MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter – Oct. 23, 2026

octubre 30, 2026
12h00

The federal treason charge against César Jáuregui, Chihuahua’s former attorney general, for allowing CIA participation in a drug raid in April dominated the domestic news agenda this week and drew foreign attention too. Reuters called it “a case that could reshape how Mexican officials work with US security forces”, noting that the offence is rarely prosecuted and has not produced a “widely recognized” conviction since Emperor Maximilian in 1867. Treason charges were reportedly considered against Joaquín Guzmán López, El Chapo’s son, for his role in the 2024 kidnapping of Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada.

Legal experts are sceptical. Samuel González, a former chief organised-crime prosecutor, told AP that even if Jáuregui had failed to inform the federal government of the CIA’s involvement, “it would not constitute treason”, a crime reserved for wartime. Carlos Pérez Ricart of CIDE warned that the case “sends a very bad signal to Washington” at a time when the discussion should centre on “more or better” collaboration.

The FT took a big-picture look at the Mexico–China–US trade triangle. Despite new Mexican tariffs, Chinese exports to Mexico have kept growing relentlessly, reaching US$73.4bn in the first nine months of the year. As the US and China face off, smaller economies such as Mexico are left to navigate a messy middle. One expert told the FT: “None of this will be easily unpicked by tariffs, as it is part of integrated industrial production governed by companies, not countries.” Sheinbaum’s trip to the APEC summit in Shenzhen in November has been read by some as a subtle signal that the door to Beijing is not fully shut. There has been no state visit by either country’s leaders in almost 12 years.

Bloomberg reported that Banamex chairman Fernando Chico Pardo and other senior executives met analysts from the underwriting banks this week to prepare for an IPO in early 2027. Gilberto García of Miranda Partners told Bloomberg that the deal will likely price above book value, valuing the bank at about US$12bn. He said operating expenses are the key lever and called the pitch “the classic under-promise, over-deliver dilemma”.

In other economic news, the US Department of Transportation lifted restrictions that had barred Mexican airlines from adding US routes from Mexico City’s two airports, and Aeroméxico is already considering new flights, according to Reuters. Bloomberg also secured a rare interview with Carlos Slim’s 30-year-old grandson, Arturo Elías Slim, who is stepping into a more public role at Grupo Carso with T1, an AI-powered platform that builds online stores for small businesses.

In Yucatán, a Greenpeace report found contamination likely linked to faecal waste at all 17 wells, water points and cenotes tested near Mérida. The report named pig farms and municipal wastewater as the probable sources, Reuters reported, and about 30 per cent of local residents drink directly from such sources. The Guardian published a photo essay about “Burrolandia” in Otumba, Edomex, where Germán Flores and his family are trying to conserve the Mexican donkey which is (unexpectedly) an endangered species. There are about 100 rescued burros at the sanctuary, and Flores is a passionate advocate: “They awaken a spiritual peace when you are with them; they give you balance, balance in body, mind and spirit.”

Notable Blogs in English on Mexico

In CrashOut, Ioan Grillo spoke with a former lawyer for the notorious kingpin Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, including details of how the drug lord lived it up during his early years in prison after his 1989 arrest. In the latest instalment of its Plan México Project series, the Mexico Political Economist analysed three renewable energy sectors beyond wind and solar that Mexico could expand into: biogas, geothermal and hydrogen. It argued that “true energy sovereignty is intrinsically linked to energy diversity”. In Materia Gris, Eduardo García cast a critical eye over AMLO and Sheinbaum’s promise to separate political power from economic power. He argued that they have not only failed but that the ruling party has also weakened the institutional checks and balances that could address corruption. And Miranda Intelligence published its incisive, polymathic daily Mexico reports, spanning Culture, Fintech, Markets, Public Affairs, Foreign Affairs, Energy, Podcasts, Politics and Foreign Press — the last being what you are reading now. For a limited time, Miranda Intelligence is offering 50 per cent off the annual subscription price, which includes access to all premium products.

MXPE – The 3 renewable energies Mexico must stop ignoring
CrashOut – The Secrets of Félix Gallardo’s Lawyer
Materia Gris – “Separating Political Power from Economic Power”: An Unfulfilled Promise
Miranda Inteligencia daily reports on Substack

MI’s Mexico Foreign Press Chatter – Oct. 23, 2026

Notable Blogs in English on Mexico

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