¡Hola amigos! This week, Canada’s in Mexico talking trade, Mexico asks China to buy more of its goods, Salma Hayek speaks at the National Palace, and President Sheinbaum moves to negotiate lower medicine prices directly with pharmaceutical companies. Meanwhile, the Senate just shut down its beauty salon.

Plus, why “we’ve been together forever” may not count legally in Mexico, the young innovators redefining Mexico’s future, and the two-word Spanish phrase that somehow works in almost every situation.

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❓México Trivia

Which Mexican city is famous for its underground Chinatown and once had more Chinese than Mexicans?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

📣 México News Roundup

🚨 The seismic alert will sound at 11:00 am on Wednesday, Feb. 18 in Mexico City and the State of Mexico as part of a regional earthquake drill.

✈️ Mexican officials feared last Wednesday’s temporary closure of El Paso airspace signaled a possible U.S. incursion into Chihuahua.

💊 President Sheinbaum will seek lower medicine prices through direct talks with pharmaceutical companies (not price caps) and expand domestic vaccine production.

🇨🇦 More than 370 Canadian business leaders are in Mexico this week on Canada’s largest trade mission in decades, aiming to deepen ties ahead of the CUSMA review.

🇨🇳 Mexico urged China to buy more Mexican goods during high-level meetings in Beijing, despite new tariff reforms that make China the most impacted supplier. 

🇯🇵 Farmacias Similares is eyeing expansion into Japan. 

💇 Morena permanently shut down the beauty salon operating inside the Senate, ending in-house styling services for lawmakers. 

🎬 Salma Hayek joined President Sheinbaum at the National Palace, where she spoke in support of a new tax incentive program to boost domestic film and series production.

🎬 Mexico moved to overhaul its 1992 film law, introducing a 10% national screen quota and new protections against unauthorized AI use.

🥩Mexico’s basic food basket rose 5.1% in urban areas in January, exceeding the 3.8% headline inflation rate.

🛫 Aeroméxico temporarily paused plans to launch new U.S. routes after U.S. regulators revoked authorization for 13 routes.

🥊Mexico launched the “Boxing for Peace” program to train 100,000 young people in contact sports with government-backed monthly support for instructors.  

🍎 Your Health Pulse

Palliative Care in Mexico: Is It Covered by International Insurance?

Palliative care in Mexico can feel like uncharted territory, especially when dealing with international insurance. While many plans cover pain relief, nursing, and medical supplies, the fine print matters — pre-certification is mandatory and coverage often maxes out at 30 days.

Some policies include “home nursing,” but insurers demand detailed documentation before approval. Facing a denial? A strong appeal backed by medical records and clear communication could be the key to unlocking coverage.

Here’s what you need to know about palliative and hospice care coverage under international insurance policies.

Read more here

📍Immigration Essentials

Not Married in Mexico? You May Have No Legal Standing.

If you’re living together in Mexico but not legally married, your relationship may not be automatically recognized under Mexican law.

In Mexico, concubinato is the legal recognition of a common-law relationship – when two people live together as a couple without being formally married.

It grants certain rights similar to marriage, including inheritance, property rights, and in some cases, legal standing in medical, civil, or immigration matters.

Concubinato is not automatic…even if you’ve been together for years. 

To make it official, you’ll need to register your status with the civil registry (Registro Civil) or local DIF office in your state. Depending on your state, registration may be completed through the Civil Registry, before a notary, or through a Family Court judge.

To qualify, you typically need to prove: You’ve lived together in a stable, exclusive, and public relationship for at least two years OR you share a biological child. Also, both partners must be legally single and free of marriage to third parties.

To validate your status, some states may require:

• Signed declarations from both partners

• Proof of cohabitation (like a shared address)

• Statements from witnesses

• Birth certificates if you have children

• Valid ID and immigration documents

Once registered, you’ll receive a constancia de concubinato (official certificate), which can be used for legal processes like inheritance claims, accessing a partner’s medical care, or family legal proceedings.

Without it, your relationship may not be recognized by institutions under Mexican law – even if everyone around you sees you as a couple.

You may need to prove concubinato when:

• Applying for local benefits or health access

• Handling legal matters like wills or property disputes

• Medical emergencies where you need next-of-kin authority

• Entering into contracts or resolving civil matters together

Requirements and procedures vary by state. Check with your local Registro Civil or DIF office for up-to-date guidance where you live. If you’re not formally married and living in Mexico long-term, this is a step worth clarifying before you ever need it.

🇲🇽 Viva México

Mexico’s Rise on the Global Robotics Stage

Typically, Viva México stories look to the past. This week, we’re looking ahead to the young innovators redefining Mexico’s future.

Mexico’s brightest young minds aren’t just participating in global tech and innovation… they’re leading it.

In April 2024, students from PrepaTec San Luis Potosí made history as the first Mexican and Latin American team to advance to the finals of their division (Newton Division) at the FIRST Robotics World Championship. Held in Houston, it featured nearly 600 teams from 15 countries. Competitors design and program complex robots to solve real-world challenges. See the highlights here.

The team, known as LamBot, didn’t just reach the division finals – they also earned the prestigious Engineering Inspiration Award and the Champions Division Award, achievements that automatically qualified them for the 2025 championship.

Then, in August 2025, students from Chihuahua claimed first place at the World Robot Contest in Beijing. Their winning project, the “DOBOT Intelligent Manufacturing Challenge – Moon Landing Challenge,” featured a high-precision robotic arm designed to simulate lunar landings.

Mexico’s momentum in robotics isn’t new. 

In 2018, Mexican students earned silver medals at the FIRA RoboWorld Cup in Taiwan, demonstrating that the country’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) talent has been building steadily on the world stage.

The country’s commitment to young innovators also extends beyond its own borders.

In 2021, after the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan, Mexico granted asylum to 5 members of the all-girls Afghan Dreamers robotics team. They found not only protection, but also a country actively investing in the next generation of technical talent.

These wins, and the values behind them, reflect something larger. 

In cities across Mexico, robotics competitions are drawing crowds and sponsorships once reserved for major sporting events. From Guadalajara’s tech sector to aerospace hubs in Querétaro and research centers in Monterrey and Mexico City, it’s clear…

Mexico isn’t just preparing for the future. It’s helping build it.

🪷 Viva Wellness

The Supergreen Growing Wild Across Mexico

Move over kale. Step aside, spinach. There’s an ancient plant that outperforms both. While the modern wellness world is just now catching on to their powerful health benefits, amaranth greens have been a nutritional cornerstone for millennia.

Long before it was called a superfood, the Aztecs and other Mesoamerican cultures cultivated amaranth, consuming both its grains and the leafy greens. 

In Mexico, amaranth greens are known as quintonil – from the Nahuatl quiltonilli, meaning tender edible greens.

Quintonil belongs to a traditional category of edible wild greens known as quelites, resilient plants that sprout up in untended corners and thrive alongside crops. 

These humble greens are nutritional gold. Just one cup of cooked leaves delivers more calcium than a glass of milk, along with a significant dose of vitamin K. They’re also a good source of iron and provide more plant-based protein than most leafy greens.

Quintonil also delivers a powerful concentration of antioxidants – including betalains, the same potent pigments found in beets – which helps reduce inflammation and combat stress, environmental toxins, and aging.

Magnesium and potassium help regulate blood pressure, support steady blood sugar, and maintain proper muscle and nerve function. 

When you add naturally occurring phytonutrients that promote gut health and healthy cholesterol levels, you have a leafy green that supports everything from bone strength to metabolic balance.

Quintonil leaves have a slightly earthy, nutty flavor that works anywhere spinach does. Try them sautéed with garlic, folded into blue corn quesadillas, or prepared as a Mexican classic: quintonil con rajas with roasted poblanos and local cheese.

One note of caution: Like many leafy greens, quintonil contains naturally occurring nitrates, so it isn’t recommended for infants under six months.

If you missed last week’s article on amaranth grains, read it here.

🎉 ¡Vamos! Events

Festival del Papalote Tequisquiapan 2026 – Feb 21–22 & 28–Mar 1, Tequisquiapan, Querétaro
Tequisquiapan fills the skies over two festival weekends with kite exhibitions, workshops, and cultural activities at Parque La Pila. The event runs from 11 am to 7 pm and features invited kite flyers and food vendors in this Pueblo Mágico. More info here.

Rosarito Bachata Salsa Festival 2026 – Feb 27–28, Rosarito, Baja California
This two-day dance festival features regional and international instructors for workshops, showcases, and social dancing at the Rosarito Beach Hotel. Enjoy classes, performances, and late-night socials as part of the 2026 edition. More info here.

Feria Internacional de la Pirotecnia 2026 – February 28–March 14, Tultepec, Estado de México
Tultepec, known as Mexico’s fireworks capital, hosts its International Pyrotechnics Fair with competitions, cultural events, and large-scale displays honoring the town’s long-standing pyrotechnic tradition. Founded in 1989, the fair features national and international artisans showcasing their craft through nightly exhibitions and themed contests. More info here.

World Aquatics Diving World Cup 2026 – Stop 2 – Mar 5–8, Zapopan, Jalisco
Zapopan hosts Stop 2 of the World Aquatics Diving World Cup as part of the official World Aquatics calendar, bringing international competitors to Mexico as the country returns as a 2026 host venue. More info here.

WesMex International Small Boat Regatta 2026 – Mar 4–9, Banderas Bay, Nayarit
The 20th edition of WesMex returns to Banderas Bay, hosted by the Vallarta Yacht Club and sanctioned by the Mexico Sailing Federation. This youth sailing regatta draws competitors from across Mexico and abroad and serves as a qualifying event for select international competitions. More info here.

Vinoma Fest 2026 – Mar 5–7, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco

Held at Pier 2 of the Puerto Vallarta Maritime Terminal, this wine and food pairing festival features 300+ wine labels, chef-led pairings, guided tastings, and live music. The event brings together national and international wineries for its fourth edition in Puerto Vallarta. More info here.

International Orchid Festival 2026 – Mar 13–22, Coatepec, Veracruz
One of Mexico’s most important orchid events features 600+ orchid specimens, expert judging, workshops, artisan vendors, and a dedicated Vanilla Pavilion in this Pueblo Mágico. Collectors and growers from Mexico and abroad gather for exhibitions, sales, and conferences celebrating one of the country’s most iconic flowers. More info here.

💡 Say It in Spanish

A ver

Translation: Let’s see.

You’ll hear a ver…(and then a pause) when someone is:

• Thinking something through

• About to check something

• Slightly skeptical

• Trying to solve a problem

You’ll hear it at repair shops, markets, offices, and dinner tables:

• A ver, espérate. – Okay, hold on a second.

• A ver qué pasa. – Let’s see what happens.

• A ver si funciona. – Let’s see if it works.

It’s small, but once you start noticing it, you’ll hear it everywhere.

**If you’re studying Spanish, I’ve been using Easy Spanish Step-by-Step, and it’s helped more than anything else. Highly recommend it.

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🎯 Trivia Answer

Mexicali.

In the early 1900s, Chinese laborers arrived in the Mexicali Valley to help build the irrigation canal system that would transform desert into farmland. It was cheaper for landowners to hire Chinese workers than local labor, and many men came from the U.S. and China, some bringing their families after facing anti-Chinese discrimination and exclusion laws in the United States.

Mexicali’s population in 1902 was just 80 people. Within a few years, thousands of Chinese immigrants had settled there. At one point, the Chinese population in Mexicali outnumbered Mexican residents – a demographic shift that shaped the city’s identity for decades.

Facing brutal desert heat, many built below ground. What began as a practical escape from the climate evolved into something far more complex.

By 1918, La Chinesca was formally established. Beneath the streets, residents constructed an extensive network of basements and tunnels stretching across Mexicali’s Chinatown. It became a functioning subterranean community with its own businesses, social organizations, and internal governance.

During U.S. Prohibition in the 1920s, La Chinesca became a cross-border nightlife hub. Bars, restaurants, casinos, and entertainment venues served American visitors seeking alcohol and gambling, and parts of the underground network were used to discreetly move people and contraband.

It’s one thing to read about it. It’s another to see it. Check out the underground world of La Chinesca. 

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