Mole de olla is the ultimate Mexican comfort dish, packed with fresh vegetables, juicy meat and a touch of nostalgia. (Sergio Hayashi/Shutterstock)
Amigos, I’ve reached a point where I find myself doing things my mom used to do — things I swore I would never do. This week, during one of the hottest weeks of the year, I prepared the warmest dish I could think of, just like my mom and many other Mexican moms would do. I nearly melted from the heat, but it was totally worth it to enjoy a delicious bowl of mole de olla.
Mole de olla is one of my favorite Mexican dishes. It’s easy to eat, delicious and very nutritious. And it’s important to note that it has absolutely nothing to do with the mole you might be thinking of, like mole poblano or Oaxacan mole.
If when you hear the word “mole,” you think of this, get that image right out of your mind. Mole de olla is totally different. (Marco Ortiz-MOF/Shutterstock)
What is mole de olla?
Mole de olla is essentially a soup made with a protein (such as beef, pork or chicken) and various vegetables. The broth is created from the meat used in the dish, along with a chili-based paste.
Every region in Mexico has its own variations on the ingredients and cooking techniques, but all mole de olla recipes include meat, chayote, carrots, potatoes, green beans, corn, xoconostle (a type of prickly pear) and a chili paste made with tomatoes and dried chiles like guajillo or chipotle. The most popular version is made with beef, particularly cuts with meat and bone like chambarete (shank) or other flavorful cuts.
Is it really a mole?
Quick answer: yes.
In a previous article, we discussed what mole is. It’s essentially a sauce or paste made from various ingredients, and the base of this particular dish is a chili paste.
Mole de olla is a Mexican adaptation of the Spanish dish puchero, also a stew/soup loaded with meat and vegetables. (AI-generated image)
Mole de olla may remind you of Spanish pucheros — traditional, hearty broths that include chickpeas, potatoes, meat and legumes. Mole de olla is an adaptation of the puchero, incorporating ingredients native to this region. Therefore, we can confidently say that mole de olla is a 100% mestizo dish.
Once you try it, you’ll never go back!
Mole de olla has a unique flavor: The broth, packed with richness, is slightly spicy due to the dried chiles. Freshness comes from the vegetables. The “substance” we refer to in Mexico comes from the tender, juicy chunks of meat.
Eating mole de olla is like having a religious experience.
Nutridelicious!
A single bowl provides vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, iron, folic acid, protein, fiber and carbohydrates. The hardest part is to have just one bowl.
Hopefully, by now I’ve convinced you that mole de olla is a true culinary gem. So here’s how to make it.
Nutrient-packed, mole de olla is the ultimate comfort dish and the pride of Mexican mothers everywhere. (El Poder del Consumidor.org)
1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) beef with bone (ask your butcher for chambarete or beef shank)
1 marrow bone (hello collagen!)
2 liters (8 cups) of water
1 medium onion
1 sprig of epazote
4 xoconostles, peeled, cored and chopped
2 garlic cloves
3 ears of corn cut into chunks
For the sauce:
3 dried ancho chiles, roasted and seeded
3 dried pasilla chiles, roasted and seeded
1 piece of onion
2 garlic cloves.
For the vegetables:
3 carrots, chopped
5 zucchinis, sliced thick
1/2 kilo (1 lb) green beans, trimmed
2 chayotes, cubed
For serving:
• Lime halves
• Fresh corn tortillas
Mole de olla is such a classic, Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry has called it “the pride of Mexico.” (SADER)
Directions
1. Cook the meat
In a large pot, combine the meat, water, onion, epazote, xoconostles and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil and skim off any foam. Cook the meat until tender, about 2 hours.
2. Make the chili sauce
Soak the chiles in hot water until softened, then blend them with onion and garlic until smooth. Strain the mixture and set aside.
3. Cook the vegetables
Cook the vegetables separately in salted water or add them directly to the broth, depending on their cooking times. Corn and carrots take longer, while zucchinis and green beans cook more quickly.
4. Combine ingredients
Once the meat is tender, add the strained chili sauce to the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes more until it’s all just tender but still holds its shape.
5. Optional: chochoyones
Some versions include small masa dumplings called chochoyones. To make them, mix corn masa with a bit of lard, salt and chopped epazote. Form the mixture into small balls, make a dimple in each one with your finger and add them to the pot at the end of the cooking process.
Serve the mole de olla piping hot in deep bowls. Include a generous piece of meat, lots of the vegetables and plenty of broth in each serving.
For a complete experience, provide chopped onion, lime wedges and freshly made corn tortillas on the side.
María Meléndez is a Mexico City food blogger and influencer.
A Tijuana sign welcomes travelers leaving the U.S. (Courtesy of Travis Bembenek)
Two weeks ago my wife and I had the opportunity to attend Mexico’s annual Tianguis Turístico (National Tourism Fair). For the first time ever, events for the fair were going to be held in both the United States and Mexico. We jumped at the opportunity to check out the event and see firsthand what seemed to be some great cooperation between the two countries at a time when much more coordination would be mutually beneficial.
The events were held in Tijuana and San Diego, which gave us the added benefits of checking out Tijuana for the first time as well as getting a feel for the San Diego/Tijuana metropolitan area of nearly 5 million people. The area in many ways acts like one big city, with an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 students, workers, tourists and health care patients crossing the border each and every day. I have always wondered how such a massive flow of people can co-exist alongside a significantly fortified wall.
The San Ysidro port of entry is one of four border crossings in the San Diego-Tijuana metropolitan area, where over 100,000 people cross between Mexico and the U.S. every day. (U.S. Green Building Council)
I estimate that I have “crossed the border” over 250 times over the past 30 years, but every single time prior to this trip was in the sky via an airplane. Surprisingly, I have never had the opportunity to actually see the northern border of Mexico, much less cross it by car or on foot. I have, however, had the opportunity to see and cross the southern border.
Years ago, I crossed from Mexico into Guatemala while walking through coffee plantations in the Chiapas city of Cacahoatán with a machete-wielding local (he said it was for the snakes, I’m not so sure). Starting in Chiapas, we walked through fields of coffee plants right into Guatemala with not a fence or border guard in sight. The only way we knew we had in fact crossed the border was from white painted cement posts about every quarter mile or so. Quite an experience, but to tell at another time.
Back in Tijuana, I had the opportunity to cross the border several times, on foot and by car — thankfully with our newly hired San Diego-based writer driving instead of me.
To be clear, I am in no way intending to trivialize or minimize the journeys and struggles of so many millions of people who have crossed (or attempted to cross) the border when compared to my experience. I am also not advocating for open borders — I simply want to share my personal experiences from this trip.
Border crossing No. 1: From Tijuana to San Diego walking via the Cross Border Xpress (CBX) bridge
Upon arrival at the Tijuana airport from our local BJX airport in Guanajuato, we took the CBX. I had heard this was “the way to do it” and after a bit of confusion around if I should buy our CBX tickets separately or at the same time as our plane tickets — we did it separately — we chose this crossing option. I must say that it was a surreal experience.
Less than 15 minutes after deboarding the plane in Tijuana, we were in our U.S. rental car on our way to San Diego! We walked out of the plane, followed the CBX signage, scanned our pre-purchased CBX QR code in a machine and walked about 100 yards to the United States though an elevated tunnel. At the end of the tunnel we handed the U.S. border control agent our passports for a brief moment and literally a minute later were in the U.S. talking to the rental car company representative.
After seeing and reading so many stories about the border over the years, it didn’t even seem possible and took us a while to realize that we actually had landed in Mexico on a domestic flight and minutes later were now driving a car in the U.S.
Border crossing No. 2: Driving from San Diego to Tijuana (on two separate mornings)
I really wasn’t sure what to expect on this crossing. I have read the articles in MND about how border agents in the U.S. and Mexico have recently stepped up patrols of illegal firearms heading into Mexico from the north, so I was expecting to be stopped. We first drove through the U.S. side of the border, having to slow way down but never actually coming to a complete stop. There were lots of fancy-looking machines on one side that I guess were built for people with U.S. passports, but they weren’t working and I was told that they have never yet been operational despite having been installed over a year ago. We drove without stopping through the U.S. border, drove maybe a hundred yards in the “no man’s land” and then came to the Mexican border.
Border walls and fences keep people out of buffer zone between the two countries. (Travis Bembenek)
At the Mexican border, we again only had to slow down due to the all-too-familiar topes (speed bumps) greeting us to Mexico. Although Mexican border patrol agents were stopping an occasional car, we were not stopped and just rolled right through. We never once had to talk to anyone or show our passports on either side of the border. Our friend driving us said that in his several decades of driving south, he has never once been stopped. Total time from our hotel in San Diego across the border and into Tijuana was less than 20 minutes. Amazing.
Once in Tijuana, it is like we had landed on another planet — everything was different. I must say that Tijuana was better than I expected given the quite negative pre-conceived notions that I had about the city and the border area in general. It was a massive city literally mashed up against the border wall with countless restaurants, bars, strip clubs, pharmacies, banks, plastic surgery clinics, dentists, hospitals and other health care clinics. I couldn’t help but feel that this was a sad first impression of Mexico for so many Americans and equally an odd stereotype for Mexicans of what Americans are wanting to cross into another country for.
Within just a few yards of crossing into Mexico, we took a hard right turn and headed along the wall directly towards the ocean. It was a weird experience, driving along the see-through double metal wall (with U.S. soldiers actively installing razor wire in between the two walls). All within just a few hundred yards of driving one goes from U.S. commercial buildings through a militarized border zone to a new city with Viagra sold on nearly every corner.
We drove to where the wall goes out into the ocean, parked the car and walked around a bit. It was a heavy feeling — sad actually. I couldn’t help but think that the birds perched on the wall could freely go back and forth between the two countries, the fish in the water as well, but we humans haven’t been able to figure out how to live as neighbors without walls. Perhaps that sounds naive, but it’s what I thought in the moment as I put my hand on the wall and reflected on U.S.-Mexico relations.
Art and photographs decorate a binational friendship garden built in 2007. (Travis Bembenek)
There were pictures of kids from both San Diego and Tijuana who had created and planted a “friendship garden” together on the Mexican side of the border in 2007. A sign said that the purpose of the garden was to “create a place where people can make friends across the border.” I don’t say this in any way as a political statement or commentary, but it feels like in many ways we haven’t progressed a lot since then. I say that as a human being, not as a Republican or Democrat.
I was offered to be taken to the part of the border where family members from both sides can actually hug each other through the wall from opposite sides of the wall. I declined to see that — it would be too painful to see. Perhaps I should have gone to see it. Perhaps more people should see it.
Border crossing No. 3: Driving from Tijuana back into San Diego
This was the border crossing that I guess I was most looking forward to. Outside of the comfy confines of the CBX tunnel bridge, what would it be like to cross back into the United States? We have all read the recent headlines — the border has been sealed nearly shut, very few illegal immigrants are crossing anymore and both Mexico and the U.S. have sent troops to the border to assist in controlling and stopping drug and human trafficking.
It feels like half of Tijuana’s streets are actually just lanes preparing and positioning you to cross the border. Having Global Entry, we went with our friend into the SENTRI lines. He confidently told us that, in several decades, he has never once been stopped for inspection.
As we approached the U.S. border, we handed our friend our passports and he handed them and his Global Entry/SENTRI card to the border patrol agent. She immediately asked us, “Where are the other two SENTRI cards?
“My wife and I both have Global Entry and the new passports with chips in them,” I responded, thinking the passport chips had the Global Entry/SENTRI card “incorporated” into them. Turns out I was wrong, very wrong… and we were waved into secondary inspection.
As we rolled into the secondary inspection area, it was now U.S. military troops telling us what to do. Troops with guns and fatigues, who told us to first very slowly drive our car through what looked like a giant airport metal detector. We then were told (not asked) to drive the car to another area and get out of the car to be questioned. Four agents did a deep inspection of our car, tapping the doors, pushing down on the seats, checking under the car, under the hood and in the trunk. Drug sniffing dogs helped. My wife and I were brought up on computer screens and asked a series of questions. The whole process took some 30 minutes.
Of course we had nothing to hide and made an honest mistake, but it felt awkward, uncomfortable, intimidating. We were always treated with respect, but it wasn’t a fun experience. Not the greatest reception back into our country either.
Mexico News Daily CEO Travis Bembenek at western-most end of the border wall. (Travis Bembenek)
For those that frequently cross the border, perhaps my experiences are ones that you have seen and experienced many times before. For those that have not, it’s worth seeing, feeling and experiencing first hand.
For those of you who have been to Berlin, Germany, and seen where the wall once was — dividing a city into two separate countries — it’s hard to imagine that could have actually happened. I couldn’t help but hope that a future generation of Mexicans and Americans can someday look back and only imagine what it must have been like when there was a wall separating the communities of San Diego and Tijuana.
Travis Bembenek is the CEO ofMexico News Daily and has been living, working or playing in Mexico for nearly 30 years.
Sheinbaum's last mañanera of the week covered binational security cooperation, media criticism and the proposed U.S. remittance tax. (Presidencia)
At her final morning press conference of the week, President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke about the vetting of Mexican security forces by the U.S. government and media criticism of her administration, among other issues.
Mexico’s first female president also reiterated that her government will always defend the interests of the Mexican people.
Why do United States agencies vet Mexican police?
A reporter asked the president why United States agencies vet “ministerial police” in Mexico.
The question came two days after United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that the “ICE Homeland Security Investigations vetted unit” within the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Federal Attorney General’s Office had dismantled “three large-scale synthetic drug production labs in Sinaloa.”
Sheinbaum said that “certification” of Mexican security forces by U.S. authorities is “something that has been around for a long time.”
“… This vetting of the Criminal Investigation Agency … started long before President Andrés Manuel López Obrador,” she said, referring to her predecessor.
Three large-scale synthetic drug production labs in Sinaloa were dismantled with narcotics and chemical precursors seized in an operation led by the ICE Homeland Security Investigations vetted unit within the Government of Mexico, Fiscalia General de la Republica, Agencia de… pic.twitter.com/H9X1fafWbu
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) May 14, 2025
The vetting of Mexican security forces by United States agencies began after Mexico and the U.S. launched the Mérida Initiative security cooperation agreement in 2008. It is essentially an attempt to ensure that Mexican security force members — particularly those who collaborate with and receive intelligence, training and equipment from U.S. authorities — are not corrupt and don’t have links to organized crime groups.
The United States Department of State noted that “activities” under the now-defunct Mérida initiative agreement included “the establishment of anti-corruption programs that include vetting of police personnel.”
The vetting initiative has not always been as successful as the U.S. government would have liked.
According to a 2021 Brookings Institution article, the Mexican government has insisted on “higher-level Mexican officials” being exempt from U.S. vetting. That insistence, Brookings said, created “disastrous effects for collaboration, meaningful law enforcement, and the safety of Mexican civilians.”
Asked on Friday whether Mexico vets any police in the United States, Sheinbaum responded that it does not, but highlighted that Mexican authorities provide “information” to their U.S. counterparts that aid operations on the “other side of the border.”
At the morning press conference, Sheinbaum shared a letter from the U.S. Embassy correcting a journalist who shared misinformation about U.S. agents operating in Mexico. (Presidencia)
Mexican intelligence recently led to a seizure of narcotics and firearms in Arizona, she said.
Asked whether she thinks U.S. vetting of Mexican security forces is “good” or something that should be “canceled,” Sheinbaum avoided giving a direct response.
“We’ll have to ask the attorney general what sense this vetting has, and [he] can inform,” she said.
‘Whatever we do, they will criticize us’
A reporter asked the president whether sections of the media had engaged in a “campaign” to “alarm” Mexicans “about a supposed United States intervention” while depicting her administration as a “weak government that doesn’t defend the sovereignty” of Mexico.
The question came after ICE’s social media post announcing the dismantling of drug labs in Sinaloa sparked claims that U.S. agents were involved in the operation in the northern state. Some media outlets initially reported that ICE led the operation when in fact it was led by an ICE-vetted unit of Mexico’s Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC).
Sheinbaum said she didn’t know what the “objective” of some sections of media was with their reporting.
The Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC), shown collaborating with the Mexican Army in a 2018 operation, is Mexico’s top domestic intelligence and security service. (FGR/X)
“Whatever we do, they will criticize us,” she said, referring to certain media outlets and individual commentators.
“If I had gone to the funeral events of Pope Francis, they would have criticized me. As I didn’t go, they criticize me as well,” Sheinbaum said.
“They’re [always] going to criticize us because they don’t agree with our government and what we represent,” she said.
‘I don’t represent Claudia Sheinbaum; la presidenta represents her people’
In an extended response to the question about the alleged media scare campaign, Sheinbaum went on to reiterate that her government cooperates and collaborates with the U.S. government, but “doesn’t accept subordination.”
“We have communication with the government of the United States on a lot of issues,” she said, citing the screwworm issue and tariffs as examples.
During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum shared sections of a Mexico-U.S. tax agreement to argue against the proposed U.S. remittance tax. (Presidencia)
The president is vehemently opposed to the imposition of a tax on remittances, part of a massive tax and immigration package whose advance to the U.S. House of Representatives’ floor was blocked on Friday. She is also opposed to a range of other U.S. measures, including the imposition of tariffs on Mexican products and President Donald Trump’s mass deportation initiative.
Nevertheless, Sheinbaum stressed that “our idea is to have the best relationship possible with the United States.”
That relationship, she added, must be “a relationship of respect and not of subordination.”
“… That has been the history of our convictions and it won’t change while I’m president of the republic, never,” Sheinbaum said.
“Besides, we represent the people of Mexico. I don’t represent Claudia Sheinbaum; la presidenta represents her people and we will always defend the people of Mexico, the nation and the homeland,” she said.
Manzanillo port resumed operations Friday following a weeklong customs labor dispute. (El rayo aduanero/X)
Order was restored and full operations resumed at the Pacific Coast port of Manzanillo on Friday, after authorities suppressed a labor strike that began Monday.
National Guard troops, aided by federal security forces, secured the affected areas and removed striking customs employees who were blocking points of entry to the port.
#Entérate Cerca de 100 trabajadores y funcionarios de la aduana marítima realizan bloqueo al puerto, denuncian abuso, acoso y maltrato laboral y exigen renuncia del nuevo titular de la aduana en #Manzanillo, Rodolfo Torres Chávez. pic.twitter.com/fBDo6i3gLR
— Diario de Colima (@Diario_deColima) May 12, 2025
An unspecified number of strikers were apprehended, according to Reforma newspaper. Authorities did not provide details about the arrests or specify what charges the picketers might face.
Before dawn Friday, port authorities issued a statement saying the “demonstration that blocked access to Manzanillo Customs has concluded,” adding that operations were expected to resume at 6 a.m.
Authorities also urged all port users to remain alert for official communications.
The port of Manzanillo, Colima, is Mexico’s top port by revenue and the second-largest by cargo volume.
Customs personnel initiated their protest on Monday morning, denouncing violations of their labor contract, accusing management of abuse and harassment.
Omar Chávez, a customs employee, told local news outlet Origen Informativo that some employees were being forced to work 16-hour shifts while being denied overtime pay and lunch breaks.
Negotiations produced a quick agreement Monday afternoon, but management was almost immediately accused of failing to honor it, prompting an escalation of the strike.
Manzanillo, Mexico’s top port by revenue, is vital for global trade. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
Torres has been the Manzanillo port administrator for just one month, replacing Mario Alberto Limas, who had been in charge from Jan. 16 to April 15. The Naval Ministry (SEMAR), which oversees all aspects of port development, administration and planning, did not provide a reason for the change.
Unnamed federal authorities cited by El Universal newspaper said Monday’s strike was prompted by the dismissal of five customs employees accused of corruption, butport authorities did not mention this in official communications.
SEMAR announced it will continue to monitor the situation to guarantee the security of port operations.
During the strike, port stakeholders were in constant communication with port authorities to mitigate the impact. Customs brokers advised transporters not to send import and export units to the port, while juggling schedules, waiving late fees and additional charges, and reassigning appointments even as dispatches and vessel operations continued.
Miguel Ángel Landeros, president of the Mexican Foreign Trade Council (COMCE), said port administrators must take steps to prevent such situations from occurring.
“Foreign trade is the cornerstone of Mexico’s economy,” he said. “[Port security] is a matter of national security. … Even one day’s closure represents the loss of millions of pesos.”
COMCE said that as of Thursday 1,500 transportation operations had been impacted.
The U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act allows visa bans for suspected drug collaborators. (Shutterstock)
The Trump administration has begun revoking U.S. visas for Mexican politicians it believes are linked to the drug trade, including high-profile members of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s ruling Morena party, according to a new ProPublica investigation.
The list of targets includes Mexican state governors and allies of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, signaling a sharp escalation in bilateral tensions.
According to longtime journalist Adela Navarro, editor-in-chief of Tijuana’s Zeta Weekly, the governor is “collateral damage” in a U.S. probe targeting her husband and her brother-in-law, Luis Alfonso Torres.
Navarro said in an interview on Radio Fórmula the two brothers are under investigation for their potential involvement in a case of stolen fuel that reportedly entered Mexico illegally from Texas.
“What we were told [by unnamed sources inside] the State Department was that she would be collateral damage. In the United States, they often do this by disabling the inner circle of the person of interest,” the journalist said. “The ones they are investigating are Carlos Torres and his brother.”
Zeta Weekly in Tijuana reported that Baja California Governor Ávila’s visa revocation was “collateral damage” in a U.S. investigation into her husband’s alleged fuel smuggling activity. (Carlos Torres/Facebook)
The question that persists in Mexico, “particularly among the overwhelming Morena wing,” Navarro wrote in a piece for Zeta Weekly, “is whether President Sheinbaum will save the reputation of [Governor Ávila] by interceding with the U.S. government to have her B1/B2 tourist visa reactivated.”
Torres’ visa was revoked at the Tijuana border crossing about three weeks ago, according to Zeta Weekly, with the governor notified later “via consular service” that hers was being revoked, too.
The ProPublica report, published Thursday, said the “Trump administration has begun to impose travel restrictions and other sanctions on prominent Mexican politicians whom it believes are linked to drug corruption,” information the report attributed to U.S. officials.
The report added: “U.S. officials said they expect more Mexicans to be targeted as the administration works through a list of several dozen political figures who have been identified by law enforcement and intelligence agencies as having ties to the drug trade.”
The 2025 National Drug Threat Assessment notes that criminal organizations like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel smuggle stolen Pemex fuel to finance narcotics operations.
A Navy seaman stands guard after a fuel smuggling bust in Tamaulipas. Fuel smuggling, known as huachicol in Mexico, is a major income source for organized crime. (SEMAR)
“This black-market petroleum smuggling operation is the primary means by which the Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO) finances its networks,” the DEA wrote.
According to ProPublica, the operation that snagged Ávila and Torres revives a 2019 DEA list of “several dozen” Mexican officials compiled after López Obrador began shutting down Mexico’s cooperation with the U.S. in counterdrug programs.
As for Ávila, opposition lawmakers such as National Action Party (PAN) Deputy Federico Döring have urged her to “step down” and “use that time to clarify what she needs to clarify with U.S. authorities.”
“Why? What argument do you have?” Sheinbaum countered.
Ávila denied having foreign bank accounts — “they don’t exist,” she said — but remained silent on her husband’s finances. The U.S. Embassy declined to comment, citing visa privacy rules.
The White House initiative invokes Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, allowing visa bans for suspected drug collaborators. ProPublica reported Treasury sanctions freezing U.S. assets could follow.
The operation is being overseen by White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and Deputy Homeland Security Adviser Anthony Salisbury, noted ProPublica.
Former Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhaan warned in the ProPublica report that the crackdown risks inflaming tensions.
“It gives [Sheinbaum] — a nationalistic president with a very chauvinistic party behind her — a perfect excuse to say that everything bad that’s happening in Mexico … is because of U.S. imperialism,” he said.
Though no storms are forecast yet, officials are stressing readiness as hurricane season opens.(Shutterstock)
Pacific hurricane season has officially begun and though no tropical cyclones are currently predicted, authorities warned Pacific coastal residents to stay informed and be ready for the coming storms.
The 2025 hurricane season began on May 15 in the northeast Pacific Ocean. The season will kick off June 1 in the Atlantic Ocean. On both coasts, the season ends on November 30.
Mexico hopes to avoid the large-scale disaster of past storms, like Hurricane John last year in Acapulco. (Cuartoscuro)
Authorities announced the start of hurricane season to raise awareness in vulnerable communities and to boost prevention strategies. Between May and August, state and municipal authorities intensify Civil Protection efforts, including information campaigns, drills, preventive evacuations and river dredging to mitigate the risk of flooding.
Hurricane preparation
According to Conagua and Civil Protection, the best defense against hurricanes is early preparation. Recommendations include:
Inspecting your roof and windows for leaks before storms develop
Have a hurricane kit with first aid supplies, a radio with regularly charged batteries and important documents stored in a water-proof bag.
Know your evacuation routes and establish family meet-up points.
Follow official sources like SMN and Conagua for information and avoid spreading rumors.
Which states are the most vulnerable to hurricanes?
Coastal states are most vulnerable to hurricanes, while states in central Mexico are somewhat sheltered behind mountain slopes — the Sierra Madres act as natural barriers that weaken the winds and disrupt the circulation of a cyclone. Winds can unleash their full power in flat areas.
Areas with low-income communities are particularly exposed. According to weather news outlet Meteored, over 48% of Mexican municipalities live in poverty, which is where disasters commonly occur, especially in the southern states. Vulnerability is further compounded by heavy rainfall, deterioration of watersheds, deforestation and environmental degradation.
On average, tropical cyclones account for 86.5% of the annual disaster costs in Mexico, mainly due to the large quantities of water they produce. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active on record, with 30 named storms, prompting weather forecasters to use Greek letters to name additional systems.
Retirees praise Mexico, and towns like San Miguel de Allende (pictured) for affordability, natural beauty and friendly locals. (Lauren King/Unsplash)
In news that will come as no surprise to retirees in Mexico, International Living has rated the country as one of the best places in the world to retire.
The report, conducted by research company Mercer, analyzed over 40 countries to determine which offer the best retirement conditions. Mexico stands out as a country combining a low cost of living, good access to health care, a pleasant climate and ease of integration into local communities.
Scenic view of The Malecón in Chapala, a top retirement destination in Mexico.
“Mexico is a vibrant and diverse retirement destination,” the report says. “The country combines affordability, culture, and warm communities, making it a perennial favorite for North American expats.”
The Index draws from first-hand experiences of Mercer’s correspondents and contributors who have lived in these retirement destinations for years. “They’re not tourists or casual observers,” the report says. “They’re embedded in the communities they report on.”
The results are based on 43 indicators grouped into four major categories:
Financial security, which considers access to pensions, social security and savings capacity.
Health, which includes quality of medical care, life expectancy and healthcare infrastructure.
Quality of life, which looks into the environment, basic services and water and air quality.
Personal well-being, which involves happiness, satisfaction, access to community and social life.
Mexico’s results highlight the wide array of destinations for expats to choose from. The report mentions destinations like the UNESCO World Heritage Site of San Miguel de Allende, the cities of Guanajuato and Querétaro, both up-and-coming wine and gourmet destinations, the sandy beaches of the Riviera Maya, or the towns around Lake Chapala.
Addressing safety concerns, Mexico correspondent Bel Woodhouse said the country is a safe and rewarding retirement destination “provided you use common sense.”
For Woodhouse, Mexico has allowed her to live her dream life.
“Overall, Mexico ticks all the boxes for me. The abundant natural beauty, warm and friendly people, amazing food, healthier lifestyle, and low cost of living allow me to live the life I always dreamed of,” Woodhouse said.
Besides Mexico, the top 10 of the best countries to retire include Panamá (No. 1) Portugal (No. 2), Costa Rica (No. 3), Francia (No. 5), Spain (No. 6) Malaysia (No. 7), Greece (No. 8), Italy (No. 9) and Thailand (No. 10).
Club Botánico Rosa María in Oaxaca city is a space for all cannabis afficionados. (All photos by Anna Bruce)
Club Botánico Rosa María is a beautiful new space in Oaxaca city that celebrates all things cannabis. The club for registered users in downtown Oaxaca city is aimed at adults seeking a safe and peaceful space to exercise their right to consume cannabis and access current information about the plant in Mexico. Here, you can learn about the uses, history and benefits of the plant, as well as have a space to enjoy it in its various forms.
Walking in through reception, you walk by beautiful murals and a pool table and into an open space with tables and chairs in the shade of towering cannabis plants. This is where I met with club founder and cannabis expert Daniel Ramírez López, part of the agrifood consultancy firm Coagro. Although I’m not much of a weed smoker myself, Daniel found all kinds of products that were more to my taste, including a cannabis-infused mezcal.
A common space at Club Botánico Rosa María.
Oaxaca’s most iconic drink has a long history of being infused or distilled with cannabis, often for healing, where the liquid is used topically to soothe aches and pains. Beyond recreational consumption, cannabis has medicinal uses and industrial uses in fibers and oils.
The history of cannabis in Mexico
Endemic to Asia, the plant has been used for thousands of years. It was introduced to the Americas by European colonizers.
Since around the mid-19th century, the Pharmaceutical Society of Mexico had classified cannabis as a plant with medicinal uses, with doctors prescribing the plant’s sativa species as a diuretic while the indica species, also known as Rosa María, was attributed calming and hypnotic properties.
By the end of the 19th century, Mexicans’ perception of cannabis had changed. People began to consider it harmful, even dangerous. At a federal level, the Health Code of 1892 established that it could only be sold by apothecaries and pharmacists. By the 1920s, marijuana was a prohibited substance nationwide.
In 2017, then-President Enrique Peña Nieto issued a decree to regulate cannabis. His decree removed cannabis from the list of prohibited substances in the General Health Law and placed it in a different category, defining it as having “some therapeutic value.” These changes legalized medicinal and industrial cannabis with less than 1% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in the Federal Penal Code.
Daniel Ramírez.
Article 290 of this decree states that products containing cannabis derivatives in concentrations of 1% or less of THC and that have broad industrial uses may be marketed, exported and imported in compliance with the requirements established by health regulations. In accordance with Article 290, the Ministry of Health granted authorization to import cannabis, exclusively to those with a license.
A final paragraph added to Article 198 of the Federal Penal Code stipulates that cannabis cultivation cannot be penalized when it is carried out for medical and scientific purposes.
According to Ramírez, it is now possible for all citizens to submit a request to the Ministry of Health for a recreational use permit.” Unfortunately, he says, “this permit is often denied under bureaucratic and administrative pretexts.”
A local cannabis-infused beer available at Rosa María.
Cannabis puts down roots in Oaxaca
In accordance with the national health regulator Cofepris, individuals over 18 years of age may now possess up to 28 grams of cannabis and cultivate up to six plants on their property. In 2022, cannabis publication Leafly reported that Oaxaca city became the first municipality in Mexico to explicitly permit the consumption of cannabis in broad daylight, although consumers were advised to stay away from public areas.
In 2022, 26 Oaxaca Indigenous communities received permits to grow and process cannabis for medicinal purposes. Oaxaca Association of Indigenous Cannabis Producers (Aipco) President Roberto Carlos Cruz Gómez explains that Oaxaca state has a “geographical location that allows for the best conditions for the cultivation of this plant.”
A home for cannabis aficionados in Oaxaca city
Despite official statements in support of cannabis use, the plant remains in a legal gray area, which can lead to unpredictable prices and local reactions. This makes the Rosa María club an oasis for safe cannabis exploration. Here, visitors can learn the best way to buy and use the plant from experts sharing their knowledge in a safe environment.
On my first visit to the club, Daniel Ramírez showed me the numerous rooms around Rosa María’s beautiful courtyard, including a kitchen, gaming room and small experiential grow space. There’s also a museum displaying extensive samples of the plant, different methods of processing and consuming it and books and photos on the history of cannabis.
Some of the cannabis varieties available for purchase at Rosa María.
The club also offers various courses. These include one on how to grow cannabis plants, with a new topic each week — from seed selection to harvesting and final curing. Here you can learn about cannabis cultivation, including soil preparation and grow light setup. They also teach you the local rules and regulations related to cannabis cultivation so that you can grow responsibly and legally.
Other activities include learning to make paper from cannabis fibers, billiards competitions and excursions to meet with growers.
Rosa María is open Tuesday through Sunday from 1 to 9 p.m. Guests must be 18 or older, and legal identification is required to enter.
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.
President Sheinbaum congratulated Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on his recent electoral victory before moving on to the topic of trade. (Archive. Mark J. Carney/X)
President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney discussed the importance of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) during a phone conversation on Thursday.
The chat occurred as talks related to a mandated review of the USMCA appear set to begin ahead of schedule.
On Tuesday, Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said he expected the USMCA review process to begin in the second half of 2025. The review — scheduled for July 2026 — could lead to renegotiations, extensions or even withdrawal.
In their phone conversation, Carney and Sheinbaum confirmed their commitment to the USMCA, which went into effect on July 1, 2020, agreeing that it has boosted the competitiveness of the three North American countries.
In a press release, Carney’s office said the two leaders discussed “building on the strong trade relationship between the two countries,” grounded in the USMCA, and “the imperative to strengthen their respective economies against future shocks.”
The Mexican government said in a social media post that the two leaders also discussed priority issues in their bilateral relationship, including the continuity and strengthening of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.
La presidenta @Claudiashein conversó telefónicamente con el primer ministro de Canadá, @MarkJCarney, a quien felicitó por la ratificación de su mandato. Dialogaron sobre asuntos prioritarios de la relación bilateral, la continuidad y fortalecimiento del Programa de Trabajadores…
Both leaders tasked their senior officials to begin working to find opportunities to deepen bilateral relations. They also agreed to remain in close contact.
Sheinbaum initiated the phone call by congratulating Carney for his April 28 election victory. His Cabinet was sworn into office on May 13.
In discussing the early start to the USMCA review, Ebrard said the accelerated timeline aligns with the U.S. government’s focus on trade negotiations over the next three months, adding that it could be advantageous for Mexico.
“The reality [of global economics] is pushing us toward deeper regional integration,” he said. “Mexico and Canada are indispensable [to the United States] in various areas, particularly if the goal is to remain competitive against Asia.”
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard speaks at a recent press conference. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
A day later, Ebrard reiterated this belief, saying that early review would serve to reduce uncertainty among investors and consumers.
The USMCA replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement that had governed trade among Mexico, Canada and the United States since 1994. The continuity of USMCA came into question following Trump’s May 6 remarks Trump in which he described it as a “transitional” arrangement that he intends to renegotiate “very soon.”
