The show, opening Dec. 12, is slated to run year-round with up to 10 shows a week depending on the season. (Instagram)
A new Mexican venue for Cirque du Soleil is about to open in the Riviera Nayarit, where resort operator Grupo Vidanta is positioning VidantaWorld as a global theme-park contender to compete with the likes of Las Vegas and Orlando.
Starting Dec. 12, the resort will host LUDÕ, Cirque du Soleil’s second permanent show in Latin America and its first aquatic creation since “O” in Las Vegas.
Cirque du Soleil’s custom-built water theater is located in the BON (Beauty of Nature) theme park, which in turn is part of VidantaWorld’s huge resort complex in Nuevo Nayarit, formerly Nuevo Vallarta. (Vidanta on X)
The show will be held in a custom-built water theater in VidantaWorld’s BON (Beauty of Nature) — a 150-acre luxury theme park that’s still largely under construction within the larger VidantaWorld resort complex in Nuevo Nayarit (formerly Nuevo Vallarta).
Its location in the state of Nayarit, along the Ameca River, is about a 20-minute drive from the Puerto Vallarta International Airport in Jalisco. It’s in the southern portion of the Riviera Nayarit, a nearly 200-mile stretch of luxury beach towns and resorts along the state’s coastline.
The show is slated to run year-round with up to 10 shows a week depending on the season.
The VidantaWorld Theater, designed by architect Arturo Hernández, is conceived as the park’s architectural icon, echoing the 2-year-old, state-of-the-art Sphere in Las Vegas and the geodesic sphere (known as Spaceship Earth) at Epcot in Walt Disney World, Florida.
The lotus flower–inspired shell, built with about 3,500 tons of steel, will glow with projections at night.
The 696-seat venue combines a 360-degree aquatic stage, wraparound “human aquarium” and a submersible platform that can switch from tank to dry stage in seconds.
The LUDÕ show will center on Ludovico, a theater director seeking inspiration in water and play on a global journey that begins at a Mexican cenote.
The 75-minute mega-show uses underwater and freediving acts in a fully immersive 360-degree environment, with action occurring above, around and below the audience.
Just over 10 years ago, Cirque du Soleil premiered the show JOYÀ at the Vidanta Riviera Maya complex near Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo. It has stood as Cirque du Soleil’s only resident presentation in Latin America and the first to include a dinner show.
LUDÕ will also include options for a three-course menu, champagne and tiered experiences from balcony-only to VIP dinner packages. Tickets will range from 2,350 pesos (US $128) per person (for the show only) to 7,780 pesos (US $425) for dinner, unlimited champagne and preferred seating.
BON is part of the 1,011-hectare VidantaWorld complex.
It is in the process of being built as a “luxury” park that limits capacity and replaces long lines with controlled admission and transport systems.
Planned attractions include Tecuani Beast (Latin America’s only double-launch roller coaster), the Vista Wheel, Floresta Drop and nightly entertainment shows — positioning BON as a high-end alternative to traditional mega-parks.
Sheinbaum has not yet met face to face with Trump, although the two leaders have spoken on the telephone on numerous occasions. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
At her Tuesday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters that her government has no evidence that money has been laundered via the transfer of remittances to Mexico.
Sheinbaum also responded to questions about potential meetings with two of the world’s best-known and most influential men.
Here is a recap of the president’s Dec. 2 mañanera.
Sheinbaum: No evidence that remittances have been used to launder money
A reporter noted that incoming remittances to Mexico increased significantly during Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s 2018-24 presidency, and asked the president whether any Mexican authorities have received information about the international transfers being used to launder money.
His question came four days after the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network issued an alert “as part of Treasury’s effort to prevent the exploitation of the U.S. financial system by illegal aliens in the United States seeking to move illicitly obtained funds.”
Sheinbaum responded that her government has “no evidence” that the growth in incoming remittances during López Obrador’s presidency was related to money laundering.
She highlighted that there are around 40 million first, second, third and fourth generation Mexicans in the United States, and, citing Bank of Mexico data, noted that some 15 million people regularly send remittances to Mexico.
Sending remittances home “has a lot to do with solidarity, with mutual support, with not abandoning each other,” Sheinbaum said.
“I have a sister who has lived in Los Angeles for 35 years. She doesn’t have to send me money because I don’t need it, but she’s always attentive to my children, always, because she’s their aunt. And I can assure you that there are millions of families like mine,” she said.
With regard to the reporter’s assertion that some Mexicans are sending large amounts of money to Mexico from Ecuador and Colombia — the world’s biggest cocaine producer — Sheinbaum said the matter needs to be investigated.
“If in any case there is an illegal issue, it is investigated and punished,” she said.
Currently, Sheinbaum stressed, “there is no evidence of money laundering” related to the transfer of remittances to Mexico.
If that crime was detected, authorities would have to “attend to it” and “attack it,” she said.
“But we’re not going to criminalize all those who send remittances, are we?”
Insight Crime, a crime-focused think tank and media organization, wrote in a 2021 report that “organized crime groups have long exploited … [remittances] to launder ill-gotten proceeds.”
Sheinbaum seeking a call with Pope Leo
A reporter said he had information from the Vatican that Pope Leo XIV would attend the inauguration next March of a remodeled Estadio Azteca, a huge stadium in Mexico City that will host FIFA World Cup matches in 2026. He asked Sheinbaum whether she could confirm that the pope would come to Mexico City and also visit Tijuana in early 2026.
“We don’t have the information,” the president responded.
“In fact, I’m seeking a call with the pope, I’m making it public here. We’re seeking a call in order to have a meeting here,” Sheinbaum said.
▶️ “Estoy buscando una llamada con el Papa”: Sheinbaum anuncia que buscar formalizar vista de León XIV a México
Sheinbaum noted that Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez delivered an invitation to the pope to visit Mexico when she attended his inaugural Mass in May.
“Now we want to formalize it. But there is no information yet about whether he will come to the inauguration of the Azteca. … But we do want him to visit Mexico,” she said.
Will Sheinbaum attend the World Cup draw with Trump?
“I believe we will inform you tomorrow,” the president said.
Sheinbaum said last Friday that she would attend the draw if Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed they would be present.
Both men will indeed be at the draw, which will decide which countries will play each other in the group stage of the 48-team tournament that will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Sheinbaum said on Friday that if she does decide to go to Washington for the draw, she and her government colleagues would look at the “possibility of a meeting” with the U.S. president.
Sheinbaum has not yet met face to face with Trump, although the two leaders have spoken on the telephone on numerous occasions.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
With the hurricane season officially ending last Sunday, Quintana Roo residents and visitors can exchange trepidation about the sea being a harsh mistress for the pleasure of tranquil sunsets such as this one over Isla Mujeres. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)
The Atlantic hurricane season has come to an end with no serious incidents reported in Quintana Roo despite its long Caribbean coastline, Governor Mara Lezama announced Monday.
Quintana Roo’s good fortune was not due to a lack of powerful hurricanes. In fact, for only the second time on record, three Category 5 storms made landfall during the Atlantic hurricane season, which ended Nov. 30. Besides them (Erin, Humbert and Melisa), the 13 weather systems in 2025 included seven tropical storms, one subtropical storm, Category 4 Gabrielle and Category 2 Imelda.
Quintana Roo Gov. Mara Lezama speaks at the State Civil Protection Council, where she praised her state’s civilians and officials for working together during the hurricane season to mitigate the damage from storms or other natural challenges. (Mara Lezama)
Yet none of them threatened Quintana Roo’s tourism industry or caused anywhere near as much damage as Hurricane Erick on Mexico’s Pacific coast, which made landfall as a Category 3 in June, causing 24 fatalities and more than US $275 million in damage throughout the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero.
Speaking at the Second Ordinary Session of the State Civil Protection Council, Lezama credited the state’s preparedness for the clean outcome as she praised the people of Quintana Roo and the armed forces for building a culture of prevention.
“The fact that there were no incidents demonstrates that when we work together, each from our own position and assuming our responsibility, we are capable of facing any challenge,” the governor said.
She stressed the importance of constant monitoring, as well as public awareness about the effects of climate change on Quintana Roo’s already at-risk location. She also highlighted the extensive cleaning and clearing works that took place before and during hurricane season to mitigate the impact of a potential storm, with a task force of 4,000 personnel prepared to respond to a severe weather event.
Not all countries in the Northern Atlantic Ocean were as fortunate as Mexico. The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will likely be remembered for Hurricane Melissa and the devastation it caused across Jamaica and Cuba, where communities are still recovering.
In a statement released a couple of weeks after his arrest at the Doña Ana County International Jetport on July 25, 2024, Zambada said that he was kidnapped and forced onto a U.S.-bound private plane after traveling to Culiacán, Sinaloa, with the belief that he was going to help resolve a dispute between the Sinaloa governor and a former mayor of the state capital. The former mayor, Héctor Cuén, was murdered the same day Zambada was arrested in the U.S.
After Guzmán López pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in late July 2024, the 39-year-old’s lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, criticized — but did not refute — an allegation by Zambada’s lawyer that Guzmán López had “forcibly kidnapped” El Mayo and put him on a plane against his will.
Nicknamed “El Güero Moreno,” Guzmán López is one of four sons of El Chapo who are collectively known as “Los Chapitos.”
The four brothers are (or were in the case of two of them) leaders of a Sinaloa Cartel faction of the same name.
Zambada, a septuagenarian, founded the Sinaloa Cartel with Guzmán Loera and others in the 1980s. Over a period of decades, El Mayo, El Chapo and other Sinaloa Cartel members built a multi-billion-dollar empire on cocaine and heroin, among other drugs, as well as human trafficking.
Prior to his arrest in the United States last year, Zambada had never been taken into custody. Before his kidnapping last year, the United States government was offering a reward of up to US $15 million for information that led to his arrest. Zambada is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 12.
Guzmán López’s plea agreement
Guzmán López reached a plea agreement with U.S. authorities that, according to Lichtman, is expected to allow him to avoid a sentence of life imprisonment.
In court in Chicago on Monday, he pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise. The New York Times reported that “most of the charges to which Mr. Guzmán López pleaded guilty were in an indictment unsealed in Chicago in April 2023, accusing him of joining his brothers in taking control of their father’s faction of the Sinaloa cartel after a federal judge in Brooklyn sent El Chapo … to prison for life in 2019.”
Dressed in orange prison garb during his court appearance on Monday, Guzmán López told U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman in softly-spoken English that he was taking medication for anxiety and that he has a college degree, according to the Chicago Tribune.
When Coleman asked him what he did for a living, he said “drug trafficking,” to which the judge responded: “Oh, that’s your job. All right — there you go.”
Coleman did not set a sentencing date, but asked the parties to provide a status update on June 1, 2026, according to the Chicago Tribune. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Erskine said in court that in exchange for Guzmán López’s ongoing cooperation, prosecutors would recommend a sentence that is more lenient than life imprisonment, but not less than 10 years behind bars. The defendant agreed to forfeit US $80 million as part of his plea deal.
According to the written plea agreement, Guzmán López’s drug trafficking career began “no later than in or about May 2008,” at which time the defendant was 21 years old and his father was at the helm of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The plea agreement states that Guzmán López “together with Ivan Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar, Ovidio Guzmán López and others, did knowingly and intentionally engage in a continuing criminal enterprise.”
Another section of the 35-page agreement reads: “As a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Guzmán López employed individuals and provided security and territory for individuals who oversaw the manufacturing and distribution in Mexico, and the importation from Mexico into the United States for distribution, of large quantities of fentanyl powder and pills.”
He was also involved in the trafficking of large quantities of other drugs to the United States, including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine. Guzmán López also admitted to bribing officials in Mexico and using firearms and other weapons to commit acts of violence, including murder, “against law enforcement, rival drug traffickers and members of their own trafficking organization.”
Ivan Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, Jesús Alfredo Guzmán Salazar and Ovidio Guzmán López are brothers of Joaquín Guzmán López and fellow leaders of “Los Chapitos.”
According to Guzmán López’s plea agreement, the kidnapping of Zambada — referred to as “Individual A” in the agreement — and his transfer to the United States occurred as follows:
Prior to July 25, 2024, Guzmán López arranged for a meeting to take place in Sinaloa involving Zambada and others.
Guzmán López lured Zambada to the meeting by telling him that his presence was needed to resolve a disagreement in which he “and others” were involved.
When Zambada arrived at the meeting, Guzmán López asked him to “come speak to him in a private room in the building, in which, unbeknownst to Individual A, Guzmán López had removed the glass from a floor-to-ceiling window.”
Guzmán López closed and locked the door after he and Zambada entered the room.
Multiple men who “were working for Guzmán López” subsequently entered the room through the window, handcuffed Zambada and put a bag over his head.
The armed men then carried Zambada through the window, “and placed him across their laps in the backseat of a waiting pickup truck.”
Guzmán López got in the truck, which was driven for 10-15 minutes to an air strip where a small plane was waiting.
The armed men put Zambada on the plane, which Guzmán López and a pilot — whose identity hasn’t been revealed — also boarded. Zambada was “zip-tied to one of the seats.”
After the plane took off, Guzmán López “prepared a drink with sedatives, some of which he drank himself, and some of which he gave to Individual A.”
“As Guzmán López had previously directed, the pilot flew the plane from Mexico into the United States, and the plane landed in New Mexico,” where Guzmán López and Zambada were arrested.
What was Guzmán López’s motivation for kidnapping Zambada?
According to the plea agreement, “Guzmán López coordinated and committed the kidnapping of Individual A, among other reasons, in the hopes of receiving cooperation credit from the United States government for himself and his brother [Ovidio].”
“However, Guzmán López acknowledges that the United States government did not request, induce, sanction, approve or condone the kidnapping. Guzmán López further acknowledges that … he will not receive cooperation credit for the kidnapping, nor will his brother,” the agreement states.
The U.S. government denied involvement in the kidnapping plot from the outset.
However, “experts thought it would be virtually impossible to pull off without U.S. authorities having some knowledge,” the Associated Press reported.
Joaquín (L) and Ovidio (R) Guzmán López. (Social Media)
Former Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and current President Claudia Sheinbaum both asserted that the U.S. government had some kind of involvement in the abduction of Zambada and his subsequent transfer to the U.S.
Shortly before he left office in October 2024, López Obrador asserted that the United States shared blame for the eruption of violence in and around Culiacán because it carried out the “operation” that resulted in the arrest of Zambada, whose “Los Mayos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel has now been involved in a virtual war against “Los Chapitos” for over a year.
By “operation,” he apparently meant a negotiation with Guzmán López that he believed resulted in the delivery of Zambada to U.S. law enforcement authorities in New Mexico.
In August 2024, Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office said it was investigating whether Guzmán López had committed treason, given that kidnapping a person in Mexico for the purpose of handing him or her over to the authorities of another country constitutes that crime.
The bigger picture
Guzmán López’s guilty plea came amid the Trump administration’s militarized crackdown on drug trafficking to the United States. In recent months, the U.S. military has carried out at least 21 strikes against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, killing more than 80 people. The legality of those strikes has been questioned by legal experts.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration designated a number of Western Hemisphere criminal groups as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs). The Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel are among six Mexican organizations that were classified as FTOs.
“Would I launch strikes in Mexico to stop drugs? It’s OK with me,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Nov. 17. “Whatever we have to do to stop drugs.”
Sheinbaum has ruled out the possibility of U.S. military action on Mexican soil, and frequently asserts that Mexico would never accept any kind of violation of its sovereignty. In 2025, her government has transferred 55 cartel figures to the United States amid pressure from the Trump administration — including in the form of tariffs — to do more to stem the flow of fentanyl and other drugs across the Mexico-U.S. border. The Mexican government deployed 10,000 National Guard troops to the northern border region earlier this year and has taken a more proactive approach to combating cartels than the administration of ex-president López Obrador, whose so-called “hugs, not bullets” approach to security was criticized by U.S. authorities.
On Sunday, the federal government announced that a well-known fentanyl trafficker and high-ranking operative in the Sinaloa Cartel had been killed during a navy-led operation in Sinaloa. Pedro Inzunza Coronel was wanted in the United States on narco-terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering charges.
The banners’ messages were addressed to Chilpancingo residents, stating: “We regret to inform you that there will be no Christmas fair, because it is only used to raise money for Los Ardillos," a criminal group. (@solociudadanos/X)
Threats of attacks by a crime gang have prompted the Chilpancingo, Guerrero, government to consider canceling its traditional Christmas and New Year’s festivities.
Large banners placed in at least three locations of the state capital over the past two weeks warned that there would be consequences if the events went on as planned and explained why such reprisals would be taken.
The San Mateo Christmas and New Year’s Fair — considered the oldest in the country — was preparing to celebrate its 200th anniversary this year, but its celebration is now in doubt.
The fair is scheduled to begin on Dec. 21 with the Paseo del Pendón, a procession that includes dances from all regions of Guerrero.
The festivities are derived from the ancient patron saint festivities dedicated to St. Matthew the Apostle in the formerly Indigenous neighborhood of San Mateo. Over time, these festivities expanded to include Christmas, New Year’s and Three Kings’ Day celebrations.
The banners’ messages were addressed to Chilpancingo residents, stating: “We regret to inform you that there will be no Christmas fair, because it is only used to raise money for Los Ardillos.”
Hernández’s successor, Alejandro Arcos, was murdered last year just six days after being sworn in. The city’s top security official, Germán Reyes, was arrested in connection with the murder, but federal officials indicated that Los Ardillos had likely ordered the hit because Arcos intended to end the agreement the crime gang allegedly had with Mayor Hernández.
Autoridades federales y estatales participaron en la tercera sesión del Consejo Consultivo de la Feria de San Mateo, Navidad y Año Nuevo, sumando esfuerzos con el Ayuntamiento de Chilpancingo, sociedad civil, iniciativa privada y mandos militares rumbo a la edición bicentenaria pic.twitter.com/sGoITN0yHe
The new threat is thought to have come from the Los Tlacos crime gang, which has long been engaged in a dispute with Los Ardillos for political, criminal and economic control of Chilpancingo.
In addition to warning that any attempt to set up the holiday fairs “will be burned down,” the messages accused the mayor’s son, Saúl, of being involved in transferring funds to Los Ardillos.
Just three weeks away from its inauguration, the fair was already facing logistical challenges. Plans to celebrate its bicentennial began in April 2022 when the state government laid the first stone for the remodeling of the fairgrounds.
The project was originally budgeted at 269 million pesos (US $14.7 million) before an increase of 98 million pesos ($5 million) was announced with the promise that it would be completed by Dec. 6. As of Monday, the project was only 80% complete.
Incoming remittances to Mexico totaled US $5.63 billion in October, a decline of 1.7% compared to the same month of 2024.(Shutterstock)
The inflow of remittances to Mexico declined in annual terms for a seventh consecutive month in October, while income from the international monetary transfers was also down in the first ten months of 2025.
The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) reported on Monday that incoming remittances totaled US $5.63 billion in October, a decline of 1.7% compared to the same month of 2024.
Banxico also reported that Mexico received $51.34 billion in remittances between January and October, a decline of 5.1% compared to the same period of 2024.
The decline in incoming remittances in the first 10 months of 2025 is the largest reduction for the period in 16 years.
Income from remittances — money that helps millions of Mexican families make ends meet — is on track to decline in 2025 for the first time in more than a decade.
The vast majority of remittances to Mexico are sent by Mexicans who live and work in the United States, where the Trump administration’s deportation agenda has created fear among the large Mexican migrant community and caused some people to limit their movements outside their homes.
Analysts have partially attributed the decline in remittances to Mexico this year to fear of going out to work among U.S.-based Mexicans, of whom 4.3 million are “unauthorized” immigrants, according to the bank BBVA.
The United States will begin imposing a 1% tax on outgoing remittances funded with cash on Jan. 1, 2026.
Observing the spectacle-filled Virgin of Guadalupe celebrations that happen annually in the first half of December is a fun and respectful way to get a glimpse of local Puerto Vallarta life. (Visitavallarta.com)
It’s peak season in Puerto Vallarta, which means one thing — absolutely no excuse for being bored! The next two weeks are bursting with culture, food, art, movies, dancing and basically everything except time to sleep.
Fiestas Guadalupanas – December 1–12
Puerto Vallarta Mexico Events - Festival of Guadalupe
December 1–12 in Puerto Vallarta is devoted to Mexico’s patron saint, The Virgin of Guadalupe, with lively, colorful processions by the faithful.
The Virgin of Guadalupe is honored through a vibrant celebration of faith and appreciation. This 12-day festival, held annually in downtown Puerto Vallarta, includes 400 processions featuring beautifully adorned carriages, folkloric dancers, spirited mariachi music and spectacular fireworks. The lively central plazas are filled with street vendors selling fruits, traditional cuisines, crafts and local specialties.
One of the highlights is the Peregrinación de los Favorecidos (Pilgrimage of the Favored), which attracts up to 20,000 participants on December 12, making it the largest of the processions. Recognized as part of the Intangible Heritage of the State of Jalisco, the Fiestas Guadalupanas in Puerto Vallarta are a meaningful reflection of the community’s shared identity.
Movie Picnic — Thursdays through May
Movie Picnic is an eagerly awaited film series each year in Puerto Vallarta, where you can watch movies in English under the stars on giant cushions provided by the venue. (Movie Picnic/Facebook)
For something a little more low-key — or romantic or cozy —Movie Picnic returns for its 11th season of outdoor cinematic bliss. Every Thursday, Jardín de Luna Garden transforms into a dreamy open-air theater showing films in English where you can curl up under the stars with friends, dates or well-behaved pups.
The last Friday of each month offers films in Spanish, so you can work on your español while munching on snacks — a win-win.
Cirque du Volcanes – December 11
The Volcanes Community School helps local Puerto Vallarta kids succeed in school with supplemental classes in math, English, computers and more. Enjoy food and drinks, plus games and spectacles, all for a good cause! (Selena Luna Productions)
Who doesn’t like to give back during the holiday season? At Cirque du Volcanes, you can do just that at an interactive circus benefiting The Volcanes Community School, an organization helping students break the cycle of poverty through education. You’ll be treated to musical performances, games, food and drinks, all at the MarGi event space in the Puerto Mágico mall.
General admission is $1,000 pesos, or you can treat yourself to a VIP experience for an additional $500 pesos. For more information and details about where to buy tickets, visit Selena Luna Productions.
Second Sunday Concert Series – December 14
The “Afternoon of Christmas Music” on Dec. 14 is just one of many high-quality concert events in Puerto Vallarta that are part of the Second Sundays Concert Series. (Facebook)
If you’re anything like me, there’s something about a Christmas Carol concert that somehow makes everything right in the world. The Second Sunday Concert Series invites everyone to an Afternoon of Christmas Music at 4 p.m. on December 14, performed by the choir at Christ Church by the Sea, featuring everything from “Jingle Bells” and “Dona Nobis Pacem” to “Feliz Navidad” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
All are welcome to join in the merriment of the season, and a free-will offering at the door would be appreciated.
If the next two weeks prove anything, it’s that Puerto Vallarta absolutely refuses to do things quietly. So, grab your friends, your sunscreen, your merriment and jump into the whirlwind. Whatever you choose, you’re guaranteed a good story.
Have fun out there!
Charlotte Smith is a writer and journalist based in Mexico. Her work focuses on travel, politics, and community. You can follow along with her travel stories at www.salsaandserendipity.com.
Amaranth-based alegría bar in Mexico. (Alejandro Linares Garcia/Wikimedia Commons)
Who hasn’t eaten an alegría bar at a market, a town fair or at the candy stalls outside a church?
We Mexicans eat these sweet, nutritious, crunchy bars made with amaranth seeds, called alegría, or joy in English. But what is amaranth, and why is it so important?
Amaranth has been enjoyed, offered and revered in Mexico throughout the ages. (Karolin Baitinger/Unsplash)
Amaranth is a seed from the plant of the same name, and it’s used similarly to some cereals, which is why it is called a pseudo-grain, meaning we use it like a grain, but it’s not from the grass family like wheat, oats, barley or rice. Buckwheat and quinoa fall into this same pseudo-grain category.
A native Mexican nutritional powerhouse
Mexico, one of the places where amaranth originated, is the main producer and consumer of this plant.
Considered one of the most complete foods on the planet, amaranth’s protein value is comparable to that of meat, and it has more protein than corn, wheat or rice.
Amaranth contains vitamins A, B, B1, B2, B3, and C. The B complex is found in a few foods, making alegrias one of the tastiest ways to obtain B complex vitamins in your diet. These nutritious plants also provide minerals, the amino acid lysine, folic acid, niacin, calcium, iron and phosphorus. It also contains polyunsaturated fats, i.e., the good ones, omega-3 and omega-6.
Amaranth’s high fiber content makes it highly recommended for regulating digestion. It’s also gluten-free, making it ideal for people with celiac disease. Or for those who are lactose intolerant, blended with water, it becomes a milk substitute.
In 1975, after multiple studies conducted by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, amaranth was recognized as one of the world’s most highly nutritious plant-based foods. In the fields of nutrition science and public health policy, researchers around the world see promise in amaranth as one of the highly nutritious plant-based food sources that not only can keep up with meat in terms of caloric and protein content but is also a more sustainable protein source to farm than animals.
Amaranth’s history
Endemic to Mesoamerica, amaranth plants have been grown in Mexico for at least 8,000 years. Puebla state is the largest current producer. (Gobierno de Mexico)
The amaranth plant is endemic to the Americas, but its name comes from the Greek amaranthus, meaning “immortal,” because it blooms year-round. The Aztecs called it huauhtli, and in South America, it’s kiwicha in the Guarani language.
Although it was known and consumed throughout much of the Americas, it is in south-central Mexico where there are more references to its use, as well as records of its existence dating back approximately 8,000 years. For special occasions, various Indigenous peoples of Mexico made figurines of gods, humans, or animals from amaranth grains bathed in maguey honey. They were consumed on dates similar to the modern-day celebrations of Day of the Dead.
Amaranth today
Currently, Puebla state is Mexico’s main amaranth producer, followed by Tlaxcala, Morelos, parts of southern Mexico City and Oaxaca.
The United States, China and India all cultivate amaranth and scientists continue to research its properties.
The grains are roasted whole and used to make sweets or coat meat or vegetables, sprinkle on salads, or accompany other dishes. It is often mixed with other cereals and nuts and eaten with milk. Amaranth can also be used in sauces, adding texture and nutritional value to dishes.
It can be processed into a flour, a lifesaver for the gluten-intolerant.
Amaranth seeds (left) can be made into a gluten-free flour. Wheat (right) cannot. (Wikimedia Commons)
It is also made into sweet and savory snacks. Alegrias, for example — the iconic Mexican sweet treat — can be found year-round here. Reminiscent of granola bars, these are bars made of puffed amaranth seeds covered in a sweet syrup to hold everything together. Often, peanuts, walnuts, pepitas and raisins are included.
Engineer Rodolfo Neri, remembered for being the first Mexican to travel into space, was authorized to take amaranth with him after several studies of the grain were endorsed by NASA and several universities. During the trip, it was not only part of his diet, but research was also conducted on its cultivation in space.
Amaranth’s resistance to drought and ability to grow in arid soils has allowed this plant to continue to provide us for more than 8,000 years with such a complete food.
Diana Serratos studied at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and UNCUYO in Mendoza, Argentina, where she lived for over 15 years. She specializes in wines and beverages, teaching aspiring sommeliers at several universities. She conducts courses, tastings and specialized training.
Asked about AMLO's reappearance on social media to promote his new book, Sheinbaum told reporters that she and her government colleagues were "very pleased to see him." (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Monday morning press conference was held seven years to the day after Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) was sworn in as Mexico’s president, marking the commencement of the “fourth transformation” political project.
Back in the National Palace in Mexico City after spending the weekend in the states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Morelos, Sheinbaum responded to a question about that anniversary, as well as one on the remarks AMLO made during a lengthy video message he posted to social media on Sunday.
Even before he took office on Dec. 1, 2018, López Obrador was using the term “fourth transformation” to describe the profound change he said he would bring to Mexico.
The “fourth transformation” (4T) political project is now led by Sheinbaum and supported by the Morena party, its allies in Congress, and millions of Mexicans across the country. The political project was named the “fourth transformation” as it follows three other transformations in Mexico, namely independence from Spain in the early 19th century, the enactment of a series of reform laws (La Reforma) in the 1850s and the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century.
‘We were very pleased to see him,’ Sheinbaum says after AMLO reappears on social media
“He looks very well, very happy, healthy, relaxed,” she said of her predecessor and political mentor, who recorded a 48-minute video at his ranch, “La Chingada,” in Palenque, Chiapas.
“We were very pleased to see his book as well,” Sheinbaum added.
“… The book is called Grandeza [Greatness] and it’s about the cultural grandeur of Mexico, which comes from the great civilizations that inhabited our territory, and of which we are inheritors,” she said.
Sheinbaum addresses AMLO’s remark that he would take to the streets for ‘three reasons’
Apart from his June 2 remarks and his comments in the video released on Sunday, López Obrador has maintained a public silence since he handed over the presidential sash to Sheinbaum on Oct. 1, 2024. His social media accounts, collectively followed by more than 20 million people, had remained inactive for almost 14 months until Sunday.
In his book promotion video, AMLO called on Mexicans to support “la presidenta because it’s still buzzard season.”
“There are vultures and there are hawks,” he said, apparently referring to opposition politicians and others who are metaphorically circling Sheinbaum with an intent to inflict damage on her presidency.
“… I’m not going to tour the country to present the book because I’m going to remain retired. I would only go out to the street for three reasons,” López Obrador said.
AMLO said he would leave his ranch and take to the street:
“If democracy was threatened, as they did before; They — the magnates, the oligarchs, the corrupt — did the big [electoral] frauds … so that the government was at their service.”
To “defend” Sheinbaum “if there are coup attempts.”
Asked about those remarks, Sheinbaum said that “fortunately, we are not in any of the three circumstances he set out.”
“And the people of Mexico are with the project. We see it every day, the polls show it if there is any doubt,” she added, referring to the “fourth transformation.”
AMLO’s call for support for Sheinbaum came at the end of a difficult month for the president.
Sheinbaum responde desde la mañanera a la reaparición de AMLO:
Asked to “summarize” the seven years that have passed since the commencement of the “fourth transformation,” Sheinbaum focused on the “results” achieved by the previous federal government and her own administration.
Sheinbaum asserted that “Mexico is better today than” it was before AMLO took office in late 2018.
“… We’re going well and we’re going to do better,” she said.
Asked what “more than 2,550 days of the fourth transformation” means for the Mexican people, Sheinbaum initially responded with a single word, repeated for emphasis.
“Hope, hope,” she said.
“Look, … [our] adversaries are full of hate, there is a lot of slander, lies and hate, that’s what characterizes them,” Sheinbaum said.
“So, in the face of hate, lies and slander, what is there on this side? Development, well-being and love, happiness, work, dedication, conviction and a lot of unity from the people. … That is something unique,” she said.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
A 34.8% year-over-year increase in the value of Mexico's non-automotive sector manufactured exports drove the 14.2% increase in revenue in October. (Unsplash)
The value of Mexico’s exports increased 14.2% annually in October to reach US $66.13 billion, a record high for any month, according to official data.
In percentage terms, the annual increase was the largest for any month since a 14.7% jump in July 2024. Compared to September, Mexico’s export revenue increased 17% in October.
The national statistics agency INEGI also reported last Thursday that Mexico’s export revenue increased 6.6% annually in the first 10 months of 2025 to reach $547.77 billion.
Mexico is thus on track to set a new annual record for export revenue this year, and to exceed $600 billion in earnings for just the second time ever, after first breaking that barrier in 2024.
The strong growth in Mexico’s export revenue has occurred despite the Trump administration imposing tariffs on a range of Mexican goods in 2025, including steel, aluminum and vehicles, as well as all other products that don’t comply with the USMCA, the North American free trade pact.
Still, the majority of Mexico’s trade with the U.S. — easily the world’s top buyer of imported Mexican goods — remains tariff-free thanks to the USMCA, a five-year-old accord that will be formally reviewed in 2026.
A 34.8% year-over-year increase in the value of Mexico’s non-automotive sector manufactured exports drove the 14.2% increase in revenue in October. Revenue from the export of those goods rose 16% annually in the first 10 months of the year.
As is the norm, the vast majority of Mexico’s export revenue in October came from the shipment abroad of manufactured goods. The value of those exports increased 17.4% to $61.64 billion in October, accounting for 93% of Mexico’s total earnings in the month.
Revenue from the export of non-automotive sector manufactured goods surged 34.8% annually to $45.52 billion. That increase, the highest for any month in over four years, well and truly offset a 14% decline in the value of auto sector exports, which were worth $16.12 billion in October.
The non-U.S. content in USMCA-compliant light vehicles made in Mexico has been subject to a 25% U.S. tariff since April. The United States’ 25% tariff on medium- and heavy-duty trucks — which also excludes U.S. content in USMCA-compliant vehicles — took effect on Nov. 1.
Approximately 7% of Mexico’s export revenue in October came from shipments of oil, agricultural products and mineral resources.
Oil exports brought in revenue of $1.82 billion, a 29.8% annual decline, while shipments of agricultural products generated earnings of $1.38 billion, down 19.5% from October 2024. Revenue from the export of beef, avocados, tomatoes and onions all declined.
Mining exports increased 18.6% annually to $1.28 billion in October.
Revenue from exports of manufactured goods exceeds $500 billion in 2025
INEGI’s data shows that the shipment abroad of manufactured goods generated revenue of $501.11 billion between January and October, an increase of 8.6% compared to the same period of last year.
The value of non-auto sector exports increased 16% to $346.17 billion, while auto sector exports declined 4.9% to $154.94 billion. Of every $100 in export revenue between January and October, $63.20 came from the export of non-auto sector manufactured goods, up from $58.20 in the same period of last year.
Mexico makes a wide range of manufactured goods, including electronic equipment, medical devices and aerospace inputs.
Oil sector exports were worth $18.17 billion in the first 10 months of the year, a 24.3% annual decline, while the value of agricultural exports fell 9.6% to $17.65 billion.
The value of exported mineral resources increased 23.2% annually to reach $10.82 billion between January and October.
Mexico recorded a trade deficit between January and October
Mexico’s outlay on imports was $550.09 billion in the first 10 months of 2025, according to INEGI. That figure represents a 3.1% increase compared to the same period of last year.
Mexico thus recorded a trade deficit of $2.32 billion between January and October, representing an 88.2% decrease compared to the deficit in the same period of 2024.
In October, Mexico’s outlay on imports increased 12.8% annually to a record high $65.52 billion, leaving it with a trade surplus of $606.1 million during that month.
In the first 10 months of the year, more than three-quarters of Mexico’s expenditure on imports (77%) went to the purchase of intermediate goods, products used as inputs in the production of other goods.
Mexico imported intermediate goods worth $423.21 billion between January and October, an annual increase of 6.2%.
Mexico’s outlay on petroleum imports, including refined fuel, declined 7.8% to $39.14 billion in the first 10 months of 2025. Expenditure on petroleum “consumer goods” — i.e. gasoline and diesel — declined by an even larger 20%, indicating that Mexico’s reliance on foreign fuel is on the wane, a positive sign as the federal government targets self-sufficiency.
Mexico’s outlay on non-oil consumer goods declined 0.4% to $67.62 billion in the first 10 months of 2025, while expenditure on capital goods (including manufacturing machinery) fell 8.6% to $46.8 billion.
