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Ensenada’s Isaac del Toro makes history at Tour de France

By
MND Staff
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Del Toro on podium
Del Toro's third-place finish at the Tour de France put him on the podium and cemented his place in cycling history with the best result ever by a Mexican. (@TeamEmiratesUAE/X)

Isaac del Toro has delivered Mexico’s best result ever in the Tour de France, taking third place overall and crossing the finish line Sunday in the white jersey — indicative of the race’s best young rider.

Competing in his first Tour de France, the 22-year-old from Ensenada, Baja California, stood on the podium in Paris alongside Slovenian Tadej Pogačar, who rode to a record‑equaling fifth Tour title, and Belgian Remco Evenepoel.

Del Toro finished the three-week race 9 minutes, 42 seconds behind Pogačar, but comfortably ahead of his closest rival for the youth classification after a grueling final week in the Alps.

Evenepoel was 6:26 behind in second place following the last of 21 stages.

Early in the race, on a 168.5-kilometer stage held entirely in Spain, del Toro made history as only the second Mexican rider ever to win a stage of the Tour de France — and the first since Monterrey native Raúl Alcalá in 1989 and 1990.

On Sunday, ESPN compared Del Toro’s breakout in road cycling to Mexican pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, who won two top National League awards — the Cy Young Award, as the league’s best pitcher, and Rookie of the Year — in 1981, his first full season in the major leagues.

Del Toro battled illness in the final days but leaned on team support and Pogačar’s help on key climbs, including the summit finish to Alpe d’Huez. The two ride for the eight‑man UAE Team Emirates‑XRG squad.

“It’s not easy to finish on the podium being sick, so I’m really delighted and very grateful to the team for having done this for me,” he told Eurosport.

His performances — including the Barcelona stage win in which Pogačar eased up to let his young teammate take the victory — have turned him into a national figure. According to ESPN, murals have gone up in his honor, hills have been renamed in his native Ensenada, and cycling shops in Mexico are reporting rising demand for bikes and gear.

President Claudia Sheinbaum hailed Del Toro’s achievement on social media.

“Many congratulations to young Isaac del Toro,” she wrote Sunday on X. “Mexico is very proud of your effort, dedication and this great moment that inspires an entire country. Congratulations, Isaac! May your success continue.”

Del Toro’s Tour de France finish cemented his No. 3 status in the current Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) world rankings, behind only Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark.

His breakout 2025 season produced 16 victories across stage races and one‑day events, including several stage-race titles and second place overall at the prestigious Giro d’Italia.

Vingegaard, a two-time Tour de France champion, crashed out of this year’s race, suffering a broken collarbone during Stage 15 when he was in second place.

His departure opened the door for Pogačar, 27, whose fifth title tied him with Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Indurain and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault for the most Tour de France titles. American Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven titles following doping investigations by cycling authorities.

With reports from ESPN, El Universal, Cycling News and the Associated Press

Hurricane Genevieve gathers strength offshore, casting stormclouds over most of Mexico

By
MND Staff
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rainy street scene
It looks like Mexico will be spared from the worst of Hurricane Genevieve in the Pacific, but most states can still look forward to plenty of rain. (Chris Luengas/Unsplash)

Hurricane Genevieve briefly reached Category 5 in the early hours of Monday, becoming the first cyclone of this magnitude recorded in the eastern Pacific since Hurricane Kristy in 2024, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported.

As of 9 a.m. CST on Monday, the NHC said Genevieve was located approximately 855 kilometers south-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California Sur, with maximum sustained winds of 250 kilometers per hour and wind gusts up to 305 kilometers per hour.

Genevieve can be seen forming at the lower left in this photograph released by the National Meteorological Service from Sunday, when it was still a Category 3. Though it reached Category 5 in the pre-dawn hours Monday, its movement is taking it farther from the Mexican coast.  (SMS)

The system was moving northwest at 20 kilometers per hour on a track that kept it offshore and parallel to the Mexican coast, and is expected to maintain a west-northwest to northwest track over the next two days, gradually slowing its speed. 

Despite the hurricane’s strength, forecasters have ruled out any direct impact on Mexican territory, with no coastal watches or warnings in effect. 

However, the generated swells are already affecting Mexico’s southwest coast and are expected to reach southern Baja California, with the risk of potentially dangerous rip currents.

Rainfall forecast for most states 

According to the National Meteorological Service (SMN), cloud bands from Genevieve in the Pacific Ocean will increase the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rains in western Mexico, coinciding with the Mexican monsoon in the northwest and Tropical Wave Number 21 in the south, which will intensify the storms.

The SMN said very heavy rains are expected on Monday in at least 17 states, with particular intensity in Sonora, Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Here’s the rain forecast for Monday afternoon:

Very heavy rain with isolated intense downpours (75 to 150 millimeters): parts of Veracruz, Oaxaca, Chiapas and Tabasco. 

Heavy rain with isolated and very heavy downpours (50 to 75 millimeters): parts of Sonora, Chihuahua, Durango, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Guerrero and Puebla.

Showers with isolated heavy downpours (25 to 50 millimeters): parts of Hidalgo, México state, Mexico City, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

Periods of showers (5 to 25 millimeters): parts of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Tamaulipas, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato and Querétaro.

Isolated rain (0.1 to 5 millimeters): parts of Coahuila, Nuevo León and Aguascalientes.

With reports from Radio Fórmula and the Associated Press

MND Local: Experiencing a taste of Oaxaca at its annual mezcal festivals

By
Anna Bruce
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Sign for mezcal tasting in Oaxaca
Although there is never a shortage of opportunities to taste mezcal in Oaxaca, July is by far the best month to visit the state due to several signature festivals. (Anna Bruce)

July sees hundreds of thousands of visitors arriving in Oaxaca to celebrate (and photograph) the traditions of Guelaguetza. Many are on the hunt for the best mezcal, and there are many events to provide just that, ranging from tasting seminars to street parties.

The principal event in Oaxaca City is the Feria del Mezcal, hosted at the Centro Cultural y de Convenciones de Oaxaca (CCO) in Santa Lucía del Camino. This is a multi-day extravaganza concluding July 28. Although many treat the event like the world’s largest open bar, it is much more than that. It is an agro-industrial, cultural exhibition where you can find rare mezcals and meet the producers who make them.

Oaxaca’s mezcal sipping and sampling festivals

Oaxaca producer pouring mezcal at the Feria del Mezcal
For those seeking to sample the world’s best mezcals, the annual Feria del Mezcal offers a golden opportunity. (Anna Bruce)

Glynn Pegler runs two bars in Oaxaca City and says he has seen a “noticeable increase in the professionalism of the Feria this year. There is a full program of entertainment and seminars, and stricter controls on the quality of the products and their authenticity. From the quality of the displays and decorations in each of the mezcal stands this year, it is clear that everyone in the Feria has upped their game.”

Santiago Matatlán is a Oaxacan town known as “the World Capital of Mezcal.” The town recently hosted its own “Grand Mezcal Festival,” held from July 23-26, 2026. The dates coincided with the state celebration of Guelaguetza, as well as the town’s saint’s day (July 25) honoring Santiago Apóstol.

This year, the fair took place just a few blocks from the town square. Stalls showcased local mezcal brands, as well as traditional crafts and food. Over the course of the event, experts including Mabi Cuish, Carmen Vásquez and Cynthia Villalobos gave lectures. Music and dancing were featured in the form of a calenda, a cabalgata (horseback procession) and a jaripeo (rodeo).

An education in mezcal

Agave hearts displayed at the 2026 Feria del Mezcal in Oaxaca
Events like the annual Feria del Mezcal bring together Oaxaca’s best distillers for a celebration of the state’s most iconic product. (Anna Bruce)

The celebration integrates the mezcal tradition with other elements of Oaxaca’s cultural identity, strengthening the tourist offerings of Santiago Matatlán and its connection with Guelaguetza activities.

On Saturday, organizers presented awards, cheered on by the festival crowd. These included diplomas for students who completed a course in mezcal production through the “University of Mezcal.” The main event was the Largest Agave Heart Contest, sponsored by ProMez. The contest recognizes the quality and effort of the producers, highlighting two fundamental aspects of the agave: its sugar content, measured in degrees Brix, and the weight of the hearts.

“University of Mezcal” graduates also celebrated during the festival. (Anna Bruce)

Although the Grand Mezcal Festival in Matatlán has finished, you can still visit the community and the mezcal producers who work there. You can do this by reaching out to mezcalerías such as Quiote or by contacting local guides.

Anna Bruce is an award-winning British photojournalist based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Just some of the media outlets she has worked with include Vice, The Financial Times, Time Out, Huffington Post, The Times of London, the BBC and Sony TV. Find out more about her work at her website or visit her on social media on Instagram or on Facebook.

2 separate freight derailments prompt emergency responses

By
MND Staff
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1
One of the derailments in Naco, Sonora, caused a chemical spill whose contents and extent remain unclear.
One of the derailments in Naco, Sonora, caused a chemical spill whose contents and extent remain unclear. (X)

In two separate incidents on Saturday night, a tank car on a freight train derailed, prompting the mobilization of emergency services while specialized personnel carried out containment efforts.

Authorities declared a Code Red in the northern state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, after a Pemex-owned tank car carrying 70,000 liters of gasoline tipped over when a freight train derailed. 

The incident, which occurred in the Kansas City Southern rail yard in Ciudad Madero, triggered hazardous materials response protocols. 

Municipal, state and federal authorities cordoned off the perimeter and established a command post. Specialized personnel quickly evaluated the scene to consider the possibility of leaks, fire hazards and explosion risks.

The situation was fraught with danger as the Ferrocarrilera Talleres neighborhood — the site of the accident — is one of the most sensitive railway and industrial corridors in southern Tamaulipas. Its proximity to logistics infrastructure linked to Petróleos Mexicanos — including the Madero Refinery — prompted authorities to consider an evacuation, though it was deemed not necessary.

Local officials urged the public to avoid the area while the authorities continued trying to secure the tanker truck, citing the risk posed by any maneuver involving a vehicle loaded with fuel. Authorities — along with Pemex personnel — were preparing to transfer the fuel to a different tank car on Monday.

As of Sunday night, authorities had not reported any injuries or fuel spills.

In the second incident, a freight train derailed in the municipality of Naco, Sonora, approximately 20 miles south of the U.S. border.

The derailment occurred just outside the town of Ejido Cuauhtémoc on the railway tracks used by Ferromex, a private rail transport company that operates the largest freight railway network in Mexico.

According to official information from the Sonora civil protection agency, one of the tank cars overturned during the derailment, causing the spillage of a chemical substance.

Although neither the type of chemical involved nor the volume of the spilled material was specified, specialists were inspecting the site to define remediation measures and rule out additional risks.

Emergency personnel were carrying out assessment, monitoring and control work to determine the extent of the spill and reduce any risk to the environment and ensure public safety.

The area remains under precautionary protection while technical operations continue to determine the cause of the accident, to recover the spilled chemical and to ensure safe conditions before resuming rail operations.

The incident occurred less than two weeks before the 12th anniversary of one of the biggest environmental disasters in Mexico’s history. On Aug. 7, 2014, a chemical spill despoiled the Sonora River, affecting more than 22,000 inhabitants across eight municipalities.

With reports from La Jornada, Hoy Tamaulipas, Nación 321 and El Sol de Tampico

Modern tech and an old find combine to shed new light on the Maya

By
MND Staff
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The mural was molded inside an arch-shaped vault, which recreates the inner space of a cave. (Daniel Salazar/INAH)

The digital reconstruction of a charcoal mural discovered more than two decades ago in the ancient Maya city of Calakmul, Campeche, has revealed the earliest known evidence of calendrical writing in Calakmul, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) reported. 

Until this discovery, there was no evidence of early written communication in Calakmul, as most of its known inscriptions date from the Classic period (250-900 CE). 

Map with Calakmul
(Google Maps)

“Now, we can include Calakmul as one of the places where these types of manifestations exist,” head of the research project Daniel Salazar Lama said in a press conference. 

Measuring 1.90 meters wide by 1.70 meters high, the painting depicts the mythical Maya hero Juun Ajaw hunting a creature in the water. Next to him is a symbol corresponding to a day marker within the 260-day ritual calendar cycle known as Tzolk’in. 

The mural could represent an episode in the life cycle of the maize god, likely a propitiatory or renewal ritual, Salazar explained, adding that the calendrical date appears to have been drawn after the main scene, commemorating the hunting and sacrificial episode featuring Juun Ajaw. 

Salazar said that this discovery places Calakmul at the “center of the cultural explosion of the Maya Lowlands during the Late Preclassic period [400 BCE-250 CE],” alongside cities such as San Bartolo, El Mirador and Tikal — all in Guatemala — recognized for their monumental architecture and early writing.

New technologies shed light 

The mural was found inside an arched vault at Calakmul, as part of the Calakmul Archaeological Project led by archaeologist Ramón Carrasco Vargas, after which it was transferred to the National Coordination for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage in 2005 for study and conservation.

Because the painting was in poor condition upon discovery, scientists had been unable to appreciate the scene with the naked eye. But modern techniques, including photogrammetry and digital drawing, made it possible for researchers to finally reconstruct the artwork. 

The new technology also provided new evidence about the mural’s age. 

The building housing the mural was originally thought to have been built between 400 and 390 BCE, but scientists now believe it dates from between 400 and 200 BCE. The drawing style itself also supports this theory. However, further samples are needed to pinpoint the date.

Archaeologists also determined that the chamber containing the mural was deliberately designed to evoke the interior of a cave, a space of profound cosmological significance for the Maya. 

Mexico News Daily

MND Local: Dengue cases drop in Jalisco and Mexico’s first openly gay mayor is killed while visiting Guadalajara

By
Dawn Stoner
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La Minerva sculpture in Guadalajara
Jalisco health authorities have made progress this year in curbing dengue cases, but a high-profile assassination of Mexico's first openly gay mayor in Guadalajara has garnered more headlines. (Roman Lopez/Unsplash)

This week in Guadalajara, there is good news on seasonal dengue cases, while global challenges are taking a toll on Canadian airline WestJet. Finally, we look at the life and death of Mexico’s first openly gay mayor.

Dengue cases down 90% in Jalisco this year

Dengue cases in Jalisco are down sharply from a year ago, with only 90 reported year to date compared with 917 during the same period last year. Of the confirmed infections this year, seven were classified as severe (hemorrhagic) dengue, 51 were nonsevere cases, and the remaining 32 were classified as cases with warning signs.

The drop in dengue cases in 2026 reflects a concerted public effort to eliminate breeding sites, fog high-risk areas before the rainy season, encourage residents to prevent standing water around their homes through a public health campaign and expand monitoring across the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area to track mosquito density and the presence of the virus.

That said, eight deaths are under investigation statewide, with dengue infections suspected as the cause. According to Jalisco Health Secretary Héctor Raúl Pérez Gómez, the highest risk is concentrated in coastal and tropical forest areas, specifically Cocula, Teuchitlán, Atengo and Chiquilistlán, where most cases this year have been identified.

Gómez also reported that ovitraps — used to detect the presence of the dengue virus — tested negative in areas that drew large crowds during the recently concluded World Cup events, including around Estadio Akron and fan fest sites across the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. This suggests there is likely no active dengue virus in those locations, despite the presence of mosquitoes.

He added that there are currently no reported cases in Jalisco of two other mosquito-borne diseases — Zika or chikungunya — despite recent outbreaks of chikungunya in Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Jalisco’s rainy season runs through late October, and infection risk typically rises from late July through September, when dengue cases historically peak.

WestJet suspends nonstop flights between Guadalajara and Calgary

Canadians heading to Mexico this winter will have fewer routes to choose from. WestJet, Canada’s second-largest carrier, is suspending its Calgary-Guadalajara route from Oct. 19, 2026, through April 24, 2027.

WestJet airliner during takeoff
Canadian airline WestJet is suspending service on its flight to Guadalajara, starting this fall and continuing to spring 2027. (calgaryplanes.com/Wikimedia Commons)

The changes come a week after WestJet confirmed 20 route suspensions to the United States amid fare increases driven by rising fuel costs tied to the ongoing war in Iran and weakening demand. Demand-side pressures have also been linked to a widespread avoidance of U.S. travel by Canadians in response to President Donald Trump’s posture toward Canada during his second term.

“These route updates better align capacity with demand while maintaining operational reliability,” the airline said in an online statement.

In addition to service cuts, WestJet is dealing with a labor dispute involving about 4,400 unionized flight attendants, who recently voted to strike after 10 months of unsuccessful contract negotiations.

The flight attendants have been without a contract since the previous agreement expired Dec. 31, 2025.

Mexico’s first openly gay mayor shot and killed in Guadalajara

Benjamín Medrano Quezada, Mexico’s first openly gay mayor, was shot and killed July 7 while leaving an ice cream shop in the Santa Elena de la Cruz neighborhood on Guadalajara’s north side.

The 59-year-old served as mayor of Fresnillo, Zacatecas, from 2013 to 2015 and later as a federal deputy in Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies, representing Zacatecas’ 1st District.

 

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The assailant shot Medrano Quezada multiple times in the face before fleeing on a motorcycle. Another report suggested there may have been two attackers. Authorities have not announced suspects or a motive.

“We express our deepest condolences to his family and friends, and we accompany them in this moment of grief, wishing them strength in the face of this irreparable loss,” the Fresnillo City Council said in a statement.

In addition to his political career, Medrano Quezada was a singer and owned a gay bar in Fresnillo. In 2022, he was accused of embezzling public funds while serving as president of the board of trustees for the National Fair of Zacatecas in 2019. A complaint filed by the Zacatecas State Public Administration Secretariat alleged he embezzled more than 60 million pesos (about US $3.4 million). Medrano Quezada later missed a mandatory hearing, prompting authorities to issue an arrest warrant.

The Zacatecas attorney general told U.S.-based outlet MundoNow that a judge overturned the warrant in 2025, meaning Medrano Quezada was not a fugitive at the time of his death.

Despite being openly gay, Medrano Quezada held conservative views and opposed same-sex marriage and adoption. In 2013, he said: “Our idiosyncrasies do not allow it. Not because we lack the capacity to do it, but we cannot go against doctrines and customs.”

MND Writer Dawn Stoner is reporting from Guadalajara.

Discovering Mexico: San Luis Potosí

By
MND Plus
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(Mexico News Daily)

San Luis Potosí is for you if you like: Nature, colonial architecture, weird British artists.

San Luis Potosí is a state that challenges most assumptions about Mexico’s geography. From its UNESCO-listed capital, where more than 500 historic monuments line 42 streets, to the waterfalls and subtropical canyons of the Huasteca Potosina, it offers a spectrum of landscapes that still feel hidden from both domestic and international travelers. You can spend the morning on the Calzada de Guadalupe — one of the longest pedestrian avenues in the Americas — and the afternoon paddling upriver toward a 105-meter curtain of water, then return to the city for gorditas and an evening walk past Baroque façades and wide, tree-shaded plazas.

What makes San Luis Potosí compelling is not only its visual variety but the way nature, history and a touch of surrealism intersect. In the east, jungle rivers feed emerald pools and cascades at sites like Tamasopo and Puente de Diós, while deep in the Huasteca, a concrete labyrinth at Las Pozas turns a hillside into a walkable surrealist dreamscape. On high desert plateaus, the abandoned mining town of Real de Catorce and the sacred landscape of Wirikuta add pilgrimage routes, ghostly mining ruins and wide, open skies, underscoring that this is a territory with as much spiritual resonance as scenic appeal. Between one of Mexico’s largest urban parks, canyon rivers, cave-like water formations and mountains revered as a place of origin, San Luis Potosí invites visitors not just to see nature, but to engage with a state that deserves to be as recognized as an equal to legendary regions like Oaxaca and Guanajuato.

San Luis Potosí: Mexico’s best kept secret

When talking about the state of San Luis Potosí, it makes sense to start with the capital. A UNESCO-listed historic center of 42 streets and roughly 500 monuments, it pairs colonial architecture with a laid-back urban rhythm that many travelers would never think to seek out here. Plaza by plaza, it reveals itself as a city of wide sidewalks, generous shade and everyday rituals, where grabbing a coffee and wandering past sandstone façades feels less like sightseeing and more like slipping into the local routine.

Beyond the downtown core, a network of former mining villages, vast public parks and quiet neighborhoods extends that sense of lived-in history into the surrounding hills. This is a place where 19th-century industrial heritage sits alongside contemporary art spaces and weekend family outings, giving visitors multiple entry points into the region’s past and present.

Farther afield, the waterfalls and canyons of the Huasteca Potosina introduce a very different version of the state, one defined by jungle rivers, steep ravines and small communities that have built a modest tourism economy around the area’s natural assets. Taken together, these landscapes — urban and rural, desert and subtropical — make San Luis Potosí a destination that rewards curiosity, inviting travelers to look past the usual hotspots and spend time with a corner of Mexico that still feels genuinely undiscovered.

Was Edward James’ magnum opus in San Luis Potosí art or egocentrism?

Las Pozas, the Edward James Sculpture Garden outside Xilitla, is best approached with time and a willingness to walk slowly. Set in subtropical forest in the Huasteca Potosina, the site combines concrete structures, waterfalls and pools across several hectares dedicated to both sculpture and ecological conservation. Visitors follow paths and stairways that weave between towers, arches and platforms, with vegetation and water constantly in view, making the experience feel more like moving through a landscape than visiting a conventional monument.

For travelers, the practical side of a visit is straightforward but worth planning. Entry is limited and organized in timed groups with mandatory guides, so advance reservations and early arrivals are recommended, especially on weekends and holidays. The garden sits above Xilitla, a Pueblo Mágico with basic services, lodging and transport options, which makes it a natural base for exploring the area’s other attractions, including nearby waterfalls and viewpoints.

On the ground, the effect of Las Pozas is cumulative rather than centered on a single highlight. As visitors move between structures and natural features, the combination of sound, humidity, plant life and concrete begins to define the visit as much as any one staircase or tower. It is a place where art, landscape and local stewardship now intersect, offering a distinctive stop on a broader San Luis Potosí itinerary for travelers interested in both nature and the traces of one of surrealism’s more ambitious projects.

Love nature? Here’s where to hike in San Luis Potosí

San Luis Potosí offers a range of hikes that can be tailored to different levels of experience, starting with the Tamasopo area in the Huasteca Potosina. Here, a network of waterfalls, pools and rivers creates a natural setting that functions almost like an outdoor water park, with jumping platforms, bridges and rope swings for those who want more activity, and flatter riverside paths at nearby Cascaditas for visitors who prefer a slower, less strenuous walk. Access involves a roughly three-hour drive from the capital, making it a full-day outing that combines time on the trail with swimming and time by the water.

In the high desert, Real de Catorce serves as the starting point for a more demanding hike to Cerro del Quemado, or Wirikuta, a site recognized as a UNESCO Natural Sacred Area and central to Wixárika cosmology. The route covers around 15 kilometers at altitude and can be done on foot or on horseback, with additional options to visit El Pueblo Fantasma, the ruins of a former silver mine at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level. This part of the state appeals to travelers interested in combining physical effort with an encounter with living Indigenous tradition and the remnants of the region’s mining history.

For those drawn to river travel, the journey upriver to the Tamul waterfall adds another dimension to hiking in San Luis Potosí. After an early start and a stop for breakfast in Río Verde, visitors board wooden boats and paddle against the current for about an hour to reach the base of the 105-meter-high falls, with opportunities to swim and take photos near the cascade and to walk up to La Cueva del Agua, a cave pool set above the river.

This cave in San Luis Potosí was hiding Ice Age giants

For travelers interested in the deeper timelines of a place, the Calera cave system in San Luis Potosí adds a striking layer to the state’s appeal. Known among specialists as the setting for the documentary “Crypt of the Megafauna,” the cave sits in the Sierra del Abra and has yielded fossils of mammoths, giant sloths, saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, camels, bison and other Ice Age animals, after a team led by cave biologist Luis Espinasa went in looking for cavefish and instead found a dense concentration of ancient bones. The work to document the site has involved tight vertical entrances, underwater sections and the use of a remotely operated vehicle nicknamed “Robo-Teddy,” underscoring that this is an active research environment rather than a conventional tourist stop.

While Calera itself is not open for casual visits, its story is accessible through the film and through the broader context of San Luis Potosí’s caves and karst landscapes. For travelers, this makes the region a natural fit for those who combine surface-level hiking and nature trips with an interest in what lies beneath, from cavefish and underground streams to paleontological work that is still ongoing. Local guides and caving clubs occasionally organize specialized trips in the wider Sierra del Abra for experienced participants, which can add a technical component to an itinerary that might otherwise focus on waterfalls and rivers in the Huasteca Potosina.

Even for visitors who never enter a cave, the Calera discoveries contribute to the way San Luis Potosí is understood. Knowing that the same state now known for mezcal routes, hiking to sacred mountains and boating to waterfalls also holds evidence of mammoths and five-ton ground sloths helps situate present-day landscapes within a longer natural history.

San Luis Potosí’s former penitentiary is its best museum

In San Luis Potosí’s capital, one of the most compelling stops for travelers interested in art and history is the Centro de las Artes de San Luis Potosí Centenario, housed in the state’s former main penitentiary. The late-19th-century neoclassical complex, once organized as a panopticon with cells radiating from a central tower, has been restored and repurposed as a cultural center, with courtyards, former cell blocks and corridors now serving as exhibition spaces, classrooms and performance areas. Walking through the main gates, visitors move from heavy stone walls into open-air patios and smaller galleries, where rotating contemporary art shows sit alongside traces of the building’s past use.

Within this larger complex, the Museo Leonora Carrington functions as a museum-within-a-museum devoted to one of Mexico’s key surrealist artists. Opened in 2018, it houses an extensive collection of Carrington’s sculptures, jewelry, engravings, drawings and personal objects, with several courtyards dedicated to large-scale works that visitors can view from multiple angles. Inside, former cells have been adapted to display smaller pieces and archival materials, allowing travelers to move between outdoor installations and more intimate rooms that highlight different periods of Carrington’s career.

A visit can be folded easily into a day spent in the historic center, as the complex sits within walking distance of other museums, churches and plazas. Depending on the timing, visitors may also encounter festivals and events such as the annual wine fair held in the courtyards, adding a contemporary social dimension to a space that once served a very different function.

San Luis Potosí, Where Nature Feels Like a Dream / Sub English

How to get there

By air:

San Luis Potosi International Airport: The airport offers flights to Mexico’s main metropolitan hubs, plus international links to Dallas-Forth Worth, Houston, San Antonio and Chicago.

Aguascalientes: A similar international selection, Houston, Dallas-Forth Worth, Chicago and Los Angeles, plus domestic destinations across Mexico. Located 168 km (104 miles).

Zacatecas: Though the airport is modest, it offers flights to Los Angeles, San Jose, Dallas and Chicago. Domestically, the airport links to Guadalajara, Mexico City and Tijuana.

By road: 

San Miguel de Allende: 170 km (105 miles), roughly a 2 hour drive.

Mexico City: 411 km (255 miles), roughly a 4 and a half hour drive

Laredo, Texas: 727 km (452 miles), roughly an 8 hour drive.

Guadalajara: 344 km (213 miles), roughly a 4 hour drive.

Mexico News Daily

How new routes and renovations are reshaping air travel in Mexico

By
María Ruiz
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4
(Camila Ayala Benabib/Cuartoscuro)

As Mexico stepped onto the global stage as a 2026 World Cup host, the country has been undergoing another transformation: an airport and air connectivity boom that’s changing how residents and visitors move around the country and the world. From record numbers of new routes to long-delayed terminal upgrades finally materializing, 2026 is turning into a watershed year for Mexican aviation.

This guide walks through the most significant infrastructure upgrades and new international connections so far — from Cancún’s 17 new routes to Viva’s debut at JFK’s New Terminal One and Volaris’ massive U.S. expansion — and what they mean for travelers, tourism and Mexico’s wider economy.

An unprecedented wave of airport upgrades

Here are all the major airport upgrades in Mexico in 2026 so far

Mexico is in the midst of an airport building and renovation drive on a scale not seen in recent memory, driven in large part by the 2026 FIFA World Cup and sustained growth in tourism and business travel. Federal and airport authorities have earmarked billions of pesos to upgrade terminals, expand runways and modernize security and baggage systems at key hubs, including Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey.

At Mexico City International Airport (AICM), a roughly US $500 million renovation program is racing to upgrade a nearly century‑old facility while keeping it fully operational. The first phase has focused on new terminal façades, refreshed waiting areas, renovated restrooms and updated baggage carousels, with officials indicating that most passenger‑facing improvements would be ready in time for the World Cup, while more technical and back‑of‑house work continues into late 2026.

Monterrey’s General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MTY) is also undergoing a major transformation, with about US $400 million going into expanded gates, larger aircraft aprons and upgraded terminal spaces. This reflects not only its role as a World Cup gateway but also its growing importance as a nearshoring and business hub in northern Mexico.

Cancún: 17 new ways to reach the Caribbean

Cancún rings in the New Year with 17 new international flights 

Nowhere illustrates Mexico’s surging connectivity better than Cancún and the broader Mexican Caribbean. Seventeen new routes are being rolled out between late 2025 and mid‑2026, linking Cancún and nearby Cozumel to a wide range of U.S., Canadian and even European cities.

On the U.S. side, airlines such as Breeze, Frontier, Southwest, Sun Country and others are adding seasonal and year‑round routes from cities including Charleston, Norfolk, New Orleans, Providence, Tulsa, Charlotte, Chicago Midway and Raleigh‑Durham. Many of these routes are designed to feed winter sun demand and the summer World Cup travel surge, offering more nonstops that bypass traditional hubs.

Canada and Europe are also better connected. New flights from Toronto, Hamilton, Charlottetown and Fredericton deepen Canada–Caribbean ties, while Aer Lingus’ new Dublin–Cancún service marks the first non‑stop link between Ireland and Mexico’s Caribbean coast. Cozumel, often overshadowed by Cancún, gets a direct seasonal route from Calgary, giving Canadian travelers a new way to reach the island without transiting through other Mexican hubs.

Viva Aerobus lands at JFK’s New Terminal One

Viva to connect Mexico City and Monterrey with JFK’s New Terminal One

In New York, Mexico’s airport moment is converging with one of the largest U.S. terminal projects: JFK’s New Terminal One (NTO). Viva Aerobus — now branded simply as Viva — will become the first Latin American airline to operate from this massive new facility, underscoring the importance of the Mexico–U.S. leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market.

Viva will launch nonstop flights linking NTO with two key Mexican metros: Mexico City, via Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA) north of the capital, and Monterrey, via Monterrey International Airport. Operating from a state‑of‑the‑art terminal with ample low‑cost carrier‑friendly infrastructure gives Viva a competitive foothold in one of the most coveted transborder markets, while also offering Mexican travelers easier access to New York City through a modern, well‑connected gateway.

For AIFA, which has struggled to attract international long‑haul traffic and robust domestic connections, the Viva–JFK link is a symbolic win. Although the German carrier Lufthansa has openly ruled out moving any of its Mexico City operations to AIFA due to limited connectivity and infrastructure, low‑cost point‑to‑point routes like Viva’s highlight the airport’s potential niche in specific markets.

Lufthansa’s bet on Mexico City–Munich

Lufthansa plans more weekly CDMX-Munich flights, but rules out AIFA connections

At the other end of the price spectrum, Lufthansa is doubling down on Mexico’s premium long‑haul segment. The German airline plans to increase its Mexico City–Munich route from three to five weekly flights starting in the winter season, pending approval from Mexico City’s slot‑constrained main airport.

The move would add hundreds of extra weekly seats between central Europe and Mexico, complementing Lufthansa’s existing daily Frankfurt–Mexico City service. If demand holds up, the airline has signaled its intention to keep the five weekly Munich flights as a permanent feature rather than a purely seasonal expansion tied to the World Cup.

What it all means for travelers and the economy

For travelers, the immediate impact is more choice: more nonstops, more origin cities, and in many cases more competitive fares as low‑cost carriers expand in parallel with legacy airlines. For tourism‑dependent regions like Quintana Roo, the new routes represent a lifeline that spreads risk beyond traditional markets and seasons, while for industrial hubs such as Monterrey and Guadalajara, improved connectivity supports nearshoring, trade and business travel.

At a macro level, Mexico’s airport and airline boom reflects a country trying to reconcile aging infrastructure with record demand. Renovations at AICM and expansions at regional airports are racing not just against the World Cup calendar, but against long‑term growth in both domestic and international passenger numbers. Whether the upgrades will be enough — and whether new routes remain viable after the tournament — will largely depend on how well Mexico continues to position itself as both a tourism powerhouse and a strategic aviation bridge between North and South America.

Mexico News Daily 

El Jalapeño: Guadalajara residents to receive contaminated water at ‘very affordable rates,’ state officials say

By
El Jalapeno
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Contaminated tap water is common in many Guadalajara neighborhoods, which is why state water officials have agreed to deliver it at "deeply discounted rates." (This image was generated using AI tools)

All stories in El Jalapeño are satire and not real news. Check out the original article here.

GUADALAJARA — State water authorities assured Guadalajara residents Monday that while the tap water delivered to hundreds of thousands of homes currently features a rust-colored hue, a gritty texture and a distinct metallic aroma, it remains an unbeatable value at 80% off the standard rate.

The discount, approved by the Jalisco state Congress, applies to roughly 600 neighborhoods supplied by the Intermunicipal System of Potable Water and Sewerage Services (SIAPA). Officials noted the price adjustment reflects a consumer-first framework where utility fees scale directly with fluid quality, ensuring citizens never overpay for a lack of clarity.

Woman holding up bottle of dirty Guadalajara tap water at demonstration.
A Guadalajara resident proudly displays the only slightly contaminated water that qualified her for an incredible discount. (IMDEC AC)

“We recognize the water arriving at your kitchen sink may not technically meet international definitions of ‘potable,’ but from an inflation-adjusted perspective, this is a remarkable savings opportunity,” said SIAPA spokesperson Fernando Morales, gesturing toward a pitcher of dark amber tap water. “I mean, this water is an amazing bargain, considering what we’re charging for it.”

Under the new policy, state human rights officials will inspect taps across 750,000 households to confirm whether municipal output crosses the threshold from clear drinking water into the deeply discounted sediment class. Residents whose water accidentally runs entirely transparent will, unfortunately, remain locked into the full 100% price rate.

Both quality-dependent fee structures will continue to fund SIAPA operations, including drainage maintenance, administrative overhead and the specialized team tasked with explaining why a bad deal on usable water becomes a fantastic deal when the water is unusable.

Local civic groups, who originally petitioned under the slogan “If there is no clean water, no payment,” expressed quiet amazement at the legislative response. State officials, however, urged the public to focus on the economic upside rather than minor daily inconveniences like boiling laundry.

“Paying zero pesos for murky water would suggest the service has no value,” Morales added, reassuring reporters that the billing software was functioning properly. “By charging a modest 20%, we allow citizens to enjoy the financial triumph of securing hundreds of gallons of industrial-grade sludge at wholesale clearance rates.”

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Mexico’s critically endangered axolotl proves an international success

By
Bob Pateman
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Endemic to the Xochimilco canals of Mexico City, the iconic axolotl is disappearing from the wild ... even as it has never been more popular as a pet. (Fundación UNAM)

The remarkable axolotl is native to the lakes and wetlands of highland Mexico. It is closely related to salamanders, but unlike its amphibian cousins, it does not undergo a complete metamorphosis, remaining an aquatic creature throughout its life. This is reflected in the name, axolotl being a Nahuatl word that has been translated as “water servant” or “water dog.” They have become critically endangered due to a combination of factors, including the loss of habitat and the pollution of the waters that remain available to them. The introduction of carp and tilapia into the lakes to provide fish for the local market also proved a disaster as these predators took a heavy toll on axolotl eggs and juveniles. It is uncertain how many axolotls survive in the wild, but it is probably no more than 1,000, and perhaps much fewer.

The thriving axolotl pet trade

Ironically, while they are disappearing in the wild, there are hundreds of thousands of axolotls being kept as pets in aquariums around the world. It is easy to see why axolotls attract pet owners, for they are amusing animals to look at with their fringed gills and what appears to be an endless smile. Their popularity has increased recently thanks to their appearance in animated movies and video games, most notably Minecraft. They are generally considered good pets in that they are not dangerous in any way, and any diseases they might carry do not pass to humans. Another bonus is that they can live up to 15 years under optimal conditions, so you get value for money.

 

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Even if they are released into the wild, which they never should be, they are unlikely to become a threat to native wildlife. And they do occasionally get released. In April 2026, a young girl looking for frogs and fish in a British river made the first documented discovery of an axolotl living in the wild in Europe. On the downside, they are sensitive animals that require a lot of care, which includes providing a gentle flow of cool water and ensuring minimal light exposure. Anybody keeping them needs to invest in specialized tank filters and be prepared to make frequent water changes. It is feared that many captive axolotls experience stress due to poor living conditions.

Legal controls and regulations

In addition to the ethical demands of keeping axolotls, there are also legal considerations. As a critically endangered species, they have been added to Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. This means that international trade in these animals is strictly controlled, and restrictions and regulations can change from country to country. In Mexico, you must purchase your axolotl from a certified breeder and have authorization from the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources to keep them. However, regulations can change from place to place. For example, while axolotls can be kept in many U.S. states, owning one as a pet is illegal in California, Maine, New Jersey and Virginia.

A major concern is not that axolotls make dangerous or difficult pets, but that captivity is changing the animals. A feature that has always attracted considerable attention is the axolotl’s healing ability. It does not heal by scarring, but is capable of tissue regeneration. Entire limbs and tails can regrow over a period of months, and in certain cases even organs can be replaced. Much of the stock now available in the pet trade is thought to have originated from a small number of wild axolotls that were collected for medical research in the late 1880s.

Captive breeding programs

As few if any animals are now captured in the wild, the captive gene pool is small, and it is feared that this has made pet axolotls susceptible to genetic defects that might include a weakened immune system, poorly developed digestive systems and underdeveloped gills. In the wild, axolotls develop different colors but are typically a dark brown, tan or gray, often with dark spots, a color combination that helps them blend into the muddy waters of their native lakes.

In captivity, breeding pairs are deliberately chosen to produce colors thought attractive to the pet trade. At one point, it was thought that captive axolotls might even have been crossbred with tiger salamanders. The result is strains of animals that might look like axolotls but do not necessarily represent any animals found in the wild. Releasing a pink or albino axolotl into a Mexican lake would be like putting a pack of dachshunds into the Serengeti and pretending they are African hunting dogs.

Conservation efforts

This is a vital issue, for if the pet trade has any higher goal, then it is the dream that one day captive stock might be returned to the Mexican lakes. This is one reason that an Axolotl Museum and Amphibian Conservation Center has been opened in Chapultepec Zoo. A recent experiment in releasing captive axolotls has proved remarkably successful. In April 2025, captive-bred axolotls were released into the artificially created wetland of La Cantera Oriente and the animals seemed to do well. They carried small trackers, and not only did all survive the initial release, but those later captured and weighed had put on weight, showing they were successfully hunting. It might work in the axolotl’s favor that they are optimistic eaters, taking anything from worms to insect larvae.

A pink ajolotl in an aquarium
A captive axolotl that displays the characteristic pink coloring that comes from cross-breeding, perhaps with other species like the tiger salamander. (Pixabay)

Attempting to protect populations in the heartlands of Lake Xochimilco is even more ambitious. A decade-long project led by the Ecological Restoration Laboratory of the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Biology Institute has attempted to do just that. The axolotl has lived alongside humans for many generations and has adjusted to the traditional farming methods practiced since Mexica times. Therefore, the project involved working with local farmers to restore chinampas, those small agricultural islands that once fed the great city of Tenochtitlán.

Hope for the future

It was hoped that these would both provide a haven for axolotls and support sustainable agriculture for the local people. A major problem is that the waters of Xochimilco are no longer flushed clean with spring water from the mountains, so biofilters have to be built. These are stacks of volcanic rocks and reedy plants placed around the chinampas to clean the water and provide shelter from predator fish.

After the early promise with such projects, there was a concern when a couple of adult axolotls were seen to be taken by egrets. This raises the possibility that captive-bred axolotls might lack the survival instincts of those brought up in the wild. However, where there is goodwill, there is hope. Since 2018, Feb. 1 has been celebrated as National Axolotl Day, drawing attention to one of Mexico’s most charming, remarkable and endangered animals.

Bob Pateman lived in Mexico for six years. He is a librarian and teacher with a Master’s Degree in History.

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