Panadería Rosetta is an award-winning spinoff of chef-owner's Michelin-starred Rosetta restaurant. Both are in the Roma Norte neighborhood of Mexico City. (Panadería Rosetta/Facebook)
Panadería Rosetta in Mexico City was named this week one of the world’s standout pastry destinations by La Liste, a prestigious Paris‑based global dining guide.
The only Mexican bakery on the 2026 Pastry Special Awards list, Panadería Rosetta was chosen as one of 10 winners of a Discovery Gem Award — a category that includes pâtisseries, bakeries, tea parlors and dessert shops from New York to Shanghai to Switzerland.
The bakery at Calle Colima 179 in Roma Norte is run by chef-owner Elena Reygadas, whose mini-empire also includes her Michelin-starred Rosetta restaurant on the same street, along with Lardo, Café Nin and Bella Aurora, all in Mexico City.
Her bakery, a 2012 offshoot of the Rosetta restaurant she opened two years earlier, has built its reputation on using artisan techniques, such as slow fermentation, and local Mexican ingredients as part of a broader push for sustainable, place‑based cooking.
La Liste’s 2026 awards recognized 36 winners in 12 categories across 18 countries. In a change from years past, the 2026 program was revamped to formally put artisan bakeries on the same global stage as pâtisseries, cafés and dessert bars.
Described as destinations “worth traveling for,” the honorees were cited for creativity, innovation, sustainability and community work.
Founded in 2015, La Liste compiles its rankings and special awards using more than 1,000 guides, media lists, expert opinions and verified customer reviews from over 200 countries.
Panadería Rosetta shares the honor with spots such as From Lucie in New York City, Gonfle Boulangerie in Paris and O’Mills Bakery & Bistro in Shanghai.
The Mexico City spot is not to be confused with the Italian-style chain Rosetta Bakery, an unrelated business with more than a dozen locations in U.S. cities including New York and Miami.
Healthcare quality and accessibility are key factors for foreigners considering a move to Mexico. (Shutterstock)
MND Mexico Healthcare Experience Survey™
What private healthcare in Mexico really looks like — according to expat patients
MND Intelligence · Inaugural edition
This article breaks down the results of the inaugural MND Mexico Healthcare Experience Survey™, a 17-question survey (contribute to the survey here) we developed to quantify the real-world experiences of foreign private healthcare patients in Mexico.
We created this survey because healthcare concerns routinely rank among the top reasons why people hesitate to move to, or spend more time in, Mexico. In that context, we want to provide clear insights from foreigners who are actually using private healthcare here.
The headline finding from this inaugural survey is that 92.9% of respondents rate the quality of private healthcare they have received in Mexico as “excellent” or “good.”
(Mexico News Daily)
That is a resounding endorsement of Mexico’s private healthcare system, which survey respondents have accessed all over Mexico.
Before we delve into the numerical results of the survey, it’s worth taking a moment to look at what some of you, the survey respondents, told us about your experiences using private medical care in Mexico.
In response to Question 15 — What surprised you most about your private medical care experience in Mexico? — the answers we received were overwhelmingly positive. Among the aspects of private medical care in Mexico that surprised survey respondents were:
“The level of personalized care and access to doctors and specialists and tests” as well as “communication via WhatsApp and receiving test results directly.”
“Doctors in general spend more time listening to your concerns.”
“Doctors actually listen here, instead of looking at a laptop and simply pushing prescriptions.”
“It is easy to get a specialist appointment and doctors are very accessible. I texted my son’s neurologist immediately after a seizure and my doctor replied with a medication change within 10 minutes. This level of responsiveness is unheard of in the U.S.”
Yes, there were some negative comments — a selection of which you can read below — but they came from a small minority of respondents.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the numerical results of the inaugural MND Mexico Healthcare Experience Survey™, presented as 10 key takeaways.
*NOTE: Percentages exceed 100% in some cases because respondents were able to select more than one option when responding to survey questions.
The survey respondents have received healthcare all over Mexico
A total of 714 people responded to the inaugural MND Mexico Healthcare Experience Survey™. Those people have received healthcare in locations across the country, from cities in northern border states such as Hermosillo and Mexicali, to Oaxaca city in the south and Mérida in the southeast.
(Mexico News Daily)
The top five cities where survey respondents have received healthcare in Mexico are:
San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato (16.4% of respondents).
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco (12.4%).
Guadalajara, Jalisco (6.6%).
Mexico City (5.2%).
Mérida, Yucatán (4.5%).
One-third of respondents told MND they have received healthcare in locations in Mexico that were not among the 24 cities listed in the survey. This result further underscores that respondents have accessed healthcare services in a large number of locations in Mexico.
Respondents have used a wide variety of medical services in Mexico
Collectively, the survey respondents told MND that they have used in Mexico each and every one of the 14 healthcare services we listed. Among the listed services were mental health/psychiatric consultations, emergency room visits and cosmetic, aesthetic or elective procedures.
The five most commonly-used medical services among the survey respondents were:
Dental care (83.5% of respondents).
Blood work or lab tests (82.5%).
Consultations with a general practitioner/family doctor (76.6%).
Consultations at a pharmacy clinic (74%).
Imaging: X-ray, ultrasound, MRI or CT scan (73.9%).
(Mexico News Daily)
The vast majority of respondents pay their private healthcare expenses in Mexico out-of-pocket
Just over 91% of respondents told MND they pay for private healthcare in Mexico out-of-pocket.
Just 6.8% of respondents said they use Mexican private healthcare insurance to cover their medical expenses in Mexico, while 8.7% said they use international/expat insurance.
Of the 714 people surveyed, 8.9% said they used insurance purchased (or coverage provided) in their home country to pay for medical expenses in Mexico.
Around one in 10 of the respondents (10.3%) said they use a combination of the above options when paying for private healthcare in Mexico.
(Mexico News Daily)
Over 70% of respondents say they are ‘very confident’ in the training and qualifications of doctors in Mexico
Around seven in 10 respondents (70.4%) told MND they are “very confident” in the medical training and qualifications of private healthcare doctors in Mexico. An additional 21.6% of those polled said they are “somewhat confident” in private doctors’ training and qualifications.
Added together, those two cohorts represent 92% of the people who took the survey.
Around one in 20 of the respondents (5.4%) said they were “neutral” regarding their level of confidence in the training and qualifications of private doctors in Mexico, while just 2.4% said they were “somewhat skeptical” and 0.3% said they were “not confident at all.”
(Mexico News Daily)
More than 90% of respondents rate the quality of private healthcare in Mexico as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’
Asked to rate the overall quality of the private healthcare they have received in Mexico, 64.5% said “excellent.”
An additional 28.4% of respondents chose the “good” option. Thus, 92.9% of those polled said that private healthcare in Mexico is either “excellent” or “good.”
The remainder of respondents said the healthcare they have received in Mexico was either “acceptable” (6.6%) or “poor” (0.6%). None of the respondents chose the “very poor” option.
More than 60% of respondents say private healthcare in Mexico is better than healthcare in their country of origin
Asked to describe private healthcare in Mexico compared to the healthcare they receive or previously received in their country of origin, 35% of respondents said “much better.”
An additional 28.1% of respondents said that private healthcare is “somewhat better” than the healthcare they receive or previously received in their home country.
Therefore, 63.1% of those who took the survey opined that private healthcare in Mexico is superior to healthcare they receive or previously received in their country of origin.
Just over one-quarter of respondents (25.7%) said that private healthcare in Mexico is “about the same” as healthcare in their home country, while 6.6% said it is “somewhat worse” and 0.8% said it is “much worse.”
(Mexico News Daily)
Over 80% of respondents say that healthcare is cheaper in Mexico than in their home country
Just over half of all respondents (50.2%) said that the medical services they received in Mexico in the past year were “dramatically cheaper” compared to the cost of the same services in their country of origin.
An additional 32.6% of those polled said the medical services they received in Mexico were “noticeably cheaper” than the same services in their home country.
Therefore, 82.8% of respondents have found medical services in Mexico cheaper than the same services in their country of origin.
Just under 2% of the survey participants said that the medical services they received in Mexico in the past year cost “about the same” as in their home country, while 2.4% said they were “more expensive” and 1% said they were “dramatically more expensive.”
Only 1% of respondents say they are unsatisfied with their doctor’s ability to communicate in English
“Very satisfied” was the most common answer respondents gave when asked how satisfied they were with their doctor’s ability to communicate in English and explain their condition and treatment clearly. All told, 55.3% of those polled gave that response.
An additional 23.7% of respondents said they were “satisfied” with their doctor’s English-language ability, while 7% said they were “neutral.”
Therefore, 79% of respondents were either “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with their doctor’s English-language ability.
Just 1% of those polled said they were “unsatisfied” with their doctor’s English-language communication skills, while an additional 0.4% said they were “very unsatisfied.”
Around one in 10 respondents said they were “comfortable receiving care in Spanish” and therefore their doctor’s English-language capability (or lack thereof) was not consequential.
Over 95% of respondents say it it is ‘very easy’ or ‘easy’ to access private healthcare in Mexico
More than six in ten respondents (62.3%) said it was “very easy” to access private healthcare in Mexico when they needed it. That response indicated that respondents were able to receive the care they needed promptly — i.e. the same day or the next day.
An additional 33.3% of respondents said that it was “easy” to access private healthcare in Mexico, meaning they can get the care they need “within a few days.”
Therefore, 95.6% of those polled said it was “very easy” or “easy” to access private healthcare in Mexico.
Only 0.8% of respondents said it was “difficult” to access private healthcare in Mexico, meaning they faced significant waits to get the care they needed. An additional 0.3% said that accessing private healthcare was “very difficult,” while 3.2% described the level of accessibility as “moderate,” meaning they faced waits of “about one week.”
More than 35% of respondents say they are ‘genuinely satisfied’ with their private healthcare experience in Mexico
Asked “what single thing” would most improve their private healthcare experience in Mexico, respondents’ most common response was, “Nothing — I am genuinely satisfied.” Over one-third of those who took the survey (35.7%) gave that response.
The four next most common responses were:
Better direct billing with international insurance: 13%
Better continuity of care and electronic medical records: 10.4%
Greater availability of certain specialists locally: 8.6%
More English-speaking providers in my city: 8.2%
Additional data points
Below you will find a selection of survey results that are not included in the 10 key takeaways above.
Asked to nominate their “biggest concern” about healthcare in Mexico before moving here, 38.2% cited the “cost of a major unexpected medical event.” This concern was the most commonly cited of the more than 700 people who took the survey. The fact that over 80% of respondents said that healthcare in Mexico is cheaper than in their home country indicates that this concern may have been alleviated for many people after they used medical services here.
The second most commonly cited “biggest concern” was “quality of hospital facilities and equipment” (37.8%). The fact that almost 93% of respondents rate the quality of private healthcare in Mexico as “excellent” or “good” indicates that this concern may have also been alleviated for many people after they used medical services here.
Almost one-third of respondents (32.7%) said they spent less than US $500 out-of-pocket on private healthcare in Mexico in the past 12 months. Just over a quarter of respondents (26.4%) said they spent $500-$1,000 in the same period, while 15.2% spent $1,500-$3,000. About one in ten respondents (9.7%) said they spent $3,000-$6,000 on out-of-pocket private healthcare in Mexico over the past year. About one in seven of those polled (14.1%) spent more than $6,000 on private healthcare in the period.
More than three-quarters of respondents (77.6%) said they would recommend dental care in Mexico to family and friends. In second place, 72.5% of respondents said they would recommend a doctor or specialist consultation in Mexico to family and friends.
Your experience using private healthcare in Mexico … in your words
As noted in the introduction to this article, we asked survey respondents what surprised them the most about their private medical care experience in Mexico. We included a selection of positive comments above.
Here is a selection of the negative comments we received in response to this question. Such comments were few and far between, coming from a small minority of respondents.
“We travel a lot in Mexico and find it lamentable that there is not much [private healthcare] available once you leave major cities.”
“I’m very disappointed with optometrists and eye glasses [in Mexico].”
“[I was surprised] how little the private doctor knew, and how completely unable to help me [she was]. She didn’t even recommend Tylenol or ice, for example.”
“The cost [of private healthcare] kept going up dramatically year after year. We finally joined IMSS to get out of that situation.”
We also asked survey respondents to tell us, in one or two sentences, what they wished they had known about private healthcare in Mexico before arriving here, or what they would tell a friend who is nervous about healthcare in Mexico. Again, the comments we received were overwhelmingly positive. Here is a selection of them:
“I’d tell friends to leave their nerves at the border! I’ve received great care from highly trained professionals that I would consider comparable to the care I received when I lived in Chicago.”
“Mexican healthcare is tremendous. You should even consider ‘medical tourism’ if you are not planning to otherwise come to Mexico.”
“I would assure a friend that medical care in Mexico is far superior to that in the U.S. and Canada. It is faster to be treated and much less expensive as well, along with excellent care.”
“Private medical care here is much higher quality than I expected. The doctors I have seen are not only well qualified but spend far much more one-on-one time with their patients than similar physicians in the U.S.”
“We are very pleased with our healthcare providers and facilities here in San Miguel de Allende. We have had a knee replacement, stent procedure, and prostate resection surgery, all completely successful and totally budget friendly.”
“I wish I had not had a negative impression about doctors and dentists in Mexico. I think people are discouraged by the medical providers they have in the U.S. I tell people that I get the same or better care in Mexico at a fraction of the U.S. prices.”
“I would tell anyone moving to Mexico to make sure they have enough money for a medical emergency — at least US $20,000 immediately available — or a good medical policy in Mexico. Hospitals here won’t provide palliative care unless you pay up front.”
“In our area, Los Cabos/East Cape, BCS, we have well-trained physicians but I’m just not 100% confident in their total abilities when diagnosing. I would tell anyone coming that it’s fine for minor issues and dental, but if I could travel and it wasn’t an emergency, I would go to the States.”
“I wish I’d known the health care was so good. I’d have moved years and tens of thousands of dollars ago.”
“Find a family practitioner you trust and let them direct you to specialists as needed. Discuss payment and costs openly with your doctor. Many physicians here communicate directly via WhatsApp for follow-up questions.”
The rains, the wetter beaches and the temperatures combined to create the ideal conditions for egg incubation on the Oaxaca coast this past spring. (Archivo Conanp)
The Morro Ayuta beach sanctuary in Oaxaca hosted a record 1.9 million protected nests and more than 34 million olive ridley sea turtle hatchlings, marking a successful nesting season, Mexico’s National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp) reported.
The sanctuary, located on Oaxaca’s Pacific coast between Puerto Escondido and Salina Cruz, is one of the most well-regarded marine biodiversity preservation centers worldwide, and is one of only 12 sites where the arribada (arrival of turtles) occurs on a massive scale.
🐢 El santuario de la playa Morro Ayuta, en el Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, registró una temporada histórica de desove de tortuga golfina con 1.9 millones de nidos protegidos y más de 34 millones de crías liberadas al mar, informó la Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales… pic.twitter.com/t6emRaGHF4
“Thanks to the rains, the wetter beaches and the fact that this summer’s temperature was ideal for egg incubation… the turtle nesting season came to a close with unprecedented numbers,” said Guillermo González Padilla, the head of the turtle camp, in an interview with the newspaper La Jornada.
The olive ridley turtle, which gets its name from the color of its heart-shaped shell, is among the smallest species of sea turtle in the world. They are found primarily in the tropical regions of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.
“We always try to protect as many nests as possible on the beach; however, there are other external factors, such as the current swell, hurricanes and trash,” explained González Padilla. According to Gónzalez Padilla, there are packs of wild dogs that eat around 40 nests a day.
In the last 20 years, the olive ridley sea turtle population has grown exponentially, according to González Padilla.
“The reproductive period begins in May,” he explained. “The females mate with one or two males and can retain the sperm of one of them through a specialized organ called the spermatheca, which stores the sperm.”
According to González Padilla, a female can lay almost 500 eggs in a single season, and when their offspring hatch, they memorize the beach and use all their senses to walk on the sand towards the sea.
Sea turtles and their eggs used to be part of the traditional diet of the Indigenous Chontal community, but today, the main challenge for the turtles’ conservation is the proliferation of poachers who sell them on the black market for financial gain, particularly due to a lack of employment in the region.
Mexico’s Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) activates a surveillance protocol at the beginning of the turtle nesting season to prevent poaching, with the support of the Mexican Navy.
The sanctuary is partially funded thanks to the Mexican government’s fine scheme to combat environmental crimes. Fines paid by offending individuals and businesses have helped the current administration raise over 8 million pesos (US $464,700) to support the conservation of priority areas, according to a press release.
The director of the CFE said on Wednesday that during Sheinbaum's term, 17,106 electricity projects have already been built. She highlighted that the number — achieved in just 20 months — is higher than the total number of projects completed in the 2006-12 and 2012-18 terms of government. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)
Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
⚡ Energy justice pledge — 45,000 projects: Energy Minister Luz Elena González and CFE chief Emilia Esther Calleja announced that the government will carry out more than 45,000 electricity projects during Sheinbaum’s six-year term to bring power to 99.9% of Mexican homes, including isolated rural dwellings. Calleja noted that 17,106 projects have already been completed in just 20 months.
⚽ World Cup traffic measures acknowledged: Sheinbaum confirmed government decrees cutting short the on-site workday in Mexico City on Wednesday ahead of the Colombia–Uzbekistan match, and directing Guadalajara workers to work from home Thursday for the Mexico–South Korea game. She added that Mexico’s final group match against the Czech Republic falls on June 24 — her birthday — and that similar remote-work and no-school arrangements will apply in Mexico City that day.
🎙️ AMLO’s cousin rebuked over Trump insults: The president distanced herself from remarks made by Manuela Obrador Narváez — welfare delegate in Chiapas and cousin of former president López Obrador — who called Donald Trump a “misogynistic tyrant” at a Morena rally. Sheinbaum said the comments “don’t represent the view of the government of Mexico,” and noted she had asked her welfare minister to review whether an administrative offense had been committed.
Why today’s mañanera matters
At President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference, officials presented details on the government’s plan to get electricity to virtually all homes in Mexico. More than 99% of homes already have power, according to data presented by the government, but the goal is to get as close to 100% as possible.
Officials said the government is committed to “energy justice,” and framed the commitment as part of the Sheinbaum administration’s broader goal of improving the lives of Mexico’s most disadvantaged people.
Also of note at today’s mañanera was Sheinbaum’s acknowledgement of the government-decreed work and school arrangements designed to ease traffic in Mexico City and Guadalajara ahead of World Cup matches in the former city on Wednesday night and in the latter on Thursday night.
In addition, the president responded to controversial remarks made by a federal official, who is also a cousin of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO).
Energy Minister: 45,000 electricity projects to be carried out in Mexico
Energy Minister Luz Elena González reminded reporters that “the concept of energy justice” was enshrined in law with the approval of an energy reform in 2024.
Energy Minister Luz Elena González said the infrastructure investment represents “energy justice” for Mexico’s population. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)
“For the first time, access to energy is recognized as a dimension of justice and wellbeing,” she said.
“.. To ensure this energy justice, we’re carrying out, in the coming years, more than 45,000 electricity projects … so that this concept that we included in the law for the first time doesn’t remain on paper,” González said.
She said that the electricity projects will ensure that 99.9% of homes in Mexico — including dwellings in isolated rural areas — have power.
“There is always a 0.1% … [of homes] that are practically impossible [to get electricity to],” González said.
Emilia Esther Calleja, head of the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), said that the CFE is building more electricity infrastructure than ever before.
She presented data that showed that 12,630 electricity projects were built during Felipe Calderón’s 2006-12 presidency, while 14,505 were built during Enrique Peña Nieto’s 2012-18 presidency.
Calleja said that during Sheinbaum’s term to date, 17,106 electricity projects have already been built. She highlighted that the number — achieved in just 20 months — is higher than the total number of projects completed in the 2006-12 and 2012-18 terms of government.
The CFE chief reported that 21,645 electricity projects were completed during Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s 2018-24 presidency. The data she presented showed that 45,182 electricity projects are projected to be completed during Sheinbaum’s six-year term. This is the number Gónzalez was referring to. The total cost of the more than 45,000 projects is slated to be almost 21.4 billion pesos (US $1.24 billion)
“We’re going to carry out more than triple the projects built in the six-year terms between 2006 and 2018,” Calleja said.
“… This reflects a profound change in the vision of national development,” she said.
“For this government, electricity is not understood as a privilege or a good. It’s understood as a right linked to social justice and the wellbeing of the Mexican people,” Calleja said.
Sheinbaum acknowledges World Cup arrangements in CDMX and GDL
A reporter asked the president where she would watch the World Cup match between Mexico and South Korea, which will be played at Guadalajara Stadium (Akron) on Thursday night.
“We’re going to see how work is going here. Maybe I’ll watch it right here,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the National Palace, where she lives and works.
“Maybe I’ll grab my husband so we watch it together,” she added.
Sheinbaum subsequently noted that Mexico’s third and final group match, which will be played against the Czech Republic in Mexico City on June 24, is on the same day as her birthday.
The president acknowledged that the government issued a decree advising that the “on-site” work day for government workers in Mexico City will conclude at 3 p.m. Wednesday in order to reduce traffic in the evening ahead of the Colombia vs. Uzbekistan match at the Mexico City Stadium. The private sector in Mexico City has also been urged to end the on-site work day early.
¿Van hoy al Estadio CDMX al partido Colombia vs Uzbekistán?
Sheinbaum noted that there will be no classes in Guadalajara on Thursday and that workers in the Jalisco capital have been directed to work from home if possible due to the Mexico-South Korea match. The aim again is to ease traffic congestion. Similarly, there will be no classes in Mexico City on June 24, and workers have been directed to work from home if possible.
AMLO’s cousin in hot water
A reporter told the president that at a Morena party rally in Chiapas on Tuesday, the government’s welfare delegate in the southern state, Manuela Obrador Narváez — a cousin of AMLO — “hurled insults” at U.S. President Donald Trump, calling him a “misogynistic tyrant” and a “disgusting” person.
The reporter asked Sheinbaum whether she agreed with the remarks.
“No, no,” she responded.
Sheinbaum said she had asked Welfare Minister Leticia Ramírez Amaya to review whether Obraror had committed any “administrative offense in the work she carries out.”
“But it isn’t correct [to say that] if you’re a welfare delegate,” she said.
Sheinbaum said that Obrador’s remarks “obviously don’t represent the view of the government of Mexico.”
“… We have to be respectful of the president of the United States,” she said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
Bet you can't do this, Dana White. (This image generated using AI tools)
All stories in El Jalapeño are satire and not real news.
MEXICO CITY — President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Tuesday that her June birthday celebration will feature a bikini mud wrestling competition in the Zócalo, stating that Mexico’s foreign policy team had determined the event “meets current standards for official state functions.”
The announcement followed careful study of a White House UFC event last week in which professional fighters competed in a purpose-built octagon erected on the South Lawn while the President watched from a raised platform alongside senior cabinet officials and Dana White. The event was streamed live and described by the Office of the Press Secretary as “a showcase of American strength and competitive spirit.”
What’s the value of history compared to mud wrestling? (This image generated using AI tools)
“We studied the footage carefully,” said a Mexican government official who asked not to be named. “This is now apparently what governments do.”
Sheinbaum’s office declined to characterize Mexico’s mud wrestling announcement as imitative, calling it instead “a natural progression from combat sports to a format more accessible to the general public.”
“The White House established that the lawn is a venue,” said a senior official who asked not to be named. “We have a much bigger venue.”
The Zócalo competition will follow a single-elimination bracket format. Cabinet attendance is described as encouraged. A separate list of those who decline will be maintained by the Secretaría de Gobernación for administrative purposes.
The event is expected to draw significant international media. Construction on the main stage begins next week, requiring the demolition of the eastern wing of the National Palace — a 400-year-old structure that has hosted world leaders, Olympic athletes, and three separate papal visits.
Officials confirmed the wing contains the permanent Diego Rivera murals depicting the entire history of Mexican civilization, and said relocation options were being explored.
A steamy morning at Balneario el Rincón, whose many springs give rise to the Teuchitlán River, where tequila splitfin fish are being reintroduced. (John Pint)
Long ago, European fish fanciers fell in love with a family of small fish found in central Mexico, and soon, hundreds of them, all around the world, had to have what are popularly called Mexican splitfins or livebearers in their aquariums.
Those Mexican fish are among the most beautiful members of the Goodeid family (named after ichthyologist George Brown Goode), certain of which are wonderfully efficient at keeping an aquarium clean because they love to eat algae. On top of that, most Goodeids don’t lay eggs, but bear their young alive, using some rather sophisticated adaptations all their own.
Squeezed out by tilapia
Many of Mexico’s Goodeid family of fish are on the endangered list, but are being brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to dedicated environmentalists. (Topiltzin Contreras MacBeath)
Most of Mexico’s Goodeids are found in the states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Guanajuato. They are quite small, perhaps only four to eight centimeters long, but if you went looking for them today, what you would probably find instead are tilapia, which, over the years, have been introduced into just about every creek, pond, river and lake of central Mexico.
Tasty and nutritious as they may be, tilapia — which are of African origin — are very aggressive and their numbers steadily grow as the populations of splitfins dwindle.
Graceful butterfly wings
One of the prettiest of the Goodeids is the butterfly splitfin. It was found in Río Teuchitlán, the headwaters of the Ameca River, in 1955, by American zoologists Robert Rush Miller and J.T. Greenbank. The site lies near Jalisco’s Guachimontones or circular pyramids, at the foot of Tequila Volcano.
Miller eventually named the fish Ameca splendens, “the shining one” in reference to its “striking life colors,” particularly the brilliant yellow-orange band on the male’s tail fin.
Hobbyists soon went looking for it, to breed it at home, impressed with the male’s glittering metallic scales, which, they say, reflect light with turquoise flashes, evoking the graceful flapping of butterfly wings.
In no time, this little fish became a favorite in personal aquariums all over the world.
The Teuchitlán River in Jalisco has for years been a favorite haunt of the elusive butterfly splitfin, also known as Ameca splendens. (John Pint)
“I consider Ameca splendens the perfect aquarium fish,” says Juan Miguel Artigas. “They are interesting, lively, colorful, tolerant and they don’t require a large aquarium.”
Dibble’s Ark
Just Google Ameca splendens, and you’ll see references to it in every language on the planet!
Then, in the 1990s, a leading fish fancier, Englishman Ivan Dibble, started receiving reports that the butterfly splitfin could no longer be found in its native haunts. Similar fears about other members of the family, the golden skiffia and the spotted skiffia, impelled Dibble and friends to launch Fish Ark Mexico in 1997 at the Aquatic Biology Lab of the University of Michoacán, in Morelia.
Soon, aquarists from around the world were carrying certain species of these much-loved splitfins back to Mexico, and several local projects popped up (and died) in the Teuchitlán area in an effort to reintroduce the fish into their native habitats.
Back again after 127 years
“In our case,” says Karina Águilar, Conservation Manager of Guadalajara’s Urban Park System, “we knew that a Goodeid named Skiffia multipunctata once lived in ditches and channels in Parque Agua Azul because a Frenchman named Leon Diguet collected it there around the year 1899. Unfortunately, it disappeared here in Guadalajara and rumors claimed it had gone extinct.
“Today, however, we have created a new lagoon at the park, which — thanks to the biologists in Morelia — will soon be brimming with the spotted skiffia. In Spanish, we call this fish el tiro pintado, and this coming August, we will celebrate its return to Agua Azul Park with well-deserved pomp and circumstance.”
Mexican fish, Austrian zoo
Michael Köck, center, in a geocistern in Amacueca, Jalisco, specially designed for breeding the golden skiffia, which had previously been declared extinct in the wild. (Neri Quintana Barragán)
Projects like this one are being facilitated by Michael Köck, former Curator of Freshwater Fish at Haus des Meeres Aqua Terra Zoo in Vienna, Austria, but now Freshwater Conservation Manager at the Aquatic Lab in Morelia.
Köck had been caring for Mexican Goodeids in 120 aquariums in the basement of the Austrian zoo.
“But,” he told me, “there came a time when I began to worry about what would become of those fish after I retired … and I came to the conclusion that it would be better for me to work directly in Mexico and help save the original habitats of the fish.”
Köck presented these concerns at a workshop in Morelia in 2022.
“The topic centered on what we were going to do for the benefit of the whole group of Goodeids — because 90% of these species are threatened with extinction.”
Plan G is born
Out of this workshop came Plan G to Save the Goodeid Family, specifically to restore at least one habitat for each of the Goodeid species in Mexico and to accomplish this within a period of 10 years. The Plan was to bring back the fish that were extinct in the wild while helping those already established to do better.
The people of Amacueca, Jalisco, have embraced the cause of increasing the number of the tiro dorado, or “golden skiffia.” (Neri Quintana Barragán)
To bolster Plan G with financing and support, Michael Köck undertook a visit to zoos, public aquaria and museums across Europe in 2024, in a bid to engage stakeholders in this ambitious conservation plan. His travels took him through Denmark, Sweden, Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Switzerland, France and the United Kingdom.
The show of support was overwhelming.
Passionate about conservation
“If you ask me why I gave up my job to work in Mexico,” Köck told me, “I will answer because I have seen what the people in this country are capable of achieving. I was impressed by the success they were able to reach with limited resources, and I wanted to be part of this movement. I have faith in this community: Mexicans are incredible when they want to achieve something, and the people I work with are passionate about succeeding in conservation. I’m here to help them where I can and to learn from them whenever I can.”
If you, too, would like to help the cause, you can donate to the Goodeid Working Group (donations@goodeidworkinggroup.com).
John Pint has lived near Guadalajara, Jalisco, for more than 30 years and is the author of “A Guide to West Mexico’s Guachimontones and Surrounding Area” and co-author of “Outdoors in Western Mexico.” More of his writing can be found on his website.
These days you can change the world from anywhere, even if its a beach on the Bay of Banderas or an office in Puerto Vallarta. (Ty Downs/Unsplash)
On any given morning in Puerto Vallarta, the soundtrack is familiar. Waves roll onto the shore, vendors set up for the day and the hum of life settles in across one of Mexico’s most beloved coastal cities.
And inside a home office overlooking a landscape better known for vacations than global advocacy, Suzanne York is working on some of the world’s biggest challenges.
Suzanne York, director of Transition Earth, has been living and working in Puerto Vallarta while running the non-profit environmental advocacy organization. (Suzanne York)
As director of Transition Earth, York, a native of Vancouver, Washington, spends her days connecting human rights, women’s empowerment, population growth, climate change, resource consumption and environmental sustainability issues. The organization works internationally, engaging policymakers, activists, educators and young people around the world.
What makes her story remarkable, though, isn’t simply the scope of the work, but where it happens.
How to change the world from Puerto Vallarta
For decades, the assumption was that meaningful global change originated from power centers such as Washington, London, New York or Brussels. Yet the digital age has completely redrawn that map. Today, a person with expertise, commitment and a reliable internet connection can influence international conversations from almost anywhere —including Puerto Vallarta.
York’s journey into environmental and social advocacy spans years of research and writing focused on ecological health. Before leading Transition Earth, she worked with organizations examining how human well-being and environmental sustainability are deeply interconnected.
What she represents is a growing phenomenon in Mexico. Globally engaged professionals are choosing to base themselves in communities that offer a different pace of life while remaining connected to international networks.
Puerto Vallarta may seem an unlikely headquarters for discussions about climate resilience, reproductive rights and sustainable futures. Yet perhaps that’s precisely the point.
The city sits where mountains meet the Pacific, and nature isn’t an abstraction here. The ocean, forests and wildlife are part of daily life. For York, that daily connection serves as both inspiration and reminder.
The ‘remote work’ revolution
“There’s no doubt Puerto Vallarta is beautiful, and seeing the sun almost every day is conducive to a good workday,” she says. “I’m grateful to live here. I love both the mountains and the bay, and both are motivations for supporting ways to protect the planet for all inhabitants.”
At the same time, she sees firsthand the pressures rapid growth can create.
“The rapid growth of the area shows what’s at stake,” York explains. “Development impacts people and animals, such as crocodiles displaced by disappearing wetlands. It’s important to me to find solutions that balance the needs of nature and people, here and around the world.”
The global coronavirus pandemic in the early 2020s accelerated a shift that was already underway. Organizations became more comfortable operating remotely, and international collaboration moved online. Geographic distance became less important than intellectual connection.
For York, that’s created an unusual opportunity to contribute to global conversations while living in a place that offers daily reminders of what those conversations are ultimately about.
Tying the abstract to the local
Transition Earth’s mission is to create a better environmental future, and York often sees global issues reflected through a local perspective in Puerto Vallarta. (Vallarta Adventures)
The mission of Transition Earth centers on creating a thriving environmental future through digital media, events and educational outreach. Yet dedicating a career to issues that are planetary in scale comes with its own challenges.
“There are days when I think it would be easier to work on different issues,” York says. “Helping audiences understand the links between health, the environment, human rights and population growth can be difficult because these are complex, big-picture challenges that often feel abstract or distant from people’s everyday lives.”
Yet she believes understanding those connections is essential.
“Our problems, and the solutions, are connected,” she says.
Part of Transition Earth’s work involves making those connections tangible by highlighting local stories from around the world. York’s travels have also taken her to communities facing environmental and human rights challenges firsthand.
“Sharing stories of how a community in Borneo is bringing healthcare and sustainable jobs while protecting orangutans at the same time helps break down big-picture issues and show how problems can be addressed,” she says.
Staying positive in the face of adversity
Many of the issues York works on are enormous and complex, and like anyone immersed in global challenges, she occasionally struggles with discouragement.
“These are certainly big-picture issues that don’t have simple solutions, and I definitely have days where I don’t feel too hopeful about the state of the world,” she admits.
When that happens, Puerto Vallarta itself often provides perspective.
“I often go for walks here in Vallarta. To nearby estuaries, the path along the Pitillal River, the beach or even the Malecón. Being outside and in or near nature usually gives me a nice attitude adjustment.”
She also draws inspiration from younger generations.
“I am fortunate to work with two young people at Transition Earth who give me inspiration,” she says.
Going for walks on the Pitillal River is a reminder of the environment York and Transition Earth are fighting for. (Conference of Latin American Geography)
One of them is Josh Mirondo, a Ugandan writer who focuses on the connections between reproductive health and climate change. Another is Martha Nimusiima, who writes about climate change, women’s rights and biodiversity.
At the intersection of difficult problems
“These two young people have inherited a world of difficult problems, and raising their voices gives me hope.”
Change rarely arrives through a single breakthrough. More often, it emerges from thousands of conversations, articles, presentations and connections that gradually shift public understanding. York’s work places her at the intersection of those conversations.
From Puerto Vallarta, she participates in webinars with experts on different continents, collaborates with partner organizations and publishes ideas that reach audiences far beyond Mexico’s shores. That reality challenges traditional notions of influence.
Today, impact isn’t necessarily measured by where an office is located. It’s measured by the quality of ideas, the strength of networks and the ability to inspire action.
York says most people are no longer surprised that she works from Puerto Vallarta.
“I don’t think people are that surprised these days,” she says. “The world changed a lot during and after Covid, and the reaction I usually get is envy that I’m in Puerto Vallarta.”
Living in a virtual world
Like many professionals whose careers have become increasingly digital, she acknowledges missing some face-to-face interactions but appreciates the opportunities created by virtual collaboration.
“It’s fortunate that so much now takes place online,” she says.
Her office may be in a beach community, but her focus extends across continents. There’s something distinctly hopeful about that image. At a time when headlines often emphasize division and crisis, York’s work suggests another narrative.
That individuals still have the capacity to influence systems larger than themselves. That geography no longer determines the limits of participation. And that meaningful work can be rooted in a place chosen for quality of life rather than proximity to power.
The days of having to work from world capitals to achieve anything meaningful are gone. So why not live in a place as beautiful as Puerto Vallarta? (Cortor Media/Unsplash)
York is fully aware of the privilege and opportunity that arrangement provides.
“I know I’m lucky to be here and to be able to work on issues that I’m passionate about,” she says. “How great is it that a home office allows for this to happen?”
Even paradise has problems
At the same time, she notes that even paradise isn’t immune to larger global issues.
“There are problems even in a beach town paradise. Just like anywhere, I can see the big-picture problems are also local. The important point is that these conversations about pressing problems need to happen everywhere.”
York’s awareness of those changes is reinforced by conversations close to home. Her partner, Jack Bramy, a San Francisco Bay Area native, is the administrator of the popular Facebook group Vallarta and Beyond – The Real Deal. Through the community, they regularly see residents discussing the effects of growth, development, infrastructure challenges and environmental changes across the region.
Those firsthand accounts offer another window into how global issues such as sustainability and resource management play out at the local level.
As the afternoon sun settles over Banderas Bay and another day in Puerto Vallarta unfolds, York returns to the ongoing work of building connections between people, communities, and ideas. The challenges she addresses are global. The solutions will require cooperation across borders, cultures and generations.
And some of that work, quietly and persistently, is happening from a desk on Mexico’s Pacific coast.
For young people hoping to create positive change, York offers a message grounded in realism and optimism.
“It sounds a bit cliché to say never give up, but it’s true,” she says. “No one has a crystal ball and can predict the future. The world situation seems bleak, but positive change can happen.”
She pauses before adding the principle that continues to guide her own work.
“We owe it not just to young people and future generations, but to all of us, to keep trying to make things better. It could be a long road, but we need to try.”
Charlotte Smith is a writer and journalist based in Mexico. Her work focuses on travel, politics, and community. You can follow along with her travel stories at www.salsaandserendipity.com.
Restaurants and bars reported sales increases of up to 40% over the weekend. (Estrella Jocento/Cuartoscuro)
The Mexican men’s national team’s win against South Africa in the World Cup opener last Thursday foreshadowed the tournament’s positive economic impact of almost US $70 million for Mexico City, according to calculations by Forbes Mexico and the Confederation of National Chambers of Commerce, Services and Tourism (Concanaco Servytur).
This economic boost was driven by the tourism, consumer and entertainment sectors, particularly by increased hotel occupancy, food and beverage sales and sporting goods purchases, with restaurants and bars reporting sales increases of up to 40% during the tournament’s inaugural weekend.
The preliminary report overrides a less rosy picture from the Mexican Employers’ Confederation in Mexico City (Coparmex CDMX), which claimed that hotel occupancy did not meet the 80% expected. Concanaco Servytur’s report, however, found that hotel occupancy in the three host cities — Mexico City, Monterrey and Guadalajara — was indeed over 80%.
“The World Cup is demonstrating that sport can be an engine of growth and tourism promotion for Mexico,” said the president of Concanaco Servytur, Héctor Tejada Shaar.
The economic impact of the sports event was also noticed in the e-commerce sector, with Mercado Libre and Amazon reporting increased sales of jerseys, soccer balls and televisions. Delivery apps also registered peak demand during the inaugural match.
The influx of domestic and international visitors also boosted air and ground transportation use, with Mexico receiving more than 45,000 additional passengers on domestic flights over the weekend.
The challenge will be maintaining economic momentum during the subsequent phases of the tournament, with the final Mexico-based match to be played on Sunday, July 5, in Mexico City, ahead of the tournament final on July 19.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to generate an economic impact of 65 billion pesos (US $ 3.8 billion) nationwide. However, previous reports suggest the tournament is unlikely to have a significant knock-on effect on the country’s GDP and is unlikely to be sufficient to support a sustained change in private consumption.
Maná sponsors a tree-planting nursery in rural Jalisco. (Selva Negra)
Fans of Maná, the most successful Latin American band of all time with over 45 million records sold, are gearing up for a free outdoor concert in Guadalajara on Wednesday night.
The band not only intends to showcase to the world the elements that distinguish the state of Jalisco, including its musical richness, but will also be donating the proceeds from the concert to local reforestation projects.
The state government has issued a public invitation ahead of the concert scheduled to take place at the La Minerva Glorieta, among the most emblematic monuments in Guadalajara, the state capital.
Long associated with social causes, especially those related to the environment, Maná said any resources generated by the event (including a fee paid by the city government) will be devoted to tree-planting projects in Guadalajara and several municipalities across the state, including in Puerto Vallarta.
The band maintains a nursery in Ahuisculco, a small town about 50 kilometers southwest of Guadalajara, which produces approximately 10,000 trees annually.
“We believe that the most important cause right now is to reverse climate change, through planting trees and reducing carbon dioxide,” lead singer Fernando “Fher” Olvera said. “This isn’t just talk; it’s a reality, because we must leave a better future for our children and grandchildren.”
The show comes less than a week after Maná performed during the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Mexico City, a moment the group considers the high point of their four-decade career.
“We got messages from Japan, Germany, France, Italy … from countries where we never played,” said drummer Alex González. “That’s when we realized the level of exposure we got.”
Wednesday’s concert — their first free-to-the-public gig in their four decades as a band — is expected to last about two hours and feature large-scale production, screens, lighting and sound systems set up along Vallarta Avenue. There will also be a few surprises, Olvera said.
“It’s going to be awesome. It’s completely free so grandma and auntie can come,” he said. “It will be a real Guadalajara festival. For us, it’s a way of thanking the city that gave us the opportunity to grow and develop our career.”
González said the concert will be a historic night for Guadalajara.
“This is where our dreams of one day becoming a famous band began,” he said. “And look how far we’ve come. We owe it all to the fans in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and all of Mexico.”
The 2-year-old tamed duck wandered through celebrating crowds in Mexico City after El Tri's 2-0 victory over South Africa — drawing wide grins, photos and millions of social media views. (Xareni Gu/Facebook)
Mexico’s World Cup opener last week produced goals from Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez, but an unlikely figure has become the tournament’s early breakout star: a duck named Merlin.
Dressed in a green Mexico jersey, socks and sneakers, the 2-year-old duck wandered through celebrating crowds in Mexico City after the home team’s 2-0 victory over South Africa — drawing wide grins, photos and millions of social media views.
The images and associated memes spread worldwide, with fans dubbing him the “World Cup Duck,” or “El Pato Mundialista” in Spanish.
The owner was identified as a street vendor named Karla Ivette Gómez, referred to as Carla Gómez by some media outlets.
The duck’s calm presence among crowds is no accident.
“I tamed him. I taught him to follow us, first with a harness, so he’d get used to being out here,” Gómez said in an ESPN interview. “He was afraid of people, of busy streets and of the noise. Then he got used to it.”
Gómez said Merlin joined her family after a previous duck, Waffle, died. His diet includes duck feed, fruits and vegetables — plus once a week, a carnitas taco.
“A customer who already knew us gave us Merlin, because my son got very sad when he didn’t see his duck,” Gómez told ESPN.
Once Merlin’s clips went viral, FIFA, the governing body of world soccer, moved quickly, inviting duck and family to a photo and video shoot.
According to the AP, Merlin and Gómez met with FIFA representatives on Monday — seemingly elevating the streetside mascot into an officially embraced face (and feathers) of the 2026 World Cup.
However, FIFA hadn’t issued anything Merlin-related as of Tuesday morning, and Zayu the Jaguar will of course remain Mexico’s official World Cup mascot.
“We never imagined he’d become such a sensation,” Gómez said of Merlin. “We weren’t expecting it.”
So far, there’s been no indication that Merlin and family will travel to Guadalajara for Mexico’s next match, an important battle at 7 p.m. Thursday against South Korea for control of Group A. South Korea also won its first of three group-stage matches, overcoming Czechia 2-1 with a goal in the 80th minute.
“Mexico, we are with you,” Gómez said. “And Merlin is your No. 1 fan.”
