Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
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🚉 Maya Train ridership up Foreign travelers on the Maya Train jumped 47% in January year-over-year — 13,166 passengers versus 8,980 in January 2025. Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez credited the uptick to tourists using the train to explore pueblos mágicos along the route, boosting local economies. The $28.27 billion railroad, built under AMLO and fully operational since December 2024, still runs at a net operating loss.
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📱 “Discover Mexico” app for World Cup tourists The government is developing Conoce México, an app in English and Spanish to help FIFA World Cup visitors plan their trip. It’s already available for download, covers all 32 Mexican states, and allows certified tourism agencies to sell experiences directly through it. Mexico co-hosts the tournament with the U.S. and Canada; 13 matches will be played in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey, with the opener — Mexico vs. South Africa — at Estadio Azteca on June 11.
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🚑 Dos Bocas refinery fire The FGR (Federal Attorney General’s Office) will investigate Tuesday’s fatal fire at the Olmeca (Dos Bocas) Refinery in Tabasco, which killed five people. Pemex blamed heavy rain for an overflow of oily water outside the perimeter fence that then ignited near a fuel storage area — though the ignition cause remains undetermined. Sheinbaum stressed the refinery itself sustained no damage and is operating at 100% capacity.
Why today’s mañanera matters
Tourism was a key focus of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference.
Federal Tourism Minister Josefina Rodríguez presented at the mañanera, reporting that international tourist numbers increased almost 9% annually in January to 4.29 million.
Mexico’s tourism sector is set to get a major boost this year as 13 FIFA men’s World Cup matches will be played here in June and July.
Mexican authorities hope that the influx of foreign tourists will benefit not just the three Mexican host cities, but also other parts of the country.
To that end, the government is developing a tourism-focused mobile app for World Cup tourists, which Rodríguez spoke briefly about on Wednesday morning.
Sheinbaum’s mañanera was also significant as the tourism minister presented the latest data on foreign ridership for the Maya Train and the president herself spoke about Tuesday’s fatal fire near the Olmeca Refinery in Tabasco.
More than 13,000 foreigners traveled on the Maya Train in January
During a tourism update, Rodríguez noted that the number of foreigners who traveled on the Maya Train in January increased 47% compared to the same month of last year.
The data she presented showed that 13,166 foreigners traveled on the Yucatán Peninsula railroad in January, up from 8,980 in the same month of 2025.
Rodríguez said that foreign passengers are using the train to visit pueblos mágicos (magical towns) along the route and are thus helping to stimulate local economies.
To date, the costs of operating the Maya Train have far exceeded the revenue the railroad has generated. The railroad was built during the 2018-24 presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador and became fully operational in December 2024.
The 500-billion-peso (US $28.27 billion) railroad runs through the states of Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Chiapas.
* Interested in taking a trip on the Maya Train? First read this MND guide by Lydia Carey and this personal account of a journey by Stewart Merritt.
Government developing ‘Discover Mexico’ app for World Cup tourists
Rodríguez told reporters that the Tourism Ministry and the federal government’s Digital Transformation and Telecommunications Agency is developing an app called “Conoce México” (Discover Mexico) to help FIFA World Cup tourists plan their stay in the country.
In fact, the app — whose content is in English and Spanish — can already be downloaded.
Rodríguez noted that certified tourism agencies can sell trips and experiences to tourists via the app. She said that the trips promoted on the app cover all 32 federal entities of Mexico.
Mexico is co-hosting this year’s FIFA men’s World Cup with the United States and Canada. Millions of tourists are expected to visit Mexico during the five-week tournament.
In Mexico, a total of 13 matches will be played in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey. The tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa will be played at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11.
FGR to investigate refinery fire
Sheinbaum told reporters that the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) will investigate the fire that occurred just outside the Olmeca (Dos Bocas) Refinery in Tabasco on Tuesday.
“[The fire] was on the outside of the Dos Bocas refinery toward the port. … As there was a loss of human lives, the Federal Attorney General’s Office comes in to do the investigation,” she said.
The blaze — which spread to the perimeter fence of the refinery, according to state oil company Pemex — claimed five lives.
Sheinbaum said that the FGR “has to do the expert’s report” and determine what caused the fire.
Pemex, which operates the Olmeca Refinery, said on Tuesday that heavy rain caused an “overflow of oily water,” which accumulated outside the perimeter fence of the refinery and subsequently ignited. The state oil company didn’t say what caused the oily water to ignite, but noted that it was collaborating with authorities to determine the cause. The oil spill occurred near a fuel storage facility.
Sheinbaum said that the refinery is operating at 100% capacity, noting that it didn’t sustain any damage from the fire.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
