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How accurate were my 2025 predictions for Mexico? A perspective from our CEO

By
Travis Bembenek
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12
A view of Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City at twilight
How did Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek do on his 2025 predictions for Mexico? Read on to find out! (Nan Palmero CC BY 2.0)

One has to be very brave or a little crazy to have tried to make economic and political predictions for this year. With Trump being sworn in for a second term and significant uncertainty around Sheinbaum’s policy decisions and how different they might be from AMLO’s, there was a major lack of clarity around how the year would play out. That being said, being the masochist that I am, I took a shot at 12 predictions for Mexico in 2025.

You can see below how I did on each of them. Please weigh in on the comments and tell me how you think I did and if you agree.

Prediction: President Sheinbaum will remain extremely popular with the Mexican population

Late 2024 polling showed her having an exceptionally high 76% favorability rating in Mexico. I predicted that in 2025, despite a lot of uncertainty and turmoil, she would retain a favorability rating above 70%.

Result: CORRECT!

President Sheinbaum has maintained her exceptionally high approval rating with the most recent poll numbers giving her a favorability rating near or above 70%.

Prediction: President Sheinbaum and President Trump will get along better than expected.

Despite Trump’s highly confrontational style, I predicted that President Sheinbaum would successfully manage the relationship, building a productive and positive working relationship that would surprise many people.

Result: CORRECT!

All indications are that Sheinbaum and Trump have maintained a professional, respectful relationship. The two leaders have spoken by telephone five times and just recently met in person for the first time in the U.S. Despite Trump’s tough talk on Mexico, he has consistently made positive, even flattering comments regarding Sheinbaum.

Trump showed ‘a lot of respect’ in first meeting, says Sheinbaum: Monday’s mañanera recapped

Prediction: The Mexican peso will weaken to above 21 to the US dollar — maybe even 22 by year’s end.

I expected a lot of currency uncertainty throughout the year, and uncertainty tends to strengthen the U.S. dollar and weaken the Mexican peso. USMCA negotiations, foreign direct investment delays, slowing GDP growth in Mexico and a difference in interest rate reductions between the U.S. and Mexico would all contribute to peso weakness, I predicted.

Result: INCORRRECT!

The peso has defied pretty much all expectations by strengthening throughout the year versus the US dollar. Trump’s constant tariff threats against Mexico have somehow not impacted the peso. Mexico’s slow GDP growth rate has somehow not impacted the peso. Mexico’s higher inflation and quicker interest rate reductions somehow have not impacted the peso. Economic theory is somehow not applying to the peso right now.

Prediction: There will be many delays of new foreign direct investment (FDI) into Mexico in 2025, resulting in disappointing FDI numbers for the year.

I expected a drop in foreign direct investment in 2025, followed by growth in 2026 and beyond. Companies would hold off making significant FDI moves in Mexico until there was more clarity around tariff policies and USMCA renewal terms, I predicted.

Result: INCORRECT!

Foreign direct investment announcements hit a record high this year. In addition, the amount of new investment (versus reinvestment of profits) increased this year despite Trump’s tariffs and threats to blow up the USMCA. Go figure.

Prediction: Mexican GDP growth will surprise to the upside, but still be disappointingly low.

Many experts predicted 2025 GDP growth in the 1.1%-1.2% range, below predictions for the U.S. and far below what Mexico could have expected given the nearshoring opportunity. I predicted a number closer to 2% for 2025: better than expected but still way too low.

Result: INCORRECT!

I have a business degree from UW Madison and a Masters from Kellogg at Northwestern, but it sure doesn’t look like it as I got yet another economy/business-related prediction wrong. Mexico GDP growth was terrible this year, with downgrade projections happening throughout the year. Only 1% growth was expected, and the Mexican economy grew less than half of that. It’s hard to fathom that the Mexican peso strengthened, FDI hit record highs, and the economy grew less than 1%. Especially surprising given the nearly 3% growth in the U.S.

After lackluster Q3, OECD trims growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026

Prediction: Mexico will need to bring its interest rates down more quickly than the United States.

The U.S. would likely have the luxury of being able to pause its interest rate reductions for now and cut less in 2025, I predicted. Mexico was unlikely to have that ability due to a sluggish economy, declining FDI rates and slowing inflation — all factors that would contribute to the depreciation of the Mexican peso, I thought.

Result: CORRECT!

Mexico did in fact bring interest rates down more quickly than the United States as the economy continued to falter. The U.S. reduced rates at a much slower rate. But somehow the peso still appreciated versus the US dollar.

Prediction: Mexico will surprise the world by taking some substantive actions against the drug cartels.

I predicted that 2025 would be a year in which the Mexican government visibly goes on the offensive again against the cartels after six years of a “hugs not bullets” strategy (that arguably failed) by former President López Obrador. Whether that offensive would result in an actual reduction in violence was anyone’s guess, I said.

Result: CORRECT!

Mexico has taken much more visible action against the cartels than in the previous administration. Mexico handed over dozens of cartel leaders to the U.S., allowed CIA drone flights over Mexican territory, and increased arrests and drug seizures. There is still a long way to go, but there has clearly been a change in strategy under Sheinbaum.

Prediction: Mexico will take an increasingly strong stand against Chinese investments in the country.

I advised readers to look out for more tariffs in coordination with the U.S. and Canada, more actions on Chinese counterfeit goods in the country, and more actions against Chinese nationals. That course of action would be in Mexico’s best interest, and could also lead to a more productive USMCA discussion. I also predicted the tidal wave of Chinese cars and car dealerships would slow down significantly, at least for the time being.

Result: CORRECT!

Mexico finally blinked on Chinese investment, people and goods pouring into the country. A just-passed tariff on goods coming from countries without a trade agreement with Mexico will put tariffs of up to 50% on over 1,300 Chinese products. The Chinese government is not happy.

Congress approves new tariffs on goods from China and non-FTA countries

Prediction: Pemex will likely go mostly untouched in 2025, but some high profile green energy investment projects will be announced.

With so many other pressing issues to attend to in 2025, I doubted that President Sheinbaum would have the bandwidth to tackle Pemex. I did expect much more momentum around green energy projects and investments.

Result: CORRECT!

Pemex remains untouched and hemorrhaging money. Sheinbaum’s energy reform policies have thus far been too timid to have any real impact on the market. Policies are still not “investor-friendly” enough to attract private investment, and both Mexican industry and the environment continue to suffer as a result. Some green energy projects have been announced, but they’re a drop in the bucket compared to the potential.

Prediction: Less cynicism and more optimism will take hold on Mexico’s all-in focus on trains.

Both the Maya Train and Interoceanic Train would demonstrate their value, I said, and excitement would build around the newly planned and soon-to-be-constructed routes in the center of the country heading north.

Result: INCORRECT!

Although it is still very early in terms of being able to weigh in on these two mega infrastructure projects, it would be hard to argue that excitement for either one is increasing. A harsh reality seems to be setting in that ridership increases will take much longer, and a return on investment might take decades or longer. This does not make the projects a failure, as the impacts of projects of this scale need to be evaluated over many years. In fact, Sheinbaum’s administration is doubling down on trains with several new projects nationwide. This is a very big bet that will either be the pride and joy or the laughing stock of the country for generations. Only time will tell.

Prediction: Mexico City will continue to get the recognition and visibility it deserves for being one of the great cities of the world.

The city, which had very few tourists in the past, was booming with tourism in 2024. In 2025, I expected to hear more people than ever saying “I had no idea CDMX was such a great city … Who would have ever thought?” (Cue the eye rolling.)

Result: CORRECT!

On pretty much any metric, Mexico City continues to gain momentum as one of the great cities of the world. The world’s top singers want to perform (and eat tacos) there. Sport teams from around the world want to play there. An increasing amount of tourists from around the world want to enjoy the city’s great parks, museums, restaurants, and neighborhoods. It’s a wonderful sight to see.

Prediction: Tourist numbers will continue to hit new records throughout the country.

I predicted that the weakening peso, a strong U.S. economy, the booming cruise industry and lots of new flights would keep tourists coming in record numbers again in 2025.

Result: CORRECT!

Mexico has smashed new records of tourists this year, with a year-to-date 13% increase in international visitors. Lots more Canadians have been coming. Expect another record next year with continued momentum and the World Cup.

Confidently Wrong (or right) about 2025 predictions - Episode 12

In summary, I think that I did OK and in fact scored slightly higher than last year. Eight correct versus four incorrect — and I am losing sleep over how I have gotten the economic ones incorrect!

What do you think? Do you agree with my assessment? How did the year play out compared to what you expected? How did you do with your own predictions for the country? Stay tuned next week as I make my 2026 predictions. I guess you could say I am a glutton for punishment!

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.

From dinosaurs to despots: Mexico before the 20th century

By
MND Staff
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2
Mexican history is long and storied. Bob Pateman has tried to tell it all.

Historian Bob Pateman has spent 2025 tracking Mexico through the ages. Beginning with the Chixulub impact 66 million years ago, he’s followed the journey of a country from Indigenous empire to colonial powerhouse — and beyond.

Here are some of the highlights of his work.

The death of the dinosaurs

Mexico’s Chixulub crater is an ancient scar that marks the spot when life on earth changed forever. What happened when a giant asteroid slammed into the Yucatán?

The day the world ended

Who were Mexico’s earliest humans?

The Olmecs might be considered Mexico’s first dominant civilization, but the region was inhabited for centuries before that. From the Stone Age to the advent of agriculture, Bob chronicles the history of the earliest recorded Mexicans.

Prehistoric Mexico: Mesoamerica before the Olmecs

When did Spain first discover Mexico?

While Hernán Cortés was the man who conquered the country, he was not the first Spaniard to set foot in what would later become Mexico. A tale of exploration, daring and discovery that culminated in one of the most momentous moments of early modern history, we take a look at how the old world met the new.

Between Columbus and Cortés — How Spain encountered Mexico

Mexico City wasn’t always the center of the country

While it seems hard to believe today, Mexico City was not always the economic powerhouse that funded the nation. At the height of the Spanish Empire, the city of Acapulco was possibly the most prosperous city on earth, at the center of a vast and powerful trade network.

When Acapulco was the center of the world

Mexico’s navy was once the best in the world

A newly independent Mexico was fighting to defend its vast lands from threats in the north and south — as it took on both United States troops in Texas and separatists forces in the Yucatán. It was able to fight both thanks to the power of modern naval technology.

When Mexico fought Texas and Yucatán

When did Mexico become a global cultural force?

Almost 60 years after independence from Spain, Mexico was still somewhat of a cultural unknown to most of the world. That all changed at the World Fair of 1889, when Parisian audiences were wowed by Mexico’s culture, history and promise.

1889: When the world discovered Mexico

Bob Pateman is a Mexico-based historian, librarian and a life-term hasher. He is editor of On On Magazine, the international history magazine of hashing.

Mexico’s movers and shakers: 7 political figures you need to know

By
MND Staff
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1
Omar García Harfuch
Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, aka "Batman," is a key player in Mexico's fight against organized crime. (Omar García Harfuch / Facebook)

As Mexico moves into the new year, a dynamic group of leaders are navigating complex challenges under President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration. From security crises to trade negotiations with the United States, these are the key figures shaping Mexico’s future. Get to know them with María Meléndez’s video series explaining who’s who in Mexican politics.

1. Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s top crime fighter

As Security Minister, Omar García Harfuch faces the daunting task of managing Mexico’s security crisis while balancing international diplomacy. His career includes training from the FBI and DEA, and a stint as Mexico City’s Chief of Police where he reduced homicide rates by nearly 50%. He survived an assassination attempt by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, underscoring the dangerous nature of his work. After President Trump designated Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, García Harfuch intensified extraditions, sending 29 cartel leaders to the United States. His aggressive anti-crime approach has earned him the nickname “Batman,” though his close collaboration with the U.S. CIA and DEA have raised eyebrows among his critics.

Who is Omar García Harfuch, Mexico's Security Minister?

2. Altagracia Gómez Sierra, business bridge builder

At 32, lawyer and businesswoman Altagracia Gómez Sierra serves as coordinator of the Business Advisory Council, connecting the private sector with federal initiatives. She’s essential to President Sheinbaum’s economic vision, particularly the ambitious Plan México. Before recent tariff policies complicated matters, Gómez championed nearshoring in semiconductors, automobiles and agribusiness. Now she faces the challenge of reassuring private sector concerns while maintaining investor confidence in an era of widespread tariffs.

Who is Altagracia Gómez Sierra, Coordinator of the Business Advisory Council?

3. Hugo Aguilar Ortíz, making judicial history

Hugo Aguilar Ortíz, an Indigenous lawyer from Oaxaca’s Mixtec community, became the first directly elected Indigenous president of Mexico’s Supreme Court following historic June elections. He gained prominence in the 1990s for Zapatista involvement and Indigenous legal advocacy, later serving in government Indigenous rights positions. His appointment is controversial — some Indigenous groups accuse him of being “corrupted by power,” and he faces scrutiny for his role in consultations on megaprojects like the Maya Train, where the UN documented irregularities. Critics question his impartiality given his lack of constitutional law experience and ties to former President López Obrador.

 

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4. Rosa Icela Rodríguez, Mexico’s ‘vice president’

Former journalist Rosa Icela Rodríguez serves as Interior Minister and is often cited as President Sheinbaum’s second in command. Hand-picked for one of Mexico’s most powerful positions, she has shaped cooperation between Mexico and the United States on organized crime and the drug war. Her international prominence led to her representing Mexico at Pope Francis’s funeral in April. Despite being a long-time human rights campaigner, Rodríguez has proved divisive, with many upset by her perceived poor handling of major cases and continued insecurity throughout Mexico.

Mexico’s ‘Vice President’: Who is Rosa Icela Rodríguez?

5. Ronald Johnson, the United States’ man in Mexico

Veteran Ronald Johnson’s appointment as U.S. ambassador to Mexico marks a significant shift in American diplomacy. A former Green Beret who specialized in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism, Johnson spent over twenty years with the CIA disrupting drug trafficking networks in Latin America. Under the previous Trump administration, he served as ambassador to El Salvador, working with President Nayib Bukele to counter gang violence. His background suggests a shift toward security collaboration rather than traditional emphasis on trade. President Sheinbaum has expressed her desire for cooperation while underlining the importance of respecting Mexican sovereignty.

Who is new U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson?

6. Marcelo Ebrard, the Trump tariff negotiator

As Economy Minister, Marcelo Ebrard is at the helm of Mexico’s response to President Trump’s tariffs, both threatened and real. His career spans decades, including serving as Mexico City’s mayor where he launched programs like Prepa Sí and EcoBici, winning the 2010 World Mayor Award. He later became Foreign Affairs Minister under President López Obrador. In 2023, Ebrard unsuccessfully sought Morena’s presidential nomination, losing to Sheinbaum. Despite this, he joined her cabinet, where he now works to safeguard jobs and protect Mexico from retaliation by its largest trading partner.

Who is Marcelo Ebrard, the man leading Mexico’s tariff response? #marceloebrard #donaldtrump

7. Luz Elena González Escobar, Mexico’s energy czar

Energy Minister Luz Elena González Escobar has quickly emerged as a key figure in economic and energy policy. Previously serving as Mexico City’s finance minister under then-Mayor Sheinbaum, she now chairs the boards of both Pemex and the Federal Electricity Commission. In February, she unveiled a plan allocating $32.7 billion to modernize the power grid. She’s prioritized energy diplomacy with the United States, meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Christopher Wright in March to secure agreements on cooperation and investment. As Mexico faces pressure to modernize infrastructure while transitioning to cleaner energy, her leadership will be central to balancing sovereignty, private capital, and global collaboration.

 

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Want to know more about the Mexican names you read in the news or hear around town? Check out more Mexico News Daily profiles here:

Mexico News Daily

This story contains summaries of original Mexico News Daily articles. The summaries were generated by Claude, then revised and fact-checked by a Mexico News Daily staff editor.

Sheinbaum: Tamaulipas immigration agents caught on camera demanding bribes have been fired

By
MND Staff
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1
A customs agent gestures in a blurry video screenshot
The video of the alleged bribe demands that raced through social media was blurry visually but the audio was clear enough to lead to the prompt firing of the two officials. (Social media screenshot)

Two immigration agents were fired earlier this week after being filmed allegedly extorting returning migrants at the Matamoros, Tamaulipas, border crossing in northeastern Mexico.

President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the dismissal of the agents after a video circulating on social media appeared to show they were soliciting money from migrants entering Mexico from the United States. “We immediately asked the Interior Ministry and the director of the National Migration Institute to review the case,” Sheinbaum said, adding that the suspects were immediately suspended and an investigation had begun.

President Sheinbaum
After becoming aware of the incriminating videos, President Sheinbaum announced the dismissal of the two immigration agents implicated and promised a new protocol for filing corruption complaints. (Galo Cañas / Cuartoscuro.com)

Sergio Salomón Céspedes, head of the National Migration Institute (INM), condemned the acts disseminated on the video. 

“The president’s instructions are very clear: humane treatment of our migrant heroes and heroines and not an ounce of tolerance for corruption and abuse of power,” he said.

Cespedes said the corresponding complaints have been filed with the Federal Attorney General’s Office against the two officials involved and anyone else who may be responsible.

According to the INM, the events allegedly occurred on Dec. 16 at the offices of the “Puerta México” International Bridge in Matamoros. The agents engaged in what the INM described as “irregular acts” against Mexican nationals.

Since January, Sheinbaum has championed government programs such as “Mexico Embraces You” (“Mexico te abraza”) for returning migrants. In recent months, the president has promoted  programs designed to welcome approximately 1 million Mexican nationals expected to arrive during the December-January holiday season.

One program designed to help migrants safely travel to visit family during the holidays involves escorted caravans. Officials expect 80,000 vehicles to participate in the caravan program which began on Nov. 28 and will be active through Jan. 8.

Since being appointed INM director eight months ago, Céspedes has been praised for improving the agency’s performance by adjusting and standardizing procedures and protocols across its 32 offices.

The agency also established, publicized and is presently managing designated telephone lines for reporting extortion, abuse of authority and mistreatment by its officials.

Sheinbaum said more will be done to address corruption by public officials.

“We are going to create a system for all cases in which there are reports of any act of corruption in any government institution,” Sheinbaum said on Monday, adding that the idea is to allow anyone to report irregularities and ensure immediate follow-up.

With reports from Aristegui Noticias, Infobae and El Universal

Long-awaited train to AIFA airport will be running by April, Sheinbaum says

By
MND Staff
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0
train to AIFA
The train will take passengers 30 kilometers from the Buenavista Station to the AIFA airport in 43 minutes, connecting with the Tren Suburbano and Line B of the Mexico City Metro. (Andrea Murcia / Cuartoscuro.com)

The long-awaited train to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) should be operational in time for Holy Week next year, President Claudia Sheinbaum declared after examining the final 23.7-kilometer stretch of the railway line.

Sheinbaum was given a tour of the Lechería-AIFA section of the route on Sunday by Andrés Lajous, the director of the Railway Transport Regulatory Agency, visiting the six stations and the AIFA terminal, while also taking the first test ride.

In a social media post, Sheinbaum shared video footage of the experience and said the signaling and testing stage had just gotten under way. 

While three pedestrian bridges are currently under construction, Sheinbaum said the new line should be ready for public service before the end of the first quarter of 2026. Holy Week is from March 29 through April 5.

The final stretch of the train line will link the Buenavista station in Mexico City with AIFA, allowing passengers to travel the 30-kilometer distance in 43 minutes. The airport is located near Zumpango, México state.

Originally presented in 2020, completion of the project has taken three years longer than expected. Then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador had announced the new train would be ready just a few months after AIFA was inaugurated in March 2022.

Ten months ago, Sheinbaum said the train line would be ready in July but construction lagged for a variety of reasons. 

Additional infrastructure projects were required, Sheinbaum said Sunday, especially to make improvements to the living conditions of the surrounding population and some right-of-way adjustments were necessary.

“Some homes had to be relocated … several people were even given new housing,” she said.

Once operational, trains will depart every 15 minutes, with an average operating speed of 65 kilometers per hour and a maximum design speed of 130 km/h. Each of the 10 trains has a capacity for 719 passengers and will be utilized on a rotating basis. Seven trains will operate simultaneously, two will be in reserve, while the 10th will undergo maintenance.

In addition to connections with the Buenavista-Cuautitlán Suburban Train, the new line will feature connections with Line B of the Mexico City Metro, with Lines 1, 3 and 4 of the capital’s Metrobús and with the Mexibús in México state. 

Operating hours will be from 5:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., and will eventually use a standardized payment system using the Mexico City transport system’s integrated mobility card.

The cost of the trip remains under consideration.

With reports from Expansión Politica, Animal Político and Imer Noticias

The top México mágico moments of 2025: Mystical eagles, stargazing pups and a killer granny

By
MND Staff
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1
Three dogs sit in front of the pyramid of Chichén Itzá
The story of Osita, Cachimba and Pintorín — the canine guardians of the pyramids of Chichén Itzá in Yucatán — delighted not just MND readers but also millions of social media users in June. (X)

In 2025, Mexico News Daily once again covered plenty of “hard news” and “bad news” stories.

As we have done since MND was founded more than 11 years ago, we also reported numerous stories that made us laugh, brought a smile to our faces, warmed our hearts and even left us scratching our heads in bewilderment.

Now, as we approach the end of the year, it’s time to look back at the amusing, uplifting, inspirational, heartening, gratifying, strange, surreal and “only in Mexico” stories MND published this year.

We continue today with a compilation of articles we published between April and June.

Click here to read our Q1 compilation, and look out for our “México Magico” compendiums for the last two quarters of the year in the coming days!

México mágico: A look back at MND’s weird and wonderful stories in the second quarter of 2025  

The second quarter of the year had just begun when we reported on an unusual murder: the killing of two alleged squatters by a 74-year-old grandmother, who owned the property her victims were apparently occupying without permission.

‘Killer granny’ goes viral after shooting alleged squatters in México state

Grandma Carlota’s actions earned her the nicknames “abuelita sicaria” (the killer granny) and “abuelita justiciera” (the vigilante granny) on social media, and sparked polarized reactions across Mexico and a bucketload of memes — ranging from praise to condemnation.

In much better news, we had an uplifting story about the sighting of a striking, almost mythical-looking eagle that was thought to be extinct in Mexico. However, the harpy eagle’s reappearance in Chiapas was not a major cause for celebration as the population of the species remains critically small.

In other news from the natural world, we had a story about the identification of two previously unknown crocodile species inhabiting two islands off the Yucatán Peninsula.

Meanwhile, the animal inhabitants of a wildlife sanctuary near Culiacán, Sinaloa, were forced to migrate, by truck, to a new refuge in Mazatlán to escape cartel violence in and around the state capital. In a story of surreal sadness, it appeared that not even elephants, tigers and lions were safe from the Sinaloa Cartel’s bloody internecine war.

Mystical eagle thought to be extinct in Mexico reappears in Chiapas

A story about a pack of stargazing dogs who guard the ancient Maya city of Chichén Itzá lifted our spirits, as did the news that the Mexican Senate had approved a nationwide ban on shows in which dolphins and other marine mammals perform.

In Q2, we also covered the “pawsome” news that the pharmacy chain Farmacias Similares had launched its first SimiPet Care veterinary clinic in Mexico City.

Furthermore, continuing a long-running tradition at MND, we reported on yet more Guinness World Records set in Mexico. In Acapulco, the resort city’s famed cliff divers were recognized for completing 5 million headfirst dives, while in Mazatlán a new Guinness World Record was set for the longest serving of sashimi in the world — a one-kilometer-long stretch of fresh tuna, no less.

Another new Guinness World Record holder is Viridiana Álvarez, a mountaineer from the city of Aguascalientes who is the first woman to summit all of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters and the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each continent. What an achievement!

Anyone in need of even more inspiration would have found over five hours’ worth in this article about Mexican open-water swimmer David Olvera, who set an unofficial world record for his sensational — and undoubtedly exhausting — swim around New York’s Manhattan Island.

Among the other out-of-the-ordinary stories we covered in the second quarter of the year were those about a proposal in Jalisco to introduce temporary marriages; the entry into effect of the Chair Law, giving Mexico’s workers the legislated right to sit down for periodic breaks; the assembly in Toluca of the largest chorizo torta ever made; the naming of a New York street after Mexican regional music band Los Tigres del Norte; and the election of El Chapo’s former lawyer as a judge in the state of Chihuahua.

Regional Mexican music takes over NPR’s Tiny Desk

We also reported on two Regional Mexican music performances on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series; the inclusion of President Sheinbaum and Mexican actor Diego Luna on Time magazine’s  “100 most influential people of 2025” list; the formation by more than 5,000 people of a huge LGBTQ+ flag in Mexico City; and an annual ritual in the small community of Zitlala, Guerrero, in which residents perform a centuries-old ceremonial battle in jaguar costumes in exchange for rain.

We hope you enjoyed reading our happier and quirkier stories this year, and perhaps found a few here that you missed. We’re already looking forward to another year of weird, wonderful and distinctively Mexican stories in 2026!

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

US investors buy major stake in Club América, Mexico’s top soccer team   

By
MND Staff
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2
Club América forward Alex Zendejas breaks past Monterrey's defense during a November 24 soccer match
The U.S. equity firm General Atlantic bought an estimated US $240 million worth of Emilio Azcarraga Jean's US $490 million company Ollamani, owner of Club América, to form a new ownership group called Grupo Águilas. (Club América / Facebook)

Mexico’s winningest soccer club has teamed up with a U.S. investment group in an alliance that will place Club América under the same umbrella as the NFL’s New England Patriots, bringing to five the number of Liga MX teams with significant U.S. funding.

The private equity firm General Atlantic agreed on Tuesday to purchase a 49% stake in Grupo Ollamani, which owns América, the 88,000-seat Estadio Banorte (formerly Estadio Azteca) and land adjacent to the stadium that will become the site of a shopping mall, a hotel and a parking structure.

Robewrt Kraft and Tom Brady
New England Partiots owner Robert Kraft, shown here with his former star quarterback Tom Brady, has been contracted through his Kraft Group to provide services to Club Ameríca’s new ownership, which now includes a large minority share by the U.S. equity firm General Atlantic. (@betocabreraa/on X)

Reports indicate the alliance — which will include the Kraft Analytics Group, a subsidiary of the Kraft Group, owners of the Patriots and MLS soccer club New England Revolution — is based on an enterprise value of US $490 million. General Atlantic’s stake is estimated to be roughly US $240 million.

In a statement announcing the partnership, General Atlantic confirmed that “Ollamani will retain a 51% controlling stake and continue to oversee the group’s long-term strategic direction and vision, while General Atlantic will hold a 49% equity stake in Grupo Águilas.”

The new entity is named Grupo Águilas and will collaborate with Kraft Analytics Group “to enhance the use of data and analytics in connecting with more than 45 million fans (30 million in Mexico and 15 million in the United States).”

Immediately after the announcement on Tuesday, Grupo Ollamani shares rose 6% on the Mexican Stock Exchange to 86 pesos per share, before ending the trading day at 83.4.

Emilio Azcárraga Jean, the controlling shareholder in Ollamani, will serve as executive president of Grupo Águilas.

General Atlantic said Azcárraga’s presence will ensure “continuity of leadership and long-term strategic stewardship” as the board and management team work “to drive sustainable development across the club, stadium and real estate platform.”

Azcárraga said the partnership with General Atlantic — a global investor that has invested more than US $3 billion in Mexico since opening an office in Mexico City in 2015 — adds long-term vision and international expertise.

“This strategic alliance positions us strongly for our next stage of leadership as we expand our reach and deliver even more unforgettable experiences for fans in Mexico and beyond,” Azcárraga said in a statement.

In February 2024, Azcárraga, the former CEO and president of Telecom and broadcasting giant Grupo Televisa, separated his non-media assets including América and Estadio Banorte to form Ollamani. 

The new partnership comes at a strategic time as the stadium is undergoing renovations ahead of the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Four other Liga MX teams enjoy significant funding from foreign entities:

  •  Querétaro F.C. is backed by global investment firm Innovation Capital, chaired by Marc Spiegel.
  • Atlético de San Luis is part of Apollo Sports Capitol, the sports investment arm of New York City-based global asset manager Apollo Global Management, which recently completed the acquisition of Spanish giants Atlético de Madrid.
  • Necaxa is half-owned by an investment group including international celebrities such as Eva Longoria and Ryan Reynolds.
  •  FC Juárez is owned by El Paso, Texas, native Alejandra Vega (the first woman to own a Liga MX club)

With reports from Proceso, ESPN, Bloomberg News and Quién

Color, camaraderie, craftsmen and conquest: The best of Mexico News Daily’s Culture section in 2025

By
MND Plus
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Mexican culture is famous for a reason. Here are our best photos, discussions, interviews and guides from 2025. (Inspired Pencil)

Whether you love food, history, art or music, Mexico has some of the very best in the world. So it’s only natural that we’d also have some fantastic coverage of these cultural treasures in 2025.

Blue is the warmest color

On Oaxaca’s humid Pacific coast, farmers rise before dawn to harvest “blue gold” from fields of indigo that once supplied royalty and ritual dress across the world. Follow the jicalete plant’s journey from muddy pilas and ox-drawn carts to shimmering dye vats at the Feria de Anil, where ancient techniques meet shibori patterns and global designers. See how a nearly lost tradition is coloring Oaxaca’s future deep, luminous blue as award winning photojournalist Anna Bruce takes a look at some of Mexico’s most authentic communities.

Harvesting Oaxaca’s ‘blue gold’

Mexico’s femmes fatal take the spotlight

Netflix’s new series Las Muertas dives into the chilling true story of the González Valenzuela sisters, Mexico’s most infamous crime ring, who ran brutal brothels from the 1940s to the 1960s. Filmed across Mexico and based on Jorge Ibargüengoitia’s acclaimed novel, the show exposes corruption, exploitation and a hidden world of violence that shocked a nation. Discover the real history behind the horror before you hit play.

The true story behind Netflix’s ‘Las Muertas,’ via one of Mexico’s most celebrated writers

A San Miguel potter shaping centuries of history

On a dusty ranch outside San Miguel de Allende, a 70-something potter shapes the last echoes of her family’s centuries-old craft with her bare hands. Meet Nicanora Valdez, the only remaining potter in a once-renowned lineage, molding riverbed clay into bowls that travel from rural Guanajuato to collectors’ shelves. Discover how friendship, memory, and fire keep her fragile legacy alive—one bowl at a time.

The last potter: Nicanora Valdez’s vanishing legacy in clay

War, politics and betrayal in the northern territories

One decision redrew the map of North America—and still shapes the U.S.–Mexico relationship today. Travel back 176 years to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, when Mexico lost 55% of its territory and nearly 80,000 Mexicans suddenly found themselves living in a new country. War, broken promises, and “manifest destiny” still echo in today’s politics and border debates, so find out where it all began.

176 years ago today, Mexico lost 55% of its territory

Dia de Muertos dos and don’ts

Headed to Mexico for Día de Muertos, or celebrating from afar? Before you paint your face or post that cemetery photo, learn how locals in San Miguel de Allende balance living traditions, private grief, and public spectacle. This guide unpacks what’s welcome, what crosses the line, and how to honor the dead with genuine respect —while still enjoying the magic when the veil between worlds thins.

Día de Muertos dos and don’ts: How to tread lightly when the veil between worlds thins

The architectural miracle in Mexico’s largest slum

Rising from one of Mexico City’s poorest districts, the Yancuic Museum is rewriting what access to art and culture looks like. With an origami-like façade, free admission, and exhibits on climate change and Nahua cosmogony, this luminous new space turns Iztapalapa into an unlikely cultural hotspot. Meet the award-winning museum where white-tailed deer, jaguars, and axolotls greet visitors amid a concrete sea.

Bringing culture to poverty: Mexico City’s Yancuic Museum

Living amongst history

Think you’re just living “normally” in Mexico City? From haggling over chiles in bustling mercados to piling tortillas, insects, mushrooms, and flowers onto your plate, you may be channeling your inner Mexica without even knowing it. This playful piece uncovers everyday customs — like pounding salsa in a molcajete and building spice tolerance — that keep ancient Tenochtitlán alive in modern CDMX life.

5 Mexica customs you’ve adopted if you live in Mexico City (and you haven’t even noticed)

 

2025 according to Sarah DeVries

By
MND Staff
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This year, Sarah DeVries had something to say. Then again, she usually does.

It’s certainly been a year.

Mexico News Daily’s most opinionate writer has some thoughts about everything that has gone on this year, and luckily for us, she isn’t afraid to share them.

To finish up 2025, we collected some of Sarah’s best, most insightful (and occasionally controversial) musings.

Should corporations be allowed to deny us access to water?

Ever courting controversy, Sarah asks how far Mexico should allow businesses to go, as the government takes action against obesity rates in the country.

The relentless imperialism of Coca Cola and our rights to health

Is remote work in 2025 all it’s cracked up to be?

Moving to Mexico used to be a clever workaround for US citizens squeezed by costs back home, but rising prices, shaky remote work, AI job threats, and local tensions mean that “gaming the system” is fading. Does community support matter more than cheap tacos now? Sarah investigates.

Is ‘gaming the system’ in Mexico still a good economic solution for US citizens?

Who’s gentrifying who?

Sarah unpacks Mexico City’s anti-gentrification protests, pointing out that locals are really furious at soaring prices and uneven capitalism, but foreigners become the easy, visible target. With a messy mix of economic injustice, resentment, tourism policy, and some ugly xenophobia bubbling over in trendy neighborhoods, who is really doing the gentrifying and where does the blame lie?

The awkward truth behind Mexico City’s ‘anti-gentrification’ protests

Economic policy or punishment?

Ever the campaigner, this personal tale of making ends meet on both sides of the border sees Sarah take aim at the economic policies of one Donald Trump. Will she approve of his plan to tax remittance payments back to Mexico?

The remittance tax in the United States: A bad, cruel idea

Nothing says ‘safe for women’ like the President getting groped

When even Mexico’s president gets groped in broad daylight, what hope do the rest of women have on the street? See why Claudia Sheinbaum pressing charges could mark a turning point—and why being grabbed is never “just part of the job.”

No women are exempt from groping … even the president

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

 

The Metro in 2025: The art, commerce and commuters who defined Mexico City’s subway this year

By
MND Staff
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Riders wait as an orange Mexico City Metro train pulls into the station
Metro riders prepare to board at the Observatorio station — part of Line 1, which first opened to the public in 1969. (Daniel Augusto / Cuartoscuro.com)

As a long-term aficionado of the Mexico City Metro, I was more than happy to descend to the capital’s subway system to report a series of stories for Mexico News Daily this year.

My aim was to give readers insight — or additional insight — into the artistic vibrancy, commercial buzz and vital importance of the metro system, which opened in 1969 with a single line, but has since grown into an elaborate 12-line network.

In case you missed the stories earlier this year, or would like to revisit them, here is a brief overview of the series with a link to each of the three parts.

Part I: Art in transit

In this piece, I explored the amazing and incredibly varied expressions of culture on display in the Mexico City Metro system, including underground urban art, pre-Columbian relics, detailed murals, live music, and even the skeletal remains of an extinct animal.

Here’s an extract:

“The song ‘Sandunga’ by Puerto Rican ‘King of Reggaetón’ Don Omar blares from a television to a captive audience of commuters standing just behind an embossed yellow line. 

Below the TV is a Maya stele from the Izapa archeological site in Chiapas featuring intricate bas-reliefs. This juxtaposition of culture — the ancient and the very modern — plays out on a platform of the Bellas Artes metro station in the subterranean heart of Mexico City.”

Art in transit: How Mexico City’s metro doubles as a museum

Part II: Mercado Metro

Since my first trip on the Mexico City Metro in 2011, I’ve been fascinated with the abundance of buying and selling that takes place in stations and on trains, although the number of vendors on board the so-called gusanos naranja (orange worms) has dwindled in recent years.

For this story I spoke to a number of metro-based vendors, including a teenage purveyor of hot meals who counts police officers among his customers, and a health store employee who sells products including shark cartilage capsules and “Praw Praw Sex” pills.

Here’s an extract:

“Amaranth bars, headphones, stuffed toys, jeans, Japanese peanuts, espresso machine coffee, skincare products, McDonald’s soft serve cones, churros, tortas gigantes, tacos, sexual enhancement pills, lingerie, newspapers, books and oh-so-many different kinds of chatarra (junk food).   

All these products — and countless others — are available for purchase in the Mexico City Metro system.”

Mercado Metro: The vibrant world of commerce beneath Mexico City’s streets

Part III: The backbone of a sprawling transit system 

In this third and final part of our Mexico City Metro series, I delved into the history of the subway system and spoke to commuters about how they use it today.

I also looked at how the metro fits into the broader public transport network in the Valley of Mexico metropolitan area, which includes Mexico City and many municipalities of México state.

Here’s an extract:

“In Mexico City, a public transit ride can be a quick zip up a metro line, and it can also be an hours-long, patience-testing odyssey (or ordeal) involving various modes of transportation. Commuters who come into central Mexico City from the surrounding metro area municipalities of México state face some of the longest trips.

One such person is Maura Hernández, a domestic worker who lives in the México state municipality of Nicolás Romero, located around 40 kilometers northwest of central Mexico City.”

The Mexico City Metro: Backbone of a sprawling transit system that gets Chilangos where they need to go

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)

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