What foods would disappear if Mexico banned synthetic food dyes?

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May 16, 2025

Rainbow_of_food_natural_food_colors — Mexico is bright and colorful, and synthetic dyes make that true for its food too. What would Mexican cuisine look like without them? (Skoot13 / CC BY SA 3.0)

Food policy in the U.S. is about to get a colorful shakeup: Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announced a plan to eliminate eight synthetic, petroleum-based food dyes from the U.S. food supply by the end of 2026. This follows the FDA’s recent ban on FD&C Red No. 3, which took effect on January 15.

While these changes are happening in the U.S., it got me thinking: If Mexico were to follow suit, how would such a ban affect the rainbow of snacks in stores and markets, and the elaborate piñatas at children’s birthday parties?

Synthetic food dyes are in many traditional Mexican sweets, such as obleas.

The colorful culprits

Throughout much of the world, food has become as much about visual pleasure as taste. Color is an easy way to captivate a hungry patron’s attention, which is why synthetic food dyes have played such a big role in the food industry.

The first synthetic food dye dates back to the 1850s with English chemist William Henry Perkin’s discovery of mauveine. While it revolutionized the fashion industry, this purple hue also snuck itself into sweets under the names of violet paste, chrome violet and Perkin’s violet. Although mauveine eventually disappeared from our plates, the use of synthetic colorings in food became widespread.

Today, these nine synthetic food dyes are linked by some researchers to serious health issues, from childhood hyperactivity and behavioral problems to thyroid disruption and cancer risks.

FD&C Red No. 40
FD&C Yellow No. 5
FD&C Yellow No. 6
FD&C Blue No. 1
FD&C Blue No. 2
FD&C Green No. 3
Orange B
Citrus Red No. 2
FD&C Red No. 3 (already banned in the U.S.)

Synthetic food colorings are often used in at-home Mexican baking. (Larry Jacobsen / CC BY 2.0)

While the U.S. is just now moving to restrict synthetic food dyes, many countries were ahead of the curve for years. Norway and Iceland banned Red No. 40 (Allura Red) in food products long ago. Sweden, Switzerland, Germany and Austria have also banned or heavily restricted certain synthetic food colorings such as Yellow No. 5 and Red No. 40. Since 2010, the European Union has required foods containing certain synthetic dyes to carry a warning label stating they “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”

Mexico, meanwhile, operates in a colorful middle ground. Most synthetic food dyes are still permitted here, though with varying labeling requirements. Some major players like Mondelēz have already dropped Red No. 3 from their Mexican lineup, but we haven’t seen a comprehensive ban materialize… yet.

A technicolor tour of Mexican treats

Imagine Mexico without its technicolor treats. What would botana carts look like? Picnics in the park? Grocery store checkouts? Disorienting, to say the least.

Say goodbye to those radioactive-looking gomitas that stain your lips for hours. Gone would be the chance to suck on a mouth-puckering Pulparindo or Lucas candy. Even the rainbow-hued paletas that make for perfect Instagram shots couldn’t escape. All would need serious makeovers without Red No. 40 and Yellow No. 5.

Salty snacks wouldn’t get off easily either. That suspicious orange dust coating your fingers after a bag of cheese puffs? Yellow No. 6. The blazing red powder that makes Takis so attractive? Red No. 40. Even Sabritas and Barcel products would need to find new ways to stay on shelves.

In short, the following bites would be in serious danger of disappearance:

Candies: Pulparindots, Lucas, Rockaleta, Vero

Snacks: Flavored Sabritas chips, Takis, Cheetos, several brands of cacahuates japoneses

Beverages: Sodas like Jarritos, powdered drink mixes, including Tang

Baked Goods: Panes dulces like pink-and-yellow conchas, polvorones de colores, merengues

A more natural future?

If Mexico followed the United States’ lead, it would join a growing club of countries that have already taken action against synthetic food colorings. The transformation wouldn’t just be technical: it would encourage a full marketing overhaul, finding new ways to meet consumer expectations and reinvent how traditional treats should look in a new, dye-free era.

The good news? There are natural alternatives waiting in the wings. Carotenoids from carrots and marigolds can provide yellows, oranges and reds. Anthocyanins from berries offer reds, purples and blues. There’s chlorophyll from plants for greens, turmeric for yellows and betalains from beets for a perfectly pink icing on your concha. Companies like Nestlé have already started using spirulina and beetroot extract in other markets, proving that nature can be just as colorful as a chemistry lab.

Perhaps the adjustment period would be challenging at first. Imagine kids’ faces when they bite into their favorite snack only to find it’s a slightly different shade of nuclear red. But in the long run, a Mexico with more naturally colored foods might be a brighter place indeed — even if the colors themselves are slightly muted.

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.

Proposed US remittance tax is unconstitutional, Sheinbaum says: Thursday’s mañanera recapped

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MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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President Sheinbaum at the podium of her morning press conference — President Sheinbaum said that a U.S. remittance tax would result in double taxation for Mexican earners in the U.S. — which she claimed would be unconstitutional. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)

The United States’ proposed tax on remittances, the construction of a new passenger railroad in the north of Mexico and a recent highway robbery were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Thursday morning press conference.

Here is a recap of the president’s May 15 mañanera.

Sheinbaum: A tax on remittances is ‘unconstitutional’

Sheinbaum reiterated that her government doesn’t agree with the legislative proposal in the United States to impose a 5% tax on remittances sent out of the country by non-citizen immigrants.

“It’s even unconstitutional in the United States because a double tax would be charged,” she said without providing more specific arguments to support her claim.

“… The Mexicans who live in the United States already pay tax,” Sheinbaum said.

“So the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mexico’s ambassador in the United States are talking to [U.S.] lawmakers, presenting all the arguments [against the proposal],” she said.

Hands push dollars under a bank sill — The remittance tax would be a blow to Mexicans in the U.S. who send millions of remittance payments home every year. (Shutterstock)

Sheinbaum highlighted that the proposed tax — outlined in the Republican Party’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” — would affect many countries apart from Mexico, including India and other Latin American nations.

“So we’re also speaking with the representation of those countries in the United States in order to be able to present [a common argument] to members of Congress that it’s an unacceptable measure,” she said.

Sheinbaum noted that the Mexican Senate has already expressed its opposition to the proposal, which could face a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives next week, and said that her government suggested that a group of Senators travel to the United States to speak with U.S. lawmakers.

“This is an injustice,” she told reporters.

“Apart from being unconstitutional, how is it possible that they want to charge Mexicans who send their remittances [home] … when they already pay taxes? … It’s a tax on those who have the least. … They should collect taxes from those at the top, not from those at the bottom,” Sheinbaum said.

“… Our objective is that … they don’t approve taxes on remittances. … We’re going to do everything that is necessary and speak with the [U.S.] Department of Treasury, the finance minister is already seeking this call,” she said.

Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo rail project is ‘very important,’ says Sheinbaum

A reporter mentioned that the “initial” funding for the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo passenger train line has been approved, and asked the president for additional information about the project.

Sheinbaum first noted that a new passenger railroad will in fact run all the way from Mexico City to Nuevo Laredo, a city on the Tamaulipas-Texas border that is often considered “the customs capital of Latin America.”

“It’s the Gulf of Mexico Train,” she said.

“… The military engineers are building [the line] from Mexico City to Querétaro,” Sheinbaum said, adding that a tendering process will be carried out to find a private company to build a connecting railroad from Querétaro to Irapuato, Guanajuato.

Nuevo Laredo border with texas — The planned railway would connect the industrial center of Saltillo with the “customs capital” of Nuevo Laredo on the border with Texas. (Gabriela Pérez Montiel/Cuartoscuro)

She said that a tendering process will also be carried out this year to find a company to build the line from Saltillo, the capital of Coahuila state, to Nuevo Laredo.

“And we will continue to build over [the next] six years to achieve the Mexico City-Nuevo Laredo [railroad],” Sheinbaum said.

She said that the Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo project is “very important because there is a lot of movement from Coahuila to Nuevo Laredo and from Coahuila to Monterrey.”

“In addition it will be a scenic train [trip] because of the mountains of that area, it’s an extremely beautiful landscape,” Sheinbaum said.

The federal government said last month that construction of the Querétaro-Irapuato and Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo passenger railroads would commence in July and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Los Ángeles Azules get their instruments back

Three days after the Mexican cumbia group Los Ángeles Azules revealed that a vehicle transporting their instruments and audio equipment was stolen at what they called a “fake checkpoint” on the Mexico City-Puebla highway last Friday, Sheinbaum acknowledged that the instruments were found — in the municipality of San Martín Texmelucan, known as a fuel theft hub.

She also said that the commander of the National Guard, General Hernán Cortés, had “established contact with Los Ángeles Azules personnel” to find out exactly what happened and to obtain information to prevent similar incidents in the same area.

Recupera la Fiscalía General del Estado de #Puebla en San Martín Texmelucan equipo robado de grupo musical con valor aproximado de 8 millones de pesos.#FiscalíaFuerte pic.twitter.com/y9s1EnZR96

— FGE Puebla (@FiscaliaPuebla) May 15, 2025

Sheinbaum said that a “special operation” is now underway in the area where the Los Ángeles Azules’ vehicle was stolen.

She said that “practically all the musical instruments” in the vehicle “appeared,” and stressed that an investigation to detain those responsible for the crime is ongoing.

The robbery occurred at kilometer 61 on the Mexico City-Puebla highway, located in the municipality of Santa Rita Tlahuapan, Puebla.

TV Azteca reported this week that the Mexico City-Puebla highway is “shaping up to be one of the most unsafe roads in the country in 2025, with a high rate of robberies that mainly affect truckers.”

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

Sheinbaum announces 10% pay increase for teachers as unions march in Mexico City

By

MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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Teachers march down Reforma Avenue in Mexico City with a banner reading "Huelga Nacional" — Members of the CNTE, one of Mexico's two largest teachers' unions, marched down Reforma Avenue on Thursday to demand the repeal of past educational reforms and better wages, among other measures. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

As teachers across Mexico celebrated el Día del Maestro (Teachers’ Day), President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a 9% pay increase retroactive to Jan. 1 with an additional 1% boost starting Sept. 1. The move came amid a march organized by one of Mexico’s largest teachers unions in Mexico City.

Sheinbaum said she regretted not being able to offer a higher pay raise, but noted the across-the-board increase represents 36 billion pesos (more than US $1.8 billion). The increase is similar to the pay bump teachers received last year.

The president also said teachers’ contracts would include an additional week of vacation.

“Since we adjusted the school calendar, [teachers] barely get vacation time,” she said, acknowledging that they often work after the school year ends, and return a week or so before the school year starts.

Sheinbaum also confirmed she was freezing the legal minimum retirement age for teachers — 56 for women and 58 for men. Earlier this year, Congress was considering a bill introduced by the president that would have gradually raised the legal minimum retirement age.

At the same time, the dissident CNTE teachers union staged a large march in Mexico City that snarled midday traffic in the capital. Police rerouted traffic in the Historic Center in an attempt to limit commuters’ inconvenience.

Sheinbaum presents a teachers award to a woman in a blue dress — As teachers’ unions protested in the streets, Sheinbaum presented awards to career teachers with 30 or 40 years working in public education. (Presidencia)

CNTE members — primarily from the states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Guerrero and Mexico City — started gathering at the iconic Angel of Independence monument on Reforma Avenue around 8 a.m., beginning their march before 11 and arriving at the Plaza de la Constitución in front of the National Palace just over two hours later.

CNTE leaders are demanding a larger pay increase than was offered, better retirement benefits, bigger budgets for rural schools and the reinstatement of teachers fired after the controversial 2013 education reform.

Shortly after arriving in the Zócalo, the teachers began to pitch tents in the plaza and along adjacent streets while calling for national strikes. CNTE’s strike threats in March appear to have prompted Sheinbaum to withdraw legislation that would have gradually increased the mandatory retirement age.

Pedro Hernández, CNTE spokesman in Mexico City, said more dissident teachers would be arriving in coming days to join the protest on the streets of the capital.

“We have no option but to strike, because seven years of talks with this administration and the previous one have failed to satisfy our concerns about our pension plan,” Yenny Pérez, leader of the CNTE union in Oaxaca, said.

While the tent city expanded beyond the Zócalo just two blocks away, Sheinbaum was feting teachers at the Education Ministry and handing out the prestigious Maestro Manuel Altamirano and Maestro Rafael Ramírez awards. The former is for 30 years of service, the latter for teachers with 40 years on the job.

With reports from Reforma, El Financiero, Uno TV and Infobae

National bank cuts interest rates 50 basis points to 8.5%

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MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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People line up outside the Bank of Mexico, an ornate art deco building — Stable inflation and a strong exchange rate were among the reasons the Bank of Mexico's governing board considered in its interest rate decision. (Moisès Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)

The Bank of Mexico’s key interest rate will fall to 8.50% after the central bank’s governing board unanimously supported a third successive 50-basis-point cut on Thursday.

The five members of the board voted in favor of the cut despite an uptick in inflation in April.

With the annual headline inflation rate still within the Bank of Mexico’s 2%-4% target range, the market was anticipating the board’s latest decision.

The 8.50% benchmark rate — the lowest rate in almost three years — will take effect this Friday. The latest cut comes after 50-basis-point reductions in February and March.

The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) said in a statement that the governing board “took into account the behavior of the [USD:MXN] exchange rate, the weakness of economic activity and the possible impact of changes in trade policies worldwide” when assessing whether to adjust the benchmark interest rate.

“Considering the current inflationary outlook and the prevailing level of monetary restriction, with the presence of all its members, the Board decided unanimously to lower the target for the overnight interbank interest rate by 50 basis points to 8.50%,” Banxico said.

Con la presencia de todos sus miembros, la Junta de Gobierno del #BancodeMéxico decidió por unanimidad disminuir la Tasa de Interés Interbancaria a 1 día, a un nivel de 8.50% con efectos a partir del 16 de mayo de 2025. Consulta el comunicado en: https://t.co/5I8HUr8Svr pic.twitter.com/kQMEOXezi4

— Banco de México (@Banxico) May 15, 2025

The central bank indicated that additional 50-basis-point cuts are likely.

“The Board estimates that looking ahead it could continue calibrating the monetary policy stance and consider adjusting it in similar magnitudes. It anticipates that the inflationary environment will allow to continue the rate cutting cycle, albeit maintaining a restrictive stance,” Banxico said.

The governing board’s next monetary policy meeting is scheduled for June 26.

Banxico’s key interest rate was held at a record high of 11% for a full year before an easing cycle began in March 2024 with a 25-basis-point cut. Mexico’s annual headline inflation rate rose to a two-decade high of 8.7% in the second half of 2022.

The annual headline rate was 3.93% in April, up from 3.80% in March and 3.77% in February. Banxico targets 3% inflation, but considers any rate between 2% and 4% to be within its acceptable range.

The outlook for inflation

Banxico forecasts that the headline inflation rate will fall to 3.5% in the third quarter of 2025 before declining to 3.3% in Q4.

The central bank predicts that inflation will continue to fall in 2026 to reach 3% in the third quarter of next year.

Banxico’s outlook extends to the first quarter of 2027, at which point it forecasts that annual headline inflation will still be at the 3% target rate.

Peso closes at 19.50 the dollar

After closing at 19.38 to the dollar on Wednesday, the peso depreciated on Thursday ahead of Banxico’s interest rate announcement.

The Bank of Mexico’s closing USD:MXN rate on Thursday was 19.50.

The peso on Wednesday reached its strongest position since October, the month President Claudia Sheinbaum took office.

The currency has performed well this year after depreciating significantly in 2024 due to a range of factors including the ruling Morena party’s comprehensive victory in Mexico’s 2024 elections last June, Congress’ approval of a controversial judicial reform and Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election last November.

Since Trump took office, the peso has appreciated 6.5% against the greenback, despite the U.S. president imposing tariffs on a range of Mexican goods, including steel, aluminum, vehicles and products not covered by the USMCA free trade pact.

Mexico News Daily

Puebla bus accident leaves over 20 dead, more injured

By

MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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Smashed bus involved in Puebla highway accident — Wreckage from the multi-vehicle crash that killed at least 21 people on the Tehuacán-Oaxaca highway. (X)

At least 21 people were killed and up to 20 injured in a multi-vehicle accident on Wednesday morning on a highway in the state of Puebla.

Emergency personnel responded quickly, but 18 of the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and three more died after being transported to hospitals in nearby Tehuacán.

🚨🔔⚡🇲🇽 | Accidente en la autopista Cuacnopalan-Oaxaca, tragedia vial que dejó un saldo preliminar de al menos 20 a 21 personas fallecidas y varios heridos. Según reportes, el choque múltiple tuvo lugar alrededor del kilómetro 28-31, cerca de Tehuacán, Puebla, e involucró tres… pic.twitter.com/uTUwepJHM6

— Azteca (@MORRIS80766176) May 15, 2025

Details of the crash remain unclear, but media reports indicate a tanker truck crossed into the opposite lane, causing the accident.

According to early reports, the truck attempted to pass another vehicle, entered oncoming traffic, sideswiped a bus, and then crashed head-on with a transport van, which carried at least 16 of the victims.

The truck rolled about 20 feet down an embankment and exploded. Both occupants of the truck were pronounced dead at the scene.

Puebla Interior Minister Samuel Aguilar said emergency personnel from state and federal Civil Protection agencies were on the scene quickly, aided by the National Guard, Puebla state police and officials from the Federal Highway and Bridges agency.

The accident occurred at kilometer 31 on Federal Highway 135, which connects Tehuacán, Puebla, with Oaxaca City, Oaxaca. The highway was closed down for several hours as emergency personnel tended to the victims and authorities began carrying out an investigation.

Authorities are investigating whether the driver of the tanker truck did indeed try to pass the bus on the two-lane highway or if he lost control after experiencing mechanical problems.

The owners of the passenger van — Corporativo Turístico Smart Transports — said they would pay all medical and funeral costs for their passengers. The company confirmed that 16 of the 20 people on board, including the driver, were killed.

The bus company, AU, said it would also pay medical and funeral expenses for affected passengers.

Wrecked bus on Puebla highway — Grim scenes in Puebla: the crash highlights ongoing road safety concerns on Mexico’s highways.(Azteca/X)

On Thursday, Section 23 of the SNTE teachers union said eight of those killed in the accident were school teachers in Tehuacán. May 15 is Teachers’ Day in Mexico.

Deadly accidents on Mexico’s steep, winding roads are not uncommon. On March 10, at least 33 people died in two unrelated accidents, one in Oaxaca and the other in the northern state of Durango.

With reports from El Universal, Infobae, Radio Formula and Reuters

NFL skips Mexico for 2025 international games

By

MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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NFL players in a chaotic pile up. — Mexican fans were disappointed to see that Mexico doesn't appear on the NFL’s 2025 international schedule. (NFL/Facebook)

Hasta luego, Mexico.

That seems to be the sentiment from the National Football League (NFL), which has essentially said “catch you later” to Mexico by leaving the country off its international schedule for a third consecutive year.

This year’s snub hurts even more, as there were expectations late last year that Mexico City would be hosting a matchup during the 2025 regular season, which begins Sept. 4.

The 2025 international slate!

📺: NFL Schedule Release — Wednesday 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN2
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/PFBwbjG1m0

— NFL (@NFL) May 13, 2025

At a game in Germany last season, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told the NFL Network that the league’s owners had authorized up to eight games per season outside of the United States.

As he ticked off locales being focused on for 2025, he said, “We expect to return to Mexico City,” which has not hosted a game since the San Francisco 49ers played the Arizona Cardinals in 2022.

Mexican fans cheered. Optimism blossomed. “The NFL will return to Mexico in 2025,” beamed a headline in the news source Infobae.

Flash forward to this week’s headline in the news portal SICOM Noticias: “Mexico is out!”

On Tuesday, the league unveiled the 2025 schedule for its 32 teams, including a slate of seven international games: one each in São Paulo, Brazil; Dublin, Ireland; Berin, Germany; Madrid, Spain; and three in London, England (two at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and one at Wembley Stadium).

The announcement came as a disappointment to Mexico’s NFL’s fans, a group estimated to be 40 million strong — the largest NFL fan base of any country outside of the United States.

The primary reason for not returning to Mexico is the ongoing renovation of Estadio Azteca — now known as Estadio Banorte — which has hosted all five of Mexico’s previous regular-season NFL games.

The stadium is undergoing extensive upgrades in preparation for the 2026 World Cup and is not expected to reopen until March 28, 2026.

Aerial view of estadio Azteca amid renovations. — Major renovations at Estadio Azteca mean no NFL games in Mexico for 2025. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

Sports Business Journal reported earlier this year that “Mexico City authorities are balking at re-joining the [NFL] mix in 2025. Essentially, they are deathly afraid of taking any risks with the field and venue before the World Cup, sources said. Everybody at the NFL understands the importance of the World Cup in Mexico, but they’re also a bit annoyed by what they consider risk aversion to a fault.”

At a World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, Mexico City’s iconic stadium will host the opening ceremony and opening game on June 11, 2026, two additional group-stage games and two games in the knockout rounds.

Peter O’Reilly, NFL executive vice president of business and events, told SICOM Noticias: “We continue to talk with our partners in Mexico, especially with a clear understanding of when they know the right time is once the Estadio Azteca is renovated. For now, the key word is ‘when,’ because we want to do it right and have a great game in Mexico.”

O’Reilly has also said the league is “committed” to returning to Mexico in 2026 after the renovations are complete.

The last NFL game in Mexico took place on Nov. 21, 2022, when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 38-10 in a “Monday Night Football” matchup at Estadio Azteca that drew 78,427 fans, an experience 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said “was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever been a part of. We were told it might be like that but it was even better than we expected.”

Mexico also hosted the first-ever NFL regular-season game outside of the U.S. — a 2005 contest featuring the same two teams, with the Cardinals beating the 49ers 31-14. The game drew 103,467 fans to a pre-downsized Azteca, setting an NFL regular-season record.

Azteca also hosted one of the 40 NFL preseason exhibition games the NFL played outside the United States from 1986 to 2005. That game, in 1994, drew 112,376 people to watch the Houston Oilers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 6-0.

The NFL’s lineup of 2025 international games can be viewed at NFL.com.

With reports from El Economista, Diario AS, SportsMedia MX and ICOM Noticias

Fact check: Is ICE leading anti-narcotics operations in Sinaloa?

By

MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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Agents in black helmets and bulletproof vests ride through the Sinaloa countryside on a military-type transport — Contrary to widespread misinformation, it was Mexican investigative agents who dismantled the narco labs — not U.S. immigration officers. (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/X)

United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Wednesday that three “large-scale synthetic drug production labs” had been dismantled in Sinaloa, sparking claims that U.S. agents were involved in the operation in the northern state.

However, as the United States Embassy in Mexico and President Claudia Sheinbaum clarified, the operation was exclusively led and carried out by Mexican security forces.

At the center of the saga was a single word — vetted — which was apparently not understood or ignored by a significant number of people and media organizations.

In a post to social media on Wednesday, ICE said that “three large-scale synthetic drug production labs in Sinaloa were dismantled with narcotics and chemical precursors seized in an operation led by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations vetted unit within the Government of Mexico, Fiscalía General de la Republica, Agencia de Investigación Criminal.”

The operation led by the “ICE Homeland Security Investigations [HSI] vetted unit” within the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) of the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) — i.e. a team of Mexican agents screened and certified by ICE — was “supported” by the Mexican Ministry of Defense (Sedena, or Defensa) and the Ministry of the Navy (Marina), ICE said.

“ICE HSI has been working closely with FGR-AIC, SEDENA, and MARINA to identify drug precursor shipments from China and to take out drug production labs operated by the cartels in Mexico,” the U.S. agency said.

Three large-scale synthetic drug production labs in Sinaloa were dismantled with narcotics and chemical precursors seized in an operation led by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations vetted unit within the Government of Mexico, Fiscalia General de la Republica, Agencia de… pic.twitter.com/H9X1fafWbu

— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) May 14, 2025

“The collaboration between ICE-HSI and GOM [government of Mexico] helps stop narcotics production at the source, preventing deadly drugs from being smuggled across our borders and onto our streets, and making our communities more secure,” ICE said.

The social media post includes four photographs, one of which shows four security force members in a vehicle. Some media outlets claimed that the photograph showed U.S. agents in Mexican territory, even though both the attire of the four men and their weapons appear to be similar to that worn and used by Mexican Criminal Investigation Agency agents.

Perhaps adding to the confusion was a subsequent post to X by the HSI Houston account, which said:

“ICE HSI, Fiscalía General de la Republica’s Agencia de Investigación Criminal and Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional dismantled 3 clandestine Sinaloa Cartel drug labs and seized over 26,000 kilos of Chinese-sourced precursor chemicals May 10.”

That post — which appeared on X more than five hours after ICE announced the dismantling of the three labs — appears to indicate that Immigrations and Customs Enforcement was directly involved in the operation in Sinaloa.

The confusion comes at a time when there is speculation that the Trump administration could send U.S. forces into Mexico to combat Mexican drug cartels, six of which were designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government earlier this year.

US adds 6 Mexican cartels to list of foreign terrorist organizations

The United States’ new Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson said in March at a U.S. Senate hearing 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.

Asked on the first day of his second term whether he would consider “ordering U.S. special forces into Mexico” to “take out” cartels, President Donald Trump said it “could happen.”

The possibility of United States forces entering Mexico — especially without the Mexican government’s consent — is a highly contentious issue in a country that has previously been invaded by the U.S. and lost over half its territory to its northern neighbor in the 19th century. That is not to say that there is no support among Mexicans for a U.S. intervention against criminals organizations in Mexico.

One person in support of the idea is National Action Party Senator Lily Téllez, who in February questioned why Mexico hasn’t accepted “the cooperation of the United States to act against the cartels” and asserted that “the reality is that the Mexican state can’t combat the cartels because if the Mexican state were able to combat the cartels, it would have already done it.”

Earlier this month, Sheinbaum said she rejected an offer from Trump to send the U.S. Army into Mexico to combat drug cartels.

She said she told the U.S. president: “No, President Trump. [Mexico’s] territory is inviolable, [our] sovereignty is inviolable, sovereignty is not sold.”

US Embassy refutes claims that ICE led operations in Sinaloa

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico shared ICE’s post to its X account on Wednesday afternoon. Above it, the Embassy published a Spanish-language translation of the ICE post.

One X user responded to the post with a question: “So the [Mexican] government is no longer singing the national anthem due to the sovereignty thing?”

A series of X posts by the US Embassy in Mexico — The U.S. Embassy responded to confused commenters, clarifying that it was ICE-vetted Mexican agents who carried out the operation. (X)

That was a reference to President Sheinbaum’s repeated declarations that Mexico will not accept any violation of its sovereignty by the United States and therefore will not permit U.S. agents to carry out or participate in operations against criminals in Mexico.

The U.S. Embassy responded: “How? Why [do you say that]? The operation was led by the FGR of the government of Mexico.”

In another comment on the Embassy’s post, an X user wrote, in Spanish, “thanks for doing the work of our government.”

“The operation was led by the FGR of the government of Mexico,” the Embassy responded.

The U.S. Embassy also refuted radio and television journalist Manuel Feregrino’s claim that U.S. agents were operating against criminal groups in Mexico.

In an “information note” addressed to Feregrino, the Embassy highlighted that both its social media post, and that of ICE, “clearly” say that the drug labs in Sinaloa were dismantled by an AIC unit “vetted by ICE and HSI.”

La @USAmbMex informó a #PorLaMañana que no hay agentes de Fuerzas Especiales estadounidenses operando en México y que el operativo para desmantelar 3 laboratorios clandestinos en Sinaloa, estuvo encabezado por agentes mexicanos de la AIC de la @FGRMexico. pic.twitter.com/sQmdb94wCS

— Ciro Gómez Leyva (@CiroGomezL) May 15, 2025

The Embassy subsequently highlighted its responses to social media users, before telling Feregrino that “the suggestion that ‘special United States forces are operating against criminal groups in Mexican territory’ and the assertion that ‘the United States government said that its soldiers, police [and] special agents are operating and dismantling laboratories in Mexico,’ … are completely incorrect and made out of context,” the Embassy said.

The Embassy was referring to comments Feregrino made on the Por La Mañana radio program presented by high-profile Mexican journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva.

Leyva posted the Embassy’s information note to his X account, and the Embassy reposted it.

Sheinbaum: No US agents participate in operations in Mexico

“That photograph that appears on the front page of [the newspaper] La Jornada doesn’t correspond to any operation in Mexico,” Sheinbaum told reporters at her Thursday morning press conference.

She was referring to the photo of the four security force members in the ICE post, which La Jornada put on the front page of its Thursday edition under a headline claiming that ICE agents participated in the operation in Mexico (Sinaloa) earlier this month.

Sheinbaum said that United States agencies “permanently” share intelligence with the Federal Attorney General’s Office about things such as the shipment of precursor chemicals to Mexico.

President Sheinbaum shares a presentation with a highlighted portion of the Mexican Constitution — President Sheinbaum said U.S. agents no longer participate in enforcement operations in Mexico, though both countries share intelligence. (Presidencia)

However, since former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in late 2018, no U.S. agents coordinate or participate in operations against criminals in Mexico, she said.

Sheinbaum highlighted that some 900 clandestine drug labs have been dismantled since she took office last October, and acknowledged that some of them were located by Mexican authorities thanks to information provided by the United States, which has been flying drones over Mexico to spy on drug cartels and hunt for drug labs.

“There is coordination [with the United States], there is collaboration, there is cooperation within the framework of respect for our sovereignties. There is not subordination or participation of agents from any U.S. agency in any operation [in Mexico],” she said.

“… Things changed. Before it was very different, during the neoliberal period,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the period between 1982 and 2018.

“… And particularly in the time of [former president Felipe] Calderón, who opened up the possibility of [United States] agencies participating in the operations [here],” she said.

“… The United States doesn’t like — the agencies in particular — that they can’t come in [to Mexico] like they came in before,” Sheinbaum said.

“They would like to continue operating like in the neoliberal period, in the period of Calderón,” she added.

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

Influencer’s murder in Jalisco to be investigated as possible femicide

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MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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A blond influencer with doll-like makeup — In addition to her work as a model and influencer, Márquez was the owner of Blossom Beauty Lounge, the Zapopan spa where she was killed. (Valeria Márquez/Instagram)

Mexican beauty influencer Valeria Márquez was shot and killed while livestreaming in her Jalisco salon on Tuesday, a crime that authorities are treating as a possible femicide.

The 23-year-old was broadcasting on TikTok from Blossom Beauty Lounge in the Guadalajara suburb of Zapopan, Jalisco, when a man entered and shot her twice. She died instantly.

Jalisco state prosecutors say they are investigating the influencer’s murder as a femicide. Márquez’s death comes amid rising concern about gender-based violence in Mexico, where, according to the U.N., around 10 women are murdered each day.

While prosecutors announced on Thursday morning that they have not yet identified a suspect, Milenio newspaper had speculated a day earlier that a notorious narco hit man was possibly behind the murder.

Citing unnamed sources involved in the investigation, Milenio and Newsweek named Ricardo Ruiz Velasco — a member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) — as the prime suspect. Local media reported that Ruiz and Márquez had been romantically involved for several months.

Ruiz has been linked to the 2012 murder of Venezuelan model Daisy Ferrer Arenas in Guadalajara. In 2017, Ruiz allegedly took part in the murder of an influencer who had insulted CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera.

A blond influencer poses with a shopping bag and a yellow sportscar — Valeria Márquez poses for a social media collaboration with jewelry brand Golden Deluxe. (Instagram)

Media speculation initially identified Vivian De la Torre, a friend of Márquez and also an influencer, as a person of interest. Prosecutors announced they do not presently consider her a suspect.

Márquez had been speaking about a series of gifts she had received from De la Torre when she was gunned down. She mentioned that she was expecting an expensive gift at any moment and De la Torre allegedly told Márquez to stay at the salon and wait for the delivery.

A woman is then heard saying a man has arrived with a package. As the influencer responded affirmatively that she was Valeria Márquez, she muted the broadcast. Moments later she was shot.

Zapopan Mayor Juan José Frangie said there was no record of Márquez filing any complaints that threats had been made against her.

Márquez had more than 200,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram. Her TikTok account was deleted shortly after her death.

With reports from Animal Político, BBC, El Financiero, Newsweek and Milenio

Quintana Roo seeks to expand beach restoration efforts across the Riviera Maya

By

MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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A white sand beach with turquoise water and condo towers in the Riviera Maya — State authorities are applying for federal permits for beach restoration projects in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel and Puerto Morelos. (Fabio Fistarol/Unsplash)

Quintana Roo is turning to nature-based solutions as it expands restoration efforts for Riviera Maya beaches damaged by coastal erosion.

The plan includes restoring 12 kilometers of beach in Cancún, 12 in Playa del Carmen, some 3 kilometers in Cozumel, and 6 kilometers in Puerto Morelos — areas where beaches have shrunk or disappeared due to coastal development and extreme weather events like hurricanes

Fish swim through a coral reef in the crystal-clear turquoise waters of the Riviera Maya — Quintana Roo is studying how nature-based solutions like dune and coral reef restoration can protect its famous white sand beaches. (Oceana/Cuartoscuro)

State Minister of Ecology and Environment Óscar Rébora Aguilera said that beach restoration is vital to avoid negative impacts on tourism and to protect the coastal environment.

Rébora said the state environment ministry (SEMA) is currently finalizing technical details of the Environmental Impact Statement (MIA) to carry out the restoration work. He added that complementary studies are expected to be completed this month in the hopes that the federal environment ministry approves the MIA before summer vacation season begins.

With the new MIA, the state is seeking to expand beach restoration efforts across the Riviera Maya. Current environmental approvals only cover a 12-kilometer stretch of beach in Cancún.

“In collaboration with researchers, we are seeking to expand the MIA to the areas that show the greatest erosion of beaches,” Rébora said.

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According to a satellite study and monitoring program conducted by the Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) since 2020, Puerto Morelos shows the greatest erosion of beaches in the Mexican Caribbean. In the most severely eroded areas, water has reached hotel structures. Experts say there’s no way to restore the dunes as the beach in those places has disappeared.

Vicente Ferreyra Acosta, chief of the sustainable tourism consultancy Sustentur, said that that is why it is important to establish dune restoration programs in areas where remaining dunes can still be restored.

For the project, Rébora said the state is evaluating two scenarios. The first one involves identifying sandbanks to rebuild the coastline. The second scenario consists of rebuilding dunes damaged by hotel and condominium developments. The state is consulting with experts and Cuban government representatives to evaluate the possibility of dune restoration, Rébora said.

“We can’t just continue replenishing the beach. We must propose nature-based solutions, such as rebuilding dunes and restoring coral reefs. All these elements are being considered,” Rébora said.

In addition to beach restoration, the project also includes strengthening the coral reef in the targeted areas. Nearly 60% of the reef ecosystem has suffered severe damage due to rising sea temperatures in recent years.

With reports from Heraldo de México, Quintana Roo Hoy and El Economista

Is Mexico’s richest man Sheinbaum’s secret weapon?

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MND Staff

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May 15, 2025

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Carlos Slim Helú is a business titan and a man whose companies make up a whopping 6% of Mexico’s GDP. Once the richest person in the world, Slim is a self-made billionaire who’s shaped the face of modern Mexico.

Slim started out as a civil engineer, but by age 25, he was already running his own investment company. When the 1980s economic crisis hit, Slim saw opportunity where others saw disaster. He snapped up struggling businesses like Sanborns and General Tire, building the foundation for his powerhouse conglomerate, Grupo Carso.

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But his real game-changer came in 1990. As the Mexican government privatized Telmex, the national phone company, Slim teamed up with international partners to buy a controlling stake. That bold move launched him into the telecom world and paved the way for América Móvil, now the biggest mobile provider in Latin America.

Slim didn’t stop there. He’s invested in everything from construction to mining, and even became the largest individual shareholder of The New York Times by 2015. Today, his companies operate in 49 countries and employ more than 350,000 people.

Always close to the halls of power, Slim is now backing President Sheinbaum’s “Plan Mexico,” promising to invest in infrastructure, energy, and telecommunications to supercharge the country’s growth. He’s a vocal supporter of open investment and stronger ties between Mexico and the U.S. and he believes business can help Mexico beat trade challenges like the Trump tariffs.

In the latest installation of our “Who’s Who” political primer, María Meléndez asks if Carlos Slim could be the secret weapon President Sheinbaum needs to make “Plan Mexico” a reality? Can he help Mexico outsmart global trade hurdles? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!

Mexico News Daily