Soldiers stand guard outside the crime scene in Polanco's Plaza Miyana mall. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)
A concert promoter alleged to be involved with a notorious drug cartel was gunned down in a shooting at a restaurant in the tony Mexico City neighborhood of Polanco on Wednesday afternoon.
The incident caught the attention of the U.S. Embassy which issued a security alert within hours of the shooting, urging U.S. citizens to “exercise caution and avoid the area if possible.”
Jesús Pérez Alvear was dining with three companions at the El Bajío restaurant in the Plaza Miyana mall when two men entered and approached the table. The suspects got within a few feet of their target, appeared to ensure his identity, then opened fire, hitting Pérez at least 10 times.
Pérez’s companions scurried out of harm’s way as other patrons dived under tables. The two gunmen ran out of the restaurant and fled the mall on a motorcycle. Pérez was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics shortly thereafter.
Later that night, the Mexico City police department announced that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) would also be investigating the case. The National Guard and the Army were dispatched to the mall to secure the scene for FGR investigators.
Alleged cartel links
While Mexican authorities remain tight-lipped with regard to their investigation, the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has alleged that Pérez has been laundering money for the Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG).
The U.S. Treasury issued sanctions against Pérez for allegedly laundering money for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. (OFAC)
A 2018 OFAC report states that “Perez has close ties to the family of [Abigael] Gonzalez Valencia, and focuses primarily on promoting concerts staged during large Mexican fairs, such as those held in Aguascalientes and Metepec.”
González Valencia, alias “El Cuini” was arrested in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, in 2015 on organized crime charges and was subsequently arraigned under the Kingpin Law after evidence that he was involved in international drug trafficking was presented.
González, the brother-in-law of CJNG leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, currently sits in a maximum security prison in México state awaiting extradition to the United States.
As a result of the Kingpin Law charges, the U.S. Treasury Department froze all of González’s assets in the United States as well as all assets attributed to alleged associates. Pérez is alleged to be one of the associates who was affected by the Department’s actions.
The Treasury investigation further alleges that Pérez used his connections with the CJNG — and threats of violence — to win contracts to stage concerts through his promotional company Gallistica Diamante, also known as Ticket Premier.
The OFAC sanctioned Pérez on April 6, 2018, accusing him of laundering cartel money by mixing it in with revenues from concert ticket sales, food concessions and parking fees.
The FGR has not mentioned a possible motive for Wednesday’s murder, but Infobae reported that in June 2023 Pérez allegedly admitted to U.S. authorities that he had conspired with the CJNG to break the law.
While legends like Pancho Villa are remembered today, the women who fought alongside him in battle deserve greater recognition for their role in shaping modern Mexico. (Wikimedia Commons)
The Mexican Revolution is full of stories and larger-than-life characters like Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata, José María Morelos, and Venustiano Carranza. Less known are the thousands of women who joined the revolution to fight on the front lines and provided critical support services. They would set up camp, do all the cooking and washing, but also cared for the wounded, handled the logistics of arms and ammunition transportation, fought alongside the men, and even served as spies behind enemy lines.
By joining the Mexican Revolution, women were able to challenge the stereotype of women as weak, submissive, and incapable of holding important roles in society. These were not weak women. They did the heavy lifting on the battlefield, carrying arms and ammunition long distances, foraging for food which they used to prepare meals for hundreds, dragging wounded soldiers to safety so they could tend to their wounds. Many performed these tasks while pregnant or carrying a small child on their back.
The Adelitas were named after Adele Velarde Pérez, the granddaughter of a general who fought against the French. (Aresser23/Wikimedia Commons)
When the front line moved, it was the women who tore down the camp, carried the tents and bedding, pots and pans, food rations, and ammunition. The men carried their rifle astride a horse, the women walked beside them laden with all the supplies they would need for the next battle.
These women demonstrated strength, bravery, and resilience. From their experience in the revolution, they gained confidence, self-respect, and the respect of others. They became known as the “Adelitas”.
The Adelitas
The Adelitas were named after Adele Velarde Perez. According to the Mexican government, Velarde was the granddaughter of the prominent Juarez general Rafael Velarde who fought against French troops. She was a mere teenager when she joined and is said to be the first woman to join the fight. She became a revolutionary hero and a muse to the troops, embodying the essence of the national spirit and the brave revolutionary Mexican identity.
Velarde first joined the Mexican Association of the White Cross providing nursing services. She then became a member of the Northern Division of the Constitutionalist Army commanded by General Pancho Villa, and later joined the Northeastern Army Corps.
Many women actively fought on the frontlines of the Revolution. (Wikimedia Commons)
Most Mexican stories contain a tragic romance, and this one is no exception. Velarde fell in love with a soldier wounded at the front lines. As he lay in her arms dying while she tended his wound, he asked her to pull a piece of paper from his satchel. On the paper were the lyrics to a song he had written for her. The words became the corrido “La Adelita” which was sung obsessively by the revolutionaries and is still popular today.
The Adelitas played a critical, fundamental role in the revolution and the war might have turned out differently if not for their participation. In addition to the support services they provided, many fought side-by-side with the men, acted as spies behind enemy lines and took on other dangerous roles. Some women reached powerful positions and fought on the battlefield.
These women faced not only physical risks, but discrimination, exploitation, and violence, but were not intimidated. They were strongly committed to the revolution and the social justice and equality it represented.
Adelitas known as fierce and fearless warriors
Adelitas were strongly committed to the revolution and the social justice and equality it represented. (Cuartoscuro)
Only a handful of the Adelitas were recognized as true heroes of the revolution, but for many Mexicans, their names are now synonymous with bravery and duty:
Col. Maria Quinteros de Meras
Pancho Villa highly respected Quinteros de Meras who became a high-ranking officer reaching the rank of Coronela. In her three years in his rebel army, she fought heroically in ten battles. She could shoot as well as the men and dressed as they did wearing khaki suits and cartridge belts. The El Paso Morning Times wroton May 7, 1914, that “some of her followers have come to believe she is endowed with some supernatural power.” She and her husband both fought voluntarily in the same outfit. When they left, Pancho Villa offered to pay them for their services – as he did all his troops – but both refused.
Margarita Neri
Margarita Neri. (Hormigueros de Potosí)
Neri was singled out during the revolution as a fearless fighter. When the war broke out, she was a landowner in Quintano Roo but was left behind by male forces because she was a woman. Undaunted, Neri raised her own troops — first numbering only 200 but growing to 1000 in just two months — who realized she could ride and shoot as well as they could. She led looting raids throughout Chiapas and Tabasco. It is said that her approach instilled fear in the federal troops, who fled before her. Allegedly, her arrival frightened the Governor of Guerrero so thoroughly that he hid in a crate to flee her onslaught. She was eventually executed but where and when remain unknown.
Elisa Griensen Zambrano
At the age of 12, Griensen was already a devout fan of Pancho Villa and was passionately opposed to the U.S. troops. She lived in the town of Parral, Chihuahua. When Pershing’s troops — under the command of Major Frank Tompkins — approached Parral in 1916, the men of the town refused to fight. Griensen gathered up the women and children and confronted the troops themselves. Armed with sticks and guns they forced the troops to retreat, ordering the major to proclaim, “Viva Mexico, Viva Villa” on his way out of town.
Encarnacion Mares “Chonita” de Cardenas
Chonita de Mares. (Hormigueros de Potosí)
Cardenas was also described as fearless and was known for wearing her hair cut short and donning ragged men’s clothing. After her heroic fighting at the Battle of Lampazo, Nuevo Leon, she was promoted from corporal to lieutenant. She left the war in 1916 after the fighting died down in the north.
The Feminist Movement for women’s rights emerged from the Mexican Revolution
Among the women heroes of the Mexican Revolution two female journalists stand out for their outspoken opposition and criticism of Porfirio Diaz: Juana Belén Gutiérrez de Mendoza, and Hermila Galindo.
Born in Durango, Gutierrez de Mendoza wrote radical feminist literature against Catholicism, political corruption, and social injustices under Díaz, who had her imprisoned numerous times to prevent her from writing. Each time after being released she continued to broadcast her beliefs that the political parties and leaders were illegitimate. She strongly believed in democracy for Mexico and faulted the Mexican people for not insisting on their rights. She ultimately became disillusioned when Carranza assassinated Zapata — who she considered the only real leader — in 1919.
Hermila Galindo continued to grow more famous and well-known after the war ended. During the war she was the editor of the radical journal Mujer Moderna. She would encourage women’s groups to fight for their rights. She advocated for not only general education for girls but also sex education. As an early suffragette, she also proclaimed that women should have the same rights granted to men, including the right to vote. After the war she fought to include women in the 1917 constitution, was the first woman to run for elected office and was seen as the leader of the feminist movement and continued to fight for women’s rights.
The Adelitas have never received appropriate recognition for their contribution to the Mexican Revolution. Women who were heroes were largely overlooked in history. In 1941, Adele Velarde was recognized as a “Veteran of the Revolution” by the Mexican Ministry of National Defense. In 1962, she was named a member of the Mexican Legion of Honor.
After former president Felipe Calderon made news criticizing Mexico's attempts to extract a governmental apology from Spain for the conquest, President Sheinbaum said she plans to keep asking. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The big news out of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference was that Mexico’s minimum wage will increase by 12% on Jan. 1.
Labor Minister Marath Bolaños López announced that the daily minimum wage will increase to 278.80 pesos (US $13.75) per day in most of the country and 419.88 pesos (US $20.70) in the northern border zone frequently referred to as the Mexico Free Zone. (Click here to read MND’s report).
President Sheinbaum talks with officials she invited to accompany her at Wednesday’s daily press conference as she announced an increase to Mexico’s minimum wage. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Later in the press conference, Sheinbaum responded to a question about the plan to impose a US $42 per-person immigration fee on cruise ship passengers when they arrive at Mexican ports.
She also acknowledged a record fentanyl bust in Sinaloa on Tuesday (read MND’s report here), and declared that Mexico will continue to “insist” on an apology from Spain for the abuses committed during the Spanish conquest of the Mexica Empire (Triple Alliance).
Sheinbaum advises consultation on fee for cruise ship passengers
Both houses of Congress have now voted to impose a US $42 immigration fee on every passenger of each cruise ship that docks at a Mexican port starting in 2025, whether or not said passengers disembark in Mexico. The Senate approved the move on Tuesday after the Chamber of Deputies did the same late last month.
A reporter asked Sheinbaum whether she would consider exempting cruise ship passengers from the payment of the nonresident fee in 2025, as cruise lines have requested.
“It’s an increase. It’s not like all of a sudden they’re going to charge US $42,” she said.
The cruise ship Crystal Serenity arriving in Acapulco in June. (Carlos Alberto Carbajal/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum was referring to the Congress-approved increase in the nonresident fee from 717 pesos (US $35) to 860 pesos (US $42). International tourists entering Mexico by air, for example, already have to pay the fee, but cruise ship passengers are currently exempt.
Sheinbaum didn’t commit to exempting cruise ship passengers from the payment of the fee next year but noted that she had instructed government officials, including Navy Minister Raymundo Pedro Morales Ángeles, to speak with cruise lines about the matter.
Former president Calderón should ‘apologize for the atrocities of the war on drugs’
A reporter noted that former Mexican president Felipe Calderón recently spoke at an event in Madrid and made critical remarks about ex-president Andrés Manuel López Obador’s decision to ask the Spanish government to apologize for abuses committed during the Spanish conquest of the Mexica (Aztec) empire.
“Do you think that Calderón will someday apologize for the war on drugs … or [for] García Luna? retorted Sheinbaum.
Calderón launched a militarized “war” against drug cartels shortly after he took office as president in late 2006. The strategy is now widely attributed to have led to a huge increase in homicides in Mexico.
“I don’t agree with Calderón,” Sheinbaum said in reference to his criticism of the request for an apology from Spain.
“… And he should think about apologizing for the atrocities of the war on drugs,” she added.
Former president of Mexico Felipe Calderón (2006-2012) recently criticized Mexico’s last president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, at a Madrid event for having asked Spain to formally apologize to Mexico for the Spanish conquest. (Wikimedia Commons)
Mexico will ‘insist’ on an apology from Spain
Sheinbaum noted that 2025 will mark the 700th anniversary of the foundation of Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Mexica empire and the forerunner to Mexico City.
She said that the government will commemorate the anniversary and continue to “insist” on an apology for abuses committed by Spain during the conquest and the fall of Tenochtitlán, even though the Spanish government rejected López Obrador’s request in 2019.
Saying sorry “enhances peoples and government and strengthens relationships,” Sheinbaum said.
Acknowledging that “terrible abuses” were committed against Indigenous people “allows you to see the future,” she said.
“If one doesn’t recognize the atrocities of the past committed by others, how does one forgive? How does one build a new history?” Sheinbaum asked.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
A pro-vaping user protesting outside the Chamber of Deputies building in Mexico City in March. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s lower house of Congress on Tuesday easily approved a constitutional reform to ban e-cigarettes and vaping devices, as well as sanction synthetic drugs such as fentanyl.
The proposal must now pass in the federal Senate to become law.
The reform bill, which would make a ban on the sale of vaping devices and e-cigarettes part of the Mexican constitution, easily passed Tuesday in the Chamber of Deputies, with a vote of 410 votes in favor and 24 against. (Morena party/Twitter)
“The ban on fentanyl and the use of vapes is a significant step that will prevent thousands of cases of respiratory illnesses and lung diseases that have accounted for a significant number of deaths, mainly among young people,” member of Congress Margarita García García said, according to the online news site Infobae.
A reported 1.7 million Mexicans used e-cigarettes and vapes in 2023, while 16.4% of adults in Mexico smoke some form of tobacco.
Arguing that the smoking devices were damaging public health, former Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador instituted a ban on the sale of vaping equipment and e-cigarettes by presidential decree in 2022 – although both continued to be widely available in Mexico. However, he didn’t manage to get a law passed before he left office at the end of September of this year.
President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed when she took office in October that she would pursue a legislative ban.
The new reform, which passed with 410 votes in favor and 24 against, also sanctions the “production, distribution and sale of toxic substances, chemical precursors [and] the illicit use of fentanyl and other nonauthorized synthetic drugs.”
Although fentanyl is available for medical use, it is otherwise banned in Mexico.
Former Deputy Health Minister Hugo López-Gatell at a presidential press conference in 2023 explaining to reporters that vaping and e-cigarettes posed the same risks to health as conventional tobacco products. (Galo Caño Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
While there was broad support for the reform in Congress, Reuters reported that opposition legislator Éctor Jaime Ramírez said including vaping devices and e-cigarettes in legislation banning synthetic drugs like fentanyl trivialized “the effort being made to combat the most addictive and dangerous drugs.”
Meanwhile, some worry that introducing an outright ban on vapes could encourage the sale of such products on the black market.
“These vapes are brought by organized crime from China, India and even Bangladesh,” journalist Óscar Balderas said, according to the Guardian newspaper. Illegal imports are entirely unregulated, and “the consumer has no idea what they’re putting in their body,” he added.
The legislation now heads to Mexico’s Senate, where the ruling Morena party holds a healthy majority, making it likely — given its easy passage in the Chamber of Deputies — that the ban will become law.
Species in the Yucatán Peninsula like jaguars, Central American tapirs and white-tailed deer have habitat around the the Maya Train. (Shutterstock)
The Sélvame del Tren activist collective has criticized a contract between Tren Maya S.A. de C.V. and a private company that has been tasked with deterring wildlife from the railway tracks.
Under the contract, the company Susoma Soluciones Ambientales S. de R.L. de C.V., is responsible for scaring away, capturing, removing and even euthanizing “harmful” species that pose a threat to the operation of the Maya Train. These species include jaguars (Panthera onca), Central American tapirs (Tapirus bairdii) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).
The contract outlines that the staff of Susoma Soluciones Ambientales, S. de R.L. de C.V., based in Toluca, Mexico state, has the right to conduct “wildlife control” through a variety of mitigation activities. These include scaring away wildlife with fireworks, installing nets and traps and using tranquilizer darts for larger animals, among other methods.
“Measures like these not only represent a direct attack on local fauna,” Sélvame del Tren stressed in a statement, “but also a violation of Mexican environmental laws and international commitments regarding conservation.”
The agreement also calls for the company to develop a habitat management program that reduces the presence of wildlife attractors, through practices that include pruning flora, relocating tree species, creating natural barriers and building alternative watering holes away from the train tracks to keep animals away.
According to local media, the Maya Train paid 9 million pesos (US $444,000) to Susoma Soluciones Ambientales for the wildlife control services under this agreement, effective from Sept. 3, 2024, to Dec. 31, 2024.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) lists the jungles in the southeastern Mexican states of Quintana Roo, Yucatán and Campeche — along with jungles in Belize and Guatemala — as among the largest in terms of priority landscapes for jaguar conservation.
María José Villanueva, director of Conservation for WWF in Mexico, said the jaguar faces significant challenges in the region due to fragmentation of the jungle caused by the Maya Train’s construction, the subdivision of land for new real estate developments and polluting projects such as pig farms.
The contract with the federal government calls for Susoma Soluciones Ambientales to develop a habitat management program to reduce wildlife that they say has questionable practices. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
In contrast, preliminary results of the latest jaguar census in Mexico in September found that in most of the study’s areas, the species’ population has remained stable or even increased since the previous jaguar census, which was completed in 2018.
The census’ final results will be announced in February 2025.
This week, the Senate approved modifications to the Federal Rights Law, increasing the fee for international visitors. (Especial/Cuartoscuro)
Traveling to Mexico will be more expensive for international tourists starting in 2025.
On Tuesday, the Senate approved modifications to the Federal Rights Law, increasing the fee for international visitors. Furthermore, the government announced new taxes for international tourists in the Riviera Maya region.
📌 Con el propósito de actualizar las cuotas por la prestación de servicios públicos e incorporar beneficios para los pueblos y comunidades indígenas, afromexicanas, personas con discapacidad y adultos mayores, el Senado aprobó reformas a la Ley Federal de Derechos. pic.twitter.com/95OFTHHYRU
The Employers’ Confederation of Mexico Quintana Roo (Coparmex), warned that the new fees would turn the state’s ports 213% more expensive than an average Caribbean port.
The Riviera Maya is a marketing designation of several resort locations in the state of Quintana Roo.
Here’s everything you need to know.
International visitors soon to pay more to enter Mexico
Starting next year, the existing fee for international travelers entering Mexico will increase from 717 pesos (US $35) to 860 pesos (US $42). The new tax will apply to all international tourists vacationing in Mexico, including cruise ship passengers.
Previously, cruise ship visitors were exempt from the fee because their average stay in the country tends to be six hours. However, last month, Congress voted to impose a US $42 immigration fee on every passenger of each cruise ship that docks at any of the country’s ports.
Officially known as the “Non-Resident Fee,” the tax will apply to all cruise passengers stopping in Mexico starting in 2025, regardless of whether individuals disembark.
Airport immigration services fee goes up slightly
The law also increased the fee for airport immigration services to passengers on international flights departing Mexico, which will increase from 185 pesos (US $9) to just over 223 pesos (US $10).
The law also increased the fee for airport immigration services to passengers on international flights departing Mexico. (Senado de México via X)
New US $5 tax in the Riviera Maya
In 2025, cruise ship passengers visiting ports in the southeastern state of Quintana Roo will have to pay an additional US $5 fee that is earmarked the National Disaster Prevention Fund. This fee is intended to help rebuild tourism infrastructure potentially affected by hurricanes and other natural disasters in the area.
Why has Mexico increased tourist fees?
The move to increase travel fees for international tourists aims to raise funds for investment in Mexico’s public works and social assistance programs.
Of the total revenue generated from the international travelers’ fee, 67% will be allocated to the Ministry of National Defense (Defensa). The funding will be used for:
operational expenses
administrative services
construction
acquisitions and leasing
supplementary projects
equipment procurement
installation and investment in infrastructure related to Defensa’s management of state-owned companies.
The remainder of the fee will be allocated to the Federal Treasury. The law doesn’t mention a specific destination for that portion of the funds.
Meanwhile, 83% of the funds collected from the US $10 immigration services fee will be allocated to the National Migration Institute (INM) to modernize its equipment and infrastructure along Mexico’s southern border. The remainder will be allocated to the Federal Treasury.
The U.S. accused Mexico of providing a "safe haven" for drug traffickers. (Omar García Harfuch/X)
Security Ministry Omar García Harfuch announced Tuesday that federal authorities had completed the largest fentanyl bust in Mexican history, seizing more than 1,000 kilograms of the synthetic opioid in the northern state of Sinaloa.
In a late-night post to X, García said that personnel with the navy, the army, the National Guard, the Federal Attorney General’s Office and the federal Security Ministry confiscated “more than 1 tonne of fentanyl pills” in “two different actions” in Sinaloa, which is home to the powerful Sinaloa Cartel.
The Security Ministry (SSPC) said in a statement on Wednesday that more than 1,000 kilograms of fentanyl was seized Tuesday at two addresses in Ahome, a coastal municipality that borders the state of Sonora.
Precursor chemicals, containers, vehicles, industrial mixers and scales were also confiscated, the ministry said.
The SSPC said that the estimated “economic impact” of the fentanyl bust was approximately US $400 million.
The record fentanyl seizure came eight days after United States President-elect Donald Trump pledged to impose a 25% tariff on Mexican exports “until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
Amid escalating threats from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, Mexico has stressed the case that it is already taking strong action against drug trafficking. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
At her Wednesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged what she called “the largest seizure of fentanyl pills” in Mexico, and told reporters it came after a lengthy investigation.
“To think of a tonne of fentanyl, we’re talking about more than 20 million doses,” she said.
Sheinbaum noted that García traveled to Sinaloa on Tuesday and will remain in the state for a few days.
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch traveled to Sinaloa on Tuesday to help coordinate the state’s security strategy against cartel infighting. (José Betanzos/Cuartoscuro)
Zambada alleges he was kidnapped and forced onto a U.S.-bound private plane by Joaquín Guzmán López, one of the sons of convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera.
The Sinaloa Cartel, which was founded by Zambada, Guzmán Loera and others, “is largely responsible for the massive influx of fentanyl into the United States over the past approximately eight years,” according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
That cartel and other criminal organizations including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel manufacture fentanyl pills in Mexico with Chinese-made precursor chemicals smuggled into the country through Pacific coast ports, according to Mexican and U.S. authorities.
She said in October that she would like to see the minimum wage increase by around 12% per year during her six-year term in government. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s minimum wage will increase 12% on Jan. 1 to 278.80 pesos (US $13.75) per day in most of the country, the federal government announced Wednesday.
The same increase will apply to the minimum wage in Mexico’s northern border free zone, lifting the daily rate there to 419.88 pesos (US $20.70).
Labor Minister Marath Bolaños told reporters on Wednesday that the new minimum wage of 8,364 pesos was agreed upon by the business sector, unions and the federal government. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Labor Minister Marath Bolaños López told President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference that Mexico’s business sector, unions and the federal government all agreed with increasing the minimum wage by 12%.
The minimum wage is set by the National Minimum Wage Commission, which includes representatives from business groups, unions and the government.
Sheinbaum noted that the monthly minimum wage will increase to 8,364 pesos (US $412) in most of the country and 12,596 pesos (US $620) in the northern border area.
She highlighted that the 12% increase is more than three times higher than the projected inflation rate in 2025.
Congress in October approved a constitutional reform bill that stipulates that annual increases to Mexico’s minimum wage must be higher than the prevailing inflation rate.
When the daily rate for 2024 was announced just over a year ago, its dollar equivalent was about US $14.50, or $0.75 higher than the 2025 rate based on the current exchange rate.
The US dollar bought about 17 pesos at the start of 2024 whereas it currently buys around 20.3 pesos. The peso has depreciated significantly since Mexico’s elections were held in early June.
The 29.87-peso increase to the daily minimum wage that will take effect on the first day of 2025 is equivalent to just US $1.47. The 44.99-peso increase in the northern border zone represents a raise of US $2.21 per day.
En la conferencia matutina se anunció el incremento de salario mínimo de 12% para 2025.
Es el menor incremento desde el sexenio de Peña Nieto.
No se espera que genere presiones inflacionarias adicionales.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, noted on X that the increase in percentage terms is the lowest since the six-year term of former president Enrique Peña Nieto (2012-18).
The increase is not expected to generate additional inflationary pressure, she added.
Minimum wage on Jan. 1 will be more than triple the rate when AMLO took office
When former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in December 2018, Mexico’s daily minimum wage was just 88.36 pesos. The new rate that will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025, will be 215.5% higher.
Bolaños said on Wednesday that the purchasing power of the minimum wage will be 135% higher than it was in 2018. That figure takes into account price increases due to inflation over the past six years.
The increase in the minimum wage during López Obrador’s presidency helped lift millions of Mexicans out of poverty. The government’s welfare programs have also contributed to lower poverty rates.
Bolaños said that the federal government has a “vision of shared prosperity” and a “fair Mexico for everyone.”
Sheinbaum took the opportunity to criticize previous federal governments for failing to increase Mexico’s minimum wage by any significant amount.
“As you know, during the entire neoliberal period [1982-2018], what they bragged about abroad was cheap labor in Mexico,” she said.
“This speaks of the dehumanization of those governments. You can’t go abroad to brag about starvation wages,” Sheinbaum said.
Spears was seen landing in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, on Tuesday. (Britney Spears/Facebook)
American pop star Britney Spears stirred up a media duststorm this week by announcing she was moving to Mexico.
On the occasion of her 43rd birthday on Monday, Spears posted a video on Instagram in which she declared that the paparazzi have “always been incredibly cruel to me” with their “pictures and the way they’ve illustrated me.”
“I know I’m not perfect, at all, by any means, but some of it is extremely mean and cruel,” the pop icon continued.
“And that’s why I’ve moved to Mexico.”
The story was picked up Tuesday by multiple media sources after TMZ published new photos in which Spears is seen landing in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur — reportedly one of her favorite vacation destinations. The photos showed a smiling Spears sporting a white trench coat, black hat and sunglasses.
Monday also marked the day on which her divorce from husband No. 3, Sam Asghari, became legal.
However, in an update posted early Wednesday morning, TMZ wrote: “Despite what she posted on IG, Britney hasn’t actually moved to Mexico. Sources told us she was just saying quirky things online, and she’s actually on a solo birthday trip for a few days.”
In another video posted on her birthday — also criticizing the paparazzi for publishing photos that make her look like she’s wearing “a white Jason mask” — the Mississippi-born, Louisiana-bred artist said, “I’m turning 5 this year. I’m turning 5 years old, and I have to go to kindergarten tomorrow.”
Britney Spears seen looking the healthier and happiest she has been in a long time while dancing at a hotel bar in Los Cabos, Mexico.
This new sighting comes just weeks after her husband demanded she give him a substantial settlement after claiming she physically abused him. pic.twitter.com/lS1wO4g8tj
Cabo San Lucas is reportedly one of Spears’ favorite vacation destinations.
Nicknamed the “Princess of Pop,” Spears became a star by captivating audiences with her dance moves, innovative videos, catchy songs and fashion.
Her 1998 breakout hit “… Baby One More Time” — included on an album that was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks — launched her to superstardom as a 17-year-old. Then her 2000 hit “Oops! … I Did It Again” solidified her status as a pop icon.
Over the next 12 years, she had more big hits — including “Toxic” in 2003 and “S&M” with Rihanna in 2011 — but controversy became her calling card.
In addition to mental health problems and rocky marriages all played out in the public eye, Spears in 2008 lost control of personal, professional and financial affairs when a conservatorship was granted to her father, Jamie Spears, and other designees. This sparked outrage among her fans and the emergence of the #FreeBritney movement.
The guayabera, a traditional Caribbean shirt, has become a symbol of Mayan culture. The best tailors have made creating guayaberas their life's work. (Guayaberas Finas Cab/Instagram)
For Ricardo Rosado Cab, his first encounter with the iconic guayabera shirt was quite organic. His grandfather, Pedro Cab Paas, a Mayan descendant from Hocabá, Yucatán, founded one of the best guayabera brands in the world: Guayaberas Cab. Pedro crafted the guayabera worn by the famous writer Gabriel García Márquez when he received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982.
Márquez asked Pedro Cab to modify the traditional Colombian outfit known as the liquiliqui into a guayabera. Prior to the ceremony, the writer announced that he would wear the “Caribbean national costume” to the event: the guayabera.
Gabriel García Márquez wore a guayabera when he received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. (Guayaberas Finas Cab)
Pedro Cab was also responsible for creating guayaberas for celebrities such as Prince Harry of England and King Juan Carlos I of Spain. His legacy is undeniable; today, Ricardo Rosado Cab represents the third generation continuing the personalized creation of this beautiful garment.
What makes the guayabera special
The guayabera’s origins can be traced to the Caribbean, specifically Cuba, at the end of the 18th century. The story goes that a woman designed a garment for her husband to collect and store guavas, which is why the classic guayabera features four pockets. Interestingly, over time, Yucatán, Mexico, emerged as the capital of guayabera production, while the state of Veracruz adopted it as part of its traditional attire.
So, what makes a guayabera so special? In Ricardo’s words, “The guayabera is the quintessential etiquette garment in a tropical environment. The quality of the fabric, the aesthetics of the design, its elegance, and its freshness make it one of the finest pieces of clothing.”. This is why it is renowned worldwide. “It is very breathable, protects you from the sun, and is incredibly presentable,”, adds Rodrigo Rosado, Ricardo’s 27-year-old son and the fourth generation in his family to craft guayaberas. “Moreover, a good guayabera can last for decades,” he continues.
“Today, the variety of designs includes the Classic (featuring the four front pockets), the Presidential (so named because many Mexican presidents wear it, characterized by the folds on the chest), the Gala (used for formal occasions such as weddings), and the Industrial series with embroidery,”, explains Rosado Cab.
Guayaberas are mostly worn by men and are traditionally handcrafted in the Yucatán Peninsula. (Maurice Marcellin/Wikimedia Commons)
Originally, guayaberas were made from 100% cotton, but now industrial versions are primarily crafted from polyester. However, Guayaberas Cab offers handmade, personalized options in Irish linen, Italian linen, or 100% Swiss cotton.
The legacy of Pedro Cab Paas
There is no doubt that Pedro Cab Paas is a legend in the world of guayaberas. Ricardo recounts how his grandfather started the business: “He moved from Hocabá to Mérida and began making guayaberas himself. His initiative was extraordinary, especially for a specific quality: Each piece is personalized and handmade to this day.”
“A single piece takes at least 15 days to complete and is crafted by skilled tailors. In the case of the design known as Deshilado, it can take up to three weeks to finish. The Deshilado design is one of the most intricate because it includes handmade unraveling designs in the cuffs, collar, or chest,” says Rodrigo.
“My grandfather was self-taught; he possessed a natural talent and learned through observation, acquiring the empirical knowledge necessary to create personalized guayaberas for various body types — short, medium, and tall — rather than producing them in bulk,”, argues Ricardo.
The Cab family business, seen here in its early days, has dressed national and international celebrities. (Guayaberas Cab/Instagram)
The fine guayaberas are handmade. As for prices, a personalized one in Italian linen costs around 7,000 pesos, one in Irish linen around 3,000 pesos, one in 100% Swiss cotton costs about 5,000 pesos, and the industrial versions (a mixture of cotton and polyester) are around 700 pesos.
“The purer the fabric, the higher the quality. The more polyester you find in your guayabera, the lower the quality,” Ricardo explains.
A good guayabera is an investment for life. A personalized piece, crafted with tradition and high-quality fabric, is a timeless, flattering, and fashionable garment that will never go out of style.
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Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator for various outlets including Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.
