Many of the major cruise companies make stops in Ensenada due to the city's reputation for vineyards and culinary scene. (Shutterstock)
Ensenada, Baja California is the leading cruise destination on Mexico’s Pacific coast, according to the Cruises in Ensenada 2023-2024 report by Ensenada’s Cruise Committee.
The report by the committee of the Baja California Tourism Ministry revealed that the port city is also the third busiest in Mexico for passenger arrivals.
Cruise passengers brought in revenue of US $74.86 million to the city of Ensenada between 2023 and 2024, according to the Tourism Ministry report. (Wikimedia Commons)
“The cruise industry in Ensenada boosts the local economy and reinforces Baja California’s position as an attractive destination for international tourism,” the state’s Tourism Minister Miguel Aguíñiga Rodríguez said in a statement. “We will continue to focus on strengthening our tourism offering and improving the experiences we offer our visitors.”
Ensenada, located in the northern Baja California peninsula, is one of Mexico’s most popular wine destinations. Mainly known for its vineyards and the culinary scene of Valle de Guadalupe, companies like Royal Caribbean, Quantum of the Seas and Emerald Princess, among others, offer cruises with stops in the Californian port city.
The report revealed that between 2023 and 2024, the city received 272 cruises carrying over 900,000 passengers, of which 73% explored the townwith an average stay of five hours.
The greatest percentage of these visitors, at 92%, hailed from the United States, followed by travelers from Canada (4%) and the United Kingdom (2%).
Cruise passengers brought in revenue of US $74.86 million, with an average expenditure of US $63.68 per traveler and US $47.84 per crew member. Seventy-three percent of passengers did some shopping in the city during their visit.
Mexico’s legislators have postponed the application of a new US $42-dollar fee for every cruise ship passenger docking at Mexico’s ports, according to the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA).
The fee, which was proposed to come into effect starting in January, will now not be put into effect until July.
The study also identified various opportunities to diversify activities, enhance the variety of attractions, and improve local transportation services. The local government said these areas would be prioritized by the Ensenada Cruise Committee in 2025, through strategic actions that strengthen the local tourism value chain.
The report follows an announcement by Mexico’s lawmakers made early in December, postponing the application of a new US $42 fee for every cruise ship passenger docking at Mexico’s ports. The fee, originally scheduled to go into effect this month, will now be implemented in July.
It is yet to be seen how the new fee will impact cruise tourism in the country.
The French filmmaker apologized to anyone who may have taken offense at the musical comedy's take on Mexico's missing persons crisis. (Festival de Cannes and Emily Pérez Film/X)
French filmmaker Jacques Audiard defended and apologized for his film “Emilia Pérez” at its Mexican premiere Wednesday, addressing criticism surrounding its portrayal of drug trafficking and the nation’s crisis of missing persons.
Set to open in Mexican theaters next week, the film — which had 10 nominations and four wins at the Golden Globes Jan. 5 in Los Angeles — has polarized audiences with its narrative and casting choices.
Actors Adriana Paz and Selena Gomez pose with director Jacques Audiard, after the Golden Globe Awards. (Emilia Pérez Film/X)
At this week’s red-carpet event at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City, Audiard acknowledged the controversy, emphasizing that his intent was to portray Mexico’s social issues with empathy and caution.
“The drama of the missing is something that shocks me deeply,” Audiard said. “It’s a tragedy that’s largely invisible outside of Mexico, and my goal was to generate dialogue, not offense.”
Despite careful research, Audiard admitted he might have failed to convey the issue sensitively enough. “If you think I approached it too lightly, I apologize,” he said, adding, “Cinema’s purpose isn’t to provide answers but to provoke questions.”
Criticism also stemmed from the film’s predominantly non-Mexican cast, with only one Mexican actress, Adriana Paz, in a leading role.
Audiard said the casting decisions were partly influenced by financial considerations. “The choice of Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón and Zoe Saldaña was strategic to secure funding,” he said, while expressing admiration for the vast talent within Mexico.
Saldaña won a Golden Globe earlier this month for best supporting actress, and when the film premiered at Cannes last year, all four leads shared the festival’s best actress award.
Gascón, a Spanish trans actress who plays dual roles as Emilia Pérez and her former identity, a male cartel leader named Manitas del Monte, defended her connection to the story.
Spanish actress Karla Sofía Gascón as the title character of “Emilia Pérez.” (Pathé)
“I feel more Mexican than a cactus,” she said, highlighting the complexity of her character’s transformation from a ruthless criminal to a remorseful figure.
The film’s critical reception has been mixed.
Although it won best film (comedy or musical) and best non-English motion picture at the Golden Globes, Mexican critics have called it out for its superficial treatment of serious issues. Writer Jorge Volpi, for example, criticized the film’s lack of credibility.
Meanwhile, director Guillermo del Toro praised its artistic merits, describing it as “cinema in its purest form.”
Audiard maintained that “Emilia Pérez” reflects an “interpreted reality” of Mexico, likening its operatic style to storytelling that resonates emotionally rather than literally.
The controversy extends beyond the screen, with Gascón revealing she has received death threats on social media. Audiard, who avoids social media, expressed dismay at the personal attacks.
“I spent over four years crafting this story about a country I deeply respect,” he said. “I was very careful. I didn’t want to offend Mexicans, to hurt anyone.”
Ultimately, he said, he hopes the film will foster greater awareness of Mexico’s struggles with violence and forced disappearances.
“If this work can spark conversations and questions, it will have achieved something meaningful,” he said.
“Emilia Pérez” already had its Mexican premiere in October at the Morelia International Film Festival.
Now, following its festival circuit success, including a Jury Prize at Cannes, and Nov. 13 Netflix release outside of Mexico, the 132-minute film will open in wide release in Mexico on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Even that is not without controversy. The film has received the “Cinépolis Guarantee,” a seal of approval from the Mexico-based theater chain. This, however, has led to debate, as well, with some criticizing not only the film but also Cinépolis’ decision to endorse it.
Mexico's military are involved in the search for the missing, several of whom were youths. (Oaxaca Attorney General's Office/Twitter)
The disappearance of at least eight men in Oaxaca is linked to the sale of illicit drugs, state Security Minister Iván García Álvarez said Thursday.
The men, ranging in age from 17 to 44, disappeared earlier this month while traveling in the southern state.
The missing men were headed to what Oaxaca Attorney General José Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla called a “work meeting” in the town of Río Grande. He also said the missing were all involved in street-level drug dealing. (X)
Many reports said they were traveling to the Pacific coast town of Puerto Escondido when they disappeared, but Oaxaca Attorney General José Bernardo Rodríguez Alamilla said Wednesday that they had been summoned to a “work meeting” in the town of Río Grande, located about 50 kilometers northwest of Puerto Escondido.
Various reports said that a total of 14 people disappeared, but the head of the Oaxaca Search Commission, Michel Julián López, said in a radio interview that only eight people are confirmed as missing. The Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office has said that missing person reports have only been filed for seven men.
García, the Oaxaca security minister, said Thursday that authorities had established that the disappearance of the men is related to “narcomenudeo,” or street-level drug dealing.
“The background is a drug-related issue. I can only say that,” he told reporters.
Rodríguez said Wednesday that six of the missing men had criminal records for crimes that included weapons possession, vehicle theft and making threats. He said that the men knew each other but didn’t all travel together after being called to a “work meeting” in Oaxaca’s coastal region. It was unclear whether they all disappeared at the same time.
Authorities had obtained information that allowed them to identify the alleged perpetrators of the abductions, García said. He mentioned the involvement of organized crime but didn’t identify any particular criminal organization.
Putting up missing persons posters for the disappeared. (Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office)
More than 100 people searching for the missing men
The Oaxaca Attorney General’s Office (FGEO) said in a statement on Wednesday that it had expanded search efforts to locate seven people reported as missing in the Central Valleys region of Oaxaca.
Search operations in the Central Valleys and Costa regions of Oaxaca in which over 100 people are participating are underway, the FGEO said.
It said that state and federal personnel, including members of the National Guard, the army and the navy were contributing to the search efforts.
The FGEO said it received reports of the missing people between Jan. 11 and 14. “The families of the victims indicated that they were seen for the last time at different points of the Central Valleys region,” it said.
The case, like others in Mexico, is murky
The disappearance of the young men in Oaxaca is reminiscent of the abduction and presumed murder of 43 young men in Guerrero in 2014. The case involving the 43 Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers College students remains murky and unresolved despite former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s pledge to get to the bottom of it and hold those responsible to account.
Regarding the case in Oaxaca, there has been — and there continues to be — uncertainty about how many people are missing and the circumstances of their disappearance.
In a statement on Tuesday, Oaxaca human rights agency DDHPO referred to the disappearance of 14 people in the Costa region of Oaxaca.
The El Universal newspaper reported on Thursday that the families of seven of the missing people have not filed missing persons reports, but have sought help to locate them in social media posts.
The missing men’s destination was Rio Grande, a rural community in southern Oaxaca. (Yo Amo Rio Grande Oaxaca/Facebook)
López, the head of the Oaxaca Search Commission, told El Heraldo radio that three of the missing men had made contact with family members from Río Grande, indicating that they made it to coastal region of Oaxaca. He denied that a total of 14 people were missing.
While many media outlets reported that the men were heading to the beach in Puerto Escondido, including in reports published on Thursday, the state attorney general said Wednesday that “what we know” from “some telephones and chats” to which authorities had access is that “someone had summoned them to a work meeting” in Río Grande.
He didn’t say what kind of work the men did, but the state security minister’s remarks on Thursday indicated that they were involved in criminal activities.
Rodríguez said that authorities were still trying to establish how many vehicles the missing men traveled in. He said that authorities so far had knowledge of one pickup truck and two motorcycles.
Who are the missing men?
Rodríguez said Wednesday that most of the missing men lived in the southern suburbs of Oaxaca city. He said they used to go to bars and nightclubs in the state capital.
Seven of the missing men have been identified. They are:
Luis Alberto Contreras Zúñiga, 44, last seen in a black pick-up truck in the municipality of Santa María Atzompa (near Oaxaca city) on Jan. 7.
Yurem de Jesús Barrios Martínez, 17, last seen in Oaxaca city on Jan. 7.
Omar Edwin García Gutiérrez, 30, last seen in the Central de Abastos market in Oaxaca city on Jan. 6.
Julio Alberto Quiroz González, 18, last seen in San Martín Mexicapam (near Oaxaca city) on Dec. 31.
Yair Morales Matias, 19, last seen in San Martín Mexicapam on Jan. 7.
Hugo Alberto Sierra Basilio, 33, last seen in Oaxaca city on Jan. 7.
A soldier stands guard along the Villahermosa-Teapa highway, where several bodies were found earlier this week. (Luis López/Cuartoscuro)
In response to rising violence in Tabasco, President Claudia Sheinbaum sent 180 soldiers and National Guardsmen to the Gulf Coast state this week.
“We have sent reinforcements from the Defense Ministry (Sedena) and the National Guard,” she said during her Wednesday morning press conference. “We are working with Governor [Javier] May to develop an effective strategy.”
The decision to reinforce the security detail in Tabasco comes as violence spiked in the state to a 10-year high last year, according to El País newspaper. Last October, a new criminal organization identifying itself as the Tabasco New Generation Cartel (CTNG) declared that it would protect residents from corrupt officials.
The rise in violent crime came to a head this week when seven dismembered bodies were found on the Villahermosa-Teapa highway alongside a narcomanta (narco banner) signed by the CTNG. Three other bodies were dumped at a cemetery in Nacajuca, about 30 kilometers north of Villahermosa, the state capital.
Additionally, police officials have increasingly been subject to armed attacks, with one ambush this week resulting in the death of an officer and the wounding of three others.
There was also a viral video in which alleged members of the notorious Jalisco New General Cartel (CJNG) handed out toys and slices of Rosca de Reyes across the state on Jan. 6. ACLED, a group that conducts analysis to describe and explore conflict trends, says the violence in Tabasco is the result of a turf war between the CJNG and local criminal gang “Los Barrenderos,” according to El País.
The president said her administration is working with Tabasco Gov. Javier May to establish an effective security strategy in the state. (Javier May7Facebook)
The current focus in Tabasco, Sheinbaum said, is addressing the needs of the state’s youth in an effort to prevent them from joining criminal gangs and emphasizing intelligence-gathering so as to identify and arrest top crime bosses.
“We are going to fortify our strategy and you will see the results,” she said, according to El Sol de México newspaper.
Sheinbaum declared on Wednesday that in addition to executing the four pillars of her national security strategy across the country, she is emphasizing “the development of specific strategies for each state while also preparing regional strategies.”
The four pillars of national security as presented on Oct. 8, 2024 are: addressing the root causes; consolidating the National Guard within Sedena; strengthening intelligence and investigative units; and, working hand-in-hand with state authorities.
Governor May thanked Sheinbaum after the arrival of the reinforcements. “[They] will enhance our security efforts … and we will restore peace and tranquility,” he said, according to El País.
Sheinbaum expressed confidence in May, who took office on Oct. 1, 2024. “He is a very good governor, very dedicated. He knows his state very well.”
At the same time, the president said she is not considering sending Security Minister Omar García Harfuch to Tabasco to oversee the implementation of the new strategy. García is presently in Sinaloa in northwestern Mexico, where he has personally taken charge of state security operations after a conflict within the Sinaloa Cartel caused a spike in murders and disappearances.
Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, the alleged cofounder of the Sinaloa Cartel, was arrested in New Mexico in July 2024. (Cuartoscuro)
United States prosecutors said Wednesday that they are in talks with the legal team of alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada over a potential plea deal.
Zambada, who co-founded the Sinaloa Cartel with convicted drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and others, was arrested in the United States last July after he was allegedly kidnapped by one of El Chapo’s sons and forced onto a U.S.-bound private plane.
Joaquín Guzmán López, right, the son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán Loera, left, allegedly lured Zambada onto a private plane in July and flew him to a New Mexico airport, where they were both arrested by U.S. authorities. Guzmán López remains in U.S. custody. (U.S. DEA)
He pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering and weapons charges during an appearance in a courthouse in Brooklyn, New York, last September.
In federal court in Brooklyn on Wednesday, assistant U.S. attorney Francisco Navarro said that prosecutors and Zambada’s legal team “have been engaged in discussions to resolve the case pre-trial.”
He said that no deal has been reached yet, but prosecutors want to keep trying.
Zambada’s lead lawyer, Frank Perez, declined to comment on the negotiations.
Judge Brian Cogan requested that the two parties keep working toward a plea deal for the alleged Sinaloa Cartel leader, and scheduled an April 22 hearing for an update.
The Associated Press reported that “it’s common for prosecutors and defense lawyers to explore whether they can reach a deal, and the talks don’t necessarily go anywhere.”
U.S. federal Judge Brian Cogan has allowed El Mayo to keep his lawyer, Frank Perez, seen here, despite the fact that Perez also represents El Mayo’s son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, who could be called to testify against his father in a trial. (Internet)
El Mayo chooses to stick with his lawyer despite potential conflict of interest
A “frail-looking” Zambada, 76, appeared in court “in a beige smock over an orange T-shirt and reading glasses dangling from the collar,” according to ABC News.
The focus of the hearing was whether the accused drug lord wanted Frank Perez to continue representing him even while representing Zambada’s son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, who could be called to give evidence against his father.
“I understand that upon representing two people in the same case there will be problems,” Zambada said through a court interpreter.
“But I don’t want a different attorney. I want Mr. Perez to represent me even if this presents a conflict,” he said.
Cogan allowed Zambada to retain the services of Perez, noting that the accused has other lawyers who could stand in for Perez in any aspects of the case related to their client’s son.
During the 2018-19 trial of “El Chapo” Guzmán, Zambada Niebla testified that his father was a leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and provided details on the inner workings of the notorious criminal organization.
Reuters reported that “prosecutors with the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney’s office said in a Dec. 18 filing that they expected to include Zambada Niebla on their list of potential witnesses” in a trial involving Zambada, “but they could not estimate how likely it was that he would actually be called to testify.”
The Associated Press reported that Perez would be “hindered in cross-examining the son” if he testifies in his father’s case “because of the loyalty he owes both clients.”
El Mayo’s son, Vicente Zambada Niebla, after his arrest in Mexico City on drug trafficking charges in 2009. (Luz Acevedo/Cuartoscuro)
Zambada would be eligible for the death penalty if convicted on the charges he faces, but a plea deal — if reached — would presumably eliminate that possibility.
Before he was taken into custody, El Mayo avoided arrest for decades, maintaining a low profile as he hid out in the Sinaloa mountains. His arrest at the Doña Ana County International Jetport in New Mexico came after Joaquín Guzmán López, a leader of the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, apparently lured him to a meeting in Culiacán.
Zambada said he was subsequently kidnapped and forced onto a plane that took him to the United States. Guzmán López accompanied Zambada on the flight and was also arrested. He pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges during a hearing in Chicago last July.
The arrest of Zambada after his alleged kidnapping triggered a major escalation in a long-running dispute between the “Los Mayos” and “Los Chapitos” factions of the Sinaloa Cartel. The feud has claimed hundreds of lives in recent months.
The Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo passenger train line will give residents of Monterrey a direct land route to the U.S. border. (Shutterstock)
Thirteen new hotels will open in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Nuevo León, in 2025 and 2026, the president of a local hotel association said Tuesday.
He said that a total of 1,322 new hotel rooms will be added to the accommodation offerings in Monterrey, which will host matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and nearby municipalities.
Nader said that the 293-room hotel will open this month.
The hotel association chief said that the 168-room MS Milenium San Jerónimo hotel, the 140-room Hampton Inn Tecnológico hotel and the 163-room Holiday Inn Santa Catarina hotel are expected to open in the coming months.
The Presidente Intercontinental in San Pedro Garza García is one of the hotels set to open this year in the region. (Presidente Intercontinental Monterrey)
However, the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, said last July that the multi-billion-dollar project was “paused.”
Still, Nader said that hotels were being built in Santa Catarina, located west of Monterrey, and Escobedo, a municipality to the north of the Nuevo León capital, because the presence of industry is expected to grow in those parts of the metropolitan area.
“Due to nearshoring the northern part of the metropolitan area is being spoken about a lot. … [In] Escobedo there are two hotels under construction and a third hotel in the area is being spoken about,” the AMHNL president said.
“It’s not yet confirmed but there are investors interested,” he said.
Among the other hotels set to open in the Monterrey metropolitan area in 2025 and 2026 are the TRU Apodaca hotel, the Hampton Homewood Suite Santa Catarina and the Kimpton hotel in Monterrey. The Kimpton will be located within the Torre Rise skyscraper, which is currently being built and, once completed, will be the tallest building in Latin America.
Away from the dreaded corpo life, these local co-working spaces in Mexico City have the best amenities for remote workers — and amazing specialty coffee, too! (CoWomen/Pexels)
It happened to me when I worked as a full-time editor: I got fed up with being stuck in my living room. I tried all sorts of things, or at least, as many as the COVID-19 pandemic allowed me to. I bought a new, apparently specialized chair for writers, adapted my desk to fit my height and even tried buying an insane amount of scented candles. None of these did the trick.
(Vlanda Karpovich/Pexels)
With the restrictions the Mexico City government imposed, we had little to do space-wise as work-from-home professionals. When the Sana Distancia (Healthy Distance) policy loosened up, however, everyone seemed to have forgotten their love-hate relationship with the capital: we wanted to go outside and see the world again. Along with a terrible toll of3.4 million victims worldwide, the global pandemic took away these cute, little me-moments outside our homes that most of us enjoyed dearly.
After almost two years of pandemic lockdown, I restarted my weeklywalks around the neighborhoods I used to love the most. I found that nothing had changed much, but some new businesses flourished with the demands of the “new normal.” as authorities called the new way of life post-COVID-19. This was when I found some nice spots to write, edit and take my everyday meetings with heartwarming matcha lattes.
Roughly four years later, the pandemic feels like a long-gone, sci-fi nightmare. Paradoxically enough, some workers decided not to return to the office after a long break from regular godínez life. Enter co-working spaces: the last bastion of those turbulent times which still allow us to have decent places to work away from corpo life and our living rooms. Here’s my digest of aesthetic and budget-friendly coworking spaces for home-officers to enjoy in Mexico City.
Chez Vous Time Café
In French, ‘chez-vous’ means “at your house.” When you’re visiting a friend, you usually say “Nous irons chez Martine”, which translates to “We’re going to Martine’s.” That is exactly the idea behindChez Vous Time Café: to feel at home, with the comfort of business amenities for remote workers.
This local business won the Mexican edition of “Shark Tank” in 2020 — ironically enough, the year the pandemic started — with a brilliant idea: users don’t pay for coffee, tea or internet use, but for the time they spend at the cafe. Having an important meeting or hosting an arts and crafts workshop? This is the spot for you: you pay by the hour, day or month, depending on your specific needs. Mariana Carrillo, Chez Vous’ founder and CEO,explains that users “don’t necessarily need to pay for a membership: you only pay for the time you work.”
Meeting rooms, shared tables and a seat at the coffee bar are the main formats available for customers. Rates vary, of course, depending on the amenities you’re using. Currently,Chez Vous has 6 locations, distributed around Polanco, Coyoacán, Del Valle and La Juárez. If you happen to be around any of them, you can check in without a previous reservation, with a starting rate of 90 pesos per hour.
Blend Station
(@blendstation_/Instagram)
“Pasión por el café” — a passion for coffee — is this co-working space’s motto. With two shops in Condesa, one in La Roma and one in Polanco,Blend Station has become a classic for remote workers in Mexico City. In addition to shared and individual tables, this local business stands out for its washed or aged coffees with some liquor, which you can order depending on how long your meeting of the day will be. If you’re brave enough, or if your palate allows you to, you can have a nice cup of aged beans with bourbon and imagine you’re Hemingway writing his next short story.
Every Blend Station location has stylish couches for tackling your daily tasks, with cute little neon lights that cast a gentle glow over your computer screen. The brand’s minimalistic aesthetic could easily be the mash-up of an Amsterdam thrift shop with a New York specialty coffee bar, with an undeniable Mexican taste: tons of natural light, wooden details and, of course, vintage-looking contraptions that exude the beans’ aroma.
In addition to trying their blends, I strongly suggest trying Blend Station’s avocado toast and poached eggs for breakfast, with a flat white to feel the caffeine rush. A piece of ‘pan dulce’ works wonders, too, if you’re willing to take the entire experience in.
HAAB Project
Local entrepreneurs host workshops and ceremonies and other events at HAAB. (HAAB Project)
Work, play, grow: these areHAAB Project’s pillars for building a community. This co-working space in Condesa stands out from others in the area for the multiplicity of activities it hosts. A concierge is always available for users to solve internet issues, booking problems and other access-related queries. Fromearly morning yoga lessons to cacao ceremonies, remote workers can really merge into the community.
With nine different meeting rooms available, HAAB shares Chez Vous’ rent-by-the-hour scheme. You can book your room beforehandonline, or simply go grab some coffee in its gorgeous lobby. Craving an acai bowl? This is the spot for you. For those who need a fixed place to work, there are several packages to fit their needs — if you book any of these, you get access to special discounts in the cafeteria and special events.
Why not other, bigger co-working spaces?
I worked as an intern at WeWork a couple of years ago. At the time, I marveled at the real possibility of a global community coming together to work in shared spaces. After the pandemic started, however, as a remote worker myself, I longed for businesses with a local feel, that remained budget-friendly and, if possible, had extraordinary coffee. You can find all of these in Mexico City, nestled in well-located areas that feel like home.
Big co-working companies might give larger businesses the visibility they need, with corporate amenities designed for their needs. As remote workers, however, do we really need any of that? I would rather support co-working spaces owned by local entrepreneurs — and, yes, continue to sip on heartwarming matcha lattes in the process.
Andrea Fischer is an editor at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written forNational Geographic en Español andMuy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.
Authorities on both sides are assessing whether the tunnel could have been used for drug trafficking as well as the movement of migrants. (Carlos Sánchez Colunga/Cuartoscuro)
On Friday, the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) discovered a “sophisticated cross-border tunnel” connecting El Paso, Texas, to Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
The discovery was made thanks to a binational effort between law enforcement agencies in Mexico and the U.S.
A notice stating that the tunnel had been secured by Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office. (Carlos Sánchez Colunga/Cuartoscuro)
“This is a historic event for the U.S. Border Patrol here in El Paso, Texas, along with multiple other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the government of Mexico,” said Border Patrol spokesman Claudio Herrera in a statement.
The tunnel’s entrance was found on the edge of Mexico’s Rio Bravo, in front of Ciudad Juárez’s Mexicanidad plaza, and exited next to marker 28 along drainage gates in El Paso. It was around 40 meters in length and measured 1.2 meters across and 1.8 meters in height.
The passage was held up by wooden beams and was equipped with electricity and a ventilation system. Authorities found items including clothing, flashlights, shovels and communication radios in the tunnel.
Investigation into the tunnel continued on Thursday. Authorities on both sides are assessing whether the tunnel could have been used for drug trafficking as well as the movement of migrants, and are expected to permanently seal the crossing once they complete the investigation.
Several Mexican news outlets have reported that the underground route was promoted on TikTok by migrants recommending the tunnel as a “safe” crossing to the U.S. Videos shared on the social media app show people who had used the crossing saying it took just minutes to safely cross the border. Some said they had used the passage one year ago or more.
It has not yet been determined how long the tunnel was in operation.
After an investigation by both U.S. and Mexican federal and local law enforcement, a tunnel was discovered that runs under the U.S.-Mexican border from El Paso, Texas to the City of Juarez, Mexico. https://t.co/9eIvszpZPTpic.twitter.com/H4X5TgWIsl
No arrests have been made but preliminary investigations suggest that the construction of the tunnel may be attributed to the Juárez Cartel, the news site N+ reported.
HSI El Paso Special Agent in Charge Jason Stevens emphasized the importance of binational collaboration to detect constructions of this type.
“Transnational criminal organizations mistakenly think they can avoid detection by moving people and contraband underground. This recent discovery is a significant blow to their operations as it highlights our capability to disrupt their sophisticated smuggling networks.”
“The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to working with our partners along the border to combat illegal criminal activity and address national security threats and will continue to support the ongoing investigation into this tunnel,” FBI Special Agent in Charge John Morales said.
Mexico's premier wine region has accomodation to match its lofty station. Lydia Carey explored the very best on offer. (Encuentro Guadalupe/Facebook)
To fully take advantage of all of Valle de Guadalupe’s great eating and drinking options, it’s best to stay at one of the many hotels along the wine route. This will put you at a good distance from Ensenada but much closer to the area’s fine dining and wineries. For most of the hotels mentioned here, I recommend renting a car: it’s the easiest and most convenient way to move around the valley. Some hotels have their own transportation, but it won’t be on your schedule.
While accommodation styles range from luxury desert suites, to chic rustic hotels and even glamping in the middle of the grapevines, most lodging in this area is expensive. Budget at least a few hundred dollars a night and think about visiting during shoulder seasons — the high season here is during the summer and fall months — so that you can find some off-season pricing. Below is a list of some of my favorite places to stay in Valle de Guadalupe, all with great service, food and vistas.
Mira
(Mira Earth Studios/Facebook)
A new addition to Valle de Guadalupe’s many great hotels, Mira was built with both sustainability and comfort as top priorities. The already expansive packed-earth suites feel even bigger when you slide open the glass doors and add the outdoor patio to the space. The surrounding views of the valley are lovely. A small jacuzzi sits ready to be taken advantage of, and a gas fire pit will warm you afterwards. I’ve never seen a more perfectly stocked kitchen and mini bar: local wine, canned cocktails, frozen pizza, Mexican coffee with a hand grinder and pour-over filter cup, popsicles and a dozen other more little extras that remind you that you’re in one of Mexico’s best places for food and drink. Mira has a swimming pool and other facilities, including an on-site restaurant set to open this year.
Rancho Sordo Mudo, Carretera Ensenada-Tecate, Km 75
A pandemic baby, The San Diegan is laid-back Baja cool: a vintage 31-foot Airstream camper van that has been outfitted to wrap you up in coziness with the creature comforts of home. Put a jazz record on the turntable, light a stick of incense, slip into the jacuzzi or sip wine on the outdoor patio. There’s a complete outdoor kitchen with grill, an outstretched hammock, electric dirt bikes for rent and an outdoor shower and bathroom, plus a small indoor bathroom for when you’re in for the night. The San Diegan also happens to be steps away from one of Baja’s best restaurants, Finca Altozano, and their new casual spot, Lupe Erizo.
Carretera Ensenada-Tecate, Km 83
Villa del Valle
(Villa del Valle/Facebook)
Villa’s eight homey rooms, wraparound porches and high-ceilinged living room and library were all designed using passive solar design principles and as little added energy as possible. In fact, owners Eilleen and Phil Gregory were two of the first Valle de Guadalupe hoteliers to adopt sustainable construction methods. The earth-toned walls are colored with pigments instead of paints and all the bathroom products are organic, made in-house. You might think that sustainability can’t also be comfortable and beautiful, but Villa de Valle proves you wrong. The hotel’s gorgeous Mexican villa aesthetic is complimented by the warm hospitality of the staff and owners. Besides growing lavender and olives for the products they sell, Villa’s massive organic garden also supplies the in-house chef with what he needs for the hotel’s 5-course tasting menu, which you can reserve in advance. I recommend doing just that: the menu was one of the top three meals I had in Valle de Guadalupe on my most recent visit. Rancho San Marcos Toros Pintos S/N, Km 88
Encuentro Guadalupe
(Encuentro Guadalupe/Facebook)
Ethereal 1-room cabin rooms hover on stilts over the undulating landscape of northeastern Valle de Guadalupe. As one of the valley’s first boutique hotels, Encuentro set the standard, building small rooms that tread lightly on the surrounding nature and whose minimalist design encourages guests to get out and enjoy their surroundings. The pool and bar area with views of the valley below is stunning any time of the day and a glass of wine snuggled up to one of the outdoor chimneys on the patio is beyond enchanting. Carretera Tecate Ensenada, Km 75
Bruma offers three different types of accommodation on their 180-hectare property. My favorite is Casa Ocho, a collection of large suites that cluster around outdoor patios, al fresco dining rooms and a luxurious swimming pool that looks out over the vineyard. If you get antsy you can always play a game of tennis on the courts or pump some iron in the gym, but you’re more likely to end up on one of the leather couches at the Bruma garden tasting room, taking a tour of the winery or hanging out around the massive family-style tables at Fauna. The Bruma market, which is a new cluster of hotel rooms integrated into their central space where the resort’s wine garden, bakery, tasting room and shop are located also great for a little more buzz and activity. Carretera a Vinicola La Cetto, Fraccionamiento A-B, P74, Francisco Zarco
Finca La Divina
(Finca La Divina/Instagram)
Perfect for groups of families that want to stay together, Finca La Divina is a 3-bedroom house plus a small casita close to everything in Valle and not far from Ensenada either. The house has a delightful in-ground pool perfect for warmer weather, an outdoor grill and bar area and lots of large dining spaces for big groups. The bar inside the main room offers beer and wine for sale — self serve, of course — and the price of your stay includes a homemade breakfast at the house. There is ample parking if folks are coming in various groups, and the house is set back off the highway in a small little neighborhood that’s secluded and quiet. Carretera Ensenada-Tecate, Km 93.5, San Antonio de Las Minas
Cuatro Cuatros
(Cuatro Cuatros/Instagram)
One of my favorite past experiences in Valley de Guadalupe, Cuatro Cuatros has deluxe glamping tents set up on platforms in the midst of their vineyards. The tan canvas tents have a luxury safari vibe to them with comfortable beds, upholstered chairs and individual bathrooms with indoor-outdoor showers. The winery is lovely in general, with a lookout a few kilometers into the vineyards that looks over the gorgeous Pacific and is often rented for events and weddings. This property has added apartments and other residences since I was last there, so the space may be slightly more busy than it was before, but the peace and quiet of the evenings I spent here couldn’t be beat. If you want to be closer to Ensenada, Cuatro Cuatros is your best choice.
El Tigre, Carretera Libre Tijuana-Ensenada, Km 89, El Sauzal de Rodriguez
Lydia Carey is a freelance writer and translator based out of Mexico City. She has been published widely both online and in print, writing about Mexico for over a decade. She lives a double life as a local tour guide and is the author of Mexico City Streets: La Roma. Follow her urban adventures on Instagram and see more of her work at mexicocitystreets.com.
President Claudia Sheinbaum has said on repeated occasions that she is confident she will have a good relationship with Donald Trump after the U.S. president-elect returns to the White House, but Mexicans are split over whether that will actually be the case.
That was among the findings of a poll conducted for the newspaper El Universal earlier this month. The polling company Buendía & Márquez interviewed 1,000 Mexicans and the results of the poll were published by El Universal on Tuesday.
🇲🇽🤔 Casi la mitad de mexicanos ven una relación complicada entre Sheinbaum y Trump, según encuesta de Buendía & Márquez. ¿Tú qué opinas? 🌎💬https://t.co/2yHETK787L
Thus, 46% of those polled believe that Mexico’s first female president will get on well with Trump, who, next Monday, will become the oldest person to be inaugurated as U.S. president.
A slightly lower 44% of poll respondents predicted that Sheinbaum will have a “bad” (32%) or “very bad” (12%) relationship with Trump.
Of the remaining 10% of those polled, 5% predicted that the relationship between the two leaders will be “neither good nor bad” while the other 5% didn’t respond.
Sheinbaum has spoken to Trump twice by telephone since Trump won the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5. After their second call, Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s assertion that she had “effectively” agreed to close the Mexico-U.S. border.
Almost nine in 10 poll respondents — 88% — said they knew of Trump compared to just 67% who said the same about current United States President Joe Biden.
Two-thirds of those polled — 66% — said they had a “very bad” opinion of Trump, who has made various derogatory remarks about Mexico and Mexicans over the years. Just 13% said they had a “very good” opinion of the former and future president.
In October 2024, only 4% of Mexicans polled by the newspaper El Financiero said that Sheinbaum would have a better relationship with Trump than with former presidential candidate Kamala Harris. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
Large majority of Mexicans (unsurprisingly) opposed to Trump’s deportation and tariff plans
Almost nine in ten respondents — 89% — said they were not in favor of the deportation of Mexicans from the United States. Trump has pledged to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history,” leaving some 5 million undocumented Mexicans susceptible to expulsion from the U.S.
Just over eight in 10 of those polled — 82% — said they were against United States tariffs on Mexican exports, while 73% expressed opposition to the cancelation of the USMCA free trade pact, which is up for review in 2026.
Trump has pledged to renegotiate the trade agreement, in part to insert what he called “strong new protections against transshipment, so that China and other countries cannot smuggle their products and auto parts into the United States tax free through Mexico to the detriment of our workers and our supply chains.”
Exactly seven in 10 poll respondents expressed support for the signing of a security agreement between Mexico, the United States and Canada.
A security agreement between Mexico and the United States, the Bicentennial Framework, took effect in late 2021, but that pact doesn’t include Canada.
Buendía & Márquez also asked poll respondents whether they agreed or disagreed with an increase in “foreign migrant” numbers in Mexico. Almost seven in 10 — 69% — said they were against an increase while 28% indicated they would like to see more foreigners in Mexico.
Most Mexicans see mass deportations and tariffs as ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ probable
Almost two-thirds of those polled — 64% — said that deportations of Mexicans from the United States were either “very probable” (34%) or “somewhat probable” (30%) during the next 12 months.
Sixty-four percent of respondents also indicated that they expected Trump to follow through with his threat to impose tariffs on Mexican exports to the United States. One-third — 33% — said tariffs were “somewhat probable” while 31% said they were “very probable.”
Meanwhile, a majority of those polled — 54% — said that the cancelation of the USMCA was either “not very likely” or “not at all likely.”
Almost three-quarters of respondents — 73% — said it was “very probable” or “somewhat probable” that foreign migrant numbers will increase in Mexico during the next 12 months, while 62% said it was “very probable” or “somewhat probable” that Mexico, the United States and Canada will sign a joint security agreement within the same period of time.
