MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter, Sep. 11, 2026

Foreign Coverage on Mexico

President Trump’s immigration crackdown and increased surveillance of the border have pushed those who do attempt the crossing underground, as covered in the LA Times this week by Puente News Collaborative reporter Steve Fisher. Encounters with migrants along the border have plummeted, averaging 400 a day in July, down from thousands a day in 2022, but as a source quoted in the piece says, Stephen Miller’s goal is to get to zero; this is pushing traffickers to use the hundreds of tunnels (linking into sewer drains, according to the report) that run beneath the two countries. “Though the number of migrants apprehended while using tunnels appears to be relatively small, there are no hard statistics, authorities believe it is increasing, given the crackdown on the border and financial incentive for the cartels to smuggle people and not just drugs.” Reuters also published a report on the consequences of Trump’s strict immigration policies on Mexican border shelters, with occupancy down to about 15 per cent.

Trade and the Mexican government’s finances dominated economic news this week. Bloomberg reported on the proposed 2027 budget presented to Congress, particularly the 70 per cent cut (compared to 2026) in state funding earmarked to cover Pemex’s debt, noting that “the company’s debt load has fueled concerns its liabilities are pulling down sovereign bonds”, as covered in various international outlets in recent weeks. Reuters reported that Mexico and the US are trying to “sprint” to reach a bilateral trade deal before the US midterm elections, quoting six unnamed sources in both countries; this could deliver a political win for Trump (and more leverage against Canada) and more economic certainty for Mexico, where one source said “time is of the essence for the Mexican government.” Bloomberg also covered the ongoing Mexico v Vulcan Materials litigation, which is looking less positive for the government than it did when an international arbitration ruling was first announced in July. An ICSID tribunal found Mexico breached its “fair and equitable treatment” obligations to Vulcan Materials Co. under NAFTA in its handling of the company’s limestone operations near Playa del Carmen (shut down in 2018), though it rejected the company’s other claims. Mexico was ordered to pay approximately US$15.9 million plus interest.

In sports news, Reuters reported on Rafa Márquez’s ambitions as the new head coach of El Tri to “build on the foundations laid by former coach Javier Aguirre” and take them beyond the Round of 16 in the next World Cup (Márquez played in five World Cups for the national team). A strange story about an alleged kidnapping orchestrated by Mexico captain Edson Álvarez (who plays for West Ham United) was covered by The Athletic/NYT; a film producer who worked with Álvarez on a documentary claims he is owed money and that the football star tried to have him kidnapped in 2024. Álvarez has come out forcefully denying the allegations and says he will pursue legal action, stating “I have nothing to do with the events being reported.”

Blogs destacados en inglés sobre México

The Mexico Political Economist examined the uneven impact, so far, of Sheinbaum’s tariffs, which “have led to a decline in imports from non-FTA countries, but concurrent imports from other countries [Vietnam, Taiwan] are notable”, also noting that the projected robust increase in duty revenue hasn’t materialised. In CrashOut, Ioan Grillo published his third and final instalment about El Chapo’s son, Iván Archivaldo Guzmán, and his role in catalysing the Sinaloa Cartel war in 2024. In Mexico Decoded, Viri Ríos argued that impunity is one reason, but not the only one, why Mexico can’t “defeat the cartels”, highlighting lack of resources and economic inequality as deeper structural reasons, which means that reducing crime “requires reducing inequality and increasing the state’s security resources by taxing the wealthiest.” In Materia Gris, Eduardo García looked at the 2027 federal budget and the fiscal constraints on the government and how they impact Mexican taxpayers: “The deeper question is whether Mexicans will be willing to hand over more of their money to an administration that, in the eyes of many, has yet to demonstrate that it knows how to use it, much less how to take care of it.” And Miranda Intelligence’s daily Substack covered key developments in energy, fintech, public affairs and politics in Mexico.

• MXPE, Duty-free imports find the path of least resistance into Mexico
• CrashOut, Iván’s Catastrophic War
• Mexico Decoded, The Real Reasons Mexico Cannot Defeat the Cartels
• Materia Gris, Not a peso more!
• Miranda Inteligencia daily reports on Substack

Foto de la semana

A Border Patrol car monitors the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego. (Carlos Moreno / Sipa USA / Associated Press)

Top Stories on Mexico

‘Our border is closed’: Inside Trump’s push for zero migrants, and the tunnels defying it

9/9/2026, LA Times, Steve Fisher

Mexican border shelters empty as Trump crackdown deters migrants heading north

08/09/2026, Reuters, Jose Luis González

Mexico, Washington sprint toward bilateral trade deal before US elections

11/09/2026, Reuters, Emily Green, David Shepardson, Nora Eckert and Kalea Hall

Sheinbaum Budget Sees Smaller Deficit, More Public Works

8/09/2026, Bloomberg, Alex Vasquez and Gonzalo Soto

Mexico Slashes Pemex Aid by 70% to $4.8 Billion in Budget

8/09/2026, Bloomberg, Gonzalo Soto, Alex Vasquez and Scott Squires

Mexican Peso at 2024 Peak Is ‘Major’ Business Headwind, CCE Says

10/09/2026, Bloomberg, Kelsey Butler

Mexico Is Hopeful on Deal to Lower US Tariffs by Year End, US Envoy Says

10/09/2026, Bloomberg, Brendan Murray

Mexico Breached NAFTA in Vulcan Materials Dispute, ICSID Finds

9/09/2026, Bloomberg, Jacob Lorinc

Mexico’s REITs poised to benefit from manufacturing, AI boom, exchange chief says

9/09/2026, Reuters, Kylie Madry

Mexico Fintech Kapital Raises Funds to Build Out AI Platform

9/09/2026, Bloomberg, Matthew Monks

What Risks Affect The Nearshoring Sector In Jalisco, Mexico?

08/09/2026, Forbes, Nathaniel Parish Flannery

Trump list of US-designated ‘foreign terrorist organizations’ in Latin America grows to 21

10/09/2026, AP, María Verza

Rafa Marquez sees new chance to take Mexico beyond World Cup last 16

10/09/2026, Reuters, Angelica Medina

Mexico captain Edson Alvarez denies allegations of involvement in kidnapping plot

11/09/2026, NYT/The Athletic, Roshane Thomas

Garcia Bernal looks at masculinity and class in new film at Venice

10/09/2026, Reuters, Hanna Rantala

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