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‘Jajaja’ and ‘jejeje’ with our Mexican memes of the week

By
Sarah DeVries
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Mexican memes
The funniest Mexican memes of the week have arrived to brighten your day.

Spring has arrived, and it is getting hot out there! But at least we can laugh while we drip in sweat, right? Grab a beer, and we can laugh extra hard at these Mexican memes currently making the rounds on social media. 

The best part? You can legitimately say you were studying. 

Meme translation: “Ma’am, classes were canceled today for the eclipse.” 

“He wants to be an astronomer.”

What does it meme? Did everyone catch the eclipse last week? Depending on where you were, it was more or less dramatic (there was a little under 70% coverage where I was).

Plenty of schools canceled classes that day, and those who didn’t supposedly had pretty low turnouts. Some parents though, like the one in this meme, were apparently less than thrilled about having to find childcare for their little ones when they still had to go to work!

Meme translation: “If you drink, don’t drive. And please, don’t call your ex. Value your life and your dignity.”

What does it meme? Now this…is a good sign.

And now you know: drunk dialing isn’t just a problem in the English-speaking world. The plethora of memes and jokes about it here, in fact, would leave me to believe that it’s even more prevalent around here! 

So remember, kids: if you’re going to drink, get a designated driver or take a taxi. And if you’re tempted to profess your love to someone long lost, give your friend your phone. Your dignity will thank you.

Meme translation: “Why hasn’t my package arrived? I ordered it through…”

(on screen) “FraudEx”

What does it meme? If you’ve had anything delivered to you in Mexico, chances are you’ve come into contact with one of the most prominent shipping companies here, Estafeta. 

I’ve always thought it was a strange choice of a name, as (to me) it looks and sounds pretty similar to the word for “scam,” estafa. “-Ote/ota” is one of Spanish’s  augmentative forms (as opposed to a diminutive form that you’re probably already familiar with, like “-ito/ita”), and visually it fits perfectly with this joke: “Estafota” would translate to something like “big scam” (I did my best above to make it look at least somewhat like the name of a shipping company).

I don’t think that kitty’s package is going to be making it after all.

Meme translation: “When you’re an English teacher and you see that there’s a kid from the United States in your class.”

What does it meme? Most kids in Mexican schools take English classes. But teaching a different language (especially one different than your own) ain’t no joke, and the truth is that most language teaching positions for Mexican nationals don’t pay enough to recruit teachers that are truly fluent in the language they’re teaching, as those who are can usually make much more money elsewhere.

So, when a student shows up in their class who does speak the language fluently, it can be a little intimidating. Knowing this, I’ve always given my daughter strict instructions to never, under any circumstances, publicly correct an English teacher unless specifically asked to.

Apparently, she’s taken that lesson to heart a bit too much: when I had a meeting with her teacher a few months into this last school year, he said he had no idea that she spoke English at all!

Meme translation: “If I could have one power, I’d like to be able to be retired.”

What does it meme? This one takes a little explanation: poder as a noun is “power”; poder as a verb is “to be able to” (basically, “can”). Perhaps a better translation might be, “If I could have one power, it would be the power to be retired,” though really, there’s no perfect option: plays on words don’t work across languages unless the languages have the same word for two of the same different concepts (which does sometimes happen, fortunately).

That said, I share your wish, my little tlacuache dude.

Meme translation: “It was there the whole time and we didn’t see it.”

What does it meme? If you’ve spent much time in Mexico, you’ve probably run across the cultural icon that is El Chavo del Ocho. The TV show ran through the 1970s until the early ‘80s, but I still don’t know a single Mexican, even under the age of 10, who wouldn’t immediately recognize the show’s character, who’s being rendered in the above photos out of the portrait of Benjamin Franklin. (They can all probably do a pretty good impression of the character, too.)

The series centered around a kid who lived in a barrel (and it was a comedy!) and his interactions with his neighbors in the vecindad, the little neighborhood where his barrel was located. 

Meme translation: (on screen) “The Pope forgives everyone” 

“And I said, ‘That’s good! One less thing to worry about.’”

What does it meme? I put this one up just because I thought it was adorable: the world might be falling apart, but, hey, the Pope forgives us. And whether from him or our dear ones, isn’t forgiveness for (and preferably ignorance of) all our shortcomings what we all really want?

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

Got 1 min? Recently divorced couple goes viral after celebrating together in Mérida cantina

By
MND Staff
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Fernando shows off his divorce papers.
Fernando shows off his divorce papers in a post that went viral. (El Cardenal Cantina/Facebook)

What do you do after you finalize your divorce in Mexico? Hit up the cantina with your ex-wife or ex-husband and have a few beers, of course.

At least that’s what one young man and woman did in Mérida, Yucatán, on Thursday.

Judging by the smile on the face of the man, it was more a matter of celebrating their newfound freedom than drowning their sorrows. Or maybe the recently-separated couple were just dying for a beer amid the intense heat that has plagued Mérida this week.

El Cardenal, a cantina in the Santiago neighborhood of the historic center of the Yucatán capital, brought the news of the divorcees’ drinking to the world’s attention with a post to its Facebook page.

“CONGRATULATIONS! Today we welcomed at the bar Fernando and Eli, a lovely couple who were celebrating their DIVORCE,” El Cardenal said.

The cantina published two photos in the post: one of the couple, although Eli’s face is obscured by a shushing face emoji, and one in which Fernando is showing off the former couple’s divorce certificate.

As of Friday afternoon, the post had been shared almost 150 times and attracted 99 comments.

One Facebook user suggested the couple would “reconcile” after having a few drinks, while another praised them for ending their marriage in a peaceful way and “without problems.”

At least two people wanted to know what El Cardenal’s “divorce promo” was.

“With the purchase of a divorce, take home a beautiful mention on social media,” responded another Facebook user.

Mexico News Daily

Report shows 20 environmental activists were killed in Mexico in 2023

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MND Staff
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Protesters in Mexico City display banners demanding justice for murdered environmental activist Samir Flores and other causes related to environmental defense.
Protesters in Mexico City display banners demanding justice for murdered environmental activist Samir Flores and other causes related to environmental defense, in 2019. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro.com)

Environmental activists in Mexico continue to face violence despite a slight decrease in attacks in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to a report released this week by the Mexican Center for Environmental Law (CEMDA).

The report found 20 lethal attacks against environmental activists in 2023, which represents the fifth-highest number documented by CEMDA in the past decade. In 2022, the figure was 24.

Michoacán topped the list with seven victims, including Eustacio Alcalá Díaz, a 68-year-old Indigenous activist who was murdered last April. He was a community leader in Huitzontla, a village in the Michoacán highlands, who had been fighting against mining projects that were disfiguring the land and depleting natural resources.

For years, the Indigenous communities of Michoacán have fought against mining and illegal logging of the mountain region’s pine and fir forests. Loggers often cut down trees to plant avocados.

Guerrero was second on the list with six murders, followed by México state and Oaxaca with two each. Hidalgo, Sonora and Jalisco each had one.

Overall, CEMDA documented 123 acts of aggression that targeted activists, communities and Indigenous peoples in 2023. These attacks, which included threats, intimidation, physical assaults and kidnappings, were most prevalent in Jalisco (20), Oaxaca (19) and Mexico City (12).

Eustacio Alcalá Díaz
Eustacio Alcalá Díaz was one of 20 environmental activists murdered in 2023. (@redsolidariaDH/Twitter)

“While the total number of attacks recorded in 2023 decreased compared to [197 in] 2022, these are still high and unacceptable figures,” the report stated.

The report criticized the Mexican government’s failure to fulfill its obligations under the Escazú Agreement, an international treaty requiring signatory countries to protect environmental activists. The Mexican Senate ratified the pact in 2020.

“Mexico must guarantee a safe environment for activists to carry out their work,” said Gustavo Alanís Ortega, executive director of CEMDA. “As of today, there is a total omission on the part of the government.”

CEMDA, a nonprofit and non-governmental organization, has been working for the defense of the environment and natural resources since it was founded in 1993 in conjunction with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Fallen lumber
The disappearance and deaths of environmental activists often occurs in conjunction with illegal mining, logging and other illicit forms of resource extraction. (Senado de la República)

According to data from CEMDA, murders of environmental activists reached a high of 29 in 2017, followed by 2021 with 25.

However, 2021’s total was much higher — 54 — according to another NGO watchdog group, Global Witness. Their worldwide analysis of 2021 data found that more land and environmental activists were killed that year in Mexico than in any other country in the world.

CEMDA’s new report also highlighted the human cost of the violence. It mentioned the case of Alcalá Díaz, as well as Ricardo Lagunes, a human rights lawyer who also was openly critical of mining projects in Michoacán.

Alfredo Cisneros
Alfredo Cisneros, another environmental activist killed in 2023, was president of the Communal Assets Commission in the Indigenous community of Sicuicho, Michoacán. (Consejo Suprema Indigena Michoacán)

Another case mentioned was that of 27-year-old student, journalist and activist Abisaí Pérez Romero, who was conducting research for the Environmental Justice Atlas on environmental degradation along the Tula River when he went missing. Two days later, he turned up dead on a local road in Hidalgo.

It also mentioned the homicide of Alfredo Cisneros Madrigal, 60, an anti-logging and anti-mining activist and a member of the community land council in the municipality of Los Reyes, Michoacán.

“It seems the Mexican state does not care about life or death,” said Raquel Camacho Lagunes, Ricardo’s cousin, at the presentation of the report on Tuesday. “The state has failed, and only we are left.”

The report calls for urgent action from the Mexican government to address violence against defenders of the environment and ensure their safety.

With reports from El Financiero, Sin Embargo and Animal Político

Irapuato mayoral candidate’s debate notes stolen in armed attack

By
MND Staff
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security footage screenshot
Armed attackers stole debate notes and cell phones from the Irma Leticia González's personal secretary, the opposition candidate said. (Screenshot)

The Morena party’s candidate for mayor in Irapuato, Guanajuato, has accused a rival candidate of being behind a mugging of her personal secretary in which two men stole at gunpoint notes she was planning to use in Thursday night’s mayoral debate.

Irma Leticia González leveled the accusation at PAN-PRI-PRD candidate and current Mayor Lorena Alfaro during the debate before repeating it in posts to Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).

Headshots of Irapuato politicians Irma Leticia González and Lorena Alfaro
Morena party mayoral candidate Irma Leticia González (at left) accused Irapuato’s incumbent mayor, Lorena Alfaro, of orchestrating an armed attack on González’s personal secretary. (Irma Leticia González/Facebook/Gobierno Municipal de Irapuato)

“Today, before arriving to the debate, the bodyguards of the mayor who wants to be reelected, pointed a gun at my personal secretary, threw him to the floor and took all the information I had [for the debate]. That’s why I was late, because they printed it for me again,” she said before accusing Alfaro of orchestrating the attack.

“… That’s not the way to govern, that’s not the way to play fair,” the candidate told Alfaro.

In a subsequent Facebook post that included video footage of the mugging, González wrote that “the security personnel of the candidate of insecurity and corruption in Irapuato” stole the “materials” she intended to use in the debate.

“I hold the PRIAN candidate responsible for whatever happens to [my secretary] Lalo, to me, to my family or to anyone in my team,” she added, using a derogatory hybrid acronym for the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, and the National Action Party, or PAN.

Security footage of the attack was widely shared on social media.

Alfaro, mayor of Irapuato since 2021, condemned the mugging in a post to X. She also called for a complaint to be filed with authorities so that an investigation is carried out and those responsible are apprehended.

The footage of the attack shows two men — one of whom has a gun — entering an ice cream parlor and approaching González’s secretary, who is seated at a table. One man proceeds to steal a cardboard box presumably filled with documents and a backpack while his armed accomplice orders the victim to lie on the floor. The armed man then steals two cell phones from the table.

González said on Facebook on Friday that her team had asked the Federal Attorney General’s Office to investigate and punish those responsible.

“Irapuato deserves to live in peace with a government that looks out for the people, not one that attacks citizens. They believe that, at gunpoint and operating like the mafia they are, they’re going to break our spirit, but they’re not going to,” she wrote in the same post.

In another post, the mayoral aspirant described Alfaro’s municipal administration as a “failed government” and expressed confidence she would win the June 2 mayoral election in Irapuato, Mexico’s strawberry capital.

In addition to strawberries, the city has come to be known for violence, which is mainly caused by a long-running conflict between the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel.

Guanajuato, where the PAN has been in office for over 30 years, is Mexico’s most violent state in terms of total homicides, with more than 3,000 murders last year.

Earlier this month, Morena’s candidate for mayor in Celaya, Gisela Gaytán, was shot and killed while campaigning in the municipality, located in Guanajuato’s southeast.

With reports from Reforma and Milenio

Got 1 min? Croc spotted taking a dip in Zihuatanejo pool

By
MND Staff
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0
A crocodile in a swimming pool
The crocodile was estimated to be about 2 meters long. (X)

Always check the depth of the pool before you dive in, and make sure there isn’t a crocodile lurking beneath the surface.

That could be good advice for residents and tourists in certain parts of Mexico given that a crocodile was found in a pool at a luxury beachfront development in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, on Thursday.

The croc reportedly made its way to the pool from the Playa Blanca estuary, located about 20 kilometers southeast of the city of Zihuatanejo.

The reptile — approximately two meters long according to one report — was removed by Civil Protection personnel, who returned the specimen to its natural habitat.

Before they were called to coax the croc out of the pool, “the unexpected presence” of the reptile surprised tourists and workers at the residential complex, the website Noticias Énfasis reported.

Crocodiles are seen frequently in Zihuatanejo and nearby areas, although sightings in swimming pools are not common. At least nine have been seen outside their natural habitat this week, according to reports.

Two men hold a crocodile with ropes and sticks
Civil Protection workers extracted the crocodile from it’s lounge spot and took it back to Playa Blanca estuary. (X)

Earlier this week, a crocodile (or caiman according to some reports) attacked three members of a family including an 11-year-old boy at Playa Linda in Ixtapa, located around eight kilometers northwest of Zihuatanejo. They were treated in hospital for injuries to various parts of their bodies, but the boy — who was bitten on his head and arms — and his parents all survived.

In December, local officials issued a crocodile warning after videos of one wading in the surf and swimming near a beach in Ixtapa went viral.

Earlier the same month, a 76-year-old Belgian man died after he was attacked by either a shark or a crocodile at a beach in the same location.

With reports from Milenio, El Sur and Noticias Énfasis

Was it sabotage? Criminal complaint filed in CDMX water contamination debacle

By
MND Staff
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3
A person holds a flashlight and a broom as they clean out a well in Mexico City
Mexico City's water contamination saga took a turn on Wednesday when the city's water authority filed a complaint claiming sabotage was to blame. (@SacmexCDMX/X)

Mexico City water authority Sacmex has filed a complaint over what it called “events appearing to be the crime of sabotage” that may have caused the contamination of water in the borough of Benito Juárez.

Residents of several Benito Juárez neighborhoods began complaining about foul-smelling tap water in late March. Neighbors initially suspected gasoline had contaminated the water, but the Mexico City government said that industrial oils and lubricants were to blame.

Two people check tap water for contamination
Residents of the affected areas of Benito Juarez should expect to have contaminated water coming out of their faucets for another week or so, even though clean water is now entering the system. (@SacmexCDMX/X)

On Thursday, Sacmex released a statement announcing that “with the aim of clarifying the events” and assisting the “relevant investigations,” it filed a formal complaint on Wednesday with the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office (FGJ) over “events appearing to be the crime of sabotage after the discovery of a degraded oil compound in water extracted from the Alfonso XIII well in the Álvaro Obregón borough.”

That well, Sacmex noted, has been identified as the source of the contaminated water supplied to neighborhoods in the northwestern section of Benito Juárez.

The water authority didn’t go into detail about the exact nature of the suspected sabotage, but its statement included an extract from the complaint presented to the FGJ which said that it is presumed that “criminal behavior” led to the contamination of the water supply.

Sacmex called on investigative police to carry out an “exhaustive investigation into the events that gave rise” to its complaint.

Workers peering down a well in Mexico City
Mexico City employees work on cleanup of the Alfonso XIII well in the city’s Álvaro Obregón borough, which has been determined to be contaminated with a degraded oil compound. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

The water department requested that police carry out an inspection of the well in question, locate “possible witnesses” who could corroborate that the water system has been “hindered” and apprehend the “possible” culprits.

Sacmex’s filing of a criminal complaint came six days after President Andrés Manuel López Obrador appeared to rule out the possibility that the water contamination in Benito Juárez was the result of sabotage.

“There are those who say that there could have been the intention to throw fuel in the well. There is no evidence for that,” the president said on April 11.

Mexico City Risk Management and Civil Protection Minister Myriam Urzúa said in a radio interview on Friday that Sacmex’s presentation of the complaint was “very important,” but acknowledged that sabotage is not the only possible cause of contaminants being released into the water supply.

However, sabotage is “one of the strongest lines of inquiry we have,” she said.

López Obrador acknowledged last week that a leak in a petroleum pipeline — possibly caused by fuel thieves or earthquakes — could be the cause of the contamination. However, he noted that inspections hadn’t detected any leaks.

Military stand next to a sealed-off well
The Alfonso XVIII well in the Álvaro Obregón borough was identified to be the source of the contaminated water and was secured by the National Guard last week. (@tomaspliegoc/X)

Scientists affiliated with the Metropolitan Autonomous University said this week that they had detected “organic compounds derived from petroleum” in water samples from Benito Juárez, but the university itself subsequently declared that the results “aren’t yet conclusive” and questioned the “rigor and precision” of the academics involved.

The Mexico City government hasn’t yet announced the results of new official lab tests, but Urzúa reiterated on Friday that the cause of the contamination of the water, based on testing completed to date, “is not gasoline.”

The minister said just over a week ago that residents in the affected Benito Juárez neighborhoods, including Del Valle, Nápoles and Nochebuena, could expect to have contaminated water coming out of their faucets for another two weeks even though said water was no longer entering the system.

Urzúa said Friday that the gasoline smell of the water coming out of taps had “notably” decreased and indicated that a supply completely free of contaminants would resume within the expected timeframe.

Sacmex this week once again warned residents of the borough not to drink foul-smelling water, nor use it to brush their teeth or give it to pets.

Some Benito Juárez residents have reported skin and eye problems due to contact with the contaminated water.

Mexico City Mayor Martí Batrés has also advised residents to not consume the water.

“The water from your taps should only be used for washing dishes, washing cars, cleaning floors and patios and for flushing your toilets,” he said last weekend.

With reports from Milenio, El País and El Financiero 

Heat wave continues, but rain in weather forecast for parts of Mexico

By
MND Staff
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A woman shields herself from the sun with an umbrella
“Heat wave” is the buzzword across large swaths of Mexico. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)

The rainy season seems far away as “heat wave” continues to be the buzzword across large swaths of Mexico, but at least some areas do have wet weather in the forecast. Friday’s weather forecast from the National Meteorological Service (SMN) warns of extreme heat, while also predicting heavy rains and hail storms.

The report predicts that the northern states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, Tamaulipas and San Luis Potosí, as well as the central states of México, Hidalgo, Puebla, Tlaxcala and Veracruz, could see up to 50 milliliters (3 cubic inches) of rain this afternoon, accompanied by lightning storms and hail.

The SMN added that southern states Chiapas and Oaxaca as well as the central states of Querétaro, Morelos, Guanajuato and Mexico City, plus the northern border state of Chihuahua could receive up to 25 milliliters of rain (1.5 cubic inches).

The daily forecast also included a warning that several states up north (Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas) could see extreme storm conditions with wind gusts of up to 80 km/h along with the possibility of tornadoes. Wind speeds reaching 70 km/h could kick up dust clouds in Aguascalientes, Chihuahua, Durango, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas.

Today’s report anticipates soaring temperatures across most of the country with highs above 45 degrees Celsius (113˚ Fahrenheit) in the coastal states of Campeche, Tabasco, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guerrero and Michoacán.

It won’t be any more comfortable in Coahuila, Colima, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Morelos, Nayarit, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Yucatán, where highs of 40 to 45 degrees Celsius are expected.

The daily report explained that the current meteorological conditions are being caused by a cold front approaching from the north that is interacting with low-pressure systems in the midsection and southeastern part of the country.

These currents, combined with humidity coming in off the Pacific, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean could result in the first significant rain storms of the year.

With reports from El Universal and Conagua

New Tepic-LAX flight could transform tourism to Riviera Nayarit

By
MND Staff
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An aerial photo of a beach in Nayarit, Mexico
The Riviera Nayarit extends 200 miles, from San Blas, Nayarit to Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. (Unsplash)

A new flight connecting the city of Tepic in western Mexico with Los Angeles could soon be a boon to Pacific coast beach destinations along the Riviera Nayarit.

This week, Mexican aviation authorities began conducting test flights from Tepic, in the state of Nayarit, to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). These trials became possible upon completion of a 2.5 billion-peso (US $145 million) renovation project at the Tepic airport.

A plane on the runway of Tepic airport in Nayarit
Aviation authorities completed the first Tepic-LAX flight on Friday. (Miguel Ángel Navarro/Facebook)

The trade magazine Aviación 21 reported that the funds were used to modernize the existing terminal, build a new state-of-the-art, 42-meter-high control tower, extend and recondition the runway to be 3.1 kilometers, as well as other improvements. The runway extension was key in earning authorization for international flights.

A new terminal is also under construction at the Tepic airport, added Aviación 21, at an additional cost of 1.6 billion pesos (US $93 million) and should be operational in a few months. State and national highways are being rehabilitated to facilitate access to the airport from destinations up and down the Nayarit coast.

The renovations could expand operations to include international routes to and from Canada, the United States, Central America, South America and Europe, reported the newspaper El Financiero.

In announcing Tuesday’s test flight to Los Angeles, Nayarit Governor Miguel Ángel Navarro posted to Facebook: “Nayarit is transforming itself, it is opening up, it is developing … This test flight is the first of several that will demonstrate the project’s viability and earn it certification.”

The domestic airline Volaris has been granted the rights to the Tepic-LAX route. El Financiero reported that Volaris began its operations in Tepic back in 2012 with a flight to the border city of Tijuana, claiming at the time that it planned to extend service to Los Angeles, as well. 

Los Angeles is a popular destination for nayaritenses. El Financiero reported that an estimated 1 million Nayarit natives live in southern California. The most recent census shows Nayarit’s population is just over 1.2 million.

The modernization venture aims to make the Tepic airport the international point of entry for the nearby Riviera Nayarit which extends south toward Puerto Vallarta. Most tourists who arrive at this vacation hotspot today come in via the Puerto Vallarta airport located about 168 kilometers south of Tepic.

With reports from Aviación 21, El Financiero and La Jornada

Aguas! You are about to learn some Mexican slang

By
Paulina Gerez
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Watch out for that water! (Bing Copilot)

If you’ve ever strolled through the streets of Mexico, especially in smaller cities, you’ve likely observed the absence of pedestrian signs, resulting in people crossing the streets wherever they please, sometimes at the risk of their own safety. Whenever we witness this danger, we instinctively shout “aguas!” and immediately prevent someone from being hit by a car.

Ok, I am being a bit dramatic, but it is not that far from the truth. Apart from getting into the details of this useful word, I’m going to explain another useful Mexican slang word used to prevent you from coming to any harm. 

  1. “Aguas!”

The expression originates from colonial-era Mexico City. During that time, people would throw waste and dirty water from their windows onto the streets below. To warn pedestrians of the impending danger, those above would shout “¡Aguas!” (waters), indicating that people should watch out for the dirty water. Over time, this warning evolved into a general cautionary phrase used in various contexts to alert others to potential hazards.

 Example Usage:

  • “¡Aguas! Hay vidrio roto en el suelo.” Watch out! There’s broken glass on the ground.
  • “Aguas con ese tipo, parece peligroso.” Be careful with that guy; he seems dangerous.

 

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  1. Abusado 

Abusado translates to ‘Watch out!’ or ‘Be careful!’ in English. It’s used as a warning to someone to be cautious and avoid potential danger, and it is used in the imperative form of the verb. For example, if someone is walking on a slippery surface, you might say ‘Watch out! Don’t slip, be careful!’ which in Spanish could be “¡Abusado! ¡No te vayas a resbalar, ten cuidado!” 

More examples: 

  • “Abusado! La estufa está caliente.” Watch out! The stove is hot.
  • “Abusada eh!” Be careful, okay?   

Both of these Mexican slang expressions convey a message of caution and you can use them interchangeably. 

Paulina Gerez is a translator-interpreter, content creator, and founder of Crack The Code, a series of online courses focused on languages. Through her social media, she helps people see learning a language from another perspective through her fun experiences. Instagram: paulinagerezm / Tiktok: paugerez3 / YT: paulina gerez 

Los Cabos’ best dive site is also its greatest conservation story

By
Chris Sands
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The resurgence of Cabo Pulmo is one of Mexico's greatest conservation success stories. (All photos by Cabo Adventures)

This article contains exclusive discounts for readers. Mexico News Daily is not affiliated with Cabo Adventures. 

In the early 1990s, the effects of overfishing caused the residents of Cabo Pulmo, a small fishing village in the municipality of Los Cabos, to take an unprecedented step: they asked the government for help. In 1995, they received it, and Cabo Palmo became a marine Protected Natural Area (ANP), and fishing within the borders of its 7,111 hectares was prohibited. 

What happened next is one of modern history’s most remarkable conservation stories. In a single decade, Cabo Pulmo’s depleted fish diversity and lack of large predators were restored. Beyond restored. Between 1999 and 2009, marine life grew by a staggering 463%, the largest such increase ever measured. Today, Cabo Pulmo boasts the greatest abundance of any area in the Sea of Cortés, with over 800 species of marine life present. 

By 2000, this recovery had been recognized, and Cabo Pulmo was elevated to the status of a national park in Mexico. Five years later, UNESCO named it a World Heritage site, and in 2008, it was declared a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. 

Of course, it isn’t just the incredible density and diversity of fish that has made Cabo Pulmo one of the world’s most acclaimed dive sites. Did we mention the living coral reef? At 20,000 years old, Cabo Pulmo’s remarkable offshore reef system is the oldest of the three found along the Pacific coast of North America.

Cabo Pulmo: Where is it and how do you dive there?

Cabo Pulmo is on the East Cape of Los Cabos, a belly-shaped coastal arc that extends over 70 miles from San José del Cabo north to Los Barriles using the old Camino Cabo Este. Cabo Pulmo is about 45 miles from San José del Cabo via this rugged scenic route, or 60 miles if you take Highway 1 to La Ribera, then south. The latter route may be longer, but it’s faster because the roads are better. 

The entrance to Cabo Pulmo requires graded dirt road driving from either direction, but less of it is necessary via La Ribera. That’s why dive operators from Cabo San Lucas go this way when bringing divers for day-long adventures. Cabo Pulmo remains a small village, with only about 120 residents. Yes, it is possible to stay here, as solar-powered vacation rentals and Airbnb properties are available for laid-back beachfront sojourns. Snorkel and dive equipment and guides, meanwhile, are provided by respected local companies such as Cabo Pulmo Divers.

Getting there from Cabo San Lucas 

By far the most popular option, however, are day trips from Cabo San Lucas, San Jose del Cabo and the Tourist Corridor which connects them. This is where the highest concentration of hotels and resorts are found and premier local activities companies like Cabo Adventures and Adventures in Baja will pick up guests from their accommodations option of choice, transport them up to 80 miles to Cabo Pulmo for snorkeling or diving expeditions and then return them to the lobby of their hotel. 

Cabo Adventures, for example, typically picks up guests at about 7 a.m. and returns them by 5:30 p.m. About half of this eight-plus-hour adventure is spent getting there and back, with a box lunch served on the way. 

Premier dive sites in Cabo Pulmo

Cabo Pulmo’s reef system is extensive, with numerous offshore dive sites at varying depths. Highlights include El Vencedor, which features the remains of a tuna boat sunk 85 years ago that has since become a haven for a rich variety of marine life; El Bajo, a long reef bar home to 12 of 14 of the world’s coral species as well as sea turtles, mobula rays and other denizens; Los Cantiles, a favorite for shark sightings whose name references its cliff-shaped rock formations; and El Islote, famed for its incredibly colorful sea fans and white gorgonian, as well as colorful tropical fish like angelfish and Moorish idols. The so-called “tornado of bigeye jacks,” where these fish breed, is also notable for its sheer density.

What more can divers expect to see in the way of marine life? Bigeye jacks and tropical fish; five of seven extant species of sea turtles; bull and blacktip and whitetip reef sharks; eels; and mobula, cownose and eagle rays are all commonly seen, but the animals you spot can vary according to the season. Bull sharks, for example, are currently less visible due to the presence of transiting orcas, confirms Karen Bradfield, guide and owner of Adventures in Baja.

What sustainable tourism looks like in Cabo Pulmo

Cabo Pulmo is now a top international dive destination, and steps have been taken to ensure it remains a sustainable one. According to Armando Martínez Perea, scuba diving manager for Cabo Adventures, visiting divers can visit Cabo Pulmo without a guide, and only about 20 dive shop operators in the region are credentialed to provide them. Only small groups no larger than six divers are permitted, with the total number of allowable divers per day and month constantly being evaluated by park officials. Individual dive sites are also evaluated to ensure the most popular locations aren’t oversaturated. Guides are informed on a daily basis of which of the myriad underwater sites they may visit. 

Yes, you must be a certified diver to dive Cabo Pulmo, but nearly every regional dive operator offers credentialing programs. Snorkeling is an alternative option, although it’s not nearly as magical.

How much does it cost?

Adventures in Baja charges US $295 per person for two tank dives, with transportation and lunch included, although a minimum of two divers is required. Cabo Adventures offers a similar rate, at least normally. A 35% discount is currently being offered to Mexico News Daily readers who use the code MEXICONEWS35 when booking via the agency’s website at least three days in advance of their dive trips.

Lower rates still are available in Cabo Pulmo, of course, since the cost of transportation doesn’t have to be accounted for. There is a national park fee, too, though it’s less than US $4. However, you have to figure out a way to get there first, which will likely include renting a car with four-wheel drive to handle the dirt roads into Cabo Pulmo. There is no bus service or other public transportation that will take you there.

But no matter how you get there, rest assured: it’s definitely worth the trip.  

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook, and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.

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