In criticizing the U.S. immigration raids, President Sheinbaum pointed out that without Mexican and other Latino immigrants, crops will go unharvested. "They [the raids] will also cause great harm to the U.S. economy," she said. (Shutterstock)
President Claudia Sheinbaum Friday sharply criticized U.S. military-like raids the day before on a pair of marijuana nurseries in California, and said she would make extra funds available to Mexican consulates in the United States.
“These raids are unjust,” Sheinbaum said during her Friday morning press conference. “But they will also cause severe harm to the U.S. economy.”
¿Eres mexicano(a) y vives en EE. UU.?
Acércate a tu consulado 🇲🇽 más cercano. Estamos para apoyarte, orientarte y proteger tus derechos.
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— Consulado de México en Caléxico (@ConsulMexCal) July 10, 2025
Sheinbaum said that without the labor force of “Mexican [immigrants] and other… Latinos,” farms in California will go unharvested.
As a result of Thursday’s raids — led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents accompanied by National Guard troops in military-style vehicles — Mexican consulates in California received 25 calls asking for help.
This prompted Sheinbaum to increase resources for consulates in the U.S. and to order that bureaucratic procedures be simplified, specifically mentioning the certificate for importation of household goods (trámite de menaje de casa). This certificate — increasingly in demand since the immigration crackdown in the U.S. began in earnest in January — allows Mexicans returning home to import their household belongings free of import taxes.
“We are increasing budgets for our consulates, especially with regard to legal support we provide to our countrymen,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the Finance Ministry will be asked to adjust the budget and provide a report next week.
The SRE also said it is in constant communication with local authorities and is prepared to act in support of any Mexican national in need of legal assistance.
Sheinbaum said that 355 Mexicans have been detained in the California raids to date and, since Jan. 20 (the date Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president), more than 67,000 Mexicans have been deported home by plane.
Thursday’s raids took place at two locations operated by Glass House Farms in two California counties — one in the Santa Barbara County town of Carpinteria, about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles, and one in the Ventura County community of Camarillo, about 50 miles from Los Angeles.
Glass House Farms, self-styled as one of the “fastest-growing vertically integrated cannabis companies in the U.S.,” said in a social media post that its greenhouse sites “were visited … by ICE officials,” adding that it “fully complied with agent search warrants.”
The news agency Reuters reported that “as word and video images of the raids spread on social media, … migrant-rights activists converged on the area … leading to face-offs with federal agents.”
About 100 farmworkers were detained before the protesters arrived. A local TV station reported that tear gas was fired at the crowds, according to Reuters.
At the Carpinteria farm, U.S. congressman Salud Carbajal, a California Democrat, published a video in which he complained that he was denied access to the scene of the raid.
I went to Casitas Pass Road in Carpinteria today after learning ICE was conducting a militarized raid targeting farm workers. As a Member of Congress, I have the right to conduct oversight, but I was denied entry. Here’s what happened. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/bnrpv6Axot
He said company officials told him 10 workers were taken into custody at that location, adding in a separate social media post that he “will be demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security to find out who [was] detained and where the detainees [were] taken.”
The nationalities of the 10 detained workers mentioned by Carbajal have not been made public.
At the farm in Camarillo, Reuters reported that a man fleeing federal agents “appeared to open fire with a handgun in the direction of authorities as they lobbed smoke canisters at protesters.”
The Mexican government's entry into the chocolate market is part of its campaign to make available to the public healthy, affordable, Mexican-made food options.
(Presidencia)
The Sheinbaum administration’s campaign to offer Mexican-made healthy food options to the public will soon make available a product that’s sure to make a lot of people happy — “Wellness Chocolate.”
This “Chocolate de Bienestar” is part of the government’s “Food for Well-Being” strategy, which aims to bring nutritious and affordable food options to consumers while supporting national producers, particularly those in the southern states of Tabasco and Chiapas — a region that has historically lagged behind other regions in several social and economic indicators.
— María Luisa Albores González (@Mary_Luisa_AG) July 10, 2025
“Thanks to the efforts of cacao farmers in Tabasco and northern Chiapas, participants in the #SembrandoVida program, we’re now able to bring nutritious, affordable food with a deep social foundation to communities throughout Mexico,” head of Food for Well-Being María Luisa Albores wrote in her official X account.
Now one of those affordable foods will be chocolate, a favorite in Mexico since the time of the Aztecs, when it was so highly prized that its consumption is thought to have been reserved for the upper and priestly classes. Now it will be available to the general public in a presentation both more affordable and, allegedly, healthier than the commercial offerings.
Studies have shown that chocolate improves cardiovascular health via its antioxidants, provides energy, helps control blood pressure, improves cognitive capacity, satisfies hunger and lifts mood.
Albores adds that Wellness Chocolate is also a bone-supporting source of vitamins and minerals.
The down side is that the cacao bean from which chocolate is made is naturally bitter, prompting most commercial brands to include vast amounts of sugar. The Wellness Chocolate attempts to minimize that problem by striking a suppposedly healthier balance between natural cane sugar and the cacao itself. For example, the Wellness Chocolate in bar form uses 50% cacao and 35% sugar, which puts it in the “semi-dark” category with a relatively low fat content.
Still, the packaging dutifully includes warning labels for excess sugar, calories and saturated fats.
Albores revealed that the Wellness Chocolate will be available for purchase at the more than 25,000 Wellness Stores across the county, with its distribution occurring in stages.
“We will reach all of our stores,” she said. “We’re planning a three-month project to ensure that we can deliver these products directly from the countryside of Chiapas and Tabasco to consumers across the country.”
According to the government, the chocolate will be available in three presentations:
Chocolate bar containing 50% cacao, and priced at 14 pesos (less than one dollar).
Powdered chocolate with 30% cocoa, priced at 38 pesos (US $2)
Chocolate de mesa or tablet chocolate, with 35% cacao, priced at 96 pesos (US $5)
With three stages down and two to go, Del Toro is now in second place overall in the Tour of Austria. (Isaac del Toro/Instagram)
Mexican cyclist Isaac del Toro, 21, won the third stage of the 2025 Tour of Austria on Friday — his second consecutive victory after he also came first in the race’s second stage on July 3.
With this win “Torito,” as Del Toro is known, moved into second place in the overall standings, just three seconds behind his teammate Felix Grossschartner of Austria. Both men ride for the professional cycling team UAE Team Emirates.
Adverse weather conditions, including rain, upped the challenge during the third stage, a 142-kilometer stretch between Salzburg and the summit of the Gaisberg.
Del Toro’s strategy consisted of resistance and late attack. He remained protected by his team for most of the stage, conserving energy. Then in the last 300 meters of the steep final climb, he launched a powerful sprint that allowed him to overtake his rivals and cross the finish line alone.
AJ August from the U.S. Ineos Grenadiers team attacked with 1.4 kilometers to go, but Del Toro managed to fight back and leave him behind in the final section. Torito recorded a time of 3:39:27, finishing ahead of August and Grossschartner by five and seven seconds, respectively.
Del Toro’s next ride is on July 12, when the 2025 Tour of Austria resumes with the fourth and penultimate stage.
Originally from Ensenada, Baja California, Torito is one of the most promising athletes in Latin American cycling. He previously excelled in the Giro d’Italia 2025, an unprecedented achievement for Mexico, as he led the general classification for 11 consecutive days, wearing the famous maglia rosa.
Although he finished second in the Giro d’Italia behind Britain’s Simon Yates, his performance made him the first Mexican to reach the podium in a Grand Tour and the youngest to hold the lead for such a long period.
Del Toro began cycling at a young age, influenced by his parents. At 16, he emigrated to Italy to gain international experience. In 2019, he joined the A.R. Monex Pro Cycling Team in San Marino and, after a distinguished career in the youth categories, signed with UAE Team Emirates in 2023.
In Tepoztlán, Morelos, Mesoamerican and New Age influences come together to make a spiritual center unlike any other in
Mexico. (MirreNL / CC BY 3.0)
Two hours south of Mexico City lies Tepoztlán, a Pueblo Mágico that, in comparison to the capital’s frenetic nature, feels like stepping into “The Jungle Book.” As the city’s gridlocked traffic disappears behind you, making way to the verdant scenery of Morelos, something shifts. The air becomes crisp and clean, nature’s colors brighten and a feeling of tranquility blankets the landscape.
I’ve made this drive many times, and the energetic switch never fails to catch me off guard. Some visitors describe the air as dense, and that’s true: humidity levels are significantly higher than Mexico City, and the surrounding mountains of the Sierra Tepoztlán trap moisture, creating a sensation of thick, tangible atmosphere. Scientists might chalk it up to simple geography, but spend some time here and you’ll quickly understand why so many believe that density is something far more profound.
Tepoztlán is separated from Mexico City by the Sierra del Ajusco. (On^ste82 / CC BY 3.0)
Over the centuries, Tepoztlán has earned its reputation as Mexico’s most powerful spiritual center. But why? What makes this mountain town a spiritual haven for ancient pilgrims and modern day hippies? I set out to find the answer, which turns out to be a mixed bag of ancient legends, sacred sites, and its contemporary role as a premier wellness destination.
The birthplace of Quetzalcoatl
Quetzalcoatl — the “Feathered Serpent” in Nahuatl — remains one of Mesoamerica’s most revered deities, linked to creation, wind, learning and the morning star. He’s most commonly represented as a serpent adorned with vibrant feathers, a symbol of the union between earth and sky and the endless cycles of life and renewal.
According to ancient legend, Quetzalcoatl was born in Amatlán, a mere 15-minute drive from the town Tepoztlán within the same municipality. It’s said that for over 1,000 years, Indigenous pilgrims have trekked these mountains to reach the god’s legendary birthplace. Upon arrival, they would — and often still do — participate in specific rituals for spiritual and personal transformation, including energetic cleansing, musical practices and chanting.
The zone’s sacred caves and natural hot springs continue to attract spiritual seekers today. Don’t miss Poza Nahualatl, a natural pool where Quetzalcoatl is said to have bathed — the water still feels charged with ancient energy.
A challenging hike to the top of the Tepozteco mountain will reward you with the sight of its 12th-century pyramid. (Gobierno de México)
El Tepozteco: The cliffside temple
As a visitor to Tepoztlán, it’s impossible to miss the town’s crown jewel: the soaring Tepozteco Mountain punctuated by dramatic volcanic rock formations and jagged peaks. What many don’t initially notice, however, is the 10-meter-tall pyramid perched atop one of those very peaks like a stone tiara.
Dedicated to Tepoztécatl, a god of pulque, the Tepozteco Pyramid is a pre-Columbian temple often associated with fertility and harvest. This has made the site a major pilgrimage destination, attracting worshippers from Mexico to Guatemala, and it maintains its spiritual significance today.
The hike itself is challenging but deeply rewarding. Depending on the season, you might pass cascading waterfalls, lush tropical vegetation and unique rock formations created by the area’s volcanic origins. The pyramid is dramatically perched on a cliff, offering sweeping panoramas of the valley below.
Living Indigenous traditions
A visit to Tepoztlán isn’t complete without participating in a traditional temazcal ceremony, which you’ll find offered in abundance throughout this Pueblo Mágico. The ancient sweat lodge experience is always led by a local spiritual practitioner, known as a curandero, and begins with an energetic cleansing using the smoke of burning copal resin; some claim this is a New Age incorporation and not traditional to ancient practices.
Once your aura has been properly cleared of negative energy, you’ll focus on your intention and enter the dome-shaped lodge, where temperatures climb to around 105 F. As you sweat profusely in the steamy darkness, your guide will initiate a series of Nahuatl chants, often inviting you to join in calling upon different deities to assist in your figurative rebirth.
The experience is intense, transformative and deeply rooted in traditions that have survived centuries of change. Many visitors describe feeling lighter, clearer and more connected to both themselves and the land afterward.
Copal, an ancient incense made from tree resin, is frequently used in traditional Mexican spiritual practices. (Gobierno de México)
A modern spiritual renaissance
Due to Tepoztlán’s spiritual reputation, dozens of yoga retreats and meditation workshops have flourished here over recent decades. But this isn’t just about downward-facing dogs and breathing techniques. International visitors are drawn to the town’s extensive menu of ancient healing modalities, where plant medicine is often integrated with contemporary healing practices.
Whether you’re seeking chakra alignment, womb healing, sound baths or energy work, Tepoztlán has practitioners who blend Indigenous practices with mainstream wellness approaches. The selection can be overwhelming in the best possible way.
Holistic hotels of every price point dot the lush landscape, from the luxurious Amomoxtli resort to the minimalist Ekko Hostel. Personal transformation can literally be found around every corner. In neighboring Amatlán, Hostal de la Luz stands as perhaps the most prestigious wellness destination — it was designated by the Dalai Lama as a “place of world peace” during his visit to Mexico in 2006, cementing Tepoztlán’s global reputation as a spiritual powerhouse.
The sacred geography of Tepoztlán
To top it off, Tepoztlán’s geographic location is uniquely powerful. Nestled in a valley at about 1,700 meters above sea level, the town is surrounded by three massive mountain ranges that form a natural amphitheater. These mountains, including the striking Tepozteco, create a landscape of dramatic cliffs, hidden ravines and towering peaks that contribute to the area’s palpable energy.
Additionally, the town sits at the intersection of Mexico’s Trans-volcanic Belt and the Balsas Depression, making it a transition zone between two major geological and biogeographical regions: the Tropical Nearctic Zone, extending north, and the Neotropical Zone, which runs south.
Tepoztlán’s position in the mountains is said to give it great power. (Volunteering Australia)
The region’s natural power comes from nearby volcanoes, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and mineral springs. Stand anywhere in the valley and you can tap into its buzzing, electric quality that seems to emanate from the earth itself.
Perhaps just as importantly, the people of Tepoztlán have maintained a strong collective identity and commitment to preserving their sacred spaces as a community. There’s a deep intergenerational belief in the sacredness of these mountains and Indigenous placemaking practices. The community has actively resisted commercial development projects that threaten their environment and traditions, such as the longstanding opposition to the widening of the La Pera-Cuautla highway. They’ve also managed to keep chain stores and mass tourism at bay: you won’t find even an Oxxo in downtown Tepoztlán.
Why Tepoztlán reigns as Mexico’s spiritual center
After spending time in this mystical valley, it becomes clear why Tepoztlán has earned its reputation as Mexico’s most powerful spiritual center. The town represents a rare convergence of elements that can’t be replicated anywhere else. From its ancient origins as the legendary birthplace of Quetzalcoatl to its almost supernatural geography and the preservation of Indigenous traditions, Tepoztlán has managed a rare feat: maintaining a harmonious balance of ancient wisdom, natural power and contemporary healing.
Whether you come seeking transformation, spiritual awakening or simply a deeper connection to something larger than yourself, this mystical mountain town delivers an experience that will stay with you long after you leave its protective embrace.
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.
No, there were no stories of chivalry or dragons in Mesoamerica between the 5th and 15th centuries. But why was there no Middle Ages in Mexico? A Mexican historian explains. (Denis Poltoradnev/Unsplash)
Dragons, phoenixes and basilisks: None of these medieval beasts were ever sighted in Mesoamerican territory. Busy building pyramids and astronomical observatories, the ancient civilizations that populated present-day Mexico knew neither castles nor crusading knights. The question, however, remains: Why was there no Middle Ages in Mexico?
This question is fundamentally misguided for art historian Maira Montenegro, who recently graduated from the Master’s degree in Curatorial Studies at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Before answering why there was no Middle Ages in Mexico, Montenegro explains that defining what this period was is a good starting point.
While the Sainte Chapelle in Paris was being built in the 13th century, the Chichimecas and Mexicas were settling in the Valley of Mexico, where they would eventually construct Mexico-Tenochtitlan. (Jamieson Gordon/Unsplash)
“The Middle Ages,” the specialist told Mexico News Daily, “is a historiographical category created to study a historical period in Europe.” Temporally, it is located between the fall of the Eastern Roman Empire and early modernity in Europe. According to the historical magazineMedieval Times, the Middle Ages began in AD 476 and spanned a thousand years.
It was a period of profound theological exploration, translation of Greek philosophical texts and extensive artistic development, especially that related to the religious work of the Christian world. Furthermore, Montenegro adds, “this category [the Middle Ages] can be controversial and open to criticism,” as it depends on the local context in which a given work was created.
Dominated by the construction of magnificent and somber cathedrals, the Middle Ages — or Dark Ages, as the period is also known — was fundamentally influenced by the spread of Christianity. This historical period was characterized by profound religious violence and “great political unrest,” The Medieval Times points out, “which resulted in the founding of many modern European countries.”
Broadly speaking, this extensive historical period — which lasted over 10 centuries —can be divided into two main stages:
The High Middle Ages, between the 5th and 10th centuries
The Late Middle Ages, between the 10th and 15th centuries
According to theUniversity of Valencia, the High Middle Ages were characterized “by the struggle for supremacy between the three contemporary empires: the Byzantine, the Islamic and the Carolingian.” In the latter half, known as the Late Middle Ages, the geopolitical arrangements created during the preceding centuries began to decline.
A map ofMexico-Tenochtitlan when Hernán Cortés arrived in present-day Mexico, in 1524. (INAH/Wikimedia Commons)
What happened during the Middle Ages in Mexico?
Just as Europe had specific categories for this historical period, Mesoamerica and her cultures had their own. These historical processes had no connection with the European ones. Around the beginning of the Middle Ages, Mesoamerican civilizations were already deep into the Early Classic period, which lasted from around AD 150 to -600).
As archaeologist and anthropoligist George L. Cowgill wrote forArqueología Mexicana magazine, by then, the ancient civilizations that populated Mesoamerica had already reached a “high level of development,” which was “evident in the complexity of their religious systems, the monumentality of their pyramids and other civic-ceremonial structures [as well as] the refinement of their artistic styles.”
Even in the most arid regions, entire cities had complex irrigation and water supply systems. For example, thesacred city of Teotihuacan, in the Basin of Mexico, and Monte Albán, the jewel of the Valley of Oaxaca, had already reached their architectural peak and were weaving their trade networks through present-day Mexico.
In the Yucatán Peninsula, the Maya had already developed a complex ritual calendar aligned with the stars and celestial cycles. Beyondthe allegedly centuries-old cleansing rituals the Riviera offers today, this culture had already developed medical science and technology for dental procedures, as shown by research published by UNAM’s FES Iztacala campus.
Although the Middle Ages never really happened in Mexico, the Spaniards brought some unique medieval souvenirs from Europe. “In the summer of 1520,” as documented by the UNAM’s Institute of Historical Research, “Mexico-Tenochtitlan was gripped by a smallpox epidemic.” The disease wiped out 90% of the original population of what was then Nueva España. Other sources suggest that it was only about half of the native population, which is nonetheless scandalous and grievous.
Teotihuacán was the largest city in Mesoamerica, especially during its heyday between the 2nd and 7th centuries AD. (Maciej Cisowski/Pexels)
The consequences were so dire that this spread of the virus is nowconsidered the first pandemic ever recorded in the new world.
Why was there no Middle Ages in Mexico?
Regarding why there was no Middle Ages in Mexico, Montenegro explains that “this is a historiographical category for understanding a European process, in a context with distinct traditions and ethnicities.” The only known “medieval” settlement in the Americas occurred in 1021 AD, after the Vikings arrived on the island of Newfoundland, in what is now Canada. However, the University of Groningen (Norway) confirmed in 2021 that this settlement never truly prospered. Therefore, it is virtually impossible for Norse navigators to ever reach Mexican territory.
Half a century later, when the Spanish invaders arrived in the Americas, the Middle Ages were already coming to an end in Europe. Therefore, the art historian poses a question that seems more interesting to her: Why should Mexico have a Middle Ages? For her, this responds to this constant desire to “fit into European molds,” which seems to “impose a colonial category” on the country’s own historical processes.
Montenegro points out that historians and those dedicated to analyzing these historical processes must adapt these categories to more local issues. In the Mexican context, processes occurred completely unrelated to Europe. Mesoamerican timelines have nothing to do with medieval development on the theological, philosophical or scientific levels. Ultimately, “History should not always be as told by Europe,” the specialist concludes.
Tomato tariffs, cattle exports and the Mexican job market were topics of interest at Sheinbaum's Thursday presser. (Saúl López Escorcia/Presidencia)
A new screwworm case in Mexico, job losses and the looming expiration of a tomato trade agreement were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Thursday morning press conference.
Here is a recap of the president’s July 10 mañanera.
Sheinbaum: US decision to once again halt Mexican cattle imports due to screwworm threat ‘totally exaggerated’
On Wednesday, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins had ordered “the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately.”
In a statement, the USDA noted that Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (Senasica) reported on Tuesday “a new case of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Ixhuatlán de Madero, Veracruz in Mexico, which is approximately 160 miles northward of the current sterile fly dispersal grid, on the eastern side of the country and 370 miles south of the U.S./Mexico border.”
The department said that while it “announced a risk-based phased port re-opening strategy for cattle, bison, and equine from Mexico beginning as early as July 7, 2025, this newly reported NWS case raises significant concern about the previously reported information shared by Mexican officials and severely compromises the outlined port reopening schedule of five ports from July 7-September 15.”
“Therefore, in order to protect American livestock and our nation’s food supply, Secretary Rollins has ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately,” the USDA said.
At her press conference on Thursday, Sheinbaum expressed her disagreement with the decision.
She said that upon finding out about the new screwworm case in Veracruz, the United States government took, “from our point of view” a “totally exaggerated decision to once again close the border.”
“In any case, what do we do? Well, the technical teams immediately get back to work to demonstrate that [the screwworm situation] is under control and that everything that scientifically and practically should be done is being done,” Sheinbaum said.
Francisco Javier Calderón, director of the food and agriculture sanitation agency Senasica, said screwworm remains confined to Mexico’s southeastern states. (Saúl López Escorcia/Presidencia)
She said that Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegué — who didn’t attend Thursday’s press conference due to illness — is in “permanent contact” with Secretary Rollins, and “we hope that the border will be opened again very soon.”
Sheinbaum said that the latest screwworm case in Veracruz was attended to “immediately.”
“As the director of Senasica rightly says: veterinarians arrive, there is a team, there is a care protocol; sterile flies are released so that this pest does not spread. So, all the protocols are being followed,” she said.
Sheinbaum seeks to allay concerns about job losses
Sheinbaum declared that “the trend will change,” asserting that public and private infrastructure projects as well as housing projects “will enable employment to grow.”
She highlighted that the number of people in formal sector jobs at the end of June was higher than a year earlier, and therefore there has been job growth over the past 12 months.
Infrastructure projects and the construction of new housing will boost Mexico’s employment rate, Sheinbaum said. (Shutterstock)
The president is correct, although the formal sector workforce only added 6,222 jobs in the 12 months to the end of June, representing an annual growth rate of just 0.03%, according to the Mexican Social Security Institute.
Sheinbaum attributed job losses in recent months to the “tariff decisions” of the United States, which has imposed duties on imports of steel, aluminum and cars from Mexico.
“But we have Plan México, which is going to work,” she said, referring to the government’s ambitious economic initiative.
“And this year, in particular, the trend will change due to construction [projects], among other things,” Sheinbaum said.
“Any country in the world, when it has a situation like these, immediately activates construction,” she said, adding that the government will build 182,000 homes in Mexico this year.
She said that the construction of new houses “will help us a lot” in job creation.
“And it must be said that [vehicle] exports increased in June. So a part of exports that could have declined due to tariff measures is recovering,” Sheinbaum said.
No deal yet to avert US tomato tariff
A reporter noted that Mexico’s agreement with the United States on tomato exports is set to expire on July 14, paving the way for the U.S. to impose tariffs on Mexican tomatoes.
The U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce) announced in April its intention to “withdraw from the 2019 Agreement Suspending the Antidumping Investigation on Fresh Tomatoes from Mexico.”
Another tariff deadline is coming up: This time, the U.S. plans to impose duties on tomatoes unless an agreement is reached by July 14. (Dassaev Téllez Adame/Cuartoscuro)
“… With the termination of this agreement, Commerce will institute an antidumping duty order on July 14, 2025, resulting in duties of 20.91% on most imports of tomatoes from Mexico,” the department said.
Sheinbaum said that Mexican authorities “have worked a lot with the United States government” and that “tomato associations from different parts of the country, particularly Sinaloa, have also been working and have been in contact” with U.S. authorities.
However, no deal to avert the imposition of the tariff has yet been reached.
Sheinbaum said that between 70% and 80% of tomatoes consumed in the United States are exported from Mexico and therefore “it’s not easy to substitute them.”
“Firstly, due to the quantity, the volume, and secondly due to the quality,” she said.
“… They’re going to get angry if they produce elsewhere, but tomatoes from Sinaloa are difficult to replace,” Sheinbaum said.
“So, beyond the decisions that the United States government takes, it’s not so easy to substitute [Mexican tomatoes], they’re going to have to continue importing,” she said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
The plane at the center of the controversy was detected in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of El Salvador. (Omar García Harfuch/X)
An apparently innocent mistake escalated into something of an international incident on Wednesday.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch’s declaration on Tuesday that a plane carrying more than 400 kilograms of cocaine came to Mexico from El Salvador provoked a blunt response from Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who denied that the aircraft “touched Salvadoran territory.”
Mexican authorities arrested three and confiscated over 400 kilograms of cocaine after the international smugglers landed in Colima. (Omar García Harfuch/X)
García Harfuch clarified on Wednesday that Mexican authorities first detected the plane 200 kilometers south of the “level” of San Salvador, meaning that the aircraft was flying above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of El Salvador.
That information was also included in a Security Ministry statement issued on July 4, but at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Tuesday morning press conference, the security minister — in an apparent case of misspeaking — said that the plane came from El Salvador.
“In Tecomán, Colima, due to surveillance and protection operations of Mexican airspace, personnel from the National Center for the Surveillance and Protection of Airspace [Cenavi] detected an aircraft coming from El Salvador that was transporting 428 kilograms of cocaine,” García Harfuch said.
He noted that three people were arrested after the light aircraft landed in Tecomán, and told reporters that the value of the cocaine on the plane was 96 million pesos (US $5.15 million).
On Wednesday, Bukele took to social media to refute García Harfuch’s declaration that the plane came from El Salvador.
“FALSE,” he wrote on X in a post that included footage of the security minister speaking at Sheinbaum’s press conference on Tuesday and a map that showed that the plane in question passed El Salvador a considerable distance off the coast of the small Central American country.
Bukele said that at 1 p.m. on July 3, Costa Rica reported the presence of a “suspicious” aircraft northwest of its territory and consequently activated a regional alert through APAN, “a Central American air safety network.”
“According to their own report, the flight path of the light aircraft entered Costa Rica, briefly disappeared from radar, and then reappeared, exiting toward the Pacific,” he wrote.
“Our radars did not register any aerial contact within our airspace. In the attached image, the route is clearly visible: far south of El Salvador and Nicaragua, with no proximity to national airspace,” Bukele said.
He said that the flight path of the aircraft was also confirmed by the United States’ Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West, Florida.
The plane was detected offshore of El Salvador, according to Security Minister García Harfuch. (Omar García Harfuch/X)
“Their report is clear: the aircraft flew over the Pacific Ocean and never touched Salvadoran territory,” Bukele wrote.
He subsequently provided what he called information that “no media outlet or official source has published: the names and nationalities of the crew members.”
In his X post, Bukele highlighted that the three people who were arrested in Colima are all Mexican.
He then declared that El Salvador doesn’t protect criminals or tolerate drug trafficking.
“We didn’t do it before, we won’t do it now. Nor will we allow attempts to implicate us in operations that don’t concern us,” Bukele said.
“… We demand an immediate clarification and rectification from the Mexican government with respect to the declarations made by its [Security] Minister Omar García Harfuch,” he wrote.
The Salvadoran president also said his government would recall its ambassador in Mexico for consultations on “this situation.”
Later on Wednesday, García Harfuch provided the clarification Bukele sought, writing on X that Cenavi detected the plane 200 kilometers south of the “level” of San Salvador and ordered planes from various military air bases to “intercept the clandestine flight path toward probable landing sites.”
He noted that the light aircraft landed on a “clandestine” airstrip in Tecomán and that National Guard personnel and soldiers subsequently detained three people and seized 427.65 kilograms of cocaine as well as the plane.
“Indeed, those detained are of Mexican nationality,” García Harfuch wrote, noting that they are “being processed for various crimes.”
“We reiterate our respect and appreciation for the people of El Salvador,” he wrote. “These actions demonstrate the commitment of the government of Mexico to combat organized crime.”
Bukele was only half-satisfied with García Harfuch’s response. He reposted the security minister’s post to his X account, but also directed a new message to him.
“Onthecontrary,itwasneitheraSalvadoranaircraftnordidithaveaSalvadorancrew.Wecangrantyouthebenefitofthedoubtandunderstandthatwhatwasexpressedinthepressconferencemayhavebeenamisunderstanding,butweexpectamorepreciseclarification.Itmustbeabsolutelyclearthatthereisnottheslightestindicationthatthisaircraftdepartedfromourcountry,northatanyoneinElSalvadorislinkedtothatdrugshipment,” he wrote.
As of 3 p.m. Thursday, García Harfuch hadn’t made any additional comment on the matter.
The highwaymen overpowerd two guards and the driver and drove off with the truck and approximately US $320,000 in gold and silver concentrate. (Jingming Pan/Unsplash)
Armed criminals in Mexico hijacked a truck carrying 33 metric tons of gold and silver concentrate last week, prompting President Claudia Sheinbaum to order her Security Cabinet to investigate the heist.
A tractor trailer operated by Fletes Durango was intercepted by two white vehicles with tinted windows south of Guadalajara, the Jalisco state capital, en route to the port of Manzanillo.
The cab of the stolen Fletes Durango truck was eventually recovered, but the trailer and its load of precious metals is still missing. (X)
The assailants neutralized the security guards and subdued the driver, holding them captive for more than an hour while securing the cargo and driving away with the tractor trailer.
After being released unharmed, the victims walked to the Chapala toll booth, reporting the heist to the National Guard. The truck cab was later recovered about 28 kilometers southwest of Guadalajara in the municipality of Acatlán de Juárez, but the trailer and the cargo remain missing.
Gold and silver concentrates are semi-processed raw materials with a high content of precious metals, making them especially attractive targets for criminals. The value of the stolen cargo is estimated at six million pesos (US $320,000).
The stolen precious metals belong to Grupo Minero Bacis of Durango state, one of the largest producers of gold, silver, zinc and lead in Mexico. The company bypassed state prosecutors and filed a criminal complaint with the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) on Wednesday, four days after the heist occurred.
“This unfortunate event not only affects our operations, but also all the people who depend directly or indirectly on our activities,” the company said in a statement, confirming that it is cooperating with federal authorities.
Sheinbaum said her Security Cabinet is coordinating closely with the companies affected, though no further details on the case have been disclosed.
“We are confident the investigation will be carried out with the necessary rigor to identify those responsible and to ensure justice is done,” Grupo Bacis said.
In the first two months of 2025, robbery attempts spiked by more than one-third compared to last year, Hector Romero, president of Círculo Logístico, an industry group that represents 25 cargo, private security and logistics companies, told Bloomberg.
Army, Navy and National Guard leaders accompanied Security Minister García Harfuch as he announced the new strategy. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
The federal government is ramping up its fight against extortion, a crime whose incidence has increased more than 80% in the space of a decade.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch presented a new national strategy against extortion on Sunday, while President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday submitted a constitutional reform proposal to Congress that, if approved, will allow the legislature to establish a General Law Against Extortion.
García Harfuch unveiled the new strategy at a press conference earlier this week. (Omar García Harfuch/X)
Making extortion-related arrests as a result of investigation and intelligence.
The creation of state-based anti-extortion units.
The application of the “victim assistance” protocol by officials attending to victims of extortion.
The training of extortion line telephone operators in crisis management and negotiation.
The implementation of a national extortion prevention campaign.
The launch of the new strategy comes after a total of 4,882 people became victims of extortion in the first five months of 2025, according to official data. That figure represents a 5% increase compared to the same period of last year, and an 82.3% increase compared to the first five months of 2015.
The real number of extortion victims in any given period is much, much, higher as the vast majority of cases go unreported, mainly due to fear of reprisal. According to Francisco Rivas, general director of the National Citizens’ Observatory, more than 99% of acts of extortion are not reported to authorities.
The crime is perpetrated in a range of ways including over the telephone, online and in person. Criminal groups often target small businesses, forcing them to make regular payments known as derecho de piso (or cobro de piso). Farmers, including lime and avocado growers, are also frequent victims of extortion.
People who refuse to make payments to extortionists run the risk of becoming victims of even worse crimes, such as kidnapping and murder.
García Harfuch: ‘We have the task of combating extortion with the strength of the state’
García Harfuch outlined the national strategy against extortion at a press conference on Sunday.
“In this administration, on the instructions of President Claudia Sheinbaum, we have the task of combating extortion with the strength of the institutions of the state,” the security minister said.
He said that detaining extortionists is “a direct way to protect the livelihoods of thousands of working families who, every day, with effort and honesty, build businesses, cultivate the land, transport goods and provide services.”
García Harfuch also said that “extortion is one of the crimes that causes the most damage to society.”
“It doesn’t just compromise people’s safety, but also harms their economic stability and affects their emotional health,” he said.
Small businesses are common targets of extortion rackets, which pull entrepreneurs into dealings with organized crime. (Wikimedia Commons)
Accompanied by the chiefs of the Mexican Army, Navy and National Guard, and Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero, García Harfuch said that the new anti-extortion strategy is possible thanks to the approval of the National Investigation and Intelligence System Law, which passed the Senate last week.
He said that the law will allow authorities to strengthen their investigations into extortion and increase their capacity to dismantle criminal groups dedicated to the crime.
The National Guard, the army, the navy, the Federal Attorney General’s Office, the Finance Ministry’s Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) and state and municipal authorities will all participate in the fight against extortion, García Harfuch said.
The UIF will focus on investigations aimed at the freezing of bank accounts where the proceeds of extortion are deposited. Authorities will also seek court orders to block telephone numbers used to commit acts of extortion, including, in some cases, by prisoners.
According to a government statement, authorities will carry out “surprise operations in penitentiary centers” aimed at seizing telephone equipment used by prisoners to commit extortion.
Gertz Manero said that authorities already have knowledge of prisons where so-called extortion call centers operate.
Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero said the government will target extortion call centers in prisons as part of the strategy. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
“We have identified the jails where telephone extortion [schemes] operate. We’re going to file complaints … against any implicated person and each month we’ll publicly report which penitentiary centers are involved,” he said.
The federal attorney general also said that he would meet with his state counterparts on Aug. 1 to discuss the establishment of “a common information system” in which details of reports of extortion will be stored.
Victims of extortion can report the crime and receive assistance from telephone operators by calling the government’s extortion hotline on 089. Anyone reporting an act of extortion has the right to remain anonymous if they wish.
According to García Harfuch, cashiers at convenience stores and banks will be given training to help them identify and “prevent” deposits by extortionists. Hotel receptionists will be given training to “identify and avoid cases of virtual kidnapping.”
García Harfuch said that the federal government will collaborate with the private sector on the training initiatives.
The government said in its statement that a “preventive campaign” will be disseminated via “institutional channels” so that all Mexicans “can be protected” from the crime of extortion.
66% of acts of extortion reported in just 8 states
García Harfuch said that 66% of acts of extortion reported during the current term of government occurred in just eight states: México state, Guanajuato, Mexico City, Nuevo León, Veracruz, Jalisco, Michoacán and Guerrero.
The implementation of the anti-extortion strategy will be prioritized in these states “with multidisciplinary attention” to the crime and the deployment of “specialized work teams,” he said.
Lime producers in Michoacán have faced high levels of extortion in recent years, pushing up lime prices and leading to protests against insecurity in the industry. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
Yair Mendoza, a security researcher at the think tank México Evalúa, told the news outlet Animal Político that citizens will be able to assess whether the strategy is working by the end of this year.
An indication of success, he said, would be a decrease in extortion, “at least in the federal entities” with the highest incidence of the crime.
General Law against Extortion will oblige states to investigate the crime, even without a victim’s complaint
Sheinbaum’s top legal adviser, Ernestina Godoy, told reporters on Tuesday that the president would sign on Tuesday an “initiative directed to the Congress of the Union” aimed at giving the legislature the “necessary constitutional powers” to draw up “general legislation” that establishes a uniform definition of extortion across Mexico and uniform penalties for those convicted of committing the crime.
Speaking at Sheinbaum’s morning press conference, Godoy said that the proposed General Law against Extortion will establish “very clearly” that extortion must be “prosecuted ex officio” across all 32 federal entities.
That means that state authorities will be required to investigate and prosecute the crime of extortion without the need for formal complaints from victims to be filed first.
Speaking after Godoy, Sheinbaum acknowledged that extortion is a crime “that we haven’t been able to reduce.”
“… So, on Sunday we presented the national strategy against extortion and today we strengthen it,” she said.
President Sheinbaum acknowledged that the government hasn’t made progress reducing extortion rates. (Gabriel Monroy/Presidencia)
Sheinbaum said that as things stand, “it’s the victim who has to report extortion” and in doing so places his or her life at risk.
“So we’re removing that burden from the victim. Who assumes it? The Mexican state,” she said, noting that authorities will have to investigate and prosecute extortion “ex officio,” or on their own initiative, once the General Law against Extortion takes effect.
All of us are the victim. The victim is the state,” Sheinbaum said.
“Why does the Constitution need to be amended? Because there must be the same law for the entire country in order for this to be possible. … A general law means that it covers all states, and that all states are required to legislate in accordance with the general law,” she said.
“In order to have a General Law against Extortion, the Constitution must be amended regarding the powers of Congress. Congress will be able to draw up a General Law against Extortion because of the constitutional amendment we are going to make,” said Sheinbaum, who confirmed she was sending her constitutional reform proposal to Congress on Tuesday.
The ruling Morena party and its allies have a supermajority in the lower house of Congress and a near-supermajority in the Senate, meaning that the president’s proposed constitutional reform will almost certainly be approved, allowing lawmakers to create the General Law against Extortion.
Sheinbaum said she believed that all political parties will support the initiative, declaring that she doesn’t see “why anyone wouldn’t agree.”
She anticipated that the constitutional reform and the General Law against Extortion will be approved before the end of the year.
Once the law takes effect, “all the states must prosecute [extortion] ex officio, like a homicide, for example,” Sheinbaum said.
“… We’re starting with the 089 [extortion hotline], with the [national] strategy [against extortion], and it will be strengthened with the changes to the laws this year,” she said.
Rising beef prices helped fuel the 4.32% increase in consumer prices in June. The figure was down from the 4.42% increase in May, marking the first monthly decline in the annual inflation rate since January. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Annual inflation slowed in June, although core prices remained stubbornly high, prompting speculation that the central bank might slow the pace of interest rate cuts.
The inflation report for June mentioned zucchini as one of the vegetables whose prices lowered sine the last report. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
Month-over-month inflation in June itself was .28%, down from .38% in June of 2024.
However, annual core inflation accelerated to 4.24% in June from 4.06% in May, its highest level since April of 2024. Core prices are viewed as a better gauge of price trends because highly volatile food and energy prices are stripped out.
The latest core inflation numbers pose a dilemma for the central bank, or Banxico, with regard to borrowing costs for Mexico, according to the news agency Reuters.
“Core inflation remains sticky, with persistent upward pressure from housing, food services and a seasonal jump in airfares, likely keeping some Banxico board members uneasy,” Andres Abadia, chief Latin America economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, told Reuters.
Housing, food, carrot and beef prices led the rise in inflation, while papaya, chile serrano, chile poblano, guava and zucchini prices fell the most, according to INEGI.
What’s in store for July?
Analysts surveyed by Reuters expect July’s inflation rate to sink below 4%, within range of the upper end of Banxico’s target range of 3%, plus or minus 1 percentage point.
Such an outcome would likely cause the central bank to ease its pace of rate cuts. Banxico has shaved 50 basis points off its benchmark rate each of the past four months.
“We anticipate that the Mexican central bank could cut its benchmark rate on two more occasions this year. We project that these cuts will occur in August and September, both cuts of 25 basis points,” analysts at the investment bank Actinver said.
Banxico lowered its benchmark rate by 50 basis points last month, to its lowest rate in nearly three years, though the decision was not unanimous. Jonathan Heath, the lone negative vote at last month’s Board of Governors meeting, has urged a more cautious approach until a more sustained downward trajectory in the inflation rate is evident.
Notes from the June 26 meeting suggest the remaining Banxico governors agree with Heath, eliminating references to further 50 basis point cuts. Instead, they said they would continue to assess the situation.
