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The 10 coolest museums in Puebla (and where to find them)

By
Bethany Platanella
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A museum in Puebla
Puebla city is home to world class museums housed in historic and innovative buildings. Here are ten of them. (Visit Puebla)

Puebla has always charmed me. The first time I visited, I was immediately impressed by the city’s bold mix of architecture, brightly-tiled facades and churches that, upon entry, swallowed me whole. I strolled down Calle de los Sapos at night, string lights twinkling above me, Skittle-colored buildings to my right and left and, like any good Mexican city, teenagers making out on the public benches along the sidewalks all around. I loved it.

In the years I’ve been living in Mexico City, I often steal away to Puebla. I enjoy the unpredictability of this city of 3.4 million people, but there’s also a certain security here that doesn’t exist in the capital. A Poblano, for example, will generally bring their car to a stop as I cross the street instead of nearly running me over while hurling insults in my direction. 

Puebla is a happy place, and despite its obvious European influence, there’s something about it that feels undeniably Mexican. Walk down any street and you’re likely to pass an alleyway where older ladies whip up molotes, a sort of fried masa calzone stuffed with potatoes, cheese or shredded chicken. Sit in the square for a while and you’re sure to catch an impromptu live music performance or, if you’re really lucky, a high-energy Michael Jackson impersonator. Of course, visiting any colonial city wouldn’t be complete without popping in a museum or two. Here are ten of Puebla’s best museums and what makes them special.

Museo Amparo

Gallery of the Museo Amparo
(Museo Amparo)

The Museo Amparo is located in Puebla’s Historic Center. It’s renowned for an extensive collection of art and artifacts spanning pre-Columbian, colonial, modern and contemporary Mexico. Housed in two meticulously restored colonial-era buildings, one of which was the city’s first hospital, the Museo Amparo offers immersive installations and a broad collection of historical artifacts. It is Puebla’s most well-known museum for a reason, and a must-see for any visitor.

  • Perfect for: Art lovers, history buffs and anyone interested in Mexican culture
  • Cost: General admission is 85 pesos per person
  • Address: 2 Sur 708, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The view from the rooftop terrace sweeps over the entirety of downtown, including the recognizable tiled dome of Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Puebla’s most important church.

Museo Internacional del Barroco

Exhibit at Museo del Barroco
(Gobierno de Puebla)

This striking contemporary museum is a visual celebration of Baroque art and architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Toyo Ito, the building houses interactive exhibits and international collections from around the world. Eight themed exhibition halls surround a central courtyard and fountain, serving as a contemporary metaphor for the movement and theatricality of the Baroque period.

  • Perfect for: Architecture enthusiasts, art historians and families
  • Cost: General admission is 100 pesos per person
  • Address: Blvd. Atlixcáyotl 2501, Col. Reserva Territorial Atlixcáyotl

Don’t miss: Admiring the building itself. The contemporary masterpiece is made up of concrete curves and innovative exhibition spaces, with natural light pouring through the ceiling. 

Museo de Arte Popular Ex Convento de Santa Rosa

Kitchen of the ex convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla
(Gobierno de Puebla)

Housed in a Baroque building that dates back to 1698, what is now a museum originally served as a béguinage for Dominican nuns before becoming a convent. Over the centuries, the building’s purpose shifted from military barracks to a psychiatric hospital for men and even became an apartment complex before its restoration as a museum in 1973. The rooms inside showcase crafts and traditions hailing from Puebla’s seven indigenous regions, as well as exhibits on Talavera ceramics, traditional festivals and regional dances. 

  • Perfect for: Fans of folk art, crafts and Mexican traditions.
  • Cost: General admission is 48 pesos per person
  • Address: Calle 3 Norte 1210, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The legendary Talavera-tiled kitchen where, legend has it, Sister Andrea de la Asunción created the first mole poblano.

Museo de Arte San Pedro

san Pedro museum in Puebla
(Gobierno de Puebla)

A 16th-century hospital, San Pedro is a museum distinguished by an elegant double-arched quarry stone courtyard, said to be the second largest in Puebla. The museum’s five main exhibition halls span more than 1000 square meters and include a permanent gallery of sacred art. Novohispanic and 19th-century art lead the collection, with works by renowned artists such as Miguel Jerónimo Zendejas, Vicente Manuel Talavera, Luis Berrueco and Gaspar Conrado. 

  • Perfect for: Art enthusiasts, colonial history lovers, and cultural event seekers.
  • Cost: General admission is 48 pesos per person
  • Address: Calle 4 Norte 203, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The recreation of the hospital’s historic apothecary, which served the community for more than 350 years.

Museo de la Revolución (Casa de los Hermanos Serdán)

(Secretaría de Cultura)

Walk through the very home where the first shots of the Mexican Revolution were fired. The Serdán family, accused of stockpiling weapons and planning an uprising against then-President Porfirio Díaz, attempted to resist a government raid on November 18, 1910, which ended in tragedy. Walk through the perfectly-preserved shoe workshop, bedrooms, kitchen and the very spot where Aquiles Serdán hid before he was discovered and killed.

  • Perfect for: Families and those interested in the Mexican Revolution.
  • Cost: General admission is 48 pesos per person
  • Address: Av. 6 Oriente 206, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The unmistakable bullet holes throughout the house and on the facade, a symbol of the Revolution’s undeniable impact on Mexican history.

Casa de Alfeñique

Casa de Alfenique museum in Puebla
(Gobierno de Puebla)

Another Baroque-mansion-turned-museum, the Casa de Alfeñique was constructed in the late 18th century and named after the elaborate white stucco facade resembling the traditional Spanish sweet alfeñique, a concoction of sugar, egg whites and almonds. Admire over 1,500 pieces on display across 16 exhibition rooms which include period furniture, Talavera ceramics, religious oils and other pieces illustrating daily life in Puebla during the 18th and 19th centuries, scattered through a charming museum. 

  • Perfect for: Architecture aficionados and regional history enthusiasts
  • Cost: General admission is 48 pesos per person
  • Address: Calle 4 Oriente 416, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The exhibit of historic artifacts including carriages, local gastronomy and period clothing.

Capilla del Arte UDLAP

outside view of Capilla del Arte UDLAP
(Universidad de las Américas Puebla)

This architectural gem belonging to the Universidad de las Américas Puebla (UDLAP) features an eclectic French-inspired iron and glass structure imported directly from Paris. Once known as the Fábricas de Francia, the space now hosts a contemporary art gallery, artistic forum and mini reading area, regularly hosting national and international exhibitions, concerts, art cinema, lectures and family-friendly performances, all free to enter.

  • Perfect for: Contemporary art lovers and students
  • Cost: Free to enter
  • Address: Calle 2 Norte 1204, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The regular cultural events calendar that includes musical Wednesdays, dance and film Fridays and creative Sundays.

Biblioteca Palafoxiana

Interior of Biblioteca Palafoxiana in Puebla
(Instituto Nacional de Arqueología e Historia)

This Unesco-recognized library was founded in 1646 and was the first public library in the Americas. Inside are more than 45,000 rare books and manuscripts, including nine books printed before the year 1500 and eight of Mexico’s earliest printed works. The library’s furnishings and organizational structure have remained virtually unchanged for over two centuries, offering a true feel of colonial Mexico’s scholarly world. While it’s hard to categorize, this is probably the most historically important museum in Puebla.

  • Perfect for: Bibliophiles, researchers and history lovers
  • Cost: General admission is 40 pesos per person.
  • Address: Calle 5 Oriente 5, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle, one of the earliest illustrated books in the world and an exceptionally rare incunabulum featuring over 2,000 engravings.

Casa del Deán

Mural at Casa del Dean Puebla
(Instituto Nacional de Arqueología e Historia)

A mansion built in the late 16th century, the Casa del Deán is celebrated for housing murals considered among the finest examples of Renaissance art in the Americas. Much of the original structure was destroyed in the 1950s, though two rooms upstairs survived and are adorned with bright frescoes, earning it the nickname of “Sistine Chapel of the New World”. The blend of Renaissance and Indigenous motifs reflects the house’s Spanish owner and the local artists who decorated it.

  • Perfect for: Art buffs and architecture lovers
  • Cost: General admission is 75 pesos per person
  • Address: Calle 16 de Septiembre 505, Centro Histórico

Don’t miss: The upstairs murals “The Procession of the Sibyls” and the “The Triumphs,” based on the poems of Petrarch.

Museo Fuerte de Guadalupe

Courtyard of Museo del Fuerte de Guadalupe in Puebla
(Museo Amparo)

Located on top of a hill in a historic fort, this museum showcases the fortress’s crucial role in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Exhibits trace the site’s evolution from a colonial-era chapel to a defensive stronghold against French invasion. Walk through interactive exhibits, admire 19th- and 20th-century artifacts and immerse yourself in a large outdoor diorama that recreates scenes from the famous battle of Cinco de Mayo.

  • Perfect for: Military history fans and families
  • Cost: General admission is 75 pesos per person
  • Address: Av. Ejércitos de Oriente S/N, Centro Cívico Cinco de Mayo

Don’t miss: Panoramic views of downtown Puebla from the top of Acueye Metepec hill.

Bethany Platanella is a Mexico City–based travel writer passionate about local markets, yoga, mangos, and the thrill of new adventures. Discover her latest guides and insider tips at aweekendawayin.com and follow along on Instagram for more inspiration.

CDMX museum closures and cellphones in schools: Thursday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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Claudia Sheinbaum at her morning press conference
Whether cell phones belong in schools, Columbian mercenaries in Mexico and Mexico City museum closures were points of discussion on Thursday. (Presidencia)

The use of cell phones in schools, the arrest of 11 Colombians in Michoacán and the closure on Wednesday of six Mexico City museums were among the topics President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Thursday morning press conference.

Here is a recap of the president’s June 5 mañanera.

Should cell phones be allowed in schools?

A reporter asked the president about a proposal in Jalisco to ban cell phones in primary and middle schools.

Sheinbaum said it was up to individual states to decide whether to prohibit phones in schools or not, but asserted that it’s “important” that they not be used in classrooms or during students’ break time.

“In other words, children should have a space where they don’t have to be using their phone,” she said.

“… There are a lot of studies about the impact the intensive use of cell phones has on girls and boys,” Sheinbaum said, adding that phone usage can contribute to “learning problems and many other issues.”

Two children (kids) using cellphones
Sheinbaum said some studies have shown that overuse of cell phones can negatively affect child development. (Moisés Pablo Nava/Cuartoscuro)

“So it’s important that it not be used. A ban  — that’s a decision for each [federal] entity,” she said.

Rather than banning the use of phones in schools, Sheinbaum said that her government favors educating children about why they shouldn’t use the devices in the classroom.

“The will of a person, of the child, is better; that he or she learn why not to use it,” she said.

Sheinbaum acknowledges arrest of Colombians in connection with National Guard deaths 

A reporter highlighted that Colombian President Gustavo Petro “declared that there is involvement of Colombian mercenaries in Mexican drug cartels.”

Petro was referring to 11 former Colombian soldiers who were arrested last week in connection with the death of eight members of the National Guard, who were killed by the explosion of a land mine in the municipality of Los Reyes, Michoacán, on May 27.

Six Mexicans were also detained in connection with the crime.

A photo stamped with Mexican millitary logos shows 11 arrested people in military gear, guarded by Mexican Army and National Guard troops
Seventeen people were arrested in connection to the deadly land mine explosion, including 11 former Columbian soldiers. (Omar García Harfuch/X)

Sheinbaum acknowledged that a number of Colombians were among the “members of a criminal group” who were arrested. She was referring to the Cártel de los Reyes, based in Los Reyes, Michoacán.

“It’s not the first time that people of this nationality have been arrested [in Mexico]. In Mexico City, when I was mayor, there were also arrests of [people] of other nationalities, but particularly Colombians,” Sheinbaum said.

She said she had spoken to Petro about creating a “high-level group” to examine “security issues between Colombia and Mexico.”

“… There is coordination and we’re strengthening information, the capacity for joint collaboration,” Sheinbaum said.

Asked whether she could confirm the presence of Colombian “mercenaries” in Mexican organized crime groups, she said:

“There have been arrests. … You can ask on Tuesday so that the security minister provides greater details, but there have been arrests in Mexico … [of] people of Colombian nationality.”

Mexico City museums reopen 

A reporter asked the president about the closure on Wednesday of various museums in Mexico City due to problems related to the hiring of security personnel.

The National Anthropology Museum and the National History Museum in the Chapultepec Castle were among six museums affiliated with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) that shut their doors.

People read a closure sign outside a museum
After unexpected mid-week closures, the National Anthropology Museum and other INAH-run sites reopened Thursday. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Sheinbaum assured reporters that the museums would reopen on Thursday, and that indeed was the case.

She said that “there was a problem” related to the awarding of contracts after INAH ran a bidding process to find new security personnel for their museums.

“That’s why they closed,” Sheinbaum said.

Asked whether private security personnel or police would be on duty at the museums on Thursday, the president said officers with the capital’s Policía Auxiliar, or Auxiliary Police, force would be present.

In 2024, the National Anthropology Museum and the National History Museum were the two most-visited museums in Mexico City, which has a total of 189 museums, according to the city government.

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

The votes are in: Hugo Aguilar Ortiz will be chief justice of Mexico’s new Supreme Court

By
MND Staff
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Men in a white shirt
Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, an Indigenous Mixtec originally from Oaxaca, was the top vote-getter among 60 candidates for Supreme Court seats in the June 1 judicial elections. (Hugo Aguilar Ortiz/X)

Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, an Indigenous lawyer originally from the Mixtec region of Oaxaca, will be the next chief justice of Mexico’s Supreme Court (SCJN) after 6.1 million people voted for him on June 1 in Mexico’s first-ever judicial election.

According to the National Electoral Institute (INE), Aguilar had 5.3% of the votes, making him the most-voted candidate among the aspiring ministers of the SCJN. Sunday’s election saw approximately 13 million voters (12.3% of all Mexicans eligible to vote) who were required to select five female candidates for justice and four male ones from a pool of over 60 aspirants.

man and woman at table
Aguilar has no official party affiliation but he worked with Morena’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador on some of the former president’s major projects. (Hugo Aguila Ortiz/XINE)

Aguilar, 51, will be sworn in before the Senate on September 1 and will assume leadership of the Supreme Court as chief justice on the same day.

Since the election, Aguilar has not publicly declared himself winner. However, in recent interviews, he has expressed feeling “impressed” and “happy, very happy,” due to the historic significance of his election for Mexico’s Indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities.

“I am very pleased that the next president of the Supreme Court is an Indigenous Mixtec from Oaxaca, a very good lawyer,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said at Wednesday’s morning press conference. “I have the privilege of knowing him.”

The new president of the SCJN is considered sympathetic to the ruling Morena party, although he has no formal political affiliation. Since 2018, he served as general coordinator of Indigenous rights at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), where he coordinated the public consultations of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s flagship projects, including the Maya Train, the Interoceanic Corridor, and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport.

Aguilar was nominated by the executive branch and received support from Sheinbaum, who in February said, “We want an Indigenous person to join the Supreme Court.” Although she did not mention Aguilar’s name, he was the only Indigenous candidate.

Government critics say this affinity will eliminate a vital check on the executive and legislative power. 

With a career spanning over 30 years of experience advocating for the rights of the Indigenous peoples, Aguilar’s campaign slogan for the position of Supreme Court Justice was “It’s our turn.” It expressed his view that Mexico needed greater representation of Indigenous voices in the country’s judiciary system. 

Before being elected as head of the SCJN, Aguilar had said that if he were to win a seat on the court, he would not wear a judicial robes and would instead wear the common attire of Indigenous communities to give the Supreme Court a new image of multicultural integration.

With reports from El País, La Jornada, CNN and El Economista

*Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to Aguilar as the court’s first Indigenous chief justice. That would be Benito Juárez, who served as the chief justice of Mexico’s Supreme Court for a little over a month prior to assuming the presidency in January 1858.

Record levels of sargassum could invade Quintana Roo beaches this summer

By
MND Staff
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workers in orange vests wade through water filled with sargassum seaweed
Navy sailors help Playa del Carmen municipal workers remove seaweed from Playa El Recodo in the Carribbean beach town. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

Despite constant efforts by authorities to keep Mexico’s Caribbean beaches clear of sargassum, researchers are expecting record levels of that seaweed to wash up along the shores of Quintana Roo state. Authorities have been battling to keep beaches clear of seaweed to maintain tourism levels, as tourism is the main source of revenue for much of Quintana Roo state.

More than 522,226 metric tons of sargassum could wash up on Quintana Roo’s beaches this year, higher than the record 2018 level, as a large belt of hundreds or even thousands of kilometers long was observed via satellite, extending into the Atlantic, according to scientists.

In May, there were 37.5 million metric tons of sargassum floating in the Atlantic, which is nearly double that of July 2018, according to data from the University of South Florida. The atmospheric conditions were similar in both years.

This is unwelcome news for tourists and the Quintana Roo economy that depends on them. Though the brown seaweed is naturally beneficial to marine ecosystems in the open ocean, it can be harmful to marine life, plants, coral and human health when large quantities reach the coast. As it decomposes, it gives off a foul smell similar to rotten eggs.

Scientists expect the current sargassum belt to advance through the Atlantic between Brazil and Africa before moving north through the Caribbean Sea towards the southern coast of the United States. Brigitta van Tussenbroek, a seagrass researcher at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), described the floating mass of seaweed as “larger than any country.”

Lorenzo Álvarez, a UNAM reef-systems researcher, expects the season’s peak to begin in the next two to three months. However, Álvarez stressed that there has been a lack of continuity when it comes to monitoring the phenomenon.

The clean-up effort

The popular beach destination of Playa del Carmen, about an hour from Cancún, is battling to keep its beaches clear of seaweed.

Playa del Carmen Minister of Environment and Climate Change Samantha Álvarez said that over 100 people are working with machinery on Playa del Carmen’s beaches to remove the sargassum, including municipal personnel, state brigades and 50 marina personnel.

Rodrigo de la Peña, the president of the Cancún, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres Hotel Association, said that nearby Puerto Morelos has also been hit particularly hard.

“It’s tremendous,” De la Peña said, “We have barges working off the coast and (with) machines on some beaches but some of the hotels don’t allow machinery because they are located within natural parks,  which forces us to do all the work by hand.”

Meanwhile, in the seaside town of Mahahual, fishermen reported that they have had to halt their activities due to the excess of sargassum.

With reports from La Jornada and Riviera Maya News

Governors of northeastern states agree to team up against border region insecurity

By
MND Staff
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several men seated at a dais
At the Third Northeast Region Public Security Reunion in Ciudad Victoria, three border state governors agreed to work together on security strategies, including enhanced regulation of U.S.-registered vehicles. (Américo Villarreal/X)

Governors of three northeastern states announced they will strengthen joint security efforts — including along the U.S. border — to address increased organized crime and border region insecurity.

After this week’s Third Northeast Region Public Security Reunion in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, the governors of Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Nuevo León agreed to continue coordinated efforts to improve regional security.

3 men standig in white shirts
The three state leaders at the meeting were Nuevo León Governor Samuel García, Tamaulipas Governor Américo Villarreal and Coahuila Governor Manolo Jiménez Salinas. (Américo Villarreal/on X)

In a Facebook post, Tamaulipas Governor Américo Villarreal thanked his colleagues, saying the three leaders would continue working together for the benefit of their constituents.

“Thanks to this dialogue and institutional coordination, today we can count on strategies to strengthen security along our shared borders as well as along the U.S. border,” he said.

The northeast corridor of Mexico is a hot spot for organized crime activities, including drug trafficking, human trafficking and extortion.

Villarreal said the recent hike in kidnapping and extortion cases is due to an increase in migrant repatriation, creating more potential victims.The three states have had to establish centers to attend to returning migrants who pause along the border before journeying back to their homes.

This is especially true for migrants from other countries who rely heavily on recently-created state institutions as the authorities scramble to provide food, lodging and transportation.

“Fortunately, in-migration has been slowing down,” Villarreal said, “reducing the opportunities for organized crime.”

The three governors agreed to increase security measures in cities along the U.S. border and to reinforce state border operations. They want to heighten police presence on highways leading south and to explore strategies to regulate vehicles, especially U.S.-registered vehicles.

Other activities to be strengthened are intelligence-sharing operations, infrastructure and technology exchange, improvements to communications systems and police training programs.

Interstate cooperation is important to prevent criminals from committing a crime in one state and fleeing to another to avoid capture. Tighter restrictions on the entry of vehicles from the U.S. is critical because U.S.-registered vehicles are increasingly involved in criminal activities.

An Audi sedan with Texas plates
State leaders are studying ways to more tightly regulate the entry of vehicles from the U.S., since U.S.-registered cars are increasingly being used in criminal operations. (Pixabay)

In a press release, Nuevo León Governor Samuel García said he was pleased with the outcome of the meeting.

“These agreements are very specific and improvements and progress … are quite clear,” he said. “I am pleased that the northeast is seeing regional security fortified while at the same time becoming economically more potent and dynamic.”

Re-establishing the police forces of Tamaulipas  

Villarreal said Tamaulipas is taking steps to build municipal police forces in four large cities: Tampico, Altamira, Ciudad Madero and Matamoros.

Most municipal police forces in Tamaulipas were demobilized in 2011-2012 due to high rates of infiltration by organized crime. They were replaced by State Police and State Guard troops, but this left many small cities without any local security forces.

The plan — according to Denisse Romero, a columnist for El Mercurio de Tamaulipas newspaper — is to establish a mixed-operations model wherein the municipal police work in conjunction with the state police.

The only way this will work, she writes, is “with well-trained police, good salaries, sound vetting practices, constant supervision and zero tolerance for corruption.”

Additionally, Romero writes, the plan faces a number of obstacles, including the scarcity of funds, a lack of planning and the need to start from scratch. She also argues that it will be difficult to prevent these forces from being infiltrated by criminal elements.

With reports from El Universal, La Jornada and Excelsior 

National Beach Cleanup Strategy aims to eliminate plastic pollution

By
MND Staff
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A woman picks up plastic bottles on a beach
Beaches in 17 states are the target of a new national strategy that kicked off Thursday with a nation-wide beach cleanup. (Shutterstock)

On World Environment Day this Thursday, the federal government launched a National Beach and Coastal Cleanup Strategy, which will run across all 17 of Mexico’s coastal states and whose central aim is to eliminate plastic pollution.

Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena, Navy Minister Raymundo Morales and several state governors spoke about the initiative at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.

Bárcena said that 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste are generated in Mexico every day, and that 80% of that amount ends up on the nation’s beaches or along its coastline.

“What we really want to do today is invite citizens to avoid this damage that [plastic] is causing to our beaches, to our coast,” she said.

Bárcena noted that the national cleanup strategy was developed in conjunction with the Navy Ministry as well as Mexico’s 17 coastal states: 11 of which are on the Pacific and Gulf of California coast, five on the Gulf of Mexico coast and one on the Caribbean coast.

Morales provided specific details on the initiative, explaining that:

  • The cleanup will occur in all 17 coastal states.
  • The initial focus will be on 63 beaches.
  • Some 2,500 naval personnel will contribute to the efforts.
  • Thousands of volunteers, including school students, will be invited to participate.

“Another activity that we’re doing, and which I think is very important as well, is that … we’re issuing instructions to not use single-use plastics, and to use recyclable plastics,” Morales said.

The Navy chief said that part of the strategy entails the removal of trash from around piers, where it tends to accumulate.

“The sea expels garbage and it accumulates at piers, at port facilities, so we also have a trash fishing campaign,” he said.

The key goal of the national strategy 

Bárcena said that the central objective of the strategy is to have clean, plastic-free beaches by 2030, the final year of the six-year term of the current government.

She said that “hopefully” Mexico can daily reduce plastic waste by 3,000 tonnes per year so that five years from now “we can eliminate … the arrival of plastic to the oceans.”

“That’s the idea,” Bárcena said.

people sift sand on a beach
Volunteers sift plastic trash from sand at Progreso, Yucatán, on Thursday. (AES México/X)

“We’re inviting a lot of recyclers, companies and citizens to use less plastic,” she said, before urging people to either reuse plastic products and/or take them to recycling centers.

“Mexico is also fighting at an international level in the campaign [against] single-use plastics,” Bárcena added.

‘It’s a comprehensive strategy,’ says Sheinbaum 

Sheinbaum highlighted that beach cleanups are taking place on Thursday, the 53rd World Environment Day and a designated national beach cleanup day.

However, she stressed that “it’s not just today” that beach cleanups will take place.

“It’s a comprehensive strategy,” she said, referring to the National Beach and Coastal Cleanup Strategy.

Sheinbaum noted that municipal governments in coastal states are also involved in the initiative, and highlighted that Mexico has almost 12,000 kilometers of coastline, including that of islands such as Cozumel and the Islas Marías.

Governors laud the initiative 

Four governors joined Sheinbaum’s press conference via video link from beaches in the states they govern. They all expressed their support for the initiative to be implemented across the remainder of the federal government’s term.

Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado (speaking from Acapulco): 

“We know that looking after our beaches is a shared responsibility and a commitment to our children and future generations. From Guerrero we assume this task with much love and responsibility.”

Yucatán Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena (speaking from Progreso):

“This is a cause we embrace with complete conviction because we know that taking care of our coast is taking care of life, taking care of health and the future of our communities.”

Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama (speaking from Puerto Morelos): 

“From here we join … [the] collective effort that seeks to eliminate 100% of plastics from our coasts in the next five years. We do it from Punta Brava Beach, a place of incomparable beauty, but also one [facing] a profound environmental challenge.”

Baja California Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila (speaking from San Felipe):

“From this very important point of the Gulf of California, where the world’s aquarium begins, we begin this national strategy, … an initiative that reflects the commitment of your government, presidenta, a commitment to environmental justice, to the protection of our ecosystems and to the well-being of coastal communities.”

Mexico News Daily 

Be careful with dating apps, US Embassy warns after kidnappings in Puerto Vallarta

By
MND Staff
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A hand holds a phone showing a dating app match screen
While the U.S. warned of the dangers of online dating, the governor of Jalisco had an additional message: Don't buy sex, especially from strangers you meet on apps. (Shutterstock)

The U.S. Embassy has issued a security alert over reports of dating apps being utilized to kidnap U.S. citizens near Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.

The U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara said it confirmed that “victims and their family members in the United States have … been extorted for large sums of money.”

The consulate said the alleged kidnappings are not limited to a single geographic area, reporting that it had received reports from alleged victims in the contiguous states of Jalisco and Nayarit.

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus responded to the U.S. security alert by saying that the incident reported in his state involved foreigners who used a dating app to hire prostitutes.

“It was not so much a kidnapping as it was extortion,” Lemus said, adding that he and Nayarit state officials responded quickly and notified the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, the Jalisco state capital.

The incident, he said, occurred about a month ago and involved four foreign tourists who used a dating app while staying in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta. The four victims claimed they traveled across the state border to Nuevo Nayarit, Nayarit, where they were forced to call family members and ask for money in exchange for their freedom.

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus at a podium
Gov. Lemus urged dating app users not to use the platforms to find sex workers, especially since prostitutes on such platforms may well be victims of human trafficking. (Pablo Lemus/Facebook)

Lemus called on tourists to refrain from contracting sex services, particularly via apps as they could be violating Mexican laws since these services are often linked to human trafficking.

To illustrate this, the governor referenced the case of Alex Marín, a producer of adult entertainment who was arrested in Puerto Vallarta last month on charges of sexual exploitation of a minor. Marín, who is expected to spend as much as two years in jail while his case is investigated, could also face human trafficking charges.

The Jalisco Attorney General’s Office told Proceso magazine that it has not received any formal complaints of kidnapping/extortion via dating apps. The Nayarit Attorney General’s Office did not reply to inquiries regarding such cases.

The security alert reminds U.S. citizens that the U.S. State Department has issued travel advisories for both Pacific coast states identified in their report: Jalisco is classified as “Level 3:  Reconsider Travel” due to crime and kidnapping, and Nayarit is classified as “Level 2:  Exercise Increased Caution” due to crime.

The consulate warned that “Travelers should use caution when meeting strangers; meet only in public places and avoid isolated locations, such as residences or hotel rooms, where crimes are most likely to occur.”

The consulate further advised U.S. citizens to be cautious if using online dating apps in Mexico. It suggested that dating platform users tell others about their plans, “including where you are going, details of the person you are meeting and the app you used to meet them.”

With reports from Proceso, El Informador and El Universal

Get ready for Father’s Day with this Mexican gift guide

By
MND Staff
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Father and daughter play in surf
June 15 is approaching: surprise dad with these uniquely Mexican gifts for Father's Day. (Elizabeth Ruiz / Cuartoscuro)

There’s more than enough gift guides on the internet for Father’s Day, which in Mexico falls on the third Sunday of June. But this one’s a little different, as we’ve curated a list of items that celebrate heritage, craftsmanship and flavor to show dad how much you care for him with Mexican gifts for Father’s Day.

Whether he’s into food, fashion or music or simply proud of his heritage, this list will give you original ideas to give your papá something special and very Mexican.

A bottle of Baja California wine

Valle de Guadalupe winery
A winery in Valle de Guadalupe, one of Mexico’s prime wine-growing regions today. (Tomas Castelazo / CC BY-SA 3.0)

Mexico’s reputation as a wine producer has grown in the last few years, thanks in part to Baja California’s Valle de Guadalupe, which produces more than 70% of Mexican wine. With Mediterranean-type weather that favors grape growing, this valleywas ranked as the third best wine-growing region in the world by USA Today 10 Best Readers Choice 2022 ranking.

Some of the most recognized and award-winning wines from the Guadalupe Valley include Monte Xanic Ricardo, Monte Xanic Cabernet Sauvignon, , Adobe Guadalupe Gabriel, Emevé los Nietos and Santos Brujos Tempranillo, produced by Mexico’s first certified bodega of organic and biodynamic wines. 

Now, if your dad is a wine lover and also a football aficionado, you might want to consider Casillero del Diablo’s special edition bottle. Dubbed Selección Red, these bottles honor the vibrant culture of Mexico and passionate support behind the Mexican national team. The bottles are the result of a collaboration with the Federación Mexicana de Futbol and Soccer United Marketing. 

A traditional handcrafted belt

Piteado belt
A piteado belt from Colotlan, Jalisco. (Arturo Ramos)

If you’re looking for something unique and authentically Mexican, look no further than a fajo piteado. These traditional handcrafted belts are typically made of leather and adorned with intricate embroidery using fibers from the ixtle or pita plant, a type of agave. Hence the technique’s name, piteado.

Fajos piteados are often used by charros — Mexico’s answer to the cowboy — and members of mariachi groups. They’re also popular among farmers, ranchers and people living in the countryside in the states of Jalisco, Hidalgo, Guerrero, Estado de México, Zacatecas and Michoacán. The town of Colotlán, Jalisco, is known as the capital of the fajos piteados.

You can find fajos piteados in Bodega Tienda Charra, an online store shipping to all of Mexico. 

A guayabera from Yucatán 

Two men wearing Mexican "Guayaberas"
Writer Gabriel García Márquez once called the guayabera the national dress of the Caribbean. (Maurice Marcellin / Wikimedia Commons)

For these hot summer months, a guayabera from Yucatán might be the perfect gift for dad. 

While these white button-down shirts originally came from Cuba, they arrived in Yucatán in the 19th century, quickly becoming a cultural icon. The guayabera was adapted to the local climate, incorporating regional details and improving its production with materials such as linen and cotton.

From Yucatán, guayaberas spread to other states in southern Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. They’re now widely worn at both formal and casual events, even favored by politicians.

You can find stylish guayaberas in retail stores like Liverpool or Palacio de Hierro. But if you live in Mérida, Yucatán, there ‘s no better place to buy a guayabera than the boutiques along Paseo Montejo.

A personalized tequila or mezcal bottle

Mezcal Desgn offers personalized tequila and mezcal bottles filled with their house liquor. (Mezcal Dsgn)

Have you thought of gifting your father a personalized tequila bottle? If you haven’t, you might want to consider it now. 

Consider engraving a bottle with your dad’s name, a family picture a loving quote or one of the unique designs offered by Tequila Dsgn. Bottles come in 350 and 750 ml, and you have the option of buying personalized caballitos, the glasses traditionally used to drink tequila. 

Desgn’s tequila is white with silver highlights on the middle body with sweet and citrusy notes, produced from agaves in the highlands of Jalisco. Meanwhile, the company’s mezcal is artisanal and produced from the espadín maguey, cultivated for eight years in the state of Oaxaca. 

If you want a Dsgn bottle for Father’s Day, the deadline to place your order on the company’s website is this week.

A guitar from Paracho, Michoacán

Guitars hang from roof in music store
98 percent of all guitars made in Mexico are produced in Paracho. (Thayne Tuason / CC BY SA 4.0)

Located in the heart of the western state of Michoacán, the small town of Paracho de Verduzco is world-renowned for its guitar production. 

Paracho, located 100 kilometers from Morelia, has a long luthier tradition dating back to the 16th century, when evangelizing Spanish friars like Vasco de Quiroga introduced European woodworking and instrument production techniques to the Indigenous peoples of the area. Since then, guitar production is the town’s most important economic and cultural activity, producing 98 percent of all guitars made in Mexico. 

Besides its guitars — which include classical, popular, flamenco and Texan guitars — the town also produces a wide range of chord instruments including violins, ukuleles and mandolins.

If you can’t go to Paracho yourself to buy a guitar, you can likely find a distributor in your city or order one online.

Happy shopping and ¡feliz Día del Padre! 

Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.

US Supreme Court throws out Mexican lawsuit against gunmakers

By
MND Staff
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The facade of the US Supreme Court
In tossing out Mexico's case for punishing the arms dealers supplying the Mexican cartels, the U.S. Supreme Court cited the 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act , which shields gun manufacturers from the consaquences of their products. (Anthony Quintano CC BY 2.0)

The United States Supreme Court on Thursday threw out Mexico’s US $10 billion lawsuit against U.S. gunmakers, ruling unanimously that a 2005 law shields the defendants from prosecution.

Justice Elena Kagan said in the Supreme Court’s written opinion that “because Mexico’s complaint does not plausibly allege that the defendant gun manufacturers aided and abetted gun dealers’ unlawful sales of firearms to Mexican traffickers, PLCAA bars the lawsuit.”

confiscated guns
Since January 20, the U.S. says it has confiscated nearly 9,700 firearms bound for Mexico. (Cuartoscuro)

PLCAA is the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which broadly protects manufacturers and sellers of firearms from being held liable when crimes are committed with their weapons.

The Supreme Court’s decision on Thursday came in response to an appeal to a 2024 lower court ruling that was filed by gunmaker Smith & Wesson and firearm distributor Interstate Arms.

In 2021, the Mexican government sued a number of United States-based gun manufacturers and distributors, accusing them of negligent business practices that have led to illegal arms trafficking and deaths in Mexico, where U.S.-sourced firearms are used in a majority of high-impact crimes. Hundreds of thousands of firearms are estimated to be smuggled into Mexico from the United States every year.

The Mexican government accused gunmakers of designing and manufacturing weapons that appeal to cartel members. Colt, for example, has manufactured a pistol embellished with an image of Emiliano Zapata, a hero of the Mexican revolution. Mexico also accused gun companies of “unlawfully designing and marketing their guns as military-grade weapons to drive up demand among the cartels,” Reuters reported.

In addition, the Mexican government claimed that gun violence fueled by firearms smuggled into Mexico from the United States has resulted in a decline in investment and economic activity in Mexico, and asserted that it has had to incur unusually high costs on services such as health care and law enforcement due to gun violence in Mexico.

With the exception of Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms, the gun companies sued by Mexico had succeeded in having the accusations against them thrown out before the Supreme Court ruling on Thursday.

4-year legal battle comes to an end 

The Supreme Court’s ruling came three months after it heard oral arguments in the appeal filed by Smith & Wesson and Interstate Arms against Mexico’s lawsuit.

Those two companies opposed an appeal court’s ruling in January 2024 that the Mexican government’s lawsuit could proceed on the grounds that “Mexico’s complaint plausibly alleges a type of claim that is statutorily exempt from the … general prohibition” of the PLCAA.

Mexico’s lawsuit against Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Colt, Glock and other gunmakers, filed in August 2021, was initially dismissed in 2022 by Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor of a federal court in Boston, who said that U.S. law “unequivocally” prohibited lawsuits that seek to hold gun manufacturers responsible when people use their products for their intended purpose — i.e. to shoot them.

Mexico appealed that decision, which led to the appeal court’s ruling in early 2024.

A display of pistols, automatic rifles, ammunition and clips arranged in rows on a table.
Though some guns are seized at the border — like these weapons confiscated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in March — hundreds of thousands of weapons are still smuggled from the U.S. into Mexico every year. (CBP/X)

Kagan wrote that “the basic theory” of Mexico’s lawsuit was “that the defendants failed to exercise ‘reasonable care’ to prevent trafficking of their guns into Mexico, and so are responsible for the harms arising there from the weapons’ misuse.”

She noted that there is an “exception” to the PLCAA’s “general bar” on lawsuits against manufacturers and sellers of firearms that “applies to lawsuits in which the defendant manufacturer or seller ‘knowingly violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing’ of firearms, and the ‘violation was a proximate cause of the harm for which relief is sought.'”

Kagan wrote that Mexico set for itself “a high bar” in its lawsuit against the gun companies.

“It does not pinpoint, as most aiding-and-abetting claims do, any specific criminal transactions that the defendants (allegedly) assisted. Instead, it levels a more general accusation: that all the manufacturers assist some number of unidentified rogue dealers in violation of various legal bars,” she wrote.

“The systemic nature of that charge cannot help but heighten Mexico’s burden. To survive, it must be backed by plausible allegations of pervasive, systemic, and culpable assistance. Mexico’s lead claim — that the manufacturers elect to sell guns to, among others, known rogue dealers — fails to clear that bar,” Kagan said.

She also wrote that “Mexico’s allegations about design and marketing decisions [of gunmakers] add nothing of consequence” to its suit.

US Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan authored the court’s written opinion, explaining its rationale for rejecting the case. (U.S. Library of Congress)

“Mexico focuses on production of ‘military style’ assault weapons, but these products are widely legal and purchased by ordinary consumers. Manufacturers cannot be charged with assisting criminal acts simply because Mexican cartel members also prefer these guns,” Kagan said.

“The same applies to firearms with Spanish language names or graphics alluding to Mexican history — while they may be ‘coveted by the cartels,’ they also may appeal to ‘millions of law-abiding Hispanic Americans,'” she wrote.

Kagan said that her conclusion “aligns with PLCAA’s core purpose.”

“Congress enacted PLCAA to halt lawsuits attempting to make gun manufacturers pay for harms resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of firearms. Mexico’s suit closely resembles those lawsuits,” she wrote.

Two other justices filed concurring opinions. It was the first time that the Supreme Court had handed down a ruling related to the PLCAA.

The decision is a significant blow for the Mexican government, which sought $10 billion in compensation from gunmakers as well as a court order requiring gun companies to take steps to “abate and remedy the public nuisance they have created in Mexico.”

A "made in the U.S.A." label on a Smith and Wesson gun.
Mexico’s doomed lawsuit argued Smith & Wesson and other gunmakers knew their business practices caused illegal arms trafficking to Mexico. (Shutterstock)

It had wanted the opportunity to prove its case against the defendants in court.

Catherine Stetson, lawyer for the Mexican government, told the Supreme Court in early March that it “need not vouch for Mexico’s allegations, but it must assume they are true.”

“Mexico should be given a chance to prove its case,” she said.

For their part, “firearms makers, led by Smith & Wesson Brands, said the chain of events between the manufacture of a gun and the harm it causes after being sold, transported, and used to commit crime in Mexico involves too many steps to blame the industry,” USA Today reported.

While its lawsuit has been blocked, some consolation for the Mexican government comes from the U.S. government’s recent ramping up of its efforts to stop guns crossing its southern border, seizing nearly 9,700 firearms bound for Mexico between Jan. 20, when U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term, and early May.

Mexico has long urged the United States to stop the flow of what is often called “the iron river” of firearms across the two countries’ 3,145-kilometer-long land border.

With reports from AP and USA Today

MoMA spotlights Mexico’s Golden Age film icon María Félix in New York screening series

By
MND Staff
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A portrait of actress María Félix
Mexican film star María Félix achieved international fame as an actress and style icon despite never accepting a role in a Hollywood movie. (Wikimedia Commons)

The Museum of Modern Art in New York (MoMA) will dedicate a film series to Mexican Golden Age film icon María Félix, entitled “María Félix: La Doña.”

This screenings, which will take place from July 11 to 27 at the museum’s Debra and Leon Black Family Film Center, will feature screenings of iconic films starring María Félix between 1942 and 1957, such as “Doña Bárbara” (1943), “Enamorada” (1946) and more.

Actress María Félix in a screenshot from a black and white movie
María Félix appears as the beautiful and strong-willed Beatriz Peñafiel in the 1946 movie “Enamorada.” (Gobierno de Cholula)

This isn’t the first time MoMA has presented screenings dedicated to Mexican cinema in which La Doña — as Félix is known — appeared on screen. In 2015, the venue screened “Enamorada” (In Love), directed by Emilio Fernández, and in 2019, it did the same with “La diosa arrodillada” (The Kneeling Goddess), filmed in 1947 by Roberto Gavaldón. However, this will be the first time MoMA will screen a series dedicated exclusively to Félix.

Defining her as “the greatest international star to emerge from the Mexican cinema’s ‘Época de Oro,’” MoMA said Félix was a “cultural phenomenon who redefined femininity on screen through her portrayals of difficult, domineering women who defiantly operated outside the social conventions of her time.”

The program seeks to recognize Félix’s career to project “the commanding screen presence” that made her an internationally acclaimed actress, despite never participating in a Hollywood film.

“Hollywood never offered me a role that I wanted,” Félix once said. “They would offer me Indian roles that I didn’t like, whereas in my country, I did whatever I wanted.”

María Félix smoking while wearing a large black hat and pounds of gold and gemstone jewelry in the form of reptiles
Félix was known in part for her opulent yet elegant personal style. (Cartier)

Félix preferred to work on projects in other countries, including Spain, Argentina, and France. The French production “French Cancan” (1955) from Jean Renoir, starring Félix, will also be part of the MoMA’s screenings.

The museum also highlights her appealing life off-screen, including “her tumultuous relationship with composer Agustín Lara, close friendships with artistic luminaries like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and the exotic rumors that fed Mexico’s tabloid press,”  which it credits for contributing to the artist’s mystique.

The program is curated by Dave Kehr and Steve Macfarlane, with the collaboration of the director of the Morelia International Film Festival, Daniela Michel, and the programmer Chloe Roddick, in addition to the support of the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Film Library.

María Félix was born in Álamos, Sonora, on April 8, 1914. From a very young age, her beauty and personality led her to win contests and rise to prominence in society. After her first marriage and the birth of her son Enrique, she moved to Mexico City, where she was discovered by filmmaker Miguel Zacarías. She made her film debut in 1942 with the movie El Peñón de las Ánimas, which launched her to stardom.

Félix acted in over 40 films in Mexico and Europe. She passed away at 88, on April 8 2002. Lara’s famous song María Bonita is dedicated to her.

With reports from El Economista, Biografías y Vida, and Milenio

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