The storm is moving northward along Mexico's Pacific Coast, dumping rain and roiling surf along the way. It is expected to move out to sea at the level of Los Cabos, but could briefly reach hurricane force before that. (NOAA)
A day after forming south of Mexico in the Pacific, Tropical Storm Ivo is expected to continues dumping considerable rain on coastal Mexican states throughout Thursday and Friday. The storm could briefly strengthen into a hurricane Friday evening.
At noon Thursday Mexico City time, Mexico’s National Water Commission (Conagua) located the storm at 130 km (80 miles) south of Playa Pérula, Jalisco, and 700 km (435 miles) southeast of Cabo San Lucas, with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h (47mph).
Oaxaca residents have been dealing with rains from Ivo since Wednesday. The heavy rainfall is expected to continue through Friday evening. (Carolina Jiménez Mariscal/Cuartoscuro)
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported said Ivo could produce total rainfall of roughly 100 mm (3.9 inches), with isolated maximum totals of 150 mm (5.9 inches), across portions of Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Conagua predicted “intense rainfall” (75 to 150 mm, or 3 to 5.9 inches) in the states of Jalisco and Nayarit, as well as heavy rains in Michoacán and Colima (50 to 75 mm, or 2 to 3 inches).
Ivo was moving quickly toward the west-northwest — generally parallel to Mexico’s Pacific Coast — at roughly 39 km/h (24 mph), but was expected to veer westward before hitting the Baja California Peninsula. It is likely to dissipate by the weekend as it turns away from the coast.
However, Ivo is stirring up life-threatening surf and rip-current conditions as maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 km/h (45 mph) with higher gusts. Conagua issued a warning related to the heavy surf for Jalisco, Colima and Michoacán (waves up to 5 meters or 16.4 feet in height) and Guerrero (4-meter or 13-foot waves).
Area residents and businesses along the southwestern coast are advised to monitor Ivo’s progress and adhere to advisories issued by local civil protection agencies. The rainfall could result in an elevated risk for flash flooding in the states of Guerrero, Michoacán and Colima.
Ⓜ️📺🚨 Alerta en las costas de #Oaxaca y #Guerrero por formación de la tormenta tropical #IVO
Se ha registrado la formación de la tormenta tropical Ivo, la cual se desplaza al oeste-noroeste en paralelo a las costas del Pacífico. Aunque aún no hay avisos oficiales de alerta… pic.twitter.com/UB9yi8B5Zo
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 55 km (35 miles) from the center and Ivo is likely to strengthen to near hurricane strength by late Friday. The storm is also expected to produce winds of 40 to 50 km/h (25 to 31 mph) with gusts of 60 to 80 km/h (37 to 50 mph) in the northern Gulf of California.
Conagua said Ivo’s high-altitude cyclonic circulation will combine with humid air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean, as well as a low-pressure trough over the southeast of the country, to cause heavy wind and rains elsewhere in the country.
Heavy rains of 25 to 50 mm (1 to 2 inches) are expected in the northern states of Chihuahua, Durango, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes, as well as on the Gulf side in the states of Campeche, Veracruz and Tabasco.
Gusts of 40 to 60 km/h (25 to 37 mph) could occur in the northern states of Sonora, Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Durango, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas and Aguascalientes. Additionally, Ivo could produce dust storms in Baja California and Baja California Sur.
Mexico provides nearly 40% of all U.S. auto sector imports. (Chad Kirchoff/Unsplash)
Although U.S. tariffs are impacting the North American auto industry, Mexico’s market share of sector-wide imports to the U.S. increased during the first half of the year.
Mexico is providing a larger share of U.S. auto sector imports, even as the total value of those imports has dropped. (Shutterstock)
The decline — attributed to U.S. tariffs implemented earlier this year — affected the Mexican automotive industry, which saw automotive exports to the U.S. fall by 5.5% in June, compared to the same month a year ago.
Nonetheless, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Mexico solidified its position as the top supplier of automotive goods, exporting US $85.7 billion worth of cars, trucks, buses and autoparts to its northern neighbor during the first six months of the year.
Overall, Mexican automobile exports to the U.S. fell 3% year-over-year in the first half of this year, to US $22.1 billion. Meanwhile, autoparts sales to the same destination totaled US $40.7 billion, a 3.8% decrease compared to the same period in 2024, and exports of trucks, buses and specialty vehicles fell 10.5% to US $22.899 billion.
These totals represent 39.4% of all automotive goods imported by the U.S., easily surpassing the total of the next three countries combined: Japan (12.5%), Canada (12.4%) and South Korea (10.3%).
Mexico has seen its participation in the U.S. auto industry rise steadily since 2015 when its percentage of sector-wide imports to the U.S. stood at 30.5%.
The rise in Mexico’s percentage of imports from January to June 2025 came as the value of U.S. automotive imports fell significantly over the same period, declining 8.2% to US $217.82 billion.
Impact of tariffs to surge during second half of year
On March 26, U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on imports of automobiles and certain auto parts. The tariffs took effect for vehicles on April 3 and for autoparts on May 3, with partial exceptions for products meeting specified standards of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
In anticipation of the new tariffs, auto sales in the U.S. rose by 4.8% during the first quarter of 2025 as consumers rushed to buy before the tariffs drove up prices, boosted by tax refunds and a flood of automaker incentives.
But industry executives anticipated that the tide would turn once the tariffs took effect. Noting that Mexico ships more than 85% of its auto industry exports to the U.S., the country’s yearly automotive exports have been projected to fall by 12%.
The newly released data suggests the projection has some truth to it. As part of the 8.2% decline in overall U.S. automotive imports in June, imports of passenger cars decreased by US $1.1 billion.
Still, Mexico’s auto industry reached record production and export levels in June 2025, according to national statistics agency INEGI. The increase followed two consecutive months of declines linked to the new U.S. trade measures applied by the Trump administration.
The investments will boost production at facilities in Mexico City, Hidalgo, Guadalajara and other areas of the country. (Glsun Mall/Unsplash)
Four pharmaceutical companies on Thursday announced investments in Mexico of more than 12 billion pesos (US $641.45 million).
Executives from Boehringer Ingelheim, Carnot Laboratorios, Bayer and AstraZeneca outlined the investments at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.
Boehringer Ingelheim targets production of 5 billion pills per year in CDMX
Boehringer Ingelheim, a German company, intends to invest 3.5 billion pesos ($187.2 million) in Mexico in the coming years.
Juan Augusto Muench Castañeda, the company’s general director in Mexico, said that the outlay will go toward making Boehringer Ingelheim’s tablet production plant in Mexico City “the [company’s] largest in the world.”
From the plant in Xochimilco, a southern borough of Mexico City, “we will supply anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic drugs to the local market and export to more than 40 countries in all the continents of the world,” Muench said.
He said that Boehringer Ingelheim is aiming to increase production at its Xochimilco plant to 5 billion pills annually.
German pharmacuetical company Boehringer Ingelheim says that once the planned expansion is complete, its Xochimilco facility will be the company’s largest production plant. (Boehringer Ingelheim)
Muench also said that the company’s investment aims to create 1,800 direct jobs and more than 15,000 indirect ones.
Carnot to open new plant in Hidalgo
“Today with a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of confidence in Mexico, we would like to announce the expansion and global positioning of Carnot Laboratorios,” said CEO Edmundo Jiménez Luna.
He said that the Mexican company will invest 3.5 billion pesos over the next five years, money that “will generate 600 highly specialized direct jobs and at least 5,000 indirect ones.”
Jiménez said that the investment will go to a new production plant in Villa de Tezontepec, a municipality in the state of Hidalgo.
“It will be a strategic center of pharmaceutical and biotechnological manufacturing with cutting-edge technology,” he said.
Carnot’s newest production plant in Villa de Tezontepec, Hidalgo, is expected to directly create 600 specialized jobs. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)
Jiménez said that the new plant will have the capacity to export medications to more than 30 countries.
“Carnot is not just a company that works in Mexico, it’s a company that believes in Mexico, in its talent and in its future,” he said.
Bayer to invest 3 billion pesos over 5 years
Manuel Bravo Pereyra, CEO of Bayer in Mexico, said that the company will invest 3 billion pesos over the next five years.
The investment will go to Bayer’s 14 sites in Mexico, according to a slide Bravo presented.
Among the ways in which the investment will be used is to increase the company’s capacity to produce active pharmaceutical ingredients at its plant in Orizaba, Veracruz, and to add production lines for “new medications” at Bayer’s plant in Lerma, México state.
Funds will also go to a plant in Tlaxcala, where Bayer makes biological fungicides.
Bayer’s investment will be used to set up production of new medications at their facility in Lerma, México state, among other projects. (Bayer México)
In addition, Bravo said that Bayer, a German multinational, will triple its investment in clinical studies in Mexico.
“This will allow Mexicans to have access to the most innovative medications more quickly,” he said.
AstraZeneca to invest 2.25 billion pesos over 2 years
Julio Ordaz, CEO of British-Swedish company AstraZeneca in Mexico, said that the company is investing 2.25 billion pesos in Mexico over two years to the end of 2026.
He said that more than 1.4 billion pesos will go to “clinical research” in Mexico, while funds will also be used to expand AstraZeneca’s Global Innovation and Technology Center, located in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, Jalisco.
In addition, part of the company’s investment will go to the expansion of its medication production plant in Naucalpan, México state.
AstraZeneca plans to expand its Global Innovation and Technology Center near Guadalajara. (Mika Baumeister/Unsplash)
Ordaz said that the plant produces “essential medications” for ailments such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease.
He said that AstraZeneca’s investment will create 600 direct jobs and 2,500 indirect ones.
“Today we reaffirm our commitment to Plan México,” Ordaz said, referring to the federal government’s ambitious economic initiative.
Development of Mexico’s pharmaceutical sector a ‘high priority’ for Sheinbaum, says economy minister
The investments announced by Boehringer Ingelheim, Carnot Laboratorios, Bayer and AstraZeneca on Thursday total 12.25 billion pesos (US $656.8 million).
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Thursday that the development of Mexico’s pharmaceutical sector is “a high priority for the president, fundamentally due to the [positive] impact on the health of Mexicans” and the need to be prepared for any future pandemic or other adverse “circumstance” that might occur.
“That’s why, as you have noted, she has placed a lot of emphasis on this sector,” Ebrard said.
Health Minister David Kershenobich asserted that the health sector in Mexico is currently going through “a time of great transformation, supported by the confidence national and international investors have placed in the project of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.”
The investment projects of Mexican and foreign pharmaceutical companies promote innovation, strengthen the Mexican manufacturing industry, expand clinical research capacity and create “new highly specialized jobs, positioning Mexico as a regional leader in the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry,” Kershenobich said.
The federal government is seeking to increase domestic production in a range of sectors as part of its Plan México initiative, which also aims to reduce reliance on imports, especially from Asian countries including China.
Remittances to Mexico are down 5.6% so far this year. The vast majority are sent from the United States. (Charles Deluvio/Unsplash)
Remittances to Mexico decreased 5.6% in the first six months of 2025, with continued losses expected. By year’s end, remittances are expected to be down by 5.8% compared to 2024, according to the Migration and Remittances Yearbook 2025 published by BBVA Research, the BBVA Foundation, and the National Population Council (Conapo).
The report reveals that remittances could total US $61 billion by the end of the year, down from the US $64.7 billion received in 2024. If BBVA’s forecast occurs, the Bank of Mexico has said that this year would be the first time since 2013 that remittances have declined.
Yet, it hasn’t been an entirely good decade for remittances.
BBVA noted that remittances have slowed down on an annual basis since before 2023. Last year, they grew by just 2.3%.
U.S. immigration policy changes by the Trump administration are just part of the story, according to Carlos Serrano, chief economist at BBVA Mexico. In fact, other countries impacted by the same U.S. immigration policies have seen remittances grow: El Salvador and Guatemala both saw 18% increases in the first half of 2025, while remittances to Honduras shot up 25%.
The report attributes the slowdown in Mexico to several factors, including weakness of the U.S.’s labor market, fewer Mexican migrants entering the U.S. and the peso’s appreciation. Trump’s immigration policies have also had an impact, the report found.
Immigrants are leaving US workforce in mass.
Remittance payments US→MX plummeting, down over -2 million from a year ago.
Biggest decline by far in 30+ years – a period that includes a homebuilding depression and a 100-year financial crisis. pic.twitter.com/o49TeyLvOC
“While President Trump is pushing for a restrictive immigration policy, its most direct impact is not the number of arrests and deportations, but rather the climate of fear it creates among the migrant population, which has changed their work and consumption patterns,” the report explains.
According to Serrano, the U.S. administration is unlikely to implement mass deportations due to the economic impact that the accelerated exodus of migrants would cause.
The report shows that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests averaged 8,000 cases per month between 2023 and 2024. Meanwhile, March this year saw a staggering 19,000. Despite this increase, the number remains relatively low compared to the estimated 11 million undocumented migrants in the U.S.
Serrano also suggests that the flow of remittances won’t increase unless the U.S. labor market recovers, which is contingent upon trade policies.
“If we see very high tariffs on much of the world next year, and if Trump’s tariffs prevail for four years, I don’t think we’ll see a recovery in remittances,” Serrano said.
While remittances represented 3.5% of Mexico’s GDP in 2024, some states depend on them much more heavily and are likely to be hit hard by the decline. These states include Chiapas, Guerrero, Michoacán, Zacatecas and Oaxaca, where remittances represent between 10% and 14% of each state’s GDP.
There's so much more to Mexico than the capital, so why is Mexico City stealing all the limelight? (Jezael Melgoza/Unsplash)
As someone living abroad, being asked where I’m from is an everyday thing. So whenever someone asks about my origins – spoiler: not from Mexico City — the conversation usually goes like this:
“I’m from Mexico.”
Guess what, this fantastic cathedral is absolutely not Mexico City. (Jesús Cervantes/Shutterstock)
“Ah, from Mexico City?”
“No, from Guadalajara. I’m not sure you’ve heard of it.”
To my surprise, some people have heard of it. Most people, though, haven’t. But when I tell them I’m from the city that gave the world mariachi and tequila (both of which they’ve heard about), they are surprised. Because, believe it or not, not everything happens in Mexico City.
There’s more to Mexico than just Mexico City
I’ve talked before about how proud I feel about being a provinciana, a term that is used by chilangos (natives of Mexico City) to refer to any Mexican who is not from the capital. And while there’s a lot of interesting things going on in the provincias, there’s still this general idea – especially abroad – that everything happens in Mexico City.
To be fair, this idea doesn’t come out of nowhere. For instance, all state departments are based in Mexico City, even those that logically should be elsewhere. A prime example is the Navy. Why is it landlocked in the capital, some 300 kilometers from the nearest ocean?
And then there’s national television, which is all produced and broadcast from Mexico City. All the major media companies like Televisa, TV Azteca, and even Netflix are headquartered there. The same goes for the country’s biggest universities, cultural institutions, hospitals and publishing houses. All of them made the capital city their home.
So yes, on paper, it does look like everything happens in Mexico City. And don’t get me wrong: I don’t have any resentment about it. I’ve lived in Mexico City and I love it. It’s precisely its wide array of entertainment and culture that makes the city so magnetic and such a target for gentrification.
But if you stick with me, I’ll show you that Mexico is so much bigger and more interesting than just its capital.
Tequila, Mariachi and Charrería – Not yours, Mexico City
You’d never get a sight like this in the capital. (Kamran Ali/Shutterstock)
My home state of Jalisco, on the West Coast of Mexico, is the cradle of three of the nation’s most recognizable cultural icons: tequila, mariachi and charrería.
Let’s start with tequila. Some 20 kilometers from the state capital of Guadalajara lies the town of Tequila, the birthplace of Mexico’s most famous spirit. The town and its surrounding region are home to the largest number of tequila producers in the country. This region includes the entire state of Jalisco and parts of Guanajuato, Michoacán, Nayarit, and Tamaulipas.
Another cherished export of Jalisco is mariachi, originally from the town of Cocula. Recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, mariachi has become a global symbol of Mexican identity. Much like charrería, which also traces its roots to Jalisco and other Western states. Charrería, too, holds the same UNESCO recognition as mariachi, highlighting its place as a cornerstone of Mexican tradition.
Mole and chiles en nogada aren’t from the capital
You might not identify mole or chiles en nogada by name. But you probably will if I show you a picture.
Mole is a rich sauce made from various chilies and spices. It is traditionally served with chicken and traces back to pre-Columbian times. Back then, the sauce was called mulli, and was made from ground chilies mixed with seeds, herbs and tomatoes. After the Spanish conquest, it is said that nuns at the Santa Rosa Convent in Puebla created a version of mulli by combining readily available ingredients to honor the visit of a viceroy or bishop. The result was mole.
Now, as for chiles en nogada, its origin story is similar to that of mole. Its creation is attributed to the Augustinian nuns at the Santa Monica convent in Puebla, to celebrate the country’s Independence from Spain during a visit of Mexico’s first Emperor Agustín de Iturbide to the city. The dish features seasonal ingredients such as poblano chili, nogada (a walnut sauce), and pomegranate, which symbolize the colors of the triumphant army and current Mexican flag: green, white, and red.
The best wine scenery? Think Baja California, not Roma Norte
The Guadalupe Valley, in Baja California, is the heart of Mexico’s wine production, responsible for more than 70% of the country’s wine. It is home to over 150 wineries, many of which are world-class and boast spectacular architectural designs. This region has also become a popular destination for culinary tourism, thanks to its oceanfront wine pairings from local chefs and signature dishes featuring regional ingredients.
In addition to being the capital of Mexican wine, with renowned brands like Monte Xanic, L.A. Cetto and El Cielo, Baja California also boasts the second-highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in Mexico after Mexico City.
Other Mexican states that are gaining a reputation as winemakers include Querétaro, which features a Wine, Cheese and Art route coveted by tourists, and Guanajuato, with each of these states in Central Mexico benefiting from ideal weather conditions.
One of the world’s new seven wonders is not in Mexico City
Mexico City has the largest concentration of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with three main entries and two shared inscriptions with other states (OK, you win on this one!). However, 31 additional sites are outside Mexico City, including one of the world’s most remarkable at Chichen Itzá.
Chichen Itzá, in the state of Yucatán, is not only a UNESCO site but was also recognized as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a global survey. This list includes iconic locations such as the Roman Colosseum, Petra in Jordan, and the Taj Mahal in India, among others.
Besides the Mayan site of Chichen Itzá, the Yucatán Peninsula is home to many other archeological sites that represent pre-Columbian culture. Meanwhile, the Southern states of Chiapas and Oaxaca, UNESCO sites like Palenque and Monte Albán draw thousands of visitors every year, in addition to the natural attractions that are also included in the coveted list.
See? I told you not everything happens in Mexico City.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
Every now and then, my mother asks me to join her and her parents for breakfast nearRoma Norte. As I work in the area, and have a particular love for its cafes, I usually suggest a different spot every time. We pick them up early in the morning at their home and head straight to the spot of the day. Due to her age, my grandmother has advanced dementia. With her wandering eyes, she scans the facades of the buildings. “I don’t feel like I’m in Mexico,” she murmurs sometimes. And she’s right about that.
She doesn’t feel like she’s in Mexico because the architecture reminds her of her years in France. That is no coincidence: referred to as Porfirian-era architecture, some of the most beautiful houses in the Roma area were the product of dictator Porfirio Díaz’s fascination for Europe — and particularly, for the French capital. These are some of the most iconic examples of this architectural movement.
What is the Porfirian-era architecture like?
Porfirian-era architecture was intended to reflect the ambitions of greatness of the dictator who gave it its name. (Marianasies/Wikimedia Commons)
Cantera stone facades with Neoclassical elements, majestic stairways inspired by Art Nouveau, and wrought-iron gates and railings. All of these are fundamental characteristics of the Porfirian-era manors.
“Few architectural styles have ever borne the name of a person,” writes architects’ association FUNDARQMX. And how could it not? After all, Porfirio Díaz held power for more than three decades, from 1876 to 1911. Inspired by the Francophilia of the age, Díaz and the Mexican elite dressed Mexico City with impressive manors and estates, inspired by French architecture. Years of building castle-like properties was Díaz’s contribution to the city nicknamed “The City of Palaces.” Fittingly, his remains rest in Paris, which is where he died in exile in 1915.
Some of the best examples still stand in Colonia Roma, near Mexico City’s historic center. Transformed into universities, museums of various kinds and even state offices, these Porfirian properties continue to amaze those of us who stroll through Roma. And, just like my grandmother, these manors make us feel like we’re not in Mexico.
The most beautiful Porfirian-era houses in La Roma
Casa Lamm
With its beautiful French balconies, Casa Lamm (1911) is indisputably one of the most beautiful houses in the Roma area. (Carl Campbell/Wikimedia Commons)
Today a renowned high-level educational institution, primarily oriented to literature and other fine arts, Casa Lamm is “perhaps the most beautiful and best-preserved building in the Roma neighborhood,” writes the government of Mexico City. Built by Lewis Lamm at the dawn of the 20th century, it was originally intended as a family estate. However, due to the political climate of the era, the house was used as a military barracks.
Built to have two fronts, one facing Calle Orizaba and the other facing Avenida Álvaro Obregón, the spaces now used as classrooms were originally intended as the Lamm family’s rooms. Like Parisian buildings, Casa Lamm has broad windows, with each featuring beautiful ironwork for their balconies. Today, Casa Lamm houses more than 15,000 unique volumes, which inform its academic programs, ranging from diplomas to higher education.
Edificio Balmori
What greater joy could there be, as an architecture student, than to wake up with the glimmering light of the sun shining through a perfect French-inspired windowpane? (Gobierno CDMX/Wikimedia Commons)
Just as in the previous example, the Edificio Balmori was masterfully built on a street corner. As happens in the Roma-Condesa cultural corridor, the building’s ground floor features commercial premises with first-rate cafes and restaurants. Each window is delicately adorned with details that simulate organic motifs, such as flower garlands. However, unlike other beautiful homes in La Roma, the upper levels of the architectural icon have remained a residential property.
Casa del Libro UNAM
Previously family-owned properties, some of the most beautiful houses in the Roma area are now open spaces for culture and the fine arts. (Gobierno CDMX)
Built in the 1920s, Orizaba 24 was one of the first privately owned properties with an elevator in Mexico City. The interiors are richly decorated with wood, marble and plaster finishes, as well as lavish tapestries in every room. The estate has a majestic balcony for the main room on the second floor, which previously had a panoramic view of the garden. In the 1940s, the Embassy of Brazil leased the manor for its operations in Mexico. Decades later, it was made one of the National Autonomous University’s (UNAM) cultural venues. Casa del Libro UNAM hosts book presentations, conferences, workshops and concerts every week.
El Parián
Imagine sipping on a wonderful cup of coffee while admiring the pointed cantera stone vaults? Yes, please! (Pasaje El Parián)
The El Parián shopping arcade is considered an architectural gem of the Porfirian era. Built in 1907, it is said to be as old as La Roma. Originally intended to be a market, it soon became a commercial and cultural center, with shops and restaurants run by local families. Today, this commercial corridor houses clothing stores, design studios, a medical laboratory, as well as four restaurants next to its entrances. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to spend an entire morning in.
The property that now houses the museum was built in 1907, along with other residences that have seen the neighborhood come to life. To date, it is one of eight buildings listed as “testimonies of Art Nouveau” in Mexico City, according tomuseum authorities. On the building’s cantera facade, you can see the oculi — or oval-shaped windows, simulating eyes — topping the door frames. However, unlike other Porfirian balconies, MODO’s are not wrought-iron. Instead, they are made from the same cantera stone that adorns its façade. These classical Porfirian-era elements make this estate, too, one of the most beautiful houses in the Roma area.
Sheinbaum also said on Wednesday that Mexico would not seek the death penalty against cartel bosses Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and Rafael Caro Quintero in the event that they are extradited. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Issues pertinent to the relationship between Mexico and the United States were a key focus of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference.
Here is a recap of the president’s Aug. 6 mañanera.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to accusations they face in the United States. The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that it was “unclear whether taking the death penalty off the table signals any possibility of a plea deal with either or both men.”
The aforesaid reporter asked Sheinbaum her opinion on the matter, saying that the decision not to seek the death penalty in cases against Zambada and Caro Quintero could mean that the two men are coming to some kind of agreement with authorities in the United States.
“We’re against the death penalty, no matter the crime,” the president responded. “It’s not something we agree with.”
Sheinbaum stressed that opposition to the death penalty is “part of Mexican policy” and not a “personal issue.”
“It has nothing to do with the person or the criminal, but rather with the fact that we don’t agree with the death penalty,” Sheinbaum said. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
She said that in “all” of Mexico’s extradition treaties, “reciprocity” with Mexican laws is established, meaning that Mexicans sent abroad can’t be subject to the death penalty even if the country they are extradited to allows capital punishment.
“So when … [Mexicans] are extradited, there is no death penalty,” Sheinbaum said.
In all cases when Mexicans face criminal charges abroad, “what Mexico seeks is reciprocity with our laws,” she said.
“It has nothing to do with the person or the criminal, but rather with the fact that we don’t agree with the death penalty,” Sheinbaum said.
Sentences in US against men convicted of trafficking weapons to Mexico a ‘good sign,’ says Sheinbaum
A reporter noted that six people were recently sentenced in the United States for trafficking weapons to Mexico, and highlighted that U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson commented on the case.
The United States Attorney’s Office in the Middle District of Florida announced on Friday that six men had been sentenced for trafficking military-grade firearms to Mexican drug cartels. The sentences range from 1.5 to nine years in federal prison.
In a post to social media on Monday, Johnson said that “the case of six Florida men sentenced for trafficking military-grade firearms to Mexican cartels reaffirms [the United States’] commitment to stopping the flow of illegal weapons into [Mexico].”
El caso de los seis hombres en Florida que fueron sentenciados por traficar armas de grado militar a cárteles mexicanos reafirma el compromiso de 🇺🇸 para frenar el flujo de armas ilegales hacia 🇲🇽. Seguiremos colaborando, bajo el liderazgo de @POTUS@realDonaldTrump, con la…
“Under the leadership of @POTUS @realDonaldTrump, we will continue working with President @ClaudiaShein and her team to dismantle these networks,” the ambassador wrote.
Sheinbaum was asked whether the sentences indicated that the United States government is “paying attention to the demands” of the Mexican government, which has long called on the U.S. to do more to stop the southward flow of firearms.
“Yes,” she responded.
“Of course, we’re going to continue insisting that … [they do] even more, but it’s a good sign that people have been arrested [in the U.S.] for arms trafficking,” Sheinbaum said.
She said that in conversations with U.S. officials, including Ambassador Johnson, Mexican officials have “always” advocated in favor of the U.S. taking action to prevent the trafficking of weapons to Mexico.
In another social media post on Monday, Ambassador Johnson said that “the new Border Unit in Sonora is a concrete step to stop the flow of illicit drugs, weapons, and people, while boosting trade and community ties.”
“A secure border benefits both countries — creating an environment where citizens can prosper. Border security is a shared priority — driven by the leadership of @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and President @ClaudiaShein,” he wrote.
Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo said on Friday that 18 state police officers who are part of the new unit had completed “specialized training” with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Como parte de la nueva División de Operaciones Fronterizas, hoy 18 elementos de la Policía Estatal concluyeron su capacitación especializada con la CBP de Estados Unidos.
Un esfuerzo binacional que refuerza nuestra presencia institucional en la frontera, con profesionalismo y… pic.twitter.com/VPxiCD2fsR
Sheinbaum said that the establishment of the new border unit is “part of the agreements” between Mexican and U.S. authorities. The neighboring countries are expected to sign a new security pact soon.
Sheinbaum highlighted that Mexican states have their own agreements with U.S. authorities. She told reporters that Baja California has an agreement with the CBP and that Sonora “also has agreements” that involve the sharing of information with U.S. authorities.
“If there is a criminal who crosses the border from the other side, you obviously have to have information,” Sheinbaum said.
“There is communication between the National Immigration Institute and CBP, and there is communication between [Mexican] Customs and CBP as well. There is communication between the governors of [border states] and their counterparts,” said Sheinbaum, who noted that Mexico also collaborates with Guatemala on security issues at their shared border.
With its high percentage of Mexican suppliers and Mexican-made products, Walmart is well-positioned to support the Sheinbaum administration's Plan México. (Marques Thomas/Unsplash)
Four months after Walmart announced plans to spend US $6 billion to bring nine more of its stores to Mexico, the retail giant’s CEO and several top executives met with President Claudia Sheinbaum and emerged from the meeting pledging compliance with the administration’s comprehensive strategy for economic development known as Plan México.
“We met at the National Palace with Doug McMillon, President and CEO of Walmart Inc., and his team,” Sheinbaum wrote on her official X account on Tuesday. “They reaffirm their investments in our country and their commitment to joining Plan México.”
Nos reunimos en Palacio Nacional con Doug McMillon, presidente y director ejecutivo de Walmart Inc., y su equipo. Confirman las inversiones que tienen en nuestro país y su compromiso de integrarse al Plan México. pic.twitter.com/cgBgx3q64p
— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) August 5, 2025
Walmart is well-positioned to support Plan México. Of its 33,000 suppliers, 85% are small and medium-sized Mexican companies, and 83% of the products it sells in the country are made in Mexico. That fits nicely with Plan México’s emphasis on domestic production and reduced dependence on imports, especially from Asia.
Local job creation is also a priority of Plan México, and Walmart’s announced investment is expected to bring 5,500 more direct jobs to the 200,000 people it now employs in Mexico.
Besides the opening of nine new stores in its Bodega Aurrerá, Sam’s Club, Walmart Supercenter, and Walmart Express formats, the investment will include the construction of two distribution centers in the state of Tlaxcala and the Bajío region. These centers will incorporate artificial intelligence and advanced robotics to optimize logistics.
The Walmart CEO’s meeting with Sheinbaum follows the resignation of Ignacio Caride as general director of Walmart Mexico and Central America last week.
Cristian Barrientos Pozo, current general director of Walmart Chile, will assume the position of general director for the Mexico and Central America unit on an interim basis while the company seeks a permanent replacement.
Authorities emphasized that only Total Clean Mint, and not all Colgate toothpastes, has been taken off the market. (Shutterstock)
A best-selling toothpaste under the Colgate brand has been recalled from the Mexican market following consumer reports of adverse reactions, Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) reported on Monday.
Cofepris ordered Colgate-Palmolive to recall its Colgate Total Active Prevention Clean Mint Toothpaste from Mexico’s shelves immediately, and asked that consumers stop using the toothpaste and contact the company to return the product.
Other Latin American countries besides Mexico are having problems with Colgate’s Total product, including Brazil and Argentina. (Shutterstock)
The commission’s warning responds to reports from an unspecified number of consumers of adverse reactions. Cofepris said symptoms included:
Oral irritation
Gum inflammation
Oral pain
Tooth sensitivity
Ulcers, canker sores, or boils
Allergic reaction
Cofepris recommended consulting a health care professional if any of those symptoms are experienced. It also noted that symptoms varied from person to person and did not specify which ingredient was causing the symptoms from the toothpaste, which is manufactured in Mexico.
“It is reported that the recall is limited exclusively to the Colgate Total Active Prevention Clean Mint Toothpaste,” Cofepris clarified in a statement.
In July, Argentina’s National Administration of Drugs, Food and Medical Technology banned the use, distribution and sale of Colgate Total Clean Mint in all presentations and sizes following reports of adverse reactions.
In addition, 11,441 adverse cases were reported in Brazil since the product’s launch in July 2024 to June 18, 2025, suggesting there could be a problem with the formula.
“The product marketed in Brazil shares the same qualitative and quantitative formula, origin, and manufacturing plant with the one marketed in Argentina,” the Argentine agency said about the toothpaste.
Cofepris said it will maintain surveillance to prevent producers, services or establishments from violating its decree. It also said it will inform the public if it identifies new evidence.
The commission provided its contact information for concerned consumers: farmacovigilancia@cofepris.gob.mx
According to IMSS data, only 23% of registered gig workers in Mexico have other formal sector jobs, meaning that most earn their living primarily through digital platform work. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico added a record 1.26 million formal sector jobs in July, a surge driven by the launch of a pilot program that provides employment benefits to digital platform workers.
The number of workers registered with the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) stood at a record 23.59 million on July 31, according to a statement issued by the government agency.
IMSS said that the month-over-month increase of 1.266 million formal sector jobs was “boosted by the commencement of a pilot program for digital platform workers.”
At Sheinbaum’s morning press conference on Wednesday, Deputy Labor Minister Quiahuitl Chávez Domínguez said that digital platforms began registering workers with IMSS on July 1.
She said that registered workers will have access to formal sector employment benefits, including medical and accident insurance, government childcare centers and pension and housing programs.
“We are facing a true paradigm shift. Technological innovation is no longer at odds with labor rights,” Chávez said.
Digital platform workers need to earn at least 8,480 pesos (US $456) per month to have full access to formal sector employment benefits. The vast majority of the 1.26 million jobs added in July corresponded to digital platform positions, but it is not yet known how many of the “app workers” met the salary threshold to qualify for full benefits. But regardless of how much they earn, all digital platform workers now, at the very least, have accident insurance.
Chávez said that the reform requiring the incorporation of gig workers to IMSS was supported by both digital platform companies and their workers.
“Now there are clear rules, there is social security and there are fair working conditions for everyone,” she said.
Chávez highlighted that digital platform workers registered with IMSS won’t lose their right to labor flexibility. In other words, they will continue to be able to choose their own schedules and won’t be required to work a minimum number of hours. They will not be required to pay any additional taxes.
IMSS director Zoé Robledo told Sheinbaum’s press conference that 90% of more than 1 million digital platform workers in Mexico are men, while just 10% are women.
He said that 56% of such workers are 35 or younger and 23% have other formal sector jobs.
“This is very important because for a long time it was thought that [digital] platform work was a complement to other jobs. However, what we see is that for 74% of people, it’s probable that they only dedicate themselves to platform work,” Robledo said.
He said that the breakdown of digital platform workers in Mexico is “practically 50-50” — i.e., half are drivers for rideshare companies and half are delivery drivers or riders.
1.35 million formal sector jobs added this year
IMSS reported that 1.353 million formal sector jobs were created between January and July. Mexico now has 6.1% more formal sector workers than at the end of 2024.
With 23.59 million workers, Mexico’s formal sector is the largest it’s ever been. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The addition of 1.26 million positions in July came after three consecutive months of formal sector job losses. Formal sector employment declined by almost 140,000 positions between April and June.
IMSS also reported that the number of people in formal sector jobs was 5.6% higher at the end of July than a year earlier.
Guillermina Rodriguez, senior vice president of economic studies at Banamex, told the newspaper El Economista that the annual growth in formal sector employment is mainly due to the registration of digital platform workers with IMSS.
She said that the incorporation of such works into the formal sector is “positive,” but their inclusion in the IMSS data “distorts the overall employment picture.”
In fact, data indicates that without the commencement of the pilot program for digital platform workers, the number of formal sector jobs in Mexico would have declined in July.
Most new formal sector jobs are not permanent positions
Of the 1.35 million formal sector jobs added this year, just 155,591 positions — 11.5% of the total — are permanent positions. The bulk of the new jobs are temporary, or contract, positions.
The creation of permanent formal sector jobs declined 51.7% compared to the first seven months of 2024.
Excluding 2020, when many jobs were lost during the COVID pandemic, it was the worst start to a year for permanent formal sector job creation since 2009.
México state and CDMX record largest job growth; 19 states went backwards
IMSS data shows that the number of formal sector jobs in México state — Mexico’s most populous state — increased 41.7% in the 12 months to July.
With 15.4% annual growth, Mexico City recorded the second-highest formal sector job creation rate.
The high formal sector job creation rates in the two entities are reflective of the high number of digital platform workers in the Mexico City metropolitan area, which includes many México state municipalities.
Ten other states recorded formal sector job growth in the 12 months to July. They were:
Hidalgo (+3.1%)
Michoacán (2.7%)
Baja California Sur (2.3%)
Aguascalientes (1.8%)
Nuevo León (1.5%)
Colima (1.4%)
Quintana Roo (1.3%)
Jalisco (0.8%)
Guanajuato (0.3%)
Querétaro (0.1%)
Puebla recorded a 0.0% annual formal sector job creation rate.
Of the 19 states that lost formal sector jobs in the 12 months to July, Tabasco saw the biggest drop, followed by Nayarit. The number of formal sector positions declined 9.6% in Tabasco and 3% in Nayarit.
Job creation by sector
IMSS reported that the number of formal transport and communication sector workers increased 71% in the 12 months to July. The increase is largely due to the registration of digital platform workers with IMSS.
The number of formal sector workers increased in four other sectors reported by IMSS.
Business services (+5.4%)
Commerce (2.7%)
Electricity (1.8%)
Social and community services (1%)
The workforces of the following sectors declined in the 12 months to July.
Construction (-7.9%)
Mining (-5.5%)
Manufacturing (-1.6%)
Agriculture (-0.7%)
What is the average daily wage of a formal sector worker?
IMSS reported that the average daily base salary of a formal sector worker was 614.3 pesos (US $33) at the end of July. That is more than double the daily minimum wage in most of the country, which is set at 278.80 pesos.
IMSS said that the average formal sector wage was up 4.3% in annual terms at the end of last month.
