Thursday, May 1, 2025

So you want to go on a diet in Mexico

By
Sarah DeVries
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A woman standing on some scales
Trying to lose the pounds (or should that be kilos) in Mexico? Great news: It's easier than you might think! (I Yunmai/Unsplash)

Are you ready for another weekly tale of woe and minor inconvenience? This time it’s about going on a diet in Mexico.

As some of you know, I got back from a trip to the United States last month. As always, I put on at least eight pounds even though I was only there for a couple of weeks. Most came off within a week or so of being back in Mexico. Still, it left me sluggish, and made it really hard to get back to my normal eating habits.

An overweight person carryinf scales
It’s the ice cream, honestly. (Volodymyr Hryshchenko/Unsplash)

Part of the issue? I just can’t resist Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream. Even after their listeria scare, I loved them. “Well, we all make mistakes!” I said.

Pathetic, I know.

Then there were the restaurants I hadn’t been to in forever, and donuts! Krispy Kreme has opened a little kiosk at my local Mexican mall, but I need the real stuff when I go home. If they don’t taste the same as when my mom would get us donut holes before taking us to preschool, it’s just not the same.

As you can probably tell, my main issue is sugar. There have been times over the past several years in which I’ve given it up completely, often for months at a time. I’d slim down, and I’d feel good. “How could I have put that stuff in my body for so long?” I think.

Texan food might not be great for you, but sometimes Mexican food can be just as bad. (Abulón Antojería del Mar/Facebook)

Then I go home, and it’s game over.

At least I live in Mexico and not the U.S. I’m sure I’d weigh at least 50 pounds more if it were the other way around.

For some reason, it’s just easier not to go overboard in Mexico.

A disclaimer: being overweight is not the worst thing in the world. I’ve accepted that I’m no longer a teenage princess. It’s fine. But I’m getting older, and my body is handling the changes shakily, at best, and I need all the help I can get. Having seen high cholesterol and triglycerides on my last tests scared me straight for a while, but then I want home to Texas. And now here I am, trying to get back on track, again.

Red Rooster Drive In
It’s a delicious and convenient invention, but it’s not good for the waistline. (Tim Cooper/Unsplash)

So let’s say you, too, want to lose a bit of weight while you’re in Mexico. Happily, you’re in luck! There are a few forces against you — like there would be anywhere — but for the most part, I find keeping up at least a moderately healthy lifestyle here is much easier.

Let’s start with the forces against:

Limited options: If you’re someone like me that kind of hates to cook, and hates even more to plan meals, this is…kind of a problem. My creativity, alas, does not apply to all areas of my life, and food is for sure bottom of the list.
 Sometimes I try to solve this by finding a diet that I can just follow. Unfortunately, it always involves preparation, and often of ingredients that I just can’t find down here. If I were doing it in the U.S., I’d find quite a bit of what I needed in both the frozen and canned food aisles. Not so here! Canned food is especially limited, and things like egg and spinach microwavable frittatas, for example, are nowhere to be found.

Cheap and convenient sweets: This is not unique to Mexico, I realize, and the way they’re presented here is actually quite helpful. Still, it can be hard to resist the prominent displays of pillowy pastries, cookies, and sweets sold everywhere.

Mexicans aren’t militant: When I stopped eating sugar, people thought I was extreme. Surely, they asked, I could have a little in moderation? No, I cannot have a little in moderation. It’s like a beer to an alcoholic. One taste sends me down a slippery slope, and sobriety might take months to get back to. A relaxed attitude is good in general, but if you’re trying to be careful about your eating, it can render your intentions pretty much meaningless.

Fresh Mexican ingredients being prepared at home
Mexico is a haven for those who are in search of simple, fresh, wholesome food. (Jan Sedivy/Unsplash)


Now, for the good!

Fresh, inexpensive ingredients: While you might not find many diet-friendly convenience foods to serve as a crutch, you will find plenty of fresh food! Fruit and vegetables are quite inexpensive compared to the U.S. And not only can you find them at the grocery store, but even your local tiendita is bound to have some. The market, of course, is the place to be for variety galore. A bodega too is a great place to find things like nuts and seeds by weight. Unsweetened coconut flakes? Not at the store, but for sure at the bodega!

Way smaller portions: If you’ve mostly been living in the U.S., you’re probably used to having your drinks constantly refilled. Plates are gigantic and filled to the brim.
In Mexico, portions are much more reasonable. Ordering a Coke will get you a can of Coke and a glass of ice. If you want more, you order another one, and pay for it. And while you can certainly walk away full after a meal at a Mexican restaurant, stuffing yourself to the brim isn’t as easy. Another plus? “Comidas corrida” are cheap lunches where you show up and get what everyone is getting. There’s a soup, a main dish, a simple dessert and usually some agua fresca. Delicious, nutritious, and pretty well balanced!

Drive-through culture is absent: I’m speaking for my own community here. Fast food, U.S. style, is not an everyday thing. This is due in great part to the fact that it’s actually quite a bit more expensive than cheaper, homemade food. This is a good thing.

Nutritional warning labels: In 2019, a law was passed in Mexico that required black-and-white octagon-shaped warning labels be put on every package of food that contains excessive sugar, salt, calories, saturated fats and trans fats. I really appreciate these, as they work to counteract deceptive advertising. “Excess sugar in tomato sauce? What? Never mind!”

Lots of opportunities for exercise: In most communities in Mexico, you can walk. And if you do, you’re not going to be the only one walking: because there aren’t the same types of zoning laws as in the U.S., you’ll often find just what you need right in your neighborhood. No need to speed off somewhere in your car.

This is not a complete list, but I’ve tried to give you a good idea of what you might expect. Just know that if you’re hoping to get healthier in Mexico, your prospects are actually great! Good luck out there, and try not to overdo it at the bakery.

Sarah DeVries is a writer and translator based in Xalapa, Veracruz. She can be reached through her website, sarahedevries.substack.com.

Sheinbaum prioritizes USMCA deal as tariff deadline nears: Monday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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President Sheinbaum stands at a podium smiling during her Monday morning press conference, or mañanera
The president on Monday reiterated Mexico's commitment to "helping the United States" solve the "humanitarian crisis" caused by illicit fentanyl in the U.S. (Presidencia)

United States President Donald Trump said Monday that his planned 25% tariffs on all Mexican and Canadian exports to the U.S. “are going ahead on time, on schedule,” meaning the duties would take effect on March 4 at the conclusion of a one-month suspension.

“This is an abuse that took place for many, many years,” Trump said in justification of the decision to impose tariffs on the United States’ neighbors and North American trade partners.

“And I’m not even blaming the other countries that did this, I blame our leadership for allowing it to happen. I mean who can blame them if they made these great deals with the United States, took advantage of the United States on manufacturing, on just about everything,” he said at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Earlier on Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed confidence that Mexico would in fact reach an agreement with the United States to stave off Trump’s proposed tariffs for a second time.

At her morning press conference, Sheinbaum also spoke about the possibility of Mexico imposing additional tariffs on imports from countries with which it doesn’t have free trade agreements, most notably China.

‘If necessary,’ Sheinbaum will seek call with Trump

Trump has said he plans to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada for three reasons:

  • Undocumented migrants have “poured into” the U.S. from Mexico and Canada.
  • Large quantities of drugs, including fentanyl, have entered the U.S. from its southern and northern neighbors.
  • The United States has large trade deficits with Mexico and Canada.

On Monday, Sheinbaum reiterated Mexico’s commitment to “helping the United States” solve the “humanitarian crisis” caused by illicit fentanyl in the U.S.

On actions to combat drug trafficking and other problems Mexico will need to reach “important agreements” with the United States this Friday, she said, noting that the tariffs are scheduled to take effect early next week.

“If it is necessary I will be seeking another telephone call with President Trump — whatever is needed to reach an agreement,” Sheinbaum said.

She noted that Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard traveled to Washington for tariff talks last week, and declared there is communication between Mexico and the United States “on all issues.”

Marcelo Ebrard and other officials walk thorugh downtown Washington, D.C.
Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard is in Washington this week for tariff negotiations. (Marcelo Ebrard/X)

“What we need is to close this agreement” to ward off the tariffs,” said Sheinbaum, who earlier this month achieved a one-month pause on the proposed duties after agreeing to deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to Mexico’s northern border.

“… I believe we’re in a position to do so,” she said.

Ebrard has said that the United States would be shooting itself in the foot if it imposes a 25% tariff on Mexican exports, asserting that 400,000 jobs would be lost in the U.S. and prices would rise for U.S. consumers.

He said earlier this month that 25% tariffs the United States intends to impose on all steel and aluminum imports are illogical and a “bad idea” with regard to Mexico, given that the U.S. has a trade surplus with Mexico on the trade of those metals. The steel and aluminum tariffs are scheduled to take effect on March 12.

USMCA the priority, says Sheinbaum, and therefore additional tariffs on China are an option 

Sheinbaum noted that an Economy Ministry team is still in Washington as Mexico seeks to reach a new deal to stop Trump’s proposed tariffs taking effect next week.

“What we’ve established — I’ve said it from the beginning — is that the relationship and trade agreement with the United States has to be prioritized,” she said.

President Sheinbaum stands next to a large Mexican flag at her morning press conference, where she discussed Trump's tariff threats and the USMCA free trade deal
After observing the national holiday Flag Day, Sheinbaum discussed her efforts to avert tariffs and the importance of the USMCA free trade deal. (Presidencia)

“And we ask the United States to prioritize its trade agreement with Mexico and Canada,” Sheinbaum said.

She said that imposing tariffs on imports from countries with which Mexico doesn’t have free trade agreements, such as China, is an option.

“[Former] president López Obrador even did it, he put tariffs on countries with which we don’t have trade agreements,” said Sheinbaum, whose administration recently imposed tariffs on Chinese clothing and textiles.

“… With China, for example, we don’t have a trade agreement. … So it’s part of what this [Economy Ministry] group is working on,” she said, alluding to additional tariffs on Chinese exports to Mexico.

Bloomberg, citing “people familiar with the matter,” reported on Saturday that “the Trump administration told Mexican officials” including Minister Ebrard “that they should put their own duties on Chinese imports as part of their efforts to avoid tariffs threatened by President Donald Trump.”

However, Sheinbaum said that the implementation of tariffs on Chinese exports to Mexico wasn’t a “condition” that had been set by the United States.

Manzanillo, Colima port
Implementing tariffs on countries with which Mexico doesn’t have a free trade deal — like China — is an option on the table, Sheinbaum said Monday. (Asipona Manzanillo)

“The issue is to reach an agreement that allows us … to guarantee that there are no tariffs between our countries [and] that the trade agreement continues,” she said.

“… [We have to] give priority to this trade agreement and see how the three [USMCA] countries can strengthen ourselves compared to other regions of the world,” Sheinbaum said.

“… In that sense, we’re not suggesting [tariffs] in particular on China, but rather on those countries with which we don’t have trade agreements,” she said.

“It’s something that I even put forward in the conversation I had with the president of China at the G20 [Summit in Brazil]. Of course with China there is a cultural relationship, … and [a relationship spanning] many other issues. On the issue of trade I told [President Xi Jinping] that we have the trade agreement with the United States and that is one of our priorities,” Sheinbaum said.

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

Cuernavaca breaks world record for longest taco acorazado

By
MND Staff
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0
People stand around a table with a long taco that stretches to the horizon
Dozens of restaurants and gastronomy schools joined forces to build the 80-meter masterpiece. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

Residents of Mexico City who made the easy drive to Cuernavaca for a short getaway this past weekend were treated to a feat of culinary gallantry: the creation of a taco acorazado measuring 80 meters (262 feet).

According to the Cuernavaca City Council, the “City of Eternal Spring” in Morelos state broke the Guinness World Record by surpassing the previous record of 78 meters set last year. A public notary, Hugo Salgado, certified the mark, but organizers said they won’t purchase space in the record book due to costs.

Destaca Cobaem en talento artístico en Récord Guinness del taco acorazado más grande del mundo

Over 400 people — including veteran chefs, young people studying for careers in the food industry and volunteers — worked together Sunday for two hours to assemble the massive taco acorazado, a regional specialty that translates to “armored taco.”

Originating from Cuernavaca, the generously filled taco features a large, thick corn tortilla base layered with red rice and various guisados — stews that typically include meats, vegetables and sauces. Classic accompaniments include cactus, bell peppers and potatoes.

“I feel very happy,” said Estefanía Guerrero, a gastronomy student at the University of the Valle de México. “I really liked being part of this. We had to have a lot of communication and teamwork so that it wouldn’t break.”

The culinary masterpiece — whose length was equal to about 88 yards on a U.S. football field or about six standard-sized ADO buses placed end to end — was created in front of the historic Palacio de Cortés. The former residence of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés reopened in 2023 as a museum after being damaged in the 2017 Puebla earthquake that claimed 370 lives in central Mexico.

People in white jackets assemble a long taco acorazado in Cuernavaca, Morelos
One section of the seemingly endless taco was filled hard-boiled egg, one of the simplest and most traditional taco acorazado fillings. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)

The construction of the taco was accompanied by live music, cultural performances and enthusiastic crowds. With temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit), students from local high schools played string instruments and performed folkloric dances.

Antonio Vázquez, an organizer affiliated with businesses that produce masa (tortilla dough) and tortillas, said more than 20 restaurants participated in the event.

“It’s important to mention that we achieved the title of the largest taco acorazado, but we are not going to buy the page in the [Guinness] record book because it costs thousands of dollars,” Vázquez said.

The lengthy taco featured a wide variety of traditional and innovative fillings, including hard-boiled egg, mole, Milanese (a thin cut of meat, often pork, that is breaded and pan-fried), chicharrones (fried pork rinds), huauzontle cakes, fish strips and chicken. Huauzontle is a high-protein, edible plant related to quinoa and amaranth.

With its history rooted in providing sustenance for workers at the beginning of the 20th century, the taco acorazado has become a symbol of Cuernavaca’s identity — along with the city’s lush gardens, historic haciendas and year-round pleasant climate.

With reports from El Sol de Cuernavaca and México Desconocido

Inflation sees modest rise in February, but remains within Banxico’s target range

By
MND Staff
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0
Official data released on Monday by the national statistics institute INEGI indicated prices rose by 0.15% in the first two weeks of February, as compared to the second half of January.
Official data released on Monday by the national statistics institute INEGI indicated prices rose by 0.15% in the first two weeks of February, as compared to the second half of January. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

Inflation rose slightly in Mexico during the first half of February, lifting annual headline inflation to 3.74% from 3.59%, with core inflation coming in at 3.63%.

Official data released on Monday by the national statistics institute INEGI indicated prices rose by 0.15% in the first two weeks of February, as compared to the second half of January. 

Services were among the leading drivers of inflation during the first two weeks of February, but prices of fruits and vegetables shrank by 6.25% compared to one year ago.

According to INEGI, tomato prices dropped 18.53%, while nopales were down 10.66%, squash prices fell 10.27% and onions were down 7.81%.

Bananas and eggs were an exception, however, with banana prices climbing 5.74%. 

Bird flu in US is increasing egg prices in Mexico

INEGI reported the price of eggs climbed 5.28% in early February due to an increase in demand for eggs in the United States as a result of the ongoing bird flu outbreak.

“We’ve observed an increase in domestic prices driven mainly by the strong demand in the neighboring country, where avian influenza has caused the slaughter of more than 30 million laying hens, which represents approximately 10% of the national inventory,” explained Juan Carlos Anaya, general director of Grupo Consultor de Mercados Agrícolas (GCMA), in an interview with the newspaper El Financiero.

Among services, small restaurants — eateries locally known as loncherías, fondas and taquerías — also boosted prices by 0.50%, while housing prices rose 0.18%.

The slight increase in the headline rate was roughly in line with expectations, according to Bloomberg News.

The average price for a kilogram of eggs — typically 16 — in Mexico is currently around 50 pesos, or US $2.50.
The average price for a kilogram of eggs — typically 16 — in Mexico is currently around 50 pesos, or US $2.50. (Cuartoscuro)

The 3.63% figure for core inflation suggests the central bank’s plans to deliver a sixth straight interest rate cut could remain in play. 

Banxico lowered its benchmark interest rate to 9.5% on Feb. 6, saying that inflation had reached the bank’s target range — 3% plus or minus one percentage point — while also citing economic contraction in the fourth quarter of 2024. The bank said then that “it could consider adjusting [the interest rate] in similar magnitudes.” 

Many economists believe that another half-point cut is on the table at next month’s rate decision meeting, in line with Citi México’s Expectations Survey, which projects a 50 basis-point rate cut at the central bank’s next meeting on March 27. 

Kimberley Sperrfechter, an emerging markets economist at Capital Economics, concurred, writing in a research note cited by Bloomberg News that Banxico was “dovish” at its last meeting. 

“There’s nothing in the mid-month inflation data to change this stance,” Sperrfechter wrote.

Analysts surveyed by Citi Bank estimate annual headline inflation at the end of February to reach 3.8%. 

With reports from El Financiero, N+ and Bloomberg News

President Sheinbaum’s approval ratings have never been higher, new poll shows

By
MND Staff
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President Claudia Sheinbaum, whose approval rating is higher than ever, points to the audience during her morning press conference
When asked about the worst thing the president has done, 75% of respondents had nothing to say. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s defense of Mexico amid threats from Donald Trump helped propel her approval rating to 80% among respondents to the latest El Universal poll.

The polling company Buendía & Márquez conducted a national poll for the El Universal newspaper between Feb. 13 and 18, not long after Sheinbaum reached an agreement with President Trump that resulted in a one-month postponement of U.S. tariffs on Mexican exports that were scheduled to take effect on Feb. 4.

President Claudia Sheinbaum shakes hands with the crowd during her 100-day address in Mexico City
Sheinbaum’s already-high popularity has steadily increased since last November. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s first female president also defended Mexico’s sovereignty and emphasized the country’s refusal to be subordinated by its more powerful northern neighbor as the Trump administration prepared to designate various Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, which occurred last Thursday, and U.S. spy planes flew missions close to — and south of — the Mexico-U.S. border.

Last Wednesday, she declared she had no fear of Trump, who on the first day of his second term declined to rule out the possibility of using the U.S. military against cartels on Mexican soil.

Sheinbaum won significant praise for averting a crisis for the Mexican economy by reaching an agreement with Trump to stave off 25% tariffs, with The Wall Street Journal reporting that “she negotiated a deal that world leaders are studying for their own trade talks with the U.S.”

More importantly for the president — who said last Friday that what her government seeks is “the recognition of the people of Mexico” — a strong majority of her constituents endorse her, according to the results of various polls.

Sheinbaum’s best action as president? ‘Defending the country from Trump’ the top response

Sheinbaum’s approval rating rose to 80% from 77% in January and 74% in November, according to polling conducted for El Universal in recent months. Only 11% of those polled in February said they disapproved of the president’s performance, down from 13% in January.

Among students, residents of southern Mexico, Mexicans aged 18-45, housewives, people who live in rural areas of the country, women and citizens with education up to a high-school level, support for the president was even higher than the overall 80% approval rating detected this month.

The lowest level of support among all sectors of the population was a still-high 75% among those aged 46-59.

The 1,000 respondents to the most recent El Universal poll were also asked to respond to the question: “In your opinion, what is the best thing Claudia Sheinbaum has done so far as president of the republic?”

Some of the newly signed executive orders could have a significant impact on the Mexico-United States relationship.
Sheinbaum’s top achievement so far has been her defense of Mexico in the face of Trump threats, according to poll respondents. (Shutterstock)

The top response was “defending the country from Donald Trump,” with 14% of those polled saying that was the president’s greatest achievement since she took office on Oct. 1.

The next most popular responses were:

  • The monetary support for senior citizens (9%)
  • The support/scholarships for students (9%)
  • The government’s “social programs in general” (8%)
  • Providing continuity to the work of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (7%)

Public security, the biggest concern 

Asked what the “worst thing” Sheinbaum has done as president, the top response was “public security” — i.e. the government hasn’t done enough to reduce violence and other crime in Mexico.

However, only 7% of respondents gave that response, whereas more than six times that percentage — 43% — said they didn’t know what was the worst thing Sheinbaum has done or didn’t respond to the question. An additional 32% of those polled said “nothing” when asked what the worst thing the president has done.

Other poll results 

Among the other results from the latest El Universal poll are the following:

  • 56% of respondents believe that Mexico is on a “very good” or “good” path, double the 28% who think Mexico is on a “very bad” or “bad” path.
  • 72% of respondents believe that Sheinbaum “has the reins of the country,” while 19% think that “things are getting out of control.”
  • 81% of those polled believe that Sheinbaum’s public remarks help unite Mexicans, while 12% think they “serve to divide” Mexicans. The former figure rose 10% compared to before Trump took office, providing another indication of the “rally ’round the flag” effect as Sheinbaum deals with a U.S. president whose administration accused the Mexican government of having an “intolerable alliance” with cartels.

With reports from El Universal 

Jalisco mandates music and tech classrooms in all public schools by 2027

By
MND Staff
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With the program Jalisco con Estrella (Star Jalisco), the state government wants to make music and technology priority areas of public education. (@PabloLemusN/X)
With the program Jalisco con Estrella (Star Jalisco), the state government wants to make music and technology priority areas of public education. (@PabloLemusN/X)

Public schools in the state of Jalisco will become the first in Mexico to require technology and music education, according to an announcement on Friday by Governor Pab lo Lemus.

As part of a new multi-year program called “Jalisco con Estrella” (Star Jalisco), the state government seeks to achieve two priorities: the comprehensive rehabilitation and modernization of more than 7,000 public schools, as well as making it mandatory for all levels to be equipped with technology and music classrooms.

Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus announced the Jalisco con Estrella program at a Guadalajara secondary school on Friday.
Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus announced the Jalisco con Estrella program at a Guadalajara secondary school on Friday. (@PabloLemusN/X)

“All … 7,200 preschools, primary and secondary schools, will have a music classroom. Not only will they have computers, but they will also have musical instruments,” Governor Lemus said during a ceremony in which he distributed guitars, cellos and other instruments to students of secondary public school 56 Juana de Asbaje in the capital of Guadalajara.  

During the event, the secondary school’s String Orchestra and School Mariachi performed classic songs including “Cielito Lindo” and “Guadalajara, Guadalajara.” 

According to Jalisco Education Minister Juan Carlos Flores Miramontes, the Jalisco government has provided 266 schools in 71 municipalities with musical instruments. 

During his presentation at the event, Miramontes shared that this year, he hopes for “10 new orchestras” in “every corner of Jalisco.” The “Jalisco con Estrella” program will have an initial budget of 5 billion pesos (US $245 million) and school renovations are expected to be completed before the end of 2027.

In January, Lemus led the symbolic delivery of LEGO RobotiX kits to enhance students’ STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) abilities. This year, the local government handed out 42 LEGO RobotiX Kits to Jalisco schools, designed according to each educational level. 

Fundación RobotiX, which organizes the global competition FIRST LEGO League in Mexico, provides robotics materials, training and strategic guidance to teachers and school administrators nationwide.

“If we compare ourselves with other states in Mexico, we are many steps ahead to be able to guarantee a much more promising future for our girls and boys,” Lemus said. “The educational system of Jalisco will be an example at the national level.” 

Lemus added that these actions and other educational programs developed by Jalisco’s education minister are evolving to adapt to current times and meet contemporary teaching methods for children.

According to a press release, the general director of Grupo RobotiX, Roberto Saint Martin, said that 1,600 schools throughout Mexico receive education and materials from RobotiX and that the goal is to add 85 more participating schools in Jalisco in the next few years.

With reports from El Informador, Quadratín and El Occidental

‘Exceptional’ drought continues to intensify in northwest Mexico

By
MND Staff
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Cracks run through the dirt in a dried-out reservoir, representing intense drought in northwest Mexico
Effects of exceptional drought include widespread crop and pasture losses and shortages of water in reservoirs, streams and wells creating water emergencies, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. (Cuartoscuro)

Mexico’s northwest region is experiencing widespread drought, according to the National Water Commission (Conagua). Drought levels in the parts of Sinaloa, Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango and Coahuila states are classified as “exceptional,” the most highest drought severity classification.

There has been a shortage of rain in the region due to the La Niña climate phenomenon, with little to no precipitation expected until the rainy season commences around July.

A Conagua map showing elevated drought levels in northwest Mexico
Most areas of Sonora, Sinaloa and Chihuahua are currently experiencing severe to exceptional drought. (Conagua)

“We will get to May with severe limitations of water services in general, which we will see reflected in intermittent cuts [and] rationing,” Juan Espinosa Luna, an expert in applied geophysics, told the newspaper La Jornada.

Espinosa called on the Federal Electricity Commission to guarantee Sinaloa’s energy supply, which relies heavily on hydroelectric and thermoelectric plants.

Due to the lack of rain, the drought is expected to intensify in Sinaloa, Sonora and Baja California Sur over the coming months, leading to more severe water shortages.

The average storage level in Sinaloa’s dams fell to 11.8% on Feb. 23 — the lowest in 30 years, according to Conagua.

The water level of Sinaloa’s largest dam, Adolfo López Mateos, stands at just 7.6%, while the Luis Donaldo Colosio, known as Huites, has a water level of 3%.

Agriculture affected by drought

According to Conagua’s Drought Monitor, Sinaloa is one of the four states in the country that has drought across all municipalities. The drought is having a knock-on effect on the region’s agricultural activities and output.

In Sinaloa, almost 50% of the cultivated land has not been planted due to water scarcity.

The government has responded to the climate challenges by announcing a cloud seeding program, a weather modification technique aimed at improving a cloud’s ability to produce rain.

A device clipped to an airplane wing burns a substance to release it into the clouds
In cloud seeding programs, airplanes disperse chemical agents that catalyze water vapor in clouds to condense into rain. (World Meteorological Organization)

Sinaloa’s Governor Ruben Rocha said the 2025 program will be financed with federal funding of 13 billion pesos (US $636 million).

“We have had a drought, that drought is being reflected, you producers are planting less because there is not enough water. There is not enough water. We have to find ways,” Rocha said during his speech at the assembly of the Association of Farmers of the Western Sinaloa River (AARSP).

“We are going to start the rain stimulation program.” the governor added.

Rocha referred to the town of Guasave in Sinaloa, which is widely known for its agricultural activities, as “Mexico’s granary” during his speech.

He reassured farmers that they will continue to receive support for fertilizers, seeds, marketing, storage and price support for corn crops. However, he also emphasized the need to reduce the cost of agricultural inputs.

The government hopes that the cloud seeding program and financial support for farmers will help communities tackle the climate crisis being faced in the region and overcome economic challenges.

With reports from La Jornada, Debate, Noroeste and Linea Directa

2025 Future of Mexico Forum: MND interviews CEO of AmCham Pedro Casas

By
MND Staff
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Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek moderated a session on "Nearshoring and Mexico's Business Landscape" with Pedro Casas Alatriste
Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek moderated a session on "Nearshoring and Mexico's Business Landscape" with Pedro Casas Alatriste, executive vice president and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (AmCham). This article draws on his comments in his forum session, and his remarks during a subsequent interview with Mexico News Daily.

On Feb. 6-7, Mexico News Daily and Querencia hosted the “Future of Mexico Forum” at the Querencia Private Golf & Beach Club in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur. The forum brought together leaders from Mexico and the United States to discuss the future of Mexico across a diverse range of topics. As part of this Forum, the MND team conducted a series of exclusive interviews with each of the speakers and will be sharing the highlights with you in this series.

On the second day of the event, Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek moderated a session on “Nearshoring and Mexico’s Business Landscape” with Pedro Casas Alatriste, executive vice president and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico (AmCham).

Mexico News Daily Future of Mexico Forum: In conversation with Pedro Casas

During the session, Casas said he sees a “very bright future for Mexico” in an economic sense, in part because he believes that Mexico will avoid the tariffs United States President Donald Trump has proposed placing on its exports. He also believes Mexico could benefit from increased U.S. trade protectionism against China.

However, Casas acknowledged that Mexico needs to overcome a range of challenges — including ones related to energy, water, security, infrastructure and human capital — to capitalize on its economic opportunity in the years ahead.

This article draws on his comments in his forum session, and his remarks during a subsequent interview with Mexico News Daily.

US tariffs on Mexican exports ‘no longer an option’

Casas highlighted the high level of economic integration between Mexico and the United States as a result of developments since the entry into force in 1994 of the North America Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which was superseded by the USMCA in 2020.

“The economic relation between the U.S. and Mexico has evolved in the past three decades from being trading partners to being part of a co-production system,” he told MND.

Although Trump may disagree, Casas asserted that the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Mexican exports would therefore be self-defeating — “a shot in the foot” as Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard put it.

Analysis: ‘America First’ is not ‘America Alone’

The United States’ trade deficits with other trade partners, such as China and Vietnam, “could be solved through tariffs, but the relationship with Mexico is now one that is so integrated that tariffs are no longer an option,” the AmCham CEO said.

“If you put tariffs on Mexican exports, you are — statistically speaking and literally speaking — also imposing tariffs on yourself, yourself being the United States, because the value add of U.S. in Mexican exports is quite high,” Casas said, emphasizing Mexico’s dependence on manufacturing sector inputs that are made in the U.S.

He also highlighted that U.S. companies are significant exporters of manufactured goods from Mexico to the United States. The annual value of those exports, Casas said, is around US $170 billion, a figure more or less equal to the trade deficit the United States had with Mexico last year.

Therefore, “to put it very simplistically,” the United States wouldn’t have a deficit with Mexico on the balance of trade if the exports produced here by U.S. companies were taken into account, he said.

“I believe Mexico will be just fine in the next few days or even decades,” Casas said, referring to his optimism that Mexico will avoid the imposition of U.S. tariffs, which are currently on pause, but remain scheduled to take effect at a level of 25% in early March.

Investment in infrastructure is ‘just what we need’

Casas praised the infrastructure focus of the federal government’s recently-announced Plan México economic initiative given that Mexico’s transportation infrastructure hasn’t kept up with the significant increase in the flow of goods to the United States and vice versa.

Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, head of Mexico's transportation and highways agency, stands at Mexico's presidential podium during President Claudia Sheinbaum's daily press conference. He is holding his hand up near his face as if demonstrating a level or height as he speaks to reporters.
Jesús Antonio Esteva Medina, director of Mexico’s Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation Ministry, tells reporters about Mexico’s plans for building rail lines throughout the country. (Presidencia)

“Investment in railways, investment in highways, airports, ports, border infrastructure — amazing, just what we need,” he said.

Casas was also optimistic about the government’s energy sector plans, under which the private sector will be able to generate up to 46% of the electricity supplied to Mexico’s national grid.

“The key ingredient there is that the private sector is … a central part in the discussion,” he said.

Cutting of red tape and digitalization of paperwork will ‘absolutely’ expedite investment 

In late January, the federal government presented a draft law whose central aims include simplifying and digitalizing bureaucratic paperwork and reducing the number of procedures companies have to undertake before an investment project can be approved. One of the goals of Plan México is to reduce the average time between an investment announcement and the execution of a project from 2.6 years to 1 year.

Casas said that the simplification/digitalization initiative will “absolutely” expedite investment in Mexico.

“That is something we’ve been pushing very hard” for a long time, he said.

Casas said that the approval of projects in Mexico is “substantially slower” than in other countries of Latin America, not to mention the United States and Europe.

Therefore the government’s plan to change the situation is “a game changer for the country, for sure,” he said.

Casas was generally upbeat about the federal government’s overall stance toward business, noting that there had been more meetings between private sector representatives and President Claudia Sheinbaum in her first 120 days in office — including when Sheinbaum was formulating a plan to ward off Trump’s proposed tariffs — than there were in the entire six years of the 2018-24 presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum walking next to Ana Botin, CEO of Grupo Santander inside Mexico's National Palace. Sheinbaum is wearing a matching royal blue skirt blazer set and Botin is wearing a long white coat and a large colorful scarf around her neck and draped over her right coat lapel. She is gesticulating at Sheinbaum, who looks back at her with her arms down at her sides and smiling.
President Claudia Sheinbaum recently met with Executive Chair of Santander Ana Botín, who praised Sheinbaum’s economic plans for Mexico. (Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo/X)

He also said that Altagracia Gómez, head of the government’s business advisory council, “speaks the language” of business.

Development of North American semiconductor sector a ‘huge opportunity’ for Mexico  

Some six months after telling Mexico News Daily that “everything is aligned” for Mexico and the broader North American region to become a semiconductor success story, Casas expressed the same optimism.

“Even at the presidential level” there is alignment on the way to move forward to develop Mexico’s semiconductor sector, he said, noting that President Sheinbaum had just made an announcement on government support for the industry.

Casas stressed the importance of semiconductors in the modern world, describing the electrical components also known as chips as “the oil of today.”

“Everything that gets the world moving has a semiconductor in it. The cameras we’re using right now to videotape us having a conversation, our cell phones, our laptops, our cars, every machine that is used to produce any good that you can potentially imagine has a semiconductor in it,” he told MND.

“For the future when we’re talking about internet of things, AI and everything that is going to drive economic growth and development in the world, [they are] based on semiconductors,” Casas said.

Chinese workers at a Foxconn electronics factory in white lab coats and white caps looking intently at their work. In the foreground is a sign saying Foxconn
In late 2024, chip manufacturer Foxconn announced its plans to build the “biggest factory in the world” in Guadalajara, Mexico. (Foxconn)

“… So this is an economic issue that is super important but at the same time it has a factor of national security in it because if there is a single player or very few players that actually are the ones that are producing the oil of today that gives them a lot of leverage and power to turn off or on the economy of the world,” he said.

The United States government and private sector are making a “huge bet” on the development of a larger semiconductor sector in North America and therefore Mexico has a “huge opportunity” that “we need to seize,” Casas added.

Trump could push Mexico and Canada to ‘align themselves even more’ to US needs 

Casas said that Trump’s “preconceptions” about global trade and his desire to create a level playing field between the United States and its trade partners could create some challenges when the USMCA free trade pact is reviewed by the three signatories in 2026.

Mexico and Canada could be pushed to “align themselves even more to the United States’ needs” than to those of the rest of the world, he said.

Indeed, the Trump administration is already reportedly advising the Mexican government to put duties (or higher duties) on Chinese imports as part of its efforts to avoid the tariffs threatened by the U.S. president.

Mexico doesn’t have a free trade agreement with China, but it is, as Casas noted, one of the “most open” economies in the world.

“So the United States might be pushing for Mexico to be closer together to them,” he said.

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

Only in Mexico: Who is Dr. Simi and why is he so popular?

By
MND Staff
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3
Dr Simi
Dr Simi can be seen on the streets of almost every Mexican town and city and even next to global superstars like Adele. Who is he? (Farmacías Similares/X)

Dr. Simi might well be Mexico’s most famous stuffed toy. With his bushy grey mustache, big smile, and a white doctor’s coat, anyone who has lived in Mexico for a while has surely seen a Dr. Simi mascot dancing outside a branch of Farmacias Similares, the country’s largest drugstore chain. 

But Dr. Simi’s popularity is not limited to Mexico. He’s also famous abroad.

Dr Simi mascot with Facundo Gómez
The Dr Simi mascot has become something of a cultural icon. (Farmacías Similares/Instagram)

In an unexpected twist, Dr. Simi’s doll has literally landed onto the stages of international superstars like Taylor Swift, Adele, Coldplay and more, launching the beloved puppet to a bizarre stardom that could only happen in Mexico — and giving Farmacías Similares free publicity worldwide. 

Who is Dr. Simi and how did he become so popular?

Dr. Simi is the mascot of Farmacías Similares, the world’s second-largest pharmacy chain. It has over 9,000 locations in Mexico and several hundred in Colombia and Chile.

The mascot is inspired by Joaquín Pardavé, an actor from the golden age of Mexican cinema. Dolls featuring Dr. Simi, which are manufactured at a facility that largely employs people with disabilities, are sold throughout the country.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Farmacias Similares (@fsimilares)

Recognizable to any Mexican, Dr. Simi’s international fame was pure accident. 

It all started in 2021 when 20-year-old Avril Vega smuggled a Dr. Simi doll into that year’s Corona Capital festival in Mexico City. 

In an interview with Vice, Vega said that she forgot her antibacterial gel on her way to the festival, a requirement for the event’s relaunch after a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She bought the gel at a nearby branch of Farmacías Similares and on a whim grabbed the last Dr. Simi puppet from the shelves. 

Upon arriving at the festival, she noticed signs forbidding toys, so she hid the doll at the bottom of her backpack and managed to smuggle it in. 

Le avientan un peluche de Doctor Simi a AURORA en el Corona capital 2021 In México

Once inside, she saw fans giving flowers and other gifts to Norwegian singer Aurora during her show. Vega didn’t have anything to offer to her, so she decided to throw her Dr. Simi doll to the musician.

The photo showing Aurora holding the doll went viral the next day. Soon, Mexican concert goers in Mexico and abroad began to throw Dr. Simi’s doll to artists like Adele — who revealed her backstage Dr. Simi’s collection to fans — Maroon 5, Rosalía, Lady Gaga, and more. 

The story behind Farmacías Similares

Founded in 1997 by Mexican businessman Víctor González Torres, Similares sells generic drugs up to 75% cheaper than their brand-name equivalents. Every branch also provides access to a doctor for less than US $3. 

Similares has locations in over 1,200 municipalities across Mexico, significantly more than the 700 locations that Oxxo, the country’s most popular convenience store, operates. According to Farmacías Similares, its doctors’ offices serve some seven million Mexicans every month.

With reports from El País and BBC Mundo

 

Crème Brûlée: From burnt cream to Mexican heat

By
Deborah McCoy
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0
Mexican creme brulee
Europe's favorite burnt sugar dessert gets a Mexican update with this new twist on a haûte cuisine classic. (Canva)

Crème brûlée is a classic, familiar dessert made of custard topped with hard, caramelized sugar. It sounds French, but the English were the forerunners with a similar dessert that they dubbed “burnt cream.” The French joined the club in 1691, when crème brûlée first appeared in Massialot’s cookbook, “Cuisinier royal et bourgeois.” He caramelized the sugar using a red-hot shovel. Crème brûlee, most notably, is as far from traditionally Mexican a dessert as it might be possible to be.

So, who would have thought of teaming a dull, sweet custard (and yes, it’s good!) with Mexican ancho chili, chocolate and cinnamon to give it a kick? I don’t know but the question triggered another in my mind. Why do Mexicans like their food so spicy? The answer may surprise you.  

Chili peppers
The secret ingredient to transform Crème brûlee into something else entirely. (Wikimedia Commons)

Chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin. The chemical triggers a burning sensation on the tongue which is countered by the brain releasing endorphins and increasing the body’s level of serotonin. In other words, eating hot chilis makes you feel good, along with giving you a sense of well-being — and the sensation can be addictive. Some even consider Mexicans to be masochists because of their love of eating these hot peppers to experience “pleasure through pain.”

Chilis have been a part of Mexican culture and cuisine since pre-Hispanic times, and the ancho chili traces its history to Puebla, in Central Mexico. They are known for their rich, mild, and sweet flavors making them perfect for salsas and moles, and with today’s recipe: dessert! They are noted for their high Vitamin C content and are the most widely used chili pepper in Mexico. In the U.S., they gained prominence in Tex-Mex cuisine and became popular with the advent and spread of Mexican food. 

Now what if we teamed that dull, “burnt cream,” custard with a Mexican ancho chili and some Mexican chocolate and cinnamon? I’d say we’d have a rich, unique feel-good crème brûlée that’s perfect for any occasion, whether it’s dinner for two or that elegant dinner party you’ve been planning. Here’s the recipe.

Chocolate-ancho chili crème Brûlee with cinnamon whipped cream:

Mexican creme brulee
Recipe adapted from dashofsanity.com. (Pinterest)

Ingredients:

  • 3 Cups (720 ml) whipping cream (crema de batir)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (rama de canela)
  • 1 dried ancho chili with seeds, stemmed, chopped into 10-12 pieces (chile ancho seco)
  • 1/2 Cup sugar (azúcar estándar)
  • 1 Cup bittersweet chocolate chips (chispas de chocolate agridulce, about 70% cacao)
    • Use dark chocolate that is about 70% cacao, cut into small pieces, if you can’t find bittersweet chocolate chips. 
  • 6 large egg yolks (yemas de huevo)
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon (canela molida)
  • 6 TBS. sugar (azúcar estándar)

Instructions:

  • In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, add cream, cinnamon stick and ancho chili. 
  • Heat until small bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from heat. 
  • Add chocolate chips and stir until combined and smooth. 
  • Let custard mixture cool to room temperature. 
  • Using a mesh strainer, push custard through, discarding the cinnamon stick, chili, and seeds.

Next:

  • Preheat oven to 275°F/135C
  • In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks briskly until pale in color, about 1-2 minutes. 
  • Whisk in ½ Cup sugar until dissolved, about 2 minutes. 
  • Gently whisk in cream; do not overbeat. (Do not let bubbles form.)

Next:

  • Place 8 crème brûlée dishes in a baking pan.
  • Divide the custard mixture evenly between 8 dishes, leaving about a 1/2’’ at the top of the dish for the sugar topping, which is added later.
  • Place the pan in the oven and gently pour in 4-5 cups of warm water (enough to come halfway up the sides of the dishes).
  • Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the center of each custard still jiggles slightly.
  • Remove the dishes from the pan by pulling the oven rack out and lifting the dishes from the hot water. 
  • Let cool until room temperature, about 15 minutes.
  • Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream:

cinnamon whipped cream
Add some cinnamon whipped cream for a final burst of Mexican flavor. (Canva)

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup (240 ml) whipping cream (crema de batir)
  • 2 TBS. sugar (azúcar estándar)
  • Dash of cinnamon (canela molida)

Instructions:

  • Using an electric mixer, beat whipping cream, sugar and cinnamon until stiff peaks form. 
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve with crème brûlée.

To Serve your Mexican Crème Brulee:

  • 20-30 minutes before serving mix together ½ tsp. of cinnamon and 6 TBS. of sugar. 
  • Sprinkle 1 TBS. of sugar mixture over each custard.
  • Using a hand-held torch, about ½ inch from sugar, caramelize the top by slowly working around the entire brûlée. Then torch it entirely. 
  • Return to the fridge for 10-12 minutes to chill the brûlée.
  • Top with Cinnamon Whipped Cream and serve.

Disfruta!

Deborah McCoy is the one-time author of mainstream, bridal-reference books who has turned her attention to food, particularly sweets, desserts and fruits. She is the founder of CakeChatter on Facebook and X (Twitter), and the author of four baking books for “Dough Punchers” via CakeChatter (available @amazon.com). She is also the president of The American Academy of Wedding Professionals.

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