City Clerk Moisés Ríos Pérez, seen here with provisional Mazatlán Mayor Minerva Osuna Zavala, says he's hoping the 900 new troops, bringing the total to more than 1,300, will allow authorities to station security personnel throughout the entire city.
(Mazatlán Municipal Government)
A contingent of 900 Mexican Army troops arrived in the early hours of Thursday at the port of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, as part of a security reinforcement in response to a series of armed attacks in recent weeks.
City Clerk Moisés Ríos Pérez said the newly arrived soldiers bring the total number of troops for the enhanced security operations to more than 1,300.
Ríos explained that the Public Security and Defense Ministries, and other authorities involved in daily security meetings, are working on accommodating the new troops before defining their operational deployment.
“Nine hundred arrived at midnight yesterday; we are struggling to relocate them at the moment,” Ríos told local media. “But we’re hoping that with this new number we can now deploy them throughout the municipality . . . to prevent more [violence].”
The security reinforcement, a joint effort among federal, state and municipal authorities, comes in response to a surge in violence that has marked the start of the summer holiday season in the port city and tourist destination.
Between July 12 and 18, local media reported Mazatlán recorded seven homicides and one femicide, in addition to a shooting and suspected explosive attack on a home. On July 17 and 18 alone, six armed attacks were reported in less than 24 hours, leaving four dead and three wounded. Days later, between July 22 and 23, five more people were murdered in less than a day.
Investigations by the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) are underway to clarify the homicides and to identify the victims and the perpetrators.
Since September 2024, Mazatlán has been the scene of armed attacks, kidnappings, disappearances, and murders.
Some of the new personnel will be stationed in areas such as Germán Evers and Urías, while another group will guard the federal highways leading to Durango and Nayarit. The effort aims to protect both residents and tourists arriving at the destination during peak season.
On Friday, Sheinbaum shared new national survey results showing that fewer Mexicans feel unsafe in their cities, as well as highlighting a drop in the homicide rate in Morelos. (Presidencia)
Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
🎤 Cuernavaca cabinet meeting: Sheinbaum held her Friday presser in Morelos, spotlighting a 54% murder-rate drop under Gov. Margarita González, credited to the federal Plan Morelos.
📊 Security perception improves: INEGI’s Q2 survey showed 59.8% of respondents feel unsafe in their city, down from 61.5% in March and 63.8% in December.
🚨Temoac mayor murder: Federal agents are aiding Morelos prosecutors probing the killing of Mayor Valentín Lavín Moreno, who had alleged ties to local crime groups; his in-laws were arrested Thursday.
📰 Oaxaca journalist killing: Federal prosecutors took over the case of slain journalist Alejandro Leyva at Oaxaca’s request; Sheinbaum tasked the AG with meeting Leyva’s family.
⚖️ Ruffo arrest not political: Sheinbaum denied persecution claims over ex-Baja California governor Ernesto Ruffo’s arrest, tying it to a 12-month fuel theft probe involving his company, Ingemar.
Why today’s mañanera matters
President Claudia Sheinbaum held her Friday morning press conference in Cuernavaca, the capital of the state of Morelos, continuing a practice begun in January of holding regional Security Cabinet meetings on the road to highlight local challenges.
Located just south of Mexico City, Morelos is the third-smallest entity in the republic, with a population of just under 2 million residents.
President Sheinbaum gave her Friday morning press conference from Cuernavaca, state capital of Morelos. (Gobierno de Cuernavaca)
Morelos is grappling with corruption and organized crime challenges, though murder rates have dropped by 54% since Governor Margarita González was sworn in on Oct. 1, 2024 (the same day Sheinbaum took office).
Officials credited Plan Morelos — a joint federal-state security strategy implemented in April — and state-level efforts for reducing high-impact crimes across the state.
President touts improving public perception of security
Sheinbaum highlighted improvement in the public perception of security as reflected in the quarterly survey conducted by the national statistics agency INEGI, saying the results indicate that the public is noticing the advancements her government is making.
So far this year, Mexicans’ perception of insecurity dropped in both the first and the second quarter.
INEGI reported that 63.8% of those surveyed felt unsafe in their city in December, while 61.5% said they felt unsafe in March. That number fell to 59.8% in the latest survey.
The president acknowledged that perception sometimes changes gradually, often depending on whether one or one’s family have been victims of a crime.
“But it also depends on what you hear or read,” she said. “The important thing is that we are delivering results … and the population sees that.”
Federal authorities take over two high-profile murder cases
In stark juxtaposition to the public perception survey, Sheinbaum and Security Minister Omar García Harfuch offered updates on the investigations into Wednesday’s shocking murders.
With regard to the murder of Valentín Lavín Moreno, the mayor of Temoac (just 80 kilometers east of Cuernavaca), Harfuch said federal agents are working closely with Morelos prosecutors “to clarify the events and apprehend those responsible.”
Harfuch added that Lavín, who was shot to death in his City Hall office, was under investigation for possible links to two local crime groups. Lavín’s in-laws were arrested on Thursday, accused of having ties to organized crime.
A few hours before the tragic events in Temoac, journalist Alejandro Leyva was shot to death in the state of Oaxaca.
Federal prosecutors have taken over the case at the request of the Oaxaca authorities, Harfuch said, declining to elaborate further.
Sheinbaum has directed Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez to meet with Leyva’s family and will also consult with journalists. “We have committed to several meetings in hopes of reassuring them that impunity will not be permitted,” Rodríguez said.
In response to a question regarding opposition figures accusing the Sheinbaum administration of political persecution, the president denied that federal prosecutors are targeting political opponents.
Addressing the recent arrest of former Baja California Governor Ernesto Ruffo — a member of the National Action Party (PAN) — Sheinbaum said Ruffo was ensnared in a 12-month fuel theft investigation in which eight others were arrested.
“[Ruffo] is the primary shareholder [of Ingemar, the company accused of criminal activity], but he was not the ‘target’ … and the investigation is ongoing,” she said, adding that any others found to be involved will be pursued equally.
Sheinbaum said the investigation seeks to prove that Ingemar was illegally importing fuel (and evading taxes) and was fraudulently distributing it. “This has nothing to do with politics,” she said.
Father Rubén Pérez Rubio used a pressure washer to spread holy water over a crowd of the faithful in the runup to the town of Contepec's celebration of their patron saint's day.
(Screen capture of video / Facebook)
A Catholic priest in the western Mexican state of Michoacán has gone viral after a video showed him using a pressure washer to spray holy water over a crowd during a patron saint festival.
The footage, widely shared across TikTok, Facebook and Instagram, shows Father Rubén Pérez Rubio standing in the bed of a white pickup truck during celebrations honoring Saint James the Apostle in Contepec, a Michoacán municipality of about 35,000 near the Querétaro border.
Holding a pressure washer (hidrolavadora in Spanish) he directs a stream of holy water (agua bendita) toward dozens of parishioners gathered outside the church on Wednesday.
The unusual method allowed the priest to reach a large crowd at once, with attendees — including women, children and elderly worshippers — reacting with laughter, raised hands and applause as they received the blessing.
“May my magnanimous mercy pour out its grace upon you all,” the priest says in Spanish in the video.
Local accounts cited by El Universal and other media outlets say the approach was intended to ensure no one was left without holy water during one of the municipality’s most important annual religious celebrations, which draws large numbers of residents and visitors.
The video quickly went viral, generating thousands of comments and sparking debate about the balance between tradition and innovation in religious practice.
Some social media users praised the priest’s creativity and practicality, saying the method helped engage the community and adapt to large crowds.
Others questioned whether using a pressure washer diminished the solemnity of a ritual typically performed with a traditional aspergillum.
Additional criticism focused on what some described as a waste of holy water and a lack of reverence.
Still, many commenters framed the act as a lighthearted moment that reflected a more accessible and modern approach to religion.
As of Friday, Pérez Rubio had not publicly commented on the viral video.
Saint James the Apostle, or Santiago Apóstol in Spanish, is honored across Latin America and Spain as a patron of pilgrims and towns whose July 25 feast day blends Catholic ritual with local tradition.
In Michoacán, patron saint festivals for him typically feature special Masses, processions through the streets, music and cultural activities.
From the pink spires of the Parroquia of San Miguel Arcángel (pictured) to Ángela Peralta Theater and Benito Juárez Park, San Miguel de Allende's landmarks reflect centuries of history. (Shutterstock)
San Miguel de Allende’s colonial streets and centuries-old architecture bear the names of some of Mexico’s most prominent historical figures. From leaders of the revolution to artists and architects, San Miguel is a living history lesson around every turn. So when you are strolling the gardens in San Miguel’s parks or walking down some of its most historic streets, here are the prominent figures that give their names to San Miguel’s most iconic sites.
Ignacio Allende
Ignacio Allende, a leader of the Mexican Revolution against Spain and the namesake of San Miguel de Allende, is the most prominent Mexican historical figure born in San Miguel.
Mexican revolutionary hero Ignacio Allende was born in 1769 in San Miguel, known at the time as San Miguel el Grande. (INEHRM)
The son of wealthy Spanish colonists, Allende enlisted with the Spanish army in Mexico before joining the underground independence movement. Eventually, Allende was named lieutenant general of the Revolutionary Army with Miguel Hidalgo y Castillo serving as Captain General.
The two succeeded in winning early victories, but were pushed back towards Guadalajara after failing to march on Mexico City. Hidalgo and Allende, despite greatly outnumbering the royalist forces, were defeated at the Battle of Calderon Bridge in Jalisco. This caused the insurgent troops to oust Hidalgo as their leader and install Allende as the head of the revolution.
Allende attempted to move north towards the United States in the hope of making powerful allies with the Americans. However, he was ambushed by royalist forces and taken to Chihuahua, where he was tried and executed by firing squad on June 26, 1811.
San Miguel de Allende was named after him when it became a city in 1826. The Plaza Ignacio Allende in Centro and the Instituto Allende on Salida a Celaya bear his name. Municipalities in six other Mexican states, including Chihuahua, Nuevo León and Jalisco are named after him.
Benito Juárez
Benito Juárez was a revolutionary who became the Indigenous president of Mexico in 1861. (Pelegrín Clavé/Wikimedia Commons)
Benito Juárez is one of the most famous historical figures in Mexican history, becoming the first Indigenous president after winning the Reform War and helping to fight off monarchist troops during the French invasion. Benito Juárez Park, about two blocks south of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, is named after him.
Juárez walked nearly 30 miles to Oaxaca City when he was young to find work, eventually becoming a lawyer. He became the governor of Oaxaca in 1847, but was later exiled by the dictator Antonio López de Santa Anna and he fled to New Orleans, Louisiana.
Juárez later returned as a member of the Reform Party, but was imprisoned as Mexico began to fracture in civil war. After the conservatives won early battles, the liberals regrouped and were able to triumph. Juárez then became the first Indigenous president after assuming the role in 1861.
His problems were far from over, however, as the French — at the invitation of Mexican monarchists — invaded central Mexico and installed Austrian royal Maximilian as emperor. After fleeing north and narrowly escaping death, Juárez received a massive loan from the United States that reinvigorated the Republican troops, eventually forcing the French to flee.
Juárez once again assumed the role as the leader of Mexico, and executed Maximilian despite pleas for clemency. Juárez served for over 14 years as president before dying of a heart attack while still in office in 1872.
Zeferino Gutiérrez
Stonemason Zeferino Gutiérrez designed San Miguel de Allende’s most iconic landmark: the towering neo-Gothic Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel. (File photo)
The towering pink facade of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel is, by far, the most iconic landmark in San Miguel. It was designed by iconic stonemason Zeferino Gutiérrez, a highly respected master of his craft despite never being trained as an architect.
Gutiérrez, whose previous work only involved steps and altars of local churches, used postcards of iconic European castles to design the iconic facade. He used pink lava stone, which has retained its color to this day and helped transform San Miguel into a world-renowned tourist destination.
Gutiérrez was given a home in San Miguel for his work on the church and continued to design and build places of worship. He designed the original Mercado Ignacio Ramírez on the town’s Civic Plaza, which was later replaced with the iconic statue of Ignacio Allende on a horse.
The typhus epidemic swept through San Miguel during the height of the Mexican Revolution, killing Gutiérrez in 1916. In January 2020, Zeferino Gutiérrez Park opened in San Miguel just north of the Fabrica la Aurora art center, becoming the largest park in the municipality.
Ignacio Ramírez
San Miguel-born politician Ignacio Ramírez was a leading thinker of the La Reforma movement. (INBAL)
Ignacio Ramírez was one of the most prominent liberals of the La Reforma movement, which aimed to create a liberal democracy in Mexico and advocated for the separation of church and state.
The Ignacio Ramírez Cultural Center in the Centro neighborhood bears his name, along with the Mercado Ignacio Ramírez just north of the Civic Plaza.
Ramírez was born in San Miguel de Allende and was raised on liberal values before studying at university in Querétaro. He began publishing liberal newspapers and worked a slew of governmental positions before participating in the reform movement.
When the government of Benito Juárez eventually won power, Ramírez was given a spot in the cabinet where he continued to push for liberal reforms. He was forced out of the capital when the French marched into Mexico City, but continued to publish liberal ideals in hiding. Ramírez was imprisoned by the monarchist government upon his return to Mexico City, but was freed when the empire fell in 1867.
Under President Porfirio Díaz, who seized power in a military coup, Ramírez was named Minister of Justice and was elected to the Supreme Court. He died in 1879 at 60 years old.
Ángela Peralta
Ángela Peralta was one of the most renowned opera singers of the 19th century. (Wikimedia Commons)
Located in the heart of Centro near the Ignacio Ramirez Cultural Center stands the Ángela Peralta Theater, one of the cultural icons of San Miguel.
Peralta, one of the greatest operatic singers in Mexican history, made her debut at just 15 years old in Mexico City before relocating to study in Italy under the bank of a wealthy financier. She made 32 curtain calls in Europe and North Africa, where she was dubbed the “Mexican Nightingale,” before returning to perform in Mexico at the invitation of Maximilian.
On top of her singing, Peralta was a composer, pianist and harpist. Amphitheaters and theaters across the country are named after her in tribute.
Pedro Vargas
Pedro Vargas was an actor and singer during the golden age of Mexican cinema. (Film still via IMDB)
Pedro Vargas, an actor and singer born in San Miguel de Allende, was one of the key figures of the golden age of Mexican cinema from 1936-1956. His former home and his statue sits on the street Salida Real a Querétaro. The house is now a luxury estate, next to the popular lookout of the Parroquia.
Vargas, nicknamed “The Nightingale of the Americas,” left San Miguel at just 14 years old for Mexico City, where he studied at the National Conservatory of Music. Although his career began in the opera, he transitioned into popular song and appeared in over 70 films, eventually performing for U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House in 1942. Vargas also performed extensively throughout Mexico and at major venues in the United States, including Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden.
Throughout his career, Vargas performed lyrical pieces, boleros and ranchera ballads written by some of Mexico’s most celebrated composers, including Agustín Lara. Vargas died in 1989 at the age of 83 in Mexico City.
Jared Tucker is a summer intern at Mexico News Daily in San Miguel de Allende and a rising senior at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he is the sports editor for The Daily UW. He was previously a fellow at TheFulcrum.us, where he covered public participation in American democracy.
Some feelings can only be properly understood in Mexican Spanish. (Marco Carmona/Pexels)
I was raised in a bicultural environment. Not because either of my parents was from abroad, but because I went to a bilingual school my entire life. Most of my teachers were either from the United States or the United Kingdom — so yes, growing up, I learned how to count pennies and quarters, as well as Mexican pesos.
However, I was often curious as to how to translate theuse of usted, for example, which in English does not exist. At a very early age, I remember being unable to express in English some of the feelings I spoke about at home, which were inherently of a Mexican traditional upbringing. Culturally, there were literally no words that could transmit the warmth of an apapacho or the joy of cotorreo in English. As the editors probably know, I often misuse prepositions (I hope it brings them some relief to know I also experience this in Spanish).
Nothing screams Mexico more than a group of girlfriends enjoying themselves cotorreando. (stayhereforu/Pexels)
Beyond my grammatical imperfections and translation confusions, here’s a handpicked guide to some of my favorite feelings you can only experience in Mexican Spanish — from an imperfect Mexican writer to an ever-supportive readership.
Cotorrear
Cotorrear comes from the word cotorro, meaning parakeets, which are widely known for being talkative and outspoken animals. Cotorrear, thus, implies a noisy conversation in whichfriends and family members talk over one another excitedly, about anything and everything, all at once.
People, however, do not cotorrean with their bosses or the police (that would be, to say the least, suspicious). You do so with your close inner circle, because although it is a leisurely talk, it’s usually not just small talk. People cotorrean about their issues, about politics and about how their car landed again at the mechanic.
Apapachar
As happens with most Mexicanisms,apapachar comes from Náhuatl, the official language of theMexica Empire. It translates as people allowing others to care for them with tender displays of affection, such as Grandma’s hug, a nice, warm soup made by Mom, or even just going to a dear friend’s house to talk about a recent loss. “Ser apapachada, apapachado” implies allowing oneself to be vulnerable to a loved one, especially when you’re feeling ill or down emotionally.
Chacharear
Chacharar is just fun. It’s what you do when you’re on vacation and land in the Pueblo Mágico’s wondrous mercado de artesanías, or go on a Sunday stroll toLa Lagunilla market. The word comes from cháchara: “something small, unimportant and of little value,” as defined by theDictionary of Mexican Spanish. I think the best translation is simply “a trinket.”
Chacharear, however, is not like window shopping. You actually get to feel and touch the trinkets in the market, and even get to discuss a lower price with your vendor (oh, the glorious thrill of regateo!). Also, when you’re chachareando, it doesn’t mean you will actually buy any of the things that caught your eye! Actually, you probably won’t — you just do it for the joy of contemplating useless things you don’t need, but you somehow find interesting or amusing.
My mom wanting to chacharear on a Sunday morning is my dad’s worst nightmare. (Cristiano Junior/Pexels)
Achicopalarse
You know when someone is so sad, they actually round their back in a crestfallen way? They’re probably achicopalada, achicopalado. The term comes, again, from Náhuatl achikopa, which has been translated as “feeling inferior.” However, in contemporary Mexican Spanish, the term is used as simply “feeling down.”
You’ll probably feel achicopalada when your boyfriend just dumped you, or when you failed the test you studied so hard for. Or even when your parents unfairly grounded you. People can even feel achicopalados when the sky is heavy with dark clouds, or the weather isn’t that nice, too.
Desconchinflarse
When the blender breaks down, the air conditioner doesn’t work, or the TV screen refuses to turn on, that’s when you know your appliances are desconchinfladas. And it’s sad. Because they’re not beyond repair, they’re simply waiting for you to take them to the shop to be fixed — and maybe you’re just too busy (or lazy) to go.
However, desconchinflarse does not only apply to hardware. Whenever you hurt your leg or possibly strain an ankle, you can also say your foot is desconchinflado. You don’t get to go to the hardware store to repair one of those, though (please, go see a doctor).
Petatearse
Petatearse is possibly the only feeling in Mexican Spanish that every person on planet Earth (and beyond) will eventually face. It comes from the Náhuatl word petate, a rug, and it translates literally as dying. When people in the ancient Mexica Empire died, they were wrapped in a handmade ritual mat before their funeral ceremonies. So whenever you hear someone “se petateó,” it literally means they passed.
However, you would never hear anyone say their grandmother “se petateó.” That would just be disrespectful and rude. Petatearse is a verb people use as slang when referring to someone they don’t know in a mischievous Mexican way. So no, if you receive the news of a dear friend who just lost a family member, do not say “se petatearon.” Please. Ever.
Israel "El Mayo" Zambada's message to kids is spelled out in explicit detail in a new "mentorship initiative." (This image was generated using AI tools)
Following a federal courtroom speech in which he urged young people to avoid his life path, former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada announced Thursday the launch of a new youth mentorship initiative aimed at breaking down, in meticulous detail, the exact operational blueprint that allowed him to evade law enforcement for nearly seven decades.
Titled “Don’t Do What I Did: A 68-Year Step-by-Step Case Study,” the initiative is designed to steer teenagers away from organized crime by offering an exhaustive, multi-volume curriculum detailing logistics, supply chain management, high-level corruption strategies and long-term asset diversification, so that young attendees know precisely which sophisticated mechanisms to avoid.
There are only two ultimate outcomes to a life of crime, emphasizes “El Mayo”: prison and death. However, decades of wealth and freedom from societal restrictions of any kind are also possible along the way, he points out. (Cuartoscuro)
“Violence only leads to two places: prison or death,” Zambada said in a statement released through his legal team, emphasizing that his life serves as a stark warning. “To ensure our youth do not make the same mistakes, my curriculum will thoroughly examine how to build a transnational logistics network across four continents without using a cell phone until approximately 2018. It is vital that kids understand the terrifying burden of managing thousands of decentralized distribution nodes, so they never feel tempted to attempt it themselves.”
Organizers confirmed the seminar series will feature interactive workshops where participants are shown maps of remote airstrips and hidden mountain labs, accompanied by stern lectures on why establishing such complex infrastructure represents a tragic waste of potential. Attendees will also receive a 400-page workbook outlining the specific, highly effective techniques used to maintain regional monopolies, accompanied by large red text reading “DO NOT ATTEMPT” across every page.
Policy analysts have noted the uniquely thorough approach of the cautionary campaign, which treats 68 years of criminal supremacy not as a heroic narrative, but as an overwhelming administrative nightmare that no teenager should ever want to inherit.
“It is a powerful message,” said Dr. Fernando Reyes, a senior researcher in public safety policy. “By spending eight hours a day explaining the exact mechanics of money laundering through agricultural front companies and international trade finance, Zambada is sending a clear signal: running an illicit global conglomerate involves far too much paperwork, supply chain volatility and court-mandated restitution to ever be considered a viable career path.”
At press time, federal officials confirmed that while the curriculum’s moral message was universally praised, the accompanying 12-disc masterclass video set had already been flagged for containing far too many practical tips on customs evasion.
Earlier this month, environmental officials in the west-central state of Jalisco seized 105 queen ants hidden inside plastic toys and labeled as “collectible figures” in a shipment bound for Southeast Asia, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) said.
A package flagged as suspicious at a parcel delivery business near Guadalajara, Jalisco, turned out to contain ant-bearing test tubes hidden inside children’s toys. (Profepa)
The discovery was made July 9 after a parcel company flagged a suspicious package in El Salto, Jalisco, outside Guadalajara. The package was addressed to Laos, a landlocked country between Vietnam and Thailand.
Inside, inspectors found the insects sealed in individual test tubes and concealed within toy figures, including one containing 22 tubes and another with 83. Each small tube appeared to contain cotton and moisture, the standard way to house queen ants in test tubes.
Experts determined that it was not feasible to keep so many ants alive in that manner because of their biological needs.
The seized ants belong to the genus Pogonomyrmex and are commonly known as harvester ants. They are native to Mexico and play a role in seed dispersal and soil health in arid ecosystems.
The seized ants fit into a growing niche hobby in Europe and Asia, where buyers use queen ants to stock formicariums, specialized terrariums that house and display ant colonies. Owners watch the ants build tunnels, haul seeds and care for larvae.
The ant farms are promoted as do-it-yourself ecosystems built around a single fertilized queen, which can eventually produce thousands of workers.
Collectors and hobbyists sometimes pay 200 to 400 pesos (US $11 to $22) for a queen ant online, while more exotic ants can fetch up to 1,200 pesos (US $68), according to the newspaper El Sol de México.
Despite the enforcement action in Jalisco, no arrests have been reported so far.
“Profepa will follow up on the corresponding administrative procedure,” the agency stated, adding that it will continue to fight illegal wildlife trafficking through surveillance and other means.
Oaxaca journalist Francisco Alejandro Leyva Aguilar. (via Infobae)
Journalist Francisco Alejandro Leyva was shot and killed Wednesday in San Pablo Etla, a suburb of Oaxaca city, the second media figure slain in Mexico in less than a week.
Leyva, a former executive producer of the Oaxacan Radio and Television Corporation, was attacked while eating breakfast at a street food stand. The gunmen escaped on a motorcycle.
Leyva was buried on Thursday in Oaxaca City. (Carolina Jiménez Mariscal / Cuartoscuro.com)
The 60-year-old was well-known for his column “El zumbido de moscardón” (“The buzzing of a bumblebee”), in which he critically analyzed political life and corruption in the state of Oaxaca.
Hours after his murder, state prosecutors said video intelligence had already been uncovered from local CCTV. On Thursday, the Federal Attorney General’s Office said it would take over the investigation at the request of Oaxaca authorities, assigning it to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Human Rights.
As of noon Thursday, authorities had not cited a motive for the murder nor reported any arrests.
Leyva published his final article on Tuesday night, addressing insecurity in the state and the alleged interference of organized crime in local economies and politics.
In this text, he discussed the violence in Oaxaca in the context of the Guelaguetza, calling the annual Indigenous cultural festival a failure due to government mismanagement and security issues.
Just over a year ago, Leyva filed a formal complaint with the state Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office about receiving death threats. He linked these threats to the public smear campaign he faced from regular criticism lobbed at him by Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara during the latter’s daily press conferences.
For his part, Governor Jara condemned Wednesday’s attack, saying “[Leyva] was a journalist critical of our government (…) but no difference with the practice of journalism can ever justify an act of violence.”
📣 ARTICLE 19 condena el asesinato del periodista Alejandro Leyva Aguilar, exdirector de la Corporación Oaxaqueña de Radio y Televisión (CORTV), autor de la columna El Zumbido del Moscardón, ocurrido esta mañana, en el municipio de San Pablo Etlan, #OaxacaDeJuárez
Reuters news agency described Mexico as “one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists outside active war zones,” adding that “the vast majority of crimes against journalists go unpunished.”
Proyecto LAM, a plant nursery in Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca, is the organizer of an annual "Night of the Bats" celebration. (Proyecto LAM)
On June 20, as Pride parades filled the streets, the team at Proyecto LAM was preparing for their annual “Noche de los Murciélagos” (“Night of the Bats”).
Proyecto LAM is a vibrant plant nursery in Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca, founded in 2018 by Graciela Ángeles and her family, who produce Real Minero. Graciela explains that originally, the project focused on studying the agave plant; then “as a side effect, the need arose to study its pollinators, especially the bats.”
Guests are invited for a sunset walk through the garden before a series of presentations, dinner and mezcal.
The underrated importance of bats
Each year, they invite specialists to speak on the garden’s themes: its plants, pests and pollinators. This year, Irene Martínez Velasco spoke about the genetics of agave before Rosario Aceves Íñiguez, a biologist from Guadalajara, led an introduction to bats. She discussed the ecological significance and diversity of bats before emphasizing some of the challenges faced by bat populations.
Rosario says she considers bats to be one of the most misunderstood groups of mammals, “despite also being among the most fascinating, interesting and wonderful.”
Bats play a fundamental ecological role in the maintenance and functioning of ecosystems, yet they remain one of the most undervalued groups of mammals. In Mexico, where agave plays an iconic role, bats are invaluable. Nectar-feeding bats and agaves share a close ecological relationship where bats act as primary pollinators. Preserving this bond is vital for agave biodiversity and the survival of endangered bat species.
Bats’ role in agave propagation
Graciela says that “declines in bat populations threaten the survival of the agaves, particularly those propagated solely through seeds.” Agave spirits producers can support bat populations by allowing a percentage of agaves to flower and go to seed to support nectar-feeding bats. “Bat Friendly” is a certification that promotes conservation and encourages consumer participation in tequila and mezcal, while initiatives such as the one noted above encourage the producers of these liquors to adopt sustainable practices.
However, fear surrounding bats follows this unfairly maligned mammal. Myths of blood-sucking vampires and perceptions like dirty “flying rats” plague bats and those trying to help them. Ongoing stigma and their nocturnal behaviors make bats difficult to study.
Studying bats has its challenges, but the importance of these animals to the local ecology and economy makes it worth the effort. (Proyecto LAM)
Studying bats also has significant challenges. Rosario explains that “national insecurity and forced disappearances hinder field research.” She says fieldwork using capture methods has become more complicated because work is done at night, which implies greater risk. “There has been a shift towards other techniques that do not require capture, but in projects where it is possible to record or work with bats, many studies and research projects require having the specimens in hand.”
Habitat loss and other challenges for bat populations
A major concern is habitat loss. Rosario described how this reduces the number of places where bats can roost and limits food sources. Monocrops, like the agave plants used for tequila, with significant levels of pesticides, are also hurting bat populations.
Disease is also having a significant impact, in particular “white-nose syndrome,” a fungal disease that primarily affects cave-dwelling bats. According to Rosario, “over the last decade, this has led to the deaths of millions of individuals in various regions of the world.” In Oaxaca alone, it is suspected of causing a drastic decline in bat populations.
Rosario’s concerns about bat populations were echoed by Graciela. She informed the group that over the past three years, the number of bats they have found during these activities has plummeted. “During the first capture in 2018, there were several hundred bats. Last year, we only managed to capture three bats. This year, 15 were captured.”
Fortunately, there are endeavors to conserve bat populations. Conservation efforts prioritize what Graciela describes as “citizen science,” which involves making scientific data accessible to the public and facilitating knowledge sharing between farmers, producers and academics. Events like the “Noche de los Murciélagos” bring the public closer to science through workshops, talks and bat-monitoring demonstrations. These efforts help to foster awareness of the bat-agave connection.
Teaching kids (and adults) about the beauty of bats
This year, they held a contest with students from the middle school in Santa Catarina Minas to make artwork about bats. They awarded certificates and sketchbooks to the winners. For Graciela, this is a way to “influence these young people to develop their creative skills, whether through writing or drawing, and at the same time bring them into a scientific activity.” She says, “I think one of the most important things is that this year we had so many children visit. It’s something beautiful that young people are interested in science.”
“The Night of the Bats” is a reminder of the importance of bats, without which there would be no mezcal, a staple of Oaxaca’s economy. (Proyecto LAM)
Rosario says that the public can contribute by “learning about the ecological importance of bats, avoiding the destruction of their roosts, promoting their conservation and supporting initiatives and products that encourage practices friendly to these species.”
During the evening, Rosario and the team from Proyecto LAM used techniques like “mist-netting” to capture and identify species. They recorded data on the bat’s weight, sex and size, which helps document the health and presence of local populations over time. It was fascinating to watch them at work.
‘Intrepid pollinators’ released into the night
Once they had made their assessments, the bats were fed some sugar water before being released back into the wild. Rosario held each bat, and there was a brief pause before they took off into the night. It was surprisingly moving to see these fragile animals spread their wings as they realized they were free again.
Hopefully, events like “Noche de los Murciélagos” will continue to inspire people to learn about bats. Not as stigmatized creatures of the night, but as the intrepid pollinators that help maintain our diverse and beautiful ecosystem. As Graciela warns, without bats, we won’t have agave — or mezcal!
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.
Spectators wave flags at a 2022 Mexican Independence Day parade in New York City. (Shutterstock)
Mexicans are the largest immigrant group in the United States, but their numbers declined by more than 500,000 between 2007 and 2024, according to a Washington, D.C.-based think tank that specializes in migration issues.
In a report published last week, the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) said that during “the past four and a half decades, the size of the Mexican-born population increased fivefold, from 2.2 million in 1980 to an estimated 11.1 million in 2024.”
There are many fewer Mexican immigrants in the U.S. now than there used to be.
— MigrationPolicy Inst (@MigrationPolicy) July 16, 2026
“However,” the think tank added, “the number has declined slightly, from a peak of more than 11.7 million in 2007.”
Still, per the 2024 estimate, Mexicans accounted for 22% of the total U.S. immigrant population in 2024, which was 50.2 million, according to MPI.
The exact numbers in the MPI report showed that the number of Mexican-born U.S. residents fell by 567,000 between 2007 and 2024.
The think tank said that “future declines in the Mexican immigrant population may accelerate due to heightened immigration enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border and within the U.S. interior,” where the Trump administration is carrying out an aggressive deportation agenda.
“Authorities’ encounters of migrants of all nationalities crossing the southern border without authorization fell to about 238,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2025 — the lowest level in 55 years and a sharp departure from post-2021 patterns in which annual encounters consistently exceeded 1 million,” MPI said.
“Mexicans represented 47 percent of those FY 2025 unauthorized crossings, epitomizing the significant diversification in flows arriving at the border since the early 2000s, before which Mexican crossings dominated.”
Among the Mexican-born population of the United States, around one-third to one-half are potentially vulnerable to deportation. In a 2024 report, BBVA research put the number of Mexicans in the U.S. at 12 million. The Spanish bank’s research division said that 4.1 million of that number were undocumented.
However, in its report, MPI said it estimated that “about 5.5 million unauthorized immigrants were from Mexico as of mid-2023.”
That number is just under 50% of the 11.1 million Mexican-born U.S. residents in 2024, per MPI’s numbers.
Citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, MPI said that “an estimated 40.5 million U.S. residents traced their ancestry or heritage to Mexico.” That includes people born in Mexico and people born in the U.S. or elsewhere, MPI said.
A profile of Mexicans in the US
MPI said that Mexican immigrants in the United States “are concentrated in a handful of states and metropolitan areas.”
It said that between 2020 and 2024, 70% of all Mexicans who lived in the U.S. were concentrated in five states: California (35%); Texas (22%); Illinois (6%); Arizona (5%); and Florida (2%).
“During the same period, close to 35 percent of Mexican immigrants lived in one of five greater metropolitan areas: Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, and Riverside,” MPI said.
The think tank also said that Mexican immigrants in the U.S. “have relatively low average educational attainment and income but a high labor-force participation rate and are especially likely to be of working age.”
MPI said that in 2024:
The median age of Mexican immigrants in the U.S. was 47, “which equaled that of the overall foreign-born population but was higher than that of the U.S. born (37).”
Just 10% of Mexican immigrant adults (ages 25 and older) held a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 36% of all immigrants and 37% of the U.S.-born population.
49% of Mexican immigrant adults lacked a high school diploma.
About 65% of Mexican immigrants aged 5 and older reported speaking English less than “very well,” compared to 47% of all immigrants.
Mexican immigrants had a civilian labor-force participation rate of 68%, equal to that of the overall foreign-born population and higher than the U.S.-born population (63%).
Mexican immigrants with jobs were primarily working in services (26%), followed by natural resources, construction, and maintenance (25%) and production, transport and material moving (20%).
Mexican immigrants had a median household income of US $68,700, below the median incomes of immigrant households overall ($82,400) and U.S.-born-led households ($81,400).
Approximately 16% of Mexican immigrants were living in poverty, slightly higher than rates for the overall foreign-born population (14%) and the U.S.-born population (12%).
Around 34% of Mexican immigrants were U.S. citizens, compared to 51% of immigrants overall, while many more Mexicans were lawful permanent residents of the United States.
About 77% of Mexicans arrived in the United States prior to 2010, “making this a long-settled population.”
At her Thursday morning press conference, President Claudia Sheinbaum noted that her sister has lived in the United States for more than 30 years.
“As is the case with my family, I think all Mexicans have a close or distant relative who lives in the United States,” she said.
“That link” between Mexico and the United States “will never be broken,” Sheinbaum added.
