Chetumal is located near the border with Belize. (Programa Destinos México)
A presidential decree published in the federal government’s official gazette earlier this week extended until Sept. 30, 2030, fiscal incentives including an import tax exemption for goods entering the municipality of Othón P. Blanco, where Chetumal is located.
The decree also outlines a range of other tax benefits for businesses located in Chetumal.
At his morning press conference on Friday, López Obrador said that consumers will be able to buy “goods from all over the world” at “a very low price” in Chetumal, “as was the case before.”
Chetumal “used to be so important from a commercial point of view that people from the entire southeast went there to buy,” he said.
From 1934 until the introduction of the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1994, Chetumal was located in its own special economic zone.
Quintana Roo Governor Mara Lezama took to the X social media platform on Friday to thank López Obrador for “making Chetumal and Othón P. Blanco a free zone.”
“This decree adds to the determined work [we have done] to reactivate the economy and continue returning the shine to the capital of our state,” she wrote.
In an earlier post, Lezama noted that eligible companies with annual income below 50 million pesos (US $2.9 million) will be exempt from paying Mexico’s value added tax (IVA), income tax (ISR) and “taxes related to importation.”
“This stimulus will reactivate the economy of our capital, turning it into an epicenter of development and wellbeing in the south-southeast of Mexico,” she wrote.
Among the beneficiaries of the fiscal incentives will be tenants of a “well-being market” that is set to be established in Chetumal.
The Tianguis del Bienestar Yum Kaax, which was first announced last September, will accommodate retail businesses selling duty-free imported goods across approximately 14,000 square meters, according to reports. It will also have a larger section which could house vendors of fresh produce, offices, a hotel, warehouses and even light industry, El Economista said.
Which country has an older population? Which one receives more international tourists? Which one consumes more beer? Find out in our comparison of statistics between the United Kingdom and Mexico. (NASA/MND)
It’s the matchup you didn’t know you were waiting for!
In the red, blue and white corner, we have the United Kingdom, a constitutional monarchy that is famous around the world for its Royal Family, its music, its literature, its vibrant capital and more.
The U.K. meets Mexico: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip welcome former president Enrique Peña Nieto and his wife Angélica Rivera on a state visit to the U.K. in 2015. (Gob MX)
And in the green, white and red corner we have Mexico, a republic like no other, with over 200 years of history as an independent country and millions of citizens whose ancestors have lived on this land for thousands of years.
That’s right, it’s the U.K. versus Mexico … in numbers!
In this article — which continues our “Global Mexico: U.K. in Focus” series — I look at data on things such as population, geography and economy in order to make some objective comparisons between the U.K. and Mexico. There are even some football (soccer) and beer stats for good measure.
Did you know that the U.K economy is almost twice the size of Mexico’s?
Did you know that both countries are among the world’s top 10 destinations for international tourists?
Read on to discover many other facts about the U.K. and Mexico in this latest “head-to-head” addition to our data journalism series “Mexico in Numbers.”
The population of the four nations that make up the U.K. — England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — is just over half that of Mexico, where 126 million people were counted in the 2020 census.
On average, Brits (and the Northern Irish) are much older than Mexicans. The median age of the U.K. population was 40.7 in 2022, while the median age of Mexicans was 29 in 2020.
Mexico is about eight times larger than the United Kingdom in area, and as this map shows, many European countries (including the U.K.) could fit inside Mexico. (Vividmaps.com)
Mexico’s largest state, Chihuahua, is almost 4,000 square kilometers bigger than the entire territory of the U.K.
Mexico also one-ups the U.K. in comparisons of the two countries’ largest lakes, highest mountains and longest rivers. The stats are as follows:
Lake Chapala in Jalisco has a surface area of 1,100 kilometers whereas Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland is less than half that size with a surface area of 392 square kilometers.
The peak of Pico de Orizaba, an active stratovolcano on the Veracruz-Puebla border, is 5,636 meters high whereas the summit of Ben Nevis in Scotland is considerably lower at 1,345 meters.
The Rio Grande, which runs along a significant stretch of the Mexico-United States border, is 3,051 kilometers long, almost nine times the length of the 354-kilometer-long River Severn, which runs through Wales and England.
Britons in Mexico, Mexicans in the UK
Mexico’s 2020 census found that there were 2,582 immigrants from the United Kingdom living in Mexico. Almost 70% of that number were aged 39 or younger. Mexico City had the highest number of immigrants from the U.K. followed by Querétaro and Nuevo León.
Britons have lived in these lands for a very long time – since before Mexico was Mexico, in fact. Scotsman Thomas Blake lived in Mexico City during the early colonial days of New Spain. He worked as a hosier and in 1544 married Francisca de Ribera, widow of the conquistador Cristóbal de Canyego, according to the Scottish Centre for Global History.
According to the Institute for Mexicans Abroad, a government agency, 18,000 Mexicans were living in the United Kingdom in 2022.
Among the current Mexico residents of the U.K are Premier League players Raúl Jiménez and Edson Álvarez.
The IMF estimates that the nominal GDP of the U.K. was US $3.34 trillion last year, making the British economy about 1.86 times the size of the Mexican economy. Mexico’s nominal GDP was $1.79 trillion in 2023, according to the IMF.
Wealth, as measured on a per-person basis, is four times higher in the United Kingdom.
Per-capita GDP in the U.K. was US $46,125 in 2022, according to the World Bank, while the figure for Mexico was $11,496.
Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Fine Arts? Stonehenge or Chichén Itzá? Loch Ness or Lake Chapala? Brighton or Cancún?
They are some hypothetical choices a person might face if trying to decide whether to take a trip to the United Kingdom or Mexico.
While both countries are undoubtedly interesting and alluring tourism destinations, data shows that more international tourists are visiting Mexico than the U.K., although the numbers are not too dissimilar.
Both Mexico and the U.K. are known for their rich cultural and historical offerings for tourists, such as Chichén Itźa (left) and Stonehenge (right). (Wikimedia Commons)
In 2023, international tourist arrivals increased 10% in Mexico to reach 42.1 million. Final data for the U.K. has not yet been published, but the tourism board Visit Britain estimated late last year that international tourist numbers would total 37.8 million in 2023.
England vs Mexico in football
Football is popular all over the U.K., but England has been the most successful among the four constituent nations at international events. It is also home to the world’s most lucrative football league.
England v Mexico 8-0 1961
Here’s a look at England vs Mexico across a range of football stats.
Men’s international matches: England has recorded six victories (including a win at the 1966 World Cup) to Mexico’s two. One match ended in a tie.
World Cup results: England won the 1966 World Cup at home and made the semi-finals in 1990 in Italy and in 2018 in Russia. Mexico’s best result is reaching the quarter finals twice, at home in 1970, and at home again in 1986.
Women’s World Cup: England has competed at six of the nine women’s World Cup events and was runner-up in the 2023 edition. Mexico has played in three, but has never gone past the group stage.
English Premier League (EPL) and Liga MX: Twenty clubs play in the EPL while 18 compete in Mexico’s top professional division. The highest paid player in the EPL is currently Manchester City player Kevin de Bruyne, a Belgian who has a base salary of £ 20.8 million ($25.9 million). Spaniard Sergio Canales, a midfielder for C.F. Monterrey, is reportedly the highest paid Liga MX player, earning US $5 million per season. A total of 11 Mexican players have graced the EPL since its inception in 1992.
Beer production and consumption
Mexico is a much bigger beer producer than the United Kingdom, and Mexicans also drink more suds than the British.
According to the 2022-23 report of hops company BarthHaas, Mexico was the world’s fourth largest beer producer in 2022 with a total output of 141 million hectoliters.
The U.K. ranked 11th with a total output of 37.4 million hectoliters, or just over a quarter of Mexico’s production.
Mexico wins the drinking contest with the U.K. – and also produces significantly more beer than Britain. (MND)
The Japanese beverages company reported that Mexico ranked fourth for total beer consumption in 2022 behind China, the United States and Brazil, while the United Kingdom ranked eighth. Mexico had a 5.2% share of the global market for beer in 2022, 2.8 points ahead of the U.K.’s 2.4% share.
On a per-capita basis, Mexico was the 19th largest beer consumer in 2022, with the average person drinking 75.9 liters of cerveza that year. That equates to around four bottles or cans of beer per person per week.
Britons, meanwhile, were more temperate in their consumption of lager and ale, drinking 67 liters per person in 2022. The U.K. ranked as the world’s 27th largest beer consumer on a per-capita basis.
At the top of the list was the Czech Republic, which Kirin said was the world’s largest per-capita beer consumer for a 30th consecutive year in 2022. Ranking second to 10th were Austria, Poland, Ireland, Lithuania, Spain, Germany, Estonia, Romania and Namibia.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
March saw a precipitous decline of 5% in export revenue compared to 2023, which might be attributable to the Easter holiday falling last month instead of in April, as it did last year. (Cuartoscuro)
Mexico’s export earnings declined more than 5% in March compared to the same month of 2023, but first-quarter revenue still increased, according to preliminary data published on Friday.
February had seen a spike of 13% in export revenue in Mexico, and the total for the first three months of the year was up 1.7% over 2023. (Port of Lázaro Cárdenas)
Between January and March, export revenue totaled $143.43 billion, a 1.7% increase compared to the first quarter of 2023. Over 80% of Mexico’s export earnings comes from goods shipped to the United States.
Imports to Mexico also declined in March, falling 7.1% on an annual basis to $48.65 billion.
Imports in the first three months of the year increased 0.2% to $146.23 billion, leaving Mexico with a $2.8 billion trade deficit in the first quarter.
3 of 4 export categories declined in March
INEGI data shows that oil, mining and manufacturing exports all fell last month, while agricultural exports increased. One factor that likely contributed to the overall 5.3% decline in exports was that this year’s Easter holiday week fell in March whereas it was in April in 2023. Non-oil exports to the United States declined 2.8% while those sent to the rest of the world fell 13.1%.
Oil exports declined 21.4% in March to $2.02 billion. Oil brought in $7.37 billion in revenue in Q1, a 2.6% decline compared to the first three months of last year.
Manufacturing exports fell 4.5% in March to $45.47 billion. However, revenue increased 1.9% to $127.09 billion in the first three months of the year.
Mining exports decreased 25.2% in March to $793.6 million. Earnings declined 9.9% to $2.27 billion in Q1.
Agricultural exports increased 6% in March to $2.45 billion. Revenue increased to $6.68 billion between January and March, a 6.3% increase compared to the first three months of 2023.
Export earnings from mining dropped by 25% annually in March and almost 10% over the first quarter of the year. (Cuartoscuro)
Considered together, non-oil exports declined 4.5% last month, but increased 1.9% in the first quarter of 2024.
The 7.1% annual decline in imports in March came after a 9.7% increase in February.
Oil imports declined 39% last month to $3.17 billion, while they fell 36.8% in Q1 to $9.88 billion. Pemex CEO Octavio Romero said in January that Mexico would stop importing gasoline in the not-too-distant future, although projections he presented showed that Mexican production won’t meet demand in the coming years and that the soonest self-sufficiency can be achieved is 2027.
Imports of non-oil consumer goods such as food, clothes and homeware increased 8.3% to $6.15 billion in March. Imports jumped 21.9% to $18.89 billion in the first three months of the year.
Imports of non-oil intermediate goods — often used by factories to produce final goods — fell 5.4% to $34.61 billion in March. They rose 1.2% in the first three months of the year to $102.77 billion.
Imports of capital goods such as manufacturing machinery, tools and heavy equipment fell 4.4% to $4.7 billion in March, but increased 11.1% to $14.67 billion in Q1.
Excluding oil, imports declined by a more modest 3.6% in March. In the first three months of the year, non-oil imports rose 4.7%, well above the 0.2% overall increase.
The publication of the export and import data comes four days after INEGI reported that the Mexican economy grew 1.4% in February compared to January, the fastest month-over-month rate since September 2020. GDP increased 2.6% on an annual basis in February.
A Guadalajara court has found that the state's abortion ban is unconstitutional. (Mireya Novo/Cuartoscuro)
Jalisco looks set to become the 13th state in Mexico to decriminalize abortion after a federal court ruled against state laws that prohibit the voluntary termination of a pregnancy.
Reproductive rights group GIRE announced the ruling on social media on Thursday night, saying that a criminal court in the Guadalajara metropolitan area determined that articles in the state’s criminal code that “absolutely prohibit voluntary abortion” are unconstitutional.
Demonstrations against abortion restrictions have been ongoing in Mexico as women demand increased legal protections. (Isabel Mateos Hinjosa/Cuartoscuro)
GIRE said that the court also determined that the Jalisco Congress must repeal laws that make abortion a crime.
The ruling — made in response to an injunction request filed by GIRE and six other organizations — came after the Mexican Supreme Court (SCJN) ruled in September 2021 that the criminalization of abortion is unconstitutional, setting a precedent for the legalization of early term abortion across Mexico.
Despite those rulings, only 12 of Mexico’s 32 states currently allow voluntary early-time abortion in all cases.
Abortion was legal in four states — Mexico City, Oaxaca, Hidalgo and Veracruz — at the time of the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling, while an additional eight states have approved decriminalization since then. They are Coahuila, Baja California, Colima, Sinaloa, Guerrero, Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and Aguascalientes.
GIRE said that the “achievement” in Jalisco is “part of a national legal strategy” aimed at preventing the criminalization of “any woman, trans man or non-binary person” who has an abortion as well as medical personnel and anyone else present at the time of the procedure.
The organization called on courts to rule on its injunction requests against state criminal codes in accordance with the “criteria and precedents” established by the Supreme Court in order to move toward “the recognition of abortion as an essential health service.”
Isabel Fulda, a deputy director of GIRE, told the El País newspaper last September that injunction requests aimed at the decriminalization of abortion had been filed in all states where the medical procedure hasn’t been legalized.
She said at the time that Mexico’s “most conservative states” could avoid the “political cost” of decriminalizing abortion because they would be simply acting in accordance with Supreme Court rulings.
Fulda also said that many states — even ones where abortion has been decriminalized by local legislatures — lack supplies and training for medical personnel to offer adequate abortion services.
“Implementation is still the big pending issue,” she said. “There is a big gap between whether abortion is allowed and whether it can actually be done.”
A pair of rose-gold Cartier hoops was mistakenly listed at a fraction of the actual price on the luxury jeweler's website. (Wikimedia Commons)
In December last year, a young Mexican doctor was surfing the web when a pair of elegant rose gold and diamond earrings caught his eye.
His eyes widened further when he noticed the price of just 237 pesos (US $13). He ordered two pairs. A few weeks later, Rogelio Villarreal and the luxury jeweler Cartier were engaged in a legal tussle that has made it all the way into the pages of The New York Times.
The problem? The earrings — described asslender studded 18-carat rose-gold cuffs lined with diamonds — were actually priced at 237,000 pesos (US $13,000).
After Villarreal placed his order, the folks at Cartier quickly sprang into action after realizing the error.
First, the price on the website was corrected and then Cartier contacted Villarreal asking him to cancel the order. Initially, the New York Times reported, the French luxury goods conglomerate claimed the earrings were no longer available.
When that did not dissuade Villarreal from insisting on the purchase, company representatives telephoned him in hopes of convincing him to accept complimentary gifts instead.
Villarreal held firm, investigated the terms of conditions on the Cartier website, then filed a complaint with Mexico’s Consumer Protection Agency (Profeco).
Profeco has a good reputation among Mexicans and a decent track record; in February, it filed a class-action lawsuit against Sony after the electronics company canceled orders of discounted Playstation 5 consoles. The agency moved to mediate the dispute over the earrings, inviting Cartier to arbitration.
In the meantime, Villarreal took the controversy public, sharing his experience on social media. Some applauded him for his tenacity, while others criticized him for trying to use Profeco for personal gain.
Among the latter was National Action Party (PAN) Senator Lily Téllez, a former journalist.
Téllez argued that even if the law is on your side, “it is wrong to take advantage of a mistake to the detriment of another person … to scam a company. It is more important to be honorable than to own Cartier earrings.”
When corporate attorney Jorge López Zozaya was asked about the case by the Times, he said “Mexican law does not extend protections to consumers if a listed price was clearly a mistake.”
Regardless, the matter appears to have been resolved. Neither Cartier nor Profeco confirmed an agreement had been reached, but Villarreal said on Monday that the jeweler informed him it would honor his purchase. He wrote “The war is over” in a social media post.
Despite the perfect mix of sun, sea and sand, Bacalar has somehow remained off the radar for many tourists. Don't let the experience pass you by as well! (Gideon Ikigai/Shutterstock)
Bacalar is one of those places you need to see to believe. A shimmering lake in the most idyllic shade of turquoise seems to extend endlessly, like an extension of the picture-perfect Caribbean. Except it’s not the sea at all — it’s the Laguna de Bacalar, a freshwater lake, the second largest in Mexico. Known as the Lake of Seven Colors, the waters here are so brilliantly blue and translucent that Bacalar has been bestowed with the moniker of the Maldives of Mexico.
Laguna de Bacalar is a 42-square-kilometer lake that sits tucked in the southeastern corner of the state of Quintana Roo. Steeped in Maya history, Spanish conquests and pirate lore, the lake is anchored by the Pueblo Magico of the same name, known for its eco-friendly accommodations, boho vibe and laid-back lifestyle.
The vibrant hues of Bacalar have earned the lagoon the moniker of “Lake of Seven Colors.” (Liz Aguayo/Unsplash)
About five hours south of Cancún, this breathtaking slice of scenery was a well-kept secret for years. Now, however, with the expansion of tourism in Quintana Roo and the addition of the Maya Train and Tulum International Airport, Bacalar is growing faster than ever, poised to be Mexico’s next beachy hotspot.
Let’s dig a little deeper into this exciting location, which ought to be on your travel radar if it isn’t already.
How to get to Bacalar
Up until recently, Bacalar was a bit of a hike to get to, which is why it stayed off the gringo tourist trail for so long. But Bacalar is anything but a secret to Mexican nationals, who have been naming the Lagoon as one of their top vacation destinations for decades.
Nowadays, visitors can get to Bacalar in a variety of ways. They can fly into Cancún and rent a car for the five-hour drive or take a long-distance bus. Another option is to fly into Chetumal, which is only 45 minutes from Bacalar. As of last December, visitors can now also fly into the Tulum International Airport, which is two and a half hours away from Bacalar.
Once a favorite target for pirates, the only boats on Bacalar are for tourists. (Gobierno de México)
Best things to do in Bacalar
A scan across the crystal waters of Bacalar reveals a snapshot of life on the lake. Kayaks slip across the surface, while sun worshippers lounge on wooden docks. The only soundtrack is that of the birds in the trees and the gentle lapping of the water. For residents and visitors, Bacalar is all about the lake, as well as relishing its natural beauty, tapping into the history of the region and keeping the environment as well-preserved as possible.
Visit the Fort of San Felipe: Get acquainted with the history of Bacalar with a visit to the Fort of San Felipe. The stone fort sits right at the entrance to the town of Bacalar, with views out over the bright blues of the lake. The fort dates back to the 18th century and was developed to protect Bacalar from international pirates. In the middle of the 19th century, the fort was taken over by rebel Mayans during the Caste War of Yucatán. Today it operates as a museum, telling the multicultural history of southern Quintana Roo and the lake.
Snorkel the Cenote Azul: The earth beneath the streets and forest floors of the Yucatán Peninsula is practically honeycombed with spectacular underground caves and cisterns known as cenotes. These subterranean natural wonders have been celebrated by Maya peoples for thousands of years as entrances to Xibalba, or the underworld. Bacalar has its fair share of cenotes within a short distance, but none is as famous as the Cenote Azul. Reaching depths of over 90 meters, the dark blue hole is separated from the lagoon by a thin strip of land. Visitors can swim and snorkel the lagoon to explore its mysterious depths or simply lounge on its banks and enjoy the view.
Sail the lake: Of course, nothing is as exciting as getting out onto the lake itself. Visitors to Bacalar can sign up for one of the many organized sailing tours that cruise across the lake throughout the day and into sunset. Sunset experiences on the lake are like none other, as the sky melts into pinks and purples mirrored in the waters of the lagoon. Many of the lake clubs and lakefront hotels have kayaks and paddleboards for guests to take out as well. You can even navigate your way through the Canal de los Piratas, which pirates used to secretly enter the lagoon in the 18th century during their many attempts to attack the town of Bacalar.
The quiet village of Bacalar backs directly onto the lake for unparalleled access to the perfect waters. (Gobierno de México)
Explore downtown: The village of Bacalar is wonderful. Picture Tulum 20 years ago, and you’re getting close to what it’s like in Bacalar today. The sleepy village is bite-sized and webbed with sand-strewn streets. Though it has accumulated a healthy handful of funky shops, bars and restaurants, it is still a far cry from the frenetic energy of Playa del Carmen and Tulum.
Lounge at a Lake Club: Bacalar may not have the miles of white, sandy beaches that you’ll find at other Mexican Caribbean destinations. But it does have a few small beaches and overwater docks that stick out into the lagoon. These affordable establishments usually charge a small fee to use facilities like the docks, hammocks, kayaks and restaurants.
Where to eat in Bacalar
Bacalar’s culinary scene is one of the most up-and-coming in the country, where boho-chic design meets locally sourced ingredients.
El Manatí: Breakfast in Mexico is nothing short of an art, and the chefs at El Manatí are some of the best artists around. Hungry morning people flock for their thick burritos, overstuffed omelets, chilaquiles and fluffy pancakes. They also have fabulous smoothies and strong coffee. What makes this spot unique is the tropical patio setting and the splashes of colorful murals. El Manatí even has live music for brunch now and then too.
Check in at El Manatí for Bacalar’s best breakfast. (El Manatí/Facebook)
Mi Burrito Bacalar: Speaking of brunch, Mi Burrito Bacalar is one of the best spots in town for a mid-morning meal. If you’re craving plump burritos, this is the place to be. The restaurant is nothing more than a wooden awning that creates a casual dining place in front of the burrito truck. But it’s got exactly that no-frill, casual atmosphere that visitors love so much about Bacalar.
La Playita Bacalar: With a direct view over the lagoon, this is one of the best tables in town. The relaxed setting sets the scene for fish tacos, ceviche, shrimp, grilled burgers and tropical cocktails. They have a dock that is part of the restaurant from which you can jump straight into the lagoon, so pack a bag and make a day of it.
Mango y Chile: For such a small town, Bacalar has a lot to offer vegan travelers. Mango y Chile is one of the most popular vegan restaurants in town. Their menu serves vegan burgers, tofu sandwiches, salads and tacos.
Best Bacalar Hotels
The beauty of Bacalar is that its accommodations are as relaxed as the scene itself. A stay in Bacalar is about disappearing into nature, dialing down the high speed and embracing a minute-by-minute lifestyle. You won’t find international chains or all-inclusive resorts here. Bacalar is boutique and eco-friendly and lets the tranquility of the destination tell the story.
Grab some lakeside massage therapy at Rancho Encantado. (Rancho Encantado/Facebook)
Rancho Encantado: A collection of bungalows and villas scattered along the lakefront of the lagoon. The palapa-topped dock is one of the most serene in Bacalar, complete with hammocks that sway out over the water. A lakefront restaurant serves fresh seafood and strong drinks, while activities include a pool, kayaks and paddle boards and a small spa.
Hotel Makaaba: Hotel Makaaba exudes that backpacker hotel vibe that many of us fell in love with in Mexico during our twenties, but it has elevated the experience to make it more comfortable for travelers in their thirties and forties. It is still extremely affordable, at less than $100 a night with breakfast included. But the design touches and comfortable accommodations mean it’s geared toward a more sophisticated traveler. The restaurant here is one of the best in town, and the pool is the center of the social activity, with over-water nets perfect for lounging with a good book.
Casa Hormiga: This boutique resort opened in 2020, with the ethos of being a jungle sanctuary and a place for rituals and healing. With one of the most beautiful designs, Casa Hormiga’s energy embodies the low-impact backpacker spirit, but with a decidedly chic and sophisticated aesthetic. The design takes cues from places like Morocco, Central America and, of course, Mexico. The heart of the hotel is its lengthy list of rituals, which include everything from massages and sound baths to aromatherapy and breathwork.
Meagan Drillinger is a New York native who has spent the past 15 years traveling around and writing about Mexico. While she’s on the road for assignments most of the time, Puerto Vallarta is her home base. Follow her travels on Instagram at @drillinjourneys or through her blog at drillinjourneys.com.
NASA officials Bill Nelson and Pamela Melroy met with Mexico's president, students, researchers and lawmakers earlier this week. (@SenBillNelson/X)
In a bid to strengthen bilateral ties, high-ranking NASA officials Bill Nelson and Pamela Melroy visited Mexico this week. Their agenda included meetings with President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, students and researchers.
Nelson, a Democratic senator from Florida who served from 2001 to 2019, has been the administrator of the United States Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) since May 2021. Melroy, a former astronaut who piloted Space Shuttle missions in 2000 and 2002, is now NASA’s deputy administrator.
Discussions with the president focused on using space-based instruments to tackle bilateral environmental issues. (@SRE_mx/X)
The focus of NASA’s meetings in Mexico was collaboration on environmental issues. Nelson highlighted how space-based instruments can track deforestation, help prepare for natural disasters and monitor water resources, which are all crucial data for tackling climate change.
Nelson noted how operations in space can help protect natural features like the second-largest carbon sink in the world, located in southern Mexico. “One wants to maintain that forest, which absorbs carbon dioxide,” he said in a media round table held at the United States Embassy. “But the problem is that people are making the forest disappear. With instruments in space, we can see that people are setting fire to the forest.”
López Obrador expressed interest in using SpaceX’s Starlink satellites to bring high-speed internet to remote areas, a dream of his for Mexico’s population. Discussions also touched on medical research in space, particularly on cancer.
There’s also a joint initiative for an atmospheric observatory.
Ambassador Ken Salazar hosted NASA administrators Bill Nelson and Pam Melroy at the United States Embassy along with Mexican officials, researchers and students. (@USAmbMex/X)
Some of the discussion during NASA’s visit to Mexico was about sending a future Mexican astronaut to the moon. Rodolfo Neri Vela, who went to space 39 years ago, was remembered; Neri, now 72, was aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis and helped place into orbit the Mexican satellite Morelos 2.
On the academic front, Nelson and Melroy indicated that NASA hopes not only to continue collaborating with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), but also to expand to other universities and research centers. A day before the Tuesday meeting with AMLO, the NASA officials spoke to an auditorium full of students and faculty from various Mexican universities.
In Tuesday’s meeting with the media, Melroy talked about how space research can help with the growing global problem of water scarcity. “I had a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Alicia Bárcena, last year and she talked to me about the importance of water [issues] on the border, so NASA proactively let the government know that we created two studies to study water on the border.”
López Obrador also noted in a social media post on X that he pushed for engineer and science educator Katya Echazarreta to be included on another space mission. A Guadalajara native who moved to the U.S. as a kid, Echazarreta, 27, was a “citizen astronaut ambassador” on a commercial space flight in 2022, after which Mattel made a Barbie Role Model doll of her.
Nos visitaron los titulares de la Administración Nacional de Aeronáutica y el Espacio (NASA), Bill Nelson y Pamela Melroy, una de las dos únicas mujeres que ha comandado un transbordador espacial. Tratamos, entre otros asuntos, que Katya Echazarreta, joven astronauta mexicana… pic.twitter.com/UKPrR6toOb
“It was an honor to meet with President López Obrador,” Nelson wrote in a post on X. “There is a new and bright future ahead for the United States and Mexico — in space, and here on Earth.”
Melroy emphasized the unifying power of space. “From space, borders disappear,” she said, stressing the importance of international collaboration for the benefit of all humankind.
Casa Madero has been consistently producing award winning wines (and one Mexican president) for generations. (All photos by Casa Madero/Facebook)
Casa Madero, nestled in the municipality of Parras de la Fuente in Coahuila state, proudly holds the title of the oldest winery in the Americas. With a history dating back to 1597, it has been producing wines uninterruptedly for centuries and earning its reputation as a true leader in the winemaking industry, while also holding the spotlight as Mexico’s first organic vineyard.
In the vast landscapes of early colonial Mexico, Spanish conquistadors were obsessively searching for gold deposits. In 1568, explorers set out from Zacatecas in search of the precious metal. When they arrived in Coahuila, what they found was something less shiny but more precious: an oasis of springs and abundant wild vines.
With an abundance of natural springs, the town of Parras is the perfect spot for winemakers, and the ancestral home of the Mexican wine industry.
In 1594, three Jesuits established the Santa María de las Parras mission, where they produced the region’s first wine. The following year, Lorenzo García, aware of the valley’s riches, sought the favor of King Philip II of Spain and obtained permission to cultivate the land and produce wine and brandy. Thus was born Hacienda San Lorenzo, the home of Casa Madero.
From 1597 to 1893, the winery changed owners 13 times until it was acquired by Evaristo Madero. Evaristo’s grandson, Francisco I. Madero, later emerged as a prominent figure in the Mexican Revolution, advocating for social justice, human rights and democracy. As a revolutionary leader, he played a crucial role in overthrowing the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz.
Mexico’s first internationally certified organic wine
Casa Madero stands as a benchmark in the international wine industry, renowned for its continuous innovation, distinctive certifications and global accolades. In 2010, Casa Madero achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Mexican vineyard to obtain the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Certification for the production of wines and distilled beverages.
Casa Madero is also certified as an organic vineyard.
A trailblazer in Mexican viticulture, Casa Madero is also the country’s first organic vineyard, becoming certified in 2012. This accomplishment began in 2008 with a commitment to environmental stewardship, leading to a four-year detoxification process that eliminated all chemical inputs from the land. After years of nurturing the soil according to organic agriculture best practices, German certification body BCS KIWA Okö Garantie certified Casa Madero in the USDA National Organic Program standard.
This winery also holds the V-Label certification, the most recognized seal in the European Union, which certifies that all ingredients used for their products are of vegetable origin and that no animal ingredients were used at any stage of production.
Casa Madero: officially the best in the world
Casa Madero is a world-class winery with over a thousand international medals. It has earned some of the most world’s most prestigious awards, such as Double Gold medals in Vinus Argentina, Grand Gold awards in Vinitaly Italy, Best Wine in Vinalies Internationales France, Revelation Wine in the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and Best of Show in Mundus Vini Germany.
Several Casa Madero wines have won gold medals at the highest echelons of the global industry.
In 2013, Casa Madero’s Chenin Blanc 2012 was awarded the Double Gold medal and recognized as the best white wine at Vinalies Internationales, France’s most important wine competition, considered one of the five most prestigious in the world. In 2014, the winery’s Malbec 2012 won the title of “Revelation Wine” and a gold medal at the Concours Mondial in Brussels. Additionally, its Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 and Gran Reserva Shiraz 2015 wines cracked the Top 10 of the World Ranking of Wines & Spirits.
Experience the wine yourself
Casa Madero offers tours of its facilities, set against the backdrop of majestic landscapes that whisper tales of centuries-old traditions. Here, amidst the serenity of the vineyards, guests are invited to savor the unparalleled excellence of its award-winning wines. These tours offer a symphony of flavors and aromas that embody Mexico’s vinicultural heritage, waiting to be explored and cherished by all who seek the essence of fine wine.
Casa Madero continues to thrive as a family-owned business. Their unwavering commitment to innovation drives them to continually push the boundaries in vineyard techniques and winemaking processes that stand out on the global stage.
Sandra Gancz Kahan is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: sandragancz@gmail.com
The ballad by singer Pablo Ángel is dedicated to the state special forces, and he was apparently authorized to film the music video with the participation of police. One pesky detail: the singer is also known for his narco corridos. (Screen capture)
Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara has announced the suspension of three high-ranking police officials after officers from a special operations unit appeared in a music video with a singer who has released songs dedicated to drug traffickers.
“In relation to the video circulating on social media about the Special Operations Police Unit [UPOE], I’ve ordered an internal investigation,” Jara wrote on the X social media platform on Wednesday.
“Until the situation is completely clarified, I’ve given the instruction for the director of the UPOE, Rodolfo Montero Arista, the director of the State Support Forces, Gilberto Hernández Villarreal, and the State Police Commissioner, Eduardo Gutiérrez Ruiz, to be removed from their positions,” he said.
Heavily-armed UPOE officers are essentially the stars of the video, which was made for a corrido, or ballad, dedicated to the special operations unit on the occasion of its 23rd anniversary. Officers appear behind “El Oaxaco” as he sings, and are also shown firing their weapons and carrying out raids.
At the start of the clip, a message appears saying that “all the visual elements used in this video are under the authorization of the UPOE with the aim of extolling the work of our police.”
Y ahora… un corrido para la Policía de Oaxaca 😵💫🎶
El cantante Pablo del Ángel 👼🏽 grabó un corrido dedicado a la Unidad Policial de Operaciones Especial (UPOE) 🚔
En el video de “el Oaxaco” se habrían utilizado recursos públicos 💰🤦🏽pic.twitter.com/Ube66vM9xU
This video has led to the suspension of three high-ranking police officials in Oaxaca this week.
If that was the intent of the police officials who possibly authorized the appearance of the officers in the video and who have now been suspended, the plan backfired — and badly.
Governor Jara clearly doesn’t approve of any association between the state police and a singer who has previously released a song called “Yo Soy Ovidio” (I am Ovidio), dedicated to Ovidio Guzmán, a son of former drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Ovidio was captured in Culiacán, Sinaloa, in January 2023 and extradited to the United States last September to face drug trafficking charges.
Pablo del Ángel also has a ballad about notorious drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was arrested in northern Mexico in 2022. He boasts in another song – the “Corrido de El Oaxaco” – that he always carries a gun, and has used it to kill.
Some of Britain's most intriguing characters have fallen in love with Mexico over the centuries, from architects, to writers, to explorers. (Rubi Rodriguez Martinez/Shutterstock)
What was it about Mexico that so captivated some of the renowned dashing, eccentric and artistic Brits of the previous centuries? Mexico had such a magical hold on Frederick Catherwood, Aldous Huxley, Leonora Carrington, Sir Edward James and Fanny Erskine Ingles that they wrote about it, painted it, got deeply involved in society and made it their home.
As a Brit who’s spent the last fifteen years living between New York City and San Miguel de Allende, I’ve often mulled over what kept those who blazed the trail before me, whether they returned home too soon or never at all. Whereas is Britain is known for its reserved and almost uncomfortably polite culture, Mexico, a land of vibrance, color, social turbulence and disparity with a rich history, festivities, desert, dust and cacti is almost diametrically opposed in its flavor.
The leafy villages of the UK are a far cry from the deserts, jungles and mountains of Mexico. (Skyscanner)
A very British love affair with Mexico
I can relate to those of my countrymen who developed a love affair with Mexico. Not only have I read some of their books, adored their paintings and heard some intriguing tales about their lives, but some of my own encounters with the people and culture of Mexico have echoed their passion for the country. It was in Mexico that I found freedom, warmth and creativity; that I performed theater, joined a circus trapeze school, danced ecstatically in the street in one of their many festivities and holiday celebrations, hiked in the desert and met strange looking animals and plants.
I was captured by the importance Mexicans place on family; met other wandering explorers from all over the world; participated in centuries-old healing ceremonies and fell in love with the dramatic sweep of the landscape, the sight of three generations that gather in the town square at night, the expressiveness of the language, the taco and coconut water stands by the side of the road, the roaming dogs and cats and the flamboyant clothing, which inspired me to design my own. I even became fond of the incessant fireworks at dawn and the yells and bells of the elote and horchata vendors.
Some of my best friends are Mexicans. They take life in their stride, bemused by the neurotic mindset of Americans or the reserve of the English. They know how to love, laugh and live to the fullest. And, well, they love a good party. But for the adventurous Brits – and there’s a history of them – Mexico welcomes them with open arms, perhaps appreciating their curiosity, and sense of humor.
But who exactly were these people who settled in this exotic land, so far from the sunlit uplands of home?
Frederick Catherwood
Frederick Catherwood was famed for his accurate drawings of Mexico’s then mostly lost Maya history. (Wikimedia)
This early 19th century English artist, architect and explorer discovered the Mayan universe and rendered meticulously detailed snapshots of the ruins of their civilisation, using the camera lucida drawing technique. All the mysterious glory of the previously unknown Maya mesmerized a Europe deep in an obsession with Egyptology, and rocketed Mexican history to the forefront. His books, with John Lloyd Stephens, Incidents of Travel in Central America, Chiapas and Yucatán and Incidents of Travel in Yucatán, were best sellers. In 1837, Catherwood was elected into the National Academy of Design as an Honorary member.
While the Maya cities of today are celebrated and restored, Catherwood’s work captures an important part of Mexican history at a time when so much of it was thought to be lost.
Sir Edward James
James’ surrealist gardens in the forests of San Luis Potosí are a marriage of British aristocratic quirks and Mexican magic. (Demian Chávez/Cuartoscuro)
Sir Edward James probably had the most trappings of class and culture of all our British eccentrics in his journey from wealthy aristocrat to the architect of a surrealist castle in the lush rainforest of Xilitla, San Luis Potosí. James was born into a life of privilege at the turn of the 20th century, staggeringly rich and reputed to be the illegitimate son of King Edward VII. His sensitive nature and fantastical way of seeing the world meant he didn’t get far in formal education and the traditional life of the aristocracy in Britain. He soon veered off into the arts, making friends with the likes of Salvador Dalí and stepping into his lifelong role as a patron of the arts.
When James came to Mexico in the 1930s, he fell in love – like so many visitors do – with its vibrance, culture and scale. In the bright humidity of the Huasteca Potosina, he began to construct a home that over the years would become a beacon for artists and thinkers, a place strange and wild enough to house his own free spirit.
He would walk among the rock pools and bathe naked in the waterfalls, deciding whether or not he had the forest’s blessing to visit which pools depending on whether a flutter of butterflies gathered around him. On one such occasion, he was washing his hair when he saw what looked like a troupe of penguins coming towards him. Rubbing the suds from his eyes, the penguins dissolved into a line of nuns from the local church. Embarrassed, he asked how he could help and upon hearing they needed a clinic for the poor, he promised to build it right away if they would only give him a minute to get dressed.
Edward James loved his surroundings and worked with local artisans to bring his singular vision to life. The concrete staircases to nowhere and doors standing like portals to the infinite blend spectacularly into the tropical greenery of Las Pozas, drawing in visitors from all around the world.
Leonora Carrington
Leonora Carrington’s “And Then We Saw the Daughter of the Minotaur,” 1953. Her work is on display across much of her adoptive Mexico. (MoMA)
Anyone who has stared intently at a Leonora Carrington sculpture and felt the otherworldly creature stare back, recognizes the power and sheer strangeness of her work. The playful composition of Carrington’s “Cocodrilos,” passed by millions each year along Mexico City’s Paseo de la Reforma, gives the impression it has floated straight out of a book of fairy tales. Like so much of her work though, it could just have easily loomed up from the underworld.
Carrington fled war-torn Europe in the 1940s and established a life for herself in Mexico — like her good friend Edward James — far from her aristocratic upbringing. Her struggles with mental health and time spent watching a continent on the edge of darkness ensured her dreamscapes were never simply an escape from reality, but contained within them its totality, grim omens and all. Carrington lived most of her life in Mexico City, producing prolifically, weaving folk art and indigenous mythologies into her own personal cosmovision. Her home in Roma Norte still contains original pieces, and while the house is currently closed to the public, Carrington’s work can be seen throughout the country in her public sculptures and paintings exhibited in museums.
Currently, the best place to see a collection of her work in Mexico is the state of San Luis Potosí. Both San Luis city and the town of Xilitla have permanent Leonora Carrington museums that house her paintings, illustrations, textiles, etchings and jewelry. Walking around Xilitla, you simply have to look out over the rooftops to see her sculptures peeking back at you.
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Huxley, one of the great British writers of the 20th century, called Mexico home for much of his career. (National Portait Gallery)
Aldous Huxley, the cerebral English author and philosopher, found new ways of looking at the world wherever he chose to direct his attention. Having begun his writing career as a keen social satirist of the British class system, he came to Mexico in the early 1950s, seeking an environment where he could explore the grander ideas of consciousness and mysticism.
Huxley’s journeys through southern Mexico, captured in the book of essays “Beyond the Mexique Bay,” gifted him with a rich cultural and ethnobotanical context for his later journeys into altered states of consciousness.
Frances Erskine Inglis, 1st Marquise of Calderón de la Barca
Francis Erskine Inglis, Madame Calderón de la Barca was an early travel writer, whose accounts of life in Mexico thrilled many in Europe. (INAH)
Fanny, as she was familiarly known, was the ultimate upper-echelon Scottish lady adventurer. As the charming young wife of the Spanish plenipotentiary envoy come to negotiate Spain’s recognition of Mexican independence, she had unrestricted access everywhere and anywhere in Mexico. Very well endowed by nature and fortune, she was reportedly bright, beautiful and talented. As heiress to Scotland’s largest brewing fortune, Fanny was also extremely wealthy.
Fanny wrote the ultimate travel narrative of the 19th century, “Life in Mexico,” published under the name Madame Calderón de la Barca in Boston and London in 1843. Her observations and insights are so alluring that she is rumored to have become a principal intelligence source for the United States’ invasion of Mexico in 1847.
Truth to tell, as I talked to some of my British friends who have lived and worked in Mexico for years, I unearthed many more fascinating Brits who chose to flee to these southern latitudes and made quite a dent.
The stories of the English novelists D.H Lawrence and Graham Greene and the Irish (who was then British) freedom fighter William Lamport — who inspired the legend of Zorro and actually crafted one of the first plans for Mexican independence — are scintillating tales for later this month. I always like to end on a cliffhanger; just like any Brit that’s adventured to — and got hooked on – Mexico!
Henrietta Weekes is a writer, editor, actor and narrator. She divides her time between San Miguel de Allende, New York and Oxford, UK.
To read more in the Global Mexico: UK in Focus series, click here.
