Foreign residents living in Mexico face a critical decision about estate planning that could save their families thousands of dollars and months of legal complications. While there’s no legal requirement to have a will in Mexico, experts overwhelmingly recommend that expats create a Mexican testament, especially if they own property. The answer is straightforward: Yes,…
The art community is mourning the death of Mérida sculptor Jorge Guerra, known for his reclaimed wooden branches sold on the Paseo Montejo as charming, often whimsical pieces that capture the essence of nature and humanity. His unique artistic vision and commitment to environmental sustainability made him a beloved figure in Mexico’s contemporary art scene….
Editor’s note: Robert Kimsey was in his late 80s when we interviewed him for Issue 6 in 2022. After learning that he recently passed away, we searched our archive for the article so we could post it today. The story of his life with his loving wife, Tonia, is worth repeating. In their 80s, this…
Carol Kolozs Fischer, whose second act in life was to cement Mérida’s reputation for luxury, died on June 17 after a private battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 77. News of his passing started circulating more than a week after his death in Miami. Carol’s business dealings were broad, but he was best known for…
Mayra Alejandro, who served on the Merida English Library board and helped set up a local Democrats Abroad chapter, died Wednesday in her homeland of Puerto Rico after battling cancer. Her family was by her side, according to an announcement by MEL. In volunteering among Mérida’s international community, Mayra drew on her experience working at…
For 24 hours in early 1975, Yucatán was electrified by a visit from Queen Elizabeth II, who died today at age 96. On Feb. 27 of that year, the sovereign arrived with her husband Prince Philip — who died in April 2021 — at the newly opened Mérida airport. There, she was received by President…
An illegal lasso tournament in the Kanasín community of San Antonio Tehuitz ended in tragedy Sunday when an 18-year-old vaquero slipped from his horse in the path of a charging bull. The cowboy, a local man whose identity was not announced, was gored in the Plaza de Toros El Retoño arena. A packed stadium erupted…
David Heath, for whom I had the pleasure of shepherding his numerous late-in-life books, died this week. He was 79 years old and ailing, yet his death came as a shock. David, known to readers as DG Heath, was a steadfast member of the Mérida Writers Group, honing his craft that began with letters to…
Mérida lost one of its most colorful and beloved raconteurs when Alberto Salum, co-owner of the once-famous Alberto’s Continental, passed away on Oct. 1. For decades, his Continental restaurant and patio were a must-see for visitors, and he was its gregarious host. Major media took note and world travelers packed Alberto’s for years. Alberto’s, a…
Just this past June, a 16-year-old terrier named Fitz found late-in-life stardom. It was later than we’d hoped. Fitz died suddenly Wednesday. The cause of death was not disclosed. Fitz was the protagonist of a book that gathered photos taken throughout Yucatán over the years. The project, “My Days: Inspiration from a Curious Dog,” was…
Family and friends said their last goodbyes this week to Jorge Durán y Coral, who at 112 years and 90 days was either the oldest or the second-oldest person in Yucatán. “Don Chep,” as he was known, was a veteran sailor who lived in the quiet coastal village of San Felipe. He was born in…
A Canadian man was found dead this morning inside a rental property on Calle 47 near La Plancha.
TV actor Rodrigo Mejía, who starred in soap operas such as “Cuidado con el Ángel,” “Mundo de Fieras” and “Una Maid en Manhattan,” died in Mérida after losing a battle with COVID. He was 45 and left behind a wife and two children. His father previously died from the coronavirus, local media reported. View this…
After being hospitalized with coronavirus, Yucatán trova singer Tony Espinosa — “El Señor Amor” — died Wednesday. He was 68. Born Antonio Espinosa Becerra in Oxkutzcab on June 11, 1952, the singer launched his trova career at 20. Earlier: ‘El Señor Amor’ finds a new neighborhood In Mérida, he received guitar advice from the notable…
A son of immigrants from Yucatán, who grew up to be an A-list art director in the United States, has died at age 91 after a brief illness. Jorge Ancona, an award-winning photographer, documentary cinematographer, and later, author of over 100 children’s books, succumbed after a brief illness on New Year’s Day, the Santa Fe…
Juan Pablo Manzanero warns that his famous father’s death is a lesson against lowering our guard against COVID-19. Armando Manzanero, the famed Yucatan-born balladeer, died early Monday after a battle with COVID-19. Since at least October, he had been traveling despite general advice against it. But that was too much for the elder Manzanero, who…
Armando Manzanero Canché, the modern era’s most acclaimed Yucatecan musician, died early today in Mexico City after battling COVID-19. Yucatán Gov. Mauricio Vila Dosal confirmed the news this morning. The trova legend was hospitalized Dec. 17 after testing positive for coronavirus, five days after also defying warnings against unnecessary travel by flying to Mérida to…
Peter Dow Clain passed away in his beloved Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico home on Dec. 4 after valiantly enduring a long illness at the age of 72. Peter was born in Swampscott, Massachusetts, on Nov. 9, 1948 to Philip L. Clain and Karen Dow Clain. He attended schools in Swampscott and graduated from Swampscott High School….
The Lucas de Gálvez market has lost its dancing queen. Paloma Santos Chan was a colorful fixture at the city’s large mercado, coming in regularly from her native Izamal just to perform cumbia and salsa for the public. When the pandemic struck, she turned more to social media to attract an audience. The “Queen of the…
First-District Judge Luis Edwin Mugarte Guerrero died after battling a COVID-19 infection, the Yucatan state judiciary announced. The prominent judge died Saturday three weeks after entering Centro de Especialidades Médicas del Sureste, a private clinic in Merida’s hotel zone. Just days ago, as his condition worsened, relatives were publicly asking for blood donations. Mugarte, known…
Adolfo Patron Luján, who in retirement returned to his native Merida to become a key figure in Yucatan’s cultural life, died Saturday at 93.
Merida, Yucatan — A man, 36, was the first in Yucatan to die of COVID-19 as the the number of coronavirus cases spiked Friday. An additional seven COVID-19 cases were counted, bringing the official count to 61. A pre-existing condition, obesity, was attributed to the death of the man, whose identity was not revealed. Most…
The original “House Hunters” narrator, whose cable program has converted countless U.S. viewers into globetrotting expats, has died. Gifted with a smooth, calm voice that provided the narration for the HGTV program for nine years, Suzanne Whang died Tuesday at age 56 after a long, off-and-on battle with breast cancer. Whang narrated the first of…
Gene Crane, 99, died after a fall in his San Miguel home.
That’s all for now
That’s all for now