Mexicanist (Page 2)

A platter of fresh seafood is served beachside in Guasave, Sinaloa, with the ocean in the background.

Sinaloa's Secret Foodie Paradise Where Baseball is Religion

From Sinaloa’s hidden beaches to Checo Pérez’s F1 comeback and Gaby López’s golf event, Mexico’s boldest stories are waiting to be discovered in this week’s The Mexicanist.

Police checkpoint at night on a Mexican highway with flashing red and blue lights, car slowing down.

License, Registration… or Ransom? The Dark Side of Roadblocks in Mexico

On Mexico’s highways, every flashing light at a checkpoint is a gamble—guardian of law or predator in disguise—revealing a nation where security and abuse share the same lane.

A taco stand in Ensenada with a hand-painted sign reading “Mariscos”.

How Baja’s Tastiest Bites Are Cooked in Corruption

A fish taco stand’s closure in Ensenada sparks a viral reckoning with extortion, corruption, and a shadowy network wielding the name of the Libyan Coast Guard to control Baja’s seafood trade.

A cartoon-style illustration of a microphone dropped in an empty government hallway.

How 'El Mayo' Zambada’s Guilty Plea Could Shake Mexico to Its Core

In a Brooklyn courtroom, "El Mayo" Zambada admitted to 50 years of drug trafficking and corruption, confessing he paid off Mexican police, military, and politicians—then vanished into silence.

Illustration of a sleek robotic arm performing surgery inside a futuristic operating room, with a pig on the table.

How a Breakthrough in Autonomous Surgery Is Reshaping Medicine

A robot just performed complex surgery on a pig — alone, calmly, and with the precision of a veteran surgeon, marking a leap toward a future where AI saves lives in operating rooms worldwide.

A cracked bronze bell lies half-buried in desert sand, a faint cross-shaped fracture glowing.

The Secret Life of Don Dieguillo, the Indigenous Leader Who Outwitted an Empire

In the scorched deserts of colonial Mexico, one Indigenous leader—branded a traitor, hunted by governors, and betrayed by history—outwitted the Spanish Empire with nothing but cunning, faith, and an unshakable will to survive.

A surreal photo of a Mexico City Metro station flooded with murky water.

The City Built on a Lake is Now Fighting for its Life Against the Water Below

In an epic, 500-year-long battle with its own foundations, Mexico City is sinking under the weight of record-breaking rains, a drainage crisis, and a history of botched urban planning.

Empty gas pumps with a frustrated attendant shrugging—fuel crisis in Monterrey’s suburbs.

Why Monterrey’s Gas Stations Are Empty and How Locals Beat the Heat

With gridlocked traffic from a failing $7.3 billion system and a gasoline shortage plaguing drivers, the city of Monterrey finds hope in a young girl's fight against a rare disease, supported by the community's beloved soccer fans.

A soaked businessman stands waist-deep in floodwater outside Mexico City metro station.

U.S. Troops Ordered Into Mexico as President Vows 'Not On Our Watch!

A retiring legal titan warns that Mexico's new judicial reform will be a "historical error," just as the new president faces down a U.S. troop threat and the potential closure of a historic Nissan plant.

A sunlit beach in Quintana Roo with clean turquoise water, a lone traveler walking barefoot at dawn.

Mother of All Mistakes: Son Fleeing Cops Mows Down His Own Mom

Mexican authorities are tackling crime and sargassum, the Cancun airport is packed with tourists, lucha libre is rocking Isla Mujeres, and an ancient Mayan town is getting a cultural facelift.

A line of burly bikers on Harleys flashes peace signs at the camera.

The Federal Investigator Who Moonlit as a Drug Lord

Tijuana is dealing with unusual local crime stories involving an alleged occultist murderer and a police investigator, while Baja Beach Fest and Valle de Guadalupe's "Viñadas" festival are set to entertain visitors.

A neon-vested man in gym shorts hoists a bulging trash bag overhead.

Cleaning Beaches Like It’s CrossFit: This Week in Nayarit

Puerto Vallarta advances infrastructure with the near-complete Puente Amado Nervo, Playa Destiladeras' public reopening, Amazon Bazaar's launch ahead of new SAT taxes, and weekly beach "gym" cleanups.

Illustration of a leaning wooden pole labeled "TELMEX" overlooking a beach where drones hover above.

Crime

Policing from the Sky, Crime on the Ground, and a Pole That Just Won’t Fall

Quintana Roo's week: drone-equipped police, sargassum as a regulated resource, a teetering Telmex pole, and CFE workers detained over "suspicious vibes" amid digital crime reporting and looming storms.

An empty luxury yacht bobbing in turquoise water.

Quintana Roo

Quintana Roo’s Seaweed Now a Regulated Resource (And Maybe Dinner)

Quintana Roo blends beach life, bureaucratic whimsy, and cultural flair—from sargassum regulations and planetarium bus routes to crocodile discoveries and a mayor-turned-uncle splashing in seaweed-free waves.

A sleek, modern electric bus gleams in sunlight, parked in front of a Mexican government building

Cancun

Mexico Just Declared Sargassum a “Fish”

Mexicanist dispatch: seaweed’s now a “fish,” crocs Airbnb the suburbs, free drinks where sargassum scares tourists, plus wrestling kids, tax-break hammocks and taco-flavored tennis.

A student’s hands sculpting a lotus from a block of ice, juxtaposed with a rural nurse holding a vial.

Nayarit

Nayarit, Please: Where Micro-Empires Run the Economy

Nayarit heats up with ice art, boxing legend, a game-changing bridge, and happenings in health, transport, and micro-business, all while grappling with crime, corruption, and community resilience.

Business

Why Mexico's Calm Exterior Hides a Shiver

Foreign firms dominate exports, banks increase reserves amid rising consumer debt, the peso faces speculative pressure despite stability, inflation persists in key sectors, agricultural self-sufficiency is hindered by past practices.

A colorful Airbus A321 airplane painted with a Superman theme, featuring the iconic red and blue colors.

Cancun

The Cancun Insider: What's Hot and What's Not!

This Cancun newsletter covers summer tourism booms, a Superman-themed plane, new bus routes to ancient ruins, massive security operations, bizarre local crimes like gym phone theft and a child support conviction, environmental efforts, and current weather warnings.

A comical illustration of a generic sedan, like a Nissan Versa, with a spotlight on it.

Crime

Why Your Ride Could Be Cartel's Next Getaway Car

Ex-Tabasco security chief linked to "La Barredora" cartel is fugitive. Authorities busted 6 Sinaloa meth labs and found explosives. Juárez crematorium held 386 bodies; owner charged with improper handling. Top stolen cars: Nissan NP300, Versa, Aveo.

A playful illustration of a piggy bank wearing a sombrero, surrounded by credit cards and money bags.

Business

How Mexico's Banks Thrive Domestically While Aiding Migrants Abroad

Mexican banks post record profits from consumer loans, up 9.2% YoY. Concurrently, Finabien launches 100K debit cards in the U.S. for migrants, offering lower remittance fees & avoiding a 2026 tax, plus safety from U.S. deportation policies.

A photo showing statues of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara.

News

Controversy Erupts as Mexico City Mayor Advocates for Statue Return

Mexico City's Mayor Clara Brugada suggests returning statues of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to Plaza San Carlos after their controversial removal by the Cuauhtémoc borough. The removal sparked debate, with locals and visitors.

A spilled pre-workout powder next to a dumbbell, because gains shouldn’t cost your heartbeat.

Jalisco

“Pre-Workout” Powder Turns Jalisco Fitness Freaks Into Corpses

Gym supplements turn deadly, Tlaquepaque's water privatization scandal, storm chaos kills baby, $200M highway fix, US migrants may pay $7K for status, and biker gangs rev up Guadalajara.

A tomato lounging on a stock market chart, unfazed by tariff storm clouds.