US Pauses Tariffs on Mexico Following Drug Trafficking Agreement

Seven young men were shot dead during a Catholic Church festivity in San Bartolo de Berrios, Guanajuato, on Monday morning. Eyewitnesses reported that gunmen opened fire randomly on a group of attendees remaining in the village's central square after the event. The shooting, which erupted around 1:30 a.m., is believed to be linked to the ongoing conflict between rival drug cartels in the region, particularly the Santa Rosa de Lima cartel, as indicated by threatening messages left at nearby locations, according to local officials. The attack is alarming, as assaults typically target nightclubs and bars rather than religious gatherings. The Episcopal Conference of Mexico condemned the violence, calling it a reflection of the "spiral of violence" affecting communities. Archbishop Jaime Calderón attributed the incident to territorial disputes between cartels, noting Guanajuato recorded 2,597 homicides in 2024, the highest in Mexico. This incident underscores the dangerous environment in the state, where gangs also engage in fuel theft to fund their operations. No arrests have been reported so far.

Valeria Marquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer, was shot dead while live-streaming on TikTok at a salon in Zapopan, Mexico, on May 13, 2025. The incident, which has sparked outrage across the country, is being investigated as a femicide, according to the Jalisco state prosecutor. Witnesses state that Marquez was seen moments before her death seated at a table, discussing an unidentified visitor who had arrived with an “expensive gift.” During the livestream, she expressed concern about this visitor before her phone recorded a shooting shortly after she muted the session. A person allegedly stole her phone moments after the shooting, further complicating the investigation. Marquez had built a substantial following of approximately 200,000 on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where she showcased her beauty and makeup skills. Data from the United Nations highlights Mexico as having one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world, with the country tied for the fourth highest rates of femicide in Latin America.

Valeria Márquez, a 23-year-old Mexican beauty influencer, was fatally shot during a TikTok live stream on May 14, in what authorities are investigating as a case of femicide, according to the Jalisco state prosecutor. The incident occurred at Márquez's beauty salon in Zapopan, where she was seen moments before her death expressing concern about an unnamed person delivering an "expensive gift." The disturbing live stream captured Márquez sitting with a stuffed toy, saying, “They’re coming,” before she muted the audio just prior to the shooting. The prosecutor's statement did not name any suspects in the case. Márquez, who boasted nearly 200,000 combined followers on social media, had previously expressed unease regarding unexpected visitors. As Mexico grapples with alarming rates of gender-based violence, the killing highlights the ongoing crisis of femicide in the country. Data from the United Nations indicates that Mexico has one of the highest rates of femicide in Latin America, with 1.3 such deaths per 100,000 women reported in 2023.