Governor Salomón Jara Cruz’s legal threat on Tuesday was the latest charge of cultural appropriation emanating from Oaxaca. Earlier this year, a group of 300 Oaxacan artisans accused two U.S. fashion brands of using traditional huipil patterns in their clothes.

In the current complaint, the governor emphasized concerns that the creators did not obtain consent from the community of Villa Hidalgo Yalalág, whose signature huarache craftsmanship inspired the sandal. He also expressed his disdain over the use of the name “Oaxaca” for the new shoe.

“We will approach our brothers and sisters in Yalalág to file a report for identity theft,” Jara Cruz stated at a press conference.

The Oaxaca Slip-On was officially unveiled this week during a massive Adidas event at the Puerto Rico Museum of Art in San Juan. Adidas has taken over the historic facility’s exhibit halls and gardens for three weeks to celebrate five years of creative partnership between Adidas Originals and renowned Puerto Rican reggaeton star Bad Bunny.

Chavarría and other creative forces from Adidas kicked off the event by participating in panels that also unveiled new models — including the Oaxaca Slip-On.

The shoe features a premium leather upper in a hand-woven style reminiscent of traditional Oaxacan huaraches, paired with a chunky Adidas sneaker sole.

An acclaimed U.S. designer known for fusing streetwear, political activism and Chicano cultural references, Chavarría said the shoe seeks to merge Indigenous Mexican footwear heritage with Chicano style and contemporary streetwear.

“I celebrate Latino culture and celebrate queer culture because that’s like me,” Chavarría told Sneaker News at the event. “But at the end of the day … it’s about human dignity. It’s about respecting and loving one another.” 

Chavarría was born in 1967 in Huron, a small farmworker community in Fresno County, California.

“It makes me very proud to be working with a company that really respects and uplifts culture in the most real way,” he added.

Nonetheless, Oaxacan artisans and officials have raised concerns about recurring incidents of cultural appropriation, where international brands, including luxury designers, have been accused of taking Indigenous Mexican designs without permission or benefit to the communities.

Levi’s accused of culturally appropriating indigenous designs

Previous cases have involved fashion companies such as Carolina Herrera, Zimmermann and Shein. The Mexican fabric company Modatelas was accused of plagiarizing traditional designs from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and the U.S. brand Anthropologie was accused of using the Xaam nïxuy design from a Mixe community without permission.

In 2022, the Ralph Lauren brand apologized after being accused of plagiarizing Mexican textile designs.

The Ministry of Culture has long argued these practices represent both economic harm and “symbolic dispossession” of Indigenous identity and creativity.

Villa Hidalgo Yalalág is a Zapotec community in the Sierra Norte region of Oaxaca, roughly 90 kilometers northeast of Oaxaca City. The community is recognized for its hand-woven huaraches, textiles and other traditional crafts that are emblematic of Oaxacan heritage.

With reports from El Financiero, Publimetro and Sneaker News

The post Oaxaca threatens legal action against Adidas for its ‘Oaxaca Slip-On’ sandal appeared first on Mexico News Daily

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

Who can we thank for putting Oaxaca on the creative community map? The 10 artists below represent just a fraction of the region’s visionary prowess, each contributing to the development of Oaxacan expression in a powerful way.     

Rufino Tamayo (August 26, 1899 – June 24, 1991)
Painter, modernist visionary 

Rufino Tamayo was orphaned by age 12. Born in Oaxaca, his father abandoned the family and his mother died of tuberculosis. He moved to Mexico City to live with an aunt, helping run her family’s fruit stall. This experience would profoundly impact his artistic journey, inspiring the legendary watermelon motifs for which he is so well known. Fiercely independent, Tamayo rebelled against the art scene which, at that time, was largely a series of political statements by the likes of Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros. Instead, Tamayo chose to focus on a unique blend of European modernism and Mexican roots. He would eventually found two museums: Museo Tamayo in Mexico City, and Museo de Arte Prehispánico de México Rufino Tamayo in Oaxaca.

Francisco Toledo (July 17, 1940 – September 5, 2019)
Painter, sculptor, cultural activist 

Oaxaca’s landscape and culture laid the groundwork for Toledo’s surrealist, at times fantastical, paintings, known for their rough lines and rich textures. Thanks to a rural upbringing in a Zapotec family, he was immersed in legend, myth, and the region’s wild nature from a young age. After his parents sent him to high school in Oaxaca City in the hopes he would become a lawyer, Toledo went on to study art, spending time in Mexico City, New York, and Paris, where he would befriend Rufino Tamayo. A tireless advocate for Oaxacan heritage and social justice, Toledo founded the beloved Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca (IAGO). Perhaps his most famous work came in the form of activism — in 2002, the artist organized a protest against a proposed McDonald’s in Oaxaca City, handing out tamales at the potential site and generating the slogan “Tamales sí, hamburguesas no.”

Rodolfo Morales (May 8, 1925 – January 30, 2001)
Painter, surrealist, restorer 

Morales grew up in a small Oaxacan village in a working-class family. A solitary child, he often turned to drawing to pass the time. While his parents recognized early on that Morales had artistic talent, it was his Aunt Petra who fostered his imagination and encouraged his creative side. Though his education was interrupted, Morales would later attend the Academy of San Carlos in Mexico City to study art. His style, magical realism centered on the resilience of Oaxacan women and the matriarchy, can be found on canvas and the walls of important buildings, notably the Municipal Palace of Ocotlán, which showcases a colorful depiction of local village life. Morales dedicated his latter years to restoration, bringing back to life Oaxaca’s most historic churches and convents, including the 16th-century Convent of Santo Domingo.

Amador Montes (June 16, 1975 – )
Painter, curator, boutique hotel creator 

Amador Montes is one of Oaxaca’s most celebrated contemporary artists. He’s presented his paintings locally and globally, each piece inspired by dreams, memories, and emotions, evoking feelings of nostalgia. His luminous color palette—which reflects the full spectrum of hues ranging from bold to neutral—often features black lettering, notably the name Carmen. Much of his work is dedicated to his mother, and her name graces everything from Montes’ paintings to the two boutique hotels he opened in Oaxaca City, both named Casa Carmen. Beyond creating, Montes is also a curator, passionate in his support of young Oaxacan artists and known for hosting local exhibitions and creative dialogue.

Manuel Jiménez Ramírez (June 9, 1919 – March 4, 2005)
Alebrije pioneer and healer 

Manuel Jiménez Ramírez is credited as the originator of the Oaxacan alebrije, the state’s vibrant tradition of fantastical, hand-carved wooden animals and mythical creatures. As a child, he began by molding animals in clay, later discovering his true passion was in woodcarving. Known locally as “el divino,” Jiménez Ramírez believed himself to be the reincarnation of an artist, and his neighbors often regarded him as a spiritual healer. Beyond art, he worked as everything from a cane cutter to a bricklayer, basket maker, and community leader during Holy Week celebrations. Today, his children and grandchildren carry on the family legacy, shaping the artistic identity of Oaxaca at large.

Jacobo Ángeles (March 14, 1973 – )
Master alebrije carver and Zapotec cultural advocate

Jacobo Ángeles’ creative spirit was nurtured by growing up in a Zapotec household surrounded by woodcarvers and artisans. After the sudden loss of his father when he was just 12, the young creator took charge of the family workshop, teaching the craft of carving to his younger siblings and supporting the household.

He later married María del Carmen Mendoza, and together they built the Taller Jacobo y María Ángeles, a cultural hub where traditional Zapotec weaving and carving techniques blend with cutting-edge design. His alebrijes are notable for their intricate patterns — inspired by Zapotec symbols and ancient mythology — and frequently combine mythical creatures with human features. In 2014, Jacobo was invited to meet Pope Francis and exhibit 1,200 hand-carved nativity scene figures and Christmas ornaments at the Vatican Museums.

Josefina Aguilar (February 22, 1945 – )
Iconic potter and figurine artist 

Hailing from the same town as Rodolfo Morales, Josefina Aguilar is internationally lauded for her vibrant, molded clay figurines representing Mexican rural life, festive traditions, saints, historical figures, and community rituals. Taught by her mother and grandmother from the age of six, Josefina began gaining attention in her youth, and her works would eventually be collected by connoisseurs like Nelson Rockefeller. Despite losing her sight in 2014, Josefina continues to shape her whimsical muñecas (dolls), relying on touch while her children help her paint. Her home and studio are a beacon for folk art collectors, and her family remains a central force in the evolution and global adoration of Oaxacan ceramics.

Pastora Gutiérrez Reyes (dates not publicly confirmed)
Revolutionary weaver and women’s advocate 

BMW Foundation

Pastora Gutiérrez Reyes is a Zapotec leader and weaving artist from Teotitlán del Valle. In 1997, driven by the lack of opportunities for women in her traditional community, she cofounded Vida Nueva, the village’s first all-women’s weaving cooperative.

Together with her mother, grandmother, and friends, she guided the co-op to economic independence, education, and social change. Through Vida Nueva, Pastora helped bring public health education, workshops on domestic violence and support to further educate local women. Her impact is as much about advocacy as artistry: Today, the cooperative’s Mexican textiles are recognized for blending Zapotec tradition with the group’s innovative designs, and the co-op empowers women in rural Oaxaca.

Doña Rosa (September 4, 1900 – July 12, 1980)
Legendary innovator of Barro Negro 

In the 1950s, Doña Rosa — born Rosa Real Mateo de Nieto in San Bartolo Coyotepec — dramatically transformed the fate of Mexican pottery with a single discovery. Traditionally, the region’s barro negro (black clay) was matte and gray, relied on for its broad utility rather than its aesthetic. Doña Rosa found that by burnishing the clay with a quartz stone and firing it at a lower temperature, she could create a deep, lustrous black sheen.

This technique made Oaxacan pottery famous throughout the world. Doña Rosa’s descendants continue to run the family workshop to this day, and for art collectors serious about Mexican folk art, it’s a must-visit. Doña Rosa’s ingenuity not only upended an entire craft it also inspired a wave of creative and economic activity that continues to reverberate in Oaxaca’s Central Valleys.

Enedina Vásquez Cruz (1963 – )
Contemporary terracotta sculptor 

Enedina Vásquez Cruz carries the centuries-old tradition of Oaxacan ceramics forward with her award-winning terracotta figures and jewelry. Trained in her family’s workshop from a young age, Enedina innovated the art when she recovered ancient slip recipes revealing a method to create an earthy palette.

In fact, the recipes uncovered over 80 natural colors, all derived from traditional sources. Her detailed works are generally centered on Indigenous women in regional dress, as well as double-sided pieces depicting religious icons and historic narratives. Her ability to connect Oaxaca’s pre-Hispanic past to contemporary beliefs has garnered Cruz a number of major national prizes, making her a major force in the region’s artistic landscape.

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.

The post The artists behind Oaxaca’s global art fame: 10 visionaries you should know appeared first on Mexico News Daily

Mexico, along with the United States and Chile, had issued a tsunami warning soon after the earthquake.

[Hilo] Comienzan a registrarse en México los efectos del #Tsunami producido por el sismo de magnitud 8.8, ocurrido el día de ayer en la península de Kamchatka, Rusia. La primera de nuestras estaciones en registrar el fenómeno fue Manzanillo, Colima, a las 11:24 UTC… pic.twitter.com/kDjWJXQFh7

— Servicio Mareográfico Nacional UNAM (@SMareograficoN) July 30, 2025

The Mexican Navy (Semar) had reported at a Security Cabinet meeting that Wednesday morning would be the likeliest time for any concern, due to a slight rise in sea level in certain areas of the eastern Pacific Ocean. However, it reiterated that the information did not imply major risks.  

Earlier, the Tsunami Warning Center (CAT) of the Semar issued an alert bulletin to update sea level fluctuations at various points along the Mexican Pacific coast. Mexican authorities recommended that the population stay away from beaches and coastal areas and exercise extreme caution in maritime activities, noting that the alert remained active only as a preventive measure.

In the advisory, Semar mentioned the variations in wave heights at key cities along Mexico’s Pacific coast. These include Ensenada, Baja California, which recorded a height of 0.70 meters at 6:15 a.m. (12:15 GMT), and Salina Cruz in Oaxaca, with a height of 0.25 meters at 6:14 a.m. (12:14 GMT). 

Also mentioned were Clarión Island (one of the Revillagigedo Islands off the Colima coast), with a height of 0.25 meters at 6:20 a.m. (12:20 GMT), and Manzanillo, Colima, with 1.15 meters at 6:15 a.m. (12:15 GMT). 

No material damage or injuries were reported at these sites. 

During the tsunami warning, dozens of people, including locals and tourists, crowded the Mazatlán promenade to watch the sea, ignoring official warnings to stay away from the coastal area for safety reasons. The warnings urged people not to approach the beaches or the seawall, due to the risk of sudden currents and changes in sea level.

Despite these warnings, on Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, groups of families and friends could be seen sitting and walking along the boardwalk. The atmosphere was festive, according to images shared on social media. 

The Semar temporarily closed several Pacific Ocean ports as a precautionary measure in response to the tsunami warning. These include:

Closed to large vessels: 

• Zihuatanejo, Guerrero
• Puerto Peñasco, Sonora
• Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas

Closed to small vessels:

• Cabo San Lucas, Baja California
• Puerto Peñasco, Sonora
• Zihuatanejo, Guerrero
• Chacala, Nayarit
• Puerto Chiapas, Chiapas

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake struck at a depth of 19.3 kilometers (12.2 miles) and occurred 126 kilometers (78 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000 people on the coast of Avacha Bay, Russia.

The USGS said it was one of the 10 most powerful earthquakes on record. 

With reports from Infobae, Milenio, EFE, El Economista

The post No damages reported from tsunami effects; 8 ports remain closed 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

Espaterra 

 

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Espadín y Tierra 2025, or Espaterra, seeks to preserve, promote and showcase the cultural, social and economic value of espadín mezcal, typically cultivated and produced by Oaxaca’s rural communities. The event is a space for meeting, memory and collective reflection of the 17 mezcal-producing regions of Oaxaca. Espaterra’s closing event, a colloquium on mezcal with researchers and palenqueros, including a screening of the documentary “45 grados: La industrialización del mezcal artensanal,” takes place on Aug. 1.

When: Aug. 1 at 10 a.m.
Where: UNAM-Oaxaca extension, Melchor Ocampo 102, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez
Cost: Free entry but attendees must register here 

Dia de Plaza del Mezcal

 

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This is the first edition of this moving event at Oruga, a photo gallery and mezcalería. “We are proud and happy to open the doors of this space to friends of the mezcal industry to share their knowledge, experiences and, of course, mezcal,” Oruga says. The event will include traditional mezcals from Indigenous communities.

When: Aug. 1 and 2
Where: Oruga, Av. José María Morelos 1207, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez
Cost: Free

Last days of the Feria Artesanal de Arrazola

San Antonio Arrazola is located 10 kilometers southwest of Oaxaca city, off the highway to Zaachila. Known as Arrazola, the community is famous for its beautiful alebrijes, figures made from different types of paper or carved and painted wood in bright, vibrant colors, representing fantastical jaguars, mermaids and nahuales. Although alebrijes are made using various techniques today, this community stands out for its use of wood carving, a skill passed down from generation to generation.

When: Until Aug. 3, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Andador Turístico de Arrazola
Cost: Free

San Mateo Mushroom Festival

 

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Each year, the municipality of San Mateo Río Hondo holds a festival to celebrate mushrooms. At over 2,300 meters above sea level in Oaxaca’s Sierra Sur, Río Hondo is a fertile land of beautiful, misty landscapes. During the rainy season, mushrooms of various sizes, shapes and colors flourish, marveling locals and foreigners alike, who are drawn from all over the country and the world to learn about, taste and benefit from the properties of these fungi. Magic mushrooms are also in season. Over the three days there will be workshops, foraging excursions and tasting events.

When: Aug. 1 through 3
Where: San Mateo Río Hondo
Cost: Details available here

Feria Artesanal del Barro Negro in San Bartolo

 

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San Bartolo Coyotepec is celebrating its Guelaguetza until Aug. 7. 30 minutes from Oaxaca city, just past the airport, San Bartolo is known for its tradition of black pottery. In the 1960s, a local artisan named Rosa Real Mateo de Nieto made a discovery that changed the local tradition: firing pieces at lower temperatures and then burnishing them with quartz before they were fully dry gave the fired clay a shiny, jet-black finish. More than half of San Bartolo’s population participates in black pottery production, and their annual fair celebrates this staple of the town’s culture.

When: Aug. 1 through 7, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Mercado de Barro Negro “Plaza Artesanal,” Benito Juárez 37, San Bartolo Coyotepec
Cost: Free

Feast of Our Lady of the Angels

Our Lady of the Angels is celebrated at the Ex-Convento de los Siete Principes with religious activities, calendas, music and fireworks. The church and the attached former convent were built in the 18th century and currently house the Oaxaca House of Culture (CCO), a cultural center. While the feast is celebrated throughout the Catholic world, it holds special significance for Franciscans and their devotion to Our Lady of the Angels. In Mexico, various churches and chapels are dedicated to this apparition of Mary, reflecting the spread of Franciscan influence and devotion. 

When: Aug. 15 at 8 a.m.
Where: González Ortega 415, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez
Cost: Free 

José y el Toro plays Foro la Locomotora

 

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Venezuelan singer-songwriter José y el Toro has established himself as one of the new exponents of bolero in Latin America, revitalizing the genre with a unique fusion of classic and modern elements. Through his narrative style and ability to capture the essence of love and nostalgia, José has resonated deeply with audiences on social media. Songs like “Reloj Ingrato,” “Cuando Cuando” and “Nunca Fuimos” have demonstrated his talent for connecting with people’s emotions through his compositions.

When: August 9 at 8 p.m.
Where: Foro la Locomotora, Av. José María Morelos 1309, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez
Cost: 300 pesos

Day of the Taxi Driver

Taxi drivers decorate their cars with flowers and ribbons to parade through the city on Oaxaca’s Día del Taxista. It’s a loud celebration, with bands and fireworks starting early in the morning. 

The day is a chance for taxi drivers to celebrate their profession and for the community to acknowledge their role in transportation. Those in town should be aware that traffic will be affected.

When: Aug. 12, all day
Where: Across Oaxaca city
Cost: None

The Mazatecs through 20th-century German eyes

 

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At the beginning of the 20th century, German anthropologist Wilhelm Bauer traveled to Oaxaca to collect artifacts and information about the Mazatec people. His work now forms the Mazatec collection of the Ethnological Museum of Berlin, which collaborated with the Juan de Córdova research library to create “Presencia mazateca en Berlín: Tras las huellas de Wilhelm Bauer-Thoma, 1903-1908.” This exhibition presents information and records of these artifacts, as well as historical photographs and documents that will allow present-day Mazatec communities to learn about these records of their history through a traveling exhibition.

Location: Biblioteca de Investigación Juan de Córdova, Av. de la Independencia 904, Centro Oaxaca de Juárez
Date: Through Aug. 15
Cost: Free

Feast of the Assumption celebrations

The Feast of the Assumption is celebrated at the Catedral de Oaxaca in the heart of the city. Also known as the Church of the Assumption, construction on the church began in 1535, and it was consecrated in 1733. As the Cathedral’s name indicates, the Cathedral is dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption. Assumption Day commemorates the belief that when Mary, mother of Jesus, died, with her body taken into heaven to be reunited with her soul. The day celebrating the feast of Assumption includes religious activities, calendas, music and fireworks.

When: Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Cathedral of the Assumption, Av. de la Independencia 700, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez

Blessing of the animals at Templo de La Merced

During the feast of San Ramón, people take their dressed-up pets to be blessed in the church of La Merced. It’s not just cats and dogs: there are birds, lizards, rabbits and sheep, among other critters. Many are dressed to impress, either in cute outfits or something more grand. To capture this fun tradition, I arrive early; If you get there around 3:30 p.m., you’ll be able to take pictures of the animals before the blessing begins. The blessing is a tradition rooted in honoring the service animals provide and seeking their good health and fertility.

When: Aug. 31 at 4 p.m.
Where: Templo de La Merced, Av. de la Independencia 1300, Centro, Oaxaca de Juárez
Cost: Free

Anna Bruce is an award-winning British photojournalist based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Just some of the media outlets she has worked with include Vice, The Financial Times, Time Out, Huffington Post, The Times of London, the BBC and Sony TV. Find out more about her work at her website or visit her on social media on Instagram or on Facebook.

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Brazil has adopted a new protocol that allows for the import of Mexican avocados, Mexico’s Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegué Sacristán announced on Tuesday. 

“Good news! The Brazilian Agriculture Ministry has informed me that it has published a protocol allowing for the importation of Mexican avocados, the best in the world, to [our] sister nation, to the delight of its 200 million consumers,” Berdegué wrote on the X social media site. 

Mexico is the largest global producer of avocados, contributing around 34% of the global volume, according to figures from Mexico’s National Committee of the Avocado Product System. The west-central Mexican state of Michoacán contributes around 84.9% of the country’s avocado production by volume, according to Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry. 

Other avocado-producing states include Jalisco, México state, Nayarit, Morelos and Guerrero.

The new Brazil market, though significant, isn’t likely to put much of a dent in the United States’ lead in imports of Mexican avocados. The U.S. receives 80% of Mexico’s avocado exports by volume, followed by Canada with 7% and Japan with 3%, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

Brazil itself also grows avocados. Production of the fruit there has risen by 74.09% over the past five years, increasing from 242,723 tonnes in 2019 to 422,545 tonnes in 2023. The state of São Paulo contributes roughly 50% of the national total.

However, rising domestic demand has outpaced local production in recent years, which has led the South American country to import more avocados. 

The implementation of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Plan México has supported initiatives that broaden Mexico’s trade links, including with South America. 

Two-way trade between Mexico and Brazil was worth more than US $16 billion in 2023, according to the Economy Ministry. Brazil sold more than $12 billion worth of goods to Mexico, while Mexico’s exports to South America’s largest country totaled just over $4 billion.

Brazilian and Mexican authorities are in talks to revise the current trade agreement between the two countries, which was signed in the early 2000s. 

With reports from Sin Embargo and El Universal

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The week-long festival originated from a Zapotec ritual known as Daninayaaloani or Hill of the Beautiful View, in honor of Centéotl, the corn goddess. As part of this ritual, people gathered to share offerings, eat food and dance over eight days.

On Sunday, actors performed “Donají, the Legend,” which recounts the love story between the Mixtec prince Nucano and the Zapotec princess Donají.

After the Spanish conquest, the festival transformed into a Catholic celebration, honoring the Virgin of Carmen. It has long been celebrated on the two Mondays closest to the Catholic Day of our Lady of Carmen on July 16 and has gradually evolved into the Guelaguetza festival.

Monday marks the first Lunes del Cerro (Monday on the Hill) of the festival, set to take place at the Guelaguetza Auditorium. It can be watched via the Oaxacan Radio and Television Corporation (CORTV) broadcast or Guelaguetza’s social media.

Lunes del Cerro showcases performances from across Oaxaca’s eight regions. Regional bands and dancers from the Central Valleys, the Sierra Norte, La Cañada, Tuxtepec, Mixteca, the Coast, the Sierra Sur and the Isthmus will perform in traditional costumes.

At the end of each performance, Indigenous communities typically offer regional handicrafts, fruits, ceramics and other local products to the audience.

Oaxaca city expects to attract 139,000 tourists throughout July, with Guelaguetza running from July 21-28, with the second Monday on the Hill taking place on July 28.

However, celebrations for La Guelaguetza will take place throughout the whole of July, including food fairs, parades, musical concerts, dance performances and visual arts exhibitions.

Some of the best places to enjoy the festivities include Zimatlán, Teotitlán del Valle and Cuilápam de Guerrero.

Funds will contribute to Oaxaca’s hurricane recovery

Oaxaca Governor Salomón Jara announced in June that all profits from the Guelaguetza festival will contribute to the reconstruction of regions destroyed by Hurricane Erick.

In a social media post, Jara announced the creation of a Guelaguetza fund, with all ticket sales from the festival’s two Mondays on the Hill being redirected to hurricane clean-up efforts.

In addition to the 40 million pesos (US $2.1 million) expected from Guelaguetza’s profits, the state government will also redirect profits from Oaxaca’s Mezcal Fair, which takes place from July 18-29.

With reports from El Universal Oaxaca

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Spain’s colonization of the East Indies transformed the relationship between Europe and Asia. For 1,600 years, Europeans desiring Asian goods could only purchase commodities that passed from merchant to merchant along 6,000 kilometers of the Silk Road, a trade network that linked China to Southern Europe and North Africa. This path closed in 1453, after the Ottoman Turks took Constantinople, making Europe’s ongoing search for a sea link to Asia more urgent than ever.

It wasn’t until 1498 that Vasco de Gama successfully circumnavigated Africa, allowing European merchants to reach the markets of Asia by sea. Spain was largely cut out of a route dominated by Holland and Portugal, but in 1513 the Spanish conquistador Vasco Núñez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and sighted the Pacific Ocean. After 20 years, Columbus’s dream of a westward route to Asia was alive once again. 

East-to-west travel was made possible by the trade winds, and 1565 saw a small Spanish settlement established in the Philippines by a conquering force that had set out from Mexico. Discovering a route back to Mexico proved more difficult, but by sailing north as far as the 38th parallel, Basque sailor Andrés de Urdaneta picked up favourable winds and currents and sailed into Acapulco with a small cargo of cinnamon. This was a poor return for such a long and dangerous trip, and the Spanish colony in the Philippines remained improvised, isolated and in danger of abandonment. 

This changed in the early 1570s when the Spaniards in the Philippines, now relocated to Manila, were able to purchase the contents of a few Chinese junks, allowing them to send a consignment of porcelain and silk to Mexico. In 1574, six junks are recorded as sailing into Manila and each year a growing number of ships from Japan and China filled the Manila warehouses with luxury items including silk, porcelain, beeswax, mirrors, gold and Persian rugs. What drove the trade was the Chinese losing faith in their paper money and seeking the security of silver. Spanish silver could double in value when shipped across the Pacific, and their American colonies had the biggest mines in the world.

The port of Acapulco was selected as the American terminus for the Manila trade. It was relatively close to Mexico City, and there was little fault to find in a harbor that was safe from storms and so deep that on occasions a ship might tie up to trees rather than drop an anchor. The problem was not the harbor, but the town. Simón de Anda, an 18th-century governor of the Philippines, complained of Acapulco’s “heat and its venomous serpents, and the constant trembling of the earth. “All the treasures of this world could not compensate for the necessity of living there or of traveling the road between Acapulco and Mexico,” he wrote. 

The new trade with Asia changed everything. Each year, great galleons known as Nao de China or Nao de Acapulco — the China ship or Acapulco ship — left Manila loaded with all the wealth of Asia. By the 16th century, these galleons were the biggest ships in the world, weighing up to 2,000 tons. Most were built in the Philippines, making use of tropical hardwoods. Even so, there was little room for comfort on a tightly packed ship. Supplies usually ran low mid-passage, forcing the ship’s crews — generally Filipino sailors and Spanish officers — to survive on hard biscuits, rainwater and any fish they could catch. The poor diet inevitably led to scurvy and lack of hygiene was liable to cause an outbreak of other diseases. 

While the goods ships carried were varied, it was tightly bound bundles of silk that made up the core of the trade. Asian silk was considered superior to European cloth, particularly as it was easier to dye, and the market was expansive. Silk was used for everything from an official’s expensive cloak to the simple headscarves women wore when leaving the house.

Dates for sailing were set by Spain but ultimately subject to winds and the storm season. The trip from the Philippines to Acapulco, with its long northern circuit, might take six months, and the ships were under command to depart Manila by the end of June. If all went well, they would reach Acapulco around December.

On the return trip, they were expected to depart from Mexico no later than the end of March and travel via Guam, where the galleons were the main link to this smaller colony. This was the more direct and shorter journey and ships hoped to reach the Philippines before the typhoon season started in May. These galleons were the largest and best-armed ships in the Pacific and sailed without escort. It was not only their size and cannon which protected them, but the vastness of the ocean. The real danger from pirates would be at the start and the end of each trip, and it was not unknown for an escort to be sent out as they approached land.

In Acapulco, as the expected date for the arrival of the galleon approached, the population of the port would grow from 4,000 or so poor residents to 12,000 merchants, laborers and hawkers from around the world; a cosmopolitan community of Indians, Spaniards, Chinese, Peruvians, and Filipinos. There might even be a few Africans who had been brought to Asia on Portuguese ships calling in at Mozambique. However, once the fair was over, anybody who could leave did so. As a result, while Acapulco was the center of a trade route that rivalled the wealth of Genoa and Venice, there was little investment in the town. There was a church, and the San Diego fort was completed in 1617. A few more solid buildings served as the headquarters of the treasury, and a row of three-story houses appear to have belonged to merchants.

However, it is difficult to build up a history of the settlement from the few surviving sketches, as buildings that appear in one print have disappeared a century later. All the artists were keen to show the harbor busy with galleons and small craft, a reminder that Acapulco was an important Pacific harbor, not totally reliant on the one yearly arrival. However, there is also a likelihood that artists used their imagination to portray the town, and its commerce, a little grander than it was. 

God willing, this year’s galleon would be spotted by small ships sailing off the Mexican coast, and news of its approach would be rushed to Mexico City and Acapulco. As the ship entered harbor, there was a cannon salute between ship and castle, and officials would come aboard to check the cargo. Goods were all tightly sealed, both against the damp and to cram as much as possible into every available space. Opening these tightly packed bundles would both be time-consuming and risk exposing valuable goods to the weather, so the paperwork issued in Manila was traditionally accepted.

On the rare occasions when a diligent official demanded a more rigorous inspection, it would bring complaints and protests from merchants and the town’s officials. The report was rushed to Mexico City for approval and for the taxes to be allocated. Only when permission arrived from Mexico City could the goods be loaded onto lighters, placed on the beach, and from there divided between the warehouses. Passengers could now disembark and head for the hospital or the church. The ship was inspected for any concealed goods, then brought to the shipyard to be prepared for the return journey, perhaps only ten weeks away.

The Acapulco fair was dominated by agents representing the big wholesalers in Mexico City and Puebla, men responsible for millions of pesos who dealt directly with the Manila traders and expected to have some control over this year’s prices. These important middlemen were aware that there was a strict window for the Manila merchants to start the return journey, and the closer they came to the departure date, the more anxious they would be to finalize a deal. One trick was to delay the start of the fair as long as possible, demanding the opening coincide with one of the upcoming religious festivals. During the early years of the fair there was a powerful third force, with the traders from Peru, rich with coins from the world’s biggest silver mines and always likely to undercut their Mexico City rivals.

If the big wholesale transactions were the main event, there was no lack of action around the fringes of the market. Officers from the galleon were allowed to bring a quality of goods ashore and seek their own buyers. Some goods made their way ashore by more dubious ways, for while the bureaucracy was multi-layered, the enforcement of the rules was lax. Indeed, it sometimes seems the whole system was designed to encourage smuggling. Indeed, anybody appointed to one of the official positions in the system, expected to become rich, far beyond the means of their paltry salaries.

There were other sources of business too. The ship needed to be stocked with supplies for the return journey, and with Acapulco having limited farmland, nearby haciendas carried their produce down to the town. Then there were the crew with wages to spend, hundreds of porters, the mule drivers and the dockyard workers, all requiring food and entertainment. Those just arrived, mixed with those gathering for the return trip, priests for the increasingly passionate drive to convert Filipinos to Christianity, soldiers, officials, merchants and prisoners being sent into exile. There would have been transactions going on in every tavern and dark corner. 

The wealth created by the galleon trade became so expansive, there were fears it might swamp the Spanish economy, draining silver reserves and endangering Spain’s home-grown textile industry. Atlantic merchants, who linked America with Europe, complained that their own trade was being adversely affected by the number of merchants abandoning the eastern port of Vera Cruz for booming Acapulco. From around 1593, Spain struggled to impose some control over the trade. This was largely achieved by decreeing the amount of silver that could be exported each year, as well as restricting transportation to that one single vessel.

No goods could leave Acapulco until the fair closed, but then the caravans of mules would climb into the mountains to start the trek to Mexico City, while the Peruvian ships would sail for home. Some of the goods sold in Mexico City — items that might have originated in Japan or Persia — would be taken to Vera Cruz for shipment to Spain. For three centuries, Acapulco sat at the center of a global trade route. By the late 1700s, the galleon trade was in decline. The easterly route to Asia, via Africa, was opening up to all nations, while so much silver had crossed the Pacific that Asia was losing its desire for the metal. 

Three centuries of trading turned Acapulco into a sizable town, and Manila into a great city. The Nao de China also linked New Spain and the Philippines profoundly in a way that persists in the present day. Asian porcelain and silks influenced the style of Central American ceramics and textiles and Filipino sailors may have helped invent tequila, while Tagalog uses dozens of Nahuatl words. The importance of the Manila-Acapulco trade route was acknowledged in 2009, when UNESCO proclaimed October 8 as Galleon Day. A Galleon Museum, with a full-scale replica of a Spanish galleon, is under construction in Manila as the Philippines and Mexico work towards gaining UNESCO World Heritage status for the old trade route.

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My friend and I got into town at night, and I was a little disappointed that we arrived at that time. Let’s face it: It’s hard to see mountains in the dark. But walking up the colorful streets with friendly people saying good morning was delightful.

“People are so nice here,” my friend said, grinning as we explored the town.

I’ll have to say I agree: Smiles, a tilt of the head and waves were freely given from nearly everyone we passed, making us feel welcome and relaxed.

While exploring around town was great, I was dying to get out to the ruins, Palenque’s most famous attraction. They’re about 10 minutes out of town in Palenque National Park, so we grabbed a taxi.

Our driver was lovely and laid-back and took us to see a bunch of stuff on the way, free of charge, and driving through the dappled light of huge overhanging trees was magical. Emerald greens shining in the sun, mixed with deeper jungle tones. Splashes of vibrant color jumped out, showing the wealth of biodiversity and glorious flowers as we passed. Palenque really is a paradise.

Then we arrived at the ruins.

The Palenque Archaeological Zone

The Zona Arqueológica de Palenque is amazing, and I’m not just saying that because my rose-colored travel glasses haven’t fallen off yet. I’ve been to a lot of Maya ruins, covering the entire range of the ancient Maya civilization — from the Yucatán Peninsula in the north, down through Belize and Guatemala, and to Copán in Honduras. 

So, how does Palenque rate? It’s up there in my favorites. It’s one-hundred-percent worth the visit, and not just for the ruins themselves but for the national park they’re situated in. Well-established walkways make it easy to get around, even for a stumbly bumbler like me, who’s usually so busy gawking, I end up falling over something. You can climb the ruins for amazing photography. 

But best of all, we went inside one of the pyramids! A first for me.

It’s an amazing experience to climb the stairs to go inside and see the Tomb of the Red Queen, getting a new appreciation for the construction, culture and craftsmanship that went into building these amazing structures. You can enjoy a bird’s-eye view from atop one pyramid, then climb into the next. You’ll get amazing photos either way.

Palenque National Park

Parque Nacional Palenque, the 4,400-square-acre national park surrounding the ruins, is one of the most naturally stunning places I’ve been in a long time. 

Trickling rainforest streams widened and turned into waterfalls. I had to crane my neck back to take in the whole view of massive tree trunks, centuries old, covered with bromeliads and happy red-and-yellow spikes of flowers. Vines and lianas sprawled lazily from tree to tree like nature’s lattice.

I could have stood there all day listening to the sound of the stream and smelling the earth, all the while enjoying birdsong overhead — too many to identify, but all with a sweet, distinct song. It’s a wonder of biodiversity. So don’t forget to stop for a moment and look around.

Blue-tailed skinks ran through the leaf litter. A shining pumpkin-and-honeycomb-colored pale daggerwing butterfly landed at my feet, sending me into a photographer’s frenzy. I jumped around like a crazy lady until I got a shot of its open wings, much to my friend’s delight as she giggled from her shady perch under a massive rain tree.

Looking around, meter-long parrot’s beak flowers hung toward the ground in a tower of scarlet and yellow, while foot-long spikes of magenta ginger flowers reached for the sky. Both were being visited by tiny, stingless native bees.

When I call Palenque National Park a paradise, I’m not joking. Immaculately kept grounds, wide perfectly mowed lawns and flat pathways make for easy walking. I can see why over half a million people flock here every year to drink in Palenque’s beauty. 

My takeaways from Palenque

Palenque is full of wonderful, friendly people. They are proud of their town’s natural beauty, their Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) status and their Mayan heritage. We loved it all. We felt safe walking the streets and roaming the ruins. 

I plan on returning soon. It’s easy to get there now with the new Maya Train running from my state of Quintana Roo in the east, over to Chiapas in the west.

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