The explosion took place late afternoon Sunday, as families gathered in the square to watch a clown performance. (Cuartoscuro)
The Pacific coast resort city of Acapulco was rocked by an explosion on Sunday afternoon that injured at least nine people. Emergency personnel and security forces rushed to the scene to attend to the injured and collect evidence.
The incident took place in the Plaza Álvarez, the main square in old town Acapulco. Witnesses said they heard two detonations near the small fairgrounds set up opposite the cathedral.
Police and National Guard personnel revised their initial report of four casualties to nine, as they widened their search for victims.
Authorities on Monday confirmed that the number of casualties was nine, but released little information about the status of the victims, including a baby whose condition was not disclosed. One of the wounded, a 23-year-old woman who had suffered first-degree burns on her lower back, was described as in stable condition.
Emergency personnel load an injured person into an ambulance after the explosion in Acapulco’s central square. (Piko Sariñana/X)
The armed forces arrived to help secure the area and participate in the investigation. The Guerrero state government declared an emergency Sunday night as local, state and federal authorities coordinated the response to the explosion. The state government also sought to assure Acapulco residents and tourists in a statement on social media that it was doing everything in its power to guarantee security and resolve the situation.
As of Monday afternoon, the authorities had yet to reveal the cause of the explosion. According to the news site López-Dóriga Digital, local media speculated that the explosion was caused by a Molotov cocktail, echoing fears related to a wave of violence the resort city experienced in May.
The Plaza Álvarez, formerly the Plaza de Armas, sits in the Historic Center of Acapulco on the western end of the city, just off the main tourist strip. The Our Lady of Solitude Cathedral dominates the northern side of the plaza, which features five fountains and a band kiosk.
The state of Querétaro will receive the largest amount of the FDI announced from January through May 31. (Aberi Go/Shutterstock)
So far this year, foreign and multinational companies have announced plans to invest more than US $39 billion in Mexico in what is known as foreign direct investment (FDI).
Between Jan. 1 and May 31, private firms announced their intention to invest $39.2 billion in Mexico, according to the Economy Ministry (SE).
The ministry said that there were a total of 127 investment announcements in the first five months of the year. The projects announced are expected to create more than 54,000 new jobs.
Just over half of the total investment — 51% — will come from the United States, Mexico’s largest trade partner and source of FDI. Mexico’s next biggest investors based on announcements made so far this year are Germany (14% of the total) and Argentina (11%).
The lion’s share of the money — 56% — will go to the manufacturing sector, while the mass media, commercial and transport sectors will receive 13% each, the SE said.
The majority of the foreign direct investment will go the manufacturing sector, benefiting operations like this Audi plant in San José Chiapa, Puebla. (Carlos Aranda/Unsplash)
The ministry highlighted that 16% of the expected new investment will go to Querétaro, 12% to México state, 9% to Nuevo León and 5% to Coahuila. The other 58% will be divided between Mexico’s 27 other states and Mexico City.
The largest investment announcements in the first five months of 2024 were those made by Coca-Cola bottler and convenience store owner FEMSA ($9.96 billion); Amazon Web Services ($4.96 billion); and DHL Supply Chain ($4 billion).
The SE on Sunday highlighted the three largest investment announcements in the second half of last month.
It noted that Evergo, a Dominican Republic-based company that operates charging stations for electric vehicles, intends to invest $200 million in Mexico, while United States contract manufacturer L&T Precision announced a $143 million investment.
The third foreign direct investment announcement mentioned by the SE was the plan by Japanese air conditioner manufacturing company Daikin, which plans to invest $122 million in Mexico.
Evergo, a Dominican electric vehicle charger company, plans to invest US $200 million in Mexico, Economy Ministry officials said.
The FDI announced in the first 5 months of the year is over $3 billion more than the total foreign investment recorded in 2023.
The SE reported last month that foreign investment in Mexico hit a new record high in the first quarter of 2024, with Mexico FDI increasing 9% annually to exceed US $20.3 billion.
But only 3% of the FDI Mexico received in the first three months of the year — around $600 million — was new foreign investment, while 97% was reinvestment of profits by foreign companies and investors that already had a presence in the country.
However, based on the recent announcements made by foreign companies, the “new investment” percentage of Mexico’s FDI should increase significantly in coming years.
Scores of companies — including automakers Tesla and Kia, steelmaker Ternium and energy firms Mexico Pacific Limited and Woodside — made large investment announcements last year.
Migration authorities cleared migrants out of the Juárez neighborhood encampment Wednesday night. (La Colonia Juárez/X)
Mexican authorities cleared a migrant encampment in downtown Mexico City last week, removing tents and relocating more than 400 migrants who had been living in Giordano Bruno Plaza.
The operation, carried out by the National Institute of Migration (INM) and the National Guard, aimed to address concerns about the growing number of migrants camping out in the Juárez neighborhood at the city’s center.
Residents in the vibrant, cosmopolitan area had long complained of encampments occupying the largely paved pedestrian zone. Last May, dozens of migrants were evicted from the same plaza, only to return a day later to set up a new camp.
This time, authorities directed the migrants to get on buses heading to states such as Puebla, Morelos, Hidalgo, Aguascalientes and Chiapas, according to destination signs on each bus, although later reports said the first five buses all headed to Chiapas.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador addressed the migrant situation at his Monday morning press conference, asserting that Mexico is not in crisis.
“There is no overflow of migrants into Mexico that could cause a problem,” López Obrador said.
A sign at the cleared-out Giordano Bruno Plaza encampment welcomes migrant families to Mexico City. (Galo Cañas Rodríguez/Cuaroscuro)
He emphasized that deportations have not increased significantly and that many migrants are being integrated into the Mexican economy, citing the example of 35,000 Guatemalans working in Quintana Roo.
The president highlighted Mexico’s efforts to address the root causes of migration and criticized U.S. policies, which he claimed lack serious initiatives to resolve the issue.
“Where we have the most difficulty is with countries with which the United States does not want to seek solutions or agreements,” he said. “I am referring to Cuba, Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua and, recently, Guatemala.”
As an example of Mexico’s commitment to tackle the underlying issues driving migration, he discussed a plan to extend the Maya Train into Belize and Guatemala, potentially creating what he said would be 100,000 jobs in those countries.
The removal of the migrant camp involved pulling up tents and tarps, and providing migrants with assistance as they gathered their things. The 432 people in the camp were reportedly from Haiti, Venezuela and Central America, with some homeless Mexicans mixed in; most of the foreigners had documents allowing them to remain in Mexico, and simply agreed to leave.
Many of the migrants had submitted their asylum paperwork and were waiting for responses from the Mexican Commission for Aid to Refugees (COMAR).
Gerardo Talavera, director of the Casa Refugiados program, told the online news outlet Animal Político that the regularization of immigration status is not linked to any one location.
Many migrants hailing from Haiti, Venezuela and Central America had set up camp in the downton Juárez neighborhood while waiting for Mexican authorities to process their migration applications. (Daniel Augosto/Cuartoscuro)
However, he added, for those who had already started the process in Mexico City, “part of their procedure includes not leaving the federal entity, so when they are taken out of here, [they] lose their progress. That is serious.”
Talavera said the operation caused a lot of confusion because many migrants were not given “adequate information.” He said some migrants were forced onto buses without being asked.
Pride month kicked off last weekend with parades in Monterrey, Acapulco and Guadalajara. (Carlos Carbajal/Cuartoscuro)
Celebrations of LGBTQ+ Pride month are held around the world every June.
To mark the occasion, several cities in Mexico will host an array of public events including pride parades, concerts and other activities. Below you will find some of the events to be held around the country in the coming weeks.
Want to participate in a Pride parade in Mexico this month? We’ve got you covered. (Cuartoscuro)
Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo
On Saturday, June 15, Playa del Carmen will host its 12th annual pride parade starting from the Poliforum sports complex at 4 p.m. and ending at the 28 de Julio civic square. The parade will close with a free event including special guests and live performances.
The parade will kick off at El Mirador de Los Arcos, continue along Manuel Acuña and Zaragoza streets before arriving at downtown Querétaro, where the parade will conclude at Jardín Guerrero.
With an anticipated attendance of over 80,000 people, the parade will start at 5 p.m. outside the Venustiano Carranza Stadium on Acueducto Street, and end in front of the cathedral on Madero Street.
There will be two stages along the parade: one outside the Venustiano Carranza Stadium, and another one in front of the cathedral. Both stages will feature various artists and live performances, including a live show by the Spanish group Locomía.
Puebla, Puebla
Saturday, June 22, will also see the LGBTQ+ Pride Parade 2024 take place in the city of Puebla. It will start at 3 p.m. at Parque Juárez and finish at the city’s zócalo or main square in downtown Puebla.
This year’s parade will be dedicated to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and transsexual elders.
Tijuana, Baja California
The 29th edition of the Pride Parade Tijuana, which anticipates an attendance of 60,000 people, will take place on Saturday, June 29, at 5 p.m. The massive parade will begin on G Street and end at Second Street with a concert by Mexican singer Paulina Rubio, who will also be the “godmother” of the event.
One of the central themes of the parade will be to raise awareness and push for the eradication of conversion therapies. Even though these controversial therapies are illegal in Mexico, Edgar Edoardo Rodríguez Delgado, head of the Diversity and Inclusion Subdirectorate of Baja California, told the newspaper El Sol de Tijuana that they still happen in the state.
Neos will fly once weekly from Verona to Cancún starting in December. (Wikimedia Commons)
Starting in December, Italy’s Neos airline will operate a non-stop flight between the Italian city of Verona and the Mexican resort city of Cancún.
This will be Neos’s third route to Mexico’s famous beach destination, as the airline already operates two routes to Cancún from Milan-Malpensa and Rome. Founded in 2001, Neos has operational bases in Milan-Malpensa, Verona, Bologna and Rome.
The new Verona-Cancún flight time will be 11 hours and 45 minutes, landing in Terminal 2 of Cancún International Airport. Neos will offer one round-trip route per week, departing on Sundays.
According to Quintana Roo’s Governor Mara Lezama, the flight will start operating the third week of December. Tickets are now available for purchase on the airline’s website.
“In this New Era of Tourism, more and more visitors from around the world will discover the wonders of the Mexican Caribbean,” Lezama said in a statement on X.
Cancún is one of Mexico’s most visited destinations for international travelers. Cancún International Airport rounded out 2023 with a record total of 33.7 million passengers, making it Mexico’s second-busiest airport, after the Mexico City International Airport (AICM).
The state of Quintana Roo, also home to the coveted destinations of Tulum and Playa del Carmen, saw 21 million visitors throughout 2023 – up 8% over 2022.
President López Obrador showed the Morena coalition's anticipated congressional seats at the Monday morning press conference, following the publication of final election results. While the allocation of seats will not be confirmed until August, Morena and its allies will have a supermajority in the lower house and will be just shy of one in the upper house. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Final election results indicate that Mexico’s ruling Morena party and its allies easily won a two-thirds majority in the lower house of Congress, but fell just short of a supermajority in the Senate.
Morena will thus have to seek support from a few opposition senators in order to approve the constitutional reform proposals submitted to Congress by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in February.
López Obrador has proposed 20 constitutional reforms before the end of his term on Sept. 30, 2024. (Cuartoscuro)
López Obrador, Morena’s founder, will hand over the presidential sash to Claudia Sheinbaum on Oct. 1, exactly one month after the new Congress is sworn in.
Proportional representation seats won’t be officially allocated until August, but June 2 results announced by the National Electoral Institute (INE) on Sunday indicate that Morena and its allies, the Labor Party (PT) and the Green Party (PVEM), won 370 of 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 82 of 128 seats in the Senate, according to the newspaper El Economista.
A two-thirds majority is 334 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 86 seats in the Senate.
Morena’s national president, Mario Delgado, was slightly more optimistic about the rewards the Morena-PT-PVEM coalition will reap from its strong showing in the elections on the first Sunday in June.
He posted an infographic to social media that showed that the three allied parties will have 372 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 83 in the Senate.
“Thanks to all of you Plan C is a reality!” Delgado wrote above the image, referencing López Obrador’s much-touted plan to gain sufficient support for his reform proposals by winning supermajorities in Congress.
The Morena party national president, Mario Delgado, showed optimism about Morena’s results in the Senate. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro.com)
“With a qualified majority in the Chamber of Deputies and a majority in the Senate, we will deepen the transformation in order to continue building a country with wellbeing and shared prosperity,” the Morena national president added.
Delgado has expressed confidence that gaining the support of a few opposition lawmakers to approve constitutional reforms will not be an overly difficult task.
Among López Obrador’s planned reforms are ones to disband several autonomous government agencies, change Mexico’s electoral system, overhaul the pension system, incorporate the National Guard into the military and allow citizens to directly elect Supreme Court justices and other judges.
Critics say that some of the proposals will reduce checks and balances on executive power in Mexico.
Preliminary results indicating that Morena and its allies would have the numbers in Congress to approve the proposals with little or no negotiation with opposition parties caused the Mexican peso and the Mexican Stock Exchange (BMV) to lose significant ground last week.
The BMV has recovered some of its losses, but the peso remains well below its pre-election level. It was trading at just above 18.30 to the US dollar at midday Mexico City time on Monday.
Rogelio Ramírez de la O will stay on as Finance Minister “indefinitely” and has laid out a list of economic commitments endorsed by President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
She also said there would be broad dialogue about the reform proposals, but López Obrador appears determined to get at least some of them — especially his proposed judicial reform — approved before his term as president ends.
Political makeup of Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies
As mentioned earlier, proportional representation seats — 200 in the Chamber of Deputies and 32 in the Senate — will not be officially allocated until August. Legal challenges could affect the final allocation of seats in both houses of Congress.
The governing alliance
According to the newspaper El Economista, Morena won 245 seats in the lower house of Congress, the PVEM won 77 and PT won 48. The three parties together would thus have 270 seats.
INE results show that Morena won 40.8% of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies election, the PVEM attracted 8.4% support and the PT received 5.5% of all ballots cast.
The three-party coalition known as Let’s Keep Making History thus won 54.7% of the vote. It will have more than triple the number of seats of the three-party opposition bloc.
The PVEM, which was previously an ally of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), will be the second biggest party in the Chamber of Deputies after Morena.
The opposition
Once the recently-elected lawmakers assume their positions on Sept. 1, the National Action Party (PAN) will have 68 seats in the lower house of Congress, the PRI will have 33 and the PRD will have three, according to El Economista.
Thus, the three-party alliance made up of the PAN, the PRI and the PRD will have 104 seats.
Strength and Heart for Mexico, as the coalition is called, supported Xóchitl Gálvez in the presidential election. She attracted 27.45% of the vote, well behind Sheinbaum with 59.75%.
INE results show that the PAN won 16.9% of the vote in the Chamber of Deputies election, the PRI attracted 11.1% support and the PRD received 2.4% of all ballots cast.
Thus, Strength and Heart for Mexico won 30.4% of the vote.
The Citizens Movement (MC) party won 10.9% of the vote and will have 25 seats in the lower house, according to El Economista. Its presidential election candidate, Jorge Álvarez Máynez, attracted 10.3% support on June 2.
One of the 500 members of the lower house of Congress is set to be an independent.
Deputies serve three-year terms.
With 82 senators, the Morena-PVEM-PT bloc is just 4 seats shy of a supermajority in the Senate. (polls.mx)
Breakdown of Mexico’s Senate
The governing alliance
According to El Economista, Morena won 60 seats in the Senate, the PVEM won 14 and the PT won eight. The Morena-led coalition will thus have 82 seats in the upper house.
INE results show that Morena attracted 40.8% of the vote, the PVEM had 8.9% support and the PT received 5.5% of all ballots cast.
Thus, the Morena-led coalition won 55.2% of the vote in the Senate election, narrowly beating its result in the Chamber of Deputies election. Despite that, its percentage of seats in the Senate will be lower than in the Chamber of Deputies.
The opposition
According to El Economista, the PAN won 22 seats in the Senate, the PRI won 16 and the PRD won two. That gives the three-party opposition bloc a total of 40 seats in the upper house.
INE results show that the PAN received 16.8% of the vote, the PRI got 10.9% and the PRD attracted 2.3% support. Combined support for the three-party alliance in the Senate election was 30%.
MC attracted 10.9% support in the Senate election and will have six senators as of Sept. 1, according to El Economista.
Authors Calle and Poché are part of a new wave of Latin American LGBTQ+ writers. Celebrate Pride Month with some of the best authors the scene has to offer. (Calle y Poché/Instagram)
As Mexico moves toward greater inclusivity, our personal libraries and reading lists reflect a greater variety of voices and experiences. Reading Mexican LGBTQ+ authors goes beyond supporting diversity; it enriches our lives by promoting empathy, understanding, and personal growth. By embracing new perspectives, we contribute to a more inclusive society and deepen our appreciation for the shared human experience.
Read on to learn more about eight authors whose works offer unique and valuable perspectives.
Alex Toledo
(Penguin)
Alex Toledo is a young author who has captured the attention of many with his short stories and novels that explore urban life and the experiences of modern youth. His fresh and dynamic style combines humor, introspection and a critical look at social structures.
Toledo is known for his ability to capture the voice of a generation facing unique challenges. He began writing texts for media aimed at the LGBTQ+ community and later started his own blog, where he initially discussed how he rediscovered his sexuality. In addition to making content for social networks, he has dedicated himself to writing diverse stories.
Recommended books: “Se curan rotos, descosidos y deshilachados”(They Heal Broken, Unstitched and Frayed”) and “Ni siempre, ni nunca (ni tú, ni yo)” (Not Always, Not Ever (Not You, Not Me)”.
Rafael Cabrera
(Penguin)
Rafael Cabrera is a contemporary author and journalist whose work has been instrumental in representing cultural diversity in modern literature. Cabrera is noted for his ability to weave complex narratives that are deeply personal and universally resonant.
He is the investigative journalist who became famous for co-authoring the investigation of President Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration, which Cabrera says is “a gay report, with great humor.” Although he hasn’t dabbled in writing about LGBTQ+ issues, we highly recommend you follow him.
Recommended book: “Debo olvidar que existí” (“I Must Forget that I Existed”) which is a portrait of Mexican novelist, screenwriter and journalist Elena Garro — credited with initiating Mexico’s magical realism genre — and the circumstances under which she wrote “Los recuerdos del porvenir” (“Memories of the Future”).
Luis Zapata
(INBA)
Luis Zapata, a veteran of Latin American literature, is a very influential figure in Mexican gay literature. His works often address issues of sexuality and marginalization, providing a platform for voices that are often silenced.
Zapata is celebrated for his courage in tackling taboo subjects and for his ability to humanize characters struggling with social and personal adversity. The author died in 2020, but his work is a legacy that reflects, far from clichés and prejudices, the life of flesh-and-blood people who live among us.
Recommended book: “El vampiro de la colonia Roma” (“The Vampire of the Roma Neighborhood”). This book is the watershed moment at which LGBTQ+ literature in Mexico came out of hiding.
Clyo Mendoza
(Tres Reinos)
Clyo Mendoza Herrera is one of the most profound voices in contemporary fiction and poetry that recovers the voices of native peoples, victims of gender violence, and desolate spaces. In 2017, she became the youngest writer ever to win the poetry prize in Mexico’s Sor Juana Inés International Literature Contest.
Clyo writes poetry and novels, where she explores different literary techniques, using free verse and automatic writing.
Recommended book: “Furia”is a journey through madness. The book offers a poignant questioning of love and violence, the way they often seem to be intertwined and the suffering both bring.
Reyna Barrera
(Plaza y Valdes)
Reyna Barrera’s work, deeply influenced by her cultural heritage, offers an introspective look at the struggles and triumphs of women in diverse contexts.
She has dedicated her life to social justice and freedom, participating in countless strikes and marches for the causes she believes in, especially minority rights. Her testimony to lesbian love has been an inspiration to many who fight for equality and acceptance of sexual diversity in Mexico and around the world.
Beginning her literary career in the 1980s, she has explored themes of love and sexuality and has been a staunch advocate for freedom of expression and gender equality. Barrera is a powerful and necessary voice in contemporary literature, and her work promises to continue to impact readers of all ages.
Recommended book: “Sandra, secreto amor.” (“Sandra, Secret Love”). In this book, Barrera achieves a perfect narrative style in the conception of a still forbidden plot that questions gender and sexuality norms in Mexican society.
Mexico is home to writers from all over the world, and there are three LGBTQ+ Latin American writers who have adopted Mexico and have been adopted as Mexicans. They deserve the spotlight, too.
This pair of super popular Colombian content creators and romantic partners have together become an icon of the Latin American LGBTQ+ community by defending their civil rights and being open about their personal life and their lesbian relationship. They have over 7 million subscribers to their YouTube channel.
Recommended book: “Sí, si es contigo,” (“Yes, If It Is With You”) a novel about first love and how painful and wonderful it can be. And the sequel “¿Y si no es conimgo?” (“And If It Is Not With You?”)
José Ignacio Valenzuela
(IMDB)
The author is also known as “Chascas” by his younger audience. He stands out among LGBTQ+ writers coming from Chile, a place where there is still much to be done to guarantee the right to gender and sexual diversity. Valenzuela and his partner recently went through the process of adopting a child, and he writes about that experience.
Recommended book: “Gente como yo” (“People Like Me”) is the story of a gay couple in search of parenthood, inspired by Valenzuela’s personal experiences. And “Un día con papá y dada” (“A Day With Papa and Dada”), a children’s book dedicated to his daughter, Leonora.
The writers mentioned here are just a tiny sample of the talents that enrich the Mexican literary world. We invite you to share this article and recommend in the comments other Mexican LGBTQ+ writers you think deserve to be better known.
Camila Sánchez Bolaño is a journalist, feminist, bookseller, lecturer, and cultural promoter and is Editor in Chief of Newsweek en Español magazine.
Whether a new build or an existing home, converting your home to a sustainable one is always a great decision. (La Casita Ecológica Sierra Gorda/Facebook)
The concepts of self-sufficiency and self-sustainability are more prevalent than ever, largely due to people’s desire for autonomy and independence and the fact that both contribute to increased sustainability in the world, a Sustainable Development Goal recognized by the United Nations as urgent to achieve the necessary energy transition. This has led to a new wave of sustainable homes in Mexico, designed to help the environment and deliver savings to homeowners.
It is becoming increasingly evident that energy sovereignty on the national level is crucial in reducing the global carbon footprint. Some nations have greater potential to achieve this, depending on their access to clean energy sources.
Modern, eco-friendly designs have become popular in Mexico in recent years. They combine stunning architecture with ingenious cost savings and energy reduction. (CC)
In the case of Mexico, the abundance of sunlight for approximately 12 hours a day, most of the year, makes certain areas ideal for generating sustainable homes with renewable energy. This particularity is advantageous as factors like cleaning, water purification systems, temperature control and water management systems can rely on the renewable energy sourced from the sun.
According to the Geophysical Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), a square area of Mexico measuring 50 kilometers per side receives sufficient solar radiation throughout the year to fulfil the energy requirements of a population of 120 million people. Just imagine the possibilities!
David Andrew Henry, a Canadian economist and specialist in strategic planning, has resided in Yucatán for 20 years. “I installed 16 solar panels five years ago for $9,000,” he told Mexico News Daily. “My monthly bill from the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) is now only 110 pesos. It has been my most beneficial investment. Prior to installing the solar panels, I used to worry about CFE surcharges, constantly telling myself not to use the air conditioner too much to avoid higher costs.”
Solar panels can provide homes with the power they need to run and allow electricity to be sold to Mexico’s national provider. (CC)
It is crucial to leverage your environment in terms of location and materials, preferably starting from the construction phase. David Henry implemented adjustments for temperature control: “In this Yucatán region, many houses have flat concrete roofs that absorb and retain heat throughout the day, radiating temperatures of 40 to 50°C round the clock”.
To address this, he added 4 inches of styrofoam insulation under the roof, allowing him to cool the room to a comfortable 25°C. “This temperature is maintained for approximately an hour without needing to run the air conditioning,” Dr. Henry told me.
“I recently installed a new 12,000 BTU mini-split unit, and the cold air stratifies. Another important factor is to install the diffusers at a lower height. In my case, they are positioned at 2 meters (6 feet) from the ground, whereas in Yucatán, most are typically installed near the ceiling,” he says.
Adobe is a thermal material that keeps the house at a comfortable temperature, no matter the conditions outside. (Expedia)
Water
Becoming more self-sufficient and sustainable often begins with the fundamentals: water collection. Mexico is home to rain harvesting initiatives like Isla Urbana, a social enterprise that has developed cost-effective rainwater collection systems. So far, they have implemented 30,700 systems, benefiting at least 584,834 individuals.
Installing this type of system is incredibly simple in addition to being a responsible choice. Water-saving devices are also highly significant. For instance, a toilet saver can be very cost-effective, saving up to 1.5 liters of water per flush. A faucet aerator can work wonders, saving up to 9.5 liters per minute. A showerhead saver can save up to 16 liters per minute. Numerous options are available that are as efficient, if not more, than the products offered by Isla Urbana, and are equally cost-effective.
Another effective method to enhance water sustainability in your home is to treat greywater. Greywater describes wastewater from sinks, laundry rooms, showers and washing machines. This type of water is generally less harmful to health and the environment compared to the blackwater generated by toilets. With an appropriate treatment system, greywater can offer essential nutrients that plants require for growth, making it suitable for reuse. Various filters are available on the market to meet your specific needs in this area.
Tips to make your home more sustainable
Ensuring your home is eco-friendly can lead to great savings and help the planet at the same time. (Markus Spiske/Unsplash)
As mentioned earlier, energy efficiency plays a crucial role in achieving a more sustainable home, alongside other key aspects such as effective water management and temperature control systems. Additionally, implementing proper waste management practices, including separating organic waste for composting and recyclable waste, is essential. While some cities in Mexico may mix waste in garbage trucks, it is possible to research alternative ways to dispose of recyclable materials directly.
For the best outcomes, expert advice can help identify the necessary resources available on the market. Enhancing the sustainability of your home contributes positively to Mexico and the environment — and potentially your finances as well.
Ana Paula de la Torre is a Mexican journalist and collaborator for various outlets including Milenio, Animal Político, Vice, Newsweek en Español, Televisa and Mexico News Daily.
A short trip to Mexico became anything but, thanks to the stunning beauty of the country and the people. (Expedia)
People often ask why I love Mexico. The answer is a simple one.
Mexico took me by surprise. A delightful surprise. Originally wanting to move to Valencia, Spain, my plan was to move from Antigua Guatemala, where I’d lived for two years, to Mexico where it was easier to become a resident (back then) and apply for Spanish visas.
Then I fell in love.
While Plan A might have been Valencia, Spain, things soon took a very different turn. (Musement)
With the warmth of the people and the amazing variations in cultures; Mexican, Mayan and other indigenous groups. I fell in love with the art, the textiles and fabrics, as well as the incredibly talented artisans bringing it all to life with amazingly vibrant color. Yes, the colors, most of all, the quintessentially joyful Mexican colors, are what I fell in love with. And let’s not forget the food.
The amazing food, made fresh daily like a gift, made my tastebuds dance. I mean if you’ve never had a tlacoyo stuffed with beans and topped with perfectly sautéed huitlacoche drizzled with cream then I’d love to be there when you do. My taste buds rejoiced and I’ve never had a more perfect breakfast. No wonder it’s been a favorite since pre-Hispanic times. Like your Grandmother’s recipes, which always seem to taste amazing, these traditional recipes have been handed down for hundreds (if not thousands) of years, and you just don’t mess with perfection.
All of these things blew me away and that’s why I decided to stay another year, then another. Now, it’s been seven and delightful surprises still pop up all the time. Just today, I was delighted at the optometrist.
My glasses needed repair, which will take two weeks. Without them, I am lost but was delighted that a pair of readers in my prescription was only twenty-five pesos.
To clarify, I live on Cozumel, an island in the Riviera Maya region of the Mexican Caribbean, so repairs take longer because my glasses have to be sent to the mainland. While that’s less than ideal, I was delighted that replacements in my prescription were available so cheaply that I picked up two pairs just in case I misplaced one.
That’s the thing about Mexico. Even if you are inconvenienced, there is always a quick (and normally cheap) fix to get you through. Yes, even though there has been a lot of discussion lately about the cost of living increase, it is still a lot cheaper than in the US.
As Mexico Correspondent for International Living, I travel regularly. Every time I go to the US to speak at conferences or attend boot camps, I am always taken aback by the difference in the price of things. Out of curiosity, I asked my friend in the US, who recently bought a pair of cheap reading glasses from the pharmacy, how much they were. She replied, “Oh nothing, they were ten or fifteen dollars.”
Even at that ‘cheap’ price they are still ten times more expensive in the US. My cheap is a different cheap. My prescription twenty-five peso reading glasses (US $1.50) compared to fifteen dollars, I know which cheap I’d prefer for the same glasses.
While there has been a noticeable rise in the cost of living, Mexico still offers excellent value for residents. (Optica Caribe)
So, when I hear people complaining about inflation, I’m still thankful that I live in Mexico because today’s little excursion to the optometrist would have been ten times more expensive if I didn’t live here.
Plus, the warmth of the Mexican people is evident in every daily interaction. Like a local, I caught the combi — a collectivo which is a local van transport — to the optometrist. As soon as the door slid open there were smiling faces and as I sat was met with a chorus of buenos diás. Now when was the last time you got on a bus and everyone smiled and said good morning?
The same thing happened when I entered the optometrist’s shop. All the staff wore big smiles, and another chorus of buenos diás met my ears. Now, I don’t know about you, but that’s how I like to start my day — with smiling faces and people warmly saying good morning.
This is why I stay. This is why I love it here. It hasn’t changed in seven years, though prices have gone up. More foreigners arrive each year after realizing how relaxing and wonderful it is, but the local people never change.
There is a genuineness here and all through Mexico. Last month, I went on a work trip to San Miguel de Allende. From passing people in the street to the cleaner sweeping the steps of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel early one morning to the driver who I called every time I needed a ride. Every single one of them was lovely, warm, full of smiles, and most importantly, were angels when listening to my bad Spanish.
As you can see, I was only supposed to stay a year but even now seven years I fall a little more in love each day with no plans of leaving just yet. Spain can wait. Or perhaps become an extended vacation at some point because Mexico has embraced my heart and soul.
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 7 years now she’s in love with Mexico and has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon.
Mexico has some of the best golf courses in the world, with some of the most incredible and must-play holes in the sport. (TPC Danzante Golf Resort)
Mexico is one of the world’s best but most underrated golfing destinations, with great courses in almost every region. At their best, these courses feature world-class designs from very familiar names — most notably Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman — in spectacular natural settings. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many of these golf meccas are found in well-traveled resort areas. That makes them easy to find for most vacationers but also increases competition for tee times.
However, there are plenty of hidden gems, too, including outstanding layouts in some unexpected places.
The top golf destinations in Mexico
Golf locales like Los Cabos, the Riviera Maya and Puerto Vallarta aren’t just popular with tourists. They’ve also proven increasingly popular for the PGA, LPGA and LIV Golf Tours.
Los Cabos
Cliffside 17th hole at Danzante Bay. It is probably the definitive bucket list golf hole in Mexico, and one of the few worldwide worth traveling to see in person. (TPC Danzante Golf Resort)
Cabo is especially notable, as it’s the golf capital of Mexico and, indeed, all of Latin America. Eighteen courses are currently open, with up to six more being planned or under construction. With only one exception — the modest Vidanta course that started the golf trend in 1987 — all are world-class layouts from a who’s who of big-name designers, including Nicklaus, Norman, Tiger Woods, Davis Love III, Fred Couples and Tom Weiskopf. Love’s links-style Dunes Course at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas is the most highly rated, peaking at 34th in Golf Digest’s listing of the “World’s 100 Greatest” layouts. However, it was a neighboring course, Woods’ parkland El Cardonal, that was chosen to host the first PGA event in Los Cabos, the World Wide Technology Championship in 2023, after it was moved from Mayakoba on the Rivera Maya due to drama surrounding the Saudi-backed LIV Tour (of which that course’s designer Greg Norman is CEO).
The TPC Danzante Bay Golf Resort in Loreto, another Baja California Sur destination, is also a must visit thanks to its Rees Jones design and stunning backdrops featuring offshore islands.
Quintana Roo
The picturesque Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Course on the Riviera Maya. (Fairmont Hotels and Resorts)
The state of Quintana Roo isn’t far behind Los Cabos in its number of world-class golf layouts. It makes sense, since about 20 million people annually travel to its best-known resort area, Cancún.
Like Los Cabos, the best courses in Cancún come from high-profile former players. Three-time major champion Nick Price crafted the world-class El Tinto Course at Cancún Country Club; another major champion, Tom Weiskopf, designed Puerto Cancún; and the greatest champion of them all, Nicklaus, laid out Riviera Cancún.
Norman’s then-newly opened El Camaleón Mayakoba Golf Course became the first official PGA Tour event in Mexico following its premier on the Riviera Maya in 2007. Thanks to its mix of divergent terrains — from jungle and wetlands to coastline holes boasting Caribbean vistas — it’s one of the most memorable regional loops and now serves as a LIV Tour stop each year. It’s located just north of Playa del Carmen. Nicklaus’ Cozumel Country Club is the top golf spot on the eponymous nearby island.
Puerto Vallarta and Nuevo Vallarta
On the 6th green at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Quivira Golf Club in Cabo San Lucas. (Quivira Los Cabos)
Nicklaus put Los Cabos on the golfing map and then did the same for Nuevo Vallarta with his superb Bahía and Pacífico courses at Punta Mita; and Puerto Vallarta with his course at Vista Vallarta. Norman’s Vidanta Vallarta course also deserves plaudits, since it’s now the site of the oldest pro tournament in the country, the Abierto Mexicano de Golf. The event has been played since the 1940s, including at several locations and as a stop on several tours — Challenger, Nationwide and the PGA Tour Latinoamérica, to name a few — before it graduated to the PGA rota in 2022.
Mexico City
Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City has hosted the National Open 18 times. In recent years, it has also played host to the WGC-Mexico Championship, treating galleries to the sight of golf balls sailing massive distances due to the course’s nearly 8,000 feet in elevation. Laid out by Scotsman Willie Smith during the Mexican Revolution and renovated by Percy Clifford in the early 1970s, it hosted the WGC event for only four years, 2017 through 2020, before it was moved due to pandemic conditions and then dropped from the rotation. It’s private, so it’s not playable unless you know a member. This, it should be mentioned, is an issue at many courses in Mexico City, including Nicklaus’ Bosques Real and Cañadas de Santa Fe courses.
Lorena Ochoa and LPGA landmarks
Tres Marías Golf Course in Morelia, designed by Jack Nicklaus. (Tres Marías)
It’s worth noting that Mexico’s most accomplished golfer, retired star and World Golf Hall of Fame member Lorena Ochoa, has also been associated with domestically hosted tournaments. She is a three-time winner of the LPGA-sponsored Tres Marías Championship, held between 2005 and 2010 at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Tres Marías Residential Golf Club in Morelia, Michoacán. She never won her eponymous tournament, the Lorena Ochoa Invitational, contested between 2008 and 2017, which originally saw top money winners on the tour playing John Bredemus’ Guadalajara Country Club layout, considered one of the best in the country. But that might be because she retired in 2010, prior to the event’s relocation to the likewise acclaimed Lawrence Hughes and Percy Clifford-designed Club de Golf México in Mexico City.
The legacy of the “Golden Amigo”
What quickly becomes apparent to anyone playing golf in Mexico is how many of the best courses were designed by the “Golden Amigo,” Jack Nicklaus. It’s all the more remarkable considering the 18-time major champion didn’t design his first course in Mexico until 1993, when he completed the first 18 of 27 holes at Palmilla in Los Cabos.
In the three decades since, Nicklaus has crafted five more courses in Los Cabos; two at Puerto Peñasco in Sonora; and one each in Campeche and Mérida, among many others, including previously mentioned loops on the Riviera Maya and in Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta and Mexico City. All are of excellent quality.
His El Jaguar course is a particularly underrated gem. Crafted around lakes, sacred Maya cenotes and ancient archaeological remains, Nicklaus’ 7,282-yard layout is a master class in integrating a course within its natural setting. The course features an unusual five par-3s and five par-5s to accommodate its picturesque routing. But it’s bookending par-4 holes at 9 and 18 that are among the best golf holes in the country.
A brief history of Mexican golf
As Nicklaus’ legacy suggests, just as in the United States, where Scottish immigrants played an outsize role in the game’s development, golf in Mexico has benefitted from international influences. The first golf links ever built in the country — the six-hole Santa Gertrudis course laid out at Orizaba in Veracruz in 1894 — was the work of Scottish employees at a local jute factory. A dozen more courses had been built by the mid-1920s, including layouts in Guadalajara, Mexico City, Monterrey, Pachuca, Puebla and Tampico.
Another wandering Scot, Alister MacKenzie — best known for designing golf courses at Augusta National and Cypress Point — is also listed as the architect of record for Club Campestre de Tijuana. However, some sources alternatively credit prolific American designer William Bell. What is known definitively is that as part of the Agua Caliente Club property during the Prohibition Era, the course hosted a PGA tournament whose field included golf legends Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen and Horton Smith. Sarazen, the winner, pocketed $25,000.
There’s no doubt regarding the number of courses Percy Clifford designed in Mexico. The esteemed Mexico City native is responsible for at least 40, including memorable loops at Club de Golf México in his hometown; Querétaro Golf Club; Los Tabachines in Cuernavaca, Morelos; and Bajamar in Ensenada, Baja California. As recently as 1980, it was estimated that he was responsible for designing half the courses in the country. He was also an exceptional golfer, winning the National Amateur six times and the National Open five times.
Bucket list holes and experiences
Hole routing along the Pacific Ocean coastline at Quivira Golf Club. (Clint Johnston/Quivira Los Cabos)
No country on earth has more awe-inspiring, one-of-a-kind golf holes than Mexico. The cliffside 17th hole at TPC Danzante Bay is probably the definitive bucket list golf hole and one of the few worldwide worth traveling to see in person. Set just south of Loreto in Baja California Sur, the bunker-wrapped, sheer, cliff-framed green for the 178-yard par-3 gives way to breathtaking panoramic views of the Sea of Cortez and offshore islands of Bahía de Loreto National Park.
“I think most people would agree that the location of the 17th hole at TPC Danzante Bay is one of the most spectacular in the world of golf,” noted course architect Rees Jones rather modestly, after spending seven months on the iconic hole before the course opened in two phases in 2016 and 2017.
The “Whale’s Tail,” a par-3 at Nicklaus’ sublime Pacífico layout at Punta Mita is likewise celebrated, as it showcases the only ocean-based green in the world. The hole isn’t even in the actual routing, and is known colloquially as “3b.” But the 194-yard shot from the blacks is a must-try for visitors. However, if you want to putt, you’ll have to contrive to arrive during low tide, when the green is reachable via a stone pathway that’s usually underwater.
It’s the only ocean island golf hole in the world. The one-of-a-kind par-3 “Tail of the Whale” at Jack Nicklaus’ Pacifico layout at Punta Mita. (Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita)
The Nicklaus-designed Quivira Golf Club is also notable for its magnificent coastal scenery. The par-4 sixth is the most famous, featuring a small rocky outcropping where players can aim for the green, itself jutting out from a cliffside above the crashing Pacific. For those who find the 310-yard tee shot daunting, don’t worry: there’s a comfort food station on the way up the mountain that will provide liquid courage. Or you can hit a safer shot into the fairway and follow it along its sloping route down to the sea. The par-3 14th, meanwhile, also requires a tee shot that risks a lost ball falling hundreds of feet into churning ocean waters below. But at 148 yards, it’s short enough that most golfers should be able to land the shot safely.
Oso and Lobo, two friends who are scratch golfers and have played most of Mexico’s 230 or so courses, consider the question to be one of quality plus amazing settings. They love the holes mentioned above, but other favorites include the 6th and 18th at Tres Vidas, an Acapulco loop from Robert von Hagge; number 2 on the same designer’s Laguna Course, one of three nine-hole layouts at Isla Navidad in Manzanillo; and the ninth hole at El Tamarindo, a David Fleming design also found in the state of Jalisco. It just goes to show that when it comes to lists of the best golf holes, it’s best to make your own.
What to know when planning a Mexican golf trip
Before you start planning the list of the Mexican golf courses you want to play on your next vacation, make sure you have tee-time access. Some golf courses are public, while others are restricted to guests staying at certain resorts. Golf in Mexico is expensive enough — the best resort courses cost $200 and up for greens fees — without factoring in luxurious hotel accommodations.
Besides budgeting, your main concern should be ensuring your itinerary of courses doesn’t include an area covered by a travel advisory from the U.S. State Department. Los Cabos, Mexico City and the Riviera Maya are safe. But Mazatlán, home to several good golf courses including Robert Trent Jones Jr.’s Estrella del Mar, is currently a no-go. Sinaloa, the state where Mazatlán is located, is on the “don’t travel” list, as is Michoacán, where Nicklaus crafted 27 holes at the Tres Marías Residential Golf Club.
So pay attention to these factors. Otherwise, just have fun, hit it straight and enjoy the views.
Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook, and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.
