The victims in the Oaxaca bus crash were reportedly supporters of the Morena party who were returning from President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Sunday rally in Mexico City. (Estación Foto/Cuartoscuro)
At least 19 people were killed when a bus flipped over in the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico on Monday morning, just a few hours after an accident involving a bus and a tractor-trailer in northern Mexico resulted in the death of 14 passengers.
The bus traveling through Oaxaca was carrying more than 40 people when it crashed into a ravine near the town of Santo Domingo Narro. (Estación Foto/Cuartoscuro)
Authorities were still investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred just outside the small town of Santo Domingo Narro, the Oaxaca government said in a statement.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families, to whom we will provide the necessary support and assistance during this difficult time,” he said, adding that “Our government personnel continue to work and provide support to those injured.”
State Interior Minister Jesús Romero said the bus was carrying more than 40 people — including young children — and was en route from Mexico City to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in the southern part of the state.
“To the families and loved ones of those who have tragically passed away, we express our deepest condolences. Our deepest sorrow and solidarity are with you at this time. We assure you that you are not alone. We are working hand in hand with the relevant authorities and institutions to provide you with the care you require.”
A two-day shopping excursion from Durango to McAllen, Texas, ended in tragedy Sunday night when the bus hit a tractor-trailer head-on near Velardeña, Durango. (@AlTiempoDgo/X)
Up north in the state of Durango, 14 people died after a tour bus crashed with a tractor-trailer and quickly caught fire near the town of Velardeña before dawn on Monday. Ten passengers managed to exit the bus but the intensity of the blaze prevented them from rescuing those still trapped inside.
The 10 survivors were transported to a hospital in the nearby town of Cuencamé, nine of them treated for minor injuries.
The bus — operated by Aser Tours of Durango city — was part of a round trip, two-day shopping excursion from Durango to McAllen, Texas. The bus had left McAllen for the return trip on Sunday night and was two hours northeast of Durango city when the accident occurred.
Aser Tours released a statement on its Instagram page saying it will offer support to victims. The bus company also claimed that the operator of the tractor-trailer was at fault in the crash.
Durango state authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.
Mexico's southeastern states require major investment in order for the region to take full advantage of its available energy and water resources, according to a new UNAM report. (Fernando Carranza/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s southeast requires at least 17 billion pesos (US $833.5 million) over the next five years to address climate change impacts and the growing water crisis, according to an analysis from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).
The states of Veracruz, Tabasco and Chiapas require greater federal and state resources to address water security, according to researchers. (Asipona Veracruz)
“The analysis suggests a 30% increase in investment for infrastructure in rural areas, with the aim of reducing disparities with urban areas,” the Water Advisory Council’s president Raúl Rodríguez Márquez said in a statement.
However, rapid population growth, industrial development, extensive agriculture and inadequate water management infrastructure have led to water scarcity, pollution and unequal access, according to the report.
The region also faces climate challenges like more intense floods, droughts and soil erosion.
The authors suggest that Mexico’s existing water management system is outdated and in need of an update.
“Since the first National Water Plan in 1975, a high concentration of hydraulic infrastructure and investments in water and sanitation was identified in the center and north of Mexico, leaving the southeast behind,” stated UNAM Water Network’s technical coordinator Fernando González Villarreal.
The analysis also highlights the lack of recognition of community organizations, reduced technical capacities of regional institutions and the low levels of investment in the region’s water infrastructure development and maintenance.
The executive coordinator of the UNAM Water Network Jorge Alberto Arriaga Medina said that the region requires greater federal and state resources to address water security.
“And at the same time,” he added, “systems for transparency, accountability and citizen participation should be strengthened so that investments reach their destination for the benefit of all people.”
Chiapas’s watersheds face major threats from overpopulation, mining, logging and poor or non-existent urban planning. (Isabel Mateos/Cuartoscuro)
The authors also recommend improving early warning systems for flooding and enhancing compliance with territorial regulations to prevent construction in flood-prone areas.
The Southeast’s economic potential
Thanks in part to the abundance of energy and water resources, Mexico’s southern states are attracting increasing attention for nearshoring activities and higher levels of foreign investment, according to the economic consultant Alejandro Delgado Ayala.
“The south is beginning to gain relevance, especially Veracruz because it has water, it has a port, it has electricity, it has natural gas and it has many engineers because of the whole petrochemical sector; for us, Veracruz is a big player,” Ayala, a managing partner at the firm GCR Consultores, told the publication El Economista.
The states of Veracruz, Chiapas and Tabasco together have a population of around 16 million people and contribute over 8% of Mexico’s GDP.
During the first half of 2024, Veracruz attracted $1.5 million in new investments, according to Economy Ministry data.
Photographer Janet Sternberg has turned her lens on Mexico and the everyday, with fascinating results. (All photos by Janet Sternburg)
These words are found in the Introduction to San Miguel de Allende residentJanet Sternburg‘s photography book. I found them striking: “In Mexico, so much lives together.”
“So much photography is about isolating what is, framing it in its uniqueness, its apartness. In Mexico, so much lives together, with a greater tolerance for ambiguity and a sense that nothing should be isolated.”
Looking at Mexico, Mexico Looks Back is an honest look at the magical elements that expats in Mexico might take for granted after some time in the country.
Sternburg’s book,Looking at Mexico, Mexico Looks Back is the perfect illustration of this and a beautiful example of bicultural and bilingual collaboration. While the photographs are her own, the commentary is by a friend drawn in by her photos: Jose Alberto Romero Romano.
And this is part of what makes the book so unique. First, all of the commentary is given in both English and Spanish. And second, the commentary is by someone who is from Mexico, who sees the images not as things foreign and strange, but as familiar. Romero’s poetic prose — sometimes description, sometimes stream of consciousness — provides a fascinating glimpse into the feelings and associations behind the images.
In a world now filled with AI images and glossy brochures of resort living, it’s refreshing to see scenes unposed. Throughout the book, walls stand. People go about their business. Objects sit on surfaces. The subjects of the photographs simply do what they will, without regard for the camera. “Leaving things be” when it comes to an aesthetic field like photography can constitute a radical act.
This book does not allow the perception of Mexico to be consumed by caricature: no smiling child with perfect teeth holds up perfectly formed artesanías before a frothy green background. No slick “top ten reasons to move to Mexico” marketing copy. These photographs and commentary are simply “slices of life”.
Below are excerpts of some of my favorite photographs with their commentary in English:
“When I was a little boy in the shower, my grandmother used to scrub me with these. I remember water on the floor. These pads are called “estropajos” and they’re something that Mexicans have in common. At first to a child they’re big and hard, but this changes with time. After they’re used for a while, they get softer and their name changes to “zacatitos.” Now they have become part of our identity. They make us feel a connection to being Mexican.”
“This man is not a warrior. He is a dancer, maybe during the day he’s a taxi driver. But when he wears this mask, the crocodile talks through him. This gives him power.”
“This is very personal. For the person who made it, it doesn’t matter who likes it. Even if other people think it’s horrible, he doesn’t care. “It’s what I like.” It’s not there as a car, it’s his unique identity.”
“My grandmother does the same thing. It’s not like she’s casually sticking a photo in a frame. She puts as many as twenty or thirty small photographs along the side of a picture. After the natural birth of our son at home, my wife felt exhausted. My grandmother remembered how it felt when she had her child, and offered my wife a traditional remedy to recover the energy of her body and soul. She said, ‘Take a bath with flowers.’ It worked. My wife got better. She was accepted by my grandmother. This is why a photograph of my wife is included among the others. My grandmother is saying to the Virgin, ‘Please take care of my son, and his wife and child.'”
“Struck by lighting, this tree is wounded. But it has healed itself. It’s alive. In this photograph, I can see a turning point. In one moment, a bolt can change the structure of the tree, its “personhood,” its identity as a tree. The world becomes before and after the lighting. This is like life, the moment of a child being born that changes everything afterward.”
“Like a telescope, this window is another portal. The moment of a photograph is the moment to open your heart. This is an image at the end; it is also an image of return. Now you go through the portal. The child, me, in a shower, being scrubbed, that is you too.”
As someone who’s never felt quite comfortable with all the glossy promotion of Mexico which so often seems to breeze past the experiences of those who actually live here, I was happy to take a peak into something that felt truly genuine.
The book now lives on my coffee table, ready to be picked up and browsed through when the Instagramafication of the world feels too strong a force.
Easter bunny who? Mexico City doesn’t need egg hunting to have a blast during Spring Break. (Robert Lozano/Pexels)
Born and raised in Mexico City myself, I can tell you: there is no better time to enjoy the city than when it’s empty. And yes, Spring Break is an all-time favorite for that. As capitalinos flee their crazy hometown in search of their beaches of choice, we who are budget-tight or simply unwilling to leave the city can enjoy a traffic-free CDMX. Believe it or not, that can actually happen.
Imagine a car-free Anillo Periférico? Or an un-crowdedCentro Histórico? Well, although this is hard to picture — and might seem contradictory to foreign folk — holidays are usually the best time to have a nice stroll around the capital. This is especially true during Semana Santa, or Easter. In a country that’s 77% Catholic, as perINEGI’s latest surveys, this holiday is dutifully observed as a religious time of penance.
The City hits different when there’s nobody about. (Evan Wise/Unsplash)
People living in Mexico City who are not originally from the capital wish to go home and spend the holidays with their loved ones. And we, born and raised here, often long for a well-deserved break from our daily capitalino lives. This does not mean, however, that Mexico City becomes dull during Spring Break. On the contrary, given that the city will be mostly empty and walkable, here’s our digest of the best staycation plans for Spring Break 2025.
When is Spring Break 2025?
This year, Spring Break in Mexico will start around the second week of April. Namely, the ‘Semana Santa’ vacations will start on April 14, 2025, and end on April 27, as per the Education Ministry’sofficial calendar. Children will be exempted from school attendance for over two weeks this year, which is far more than I got back in the day. This, of course, comes as a very nice surprise for those of us who are definitely not leaving town this year for Easter vacay.
The best plans for Spring Break staycationers in Mexico City
Watch the Pascual full moon from Mexico City’s clear night skies
And no, the moon is not turning pink in April. (Nick Owuor/Unsplash)
Ever wondered whyEaster Day always has a full moon? That is not at all a coincidence: in the year 325 A.D., during theFirst Council of Nicaea, Roman emperor Constantine I established that the first Sunday following the fourteenth day of a new moon would be the day to begin Easter. Namely, the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ, who is believed to awaken from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. That’s 2000 years of Christian history for you, in just a paragraph. You’re welcome.
Often referred to as “Pink Moon,” following the Northern Native American tradition, this astronomical occurrence was named “after a species of early blooming wildflower,” asdocumented by the Museum of Greenwich. “In other cultures,” the institution adds, “this moon is called the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and the Fish Moon.”
Under the Libra constellation, the Pink Moon will bloom in the summer night sky on April 12, 2025. Although this does not fall strictly under the official Spring Break calendar, you can plan ahead and look for an elevated rooftop to watch the satellite from. It is expected to peak at around 8:00 p.m. that night, so get cozy and enjoy a summertime spectacle while the night’s still young.
Where: Anywhere! Preferably a high place that is not obstructed by public wiring; or any of UNAM’spublic observatories, if you’re a nerd like me. Cost: Absolutely free
Via Crucis: A deeply rooted Iztapalapan tradition
Pasión de Cristo en Iztapalapa 2024: Más de 2 millones vivieron la representación - En Punto
Via Crucis translates from Latin as ‘the path of the Cross,’ naturally referring to the 14 stations Jesus endured during his passion, following the Biblical passage. Every Holy Friday, the people of the Eastern borough of Iztapalapa reenact this sacred journey in which their Messiah atoned for the sins of the world.
Someone plays Jesus, and carries a real cross over their shoulder; someone plays Mary; someone plays Pontius Pilate. You get the idea. There have been 181 editions of this traditional representation, in which, according to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), “the eight original neighborhoods of the municipality (San Lucas, San Pedro, San Miguel, San Pablo, San Ignacio, San José, La Asunción and Santa Bárbara) [organize] in a collegiate and horizontal manner to carry out the representation.”
Over 500 actors and actresses participate in the Via Crucis, as per INAH’s records. There is even a Holy Week Organizing Committee in Iztapalapa AC (COSSIAC), in charge of coordinating the great event every Holy Week. Their goal is “to ensure that it continues in future generations, without distorting its original symbolic meaning,” as they wrote in a statement in 2023, when INAH declared the Via Crucis of Iztapalapa as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Mexico. Just the year after, this tradition was declared the same by UNESCO.
At first, I was doubtful as to suggest this experience for the Mexico News Daily readership. Especially that, even for me — raised by a very, very Catholic mother — these parades can be challenging to watch. However, this is one of the quintessential Semana Santa local traditions — and an absolute must-see, if you’re visiting town and are willing to get a glimpse of what the Catholic faith really means in Mexico. If you’re planning on going, avoid bringing children with you — this event can get crowded, is very graphic and can easily be overwhelming for anyone.
Where: Ave. San Lorenzo 312. Col. San Juan Xalpa, C.P. 09850, Iztapalapa, Mexico City. Cost: Free
Jacaranda watching
Mexico City in the spring time means jaracarandas in full bloom. (Juan Antonio López/UNAM Global)
April is not the cruelest month in Mexico City. On the contrary, it is the best time of the year to watch the jacaranda trees (Jacaranda mimosifolia) in full bloom. Even though these beautiful light purple flowers are a fundamental symbol of spring in Mexico, the Jacaranda mimosifolia is not an endemic tree. In 1912, Tokyo Mayor Yukio Ozaki tried to import cherry trees as a diplomatic gift to Mexico. Given the warm weather in the capital, the species did not survive. However, the Japanese don’t give up that easily.
As the Sakura project failed, a Japanese gardener,Tatsugoro Matsumoto, tried planting Jacaranda trees instead. With the coming of spring, the species bloomed healthily. Ever since then, we Mexicans have adopted the Japanese tradition of Hanami: the art of contemplating the flowers in full bloom.
Typical sighting spots include Centro Histórico, in front of Palacio de Bellas Artes or Hemiciclo a Juárez. Despite the un-crowded nature of Spring Break in Mexico City, these can get tumultuous around midday, so take precautions. If you’re looking for a quieter spot, head to Ámsterdam Avenue in Condesa, where a bed of Jacaranda flowers softly covers the median strip.
If you’re looking for absolutely breathtaking sights, dive into Colonia Narvarte, one of the capital’s jacaranda-infused residential neighborhoods. Specifically, to Concepción Béistegui Street, in front of Centro Universitario de México (CUM). With the coming of spring, this fragment of the street appears to be vaulted by a purple-flowered ceiling. If you’re not very much into impactful religious representations, Jacaranda-watching brings an aesthetic ease to the soul.
Where: Across the city, wherever you find parks or tree-lined boulevards, but especially Avenida Ámsterdam, Condesa. Cost: Free
Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
April brings concerts and festivals to Guadalajara and Lake Chapala. (Shutterstock)
Twenty-seven Mexican cities and municipalities have been recognized as “Tree Cities of the World 2024,” by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation.
The joint accolade contributes to FAO’s Green Cities initiative, which seeks to strengthen green infrastructure in both urban and rural communities.
“The cities recognized for 2024 are leading by example in providing green spaces and infrastructure that help define a sense of place and well-being where people live, work, play and learn,” Zhimin Wu, director of FAO’s Forestry Division, said.
Cities receiving the title include Guadalajara, Mérida and Toluca, which have earned the distinction for six consecutive years, in addition to Durango, Irapuato, Tuxtla Gutiérrez and Zapopan, which have secured the accolade five years in a row, among others.
Meanwhile, Monterrey, Cuernavaca, Hermosillo, Nogales, Oaxaca de Juárez, Puebla, Puerto Vallarta, Sahuayo de Morelos, Tlajomulco de Zúñiga and Zamora de Hidalgo, received the recognition for the first time.
“Tree Cities of the World is more than a recognition program,” program manager Sophie Plitt said. “It’s a rapidly growing global movement, transforming how communities view and value their urban forest.”
Mérida is another city that has won the recognition six years in a row. (Ayuntamiento de Mérida)
This edition marked the largest number of cities ever honored since the Tree Cities of the World program began in 2018, with Tree Cities named in 24 countries across six continents.
Through the recognition, many municipalities have secured funding for community forest management, access to a unique global network of urban forestry professionals, and greater local support for canopy growth. That is the case in Puebla, a city that, through the program, found an opportunity for collaboration between the private sector and the government.
“We found an opportunity to unify diverse collectives — those promoting heritage trees, native plant palettes and urban reforestation — to work together with the government,” said Emmanuel Bolaños Bautista, deputy director of the Department of Protected Areas and Environmental Value for Puebla.
In addition to boasting 27 Tree Cities, Mexico will be hosting July 10-12 the annual meeting of Tree Cities of the World in the city of San Luis Potosí, with conferences and workshops.
President Sheinbaum responded to concerns voiced by U.S. Republicans in a letter to Trump. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum rejected a central premise of the letter, as well as speculation that one of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s signature infrastructure projects was built with Chinese money.
‘There was never an expropriation’ in Mexico’s dispute with Vulcan Materials, Sheinbaum says
A reporter asked Sheinbaum about the letter 35 members of the United States Congress sent to Trump asking the U.S. president to “demand a resolution for Vulcan Materials Company,” an Alabama-based construction aggregates firm whose marine terminal in Quintana Roo was taken over and occupied by Mexico’s federal security forces in 2023 as part of a long-running land use dispute.
“As you discuss trade and border security issues with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, we ask that you demand a resolution for Vulcan Materials Company. Mexico must resolve this crisis by engaging in good faith negotiations to account for their illegal actions,” the letter said.
“… Under the direction of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO), Mexico’s military forces invaded Vulcan’s facilities and unlawfully shut down Vulcan’s operations,” the members of Congress said.
Mexico’s dispute wtih Vulcan materials dates back to the administration of former President López Obrador, who accused the company of causing an ecological disaster at their quarry in Quintana Roo. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)
“… Additionally, on September 23, 2024, President AMLO effectively expropriated Vulcan’s property by designating it a ‘naturally protected area.’ President Sheinbaum is currently considering a ‘management plan’ — which could potentially benefit Mexican and other foreign interests at the cost of an American company,” they said.
“The Yucatan Peninsula’s strategic location, less than 400 miles from Florida, requires vigilant protection of both U.S. economic and national security interests,” the lawmakers said.
Sheinbaum said that her government would send letters to the members of Congress and Trump to “clarify” what has happened on the coast of Quintana Roo.
“In that letter they’re suggesting that there was an expropriation. There was never an expropriation — the land is theirs, the property is theirs,” she said.
“The problem is that they went completely out of their authorized area of operation,” Sheinbaum said, referring to Vulcan’s limestone quarrying activity.
“They went to other areas, affecting cenotes and aquifers,” she said.
“So they were informed, they were told … [to stop] but they continued with the quarrying, and then President López Obrador decided to change the [permitted] land use, but there is no expropriation,” Sheinbaum said
Vulcan Materials operated the Calica quarry and a nearby shipping port on the coast of Quintana Roo. (Archivo/Cuartoscuro)
“Now it’s a natural protected area where the exploitation of these materials isn’t permitted because it’s severely affecting the environment,” she said.
“… The company should have complied with the environmental impact authorization it had. No company can violate its environmental impact authorization, but they expanded their area of operation,” Sheinbaum said.
She also said that her government is “meeting with the company to look at alternative solutions” to avoid a “legal conflict” between the two parties.
If the two parties can’t reach an agreement, the matter “will be resolved in court,” Sheinbaum said.
No Chinese funding of Maya Train
In their letter, the 35 members of U.S. Congress also raised concerns about possible Chinese funding of the Maya Train railroad, an ambitious project built by the former Mexican government that runs through the states of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Chiapas.
“Beyond the concerning expropriation of Vulcan’s property, we are troubled by reports that the adjacent Mayan Train project may be funded by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP),” the lawmakers said without providing any information about the reports they were referring to.
U.S. Republicans said reports from unnamed sources alleged that the Maya Train might have been funded by China. (Cuartoscuro)
“We request that your administration urgently investigate to clarify the true developers of this project to ensure the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative does not establish a presence in this strategically vital location,” the members of Congress said to Trump
Sheinbaum told reporters that the source of the funding for the railroad is “public.”
“You can see it in the public accounts reports — everything that was invested in the Maya Train is public [information], it was [built with] the resources of Mexicans who paid taxes and they came back to build the Maya Train. So there is no Chinese funding,” she said.
She said that “if any company” involved in the construction of the Maya Train had some connection to China or the Chinese communist party, “that has nothing to do with the funding” of the railroad.
Mexico’s trade and investment relationship with China and Chinese companies could be a sticking point with the United States and Canada in the 2026 review of the USMCA free trade pact.
Ovalle, 25, is already known as one of the best players in Mexican women's soccer. (Tigres Femenil/Facebook)
A Mexican women’s soccer player known as “La Maga” (The Magician) has captivated the soccer world with a stunning goal for the Monterrey-based Tigres of Liga MX Femenil.
During a home match last week against Chivas of Guadalajara, Lizbeth Ovalle scored by flicking the ball over the goalkeeper with her left heel while hanging in mid-air with her back toward the goal.
Lizbeth Ovalle’s adapted ‘scorpion kick’
Not only has the acrobatic feat gone viral and made headlines globally, but it’s also garnering speculation as the world’s most amazing goal of the year.
Likened to a “scorpion kick” by some, Orvalle’s goal was set up by a crossing pass from Jenni Hermoso.
While traditional scorpion kicks involve using the heel to direct the ball — one of the most famous of all-time occurred in a 1995 friendly between Colombia and England — Ovalle used the bottom of her shoe to loft the ball past Chivas’ stunned goalkeeper.
The “modified scorpion kick” (as some are calling it) broke a 0-0 tie in the 76th minute and helped send the Tigers to an important 2-0 victory over Chivas. Eight of the league’s 18 teams will make the playoffs, and with six matches to go, the Tigers are in fourth place and Chivas in seventh.
Lizbeth Ovalle scored the remarkable goal with a modified scorpion kick. (Tigres Feminil/Facebook)
Ovalle, a 25-year-old from the city of Aguascalientes, is one of the best players in Liga MX Femenil and one of Mexico’s best female players overall. She has been with the UANL Tigers since 2017 (the team is affiliated with the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, or UANL).
Referred to at times by the first name Jacqueline, she has played for Mexico’s national team since 2018, scoring 20 goals in 58 international games.
Last year, Mexico News Daily wrote about her fabulous goal that helped Mexico score a monumental 2-0 win over the United States in the Concacaf W Gold Cup, a mini–World Cup for teams in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Before that, the U.S. women had 40 wins and one tie in their 42 previous matches against Mexico, including 16 wins in a row by a combined 65-4 score.
Ovalle scored 15 goals in 17 Liga MX Femenil games last season to rank third in the league, and this season has 10 goals in 11 games.
Her tally last week is being hyped for the Marta Award, which recognizes the most spectacular goal of the year in global women’s soccer. It is named for Marta Vieira da Silva, more commonly known as Marta, a Brazilian regarded as one of the greatest female futbolistas ever.
If Ovalle wins, she would become the first Mexican to win either the Marta (established by world soccer governing FIFA only last year) or the Puskás Award (awarded annually since 2009 for the most eye-popping men’s goal of the year).
“I don’t even know … who knows how I did it,” Ovalle said after the game while referring to her goal as el camaroncín — the little shrimp.
“I just saw the cross coming in and thought, ‘If I just touch it, wherever it goes, it goes.”
In a video announcing the appointment of Edgar Amador Zamora, President Sheinbaum described the departing finance minister (L) Rogelio Ramírez de la O as Mexico's "best economist."(Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico has a new federal finance minister after Rogelio Ramírez de la O stepped down due to personal reasons.
President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on Friday that Edgar Amador Zamora, deputy finance minister under Ramírez, would be the new head of the Finance and Public Credit Ministry.
Edgar Amador Zamora will be the new head of Mexico’s Finance and Public Credit Ministry. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
She said that Ramírez — finance minister for the final three years of Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s 2018-24 presidency and the first five months of the current government — would now be her economic advisor for international affairs.
She described Ramírez as Mexico’s “best economist.”
Sheinbaum, seated in the National Palace with both Ramírez and Amador, noted that Amador is an economist with degrees from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the College of Mexico (Colegio de México), the latter the alma mater of several recent finance ministers.
“He’s been an adviser and has worked in various national and international financial institutions. … Until a short time ago he was an adviser at the Bank of Mexico,” she said.
“And he’s been with us for a while as deputy finance minister,” Sheinbaum added.
In 2021, Amador, who served as finance minister in Mexico City during the 2012-18 mayorship of Miguel Ángel Mancera, was disqualified from holding public office for three months for alleged irregularities in the management of reconstruction funds after a major earthquake in 2017. That sanction was imposed by the Mexico City government while Sheinbaum was mayor. Amador was not formally accused or convicted of any crime.
Amador: ‘We’re committed to macroeconomic stability’
In brief remarks, Amador first thanked Sheinbaum for the “honor” of serving as finance minister.
He subsequently sent a message to investors and “society” at large.
“We’re committed to the macroeconomic stability established in the fiscal package for 2025 and moving forward,” said Amador, who hails from the northern state of Coahuila.
“We’re committed to financial stability, to the stability of our currency, to macroeconomic stability, with the aim that the economy of the country grows on solid foundations and that the objectives of the fourth transformation under the leadership of President Claudia Sheinbaum are confirmed and met,” he said.
Mexico’s influential Business Coordinating Council said it was confident that Amador’s “experience and vision will contribute to strengthening public finances and generating conditions that promote growth and investment.”
One factor that could hinder the implementation of Plan México — and make Amador’s job particularly challenging — is that the Sheinbaum administration inherited record-high public debt of 17.4 trillion pesos (US $854.6 billion), the think tank México Evalúa reported last month, a figure equivalent to 51.4% of Mexico’s GDP.
The search collective discovered burnt remains, a list of names apparently belonging to missing persons, and 200 shoes near the community of Teuchitlán. (Madres Buscadoras/X)
A collective that searches for disappeared persons in Mexico has called on federal authorities to investigate three secret crematoriums they discovered in the state of Jalisco on March 5.
After an anonymous tip, the Warrior Searchers of Jalisco came upon the disturbing site where they found over 200 shoes as well as the presence of burnt remains, possibly human bones, and empty bullet casings.
A Jalisco search collective found the crematoriums thanks to an anonymous tip. (Guerreros Buscadores De Jalisco/Facebook)
Federal authorities have confirmed the finding on a ranch near the village of Teuchitlán in northern Jalisco, about 60 kilometers northwest of the state capital Guadalajara. The searchers were accompanied by a dozen National Guardsmen and several state policemen.
In addition to the shoes, the group also found clothing, handbags, backpacks and suitcases scattered across the ground in front of a shed before coming across the crematoriums.
The group also found what appeared to be a farewell message from a 22-year-old man from Guanajuato who was reported missing in February 2024, as well as a notebook with a list of nicknames, leading to speculation that it was a list of victims.
Although the collective suspects that the bones belong to disappeared persons, they are waiting for the authorities to carry out a comprehensive inspection.
“We are asking that they bring the dogs … that are certified to find human remains and bones,” Índira Navarro, a representative of the collective, said.
The ranch in question had been raided by state authorities in September 2024 in an operation that led to the arrest of 10 suspects, the release of two apparent kidnap victims and the discovery of a body.
State authorities found “a rudimentary obstacle course” on the grounds of the ranch, concluding that the site was likely a training center for the notorious Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
The failure to secure the ranch or conduct a thorough investigation of the site has resulted in criticism of state officials.
The Jalisco Attorney General’s Office excused their apparent lack of diligence by saying the crematoriums were “hidden under a layer of earth and a brick slab, which prevented their detection in the initial inspection,” according to The Guardian newspaper.
During her Monday press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum called the news “terrible” and said her security cabinet has been in touch with Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus. She also ordered the Interior Ministry to work with search groups and organizations representing families of the disappeared.
According to the National Search Commission (CNB), there are nearly 15,000 people reported missing in Jalisco, the state with the most disappeared persons.
Teuchitlán — a town of approximately 8,300 residents — is known more for the pre-Columbian archaeological site of Los Guachimontones located in the hills just north of the town.
Mexico exported 258,952 light vehicles in February 2025, a 9.2% decrease compared to the 285,330 units it shipped abroad in February 2024. (@SimonLevyMx/X)
Mexico exported 258,952 light vehicles in February 2025, a 9.2% decrease compared to the 285,330 units it shipped abroad in February 2024, amid trade tensions between the United States and Mexico that have roiled the auto industry this year.
In its monthly auto industry survey, national statistics agency INEGI noted that although February export figures were an improvement over the 219,414 vehicles Mexico exported in January 2025, the numbers represented a year-on-year decline for the third straight month.
Both auto production and exports were down in February, though domestic sales saw a 2.9% boost. (INEGI)
In December 2024, Mexico’s auto exports dropped by 5.8% from a year earlier to 265,954 units and January 2025 saw a 13.7% decline in vehicle exports with just 219,414 vehicles shipped abroad.
February’s shrinking numbers mean light-vehicle exports are down 11.4% through the first two months of 2025.
For a fifth consecutive year in 2024, Mexico expanded its share of the U.S. import market. Automotive exports to the U.S. had a value of US $181.4 billion last year, and made up 38.5% of the U.S. market for automobiles, up from 37.8% in 2023.
Shifting trade policies hit auto sector’s performance, planning
While campaigning ahead of the U.S. presidential election last year, Donald Trump insisted he’d apply blanket 20% tariffs on all imports and, upon winning the vote in November, promised steep across-the-board tariff hikes.
In January, vehicle exports to the U.S. — Mexico’s primary market, accounting for 83.6% of total vehicles exported that month — fell 10.8%, with 183,321 vehicles shipped north of the border, down from 205,523 in January 2024.
Light-vehicle sales in Mexico in February reached 117,679 units, a 2.9% increase over February 2024. For the first two months of 2025, total domestic sales (237,659 units) are up 4.5%.
