Starting around 9 p.m. in Mexico City, the moon will be transformed as Earth's shadow creeps across its face. (Margarito Pérez Retana/Cuartoscuro)
One of the most anticipated astronomical phenomena of 2025 — a total lunar eclipse that will turn the moon red — will be visible throughout Mexico tonight.
The dramatic six-phase event during which the moon will change color from white to red will begin at approximately 9 p.m. Central Mexican Time, but it will be a slow-developing phenomenon. The peak of the total eclipse will not occur until roughly 12:26 a.m. and will last for about an hour.
March 2025 Total Lunar Eclipse: Shadow View (UTC).mp4
Here are the six phases to look for:
Phase 1: The moon enters the Earth’s penumbra, the outer part of the shadow and begins to dim, but the effect is quite subtle.
Phase 2: The partial eclipse becomes visible by 10:30 p.m. as the moon enters the Earth’s umbra (the dark central shadow cast by our planet). By 11:10 p.m., as the shadow moves from lower left to upper right, it will look like someone has taken a bite out of the side of the moon.
Phase 3: Total eclipse as the moon passes completely behind the Earth, the shadow moving from lower left to upper right of the moon.
Phase 4: The moon begins to emerge from the umbra, Earth’s inner shadow, receding from upper left to lower right as the red hue diminishes and looks like someone has taken a bite out of the other side of the moon.
Phase 5: The moon begins to pass out of the penumbra around 2:45 a.m., leaving a slight shadow on the moon.
Phase 6: The total lunar eclipse comes to a close at around 4 a.m.
Why a total lunar eclipse appears red
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth’s orbit places it between the sun and moon, all three celestial objects lined up in a nearly perfect row. The alignment — called a syzygy — sees the moon pass into Earth’s shadow.
According to NASA, the shadow on the moon isn’t perfect as “faint sunbeams sneak around the shadow’s edges on all sides in the colors of a sunset, bathing the moon in brilliant, warm hues.”
“When the moon is within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra, it takes on a dramatic reddish hue, which has led to the nickname ‘blood moon’ for a lunar eclipse,” NASA explains.
In a total lunar eclipse, the moon blushes red as sunlight filters through Earth’s atmosphere. (NASA Scientific Visualization Studio)
Unlike a solar eclipse, the moon remains visible during a total lunar eclipse “because sunlight passing through Earth’s atmosphere reaches the moon’s surface.”
The dim lighting causes the moon to appear orange or red, NASA says, because “air molecules from Earth’s atmosphere scatter out most of the blue light.” That’s because colors with shorter wavelengths — blues and violets — scatter more easily than colors with longer wavelengths, such as red and orange.
The remaining light from the sun reflects onto the Moon’s surface with a red glow, making the Moon appear red in the night sky.”
Additionally, the presence of clouds or dust in the atmosphere will make the moon appear even redder.
Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard has been leading Mexico's ongoing tariff negotiations with the U.S. (Andrea Murcia/Cuartoscuro)
Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Thursday that there are “many measures” Mexico can take in response to U.S. tariffs, but he stressed that the federal government won’t take them “at a bad time.”
Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her government would wait until April 2 to decide whether it would retaliate against those tariffs and any others that are applied to Mexican goods. April 2 is the date the United States has said it will impose reciprocal tariffs on imports from all its trade partners.
Ebrard told reporters that placing tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum was a “bad idea because the integration of Mexico and the United States … is very high.”
“We’re the two most integrated economies,” he said, adding that the 25% tariffs will affect “a lot of industries.”
On the instructions of Sheinbaum, the Economy Ministry will commence “consultations” on the U.S. tariffs with representatives of Mexico’s steel, aluminum and auto industries, Ebrard said.
In a nutshell, Economy Secretary @m_ebrard on 🇺🇸 steel & aluminum tariffs:
-Consultations starting tomorrow with affected industries.
-We will be ready with specific measures in case they’re needed on April 2, but we won’t act precipitiously.
“We’re going to carry out consultations so that later, depending on what the United States government announces and what we manage to achieve … [before] April 2, we can take other measures to defend our companies,” he said.
“… There are many measures that can be taken but we’re not going to take them at a bad time,” Ebrard said.
“… In summary, we’re going to do the proper consultations and we’re going to prepare to use all the instruments we have depending on what is advisable for Mexico,” he said.
Ebrard, who was in Washington earlier this week for tariff talks with United States Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, said that he had received instructions from Sheinbaum to ensure that Mexico is in a better position “than any other country” after the U.S. implements reciprocal tariffs on April 2.
“That’s the goal because we’re very integrated with the United States. We have a certain exceptionality,” he said.
“… We have to achieve the best [trading] conditions possible. With what objective? To protect jobs, to protect companies and jobs,” Ebrard said. “That is the instruction we have.”
The economy minister stressed that Mexico won’t take any retaliatory action against the United States until it knows how it is affected by U.S. reciprocal tariffs.
The high level of integration between the U.S. and Mexican economies mean that steel and aluminum tariffs will hit a wide range of industries, Ebrard said. (Shutterstock)
Sheinbaum has expressed confidence that Mexico will avoid additional duties on its exports to the United States given that it doesn’t impose tariffs on the vast majority of imports from the U.S.
Ebrard said that he and other federal government officials will have “very intense” talks with their U.S. counterparts in the coming weeks. The economy minister said he will put forward “Mexico’s point of view” based on “what I have just told you.”
“The [United States’] integration with Mexico is exceptional. There is no other country, not even Canada, that has economic integration [with the United States] like there is between Mexico and the United States,” he said.
Ebrard has previously said that tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum are illogical and “not justified” given that the U.S. has a surplus with Mexico on the trade of those metals.
He said Thursday that the Mexican government will act with “cold blood, resolve and firmness” in talks with the U.S. government in order to achieve “the best possible position for Mexico.”
“… I can’t give you details of the negotiation. … That would be imprudence because it hasn’t concluded,” Ebrard said.
Ebrard emphasized the need for level-headed persistence in negotiations with the U.S. (Marcelo Ebrard/X)
“… Every day we’re in talks. How many meetings have there been? A lot, and there will be more. And we’re not going to give up until we achieve what the President Claudia Sheinbaum instructed us,” he said.
“From my point of view, with the experience I have, this strategy of firmness and cold blood is the best possible strategy, and it’s getting results,” Ebrard said.
In earlier remarks, the economy minister said that “without the intervention of President Sheinbaum with President Trump” all Mexican goods would face 25% tariffs when exported to the United States.
Sheinbaum spoke to Trump last Thursday after which the U.S. president announced that imports from Mexico covered by the USMCA free trade pact would not be subject to U.S. tariffs until at least early April. The U.S. had imposed 25% tariffs on all imports from Mexico and most imports from Canada two days earlier due to what the White House said was the two countries’ failure to adequately stem the flow of “lethal drugs” such as fentanyl into the U.S.
Trump said he was suspending tariffs on imports from Mexico covered by the USMCA “as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum.”
Sheinbaum had planned to announce retaliatory “tariff and non-tariff measures” against the United States’ blanket tariffs at a rally in Mexico City’s central square last Sunday, but she instead delivered a celebratory address due to the suspension of the duties.
Lutnick praises Mexico’s restraint after steel tariffs take effect
In contrast, Mexico and the United Kingdom were “pragmatic and thoughtful” in response to the steel and aluminum tariffs, the commerce secretary said.
Consequently, “the way in which we’re going to deal with them is going to be better,” Lutnick said.
Trade War: Commerce Secretary Lutnick Says EU, Canada Are Raising Stakes, Being Disrespectful
In earlier remarks, he noted that “the British didn’t respond” and “the Mexicans didn’t respond” to the tariffs — at least not yet.
“You have some countries that actually thoughtfully examine how they do business with us,” Lutnick said.
It remains to be seen whether Mexico can win an exemption from the steel and aluminium tariffs, and avoid other additional duties, as a result of its strategy in responding to and dealing with its largest trade partner.
The United States’ trade relationships were also on Trump’s mind on Thursday morning.
“Canada needs America, America does not need Canada,” Trump said in another post, quoting businessman Grant Cardone.
US trade official: ‘Even the USMCA is not working for us now’
In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Trump’s senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro took aim at the United State-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the North American free trade pact that Trump signed in 2018 and which superseded NAFTA in 2020.
“We lost 90,000 factories — NAFTA, WTO, NAFTA shafta, even the USMCA is not working for us now because Biden didn’t enforce it,” Navarro said.
"It’s now time to turn this year’s increase into a lasting trend," WWF Mexico chief Jorge Rickards said. (File photo)
The population of the eastern monarch butterflies in Mexican forests doubled this past winter season compared to the area occupied last year, according to a survey conducted by World Wildlife (WWF) Mexico and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), in collaboration with local communities.
The annual survey, dubbed “Forest Area Occupied by Monarch Butterflies Colonies in Mexico During the 2024-2025 Hibernation Season,” revealed that the occupied area went from 1.79 hectares, to 0.90 during the 2023-2024 period. Despite the late arrival of the butterfly — which arrived mid-November — scientists believe that improved weather conditions during the butterfly migration favored the population’s increase.
Monarch butterfly are considered a “poster species,” and efforts to conserve them also benefit less glamorous pollinators as well. (CorreoRealMX/X)
Still, WWF said that while monarchs occupied nearly double the forest habitat as last year, populations remain far beneath the long-term average.
Conanp chief Pedro Álvarez Icaza noted that they spotted eight monarch butterflies’ colonies: Three were located within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, covering 1.21 hectares, and five outside the reserve, covering 0.57 hectares in the state of Mexico.
The largest colony, measuring 0.99 hectares, was recorded in the El Rosario ejido, Michoacán, while the smallest colony, measuring 0.002 hectares, was located in San Andrés, in the Azufres sanctuary, in the same state. The colony in Atlautla, México state, was adjacent to Iztaccíhuatl Popocatépetl National Park (outside the reserve)and occupied 0.09 hectares.
A monarch chrysalis, shortly before hatching. (Flickr CC BY 2.0)
Michoacán is home to the world-famous Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that annually welcomes millions of butterflies that migrate from the northern United States and southern Canada to nest in Mexico’s pine and fir forests.
In the survey’s presentation, scientists highlighted the preservation effort “as an example of tripartite cooperation between Mexico, the United States, and Canada.”
Jorge Rickards, head of WWF Mexico, emphasized the role of local communities in the survey as they monitor the sanctuary to measure the butterflies’ population and ensure their preservation.
“We recognize the key role of local communities, as well as the support of the government of Mexico in conserving the forest and providing this iconic species with the opportunity to thrive,” Rickards said. “It’s now time to turn this year’s increase into a lasting trend with an all-hands approach where governments, landowners, conservationists, and citizens continue to safeguard critical habitats along the monarch’s North American migratory route.”
La Chicharra was one of the most wanted fugitives in both Guatemala and the United States. (Francisco Jiménez/X)
Guatemala’s most wanted fugitive, Aler Baldomero Samayoa Recinos, aka “La Chicharra,” was captured in the southern state of Chiapas on Tuesday.
Mexico’s Security Ministry processed Samayoa in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the Chiapas state capital, then transported him to the Guatemalan border that same day where he was handed over to Interpol.
Guatemala’s most wanted criminal captured in Mexico
The fugitive a.k.a. “La Chicharra” was arrested on March 11 in Chiapas, Mexico. The leader of the criminal organisation “Los Huistas” is subject of an INTERPOL Red Notice and was transferred to 🇬🇹@MinGobGuate@FJimenezmingobpic.twitter.com/Yukj9x81d4
— INTERPOL #MostWanted 🟥 #RedNotice fugitives (@interpolwanted) March 13, 2025
The three-month operation to capture “La Chicharra” — the alleged leader of the notorious Guatemalan crime gang Los Huistas — was a joint effort carried out by Mexican, Guatemalan and U.S. authorities.
“La Chicharra” had fled Guatemala late last year after escaping arrest during an earlier stage of the joint operation.
Guatemalan Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez applauded the apprehension of Samayoa Recinos in a social media post, referring to him as the country’s No. 1 fugitive. The suspect faces charges of “illicit association” in Guatemala.
In addition to being the most wanted man in Guatemala, “La Chicharra” was sought by U.S. authorities, appearing on a U.S. list of the 100 most wanted criminals.
Samayoa and his co-leader Eugenio Darío Molina López are both wanted in the U.S. for drug trafficking. (U.S. Treasury)
A U.S. federal indictment accusing the suspect of cocaine trafficking and money laundering was unsealed in 2022. The indictment links “La Chicharra” to major drug distribution networks, alleging he was in charge of shipping cocaine from the department of Huehuetenango in the western highlands of Guatemala across the Mexican border and into Chiapas.
In a social media post, the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala praised the operation that led to the capture of “La Chicharra.”
“Major progress in the fight against drug trafficking!” the embassy wrote, adding that the arrest will “ensure his swift extradition to the United States.” The message also lauded the joint operation for “strengthening the fight against organized crime.”
Also mentioned in the indictment is Eugenio Darío Molina López, another alleged leader of Los Huistas. The group’s name is derived from the municipality of Santa Ana Huista, a municipality in Huehuetenango.
La cooperación interagencial entre Guatemala, Estados Unidos de América y México, permitió la captura y traslado hacia torres de tribunales del extraditable alias “Chicharra”, uno de los máximos líderes de la organización criminal “Los Huistas”. pic.twitter.com/AF6OTVGScD
The U.S. Treasury is offering US $10 million for information leading to the capture of Molina, who is wanted on drug trafficking charges in the southern district of California.
Los Huistas, characterized as a violent crime gang by Guatemala authorities, are said to traffic in cocaine, methamphetamines and heroin, while also controlling poppy fields in the departments of Huehuetenango and San Marcos.
The U.S. indictment alleges that Los Huistas maintained close ties to Mexico’s two biggest criminal organizations, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).
“La Chicharra” was taken to Guatemala’s Federal Court Towers and is awaiting extradition procedures that could send him to the U.S. However, extradition could be delayed because Guatemalan law requires suspects to face justice at home before they can be extradited.
Cotton threads dyed with natural dyes by the Du Xhil Cooperative in San Bartolo Yautepec, Oaxaca. The artisan cooperative is working to secure traditional ways of life while increasing prosperity for weavers in the town. (Ena Aguilar)
By breathing new life into traditional art forms, collective action can empower rural communities with sustainable opportunities, all while fueling local economies. Instead of leaving their homes in search of work, families can build thriving livelihoods and preserve traditional culture, without the need to seek work elsewhere.
From left to right Alicia Domínguez, Carina Angel, and Maddalena Forcella, who are working to create a sustainable, eco-friendly future for Oaxaca’s traditional artisans.
Since April 2013, Maddalena Forcella and Ana Paula Fuentes, a pair of designers based in Oaxaca city, have been working on design projects to assist remote towns in the state by sharing their expertise on natural dyeing and the variations in textiles that arise from the use of thinner thread.
The “Weave a Real Peace” project, which emphasizes the quality of the product and the responsible use of natural resources, has an impact on the environment as well as society. Fuentes describes their mission as “facilitating inclusive design processes that weave together people, ideas and inputs around a shared vision,” and the foundation is now working with similar groups across Oaxaca.
Unlike brand design, which leaves the designer’s personal mark on the final product, traditional handcrafts helps the artisans, who are already experts in their field, to push their creativity to create pieces they had not previously thought of and expand their personal work and artistic vision.
For Fortella, providing a tool that allows them to express their creativity through seemingly simple things like color combinations opens a new world for each craftsman.
Micaela Jiménez and Alicia Domínguez, two local weavers, talked about how they began working together as a cooperative in San Bartolo Yautepec, which is three and a half hours from the capital of Oaxaca.
In San Bartolo Yautepec, Oaxaca, Micaela Jiménez and Alicia Domínguez show traditional Zapotec clothing, which has been made in the remote mountain town for centuries.
“Ana Paula Fuentes gave us a call and asked if we thought our community would be interested in learning how to dye the cotton we use to weave our clothes with natural colors, after talking it over, we agreed to establish a cooperative…so that we could all learn from it,” Micaela Jiménez explained.
The cooperative, which consists of 16 women and 2 men, was given the name Du Xhil, Zapotec for cotton thread, the material they use to weave their textiles on backstrap looms that hang from a tree or post inside their homes. “The artisans have been doing this activity since they were young; they have acquired the skill that can only be gained with consistency over time,” asserts Forcella. “The experience gained through practice over the years gives artisans mastery in their craft.”
Because they continue to wear it, communities weave the items that make up their traditional clothing throughout time. However, when considering them as pieces to sell, they are limited to local residents and buyers, which deters younger generations from continuing their customary weaving businesses.
While exploring the area to see what the craftsmen have on hand to readily and conveniently obtain their colors, Forcella queries participants about plants or raw materials that generate natural dyes in their community. When modern synthetic aniline dyes were introduced in Mexico, textile towns began switching from natural dyes to new threads dyed with chemically generated colors. Here, however, artisans can recall the natural dyes their grandmothers used.
Nancy Jiménez Pineda weaves cotton threads dyed with indigo and “cacahuananche” (Gliricidia sepium), a local dye, on her backstrap loom.
These days, they only buy indigo and cochineal, two basic materials that yield a variety of blue and red colors, from outside their town. While they employ other local resources, such as brazilwood, to produce the red, they only use the indigo plant to obtain the blue tones. This local focus means that communities have reduced their carbon footprint and focuses on a sustainable form of living that protects and prioritizes their local environments.
Other local artisan groups were additionally influenced by the outcomes of that collaboration between the designers and artisans. As a result of this new knowledge, their clothing offerings have become more varied, allowing the cooperative to cater to a wider range of consumers.
With weavers from Du Xhil now producing finer pieces of clothing in their communities, Weave a Real Peace has also provided marketing and commercial support, meaning that young people in San Bartolo Yautepec can now form part of the brighter future in their town, while preserving a way of life that has guided their ancestors for centuries.
Social anthropologist and photojournalist Ena Aguilar Peláez writes on health, culture, rights, and the environment, with a strong interest in intercultural interactions and historical and cultural settings.
Off to the convenience store? Tru these
great snacks. (Oxxo/Facebook)
How many times do you pass an Oxxo when you’re in Mexico? I don’t know about you, but I’ve frequented this convenience store regularly for the last decade. No matter what I’m looking for, Oxxo always seems to have my back.
Every time I’m on the bus or boarding a flight at Benito Juarez International Airport, I like to have a snack or two to keep me company. It saves me from going hungry whenever I’m passing through parts of Mexico that lack restaurant options and a good Wi-Fi connection. Having Oxxo snacks on you for long-ish road trips or layovers also tends to be a great way to budget on food since most items are between 20 and 100 pesos (US $1-5).
Inside a typical Oxxo store. (Yelp)
I’ve tried dozens of items Oxxo has to offer. Maybe, even more than that. And the last time I was in Mexico, I came up with a top 5 list of my favorite Oxxo snacks. Was it easy to narrow it down to five? No. If you ask me, we may have to do a series on the different types of Oxxo snacks you can find.
But to get the ball rolling on this debate, here’s what earned a spot on my list.
Number 5: Príncipe
(dechocolate.net)
Like an Oreo with a crunchy cookie exterior and a soft fudgy middle, Príncipe is one of my favorite sweet treats for a reason. You can find these in big family-sized packaging or small packs that you can have in your day bag for when you go to the beach. I tend to grab these cookies when I know I’ll be on the ADO bus for hours, because they’re also quite filling.
I’ve shared Príncipes with new friends I’ve met at hostels, family members and even taxi drivers. I used to be the kid at school who’d always have a pack of gum on hand, and sharing it with my peers has allowed me to make lifelong friends. Encouraging people to gravitate towards my favourite Oxxo snacks with similar energy has allowed me to see that most people enjoy Príncipe for the same reasons. In other words, it’s the kind of snack I’d get if I were to invite friends over to my house to watch a World Cup soccer game.
Number 4: Emperador
(HEB)
Similarly to Príncipe, I’ve found that a lot of people I’ve met are also keen on Emperador cookies. But I believe that it deserves as spot on my list because it comes in multiple flavors. At every Oxxo I’ve ever walked into, I’ve never failed to see at least a handful of Emperador brands on the shelf.
The flavors I’ve come across the most are vanilla, chocolate, and cheddar(?!). I appreciate how they have a cookie for every palate. If I’m in the mood for a sweet treat or something a little more savory, I know Emperador has me covered.
But if I were to give a strong recommendation on which one to pick up on your next trip to Oxxo, I’d say go with the Emperador cookie that fuses the vanilla and chocolate together. When you bite into it, all the flavors meld beautifully in your mouth. If you’re a fan of dessert items, it doesn’t get much better than this, especially under 50 pesos.
Number 3: Sabritas
(Sabritas/Instagram)
I’m what you’d call a textbook “biscuit man.” But even then, Oxxo has some great chip options that I swear by particularly when I’m on the bus and want to get something to easily share with friends.
Sabritas have a variety of flavors for every palate. If you like snacks that are cheese-based or filled with hot chilis, Sabritas has you covered. Sometimes, it’s good to take chances on new flavors since Sabritas have so many. While you might recognize them as Lays back in the U.S., Mexico offers a fresh look at chip flavoring, with all the spice you’ve come to expect from Mexican life.
On the bus from Oaxaca to Puerto Escondido last December, I decided to go with sour cream and herb flavor, and wasn’t disappointed. The only thing missing was a jar of salsa, but it’s a mental note I’ve made for next time (and guess what? Oxxo also has you covered).
Number 2: Mazapan de la Rosa
(huanluyenanton)
If you ask me, we can’t have a list of the top Oxxo snacks without including Mazapan de la Rosa. It’s a classic sweet treat for everyone who either grew up Mexican or has lived in the country long enough to discover them.
With a peanut butter-like taste, this is a crowd favorite if you want to make a good first impression on your nieces (if they’re not allergic, of course). It also functions as a good dessert item if you don’t want anything too heavy after dinner.
But there’s also something nostalgic and wholesome about finding Mazapan outside of Mexico. In my hometown of Montreal, there aren’t many good taquerias. But one of the few authentic ones I do know of sells Mazapan de la Rosa at their front counter. It may be insignificant for some people, but to me it means everything. It always reminds me of my grandparents’ house in Mexico City or the Oxxo in Playa Del Carmen where I met my best friends during the pandemic years.
Number 1: Platívolos
(Walmart)
Whenever I’m in Mexico, there’s one Oxxo cookie I tell everyone to try at least once. I’ve recently given some to two friends I met on the road in Oaxaca to show them how much I valued our friendship after we survived a long hike together at Hierve el Agua.
It’s just like the vanilla and chocolate version of Emperador, but it’s a little softer and creamier in texture. If I were to compare it to something, I’d say it almost tastes like a mini birthday cake. I can go through a pack of these within an hour and that’s me being modest.
I had these for the first time when I was in Bacalar, after kayaking in Los Rapidos. I only wanted a quick bite after my day in the water, but turned out to be one of the smartest purchase decisions I’ve made in a Mexican convenience store.
What’s in your Oxxo shopping bag?
Carrying 3,200 items, it’s fair to say Oxxo holds many gems. And if I were to name an honorable mention, I’d go with Tina Rosa Tortillinas. I love making breakfast quesadillas at home, and it’s by far the best packaged tortilla on the market. You can find Tina Rosa everywhere in Mexico, but it’s better to get them at Oxxo since the lineups have shorter wait times than Chedraui and other grocery stores.
So, what are your top 5 Oxxo snacks? Let us know in the comments below.
Ian Ostroff is an indie author, journalist, and copywriter from Montreal, Canada. You can find his work in various outlets, including Map Happy and The Suburban. When he’s not writing, you can find Ian at the gym, a café, or anywhere within Mexico visiting family and friends.
Many cruise lines offer itineraries featuring Cabo San Lucas. What does the future hold? (Norwegian Cruise Lines)
2025 should be a year of celebration in Cabo San Lucas. The city has been a featured port on Mexican Riviera cruises for 60 years, dating back to the mid-1960s, when Princess Cruises invented the concept before sharing it widely with U.S. television viewers via the long-running 1970s and 1980s show The Love Boat, filmed aboard a Princess cruise ship.
To honor the 60th year of Mexico Riviera cruises, Princess is planning a special 14-day Diamond Anniversary voyage departing December 6 from the Port of Los Angeles, with two overnight stays in Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta and visits to other popular destinations such as Loreto, Manzanillo, and Mazatlán.
Cabo San Lucas has been a port of call on Mexican Riviera cruises for 60 years. (Princess Cruises)
Tariff concerns cast a pall over the cruise industry in Mexico
However, along with the celebration 2025 is also a year of concern, not only for Cabo San Lucas but other popular cruise ports in Mexico. That’s because of a new tariff expected to take effect on July 1 (after being delayed from an initial start date in December 2024). No, this one isn’t courtesy of the U.S. President but rather the Mexican Senate, and if it is enacted as expected it will impose a US $42 tax on every person who takes a Mexican cruise. Even those who don’t get off the ship to enjoy port visits.
Most of the money raised from this measure (66%) is earmarked for the Mexican military, not to fund improvements in port facilities. But even if it were, the cruise industry and tourism officials in Mexico would likely have the same response. Namely, criticism and pushback due to the expected deleterious effects this charge — one of the highest by any country — is likely to have.
The tariff’s effect on Mexican ports of call
The tariffs are likely to cause a significant spike in the cost of cruise arrivals, rendering the region uncompetitive for cruise companies. (IGY Marinas)
In a letter to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the CEO of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association, Michele Paige, stressed the negative impacts this tariff she believes this tariff will have, particularly in Mexico, and pointed out it would make the country 213% more expensive than the average port of call destination in the Caribbean, and thus not competitive.
“The Government’s plan to eliminate the ‘in-transit’ exemption status that has been in place for cruise passengers for over a decade impacts the livelihoods of tens of thousands of Mexican citizens, countless small businesses, and communities along Mexico’s coastlines that depend on cruise tourism.”
The concern is understandable, given that cruising is worth US $500 million to Mexican port economies annually. Octavio de la Torre, president of CONCANACO (the National Confederation of Commerce, Service, and Tourism Chambers), put it more bluntly, per The Associated Press: “This could result in a significant decrease in visitors.”
What might the tariff mean for Cabo San Lucas?
Cabo San Lucas is economically dependent on tourism, much of which comes from cruise ship arrivals. (Sectur/Twitter)
Paige specifically pointed out the impacts in Quintana Roo, home to Cozumel, the country’s most popular cruise port destination, and where cruising accounts for 40% of the GDP statewide. But Cabo San Lucas, which sees around half a million cruise ship visitors annually, could also be hard hit in manifold ways, including reduced cruise traffic from cruise ships and altered itineraries that omit Cabo San Lucas and other Mexican ports of call, leading to lost jobs and lost revenue for local businesses.
Another possibility is reduced investment in port infrastructure. It’s unlikely that this tariff will affect the 688 million pesos already allotted for infrastructure improvements between 2024 and 2029 via the Secretaría de Marina’s Programa Maestro de Desarrollo. However, if Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, the two most important Mexico Riviera cruise ports, see a significant decline in visitors moving forward, this could impede investments from other sources.
What could pushback look like when the tariff goes into effect?
Iceland discovered the negative effects of cruise tariffs when it tried to implement its own. (MBL)
Do you think tariffs aren’t taken seriously by the cruise industry? Just look at what recently happened in Iceland, where a modest $18 tariff was imposed in January 2025. Cruise ships immediately began canceling visits. Tourism officials, as in Mexico, had cautioned the Icelandic government that such a tariff would have negative impacts, but to no avail.
A well-placed local source confirms cruise lines are up in arms over the Mexican tariff and that reduced visits are a real possibility. In the meantime, all new itineraries to Mexico are on hold pending some sort of agreement. But that’s only half the equation. Consumers may also rethink the Mexican Riviera since these are typically more budget-friendly cruises; thus, the high tariff represents a much greater percentage of the total cost.
Tawnee Sons, co-owner of Florida’s cruise-focused World2Sea, notes that taxes and fees have doubled in recent years so this latest tariff could trigger a tipping point for Mexico at a time when its ports are already seeing slightly less interest.
“The trend is now shifting toward destination-based travel, further diminishing demand for Mexican ports of call,” she explained, via Travel Weekly. “Given this decline in interest, a substantial (uptick) in fees could make these itineraries even less appealing, particularly for families and affinity groups, who often choose cruising as a value-oriented vacation option.”
How important cruise ship visits are to Cabo San Lucas?
Cruise tourism is the lifeblood of the region. (Cruisemapper)
Cabo San Lucas welcomed over 540,000 visitors thanks to cruise ship visits in 2022, and over 735,000, a record number, in 2023. Meanwhile, that number dropped to 448,000 in 2024. This decrease was expected due to the number of ships rerouted to the destination post-pandemic when other popular locales had yet to welcome back cruise traffic.
The real math that determines good from great years is rather simple. On average, each passenger now leaves about US $100 in local coffers per port visit. Thus, half a million people annually could mean as much as $50 million deposited in various pockets in Cabo San Lucas.
Nearly two decades ago, in 2007, an impact analysis of the cruise industry in Mexico noted US $38 million in cruise-related expenditures in Cabo San Lucas during that single year and the creation of 1,100 local jobs. About the same number of passengers (450,000) visited then as in 2024, so the cruise industry has remained a remarkably consistent source of revenue and employment.
But Cabo San Lucas and its cruise industry are now entering uncharted waters.
Reporters had questions for President Claudia Sheinbaum on the state-owned oil company Pemex, Mexico's economic future and, of course, tariffs at her daily press conference Wednesday. (Graciela López/Cuartoscuro)
After National Water Commission General Director Efraín Morales outlined 17 water infrastructure projects that are slated to be built in Mexico in the coming years, President Claudia Sheinbaum opened up her morning press conference to questions.
Reporters questioned the president about a range of issues, including the outlook for the Mexican economy and the health of Pemex, one of the world’s most indebted oil companies.
In January, Sheinbaum announced her Plan México, an initiative meant to grow Mexico’s economy. On Wednesday, she said that her plan will also mitigate any effects of a possible recession in the United States. (Daniel Augusto/Cuartocuro)
“For example, I meet every Monday with the finance minister to see how we’re going with revenue, with expenditure,” Sheinbaum continued.
“… And afterward I meet with the economy minister … and we look at the portfolio of investments [and consider] what incentives we have to give, what we have to do,” she said.
“… It’s not this idea that ‘the market will decide everything,’ but rather we work so there is investment [and] development, it’s seen in the macroeconomic indicators and the indicators on how the welfare programs are going,” Sheinbaum said.
In January, the financial ratings firm Moody’s forecast that US tariffs on Mexico would likely cause peso depreciation and slowed economic growth. Other institutions that monitor nations’ GDP have predicted growth for Mexico in 2025 of 1.2% to 1.5% at most. (Andrius Zemaitis/Shutterstock
“… The work that we do helps to reduce the impact [of a potential recession in the United States] and helps there to be greater growth and development,” she said.
‘Mexico’s economy is doing very well’
Sheinbaum expressed confidence that the Mexican economy won’t go into recession in the near term.
“We believe that we can get ahead … in any circumstances,” she said.
Sheinbaum acknowledged that the United States government could impose new tariffs on Mexican goods when it imposes reciprocal tariffs on its trading partners next month. (Steel and aluminum tariffs took effect today.)
However, she once again voiced optimism that Mexico will avoid additional duties given that it doesn’t impose tariffs on the vast majority of imports from the United States.
“At this time we don’t see it as an option because tax collection is going very well, incredibly well,” Sheinbaum said.
“… So we don’t believe it’s necessary; we’re doing well. But as a last resort, the [IMF] line is there if it is needed,” she said.
Reporters Wednesday had questions for President Sheinbaum about the state-owned oil company Pemex. With nearly US $100 billion in debt, Pemex is one of the world’s most indebted oil companies. (Refinería Olmeca-Dos Bocas/X)
‘If that’s not a loss of energy sovereignty, what is?’
Sheinbaum took aim at previous governments — excluding that led by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador — for putting Pemex into additional debt and overseeing a decline in the state oil company’s output.
“They put Pemex into debt, and it increasingly produced less oil and refined less gasoline and diesel,” she said.
Sheinbaum asserted that a large part of the company’s resources were lost to corruption in the years before López Obrador took office.
She displayed a graph that showed that Pemex’s debt increased from US $68.9 billion in 2007 during Felipe Calderón’s presidency to $132.3 billion in 2018, the last year of ex-president Enrique Peña Nieto’s six-year term. The graph showed that the state oil company’s debt was $99.4 billion in 2024, the final year of López Obrador’s presidency.
“The most astonishing thing is that in addition to the debt doubling [between 2007 and 2018] the production of oil fell and more gasoline was imported,” Sheinbaum said.
The president blamed previous governments and corruption for Pemex’s financial woes — although she praised Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration (2018-2024) for making strides in bringing Pemex’s debt down.
“If that’s not a loss of energy sovereignty, what is? Putting a public company into debt and producing less [oil] and importing [more] — that’s a loss of sovereignty,” she said.
“The change began with president López Obrador and we’re providing continuity,” said Sheinbaum, whose government is implementing an energy reform as it seeks to strengthen both Pemex and the state-owned Federal Electricity Commission.
President Sheinbaum's new National Water Plan has developed a list of 17 water projects across Mexico that will address the widely varying needs of states across Mexico's many microclimates. (Presidencia/Cuartoscuro)
A desalination plant in Baja California. A large-scale water storage project in the Mexico City metropolitan area. A flood prevention initiative in Tabasco. A new system of reservoirs in Sonora.
As Conagua’s latest drought monitoring map shows, Most of Mexico’s northern states are already experiencing moderate to exceptional drought conditions. (Conagua)
National Water Commission (Conagua) General Director Efraín Morales said Wednesday at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference that federal and state authorities will invest more than 120 billion pesos in strategic water infrastructure projects between 2025 and 2030.
“As you will remember, last November we presented the National Water Plan, which has the fundamental objective of guaranteeing the human right to water,” he said.
“Today we’re going to present the progress on the infrastructure projects we have,” Morales said.
The Conagua chief noted that the 17 “strategic” water projects will be undertaken in parts of Mexico with “the greatest water scarcity.” The total investment in the projects during the current six-year term of government will be around 122.6 billion pesos (US $6.07 billion), Morales said.
He said that the outlay this year will be 15 billion pesos, and noted that the projects will benefit approximately 36 million people, or about 28% of Mexico’s population.
The list of projects
Efraín Morales López, director of the National Water Commission (Conagua), presented the government’s plans on Wednesday.
Morales presented brief details about the federal government’s 17 strategic water projects.
The 17 projects include:
*A desalination plant in Rosarito, Baja California, that will supply water to almost 1 million residents of that city and Tijuana. Total investment will be around 12 billion pesos, with 4 billion pesos of that amount coming from the Baja California government. Work is slated to commence in November after a tendering process in October. The project is scheduled for completion in 2028.
*A reservoir (Presa El Novillo) in Baja California Sur that will benefit “more than 250,000 residents of the city of La Paz.” Total investment will be around 1.42 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in August after a tendering process in July. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
*A reservoir (Presa Tunal II) in Durango that will supply water to Durango city. The project will benefit 333,000 people. Total investment will be 3.98 billion pesos. Construction is slated to commence in June after a tendering process in May. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
*A reservoir (Presa Milpillas) in Zacatecas that will benefit more than half a million residents of the state. Total investment will be around 8.9 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in August after a tendering process in July. The project is scheduled for completion in 2028.
*A large-scale water storage and flood prevention initiative in the Valley of Mexico metropolitan area.
“It’s a very ambitious project whose main objective is to develop projects for the storage of water in Mexico City, México state and Hidalgo,” Morales said.
The project will benefit 21.6 million people. Total investment will be 50 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in October after a tendering process in September. The project is scheduled for completion in 2030.
*An aqueduct in Colima that will complement an existing aqueduct in the Pacific coast state. The project will benefit 238,000 people and total investment will be 1.78 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in July after a tendering process in June. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
A naturally dry climate and rapid growth have pushed Tijuana and surrounding cities to their limits in terms of water supply. The federal government’s plan is to use desalination to provide more water. (Mauricio Covarrubias/Shutterstock)
*A water supply and flood prevention initiative in 10 municipalities in the eastern part of México state. The project will benefit 6.4 million people. Total investment will be 2.51 billion pesos. Work has already begun and the project is scheduled for completion in 2028
*A water supply and flood prevention initiative in Guerrero. The project is part of the government’s “Transforming Acapulco with You” hurricane recovery plan. Total investment will be 8 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in May after a tendering process in April. The project is scheduled for completion in 2030 and will benefit almost 800,000 people.
*A reservoir (Presa Paso Ancho) in Oaxaca that will benefit almost 650,000 people in the Oaxaca city metropolitan area. Total investment will be 4.6 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in August after a tendering process in July. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
A water distribution initiative in Campeche that includes the construction of an aqueduct. The aqueduct will supply water to Campeche city, benefiting more than 250,000 people. Total investment will be 1.38 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in July after a tendering process in June. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
A flood prevention initiative in Tabasco that will benefit 340,000 people. Total investment will be 2.4 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in May after a tendering process in April. The project is scheduled for completion in 2030.
An aqueduct in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, that will benefit 475,000 people. Total investment will be 1.55 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in August after a tendering process in July. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
In Tabasco, flooding is a nearly annual event in many areas, thanks to high levels of rainfall, its geography and often poorly maintained infrastructure. One of the projects in the National Water Plan will address flood prevention in the state. (Carlos Canabal Obrador/Cuartoscuro)
An aqueduct in Guanajuato from the Solís reservoir to the city of León. The project will benefit 1.8 million people. Total investment will be 15 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in September after a tendering process in August. The project is scheduled for completion in 2028.
An aqueduct in Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas, that will benefit 147,000 people. Total investment will be 1.79 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in May after a tendering process in April. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
A reservoir (Presa Las Escobas) in San Luis Potosí “that will guarantee potable water supply for the city of San Luis Potosí.” The project will benefit 69,000 people. Total investment will be 600 million pesos. Work is slated to commence in August after a tendering process in July. The project is scheduled for completion in 2026.
The construction of trunk mains in the Laguna region of Coahuila that will supply water to four municipalities. The project will benefit 144,000 people. Total investment will be 1.8 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in May after a tendering process in April. The project is scheduled for completion in 2026.
A system of reservoirs in Sonora that will supply water to Hermosillo, the state capital. The project will benefit almost 900,000 people. Total investment will be 7.5 billion pesos. Work is slated to commence in July after a tendering process in June. The project is scheduled for completion in 2027.
Monterrey is one of two new domestic destinations for flights out of San Luis Potosí's international airport. (@RGC_Mx/X)
San Luis Potosí (SLP) state in north-central Mexico is expanding its connectivity with new flights to Monterrey and Querétaro in partnership with the airline Transportes Aéreos Regionales (TAR), Governor Ricardo Gallardo Cardona announced Tuesday.
During a ceremony at the SLP International Airport attended by state authorities and airline representatives, Gallardo praised TAR for its 14 years of service and for opening the new routes.
¡San Luis Potosí crece a pasos agigantados! ✈️
Es un honor anunciar oficialmente la adición de dos nuevas rutas aéreas de @vuelaTAR, que ahora nos conectan con Querétaro y Monterrey, impulsando el turismo, los negocios y fortaleciendo la proyección de nuestro estado a nivel… pic.twitter.com/UFsKdIvcMJ
“These projects are what bring dynamism and connectivity to San Luis Potosí, but also to the people of San Luis Potosí who work to improve their living conditions,” Gallardo said at the event. “Today, the state aspires to be the fifth strongest economy in Mexico, and we are taking firm steps to achieve this.”
The state recently invested 100 million pesos (US $5 million) in the construction of the Airport Boulevard, as well as 1 billion pesos ($50 million) in the connection.
Daily flights from San Luis Potosí to Querétaro and Monterrey have been running since Feb. 24, TAR’s commercial director Ángel García Colín said at the event.
Before the opening of the two new routes, SLP International had just six flight routes.
Domestic flights included Aeroméxico to Mexico City, TAR to Puerto Vallarta and Volaris to Tijuana and Cancún, while international offerings were American Airlines to Dallas and United Airlines to Houston.
In total, 50,806 passengers traveled through SLP International Airport in February 2025, marking a 7.1% increase from the 47,457 passengers registered in the same month last year. The growth was driven by domestic passengers, which totaled 34,573, according to the North Central Airport Group).
In February, the Mexican budget airline Volaris announced plans to open direct flights to Houston, Dallas and San Antonio from SLP starting in July, enhancing central Mexico’s connectivity with the United States.
The new routes are expected to establish San Luis Potosí as a key hub for economic and tourism development in the region.
