Friday, September 5, 2025

Any remittance tax is ‘absolutely unjust,’ Sheinbaum says, after US House lowers proposed tax to 3.5%

By
MND Staff
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Clients wait in line at Western Union, a popular money transfer service.
Remittances are a lifeline for millions of Mexican families. (Archive)

The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed legislation that would impose a 3.5% remittance tax on funds sent abroad by individuals who are not U.S. citizens, disappointing some Mexican officials.

Whereas Mexico’s Ambassador to the U.S. Esteban Moctezuma celebrated the reduction of the tax from the initial proposal of 5%, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said that any tax is unacceptable, arguing that such a measure would violate treaties prohibiting double taxation.

On Friday, Sheinbaum called for the creation of a permanent binational panel to address issues of fiscal fairness and economic sovereignty.

The proposal — part of a broader fiscal package sponsored by U.S. President Donald Trump — now moves to the U.S. Senate, where Republican leaders hope to secure final approval before July 4.

Remittances are funds sent by migrants to friends and families in their home countries. Mexico received US $64.7 billion in remittances last year, a 2.3% increase over 2023 and the 11th consecutive year of growth.

Remittances are the largest single source of foreign income for Mexico — the world’s second-largest recipient of remittances after India — and last year’s total represented roughly 4.5% of GDP, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

The Mexican Institute of Finance Executives (IMEF) said a tax would “negatively impact the state-level GDP in regions heavily reliant on remittances.”

According to CSIS, remittances provide “supplemental income for Mexican households [and] a stable flow of developmental finance to the poorest subregions of the country.”

As of 2022, the average remittance transaction sent to Mexico amounted to approximately US $390. CSIS said that, considering Mexico’s average monthly salary is roughly 6,150 pesos (US $297), such transactions can contribute a sizable portion — or even the entirety — of a family’s income.

“This income is particularly essential for the nearly 60% of Mexicans engaged in informal labor who often lack employment stability and safety nets to ensure consistent income,” the CSIS said.

A map of remittances sent to Mexico by region, from 2020-2023.
Remittances play a crucial role in regional economies, especially in states with a long migration tradition. (CSIS)

News of the proposed tax prompted Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry to issue a statement on May 16 saying it would “pursue the strongest political and legal defense” against the proposed remittance tax.

Foreign Affairs Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente said the proposed tax on remittances “has no justification and we disagree with it.” De la Fuente said the bill targets people who have already paid taxes and who contribute significantly to the U.S. economy.

“[The] remittances represent only 18% of all income earned by our compatriots, with the remainder staying in the United States,” he said.

Mexican lawmakers traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby for the elimination of the tax. They argued that the measure was essentially double taxation, since immigrants are already required to pay U.S. income taxes regardless of their immigration status. 

With reports from El Universal, Infobae and El Economista

Mexican Navy seizes more than 1,200 kilograms of cocaine in Michoacán

By
MND Staff
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Mexican navy ship at dock with seized bricks of cocaine.
The latest Navy operation marks another blow to Pacific drug trafficking networks. (SEMAR)

The Naval Ministry on Friday reported a major drug bust off the coast of the state of Michoacán, resulting in the confiscation of 1285 kilograms of cocaine.

Security Minister Omar García Harfuch shared details of the bust at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Friday morning press conference.

During a routine patrol in the Pacific Ocean, the Navy and the Coast Guard intercepted a suspicious vessel and boarded it. Navy planes were summoned to safeguard the surrounding area and provide back-up. Army personnel and agents from the Security Ministry (SSPC) also participated in the operation, García Harfuch said.

An examination of the vessel uncovered 64 packages containing 1,291 bricks of a substance presumed to be cocaine. All the contraband was turned over to the Federal Attorney General’s Office. No arrests were reported.

In a social media post, García Harfuch said the drugs seized represent approximately 2.5 million doses, estimating the street value of the cocaine at 310.4 million pesos (US $16 million).

With this latest bust, federal authorities have seized 38.5 metric tons of cocaine at sea since the Sheinbaum administration began on Oct. 1, 2024.

The SSPC estimates drug seizures have deprived criminal organizations of 9 billion pesos (US $467 million).

With reports from El Universal, El Economista, UnoTV and N+

A new Frida Kahlo Museum is coming to Mexico City

By
MND Staff
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A red house in Mexico City
The new museum will be housed in the Casa Roja, a Kahlo family home in Coyoacán passed down through generations. (Museo Casa Kahlo)

Museo Casa Kahlo, a new museum dedicated to the life and work of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, will open this fall in Mexico City, the artist’s family announced this week. 

The new museum will be located at Casa Roja (Red House) in the borough of Coyoacán. The property belonged to Kahlo’s parents and was later owned by the artist and her sisters. It was donated by Kahlo’s grand-niece, Mara Romeo Kahlo.

Two young girls in ballerina wear in front of a Frida Kahlo mural.
Frida Kahlo’s image remains a familiar sight in neighborhoods across Mexico. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

The announcement was made in New York by Kahlo’s closest living descendants and heirs —  Kahlo’s grand-niece Mara Romeo Kahlo, her daughter Mara Deanda Kahlo, and Kahlo’s great-grand-niece Frida Hentschel Romeo.

“For the first time, the voice of the family will be at the heart of how Frida’s story is told,” Romeo told Vogue.

“This museum isn’t just about her work — it’s about her world. It’s about how the people closest to her shaped who she became. And it’s also about the living family — those of us who carry her legacy forward,” she said. 

Designed by the Rockwell Group, the museum will exhibit personal items that have never been shown before, focusing on Kahlo’s personal life and her family, including her father Guillermo, who played a key role in her artistic development. The museum will also display dolls, jewelry, clothing and Kahlo’s very first oil painting.

Sepia-toned portrait of Frida Kahlo.
Never-before-seen personal items and art will be displayed at Museo Casa Kahlo. (Wikimedia Commons)

Museo Casa Kahlo will also display what is believed to be the artist’s only existing mural. 

The project has been promoted by the newly created Kahlo Foundation, a non-profit organization based in New York that seeks to preserve the artist’s legacy and promote Mexican and Latin American arts and cultures. The foundation also plans to establish the Kahlo Art Prize, a biennial award for innovative contemporary artists, as well as scholarship programs.

The new museum is near the Casa Azul (Blue House) museum, which was Kahlo’s childhood home, and where she later lived with her husband, Diego Rivera. It is also the place where Kahlo died. 

Casa Azul will continue to be part of the museum complex, which is managed by the Fideicomiso de los Museos Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo trust and administered by the central bank of Mexico.

Street view of the Museo Casa Azul in Coyocán.
Museo Casa Kahlo will be located near the iconic Casa Azul, pictured here, in Coyoacán. (María José Martínez /Cuartoscuro)

It hosts a collection of artworks by Kahlo, Rivera, and other artists, along with the couple’s Mexican folk art, pre-Columbian artifacts, photographs and personal items.

Museo Casa Kahlo is scheduled to open Sept. 27 under the direction of Adán García Fajardo, an academic at the Museum of Memory and Tolerance in Mexico City.

With reports from The New York Times, Arts News and Vogue

Is Mexico City safe for cyclists?

By
Andrea Fischer
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A man wearing a face mask rides a bicycle down a city street
With services like Ecobici expanding across the city, how safe is Mexico City for cycle users? (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

Jesica Gutiérrez has used the Ecobici service as her main means of transportation in Mexico City for over seven years, especially as a way to get to her workplace. With stations across six of the capital’s boroughs, this bike rental service is a state initiative to promote bicycle use in one of the most polluted cities in the world.

Born and raised in the Mexican capital, Gutiérrez knows that biking here comes with several obstacles. “In the last few months,” she told Mexico News Daily, “there have been some serious deficiencies [in the service].” Broken bicycles and little availability make it even harder to get to work on time. “But, well,” she sighs, “I use it because it’s practical.” Her main route is a five kilometer (three mile) ride, from residential Colonia Del Valle to Google HQ in Lomas Virreyes.

Mexico City’s sprawling EcoBici network has brought cycling to the masses. But is the city ready for such widespread bike service? (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

It takes Gutiérrez about 45 minutes to ride from her home to the office. During a normal week, she makes this trip twice a day. Even though many streets in Mexico City are not adapted for cyclists, she prefers to use an Ecobici rather than taking public transportation: “It’s too crowded in the mornings,” she says, “and the tumult makes me uncomfortable.”

Avoiding stressed and angry crowds — and potential for sexual harassment — Guitérrez decides to ride at her own pace to work every day. Although she admits the Ecobici service to be practical, she laments that “there is no civic culture of respect for cyclists.” From cars parked in bicycle lanes to drivers behaving aggressively toward cyclists on main avenues, riders face severe obstacles across the capital. Is Mexico City really safe for cyclists?

Mexico City was not built for bikes

In the 20th century, the capital expanded rapidly, and city planners prioritized car traffic rather than cyclists, creating massive highways that are still unsafe for bikes.

Launched in 2010, the Ecobici program was an attempt to make a proper space in the streets and dignify cyclists in Mexico City. Ever since then, over 124.7 million kilometers have been ridden across the capital, as documented by the Ministry of Mobility (Semovi) in the program’s anniversary this year. The institution equates this figure to having traveled around the world over 3,000 times in 15 years.

Today, Mexico City has a total of 689 Ecobici stations, “the largest and most widely used system in Latin America,” as the service reported in its 2019-2024 Performance Report. Although this seems like great news that would put Mexico City at the forefront of global mobility, the death figures from cyclist accidents put us far behind that position.

This was how Mexico City was originally designed to be navigated. (Bethany Plantanella)

Mexico City weighs heavily on cyclists’ shoulders

Gutiérrez reports that she has not had any accidents in the seven years that she has used Ecobici. Moreover, she is certain she spends less than half the time on a bike than she would in a private car. Accidents, however, are common: newspaper El Sol de México reported that 2022 was the deadliest year on record for cyclists in Mexico City. Numbers have been similarly high since, with 20 cyclist deaths reported in 2024.

Since 2007, according to the Mexico City municipal government, protected cycle lanes have been constructed in both residential and business-oriented neighborhoods. But despite the government being ready to take this step of inclusion and environmental significance for the city, we capital residents, simply aren’t: in our minds, cars will always have the priority, which has led to a death toll of 1700 users up to date, as reported by news outlet N+.

“Cyclist deaths are linked to insufficient infrastructure, poor or no bike path planning and lack of training for public and private transport drivers, among other factors,” the report stated.

Despite how alarming these figures are, Mexico City’s Environment Ministry has promoted the use of bikes for over a decade now. With the creation of Traffic Regulations designed specifically for cyclists, Mexico City now has a network of over 530 kilometers of bicycle lanes, including exclusive lanes and shared lanes.

The Muévete en Bici program, which has helped riders enjoy main avenues like Reforma on Sundays, is just a facet of the entire apparatus the government has implemented across the capital. And how could they not? Bicycles have “[…] the most energy-efficient system: it doesn’t pollute, and its cost is extremely affordable,” Manuel Suárez Lastra, director of the Institute of Geography, told Gaceta UNAM. And still, Mexico City weighs heavily on cyclists’ shoulders.

It’s a primal Mexico City experience to buy bread and ‘champurrado’ from a man on a bike. Yet, we still can’t fathom the idea of sharing our avenues with cyclists. (Josué Fuentes/Pexels)

How to ride safely in Mexico City

Much of the love-hate relationship that Capitalinos have with Mexico City has to do with the fact that it is practically impossible to walk around the city without being afraid of being run over. Even today, Mexico City has not been fully adapted to accept cyclists into its everyday traffic dynamics.

And yes, cyclists still stand against the system that marginalizes them simply by riding their bikes. Taking all of these issues into account, as a person who works in the Roma-Condesa area, I can’t help but notice that most people on bikes around here are foreigners — mostly unaware that these things happen every day.

How to ride a bike safely in Mexico City, you may ask? Well, as rudimentary and crude as this may seem, remember: Mexico City is not Amsterdam, folks. Most bike lanes are practically invisible these days. In more gentrified areas, the government has tried to actually define the dividing lines properly — but that is not the case in the entire city.

If, however, you do use a bike to transport yourself across town, the safest way to go is just to stick to the bike lane. Also, consider these as your cyclist’s mantras:

  • Wear helmets and anything to protect vulnerable body parts
  • Always follow the traffic lights
  • Avoid main boulevards and avenues, where people usually speed
  • Try not to dodge or speed against cars
  • Do not ride in the wrong direction or if you’re sleepy

And above all, remember that, although cyclists do have right of way in the streets, local drivers usually do not respect anyone — not even other drivers. With that in mind, try to enjoy your rides in bike-friendlier neighborhoods. Roma Norte, Polanco, La Juárez and Condesa are great places to start! 

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.

US deploys over 1,000 additional troops to border with Mexico

By
MND Staff
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A US military tank and troops on a bluff behind the Mexico-US border wall
U.S. soldiers patrol the border between El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, in a photo from late March. (Carlos Sánchez Colunga/Cuartoscuro)

The U.S. government has announced plans to deploy more than 1,000 troops to its shared border with Mexico, ostensibly to “provide enhanced sustainment, engineering, medical, and operational capabilities.”

At the same time, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico issued a stern warning to migrants planning on crossing the border into the U.S., saying they are “destined to fail.”

In a May 22 press release, U.S. Northern Command said “1,115 service members were approved to deploy to the Southern Border” as part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s “continued whole-of-government approach to gain full operational control of the southern border.”

Northern Command, headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is responsible for defending the continental United States and Alaska, while also coordinating defense efforts with Canada, Mexico and the Bahamas.

Since Donald Trump moved back into the White House on Jan. 20, the U.S. has sent thousands of active-duty combat troops and armored combat vehicles to its southern border.

The Los Angeles Times reported that as of April 16 there were 7,100 active duty U.S. troops at the Mexican border under federal control, as well as 4,600 National Guardsmen under state control.

U.S. troops and a tank at a San Diego Border Patrol station in late January.
U.S. troops deploy to a San Diego Border Patrol station in late January. (Omar Martínez/Cuartoscuro)

The security measures — labeled Joint Task Force-Southern Border — are being taken to confront what President Trump has characterized as an “invasion” of migrants, drug cartels and smugglers.

Northern Command says the joint task force “conducts integrated, multi-domain operations in coordination with federal, state, and local partners to detect, monitor, and deter unlawful activity throughout the southern border.”

There have been reports that U-2 spy planes, surveillance drones and helicopters are being used by the U.S. to map and monitor suspected criminal activities in Mexican territory. Additionally, in March Trump sent two Navy warships to patrol the waters along the Mexican border in the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Trump administration has also reportedly considered drone strikes against cartel figures and their logistical networks in Mexico. The Mexican government swiftly rejected any and all U.S. intervention in Mexican territory.

President Claudia Sheinbaum was adamant. “We reject any of these actions, and we also do not believe they will occur, because there is a lot of dialogue on security issues and many other topics,” she said.

Trump spoke with Sheinbaum on Thursday morning though specifics of their conversation were not released to the public. During a press conference afterward, Sheinbaum said only that trade negotiations were ongoing.

President Sheinbaum at her morning press conference
Trade and tariffs were the topics of Sheinbaum’s Thursday morning call with Trump, she said. (Presidencia)

Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City issued a warning on social media, advising migrants not to cross the border lest they inadvertently enter newly designated U.S. national defense areas:

“These [designated areas] are considered extensions of military bases … and any unauthorized person entering these areas will be subject to fine, arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment. DO NOT ENTER. You risk your freedom on a journey destined to fail.”

In a social media post on Friday, newly installed U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson echoed comments made by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, praising Mexico’s cooperation on security matters.

This statement came a day after Sheinbaum lauded Rubio for recognizing that Mexican drug cartels use firearms manufactured in the U.S., an issue she says she discussed with Trump just two days after he took office.

With reports from La Jornada, Infobae and The New York Times

9 fun facts about Mexico City’s Mercado Jamaica

By
Bethany Platanella
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Mexico City's Mercado Jamaica is a riot of color and commerce, keeping the capital supplied with fresh blooms at every hour of the day. (Carlos Adampol Galindo/Wikimedia Commons)

My little apartment is regularly full of fresh flowers, a luxury that’s markedly more affordable in Mexico than it ever was in the U.S. I’ve been taking a stab at self-taught flower arrangements, but they never quite look right — always a bit lopsided or oddly proportioned. So when a friend invited me to a flower arranging class in the San Rafael neighborhood of Mexico City, I jumped at the chance.

The intimate workshop consisted of just seven women and one expert teacher. We gathered around an oval-shaped table, surrounded by buckets overflowing with fragrant blooms – vibrant roses, silvery eucalyptus, cheerful carnations, and dramatic dahlias – with empty vases waiting for our personal creations. The instructor casually mentioned that he had sourced everything early that morning from Mercado Jamaica. As I soon discovered, Mexico City’s most beloved flower market isn’t just a place to shop; it’s a cultural institution with a fascinating history. Here are nine things that make it special.

Piñatas for sale at Mexico City market
If you need flowers are short notice, chances are you’ll find yourself at Mercado Jamaica. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)

It’s Mexico City’s premier flower market

Mercado Jamaica stands as the leading flower market in Mexico City, offering thousands of flower and plant varieties sourced from across the country. These botanical gems come primarily from Puebla, Michoacán, Chiapas, Veracruz, the State of Mexico, and Oaxaca. While local florists comprise the majority of buyers, a significant portion of flowers are exported to the United States. In fact, 95% of Mexican flower exports are shipped directly to its northern neighbor. Beyond the staples (chrysanthemums, sword lilies, roses, and carnations dominate the Mexican flower market) Mercado Jamaica includes many indigenous and rare plants, establishing it as an exceptional botanical destination in the heart of the city.

It’s one of the city’s few destinations open 24 hours a day

Unlike most public markets, Mercado Jamaica never closes its doors. Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this bustling marketplace accommodates both wholesale and retail customers at any hour. This round-the-clock service ensures that fresh flowers are always available, though the daytime hours typically draw the largest crowds and showcase the market at its most vibrant.

A network of jobs stems from Mercado Jamaica

Mercado Jamaica houses approximately 1,150 vendors across three main warehouses or “naves.” About 40% of sellers offer loose flowers, 25.5% provide flower arrangements, and 4.3% specialize in flower pots and accessories. The remaining vendors offer a diverse range of goods including live plants, vegetables, butcher items, and groceries, in the fashion of a typical Mexican city market. Just as flowers aren’t the only product, Mercado Jamaica contributes to a broader employment outlet for both locals and out-of-towners. Floriculture in Mexico has created at least 250 thousand direct jobs, and nearly one million indirect jobs, much of which is concentrated in the most rural swaths of the country. It’s also a significant outlet for ladies – according to SADER, 60% of flower production is women-run.

The market is one of the oldest in the city…

A photograph from August 1957, when the remodeled market was reopened to the public. (MAF/Wikimedia Commons)

The geographical area of Mercado Jamaica has served as a trading hub since at least the year 1500, as documented in historical codices. During pre-Hispanic times, it was strategically located on the eastern shore of Lake Xochimilco and was known for its chinampas. Canoes and barges transporting goods to the main Tlatelolco market would stop here to trade. When Mexico City’s lakes and canals were eventually drained, what began as a water-based commerce system transitioned to land, evolving with the changing landscape of the Valley of Mexico.

…but the modern look was unveiled 68 years ago

The Mercado Jamaica we recognize today was officially inaugurated on September 23, 1957, as part of a major urban modernization initiative. This project, led by President Adolfo Ruíz Cortines and Mexico City’s regent Ernesto P. Uruchurtu, aimed to improve public infrastructure and included the construction of other major markets like Sonora and La Merced. The inauguration date was chosen to coincide with the festival of the Virgen de las Mercedes, the patron saint of local markets, honoring the market’s community traditions.

It’s architecturally significant

The market was designed by renowned Mexican architects Félix Candela, Pedro Ramírez Vázquez, and Rafael Mijares, pioneers of modern Mexican architecture. Covering 36,000 square meters, the original design featured distinctive concrete canopies, also known as “sombrillas,” at the exterior to provide shade and protection. The open, modular layout is organized into three large halls and allows for efficient air circulation and natural light. Even though the original concrete canopies were damaged in the 1985 earthquake and replaced with metal structures, the market remains an architectural landmark in Mexico City.

Visitors can eat, too

Need a bite between hunting for blooms? No problem. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)

Beyond the endless abundance of multicolored buds and accessories, Mercado Jamaica houses a dedicated food section. Jamaica Comidas is overflowing with equally colorful, deliciously authentic Mexican cuisine and fresh produce. The huaraches are notably famous. Legend has it, doña Carmelita (Carmen Gómez Medina) was selling sopes and tlacoyos near Calzada de La Viga in the 1930s, when suddenly a customer requested a masa cake large enough to hold meat. This inspired Carmelita to create an elongated, bean-filled patty resembling a “huarache,” or an indigenous sandal. She’d top the 30-centimeter long cake with grilled meats, eggs, cheese, and nopales, and garnish it with salsa, crema, and avocado, starting a culinary trend that continues to this day.

The Christmas party capital of Mexico City

No, there’s not an official posada at Mercado Jamaica, but anyone tasked with planning one might want to carve out a day to shop here. Peruse an extensive selection of rainbow-hued piñatas, available year-round but particularly embellished during the Christmas season. Stock up on Christmas trees imported from Canada and a vast array of decorations, from twinkling lights to nativity scenes. This seasonal specialization makes the market a go-to destination for various celebrations throughout the year, including birthdays, weddings, and traditional Mexican holidays.

It’s so easy to get to, there’s no excuse not to go

Located in the Jamaica neighborhood of the Venustiano Carranza borough, east of downtown Mexico City, the market is easily accessible via public transportation. The Jamaica Metro station on Line 9 exits directly beneath the market, while Line 4 is a short walk away. A word to the wise – while its location is convenient, its sprawling layout of numerous lanes and sections is less an organized grocery store experience and more of a maze. This labyrinthine quality adds to its charm, though first-time visitors are often advised to purchase items when they see them, as retracing steps can be challenging at best, impossible at worst.

Practical information

Hours: Open 24 hours, every day
Getting there: Take Metro Line 9 or Line 4 to Jamaica station; the Line 9 exit is directly under the market
Location: Jamaica neighborhood, Venustiano Carranza borough, east of downtown Mexico City

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.

Sheinbaum addresses case of Mexican deported to Africa by US: Thursday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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Sheinbaum May 22, 2025
President Claudia Sheinbaum started her Thursday morning press conference at 8:30 a.m. because she had an "early call" with United States President Donald Trump. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

President Claudia Sheinbaum noted at the start of her Thursday morning press conference that she postponed its commencement to 8:30 a.m. because she had an “early call” with United States President Donald Trump.

“We’re continuing to talk about trade issues, … we’re still negotiating,” she said, referring to Mexico’s efforts to win relief from U.S. tariffs, including duties on vehicles, steel and aluminum.

Sheinbaum said there is a “good relationship” and “good communication” between the Mexican and U.S. governments, and mentioned that Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard will travel to Washington D.C. on Friday for more talks.

“We’re working to reduce the tariffs even more,” said the president, who has now spoken to Trump by telephone on seven different occasions.

‘We’re going to keep working so there is no tax on remittances’

Sheinbaum noted that the United States House of Representatives approved on Thursday morning Trump’s major budget bill — the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

The bill, which will now be considered by the U.S. Senate, includes a proposed 3.5% tax on remittances sent out of the United States by non-citizen immigrants. An earlier version of the bill proposed a higher 5% tax on remittances, which flow into Mexico in their tens of billions of dollars annually from the United States.

“The tax rate on remittances was reduced from 5% to 3.5%,” Sheinbaum noted.

“In any case, we don’t want there to be a tax,” she said.

“So we’re going to keep working, … we’re going to keep working so there is no tax on the remittances our compatriots send to their families in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said.

Mexican government officials and lawmakers have been lobbying U.S. legislators to eliminate the proposed tax.

Sheinbaum — who has described a tax on remittances as “unconstitutional in the United States because a double tax would be charged” — said last week that Mexico would do “everything that is necessary” to ensure the proposed tax doesn’t become law.

On Thursday, she said:

“We’re going to continue speaking with Republican and Democrat senators, … explaining why it’s not good for there to be a tax on remittances.”

Sheinbaum said that she didn’t discuss the proposed remittances tax with Trump, but stressed there will be “other calls” with the U.S. president.

Sheinbaum: Trump administration ‘perhaps’ first US government to recognize arms trafficking problem

Sheinbaum said it was “very important” that United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged on Wednesday that Mexican cartels use firearms manufactured in the U.S.

The president noted that she raised the issue of arms trafficking from the United States to Mexico during her very first conversation with Trump, which came two days after the U.S. president’s election victory last November.

Rubio says Mexico is more cooperative ‘than ever before’ in cartel crackdown, aims to stop flow of arms south

Since Trump began his second term, the U.S. government has made “several seizures of weapons,” she said.

“… The Trump administration is, perhaps, the first [U.S. government] that in effect acknowledges there is trafficking of weapons from the United States to Mexico and wants to combat it,” Sheinbaum said.

Mexico ‘reviewing’ case of Mexican deported to Africa by US 

Sheinbaum noted that a “Mexican citizen who was detained in the United States” was deported by the U.S. government.

She was referring to Jesus Muñoz Gutiérrez, who was arrested earlier this month, “convicted of second-degree murder” and “sentenced to life confinement,” according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The United States intended to deport Muñoz and seven other men — “some of the most barbaric, violent individuals illegally in the United States,” according to the DHS — to South Sudan, but they only made it as far as Djibouti before a federal U.S. judge ruled against their deportation to South Sudan.

“A Federal Judge in Boston, who knew absolutely nothing about the situation, or anything else, has ordered that EIGHT of the most violent criminals on Earth curtail their journey to South Sudan, and instead remain in Djibouti,” Trump wrote on social media.

“He would not allow these monsters to proceed to their final destination. This is not the premise under which I was elected President, which was to PROTECT our Nation,” Trump wrote.

Sheinbaum said that her government was not informed of the deportation of the Mexican man.

Jesus Muñoz Gutiérrez, a Mexican citizen, was deported to Africa by the U.S. government on Wednesday along with seven other men convicted of crimes in the United States. (whitehouse.gov)

“If he wants to be repatriated, the United States would have to bring him to Mexico,” she said, adding that he would “very probably” be required to remain in prison in Mexico.

“The entire case is being reviewed,” Sheinbaum said.

‘There is confidence in investing in our country’

Sheinbaum said that the “issue of tariffs” — primarily a reference to Trump’s protectionist agenda — has significantly changed the global economy.

However, “the economic indicators for Mexico are very good,” she said.

Sheinbaum highlighted that foreign direct investment in Mexico in the first quarter of the year, as reported by Ebrard earlier in the press conference, was higher than in the same period last year despite global economic uncertainty.

“That means there is confidence in investing in our country,” she said.

Government not planning to bolster security for officials 

In light of the murder of two aides of Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada on Tuesday, a reporter asked the president whether her government would increase security for officials, including herself.

“No,” responded Sheinbaum. “We don’t plan to.”

The president, like her predecessor Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has a team of assistants who assist her in security matters, but doesn’t have an actual security detail.

After a reporter suggested last month that she could be vulnerable to an assassination attempt during her weekend tours when she gets up close and personal with supporters in various parts of the country, Sheinbaum appeared unperturbed by the perceived, or real, risk to her safety.

“One can’t move away from the people,” she said.

“The day we distance ourselves from the people is the day we stop being a government of the people and for the people. So we’re going to remain close [to the people], particularly on weekends,” Sheinbaum said.

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

Mexico sees record-breaking US $21.4B in first quarter FDI

By
MND Staff
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Ebrard FDI
The economy minister said the first quarter increase in FDI was "very good news," especially because it was a complicated quarter for Mexico on the international stage. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Mexico hit a new record high of US $21.4 billion in the first quarter of 2025, Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard reported Thursday.

“It’s the highest [first quarter total] we’ve ever had,” Ebrard said at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.

“…It’s very good news because it was a complicated quarter on the international stage” he said, referring primarily to the protectionist policies implemented by United States President Donald Trump since he began his second term on Jan. 20.

The $21.4 billion first quarter FDI total represents an increase of 5.4% compared to the $20.3 billion Mexico received in foreign investment in the first three months of 2024. Last year’s first quarter figure was a record high at the time.

A graph presented by Ebrard on Thursday showed that FDI in Mexico increased in the first quarter of every year since 2012, with the exception of 2017, when the Q1 total was equal to that of the previous year.

Compared to the first quarter of 2012, when FDI totaled $4.4 billion, foreign investment in Mexico was 386% higher in the first three months of 2025.

Ebrard highlighted that the highest first quarter FDI total during the “neoliberal stage in Mexico” — a term used by ruling party politicians to describe the period between 1982 and 2018 — was in 2018, when $9.5 billion flowed into the country.

Unilever announces US $1.5B investment to complete Nuevo León factory and expand Mexico operations

“In the fourth transformation we reach this year the all-time high of $21.4 billion in foreign direct investment,” he said, using the self-anointed nickname of the political movement founded by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and now led by Sheinbaum.

“I think that it’s very good news,” Ebrard said.

The economy minister didn’t provide a breakdown of the FDI Mexico received in the first quarter of 2025.

In 2024, almost 80% of the US $36.87 billion FDI total came from reinvestment of profits by companies with an existing presence in Mexico. New investment accounted for just 8.6% of the 2024 total, with the remainder of the money — 13.5% of the total — being loans and payments between companies of the same corporate group. Almost half of all FDI in Mexico last year came from the United States.

On Thursday, Ebrard only said that the increase in FDI in the first quarter of the year meant that Mexico received “more reinvestment and more capital arriving to our country through all avenues.”

The low level of new FDI last year — whose $3.17 billion total represented a decline of more than 30% compared to 2023 — raised additional concerns that Mexico was not capitalizing on what has been described as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity to attract foreign investment amid the nearshoring trend.

The Sheinbaum administration, which took office last October, launched an ambitious economic initiative called Plan México in January, which, among other objectives, aims to spur foreign investment in Mexico and reduce reliance on imports, especially from Asia.

Government’s plan to build ‘well-being hubs’ moves ahead 

In April, Sheinbaum announced 18 “programs and actions” related to Plan México. One of the supplementary actions she outlined was to begin by the middle of May the tendering processes for the construction of 15 new “well-being hubs” (polos de bienestar): industrial zones or corridors across the country, each of which will specialize in different economic sectors.

Ebrard FDI
Ebrard emphasized that a big piece of Mexico’s plan to attract foreign investment throughout the country is to offer tax incentives to companies that contribute to the development of specified “well-being” hubs. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)

On Thursday, Ebrard said that 14 of those “well-being” and “development” hubs, to be located across northern, central and southeastern Mexico, have been approved by state governments. He also said that tendering processes to find companies to build them have begun.

The planned industrial corridors cover “many states,” the economy minister said.

“Quintana Roo, Michoacán, Veracruz, Tlaxcala, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Puebla, Hidalgo. You will say, does Hidalgo have two? Yes it does,” Ebrard said before noting that the new industrial corridors will also run through the states of Guanajuato, México state, Durango, Chihuahua and Campeche.

He presented a map that showed that the government is evaluating, or will evaluate, the establishment of an additional 16 industrial corridors. Already partially operating is the Isthmus of Tehuantepec development hub, where cargo trains are now transporting goods across the narrow strip of land between Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, on the Pacific coast and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, on the Gulf coast.

Ebrard noted that the government will offer tax incentives to companies that invest in the new development hubs. He said the government expects that Mexican and foreign companies that operate in a wide variety of sectors will invest in the industrial zones.

Those sectors, he said, include aerospace, automotive, agro-industry, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, electronics, semiconductors, chemicals, textiles, clean energy, plastic, metal and logistics.

Ebrard stressed that the construction of the industrial zones “has to do with the development of strategic economic sectors for our country” and will ensure that there is “development in all of Mexico and not … just some regions.”

“…. It has to do with the increase in national content that has been proposed in Plan México,” he added.

“And above all, the most important thing is that there is shared prosperity, that if we have [economic] growth and investment it is translated into well-being. That’s why the [development] hubs are linked to the concept of well-being,” Ebrard said.

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

700 exotic animals evacuated from Sinaloa sanctuary due to cartel violence

By
MND Staff
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An elephant at the Ostok sanctuary.
Elephants, lions, and tigers await relocation from Ostok Sanctuary amid cartel violence near Culiacán. (Ostok Sanctuary/Facebook)

A Mexican wildlife sanctuary has evacuated hundreds of exotic animals to escape cartel violence near Culiacán, Sinaloa, marking one of the largest animal relocations in the country’s history.

Ostok Sanctuary, home to about 700 animals including elephants, tigers and lions, transported its inhabitants 140 miles to a new refuge in Mazatlán after months of armed attacks, threats and supply shortages.

The transfer began Tuesday with a 15-truck convoy, escorted by National Guard personnel and accompanied by zoo veterinary technicians and wildlife management specialists.

Ostok Sanctuary is located 25 kilometers north of the capital of Culiacán — a city that rival factions of the Sinaloa Cartel have turned into a battlefield for territorial control, following last summer’s arrest and extradition to the United States of cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

Ostok’s founder and president, Ernesto Zazueta, described the decision to shut down his 4-year-old sanctuary and move the animals as desperate but necessary.

“We’ve never seen violence this extreme,” he said, citing frequent gun battles near the refuge and roadblocks that left animals without food for days.

Staff faced direct threats, including a February incident in which armed men stole a rescue truck and supplies at gunpoint. 

“There’s no safe place left in this city these days,” said Diego García, a sanctuary worker.

Veterinarians struggled to treat injured animals, such as Bireki, an elephant whose foot infection went untreated for weeks due to specialists refusing to enter the conflict zone.

Culiacán’s one million residents endure daily terror, as cartel checkpoints, armed clashes and public executions proliferate, along with kidnappings, vehicle thefts and business vandalism.

A state police pickup truck from Culiacan, Mexico, with a crushed grill and destroyed headlights. The truck is parked half on the sidewalk and half on the street.
Cartel violence in Culiacán has forced both residents and wildlife sanctuaries to seek safety, prompting the mass relocation of hundreds of exotic animals. (Jose Betanzos Zárate/Cuartoscuro)

According to the newspaper Expansión, 800 businesses in Culiacán have closed since September, and there have been temporary closures of 97 schools.

Statistics in the newspaper Noroeste, cited by the Latin Times, noted there were 956 killings in Sinaloa from early September 2024 through early March 2025. The bloodiest month reported was October 2024, with 187 homicides, an average of more than 6 per day.

“Why do the police do nothing?” cried a mother mourning her son’s bullet-riddled body on a roadside this week.

The first animals arriving in Mazatlán were welcomed into Bioparc El Encanto — a new 50-hectare sanctuary slated to open to the public in August.

Zazueta called the move “an act of resistance, love and dignity,” though staff remain wary, as Mazatlan has faced violence, too, although certainly not as much as Culiacán.

Zazueta’s reserve was in the hills north of Culiacán, where violence has increased this month.

According to the newspaper El País, clashes between the two Sinaloa Cartel factions — “Los Chapitos” and “Los Mayitos” — had been occurring mainly in Culiacán and the southern municipalities, but this month have spread to the mountainous area north of the capital.

“Trucks with armed men have circulated in broad daylight” through some municipalities, “and gunmen have exchanged fire,” the paper wrote. “Shots have reached the once peaceful municipality of Mocorito, known for its mining activity.”

David Saucedo, a well-known Mexican security analyst who frequently comments on issues of organized crime, cartel violence and public security in Mexico, warned that crackdowns on either faction risk further cartel retaliation, perpetuating a cycle of bloodshed.

With reports from Expansión, Associated Press, Quadratin Sinaloa and Sin Embargo

Sony’s series ‘Carlota’ to tell story of Mexico’s ill-fated empress

By
MND Staff
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Mexican actress Belinda and the princess Carlota.
Carlota’s story of love, power and betrayal will soon come to life with Belinda in the lead role.(Belinda/Facebook. Wikipedia)

Mexican singer and actress Belinda Peregrín Schüll (known professionally as Belinda) will portray the ill-fated 19th-century empress Carlota in a new Sony Pictures Television series about the Second Mexican Empire.

The Spanish-born Mexican pop star headlines the cast for the series, which will start filming on location in Mexico, Colombia and Spain later this year. Sony has commissioned 10 episodes, each 45 minutes long, for season one.

“Carlota” will trace the arc of the Belgian princess’s experiences in Mexico, from early optimism and the royal couple’s sincere desire to transform the strife-ridden country into a glittering empire, only to face rising political and cultural tensions. 

In a spoiler alert, the film industry trade magazine Variety writes that Carlota eventually “finds herself entangled in a far more complex reality, including a love story that defies fairy-tale expectations. As Carlota and her husband Maximilian attempt to build a new empire, they are drawn into a dangerous web of ambition, loyalty and betrayal.”

Billed as Sony’s most ambitious Latin American series to date, producers are confident the titular character will attract viewers, pointing out that Carlota was the first woman to exercise political power in Mexico. She often acted as head of government during Maximilian’s many sojourns outside the capital. 

The series will be directed by Alejandro Bazzano (“Money Heist,” a popular Spanish television series) and Ana Lorena Pérez Ríos (“Como agua para chocolate,” the HBO Max series).

Belinda (Aug. 15, 1989) debuted at age 10 in a children’s telenovela and has appeared in films (including Disney’s “The Cheetah Girls 2,” TV series and Mexican telenovelas. In 2003, she launched a successful singing career; her four studio albums, singles and soundtracks have sold over 3 million copies.

Among Belinda’s co-stars are Jaime Lorente as Maximilian, Miguel Ángel Silvestre as Belgian Gen. Alfred Van Der Smissen, and Mabel Cadena as Josefa, a fictionalized court lady. 

Lorente is best known for playing Denver in “Money Heist.”.. Silvestre rose to prominence with his performance as El Duque in the Spanish TV drama “Sin tetas no hay paraiso.” The Mexican-born Cadena made her film debut in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

“I’ve been dreaming about this project for two years and, at times, it seemed as though it would not come about,” Belinda wrote in a post on Facebook. “Now it is a reality and … I don’t have the words to describe how much this means to me.”

John Rossiter, executive vice president for Sony Pictures Television’s Latin America division, praised the cast and promised high production values, saying the project underscores Sony’s dedication “to crafting top tier stories that connect with audiences not only in Latin America but across the globe.”

“‘Carlota’ is a powerful milestone in our journey to establish Sony Pictures Television as a leading entertainment producer in Latin America,” he said.

Empress Carlota and Emperor Maximillian.
Empress Carlota and Emperor Maximilian pictured together in 1857 before their fateful reign in Mexico. (Louis-Joseph Ghémar/ Royal Collection of Belgium)

Who were Carlota and Maximilian?

Archduke Maximilian of Austria and his Belgian wife, Princess Carlota, arrived in Mexico in 1864 on the heels of a French invasion that drove President Benito Juárez out of the capital. 

Maximilian’s reign would last just over three years. He was executed in Querétaro on June 19, 1867.

At the time, Carlota was in Europe pleading with France’s Napoleon II and other European leaders to come to the rescue of her husband. The empress would survive Maximilian by 60 years, descending from mourning and melancholy into madness.  

With reports from Variety, El País and El Universal

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