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.
Versalles, Puerto Vallarta is maybe the city's best neighbourhood - find out why. (Tripadvisor)
Puerto Vallarta’s Versalles neighborhood was never supposed to be my neighborhood. Technically I live in Santa Maria, across from the busy Avenida Francisco Villa. But after hearing so much buzz around one of the “hottest neighborhoods” in Puerto Vallarta, I went to check it out a few years ago and have been calling it my stomping grounds ever since.
Versalles is truly PV’s colonia del día. Read any local article about the city’s rising stars, and Versalles always tops the list. A quick scan of the skyline of the neighborhood reveals crane after crane constructing new condo buildings (a bummer, if you ask me), and its cobblestone streets are flanked by emerging restaurants and creative cubby-sized bars. Most people who live in Puerto Vallarta know Versalles as the culinary hotspot in the city – a place where cheap eats rub elbows with finer dining, or at least as fine as dining gets in Puerto Vallarta.
The Versalles neighborhood is considered one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Puerto Vallarta. (Venecia-Palm Springs)
The Versalles neighborhood is considered one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Puerto Vallarta. Sandwiched between the borders of Calle Viena, Avenida Los Tules, Avenida Fluvial and Avenida Francisco Villa, this grid of European city-named streets is one of the best spots in the city to escape the rattle and hum of the over-touristed Centro and Zona Romantica. It’s near the beach, but not on the beach, which means prices are cheaper here than in more centrally located neighborhoods – though with the construction of so many new condos, prices are rising dramatically. Still, the quietness and proximity to such fantastic restaurants are why Versalles is the best area to stay in Puerto Vallarta.
Things to do in Versalles
Versalles is first and foremost a residential neighborhood. Years ago, the area was just a few extravagant houses surrounded by farmland. It’s only in recent years that Versalles got an upgrade, with fresh pavement and fancy condos. And it’s even more recent that aspiring and creative chefs started moving in and opening up their funky restaurants, bodega-style wine bars and cocktail hideaways. This is all to say, what you’re coming to Versalles for is to eat. But I’ll get to that in a bit.
Versalles provides a much more affordable place to stay for tourists than downtown Puerto Vallarta because it’s a 15-minute taxi ride to Zona Romantica. It’s also not on the beach, which is a drawback for many first-time visitors to PV. Still, the closest beach, Playa Las Glorias, is less than a 10-minute walk away and is one of the quieter beaches in the city because it isn’t overwhelmed with amenities.
Best Restaurants in Versalles
Let’s get on to the good stuff, shall we? You’ve come to Versalles to eat and that’s exactly what you’re going to do. Versalles seems to be a neighborhood created specifically for foodies, and the volume of restaurants that open each year means the culinary landscape is constantly evolving. Here are the spots where I love to eat and drink in Versalles:
Versalles is home to some truly amazing food too, from seafood to Italian. (Abulón Antojería del Mar/Facebook)
El Puerco de Oro: This humble, hole-in-the-wall taco shop makes only one thing: pork belly tacos. But they will probably be the best pork belly tacos you’ve ever had. The crunchy, salty, juicy pork belly is heaped onto blue corn tortillas and topped with raw onion and cilantro. You can customize your taco with an array of salsas, pickled onions, peppers or anything else you may require for the taco of your dreams. At 25 pesos a pop, this is one of the most affordable, unforgettable meals you’ll get in town.
Abulón, Antojería del Mar: A bougainvillea-draped outdoor courtyard sets the scene for amazingly fresh seafood and strong cocktails. I love Abulón, Antojería del Mar so much that it’s usually the first place I go whenever I get back to town. We come for the shrimp tacos al pastor and the fresh seafood tostadas – La Mulata is my favorite, heaped high with chunks of fresh tuna.
Barbacow: This open-air taco restaurant is known for its juicy, rich barbacoa tacos, but every taco on its menu is fantastic. The shrimp adobada tacos are a must. Each order comes with a selection of about eight different salsas, so you can have a different flavor in every bite if you like. Pro tip: the pineapple habanero salsa is excellent on the shrimp tacos.
Coco Machete: Coco Machete may look like a tiny cocktail bar, but pass through the second door and you’ll emerge into a beautiful grassy courtyard. The courtyard is a shared space, called El Jardín de la Versalles. There, you’ll be able to order cocktails from Coco Machete, craft beer from Los Cuentos and homemade woodfired pizzas. The space puts on nightly entertainment, from live music and comedy to quiz nights on Sundays.
La Tosca Trattoria: Puerto Vallarta has its fair share of Italian restaurants, but my favorite in Versalles is La Tosca. I love the open-air courtyard dining, the friendly service and the homemade pasta.
Lamara: Lamara has quickly gained the reputation for having the best ceviche and tostadas in town. They do Pacific-style aguachiles and ceviches with a bit of an Asian twist, using soy sauce and sesame seeds in a lot of their recipes. The restaurant is so popular that it has two other locations: one in Zona Romantica and one in Bucerías.
Masame: I love Masame for brunch, particularly because everyone else is usually in line over at nearby Cha’. Masame serves heaping plates of Mexican breakfasts, from huevos mexicanos to an entire menu of chilaquiles. They are known for their birria here, too, and make a very interesting and luxurious birria ramen.
Nightlife in Versalles
It’s not just food – Versalles is also home to some of Puerto Vallarta’s best bars. (Barra 322/Facebook)
One of the things I love most about Versalles is that it’s a very relaxed neighborhood. You won’t find clubs or late-night parties here. Instead, the bars are low-key and small. Most nights, the streets of Versalles get quiet by 10.
I would recommend Coco Machete for drinks, but I also love La Bodega de Tony, which is a wine shop-turned-tasting room. Barra 322 is another tiny watering hole, which offers sidewalk seating. Skip the food menu here and enjoy a drink or two before dinner.
Where to stay in Versalles
Since Versalles is a residential neighborhood, it is sorely lacking in hotels. Instead, most people here are renting long-term or are staying in an Airbnb. Airbnb can be a plague on the housing market for locals so I hate to endorse it, but the reality is, that’s how the majority of visitors stay in Versalles.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.
A front end loader moves ballast as it prepares a section of track for the Maya Train in Yucatán. (Martín Zetina/Cuartoscuro.com)
Investment in construction projects and spending on machinery and equipment surged last year as Mexico’s nearshoring trend continued to grow and the federal government rushed to complete major infrastructure projects before the end of its six-year term in September.
Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), as investment in construction projects, machinery and equipment is called, increased 19.7% in annual terms during 2023, the national statistics agency INEGI reported Monday. The increase was well above the 6% GFCF growth recorded in 2022.
Investment in construction projects rose 20.8% compared to 2022, while spending on machinery and equipment increased by a slightly more modest 18.5%.
Private and public investment both spiked
Both private and public GFCF increased by close to 20% last year. Private investment was up 19.7% while public investment rose 19.6%.
Private spending on construction projects rose 20.3%, while public spending in the same area increased 23.4%.
Private and public GFCF both increased by nearly 20% in 2023. (Gobierno de CDMX)
Meanwhile, the federal government last year allocated large sums of money to key infrastructure projects, some of which opened or partially opened in late 2023. They include the Tulum airport, which opened in December, and the Maya Train railroad, which now has several sections in operation.
The 20.8% increase in overall construction investment came from a 39.2% surge in spending on non-residential projects, and a 1.8% uptick in the outlay on residential projects.
Spending on transport equipment surged
Spending on imported transport equipment — cars, buses, trains, planes and the like — increased 55.4% last year, while the outlay on Mexican-made transport equipment also rose significantly, albeit by a less striking 26.6%.
Spending on imported machinery, equipment and “other assets” rose 17.5% in 2023, while expenditure on the same national goods increased 3.5%.
A 19.2% increase in private spending on machinery and equipment drove the overall investment growth of 18.5% in that area. Public expenditure in the same area increased by just 1.7%.
Government spending on projects like the Tulum Airport pushed up GFCF last year. (Mara Lezama/X)
Another positive sign for the Mexican economy
The increase in GFCF in 2023 could help spur stronger GDP growth in the future as investment in things such as new machinery can help companies increase their productivity and overall output. The use of new machinery and the opening of new manufacturing plants could help Mexico boost its exports in coming years.
The publication of the positive GFCF data comes after INEGI reported in late February that the Mexican economy grew 3.2% in annual terms in 2023.
Mexico's airline seat offering was more than double that of runner-up Brazil. (Shutterstock)
Mexico is No. 1 in international air connectivity among Latin American nations by a large margin, according to a study released last week at Colombia’s national tourism fair.
Mabrian, a travel and tourism data intelligence company, projects that Mexico has 27.3 million seats on offer for the first nine months of 2024, a total that dwarfs second-place Brazil (11 million seats) and third-place Colombia (9.9 million).
The projected increase for Mexico is impressive considering the numbers of passengers who flew in 2023. A Tourism Ministry report issued in January indicated 119 million passengers traveled on national and international flights.
Among Mexican airlines, Aeroméxico and Volaris carried 12.2 million international travelers between them last year, an increase of nearly 18%.
American Airlines and United led international carriers, transporting a total of 12.9 million passengers, up 17.9%. Even more impressive, the 2023 figures represent a 23.5% increase over 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic slammed the industry.
Among Mexican airlines, Aeroméxico and Volaris carried the most passengers. (Shutterstock)
Mexico has been further assisted by the restoration of the Category 1 designation by the US Federal Aviation Administration. This classification indicates that Mexico is in compliance with the global standards required by the International Civil Aviation Organization. It also means Mexican airlines are permitted to increase flights and establish new routes to and from the United States.
Immediately after being restored to Category 1 in September, Mexico’s Transport Minister Jorge Nuño Lara said in a statement: “There will be more flights between both nations, which will strengthen air connectivity; [greater] competition will be encouraged and the quality of services for travelers will improve.”
Mabrian’s Latin America delegate Benjamin Jiménez described his company’s report as a healthy indicator of Latin America’s attractiveness and the confidence the region has inspired among tourists and the business community.
The full Top 10 for Latin America:
Mexico (27.3 million seats, up 8.9%)
Brazil (11 million seats, up 18.43%)
Columbia (9.9 million seats, up 18.03%)
Panama (9.4 million seats, up 21.3%)
The Dominican Republic (8.7 million seats, up 10%)
Puerto Rico (6 million seats, up 3.8%)
Argentina (5.8 million seats, up 15.3%)
Chile (5.2 million seats, up 25.7%)
Peru (4.9 million seats, up 17.7%)
Costa Rica (3.8 million seats, up 17%)
The increasing accessibility of Mexico and Latin America has the potential to boost economies, international trade and investment.
A far cry from the concrete carbuncles of yore, Mexico's brutalist scene is back, and better than ever. (Yoshihiro Koitani/Archdaily)
Love it or hate it, no architecture provokes a response like brutalism. Once considered the future, the bare-bones concrete style has fallen out of favor with the modern world of design. Despite this fall from grace, there is something about an unpainted concrete arch, or a sharp, neat concrete right angle that gets the pulse going (guess how I feel about it).
The name is derived from the French term for “raw concrete,” which sure enough explains the defining characteristics of the style. Originating in the devastation of post-war France and the U.K. in the 1950s, and taking the world of architecture by storm in the 1960s, the style led to some of the most legendary (and divisive) pieces of architecture in the 20th century. London’s Barbican, Marseille’s Unite d’ Habitacion and Montreal’s Habitat 67.
An example of modern brutalism in Mexican architecture, Zicatela House was designed by Ludwig Godefroy Architecture. (Jaime Navarro/Archdaily)
In Mexico, brutalism came to the fore in the 1960s and 1970s, as the availability of concrete — seen as a futuristic building material at the time — revolutionized building techniques and was adopted by high-concept designers and discount construction firms alike. Absolute icons of Mexican brutalism include the Azteca Stadium (don’t mention the Hand of God) and theCasa en el Aire.
Just because Brutalism is seen as the epitome of mid-20th century design doesn’t mean it’s not overdue a comeback though – and come back it certainly has. If you’re looking for inspiration to become the next Le Corbusier or Ernö Goldfinger, why not check out some of Mexico’s best modern (and not so modern) brutalist offerings.
Puerto Escondido is the new Tulum – and along with the rise in status, some genuine architectural gems are starting to spring up, including this pool (pun intended) on the Oaxaca coast.
Casa TO is situated in the trendy Zicatela area of the town, and is styled after the caravansarays of Istanbul. With all the glamor of a boutique hotel in Mexico’s coolest little surf town, the standout feature is undoubtedly the brutalist pool, which no doubt adorns the Instagrams of every visitor who has been lucky enough to swim in it.
Casa Oyamel, Xalapa, Veracruz
The concrete structure and ribbed slabs are at their best in the tranquil nature of Veracruz. (RP Arquitectos + Adrián Labastida)
The stark concrete of brutalism is often most associated with the sort of urban decay that led to Stanley Kubrick’s visually delicious adaptation of A Clockwork Orange or the towering, unfinished parking lot that dominates Michael Caine’s Get Carter. I’ve always been of the opinion, however, that the medium really shines when it’s in nature.
Casa Oyamel is definitely that. Set admit possibly the most stunning backdrop I’ve ever seen, the house stands out like rock against the mountains and forests of Xalapa. Boasting three bedrooms, a large garage and a 95% bare concrete finish, designer Rafael Pardo Ramos has created a blend of 1960’s style and 2020’s comfort amid the beauty of Mexican nature.
Lookout, Las Cruces, Jalisco
The Pilgrim’s Route lookout offers amazing visuals – both of the valley and the site itself. (Archdaily)
Much like Casa Oyamel, the juxtaposition of bare concrete and nature once again delivers — except this time the view is from a mountaintop and needs to be seen to be believed.
Part of the Pilgrim’s Route, a 117 kilometer walk traversing the mountains of Jalisco, the Lookout provides a place for hikers to stop and appreciate the stunning natural beauty of one of Mexico’s most impressive states. The shelter is open in two directions, allowing travelers to make the most of the mountaintop vista.
Chuumuk Housing Complex, Tulum, Quintana Roo
The façade finish is made of a plaster called Chukum that integrates perfectly with the vegetation. (Aureel Visuals/Archdaily)
Tulum has been leading the beachside fashion crew for some time now, so it’s only natural that it would find a spot on this list. Freshly poured for 2024, Chuumuk is a small, deeply stylish cluster of brutalist homes tucked away on the Caribbean coast.
At this point, I think we’ve all agreed on the beauty of concrete, so it’s not necessary to harp on at any more length about the bare, sleekly brushed walls, the concrete pools, stairways, floors and even ornaments — but that won’t stop me. The house looks like every wannabe-Owen Luder’s dream.
Estadio Azteca, Coyoacán, Mexico City
Built in 1962 by architects Pedro Ramírez Vázquez and Rafael Mijares, the Santa Úrsula site is considered a jewel of brutalism. (Stadiony.net)
Ok, it feels like cheating to put this on the list. It is arguably the most recognizable stadium in the world, behind London’s Wembley Stadium, and it is home to some of football’s most defining moments. It has held two World Cup finals (one of only two stadia ever to do so) and will see its third World Cup in 2026.
It’s making the cut here though, because this is your last chance to go and see it in its original, 1966-edition glory. The stadium (and surrounding area) is due to receive a massive refurbishment for the 2026 World Cup, and while it will be upgraded to modern standards, the concrete behemoth that has seen both Pele and Maradona lift the World Cup trophy will sadly be no more.
Make the pilgrimage to a temple of football — and remember, that handball was an absolute travesty.
Scientists are working to understand the findings from a cave accidentally uncovered last year in Tulum. (Laura Labrie/Unsplash)
Mexican archaeologists continue to investigate a cave found late last year in Tulum, Quintana Roo, with 11 human remains that belonged to upper-class people of the time.
Along with the remains, archaeologists found offerings of marine animals, including fish, turtles, snails, shells, parrot fish, manta rays, tiger sharks, barracuda, sea turtles, land turtles, mammals and feline bones that could be from a jaguar or ocelot.
Archaeologists also found a ceramic molcajete from the Late Postclassic period (A.D. 1200 to 1500) inside the cave.
“The significance of the discovery is the location within the walled city between the Palaces of Halach Huinic and Columns,” archaeologist José Antonio Reyes Solís, coordinator of the Program for the Improvement of Archaeological Zones (Promeza), told news outlet EFE on Sunday.
The cave, which is 9 meters long by 6 meters wide and has three chambers, was discovered in December 2023. According to the archaeologists, the cave entrance was blocked by a large rock placed on top of human bones.
The remains inside the cave were transferred to the laboratories of Quintana Roo’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) for further study.
The small cave entrance was covered by a boulder for hundreds of years, until it was unearthed during renovation work in 2023. (INAH)
Although the excavation work has been completed and the cave has been covered to preserve it, EFE reported that it could possibly open in the future to receive visitors.
The cave is just one of the secrets of Tulum, a site that has been investigated since the 1920s and 1930s.
“Some buildings went through specific research in the ‘90s,” Reyes said.
Tulum, which means “walled city,” sits on a cliff above the Caribbean Sea. It hosts some of the most important archaeological remnants in Mexico, after Chichén Itzá and Teotihuacán.
“It is important for the number of visitors it receives per year and culturally speaking it stands out for its location in the Caribbean, a trade route that goes from Central America to the Yucatán Peninsula,” Reyes explained.
In addition to the cave, INAH reported rescuing and restoring seven figures of the Maya deity known as the “descending god” in buildings at Tulum.
The Maya god is associated with rain, the setting sun, lightning, bees and Venus. A temple in the deity’s honor is found next to the Castle of Tulum.
“Although [it is found] in several places in Mesoamerica, the descending god is the emblematic figure of the Eastern Costa Maya region,” the head of the restoration project, Patricia Meehan Hermanson, told EFE.
Voters go to the polls on June 2, 2024 to choose not only a new president but new leaders in many other government positions. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro.com)
Electoral contests are akin to military campaigns: an objective is contested, weapons and tools of combat are deployed, and the aim is to defeat the enemy — in this case, the contender.
In his biography of Napoleon, Andrew Roberts states, “It was a measure of Napoleon’s resilience and ingenuity — and of the confidence he still had in himself — that, having returned from Russia with only 10,000 effective troops from his invading force, he was able to assemble an army of 151,000 men for the Elba campaign within four months, with many more to come.”
As in military campaigns, both sides believe they’ll emerge victorious, but in elections, only votes matter, and surprises can happen on either side.
Polls suggest that Claudia Sheinbaum will win the election, but in electoral matters and in the last year of a contentious government, anything can happen. Her campaign, starting with its leader (AMLO), continues to deploy increasingly heavy weaponry (the most recent announced on Feb. 5 with the constitutional reforms package), indicating their own uncertainty about their chances.
There are valid reasons for this uncertainty. The outgoing government focused on succession from day one, neglecting basic citizen concerns like security and economic development. Dedicated to building an electoral base, it now faces the question of whether its efforts guarantee the desired voting outcome, possibly at a high cost. While there have been significant improvements in real family incomes, the certainty of preserving them is lacking. Stretching resources has benefits but also risks.
A victory for Claudia Sheinbaum, the Morena candidate, would bring to power a person who has shown great executive capacity and who has a much more competent and organized team than her predecessor. It’s impossible to know what she would do as president, given that her campaign has focused on reproducing the statements and dogmas of the current government. While her biography suggests a propensity for action, drawing conclusions is challenging. Regardless, her success would depend on her ability to chart a new course, a common challenge in politics.
On the other hand, Xóchitl Gálvez is more transparent and direct, unburdened by a dominant president’s shadow. Her instincts clearly lie in unleashing the population’s potential; instead of aiming to control everything, she would seek to break the obstacles that hinder the citizenry’s development. Her history as an entrepreneur and a politician show a willingness to undertake projects and see them through, while her background and biography indicates a readiness to confront factors perpetuating inequality. Her main challenge would be leading diverse factions within her coalition.
The most dangerous scenario would be either candidate securing a significant majority in both legislative chambers, even a qualified majority. This scenario, hypothetically more likely if Morena were to win, would be especially harmful for Claudia Sheinbaum, who not only faces old and new conflicts within the web of contrasting interests characterizing her party, but it also could empower extreme factions and hinder governance.
This paradox is evident in recent nominations, such as for the mayoral candidate of Mexico City and for the Supreme Court.
There are still many months to go until this campaign concludes, a period during which numerous factors could alter what seems certain. Some of these factors will stem from the president’s eagerness to influence the outcome, while others are inherent in Mexico’s succession process.
As Chilean diplomat Gabriel Gaspar suggests, the full extent of uncertainty and lack of confidence will be revealed, “two traits that shape the feelings of broad majorities of our societies… Uncertainty for a significant part of the population is very concrete, as it becomes increasingly difficult to survive, to put food on the table, and at the same time, going out into the street becomes more dangerous every day.” And he concludes with what should be obvious for the contenders: “Replacing uncertainty requires certainties.”
Meanwhile, as Thomas Sowell says, “The fact that so many successful politicians are such shameless liars is not only a reflection on them, it is also a reflection on us. When the people want the impossible, only liars can satisfy.“
Luis Rubio is the president of México Evalúa-CIDAC and former president of the Mexican Council on International Affairs (COMEXI). He is a prolific columnist on international relations and on politics and the economy, writing weekly for Reforma newspaper, and regularly for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times.
Alex de Miñaur and Casper Ruud after winning first and second place, respectively, at the Mexican Open. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal/Cuartoscruo.com)
The upstart Mexican women’s soccer team qualified for the semifinals of a prestigious tournament during a busy weekend on the Mexican sports scene.
The activity included a men’s pro tennis tournament in hurricane-damaged Acapulco that the director called the “first stage in the rebuilding process,” and also the final regular season games in a new women’s pro softball league in Mexico. Here’s the recap:
Red-hot Mexico advances to semifinals
Fresh off its historic 2-0 win over the United States, Mexico beat Uruguay 3-2 in women’s soccer on Sunday to move into the semifinals of the Concacaf W Gold Cup tournament.
Mexico had leads of 2-0 and 3-1 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, but Paraguay’s second goal in the 72nd minute made for an exciting and nerve-racking finish.
Aguascalientes native Jacqueline Ovalle scored two goals, giving her five in Mexico’s last three games, and Nuevo León native Karen Luna added one. Goalkeeper Esthefanny Barreras, who was born in Phoenix, saved a penalty shot.
Karen Luna of Nuevo León jumps for joy after scoring for her team. (Selección Nacional de México Feminil/X)
In Mexico’s professional women’s league, Liga MX Femenil, Ovalle plays for Tigres UANL, Luna for Club América and Barreras for CF Pachuca.
With three wins and a tie in four games, Mexico next plays in the semifinals on Wednesday against Brazil, which advanced with a 5-1 win over Argentina. Brazil is ranked 11th in the world and Mexico is 35th.
The game will be at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego at 8 p.m. CST. In Mexico, it can be viewed on ESPN+, which is also available on the Star+ platform.
Wednesday’s other semifinal will be the United States against Canada. The world’s No. 2-ranked U.S. team rebounded from only its second loss to Mexico in 43 meetings to beat Colombia 3-0 in the quarterfinals. Canada beat Costa Rica 1-0.
Mexico’s 2-0 victory over the U.S. in California last week was the second time the Mexican women’s team had beat the U.S. on that country’s home turf. (Concacaf)
The championship is slated for Sunday night.
Concacaf stands for the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football. The association has had a Gold Cup for national men’s teams since 1991, but this year marks the first for women.
Tennis tourney ‘worth gold’ in Acapulco
Alex de Miñaur of Australia became the first player to win back-to-back titles at the Mexican Open in more than a decade when he beat Norway’s Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday in Acapulco.
He was the fourth player to win back-to-back titles in this 31-year-old tournament, joining Austrian Thomas Muster (1993-96), Spaniard Nicolás Almagro (2008-09) and Spaniard David Ferrer (2010-12).
All-time great Rafael Nadal of Spain won the tournament four times, including most recently in 2022, but never consecutively.
Alex de Miñaur celebrates a mid-tournament win over Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. (Abierto Mexicano de Tenis)
“Acapulco is becoming like a second home,” said de Miñaur, 25, after earning his eighth title on the top pro men’s circuit, the ATP. The win earned him US $412,555 out of a purse of US $2.21 million.
The tournament was in peril due to damage inflicted by a Category 5 hurricane in October, which left at least 52 people dead. The city’s oceanfront Diamond Zone, where the tennis stadium is located, was devastated; Arena GNP Seguros needed more than US $11 million in repairs, the newspaper Milenio estimated.
“We [the tennis players] wanted to bring some joy to this wonderful city and I’m sure that Acapulco will shine stronger than ever,” de Miñaur said.
The tournament drew approximately 35,000 fans over eight days, said tournament director Álvaro Falla, well short of last year’s record of 90,000.
“Much more than expected,” he noted in a press release. “I confess I had my doubts that it would be possible, but the fans really believed in the project. It’s a great number. It’s a nice first stage in the rebuilding process. The most important thing was to take this first step. It is worth gold for Acapulco.”
New women’s pro softball league
On Jan. 25, the Mexican Softball League began its first season after 2½ years of planning. The fastpitch La Liga Mexicana de Softbol (LMS) started with six teams, and most of the games were played in professional baseball stadiums.
The first game in the Monterrey Baseball Stadium drew 13,408 fans — a record for a softball game in the Americas, according to the New York Times. Overall, the league said it drew 109,000 during its first four weeks.
The bulk of the league’s players are from Mexico, but there have also been some “big-name” signings from the United States and Cuba. Many of the teams wear uniforms that could easily be seen on a big-league baseball diamond.
Alejandra Casas of Veracruz at bat against the Bravas of León on Feb. 29. (LMS)
The short regular season of seven-inning games concluded over the weekend, with Monterrey (15-9) atop the final standings, followed by Jalisco (14-9), Mexico City (14-10) and Veracuz (12-12). Tabasco and León didn’t qualify for the playoffs.
The best-of-five semifinals will run from Tuesday to Sunday, with the inaugural Serie de la Reina (Queen’s Series) beginning March 12.
The championship series in the Mexican Baseball League (LMB) is the Serie del Rey (King’s Series). Opening day in the LMB, which will have 20 teams this year after expanding by two, is April 11.
The pro softball league has fewer teams because ownership groups were asked to make a three-year commitment.
Some of the stars of the league so far are Mexico City’s Leannelys Zayas, a Cuban who had a league-best .479 batting average, and Veracruz pitcher Yilián Tornés (also a Cuban), whose 141 strikeouts beat out 132 by Jalisco’s Yeraldine Carrión for the league lead. Four LMS players hit over .400.
The United States has had a few women’s professional leagues over the years, but all but Women’s Professional Fastpitch, a four-team circuit that launched last year, are defunct. Until now, there had been no other pro softball league in this hemisphere.
“I think we will be a mirror for many Latin American countries, and it is something very important for women’s softball,” said Denisse de Carmen, manager of the Mexico City Red Devils. “I am personally delighted to be part of this story. There is a lot of talent to see.”
Monterrey Sultanes manager Nancy Prieto added that the women are committed to putting on a good show for the fans. “We cannot ignore the great responsibility we have,” she said. “Rest assured that each of us will work to make the games good and attractive to the people.”
