From Jorge

This week’s articles look at what happens when Mexico stops being explained and starts being run. A Mexican company takes control of a global brand. Tourism is presented with coherence instead of spectacle. A place like Cerritos in Baja California Sur is growing loudly. And a real-estate transaction is derailed by something as small and as unforgiving as a name that doesn’t match. Different arenas, same lesson: systems reward precision, not assumptions. These pieces show where that precision is taking hold, and where ignoring it still comes at a cost..

Subject of the Week

.

Every January, FITUR turns Madrid into the world’s tourism nerve center, not the brochure version, the real one. It’s where countries quietly show how they see themselves.

This year, Mexico showed up settled.

As Partner Country, the scale was obvious: its largest pavilion ever, all 32 states present. But size wasn’t the story. Coherence was. Mexico wasn’t sold in fragments, beaches here, culture there, it flowed as one narrative. Confident. Integrated. Comfortable.

You could feel it in the pace. Meetings stacked on meetings. Delegations moving with purpose. Cultural moments that felt real, not staged. And importantly, it wasn’t just officials talking to officials. Private operators and partners were clearly part of the same conversation.

That tone reflects leadership. Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, the youngest Secretary of Tourism in Mexico’s history, has brought a quieter rhythm: less noise, more execution. Mexico didn’t look like it was trying to convince anyone, more like it was refining something already working.

When FITUR packed up, what remained was perception. And Mexico left positioned exactly where it should be: visible, reliable, and comfortable on the global stage.

Not louder than everyone else. Just more assured.

How do you feel about Mexico’s tourism and tourist promotion?

.

.

In Mexico, your legal name is not a suggestion. It’s not “close enough.” And it definitely doesn’t care what your mother, spouse, or college buddies have called you for 30 years. Your legal identity is exactly what appears on your official documents, (passport ultimately), letter for letter, accent for accent. This is one of those details that feels petty… right up until it stops a transaction cold.

Here’s the part that surprises foreigners: Mexico’s system isn’t built to infer. Notaries, banks, and government offices aren’t allowed to “connect the dots.” Their job isn’t to guess who you are, it’s to prove it on paper. So no: Bill is not William. Cristine is not Christine. And “everyone knows it’s me” is not a legal argument, no matter how confidently it’s delivered.

Where does this usually go wrong? In all the predictable human ways: nicknames and shortened names, one-letter spelling differences, missing or extra middle names, married vs. maiden last names, or a passport that evolved over time while the fideicomiso stayed frozen in the year it was signed. The problem is these mismatches don’t announce themselves early. They show up late, when you’re about to sell, amend the title, change beneficiaries, refinance, inherit, or move funds, basically when patience is low and someone has already booked a flight.

And yes, the fix is usually possible. But it’s rarely quick. It can involve marriage certificates, apostilles, translations, bank compliance reviews, notary protocols, and the bureaucratic equivalent of repeating, politely, that you are still the same person you were yesterday. The irony is that what caused the delay can be almost laughably small, an extra letter, a missing accent, one unused middle name, but the consequence is never small: unwanted delays, rescheduled signatures, and avoidable friction right at the finish line.

This is exactly why we treat identity alignment as part of “real due diligence,” not a footnote. At ILT, we use the free Mini-Scan to catch obvious mismatches early, and Onsite Analytics when you want a full, structured review of your title and supporting documents, the kind that flags issues before they become expensive calendar problems. It’s not drama prevention. It’s delay prevention.

If you’re planning a sale, an amendment, or any type of change to your fideicomiso or title, contact us before you start moving pieces. A quick review now can save weeks later. Email me at [email protected] or visit ilt.com.mx and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Because the best legal problem is the one that never becomes a story.
And this one is very preventable.

Do you have a situation like this one, need assistance?

.

.

Cerritos didn’t wake up one morning and decide to become “the next thing.”

It drifted there, wave by wave.

Known formally as Playa Los Cerritos, this crescent of Pacific coastline near El Pescadero spent decades as a local secret: fishermen, a lone restaurant, dirt roads, and a surf break forgiving enough to teach beginners without punishing mistakes  .

That DNA still matters. But Cerritos is clearly entering a new phase.

The Snapshot

 Think evolution, not explosion.

What’s Changing (and What Isn’t)

Cerritos is “growing up,” but on its own terms.

On one end of the market, thoughtfully designed, low-density homes in the $1M–$3M range are gaining traction, projects that respect topography, limit scale, and lean into space rather than spectacle.

On the other end, there’s a growing glut of sub-$500K condos, many chasing demand that hasn’t fully materialized yet. Same beach. Very different outcomes.

What hasn’t changed:

That combination is exactly why Cerritos keeps attracting a certain kind of buyer, patient, lifestyle-driven, and allergic to overdevelopment.

The Friction Points

Every emerging destination has its growing pains. Cerritos is no exception.

The most visible tension comes from long-running land disputes involving the local ejido, particularly around beach access and service areas. Authorities have stepped in at times, dismantling unauthorized structures and reopening public roads, a reminder that land tenure here isn’t theoretical; it’s operational  .

Add to that:

This isn’t chaos, but it does reward caution.

Why Cerritos Still Works

Despite the noise, Cerritos keeps its edge because it hasn’t tried to be everything.

And that’s the point.

The buyers leaning in now aren’t chasing flips. They’re land-banking lifestyle, betting that Cerritos’ blend of surf, space, and restraint will age better than louder alternatives.

The Takeaway

Cerritos isn’t booming.

It’s maturing.

Slowly. Unevenly. With personality intact.

If you’re watching Baja’s coastline, this is one of those places where the story isn’t about speed, it’s about whether growth can happen without erasing what made people show up in the first place.

Your Turn

When a place like Cerritos grows, what matters more to you: polish, or preserving the rough edges that made it special?

.

.

Betterware, Tupperware, and the Quiet Reversal of Corporate Gravity

For decades, the story ran one way. Iconic U.S. brands expanded south, planted flags across Latin America, and built household recognition that felt permanent. This week, that script flipped, quietly, decisively, and with very Mexican confidence.

Betterware de México has agreed to acquire Tupperware’s Latin American operations for roughly $250 million. Not a licensing deal. Not a joint venture. Full control, plus perpetual rights to the Tupperware name across the region.

It’s not just a transaction. It’s a signal.

The Short Version: Why This Deal Works

Strip away the nostalgia and the headlines, and this acquisition is surprisingly practical.

Tupperware’s Latin American business wasn’t broken, it was under-optimized. Manufacturing plants in Mexico and Brazil were running well below capacity. The sales network was intact. The brand still meant something to consumers. What it lacked was alignment.

Betterware brings that alignment.

Financially, the purchase price sits far below global industry multiples, making the deal immediately accretive. Operationally, Betterware can push volume through existing factories, lower unit costs, and improve margins across its portfolio. Strategically, it gains a household name without spending years, or billions, building one.

This isn’t brand collecting. It’s balance-sheet discipline.

The Unusual Partner: When Mexico Buys the Brand

Here’s the part that still catches people off guard.

We’re used to seeing Mexican operations acquired by U.S. or European parents. This is the reverse: a Mexican company buying control of an American icon, at least for Latin America.

But it’s not unprecedented.

Sears didn’t vanish in Mexico when it collapsed in the U.S.; it continued operating under regional ownership, adapted to local consumers. Del Monte’s Latin American business has long followed a similar path, closer to farms, logistics, and markets than any distant headquarters.

The pattern is subtle but consistent:
when brands age, proximity beats pedigree.

Local operators often understand pricing, distribution, and consumer behavior better than global brand stewards managing from afar. Ownership follows competence.

Why It Matters

Zoom out, and this deal says more about Mexico than about plastic containers.

Mexico isn’t just hosting global brands anymore. It’s selectively acquiring them, regionalizing them, and running them better than their original owners could.

No flags. No fanfare. Just execution.

The real question isn’t why Betterware bought Tupperware.
It’s how many other “American” brands are already more Latin American than anyone wants to admit.

.