Friday, July 4, 2025

The Mexico power players you need to know: A perspective from our CEO

By
Travis Bembenek
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Photos of Mexican leaders: Security Minister García Harfuch, President Sheinbaum and Economy Secretary Ebrard
A new Mexico News Daily series profiles key figures to watch in Mexico. (Cuartoscuro/Mexico News Daily)

The team at MND is constantly discussing and debating what level of detail we think our readers would like to know with respect to Mexican political leaders and political issues in general in the country. Our original thinking was that many people already living or having interest in Mexico probably have had enough of politics in their home countries and as a result would have little interest in whats going on politically in Mexico. I remember once telling the team “no political coverage other than the president, and even that coverage should be very limited.”

That being said, our thinking has evolved in the past year as the political landscape in Mexico and the world have changed. There were in fact three key events that led to a step change in our readers’ level of interest. The first was during the 2024 Mexican presidential election. Once the field of candidates was narrowed down to two women, Xóchitl Gálvez and Claudia Sheinbaum, our readers increasingly wanted to learn more about each of them.

The second key event was when Sheinbaum won the election and assumed the presidency in October of last year. Our readers took increased interest in our daily mañanera press conference summary of what Sheinbaum and her team were talking about and focusing on. The third event was when Trump won the election in the United States and began talking about very specific actions that he would take against Mexico on everything from deportations and cartels to the border and tariffs.

We think that there is an increasing recognition on both sides of the border that our challenges cannot be solved — and our opportunities cannot be realized — without close cooperation between the two countries. Can the U.S. really become less reliant on China without Mexico’s help? Can Mexico solve the drug/cartel problems without help from the U.S.? Can the U.S. stop immigrants at the southern border without Mexico’s help? Can either country fully realize its potential without the help of the other? We strongly believe that the answer is increasingly: NO.

In response to this, we now dedicate several articles a day to the political and economic discussion and debate between Mexico and the United States. Every weekday, we have a brief, easy-to-read summary of what President Sheinbaum and her administration are focused on. In addition, on many days we have a summary of what President Trump has said about Mexico and how Sheinbaum is responding to it. Whether or not we like the increasingly accelerated and ever-changing news cycle, it is a reality and we are committed to helping you understand the latest developments and impacts.

As a direct result of this increased interest that we are seeing from our readers, we are now expanding our coverage to include additional reporting on other key players beyond President Sheinbaum that we think our readers need to know about.

We are very cognizant of the fatigue and anxiety that many people have from the hyper-accelerated news cycle over the past few months and our intention is obviously not to add to that. However, there are some important and influential people shaping news and events in Mexico that we want to share with you. The team at MND promises to be very clear on why these people are important and why they are relevant to you.

You will see that we are adding new team members as well as introducing new formats. Just in the past few weeks, María Meléndez, an experienced journalist and video content producer based right in the heart of Mexico City, has taken on a new project at MND. María has her finger on the economic and political pulse of the country, and she’s now leading a team that has produced four different article/short video reports on key leaders in Mexico, including but not limited to Sheinbaum.

The first was on Marcelo Ebrard, the Mexican Minister of Economy and point person for Mexico on the tariff negotiations. Maria gives us some background on Ebrard, his experience, and his strategy in the negotiations. You can see the article and video here.

The second topic was in light of World Women’s Day and the terrible issue of femicides in Mexico. Many women in the country have high hopes for change, but feel like the president has not done enough. María digs into what President Sheinbaum already has done and has planned to do to tackle this tragic problem in the country.

Is Mexico’s first female president protecting women?

The third was a profile of Ronald Johnson, President Trump’s pick for US Ambassador to Mexico. Johnson is an unconventional pick with unique experience that will likely result in a different focus as ambassador than his predecessors. Maria explains how and why to us and based on his background, helps us understand what to expect from the new ambassador.

The fourth and most recent profile was of Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico’s new Secretary of Security and Civilian Protection. Garcia Harfuch has the exceptionally difficult job of trying to improve the country’s security situation. He has been trained by both the CIA and DEA and actually was the victim of an assassination attempt. His role is increasingly in the spotlight given recent comments from the United States. Maria gives us his background and describes the challenges he faces.

Who is Mexico’s Security Minister and why does he matter?

Each week we will be bringing you a new leader profile or timely topic to learn about. We hope you enjoy this expanded coverage and we welcome your feedback. The team at Mexico News Daily is committed to being your front row seat to Mexico…..thank you for trusting in our team and supporting what we do.

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

Protecting Mexico-US auto sector integration: Friday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum at the podium at her Friday morning press conference
The threat that tariffs pose to the integrated manufacturing economies of Mexico and the U.S. was a top theme of Friday's press conference. (Presidencia)

Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez and World Boxing Council president Mauricio Sulaimán Saldivar attended President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Friday morning press conference to promote the “National Boxing Class” that will take place in public squares across the country on Sunday, April 6.

Sheinbaum said she didn’t yet know whether she would don some gloves herself, but a reporter nevertheless quipped “watch out Bukele,” a reference to a nascent feud with the president of El Salvador.

President Claudia Sheinbaum and retired boxer Julio César Chávez hold a boxing glove while standing on a stage surrounded by government officials
President Sheinbaum donned a golden glove to promote next week’s nation-wide boxing class. (Presidencia)

During her Q&A session with reporters, the president spoke about United States President Donald Trump’s latest tariff announcement, the importance of the USMCA free trade pact — which is currently under attack by Trump — and the federal government’s growing tax revenue.

‘Any tariff’ affects Mexico-US auto sector integration 

Two days after Trump announced a 25% tariff on imports of vehicles and auto parts, Sheinbaum emphasized the high level of integration between the auto industries in Mexico and the United States.

“Mexico is the country with the most integration with the United States in the automotive industry,” she said.

She noted that auto parts frequently pass back and forth across the border during the vehicle manufacturing process.

“It’s integration that has been going on for decades,” Sheinbaum added.

“Obviously any tariff affects that integration and both economies. It affects the United States and Mexico,” she said.

“So of course we don’t agree with this unilateral tariff decision,” Sheinbaum said.

The USMCA is the ‘tool’ that allows North America to compete with China 

Sheinbaum told reporters that her government is seeking to strengthen the USMCA free trade pact, even as Trump seemingly adopts more protectionist “America first” positions by the day.

“The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is the tool that allows … North America to compete with other regions of the world, particularly China, which is also a large manufacturer of cars,” she said.

“What we have always said is that we don’t compete among ourselves, we complement each other to strengthen the economies of the three countries,” Sheinbaum said.

A automated care production line inside a factory
The president said the USMCA free trade deal allows North America to compete with China in car manufacturing. (BYD)

She said that her government, in talks with its United States counterpart, is seeking to avoid an adverse impact on Mexico-U.S. auto sector integration in order to “protect jobs in Mexico and jobs in the United States.”

“That’s always been our argument,” Sheinbaum said.

Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Thursday that the government would seek “preferential treatment” for Mexico, even as Trump appears determined to change what he sees as an unfair status quo in the United States’ trade relationships with most, if not all, of its trading partners.

As Mexico News Daily reported, and Ebrard emphasized at the president’s Thursday morning press conference, U.S. content in vehicles assembled in Mexico (and Canada) will be exempt from the 25% duty, lowering the effective tariff on vehicles made in Mexico.

Mexico thus has already been afforded some “preferential treatment” — that is if (and it’s a big if) the United States’ violation of the USMCA — an agreement Trump personally signed — can be ignored.

US automakers will be most affected by tariff, Sheinbaum says 

Sheinbaum said that Trump’s auto tariff will affect Mexico more than any other country due to its high levels of integration with the United States in the production of vehicles.

She added that United States automakers with a presence in Mexico, such as General Motors and Ford, will bear the brunt of the auto sector protectionism.

Ford manufacturing plant entrance in Irapuato, an example of Mexico-US auto sector integration
U.S carmakers that manufacture in Mexico — like Ford and General Motors — will be hardest hit by the tariffs, Sheinbaum said. (X)

While Mexico continues to seek a deal with the United States to return to free trade conditions, Sheinbaum reiterated that she is preparing a “comprehensive response” to U.S. tariffs, which are already in effect for Mexican steel and aluminum and goods not covered by the USMCA.

She has said she will unveil that response on April 3, the day after the United States intends to impose reciprocal tariffs on the goods it imports from its trading partners around the world.

Tax collection ‘going very well’

A reporter asked the president whether the United States “unilateral decision” to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico would affect her government’s economic objectives and infrastructure investment plants.

“Not at all. The economy of Mexico is very strong,” Sheinbaum responded.

She told reporters that she looks at government revenue data every day and that tax collection is currently 6% higher than it was a year ago “in real terms.”

“I thank the people because they’re paying their taxes,” Sheinbaum said.

“… The truth is tax collection is going very well,” she said.

“And, well, we’re building seven more hospitals, the railroads, highways, water projects, housing, and that helps the economy a lot,” Sheinbaum said.

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

China vs. USA, embassy edition: Diplomats go head-to-head over e-commerce apps in Mexico

By
MND Staff
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3
A phone showing the logo of Shein, the Chinese e-commerce app. Wood background
As Mexico navigates trade tension between the U.S. and China, a microcosm of the dispute played out on social media. (App Shunter/Unsplash)

Mexico has found itself in the middle of a trade war — of words — after the U.S. and Chinese embassies in Mexico squared off on social media over criticism of Chinese e-commerce apps like Shein and Temu.

On Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico published a video urging users in Mexico to delete Chinese cell phone apps, citing data security risks and other concerns. 

The video singled out Shein, Temu, AliBaba and AliExpress, claiming that these websites not only jeopardize personal data but that the Chinese retailers negatively impact Mexican industry.

In the video, businessman Andrés Díaz Bedolla said these Chinese apps face class-action suits in the U.S. over data theft.

Díaz Bedolla, founder of Yumari — a platform that seeks to connect Latin American companies with global value chains — claimed that these retailers are willing to lose up to US $30 on each sale to undercut the local competition.

“If you have these apps on your phone, it is time to eliminate them,” said Díaz Bedolla, a graduate of the U.S. State Department’s Young Leaders of the Americas program.

“We simply should not be doing this if what we want in the end is economic growth and development for our country,” he said.

Shortly thereafter, the Chinese Embassy in Mexico responded with a social media post of its own, calling on the U.S. “to eliminate your lies.”

In the message published on X, China said that U.S. “hegemonic practices” including reciprocal tariffs, fentanyl tariffs and automobile tariffs are destroying Mexico’s industry and damaging Mexico’s sovereign interests.

On Jan. 1, Mexico implemented a tax on products imported via e-commerce sites and international courier companies. As Mexico doesn’t have a trade agreement with China, companies such as Temu and Shein were slapped with 19% tariffs.

AliExpress, Shein and Temu responded by offering discounts and temporary subsidies on products shipped to Mexico.

In mid-December, Mexico imposed a 35% duty on imports of finished textile products.

This tariff was imposed exclusively on products imported from countries without a free trade agreement with Mexico and is mainly designed to protect Mexican producers from cheap Chinese clothing. This tax directly affected Shein, Temu and AliExpress.

Upon announcing these tariffs, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum alleged that digital apps were indeed contributing to the closure of companies in Mexico. She cited government data showing an 8% decline in textile production in 2024 and 20,000 job losses.

Some entrepreneurs also purchased in bulk from the e-commerce companies in order to resell the imported products in Mexico. To curb the practice, the government imposed restrictions on the number of monthly deliveries permitted.

With reports from El Financiero, El Universal and SDP Noticias

Michigan couple arrested in Cancún for alleged fraud in timeshare dispute

By
MND Staff
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11
A line of pool chairs at Moon Palace in Cancún, a property belonging to Palace Resorts, the timeshare company involved in the fraud dispute
Palace Resorts, the company involved in the dispute, owns all-inclusive resorts like Moon Palace Cancun, seen here. (Cameron Wears CC BY-NC 2.0)

A married couple from rural Michigan has been imprisoned in Cancún for more than three weeks after being accused of committing fraud against Palace Resorts, a Mexican-based timeshare and hospitality company.

Paul and Christy Akeo were detained March 4 upon arrival at the Cancún International Airport, marking the beginning of an ordeal that has reportedly landed them in a maximum-security prison and sent their family into panic.

A middle-aged couple embraces in a photo taken at sunset in front of the ocean in Cancún
A family photo of the Christy and Paul Akeo. (Courtesy of Lindsey Hull)

This week, children of the couple spoke out, declaring the accusations to be false and calling on the U.S. government to intervene.

“The urgency is beyond important because we have no idea what is happening to them at any time,” said Lindsey Hull, Christy’s daughter, noting that the couple is being held without bail and being denied communication with family.

“Their lives are in danger,” she added. “Their health is declining. We need to get these people home.”

Paul is a 58-year-old Navy veteran employed as an engineer with the Michigan state police and Christy, 60, is grandmother and small business owner, according to their U.S.-based attorney, John Manly.

They are being “held captive in a hell hole of a Mexican maximum-security prison,” Manly said in a statement to CNN.

The Akeos — who live in Spring Arbor, an unincorporated community about halfway between Ann Arbor and Kalamazoo — traveled to Cancún on March 4 expecting a carefree vacation, Manly and their children said, only to be stopped by authorities soon after their plane landed.

In a statement, reportedly issued two weeks later, prosecutors in the state of Quintana Roo allege that the couple in 2022 canceled 13 credit card payments to a hotel chain totaling more than $116,500. Though prosecutors didn’t offer further evidence, they said the activity constitutes fraud.

According to Manly, the case stems from a 2021 timeshare agreement that the Akeos signed with Palace Elite, a subsidiary of The Palace Company, which is headquartered in Mérida, Yucatán. One of its brands is Palace Resorts, known for luxury all-inclusive properties in Mexico and Jamaica.

Manly said the company failed to provide the services promised in the agreement, and as a result, the couple disputed the charges with their credit card company, American Express.

Christy Akeo also shared their experiences on social media.

An aerial view of Cancún
Timeshares are common in resort destinations like Cancún, but often have hidden provisions or fees. (Wikimedia)

According to a statement from The Palace Company, a criminal complaint was filed after the couple “fraudulently disputed legitimate credit card charges and publicly encouraged others to do the same.”

The company noted that “Interpol validated the case” and that a court-approved arrest warrant was issued “following failed attempts to serve notice.”

Hull insisted that her family received no notices and said that, although her mom did sound off in a Facebook group of confused and angry Palace customers, she is baffled as to why that might have contributed to the arrest.

“What happened,” Manly said in a report on WLNS, a radio station in Lansing, Michigan, “was they got lured into this timeshare, and initially it was some reasonable amount a month, and then — according to what we’ve been told — they took away their benefits and essentially made them increase their monthly contribution to $6,200 a month.”

“The idea that they’re sitting in a maximum-security prison over a timeshare dispute is, at best, unacceptable,” Hull added.

Manly said the company was, in fact, the party that breached the contract, notably the part that allowed the Akeos to sell weeks of their timeshare. But when they attempted to do that, he said, “Palace just began to cancel the reservations.”

A man identified as the couple’s son, Michael Lemke, told WLNS that a judge gave Palace Resorts six months to gather evidence. He’s concerned this could mean that the Akeos might be detained in Mexico for a while.

“The situation is incredibly unfortunate over something that is a contract dispute that … seemed like it was done and over with,” Lemke said.

U.S. Congressman Tom Barrett has pledged to assist the family by working with the White House and State Department to quickly resolve the situation.

“I have assured them that my team and I are acting immediately and doing everything we can to help,” Barrett said.

With reports from Diario de Yucatán, CNN and WLNS Radio

Amid deepening drought, Mexico works to reduce agricultural water waste

By
MND Staff
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5
A close-up shot shows a person adjusting an irrigation line in a field to reduce agricultural water waste
Agriculture is both the biggest user of water in Mexico, and one of the first sectors to suffer when water is scarce. (Shutterstock)

As drought deepens in Mexico, the National Water Commission on Thursday presented a plan that officials hope will save 2.8 billion cubic meters of water across the country.

Water commission (Conagua) officials on Thursday said the updated National Irrigation Modernization Program aims to upgrade systems that will affect 200,000 hectares of irrigable land in Mexico, reducing agricultural water waste.

Efraín Morales, director of Conagua speaking at conference with President Sheinbaum
Efraín Morales, director of Conagua, shared the plan to upgrade Mexico’s agricultural water infrastructure at the president’s Thursday morning press conference. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

During her morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum said her administration plans to invest 51.8 billion pesos (US $2.5 billion) during her six-year term to modernize the nation’s irrigation systems. She said the system overhaul will increase productivity.

“[The hydro-agriculture sector] will see greater production with less water,” she said, “freeing up 2.8 billion cubic meters [of water] … for human consumption.”

Hydro-agriculture is akin to small-scale irrigated agriculture, in contrast to hydraulic agriculture which is large-scale farming which involves the use of fluid power to operate machinery, control implements, and perform various tasks on the farm.

Sheinbaum said the transition is not as simple as installing new technology and watching it work. The system overhaul requires a comprehensive organizational plan at the individual farm level and at the federal irrigation district level.

The government hopes more efficient hydro-agriculture will resolve the perennial shortage of water for human consumption, a problem that resulted in chatter about a potential “Day Zero” in Mexico City last year. 

Calling the program unprecedented, Efraín Morales, director of the water commission (Conagua), said it is of utmost importance because 76% of the nation’s water is utilized in agriculture. 

“The modernization program is not just about resolving existing problems,” Morales said, referring to aging canals and leaky irrigation infrastructure. “The president has instructed us to look for alternatives that allow for more efficient use of water in productive processes as well as in matters of social consumption.”

Morales reiterated Sheinbaum’s goal of producing more food with less water so as to increase drinking water availability. He added that some of the recovered water would be used to recharge the nation’s aquifers.

Streams of water spraying over farmland with young green, leafy plants from irrigation pipes.
Mexico is addressing water scarcity by promoting modern, more efficient irrigation systems to reduce agricultural water waste. (Government of Mexico)

He said the long-term goal is to find and implement solutions that will make Mexico’s countryside sustainable.

By the end of this year, Conagua hopes to repair or replace 315 kilometers of irrigation canals, potentially reducing water use by 25%, Morales said. Another 43 kilometers of canals will be replaced with pipes, protecting the water from evaporation and reducing water loss by 40%.

The program will also pay for modern floodgates — both mechanized and manual — to make distribution and storage more efficient. Telemetry systems will also be installed in some locations to measure water usage and distribution.

Beyond simply repairing canals to prevent leaks, the program focuses on teaching responsible water use. Among the activities Conagua is emphasizing is working with farmers to avoid over-irrigating their fields

Conagua will also even out farmlands, with plans to level 10,500 hectares this year alone. This process will allow for more uniform irrigation while limiting puddling and run-off.

The program will also work to install aspersion and microaspersion irrigation systems to better control the amount of water and delivery timing.

Aarón Mastache, assistant director of Conagua’s hydro-agriculture infrastructure division, explained that the program will primarily focus on 13 of Mexico’s 86 irrigation districts. These targeted districts are located near urban centers that are experiencing water shortfalls, he said.

So far 10 irrigation districts — in Sinaloa, Morelos, Aguascalientes, Tamaulipas, Guanajuanto, Coahuila and Durango — have signed up for the program. Two of the remaining districts, both in Chihuahua, are expected to climb aboard next week. Officials in the last district, in Baja California, are negotiating the conditions of its inclusion.

Mastache explained that the program budget will come from three sources: the majority of funds will come from the federal government, but state governments and farmers will also contribute, though he did not specify percentages.

With reports from El Universal and Infobae

After getting the boot from Red Bull, Checo Pérez could return to Formula 1 with Cadillac

By
MND Staff
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3
Checo Pérez walks down a hallway after returning from a race, wearing his Red Bull Formula 1 uniform
Mexican driver Checo Pérez is looking to get back in the game. (Sergio Pérez/Facebook)

Sergio “Checo” Pérez’s absence from Formula 1 circuits might be a short one as the Mexican driver is reportedly negotiating a return to the track with debutante F1 team Cadillac, who are set to enter the sport in 2026.

Mexico’s most successful racer, Checo appears to be on the verge of making a dramatic return to Formula 1 — considered the pinnacle of motorsports — just one season after his acrimonious exit from Red Bull Racing, which would see him getting behind the wheel again with the fresh new project.

A black Formula 1 racing car on a black background next to a Cadillac logo
Cadillac will become the 11th team in Formula 1 starting next year. (Cadillac)

General Motors’ luxury brand Cadillac is set to enter Formula 1 in 2026 as the 11th team on the grid, in partnership with Andretti Global. Fox Sports reported this week that Checo — a six-time Grand Prix race winner — has been discussing the prospect of signing with Cadillac.

Mario Andretti, former F1 champion and the advisor on Cadillac’s board of directors, declined to comment on rumors that the team was in final talks with Checo: “There are more drivers available than teams at the moment,” he told Fox Sports. “Ten teams seems a lot, but … from our standpoint, I think the play at the beginning would be to have one experienced driver — nationality doesn’t matter — and then a young American talent.”

Cadillac first made public its interest in joining F1 in January 2023. Andretti, who operates a number of successful teams in other motorsport categories, including Indycar and Formula E, launched a failed bid with GM as engine partner.

The bid was rejected after resistance from established teams. Then Dan Towriss replaced Michael Andretti (Mario’s son and former McLaren driver, who had a brief and troubled career in F1) at the top of the Cadillac project and a renewed bid was met with approval in late 2024.

Checo Pérez puts on his helmet before a Formula 1 race
Pérez, 35, has driven for four different F1 teams in his career. (Sergio Pérez/Facebook)

Formal approval was granted to Cadillac on March 7, after the team paid an entry fee of US $450 million, to be be split among the other 10 teams as compensation for the dilution of prize money.

With 14 years of experience in F1, Checo certainly has the résumé to serve as the experienced driver Cadillac is seeking to help guide the project through its infancy.

The 35-year-old Pérez has driven for four different F1 teams, getting his start with Sauber in 2011. Checo claimed his first podium in his second season, then spent one year with McLaren before moving on to Force India ahead of the 2013 season. After scoring his first win with the rebadged team at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, he was promoted to the second seat at Red Bull Racing, finishing second in the 2023 Championship. Despite the promising start, Checo gradually fell away from championship contention and as a result, his contract was terminated early at the end of the 2024 season.

Amid speculation that his career might be over, Checo is now looking at a chance to reboot his F1 career.

F1 blog TheJudge13.com points out that as the face of the nascent project, Checo would be under extra pressure. As the team’s lead driver, Pérez’s role could include on-track duties, as well as a significant role in shaping car development and engineering feedback while also mentoring teammates.

With reports from Fox Sports, GP Fans, TheJudge13.com and Newsweek

Walmart announces US $6B plan to expand its presence in Mexico

By
MND Staff
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5
Walmart in Mexico City
Walmart plans to open more Aurerra and Sam's Club stores, along with Walmart Supercenters and Walmart Express. (Graciela López Herrera / Cuartoscuro.com)

Walmart has announced a multi-billion dollar investment in Mexico to expand its operations in the country, adding stores and opening new distribution centers in Tlaxcala and the Bajío region.

During President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Thursday morning press conference, CEO of Walmart Mexico and Central America Ignacio Caride said that the retail giant will invest US $6 billion to open more stores and establish two new next-generation distribution centers in Mexico.

Caride said that the investment will create over 5,500 jobs in addition to the 200,000 jobs Walmart already provides in Mexico.

“As part of the investment, this year we will open more stores in our Aurrera, Sam’s Club, Walmart Supercenter, and Walmart Express formats, creating approximately 5,500 direct jobs,” Caride said.

The new stores will add to the 3,200 stores that already operate in all 32 states of Mexico.

“Walmart de México’s mission is to help people save money and live better across the country,” Caride said. “To achieve this, we’re strengthening our long-term commitment to this great country.”

Walmart Mexico CEO Ignacio Caride appears on a screen on stage a President Claudia Sheinbaum's presidential press conference
Walmart Mexico CEO Ignacio Caride shared the news during Thursday’s presidential press conference. (Presidencia)

The new state-of-the-art distribution centers will be built in the Bajío region and in the state of Tlaxcala. These centers will be equipped with robotics and artificial intelligence applications, supplementing the 21 distribution centers already operating Mexico.

Ximena Escobedo, head of the Institutional Strategy and Organization Unit of the Economy Ministry, said Walmart’s investment is very important for Sheinbaum’s economic plan, Plan México, for two reasons. First, because Walmart has 30,000 suppliers, with 85% being small and medium-sized businesses. Second, because 83% of products sold in Walmart stores across the country are made in Mexico.

“For over a decade, we have supported small agricultural producers in Mexico to help them formalize their operations, grow, access financing and become our direct suppliers without intermediaries,” Caride highlighted.

In a separate announcement, Walmart Mexico reported through the Mexican Stock Exchange that its capital expenditure for 2025 will amount to approximately 41.8 billion pesos (US $2 billion) for all of Mexico and Central America — 20% more than the 34.8 billion pesos (US $1.7 billion) invested in 2024.

Sheinbaum’s ambitious Plan Mexico seeks to place Mexico among the top 10 economies in the world through investment incentives and collaboration between the government and the private sector.

With reports from El Economista

Why can’t you climb the pyramids at Teotihuacán anymore?

By
Andrea Fischer
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Is climbing the pyramids at the Teotihuacán religious complex a right reserved to the gods? The INAH says yes. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

In the beginning of times, when nothing was as we know it today, the gods gathered around the sun. When they all took their places, say the ancient scriptures, they sat and decided to create the world. Many attempts were made; many beings were created and destroyed. After many efforts, Quetzalcóatl, the feathered serpent god, set out to the underworld to talk to Mictlantecuhtli, the lord of the dead, who had the last bone in the cosmos, needed to create the perfect being.

They settled that the bone must be split in two, so that each of them could keep a part for themselves. Quetzalcóatl returned to the other gods with the coveted piece of bone, which they finally used to create the first human beings. In their honor, when several men and women were created, the newly born humans built a holy city. That was how, according to the Mexica who discovered the long-abandoned city when they migrated into Central Mexico, the magnificent Teotihuacán came to be.

The holy city of Teotihuacán was the largest in present-day Mexico, and the most influential politically and commercially in the Mesoamerican region. (Beatriz Quintanar Hinojosa/INAH)

The National Institute of Anthropology and History’s (INAH) records suggest that this archaeological site in present-day México state was constructed around the year 200 BCE. In the very beginning, farming communities occupied it and built its foundations. However, they quickly established commercial relationships with the neighboring towns, which eventually became the largest commercial network in Mesoamerica. Archaeological remains show that this interregional trade reached the Maya, and had major political influence in the Yucatán peninsula during the Preclassic and Classic Maya periods.

We don’t know what the inhabitants of Teotihuacán called themselves: the city’s name, translated as “where the gods were created” or “where men became gods,” was given to it by the Aztecs who found it 1000 years after its foundation. But the Teotihuacanos  built the largest city in ancient Mesoamerica, the cultural region spanning from present-day central Mexico to Costa Rica. With an area of over 22 square kilometers, Teotihuacán “was one of the cultural centers of the region,” INAH authorities say, and had “stylistic and architectural influences” that reached the Maya in Guatemala and Honduras.

Why can’t people climb the pyramids anymore?

Mexicans today have a shared awe for the ruins of Teotihuacán. I first went to the site as a child, climbing the Pyramid of the Sun and crying in fear of falling when we had to go down the pyramid’s 238 steps.

Children today, sadly, will not have the same memories as I do. In 2020, INAH authorities announced a new prohibition: visitors would no longer be allowed to climb the structures in the complex.

The author was privileged enough to climb the pyramids while the Teotihuacán site authorities allowed it. Visitors today are not as lucky. (Maciej Cisowski/Pexels)

“Neither the footwear nor the number of visitors (some days saw 15,000 visitors daily) were the same,” writes Alejandro Alcolea, journalist and editor of the scientific magazine Xataka México.

The decision was taken to preserve the ancient structures, as happened in other archaeological sites, like Chichén Itzá. Although the pyramids at Teotihuacán were largely reconstructed after excavation in the early 20th century, their preservation is a priority for the INAH, and visitor safety is a consideration as well.

Researchers and the press need special permission to take photos of the pyramid or conduct any activity on the structures. Heavy fines are meted out to those who violate these restrictions.

Depending on the severity of the conduct, fines span from 500 to 100,000 pesos depending on how badly the structure was damaged, and irreparable damage is punishable by jail time. Violators have also faced angry crowds: on March 20, a German visitor who climbed the Temple of Kukulkán in Chichén Itzá, Yucatán was booed and struck by other tourists who had gathered to watch the spring solstice at the complex before being taken into custody by National Guard officers.

You can still see Teotihuacán from up high

Balloon rides across the Teotihuacán archaeological site are not for everyone, but can you imagine seeing it all as dawn breaks? (Mark Flying/Pexels)

If you really want to see the Teotihuacán from above and aren’t afraid of heights, you still have options, namely a hot air balloon ride above the ruins. Nothing compares to the sight of the Teotihuacán valley at sunrise on a cold morning.

Prices start at 2,300 pesos, and you can enjoy the best panoramic view of the site. You can check out the packages and experiences at Tripadvisor, and choose whatever fits your needs best.

In any case, you have to be an early bird. The activities start early, and you are usually expected to be present at San Juan Teotihuacán at 5 a.m. The longest ride is about 3 hours long, but you can always choose shorter versions.

If you are taking the hot air balloon ride, come prepared! Mornings are usually chilly, so be advised to bring a jacket with you, and some sunblock, too, because the Sun is heavy as the day continues. As dawn breaks, you’ll surely get a glance at mighty Quetzalcoatl, soaring among the clouds.

Update: The Pyramid of the Moon has partially reopened to tourists since May 2025.

Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.

From garbage dump to global hub: Santa Fe’s unlikely origins

By
MND Staff
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1
Santa Fe, Mexico City
Santa Fe was once a municipal dump. Now it's one of the capital's most modern and affluent neighborhoods. (Reddit)

Standing on the western edge of Mexico City, Santa Fe presents a startling vision of modernity. Glass-and-steel skyscrapers rise dramatically against the backdrop of the Sierra del Monte de las Cruces, reflecting the afternoon light off their mirrored surfaces. Logos of the world’s biggest brands — names like IBM, Microsoft and Santander — sit atop these towers, making their mark in the neighborhood now known as Mexico’s premier business district. At its heart lies Parque La Mexicana, an expansive green space with jogging paths, man-made lakes, and manicured gardens, designed to offset the concrete sprawl and provide much-needed green space for residents and visitors alike.

Mirrored towers: Santa Fe’s modern society

Sunrise in Parque La Mexicana, Santa Fe, Mexico City
Parque La Mexicana is a perfect example of what attracts residents to modern Santa Fe — but it wasn’t always like this. (La Mexicana)

Santa Fe is home to thousands of residents, predominantly upper-middle-class professionals and expatriates. During weekdays, the population swells significantly as tens of thousands of commuters arrive for work. The area has also become an educational hub, attracting students to six major universities located here: Universidad Iberoamericana, Tecnológico de Monterrey, CIDE, Universidad Panamericana, UAM, and UVM.

Centro Santa Fe, a major shopping destination, anchors the district’s retail offerings. This sprawling commercial hub stands as a testament to Santa Fe’s outsized economic importance to Mexico City. Recent developments, such as the Distrito Santa Fe project, aim to create a more integrated living community. This ambitious plan envisions adding diverse residential options, further enhancing Santa Fe’s appeal.

Beyond this modern façade, deep ravines and informal settlements border the edges of this futuristic capsule of Mexico City. Public transportation remains notably scarce, forcing inhabitants and commuters to rely heavily on cars to navigate the area. This dependency contributes to two significant issues affecting Mexico City’s quality of life: increased traffic congestion and worsening air pollution.

From waste to wealth: Santa Fe’s transformation

Santa Fe before development, when it was still a municipal dump
The district wasn’t always glittering towers and parks. (Entre Ladrillos)

In the 1980s, the Mexican government had a vision — to transform what seemed like undeveloped space in Santa Fe into a neoliberal utopia. However, the area’s history was far from empty. The steep gulches and unstable volcanic soil had, until then, made it unsuitable for traditional urban development. In fact, by the 1950s, it served as a dumping ground for 3,000 tons of daily waste. The dump operated under Luis Tellez, the government-appointed “dump boss,” with streets named after recyclable materials— “Cardboard,” “Glass,” and “Aluminium” — reflecting the sorting activities that took place there.

Engineers compacted trash and layered sand on top in an attempt to stabilize the ground, enabling building construction. The real boom began in the 1990s with the opening of the Santa Fe Mall. That was quickly followed by an expansion of commercial and residential projects. Upper-middle-class families, corporate expats, and university students started flocking to Mexico City’s trendiest neighborhood, resulting in the mix of residents we see today.

Forgotten communities: The displacement of pepenadores

The transformation of Santa Fe required the displacement of the pepenadores, or waste pickers. Their livelihoods depended on the dump, where they earned income by separating recyclable materials and selling them to local businesses. The relocation process, which started in 1987 and took over 15 years to complete, showcased the human cost of such urban development.

Bordo de Xochiaca dump
Mexico City’s pepenadores live a precarious existence, surviving on finds in various municipal dump sites, like Bordo de Xochiaco, seen here. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

In Carina Frykman’s essay “The Power of Waste,” we learn that government officials relocated 800 pepenador families to peripheral zones like Tlatel Xochitenco. Aside from the financial setbacks that came with it, the families faced significant challenges, including the dismantling of their tight-knit community and ongoing health issues. Studies highlighted the severe health risks faced by dumpsite scavengers, including respiratory issues, digestive problems, skin rashes, infections, and sexually transmitted diseases.

Cracks in the façade: Santa Fe’s infrastructure challenges

Santa Fe’s rapid development resulted in inadequate infrastructure planning, and today’s inhabitants face a crosshatch of ongoing challenges.

Traffic congestion: The enclave’s car-centric design provides limited access to Mexico City’s subway, trains, or rapid transit bus systems, making transportation a serious issue. At one point, commuters were spending an average of 26 days a year traveling to and from work in Santa Fe. More recently, the government introduced CableBus Line 3 — an aerial cable car system — to alleviate congestion, though with mixed results.

Álvaro Obregón
Santa Fe has grown so quickly that infrastructure has struggled to keep up with it. (Expedia)

Health hazards: As one might expect of a garbage dump that wasn’t properly excavated, the decaying trash beneath emits methane, contributing to dangerous PM2.5 levels that frequently exceed World Health Organization safety limits. This is in addition to a dangerously high level of greenhouse gas emissions from the abundance of vehicles.

Water management: Despite Mexico City’s severe water crisis, development proceeded with minimal planning for basic utilities. More than 1,200 luxury homes discharge sewage directly into ravines or groundwater systems due to the absence of a proper sewer network. Many buildings depend entirely on daily water deliveries by tanker trucks because they lack connections to the public water system.

Lessons from Santa Fe’s experiment

Santa Fe’s transformation represents one of Latin America’s most ambitious urban renewal projects — a megaproject that dramatically reshaped Mexico City’s western edge. It also reminds us that anything impressive must start with a solid foundation.

Today, Santa Fe stands as both an achievement and a warning. On the bright side, major international corporations provide employment for thousands. On the dark side, environmental challenges and unstable living conditions, both in and outside of the immaculate haven, remain a struggle. While Mexico City is making recent progress in terms of waste management, Santa Fe, the city built on waste, shows that urban development must address environmental realities, not conceal them. Even the most impressive architectural achievements may ultimately rest on shaky foundations – both literally and metaphorically.

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog, or follow her on Instagram.

Peso depreciates in response to Trump auto tariffs announcement

By
MND Staff
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0
A hand holding three Mexican currency bills: the 200 pesos bill, the 100 peso bill and the 50 peso bills
The peso's tumble came after U.S. President Trump announced that a long-threatened 25% tariff on imported vehicles manufactured in Mexico was finally taking effect, after a month of reprieve and uncertainty. (Shutterstock)

The Mexican peso depreciated nearly 1% against the U.S. dollar on Thursday, the day after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would impose a 25% tariff on imports of vehicles made outside the United States starting next week.

The peso closed at 20.30 to the dollar, according to the Bank of Mexico (Banxico), a depreciation of 0.8% compared to its closing position of 20.14 to the greenback on Wednesday.

Toyota automotive plant located in the border city of Tijuana (Baja California)
Major automakers operating in both Mexico and the U.S. now face questions about whether to remain invested in Mexico or shift operations to the U.S. to sell more cheaply to the United States market. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

The depreciation might have been more pronounced if vehicles made in Mexico were to be subject to the full 25% tariff.

As U.S. content in vehicles assembled in Mexico will be exempt from the duty, the effective tariff on Mexican-made vehicles will be lower — 15% on a car with 40% U.S. content, for example.

The peso’s depreciation on Thursday puts the currency at its weakest position since March 10.

On March 14, the peso exchange rate appreciated to a four-month high of 19.84 to the dollar. It is now 2.3% weaker than that level.

Bank of Mexico cuts key interest rate to 9%

The Bank of Mexico’s governing board voted on Thursday in favor of lowering the central bank’s key interest rate by 50 basis points to 9%.

The facade of Mexico's central bank, the Bank of Mexico
Governors with Mexico’s central bank issued a statement after their meeting on Thursday saying that they had lowered its key interest rate to 9%, given that Mexico’s disinflation project remains “well on track.”

The decision came three days after the national statistics agency INEGI reported that Mexico’s annual headline inflation rate declined to 3.67% in the first half of March.

Banxico targets 3% inflation with a tolerance of 1 percentage point in either direction.

The unanimous decision of the Bank of Mexico board members to cut the benchmark rate by 50 basis points came after a reduction of the same size in early February.

In a statement, Banxico said that its governing board “deemed that the disinflation process remains well on track and reiterated that the fight against inflation is at a stage where the aim is to bring inflation from its current level, around its prepandemic historical average, to the 3% target.”

“… The board estimates that, looking ahead, it could continue calibrating the monetary policy stance and consider adjusting it in similar magnitudes. It anticipates that the inflationary environment will allow it to continue the rate-cutting cycle, albeit maintaining a restrictive stance,” the bank said.

“[The board] will take into account the effects of the country’s weak economic activity. … Actions will be implemented in such a way that the reference rate remains consistent at all times with the trajectory needed to enable an orderly and sustained convergence of headline inflation to the 3% target during the forecast period,” Banxico said.

When Banxico’s lower rate takes effect on Friday, official borrowing costs in Mexico will be double those of the United States, where the Federal Reserve’s federal funds rate is currently set at a range of 4.25%-4.5%.

The Mexican peso was supported for an extended period by the difference between the interest rate in Mexico and that of the Fed, but depreciated sharply in late 2024 after the ruling Morena party’s comprehensive victory in last June’s federal elections.

Mexico News Daily 

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