¡Hola amigos! This week, a possible U.S. diesel export ban has Mexico on alert, the economy grew faster than expected, and Mexico could soon spend more servicing its debt than building public infrastructure.

Plus, the real cost of a Mexican hospital stay without insurance, the Huasteca tradition where the dead return dancing, and a handy Spanish phrase for when something just isn’t worth it.

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Q: What famous Mexican icon started as a satire of people pretending to be European?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

⛽ Sheinbaum says Mexico has enough diesel supply for now as Trump considers banning U.S. diesel exports. More than 40% of Mexico’s diesel demand currently comes from the U.S.

✈️ Aeroméxico suspends all flights to and from Tulum starting Sept. 30.

🔑 12 new hotels in Mexico earned Michelin Keys for 2026, bringing the country’s total to 98. See which hotels made the list.

👥 Mexico’s population is growing, but at its slowest rate in two decades.  

🔎 Sheinbaum says there are new leads in the investigation of the 43 Ayotzinapa students who disappeared in 2014.

💰U.S. investment in Mexico jumped nearly 15% in the first half of 2026, despite uncertainty surrounding U.S. tariffs and the USMCA review.

🛃 Mexico has removed more than 10% of its customs workforce since April as part of a crackdown on corruption.

💸 Mexico is projected to spend more servicing its public debt than building public infrastructure in 2027. 

🇰🇷 After seven years of negotiations, Mexico and South Korea reached a deal to update their investment agreement.

📈 Mexico’s economy grew 0.8% from June to July, well above the 0.2% forecast.

🎸 U2 just released its new “Silencio” music video, filmed inside Mexico City’s legendary 89-year-old Salón Los Ángeles. Check it out here.

🎹 Elton John announced free screenings of his 1995 “Elton in Rio” concert in CDMX, Guadalajara, and Zapopan Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, ahead of his Mexico City concerts later this week.

Every October, Mercado Jamaica fills with marigolds destined for altars across Mexico City. But behind the flowers are the food, traditions and people that give Día de Muertos its meaning.

Eat Mexico takes you inside the city’s 24-hour flower market with a local bilingual culinary guide to uncover the stories and traditions behind the holiday, sample calabaza en tacha, pan de muerto, market antojitos and other seasonal specialties.

This experience is part of Eat Mexico's small, curated food tours in Mexico City and Puebla, designed to connect you with Mexican food and culture on a deeper level.

Day of the Dead at Mercado Jamaica runs October 20–November 1, with groups capped at eight.

Explore the Day of the Dead Tour

It’s easy to assume that because healthcare generally costs less in Mexico, paying out of pocket is manageable. But that can change quickly when something serious happens.

Private hospitals in Mexico often require large upfront payments before treatment, and non-residents are not eligible for public healthcare.

A single emergency can quickly turn into a major financial crisis, especially as medical costs continue to rise faster than general inflation.

Being uninsured doesn’t just affect what you pay…it can affect where you’re treated, how quickly you receive care, and what options are even available to you in an emergency.

Read More 

Día de Muertos welcomes departed loved ones home with cempasúchil and candlelit ofrendas filled with favorite foods. But in the Huasteca, remembrance has its own rhythm.

It’s known as Xantolo and is celebrated across San Luis Potosí, Hidalgo, Veracruz, and neighboring states. Customs vary from one community to the next.

The name itself evolved from sanctorum, part of the Latin name for the Feast of All Saints. Over generations, Catholic observances became intertwined with Indigenous traditions that long predated the Spanish arrival.

The celebration can begin well before November 1. In parts of the Huasteca Potosina, offerings start on October 28, with different days dedicated to different groups of departed souls.

Like Día de Muertos, Xantolo also welcomes the departed with altars. But some of these ofrendas feature two arches that connect the worlds: one represents the entrance from the underworld; the other is the doorway to the living world. Seven supports hold the arches in place, symbolizing the seven mythical rivers that souls cross from Mictlán before arriving.

In some Náhuatl communities, the altar sits on a table. Among some Tének communities, it sits directly on the ground for a closer connection with the earth.

In Axtla de Terrazas, San Luis Potosí, Xantolo includes the Cambio de Fiscal, when a new cemetery guardian is appointed. For the next year, they are entrusted with watching over the resting place of the community’s departed.

And then there are the huehues, central to many Xantolo celebrations.

These masked dancers fill streets and plazas to the driving rhythms of son huasteco, played on violins, guitars, and jaranas. Their carved wooden masks transform them into old men, devils, animals, and even Death itself. 

Tradition holds that returning spirits hide inside the dancers’ bodies, while the masks keep Death from recognizing them so they can join the celebration.

Xantolo shares Día de Muertos’ heart: memory, family, and reunion. But in the Huasteca, that reunion unfolds through its own rituals, characters, and traditions.

It looks like a tiny marigold, smells a little like anise, and has been part of local traditions for generations.

Pericón (Tagetes lucida), also known as Mexican tarragon or yerbanís, is an aromatic herb native to Mexico and Guatemala.

Its long history of use includes treating digestive troubles. The flowers and leaves are brewed into tea for stomach problems like cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Studies have found antispasmodic and antidiarrheal activity that may help explain its traditional digestive use. Other research is exploring its calming, pain-relieving, and anti-inflammatory properties.

The plant contains flavonoids and other compounds with antioxidant activity, which may help combat oxidative stress. 

Pericón isn’t only found in the medicine cabinet. Its licorice-like flavor is used to season corn and chayote and flavor drinks and liqueurs. And smoke from burning pericón was traditionally used to repel mosquitoes.

Pericón has deep ceremonial roots, too. Its Náhuatl name, yauhtli, means “herb of the clouds.” Maya and Mexica communities burned the plant as incense during ceremonies. During the colonial period, its bright flowers became part of Catholic traditions, and today it appears in Día de Muertos decorations.

And September 29 gives pericón another special significance.

In parts of Central Mexico, it is made into crosses and hung on doors and near cornfields for St. Michael’s Day. The tradition is believed to protect homes and crops from evil.

Expo Feria Guadalupe 2026 – October 1–November 1, Guadalupe, Nuevo León
Livestock is the heart of this month-long northern fair. Exhibitions showcase different breeds and species from Nuevo León’s ranching industry. There will be plenty of entertainment, live music, regional crafts, traditional food, and a beer garden. More info here.

Valle de Catrinas 2026 – October 2–November 9, Atlixco, Puebla
Giant catrinas, some up to eight meters tall, take over Atlixco for Día de Muertos. Nineteen monumental figures appear around town, each inspired by pre-Hispanic gods. Local artists create the sculptures in cartonería, turning Atlixco into an open-air art route. The entire Valle de Catrinas display is free. More info here.

Festival Vino Sin Fronteras 2026 – October 3, Tijuana, Baja California
Wineries from both sides of the border come together for a day of wine and food. Forty wineries and 25 regional restaurants bring Baja California wine country together with invited producers from California. Guided tastings, cooking demonstrations, an Argentine grill, and a bar devoted to pét-nats and orange wines round out the afternoon. Local music runs into the evening. More info here.

Expo Manualidades y Navidad 2026 – October 7–10, Mexico City
Make a Christmas sweater for your dog, build a wreath, or create botanical resin jewelry. This four-day WTC expo is all about seasonal decorating, workshops and supplies for people who love crafts. More info here.

Grill Choice Fest 2026 – October 10, Chihuahua, Chihuahua
Your ticket includes unlimited servings from the festival’s grill menus. Menus run from brisket and short rib to pulled pork, BBQ ribs, and northern-style dishes. Plastilina Mosh and Jumbo lead the live-music lineup. More than 50 brands add tastings and interactive activities. More info here.

Festival Internacional de Cine de Morelia 2026 – October 16–25, Morelia, Michoacán
Morelia becomes Mexico’s movie capital for ten days. The official selection brings 96 Mexican films from 17 states, spanning features, documentaries, animation, and shorts. The wider program adds national and international premieres, retrospectives, tributes, and masterclasses. More info here.

Desfile de Alebrijes Monumentales 2026 – October 17, Mexico City
Giant technicolor creatures take over the streets for one of CDMX’s most fantastical parades. More than 200 handmade alebrijes roll from the Zócalo toward the Ángel de la Independencia. Drumming groups and live performances add to the spectacle. More info here.

No tiene caso

Translation: There’s no point. / It’s not worth it.

If you translate no tiene caso word for word, you might end up with something like “it doesn’t have a case.” But in Mexico, you’ll hear it when someone thinks there’s no point in doing something.

Thinking about driving across town when the place is already closed?

No tiene caso ir hasta allá.
There’s no point in going all the way over there.

Or when continuing simply isn’t worth the effort:

Ya no tiene caso.
There’s no point anymore.

It’s a simple phrase for those moments when the effort, argument, or trip just isn’t going to get you anywhere.

A: La Catrina.

Long before she became an icon of Día de Muertos, she was La Calavera Garbancera, created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada as social satire. Posada was born in Aguascalientes in 1852. The “garbanceros” he mocked were people who denied their Indigenous roots while trying to imitate European high society.

Posada’s original was just a skeleton shown from the shoulders up, wearing an extravagant French-style hat with feathers. The message was simple: fancy clothes and social status mean little when, underneath it all, we’re all skeletons.

Decades later, Diego Rivera transformed her into the elegant, full-bodied figure in his famous mural Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda Central and gave her the name we know today: La Catrina.

Looking to jazz up your Día de Muertos decorations this year? LEGO just released a 1,212-piece La Catrina, complete with marigolds, sugar-skull details—and a monarch butterfly she can hold in her hand.

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