Mexico’s week in review: INE crisis deepens, economy gains momentum and Latino voters reshape US midterms

Plan Michoacán progress report

Wednesday’s mañanera was devoted to progress on Plan Michoacán, the federal response to Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo’s killing in November 2025. Sheinbaum said the plan is 67% complete, with 1,680 of more than 2,500 “actions” finished. Planned investment through 2030 has more than doubled from the original 57 billion pesos to 118 billion pesos (US $6.3 billion), and 72.43 billion pesos has been spent.

Cabinet members each highlighted a piece of the plan. Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez said 115 “Well-being Fairs” across all 113 municipalities helped residents complete more than 1.1 million administrative procedures, and that 673 firearms were exchanged for cash. The government, together with the private sector, is investing more than 41 billion pesos in six highway projects covering 411 kilometers, and work on the 9.3-billion-peso Bajío Industrial Park in Zinapécuaro starts this month. Other officials cited scholarships for 795,000 students, 177,000 people aided by the Sembrando Vida reforestation program, electricity coverage reaching 99.99% of homes and a new addiction-treatment hospital in Apatzingán. Tourism is up 10.1% through August. Mexico News Daily noted that not all the investment cited is directly tied to Plan Michoacán funding.

Security was left for a separate update next Tuesday. Homicides in the state fell 40.3% in the first nine months of 2026. At the Uruapan march, Quiroz demanded an “exhaustive” and “independent” investigation into Manzo’s killing, noting that more than 30 people have been arrested, including seven of his bodyguards. She hasn’t decided whether to run for governor.

Banxico surprises with rate cut

The central bank lowered its benchmark rate 25 basis points to 6.25% in a split vote, though 30 of 36 institutions surveyed by Citi expected no change. Banxico raised its fourth-quarter headline inflation forecast from 3.5% to 3.7% and signaled it would hold the rate “for an extended period.” The dollar hit 18.96 pesos before closing at 18.75.

Mexican judge faces extradition

Luis Benítez Alcántara, a Mexico City district judge, was arrested in Colombia on Nov. 1. U.S. officials accuse him of accepting a US $2 million bribe to help free Andrew Clark, second-in-command to ex-Olympic snowboarder Ryan James Wedding’s trafficking organization. Benítez is the first Mexican federal judge indicted by the United States, and he faces nine counts, each carrying up to 15 years. Separately, Édgar Aarón Vázquez, leader of the New Empire Cartel and accused of protecting Wedding, was killed Thursday in a confrontation with police in the State of Mexico.

Phone-free schools

Starting Tuesday, cell phones and tablets are restricted during classes and recess at public and private primary and secondary schools nationwide. High schools will set their own rules with their school communities. The Education Ministry’s slogan was “Turn off the screen and turn your imagination on!”

The rules follow a Sept. 18 decision by the National Council of Educational Authorities, in which officials from all 32 states agreed to the measures. Education Minister Mario Delgado said the goal is to boost focus, encourage socializing in schoolyards and hallways, and promote responsible technology use. The guidelines grew out of expert presentations on the addictive nature of certain algorithms and forums with parents and educators. According to Delgado, 81% of 565,000 educators surveyed backed guidelines for safe device use.

Papal visit confusion

A comment by the Vatican’s new communications chief about the pope visiting “Our Lady of Guadalupe” set off reports of a 2027 Mexico trip. Televisa’s Vatican correspondent Valentina Alazraki reported that a Vatican spokesperson clarified the comment referred to a parish in Casavalle, Uruguay. Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada said she had no confirmation, and Alazraki reported that Leo XIV wants to come but “there is only the intention.”

Mexico’s economy gains momentum

The MND Economy Index™ hit a record 74.5 out of 100 for August, half a point shy of “strong.” Mexico-Canada trade rose 18.3% in the first eight months to 34.42 billion Canadian dollars, while Mexico’s trade surplus with the U.S. jumped 26.1% through September to a record US $184 billion, driven largely by AI-related equipment purchases.

2026 annual growth forecasts improved in both Banxico (1.5%) and Citi (1.8%) surveys.

Mexico City weighs tougher penalties for animal poisoning

After four dogs died from poisoned meat in Condesa’s Parque España, lawmakers proposed tougher penalties. Labor Party lawmaker Diana Barragán’s bill would allow three to nine years when poisoning kills an animal, and other proposals would bar convicted abusers from acquiring animals. A 58-year-old suspect is jailed pending trial.

Travel headlines

Looking ahead

Banxico and Citi both predict Mexico’s economy will grow about 1.8% to 1.9% in 2027, with year-end 2026 inflation near 3.9%. Banxico has signaled it plans to hold its rate steady for an extended period.

One sector that will shape that outlook is data centers. Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said last week that companies have announced more than US $8 billion in data center projects, led by Querétaro, with Guanajuato and Nuevo León also drawing investment. Sheinbaum has said Mexico needs data centers to advance in artificial intelligence, but not necessarily to become a hub for the rest of the world, given their energy and water demands.

Data centers were also a hot topic in the U.S. midterms. The Associated Press reported that a campaign season filled with outrage against them ushered in a wave of Democrats pledging to clamp down on the facilities. Gina Hinojosa, who won the Texas governorship, campaigned on a moratorium on new data center construction. Whether the issue crosses the border is an open question as Mexico heads to its own midterms on June 6, 2027.

Mexico News Daily