Monetary transfers from the United States to Mexico have represented 3%-4% of Mexico's GDP in recent years. (Timis Alexandra/Unsplash)
Is United States President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda making Mexican immigrants in the U.S. scared to go out to send money home? Bank of Mexico (Banxico) data suggests it is.
Remittances sent to Mexico plummeted 12.1% annually in April, the largest year-over-year decline for any month since 2012.
Banxico reported on Monday that remittances totaled US $4.76 billion in April, down from $5.41 billion in the same month a year earlier. The 12.1% annual decline was the biggest year-over-year drop since September 2012.
In a post to X, Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis at Banco Base, said that the decline was due to the “deterioration of the labor market in the United States and migrants’ fear of being deported,” which leads to them “avoid going out to work and/or send remittances.”
Alberto Ramos, head of Latin America economics at Goldman Sachs, also linked the decline in remittances to a hardening of immigration policies in the United States. For its part, analysts at the bank BBVA hypothesized that a weakening of the dollar against the peso in April led to a decline in remittances. Another possible contributor to the decline was that Easter fell in April this year, whereas it was in March in 2024.
The slump in remittances in April came after a year-over-year increase of 2.5% in March and a decline of 0.8% in February. Mexico received a record-high $64.74 billion in remittances in 2024, the 11th consecutive year of growth in such transfers.
The decline in April caused the total remittances sent to Mexico in the first four months of the year to fall 2.5% annually to $19.01 billion, Banxico reported. Trump was in power for the majority of this period, having commenced his second term on Jan. 20.
Is United States President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda making Mexican immigrants in the U.S. scared to go out to send money home? Bank of Mexico (Banxico) data suggests it is. (Shutterstock)
During his 2024 presidential election campaign, Trump stated that he planned to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history” if elected to a second term. More than four months into the second Trump administration, the number of deportations has not yet matched the pre-election rhetoric of the U.S. president.
However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has increased deportation raids across the United States and there is evidently fear that Trump’s deportation mission will ramp up even further. Adding to that concern, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reiterated on Sunday that the U.S. government is “going to do mass deportations.”
The publication of the latest Banxico data on remittances came after the United States House of Representatives passed legislation on May 22 that would impose a 3.5% remittance tax on funds sent abroad by individuals who are not U.S. citizens.
Mexican bank Banorte said in a note that if the tax is approved, “an increase in flows” of remittances to Mexico would likely occur “before it goes into effect.”
The longer-term impact of a remittances tax in the U.S. is “still very uncertain,” Banorte said.
The number of remittances and their average value declined in April
Banxico reported that almost 12.4 million individual remittances were sent to Mexico in April. The average value of each of those transfers was $385.
The total number of remittances was 8.1% lower than a year earlier, while the average value of a single transfer fell 4.4%.
When converted to pesos, remittances actually increased
There was some good news for Mexico with regard to the latest data on remittances: their peso-value increased in April in annual terms thanks to a more favorable exchange rate, as the peso was much weaker against the US dollar in April than in the same month of 2024, when the Mexican currency reached an almost-nine-year high against the greenback.
Once inflation was also taken into account, the real annual increase in remittances in peso terms was 5.5% in April, according to the newspaper El Economista.
That’s welcome news for the significant number of Mexican families that depend on remittances to meet their basic needs.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington D.C.-based think tank, remittances “form the largest single source of foreign income for Mexico, outstripping the income brought in by any other individual source, including foreign direct investment (FDI) from the United States, tourism, and net manufacturing exports.”
The torrential rains on Monday created havoc on Mexico City's roadways, trapping a number of cars under water. (Cuartoscuro)
Severe flooding following heavy rainfall on Monday created chaos in Mexico City, México state and other regions of central Mexico, crippling mobility, disrupting public transportation and inundating a hospital.
The Security Ministry (SSPC) reported that rainfall averaged 15 liters per square meter in the capital, however, the northeastern part of Mexico City reported peaks of up to 45 liters per square meter.
“IMSS”:
Porque anoche la Clínica 53 del IMSS sufrió el colapso del drenaje. Pacientes, enfermer@s y familiares estuvieron en aguas negras durante la noche. pic.twitter.com/QLmwA2vhb0
— ¿Por qué es Tendencia? (@porktendencia) June 3, 2025
The SSPC noted that flooding damage in Mexico City was primarily reported in the following boroughs: Iztapalapa, Iztacalco, Venustiano Carranza, Coyoacán, Cuajimalpa, Cuauhtémoc, Gustavo A. Madero, Tláhuac and Xochimilco.
By early evening, the Iztapalapa, Ignacio Zaragoza, Ermita Iztapalapa, and Tláhuac avenues were virtually inaccessible, with vehicles stalled by rising water, forcing drivers and passengers to wade through it. On Ignacio Zaragoza avenue near Acatitla, the water was so high that several vehicles sank.
Authorities also reported fallen trees and fences.
The Mexico City Metro partially suspended service on Line A, which operated from Pantitlán to Guelatao while the stations from Peñón Viejo to La Paz remained closed due to water on the tracks. Lines 1 and 3 of the Cablebús also temporarily suspended service due to Monday’s thunderstorm.
At 11:46 CST on Tuesday, Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced on X that service had been completely restored to Line A of the Metro.
Authorities activated Operation Rains 2025 and the Tlaloque Protocol, deploying emergency teams, technical personnel and specialized machinery to address flooding and rescue trapped vehicles on Monday night.
The Ministry of Integrated Water Management (SEGI AGUA) deployed over 150 technicians and operators, 15 hydropneumatic trucks, four Hercules-type pumping equipment, 14 pieces of emergency pumping equipment, 22 dry vans and three cranes.
In México state, heavy rains caused flooding in municipalities such as Toluca, Lerma, Ocoyoacac, San Mateo Atenco, Metepec, Zinacantepec, Chapultepec, Ecatepec, Nezahualcóyotl, Chimalhuacán, Texcoco, Atlacomulco, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Tultitlán, Zumpango, Naucalpan, Tlalnepantla, Valle de Bravo, Ixtapan de la Sal, Tejupilco and Amecameca.
In Los Reyes Acaquilpan, the General Hospital of Zone 53 of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) suffered severe flooding, with water from sewers entering the emergency areas, the waiting room and the pharmacy, reaching up to 30 centimeters in some areas. The water swept away medicines and medical supplies.
Patients, staff and family members had to climb onto benches to avoid getting wet.
Several major highways connecting the capital with other regions (such as Mexico City-Querétaro, Mexico City-Toluca, Mexico City-Puebla, Mexico City-Pachuca, Mexico City-Texcoco, Mexico City-Cuernavaca and Mexico City-Cuautla) reported complications due to flooding and low visibility, affecting interurban mobility.
Heavy rain is again in today’s forecast for Mexico City and the surrounding Valley of Mexico. Authorities have called on the population to avoid driving in areas with flooding, and facilitate mitigation efforts. Residents can report waterlogging and flooding by calling the H20 line at *426, as well as by calling 911.
“In the face of the growing crowd, the security forces were overwhelmed,” the news site Animal Político reported after the incident on Monday. (X)
A tractor-trailer carrying a consignment of beer overturned on federal Highway 85 in the northern state of Tamaulipas on Monday, and local residents arrived quickly on the scene to help … themselves to the cargo, that is.
According to official reports cited by the newspaper Record, the driver of the truck fell asleep at the wheel and lost control of the vehicle, which flipped onto its side on the shoulder of the highway.
❌❌Así se puso la rapiña luego de la volcadura de un camión de cerveza en el km 32 de la carretera Victoria-Monterrey.
Decenas de personas llegaron al lugar y, en cuestión de minutos, se llevaron la carga del tráiler accidentado.
The driver was unhurt, but he was helpless to prevent what happened next.
Although the accident occurred along a rural stretch of the Monterrey-Ciudad Victoria highway, dozens of people of all ages scurried to the truck and began carrying off the beer.
Word spread quickly, however, and residents of several communities in the area began showing up for free chelas. As the accident had torn off a large section of the roof of the truck, its contents were readily accessible.
The many videos prompted social media users to wonder why it took so long for authorities to reach the scene.
The news site Animal Político reported that a National Guard contingent actually did arrive while the looting was still in progress, momentarily putting a halt to it, but the troops were unable to contain the crowd as more and more people assembled.
“In the face of the growing crowd, the security forces were overwhelmed,” Animal Político reported. “The multitude tore back the laminated roof of the truck and began to walk off with cartons, cases and bottles of beer, carrying them away on foot or loading up cars.”
The authorities finally secured the site and began forensic studies to determine the cause of the crash.
State prosecutors reminded the public that looting is a crime and announced that they are studying the videos in an attempt to identify the persons involved.
But this was by no means an unprecedented event. Similar cases of post-accident beer pillaging have occurred in Zacatecas and Campeche.
The authorities did not confirm if the trucking company had filed a complaint over the cargo theft.
Aeroméxico's flight attendants were prepared to walk out on June 1 if the airline did not raise its pay increase. (José Pablo Domínguez/Unsplash)
Flight attendants at Aeroméxico announced they would postpone for 10 days a strike they had scheduled to begin Sunday, after weekend meetings with federal labor relations officials helped to produce a better offer from the Mexican airline.
The nearly 3,200 Aeroméxico employees, represented by the Mexican Aviation Flight Attendants Union (ASSA), were demanding a 4.13% wage increase, arguing that salaries for both senior and junior staff have not kept up with inflation.
On May 21, ASSA rejected a salary hike of 2.9% for senior employees and 3.25% for junior workers before meeting with the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration on May 26-27. The Center — established in October 2022 — is responsible for settling labor law disputes.
After ASSA was granted an audience with a federal labor tribunal and held meetings with the Federal Center for Conciliation and Labor Registration on Saturday night, Aeroméxico countered with a wage packet featuring a 4.3% raise.
Once again, ASSA rejected that proposal, saying the flight attendants were prepared to walk out, but the airline came back minutes later with an offer of a 4.5% increase. The union acknowledged Aeroméxico’s good-faith bargaining and shortly after midnight announced they would postpone the strike to consider the proposal, news that the airline announced on social media.
“Grupo Aeroméxico reiterates its commitment to maintaining open and transparent dialogue to negotiate benefits for its flight attendants that allow the company to continue to be a competitive employer in the industry,” the airline said in a press release.
The flight staff’s demands are an effort to recover lost purchasing power due to rising inflation from 2020 through 2024, ASSA says. The original 4.13% wage increase demand is based on annual inflation from May 2024 to 2025.
Six new and three returning judges will oversee Mexico's judiciary branch starting September 1, 2025. (Suprema Corte de la Nación/Facebook)
Hugo Aguilar Ortiz, a Mixtec man from Oaxaca who is currently an official with the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), is set to become the next chief justice of Mexico’s Supreme Court (SCJN), after he attracted more support than any other candidate in the election for justices on Sunday.
The 51-year-old lawyer and the other candidates set to become justices are affiliated with, seen as sympathetic to, or were at least tacitly supported by the ruling Morena party, a situation that government critics argue will eliminate a vital check on executive and legislative power.
A former lawyer for the Zapatista National Liberation Army, the probable president-elect of Mexico’s Supreme Court, Hugo Aguilar, ran on a campaign that advocated for Indigenous perspectives within Mexico’s judiciary. (Hugo Aguilar Ortiz/X)
With 87% of the vote counted, Aguilar’s vote tally stood at just under 4.94 million, ahead of current Supreme Court Justice Lenia Batres Guadarrama on 4.69 million votes, according to the National Electoral Institute (INE).
The candidate who attracts the most votes will be appointed as the chief justice, or presidente, of the SCJN for a two-year term. The nine justices elected on Sunday will assume their positions on Sept. 1.
Their election “signifies the end of the independence of the judicial branch,” Diego Valadés, a former Supreme Court justice, told The Washington Post.
With almost nine in 10 votes counted, the top five female candidates are:
Lenia Batres Guadarrama: A Supreme Court justice since late 2023.
Yasmin Esquivel Mossa: A Supreme Court justice since early 2019.
Loretta Ortiz Ahlf: A Supreme Court justice since late 2021.
María Estela Ríos González: Top legal adviser to former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) between 2021 and 2024.
Sara Irene Herrerías Guerra: Head of the human rights department of the Federal Attorney General’s office.
Batres, Esquivel and Ortiz all became Supreme Court justices during the 2018-24 presidency of López Obrador. The eight other current Supreme Court justices chose not to contest the election on Sunday.
Lenia Batres Guadarrama, who has served on the Supreme Court since late 2023, is one of only three justices who chose to participate in the June 1 judicial elections. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)
Herrerías is well ahead of the female candidate in sixth place in the vote count, meaning that the five women listed above will all serve on the Supreme Court.
The top four male candidates are:
Hugo Aguilar Ortiz: Indigenous rights coordinator at INPI.
Giovanni Azael Figueroa Mejía: A lawyer with a doctorate in constitutional law.
Irving Espinoza Betanzo: A lawyer and anti-corruption magistrate in Mexico City.
Arístides Rodrigo Guerrero García: A lawyer and former official in Mexico City.
Guerrero is more than 270,000 votes ahead of the male candidate in fifth place in the vote count.
The judicial elections took place due to the approval by Congress last year of a judicial reform put forward by López Obrador, who was an open critic of Mexico’s judiciary and angered by rulings against some of his flagship policies and projects.
Morena got the Supreme Court it wanted
While political parties were prohibited from explicitly promoting candidates that contested the judicial elections, the ruling party, as noted above, did distribute cheat sheets detailing how they would like citizens to vote. Known in Mexico as acordeones (accordions), the cheat sheets were reportedly used by a significant number of voters, who were required to fill out multiple ballots with long lists of candidates on each.
Given that Morena is a highly popular political party and their supporters turned out in large numbers on Sunday, it is no surprise that candidates affiliated with and/or tacitly supported by the party performed well. While opposition parties were denouncing the election, Morena set its mind to getting its supporters to the polls.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the son of AMLO, “Andrés Manuel López Beltrán, operations chief of the ruling Morena party that his father founded, oversaw the political machine that mobilized millions of working-class voters to participate in Sunday’s novel election.”
And thus, Morena was able to get its preferred Supreme Court candidates elected on Sunday.
The judicial elections took place on June 1 due to the approval by Congress last year of a judicial reform put forward by López Obrador, who was an open critic of Mexico’s judiciary and angered by rulings against some of his flagship policies and projects. (Carolina Jiménez/Cuartoscuro)
José Ramón Cossío, another former Supreme Court justice, told The Washington Post the vote on Sunday “wasn’t a free election, but a takeover of the judicial institutions” by Morena.
President Sheinbaum and other government officials argued that the elections were necessary to renew the judiciary and rid it of corruption and other ills. Most Mexicans agree that the nation’s judiciary needs an overhaul, but many warned that holding elections that were likely to result in aligning the courts with the government was not the way to go about it. Sheinbaum has rejected claims that the judiciary will lose its independence.
The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that “diplomats and legal experts said the election could darken the investment climate in Mexico, since businesspeople can no longer look to the courts to uphold the law impartially.”
With a Morena “takeover” of the Supreme Court and other “judicial institutions”, as Cossío put it, the ruling party will effectively control the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government.
Sheinbaum was elected on a Morena party ticket and, in addition to being president, is the leader of the “fourth transformation” political movement founded by López Obrador. She has staunchly defended the 2024 judicial reform as well as virtually all other aspects of the political agenda set by her predecessor before he concluded his presidency last September.
Who is Hugo Aguilar Ortiz?
Born in a small community in the Mixtec region of Oaxaca in 1973, Aguilar completed undergraduate and master’s degrees in law in his native state.
If, as expected, Aguilar becomes the next chief justice of Mexico’s Supreme Court, he will be just the second indigenous person and the second person from Oaxaca to hold that position after former (and highly revered) former president Benito Juárez. He doesn’t have any prior experience as a judge.
The future justice has long been a defender of Indigenous rights as well as a “promoter of the fourth transformation,” the newspaper Reforma reported. He took on his position at INPI in 2018 after working in a range of positions, including as a consultant to the UN Human Rights Office and as deputy minister for Indigenous rights in Oaxaca.
Between 1996 and 2010, Aguilar represented more than 25 Indigenous communities in Oaxaca in land disputes, political disputes and other matters, according to the Milenio newspaper. He succeeded in establishing precedents in local and federal courts, including the SCJN, Milenio said.
While she didn’t promote any individual candidates, Sheinbaum did say she would like to see Indigenous people serving as Supreme Court justices.
“We want Indigenous representation in the Court, we want justice,” she said during an event in Benito Juárez’s birthplace on March 21, the 219th anniversary of the former president’s birth.
On Tuesday, Sheinbaum said that Aguilar is “a very recognized lawyer” and “has the credentials to join the court.”
On a website that was created to support his candidacy, Aguilar said he “acquired greater awareness” of his identity as a Mixtec person during his adolescence.
He said he also “lived the exclusion and injustices associated” with being an Indigenous person.
“In this context, I had the certainty that my life aspiration … [would be] the fight for justice,” Aguilar said.
During a recent interview with Milenio Televisión, he said that the justice system in Mexico “practically hasn’t existed for Indigenous people.”
“The justice system has functioned to serve other interests. Their rights, ways of organization, traditions and cultural elements haven’t been in the constitution and as a result … [Indigenous people] haven’t been part of the justice system,” Aguilar said.
His campaign slogan was “¡Ya nos toca!” (It’s our turn), expressing his view that now is the time for greater representation of Indigenous voices and perspectives in Mexico’s judiciary.
What will guide Aguilar in his work as chief justice?
For justice to be consistent with reality, judicial functions should be carried out in the field, incorporating on-site visits, dialogue with individuals, and an effort to understand the actual situation being presented, without excessive formalities. Likewise, an open attitude should be adopted to learn from others — their uniqueness, context, and reality. In this way, the arguments supporting decisions will not be mere formal reasoning, but will be grounded in reality.
It must be kept in mind that judicial decisions are final, and that no one possesses the absolute truth. In this regard, a multidisciplinary approach should be strengthened by involving specialized bodies in all matters and by expanding and consolidating the role of Amicus Curiae [friend of the court]. Likewise, dialogue with the parties should be prioritized in order to examine disputes more thoroughly.
The judicial function should not be an obstacle to social change. Attention must be paid to the national context when resolving central issues of public life. To this end, republican dialogue should be prioritized between the branches of the Union, the federal entities, municipalities, and Indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples and communities.
"Soy Frankelda" tells the story of Francisca Imelda (Frankelda), a young writer in 19th-century Mexico who, tired of being overlooked for her writing, immerses herself in the world of her own scary stories. (ToonHive/X)
The Mexican stop motion film “Soy Frankelda” (I Am Frankelda), directed by brothers Arturo and Roy Ambriz, will have its world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, which will take place in France from June 9 to 15.
This production marks a milestone for Mexican animation, as it is the first stop motion feature film to be shot from start to finish in the country. It was shot at the independent studio Cinema Fantasma in Mexico City.
Short films and some scenes for feature-length stop motion films had previously been produced in Mexico. Such is the case of Guillermo del Toro’s “Pinocchio,” which had support from Taller de Chucho in Jalisco, though the film was filmed in English and mostly produced in the United States.
“[Soy Frankelda] is our homage to the art of storytelling,” the Ambriz brothers said in a statement.
“As siblings, we’ve been captivated by fiction since childhood, starting with drawings and games and evolving into literature, theater, cinema and animation. Our passion for creating worlds led us to conceive Francisca Imelda, or Frankelda, a fictional Mexican horror writer from the 19th century. Like her, we have faced frustration from rejection, yet we remain determined to pursue our ambition for creative expression.”
In a statement on social media, the Ambriz brothers’ studio Cinema Fantasma expressed its excitement over this achievement: “It’s hard to put into words how we feel about reaching this moment.” They noted that this project was born “from the tenacity of dreaming big, of not giving up, and of trusting in the power of imagination.” They thanked their team, creative partner Warner Bros. Discovery LATAM and Guillermo del Toro, whom they acknowledged as their mentor in the film’s final stage.
They also thanked the Annecy Film Festival “for giving us the honor of showing this film to the world for the first time.”
Days before Annecy opens, “Soy Frankelda” will be the opening film at the Guadalajara International Festival (FICG), set to take place from June 6 to 14.
Trailer 2 Sustos ocultos de Frankelda
“Soy Frankelda” is the sequel to the Ambriz brothers’ miniseries “Frankelda’s Hidden Scares,” which tells the story of Francisca Imelda (Frankelda), a young writer in 19th-century Mexico who, tired of being overlooked for her writing, immerses herself in the world of her own scary stories.
The story, which is streaming on HBO Max, is inspired by Mary Shelly, author of Frankenstein. It consists of five episodes, each one telling a short, scary story narrated by “Frankelda.”
Swim with turtles, sample craft beer or listen to the vibrations of the universe across the Yucatán peninsula this month. (Olga Ga/Unsplash)
Artisanal chocolate tastings, swimming with sea turtles, healing sound experiences and craft beer festivals. It’s all about beating the heat this June in Cancún, Yucatán and the Riviera Maya. Take a submarine ride to beat the heat, or if you’re out in it, at least enjoy a cold one in paradise.
Swim with nesting sea turtles
(Jeremy Bishop/Pexels)
June is peak sea turtle nesting season all along the Riviera Maya. So, if you’ve ever wanted a guarantee you’ll see them when snorkelling, June is the month to go. Akumal is famous for its sea turtles, so head to Akumal for a guided tour with photos any time this month.
Practice your moves dancing the warm Caribbean night away. There’s a free beginners’ salsa dance class and a Bachata dance class as well. Grab your partner and arrive early for the class if you’re interested, before spending the night on the dance floor or on the roof, under the stars.
To cure what ails you (pun intended), join the fun at the Caribbean Craft Beer Festival in Puerto Morelos. Is there anything better than a cold beer on a hot day? It’s hard to beat, so this is the perfect event as summer arrives. Workshops and tastings, beer sommeliers, and master brewers will all be there to share their expertise.
Date: 6 & 7 June Location: Puerto Morelos Cost: Free
Marina Seca art exhibition
(Montenegro Fine Art/Facebook)
Get ready to fall in love with art all over again at the Art Exhibition at the Marina Seca Plaza. Showcasing the beauty of the Riviera Maya. Two talented local artists will be displaying their works. It should be a nice way to spend at Saturday or Sunday afternoon.
Date: 7 & 8 June, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Location: Marina Seca Plaza, Puerto Aventuras
Cost: Free
Les Misérables in Playa del Carmen
(Teatro de la Ciudad/Facebook)
The world-famous Broadway hit Les Misérables is coming to Playa del Carmen. A deeply human story, this musical is packed with powerful music, heartwarming lyrics, and is a beautiful story of true love, justice, hope, and the fight for redemption. Prepare to laugh, cry, and enjoy a spectacular night out.
Did you know that only 1% of the world’s population has been on a submarine? Invite yourself into the lucky one percent and take advantage of summer savings by enjoying a ride on Atlantis. It’s Cozumel’s most exciting way to escape the summer heat. Shipwrecks and stunning reef life await and after all, Cozumel is famous for its underwater paradise.
Enter into a world of inner power of sound through an aura cleansing smoke tunnel. The ritual drums will awaken your presence as a didgeridoo leads you within. Norse shamanic recitals will honor your ancestors and much more. This Ritual Sounds & Gongs Experience is a healing night of sound to balance mind, body and soul.
Date: 14 June, 7 p.m.
Location: Sound House, Playa del Carmen
Cost: 600 pesos advance (before June 7), 800 pesos after and 900 pesos at the door.
See the summer solstice feathered serpent at Chichén Itzá
(Wikimedia Commons)
It only happens twice a year, so don’t miss the chance to see the feathered serpent descend the great pyramid at Chichén Itzá. An important cultural experience at Mexico’s most iconic and most visited Mayan attraction, the show attracts thousands every year. There’s a light show at night, so be sure to stay for a fascinating glimpse into Mayan history projected on El Castillo, the main pyramid.
Fun for the whole family in the 2025 Father’s Day Run. Promoting health, sports, joy, and togetherness, there’s also a run for the kids. Plus, all the usual adult categories and age groups. But best of all, you have a choice of completing the 5km or 10km run. Walk, run, or just go and support, it promises to be a fun way to spend Father’s Day morning.
Date: June 22, starting at 7 a.m.
Location: Parque Cancún, Cancún
Price: Adults 350 pesos, kids 250 pesos
Artisanal chocolate tasting
(Eventbrite)
From bean to bar, chocoholics get your tastebuds ready. This tantalising tasting journey takes you on a discovery of Mexico’s finest cacaos and award-winning chocolates. Cacao ceremonies with sipping chocolate, the finest infused chocolate, and let’s not forget organic brown sugar-coated cacao beans, plus much more. Learn about the finest Mexican chocolates and enjoy them every way possible.
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over seven years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
In June, a bounty of tasty fruits come into peak season. Take advantage of summer's ripe flavors with these recipes!
Is there anything better on a hot summer’s day than a nice cold slice of watermelon? It’s my birthday month, and I love the abundance of fresh summer fruits in June — like Mother Nature is offering up a birthday bounty just for me.
All the melons are at peak freshness this month. Watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew, all of which people either love or hate. I think they get a bad rap — all melons are aces in my book.
June means peak melon season and the first sweet stone fruits of summer! (Eric Prouzet/Unsplash)
You’ll also find stone fruits starting to make an appearance. Plums and peaches are appearing at lower prices, which is awesome. A big summer salad with grilled peach is a favorite for me.
And good news: it’s peak season for my favorite fruit: avocados. So I’ve got a lovely refreshing way for you to enjoy them that you’ll love, trust me.
Let’s take a look at some refreshing ways to enjoy these sumptuous summer treats.
Watermelon
Cold straight from the fridge or as a big glass of agua fresca de sandia, watermelon is the perfect way to cool off in summer. And with only three ingredients, who doesn’t love a cheeky watermelon margarita!
But have you tried watermelon in a salad? It’s amazing.
We’re talking sweet watermelon with salty cotija cheese, refreshing mint, tied together with a nice zesty lime dressing. It might sound unusual, but, for most, it’s love at first bite. Plus, let’s not forget all watermelon’s health benefits: improved hydration, muscle recovery and heart health. It’s also an excellent source of vitamins A and C and lycopene, which can reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
This summer salad is the perfect way to beat the heat of June.
The magic happens when sweet watermelon collides with salty cheese and zesty lime! (Monika Borys/Unsplash)
Add watermelon, cheese, jalapeño, red onion and mint to a large bowl.
Whisk olive oil, lime juice, lime zest and salt together.
Pour the dressing over the salad and gently stir to combine. Serve immediately.
Avocado
Easy to make in 10 minutes, I dare you not to fall in love with avocado ice cream. If there was ever going to be a healthy-ish ice cream, it’s made from a superfood, right?
Creamy and delicious, avocado ice cream is competing against mango sorbet for favorite summer treat in my house. Best of all, no ice cream maker needed! You probably have all the things you need already in the kitchen.
Who knew a superfood could taste this sinful? (Hiroro/Unsplash)
Avocado Ice Cream
Ingredients
2 large whole avocados (about a pound/454 grams)
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup condensed milk
1 lime, zest and juice
Directions
An hour before making the ice cream, place a glass bowl in the freezer (this helps the cream get fluffy). Line a rectangular loaf pan with plastic wrap.
Slightly smash the scooped-out avocado in a bowl, and add the lime juice and zest. Stir to combine. Beat with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes until it has a smooth, even consistency.
Take the glass bowl from the freezer and pour in the heavy cream. Starting slowly, then increasing the speed, whip until the cream has formed peaks, about 4 minutes.
With a spatula, gently fold in the avocado mixture until incorporated. Be careful not to lose too much of the cream’s fluffiness.
Pour the mixture into the loaf tin, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours.
Take out 5 minutes before serving so it’s soft enough to scoop and enjoy!
Consider yourself warned: Once you try it, you’ll want to make this delicious salsa all summer long. (Mandy Bourke/Unsplash)
Taquería-style salsa
Okay, this salsa should come with a warning: It’s addictive. It’s so good, you’ll want to put it on everything, not just your tacos pastor. Best of all, you can roast, fry or boil the ingredients to suit your taste. I like them roasted.
I love that this recipe has tomato and tomatillos. But I’m a sucker for tomatillo anything. Thankfully, they’re also available year-round. Oh, and this salsa can be spicy. Adjust the heat to your liking by not adding as many chiles arbol.
Ingredients
1 large tomato
4 medium tomatillo (6 small ones)
⅓ medium white onion
2 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
13-15 dry arbol chile peppers, dry
Salt to taste
Directions
Put a heavy skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the tomatillos, tomato, garlic and onion to roast.
Cook, turning occasionally, for about 8 minutes until everything shows signs of blistering and softening. The garlic will cook faster than everything else, in just a few minutes, so remove it when ready and set aside.
Remove everything from the skillet and place it all in a blender, including the garlic. Now add the chiles arbol to the skillet and continuously stir to slightly roast them. They can burn quickly, so keep an eye on them.
Add them to the blender with the garlic, and blend until smooth. Add a little water if too thick.
Place in a bowl and enjoy!
Mexico Correspondent for International Living, Bel is an experienced writer, author, photographer and videographer with 500+ articles published both in print and across digital platforms. Living in the Mexican Caribbean for over seven years now, she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
Sheinbaum highlighted at her Monday morning press conference that more people voted for judges on Sunday than they did for the PRI and PAN parties in the 2024 presidential election, which she won in a landslide. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
Discussion of Mexico’s first-ever judicial elections — at which citizens were tasked with electing 881 federal judges and 1,801 local ones — dominated Sheinbaum’s mañanera, at which Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez and the president’s top legal adviser Ernestina Godoy also spoke.
Sheinbaum: Judicial election turnout was higher than number of people who voted for PAN or PRI last year
The figure, she said, is “more than double” the number of people who voted in a 2021 referendum that asked citizens whether five ex-presidents should be investigated for crimes they might have committed while in office.
Sheinbaum displayed to reporters criticisms of the judicial elections by the leaders of the National Action Party (PAN) and Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which together backed Xóchitl Gálvez at the 2024 presidential election.
PAN president Jorge Romero Herrera declared that “the supposed election of the #JudicialFraud lacks legitimacy and participation,” while PRI president Alejandro Moreno described the election as a “grotesque stunt” rather than a “democratic exercise.”
Early on Sunday, the president voted from the polling place closest to the National Palace in Mexico City. She said afterwards that the judicial elections will lead to the establishment of a “true rule of law” in Mexico, “where no one, not even the most powerful, will be above the law.” (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum — who argued the judicial elections were necessary to rid the judiciary of corruption — also displayed 2024 presidential election results that broke down voters’ preferences by party.
“How many people voted yesterday? Close to 13 million, a little more, it seems. Look at how many votes the PAN got in 2024 — 9.6 million. Look at how many votes the PRI got in 2024 — 5.7 million,” she said.
Sheinbaum highlighted that the number of votes each of the parties attracted in the presidential election — which she won in a landslide a year ago this Monday — was lower than the turnout on Sunday.
“No wonder they’re a bit worried,” she said.
“… They say that very few people participated, but it turns our that those who participated are greater [in number] than those who gave their vote to them a year ago,” Sheinbaum said.
“… Unprecedented, amazing, marvelous, democratic,” she said of the judicial elections.
“They bet that no one was going to go out and vote. Well, more people voted that those who vote for them,” Sheinbaum said.
Sheinbaum ‘happy’ to see AMLO, who voted in Palenque
“We were very pleased to see him,” Sheinbaum said when asked about the “reappearance” of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who voted on Sunday in Palenque, Chiapas, where he now lives.
“We didn’t know he was going to come out to vote,” she added.
Sheinbaum thanked López Obrador, who described her as “the best president in the world,” saying that “his words” were “very touching.”
“… He came out to exercise his right to vote and announced that his book is coming. So very good, I’m happy to see him. He looks very good — very, very good,” she said.
“… I saw that the people were very happy to see him,” Sheinbaum added.
A reporter asked the president what could be done to improve the electoral process ahead of another round of judicial elections in 2027. She also asked about voters’ use of “cheat sheets,” known in Mexico as acordeones (accordions) because of the way they fold up in a way similar to the musical instruments.
“Everything is perfectible,” Sheinbaum said.
“In addition, we have to remember that the National Electoral Institute [INE], and the [Electoral] Tribunal itself, said that notes could be taken [with you] when you go to vote because there were a lot of ballots,” she said.
One of many criticisms of the elections was that it was extremely difficult for citizens to vote in an informed way because there were close to 8,000 candidates competing in different races.
Sheinbaum noted that it was the first time that Mexico held judicial elections before stressing again that “everything is perfectible.”
“Conclusions will be drawn in order to improve for 2027, but it was a great exercise and a lot of people participated,” she said.
“… The INE will have to carry out its review for the next judicial election,” Sheinbaum said.
‘Justice is also a matter for the people’
During her remarks, Interior Minister Rodríguez said that Mexico, by holding judicial elections, sent a “clear” message to the world.
That message, she said, is that “justice is also a matter for the people.”
“As President Claudia Sheinbaum has said, what we want is for all of us to have the same access to justice: the rich person, the poor person, the person who lives in the north, the person who lives in the south,” Rodríguez said.
For her part, Godoy said that “the main actor” of election day on Sunday was “the people of Mexico.”
The legal adviser congratulated polling station officials, acknowledging the work they did to make “this historic and unprecedented electoral process” possible.
The average Mexico City resident uses 300-360 liters of water a day. In Beijing, where conservation measures are more stringent, the average is about half that.
(Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
In an eye-opening scrutiny of Mexico’s water woes, data shows that the average Mexico City resident uses about twice as much water as the average inhabitant of Beijing, China, even though both capitals face similar challenges in providing clean water.
Average per capita domestic water consumption in Beijing was 167.3 liters per person per day in 2023, compared to between 300 and 360 liters per person per day in Mexico City, according to Mexico’s Ministry of Integrated Water Management.
Water scarcity is a problem in both capitals, but only Beijing is successfully reducing domestic water use. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Approximately 87% of China’s 1.4 billion inhabitants have access to safe drinking water, according to 2023 federal figures. In Mexico, which has a population of approximately 130 million, that figure is 43%.
Like Mexico City, Beijing battles problems of water scarcity. Located in a semi-arid area with few natural water bodies, the Chinese city is increasingly finding ways to better manage its water resources as population growth boosts demand.
The South-to-North Water Transfer megaproject brings water from rivers in the south of the country to Beijing, much like how the Cutzamala water transportation system functions in the Valley of Mexico.
In 2022, the Chinese government introduced a water security plan under the national 14th Five-Year Plan period from 2021 to 2025.
China has also implemented water conservation measures aiming to contain consumption within four billion cubic meters by 2035, from around 3.1 billion at present. Tiered water rates and consumption caps have been implemented in Beijing, as well as fines for waste and spending control measures.
Tackling water scarcity in Mexico City
Mexico City is one of several major cities, including Cape Town, São Paulo and Chennai in India, that face severe water shortages, owing to years of poor water management and long periods of drought.
The city’s 40-year-old Cutzamala system is aging badly and has suffered extensive pipe damage from earthquakes. Studies suggest that over 40% of the network’s water is lost through leaks.
Data from the water system shows that only 54% of the leaks registered in Mexico City were repaired last year, suggesting widespread water losses continue.
However, improving the system is no easy feat and will require significant investment. In recognition of that, Mexico City’s drinking water infrastructure budget for 2025 is 84.5% higher than that of 2024, up from 1.4 billion pesos (US $72.8 million) to almost 2.6 billion pesos ($1.4 billion).
