The Mexican Association of Data Centers (MEXDC) expects investments of up to US $9.2 billion dollars in the data center sector over the next five years. (Shutterstock)
Over the next five years, Mexico could see as many as 73 new data centers that would boost the local industry’s global status and address the growing need for digital services across the country, according to the Mexican Association of Data Centers (MEXDC).
The MEXDC said last week that over the next five years it expects investments of up to US $9.2 billion dollars in the sector, El Financiero newspaper reported.
“Mexico is increasingly attractive to the data center industry,” said MEXDC president Amet Novillo. “We have seen such tremendous growth recently that we have become one of Latin America’s primary technology hubs.”
The MEXDC also expressed the goal of transforming data centers into an essential, or mission critical, industry.
A data center is a building or a dedicated space used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems. It generally includes redundant or backup components and infrastructure for power supply, data communication connections, environmental controls such as air conditioning and fire suppression, as well as various security devices.
Mexico could have more than 200 data centers around the country within 5 years. (Taylor Vick/Unsplash)
Novillo told reporters that there are 166 such centers in Mexico, making it one of the top 10 data center hubs in the world. The industry has developed so quickly that the MEXDC has grown from seven to 75 members since being founded a year ago, newspaper El Economista reported.
The MEXDC is in contact with the Economy Ministry (SE), the Infrastructure and Communications Ministry (SICT), and the Federal Telecoms Institute (IFT) to ensure the government recognizes the essential nature of the data center industry to Mexico’s economy and grants it privileged access to electricity and water.
The existing data centers require about 305 megawatts per hour to operate, whereas the new data centers are likely to be significantly larger and thus require up to 400% more energy (up to 1,492 megawatts per hour, said Novillo) to function properly.
Novillo told reporters that in addition to the US $9.2 billion in investments forthcoming, indirect investment in the same five-year time period could reach US $30 billion. In addition, more than 68,000 people would be hired to build the 73 new data centers which would provide employment to more than 24,000 people by 2029.
He also estimated that the industry’s expected contribution to Mexico’s economy by 2029 could exceed US $75.5 billion, or 5.2% of GDP.
After nine years without a concert in Mexico, Madonna is back for five live shows at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City.
The first two sold-out concerts were on Saturday and Sunday, with three more to go for the “Queen of Pop.” They will be on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and all 16,500 or so tickets for those shows were snapped up in a hurry, as well.
The concerts mark the end of a long, worldwide tour for the 65-year-old legend — almost. The Celebration Tour will still have one more show: a free May 4 concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The tour began July 15, 2023, in Vancouver, and the shows in Mexico will be numbers 76 through 80. As Madonna’s first retrospective tour, it serves as sort of a documentary about her amazing four-decade career.
Each show includes more than 25 songs over nearly 3 hours. The stage designs pay homage to different areas in New York, where Madonna began her career, and the dancers wear outfits inspired by those worn by the cultural icon throughout her career — including the Marie Antoinette dress she wore at the MTV Video Music Awards in 1990.
According to media reports, the “material girl” arrived in Mexico City on Tuesday of last week, along with at least one of her six children, 18-year-old daughter Mercy James. Another adopted daughter, 11-year-old Estere Ciccone, has appeared in some performances of “Vogue” on the tour as a DJ and dancer.
The Celebration Tour, Madonna’s first retrospective tour, looks back on a career that spans four decades. (Madonnaphotos/Flickr)
On Wednesday, Madonna had a private, catered event at the Frida Kahlo Museum. Located in the city’s Coyoacán borough, the Blue House is a favorite spot for visiting celebrities, such as Argentine singer-songwriter Nicki Nicole, whose now-ex Peso Pluma planned a private dinner for her there in 2023.
Of Madonna’s show on Saturday night, the Mexican newspaper Excelsior wrote: “16,500 people packed the Palacio de los Deportes to pay tribute with ovations and applause to a legacy that goes beyond music and that touches on religion, sexuality, preferences, bodies and that only she can do all of this — grouped together in a completely inclusive celebration, where no one is different.”
The show began with Michael Jackson’s 1979 hit “Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough” booming over the speakers, at which point Madonna was introduced by Bob the Drag Queen. She took the stage at 10:38 p.m.
Her first song was “Nothing Really Matters” from the 1998 “Ray of Light” album. Descending from a circular platform, she was dressed in black and wearing a crown. The next song was 1982’s “Everybody,” one of her earliest releases, followed by “Into the Groove” from the 1984 album “Like a Virgin” and featured on the soundtrack of the 1985 film “Desperately Seeking Susan,” starring Madonna.
Madonna spoke a lot to the audience, mostly in English, at one point saying, “When I was a girl, I discovered Frida Kahlo and I grew very interested in this woman, in her face, her clothes and her deep gaze … The first time I learned about her, she drove me crazy and she is my inspiration.”
She concluded that anecdote by saying, “Gracias, muchas gracias.”
The Latin America director of Moody's credited the economic growth to increased political spending heading into the June elections. (Shutterstock)
The Mexican economy in February grew at its fastest month-over-month rate in more than three years, according to official data published on Monday.
In other good news for the economy, the federal government said Sunday that in the first 3 1/2 months of 2024, foreign companies announced their intention to invest more than US $36 billion in Mexico in coming years.
Economic growth in February
The national statistics agency INEGI reported that the Global Indicator of Economic Activity (IGAE) — a monthly indicator of GDP growth — increased 1.4% in February compared to January.
That was the best month-over-month result since September 2020, when the economy grew 2.7% compared to the previous month.
INEGI also reported that the IGAE increased 2.6% in annual terms in February.
The primary sector, which includes agriculture, led the way in February economic growth. (Secretaría de Trabajo)
The strong month-over-month result came after a 0.9% contraction in January — the fourth consecutive month that the Mexican economy shrank compared to the previous month.
Data shows that the primary or agriculture sector grew 16.5% in February compared to January, while the tertiary or services sector recorded a 1.2% expansion. The secondary or manufacturing sector contracted 0.1% compared to January.
Compared to a year earlier, the primary sector expanded 5.8% in February, the secondary sector grew 1.5% and the size of the tertiary sector increased 3.2%.
Alfredo Coutiño, Latin America director at Moody’s Analytics, said on the X social media platform that “as expected” the Mexican economy in February began to “be stimulated by the expansionary phase of the political cycle … in anticipation of the commencement of the political campaigns” ahead of the June 2 elections.
“Due to the preparation for the beginning of campaigns, political spending began to flow in the economy, boosting transport, printing, media and wholesale commercial activities and especially construction,” he wrote.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at the Mexican bank Banco Base, predicted on X on Monday that annual growth in the first quarter of the year will be 1.84%.
Earlier in April, the IMF lowered its forecast for the Mexican economy due to contraction in the manufacturing sector and slowdowns in the economies of some trade partners. (IMF)
Almost 100 investment announcements so far this year
The Economy Ministry (SE) said Sunday that foreign companies made 93 investment announcements for Mexico between Jan. 1 and April 15. As a result of those announcements, US $36.15 billion is expected to flow into the country in the next two or three years, the SE said.
The top five investment announcements in the Jan. 1 to April 15 period were made by Coca-Cola bottler and convenience store owner FEMSA ($9.96 billion); Amazon Web Services ($4.96 billion); DHL Supply Chain ($4 billion); e-commerce company Mercado Libre ($2.45 billion); and Walmart ($2.13 billion).
One of the multi-billion-dollar investment announcements came from Amazon Web Services, which plans to build several new data centers in Querétaro. (Wikimedia Commons)
The SE said that United States companies made investment announcements totaling $19.47 billion in the period. That figure is equivalent to 54% of the $36.15 billion in announcements so far this year.
German companies (15% of the total) and Argentine companies (12%) were the next biggest investors based on announcements in the Jan. 1 to April 15 period.
The SE also said that 54% of the money announced this year is set to go to the manufacturing sector, while the transport, media and retail industries are slated to get 14% each.
Querétaro, where Amazon Web Services plans to open a cluster of data centers, is set to be the biggest beneficiary of the projects announced so far this year. Almost $5.8 billion is expected to flow into the Bajío region state based on investment announcements in the first 3 1/2 months of the year. That figure is equivalent to 16% of the total investment announced between Jan. 1 and April 15.
México state and Nuevo León are slated to get 13% and 10% of the $36.15 billion total, respectively, making those states the next biggest beneficiaries.
FDI in Mexico is expected to grow in coming years as companies act on their investment announcements and more foreign firms relocate here as part of the growing nearshoring trend.
Did you know that Brits introduced Mexicans to soccer? (British Embassy, Mexico City/Facebook)
Mexico and the United Kingdom celebrated 200 years of “friendship” in late 2023, although the two countries weren’t exactly on friendly terms throughout the entirety of the two-century-long period.
In this article — the first of Mexico News Daily’s “Global Mexico: U.K. in Focus” series — I’ll take a look at the ups and downs of the Mexico-U.K. relationship over the years as well as the state of commercial and government ties between the two nations today.
Despite their differences, Mexico and the United Kingdom have a strong partnership. (British Embassy, Mexico City/Facebook)
It’s safe to say that the U.K. and Mexico are now firm friends and partners — and have been for some time — despite the differences they had in the past.
It is also worth remembering that the U.K. and Mexico were, in a way, neighbors for an extended period as British Honduras — today the independent country of Belize — was a crown colony from the 1780s until 1964.
In addition to maintaining a long-running diplomatic and commercial relationship with Mexico, the U.K., a constitutional monarchy made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, has made a significant cultural impact on the country, especially in the realm of sports.
A brief history of Mexico-UK relations
The United Kingdom recognized Mexico as a sovereign nation soon after it obtained independence from Spain in 1821.
Near the end of the following decade, the British intervened in the so-called Pastry War between Mexico and invading French forces and effectively brokered an agreement that brought the conflict to an end.
Just over 20 years later, Mexico-U.K. relations soured when Benito Juárez, the Mexican president at the time, suspended payments to creditors in Britain, France and Spain. In 1861, those three countries signed the Convention of London, under which they agreed to take joint action toward securing repayments from Mexico.
The New York Times reported at the time that the monarchs of the three countries felt compelled to act due to the “arbitrary and vexatious conduct of the authorities of the Republic of Mexico.”
The U.K., France and Spain sent navy ships to Mexico and occupied Veracruz, but British and Spanish authorities withdrew their forces in 1862 when they became aware that French Emperor Napoleon III was seeking a regime change in Mexico, an objective he ultimately achieved with the establishment of the Second Mexican Empire in 1864.
While Maximilian I was emperor of Mexico (1864-67), and for a number of years after his rule, diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Mexico were suspended. However, the bilateral relationship was reestablished after Porfirio Díaz became Mexican president in the late 1870s.
Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Mexico were suspended during the rule of Maximilian I.
Relations were suspended again after president Lázaro Cárdenas nationalized Mexico’s oil industry in 1938, expropriating British oil companies in the process. By that time, the U.K. was a significant investor in Mexico, having injected money into sectors including rail transport, mining and oil.
Bilateral relations were reestablished once again in the early 1940s amid the Second World War, when Mexico’s president was Manuel Ávila Camacho and Winston Churchill was serving his first term as British prime minister. Shortly afterward, Alfonso Rosenzweig Diaz became Mexico’s first ambassador to the U.K. and Charles Bateman was appointed as the first British ambassador to Mexico.
In 1942, Mexico officially became a wartime military ally of the United Kingdom when it declared war on the Axis powers after losing oil ships in the Gulf of Mexico to German submarine attacks.
Mexico-U.K. relations remained largely amicable throughout the second half of the 20th century, a period that saw the first direct flight between Mexico City and London (1966) and an increase in trade between the two countries.
Exactly 40 years later in 2015, the Queen hosted Mexico’s president at the time, Enrique Peña Nieto, and his then-wife Angélica Rivera, at a state banquet.
“Prince Philip and I have fond memories of our visits to Mexico in 1975 and 1983 and we were delighted that, only a few months ago, The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall enjoyed such an unforgettable visit to your country,” the Queen said in a speech at the banquet.
“… As we have seen many times, when the dynamism and creativity of our two countries are combined, whether that be in business, science, education, sport or culture, the results are extraordinary,” she said later in her address.
Margaret Thatcher, U.K. prime minister from 1979 to 1990, visited Mexico in 1981, attending the International Meeting on Cooperation and Development — the so-called North-South Summit — in Cancún before traveling on to Mexico City.
Twenty-two heads of state including Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Indira Gandhi joined in Cancún for the North-South Summit in 1981. (Wikimedia Commons)
Carlos Salinas de Gortari, Mexico’s president from 1988 to 1994 traveled to the U.K. in 1990, and at an official dinner hosted by Thatcher declared that his visit enabled “a new diplomatic, economic and cultural proximity between the two countries.”
The bilateral relationship in the 21st century
The United Kingdom and Mexico currently have a robust commercial relationship, with two-way trade worth $5.71 billion in 2023, according to Mexico’s national statistics agency INEGI. Mexico’s exports were worth $2.91 billion last year, while imports from the U.K. were worth a slightly lower $2.78 billion.
Mexico’s top export to the U.K. in 2023 was turbojets, turbo-propellers and other gas turbines. Other exports included mobile telephones, alcoholic beverages and data-processing machines.
The United Kingdom’s top export to Mexico was cars. Other exports included medications, alcoholic beverages and ferroalloys.
The United Kingdom government said last month that “Mexico was the U.K.’s 40th largest trading partner in the four quarters to the end of Q3 2023, accounting for 0.4% of total UK trade.”
U.K. Ambassador to Mexico Jon Benjamin said in a 2022 interview that the objective in reaching a bilateral free trade agreement is to triple the value of trade between the two countries.
Meanwhile, the U.K. was the seventh largest foreign investor in Mexico last year, with investments totaling $936 million. Among the British companies that operate in Mexico are HSBC and Unilever.
The U.K. was the seventh largest foreign investor in Mexico last year, with investments totaling $936 million.
Beyond trade and investment, the U.K. and Mexico collaborate in a range of international organizations and forums including the G20, the OECD and the United Nations.
One of the many areas of cooperation between the two countries is climate change mitigation.
“The U.K. and Mexico are committed partners in tackling climate change to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and encourage inclusive economic growth,” according to the U.K. government. “Our shared ambition is reflected in the UK-Mexico Partnership for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.”
Liz Truss, U.K. prime minister for a short period in 2022, visited Mexico in 2021 when she was foreign minister.
“Our relationship with Mexico has huge potential. It could open vast new opportunities for businesses, support jobs across Britain, and help ensure we play a key role in an open and dynamic Indo-Pacific,” Truss said before her visit.
In September last year, member of parliament Dan Carden — now the U.K.’s trade envoy to Mexico — noted that “for several decades, the United Kingdom and Mexico have enjoyed a close and fruitful relationship, the continued success of which will be predicated on the principles of cooperation and mutual respect.”
In January, the two countries held an inaugural Multilateral and Human Rights Dialogue.
“Mexico and the United Kingdom discussed opportunities to strengthen our broad cooperation at the multilateral level, including in preparation for the “Summit of the Future,” progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, UN governance and financing, and peacekeeping,” Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
British Ambassador to Mexico Jon Benjamin and Foreign Affairs Minister Alicia Bárcena. (@UKinMexico/X)
According to information supplied to Mexico News Daily by the British Embassy in Mexico, the embassy is “working on establishing robust partnerships with Mexican authorities in issues of cybersecurity,” assisting state governments to “navigate the complexities of decarbonization” and collaborating with Mexico “on democratic principles and the rule of law,” among many other initiatives.
“Through innovation, collaboration and shared values, the Embassy is paving the way for a more prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive partnership between the United Kingdom and
Mexico, grounded in mutual respect, trust, and, most importantly, friendship,” the embassy said.
British cultural influence in Mexico
English miners working in the state of Hidalgo introduced football, or soccer, to Mexico in the 19th century and the country’s first official football club was established in 1901 in Pachuca, known as Mexico’s cuna del fútbol (cradle of football).
Given the immense popularity of soccer in Mexico today, it is fair to say that the United Kingdom’s most significant cultural contribution to Mexico has been the introduction of the world’s most popular sport.
However, British influence in Mexico by no means ends there. In addition to soccer, Cornish miners introduced British food to Mexico, most notably pasties, or pastes, as they are known here. A specialty of Hidalgo, pastes today often contain distinctive Mexican fillings such as mole and tinga de pollo.
“When it comes to the Beatles, Mexicans just can’t seem to let it be. The group split up in 1970, but it might as well have been yesterday for the masses of fans who come together whenever they can to celebrate John, Paul, George and Ringo,” The New York Times reported in 2016.
“Mexico City’s top classic-rock radio station dedicates two hours every weekday to Los Beatles. The second of two lengthy museum exhibits here of Beatles memorabilia closed recently. Small towns have named streets after the band’s members,” the Times report continued.
A Beatles exhibit in Monterrey organized by the British Embassy in 2017. (Gabriela Pérez/Cuartoscuro)
Other British artists have made a mark on — and in — Mexico, including surrealist painter and novelist Leonora Carrington, who lived in Mexico City most of her adult life. One of her sculptures — “How Doth the Little Crocodile” — adorns Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City’s most emblematic boulevard.
And of course that extremely successful British export — the English language — is spoken by Mexicans all over the country, and is especially prevalent in the north, primarily due to the region’s proximity to a certain superpower that threw off the yoke of the British almost 250 years ago.
Sheinbaum's campaign caravan was stopped as they entered the municipality of Motozintla, near the border with Guatemala. (Screenshot)
Leading presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum had a disquieting experience while traveling in Chiapas on Sunday: Her vehicle was stopped by hooded and masked men who asked her to combat violence in the southern state if she wins the June 2 election.
The vehicle in which the ruling Morena party candidate was traveling was stopped when entering Motozintla, a municipality that borders Guatemala.
One man — part of an armed group claiming to be to be a kind of local self-defense force — read a message to Sheinbaum, who was seated in the front passenger seat of the vehicle with her window down.
The encounter was filmed and subsequently posted to social media.
“When you’re in power, remember the Sierra,” the man said, referring to mountainous areas of Chiapas.
“Remember the poor people,” he continued, adding that “we’re not against the government” and “we’re not against you.”
The man told Sheinbaum that “we don’t want Motozintla to be another disaster like [Frontera] Comalapa,” a municipality that is part of a region of Chiapas that has long been plagued by a violent turf war between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel.
“We want you, when you are president, to do us the favor of clearing this section [of road] to Comalapa [of criminals] because we can’t get there, if we go there they tear us to shreds,” he said.
“That is our feeling as people. We won’t take any more of your time and thank you very much for stopping,” the man added before shaking Sheinbaum’s hand.
Another masked man said there was a feeling of “helplessness” among citizens and asserted that the government “has never done anything for these lands.”
Sheinbaum remained calm throughout the minute-long encounter and thanked the men before continuing on her way. She later held a campaign event in Motozintla before traveling to Tapachula to catch a flight.
“Some people who said they were residents stopped us,” she told reporters at the Tapachula airport.
Sheinbaum said she didn’t believe the hooded and masked men are involved in drug trafficking, although Motozintla residents reportedly identified them as members of the Sinaloa Cartel. She also said she didn’t feel intimidated.
The incident occurred before a campaign event in Motozintla, Chiapas. (Claudia Sheinbaum/Facebook)
“… What caught my attention the most was that … [reporters] from Latinus were there,” the Morena candidate said, referring to the Latinus media outlet.
Sheinbaum stopped short of saying the encounter was a media stunt, but President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) asserted Monday that it is “very probable” that it was.
“Because of the experience we have, when these things happen we know that it is very probable that it’s propaganda because he who [usually] goes to make a proposal [to a politician or candidate] isn’t masked or filming,” AMLO said.
“… It’s very probable that it [was] a montaje,” he said, using a word that can mean setup or stunt.
“It’s very probable because [they were] masked. If someone has a complaint, why would they put a hood on?” he said.
López Obrador noted that Carlos Loret de Mola works for Latinus and “he is against us.”
“Look at that microphone,” he said, referring to one visible during Sheinbaum’s encounter with the hooded and masked men.
“It’s Latinus. How did it know? And where were the rest of the journalists? … I don’t trust Latinus, they’re capable of that and more — they’re experts in montajes. And they don’t have moral scruples of any kind and they’re corrupt,” AMLO said.
President López Obrador characterized the incident as a press stunt on Monday morning. (LopezObrador.org.mx)
López Obrador said that the incident with Sheinbaum on Sunday would be investigated, but added that he didn’t believe it was “something serious.”
AMLO asserted that those opposed to the government and Morena — who he referred to as “the corrupt conservatives” — are trying to inflict damage in the lead-up to the June 2 elections with “sensationalism” and “propaganda.”
“The ‘narco-president’ thing didn’t work. … They were betting on the drought, that it wasn’t going to rain but it rained yesterday. … They’re betting on violence, they’re going around like vultures [trying to find something to hurt the government], but fortunately nothing is working,” he said.
Morena and its allies are expected to win a majority in Congress, although it appears unlikely they will get enough votes to reach a two-thirds majority that would allow them to approve constitutional reforms without the support of other parties.
After six days of searing temperatures — including an all-time record high of 34.2 degrees Celsius (93.5 degrees Fahrenheit) in Mexico City (the old mark of 33.9 degrees C was set in May 1998) — cold front 47 swept across much of the country, bringing rain with it. This prompted media references to Tlaloc, the Mexica god of rain, especially with regard to flooding.
⛈️ Te invitamos a consultar el #Pronóstico de #Lluvias para este día en nuestro país.
The same cold front will hover over eastern Mexico down through the Yucatán Peninsula, where it will intermingle with a low-pressure system, causing intense rainfall in the peninsula. The cloudbursts are likely to be accompanied by lightning storms.
The SMN also forecast heavy storms in the Gulf Coast states — Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz and Oaxaca — while also warning of high waves. Downpours are expected in Puebla, Hidalgo, México state, Querétaro, Tlaxcala and Mexico City on Monday afternoon.
Northern states will also be affected with states including Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí on alert for flash floods and landslides.
The cold front will bring a chilly night to Mexico’s mountainous regions, with temperatures predicted to drop near freezing (0 degrees Celsius) in the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua and Durango, as well as in the Trans-Mexican volcanic belt in the middle of the country.
Northern states were also advised to be prepared for blustery conditions as gusts of wind of up to 80 km/hour (50 mph) are to be expected. The unstable conditions could also cause dust storms.
Not all of Mexico will escape the heat, however. Baja California, Colima, Nayarit, Jalisco and Sinaloa as well as regions of Guerrero, Michoacán, Morelos, Sonora and Oaxaca could see temperatures soar above 40 degrees C (104 degrees F).
Although the cooler temperatures and the much-needed precipitation provided a welcome relief from the heat over the weekend, a few states were still awash from the storms on Monday. Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosí and Veracruz each received more than 75 millimeters of rain, which is considered torrential according to Weather Insurance Agency guidelines.
Oaxaca has some amazing day trips available for visitors. Ian Ostroff reviewed the most popular destinations. (Abraham de la Cruz/Unsplash)
Dancing in the streets, the preservation of traditional Mexican culture, phenomenal food, and a riot of color are only some of the things that Oaxaca is known for.
Most famous as the home of mezcal, this beautiful part of Mexico offers so much more than the simple getaways popular in beachside resort towns. From Day of the Dead festivities in November, to historical sites like Monte Albán, to exploring the local markets and dining at fantastic restaurants, you won’t run out of things to do for at least a week or two.
Oaxaca is maybe Mexico’s best tourist destination, with the perfect fusion of food, culture and tradition. (Samuel Garcia/Unsplash)
But the city is also a great starting point for day trip adventures. I took a road trip with friends around Oaxaca back in 2023 and covered plenty of ground. We hiked, saw mountains, learned about history, and took endless photos to capture the memories we were creating.
So, are you planning your itinerary for Oaxaca or hope to in the future? If that’s the case, here are some of the best day trips you can take from Mexico’s cultural capital!
How to travel within Oaxaca
If you are a solo traveler or a couple looking to spend the day in Hierve el Agua, then it’s cheaper and more efficient to take a camioneta for around 50-100 pesos. It’s also possible to take a public bus for roughly 8-10 pesos, though these often take longer.
If you’re a small group and want to see multiple sites in a day, it’s better to rent a car. If you feel too intimidated to drive in Mexican traffic (and I don’t blame you!), there are also numerous guided tours that include transportation as part of the price.
As part of a group of friends, we decided to rent a car together during our visit. We wanted to have control of our schedule. Between us, we paid roughly 900 pesos for the day, the average price for a vehicle that seats up to five people. Split four ways, it was a fair deal for everyone.
Hierve el Agua
Warning: This pool is not as warm as Instagram makes it seem. (Ian Ostroff)
From scenic mountains, frozen waterfalls, and rock formations, it’s no surprise Hierve el Agua is one of the most popular day trips from Oaxaca city. An hour and a half outside of town, this nature preserve is ideal for those who like hiking, the great outdoors, and relaxing in the most unique swimming pools I’ve ever seen. Created thanks to the rock formations you’ll see everywhere here, the pools are at the edge of mountain tops and the views are spectacular. Trust me, the pictures you take will never do them enough justice!
If you want to hike in this nature reserve, I’d recommend finding a local guide or booking a tour since it’s easy to get lost. Hierve el Agua’s most common hiking trail is over an hour long and some of the others are longer still.
My friends and I got lost quickly when we ventured into one of the hiking trails in search of the frozen waterfalls. We even followed a group tour at the start of our journey before going in a separate direction. I can’t imagine how lost we might have been if we entered a trail completely blind. So, keep this in mind unless you’re a human compass.
Tule Tree
The enormous Tule Tree is well worth a visit, and the size needs to be seen to be believed. (Ian Ostroff)
Known as Mexico’s most famous tree, the Tule Tree is a marvelous force of nature that is over 2,000 years old. There’s also a holiday to celebrate its presence in Oaxacan culture on the second Monday of October.
Less than an hour outside Oaxaca, this is probably the most convenient day trip on this list. The tree is worth seeing for its stature alone. The tree’s enormous trunk hides various shapes, such as the image of an elephant, a lion’s head, a deer, a pineapple, and many others. This makes it a fun day trip for the whole family. You can take photos for your social media pages and cross off a worthy bucket list item. Talk about a win-win situation!
Mitla
Mitla has been partially restored, allowing visitors to get a scale of the once-grand city. (Joseph Sorrentino)
If you enjoyed visiting Monte Albán, then you’ll also love exploring Mitla. Considered the second most important archaeological site in the state of Oaxaca, you understand why once you get there. At its height, this is where the ancient Zapotec people conducted most of their religious and political matters.
There’s also a little flea market on site with lots of souvenir options, a few restaurants, and some of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.
Since Mitla isn’t as photogenic or popular as Monte Albán, there weren’t any crowds the day we went. That made our guided tour more relaxing since we were able to take our time to see and learn everything there was to know.
Rey De Matatlán Mezcaleria
No trip around the Oaxaca area is complete without a visit to El Rey de Matatlán mezcaleria. (Ksufan88/Tripadvisor)
Oaxaca is the most famous mezcal producing region of Mexico, so it only makes sense to visit a place like Rey De Matatlán Mezcaleria to get the full Oaxacan experience.
If you go on a guided tour, you’ll learn about how mezcal is made. You’ll also get to sample different flavors, meet local farmers, and be able to buy souvenirs (including the extremely impressive array of mezcal liqueurs). If you aren’t visiting as part of a package tour, entry will cost you 250 pesos.
Mezcal is an acquired taste. It can burn your throat if you don’t consume it properly, and it takes getting used to even if you drink alcoholic beverages all the time. But it’s a “welcome to Oaxaca” moment if there ever was one!
Do you feel the Oaxacan magic?
Oaxaca is a wonderful part of Mexico that deserves a lot of praise. Whether you like food, hiking, sightseeing, history, culture, taking photos, or all the above, it’s not hard to find something that appeals to your interests here.
But if you like a good balance of travel adventures and a relaxing vacation, Oaxaca also has some great beach options in Huatulco and Puerto Escondido. All you have to do is book your flight and experience the Oaxacan magic!
Ian Ostroff is an indie author, journalist, and copywriter from Montreal, Canada. You can find his work in various outlets, including Map Happy and The Suburban. When he’s not writing, you can find Ian at the gym, a café, or anywhere within Mexico visiting family and friends.
Abraham Oseguera an older brother of CJNG leader, "El Mencho," was detained in Jalisco early on Sunday morning. (Screen capture/X)
Abraham Oseguera Cervantes, brother of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, was arrested in Jalisco on Sunday, authorities said.
The older brother of the CJNG kingpin was detained by the National Guard shortly before 4 a.m. Sunday in the municipality of Autlán de Navarro, according to an entry in the National Register of Arrests. He was subsequently transferred to a Federal Attorney General’s Office facility in Mexico City.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed the arrest of the man known as “Don Rodo” at his morning press conference on Monday.
The charges Abraham Oseguera faces were not disclosed, but he reportedly had a discreet, administrative role within the CJNG, one of Mexico’s two most powerful criminal organizations, the other being the Sinaloa Cartel.
Security analyst David Saucedo told the Associated Press that he carried out “administrative activities” within the CJNG, and was in charge of some of the cartel’s trafficking routes into the United States.
López Obrador said that the federal Security Ministry would provide details about Abraham Oseguera’s arrest later on Monday.
🚨 Detuvieron a Abraham “N”, “Don Rodo”, hermano de Nemesio Oceguera Cervantes, “El Mencho”, líder del Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generacion
— Manuel Lopez San Martin (@MLopezSanMartin) April 22, 2024
A video showing Abraham Oseguera after his arrest in Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco
Don Rodo, who is reportedly 70 years old, and El Mencho were arrested on heroin trafficking charges in California in the early 1990s. Both returned to Mexico after serving their sentences in the U.S.
Just over 10 years ago, Abraham was formally accused of murder, but the case was time-barred and consequently didn’t proceed, according to reports.
Jessica Oseguera González, daughter of El Mencho, was arrested in the United States in 2020 on money laundering charges and sentenced to 30 months in prison in 2021. She walked free in 2022.
Antonio Oseguera Cervantes (left), another brother, was arrested in 2022, but Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes (right), leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, remains at large. (U.S. Treasury/X)
Meanwhile, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes is still on the lam. Aged in his late 50s, El Mencho is at the helm of a criminal organization that operates all over Mexico and in many countries around the world.
Anne Milgram, administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has asserted that the CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel pose “the greatest criminal threat the United States has ever faced” given the quantity of narcotics — including the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl — they smuggle into the country.
“He hides in the mountainous areas of Jalisco, Michoacán and Colima. We think he’s not in the cities anymore,” said Mori, who was in charge of the DEA’s efforts to apprehend the CJNG leader.
“I don’t think he spends a lot of time in one place, or in one type of house. … He’s definitely constantly moving,” he said.
Mexico's urban spaces can sometimes feel chaotic, but are filled with a certain magic that is lacking in other parts of the world. (All photos belong to Louisa Rogers)
It’s a Tuesday morning around 10:00, and I’m strolling along a pedestrian street in Guanajuato, Mexico, passing vendors selling cut-up fruit, corn on the cob, and pies. Later today, I might see the mime artist who wears an Edwardian top hat and sits erect in his chair, regally pouring water into a cup from his silver tea service. While Guanajuato is a bustling city of almost 200,000 people, it seldom feels like an urban area.
Instead, Guanajuato is a city filled with rhythm and movement. All day long, the streets are so colorful and lively that walking anywhere is a pleasure. Vibrant as it is, this is a place far from unique among Mexican cities. Whether you’re a visitor to Mexico or a resident, you can’t help but notice how every town has a generous amount of public space, and in particular a central plaza or “zócalo,” as it’s also called. Families, flirting teenagers, vendors, kids playing, mariachi bands, and the elderly all commingle in this “community living room.”
A landscaped pedestrian area near Tepoztlán, Morelos. Areas like this can be found in most Mexican cities.
Mexico’s plazas date back to Spanish laws in the 1500s, which required that every town have a public plaza surrounded by streets, arched passageways, a church, and public buildings. However, the Spanish were not the only people who left their architectural legacy in Mexico. The Moors, during their 700-year rule of Spain, brought with them from North Africa their Islamic art and architecture, such as ornate tile work, intricate geometric patterns, arches, and courtyards – all of which made their way to Mexico. Today, Mexican urban design is one of its greatest strengths. In addition to the ubiquitous plazas, here are eight examples of creative use of public space found in the country.
Colorful, User-Friendly Streets. Streets in Mexico aren’t empty; instead, they’re jammed with people – bustling and busy without being claustrophobic. Buildings rarely have setbacks but instead meet the sidewalk close up, creating a sense of coherence and unity.
Streets tend to be narrow, not the wide suburban-style streets dedicated to cars that you usually see in the US. No surprise, then, that I love wandering Guanajuato’s more than 3000 twisting, labyrinthine alleys, where I often come upon a surprise — a bench, an altar carved into a recessed wall, or a half-crumbling wall.
A sculpture of a man playing piano in Huichapan, Hidalgo, México.
A Sense of Enclosure. William Whyte, author ofThe Social Life of Small Urban Spaces maintains that the best public spaces offer the perception of being surrounded, creating a sense of intimacy and coziness. Mexican plazas are usually at least one square block in size, but they’re framed by a variety of features that foster a homey room-like quality. Besides a central kiosk or gazebo, they include benches, landscaping, trees, low walls, columns, sculptures, and murals.
Benches. Nowhere in the world have I seen as many benches as in Mexico. Benches invite! They say, “Welcome. Stay awhile. Join us.” As people sit, they chat, play music, flirt, eat ice cream, and feed the birds — what the urban visionary Jane Jacobs, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities, called the “sidewalk ballet.”
A green and airy plaza with central kiosk and seating, Valle de Bravo, México state.
Benches are not trivial. Edwin Heathcote, architecture and design critic for TheFinancial Times, calls the public bench “the seat of civilization” because it is a democratic space, available for people at any level of society. “A bench is a small space in the melee of the metropolis where it is acceptable to do nothing, to consume nothing, to just be,” he adds.
Pavements. Heathcote also wrote eloquently about the importance of pavement in urban design. He calls it “the skin of the city…a thin surface that can have a hugely powerful effect on how the city feels, looks, and behaves.”
Many Mexican towns, like Guanajuato, have a signature pavement style. But the use of aesthetic design is not just outside. I’m often struck by interior flooring — the elegant tile work and marble in Mexican atriums, banks, churches, shopping centers, staircases, supermarkets, and restaurants.
Doors, Arches, and Other Portals. Recently I took an acrylic painting class called “Doorways of Guanajuato,” whose theme reflected our human fascination with portals. Doors are a symbol of transition, delineating one state from another: outside versus inside, leaving versus returning.
Doorways, columns and arches have become an emblem of Mexican architecture. (Ara CG/Unsplash)
Some Mexican cities are famous for their doorways alone. In San Miguel de Allende’s central district, for example, there are said to be more than 2,000 distinct doorways.
Arches, too, are common throughout Mexico. Another Moorish import, arches were introduced during Spanish colonization and used in haciendas to create a sense of depth, perspective, and enclosure.
Public Art. No matter which town where you happen to be in Mexico, you’ll find sculptures in a park or square. Some are breathtaking, like the one I saw of a man playing the piano in the otherwise unremarkable town of Huichapan, Hidalgo.
Balconies. “Give me a balcony and I will become president,” boasted Jose Maria Velasco, Ecuador’s most prominent populist, who delivered on his promise by being elected five times, starting in the 1930s.
Who doesn’t love a balcony? Someone standing high up has a perfect, big-picture perch to watch the street rhythms below, while those on the street can look up and observe people hanging their clothes, sipping coffee, or stealing a kiss. Balconies are an invitation to permitted voyeurism. Thanks to the Spanish, the Moors, and the French, few urban Mexican spaces are without these windows into the nation’s soul.
Another Moorish gift, courtyards have come to define many of Mexico’s most iconic buildings. (Ciudades Mexicano Patrimonio Mundial)
Courtyards. One reason I enjoy visiting Mexican museums is that the buildings themselves are visually pleasing, often built around a tranquilo inner courtyard with a fountain at the center. Courtyards are another legacy of the Moors, who designed lush inner patios within their mosques and palaces. They considered courtyards an “earthly paradise.” This tradition continues in Mexico, where you’ll find graceful courtyards not just in museums, but also in government buildings, hotels, and private homes.
I fantasize that U.S. public works officials, instead of spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on feasibility studies, would visit Mexico and consult with urban planners, who intuitively know how to design cities that invite a sense of connection, pleasure, and safety. That Mexico, a country where the average income is one fifth that in the US, invests in such “non-essentials” as art and aesthetics reflects to me a deep respect for the human spirit.
Louisa Rogers and her husband Barry Evans divide their lives between Guanajuato and Eureka, on California’s North Coast. Louisa writes articles and essays about expat life, Mexico, travel, physical and psychological health, retirement and spirituality. Her recent articles are on her website, https://authory.com/LouisaRogers
Yes, even tacos have gotten more expensive in Mexico. How have rising costs caused by inflation coupled with a stronger peso impacted expats? Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek shares his perspective. (Cuartoscuro)
It’s hard these days to avoid reading something about the rising cost of living in Mexico.
YouTube videos targeting expats are everywhere — carefully mapping out how much the costs of certain items and experiences have increased in different parts of Mexico. The commentary reached a fever pitch this past week with the peso hitting 16.30 to the US dollar, an almost 9-year high and a 30% move in just the past two years.
It is undeniable that there is a noticeable difference in the prices of most goods and services these days, even when paying in pesos and not thinking about the price in dollars.
This of course is due to the wave of high inflation that has affected pretty much every corner of the globe over the past several years. When one adds the impact of the recent peso appreciation, some price increases are downright startling! This has created some sticker shock and “Mexico soul searching” for more than a few expats. For decades now, expats in Mexico have been able to rely on a weak peso, which would often offset any inflation and make the country an affordable place to live for those from the U.S. or Canada. Those days are over.
Let me share a simple real-life example. I like to go to our local farmers’ market for breakfast on Saturday mornings. Last week, I ordered my usual, from the same three vendors: a fresh-squeezed orange juice (it would be really hard for me to go back to Tropicana at this point!), a fresh-baked cinnamon roll from a local bakery (sorry Cinnabon!) and two tacos with freshly made blue corn tortillas.
Two years ago, this meal cost me 86 pesos. Today, the exact same meal from the exact same vendors (all using 100% local products, nothing imported which could distort the costs) cost me 130 pesos. In other words, just the pure inflationary cost increase in pesos of my local breakfast is 51% over two years or 25% per year! Now, when we add in the appreciating peso impact, the increase is even more dramatic. The meal two years ago at a 22 peso to US dollar exchange rate cost me US $3.91. Today, that same meal cost me US $7.88 (at 16.5 pesos to the US dollar). This means that, in dollars and taking into account the inflation, the same meal from the same vendors increased 102% in price in just two years!
My point here is not to debate if the meal is worth US $7.88 or to compare how much the meal would cost in San Francisco or Dallas. I am simply pointing out the scale of the cost increases for expats in Mexico.
While costs of some goods and services have increased A LOT in Mexico over the past several years due to inflation and a stronger peso, does that mean living in Mexico now costs as much as living in the United States? Not at all. Let me explain.
There is another very important component that I think most of the YouTubers fail to point out — and that is the differences in levels of consumption. When I refer to consumption, of course I am generalizing as the consumption of each individual and household is different. In general, as I have personally experienced and have heard many expats agree, they consume far less in Mexico than in the United States.
In the U.S., consumption is usually quick, affordable and easy: online ordering, easy return policies, nearly constant sales promotions, ample parking and short check-out lanes all make it effortless. However, in Mexico, buying things can require more effort: service is often slower, returns are nearly impossible, lines are longer, parking is harder. I find this makes me buy less. Depending on where you live here, you might walk to the grocery store and as a result, end up only buying only you can carry home. People often have smaller cars and homes here which equals less consumption. Changing the décor of your home often is as simple as some new plants or flowers (less consumption). I’d go so far as to say the pressure to “keep up with the Joneses” is felt less by expats living in Mexico.
The bottom line is if you import the same lifestyle you had in the United States when moving to Mexico, you’ll really feel the pain of the increased costs. If you modify your consumption lifestyle, you will spend less, as well as be a lot less frustrated.
As a result, even if items cost a lot more than they used to, or even if they begin to approach U.S.-level prices, because there’s a tendency to consume less in Mexico, the overall cost of living is still much lower.
So, how much does it really cost to live in Mexico? Having lived here now for four years, I have been able to carefully do an “all-in” comparison of our monthly total living expenses in San Miguel de Allende versus Chicago. The result is that we spend 30-40% less in any given month here compared to up north.
Has this lifestyle change led to less fulfillment, less satisfaction, less happiness? Quite the contrary — at least in our case, we are healthier, happier and feel more fulfilled than ever.
I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. Do you agree with my analysis of the cost increases? Do you agree with my thoughts on consumption in the United States compared to Mexico?
Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for over 27 years.
