Wednesday, August 13, 2025

The definitive guide to Cabo San Lucas and Mexican Riviera cruises

By
Chris Sands
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Mexican riviera cruses Cabo San Lucas
A cruise down Mexico's Pacific coastline offers sun, sights and adventure. (IGY Marinas)

The Cancún–Tulum Corridor wasn’t the first stretch of México’s coastline to be given the descriptor “riviera,” a word more commonly associated with scenic shorelines in France and Italy. In the 1960s, three decades before the state of Quintana Roo rebranded its most popular beachfront tourist destinations as “Riviera Maya,” Princess Cruises coined the term “Mexican Riviera” to refer to Pacific Coast ports of call.

The Riviera Maya, of course, is a major cruise ship destination in its own right. Of the 9.3 million people expected to take cruises to Mexico this year, nearly 35 percent are expected to visit Cozumel, making it the country’s top cruise port. But the Mexican Riviera, made famous by the participation of Princess Cruises in the iconic television series “The Love Boat” during the 1970s and 80s, retains its enduring allure, with three of its premier destinations – Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta – projected to be among the top five most visited ports in México this year.

The Mexican Riviera is the original Riviera, despite overtures from Quintana Roo. (IGY Marinas)

How Many Cruise Ships Visit Cabo San Lucas and the Mexican Riviera?

The number of cruise ships that visit Cabo San Lucas varies from month to month and year to year. In 2022, for example, 276 vessels visited the Land’s End city, bringing more than 540,000 passengers. For the math-challenged, that’s an average of 1,956 tourists per ship. Of course, it bears noting that each cruise ship has a different capacity. Oceania Cruises’ Insignia, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ luxurious Seven Seas Grandeur and Seven Seas Mariner all carry less than 750 passengers. For Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Panorama and Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas, by contrast, it’s around 4,000 each.

Each of these ships, by the way, visited Cabo San Lucas in January 2023, the busiest month ever recorded for the destination, with over 103,000 shipboard tourists. As did ships representing Princess Cruises, Holland America, Norwegian, and Viking Ocean Cruises. 

It was an atypical month in terms of volume, but instructive in that there are typically plenty of options, allowing prospective cruisers to choose the ship that best suits their budget, the number of days they want to spend aboard (five and seven-night cruises from California ports like Los Angeles and Long Beach are lengthy enough to include Cabo San Lucas), and the amount of port time they desire. Navigator of the Seas, for instance, is one of the few ships to offer cruises with overnight stays in the city.

What’s the Best Time to Visit the Mexican Riviera?

There’s only one season when cruise ships aren’t plentiful: summer. In 2023, seven port calls were recorded each month for June, July, and August, and only two cruise ships – Carnival Panorama and Navigator of the Seas – were regular visitors during this slow season. October through April, meanwhile, are the peak months, mirroring the traditional high season for Cabo San Lucas. These seven months saw 217 of the 254 cruise ship arrivals last year.

Cruises are most popular between October and April, with cruises flocking to the sun-drenched coast. (Cabo Adventures)

That’s not to say summer isn’t a good time to visit, as fares are often lower. But the options are limited. These months also fall within hurricane season (May to November), so there is a small possibility – particularly during September – that port visits can be canceled because of inclement weather. 

How Much Time Do Passengers Have Ashore?

Cabo San Lucas is a tender port, meaning cruise ships have to anchor in the bay and have guests ferried to a Marina dock where they can disembark. That’s because the Cabo San Lucas Marina can only accommodate boats up to 375 feet long and the average cruise ship is about 1,000. 

The time permitted ashore varies from ship to ship. A survey of cruise vessels arriving in April 2024 shows an average of about six hours for passengers to explore the destination. To get the most out of your port call, get in line early for tender transport. It takes only about 15 minutes to get from the cruise ship to dry land, but that doesn’t account for the time that can be spent waiting in line.

Best Shopping, Dining, and Activities Options

Cabo San Lucas offers endless activities, food and shopping for visitors. (Pueblo Bonito Resorts)

Most cruise ships have a list of approved shore excursions for which guests can sign up in advance. These range from snorkeling at Land’s End and fishing for marlin and other game and billfish to spending the day at a local luxury resort. The benefit of approved excursions is that there are no worries regarding overstaying one’s allotted time. The list of potential activities is lengthy, too. Cabo Adventures, which works with cruise ships, notes that all of its activities save those requiring trips to Cabo Pulmo or La Paz are available for cruise ship passengers. 

For those who want to explore at their own pace, the biggest and most popular local beach – Playa El Médano – is a favored destination. It’s accessible by following the marina boardwalk around from the cruise dock. This takes about 30 minutes, however, so water taxis are a convenient shortcut. You won’t need to solicit them either. Drivers’ voices will be among the many that vie for your attention on this popular waterfront promenade. 

Restaurants and souvenir shops abound on the marina boardwalk and nearby downtown area. Considering Cabo San Lucas’ reputation for great fishing, it should be no surprise that locally caught seafood is a specialty. Solomon’s Landing and Baja Cantina, long-time marina fixtures, are good places to experience this delicious ocean bounty. Mango Deck and The Office on the Beach also offer seafood and Mexican cuisine and are among the top drinking and dining destinations on Médano Beach.

Cabo Wabo Cantina, founded by Sammy Hagar and his then Van Halen bandmates in the early 1990s, is a popular downtown stop for waburritos, margaritas, and souvenir t-shirts. Cobalto Pottery and Zen-Mar Folk Art, located nearby, will appeal to shoppers of a more discerning bent. 

What trip ashore would be complete without a souvenir? Cobalto Pottery (amongst others) has you covered. (Cobalto Pottery)

Yes, it is possible to visit San José del Cabo, the other cape city in Los Cabos. Buses, rental cars, taxis, and Uber will get you there. Rental cars allow more freedom and will prove cheaper than Uber and taxis, with the latter notable for their exorbitant rates. A U.S. driver’s license permits you to drive legally locally. The Gallery District is a preferred place to browse for those who make the trip. 

Pesos Vs. Dollars

Everyone takes dollars in Cabo San Lucas, so it isn’t necessary to exchange money before your cruise (not every ship provides exchange services onboard) or once you’ve come ashore. However, it’s certainly preferred for those who are budget-minded. Businesses in Los Cabos establish their own favorable exchange rates, so if you pay in dollars you’re likely to lose a few of them on every transaction. This transaction loss adds up. It may only cost you $20 or so during your day in port, but if your cruise features multiple Mexican port visits, pesos are a recommended investment. Visit your bank before getting underway for the best rate.

If you’re using credit cards, foreign transaction fees of 1% to 5% may be applied to each purchase. However, not all local businesses accept these types of payments.

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.

Federal authorities protest as El Mencho’s brother released from prison

By
MND Staff
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Mexico's scurity minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez speaking at a podium
Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez said that the video footage of Osguerra's arrest presented to the court by his defense team showed a highly edited version of events in his favor. (lopezobrador.org.mx)

Despite protests from the federal Security Ministry and President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Abraham Oseguera Cervantes, brother of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, was released from prison early Tuesday after a judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to put him on trial.

Oseguera, known as “Don Rodo,” was detained by the National Guard (GN) in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, on April 21. The Ministry of National Defense (Sedena) said they confiscated illegal drugs and two firearms when he was arrested.

Two officers hold the suspect, Abraham Oseguera
Abraham Oseguera, an older brother of CJNG leader Nemesio “El Mencho,” Oseguera, was detained in Jalisco in the early-morning hours of April 21. (Screen capture/X)

Oseguera — who Sedena said was “considered one of the main coordinators of logistical and financial operations” for the CJNG — was set to face drug trafficking and weapon possession charges.

However, at a marathon hearing last weekend that extended into the early hours of Sunday, Judge Rogelio Díaz Villarreal ordered the 70-year-old’s release from the Altiplano maximum security prison in México state after determining that “the manner of [his] arrest was contradictory to what was stated by the authority in its police report.”

The police report said that GN officers arrested Oseguera after entering a property in pursuit of three armed men. Videos presented at the hearing, however, didn’t show any armed men outside the property in question.

What they did show, according to a report by the newspaper Reforma, “was a group of five federal agents who arrived in advance with a battering ram to break the locks of the door.”

“The agents illegally entered the property without a search warrant, and a short time later, a helicopter arrived to transfer the detainee [to Mexico City],” Reforma added.

“… A key element was that the dactyloscopy [fingerprinting] report presented in the hearing concludes that Don Rodo’s fingerprints were not on the two firearms seized from him,” the newspaper said.

'El Mencho,' wanted in Mexico and the US.
Other relatives of CJNG leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera were arrested in 2020 on drug-trafficking-related charges, including El Mencho’s son and daughter. However US officials told Mexico’s government this week that they had no outstanding warrants against Abraham Oseguera, said Security Minister Rodríguez. (DEA)

The judge concluded that authorities lied about Oseguera’s arrest. He also remarked that it is illegal to remove a person from their home without a warrant.

The FGR could not produce evidence from any separate investigation that would have allowed it to press other charges against Don Rodo and keep him in prison, Reforma said.

There have been numerous previous cases in Mexico in which judges have released suspects after determining that their arrests didn’t occur in the way authorities said they did.

Federal authorities respond to the judge’s ruling and Oseguera’s release 

The FGR said in a statement on Monday that GN officers were legally “obliged” to pursue the three armed men as they saw them committing “a clearly flagrant criminal act.”

It also said that municipal police officers in Autlán presented a criminal complaint against the GN officers who arrested Oseguera — “demonstrating … the collusion and complicity of local police authorities [with criminals].”

“That complicit conduct … was ratified when said police officers were presented as witnesses by the defense for the accused,” the FGR said.

The federal Attorney General’s Office asserted that the “series of fragmented videos” presented by lawyers at the hearing last weekend lacked “chronological sequence” and had no “technical documentation to give them credibility and certainty.”

“… The judge ordered the release of … [Oseguera] based on these very questionable and insufficient videos, while the same judge … failed to place value on the accusations of serious crimes already presented against Abraham “O,” the FGR said, adding that it would appeal the decision.

Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez said Tuesday that the government appealed to the Supreme Court. However, Mexico’s top court did not overturn the judge’s decision to release Oseguera.

Rodríguez also railed against the ruling to release Oseguera, saying that Judge Díaz “gave full validity to the defense’s evidence,” which she described as “edited videos … in which it is presumed there was a manipulation.”

Michoacan police questioning a passenger on a long-distance bus
Municipal police in Tepalcatepec, Michoacán, doing routine patrols. The municipality is plagued by violent attacks by the CJNG in its turf war with the Los Viagras cartel. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

The security minister said that the government asked United States authorities for information about legal processes or complaints against Oseguera in the U.S. but was informed that there was nothing “outstanding” against him.

“He was therefore released during the night according to the terms ordered by the judge,” Rodríguez said. “This is a state matter that could seriously affect the prestige of Mexico’s institutions,” she added.

President López Obrador — a frequent critic of Mexico’s judiciary — made similar remarks on Monday.

Oseguera left prison in the early hours of Tuesday and disappeared into the night in a private vehicle.

Don Rodo and El Mencho were arrested on heroin trafficking charges in California in the early 1990s, but the latter has never been detained in Mexico. In his late 50s, El Mencho is at the helm of a criminal organization that operates all over Mexico and in many countries around the world.

U.S. authorities are offering a reward of up to US $10 million for information leading to his arrest.

With reports from Reforma, El País, El Financiero and El Economista 

Mexican economy reports mixed growth results in the first quarter

By
MND Staff
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Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City
While Mexico's quarter-over-quarter growth in Q1 2024 was better than expected according to preliminary data, the annual growth rate of 2% was lower than forecast. (Cuartoscuro)

The Mexican economy grew 0.2% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the final three months of last year and 2% on an annual basis, according to preliminary seasonally adjusted data published by the national statistics agency INEGI on Tuesday.

The quarter-over-quarter growth is higher than the 0.1% median forecast of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg, but the annual figure is lower than the expected 2.3%.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at the Mexican bank Banco Base, acknowledged on the X social media platform that the quarter-over-quarter growth was higher than expected, but added that the 0.2% expansion was “low” considering that 2024 is an election year, when political spending typically stimulates the economy.

In fact, the January-March result represented the lowest Q1 growth rate since the first three months of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began to have an effect on the economy.

“With … [weak growth] and high inflation, Mexico still has the risk of falling into stagflation,” Siller wrote.

The INEGI data shows that the tertiary or services sector grew 0.7% on a quarter-over-quarter basis between January and March, while the primary and secondary sectors contracted by 1.1% and 0.4%, respectively. The primary and secondary sectors have now contracted during two consecutive quarters, something that hadn’t occurred for around four years.

Maya Train construction Palenque-Escárcega
Government spending on infrastructure projects like the Maya Train boosted GDP growth in 2023, but is expected to slow this year. (Cuartoscuro)

Siller said that the strength of the peso was a factor in the weakness of the secondary sector, which includes manufacturing, as peso appreciation against the US dollar makes Mexican exports more expensive. The peso had a particularly strong March, reaching an exchange rate of just above 16.5 to the greenback late in the month.

On an annual basis, all three sectors grew in the first quarter of 2024. Primary sector GDP increased 1.3%, the secondary sector grew 1.5% and the tertiary sector expanded 2.5%.

Still, the overall 2% annual growth rate was the weakest result for any quarter in more than two years.

INEGI reported earlier this year that Mexico’s GDP increased 3.2% annually in 2023. Government spending on infrastructure projects and investment related to nearshoring helped stimulate the economy.

In a document submitted to the federal Congress in late March, the Finance Ministry forecast that the Mexican economy will grow between 2.5% and 3.5% in 2024.

Earlier this month, the International Monetary Fund revised down its economic growth forecast for Mexico in 2024 to 2.4% from 2.7%, citing “weaker-than-expected” outcomes early in the year.

With reports from El Economista, El Financiero and El País

Officials begin crocodile ‘rescue operation’ in México state lagoon

By
MND Staff
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Crocodile sitting atop garbage dumped in Laguna La Piedad lagoon in Mexico state
For years, Laguna La Piedad in México state has been a notorious dumping ground for garbage, old furniture, and more. Three to four years ago, authorities believe, one to three crocodiles were dumped here too. (Foro TV)

Authorities in México state have intensified their efforts to capture a crocodile seen in a lagoon, Laguna de la Piedad, located within the city limits of the Cuautitlán Izcalli municipality, considered a suburb of Mexico City.

Residents of La Piedad neighborhood, north of the lagoon, say they’ve seen at least two crocs, each of which is an estimated 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) in length. Locals told the newspaper El Heraldo that there could be up to four in the lagoon. 

Laguna de la Piedad aerial view
The lagoon, which stretches over 208 hectares of México state, has long been the focus of cleanup efforts that have not borne fruit. The waters remain highly polluted. (Autonomous Metropolitan University)

Roberto Romano lives along the lakeshore. He told El Heraldo that he has been seeing crocodiles in the early morning for about four years. 

“There is one that is about 3 meters long … and a second that must have been about 1 meter 20 [less than 4 feet long],” he said. 

The smaller crocodile has not been seen for some time and is presumed dead.

Although the Laguna de la Piedad is considered an important feature of Cuautitlán, it has been contaminated with effluent discharge for years and is often used as a dumping ground. The newspaper Record published a photo of the crocodile sitting on what appeared to be a refrigerator dumped in the lagoon.

The presence of crocodiles in the lagoon has been an urban legend for years, especially as the condition of the lagoon and its location in the middle of urban sprawl makes it an unlikely spot for a crocodile to settle. But recent sightings have been supported by photographs and drone videos that have circulated on social media and in newspapers.

Mexico is home to several species of crocodiles, but none is native to México state. A Cuautitlán environment official told Record that the animals in the lagoon had allegedly been dropped off there by a man in a trailer some years back. The community has since been feeding the crocodiles, the official said.

These two short videos give a close-up look at the crocodile, sunning itself on a sofa dumped in the lake as firemen and other authorities attempt to get close enough to capture it.

Agents from the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa), México state Civil Protection units, members of local fire departments, and officials from the Environment Ministry (Semarnat) and the Cuautitlán Police Department began a concerted effort on Monday to capture the crocodile — or crocodiles.

Crocodiles are protected species in Mexico, so the authorities are intent on capturing and relocating the animals instead of killing them.

A Profepa team was paddling around the lake, nets were in abundant supply and officials set up several bait traps along the shore of the 39-hectare lagoon in hopes of capturing the reptiles. 

With reports from El Universal, Heraldo de Mexico and Record

Chetumal Bay blue hole is the world’s deepest, scientists say

By
MND Staff
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Taam ja’ Blue Hole
The Taam ja’ Blue Hole is over 420 meters deep, making it the deepest yet discovered. (Joan Alberto Sánchez Sánchez/Ecosur-Conahcyt)

An underwater sinkhole off the southeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula has been confirmed as the deepest in the world — and researchers haven’t even reached its bottom yet.

The Taam ja’ Blue Hole in Chetumal Bay extends at least 420 meters below sea level, according to a statement by researchers from the National Council of Science and Technology’s (Conahcyt) Investigadores por México program and the College of the Southern Border (Ecosur) who this week published their findings in the periodical Frontiers in Marine Science.

Map of the Chetumal bay blue hole
A map of the location of the Taam ja’ Blue Hole off the coast of the Yucatán peninsula. (Frontiers in Marine Science)

Blue holes are generally circular, steep-walled depressions, and get their name from the dramatic contrast between the dark blue, deep waters of their depths and the lighter blue of the shallows around them.

The Taam ja’ Blue Hole had been named the second-deepest in the world in research conducted in March of last year via bathymetric mapping employing echo sounder technology. 

In December 2023, the Conahcyt-Ecosur team utilized a CTD Profiler to measure the water depths within the blue hole and found it “surpassed 420 [meters below sea level] with no bottom yet reached.”

A CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) profiler is a device with a set of probes that read and transmit water properties to the surface in real time via a cable.

A diver near the blue hole
A diver exploring the Taam’ ja Blue Hole. (Oscar F. Reyes Mendoza/Ecosur-Conahcyt)

The latest research indicates Taam ja’ is significantly deeper than the former No. 1, China’s 301-meter-deep (990 feet) Sansha Yongle Blue Hole, also known as the Dragon Hole, in the South China Sea. 

A temperature-salinity diagram was also devised to identify a potential relationship between the waters of the blue hole and those in coastal and open-sea waters in the Caribbean.

The researchers noted different layers of water within Taam ja’, including a layer below 400 meters where the temperature and salinity conditions resembled those of the Caribbean and nearby coastal reef lagoons, reported the website Live Science. 

This means that Chetumal Bay and the Caribbean could be connected via a hidden network of tunnels and caves.

“In this regard, the CTD measurements hint at potential undiscovered connections with the seawater of either the coastal reef lagoons or deeper coastal zones of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System,” the Conahcyt-Ecosur team wrote in their research report.

The report recommends further exploration to compare the Taam ja’ Blue Hole’s relationship with regional water bodies, hydraulic connections and water quality dynamics, while suggesting exploration of the biodiversity found within the blue hole. 

With reports from La Jornada Maya 

As traffic increases at Felipe Ángeles airport, AMLO says it is now profitable

By
MND Staff
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Plane landing at Felipe Angeles International Airport in Mexico
The new rail line will connect Pachuca, the capital of Hidalgo, with the México state airport AIFA. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

The Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) outside of Mexico City will no longer receive government subsidies to cover operational costs, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday.

“It already has a lot of air traffic — both passengers and cargo. It is already the airport with the most cargo movement in the country,” López Obrador said at his morning press conference. “All this has allowed it to have income to finance its operation with a little profit in a very short time.”

Passengers at Felipe Angeles airport walking and dragging luggage
Although Felipe Ángeles (AIFA) struggled in its first year, 18 airlines now operate passenger flights in and out of the México state airport. (File photo by Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

Located 35 kilometers north of Mexico City in México state, AIFA opened in March 2022 and experienced heavy losses in year one before its recent climb in usage. An emblematic work of López Obrador’s presidency, the airport has been run and managed by the Defense Ministry (Sedena).

In its first year of operation, AIFA had losses in the millions — expenses that were nine times higher than revenue — and transported over 1 million fewer passengers than the 2.4 million the National Transparency Platform had projected. As a result, AIFA’s government subsidies had to be tripled in 2022, the newspaper El Financiero reported.

Last week, however, it was reported that AIFA saw a 78 million pesos (US $4.6 million) profit in 2024’s first quarter, thanks to revenues of 490 million pesos and operating expenses of only 412 million pesos.

Slightly more than 1 million people used the airport during 2024’s first three months, an 82% increase over the same period in 2023, according to the report from the Federal Civil Aviation Agency (AFAC). That works out to approximately 11,000 AIFA users per day.

The reason for the increase, according to AFAC, is simple: more airlines, a greater frequency of flights and a larger list of destinations.

For example, low-cost Dominican airline Arajet offers direct flights between AIFA and Santo Domingo.

Mexicana Tijuana
One success story at AIFA, according to Mexico’s civil aviation agency, is the newly revived Mexicana Airlines, now run by the Defense Ministry. The airline saw a 39.6% increase in passengers carried to and from AIFA between February and March. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

Also, the previously defunct private airline Mexicana, whose brand name was purchased by Lopez Obrador’s government and brought back into operation by the Defense Ministry in December 2023, offers flights to 18 destinations in Mexico from AIFA. According to the newspaper Milenio, it is looking to buy new planes. 

In March, Mexicana transported 24,140 passengers to and from AIFA, an increase of 39.6% over the previous month, AFAC noted.

López Obrador also pointed out that airlines that move cargo are “very happy” because the Mexico City International Airport (AICM) was oversaturated and had full schedules. What he did not say, however, was that a February 2023 presidential decree pressured cargo carriers to move their operations from AICM to AIFA by dictating that cargo companies could no longer operate at AICM.     

At his press conference, AMLO was asked if government subsidies for AIFA would still be given. “Not for [its] operation,” he replied.

Though critics say the two-year-old airport is too remote from Mexico City and requires a journey from the capital that can exceed one hour, López Obrador said the facility is located “strategically” and offers flights “to any point in the country without the need to enter Mexico City.”

He also noted that AIFA traffic is likely to increase even more because the Interurban Train will be inaugurated in July. It can take travelers from the Buenavista commuter railway station in central Mexico City to AIFA, reportedly in 45 minutes, although some sources remain skeptical about that time estimate.

With reports from Milenio, La Jornada and Politico MX

Mexico takes home gold and silver at the World Beer Cup

By
MND Staff
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Cervecería Wendlandt took home two awards at the 2024 World Beer Cup
Ensenada-based Cervecería Wendlandt took home two awards at the 2024 World Beer Cup. (@cerveceriaw/Instagram)

Mexico in 2024 had its best year ever at the world’s “most prestigious” beer competition, with breweries in Hermosillo, Querétaro and Ensenada winning a total of four awards including two golds.

The World Beer Cup, a United States Brewers Association event which promotes itself as “the most prestigious beer competition in the world,” was held last week in Las Vegas.

Judges tasted beers across a total of 110 categories, including ones for American wheat beer, German-style pilsener, Belgian-style sour ale, English mild or bitter, robust porter, and even gluten-free beer and non-alcoholic beer.

Cervezas mexicanas came out on top in the German-style kölsch and export stout categories, and took the silver awards in the American-style pale ale and American-style black ale or American-style stout categories.

It was the first time ever that two Mexican breweries won gold at the same edition of the World Beer Cup, which was first held in 1996.

Over 2,000 breweries from 50 countries entered 9,300 beers in this year’s competition. A total of 280 judges from 37 countries including Mexico tasted the beers.

Beer judge world beer cup
The winning beers were selected by 280 experts from around the world. (World Beer Cup/Facebook)

Without further ado, here are the Mexican breweries and beers that won awards at the 2024 World Beer cup, which is also known as “the Olympics of beer competitions.”

Buqui Bichi Brewing takes the gold for its German-style kölsch 

Located in Hermosillo, Sonora, this brewery‘s German-style kölsch was deemed the best among 151 entries.

Called Banquetera, the 4.8% ABV brew is described as “light” and “refreshing” by Buqui Bichi Brewing.

A photo of Buqui Bichi Brewing's Banquetera beer from inside one of the brewery's taprooms
Buqui Bichi Brewing’s Banquetera beer got the gold in the German-Style Koelsch category. (Buqui Bichi Brewing/Facebook)

Ramón Osuna, a founding partner of the brewery, attributed the win at the World Beer Cup to the dedication of Buqui Bichi’s team to improve every day.

“After winning the prize for the best brewery in the country at the Copa Cerveza México, our next objective was to win an award at the World Beer Cup. With this gold award for our kölsch, Banquetera, we’ve managed to achieve this goal. As a Sonoran and Mexican company we are very proud,” he said.

In a tongue-in-cheek comment on its website, Buqui Bichi says that “a few Banqueteras is the best therapy for this life.”

The beer’s name is a derivative of banqueta, the Spanish word for sidewalk.

The brewery recommends drinking a Banquetera on the sidewalk with friends while sharing “life’s best stories.”

Compañia Cervecera Hércules wins gold for its export stout

Querétaro city’s Hércules also won a gold award, taking the top prize in the export stout category for its 7.5% Irish export stout Pueblito. There were a total of 45 entries in the category.

The recognition shows “we’re on the right path,” said head brewer Josh Brengle, who last year spoke to Mexico News Daily about the beers he and his team make at Hércules.

According to the brewery, Pueblito is an “extremely dark” beer with “predominantly toasted notes” reminiscent of coffee and dark chocolate.

A dark foaming glass of beer
Querétaro-based brewery Hércules was another gold medal winner, taking home the top prize for its Irish export stout, Pueblito. (Compañía Cervecera Hércules/Instagram)

It is a “robust, complex and elegant beer of Irish origin that now feels 100% queretana,” Hércules says.

At the 2022 edition of the World Beer Cup, the brewery’s “summer ale” Caballo Blanco was awarded bronze in the English ale category.

Cervecería Wendlandt takes silver for its American-style pale ale and stout

Ensenada’s Wendlandt, another previous winner of the best brewery award at the Copa Cerveza México, took home silver awards for its pale ale Vaquita Marina and its stout Foca Parlante.

“We’re full of happiness and pride at being the first Mexican craft brewery to take home two awards at the same edition of the World Beer Cup,” the brewery said in a post to Instagram.

Named after the critically-endangered porpoise, the 5.2% Vaquita Marina pale ale is a “refreshing” and “hoppy beer” with a citrusy bouquet and taste, according to Wendlandt.

Wendlandt’s Vaquita Marina beer won silver in the category of American-style pale ale.

The Foca Parlante is a dark and creamy 5.4% stout with a “flavor of toasted grains and a light touch of oatmeal,” the brewery says.

The beer, whose name means “Talking Seal,” was awarded bronze at the 2023 edition of the World Beer cup.

Mexico’s gold and silver award-winning beers can be purchased online. Check the breweries’ websites for details.

With reports from Periodismo de la Barra and El Universal

Abducted Catholic bishop who brokered cartel truces found in Cuernavaca hospital

By
MND Staff
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Morelos Attorney General Uriel Carmona visits Bishop Salvador Rangel in the hospital
Morelos Attorney General Uriel Carmona visited the retired bishop at the hospital in Cuernavaca, where he remained unconscious as of Tuesday morning. (Fiscalía de Justicia de Morelos/Cuartoscuro)

A retired Roman Catholic bishop who was well-known for his willingness to engage with criminal groups was allegedly drugged and kidnapped on Saturday and is now recovering in a hospital in Cuernavaca.

Morelos Attorney General Uriel Carmona said that Salvador Rangel Mendoza, former bishop of the Chilapa-Chilpancingo diocese in the state of Guerrero, may have been a victim of an “express kidnapping” given that a number of withdrawals were made from his bank account.

He was allegedly abducted after leaving his home near Cuernavaca in his vehicle on Saturday morning. His SUV was allegedly stolen by unidentified criminals.

The Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) said in a statement on Monday afternoon that Rangel, 78, had been missing since Saturday, but it later came to light that the retired bishop had in fact been in hospital since Sunday.

The CEM called on federal, state and municipal authorities to work together to bring the retired bishop home “safe and sound.”

It also called on “those who keep Monsignor Rangel Mendoza in captivity” to allow him to take “the medications he requires for his well-being.”

Salvador Rangel
The church association CEM announced Monday evening that Rangel had been located. (Twitter)

In a statement published on Monday evening, the bishops’ association said that Rangel had been located and was in the Dr. José G. Parres General Hospital in Cuernavaca, the capital of Morelos. The retired bishop lives in the neighboring municipality of Jiutepec.

According to Pedro Martínez Bello, a lawyer for Rangel, hospital staff realized they were treating the retired bishop after the CEM released its initial statement. The Morelos Health Ministry said in a statement on Monday that Rangel was admitted to hospital on Sunday night.

On Monday night, Rangel left the General Hospital and was taken to a private hospital, according to the Health Ministry.

Martínez told reporters on Tuesday morning that Rangel is “well, but not conscious.”

The retired bishop is expected to talk to authorities and make a formal criminal complaint when he is in a condition to do so.

Martínez asserted that his client was drugged during his kidnapping ordeal, and noted that his doctor said it could take him another three days to recover.

He said that Rangel was located at approximately 5 p.m. Sunday in Ocotopec, a community in the municipality of Cuernavaca. Security sources cited by the La Jornada newspaper said he was found lying on the street and that it appeared he had been beaten.

Dr. José G. Parres General Hospital in Cuernavaca
At Dr. José G. Parres General Hospital in Cuernavaca, staff realized their John Doe patient was Salvador Rangel after hearing of the retired bishop’s disappearance. (Gobierno de Morelos)

However, Martínez said Tuesday that Rangel did not have any serious injuries. He noted that his client suffers from high blood pressure and has a pacemaker. He also said it was unclear how he got to the hospital on Sunday night.

“We don’t know how he arrived, or whether it was a citizen who put him in an ambulance. … He arrived [at the hospital] as an unknown person,” Martínez said.

The lawyer said that people close to the retired bishop realized something was wrong when they became aware that money had been withdrawn from Rangel’s account from different locations in Cuernavaca.

The lawyer said that the retired bishop left his mobile telephones at his home when he went out on Saturday morning, indicating that he planned to return soon. It appears that people close to the bishop became aware of withdrawals and purchases with Rangel’s cards when they saw bank messages on his phones.

Rangel, who retired in 2022, was an outspoken bishop and became famous for engaging with instigators of violence and seeking truces between feuding cartels in Guerrero. Earlier this year, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador endorsed the efforts of bishops and priests to pacify Mexico via dialogue with criminals.

Mexico is a dangerous place for priests and other religious leaders, even if they are not involved in direct talks with criminals. More than 30 priests have been killed since 2012, and a similar number of evangelical church leaders have been murdered.

Rangel’s apparent abduction came two years after two elderly Jesuit priests were murdered in a church in southwestern Chihuahua. An archbishop of Guadalajara and Roman Catholic cardinal, Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo, was shot dead at the Guadalajara airport in 1993.

With reports from La Jornada and El Sol de Cuernavaca 

Opinion: How the populist narrative will challenge Mexico’s next president

By
Luis Rubio
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16
Andrés Manuel López Obrador after his election in July 2018
López Obrador, seen here giving a speech after his landslide victory in 2018, has embodied a populist anti-globalization narrative. But analyst Luis Rubio argues that Mexico needs to continue to embrace globalization to prosper. (Cuartoscuro)

The advent of populist movements, from the left and the right, has been accompanied by a rejection of globalization and a systematic call for the reappearance of an all-powerful government, aimed at correcting the ills that afflict humanity.

This populist narrative does not deny the extraordinary progress in terms of prosperity and poverty reduction that has characterized the world in recent decades, but it argues that “savage” or unfettered capitalism has caused extreme income inequality, benefiting mainly the rich.

The narrative is appealing, but it has served less to improve the welfare of the population than to consolidate new interests in power. This poses a clear dilemma in the context of electing Mexico’s next president: Closing the country’s doors to the world, or finding ways for the entire population to reap the benefits of the enormous opportunities that come with proximity to our two northern neighbors.

The economic liberalization that Mexico embarked on since the 1980s was little more than an acceptance that global technological change opened opportunities the country couldn’t seize without significantly changing its economic strategy and institutional framework. Today, the Mexican economy is much larger and more productive than it was half a century ago, and citizens enjoy political freedoms previously unimaginable.

The election of a new president, regardless of the winner, will determine the state’s  willingness to chart a course that allows the entire population to live in an environment of security and certainty, or to persist in the institutional and economic destruction initiated by the outgoing government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

The key point for those seeking progress for Mexico has to be accepting that globalization is an inexorable reality that has been extraordinarily beneficial for the country. The ills often associated with it — such as violence, inequality and poor-quality education — have been the result of what has not been done. The country can only attempt to isolate itself from globalization if it is willing to pay the price in terms of low growth, increased poverty and more inequality, losing out on the technological change upon which future progress depends.

The outgoing administration has attempted to play two contradictory games. On the one hand, it has allowed the continuation of integration with our northern neighbors, but did nothing to improve infrastructure or opportunities for the population to participate in that economic space. On the other hand, the administration has undermined the country’s security, hindered the development of energy capacity and created an environment of enormous uncertainty regarding the future, including the conditions necessary for the USMCA to continue after the review in 2026.

All of this calls into question the sustainability of current sources of growth. The winner of the election in June will have to define policy on this matter immediately.

Nations that, in recent decades, chose to face up to these challenges share very similar characteristics: They focused on improving the quality of their educational systems, built the necessary infrastructure and modified legislation to facilitate the transition of their economies. Above all, they changed their way of understanding development and embarked on a crusade to ensure that all of society could join the process.

By observing nations that thrive and those that lag behind, the path is evident. The successful countries embraced globalization and continue to do so, in parallel with adjusting and adapting their strategies and policies to ensure that their populations have access to every possible opportunity.

Mexico has followed a less consistent and more uncertain path. While there was a clear and consistent vision in the first iteration of Mexican reforms in the 1980s and 90s, the truth is that this did not last long. The liberalization of the economy was inconsistent with the way companies and banks were privatized, and many of the reforms, especially those undertaken in the previous administration of Enrique Peña Nieto (extraordinarily ambitious in themselves), were executed in such a way that they never gained legitimacy, and were therefore politically vulnerable.

The crucial point is that Mexico has spent decades pretending to reform when, in reality, it has only adapted at the lowest possible cost, preventing more successful and attractive results from being achieved for the population. That is the real dilemma for the next government.

Mexico has not embraced the need to be successful, has not accepted the imperative (and inevitable) nature of the new reality, all of which has made possible the attacks the country is now experiencing against its own future.

Globalization has not ceased to exist; the question is whether Mexico will eventually make it its own, or continue to pretend that its economic and political impoverishment is merely a matter of chance.

Luis Rubio is the president of México Evalúa-CIDAC and former president of the Mexican Council on International Affairs (COMEXI). He is a prolific columnist on international relations and on politics and the economy, writing weekly for Reforma newspaper, and regularly for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mexico News Daily, its owner or its employees.

Why it’s easy to love Xalapa like Ulysses S. Grant

By
Stephen Randall
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3
Ulysses S. Grant called Xalapa "decidedly the most beautiful place I ever saw in my life." It's not hard to see why. (Matt Gush/Shutterstock)

Despite its volcanic mountain ranges, virgin beaches, cloud forests, coastal sand dunes, tropical savanna, and a seemingly unending list of nearby ecological features, this college town that was once dubbed the “Athens of Veracruz” is barely on the map from an international tourist perspective. Former U.S. president and commander of the Union Army Ulysses S. Grant once referred to this town as “decidedly the most beautiful place I ever saw in my life” and its climate as “the best in the world.” 

We’re talking about the birthplace of the king of peppers — the mighty jalapeño — Mexico’s hidden gem, Xalapa! There’s a sense of kinetic energy as you stroll the downtown colonial streets, with the scent of locally grown coffee pulling you up, down and around this mountainous city. 

Between the coffee, chile peppers, and centuries of history, Xalapa has played an important role in the development of Mexican culture. (Ayuntamiento de Xalapa)

I’d like to share why this place has captured so many people’s imagination, including my own.

Start your morning with the famous latte-like lechero from La Parroquia, sure to warm you up on a foggy xalapeño morning. When walking through Xalapa’s streets, you’re treading on cobblestone streets steeped in history. 

The city’s heart beats around the Anthropology Museum, home to some of the world’s most significant pre-Hispanic Olmec artifacts. These colossal stone heads, mysterious in their origin and awe-inspiring in their execution, are only the beginning of what’s on offer here. 

Xalapa is a place where history isn’t just stored behind museum glass but is lived in the festivals and markets, in the music that spills from the local jazz university’s windows and in the stories locals are more than willing to share if you ask.

The Anthropology Museum is a hub for the city and showcases the long and rich cultural history of Veracruz. (Museo de Antropología de Xalapa)

Who’s hungry? Xalapa’s culinary scene mirrors its cultural diversity. Here, food is a narrative of Indigenous roots and Spanish influence, all served with a side of fresh, locally grown ingredients. You might find yourself savoring a breakfast of antojitos (literally “cravings”) at Cerro Gordo just outside of town. Their wood-fired tortillas make for the most flavor-packed enchiladas you can find anywhere — thank me later. 

Or try some huachinango a la Veracruzana — red snapper, Veracruz style — at La Perla oyster bar. This dish features a whole snapper cooked in a sauce made from tomatoes, capers, olives, and herbs. It’s a testament to the Spanish influence on the region’s cuisine. 

Another must-try is mole xiqueño. Coming from the Pueblo Mágico of Xico, a town near Xalapa, this variation of mole is less known than its Oaxacan cousin, but highly cherished in the region. It’s made with a variety of chiles, seeds, nuts, chocolate and spices, offering a complex and slightly sweeter flavor profile than most moles.

Xalapa’s natural surroundings could fill the pages of a nature journal with tales of misty walks through lush cloud forests that cling to the slopes of nearby mountains. These forests, shrouded in perpetual fog, create an almost mythical setting where epiphytes hang from every tree and the air is perpetually cool and moist. 

The nearby Pueblo Mágico of Xico combines dazzling nature and an inventive twist on classic mole. (Gobierno de México)

It’s a stark contrast to the tropical imagery often associated with Mexico, offering a haven for those who find solace in the quietude and greenery. Don’t miss the Clavijero Botanical Garden; it’s on the way to the neighboring coffee capital Coatepec, a town that is also a must-see. 

Looking for a unique night out in Xalapa? A few miles past the botanical garden is restaurant Futuro Primitivo, found on the second level of a reclaimed quicklime factory. While you’re there, stop by Calera, a powerhouse of a restaurant whose sole cooking fuel is wood. It perfectly combines traditional methods with new and locally inspired flavors. Head over to their disco floor, with a rotating roster of live DJs, to dance off the hearty meal you just devoured, and enjoy a cocktail or two.

Another excellent option if you’re staying downtown, is Mexican wrestling-themed restaurant and bar Doña Lucha, which is is always full an eclectic mix of college students and regulars. Order the sharing-sized cazuela de mezcal, served in a glorious clay jar with no pretense, just pure, unadulterated enjoyment.

Xalapa’s Futuro Primitivo offers incredible local cuisine and great mezcal. (Futuro Primitivo/Facebook)

Perhaps the most compelling reason to visit Xalapa is its people. Xalapeños are known for their warmth and hospitality and for their willingness to share a piece of their world with you. In this city, you’re not just a spectator; you’re a guest. You might find yourself drawn into a discussion over a game of chess in the beautiful Parque Juárez that overlooks the urban hillside or offered a taste of something unfamiliar and delightful at the local Mercado Jáuregui.

Xalapa doesn’t clamor for attention or have the polished grandeur of bigger tourist spots. Instead, it offers a chance to dive into an experience that feels more intimate — a slower pace of discovery that’s spiced just right, not unlike their famed jalapeños. Here, every corner offers a story, and every meal is a conversation. 

So, why visit Xalapa? Because in the quiet moments between the bites and beats, you’ll find something unexpectedly profound. This is a city for those who travel not just to see but to understand, to immerse themselves in a place’s essence. 

Dare to venture off the beaten path, make a visit and get wrapped in the feeling of discovery — like the surrounding mountains wrap this hidden gem of a place called Xalapa.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.

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