Migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and African and Central American countries departed Tapachula on foot early Wednesday, according to a report by the newspaper El Universal. Men, women and children are part of the group.

Located about 30 kilometers north of the Mexico-Guatemala border, Tapachula is the first destination in Mexico for many migrants and a common departure point for migrant caravans.

Unlike many previous migrant caravans, the group of foreigners who began their journey on Wednesday is not aiming to reach the Mexico-United States border, where security has increased and seeking asylum has become extremely difficult since U.S. President Donald Trump began his second term on Jan. 20.

Instead, their goal is to reach Mexico City “without being detained,” El Universal reported.

The migrants will presumably seek work and other opportunities in the capital. They had complained about the lack of employment opportunities in Tapachula and difficulties in regularizing their presence in Mexico.

Al menos 300 migrantes de diferentes nacionalidades buscan salir de Tapachula, Chiapas, en caravana; argumentan que los trámites de la Comisión Nacional de Ayuda a Refugiados son muy lentos.

Sigue la señal por https://t.co/JpgbIc5YLX pic.twitter.com/jkJpLSyDDW

— NMás (@nmas) August 6, 2025

“To migrate is not a crime,” read a banner carried by migrants as they departed Tapachula. They were accompanied by National Guard personnel, police and National Immigration Institute (INM) officials.

The migrants will reportedly spend their first night on the road in Álvaro Obregón, a small town about 12 kilometers north of Tapachula.

According to former INM chief Francisco Garduño, 129 migrant caravans formed in Mexico and traveled through the country during the 2018-24 presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador and in the first few months of the current administration. In recent years, large numbers of people from Central America, and further afield, have come to Mexico after fleeing their countries of origin for a range of reasons, including violence, poverty and climate change.

The goal of most migrants has been to reach the United States, but an increasing number of such people have chosen to stay in Mexico, or are finding it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to enter the U.S. now that Trump is back in the White House. For those who left Tapachula on Wednesday, “the American dream is over,” the newspaper Excélsior reported.

Is Luis García Villagrán a migrant rights advocate or a criminal?  

The migrant caravan that departed Tapachula on Wednesday is called “Éxodo de la Justicia” (Exodus of Justice), mainly because its members are reportedly calling for justice for Luis Rey García Villagrán, who was arrested in Tapachula on Tuesday.

García, a migrant rights activist who has led previous migrant caravans, was detained “for alleged crimes related to his work with migrants,” according to an Associated Press report that cited an unnamed federal official.

Citing “security sources,” the newspaper La Jornada reported that he is accused of organized crime and human trafficking.

President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday that García — founder of an organization called the Center for Human Dignity — “is not an activist” and that a warrant for his arrest was issued years ago.

“He faces an accusation of human trafficking. The arrest warrant was issued years ago and is now being enforced,” she said.

El Universal reported that the migrants who departed Tapachula on Wednesday “expressed their sadness” over the arrest of García, described as the “main promoter” of the current caravan.

Heyman Vázquez Medina, a priest and activist who led the migrants in prayer before their departure, told Excélsior that the migrants who make up the caravan are demanding the release of García.

He said that García was detained unjustly, asserting that he hadn’t committed any crime and that his only “mistake” was to denounce those who extort and exploit migrants.

Vázquez claimed that the arrest of García was retaliation for his denunciation of the alleged corruption, abuses and collusion with organized crime of the INM, National Guard, police forces and the Mexican Commission for Refugee Assistance (COMAR).

“The government colludes with organized crime,” the priest told Excélsior.

AP reported that in 2024, “some migrants accused García Villagran of extortion and state prosecutors opened an investigation.”

“The Chiapas state prosecutor’s office has not said where that case stands,” the news agency said, adding that “Mexican authorities have arrested immigration activists in the past.”

In 1997, García was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after he was convicted of kidnapping and criminal association. In 2021, he told Mexico News Daily that he was wrongfully accused.

“I was in prison for 12 years here in Mexico, accused of a crime that I didn’t commit. There were a lot of organizations that helped me: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Christian Action for the Abolition of Torture and in Mexico, the Center of Human Rights Fray Bartolomé de Las Casas, until they finally declared me a prisoner of conscience and I won my freedom. That motivated me to help other people. God motivates me to do this. I found God at university,” García told MND.

La Jornada reported that he has been accused of “having no interest” in the human rights of migrants as he “exposes them to exhausting and dangerous journeys and even confronts them with crime groups or with authorities.”

The newspaper also said that García has been accused of charging migrants up to US $2,000 to “speed up” bureaucratic procedures at the INM and COMAR.

With reports from El Universal, Excélsior, La Jornada, Infobae and AP  

The post Migrant caravan of 300 departs Tapachula, but not for the US appeared first on Mexico News Daily

The barbacoa feast of 100 sheep (lambs) and more than 2,000 chickens will be slow-cooked underground in two enormous, custom-built ovens as part of the annual Dajiedhi Fair, a six-day festival starting Wednesday.

State by Plate: Barbacoa of Hidalgo

The popular fair will feature church services, fireworks, dancers, music, carnival rides, craft sales and food — like other patron saint festivals in Mexico. But this event, like many others across the country in early August, pays homage to El Divino Salvador (the Divine Savior, aka Jesus).

Much of this year’s focus is on Sunday, when the large ovens will be ignited by local barbocoyeros (pitmasters) to begin the barbecuing process. On Monday, a free tasting for an estimated 15,000 visitors will begin at 11 a.m.

“It’s just a tasting, so we ask for your understanding that there should be enough for everyone,” emphasized Alex Santiago Mejía, a member of the fair committee.

For those wanting more, barbacoa will also be available for purchase for about 650 pesos (US $34.50) per kilogram.

Last year’s event featured the cooking of 68 sheep and more than 200 chickens, though organizers opted against trying to obtain a Guinness World Record due to costs.

Like last year, this year’s barbecue will be prepared in a traditional manner that dates back to pre-Hispanic times.

¡En #Actopan se rompió el récord Guinness de la fila de tacos de barbacoa más larga del mundo!

Este es un logro que pone en alto la gastronomía de #Hidalgo, reflejando el orgullo por nuestra identidad.#PrimeroElPueblo pic.twitter.com/cIs7mLuTR4

— Julio Menchaca (@juliomenchaca_) July 13, 2025

Sheep and chickens donated by Dajiedhi residents and farmers in neighboring towns will be prepped and seasoned by the barbocoyeros and volunteers.

The meats will then be cooked in stone pits that are lined and topped with maguey leaves to protect ingredients from the dirt and to seal in flavors from vegetables and mesquite branches placed in the pits.

Dajiedhi, population 2,400, is located in the municipality of Actopan, Hidalgo, about 30 kilometers north of the state capital, Pachuca. Its unique name is almost certainly Indigenous, likely of Otomí-Hñahñu origin, but its precise meaning is unknown to scholars.

In Actopan and other areas of the Mezquital Valley, barbecued meats have been prepared in earthen ovens since 1518, according to Mexico’s Ministry of Culture. The newspaper Milenio referred to Dajiedhi as “the birthplace of barbacoyeros.”

At the Barbacoa Fair in Actopan in early July, the community reportedly set a Guinness World Record for the longest line of barbacoa tacos — more than 12,000 placed side-by-side in a single row. Vendors made about 300 tacos each, and when the tacos were lined up, no overlapping was allowed, according to the on-site Guinness adjudicator.

With reports from Milenio, N+ and Central Hidalgo Irreverente

The post Mega barbacoa returns to Hidalgo, with enough for 15,000 hungry visitors appeared first on Mexico News Daily

With these routes, Flair will become the first low-cost airline to offer direct connections between Canada and Mexico City, competing directly with Aeroméxico and Air Canada, but with considerably lower prices. 

According to the carrier’s press release, prices start at CAD $160 (US $116) for the Mexico City-Toronto route, and CAD $141 (US $102) for the Mexico City-Vancouver route.  

“For too long, flights to Mexico City have been out of reach for too many,” said Maciej Wilk, CEO of Flair Airlines, in the press release.

“We’re changing that. Flair is the only value airline in Canada, making it possible for customers to explore the capital of Mexico, and for Mexicans to discover all that Toronto and Vancouver have to offer.”

Both routes are set to operate three times a week per the following schedules:

YVR – AICM 

Start: Oct. 27, 2025

Frequency: Mondays, Fridays and Sundays 

Departure from YVR: 4:10 p.m. Arrival at AICM: 11:45 p.m.

Return from AICM: 12:45 a.m. Arrival at YVR: 4:55 a.m. 

YYZ – AICM 

Start: Oct. 28, 2025

Frequency: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 

Departure from YYZ: 7:15 p.m. Arrival at AICM: 11:45 p.m.

Return from AICM: 12:45 a.m. Arrival at YYZ: 6:25 a.m.

 

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A post shared by flair airlines (@flairairlines)

Acting Consul General of Mexico in Canada Luis Hernandez celebrated the news, saying that “Mexico and Canada have long enjoyed a close and dynamic relationship, connecting families, businesses and curious travellers who explore each other’s rich cultures,” adding that the new routes strengthen the link between the two nations.

These new routes add to Flair’s existing routes from Toronto and Vancouver to Cancún, Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta. According to CEO Maciej Wilk, these routes have been “highly successful” and have not been negatively impacted by the new visa requirements that went into force in 2024 for Mexican visitors to Canada.

“The visa requirement is what it is but we do not have problems with filling up our aircraft in and out of Mexico. I’m not concerned,” he stressed. 

Flair is a Canadian ultra-low-cost airline founded in 2005 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta. Initially operating charter and cargo flights, since 2017 it has focused on scheduled passenger flights, primarily within Canada and to destinations in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America.  

With reports from Business Intelligence for B.C.

The post Canadian budget carrier Flair to offer US $102 flights from CDMX to Vancouver appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Contract bidding for three other tranches and the provision of more than 60 trains is well advanced, and studies are underway for new lines connection to Guadalajara, San Luis Potosí, Mazatlán and more.

Sheinbaum opened her Wednesday morning press conference by introducing the three men responsible for meeting an ambitious goal: that of building more than 3,000 kilometers of railway track for passenger trains before her term ends in 2030.

Andrés Lajous, director of Mexico’s Rail Transport Regulatory Agency (ARTF), provided a brief update on progress on the Mexico City-Querétaro and Mexico City-Pachuca lines, before turning his attention to the Querétaro-Irapuato line, construction of which is expected to begin this month.

Lajous said the Querétaro-Irapuato line will be built in two sections: from Querétaro to Apaseo el Grande (a distance of 33 km) and from Apaseo el Grande to Irapuato (78 km). Construction contracts will be announced in mid-August and October respectively.

The Mexico City-Querétaro and Querétaro-Irapuato lines are tranches of the Mexico City-Guadalajara-Nogales line that aims to serve 6 million passengers a year upon completion.

Another section of track that could see construction begin this month is the Unión San Javier to Arroyo El Sauz tranche of the Saltillo-Monterrey-Nuevo Laredo train. The winning bid for this 100-kilometer section in the northern state of Nuevo León will be announced this month.

With regards to the remainder of the Saltillo-to-Nuevo Laredo line, the Saltillo-Santa Catarina section (70 km) tender will be published on Sept. 18 and the Arroyo El Sauz-Nuevo Laredo tranche (133 km) will be determined on Oct. 3.

Larous said that four other lines — Irapuato to Guadalajara; Querétaro to San Luis Potosí; San Luis Potosí to Saltillo and Mazatlán to Los Mochis — are entering the study phase. The call for proposals for environmental assessments was published on Wednesday.

Also this month, the ARTF will award contracts for trains for three lines: Mexico City-Pachuca, Mexico City-Irapuato and Saltillo-Nuevo Laredo.

General Gustavo Ricardo Vallejo, commander of the Army engineers overseeing the construction of the Mexico City-Pachuca line, said construction there will generate more than 60,000 direct and indirect jobs.

“There are already 6,000 people employed in building embankments, compacting track platforms, excavation and pouring of piles and foundation footings,” he said.

Additionally, Vallejo said, the Mexico City-Querétaro job is expected to create employment for roughly 200,000 people. More than 5,000 people have already found jobs on this route.

En la #MañaneraDelPueblo de hoy, con la Presidenta @Claudiashein, compartimos el avance de construcción de los nuevos trenes de pasajeros:

En agosto, inician las obras de las rutas Querétaro-Irapuato y Saltillo Nuevo-Laredo.

Arrancamos los estudios para las nuevas rutas. pic.twitter.com/eG7NTfQUP7

— Andrés Lajous (@andreslajous) July 30, 2025

Sheinbaum interjected that her passenger railway project has two purposes — better communication across the country and economic benefits for the communities along the routes.

“The objective … is to benefit communities during and after construction, not just provide a means of transportation,” she said, adding that another goal is to ensure safe, rapid and high-quality transportation.

Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation Minister Jesús Esteva was also present, but his comments were limited to progress on the Amado Nervo Bridge that will connect the Pacific Coast resort cities of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and Bahía de Banderas, Nayarit. The bridge is scheduled to be completed in November 2026.

With reports from Infobae and Milenio

The post What’s next for Mexico’s growing rail system? Officials share advances in Nuevo León, Guadalajara, SLP, Sinaloa and more appeared first on Mexico News Daily

World Press Photo 2025

The world’s leading international photojournalism competition returns once again to its home venue, the Franz Mayer Museum. For the 68th edition, the awarded photographers from around the globe were tasked with addressing several political, cultural, and climate-related conflicts. Out of roughly 59,320 documentary photographs, only 42 works were selected this year.

Date: Aug. 1 to Sept. 28
Location: Franz Mayer Museum. Av. Hidalgo 45, Centro, Cuauhtémoc.
Cost: 100 pesos for adults; 60 pesos for students, teachers and seniors

Gabriel Orozco: Politécnico Nacional

For the first time in almost 20 years, the Jumex Museum brings together an ambitious solo exhibition by Mexican multidisciplinary artist Gabriel Orozco. Born in Xalapa, Veracruz, Orozco has always been fascinated by objects and materials of everyday life, which confer “the possibility of giving materiality to time.” The exhibition features 300 works from throughout Orozco’s artistic career, “from small sculptures to complex installations, between photography and drawing, accompanied by painting, sculpture, assemblages and games.” 

Date: Runs until Aug. 3
Location: Museo Jumex. Blvd. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra 303, Granada, Miguel Hidalgo.
Cost: Free of charge 

From the heart of the barrio. Tepito: deep roots, resonant voices

Beyond being a “barrio bravo,” Tepito is one of Mexico City’s most emblematic cultural districts — and it resonates with the voices of its emerging artists. This comes to show in “Desde el corazón del barrio,” a group exhibition that brings together more than 20 artists “who live, create, or maintain close ties to the Tepito neighborhood.” With over 80 pieces in various formats, the exhibition aims to highlight artistic practices linked to a historically stigmatized community, reclaiming its heritage and present through art.

Date: Runs until Aug. 3
Location: Galería José María Velasco. Peralvillo 55, Morelos, Cuauhtémoc.
Cost: Free of charge 

Mayotzincuepa circus festival

Le Monastère, a cabaret company based in Montreal (Canada), starred in the opening show of the Mayotzincuepa Circus Festival. Spectators will enjoy aerial dance performances, clown acts and thrilling circus shows in several locations across town. As the inaugural event, the program has created high expectations among theater connoisseurs and performance artists as one of the largest performing arts programs this year.

Date: Runs until Aug. 4
Locations: Teatro de la Ciudad Esperanza Iris, FARO Cosmos and open-air theaters in the Iztacalco, Magdalena Contreras and Tlalpan boroughs
Cost: Free of charge

A summer among chinampas

In an effort to preserve the chinampera tradition in Xochimilco, over 500 years old, the Chinampaxóchitl Museum will host a summer course for children. Designed for ages 7 to 13, kids will learn about “the natural and cultural importance of the Xochimilco lake area and the chinampa zone,” said the museum in an Instagram post. The course includes four sessions, in which children will enjoy fun activities as they learn about the history and cultivation techniques used in the chinampas today. 

Date: Aug. 5-9
Location: Museo Chinampaxóchitl at Parque Ecológico de Xochimilco. Periférico Oeriente 1, Ciénaga Grande. Xochimilco.
Cost: Free of charge

Watch Itatí Cantoral’s ‘Juicio a una zorra‘

Mexican actress and cabaret performer Itatí Cantoral returns to the theaters with one of the “most challenging performances of [her] career,” according to TimeOut México. Staged and directed by Alonso Íñiguez, this provocative monologue portrays Helen of Troy, the eternally condemned woman from Homer’s Iliad, with a new voice. Inspired by gender struggles and critically examining how the Trojan princess has historically been condemned, Juicio a una zorra rewrites the myth from a female voice filled with fury and dignity.

Date: From July 20 to Aug. 31
Locations: La Teatrería. Tabasco 152, Roma Norte, Cuauhtémoc.
Cost: Entrance fees may vary

Cri Cri symphonic concert

“El Ratón Vaquero”, “La Muñeca Fea” and other fan favorites will fill Sala Nezahualcóyotl concert hall this August. Performed by the Minería Symphony Orchestra, this concert will be an opportunity to hear the classics of maestro Francisco Gabilondo Soler, a Mexican composer and singer known for his children’s songs, as actor Mario Iván Martínez, nationally renowned for his children’s books readings, sings iconic Cri Cri pieces. 

Date: Aug. 9 & 30
Location: Sala Nezahualcóyotl. Insurgentes Sur 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán.
Cost: Tickets starting at 400 pesos

Natsu Matsuri Festival 2025

Organized by the Mexico-Japan Association (AMJ), the Natsu Matsuri Festival is the capital’s yearly opportunity to taste genuine ceremonial matcha and try regional street food. Translated from Japanese as “summer festival,” the event features fashion runways, a culinary bazaar and tea ceremonies.

Massive drums and yukatas, Japan’s iconic ceremonial suit, will prance across the Natsu Matsuri Festival runway this year. Sipping on a delicious sample of traditional jasmine tea or Sapporo beer, spectators will enjoy a display of Bon Odori, the traditional dance of Japan. So, fetch your best kimono and stroll across Fujiyama Street to live your geisha fantasy at the Natsu Matsuri Festival. 

Date: Aug. 16-17
Location: Fujiyama 144, Águilas, Álvaro Obregón.
Cost: Workshop fees may vary

The Jazz Room: Journey to the Heart of New Orleans

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong in CDMX?! Not exactly. Some excellent interpreters will come, though. Along with some cocktails and improv sessions, The Jazz Room comes to town after being a hit in Madrid, Barcelona and Santiago City. The ensemble will take us straight to the 20s in NOLA, birthplace of this iconic genre, to bring back the golden age of jazz.

Date: Aug. 16
Location: Hilton Santa Fe. Antonio Dovali Jaime 70, Santa Fe, Cuajimalpa.
Cost: Entrance fees vary

42nd Mexico City Marathon

As August comes to an end, runners from across the country will compete to beat their personal records on the Telcel Mexico City Marathon. As one of the major sporting events in the capital this year, the event is expected to attract thousands of runners. As stated by the Mexico City Government, the 2025 route will start on Avenida Insurgentes Sur, between the Central Library and the Olympic Stadium, and finish in the capital’s Zócalo.

Runners will enjoy iconic landmarks of Mexico City, including UNAM’s Olympic Stadium, the Angel of Independence, the Diana the Huntress roundabout and the Monument to the Revolution, among others.

Date: Aug. 31
Location: Follow the official route here
Cost: 800 pesos for Mexicans and residents and US $110 for foreign athletes

Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.

The post What’s on in Mexico City in August 2025? appeared first on Mexico News Daily

The Cuernavaca Valley Industrial City (Civac) plant, located in Jiutepec, Morelos, just outside Cuernavaca, was Nissan’s first production facility outside of Japan. However, beginning in March 2026, the end of the Japanese fiscal year, production of all models currently assembled at Civac, including the NP300, Frontier and Versa, will be transferred to the more modern Aguascalientes automotive complex.

Así fue el momento en que la directiva de Nissan anunció a los trabajadores el cierre de la planta de Jiutepec tras 59 años de historia La producción se traslada a Aguascalientes https://t.co/XN1BFkm9hC

@InfoAgenda_Mor pic.twitter.com/hakR1z7bTb

— @diario24horas (@diario24horas) July 30, 2025

This Spanish-language video, possibly taken clandestinely and posted on X, captures the moment when employees of Nissan’s 59-year-old Cuernavaca plant first learned that they will soon be out of a job.

“Today, we have made the difficult but necessary decision that will allow us to become more efficient, more competitive, and more sustainable,” CEO of Nissan Motor Corporation Ivan Espinosa said, adding that relocating production to Aguascalientes, the capital of the central state of the same name, will ensure the continuity of key models in a facility with greater technological capacity.

This decision is part of the global “Re:Nissan” restructuring plan, which seeks to consolidate production and optimize the company’s efficiency worldwide. According to the newspaper El Universal, Nissan plans to reduce its non-China global production capacity from 3.5 million units to 2.5 million units yearly.

Though Nissan is not leaving Mexico, its current plans mark the end of an era. 

The Cuernavaca plant accounted for approximately 11% of Nissan’s total production in Mexico and had produced more than 6.5 million vehicles since its opening in 1966, marking the beginning of the brand’s international expansion outside of Japan. Over the years, its vehicles have not only been distributed in Mexico but have also reached international markets, including Japan. The Nissan Tsubame was exported in 1993, marking the first model manufactured in Mexico and sold in the Asian country.

Since its opening, Civac has boosted development for the local community and acted as a benchmark for the Mexican automotive industry, which is why the move has raised concerns about the future employment of the plant’s direct employees. The company did not mention in its announcements how many employees will be affected, but the newspaper El País reported that figures from Nissan itself put the number of Civac workers at 4,800 in 2016.

Nissan says it is committed to ensuring a respectful transition for affected employees. However, it has not announced any specific plans about severance, relocation or retirement plans, leaving workers feeling uncertain.

Morelos Governor Margarita González Saravia and state Minister of Economic Development Víctor Sánchez Trujillo announced plans to meet with Nissan representatives to ensure compliance with  labor rights and to facilitate a fair transition. The action plan includes placement of employees in other automotive companies in the state, a special program through the National Employment Service (SNE) for new job opportunities, and support for entrepreneurship, leveraging employees’ technical skills.

In an interview, González added that her government will seek to bring in another automotive company to replace Nissan. 

With reports from Diario de Morelos and Merca 20

The post Nissan announces plans to close its historic Cuernavaca plant, moving production to Aguascalientes appeared first on Mexico News Daily

The project will include a large-scale cable car line, like that of México state’s Mexicable, and a “cablebús” system, similar to that of Mexico City, which seats 10 passengers in each unit. 

The plan has the full support of Oaxaca City Mayor Raymundo Chagoya. “I really like the idea,” Chagoya said. “Oaxaca will shine much more with a cable car.”

The mayor also alluded to the aesthetic appeal of aerial transport over one of Mexico’s most beloved cities. “As an additional attraction, we will really enjoy seeing the city from above,” he said.

Although the route is not yet finalized, one possible route would connect two favorite tourist attractions — the Cerro del Fortín, where the annual Guelaguetza festival takes place, and the Álvaro Carrillo Theater. 

However, Governor Jara stressed that the principal aim of the cable car system is to improve urban mobility by connecting strategic points within the city.  

Another aim is to connect Oaxaca’s city center with the mountainous suburbs. One route under assessment would link the city with the Monte Albán archaeological site, around 10 kilometers away. 

Governor Jara said the state plans to finance the project without relying on debt. 

5 new Cablebús lines are coming to Mexico City 

While on Sunday, Governor Jara was presenting the aerial tram plans for Oaxaca, in Mexico City President Claudia Sheinbaum and Mayor Clara Brugada were announcing the construction of the Tlalpan-Coyoacán Cablebús Line 4, which is expected to be the longest in the world. 

The new line will be paid for using federal funds and is expected to transport 65,000 people per day over 11.4 km, which is further than the existing Iztapalapa line (11.2 km). 

¡Impulsamos el progreso desde las alturas!
La Línea 4 del Cablebús Tlalpan-Coyoacán será una realidad, y en la CFE estaremos orgullosos de ser parte fundamental de este proyecto que transforma la movilidad en la Ciudad de México.

Con el impulso de la presidenta… pic.twitter.com/UJ3D0eFddI

— CFEmx (@CFEmx) July 29, 2025

On the ground, moving between Los Pedregales to the University City of Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM) can take up to two hours in rush hour traffic, compared to the 40 minutes expected via Cablebús, noted Sheinbaum. 

Line 4 will consist of eight stations: Universidad, Cantera, Perisur, Mercado Hidalgo, Reforma, Parque Morelos, Cultura Maya and Pedregal de San Nicolás. 

It will also connect more than 30 neighborhoods in Tlalpan and nine in Coyoacán and will have connections to other public transportation modes, such as the Metro, allowing commuters to travel between the north and south of the city, according to Mexico City’s Transport Minister Ulises García.

Five Cablebús lines are expected to be completed during Brugada’s six-year term, with construction on the Álvaro Obregón-Magdalena Contreras and Milpa Alta-Tláhuac lines commencing this year, and the Cuajimalpa-Xochimilco line in 2026.

With reports from El Universal Oaxaca, Estado Actual, Milenio and El Financiero  

The post Not just in CDMX: Oaxaca announces aerial cable car network to boost transportation and tourism appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Unlike the July 4 and July 20 protests, Saturday’s march wasn’t significantly marred by violence, with city authorities reporting that it concluded “without incidents.”

¡Los #chilangos siguen con su protesta ante la #gentrificación! Por tercera ocasión marcharon en las calles de la #CDMX. pic.twitter.com/qG8zplie1M

— El Sol de México (@elsolde_mexico) July 27, 2025

The “Third March Against Gentrification” began at the Benito Juárez Hemicycle in the Alameda Central Park in the historic center of Mexico City on Saturday afternoon.

The protesters — including many university students — walked to the Zócalo, the capital’s central square, and subsequently returned to the departure point before the march concluded at the nearby Juárez metro station, the Mexico City government said in a statement.

The government said that the march “took place peacefully” and noted that “various collectives” and citizens expressed their “rejection of the phenomenon of social displacement and the increase in the cost of housing in different areas of the city.”

The protesters had planned to march to the United States Embassy on Mexico City’s famous Paseo de la Reforma boulevard, but took a last-minute decision to change the route.

On Friday, the U.S. Embassy issued a “security alert” ahead of the protest.

“Previous [anti-gentrification] demonstrations occurred in the Roma and Condesa neighborhoods on July 4 and the Tlalpan neighborhood on July 20. Some in those groups vandalized property and threw rocks at people perceived to be foreigners. U.S. government personnel are advised to avoid the demonstration area,” it said.

As anti-gentrification sentiment grows, a second Mexico City march targets World Cup speculation

Foreigners, especially U.S. citizens, have been blamed for causing, or at least exacerbating, gentrification in certain neighborhoods of Mexico City, such as Roma and Condesa.

‘Decent housing for Mexicans’; ‘Get out Airbnb!’

Among the placards held up by protesters during Saturday’s march were ones that read, “Decent housing for Mexicans”; “Get out Airbnb”; “The [historic] center is not for sale; and “Our neighborhood is not a warehouse.”

The final message alluded to the fact that scores of buildings in the historic center of Mexico City have been turned into warehouses to store goods sold at Chinese-operated shopping plazas.

Protesters also denounced the ubiquity of short-term accommodation in Mexico City’s downtown and other parts of the capital.

“Many buildings that were [long-term rental] apartments, offices or hotels before have been turned into properties exclusively dedicated to short-term rentals, Airbnbs in other words,” a young man identified only as Leonardo told the newspaper Reforma.

“In that process, families have been displaced,” he said.

The news outlet Sin Embargo reported that protesters also chanted anti-United States slogans during Saturday’s march. “To gentrify is to colonize,” said a message scrawled in graffiti on a roller shutter protecting a shop.

As was the case at the previous anti-gentrification protests this month, some demonstrators carried Palestine flags to demonstrate their support for the besieged residents of Gaza and their opposition to Israel.

At the end of the protest, members of the collective Frente Joven por la Vivienda (Youth Front for Housing) pledged to “defend our neighborhoods, our histories and our way of living,” Sin Embargo reported.

“… What unites us is not just anger, but also our hope for a better tomorrow,” they said, adding that they would continue their fight until “living in dignity isn’t a privilege, but a right.”

Weapons seized and Metro station vandalized 

While the Mexico City government reported that the march took place peacefully and concluded “without incidents,” it did acknowledge that police seized “various objects” that “could have been used to attack or cause damage to public furniture.”

The seized items included bats, chains and a hammer as well as a “backpack that contained a Molotov cocktail and aerosol paint,” the government said.

The confiscation of the weapons reportedly provoked scuffles between police and protesters.

The Mexico City government noted in its statement that police and other officials accompanied the protesters during the entire march. The government said that their presence — which was opposed by the protesters — prevented “confrontations” and encouraged “an orderly and safe protest.”

However, police and other officials were unable to stop a group of protesters from defacing parts of the interior of the Juárez metro station with graffiti.

Gentrification — an issue that isn’t going away 

Saturday’s march came two weeks after Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada announced that her government would create thousands of affordable housing units as part of a long-term strategy to tackle gentrification.

Last October, Mexico City’s Congress approved a reform that established a 180-day-per-year limit on online vacation rentals, including Airbnb, and prohibited government-built social housing from being rented to tourists via online rental platforms.

Such initiatives have been unsuccessful in quelling long-brewing anger about gentrification in Mexico City. Protesters on Saturday even accused the government of supporting the process of gentrification in the capital.

Although protests against gentrification have been held in Mexico City before this month — including one in November 2022 after then-mayor Claudia Sheinbaum entered into an agreement with Airbnb to promote the capital to digital nomads — the three demonstrations in quick succession in July indicate that the aforementioned anger is only growing.

Sheinbaum — Mexico’s president since last October and mayor of Mexico City when a wave of remote work-induced migration to the capital took place during the COVID-19 pandemic — recently acknowledged that “the phenomenon of gentrification must be addressed,” while denouncing xenophobia in the first protest this month.

According to the Youth Front for Housing, the “next step” in the fight against gentrification in the capital will be the staging of the first “Regional Conference against Gentrification and Dispossession” at the National Autonomous University (UNAM) on Saturday, Aug. 9.

Members of the collective said they aren’t against change per se, but are opposed to “change that excludes and erases us.”

“Gentrification is not development,” they said. “It’s dispossession disguised as progress.”

With reports from Sin Embargo, La Jornada, CNN en Español, Excélsior, Reforma, El Universal and El Financiero

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The city of Puebla is one of Mexico’s most historic. A major centre for both Indigenous cultures and the Spanish colonial rulers, it has played a major role in Mexico’s food, culture and art over several centuries.

Bethany Platanella recently visited the city and shared some of the interesting facts that she learnt during her stay.

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Coming across these ancient ruins can also happen when finding your way across the Metro. The Pino Suárez station is famous fthe Pyramid of Ehécatl, which was built in honor of the Mexica (Aztec) god of the winds and sits in the middle of the station.

Templo Mayor, the most important religious and political center of the ancient Mexica city of Tenochtitlan, the ruins of Cuicuilco and these other sites are a testament to how our pre-Columbian past has not abandoned us, despite the efforts made by European invaders to eradicate our ancient roots. Similarly, denizens of the capital keep some Mexica customs alive in our everyday lives. These are some of the most iconic.

Grocery shopping at a traditional market

The joy of grocery shopping at a traditional Mexican market comes from embodying a living, centuries-oldMesoamerican tradition. Mesoamerica’s largest market was built in Tlatelolco, near the present-day Historic Center in Mexico City, around 1337. This became the main market that supplied the population of Tenochtitlán with all the products that could be imagined at that time, as documented by the Institute of Historical Research of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). Today, over 600 years later, markets and tianguis continue to be a form of social cohesion, where reminiscences of that Mexica past still resonate with the voices of the merchants. 

Training your palate to be resistant to spicy meals

Every time a foreign customer orders non-spicy salsa at a taquería, the great Mexica goddess Tlatlauhqui Cihuatl Ichilzintli, the Respectable Lady of Chilis, cries in desperation. But she finds solace when those of us who have found a home in this country bathe our daily meals with anything spicy. Hot peppers were a central part of Mexica cuisine and medicine and were even used to discipline unruly children. Be it having a bowl of salsa verde at the table or sprinkling chile en polvo on our freshly cut fruit, adding a spicy touch to whatever we eat is undeniably a Mexica heritage, which we have kept alive in our eating habits.

Eating bugs, mushrooms and flowers

Chapulines? Escamoles? Gusanos de maguey? Yes! Crickets, ant eggs and worms were at the center of Mexica tables,— and  if you’ve ever had lunch at a tianguis a taquero may have offered you one of these delicacies. Before the arrival of the Spaniards, as documented by the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry, over 96 different species of insects were a fundamental part of Mexica cuisine. Even the most upscale restaurants in Polanco offer these delights.

However, you don’t have to eat anything previously alive to embody a living Mexica tradition. You can go veggie, as well! For example, eating mushroom quesadillas is a must at any mercado de antojitos. And of course, if you haven’t tried pumpkin flower tamales at Xochimilco, you’re absolutely missing out.

Including native corn in your daily diet

I can’t fathom a Mexican table without tortillas.  Tortillas serve both as sustenance and cutlery at Mexican tables. As a key ingredient for main Mexican courses, per capita consumption is recorded at around 331 kilograms per year, as suggested by the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry’s latest figures. And how could we not? Our land has nurtured roughly 67 different species of corn for over 10,000 years. Tortillas — “tlaxcalli” in Nahuatl — were a staple food as important for the Mexica and other ancient Mesoamerican cultures as they are for modern day Mexicans.

Using a molcajete to pound grains, spices and veggies

If you ever go to a fonda serving comida corrida, an establishment where you can have a three-course meal for less than 100 pesos, you’ll probably see the cook making their own salsa in a molcajete. The term comes from Náhuatl words “molli,” which means sauce, and “caxtli,” or bowl: “mollicaxtli” therefore means the sauce bowl, as documented by the Exterior Relations Ministry (SRE). It’s usually made of volcanic rock, and traditionally has the face of an animal — usually, a pig — carved in the front.

If you live in Mexico and love to cook, a molcajete is an absolute kitchen must, especially if you’re into making your own spicy salsas. There is no bigger joy than smashing chilis and tomatoes against the pig’s volcanic back, and using the mortar to get the best of their juices. That, too, is a Mexica tradition that Mexican households have kept alive — and will probably persist through the passage of time. 

Andrea Fischer contributes to the features desk at Mexico News Daily. She has edited and written for National Geographic en Español and Muy Interesante México, and continues to be an advocate for anything that screams science. Or yoga. Or both.

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