In a week dominated by cartel-related headlines, Reuters delivered the top story with an investigation into Mexico’s growing illegal fuel trade, illustrated by the Torm Agne’s voyage. The tanker, part of CJNG’s “dark fleet”, chartered by an American company, loaded diesel in Canada, but declared it as lubricant when it arrived in Ensenada, evading taxes. “You have to have a high level of sophistication and extensive networks and connections” for such an operation to succeed, said Marisol Ochoa, an expert on organized crime at Mexico’s Ibero-American University. Also reporting on this matter, Bloomberg added that the Mexican government has recovered about $10.9 bn from the illicit fuel market this year, though Pemex’s mounting losses show how limited those gains are. Meanwhile, the WSJ reported that Zhi Dong Zhang, an alleged fentanyl kingpin linked to the CJNG, was arrested in Cuba after “brazenly” escaping custody in Mexico earlier this year; he has now been extradited to the U.S. Moreover, The New Yorker and the WSJ had essays on “Trump’s war on narco-terrorism”, highlighting the shift in U.S military influence over the region and the dangers this could pose for Mexico.
On the domestic front, the NYT reported on how Querétaro, Mexico’s datacenter hub, is facing issues from these massive facilities, which drain local power and water supplies, leading to blackouts and disease; “happy problems,” officials call them optimistically, a sentiment not shared by most people nearby. The aftermath of last week’s deadly torrential rains deepened as the AP reported that a Pemex pipeline spilled into the Pantepec River, sparking fears of long-term contamination, and adding to the frustration with Sheinbaum’s first natural disaster response, per the NYT. And on security matters, the AP confirmed the killing of Bernardo Bravo, a Michoacán lime growers’ leader who had publicly denounced cartel extortion.
The screwworm outbreak remained in the spotlight as Mexico ramped up containment efforts, converting a former fruit fly facility in Metapa, Chiapas, into a bio factory for producing sterile screwworm flies, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, Mexico’s agricultural ministry will travel to Washington to negotiate a reopening of the border to cattle after months of trade disruption.
In economic matters, Bloomberg’s JP Spinetto offered a dose of cautious optimism, arguing that Mexico has strong fundamentals to escape chronic underperformance, highlighting Sheinbaum’s pragmatic outreach to business and Mexico’s geopolitical advantage, but stressed that much remains to be done. Business news was similarly upbeat, as Bloomberg reported that fintech giant Revolut has finally received the green light to start operations. Bloomberg also reported on Brazilian manufacturer WEG SA’s plans to offset the impact of new 50% U.S. tariffs on Brazilian goods by shifting production to Mexico to serve its U.S market, reinforcing the country’s role as a rising “tariff refuge” amid escalating trade frictions.
Shifting gears, the NYT eulogized Teresa Ulloa Ziáurriz, a pioneering women’s rights advocate who passed last week; Ulloa led the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women for Latin America and the Caribbean and helped draft landmark anti-rape and trafficking laws. The AP featured Metepec’s famed Trees of Life, which often explore themes of biblical genesis, but designs vary. And in sports, Reuters previewed this weekend’s F1 GP in Mexico, while the AP highlighted a coalition of the U.S, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica, bidding to co-host the 2031 women’s World Cup, the sole bid so far.
Notable podcasts and blogs in English on Mexico
On this week’s MexMoves podcast, Damian and Eduardo interview Sebastián de Lara, Chief Regulation and Expansion Officer at Finsus, one of Mexico’s few profitable fintechs, to explore its path toward regulated scale. They also discuss Aeroméxico’s upcoming IPO; GE Vernova’s $5.3 billion purchase of Xignux’s 50% stake in Prolec; Mexico’s VAT truce with insurance companies; GM’s strong Q3 results, which show Mexico’s tariff exposure easing more than expected; and Revolut’s long-awaited banking license.
On Mexico Matters, host Mariana Campero speaks to Jimena Pardo and Federico Antoni, managing partners of venture capital fund Hi Ventures, on how AI is changing the business landscape in Latin America. Bloomberg Business of Sports explored the Mexican soccer business that has taken advantage of a passionate fanbase to generate profits. With a World Cup this summer, host Vanessa Perdomo speaks to Sam Porter, owner and co-managing member of club Necaxa in Liga MX, on the potential for the soccer business in Mexico
Mexico-related substacks this week featured Materia Gris’s Eduardo García arguing Sheinbaum “remains confused” on energy matters, as floods in Veracruz were used by the president to praise the CFE and attack privatization. The Mexico Political Economist highlighted the Feria Internacional del Libro in Guadalajara this week, a symbolic event that offers politicians a platform for political clout. In CrashOut, Ioan Grillo finds that the famous central de abastos is experiencing inflation, part of a wider phenomenon caused by extortions and organized crime that are affecting food prices in Mexico. And in Mexico Decoded, Viri Ríos criticized the restructuring of the PAN political party into a far-right party as an experiment into a more radical approach.
Photo of the Week
A new data center in the municipality of El Marqués, Querétaro. Many of the country’s 110 data centers are in the region. Photo by Cesar Rodriguez for The New York Times.
FOREIGN PRESS COVERAGE
How a ‘dark fleet’ of tankers helped a Mexican cartel build a fuel-smuggling empire
10/22/25, Reuters, Stephen Eschenbacher et. Al
The Real Target of Trump’s War on Drug Boats
10/21/25, The New Yorker, Jonathan Blitzer
Trump’s ‘Donroe Doctrine’ Aims to Dominate the Americas
10/22/25, The Wall Street Journal, Vera Bergengruen
Most-Wanted Fentanyl Producer Is Extradited to the U.S. After Brazen Escape
10/23/25, The Wall Street Journal, Steve Fisher et al
10/21/25, Bloomberg, J.P Spinetto
Lime growers’ leader in Mexico killed after denouncing cartel extortion
10/20/25, AP, Staff
Mexico Recovers $10.9 Billion From Fuel Smuggling Crackdown
10/20/25, Bloomberg, Scott Squires
Sudden Floods and Blankets of Mud Spur Anger at Mexico’s Government
10/17/25, New York Times, James Wagner et al
From Mexico to Ireland, Fury Mounts Over a Global A.I. Frenzy
10/20/25, New York Times, Paul Mozur et al
Mexico hopes to eradicate screwworm with new sterile fly plant
10/23/25, Reuters, Daniel Becerill
Mexican ag minister to discuss with US counterpart opening border to cattle amid screwworm outbreak
10/23/25, Reuters, Cassandra Garrison and Brendan O’Boyle
Pemex pipeline spill contaminates Mexican river after torrential rains
10/21/25, AP, Alba Aleman
US Finance Ban Takes Effect After Already Crippling Mexico Firms
10/20/25, Bloomberg, Michael O’Boyle
Revolut Cleared to Kick Off Banking Operations in Mexico
10/20/25, Bloomberg, Matheus Piovesana and Maria Clara Cobo
Brazil’s WEG Counters US Tariffs by Making More Goods in Mexico
10/22/25, Bloomberg, Rachel Gamarski
Teresa Ulloa Ziáurriz, Rights Advocate Who Fought Sex Traffickers, Dies at 75
10/17/25, New York Times, Adam Nossiter
Formula One statistics for the Mexico City Grand Prix
10/22/25, Reuters, Alan Baldwin
Mexican artisans turn clay into Trees of Life that are celebrated worldwide
10/17/25, AP, Maria Teresa Hernandez
US joined by Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica in plan to host 2031 Women’s World Cup, the only bid
10/20/25, AP, Ronald Blum
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