Grupo Bimbo Director General José Manuel González Guzmán (center) announced the major investment Thursday at President Sheinbaum's morning press conference. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican breadmaker Grupo Bimbo on Thursday announced plans to invest US $2 billion in seven states over the next three years, generating 2,000 jobs.
The investment will go toward strengthening Bimbo’s infrastructure, according to José Manuel González, president and director general of Bimbo México, who made the announcement during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.
The seven states that will benefit are Baja California, Yucatán, Nuevo León, Querétaro, Puebla, México state and Mexico City (which is a federal entity with legal standing similar to a state).
González said that in addition to the 2,000 direct jobs, the funding could result in an additional 10,800 indirect jobs. Since its founding in December 1945, Bimbo has created 80,000 jobs in Mexico, with another 460,000 jobs linked indirectly to the breadmaker’s operations.
“We will be celebrating our 80th anniversary this year,” González said, “and we have learned that when Mexicans work together we always make progress.”
González said the investment’s primary objectives are to increase productive and technological capacity, while also improving Bimbo’s research and development divisions.
The funds will boost the company’s sustainability model by modernizing its fleet of electric delivery vehicles and by creating more environmentally friendly packaging for its products. At least 30 factories will be modernized as well.
The Bimbo executive said the development project dovetails with Sheinbaum’s ambitious Plan México, which aims to align private investment with social development and sustainability as it reduces imports and boosts domestic production.
Sheinbaum applauded the Bimbo announcement, saying the investment demonstrates “confidence in our country among national and foreign businesspeople.”
“This is extremely important because it provides certainty for investors and serves to attract other domestic and foreign investments,” Sheinbaum said.
Bimbo will continue to work closely with Mexican farmers, González said. The breadmaker currently acquires 97% of the ingredients needed for its products from domestic sources.
“This investment demonstrates Bimbo’s commitment to the well-being of [Mexico’s] progress,” González said, adding that the company will continue to support government initiatives such as the anti-inflation package aimed at alleviating the prices of consumer goods and the Water Security and Sustainability Agreement.
When asked about the possible effects of U.S. tariffs on Mexican imports that are set to go into effect on August 1, González said he expects the impact will be minimal.
“We don’t believe we will be affected if tariffs are imposed,” González said.
Bimbo has been exporting its products to the United States for more than 20 years. The U.S. and Canada are Grupo Bimbo’s primary export markets, accounting for nearly 50% of its sales.
By a sad coincidence, the announcement came on the same day of the passing at age 97 of Bimbo co-founder Roberto Servitje, a key contributor to the company’s growth over the decades.
San Miguel de Allende is the best city in the world, apparently. The title has made it a magnet for the wealthy, and for those of us who grew up here, continuing to live in the city is almost impossible. (María Ruiz)
After the July 4 anti-gentrification march in Mexico City, gentrification is on everyone’s mind. In Mexico News Daily, Sarah DeVries spoke about this controversial topic as a U.S. citizen. María Meléndez took up the subject as a Mexican born in Mexico City. Now, it’s my turn to speak as a Mexican born and raised in San Miguel de Allende, a city that has perhaps seen more aggressive and rapid gentrification than anywhere else in the country. I have lived here for more than 30 years, my parents are from here, and I went to local public schools in the center of town. I love my city.
I have mixed feelings about the foreign community living in the city. On one hand, I believe that having foreigners live in San Miguel has enriched the community enormously. But I also feel deep sadness at not being able to imagine the house of my dreams in San Miguel because the costs are extremely high. So are food, services and other products that you find cheaper elsewhere. In some ways, living in San Miguel is like living in a golden cage.
The beauty and unique charm of San Miguel has made thousands of foreigners of different nationalities decide to make this city their home. (María Ruiz)
Gentrification in San Miguel has pros and cons alike. Let’s delve into them.
The negative
Displacement of traditions
Those of us who live in San Miguel know the tradition of Friday of Sorrows, the Friday before Holy Week, when owners of San Miguel’s houses open their doors to the public, set up an altar dedicated to the Virgin of Sorrows and give visitors flavored water, popsicles and ice cream. But every year, I have watched as fewer and fewer houses set up their altars downtown.
The typical altars I remember from my childhood have gradually disappeared. Why? Because San Miguel natives no longer live downtown. The people who live there now are foreigners who do not participate in these traditions. San Miguel natives, displaced to neighborhoods and areas farther from the center, have taken the city’s classic traditions with them.
Racism from Mexicans towards Mexicans
Although foreigners are not to blame for this, but rather the Mexican mentality of inferiority, I have witnessed countless times racism or bad treatment of Mexicans by other Mexicans, and the preference some have for foreigners, especially in restaurants where they prefer to serve foreigners rather than their own people. Sometimes I feel that some Mexicans perceive ourselves as second-class and that foreigners are at a higher level — perhaps because the idea of a caste system is still deeply rooted in our subconscious.
Exorbitant housing prices
This is what annoys me most about how beautiful and popular San Miguel is: housing prices have skyrocketed. Outside real estate offices, it’s normal to see house listings priced in millions of dollars. It’s unthinkable to imagine that, with my Mexican salary, I could afford a house in the city I grew up in. The saddest part of this reality is that those houses once belonged to the grandparents of someone I know. It was once normal to go to your aunt’s house two blocks away, but now most people living downtown are foreigners, and San Miguel natives are increasingly displaced to small, expensive homes on the city’s outskirts. All I ask of the government and developers is to create nice, nearby, and affordable subdivisions for San Miguel’s middle class.
Foreigners who do not adapt
San Miguel is a city full of festivities: fireworks here, noise there, music and dancing everywhere, especially during the feast of Saint Michael, the famous Alborada. Many foreigners enjoy and take part in this excitement, but others don’t adapt and complain about the noise. Without its fiestas, San Miguel would lose its identity and essence. Rather than complain, I think foreigners who decide to live in San Miguel should learn why there is that noise and the meaning of the festivals.
No matter the time of the year, in San Miguel there is always fiesta and merriment. (María Ruiz)
Along the same lines, some people have not adapted to Mexican culture. Many expect things to be done exactly — or very similarly — as in their home countries, but Mexico is a completely different country from the U.S. or the countries of Europe when it comes to bureaucracy. I’m not saying I love it; there are many things I wish were different, but you can’t get upset because things aren’t done exactly how you expect. Mexico teaches you patience, enjoying the journey, and slowing down. My recommendation is that before deciding to live in Mexico, you get to know it and accept it — with all its positives and negatives.
“Se habla español”
Since I was a child, I wondered, why do Mexicans have to learn English to communicate with foreigners in our country if we live in Mexico and speak Spanish? Speaking English opens doors worldwide and because it is the lingua franca of our times, but it strikes me that we as Mexicans make a great effort to communicate with foreigners in English, and even feel ashamed if we don’t speak it well, while a percentage of foreigners living in San Miguel don’t even make the minimum effort to learn Spanish — and instead get upset and frustrated if you don’t speak English to understand them. Friends, the least you can do if you are in this country is to learn some basic Spanish to communicate with your neighbor or market vendors. With MND Tutor, you can learn easily and in a fun way. I’m sure that by learning Spanish you will discover a new and interesting worldview.
There are also positive aspects of foreigners concentrating in San Miguel, and this community has made important contributions to the city.
The positive
Rentals and businesses benefit from foreigners
On the one hand, I complain about the high housing prices, but on the other, I see that the sale and rental of houses have benefited hundreds of San Miguel natives, including my family, which has rented a house to Americans for more than 20 years and thanks to that rent, my three siblings and I were able to cover university expenses. Those who invest in restaurants, hotels, rent their houses, offer their services have benefited from the arrival of foreigners to the city and helped the economy move.
New festivals
Some traditions have been displaced, like Friday of Sorrows, but others are born from the union of Mexicans and foreigners, like the GIFF film festival, initiated by Sarah Hoch, a foreigner residing in San Miguel. I have practically grown up with this festival, and since I was little, I remember the excitement of watching open-air films. Participating in this festival allowed me to meet film directors from other countries at El Gato Negro — a famous bar in San Miguel — watch short films and feature films that inspired me to create art as well, and discover very interesting projects. There are also music festivals like Jazz & Blues, the Chamber Music Festival, Opera San Miguel, organized by foreigners or Mexicans from other parts of Mexico, enriching those who enjoy them.
Newcomers promote arts and culture
The city owes a lot to the post-war U.S. artist who called it home. Those days were a far cry from the ultra-luxury city I live in today. (María Ruiz)
As I mentioned before, San Miguel has benefited from foreigners living here by having various festivals, but not only that — it has become an art mecca. This city attracts many artists, some more well-known than others, such as Joy Laville, an English artist, Leonora Carrington, Leonard and Reva Brooks, and Mexican artists like Rufino Tamayo, David Alfaro Siqueiros, and Diego Rivera. What city in the world can boast of having seen such figures pass through at different times? It is very inspiring to see galleries everywhere, streets with beautiful murals, and cultural events everywhere.
The generosity of foreigners crosses borders
The vast majority of foreign residents in San Miguel are retired Americans and Canadians who come to Mexico for a second lease on life. With enough time and resources, they have created dozens of nonprofit organizations that help those in need, such as Patronato Pro Niños, which offers medical, dental, and psychological services to low-income children. Or the Special Education School of San Miguel de Allende (EEESMA), which provides quality education to children with hearing problems.
Recently, I met Dr. Billy Williams from Kids First Orthopaedics, and I was moved to hear what he does for children born with orthopedic problems. A group of volunteer doctors comes twice a year from the United States to treat and operate on children born with malformations, transforming their lives forever.
Every year, volunteers from across the world give up their time and help to make San Miguel a better place for everyone to live. (Kids First Orthopaedics)
The Biblioteca Pública A.C. is another clear example of foreigners supporting the San Miguel community. Helen Wale, a foreign resident of San Miguel, found that the city needed a library, so she decided to found one. This library has operated for over 70 years with the help of foreign and Mexican volunteers who give their time, money and effort to keep it running. And it isn’t just a library—it also offers art workshops, English classes, scholarships for youth and children, and many recreational activities.
San Miguel’s prominence as an arts center has much to do with the fact that in the 20th century, the American Stirling Dickinson promoted art in San Miguel together with Felipe Cossio del Pomar, a Peruvian. Simply put, the city would not be the same without the collaboration of all these foreigners and many others who have been part of the city’s history.
Mexico News Daily
I have a job thanks to foreigners in San Miguel. Travis and Tamanna Bembenek decided to come here and invest in a newspaper whose mission is to show how incredible Mexico is. Without these foreigners, I probably wouldn’t be enjoying life with my family here; I would instead be in a big city as part of my career. It is an honor for me to be part of this project that highlights the most beautiful aspects of Mexico, teaching that Mexico is not just violence and drugs but culture, tradition, good people, investments, joy, family, unity, gastronomy, and many things that make me proud to be Mexican.
Without a doubt, San Miguel de Allende is what it is thanks to its people. Mexicans from Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Querétaro and León. Foreigners from the United States, Canada, Spain, England, China and Germany. We all make this small place the best city in the world. Everyone is welcome — you just have to open your eyes and connect with the city that hosts you.
María Ruiz is the Director of Digital Marketing at Mexico News Daily. She enjoys photographing her hometown of San Miguel de Allende in her spare time.
The Pueblo Mágico of Palenque, Chiapas, lies next to the breathtaking Palenque National Park and its archaeological zone. (Bel Woodhouse)
As a huge nature lover, I’d been looking forward to visiting the Pueblo Mágico of Palenque, Chiapas, for the first time. That wasn’t just to take it off my scratch map of Magical Towns: I’d long heard of Palenque’s natural beauty, and I wasn’t disappointed. Vibrant, green mountains, lush tropical rainforest, trees laden with bromeliads and huge exotic flowers were everywhere.
My friend and I got into town at night, and I was a little disappointed that we arrived at that time. Let’s face it: It’s hard to see mountains in the dark. But walking up the colorful streets with friendly people saying good morning was delightful.
Palenque is world-renowned for its ancient Maya archaeological ruins just outside the municipality. But it’s also one of Mexico’s picturesque Magical Towns. (Bel Woodhouse)
“People are so nice here,” my friend said, grinning as we explored the town.
I’ll have to say I agree: Smiles, a tilt of the head and waves were freely given from nearly everyone we passed, making us feel welcome and relaxed.
While exploring around town was great, I was dying to get out to the ruins, Palenque’s most famous attraction. They’re about 10 minutes out of town in Palenque National Park, so we grabbed a taxi.
Our driver was lovely and laid-back and took us to see a bunch of stuff on the way, free of charge, and driving through the dappled light of huge overhanging trees was magical. Emerald greens shining in the sun, mixed with deeper jungle tones. Splashes of vibrant color jumped out, showing the wealth of biodiversity and glorious flowers as we passed. Palenque really is a paradise.
Then we arrived at the ruins.
The Palenque Archaeological Zone
The Palenque archeological zone is surrounded by jungle, but the grounds themselves are immaculately kept. (Gobierno de México)
The Zona Arqueológica de Palenque is amazing, and I’m not just saying that because my rose-colored travel glasses haven’t fallen off yet. I’ve been to a lot of Maya ruins, covering the entire range of the ancient Maya civilization — from the Yucatán Peninsula in the north, down through Belize and Guatemala, and to Copán in Honduras.
So, how does Palenque rate? It’s up there in my favorites. It’s one-hundred-percent worth the visit, and not just for the ruins themselves but for the national park they’re situated in. Well-established walkways make it easy to get around, even for a stumbly bumbler like me, who’s usually so busy gawking, I end up falling over something. You can climb the ruins for amazing photography.
But best of all, we went inside one of the pyramids! A first for me.
It’s an amazing experience to climb the stairs to go inside and see the Tomb of the Red Queen, getting a new appreciation for the construction, culture and craftsmanship that went into building these amazing structures. You can enjoy a bird’s-eye view from atop one pyramid, then climb into the next. You’ll get amazing photos either way.
Palenque National Park
Parque Nacional Palenque, the 4,400-square-acre national park surrounding the ruins, is one of the most naturally stunning places I’ve been in a long time.
Trickling rainforest streams widened and turned into waterfalls. I had to crane my neck back to take in the whole view of massive tree trunks, centuries old, covered with bromeliads and happy red-and-yellow spikes of flowers. Vines and lianas sprawled lazily from tree to tree like nature’s lattice.
I could have stood there all day listening to the sound of the stream and smelling the earth, all the while enjoying birdsong overhead — too many to identify, but all with a sweet, distinct song. It’s a wonder of biodiversity. So don’t forget to stop for a moment and look around.
Blue-tailed skinks ran through the leaf litter. A shining pumpkin-and-honeycomb-colored pale daggerwing butterfly landed at my feet, sending me into a photographer’s frenzy. I jumped around like a crazy lady until I got a shot of its open wings, much to my friend’s delight as she giggled from her shady perch under a massive rain tree.
Looking around, meter-long parrot’s beak flowers hung toward the ground in a tower of scarlet and yellow, while foot-long spikes of magenta ginger flowers reached for the sky. Both were being visited by tiny, stingless native bees.
A pale daggerwing butterfly is just one example of the stunning biodiversity to be seen at Palenque National Park. (Bel Woodhouse)
When I call Palenque National Park a paradise, I’m not joking. Immaculately kept grounds, wide perfectly mowed lawns and flat pathways make for easy walking. I can see why over half a million people flock here every year to drink in Palenque’s beauty.
My takeaways from Palenque
Palenque is full of wonderful, friendly people. They are proud of their town’s natural beauty, their Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) status and their Mayan heritage. We loved it all. We felt safe walking the streets and roaming the ruins.
I plan on returning soon. It’s easy to get there now with the new Maya Train running from my state of Quintana Roo in the east, over to Chiapas in the west.
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over seven years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
The president of the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV), Jesús de la Fuente Rodriguez. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican regulator, the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV), fined CIBanco, Intercam and brokerage firm Vector on Tuesday after the U.S. announced sanctions on the three financial institutions for alleged money laundering in June.
CNBV fined the three firms a total of 185 million pesos (US $9.8 million), due to “non-compliance in administrative processes,” Mexico’s Finance Ministry said in a press statement on Tuesday.
Intercam was fined 92.15 million pesos ($4.9 million), CIBanco 66.61 million pesos ($3.55 million) and Vector 26.46 million pesos ($1.4 million).
The Finance Ministry reiterated that despite the announced U.S. sanctions on CIBanco, Intercam and Vector, no evidence of wrongdoing has been forthcoming.
“If we have conclusive information that proves illicit activities of these three financial institutions, we will act with the full force of the law,” the ministry’s press statement read. “However, to date, we have no such information.”
Most of the fines on Intercam and CIBanco were related to money-laundering prevention, while Vector faced fines for failure to publish mandatory information.
The fines reportedly corresponded to June, when the CNBV took control of the three financial institutions.
On June 25, the U.S. prohibited the execution of fund transfers to and from Mexico’s CIBanco, Intercam and Vector after they were found to have laundered money in connection with illicit opioid trafficking by the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). All three have denied FinCEN’s allegations of money laundering.
An estimated 30% to 40% of clients with significant funds in the affected financial institutions had alternative bank accounts and withdrew their funds in the first two days after the FinCEN accusation, according to CNBV’s vice-president José Antonio Quesada.
On July 9, FinCEN announced that CIBanco, Intercam and Vector would have an additional 45 days, until September 4, to meet certain standards before receiving sanctions.
“It is very difficult to see what future these institutions may have if the sanction issue is not resolved quickly, and from experience, I can say that these things are not resolved quickly,” Victor Manuel Herrera, the president of the National Committee for Economic Studies of the Mexican Institute of Finance Executives (IMEF), said in a press conference.
Mexico uses natural gas for most of its electircity generation, and most of that gas is imported from the United States. (Shutterstock)
Mexico’s imports of natural gas from the United States continue to rise year over year, increasing by 2.7% over the first four months of 2025 to a record high of 6.261 billion cubic feet per day, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration figures.
At the same time, gas production by the highly indebted state-owned Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) decreased 6.3% year-on-year to 3.534 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) from January to May 2025, marking a second year of decline.
President Sheinbaum, seen here with Energy Minister Luz Elena González Escobar and Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) Director Emilia Calleja, wants domestic gas production to reach 5 Bcf/d by 2030. (@EmiliaCalleja/on X)
Mexico is the main buyer of U.S. natural gas and U.S. exports of natural gas to Mexico have risen every year since 2011, except in 2022.
Those increases, along with the dip in domestic production, have prompted worries that Mexico is ever more vulnerable to the aggressive trade policies of U.S. President Donald Trump. Mexico uses gas to produce around 60% of its electricity, so its heavy dependence on U.S. gas has left experts worried that Trump may weaponize gas exports to put greater pressure on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.
“An interruption of the flow of gas to Mexico would be beyond chaotic,” W. Schreiner Parker, managing director for Latin America at the energy intelligence firm Rystad Energy, told The New York Times. “It’s truly one of the unspoken reasons why Sheinbaum has been so accommodating to Trump.”
In 2024, imported natural gas, mostly from the United States, contributed 74.6% of Mexico’s demand, at an average of 8.7 Bcf/d, according to data from the Mexican Energy Ministry. This is almost 35% higher than the 2014 average.
Average domestic gas production through May was 15% below the 4.163 Bcf/dgoal outlined by President Sheinbaum in November 2024, when she presented the National Strategy for the Hydrocarbons and Natural Gas Sector.
Sheinbaum’s energy policy pursues production of over 4.7 Bcf/d of gas starting in 2027 and reaching 5 Bcf/d by 2030. Those goals appear increasingly unlikely as Pemex’s oil fields mature, drilling equipment becomes outdated and service providers delay projects over non-payment.
Long-term, Mexico could invest in new domestic unconventional gas reserves, which could take several years and a significant investment. Or it could diversify its energy mix through renewable energy expansion, something Sheinbaum’s predecessor refused to do.
The achoque is a critically endangered salamander that’s the cousin of the famous axolotl. (Juan José Estrada/Cuartoscuro)
Local fishermen and scientists in the central state of Michoacán are mounting an urgent effort to save the achoque, a critically endangered salamander that’s the cousin of the famous axolotl.
Recognized by their lion-like gills, achoques have remarkable regenerative powers and a cultural significance that have captivated both the public and the scientific community.
The achoque, similar to the axolotl, has been used since pre-Columbian times as both food and a folk remedy for respiratory illness. (Juan José Estrada/Cuartoscuro)
Froylán Correa, who spent decades harvesting fish from the high-altitude waters of Michoacán’s Lake Pátzcuaro, now dedicates himself to collecting amphibian eggs as part of a collaborative project to keep the achoque from vanishing forever.
“There used to be a lot of achoques,” Correa recalled. “Nowadays, the new generation doesn’t even know about them.”
However, overfishing, pollution and dwindling water levels at Lake Pátzcuaro have pushed the species onto the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, with approximately 80 to 100 individuals estimated to survive in a narrow zone of the lake.
That’s “much lower than it was 40 years ago,” said Luis Escalera, a biologist at the nearly 500-year-old Michoacán University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo (UMSNH).
Researchers attribute the amphibian’s rapid decline to habitat loss and local traditions, as the salamander has been used since pre-Columbian times as both food and a folk remedy for respiratory illness.
Biologists, led by Rodolfo Pérez of UMSNH have partnered with the Indigenous Purépecha community of San Jerónimo Purenchécuaro, offering compensation in exchange for their labor in collecting eggs, raising hatchlings and ultimately re-releasing them into the wild.
“We can’t miss a day without coming because otherwise they’ll die,” said Israel Correa, one of the fishermen working to save the achoque from extinction. (Juan José Estrada/Cuartoscuro)
“It’s been a lot of work,” Pérez said, noting that “the biggest challenge is finding money to compensate the fishermen, since achoques require constant care.”
The effort has produced initial stability for the population, with hatchlings protected in community reserves before being returned to the lake.
Yet, for those on the front line like Israel Correa — a relative of the aforementioned Froylan Correa — the commitment remains unwavering.
“We can’t miss a day without coming because otherwise they’ll die,” he said. “Rain or shine, party or not, we have to be here.”
The battle to save the achoque is a delicate race against extinction, echoing the larger plight of Mexico’s endangered amphibians, most notably the axolotl.
Sargassum has multiplied in recent decades as sea temperatures rise. Besides being unsightly, the decomposing macroalgae release fumes that can cause respiratory irritation. Pictured: A government beach cleanup in June. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
Sargassum has invaded Quintana Roo’s beaches with unprecedented intensity for much of the year, prompting daily herculean efforts by authorities and citizens to clear the noxious brown seaweed from normally pristine shores. And their task shows no sign of abating.
A stunning indication of the current crisis — as well as of the locals’ heroism — took place in Isla Mujeres. Between Sunday night and Monday morning, 140 tonnes of the algae came ashore. In other words, in some 12 hours, the island received an amount of sargassum equivalent to 10% of what it had received in the previous three and a half months.
¡Continuamos trabajando en la limpieza de playas y retiro de sargazo! 💪🏻
Agradezco al personal de todas las áreas del Ayuntamiento, quienes se sumaron a la gran labor que realizan nuestras guerreras y guerreros de #Zofemat, para mantener nuestras playas 🏝️limpias y ordenadas. pic.twitter.com/M1AmvLPG3T
— Atenea Gómez Ricalde (@soyateneadeisla) July 16, 2025
By 5 a.m. on Monday morning, response teams consisting of municipal workers, tourism service providers, Civil Protection personnel, Federal Maritime Terrestrial Zone (Zofemat) staff, firefighters, the Navy, taxi drivers and other civilians were working together to free the town’s coastline of sargassum.
After approximately four hours, the beach was clean.
Esteban Amaro, head of the Sargassum Monitoring Center, which issues red alerts, said that although there are no exact figures on the amount of sargassum arriving, the patches of algae are coming in bands, one after another, spanning from Punta Allen to Bahía Príncipe, in Tulum.
Amaro noted that the most critical areas are in the southern part of the state, particularly in Xcalak and Mahahual, where the algae enter the Mexican Caribbean, passing through Banco Chinchorro.
He added that the most critical recent sargassum cycles have lasted three to four years. The first massive grounding was in 2015, followed by one in 2018, another in 2022 and now this one in 2025, “which has been the most tremendous on record,” Amaro said.
Experts had predicted that July would be the peak sargassum period this year. Indeed, the situation has become so critical this month that nearly all beaches from the northern part of Tulum to the southern coast of Playa del Carmen, as well as the eastern part of Cozumel, are on red alert for the seaweed.
¡Redoblamos esfuerzos por unas playas limpias y un mar saludable! 🌊⚓
En el marco de la Estrategia de Atención al #Sargazo2025, la Secretaría de Marina continúa trabajando para proteger el litoral de #QuintanaRoo, desplegando:
On its official X account, the Navy said it has deployed in its sargassum control efforts an ocean vessel, 11 coastal vessels and 22 smaller support vessels, as well as 8,850 meters of containment barriers and 400 naval personnel along the beaches of Quintana Roo.
Dayana Pérez Medina, director of Zofemat, explained that these types of accumulations are not constant and do not affect all beaches, but when they occur, clean-up efforts are immediately activated, as the Isla Mujeres case confirms.
Sargassum is notorious for its negative effects on ecosystems, tourism and public health. It has indirect consequences for human health when it decomposes, releasing ammonia, methane and sulfuric acid. When it rots, it creates a sludge called “brown tide,” which reduces sunlight penetration and lowers oxygen levels in the water.
In early July, Governor Mara Lezama announced the creation of a new facility to monitor and manage sargassum along Mexico’s Caribbean coast, and eventually convert it to biofuel. Lezama expects the new project to promote new sustainable industries, create jobs and reduce the environmental impact of the sargassum.
According to a report by the Water Basin Authority of the Valley of Mexico (OCAVM), the Cutzamala System recovered 9.45 million cubic meters of water just in the last seven days. (Conagua)
The Cutzamala System, one of the largest and most important water infrastructures in Mexico, as it supplies water to the Mexico City metropolitan area and México state, has seen a remarkable recovery this month.
According to the latest official report from the National Water Commission (Conagua) and the Water Basin Authority of the Valley of Mexico (OCAVM), the Cutzamala System’s water level reached 56.44% of its total capacity on July 13, equivalent to 441.7 million cubic meters.
This marks one of the highest levels recorded in recent years, significantly exceeding levels seen during Mexico’s dry season (November-May).
According to a report by the OCAVM, the Cutzamala System recovered 9.45 million cubic meters of water in the last seven days, replenishing the three dams that supply Mexico City: Valle de Bravo,70.4%; El Bosque, 42.8%; Villa Victoria, 41.7%.
The system’s water levels are a result of intense rainfall during the summer season, which has doubled or even tripled reservoir volumes compared to previous years.
Early in June, the reservoirs were at around 48-52% of their capacity. The recent increase is primarily due to the cumulative effect of historic rainfall in the region.
🤔 ¿Qué pasaría si el Sistema Lerma-Cutzamala hubiera llegado al día #DíaCero hoy? Esta infraestructura aporta el 43% del #agua que llega a la capital. Captación, almacenamiento, bombeo, purificación y distribución las 24h del año 🔋
Abrimos hilo 🧵👇#Cutzamalapic.twitter.com/TZ3qc7mEI4
Although these figures are encouraging, authorities will continue to carry out partial scheduled outages in several of Mexico City’s boroughs, including Iztapalapa, Álvaro Obregón, Tlalpan and Coyoacán, among others.
The Cutzamala System captures, stores and distributes water from the upper basin of the Cutzamala River, located in Michoacán and México state. It consists of seven dams, six macro pumping plants, a water treatment plant and a 200-kilometer-long network of pipes and canals.
At its peak, the system can provide between 30% and 40% of the drinking water consumed by the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico (ZMVM), although this figure varies depending on hydrological and operating conditions. The rest of the city’s water is drawn from the groundwater aquifer, the Lerma System, and the Chalmita, Chiconautla and La Caldera systems.
Oaxaca Mayor Raymundo Chagoya took office on January 1, 2025, after promising to transform residents' quality of life and restore civic pride. (Carolina Jiménez/Cuartoscuro)
Over the past six months, Oaxaca’s new mayor, Raymundo Chagoya, has made strides toward the goals he presented when sworn in: addressing safety in the city, restoring pockmarked roads through the Tache al Bache pothole-filling initiative, city cleanup and restoration and tackling water and local environmental issues, among others.
Much of Chagoya’s success to date has been through collaboration with other sectors of government, but also through his grassroots-minded initiatives, which directly involve residents. This has resulted in greater information-sharing with citizens and the strengthening of community relations.
Mayor Raymundo Chagoya, right, in the Santa Rosa Panzacola neighborhood, leading by example as he participates in a community tequio, a neighborhood-based citizen group working on cleaning and improving the city. (Raymundo Chagoya/X)
Involving residents
Chagoya is focused on restoring Oaxaca’s identity as a heritage city by revitalizing the historic center and integrating conservation and maintenance teams. This includes an application for funds from the Association of Mexican World Heritage Cities. Key actions have included cleaning public areas with the involvement of residents, in community improvement events known as neighborhood tequios vecinales.
Tequios — an Indigenous word that embodies community values such as solidarity and teamwork — are groups of volunteers that are working with the government to plant trees, widen sidewalks and repair concrete and ironwork throughout the city.
Chagoya is particularly proud of the tequios’ success, which has gone a long way toward restoring areas in Oaxaca’s capital while at the same time bringing neighbors together.
Tackling Oaxaca city’s water issues
Chagoya has also been leading campaigns to dredge the city’s storm drains, essential work as Oaxaca’s rainy season arrives.
This month, the government has been sending workers throughout the city to clear the city’s rainwater drainage sewers to prevent flooding during the rainy season. (Government of Oaxaca de Juárez)
The municipal government is doing its part by promoting drinking water and sanitation projects to ensure a sustainable supply and improve environmental conditions in Oaxaca de Juárez’s metropolitan area. This work coordinates efforts across various local government departments, with two key projects focused on water security, management and safety: Water for All and the Safe Rain Program.
Chagoya said that water shortages in the city will not be solved by a single action but as a multistep plan that addresses issues with Oaxaca’s water sources — its rivers, reservoirs and wells. It also must deal with issues around water treatment, water distribution and, finally, water storage. Sewers must also be serviced during the rainy season to prevent flooding and further river contamination.
The Safe Rain Program includes preventive and immediate response actions to leaks and flooding in the city’s drainage system, in order to mitigate the rainy season’s effects on the capital. The priority is citizen safety.
Between this past June and November, monitoring of rain levels will be carried out throughout the city using a digital platform with an early warning system, coordinated with the regional meteorological radar and Mexico’s National Water Commission (CONAGUA).
Water storage is a challenge, the mayor said, as space is limited and standing water poses a risk of harboring dengue-carrying mosquitoes. However, he has announced that studies are underway for the installation of rainwater harvesting systems, which he said will allow for the use of up to 56 million liters over the next three years.
So far, much of what has been visible in the media about efforts to address water shortages has been the donation of water tanks, known in Mexico as tinacos. The government has already delivered 3,500 water tanks to neighborhoods with the greatest water shortages. In addition, the government plans to install 36 new hydrants, 20 provided by the municipality and 16 by the state government.
The wider, multifaceted water infrastructure plan underway seeks to strengthen the drinking water supply in strategic areas of the capital, with renovated infrastructure and increased operational capacity. This includes developing water treatment facilities, rehabilitating the city’s Trujano, Vincente Suárez and Candiani wells, developing complementary infrastructure such as an oscillation tower in Xoxocotlán to improve water pressure and providing water storage solutions via tinacos.
Cleaning up the Atoyac River
Chagoya has highlighted the growing success of the wastewater treatment plant in San Juan Bautista La Raya, near Oaxaca International Airport, which will improve the water quality of the increasingly polluted Atoyac River, an essential water source that has been the subject of concern. There has also been collaboration with the Oaxaca state government to clean the river, and construction has started on the road alongside it.
In the heart of the city, where the Atoyac runs behind the Abastos municipal market, a major cleanup has been completed, which removed mountains of trash that were previously spilling down the banks.
Oaxaca’s mayor faces the challenge of maintaining resources during the Guelaguetza, one of Oaxaca’s most important annual festivals and a heavy tourism draw in July. (Ray Chagoya/X)
Chagoya emphasizes the importance of collective awareness, of caring for water, not wasting it, and understanding that its scarcity is not just a technical problem but also a shared societal responsibility. He shared this sentiment in a recent social media post.
“Water is life, it is health, and it is key to the sustainable development of our capital. Let’s reflect on its value and the responsibility we share to preserve it. Every drop counts. Every action contributes. Let’s continue building a more conscious, greener and more committed Oaxaca de Juárez,” he wrote.
The next few months will be telling about Chagoya’s government’s effectiveness at tackling these issues, since the rains in Oaxaca have only just begun. Chagoya also faces this month’s Guelaguetza festival, one of Oaxaca’s busiest seasons for cultural activities in the city.
These challenges will test the mayor’s primary goals — specifically maintaining community safety and cohesion while supporting a city that stays clean and healthy.
Anna Bruce is an award-winning British photojournalist based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Just some of the media outlets she has worked with include Vice, The Financial Times, Time Out, Huffington Post, The Times of London, the BBC and Sony TV. Find out more about her work at her website or visit her on social media on Instagram or on Facebook.
Puerto Vallarta's government is actively striving this summer to beautify the locale and overcome some perennial problems.
Puerto Vallarta’s summer break is marked by development initiatives, cultural milestones and evolving tourism policies.
From infrastructure upgrades in historic neighborhoods and the rollout of a new tourist tax to hosting Mexico’s prestigious film awards, the city is making moves to enhance its appeal while tackling long-standing challenges.
Puerto Vallarta invests in Seapal Vallarta amid ongoing challenges
Mayor Munguía handed over a fleet of new vehicles to Seapal Vallarta, part of efforts to restore public trust in the utility. (Seapal)
Puerto Vallarta Mayor Luis Munguía has delivered 13 new vehicles to water authority Seapal Vallarta, in a bid to improve the utility’s operational efficiency and restore public trust following a year of financial turmoil. The vehicles will be deployed across Seapal’s maintenance and service departments to address citizen complaints, leaks and other infrastructure needs more quickly.
At a ceremony in El Pitillal, Mayor Munguía said the investment reflects a shift toward more responsive, service-oriented governance. “We want a Seapal that is approachable, that solves problems, and delivers real results,” he said at the ceremony.
The delivery comes after a turbulent year for SEAPAL Vallarta. The agency’s current leadership, appointed less than a year ago, inherited a system in crisis. General Director Carlos Ruiz and Administrative Director Rodolfo Domínguez revealed that SEAPAL had been left with only 8 million pesos in reserves, insufficient to cover basic obligations. The agency has requested a 46 million peso loan to stabilize operations.
As Puerto Vallarta nears its high tourist season, water shortages remain a concern. While the new vehicles are a step forward, officials acknowledge more work is needed to rebuild SEAPAL’s capacity and ensure reliable service citywide.
Facelifts in key neighborhoods
Upgrades in the Romantic Zone’s Emiliano Zapata neighborhood will include the rehabilitation of cobblestone streets and sidewalks and the installation of underground wiring. (Vive Vallarta/X)
Puerto Vallarta is rolling out urban improvements in some of its most popular neighborhoods, including Emiliano Zapata in the city’s Romantic Zone, and the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood. Mayor Munguía announced a slate of infrastructure projects aimed at revitalizing these beloved areas while preserving their architectural significance.
In Emiliano Zapata and the Romantic Zone, upgrades will include the renovation of house facades, rehabilitation of cobblestone streets and sidewalks, and the installation of underground wiring.
Meanwhile, Avenida Mexica in the 5 de Diciembre neighborhood will undergo a complete overhaul between 31 de Octubre and Argentina Streets. The project includes reinforced cobblestone paving and improved pedestrian access to better connect residents and tourists to the waterfront.
Puerto Vallarta to host 67th Ariel Awards
Armando Casas, president of the Mexican Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences (AMACC) during the presentation of nominees for the 2025 edition of the Ariel awards, to take place on Sept. 20 in Puerto Vallarta. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Puerto Vallarta will host the 67th Ariel Awards, one of Mexico’s most prestigious film honors, on September 20, 2025, marking the first time the city welcomes the event. The ceremony, organized by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (Amacc), will take place at the Puerto Vallarta International Convention Center.
The move is part of Amacc’s strategy to decentralize the awards and amplify their cultural reach. Puerto Vallarta’s selection also underscores Jalisco’s importance in the national film industry, supported by public incentives such as the Filma Jalisco program.
The films leading this year’s nominations are Sujo by Fernanda Valadez and Astrid Rounder, Corina by Úrsula Barba Hopfner and Pedro Páramo by Rodrigo Prieto.
More than 800 industry guests, including filmmakers, press and influencers, are expected to attend.
Puerto Vallarta begins charging new tourist fees
After the downturn in tourism caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism in Mexico is bouncing back strikingly. (@Secturjal/Twitter)
As of July 1, Puerto Vallarta has officially implemented its new Nonresident Rights (DNR) fees for foreign visitors, a measure approved earlier this year by the Jalisco State Congress. The reform grants the city the authority to collect two separate charges from international travelers: a per-person entry fee and a staggered cruise passenger tax.
Visitors arriving by air or sea are now subject to a 141 peso (US $8.25) fee, which is expected to be collected via payment modules installed at Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport and the maritime terminal. The city anticipates raising over 200 million pesos annually from this levy, which will fund improvements to local infrastructure, such as beach access, streets, and the boardwalk.
Additionally, cruise passengers are now required to pay a US $5 DNR fee as of July 1. The amount will gradually increase over the next three years, rising to $10 in 2026, $15 in 2027, and reaching $21 by mid-2028. These funds will support national programs to promote Mexican products, culture and employment opportunities in the cruise industry.
