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Mexico to offer citizens legal help in event of mass deportations: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

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MND Staff
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Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum at her daily press conference in front of the presidential podium
President Claudia Sheinbaum said that her interior minister met with governors of Mexico's border states to discuss plans for a potential onslaught of returning Mexicans. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)

Tuesday marked exactly 11 weeks since Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president.

In just under five weeks, Donald Trump will commence his second term as United States president, which could mark the beginning of a significantly different relationship between the U.S. and its southern neighbor.

Mexico's Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla standing at a podium at President Sheinbaum's daily press conference, speaking to reporters. He has a gray-haired receding hairline, is dressed in military fatigues, and wears wire-rimmed glasses.
Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla presented a semiweekly update on Mexico’s security situation at the president’s daily press conference on Tuesday. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)

At her morning press conference on Tuesday, Sheinbaum responded to one question about the “Trump wall” and another about the president-elect’s mass deportation plans.

Earlier in the president’s mañanera, security officials provided a security update.

‘We have to build bridges, not walls’

A reporter noted that Trump spoke about the border wall at a press conference on Monday. The reporter subsequently put the following question to Sheinbaum:

“Is a bigger wall or a wall that separates the United States from Mexico the solution to contain migratory flows, or does more need to be done?”

In response, Sheinbaum noted that ex-president Andrés Manuel López Obrador “revealed right here” during one of his mañaneras that while speaking with Trump on a call he told the former United States president that migrants and drugs will continue to enter the U.S. from Mexico even with the presence of a wall between the two countries.

A group of migrants, mostly men, line up in front of two border agents in green uniforms near the border wall on June 6, two days after Biden issued the executive order.
On the Mexican side of the Mexico-U.S. border wall in Tijuana. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

“He showed him a photograph of a tunnel where drugs and migrants went through,” she said.

“We’ve always been of the idea that we have to build bridges, not walls,” Sheinbaum continued.

“And the most humane and effective solution to migration is to attend to the causes … so that people don’t have to migrate out of necessity. That will always be our vision,” she said.

Preparations continue for possible mass deportations from US 

Sheinbaum told reporters that the government is “working in case there are deportations” to Mexico of large numbers of people currently living in the United States.

Trump has pledged to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.”

Sheinbaum said that the government will be prepared to “welcome” Mexicans who are deported. She noted that Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez on Monday held a Zoom meeting with governors of border states to discuss Mexico’s plans.

“We’re collaborating, and in due course, the strategy will be presented,” Sheinbaum said.

She also said that the government is “strengthening” its consulates in the United States so that they are able to provide better legal support to Mexican immigrants.

Sheinbaum said earlier this month that the federal government would work with states to prepare for possible mass deportations of Mexicans from the U.S.

Mexico's Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez
Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez, seen here during the government’s security report on Tuesday, met with governors of Mexico’s northern states Monday to discuss plans for a possible influx of returning migrants to Mexico. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)

“We hope that it doesn’t happen, but if it does happen, we’ll be prepared to welcome them,” she said Dec. 5.

Almost 7,000 people arrested for ‘high-impact crimes’ since Sheinbaum took office 

During the government’s fortnightly security update, Security Minister Omar García Harfuch highlighted that 6,745 people have been arrested for “high-impact crimes” such as murder and kidnapping since Sheinbaum was sworn in as president on Oct. 1.

He said that 6.1 tonnes of drugs and more than 3,000 firearms have been seized in the same period.

“These seizures mean less violence in the streets and less doses of drugs that harm the health of millions of young people,” García said.

The security minister also said that the federal government has ramped up collaboration  with its state counterparts in order to combat crime more effectively and “arrest generators of violence.”

Daily homicide rate down 6.9% this year 

Marcela Figueroa Franco, head of the National Public Security System, presented data that showed there was an average of 82.3 homicide victims per day in Mexico between Jan. 1 and Dec. 16.

The daily rate represents a 6.9% decrease compared to 2023 and an 18.1% decline compared to 2018, during which Enrique Peña Nieto was president for the first 11 months of the year.

Figueroa also presented data that showed there were 28,883 homicides between Jan. 1 and Dec. 16.

Guanajuato recorded the highest number of murders in the period followed by Baja California, México state, Chihuahua, Jalisco, Guerrero and Nuevo León. Just under 50% of all homicides this year occurred in those seven states.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

President Sheinbaum hosts Colombian leader Gustavo Petro at National Palace

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MND Staff
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro sits across from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in a room in Mexico's National Palace. Each have next to them small brass stands holding a small flag of each other's country. They are smiling and in mid conversation.
The visit between President Claudia Sheinbaum and Colombia's President Petro was not a formal state visit, Sheinbaum told reporters, but merely an opportunity to meet and discuss topics like regional integration. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

Migration, regional integration and the importance of “unity between progressive governments” were among the issues Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Colombian President Gustavo Petro spoke about at a meeting in Mexico City on Monday.

The two leftist leaders met at the National Palace on Monday morning. It was the third time they’d met in as many months, after Petro traveled to Mexico for Sheinbaum’s inauguration in October and the two presidents participated in the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Brazil last month.

This video published by Sheinbaum’s Twitter account Monday, doesn’t show any of the two leaders’ discussion but showed the relative informality of their visit, compared to formal state visits by world leaders.

“We spoke with the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, about the importance of unity between progressive governments, as well as the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean,” Sheinbaum wrote on social media on Monday in a post that included a video clip that demonstrated considerable warmth between the two presidents.

Petro’s office said in a statement that the Colombian president’s “official visit” to Mexico was aimed at strengthening “cooperation between both countries on historical, migratory and regional integration issues.”

During their meeting on Monday, the commitment of both Petro and Sheinbaum to “a joint agenda that promotes sustainability, social justice and Latin American integration” stood out, the president’s office said.

The statement also highlighted that the two presidents reached an agreement to “reactivate the search for the remains of the general José María Melo , the only Indigenous president of Colombia and a key figure in the common history of both countries.”

Melo was killed in Chiapas during Mexico’s 19th-century Reform War.

Migration and regional integration discussed 

Dozens of people holding backpacks and belongings walk down a paved road in bright sun, with a forest in the background
A caravan of migrants walks through Huixtla, Chiapas, near the border with Guatemala. (Damián Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)

Petro’s office said that the Colombian and Mexican governments also agreed to “strengthen the exchange of information in order to guarantee dignified treatment of Colombians in transit in Mexico.”

The statement said there have been “reports of bad treatment” of Colombian nationals in Mexico airports in the past.

Petro’s office said that the two governments also agreed that the issue of migration “must be addressed with a focus on human rights and regional solidarity.”

Millions of Venezuelans have migrated to Colombia due to the dire situation in their own country, while people from all over the world — especially citizens of certain Latin American countries — travel through Mexico en route to the United States.

The office of the Colombian president said that Petro, president since 2022, and Sheinbaum also “confirmed their commitment” to Latin American integration, “highlighting the importance of forging strategic alliances in the face of global challenges.”

The meeting between the two presidents in Mexico City “reaffirms the will” of the Colombian and Mexican governments to “work for a more united, fair and prosperous continent,” Petro’s office said.

At her morning press conference on Tuesday, Sheinbaum said that “the progressive governments of Latin America” ​​— those she cited included the governments of Chile, Brazil and Guatemala — have “a lot of things in common.”

“…And beyond the affinity of the progressive governments, we believe that unity with Latin America on many issues is very important,” she said.

“In fact, our vision is that the trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico should be expanded in many senses toward the south, because that would make us, as a continent, an economic power far above any other region of the world,” Sheinbaum said.

“That is our vision. The [former] president López Obrador spoke about it during his time [in office], I spoke about it when I was sworn in and [more] recently as well. This is the vision we have,” she said.

Sheinbaum also clarified that Petro’s visit to Mexico wasn’t “a state visit.”

“It was a visit of a president, but it didn’t have all the protocols of a state visit,” she said.

When a reporter suggested that it was a meeting between two friends, Sheinbaum said that it was, in fact, between two presidents.

Petro said on Sept. 30, the day before Sheinbaum was sworn in, that Sheinbaum was a member of M-19 , a Colombian urban guerrilla movement that was active in the 1970s and 1980s. The movement has yielded two presidents of Latin American countries, he said, referring to himself and Sheinbaum.

With reports from El Financiero  and El Economista 

Mesnac to invest US $20M in Guanajuato tire manufacturing plant

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MND Staff
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A Mesnac factory
The factory will be built in the city of León in the central state of Guanajuato, a premier automotive production location. (Mesnac)

The Chinese industrial engineering company Mesnac will invest US $20 million to build a factory in the state of Guanajuato as part of its strategy to consolidate its presence in North America.

Mesnac has one other facility in North America, an industrial engineering company in Akron, Ohio. 

A Mesnac factory in Akron, Ohio
Mesnac claims it is among the top three companies in its field, thanks to advanced processing equipment and high-standard management systems. (Summit County, OH)

Though Mesnac, a world leader in the production of rubber processing machinery, did not yet reveal any additional details, Chinese financial news publication Yicai Global reported that the plant will be developed and operated by a subsidiary based in Hong Kong.

Industry news site Cluster Industrial speculated that Mesnac views Mexico — with its strategic nearshoring location and thriving automotive industry — as an ideal platform from which to establish a tire factory.

Mesnac has been deeply involved in the tire mold industry for many years and supplies global tire customers with tire mold products with reliable quality and excellent performance, according to Rubber World magazine. On its website, Mesnac claims it is among the top three companies in its field, thanks to advanced processing equipment and high-standard management systems. 

The factory will be built in the city of León in the central state of Guanajuato, a premier automotive production location. Auto factories in Guanajuato boast an annual production in excess of 800,000 vehicles, according to online industry magazine Mexico Business News.

The company also has an affiliate, Sailun Tire Company, located in México state. In March, Sailun announced a joint US $427 million investment to build a factory in Irapuato, Guanajuato, according to Cluster Industrial. Tire Direct, a Mexican tire marketing company based in León, is putting up 49% of the investment.

The new tire company — to be called Aztema Rubber & Tire Manufacturing — is expected to be operational in March 2025.

With reports from Cluster Industrial, Tyre Trends, Forbes México and Rubber World

Kimpton to open hotel and residences in Monterrey

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MND Staff
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Image of a luxury hotel in a tropical location, with a rooftop pool with white deck chairs around it, palm trees behind it and buildings in the far left background with wide balconies on each floor, like a hotel.
British hospitality company IHG's new Kimpton boutique luxury hotel and branded residences in Monterrey will open just in time for Monterrey's planned hosting of four games in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants/Facebook)

The British multinational hospitality company IHG is expanding its presence in Monterrey, unveiling plans this week for a new boutique luxury hotel and branded residences.

Kimpton, IHG Hotels & Resorts’ luxury and lifestyle brand, is coming to the northern city in 2026 just in time for the World Cup. Monterrey will play host to four World Cup matches.

A rendering of what a completed Torre Rise will look like against the nighttime skyline of Monterrey, Mexico.
The hotel will be located in Monterrey’s under-construction Torre Rise, which when finished, is expected to be 475 meters in height, making it the tallest skyscraper in Latin America. This image is a rendering of the unfinished project. (RiseTower/Instagram)

The property will be situated in the still-under-construction skyscraper Torre Rise, expected to be Latin America’s tallest tower, according to GlobalData, a data analytics and consulting company headquartered in London.

Leanne Harwood, Kimpton’s managing director of luxury and lifestyle, spoke to Global Data about growing the company’s presence within Mexico. “Kimpton Monterrey is poised to bring its distinct perspective, refined style and innovative restaurants and bars to this key international market,” Harwood said.

The new hotel will be owned by the local real estate company Grupo Alora and operated by Monterrey-based Marca Hotel Solutions.

Trade industry publication Upgraded Points reported that the Kimpton Monterrey will have 120 guest rooms and suites, plus 60 private residences. The property promises views of Monterrey’s cityscape and the surrounding mountains. Global Data also reported that hotel guests and residents will have exclusive access to the Torre Rise sky deck, a performance center, an elevated park and luxury retail options.

Among the amenities that will be found on site are an indoor pool, sauna, massage treatment rooms, a full-service restaurant and a lobby lounge. Additionally, Kimpton-specific perks like a daily social hour and pet-friendly policies will be featured.

The new hotel will be Kimpton’s sixth property in Mexico. The company has hotels in Mexico City; Todos Santos, Baja California Sur; and Tulum, Quintana Roo. New properties will open soon in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, and in the Polanco neighborhood of Mexico City.

The hospitality design publication Hotel & Resort Design South reported that the 2026 World Cup has encouraged many hotel brands to expand into Monterrey. Tru by Hilton opened its new 120-room Tru by Hilton Monterrey Fundidora in 2023, while Thompson Hotels is building the 150-room luxury Thompson Monterrey which is set to open next year.

With reports from Hospitality Net, Global Data, Upgraded Points and Hotel & Resort Design South

Banxico survey lowers GDP growth forecast to 1.12% in 2025

By
MND Staff
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Mexico's central bank (Banxico) headquarters, an ornate beige building
The drop in inflation has upended expectations that Mexico's central bank would ease off rate cuts this summer. (Shutterstock)

Experts polled by the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) on Monday revised their GDP growth estimate for 2024 from 1.53% to 1.60%, while lowering the growth forecast for 2025 from 1.20% to 1.12%. 

The estimates are based on results from a survey of 41 private sector specialists. While GDP growth is expected to fall in 2025, they predict it will increase to 1.8% in 2026. 

The slowdown in manufacturing activity came as Mexico seeks to bolster the sector by attracting foreign investment amid the nearshoring trend.
The lower growth outlook for 2025 results from several concerns including political uncertainty — both within Mexico and abroad. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

The exchange rate

The survey provided several other financial outlooks. The analysts expect to close 2024 with an exchange rate of 20.25 pesos to the United States dollar. They reduced the rate outlook for 2025, from 20.59 to 20.53 pesos, and in 2026, from 21.23 to 21.00 pesos. 

Inflation forecast

The analysts see inflation falling slightly by the end of 2024, from 4.42% to 4.37% for annual headline inflation and 3.69% to 3.6% for underlying inflation. This excludes the prices of volatile goods and services, including agricultural products, energy and government tariffs. 

In 2025, the group anticipates headline inflation will average 3.8% and underlying inflation 3.72%, and in 2026, 3.7% and 3.6%, respectively. While some improvement is expected, projected inflation remains higher than the Banxico target of 3%.

Will the business climate improve or deteriorate?

When asked about the business climate in the next six months, 77% of those surveyed expected it to “get worse,” a slight improvement on the previous response rate of 79%. Meanwhile, 13% predicted it would “stay the same” and 10% said it would “improve.”  

A slight majority — 59% of respondents — said it was a “bad time” to invest in Mexico, compared to 68% in the previous survey; 33% said they were “not sure” and 8% believed it was a “good time.” 

Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard referred to several investment announcements for 2025 in his speech that are neither new nor completely certain.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said recently that FDI in Mexico had reached 35.7 billion dollars through Q3 of 2024. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

FDI outlook

The anticipated foreign direct investment (FDI) for 2024 was revised downwards from previous estimates, from US $37.13 billion to $36.51 billion, which would still be slightly above last year’s sum of $36.06 billion.  

The analysts highlighted several factors impeding Mexico’s economic growth over the next six months: 48% thought governance would hinder growth, 21% mentioned internal economic conditions and 18% said external conditions. 

They also emphasized public insecurity (17%), internal political uncertainty (15%), problems related to the lack of rule of law (11%) and the internal economic situation (9%).

Earlier forecast reductions

In October, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) lowered its 2024 economic growth forecast for Mexico to 1.5% while projecting even slower growth in 2025, citing capacity limitations and a restrictive monetary policy. 

The World Bank also reduced its economic growth forecasts for Mexico for this year and the next two, citing uncertainty for investors among the reasons for its more pessimistic outlook. 

With reports from El Financiero, Alto Nivel and Forbes

Mexico extradites ex-Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas from US

By
MND Staff
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Former Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén in handcuffs standing in front of the back of a silver SUV. He's facing the camera while two ICE employees in military fatigues are standing with their backs to the camera on either side of Cardenas Guillen. Cardenas is in a parka and black pants. He wears black framed glasses and is mostly bald.
Former Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, who also founded what later became the Zetas cartel, was transferred by U.S. Homeland Security authorities to Mexican authorities on Monday. (ICE)

Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, a former Gulf Cartel leader and founder of Los Zetas criminal organization, is now in prison in Mexico after he was deported from the United States on Monday.

The 57-year-old convicted drug trafficker was released from jail in the state of Indiana in August after his 25-year sentence was cut short for good behavior.

A middle aged Mexican man in a beige prison at the center of the picture is sitting under restraint inside a military plane by three soldiers in uniforms, helmets and baclavas who sit around him.
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén being transferred to U.S. custody by Mexican authorities in 2007. The former Gulf Cartel leader and Los Zetas founder was released early from a U.S. prison sentence this past August after serving 14 years of a 25-year sentence for money laundering and threatening a U.S. federal agent’s life. (AFI)

However, Cárdenas, nicknamed “El Mata Amigos” (The Friend Killer), didn’t become a free man as he was placed in the custody of United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On Monday, he was “removed” to Mexico, “where he is wanted for homicide and illegal possession of a firearm,” ICE said in a statement.

“… Officers escorted Cárdenas via the San Diego Port of Entry where he was handed over to Mexican law enforcement without incident,” ICE said.

From Tijuana, the former Gulf Cartel leader was flown to Mexico City and subsequently transferred to the Altiplano federal maximum security prison in México state, according to the El Universal newspaper and other media organizations. He reportedly arrived at the facility from which Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán escaped in 2015 in the late afternoon on Monday.

Cárdenas is accused of a range of offenses, including homicide, drug trafficking, involvement in organized crime, weapon possession, bribery and the use of resources of illicit origin.

El Universal reported that he could be sentenced to up to 730 years in jail if convicted on all charges. The newspaper said that seven federal criminal prosecutions against Cárdenas will be reactivated now that he is in custody in Mexico.

Altiplano federal prison in Mexico
The “Altiplano” federal maximum-security prison in México state, where former Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén is currently in custody. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

Cárdenas, once head of a ‘mammoth’ drug empire, has spent much of his adult life behind bars 

Cárdenas, a native of the northern border state of Tamaulipas, was once considered one of Mexico’s most powerful drug lords. Unlike some other Mexican cartel kingpins, he wasn’t so successful in evading the long arm of the law.

In August 1992, aged 25 at the time, Cárdenas crossed into Brownsville, Texas, from his native Matamoros and was arrested the same day “for possessing with intent to distribute, approximately two kilograms of cocaine,” ICE said on Monday.

In early 1993 he was convicted of cocaine possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 63 months in jail. At the end of 1993, Cárdenas was “transferred to Mexico under the Treaty between the United States and Mexico on the Execution of Penal Sentences,” ICE said.

By the mid 1990s, Cárdenas was out of jail and free to resume his criminal career. He soon became the top leader of the Gulf Cartel (CDG).

During his 1997-2003 leadership of the cartel, “the CDG controlled a mammoth cocaine and marijuana trafficking empire that rivaled those of other storied Mexican organized crime groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel,” according to Insight Crime, a think tank and media organization that focuses on organized crime in the Americas.

Cárdenas was arrested in Tamaulipas in 2003, extradited to the United States in 2007 and in March 2010, he was convicted in a federal court in Houston on drug trafficking and money laundering charges as well as “threatening to assault and murder a federal agent,” according to ICE. He served 14 years of his 25-year sentence.

While leader of the CDG, Cárdenas created Los Zetas in the late 1990s. Los Zetas served as the Gulf Cartel’s armed enforcer wing until it struck out on its own in 2010. The group initially consisted of deserters from an elite unit of the Mexican army.

Los Zetas “professionalized Mexico’s gangland warfare by detonating an arms race and introducing a kind of brutal violence never before seen in the country,” Insight Crime reported earlier this year.

In 2010, Los Zetas murdered 72 migrants — 58 men and 14 women — in the municipality of San Fernando, Tamaulipas.

Mexican soldier in 2009 in Saltillo, Mexico standing guard over a display of Mexican pesos in plastic bags, several automatic military-grade rifles, boxes of bullets, ammunition cartridges, and jewelry confiscated from the Gulf Cartel. Reporters with cameras are crowded around the display taking photos and video footage of the the display.
Mexico’s Defense Ministry in 2009, giving a press conference in Saltillo, displaying over 10 million pesos in cash and dozens of army-grade weapons stolen from the military by a Gulf Cartel cell. (Saul Lopez/Cuartoscuro)

Michael Deibert, a journalist and author who wrote a book about the Gulf Cartel, told Insight Crime that Cárdenas is “arguably the most impactful, though not most famous, narco leader in Mexico.”

Mike Vigil, former head of international operations for the DEA, said earlier this year that he was an “architect of extreme violence” and “his methods have become the blueprint for other cartels in Mexico.”

With reports from El Universal and UNO TV 

The Mexican scientists ‘moving mountains’ to help migrating monarch butterflies

By
MND Staff
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Monarchs in Ocampo, Michoacán
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán receives as many as 300 million monarch butterflies each hibernation season. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

Mexican scientists have taken on an ambitious project to transplant the habitat of the monarch butterfly — which migrates south to Mexico every winter — to mitigate the effects of climate change on the butterfly’s population. 

Their approach involves planting new fir forests at temperatures where the butterfly’s preferred place to hibernate can thrive.

Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico's fir forests every winter, where they are protected from rain and frost.
Monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico’s fir forests every winter, where they are protected from rain and frost. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

Between late October and early November, hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies migrate 2,500 miles from the northern United States and southern Canada to hibernate in Mexico’s fir forests.

The fir tree thrives in the humid, cold climate found along the border between Michoacán and México state, home to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. However, climate change is gradually changing the ecosystems of Mexico’s forests, putting the monarch’s habitat under threat from increasingly severe temperature changes, droughts and pests. 

“During the day, under the shade of the fir tree, the environment remains 5 degrees (Celsius) colder than outside. It is a protection against high temperatures. At night, it is the other way around, resulting in 5 degrees warmer,” Cuauhtémoc Sáenz Romero, the lead author of the study “Establishing monarch butterfly overwintering sites for future climates,” told the news site Wired. 

The density of the canopy of these trees acts as protection against winter rain. “If the temperature drops below zero and the butterflies get their wings wet, they can freeze. That is why these trees represent such a particular habitat,” Sáenz added.

Cuauhtémoc Sáenz Romero
Cuauhtémoc Sáenz Romero, the lead author of the study “Establishing monarch butterfly overwintering sites for future climates,” published in the journal Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. (Sam Matey/The Weekly Anthropocene)

According to Sáenz’s study, some climate change models suggest that the climate habitat suitable for monarchs could disappear by 2090 in the existing Monarch Reserve.  

“If at 3,000 meters, the fir trees had an average temperature of 10 degrees, now they will find that temperature at 3,300 meters. That is, the climate keeps moving upwards, but the trees cannot move [anywhere],” stated Sáenz Romero.

Assisted butterfly migration

Scientists and conservationists are now working together, alongside the Indigenous community of Calimaya, to move fir seedlings to higher and colder areas in the region to create new butterfly habitats.  

In 2017, the team chose the Nevado de Toluca volcano in Mexico state to plant the new forests, having assessed factors such as altitude, orientation, soil type and future climatic condition forecasts. 

Over the last seven years, they have transplanted seedlings from cone seeds collected from eight stands in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and planted almost 1,000 trees at four sites on the northeast slope of the volcano, at altitudes of 3,400, 3,600, 3,800 and 4,000 meters. 

The project would not have taken off without the Indigenous community involved, Sáenz stressed. “They understand that their work implies a positive effort for their forest. In addition, they have a great sense of attachment to their territory and a lot of ecological knowledge. They know where and when to collect the seeds,” explained Sáenz. 

The group must now ensure the survival of the seedlings during the first years of life, as well as consider their genetic adaptation to the new environmental conditions. The trees must be able to resist lower temperatures, stronger winds and less water availability to survive. The team aims to establish healthy trees by 2060.  

During the winter of 2023-2024, the population of monarch butterflies in typical hibernation locations was down nearly 60%, according to a report from Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (Conanp).  

While the monarchs have yet to migrate to the northwest slope of Nevado de Toluca, they were reported on the southwest side, which Sáenz said suggests they are searching for new places to spend the winter months.  

The monarch visitation season

The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán is a popular tourist site, attracting up to 200,000 visitors every year.  

The main visitor sites include Sierra Chincua, Senguio and El Rosario in Michoacán and Piedra Herrada, which is located just 18 miles from the lake town of Valle de Bravo in México state. 

Conanp announced the opening of the 2024 season starting Nov. 15 and ending March 31, 2025, and emphasized the importance of ecological conservation at the reserve. 

With reports from ecoPortal, Wired, CB Televisión, El Sol de Morelia and National Geographic

What Mexicans do to cure their hangovers — A comprehensive guide for foreigners

By
Sarah DeVries
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A woman who's had a night of partying and is probably regretting her decisions
Oh. You went a bit too far at the cantina last night didn't you. Here's how Mexican's deal with the aftermath of a Corona-tequila-mezcal-sotol-soaked night. (Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels)

If you’ve been in Mexico for any amount of time, you’ve no doubt noticed something: Mexicans do not shy away from drinking.

When I first arrived, this was a shock to me, though I knew “in theory” to expect it.

Someone holding an empty glass of wine
In Mexico, drinking is a cultural experience — and so is getting over a hangover. (Jill Wellington from Pixabay)

My own family leaned puritanical when it came to any mind-altering substances; drinking, even a little, was never not deviant. There was hardly ever alcohol on the table, and once when I found cigarettes in my mom’s purse, I almost fainted, pearls tightly clutched.

Fast forward to the beginning of my first year in Mexico. I remember staring open-mouthed as the study abroad program director ordered a beer with his lunch. What?! As far as I knew, one beer could get you fall-down drunk and into all sorts of trouble.

Ah, such innocent times. As the year wore on, I loosened up a bit. I started having a little beer at parties, not knowing any better when it came to quality. I loved a good paloma on a night out. I was into wine for a while too when living in Querétaro, where nearby Tequisquiapan was an up-and-coming producer. And straight tequila and mezcal, I’ve loved from the first sips.

But as all of us who are old enough know, learning to “hold our liquor” takes time and practice. After sleeping a few times with one foot on the ground to keep the room from spinning or rushing to the bathroom when our bodies have had enough, most people are incredibly motivated to prevent the sick feelings that come after too much and that can last hours to days.

A group of friends having a beer
Mexicans have zero problems when it comes to proper drinking. (Pavel Danilyuk/Pexels)

It speaks to the tastiness and inhibition-shedding qualities of alcohol that we don’t just give it up after a nasty experience, doesn’t it?

Instead, we try to game the system of our body’s response. Is this the part where I need to say that Mexico News Daily does not condone drinking excessively? Well, we don’t, I guess.

Anyway. Because most Mexicans really like to drink and do not have the kinds of puritanical views of it some to the north do, hangover cures are an important aspect of cultural knowledge.

And besides, they can even be an extension of the fun!

So without further ado, let’s take a look at some of Mexico’s favorite remedies.

First, plan ahead

People talking at a bar
“Entre más fino, menos cruda” applies to basically everything — except possibly wine. (RDNE Stock project/Pexels)

Before you start out on your imbibing, plan what you’re going to drink. If it’s a fancy affair, have some fancy drinks. “Entre más fino, menos cruda,” one friend told me (the fancier it is, the less of a hangover it will cause).

The exception to this, apparently, is red wine, no matter how fancy it is. Most of my friends here have told me that it’s a surefire way to wind up with a hangover the next day.

Mezcal, on the other hand, has a reputation for not causing hangovers at all. I have a feeling that I don’t actually believe that, but honestly I can’t remember, so take from it what you will.

A pair of Coronita beers with a pizza
Mixing is NOT a good idea on a night out. Try to stick to one drink and have an occasional glass of water. (Agustín Muñiz/Pexels)

Not mixing the type of alcohol you have in one sitting is also considered a good strategy. If it’s beer, stick to beer; if it’s tequila, stick to tequila. You get the idea.

And finally, drinking lots of water is a good idea all the time, but especially if you’re drinking lots of other stuff as well. I don’t drink a lot personally, but if I have more than one of something I’ll make sure to have a big glass of water in the middle. So far, it’s proven a good strategy.

Shoot, I got carried away and didn’t prepare at all

Well, my friends, you’re not alone. Luckily, plenty of other people have been in your shoes and shared their hard-won lessons. Especially luckily, most of them involve food!

Let’s have a look:

A michelada

A glorious michelada with escarcha de tajín
Clamato, the heart of a michelada, contains electrolytes that can rehydrate us. Mexicans drink micheladas to cure their hangovers all the time. (Snappr/Pexels)

Now, if you ask me, curing a hangover with even a little alcohol is not a good idea. But it’s not just beer, and Mexicans really have a lot of faith in it. From this article on the famous michelada: “Apart from the flavor, we argue that Clamato contains electrolytes that can rehydrate us, vitamin C from the lime juice that can strengthen our immune system, antioxidants from the tomato that can help maintain our youthfulness, and the capsaicin from the chili that can help keep us alert. While these claims haven’t been scientifically proven, we feel that our health improves every time we drink it.”

I mean I guess, but I’d still personally classify it as one of the grossest drinks I’ve tried. Bleh.

Suero

Now this, I can get a bit more behind. “Suero” can mean a lot of things, but it’s basically electrolytes. This could be in the form of Gatorade or Powerade, but it could also be a simply “marinero”: mineral water with salt and lime. That’s something I drink anyway because I like it, so I’m going to go ahead and count some free health points for myself.

Alka-Seltzer Boost 

I haven’t personally tried this one, but I have a friend who swears by it. When you’re feeling like death, though, anything’s worth a try!

Hearty, spicy food 

Through the power of corn and and chiles, you will come back to life! And if you don’t, you’ll at least get some good, sturdy food in your stomach. Chilaquiles are an incredibly popular choice, as is a nice, spicy pozole.

Seafood is also a popular choice, especially if you choose a nice shrimp cocktail, which actually has some of the same ingredients as a michelada. Maybe they’re on to something!

In the end, the best cure might actually be the memory of a past experience. But in case you get caught up and forget, we’ve got your back!

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, https://sarahedevries.substack.com/

5 easy vegetarian recipes to delight your family this Christmas

By
Bel Woodhouse
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2
vegetarian christmas recipes at a dinner table
Make sure nobody goes hungry at the Christmas table this year with vegetarian recipes everyone will love — yes, even the carnivores! (Nicole Michalou/Pexels)

I’ve been a vegetarian for over a decade now. Not that any of my friends would notice, I adore cooking and sharing my passion for great food with them. Especially at this time of year when friends and family are frequent visitors at my table and gobble everything up. For many though, finding vegetarian Christmas recipes can be a bit of a challenge.

So I wanted to share these five tried and true recipes that all of my friends love. Yes, that includes the carnivores because none of my friends are vegetarian! But everyone lines up for these easy and delicious meat-free meals, most of the time asking for the recipes.

Black bean brownies (vegan, gluten-free)

Vegan and gluten-free black bean brownies
Pamper your celiac friends with these black bean brownies. (Bel Woodhouse)

Rich, fudgy, and decadent, these brownies are a chocoholic’s dream with a protein-packed twist. Made with black beans and avocado, instead of flour, milk, and eggs, they’re creamy, gooey, and irresistibly chocolatey. You may want to make a double batch as they disappear fast!

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 9 brownies  

Ingredients:

  • 1 (400g / 14.1oz) tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, divided
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil (plus extra for greasing)
  • Large pinch of salt
  • 150g / 5.3oz dark chocolate (vegan-friendly)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C/400°F. Grease 9 holes of a muffin tray with coconut oil.
  2. In a food processor, blend black beans, avocado, sugar, cocoa powder, half the walnuts, baking powder, vanilla, 1 tbsp coconut oil, and salt until creamy.
  3. Melt 120g of the chocolate and add to the mixture. Divide evenly into muffin tray holes.
  4. Chop the remaining chocolate and walnuts, sprinkling on top of each brownie.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before removing.

Apple Salad

A nice apple salad
A traditional recipe passed down from grandmother to grandaughter, this apple salad was eagerly anticipated every year. (Mike Kenneally/Unsplash)

When I asked my beautiful Mexican friend which dish was “Christmas” to her, this apple salad was the winner and favorite. A traditional recipe passed down from her abuela, it was eagerly awaited and featured on their Christmas table each year. I was fortunate enough that her aunt wrote down this recipe and shared it with me. The mix of fruit and cream is heavenly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 8  

Ingredients:

  • 8 yellow apples, cut into small cubes
  • 1 can pineapple in syrup, cut into small cubes
  • 1 can peaches in syrup, cut into small cubes
  • Pecans, chopped (or your preferred nut)
  • 500ml cream

Optional Additions:

  • Red cherries, sliced
  • White/yellow raisins
  • Peeled, seedless grapes
  • Instructions:
  1. Combine apples, drained peaches, and pineapple cubes (save the syrup of each) in a large bowl. Add nuts.
  2. Mix cream with 2 tbsp syrup from the canned fruits. Stir into fruit mixture, adjusting syrup for desired creaminess.
  3. Chill for 3-4 hours before serving.

Tomatillo & White Bean Soup (vegan)

A plate of vegan tomatillo soup
Best with an extra-Mexican twist of avocado slices, fresh cilantro, radish and lime wedges. (Bel Woodhouse)

This hearty, zesty soup is infused with Mexican flavors, which every family member will love. I’ve been making it for years and it is so popular that most people who try it ask for the recipe. I have complete faith that your family will love it this holiday season (or any other time). Serve with avocado slices, fresh cilantro, radish slices and lime wedges. Don’t forget the tortillas!

Prep Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 6  

Ingredients:

  • 1lb small white beans or 3 (14oz) cans, drained
  • 1-2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 white onion, diced
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2lb tomatillos, husked, washed, and chopped
  • 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
  • 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground cilantro
  • Salt and red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions:

  1. If using dried beans, soak overnight and be aware that they will need a lot longer to cook. Skip this step for canned beans.
  2. Sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add tomatillos, garlic, jalapeños, cumin, cilantro, and salt. Cook for another 5 minutes.
  3. Add beans and broth. Simmer 20-30 minutes for canned beans or 1.5-2 hours for dried beans, stirring occasionally.
  4. Serve with avocado slices, lime wedges and fresh cilantro.

Mexican veggie pancakes (vegetarian, dairy-free)

Veggie and dairy-free pancakes for burst of flavor
Try these veggie and dairy-free pancakes for burst of flavor, and a great vegetarian recipe for Christmas. (Bel Woodhouse)

These crispy, golden pancakes are packed with grated veggies and a burst of flavor. They are one of my most requested recipes by friends, especially as I usually serve them with tzatziki. You can also serve with sour cream and tomato salsa which is delish as well.

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 4  

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, grated
  • 1 potato, grated
  • 2 zucchini, grated
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 eggs, beaten

Instructions:

  1. Squeeze excess moisture from grated vegetables. Mix with garlic, cilantro, flour, and eggs in a large bowl.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook half the mixture as a large pancake, 4-5 minutes per side until golden.
  3. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Slice into wedges and serve with sour cream, tzatziki, or salsa.

Tip: you can place a large cutting board over your frypan, then flip so it lands on the board. Slip it back into the pan and cook the other side. 

Mushroom spinach empanadas (vegan)

An empanada filled with huitlacoche or Corn Smut. Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico.
Mushrooms are always the way to go when in need of a vegetarian Christmas recipe. (Nsaum75/Wikimedia Commons)

Who doesn’t love empanadas? These savory treats are filled with a creamy mushroom spinach mix and vegan cheese, making them a perfect side (or main) the whole family will enjoy. They keep well but somehow I have a feeling they won’t last long, they never do in my house!

Prep Time: 1 hour | Servings: 20-24 empanadas  

Ingredients:

Filling:

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1lb white mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
  • 3 handfuls spinach
  • 8oz shredded vegan cheese

To make the dough:

  • 4 cups instant corn masa flour (e.g., Maseca)
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 2 tsp fine sea salt
  • Warm water as needed

Instructions:

  1. Sauté onion and garlic in avocado oil until translucent. Add mushrooms and salt, cooking until the liquid evaporates. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted, then mix in vegan cheese for a lovely creamy texture.
  2. Mix masa flour, salt, oil, and warm water into a soft, pliable dough. Roll and cut into 4-inch rounds.
  3. Place filling in the center of each round, fold, and seal edges (a smear of water along the edge helps to seal it). Fry in coconut oil until golden.
  4. Drain on paper towels and serve warm.

These recipes will make your holiday season vibrant, flavorful and inclusive. Let me know in the comments which dish was your favorite, and have a Merry Christmas to all, I hope it’s filled with love and great food!

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 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon. 

Sheinbaum celebrates the Maya Train: Monday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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2
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum lead her daily press briefing from a podium, wearing a sweater and scarf
After a quick trip to the Yucatán Peninsula, President Sheinbaum was back in chilly Mexico City on Monday. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

After presiding over a ceremony in Chetumal to mark the opening of the entire Maya Train railroad on Sunday, President Claudia Sheinbaum was back at the National Palace in Mexico City on Monday morning.

At her morning press conference, she continued to celebrate the completion of the 1,554-kilometer-long railroad, but also spoke about more somber issues including the murders of two high-profile men on the weekend.

Sheinbaum celebrates completion of Maya Train

“You can now buy a ticket for the entire route,” said Sheinbaum, who on Sunday inaugurated sections 6 and 7 of the Maya Train railroad.

Passengers can now complete a loop around the Yucatán Peninsula given that the sections linking Tulum, Quintana Roo, to Escárcega, Campeche, are open.

Sheinbaum told reporters that the government’s aim is to encourage tourists to “not just stay in their hotel in Cancún, which is very common” but to explore the wider region on the Maya Train.

She said that Maya Train hotels built by the army to provide additional accommodation options for passengers are truly “exceptional.”

Sheinbaum holds up documents related to the Maya Train to celebrate its completion, surrounded by military and Quintana Roo state officials.
President Sheinbaum traveled to Chetumal on Sunday to inaugurate the final sections of the Maya Train. (Presidencia)

The president noted that the government will begin construction in 2025 of “all the infrastructure needed for freight trains” to run on the now fully operational railroad.

“And the passenger train [service] has to be consolidated as well. … New trains are going to arrive, that was set out from the beginning, and some other adjustments [will be made],” Sheinbaum said.

“But today the entire route around the peninsula is operating,” she said. “… It really is an extraordinary project.”

High profile murders under investigation, more details to come on Tuesday 

A reporter asked Sheinbaum about the murders over the weekend of the mayor of Tancanhuitz, San Luis Potosí, and the owner of a vineyard in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato.

The mayor, Jesús Eduardo Franco, was found dead along with three other murder victims in a vehicle in Tancanhuitz.

Ricardo Vega, the owner of the Cuna de Tierra vineyard, was shot and killed in the municipality of Apaseo el Grande, which borders the state of Querétaro as well as four municipalities in Guanajuato including Celaya and San Miguel de Allende.

Sheinbaum said that the federal government is in contact with state authorities about the cases.

Murdered Tancanhuitz Mayor Jesús Eduardo Franco waves to a crowd at night with Christmas lights in the background
The Tancanhuitz mayor was killed Sunday evening, the day after leading the festivities at the town’s municipal Christmas party. (Jesús Eduardo Franco/Facebook)

“Tomorrow is the [fortnightly] security report and [security officials] will be able to give us  more details then,” she said, adding that both cases are under investigation.

Creation of new Women’s Ministry to be formalized on Jan. 1  

When she was asked whether the federal Women’s Ministry was “ready” for its formal inauguration on Jan. 1, Sheinbaum referred the question to her women’s minister.

“We’re ready,” declared Citlalli Hernández Mora.

“Citla is ready,” Sheinbaum acknowledged, adding that a “good team” is being built in the Women’s Ministry.

“We’re going to begin next year with the [distribution of the] women’s rights pamphlet,” the president added, noting that a range of rights for Mexican women are now enshrined in the Constitution.

Sheinbaum said in October that the government’s women’s rights pamphlet should be distributed to men as well as women because everyone needs to know about women’s rights.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

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