November in Oaxaca kicks off with a Day of the Dead bang and keeps the energy high all month. What will you discover? (Gobierno de Oaxaca)
Dia de Muertos takes place on the first and second of November, although there are celebrations that continue into the month. During the days there are altar making workshops and face painting available. Given how important Day of the Dead is here, this month’s activities in Oaxaca city and around the state are front-loaded, but don’t worry: from celebrations of mezcal and jazz to an annual festival honoring Oaxaca’s third culture, there’s fun to last the whole month. Follow along to see what’s on this month in Oaxaca.
Día de Muertos – November 1-2
(Gobierno de Oaxaca)
There are Day of the Dead-related activities all over the state for those interested in taking part in this tradition. Try a cemetery visit: after dusk on either day, visiting a cemetery in downtown Oaxaca city like the Panteón Genera or the Xochimilco cemetery, or one further out, like those in San Felipe or Xoxo. There is often live music and intimate performances. Visitors are welcome to walk through the cemeteries.
For something more lively, stay in the city, where the streets are bursting with comparsas, or parade troupes. To find them, just listen for the drums, but you can also try Jalatlaco at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 1 or Xochimilco at 7 p.m. the next day.
In Etla, you can dance until dawn in a haze of wild costumes and brass band music in the muerteadas, or visit homes where doors are open to the parade to share memories of the departed while sipping mezcal.
Mercado Atemporal – November 1-2
(Mercado Temporal/Edwin Torres)
This beautifully curated market presents products by contemporary Mexican designers. Hosted at Casa Murguía, which you may recognize from its usual use as a venue in Oaxaca’s wedding destination scene. They have amazing decorations, great food, mezcal and music from local DJs. Free entry from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Calle Murguía 103.
Mezcal Fest Mexico – November 1-3
(Mezcal Fest México)
The tenth edition of this meeting between art, gastronomy and fine spirits. Mezcal Fest México is a tribute to culture and sharing traditions through drinks. Runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Entry is 200 pesos.
Full Moon and Mezcal – November 15
(Mezcal Casa Ancestral)
On every full moon, distillery Casa Ancestral hosts an evening event where they invite guests for a three course meal designed by a celebrated chef. Then guests have the opportunity to learn about the mezcal process and see an agave cook by the light of the full moon. Be sure to book in advance.
Vela de las Intrépidas – November 15-17
(Octavio Murillo Alvarez de la Cadena)
The Zapotec communities of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec are famous for the muxe, a third gender in their culture. Assigned male at birth, muxes assume female social roles, such as taking care of elderly people. They are celebrated every year during a festival known as the Vela de las Intrépidas. The first day includes a parade with floats and muxes riding horses, showering the crowd with gifts. Later comes the main celebration, where the Queen is crowned. Everyone is welcome, but remember to dress for the occasion!
Mazunte Jazz Festival – November 15-16
(Gobierno de Oaxaca)
For over a decade, the Mazunte International Jazz Festival has been held in this small beach community, with pure and fusion jazz and rhythms such as trova, reggae and rock. There are opportunities to taste Oaxacan food and purchase local crafts, as well as participate in a turtle release and other eco-friendly events. There are also other activities such as yoga classes, art exhibitions and pre-Columbian dance performances.
Guelaguetza del Mar – November 1-30
(Gobierno de Oaxaca)
This seaside Guelaguetza’s artistic, gastronomic, cultural, sporting and musical activities are projected to attract thousands of local, national and international visitors. The celebrations will be in various locations along the Oaxacan coast and will include events such as the Coastal Dance Festival in San Pedro Mixtepec on Nov. 16 and 17 and International Surfing Tournament and the Zicatela Mexican Pro 2024 International Surf Tournament.
Patricia Belli at Parallel Gallery – Through December 15
(Patricia Belli/Parallel Gallery)
Parallel Gallery presents “Osuario,” an exhibition of two new pieces by Nicaraguan sculptor Patricia Belli. This installation evokes a range of meanings about the idea of death as a confluence that subsists beyond pain, sadness and rage, and as a presence that persists.
Anna Bruce is an award-winning British photojournalist based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Just some of the media outlets she has worked with include Vice, The Financial Times, Time Out, Huffington Post, The Times of London, the BBC and Sony TV. Find out more about her work at her website or visit her on social media on Instagram or on Facebook.
Teacher. Distiller. Designer. Zayury Jiménez seems to have done it all. (All photos by Alex Deruette)
Rarely one person can successfully combine the triple career of fashion designer, teacher and mezcalera, but Zayury Jiménez Torres, from the small town of Mochitlán in the mountains of Chilpancingo, proves she can.
A third-generation mezcalera, her first foray into the intricate nuances of making mezcal began at the age of three at the knee of her grandfather, Serefin Jiménez. Serefin bottled small batches to sell to family, friends and the town where they lived. Over the years, he taught his granddaughter everything about how to create a quality mezcal. Although her immediate family moved to Zihuatanejo, they returned frequently to visit, and her grandfather continued to educate her.
At just 17 years old, Jiménez moved to Seattle to study the production of Mezcal.
At the tender age of 17, Jiménez’s path led her to Seattle, Washington, where she lived for the next 12 and a half years. She enrolled at the University of Washington, where she did her thesis on the sustainability and production of mezcal. To support herself, she worked menial jobs from cleaning houses to working in retail until, upon graduating, she worked her way into stores such as Macy’s and Nordstrom as a shoe buyer. Jiménez became a U.S. citizen, married and divorced during this time. It was also when her beloved grandfather passed away. Five years later, Jiménez decided it was time to return to Zihuatanejo.
Jiménez began teaching at local public schools in the area. When they realized she was fluent in English, she became the first official English teacher in the system. The pay was bad, however, and she knew she would have to support herself in other ways to survive.
She looked to her experience in fashion.
Now remarried and with a young son in tow, Jiménez started designing her fashion line, Cultura Tropical, a beach accessories and clothing brand grown from a combination of Mexican tradition, fashion and environmentally responsible pieces. She opened her store in downtown Zihuatanejo, carrying not only her fashions and accessories but also those of other Mexican women. Her three seamstresses are all local.
An addition to her other careers, Jiménez also works as a fashion designer.
“CT was created for and by women, encouraging the warrior within us all to come out, embrace our womanhood, and boldly take on our surrounding world,” she says. “As women, we must believe in ourselves and find and pursue our purpose here. To conquer and reach our dreams, we’ve got to unite and support one another. We are warriors. We are chingonas!”
Jiménez had not forgotten her love for mezcal during this time. After her grandfather’s passing, she felt the one way she could keep his spirit alive was to continue his tradition. She had approached his business associates and asked to join, but they refused. “They gave me many reasons, but the bottom line was that I was a woman, and mezcal making is a traditionally male venture,” she says. “They told me to go find my dreams, which, in hindsight, was the best advice they could have given me.”
Disappointed but undeterred, Jiménez set about creating a quality mezcal of her own. From the beginning, Jiménez’s goal was to make a great mezcal, empower women, and preserve nature and tradition – “a mezcal shared with those you love.”
Luckily, Jiménez found a business partner, Keith Forsay, an Oscar, Golden Globe and two-time Grammy award-winning English record producer. They met at a mezcal tasting event and bonded over their love of mezcal, music and dancing, vowing to create a mezcal that would bring people together to celebrate life. Together, they created Mano y Corazon, an artisanal mezcal crafted by families in Zoquitlan, Oaxaca.
Mano y Corazon is a female-led mezcal brand founded and promoted by Jiménez.
Mano Y Corazon’s co-founder has made it her mission to establish a female-led team behind her mezcals, from cultivation to distillation, production, and promotion. “Every bottle of mezcal has an author. With Mano y Corazon, that signature is female.”
But Jiménez was not one to rest on her laurels yet. Remarried and with a young son, Jiménez wanted to host fashion shows to promote her designs and showcase other local designers and artisans in Mexico. The first, Tropifashion, was held in 2017 in Ixtapa. Jiménez says she was quite surprised by the response. “We decided to hold the show, and if people came, they came,” she said. “We had no idea how well people would accept it.” The event has had several editions since.
What’s next for this enterprising entrepreneur?
“Next, I want to continue fomenting culture in my village. I am getting certified this year as a yoga teacher and would like to hold yoga and wellness festivals — the same as I do with Tropifashion. I am also starting to study interior design. I have a couple of properties that I would like to fix up and rent for the season. I just want to continue learning and enjoying life with my family.”
Lofty goals? If anyone can do it, this inspirational woman can.
The writer divides her time between Canada and Zihuatanejo.
San Carlos, Sonora, is tucked away on the Gulf of California. (Gaby Solís)
Secluded in a serene corner of the northern Mexican state of Sonora, lies San Carlos, a small, peaceful beach town that boasts dramatic desert landscapes, deep-blue waters, a mouthwatering seafood scene, and thrilling outdoor adventures.
Sitting ashore in the magnificent Gulf of California, San Carlos offers an alternative to more popular destinations like La Paz or Los Cabos — without the crowds. With a limited selection of beach resorts favoring boutique hotels, condos and short-term rental apartments, San Carlos remains one of Mexico’s best-kept secret beach destinations.
The coastline of San Carlos is punctuated by cliffside villas.
I had the privilege of visiting this quaint resort town over the summer. Here are my best tips and recommendations for your next trip to San Carlos.
How to get there?
There’s no airport in San Carlos, which is part of the reason it gets so few visitors. To get there, visitors must fly to Hermosillo, the state capital, and drive for 90 minutes through the cacti-dotted desert. They can either rent a car or hire a transfer service at the Hermosillo International Airport.
What to do in San Carlos?
The Gulf of California is one of the world’s most diverse marine environments. Explorer Jacques Cousteau dubbed it “the world’s aquarium,” and UNESCO recognized its islands and protected areas as a Natural World Heritage Site. Thus, there’s plenty to explore in the seas that bathe San Carlos. Travelers can spend days diving, kayaking, sailing, kite surfing, fishing, and sunbathing.
For those who are not into watersports, an alternative is to rent a yacht for a few hours to navigate to nearby natural attractions, including deserted beaches and small desert islands, and swim in the refreshing waters of the Sea of Cortez. I recommend renting a yacht at Gabbys Yacht Rental (no relation).
The waters of the Gulf of California are much cleaner and clearer than in more popular parts of Mexico.
In addition to its marine attractions, the region’s distinctive lunar landscape also offers a great terrain to go hiking, biking, and camping.
For stunning vistas and unforgettable sunsets, head to the Mirador Escénico of San Carlos, which National Geographic listed among the Top 10 ocean views in the world. The viewpoint offers spectacular views of the Sea of Cortez and its rugged canyons and islands, including the Tetakawi, a volcanic hill jutting out of the sea. It is also a great spot for whale and other wildlife watching.
Admiring the wild contrast between water and rocky desert is one of the best gifts the mirador offers.
Where to eat?
The cuisine of northern Mexico may not be as recognizable to international travelers as the central and southern cuisines of mole, chiles en nogada or tacos al pastor. But we Mexicans know Sonora offers some of the best seafood in the country. Since it is located on the Pacific coast, which is richer in marine biodiversity than the Atlantic coast, Sonora’s seafood scene includes a wide variety of dishes made from fish, prawns, rays, octopus, oysters, and more. Unlike the rest of Mexico, dishes here are dominated by flour tortillas.
Here are my recommendations for places to eat in San Carlos:
Mesa Cortez:
(Gaby Solís)
We loved the food here so much that we had lunch there two times. The aguachile, made from fresh prawns with avocado slices, pickled onions and a reddish hot sauce, was spectacular. While I didn’t try it, I’ve heard the quesabirrias (quesadilla dipped in birria) are a staple there.
Mesa Cortez is also a beach club, offering sunbeds and shades. However, you must bring your own towels.
Embarcadero Cocina + Mar:
Located at the MarinaTerra hotel facing the San Carlos Marina, Embarcadero offers an authentic Mexican buffet experience — of the kind in which food seems to never end. From fresh fruits, fresh juices, chilaquiles, machaca (a traditional beef stew from northern Mexico), refried beans, hand-made corn tortillas, quesadillas, eggs your way, waffles and beyond, it’s no wonder people queue up to eat here.
Tortuga’s Restaurant and Bar:
(Tortugas Restaurant and Bar/Facebook)
For casual drinks and dinner, head to Tortuga’s Restaurant and Bar in the heart of San Carlos. The outdoor terrace offers a relaxed and romantic ambience with dimly lit bulbs hanging from the surrounding trees and live music every night.
The pizza, made in a brick oven at the terrace, is hands down one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had.
Barracuda Bob’s:
(Barracuda Bob’s)
On our last day, we had breakfast at Barracuda Bob’s, a place whose interiors are reminiscent of a U.S. diner. Its menu offers Mexican dishes such as huevos divorciados and chilaquiles, as well as American staples like muffins, waffles and scones.
When is the best time to visit?
The best time to visit San Carlos is from September to October and from March to May, when the weather is just right — not too hot like in the summer and not too cold like in the winter.
However, summer and winter are also good months to travel to San Carlos. Even though summer months can get really hot, the waters of the Gulf of California remain cool and refreshing, bringing much needed relief from the heat.
Meanwhile, the cooler winter months are ideal for whale-watching and outdoor activities, as temperatures remain around 20 degrees Celsius during the day.
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.
Among opponents to the ruling Morena party, outspoken Chief Justice Norma Piña — one of the eight justices who turned in resignations Wednesday — has become an avatar in the fight against several constitutional reforms. (SCJN/Cuartoscuro)
The Senate on Wednesday received resignation letters from eight of Mexico’s 11 Supreme Court (SCJN) justices, Senate President Gerardo Fernández Noroña said.
Eight of the justices of the current Supreme Court resigned Wednesday. With the exception of one of the eight, whose term ends in November, the justices’ resignations do not take effect until after judicial elections are held to replace them. (SCJN)
The first judicial elections are scheduled to be held next year.
In most cases, the justices’ resignations won’t take effect until August 31, 2025. Justices elected next year will subsequently assume their positions as Mexico’s highest-ranking judges.
Among the eight justices who tendered their resignations is Chief Justice Norma Piña.
She and six of her colleagues have decided not to contest the judicial elections scheduled to be held on June 1, 2025. The 15-year term of Justice Luis María Aguilar, one of the justices who sent a resignation letter to the Senate, concludes on Nov. 30. His resignation is largely symbolic given that it takes effect the day his term ends.
Piña indicated in her resignation letter that she doesn’t want to leave her position, but decided to resign in an “act of congruence and respect of the constitutional text that governs us today.”
Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, left, signed into law the judicial reform bill requiring the election of judges. Current President Claudia Sheinbaum, right, supports the law and has resisted recent last-ditch legal attempts to dismantle it. (Lopezobrador.org.mx)
“We should have an authentic, true rule of law, not a crooked one,” López Obrador said at the time.
In addition to Piña, who was appointed to the SCJN in 2015 during the presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto, the justices who will resign from Mexico’s highest court are:
Luis María Aguilar (appointed in 2009 during the presidency of Felipe Calderón)
Jorge María Pardo (appointed in 2011 during Calderón’s presidency)
Alberto Pérez Dayán (nominated by Calderón but assumed his position in 2012 during Peña Nieto’s presidency)
Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena (nominated by Calderón but assumed his position in 2012 during Peña Nieto’s presidency)
Javier Laynez (appointed in 2015 during Peña Nieto’s presidency)
Juan Luis González Alcántara Carrancá (appointed in 2018 during López Obrador’s presidency)
Ana Margarita Ríos Farjat (appointed in 2019 during López Obrador’s presidency)
It was widely reported earlier this week that the justices listed above would resign. In effect, their decision is a protest against the judicial reform, which critics argue will lead to an erosion of the independence of Mexico’s judiciary.
“While my career and abilities qualify me for the judiciary, in that job – in which I feel more than capable – the role is not to validate the will of the majority but rather to protect the rights of those who need them most,” he said.
Gutiérrez also said in his letter that “it is necessary to underscore that this resignation does not imply an implicit acceptance of the [judicial] reform’s constitutionality.”
Just three of the current Supreme Court justices, Lenia Batres, Yasmín Esquivel Mossa and Loretta Ortiz Ahlf, intend to contest the 2025 judicial elections.
Batres, Esquivel and Ortiz were all appointed during López Obrador’s 2018-2024 presidency, and, unlike the two other justices appointed in the previous term of government, are widely regarded as sympathetic to the ruling Morena party and its agenda.
Mexican Supreme Court Justice Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena, who has been a vocal critic of judicial elections, said in his resignation letter that he wasn’t an “appropriate candidate for a position that depends on popular support.” (Wikidata)
The former president argued that a judicial overhaul was necessary to ensure that Mexico’s courts are free of corruption and serve the interests of the majority of Mexican people, rather than an elite minority.
President Claudia Sheinbaum fully supports the reform, and shares López Obrador’s view that it is needed to rid the judiciary of corruption and other ills.
Fernández and Sheinbaum assert that justices’ motivation for resigning is money
Fernández Noroña, a Morena party senator, said Tuesday that the justices were resigning because they want to leave their positions with their “saddlebags full.”
They want to ensure that they receive all the retirement benefits, he said, referring to benefits that justices would normally only get if they completed their designated 15-year terms.
President Claudia Sheinbaum says that the reason the justices resigned en masse on Wednesday was to ensure that they received their pensions in full, which required their resignations by today. Milenio newspaper, citing unnamed court sources, backed up that assertion. (Graciela López Herrera/Cuartoscuro)
“The current constitution … establishes that if they don’t … [resign by Oct. 30], they won’t have the [full] retirement pension that is valid at this time,” Fernández said.
President Claudia Sheinbaum made the same argument on Tuesday.
“If they don’t present their resignation now, they won’t have the [same] retirement benefits. … It’s a lot of money,” she said.
Justice Margarita Ríos said Wednesday that she either wouldn’t accept the generous retirement benefits referred to by Fernández and Sheinbaum or donate the money to disadvantaged children.
The Milenio newspaper, citing unnamed Supreme Court sources, reported that the justices who submitted resignation letters to the Senate negotiated their departures with Senator Adán Augusto López, Morena’s leader in the upper house. They reportedly made the payment of their full retirement benefits a condition for tendering their resignations.
If the judges who resigned (excluding Aguilar) had chosen to compete in next year’s judicial elections, they would not only run the risk of not being elected – a distinct possibility given Morena’s popularity in Mexico – but also be worse off in their retirement.
The Senate passed the judicial reform by a healthy margin of 86 to 41 on September 11, thanks to Morena’s majority coalition in Congress. But Morena Senator Fernández left the question open as to whether the Senate would accept the eight justices’ resignations. (Cuartoscuro)
Could the Senate refuse to accept the resignations?
Senator Fernández said Tuesday that the Senate – which is dominated by Morena and its allies – might not accept the justices’ resignations.
“It’s our right to accept them or not. … We’ll wait and see what we’ll do,” he said.
Fernández indicated that a decision would be taken after the Supreme Court makes a ruling on a proposal from Justice González Alcántara Carrancá to invalidate the provision in the judicial reform that allows all Mexican judges and magistrates to be elected. Despite the Senate president’s remarks, it would appear unlikely that the Senate won’t accept the resignations.
Under González’s proposal – which will be considered by the SCJN next Tuesday – only Supreme Court justices would be elected at judicial elections.
Morena has succeeded in getting a so-called “constitutional supremacy” bill through Congress that would prevent legal challenges against constitutional reforms that have already been approved by federal lawmakers and ratified by state legislatures. The bill was approved by the Senate last week and passed by the Chamber of Deputies today.
Supreme Court Justice Juan Luis González Alcántara Carrancá has proposed to invalidate the provision in the judicial reform that allows all Mexican judges and magistrates to be elected. (Screen Capture)
Sheinbaum didn’t comply with the order, arguing that the judge didn’t have the authority to issue it.
The president – who in her first month in office has shown herself to be at least equally as fierce as López Obrador in her criticism of Mexico’s current judiciary – asserted last week that the judicial reform will be an “example to the world” in how to create a robust judiciary.
“If [there is] something we’re doing in Mexico that is going to be an example to the world, … [it is] the election of the judicial power. It will be an example because it’s the people choosing their judges, magistrates and Supreme Court justices,” Sheinbaum said.
Among the critics of the reform is United States Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar.
“I believe popular direct election of judges is a major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy,” he said in August, earning himself rebukes from both López Obrador and Sheinbaum.
Mexico City hosts many megasized Day of the Dead altars, the most prominent in its Zócalo main square, like this one from 2023. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)
Each year, as part of the Day of the Dead celebrations, cities across Mexico are decorated with marigolds, candles and sugar skulls to honor the lives of the dead.
Ofrendas — altars to the dead — are created using brightly colored powders and papel picado (decorative tissue paper), and are adorned with photos of deceased loved ones as well as their favorite foods and drinks.
2024’s megofrenda in the Zócalo, which will be formally inaugurated by Mexico City officials at 7 p.m. Wednesday, features giant-sized traditional “catrina” skeletons. (Victoria Valtierra/Cuartoscuro)
In addition to the household ofrendas that glow overnight on Nov. 1, several Mexican cities construct giant ofrendas in their main squares during this time of year. Here are some megaofrendas to visit this weekend across Mexico.
Mexico City
Mexico City’s central Zócalo square will become one giant ofrenda featuring larger-than-life catrinas — skeletal figures – inspired by the Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada.
The lighting ceremony will take place on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. and the ofrenda will be on view through Nov. 3.
Mexico City is host to several other megaofrendas including one at the Anahuacalli Museum, celebrating its 60th anniversary and dedicated to its founder Diego Rivera. This ofrenda opens to the public at 6 p.m. on Oct. 30 and can be visited until Dec. 1.
Every year, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) proudly displays a massive ofrenda at the Explanada de Universum. This year’s will be open to the public Nov. 1–3 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Alternatively, in the east of the city at the Panteón de Dolores cemetery, there will be a special ofrenda dedicated to deceased pets between Nov. 1 and 3. The cemetery is open between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m but it’s advised to visit early as its gates close promptly at 5.
San Miguel de Allende
Several ofrendas will be on display throughout the colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, over Day of the Dead, the biggest of which can be found in the San Rafael neighborhood from 9 a.m. on Nov. 1, created by the community organization Yo Amo Mi Barrio.
In Mérida, Yucatán, the city hall erected a giant altar in the main square on Oct. 26 as part of its Festival de las Ánimas 2024. The ofrenda measures 15 meters in length and six in height and will be open to visitors until Nov. 2. There will also be a full schedule of holiday festivities running through Nov. 8.
In Mérida, Day of the Dead celebrations have a distinct flavor, as they are based on Indigenous Maya traditions around the holiday. Mérida’s activities already started Saturday and will continue through Nov. 8. (Mid City Beat)
Querétaro
Just two hours north of Mexico City in Querétaro, the government is constructing a megaofrenda in the downtown Plaza de Armas, dedicated to police who died in service. There will also be decorations across several of the city’s central squares and streets.
Puerto Vallarta/Bahía de Banderas
In Puerto Vallarta. on the west coast of Mexico, the local council has erected a giant catrina on the boardwalk to celebrate the Day of the Dead, measuring 25 meters in height.
A massive ofrenda entitled the Magic Cemetery will also be on view in the Plaza Pública de Valle de Banderas, where visitors can find fantastical tombs, mausoleums, decorated animal statues (alebrijes) and giant skulls.
Oaxaca
Oaxaca attracts thousands of tourists to its Day of the Dead celebrations every year. This year, you can find a giant altar to the dead at the Government Palace in Oaxaca city, which will be open all week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
A total of 700 pots of marigolds will adorn the building along with candles to guide the way.
El Día de Muertos 💀🏵 ya se disfruta en Puerto Vallarta con la llegada de las catrinas, ¡ven a celebrar esta tradición en nuestras costas! 🏖🕯 Gastronomía, folclor y el mejor ambiente te esperan. #JaliscoEsMéxicopic.twitter.com/cdQMQykF7V
Another of Mexico’s most popular tourist destinations for the Day of the Dead is Pátzcuaro in Michoacán.
The town is famous for its elaborate decorations and traditional celebrations. This year, there will be a giant ofrenda in the main Vasco de Quiroga square with celebrations starting at 5 p.m. on Oct. 30 and running until the night of Nov. 3.
Aguascalientes
In Aguascalientes, the Cultural Institute of Aguascalientes inaugurated its Day of the Dead ofrenda on Oct. 25 and visitors can go and marvel at the altar all week.
This year, the ofrenda is dedicated to the famous Mexican muralist David Alfaro Siqueiros on the 50th anniversary of his death.
Preliminary accounts by the Tlaxcala government said that the explosion early Wednesday morning happened after steel came into contact with water. (Tlaxcala Government)
An explosion and fire at a steelworks in Tlaxcala claimed 12 lives on Wednesday morning, the state government said.
The accident occurred at the Simec steelworks in the municipality of Xaloztoc, located northeast of the city of Tlaxcala.
🚨 LAMENTABLE ⚠️ LOS TRABAJADORES MURIERON CALC!NADOS 💥🔥🚑
🟡Durante la madrugada de este miércoles, se registró una #explosión en una caldera de la fábrica Simec, ubicada en el municipio de #Xaloztoc, #Tlaxcala, hasta el momento reportan al menos 12 obreros fallecidos,… pic.twitter.com/fuyZENxLZ4
The online news site Qué Poca Madre published footage it said was of the early-morning explosion.
The Tlaxcala government said on social media shortly after 9:30 a.m. that 12 people were killed in the explosion and that one other person was injured. The deceased were working the night shift at the steelworks.
Citing preliminary reports, the state government said that an explosion occurred in a “tower, as the workers call it,” where the steel pouring process takes place.
The steel came into contact with water and that “generated a reaction,” the government said.
Footage posted to social media showed a huge fireball emanating from the steelworks at the moment the explosion occurred.
Municipal, state and federal authorities, including emergency services and the army and navy, responded to reports of the explosion and fire shortly after 3 a.m. Wednesday.
“The fire was controlled, and inspections were carried out to verify there are no more risks,” the Tlaxcala government said.
Lamento profundamente lo sucedido esta madrugada en la fábrica de acero en San Cosme Xaloztoc. Iré a atender en este momento a las familias de las personas fallecidas, estaré coordinando los esfuerzos logísticos en el lugar al lado de mi secretario de gobierno y la mesa de…
Tlaxcala Governor Lorena Cuéllar expressed condolences to the families of the victims on the social media platform X on Wednesday morning.
It also said that state authorities, including the Tlaxcala Attorney General’s Office, were investigating to determine the accident’s cause.
Tlaxcala Governor Lorena Cuéllar expressed her “complete solidarity” with the victims and their families.
“I deeply regret what happened this morning at the steelworks in San Cosme Xaloztoc,” she said on X.
Simec is a Mexican company that makes a range of steel products, including structural steel, rebar, steel pipe and steel wire. It has steelworks in several Mexican cities, including Guadalajara and Mexicali. It also is the parent company of Republic Steel in the United States ever since acquiring Republic in 2005.
In 2023, Simec decided to close Republic Steel’s aging steel mills in Canton, Ohio, and Lackawanna, New York, indefinitely and move those operations to its more modern, “state-of-the-art” facilities in Xaloztoc.
The axolotl's habitat is limited to the canals running through the chinampas (artificial islands) of Xochimilco, one of Mexico City’s southernmost boroughs.(Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
A new study by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) predicts that axolotls will completely disappear from their native Xochimilco canals in 2025.
The axolotl is an endangered Mexican salamander endemic to the lakes and wetlands of the Valley of Mexico (today Mexico City). Its remaining habitat is limited to the canals running through the chinampas (artificial islands) of Xochimilco, one of Mexico City’s southernmost boroughs. However, experts warn they could completely disappear from the wild next year.
A captive ajolotl with leucistic coloring. (Pixabay)
“In 1998, there were 6,000 axolotls per square kilometer,” Luis Zambrano González from the Biology Institute of the UNAM, said in November 2023 during the presentation of the Adoptaxolotl 2024 campaign. “The last census was carried out in 2014 and there were only 36 [per square kilometer].”
Later, in 2019, an assessment by the International Union for the Conservation of Species found only between 50 and 1,000 axolotls left in the wild. The causes leading to their elevated risk of extinction include pollution, rising water temperatures and the introduction of fish for human consumption to their habitat.
About the axolotl
Pale pink or deep black in color, the axolotl has risen to international fame as Mexico’s cutest underwater mascot.
The axolotl has the unique ability to regenerate lost limbs and organs, enabling them to stay “young” throughout their lives. Unlike other amphibians, they never outgrow their larval, juvenile stage, a phenomenon called neoteny.
As a result of this, experts from the Institute of Biomedical Research and UNAM’s Faculty of Higher Education initiated a study in 2021 to identify germ cells that could aid in the potential regeneration of ovaries and testes. This discovery may have applications in fertility treatments.
The axolotl is thought to reach maturity at around 1.5 years and, in captivity, can live for about 10 years. They can grow up to 30 centimeters in length, although their average size is 15 cm.
AdoptAxolotl is an ongoing conservation campaign to support the Mexican axolotl population in the wild. (UNAM)
Conservation efforts to protect Mexico’s axolotl population
Zambrano has been working on conservation plans to protect the axolotl’s natural environment for over 20 years. He and his team have concluded that the only way to save and study the wild axolotl is through a revival of ancient farming practices — which do not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers — paired with a strategy of converting farmers’ canals into sanctuaries for the axolotls.
Currently, Zambrano and his team are collaborating with chinamperos (farmers) on the latter goal to introduce specimens into areas of the canals that have not yet been disturbed by humans.
Another effort includes the international “AdoptAxolotl” fundraising campaign by the UNAM, through which you can donate directly to conservation efforts.
Glass, who spent most of his career in Mexico City, was known for using everyday objects to create surrealist works. He also enjoyed incorporating oddities he found in the capital's flea markets and bazaars. (Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts)
The Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts in Mexico City is showcasing five decades of the work of Canadian surrealist artist Alan Glass, who made his home in Mexico for much of his career.
The new retrospective, “Alan Glass: Surprising Finding” (“Alan Glass: Sorprendente Hallazgo”), opens Wednesday and runs through Feb. 16, 2025.
The museum opened the exhibit Wednesday with an official inauguration. (INBAL)
Born in Montreal, Canada, in 1932, Glass found in Mexico a primary source of inspiration. He moved to the country in 1970 after discovering one of Mexico’s traditional Day of the Dead sugar skulls and lived in Mexico City up until his death in 2023.
The works on display contain biographical references to the artist, from previously unseen automatist drawings created in Paris to rich representations of his most iconic surrealist objects.
The magazine TimeOutMexico describes the exhibition, which brings together 125 pieces, as “a dreamlike walk with a fascinating collection of works that include painting, drawing, assemblages and video.”
The collection also references key figures in the surrealist genre with whom Glass was connected, including author André Breton in France — who introduced him to surrealism — Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky andBritish expat surrealist artist and novelist Leonora Carrington, the latter two in Mexico.
Glass was one of the the last foreign artists associated with the surrealist movement to settle in Mexico. The exhibition features pieces and boxes he built during his life in Mexico City, in which he used ordinary materials, such as buttons, human hair, insects, and matches, as well as curiosities he found in flea markets and bazaars.
The artist’s ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary is a major focus of the exhibit.
La cultura mexicana influyó profundamente en la obra de Alan Glass, especialmente en la creación de objetos surrealistas con elementos encontrados, como botones, cabello o insectos, transformando lo ordinario en extraordinario.
— Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura (@bellasartesinba) October 30, 2024
A quick overview to music of some of Glass’s art on display in the Museum of the Palace of Fine Arts.
“Glass found in the local culture an inexhaustible source of material and spiritual inspiration,” the museum noted on its website.
Overall, the exhibition showcases the artist’s creative process and recurrent concerns: nature, desire, travel, the sacred and death. It is curated by experts Joshua Sánchez, Xavier de la Riva, Abigail Susik, and Swedish researcher Kristoffer Noheden. On display in the museum’s Siqueiros, Camarena, Orozco and Tamayo exhibition halls, the exhibit is open to visitors Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
De la Riva and Susik will also hold a free lecture in English about Glass’s art on Nov. 26 at 6 p.m. Reservations are not needed, but attendance is limited to 80 people.
Commercial associations have tried both public requests and collective organization to pressure Pemex into paying its debts to suppliers. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Pemex reported a net loss of 161.33 billion pesos (US $8.04 billion) in the third quarter of 2024, mainly due to a decline in the value of the Mexican peso against the U.S. dollar.
In better news, the state oil company’s refining output increased compared to the July-September period of 2023 and its debt declined to an eight-year low.
The 161-billion-peso loss is more than double the 79.13-billion-peso loss Pemex reported in the third quarter of 2024. However, the peso weakened more than 13% against the dollar in the past year. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
The state oil company reported its third-quarter results in a filing with the Mexican Stock Exchange and in a statement posted to its website.
Here is the key information:
Losses
Pemex said that it recorded an exchange loss of 130 billion pesos (US $6.47 billion) due to its “passive position in foreign currency.” The company said that the loss was caused by a 6.8% depreciation of the peso against the dollar.
Pemex also reported a “deterioration of assets” to the tune of more than 30 billion pesos.
The 161-billion-peso loss is more than double the 79.13-billion-peso loss Pemex reported in the third quarter of 2024. However, the peso weakened more than 13% against the dollar in the past year, according to data from the London Stock Exchange.
Pemex said that neither the foreign exchange loss nor the deterioration of assets represented “cash outflows.”
Pemex’s revenue declined 7.7% annually in Q3 to 426.12 billion pesos (US $21.24 billion). The main cause of the decline was lower crude export sales. Mexico is exporting less crude in order to supply more to local refineries as it seeks to reach self-sufficiency for fuel.
Production
Pemex said it produced an average of 1.76 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and condensate in the third quarter of 2024. It said that 31% of that quantity came from “new developments.”
That figure represents a decline of 5.7% compared to a year earlier.
Pemex is partnering with the company Woodside to develop the Trion oil field, as shown in this rendered illustration of the planned development. (Woodside)
Refining
Pemex said the six refineries of Mexico’s National Refining System refined an average of 962,000 bpd of crude during Q3. Including the state oil company’s refinery in Texas, refining output was just under 1.26 million bpd between July and September, Pemex said.
Pemex said the total refining output was 18% higher than in Q3 of 2023.
Pemex said that its debt on Sept. 30, 2024, was US $97.3 billion. The company said that was its lowest level of debt since 2016. It attributed the decline in debt to “federal government support.”
Compared to the end of 2023, Pemex’s debt declined by almost US $9 billion, according to the company’s stock exchange filing.
Government assistance
Pemex said it received 145 billion pesos (US $7.2 billion) in government assistance in the three months between July and September.
The document also shows that Pemex will ramp up deepwater oil exploration, and that the company is aiming to increase its hydrocarbon reserves and ensure their restitution during the coming years.
Alicia Bárcena represented Mexico at the 16th Conference of the Parties on Biological Diversity (COP) in Cali, Colombia. (Alicia Bárcena/X)
Environment Minister Alicia Bárcena described her plans to expand Mexico’s protected lands through partnerships with local governments and Indigenous communities at the Conference of the Parties on Biological Diversity (COP) in Cali, Colombia.
The world’s leading biodiversity conference, COP’s 16th edition has been dubbed “The People’s COP,” as it seeks to elevate the role of Indigenous peoples and local communities as guardians of nature.
114 environment ministers from around the world gathered at #COP16Colombia to make #PeaceWithNature and meet the targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Framework.
The will is strong, but it needs to be stronger to stop the loss of biodiversity on Earth 🌎🤝💚. pic.twitter.com/njqw2NaqiY
Speaking at the conference on Tuesday, Bárcena said that Mexico is committed to implementing urgent measures to protect 153 million hectares of land and sea by 2030, equivalent to 30% of Mexican territory, a goal known as “30×30.”
“In Mexico, we have 232 Natural Protected Areas, which today represent 99 million hectares, and by the year 2030, we have to protect 30.8 million hectares of land and 19.6 million hectares of marine areas. It is an immense task,” Bárcena said.
“We no longer have the territory to be able to create the reserves that we did in the past, like Sian Ka’an,” Bárcena continued. “Therefore, we have to act on what we have today. And that is what we are proposing along with Chile … conservation measures known as OEMCs.”
The acronym OEMC stands for other effective area-based conservation measures, which refers to “a geographically delimited area that is not a protected area, which is managed in such a way as to achieve positive and long-term results for the in situ conservation of biodiversity.”
In her COP16 speech, the minister stressed that applying environmental justice is “a big challenge,” particularly for Mexico. (Alicia Bárcena/X)
In her speech, the minister stressed that applying environmental justice is “a big challenge,” particularly for Mexico. Two major obstacles mentioned by Bárcena are the lack of prevention and justice mechanisms to confront environmental crimes by transnational corporations, and the illegal management of natural resources by organized crime.
Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean at COP16
Latin America and the Caribbean are home to six of the 10 most environmentally diverse countries on the planet — including Mexico. The region has around 60% of the world’s biological diversity and a third of the planet’s fresh water. Mexico alone is home to around 12% of the world’s biodiversity.
Of the 196 countries that make up the list of parties attending COP16, however, only 35 submitted complete biodiversity action plans. In Latin America, only Colombia, Mexico, Cuba and Surinam submitted one.
Mexico’s biodiversity action plan
Mexico’s proposal outlines its strategies and actions aimed at meeting the 23 Kunming-Montreal performance targets for 2030. These include participation of Indigenous peoples, control of invasive species, ecosystem restoration and sustainability in agriculture and fisheries. Overall, the strategy encompasses 48 goals.
“It was a very long process involving many workshops with the federal administration, state governments, representatives of Indigenous peoples, academia and NGOs,” Esiquio Benítez, head of international cooperation and implementation at the National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (Conabio) told the news outlet Animal Político.
Ahead of the event, Bárcena said that following COP16, her ministry will assess the ambition and viability of the 48 goals based on available funding.
