

Most Los Cabos hotels until the early 1970s, two decades into the destination’s development, had no more than two dozen or so rooms each.

“Everyone thought we were crazy because we were the first ones to start with more than 20 rooms,” remembered Cóppola’s son, Luis Cóppola Jr. in Baja Explorer about the opening of the Hotel Finsterra in 1972. “They probably weren’t wrong because we suffered for 10 years. For 10 years there was no highway. The road seldom brought tourists down here. We didn’t have a major airport. We had to bring our people from La Paz in small aircraft as did everybody else.”

Cabo San Lucas as it looked in 1972 when Hotel Finisterra opened. (Alfonso Nava Camacho)

Finisterra wasn’t actually the first hotel in Los Cabos with more than 20 rooms. For example, the landmark Hotel Cabo San Lucas that Bud Parr and Cóppola built near Chileno Bay in 1961 had 62 rooms completed when Sports Illustrated visited for its second annual Swimsuit Issue in 1965.

But Cóppola Jr.’s point was correct. Because of the difficulties of getting hotels built — Bud Parr and Cóppola had to fly in equipment, supplies, and manpower from the Mexican mainland to finish the Hotel Cabo San Lucas — and the lack of easy accessibility to Southern Baja, tourism was extremely small-scale. It was only after the Transpeninsular Highway was completed in 1973 and the Los Cabos International Airport opened in San José del Cabo in 1977 that Los Cabos was ready for large-scale tourism. Even then, it wasn’t until a US $44 million makeover in 1992 that the international airport could handle DC-10s and 747s.

By then, Los Cabos had grown its hotel inventory to 2,600 rooms thanks to all the important pioneer hotels built in previous decades, including the Hotel Hacienda (1963), Hotel Mar de Cortés (1972), and Hotel Solmar (1974) in Cabo San Lucas, the Twin Dolphin (1977) in the Tourist Corridor, and Hotel El Presidente (1981) and the Tropicana Inn (1985) in San José del Cabo.

Big-name brands come to Los Cabos

The Westin Los Cabos was one of the first big-name hospitality brand hotels to open in Los Cabos in 1993, and its spectacular architecture remains iconic today. (Sordo Madaleno/Ignacio Urquiza)

The 1990s was the decade of rapid expansion in Los Cabos. Between 1980 and 1997, Baja California Sur more than doubled its available hotel rooms, from 3,581 to 7,829. Much of that explosion occurred in Los Cabos, which started the 1990s with a little over 2,000 hotel rooms and a mission, per FONATUR, Mexico’s tourism development agency, to hit 8,000 by 2000.

Conrad Hilton, who had scoffed at Los Cabos’ ability to host a Hilton in earlier decades, broke ground on what would become the Hilton Los Cabos (2002) in the early 1990s. Other major hospitality brands were already building. The Westin Regina Los Cabos, with its spectacular arch-like Sordo Madaleno architecture, premiered in 1993. The Hacienda del Mar followed in 1996, receiving the Sheraton imprimatur in 1999.

Mexican-owned Pueblo Bonito opened its first two resorts, Blanco and Rosé, in the 1990s. San José del Cabo saw the birth of two iconic downtown hotels: El Encanto Inn (1998) and Casa Natalia (1999).

The rise of the luxury resort in Los Cabos

Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort, a luxury hotel in Los Cabos — Known as the seat of luxury living today, Los Cabos wasn’t always the way it is now. (Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort)

Las Ventanas al Paraíso, a Rosewood Resort, was the most influential Los Cabos resort to open in the 1990s. Managed by hotelier Edward Steiner, it was the first true luxury resort to open in the area. One&Only Palmilla rebooted the old Hotel Las Cruces Palmilla, owned after Rodriguez by Don Koll, who brought Jack Nicklaus to Los Cabos to build two signature golf courses (Palmilla and the Cabo del Sol Ocean Course). When One&Only began to manage Palmilla in 2004, they expanded the room inventory, added a 25,000-square-foot spa, and brought the first celebrity chef (Charlie Trotter) to Los Cabos.

More resorts opened in the 2000s, including Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection (2002), Marquis Los Cabos (2003), Casa del Mar (2004), Pueblo Bonito’s Sunset Beach (2005), Dreams Los Cabos (2007), and Capella Pedregal (2009). By 2015, Los Cabos had grown to 63 hotels featuring 12,981 rooms, blowing by FONATUR’s original projection of 12,000 rooms as the ultimate goal for the destination. Building intensified after Hurricane Odile in 2014, with The Cape, A Thompson Hotel (2015), Breathless (2016), Grand Velas (2016), Chileno Bay Resort (2017), Garza Blanca (2017), Le Blanc (2018), and Montage (2018) all opening between 2015 and 2020.

Many of these were (and still are) luxurious. However, it helped that luxury standard-bearers like Four Seasons (the Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas premiered in 2019, the Four Seasons Resort at Cabo del Sol in 2024); Ritz-Carlton (Zadún, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve opened in 2019); and Waldorf Astoria (which took over The Resort at Pedregal, formerly Capella Pedregal, in 2019) also bought into Los Cabos as a world-class luxury destination.

Hotels and resorts in Los Cabos today

Today, Los Cabos is home to almost every luxury hotel brand imaginable. (Marriott Los Cabos)

The hotels and resorts I’ve mentioned aren’t all the ones that have opened or are open today in Los Cabos as there are currently about 18,000 hotel rooms (down from the all-time high of 22,213 in March 2022), with about half (9,199) in Cabo San Lucas, over 4,000 in the Tourist Corridor, and over 3,400 in San José del Cabo. If history has taught us anything, more are on the way.

On that note, several new hotels and resorts are projected to open in the next few years, adding about 700 new rooms.

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.

This El Bajío wine route offers the ultimate in Mexican viticulture

By

Diana Serratos

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March 14, 2025

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Dos Búhos winery on the Wine, Cheese, and Art route in Guanajuato. — Wineries on the Wine, Cheese, and Art route that runs through the center of Mexico are maybe the ultimate pilgrimage for lovers of New World wines. (Venue Report)

The coming year looks good for Mexican wine tourism and its wine-producing regions around the country. The decade-long growth spurt of the country’s wine industry has witnessed the development of new leading voices and while there is still work to do, spirits are high.

Vineyards are growing in quality and product development and annual harvest festivals are each year more spectacular than the last. Wine tours are now a reality. Wine, culture, food, nature, and even architecture offer visitors incredible and diverse experiences.

Valle de Guadalupe winery — A winery in Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s most renowned wine-growing region. (Archive)

The country’s two most important wine routes are in Ensenada, Baja California and in the Bajio region in the center of the country which spans Querétaro and Guanajuato.

The Baja Route, as it’s called, starts in Ensenada and will take you on a tour of more than 70 wineries tucked into various nearby valleys close to the coast — Valle de Guadalupe, Santo Tomas, Ojos Negros, and San Vicente.

We’ve discussed Valle de Guadalupe and its excellent wine country, food and hospitality at length already, but Mexico’s other major wine route is the Ruta del Bajio, which runs between the states of Querétaro and Guanajuato.

Colonial architecture is around every corner. Ancient mansions, aqueducts, Talavera tile, and artistic mosaics all form a part of this landscape. The region’s history dates back to the first vineyards in Mexico and despite years of negligible production, is now home to a booming industry.

Freixenet Mexico — Spain’s Freixenet also boasts an impressive Mexico holding in Querétaro. (El Souvenir)

The section of the wine route that snakes through Querétaro is known as the Vino, Queso y Arte route (Wine, Cheese, and Art), as the area is known for its cheese production. Local vineyard Casa Martell, a long-time regional producer of brandy is now undergoing a renovation to convert its vines from brandy to wine production. In this part of the country there are more than 50 vineyards.

Querétaro

Cadereyta

Among the many wineries is Freixenet, a prestigious brand of cava that originated near Barcelona, Spain. Each year, their days-long harvest festival is one of the most attended in the country. It’s helpful to remember that harvest time in Mexico is from July to September, with each vineyard choosing the right moment in celebration of that year’s grapes.

Freixenet also hosts an annual paella festival where experts and amateurs alike test their culinary skills and visitors themselves can try a variety of paellas and taste wines from across the region. These activities and festivals have helped make Freixenet México the most visited winery in the country.

Ezequiel Montes

Another important winery along the route is Bodega La Redonda, which in 2025 celebrates a half century of making wine with concerts and events throughout the year.

The most anticipated is the Wine Colors festival, celebrated this year in May. The festival offers two days of music, tastings, wine pairings, fireworks, exclusive dining and drinking areas, excellent cuisine and the option to stay at the Merlot Inn, which has a pool and a spa on site. They also offer a “wine glamping” package perfect for couples that includes evening strolls through the grape vines. There’s also a trattoría serving authentic Italian food alongside the great wine.

Tequesquiapan

Further along the route, is the charming town of Tequisquiapan, complete with a local wine museum. This colonial town has a central plaza full of restaurants and bars, that accompany their wine tastings with cheese and charcuterie. Most places are very close and make it easy to move around between the wineries and the towns.

Tequesquiapan is also home to Tres Raíces vineyard, a relatively young project that offers both a hotel and a vineyard for guests. The space is modern but constructed with Talavera tile and ceramics from the region and is beautiful both inside and out. From their terrace there is a spectacular view of the vineyards and architecture built to blend with the natural surroundings. Their Riesling, aged on lees, stands out as some of their best wine, It’s silky, vibrant and a complete delight for the palate. Tres Raíces’ reds are highly complex, with the relatively unknown caladoc varietal worth a try if you want to be blown away by the quality of Mexican wine.

San Juanito

A short distance away from Tequesquiapan is San Juanito, a boutique winery known for its wine made from a single varietal of grape. They’ve submitted a proposal for an Appellation of Origin for this area as they grow a type of Tempranillo is acutely adapted to the microclimate here, called Tinta de Bernal.

The Tres Raíces vineyard offers shovelfuls of style, alongside great wine offerings. (Wine Tourism)

Guanajuato

Dolores Hidalgo

Crossing state lines into Guanajuato lies the oldest wine museum in the country, in the town of Dolores Hidalgo, the birthplace of Mexico’s independence movement. The first bodega in this area was Cuna de Tierra, and its history dates back to the 1990s. Now one of the country’s most famous vineyards, Cuna de Tierra started as a project among friends and the vineyard’s architecture has won it several international prizes.

Their level of production is still considered boutique and they have won more than 80 international prizes for their wine. The vineyard offers a restaurant, guided tours of the vineyard, cooking classes, and a make-your-own-wine mixing class. Among all their varietals the nebbiolo stands out, though there is an ample portfolio of blended and single varietal wines that are bold, expressive, and highly recommendable.

San Miguel de Allende

Moving on down the route, San Miguel de Allende is considered to have some of the highest quality of life around the globe. The first name on your list of vineyards here should be Viñedo San Miguel, which has excellent national wines as well as Italian imports from the owner’s Tuscan estates.

Their brand also includes an exclusive line of clothing and leather goods. An adjoining real estate development also offers investors the chance to make their own wine and own a space in their exclusive residential area. As an organic vineyard, Dos Búhos has a smaller yearly production but offers top-quality wine including varietals like Sauvignon Blanc and Agliánico. Getting to the vineyard from San Miguel is easy by taxi, and they offer dining at their restaurant, tastings, and guided tours all year round.

To further enhance the wine tourism experience, you should take the opportunity to visit the “Magic Town” of Comonfort, known for its production of mortars and pestles. Its cobblestone streets and Colonial mansions aren’t far from San Miguel and there are several more vineyards between these two towns for the thirsty traveller.

There are more than 100 vineyards in Queretaro and Guanajuato and so it is impossible to mention them all. For all of them, however, the quality and warmth of the service is outstanding. Most have their own websites and local tourism agencies can help you create an unforgettable itinerary.

Diana Serratos studied at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and UNCUYO in Mendoza, Argentina, where she lived for over 15 years. She specializes in wines and beverages, teaching aspiring sommeliers at several universities. She conducts courses, tastings and specialized training.

Bloodless bullfighting and judicial elections: Friday’s mañanera recapped

By

MND Staff

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March 14, 2025

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President Claudia Sheinbaum stands at a podium at her morning press conference — President Sheinbaum warped up her morning conference just in time to lead the open ceremony of the Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians. (Presidencia)

Before presiding over the opening ceremony of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians, President Claudia Sheinbaum held her final morning press conference of the week at the National Palace.

Among the issues she spoke about at her Friday mañanera were a proposal to prohibit violent bullfighting in Mexico City, the upcoming judicial elections and a change of leadership in Ottawa.

Sheinbaum supports bloodless bullfighting proposal

A reporter asked Sheinbaum about Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada’s proposal to ban bullfights in which bulls are killed or wounded. If approved by the Mexico City Congress, “violence-free bull shows” would replace traditional bullfighting events at the capital’s Plaza de Toros, the world’s largest bullring.

“I think it’s very good,” Sheinbaum said of Brugada’s proposal

“… There are a lot of people who work, … who are linked to the rearing [of bulls] and everything related to bullfighting,” she said.

“So this proposal seeks to maintain [the employment] of this whole group that works in bullfighting … but at the same time respect the constitution, which now clearly establishes the protection of animals,” Sheinbaum said.

A toreador fights a bull in Mexico City's Plaza de Toros — Under Brugada’s proposal, traditional bullfights would be replaced with bloodless bullfighting. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

The president highlighted that “other countries” have replaced traditional bullfighting events with non-violent bull shows, including Spain, which she described as “the birthplace of bullfighting.”

“… There are even cities that have completely banned [bullfighting] , such as Barcelona, if I’m not mistaken,” Sheinbaum said.

“But there are other countries, cities, that have chosen this [non-violent] option, and I think it’s a good way out,” she said.

‘A new judicial power is coming’

Sheinbaum reminded reporters that Mexico’s first ever judicial elections will be held on June 1.

“A new judicial power is coming,” she said.

“By the way, we’re going to ask the National Electoral Institute why the campaigns haven’t formally started yet,” Sheinbaum said.

“On Monday we’re going to present the ballots so that the people of Mexico know what the ballots with which they’re going to vote on June 1 look like,” she added.

An INE electronic voting booth with a sign reading "El voto es libre y secreto" — The INE’s new judicial ballots will be unveiled Monday, Sheinbaum said. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

“Don’t forget the judicial elections on June 1. A new judicial power is coming,” Sheinbaum said, adding that there are two main reasons for electing new judges, including Supreme Court Justices.

“One is [to get rid of] the corruption and the nepotism [in the current judiciary],” she said.

“… And the other is that in Mexico, with the fourth transformation, economic power was separated from political power,” she said, referring to the political “transformation” initiated by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

“Only one part is missing. … What we want is to separate the economic power from justice so that everyone has equal access to justice, so that the poorest person has the same access to justice as the richest person,” Sheinbaum said.

The judicial elections will take place on June 1 due to the approval by Congress last year of a controversial judicial reform put forward by López Obrador.

Opportunity will come to speak with new Canadian PM

Sheinbaum said she expected to soon have the opportunity to speak to new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was sworn in on Friday amid a burgeoning trade war with the United States.

“And we hope, as we have always said, that the trade agreement Canada, the United States and Mexico have will be maintained for the benefit of the three countries,” she said.

Later in the day, Sheinbaum took to social media to congratulate Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England who replaces Justin Trudeau as prime minister and is widely expected to call a general election soon.

“I congratulate Mark Carney for his appointment as prime minister. Mexico and Canada share a relationship of friendship, trade and cooperation based on respect and the shared prosperity of the region,” she wrote.

“We will work to strengthen ties for the benefit of our peoples,” Sheinbaum added.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

Mabe announces investment of nearly US $670M in Mexico

By

MND Staff

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March 14, 2025

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A store sign reading "Mabe: Made in Mexico" surrounded by refrigerators, stoves and other appliances — The Mexican multinational appliance manufacture announced its investment plans on Thursday. (Tasnim News Agency/Wikimedia Commons)

Mexican multinational home appliance company Mabe will invest US $668 million in Mexico between 2025 and 2027 to refurbish and expand its 15 factories in the country.

Thursday’s investment announcement came during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s daily press conference. Sheinbaum thanked Mabe for its confidence at a time when Mexico is facing U.S. tariffs.

Mabe’s General Director of Corporate Affairs Pablo Moreno said the company, which designs, produces and distributes home appliances to more than 70 countries, is committed to Mexico.

“We are convinced that Mabe’s growth is Mexico’s growth,” Moreno said. “We will continue to innovate and invest for the country, for its talent and for its industrial capacity.”

With this latest addition, Mabe will have invested US $1.1 billion in Mexico since 2023.

Moreno said the investment will “not only strengthen Mabe’s innovation, design and product development capabilities, but will also boost the national economy, while also generating opportunities and consolidating the national supply [of home appliances].”

A stocky older man in glasses stands at a podium, as President Claudia Sheinbaum looks on — Corporate director Pablo Moreno shared the news at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Thursday morning press conference. (Presidencia)

“Our objective is clear,” Moreno said, “to keep Mexico as a global reference in household appliances … by investing in technology, sustainable processes and our employees. … because we believe in Mexico’s potential. We believe strongly not just in our products, but also the potential of Mexico and its skilled labor force.”

Mabe’s announcement came as Mexico weighs a response to U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which went into effect Wednesday. The government plans to respond after April 2, when a wider range of tariffs on Mexican products could go into effect.

Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that Mabe’s investment will be maintained with or without tariffs, even as the company is a significant exporter of appliances to the United States.

Mabe boasts a strong presence in the North American market, primarily refrigerators, gas and electric ranges, and dryers. It also has manufacturing investments in the U.S. and Canada, a legacy of a strategic alliance with General Electric that lasted from 1987 through 2016.

Mabe is known for its refrigerators, stoves and dryers. (Mabe)

Ebrard said Mabe’s investment falls neatly within Sheinbaum’s ambitious Plan México, whose goals include making Mexico the 10th-largest economy in the world, reducing reliance on imports from China and other Asian countries and creating 1.5 million new jobs.

“This investment is not only pivotal for creating jobs but also for industrial development, illustrating Mabe’s commitment to the national economy,” Ebrard said.

Ebrard also highlighted the strategic approach of increasing local production and reducing reliance on imports from Asia.

With reports from Reforma and Mexico Industry

Puerto Escondido designated World Surfing Reserve

By

MND Staff

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March 14, 2025

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A surfer performs a trick in a wave at Zicatela Beach in Puerto Escondido, the 14th World Surfing Reserve — Puerto Escondido was recognized for its world-class waves and critically important coastal ecosystems. (Shutterstock)

A hidden gem no longer, Puerto Escondido has been selected as the 14th World Surfing Reserve — a prestigious title that acknowledges the area’s world-class waves and ecological significance.

Situated in the southern part of Oaxaca state, Puerto Escondido has a coastline that features eight unique waves and some of the best beach breaks in the world, including Playa Zicatela and Punta Colorada.

Surfers line up as a big swell rolls into Playa Zicatela in Puerto Escondido — Surfers line up as a big swell rolls into Playa Zicatela, one of Puerto Escondido’s most famous waves. (Edwin Morales/Save the Waves)

The break at Zicatela, often referred to as the “Mexican Pipeline,” includes powerful and consistent waves that are regarded as a treasure in the surfing world.

The 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) stretch designated for the honor was selected by the Save The Waves Coalition, a 24-year-old international nonprofit dedicated to protecting surf ecosystems around the globe. The new status is expected to be officially bestowed in early 2026.

“Puerto Escondido reflects the quintessential surf ecosystem, incredible world-class waves, a biodiverse environment with important ecosystems for coastal resilience, and a united community willing and able to defend the place they love,” Save The Waves CEO Nik Strong-Cvetich said in a press release.

Beyond Puerto Escondido’s much-loved waves, the coastal ecosystems of Zicatela and Colorada have critically important terrestrial and marine biodiversity that they host. For example, each serves as a nesting habitat for three sea turtle species: olive ridley, black and the critically endangered leatherback.

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Nearby mangrove forests at Punta Colorada and Laguna de Chacahua National Park provide habitats for iguanas, crocodiles and other wildlife, playing a crucial role in water filtration, flood prevention and carbon storage.

The list of World Surfing Reserves includes Isla Todos Santos, a big-wave break located on an island 12 miles off the coast of Ensenada in Baja California.

Not to be confused with the charming coastal town of Todos Santos in Baja California Sur, the world-class surfing spot (sometimes called Bahía de Todos Santos) is known for its legendary waves and a big-wave surfing contest (which it is called only if the waves are big enough).

It became a World Surfing Reserve in 2014, five years after the program was launched. Many of the list’s locations play host to events on the World Surf League’s top-level Championship Tour, which in 2025 has a Mexican competing for the first time ever: 22-year-old Alan Cleland Quiñonez of Colima.

Alan Cleland Quiñonez with his surfboards — Alan Cleland Quiñonez of Colima is the first Mexican to compete in the World Surf League’s Championship Tour. (Conade)

The other places on the Reserve list are Malibu and Santa Cruz in California; Ericeira in Portugal; the Gold Coast, Manly and Noosa in Australia; Punta de Lobos in Chile, Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica; Huanchaco in Peru; Guarda do Embaú in Brazil; North Devon in the United Kingdom; and Oriente Salvaje in El Salvador.

The designation does not provide immediate legal protection, but encourages the formation of a local council to manage long-term conservation strategies, often leading to legal safeguards.

Save The Waves has already been working for several years with community members in Puerto Escondido, which has a population of about 30,000. The coalition has proposed a protection strategy for the mangrove ecosystem at Punta Colorada, addressed ongoing water quality and sewage issues, and sought out solutions to the sand flow and erosion issues at Zicatela.

They are also looking at how to protect turtle nests, curb overdevelopment and raise awareness. The aim is to balance tourism growth with environmental stewardship, ensuring that Puerto Escondido’s waves and ecosystems thrive for future generations.

“Zicatela is not just a beach. It is our identity, our history, our life,” local bodyboarder and community leader Humberto “Beto” Olivera said in the online platform Surfer Today. “Being recognized as a World Surfing Reserve is an honor, but also a responsibility. Celebration is not enough — we must preserve our waves and everything they represent.”

Coco Nogales, 48, a professional surfer who was born in Aguascalientes and raised in Mexico City before eventually moving to Puerto Escondido, added: “Saving the wave of Zicatela would not only benefit Puerto Escondido, but also bring Playa Zicatela back to life.

“It is heartbreaking to see the deterioration the wave and the beach have suffered over the past decade. Obtaining the World Surfing Reserve designation [is] a major step toward restoring its prestige and reclaiming its place among the top 10 waves in the world.”

With reports from Surfer Today, Infobae, Diario AS and Duke Surf

Mexican peso hits a 4-month high at less than 20 to the dollar

By

MND Staff

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March 14, 2025

8

Image of US currency bills of various denominations in a pile around a single Mexican peso coin, which hit a a 4-month high on Friday — Despite tariff uncertainty, the peso hasn't been this strong since November. (Shutterstock)

The Mexican peso appreciated against the US dollar for a fourth consecutive day on Friday to dip well below 20 to the greenback.

The peso strengthened to 19.84 to the dollar on Friday morning, before weakening slightly to trade at 19.88 to the greenback at 12 p.m. Mexico City time, according to Yahoo Finance.

The last time the peso was stronger was in November.

Compared to its Bank of Mexico closing rate of 20.09 to the dollar on Thursday, the peso appreciated 1.3% to reach 19.84.

The peso has appreciated around 2.5% since closing at 20.36 to the dollar on Monday.

The Monex financial group attributed the strengthening of the peso on Friday morning to the recent Mexico-related comments made by United States officials.

Mexico City bank window with a currency table showing the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Euro, both selling for over 20 pesos per dollar and Euro — The peso appreciated 1.3% against its Thursday closing rate to reach 19.84 to the dollar on Friday. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Thursday that Mexico and the United Kingdom were “pragmatic and thoughtful” in their response to the United States’ steel and aluminum tariffs that took effect on Wednesday. Unlike Canada and the European Union, Mexico and the U.K. refrained from immediately announcing retaliatory measures.

President Claudia Sheinbaum and Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said that Mexico will wait until the United States implements reciprocal tariffs early next month before determining any retaliation.

Lutnick said the way in which the United States deals with Mexico and the U.K. on trade issues will be “better” as a result of their restraint.

For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday that the Mexican government has taken “very strong measures that we’ve never seen in the past” against cartels and illegal immigration to the United States.

He also said that “we’ve seen a level of cooperation from Mexican authorities that we’ve never seen in the past,” although he added that “it’s not enough” and “we have to do more.”

United States President Donald Trump has used tariffs to pressure Mexico to do more to stem the flow of drugs and migrants to the U.S.

Monex said the remarks of United States officials — it didn’t specify which ones — “mitigated part of the nervousness” surrounding the Mexican peso.

Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio were credited with having a stabilizing effect on the peso. (Michael Vadon/Flickr)

The strengthening of the peso this week comes after the currency depreciated to 21 to the dollar on March 4, the date the United States imposed 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and most imports from Canada due to what the White House said was the two countries’ failure to take adequate action against “the influx of lethal drugs” to the U.S.

Most of the tariffs were lifted two days later, giving the peso an immediate boost.

While the peso’s four-day streak of gains this week puts it in its strongest position in four months, the currency remains much weaker than the 16.30 to the dollar level it reached last April.

With reports from El Economista

Unilateral US military action in Mexico: Johnson says maybe, Sheinbaum says absolutely not

By

MND Staff

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March 14, 2025

23

President Claudia Sheinbaum and US Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson — President Sheinbaum responded on Friday to comments by Trump's pick for ambassador to Mexico, Ronald Johnson. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro, U.S. Embassy of El Salvador)

President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday rebuffed a declaration from the United States’ ambassador designate to Mexico, Ronald Johnson, that the U.S. military could unilaterally take action against drug cartels on Mexican soil if the lives of U.S. citizens were at risk.

“We don’t agree. He said everything’s on the table, well no,” Sheinbaum said at her morning press conference.

Bombardear México ‘no está sobre la mesa’: Sheinbaum responde a próximo embajador de EU

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“Not everything is on the table, nor on the chair, nor on the floor, nor anywhere. Not that,” she said.

Her remarks came after a day after Johnson was questioned by United States Senator Chris Coons about his views on unilateral U.S. military action against Mexican cartels.

“Sovereignty is a core principle. I understand that the designation of the drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations reflects widespread concern and anger in the United States about the cartels and the impact of fentanyl,” Coons said at a Senate hearing for three of President Donald Trump’s ambassador nominees.

“Would you agree that we should not take any military action against cartels in Mexican territory without the knowledge and consent of the Mexican government?”

Johnson — an army veteran and former CIA official who served as ambassador to El Salvador during Trump’s first term as president — said he believed that on “any decision to take action against a cartel inside Mexico, our first desire would be that it be done in partnership with our Mexican partners.”

“That said I know that President Trump takes very seriously his responsibility to safeguard the lives of U.S. citizens and should there be a case where the lives of U.S. citizens are at risk I think all cards are on the table,” he said.

“I cannot respond to what the commander-in-chief might decide based on the information he has. I’ve been a private citizen for the last four years, but I think we would prefer to work with our partners in Mexico,” Johnson said.

On the first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. secretary of state to look at the designation of drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. He was subsequently asked whether he would consider “ordering U.S. special forces into Mexico” to “take out” cartels.

Trump stands at podium shaking his finger — U.S. President Trump has been clear that he considers unilateral military action in Mexico an option. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

“Could happen,” Trump responded. “Stranger things have happened.”

In July last year, Trump said “absolutely” when he was asked in an interview with Fox News whether “strikes” against Mexican cartels were “still on the table.”

The Wall Street Journal reported on Feb. 28 that in his first call with top Mexican military officials, United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said “that if Mexico didn’t deal with the collusion between the country’s government and drug cartels, the U.S. military was prepared to take unilateral action.”

“Mexico’s top brass who were on that call were shocked and angered, feeling he was suggesting U.S. military action inside Mexico,” the WSJ said, citing “people briefed on the Jan. 31 call.”

For his part, Trump’s “government efficiency” czar Elon Musk wrote on X on Feb. 19 that six Mexican cartels and two other criminal organizations were “eligible for drone strikes” as a result of the State Department’s designation of the groups as foreign terrorist organizations.

The CIA has recently been flying unarmed drones over Mexico to spy on drug cartels and hunt for fentanyl labs — with the permission of the Mexican government, according to Sheinbaum.

MQ-9 Reaper drone — U.S. drone surveillance flights over Mexico were conducted with permission from the Mexican government, Sheinbaum said. (U.S. Air Force/Brian Ferguson)

The president has previously rejected repeated assertions from the U.S. government that the Mexican government colludes with drug cartels and provides “safe havens” for them.

Despite “the libel the White House makes against the government of Mexico” — as Sheinbaum described the assertions — the president has maintained what she calls a “relationship of respect” with Trump in the almost eight weeks since he commenced his second term. Last week, she reached a deal with him that resulted in the suspension of most U.S. tariffs on Mexican goods just two days after they were imposed.

Trump said on social media that he decided to suspend tariffs on Mexican goods covered by the USMCA free trade pact “as an accommodation, and out of respect for,” Sheinbaum, with whom he said he is “working hard … on the border, both in terms of stopping illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl.”

Sheinbaum has said on numerous occasions that Mexico is willing to collaborate with the United States on security issues, but will not accept any violation of its sovereignty.

She repeated that message on Friday.

“We collaborate within a framework of respect, we coordinate with each other, there is in fact very good coordination. There is very good coordination because there is respect between both countries, and [there is] collaboration within the framework of our sovereignty,” Sheinbaum said.

“… We’re going to continue collaborating, coordinating together. If he’s ratified by the Senate, there will be a good relationship with the ambassador, but, as we’ve said, Mexico is respected,” she said.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])