Saturday, July 5, 2025

A perfect day in Cabo San Lucas: A guide for the quintessential 24-hour visit

By
Chris Sands
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MND Where to Live in Mexico 2024 Guide: Baja California Sur
Comfortable, accessible expat living can be yours where the desert meets the Pacific Ocean in Baja California Sur. (Fiesta Americana Travelty)

Cabo San Lucas has long been the most popular tourist destination in Los Cabos. However, several other destinations of note are also found in Los Cabos or the neighboring La Paz municipality, including the other cape city, San José del Cabo, the East Cape, Todos Santos and La Paz. Thus, many planning a vacation to the area will stay somewhere other than CSL. 

Still, no one should pass up a chance to visit Cabo San Lucas, even if it’s only for a single day. That’s particularly true for those who have yet to see and experience the charms of the Land’s End city. While it doesn’t have the vibrant art scene of San José del Cabo or the rich cultural life of La Paz, Cabo San Lucas, home to mile marker zero of the peninsular highway, is ground zero for outdoor adventures, particularly of the water-based variety, and offers the best beach scene and nightlife in the region. 

With that in mind, here are some itinerary suggestions for a one-day trip to CSL.

Breakfast: Solomon’s Landing

A waffle topped with fruits and cheese at Solomon's Landing Los Cabos
(Solomon’s Landing Los Cabos)

Start with a good breakfast. You’ll need the energy for your morning adventures. Solomon’s Landing commands a prime spot overlooking the Cabo San Lucas Marina. It also offers reliable fare, from seafood specialties to morning fare like eggs Benedict and waffles loaded with delicious toppings.

Morning: El Arco, Lover’s Beach, Cabo San Lucas Marina

Los Cabos, Baja California Sur
(Salvador Navarro/Unsplash)

Cabo San Lucas was built on big-game fishing and still hosts the world’s richest tournament, Bisbee’s Black and Blue. So, full- or half-day fishing trips are certainly one of the best activity options for first-time or return visitors. However, the most important geographic feature is the half-mile Land’s End headland, which features Lover’s Beach and granite monuments such as the naturally formed arch known locally as El Arco. 

One of my favorite ways to experience Land’s End is via High Tide Los Cabos’ kayak paddling tour to The Arch, not only because paddling offers plenty of time to appreciate all the unique features of Land’s End, from small beaches to evocatively shaped rocks. But also because it provides an equally gorgeous view of Cabo San Lucas Bay and its shoreline. It’s thus a memorable introduction to the local land and seascape.

After paddling to the arch, there’ll be time for snorkeling near Pelican Rock or exploring Lover’s Beach and the adjacent Divorce Beach, which faces the Pacific Ocean. If this sounds like a lot of swimming and paddling, don’t worry: the rest of the day is much more relaxing.

Once the tour is finished, you’ll have about an hour before lunch, giving you time to walk along the boardwalk that rims the marina. This stretch includes plenty of shops and two actual shopping centers — the Puerto Paraíso and Luxury Avenue malls — so if you’re interested in souvenir shopping, this is a good time to do it. Walking the length of the marina boardwalk takes nearly 30 minutes, so if you get tired, just hail a water taxi to take you over to Médano Beach.

Afternoon: Playa El Médano

(Gobierno de Baja California Sur)

The two-mile stretch of golden sand that is Playa El Medano is the center of the social scene in the city. It’s an activity locus for everything from parasailing to jet skis, and like the marina, it’s also home to some of Cabo San Lucas’ most iconic restaurants and bars. Mango Deck and The Office on the Beach are the two most famous. I recommend The Office for lunch. Don’t forget to try dishes featuring local seafood; it’s a specialty hereabouts.

So, too, are pampering spa treatments. Walk down the beach from The Office to The Sand Bar and enjoy a one-hour, four-hand massage. It’s guaranteed to cure any lingering soreness from your kayak paddle. Afterward, you can work on your tan, go beach walking or order a cubeta of ice-cold beer. Actually, hold up on the last one: you’ll want to wait for the cocktail hour.

Cocktail Hour: Rooftop 360 at Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa

(Corazón Cabo)

One of the best new resorts on the beach, Corazón Cabo, is best known to locals for its rooftop bar, Rooftop 360, which features spectacular wraparound views of the city and bay. It’s the perfect place, in other words, to watch the sunset over Land’s End and enjoy a pre-prandial cocktail before your dinner reservation.

If you decide to stay in CSL for the night, Corazón is also an excellent accommodation option— right on the beach and an easy walk to the marina or downtown shopping and dining. It’s dog-friendly, but don’t show up with a Great Dane: there’s a 25-pound weight limit for furry friends.

Dinner: Los Tres Gallos

 

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A post shared by Los Tres Gallos Cabo (@lostresgallos)

 Los Tres Gallos is a local institution and has been seemingly from the moment it opened in 2010. Named for three movie idols from Mexico’s golden age of cinema — Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete and Javier Solís were collectively known as Los Tres Gallos, or Three Roosters — it and nearby Maria Corona are the go-to spots for traditional Mexican cuisine. 

Owner Michel Zermeño, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Fabiola Sánchez, used to bring his mother into the kitchen periodically to ensure the dishes were made with the requisite love. Everything here, including the furnishings, is handmade, and the food and atmosphere are superb. When I used to make “best of” lists for the USA Today travel site 10 Best, I invariably rated Los Tres Gallos as the best restaurant in Los Cabos. 

I’m not the only one who thinks so, either. Michelin Guide recommends it, too.

Nightlife: Cabo Wabo Cantina

 

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A post shared by Cabo Wabo (@cabowabocantinacabo)

 You may be tired by this point, but catch a second wind. The one thing Cabo San Lucas has that no other regional destination does is a vibrant nightlife scene. The two landmark spots are El Squid Roe and Cabo Wabo Cantina, which opened within a year of each other in 1989 and 1990, respectively. Both are worth a visit, but if you’re a first-timer, go to Cabo Wabo. Founded by Sammy Hagar and his then Van Halen bandmates, it’s got plenty to recommend, from live music to one of the best local margaritas.

Chris Sands is the Cabo San Lucas local expert for the USA Today travel website 10 Best, writer of Fodor’s Los Cabos travel guidebook and a contributor to numerous websites and publications, including Tasting Table, Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, Porthole Cruise, Cabo Living and Mexico News Daily. His specialty is travel-related content and lifestyle features focused on food, wine and golf.

Grading Sheinbaum’s response thus far to Trump’s tariff threats: A perspective from our CEO

By
Travis Bembenek
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A close-up portrait of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum
Sheinbaum has previously voiced her support for a two-state solution. (Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)

Dealing with a bully is never easy. On the issue of tariffs, there is little doubt that the Trump administration has been acting like a bully to many countries around the world. That being said, I do think that they have brought up some valid concerns that need addressing on both tariff and non-tariff issues. Why is Mexico not cracking down harder on the cartels? Why is Mexico allowing so many migrants from Central and South America to pass through the country? Why is Mexico allowing large amounts of Chinese products into the country that clearly are destined for the United States? All good and fair questions being asked.

And it’s not just Mexico. Why does Canada have large tariffs on certain U.S. farm products? Why are India and European countries able to place much higher tariffs on certain products to protect their local industries while the United States mostly does not? Why does China protect many industries from foreign companies?

Cabinet meeting of Donald Trump administration in the White House. In the picture is Donald Trump, who has threatened tariffs against Mexico and the Sheinbaum administration
Some of the questions Donald Trump has raised on topics like drug trafficking, transshipment and even tariffs are valid, Travis Bembenek writes. (Donald Trump/X)

Trade imbalances do exist globally and a level playing field in many products and industries often does not exist. That is a valid and factual statement. However, making the argument that the United States “is getting ripped off” as a result is not one.

Let’s take Mexico as an example. The U.S. does buy much more from Mexico than Mexico does from the United States — a true statistic that Trump frequently highlights. But of course it does! The U.S. has nearly three times the population, an economy that is 15 times larger and much wealthier citizens. In addition, the United States has an exceptionally high percentage of the economy that is “consumer based” (in other words, Americans like to buy lots of stuff!).

Mexico has been hit with a variety of justifications for tariffs from the United States. Some are justified and logical — like a lack of action on cartels, drug production, Chinese transshipment and migrants. Others are illogical and make little sense — like pointing to the trade imbalance. I recently wrote about many of the key demands of the Trump administration of Mexico.

The Sheinbaum administration has been responding to many of these demands. To name a few:

1. Sheinbaum has embraced potential Mexican deportees, going so far as to create a program for them (Mexico Te Abraza, meaning Mexico Hugs You). The program has set up 10 welcome centers near the border and offers a (albeit small) initial stipend of 2,000 pesos for each deportee.

2. Sheinbaum has helped stem the flow of new migrants crossing the border. She has sent 10,000 Mexican troops to the border area in a show of commitment.

3. Sheinbaum has stepped up activity against the cartels. There have recently been more arrests of cartel members, more confiscations of drugs and more crackdowns on fentanyl labs. Overall activity is still low, but the trend is clearly positive.

4. Sheinbaum has cooperated with U.S. authorities on previously arrested cartel members by recently sending 29 of the highest ranking and most wanted ones to the U.S. for extradition.

5. Sheinbaum has taken some action on China. Going after Chinese residents illegally in the country, counterfeit Chinese goods, agreement to a U.S. review of new Chinese investment into Mexico in certain key industries, and offering to match U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

I recently wrote about what I think Sheinbaum should say directly to the American people to provide clarity on what Mexico has been doing on many of the demands.

Regarding tariffs specifically, what stands out most is what the Sheinbaum administration hasn’t done, rather than what it has done. Many weeks into Trump tariff threats, Sheinbaum still has yet to respond with any reciprocal tariffs. The administration has instead focused on an “educational campaign” explaining how painful tariffs would be to both countries and why they should be avoided. The administration also sent high ranking members to Washington, D.C., and other parts of the country several times over the past few weeks to help communicate Mexico’s message.

A member of the crowd carries an effigy of Trump in the Mexico City Zócalo while President Sheinbaum gives a speech on Trump's proposed tariffs, while other members of the crowd wave Mexican flags.
Mexicans have rallied around President Sheinbaum as she faces off against her U.S. counterpart. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)

There have as of yet been no tariffs announced by Mexico, no threats made, no escalations and no drama. Mexico has been calm, steady, and patient — a strategy that so far seems to be working. Trump publicly has had nothing but positive things to say about Sheinbaum (unlike his comments of many other world leaders) and the administration continues to defer most tariffs on Mexico and seems to be changing the tariff narrative to focus on other countries.

I personally think, given the difficulty in facing a much larger and unpredictable bully, that Sheinbaum has thus far handled Trump and the tariff issue exceptionally well. She has demonstrated progress in areas important to the United States while at the same time showing a firm resolve on issues important to the Mexican people (like national sovereignty and the issue of guns from the U.S. coming into Mexico). Mexicans have rallied around their president, with recent polls showing an approval rating as high as 85%. Financial markets seem impressed as well, with the Mexican peso just last week hitting stronger levels than before Trump was elected. No one predicted that.

The world is a very uncertain place right now. Sheinbaum has quickly and quietly demonstrated herself to be a voice of calm and reason. Let’s hope the Trump administration recognizes and rewards this by changing the dialogue with Mexico to be more constructive and positive. The focus instead should be on how to make the U.S.-Mexico partnership stronger and more integrated than ever. Let the bullying be focused elsewhere.

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

‘I’m not going to debate Bukele’: Friday’s mañanera recapped

By
MND Staff
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President Claudia Sheinbaum stands at a podium during her morning press conference
President Sheinbaum refused to be drawn into a debate with Salvadorean President Bukele at her Friday morning press conference. (Presidencia)

President Claudia Sheinbaum was openly critical of a former president during her Friday morning press conference, but refused to be drawn into a debate with a current one.

Here is a recap of the president’s March 21 mañanera, which had a strong focus on Mexico’s present and past security situation.

Sheinbaum: ‘I’m not going to enter into a debate with Bukele’

During Sheinbaum’s Q&A session with reporters, one journalist raised a social media post made by El Salvador President Nayib Bukele on Thursday.

On the X social media site, Bukele shared a post from another X user who asked who would be “such an idiot” to compare “security measures” in Mexico to those of El Salvador given that Mexico is “almost 100 times” bigger than the Central American country in terms of land area and has a population of 130 million compared to 6 million in El Salvador.

Above the post he shared, the El Salvador president wrote:

“I’ve seen a lot of posts like this and the truth is I don’t understand the obsession with El Salvador. But, in any case, 28 of the 32 states of Mexico have a population equal to or less than that of El Salvador. Why then can’t they resolve the security issue in a single state with fewer residents than El Salvador, having the resources of a country with 130 million residents? They [should] resolve the security issue in one state first, then in the next one and so on until they contain [insecurity in] those 28 states.”

The security situation in El Salvador has improved remarkably during the presidency of Bukele, who began his first term in 2019. However, the 43-year-old leader has faced severe criticism for the methods he has used to reduce crime and violence.”Grave human rights violations under El Salvador’s state of emergency point to a systematic, widespread pattern of state abuse that has seen thousands of arbitrary detentions, the adoption of a policy of torture in detention centres and hundreds of deaths under state custody,” Amnesty International said in December.

“What the [El Salvador] government calls ‘peace’ is actually an illusion intended to hide a repressive system, a structure of control and oppression that abuses its power and disregards the rights of those who were already invisible — people living in poverty, under state stigma, and marginalization — all in the name of a supposed security defined in a very narrow way,” said Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International.

Asked what she made of Bukele’s remarks on X, Sheinbaum declined to enter the fray.

“I’m not going to enter into a debate with Bukele,” she said.

“We could have a whole debate here about the way in which they’re confronting [insecurity], Sheinbaum said.

“He was elected by his people, but at the same time we ask for respect for Mexico,” she said.

Hundreds of Salvadorean prisoners sit packed together with shaved heads.
Under Bukele’s state of emergency, tens of thousands of Salvadoreans have been swept up in a system of mass incarceration, where many prisoners are held without trial. (El Salvador Presidential Press Office)

“Respect, always respect, is the characteristic of diplomacy. So respect what we do in our country,” Sheinbaum said.

Sheinbaum and other federal officials have frequently highlighted the progress made in improving security in Mexico since the new government took office on Oct. 1. Homicides have declined in recent months and thousands of people have been arrested for “high-impact” crimes, but violence remains a major problem in various parts of Mexico.

While the Sheinbaum administration appears to be taking a more hardline approach to combating organized crime than its predecessor, and is perhaps moving away from the controversial “hugs, not bullets” security strategy of former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), the president has stressed that her government will always respect human rights in its fight against crime.

Former president Felipe “Calderón’s war against narcos won’t return,” Sheinbaum said in October when her government presented its new security strategy.

“… We’re not looking [to carry out] extrajudicial executions,” she said.

A tale of two ex-presidents 

A reporter asked Sheinbaum whether Calderón — president between 2006 and 2012 — could be investigated for allegedly leading a “narco-government” given that his security minister Genaro García Luna was convicted in the United States of colluding with the Sinaloa Cartel while serving as Mexico’s top cop.

“It’s not up to us, it’s up to the Attorney General’s Office if evidence [against him] is found,” the president said.

Genaro Garcia Luna and Felipe Calderon
Former President Felipe Calderón speaks with his then-Security Minister Genaro García Luna — who is now imprisoned in the U.S. for aiding the Sinaloa Cartel. (Cuartoscuro)

She also said she had no knowledge of any case against the ex-president in the United States.

Sheinbaum highlighted that homicides and enforced disappearances surged during the administration of Calderón, who launched a militarized war on drug cartels shortly after he took office in late 2006.

“And then it turns out that the person who was in charge of that war was linked to cartels and is detained in the United States,” she said in reference to García Luna, who was sentenced last October to more than 38 years in prison.

“All this is public [information] today [but] we can’t stop mentioning it because there are young people who are 15 today who weren’t alive at that time, or 18 and they lived through it when they were little. They have to know that this is what happened in Mexico,” Sheinbaum said.

While Calderón has never been convicted of any crime and has denied knowledge of García Luna’s illicit activities, Sheinbaum asserted that “the people of Mexico have already judged Calderón and his six-year term of government.”

The National Action Party, or PAN — which ruled Mexico between 2000 and 2012 — has not returned to power since the end of Calderón’s presidency.

Claudia Sheinbaum with Andrés Manuel López Obrador
Former President López Obrador, Sheinbaum’s political mentor, was undeniably popular during his six-year term as Mexico’s leader. (Cuartoscuro)

While Calderón left a “bad legacy” that “he’ll never be able to rid himself of,” AMLO was — and is — much loved by the people of Mexico, Sheinbaum said.

“The people of Mexico have a very special place in their heart [for López Obrador] and … maybe he is the most loved president in the history of Mexico,” she said.

Calderón was a “spurious president” who reached power due to “an electoral fraud” and “unleashed a war on his own country with consequences we already know about,” Sheinbaum said.

On the other hand, AMLO was “a president loved by his people,” she said.

“That is the legacy that will go down in history, as much as the adversaries want to speak ill of president López Obrador,” Sheinbaum said.

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

Tec de Monterrey partners with University of Texas to launch Latino health research center

By
MND Staff
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A group of older men and women stand in front of a screen reading OriGen Health Research Center
The new research center is a collaboration between the Nuevo León's prestigious Tec de Monterrey and the University of Texas-Austin. (Tec de Monterrey)

Tec de Monterrey and the University of Texas at Austin (UT) announced plans this week to establish a research center to advance the investigation of health issues affecting the Latino community in the Americas.

The partnership will result in the creation of the OriGen Health Research Center, which will “explore the root causes of diseases through cutting-edge technologies, interdisciplinary expertise and a unique biobank,” according to a press release.

oriGen: en busca del genoma mexicano

A press release introducing the partnership acknowledged that “chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers cause nearly 75% of deaths worldwide” and research has shown that Latino populations “experience these chronic diseases at a disproportionate rate.”

However, more research is needed to understand why and to develop more comprehensive treatment strategies for all patients, officials from both institutions say.

“With a strong focus on research, education and active engagement with the Latino community, OriGen Health Research Center will ensure that the proposed solutions are practical and accessible,” said Guillermo Torre-Amione, rector of TecSalud at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (commonly known as Tec de Monterrey).

The center will take care to consider the cultural and social reality of individuals so as “to offer solutions that impact people’s lives,” he added.

The UT partnership comes as the Tec de Monterrey aims to strengthen its global reputation for academic excellence and applied research.

Andreas Matouschek, interim dean of the UT College of Natural Sciences, lauded the partnership as an exciting time to bring both universities together “to save and improve lives and foster the exchange of knowledge.”

“By joining efforts and perspectives, the two institutions will promote scientific innovation and help solve major health and economic problems affecting people across the Americas,” he said.

Faculty members in fields such as genetics, obesity, human development, statistics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning will work “to uncover the biological and social drivers of chronic disease.”

Guillermo Torre-Amione, rector of the Tec de Monterrey health research department, stands at a podium
The center aims to develop “practical and accessible” health solutions for Latino communities, TecSalud rector Guillermo Torre-Amione said.

The OriGen Health Research Center is intended to become a cutting-edge research center that “combines personalized medicine and community-driven approaches to transform disease prevention, understanding and treatment.”

By using personalized, data-driven approaches, OriGen aims to develop targeted prevention and treatment strategies and improve the lives of all patients.

“The main goal is to develop healthcare solutions that are more suitable for Latino communities,” says UT’s Gabriela Livas, the co-director of the research center. “We hope to understand the risk factors, physical changes, genetic challenges, stress, biology, family dynamics, diet, and all the different aspects that can contribute to health and well-being.”

To explore the root causes of diseases, researchers will leverage the OriGen Project biobank, a massive genomic and clinical/epidemiological databank based at Tec de Monterrey.

Experts from UT’s College of Natural Sciences, Dell Medical School and College of Pharmacy will work with partners from Tec de Monterrey’s Institute for Obesity Research, Center for Early Childhood and its medical school.

With reports from University of Texas at Austin, Tec Science, Tec de Monterrey and Mexico Business News

Durango secures investment of nearly US $4 billion for new data center and fertilizer plant

By
MND Staff
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Grupo Fermaca President Fernando Calvillo tuned in virtually to announced the investment plan during President Claudia Sheinbaum's Thursday morning press conference. (Presidencia)

A “digital city” data center facility and a fertilizer plant are part of a newly-announced US $3.7 billion investment in the northern state of Durango by Mexican technology company Grupo Fermaca.

During President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Thursday morning press conference, co-president of Grupo Fermaca Fernando Calvillo said that these investments are part of Sheinbaum’s Plan Mexico, which seeks to turn Mexico into the world’s 10th largest economy.

Man in an orange shirt looks out over a spectacular waterfall cascading down a cliff in the wooded state of Durango, Mexico
Durango is better known for mountains, timber and mining than for its technology industry. (TripAdvisor)

Both projects will take about three to four years to be completed, according to the announcement.

Fermaca Digital City

With a US $2.7 billion investment, Fermaca Digital City will include a hyperscale data center with the capacity to generate its own electricity. The facility will have an installed capacity of 250 megawatts, making it  the largest such facility in Latin America.

Located in the city of Durango, the data center will serve large national and international companies in the digital industry to store their e-commerce data and files. Companies that will benefit from the facility include Amazon, Netflix and Home Depot, among others.

To construct the data center, four projects will simultaneously create more than 3,500 jobs:

  1. A gas pipeline from Texas to Durango to increase gas availability for the industry.
  2. Over 190 strands of long-haul dark fiber in an underground deployment that will run from the northern border to Querétaro, with branches to Durango and Guadalajara. The fiber optic cable will interconnect digital activity hubs in Mexico with the United States.
  3. A combined-cycle plant with a capacity of 350 megawatts to generate energy for the data center.
  4. Construction of a 160-km long gas pipeline from Texas to supply natural gas to the combined-cycle plant.

Calvillo said that the data center facility is set to begin construction in the coming weeks.

Fermaca’s fertilizer plant

Fermaca’s second investment is the Fermachem nitrogen fertilizer plant in the municipality of Lerdo.

The plant is expected to produce 600,000 tons of urea fertilizer per year, supporting the national fertilizer production and Mexico’s food self-sufficiency. This output will complement the 1.5 million tons that Pemex already manufactures.

Calvillo noted that currently, Mexico imports between 80% and 90% of fertilizers, which come at high prices for farmers. With the gas pipeline project, the company seeks to eliminate intermediaries and provide competitive prices for the farmers.

“With cutting-edge technology and a strong commitment to environmental protection, this plant will produce quality fertilizers in Mexico to replace imports,” Calvillo noted.

About Grupo Fermaca

Fermaca is a Mexican company founded over 60 years ago that specializes in the development and execution of high-impact infrastructure projects. It has developed several gas pipes in Mexico, such as  the Villa de Reyes – Aguascalientes – Guadalajara gas pipeline, known as VAG.

Overall, Grupo Fermaca comprises eight companies in the infrastructure and energy sectors in Mexico.

Mexico News Daily

German tourist arrested after scaling Chichén Itzá pyramid during spring equinox

By
MND Staff
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5
El Castillo pyramid at Chichén Itzá
The man reportedly tried to hide inside the pyramid chamber, before INAH custodians escorted him out. (Shutterstock)

Among the thousands of tourists from around the world flocking to Chichén Itzá for the spring equinox, two decided to break the rules by climbing the iconic Temple of Kukulkán.

On Thursday, in separate incidents, two foreign tourists evaded security and scaled the pyramid, also known as El Castillo.

Visitors to the ancient Maya site in the state of Yucatán — there were 8,000 to 9,000 on Thursday, with 11,000 to 12,000 expected on Friday for the actual equinox — reacted by yelling angrily at the scofflaws.

One of the offenders, a 38-year-old German, was physically confronted by the crowd and received a blow to the forehead that drew blood, witnesses said. Apparently, some people were even shouting that he be “sacrificed” — an allusion to the human and animal sacrifices the Maya once carried out at the highest point of the pyramid.

The situation escalated to the point where the National Guard personnel and agents from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) were attacked while trying to protect him from the angry crowd.

“He eluded us, even though we’re keeping watch on the western side of the temple,” said a National Guard member who declined to give his name. “He ran past us. He’s clearly in good physical condition.”

A photo of archeaological features at Chichén Itzá, with a pyramid in the background
Two tourists were arrested at Chichén Itzá — a popular destination at the spring equinox, when a snake-like shadow crawls up the pyramid known as El Castillo. (Martín Zetina/Cuartoscuro)

The incident echoed a situation in 2022, when a woman who climbed Kukulcán was subjected to shouts of “Lock her up!” and “Jail! Jail!” after her descent. “Chichén Itzá visitor faces angry mob after illegally climbing Kukulcán pyramid,” was the headline in Mexico News Daily the next day.

The spring equinox at Chichén Itzá is a significant annual event, always attracting large crowds. Most come for a phenomenon known as the Descent of the Feathered Serpent, which occurs when sunlight creates a shadow resembling a serpent descending the pyramid’s stairs.

The site’s Equinox program includes activities from March 20 to March 24.

However, it does not include climbing the stairs on a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World — an act that has been prohibited since 2006 to protect the structure.

Thursday’s culprits were handed over to authorities, facing potential fines under Article 55 of the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic, and Historical Monuments and Zones of Mexico.

The German man who breached security protocols reportedly attempted to hide in the pyramid chamber, but was eventually escorted down by INAH custodians.

With reports from El Universal and Latinus

Mexico advances to Nations League championship after a decisive victory over Canada

By
MND Staff
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Mexican soccer player Raúl Jiménez celebrates goal
Raul Jimenéz and México had plenty to celebrate Thursday. (Concacaf/X)

Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez scored 46 seconds after the opening whistle and found the net again in minute 75 with a dazzling free kick to lead El Tri to a 2-0 victory over Canada in a Concacaf Nations League (CNL) semifinal Thursday night.

With the win, Mexico advances to its third CNL final to face Panama after the underdog Canaleros beat a heavily favored U.S. side in the other semifinal.

Canada vs. Mexico: Extended Highlights | CONCACAF Nations League Semi-Final | CBS Sports Golazo

Panama — ranked No. 36 in the world — is the first Central American squad to reach a CNL final. Mexico — ranked No. 19 in the latest FIFA rankings — made it to the finals in 2020 and 2024 before losing to the U.S.. 

El Tri got off to a dream start at So-Fi Stadium outside Los Angeles, with Jiménez pouncing on a loose ball behind the defense. 

Defender Johan Vásquez created the opportunity, intercepting a Canada throw-in and directing it toward the box. With his back to goal, Jiménez back-heeled it to Roberto Alvarado who scuffed a shot attempt.The ball squirted right into the path of Jiménez who slotted it past Canadian ‘keeper Dayne St. Clair, inside the far goalpost. Just like that, El Tri was up 1-0.

Raúl’s goal was his 36th with the national team, breaking a tie with Luis Hernández to move into fourth place on Mexico’s all-time scoring list.

El Tri caught a break a few minutes later when referee Héctor Martínez from Honduras turned down Canadian pleas for a penalty. Video replay indicated Mexico defender Edson Álvarez had clipped Derek Cornelius’ foot after the Canada defender poked the ball past him, but the ref stuck with the no-call.

The rest of the half was choppy — Martínez whistled 25 fouls in the first 45 minutes — as Canada pressed forward looking for a goal to level the score.

El Tri’s back line — steady throughout —  effectively cut off passing lanes into the goalbox while Mexican forwards constantly pestered Canada ball-handlers.

Alvarado had a chance to get on the scoresheet himself in minute 19, running into the penalty arc to collect a long ball from Carlos Rodríguez, but the Canadian goalie rushed the ball and knocked it wide.

In minute 39, Mexico saw its bid for a 2-0 lead denied. Álvarez headed a nifty cross from Alvarado into the net, but the referee called offside.

Shortly after half-time, Canada captain Alphonso Davies mis-hit a shot from straight in front at the top of the box. Shortly thereafter and in quick succession, Mexican defender Jesús Gallardo and winger Alexis Vega had bad turnovers that were saved by alert teammates.

In minute 60, El Tri goalie Luis Malagón unwisely came off his line in pursuit of a long centering pass, but misjudged it. The ball was knocked back toward the other post with Malagón completely out of position. Fortunately for México, Álvarez reacted first, nodding the ball clear of the goal and out of danger just as Canada’s Cornelius clattered into him.

Fifteen minutes later, Jiménez drove the nail in the coffin, with a perfect free kick from 28 meters that zipped between a lunging St. Clair and the near post. 

With Jiménez’s 37th national team goal,the 33-year-old striker is one goal away from tying  Mexico’s third-best all-time scorer, soccer star-turned-politician Cuauhtémoc Blanco.

El Tri saw out the game from there, limiting Canada to a single shot on goal all night.

Thursday’s result means Canada has won just one of its past 13 matches against Mexico. The Reds will now face the U.S. in Sunday’s third-place, consolation game.

The U.S., the highest-ranked Concacaf squad at No. 16, was stunned 1-0 by No. 36 Panama in the night’s first semifinal thanks to a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman.

During the Panama-U.S. game, the three-time defending CNL champs squandered opportunities early and late then watched in disbelief as Adalberto Carrasquillo found Waterman, who from inside the right side of the box fired home the winning goal in minute 90+4.

With reports from The Associated Press, The Guardian and  Concacaf

US denies Mexico water delivery request, citing treaty violations

By
MND Staff
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34
The channelized Rio Grande runs under rail bridges on the border between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez
The 1944 water treaty governs the distribution of water from the Colorado River and the Rio Grande, shown here in Ciudad Juárez. (Mario Jasso/Cuartoscuro)

For the first time since the Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande was signed in 1944, the U.S. has denied a request by Mexico for water delivery.

Mexico was seeking approval for the creation of a special delivery channel for Colorado River water to be delivered to Tijuana. As much of northwest Mexico faces severe drought, the denial is likely to place even more stress on Baja California’s water system.

An acqueduct over a body of water in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico
Under previous water agreements, Mexico may request — and pay for — emergency water deliveries to the Tijuana area often via the Morelos Dam near Mexicali. (Tercero Díaz/Cuartoscuro)

The 1944 U.S.-Mexico water treaty governs water allocation from the Rio Grande (also known as the Río Bravo) and Colorado River, the two principal rivers in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

The U.S. Department of State on Thursday said the U.S. has taken the unprecedented step of denying Mexico’s non-treaty request for the water.

In a statement posted to social media, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs defended the decision by saying that “Mexico’s continued shortfalls in its water deliveries … are decimating American agriculture” while claiming that the farmers in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas are suffering as a result.

Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry did not respond to reporters’ requests for comment about the U.S. decision. However, during her Friday morning press conference President Claudia Sheinbaum insisted Mexico is making available the corresponding water quotas as defined by the treaty.

The president made her comments before the State Department issued its statement.

While admitting that drought and water shortages are part of the problem, Sheinbaum  described the issue as “an important one that is being addressed” by the National Water Commission (Conagua) and the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC).

The IBWC is tasked with determining the international boundary and applying water treaties of the United States and Mexico and settling differences that may arise in their application. (The Mexico-U.S. boundary is largely defined by the Rio Grande, which occasionally shifts its course.)

Under the 1944 Treaty, Mexico is required to transfer water to the United States every five years from two shared dams on the Texas border.

Meeting the quotas has been problematic in recent years for Mexico due to drought exacerbated by  climate change, as well as by the increase in agriculture in parched areas of both countries. Aging infrastructure and significant water waste have also contributed to the shortfall.

Mexico is obligated to deliver 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the US over a five-year cycle, averaging 350,000 acre-feet annually. The current cycle ends in October 2025.

Aerial shot of the verdant Rio Grande Valley in Texas.
Like much western water law, the 1944 treaty was signed at a time when water was more plentiful in the northwest Mexico and the U.S. southwest. (Texas Farm Bureau)

The 1944 treaty specifies that in the event of extraordinary drought or damage to hydraulic systems on Mexico’s side which makes it difficult for Mexico to meet its quota, deficiencies existing at the end of a five-year cycle shall be made up in the following five-year cycle.

Mexico was about 265 billion gallons of water behind on its deliveries in August of last year, prompting the U.S. commissioner at the IBWC, Maria-Elena Giner to remark that Mexico was “at its lowest levels ever” in the treaty’s history.

In November, the two countries hammered out an agreement that reportedly provided Mexico with tools and flexibility to deliver water earlier in the five-year cycle. Among the proposed tools were better coordination regarding water conservation, re-use and alternative water sources.

Even so, Giner warned then that Mexico is so far behind in deliveries that “it will be very difficult, if not statistically impossible, for them to make up that difference.”

Now it appears that the U.S. government is willing to ramp up a new battle with the Mexican government, which has dodged U.S. tariff threats twice since Donald Trump became U.S. president on Jan. 20. Though some tariffs have gone into effect, Mexico has yet to retaliate.

With reports from La Jornada, The Guardian, Reuters and NPR

Want to learn more about Mexico’s most pressing water issues? Check out our Water in Mexico series.

Mérida Arts District in the works after Yucatán attracts 7 billion pesos in real estate investment

By
MND Staff
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1
A shot of colonial downtown Mérida in Yucatán
A new residential development has been completed in Mérida, and plans are in the works for a new Arts District. (Shutterstock)

Yucatán state has attracted nearly 7 billion pesos (US $348 million) in real estate projects in the state capital of Mérida, as the current administration seeks to increase support for the housing sector.

Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena inaugurated the Residencial Punto Maya project in Ucú, located northwest of the city. The project cost a total of 5.5 billion pesos (US $274 million).

Politicians in white shirts stand in front of a playground and a sign reading "Punto Maya"
Yucatán Governor Joaquín “Huacho” Díaz Mena, center right, inaugurated the Punto Maya residential development on Wednesday. (Huacho Díaz Mena/Facebook)

In a separate event, Díaz laid the cornerstone of the second building of the Distrito Arte Mérida (Mérida Art District) complex, with an investment of over 1.3 billion pesos (US $64 million).

Residencial Punto Maya

Díaz, alongside Miguel Cagnasso Cantú, the director of the real estate development company Misión Obispado, cut the inaugural ribbon for Residencial Punto Maya, a project expected to generate more than 250 direct jobs.

“This project represents hundreds of opportunities for our people,” Díaz said during his speech, highlighting the strategic location of the development. “It’s just six minutes from the current beltway, but it will also be very close to the Metropolitan Beltway that we will soon build and the Maya Train.”

Díaz added that such investments demonstrate that Yucatán is a state with legal certainty and appeal for investors.

Mérida Art District

A rendering of the planned Mérida Art District shows a wide walkway next to palm trees with a modern four-story apartment building and a taller building behind it
A rendering of development plans for the Mérida Art District. (Mérida Art District)

In an event that took place later that day, Díaz laid the cornerstone of the second building of the Mérida Art District. In a speech, he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting policies that encourage productive investment, create quality jobs, and strengthen the community’s economic and social fabric.

The real estate project will create over 350 direct and indirect jobs and “will strengthen the entity’s tourism and service infrastructure,” Díaz said. The development features over 10,000 square meters of commercial space, a 120-room hotel that will be operated by the Voco brand, and a one-hectare public park, financed and maintained through private investment.

This project is part of the first phase of the Mérida Art District initiative, which has already seen a  US $15 million investment in the construction of a corporate center set to  open in May.

With reports from El Economista and 24 Horas Yucatán

Happy birthday Benito Juárez, Mexico’s Abraham Lincoln

By
Stephen Randall
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6
Benito Juárez
Why do we celebrate Benito Juárez's birthday? (Wikimedia Commons)

Every March 21, Mexico celebrates the birth of Benito Juárez, the Zapotec boy who became a president, hero and symbol of just about everything Mexican. Schoolchildren memorize his words, politicians invoke his name, and his stern face stares down from statues across the nation. If you have a peso, you probably have Benito Juárez in your pocket right now.

Juárez was born in 1806 in the small village of San Pablo Guelatao, Oaxaca, a place so quiet you could hear a tortilla flip from a mile away. He spoke only Zapotec until the age of 12. Orphaned at three, he was, by all accounts, a quiet, serious boy.

Benito Juarez Hemicycle Mexico City
The Benito Juárez Hemicycle in Mexico City’s Alameda Park is just one of countless monuments to the man considered Mexico’s greatest-ever president. (Creative Commons)

But he learned Spanish. He studied law. And then, somehow, he overcame his humble beginnings and changed the fate of a nation. He became president not once, not twice, but five times. He fought off European invaders. He pushed for reforms that would put power in the hands of the people. And he did it all with the charisma of an overworked accountant.

A turbulent start in politics

Juárez had a roller coaster journey to becoming the unwavering leader of Mexico. He got involved in Liberal Party politics early in life and was elected governor of his home state in 1848, a role in which he made an enemy of Antonio López de Santa Anna. When Santa Anna came back to power for the last time in 1853, Juárez was imprisoned and exiled for his liberal views. It was not the first time he would be on the run in the coming years. 

Juárez fled to New Orleans, where he spent two years in obscurity, working as a cigar maker and plotting the future of Mexico with other exiled liberals, waiting for the right moment to return home. That moment came in 1855, when Santa Anna was overthrown in the Ayutla Revolution and Juárez returned as Minister of Justice in the new liberal government that would shape Mexico’s future.

La Reforma and the Constitution of 1857

Juárez was, at his core, a reformer. He believed in laws, institutions, and, above all, the idea that a country should belong to its people, not to the Church or a handful of elites. He pushed for La Reforma, a series of laws that separated church and state, confiscated Church and communally-owned Indigenous lands and attempted to turn Mexico into what the liberals saw as a modern republic, kicking and screaming if need be. Juárez’s faction of the Liberal Party wrote the Constitution of 1857, incorporating these provisions as the iron-bound law of the land.

Deputies swear to abide by the Constitution of 1857. (Daniel A. Utrillo)

Naturally, this made a lot of powerful people very angry. The Catholic Church, which had been running things for quite some time, suddenly found itself on the losing end of history. Conservative elites, who preferred their peasants obedient and illiterate, saw Juárez as a dangerous man. And when Mexico’s ruling class gets uncomfortable, history tells us they usually do something drastic. 

The Reform War and the Second French Intervention

In December 1857, the conservatives rebelled against the new constitution, convinced liberal President Ignacio Comonfort to overthrow his own government and plunged Mexico into civil war. As Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the presidency legally passed to Juárez, who led the liberal government to military victory over the conservatives in 1860 and handily won the presidential elections of 1861. But the conservatives weren’t defeated yet, and they still had a trick up their sleeve.

Enter Maximilian von Habsburg, a well-dressed Austrian sent by Napoleon III to rule Mexico. With the support of the Mexican conservatives, France installed Maximilian as emperor, and suddenly Juárez found himself again leading a government on the run, chased across Mexico by a man who had absolutely no business being there.

Did Juárez surrender? No. Did he strike a deal, as Maximilian offered him? Absolutely not. Instead, he waged a guerrilla war against the conservatives and the French. And when the tides turned, and Maximilian was finally captured, Juárez had him tried and executed. No exile, no second chances. Just a firing squad and a clear message: Mexico would not be a European colony anymore.

Chinacos, or mounted guerrillas, were the Juarista soldier par excellence in the war against the Conservative Party and the French. (Manuel Serrano)

Juárez had won. He had fought for democracy, for the people, for a government free from corruption and foreign influence. But then came the tricky part: governing in a time of peace.

The Restored Republic

Like many great revolutionaries before him, Juárez found that running a country is a lot harder than fighting for one. His reforms, such as the Lerdo Law, were meant to break up communal Indigenous lands to create private property and stimulate the economy — in reality, wealthy landowners and speculators bought up most of the newly private land.

While noble in principle, these reforms often did more to alienate people than unite them. The rural poor, many of whom had joined Juárez’s forces during the war, didn’t necessarily see their lives improve under his leadership. The Church, wounded but still powerful, continued to resist him. His enemies in government accused him of clinging to power, of ignoring dissent, of being just as dictatorial as the men he had fought against.

Still, Juárez kept getting reelected, often against strong opposition from other liberals. He centralized power in ways that made even his allies nervous. Some of his closest supporters defected and even revolted against his government in 1871, including, ironically enough, Porfirio Díaz, the general who would later rule Mexico as a dictator for over 30 years. The revolutionaries had become the establishment. And like so many before him, Juárez began to look less like a radical reformer and more like a man who simply couldn’t let go.

Benito Juárez is still kicking

In 1872, Juárez died of a heart attack at his desk. His legacy, however, refused to rest. Today, Benito Juárez is remembered as Mexico’s Abraham Lincoln, a man of the people who believed in justice and equality. His face is on the money. His birthday is a national holiday.

And yet Mexico still argues about him. They argue about his reforms, his decisions, his stubbornness. Some call him a hero. Others, a tyrant. Maybe that’s because his struggles still feel so present in Mexico. In some ways, the battles he fought — between rich and poor, liberal and conservative, progress and tradition — have never really ended.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean.

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