Simon Romero
@simonromero.bsky.social
4.5K followers 370 following 28 posts
NYT Correspondent in Mexico City. Previous postings: Caracas, Rio, Houston, Albuquerque, São Paulo. New Mexico born & raised
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simonromero.bsky.social
Remote workers in Mexico City are facing the ire of protesters.

This wave of anger against relatively well-heeled foreigners didn't come out of nowhere.

Our explainer:

www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/w...
Why Are Protesters in Mexico City Angry at Remote Workers?
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
The new chief justice of Mexico's Supreme Court started life as a goatherd in a remote Mixtec-speaking village in Oaxaca.

I interviewed Hugo Aguilar Ortiz for this story:

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/23/w...
He Was a Goatherd as a Boy. Now He’ll Lead Mexico’s Top Court.
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
Mexico's sweeping judicial overhaul is getting off to a rocky start: Nearly 90 percent of voters opted not to cast ballots, an exceptional level of abstention.

Our analysis:

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/02/w...
Low Turnout in Mexico’s Far-Reaching Judicial Election Fuels Legitimacy Concerns
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
Hello! Good to be in touch!
simonromero.bsky.social
Now fears are emerging that the Trump administration could weaponize this trade, much in the way that Russia moved in 2022 to cut off gas supplies to Europe

My latest, exploring what this reliance means at a time of simmering tensions over trade, migration, fentanyl

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/w...
Mexico’s Reliance on U.S. Natural Gas Could Be Its Achilles’ Heel (Gift Article)
Mexico’s imports of U.S. natural gas are surging, kindling fears that the Trump administration could weaponize this trade.
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
Aiming to appease Trump, Mexico is hitting China with tariffs, deploying thousands of troops to deter migration, handing cartel leaders over to the United States and using C.I.A. intelligence to hunt down others.

Will that be enough to stave off tariffs?

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/u...
Mexico’s Response to Trump’s Tariffs: Troops, Cartels and China
Aiming to appease President Trump, Mexico is hitting China with tariffs, handing cartel leaders over to the United States and using C.I.A. intelligence to hunt down others.
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
After Mexico reached a deal to avoid tariffs -- for now -- I joined colleagues at The Daily to discuss trade tensions between Mexico and the United States.

We explored the question: Where does North America go from here?

www.nytimes.com/2025/02/04/p...
How North America Averted a Trade War, for Now
Mexico and Canada persuaded President Trump to delay a threatened 25 percent tariff, hours before it was scheduled to bite.
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
NEW: Trump hits Colombia with 25% tariffs + sanctions

--Colombia's president rejected U.S. military deportation flights

--Measures call into question Colombia's longtime status as a top ally in Latin America

--Brazil also complained about treatment of deportees

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/26/w...
Trump Hits Colombia With Tariffs in Feud Over Military Deportation Flights
Gustavo Petro said that the United States should not treat Colombian migrants as criminals and that he had already turned away U.S. military flights carrying deportees.
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
--Some extortion payments, even if made under duress, could be considered “material support” to cartels

--Banks could ultimately decide to avoid entire sectors perceived as high risk
simonromero.bsky.social
--Companies and individuals face severe penalties — including fines, asset seizures and criminal charges — for paying ransom or extortion payments

--Cartels have extended their operations far beyond drug trafficking and human smuggling
simonromero.bsky.social
What border crisis?

--Unlawful border crossings are at their lowest level in years

--Migrant shelters in Mexico's border cities are way under capacity

--Movement through the Darién Gap is falling sharply

Our story:

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/w...
What Border Crisis? Mexican Migrant Shelters Are Quiet Ahead of Trump
Ahead of the inauguration, migrant shelters south of the Rio Grande are far from full, a reflection of the tougher measures imposed on both sides of the border.
www.nytimes.com
simonromero.bsky.social
Crispín Agustín Mendoza has been many things in his life: undocumented migrant in California, college graduate, successful businessman, returnee to Mexico

Now he's facing attempts on his life as mayor of a small town in Guerrero

My profile of Crispín:

www.nytimes.com/2025/01/01/w...
A Mexican Mayor’s Odyssey: From Undocumented Migrant to Cartel Target
A former undocumented resident of California who now runs a town in Mexico, Crispín Agustín Mendoza has survived one assassination attempt. But he says, “I have to learn how to survive.”
www.nytimes.com
Reposted by Simon Romero
aheard.bsky.social
Breaking news related to two big stories by @SearchlightNM's
@MrJoshuaBowling about lavish spending by a university president who's married to Valerie Plame. First one here, from late 2023: searchlightnm.org/the-finer-th...
cosmicbowling.bsky.social
BREAKING: NM Office of the State Auditor says Western New Mexico University has "engaged in the waste of public funds" after my reporting first shed light on the small-town uni

"Wasteful," "improper" & "non-compliant" spending incl $214K on travel & $149K on credit cards, incl luxury furniture 1/
A letter from the Office of the State Auditor announced on Tuesday morning that Western New Mexico University has engaged in "wasteful," "improper" and "non-compliant" spending.