MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter – May 23, 2025

May 23, 2025
8:20 am

Headlines on violence remained front and center this week, following the brazen daylight assassination of two Mexico City officials. The Financial Times described it as a ‘highly unusual crime targeting senior officials at the heart of power’, going on to note the relative safety the city has enjoyed compared to the rest of the country – but also the growing presence of drug cartels.

Earlier in the week, the tragic incident involving the Cuauhtémoc, a Mexican naval ship on a training and goodwill tour, gathered much attention. The NYT reported that the 300-foot vessel slammed into the Brooklyn Bridge, killing two crew members and injuring 22, after losing control just before the crash. Investigations continue.

Going back to cartel news, the FT reported on a second alleged ‘death camp’ coming to light in Colima, even larger than the first, and tied again to the CJNG. Though discovered 18 months ago, officials reportedly refused to release details until mounting pressure from activists (mostly mothers of the disappeared) forced their hand. Media reports describe a grim 40-hectare ranch with mass graves and bodies still burning.

The U.S. continues its fentanyl-fueled crusade, now labelling the Northeast Cartel a terrorist organisation, as reported by The Washington Post. With its stronghold hugging the border, the move signals escalating pressure. For its part, The Economist reports stepped-up drone surveillance — and notes Trump still hasn’t ruled out boots on the ground. Mexico’s worry? That it won’t tame cartel violence fast enough to keep MAGA sabres from rattling.

On a slightly different note, exasperation with cartel activity doesn’t stop with ordinary civilians. The Ostok Sanctuary’s population of fauna are among the crime-weary fleeing the wrath of the CJNG. According to The Guardian, the refuge is comprised of over 700 exotic animals including tigers, jaguars, elephants and lions, previously belonging to cartel leaders. With Sanctuary vets fearing for their lives, the so-called modern-day Noah’s Ark is now headed for safer ground at Bioparque El Encanto, in the seaside resort town of Mazatlán.

Shifting gears, cultural media this week brought us news of a new Frida Kahlo Museum planned in Mexico City. The future museum, adjacent to the famed Casa Azul, will be in a private residence acquired by Kahlo’s parents. While Casa Azul chronicles her years with Rivera, this one zooms in on Kahlo’s origin story, reports Robin Pogrebin for the New York Times.

Lastly, on this week’s MexMoves, Damian and Eduardo sit down with Dr. Andrey Zarur, CEO and founder of GreenLight Biosciences — maybe Mexico’s most accomplished scientist turned entrepreneur. They explore how his company is applying biotechnology to Mexican agriculture to boost productivity and food security sustainably, and why he believes Mexico has the potential to become a pharmaceutical powerhouse. They also discuss Nissan’s potential Mexican plant closures; what the government and lawyers are saying about Mexico’s foreign investment outlook, and the latest on the U.S. remittance tax proposal stirring debate in Washington. You can listen to it here.