Tag Archives: oaxaca
Editor’s Letter
By Jane Bauer—
“We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness.”
Thích Nhat Hanh
When you rant or retort obnoxiously on social media, it is like holding a hot coal in your hand and expecting someone else to burn. Your comment affects everyone who reads it — including you. Cortisol rises. Stress follows.
I opened my phone this morning and within minutes my nervous system was lit up. News of a cartel shooting. Messages asking if I was okay. A fire in Xadani. Canadians ranting about Mexicans ripping them off. Mexicans ranting about Canadians being cheap and gentrifying their country.
Stress — the invisible toxin.
Every time we open our phones and consume outrage, our bodies release cortisol. Heart rate increases. Inflammation pathways activate. The nervous system does not distinguish well between physical danger and social conflict; it simply reacts. Living in a constant state of judgment is physiologically corrosive.
Yes, we are living longer than previous generations. Medicine has dramatically extended lifespan over the past century. But we are also surrounded by more environmental toxins than ever — pollutants in our water, plastics in our oceans, chemicals measurable in human blood. Chronic disease now dominates modern life. We have prolonged years, but have we protected vitality?
To be healthy is to be whole — regulated, connected, integrated. Healthcare, at its root, should mean caring for that wholeness.
We often talk about “coexisting,” as if we are separate entities sharing space. In reality, we are deeply interconnected. Like a tree that depends on the quality of the river from which it drinks, the tree and the river are one. Separation is an illusion.
Be more understanding. Be more open. Assume good intentions more often than not. Regulate your nervous system. Put the phone down. Cook something real. Hug a tree and a stranger. Sit across from someone different from you and listen.
Wholeness isn’t optional; it’s essential. And in a time like this, choosing calm may be one of the most radical health decisions we can make.
See you next month,
Jane
Dry Law, Elections, and a First for Oaxaca
By Alicia Flores—-
From time to time, life in Oaxaca pauses in small but noticeable ways. One of the most familiar signs is the ley seca — the temporary suspension of alcohol sales — which often accompanies elections and official civic consultations across Mexico. For residents and visitors alike, it can raise a simple question: what exactly is being voted on?
Recently, Oaxaca held its first-ever revocación de mandato, a recall-style public consultation that asked voters whether the current governor, Salomón Jara Cruz, should continue in office. Unlike a general election, this process does not involve choosing new candidates or parties. Instead, it offers citizens an opportunity to express their approval or dissatisfaction with a sitting official midway through their term.
The consultation was organized across a state known for its political and cultural complexity. Oaxaca has more municipalities than any other state in Mexico — over 570 — many governed by distinct local systems and traditions. Coordinating any statewide vote here is no small task, and the results often reflect the diversity of voices rather than a single, unified opinion.
As is customary during electoral processes, a ley seca was put in place to help ensure public order. While the restriction can feel abrupt, it is a long-established part of Mexico’s electoral framework and applies regardless of whether the vote involves local offices, national elections, or civic consultations like this one.
In the end, while a majority of participating voters supported the governor remaining in office, overall turnout did not reach the threshold required for the result to be legally binding. As a result, the consultation did not trigger any immediate change in government.
Even so, first-time processes matter. They set precedents, reveal political undercurrents, and invite broader participation in public life. In a state as varied and decentralized as Oaxaca, the significance of such moments often lies not in dramatic outcomes, but in the signals they send — and the conversations they begin.
Sound and Breath: Journeys of Healing in Oaxaca
By Stephanie Whitford—
Pilgrimage in Mexico has always been more than a physical act of walking from one place to another. It is a journey of devotion, transformation, and connection, an experience that bridges the outer world of landscapes and traditions with the inner world of spirit and healing. In Oaxaca, where Indigenous wisdom and Catholic traditions intertwine, pilgrimage takes on a unique resonance. Here, sound healing, spiritual music, breathwork, and energetic frequencies are not modern inventions but echoes of practices that have guided seekers for centuries.
The Outer Journey: Walking Sacred Paths
Across Mexico, pilgrimages are woven into the cultural fabric. Millions walk each year to the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City, while smaller communities in Oaxaca honor saints and ancestral spirits with local processions. For the Zapotecs, pilgrimage meant traveling to sacred mountains, caves, and temples—sites where the human spirit could align with cosmic order.
In Huatulco, the nine bays themselves invite pilgrimage. Walking along the shore at sunrise, climbing into the Sierra Madre foothills, or entering a temazcal sweat lodge are all acts of devotion. Each step outward becomes a prayer, each destination a reminder that the land itself is sacred.
The Inner Journey: Sound as Medicine
Sound has always accompanied pilgrimage. Indigenous healers used conch shells, drums, rattles, and chants to mark rhythm and call communities together. These vibrations were believed to restore harmony, dissolving dissonance in body and spirit.
Today, sound healing continues this tradition. Crystal singing bowls, gongs, and various other instruments create frequencies that bypass the analytical mind and open pathways to subconscious release. Spiritual music, whether ancient chants or contemporary compositions, becomes a companion on the journey. It reminds us that pilgrimage is not only about reaching a shrine but about listening deeply, allowing vibration itself to guide transformation.
Breathwork: The Pilgrimage Within
If sound is the external companion, breath is the internal guide. Breathwork, increasingly recognized in modern wellness, has deep roots in Mexico’s traditions. In the temazcal, participants breathe through heat and steam, surrendering what needs to be let go of and emerging renewed. Breath becomes a pilgrimage inward, a journey through intensity toward clarity.
As a teacher of conscious breathing, I believe that breath is the bridge between spirit and matter. In Oaxaca, this truth is lived daily. Each inhale is an invitation to receive abundance; each exhale, a chance to release limitation. Walking pilgrimages mirror this rhythm—inhale with each step forward, exhale with each pause. Breath transforms movement into meditation. Breath is the first step on an inner pilgrimage—a foundational key to well‑being that, when practiced with intention, has the power to transform your life on every level: physical, mental, and spiritual.
The Zapotecs believed the cosmos was structured by harmony. Rituals, music, and pilgrimage were ways of aligning with that order. Modern practitioners speak of energetic frequencies, vibrations that restore coherence to the body’s energy field. Whether through a drumbeat, a tuning fork, or the resonance of a crystal sound bowl, these frequencies remind us that healing is not only physical but energetic. Each of us breathes a unique frequency that seeks harmony.
In Oaxaca, this wisdom is not abstract. It is lived in festivals, in community rituals, and in the daily rhythm of life. Pilgrimage becomes a way of tuning oneself to the frequencies of land, spirit, and community.
Pilgrimage does not need to be a distant concept. Living in or visiting Huatulco, one can experience pilgrimage in everyday acts: walking the bays, listening to the ocean’s rhythm, breathing deeply into presence. These are small pilgrimages, journeys that connect us to Mexico’s cultural legacy and to our own inner truth.
Sound healing, spiritual music, breathwork, and energetic frequencies invite us to expand this practice. They remind us that pilgrimage is not only about movement across land, it is about resonance, vibration, and breath. It is about aligning with frequencies that heal, whether inherited from Indigenous traditions or discovered in contemporary practice.
Pilgrimage in Mexico is alive, evolving, and deeply resonant. It is the journey outside—walking to sacred sites, listening to communal music—and the journey within—breathing, listening, and allowing sound to heal. In Oaxaca and Huatulco, the legacy of the Zapotecs meets modern practices of sound healing and breathwork. Together, they invite us to see pilgrimage not as a destination but as a vibration: a journey of resonance that transforms both body and spirit.
Stephanie Whitford is an inspired living coach who blends breathwork, sound‑healing, yoga, fitness, and lifestyle practices to guide people on transformational wellness journeys back to their bodies and spirits. She teaches classes and workshops throughout Huatulco. Learn more at http://www.sunkissedfire.com
A Pilgrimage Nobody Asked For
By Kary Vannice—
When people talk about pilgrimage in Mexico, they usually envision a basilica or a shrine of spiritual significance, someplace established, sanctified, religious. A place where the route is well known, the motivation clear, and the rules are understood. The local community, for better or worse, is built around the incoming seekers.
But Huautla de Jiménez in the state of Oaxaca never had that luxury. What occurred there in the 1950s and 60s didn’t align with the natural order of a pilgrimage destination. The people there didn’t want to be a destination, and yet, without their consent, the world arrived anyway.
At the center of it all was a curandera (a healer) named María Sabina, of the Mazatec tradition, a local woman who performed ceremonies using psilocybin mushrooms to heal illness, resolve inner conflict, and restore energetic balance. Her ceremonies were based in ancient knowledge and were performed for local people and “hometown” problems.
But in 1955, a United States banker turned amateur ethnomycologist, R. Gordon Wasson, visited Huautla and participated in one of María Sabina’s ceremonies. The experience affected him so deeply that he published an account of it in Life magazine.
And for Huautla, a town that had existed in near anonymity for centuries, this cast them directly into the limelight. Life was one of the most widely read magazines in the United States, and in a single article, Huautla was transformed from a place into an idea and, for many readers, into a destination.
Wasson’s story presented the town not as a community, but as a doorway, a spiritual gateway that anyone who wanted could walk through. So, people came by the thousands to the small, remote village that was not prepared for global “fame,” nor in any position to receive it.
Traditionally, pilgrimage sites develop over time. An infrastructure of support builds itself around the seekers who gravitate there. Communities have time to negotiate and navigate their relationship with the influx of outsiders. Huautla had no such opportunity. Visitors arrived faster than the town could accommodate them.
And unlike most pilgrims, they did not come at a specific time of year, or on a significant date that could be prepared for and, more importantly, recovered from. They came in a constant, unrelenting stream, consumers of an experience they knew little about. And many came without regard, reverence, or respect for the local people or their customs.
Sadly, their influence changed the local ceremonies forever, destroying the very thing they sought. The psilocybin mushrooms, once honored as “living wisdom,” became objects of curiosity and experimentation.
María Sabina herself once said, “From the moment the foreigners arrived, the mushrooms lost their purity. They lost their force. The strangers spoiled them.”
But the strangers didn’t just spoil the mushrooms. They spoiled the sense of place, the sacredness of ancient customs, and they fractured the bonds of the community. The small village acquired a global reputation it did not choose and, ultimately, could not control.
The history books remember María Sabina as someone who “opened the door.” A very convenient story for those who do not have to live with the consequences of its telling. Sabina was blamed by her community for the unexpected and unwelcome impact of the outsiders and lived much of her later years in isolation as an outcast, alone and disheartened.
This is the part of the story that rarely fits the pilgrims’ romanticized narrative. Something they forget is that those who come can go home again, but the place cannot. Huautla will never again return to the humble, unassuming mountain town of its ancestors. It is forever changed and has been forced to adapt to the year-round seekers who still come in search of the mystical.
The story of Huautla shines a light on an uncomfortable question: who gets to decide when something sacred becomes a destination?
The people who came believed they were on a spiritual journey. But pilgrimage, in its traditional sense, implies responsibility, relationship, and a shared understanding between those who arrive and those who receive. In a modern world that makes access easy and distance irrelevant, there will be more places like Huautla, and more communities asked to adapt to stories they did not write.
Seen this way, the story is not really about María Sabina, or even about mushrooms. It is about what happens when the outside world decides something is meaningful and forgets that the people who live there are the ones who must live with what that meaning becomes.
Kary Vannice is a writer and energetic healer who explores the intersections of culture, consciousness, and daily life in Mexico.
Oaxaca Avanza: How Art, Youth, and Community are Transforming Huatulco
By Bianca Corona—
In Huatulco, a place known for its natural beauty and strong sense of community, a group of young locals is quietly, but now very visibly, reshaping what collective action and true sense of community can look like in a small town like this. Oaxaca Avanza is a civil association formed by young people from Huatulco with a shared goal: to build alliances, create access to tools and strategies, and actively contribute to making their municipality and Oaxaca state as a whole, a better place for everyone to live in, enjoy, and prosper.
Their official public launch came to life through a project that blended art, urban renewal, and community involvement: the Corredor Mural, a once neglected pedestrian walkway located near a school close to La Crucecita, now reborn as a vibrant, colorful, and meaningful public space.
From a Forgotten Space to a Living Corridor
The inauguration of Oaxaca Avanza and the Corredor Mural was a celebration filled with energy, creativity, and gratitude. Behind that moment, however, were months of planning and a full week of intense community work. Artists, neighbors, musicians, vendors, and volunteers came together to transform a space that had long been associated with neglect, insecurity, and disuse.
What was once a grey, deteriorated corridor is now a place filled with color, intention, and life. It’s now transformed into a space where people feel invited to walk, gather, and connect directly to Huatulco’s culture, through art.
The decision to start with this corridor was deeply intentional. Oaxaca Avanza’s newly opened office is located at one end of the space, and for the team, the daily reality of seeing the area’s challenges became a call to action. The corridor borders a kindergarten, children’s play areas, and residential homes, yet had become a site for trash accumulation, vandalism, and unsafe activity.
Rather than approaching the problem through exclusion or enforcement, the group chose a different path and use artistic expression as a tool for transformation.
Art as a Collective Act
The Corredor Mural was conceived as an inclusive, collaborative project. Led artistically by renowned Oaxacan muralist Irving Cano, the initiative brought together mostly Huatulco-based artists, along with a small number from other parts of Oaxaca. Each artist worked within a shared theme, Huatulco and the Coast, while maintaining complete creative freedom within their assigned space.
The murals collectively tell a story: from marine life and coastal landscapes to human presence and local identity. Each piece reflects a personal vision of Huatulco, shaped by the artist’s own experience of growing up, living, or creating in the region.
Importantly, no artist was paid. Every participant joined voluntarily, contributing their time and talent from the heart. In return, artists were given visibility, a public platform for their work, and the opportunity to exhibit and sell their art during the week-long activation of the corridor.
Seven Days of Community in Motion
For seven consecutive days, the corridor became a living cultural space. Visitors were invited not only to see the finished murals, but to witness the creative process itself. Watching blank walls evolve day by day into powerful and colorful works of art. To encourage participation, Oaxaca Avanza organized daily pop-up markets, live music, and small community gatherings down the walkway. Local musicians performed voluntarily, artisans set up booths without fees, and food vendors rotated throughout the week, creating a dynamic and ever-changing atmosphere. Each day felt different. Some days drew families and children, others brought students, artists, or athletes. What remained constant was the sense of shared ownership and collective pride. That’s what I’d call, “Orgullo Huatulqueño.”
No Logos, No Branding, Just Purpose
One of the most striking aspects of the project is what isn’t visible on the walls… logos. The entire project was funded through personal resources and outsourced support, deliberately avoiding corporate branding or sponsorship recognition on the murals themselves. For Oaxaca Avanza, this decision was essential. The murals belong to the community, not to any brand, institution, or organization…including their own.
Beyond Art: A Broader Vision for Huatulco
While the Corredor Mural is Oaxaca Avanza’s first official public project, it is far from their first community effort. The group has been active for several years, supporting vulnerable individuals, local initiatives, sports teams, and animal protection efforts. Often executing these outreaches informally and without public visibility.
The formalization of the association and the opening of a physical office mark a new chapter. The long-term goal is to become an authorized donation recipient, allowing individuals, businesses, and institutions to support future projects transparently and at a larger scale.
Looking ahead, Oaxaca Avanza envisions initiatives in culture, sports, animal welfare, public space rehabilitation, and community development, always guided by collaboration rather than politics, and inclusion rather than division.
A Space That Invites Participation
The Corredor Mural is not meant to be a static art installation. It is envisioned as a living space in which one can host markets, performances, bicycle tours, community gatherings, and cultural events. By bringing the corridor back to life, the project adds not only beauty, but also a new point of interest for residents and visitors alike.
It also serves as a reminder that improving quality of life is not limited to infrastructure or policy. Beauty, creativity, and shared spaces play a powerful role in how people experience safety, belonging, and pride in where they live.
An Open Door Forward
At its core, Oaxaca Avanza is an invitation. An invitation to participate, to propose ideas, to collaborate, and to contribute. Whether through time, creativity, resources, or simply presence. As Huatulco continues to grow and evolve, initiatives like this demonstrate what is possible when young people take ownership of their community and choose cooperation over division. The Corredor Mural is just the beginning.
Artist Recognition:
1.- Joel Montes
2.- Alejandra Elizabeth Aguilar Aguiar
3.- Lianne Aranza León Sánchez
4.- Edgar Ares Moscosa Bazar
5.- Marina Valdepeña
6.- Judith Martínez Caballero
7.- Janette Santiago Antonio
8.- María Eugenia Valle
9.- Alma Drew
10.- Diego Uriel González
11.- Odette Carolina Cabrera1
12.- Fernanda Butista
13.- José García López
14.- Yuri Enríquez
15.- Grisel Adriana
16.- Alina Sofía Reboredo Damasco
17.- Ariel Núñez Zabaleta
18.- Corina Lucio Olvera
19.- Alma Montero
20.- Fefo Loya Gartol
21.- Betina
22.- Carlo Sérbulo Alducin
23.- Michelle López García
24.- Roberto Hernández
25.- Julio César García Rodríguez
26.- Fernando
27.- Ángel Ernesto Rivera López
28.- Edwin Fierros
29.- Luis Antonio Ortiz Enríquez
30.- Roberto Domínguez
31.- José Martínez Adolfo
32.- Valois Prieto Alvarado
33.- Carlos Mendoza Salina
Un Nuevo Amanecer: A Community Lifting Children Toward Their Full Potential
By Dan Thompson—
Starting their 31st year, Un Nuevo Amanecer (UNA) has been one of Huatulco’s most essential community organizations, dedicated to providing therapy, education, and support to children and adolescents with disabilities. What began as a modest local initiative has grown into a respected center offering physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, psychological support, early stimulation, and inclusive education programs.
In 2024, UNA delivered more than 1,700 individual therapy sessions, and its 2026 plan includes increasing its reach by at least 15%, serving more families who depend on specialized services not available elsewhere in the region.
A Growing Network of Support
For many years, the annual Blues on the Beach concerts provided nearly 60% of UNA’s annual funding, establishing a strong foundation for the organization’s growth. As awareness has increased, UNA’s support base has broadened significantly.
Donors include local residents as well as members of Huatulco’s international community, demonstrating the shared commitment behind UNA’s mission. Additional support now comes from local businesses, community events such as Vamos Huatulco, and long-time private donors from Mexico, Canada, and the United States. This diversification has strengthened UNA’s financial stability and expanded its ability to meet increasing demand.
Support From Across Borders
Canadian donors may contribute to UNA through Amistad Canada, a registered Canadian charity that partners with vetted nonprofit organizations in Mexico. This partnership ensures transparency and allows Canadians to make tax-deductible donations, further supporting UNA’s long-term sustainability.
Impact With Measurable Results
Each year, more children learn to walk, speak, develop independence, and gain confidence through UNA’s programs. Families receive guidance, emotional support, and the tools needed to help their children reach their full potential. Behind every therapy session is a story of progress—sometimes small, sometimes life-changing, always meaningful.
Looking Ahead
UNA’s goals for the coming years focus on expanding therapy services, strengthening professional staff development, improving equipment and facilities, and ensuring that every family seeking help can receive it. Continued community support—local, national, and international—is essential to achieving these goals.
Un Nuevo Amanecer stands as a testament to what a dedicated community can accomplish. Through ongoing generosity, the children and families of Huatulco can continue to look forward to a future filled with dignity, opportunity, and hope.
Friday, January 16, 2026
Casa Bocana, Huatulco
Artists Lineup:
Emiliano Juárez with Dai Gallo and the WestCoasters
Special Guest: Cat Wells — powerhouse Canadian rhythm, soul, and blues vocalist
Donation: 5,000 pesos per person (goes directly to UNA)
Via Paypal:
http://www.paypal.com/paypalme/unnuevoamanecerhux
or for Canadian donors, receive a CRS receipt via AMISTAD Canada http://www.AmistadCanada.org/donate Select Un Nuevo Amanecer as beneficiary
Your support funds therapy and education for children with disabilities in our community.
Can’t Attend? You Can Still Help:
Sponsor a child: 15,000 pesos provides one full year of therapy and educational support.
Learn more: http://www.facebook.com/huatulcobluesonthebeach
The ALMA experience, chapter 2: Sustainability
An interview with the creators of ALMA,
Frédéric Baron and Noémie Bourdin-Habert—
In this interview, we continue the conversation with Frédéric Baron and Noémie Bourdin-Habert, the developers behind ALMA, an architectural project in Huatulco that blends design, sustainability, and community. They share what sustainability really means behind the scenes—beyond labels, and beyond marketing.
Where does the sustainability commitment behind ALMA come from?
Noémie: Sustainability is deeply rooted in the genesis of ALMA and closely tied to my own professional background. I spent much of my career working in renewable energy and environmental solutions, so seeking out responsible and ecological approaches has always felt quite natural to me.
I moved from France to China at 23 and began working in the photovoltaic sector. Over the following twelve years, across China, Europe, and California, I met many innovators developing sustainable solutions with real impact.
What fascinates me is how unknown or underestimated many of these solutions still are when it comes to reducing the environmental footprint of both construction and the daily operation of a home. Bringing these cutting-edge innovations to a place like Huatulco feels both meaningful and necessary.
Why choose Huatulco to create and develop ALMA?
Frédéric: Before deciding to live in Mexico, we spent eighteen months traveling extensively throughout Asia. Time and again, we encountered places that were saturated, polluted, or developed without restraint.
We’ve felt despair on beaches covered in plastic, frustration in resorts built in tropical climates with no consideration for shade or natural airflow. We’ve witnessed deforestation for palm oil, untreated sewage flowing into pristine rivers, and absurd contradictions like indoor skiing in the desert. All of this pushed us to look for a place with a genuinely sustainable DNA — not just on paper, but reflected in daily decisions.
When we discovered Huatulco in 2020, along with the long-term federal vision behind its development beginning in the 1980s, it felt different. In many ways, Huatulco was ahead of its time.
And while continued investment in innovation will be necessary for Huatulco to maintain its commitments, we genuinely want to be part of this positive movement.
With so many developments claiming to be sustainable, how do you recognize sustainability in real estate?
Noémie: I spent fifteen years as an international director working in both marketing and sustainability — two fields that, unfortunately, still often share the same budget because sustainability is too frequently treated as part of the storytelling.
In reality, sustainability is much more than that. It is about “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” It requires understanding, measuring, reducing, mitigating, and compensating for all of our impact. Solar panels or certifications can help, but they mean very little if a project relies heavily on air conditioning, wastes natural resources, or completely erases native biodiversity.
Some of the most impactful initiatives implemented at ALMA:
1. Low density: ALMA includes 47 properties where FONATUR permits 83, building at just over half the allowed density. This is the most meaningful sustainability decision a developer can make, as it directly impacts profitability.
2. Material reuse: All stone excavated on site is reused for walls and landscaping, avoiding quarry extraction and significantly reducing construction impact.
3. Water management: ALMA built a 300,000-liter potable water cistern, providing greater flexibility for municipal distribution, and treats 100% of the residences’ wastewater on site — even during construction. Treated water is fully reused for irrigation and green roofs. ALMA is the first private residential project in Huatulco to refrain from sending wastewater to the municipal sewage system, and the only one to use treated water for all irrigation, reducing its overall water footprint by 35–40%.
4. Bioclimatic design: Homes are naturally cooled to minimize air-conditioning use — the primary source of energy consumption in high-end residences. Green roofs reduce temperatures by up to 4°C (7°F), wide overhangs provide cooling shade, and cross-ventilation enhances natural airflow. Inverter fan-and-coil air-conditioning systems further reduce energy use by at least 30%.
Many other initiatives coexist as well — from waste management to sustainable material and supplier selection — and we’re always happy to share details.
Does sustainability make a real difference for your clients?
Frédéric: Absolutely. Sustainability translates into very tangible benefits for ALMA residents.
Forever-preserved views: Strict low density and height limits ensure long-term views and tranquility while green roofs of the lower properties benefit higher-line property owners by blending seamlessly into the landscape.
Lower utility costs: Natural cooling strategies and water reuse drastically reduce electricity and water consumption.
Enhanced privacy: Low density and abundant vegetation to ensure greater privacy.
Biodiversity at home: Native vegetation and green roofs attract birds, butterflies, and squirrels year-round.
Resilient value: Well-designed, climate-adapted properties tend to appreciate more over time, much like well-insulated homes in colder regions outperform poorly insulated ones.
Is there a cost to sustainability, and are buyers ready to pay for it?
Noémie: Yes — the cost is actually significant. Green roofs versus conventional roofs, low density versus high density, full water treatment versus standard sewage systems — all of this represents a substantial investment. In reality, sustainability is still often seen by many clients as simply the cherry on the cake.
Now, I can already hear you wonder: “So why do it?”. Actually, for the same reason you choose a reusable bottle over plastic, sort your waste, or bring your own grocery bag—it’s simply the right thing to do.
For our clients. For our legacy. For future generations. For biodiversity, landscapes, resources, and the quality of life that makes Huatulco so special.
ALMA aims to make architecture and sustainability inseparable. It is no coincidence that the project was recently awarded Best Sustainable Project in Mexico, and named Best Sustainable Project in the Americas, from Canada to Argentina, at the International Property Awards — one of the most respected distinctions in the industry.
All of us here found something extraordinary in Huatulco. We believe preserving it is a shared responsibility.
For more information: http://www.alma-huatulco.com
If you’ve missed the first chapter on ALMA, its architecture and finishes, you can scan and catch up here : https://theeyehuatulco.com/2025/11/30/inside-alma-craftsmanship-sustainability-and-signature-design/
The Legal Reality Of Owning Property In Mexico’s Coastline
By Adrian Sánchez—
Buying a home in Mexico feels like a dream, ocean views, palm trees, slower days, and better weather. But behind every dream property, there’s one detail that can make or break your investment: the legal structure.
In countries like the U.S., Canada, or across Europe, purchasing real estate is fairly simple: sign, pay, and record. In Mexico, however, the rules change especially if you’re a foreigner. What you can own?, how you can own it?, where you can own it depends entirely on your nationality and the legal structure you choose.
The Constitutional Restriction
Under Article 27 of the Mexican Constitution, foreigners are prohibited from directly owning land within the so-called “Restricted Zone” that is, within 50 kilometers (31 miles) of the coast or 100 kilometers (62 miles) of any international border.
In other words, most of Mexico’s most desirable real estate from Los Cabos, Cancún, and Tulum, to Huatulco and Puerto Escondido lies entirely within this restricted area. So… how do thousands of Americans, Canadians, and Europeans legally buy beachfront villas and condos in Mexico every year?
The Legal Path: Fideicomiso (Bank Trust)
The answer lies in a legal mechanism designed precisely for foreign investment: the Fideicomiso. This 50-year renewable bank trust allows foreigners to acquire and control property within the restricted zone without violating the Constitution.
Here’s how it works: A Mexican bank holds the title as trustee, while you (the foreign buyer) are the beneficiary. You retain all ownership rights, you can live in, rent, remodel, sell, or even inherit the property. The property does not belong to the bank; it’s your asset, protected under Mexican law.
Setting up a fideicomiso involves a one-time setup fee and annual maintenance fees.
What You Need to Establish a Fideicomiso
To legally acquire property within the restricted zone, the process includes a few key steps and legal documents:
1. A Foreign Investment Permit issued by the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, SRE).
2. Then there’s something called the “Calvo Clause.” As required by Article 27, Section I of the Mexican Constitution, foreigners must agree to be treated as Mexican nationals regarding property ownership and waive the right to seek protection from their home government in any dispute related to the property.
In simple terms: you accept Mexican law and Mexican jurisdiction — no international claims, no diplomatic involvement.
3. A Trusted Notary Public (Notario Público) to oversee and formalize the legal process.
4. A Mexican Bank authorized to act as the fiduciary institution (trustee).
Once those steps are complete and your lawyer ensures all due diligence your property is legally yours. The key to owning property in Mexico safely is understanding the legal foundation beneath your dream home. At Lead the Future Law & Tax Firm, our bilingual legal and tax experts guide you from acquisition to sale, ensuring that your investment remains as solid as the ground it stands on.
Adrian Sánchez | @MexicoLawyer | CEO, Lead the Future Law & Tax Firm Lawyer (Universidad Iberoamericana) | Corporate & Real Estate Law Specialist | Compliance Officer | Legal Columnist
Wearing My Roots: A Queen’s Journey Through the Vela 27
By Daira Moreno —
When I reflect on my roots, I picture myself beautifully dressed in Tehuana attire. It brings me back to my ancestors, especially my grandmother. The beauty of these dresses lies not only in their embroidery, but in the way they are passed from one generation to the next. Today, only a few artisans still know how to make Tehuana attire in its traditional form. The Zapotec language, along with the traditional techniques, is at risk of disappearing. Wearing the dress is an act of resistance, a way to keep our identity alive. The reaffirmation of Zapotec identity through the figure of the Queen of the Vela 27, embodied in my own experience of wearing the Tehuana dress, is a form of empowerment for the people of my town, the Ixtepecanos. It is also a way of preserving our culture at a time when many traditions are being lost in an increasingly globalized world.
Ciudad Ixtepec’s cultural identity lives within its traditional attire, the Tehuana dress, and in the fact that only a few artisans continue to make it in the old way. This fragility, of both language and dressmaking, shows how urgent it is to preserve these parts of our heritage. The Tehuana attire has also found its place in the larger story of Mexico. Iconic figures such as Frida Kahlo and Salma Hayek embraced it, drawing inspiration from Isthmus women and, in Hayek’s case, from her own Ixtepecana roots. Lupe Vélez immortalized the style in her film La Sandunga, helping introduce Oaxacan culture to national and international audiences. Many consider the Tehuana costume the most beautiful in Mexico. These cultural references strengthen the idea that Zapotec identity carries a significance that must be protected.
In this piece, I offer a brief reflection on my experience as queen of the Vela 27 and on the meaning of a Vela, with special attention to the clothing I wore throughout the five-day celebration which culminates in the coronation, where I step into the same role my mother and cousin once held, continuing a legacy begun by my grandmother, one of the festival’s founders.
This year, I served as queen of the Renombrada Vela 27, held in honor of San Jerónimo Doctor. It is characterized by dancing throughout the entire night, waiting for dawn to arrive. “Vela” is the name given by the friars to the indigenous festivities dedicated to the deities called “Za” or “Binnizá,” meaning “men of the clouds,” according to the agricultural calendar. With evangelization, these rituals were transformed into patron-saint festivals dedicated to Catholic saints, following the mission and religious order of the friars during the colonial period. The word vela comes from velar, meaning “to stay awake, to keep vigil all night,” which remains at the heart of the celebration today.
One of the most striking parts of the Vela is that all attendees must wear the Tehuana gala dress; otherwise, they are not permitted to enter. Women showcase their finest traditional gala dresses and high heels, each one striving to look as spectacular as possible. Men must wear a plain white guayabera with no floral embroidery.
The use of gold, coins, and ornaments in the festivities has its roots in practices of prestige and offering. In the case of coins, their presence is more recent, linked to the arrival of the Trans-Isthmus Railway and the port of Salina Cruz in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Gold in women’s attire also symbolizes the empowerment of Isthmus women, as well as well-being, economic stability, and even wealth. The use of minted coins changes the meaning significantly, which is why I emphasize empowerment.
Many of the pieces I wore are family heirlooms, and when I put them on, I feel the presence of my grandmother, my mother, and the women in my family who have kept these traditions alive. Each garment reflects the work of artisans whose techniques are at risk of disappearing.
To understand the significance of each day and the meaning behind every outfit, it is helpful to look at the schedule of the Vela 27 and the Tehuana attire I wore throughout the celebration.
The Vela 27 Schedule:
September 26 (evening): The festivities begin with the Calenda (traditional street parade) at 8 p.m., continuing until 2 a.m. The streets of Ixtepec come alive with dancing, fireworks, and music, announcing the start to the Vela 27. That evening, I wore a coordinated skirt and huipil made with the cadenilla technique, featuring pink and yellow greca designs crafted by the artisan Francisco Javier Reyes Vázquez from San Blas Atempa. My hairstyle followed the traditional style of the women of Ixtepec: two braids intertwined with a pink ribbon and adorned with artificial flowers. To complete the muda, I wore a three-strand espejito azucena necklace with a calabaza pendant in pearls and gold filigree, along with matching earrings and a bracelet made from 2.5-peso Mexican coins embellished with rubies and alejandrina.
2nd Day of Activities:
September 27 (morning): The queen’s Mañanitas begin at 7 a.m. and include serenades, prayers, and dancing. The organizers of the Vela attend, making it one of the most beautiful moments of the celebration, filled with emotion as the family prepares for the day. Breakfast is offered at the queen’s home to those who came to serenade her, and gifts are given to the attendees. This festivity also commemorates the birthday of the patron saint, San Jerónimo Doctor. For my muda during the Mañanitas, I wore a circular stylized yellow rabona skirt with a hand-stitched cadenilla huipil. I accessorized with a choker made of hinged coins and matching cross-shaped earrings.
September 27 (evening): The most significant and symbolic day of the Vela 27 gathers about 3,000 people. It begins at 9 p.m. and lasts until 7 a.m. The highlight of the event is the queen’s coronation, which includes her arrival, her first dance, and her speech. Past queens, as well as the queen from the previous year, also make their appearances. After the ceremony, the community spends the rest of the night dancing. On the day of my coronation, I proudly wore an original, hand-embroidered traditional dress crafted by the artisan Antonia Morales Lobo from the town of Santa Rosa de Lima. This community is distinguished by its mastery of the Tehuana gala dress, an art practiced by both its women and men. The making of this outfit was commissioned a year in advance.
The dress is a replica of one of my mother’s gala dresses, which she wore when she served as queen in 1985, although for my version I chose a garden of yellow Castilian roses. The outfit consists of the enagua (skirt) and the huipil (blouse). I also wore a gold fleco made of gusanillos and canelones, a distinctive accessory that sets the queen apart from the general public. My hair was styled in gathered braids with a rosette at the nape of the neck and a floral adornment on the left side, leaving the top free for the crown. The crown and its matching scepter were crafted exclusively for my reign by the master goldsmith Hugo Charo from the town of San Blas Atempa. My Tehuana attire was complemented by a set of gold doblón dos María jewelry and a matching ahogador, along with a bracelet, rings, earrings, and a hair brooch. All of these are family heirlooms in gold, passed down from generation to generation.
September 29: The lively and colorful Regada de Frutas fills the streets with decorated buses carrying the queens or captains, who toss food and gifts to the townspeople. Horses, bulls, and captains in traditional attire parade alongside, accompanied by children’s orchestras playing music from the buses. This day symbolizes giving back to the community.
During the Regada de Frutas, we rode on a float designed to match the colors and floral motifs of the outfit I wore that day. With great pride, I wore a huipil and enagua featuring multicolored orchids. This traditional ensemble from Salinas del Marqués, an agency of the municipality of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, was crafted by the artisan Francisco Gallegos. The design itself was created by my mother, making it especially meaningful. The technique used for this dress is crochet work with yellow filled stitching. The outfit was completed with a two-strand lazo, a choker (ahogador), earrings, a bracelet, and a ring.
October 1 (noon): A mass is held in honor of the Vela 27’s patron saint, San Jerónimo Doctor. Afterward, the queen and princesses take a long walk accompanied by the music group until they arrive at the lavado de olla, where the founding members and the community await them. To enter the church and offer floral arrangements to San Jerónimo Doctor, I wore a yellow velvet Tehuana dress created with two traditional techniques known as flor en medio. The central floral motif was made using crochet work, while the edges featured geometric stitched patterns. I also wore the traditional gold fleco, and on this occasion the jewelry I used included a doblón necklace and a choker (ahogador) of great sentimental value, as both pieces belong to my mother. This dress was crafted by the artisan Francisco Javier Reyes Vázquez from the town of San Blas Atempa. This Tehuana dress uses an ancient technique that is now being revived, since velvet (terciopelo) is rarely used in contemporary Tehuana dressmaking.
As the final notes of the Vela faded, I realized that this experience was not only a personal honor but a reminder of the responsibility we carry. The Tehuana dresses, the rituals, the music, and the devotion of the community showed me how culture survives through practice, through memory, and through each generation choosing to keep it alive. Serving as queen of the Vela 27 strengthened my belief that our heritage is not something of the past, but a living tradition that continues to shape who we are.
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