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Museo del Juguete Antiguo Mexico: A toy wonderland in Mexico City

By
Alan Chazaro
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Museo del Juguete Antiguo Mexico, or MUJAM, a toy museum in Mexico City
Mexico City's museum of old toys, MUJAM, is one of the capital quirkiest, but nonetheless must-see attractions. (Museo del Juguete Antiguo Mexico)

When you first walk into the Museo del Juguete Antiguo México (MUJAM) — an easy-to-miss collection of old, discarded toys that are kept inside a former apartment building in Mexico City’s Doctores neighborhood — there is nothing that can prepare you for the onslaught of surrealism that will unfold.

Founded in 2008 by Roberto “Beto” Shimizu, a Japanese-heritage Mexican, the museum is an archive (if not a hoarder’s den) of cultural objects and, over the years, graffiti. In a likely never-before-seen combo, it holds the world’s largest collection of publicly viewable toys — the museum claims they have over one million toys in total — but also doubles as a gallery of blaring street art.

A museum unlike any other in Mexico City

Collection of toys at MUJAM in Mexico City
MUJAM is a privately curated collection of toys (one of the largest such collections in the world), with an extraordinary variety of examples from around the globe. (Museo del Juguete Antiguo Mexico)

Unlike many of Mexico City’s more famous and certainly more formalized institutions, MUJAM is a privately curated vault of forgotten objects, knick-knacks, art, memorabilia, decorations, figurines and more — all of which are on display in a semi-organized fashion throughout the four-story apartment building (including the rooftop and basement).

You’ll wander up and down staircases, through a labyrinth-like maze of unrecognizable oddities from bygone eras sitting alongside popular characters from classic television shows like “The Flintstones,” “The Simpsons” and “Batman.” You’ll see LEGO (lots of LEGO); an entire apartment floor dedicated solely to Barbie dolls; a room dedicated to Snoopy; and so much more.

For only 50 pesos, it might be the best bargain among Mexico City’s many museums.

Toys, toys and yes, more toys

Shimizu grew up in Mexico City with immigrant Japanese parents who owned a stationery shop inside the building where MUJAM now exists. Shimizu was born on the second floor of the apartment’s housing, which for decades was located above the street-level, family-owned business on Doctor Olvera Street. 

Between the years he spent in the neighborhood helping his family inside their store — which was highlighted by holiday celebrations for Christmas and Día de Reyes Magos — Shimizu developed a lifelong appreciation for Mexican toy culture and craftsmanship. By age 10, he began collecting memorabilia such as stamps, newspapers and rare toys. 

Today, Shimizu carries that same enthusiasm forward with his son, Roberto, who is the museum’s creative director. According to the younger Shimizu, his father’s love for toys stems back to his grandfather, who began to import goods from Japan that he would sell in Doctores as a viable source of income:

“MUJAM’s building was one of the most important buildings for Japanese migrants back in the mid-1900s. Many of them arrived in Mexico City with just a suitcase in hand. My father and grandfather built this building for that Japanese community to have a starting point. After that, my grandfather had the idea of importing Japanese toys; that became his business. And it eventually became the building housing my father’s toy collection.”

How the museum and its collection came about

In 2008, Shimizu and his son fully converted the building into a permanent gallery for these old toys and miscellaneous artifacts. As a private collector, Shimizu compiled one of the largest toy collections in the world. In addition to his personal collection, others have donated and assisted in curating the museum’s offerings (many of the Barbies, for example, were provided by a Barbie collector named Soyla; there is also a LEGO display that was put together by a LEGO enthusiast who donated part of his collection for the museum). 

Throughout the year, MUJAM hosts a rotating series of exhibitions and events, including seasonal attractions like a display of soccer toys and artifacts for this year’s World Cup (an exhibition that opened on June 6 and showcases around 500 soccer-related toys from around the globe). In addition, there’s the permanent display of toys, which is estimated at around 45,000 for daily viewing, with hundreds of thousands more kept at a separate storage site. According to the on-site museum attendant, MUJAM is the largest of its kind in the world, and only has about 5% worth of its collection available for public viewing. Certain toys can even be purchased.

Quirks and oddities

There are many standout quirks in the museum. One unique display case holds a series of large styrofoam balls that are all wearing custom luchador masks. There are internationally imported toys, and sections of the museums divided into nations: the Japanese section, for instance, includes anime characters from “Pokémon,” “Dragon Ball Z” and “Demon Slayer,” but also Japanese editions of Buzz Lightyear and Woodie from “Toy Story.” There are simple wooden toys from the 1950s, and bootleg toys from “Ultraman.” Toy soldiers and model cars? Yes. Superheroes and demonic, adult-only toys? You got it. If it was ever made into a toy, chances are you can find it here.

Though the museum’s path is lightly enforced — with an occasional arrow pointing you in the right direction — it’s so sprawling that it quickly becomes a “choose your adventure” system with multiple staircases and hallways that ultimately lead to the same areas, but have more than one access point, making it feel joyfully unwieldy at times, and allowing for a sense of discovery and surprise. To keep things on track, you can also ask for a bingo card in which you have to hunt down a variety of toys.

At times creepy, there are moments where you’ll feel you’re all alone in the four-story building (it can feel isolating once you get deep enough into the former apartment complex). Nonetheless, it’s an interesting and unique museum experience in Mexico, unlike anything you might find at the more popular institutions, which are often overcrowded and a hassle to navigate. At MUJAM, you can simply embrace the strangeness of old toys in their abandonment.

Beyond toys, MUJAM is a fortress of street art

MUJAM has invited many well-known graffiti artists to contribute to its rooftop terrace project, Azotea Mujam. (Museo del Juguete Antiguo Mexico/Facebook)

It’s not just the toys that bring curious visitors to MUJAM: the actual building itself is a unique experience for any museumgoer. It’s massive and covered in graffiti and street art with open access to the roof, basement, and former bathrooms, which have all been converted into some kind of art exhibit or creative display. One of the bathrooms keeps the showers, toilets and sinks in their original places, but transforms them with paint and yarn decorations.

That’s all to say, the museum doubles as a veritable street art gallery, behind a plethora of international graffiti artists who have transformed the space into an art walk. It adds another layer of intrigue to the museum, which already offers plenty to look at and think about with just the toys.

The story of how the toy museum expanded into street art is centered on Shimizu’s son, who studied architecture and had an affinity for art and design. In 2008, he held an open call for artists on Facebook. Though toy themes abound, they were not strictly required, and the styles and subjects of art in the museum are vast and diverse. At the very top of the four-floor building, a final secret awaits: Azotea Mujam.

It’s a rooftop art project with additional murals that was opened in 2015, and boasts an unobstructed view of the downtown skyline and surrounding neighborhood buildings. In its entirety, MUJAM’s graffiti is reminiscent of 5 Pointz in Queens, New York — a notorious graffiti art bastion that was unexpectedly, and sadly, whitewashed overnight in 2013. Luckily, private ownership at MUJAM will prevent such erasure from happening.

The best museum value in the city

MUJAM is special. Just when you feel like you’ve seen it all inside the wacky hallways (including a life-sized Silver Surfer statue gliding down a staircase), you’ll turn another corner in the vast building and find a hidden snack shop, offering cold beverages and chips in a makeshift cafeteria. For the reasonably low cost of admission, MUJAM far exceeds expectations and is arguably the best museum value in all of CDMX. It’s as much a preservation of toy history and modern street art as it is a playful exploration of how our childlike wonder can continue to flourish and evolve — in many unique forms.

Alan Chazaro is the author of “These Spaceships Weren’t Built For Us” (Tia Chucha Press, 2026), “Notes from the Eastern Span of the Bay Bridge” (Ghost City Press, 2021), “Piñata Theory” (Black Lawrence Press, 2020), and “This Is Not a Frank Ocean Cover Album” (Black Lawrence Press, 2019). He is a graduate of June Jordan’s Poetry for the People program at UC Berkeley and was selected as a Lawrence Ferlinghetti Poetry Fellow at the University of San Francisco. His work can be found in NPR, The Guardian, SLAM, GQ, L.A. Times, and more. He is currently based in Veracruz.

Fancy embroidered World Cup Mexico jerseys and workers’ rights? It’s a complicated issue

By
Sarah DeVries
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Girl modeling Team Mexico jersey from Adidas on the street
Mexico jerseys from Adidas have been the best-selling team shirt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and there's a good reason for that: the Indigenous artisans who made them are very talented. But well paid? Not so much. (Adidas)

Now that the World Cup is underway, green soccer jerseys seem to be on at least half of the people I see when I go out. I don’t have one myself — I’m missing the gene that makes one able to enjoy team sports — but I like them. They’re nice.

When it comes to the price for these shirts, they run the gamut from a mere 100 pesos for a decent knock-off to upwards of 5,000 pesos, depending on the specs. The “official” jerseys are made by Adidas, and start at about 1,700 pesos. While I’m also missing the gene (and the bank account) that makes me feel excited about fashion, I can understand people wanting something extra special to commemorate the occasion. I mean, they look great!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by We’re All Primos! (@wereallprimos)

One of the things Adidas has done to make the jerseys extra special is to partner with Someone Somewhere, a B Corp company (more on that later).

The concept, honestly, is lovely: have real, live, Mexican artisans do the embroidery. It’s a way to show two kinds of Mexican pride: in the team and in the traditional artistry behind the jerseys! The designs are pretty, and they’re special. And expensive.

Unfortunately, there’s been some controversy behind this feel-good story. Influencer Tatiana Bernaldez began speaking about it on her Instagram page. Another influencer, Luz Valdéz, has also spoken up and was quoted several times in a recent New York Times article about the topic.

So what’s the controversy?

The accusation is that Someone Somewhere, a Mexican enterprise that has special certifications as a socially and environmentally responsible company, was pretending to be much better do-gooders than they actually were in serving as the intermediary between Indigenous artisans and Adidas, a multinational company whose valuation exceeds US $36 billion.

I agree with this assessment. Their glossy promotional reports paint an incredibly rosy picture — one that seems much rosier than the reality. While there’s a lot of big talk about “lifting people out of poverty,” the reality is that the jobs they give artisans mostly consist of low-paid gig work.

It’s enough to make me give some major side-eye to a company that brags about such a lofty social mission.

Because at those rates and with no job stability, no one’s getting lifted out of poverty for very long. According to the New York Times article, workers’ average incomes fluctuate between US $35 and US $350 a month. That’s hardly life-changing compensation — even for rural Mexico — especially for such incredibly skilled work.

Really, Someone Somewhere and Adidas are just playing the game of capitalism the same way all companies play the game of capitalism: spend as little as possible to get as much profit as possible. In that sense, there’s nothing special about them. If they weren’t trying to promote this do-gooder image, it might not have ever become a debate in the first place.

But they did promote it, and now, here we are.

There’s a lot to unpack here

Start with the fact that low wages are typical of Mexico, and that there’s often a lack of knowledge regarding labor law and market value among employees, which further marginalizes communities.

Then there are activist influencers, who care deeply about what they’re talking about, but who are also making a living from how much attention they can get.

Let’s start there.

@byfernandohh What do you think of the allegations surrounding the jerseys? Follow for more! H/t @Luz Valdez @Imagen Televisión ♬ original sound – Fernando Hurtado


Ms. Valdéz, in the style of passionate and energetic young activists everywhere, is not letting this go. She’s been a thorn in the side of these companies, and of the writer who published the New York Times article. While I don’t feel sorry for the companies at all, I disagree that the article was dishonest or showed her in a negative light. It was, however — like most things in life — complicated.

Why? The women he interviewed — the artisans themselves — essentially refuted her arguments. They were happy, they said. They enjoyed the jobs and were being paid fairly, they said. There was no mistreatment at all, and all these influencers should back off and mind their own business instead of using their story to gain followers and fame.

Youch.

Mexico, labor laws and the free market

Her response was essentially that just because workers said they were happy didn’t mean it wasn’t exploitation. With this, I agree. Producing clothing that’s sold for thousands of pesos while creating it by low-paid gig work with no employee-level stability or benefits is, objectively, exploitative. Especially when it’s by these particular companies.

I’ve written before about how difficult it is in Mexico to hire official employees. It’s costly and hard, and Mexican labor laws are quite strict. So when companies are able, it behooves them to hire people as “freelancers” or independent contractors instead. Pretty much everywhere in the world, if they’re allowed to do so, they do so. It’s just so much cheaper, and for many companies, it can make the difference between having a business and not having a business.

That said, the companies in question are not tiny mom-and-pops with low and tight profits. They could afford to make these women well-paid employees, and they choose not to. Again, this is what most companies do. But most companies don’t act like they’re saving the world by presenting these jobs as if they were gifts.

It’s true, these women might otherwise be making much less money in the limited jobs available to them in their tiny communities. But giving someone pennies for their work when someone else would give them only one penny does not make you an excellent entity who’s heroically destroying the injustices of capitalism.

As someone who has done skilled “gig work” for most of her career, I feel pretty qualified to speak on this point.

Life as a freelancer or ‘gig worker’

Almost all of my jobs have been as a “freelancer” — another word for an independent contractor. What this means all over the world is that a company “hires” you to do a specific job. You do the job, turn it in, and they pay you for it. You’re not an employee, so you don’t have benefits or guaranteed hours, nor do they have any obligation to continue to hire you. You also have to figure out and pay your own always-elevated taxes, which for me personally is the most painful aspect of it all.

And while one of the supposed “advantages” of being a freelancer is that you set your own rates, this is never the case … unless, of course, you’re a true freelancer, like say, a wedding photographer, rather than simply a misclassified employee. Rather, the company says “this is how much we’re willing to pay for this work; take it or leave it.”

And of course, you take it, because sometimes you can either stand on principle or pay the rent.

In the case of the artisans, it’s not like there are a ton of great career opportunities in their tiny communities. Like Valdéz, I was skeptical of how highly they sang the praises of their jobs. But when it’s literally the best gig in town and they’d probably like more work in the future, what else would they do — especially with the eyes of the international community upon them?

The ‘milkers’ and the ‘milkees’

Cows in a field staring at the camera
The power in the relationship between the “milker” and the “milkee” in the capitalist system rests entirely with the former. (Daniel Quiceno M/Unsplash)

They might not be labor law experts, but they can tell a better deal from a worse one — however unfair it may still be. And if that’s all there is, they want to keep it. I mean, it’s not like the influencer has a plan to employ them. And if a couple of the artisans decided to speak out publicly, what would that mean for their future job prospects?

You’ve heard the sexist phrase, “Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free?”

As a freelancer, you are the milked cow who can sell the milk when they need milk, at the price they set. If they are not obligated to make a more formal commitment to you, they will not, because again, that is how capitalism works. With any luck, they’ll need milk on a regular basis, and they will like your milk enough to keep coming back.

The least these lofty-minded companies can do is stop making people think they’re buying the cows.

In the meantime, the fight for dignified work and pay limps along as well as it can, the usual suspects both winning and losing. As for us, deciding what and where to buy is as much “activism” as we can muster most of the time. At the very least, let’s work on buying directly from artisans at fair prices. It’s literally the least we can do.

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

 

A history of Mexico vs. England matchups as the two teams prepare to meet in the World Cup round of 16

By
Bob Pateman
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Action from a 2010 friendly between Mexico and England at Wembley Stadium
When Mexico's national team, led by Rafael Márquez, met England at Wembley Stadium in 2010, it was a friendly. Tomorrow, when the two sides meet in a World Cup knockout at Mexico City Stadium, the atmosphere will be far less cordial. (Televisa and Univision Deportes Network)

Tomorrow, Mexico will face England in the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. England arrived in North America with their usual optimism that this would be the tournament that would see them break a 60-year jinx and take a major trophy. Mexico, in contrast, came into the tournament with a feeling that this was not one of their strongest teams. Four games later, the feelings are reversed. Mexican fans are now talking of “Fortress Azteca’”where their team has won four games without conceding a goal. England, in contrast, has looked mediocre up front and vulnerable at the back. Five goals from Harry Kane have taken them this far, but it has been hard work.

This will be the 10th time the two sides have met, the first way back in 1959.

1959: Mexico 2 England 1

México vs Inglaterra 1959

The world was a very different place in 1959. The days when teams traveled by boat between South America and Europe were over — but only just — and the giant Boeing 707 jets that would make intercontinental travel direct, quick and even luxurious were still a novelty. England left London on May 8 and traveled to Rio de Janeiro via Lisbon and Recife. By the time they reached Mexico two weeks later, they had lost matches to Brazil and Peru, and the players were tired, homesick and questioning the wisdom of such a long post-season tour.  

There was no Azteca Stadium, but the Estadio Universitario was an impressive venue for those days, and there was an 83,000 crowd for the visit. The altitude, still only vaguely understood, had an impact, as did the heat. When Wilf McGuinness became the first English player to be substituted in a match, he had to be given oxygen. Back on the pitch, England took the lead, but Mexico quickly equalized and looked far more motivated than an England team going through the motions. They were rewarded in the 67th minute when Salvador Reyes scrambled the ball home for the winning goal. 

1961: England 8 Mexico 0

England v Mexico 8-0 1961

Two years later, in May 1961, Mexico was rewarded for that performance with an invitation to play at Wembley Stadium. Mexico was on a successful summer tour of Europe, which saw them beat Holland, in those days an amateur side. They gave a good account of themselves in narrowly losing to a very good Czechoslovakian side and would finish the tour with a draw against Norway. The game at Wembley, however, was a disaster, with England winning 8-0. It was a turning point for Mexican football. Coach Ignacio Trelles realized his Mexican players did not have the ability to master the new 4-2-4 formation style that was starting to dominate world football. So he developed a Mexican counter, based on defending in depth and scoring with quick breaks. It was a move that would serve the team well in the years ahead. 

1966: England 2, Mexico 0

England VS Mexico World Cup Highlights | 1966

So to 1966 and the only meeting between the two sides in a World Cup tournament. Mexico had started well, surprisingly taking a point from France, while the home side, England, had frustrated the crowd with an opening 0-0 draw with Uruguay. The rest of the world hadn’t noticed yet, but Mexico was a far tougher team than it had been in 1961. For 30 minutes, they held out against the hosts and favorites, and it took a classic goal from Bobby Charlton to break the deadlock. The game wasn’t secured until the 75th minute when Ignacio Calderón fumbled for the ball and allowed Roger Hunt to tap it home. That mistake helped the decision to give Antonio Carbajal a game, allowing him to become the first player to appear in five World Cup tournaments.

1969: Mexico 0, England 0

England national team circa 1969
England’s defending World Cup champion team managed only a draw with Mexico during a 1969 matchup in the lead-up to the 1970 World Cup tournament, to be held in Estadio Azteca. (Fútbol Mundial)

1969 was a test game, both for Mexico, who were preparing to stage the tournament the following year, and England, who wanted to discover what Mexico would be like in terms of training facilities, hotels and food. The game ended goalless, a result that Mexico had more reason to be happy about. They had held the defending World Cup champions to a draw, with Antonio Munguía, Luis Estrada and Enrique Borja all looking good.

For England, the most important event concerned goalkeeper Gordon West. He was a legend at Everton, where he played 400 games for the club, and had given a solid performance in this, his third international. At this point, he had probably climbed to number two in the pecking order behind the great Gordon Banks. It says something about the mentality of players in those days that the homesick West asked not to be selected for the World Cup.

1985: Mexico 1, England 0

Mexico 1 Inglaterra 0 -- Copa Azteca 1985

Sixteen years would pass before the sides met again. Mexico was preparing to host the tournament for a second time and staged the Ciudad de Mexico Cup as a test run. However, the game was overshadowed by events in Europe. Liverpool had just played Juventus in the European Champions Cup final, where Liverpool fans had charged a section of the crowd. A wall in the rundown Heysel Stadium collapsed, and 39 people died. It was a time of shame for English soccer, with their participation in the World Cup very much up in doubt. As for the match, Mexico won an even contest thanks to a first-half goal from Luis Flores.

1986: England 3, Mexico 0

Maradona holding World Cup trophy in 1986
Diego Maradona and Argentina would thwart England in the 1986 World Cup on their way to World Cup victory. Mexico, meanwhile, went down to West Germany in the quarterfinals. (Getty Images)

The two sides met again a few months later. England was on the way to Mexico, and the game took place in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. This was a favorite venue for Mexico at the time, and under coach Bora Milutinović, they had drawn with Denmark and Argentina and beaten Uruguay in this stadium. The game was decided by Mark Hately, a towering old-fashioned forward who physically overpowered the Mexican defense and scored two goals. No lasting harm was done, and Mexico would have a very good World Cup on home soil. England, of course, would lose in a classic game with Argentina and Diego Maradona.

1997: England 2, Mexico 0

1997 (Amistoso) Inglaterra:2 vs Mexico:0

A decade would pass before Mexico returned to Wembley. A crowded fixture list was overshadowing international friendly games, and only 48,000 came to watch. England won thanks in part to a disputed penalty. 

2001: England 4, Mexico 0

La PALIZA de David BECKHAM e INGLATERRA sobre MÉXICO en ALTA DEFINICIÓN | Amistoso 2001

Mexico was on the way to Korea for the now-defunct Confederation Cup. Wembley was being renovated, so the Midlands town of Derby was the unusual venue. Sven-Göran Eriksson was in charge of England, and he had completely devalued friendly internationals by treating them as practice matches. Against Mexico, he substituted 10 of his players during the second half. Mexico had a disappointing game, meekly surrendering midfield, an omen for 2002 and a poor World Cup.

2010: England 3 Mexico 1

England 3-1 Mexico

The ninth and most recent meeting between the teams. Mexico was undertaking a short European tour before heading for South Africa and the World Cup finals. With British fans optimistic about their own team’s chances, and Wembley once again open, there was a crowd of 88,000 in attendance. England were in control after three quick goals but didn’t impress. Their manager, Fabio Capello, was complimentary of the Mexican team, noting they were “good technically, faster than us and it was not easy getting the ball back.”

2026: TBD

Both teams would reach the last 16 in South Africa, the same stage they have achieved this time around. Of course, tomorrow night, one of them will go a step further. With a home crowd in the Azteca Stadium, that might well be Mexico!

Bob Pateman lived in Mexico for six years. He is a librarian and teacher with a Master’s Degree in History.

Are we seeing light at the end of the tunnel for Mexico’s economy? A perspective from our CEO

By
Travis Bembenek
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The Mexican stock market building on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City.
The Mexican stock market building on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. (Shutterstock)

As the weeks go by, we see yet more conflicting headlines regarding the Mexican economy. In just the past few days, we have published the following headlines:

So are things getting better? Or worse? Or are they stable? How can such conflicting headlines coexist? How can we make sense of all of this? The latest edition of the MND Economy Index, published this past week, shows a continued slow improvement in its composite score across 19 different economic indicators.

To help better understand how things are going, and to go beyond the numbers and do a deeper dive into the sentiment of the business community, I recently met with Guillermo Bernal, the general director of the Council of Global Companies in Mexico (Empresas Globales). The organization started 20 years ago and now represents 59 of some of the largest companies invested in Mexico. Just these 59 companies represent nearly:

  • 10% of Mexico’s GDP
  • 40% of the foreign direct investment (FDI) made in the country in a given year
  • 11-13% of the country’s total exports
  • Over 8 million direct and indirect jobs in Mexico

The 59 companies represent 20 different economic sectors, with approximately 50% being U.S.-based and 50% headquartered in the rest of the world. As you might imagine, these companies are exceptionally in tune with the economic pulse of the country. Confidence (or lack of) that these companies have in the leadership and policies of the government is critical to Mexico achieving its economic growth targets. Understandably, one of the primary objectives of Empresas Globales is to identify the opportunities and barriers to attracting more investment in the country.

Guillermo Bernal, general director of the Council of Global Companies in Mexico.
Guillermo Bernal, general director of the Council of Global Companies in Mexico. (Empresas Globales)

Guillermo, who was recently named as the leader of the organization, has nearly 15 years of experience in the area of shaping regulatory environments and advancing private sector priorities in Mexico. Previously, he worked as the national director of public affairs with the American Chamber of Commerce of Mexico and maintains close cooperation and communication with their leadership. Empresas Globales recently created a paper called “20 Ideas for Mexico,” in which they outlined 20 strategies Mexico should embrace (or accelerate) to attract more foreign direct investment. The 20 ideas were organized in five key areas: education/talent, infrastructure, energy, security and regulatory environment.

To help drive policy decisions as well as deeper understanding of key topics, the leaders meet monthly and discuss a key topic. They invite government officials to the meetings to facilitate communication with policymakers. The most recent meeting was with respect to Mexico’s new labor laws and the impacts on specific industries and companies. Imagine for a moment that the government created a policy without input from the business community that ultimately resulted in businesses hiring fewer employees and slowing new investment. Open dialogue and discussion between leaders in the business community and the government help to minimize those risks. The companies are looking to comply with new laws, but they also want to ensure that the laws do not reduce competitiveness. The government is looking to improve its tax base and employee welfare, but it wants to do so in a way that doesn’t reduce employment and investment. Hence, the critical need for dialogue.

During the AMLO years, I often heard from the business community (off the record, of course) that they felt like they didn’t have a seat at the table. Laws were being made without their input and perspective. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Mexican economy stagnated and the vast majority of FDI was reinvestment of profits rather than new investment money coming into the country. Foreign companies even tried leveraging their embassies in Mexico to help their concerns be heard by the federal government. I frequently heard from the ambassador community (again, off the record) that they couldn’t get a meeting with the AMLO administration. As a result, more than a few ambassadors told us that they advised their foreign business leaders not to come to Mexico due to the political environment.

After some initial doubts on how things potentially would be under President Sheinbaum, things are clearly changing. La presidenta named Marcelo Ebrard, a seasoned and respected trade/business professional, as economy minister. She launched a program called Plan México that is looking to attract $500 billion in new investment to the country during her term. She created Mexico’s Business Advisory Council and named Altagracia Gómez, a bright, young businesswoman, as its chair. Sheinbaum has embraced the business community in a way that AMLO never did during his term.

So how are the business leaders of Empresas Globales feeling about the general direction of things? Some comments from Guillermo:

1. On the topic of taxes: “Businesses are increasingly feeling like this administration wants to cooperate and resolve tax issues that are important to the business community.”

2. On the topic of judicial reform: “The recently announced delays in several key aspects of judicial reform, as well as the strengthening of criteria for new judges, are seen as positive signs.”

3. On the topic of energy: “The administration is finally taking real steps to accelerate investment in green energy as well as increase energy availability.”

4. On the topic of security: “The results of Sheinbaum/Harfuch’s policies are undeniable and a very positive trend for the country.”

5. On the topic of support from the Economy Ministry: “As Ebrard has been exceptionally focused (and rightfully so) on the USMCA trade agreement, the recent naming of Ximena Escobedo as Subsecretary of Industry and Commerce has been very well received by the business community to have someone focused on and dedicated to supporting their needs.”

6. On the general mood of the business community: “It’s one of concern/frustration of Mexico not living up to its potential … and not living up to its potential largely due to self inflicted pain. That being said, we definitely see a light at the end of the tunnel.”

In summary, Guillermo emphasized the “combination of the favorable demographics of the Mexican workforce, the strong ecosystem of companies within the country, and the geopolitical risks increasingly favoring deeper trade relations between the U.S. and Mexico as strong tailwinds that will benefit Mexico for years to come.”

It’s still too early to see a positive step change in Mexico’s economic growth trajectory, but it does seem to me that we are increasingly seeing very positive leading indicators that should result in increased growth in the future. Here’s hoping for increased good dialogue between the country’s business and political leaders!

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.

‘Confidently Wrong about Healthcare in Mexico’: A new podcast episode by Mexico News Daily

By
Travis Bembenek
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A stock image shows a stethoscope and a Mexican flag
Travis Bembenek and George Reavis dive into the topic of Mexican healthcare in a new episode of MND's podcast, "Confidently Wrong." (Shutterstock)

What do you do for Healthcare in Mexico? It’s one of the most common questions those of us who live in Mexico get from our friends and family back home. After asking us if we feel safe in Mexico, and then asking if we like Mexico (usually in that order), we then get the questions about healthcare. Do you have a doctor here? Do you feel comfortable getting care here? Do you have medical insurance? How much do things cost? It always surprises and humors me how much interest there is in the topic, as well as how personal the questions can quickly get.

It is with that in mind that the team at MND decided to conduct an actual survey of foreigners living in Mexico about their experiences with healthcare here. Of course, one relatively short survey can’t possibly cover every facet on such a complicated topic, but we do get into what receiving healthcare is really like for people here. We address the topics of cost, accessibility and quality, and received answers from people nationwide. We gained feedback from people who have had something as simple as a dental teeth cleaning to people who have had heart surgery.

The survey is meant to provide you with real feedback from foreigners who have actually gotten care in Mexico. We will conduct future surveys with additional questions in the future. In today’s ” Confidently Wrong” podcast episode, George and I discuss the results of the survey, as well as share real life experiences we have had with healthcare in Mexico. Check it out and enjoy the conversation.

Confidently Wrong about healthcare in Mexico: Season 3 - Episode 2

Travis Bembenek is the CEO of Mexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.

Stalled Pemex corruption probe advances with arrest of ex-director’s sister

By
MND Staff
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Gilda Lozoya
Gilda Susana Lozoya, accused of participating in illicit transfers made by her brother Emilio Lozoya when he was director of Pemex, was arrested Thursday at the Mexico City International Airport after flying in from Amsterdam. (FGR/Cuartoscuro.com)

By arresting Emilio Lozoya’s sister on Thursday, federal prosecutors signaled that their long-stalled case against the former Pemex director is not over.

Gilda Susana Lozoya was apprehended by Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) agents upon arriving at the Mexico City airport on a flight from Amsterdam. The FGR said she faces money-laundering charges linked to bribes her brother allegedly received while in charge of the state oil company.

Emilio Lozoya
Emilio Lozoya is seen leaving the Reclusorio Norte prison in 2024 as he was being transferred to house arrest. He is still awaiting trial. (Galo Cañas / Cuartoscuro)

Gilda Susana was first accused of participating in illicit transfers made by her brother in 2019 and an initial arrest warrant was issued in 2020. As such, the FGR has considered her a fugitive from justice.

Upon being presented to the judge overseeing her case on Thursday, Gilda Susana claimed to be a victim of a “political” prosecution. “My mother, my sister-in-law, and I are being used to pressure my brother,” she said.

President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday denied the case is politically motivated, saying she has been assured by Attorney General Ernestina Godoy that there is solid evidence against Gilda Susana.

Emilio Lozoya was arrested with much fanfare in 2020 in a case that was expected to uncover corruption during the Ernesto Peña Nieto administration (2012-2018). 

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who was president at the time of Lozoya’s 2020 arrest, called it a major breakthrough, insisting that Lozoya’s cooperation was vital for exposing the shady networks of “white-collar criminals” involved in the Odebrecht scandal.

The Brazilian construction company Odebrecht — convicted in multiple Latin American jurisdictions of using bribery to gain contracts and influence — stands accused of paying bribes to Mexican companies. 

Emilio was extradited from Spain in 2021 on charges of receiving bribes, money laundering and criminal association in connection with the Odebrecht case. However, the case remains stalled in courts and Lozoya was transferred from prison to house arrest in 2024 and is still awaiting trial.

Though the FGR has failed to win any convictions in the Odebrecht case, it has scored several financial victories.

It was allowed to execute asset forfeiture on Lozoya’s Mexico City mansion (valued at nearly US $3 million), transferring it permanently to state ownership.

In addition to the Odebrecht case, Lozoya allegedly involved his family in creating a complex financial and patrimonial web via offshore accounts and at banks in seven countries. Suspicious transactions raised alarms at banks in Switzerland, England and the United States, according to finance journalist Mario Maldonado.

Lozoya’s mother, Gilda Margarita Austin, was briefly detained by Interpol in Germany on suspicion of money-laundering, while properties in Europe belonging to Emilio’s ex-wife, Marielle Helene Eckes, have been raided.

The case against Gilda Susana also includes illicit funds related to Pemex’s controversial purchase of the Agronitrogenados fertilizer plant at an inflated price. Gilda Susana allegedly managed the money returned to Emilio in the form of kickbacks.

With reports from El Imparcial, El País, La Jornada and El Financiero

World Cup brings major renovation to Xochimilco’s trajinera docks — and a push to restore Mexico City’s wetlands

By
MND Staff
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The renovated Embardero Zacapa dock in the canals of Xochimilco
Mayor Clara Brugada and other officials gather at the inauguration of the Embardero Zacapa in Xochimilco on June 25. (Estrella Josento / Cuartoscuro.com)

The historic canals of Xochimilco, a popular tourist attraction in Mexico City known for its colorful trajineras (traditional boats), have undergone massive renovations as part of the city’s beautification project for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The works focused on the docks of Cuemanco, Nativitas, Las Flores and Zacapa, where activists and residents had called out the deterioration of the infrastructure and the need to improve the tourist experience.

Trajineras, traditional boats, float in a Xochimilco canal near the Zacapa dock
Colorful trajineras line the canals of Xochimilco, an iconic Mexico City tourist attraction that has benefited from the city’s World Cup beautification projects. (Estrella Josento / Cuartoscuro.com)

With a public investment of some 174 million pesos (US $9.9 million), the works included the reconstruction of commercial spaces and service areas, with new restrooms, water and drainage systems, safe wiring and modern lighting.

The renovations included upgraded pedestrian access points and waiting areas for trajineras, reorganized boarding points and improved signage.

During her speech at the opening ceremony, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Brugada explained that the works encompassed more than 50,000 square meters and the reconstruction of 162 commercial spaces, benefiting more than 2,000 families and more than 500,000 visitors who visit these tourist destinations every year.

The renovation is part of a larger project for the comprehensive recovery of the lake and the wetlands of Xochimilco.

“With this investment, we begin the rescue of Xochimilco: We are taking care of this great treasure and starting an unprecedented transformation for this fundamental area of ​​Mexico City,” Brugada said.

Xochimilco is a green oasis within Mexico’s capital that includes over 2500 hectares of natural protected areas. Beyond being a tourist hotspot, the wetland is of strategic importance to Mexico City: It regulates the climate by mitigating heat waves; captures pollutants and produces oxygen; recharges aquifers; and supports unique biodiversity, most notably Mexico City’s emblematic axolotl salamanders and the chinampa agricultural system, which is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. 

However, this ecosystem has been deteriorating due to decades of uncontrolled urbanization, irregular settlements on chinampas, wastewater discharge into the canals, aquifers overuse, and chemical and biological pollution that jeopardize the viability of the chinampas and the survival of native species.

As part of the recovery operation, Brugada said that 55,000 plants were planted – including 40,000 plants that attract pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds and butterflies – in addition to the rehabilitation of 15,000 square meters of green areas and water infrastructure.

For Brugada, this investment represents “keeping the great biodiversity alive and conserving ecosystem services that are fundamental for air quality and climate regulation.”

With reports from Chilango, Diario de México, La Jornada and Infobae

For the first time in 36 years Pemex is importing more than it exports

By
MND Staff
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oil well
Mexico's longstanding reputation as a petroleum-rich, oil-exporting nation has been challenged lately by sluggish production and structural deficiencies. (Nils Huenerfuerst / Unsplash)

For the first time in 36 years, Pemex is now purchasing more petroleum products from abroad than it is exporting.

Through the first five months of the year, the state oil company shipped out 431,801 barrels of crude oil per day while importing 507,227 barrels per day of petroleum products. 

IMCO Graf
This graphic, prepared by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) using data from Pemex, shows how the state oil company’s production in the first three months of each year has declined steadily since 2011. (IMCO)

Against the backdrop of the Iran war and rising hydrocarbon prices, Pemex spent US $1.6 billion per month to purchase gasoline, diesel and jet fuel abroad from January through May. 

The expenditures represent 32% more than it earned from selling oil during that same period: US $1.09 billion.

Pemex in the spotlight

The oil company’s troubles were highlighted by the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) two months ago in a report noting that Pemex recorded a net loss of 46 billion pesos (US $2.6 billion) during the first quarter of the year.

IMCO identified a 25% drop in the value of crude exports and a 39% decrease in export volume as issues and that trend has continued.

During the first five months of the year, foreign sales of Mexican crude oil — Maya, Olmeca, Istmo and Zapoteco — were 35% lower than during January-May 2025. 

Even more alarming, crude oil exports have maintained a downward trend for three years, falling 16% annually in 2024 and 20% annually last year.

While imports of petroleum products have also declined, they are falling at less than half the rate of exports. 

Between January and May 2026, these imports shrank by 17% year-on-year, and have also fallen in each of the last three years, but at a slower pace: 5% in 2024 and 7% in 2025.

As would be expected, the drop in oil exports has impacted Pemex’s bottom line. Through May, earnings were 13% lower than the previous year, and the oil company’s account books have experienced four years of annual declines: down 26% in 2023, down 81% in 2024 and down 32% in 2025.

Pemex has been dealing with production issues

While the oil company produced just under 1.66 million barrels per day of liquid hydrocarbons in May — a 0.3% increase over April and a 1.3% increase year-on-year — production of crude oil slumped.

Pemex produced an average of just 1.36 million barrels per day of crude oil, a monthly decline of 0.7% and an annual drop of 0.6%.

Of more concern, the crude oil production in May was the fourth lowest for a single month since Pemex began keeping records, surpassing only poor performances in December 2014, October 2025 and November 2025.

At the same time, Pemex’s seven refineries were also underperforming. Crude processing fell to 941,150 barrels per day in May, its lowest level since May 2015. 

Compared to April (1,067,812 barrels of crude oil processed per day), that represents a 12% decrease. As such, Pemex used just 47.5% of its installed refining capacity in May.

As a result, the federal government has transferred more than 100 billion pesos (US $5.7 billion) to Pemex through June to strengthen its financial position and help it meet its debt obligations.

This comes a year after the government injected 94.5 billion pesos (US $5.4 billion) during the first six months of 2025.

With reports from El Economista and El Financiero

How moving to Mexico inspired me to become a painter

By
Louisa Rogers
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José Chávez Morado mural in the Alhóndiga de Granaditas
Guanajuato has a way of inspiring painters, from José Chávez Morado, who created some of the city's most beloved murals, to transplanted locals like the author. (Museo Regional de Guanajuato Alhóndiga de Granaditas)

In 2005, inspired by a friend who collaged, I began using a sketchbook. Coincidentally, that same year, my husband and I bought an old adobe house in Guanajuato. Not long after, I sat in our Mexican kitchen while waiting for a delivery, and depicted the church outside our window with collage and colored pencil. It was surprisingly easy, because a church is basically a rectangle with an arc on top, with two intersecting lines for each cross. 

Pleased with the result, I started venturing out, taking photos of images around town that appealed to me, using them as models for my drawings. Opportunities were everywhere! Domes, houses, narrow streets, murals, artwork in galleries, and so on. 

Guanajuato City view
Guanajuato itself often resembles a beautiful painting, and its picturesque backdrops have the power to excite those of creative temperament. (Jorge Gardner/Unsplash)

That was the beginning. Little did I know that living in Mexico part of the year would have a profound effect on what, 20 years later, has become a rich and robust art practice. 

Expanding my palette

Back then, I was intimidated by wet media like oils, acrylics and watercolor, so I stuck to collage and colored pencil. But finally, during the coronavirus pandemic, I overcame my anxiety. Today, I paint with watercolor several times a week, give talks on creativity, write an illustrated blog about my art process and have even sold a few paintings. 

Wherever I am, I paint. At La Manzanilla beach last winter, I couldn’t help but paint a pelican after watching in amazement the aggressive vigor with which the pelicans swooped down to scoop their prey. Two years ago, at another beach, Lo de Marcos, north of Sayulita, I painted a cat squatting on my sandal as I ate dinner in an open-air seafood restaurant. In Guanajuato, I painted a quinceañera leaning against the balcony of a cafe near our home, and early one morning, an albañil carrying a huge load of bricks on his back. 

When I leave the city in the spring, returning to the apartment we rent in Eureka, California, I paint what I’ll miss, like the view of the church or our patio with the bougainvillea flowering. Sometimes I paint the reverse, too. For example, I painted my paddleboard, since I love floating around the bay near our California apartment.

Why Guanajuato, and Mexico, inspire art

Several foundational aspects about Mexico have helped to shape my painting style. For instance:

The city of Guanajuato itself. A few years ago, while walking around town one afternoon, I noticed a mural of Guanajuato and took a picture of it. The city isn’t that difficult to draw, because the hills above town are simply curves, and the houses that seemingly tumble down the steep slopes of the town toward the former ravine are blocky Cubist shapes. Since then I’ve painted many houses and buildings.

Colorful umbrellas suspended above a street scene in Guanajuato
Mexico generally, and Guanajuato specifically, are notable for the presence of vibrant colors, evident in almost any context. (Gerardo Martin Fernandez Vallejo/Unsplash)

Another influence is the way spirituality in Mexico is soaked into the culture, in a way that inspires even a skeptic like me. In addition to churches, I’ve painted several versions of The Virgin of Guadalupe, none of which look exactly like the traditional representations of her. In one, her face looks like stained glass; in another, I painted small churches throughout her robe.

A third influence is the artistic form of Mexican magic realism, epitomized in the works of artists like Frida Kahlo and Leonora Carrington, who each gave me permission not to paint realistically but to be as offbeat, asymmetrical and illogical as I wanted. Ribbons connecting clouds? Why not? A woman climbing a ladder made of yarn, up to the sky? Sure!

 A country rich in vibrant colors

In fact, I much prefer not to paint an accurate rendering of an image, but rather my own loose interpretation – technically called “abstract” painting – because I don’t have to be as precise, and I can hide my mistakes more easily. A house can still look like a house, even if it’s nonlinear (although, of course, it would eventually collapse if it were actually built that way). I find it more fun to draw this way, anyway. 

The fourth, and probably the biggest way that Mexico has affected my art is that the whole country, and Guanajuato in particular, is saturated with color. Guanajuato’s houses drip with shades that vary wildly, from turquoise to tangerine, lavender to lime. In fact, my love of vibrant colors helped me overcome my inner critic because they are so compelling that they drown out whatever negative thoughts are lurking in the wings of my mind. As a mentor says, “Color is my candy.” 

Painting and the flow state

Back in 2005, I had no idea how much painting would affect my mental state. It calms me when my emotions are swirling, helps me focus if I’m distracted, and wakes me up if I’m lethargic. And it has given me something I rarely experienced before — a flow state. Much as I love writing, painting is the activity where even a compulsive watch-checker like me loses track of time.

I’m deeply grateful to Mexico for the opportunities that helped to nurture my creativity and sustain a painting practice that I’m not sure would have developed so consistently elsewhere. I call these everyday opportunities that unexpectedly arrive ofertas. They do indeed feel like the divine manna that I never had to earn, but which was given freely. 

Louisa Rogers and her husband Barry Evans divide their lives between Guanajuato and Eureka, on California’s North Coast. Louisa writes articles and essays about expat life, Mexico, travel, physical and psychological health, retirement and spirituality. Her recent articles are available on her website, authory.com/LouisaRogers.

World Cup fever boosts Mexico-England ticket prices to as much as US $130,000

By
MND Staff
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World Cup n field celebration of goal
The Mexican national team has had a lot to celebrate so far in World Cup competition, but the real test comes Sunday against powerful England. However, if you're thinking about picking up a last-minute ticket to attend, prepare to spend big — very big.(FIFA)

If you have any interest in attending the Mexico-England World Cup match on Sunday, you might have to look past your piggy bank and consider cashing out your pension, your Afore and your savings account — after you max out your credit cards and sell your car.

Even before the tournament for which Mexico is a co-host began, exorbitant ticket prices were expected to keep all but the well-off away from the stadiums. The Round of 16 contest at Estadio Azteca is further confirmation.

Mexico City Staidum.
Mexico City Stadium (Estadio Azteca) will be the site of the Mexico-England showdown Sunday. A large percentage of attendees will have spent five figures (in dollars, mind you) for resold tickets, and some even more. (Edgar Negrete Lira / Cuartoscuro.com)

La Jornada newspaper reported on Wednesday that as soon as England defeated Congo to set up the showdown against El Tri, resale tickets were advertised at a mere 2.3 million pesos (US $131,609). 

Before dismissing the opportunity, keep in mind that those seats are identified as Category 1, meaning they are at field level. 

For those preferring a less pricey option, ducats purchased through the England Supporters’ Travel Club (ESTC) are on offer for a more reasonable £22,800 (US $30,443). The face value of the tickets is US $605, so that’s just a slight 4,900% mark-up.

But, buyer beware. The BBC reports that the seller must pay FIFA a 15% fee of US $4,500, so read the fine print to make sure that charge is not being passed on to you.

The cheapest ticket available through the ESTC costs US $3,448, up from a face value of US $295. That’s nearly 12 times the original price.

Other options are available on the StubHub platform. One possibility is a single seat in an upper deck of the north end of Mexico City Stadium, as FIFA has dubbed Estadio Azteca. That spot can be had for 89,000 pesos (US $5,091).

Another resale website, Viagogo, was offering tickets with prices ranging from 67,000 pesos (US $3,833) in the upper deck to 195,000 pesos (US $11,156) behind one of the goals. 

Tickets on the official FIFA website have long been sold out, so resale websites are the only option remaining. But act quickly, as prices have risen by more than a third in the past three days, according to The Financial Times.

The 2026 World Cup has been singled out as the most expensive and inaccessible for supporters, causing widespread discontent among fans and prompting scathing criticism from others.

“FIFA promised ‘the most inclusive World Cup in history’ and ended up turning a ticket into a luxury item,” long-time Mexican sports journalist José Ramón Fernández said on ESPN.

Even Carlos Slim, Mexico’s richest man with an estimated worth of US $125 billion, called the prices “excessive.”

A poll conducted in Mexico by Kueski before the tournament found that only 1% of those surveyed said they planned to attend a World Cup match, while more than 60% said they would watch the games from home.

With reports from La Jornada, the BBC, The Financial Times and El Economista

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