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- Mexico Loses Most Employers Since 1997
Mexico Loses Most Employers Since 1997
Plus, stop giving businesses your personal info
¡Hola amigos! This week, President Sheinbaum asks South Korea for more K-pop concerts, a new survey shows most Mexicans don’t feel safe in their own cities, and Mexico begins rolling out a universal health ID card. Oh, and Brazil just took over Mexico’s embassy in Peru.
Also in this issue: how blood donation rules changed in 2026, why it’s illegal for a business to ask for your Constancia, and the tamale-filled tradition that marks the grand finale of Mexico’s holiday season.
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❓México Trivia
Where was Mexico’s modern Constitution debated and approved?
Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.
📣 México News Roundup
📈 Mexico’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.77% in the first half of January 2026, surpassing levels recorded during the same period last year.
📉 Mexico recorded its largest loss of formal employers since 1997, with more than 25,000 businesses exiting in 2025.
🤝 Brazil assumed control of Mexico’s embassy in Peru on Jan. 24, following a diplomatic rift triggered by Mexico granting asylum to a former Peruvian prime minister.
🏥 IMSS will open six new public hospitals across Mexico in 2026.
🎶 President Sheinbaum sent a diplomatic letter to South Korea’s president, asking for help arranging more BTS (a K-pop group) concerts in Mexico.
🏥 Mexico will begin issuing a Universal Health Service ID on March 2, creating a single credential that links citizens to public healthcare providers and digital medical records nationwide.
🚨 63.8% of adults living in 91 urban areas of Mexico said it was unsafe to live in their city, up from 61.7% a year earlier, according to INEGI’s December 2025 ENSU survey. Women reported higher insecurity at 69.4%, compared with 57.1% of men.
📊 Bank of America’s chief economist for Latin America warned Mexico faces “chronic low growth.”
🥑 Avocado prices in Mexico City are down nearly 27% from last year, even as exports to the U.S. hit record highs ahead of the Super Bowl.
🛢️ Pemex removed a planned January crude oil shipment to Cuba from its delivery schedule, which was set to arrive before month’s end, according to Bloomberg.
⚾ Mexico will host the 2026 Caribbean Series in Zapopan from Feb. 1–7, with two Mexican baseball teams competing for the first time in the tournament.
🍎 Your Health Pulse
Blood Donations in Mexico: What Changed in 2026
On January 15, 2026, Mexico updated its General Health Law to strengthen blood donation rules nationwide. The reform reinforces that donation must be altruistic and non-profit, bans blood trade, and tightens hospital oversight.
What hasn’t changed is the reality most people don’t expect: Mexico still relies heavily on a replacement donor system. In an emergency, friends or family may be required to donate – and many willing donors are turned away due to strict eligibility rules.
Read more to understand how the system works, what’s required in a hospital situation, and how to be prepared.
Missed last week’s article on the real cost of medical evacuation? You can read it here.
📍Immigration Essentials
On January 20, 2026, the SAT clarified that the Constancia is not required to issue an electronic factura. Asking for it as a condition to invoice violates the Federal Tax Code and may result in fines between MXN $21,420 and $122,440 under Article 83, fracción IX of the Código Fiscal de la Federación.
The clarification was issued to address a practice that had become common, despite the Constancia not being required for billing.
Why the CSF Should Not be Requested
According to the SAT, the Constancia de Situación Fiscal contains personal information intended only for the taxpayer, including registered economic activities, obligations, and fiscal address.
Because of this, it should not be requested for routine billing.
The SAT also clarified that the Constancia does not have an expiration date. It updates only when a taxpayer changes information in the RFC, such as a change of address, fiscal regime, or CURP. Businesses should not ask for an “updated” version, since the required invoicing data can be obtained via the SAT’s Cédula de datos fiscales.
The same rule applies to payroll (nómina). Employers should not request the Constancia from employees for payroll timbrado.
What Information Is Required to Issue a Factura
To issue a valid factura, an invoice issuer needs only the following info from the customer:
RFC
Full name or business name
Código postal (fiscal ZIP code)
Régimen fiscal (your SAT-registered tax category)
That’s it. None of this requires providing your Constancia.
What This Means for Foreign Residents Living in Mexico
You do not need to provide your Constancia to receive a factura.
The only information required to issue a factura is your RFC, name, ZIP code, and fiscal regime.
If a business insists on the Constancia, it is acting against SAT guidance and may be subject to fines.
🧩 Life in México
Do You Need to Worry about the Tax Mailbox?
You may have seen headlines or WhatsApp chats about SAT fines of up to MXN $11,540 related to activation of the Tax Mailbox (Buzón Tributario).
While this doesn’t apply to most of our readers, we thought it was worth explaining what this is and to whom it applies.
The Buzón Tributario is the SAT’s official digital notification system. It’s how the tax authority sends formal notices, requests, and administrative communications to taxpayers with active fiscal obligations.
The requirement itself isn’t new, but enforcement has been inconsistent for years.
What has changed is that the SAT has now set a clear compliance deadline: December 31, 2026. That’s why this topic has resurfaced in the headlines.
Activation is required if you have ongoing tax activity in Mexico, including:
All taxpayers registered in the Federal Taxpayer Registry (RFC)
Individuals and legal entities with tax obligations and activities
Those who carry out procedures or processes that require the Tax Mailbox.
Those who issue Digital Tax Receipts (facturas) via the Internet for income or payroll receipts in the last year
For many readers, this requirement does not apply.
You do not need to activate the Tax Mailbox if:
You have no tax obligations or economic activity in Mexico
Legal entities with suspended activities registered with the RFC
You earn less than MXN $400,000 per year as a salaried employee
You obtained an RFC only for banking, property purchases, or administrative purposes and have no ongoing tax obligations
Having an RFC alone does not automatically trigger this requirement.
Not All VPNs Are Built for Privacy. This One Is.
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That’s why we use it for everyday browsing, banking, and watching our favorite shows.
🇲🇽 Viva México
Día de la Candelaria: Grand Finale of Mexico's Holiday Season
February 2 marks Día de la Candelaria – the official curtain call to Mexico's epic holiday season.
Candelaria falls exactly 40 days after Christmas, commemorating when Mary and Joseph first presented baby Jesus at the Jerusalem temple. According to Jewish tradition, women weren't allowed in the temple for 40 days after giving birth, making February 2nd the magical date.
But here's where it gets really interesting…this celebration actually aligned perfectly with existing Aztec traditions.
Long before the Spanish arrived, indigenous peoples used this same time of year to ask their gods for rain and bountiful harvests.
Their offering of choice? Tamales! Made from sacred corn, tamales were presented to Tláloc, the water deity.
Tamales are still the star of this holiday.
Remember that Rosca de Reyes cake you shared on January 6? If you found the tiny baby Jesus figurine in your slice, you're now officially on tamale duty. Tradition dictates that whoever gets the baby Jesus hosts the Candelaria tamales feast for family and friends.
Perhaps the most enchanting tradition of all is the "Niño Dios," cherished dolls representing baby Jesus that hold a special place in many Mexican homes.
These aren't just ordinary dolls; they're treated with profound reverence and follow their own holiday journey.
First, they're placed in nativity scenes on Christmas Eve, then receive gifts on Three Kings Day.Finally, on Candelaria, families dress their Niño Dios in elaborate outfits (often passed down through generations) and bring them to church for a special blessing.
🪷 Viva Wellness
Chipilín: Southern Mexico’s Herb of Strength
For generations, chipilín (Crotalaria longirostrata) has been a staple green in the kitchens and healing traditions of southern Mexico.
Native to Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz, and Oaxaca, it’s known as la hierba de la fuerza (the herb of strength) and was traditionally given to those recovering from illness to restore vitality.
Its calming effects also made it a trusted remedy for nervios (emotional imbalance, or anxiety). Even today, a tea made by steeping the leaves and stems is used as a natural nighttime sedative.
The “herb of strength” nickname wasn't hype, and the nutritional profile shows why. When dried, chipilín leaves contain 34-38% protein on a dry-weight basis – an unusually high amount for a leafy green. They’re also rich in iron and folate, which support red blood cell formation and help prevent anemia.
You’ll also find calcium, vitamin A, and B vitamins to support bone health, immunity, and energy metabolism. Vitamin C strengthens immunity and improves iron absorption, while chlorophyll, the green compound in its leaves, has long been valued for its role in supporting digestion.
In the cocina, chipilín is found in tamales, soups, and rice dishes. It makes bright green tortillas when finely chopped and mixed into the masa.
But here's the golden rule: Always cook chipilín. It has a long-standing rep as a purgative, meaning it can upset your stomach if eaten uncooked.
Chipilín isn't just packed with nutrition for people – it’s good for the land, too. As part of the legume family, chipilín naturally returns nitrogen to the soil. It's often planted alongside corn or rotated through fields to keep the land healthy.
🎉 ¡Vamos! Events
ZⓈONAMACO – Feb 4–8, 2026, Mexico City
Founded in 2002, Latin America’s leading international art platform brings together contemporary art, design, photography, and antiques through four simultaneous fairs – Arte Contemporáneo, Diseño, Salón del Anticuario, and Foto – held at Centro Banamex. More info here.
BADA México – Feb 5–8, Campo Marte, CDMX
The 6th edition of BADA brings together 200+ independent artists selling paintings, sculpture, photography, and mixed media directly to the public – no intermediaries – at Jardines de Campo Marte. The four-day fair is part of Mexico City’s Art Week and runs daily with extended hours on Thursday through Saturday. More info here.
San Miguel Writers’ Conference & Literary Festival 2026 – Feb 11–15, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato
The 21st edition of this internationally recognized literary event brings writers and readers together for five days of keynote talks, panels, workshops, and readings with acclaimed authors from around the world. Events take place at Hotel Real de Minas and include sessions in English and Spanish with simultaneous translation. More info here.
San Pancho Music Festival – Feb 20–22, San Pancho (San Francisco), Nayarit
This free, three-day music festival takes over Plaza del Sol with performances on two stages by musicians from Mexico and abroad. Founded in 2001, the community-supported event donates proceeds from band merchandise sales directly to the artists. More info here.
💡 Say It in Spanish
Llevar vs. Traer
In English, we toss around "bring" and "take" like they're the same thing.
But in Spanish? Not so much.
Here's the deal...
Llevar = Moving something AWAY from where you are (Like when you're taking a gift to your friend's house)
Traer = Bringing something TOWARD you (Like asking your neighbor to bring back the tools they borrowed)
Just think about the DIRECTION. That's all that matters.
Moving away from you? Llevar.
Coming to you? Traer.
If you’re studying Spanish, I’ve been using Complete Spanish Step-by-Step, and it’s helped more than anything else. Highly recommend it.
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🎯 Trivia Answer
Teatro de la República, Querétaro.
Every year on February 5, Mexico marks Constitution Day, though the public holiday is observed on the first Monday of February.
The date commemorates the signing of the 1917 Constitution – one of the most progressive of its time, establishing labor rights, land reform, and secular education. It was debated and approved inside the Teatro de la República, right in the historic center of Querétaro.
But this neoclassical theater had already witnessed some of the most dramatic chapters in Mexican history.
Originally inaugurated in 1852 as the Teatro Iturbide, it hosted the first public performance of the Mexican National Anthem in 1854.
In 1867, the same hall was used as a military court where Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg, along with Generals Miguel Miramón and Tomás Mejía, were sentenced to death – marking the end of the Second Mexican Empire.
Renamed Teatro de la República in 1922, it remains a cultural venue today.
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