San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival draws record attendance

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February 19, 2026

Want to know what’s going on in San Miguel this month? Check out our new events page here!

The San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival ended Sunday, Feb. 15, after a jam-packed week of literary and related activities organized around the theme of “Our Stories, Doors to the World.” That turned out to be an appropriate title since the 21st annual event drew a record 1,750 participants from 15 countries, 67% of whom were attending for the first time, according to Susan Page, conference founder and president.

Eight keynotes and two panel discussions were held in the ballroom of the Hotel Real de Minas, with the biggest draws featuring Abraham Verghese, an Indian-American physician and author of “Cutting for Stone” and “The Covenant of Water”; Maira Kalman, a New York City author, illustrator and designer; R.F. Kuang, the Chinese-American author of “Yellowface” and “The Poppy War”; Andrés Neuman, an Argentine poet, writer and translator; and Margaret Atwood, the well-known Canadian author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and many other publications (and a conference patron).

Canadian-American novelist and essayist Emily St. John Mandel greets attendees at the San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival. (Cathy Siegner)

The panels

Comprising the first panel were representatives of the publishing industry, including agents, editors, reviewers, critics and a showrunner. The second panel included keynoters Neuman; Yásnaya Elena Aguilar Gil from Oaxaca, who writes in her native Mixe, Spanish and English; Emily St. John Mandel, a Canadian-American novelist and essayist; Souvankham Thammavongsa, a Laotian-Canadian poet and short-story writer (and two-time winner of Canada’s Giller Prize); and Danielle Trussoni, a U.S. novelist and columnist (and director of the conference’s English-language program).

The Spanish language program

The conference’s Spanish-language program had a higher profile this year, with its general director, Armida Zepeda, organizing two keynotes in Spanish, plus readings, scholarships and other events for Mexican students. On the final day, Zepeda introduced Lizeth Galván Cortés, secretary of culture for the state of Guanajuato, who called the conference “an event that shines” and helps to strengthen the regional literary environment.

“I invite you to keep reading to connect and to keep writing to make change,” Galván Cortés said. “Every page read creates social bridges. Together, let’s make writing and reading the heartbeat of our development. On behalf of the governor of Guanajuato, we await you next year in San Miguel de Allende.”

Key moments in 2026

Below are just a few of the many highlights from the panels and keynotes at this year’s conference.

Industry Insiders Panel: Leslie Zemeckis, U.S. author, documentary filmmaker and actress, was asked about the contraction of the publishing industry and had this to say: “You just can’t let other people say no. I’ve had so many friends just give up. You can self-publish, you can get in a magazine. I’ve made films and had other people make my films. So don’t ever give up.”

Abraham Verghese: “My calling to medicine came to me from a book. I was a precocious reader. By nine or 10, I accidentally picked up ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover.’ ‘Of Human Bondage’ by W. Somerset Maugham held out the same promise, but, to my astonishment, it was much better.”

Maira Kalman: “I did a show with David Byrne, who asked me to do the (embroidered) curtain for ‘American Utopia.’ He’s an optimist. You do your work, and you look at beauty and help the people who need help.”

R.F. Kuang: “All characters are outsiders, those who don’t fit in and are always on the outside looking in. I felt like that growing up in Dallas. Later, I realized outsiders have a lot of power. I think I’ll keep writing about those on the margins.”

Yásnaya Elena Aguilar Gil: “Thanks to all the people who are doing wonderful work in spaces where they are not seen. Thank you for making this into a multilingual space. Literary spaces should be multilingual. It’s a great act of generosity to listen to the words of others.”

Andrés Neuman: “There are many reasons to write. Mine was to realize that I felt more alive when I wrote. My reality was not in my mind unless I wrote about it. I realized that my life was more real if I wrote about it in my diary. I actually write so I’m not a zombie. When we write or read, it’s when we are actually alive and we realize that we are here.”

Emily St. John Mandel: “There’s always a baby or a job or something that keeps you from writing. You have to treat writing like a job. If you only have 45 minutes in a coffee shop wearing noise-canceling headphones, then take it. The first draft is just the marble or the block of wood; it’s not the statue. The draft is the raw material, and I’m going to find the book in that.”

Keynote Panel: When asked which three writers she would invite to a dinner party, Danielle Trussoni said, “Virginia Woolf, Colette and Walt Whitman. Colette was a hedonist and a war reporter. Whitman would have a good vibe with her. I would just love to see Virginia Woolf and would pull her into a corner while the other two created problems.”

Souvankham Thammavongsa: “I auditioned for a role in (‘Little Red Riding Hood’), but I didn’t know the story. I kicked the wolf because he was following me around, and the director said you have to follow the script if you want to get the part. I said who decides what happens and who decides what they said, and the director said the writer, and I knew when I was seven that I wanted to be that.”

Margaret Atwood: Asked why she wrote an autobiography now (“Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts,” published in November 2025), Atwood said, “I got talked into it by my publishers. I also said I was never going to write a sequel to ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ I finally decided a memoir was what you could remember. My siblings were helpful. What you can remember is mostly catastrophes, stupid things you did, stupid things other people did, bad things people did to you and not so much bad things you did to other people.”

At the closing event, Page announced that the conference is offering virtual writing workshops in April and May, and that those who purchase registration packages for the 2027 conference by March 30 will pay the same prices as this year. More information is available here.

Cathy Siegner is an independent journalist based in San Miguel and Montana. She has journalism degrees from the University of Oregon and Northwestern University.

Heat, drought and division: Climate change in the borderlands

By

Millie Deere

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February 19, 2026

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man's legs on dry ground — Changing atmospheric conditions have eased the drought slightly on the Baja Peninsula, but the entire state of Chihuahua has been especially hard-hit by the extended dry season. (Cuartoscuro.com)

Extreme heat in North and Central America caused more than 125 deaths in Mexico alone last year. But intense climate variability, shifting mercilessly between cold and hot spells, rainfall and drought, has been felt most strongly in the borderlands.

Fluctuations in temperature and dryness are a natural effect of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation climate phenomenon (ENSO), a natural cycle of warming and cooling in the Pacific Ocean. However, its impacts are being intensified by climate change, from heat extremes to weather volatility.

Megadrought borderlands — The borderlands are experiencing a megadrought, ushering in the driest period in 1,200 years. (Kevin Krajick/Earth Institute)

Severe storms in the South Texas-Mexico border region killed at least four people last March. The Southwest United States and Northwest Mexico are experiencing a megadrought, their driest period in 1,200 years. Climate models suggest annual average temperatures will increase 2–3 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050, most intensely felt in the Western Sonoran Desert and the Northern Chihuahuan Desert. Annual precipitation will decrease by 20%.

Water

Water systems are under severe stress. Droughts, heat wave duration and average temperatures are all increasing throughout the border region. Precipitation loss is greatest along the coast and parts of the Arizona-Sonora border, while the Chihuahuan Desert is experiencing increasingly frequent dust storms and the streamflow of the Colorado River is decreasing rapidly.

Overextraction of central water sources, including the Colorado River and Rio Grande, is having significant impacts on the agricultural and livestock sectors. Manipulation of these channels through dams, diversions and other water management practices, as well as overallocation, is both the cause and effect of water shortages and increasing salinity.

This impacts everyone along the supply chain from farmers to consumers. Unsustainable water usage has led to the Colorado River Basin losing 27.8 million acre-feet of groundwater since 2005, and the Rio Grande’s natural flow has been depleted by 85%.

Wetland environments are particularly sensitive to changes in water, and those in the border regions could face irreversible degradation and biodiversity loss. Estuaries at particular risk include the Tijuana River and the Rio Grande, as well as the Laguna Madre coastal lagoon.

Pollution

Beyond human-induced precipitation modification, water sources in the borderlands are also experiencing harmful pollution. In 2022, the U.S. and Mexico together emitted 5,341.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide; 91% of this was by the U.S.

The Rio Grande has long been plagued with contamination from a wastewater treatment plant in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.

The Tijuana River, which flows from the city of Tijuana in Baja California into Southern California and the Pacific Ocean, is no different. Health and environmental experts highlight this issue as a leading public health crisis in Mexico. Additionally, industrial byproducts and border traffic cause high levels of atmospheric pollution in the borderlands.

Human rights issues

Growing economic, social and public health concerns are often the result of unpredictable and intensifying rainfall, flooding and drought periods, which are threatening already poor infrastructure and affecting energy, food security and traditional livelihoods tied to agriculture.

Climate change will unevenly impact border populations due to economic, cultural and institutional differences, revealing a significant threat to human rights. The borderlands’ predominantly urban population is concentrated within the 14 city pairs that line the border on each side.

While higher poverty levels and poorer housing quality and urban planning characterize all these cities to some extent, the severity of these structural vulnerabilities is felt more severely in those of Mexico. Tijuana, Nogales and El Paso are examples of critical underinvestment in infrastructure and drainage. Rapid population growth is also putting further pressure on resources.

Particularly vulnerable communities are migrants and low-income residents living in lower-quality or overcrowded housing. But rural populations in the borderlands, living in colonias and unincorporated communities, are also at high risk due to their isolation from water and sewage systems and similar struggles with poor housing and infrastructure, highlighting socioeconomic marginalization as a regionwide problem.

Displaced peoples and migration

Migrant workers — Migrant and agricultural workers are most at risk from extreme weather in the borderlands. (UN Women)

Extreme weather in the borderlands has a direct impact on the number of people migrating from Mexico to the U.S. Decreasing crop yields, encouraging migration, is particularly prevalent in communities without irrigation systems, further underlining issues of rural vulnerability.

Migrant and agricultural workers also face increased risk to their health and economic stability due to lower, less reliable wages and dangerous working conditions. In the U.S., farmworkers are 20 times more likely to die from heat than other workers.

Undocumented migrants are most heavily affected by climate-induced migration, as their journey is both the most politically and physically tumultuous. Migrants and displaced people in transit threatened by restrictive asylum and border policies undertake more treacherous routes, resulting in their further exposure to severe weather and environmental dangers.

Transboundary agreements

Dissonance regarding national climate agendas creates a thorny environment for transboundary cooperation, in addition to the reality that both Mexico and the U.S. are not model governments when it comes to tackling global warming.

The Trump administration has made its point to reverse many of Biden’s efforts, including pulling out of the Paris Agreement, freezing environmental funding and disbanding the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases on its first day alone.

In April of last year, the Trump administration replaced Maria-Elena Giner as head of the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission with the ex-Environmental Protection Agency official from Trump’s first term, William McIntosh, a decision under some degree of fire as Giner was in the process of tackling cross-border management of the Colorado River.

The Colorado River, seen here at the border between the U.S. and Mexico. (USGS)

Meanwhile, Climate Action Tracker has characterized Mexico’s attempts to tackle climate change as “critically insufficient.”

While frameworks are in place to improve environmental protection in the borderlands, they are not making sufficient progress to tackle cross-border pollution and water management. Additionally, weak data-sharing practices and inconsistent technical standards continue to undermine transboundary governance, leaving agencies on both sides of the border to work with fragmented or incompatible information.

The Border 2025 Program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Mexico’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources is insufficient in that it is not legally binding. Meanwhile, the 1944 Water Treaty is struggling due to rising political tensions as the U.S. is holding back on scheduled water releases, claiming Mexico is in an “accumulated water debt.”

It is clear that more permanent and rigid frameworks need to be implemented between national governments, strengthened by cross-border transparency and multilevel governance. Transboundary cooperation is critical to fortify adaptive capacities in the borderlands and successfully manage climate change.

Looking to 2026

With megadrought intensifying, pollution crises worsening in the Tijuana River and Rio Grande, and vulnerable populations bearing the brunt of environmental decline, 2026 offers a narrow but critical window to redesign binational governance before climate pressures outpace institutional capacity.

The current domestic and binational agreements around the Colorado River will expire at the end of 2026, while the success of the signing of Minute No. 333 in response to the strained 1944 treaty is notable.

Whether the region moves toward deeper cooperation or further fragmentation will depend on the willingness of the U.S. and Mexico to adopt more permanent, enforceable mechanisms, expand transparent data sharing and meaningfully include Indigenous communities whose knowledge and rights have long been sidelined, especially in the aftermath of the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

Millie Deere is a freelance journalist.

Sheinbaum hopes US will drop steel and aluminum tariffs after USTR hints at ‘adjustments’: Wednesday’s mañanera recapped

By

MND Staff

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February 18, 2026

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Sheinbaum Feb. 18, 2026 — A reporter noted that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer made remarks on Tuesday about the United States' steel and aluminum tariffs and asked the president what relevant information her government has. (Saúl López Escorcia/Presidencia)

Among the topics discussed at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference were the corruption allegations detailed in a book by a former federal official and the United States’ tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Late in the mañanera, Sheinbaum encouraged more countries to send humanitarian aid to Cuba, a country currently plagued by severe fuel and food shortages.

Government not planning to investigate accusations made by AMLO-era legal advisor in new book

A reporter noted that Julio Scherer Ibarra — who served as former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s top legal advisor between 2018 and 2021 — makes various allegations of corruption in his book “Ni venganza ni perdón.”

Scherer, a lawyer, writer and academic whose father founded the news magazine Proceso, levels accusations of corruption against various people who served in AMLO’s government, including the ex-president’s spokesman Jesús Ramírez, who is now Sheinbaum’s coordinator of advisors.

The aforesaid reporter asked Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Minister Raquel Buenrostro whether the ministry she leads should investigate Scherer’s accusations “de oficio” (ex officio), or on its own initiative.

“We always follow up on every complaint that comes in, always,” Buenrostro said.

“We receive anonymous complaints. Many complaints are made in newspapers — you say ‘Hopefully the Anti-Corruption Ministry will look into this’ — and you give us details, names, official documents, places. When that information is available and considered relevant, we can initiate investigations on our own initiative,” she said.

“When there’s no [supporting] information, just someone’s word, it’s complicated. I mean, we have a finite number of people. So, when do we initiate investigations on our own initiative? Well, when there is enough evidence to know where to begin,” Buenrostro said.

Julio Scherer Ibarra served as former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s top legal advisor between 2018 and 2021. (President’s office)

The reporter pointed out that the accusations come from an official who worked in AMLO’s government and was “perhaps” a witness to the cases of corruption he describes in his book.

Sheinbaum interrupted to say that Scherer should present a formal complaint to authorities, as he did against former attorney general Alejandro Gertz Manero and other high-ranking law enforcement officials in 2022.

Buenrostro agreed with the president.

“He should file complaints because the narrative [in the book] is insufficient to begin an investigation,” she said.

“Whoever has proof should present a complaint, right?” Sheinbaum said. “I mean, anyone can do it.”

Removal of US metal tariffs ‘would be very good,’ Sheinbaum says after USTR remarks

A reporter noted that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer made remarks on Tuesday about the United States’ steel and aluminum tariffs and asked the president what relevant information her government has.

“We’ve been reading and something was mentioned to [Economy] Minister Ebrard. We still don’t have anything concrete,” Sheinbaum said.

In an interview with CNBC, Greer said that the United States’ steel exports have increased as a result of the implementation of tariffs, before noting that “there was some reporting over the weekend about adjustments there.”

“You may want to sometimes adjust the way some of the tariffs are applied for compliance purposes. I’m not giving you double-talk here. We’ve heard stories of companies that have had to hire extra people for compliance. We’re not trying to have people do so much bean counting that they’re not running their company correctly,” the trade representative said.

“The president’s tariffs on steel and aluminum have been very successful, shipping more steel than ever, opening up new steel lines, new aluminum smelters announced, so clearly those are going in the right direction and they’re going to stay in place,” Greer added.

Although Greer gave no clear indication that the United States would lower its 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum — including Mexican steel and aluminum — Sheinbaum said she hoped they would.

“It is something that we have been requesting,” she noted.

“The tariffs on steel and aluminum aren’t, let’s say, just on pure steel and aluminum,” Sheinbaum said, noting that the duties also apply to products derived from those metals.

“That causes a lot of problems,” she said.

Asked whether her government believes that adjustments to the steel and aluminum tariffs would in fact entail their elimination, Sheinbaum responded, “We’ll have to see, we’re going to wait.”

“Remember that [the tariff] is at 50%, it’s a very high tariff. So, that’s also having an impact in the United States. Many of these tariffs have a significant impact on Americans because they raise prices and increase inflation,” she added, contradicting remarks made by Greer on Tuesday.

“… We’re going to wait, and if that’s the case, it would be very good,” Sheinbaum said, referring to a possible (although seemingly unlikely) decision by the U.S. government to eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Sheinbaum: Hopefully more countries will send aid to Cuba

After a reporter noted that Mexico has recently sent humanitarian aid to Cuba and that Spain has committed to doing the same, Sheinbaum said that “hopefully more countries will join” the efforts to support the Cuban people.

“We’re going to continue sending aid,” the president added.

Mexico sends 800 tonnes of aid to Cuba, with more on the way

Mexico, however, has suspended its shipments of oil to Cuba in order to avoid the imposition of additional tariffs on its exports to the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced in late January that the United States would impose additional tariffs on goods from countries that supply oil to the communist-run Caribbean island.

On Wednesday morning, Sheinbaum reiterated that Mexico has always shown solidarity with Cuba, and now “won’t be the exception.”

On Friday, she said her government was prepared to establish a “humanitarian aid air bridge” to transport to Cuba provisions brought to Mexico by other countries around the world.

On Wednesday, CNN reported that “Cuba may be experiencing the most profound moment of economic uncertainty that the island’s residents have endured in decades if not over their entire lives.”

“Through military action in Venezuela and threats of tariffs on Mexico, the Trump administration has shut off the flow of oil to Cuba, attempting to strong-arm the communist-run island into making significant political and economic reforms,” CNN wrote.

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

After 15 years in Mexico City, Netflix opens new offices near Polanco

By

MND Staff

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February 18, 2026

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Ebrard at Netflix — Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard is flanked by Netflix executives at a celebration of the streaming company's new Mexican headquarters near Polanco. (Sam Takataka/Netflix)

Netflix has just opened a new headquarters in Mexico City that will serve as the company’s central office for Latin America and a creative hub for the region’s audiovisual industry.

The new facilities span approximately 8,500 square meters, spreading across three floors, with workspaces and a dedicated post-production area of around 278 square meters. The company moved from its previous offices on Paseo de la Reforma to a new facility in the upscale Polanco neighborhood, where it now houses its local and pan-regional team.

@NetflixLAT reafirmó su apuesta por México con la inauguración de sus nuevas oficinas en Miyana, CDMX, en un evento encabezado por el secretario de Economía, @m_ebrard, y el co-CEO de la plataforma, Greg Peters. Durante la ceremonia, autoridades y directivos destacaron el papel… pic.twitter.com/z5y7AzATeQ

— Excélsior (@Excelsior) February 18, 2026

According to Greg Peters, co-CEO at Netflix, the new office space is “an extension of the country’s cultural identity.”

“What I love about the space is that, if you walk through it and experience it, it represents the diversity and vitality of Mexican culture,” he said.

Netflix Vice President of Content for Latin America Francsco Ramos said that the company wants the new offices to serve as a “center for debate, research and exploration so that talent can find the way to tell the most authentic, diverse, complex and even contradictory Mexican stories that truly portray the richness of our country.”

Netflix emphasized that choosing Mexico City to establish the company’s headquarters responds to the local creative talent, the size of the market, and the recent incentives for the audiovisual sector. Moreover, the move responded to Netflix’s promise of increasing its investment in Mexico.

“Speaking of commitments, almost exactly a year ago, with President Claudia Sheinbaum, we pledged to invest over a billion dollars in three years. We are ahead of schedule on that,” Peters said. “We are so excited to produce that we had to build a larger space to accommodate all the activity and support those productions, which is incredible.”

The inauguration of Netflix’s new offices dovetails with President Claudia Sheinbaum’s recent announcement of a tax incentive to boost the film industry, which offers a credit against income tax (ISR) equivalent to 30% of expenditures made in Mexico, with a limit of 40 million pesos (US $2.3 million) per project.

Speaking at the inauguration event, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard celebrated the new offices, as he said it reveals the growth of the industry.

“This is one of the sectors with the greatest growth potential, one that has the most opportunities to position Mexico on the world stage, which is why it’s so important to us,” he said, noting Mexico’s relevance as the largest Spanish-speaking country in the Hispanic world.

Netflix arrived in Mexico 15 years ago with the intention of expanding its offering of local stories with global production standards. In 2015, it launched Club de Cuervos, its first non-English language series produced in the country, a milestone that marked the beginning of its international expansion in original content outside the English-speaking market.

This year, the company plans to premiere more than 10 series, more than five films, and various documentaries, reality shows, and live events.

Currently, Netflix employs 400 people in Mexico, a workforce that’s expected to grow by about 15% by this year’s end.

With reports from Produ and El Economista

US authorities return 11 Mexican parrots seized at border

By

MND Staff

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February 18, 2026

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Decomiso_psit_CHIH_002 — The 11 birds are juveniles and five are sickly, with respiratory and digestive problems resulting from the relocation stress. (Profepa)

Eleven white-fronted parrots seized at the U.S.-Mexico border last week have been returned to Mexico’s Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa).

The action spotlights the ongoing cross-border efforts to curb wildlife trafficking, such as when a man was caught recently trying to smuggle two parakeets into the United States in his pants.

White-fronted parrots, also known as white-fronted amazons, such as those shown here, are highly protected in Mexico, as are all members of the parrot and parakeet families. (Profepa)

In the latest incident, Profepa said it received the 11 pericos (small parrots) after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized the birds at inspection and arrested a U.S. citizen on Feb. 10.

The man allegedly tried to drive the birds into the U.S. in a private vehicle using the Córdova–Las Américas International Bridge, also known as the Bridge of the Americas, near Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua.

U.S. authorities initially said the parrots presumably came from Ciudad Juárez, although the investigation was ongoing.

Profepa said a medical evaluation determined the birds are chicks roughly 2 to 6 weeks old. Five have respiratory and digestive problems and were placed under veterinary care. Officials said the parrots’ final destination will be decided in line with wildlife laws once they recover.

The white-fronted parrot (Amazona albifrons) is a small Central American parrot with a bright white forehead patch, red around the eyes and mostly green plumage.

It is considered of “least concern” globally while still facing pressure from habitat loss and the pet trade.

Its closely related cousin, the red-crowned Amazon (Amazona viridigenalis) of Mexico, is listed as “endangered” globally, with severe habitat loss and historic heavy capture for the pet trade.

Protections in Mexico go further for parrots and related birds, such as macaws, cockatoos, amazons and lovebirds. The General Wildlife Law states that “no bird specimen corresponding to the Psittacidae family or psittacid [parrots and parakeets], whose natural distribution is within the national territory, may be subject to extractive exploitation for subsistence or commercial purposes.”

It also bans the import, export and reexport of such birds except for conservation or scientific research.

Profepa, headed by Mariana Boy Tamborrell, said it will continue coordinating with U.S. agencies to combat illegal trafficking of protected species and reduce harm to biodiversity.

With reports from El Universal, 88.9 Noticias, Infobae, Mexico Business News and La Jornada

Opinion: Could Mexico make America great again? The path forward

By

Pedro Casas Alatriste

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February 18, 2026

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Document — Mexico is not going anywhere. The United States isn’t either. (eaglepasstx.gov/X)

This is my tenth week in a row thinking and writing about why Mexico is a key — and strategic — enabler of the United States’ growth and development. When I started, I had little doubt about that conclusion. But as I dug deeper into each topic, the conviction only grew stronger: one of the most underappreciated strategic assets the United States has today is Mexico.

I began this series by looking at the policy framework and priorities shaping the United States today.

Stripping away the noise, I identified four guardrails: the need to decouple from China, re-industrialize the economy, move from free trade to managed (or “fair”) trade and treat economic policy as national security policy. What became immediately clear is that each of these pillars has a Mexican component that can accelerate — and de-risk — the U.S. path forward.

Take China. The challenge is not simply reducing dependence; it’s doing so without breaking supply chains or slowing growth. Mexico offers the only realistic answer at scale: proximity, integration, trust and capacity. North America competing together is far more effective than the United States competing alone.

Re-industrialization tells a similar story. The U.S. needs factories, workers and speed. Mexico brings a young labor force, decades of manufacturing know-how and seamless integration with U.S. production systems. This isn’t outsourcing — it’s co-producing, and it’s the difference between wishful thinking and execution.

On trade, the U.S.–Mexico relationship shows why not all deficits are created equal. When measured in value added rather than gross flows, what looks like an imbalance turns into interdependence. Mexico is not just selling to the United States; it is buying from it, assembling with it, and exporting jointly to the world. This is managed trade that actually works.

Then there’s national security. Energy, AI, autos, agriculture and digital services all share the same reality: resilience now depends on regional systems. Mexico anchors U.S. energy exports, enables AI hardware and data infrastructure, stabilizes food supply chains, sustains automotive competitiveness, and absorbs a growing share of U.S. services exports. Security today is not isolation — it’s reliable integration.

Across demographics, the logic repeats itself. The U.S. is aging. Mexico is younger. The U.S. needs workers, consumers, and growth. Mexico is becoming a larger, wealthier market next door. Thirteen million people lifted out of poverty in six years is not just a social achievement — it’s a future demand signal for U.S. goods and services.

Energy showed us that Mexico is not a vulnerability for the U.S., but a pressure valve and a growth outlet. Agriculture reminded us that food security is regional, seasonal and climate-dependent. Services trade revealed a quieter truth: the U.S. runs a surplus with Mexico in the sectors that define advanced economies — education, finance, digital, logistics and travel.

And the auto industry made the case most starkly of all. In a world of stagnant demand and aggressive Chinese competition, North America either competes together — or loses separately.

Seen as a whole, the conclusion is hard to ignore. Mexico is not a side story to U.S. growth. It is not a short-term convenience. It is not a problem to be managed. Mexico is a strategic enabler of the United States’ competitiveness, resilience and long-term prosperity.

With all that said, this does not mean Mexico is without serious challenges — far from it. Organized crime is a real and pressing problem. Mexico is also the final stop for millions of migrants fleeing even worse conditions farther south, a geographic reality that can be seen either as a burden or as a strategic asset for the United States.

My take is simple: this is not an issue to outsource or ignore, but one to address in close coordination. There are other challenges too, of course. But that leads us to the only question that really matters: what are we going to do about it?

Mexico is not going anywhere. The United States isn’t either. And whether we like it or not, this partnership is not optional — it’s structural. We are not just neighbors; we are roommates. We live in the same house. And if we’re going to share it, we might as well work together to make it the best house on the block.

Now, a couple of personal closing notes.

Ten weeks ago, I opened this Substack simply to put my thoughts out there instead of keeping them to myself. Back then, quite literally, with zero readers. I’m wrapping up this tenth week with 100 subscribers and more than 2,500 readers. I genuinely want to thank everyone who shared these texts, sent a kind note, left a comment, or simply dropped a like. It means more than you know.

And finally, I’m writing this last piece from a hospital room, looking at my three-day-old child. I think it’s time to pause the writing for a bit and fully enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime, out-of-this-world experience.

But don’t worry… I’ll be back. Viva North America!

Pedro Casas Alatriste is the Executive Vice President and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (AmCham). Previously, he has been the Director of Research and Public Policy at the US-Mexico Foundation in Washington, D.C. and the Coordinator of International Affairs at the Business Coordinating Council (CCE). He has also served as a consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank.

Bogus bills on the rise: Number of counterfeit pesos in circulation hits 3-year high

By

MND Staff

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February 18, 2026

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CIUDAD DE MÉXICO, 15OCTUBRE2023.- México cuenta con dos fábricas en el país, una ubicada en el estado de Jalisco inaugurada en el 2018 y otra en la Ciudad de México inaugurada en 1969. La denominación que se va imprimiendo depende mucho de la demanda de los billetes entre los mexicanos, la aproximación del BANXICO es que es de 40 billetes por ciudadano en circulación. Lo materiales con los que son fabricados los billetes en el país dependiendo la denominación es; polímero y algodón y estos materiales son importados de multinacionales europeas principalmente y certificadas por el Banco. — (Isabel Mateos/Cuartoscuro)

Almost 292,000 fake banknotes were detected in Mexico in 2025, according to the country’s central bank, the highest figure since 2022.

Bank of Mexico (Banxico) data shows that 291,673 phony bills were taken out of circulation last year, a 1.65% increase compared to 2024.

The figure is the highest since around 351,000 fake banknotes were detected in 2022.

The production of counterfeit money has long been a problem in Mexico. According to the newspaper El Universal, the first counterfeits of Banxico-issued banknotes were detected in Mexico City in 1934.

What is Mexico’s most counterfeited banknote?

Around 51% of the fake banknotes taken out of circulation last year were bogus 500-peso bills.

While the 500-peso note remained Mexico’s most counterfeited bill last year, the total number of forged five-hundreds detected declined from 176,587 in 2024 to 148,652 in 2025, a reduction of 15.8%.

Seizure of fake 100-peso bills surges 212%

Mexico’s second most counterfeited banknote last year was the 100-peso bill.

According to Banxico, 73,875 fake 100-peso notes were taken out of circulation in 2025, an increase of 212% compared to 2024.

Mexico’s third most counterfeited note in 2025 was the 200-peso bill, of which 56,153 were detected, a decrease of 14.1% compared to 2024.

The fourth most counterfeited note last year was the 1,000-peso bill, of which 6,770 were taken out of circulation, an increase of 1.8%.

The fifth most counterfeited note was the 50-peso bill, of which 5,797 were detected in 2025, a 59.7% decrease compared to the previous year.

With regard to 20-peso bills, 426 fake ones were detected last year, a 91.9% increase compared to 2024.

Coins are counterfeited too

Banxico data shows that 1,091 fake Mexican peso coins were taken out of circulation last year, a reduction of 33.3% compared to 2024.

Almost 90% of the phony coins detected were 10-peso ones, while most of the remainder were 5-peso coins.

How to recognize a counterfeit note

The website Mexperience recently updated an article headlined “Tips for Spotting Counterfeit Mexican banknotes.”

Mexperience notes that in “the latest series of Mexican banknotes, the three lowest denominations — the $20, $50 and the $100 peso notes— are printed on polymer, a special type of plastic paper.”

“The other three — $200, $500 and $1000 peso notes — are printed on traditional banknote paper, which has that same crisp and distinct feel of genuine banknotes issued in all countries,” the article states.

“… When you’re handling Mexican banknotes, be sure to feel the paper,” the article continues.

“It should feel the same as, for example, US or Canadian dollars, British pounds, or euros. If the note doesn’t ‘feel’ right — paper used for counterfeit notes is often thicker than genuine banknote paper — check for additional security features.”

Read the full article here.

On its website, the Bank of Mexico says it offers “training to identify security features in Mexican banknotes for financial institutions, legal authorities, government institutions, companies, and the general public.”

The training (Spanish only) can be completed in person in Mexico City or online. More information is available here.

What should you do if you think you have a fake bill?

According to Banxico, “if you have a banknote or coin that you suspect to be counterfeit, do not use it to make payments.”

“Making payments with counterfeit money is a federal crime punishable by up to 12 years in prison,” the central bank says.

“You must take the suspected piece to any commercial bank branch, where it will be sent free of charge to Banco de México for analysis.”

Banxico also says that “if, during a transaction, you are told that one of your banknotes or coins appears to be counterfeit, ask for it to be returned to you.”

“Only banks are authorized to retain presumably counterfeit items. In exchange, the bank must provide you with a form known as Receipt for the Retention of Presumably Counterfeit or Altered Banknotes and Coins, also known as Annex 6,” the central bank says.

“… The financial institution has 20 banking business days to deliver the piece to Banco de México. … If the piece is found to be authentic, the bank that retained it will reimburse you the corresponding amount. If the piece is determined to be counterfeit or altered, it will remain under Banco de México’s custody and you will not recover its value.”

With reports from El Universal and Expansión

It’s only 1 kilometer long, but Isla Pasión is TripAdvisor’s ‘World’s Best Beach’

By

MND Staff

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February 18, 2026

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Isla Pasión QR — TripAdvisor's "Best Beach in the World" lies just 10 minutes away by boat from Cozumel, which has also won a number of international honors for its pristine beaches. (TripAdvisor)

Isla Pasión, a tiny island off the Quintana Roo coast, has been recognized as the World’s Best Beach by TripAdvisor’s 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best, confirming once again Mexico’s reputation as a country coveted for its pristine beaches.

The ranking, resulting from opinions of travelers from different parts of the world, lauds the destination’s clear waters, natural surroundings, and biodiversity.

Described by TripAdvisor as “the ultimate beach vacation spot,” Isla Pasión, just north of the larger island of Cozumel, Quintana Roo, offers a white sand beach, turquoise waters and the “isolated paradise” atmosphere of the Mexican Caribbean. The island, barely a kilometer long, is surrounded by calm, shallow waters, perfect for swimming.

The destination caters to families, couples, and solo adventurers alike, with travelers typically staying for 2-3 hours. It operates as a private island and beach club, with all-inclusive services (food, drinks, sun loungers, hammocks), typically accessed via tours or day passes.

The island also features areas for children, lockers, restrooms, and tourist services typical of an organized beach club. It is also a popular wedding destination.

According to tour operators, the best time to visit the area is between November and March, a period in which weather conditions allow for more recreational activities.

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama said that Isla Pasion’s “best beach” recognition confirms that her state’s tourism promotion and environmental care strategy is yielding results, positioning Quintana Roo as the World Capital of Vacations. She added that these types of accolades strengthen the local economy, create shared prosperity and boost international tourism to the state.

In recent years, the nearby and better-known Cozumel has garnered numerous awards and nominations that reinforce its status as a leading destination for beaches, cruises, and sustainable tourism. Notable examples include its recognition as “Mexico’s Best Beach” at the World Travel Awards Latin America 2025, and its recognition among the top 12 cruise destinations worldwide in 2026.

Furthermore, in 2024, Cozumel was included in the list of the “100 Most Inspiring Stories of Sustainable Tourism” by the international organization Green Destinations, due to the project “Loving Cozumel, the Guardians of Water,” which focuses on the preservation of water resources.

Mexico News Daily

3 more arrests made in case of slain Uruapan mayor

By

MND Staff

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February 18, 2026

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Attorney General of Michoacán Carlos Torres Piña. (Facebook)

The attorney general of Michoacán announced Tuesday that an additional three people had been arrested in connection with the assassination of Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo.

Manzo, an outspoken anti-crime crusader, was shot multiple times in the main square of Uruapan during a Day of the Dead event on Nov. 1.

Attorney General Carlos Torres Piña said that three suspects were arrested Sunday in the municipality of Tarímbaro, which adjoins Morelia, the capital of Michoacán. He said they were detained in an operation carried out by federal and state security forces.

The suspects, who were not identified, are “indirectly” related to the murder of Manzo, according to the Michoacán Attorney General’s Office. They are currently being held in a federal prison.

Torres said the three suspects have direct links to Alejandro Baruc Castellanos Villana, an alleged Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) member who was arrested in December for drugs and firearms offenses, but is also believed to have been involved in the assassination of Manzo. Castellanos was allegedly part of a CJNG cell led by Jorge Armando Gómez Sánchez, who was detained in November and was identified by federal Security Minister Omar García Harfuch as “one of the masterminds” of the mayor’s murder.

Castellanos, known as “El Caos” and “El K-OS,” was allegedly responsible for recruiting gunmen for the criminal cell led by Gómez, known as “El Licenciado” (The Graduate) and “El Contador” (The accountant). The person who shot Manzo was a 17-year-old boy who was killed by a municipal police officer after he was detained. The youth, an alleged meth addict identified as Víctor Manuel Ubaldo Vidales, was allegedly recruited by another man, Jaciel Antonio “N,” who was arrested in November.

In addition to the three suspects arrested in Tarímbaro on Sunday, more than a dozen other people have been detained in connection with the assassination of Manzo. Among them are a former Uruapan municipal official and seven of Manzo’s municipal police bodyguards, who were arrested in late November “for their probable participation in the crime of aggravated homicide.”

Also in custody is Ramón Álvarez Ayala, another alleged mastermind of the assassination of the mayor.

The brazen murder of Manzo attracted more attention than any other single murder committed in Mexico in 2025.

It shocked a nation that has been somewhat numbed by many years of relentless violence, triggering protests and precipitating the creation of a major “peace and justice” plan for Michoacán.

Manzo’s wife, Grecia Quiroz, was sworn in as mayor of Uruapan just a few days after her husband was killed.

Quiroz accuses 3 politicians of involvement in her husband’s murder

On Tuesday, Uruapan Mayor Grecia Quiroz filed a criminal complaint accusing three Morena party politicians of involvement in the assassination of her husband.

Grecia Itzel Quiroz at the podium — Uruapan Mayor Grecia Quiroz, the widow of Carlos Manzo, says three members of the Morena party are directly responsible for her husband’s murder. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)

They are Senator Raul Morón, who represents Michoacán in federal Congress, federal Deputy Leonel Godoy, a former governor of Michoacán, and Ignacio Campos, who served as mayor of Uruapan before Manzo. Quiroz filed her complaint against the three men — who have denied any involvement in the crime — with the Michoacán Attorney General’s Office.

“My husband’s murder cannot be understood without considering the political context that existed in Uruapan. We cannot turn a blind eye to possible motives that go beyond the personal,” she said Tuesday.

“As a wife and as a municipal authority [figure] I have the moral and legal obligation to demand that the political line [of investigation] be deepened,” Quiroz said.

The mayor also said that her deceased husband “had a lot of political adversaries who must be investigated.”

With reports from Informador, El País, N+ and El Financiero

El Jalapeño: Kid Rock to headline World Cup opening ceremony in Mexico City

By

El Jalapeno

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February 18, 2026

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All stories in El Jalapeño are satire and not real news.

MEXICO CITY — FIFA announced Tuesday that Detroit rapper Kid Rock will perform at the 2026 World Cup opening ceremony at Estadio Azteca, calling the choice “a celebration of North American unity.””When you think Mexico City, you think Kid Rock,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino at a press conference. “His music transcends borders, languages, and good taste.”

Kid Rock, born Robert Ritchie, will reportedly perform a 45-minute set including hits “Bawitdaba,” “All Summer Long,” and a new bilingual track titled “Cowboy y Vaquero” written specifically for the occasion.

Man and Sheinbaum hold up a mock ticket — Infantino would not confirm how much Ritchie paid for the dubious honor. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro.com)

Mexican officials expressed cautious optimism. “We requested regional artists like Bad Bunny or Los Tigres del Norte,” said one government spokesperson who requested anonymity. “They sent us a man who once released an album called ‘Cocky.'”

The performance will take place before the tournament’s opening match, with FIFA confirming Rock will emerge from a giant foam sombrero while pyrotechnics spell out “SOCCER” in English only. When asked about potential cultural sensitivity concerns, Rock told reporters he’s “been preparing by eating Taco Bell twice a week” and learning to say “let’s party” in Spanish.

Tickets for the opening ceremony have seen unprecedented availability, with 60,000 seats still available as of press time.

FIFA defended the decision, noting that their second choice, Nickelback, was unavailable.

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