MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter, Mar. 6, 2025

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MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter, Mar. 6, 2025

In the aftermath of the military operation that killed “El Mencho”, leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) on Feb. 22, foreign press coverage this week shifted from the immediate shock to the consequences and broader implications. Both The New York Times and FT described the CJNG as a sprawling enterprise, noting that several senior lieutenants with control over specific territories and revenue streams could compete for cartel leadership. The Los Angeles Times highlighted one possible successor, Juan Carlos Valencia González, a California-born cartel operative believed to oversee money-laundering operations and regional logistics. Reuters published a different angle on the story, describing El Mencho’s downfall as a “deeply personal moment” for federal security chief Omar García Harfuch. A 2020 assassination attempt that killed two of Harfuch’s bodyguards and a bystander was attributed to the cartel leader.

The operation has also reinforced the bilateral dimension of Mexico’s security challenges. A report from The Guardian examined the flow of firearms from the United States into Mexico, an “iron river” of weapons that supplies criminal groups with military-grade firepower. The report suggests the issue has become a recurring point of friction with the US, with Mexican officials urging Washington to tighten enforcement against southbound arms smuggling.

Attention this week also returned to broader, ongoing security issues in Mexico. The Associated Press reported on families searching for disappeared relatives who fear that authorities will take down the posters and flyers of their missing loved ones ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Reuters reported on a court order for the army to turn over numerous intelligence documents related to the 2014 Ayotzinapa case and ramped-up law enforcement investigations into fuel smuggling networks.

Reports on Mexico’s preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued, from the World Cup trophy’s arrival in Mexico as part of a promotional tour and the formation of the world’s largest human football jersey in Chiapas, to examination of security concerns ahead of the massive event.

A Guardian photo essay documenting the lives of Venezuelan migrants living in makeshift camps in Mexico City brought attention to the country’s increased role as a destination for migrants. With the U.S. border effectively closed to them, many have been left deciding whether to seek asylum in Mexico or attempt to return home. On the Gulf coast, oil washing up on beaches is raising concerns about effects on local fishing and tourism in Veracruz and Tabasco. As reported by Reuters, Pemex has denied responsibility for any recent spills or leaks in the area and there is also a lack of transparency from local authorities.

On the business and economic front, Mexican billionaires made headlines with the bankruptcy proceedings started by TV Azteca (part of Ricardo Salinas Pliego’s Grupo Salinas conglomerate) and a Bloomberg profile of magnate Fernando Chico Pardo and his plans for Banamex. A “huge opportunity” in EV charger deployment in Mexico, which lacks charging infrastructure, was highlighted in a Bloomberg report on a planned US $500 million investment by two US companies in the Bajío region.

A handful of cultural and scientific stories rounded out the week’s international coverage. The Associated Press reported on the discovery of an ancient human skeleton in an underwater cave near Tulum, a find that researchers believe could shed new light on early human settlement in the Yucatán Peninsula. Meanwhile, across the border, Mexico’s food continues to be the talk of the town with New York restaurant, Corima, featured in the NYT. In Mexico City, Shakira broke the attendance record for the Zócalo with over 400,000 gathering to watch her free show.

Blogs destacados en inglés sobre México

Mexico-related Substacks focused on the victims of the CJNG, investment statistics and deportations. On México descodificado, a guest post by Wayne Cornelius examined Trump’s immigration enforcement policy of mass deportations in detail, including analysis of how the numbers have fallen short of the administration’s goals. On CrashOut, Ioan Grillo reflected on the victims of El Mencho’s “paramilitary organized crime network”, describing the mass clandestine graves in Jalisco, which is also the state with the highest number of reported disappearances in the country. Meanwhile, El economista político de México analysed Mexico’s 2025 investment figures and the balancing act between a wary private sector and Sheinbaum’s government desperately seeking investment.

Foto de la semana