¡Hola amigos! This week, Texas has taken control of nine islands in the Rio Grande and Mexico is not happy about it. Guadalajara is getting a 24.7-billion-peso investment to tackle its water problems, and Mexico's economy is slowing down, but not as much as expected.

Plus, Mexico is raising its entry tax and how residents can avoid being charged, what to know before a medical emergency strikes, and the young railroad engineer who risked everything to save a Mexican town.

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Q: What unusual creature native only to Mexico looks like a cross between a worm, a snake, and a lizard?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

✈️ United Airlines will resume daily nonstop flights between Chihuahua and Houston on March 28, 2027.

🚰 Mexico's federal government and Jalisco have agreed to invest 24.7 billion pesos in new aqueducts, water treatment plant upgrades, and infrastructure improvements to address Guadalajara's water supply and quality problems.

💀 Mexico City broke a Guinness World Record with a nearly 110-foot-tall La Catrina sculpture in the Zócalo.

🇲🇽 Mexico is challenging Texas's decision to take control of nine islands in the Rio Grande, arguing that international treaties require approval from both countries.

📰 Mexico accounted for almost 46% of journalist killings in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2024–2025, according to a new UNESCO report.

📉 Mexico's economy is still slowing down, but it performed better than expected in the third quarter of 2026. 

📵 Mexico's ban on cellphone use in elementary and middle schools takes effect today.

⚖️ Mexico's Senate will debate and vote November 4 on reforms requiring internet platforms to take greater responsibility for removing copyrighted content posted without permission.

🦯 Mexican university students won first place at a program in China for designing a smart cane that detects obstacles and sends emergency location alerts for visually impaired people.

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Handling a medical emergency isn’t always as straightforward as calling an ambulance and heading to the hospital.

For foreigners living in or visiting Mexico, things can get complicated fast.

Emergency services work differently here, insurance rules can trip you up, EMS cannot enter your home without consent, and language barriers add another layer of challenge.

Knowing what to do ahead of time can make all the difference.

Read More

Mexico’s Congress has approved an increase in the tourist tax collected on international flights into Mexico, from MXN 983 in 2026 to MXN 1,158 in 2027.

Mexican Temporary and Permanent Residents are exempt, but some airlines still add the charge to their tickets.

Here’s how to avoid paying it, and what to do if you’ve already been charged.

Read More

And your health or travel insurance may not get you back to the hospital of your choice. Connect with a broker who specializes in medical evacuation coverage and understand your options before you need it.

Connect with a broker

On November 7, 1907, a young railroad engineer faced a terrifying choice. Abandon a burning train loaded with dynamite, or risk his life to prevent a disaster.

His name was Jesús García Corona, and his courage would make the 25-year-old a national hero.

García worked for the Moctezuma Copper Company in Nacozari, a booming mining town in Sonora.

That afternoon, his locomotive was hauling freight cars uphill, away from the railway yard. Two cars loaded with thousands of pounds of dynamite sat directly behind the engine, against normal safety precautions, dangerously close to its flying sparks.

As the train climbed, García noticed smoke rising from one of the dynamite cars. A crewman tried to remove the burning box, but the flames flared up. Despite the crew's efforts, they couldn't put out the rapidly spreading fire.

Below them stood the railway workshops and storage facilities packed with explosives. Nearby stood the town of Nacozari. 

If García abandoned the locomotive, the heavy train could roll backward. When the dynamite aboard the train exploded, it could set off the stockpile, devastating the town.

Instead, he ordered his crew to jump to safety. When his fireman urged him to do the same, García refused, knowing the train could roll backward. He stayed at the controls, driving the burning train farther uphill.

Moments later, the dynamite exploded.

The blast destroyed nearby buildings and killed eleven people, including García. Yet his decision prevented a far greater catastrophe, one that could easily have claimed hundreds of lives.

His courage earned him the name El Héroe de Nacozari, inspiring monuments and songs, including the famous corrido Máquina 501.

Mexico commemorates his sacrifice every November 7 with Día del Ferrocarrilero, National Railroad Workers' Day.

The young leaves look as though they've been dusted with white flour, giving the plant its name: cenizo, from the Spanish word ceniza, meaning ash.

Known botanically as Chenopodium album, cenizo belongs to the group of wild edible greens known in Mexico as quelites.

It's also valued in traditional medicine. Among the Ñähño (Otomí) people of Querétaro, it's known as gink’ni and has traditionally been used for diarrhea, skin rashes, and washing wounds.

Cenizo provides vitamin C, iron, potassium, and fiber. It contains more protein than many other leafy vegetables. It also provides lysine, an essential amino acid that helps build and repair tissues.

It's a source of calcium. However, it contains oxalates, compounds that bind to calcium during digestion, and make it harder for the body to absorb. Blanching the leaves and discarding the water can help reduce their oxalate content.

Cenizo is also known as quelite de cocina, or kitchen quelite.

But like many quelites, it gradually lost ground to commercially grown vegetables. Changing attitudes played a part, too. Wild greens became associated with poverty and grew less common in everyday meals.

Once blanched, sauté the tender leaves with garlic, onion, and a little chile. Or take inspiration from Xochimilco, where cenizo was traditionally mixed into tamale dough for added flavor and texture.

SCORE Baja 1000 – November 9–15, San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur
One of the world's toughest off-road races takes a historic new route. For the first time, the entire Baja 1000 stays within Baja California Sur. Over 250 teams are expected to tackle nearly 1,000 miles of desert. More info here.

Feria Maestros del Arte 2026 – November 13–15, Ajijic, Jalisco
This fair brings together 92 artisans from 17 states, representing 21 craft traditions. Browse their work and hear the stories behind each creation. Live demonstrations show their skills. The fair takes place at Hotel Real de Chapala. Admission is MX$100. More info here. 

Festival Internacional de Jazz y Algo Más 2026 – November 13–15, Mazunte, Oaxaca
Jazz meets the Pacific at this seaside festival on Oaxaca’s beautiful coast. Live music is the main attraction, with art workshops and local food adding to the experience. Now in its 19th edition, the festival also plans sporting events. Visitors and locals gather to celebrate Mazunte’s creative culture. More info here.

Festival Internacional del Globo 2026 – November 13–16, León, Guanajuato
León’s skies fill with color as 200 hot-air balloons rise at dawn. Pilots from 25 countries join this spectacular gathering at Parque Metropolitano. After dark, illuminated balloons and drone shows transform the scene. Concerts include Calvin Harris and Los Ángeles Azules. Opening Friday is free, with admission subject to capacity. More info here.

Garbage Live at the Zócalo – November 14, Mexico City
One of the biggest names in 1990s alternative rock takes over Mexico City's Zócalo. Led by Shirley Manson, Garbage returns after three years. Expect classics like “Stupid Girl” and “Only Happy When It Rains.” The concert starts at 8 p.m. Admission is free. More info here.

VinArt Ajijic 2026 – November 14–15, Ajijic, Jalisco
Wine tasting meets lakeside views at this annual festival on Lake Chapala. Explore wines from over 30 wineries through tastings and expert-led sessions. This year's theme is Western Chic, with optional cowboy boots and denim. Enjoy live music as the sun sets, followed by fireworks. Tickets include wine tastings and a keepsake glass. More info here.

Festival Internacional del Pirata y el Ron 2026 – November 20–22, Campeche, Campeche
Campeche’s pirate past comes alive at this new festival inside its historic walled city. Sample Mexican rum and discover traditional regional cooking. Pirate parades bring the city’s seafaring history into the streets. The program also features live music and a national rum competition. Admission is free with advance registration. More info here.

¿De cuál le doy?

Translation: Which one would you like?

At a mercado, bakery, or deli counter, you might hear ¿De cuál le doy? when there are several options to choose from.

The easiest response? Just point and say:

De ese, por favor. / That one, please.

Want to get better at understanding what people say back? PalabraFlow lets you practice both sides of everyday conversations in Mexican Spanish.

A: The Mexican mole lizard (Bipes biporus), also known as the five-toed worm lizard or lagartija topo cinco dedos.

Endemic to Mexico's Baja California Peninsula, this pink reptile inhabits areas including the Vizcaíno Desert and Magdalena Plain. It has a wormlike body covered in ring-shaped scales, tiny eyes, and two powerful front legs with five clawed toes on each foot. It has no hind legs. Click here for photos.

The Mexican mole lizard belongs to a group of burrowing reptiles called amphisbaenians, most of which have no legs. Often measuring around 7–9 inches (18–24 cm), it spends most of its life underground, digging through loose desert soil with its front claws.

It's rarely seen above ground, and although its appearance sometimes frightens people, it's nonvenomous and harmless to humans.

The species also receives special protection under Mexican law. 

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