MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter – Nov. 28, 2025

December 9, 2025
10:22 am

The past week started with Mexico winning the Miss Universe pageant, and is ending with the resignation of Attorney General Alejandro Gertz Manero – both part of the same story arc, incredibly. According to Bloomberg, the “last straw” in President Sheinbaum’s deepening dissatisfaction with Mr. Gertz Manero was his handling of a probe into Raúl Rocha, one of the owners of the pageant, who is facing accusations of fuel and weapons smuggling. (See here for a more detailed summary of the scandal’s inception.) Ernestina Godoy, the president’s chief legal advisor, is expected to replace Mr. Gertz Manero. Given the extraordinary cast of characters and mix of subjects in this scandal, and the speed at which it detonated over Thanksgiving, we’re betting mainstream foreign media will wake up and write this up. Expect more headlines soon.

In another bombshell development, The New York Times reported on the under-the-radar information war taking place in Mexico between the U.S. and Russia. Kremlin-owned outlets like RT and Sputnik have expanded, using Mexico City as a base for their Latin American efforts. What’s more, American diplomats warn these activities have been aided by sympathetic Morena figures, including some who are part of the Sheinbaum administration.

Trade tension also continued to gather headlines this week. The WSJ’s O’Grady argued in an op-ed that the upcoming USMCA should acknowledge the benefits of an integrated trading bloc while ensuring compliance with rules, which Mexico has been prone to skirting in recent years. Bloomberg, meanwhile, examined the evolution of Mexico-India trade, noting its steady growth, Mexico’s persistent deficit, and the potential disruption posed by Sheinbaum’s proposed September duties. Reflecting a broader global phenomenon, the NYT followed how U.S. tariffs are causing uncertainty for businesses, including a small Guadalajara-based chocolate company that has paused U.S shipments. And in more dramatic trade news, the Guardian reported on a seizure of meth worth $10.3 million that was hidden in lettuce shipments.

Domestic headlines covered a vast array of topics. The AP reported on a women’s march in Mexico City protesting the pervasive gender violence in the country. In Michoacan, the AP followed the arrest of 7 public officials who were suspected of participating in Mayor Carlos Manzo’s assassination earlier this month; all 7 of them were his bodyguards and some part of his inner circle. Meanwhile, Reuters noted congressional approval of a bill imposing prison terms of up to 42 years for extortion, an effort to target a crime that reached record levels this year. The AP also covered the federal government’s announcement that it will investment in an AI supercomputer, touted as Latin America’s most powerful; its location has yet to be decided, so it’s not clear how far along the plans are.

Shifting gears, Bloomberg reported that Mexico’s professional football League, the LFA, secured a US$100 million investment from private equity firm Global Sports Capital Partners to lift the league and raise its popularity.

Notable podcasts and blogs in English on Mexico

On this week’s MexMoves podcast, Damian and Eduardo conduct a deep dive with Banco Azteca Chairman Alejandro Valenzuela on how Azteca really makes its money, why cash still refuses to die, and why a phygital model is the way forward for Mexican banks. Also, Javier Treviño shares leadership lessons from his new book Silos, celos y círculos íntimos and what a more ethical, less “clubby” business culture in Mexico could look like. Eduardo and Damian break down the farmer and trucker highway blockades as corn prices, water rights and insecurity fuel nationwide protests; the details behind Fibra NEXT’s US$400m downsized follow-on; the US$100 mn wager on American football in Mexico under the NFL’s shadow; and the battle over credit and debit card related interchange-fees between the banks and authorities just as the government unveils the new financial inclusion strategy for 2025-2030.

In Materia Gris, Eduardo analyzes how, despite scholarships, social programs, and cash transfers, organized crime continues to recruit thousands of teenagers in Mexico, as illustrated by two recent cases that underscore the magnitude of a problem. Meanwhile, Luis León writes in Mexico decoded about how the protests around Mexico’s reform to water laws are a warning to the rest of the world.

In the latest episode of Mexico: The Podcast, Tavo grills Alex on his upcoming book, about what it truly means to be on the right in Mexico, a label some politicians now seek to avoid. And Mexico Unexplained tells the story of León Trabuco, a wealthy Mexican businessman who in the 1930s hid away 16 tons of gold in the desert – a treasure that has never been found.

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