Sunday, June 29, 2025

Cuetzalan and Copper Canyon among ‘Best of Mexico’ tourism destinations for 2025

By
MND Staff
-
6
Mexico's Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora (center) joined in on México Desconocido's celebration of the 2025 "Best of Mexico" awards ceremony on Tuesday.
Mexico's Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez Zamora (center) joined in on México Desconocido's celebration of the 2025 "Best of Mexico" awards ceremony on Tuesday. (México Desconocido)

Each year, the Mexican travel magazine México Desconocido announces the “Best of Mexico” in several tourism categories at the Tianguis Turístico, Latin America’s largest tourism industry event.

The event is underway in Rosarito, in the border state of Baja California, a popular tourist destination for Mexicans and foreigners alike. 

Rosarito, in the border state of Baja California, is host to the 2025 Tianguis Turístico this week, which showcases the best travel experiences across Mexico's 32 diverse states.
Rosarito, in the border state of Baja California, is host to the 2025 Tianguis Turístico this week, which showcases the best travel experiences across Mexico’s 32 diverse states. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

The categories vary from popular tourist spots, such as beaches and nature reserves, to destination wedding hotspots and famous gastronomic routes, with finalists dotted across the entire country.  

Some of the standout winners announced on Tuesday include the following:

San Miguel de Allende (SMA) named ‘Best City for a Destination Wedding’ in Mexico

SMA, in Mexico’s Bajío region, was recognized for being the most popular destination for weddings among couples from around the world. The city is well-known for its colonial architecture, cobblestone streets and lively atmosphere. 

Guanajuato’s Minister of Tourism and Identity, Lupita Robles León, who collected the award, emphasized the communal effort between communities, service providers and authorities in solidifying the city’s strong reputation for tourism. 

The state also received nominations in the categories of Best Magical Town for a Romantic Getaway (Mineral de Pozos) and Best Magical Town for a Family Getaway (Dolores Hidalgo).

Chihuahua wins 3 ‘Best of Mexico’ categories 

The border state of Chihuahua won first place in three categories of the 2025 Best of Mexico awards on Tuesday. 

The Grutas Nombre de Dios caves were recognized as Best Nature Destination for an Adventure Experience; Creel as Best Magical Town for a Mountain Getaway; and Copper Canyon as Best Destination to Visit in 2025.

Chihuahua’s Basaseachi Park was also a finalist for Best Destination to Experience the Energy of Nature and its “Living an Experience with the Rarámuri” for Best Community Tourism Experience. 

The complete list of winners by category: 

  1. Best Archaeological Immersion Adventure

Experience Palenque among rivers and waterfalls (Chiapas)

  1. Best Beach to Discover in 2025

Lo de Marcos (Nayarit)

  1. Best Magical Town for a Romantic Getaway

Cuetzalan (Puebla) 

  1. Best City for a Destination Wedding

San Miguel de Allende (Guanajuato)

  1. Best Magical Town for a Mountain Getaway

Creel (Chihuahua)

  1. State with the Best Traditional Dish that Expresses the Essence of Mexican Cuisine

Michoacán (Carnitas)

  1. Best Magical Town for a Family Getaway

Xilitla (San Luis Potosí) 

  1. Best Health and Wellness Experience

Bacalar (Quintana Roo)

  1. Best Destination to Feel the Energy of Nature

El Cielo Biosphere Reserve (Tamaulipas)

  1. Best Magical Town to Experience Our Artisan Tradition

Santa Clara del Cobre (Michoacán)

  1. Best Community Tourism Experience

Experience the spirituality and warmth of the Wixárika people (Nayarit) 

  1. Best Nature Destination for an Adventure Experience

Grutas Nombre de Dios (Chihuahua)

  1. Best Celebration to Connect with Our Roots and Customs

K’uínchekua (Michoacán)

  1. Best Gastronomic Route

Ruta de Tequila (Jalisco)

  1. Best Close-Up Experience with Wildlife

Monarch Butterfly Migration (Michoacán) 

  1. Best State for Discovering Destinations by Road

Nayarit 

  1. Best Destination for Meetings, Conventions, Incentives and Business

Mexico City

  1. Destinations to Travel and Discover in 2025

Three winners! Cancún (Quintana Roo), Barrancas del Cobre (Chihuahua) and Los Cabos (Baja California Sur)

With reports from San Diego Red, TV 4 Noticias Guanajuato and Tiempo de Michoacán

What’s on in the Riviera Maya this May?

By
Bel Woodhouse
-
0
A group of girls at a bar in Tulum
Dance, draw and dare to dream in the Riviera Maya throughout May. (Tulum Bible)

Whether it be battling giant billfish or learning how to draw like Da Vinci, there’s a lot going on in the Riviera Maya this May. There’s the Sacred Maya pilgrimage, over 10 hours canoeing across the strait from Xcaret to Cozumel in honor of the goddess Ixchel, plus golfing, silent discos and more. 

Eat and drink through Cinco de Mayo at The Viceroy

Tables set up poolside at a hotel with Cinco de Mayo decorations
(Viceroy Hotels and Resorts)

Celebrate and discover Mexico through mole this Cinco de Mayo at The Viceroy Riviera Maya resort, hosting a series of dining and drinking experiences over the month’s first weekend at its La Marea and Coral restaurants that culminate in poolside cocktails on May 5. Something a little different for dinner by exploring the different regions of Mexico through their mole from May 2 through 5, or enjoy superb street foods accompanied by the sound of traditional mariachis on May 3.  

Date: May 2-5
Location: Viceroy Rivera Maya, Playa Xcalacoco Frac. 7, Playa del Carmen
Cost: Email [email protected] to reserve your spot 

Shenaniganz Karaoke

promotional poster for karaoke at munchy's sports bar
(Munchy’s Sports Bar)

Sing up a storm and find your inner rockstar, if you’re game! I’ve always wanted to try karaoke but never found the courage. Good thing this one’s held at Munchy’s Sports Bar, so the bar is open and providing encouragement. Grab your friends and a cocktail or two if needed, and have a fun night out belting out your favorites on stage.

Date: May 7, 7p.m.-10 p.m.
Location: Munchy’s Sports Bar, Puerto Adventuras
Cost: Free

End the week with seaside salsa in Tulum

Six people in a line practice salsa on a wooden platform in front of a beach and palm trees
(Tulum Salsa Academy)

For me, this is a perfect way to wind down the weekend. Sway your hips to some salsa at a beautiful beach location with teachers from the Tulum Salsa Academy, then stay for dinner and a cocktail at Lula Hotel Tulum to watch the sunset over the Caribbean, followed by a twilight beach walk.

Date: 11 May, 4:30p.m.-5:30 p.m.
Location: Lula Hotel Tulum
Cost: 432 pesos

Full moon silent disco in Puerto Morelos

People dance at a silent disco
(Tucker Joenz/Unsplash)

Three DJs, three vibes, one unforgettable night. Receive your wireless headphones along with a welcome cocktail upon arrival to groove the night away to house, hip hop and Latin music, soaking up full moon energy as you dance. Switch between DJs, channels and music styles and lose yourself to the music. As they say, “It’s going to be weird, wild, and wonderful. Don’t just hear about it — hear it for yourself.”

Date: May 12, 9 p.m.-11 p.m.
Location: La Sirena, Jose Maria Morelos Mz 4, Puerto Morelos
Cost: 350 pesos, get your tickets here

Draw a live model in Cozumel

A collage of life drawing classes featuring a naked model
(Galo Art Studio/Facebook)

Ever dreamed of drawing like Da Vinci? Well, here’s your chance. Join Galo Art Studio for a drawing with live model session. Run by professional artists and gallery owners, they provide the live model, instruction, and materials. All you do is have fun, relax and unleash your inner creativity. Who knows, you may be a Michelangelo! 

Date: May 16 at 6 p.m.
Location: Galo Art Studio, 5 Calle #691, San Miguel de Cozumel.
Cost: 500 pesos

Cozumel’s 54th International Billfish Tournament

(Cozumel International Billfish Tournament/Facebook)

Also known as the Mexican Boat Rodeo, this annual event draws anglers from all over the world, who battle billfish like blue marlin and sailfish before releasing them back into the big blue. It’s sustainable fishing practices at its best with a strong focus on community and environmental awareness. This year is promised to be spectacular on and off the water for skippers, fishermen and spectators alike. 

Date: May 16-18
Location: Cozumel Island
Price: Register here, prices from 5,000 pesos per boat

Sacred Maya Journey at Xcaret and Isla Mujeres

(Grupo Xcaret)

For hundreds of years before colonization, Maya people in what is now Quintana Roo made pilgrimages to Cozumel in canoes to venerate the Ixchel, goddess of fertility, the moon, tides, medicine and childbirth. Banned by the Spanish, a reenactment of this tradition has been staged by Grupo Xcaret since 2007.

Setting out from what is now the cove area of Xcaret, but once the Maya port of Polé, courageous canoists paddle tirelessly for hours to bring the goddess offerings and perform purification ceremonies. If your interest is piqued by the journey, keep an eye out for the call to registration for 2026 later this year.

Date: 16-17 May
Location: Xcaret Park on the mainland, and Chankanaab Park on Cozumel.
Cost: Entry to Xcaret US $113 with full access to the entire park. Entry to Chankanaab: US $29 adults, $20 children, residents with a parks card, free. 

Love Golf? 

a golf green at the Mayakoba golf course
(Mayakoba)

Love golf but don’t want to play? Here’s a chance to get in on the action of the LPGA Tournament. Join the Rotary Club of Tulum and choose your shift to volunteer at a Greg Norman-designed course. Food’s supplied, along with a cap and shirt.  

Date: 22-25 May
Location: El Camáleon Golf Course, Mayakoba
Cost: Free. Sign up here. 

Cenote tour

Stalactites hanging from the ceiling in the Aktun Chen cave system.
(Bel Woodhouse)

Dive into crystal clear waters and immerse yourself in nature. This free tour with experienced guides shows the beauty of Tulum’s cenotes. All are welcome from first timers to experienced explorers. It fills up fast so book quickly, and don’t forget your hat and water bottle. 

Date: 26 May, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Location: Tulum
Cost: Free

Adiós, Taco Bell: Steak and queso crunchwrap sliders that take the ‘Tex’ out of Tex-Mex

By
Stephen Randall
-
2
Crunchwrap
Try your hand at making Taco Bell at home — but better. (Canva)

There are better things to eat. I know that. You know that. God knows that, and He’s probably a little disappointed in both of us. There are Michelin-starred restaurants, hand-crafted empanadas from abuelas with flour-dusted hands, organic blueberries and kale. But when I visit family in the United States, my plane lands and within 10 minutes, I’m begging my brother-in-law to pull over at Taco Bell.

Before you judge, dear reader, understand this: I know it’s not “real” Mexican food. I know it’s a sodium-laced, cheese-blasted, faux-fiesta of questionable meat substances and culinary shortcuts. And still, I love it. I love it the way a man loves a worn-out couch he found on the curb.

A Taco Bell restaurant
Ok, yes, this isn’t remotely Mexico. But with a few tweaks, it could be. (Eat This)

Taco Bell doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. It doesn’t call itself “authentic” or “farm-to-table” or “ethically sourced.”  Taco Bell is honest. It’s the fast food equivalent of binge watching “Love on the Spectrum” with a big bowl of ice cream: pure wholesome comfort.

What really gets me, though, is the creativity. Every month, some unhinged marketing wizard at Taco Bell HQ says, “What if we wrapped a quesadilla inside another quesadilla, but made the second one a burrito?” And they do it. And we eat it. And it’s good. There’s something comfortingly postmodern about it all. The way the chain’s chalupas defy all structural logic. The way it tries to speak Spanish but somehow ends up inventing new words. With names like Enchirito, Quesarito and Crispalupa, Taco Bell’s menu has become a kind of culinary Esperanto — a language of hunger.

Taco Bell, in its infinite and slightly chaotic wisdom, has decided the crunchwrap wasn’t portable enough. Enter crunchwrap sliders, bite-sized parcels of molten cheese and questionable life choices. Each one is a tiny hexagon of hope, filled with steak, queso and that signature layer of crunchy something-or-other that defies classification. Is it a tostada? Is it a chip? Is it the shattered remains of my self-control? Hard to say.

You don’t eat crunchwrap sliders. You inhale them. You black out somewhere between the third and fourth, and when you come to, you’re surrounded by crumpled wrappers and a vague sense of joy. It’s the culinary equivalent of texting your ex: probably a mistake, but thrilling in the moment.

Here’s a recipe I put together to make this ultra-portable snack. If you decide to make it, let me know what you think in the comments!

Crunchwrap steak sliders 

A taco bell crunchwrap
(Whiskey Riff)

Ingredients

For the steak:

  • 1 lb flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Juice of half a lime

For the crunchwraps:

  • 12 small (6-inch) flour tortillas
  • 12 mini tostada shells or a big handful of tortilla chips
  • 1 cup nacho cheese sauce
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded lettuce
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Butter or cooking spray for grilling

Instructions

  1. Cook the steak: Toss sliced steak with olive oil, spices, salt, pepper and lime juice. Sear in a hot skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through and slightly charred (about 5-7 minutes). Set aside.
  2. Prep your station: Warm tortillas slightly so they are pliable. Lay out all toppings for easy assembly.
  3. Assemble the sliders: For each crunchwrap, place a spoonful of steak in the center of the tortilla. Drizzle with warm nacho cheese. Add a mini tostada shell or a few sturdy tortilla chips for crunch. Top with a dollop of sour cream, some shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and a sprinkle of cheddar. Carefully fold the edges of the tortilla up and around the filling in a hexagonal pattern, fully enclosing it. If your tortilla is too small to close, place a cut tortilla round on top of the fillings before folding.
  4. Grill the sliders: Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat and grease with butter or cooking spray. Place each folded wrap seam-side down and cook for 2–3 minutes, until golden and sealed. Flip and grill the top side for another 2–3 minutes.

5. Serve hot: Serve with extra cheese sauce, salsa, guacamole or a cold Baja Blast. Serves 12.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.

Sheinbaum’s perspective on Trump’s first 100 days: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
-
15
Sheinbaum April 29, 2025
The president also gave an update on the security panorama in Baja California Sur on Tuesday after both Canada and the United States issued security alerts for travelers to Los Cabos and La Paz. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

At her Tuesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum responded to a question about the recent spate of violence in Baja California Sur.

She also spoke about her government’s dealings with its U.S. counterpart during the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term as president and gave reporters an update on the number of deportees that the Trump administration has sent to Mexico since taking office on Jan. 20.

Is it safe to visit Baja California Sur after the outbreak of violence last week? Sheinbaum says it is 

A reporter raised concerns about violence in Baja California Sur after two soldiers and a high-ranking law enforcement official were killed in the state last week and passenger buses were set on fire in Los Cabos, the state’s premier tourist destination.

The governments of Canada and the United States issued security alerts for travelers to Los Cabos and the state capital, La Paz, following the violent incidents.

Sheinbaum reminded reporters that “very important arrests” have been made in the state, a reference to the arrest in Los Cabos late last week of four men who allegedly set the buses on fire as well as the detention in La Paz of seven other people allegedly “linked to a criminal group” and allegedly responsible for killing Ulises Omar Cota Montaño, a state criminal investigation commander.

Among the seven people arrested in La Paz was a man identified as Marcos “N,” allegedly a leader in Baja California Sur of the “Los Mayos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel.

US, Canada issue security alert for Los Cabos and La Paz, BCS

The four men arrested in Los Cabos, all aged in their 20s, were taken into custody at a home in the tourist destination after they attempted to repel state and federal security forces with gunfire, the federal Security Ministry said. Authorities seized seven firearms and weapon paraphernalia at the address.

Sheinbaum said that the arrests in Baja California would “help” the security situation “a lot” in Baja California Sur, which has been one of the least violent states in Mexico in recent years after high levels of violence plagued the state late last decade.

“You can go to visit Baja California Sur,” the president declared.

“Los Cabos, in particular, which is a tourism destination par excellence,” she added.

Sheinbaum highlights helpful ‘mechanisms of communication’ with Trump 

Trump marked 100 days in office on Tuesday with a speech in Michigan. During this period, the U.S. president imposed tariffs on Mexican steel, aluminum and cars as well as other goods not covered by the USMCA free trade pact. He made some changes to his auto tariffs on Tuesday.

On Tuesday morning, a reporter asked Sheinbaum to give an assessment of the first 100 days of Trump’s second term, a period during which she spoke to the U.S. president on three occasions about tariffs and other issues including flows of migrants and narcotics to the U.S. from Mexico.

President Sheinbaum chose to highlight the productive dialogue channels that have come out of Trump's return to the presidency.
President Sheinbaum chose to highlight the productive dialogue channels that have come out of Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

“I believe that we’ve established mechanisms of communication with President Trump that have helped us and which continue to allow us to speak to and communicate with the United States government,” she said.

Sheinbaum specifically mentioned communication channels that have been established between Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard and his counterpart Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and between Finance Minister Edgar Amador Zamora and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

She added that Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegué has “very good communication” with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who recently wrote to Berdegué to warn that imports of Mexican cattle could once again be restricted if Mexico doesn’t take additional steps to combat the New World screwworm.

On the screwworm issue, a “basic agreement” with the United States has been reached, Sheinbaum said.

She acknowledged that there are still tariff issues to resolve — Ebrard said in early April that he expected trade negotiations with the U.S. to last 40 days — but stressed that “we are still in communication and hope to reach better agreements.”

Fewer than 40,000 people deported to Mexico since Trump took office

Sheinbaum said that 38,757 people have been deported to Mexico since Trump began his second term on Jan. 20. Of that number, 33,311 are Mexican and 5,446 are foreigners, she said.

Asked why Mexico is accepting people who aren’t Mexican, Sheinbaum cited “humanitarian reasons.”

She said that her government hasn’t signed any agreement with the United States to accept non-Mexican deportees.

Sheinbaum also said that “fewer and fewer people of other nationalities are arriving” in Mexico because the United States government has agreements “with practically all countries,” meaning that it can directly send the majority of deportees to their original homelands.

In addition to sending some non-Mexican deportees to Mexico, the U.S. has deported non-Salvadoran nationals to El Salvador and non-Panamanian nationals to Panama.

Sheinbaum said that the Mexican government “can offer some options” to foreign deportees, such as assistance finding work in Mexico, but if they want to return to their countries of origin they are assisted to do so.

“The majority want to return to their country,” she said.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])

Unemployment rate reaches new low of 2.2%

By
MND Staff
-
1
Train workers in Mexico
The data, however, data shows that around 40% of workers earn the minimum wage or less, and an additional 30% earn 1-2 minimum wages (US $427-$854 per month). (Demián Chávez/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s unemployment rate fell to an all-time low of 2.2% in March, but more than half of the country’s workers are in informal sector jobs, according to the national statistics agency INEGI.

The unemployment rate declined from 2.5% in February to reach its lowest level on record.

The previous lowest unemployment rate was 2.3% in March 2024. Unemployment didn’t exceed 3% of the “economically active population” (PEA) last year.

Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, noted that the unemployment rate continued to trend down in March (it was 2.7% in January), but asserted that “the quality of jobs” people are in “is not ideal.”

That assertion is backed up by INEGI data that shows that around 40% of workers earn the minimum wage or less, and an additional 30% earn 1-2 minimum wages (see below).

Siller highlighted that the number of people in informal sector jobs — street vendors and many domestic workers, for example — remains at a “high” level.

Here are the most important results from INEGI’s most recent National Occupation and Employment Survey.

Mexico’s ‘economically active population’

  • Mexico’s PEA — people aged 15 or over in jobs or looking for work — numbered 61.1 million in March.
  • Out of the total PEA, 59.7 million people had jobs while 1.4 million people were looking for work. The 2.2% unemployment rate in March is derived from these figures.
  • The number of people in jobs increased by more than 560,000 compared to February, the best result for job creation since last July.
  • Around 59% of people who were in employment in March are men while the remainder are women.
  • Some 800,000 men were looking for work in March while approximately 600,000 women were seeking employment. Therefore 57% of Mexico’s jobseekers are men and the remainder are women.
  • Unemployment among women was 2.3% last month, slightly higher than the 2.2% rate among men.

Underemployment ticks up 

  • Approximately 3.9 million people were underemployed in March, up from 3.7 million in February.
  • Of the 59.7 million people in jobs, 6.6% were classified as underemployed, up from 6.3% in February and 6.5% a year earlier.

54% of workers employed in Mexico’s informal sector

  • The percentage of workers employed in Mexico’s vast informal sector declined to 54.4% in March from 54.5% in February.
  • A total of 32.5 million workers were in informal sector jobs last month. These people don’t pay income tax, and don’t have access to benefits such as sick pay, health care and paid vacations.
  • The percentage of female workers in informal sector jobs in March was 54.8%, slighter higher than the 54.1% rate for male workers.

Employment by sector 

  • Almost half of all workers — 45.4% — were employed in the services sector in March. A total of 27.1 million people were working in this sector last month.
  • Just under 20% of workers were employed in the “commerce” sector, which includes retailers and wholesalers. This sector includes many informal workers, such as street vendors.
  • Sixteen percent of all workers were employed in Mexico’s manufacturing sector, an export powerhouse.
  • Almost 10% of workers worked in the agricultural sector.
  • Just under 8% of workers were employed in the construction industry.

How much do Mexican workers earn? 

  • Almost 40% of workers earn the minimum wage or less, according to INEGI’s data for March. Mexico’s minimum wage is currently set at 278.80 pesos (US $14.25) per day, or 8,364 pesos per month (US $427), in most of the country.
  • Almost 30% of workers earn 1-2 minimum wages (US $427-$854 per month).
  • Just over 6% of workers earn 2-3 minimum wages ($854-$1,281 per month).
  • Just over 2% of workers earn 3-5 minimum wages ($1,281-$2,135 per month).
  • Only 1% of workers earn more than 5 minimum wages (more than $2,135 per month)
  • The salary of approximately 17% of workers was “not specified,” according to INEGI, while about 4% of people in jobs are not remunerated for their work.

With reports from El Economista and EFE

Utah family arrested after allegedly smuggling US $300M in oil from Mexico

By
MND Staff
-
4
Foto of large oil refinery
James Jensen, 56, his wife, Kelly, 54, and their sons, Maxwell, 29, and Zachary, 27, were all involved in the "family business." (Mitchell Luo/Unsplash)

A Utah couple and their two sons are facing federal charges in the United States for allegedly smuggling US $300 million worth of crude oil from Mexico in collaboration with Mexican criminal organizations, authorities said.

James Jensen, 56, and his wife, Kelly, 54, were arrested last week at their 26,893-square-foot modern mansion in Sandy, Utah, valued at US $9.1 million. U.S. Marshals used a battering ram to enter the property during a multi-state operation, court records show. Their sons, Maxwell, 29, and Zachary, 27, were also indicted.

The family allegedly orchestrated 2,881 illegal shipments of oil since May 2022 through their Texas-based company, Arroyo Terminals, disguising cargo as “waste lube” or “petroleum distillates” using falsified customs documents.

Payments were directed to Mexican businesses tied to cartels, according to a U.S. District Court warrant. Over US $47 million was transferred to these entities, prosecutors said.

Federal agents simultaneously raided Arroyo Terminals’ Rio Hondo facility near the Mexican border. The court ordered the forfeiture of US $300 million in assets, including the company, bank accounts, vehicles, their luxury residence in Sandy and a secondary home in Draper, Utah.

Reports of the arrests didn’t directly mention the Mexican Navy recently seizing 10 million liters of stolen diesel fuel (allegedly labeled as lubricating oil additives) in the northern coastal state of Tamaulipas, and finding 7.9 million liters of stolen hydrocarbons (the primary chemicals in crude oil, natural gas, gasoline, diesel and other fossil fuels) on a property in Baja California

James and Kelly Jensen were arrested on April 23 and released under GPS monitoring, and have had to surrender their passports. Their sons were detained in Texas pending arraignment, according to recent coverage.

Neither the Jensens nor attorneys representing them have been quoted in the media regarding the case.

The allegations led to this headline in the Berlin-based business news outlet BNE IntelliNews: “Cross-border oil smuggling reveals dark underbelly of US-Mexico trade nexus.”

The article highlighted how Mexico loses an estimated US $24 million daily to fuel smuggling and huachicol (a general term for fuel theft), totaling nearly US $10 billion annually, according to industry analyst PetroIntelligence.

The newspaper El Financiero wrote that Mexico’s state-run oil and gas company, Pemex, reported seizing 18 million liters of illicit fuel/hydrocarbons this spring — but only to note that the amount was just 7.2% of the volume tied to the Jensen operation.

“These thefts can’t occur without institutional complicity,” Francisco Barnés de Castro, former head of Mexico’s Energy Regulatory Commission, said in IntelliNews. He was referring mainly to poorly supervised offshore oil platforms.

The arrests followed Mexico’s recent suspension of U.S. refiner Valero’s import permits during a smuggling crackdown, which disrupted supplies and boosted Pemex’s market share.

Authorities have not disclosed additional suspects but emphasize the investigation remains active. Initial court hearings are scheduled for May 8 in Brownsville, Texas, according to reports.

With reports from El Financiero, El Economista, KSLTV.com and KRGV.com

Sheinbaum congratulates Carney on Canadian election victory, vows continued partnership

By
MND Staff
-
5
Carney and Sheinbaum
Both Carney and Sheinbaum are trying to protect their countries' economies as their largest trade partner adopts a range of protectionist policies. (Mark Karney/X. Archive)

President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday congratulated Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on his victory in Canada’s federal election on Monday.

Sheinbaum extended her congratulations to Carney at her morning press conference, initially calling him Canada’s “new” prime minister before quickly recalling that he was already in the job before Monday’s election. “His official victory has now been recognized,” she said.

Sheinbaum also took to social media to congratulate Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister in March even though he wasn’t a member of parliament at the time.

“In the name of the people and government of Mexico, we congratulate Prime Minister Mark Carney for his victory in the recent elections in Canada. We will continue working with our trade partner,” she wrote.

Carney, a former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, defeated Pierre Poilievre of the Conservative Party of Canada in Monday’s election.

The election was close, but Poilievre — who just a few weeks ago seemed destined to become Canada’s new prime minister — lost his own seat, which he had held for more than two decades.

Carney, the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, said “Thank you, Canada” in a post to social media early on Friday.

“Our strength lies in our resolve to work together. United, we will build Canada strong,” he wrote.

Referencing U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated declarations that Canada should become a state of the United States, Carney said in his victory speech that “America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country.”

“Never. But these are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never, ever happen,” he said.

Trump suggested late last year that Mexico should also become a state of the U.S. due to a trade imbalance between the two countries, prompting Sheinbaum to reiterate that Mexico is “a free, sovereign and independent country.”

Both Carney and Sheinbaum are trying to protect their countries’ economies as their largest trade partner adopts a range of protectionist policies despite Mexico, Canada and the United States being party to a free trade agreement, the USMCA, which Trump himself signed during his first term as president.

The three countries are scheduled to review the agreement in 2026.

In a call on April 1, Sheinbaum and Carney “agreed to maintain dialogue and agreed on the importance of the economic integration of North America, with respect for our sovereignties, as the best way to compete with other regions of the world,” according to the Mexican government.

Mexico News Daily 

What to know about the recent needle attacks on Mexico City’s Metro

By
MND Staff
-
0
Passengers on the Mexico City metro
Reports of needle sticks allegedly used to sedate people on the Metro and Metrobús have been on the rise in the past month. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

A man accused of injecting a female passenger with a sedative on the Mexico City Metro was arrested and charged with assault this week after more than 20 victims reported similar attacks over the past two weeks. The suspect has been taken to the Reclusorio Sur prison, where he awaits arraignment.

The arrest comes less than a week after the Mexico City government activated a rapid-response protocol to address complaints of recent “needle attacks” on the city’s mass transit system.

Mayor Clara Brugada said the protocol provides immediate attention for victims, including toxicology tests, and that additional security cameras would be installed throughout the metro system. She encouraged victims to alert Metro police and to file formal complaints, adding that she would provide weekly updates on the investigation.

Reports of needle sticks allegedly used to sedate people on the Metro and Metrobús have been on the rise in the past month. Authorities said no accusations of kidnapping or mugging had been filed until Monday, when a man alleged he was stuck with a needle after which someone tried to steal his backpack.

Mexico City Attorney General Bertha Luján said her office had received nine formal complaints as of April 19. In only one of those cases was any evidence of a sedative found, she said.

However, the news magazine Proceso reported that all nine victims claimed to experience dizziness, nausea and disorientation moments after feeling a needle stick.

By Tuesday, 21 accounts of needle attacks had been cited on social media. The news outlet N+ reported three new attacks on the Metro on Monday, while the newspaper El Universal reported one attack on the Metro and another on the Metrobús.

The TV network ADN40 reported that alleged needle attacks took place on at least three Metro lines: 

Line 2 

  • Bellas Artes station
  • Allende station

Line 3 

  • Viveros station
  • Indios Verdes station

Line 7

  • Polanco station

Authorities and support organizations are providing online guidance on what to do in case of a needle attack. 

The feminist collective “No es una, somos todas” is providing legal advice and psychological support to victims. It has also established a direct link to the Reacción Violeta (Purple Response) team of the Cuauhtémoc borough in downtown Mexico City. Reacción Violeta is a program that addresses gender-based violence.

Public transport users are encouraged to pull the emergency lever on the Metro and report to a police officer if they suspect they have been injected with a needle. They can also use the Metro’s 24-hour WhatsApp service at 55-4321-4031 and 55-5009-1930.

With reports from Infobae, El Imparcial, ADN40, Parriva and Proceso

Nichupté bridge to connect Cancún with hotel zone by year’s end

By
MND Staff
-
0
Aerial foto of early stages of Nichupte bridge project
The bridge system will cut commute times to Cancún's hotel zone for residents and tourists alike. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

By late 2025, Cancún, Quintana Roo, is set to have a new bridge over the Nichupté Lagoon that will connect the resort city to the hotel zone.  

The Nichupté Vehicular Bridge, an infrastructure project being developed by the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT), is expected to benefit 1.3 million residents in Cancún by reducing travel times — up to 45 minutes for daily commuters — once completed. 

During a site tour on Saturday with President Claudia Sheinbaum and Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama, head of SICT Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina said the bridge will be one of the longest bridges over a lagoon in Latin America. 

With a total length of 11.2 kilometers, the bridge will connect Cancún’s hotel zone with Colosio Boulevard, Tulum, Kabah and Bonampak Avenues. It will feature an 8.8-kilometer-long bridge, a 103-meter-long metal arch, and two access interchanges, each measuring 2.4 kilometers located on Luis Donaldo Colosio Boulevard and Kukulcán Boulevard. The project will also include a bicycle lane, pedestrian walkways, bus stops and a lighting system.

The bridge will have a 14.9-meter-wide crown cross section with three traffic lanes: one in each direction and one reversible lane, which will be adjusted according to traffic demand. It will be equipped with a state-of-the-art Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), linked to a Command, Control, Communications, and Computing Center (C4), to provide greater safety for residents and visitors during extreme weather.

Furthermore, SICT said it will serve as an alternative evacuation route for the tourist area in case of a natural disaster, contingency or emergency.

According to SICT, the bridge, which will cross the mangrove area at the Nichupté Lagoon, is a sustainable project that represents the Ministry’s largest environmental restoration program, with 306 hectares of mangrove reforestation. 

The region is a Protected Natural Area and (ANP) natural area of the broader Nichupté Lagoon System, which plays a crucial role in sustaining the ecological dynamics of the lagoon and the reefs that make up the Costa Occidental de Isla Mujeres National Park, Punta Cancún and Punta Nizuc, all part of the Mesoamerican Reef System (MAR).

Mexico News Daily

US adds Mexico to priority watch list of IP offenders

By
MND Staff
-
3
The USTR downgraded Mexico for its failure to effectively investigate and prosecute trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy protection of pharmaceutical-related IP, pre-established damages for copyright infringement and trademark counterfeiting. (Canva)

Mexico has been named a priority offender on a U.S. government watch list of nations that don’t do enough to protect intellectual property rights.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced Tuesday that it regards its southern neighbor as among the worst offenders of intellectual property (IP) rights, moving Mexico from its Watch List to its Priority Watch List.

There are only seven other countries on the Priority Watch List: China, Chile, Argentina, India, Indonesia, Russia and Venezuela. Eighteen countries are on the Watch List.

The USTR prepares these watch lists annually from analyses of more than 100 trading partners, scrutinizing deficiencies and violations of IP rights.

In its Special 301 report on IP protection and enforcement, the USTR cited “long-standing and significant IP concerns that have not been resolved, many of which relate to Mexico’s implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).”

The USTR downgraded Mexico for its failure to effectively investigate and prosecute trademark counterfeiting and copyright piracy protection of pharmaceutical-related IP, pre-established damages for copyright infringement and trademark counterfeiting, as well as plant variety protection.

“Our trading partners must address the concerns identified in the Special 301 Report and stop those stealing the intellectual property of hard-working businesses and individuals,” said U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer upon releasing the report.

Countries deemed to be supporting an unfair IP playing field could be subject to trade enforcement action.

Additionally, by being on the Priority Watch List, Mexico is risking a poor report card ahead of next year’s review of the USMCA.

Mexico is eager for a positive review of the trade agreement as it sends over three-quarters of its exports to the U.S.

It won’t be easy.

Mexico had been on the USTR Watch List for several years, Reuters reported. In July 2024, the Wilson Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, wrote that “Mexico isn’t living up to some of its obligations under USMCA, notably on intellectual property rights.”

While Sheinbaum’s predecessor did pursue “significant legislative reforms,” shortcomings — including the lack of implementing regulations — “create uncertainty for the creative and innovative sectors looking to protect and enforce IP in Mexico,” the Wilson Center observed.

When the USMCA went into effect on July 1, 2020, Mexico was required to implement an effective patent enforcement system to ensure that patent-infringing generic medicines were not favored with marketing authorizations prior to the expiration of patents. 

Nearly five years later, Mexico has neither issued implementing regulations nor complied with its patent enforcement commitments.

Mexico only this year came into compliance with USMCA obligations on “patent term restoration” (PTR) and “regulatory data protection” (RDP). 

With reports from Reuters and Wilson Center

1...484950...1,903Page 49 of 1,903

Mexico's English-language newspaper

About Us

ADVERTISE WITH MND

SUBMISSIONS

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

Subscription FAQ's

Jobs

Contact

Privacy Policy

Mexico News Daily - Property of Tavana LLC