¡Hola amigos! This week, everyone’s wondering what the CIA is doing in Mexico, lawmakers want to push judicial elections back to 2028, and Mexico is scrapping gas station card fees starting May 1.

Plus, the step-by-step guide to booking your INM appointment online, what’s changing with electricity rates this week, and Frida Kahlo’s contemporary who made history in the U.S. but was pushed aside in Mexico.

And don’t forget: Día del Niño is Thursday and Día del Trabajo on Friday kicks off a long weekend. 

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❓México Trivia

Which Mexican state was so overrun by pirates that entire coastal towns were abandoned and its capital had to be moved inland? 

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

📣 México News Roundup

🇺🇸 President Sheinbaum ruled out a conflict with the U.S. after two officials killed in a Chihuahua crash were identified as CIA agents not authorized to operate in Mexico.

🚆 A new train connecting Mexico City to AIFA airport is now up and running, expected to carry 57,000 passengers daily and cut travel time to about an hour.

⚖️ Morena lawmakers want to delay Mexico’s next judicial elections to 2028 after a chaotic 2025 vote, proposing stricter candidate screening and new rules to fix low turnout and unqualified candidates.

⛽ Mexico will eliminate gas station card fees, saving about 7.45 pesos per credit card transaction as part of efforts to lower fuel costs and push digital payments.

🛢️ Japan will import 1 million barrels of crude oil from Mexico with delivery set for July 2026.

🏗️ The U.S. has opened the door to cutting tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminum, offering potential relief for Mexican suppliers.

⛏️ The fourth and final miner trapped in the Sinaloa mine collapse was found dead 33 days following the disaster.

🐝 Mexico is launching a national strategy to protect bee populations critical to more than 80% of its crop production.

🍎 Your Health Pulse

What Happens If You End Up in a Mexican Hospital without Insurance?

Most people assume they can just pay out of pocket if something happens.

That assumption can get expensive fast.

Private hospitals in Mexico often require upfront payment before treatment – sometimes MXN 20,000 or more just to get started.

And if it turns into something more serious?

A single emergency can run upwards of MXN 468,000 (~$27,000 USD) out of pocket. If you don’t have residency, public healthcare (IMSS) isn’t an option. 

We’ve all seen or heard of foreigners here:

• Maxing out credit cards

• Relying on crowdfunding

• Cutting their time in Mexico short because they can’t afford treatment 

Health insurance isn’t just about coverage. It determines where you can go, how fast you’re treated, and what options you actually have in an emergency.

📍Immigration Essentials

Booking Your INM Appointment Online: What to Know Before You Start

Last week, we broke down which immigration procedures can and can’t be scheduled online (read it here). A few of you asked what’s required to book and how the process works.

Booking an appointment through the INM system is a multi-step process, and you won’t be able to access the calendar until each step is completed.

First, you need to create an account in the INM portal. If you’re creating a new account, note that the activation link sent by email is only valid for 72 hours. From there, you must generate a “pieza” (your application request), which produces a reference number required to schedule an appointment.

Once you have the pieza number, you’ll select your immigration office. Note: the system will show available dates at the immigration office tied to your registered address.

Appointment availability varies by location. Dates are typically offered one to three weeks out and open on a rolling basis depending on demand.

Once your appointment is booked, you’ll receive a confirmation by email.

There are also a few system rules to be aware of:

• You have 10 minutes to confirm your appointment after selecting a time

• Confirmed appointments must be canceled at least 24 hours in advance

• You must bring original documents and your appointment confirmation to be admitted

If the information entered doesn’t match your application exactly, the system will not allow you to book. If there’s an error in your application, you’ll need to cancel the appointment and generate a new request (pieza) before booking again.

If your procedure is eligible for online booking, setting up your account and generating the pieza in advance can make the scheduling process much smoother.

See the full INM guide to booking appointments here. 

🧩 Life in México

Electricity Rates in Mexico Are Changing May 1

Electricity costs in Mexico shift starting May 1 as seasonal summer rates take effect.

These rates do not apply uniformly across the country. They are based on regional climate classifications.

As temperatures rise, the federal government increases subsidies on residential electricity to help offset higher usage from air conditioning and cooling systems. 

The subsidy went into effect April 1 for Sonora. However, starting May 1, it expands to other regions where average temperatures reach at least 33°C. 

Under this system, households remain on subsidized residential tariffs (1, 1A–1F), which offer lower electricity rates up to a defined consumption limit.

Those limits vary by region and climate, but monthly thresholds generally range from 250 kWh (Tarifa 1) up to 2,500 kWh (Tarifa 1F).

If your average consumption exceeds your tariff’s limit, your household is automatically reclassified by the CFE into Tarifa Doméstica de Alto Consumo (DAC), a higher-cost category for high-usage residential customers.

CFE calculates the DAC using your average electricity usage over time – typically:

• 12 months for monthly billing, or

• 6 billing cycles for bimonthly service

This is based on an average – not a single high bill. But one high-usage period can affect your rate for several cycles.

Once in DAC:

• You lose the government subsidy entirely

• You pay a higher fixed rate per kWh

• Your electricity bill can increase significantly – often 4x higher than subsidized rates

Once you enter DAC, it can take multiple billing cycles of lower usage to return to a subsidized rate.

To find out your current tariff:

• Check your most recent CFE bill

• Look for the section labeled “Tarifa” (usually below the payment summary)

• If it shows DAC, you are no longer receiving a subsidy

• If it shows 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, or 1F, you are still subsidized, but may be approaching the limit

🇲🇽 Viva México

The Woman Who Painted Mexico Differently

Frida Kahlo might be Mexico’s most recognizable female painter, but María Izquierdo was her brilliant but lesser-known contemporary. 

Being a fiercely self-determined woman with Indigenous heritage was not a combination welcomed by post-revolutionary Mexico's art world. 

Izquierdo’s style blended modernism, surrealism, and deep-rooted Mexicanismo. While the popular muralist movement featured grand political themes, she painted ofrendas, circus performers, clay pots, market fruit, and quiet domestic moments.

She had a tough start in life. Born into modest means, her father died when she was five, and she was married off at fourteen years old.

It wasn’t until she moved to Mexico City in the early 1920s that she began to change the course of her life. She divorced her husband and enrolled at the Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes.

But even there, she faced an environment dominated by powerful male artists like Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros. 

While these figures painted Mexico’s heroic struggles on public buildings backed by government funding, Izquierdo focused on the everyday lives of women. Her work was often sidelined in favor of a more masculine vision of the nation.

In the 1930s, she collaborated with anti-fascist groups and the League of Revolutionary Women Writers and Artists to call out inequality. In her essays, she declared, "It is a crime to be a woman and have talent." 

Around this same time, her work was gaining international recognition. She made history as the first Mexican woman to exhibit in the U.S., and French writer Antonin Artaud later championed her work in Paris, calling it more authentically Mexican than the state-sponsored murals.

In 1945, Izquierdo was awarded a major government mural commission. But before she could begin, it was taken away from her. Influential muralists Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros argued she wasn’t qualified – effectively blocking her from completing the project.

In her later years, she suffered a stroke that left her partially paralyzed, and she died in 1955 with much of her work still underrecognized.

Izquierdo broke barriers and refused to be silenced by the male establishment, securing her place as a defining feminist voice in Latin American art.

Check out some of María Izquierdo’s work here

🪷 Viva Wellness

Mexico’s Magic Blue Brew

Palo Azul, or "blue stick," isn’t just another herbal tea…it’s a centuries-old Mexican remedy with a mesmerizing twist. Brew it right, and it glows electric blue in your cup.

But the real magic? What it does for your body.

Used by Aztec healers and Indigenous communities for generations, Palo Azul is revered for its powerful diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It’s known to support kidney and liver health, as well as digestion.

Packed with flavonoids and polyphenols, studies suggest it has up to 4x more antioxidants than spirulina and has even outperformed vitamin C in neutralizing free radicals. 

Read more

🎉 ¡Vamos! Events

Festival Cultural de Mayo 2026 – May 7–29, Guadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara’s leading annual arts festival returns with a multi-venue program spanning music, dance, visual arts, and circus, with performances and exhibitions across spaces including Teatro Degollado and the Instituto Cultural Cabañas. More info here.

Feria de Santa Rita 2026 – May 14–31, Chihuahua, Chihuahua
Chihuahua’s largest annual fair returns for 18 days of concerts, rodeo, food, and family-friendly attractions honoring Santa Rita de Casia, the city’s patron saint since the 18th century. The program includes shows at the Teatro del Pueblo and Palenque. More info here.

Expo Cerveza Guadalajara 2026 – May 15–17, Guadalajara, Jalisco
This 3-day beer expo brings together brewers and enthusiasts for tastings, workshops, and conferences focused on craft beer, with a wide range of styles and producers from across Mexico and Latin America. More info here. 

Tinto Bajío 2026 – May 16–17, León, Guanajuato
Now in its 11th edition, this wine and gastronomy festival brings together wineries from across Mexico for two days of tastings, food, and live music set in the gardens of Academia Renacimiento. Expect more than 200 wine labels, a tasting program, and a mix of gourmet products. More info here.

Vallarta Pride 2026 – May 17–24, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco
Puerto Vallarta’s annual Pride celebration returns for a week of events across the city, with the main parade on May 21 and peak festivities over the long weekend. Now in its 13th edition, events take place across multiple venues, with key activities along the Malecón and in Zona Romántica. More info here.

Fiestas del Pitic 2026 – May 21–24, Hermosillo, Sonora
Hermosillo’s flagship cultural festival returns for 4 days of free concerts, performances, and public programming marking the founding of the city in 1700. The program spans multiple venues across the historic center with a mix of music, dance, and theater featuring national and international artists. More info here.

💡 Say It in Spanish

¿Me lo puede apartar?
Translation: Can you set it aside for me?

This is what you say when you find something you want, but you’re not ready to pay for it just yet.

Use it at markets, small shops, pop-ups, even garage sales – anywhere things move fast and you don’t want someone else to grab it first.

Need a break from high interest?

The right card can give you time—and real savings. Take advantage of 0% intro APR on purchases for an extended period and 0% intro APR on balance transfers for up to 21 months, so you can focus on paying down your balance without added interest.

See current top offers!

🎯 Trivia Answer

Tabasco

During the 17th and 18th centuries, Tabasco became a prime target for English and Dutch pirates operating out of Caribbean strongholds. These weren’t isolated raids –  they were sustained attacks over decades. 

The threat became so constant that entire coastal communities fled inland, leaving large parts of the region effectively empty. Earlier coastal settlements were abandoned entirely as residents moved inland to safer locations.

Spanish authorities attempted to defend key areas, even constructing fortifications to protect against ongoing attacks, but it wasn’t enough.

In 1677, after a devastating pirate attack on the Villa de San Juan de Villahermosa, Spanish authorities made a drastic decision: they relocated the colonial government inland to Tacotalpa for protection – where it remained for more than a century.

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