The Yucatan Times

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — As Yucatán prepares for its traditional Hanal Pixán (“Food of the Souls”) celebrations, academic leaders are urging educational institutions and government agencies to move beyond superficial public displays and focus on safeguarding the genuine ancestral roots of the Mayan Day of the Dead. Aurelio Sánchez Suárez, coordinator of the Social Sciences Unit at the Autonomous University of Yucatan (UADY), emphasized the importance of revaluing family and community practices rathe

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — The Mérida and Yucatán International Film Festival (FICMY) has officially selected 13 regional cinematic projects from 60 local proposals for its signature Short Film Race, reinforcing its ongoing commitment to nurturing emerging audiovisual talent and strengthening Yucatán’s independent film industry. Karla Paola Medina, president of FICMY, highlighted the vital role the initiative plays in providing creators with practical platforms to develop professional skills. Since it

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — The Mayamax Hall inside Mérida’s Gran Museo del Mundo Maya resonated with an extraordinary fusion of ancestral cultures as American experimental artist Soriah performed his acclaimed concert, Offerings of Light to Xibalbá, as part of Yucatán’s 2026 Cultural Autumn (Otoño Cultural) festival organized by the State Secretariat of Culture and the Arts (Sedeculta). The immersive audiovisual performance created a profound cultural dialogue bridging the ancient vocal traditio

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — The municipal government of Mérida reported an overwhelming public turnout for the opening weekend of the annual Festival de las Ánimas 2026, welcoming more than 58,000 residents and tourists across various cultural, culinary, and traditional events celebrating Janal Pixán. Spearheaded by Mayor Cecilia Patrón Laviada’s administration, municipal officials highlighted that attendance figures surpassed initial projections, reflecting strong community engagement and deep-rooted

KANASÍN, Yucatán — An attempted house robbery in the municipality of Kanasín took an unexpected turn when a residential guard dog intervened, severely mauling an intruder who had unlawfully entered the property. The incident occurred at a residential plot situated at the intersection of Streets 24 and 80 in the San Aroldo colony. According to initial police reports, a 28-year-old man identified as Jonatan scaled the perimeter to break into the family home with the apparent intention of commit

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — The State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) of Yucatán has successfully secured the formal indictment and binding to trial of a suspect identified as Erick Alejandro G.G. for aggravated extortion, shedding light on a calculated criminal scheme targeting residential properties in northern Mérida. According to investigative files from criminal case 448/2026, the suspect—alongside an accomplice previously linked to the case, Alexis de Dios C.—operated a telephone fraud and extort

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — Freight transport organizations in Yucatán joined forces on Monday morning to participate in a sweeping national strike, blocking access points along Mérida’s Periférico near the highway exit toward Campeche to demand immediate federal and local intervention. Starting at 7:00 a.m., representatives from the four major cargo transport unions in the state—the National Chamber of Freight Transport (Canacar), the Mexican Federation of Transporters (Fematrac), the Mexican Al

MEXICO CITY — Freight and commercial transport organizations launched an indefinite national strike and a series of roadside demonstrations early Monday, October 26th, demanding immediate government action against escalating highway insecurity, systemic extortion, and rising operational costs. The mobilization, spearheaded by the National Chamber of Freight Transport (Canacar) alongside various union alliances, involves coordinated demonstrations across multiple states. While organizers empha

In a powerful display of community engagement and environmental stewardship, government agencies, private companies, environmental organizations, and local volunteers united to combat coastal pollution during a major cleanup drive in Chicxulub Puerto, a prominent port community in Progreso, Yucatán. The collaborative initiative successfully prevented significant ecological damage by removing over 300 kilograms of waste from the local coastline. Organized jointly by the Secretariat for Sus

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — Thousands of residents gathered at Central Park in Gran Santa Fe Norte for the annual Pixán Peek celebration, a heartfelt event dedicated to remembering and honoring deceased pets as part of Mérida’s broader Festival de las Ánimas 2026. Organized by the Mérida City Council, the gathering blended traditional Yucatecan Day of the Dead customs with animal welfare awareness. Mayor Cecilia Patrón Laviada joined attendees, many of whom brought their living pets dressed in creative

Mérida is gearing up for its highly anticipated Festival de las Ánimas 2026, a traditional cultural celebration dedicated to honoring deceased loved ones through rich Yucatecan traditions, artistic performances, and community gatherings. Organized by the city council, the extensive festival runs from late October through November 2, bringing together local artists, traditional altars, and festive parades across the city. The celebrations kick off with illuminated displays and a special No

A 46-year-old night watchman, identified locally as “Jerry,” sustained severe, life-threatening burns after being bound and set on fire in the coastal community of Chelem, in the municipality of Progreso, Yucatán. The brutal assault took place inside a vacation property located on 17th Street near 143rd Street, where the victim was employed to watch over the premises. According to police reports, emergency responders found the victim lying in a hallway of the property with his

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — State authorities have launched a formal investigation following the discovery of a man’s body inside a room at a motel located along the southern Periférico of Mérida, near the exit highway toward Campeche. According to preliminary reports and unofficial sources, the deceased individual has been identified as Allan T. G., an active-duty police officer serving with the State Investigation Police (PEI), a specialized division of the Yucatan Ministry of Public Security (

Yucatán successfully solidified its reputation as a premier global destination for romance tourism and destination weddings after hosting the international event Love México 2026 from October 19 to 22. Organized by the International Destination Wedding Professionals Association (IADWP), the high-profile gathering generated more than 2,000 business appointments, providing a robust platform to showcase the state’s unique tourism infrastructure to industry leaders from around the world.

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — The Yucatán Transport Agency (ATY) has officially released a comprehensive update to the official “Va y Ven” mobile application, introducing new digital tools designed to streamline daily commutes and improve user navigation across Mérida and the state’s public transit network. Available across major app stores starting this weekend, the updated application introduces real-time route tracking features. Passengers can now tap directly on any active bus icon

MÉRIDA, Yucatán — The Ministry of Public Security (SSP) hosted the Second Public and Private Security Forum in Mérida, aiming to enhance the technical capabilities, regulatory compliance, and emergency response protocols of private security companies operating across Yucatán and neighboring regions. The forum brought together industry representatives, state officials, and private security leaders from Jalisco and Aguascalientes to address key operational challenges. Led by Carlos Martín Pache

PHOTOGRAPHS: Dry Tortugas, Texas, Florida A BIRD WITH A HIGH IQ? In the new book, A Bird’s IQ, the Ruddy Turnstone rates a high IQ in the top 2% of birds. This book mainly based bird intelligence on innovation, creative problem-solving, social learning, and cultural transmission which were thought to be identified only in humans and then a few mammals species.  Decades of research along with many diverse bird species around the world were condensed into this book. Only one sentence

Representatives of major cargo and passenger transport organizations in Mexico have announced an indefinite nationwide strike starting Monday, October 26th. Leaders from the National Chamber of Freight Transport (Canacar), the Mexican-American Federation of Transporters (FEMATRAC), the Mexican Alliance of Transport Organizations (HAMOTAC), and INDECO united to demand urgent federal intervention regarding severe security crises affecting the nation’s highways. During a joint press co

Gran Parque La Plancha will host the first edition of the Tacolover Fest 2026, a gastronomic and cultural gathering held as part of the activities surrounding the Finados (All Souls’ Day/Day of the Dead) observances. Tacolover Fest 2026 will take place on October 30 and 31, 2026, at the aforementioned venue. The event will feature 54 vendors, including more than 25 merchants specializing in tacos, with prices starting at 50 pesos. The official program was unveiled at the park, wit

Hurricane Vance is maintaining strength in the eastern Pacific and is poised to intensify into a powerful Category 3 storm, putting multiple coastal regions on high alert. According to reports from the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) and meteorological authorities, Vance was recently located approximately 615 kilometers south-southwest of Acapulco, Guerrero, and 800 kilometers south-southeast of Manzanillo, Colima. The hurricane packs maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour, wi