According to the new ranking, Mexico's strongest assets for economic competitiveness are its fiscal policy, its employment record and its domestic economy. (Alexander Schimmeck/Unsplash)
Mexico moved up one position in the 2025 World Competitiveness Ranking conducted by the Institute for Management Development (IMD) of Switzerland, which evaluates 69 economies globally. But the results indicate that there’s plenty of room for improvement.
Mexico’s slight increase from spot 56 to 55 reflects a marginal improvement in the country’s economic development and performance compared to 2024.
One of the recommendations that the ranking organization (IMD) has for Mexico to move up in the ranking is to implement structural reforms in education and clean energy. (Carolina Jiménez Mariscal/Cuartoscuro)
Among the Latin American nations that IMD evaluated, Mexico ranks below Chile (42) and Colombia (54), but above Brazil (58), Peru (60) and Argentina (62).
In the overall ranking, Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, Denmark and the United Arab Emirates ranked as the world’s most competitive economies. Meanwhile, Canada (No. 11), Germany (No. 19) and Luxembourg (No. 20) climbed the most within the top 20.
The United States came in at No. 13 and the United Kingdom at No. 29.
The IMD is an independent academic institute with Swiss roots and campuses in Singapore and China. It emphasizes that its competitiveness ranking is not based solely on the usual economic indicators.
“An economy’s competitiveness cannot be reduced to its GDP, productivity or employment levels,” reads a statement on the IMD website. “It can be gauged only by considering a complex matrix of political, social and cultural dimensions.”
Still, currencies and trade are important factors in the ratings.
“Strong currencies are emerging as an indicator of long-term success,” Arturo Bris, director of the Global Competitiveness Center (GCC), which compiled the ranking for the IMD, said. “At the same time, the reorganization of global trade networks is revealing how accessible countries have been acting in their best interests, and the consensus is proving positive for economies, in stark contrast to the effects of polarization.”
How do the results for Mexico break down?
According to the report, Mexico’s performance looks as follows.
Economic performance: Mexico ranked 39th, with notable results in employment (No. 9) and domestic economy (No. 30), but lower rankings in international trade (No. 52) and prices (No. 55). However, international trade moved up five positions compared to 2024.
Government efficiency: Mexico ranked 62nd, with its best rating in fiscal policy (No. 23). However, it lags behind in institutional framework (No. 62) and business legislation (No. 62).
Business efficiency: The country came in at 54th, with efficiency and productivity recording at the top (No. 38), but with weaknesses in finance (No. 62), and attitudes and values (No. 57).
Infrastructure: Mexico ranked 61st, with lags in basic infrastructure (No. 66), technological infrastructure (No. 62), and education infrastructure (No. 64).
In identifying Mexico’s “challenges and considerations,” IMD’s report notes that Mexico must leverage U.S. economic policy to boost its domestic market through innovation and nearshoring.
It also points to the need for structural reforms in education and clean energy, as well as improving logistics infrastructure and strengthening international relations to achieve higher GDP growth (2-3%). Mexico is currently forecast to grow between 0 and 0.2% in 2025.
Last year, Mexico ranked No. 56 overall, the same as in 2023. However, the ranking included three new economies this year: two that ranked below Mexico (Ghana and Nigeria), and one that ranked above Mexico (Puerto Rico).
“It’s about helping dogs,” said Víctor González Torres, founder of the pharmacy chain, “and [helping] humans who have dogs spend less.” (Dr. Simi/X)
Farmacias Similares, the Mexican pharmacy giant known for discount prices and its adorably famous mascot, Dr. Simi, has launched its first SimiPet Care veterinary clinic in Mexico City.
The inaugural clinic opened last week in the Escandón neighborhood, adjacent to Condesa and Tacubaya — with plans to open 20 more branches in the capital by the end of July and dozens nationwide by year’s end, depending on demand.
“We can open maybe 100 this year,” said Víctor González Herrera, CEO of Farmacias Similares. “It will depend on how we do. Our system is a win-win. If everyone wins, we’ll grow quickly, as we know how to do.”
Herrera said the aim of SimiPet Care — that’s its actual name, not something translated from Spanish — is to make pet health care affordable for millions of Mexican families.
SimiPet Care offers basic veterinary services for dogs and cats, including vaccinations, deworming, glucose tests, wound care and travel certificates. Currently, the promotional price for a consultation is 75 pesos (US $3.95).
Certified veterinarians from top universities will staff the clinics, which operate Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The launch also introduced Dr. Lares, a new character and veterinary zootechnician, who will serve as the face of SimiPet Care. Plush toys of Dr. Lares, depicted as a kind, gray-haired doctor with a bandaged dog, are already available.
Les presentamos a la Doctora Lares, es la veterinaria oficial de Simi Pet Care. 🐶🙌 pic.twitter.com/9nT8XErc0k
While some have speculated that she is Dr. Simi’s wife, the company has not confirmed this. Her name, “Lares,” plays on the word “Simi-Lares,” reinforcing her connection to the brand.
“Right now it’s about helping dogs,” said Víctor González Torres, founder of the chain, “and [helping] humans who have dogs spend less.”
A law to establish public veterinary clinics across Mexico — approved by Congress and signed into law by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in January 2024 — states that pets be provided with free preventive medical care (such as sterilization) and emergency medical treatment as needed.
However, implementation is subject to the availability of federal, state and local funding resources. Thus, while a public veterinary hospital has opened in Mérida, Yucatán, and there are free vet clinics operating in Mexico City, the national rollout has been spotty.
At 75 pesos per visit, SimiPet Care is a promising option in the meantime. Its first location, which opened Thursday, is at 63 Calle Prosperidad in the Escandón neighborhood of the Miguel Hidalgo borough of Mexico City.
Many of the Canadian business leaders who met with President Sheinbaum at the G7 Summit represented companies with a longstanding presence in Mexico. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
President Claudia Sheinbaum met with prominent Canadian business leaders at the Group of 7 summit on Monday, where she promoted Mexico’s investment opportunities to an appreciative audience.
Mexico is not a member of the G7, but Sheinbaum had accepted an invitation to attend the meeting in the Canadian town of Kananaskis, some 90 miles outside of Calgary, Alberta. The invitation had been extended by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the urging of the Business Council of Canada (BCC).
The president presented the Canadian business leaders with an explanation of Plan México, her administration’s signature project with the aim of getting Mexico to join Canada and the United States as one of the world’s top 10 economies. (Claudia Sheinbaum/X)
Accompanying the president at her appearance with the BCC were Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, Finance Minister Edgar Amador Zamora and Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente.
The BCC, which brings together 170 business leaders whose companies employ 2.1 million people in Canada, has expressed interest in expanding its presence in Mexico. Meeting attendees included senior executives from companies such as TC Energy, WestJet Airlines, Palliser Furniture, ATCO, BRP and Element Fleet Management, all with established operations in Mexico.
According to Sheinbaum, the meeting focused on showcasing Plan México, the government’s blueprint to turn Mexico into one of the 10 largest global economies.
“We met with members of the Canadian Business Council interested in investing in our country [to talk] about the benefits and opportunities of Plan México,” Sheinbaum said on her official X account, where she shared images of the meeting.
The BCC had issued a statement before the meeting with the Mexican president, saying they were “pleased to learn” that Sheinbaum had accepted Prime Minister Carney’s invitation. According to the BCC, this was an invitation they had “strongly urged” the government to extend.
“In addition to strengthening bilateral ties between Mexico and Canada, we encourage the two leaders, together with President Donald Trump, to commit our three countries to the expedited review and extension of our trilateral trade agreement,” the statement concluded.
According to De la Fuente, Sheinbaum will hold bilateral talks with Carney, as well as meetings with leaders from Germany, India and the European Union.
The motivation for Mexico's new Chair Law is that prolonged standing on a regular basis at work can lead to adverse health outcomes. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
A new law safeguarding workers’ right to take periodic breaks is now in effect throughout Mexico, and employers who don’t allow employees to get off their feet and sit in a chair from time to time will face hefty fines.
A labor reform known as the Ley Silla (Chair Law) was approved by Congress late last year and published in the federal government’s Official Gazette on Dec. 19, 2024. Upon publication, employers were granted 180 days to become compliant with the law’s requirements.
The law establishes that employers’ primary obligations are: (1) ensuring there are a sufficient number of seats with backrests for employees’ use, and (2) not preventing employees from taking seated breaks when the nature of the work allows it.
Employers in the service and retail industries, and similar sectors, are the employers most directly impacted by the Chair Law, whose objective is to prevent employees from having to remain standing for the entirety of their shifts.
The end result of the Chair Law is that employers should see a reduction in occupational risks and costs associated with disabilities.
Research cited by EU-OSHA shows a clear link between the time workers must stand and symptoms related to lower back complaints and lower limb complaints.
Former presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Maynez speaks to a worker at an Oxxo in Toluca, México state, about the new Chair Law. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Prolonged standing can lead to various musculoskeletal, circulatory and other health issues. Such issues include low back pain, muscle fatigue, swelling in the legs and feet, varicose veins and poor circulation. In some cases, prolonged static standing can contribute to joint problems, foot issues and cardiovascular problems.
EU-OSHA defines prolonged standing as standing more than one hour without moving from the workstation and standing more than four hours a day.
Although Mexico’s Chair Law specifies that service and retail industry employers are subject to its requirements, it does not exempt employers in other industries. As a result, it is likely that all employers will have to meet the law’s requirements.
Employers covered by the Chair Law must:
Provide a sufficient number of chairs with backrests for employees.
Allow employees to take periodic breaks to sit and rest on chairs with backrests during their shifts, and make sure that work spaces feature adequate space for employees to alternate between standing postures and other postures.
Company regulations must include rules regarding rest periods and the use of chair backrests.
Companies must inform and advise employees about the health risks related to prolonged standing.
If employees find employers are not complying with the law, they can file a formal complaint with the Labor Ministry.
In cases of noncompliance, fines can be levied, ranging from 28,000 pesos to $280,000 pesos (US $1,472 to $14,720). In case of recidivism, the offending company can be closed down.
Sheinbaum is one of several leaders who missed out on the opportunity to have a bilateral meeting with Trump at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum on Monday said that her planned meeting with Donald Trump would take place at a later date after the U.S. president decided to leave the G7 Summit in Canada earlier than expected to return to Washington D.C. to attend to the conflict between Israel and Iran.
“The situation in the Middle East is very tense,” Sheinbaum told reporters outside her hotel in Calgary, Alberta.
🔴 La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum justificó el que su homólogo de EU, Donald Trump, con quien tenía agendada una reunión, se haya retirado de manera sorpresiva de la Cumbre del G7, al señalar que la situación en Medio Oriente está muy tensa.
“[Trump] made the decision to leave due to the situation in the Middle East and we’ll continue here tomorrow,” she said, noting that she has meetings scheduled with the prime ministers of Canada and India and with European Union leaders.
Sheinbaum said that her meeting with Trump “is postponed,” while Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez told reporters on Tuesday that in-person talks between the two leaders would take place “at another time.”
Asked whether the U.S. president’s decision to leave the G7 Summit on Monday was “understandable,” Sheinbaum only responded that she and her government were praying for peace and praying that the already “very serious” conflict between Israel and Iran wouldn’t worsen.
The postponement of her meeting with Trump means that she won’t have the immediate opportunity to personally present Mexico’s case against U.S. tariffs on Mexican steel, aluminum and cars.
Sheinbaum had said that trade as well as security and migration were to be the top issues for discussion in her meeting with Trump.
Rodríguez stressed on Tuesday morning that there is already “good communication” between the Mexican and U.S. governments, saying that “the possibilities of daily dialogue” are open.
She also noted that Sheinbaum is not the only leader who missed out on the opportunity to have a bilateral meeting with Trump at the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta.
The prime ministers of Japan and Australia, and the president of Ukraine, didn’t get the opportunity either, Rodríguez said.
Sheinbaum’s meeting with Carney
Sheinbaum’s most important bilateral meeting on Tuesday could very well be that with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Mexico and Canada are close trade partners and the two nations’ leaders share the situation of having to deal with an unpredictable president in a country that is both their neighbor and their largest trading partner.
Asked on Monday whether the USMCA free trade pact — which is scheduled for review in 2026 — would be a focus of her discussions with Carney, Sheinbaum responded:
“Yes, we’ll talk about the Mexico-Canada relationship. In the call we had he suggested that we strengthen our economic relations.”
As for her meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi, Sheinbaum said that the bilateral talks will focus on “strengthening our relations in all senses — economic, cultural, educational.”
There are endless cocktail bars that may never make the 50 Best list and are worth several visits. Here are eight of them. (Stefan Giesbert/CC-BY-SA-4.0)
If it’s not on a list, does it even exist? Best restaurants, best bars, best dog park, best neighborhood: you name it, there’s a list for it. Depending on where you look, there might be several. Lists are taking over travel like never before. I myself am guilty of jumping on Eater to see their 38 essential restaurants of London or Lisbon or checking out the Michelin guide when I get to a new city. As a travel writer, I’ve participated in creating more than one best-of list myself.
These lists can be fun, a kind of passport that allows you to check off places one by one and decide whether you think the person making the list even knows what they’re talking about. But they can also be a headache, making places impossible to get into, filled with influencers and selfie-takers, guarded by secret handshakes and passwords and just plain boring when you suddenly realize you went to all the same places on vacation as your friends did.
The Cocktail Renaissance has found solid footing in Mexico. (Cocktailmarler / CC BY-SA 3.0)
I happen to be on the ground in one of the best food and drink cities in the world and while the lists are fine, I know plenty of places that aren’t on them but are just as wonderful. I recently covered the Mexican establishments that made this year’s list of North America’s 50 Best Bars, and while there are some excellent Mexico City locales that won spots, it got me thinking about all the great cocktail places that didn’t make the list.
It takes money, influence and desire to be noticed by the listers. So many places remain off the beaten path and yet special to those of us who know where to look. As a cocktail fanatic, here’s another list: eight cocktail bars I love in Mexico City that aren’t on the 50 Best.
Santo Hand Roll
I was amazed to find such good cocktails at a sushi restaurant the first time I went to Santo Hand Roll, even a hip one like this. I found myself enjoying the drinks even more than the food — which is very good on its own — and wondering why so few people seemed to know about it. Santo opened about five years ago and its owners now have several other projects in Mexico and the U.S.
Santo’s cocktail menu has been crafted to pair with the food menu, and you’ll find flavors of Japan interwoven in the mixology: shiso leaves, yuzu, Japanese gin and lychee. My personal favorite is Tokyo to Roma — Japanese whiskey, rosemary, angostura and orange and grapefruit bitters — but their cocktail of the month is usually dope as well.
Calle Colima 161, Roma Norte, Cuauhtemoc
Lina
Lina is Chef Mariana Villegas’s long-awaited debut after working for big names like Enrique Olvera’s Cosme in New York and Contramar in Mexico City. The Michelin-featured menu is a mix of dishes inspired by the freshest ingredients of the season and has excellent, vegetable-forward options: the charred bok choy with macadamia nuts and green curry is a personal favorite.
While the food delivers, the cocktails are also delish and if you can’t get a table just saunter up to the bar and try a few. Get yourself a Lulo with mezcal, lulo fruit, tangerine and cacao flower or the Hicox Elixir with Dolin vermouth, fig leaf, St. Germain and prosecco.
Yucatán 147, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc
Salón Palomilla
The oval-shaped ceiling, open to the night sky, alongside dark green walls with exposed metal support beams, make drinking at Salón Palomilla feel a bit like cocktails in a spaceship. Industrial designer Martina D’Acosta Turrent has given the place an silky and otherworldly vibe with low lamplight and the twinkle of the stars above.
That might sound like a place that takes itself too seriously, but not so. The crowd is lively, loud and fun and the waiters’ attention feels genuine. The drink menu is almost straight classic cocktails — lemon drops, vesper martinis, Last Words — with some riffs, like a mezcal Naked and Famous or a Fernet Mule. Straightforwardness is a virtue in this case — a classic cocktail done well is just as important as the newest crazy concoction — and the presentation is classy to boot.
Yucatán 84C, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc
Caviar Bar Alexander
Sometimes it’s hard for those of us who live in the Roma-Condesa-Polanco bubble to think about venturing out beyond our borders, but trust me when I tell you that some of the best cocktails I’ve had this year are in the tiny neighborhood of Molino del Rey, part of the larger Lomas de Chapultepec area. On the edge of this exclusive neighborhood, inside Torre Virreyes — the building affectionately referred to as El Dorito because of its resemblance to the snack chip — is the Alexander Hotel’s Caviar bar.
Torre Virreyes houses the offices of Blackrock and luxury real estate, so expect business types, but it’s also a hotel, so the scene is mellow. This bar should probably be on 50 Best but its location in the city and inside a hotel make it unlikely. I was blown away by the Sabina — Abasolo Whiskey, cacao-and coffee-infused vermouth, Nixta, avocado bitters and truffle oil — which had a tiny cricket floating on a leaf as a garnish, and the refreshing Bellini Vargas, made using 7 Leguas tequila, white wine with macerated peach and cocoa bitters.
Pedregal 24, Molino del Rey, Miguel Hidalgo
Cicatriz
Cicatriz was one of the first places I had a really good cocktail in the city. Opened by brother-and-sister team Jake and Scarlett Lindeman way back in 2014, Cicatriz was ahead of the curve but also never made the cocktail menu the sole focus of the place.
Located in La Juárez, Cicatriz serves great comfort food like big green salads and their famous fried chicken. Cicatriz also has an excellent wine selection: they jumped on the natural wine trend early, and Scarlett is now a partner of local wine shop Escorpio. Their cocktail list is small but delightful, nothing too complex or outrageous, but everything interesting. Personal favorites include the Yoko, a mezcal aperol spritz, and Tiburón, a Mexico-inspired gin and tonic with thyme and avocado leaf.
Dinamarca 44, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
Parker & Lenox
This is another place that has an excellent drinks program but whose focus is something else; in this case, music. This speakeasy hosts intimate shows Tuesdays to Sundays and you must reserve your seat in advance. They host everything from jazz flamenco to old-timey trios and always serve a well-made drink to accompany it.
The Cherry Fuzz — tequila, maraschino cherry, egg white and lime juice — and the classic old fashioned are two of my favorites at Parker & Lennox. Everything is served in a moody atmosphere that, of all the speakeasies in the city,feels the most loyal to the actual concept, especially with strains of jazz in the background.
General Prim 100, Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
Rayo
This bar was actually listed on the 50 Best two years in a row but was suddenly removed for reasons unclear to me. The scene is set as you ride up the elevator and are served a premixed cocktail to start your evening. Once seated your server brings out 10 glass stopper bottles and a spoon for you to sample a taste of the in-house cocktails before you make a commitment.
(Instagram / @rayocdmx)
The service can be a bit slow depending on what night of the week you there, but the drinks are worth the wait, each a combination of Mexican ingredients likehoja santa and cilantro combined with tropical fruit like guava and kumquat. For lesser-known Mexican spirits like pox, sotol, raicilla or charanda, this is a good place to start your education.
Salamanca 85, Roma, Cuauhtémoc
Maison Artemisia
Maison has a deliciously dark and romantic vibe that’s sometimes augmented with a live band in the front room. They were one of the early specialty cocktail bars, opened in 2012, a collaboration among several Europeans transplanted to Colonia Roma.
(Instagram / @maisonartemesiamx)
Maison has a solid list of classic cocktails as well as a rotating signature cocktail menu, usually with a theme, such as the current one: an ode to “La Roma and Mexican Terroir.” From that menu I am particularly fond of Don Gastón, an homage to a French herbalist who used to live in the house where the bar now sits. A delicious blend of armagnac, vermouth, strega liqueur, honey, chamomile and fennel, it tastes a bit like an old-fashioned spice gumdrop.
Tonalá 23, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc
Lydia Carey is a freelance writer and translator based out of Mexico City. She has been published widely both online and in print, writing about Mexico for over a decade. She lives a double life as a local tour guide and is the author of “Mexico City Streets: La Roma.” Follow her urban adventures on Instagram and see more of her work at mexicocitystreets.com.
Tropical Storm Erick was located almost 700 km off the coast of Guerrero on Tuesday morning and is expected to become a hurricane by tonight or early Wednesday. (NOAA)
Mexico’s Pacific Coast is bracing for another heavy storm as Tropical Storm Erick is expected to make landfall as a Category 2 hurricane later this week.
Authorities have begun implementing precautionary measures as Erick gained strength off the country’s Pacific Coast on Tuesday, the head of Mexico’s National Civil Protection Agency (SNPC) said.
6/17 9am CST #Erick is forecast to rapidly intensify, and could be near major hurricane strength as it approaches the coast of southern #Mexico early Thursday. #Hurricane Warnings have been issued. Life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides are possible in Oaxaca & Guerrero pic.twitter.com/XnY1aTSBkZ
“We are coordinating with local authorities to carry out all preventive activities to ensure the safety of the citizens of Chiapas, Oaxaca and Guerrero,” SNPC director Laura Velazquez said.
At 9 a.m. Tuesday, the center of Tropical Storm Erick was moving west-northwest at a speed of roughly 15 km/h, according to the United States’ National Hurricane Center (NHC). It was located almost 700 km off the coast of Guerrero and is expected to become a hurricane by tonight or early Wednesday.
Tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 75 km from the center and maximum sustained winds increased to 75 km/h. The storm is expected to approach the coast of southern Mexico Wednesday night and move inland or be near the coast on Thursday.
Erick could produce rainfall totals of 20 to 40 cm (8 to 16 inches), with maximum totals of 51 cm (20 inches), across the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero, according to the NHC. The rainfall may produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain.
(NHC)
Rainfall totals of 8 to 13 cm (3 to 5 inches), with maximum totals of 40 cm (8 inches), are possible across the states of Chiapas, Michoacán, Colima and Jalisco.
Swells and storm surge generated by Erick are expected to begin affecting the coast of southern Mexico in a day or so. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
The government issued a Hurricane Warning from Punta Maldonado in the state of Guerrero extending 300 kilometers south to the Oaxaca coastal town of Puerto Angel.
A warning (hurricane conditions expected) is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
A Hurricane Watch (hurricane conditions possible) was issued from Punta Maldonado extending northwest to Acapulco, a distance of 247 kilometers. A Tropical Storm Warning (tropical storm conditions expected within 36 hours) was issued extending 190 kilometers east of Puerto Angel to Salina Cruz.
Watches and warnings are likely to be extended westward along the coast before Wednesday so residents in southern Mexico have been asked to monitor the progress of the storm.
The nation’s bountiful fandom and history will be on display for the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol’s (LMB) Juego de Estrellas (the league’s All-Star Game) from June 27 to 29 at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú in Mexico City, home of the defending national champions and winningest franchise in league history, Diablos Rojos.
Mexican baseball has a long and rich history. (Liga Mexicana del Beisbol)
The weekend will include a selection of the top 68 baseballers, spanning the league’s 20 teams, divided evenly by the North Zone and South Zone (i.e. league divisions) in a match-up taking place on June 29. The headliner game will be preceded by a celebrity match and a home run derby on June 28. Times and ticket prices vary, but start as low as US $15.
In the galaxy of international baseball, Mexico has positioned itself as an attractive landing spot for both veteran and hopeful baseball players alike, with players in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol (LMB) hailing from nations like the United States, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Japan, South Korea and, of course, all of Mexico.
What to expect at the LMB All-Star game
Though the event occurs annually, this year’s festivities are offering more than the usual variety. For starters, the LMB is currently celebrating its centennial season with year-long homages, events and limited-edition fan merchandise that showcase Mexico’s 100-year professional baseball tradition.
Accordingly, this year’s Juego de Estrellas will feature La Gala del Centenario — a special event on Friday, June 27 that will honor the best moments of the past 100 LMB years.
The 2025 centennial edition of this all-star showdown will also introduce a new format: For the first time ever, the LMB’s best players will compete in a 10-inning tilt against Mexico’s national team — who placed third overall in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, an all-time best finish for the nation. Each inning will represent one of the 10 decades in the LMB’s existence.
On top of that, the game will be hosted at the hypermodern — if not futuristic-looking — Harp Helú stadium (capacity: 20,062) for the first time since the stadium originally debuted in 2019. Before the US $160 million stadium was built, the Mexican baseball powerhouse Diablos Rojos played at Estadio Fray Nano (2018-2015), Foro Sol (2014-2000) and Parque del Seguro Social (1999-1940).
The new Harp Helú stadium is probably Mexico’s most impressive modern sports ground. (Diablos Rojos/Cuartoscuro)
The Harp Helú is housed near the Benito Juarez International Airport (AICM) as part of Ciudad Deportiva (Sports City) — a sprawling sports park complex that also features the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, a ritzy F1 race track also often used for Mexico City concerts by major musical artists.
It’s the 33rd time that the capital will host the Juego de Estrellas, and the nation’s 91st all-star event.
The first Juego de Estrellas took place in 1939, then went on hiatus during World War II, and resumed in 1942, occurring during every consecutive season to date. Last year’s celebration took place at Estadio Beto Ávila in the port of Veracruz — the comparatively smaller and charming home of El Águila de Veracruz, which is the league’s oldest continuously operating franchise.
The Veracruz stadium, incidentally, is one of only two in the entire continent featuring a swimming pool for fans to watch the game from the outfield stands; the other is located at Chase Field in Phoenix, where the MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks play. Though Mexico City’s baseball sanctuary unfortunately doesn’t offer a pool, it’s known for its expansive fan offerings, Aztec-inspired architecture and overall quality, which Major League Baseball has graded as “an ultramodern facility.”
Mexico’s baseball league is currently experiencing a swell in its fandom. With more ex-Major Leaguers playing than ever before — due to a rule change allowing up to 20 international players per 38-man roster — there is a renewed interest in “El Rey de Deportes,” or the King of Sports, as the league is colloquially known.
For U.S.- and international-born players, Mexico is also becoming a viable route with decent salaries, proximity to the Majors and a decently competitive league that current players are referring to as “4-A” ball (alluding to the MLB’s Triple A, Double A and Single A farm system). And with new online shows like LMB Strike Zone, which target a new generation of fans, baseball is regaining the cultural cachet and coolness it once had.
Historically, Mexico’s league has been considered to be a lower-tier professional circuit, offering opportunities to former MLB stars and prospects who have fallen out of favor on more prominent U.S. teams. With over 140 Mexican-born players having crossed the border northward into the MLB, the LMB has been a starting point for U.S. baseball icons like Bobby Avila and Fernando Valenzuela, whose careers began on regional Mexican teams before making the leap to the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively.
Indeed, historic Mexican teams like the aforementioned Diablos Rojos, the Sultanes de Monterrey, the Tigres de Quintana Roo and El Águila de Veracruz have helped to launch, or sustain, such historic careers. Meanwhile, the LMB’s growth continues to introduce new expansion teams and broaden its fan base.
Of course, the Mexican League’s tenure hasn’t all been home runs and fireworks. In 2020, the Mariachis de Guadalajara were announced by then-national president Andrés Manuel López Obrador as the latest franchise to join the LMB’s ranks as a symbol of Mexico’s cultural pride and heritage. Just a few seasons later, the team’s players refused to take the field in a series against Sultanes de Monterrey as a protest against not receiving their contractually agreed-upon payments; shortly afterward, the team was again accused of financial mismanagement and then sold off in 2023.
But the Juego de Estrellas is about putting on a show and looking toward the game’s future, so only the league’s best will be at bat, with a historic focus on the league’s most prominent players and successes.
With baseball bigger than ever in the country, the LMB has a wealth of talent to call upon for the All-Star Game. (La Vida Baseball)
Getting to Harp Helú Stadium
Expect traffic and large crowds. The nearby Metro station drops you off about a quarter mile from the stadium’s front entrance (the walk is lively and crowded with fans, street food, bootleg merchandise, and more — an experience in itself).
If you prefer to take an Uber or taxi, ask to be dropped off near the stadium stop — you will know when you’re close because everyone will be suddenly wearing baseball gear, and the taxi will lurch to a stop with nowhere to go due to the high concentration of traffic and pedestrians entering the sports complex.
Once inside, there’s a baseball museum dedicated to the Diablos Rojos and an impressive selection of food items. The stadium’s famous tacos de cochinita pibil can be found to the left of the main entrance at Los Famosos del Béisbol, a concession stand with a perennially long wait for an order of Yucatán-style tacos that reportedly have been served at Diablos Rojos by the same family for over 70 years.
If you haven’t been to a baseball game in Mexico yet (or any professional sporting event, for that matter), don’t strike out on this year’s Juego de Estrellas, which promises to be a memorable experience.
Alan Chazaro is the author of “This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album,” “Piñata Theory” and “Notes From the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge” (Ghost City Press, 2021). He is a graduate of June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and a former Lawrence Ferlinghetti Fellow at the University of San Francisco. His writing can be found in GQ, NPR, The Guardian, L.A. Times and more. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, he is currently based in Veracruz.
The sandwich-making highlighted a three-day festival that also featured craft beer and chorizo exhibitions, concerts and cultural activities from over 20 countries. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
The central Mexican city of Toluca has claimed a new culinary world record after assembling the largest chorizo torta ever made.
Constructed on Sunday during an art and gastronomy festival, the massive torta was crafted on a bread roll that stretched an impressive 82 meters (269 feet).
🥖😱Realizan la torta de chorizo más grande del mundo en Toluca.
The torta in Toluca, the capital of México state, included 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of meticulously layered red and green chorizo, 20 kilos of beans, 42 kilos of avocado, 46 kilos of tomatoes, 20 kilos of chilies and 60 liters of Mexican crema.
Its construction was the result of a community effort: 10 master chefs along with city workers and dozens of volunteers.
The feat was certified by a notary public as surpassing the record 75-meter torta built at the annual Torta Festival in the Venustiano Carranza borough of Mexico City in 2023.
At 82 meters long, Toluca’s torta beat the 75-meter torta of record, assembled at the annual Torta Festival in the Venustiano Carranza borough of Mexico City in 2023. (Crisanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)
Thousands of locals and visitors gathered to witness the preparation and, once completed, to enjoy a slice of the monumental sandwich.
“If you come to Toluca and don’t eat chorizo, it’s like going to the ocean and not swimming,” said Carmen Díaz, who was part of the prep crew.
Indeed, Toluca and México state are indelibly associated with chorizo — a spiced, crumbly ground meat (usually pork) made with chilies, garlic and vinegar, and sometimes encased as a sausage. As long ago as the 16th century, Toluca was considered the chorizo capital of New Spain.
The sandwich-making highlighted a three-day festival that also featured craft beer and chorizo exhibitions, concerts and cultural activities from over 20 countries.
Will Puerto Vallarta soon become the new Cancún for domestic vacationers? (Miguel Naranjo/Unsplash)
Passenger traffic across Mexico’s airports reached 10.2 million in May, marking an annual increase of 1.8%, the country’s three leading private airport groups reported last week.
The three firms, Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte (OMA), Grupo Aeroportuario del Sureste (Asur), and Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), experienced a 3.5% monthly growth in domestic traffic. Meanwhile, international passenger traffic fell 1.3%.
OMA, which operates in Mexico’s northern region, reported the best performance to date this year, with an overall passenger traffic increase of 6.9%. Domestic traffic, which contributes 86% of its total, rose by 5.1%, while international traffic increased by 19.5%.
Overall, GAP saw a growth of 2.6% in passenger traffic in May, with a 4.7% increase in domestic traffic. Domestic arrivals were up 1.1% at the Guadalajara airport, 1.5% in Tijuana and 11.2% in Puerto Vallarta. International arrivals to PV, however, were down 0.6% in May.
ASUR, which manages 16 airports in the Americas, had the weakest period. In Mexico, ASUR saw a 3% decrease in passenger traffic in May, including a 0.4% fall in domestic traffic and a 5.6% drop in international traffic. Overall, traffic to ASUR’s hub in Cancún fell by 4.2%.
ASUR did not speculate on the cause of the decrease, but industry analysts have cited international macroeconomic conditions and rising travel costs for the reduction in passenger traffic.
GAP’s Puerto Vallarta Airport is undergoing a major expansion expected to increase passenger capacity by 130%. According to airport management, construction is 45% complete.
“We are essentially building a new airport: we are only keeping the existing runway, but the terminal, boarding areas and connection systems will be new and more efficient,” said the airport’s director Cryshtian Amador Lizardi.
During the first five months of the year, the airport handled 3.4 million passengers. Domestic traffic increased by 14.4%, although international traffic decreased slightly, particularly from the United States, which has 26 connections at the airport.
To help boost passenger traffic, GAP is “working with airlines to reactivate routes, including possible transatlantic destinations, especially with European countries,” according to Amador.
