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Showing posts from October, 2026

Mexico’s fastest-growing states aren’t the ones having the most children

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The 2025 Intercensal Survey by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) has revealed a paradox in Mexico’s new demographic map: The states that have seen the greatest population growth are not those with the highest fertility rates. Mexico reached a population of 130.9 million in 2025 – the country’s highest population in history. However, the population grew at an average annual rate of just 0.7%, its slowest pace in recent decades, with growth concentrated in states in the north and southeast of the country. Which states lead population growth? According to INEGI , Baja California Sur led in population growth with an average annual rate of 3.4%, followed by Quintana Roo at 2.2%. Querétaro recorded 1.7%, while Nuevo León and Coahuila grew by 1.5% annually. Population growth in Quintana Roo is a result of its population dynamics: For years, the state has recorded growth linked to an influx of people from other states and the expansion of its urban and tourist a...

Former Navy officer ‘Capitán Sol’ arrested in Jalisco for fuel smuggling

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Miguel Ángel Solano Ruiz, a key participant in the fuel-smuggling scheme that has tarnished the Navy, was arrested in Zapopan, Jalisco, on Thursday night. Solano Ruiz, aka “Capitán Sol,” is a retired Marine captain and purportedly one of the main operators of the fuel smuggling network allegedly orchestrated by the Farías Laguna brothers , both of whom were high-ranking Navy officers. El traslado de Miguel Ángel Solano Ruiz, “El Capitán Sol” o “Mike”, señalado como uno de los principales operadores de la red de huachicol fiscal que involucró a mandos de la Marina y funcionarios de aduanas, quien fue detenido en Zapopan, Jalisco. pic.twitter.com/r6nLMvLVBo — REFORMA (@Reforma) October 2, 2026 According to witness testimony, Solano recruited active-duty and retired naval personnel to participate in the network that smuggled hydrocarbons through customs without paying the corresponding taxes, a crime known in Mexico as huachicol fiscal. He allegedly used his influence within the Nav...

Report: AMLO government’s targeting of journalists and activists could be crimes against humanity

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Researchers at the University of California-Berkeley Human Rights Center (HRC) say that legal grounds exist to try former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for crimes against humanity, after a new report established a pattern of persecution including hostile rhetoric and digital espionage. The HRC report assesses whether the former president’s constant disparaging rhetoric toward journalists and activists, as well as the alleged espionage carried out by his administration, amounts to a pattern of persecution that could fall under the Rome Statute. The investigation also examined what role state institutions played in carrying out or enabling targeted killings, enforced disappearances, surveillance, stigmatization and other forms of harassment. It then considered whether, taken together, these actions constitute crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute, the founding international treaty that established the International Criminal Court, which prosecutes individuals for gen...

MND Local Puerto Vallarta: From Robbie Williams to trash fishing

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October paints an exciting events picture for residents and visitors of Puerto Vallarta , Jalisco, one of Mexico’s tourist hotspots and premier expat destinations. Included on the upcoming events calendar are highlights such as a museum exhibition showcasing Mexico’s maritime history, a PGA golf tournament, a performance from an internationally known pop star, and a one-of-a-kind eco-friendly competition at sea. MND Local Puerto Vallarta: Floating billboards, restaurant closures and a key resignation Our list covers everything from last-minute plans this weekend to big events that will require you to plan ahead before tickets run out. Here’s a curated list of exciting upcoming events in Puerto Vallarta. Discover Mexico’s navy history at Museum Night Celebrate the rich history of the Mexican Navy, past and present, at “Museum Night” this month in Puerto Vallarta. (Instituto Vallartense de Cultura/Facebook) No plans for the weekend? Don’t panic — we’ve got you covered....

Mexico in Numbers: Health and healthcare

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Last week we published Part 1 of the MND Mexico Well-being Series , which focused on eight health and healthcare indicators, including life expectancy, health expenditure per capita and hospital beds per 1,000 people. This “Mexico in Numbers” article is a condensed version of that report — a concise presentation of the key data, complemented by visual features. As we noted last week, the MND Mexico Well-being Series — a collection of articles on a range of topics related to well-being — will draw on the most recent internationally comparable data, as well as data from the past decade, to assess what has changed in Mexico during the eight years that the ruling Morena party has been in office. A “Mexico in Numbers” companion piece will complement each article in the series.   Without further ado, let’s take a look at the key data from Part 1 of the series. * The data in Part 1 of the MND Mexico Well-being Series , and hence the data in this article...

MND Local CDMX: From a new theater to a crackdown on counterfeit games

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Mexico City is seeing new developments across its cultural, environmental and commercial landscapes this week. A new artistic hub opened in Santa María la Ribera , 10 significant trees received formal protections, and authorities seized more than 470 counterfeit gaming products in the Historic Center. Let’s get into it.  Santa María la Ribera gets a new theatre experience A new artistic hub has officially set up shop in Mexico City’s Santa María la Ribera neighborhood. Dubbed Centro Cultural Casa Hechale , the new space occupies a 110-year-old home that was transformed into a multidisciplinary facility, hosting everything from artist residencies and theatre performances to sonic explorations and community events.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by CASA HECHALE (@casahechale) The project, Hechale Productions, is the brainchild of Héctor Zavala, a seasoned bilingual theatre director and performer with deep roots in Califo...