Mexico Tribune

Category: News

  • Is Angelina Jolie in Tulum Scouting Locations for Her Next Film?

    Is Angelina Jolie in Tulum Scouting Locations for Her Next Film?

    Photo: Luan Fonseca / Unsplash

    Unconfirmed reports out of Quintana Roo suggest that two of Hollywood‘s biggest names may be eyeing Tulum as the backdrop for a new film project. According to multiple Mexican news outlets, Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek Pinault were recently spotted visiting natural locations in the area, including the popular Cenote Casa Tortuga park, located a few miles north of Tulum. 

    Social media posts showing security details and what appeared to be production crew members quickly fueled speculation that the pair was scouting, and possibly even filming, scenes for an upcoming and as yet unspecified movie. Neither actress nor any production company has officially confirmed the project. 

    Despite all the speculation and rumors, the buzz has been enough to put Tulum’s growing profile as an international film location squarely back in the spotlight. And for a town that has steadily built its reputation beyond sun-and-sand tourism, the prospect of a Jolie-Hayek collaboration filming among its jungle cenotes and white-sand coastline would represent a significant milestone.  

    Angelina Jolie in Tulum: What We Know So Far

    Regional news outlet Marcrix Noticias reported that both actresses toured several natural areas across the Mexican Caribbean as part of what it described as location exploration and filming for an upcoming Hollywood production. The report specifically named Cenote Casa Tortuga, a natural park featuring four cenotes, among them Cenote Wisho, Cenote Campana, Cenote Jaguar, and Cenote Tres Zapotes, as a primary filming location. The park features both open-air sinkholes and cave cenotes with ancient stalactites and stalagmites, offering a range of dramatic natural backdrops.

    La Jornada Maya, another regional publication, added that sources close to the production indicated the cenote had made a “particularly favorable impression” on both Jolie and Hayek, who reportedly considered it ideal for filming key scenes.

    The Tulum Times reported that the visit was conducted discreetly, with limited access to certain areas but without causing major disruptions to tourists visiting the cenote park.

    A Friendship Forged on Screen

    Jolie and Hayek’s professional relationship dates to Marvel‘s Eternals in 2021, directed by Chloé Zhao. Since then, the two have developed a close personal friendship. Hayek starred in Jolie’s directorial effort Without Blood, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 alongside Demián Bichir.

    The pair also made headlines in July 2025 when they were spotted traveling on a commercial flight from Mexico City to Veracruz, Hayek’s home state. That visit included a meeting with Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle and the state’s Secretary of Culture, Xóchitl Molina, generating similar speculation about a possible film project.

    Tulum’s Growing Appeal to Filmmakers

    Tulum is no stranger to the camera. Quentin Tarantino‘s Grindhouse filmed scenes there, and the 1984 thriller Against All Odds starring Jeff Bridges used the clifftop Mayan ruins as a key location. Netflix also shot The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two in the Riviera Maya region. The combination of jungle, cenotes, Caribbean coastline, and the archaeological zone gives location scouts a rare variety of settings within a compact area.

    Tulum has recently been ranked as the second most recognized tourism brand in the Mexican Caribbean, trailing only Cancún, according to the Quintana Roo Tourism Promotion Council. A major Hollywood production filming here would only reinforce that momentum.

    What It Could Mean for the Community

    Local business owners and tourism operators said that a production of this scale could generate both immediate economic benefits and a longer-term boost once the finished film reaches international audiences. Executives at Casa Tortuga noted that the attention helps diversify Tulum’s appeal, positioning its cenotes and jungle landscapes as cinematic assets.

    For now, the project remains unconfirmed. But if Jolie and Hayek do choose Tulum for their next collaboration, it would mark one of the highest-profile film shoots the town has ever hosted.

  • Mexican Remittances Drop by $3 Billion as US Policies Take Effect

    Mexican Remittances Drop by $3 Billion as US Policies Take Effect

    New White House immigration and economic policies are putting serious financial pressure on Mexican migrants in the United States and the families who depend on the money they send home.

    Nearly 4.5 million Mexican households receive remittances. For many, especially in rural areas and among households headed by women, these monthly transfers cover food, medicine, rent, and school supplies. 

    In 2025, Mexico received 61.8 billion dollars in remittances. That was a drop of nearly 3 billion dollars from the 64.7 billion sent in 2024. It marked the first annual decline in 11 years. Prior to this, remittances had increased every year since 2013. The streak was broken. Analysts at BBVA and Banorte expect the downward trend to continue through 2026 and 2027.

    The reasons are multiple. One direct blow came on January 1, 2026, when a new federal tax on remittances took effect. It is a 1% excise tax on money sent abroad using cash, money orders, or cashier’s checks. The tax is part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Trump signed into law in July 2025. It applies only to physical money transfers, not to digital payments from bank accounts. But this means it hits undocumented migrants the hardest. 

    Migrants rely largely on wire services and money orders. The remittance sender in the United States pays the tax in addition to regular fees. BBVA estimates that Mexican migrants could pay up to US$3 billion in this tax alone between 2026 and 2034.

    The tax is only one part of the problem. Immigration enforcement has ramped up sharply. In the first year of Trump’s second term, more than 390,000 people were deported. Other estimates place the figure at 320,000 or 146,000, depending on the dataset, but all indicate a significant increase. In November 2025, the number of remittance transfers was 7.9% lower than in the same month the previous year. It was even lower than in November 2023.

    Those who remain in the United States face a cooler labor market. Unemployment rose to 4.4% at the end of 2025, one of the highest levels since 2021. Job cuts announced in January 2026 were the highest monthly total since 2009. Sectors that employ large numbers of Mexican migrants, such as construction, hospitality, and agriculture, have slowed their growth. Some migrants have lost hours or wages. Advocates and economists argue that the climate of fear has discouraged some from sending money home as they once did.

    While deportations have increased, the government has also expanded guest worker programs. The H2A agricultural visa program and the H2B seasonal visa program are both growing. The H-2A program has no cap and admits nearly 400,000 workers annually. The Trump administration lowered the minimum wage that farmers must pay these workers. The United Farm Workers union is suing to stop the wage cut. At the same time, the H2B program is being doubled, adding 65,000 additional visas in 2026. These guest workers are tied to a single employer and cannot easily change jobs or organize for better pay. 

    Meanwhile, the purchasing power of every dollar sent is declining. The Mexican peso has strengthened against the US dollar. In early 2025, one dollar bought about 20 pesos. By early 2026, it bought about 17.30 pesos. This 10-12% appreciation means that families in Mexico receive fewer pesos per dollar sent. Inflation in Mexico adds another layer of discomfort. 

    Together, these factors have reduced the purchasing power of remittances by roughly 16%. The Center for Latin American Monetary Studies calculates that 500 dollars sent in October 2025 bought only what 355 dollars bought in December 2020. To match the 2020 standard, a family would need to receive 702 dollars today. 

  • Measles Crisis in Jalisco Raises Health Concerns Ahead of 2026 World Cup

    Measles Crisis in Jalisco Raises Health Concerns Ahead of 2026 World Cup

    Photo:

    The state of Jalisco has declared a health alert as Mexico‘s worst measles outbreak in decades tightens its grip on the capital, Guadalajara. And it’s bad timing, with just four months to go before the city welcomes tens of thousands of international soccer fans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

    According to Mexico’s federal government, Jalisco has recorded 1,163 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026, along with more than 2,000 suspected cases. The state accounts for the bulk of the country’s total, which the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) pegged at 1,981 confirmed and over 5,200 suspected cases as of early February.

    The outbreak traces back to 2025, when a child from a Mennonite community in the northern state of Chihuahua contracted the virus while visiting family in Texas during an active outbreak there. The disease then spread rapidly through Mennonite communities, where vaccine hesitancy runs high, before reaching the broader population in what has become Mexico’s largest measles event in more than 30 years.

    Schools Shut Down, Masks Mandated

    On February 5, Jalisco’s health authorities ordered face masks to be worn in schools across seven neighborhoods in Guadalajara for a minimum of 30 days. The directive makes Jalisco the first Mexican state to impose a public health mandate of this kind since the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Fifteen schools in Jalisco and the central state of Aguascalientes have already suspended in-person classes due to localized outbreaks. Schools in Zapopan, Atlacomulco, Tlaquepaque, and Tonalá all reported sharp increases in January.

    In response, the Jalisco Ministry of Health, the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), and other providers have ramped up a mass vaccination campaign across the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. The effort includes house-to-house healthcare brigades, 670 fixed vaccination centers statewide, and 40 mobile units stationed in high-traffic public spaces. By mid-January, the campaign was delivering up to 12,000 doses per day.

    A Continental Problem, a Global Event

    The timing is particularly concerning. Guadalajara’s Estadio Akron, home to Chivas of Liga MX, is set to host four group-stage matches beginning June 11, including Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18 and a high-profile Uruguay vs. Spain fixture on June 26. The city is expected to draw large international crowds to a region already under heavy epidemiological strain.

    With the World Cup bringing visitors from dozens of countries to the three co-host nations, all of which are dealing with rising case counts, the risk of introducing new chains of transmission is real.

    Canada lost its measles-free status in November 2025. Both the U.S. and Mexico now face the same prospect and have requested a two-month extension from global health authorities to bring their outbreaks under control. That request comes at a complicated moment after President Donald J. Trump took the US out of the World Health Organization in January, the parent body of PAHO.

    What Expats and Travelers Should Know

    PAHO reported that in the first three weeks of 2026 alone, 1,031 new measles cases were confirmed across seven countries in the Americas with no reported deaths. That figure is 43 times higher than the same period last year.

    Mexico’s federal government has set up vaccination stations in airports and bus terminals across the country and continues to urge residents and visitors alike to ensure they have received both doses of the MMR vaccine. Measles is preventable with two doses, but declining vaccination rates across the hemisphere have allowed the disease to regain a foothold in communities that were once considered protected.

    For expats living in Mexico and those planning to travel for the World Cup, checking immunization records and consulting a healthcare provider before June would be a wise precaution.

  • El Insurgente; CDMX – Toluca Train Is a Game Changer for Commuters

    El Insurgente; CDMX – Toluca Train Is a Game Changer for Commuters

    For years, the daily commute between Mexico City and Toluca has been long and exhausting. The roads, especially the highway, are often congested. The distance of  60 kilometers (37 miles) can take hours. 

    This problem affects tens of thousands of people every day—students, workers, and families. Now, after a very long wait, a new solution has arrived. 

    The Mexico-Toluca Interurban Train, called ‘El Insurgente,’ is finally fully open. This project took 12 years and three presidential terms to be completed. On February 2, President Claudia Sheinbaum inaugurated the last 8.4 kilometers. This final section links the Santa Fe to the Observatorio Metro station in Mexico City.

    El Insurgente’s goal is simple but important: to connect the Toluca Metropolitan Area with the western part of Mexico City. This connection aims to improve regional mobility at scale. 

    Most impressively, El Insurgente can transport 140,000 passengers per day, operating with 20 trains, each with a capacity of 719 passengers (326 seated).

    Why El Insurgente is a Big Deal

    El Insurgente provides a reliable, predictable, and safe alternative to cars and buses stuck in traffic. The train covers a total distance of 58 kilometers. It is not just a link between two major cities. It also connects to the Observatorio station, which is a major transportation hub for Mexico City’s Metro and bus networks. This makes it easy for people to continue their journey.

    On El Insurgente, the full route takes roughly 50 minutes as the train’s dedicated tracks mean it is not affected by road traffic. This saves people hours every day, and the need to leave home for work or school as early as 4 a.m. to guarantee arriving on time. 

    How the Train Works

    The train has seven stations along its route: Zinacantepec, Toluca Centro, Metepec, Lerma, Santa Fe, Vasco de Quiroga, and Observatorio. Trains run often, about every 10 to 15 minutes. This means people don’t have to wait long for the next one. The service hours are long to help early birds and night owls. From Monday to Friday, it runs from 5 in the morning until midnight. On Saturdays, it starts at 6 a.m., and on Sundays at 7 a.m., both running until midnight. The last train leaves Zinacantepec at 11 p.m., and the last one leaves Observatorio at midnight.

    El Insurjente’s Fair Fare System

    The cost of tickets on El Insurgente depends on the number of stations travelled, with short trips within the State of Mexico or within Mexico City costing 15 pesos, and the full trip from terminal to terminal, Zinacantepec to Observatorio or back, costs 100 pesos. When we consider the cost of gas, tolls, car maintenance, and the value of time saved, this fare is an outright bargain for most commuters.

    “Honestly, I would be happy to pay twice as much. Travel via bus is a nightmare and incredibly unsafe. And taking the car is out of the question,” said Toluca resident Manuel Escovedo.

    How to Ride

    To use El Insurgente, commuters need a Tarjeta de Movilidad Integrada (Integrated Mobility Card), or TUMI. This card is personal and cannot be shared. You can buy it and add money at the stations. You tap the card when you enter and tap again when you leave the station. This system automatically calculates the correct fare based on where you started and ended your trip. Riders are responsible for their own card and its balance. The train authority notes that if the card is lost or stolen, it cannot be replaced free of charge.

    Part of a Larger Trend

    El Insurgente joins other new public transit programs designed to make life in Mexico City’s metro area more livable. Other examples include CDMX’s Cablébus expansion, the ever-growing Metrobus network, light rail, and one of the world’s largest Metro systems. 

  • Park Hyatt Mexico City Set to Become Polanco’s Defining Luxury Address

    Park Hyatt Mexico City Set to Become Polanco’s Defining Luxury Address

    Photo courtesy Park Hyatt Mexico City

    Mexico City‘s hotel scene is about to gain a serious contender for the top spot in the luxury market. When Park Hyatt Mexico City opens its doors on Campos Elíseos in the summer of 2026, it will mark the brand’s first property in the Mexican capital, bringing 155 rooms, 23 private residences, and a rooftop pool to one of Polanco’s quietest and most desirable stretches of real estate.

    The property is positioned along the southern edge of the neighborhood, directly overlooking Bosque de Chapultepec, the 1,700-acre (688-hectare) urban park that has served as a retreat for everyone from Aztec rulers to Mexican presidents. 

    That proximity to green space, combined with a location in a district better known for private apartments and diplomatic compounds than tourist hotels, gives the Park Hyatt an unusual advantage: a sense of calm that most Mexico City hotels can only dream of.

    A Third-Generation Architectural Vision

    The project is being developed by SOMA Group, with architecture by Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos, a Mexico City-based studio founded in 1937 that now operates from both the capital and London, England. The building comprises two towers rising to approximately 472 feet (144 meters), with a metallic facade whose window openings and recessed terraces respond to the building’s interior program.

    Javier Sordo Madaleno, vice president of SOMA and a third-generation architect within the family firm, has described the design as drawing from Mexican architectural styles of the 1970s while remaining firmly contemporary. Vertical circulation cores are grouped along the south side of the building, freeing up uninterrupted sightlines toward Polanco and Chapultepec from the north-facing rooms.

    The hotel will occupy floors six through 18, while the 23 branded residences will run from the 19th to the 30th floor. Individual residences range from roughly 5,295 to 5,715 square feet (492 to 531 square meters), with terraces of up to 970 square feet (90 square meters). A signature penthouse tops out at over 11,260 square feet (1,046 square meters) with its own private entrance, concierge service, and 24-hour security.

    The development is also pursuing LEED Gold certification, aiming for efficient energy consumption and minimal emissions across the property.

    Rooms with Park Views and Private Terraces

    Each of the 155 guest rooms and suites will include a separate bathtub and rain shower, a lounge area with sofa, and views of either Chapultepec or the Polanco skyline. Guests booking Club Access rooms receive additional amenities, a formula that has worked well at other Park Hyatt properties around the world.

    Private terraces will offer the kind of outdoor space rarely found in urban luxury hotels. According to travel network Virtuoso, which has listed the property as a Preview Property, guests can also expect access to tennis and pickleball courts, a feature that sets the Park Hyatt apart from the city’s existing five-star offerings.

    The hotel will include at least two restaurants, an espresso bar, a show kitchen, and an outdoor veranda lounge. One dining concept will focus on sustainably sourced Japanese cuisine, while a second draws from South American culinary traditions. A rooftop bar rounds out the food and beverage program, with agave-focused cocktails and a curated wine and spirits list.

    The wellness offering includes a hydrotherapy spa with personalized treatments, a fitness center with floor-to-ceiling windows and city views, and the rooftop pool that will likely become the property’s most photographed feature. Canine companions are also welcome, with food and water bowls, a plush dog bed, and treats provided at check-in.

    Filling a Gap in the Market

    Sure, Mexico City has no shortage of luxury hotels. The Four Seasons Hotel Mexico City, the St. Regis Mexico City on Paseo de la Reforma, and the Ritz-Carlton all serve the high end of the market. But none of these belong to a hotel loyalty program with the reach of World of Hyatt, and the Park Hyatt brand’s emphasis on smaller, more intimate properties sets it apart from the city’s larger towers.

    The new hotel also arrives as part of a broader Park Hyatt push into Mexico. The brand’s Park Hyatt Los Cabos at the Cabo del Sol resort community on the Baja California Sur coast opened in 2025, while Park Hyatt Cancún is also slated for 2026. 

    The Park Hyatt Mexico City will sit directly alongside the existing Hyatt Regency Mexico City, a 755-room convention-oriented tower that has operated on Campos Elíseos since 1987. The two properties will share a street address but serve very different guests, with the Park Hyatt targeting leisure and luxury travelers and the Regency continuing to focus on its established business and group clientele.