Mexico’s hottest travel trends in 2025

By

-

February 19, 2025

Oaxaca, Mexico travel trends 2025 — Where will 2025 take you? (Mexico Playas)

The winter holidays are long gone, and people are starting to think about their next vacation. Where should they go for spring break? Thinking longer term, what are the best destinations this summer? I spoke to some travel agents to discover which destinations in Mexico are travel trends in 2025 and why.

From relaxing beach destinations to immersive cultural experiences, these places offer travelers exactly what they’re looking for. Which one will you pick for your vacation this year?

Where to go for leisure

Punta Mita

“Without a doubt, Punta Mita is currently the trendiest destination in Mexico,” Travel Advisor Nayeli Godínez, who’s been advising travelers around the world for ten years, told me over the phone.

Located on the north end of Bahía de Banderas, about 10 miles north of the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, Punta Mita has become the ultimate luxury travel cluster in the Riviera Nayarit, and arguably, in Mexico’s Pacific Coast. Some of the biggest names in hospitality are settled there, from Auberge to the Four Seasons and St. Regis.

Tourism in the area has rocketed since the opening of the One & Only Mandarina.

“Several luxury hotels have opened there in the last few years, including the One and Only Mandarina. But what’s really drawing attention now is the upcoming Rosewood Mandarina, which will open this year,” Godínez says.

Rosewood in Punta Mita will be the group’s fourth resort in Mexico. All its rooms will feature a private pool and terrace, restaurants specializing in different world cuisines and beachfront food places.

But despite the peninsula’s rapid development, Punta Mita’s exclusive resorts have ensured low-density tourism, keeping the region’s authenticity alive.

Riviera Maya

Playa Punta Esmeralda in Quintana Roo — Playa Punta Esmeralda, on the Riviera Maya, Mexico’s sparkling Caribbean coast. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

With its lush jungles, pristine waters and Maya cultural heritage, the Riviera Maya has remained a top global beach destination since its tourism boom in the seventies. Blending jungle and beach, a vibrant party scene and ancient culture, the Yucatán Península offers something to every type of traveler.

“The appeal of destinations like Cancún is that you can relax on the beach, and on the same day take a drive to Mérida and eat at Chablé, a beautiful hotel in an old hacienda nestled in the jungle,” travel advisor Daniela Arregui told me.

With still untouched beaches set afar from populous resorts, the Riviera Maya has also emerged as a wellness destination beyond its image as a spring-break hotspot.

SHA Wellness is one example of this, says Nayeli Godínez. Offering its guests various wellness programs, the European wellness retreat brand opened two years ago and has attracted hundreds of international travelers who seek to improve their lifestyle and health in paradisiac settings.

Where to go for culture

Mexico City

“There’s so much to do in Mexico City,” Arregui says. “We have everything from museums to multiple restaurants serving international cuisines, and more.”

Mexico City, which was underperforming in terms of tourism about a decade ago, is now one of the most visited destinations in the country. In 2024, Mexico City International Airport ranked as the busiest airport in Mexico, with passenger traffic of 37 million last year.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the city has not only become popular among international tourists but also remote workers who earn in dollars or euros and spend in pesos. “And one attraction that has propelled the city’s popularity is Soho House,” Nayeli Godínez said.

The members-only Soho House Mexico City sits in an early-20th century mansion at the heart of La Juárez, one of the neighborhoods booming with foreigners. The house has made national headlines thanks to its iconic parties and art agenda for major art events.

San Miguel de Allende

“We’re seeing a lot of requests for cultural trips,” Nayeli Godínez told me, adding that San Miguel de Allende has stayed at the forefront of tourism since it was named the best city in the world by Travel and Leisure readers.

People go to Guanajuato city to experience Mexico’s charm, a combination of colonial heritage and Indigenous roots. The city is popular for the iconic Parroquia de San Miguel, and its cobblestone streets lined with colorful houses.

“You can see the destination’s popularity with the level of hospitality and of course, the prices,” Godínez said.

Some high-end luxury hotels include Rosewood, renowned for its terrace overlooking downtown San Miguel or Casa Sierra Nevada, named Mexico’s best hotel by Condé Nast magazine. Others include Hotel Matilda and Live Aqua Urban Resort.

Oaxaca

The ancient city of Monte Alban is a major tourist attraction for visitors to Oaxaca. (DavidConFran/Wikimedia)

Oaxaca city has flourished among foreigners as a cultural destination, Godínez says.

“Since the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the Michelin Guide arrived in Oaxaca, tourism has rocketed,” she told me.

The Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards were held in Oaxaca for the first time in November 2021. Two local restaurants entered the list: Pitiona, by chef José Manuel Baños, and Casa Oaxaca, by chef Alejandro Ruiz.

Choosing Oaxaca for the 50 Best events highlighted the city’s status as a premier gastronomic destination with an exciting food scene focusing on Mexican cuisine. The city is also home to two one-star Michelin restaurants: Los Danzantes Oaxaca and Levadura de Olla.

“As with San Miguel, you can see Oaxaca is a trend due to the level of hospitality. New hotels are arriving, and prices are spiking,” Godínez said.

Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.

Two’s company: Why I hire multiple Spanish tutors

By

Louisa Rogers

-

February 19, 2025

0

Learn Spanish — Hiring two Spanish tutors turned the author's learning experience upside down. (Canva)

When my husband and I bought a house in Guanajuato in 2005, I spoke intermediate Spanish, having taken Spanish classes whenever we traveled around Mexico and other Latin American countries.

I signed up for classes right away, but soon realized that this was not a good strategy for advancing in the language. Inevitably, there would be a student or two who were either at a much more basic or advanced level, which interrupted the learning for the rest of us. No matter which school I attended, I found this always to be the case. One of my teachers, who has taught in multiple schools, agreed that assigning students to the correct level was a common challenge in all the schools where she had taught.

The advantage of a tutor over a class

Ultimately I decided to hire one of our teachers to be my personal tutor. I liked this idea because it allowed me to focus on what I wanted to work on, whether it was listening, grammar, reading, pronunciation — the dreaded rr! —or vocabulary. I also felt happy about the decision because Spanish teachers are notoriously underpaid in Mexico, and I preferred investing in the teachers themselves rather than the school’s overhead.

In the 20 years since, I’ve had ten tutors. Because I’m fluent now, I don’t strictly need a tutor, but I still find it helpful in many ways. Fluency doesn’t mean I’ve arrived. Far from it! I’m not bilingual. I still make mistakes, plus I’ll never stop learning the endless Mexicanisms, not to mention asking my tutor about the culture.

Sometimes, too, I’ll ask for help from a teacher for a particular project. For example, one of my current goals is to write articles for Spanish-language publications. Once I find a market, I’ll draft a proposal and have my tutor help me as an editor, helping me finesse word usage and style.

My classes with a teacher can be a win-win for both of us. One year, for instance, my tutor was preparing to defend her thesis in front of a panel of five professors. Knowing that I had trained employees on presentation skills, she asked me for tips on how to engage with her audience. It turned out to be helpful for both of us.

Also, thanks to one of my tutors, I’ve now read several Spanish novels, something I would have been too intimidated to try without her encouragement.

Not one, but two

But it wasn’t until this year that I realized I could benefit from two tutors. I was frustrated because I wasn’t speaking Spanish as much as I wanted, so I decided it was worth spending US $12 for another hour’s one-on-one conversation.

What a difference it’s making! Because I’m interacting with two teachers whose styles and accents are different, I’m getting double the listening, conversation, grammar and vocabulary. Not to mention double the fun.

Plus, in case one tutor moves out of the area — which has happened frequently — I still have one left. I do study Spanish with a tutor online sometimes, but much prefer in-person classes.

How my sessions are structured

My teachers are very different. One meets me at our home, which is easy for her, because she lives just half a block away. Her teaching style is highly structured. A couple of years ago, we focused on the verbs of change: all the different equivalents in Spanish for the English word “become.” Currently, she sends me a weekly podcast, which I listen to before our session. During class, we discuss the vocabulary and content, and for homework I’ll make up sentences using my new words.

My second tutor is more casual. Even though she’s less than half my age, I feel like I’m talking with a close friend over a cup of tea. Basically we just chat at a nearby cafe, updating each other on our respective weeks, although she still corrects my mistakes. Sometimes I have a particular theme I want to discuss or a question about some aspect of Mexico. For example, because I’m musing about writing an article about Mexico’s high rate of obesity, I asked her if it was still common that moms introduced sugar to their kids at a young age by taking their kids to a corner store after school for a sweet. Yes, she told me, it is.

I’ve learned to be proactive

The only downside of a tutor is that in my experience some can be a bit passive, thinking that just showing up suffices. This hasn’t been a problem for me, because I never run out of things to discuss or questions to ask. But if you’re considering going the tutor route, I recommend planning carefully what you want to focus on and being prepared and proactive.

The way I look at it, US $100 a month is a small price for the benefit I get. I have the time, can afford it, look forward to both sessions and always come away gratified and upbeat. Now that I know the advantage of two tutors, I don’t think I’ll ever go back, because it’s such a small investment for a huge payoff.

Start your day with a breakfast pambazo

By

Stephen Randall

-

February 19, 2025

1

Pambazo sandwiches sit stacked on the edge of a food stall — The noble pambazo is the perfect way to start your day. (Alejandro Linares García / CC BY-SA 4.0)

The pambazo is one of Mexico’s great culinary contradictions. There isn’t just one pambazo recipe. There are at least two warring factions, and they probably don’t talk to each other at family reunions.

The version most people know — the Mexico City pambazo — is a sandwich that barely holds itself together. It starts with a perfectly good roll, only to be dunked in guajillo chili sauce, fried in oil and then asked to hold a mountain of potatoes, chorizo, lettuce and crema without collapsing. It’s not a sandwich so much as a controlled demolition of bread, spice and poor decision-making. Eating one in public requires either supreme confidence or an outfit you were already planning to ruin.

Gigantic Mexico City-style pambazos prepared for a World’s Largest Pambazo competition. (Saúl López/Cuartoscuro)

Then there’s the Veracruz pambazo, which is the Mexico City version’s more responsible cousin. It refuses to be dipped in sauce or fried into oblivion. Instead, it’s a soft, flour-dusted sandwich, filled with ham, refried beans, cheese and jalapeños. It’s neat. It’s composed. It won’t betray you by leaking all over your hands and self-esteem. It’s the pambazo you can take home to meet your parents.

Both versions claim the name pambazo, and both trace their origins to 19th-century Mexico, possibly inspired by the Pico de Orizaba volcano, which, like the Mexico City pambazo, kind of looks like it’s about to collapse at any moment.

So, who invented it? Some say it was a chef at the court of Emperor Maximilian I. Others say it was street vendors, just trying to make stale bread exciting again. In any case, one style of pambazo became chaos on a plate, and the other stayed buttoned-up. I’m usually in the Veracruz-style pambazo camp. But one problem I have is that I never see breakfast versions of this great mini sandwich. Problem solved! Here are two breakfast versions of the pambazo.

Bacon and egg breakfast pambazo recipe

Ingredients

2 pambazo buns
1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
6 slices bacon, cooked and crispy
3 eggs, scrambled
1/2 cup shredded Oaxaca or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup refried black beans
1 tbsp butter or oil for frying

Instructions

Assemble the filling: Spread refried beans on the bottom half of each roll. Add crispy bacon and scrambled eggs. Sprinkle with cheese.
Grill the pambazo: Heat butter in a skillet and toast the sandwich on both sides until crispy.
Serve: Squeeze some Mexican crema in the middle and serve warm.

Pambazos — A novelty pan de muerto pambazo. (Cristanta Espinosa Aguilar/Cuartoscuro)

Veggie breakfast pambazo recipe

Ingredients

2 pambazo buns
3 dried guajillo chilis, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1/2 cup sauteed mushrooms and bell peppers
1/2 cup spinach, wilted
1/4 cup black beans, mashed
1/2 avocado, sliced
1/2 cup queso fresco or shredded Oaxaca cheese
1 tbsp butter or olive oil

Instructions

Make the guajillo sauce: Soak guajillo chilis in warm water for 10 minutes. Blend with vegetable broth until smooth.
Prepare the bread: Slice rolls in half and dip both sides into the guajillo sauce.
Assemble the filling: Spread mashed black beans on the bottom half. Add sautéed mushrooms, peppers and wilted spinach. Layer avocado slices and sprinkle with cheese.
Grill the pambazo: Heat butter in a skillet and grill both sides until crispy.
Serve: Drizzle with crema and serve hot.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.

Mexico closes case of 2022 mine collapse: Tuesday’s mañanera recapped

By

MND Staff

-

February 18, 2025

0

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum behind a podium at her daily press conference pointing out at the crowd of reporters as if to pick a person to speak. — Among the topics Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum covered Tuesday were government efforts to find the bodies of 10 miners killed in the El Pinabete mine collapse in Coahuila. (Gustavo Alberto/Cuartoscuro)

A 2022 mining tragedy and Spanish bank Santander’s commitment to invest over US $2 billion in Mexico were among the issues President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about at her Tuesday press conference, or mañanera as her morning presser is colloquially known.

Tuesday marked exactly 20 weeks, or 140 days, since Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president.

Mexican President Claudia SHeinbaum standing at the presidential podium during her morning press conference. Her expression is grim as she listens to a reporter speaking who is not in the photo. — Sheinbaum said Mexico would continue to support the families of the miners who were killed in the disaster. (Gustavo Alberto/Cuartoscuro)

Here is a recap of her Tuesday morning press conference.

Body recovery operation concludes at Coahuila coal mine

Sheinbaum acknowledged that the operation to recover the remains of 10 miners who perished in 2022 in the flooded El Pinabete mine in the municipality of Sabinas, Coahuila, has concluded.

“Water entered the mine and 10 miners lost their lives. The bodies of the 10 miners have now been recovered,” she said.

“I understand that the final remains were already identified and given to the family [of the victim],” Sheinbaum said.

“With this, the El Pinabete episode would conclude,” she said before noting that a memorial still needs to be built and support for the families will continue.

Men in construction and emergency gear walking into a temporary entrance to the collapsed El Pinabete mine in Coahuila. Painted on the entrance is "Galeria GSN6," a location marker for emergency personnel. — Rescue efforts soon turned into the recovery of bodies, but the process of excavating the Sabinas, Coahuila, mine to locate and remove the victims’ remains has taken more than two years. (National Civil Protection)

Sheinbaum said that the body recovery operation required “very meticulous work because a very large excavation [of the mine] was done.”

She said that the Federal Electricity Commission will determine “what we’ll do with this open mine,” which was closed after the 2022 tragedy.

A ‘very good meeting’ with Santander chair precedes US $2 billion investment announcement

Sheinbaum said she had a “very good meeting” on Monday with Ana Botín, executive chair of Spanish bank and financial services company Santander.

“She will announce various investments [in Mexico] today,” she said.

Later on Tuesday, Botín announced that Santander would invest more than US $2 billion (42 billion pesos) in Mexico over the next three years (Read Mexico News Daily’s full report here).

Sheinbaum said in a social media post on Monday that Santander’s planned investment in Mexico demonstrates “there is confidence in the country.”

Sheinbaum endorses ‘La Chilanguera,’ a CDMX version of la mañanera

A reporter asked the president her opinion of “La Chilanguera,” a press conference that Mexico City Morena party lawmakers have begun holding on Sundays.

Sheinbaum said she was unaware of the press conference, whose name riffs on both mañanera and chilango, the latter being one of the nicknames for Mexico City residents.

A group of Mexico City legislators and Morena Party functionaries posing in front of a banner for the Mexico City Morena Party. They are smiling and all holding up a hand with four fingers up. — “La Chilanguera” is a weekly press conference modeled after the daily mañaneras of Sheinbaum and of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador. It’s held on Sundays, presumably not to conflict with Sheinbaum’s conferences. (Morena Party)

After the reporter explained that Morena deputies speak about Mexico City issues and debunk “disinformation” at the chilangueras, the president was quick to endorse the press conferences.

“Well, that’s good, may they continue,” Sheinbaum said.

“… It’s very important to refute fake news, which isn’t just on social media … but also in well-known national and international media outlets,” said the president, who, like her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has disputed the veracity of reports published by prominent newspapers.

“It’s extremely important to speak about fake news and real information,” said Sheinbaum, who, like AMLO did, holds a weekly “lie detector” segment to debunk alleged misinformation published on social media or by traditional media.

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

Paquita la del Barrio, queen of the breakup ‘bolero,’ dies at 77

By

MND Staff

-

February 18, 2025

5

Paquita la del Barrio, who was born Francisca Viveros Barradas, died on Monday at the age of 77. (paquitaoficialb/Instagram)

Paquita la del Barrio, the iconic Mexican singer known for her powerful voice and scathing lyrics aimed at unfaithful men, died Monday at her home in Alto Lucero in Veracruz, Mexico. She was 77.

Her death was confirmed by her representative in an official statement, citing natural causes, although the newspaper El País reported she died of a heart attack.

The overweight singer, who was born Francisca Viveros Barradas, had been battling various health issues in recent years, including diabetes, hypertension, pulmonary thrombosis and pneumonia.

Paquita la del Barrio, which translates to “Paquita from the Neighborhood,” rose to fame in the 1970s with her unique style of ranchera and bolero music. Her songs, often laced with biting humor and unapologetic criticism of machismo culture, resonated deeply with audiences across Latin America.

Her most famous hit, “Rata de Dos Patas” (“Two-Legged Rat”), became an anthem for scorned women and a karaoke favorite. Its memorable lyrics — showcasing her trademark wit and defiance by comparing an ex-lover to various animals and insects — were detailed four months ago in the Mexico News Daily article “The songs that all Mexicans magically know.”

Here’s how the song begins, translated into English: “Filthy rat, Crawling animal, Scum of life, Hideous monstrosity. / Subhuman, Specter from hell, Cursed vermin, How much harm you’ve done to me. / Pest, Venomous snake, Waste of life, I hate you and I despise you. / Two-legged rat, I’m talking to you, Because even the most wretched creature, No matter how vile, When compared to you, Seems so small.”

Paquita la del Barrio - Rata de Dos Patas (Visualizador Oficial)

Watch this video on YouTube

Throughout her five-decade career, Paquita released over 30 albums, selling more than 20 million records worldwide. She received numerous accolades, including a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2021 Billboard Latin Music Awards in Miami, where she gave an emotional acceptance speech and performed “Rata de Dos Patas” on stage.

Though she was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2013 for best regional Mexican music album — for “Romeo y su nieta” (“Romeo and his granddaughter”) — and two Latin Grammys, she never won.

Paquita appeared in several films and telenovelas, further cementing her status as a cultural icon. Moreover, her life story was dramatized in the 2017 TV series “Paquita la del Barrio,” which is available in Spanish on Netflix in Mexico.

At the time of her death, Paquita was working on an unreleased album containing six new songs, which her family plans to release posthumously as a tribute to her enduring legacy.

Funeral arrangements for Paquita were pending as of Tuesday, but fans have been gathering outside her home in Veracruz to pay their respects to the woman who became known as “the voice of Mexican heartbreak.”

With reports from El País, Proceso, El Financiero and Associated Press

Spanish bank Santander to invest US $2B in Mexico

By

MND Staff

-

February 18, 2025

0

According to Santander, Mexico is the Spanish bank's second biggest market share among all its global operations. (Shutterstock)

Spanish bank Santander is poised to invest more than US $2 billion in Mexico over the next three years, said Banco Santander head Ana Patricia Botín said in Mexico City on Tuesday.

Botín made the announcement during an event at which she presented Santander’s 100% digital bank, Openbank, which has been operating in Mexico since November.

Banco Santander Executive Chair Ana Patricia Botín, center, was in Mexico City on Tuesday to meet with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and to officially launch Openbank, Grupo Santander’s new fully digital bank, in Mexico. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had teased the investment news in a social media post after meeting with Botín at the National Palace on Monday.

Santander, the largest bank in Spain and one of the largest in Europe, is the second largest bank in Mexico based on total assets, the third-largest bank in Mexico based on total loans and net profit, and the fourth-largest bank in Mexico based on deposits as of Sept. 30, 2024.

“Mexico is the country where we see the greatest growth potential,” Botín said Tuesday, according to Reuters.

Botín added that Mexico is one of the countries where Santander will “continue investing the most from now on.”

Sheinbaum said Santander’s investment demonstrates that “there is confidence” in Mexico.

After their meeting in the National Palace, Botín expressed support for Sheinbaum’s ambitious Plan México, a long-term “vision for equitable and sustainable development” that promotes economic growth while prioritizing the well-being of the people.

En Palacio Nacional me reuní con Ana Botín, presidenta de Banco Santander, quien se encuentra en México para anunciar inversiones muy importantes; hay confianza en el país. pic.twitter.com/PLJ6j0Ezej

— Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo (@Claudiashein) February 17, 2025

Botín also said Mexico is one of Santander’s most prized markets, given its economic stability and its potential for growth, the newspaper El Economista reported. Its Mexico operations represent Santander’s second biggest market share among all its global operations.

Openbank, Grupo Santander’s fully digital bank, began operating in Mexico with the launch of its website and app on Nov. 19.

Santander began offering a suite of financial products, immediately positioning the Spanish bank as a strong contender in Mexico’s digital banking sector.

Openbank introduced an Open Debit Account, featuring a 12.5% annual return on savings, as well as debit and credit cards, SPEI transfers, and free access to over 10,000 Santander Mexico ATMs. Openbank promises customers no minimum balance requirements or hidden fees.

With reports from Reuters, Milenio, Forbes México, Excelsior and El Economista

Volaris to launch direct flights from SLP to 3 Texas cities

By

MND Staff

-

February 18, 2025

2

Houston city skyline, with closeups of skyscrapers of various shapes. — Houston is one of the cities that will see new direct Volaris flights from San Luis Potosí International Airport, starting this summer. (Adrian Newell/Unsplash)

Starting in July, the Mexican budget airline Volaris will offer direct flights to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio from San Luis Potosí International Airport (SLP), enhancing its connection with the United States.

Flights will be available on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, on board Airbus A220 planes with a 186-passenger capacity.

A Volaris airplane — Volaris will offer flights between San Luis Potosí and the Texas cities three days a week. (Volaris/X)

During the recent national meeting of the Association of Mexico’s Ministries of Tourism (Asetur), recently held in the state of Nayarit, the Tourism Ministry announced that Volaris’ decision to expand operations in San Luis Potosí is a response to the state’s security, stability and growth.

Delta Airlines, in partnership with Aeroméxico, will also launch a new nonstop route between San Luis Potosí and Atlanta. The new route will depart SLP at 9 a.m., arriving in Atlanta at 2:22 p.m. The return leg will depart Atlanta at 3:39 p.m., reaching San Luis Potosi at 4:49 p.m.

Feb. 24 will also see the addition of new domestic routes. Operated by TAR Aerolíneas, SLP’s airport will have direct flights to Querétaro and Monterrey. The flight will be served daily by an Embraer 190 aircraft.

San Luis Potosí’s Minister of Tourism, Yolanda Josefina Cepeda Echevarría, said that the state’s international air connectivity highlights its progress as a vital hub for trade, investment and global mobility.

In the last decade, the city has seen an increase in automotive industry firms building plants there, including Goodyear, BMW, Midori Auto Leather, and the Dräxlmaier Group, an auto parts maker.

San Luis Potosí, which once was once a gold and silver mining hub, is a less-visited destination compared to other tourist hubs like Mexico City, Los Cabos and the Riviera Maya.

However, the state has attractions like the capital’s historic center, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2018, and la Huasteca Potosina, a natural region in the center of Mexico that has become attractive to hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts.

With reports from Mexico Industry and El Express

Sculpture artist Sebastián to design new science museum in Monterrey

By

MND Staff

-

February 18, 2025

1

Mexican sculptor Enrique Carbajal González, born in Chihuahua in 1947, has received numerous awards for his sculptures, including several high honors in Japan. — Mexican sculptor Enrique Carbajal González, who goes by the name Sebastián, has received numerous awards for his sculptures, including several high honors in Japan. (Pedro Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)

The Mexican sculptor known as Sebastián, famous for his giant yellow horse sculpture “El Caballito” on Mexico City’s Reforma Avenue, has been chosen to design the new Quántica science museum in Mexico’s northern state of Nuevo León.

Nuevo León first announced its plans to open a new science museum in the municipality of Pesquería — adjacent to Monterrey — in February 2024. The museum will be located close to the Monterrey International Airport and is slated to open ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature games in Monterrey.

“El Caballito” on Mexico City’s Reforma Avenue is one of Sebastián's most famous works. — “El Caballito” on Mexico City’s Reforma Avenue is one of Sebastián’s most famous works. (Wikimedia Commons)

Mayor of Pesquería Patricio Lozano said the museum, whose full name is the Centro de Ciencias y Conocimiento Quántica (Center for Science and Quantic Knowledge), seeks to make science and technology more accessible with its interactive design, exhibits and workshops. The museum’s development follows the closure of the Alfa Planetarium in Nuevo León in 2020.

“The present must point to the future, what we are working on is a more prosperous future, we need men and women who allow paradigms to be broken. From Pesquería to all of Mexico, we are going to create a must-see center: Quántica, a window to the future,” the news site Reporte Índigo reported Lozano saying.

In 2024, Lozano said the museum’s development would require a total investment of 213 million pesos (US $10.5 million), with 50% of funding to come from the private sector and 50% from the municipal budget. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and will be completed in less than one year.

Sebastián’s role in Quántica’s design

Mexican sculptor Enrique Carbajal González, born in Chihuahua in 1947, adopted the pseudonym “Sebastián” after the painting of the martyred Saint Sebastian by Sandro Botticelli.

His steel and concrete sculptures adorn some of Mexico’s greatest landmarks, including the malecón of Manzanillo, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City and the Monument to Mexican National Identity in Ciudad Juárez.

A rendering of the new Quántica science museum in Monterrey designed by Sebastián. (Municipio de Pesquería)

Today, Sebastián’s work can be seen all over the world, from Ireland to Italy to Japan and beyond.

“I have a lot of fun. I am a creator of works through which I analyze space: I take mathematical or physical models and convert them into sculptural models,” Sebastián told El Sol de México.

The artist recently exhibited his designs at the Zona Maco art fair in Mexico City in February, including tableware, vases, fruit bowls and containers. His collection was a collaboration with the century-old Mexican ceramic studio Ánfora.

Sebastián’s design for the science museum is based on research he carried out on physics and quantum mechanics, for which he sought advice from scientists working at the Hadron Collider in Switzerland.

“The museum was designed to have quantic proportions, which you will soon be able to see finished,” said the sculptor.

With reports from El Sol de México, Identidad NL and Reporte Indigo

INEGI: Mexico saw 1.8% year-on-year growth in January

By

MND Staff

-

February 18, 2025

0

Men in construction gear in Mexico City scaling a row of steel girders on a building. — According to Mexico's statistics agency, the nation's economy saw a 1.7% decrease in secondary economic activities such as manufacturing and construction. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

A preliminary estimate from Mexico’s national statistics agency INEGI indicates that the country’s economy likely grew 1.8% in January, but adjusted figures for 2024’s fourth quarter suggesting that the economy shrank by 0.3% paint a less optimistic economic picture.

In a social media post Tuesday, INEGI published its preliminary estimate (IOAE) for January. It reflected a gain over January 2024, though the comparisons to December 2024 indicate the economy likely grew by only 0.1%.

INEGI Chart showing January 2025 estimated figures for economic activity in Mexico. Chart shows 1.8% economic growth for Mexico in January 2025. — INEGI’s report also showed a 2.8% expansion in what it calls Mexico’s tertiary economic activities — mainly financial and social services and the insurance sector — but a 1.7% contraction in activities such as mining, manufacturing and construction. (INEGI)

A press release from the agency estimates a 1.7% decrease in secondary economic activities (i.e. the mining, manufacturing, construction and electricity sectors) and a 2.8% increase in tertiary activities (which includes commerce, hospitality, transport and financial, insurance, and social services).

At a monthly rate, INEGI forecast a 0.1% increase in the Global Economic Activity Indicator (IGAE), as well as in secondary and tertiary activities, for the first month of this year.

Three weeks ago, the newspaper Debate reported that the Finance Ministry highlighted Mexico’s economic indicators at the end of 2024, specifically 1.5% growth on the previous year, stability in public finances and Mexico setting records in areas such as tax collection.

In addition, inflation was up just 0.29% in January, down from 0.38% in December.

However, 2024 came to a close with Mexico’s first quarterly economic contraction since 2021, according to the news agency Reuters.

Latin America’s second-largest economy shrank in the fourth quarter from the previous three-month period, according to INEGI data cited by Reuters. The preliminary data recorded a 0.6% contraction, but Tuesday’s adjusted figures cut that in half to a 0.3% contraction.

A wall on the World Bank building in Washington D.C. The long horizontal wall has letters spelling "The World Bank Group" on it. — The World Bank has predicted that Mexico’s growth will hit no more than 1.5% in 2025, which could threaten its status as Latin America’s second largest economy. (Victorgrigas/Wikimedia Commons)

Official fourth-quarter results, as well as updated figures for the IGAE, will be released on Feb. 21.

“The [IGAE] estimates confirm the slowdown of economic activity in 2024,” the financial group Monex said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Monex also said the IGAE figures suggest a “pronounced deceleration in secondary activities, though less severe in activities related to services.”

That the figures indicate a sluggish economy for Mexico comes as no surprise: the World Bank sees Mexico growing by just 1.5% in 2025, a performance that is seen as lagging behind its regional neighbors.

A survey conducted by Mexico’s own central bank was even less sanguine, projecting a growth forecast for 2025 from 1.20% to 1.12%.

With reports from Reuters and Expansión

Could Los Cabos become Mexico’s next big nude beach?

By

MND Staff

-

February 18, 2025

4

Los Cabos, Baja California Sur, was named one of 52 places to travel in 2025 by the New York Times for its culinary and hotel offerings. (Lisa Soots/Unsplash)

Los Cabos could become Mexico’s second nude beach if a proposal by nudist activist Héctor Martínez is approved by the municipal government.

On Instagram, Martínez posted a video in which he says he submitted a request to the Los Cabos municipal government to allow nudity on the beach. “We want to turn Los Cabos into the next international nude destination,” he said. “The economic potential is huge, and I would like the authorities to be open to this possibility,” he remarked.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hector Martinez (@h3ctormart1nez)

According to Ana Gabriela Navarro, head of the municipal tourism office of Los Cabos, Martínez submitted the proposal on Feb. 12.

The proposal argues that having a nude beach in Los Cabos would draw international tourists that currently choose to visit nude beaches in Spain, France, Croatia and the United States. In addition, the designation would enhance Los Cabos’ image as an inclusive destination.

“As a department committed to sustainable, inclusive and diverse tourism development in Los Cabos, we keep our doors open to proposals that strengthen the destination,” Navarro said. She added that in this particular case, the proposal requires a comprehensive and multidisciplinary analysis because it is not the exclusive responsibility of her office.

Oaxaca’s Playa Zipolite, a secluded beach town on the Pacific Coast, is Mexico’s only nude beach. In 2023, it was included in CNN’s list of the 20 best nude beaches in the world. In the proposal, Martínez says having a second nude beach in Los Cabos would increase the destination’s visibility in international media.

Zipolite became a nude beach in 2016 and is Mexico’s only legally recognized nude beach. Still, there are other beaches where nudism is tolerated despite not being officially recognized as nude beaches. Mexico’s unofficial nudist beaches are the following:

Maruata, Michoacán
Yerbabuena, Oaxaca
Islas Coronado, Baja California
Playa Sonrisa, Quintana Roo
Playa Palmitas, Guerrero
Bahía de Matanchén, Nayarit

With reports from Debate and El Sudcaliforniano