¡Hola amigos! This week, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar's memoir hasn't even been released, and it's already ignited a political firestorm. Mexico is planning to sue the U.S., annual inflation just hit a five-year low, and Mexico unveiled a $4 billion financing package to boost renewable energy.

Plus, who can legally stop you at an immigration checkpoint, how maternity coverage works in Mexico, and the visionary behind Mexico's boldest architecture.

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❓México Trivia

Which city in Mexico is the country's only surviving walled colonial city?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter.

📣 México News Roundup

📉 Mexico's annual inflation fell to 3.37% in June, reaching its lowest level in more than five years.

⚖️ President Sheinbaum said Mexico will file criminal complaints and civil lawsuits in the U.S. over the deaths of 17 Mexican citizens in ICE custody or during ICE operations.

🇺🇸 Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar says in his upcoming memoir that he had no advance knowledge of “El Mayo” Zambada's capture. He also claims AMLO stopped taking his calls after the arrest and feared Zambada would expose corrupt Mexican officials to U.S. prosecutors.

🇲🇽 In response, President Sheinbaum accused Salazar of misleading the Mexican government about U.S. involvement in El Mayo Zambada’s capture. She also defended AMLO’s decision to pause relations with Salazar over concerns about U.S. interference in Mexico.

🚗 A U.S. Senate committee will vote this week on a bill that could block some Mexico-built vehicles from the U.S. market if they use Chinese connected software or hardware.

🏪 Neighborhood tiendas across Mexico saw sales rise 10% to 15% during the 2026 World Cup.

📱 A bill in Mexico's Senate would cap commissions charged to drivers and couriers on apps like Uber, Rappi, and Mercado Libre at 15% per transaction.

⚡ Mexico announced plans for a financing package of more than $4 billion USD to support renewable energy projects.

💉 Mexico's US$22 billion medical device industry could gain expanded access to Europe after the European Parliament approved a trade deal eliminating tariffs on 99% of traded goods.

⚽ Fans in Mexico City and Zapopan, Jalisco helped set a Guinness World Record for the Largest Sports Sticker Exchange in 8 Hours across four venues in Mexico and the U.S. 

🔐 Mexico fined the Mexican Football Federation 42.8 million pesos for mishandling fans' biometric data collected through its Fan ID system.

💳 Dr. Simi entered the banking business after Farmacias Similares and digital bank Stori launched a new no-fee credit card for millions of unbanked Mexicans.

Tequila is everywhere in Mexico. Knowing what to buy is the hard part.

Walk into any tienda or mezcalería and you'll find shelves lined with blancos, reposados, añejos, beautiful bottles, and famous labels – but it's not always obvious which bottle is worth buying.

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Others are mostly marketing.

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🍎 Your Health Pulse

Maternity Care in Mexico

It only takes one pregnancy to discover that your health insurance may not cover what you expected. International plans often require a waiting period before maternity benefits begin, and deductibles, coverage limits, and reimbursement rules can affect what you pay out of pocket.

Coverage extends beyond delivery. Prenatal care, testing, hospital expenses, pregnancy complications, and postnatal care may all be covered differently depending on your policy.

Whether you choose a private hospital, birthing center, or home birth, understanding your coverage before you become pregnant can help you avoid unexpected costs.

Read more

📍Immigration Essentials

Know Your Rights at an Immigration Checkpoint in Mexico

Immigration checkpoints raise frequent questions from foreign residents about who can stop you, what documents to show, and when a checkpoint is legal.

Here’s what Mexico’s Ley de Migración (Migration Law) says…

Who Can Legally Stop or Question You?

According to the law, only immigration authorities (Instituto Nacional de Migración / INM) can directly request or retain a foreigner’s immigration documents. Police, the Guardia Nacional, or any other authority may participate only when formally assisting the INM, and not on their own.

This authority is defined across three key articles:

• Article 16 – Obligations of Migrants: Foreigners with regular immigration status must “safeguard and protect the documents that prove their identity and situation” and “show them when requested by immigration authorities.”

• Article 17 – Retaining Documentation: “Only immigration authorities may retain the documentation proving a migrant’s identity or immigration status when there are elements to presume it is falsified.”

• Article 96 – Cooperation of Other Authorities: Other agencies may cooperate with the INM “when requested,” but this does not authorize them to independently perform immigration checks or detain migrants.

In practice, only INM agents may ask to see or hold your immigration documents. Police or military personnel may not legally conduct immigration inspections unless acting under INM’s supervision.

What Makes a Checkpoint Lawful?

Under Mexican law, immigration checkpoints are legal only when formally authorized and led by INM officials under a written order. Random or roving stops without proper documentation are not valid.

Two key articles define these limits:

• Article 92 – Verification Visits: The INM may conduct verification visits only for specific, legally justified purposes, such as confirming information or verifying an expired visa, and each must be supported by written justification. These are administrative reviews, not random inspections.

• Article 97 – Immigration Reviews: The INM may carry out immigration inspections within the country, but every operation must be backed by a formal written order (orden fundada y motivada) specifying who is in charge, the assigned personnel, the geographic area, and the duration of the inspection.

Mexico’s Supreme Court has ruled that suspicionless or arbitrary immigration checks violate constitutional rights. Legitimate checkpoints are authorized, documented, and led by INM officials.

What to Do If You Are Stopped

• Politely confirm that the officer belongs to the INM (ask to see official identification).

• Present your valid residency card or passport if requested by INM personnel.

• You are not required to show documents to police or military unless they are assisting INM under a formal written order.

If you cannot immediately show your documents, INM may verify your immigration status through administrative procedures, not criminal ones. Under Article 68, you can be held for verification for no more than 36 hours while your situation is checked and documented.

🇲🇽 Viva México

The Genius Behind Modern Mexican Architecture

Some architects design buildings. Luis Barragán designed the way they make you feel.

In 1980, he became the first – and still the only – Mexican architect to receive the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honor. 

Born in Guadalajara in 1902, Barragán spent part of his childhood on his family's ranch near Mazamitla, where he developed a lasting connection to nature. That appreciation for the landscape stayed with him long after he left home.

A formative trip to Europe in 1925 introduced him to the clean lines and stripped-back geometry of modernism. He admired its simplicity but rejected the idea that a house should function like a machine. Instead, he believed architecture should create emotion, serenity, and surprise.

That philosophy became the hallmark of his work.

Barragán did not treat nature as scenery to be admired through a window. Trees, gardens, reflecting pools, waterfalls, and volcanic rock became part of the architecture itself.

He also used color as a building material. Walls appeared in saturated shades of Mexican pink, cobalt blue, golden yellow, and earthy ochre. As sunlight moved across them, their intensity shifted, changing the atmosphere of a room throughout the day.

One of his boldest projects came in 1945 with El Pedregal, a residential development built across a vast lava field south of Mexico City. Rather than blast away the volcanic rock, Barragán designed around it, weaving homes into the rugged landscape and convincing buyers to embrace the beauty of a place many considered unbuildable. 

Today, El Pedregal stands as an internationally admired, defining work of modern Mexican architecture.

His own home and studio in Mexico City's Tacubaya neighborhood, Casa Luis Barragán, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today, Barragán's influence extends far beyond his own buildings. His signature use of color, light, gardens, and indoor-outdoor living continues to inspire architects, boutique hotels, and homes across Mexico and around the world.

Need Health Insurance in Mexico?

Get connected with a vetted broker who knows the system. Whether the priority is private coverage, long-term insurance, medical evacuation, catastrophic care, or travel insurance – there’s a trusted professional ready to guide the search.

Find your broker

🪷 Viva Wellness

The Ancient Green Still Feeding Mexico

Some might call alache a weed. But in Mexico, it's been part of dinner for centuries.

Unlike most crops, alache (Anoda cristata) usually isn't planted. Each rainy season, it appears between rows of corn, beans, and squash.

Alache is one of Mexico's traditional quelites, a group of wild edible greens, with roots in pre-Hispanic food traditions. Today, it's still found in markets across Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, and the State of Mexico.

What makes alache unique is the texture. Like okra or nopal, the leaves release a natural mucilage when cooked, creating rich, hearty broths without the need for flour.

This mucilage is more than a culinary quirk; researchers believe it may also help protect the stomach lining. Laboratory studies have also found compounds extracted from alache can inhibit the growth of H. pylori, the bacteria associated with many stomach ulcers.

Studies suggest compounds naturally found in alache may help support healthy glucose metabolism while also providing antioxidant activity.

Researchers also found that adding alache to traditional white rice significantly lowered the meal's glycemic index compared with rice alone, reducing its overall glycemic impact.

Indigenous communities have valued alache for centuries, treating it as both a staple food and a medicinal plant. Traditionally, the leaves, stems, and flowers have been used to help treat fevers, coughs, inflammation, and wounds.

Its flavor is mild, earthy, and similar to young spinach, making it easy to add to your kitchen. Try it simmered with garlic, onion, chile guajillo, and a little masa for a traditional alache broth, or sauté it with tomatoes and epazote before serving alongside fresh corn tortillas.

🎉 ¡Vamos! Events

Feria de la Uva 2026 – July 23–26, Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes
Part of Aguascalientes’ Ruta del Vino celebrations, this traditional grape fair showcases local wines, live music, and regional gastronomy at the Explanada San Marcos. It also marks the start of the state’s harvest season, with special events taking place at wineries across Aguascalientes throughout the summer. More info here.

Festival PAAX GNP 2026 – July 23–August 2, Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo
Classical music, ballet, opera, and chamber performances take center stage at this 11-day festival led by conductor Alondra de la Parra. The program brings together internationally acclaimed artists, rising talent, and one of Mexico’s most ambitious cultural gatherings. More info here.

Guanajuato International Film Festival (GIFF) 2026 – July 24–August 2, Guanajuato & San Miguel de Allende
More than 200 films from around the world take over theatres, plazas, tunnels, and open-air venues as one of Latin America’s leading film festivals returns. The program includes free screenings, premieres, filmmaker talks, workshops, and special tributes, beginning in Guanajuato before continuing in San Miguel de Allende. More info here.

Feria Artesanal Tunich 2026 – July 24–August 2, Dzityá, Yucatán
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, this major Yucatán artisan fair brings together more than 120 craftspeople showcasing stone carving, woodwork, textiles, jewellery, and regional cuisine. Cultural performances, workshops, and family entertainment round out the 10-day celebration, which draws more than 100,000 visitors. More info here.

Festival Medieval 2026 – July 25–26, Jardines de México, Morelos
The sprawling floral gardens of Jardines de México near Tequesquitengo become the setting for this two-day medieval festival of jousting, combat reenactments, and themed cuisine. The third edition also includes a large medieval bazaar with crafts, handmade goods, and fantasy-inspired souvenirs. More info here.

Feria de la Sandía 2026 – July 24–25, Guerrero, Coahuila
Celebrating one of northern Coahuila’s signature crops, this small-town festival brings together live music, regional food, cultural performances, and family activities over two days. Held each summer in Guerrero, the fair highlights the municipality’s agricultural heritage and community traditions. More info here.

Mifel Tennis Open by Telcel-OPPO – July 25–August 1, Los Cabos, Baja California Sur
The Mifel Tennis Open marks its 10th anniversary with a week of ATP 250 tennis at the Cabo Sports Complex, one of the region’s major sporting events. This year’s edition includes free qualifying rounds on July 25–26, family activities, and a setting that pairs the tournament with Los Cabos’ beach-and-desert backdrop. More info here.

💡 Say It in Spanish

Voy a [destination]. ¿Este camino me lleva ahí?

Translation: I’m going to [fill in your destination]. Will this road take me there?

You’re cruising down a Mexican toll road, life is good, the playlist is fire…then BAM – detour ahead.

Do you follow the caravan of confused drivers? Or do you ask someone if this “shortcut” actually leads where you need to go?

This phrase is your road trip lifesaver. Drop it at a gas station, ask a roadside vendor, or flag down a friendly local before you end up on a dirt road that mysteriously leads to who knows where.

Bonus phrase: ¿Voy en la dirección correcta?

Translation: Am I going the right way?

🎯 Trivia Answer

A. Campeche

Founded by the Spanish in 1540, Campeche became one of the richest ports on the Gulf of Mexico, exporting logwood, salt, and valuable goods arriving from across New Spain. Its wealth made it a favorite target for pirates, who attacked the city repeatedly for more than a century.

The worst raid came in 1663, when English privateer Christopher Myngs, backed by the English Crown, led a multinational force of more than 1,400 pirates in a brutal assault by land and sea.

They captured Campeche, looted the city, seized ships, and carried off a fortune.

After more than a century of pirate attacks, Spain finally decided to surround Campeche with a 2.5-kilometer limestone wall reinforced by eight defensive bastions and fortified gates. 

But even that wasn't easy. Construction began in 1684, stalled when funding ran out, then resumed after yet another pirate attack before finally being completed in 1704.

Today, Campeche remains Mexico's only surviving walled colonial city. While parts of the original wall were demolished in the late 1800s to allow the city to expand, much of the fortification still stands. 

Visitors can walk sections of the original walls, pass through its historic gates, and wander the colorful streets that earned the city UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999.

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