Mexicali News, 1185 Oak Road, El Centro, CA (2026)

06/05/2026

Mexico invests 130 million pesos to upgrade highway to San Felipe

MEXICALI, Mexico — Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT) has launched a major highway improvement project on the Mexicali-San Felipe highway, backed by an investment of more than 130 million pesos (approximately $7.5 million USD).

The Baja California SICT Center announced that crews began repaving a 22.6-mile (36.5-kilometer) stretch of the highway this week. The project aims to substantially improve driving conditions and bolster road safety on a route heavily traveled by both local commuters and American tourists heading to the Gulf of California.

According to officials, the extensive roadwork will include surface and deep pothole repairs, asphalt milling, and the installation of a brand-new asphalt surface. To further enhance traffic safety, crews will also repaint lane markings and replace vertical road signs.

Construction kicked off at kilometer 134+500 near the “El Chinero” junction. Once that section is complete, crews will move down to kilometer 178+500, located at the main entrance to the coastal town of San Felipe.

Travel Advisory: Drivers heading south to San Felipe should anticipate construction delays and look out for workers and heavy machinery in these zones.

The repaving initiative coincides with the “MegaBachetón 2026,” a larger pothole repair and right-of-way clearing program covering the entirety of the 118-mile (190-kilometer) Mexicali-San Felipe highway.

These projects are part of a massive regional infrastructure push. For 2026, Mexico has allocated a budget of more than 1 billion pesos (around $58 million USD) solely for the maintenance and conservation of Baja California’s toll-free federal highway network.

Beyond the San Felipe route, the Baja California SICT Center confirmed that maintenance crews are simultaneously working on several other critical corridors across the peninsula, including:

Lázaro Cárdenas - Punta Prieta - Paralelo 28

Mexicali - San Luis Río Colorado

Ensenada - El Chinero

Ensenada - Lázaro Cárdenas

Tijuana – Ensenada

Tecate - El Sauzal

The sweeping upgrades are expected to significantly smoothen cross-border travel and regional commerce throughout Baja California.

06/05/2026

Animal cruelty citations skyrocket in Mexicali as citizen reports surge

MEXICALI, Mexico — Animal cruelty fines in this Mexican border city have skyrocketed over the last five years, driven by a sharp rise in citizens reporting neglected pets, local authorities said.

Annual citations issued for animal abuse surged from just 27 in 2021 to 628 in 2025, according to Isaura Isabel Godina Camarena, head of the Environmental Unit of the Mexicali Police Department, La Voz newspaper reported.

The upward trend is accelerating into 2026, with 369 sanctions already issued against irresponsible pet owners during the first four months of the year.

A Rise in Citizen Actions

Officials attribute the dramatic spike in statistics to a cultural shift in public awareness rather than a sudden increase in abuse.

“We have detected an increase in the complaints that people are making,” Godina Camarena said. “We see a lot of interest from citizens in addressing these highly sensitive issues. They have always existed, but now people are more encouraged to report them.”

Residents are utilizing Mexico's 089 anonymous hotline—which connects to the State Attorney General’s Office (FGE) and allows for video evidence submissions—as well as the traditional 911 emergency line, which dispatches the local Environmental Police.

The most common reports involve dogs left tied up directly under the desert sun, deprivation of food or water, severe tick infestations, and animals forced to live in feces-ridden environments.

Fines and Legal Consequences

Under local regulations, financial penalties vary based on the severity of the neglect:

Basic Neglect: Fines range from approximately $65 to $260 USD (10 to 40 UMA, Mexico's economic index units) for deprivation of food, exposure to severe weather, or confinement in small cages.

Public Health Risks: Fines jump up to $1,300 USD (200 UMA) for exposing animals to infections or failing to clean up waste.

“In this last category, we are not just talking about the risk to the dog, but also about a public health issue,” Godina Camarena noted.

The neighborhoods seeing the highest volume of interventions include Hacienda Los Portales, the “Pueblas” sectors, Santa Isabel, Lomas Altas, and Valle de Puebla.

Administrative Sued vs. Criminal Charges

Environmental police evaluate each call based on the animal’s condition and the owner’s cooperation. If an owner is receptive and agrees to improve their pet’s living conditions, the intervention may end with a simple administrative fine.

However, defiance changes the legal landscape.

“Once a person is aware that they are committing an act against the animal, the situation can escalate to animal cruelty,” Godina Camarena emphasized. “It is no longer out of ignorance; there is an intent to harm the dog.”

For minor cases, the Municipal Animal Control Center (Cemca) conducts routine inspections. But in severe instances where an animal’s life is in immediate danger or owners refuse to comply, police file an official report to secure a search warrant from the FGE. State investigative agents can then raid the property and rescue the animal.

While the vast majority of cases involve dogs, the unit has also intervened to assist cats, horses, sheep, raccoons, and even a wild boar in urban areas.

Strict Penalties Under the Law

Baja California state law legally recognizes animals as sentient beings deserving of dignified treatment.

Under Article 342 of the State Penal Code, intentional animal abuse or cruelty carries a prison sentence of three months to two years, alongside criminal fines. Depending on the gravity of the negligence or physical harm, aggregated penalties for extreme cruelty can reach up to eight years in prison, hefty fines, and placement on an abusers' registry.

Authorities continue to urge the public to report neglect. Witnesses can file reports through the state’s Department of Environment and Sustainable Development portal—where they can upload photo or video evidence—or by calling 911 and 089.

06/05/2026

LAW ENFORCEMENT
Mexicali cop brings home four medals from International Police Games in France

MEXICALI, Mexico — A local police officer is being celebrated as a hometown hero after a dominant, four-medal performance at the EuroGames112, an international sports competition for first responders held this year in Albi, France.

Officer Aurora Pérez López, a member of the Mexicali Municipal Police Department, represented the state of Baja California on the global stage, showcasing elite athleticism alongside her commitment to public safety.

Pérez López captured two gold and two silver medals across three different disciplines:

Gold: Powerlifting

Gold: Arm wrestling (Left arm)

Silver: Arm wrestling (Right arm)

Silver: 100-meter dash

Department officials praised Pérez López for balancing the demanding nature of police work with high-level athletic training. The agency noted that her dedication serves as a prime example of how sports can be used within the department to promote physical health, manage stress, and reinforce wellness strategies for active-duty officers.

“Officer Pérez López has proven to be an outstanding athlete who seamlessly combines the vocation to serve and protect with a passion for sports,” the department said in a statement.

Her journey to the European competition was made possible through financial and logistical backing from the Mexicali Police Department. Additional funding was provided by local business leaders through the Business Alliance Patronage for Public Safety, a community board dedicated to supporting officers who pursue excellence outside their traditional policing duties.

With her historic medal haul, Pérez López joins a select group of international first responders recognized for peak physical performance, bringing pride to both her department and the border community of Mexicali.

06/04/2026

Baja California rejects early switch to online learning despite scorching heat

MEXICALI, Mexico — Baja California education officials have rejected a proposal to switch schools to online learning early despite soaring temperatures in the region, insisting that classrooms will remain open until late June.

School inspectors had pushed for in-person classes in Mexicali to end on June 12 to protect students from the extreme desert heat. However, Irma Martínez Manríquez, the head of the Baja California Department of Education, stated that the current school calendar already accounts for the city's notorious climate and must be legally fulfilled, La Crónica newspaper reported.

“We must prioritize educational service,” Martínez Manríquez said. "The law mandates that we work with children for 185 days, and that is exactly what the school calendar contemplates.”

While acknowledges that various disruptions impacted instruction earlier in the academic year, Martínez Manríquez said shortening in-person learning any further would violate current regulations.

Though she scheduled a meeting to hear out the inspectors' proposal, she reiterated that the official calendar keeps students in classrooms until June 25.

“The calendar is adapted to Mexicali's weather conditions,” she said. “We are currently at 104 degrees (40 Celsius), and next week temperatures are forecast between 98 and 100 degrees (37 to 38 Celsius). These are conditions this city has historically faced, and we have always continued school activities during June.”

Following the final day of classes on June 25, teachers will participate in a school technical council session on June 26, meaning students will already be dismissed.

Beginning June 29, the district will transition to a virtual format. However, Martínez Manríquez clarified that this period is reserved for teachers to provide targeted online remediation for students needing extra help in core areas like mathematics, reading, and comprehension.

06/04/2026

Baja California agriculture industry reaches $1.1 billion in annual value, officials say

MEXICALI, Mexico — Baja California’s agricultural sector has reached an annual production value exceeding 23 billion pesos (approximately $1.1 billion USD) and now supports more than 120,000 direct jobs, Gov. Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda announced.

Speaking at an event highlighting the region's food production strengths, Avila Olmeda credited local farming families for cementing the Mexican state's status as an agribusiness powerhouse.

The announcement coincides with the launch of “Sabores del Campo” (Flavors of the Countryside), a state-sponsored campaign designed to promote local consumption, lower prices for regional families, and boost market opportunities for farmers.

“Behind every vegetable, every bottle of wine, every date, and every product from the sea or land that reaches our tables, there are families who wake up early and work every single day,” Avila Olmeda said. “Our countryside generates well-being for thousands of families.”

Baja California continues to hold several top spots in Mexico's national agricultural rankings:

The Guadalupe Valley produces 75% of Mexico’s wine.

San Quintín leads the country in strawberry and raspberry production.

Mexicali ranks second nationally in high-quality date production and remains a major competitor in the international livestock industry.

To help small producers scale their businesses, Mónica Vargas Núñez, secretary of agriculture and rural development (SADER BC), said the state is providing resources through its Agribusiness Center. The center offers business incubation, specialized mentoring, and legal advice to help farmers build sustainable brands.

Vargas Núñez also confirmed the state is offering grants of up to 40,000 pesos (about $2,000 USD) per project to help local businesses comply with NOM 251, a Mexican health and safety standard. The funding is intended to upgrade processing equipment, packaging, and labeling.

As part of the economic push, the state government is partnering with the restaurant industry to get more locally grown ingredients onto regional menus.

In coordination with the Mexicali branch of the National Chamber of the Restaurant and Seasoned Food Industry (CANIRAC), led by Alan Diego Valenzuela Villa, officials invited the public to a culinary and agricultural showcase. The “Sabores del Campo” event will take place on June 13 at the Plaza Santo Tomás in Ensenada, aiming to connect local producers directly with restaurants and families.

06/02/2026

Baja California launches new tourism strategy
MEXICO CITY — Baja California launched a major new tourism strategy Monday, designed to position the Mexican border state as a deeply human, culturally rich, and inclusive destination for international and domestic travelers.
The campaign, titled “Baja California es para ti” (Baja California is for You), was unveiled by Baja California Gov. Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda alongside Mexico’s federal Secretary of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, at an event drawing top leaders from the culinary, cultural, and business sectors.
Departing from traditional luxury travel marketing, the new initiative focuses heavily on sustainability, community-based tourism, and the local workers who define the region.
“In Baja California, we understand something very important: true luxury does not start at the table,” Gov. Avila Olmeda said during the presentation. “It starts in the earth. It starts in the sea. It starts in the countryside. It starts in the hands of our people.”
To emphasize the state's deep cultural roots, the launch featured the “Harmonization of the Peoples,” a ceremony led by representatives from the Indigenous Pai Pai, Kumiai, Cochimí, and Cucapah communities. Officials noted that acknowledging these ancestral roots is essential to showcasing the true identity of Baja California.
A centerpiece of the campaign is a new promotional video featuring a custom acoustic version of the hit song “Eres para mí” by Grammy-winning, Tijuana-born singer-songwriter Julieta Venegas.
“We are deeply grateful and proud to have Julieta Venegas in this project,” Avila Olmeda said. “Her voice, career, and the love she has always shown for Baja California help us share the essence of our land and our people.”
The launch event also highlighted the state’s booming culinary reputation, which has become a primary driver for U.S. tourism—particularly from neighboring California. A gastronomic showcase featured renowned regional chefs, including Javier Plascencia, Marcelo Hisaki, Drew Deckman, and Benito Molina, alongside sommelier Judith Medrano and craft brewer Eugenio Romero.
Mexico’s Tourism Secretary Rodríguez Zamora praised the region's farm-to-table and sea-to-table pipeline. “The gastronomy here begins in the sea, in the fields, in the vineyards, in the wineries, in the craft beer, and in the hands of those who produce, cook, ferment, and tell stories through flavor,” she said.
Baja California Tourism Secretary Miguel Ángel Badiola Montaño emphasized that the campaign aims to capture the diverse experiences available to modern travelers, from the wine valleys of Ensenada to the bustling cultural hubs of Tijuana and Mexicali.
“‘Baja California es para ti’ was born precisely from that: to show who we are and to share the way we live and welcome those who arrive in our land,” Sec. Badiola Montaño said.

06/02/2026

Mexicali Police warn of scam

MEXICALI, Baja California — Local authorities are warning residents to be on high alert after a new text message scam surfaced Monday morning, attempting to trick drivers into paying fake traffic tickets through a fraudulent website link.

The Mexicali Police Department issued a public warning June 1, advising citizens to ignore messages originating from the 921 area code — which belongs to Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, located more than 1,500 miles away in southeastern Mexico.

Mexicali Police Chief Luis Felipe Chan Baltazar emphasized that the city does not use text messages to collect traffic fines or contact citizens directly regarding outstanding citations.

“It is vital for the public to stay alert to these tactics to protect their hard-earned money,” Chan Baltazar said, noting that the city currently has no digital infrastructure or service setup that operates this way.

How to stay safe and report the scam

Authorities are urging anyone who receives the message to take the following immediate steps:

Do not click: Avoid opening any links provided in the text message.

Do not share info: Never input personal, banking, or vehicle information into unverified websites.

Report it: Forward any suspicious messages to the 089 anonymous hotline, where state and federal authorities are actively tracking cybercrimes.

The police is currently coordinating with the Baja California Secretariat of Citizen Security to strengthen regional prevention efforts and counter evolving digital fraud methods targeting local citizens.

05/27/2026

Tragedy and heroism: Police rescue two from canal, good Samaritan drowns

MEXICALI, Mexico — A teenage boy and a man were rescued from a fast-moving canal in the southern Mexicali Valley on Tuesday afternoon, but a bystander who jumped in to help them drowned before police arrived, authorities said.

The incident occurred just before 1 p.m. near the Terán Terán Bridge in the rural community of Francisco Murguía, just south of the U.S.-Mexico border.

A Mexicali Municipal Police officer on a routine patrol noticed two people being swept away by the canal's current and shouting for help. The officer immediately dove into the water and pulled a 12-year-old boy to safety.

Two additional officers arrived shortly after, pulling a 39-year-old man from the canal. A woman, who was also part of the group, had managed to scramble to the riverbank on her own before police arrived.

However, the rescue turned tragic when authorities learned that a local man had spotted the struggling family earlier and jumped into the canal to assist. The powerful current overwhelmed him, and he drowned minutes later. His identity has not yet been released.

Mexican Red Cross paramedics treated the surviving family members at the scene before transporting them to a local hospital for specialized medical care.

The Mexicali Valley canal system, which carries Colorado River water to agricultural fields and urban areas, is notorious for its deceptively strong and dangerous currents. Local authorities frequently warn residents against swimming in the channels, especially as temperatures rise ahead of the summer months.

05/27/2026

Baja California engineering students headed to Global Underwater Robotics Championship in Canada

MEXICALI, Mexico — Facing freezing waters, heavy waves, and strong currents, a team of engineering students from Baja California is preparing to test their mettle on the global stage.

The SeaFox Inventive team, hailing from the CETYS University Campus Mexicali School of Engineering, is finalizing preparations for the 2026 MATE ROV World Championship. The prestigious underwater robotics competition will take place from June 25 to 27 in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

This year’s technical challenge will push the student-built remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to its limits. The prototype must adapt to and operate in three harsh conditions: water currents of one meter per second, simulated wave action, and near-freezing temperatures.

“What we are looking for is to develop a prototype capable of performing efficiently in different environments and successfully completing each of the tasks set for this competition,” said Francisco Andrés Millán Vázquez, an electronic cybernetics engineering student.

The SeaFox team first qualified for the event in 2019 and has earned a spot at the world championship every year since, according to Dr. Luis Carlos Básaca Preciado, a CETYS professor and the team’s head coach. Qualification requires teams to submit a rigorous video demonstration showcasing the robot's mission capabilities.

Overcoming Logistics and Distance

This year’s tournament brings a unique set of challenges, marking the first time the world championship will be held outside of the United States.

“Being the first time that the world cup will be outside the United States, it has been both a logistical and technical challenge to transport the submarine,” Millán Vázquez said, noting that the team is meticulously packing the prototype to ensure it survives the long journey to eastern Canada undamaged.

To prepare for the rigorous competition, the team relied on a collaborative ecosystem at CETYS. Older students and members from other campus robotics teams mentored the younger undergraduates, supplemented by guidance from faculty advisors Mario Ramos and Leonardo Ortega Lomelí.

Beyond the Engineering Lab

While technical prowess is critical, team members emphasized that the competition requires a well-rounded skill set.

Ana Karima Plasencia Ramírez, a sixth-semester electronic cybernetics engineering student, credited the university with providing platforms to pitch the project, receive feedback, and refine interpersonal skills.

“They have also helped us in presentations, feedback, and strengthening soft skills, which in the end are what help us make ourselves known and show the passion that exists within the team,” Plasencia Ramírez said.

University leadership viewed the project as a prime example of holistic education. Dr. Básaca Preciado emphasized that the entirely voluntary project fosters accountability and global readiness.

“These experiences foster a sense of belonging, responsibility, and commitment in students,” Básaca Preciado said. “It also gives them the opportunity to present in English before international judges and coexist with teams from all over the world, consolidating a unique formative experience that projects Baja California talent on a global level.”

05/26/2026

Mexicali Police arrest man accused of kicking pet pug

MEXICALI, Mexico — Local authorities arrested a 36-year-old man Monday after neighbors reported him repeatedly kicking his pet pug in a residential neighborhood just south of the U.S.–Mexico border.

The arrest took place on Alcanar Street in the Lomas Altas subdivision of Mexicali, Baja California, according to a statement from the Mexicali Municipal Public Security Directorate (DSPM).

Officers responded to the scene after receiving an emergency 911 call from concerned residents. Witnesses told police they spotted the suspect continuously kicking the dog. Despite neighbors confronting the man and pleading with him to stop, he refused to cease the abuse.

Police intervened and detained the suspect, identified only as Lázaro “N” in accordance with Mexican legal procedures regarding accused individuals.

The dog, a pug, was safely removed from the scene and turned over to staff from the Municipal Animal Control Center (CEMCA). Agency officials confirmed the dog is now under their protective custody and care.

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