The Guadalajara International Airport plans to open its new runway in May. (Shutterstock)
With an eye on underlining its status as the major air travel hub of western Mexico, Guadalajara has invested 16 billion pesos (US $889 million) over the past five years for comprehensive improvements at its international airport.
The improvements include a new terminal and a second runway, which is expected to open in May, making Guadalajara’s the fourth airport in Mexico — after Mexico City’s two airports and the Cancún International Airport — to feature two runways.
The 3,500-meter runway will have the capacity to manage 60 operations per hour, alternating with the existing runway because they are only 275 meters apart.
Once the Transportation Ministry completes the certification and publications processes, the new runway will begin operations, airport director Martín Pablo Zazueta said.
Zazueta also said the construction of the new terminal should be completed by the end of June. The mixed-use area that will house shops, restaurants and a Hilton Garden Hotel could be inaugurated next month.
“We will then finish up the roads and facades so that the renovation is completed in December,” he said. “Afterward we will begin building a second terminal but that will be in a separate location so passengers will not be inconvenienced.”
In addition to a new runway and terminal, the Guadalajara airport plans to add a mixed-use area with shops, restaurants and a hotel. (Wikimedia Commons)
“We are looking to consolidate our status as a world-class airport” with the first stage of construction, which will be completed in December, Zazueta said.
“It’s a fact that Guadalajara has the opportunity to reinforce our claim as the hub of western Mexico,” he said. “And we already are, in many aspects, but these improvements will also allow us to take advantage of the dispersal of traffic from the Mexico City area.”
The Guadalajara International Airport is part of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, a firm that manages 14 airports in western Mexico, including five of the country’s top 10: No. 3 Guadalajara, No. 4 Tijuana, No. 6 Los Cabos (Baja California Sur), No. 7 Puerto Vallarta (Jalisco) and No. 9 León (Guanajuato).
Guadalajara, with 14.7 million passengers in 2023, is the firm’s biggest airport with Tijuana a close second (11 million passengers).
The headquarters of the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) in Mexico City. (Shutterstock)
Nearshoring has reached the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) in the form of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that offers investors exposure to around 70 North American companies and trusts considered “direct beneficiaries” of the growing business trend.
Aztlan Equity Management’s North America Nearshoring Stock Selection ETF is the first ETF accessible via the BMV that specifically seeks to take advantage of the nearshoring phenomenon.
It was first listed on the BMV on Monday via the Stock Exchange’s International Quotation System, which allows investors to invest in shares and ETFs listed offshore. The ETF — which had an opening price of 364 pesos (US $21.60) — has been traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) since Nov. 30.
The fund, identified by the ticker symbol NRSH, “seeks to invest in stocks that are based in North America, including the U.S.A, Mexico and Canada, and that have been identified by Aztlan as direct beneficiaries of the nearshoring phenomenon,” says Aztlan Equity Management, which has offices in the U.S. (McLean, Virgina), Mexico (Monterrey, Nuevo León) and Hong Kong.
It is comprised of companies and trusts that operate in sectors including real estate, ground transportation, air freight and logistics, transport infrastructure and marine transportation. Among the 70 or so companies and trusts that make up the ETF are TFI International, CSX Corporation, Canadian Pacific Kansas City and the Mexico-based real estate investment trusts Fibra Macquarie and Fibra Mty. The 30 best-performing companies in the pool selected by Aztlan contribute to the ETF share price at any given time.
“The new ETF marks a turning point in the sector of investment funds that are listed on the stock exchange. The investors who decide to invest in the NRSH ETF will have broad exposure to the nearshoring phenomenon in a single instrument,” said Alejandro Garza, Aztlan Equity Management’s founder.
The fund includes the rail company Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. along with other businesses that directly benefit from nearshoring. (Canadian Pacific Kansas City)
“There’s never been a fund integrating these three markets,” he said, referring to the U.S., Mexico and Canada, the three signatories to the USMCA free trade pact.
“That, and the fact that it’s the first nearshoring fund, also makes it a watershed,” Garza said after the ETF was listed on the NYSE last November.
Over half of the companies in the fund — 57% — are based in the United States, while 23% are in Mexico and 20% are in Canada.
In an interview with Bloomberg Línea, Garza said that US $10 million has been invested in Aztlan’s nearshoring ETF since it listed on the NYSE three months ago.
“We think that is a good performance [but] our objective is to get to $100 million by the end of the year,” he said.
Now that the ETF is accessible via the BMV, investing in the fund will be easier for Mexicans.
Mexico is already benefiting from the nearshoring trend, but foreign investment is expected to continue to increase in coming years as companies act on plans already announced and other foreign firms take the decision to establish a presence here due to the country’s proximity to the United States, competitive labor costs and other factors.
Art Walk is one of the most beloved and long-running events in Los Cabos. (All photos by Art Walk San José/Instagram)
Art Walk is one of the longest-running cultural happenings in Los Cabos, but the seasonal event, which has run since 2006 is more than just an opportunity for visitors to admire the colorful canvases of local artists or bask in the beauty of San José del Cabo’s historic Gallery District. It’s a showcase for the heart of the city.
When and where to see Art Walk
Art Walk takes place throughout the high tourist season, every Thursday evening from November through June.
Art Walk is held every Thursday evening from 5 to 9 p.m., during the November through June high season in Los Cabos. It’s free and open to the public. Many of the participating galleries where Art Walk takes place, which extend their normal business hours for this event, are clustered along a two-block-long stretch of cobblestone-studded Calle Álvaro Obregón, between Calle Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and Calle Vicente Guerrero in downtown San José del Cabo.
However, the event also branches off onto nearby side streets and starts only a block or so from Plaza Mijares, the city’s broad and lovely main square, which has been renovated in recent years and offers new charms alongside its notable historic attractions.
Art Walk was founded by local gallery ownersand gallery visits continue to be the focus of the event, from showcases for contemporary Mexican artists, like Ivan Guaderrama Art Gallery and Galeria de Ida Victoria, to those spotlighting folk art and jewelry design. But the event also draws wandering musicians and street performers, and other local businesses stay open late too, giving Art Walk nights a special energy and glow.
Historical attractions
The downtown area outside the Art District’s borders also comes alive though, and nearby attractions bordering Plaza Mijares – the city’s main plaza – also remain open, including the historic Catholic church.
Los Cabos, the name given to the municipality when it was formed in 1981, references the municipality’s two cities: Cabo San Lucas and San José del Cabo, its most important city and municipal seat, respectively. Because the focus on tourism here really took off when the National Fund for Tourism Development (Fonatur) took an interest in Los Cabos in the 1970s, many visitors are unfamiliar with the rich history and culture present here, particularly in San José del Cabo.
San José is one of the longest continually occupied communities on the Baja California peninsula, dating back to the founding of its Jesuit mission in 1730 by Nicolás Tamaral and José Echeverría. Tamaral was subsequently killed in a 1734 revolt by Indigenous Pericú people, an event depicted in a colorful mosaic above the door of the city’s historic downtown Catholic church, the Parroquia Misión San José.
The church is lit up for Art Walk evenings and open to the public. It has been at its current site in downtown San José del Cabo since the middle of the 19th century, and in its current form since being rebuilt following a hurricane in the early 20th century. Like City Hall with its historic 1930s-era clock tower, it’s an instantly recognizable landmark adjacent to Plaza Mijares, which also comes alive on Art Walk nights.
Drinking, dining and romance in San José del Cabo
The Art Walk also serves as a cultural showcase for San José del Cabo and the city’s historic Art District.
One of the many great aspects of Art Walk is that between gallery visits and downtown perambulations, there’s also plenty of time to eat and drink. Helpfully, the city’s best bars and restaurants are found in the Gallery District, or within a block or two of its borders. These include Los Tres Gallos, Los Cabos’ premier destination for traditional Mexican cuisine, whose San José del Cabo location is set in the heart of the Gallery District on Calle Obregón and features a two-level dining area built around three intertwined huanacaxtle trees.
La Lupita Taco & Mezcal is another local favorite for Art Walk interludes, thanks to its colorful courtyard dining atmosphere and menu specialties like pato con mole tacos, plus a superb collection of artisanal mezcals. The Gallery District is also home to the original location of Baja Brewing Company, the first microbrewery ever built in Los Cabos and maker of some of the municipality’s best hamburgers.
The signature pleasures of Art Walk in San José del Cabo, from walking hand-in-hand along cobblestone streets to being serenaded by wandering musicians to sipping wine and enjoying al fresco fine dining, are such that they’ve contributed to the event’s reputation as one of the best romantic activities for couples in Los Cabos.
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.
Lila Avilés with her Barbie Role Model doll. (Mattel)
Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés was honored with a Barbie doll as part of the brand’s “Role Models” line, released yearly to commemorate International Women’s Day.
This year’s Role Model theme was storytelling.
Mattel, the company behind the world-famous doll Barbie, chose Avilés in recognition of her achievements in the film industry. She’s joined by actresses Helen Mirren and Viola Davis along with Canadian country-pop artist Shania Twain, Australia’s Kylie Minogue, German comedian Enissa Amani, Japanese model Nicole Fujita and Brazilian Indigenous influencer Maira Gomez.
The 42-year-old filmmaker is the director of the acclaimed film The Chambermaid (2018), which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and her latest movie, Tótem (2023), has been selected for the long list of the Best International Feature category at the Oscars.
Speaking to Variety magazine, Avilés said her selection was an “incredible, beautiful and surreal surprise.” The doll features her with a camera on her shoulder, a script in one hand, and her cat by her feet.
“It is not only me who the doll is honoring, but my entire career,” she added.
Avilés most recent move, Tótem, is a candidate for the Best International Feature category at the Oscars. (IMDb)
Tótem, which delves into childhood and the idea that childhood defines our destiny, has been showcased in over 100 film festivals around the world and will soon be released in more than 40 countries, including the United States, where it is still being screened. The movie will also be featured on Criterion Channel and is now available on Netflix Latin America.
“People ask me if my movies are feminist. In as much as my protagonists are women, they are, in an organic way,” she noted. “The Chambermaid, my feature debut, gave voice to a woman who’s ostensibly invisible to many,” she said.
Avilés was born in Mexico City in 1982. She started her career in theater before moving into filmmaking. Her first feature film earned her various national and international awards and was screened in more than 70 film festivals worldwide.
“This Barbie is more than a trophy for me; it’s like my Oscar,” Avilés told newspaper Milenio. “I love what I do very much, and I hope I can continue on this path to inspire many more women,” she said.
The three candidates running for mayor of Mexico City are (from left to right): Clara Brugada of Morena, Santiago Taboada of the PAN-PRI-PRD coalition and Salomón Chertorivski of the Citizens Movement party. (Cuartoscuro/X)
Around 20,000 municipal, state and federal positions will be up for grabs in Mexico’s biggest-ever elections on June 2.
Excluding the presidency, the biggest single prize on offer is considered by many to be the mayorship of Mexico City, the national capital and the country’s largest city.
Mexico City has state-like status, and therefore the power of its mayor (jefe/jefa de gobierno in Spanish) is akin to that of a governor.
In 2024, one woman and two men will contest the mayoral election in the capital. The winner will occupy a position previously held by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2000-05), former foreign affairs minister Marcelo Ebrard (2006-12) and presidential aspirant Claudia Sheinbaum (2018-23), among other well-known politicians.
Here is a guide to this year’s mayoral race in Mexico City, where on June 2 citizens will also elect mayors in each of the capital’s 16 alcaldías (districts or boroughs) as well as 66 local lawmakers.
Mexico City’s 3 mayoral hopefuls
Morena candidate Clara Brugada (right) with the party’s presidential candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, who was formerly the mayor of Mexico City. (Clara Brugada/X)
Clara Brugada, candidate for a coalition made up of the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), the Labor Party (PT) and the Ecological Green Party of Mexico (PVEM)
Brugada, a 60-year-old former mayor of the Mexico City borough of Iztapalapa, is aiming to extend Morena’s rule in the capital from six years to 12.
Founded by López Obrador, the leftist Morena party took office in the capital for the first time in 2018 under the leadership of Sheinbaum. If Brugada wins on June 2, she will succeed Martí Batres, who took over from Sheinbaum when she left the mayorship to focus on winning Morena’s nomination for president.
At an event at the National Auditorium on Sunday, Brugada outlined a range of other proposals for the government she would lead in Mexico City. Her plans in three key areas are detailed below. Unsurprisingly, she also committed to leading an honest and transparent government with zero tolerance of corruption.
Water
Brugada expressed confidence that Sheinbaum will be the next president of Mexico, and pledged to work with her and México state Governor Delfina Gómez to solve Mexico City’s water scarcity problem.
Water scarcity in Mexico City has led to some neighborhoods going for days without municipal water and dependent on deliveries by truck. (Cuartoscuro)
“I know the problem and we’re going to resolve it as a priority,” said the mayoral aspirant, who pledged to create a water-focused ministry, expand the capital’s rainwater harvesting program and establish a new program for the “rehabilitation” of 11 water sources, among other measures.
She said she would allocate “billions of pesos” to water projects in the capital, where many residents don’t have running water in their homes and depend on deliveries from trucks known as pipas.
Security
Brugada declared that she wants to make Mexico City “the most video-surveilled city” in the Americas with more cameras than New York. In addition to installing more security cameras, the mayoral aspirant said she would improve street lighting to make the capital “the most illuminated” city in Latin America.
Brugada asserted that not a lot needs to change in terms of security policy as crime has declined during the term of the current Morena government. However, she committed to strengthening the capital’s police force and equipping it with “the best and most modern technological resources available.”
Transport
Brugada pledges to expand the aerial cable car public transit network if elected. (Cuartoscuro)
Brugada pledged to build five additional public transit cable car lines, open two new Metrobús lines and extend line 12 of the Mexico City metro to the Observatorio station, where the Mexico City terminus of the Mexico City-Toluca train line will be located.
Among other transport plans, she said that a government she leads would expand the capital’s bike-share program, called Ecobici.
Santiago Taboada, candidate for a coalition made up of the National Action Party (PAN), the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD)
Polls shows that Taboada, a 38-year-old former mayor of the borough of Benito Juárez, is the only candidate with a legitimate chance of beating Brugada on June 2. A victory for the former Mexico City and federal lawmaker would return the PRD to power in the capital after an absence of six years.
Senator Miguel Ángel Mancera (2012-18), Ebrard and López Obrdor all governed the capital as representatives of the leftist PRD, as did Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas (1997-99), Mexico City’s first jefe de gobierno. (Mexico City was previously administered by regentes, or regents, who were appointed by the president of the day).
Neither the conservative PAN of the once-omnipotent PRI has governed the capital since the commencement of democratic mayoral elections in 1997.
Santiago Taboada is representing the opposition PAN-PRI-PRD coalition in the contest. (GALO CAÑAS/CUARTOSCURO.COM)
“Mr. President, don’t be mistaken, this neighborhood, like many in Mexico City, is aspirational and [the residents] are aspirational; they aspire to have better urban services, greater security, better work, better schools and quality health care. That’s legitimate aspiration and as a government we are obliged to provide it,” responded Taboada, who at the time was mayor of Benito Juárez, where Colonia del Valle is located.
Accompanied by PAN-PRI-PRD presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez at an event at the capital’s Bicentennial Park on Saturday, Taboada outlined his vision for Mexico City, including his plans to address the water problem, improve security and expand the public transport network.
Water
In a nutshell, Taboada’s water plan consists of three proposed “actions.”
He said a government he leads would repair leaks — a major cause of water loss in Mexico — recycle more water and capture more rainwater.
Taboada charged that the current Mexico City government has neglected to address the water problem in the capital and is “losing water” as a result.
Security
The National Autonomous University-educated lawyer portrayed himself as the best person to improve the security situation in Mexico City, the country’s 16th most violent entity in 2023 in terms of total homicides.
Taboada has pledged to expand his “BlindarBJ” security initiative if elected mayor of Mexico City. (Alcladía Benito Juárez)
He pledged to implement across the capital the security strategy he used in Benito Juárez, a mainly middle-class borough where perceptions of insecurity among residents are lower than in any of the 90 cities across Mexico that are included in the National Survey of Urban Public Security, which was last conducted in late 2023.
That strategy is known as “BlindarBJ” or ShieldBJ (Benito Juárez) and involved, among other measures, increasing police numbers and ensuring a police presence in 28 different “quadrants” in the borough in order to reduce response times.
“In Benito Juárez we have the best [security] results,” Taboada said, adding that six of the city’s “riskiest” neighborhoods “where people suffer from insecurity the most” are located in Iztapalapa, where Bruagada was most recently mayor between 2018 and 2023.
“That’s not fair and we’re going to change that,” he declared.
Transport
Tabaoada also claimed that he is best placed to carry out the maintenance work required to ensure that the Mexico City metro functions safely and efficiently.
“Those who buried 26 people due to poor maintenance aren’t going to fix the metro,” he said, referring to the Line 12 accident that claimed that number of lives in May 2021 while Sheinbaum was mayor.
In addition to carrying out maintenance work, Taboada said that, as mayor, his government will extend the metro system so that people can reach 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup matches at the Estadio Azteca (Azteca Stadium) in southern Mexico City by train. The stadium is currently served by a station on the capital’s sole Tren Ligero (Light Rail) line, which connects to the metro system at the Tasqueña station.
Taboada also said he would add “cablebús” cable car lines, but only proposed three projects in as many boroughs, two fewer than Brugada.
Taboada has proposed extending the metro system to connect directly with Azteca Stadium. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
Salomón Chertorivski, candidate for the Citizens Movement (MC) party
The third candidate in the Mexico City mayoral contest is 49-year-old Salomón Chertorivski, a former federal lawmaker who served as health minister in the final year of the 2006-12 federal government led by ex-president Felipe Calderón.
The results of recent polls (see below) show that Chertorivski has scant support, and therefore he doesn’t currently appear to be a serious contender for the mayorship.
Still, he is aiming to portray himself as a viable alternative to the two main candidates — as MC presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez is attempting to do at the federal level — and has outlined a detailed water plan that includes a “Zero Leak” infrastructure renewal program and a campaign aimed at getting citizens to take better care of water resources.
Chertorivski, who has master’s degrees in both economics and public policy, said on Monday that over the course of the 12-week campaign, he will present his plans to address 12 different problems faced by Mexico City. He started with water on Monday, and will hold press conferences on each coming Monday prior to election day.
“We’ll speak in depth about each of what we consider to be the 12 biggest problems for our citizens and we will explain with complete detail what the solution [for each one] is,” Chertorivski said.
MC party candidate Salomón Chertorivski announced plans to present detailed policy proposals during his long-shot campaign for mayor. (Salomón Chertorivski/X)
Who’s going to win?
Brugada is the clear favorite to become the next mayor of Mexico City, but a close race is not out of the question.
The results of a poll conducted in mid-February by the company Enkoll for the El País newspaper found 56% support for the Morena candidate, giving her a 16-point advantage over Taboada on 40%. Chertorivski was in a distant third place with just 4% support among just over 800 respondents. (Those who didn’t specify who they would vote for were excluded from the results.
However, the difference in the levels of support between Brugada and Taboada was just 3.6 points in a poll of 1,000 people conducted last week by Massive Caller. The Morena-PT-PVEM candidate had 41.1% support, while the PAN-PRI-PRD hopeful was the preferred option of 37.5% of those polled.
With just over 17% of respondents saying that they hadn’t yet made up their mind about who they would vote for on June 2, there is a chance for Taboada to make up the ground required to beat Brugada and become the next mayor of Mexico City, at least according to that poll.
As politicians sometimes like to say, the only poll that ultimately counts is the one on election day, when the millions of Mexico City residents who go out to vote will have the power to decide who and which party will govern the capital for the next six years.
The comfortably appointed Jose Cuervo Tequila Train Express Wagon - the perfect location for the ride of your life. (All photos by Bethany Platanella)
I’ll be the first to admit it. I hesitated over the “Book Now” button that would secure my Jose Cuervo Sunrise Express Wagon Train trip from Guadalajara to Tequila, better known as the Tequila train.
Visions of sloppy bachelor parties and guide book-toting tourists with wide-brimmed hats started to swirl through my mind. I quickly pushed these nightmarish reservations to the deep recesses of my brain, took a deep breath, and CLICK.
Booked.
Step into some luxury – and enjoy plenty of tequila while you’re at it!
I had decided long ago that there was no way I was going to Guadalajara without hopping on that infamous Tequila train. That’s like going to Paris and not picnicking in front of the Eiffel Tower with a bottle of crisp Champagne. Is it touristy? Yes. Am I a tourist? Also, yes.
But as my long-awaited trip to Jalisco moved closer to reality, so did my reluctance to participate in something that seemed so kitsch. Will the experience be worth the not-so-economical ticket? Will I just be one gringa in a sea of gringo tourists? Do I really want to risk sitting in a packed train car of drunk 20-somethings taking obnoxious videos just to post to social media? Not particularly, but I had to give it a try.
The verdict? I absolutely loved it.
The Tequila train is not to be feared. My assumptions of what to expect were, as assumptions generally are, completely unwarranted.
A Gringa in an agave field, enjoying the experience much more than originally anticipated.
There were no sloppy bachelor parties present.
While there were definitely some TikTok photo shoots going on, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.
Tourists were from all parts of the world — Germany, Spain, Mexico, France, the U.S., Canada, and Britain.
It was well worth the money. Ample tequila, water, and food were available.
Myself and two friends arrived at the train station, a 30-minute ride from our rented apartment in Colonia Americana. We were greeted by Luis Miguel ballads in the lobby where we checked in. After receiving a wristband we were guided to a waiting area with complimentary cafe de olla, hot chocolate, fruit, and pan dulce.
Twenty minutes before departure, we boarded the train. Recorded mariachi music played with gusto in the nostalgic and elegant train cars. Well-dressed servers presented us with trays of breakfast cocktails, from which I chose (and recommend!) a Paloma. A shot of Vitamin C with my morning tequila couldn’t hurt!
The wheels started rolling promptly at 9:00 a.m. and a guide started talking, giving a brief history of Jose Cuervo, an overview of the landscape, and the differences between types of tequila. While she chatted, guests were offered fruit cups and tacos al vapor and a shot of Jose Cuervo Tradicional Cristalino, which we sipped according to the guide’s instruction.
A traditional agave oven at La Rojena Mundo World distillery.
An hour of unlimited cocktails and water later, we arrived at Tequila, a designated Pueblo Mágico since 2003. We were guided in orderly groups through the Juan Beckmann Gallardo Cultural Center, a museum celebrating Jaliscan culture.
All of which led us to La Rojeña, the oldest distillery in Latin America. We followed the transition cycle of piñas, or agave hearts, from chopping to toasting to liquefying. I had seen piñas in photos but never up close like this, and was struck by how geometric and beautiful they are. They’re also huge — some were double the size of a basketball and weighed 150 pounds!
The end of the distillery tour concluded with a cocktail at 1:00 p.m., at which point we were free to explore and have lunch on our own. We went to Casa Sauza’s highly-rated garden restaurant. The food, tequila, and service were excellent.
Even though the center of Tequila is small, I found that three hours was a perfect amount of time to enjoy our leisurely lunch and exhaust the main sights. We could have popped into the Museum of Tequila (if we wanted to).
Had I not been on the tequila train tour, I would have opted for the equally-kitsch Barril Tequilero, a giant vehicle in the shape of an oak barrel that takes guests through Tequila, stopping at various distilleries.
At 4:10 p.m., we wandered to our next engagement, a live mariachi show which we were sure wouldn’t start on time because, well, this is Mexico.
We were 10 minutes late.
The average size of a piña, or agave heart, is bigger than you might expect and can weigh hundreds of pounds.
Let me take this moment to reiterate that the experience was extremely well-organized. Having worked as a travel planner myself, I know first-hand the challenge of executing events of this size, and the precision impressed me.
The concert was a blast. Many of the guests were of Mexican heritage, and the entire venue erupted in song multiple times while servers walked around with trays of frozen cocktails.
When the show finished, we boarded buses for a 30-minute ride to the countryside. As urban sprawl gave way to rural terrain, I felt butterflies in my stomach. Mexico does this to me, with its ever-changing landscape full of surprises.
When we arrived at the fields, I had no choice but to rush within the neat rows of spiky agave plants to snap a classic “gringa in the middle of an agave field, hashtag justanothersaturdayinmexico” shot. I was pulled from my photographic glory to witness a short demonstration on how to chop the thing open with an ax, and then the whole dang event turned into a party.
Imagine the scene: a giant, wooden pavilion decorated with string lights, picnic tables, and a dance floor. Food carts abound, offering esquites, churros, palomitas, and tlacoyos, with dozens of bartenders pouring drinks for all. Classic Mexican music pumps from giant speakers and everywhere you look are undulating hills covered in agave. The sun is setting, everyone is laughing and having a good time. It might sound corny, but I found it quite magical.
When it was time to go, each guest was given a final shot for a ‘goodbye cheers’. We boarded our buses and 40 minutes later arrived at Guadalajara, culminating an 11-hour tour. For a visual, watch my reel on Instagram.
At no point were we encouraged to purchase anything. I found this strange, as I would have been open to buying a bottle from the source, but also refreshing, as it made the experience feel more genuine.
There are two departure options: Sunrise, which starts at 9:00 a.m., takes you into town by train and back to Guadalaraja by bus. Sunset starts at 11:00 a.m. and does the opposite. The train and bus stations are not close to one another, so if you leave a car at your starting point, you’ll have to Uber back at the end of the tour.
The bus drop-off is the least organized part of the Sunrise tour. There is a very small parking lot with just a few taxis and hundreds of people ordering carshare simultaneously. I would suggest ordering your Uber as you pull into the parking lot to save time.
There are four categories to choose from: Express, Premium Plus, Diamond, Elite. My account is based on the Express option.
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
Spectators at the International Pyrotechnics Festival in Tultepec, México state, bask in the glow of a torito, a traditional bull-shaped structure loaded with fireworks that is part of the annual festival. (File photo/Diego Simón Sánchez for Cuartoscuro)
The opening of the 35th International Pyrotechnics Festival brightened the Saturday night sky above Tultepec, México state — Mexico’s fireworks capital.
The event, which lasts through March 17, features rock concerts, artisanal food, folkloric ballet, a battle of the bands contest, a concert by local schoolchildren and much more.
Competing fireworks makers at the festival aim to wow, as part of the judges count is audience reaction to the display. (International Pyrotechnics Festival)
Opening night was a hit with its castillo de torre (tower castle) contest. With thousands in attendance, fireworks companies demonstrated their talents with colossal, towering structures adorned with all kinds of fireworks.
The pyrotechnics structures are as much about creativity as they are about firepower. While some are simply made into geometric shapes, some are made to look like recognizable figures — such as Jesus on the cross, San Juan de Dios (St. John of God, considered the patron saint of fireworks artisans in the region) and Texcocan poet-king Nezahualcoyotl — or iconic imagery such as the Mexica calendar.
The castillos are judged on artistic presentation, colors, creativity, degree of difficulty and the quality of the fireworks — as well as audience reactions.
Other popular pyrotechnic events still to come during this year’s two-week fair include the popular March 8 parade of the toritos — fireworks connected to bull-shaped structures — a musical fireworks contest on March 9 and an international musical fireworks contest on March 16. Among the countries taking part in the latter contest are Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom and El Salvador.
For a schedule of the events for the remainder of this year’s festival (in Spanish), go here.
The fair has its roots in 19th-century torito parades sponsored by Tultepec fireworks guilds and held on St. John of God’s feast day, March 8. The event now serves to promote Mexico’s traditional fireworks industry, which produces nearly 6 billion pesos (US $354 million) of recreational explosives annually.
Tultepec produces roughly three-quarters of the nation’s fireworks and about 40,000 local families — nearly 60% of the municipality’s population — work in the production and distribution of fireworks.
There are more than 300 workshops here. Although specialized training has made the industry safer, accidents remain a danger.
In 2018, 24 people were killed and dozens were injured by a series of explosions in the municipality. Twenty-two of the dead were rescue personnel killed by subsequent explosions after approaching the scene following the initial explosion.
Critics say gunpowder and other materials are too often stored in homes and bodegas illegally and under unsafe conditions. A December 2016 blast in the Tultepec fireworks market killed 42 people, the worst incident in the city’s history and one that made international news.
The same market was previously destroyed in a 1988 fire, after which local authorities banned the manufacturing and wholesaling of fireworks within the city limits. The ban was lifted a year later, and the International Pyrotechnic Festival was inaugurated to compensate for the loss of revenues.
While both countries head into presidential elections, Travis Bembenek sees major contrasts between the two political scenes. (Shutterstock)
It’s Super Tuesday in the United States, and the federal Mexican campaigns officially began last week, so we thought it made sense to take a moment to talk presidential politics.
Back in August, Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek shared his view of the upcoming presidential races in the two countries in 2024, and how in his opinion, they could not be more different.
The world-renowned film festival founded by Robert Redford in 1978 will host its inaugural event in Mexico's capital in April. (Shutterstock)
Get ready, cinephiles: the Sundance Film Festival is coming to Mexico City.
Officials with the Sundance Institute and Mexico’s Cinépolis movie theater chain announced recently that a program of films that played at Sundance earlier this year will be shown in a Latin American country for the first time. Actors and directors have also been invited to appear in person at red carpet events and discussion panels.
Morelia Film Festival President Alejandro Ramírez, left, was likely instrumental in Sundance’s imminent arrival in Mexico. For years, Ramírez has cultivated ties with the Utah festival’s founder, Robert Redford, second from left. (Morelia Film Festival)
The events will take place April 25–28 in two theaters located in the heart of the capital: Cinépolis Diana on Paseo de la Reforma and Cinépolis VIP Miyana in the Polanco neighborhood. The yet-to-be-announced films were screened at the 40th Sundance festival, which took place in January in Park City, Utah and nearby Salt Lake City. Sundance programming directors Kim Yutani and Eugene Hernández will lead the film curation team for the Mexico City event.
“Mexico City is such an important city in terms of cinephiles and film lovers,” said Alejandro Ramírez, Cinepolis’ general director and one of Mexico’s leading entrepreneurs. “However, there are only a handful of festivals throughout the year. We hope it becomes the film festival that the population of Mexico City is looking for.”
Sundance Film Festival CDMX 2024, as the event will be known, will also feature panels with film insiders, post-film Q&A’s, discussion sessions and other industry-related events.
The name of the festival’s Mexico edition will be Sundance Film Festival CDMX. (Cinepolis)
As president of the FICM — one of the most important film festivals in Latin America — Ramírez has built a strong association with Sundance over the years — as well as with Redford, who stayed at Ramírez’s house in 2019.
Ramírez’s grandfather, Enrique Ramírez Miguel, founded in 1971 what would become the Cinépolis chain with a single movie theater in Morelia. It is now the world’s fourth largest cinema circuit, with upward of 800 complexes, 6,800 screens and 1 million seats in 17 countries.
“This association marks a milestone in the country’s cinematographic history,” Mexico City officials proclaimed on the website of Procine, the city’s trust for the promotion of Mexican cinema.
Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente agreed.
“Being able to engage with the local community through innovative films and compelling conversations, while maintaining the power to connect artists and their works with audiences, shows a clear synergy between Sundance and Cinépolis,” Vicente said.
Schedules, ticket prices and other details will be revealed in the coming weeks. Stay tuned at Sundance.org or Cinepolis.com.
A Good Friday procession in San Miguel de Allende. (Shutterstock)
March 21 is a national holiday in Mexico, marking the birth of Benito Juárez, a national hero and president of Mexico from 1858 to 1872.
To commemorate the day, the third Monday of March is usually a public holiday, making it a three-day weekend. However, all schools affiliated with the National Ministry of Education (SEP) will have a four-day weekend this year.
The four-day weekend applies only to elementary and middle school students. For high school and college students, as well as regular employees, the holiday weekend will include Saturday, March 16, through Monday, March 18.
What are the official school holidays on the March calendar?
According to the calendar for the 2023-2024 school year, students will have a long weekend starting on Friday, March 15 through Monday, March 18. On Tuesday March 19, students go back to school.
The first day of the long weekend is an administrative work day, according to the SEP. The last day is a public holiday in commemoration of the birth of Benito Juárez.
For many, Semana Santa is the perfect time for a trip to the beach. (Sector Guerrero/X)
Shortly after the long weekend, students will welcome the Semana Santa (Holy Week) break, which often coincides with spring break in the U.S. and Canada.
The two-week break includes the Holy Week and Easter Week. It starts on Monday, March 25, and ends on Friday, April 5. Students go back to school on Monday, April 8.
How many days will students be out of school?
Including weekends, students will be out of school for 13 days in March. In April, students will be out of school for eight days during Easter Week.
What are the official holidays for banks?
As part of the Holy Week celebrations, banks in Mexico will remain closed on March 28 and 29, which fall on Good Thursday and Good Friday respectively. For the rest of the week, their branches will remain open at regular hours.
