The new Costco branch is being built in the San Isidro neighborhood, located in the eastern part of Guadalajara. (Omar Abascal/Unsplash)
A new Costco store will open this year in Guadalajara, the capital city of the western state of Jalisco.
The company’s communication strategy agency in Mexico, Dextera, confirmed the news to the magazine Players of Life. It will be the third Costco location in the metro Guadalajara area, and the fourth in the state.
The new Costco branch is being built in the San Isidro neighborhood, located east of the city and in front of the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara.
While there are no further details about the store’s current stage of construction or its intended opening date, testimonies from workers at the site suggest that the store will open in June.
Other Costco locations in Jalisco include one in Zapopan, one in Tlajomulco de Zúñiga — both in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara — and one in Puerto Vallarta.
Woman buys over 800 Roscas de Reyes at Guadalajara Costco for resale
Costco’s bakery products are highly coveted in Mexico, even in places far away from cities with a store.
Aware of the great demand for these products, Ximena Figueroa, a former candidate for Deputy with the Partido Verde Ecologista de México (PVEM), purchased “more than 800” Roscas (Three Kings’ Bread) and successfully resold all of them by Jan. 5, the day before Día de Reyes or Three Kings’ Day.
On Jan. 3, Figueroa shared her business endeavor on social media ahead of the festivity, saying she had bought 800 Roscas de Reyes at a Costco in Guadalajara and that she planned to resell them in the state of Colima, which does not have a Costco location. The bread’s price tag at Costo was 380 pesos. She resold each unit for 550 pesos.
“Guess what? I bought all the Costco Roscas in Guadalajara,” Figueroa wrote in her post. “Manzanillo and Cihuatlán, here we go!”
Her business initiative led to divided opinions from social media users. Some criticized her for depleting the Guadalajara Costco’s stock of Roscas de Reyes, leaving some local residents without them, while others applauded her wit.
After the holiday, Figueroa boasted on Instagram that she successfully sold a total of 950 Costco Roscas de Reyes. It is not clear at which location she bought the remaining 150 Roscas.
"It sounds nice, right?" the president remarked, riffing on Trump's declaration that the name "the Gulf of America" has a "beautiful ring to it." (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
“Why don’t we call [the United States] Mexican America, it sounds nice, right?” Sheinbaum said at her Wednesday morning press conference.
Wowww ‼️ Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responds to Trump on his proposal to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico — and points to a 17th century map of greater México.
“We are going to call it América Mexicana. It sounds pretty, no?”
“It does, doesn’t it?” the president added with a smile.
She noted that the Constitution of Apatzingán, which was created during the Mexican War of Independence, referred to territory now known as the United States as Mexican America.
At the time of the document’s creation in 1814, large parts of what is now the southwestern United States were still under Spanish control. Mexico, when it became an independent country in 1821, was much larger than it is today, as its territory included all or part of several modern-day U.S. states.
“The Constitution of Apatzingán was of Mexican America. So we’re going to call it Mexican America,” Sheinbaum said, as she gestured toward an old map showing modern-day United States territory referred to as Mexican America.
“It sounds nice, right?” she said again, riffing on Trump’s declaration that the name “the Gulf of America” has a “beautiful ring to it.”
The name ‘Gulf of Mexico’ is internationally recognized, Sheinbaum says
“Obviously the name ‘Gulf of Mexico’ is recognized by the United Nations,” Sheinbaum told reporters.
She later said that the Gulf of Mexico has been known as such since at least 1607.
The president appeared to get a kick out of her history presentation during Wednesday’s press conference, evening the score on Trump’s recent territorial claims. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartoscuro)
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, Trump said that the Gulf of Mexico is “ours” and asserted that the United States does “most of the work there.”
“… We’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring. That covers a lot of territory. The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name, and it’s appropriate, it’s appropriate,” the U.S. president-elect said.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard dismissed the possibility that the name of the body of water could be or would be changed, telling reporters on Monday that the Gulf of Mexico will continue to be called the Gulf of Mexico for at least the next 30 years.
President asserts Trump is misinformed about the power of Mexican cartels
At his Tuesday press conference, Trump also said that Mexico is “essentially run by the cartels.”
On Wednesday, Sheinbaum claimed that the former and future U.S. president has been “misinformed” about the situation in Mexico, saying that she believed he has been told that former president Felipe Calderón and his erstwhile security minister Genaro García Luna were still governing the country.
Genaro García Luna, left, when he was Mexico’s security minister during the presidency of Felipe Calderón, right. (Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum said in October that Calderón “should apologize” for having had a now-convicted and sentenced criminal as his security minister. The ex-president has denied he had any knowledge of García Luna’s illicit activities.
Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador rejected the assertion.
Will Mexico have a good relationship with the US during Trump’s second term? Sheinbaum believes so
Despite Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on Mexican exports to the United States, and disparaging remarks he has made about Mexico and Mexicans, Sheinbaum has reiterated her belief that Mexico will have a good relationship with the U.S. during the second Trump administration.
“I continue to think there will be good relations with President Trump,” she said Wednesday.
“What do I base [my belief] on? Well, there were good relations with president López Obrador and there has to be a relationship of mutual respect, of collaboration, not of subordination,” Sheinbaum said.
Tacos gobernador are the perfect marriage of two Northwest classics: seafood and cheese. (Centro de Ciencias de Sinaloa)
Legend has it that the taco gobernador was born in a Sinaloa restaurant, created for a visiting governor. Whether that’s true or not, it feels right. This dish is political in a way: like a politician building an unlikely coalition, tacos gobernador takes seafood and cheese, two foods most people don’t dare to combine, and makes something extraordinary.
Shrimp, those marvelous little sea bugs, take center stage. I always laugh when I’m reminded how shrimp and lobster were once considered undesirable low-class foods. They’re nature’s pre-packaged protein bombs, lean and rich in umami. When exposed to heat, their translucent muscle fibers contract, turning opaque and tender. This isn’t just a visual cue: it’s a textural transformation that tells you the shrimp are at their peak and ready to be inhaled.
Whoever thought shrimp was as low-class food has clearly never tried these tacos. (Turismo Sinaloa)
Then comes the cheese. Cheese is glue and magic. It holds things together when life — or tortillas — might fall apart. Oaxaca cheese melts just right; not too fast, not too slow, but like it’s been waiting all its life to drape itself over shrimp and make everything okay.
Poblano chili, smoky and gentle, carries a memory of fire without being obnoxious about it. Jalapeño is for the thrill-seekers. The tomato softens things, a gentle nudge toward sweetness. And there’s the garlic and onion, reliable as clockwork.
The butter is the unsung hero, a fat that carries flavor and ensures the aromatics — garlic and onion — release their full potential. These alliums, when sautéed, undergo caramelization, which adds depth and a subtle sweetness to the mix.
Why does it work? Because it’s honest. It doesn’t pretend to be fancy or profound. It’s just shrimp and cheese and fire and love wrapped in a tortilla. But isn’t that what we’re all looking for? Something simple that makes us feel whole — or full — for a minute? Life is messy and delicious, and sometimes the best thing you can do is fold it in half and take a bite.
Lemon is a classic Mexican standby and really brings out the zest of the tacos. (Centro de Ciencias de Sinaloa)
Tacos gobernador
Ingredients
For the filling
1 lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, and diced
1 jalapeño or serrano pepper, finely chopped (optional, for extra heat)
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese
For the tacos
8 corn tortillas
Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
Roast the poblano pepper over an open flame or in a hot skillet until the skin is charred. Place it in a covered bowl to steam for 10 minutes. Peel off the charred skin, remove the seeds and dice the flesh.
Heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the tomato and chilis. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture softens.
Add shrimp, smoked paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until the shrimp turn pink and are fully cooked, about 3-5 minutes.
Heat a tortilla in a dry skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle a layer of cheese on one half of the tortilla and let it melt slightly.
Spoon a generous portion of the shrimp mixture onto the cheesy side of the tortilla. Fold it over into a taco shape and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until crispy and golden.
Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
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.
Beyond beauty and culture, what does San Miguel really have to offer an industrial park? (Valeemb22/CC BY-SA 4.0)
After December’s whirlwind of festivities, you might think San Miguel de Allende would take a breather, but that’s just not our style. In this town, we love going out both for the walk itself, with its charming cobblestone challenges, and the joy of running into friends. After the lively chaos, San Miguel de Allende offers the perfect opportunity to settle down and dive into deep thoughts. Here’s a look at the events that will spark curiosity and fuel meaningful conversations in January!
Heart to Heart Charity Bazaar
(Patronato pro Niños)
Kick off the new year with a shopping spree that gives back! Explore rooms packed with new merchandise at the Heart to Heart Charity Bazaar, benefiting Patronato Pro Niños. Whether you’re looking for clothing, home decor, small appliances or sporting goods, you’ll find incredible deals and hidden treasures. Best of all, every penny raised supports vital medical, dental and psychological care for the children of San Miguel de Allende who need it most.
Date: Jan. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Location: Reforma 75C, Second Floor, Fraccionamiento Ignacio Ramirez Cost: Free entry
A Conversation with Margaret Atwood and Martin Fletcher
(San Miguel Writers’ Conference)
San Miguel de Allende is rolling out the red carpet to honor Margaret Atwood, author of “The Handmaid’s Tale,” with the San Miguel Award for Literary Excellence. This special event, “From Fiction to Reality: Has Our Dystopian Future Arrived?”, features Atwood in conversation with award-winning journalist Martin Fletcher. Together they will explore the intersection of dystopian fiction and our rapidly changing world.
This bilingual evening kicks off with a wine and cheese reception, followed by the award presentation, a dynamic conversation and a Q&A session. Best of all, this event is a fundraiser for the San Miguel Writers’ Conference 20th Anniversary Student Scholarship Program, making it an evening where inspiration meets impact.
Date: Jan 12, 5 – 7 p.m. Location: Foro El Obraje, Calzada de la Presa 50, Centro Cost: Tickets start at US $45
Hilos de Esperanza
(Theme photos/Unsplash)
The 5th edition of Hilos de Esperanza invites you to donate your hair to support girls and women battling cancer. This heartfelt initiative offers an opportunity to provide hope and strength to those facing challenging times. Schedule your haircut appointment in advance via the Rotaract SMA. For us, it’s just hair — for them, it’s hope. Join this meaningful cause!
Date: Saturday, Jan 12, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Location: Hotel Quinta Loreto 15 Cost: Free entry
Explore how resilience shapes our world, influences communities, and paves the way for a sustainable future. Held at the stunning Hotel Matilda, this dynamic event features an impressive lineup of speakers, including digital strategist Alejandra Lagunes, visionary artist Angelo Musco, chef Ricardo Muñoz Zurita, hypnotherapist Sasha Carrion, wellness specialist Romina Biamino, global business strategist Diego Jiang and more, and war reporter Anjan Sundaram. The experience will be elevated with captivating performances by Aulladora Banda Lobo and the Indigenous Dancers of SMA. Talks in Spanish and English will be seamlessly accessible via live translation earpieces. VIP tickets include an exclusive gourmet dinner with the speakers at Bovine Restaurant.
Date: Thursday, Jan 16, 12 – 5 p.m. Location: Hotel Matilda, Aldama 53 Cost: Tickets from MX$1,200 to $3,000
Blessing of Pets
(Michael Balam Chan/Cuartoscuro)
Celebrate the beloved tradition of the Blessing of Pets at the Templo del Oratorio, a practice rooted in the early colonial era and inspired by San Antonio de Abad’s deep reverence for nature. This heartwarming annual event welcomes pets of all kinds — dogs, cats, bunnies, and more — to receive a special blessing. The ceremony begins with a priest reading from Genesis, reflecting on the creation of animals and their vital role in our lives, followed by a prayer of gratitude and the sprinkling of holy water for divine protection.
Date: Saturday, Jan 18 at 5 p.m. Location: Atrio Templo del Oratorio Cost: Free entry
256th Anniversary of Don Ignacio de Allende y Unzaga
(Galo Cañas/Cuartoscuro)
Celebrate the legacy of Generalissimo Ignacio de Allende with a series of events marking his 256th birthday. Born in 1769 in San Miguel el Grande, the city later renamed in his honor, Allende is a key hero in Mexico’s War of Independence. His leadership and ultimate sacrifice symbolize patriotism nationwide. The festivities begin with a civic ceremony at the Jardín at 9:00 a.m., followed by a National Flag presentation at the Municipal Palace at 6:00 p.m., and end with a spectacular fireworks display at 9:00 p.m.
Date: Sunday, Jan 19, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Location: Main City Square Cost: Free entry
Class on generative Artificial Intelligence
(Instituto Allende)
Explore the fascinating world of generative AI with Michael Werner, a teacher of computer science for 30 years at Wentworth Institute of Technology. This interactive class dives into cutting-edge AI tools like ChatGPT, Bard, DALL-E and Stable Diffusion. Learn how these technologies are reshaping creativity, from writing essays and composing music to producing professional-looking art, all while raising questions about authenticity, attribution and the future of human creativity.
Through hands-on experimentation and lively discussions, you’ll gain insights into how AI generators work and their implications for art, education, and society. The course encourages students to try out tools on their own and share their experiences in class.
Date: Jan. 21, 23 and 24 from 1-3 p.m. Location: Instituto Allende Cost: 400 pesos
Mexico News Daily’s CEO talks Sheinbaum
(Teatro Santa Ana)
Dive into the complexities of Mexico’s leadership with “Global Relations in 2025: A Speakers Series.” Travis Bembenek, CEO of Mexico News Daily, will lead “Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum: A Case Study in Leadership,” an insightful discussion at the Teatro Santa Ana on thechallenges and opportunities Mexico’s new president faces. Bembenek will examine critical decisions shaping Mexico’s environmental, economic, social and political landscape. This talk will be presented in English. Tickets are 280 pesos with a 10 percent discount when paying in cash.
Date: Jan. 23, 4 p.m. Location: Teatro Santa Ana. Relox 50A, Biblioteca. Cost: 280 pesos
Yale’s Whiffenpoofs at Templo de la Tercera Orden
(Ticketleap)
On a frosty January night more than a century ago, five singers from the Yale Glee Club gathered at Mory’s Temple Bar in New Haven, Connecticut, starting a musical legacy that thrives to this day. Now, the renowned Whiffenpoofs, the world’s oldest collegiate a cappella group, are bringing their timeless charm to San Miguel de Allende.
At 6 p.m., the Whiffs will perform at the Templo de la Tercera Orden, showcasing a dynamic repertoire of timeless classics and modern arrangements spanning various musical genres. This unique concert will also support a meaningful cause: raising funds for Chorale San Miguel’s historic 1875 Johnson and Sons pipe organ. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy an extraordinary performance while contributing to the preservation of San Miguel’s musical heritage.
Sandra is a Mexican writer and translator based in San Miguel de Allende who specializes in mental health and humanitarian aid. She believes in the power of language to foster compassion and understanding across cultures. She can be reached at: [email protected]
Both the U.S. and Mexico claim territorial waters within the large body of water that is the Gulf of Mexico. (Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock)
United States President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.
Trump, who will commence his second term as U.S. president on Jan. 20, announced his plan to change the name of the ocean basin during rambling remarks at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.
BREAKING NEWS: Trump Says 'Gulf Of Mexico' Name To Be Changed To 'Gulf Of America'
Trump made the remarks about changing the Gulf’s name at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday.
“We have a massive [trade] deficit with Mexico, and we help Mexico a lot; they’re essentially run by the cartels. And can’t let that happen; Mexico’s really in trouble, a lot of trouble; very dangerous place,” he said.
Trump subsequently, in a roundabout way, announced his intention to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, in which both the United States and Mexico have territorial waters.
“And we’re going to be announcing at a future date, pretty soon we’re going to change because we do most of the work there, and it’s ours, … we’re going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring,” he said.
“That covers a lot of territory. The Gulf of America, what a beautiful name, and it’s appropriate, it’s appropriate,” Trump said.
Economic Minister Marcelo Ebrard, attending a conference in Guadalajara Tuesday, asked by Mexican reporters to respond to Trump’s remarks about such a name change, responded briefly but definitively on the matter.
“If we saw each other in 30 years, the Gulf of Mexico will still be called the Gulf of Mexico,” he told reporters.
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard, seen here at an event in December, told reporters Tuesday that what was more important was preserving Mexico and the U.S.’s relationship and that “We’re not going to get involved in that debate.” (File photo/Galo Caño Rodríguez/Cuartoscuro)
Can Trump actually change the Gulf’s name?
The Associated Press reported that Trump can “maybe” change the name of the Gulf of Mexico, which borders several U.S. and Mexican states. However, the news agency said that doing so is “not a unilateral decision, and other countries don’t have to go along.”
“The International Hydrographic Organization — of which both the United States and Mexico are members — works to ensure all the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted uniformly, and also names some of them,” AP said.
“There are instances where countries refer to the same body of water or landmark by different names in their own documentation,” it added.
AP also said that it can be easier to make a name change “when a landmark or body of water is within a country’s boundaries.”
Perhaps changing the name of New Mexico to New America would be an easier option for Trump.
And Mexico could perhaps retaliate to any name change made by the 47th U.S. president by renaming the Gulf of California the Gulf of Baja California.
President Claudia Sheinbaum at her Tuesday press conference, stands in front of a projection screen saying, "Fentanyl: from the pharmaceutical innovation of Janssen to a global public health problem." (Gustavo Torres Rubio/Cuartoscuro)
President Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president 14 weeks ago today and has held a morning press conference, or mañanera, almost every weekday since then. On Thursday, she will complete her 100th full day as president.
On Tuesday, fentanyl production, the political landscape in Canada and Ken Salazar’s (now-completed) tenure as U.S. ambassador to Mexico were among the topics Sheinbaum spoke about at her mañanera.
Despite her government launching a new anti-fentanyl campaign, Sheinbaum downplayed fentanyl as a public health crisis in Mexico. (Gustavo Torres Rubio/Cuartoscuro)
Sheinbaum: No evidence that ‘the whole process’ of producing fentanyl is completed in Mexico
After federal government officials presented a new anti-fentanyl campaign, Sheinbaum asserted that use of the deadly drug “is not really a problem” in Mexico.
While fentanyl is used in Mexico and there have been deaths linked to the powerful synthetic opioid here, “there is not a crisis like there is in the United States,” she said.
“… We don’t want [the overdose crisis] to reach our country, and that’s why we’re starting this campaign against fentanyl,” Sheinbaum said.
Later in her press conference, the president said that the majority of illicit drug laboratories that have been detected and dismantled in Mexico were producing methamphetamine.
Sheinbaum went on to say that authorities are combating the national distribution of fentanyl as well as the trafficking of the drug into the United States. She cited the recent seizure of more than 500,000 fentanyl pills in Sinaloa as an example of the government’s efforts.
Among the people who spoke about the federal government’s new anti-fentanyl public health initiative was Carlos Azcárraga Andrade, CEO of Grupo Posadas, owner of several hotel brands in Mexico, including Live Aqua and Fiesta Americana. Azcárraga is a member of Sheinbaum’s Communication Advisory Council.
Sheinbaum also said the government is “combatting the illegal production” of fentanyl and other drugs by closely monitoring the chemical precursors that enter the country.
“The possibility of [fentanyl] being made in Mexico or not, and which part [of the drug], is something that is always being investigated in the security cabinet,” she said.
“Up to now, [we have] the fact that precursors arrive, because the majority of the precursors come from Asia,” Sheinbaum said.
“[Evidence] that the whole process [of making fentanyl] is done here in Mexico hasn’t been found,” she said, apparently saying that there is no proof that the precursor chemicals used to make the opioid are manufactured here.
Sheinbaum said that navy officials on Thursday would “explain with more detail” which illicit drugs are made in Mexico and where the precursor chemicals come from.
Her remarks on Tuesday were reminiscent of those made by her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who denied that illicit fentanyl was produced in Mexico, but conceded in 2023 that pills of the powerful opiate are pressed here with ingredients shipped from Asia.
Sheinbaum doesn’t believe a change of government in Canada would affect the USMCA
Poilievre said in November that he would be willing to negotiate a trade deal with the United States that doesn’t include Mexico.
Sheinbaum said she didn’t believe that the election of Poilievre would lead to “something” happening with the USMCA — i.e. the three-way trade pact’s termination.
Conservative Canadian politician Pierre Poilievre is widely seen as the next prime minister of Canada. He was among multiple Canadian politicians who last fall expressed willingness to cut Mexico out of the USMCA free trade zone strike a deal solely with the United States. (File photo/Wikimedia Commons)
“Canada, the United States and Mexico have benefited a lot from the USMCA,” she said.
A federal election will be held in Canada on or before Oct. 20, 2025.
There was a ‘rift’ with outgoing US ambassador, says Sheinbaum
A reporter asked Sheinbaum to “grade” the work in Mexico of Ken Salazar, who completed the final day of his more than three-year term as United States ambassador to Mexico this Tuesday.
“I would say there were disagreements with the ambassador in the final period [of his tenure],” she said.
“It was never clear … what the U.S. involvement was,” she said.
“… Yes there was a rift with the ambassador,” Sheinbaum said before declaring that there was no negative impact on the bilateral relations between Mexico and the United States as a result of the differences with Salazar.
United States President-elect Donald Trump announced in December that former U.S. ambassador to El Salvador Ronald Johnson was his pick for ambassador to Mexico during his second term.
The victim, identified in media reports as Julián Alfredo Rodríguez Medina, was a Mexican American who, according to family members, worked as a nursing assistant in El Paso, Texas. (Illustrative photo by José Betanzos Zárate for Cuartoscuro)
A Mexican American man was killed in the northern border city of Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, on Sunday when a state police officer opened fire on the car he was driving.
The deceased man, a U.S. citizen, has been identified in media reports as Julián Alfredo Rodríguez Medina. According to family members, he worked as a nursing assistant in El Paso, Texas, on the other side of the U.S. border from Ciudad Juárez.
Será ministerial acusado formalmente por homicidio
– El estadunidense Julián Alfredo Rodríguez Medina fue abatido por el elemento de la AEIhttps://t.co/jI1TnRiIcV
The blue Mustang Julián Alfredo Rodríguez Medina was driving when he was shot Sunday by an on-duty Chihuahua state police officer.
Rodríguez, reportedly accompanied by his brother and a friend at the time of his death, was shot by a state police officer in the neighborhood of Melchor Ocampo. The victim’s family reportedly lives in that neighborhood. Family members said that Rodríguez was unarmed when he was killed.
The officer who killed Rodríguez has been identified by media outlets as Arturo Iván V. S., a commander in a police unit known as Grupo K-9. He is currently in custody and could face intentional homicide charges.
Carlos Manuel Salas, head prosecutor in the northern zone of Chihuahua, said on Monday that the shooting occurred while the officer was accompanying a state Attorney General’s Office (FGE) agent serving a warrant issued by a sexual crimes unit.
He said that the two police officers, reportedly a married couple, were on foot when a Mustang with New Mexico license plates accelerated in their direction.
Salas said that the vehicle “almost brushed the police agent” before it was “violently” put into reverse. The police officer opened fire as the driver attempted to escape, the prosecutor said. The vehicle came to a stop after it hit a parked SUV.
KVIA, a television station in El Paso, published a video it said was “taken by a passenger of the vehicle during the shooting.”
Carlos Manuel Salas, head prosecutor in the northern zone of Chihuahua. (File photo/SSPE Chihuahua)
Gunshots can be heard ringing out and someone repeatedly shouts, “No!”
Salas raised questions about the actions of the man who was killed.
“Why would you accelerate? Why would you drive at that speed?” he asked.
Salas asserted that if a similar scenario unfolded in another country, such as the United States, police would also likely respond with force. He said that an internal affairs division of the FGE would investigate the killing. Salas described the incident as “regrettable.”
A man who said he was the victim’s brother told the newspaper El Diario that he and the others in the Mustang didn’t make any threat toward the police officer who opened fire. He also said they didn’t shout at the officers or “skid” the car.
Jorge, as the man identified himself, attended a state government event in Ciudad Juárez on Monday in an attempt to personally meet with Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos and demand justice for his brother. However, she didn’t end up attending the event, El Diario said.
The brother of the victim also said he was grazed by a bullet and subsequently beaten by the police officer who opened fire. He said that the officer also made a death threat against him.
The victim’s mother also called for justice and declared that the authorities should say what really happened.
“Statements have been made that [my sons] attacked first when that was never the case,” the woman, who asked not to be identified, told reporters.
“They didn’t have guns, I had sent them to the shop [to get food],” she said.
A spokesman for the United States Embassy in Mexico said that U.S. officials were “closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation into the reported killing.”
The death of Rodríguez comes after two American citizens and a Mexican national were shot dead in the Mexican state of Durango late last year. A Chicago teenager, Jason Peña, was shot in the head in the same attack and subsequently transferred to a hospital in Texas, where he remained in a critical condition on Monday. His father and uncle, both U.S. citizens, and a Mexican relative were killed.
ABC 7 Chicago reported that “Jesus Macias was traveling along a highway in the Mexican state of Zacatecas when, his family says, he failed to stop at an improvised checkpoint set up not by police, but by the drug cartels.”
“His omission, they said, led to him being shot and killed in front of his mother, wife and young son,” the report said.
Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum led the inauguration of the museum's new section in the company of Indigenous women and children. (Claudia Sheinbaum/Twitter)
President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated a new section of the National Museum of Anthropology Monday, as part of the reopening of its second floor.
The second floor had been closed for two years for renovations, the first in about 20 years.
Sheinbaum, seen here observing the museum’s collection, inaugurated the new floor dedicated to Mexico’s Indigenous communities. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
With an investment of 45 million pesos (US $2.2 million), the new section is dedicated “to the recognition of Indigenous peoples, who continue to represent the country’s cultural diversity,” announced Sheinbaum at the opening ceremony, to which several Indigenous women and children were invited as guests.
The museum was opened in 1964 to preserve Mexico’s Indigenous culture and is now Mexico City’s most-visited museum, attracting 3.7 million visitors in 2024.
The new section consists of five rooms housing almost 6,000 archaeological, ethnographic and artisanal pieces and offers a transition from the pre-conquest section of the museum to an area showcasing Mexico’s contemporary cultural traditions.
Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada also attended the ceremony, alongside federal Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza, Tourism Secretary Josefina Rodríguez and several other officials.
“The recovery, preservation, research and dissemination of our historical legacy is an essential task for the present and future of our nation,” Brugada said at the event. The new section, she said, provides “a unique opportunity for us to learn not only about pre-Hispanic history, but also about the artistic and cultural production of contemporary Indigenous peoples.”
Both Sheinbaum and Brugada emphasized the importance of recognizing Indigenous women and Afro-Mexican communities. Sheinbaum referenced Mexico’s constitutional reform passed late last year that recognizes the rights of Indigenous peoples and provides them with an autonomous annual budget, which stands this year at 13 billion pesos ($638 million).
During the event, Sheinbaum also announced plans for the consolidation of the Culture Ministry with the National Fund for the Support of Artisans (Fonart), the Museum of Popular Cultureand various museums associated with Indigenous culture.
“In this way, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), as well as the National Institute of Fine Arts and Literature (INBAL) and… everything related to the cultures of Indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples are incorporated under a single system,” Sheinbaum stated.
Migrants in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, attempting to cross into Texas via the Bravo river in November, 2023. Arrests of migrants attempting illegal crossings by US authorities were down significantly in December compared to late 2023. (Cuartoscuro)
The number of migrant arrests at the US-Mexico border in December 2024 was lower than those recorded when former U.S. President Donald Trump completed his term in 2020, according to the news agency Reuters.
About 47,000 migrants were caught illegally crossing into the United States from Mexico in December, a senior U.S. border official told Reuters. That figure is well below the 250,000 apprehended in December 2023 and is also notably lower than the 71,000 migrant arrests made in December 2020 as Trump concluded his 2017—2021 presidency, Reuters reported.
Migrants leave by night from Tapachula, Chiapas, heading toward northern Mexico. (Damián Sánchez/Cuartoscuro)
This drop in migrant apprehensions is part of a broader shift in border dynamics that includes a new migrant policy in Mexico — although immigration remains a subject of debate and concern as Trump prepares to begin his second term as the U.S. president on Jan. 20.
However, this relative calm could be upended, Reuters reports, if a Trump administration decides to carry out its threat of mass deportation in the coming months.
The number of migrants caught illegally crossing into the United States rose to record highs during President Joe Biden’s time in office, but it began to fall last year, especially after Mexico and Panama stepped up border enforcement.
A new migrant policy referred to as “dispersion and exhaustion” has become the center of the Mexican government’s immigration strategy, according to the Associated Press (AP). Last year, the policy significantly reduced the number of migrants reaching the U.S. border.
The Mexican government permits migrants to gather and organize in southern Mexico near the border with Guatemala. The authorities then allow them to walk for several weeks, whereupon immigration officials move in and offer the exhausted travelers bus tickets to cities further north.
The migrants are then dispersed at various cities not located along the traditional migrant route, told that they will be able to continue their journey north once their immigration status has been reviewed.
Migrant children celebrate Three Kings Day on the streets of Irapuato, Guanajuato, on Tuesday. Many of the children’s parents said they were waiting in Irapuato to hop illegally onto “La Bestia,” a cargo train that travels northward through Mexico to the U.S. border. (Pedro Anza/Cuartoscuro)
Instead, they find themselves in a no-man’s land, ignored by immigration authorities and without papers to legally depart the area.
“Immigration [officials] told us they were going to give us a permit to transit the country freely for 10, 15 days, and it wasn’t like that,” a 28-year-old Venezuelan migrant told the AP. “They left us dumped here [in the Pacific coast resort of Acapulco] without any way to get out. ”
Migrants have complained about the false promises to supply free transit permits, while others have discovered that the permits authorities gave them only allow them to travel within the state in which they were deposited. The migrants are further restricted by federal policy that prohibits bus companies from selling tickets to anyone without a visa or Mexican citizenship documents.
Two weeks ahead of Trump’s second inauguration, the AP reported, “Mexico continues dissolving attention-getting migrant caravans and dispersing migrants throughout the country to keep them far from the U.S. border while simultaneously limiting how many accumulate in any one place.”
More than a half dozen caravans of about 1,500 migrants each have set out from Chiapas in recent weeks, but none have made it very far.
Guadalajara, Mexico, will host four World Cup matches in 2026. (Monumental Estadio Jalisco/Facebook)
Jalisco is gearing up to receive a massive number of tourists for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as its capital of Guadalajara is one of three cities in Mexico that will host matches during the world’s biggest men’s soccer tournament.
Throughout the tournament, the state expects over one million visitors for the four matches that will be held at the Akron Stadium in Guadalajara. However, the state faces various challenges leading up to the event, including insecurity, limited hotel infrastructure and poor urban transportation.
According to Jalisco Tourism Minister Michelle Fridman, there are plans to build at least 11 new hotels in the Guadalajara metropolitan area ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Shutterstock)
In an interview with the news agency EFE, Jalisco’s new Tourism Minister Michelle Fridman spoke in detail about her strategy to transform the state by 2026.
“A tourist chooses their destination based on the offer, its infrastructure and security. If any of these elements are missing, they are less likely to choose to visit us [for the World Cup],” Fridman said.
Focus on tourist safety, hotel infrastructure, increased transportation and air connectivity
With more than 15 years in the tourism industry, Fridman has led significant transformations in Yucatán, positioning the state as an emerging tourism destination. Now, Fridman has been tasked with preparing Jalisco for the World Cup.
Her strategy includes modernizing the state’s tourism infrastructure, improving connectivity and taking advantage of high-profile events to better position the state as a world-class host. Currently, Jalisco is home to relevant international events such as the International Book Fair (FIL), the Guadalajara International Film Festival (GIFF) and the Mariachi and Charrería Festival.
Michelle Fridman, Jalisco’s new tourism minister, is prepared to transform Guadalajara ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (@Mich_fridman/X)
Her strategy also seeks to resolve the state’s current insecurity issues.
“Although the Tourism Ministry can’t completely resolve insecurity [on the state level], we can help visitors feel safer by developing containment programs and clear protocols for crisis situations,” Freidman told the news magazine Expansión.
Her efforts include collaborating with experts to identify and protect areas with high rates of delinquency and establish a police force focused on assisting visitors.
Improving roads and increasing the supply of hotel rooms and restaurants are a few of her other top priorities.
Jalisco currently boasts over 82,000 hotel rooms, with 28,000 located just in the Guadalajara metropolitan area. This infrastructure places the state second nationwide in terms of available hotel rooms, accounting for 9.3% of the country’s total.
Improving urban mobility within the city and to and from Guadalajara International Airport, as well as increasing air connectivity are also key areas of her strategy. Recently, the airline Viva Aerobús launched eight new flights from Guadalajara to U.S. destinations including Oakland, Dallas and San Antonio, while Aeroméxico has also added connections to Las Vegas, Denver and Miami.
Ultimately, Fridman’s strategy seeks to make Jalisco “the most Mexican venue of the World Cup.” State cultural symbols such as mariachi musicians, tequila and emblematic public figures, such as Vicente Fernández and Checo Pérez, will form part of the overall local narrative that will accompany the sporting event.
“We are going to be the most Mexican venue [for the World Cup],” the tourism minister stressed.
