Thursday, May 1, 2025

Aeroméxico named 2024’s most on-time airline

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A departures board at an airport
Aeroméxico’s “impressive” OTP score of 86.70%, according to Cirium, was calculated from  196,911 tracked flights, or approximately 539 flights daily. (Matthew Smith/Unsplash)

Mexico’s flagship airline Aeroméxico came in as the most on-time airline in the world in 2024, according to a report by aviation analytics company Cirium.  

With a performance rate of 86.70%, Aeroméxico’s top spot can be attributed to strategic investments in fleet modernization, technological advances, adoption of AI-powered tools and the expertise of the carrier’s team, Cirium said.  

“I’m proud to be part of this great team of professionals who every day strive to provide our clients with safe service, elevating the experience to the extraordinary,” Andrés Conesa, Chief Executive Officer of Aeroméxico, said after the accolade was revealed.  

Founded in 1934, Aeroméxico currently holds a significant 39% share of the domestic market and 47% of the international market.

Aeroméxico surpassed Saudia, which came in second with an on-time performance rate of 86.70%, and Delta Air Lines, which secured third place with 83.46%. Next in line were LATAM Airlines, Qatar Airways, Azul, Avianca, Iberia, SAS and United Airlines.  

For the On-Time Performance (OTP) ranking, Cirium tracked millions of flights in 2024 to analyze the on-time arrival of passenger flights. An on-time arrival is when a passenger flight or aircraft arrives at the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. The global category only included airlines serving three or more regions, including their own. 

Aeroméxico’s top spot can be attributed to strategic investments in fleet modernization, technological advances, adoption of AI-powered tools
Aeroméxico’s top spot can be attributed to strategic investments in fleet modernization, technological advances, adoption of AI-powered tools. (Kevin Wasilevski/Unsplash)

Aeroméxico’s “impressive” OTP score of 86.70%, according to Cirium, was calculated from  196,911 tracked flights, or approximately 539 flights daily.  

“Throughout 2024, Aeroméxico has consistently demonstrated superior on-time performance, earning it recognition as one of the most reliable airlines worldwide,” Cirium’s report said. 

In its report, Cirium said Aeromexico’s move to expand its fleet to 113 aircraft over the past year — with 16 more on order — has boosted operational capacity while maintaining high standards for performance and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the carrier’s adoption of advanced scheduling systems and AI- powered tools has further improved its operational agility. 

“These technologies have enabled proactive management of potential disruptions, including weather-related challenges, ensuring the airline remains at its edge in on-time performance and reliability,” Cirium added. 

Finally, the report recognized the “pivotal” leadership of COO Santiago Diago and vision of CEO Andrés Conesa.  

Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM), the third-most on-time airport in 2024

Aeroméxico’s main hub, the Mexico City International Airport (AICM), also made it to the ranking as the No. 3 most on-time airport in the global category, with an on-time departure performance of 84.04%. 

An on-time departure is when a passenger flight or aircraft departs the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled departure time. While airlines are ranked by on-time arrivals, airports are ranked by on-time departures. 

First place was awarded to Riyad King Khalid International Airport (RUH) in Saudi Arabia, with an on-time departure performance of 86.65%, followed by Lima Jorge Chavez International Airport (LIM) in Peru with 84.57%.

Mexico News Daily

Hilton announces plans for new luxury resort in Los Cabos

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Palms surround an irregularly shaped pool next to the ocean at Hilton's Conrad hotel in Punta Mita.
The Los Cabos resort will be Hilton's third Conrad-brand property in Mexico, after Conrad Tulum and Conrad Punta Mita. (Conrad Punta de Mita/Facebook)

Hilton will expand its Mexico luxury hotel portfolio thanks to an agreement with Parks Hospitality Holdings for a Conrad Hotels & Resorts hotel in Los Cabos, Hilton announced Dec. 18. The beachfront resort is expected to open in 2027.

The Conrad branded accommodation will be located around 15 minutes from the center of the popular Baja California Sur tourist destination Cabo San Lucas. It will be Hilton’s ninth property in the region, featuring 175 accommodations.

“The signing of Conrad Los Cabos is a significant milestone for Hilton’s expanding luxury portfolio in Mexico,” said Juan Corvinos, senior vice president of development, architecture, design and construction for Hilton’s Caribbean and Latin America region. “It symbolizes our unwavering commitment to providing enriching and purposeful experiences that transcend the ordinary in highly coveted destinations like Los Cabos.”

The resort will include a sprawling spa, a fitness center and resort-style pools, as well as restaurants, bars, boutique shops and meeting space. It is situated within OLEADA Pacific Living & Golf, a new 350-hectare oceanfront resort community.

This announcement followed the opening of Hilton’s Conrad Tulum Riviera Maya resort on Dec. 10. The Mexican Caribbean resort is located around 11 kilometers north of Tulum and features 349 rooms. It also has five restaurants and six bars and lounges, as well as oceanfront pools.

It is home to Tulum’s first and largest independent event center, featuring 5,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor event space, including a 830-square-meter outdoor terrace, a main ballroom, a junior ballroom and three meeting rooms for up to 2,500 people.

Conrad Los Cabos is Hilton’s third Conrad branded property. Conrad Punta de Mita, located north of Puerto Vallarta in the Riviera Nayarit, opened in 2020 and boasts 324 rooms, as well as restaurants, bars, pools and a spa.

Mexico is Hilton’s largest and fastest-growing market in Latin America and the Caribbean, with over 100 hotels and a project pipeline of 40 new properties. The company has over 270 hotels across the region and a pipeline of 135 more accommodations.

With reports from L’Officiel México and Forbes Travel Guide

Mexico’s electric vehicle Olinia to debut at 2026 World Cup

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Olinia models
Two models are described as ideal for short trips within the city, while the largest model to be made by Olinia is akin to a local delivery truck. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

The Sheinbaum administration on Monday shared new details about Mexico’s first domestically produced electric vehicle — Olinia — and announced its projected debut at the 2026 World Cup opening match in Mexico City.

The clean mobility initiative, first voiced during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s inauguration speech on Oct. 1, will be led by the newly formed Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Sectei) as part of the administration’s push toward sustainable transportation and technological advancement. The ministry has budgeted an initial 25 million pesos (US $1.2 million) toward the project.

President Sheinbaum discussing the EV Olinia
During Monday’s update on Olinia, President Sheinbaum mentioned the importance of creating an urban mobility alternative that is safer than motorcycles. (Moisés Pablo/Cuartoscuro)

Olinia — which means “moving” in the Indigenous Náhuatl language — aims to be the first electric car designed and assembled entirely in Mexico. The production center will be located in the northwestern state of Sonora, according to the newspaper Mexico Now, and the factory will produce three models.

The project seeks to consolidate an electric car that is accessible to Mexican families and youth, while also boosting the national automotive industry, Sheinbaum said during her daily presser on Monday.

“Olinia addresses an issue of great importance,” Sectei Minister Rosaura Ruiz said. “It contributes to the energy transition and protects the environment by reducing fossil fuel emissions. And thanks to the compact design, it helps optimize the use of urban space as well as traffic flow.”

The low-cost mini-vehicles are being designed for younger people and families living in urban environments, with two of the models described as ideal for short trips within the city. The largest model to be made by Olinia is what’s known as a Final Mile Vehicle, akin to a local delivery truck.

Olinia, estrategia de producción de autos eléctricos mexicanos. Conferencia presidenta Sheinbaum

The expected price range for the three models is from 90,000 to 150,000 pesos ( US $4,400 to US $7,400), a significantly lower price point than other electric vehicles currently sold in Mexico. EVs sold in Mexico by the automakers JAC, Renault and BYD retail at approximately 350,000 pesos ($17,200).

In addition to their reduced environmental impact, the president also emphasized improved safety in promoting electric vehicles.

“We want a compact and functional car that can represent an alternative to motorcycles,” Sheinbaum said in November upon visiting the proposed site of the factory in Sonora. 

“Motorcycles are popular, but also risky,” she said on Monday. “Traffic accidents involving them have risen considerably…so, this small vehicle must have the following characteristics: safe, electric and primarily made in Mexico.” 

With reports from El Universal, El Economista and Mexico Now

2024 likely to be a record year for remittances to Mexico

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U.S. fiscal support and a competitive exchange rate have boosted remittances this year, one expert said.
2024 was likely a record year for remittances to Mexico. (File photo)

Last year was most likely a record year for remittances to Mexico, with more than US $59 billion flowing into the country in the first 11 months of 2024.

The Bank of Mexico (Banxico) reported that Mexico received $59.518 billion in remittances between January and November 2024, a 2.9% increase to the same period of 2023.

Mexicans abroad sent $63.31 billion home in 2023, a record high. Banxico will publish remittances data for all of 2024 in early February.

The amount of money Mexicans living and working abroad have been sending to Mexico on an annual basis has been on the rise for more than a decade. While a new remittances record was almost certainly set in 2024, the pace of growth slowed after a 7.6% year-over-year increase in 2023.

The vast majority of remittances to Mexico are sent from the United States, where millions of Mexicans live and work. In 2023, 96% of remittances to Mexico came from the United States, “the majority from California and Texas,” according to the bank BBVA. Some of the money is the proceeds of drug trafficking, according to a 2023 report by a Mexican think tank.

The long-running increase in annual remittances totals could conceivably be broken in 2025 if United States President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his promise to carry out “the largest deportation operation in American history.”

Families march with Mexican and U.S. flags in California
Millions of Mexican immigrant live and work in the U.S., and many people send money to support family in Mexico. (Wikimedia Commons)

Millions of Mexican families depend on remittances sent from the United States by Mexican immigrants, who have been described as “heroes and heroines” by President Claudia Sheinbaum.

Average remittance amount increases more than 20% in 5 years 

Banxico reported that almost 151 million individual remittances were sent to Mexico between January and November 2024. Just over 99% of that number were sent electronically.

The average remittance amount in the first 11 months of 2024 was US $395, a 21.5% increase compared to 2019.

A significant depreciation in the value of the Mexican peso in the second half of 2024 meant that recipients of remittances ended up with more pesos in their pockets.

Prior to Mexico’s 2024 general elections, the peso was trading at about 17 to the US dollar, meaning that a $395 remittance was worth 6,715 pesos. At the current USD:MXN exchange rate (around 20.4), that same remittance is worth 8,058 pesos.

Remittances surge 10% annually in November 

Mexico had its best ever November for remittances, receiving a total of $5.43 billion.

That figure represented a 10.6% increase compared to November 2023, but a 5% decline compared to the previous month.

The average remittance sent to Mexico in November was $397, slightly higher than the average in the first 11 months of 2024.

Remittances sent from Mexico on the rise as well 

Banxico said that remittances totaling US $1.19 billion were sent out of Mexico in the first 11 months of last year. That figure was 25% higher than the $957 million total recorded between January and November 2023.

An increasing number of foreigners are working in Mexico instead of — or before — attempting to migrate, legally or illegally, to the United States, a factor that helps explain the increase in outgoing remittances.

CORRECTION: The original version of this article said that almost 151,000 individual remittances were sent to Mexico between January and November 2024. In fact, almost 151 million separate remittances were sent. 

With reports from El Financiero, Forbes México and La Jornada

‘Emilia Pérez’ wins best picture at the 2025 edition of the Golden Globes

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Screenshot of Emilia Pérez
"Emilia Pérez" has accumulated 62 awards and 151 nominations to date. (Emilia Pérez Film/X)

The Netflix production “Emilia Pérez” won in four categories at Sunday’s Golden Globe awards, including Best Film (Comedy or Musical), Best Motion Picture (Non-English Language), Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña) and Best Song (“El Mal”).  

The musical crime comedy about a Mexican drug trafficker who transitions to womanhood and starts a new life was the most-nominated film at the U.S. awards ceremony, with 10 nominations

Emilia Pérez Wins Best Picture – Musical/Comedy | 82nd Annual Golden Globes

“In these troubled times, I hope that ‘Emilia Pérez’ will be a beacon of light for those of us not lucky enough to count among their friends a woman as powerful and passionate as Karla Sofía Gascón,” French director Jacques Audiard said during his acceptance speech.  

“Emilia Pérez” was inspired by a chapter in Boris Rason’s novel “Écoute.” It features the Mexican cartel boss Manitas, played by Spanish transgender actress Karla Sofía Gascón, on his journey to becoming a woman. To avoid detection in the criminal underworld, he kidnaps a lawyer, Rita (Zoé Saldaña), who is tasked with finding the right doctor to perform the surgeries needed for his transition.

How many prizes has “Emilia Pérez” won this awards season?

The film premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it won a Jury Prize, and its four leads, including Mexican actress Adriana Paz, received a combined best actress award. 

It was the opening night film at the Morelia International Film Festival in October and has accumulated 62 awards and 151 nominations to date, including 15 nominations in various categories for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 16. 

“Emilia Pérez” is also currently leading the Oscar shortlists in several categories including twice in Music (Original Song), International Feature Film, Sound, Makeup and Hairstyling and Original Score.  

With reports from Euronews, Variety and Rolling Stone

International Crisis Group: US-Mexico among 10 conflicts to watch in 2025

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U.S.-Mexico relationship
Several policy proposals made by President-elect Donald Trump — who takes office on Jan. 20 — could significantly roil the U.S.-Mexico relationship this year. (Canva)

The Belgium-based think tank International Crisis Group named a potential Mexico-United States clash one of its 10 Global Conflicts to Watch in 2025.

Joining Syria, Israel-Palestine, Ukraine and European security, Mexico and the U.S. could see serious conflict in 2025 over issues ranging from immigration, tariffs and drug cartels, according to the think tank. 

Donald Trump at the White House podium during a press conference, gesturing with his hands spread in front of him. He is surrounded by Vice President Pence and many other high-ranking government officials onstage
Trump could use all the relationships and connections he built during his first term as president to help him achieve his goals of conducting mass deportations of immigrants and waging war on cartel leaders. (File photo/Andrea Hanks for the White House)

Although President Claudia Sheinbaum has assured Mexicans that bilateral relations with the United States will remain strong, several policy proposals made by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump — who takes office on Jan. 20 — could significantly roil the relationship this year.

The issue that the Crisis Group has identified as the biggest potential source of conflict is the cross-border production and trafficking of the drug fentanyl, which is now the leading cause of death in the United States for people ages 18-45.

In December, Trump floated the idea of designating Mexico’s drug cartels as terrorist organizations, which could legally permit the United States to send its military into Mexico.

The incoming president’s candidate for national security advisor, Mike Waltz, previously supported legislation authorizing the use of force against these criminal organizations, saying “It’s time to go on offense. Not only are these paramilitary transnational criminal organizations responsible for killing an unprecedented number of Americans, but are actively undermining our sovereignty by destabilizing our border and waging war against U.S. law enforcement and the Mexican military.”

Fentanyl production in Mexico
The issue that the Crisis Group has identified as the biggest potential source of conflict is the cross-border production and trafficking of the drug fentanyl. (FGR/Cuartoscuro)

The Crisis Group also cites growing support among members of the U.S. Republican party, which maintains a slim majority in both houses of Congress, “for unilateral military action — whether through airstrikes on fentanyl labs or special forces operations — to kill [cartel] leaders.” 

It says that unilateral military action against cartels would almost certainly backfire, likely setting off turf wars. Instead of eliminating the cartels, fragmentation would occur, new leaders would emerge, and drug production would continue because fentanyl labs are low-tech and easily rebuilt.

Among other sources of conflict is a mass deportation program proposed by Trump that, if carried out, could see four million undocumented Mexicans returned to their home country. The Crisis Group says “This could trigger upheaval in parts of Mexico as poorer states struggle to assimilate returns.”

Trump has also threatened to levy 25% tariffs on Mexican goods shipped to the United States if the flow of migrants and drugs is not stopped, a policy that would likely result in retaliatory tariffs from Sheinbaum.

Marcelo Ebrard in front of a microphone looking half sideways
Mexico’s Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said in November that if U.S. President-elect Donald Trump makes good on a threat of a 25% tariff on Mexico, 400,000 U.S. jobs would be lost in the auto industry alone. (PX Media/Shutterstock)

Such a trade war could become an economic disaster and “[tank] relations between two countries interconnected by trade, investment and family ties,” the Crisis Group says, spelling disaster for both countries. 

If the bilateral relationship becomes adversarial, “expect a bumpy ride,” the Crisis Group writes.

With reports from The International Crisis Group, Forbes and Foreign Policy

Almost 100 days into her presidency, Sheinbaum’s approval rating is higher than ever

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum takes a selfie in front of a crowd holding signs thanking her
President Sheinbaum takes a selfie with supporters after delivering government pension cards to retirees in Hidalgo. (Presidencia)

President Claudia Sheinbaum’s approval rating in December hit its highest level since she took office on Oct. 1, according to the results of an El Financiero newspaper poll.

Of 800 Mexican adults polled by El Financiero in mid- and late December, 78% said they approved of Sheinbaum’s performance as president.

The newspaper’s October and November polls detected approval ratings for Mexico’s first female president of 70% and 69%, respectively.

The increase in the president’s popularity in December coincided with a rise in the number of poll respondents who opined that the federal government is doing a good job managing the economy, combating corruption, addressing security problems and providing support for citizens (see below).

It also coincided with an increase in the number of those polled who rated Sheinbaum positively for her honesty, leadership and capacity to achieve results (also see below).

The percentage of El Financiero poll respondents who said they disapproved of Sheinbaum’s performance as president declined to 18% in December from 23% in November and 24% in October.

The constitutional president of the United Mexican States, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, during the ceremony of the indigenous peoples and the Afro-Mexican people where she was given the Staff of Command, on the zócalo square in Mexico City.
Since her inauguration on Oct. 1, President Sheinbaum’s approval rating started high and has continued to climb. (Edgar Negrete Lira/Cuartoscuro)

The publication of the poll results on Monday comes ahead of Sheinbaum’s 100th day in office this Thursday, and two weeks before Donald Trump is sworn in as the United States’ 47th president.

Sheinbaum’s capacity to effectively manage Mexico’s relationship with the United States, and stand up for the country’s interests in the face of pressure that will likely be exerted by Trump, will no doubt have an impact on Mexicans’ perceptions of her performance as president this year.

More than one-third of Mexicans pleasantly surprised by Sheinbaum’s presidency 

Just over four in 10 poll respondents — 42% — described the federal government under Sheinbaum’s leadership as “just as they expected,” while 36% said it had been “better than expected.”

Only 16% of those polled said that the government had been “worse than they expected.”

Sheinbaum an honest and capable leader, according to a strong majority

Exactly three-quarters of respondents rated Sheinbaum positively for her “honesty,” while 74% offered a “very good” or “good” assessment of her leadership. Two-thirds of those polled — 67% — rated her “capacity to achieve results” highly.

All of those percentages increased compared to both November and October.

Welfare programs a key to government’s popularity 

Almost four in five respondents — 79% — said the government is doing a “very good” or “good” job in providing “social support” to Mexican citizens.

The Sheinbaum administration has continued all of the previous government’s popular welfare programs, and created new ones — a scholarship scheme for public school students and a pension program for women aged 60-64.

The percentage of poll respondents who viewed the government’s provision of social support in a positive light is nine points above the level recorded in both October and November.

Two-thirds of Mexicans happy with the government’s management of the economy 

Although economic growth in Mexico slowed in 2024, 66% of poll respondents said that the federal government is doing a “very good” or “good” job managing the economy.

That figure was up 10 points compared to November and 22 points compared to October.

A key aim — and oft-repeated maxim — of the federal government is “shared prosperity,” i.e. an economy in which wealth is shared more equitably.

(Mexico has high levels of income inequality, although the situation has improved in recent years.)

A Mexican electrician holding a digital monitor in front of a geothermal system
The current administration has made “shared prosperity” a top objective in its management of the economy. (VG Foto/Shutterstock)

One way in which the government hopes it will achieve its goal of “shared prosperity” is by spreading investment more equitably across Mexico via the creation of new industrial corridors spanning all 32 federal entities.

A minority of Mexicans satisfied with government’s efforts to combat insecurity and corruption

While the percentage of El Financiero poll respondents who said that the government is doing a “very good” or “good” job in reducing corruption, responding to public security challenges and combating organized crime increased in December compared to previous months, it remains low.

Three in 10 of those polled — exactly 30% — rated the government’s anti-corruption efforts positively, up from 21% in October and 28% in November. However, 55% of the 800 respondents said that the government is doing a “very bad” or “bad” job in tackling the scourge that has plagued Mexico for decades.

Sheinbaum has argued that the election of judges later this year will reduce corruption in Mexico’s judiciary. She has also portrayed the elimination of seven autonomous government agencies as an anti-corruption measure. However, many citizens evidently believe that more needs to be done to reduce corruption in Mexico.

With regard to the response to public security challenges — including Sinaloa Cartel infighting that has claimed hundreds of lives in Sinaloa — 42% of poll respondents said the government is doing a “very good” or good” job, up from 28% in October and 40% in November. The government presented a new security strategy last October, and has touted early successes including large drug seizures and thousands of arrests.

However, violence remains a major problem in various parts of Mexico, and combating it will be a major challenge for the Sheinbaum administration in 2025.

Mexican marine in fatigues standing in the bed of a pickup truck looking down an clear road with parked cars on either side
Opinion on the government’s management of public security was split, with 42% of respondents approving and 42% disapproving. (SEMAR)

Just 23% of those polled by El Financiero in December said that the government is doing a “very good” or “good” job at combating organized crime in Mexico, an illicit — and lucrative — sector dominated by organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.

While that figure is up from 16% in October and 19% in November, it is well below the 64% of poll respondents who said in December that the government is doing a “very bad” or “bad” job at combating organized crime.

Mexico’s biggest problem is …?

Almost seven in 10 of those polled — 68% — said that insecurity is Mexico’s “main problem.” El Financiero noted that that percentage is the highest in the past two years.

Corruption was identified as the country’s biggest problem by 10% of respondents, while the same percentage said that the economy and unemployment was the primary concern in Mexico.

El Financiero also asked respondents to offer an opinion on Sheinbaum’s morning press conference, known as mañaneras. Just over six in 10 of those polled — 62% — had a positive opinion of the weekday pressers, while 15% expressed dislike for them and 11% were neutral, saying they were “neither good nor bad.”

With reports from El Financiero

New cold front and ‘Norte’ bring high winds and freezing temps to Eastern states

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Residents of Mexico City are dressed to mitigate the cold of the early hours of the day
Twelve states will see temperatures drop below zero this week as a new cold front moves in from the Gulf of Mexico. (Rogelio Morales/Cuartoscuro)

Varied weather conditions are forecast across Mexico this week, ranging from temperatures as low as -15  degrees Celsius in the north to torrential rains in the southeast.

Starting Monday, cold front No. 21 will move inland from the Gulf of Mexico, bringing rain and lower temperatures to the eastern, central and southeastern regions of the country. In addition, a “Norte” event will cause high winds and waves along Mexico’s Gulf coast and peninsula, particularly the states of Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

The National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC) and the National Meteorological Service (SMN) have warned residents in these areas to take preventive measures, especially in regions where severe conditions such as frost, heavy rain, strong winds and extreme heat are expected.  

Weather forecast by region for Monday

Which regions of Mexico can expect to see the lowest temperatures?

Between -15 and -10 degrees Celsius: Mountainous areas of Chihuahua and Durango.

Between -10 and -5 degrees Celsius: Mountainous areas of Baja California, Sonora and Coahuila. 

Between -5 and 0 degrees Celsius: Mountainous areas of Nuevo León, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, Hidalgo, México state, Tlaxcala and Puebla. 

Which states can expect to see the highest temperatures?

Between 35 and 40 degrees Celsius: Sinaloa, Michoacán, the coasts of Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Between 30 and 35 degrees Celsius: Nayarit, Jalisco, Morelos, Puebla (southwest), Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

A “Norte” event in Cancún
A “Norte” event will cause high winds and waves along Mexico’s Gulf coast and peninsula this week. (Elizabeth Ruiz/Cuartoscuro)

Which states can expect to see rainfall?

Heavy rainfall (50-75 millimeters): Puebla, Veracruz and Oaxaca.

Moderate rainfall (25-50 millimeters): Chiapas and Tabasco. 

Showers (5-25 millimeters): Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, México state, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo.

Weather authorities warn that rain may be accompanied by lightning and hail due to the “Norte” event impacting the Gulf.

Which states will see strong winds?

Gusts of 80 to 100 kilometers per hour: Tamaulipas, Veracruz and throughout the Isthmus and Gulf of Tehuantepec.

Gusts of 40 to 60 kilometers per hour: Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Durango, Zacatecas and Puebla, as well as Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán and Quintana Roo

The SMN predicts strong winds and rain to continue throughout Wednesday in the Gulf of Mexico and Yucatán Peninsula. 

With reports from Meteored and Milenio

10 Mexican regional coffee drinks you need to try

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a cup of Mexican coffee
Mexican coffee is some of the best in the world. Here are 10 regional offerings that are begging coffee lovers to take a sip. (Canva)

Mexico’s coffee is a reflection of its land. Each growing region — Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz, and beyond — brings its own character to the cup. High-altitude mountains, rich volcanic soil, and distinct climates create flavors that range from bright and floral to deep and chocolatey. The myriad types of Mexican coffee offer equally diverse flavors for connoisseurs to enjoy in every cup.

These coffees aren’t just beverages; they’re expressions of place, shaped by the people who grow and brew them. Here’s a look at some of the most iconic coffee traditions rooted in Mexico’s diverse regions.

1. Café de Olla (Nationwide)

Café de olla, one of the types of Mexican coffee
(Canva)

Description: Café de Olla isn’t just coffee; it’s a potion of patience and practicality. Brewed in clay pots with piloncillo, unrefined cane sugar that smells like the holidays, and cinnamon that bites as gently as time. 

Why It’s Popular: This isn’t a coffee for rushing. It forces you to slow down, to taste every note of the soil and sun where it grew. It’s the liquid equivalent of sitting on your grandmother’s porch, letting the world spin itself apart while you cling to the warmth of familiarity.

2. Lechero (Veracruz)

Description: The Lechero is theater masquerading as a drink. It starts with a modest splash of strong coffee in your glass. Then comes the milk, poured from a height that seems both absurd and elegant. The milk crashes into the coffee, creating the perfect foam.

Why It’s Popular: This one is my personal favorite. The ritual is half the charm. You don’t just drink a Lechero; you witness it, participate in it. It’s Veracruz in a cup — loud, dramatic, and impossibly smooth once you let it settle.

3. Café Pluma (Oaxaca)

Café pluma, a type of Mexican coffee
(Canva)

Description: Café Pluma is grown at altitude. The beans come from the Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca, where clouds hover low and the coffee grows high. The resulting brew is smooth, nutty, and just acidic enough to remind you it’s alive.

Why It’s Popular: This is coffee for purists. No piloncillo, no milk, no distractions — just the unadulterated essence of what coffee is meant to be. It’s the taste of Oaxaca, complex and grounding, like the mountains it calls home.

4. Café Chiapaneco (Chiapas)

Description: Café Chiapaneco is like drinking sunlight filtered through leaves. Its beans, grown in the highlands of Chiapas, carry notes of fruit and flowers, a kind of sweetness that feels accidental yet deliberate.

Why It’s Popular: Chiapas is coffee royalty, and this brew proves why. It’s a favorite for those who believe coffee should taste like where it’s from, unapologetically and unmistakably. Every sip is a postcard from the mountains.

5. Café Turco (Puebla)

Café turco, a type of Mexican coffee
(Animal Gourmand)

Description: Café Turco is bold and unapologetic, much like the Lebanese immigrants who brought it to Puebla. Brewed in tiny pots with ground beans so fine they’re almost dust, it’s rich, spiced, and as thick as a good story. 

Why It’s Popular: This isn’t coffee for the faint of heart. It’s strong enough to wake the dead or, at the very least, keep you up through the stories that only come out after midnight. It’s Puebla’s tribute to its multicultural soul.

6. Café con Piloncillo (Central Mexico)

Description: Café con Piloncillo is coffee’s answer to a hug. It’s brewed with unrefined sugar that tastes like molasses and smoke and sometimes hints of citrus. A touch of vanilla or cinnamon might sneak in, but only to accentuate, never to overpower.

Why It’s Popular: It’s the perfect balance of bitter and sweet, a drink that feels less like a choice and more like an inevitability. This coffee is comfort, plain and simple, meant to be savored on mornings when the world feels just a little too sharp.

7. Café Tabasqueño (Tabasco)

Café tabasqueño, one of the types of mexican coffee
(Canva)

Description: Café Tabasqueño marries coffee and chocolate in a way that feels inevitable, like they were always meant to be together. It uses cacao grown in the same region, turning the drink into a rich, velvety celebration of Tabasco’s finest exports.

Why It’s Popular: It’s the kind of drink that makes you wonder why you ever drank coffee without chocolate. The bitterness of the coffee meets the sweetness of the cacao, creating a harmony that’s impossible to ignore. It’s Tabasco in a cup: bold, sweet, and unmistakably rich.

8. Café Potosino (San Luis Potosí)

Description: Café Potosino adds a twist of orange zest, giving the drink a brightness that feels unexpected yet welcome. Sometimes a splash of brandy sneaks in, like a wink you weren’t sure you saw.

Why It’s Popular: This is coffee for evenings, for conversations that stretch longer than they should. It’s the perfect blend of bitter and citrus, a drink that feels like a secret you’re let in on every time you take a sip.

9. Café con Cajeta (Guanajuato)

Cafê de Cajeta
(Canva)

Description: Café con Cajeta takes the rich, caramelized goat’s milk Guanajuato is famous for and stirs it into coffee. The result is a drink so creamy and indulgent it feels like dessert pretending to be breakfast.

Why It’s Popular: It’s impossible not to love. Sweet without being cloying, rich without being heavy — it’s the kind of coffee that feels like a treat but works as a bribe to get through the day.

10. Café de Chiapas con Nanche (Chiapas)

Description: This coffee infuses its brew with nanche, a small, tart fruit that tastes like a dare. The result is a drink that’s both familiar and entirely its own, balancing the richness of coffee with the tang of something wild.

Why It’s Popular: It’s not for everyone, and that’s part of the appeal. It’s coffee for adventurers, for people who don’t mind a little risk in their cup. It’s Chiapas at its boldest, daring you to take another sip.

Stephen Randall has lived in Mexico since 2018 by way of Kentucky, and before that, Germany. He’s an enthusiastic amateur chef who takes inspiration from many different cuisines, with favorites including Mexican and Mediterranean. His recipes can also be found on YouTube.

What’s on in Mexico City in January?

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Mexico City welcomes 2013 with fireworks in Reforma Avenue.
Busy Chinatown, wine dinners and tarot nights are on Mexico City in January 2025. (Eneas/Wikimedia Commons)

After what seems like a lifetime of holiday festivities, even the city itself seems ready for a bit of calm. January in CDMX offers a handful of low-key events, like art installations and classic movies with a twist, for the first couple of weeks. As inhabitants regain their energy, so does the events calendar, and visitors can expect to end the month with a bang attending festivals celebrating the Lunar New Year and Frida Kahlo’s colorful life.

Mojigangas: Gigantes de la tradición

Mojigangas from Hermes Arroyo's studio in San Miguel de Allende
Mojigangas are towering, traditional puppets made of papier-mache. (Nettie Atkisson/CC BY-SA 4.0)

Pop down to charming Coyoacan’s National Museum of Popular Cultures and immerse into one of Mexico’s most creative traditions. The latest exhibit showcases mojigangas, towering puppets made of papier-mache which reach heights of 6 to 18 feet. The colorful artisanal creations hail from various Mexican states, and are constructed to reflect historical, religious and contemporary themes. Usually found in weddings or festivals, some believe mojigangas possess the power to attract good fortune and ward off negative energies. Is there a better way to start the new year?

Dates: Now through January 30
Location: Museo Nacional de Culturas Populares, Del Carmen, Coyoacán
Cost: Tickets start at 20.50 pesos per person

Félix Blume: Variaciones sobre el murmullo 

 

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Una publicación compartida por Felix Blume (@felixblume)

 This fascinating exhibition features six sound installations by French artist Félix Blume, exploring natural and urban murmurs, a sensory experience that encourages visitors to pause and listen. Blume has worked in various corners of Latin America, including Mexico, where he recorded “Los Gritos de Mexico.” This delightful and recognizable Mexico City soundscape won Blume the Pierre Schaffer Prize in 2015.

Dates: Now through Feb. 16
Location: Laboratorio Arte Alameda, Historic Center, Cuauhtémoc
Cost: 45 pesos per person

Titanic Sinfónico

If your heart goes on and on for Jack and Rose of James Cameron’s wildly successful box office smash “Titanic” you’re in luck. You’ve got four opportunities to relive this cinema classic, this time with a unique twist. The City Symphony Orchestra will intensify this emotional drama with live music performances that coincide with the unforgettable story.  

Dates: Every Thursday at 8 p.m.
Location: Teatro Silvia Pinal, La Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
Cost: Tickets start at 960 pesos per person

Chinese New Year Festival

Promotional image for Chinese New Year festival at CENART, red Chinese dragon wrapped around tower
On January 2025, Mexico City will light up with the Wood Snake Chinese New Year festival at Cenart, the National Center for the Arts (Centro Nacional de las Artes)

Dive into the year of the Wood Snake at 2025’s Chinese New Year festival at the National Center for the Arts (Cenart). The Wood Snake is all about making plans, solving problems and acting strategically, and there’s no better way to get started than with traditional Chinese dance, music and shadow theater performances. Alongside kung fu demonstrations will be cosplay presentations, authentic Chinese cuisine and workshops that highlight cultural insights. 

Dates: Jan. 25, 2025
Location: Centro Nacional de las Artes, Churubusco Country Club, Coyoacán
Cost: Free to enter

Frida Kahlo: La Vida de un Ícono

After an international journey and over 3 million spectators, this immersive 90-minute experience can be enjoyed in January in Mexico City
After an international journey and over 3 million spectators, this immersive 90-minute experience can be enjoyed in January in Mexico City. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Frida Kahlo’s life has captivated art lovers and Mexiphiles for generations. Finally, after an international journey and over 3 million spectators, this immersive 90-minute experience can be enjoyed in Mexico City. Immersive projections, digital photo compositions, original films and unique music blend to showcase her life’s most vivid moments. 

Dates: Jan. 28 – July 15
Location: ALTER, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc
Cost: Tickets start at 340 pesos per person

10th Annual Vegan Tamal Fair

10th Feria del Tamal Vegano promotional poster
(Bazar Vegano y Artesanal)

Imagine sinking your teeth into a steaming, fragrant tamale, bursting with flavor — and it’s 100% plant-based. Welcome to the 10th annual Feria del Tamal Vegano, where tradition meets innovation in the heart of Mexico City! The event will feature over 50 exhibitors, offering a wide variety of vegan tamales, atoles and other corn-derived products. Visitors can expect to enjoy live music, workshops and activities related to the history of corn during this three-day festival.

Dates: Jan. 31 – Feb. 2
Location: Historic Center, Cuauhtémoc (exact location TBD)
Cost: Free to enter

Wine, Whispers and Tarot Wonders: A Vinofy Tasting

Tabletop with two pairs of hands, mystic objects, wine glass and candle
(Vinofy)

Are you currently in the midst of a formidable search for an event that combines networking, fortune-telling and alcohol? Then you’d better secure your spot at Y Casita de Yayem’s enchanting evening of mysticism, socialization and relaxation. Enjoy three exquisite wines while a tarot reader unveils your destiny. This is a great chance to network in a casual setting, whether you’re looking for clients or friends, or perhaps a romantic date. Vinofy members get an extra swig. 

Dates: Jan. 31, 7 to 9 p.m.
Location: Nápoles 47, La Juárez, Cuauhtémoc
Cost: Entry is 500 pesos per person

Bethany Platanella is a travel planner and lifestyle writer based in Mexico City. She lives for the dopamine hit that comes directly after booking a plane ticket, exploring local markets, practicing yoga and munching on fresh tortillas. Sign up to receive her Sunday Love Letters to your inbox, peruse her blog or follow her on Instagram.