SUMMARY
Mexico is in Vogue: A Strong Economy, Record Tourism, and National Pride
President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed the Mexican national team’s victory and highlighted the massive turnout in public squares across the country during the World Cup opening ceremony. She noted that “it is beautiful to see families wearing the green jersey” and that the Zócalo and public squares were filled with joy and national pride. The celebration confirmed that “those who wager against Mexico always fare poorly—on the sports field, in politics, and in life.”
Mexico is in Vogue: Growing Economy and Tourism
The President noted that industrial activity grew 2.1% in April, its highest level since October 2024, while exports reached a record high of US$709 billion.
In tourism, the country received 34.5 million international visitors in the first four months of 2026, generating almost US$13.26 billion in revenue and creating 51,000 new jobs. Sheinbaum noted that the momentum from the World Cup could lead tourist numbers to exceed 10 million visitors in June.
2026 World Cup: Mexico showed its best face to the world
President Sheinbaum explained that she decided not to attend the World Cup opening ceremony and instead gave her ticket to a young female fan because “this has to do with who we are and the vision we have for government.” She highlighted that public squares were filled with families, culture, and national pride, and affirmed that “everything worked very well; everything went perfectly.”
Addressing those who tried to project a negative image of the country, Sheinbaum rejected the notion that there is political persecution or a climate of chaos in Mexico and maintained that what the world saw was a united nation proud of its roots: “Mexico’s image to the world is one of joy and happiness,” she said.
Social Media, Bots, and the People’s Real Sentiment
In relation to the videos of business magnate and government critic Ricardo Salinas Pliego during the World Cup inauguration, the President noted that there is a difference between artificial popularity built on social media and the real sentiment of the population. Sheinbaum noted that some public figures “pay millions to have people speak well of them and believe that this shows their popularity, but this is not the case,” emphasizing that true legitimacy is built by accompanying the people because “when the people are in charge, you cannot go wrong.”
CNTE: dialogue yes, repression no
Sheinbaum recalled that “the CNTE’s struggle was for union democracy, so that those who were not members of the PRI could serve as representatives,” and highlighted that today union leaders are elected through free and secret ballots. The President also noted that some of the dissident teachers’ current demands would entail a return to systems that previously led to corruption in the allocation of positions, despite the progress made following the repeal of Peña Nieto’s education reform.
Sheinbaum reiterated that the dialogue will remain open and pledged that “we will move forward along with Mexico’s teachers,” making it clear that the government will maintain a policy of respect for the right to protest and that “there will be no repression.”
