Monarch butterfly populations have registered a significant drop, as their habitats across North America are threatened by climate change and pesticide use. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
The population of eastern monarch butterflies overwintering in central Mexico this winter dropped 59% from the same period last year, a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) survey shows.
The survey is carried out annually in partnership with organizations including Mexico’s National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (Conanp). It measures not individual butterflies, but the acres of land that monarch colonies occupy. In the 2023-2024 season, colonies covered only 2.2 acres of forest, as opposed to 5.5 acres the previous winter. This year’s data represents the second-smallest area of land occupied since monitoring began in 1993.
Butterflies settle on a fir tree near El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary in Ocampo, Michoacán. (Juan José Estrada Serafin/Cuartoscuro.com)
North America is home to two major monarch populations divided by the Rocky Mountains. The larger population, which breeds east of the Rockies in the central and eastern parts of Canada and the United States, migrate up to 3,000 miles each year to overwinter on a handful of mountaintops in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt.
In 1980, the Mexican government designated a 56,000 hectare area on the Michoacán-México state border as the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, and conservation efforts have traditionally focused on this area. This season’s largest monarch colonies were registered outside the reserve, however, in México state.
“Fewer monarchs hibernating in their traditional forest habitat in Mexico greatly concerns all of us,” said WWF Mexico general director Jorge Rickards. “This is not the first time we’ve observed changes in the locations of the largest monarch colonies. It’s telling us that we need to intensify conservation and restoration measures not only in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, but also outside of it.”
Monarchs have made headlines several times in recent years due to spikes in their winter colony populations, with increases registered in 2022 and 2021. But their long-term trend has been decline, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), whose risk-rating system classifies them as vulnerable to extinction. The IUCN reports that the eastern monarch population shrank by over 85% between 1996 and 2014.
Illegal logging has also endangered the Monarch’s natural habitat. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Scientists say that the recent drop in monarch numbers is attributable to high temperatures and drought in Canada and the U.S. which have affected the abundance of milkweed, the only plant which monarchs lay their eggs on and the only food source for monarch larvae. Milkweed and other nectar plants that adult monarchs feed on have also been lost due to increased use of glyphosate — the most widely used herbicide in the U.S. — and land-use change tied to increased planting of glyphosate-tolerant corn and soybeans.
Environmental and political issues also affect monarchs once they reach overwintering sites in Mexico. The pine and fir forests where monarch colonies form are affected by illegal logging, a lucrative criminal economy. Deforestation fell last year, however, and does not appear to be a factor in this year’s colony decline.
Speaking on a panel with U.S. and Canadian counterparts, Conanp director Adán Peña Fuentes noted that the federal government has taken steps to preserve monarch migration, including a 2020 decree to phase out glyphosate usage in Mexico. Peña also emphasized Conanp’s work with the private sector to support conservation efforts. “We will coordinate with these actors along the Mexican migration route to establish a national strategy for monarch conservation in Mexico and on the continental scale,” he added.
The Tent Partnership for Refugees has unveiled an initiative to help migrants find employment in Mexico. Here, Tent CEO Gideon Maltz (left) and OIM chief Amy Pope (center) unveil the new accord, with the founder of the Tent project, Hamdi Ulukaya (right). (Tent México/X)
Amazon, Chedraui, Bimbo and Walmart are among 50 companies that have joined a coalition of major businesses committed to hiring refugees and migrants “at scale” in Mexico.
The coalition is an initiative of the Tent Partnership for Refugees, a network of large companies committed to hiring and training people who have been displaced from their countries of origin.
Tent México, which was officially launched on Wednesday, is the network’s “first national coalition to launch in Latin America, adding to existing coalitions in Canada, France, Spain and the United States,” Tent said in a statement.
Among the other companies that have signed on to the project in Mexico are:
Hotel chains Accor, Hyatt, Hilton and Marriott.
Food and beverage companies Chobani, Kellanova, Pepsi and Femsa.
Retailers H & M and Coppel.
Paint manufacturer Comex.
Telecommunications company AT & T.
The bank HSBC.
The recruitment companies Randstad and Manpower.
The tech firms PayPal and Microsoft.
Tent, founded by Turkish billionaire and Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya, said that the 50 companies are “committed to hiring refugees and migrants at scale, as well as providing them with job preparation support, in Mexico.”
“… In recent years, Mexico has welcomed more than 600,000 displaced people from countries such as Venezuela, Haiti, and Cuba — yet many have been unable to find formal employment,” the organization said.
“At the same time, 75% of employers in Mexico say they struggle to find workers and Coparmex, the Mexican Employers Association, reports between 1.2 and 1.6 million vacancies in Mexico’s labor market,” it said.
Amazon, which last year opened its largest distribution center in Latin America in Mexico City, is one of the companies that joined the coalition. (Cuartoscuro)
“Today, Tent is launching a first-of-its-kind coalition of Mexico’s largest employers to bridge this gap — helping Mexican businesses fill acute labor shortages by harnessing the talent of refugees and migrants who are eager to build new lives in Mexico.”
While most migrants who come to Mexico hope to enter the United States, a growing number are choosing to stay here, at least temporarily. Applications for asylum in Mexico reached a record high last year.
Gideon Maltz, CEO of Tent, said that companies in Mexico “have an incredible opportunity to meet their labor needs by hiring refugees and migrants.”
“By doing so, companies will see incredible dividends, they will gain loyal and dedicated workers, all while helping refugees and migrants become self-sufficient and contribute to their new community,” he said.
Just under three-quarters of respondents to a Tent-commissioned survey of more than 800 adults in Mexico — 74% — said they are more likely to buy from a company that hires refugees.
“Notably, this percentage is higher than any of the other eight markets where Tent has conducted similar research, including the United States, Spain, and Germany, underscoring Mexican consumers’ strong support for companies helping refugees,” Tent said.
While most migrants and refugees are trying to reach the United States, Mexico did receive a record number of asylum applications in 2023. (Cuartoscuro)
José Antonio Fernández, chairman of Coca-Cola bottler and OXXO owner Femsa, said that Femsa has “hired thousands of refugees and migrants over the years, and … seen firsthand the tremendous impact they have made on our company, our employees, and our community.”
“We look forward to building upon this success and deepening our work with Tent to welcome even more refugees and migrants into the Femsa workforce,” he said.
It remains to be seen whether more migrants will choose to remain in Mexico as a result of the launch of the Tent project, which will be supported by the International Organization for Migration.
Undocumented migration to the United States reached record levels last year, prompting the U.S. government to ask Mexico to do more to stop the flow of migrants to its northern border.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security last month attributed a decrease in migrant encounters all along the 3,145-kilometer-long border with Mexico to enhanced enforcement actions by Mexico; Mexico moving migrants along the country’s northern border to the southern border; and Mexico reinstating deportations of Venezuelans.
President López Obrador, who has offered Central America migrants work on government infrastructure projects, believes that the key to reducing migration to the United States is to invest in development and employment projects in the main source countries, such as Guatemala and Honduras in Central America and Haiti in the Caribbean.
Iboga root bark and other plants and seeds are used as an alternative psychedelic medicine. (Shutterstock)
One of the abiding quests of modern science has been the search for a substance capable of interrupting chemical dependency and ending addiction. Might that elixir be found in the psychoactive properties of the root bark of Tabernanthe iboga, an African shrub better known as iboga,? In the now-credible field of psychedelic research and treatment for mental health, ibogaine — a purified alkaloid extracted from the iboga root in labs —is not only proving successful, but represents a compelling alternative to expensive and lengthy rehabilitation treatments or opiate blockers like methadone, which can themselves become addictive.
Medical providers from accredited clinics across Mexico confirm that ibogaine can ameliorate a broad range of physical addiction symptoms and cravings. Yet they also stress that maintaining sobriety requires a daily, continued effort towards a deep reorientation of self through consistent practices such as therapy, mindfulness, diet, exercise, sleep and healthy community. I delved into the history and usages of iboga, and the current rising popularity of use for treating addiction with ibogaine — especially in Mexico. What does clinical research show? How safe is it, and how best might you find a qualified, licensed facility and team of medical practitioners? And what exactly does this notoriously intense treatment entail?
Talia Eisenberg, who alongside her partner Tom Feegel co-founded Beyond, an accredited clinic in Cancún, says many of their clients are also choosing ibogaine treatment to address not only chemical dependencies but other compulsive behaviors including sex, food, shopping and relationship addictions. Patients at Beond are also seeking deep soul-searching and human optimization and reset. Since the clinic opened in 2021, Eisenberg says, “we are trying to meet market demand. Addiction affects millions of Americans, as well as other countries like Mexico. Our facility has full time medical team members and 24/7 support — five physicians, an advising cardiologist, a dozen fifteen nurses, psychologists and a multitude of therapeutic coaches who work in different holistic modalities — who have decades of experience.”
“We created a new, holistic model that continues to evolve,” Eisenberg continues. “Alcohol, opiate and drug addictions can be very difficult to arrest, so our intention is to treat more than just the symptoms. We believe the core issue is often trauma, and recovery is only effective when there is a vital shift of perspective and purpose, healing of deeper trauma and a change in daily habits. The addiction crisis is a tragedy, but we have seen hundreds of people successfully recover and find happy, purposeful lives. Which is quite miraculous. It gives us hope for the future.”
A brief history of ibogaine
Chemical structure of ibogaine. (Wikimedia Commons)
The root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga plant has been consumed for hundreds of years by the Bwiti Indigenous peoples in Gabon for religious ceremonies and initiation rites. Bwiti practitioners cultivated the root bark specifically for radical spiritual growth, stabilizing family structures and community and the resolution of pathological conditions.
Iboga was first described by Westerners in the 1890s, with the discovery of how to extract ibogaine coming a few years later. The drug was commercialized as a stimulant in the 1930s, but its anti-addictive value apparently went unnoticed until 1963, when Howard Lotsof, a young New Yorker with a heroin habit, first tried iboga Thirty hours after consuming the African root, Lotsof was amazed to realize that he wasn’t feeling the effects of his addiction. “For the first time in months, I did not want or need to score heroin,” he told The Independent in 1999.
After much trial and error and underground reports confirming iboga’s effectiveness, Eric Taub, a former jeweler, finally managed to bring ibogaine treatment to an island close to the United States, where he started popularizing iboga. Claiming to have been prevented from setting up a clinic in Mexico by organized crime, Taub began treating patients on a boat in international waters. Lex Kogan, another avid proponent, had more success systematizing iboga administration in Costa Rica. It is only in the last few years that medically accredited clinics in Mexico, as well as the scientific data on iboga’s potential benefits, have caught the eye of the general public.
Mexico offers safe and effective ibogaine treatment for addiction
In the United States, ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance, placing it in the same category as heroin, cannabis and peyote. In countries including Mexico, Costa Rica and the Netherlands, however, it is unregulated, which has allowed clinics to flourish in Mexico. Over the last thirty years, clinical studies have attested to ibogaine’s medical benefits, and it is well documented that ibogaine poses higher risks — especially cardiac issues — than other psychedelics like psilocybin and ayahuasca.
Mexico has a variety of fully accredited medical ibogaine facilities. Other ibogaine treatment locations may not include any medical personnel besides alocal doctor who might have a relationship with the provider to verify a patient’s fitness for ibogaine treatment.Some facilities are run solely by people who have used ibogaine to get sober and want to help others do the same. Beond founder Talia Eisenberg, who healed her own opioid addiction fifteen years ago in a makeshift clinic in Mexico, does not recommend these.
“Ibogaine is tremendously powerful; often it’s like someone is shown a review of their life and the root causes of their issues, choices and mistakes. It’s an intense personal transformation,” she says. Eisenberg’s own “wild west” treatment cured her where rehabs and 12-step programs had failed. While under treatment, she had a vision of building a holistic facility in Mexico, but with the correct medical and therapeutic protocols, as well as a beautiful, nurturing and safe setting. Fast forward, and Beond is the successful manifestation of that vision. The clinic is quickly gaining attention in the media.
As recently as December 2023, former Beond client and recovered addict Bobby Loughlin was featured on the “Today” show, with NBC’s Katie Snow reporting that ibogaine has emerged as a potential solution for those battling opioid addiction and that advocates are pushing for more research and its legalization.
Jordan Belfort, the former Wall Street stockbroker and namesake of “The Wolf of Wall Street,” attests to curing his addiction at Beond. Though skeptical — not even opiate blockers had worked for him, he says — Belfort describes treatment at Beond as an instant cure. “Wait a second, what happened to my withdrawals?” he remembers saying. Belfort reports having paid full price to attend Beond, meaning that what he describes was not free treatment in exchange for promotion.
Eisenberg is seeing many people wanting ibogaine treatment for what she calls life renewal: achieving greater focus, direction or healing. “We offer ibogaine as a tool to help people reboot,” she adds.
What happens during an ibogaine treatment for addiction?
Advocates say that one treatment with ibogaine, which lasts between 12 and 18 hours, depending on each individual’s metabolism, experience and the dosage, can lead to patients walking out free from addiction — essentially an overnight change.
“We see about an 80% success rate in the acute amelioration of immediate withdrawal symptoms at our facility,” Eisenberg reports. This stands in stark contrast to “traditional rehab facilities with much lower success rates and opiate alternatives such as methadone, or suboxone, which those with chemical dependencies can remain addicted to for years.” According to Benjamin Malcom, PharmD, MPH, Joseph Barsuglia, PhD and Martin Polanco, MD, 78% of opiate use disorder (OUD) patients did not exhibit objective signs of opioid withdrawal 48 hours after ibogaine treatment. In a longitudinal prospective study over 12 months, according to Geoffrey E. Noller, PhD, ibogaine provided a 75-85% remission in 12 of 14 OUD patients. Alan Davis, Director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at the Ohio State University says, “we think ibogaine is having an impact on the reward center of the brain.”
A medically controlled environment which effectively monitors side effects is crucial, and the staff at Beond are Mexican and U.S. medics, mostly trained in trauma-informedsupport in hospitals, who have moved to Beond to learn a more holistic approach to healthcare. “We believe in providing ibogaine treatment as an alternative to the opioid, fentanyl and meth crisis,” Eisenberg says.
Beond’s intake protocol is rigorous and includes filling out a compliance health form, lengthy discussions with one of the clinic’s physicians, a necessary screening to detect any cardiac issues and tapering off current contraindicated medications under a doctor’s supervision. Once approved, a therapeutic coach is assigned before admission, and patients have access to an app that offers guidance for diet preparation, what to pack and further coaching support.
Landing in Cancún, patients are picked up and driven to the clinic, which is located twenty minutes from the airport. Once there, the medical team oversees EKG and lab work on-site, and each patient has a private room. “Our priority is to stabilize each patient medically if need be, and help prepare them emotionally for the experience,” Eisenberg tells me. After multiple hours of treatment where single oral doses of ibogaine are administered, patients are monitored for 7 to 14 days, with medical staff tracking biomarkers and maintaining a complete blood count and liver enzyme levels, which are essential for safe ibogaine processing. Staff also administer magnesium concurrently with treatment in order to protect the heart.
In a 2009 book chapter, University of Arizona researcher Emily Richer, MPH, reports that ibogaine is usually taken in capsule form, which can then induce an initial state of panic, mental and physical alterations, including ataxia, for up to twelve hours. “Excessive sweating and nausea that may lead to vomiting is not uncommon throughout the experience, especially in the first 4–6 hours,” Richer writes, but is then often followed by a powerful experience in which patients vividly recall key memories, such as the first time using drugs, significant life experiences and intense “storms of vibrant colors and unusual textures.”
Bobby Loughlin’s 2023 interview, on the “Today” show matches Richer’s description of ibogaine’s mental effects and testifies to the drug’s effectiveness. Loughlin reported having heard a “strong, masculine voice” yelling at him during his treatment, telling him that his decisions were the reason he was having the experience. He has never used heroin since or felt the desire to use. “It’s very intense to reconnect with yourself again after having been so far removed from yourself; it’s like getting to know an old friend,” he recalled. There’s an old adage in medical and spiritual traditions that knowledge is half the cure. That seems to apply pertinently to treatment with psychedelics. Previous anecdotal evidence of rare cases of heart failure, psychosis and disturbing hallucinations does necessitate highly responsible professionals and a carefully designed program.
Ibogaine, Talia Eisenberg explains, stays in the system for up to three months, converting to a metabolite called noribogaine, which presents a window of opportunity where the brain is still in its greatest state of neuroplasticity. During this time, the staff at Beond encourage their clients to arrive at a “level of willingness to acquire new positive behaviors, in lieu of old, destructive ones.” Beond offers cold plunges, yoga, art therapy, breathwork, guided psychological workshops, healthy food, massage and myofascial release.
“We are also seeing more Mexicans arrive for addiction treatment,” Eisenberg says, mentioning that the Beond staff do their best to provide financial assistance for underserved Cancún locals. “There is still a stigma around mental health in Mexico, and it’s good to see the tide turning. We try and offer therapeutic support for loved ones and families also.”
The future of ibogaine treatment has recently developed dramatically
Exciting developments occurred on January 5 of this year, when Stanford Medicine researchers discovered that ibogaine, combined with magnesium to protect the heart effectively and safely reduced PTSD, anxiety and depression and improved functioning in veterans with traumatic brain injuries — this is precisely the protocol that Beond uses. Dr. Martin Polanco made this discovery 10 years ago, but Stanford was the first to publish a data set of this size in “Nature,” which includes data on 30 veterans of U.S. special forces and is unique in that post-treatment MRIs showed PTSD and depression reduced by around 88%.
“No other drug has ever been able to alleviate the functional and neuropsychiatric symptoms of traumatic brain injury,” Nolan Williams, MD, told the Stanford Medicine News Center. “The results are dramatic, and we intend to study this compound further.”
According to Research and Markets, psychedelic therapies are projected to grow into a nearly US $12 billion industry in the next five years. Ibogaine could offer enormous hope for alleviating the current opioid crisis in the U.S.
“This problem is rooted in long-term institutional inequality, including the unethical practices of large pharmaceutical companies,” Talia Eisenberg says. “It’s time for radical new thinking and policy change, led by a public benefit corporation or companies seeking to make a sincere and positive social impact, not just to fatten their profit margins. I envision a future where ibogaine treatment is affordable, safe, and accessible. We believe Beond is a model for what could be achieved on a much larger scale with ibogaine treatment.”
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal or medical advice. The writer and Mexico News Daily assume no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content on this site. Individuals should always consult with qualified professionals regarding the use of ibogaine or any other substance for medical purposes, as well as consider their jurisdiction’s applicable laws and regulations.
Henrietta Weekes is a writer, editor, actor and narrator. She divides her time between San Miguel de Allende, New York and Oxford, UK.
In Mexico you can find an abundance of fresh fruits all seasons of the year. (Unsplash)
Sundays are my favorite day of the week. I wake up and head to my favorite cafe before making my way to the market to stock up on a week’s worth of colorful fruits and vegetables.
One of the greatest perks of living in Mexico is easy access to seasonal produce, with fruits being exceptionally abundant. The health benefits of regular fruit intake are numerous, made more so by the fact that what can be found at the tianguis (market) is sold according to season.
Bananas, mangos and pineapples are easy to find in much of Mexico. (Unsplash)
When fruits ripen naturally, they’re full of nutrients and flavor that are otherwise lost in the artificial maturation process. Because Mother Nature is so smart, she offers what we need, when we need it — have you ever wondered why blueberries peak in the summer? The high level of antioxidants help protect your skin from sun damage.
There’s an intuitive natural cycle to all this, a cycle that unfortunately has been lost in countries like the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., which largely source produce year-round, from across the globe, and long before the product has reached ripeness. To add to that, long-distance travel leads to further loss in nutritional value as well as being bad for the environment.
I used to eat overpriced and under-ripened mangoes all year long in the States. In Mexico, I opt for juicy pineapple in the winter and enjoy fully matured mangoes in the summer. It feels better for my body and it’s cheaper, too!
Mexico harvests 20.5 million tons of fruit annually, much of which is exported to its two top trading partners — Canada and the United States. Nonetheless, produce markets in Mexican towns and cities overflow with national produce according to availability — just follow our handy preparation guide and enjoy.
So if you’re ready to dive into the wide world of Mexican fruit, here’s an easy guide for my fellow fruit lovers to refer to throughout the year!
Mangos
Eaten in a multitude of ways in Mexico, mangoes can be found in everything from ceviche to smoothies. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of mango varieties across the world and at least a dozen of those are produced in Mexico. Popular types include Ataúlfo, Haden, Tommy Atkins, and Kent, each with its own particular flavor and sweetness.
The golden “king of fruit” was likely introduced to Mexico from Asia via the Spanish conquistadores, thriving in the rich environments of the Pacific and Southern coasts in states like Michoacán, Chiapas, Sinaloa, and Guerrero.
Season: Staggered according to type, but generally available from March to September.
Nutrients: High in vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber.
Health benefits: Supports immune function, promotes healthy skin, and aids digestion.
Avocado
The national fruit of Mexico is actually a berry, yet it is rarely found in a fruit salad. At their ripest, avocados are creamy and filling, acting as an excellent cheese substitute for vegans. Enjoy them guacamole-style with chips, sliced on huevos rancheros, or alone with salt.
There are reportedly over 500 types of avocados, which fall into three groups: Indian, Guatemalan — and, you guessed it — Mexican, which is the world’s largest producer and exporter. Michoacán’s rich, volcanic soil and sunny climate lends itself to year-round cultivation and remains the country’s leading provider.
Season: Year-round
Nutrients: High in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Health benefits: Supports heart health, improves digestion, and promotes healthy skin.
Pineapple
Without it, would tacos al pastor even exist? The biggest producer of pineapple is Costa Rica, but Mexico follows close behind. The sweet-and-tangy treat is grown mostly in Veracruz and is often sold on the street in its natural state or in agua fresca during the season.
Season: October to July, with the highest output in June and July.
Nutrients: Contains bromelain, vitamin C, fiber, and manganese.
Health benefits: Supports digestion and immune function, reduces inflammation.
Prickly Pear
This fruit, known in Mexico as ‘tuna’ is quite fresh and its consumption season is mainly in July. (Sayinski/Instagram)
Recent arrivals in Mexico might have run into confusion with this one, as prickly pears are locally referred to as tuna. In their natural form, they are, indeed, quite prickly, sprouting from the staple nopal cactus.
The egg-shaped fruits are usually sold with the spikes removed, just like nopales, and can be green, yellow, pink, or red on the outside. Removing the thick skin unveils a delicate green or red filling with black seeds and a flirty, floral taste. Ingest as a juice, a marmalade, or simply as is.
Eight varieties can be found in Mexico, with growth concentrated in the State of México, Puebla, and Zacatecas.
Season: Starting in April, production peaks in July through September.
Health benefits: Lowers blood sugar levels, protects against oxidative damage caused by free radicals, supports digestive health and prevents constipation.
Guava (guayaba)
Fun fact: Guava has the highest level of Vitamin C of any fruit. It’s the main ingredient of the popular antigripal juice drink due to its flu-fighting qualities (hence the name). You’ll find it as a compote for desserts or in atole, often paired with a sweet Rosca de Reyes cake consumed on Three Kings Day.
The majority of guavas are cultivated in Michoacán, Aguascalientes, and Zacatecas. Some, like the apple or china guava, are white on the inside and others, like the strawberry guava, are pink.
Season: August to February
Nutrients: High in vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants.
Health Benefits: Supports immune function, aids digestion, and promotes healthy skin.
Papaya
When ripe, papaya has a smooth and honey-like flavor. Eat it alone, in a smoothie, or caramelized with cheese. Many people discard the black seeds on the inside, though I find them quite tasty and always add a few to my smoothie or with chopped papaya. Traditional medicine suggests that the seeds have anti-parasitic properties.
Papaya was a symbol of fertility for the Maya and today is found mainly in Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Colima.
Season: Year-round
Nutrients: High in vitamins A, B6, and C, potassium, lycopene, magnesium, and digestive enzymes.
Health benefits: Supports eye health, relieves diarrhea, fights intestinal parasites, protects against cancer, brightens skin.
Mamey (sapote)
The brown, dusty outer peel of the mamey sapote contrasts greatly with its bright, salmon-colored interior. This nutrient powerhouse has a flavor that is hard to describe, falling somewhere between brown sugar and a sweet potato. It’s generally eaten in fruit salad, smoothies, milkshakes, or as a sweet sauce for pork.
Mamey sapote comes from Yucatán, and can be found in markets throughout most of the year.
Season: Year-round, but production peaks in January through March.
Nutrients: High levels of vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, vitamin E, potassium, riboflavin, niacin, manganese, and pantothenic acid.
Health benefits: Supports brain function, prevents constipation, has anti-aging effects through collagen synthesis stimulation, combats anemia by producing red blood cells.
Mandarins
Originally from Asia, which could explain the name, mandarin season kicks off around Day of the Dead. The tiny, brightly-hued globes are a staple item on traditional altars. For consumption, they are largely enjoyed in the form of a freshly squeezed jugo de mandarina, deeper in color than orange juice. You will also see them as marmalades, salsas, and baked into pan dulce.
The states of Veracruz, Puebla, and Nuevo León harvest more than 80% of Mexico’s mandarins.
Season: October to January
Nutrients: High in vitamins C, B1, B2, and B6, phosphorus, calcium, and iron.
Health benefits: Reduces risk of cancer, combats infection, supports bone health, boosts immunity.
Happy shopping!
Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.
The annual headline inflation rate in January was the highest recorded since June 2023. (Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s annual headline inflation rate rose for a third consecutive month in January to reach 4.88%, according to data published by the national statistics agency INEGI on Thursday.
The rate — slightly above the consensus forecast of analysts consulted by Citibanamex — is the highest since June, when inflation was 5.06%.
Fruits and vegetables are 22% more expensive than in January 2023, with tomatoes and onions seeing some of the most dramatic price spikes. (Cuartoscuro)
In better news, the closely-watched core inflation rate, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, fell for a 12th consecutive month in January to 4.76%, down from 5.09% in December.
The publication of the January inflation data comes ahead of the Bank of Mexico’s monetary policy meeting later on Thursday. The central bank’s board, which targets a headline rate of 3%, is widely expected to leave the bank’s benchmark interest rate at 11.25%.
Many analysts believe that an initial cut to the record high rate will come in March, exactly one year after it was raised to 11.25%.
Fruit and vegetable prices soar
INEGI data shows that a significant increase in the cost of fruit and vegetables was once again a major driver of the spike in headline inflation. Prices were up almost 22% in January compared to the same month of 2023, the highest year-over-year spike since August 2017.
The annual increase in the price of onions was a whopping 145%, while tomatoes were 63% more expensive.
Prices for the other component of the agricultural products category — meat — declined 0.19% in January compared to a year earlier.
Prices for processed food, beverages and tobacco rose 5.54% compared to January 2023, while services were 5.25% more expensive. Energy prices, including those for gasoline and electricity, increased 1.41% in annual terms.
No pun intended, electoral predictions make horse racing bets seem stable.
“Secretariat”, the legendary “Triple Crown” winner, became known to save energy with a slow start, to then pass his equine rivals in the last stretch with formidable speed by a long shot. Something similar has occurred with the two leading presidential candidates in Mexico.
Claudia Sheinbaum was all shades of grey when the race began. Although intellectually endowed, she has the charisma of a tight-lipped headmistress. Thus, like Secretariat, she seemed a slow runner until, with the crack of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO)’s whip, she is now far ahead of her adversaries.
In a sense, it has been Claudia competing against Sheinbaum, up until Xóchitl Gálvez’s appearance in the race in the summer of 2023. Claudia is AMLO’s poster child, the politician, the woman who has unconditionally followed his footsteps and covered his tracks. Sheinbaum is the scientist, the woman who can discern facts from discourse; however deep in her mind, there lies a conscience that the energy sector requires a richer, more diverse, and modern variety of players for a just transition.
In this sense, Claudia and Sheinbaum may clash. The poster child owes her mentor what she is now, which is no longer a disheveled radical student shouting slogans atop a soap box. The streamlined woman we see now has vowed to extend the energy legacy of her maker. If so, Sheinbaum is in trouble and may have to step back to allow Claudia to argue the case for a gargantuan refinery in Tabasco that is still in the making and that does not guarantee cheaper and less polluting fuels.
Xóchitl Gálvez’s track performance is the exact opposite. She unexpectedly entered the turf and the crowds were roused. However, what began as a boom soon turned into a bust. In the recent poll conducted by El Universal, one of Mexico’s main newspapers, Gálvez is 30 points behind Claudia. The equestrian analogy is on point. Like Secretariat, the slow starter is the one most likely to win, by 31 lengths.
Gálvez’s decline may have begun with her statements suggesting that Pemex be privatized — a comment not ever publicly uttered by a Mexican politician. The remainder of her energy platform is within the consensus of the market-oriented “transition” establishment, although some parts of it are unrealistic — to wit, that Pemex must be a leading hydrogen producer. The revival of the power auctions, greater private investment in clean energy, and unprecedented efforts in the reductions in greenhouse emissions, although heretic at the moment in Mexico, are all pretty standard aims in global energy policies.
What is unusual about Gálvez is that she lacks filters. It is not what she says but her mode of expression that makes her an outlier in the political system. Energy is a china shop and she’s a bull, trampling over the rawest sensitivities. She is a foul-mouthed iconoclast when speaking about Mexico’s most sacred topic: “energy sovereignty” which, from a political perspective, clashes with even a partial privatization of Pemex.
Claudia has tried to make peace with Sheinbaum, but Xóchitl’s presence still looms, particularly as recent polling by Alejandro Moreno in El Financiero shows that Xóchitl only trails Claudia by 16 points. In early November, she announced a 30-year plan for the energy sector that is inclusive of private investment, to modernize the industry and attain the public good. There remains the question of whether this scheme will indeed de-carbonize Mexico, enhance market dynamics, and more importantly, ensure the path towards a just energy transition.
This article was originally published by The Mexico Institute at the The Wilson Center.
Miriam Grunstein (PhD) is currently an independent attorney whose experience in the energy sector began 21 years ago as the personal advisor to a Commissioner of the Mexican Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE). She is currently a non-resident scholar in the US Mexico Center of the James Baker Institute at Rice University.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Mexico News Daily, its owner or its employees.
Almost 1.5 million Mexican citizens abroad have an INE voting card. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican citizens living abroad who wish to vote in the national 2024 elections — the largest in Mexico’s history — must register on the National Electoral Institute’s (INE) online Foreign Vote platform before Feb. 20.
According to the INE, citizens can vote from abroad by mail, online or in person at approved consular offices. All who turn 18 years old in 2024 will also be able to vote.
Federal, state and municipal elections are coming up this year. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
The elections will take place on June 2 and in addition to the president, Mexican citizens will elect 128 senators, 500 federal deputies and many state and city representatives such as governors, local deputies, council members and mayors.
The states of Chiapas, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla, Tabasco, Veracruz and Yucatán will elect new governors, and Mexico City will also elect a new head of government.
Overall, over 19,000 government positions will be voted on by the electorate in June.
On Saturday, Feb. 10, the consulates of Mexico in the United States and Canada will hold an open office hours day to help voters register on the INE’s online platform. Voters must bring their valid Mexican voting credential.
For mail-in votes to be counted, the Postal Vote Envelope must arrive at the offices established by the electoral authority 24 hours before the start of Election Day, or by 8 a.m. Mexico City time on June 1.
Those who register to vote online will receive an email from the INE no later than May 3, 2024, with voting instructions, a username and information on how to access the Electronic Voting System for Mexicans living abroad. Voters can cast their online vote from May 18 to June 2, 2024. Those citizens who choose to vote in-person must attend any of the authorized consular offices on Election Day.
According to the INE, 1.48 million Mexican citizens living abroad have a Mexican voter ID card, and approximately 1.44 million live in the U.S.
Mexico’s 2024 presidential candidates representing the major parties have both made recent trips to the United States. The candidate of the ruling Morena party coalition, Claudia Sheinbaum, traveled to Los Angeles last year, and last week, Xóchitl Gálvez, the PAN-PRI-PRD coalition candidate, visited New York City and Washington, D.C. and met with Mexicans living there.
"Icon of the Seas," the world's largest cruise liner, boasts an on-board theme park and waterfall.(Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
The Icon of the Seas, recently named the world’s biggest cruise ship, has made its maiden voyage from Miami, Florida to Mahahual, Quintana Roo.
The ship, operated by Royal Caribbean Group, reached its first stop of three on Tuesday morning, carrying approximately 8,000 passengers — double the population of beach town Mahahual.
Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama met with Royal Caribbean executives on board the massive cruise liner. (Mara Lezama/X)
On Jan. 28, the Icon of the Seas departed from Miami for the Caribbean, after receiving the blessing of international soccer star Lionel Messi, who attended the megaship’s naming ceremony.
Upon its arrival in Quintana Roo, the ship was welcomed by Governor Mara Lezama and several Royal Caribbean representatives.”The arrival of the Icon of the Seas is a testament to Quintana Roo’s commitment to the recovery of cruise tourism, which was tested by the challenges of recent years, and today shows significant growth and development,” Lezama said during the welcome ceremony on Tuesday.
The ship’s Western Caribbean cruises stop at two locations on the Mexican coast: Mahahual, where it docks at the Puerto Costa Maya cruise port, and Cozumel. At both stops, passengers are free to disembark and enjoy the beach towns.
The cruise ship can carry about 8,000 passengers — double the population of Mahahual. (ELIZABETH RUIZ/CUARTOSCURO.COM)
In the words of Governor Lezama, the Icon of the Seas represents a “new era in tourism” for Quintana Roo, which is the result of “50 years” of work to elevate the profile of Quintana Roo as a top travel destination.
In 2023, 1,618 cruise ships arrived in Quintana Roo and 462 of them stopped in Mahahual, where more than two million cruise passengers and crew arrived. The new route serviced by Icon of the Seas is expected to consolidate Quintana Roo’s status as the leader in cruise ship tourism to Mexico.
Urban II is an exquisite residential development nestled in the highly sought-after Zona Romántica. (The Agency Vallarta)
Have you ever gone on a vacation so good that you never wanted to go home? It’s certainly happened to me. That’s how I ended up living in Puerto Vallarta. A first visit in 2013 sparked a gnawing desire to pack up my New York life and relocate. While it took a few years to turn that wish into reality, moving to Puerto Vallarta has been the best life choice — and a transition that was quite easy to make.
It may be a beach town, but over the past decade, Puerto Vallarta has seen enormous growth and is now an extremely convenient city to live in. From great restaurants and nightlife to spectacular beaches, dozens of grocery stores and markets, strong connectivity with the U.S. and the rest of Mexico, and even great healthcare, living in Puerto Vallarta has never been easier than it is right now.
The only problem is how much everyone else also loves it. The Puerto Vallarta real estate market is one of the hottest real estate markets in Mexico — long gone are the days of the incredible Puerto Vallarta real estate deal. I got lucky because my husband already owned real estate here when we first met, but for those of you who are looking to buy a home in Puerto Vallarta, there can be quite a bit to consider, especially for the price you are inevitably going to pay. Still, the investment is worth it for the ROI, which can be up to 8 percent these days.
So where to begin when looking for real estate in Puerto Vallarta? We’ve broken it all down right here in our guide to buying a house in Mexico’s best oceanside city.
What are the best neighborhoods for Puerto Vallarta real estate?
“The difference in price points all comes down to location,” said Christian Bernardino, a realtor with The Agency in Puerto Vallarta. “You can break it down further than that, but mostly it’s location.”
He added, “The newest trendy area is Fluvial and Versalles. The younger crowd is buying there because it’s a newer area and considerably less expensive. It’s very up and coming.”
Even in Puerto Vallarta, where the cost of real estate has skyrocketed, you can still be surprised by great deals in even the trendiest neighborhoods, especially if you’re comfortable buying a fixer-upper or one without luxury amenities. Puerto Vallarta is still a relatively small city so even if your budget does not allow for your first-choice area, you’re never more than 10 to 15 minutes away from most neighborhoods in the city.
Zona Romántica: The first place most people visit (and fall in love with) in Puerto Vallarta is Zona Romántica. It’s hard not to fall in love with the cobblestone streets, charming historic homes, and brilliant purple blossoms from the bougainvillea trees. The oldest and most historic part of the city, Zona (as the locals call it) is chock-full of restaurants, and bars, and has one of the prime sections of beachfront. It can also be the loudest neighborhood depending on the time of year, since it sees the most tourists.
Luxury penthouse in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone. (Berkshire Hathaway)
Seeing as it’s the most famous neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta, real estate can be quite expensive. This Zona Romántica condo, for example, is listed at US $ 2.5 million. The luxury penthouse has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a wraparound terrace, and a private pool.
Neither is cheap, but you can see there is quite a range of what is on offer.
Conchas Chinas: Just around the mountain ridge from Zona Romántica is another hot neighborhood for real estate in Puerto Vallarta. Conchas Chinas is less walkable than Zona Romantica thanks to the hilly terrain, but the beachfront location, ocean views, and spacious villas and condos are what make it one of the most expensive and desirable in the city.
This four-bedroom, four-bathroom villa in Conchas Chinas is listed for US $2.19 million. It features a private pool and ocean views.
Casa TALISMAN is located in Conchas Chinas. (MLS Vallarta)
This three-bedroom, three-bathroom house is listed at US $1.2 million. It also has a private pool, as well as an elevator, vaulted ceilings, and multiple fireplaces.
Centro: Just over the Rio Cuale from Zona Romántica is Centro. This bustling neighborhood boasts the Malecón as one of its main features and all of its restaurants and nightlife entertainment. Scruffy historic homes with terracotta-tiled roofs creep up the jungle mountains, while the crown of the Nuestra Señora Guadalupe Church creates quite the skyline view. Prices tend to be high in Centro, as well, given its location and access to the water. Still, you’ll start to see a bit more bang for your buck here, as well as a broader price range.
Condominium in El Centro. (Point2 Puerto Vallarta)
This five-bedroom, five-bathroom villa has wraparound terraces and views over the Bay of Banderas and the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church. It is listed for US $1.3 million.
Centro is where you’ll start to find a higher inventory of smaller homes, usually at relatively more affordable prices. This one-bedroom condo is a block from the Malecón and is listed for US 295,000. It features an outdoor terrace and a rooftop pool for the building.
5 de Diciembre: Moving north from Centro is Cinco de Diciembre, another historic neighborhood with cobblestone streets and beachfront access. For such a centrally located neighborhood that is still walking distance to Zona Romántica, you’ll find some great deals here.
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom has a private balcony and is within walking distance of the beach. The rooftop terrace has a pool and lounge area. The condo is listed at US $375,000.
Casa Maitreya in 5 de Diciembre. (Mexhome)
Versalles/Fluvial: The most up-and-coming neighborhoods in Puerto Vallarta are Versalles and Fluvial. These quiet, predominantly residential neighborhoods are seeing an influx of condo development and renovations of the older homes. A burgeoning restaurant scene and proximity to mega supermarkets like La Comer and Costco, as well as a quick trip to both downtown and the airport, continue to make these neighborhoods attractive. While these neighborhoods are not on the beach, the influx of amenity-rich new constructions is what drives the prices up.
After you’ve decided on the neighborhood you want to live in and have found the perfect place, there are a few crucial steps. The first is to understand the laws of buying real estate as a foreigner in Mexico. You’re free and clear to buy real estate in Mexico as a foreigner but with a few caveats.
It is written in the Mexican constitution that foreigners cannot own property within 100 kilometers (60 miles) of the border and 50 kilometers (30 miles) of the coastline. Still, it is possible to get around this through the use of a trust.
Three parties are required for a trust:
The original owner
The trustee (the bank)
The beneficiary
The trust does not give direct ownership to the foreign beneficiary (you). What it does is establish that the bank has the legal title to the property and can act on your behalf. The trust gives you all the rights and privileges of ownership, with the trust established for 50 years, renewable at any time, forever.
After your offer is accepted, the closing process starts. A deposit of 10 percent of the purchase price is typically required and is placed in escrow. The balance is payable after the trust deed is signed at the notary office. Closing costs are paid by you, the buyer, and include a transfer tax, notary fees, registration fees, fees for the tax certificate, title search fees, and property appraisal. There may be other miscellaneous expenses, as well. The seller pays the capital gains tax and real estate fees.
As a buyer, you will be eligible for a one-time exemption from capital gains tax if you establish residency for two years after your purchase. If you do not establish residency and wish to sell your property in the future, you could pay up to 35 percent of the profit in capital gains tax — so if you’re going to invest in property in Mexico, make sure you love the place you’re buying.
You’ll also be responsible for paying property tax every year, which is the same for everyone in Puerto Vallarta regardless of the size or value of your property.
“The most important part about buying real estate in Puerto Vallarta is to consult a professional,” says Bernardino. “If the deal seems too good to be true, it usually is.”
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.
Mexico exported goods worth over US $475 billion to the United States in 2023. (Cuartoscuro)
“The eagle dethrones the dragon,” screamed a headline in the El Financiero newspaper on Wednesday after the publication of data that showed that Mexico surpassed China to become the top exporter of goods to the United States in 2023.
Last year was the first year in two decades that the United States purchased more goods from Mexico than from China, a situation that largely came about due to the “decoupling” of the world’s two largest economies amid the ongoing China-United States trade war.
Chinese companies are investing in Mexico to get closer to the U.S. market. Here is Nuevo León Governor Samuel García at the ribbon-cutting for the US $80 million Yinlun automotive parts plant that opened in his state in 2023. (Samuel García/X)
However, Mexico’s export industry also got a boost from the growing nearshoring phenomenon as more and more foreign companies — including Chinese ones — establish a presence here, or expand their existing one, in order to take advantage of the country’s proximity to the United States, competitive labor costs and other factors.
In addition to being the top exporter of goods to the United States last year, Mexico was its northern neighbor’s largest overall trade partner, with two-way trade totaling almost US $800 billion.
Mexico gains ground, China goes backwards
Data published by the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis on Wednesday showed that Mexico exported goods worth $475.6 billion to the U.S. in 2023.
Statistics from the United States’ government show that Mexico exported US $475.6 billion of goods in 2023. (Juan José Estrada Serafín/Cuartoscuro)
Mexican exports increased 4.6% compared to 2022, while Chinese exports declined by more than 20% to $427.2 billion.
Considering the total value of exports of both countries to the U.S., Mexico has gone from trailing China by over $80 billion in 2022 to beating it by close to $50 billion last year, a turnaround of some $130 billion in the space of just 12 months.
Quoted in a New York Times report, the chief economist of Moody’s Analytics, Mark Zandi, said that the United States and China — the top exporter to the U.S. for the past 15 years — “are decoupling, and that’s weighing heavily on trade flows.”
“Economists say the relative decrease in trade with China is clearly linked to the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration and then maintained by the Biden administration,” the Times reported.
Mexico’s share of the $3.1 trillion market for imports in the United States was 15.4% last year, ahead of China on 13.9% and Canada on 13.7%.
El Financiero reported that the increase in Mexican exports to the U.S. is due in large part to nearshoring.
“With growing labor costs in China and geopolitical tensions with this country, Mexico has consolidated itself as an attractive alternative for United States supply chains,” the newspaper said.
Companies from numerous countries have established a presence in Mexico in recent years or announced their intention to do so. They include Chinese companies, although China is not yet among the top foreign investors in Mexico, at least not officially.
The nearshoring trend has led to significant foreign investment in Mexico’s industrial hubs, including from Chinese companies. (Prologis/Twitter)
Mexico gives China “a back door” into the United States because along with the U.S. and Canada it is party to the USMCA free trade pact, The Economist said in a report last November.
In late 2023, Mexico and the United States struck an agreement to cooperate on foreign investment screening as a measure to better protect the national security of both countries. The plan appeared to be motivated to a large degree by a desire to stop Chinese investment in Mexico that is considered problematic.
For the first time in four years, Mexico was the United States’ top trade partner
Two-way trade between Mexico and the United States was worth $798.8 billion in 2023, an increase of 2.5% compared to the previous year.
Mexico dislodged Canada as the United States’ largest trade partner after Canada claimed the top spot in 2022.
China was a distant third after Mexico and Canada last year. United States exports to the East Asian powerhouse were worth a relatively low $147.8 billion in 2023, a figure equivalent to just one-third of the value of Chinese exports to the U.S.
The United States is easily Mexico’s largest export market
Data published by the national statistics agency INEGI last month showed that just over 83% of Mexico’s non-oil export revenue in 2023 came from shipments sent to the United States. Most of Mexico’s export income comes from manufactured goods including cars, computers and machinery, but it is also a significant exporter of oil and agricultural products.
More than 80% of Mexico’s non-oil export revenue comes from the United States, according to official sources. (Wikimedia Commons)
With regard to imports, the latest U.S. data showed that Mexico purchased U.S products worth $323.2 billion last year, a 0.3% decline compared to 2022.
Mexico thus had a trade surplus of almost $152.4 billion with the United States in 2023, up from $130.4 billion in 2022.
Trade between the two countries is facilitated by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, which superseded NAFTA in 2020.
